Ginger Coconut Roasted Vegetables & Fennel Salad, Cheezy Chocolate Popcorn

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Well, it’s Hump Day Bloggies, we’re half way there!  Has your week been going by fast?  Mine has been about average, which means doing a million things at once!  I went on a major grocery run, came home and unpacked everything, cleaned produce, roasted veggies, made some raw vegan dessert, took care of Skylar, tried to work on potty-learning and in the process created some extra laundry for myself!  She won’t go to senior prom in diapers…haha!  Totally not worried, it will happen when it happens, as does everything in parenthood and life, no pressure and don’t stress about it!  

Now I am getting ready to teach a hot power yoga class tonight.  I am subbing this class for a lady who’s in Costa Rica and it’s always a little strange substitute teaching a class because I never know what everyone’s skills are, how the other teacher teaches, if she demonstrates poses or just teaches with her voice (I always demonstrate and 90% of the classes I teach, I am down on my mat practicing right along with my class), but I have subbed this class before, so I know the students’ levels fairly well and what they enjoy, so no biggie.  What’s been going on in your world?

I am really glad you enjoyed my Vegan Gluten & Soy Free Granola Recipe Yesterday.

Vegan Gluten & Soy Free Granola Recipe broken into pieces

Granola Recipe in clear container
Up close of Vegan Gluten & Soy Free Granola Recipe

It’s super easy & fast, and homemade is always better than store-bought in my book, so it’s a Good Granola Recipe to try!

And I enjoyed reading some of the Sweaty Comments you left regarding if you like to sweat when you work out, if you like working out in the heat or a hot yoga class, and if you can handle cold-weather workouts...good sweaty info, thanks bloggies!

Moving On to some of the Produce Loot I scoredAbby, I know vegetables excite you.  This is for you, babe!

Various fresh produce on countertop

Grapefruit, Potatoes, Fennel, Pears, Apples, Red Pepper, Brussels, Pine Nuts…and I have a trick up my sleeve coming with those.  And No, Not the Amazing Pine Nut Mock “Rice” Gena Just Posted…

Close up of fresh produce on countertop
Brussel Sprouts and Pine Nuts

Greens, Romaine, Carrots, Broccoli

Greens, Romain, Carrots and Broccoli

Vine-Ripe Tomatoes, Red Pepper, Pears, Apples

Vine-Ripe Tomatoes, Red Pepper, Pears and Apples

 Grapes, Bananas, Organic Carrots which were the same price as conventional so I Scored there!

Grapes, Bananas and Carrots

I’ve seen these bars on blogs and figured I’d pick a couple up for Scott’s lunches or Skylar.  Have you tried these?  What do you think of them?

Kashi Go Lean BarsKashi Roll BarKashi Chewy Bar

And since that fennel was calling my name, I decided to roast it in coconut oil, along with some russet potatoes for Scott.  Seems that Heather just roasted sweet potatoes and topped them with coconut butter and also bought pine nuts!  And Katie has always been a fan of her coconut butter.  Katie, I wonder if this coconut oil veggie roast recipe will “Count”?

Various Produce on countertop

Ginger Coconut Roasted Vegetables: Fennel and Potatoes
Slice a Fennel Bulb into matchbook-sized chunks
2 Large Potatoes sliced into large fry-shaped pieces
Add/drizzle 2 Tbsp EVOO 
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil (if you don’t have it, use another oil or more EVOO)
1 Tsp Ginger
Black Pepper to taste

Optional: 
1 Tsp Cumin
Pinch of Nutmeg
Salt to taste (optional)
Garlic (I hate garlic and onions so I don’t ever cook with them) 

Roast at 400F for about 30-40 Minutes, covered with foil.
Uncover for another 10-15 minutes.  Watch it so it doesn’t char or burn on you.  It carmelizes fast.

  
Going In (the left half is white potatoes, Scott’s Favorite, and the Right Half is mine: Fennel!)

Potatoes and Fennel on foil lined pan

Fennel Closeups with ginger, pepper, and EVOO…

Fennel topped with Olive Oil, pepper and gingerClose up of seasoned fennel

 …and dabs of Coconut Oil!

Coconut Oil in Jar
Fennel topped with coconut oil
Label of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil topped seasoned Fennel
Side of Coconut Oil jar

After almost an hour roasting, here’s what the fennel looked like.   

Close up of Fennel being Roasted

 Caramelized and perfect!

