Chia Seed Pudding + Dancing in the Rain

As prefaced by the title, today was a pretty f*cking good day. Yeah, I woke up late to the smell frying chicken fetus (aka, omelette?), on a coach that is not my bed, and with a belly full of hunger. Aside from any apparent set backs, the day only went up from there.

Ok. So I haven't got a car. And I was out of fresh food. WHAT IS A GIRL TO DO?
*dun dah dah dah* Christian to the rescue!
...Who is Christian, you ask?
Only the best roommate in the entire history of the UNIVERSE. Also, a dude with a car.

Yeah. Field trip with Christian and Gabriel. Bromance extraordinaire. Together for a 20 minute drive in the sexiest BMW you'll ever lay your eyes on. And did I mention Christian not only has the best taste in cars and roommates, but also in music, too!  Pretty much the perfect storm.

Field trip destination one: Local Ma & Pop store with basically everything you could ever want in your entire life. Candies, soaps, nuts, spices, flour, local meats and cheeses, ice cream, green bean chip samples.... Just thinking about it makes me feel set for life.
I don't know about you, but it's never a bad time to buy another thing of tumeric powder. 'Specially when you just ran out (I need my tofu scramble to look authentic. It's important to me, ok?!). Then Christian got 50 smacks worth of locally (and humanely!) grown beef products. I forgive him. NO JUDGEMENT ZONE. He's got a car.

Next stop: Local Ma & Pop produce stand. SO MUCH PRODUCE. And the muscadines are in, too! Boy do I ever love SC in the summertime.

Then it was time for lunch, yadda yadda. Had some awesome sauceome lentil mish mash stew, yadda yadda. Peeled and stored the mushy "ice cream peaches" for freezer storage, yadda yadda.
Oh! Peaches! Yeah. Bought about 10 pounds of mushy ones for cooking and sorbeting and the like. It's pretty great. I even had the grand idea of heating a couple of 'em up for a nice topping to our chia seed pudding from the night before (remember that?!).
Gabe, being the smart ass that he is, was hesitant of such an idea at first.
"What do we call it? I don't want to heat up a buncha peaches unless you give it a fancy name first."
Yeah. Ok. "Compote."
Haha, or not.
Composte? Carport? Ok, let's make some carport.
Whatever you call it, it was on the stove reducing away with a nice cinnamon stick and a dash of pumpkin pie spice. Yum-o.

As I was set deep in my dish duties, I look out side and behold a glorious sight....  a summer sun storm! (remember my "perfect storm" reference from earlier? Yeah. That was forshadowing. Why don't you suck on that for a moment.) I quickly run outside to do cartwheels and partake in general gallabanting. But you know, such activities are made far better when in the company of another.
...GABRIEL COME ON DOWN!

Let me preface this by saying that this is a guy who has, for the entirety of his life, had an aversion to getting wet. Having zero percent of bodily insulation really can make ones heat retention capabilities a bit wonky.
...but there was no need for me to preface that because the accompanied gallabanting that then ensued was a blast-off blasty blast! Played some tag, did some cartwheels, ran through the streets, and naturally of course, we danced. Swing style. It's a handy skill to have. I recommend you try it sometime.

Upon cozying up in our respective robes and allowing the adrenaline to settle, the simmering carport was remembered and chia seed pudding was soon to be had.

And there she blows! Tis a beautiful sight to see. And tasty, too. 

Bananas + peaches are always a good combo. FYI.

 Indeed. As you can see today was one for the history books. And, knowing my life, tomorrow will be even better :)


#CockyHappinessHorder
#JinxedItBad

The Unthinkable!

Yes. It happened. 

Scene: Friday night. 10:18 pm. It was a night full of the merriment that is planning for the well being of our university's SEA, as well as general smorking (smiling working), which was quickly followed by the distressing realization that was the lateness of the present. And we had to bike home, too. Yes. I was exhaustapated (exhausted + constipated, but not actually the second part...), BUT I had the joy of riding my sexiest of sexy with along side my sexiest of sexy ;) 

Short story long, we got home late. And I was tired. And the house was a mess but I was tired. (Those long days in the sun will gettcha!) But alas, of course by some less-than-divine intervention I was caulk-blocked from entering the blissful evening release that is my precious slumber. Ie, my brother (with whom I share a room) wanted some alone time for heaven knows what. Regardless, my bliss was taken from me and I wasn't going down alone. No cocaptain goes down without her ship... or her respective cocaptain. 

....So Gabies! What'd ya wanna do at 12:30 in the morning? I know. MAKE VEGAN CHIA SEED PUDDING. 

And not just any vegan chia seed pudding.... the recipe for said delight from none other than Mother PETA herself. No honey, tho. You know, bees' rights, mannnnn. Here's how it went down:

Ari: "Gabies, it's late. I'm tired. My bed is confiscated. Distract me."

Gabriel: "OMG a video about GOOGLE."

Ari: "No help. Ok. I've got it. Let's make VEGAN THINGS."

Gabriel: "....right now?"

Ari: "Hell yeah! It's go time."

**Prompt interlude to the kitchen**

Ari: "Ok. First ingredient... Almond milk."

*Fridge check*

ZOMG we're out!

--but not to worry! Ari knows best--

Solution: quick batch of fresh blended almond milk delight. Mmmm. A recipe within a recipe, you say? It's heresy! ....or is it genius? I'd say its a wonderful batch of whole-foods MAGIC.

I then promptly instruct my neophyte friend to blend 1/2 cup fresh almonds with two cups of water. 

Gabe: "It's that watery? No, here, lemme add a few more almonds."

Oh little one. So naive to the ways of the impromptu world of vegan cooking.

"Trust me on this one."

Insecurities aside, the almond milk was crafted and the chia seeds gelified. All that's left is mix and wait. Then mix some more. Then wait some more. While our puddin' be chillin'. In the fridge.

While I was a bit over protective (I assembled all necessary ingredients and tools beforehand, and anxiously looked over his shoulder at his every waking move), he did this without a single bit of help from me! EEE GADS! And he didn't want a bit of help from me. He told me to "move out of my way" more than once. Yeah. It's late. Ima let that one slide.

And here he is! Daw, lookee at my man makin' food stuffs. It's a beautiful sight.

Regardless, our chia seed pudding should be a beautiful sight. I'll let you know in the morning after it's 8 hour refrigerated festering time. It is imperative, you know. 

....or not. Here's Gabies offering me a less-than-heaping spoonful as I sit and blog about his very creation. Premature? Sure. Delicious? Definitely. 

Ya did good, kid. Ya did good.

Oh yeah, the recipe. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chia Seed Pudding
2 cups plain almond milk
3/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt

• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (or a container with a lid). Stir until the mixture begins to thicken (about 2 minutes).
• Leave the bowl out and stir for 30 seconds every 10 minutes for an hour.
• Place in the fridge overnight and allow to thicken even more.
• Serve plain or topped with fruit, granola, or soy whipped cream.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In homage to our wonderful PETA friends, I kindly remind you, children: SAVE THE WHALES. They are so majestic.



Disclaimer:
I, nor Gabriel, nor any of our affiliated organizations or institutions, neither support nor deject the practices, ideologies, or actions of PETA, its affiliations, members, or partners.

Now that is the face of one happy vegan girlfriend.