Cyber Shopper

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Since embarking on the home-buying adventure, I have not used one cent of disposable income on anything fun in months.  When every aspect of your purchasing life and credit use is scrutinized and every bank statement and line item transaction is questioned, one goes into a shopping moratorium.  And that has sucked.  So, it was time to increase my debt-to-income ratio a bit with some cyber shopping.

I finally decided that since I have got to be the last high raw vegan on the planet without a spiralizer, it was high time to order one for the new kitch.  I took Gena’s recommendation and ordered the Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade from Amazon (image from Amazon’s site)

Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Spiralizer

While I was at it, I figured what the hell let’s really take advantage of that free combined shipping discount, and I ordered the mandolin she recommends, too.  Something about being able to slice cucumbers paper thin just screams to me Yes, Order Me Now.  So, I did.  I got the Zyliss Easy Slice Mandolin in white.  The fact that they call it Easy Slice in the title indicates to me that there is a huge chance of slicing off my index finger.  Caveat emptor, no doubt.  (Image from Amazon’s site)

Zyliss Easy Slice Mandolin

While I was at it, I noticed they had a great price on Sun Warrior Vanilla BRPP.

This shopping took place with a jar of Sunbutter in hand. 

Container of Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed Butter

New kitchen stuff + TJ’s Sunflower Seed buttah = Saturday night big thrills.

As that Sunbuttah jar was widdling down…

Almost empty jar of sunflower seed butter

…I thought, ok I am in a spending mood let’s just go hog wild and order the PB2, too.  I ordered the combo pack of three PB2 and 1 chocolate PB2.  I kinda wished I coulda ordered less, but the sampler pack seemed so dinky, I thought what the raw fudge (WTF for the raw world). 

Photo is empty with question mark(image from www.bellplantation.com)

I am sensing that the general consensus is that it’s good, and it’s fine if you’re trying to be a little bit good and not overdo it, but that in the final analysis, it’s not as rich or decadent or pee-beeish as real PB.  Going in, I know that, but so much has been written about this stuff everywhere I turn that I’ve gotta jump off this bridge, too. 

K’s Good Eats just ate some with carob in her oats, and new bloggie friend Miss PB Jenny has weighed in on PB2.  Deb has of course tried it, but that woman could write for the Consumer Reports section on nut butters, love ya Deb.  I’ll let you know my thoughts just as soon as it arrives.  


Sorry to ramble on and on about what I’ve bought, that’s pretty rude, isn’t it.  I don’t mean to be, I’m just excited!  I will fill you in on my thoughts as my goodies arrive and I start puttin’ them to good use.
In the meantime I made a nice little dippin sauce for raw veggies.  It’s my Cinnamon-Ginger Dippy Sauce that I’ve mentioned before.

Today’s blend had juice of 1/2 an orange, 2 Tbsp raw ACV, 1.5 Tbsp cinnamon (I wished it had used a smidge less though and I love strong cinny stuff and this was even a bit much for me….oh well), 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp dry yellow mustard, 3 Tbsp agave, 1 packet of NuNaturals Stevia, 1/4 tsp xanthum gum, and 1/4 tsp guar gum.  Sounds like an awful lot, doesn’t it, but it’s just a pinch a this, pinch a that kinda thing.  Then blend ‘er up in the VitaGod.  Result…really good!  Great way to drown your produce in a happy red bath.  That’s the way I like things….witha boatload ‘o dip!

Cinnamon Ginger Dipping Sauce in bowl

For snackie time for Skylar, she really loved the Blueberry Pure Bar she had the other day in the height of moving-in pandemonium, it quieted her inner toddler beast. 

Hand holding Pure Wild Blueberry Bar

However, even in a calm happy mood, she didn’t really go for the cranberry orange.  She ate it, but not enthusiastically. I also was just like, whatevah.

Hand Holding Pure Cranberry Orange Bar

I had blended her up a couple apples with vanilla-infused agave and a dash of cinnamon, she much preferred that.

