Weekend Update| August 8, 2011

Lake Eola

 Another weekend came and went and it's Monday again. I guess you can't be sad about the weekend ending if you had a great time, and we did! Friday night we headed out to Lake Eola in downtown Orlando to take pictures. John has been reading a bunch of photography blogs to try and improve his form, and I can tell he's really learned a lot. Isn't the picture of the city so beautiful? I love silvery it looks, it captures the way it looked with the storm moving in perfectly!

He's really been wanting to improve his portraits, so he used me as a model and I think he got some really great shots. See how the background is blurry and I am so in focus and the lines around me are crisp? The secret there is in the zoom lens. Portraits are best taken from afar, and zoomed in to get a crisp image with a blurry background so the person is the focus of the picture.

I took the next one...because it's my favorite part of the park...

After some fun with the camera we ran a few errands and then went out for some sushi...something I haven't done in ages since John doesn't like it. To make me happy he agreed to go out and try some to see if his taste buds have changed. We went to Bikuri Sushi and I ordered a lava roll. He wasn't a huge fan, but he didn't gag or anything, so that's something. :)

Saturday morning we woke up early (7am!) so that John could hit the beach and go surfing with some friends. I had plans to go to a crafting birthday party for my beautiful friend Shana. I spent the morning making a homemade gift of Rosemary Honey Butter (which I found on Fresh Out of Lemons.)  It was so much fun to make and I had everything on hand.

You basically boil a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary in honey and let it steep for a while. You bring a couple sticks of butter to room temperature and then blend it in a food processor with the rosemary-infused honey. Put them in jars and they will firm back up when refrigerated. Go here for the full recipe.

I made Shana an extra big jar of it and decorated it up for her birthday...

And I made a little jar for myself to serve with this homemade bread...

Once my butter was made, I packed up my craft and headed to my friends' house. It was great to be back with Kate and Kayla in the house I called a home for a year prior to my marriage. We had some great times in that house, and Saturday morning kept the memory-making going! Shana spent some time making her very first quilt, Kayla was making a ruffled skirt out of t-shirts, Kate was altering some clothes, and my friend Becky was working on a project for her 1st grade classroom.

Shana quilting

All my friends are very crafty. They sew and knit and crochet and scrap book and all those fun things. I've never been much of a crafter, but if cooking counts...

Thanks to Kayla, I did learn how to knit and have been working on a blanket for the past two years...ok, so I'm not a quick knitter.

My knitted blanket

Saturday night John and I went out for ice cream with our friends Hooman and Viyan. They are the Iranian couple I mentioned two Friday Replays-ago who had the baby shower. Their little girl, Vanda, is turning into quite the little charmer. She's getting so big, and is so well-behaved. She loves looking around and taking in her surroundings. She's such a curious little girl. Isn't she precious?

We enjoyed catching up on life. It had been a few months since we last got together and there was so much to talk about. We really enjoy their company and have so much fun doing nothing at all, just sipping on a shake and walking around town. At the end of the night we found ourselves at Target, and little Vanda who had had a little nap, woke up happy and ready to cuddle!

Sunday we went to church and then came home and cooked. And when I say "cooked" I mean "COOKED!" I may have mentioned before that I usually spend a lot of my Sundays cooking up food for the week so I don't have to worry about it during the week. Yesterday I baked pumpkin muffins for breakfast all week, a chocolate chip bundt cake, homemade bread, a quinoa vegetable salad for lunches, chopped up a cantaloupe, and made a wheat berry vegetable stir fry to go along with baked fish for the first half of the week. By the end I was exhausted and my feet were tired! But it was well worth it being surrounded by fresh foods that are healthy and that contain no unnecessary chemicals and preservatives!

Question of the Day: 

Are you crafty? What kinds of things do you make?

Friday Replay- Lessons from the Spanish

Friday Replay is where I get a chance to replay some of the posts that I wrote  back when the only people reading were my mother and husband. So many of them mean a lot to me, and show my heart a bit more, so much so that I want to share them with the many readers I'm blessed to have now!

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Chocolate Con Churros

Ah, España. Today I miss the pace of life there. I miss the rhythm of the crosswalks, the smell of street food and the clinking of spoons in café con leche. There's something so different, so opposite the pace here in America.

