Lately

Happy Halloween, friends!

We’re doing a little life post today!

Fall has been so magical this year. Have you felt it, too? The weather has finally turned, I’m as busy as ever, and I cannot get enough of the flavors, scents, and scenes of autumn.

I like doing these life posts every once in a while when I’m feeling a little burnt out on food.

Don’t get me wrong, ya girl loves to eat. But sometimes there’s just too much food in my life, you know? Between the other food blogs I read, food magazines I flip through, recipes I test for the blog, recipes I make for everyday living…

Too. Much. Food.

If you’re still very much into food and were hoping for a fun Halloween recipe from me today, do I have some ideas for you:

gluten free halloween roundup | vegan snickers cookies | pumpkin peanut butter truffles | vegan peanut butter cup blondies | pumpkin spice jack-o-lantern bites | magical color-changing pasta | healthy homemade almond joys | pumpkin spice pb

Otherwise, we’re dipping into the personal side of Fooduzzi today! If you’re curious what goes on behind the blog, read on, dear friend. Read on.

wanting: To travel more! After our epic trip to Portland a few weeks ago, I’ve been wanting to go/see/do everything. I asked you guys where your favorite place in the world was on Instagram, and I got some really interesting responses: Seattle, London, Bath, San Sebastián, Boston, Austin, Amsterdam…lots of wonderful options! I already have a few trips brewing for 2018, and I can’t wait! Where would you suggest?

Still want to dye my hair! I still haven’t done it because I’m an adult and scared of hating it, but I want to try it. Plus Mark and I made a deal that if he got his hair cut short, I’d dye my hair by the end of the year. I’ve only had highlights that made me look sliiiightly skunk-like, so I’m wanting something a bit more natural-looking. There’s a salon near me that uses more “natural” products, so I’ll probably go to them. I’m thinking about covering the whole process on the blog!

Also wanting to hear your thoughts on phones. Have you been keeping up on the iPhone vs. Google Pixel conversations? Mark and I both have iPhones, but we’re both seriously considering switching to the Pixel. It’s cheaper, the camera is better, and Apple has just been making both of us kind of angry lately. But I have no idea. Thoughts? Comments?

doing: So. Me and working out? We’ve never been a great combo. I was super active as a kid because I was all about sports, and once I quit sports…working out wasn’t a priority for me. I would get in random moods where I’d be super into working out, only to fall out of it in a few weeks.

Lately however, working out has been so.much.fun. I’ve been doing yoga pretty regularly 3-5 times a week for the last few months (I do it along with YouTube videos – here are some of my favorite practices!), and then ClassPass came to Pittsburgh! They reached out to me and gave me a free month of access to their service so I could try it out for myself.

I never thought I’d be a “workout class person.” But holy cow. I’ve been loving just getting out of the house (after working from home all day, every day) and moving! If you don’t know how ClassPass works, it’s a monthly membership that gives you access to fitness classes at studios in your area. The beauty of the service is that you can try different workouts to find that works for you. I’ve tried spin (so intense and a great workout), kickboxing (fun, but not my fave), TCB (LOVED this class so much), yoga (I’ve found that I’m a bit too competitive for group yoga classes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯), and barre (my new fave!).

I look forward to these classes so much, and they have been a highlight of my month. I just signed up for another month of ClassPass, and if you’re interested, I’m offering a special promo code for ya. Because I love ya. Click here to sign up and enter CPVIP at checkout for 50% off of your 1st month! And you can check out the studios near you here.

{ps. is fitness-y stuff something you’d be interested in here on the blog? Like, before and after comparisons, workout schedules, etc.?}

eating: So much. Let’s see. Peanut butter on sweet potatoes. I love this for lunch. Now that it’s getting cold here in Pittsburgh, a warm sweet potato loaded with lots of peanut butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon warms and fills me up peeerfectly.

Let’s see. I really love the Vegan Kale & Cashew Pesto from Trader Joe’s! So good. I’m sure it’s great on pasta, but honestly, we’ve just been using it as a dip. It’s fab – perfectly garlicky, really rich, herbilicious. You can find it by the hummuses.

Fresh bread! We make my focaccia bread quite a bit, and I’m still convinced that there’s absolutely NOTHING better than fresh bread. It’s perfect. I also made fresh pizza dough last night for a Fooduzzi recipe, and it was fab. I used this recipe (but I halved it)! You’ll see the recipe later this week!

We haven’t been out to eat lately, but when we do go, we typically go to Della Terra. I would live in this restaurant if I could. Snuggle up right next to their pizza oven. Literally everything I have there is fabulous. Unfortunately, they don’t have many vegan options on the menu, buuuut their pizza crust is seriously so good. They use a sourdough starter so it’s a bit sour, super chewy, and crazy amazing. If you’re local, you MUST go! Plus the pizza recipe you’ll see on the blog is based off of one I had there a few weeks ago!

