Friends! Happy Thursday!
I’m just going to come out and say it: I’ve been keeping more secrets from you.
I know. I told you I wanted to get all personal on the blog, and I go ahead and keep, not one, but THREE secrets from you.
*shame*
But. The wait was TOTALLY worth it. Pinky promise. :)
Secret #1: I’m working for Laura at A Beautiful Plate! Just like with Jessica (How Sweet It Is), I’ll be helping out with her social media stuff, so be sure to follow along!
Secret #2: I quit my full-time job. Yep! I took a job right out of college at an accounting firm, but from the first few months of being there, I knew it wasn’t the right fit for me. I met some awesome people, and I learned a ton. I just wasn’t happy. And being only 23 years old, I want to be happy going to work. I want to enjoy going to work every day. I just didn’t want to settle for a job I just wasn’t passionate about. In fact, my position at the company was going in a completely opposite direction of my passions of being creative, writing, and connecting with you!
Was it scary? Of course. I had been at that company for less than a year. But I knew that I had to make a change for my own sake. For my own happiness.
So I did it. I quit my job.
And that leads me to the secret I’ve been BURSTING at the seams to tell you about…
Secret #3: I have a new full-time job…at Food Blogger Pro! ???
I seriously don’t think I’ve stopped smiling since I got the news! For those of you who don’t know, Food Blogger Pro is a website for food bloggers run by Bjork and Lindsay Ostrom of Pinch of Yum fame. Food Blogger Pro is such a fantastic resource for bloggers, as they cover topics like food photography/photo editing, building traffic, technical stuff, and more in their video tutorials. They also have an incredible community forum where bloggers can connect, collaborate, and trouble-shoot. I’ve been a customer of Food Blogger Pro for about a year now, and I can’t say enough about how helpful it has been in my blogging journey!
Needless to say, I am beyond thrilled to be joining FBP team! My heart is so full, you guys ?
As a little celebration, I’m bringing you THE easiest, THE fastest, and THE most beautiful breakfast, dessert, or snack: a no-bake strawberry crumble!
I, for one, cannot wait for all-things strawberry, so I’m digging in a bit early. When I have my first strawberry of the season, it almost makes summer real for me. Like, summer just isn’t summer without strawberries. Or watermelon. Or cantaloupe. Or blackberries. Or raspberries…
OK, now I’m hungry. And ridiculously excited for summer. ?????
SO I’m bringing you a little summer today in the form of this crumble! For the filling, we’re essentially making strawberry chia seed jam, which is awesome in and of itself. But once you add some of your favorite granola on top…magic. Complete and total no-bake magic.
To take the toppings even more over the top, I suggest adding with some creaminess in the form of yogurt and/or coconut whipped cream and some freshness in the form of some mint!
And how perfect would these cute little mason jars be at a Mother’s Day brunch?! Mama Fooduzzi would be all over these.
I’m seriously loving these no-bake crumbles! They’re a cinch to make even though they look all fancy and well thought-out. Don’t you just love a treat where no thinking is involved? How’s THAT for a happy Thursday?
PrintEasy 4 Ingredient No Bake Strawberry Crumble
- Yield: 2 crumbles
Ingredients
- 12 large strawberries, medium diced
- 1 and 1/2 Tbsp. water
- 1 tsp. chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp. + pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup granola of choice (I used Blissful Eats Apple Cinnamon Harvest Granola & Blissful Eats No Nutty Chocolate Chip Granola)
- optional toppings: yogurt (I used Naturi Organic Lemon), coconut whipped cream for vegans, fresh mint
Instructions
- Add strawberries and water to a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Allow mixture to come to boil and soften, stirring often, about 8-10 minutes. The mixture will resemble a loose jam.
- Remove from heat and pour into a glass bowl. Add chia seeds and maple syrup, and mix to combine well. Taste and add additional maple syrup if you’d like it sweeter.
- Allow to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, or until the chia seeds have absorbed some moisture. It will resemble jam at this point.
- Divide into two bowls. Top with granola, and yogurt, coconut whipped cream, and/or fresh mint if desired.
A special thank you goes to Blissful Eats (granola) and Naturi (yogurt) for supplying me with some of their super high-quality products that I love for this recipe! I was introduced to both of these products at the How Sweet Eats Brunchshop a few weeks ago, and I completely fell in love with both! Blissful Eats granola is full of nourishing, nutrient-dense, and delicious ingredients, and Naturi yogurt seriously tastes like dessert on its own! All opinions are my own.