On a day trip to Granada my husband and I walked up the narrow streets of the Albayzín to get a good overlook of the Alhambra. We sat in the square taking in the view, surrounded by gypsies strumming violently on their guitars- their long jet-black hair blowing around in the wind. We lost track of time.

Next thing we knew, our bus was close to leaving and we were still lost in the narrow streets where no taxi could go. Hungry from walking we hurried into a local café for some "take out" for the road. There we stood, panting; surrounded by men sipping wine and smoking cigarettes.

        John: *out of breath* Do you have take out?
        Bartender: *laughing* No take out.
        John: But we're in a hurry. 
        Patron: *grabs John by the shoulders* There's no "fast food" here.
        Bartender: Slow down.

Lesson learned. The next day back in Malaga we took their advice and slowed way down. The morning was spent at Café Central where we drank fresh squeezed orange juice, ate a croissant and churros con chocolate. We sat hand in hand, both chairs pointed to the street for hours. After that we strolled along the beach and found a restaurant on the sand that served fresh fish. It was the best meal of my life. After a hefty dinner of paella, gelato, and one too many glasses of sangria we went to our hostal and curled up in bed.

Life in slow motion is so much richer. I know that life in America can be fast-paced, high demand, and no nonsense. But just stop. Stop to listen, smell, see, and think. Take a minute to notice your surroundings and the beauty of your people. Life moves fast, and in America it is just too easy to miss.

 

Question of the Day:

What is the biggest lesson you have learned from a culture different than your own?

 

Greek-Style Quesadillas

Oh, these are good...and it's a Hannah original! A lot of times I find myself going back to the recipes I know, the cookbooks I love, and tweaking concoctions I find on the web. I haven't really invested in my own ability to create things from scratch and really wanted to tap into that this week. While I enjoyed the process of creating new things, the times where it felt like an experiment set me a little bit on edge. I couldn't be satisfied until I sat it in front of John and got his first reaction.  He loved it! Mission accomplished!





For the Greek-style quesadillas I sauteed some veggies and chicken and threw in some feta and mozzarella (told it it together) in the whole wheat pita. I created a delicious roasted red pepper and cilantro aioli for dipping and it all came together so nicely. The aioli also works great as a mayo substitute on sandwiches to give your lunch a little kick.




Greek-Style Quesadillas 
(Makes 4 servings)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1/2 of a medium zucchini, diced
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1/2 lb chicken breast, diced
1/2 (14oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Whole wheat wraps
1 small container of crumbled feta cheese
1 pkg of shredded mozzerella
Pam spray

In a large skillet, on med-high, heat the olive oil and add onion, garlic, and red pepper. Cook 3-5 minutes until the onions become translucent. Throw in squash, mushrooms, and chicken and saute until cooked through. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper and toss until the tomatoes are heated through. Pour out excess liquid from pan and reserve veggies and chicken in a bowl. 

Spray a large non-stick skillet with Pam and place on medium heat. Lay on whole wheat wrap in the pan and top on one half with 1/4 of the veggie mixture. Cover with 1/4 cup feta and a small handful of mozzarella. Fold other half of wrap over, and flip to melt the cheese. Once the wrap starts to get brown and crisp, move to a plate and cut.

Roasted Red Pepper and Cilantro Aioli
Makes about 1 cup

1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 tbsp sour cream
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp red onion
Dash of salt and pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (or more to your liking)

Place in a small food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with quesadillas or on a yummy sandwich....or eat by the spoonful!

Question of the Day:

Is there a recipe that you invented that you're proud to serve up?

Unveiling the Veil: Hijab Fact and Fiction

I'm excited to announce an awesome guest this morning here on Culture Connoisseur. She's the beautiful blogger behind Miss Anthropist's Kitchen and she knows how to bake up some tasty treats. But that's not the only thing she knows about...today she is here to tell us everything she knows about the hijab! Take it away, girlie!

Hi there! My name is Nourhan (it's a Turkish name, but I'm Egyptian). I'm a 19-year-old food blogger and...I'm also a Muslim. Before you call the police, you won't believe this: I'm a Muslim...and I don't want to blow anyone up! I want to educate you about the hijab :)

The wonderful Hannah asked me if I would like to guest post here about the hijab. I'll tell you why I wear it, and some other facts you may not know about the hijab (Islamic headscarf) and Islam. 

