I don't know where the time has gone! It's June already and I feel like I'm playing catch up. However, I couldn't let another day pass without sharing my May Favorites.
These funny looking things are called "altramuces" or more colloquially "chochos." In English they're called Lupin beans but I've never seen them in a supermarket in the States or heard anyone talking about them. With good reason too because it's a real chore to cook Lupin beans.
If you don't cook them correctly you can get poisoned! It takes at least a week of rinsing and soaking and boiling to make them edible. Here in Spain they're eaten as a snack like potato chips or nuts. You put them in the fridge and in the summer you have a nice, cool, satisfyingly salty treat!
"Tinto de verano" is another summer time treat. It's a typical drink made from red wine and lemon soda. Whenever I go to a restaurant I order it and sometimes I even buy it bottled from the supermarket.
This vegetable I recently introduced myself to and since then have become obsessed! Leeks are so delicious and I like them best sauteed with just a touch of oil and some salt and pepper. I'm also digging soba noodles. Be sure to check out these vegan recipes if you want to know some quick and easy ways to cook both leeks and soba noodles.
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In a quest to save money my husband and I have started making our own bread and our own hummus. We eat hummus almost everyday and a small container at the supermarket is almost 2€. While a bottle of garbanzos is only 0.30€ and makes a large container that lasts more than 3 days!
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Not sure why, but once the warm weather hits the cravings for sweets intensifies. Since my husband and I are now vegan it gets harder and harder to buy pre-packaged goods anywhere really. I don't mind making our own things but there isn't always time to do so. Plus, at the end of a long day I like to grab something already cooked in the cupboard. These soy ice creams and dried fruit pieces really help to satisfy my sweet tooth.
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| Flavors: mango, papaya and ginger |
Okay, so now onto a couple of non-food related items.
I'm loving my hair accessories right now for the summer. It's such a cute way to easily spice up any hair style.
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| These are just a few. Please Look at Week 37 Hair, Week 46 Hair, and Week 50 Hair Part 2 for more pics. |
I also can't live without my all-natural sunscreen I purchased from Smart Girls Who Surf, my African black soap, my coconut oil or my nail polish.
I sweat a lot and I love washing my face with my black soap at the end of the day. It contains no chemicals and quickly washes away all dirt, oils, and makeup from my face effortlessly.
During the day I apply and re-apply my sunscreen because we all know we have to protect the delicate skin of the face from those harsh rays! I also use it when I go running because it's waterproof.
The coconut oil I like because it is a denser oil that helps my hair to better retain moisture with the hot, dry, summer climate here in Córdoba. I find it works better than olive oil and isn't as thick as castor oil.
Finally, nail polish is something I've always loved. But I usually only rock it in the summer because that's when those vibrant colors I like are in season.
What are some of your favorites from May?