OH. Trader Joe’s has these weird Bamba Peanut Snacks. I so wasn’t a fan when I sampled them in the store a few weeks ago, but I bought a bag on a whim this past weekend because I committed the cardinal sin of going shopping hungry, and they’re totally addictive. Definitely not an every-week purchase for me, but great for when I’m feeling snacky.

Last thing: Mint Chip Brownie LÄRABAR. Ahhh. I feel like my life has been wasted not knowing that these existed. I just found them at Target before our trip to Portland and wowza. Mint + chocolate is my all-time favorite flavor combo (even more than chocolate + peanut butter. I know), so it’s SUCH a great snack/treat/whatever for me. Plus, the ingredient list is pretty clean!

reading: I’ve been trying to get into reading more. I was a huge reader as a kid, but I got out of the habit because of work, Netflix, blog stuff, and general living. But regardless of how busy I am, I always love diving into a new book. Or an old book. :)

I’m re-reading The Haunting of Hill House, which was a book I read in college and loved it. I figured October was the perfect month for this book, and I’m about half way through. I also recently bought a used copy of The Bell Jar on Amazon (a classic I’ve never read), and I’ll be diving into that next!

Also super excited for the [vegan] Hot for Food cookbook, which will be coming out early next year!

drinking: I’ve been super into coffee lately. I took a good 2+ years off the stuff, and I was totally fine without it. But I missed the taste. And the…routine. Is that weird? It’s just so satisfying in the morning after my breakfast. Do you have any brand recommendations? I typically go the cheap-o route, but I’m willing to spend some $$$ on some really good beans. With xxxxtra Dairy-Free Gingerbread Coffee Creamer, plz.

Beer. I have no idea what got into me this year, but I have been LOVING beer. I limit myself to drinking on the weekends only, but when I do, I really like to enjoy something hoppy and somewhat strong. IPAs have been my go-to lately, and I actually hated all of the pumpkin beers I’ve had. My current fave is the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA!

Ahh Honest Tea. They have this Cinnamon Sunrise Herbal Tea that I got last week at trivia, and I’m in love. It tastes like Christmas, love, and happiness, and it’s totally my new favorite drink-o-choice. Plus, it’s naturally caffeine free & organic!

watching: I’m not a big movie person, but for some reason I can binge watch TV shows like none other. Mark & I started Community this past weekend, and omg. I literally have never laughed so hard at a show before. We watched nearly 30 episodes this past weekend, and I’m only a little horrified.

I’ve also tried watching Mad Men, and I’m not into it. I just get mad at everyone for making stupid decisions. I’m much more into mindless comedies. Something I can have on in the background whenever I’m working/writing/loafing.

thinking: I posted a reader survey here on the blog a few weeks ago, and you guys have me a TON to think about in terms of what’s next for Fooduzzi. If you took the survey, THANK YOU for your responses. You seriously have no idea how helpful it is to get your feedback and ideas. I loved reading through each and every response multiple times.

That said, a lot of you mentioned that I post too many desserts. In my mind, there’s no such thing. :) But I totally get it and hear you. I find so much joy baking so the sweet recipes definitely aren’t going away (especially this time of year), but I’m going to challenge myself to be more savory in the new year!

The end of the year always makes me super introspective, but this year I’m feeling it even more. I’m going to be 25 in a few months (?!), so I think I’m experiencing somewhat of a quarter-life crisis. Just a mini one. But a mini one nonetheless. Just kind of one of those what do I want to be doing, where do I want to be doing it, and how do I want to get there kind of feelings. You know. Nothing important or anything. Heh.

planning: Delicious plant-based yum for this holidays here on the blog! Testing soon: a pie, a fun way to eat stuffing, the sloppiest of dinners, and…we’ll see what else! If you have any requests, let me know in the comments!

Also! I’m trying to make an effort to be a bit more “green.” It’s seriously tough, but I’m slowly learning about the small changes I can make in my life that can actually make a big difference over time. I’ve been really loving Trash is for Tossers for zero waste tips!

Also also! I have a few non-food posts coming up on the blog. One is about that cute face right up there ^^. Her name is Maya, and I’m really excited to share the post. She’s had some health issues this year that we’ve finally gotten under control (*knocks on wood*), and I’m hoping our experiences will help others struggling with similar experiences!

loving: Writing, eating, watching Hulu, drinking coffee, snuggling under blankets, cat cuddles, hanging with Mark, trivia night, hanging with friends, working out, going to bed early, that it’s almost time for the holidays, dark chocolate, fuji apples, and you.

Thanks for reading, friend. New recipe coming later this week!