February favorites 2016

February 2016 Young Living Essential oil unboxing

Homemade granola two ways

Hello my fellow people of the world! I have missed talking to you guys lately and hope everyone is having an amazing beginning of February. I have been wanting to share this recipe for a few weeks now and finally I sat down to share it with you all (the procrastination is real this month). Brandon has been on a granola kick lately he eats it for breakfast, snacks, and sometimes as a little end of the day treat! I was in target AKA the mothership a few weeks back and was looking through the different types of granolas. They have a million different kinds and while they all look pretty tasty, once reading the ingredients I realized I have no damn idea what some of the ingredients are let alone how the hell to say them. It kind of bothered me, don't get me wrong I am not full crunchy, I do eat my occasional Hot Cheetos which have god knows what in them except delicious unhealthy magic. I decided that granola can't be that hard to make at home right?!

RIGHT! Dude, this stuff is super easy to make. The best part about them is that they are sure recipes 

What is a sure recipe you might ask?

A sure recipe is my favorite type of recipes to make, the kinds that you have all of your ingredients out and you ask yourself in your head 

"Should I add that?" in which you reply "sure"

"Do you think this is the right amount to add?" ..."sure"

"Do you think the recipe will be okay with a little extra of this?" ... "sure"

They are my favorite type of recipes to make! The type of non hassle just throw it together and then it tastes good kind. I usually don't measure stuff out very well when I cook but decided to come up with TWO different easy granola recipes for you all! 

The first one is a super simple peanut butter granola, and the second one is an easy fruit and nut granola. 

We like to eat granola with some almond milk and a fresh banana, on top of our favorite homemade smoothie or just sit and snack on it all by itself!

So lets get to making!

Recipe 1: Super simple peanut butter granola

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup peanut butter ( I used smooth but it's your choice)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs. shelled hemp seeds
• 2 Tbs. shelled flax seed
• 1/2 Tbs. cinnamon

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 315 degrees
2. Put the honey, vanilla, and coconut oil into a microwave safe dish and microwave in 30 second increments until melted. ( Be careful guys, it can get hot)
3. Once melted, add the coconut oil mixture into a small bowl with the peanut butter and stir until smooth.
4. Once smooth add the peanut butter mixture with the dry ingredients and stir until all the dry ingredients are completely coated 
5. Spread onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
6. Bake for 25 minutes, about 10 minutes in use a spatula to turn over and mix around granola
7. Continue baking, peek in every once in a while to make sure it is not getting too dark
8. Let cool completely then use fingers or spatula to break into the size granola you would like
9. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks

                    

Easy enough right?! The next one is super yummy as well, I may or may not eat handfuls of the dried apricots before the granola is even ready. I'm not even sorrrrryyyyyyy

Back to baking! 

Recipe 2: Easy fruit and nut granola

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of old-fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup of Trader Joes Super seed and ancient grain blend ( This is a blend of sprouted buckwheat, sprouted millet, chia seed, golden flax seed, red quinoa, shelled hemp seed, and Amaranth ) If this mixture is not available to you feel free to add 1/2 cup of what ever blend of seeds/ grains you like.
• 2/3 cup of mixed dried fruit and nuts
• 1/2 cup of chopped dried apricots 
• 1/4 cup of raw almonds
• dash of cinnimon

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix oats, salt, Super seed blend, and cinnamon into a large bowl
3. Put the honey, vanilla, and coconut oil into a microwave safe dish and microwave in 30 second increments until melted. ( See above pictures)
4. Once melted, add the coconut oil mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until all the dry ingredients are completely coated 
5. Spread onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown
7. After about 10 minutes of baking use a spatula to stir around the granola, continue to bake
8. Once done, allow to completely cool
9. Mix in your dried fruit and nuts and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks

Enjoy!

xoxo
Julie

New YouTube video: Travel journaling supplies

Hey guys! Hope everyone is having a great day... I just wanted to let you know I uploaded a new video over on my YouTube channel. If you haven't been over there in a while go take a peak! Leave me a comment letting me know your favorite art supplies.

xoxo Julie

Keep it simple 2016

Welcome 2016!

Okay, I know I am late to the welcoming party but I have been bouncing from place to place within the last few months. I just checked and realized that it has been almost a MONTH since I last posted  on this blog (come on jules get it together).

 Well I can officially say that I have been struck with a bad case of  U.C.D. (uninspired creativity disorder)... I literally just made that up right this second. 

Seriously though I have been lacking the inspiration to paint, write, or even read. The last full book I read was over month ago, the horror I know. Sometimes I find that I just end up locked inside of my head with no key in sight. The thought of creating something just seems so distant and unrealistic. Its times like these that I literally fear, I have always been a creative person and knowing there are times when I cannot get my body to create anything is fucking sad. My entire being feels down when I don't do something at least at little creative. Explaining this to people can often lead to weird looks and the "oh yeah I know what you mean" nods when in reality they have no idea and probably never will. Whatever, I don't do it for those people, I do it for myself, my sanity.

 Not everything about my U.C.D. has been terrible, I find that it gives me time to reflect, I see the good, bad and fucking weird things that go on in my life. I have come to realize that I am always surrounded by things, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional... just tons of shit. Its time to clear some of this out of my life. I totally know it will take time since I am a lover of stuff, I'm not saying I want to get rid of all of my belongings, I just want to be surrounded with my most favorite items, people & thoughts. The rest have got to go. 

With the beginning of each new year the feeling of "oh crap what the hell will my resolution be" sets in. The scramble to "fix" what was wrong with the last year just leaves me stressed the hell out.  

So in 2016 I say FUUUUCCCCKKK THHHHATT business. I don't want to want to mentally write another unrealistic set of resolutions, instead I want to create a list of obtainable goals, big and small. I want that amazing feeling of crossing things off the list and knowing that hell yes I did that. With that being said I propose that the year of 2016 will be the year of Keeping it simple.

I now proudly present to you my very first obtained goal of 2016.

xoxo Julie