Red or White & Blue Sangria

Follow

Happy National Wine Day and Memorial Day Weekend! 

In honor of such a boozy occasion, I've come up with a two for one recipe...Red or White & Blue Sangria. Finalizing a menu that is a crowd-pleaser without driving the host into debt is one of the hardest tasks of party planning. Sure, you can throw a party where each person gets a customized beverage and dinner recipe, but you will probably need to take out a second mortgage. Sangria is a great party drink. The recipes lend themselves to large batches, but the question is always red or white?
Why not red and white? My Red or White & Blue Sangria lends itself to be made with either red or white, allowing you to use the same recipe twice and please the red wine drinkers and white wine drinkers in your life. Sorry beer drinkers, today just isn't your day 😉.

Don't Doubt, Just Do!

Follow

May is here (and so are my freebies) and with it comes my same old goal but a new mantra to keep my motivation alive. Putting off studying certainly crimped my plans more than anything else. Here I am a year later...living the "dream". Don't doubt, just do!

I'm still studying my butt off (30+ hours plus a full time job and whatever attention home requires), so my writing is behind to say the least. If you thought my content has been new, I have had you well tricked, but my archive is well stocked and my posts are scheduled. Keep your eyes posted on my Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter for shares of old posts, recipes that keep me moving, drink concoctions  I'm trying, the occasional quick update and my resurfacing in July summer. In the meantime, enjoy my May freebies as consolation!

Starbuck's Hack: Abby's Apple Pie Chai

I love anything chai when there is a chill in the air. The spices just warm me right up. The apple chai is an old Starbuck's menu item from back in my college days. It was a tasty treat in the fall. It eventually went the way of other seasonal drinks (the Starbuck's Cemetery) but was still available to order if you're barista had any recollection. One day I caught a glimpse of my barista mixing mine up and was pleasantly pissed to see that it was just steamed apple juice with a few pumps of chai. I thought "wtf, I can do this at home without spending $4 a cup." Alas, like most other inventions, Abby's Apple Chai was born out of straight up spite.

Sorry For What I Said When it Was Winter

Follow

My April freebies are here...better late than never. I'm sorry for the things I said when it was winter...if only winter would just fucking end already. This roller coaster of weather has my emotions doing the same thing. I love the sun one day and hate the frost the next. As I continue to barrage my brain with architecture related bits of knowledge, bask in my latest creation!

I've moved on from construction documents, specifications and contracts, but my love affair continues with planning, programming and project management. Keep your eyes posted on my Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter for shares of old posts, recipes that I'm trying, the occasional quick update and my resurfacing in the spring/summer. I've prepped some posts ahead of time and I'm full of ideas, fresh recipes and tips and tricks that have kept me fed and clothed through this journey. Until I get it typed up and shared, enjoy my April freebies as consolation!

Happy Valentine's Day

Follow

Happy Valentine's Day Benjamin Babes. Over the last two years I've written and shared my fair share of Valentine's and couple-related posts.

Here are favorite All About the Benjamin's Valentine's Reads:

Follow

This recipe is part of my Ultimate Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Guide. Find it on the Weekend to-do list. For daily to-do lists leading up to turkey day, follow on my blog or sign up for emails. New to-do lists everyday at noon through Thanksgiving!

Creamy Dairy Free Butternut Squash Soup

Prep Time 1 hour 20 min, serves 6.

Ingredients

• ~3 lbs. Butternut Squash
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil, plus more for squash
• 1 Small Onion, Chopped
• 5 Cups Vegan "No Chicken" Chicken Flavored Stock 
• 1 Dash Nutmeg
• 2 Tsp. Garlic, Minced
• 1 Tsp. Thyme
• Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
• Fresh Pepper
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Original Almond Milk, on soup day

Follow

This recipe is part of my Ultimate Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Guide. Find it on the Weekend to-do list. For daily to-do lists leading up to turkey day, follow on my blog or sign up for emails. New to-do lists everyday at noon through Thanksgiving!

Freezer-Friendly Pigs in a Blanket

Prep Time 15 min, serves 12.

Ingredients

• 1 package Cocktail Wieners 
• 1 tube Crescent Rolls

Pantry Raid: Leftover Naked Burrito Quinoa

Follow

Rice, quinoa and grains in general are hard to measure out exactly when setting up the rice cooker. In our house, I never wind up with the right amount. There's either 1 scoop left, which is not enough to divide into lunch containers for the next day, or we have a mountain left. Unfortunately, it tends to get packed away and forgotten about in the refrigerator until its too late and too smelly. I challenged myself to re-purpose our leftover quinoa this week into something different using ingredients from the pantry...no shopping trip required. This recipe ended up being the perfect triple treat of taste, protein and veggie all in one!

Peaches 'n Cream Chia Pudding

Follow

Back to School: What's for Lunch?

A little brain teaser to get started...
What is dairy (lactose) free, gluten free, vegetarian, organic, anti-inflammatory, naturally low sugar, but 100% tasty?
Peaches 'n Cream Chia Pudding, of course!

It's back to school season. This means the tiny humans are on the go, eating at school, heading to soccer practice and doing homework while their respective adults are playing chauffeur and personal chef, packing lunches and snacks. Although I am the tiniest human in the Benjamin house, and by no means headed back to school, as summer winds down and school kicks up I feel the changing seasons (gone are the lazy days). I am challenging myself to plan ahead and stay organized, especially when it comes to food.

