Bananas

5 Ways to Do Oatmeal

7:00:00 AM



If you were to ask what my favorite breakfast was, or one that I eat almost every other day, the answer would be oatmeal. It's quick, and easy, and you can easily change it up whenever you'd like. If I need something to warm up my insides on a cool morning, oatmeal is my go-to. When I was little I used to ask for "oakmilk" and requested raisins to be put into it. Since then, I've learned to say oatmeal correctly, and switch up the ingredients to keep my breakfasts different and not so boring. 

Here are a few things to consider when you make your next bowl of oats and are stuck on how to switch it up:

1. Different fruits. 

This is easier now that the weather is warmer, usually in the cooler months I go for bananas and occasionally blueberries. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are coming into season and will be added into my bowls! 
Oatmeal


2. Crunchy Toppings. 

I love having a bit of crunch in my oats, usually a handful of raw almonds, cashews, or even some walnuts is great! 
Oatmilk


3. Power toppings

This comes in the form of chia seeds, hemp hearts, and cacao nibs. Personally I go for chia seeds as they're more available for me. 
Oatmeal

4. Nut butters

If you love nut butter like I do, then adding a little scoop of peanut butter, cashew butter or almond butter will conquer that craving right away in the morning. Sometimes, if I know I didn't get that much protein in the week, I will use powdered peanut butter. Just put it in before making the oats and stir it up to get the not-so-overwhelming and peanut-y taste!


5. Spices

I love adding cinnamon to top off my oatmeal. I read somewhere that cinnamon is really good for your metabolism, and it tastes great. 
Organic Oats


Oats are so great for you and I love a nice warm bowl. What are your favorite toppings? What is your favorite breakfast or your most common breakfast that you have?
Have a great week! x 
Kenzie

breakfast

Holiday Brunching

1:53:00 PM


While my first semester of my junior year of college appears in the horizon, I broke out from under the pile of essays and projects that are all due at various times throughout this week and decided to go Christmas shopping.
 There is just something nice about shopping for someone and watching them wonder what it is you could have gotten them! I love it. The day was beautiful, (a bit out of the ordinary for December). The sun was shining, and there still hasn't been snow. It's fantastic. I bought so many gifts, my wallet has never felt thinner.

Wrapping Paper
I definitely was shopping on a budget, and thought I would share a few tips and tricks with you guys! 
  1. DIY gifts are great. If you can find something around your house, or something for under $10 at the craft store, then you are on it. I did something simple last year for Christmas, and being away from home I was a bit nervous that I wouldn't get to put something together. But I have!
  2. Dollar sections should be your first stop. I had to walk past a whole slew of really great looking gifts on shelves, until I came to the dollar section in my local Target. They're holiday themed, and a lot of the things can be add-ons for those co-workers or friends or even family members
  3. Remind yourself. While in Target, there were also small children in the dollar section who were grabbing gifts they wanted to play with. The mother spoke up saying "We're buying for others, not ourselves." I thought this was a good reminder, and I walked away from the nice stickers. 
  4. Bring a friend. If you're as indecisive as I am, it's probably a really good idea to bring a pal that can give you some good ideas for gifts and remind you what you have yet to shop for and what you already have. 
I finished up my shopping, feeling a bit hungry and went to one of my absolute favorite restaurants with my friend for brunch. Who doesn't want made-from-scratch waffles? The meal started out with a chai tea for myself, and a cup of hot chocolate for her, that seemed to almost be taking breaths. 
Chai LatteWaffles and Bacon
The last time I ate at this particular shop, I ordered way more than I needed, so I kept it at one waffle and 3 slices of bacon. It was delicious, and a perfect ending to a day out in the beautiful weather.
When I got back to my dorm room, I was so excited to start wrapping my Christmas gifts that I bought. I bought the gold wrapping paper from the dollar store, and it's lovely! I have more wrapping paper than presents, but that's alright. I got really into it, listening to holiday music and didn't even mind the fact that I had not even 2 minutes in, gotten a paper-cut.  
Christmas basket

I'm looking at all of the gifts that sit in bags on the floor of my dorm and excitement starts to build within me. I can't wait to see everything under the tree, relax with a cup of tea or dark hot chocolate when I get home, and be done writing these essays! I should get back to that. 
If your exams are coming up, good luck! I hope you do well! I have two next week Thursday then I'm free! 
 Have you done all of your Christmas shopping? Written any cards? (those are all done too!) I hope you're getting excited!  
 See you next time! 
 xx
Kenzie





Almond

Black Coffee: Waffle Bar

9:00:00 AM



I love food. And you probably know, especially if you follow me on twitter, that I love breakfast. Honestly could eat breakfast all day long. I love going to bed just a bit hungry only to wake up even hungrier for breakfast. I can't really say that I have a favorite place for breakfast or even a favorite breakfast food. It is all just so great.
   With my birthday being the long weekend, I had the chance to go to a new restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, near the University there, called Black Coffee and Waffle Bar. The moment I stepped inside, it smelled incredible.

