Spring Has Sprung!

 shirt: yesstyle skirt: american apparel tights: h&m shoes: thrifed

The weather lately has been so beautiful! I don't think spring could come any faster - I need sunshine, green grass and flower buds. Something about finally being able to open the windows in my house makes me come down with a serious case of spring cleaning fever, I've been organizing closets and junk drawers like nobody's business. This time of year is also always great inspiration for flower hair crowns, which I've been busting out left and right. I'm gearing up for my second annual "spring cleaning shop sale" next month, a lot of items will be marked down 50%-70%, so I will keep you guys posted. Basically, I feel like I've been hibernating all winter and I'm just now finally waking up from my long, long nap. Now it's time to get happy + productive!

xo, Kaley

Apple-Orange-Carrot Juice

Last summer I decided to try out making my own fruit + veggie juices, and I loved it! It's relatively inexpensive, I buy most of my produce from the local market, and I always try to buy organic to keep my juices as clean and fresh as possible. I wanted to start sharing juice + smoothie recipes here on my blog, so let me know what you guys think! My first juice blend was inspired by my friend Danne, she always posts the most inspiring homemade, vegan meals (livedhappilyeverafter on Instagram). Danne calls this her "orange juice", and all you need are carrots, apples and oranges. Wash your ingredients, and throw eight carrots, four apples and four oranges in your juicer. I had about two servings (two drinking glasses) of juice, so feel free to add extra ingredients if you want a bigger batch. Happy juicing!

xo, Kaley

The Grandeurs of the Grand Canyon

Hi friends! It's been a little while, but man, do I have some exciting things to share with you! First off, let me tell you about my coast to coast road trip. About two weeks ago we left our cozy little town in New Hampshire, drove out to the Niagara Falls, then to the Indianapolis Zoo, the Hoover Dam, a huge vintage + antique mall in the middle of nowhere, Illinois, and finally Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. It was an amazing experience to see so many landmarks and landscapes by car! We left not knowing exactly where we were headed, being sure to stop at strange and interesting spots along the way. My most favorite stop was definitely the Grand Canyon, for obvious reasons, it's grand!

xo, Kaley

Simple Healthy Meals

I'm super proud of myself for sticking to such a healthy diet in the new year. I've been trying out more and more vegan recipes, and as always, keeping everything gluten free. I wanted to share some of my favorite meals of the month, hopefully you guys love them too! First up is a salad I've been eating nearly every afternoon. It's so easy to throw together, and I don't even end up needing salad dressing which cuts out so many calories. I put a few big handfuls of spinach, edamame, sliced up avocado, and I grill up some veggie sausage in olive oil and pour that over the top (see, no dressing needed! Just throw some pepper + seasonings in the olive oil when it's in the pan). I really like quinoa, and when you throw in onions, peppers, corn, avocado and cilantro you've got a party in your mouth. I like to eat this mix with corn tortilla chips. Vegan stir-fry is so easy to make, and the possibilities are practically endless. For the stir-fry up above I mixed rice, corn, jalapenos and grilled tofu, and I made some potato fritters for the side. Then there is your standard yogurt parfait. Mix some vanilla greek yogurt with gluten free oats, with lots of fresh fruit (I like berries and bananas) and that's it! Yum!

xo, Kaley

let's talk resolutions

Hello, hello! Long time no see. I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season, and a happy new year! I've been keeping busy with work, my Etsy shop, reorganizing the house, and spending time with family and friends. I've also been spending a lot of time thinking about new year's resolutions, and different ways I can improve my life and be a positive force to the people around me. I think I've come up with some pretty solid goals. 1. Relax. This one may sound cliche, I don't know, but for me it's the most important thing I can do. I spend so much time worrying, my head feels cluttered and I'm almost always in a rush. I've been making a conscious effort to focus in on what's happening around me instead of dwelling on everything else.  Taking a deep breath and just accepting that this is where I am and worrying about it isn't going to change anything makes a big difference. 2. Eat with care. I've been a vegetarian for about eight years, and last fall I discovered I was allergic to gluten (which I thought was the end of the world). I've definitely noticed the positive difference going gluten-free made for me. I want to take it a step further and start cooking more of my own vegan + gluten free meals, and I want to stay informed about the food industry and the role I play as a consumer. 3. Explore. Travel is important to me. This year I will focus on exploring the world around me, near and far. I want to spend more time outdoors, in museums, and visiting new places. While those are my main goals for the year, I also want to spend more time with my family and I would love to expand Honey Pie even further. I've also been thinking a lot about this little blog of mine (did you notice the adorable blog re-design that Kyla put together for me?), and I have a much clearer idea of which direction I'd like to take things. I hope you guys stick around, I have a feeling 2013 is going to be a great year!

xo, Kaley