Chocolate Avocado Pudding

I know I've blogged about healthy eating and food previously, but I never actually posted a recipe, so I thought I'd try one! I was watching one of my favorite YouTube channels, MissGlamorazzi,  and she did a great job demonstrating how to make healthy but tasty meals and this pudding was one of them. I had remembered that a while back my mom had told me about this chocolate avocado pudding, so I decided to make it!

What you will need:

•1/3 c organic cocoa powder (no added sugar)
•1/3 c organic raw honey
•1 tsp vanilla extract
•1/2 tsp chia seeds ( I used ground chia seeds)
•3 tbs coconut oil

•1 or 2 ripe avocado (whatever you prefer)

•1/4 c peanut butter (optional)
•Blender (mine is a Blend Tech)




Procedure:

Ground Chia Seeds

First, scoop 1/3 cup of organic cocoa powder and place it into a clean blender. Then scoop raw honey and put that into the blender too. Now add vanilla, chia seeds, and coconut oil. *The raw honey I used is local, supporting local businesses is really good to do and less fuel used to transport!

Second, cut avocado around the pit and twist to open. Then stab the put with your knife, twist, and pull away to take it out. After you have the exposed center, scoop it out with a spoon and drop it into the blender with everything else. *Avocados are a really good source of healthy fats, they also have many other benefits.

Looks kind of nasty

Now that you have everything you want in the blender, you can do ahead a blend it. You may need to stop it a couple times to push the pieces of avocado closer to the blades so they are blended completely.

Once all blended up, scrape out the pudding with a spatula, pour it into a bowl, and set in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. I decided to decorate my pudding with pistachios since berries aren't in season right now, but that would be a great option too!

Well, I hope you enjoyed this post and I strongly encourage you to make this on your own. It tastes amazing and doesn't have any added sugars or artificial sweeteners in it. I don't know of a dessert that is more healthy! Be sure to check out MissGlamorazzi's video, she has two more awesome recipes. Enjoy!

xoxo,

Stella 

Camping for Dumbies

This next weekend I'm going camping with my family and our close friends. I have been camping since before I can remember, I grew up with it. Honestly, some of my best memories and most enjoyable times have been when we were camping, sometimes it's better than going on a fancy trip by plane. My family always has a better time when we go with other families, all the kids share a tent and we all share food and sit by the fire together. I could go on and on about all of my camping experiences but we'd be here all week, lets get on to the actual post about camping tips.

The Grand Canyon

1. Don't expect to be clean.
When you have the opportunity to shower when your camping, I'm sorry that's not camping. Camping is all about dirt, grime, and more dirt. Your hair will be a rat's nest full of oil and dirt, just get over it, no one looks good while camping. One thing you could do is bring shampoo and bathe yourself in a nearby lake or river, I've done it many times. If you don't have access to a large water source, bring dry shampoo to help soak up the nastiness on your head. Another thing, your hands an feet will be very dirty, but hey, whats a little bacteria anyways? Camping is dirty and I advise that if you have a problem with this you should opt out now.

Our community fire

2. Be prepared for everything.
When you're out in the wilderness, you have to be prepared for the worst. If the weather says mostly sunny, don't forget to pack sweats and a windbreaker just incase the weather changes its mind. Another thing you should always do is plan out your meals. Pack exactly what you need for every meal and stick to it. You don't want to run out of food to make dinner, and you don't want too much to go bad. Most things you will eat should be cooked on a camp stove, but if you don't have one or your's breaks then bring tin foil to throw food in and cook in the fire. If the campsite you're going to has some sort of an outhouse remember to bring toilet paper, you don't know if it will run out or even be there at all. Wipes or hand sanitizer are good for quickly washing your hands after going to the bathroom.

Hiking in Arizona

3. Things to do.
Whenever we go camping we go somewhere recreational where we can hike or bike. These are great things to do during the day, I don't know about you but staying at the campsite all day is really boring to me. After long hikes we might go into the nearest small town and get a treat like ice cream, this is a great incentive to getting everyone to do something. In the evening we always play card games, frisbee, and paddle ball while listening to music and sitting by the fire. Glow-sticks and flashlights are always fun to bring for games and they are also beneficial for trips to the bathroom in the dark.

Windy Grand Canyon

Well, there you have it. An entire post about camping for beginners. I hope you found it somewhat intriguing and fun to read. I also hope you liked the pictures of my camping adventures! Until next time...
xoxo,
Stella

Spring Fling

Yay, spring is almost here! Well sort of, there's still snow on the ground where I live. Regardless, I am in the spring mood, I have spring fever and I thought of no better way to express it other than a brightly colored blog post. I decided to show you four outfits that are bright, colorful and comfortable. For all of these looks I am wearing very little makeup to keep things light and soft, just some brown mascara and a small amount of brown eyeliner. For my hair I blow dried it and shaped my layers with a round brush.

This outfit has many of my favorite colors in it. I just love emerald, navy, and turquoise, blues and greens are, in my opinion, the best colors that ever emerged out of the rainbow. My cotton  tee shirt is from J.Crew. My wave-inspired nautical shorts are from J.Crew also. My "bullet shell" necklace is one of may favorites from Down East. With these items you could easily wear some black sandals and nicely painted toes to create the laid-back but polished look for spring.

For this look I wanted to bring in a warm color and pair it with some cool accents. The magnificent pink flower-pattered shorts are from J.Crew (see a reoccurring theme?). My white eyelet three quarter sleeved blouse is actually from my mom's closet, but she go it from Gap. I purchased my mint-colored belt from Old Navy and my jeweled bangle is actually from India. I'm not wearing any shoes but some light brown leather sandals would go well with this comfy outfit. 

When we have those colder days in spring, I like to wear something that covers me but isn't as heavy as a down jacket. I think that the perfect material for days like this linen. I was in a store the other day and I noticed that there was so much linen, it must be coming back, with good reason. My patterned, linen pants are of the utmost comfort and from TJ Maxx, the original brand is Willi Smith. I also got my bright blue linen blazer from TJ Maxx but it's originally from Anthropologie. My charcoal grey tank is from Old Navy and my strappy wedges (if you can see them) are from DSW.

The last outfit I have today is quirky and fun. The mix of polka dots on the skirt and the flowers on the shirt are subtle and not terribly overwhelming. The tee-length turquoise skirt I'm sporting is from Down East. My cropped flowery top is from H&M, and my matching shoes are from Forever 21. If you can see it, my small blue-stoned necklace is from Urban Outfitters. I love this outfit because it's a little bit dressy yet it's still fun and not too sophisticated. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my post and maybe found some inspiration for your spring looks. Let me know if you like to see things like this on my blog and I hope you have a bright and colorful spring!

Until next time...

xoxo,

Stella