maple-glazed tofu and brussel sprouts

Hello to one of my new favorite recipe blogs: Cookie and Kate.
I don't recall how I stumble upon most of the foodie blogs I follow, but when I find a good one, I fall in love.

Being a vegetarian/vegan it is difficult to find recipes I use as my "go-to" types. I like to reuse and on occasion I make the weekly breakfast-lunch-dinner menu to make it easier on myself when I get home from a long work day. I wish my kitchen had more counter space, but that is a whole other story.

I am not a tofu fan. Why? Because I despise draining the water from it. I am terrible at it. I should just buy the tofu press but I have not indulged in it. For now, it is paper towels and heavy books. For this recipe you definitely have to get the water out because it doesn't soak up the flavor as much. This recipe was delicious, I mean it made my meat eating friends actually enjoy eating tofu and vegan! I love those types of recipes.

Notes for THIS recipe:
+ get the water out of the tofu (always the case in any recipe)
+ when coating with cornstarch, I would mix it in a bowl because a lot of it didn't coat my tofu, probably use more then 1 tablespoon
+ maple syrup instead of honey for a vegan version
+ 2 teaspoons of Thai sweet chili sauce, I like it so much more then sriracha
+ rice cookers make cooking rice easier


I highly, highly recommend this recipe. It will go into rotation for me!

the list

A few years ago I decided to create a list of things I wanted to accomplish in the year I turned twenty-five, last year I chose not to create one, but alas, I am back. As I sat at work, it felt like it wasn't my birthday, I kept forgetting my birthday was that week and it was just getting older. People say as you get older the birthday's seem less important, I did not want to accept that as an excuse and began my list. Sure, some of these things have been on there forever and probably will continue to be there but it is an attempt to make change. Make the effort to do more.

One of these will take place Wednesday night when I venture into NYC with some coworkers for an improv show. A friend of a friend is performing and well, it's only $5 for the show! Driving in with a bunch of friends and venturing into the city for food and entertainment? Win.


Lots on the list are random but it's what it makes it enjoyable. Attempting the small things that make my life a little special to who I am.

Do you guys ever make lists? I love checking things off.
Let's roll.

here we go!

And so begins 27.
My birthday happened to be fantastic. I have really great friends who bake delicious desserts, buy delicious desserts, and treat the birthday people to amazing Thai dinners. The past three days have been busy with tons of friends and I could not ask for a better way to spend 27.

On my birthday, tons of us went out to dinner and to the brewery across the street for drinks. It's hard to get a bunch of coworkers together, especially when one of them no longer works with us, but I was so thrilled to have everyone together. I work with some amazing people and my job would not be as good without them there. The next day at work felt like forever considering we were out so late the night before.

Friday was relaxing. Although it was a night of nothing, it was the perfect night of nothing. Do you ever find yourself enjoying those nights where you can watch TV with someone and not need there to be something going on? It felt good. I headed down to my parents house for the air show the next day and boy it was a loooooooong day. Watching the planes all day was awesome though, I have lived next to the Air Force base my entire life and this was the first year I have ever gone to the show.

Overall, my birthday was spent with some special people and I received some amazing flowers, which I love. I found that daisies are my second favorite flower now haha. Enjoying the beginnings of a new year. I hope you all are going to enjoy it with me.

welcoming twenty-seven

Last year before I turned 26 I gathered about 25 pictures throughout my 25th year and this year is no different. So many things have changed in the last year of my life. What do you ask? Well, I got new glasses this year, I know it was this year (and not last) because you can see from last years photos. I know, genius I am. There is more to add to this story..

Twenty-six was good to me. I traveled a lot. More then I normally do. Seattle (twice actually), Orlando, West Palm Beach, Adirondacks, weekend trip to Baltimore and Cape Cod, day trips to NYC, and so many other little trips. I have had a fantastic year and I am so so excited to bring in this new one.

During this year, I graduated with my Master's in Labor Studies and Employment relations, bought a new car, moved into my own apartment, met some fantastic new people, started dating again and learning more about myself, began my second Masters in Human Resources Management, got to be apart of a wedding for a college roommate, bought my very first real Christmas tree, booked a trip to a new country (August!!), found out two great friends are pregnant and another got engaged. I know there has been more but this is what comes to mind from the last 365 days.

A look into the past year.
I really do have wonderful people in my life. I am truly lucky to have friends who I can truly call family. I would have been a wreck without them.

Tonight, I will be enjoying delicious Thai food at my favorite restaurant with my birthday twin and a bunch of our coworkers. Probably visiting the brewery across the street for drinks and then snuggling into bed with my baby girl, Fifa.

a new month

It is no doubt that May is one of my favorite months out of the year. Why? Well, because it happens to be my birthday month and it always seems to be the true beginning of spring and summer weather. Yesterday's down pour of rain the entire day did not help the case but that was April showers, now for the May flowers!

A lot has changed since the beginning of April. I'm not sure if it's good or bad news, but it still continues into May. B and I ended our relationship for the time being. Long distance took its toll on us, probably me to be honest, and I couldn't honestly be dedicated to it when I was half-hearted. My feelings for him have not changed but at the moment, I need to focus on myself. With a full workload and school load coming in the next few months I need to figure out how to handle it. He is really wonderful in understanding the difficulties I am having and I am hoping in the next few months we can work something out together. Until then, I need my life to be my own, not wrapped around a partner. I've done that before and it's not what I want again.


So here is to May.
Sunshine, beaches, crafting, working, studying, tanning, and all things wonderful that the summertime brings. I need to manage my finances a little bit better, considering I am going to Germany in four months I need to SAVE. Says the girl who checked out with some new white converses and a cutlery set from Macy's this morning... oops.

Here's to May.
I will be carrying my camera around with me more often. The nice weather will bring more walks for Fifa and outdoors-y activities. It seems annoying to carry this big DSLR around but, honestly, I love photography and I need to get back into it. SP was so supportive of all of my adventures in hobbies and he pushed me to do more of it, I need to do that for myself now.

One week until my birthday.
Twenty-seven will be another good year for me. Twenty-six was tons of fun and full of new things. I can not wait for 27, it will be so exciting and full of travels. So so many travels. And lets cross our fingers on a new job and state to live in.


GOALS FOR MAY
+  learn how to use my sewing machine
+  work on Project Life
+  take more pictures with DSLR
+  make new recipes and/or bake something new