Waffles

The morning was rainy, but I was too excited for this waffle place to even care a little bit. 
We glanced over the menu, though I had already picked out what I was getting weeks ago....I told you I was very excited right? 

I ordered an iced chai, which was incredible and the spices in it were amazing. 
Chai tea
It was like a refreshing sip of Christmas (which is the next thing I'm looking forward to). 
This chai also did not make my stomach sour, which was even more reason to enjoy it. 
Coffee art
They also have lattes, this is my Uncles' and I couldn't resist taking a photo of the art. 
After waiting 30 minutes for our waffles, and finding a spot to eat, our group of 8, finally tucked into our waffles. In the time that we were waiting, my mom so kindly took photos of me in front of the big black brick siding they have. This was actually fun because every time we walked back inside, to get out of the rain, the amazing scent of fresh waffles and coffee instantly wrapped us in a nice warm, dry blanket. 
Bbloggers
Top: Forever 21 ; Skirt: Forever 21 : Tights: Target

Outfit of the day
Shoes: Target

You probably saw the top one on my instagram. 

While everyone was tucking right into their waffles, I did manage to get a few snaps of them before they were in our bellies!
Almond Butter
(This was mine.) 
I chose the Naughty Waffle, it had strawberries, blueberries, bananas, granola, almond butter, and whipped cream on top!) 

Swiss Waffle
This one is my Uncles', he chose the One Bad Pig Waffle, it had ham and swiss on top of it. 

(I couldn't stop taking pictures of my waffle, it just looked incredible!)

Breakfast

While the waffles had to be waited for, my drink came out right away and that was very nice! I was extremely happy with how everything tasted, and if you are ever in the Minneapolis area, you need to check this place out! (This isn't a sponsored post but it should be.)
They have different varieties of waffles and you can even make your own! 
(Check out the website here!)

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! I had a great one and I can't wait to show you more from it! 
Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow me on bloglovin, google +, instagram and twitter! 

Leave a comment and tell me your favorite breakfast food!! 
Can't wait to read them all! 
xx
Kenzie









breakfast

Anytime Crepes

3:11:00 PM


The best thing about trying something new is that you can come back and try it over and over again until it works out. That is especially true for cooking, which I found out while making these whole wheat-crepes. 
Crepes are the kind of food that are light, and made especially to wrap your favorite filling in a nice little jacket, and are fun to enjoy! Crepes are also quite easy to make, so I've included a recipe! 

Here's what you'll need: 

*1/2 cup skim milk
*2/3 cup water
*2 table spoons vanilla
*1 cup all purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour as it's more filling)
*1 tablespoon sugar
*1/4 teaspoon salt

A little side note; I had accidentally forgotten to add in 1/4 cup melted butter...I started melting it and the phone rang so I had turned off the microwave and couldn't quite figure out why my crepes weren't spreading as easily....this would be why, but they still tasted great! 
They're pretty simple to make as well; 
-In a Medium sized bowl, mix the milk, water, melted butter (if you decided to use it), and vanilla. 
-In a smaller bowl, mix flour, sugar and salt well. 
-Whisk the two mixes together until the batter is smooth
-Warm medium sized skillet on medium-high heat, coat pan with non stick spray and pour in about 2 tablespoons of batter, you can add more or do less depending on how big of a crepe you would like
-Swirl the pan to allow batter to spread, I also helped it along with running a spoon gently over it
-Cook until edges are crispy and golden. This is quite difficult to do with whole wheat flour, and I haven't baked with it long enough to know just how it works, but it seemed to be fine once there was a bubble or a small hole in the batter. Then flip to the other side. 
And repeat with remaining batter!!

After you allow them to cool, you can add in your favorite fruits! 
I soon discovered, we had no whipped creme and I haven't been feeling like a chocolate-eating person lately so I opted for some vanilla yogurt as a filling! It was great and a healthy alternative! I put strawberries inside, along with raspberries as well as on the top and sprinkled the crepe with some powdered sugar! 
This was definitely one of those recipes where I had went to bed thinking about having a crepe and by the time I woke up I had to make one!

 You can also use these for desserts, or a fun snack if you'd like! 
Making these was a lot of fun and I'm sure I'll make some again this summer! 
Thanks for reading as always!
xx
Kenzie
Have you made crepes before? What are you favorite add-ons? 

Banana-Blueberry

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins!

10:30:00 AM


Being home for the Summer means two things, more time to do everything, and more time to bake! I love baking, for some reason, I just love making things rather than buying them at a store. Though before this summer vacation started, I was warned not to bake as much as I did last time I was home...I may have baked four different types of desserts because I was only home for a day. Oops? 
Anyway, I enjoy trying new dishes and since I usually whip up something that falls into the dessert category, I wanted to try out some mini banana-blueberry muffins. 



