I’m back Dick!!!

Thank you Hawaii for a lovely summer but it’s time for me to go home. The city is my soul and unfortunately I can’t live with out my soul.

Photograph by Heidi Uhl

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

After a very interesting email I received from a loyal reader I decided to take  his requests into consideration and am going to please him with…cereal. Breakfast with Dick may have just became a little bit easier. My Granola Apple Crunch can be used as a sweet snack, a wonderful breakfast cereal or a fun topping for fruit. I hope this is satisfying Dick.

Granola Apple Crunch

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 10

Ingredients

3 cups of organic, gluten-free, old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup of organic brown sugar

1 tablespoon of organic cinnamon

1/3 cup of organic, raw honey

1/4 cup of organic extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon of almond extract

1 cup of raw almonds

3 organic pink lady apples

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

1. Place parchment paper over a baking sheet. Set aside.
2. Place the 3 cups of oats, 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon into a large bowl. Blend together using your hands. Set aside.
3. Place 1/3 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of almond extract into a small bowl and mix together. Set aside.
4. Peel the 3 apples.
5. Grate the 3 apples by using a hand grater (cheese grated ).
6. Add the freshly grated apples to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and mix together using your hands.
7. Add half of the wet ingredients to the large bowl and continue to mix together using your hands.
8. Add the cup of raw almonds to the large bowl.
9. Pour the rest of the wet ingredients into the large bowl and mix together one last time using your hands.
10. Spread the mixture evenly onto the parchment paper.
11. Place the baking sheet into the oven.
12. Bake for 20 minutes.
13. Pull the baking sheet out of the oven.
14. Allow to cool.
15. Serve!

Granola Apple Crunch

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

Time to shake up a traditional martini by adding some pickle juice! Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. This simple twist will leave every martini drinker delighted with the refreshing spin.

Pickle Martini

Preparation Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 ounces of gin

1/2 ounce of dry vermouth

1 1/2 ounces of pickle juice (I highly suggest using juice from some homemade pickles)

small organic pickle

Directions

1. Fill a martini glass with ice and soda water to chill.
2. Fill a stainless steal shaker half full with ice.
3. Pour the gin, dry vermouth and pickle juice into the stainless steal shaker.
4. Shake until the stainless steal shaker becomes frosty on the outside.
5. Pour the ice and seltzer out of the martini glass (notice that the glass is nice and frosty).
6. Place a pickle into the martini glass.
7. Using the strainer for the stainless steal shaker and pour the mixture into the chilled martini glass.
8. Serve!

Pickle Martini

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

♥

Thank you to a very special and fabulous Doll who sent me the most beautiful boutique of flowers. I have never seen (nor heard of) rainbow colored roses! Doll, you are always one step ahead.

With rainbow roses dancing around in our minds why don’t we take the rainbow and place it into our bellies? Eat a rainbow or better yet 30 ways to add fruit and vegetables to our daily meals.

My Beautiful Boutique

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥

♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

P.S.

I’m totally going to use the cute pink ribbon with black polka dots as a headband!

As all you Dolls know it isn’t easy making good decisions all the time especially when it comes to food. Well, I’m here to help! Instead of buying pre-made food with all of those added preservatives why don’t we make something simple, delicious and made from scratch? Time for dessert!

Homemade Apple Sauce

Preparation Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 organic Pink Lady apples

organic cinnamon

Directions

1. Peel both apples.
2. Cut all four sides of the apple leaving the core to chuck.
3. Place the apple slices into your food processor.
4. Turn the food processor on for about 2 minutes.
5. Place the apple sauce into cute serving dishes.
6. Sprinkle cinnamon over top the apple sauce.
7. Serve!

Homemade Apple Sauce

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥

♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥

♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥

How about a Veggie Skewer? Each stick can be a unique creation and you can use whatever vegetables you have in your garden and/or refrigerator. Keep each skewer colorful so that this is not only a delicious addition to dinner but also a beautiful masterpiece. Have fun playing with your food!