The hijab (or headscarf) is something that women (girls who have passed puberty) should wear as Muslims (and actually it's not only for Muslims--I know that in other religions women are meant to wear it as well (Judaism, Christianity...but that's another story for another day). Many people seem to be under a lot of misconceptions…that we Muslim girls are forced to wear it, or that we have to wear it everywhere (shower included). This is totally not the case.

I've been wearing the hijab for about 7 years, since I was 12 years old. I know that sounds really young, but for me, it was at a perfect time. Since I skipped two grades in school, I was actually 12 when I went to the 9th grade (first year of high school), so I actually felt older than I really was. Nobody forced me to wear the hijab. Not my parents (they advised me of course, but never forced me), not anyone. It was my decision 100%.

 (Virgin Mary, Mother Teresa, Amish women, Orthodox Jews, nuns, all wear the hijab as well.)

I wear the hijab because, like praying 5 times a day and giving charity every year, fasting during the month of Ramadan from dawn until sunset (it is actually Ramadan this month! You should read into it, it's very interesting), wearing the hijab is required of me as a Muslim. Yes, there are days when I want to look pretty outside and wear whatever I want...but then I think, "wait a second, why do I need the attention of strangers?" 

The hijab doesn't want Muslim women to look bad--on the contrary, it is required for a Muslim to look clean, decent, and nice. The hijab is a form of modesty. Girls should be modest...and once upon a time, the majority of the girls were modest. Times have clearly changed, but that doesn't mean everyone should conform blindly. Modesty is something that should be the standard all the time, no matter where you live--it is a beautiful and pure thing.

Here are some common questions you might be wondering:

1. What is the difference between the hijab, niqab, burqa...?
They are all a means to cover one's body, but in different ways. The physical differences are this:

·         The hijab: Supposed to cover the entire body excluding the hands and face. (It's also how Virgin Mary wore the scarf). The majority of Muslim women who are covered wear the hijab.

·         The niqab: Covers everything except for a slit revealing the eyes, and it's usually black though sometimes found in different colors.

·         The burqa covers EVERYTHING from head to toe. There is a screen-like thing over the eyes, but the eyes aren't revealed.

The majority of Muslim women wear the hijab, though in some countries like Saudi Arabia, the niqab is more prevalent. Muslim women differ in covers depending on their situation and how much they believe a girl should cover up. 

 

2. Why do you wear the hijab in America when you don't have to?
Another common misconception is that all Arab countries "force" women to wear the hijab. This is completely untrue. Walk around the streets of countries like Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Dubai, Turkey, and you will find that there are many women who are not veiled (some of them quite the opposite, ahem). So in Egypt, like America, I have the option not to wear it...

Of course, there is a sharp difference between not wearing it in Egypt and not wearing it in America. In America, there is always the feeling of "belonging" I would probably get if I didn't wear the hijab. It's weird how a single article of clothing can make you stick out like a sore thumb. I mean, I probably wouldn't get lingering glances from people while I'm shopping for groceries, or have an employee treat me rudely when he was just fine talking to the other customer before me.

I'm not saying that I'm suffering by wearing the hijab in America--some people are extremely kind, and many times people have told me how much they respect me for wearing the clothes I wear (it always makes my day!).

Like all human beings, Muslim girls who wear the hijab enjoy it when people smile at us, crack jokes, or treat us like we don't have a second head. :)

But no matter where I live, I choose to wear the hijab regardless. Simply because I'm not doing it for people, I'm doing it for God. 

 

3. Do you have to wear the hijab at home?
No is the general answer...but it also depends. Allow me to explain. If a normal day at home is spent with only family (that is, your mother, sister, husband, son, brother, or father), you never have to wear the hijab at home. Muslim women are only required to be veiled in front of men who are not their mahram. They do not have to wear it in front of their mahram. A mahram is someone who is considered close family and unmarryable (excluding your husband, of course). 

People who are considered mahram to a woman: Father, grandfather, brother, half-brother, husband, son, a boy who hasn't passed puberty yet (a male child), a male who has been breast-fed by her mother (but not necessarily blood-related), mother's brother, father's brother (Note: I did not say "uncle" because a mother's sister's husband is considered an uncle in the English language, but he is not considered a mehram since he is not related by blood), and daughter's husband.

All of these people can see a woman without her scarf since they are considered close family.