Tossing a pre-made snack or frozen meal into a lunchbox is obviously the most convenient option, but the calorie and sugar content can be through the roof. I myself am guilty of this when it comes to my lunch at least once a week...I run out of leftovers and here I am on Thursday morning digging through the freezer for a HotPocket. Don't fall into the habit of prepackaged, high sugar snacks. Homemade can be just as simple but loads healthier when executed effectively. Take 5 minutes to throw together some Peaches 'n Cream Chia Pudding. The perk of this recipe is that it preps well and keeps throughout the week. Try making a batch on Sunday night, divide it into smaller containers and suddenly you are armed with a week of fresh and healthy snacks!

5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Follow

Planning to host a party this Memorial Day weekend? Let your slow cooker do the hard work for you. On warm spring (almost summer) days like this, the windows are open, the house is cooling itself passively and no one really likes to screw that up by turning on the oven. So don't! But how will you feed your guests? Dust off your slow cooker and take that bad boy for a spin.

Over the last two years since Ross and I moved into our own house, my slow cooker has become my trusty side piece. I don't see him often, but when I do, its a whirlwind romance. We spend a few hot minutes together prepping a meal in the morning, then I head out for the day and he gets all hot and bothered. When I come home from work or travel in the evening, he's got something hot and ready to serve up for me. I love to bring him out and show him off at parties too. I mean "I love to waste a good party in the kitchen," said no one ever. My slow cooker has been the centerpiece of many a taco bar or chili cook off, and again, he will be making an appearance for Memorial Day. So lets get (slow) cookin' and try out my 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.

Blueberry Spinach Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

As I wrote back in March, I have been experiencing this mysterious pain and pressure in my left eye since early December, similar to a black eye. With Advil (an anti-inflammatory), some research and a change in my diet to include anti-inflammatory foods, it is better but not cured. To help ease the discomfort, every Sunday I prep a week's worth of smoothies in a set of mason jars to dump into the blender every morning and haul with me to work. This week's lineup includes my recent "Blueberry Spinach Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie". There are a handful of fruits, veggies and spices with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which include (but are not limited to)

• Turmeric 
• Ginger
• Grapefruit
• Spirulina
• Pineapple
• Papaya
• Leafy greens including arugula, kale and spinach 
• Blueberry
• Green Tea

Half-Homemade Orange Pineapple Salsa

Signs of spring are starting to pop up everywhere, but they haven't quite made it to the produce department at the local grocery store yet. Oranges and strawberries are coming into season, and I am so excited to have fresh fruits adorning my fruit bowl once again. Between my love of fresh fruit, my Pact to commit to 5 fruits and veggies, and the need to eat fresh produce before it spoils, I sometimes find that we are out of the good stuff before it is time to head back to the grocery store for a full shop.

Strawberry Banana Chia Smoothie

I love bananas...they are a great source of potassium but I enjoy them most when the peel is still a bit green and the banana is still a bit underripe. Once they yellow completely, I lose interest. Ripe bananas generally find themselves on the direct express to my freezer for use in banana bread. Not anymore! My Strawberry Banana Chia Smoothie is a great recipe to use too-ripe bananas without waste and its as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Cajun Roasted Tomatoes

I'm a sucker for tomatoes...they have always been one of my favorites. Overall, not a bad thing to be sweet on. According to WebMD, tomatoes are high in lycopene, a type of carotenoid found in red foods, responsible for delivering us a healthy serving of antioxidants. Eating tomatoes with a healthy oil, like olive oil, helps the human body absorb lycopene and carotenoids in general. The majority of a tomato's carotenoids are found in its peel, making roasted tomatoes the perfect triple threat. Roasted tomatoes are a quick and versatile side dish that can be dressed up to match whatever main dish is on your table that night. Cajun Roasted Tomatoes pack a lot of flavor into each tiny bite - full of garlic, paprika and pepper. A little cheese melted on top adds a luxurious touch and an extra punch of flavor.

Grapefruit Ginger Anti-Inflammatory Green Smoothie

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away"...not in my case! I've been battling a mysterious pain in my left eye for almost 4 months. After countless eye doctor exams, specialists and tests, advil has been the answer.

Valentine's Brunch at the Benjamin's

Ross and I love a good brunch! Nothing like a great cut of steak, a hearty egg (or three) and a bloody mary to kickstart a productive Sunday.

Starbuck's Hack: Abby's Peppermint Mocha Latte

Tis the season...for everything minty and chocolatey to disappear from your coffee shop's menu and your money to disappear from your wallet as your credit card bills from Christmas past roll in. Although several years ago Starbuck's decided that the peppermint mocha was worth keeping on the menu all year long, with my hack recipe you can make it at home and save your money for next year's Christmas gifts.

Starbuck's Hack: Chai Tea Latte

This morning it was a whopping 1° when I got out of bed. It has now warmed to a balmy 17°. On days like today, sometimes the only thing to take the chill out of your bones and warm your soul is a nice hot latte, but who likes braving the cold to hit their local coffee shop? Here's a budget-friendly, homemade version of one of my Starbucks favorites that doesn't skimp on flavor.

Wine Wednesday: New Year's Eve Champagne Punch

The countdown to New Year's is on and we are getting into the spirit(s) a little early at the Benjamin house. In the spirit of Wine Wednesday, Ross and I have tirelessly and tipsily tested and perfected these Champagne Punch recipes to leave you weak at the knees (no New Year's kiss required).

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! I hope Santa treated everyone well. Need some last minute recipes to bring to grandma's?