Veggie Skewers

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Makes 12 skewers

Ingredients

12-15 organic, small red skin potatoes

1 organic, large red bell pepper

1 organic, large yellow bell pepper

1 organic, large jalapeno

12-15 organic mushrooms

12-15 organic cherry tomatoes

6-12 organic Vidalia onions

extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat the grill to 350 degrees

1. Wash the red skin potatoes.
2. Boil the red skin potatoes for 3 minutes.
3. Strain the red skin potatoes. Set aside.
4. Wash both the red and yellow pepper.
5. Cut the bell peppers into square chunks. Set aside.
6. Wash the jalapeno.
7. You may either remove the seeds or not before cutting the jalapeno into chunks. Remember, jalapeno seeds are what makes this amazing pepper hot! Set aside.
8. Quickly rinse the mushroooms using as little water as possible. Set aside.
9. Wash the cherry tomatoes. Set aside.
10. Peel the skins off the Vidalia onions.
11. Rinse the Vidalia onions. Set aside.
12. Time to build your skewers! Be creative, safe and have fun putting all this great vegetables on your skewer sticks.
13. Place each skewer onto a piece of tin foil (5 inches by 12 inches).
14. Drizzle the olive oil over top each individual skewer.
15. Wrap up each skewer tightly in the tin foil.
16. Place each skewer onto the grill.
17. Flip each skewer every 3 minutes for 15 minutes.
18. Remove the tin foil.
19. Put the skewers onto a serving plater.
20. Serve!

Tip

To help the skewer sticks from burning you can soak each stick in a dish of water for an hour before using.

Veggie Skewers

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I sure am!

While riding my bike for miles on end in the hot summer heat I decided to stop into a 7-11 to obtain a nice cold slurpee. As I walked into the cool AC and stepped up to the machine I had second thoughts. I looked at the list of ingredients and my rule of thumb is if I don’t know what it is (or worse if I do) I don’t put it in my body. So, now I’m left here hot, sweaty and thirsty. Oh wait! I can totally make a slurpee! I hopped back onto my bike and peddled home as quickly as possible. Time for a slurpee Miss Poundcake style.

Watermelon Slush is sweet, appealing to the eye and will quench your thirst. Enjoy!

Watermelon Slush

Preparation Time: 10 minutes (if you have to cut up an entire watermelon)

Total Time: 15 minutes

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 cups of organic, ice cold watermelon

1 cup of ice

1/4 cup of water

Directions

1. Cut a watermelon into slices. If the watermelon isn’t cold I recommend that you place it into the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
2. Place 2 cups of watermelon chunks aside.
3. Add 1 cup of ice to a blender.
4. Add the 2 cups of watermelon into the blender.
5. Add the 1/4 cup of water to the blender.
6. Put the top onto the blender.
7. Blend for about 30 to 60 seconds.
8. Pour into a pretty glass.
9. Serve!

Tip

This drink is way more fun with a straw!

Watermelon Slush

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Are you ready to be satisfied?

This amazing dish is gluten-free, vegan and it’s good for you! Who could ask for more than that in a dessert?

Peaches n’ Cashew Crunch

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup of organic cashews

4 organic peaches

12 organic Madjool dates

1/3 cup of organic brown sugar

Directions

1. Put 1 cup of cashews into the Cuisinart.
2. Blend for about 5 seconds (you want the cashews to be chunky and broken up).
3. Place the grounded cashews and brown sugar into a small bowl.
4. Mix together and set aside.
5. Remove the pits from the 3 peaches. Set aside.
6. Remove the pits from the 12 Madjool dates. Set aside.
7. Place the 3 peaches and 12 Madjool dates into the Cuisinart. Blend for about 10 seconds leaving the mixture creamy with a few chunks.
8. Place the mixture evenly into four small glass dishes.
9. Place the cashew/brown sugar mixture on top of each peach/date mixture.
10. Torch the top of each dish for about 25 seconds.
11. Cut the last peach into four big slices.
12. Place each peach slice on top of each dish.
13. Serve!