In Islam, a non-mahram would be any other male, so you would have to wear the scarf when seeing them. This category consists of basically every other male on the planet who wasn't mentioned in the previous list. It includes male cousins (yes, it's permitted for cousins to marry, but it's not very common), stepbrothers, adopted brothers, brother-in-laws, and "uncles" (who are not your parents' siblings, but your parents' sister's husband). 

Are you scratching your heads yet? I made a little table to make things easier for you :)

So in a sense, girls don't wear the scarf according to location...but rather, the people present at the location.

Put simply, if you're at home and the pizza delivery guy, neighbor next door, brother's best buds, or husband's brother decides to stop by your house, you would be required to wear the scarf. On the other hand, if you were at the pool outside in your backyard with all your girl friends and no neighbors can see you, you wouldn't have to wear it.

But to make things less complicated, we say that we don't wear the hijab at home (since the majority of the time we don't).

 

4. Do you like wearing the hijab?

Yes! I really really do.

I would just like to quote someone for a second here...she is an actress, (Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, anyone?), Emma Watson:

"I find the whole concept of being ‘sexy’ embarrassing and confusing. If I do an interview with photographs people desperately want to change me - dye my hair blonder, pluck my eyebrows, give me a fringe. Then there’s the choice of clothes. I know everyone wants a picture of me in a mini-skirt. But that’s not me. I feel uncomfortable. I’d never go out in a mini-skirt. It’s nothing to do with protecting the Hermione image. I wouldn’t do that. Personally, I don’t actually think it’s even that sexy. What’s sexy about saying, ‘I’m here with my boobs out and a short skirt, have a look at everything I’ve got?’ My idea of sexy is that less is more. The less you reveal the more people can wonder."  

A non-Muslim girl with a lot of Islamic sense. So much respect for her, because this is exactly why I'm so proud to be wearing the scarf! You go, girl!

 

5. Do you ever get to look pretty and dress up? Obviously you're not going to wear party dresses at home.
Yes, yes I do! My Muslim friends ALWAYS throw girl parties, whether it's for a special occasion like a wedding or baby shower, or just for fun. You would be absolutely stunned to see how glamorous girls look once they take their scarves off. (Hannah's previous post on the Iranian baby shower showed this beautifully!).

There's always that "wow" factor that comes along with looking great after being covered, kind of like how in chick flicks the girl next door reveals herself at the end of the movie to be a babe (yes...I watch a lot of movies).

Even without dressing up, though...I remember the first time I went to a girl friend's house and took off my hijab for the first time in front of her. My friend stared at me for about 10 minutes straight. I'm not even exaggerating. I wasn't wearing a fancy dress, or put on extra makeup...I simply took my scarf off.

Personally, I can't wait to share that experience on my wedding day with whoever is my future husband. :)

6. What do you look like?
Like this, on a really good day:

 I hope this post was informative and that it cleared up some common misconceptions about the hijab.

And fun fact: The media makes it seem like all Muslims are Middle Eastern, yet out of 1.2+ billion Muslims, fewer than 15% of Muslims are actually Arab/Middle Eastern! The majority of Muslims are actually in Asia, in countries like Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, etc. (Yes...there is a whole world out there!)

Thanks for letting me guest post here, Hannah! :)

Still have questions or comments? 

Don't be shy...ask them here and I'm sure Nourhan will be willing to share!

 

Friday Replay- Iran: Women in Community

Good morning! First of all, thank you for all of you sweet responses to yesterdays hair post. You all helped out a lot and help me to decide to grow my hair back out. I'm gonna go for the look that Leslie posted (see comments). So cute! Thanks for your help!

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Today I'm starting something called Friday Replay where I get a chance to replay some of the posts that I wrote  back when the only people reading were my mother and husband. So many of them mean a lot to me, and show my heart a bit more, so much so that I want to share them with the many readers I'm blessed to have now! First up, "Iran: Women in Community."

This past weekend I had the privilege of celebrating the near arrival of my dear friend’s first child! Her baby shower was beautiful and the people there, even more so. My friend is Iranian. She moved to the states 2 years ago with her husband who is working on his PhD at our university. We met at an International Thanksgiving dinner 2 years ago, and we got together often so she could practice her English.

I have many Iranian friends, so I was not prepared for the wonderful surprise that awaited me at this shower. It was unlike the other times I had hung out with large groups of Persians before. This time it was all women, and it was wonderful! I was able to observe so many wonderful differences between their female culture and my own; differences that ought to be celebrated, and perhaps adopted.

