Sunday Funday in Saugerties New York, Vegan Style

My hometown has become a popular spot to vacation and weekend. It's a charming town and very vegan friendly. So if you're planning a trip here this article will make your stay even easier! 

Start your day with a Dirty Chai from Bluestone Roasting Company. I like mine with almond milk, but they also have soy milk. They make their Chais with a powder that is free from honey like most pre-made chai blends you’ll find in coffee shops. 
The owner is very kind and they have a great staff!

Next be sure to get your Sunday Brunch Yoga on with Brooke Michaels from Little Blueberryy a favorite local boutique and yoga studio. If the weather permits she holds this amazing event outside at the local Partition Bar. This class is from 10:00am-11:00am. If you don’t have a mat Brooke will have one for you. For $12 this includes yoga, a mimosa if you would like and Brunch Food. Most of the food isn’t vegan, but she is always sure to have a fruit platter to snack on. 

Brooke leading her Brunch Yoga class at the Partition Bar

After you’ve gotten your zen on you can roam the streets 
and browse the local shops. Be sure to stop by Little Bluberryy Boutique, you'll even find some of my Skincare Products there!

Little Blueberryy Boutique & Yoga Studio

View up Partition Street from Bluestone Roasting Company

What’s that? You’re hungry for lunch? No problem! Head on over to the new and amazing Ohana Cafe for a tofu scramble or if you’re in the mood for Pizza you have to try the vegan pizza at Slices. Whichever you choose you won’t be disappointed! 

Ohana Café

Slices Pizza

After you’re done lunching head on down to the Alleyway Ice Cream Shop. Literally located down an alley. It’s the tiniest ice cream shop I’ve ever seen. I love that they always have a dairy free ice cream on their handmade artisan menu.

Alleyway Ice Cream

Now that you’re completely stuffed head on over to the Saugerties Lighthouse to walk off all that delicious food. It’s a beautiful scenic trail. I love it so much I even did a photoshoot for my skincare line with my favorite local photographer, Marlo Lamonte from Free Spirit Photography!

Marlo doing her thang with our favorite model Madison

If you’re sticking around for dinner you won’t want to miss 
out on the Vegan Mac + Cheese as well as the 
vegan tye dye cheesecake!

Shop small. Shop local. Shop vegan. 

XO,
Kathleen

Going vegan again and finding my true self

It’s me again. I know it’s been a while. So much has happened since the last time I posted. I lost my mom in a tragic car accident in 2017 a few days after my thirtieth Birthday. If you’ve been following you know that my dad passed away suddenly two years before that almost to the day. In June of 2018 we lost our sweet pup Roman and within ten months later our Fiona crossed the rainbow bridge also. To say I was down and out was an understatement. I had been slowly allowing myself to self destruct by not living 100% vegan. 

Some people drink, do drugs or other forms of self harm when they are in a dark state. For me it was not following my heart and living a vegan life. I know that my parents wouldn’t have wanted that for me (actually they would have been pissed). I have to say I was truly disgusted with myself. I was at war with my conscience and I knew that I needed to get my shit together so I could get back on the path that makes my heart feel true and authentic. I was so unhappy with myself. I was mentally exhausted. 

Finally I had to take a long look at myself and realize I was the only one who could change the unhealthy pattern I was in.

Now I feel like a weight has been lifted from my soul now that I’m back to living a life of mindfulness and compassion. So here’s to living the rest of my life this way because I never want to feel this way in my head and heart ever again. I look forward to sharing my journey with you and some delicious recipes that show you how easy it is to go vegan yourself. 

XO,

Kathleen 

Vegan Blueberry Banana Oat Muffins

Hello!! Yes, it's really me! I'm really back in the blogosphere. I have been so preoccupied with getting my business Handmade With Love By Kathleen off the ground that I haven't been doing any recipe creating lately or much cooking and baking at all. I've been putting my heart and soul into my business. Lately I've been craving a Blueberry Banana Oat Muffin so today I came up with this recipe. They turned out great so now I'm sharing it with all of you. I hope you give it a try. I promise to try not to stay away for so long in the future.

Vegan Blueberry Banana Oat Muffins

3 ripened bananas mashed 

1/2 cup pure cane sugar

1/2 cup apple sauce 

1 cup ripe blueberries

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour 

1 cup organic rolled oats

1 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt 

1-2 tsp ground cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 375*F

Line your muffin pan with liners or grease and flour.

In a large bowl mash the bananas. Mix in the sugar. Once combined add the apple sauce and blueberries. In a separate bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Add this to the wet mixture and stir until well combined. Spoon batter into muffin pan. This recipe makes 12 regular sized muffins or 6 oversized muffins. Bake 20 minutes for regular sized muffins or 25-30 minutes for oversized.

*If desired sprinkle each muffin with cinnamon and sugar before baking*

I hope you enjoy!! 

Balsamic Roasted Veggie Pasta

If you follow me you know that Thursday's have become pasta night in our house. This is a recipe I made last week and wanted to share with you! I hope you try it out!

Balsamic Roasted Veggie Pasta 

Ingredients:

1 large bunch of asparagus

1 pint cherry tomatoes

2 large red bell peppers

1 pint crimini mushrooms

2 cloves of garlic peeled

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Nutritional yeast

Garlic powder

Basil

1lb. of your favorite pasta

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425*F

Trim the ends of your asparagus then cut into bite sized pieces (about an inch). Remove the ribs and seeds from your peppers and cut then to roughly the same size as the asparagus. Cut your crimini mushrooms in half.

In a large bowl toss all of the veggies and garlic cloves with a few splashes of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutritional yeast and basil.

Spread out the veggies one large baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes then flip the veggies around and cook for another 15 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta according to the directions.

Once your pasta is cooked and the veggies roasted toss them together with a little more olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve with bread and a salad if you like.

I hope you enjoy!!