Caramelized Fennel pieces

And the Potatoes

Roasted Potatoes in container

 

Ginger Coconut Roasted Potatoes and Carrots in containerClose up of Ginger Coconut Roasted Vegetables

Then I tossed the fennel with other veggies: Sugar Snap Peas, Brussels, tomatoes, carrots, and mixed greens

Fennel tossed with fresh vegetables and greens
Close up of Fennel in salad

Dressed it with Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing

Vegan Slaw Dressing in jar
…And called this meal delicious! 

I love the anise flavor of fennel and the coconut oil and ginger went perfectly with it.  It was a really interesting flavor combo and I’m glad I tried it.

Fennel in salad tossed with Vegan Slaw Dressing
Close up of Fennel in salad

And Scott Raved about his Ginger Coconut Roasted Potatoes, too!

Ginger Coconut Roasted Potatoes
Close up of crispy Ginger Coconut Roasted Potatoes

While we’re talking about Roasted Veggies and Coconut Oil..
My last Ginger Coconut Roasted Veggies Post may look good to you if you like roasted veggies.

Coconut Oil Jar
Ginger Coconut Roasted Vegetables

But last night I was groovin’ on the coconut ginger roasted fennel for sure! 

Ginger Coconut Roasted Fennel mixed in salad
Close up of Fennel in salad

Dessert was Vegan Homemade Coconut Oil Chocolate

Two slices of Vegan Homemade Coconut Oil Chocolate
Diced up Vegan Homemade Coconut Oil Chocolate

 Later on, I was feeling munchy so I popped popcorn the Super Fast, Easy & Healthy Way, added the cooking spray, and the added Nooch, Cinny, 1 packet of Stevia, and Stirred.   
Click Here for my Super Easy & Healthy Cooking Method 

Nutritional Yeast Popcorn in bowl

 

Popcorn in bowl being mixed up with spoon
Nooch Close Up = Vegan Cheezy Goodness
Close up of Nutritional Yeast Popcorn
Cinnamon Stuck Nicely to the Kernel
Close up of Cinnamon on Popcorn
And Chocolate Chips Added!
Popcorn with chocolate chips added

Hmmm, Chocolate and Nooch.  Where did I use that combo?  My high Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cups!

One split Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cup showing center
Close up of Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cup showing filing
Overhead of split Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cup stacked on top of one another

Tons of you have written me and told me you’ve made these and that you’re in love and never need to buy store-bought PB Cups again, because the Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cups are amazing & working out so well for you!  Thanks to Everyone who’s Made These and Written to Tell me About It!!!!

 Yoga Today is Lolasana (Scale Pose)

Woman doing Lolasana yoga pose

Tip of the Day:

The most important thing to remember in this is that YOU are the boss of your own life. If you are not feeling the happiness you want and deserve to feel, and you are not looking after yourself like a King/Queen, then it’s time to make some changes. It is not the time to blame others or move into victim mode, as this is never, ever helpful – the buck stops with you.

from Karen Knowler

Questions
Do you like Fennel?  If you like it and cook with it, do you prefer it raw or cooked? 
This is one of those veggies that I can eat a ton of cooked, but much less raw.  The cooking mellows the flavor a bit too, but if I don’t have an hour to roast it, raw works too for me sliced thinly and dressed with my Holiday Orange Spice Vinaigrette.
Or what’s your go-to veggie that you never tire of?  I’ll go with broccoli on that one, or Brussels’s.

Next…
Do you feel like you’re the boss of your own life or do you feel pulled in various directions from work to school to significant other to commitments you’ve made with your time that you can’t back out of?  Do you ever feel like you don’t know how your life got so complicated but you wish it could get back to being a bit simpler?
For me, I always feel that I’m the boss of my own life.  I never play the victim card or feel that “the universe was conspiring against me.”  I take ownership for my life, and if things happen that are less than ideal, I try to remember that it could just be bad luck, a fluke, and that usually with a little extra effort I can turn the situation around.  But that’s my problem; I always give 110% to everything I do and sometimes I need to remember that hey, this is my life, I can say no, or change something up that I don’t like or isn’t fun.  
What about you?  Do you feel in charge of your life these days?  Are you driving the train or is the train of life driving you?

Stay Tuned For Raw Dessert Chocolate Style, and a Give Away…

 

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

Comments

  1. I clicked over to this from a newer recipe and had to weigh in because I have been SO into coconut and vegetables lately, so I was happy to discover this post!! Plus your scale pose is SICK (awesome).Â