Lifestyle
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My Favorite Local Coffee Shops
The list of favorites keeps growing–which is great, but it’s the reason why I’ve been holding off creating a post. Let’s get these documented and I’ll keep updating as I come across any others. New Holland Coffee Co. Great coffee, delicious pastries, and a plant-lover’s dream decor. Agape Cafe & Grille Great spot for breakfast or lunch. Wide variety of drinks, desserts, a breakfast board perfect for sharing. Cafe Arabella Cozy and super cute atmosphere. The coffee was delicious and I can’t wait to go back and try more of the menu. Mill 72 Bake Shop & Cafe My vanilla latte and breakfast quiche were both 10/10. The decor and…
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Gluten-Free Orange Almond Muffins
Breakfast Rut–Two words no one wants to hear during the work week. But every now and then, they roll around and it’s time to look for new recipes or inspiration. Breakfast can be challenging when you’re not a morning person. I usually try to meal prep breakfast the night before so I can just reheat it in the morning. One of the more challenging aspects of trying to minimize gluten in a lifestyle is the lack of quick and easy breakfast foods that are gluten-free. Lately, I’ve been getting tired of my usual go-tos like home fries and sausage, bacon and eggs, hash browns and ham steak. I usually add…
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Words Find Us
I wrote back in December that it felt like part of me was on mute. I had so much to say, about so many things, that I didn’t know where to start. Then one weekend, I decided to just go for it and create a second Instagram account where some of these thoughts, quotes, poems, and ideas could live. I think I was looking for a creative outlet that could also reach others and maybe brighten someone’s day or let them know they are not alone. A lot of what I write there I pull from personal experiences, but some of it just comes to me and I feel like…
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A Million Ways
Have you ever felt like a part of you is on mute? It’s almost as if this part of you has been stamped out that you don’t even have the flicker of a flame to bring the passion back to life. Sometimes I feel that way about writing or about baking. I think it’s because I turn to these two activities during my happiest moments and during my hardest moments. Then, during the “in-between moments”, it can feel like my two passions are on mute. Quarantine and the pandemic have led to a lot of time inside my head. Left with so many thoughts that I don’t have anything to…
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Homemade Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract is one of those ingredients most baking recipes call for and yet, I never really stopped to think how it was made or even what was in it besides vanilla. Then about a year ago, friends and other bloggers started talking about homemade vanilla extract and I thought it would be nice to have around the house. Not only did I like the idea of knowing the exact ingredients I’d be baking with, but vanilla extract at the grocery store can be expensive for a very small amount–usually 1.5-2 oz. can cost anywhere from 5-8 dollars. So, I finally decided to go ahead and order the vanilla beans…
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Farm Fresh: 2nd Delivery
It’s my second week of receiving Lancaster CSA deliveries and guess what?! More rhubarb haha. The herbs delivery was delayed by one week, but the CSA is great about communicating all changes and adjustments to the schedule so I should have some herbs to talk about next week. This week was 1 bunch of rhubarb, 1 pint of blueberries, and 1 bunch of flowers. I love having flowers at home or at my desk at work so I was definitely excited for the first flower delivery. Since I have more than enough jam for now, the rhubarb is going to a friend. You can also freeze rhubarb. Just thoroughly wash…
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Farm Fresh: 1st Delivery
I hope you read all about my introduction to the Lancaster CSA. Below is the yummy Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam recipe I tried out using my fresh ingredients. Ingredients: 2 1/4 cup sugar (I think next time I will try just 2 cups) 3 large stalks of rhubarb 2 cups halved strawberries Fresh lemon juice Instructions: Carefully, and thoroughly, wash the strawberries. Farm fresh strawberries need a little more attention than the store bought “picture perfect” berries. There will be more bumps and bruises on these berries and more dirt too! But be gentle! Then wash the rhubarb stalks under cold water. Again, making sure to thoroughly clean off any dirt. Cut…
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Farm Fresh Adventure: An Introduction
I first heard about the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative last year at work. All I knew at the time was that some co-workers were signing up to receive fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers each week throughout the summer. It seemed like a nice idea, but since I only became aware of it after the season started, I decided to hold off until next year to see what it was all about. Fast forward to this year, and I’ve signed up for the fruits, herbs, and flower deliveries. There’s so much information to read about on the LFFC (which is why I linked to it above), but the thing I like…
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Making Time for Yourself
When life gets busy, it’s so important to make time for yourself. In a world full of noise, conflict, and heartache, I’ve found myself wanting those quiet moments alone more and more. And while the time by myself is good for reflecting, I also have found meals or activities with friends or family is an important factor in making time for myself. Time for me to do what makes me happy. Time for me to spend fun evenings out with loved ones. Time for me to appreciate all the good in the world. It’s easy enough to let the darkness overwhelm us. To make us afraid. To make us question…
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Giving Thanks
This was going to be a long-winded post on Thanksgiving, what it means to be Greek-American on this holiday, and how adjusting to being gluten-free has been going (more on that later), but really, when I think about it, it all comes down to one thing: being thankful. Thankful for a holiday that I get to share with my family. Thankful that the family I’m surrounded by shares a rich culture. And thankful for my health and the health of family and friends. Sometimes it’s the little things that go unsaid that can really make a difference. So be thankful for all that you have, spend time with family and…