Here's what you'll need!


2.5 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup mashed banana (this took me two bananas)
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk (you can also use almond milk, soy milk, etc)
1 & 1/4 cup blueberries
2 large bowls, or one large, one medium

 Here's how to make them:

 *Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius)
*Set aside muffin tins, I used one small sized and one for larger muffins, you can either spray these with a non-stick spray or line them with baking cups (which is what I did).
*In one of the bowls, toss the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together until combined and set aside
*In the other bowl, mix the honey and brown sugar together; use a fork to break up the clumps
*Add the banana, yogurt and vegetable oil; add the wet ingredients to the dry, not the milk yet! 

 *Gently fold together, and then add milk, mix for a bit and then add in blueberries. Careful not to over mix the batter. 
*Spoon out the batter into the muffin tins. Fill to the top of each slot.

 *Bake for 17-18 minutes, to make sure they're well baked check with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out with a little muffin bit clingy to it, it still needs a bit more time. About 2 minutes, and then check again. 
Once they're finished, let them cool. They will absolutely smell delicious, but you don't want to burn your mouth so you do have to wait. It'll be worth it I promise! :)

I was excited to try out this recipe because of the whole wheat flour, as I like to keep things on the more healthy side! It turned out very well and I actually think I prefer the whole wheat flour! I like the mini ones a little better than the bigger because they are great for a quick snack as well! 
I hope you guys give it a try! If you do, take a photo and show me on instagram or twitter! 
(here are links to both of my accounts! : Twitter, Instagram )

I hope that you are all having a great Summer so far! If it isn't Summer for you yet, I hope it comes quickly! Mine so far is turning out lovely! 
Thanks for reading!
xx
Kenzie




america

Fourth of July Festivities

10:31:00 AM



There are a lot of holidays that certain countries celebrate just for themselves, though you definitely do not have to be living there or even born there to celebrate with the crowd. For America, it’s the Fourth of July. It’s our Independence Day and we celebrate with friends, family and neighbors from all around.

 Of course, different families celebrate in their own unique ways. It’s pretty typical where I live, to celebrate the holiday two different ways, the first one being, pack up the car and head up north to send fireworks into the air on a lake. The second typical way to celebrate America’s Independence Day is to gather at someone’s house and have a party.

 So Kenzie, what do you do to celebrate the Fourth of July?

 Well, personally, for my family we celebrate on Saturday. Since the actual Fourth of July can be any day of the week, we usually pick that Saturday to celebrate. This year it was the fifth. If you’re not confused already, the fourth of July was celebrated on the fifth of July at my house. I do have to say, we did pop over to the local Fourth of July fair that was happening in town for a little while on the actual fourth, then had desserts at my grandparents after. We also took a ride in my step-dad’s convertible, the weather was so nice!

The best thing about the Fourth of July celebration is that there is a lot of food. Which is great! I love food! Usually, families will cook up hamburgers, hotdogs or brats, or even a combination of the three. We had hamburgers and brats this year. There’s also usually Beer, Water and Soda to drink. The house was decorated with red white and blue all over. In the garden, on the shed, in the planters, where ever you looked you would probably spot a flag or colors of it.

                           




 The party was great! People came with smiles on and bellies to fill! Did I mention there was a lot of food? It’s a good way to see people who have busy schedules in the summertime and have a bit of a catch up time. Everyone brings a dish to pass, which is really great! Everyone makes such good food! There were an array of desserts, pasta salads, dips, fruits and a lot of other things! My favorite were deviled eggs. Anytime I can get my hands on some of those is great!


At the party, I wore a navy blue dress from Old Navy, a red necklace I made when I was probably in the 7th grade and my favorite strappy sandals also from Old Navy! The weather was amazing, it wasn’t too hot but it wasn’t too cold! Just perfect!





After eating the crowd stuck around for a while, thinning out here and there until there was a nice sized group around the fire pit. I love sitting by the fire, it’s one of my favorite things about summer. There weren’t any s’mores though, we were all stuffed full of food anyway!  There were a few fireworks shot off of course to end the night!


There’s a group of people who stay over night, my parents friends, from Minnesota (that’s to the right of Wisconsin if you look at the map ) and in the morning we all have a nice breakfast. The adults drink Bloody Mary’s while my step-dad cooks up the bacon and eggs over the fire. 

Even Sadie got in on the action! 

It’s so good! My grandparents come over as well, since they live nearby.
It was a really great Fourth of July weekend! I hope you had fun wherever you celebrated, and if you didn’t I hope you had a great weekend anyway!
 Thanks for reading! 

Xx

Kenzie

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