Oh no.

 It is here again.

 The Man-Cold.

Every change of season Mark gets a cold and this season is no different. My 6-foot tall, bass playing, whiskey drinking, straight razor shaving boyfriend suddenly becomes a sniffing, sneezing, whiny baby. It may seem like I am complaining but I am just stating facts here people.

The infamous Man-Cold is when a man shows symptoms of a typical cold but with coping skills and social grace out the window. Mark hogging the whole bed and blankets, a mountain of booger laced tissues on nightstand, video games out and he dresses like The Unabomber in pajama pants and yet I love him enough to make him his favourite “man-cold” drink, a Hot Toddy.

This drink has been served to Mark since he was probably too young to drink but in his Scottish household whiskey is generally the answer for most things. His mother has zero patience for whiners and doesn’t believe in indulging the man-cold. My kind of woman.

Cold medicine makes both he and I weirdly groggy, tired and cranky so we try not to take it. We rely on the old-fashioned methods of hot water bottles, baths with Eucalyptus oil, green smoothies, herbal teas, Neti pots and pajama pants. It isn’t pretty but it does work. I was never a fan of the traditional Hot Toddy, the mixture of hot water, honey, lemon and whiskey never really did it for me. I knew I could make a better one with a little more healing power. Since Mark LOVES apple cider so why not mix the two with a little healing help from ginger, extra lemon and spices? It worked so wonderfully and is Man-Cold Approved! Hooray!

With a Man-Cold gone, everyone is a lot happier except Barb who very much enjoyed the cuddles from a sick Mark. Until Winter…..

The post Man-Cold Approved: Warm Apple-Ginger Toddy appeared first on Sprouts & Chocolate.

Here I am Day 11 of the month long cooking (and eating!) vegan food fest that is VeganMoFo! While it has been a little stressful I organized my ideas for a few recipes on my fridge whiteboard calendar to make things a little easier for me since I started school and continue to work. So far, I am right on schedule with a few modifications here and there and couldn’t be more pleased by my organizational skills. I have never been much of a meal planner but now I get what the big deal is about! It is less hectic now that I am coming back from school and knowing my dinner is already in the fridge (along with my after school snack because apparently I am 5 years old). Also having a meal plan doesn’t force me to go on a serious snack quest when I come home from a long day and feeling extra hangry, consuming everything in my path. 

But what about breakfast? I have to admit I am pretty terrible with planning breakfast since it is always rush-rush for Mark and I in the morning. I usually stick to a smoothie but that was before I re-entered school and I definitely needing the extra fuel for my brain in the wee hours of the morning.

Mark is a huge fan of cereal but store bought just doesn’t fill him up as a meal and before you know it half of the box is gone. I needed to make a substantial breakfast to boost our energy before we head out.

Granola is always my first choice for cereal since I can make a lot of it at one time and it lasts all work/school week in an airtight container. Is it too early for pumpkin spice? I would say not since Starbucks came out with their Pumpkin Spice Latte in August! I have a love/hate relationship with pumpkin and its warm spices- I love it until I hate it. You know that song you play on repeat a zillion times and then you hear it on the radio for your zillionth and one time and all of a sudden you think “If I hear this song one more time I may lose it!” That’s my relationship with pumpkin. I eat EVERYTHING pumpkin for two months straight and never want to see it again [until next year that is]. Perhaps this year I will enjoy pumpkin in moderation? Haha who am I kidding?

 8 recipes down, 12 more to go!

The post Pumpkin Spice Buckwheat Granola appeared first on Sprouts & Chocolate.