OMG congratulations Alexa!! You’re flyin’ girl! What will you be doing at Food Blogger Pro? Also, why did it take me this long to discover A Beautiful Plate?! Her blog is gorgeous! I could not be happier for you, you deserve this :)
Thank you so much, Marina!! I’m so excited :) I’m the Community & Event Specialist at FBP, so I’ll be helping out with the forum and events, among other things. ;) And I KNOW! Laura’s blog is absolutely stunning!
Oh my GOSH Alexa this is huge! I am SO happy. Ever since we talked over turmeric tea I’ve been waiting for this announcement. Is it weird if I was anticipating this ever since you snapped last night that you had an announcement? Haha I had to make your blog my first stop this morning :)
Can’t wait to see what comes next for you! Let’s get drinks and celebrate new jobs!
Thank you so much, Gretchen! I’m so thrilled that I found a job that meshes with “me” much more! I’d love to meet up – I can’t wait to hear more about the house and the wedding! Let’s do it :)
YASSSSSS girl, you rock! So proud of you. These little strawberry crumbles look SO delicious, I seriously can’t get enough berries in the summertime and I’m already eagerly jumping in head first :)
Thank you, Lucia! :) I think you’d love these crumbles – they seriously scream “summer”!
OMGGGGGGG I’m So sososososososo happy for you!! Yeah, that happy. It’s crazy how much can change in such a short period of time. I want to hear more about it soooo let’s grab coffee during the week soon since I’m assuming you’ll be free?! Cheers to following your passion, as scary as it can be!
I totally agree! SO much can change haha. I can’t wait to meet up this week!
This post just made my morning! So excited for you. I can’t wait until this day comes for me too. :)
Aw thank you so much, Liz! I’m so thankful for blogging friends like you :)
Congrats on the job! Not many people have the courage their first few years out of college to quit their job, no matter how unhappy they are, to focus on really pursuing something they love. I hope it’s even better than your imagining! :)
Thank you, Emily! It was definitely stressful, but I think everything turned out for the better :)
YAY! Go Alexa!
:) Thanks so much, Sarah!
Ahh I so wish I would have known you do social media! I would have hired you! haha. Love them both and they are lucky to have you. <3 You're a gem and a fab woman!
Haha it kind of fell into my lap, but I’m really liking learning more about social media! Thank you so much for your sweet words, Lindsay :)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Such amazing incredible news!!!!!!! You totally deserve it AND you are such an inspiration to so many of us! Good for you girl for taking that leap and pursuing what you want and what makes YOU happy! PS – I’m a Food Blogger Pro member and LOVE it!
THANK YOU!! Isn’t FBP the best?! SUCH a valuable resource!
Congratulations! It’s an exciting time in your life, soak up every minute of it!
Thank you so much, Kaylin! It definitely is exciting :)
SO amazing Alexa! Congratulations and super happy for you. Cheers to your new adventures and following your passions. You deserve it!!
Thank you so much, Ashley! I really appreciate it :)
Congratulations! How wonderful that you can do what you LOVE (and are amazing at!!) for a JOB! :) YAY! :)
That’s seriously the best part, Laura. I LOVE this stuff! :) Thank you so much!
this is HUGE!!! Congratulations! Being happy is so important in a job and I am happy to hear you have found that!
Thank you!! I totally agree – being happy at a job is absolutely priceless. :)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! How exciting!!! I can totally sympathize and know exactly how you feel – after college I worked for 2 years in an accounting/finance department and hated it, knowing it was just NOT for me and this could not have been the way my life would like for the next 40 years. My next move was to save up, pack up and head out on a backpacking trip with my bf. –> fast forward 3.5 years later and I’m still traveling and running the food blog on the road. So excited for your new job and responsibilities! Am also a foodbloggerpro member!
Thank you, Vicky! It’s definitely for some people, it just wasn’t for me. I’m glad we both figured that out at a fairly young age :) How exciting you’re able to travel and run the blog on the road! Heading over to your blog right now to check out what you’ve been up to!
Congratulations! To only be 23 and already be starting a career you’re passionate about is amazing! Best of luck to you & I’m buying that granola to make this right when I finish writing this comment!
Thank you so much, Diana! I’m a lucky duck for sure haha. DEFINITELY go buy that granola! The No-Nutty Chocolate Chip is my all-time favorite!
you’re amazingggg. im so proud of you! can’t wait to watch you kill it even harder!!
