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One of my favorite things to "make" when I was younger were cinnamon rolls. And I say "make" as we used to just pop open those pillsbury cans, bake the pre-made rolls and slather on that frosting made of who knows what. Well thank god times have changed, and still are a-changin', and healthier alternatives are being shared for our childhood favorites. Vegan Richa, I bow down to ya girl! I can't even count how many of her recipes I have made because there are just toooo many, and I don't think there was ever one that I did not love.

Cacao Pitaya Protein Smoothie Bowl w/ Oil-Free Granola | sweetsimplevegan.comI got my hands on some frozen pitaya packs, and one of my go-to recipes with it is these smoothie bowls. Not only do I love pitaya for it's beautiful color, but it has a slightly tart flavor that is a good change from the typical acai bowl. The best part of putting a smoothie bowl together is the toppings...and I know I'm not alone here! Not only do they make the dish beautiful and insta-worthy, they also allow for you to have fun and customize the bowl as you choose. Some days all I want on top is fresh fruit and coconut shavings, but others I am in need of a crunch, and reach for things like granola, cacao nibs and dried white mulberries.

TIP: add toppings below AND on top of your smoothie bowl.

This way, you are guaranteed some of the toppings in every bite!

Easy Crunchy Granola {gluten- & oil-free} | sweetsimplevegan.comCrunchy, chunky AND oil-free? Could this be true? I needed to find an easy go-to granola recipe that I could start making weekly for my home, as I started making smoothie bowls almost daily that the temperature has shot up here in LA! My combos vary based on what I have in the kitchen, but I got my hands on some frozen pitaya packs, and a frequent recipe lately has been this Cacao Pitaya Protein Smoothie Bowl (below), and you can find that full recipe here.

Fluffy New York-Style Bagels w/ Vegan Carrot Lox {vegan, oil-free} sweetsimplevegan.com #bagels #newyorkbagels #oilfree #vegan #veganloxWest coast bagels {in Los Angeles} don't even compare to those on the east coast. I've only had two in my life during my visits to the east coast, but dannng were they good.

Chris grew up on the east coast, and actually just moved to LA after being in New Jersey for 26 years. Lately, he has been all about bagels. I'm not sure what really sparked this, but I think he may be longing for a bit of NJ nostalgia. We extensively searched yelp and google for the best bagels in LA, but none of them were up to par.Fluffy New York-Style Bagels w/ Vegan Carrot Lox {vegan, oil-free} sweetsimplevegan.com #bagels #newyorkbagels #oilfree #vegan #veganlox

Simple Vegan Buddha Bowls w/ Sundried Tomato Tahini Dressing & Savory Granola {oil-free} sweetsimplevegan.comBowls, bowls, bowls, what a beautiful thing. I truly believe my food taste better when it is presented in an aesthetically pleasing way. Bowls are a normal part of my weekly (even daily) routine, whether it be a sweet or savory combination, simply because they are SO EASY to put together. Honestly, you can even just take all of those leftovers in the fridge, or whatever you have on hand and want to dive into in your kitchen. Voila, a munch worthy, and most importantly, insta-worthy ;) meal. Ya'll love when I post bowls on my feed, so it was only fitting to finally share a full on recipe for a nutrient dense bowl on my blog.Simple Vegan Buddha Bowls w/ Sundried Tomato Tahini Dressing & Savory Granola {oil-free} sweetsimplevegan.com

Vegan Camping: What To Pack (Food w/ Recipes, Supplies & More!) sweetsimplevegan.com In order to pack for our camping trip, Chris and I scoured the internet for a checklist and the most credible one we came across was from REI, which the below was created from :) Check out the other two posts part of this series recap of our camping trip: My number one tip: before purchasing anything, try to borrow your supplies! I'm sure you have friends or family that are outdoor adventurers (or at least thought they were at some point) that have supplies that they can loan you. You may think you don't, but I encourage you to ask around first, because you never know what you will discover! We borrowed almost all of our supplies, from my brother & his girlfriend + my parents, and this saved us a ton of money, stress, and time!   Below is a list of everything that we packed on our trip! I am not saying that you need to bring all of this, or that you won't need anything else, but I want to give you a good idea/base for your trip as a vegan camper :)  Vegan Camping: What To Pack (Food w/ Recipes, Supplies & More!) sweetsimplevegan.com