I know that the gender issues in Muslim cultures can be a hot topic for Americans with so many of us holding to feminist ideologies. Many of us have a tendency to struggle with a Muslim woman's position in their society, in their family, and the implications of modest dress and head coverings. Many of these misunderstandings and assumptions are born out of fear and the unknown. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized I had made any assumptions about my dear friends, and wasn't until yesterday that I was finally able to see this aspect of their culture for what it is...a celebration of all things female!

While many Iranians are quite lax, there are some who hold to a more modest code of Islam. As the party progressed and more and more guests arrived I couldn't keep from chuckling. These gorgeous women would walk in covered head to foot and when the door closed the "veil" was lifted to reveal awesome party clothes, the cutest shoes, and gorgeous jewelry. I wanted to punch myself for all the times I had assumed they hated dawning what I saw as oppressive clothing, understanding now that underneath it all, they looked like absolute divas. 

Soon the food was served and morale was high. Ladies laughing, shouting, cheering, joking. There was a female comradery present that I have never felt when surrounded by a group of my own American girlfriends. It was an understanding that all the women there were strong and beautiful, successful mothers, daughters and wives. A sense of pride in unity of culture and tradition and a celebration of those things Persian. It was a safe place, a place where one could be understood, defended, and set free.

I'm sure many of my friends would be the first to tell you that like all women, they struggle with their appearance, their body type, their insecurities and their fears. Most aspects of being a women are just universal, but they seemed to have something right that I was just missing.

Tea was served, cake was cut, and Persian music was blaring. The ladies took turns dancing in the middle of the room, each cheering on their peer, whistling, chirping, laughing. It was a wonderful time to celebrate the beauty of each one. A wonderful time to see my very lovely and very pregnant friend dancing and enjoying this exciting moment in her life. I was happy to witness it all (and even happier to capture all these moments on camera)!

I left the party wanting more. More freedom with my friends. More enjoyment in who we are. More celebration in all that it means to be a woman- the success, the fertility, the beauty, the tradition, the love and the family. And most of all....more dancing.  

Question of the Day:

What are your "girl time" traditions? How do you celebrate what it means to be a woman. 

If your a man, what do you love about the woman in your life? 

 

 

 

 

Ladies, I Need Your Advice...

Good morning lovely  blog friends! I need help. It's nothing major, quite trivial really, but it's a dilemma none the less. I don't know what to do with my hair. If you're a woman, you understand. Sometimes you just feel like throwing your hands in the air and shaving it all off so you don't have to deal with it anymore. (No worries, I won't actually do that.)

Currently my hair is in a short angled bob...the same haircut everyone else has. I've had this hairstyle off and on for about four years and I feel like I need to stick with a change. Here's some looks I've had over the years they range from very short to long (well, the longest I've ever had anyways.)

PIXIE CUTS

SHORT/MEDIUM LENGTH

LONG HAIR

QUESTION: 

Which do you think looks prettiest on me? 

Should I grow it out again? 

Keep it the current length but a different style (need ideas!) or...

go really short (even though my husband would die if I cut it like that again...)?

Travelogue: Rabat, Morocco

Kasbah des Oudaias

As mentioned in this post, John and I honeymooned in Spain and Morocco. Our few days in Rabat were some of our favorites out of the whole two weeks. Rabat just has something. There's an electricity about the city, the people's smiles are contagious and their surroundings are picturesque. I love Rabat because even though it's a big city (the capital of Morocco) it still has a small town feel and you can really relax and enjoy the culture there.

Overlooking the Atlantic from Oudaias

Rabat is a coastal city bordering the Atlantic Ocean. It has been the country's capital since 1912 when it was moved from Fez. The city is broken up into two worlds- the new city and the old medina. The newer side of the city has nice hotels, bus and train stations, and lots of places to shop. The streets are impeccable (compared to other Moroccan cities, and other parts of Rabat) and are lined with tall palm trees.

John and I walked through the new city, but spent most of our time in the medina and surrounding areas. Our hotel was inside the medina walls in a beautiful old dar (house) owned by a French woman. If you make your way to Rabat I highly recommend the Dar Zouhour and it's central location. See my review here. 