Thank you so much, Beverley! It means a lot :)
SO SO SO FREAKING HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!! You’re incredible girl!!! Life goals being realized!!!! SO awesome.
haha thank you so much, Kaila! I really appreciate it :)
OMIGOD!!! Congrats!!! This is so freaking exciting :D
haha thank you, Giselle!! :)
CONGRATS on the new job, Alexa!! That’s amazing, i’m so happy for you!! <3 <3 what exactly will you be doing? I cant wait to hear more about it!!
Thank you so much!! I’m the Community & Event Specialist at FBP, so I’ll be helping out with the forum and events, among other things. ;)
can’t wait to hear more about it!
Eeeexciting! Dedication and hard work pays off so you totally deserve this dream come true. Congratulations! If I hadn’t known Fooduzzi was “only” your side business I’d never have guessed because you already put so much work into it and have created amazing content. I’m convinced a cookbook is in your not-to-distant future, too :).
Thank you SO much! Your comment was so sweet <3 Having a cookbook is an absolute dream of mine - hopefully it's in the cards!
Congrats girl, that is SO exciting!!!! Exactly what I needed to read, so inspiring! And I love this recipe :)
Thank you, Arielle! I really appreciate it :) And definitely try this recipe if you can – so simple, and so satisfying!
Congratulations!! How exciting. If your new adventures bring you to Minnesota let me know I would love to grab, coffee, lunch, smoothies, oh we have an amazing ice cream place, with you!
I would LOVE that!! I’ll definitely keep that in mind. Truth be told, I’ve been following your blog for a WHILE. :) It would be so fun to put a face to the blog!
THE BEST NEWS!!! xoxoxo
:D :D :D THANK YOU!
So awesome I’m so happy for you! I’m so excited to see your blog grow even more!
Thank you so much, Megan! I really appreciate it :)
Congratulations Alexa! ? ?
:) Thank you!!
Say what?!?!?! OMG girl I am BEYOND excited for you!!! I don’t know how you kept this secret— I would have been bursting at the seams! What will you be doing at Food Blogger Pro?!? Can’t wait to hear ALL about it!!
haha THANK YOU!! Keeping it a secret was SO hard haha. I’m the Community & Event Specialist at FBP, so I’ll be helping out with the forum and events, among other things. ;)
YOURE AMAZING!!!! Congrats babe. So so excited for you!!!!
Thank you so much, Rachel!! :)
So excited for you. You are doing it right Fooduzzi. Love you and we are so very proud of you.
Thanks, Mama! :)
Aaaah!!!! I kind of want to dance and just leap for joy for you! This is so awesome girl. God has really blessed Food Blogger Pro, and I absolutely can’t wait for you to connect with them, share with us what you’re learning, and really use your gifts and talents in such an incredible way!
Thank you so much for the sweet comment, Emily! I truly appreciate it :)
Holy moly this is so exciting!!! I’m so happy for you!!! Listen to their podcast every week and am just in love with those two, you’re going to have such a good time!! :)
Ah SAME! I love the podcast so much. :) Thank you so much, Sarah!
Congrats on following your dreams! What awesome opportunities you have :)
:) Thank you so much, Rachel!
SO FREAKING HAPPY FOR YOU AHHMAHHGAHHDDD!!! <3 <3 <3!!
haha thanks, Christina! :)
We’re going strawberry picking for Mother’s Day and this is the perfect recipe to put them in! No bake makes it easy for our hubbies to assemble and spoil us! Thanks!
http://www.sistersweetly.wordpress.com
Hey guys! You comment went to spam for some reason! I hope you had fun picking your strawberries – that’s something I’ve always wanted to do!
Congratulations, Alexa! I love FBP and can’t wait to see what events y’all put together. So happy that you’re doing what inspires you! Also, this crumble looks amazing. That lemon yogurt is the stuff dreams are made of all on its own, so I can’t even imagine how good it would be with all of this!
Thank you so much, Becky! I’m glad you’re with me on that lemon yogurt – seriously the best EVER!!
So I’m just now getting the time to comment on this, and JUST now reading that you’re also working for A Beautiful Plate. GIRL. You are on fire!!!! I am so unbelievably happy for you and everything that you’re doing. It is so amazing to see other women reach for their goals and succeed. I hope I can do the same once I’m out of college! Much love for you lady. <3
So happy for you on your new job!!! AND I’M SO HAPPY to be working with you!!!! Your excitement and enthusiasm is infectious. Can’t wait to continue to follow your journey. xo
Thank you so much, Laura!! <3