Peaches n' Cashew Crunch

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Mr. Armstrong

Mr. Armstrong of Why Vegetarian? contacted me via Twitter (@PoundcakeCooks) and asked me to write an article for his wonderful website. So I thought I’d arrange a picnic (since the beautiful summer weather is still here to enjoy) and write about my day. Be ready to be entertained by the fabulous article along with my main dish, Purple Heart Salad, which is listed below.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Purple Heart Salad

Preparation Time: 60 minutes (not including the soak time for the beans)

Total Time: 65 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 cups of organic, white beans (I recommend Michigan Navy Beans, Co-op Elevator)

4 cups of organic purple cabbage

1 cup of organic Vidalia onions

2 fresh, large, organic, jalapeños

2 cups of organic, orange cherry tomatoes

10 fresh, organic basil leaves

1/3 cup of organic extra virgin olive oil

Directions (for the beans)

1.     Place the 2 cups of white beans in a bowl.

2.     Add water (filling to about 3-4 inches above the beans) and soak for at least 6 hours.

3.     Drain beans and place into a large pot.

4.     Add water (2 inches above the beans).

5.     Bring the water to a bowl.

6.     When the water is bowling, turn the heat down to a simmer and allow the beans to cook for 60 minutes.

7.     Strain.

Directions (for the salad)

1.     Take the purple cabbage and remove the first few layers. Set aside.

2.     Shred the purple cabbage until you have 4 cups. Set aside.

3.     Chop up 1 cup of Vidalia onions. Set aside.

4.     Take the 2 jalapeños and wash & remove the seeds.

5.     After removing the seeds chop into small pieces. Set aside.

6.     Wash the cherry tomatoes.

7.     Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves. Set aside.

8.     Wash the basil leaves.

9.     Chop the basil leaves into pieces. Set aside.

10.   Place the white beans, purple cabbage, Vidalia onions, jalapeños, cherry tomatoes and basil leaves into a large bowl.

11.   Add 1/3 cup of olive oil.

12.   Mix together blending all of the ingredients (and colors).

13.   Serve!

Tip

You may serve this dish warm or cold. Purple Heart Salad is delicious either way!

Purple Heart Salad

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

One of my best Dolls is heartbroken after a devastating break-up with her Dick so I’ve decided to share with all my Dolls (especially you bella) how to make sure to keep yourself together and stay fabulous.

• Go away! Either take a vacation or go spend a week at your parents house to escape all the drama.
• Pamper yourself. You’d be surprised how a facial, mani & pedi can change your mood instantly.
• Get rid of all his things preferably in the garbage but if you must drop it off than at least drop it off at one of his cute friends apartment (even though all you are doing is dropping off his things it will drive him mad to think about you and “Bobby” all alone).
• Workout. Not only will working out totally clear your head but it will keep your body banging and we all know that the best revenge is looking good.
• Put down the ice-cream and have a smoothie. The smoothie will cure your sweet tooth and not leave you feeling guilty.

As we all have been told in the past, only time will heal a broken heart but great friends and healthy food helps too. I love you Doll. Stay strong. Remember, there will be a new Dick in no time.

Blueberry Smoothie

Preparation Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 cup of organic blueberries

1/2 cup of water

2 scoops of whey protein powder (I suggest BioChem’s Ultimate Lo Carb Whey, Vanilla)

Directions

1. Wash 1 cup of blueberries.
2. Place the blueberries into a blender.
3. Add 1/2 cup of water.
4. Add 2 scoops of whey protein powder.
5. Place top onto the blender.
6. Blend for 2 minutes.
7. Serve.

Blueberry Smoothie

Sprinkles and kisses,

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