31 Days off Your Duff {Day 16} - Eggnog Pancakes

One day 4 years ago, I was making some pancakes that called for water to be added. (Yes, I was making them from a box... what can I say? I had just moved out of my parents' house)

Now, my mom always said to substitute milk for that boring water, and you would get creamier, fluffier pancakes. That is exactly what I planned to do, until I opened my fridge and saw:

Eggnog.

I way too enthusiastically calmly pulled out that delicious jug of thick (virgin!)eggnog along with the jug of milk. I poured in about 80% eggnog, 20% whole milk.

I then proceeded to cook my pancakes as normal, flipping when the edges started to bubble, all that good stuff, until it was finally time to take my first bite!

Never had I felt that my brilliance was so strong. Those were the best pancakes I had ever had.

And you know what makes them even better? A little sprinkle of cinnamon onto each little circle of batter as it cooks in your pan. Yum.

I am so excited that Fall is here, and it's time once again coming time for these amazing pancakes.

31 Days off Your Duff {Day 15} - Make Your Own Energy Bar

Sorry, super-quick, pictureless post, as I'm still sick!

Throwing Together a Bar

This summer, a few of us went out hiking for a week. Instead of loading up on nutritious (yet sugar-laden) energy bars, we decided to make our own beforehand! This way we could control exactly what we were eating, and we could cut down on the waste that we would be toting around on our backs.

I apologize, but at the time I made these, I was not thinking I may one day put them on a blog. Thus, I sadly have no pictures, and nowhere near an exact recipe... but that's the beauty of DIY! You don't have to follow somebody else's instructions exactly, you just make your own.

But here, let me try to recall enough to give you some examples:

My Energy Bar

Bleh, I hate nuts. Gross, gross, gross. So naturally, I didn't put any in bars, hooray! Otherwise I would have had horrific stomach aches, and nasty tastes left on my tongue.

- Oats

The oats were the base of the whole thing, as with most bars.

- Pumpkin Seeds
- Chia Seeds
- Flax Seeds
- Sesame Seeds

Basically, any seeds I could get my hands on. They are so good for you.

- Various Dried Fruits

Again, we made our own dried fruit. No preservatives or added sugars, hooray!

- Raw Honey
- Melted Marshmallows

These made the stickiness that held everything together.

Okay, okay.... I know. Marshmallows don't really stick with my whole "Natural Energy Bar" theme here... but I got really excited part way through when I realized this was kind of like making Rice Krispie Treats... and I just couldn't help myself! But let me tell you; these were the healthiest Rice Krispies ever made!

My Boyfriend's Energy Bar

His I remember even less of, but let me make an attempt here, just to give you an ever-so-slightly different idea.

- Oats
- Various Dried Fruits
- Various disgusting Nuts
- Various Seeds
- Raw Honey
- Organic Molasses

Making Them Look... Pretty?

Once we were done mixing up our ingredients, we put them in between some foil sheets, and just smooshed everything down until it was flat.

We thought about cutting them into individual bar shapes, but just didn't get around to it in time. That's a definite possibility though!

Now, don't think these are just for hiking! You could easily make a batch of these, cut them into servings, and eat one every day. I'm sure they would freeze just fine too, if you made a huge amount (haven't tried it myself though).

So, get off your duff, and make some energy bars that will ensure you stay off your duff!

31 Days off Your Duff {Day 14} - Make Your Own Vinaigrette

Sorry everyone, I've been sick for a few days and not feeling up to working on the computer. I shall catch up to the 31 days today/tomorrow with a few quick recipes, as I'm still not feeling well.

[insert flavour here] Vinaigrette

Making your own vinaigrette is incredibly easy!

Basically, mix equal parts oil and balsamic vinegar.... and throw in whatever else you want.

Ta-daa! Done.

As for the particular one I just made, I mixed:

- 1 half Fresh Pear
- 1 Fresh Plum
- 4 oz. Balsamic Vinegar
- 4 oz. Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 4 Rosebuds
- Black Pepper to taste (I like a lot, but this was for a party, so I didn't use much)

I mixed it all up in a blender, poured it in a 14 oz. cup, and put it in the refrigerator until I was ready to serve.

Yum, chunks of plum!

It tasted great!

.... until it fell and spilled all over the kitchen floor. But hey, vinegar is a great cleanser!