How To: Cinnamon Honey Almond Oatmeal Pancakes

This morning I woke up with a strong desire for pancakes. However, I do not allow pancake mix in my kitchen on pretenses of being healthy. DILEMMA. So I improvised. Instead of pancake mix, I used oatmeal (you can also add mashed bananas for added texture). I switched chocolate chips for carob chips (my new obsession), sugar for a drizzle of honey and almond milk instead of cow's milk. I also added a dash of chia seeds because they are the food of the future, and some almonds and walnuts to taste. The results ended up being extremely tasty and nutritionally satisfying (my roommate Ariella can testify! I'm not making it up!)

I apologize for the lack of picture for step two, but there was just absolutely no way to make the lump of eggs and oatmeal look even remotely appetizing on the frying pan. So I decided to tastefully leave it out. But you get the idea.

Let me know if you try it out, and what your thoughts are! Would YOU make the switch to oatmeal? Important life questions that need to be answered.

Have a delightful Sunday! 

xx

Step two (not pictured): Take it to the griddle!

Sit Back, Relax and Listen Up

I don't know if it's the cold (first day of snow in NYC!! 11/12/13 must be a sign for something right??) or the alarming amount of tea I'm consuming or the layers of sweaters I'm wearing, but something has me in the mood for Cabin Music. That's a term I just coined to reference music that is super cozy and makes you want to sit on a fur rug in front of a fire in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere and drink a glass of red wine. Preferably next to a loved one, otherwise this is a depressing scenario. If you've ever watched Alias (me) it would be that music they played every time Jennifer Garner got really sad and essentially re-enacted the scene I just described above minus the loved one plus annoyingly pathetic tears (love ya Syd!). So yes, it'ts a bitter sweet sadness/happiness (I tried to combine those two words but they just end up still being the same word) but there's something about it that makes me feel like I'm doing winter right.

Side note: I was in a boutique in Brooklyn last weekend that sold "Cabin Spray".  I want to buy a cabin so that I can buy this product. Then Ron Swanson and I will have a good laugh and dig into our freshly hunted venison.

Want a taste of what I'm talking about? Go to Pandora and play any of the following channels: Angus and Julia Stone, Great Lake Swimmers, Ray LaMontagne, Avett Brothers etc. etc. Nine times out of ten Mumford counts. OR *shameless plug* my boy Matt G. has a good amount of CM on his KWUR show every Tuesday at 7:00pm EST (kwur.com- check it out)

It usually involves some ethereal harmonization, several acoustic string instruments and a deep, baritone manly-man voice paired with a delicate, sickly-sweet female one. Yes, it's sappy, but it's the perfect soundtrack to listen to as frost consumes us. I really wanted to do a GoT reference but I think I've over used the phrase :( 

My Top Five Cabin Songs of the Moment (best when taken with a mug of Sleepy Time Tea):

BONUS TRACK;
Got it from this Sony commercial ha


Into the woods? Yay or nay? 

How To: Glitter Cards

I've had quite a few birthdays and house warming parties to attend recently (I'm so popular) and my go-to has been doing a little watercolor and ink illustration of the receiver (everyone loves a portrait of themselves). But if you want something a little more simple but with some sparkle factor, here's a great way to pull together a card when you remember last minute or just don't want to spend $10 on stationary.