Gettin' Figgy With It

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Let the fig frenzy continue! With a bunch of figs on hand, I sort of forced myself into this fig frenzy. I had to find a way to use them all up! I used them in my Strawberry Fig and Almond Butter Smoothie and had been waiting to finish them off in these blondies!

Fresh figs, lots of brown sugar and butter and salted caramel. What could go wrong? Oh wait did I mention there is vanilla bean it it too? A recipe for success! I love a good blondie (more than brownies I must admit). With the addition of the fresh figs they honestly resemble the taste of a fig newton. The fig taste is strong which I love.

Salted Caramel Fig Blondies adapted from Hippopotamousse

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
2/3 cup flour
1 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 figs, cut into 1/8ths
10 caramel squares
sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 square pan. 

Add the sugars and butter to an electric mixer and cream until fully combined, then beat in the egg. Sift in the flour and mix until incorporated. Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape the caviars from it with the back of your knife. Add in the vanilla beans. Take the bowl off the mixer and fold in the figs with a spatula. Spread the mixture out into your prepared pan.

In a microwave safe bowl melt the caramel squares and a few sprinkles of sea salt in 30 second intervals. Once your caramel is melted drizzle it over the top of your blondie batter. Sprinkle a few more shakes of sea salt over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before you cut them!

Annie

Bites of My Life

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Dog days of summer, what does this really mean? I used the phrase today and Lindsay and I both agreed we didn't even know what it means...besides belting it alongside Florence + The Machine. The phrase comes from describing the hot, sultry parts of summer with little activity. I wouldn't say I'm quite in the dog days of summer but I can feel things slowing down and changing a bit. People are heading back to school, the 100 degree temps are decreasing and the feeling of fall is creeping in. I'm not ready to let go of summer!!
Last week I had a meeting about shoes, you can't even call that a meeting. More on that later. I ate s'mores and more s'mores, snuck back down to Norman for my first time as an alum, slurped down a new smoothie recipe, caught up with some of my oldest friends, brunched and said bye to the best summer roomie, and baked and baked to round out the weekend. Get ready for the sugar overload this week. 
-Almond milk green tea latte, I can't get enough. 
-I'm a sucker for made up national holidays #NationalSmoresDay
-Strawberry Fig and Almond Butter smoothie recipe is up!
-First date with tempeh and it was good enough for a second. Cooked up with pesto zoodles.
-Love the people weddings bring back together. Felt like we were back in 4th grade!
-Brunch > Lunch.
-Sunday baking day, up first salted caramel fig blondies (recipe to come!)
-Balanced out all the sugar with a big batch of asian sautéed brussels!
-Up next, strawberry shortcake cookies.  I'm going to have some happy co-workers this morning!
Annie

Strawberry Fig and Almond Butter Smoothie

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So that fig frenzy I mentioned the other day, here is exhibit A. Figs are in peak season right now so get them while they are hot. When I set out to make this smoothie I was using this recipe as a guide. Not being a big banana girl, I replaced them for strawberries...win!

Not that I know what a peanut butter and jelly sandwich tastes like, but I kind of feel like this smoothie resembles the flavor of one. My homemade almond butter is really roasty tasting similar to peanut butter, or so my roommate tells me. Then the combination of the figs and strawberries sets off the jelly flavor. Call it what you want, but this smoothie is superb. A fun change from my regular morning green smoothie!

Like I said figs are at their peak right now, so they are typically very ripe when you find them in the store. Before they go bad, slice up a couple and keep them in your freezer! This recipe calls for 3 fresh frozen figs, I just freeze them cut in half!

Strawberry Fig and Almond Butter smoothie
yields 1 smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp. almond butter
3 figs, frozen or fresh
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
dash of cinnamon

Directions:
In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy! Top with more cinnamon, some figs and granola if you choose!

Annie

Musing

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I'm trying to not get bit by the fall bug, but sweaters are calling my name. Eyes on the prize of keeping my endless summer going. Still working on checking things of my TDL, but I have a few other things currently on my mind. 

Bring on the fall fringe.
These lentils.
Friends who blog are my favorite.
Also my current blog crush. 
I'm in a fig frenzy 1 / 2 / 3.
California dreaming. 2 weeks!!
New house has me pinning like crazy!
No. 5. 
Chocolate chipless cookies. 
In case you didn't know. 

Annie

Bites of My Life

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Why are Mondays such a thing? They aren't bad, but they definitely aren't awesome. I had a case of the big girl world this morning including paying bills, having car issues, and quickly watching my pay check go to zero.  Go real world go....To switch things around, I'm content with real world since the fun times have been outweighing the sucky parts.  Let's turn this Monday around with a little bite o' my lyfe.

-Avo toast, AB toast, figs and pears for a slow morning breakfast at home with sis!
-New roommate Lindz is here! I'm forcing her into loving OKC, barre3 and more of my favorite things. 
-#NationalWatermelonDay happened coincidentally the same day I stumbled across one of Chobani's limited edition flavors at Target! Tasted like a popsicle you would get from the ice cream man. 
-I went on a greek yogurt buying frenzy last week. So many flavors I just couldn't pass up. I have honey pear, plum and fig and lemon zest waiting for me in my fridge!
-Quinoa Taco Salad obsessed last week. I ate it 4 times in 48 hours.
-26 great years for my fab sis!
-Pretty food makes eating even more fun that it already is. 
-Known her since I was born and she still continues to amaze me! A bittersweet farewell as she is now UVA Law bound!
-Sunday supper won us all over last night! Used this recipe and highly recommend. 
Annie