16 days in and I feel great!

Half of this year’s vegan & gluten free month is over and it has been much easier than expected.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in the past was negotiating food at family events. The first year Andrew and I took this challenge we had to educate our family and friends about the definition of vegan & gluten free. We discovered that instead of telling them what we can’t eat on this diet, it was much more helpful to inform them of what we can eat.

There are a lot more options out there than you realize and the hardest part is breaking free from routine and thinking of meals outside the box.

Here are a few recipes we’ve grown to love over the last 3 years. All of them vegan & gluten free but perfect for foodies like us.

Buffalo Wing Tofu with Coconut Rice – A favorite that we go back to often.  Instead of coating the tofu in cornstarch, I like to use nutritional yeast, and we always serve this meal with a nice big salad.

Baby Bok Choy with Crispy Tofu – We like to use this as a base and add a few more veggies for a bigger meal. We like to include water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, baby corn, onion, and maybe some fresh asparagus or mushrooms.

Chickpea Hot Pot – This recipe by 101 Cookbooks is a favorite of ours. It’s really quick and easy to throw together for a cool evening in.

Vibrant Tasty Green Beans – Another one from 101 Cookbooks, we served this at Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit with the entire family. Proof that simple foods can pack a ton of flavor!

Moroccan Preserved Lemons – Not a dish on their own, these will add an interesting hint of flavor to some simple standbys. I like to add them to roasted chickpeas, kale sautés, or even a batch of coconut rice.

Last Tuesday night I ditched my normal routine for a spontaneous concert at the Sierra Nevada Big Room.

I’ve been following Nicki Bluhm since last summer and have been dying to see her live ever since I saw this video… So when my name miraculously got on the guest list (a big thanks to Three Sixty Ecotique for that!) I dropped everything to go.

And man, she didn’t disappoint!

All decked out in vintage threads from Three Sixty Ecotique, Nicki (and the Gramblers) dominated the stage.

I wrote a little note about my experience over on the Three Sixty blog (check it out for more photos!), and made sure to pick up a copy of Driftwood for myself.

Nicki and the Gramblers still have a long way to go on their summer tour. Make sure you check out their summer tour dates to see if you can catch them for yourself!

The photography world is going through a film photography revival.

After decades of digital overload, photographers are starting to discover that they’ve been missing out on something magical.

The truth is, I’ve been in love with film since the very beginning.

My first camera used film and without experiencing the darkroom in those early days, I may not be the photographer I am now. I may not have fallen so head over heels in love with photography at all.

So here I am, 12 years later, still experimenting, still pleasantly surprised, and still 100% in love with film.

And though I don’t shoot with film all of the time, I like to think it adds a special something to each wedding or boudoir session I photograph.

View the full bridal session here.

Today marks the beginning of another chapter in my personal adventure to better health.

Every year, for the month of May, I choose to follow a gluten free, vegan diet. In addition to eliminating cheese, eggs, and bread I take it a step further and let go of other acidic foods such as coffee and sugar.

This lifestyle definitely isn’t for everyone, but for those of us battling disease, I find it is a necessity.

For someone who can’t get enough stinky cheese and is admittedly obsessed with fresh sour dough bread, this type of diet change is one part determination and one part adventure.

Throughout the month of May I will share some of my favorite vegan recipes, most challenging moments, and interesting food adventures.

I hope you follow along and are inspired to start a healthier routine with me, whether it means saying no to sugar or hello to your yoga mat.

So what will it be? If you’re ready to make a change and would like to join me in building better habits during the month of May, what one thing will you eliminate or add to your daily routine? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Go on outdoor adventures.

Allow myself to be a little less busy and a little more social.

Eat lots of leafy greens instead of stinky cheese.

Cuddle up with books instead of Netflix.

Spend a weekend playing with my brothers & introduce them to something new.

De-clutter and simplify my home.

Eat cherries.

Get crafty with some friends.

Be kind to myself.

While I was in Las Vegas for the filming of Film Season 2 my cousin suggested I try a restaurant called eat.

Andrew and I made our way there for breakfast on our last day and were slightly disappointed that they were only serving lunch (I love my eggs!), but then we saw the menu.

I found a tasty arugula, asparagus, and parmesan salad with a bowl of tomato soup and Andrew chose a black bean chili with a side of potato salad.

The food blew us away and I couldn’t help but wander around taking pictures of all the great design details.

This place didn’t look like much on the outside, and we were a little worried when we pulled up, but once you enter you’re hit with a bright, fresh atmosphere with a bit of vintage flair.

Next time you visit Las Vegas, I highly suggest to give them a try.

Four weeks ago today I drove to the desert.

It’s hard to believe a month has passed already, it seems like just yesterday.

I joined a group of amazing artists to create Film Season 2, in just 8 days.

We bonded quickly and the days flew by way too fast.

But still, there was time to laugh, and learn, and share, and dream, and cry… and here we are today, immersed in our own lives again.

I miss them all and am excited to see what amazing things they create.

Las Vegas, though dirty, dry, hot, and a bit ridiculous, has a home in my heart because of these people.

A big thank you to Ryan Muirhead, Tia Reagan, Jan Scholz, Tanja Schlosser Lippert, Jonas Peterson, and the [F] Network for bringing us together.

I recently had the pleasure of photographing jewelry designer Claire Fong for the Three Sixty Ecotique blog series “About The Makers”.

We instantly hit it off and I had a hard time not buying up all the rockstar earrings I photographed.

I absolutely love to document the lives and creative processes of independent designers and artists. This day was an extra special treat since I had been admiring her work for so long.

If you’re interested in learning more about her work and seeing more images from the series, please click this link to view the full interview.

I came home from Las Vegas a little numb.

So much emotion, inspiration, and passion was packed into the last two weeks that I’m not even sure where to start with it all.

Today, though, I took a big step towards my future.  One I have been putting off, agonizing over, and yearning for with every part of my being.

My heart is reeling a little and I have no idea how this step will impact so many areas of my life… but what I do know is that it was the right step.

Big.  Scary.  Intimidating.

Necessary.

In just four months I will follow my dreams.

I will break free from a normal, comfortable life and fight for one that fulfills me.

When March comes around each year it’s hard not to get a little anxious. Living in Portland all of our lives we know that it’s really a coin toss when it comes to spring starting on time. March 20^th is the official first day of Spring, but you never really can tell here because most of the time the sky is a solid blanket of grumbling gray clouds sporadically casting sprinkles, hard showers of rain, and sometimes even hail.  But we have a feeling that this year the weather may be a little more cooperative than in the past. Maybe that’s just called hope.

When we entered the gate we were very pleased to find that spring had already begun tiptoeing its way through, allowing some of the beautiful plants to blossom and change from the dim grey and brown colors of winter to the fervent greens of the coming equinox.

The Japanese Gardens were especially peaceful this particular day, even though there were quite a few people walking through. They are located in the West Hills of Portland and have the most spectacular view of the city and in the distance you can see Mt. Hood, covered in snow. We really could have just sat near the rock garden and listened to the wind blow through the trees for hours it was so peaceful and serene. It only made us want to plan more trips back, bring a journal, a good book, and each other, to spend a whole afternoon.

While I was on the workation of my life in Las Vegas, Jade and Cory agreed to put together a little guest post for all of you.
I am in love with their new blog, Endlessly Enraptured and highly recommend you check it out if you like the post above.
xo
Briana