the best (vegan) applesauce you've ever had.

one of the best perks about living in michigan: apple season!!

growing up, we had a few apple trees on our property. I can remember picking an apple to nosh on my way to school, making apple jam and butter with my Nana, and falling out of the branches one too many times.

but enough reminiscing.

one of my favorite things to make in the fall is homemade apple sauce. I can't eat raw apples anymore (God decided to bless me with a severe allergy to them, but we'll save that story for another day), so I get my apple fix via some good old sauce. 

this is probably one of my favorites. 

it's also gluten-free, vegan, and easy as pie (horrible, dad-level, pun intended).

here's what you need:

ingredients:

• a whole bunch of apples (fuji apples are my favorite), 3lbs oughtta do it. 
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. instant espresso
• 1 vanilla bean (curds)

supplies:

• crockpot
• knife
• fruit peeler
• cutting board

and here's what you do:

1. peel the apples, and then rinse them off with cold water. While you're peeling all of the apples, place the ones you've already peeled in a bowl of cold water. This helps them stay fresh and crisp.

2. core 'em, slice 'em, dice 'em. 

3. throw those bad boys into your crockpot, set on high. If you're lucky enough to use your parents' avocado green crockpot from 1970s, that's probably not up to                                                                                         code, use that one.

4. top your diced apples with the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, instant espresso, and vanilla bean curds.

5. stir, cover, and wait while those apples cook down to soft mushy goodness. This usually takes about 4 hours. Don't forget to stir occasionally!
smash them if you want a chunkier sauce. If you want a smoother one, stick them in a blender and blend until smooth. 

6. if it's not sweet enough, add maple syrup to taste.

now put that deliciousness into some cute, hella basic mason jars and pat yourself on the back. You did it! Store them in your fridge, and pull them out when you need a good fix. Enjoy! 

get to cooking, my PSL friends.

xo,

adrienne.  

let's be realistic: 5th week of change.

hi, my name is adrienne and I ate a hotpocket. And it was good. Really good. So good that I almost didn't regret, with 100% of my being, eating it. Almost. I needed to be honest, but... i digress.

ann arbor murals: we named her gloria shakira maria del toro.

now that it's the 5th week of change, I can honestly say that I'm seeing some legitimate change. I obviously still have the some of the same terrible no good fatty  indulgent, 100% human tendencies when it comes to food. I also, though, have a lot of motivation to go try something new, and embrace the growing green gardens of the spring. I feel leaner; it takes far less energy to complete the hardest of tasks, and I greet the easiest ones with gusto.

this past week has been relatively good, all things considered. There were some major ups, and a couple of downs, but plenty of room for growth.

my childhood summed up in one picture: Dairy Deluxe.

for some reason, this past week was crazy stressful with my work. It was just one of those weeks where I started off slightly negative but with every day I ended up in a worse mood. I was in a bit of a funk. I've had a lot on my mind regarding grad school, my career, my relationships, my life. I've been worried about my best friends, and the trials life keeps putting them through. I've been worried about the girls I watch, and how badly I just want them to be okay. The funk I was in took over completely.

yes, i definitely rubbed the buddha belly.

so what did i do? I ran. I definitely pushed my body, 1 week post bed-ridden, harder than I should have. But the runs healed me. I didn't run fast at all (averaged a 10min mile). And I definitely didn't run far (averaged 3.5 miles per run). But I did it. I gave my body and mind exactly what I needed, when I needed it.

i gave myself a major time out. I had lost my presence in my own life. I had lost grip of my dreams, and set in to a stagnant pace. And that's something I hate. So I grabbed a latte, snagged my kindle, and headed out into nature to try to get back to where I needed to be.

everything i needed: sunshine, good reads, and fresh air. 

but what else did I need? A nice day trip to Ann Arbor.

an ann arbor favorite: Frita Batidos.

my classic feast: Frita Batido's chorizo burger w/ fries, and the hibiscus batido (milkshake).

ann arbor, my college town, is where I grew up. Though it was over the course of an undergrad bachelors degree, post-high-school and pre-adulthood, it was where I developed into the person I am today. Check it out if you ever get the chance.

hot guys, cold hand crafted drinks. 

and then the cutest couple you'll ever meet.

post ann arbor, there was some awesome meal prep for the upcoming week. I made some vegan, gluten-free kale falafel bites (the perfect on-the-go food) and a bomb ass natural, skinny margarita. Recipes coming soon!

the falafel mise en place. 

10g of protein, 100% vegan goodness.

because cooking is better with a good German riesling. 

and now, here's my week in review!

weight: stayed the same, but I'm starting to see my hip flexors again! Yay for gains!
food: besides the hotpocket and some pizza, I'd call it a good week.
physical activity: logged about 12 miles, and got in 3 nike training workouts

all-in-all, I'm looking forward to this upcoming week. It luckily won't be another 45 hour week of straight work, but it'll be a great week of working productivity.

shine bright, my diamonds. 

xo.

adrienne.