Overlooking part of the city

John and I spent much of our time checking out the major sights and exploring tiny alleys.The oudaias is a great place to do this. Just inside the kasbah walls is a beautiful neighborhood. The whole place is painted in stark white and vibrant blue. On a sunny day the color is almost too much to handle, it just pours happiness into your heart. This is a must see, and on your way out you can take a walk through the tranquil kasbah gardens.

Warning: Men stand at the entrance to the oudaias telling you that you aren't allowed in because prayers just finished up. That's a lie. Blow right past them as politely as possible, anyone is welcome in the city and you can walk in, prayers or no prayers, as long as you stay out of the mosques (generally speaking Morocco does not allow any non-Muslim to enter the mosque, but in some cases you can stand just outside to peak in at a particularly historic one.)

Oudaias

Typical Moroccan doorway. Beautiful!

Another great sight to see is the medina and market (souk) at night. After dark, around 8 or 9pm head over to the souk and get lost in  the crowd. Moroccans love to be where the people are. If they go to the souk and it's not crowded they will go home until later when it's packed out. It is the place to be and it is full of new sights, sounds and smells. If you miss this, then you will have missed Morocco entirely.  Keep some cash in your front pocket for street food and hole in the wall restaurants. There's lots of great shopping around here, but bargain hard.

John and I at Le Tour Hassan

Lastly, but certainly not least-ly, make sure you take a walk over to Le Tour Hassan and the Mausoleum of King Mohammed V. The Tour (tower) is an unfinished minaret built by Almohad sultan Yacoub al-Mansour in 1195. It was intended to reach 60m (the tallest in the Muslim world), but only made it to 44. Even at it's current height, the tower impresses.

The beautiful mausoleum (not pictured) is the burial site of the late King Mohammed V, much loved by the country and visited by many throughout the year. It's a solemn place to visit, and it is great to see all the care put into the design work inside.

To the right of the mausoleum is a large and beautifully decorated mosque. Go visit this area near the time for one of the prayers so that you can stand in the square between Le Tour Hassan, the mausoleum, and the mosque when they sing the call to prayer from the loud speakers. We enjoyed watching the locals flock to the area and leave soon after prayers were finished-  culture happened right before our eyes!

Rabat holds a special place in our hearts and we talk about going back all the time. Even though we visited many beautiful cities in the country, Rabat stood out among them all!

Question of the Day:

What's your favorite sight that I saw?

Do the VOO

You won't believe what I dreamt about last night. I spent 8 solid hours of sleep dreaming about making enough Vegan Overnight Oats (VOO) to last an entire year. I had buckets and buckets or chocolate VOO, pumpkin pie VOO, blueberry and banana VOO. Apparently I've got VOO on the brain. I hadn't even heard of these little goodies until about a month ago when I stumbled upon Oh She Glows. I'm so glad I did because it's a great way to start my day off on the right foot, and gives me the energy I need to plow through the first half of my work day. Even John eats them, and if a boy enjoys cold vegan cereal  that's got to say something!

                                                                                          Source: ohsheglows.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Vegan overnight oats are oats soaked overnight in the refrigerator with almond milk (or other milk substitute), chia seeds, and assorted toppings. You can mix up a batch in a jiffy before you head to bed, and when you wake up breakfast is ready to rock and roll.

All my life I have been eating hot oatmeal, so the first time I tried these the cool oats took a little getting used to. I think the texture caught me off guard a little, especially with the bloated chia seeds floating around in there. But the more I eat them and try different varieties the more I enjoy them and the quicker I eat them up!

I realize the vegan overnight oats may be a deterrent for you die-hard carnivores. I've never been too gung-ho about meat in the mornings (or at all) so it didn't bother me. But I assure you that you can get the protein you need through these oats with much less unhealthy fat since it is animal free. The chia is high in omega 3s, fiber, and comes with 3g of protein per tbsp (for more about what chia has to offer see here.) Top off your oats with a nut butter of some kind and a small scoop of nuts and you've got yourself a well-rounded breakfast! Or you can smother it in chocolate for a yummy treat....

                                                                         Source: thehealthyfoodie.net via Hannah on Pinterest

 Here's a few of my favorite VOO recipes:


Carob Banana VOO
Blueberry Banana Pie Overnight Oat Casserole
Easy Vegan Overnight Oats
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
Overnight Oatmeal (non-vegan)

Question of the Day: 

 Have you ever tried overnight oats? What's your favorite combo?