Apples with agave and cinnamon in blender

 

Blended up apples, agave and cinnamon in blender

For dinner, I about blew a gasket.  Classic case of rushing, trying to do something too fast, and then you end up making a mistake that costs you way more time than if you just slowed down a nanosecond to begin with.  Type A at work, what can I say.  And that’s my Tip of the Day:  Slow down, look both ways before crossing the road, take an extra second to think straight because in the end, you’ll save more time than if you’re in chicken-with-head-cut-off mad woman rushing around mode.  Does this describe you by any chance?

The mistake I made was that after I made this great salad monster for myself, I accidentally liberally doused it with Italian store-bought dressing that was intended for Scott’s salad.  You’re thinking well just eat it?  Nope, can’t.  It’s got too many allergens all in one place…trace gluten, soy, some trace dairy, all kinds of sodium and garlic which I don’t enjoy.  If I ate that I’d be a miserable, allergic, reacting mess so I scrapped that salad.  Actually, Scott got a monster salad tonight, mine plus his, and I started over.  Sigh.  But the result was really good.
 B.S., brock, greens, tomatoes, carrots, cukes, agave, OJ, Black Peppah

Mixed Vegetables and Greens in Dressing

After dinner I thought, ok I have one small frozen banana, should I try it for softserve?  Sure, why not!  

Into the Vita went the one small frozen nana, about 1/4 c vanilla almond milk, 1/8 c sugar, 1 NuNaturals stevia packet, & a dash of nilla extract.  Blended for 45 secs.

Banana, vanilla almond milk, sugar, stevia packet and vanilla extract in blender

Out emerged this…

Blended banana mixture in clear container with spoon holding some of mixture

Flavor was divine but the problem was that the Vita really needed at least another banana to “grab” onto the food to blend it well.  I had such a piddly quanity that the mixing process was not ideal.  Two nannas, minimum next time.   Just means I get to practice again.  However, there was nothing wrong with this shizzle.  Check it out!  And you can go peep at my previous softserve porn over here.  Here was after 20 minutes in the frezzah, now we’re talkin’

Frozen banana mixture taken out of freezer after 20 minutes
Spoon scooping frozen banana mixture from container

Ok, yoga time.  First photo yoga sess in the new digs.  Namaste!

Pigeon

Woman doing Pigeon yoga pose

 Bound Smiling Pigeon.  We’re here!!!!

Woman doing bound pigeon yoga pose

And this has turned into a gargantuan post, thanks for reading.   Blogging is therapeutic for me generally speaking and I love that you all come back for more and leave me awesome comments!!!  Happy Labor Day Weekend to You!  Has blogging changed you?  How has it left a lasting impact, good or bad, on your daily mo-jo?

:)
Averie

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 love kefir but since I'm trying to be vegan, this is a great alternative, especially since it's so expensive in the stores.

  2. Any thoughts on this i found on my blog guys? What do you guys think is it good information to put on a website?

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  3. oh yea! Thanks for letting me know about your kefir recipe. I must try it! I love the coconut Kefir as well. Perfecto!

  4. I take raw, fermented apple cider vinegar with Mother every day. I also drink Kombucha sometimes and take probiotic powder or capsules. And I sometimes get probiotics from organic yogurt.

  5. I love how humorous you are about all this – and sure, you're preaching to the choir here!

    Personally, I would prefer to get the grains and have a continuous source of kefir – those packages run out, don't they?

    Right now, I'm working at killing off yeasty beasties, so no point taking probiotics, but at the end of the cleanse I'll need all the probiotics I can get, and am looking forward to laying hands on some kefir to culture my nut mylks and cheeses!

    Thanks again!

  6. Great dishes!

    I just got into kefir and really like it on my oats or made into a smoothie with frozen peaches, blueberries and agave. YUM! I also take a probiotic pill each day…

  7. I make kombucha, ferment veggies in the summer and drink kefir almost daily! I think fermented foods do wonders for my immune system. I feel more clear headed when I consume them!

  8. Good to know–thanks! You actually touched on the very thing that might sell me on SW. There is a definite prominence of stevia taste in the JR BR protein (which doesn't always agree with my body) and I would say that's my only (tiny) complaint. Sounds like I'd be safe with SW Vanilla.

  9. Hi Diana-Yeah making your own kefir is sooo much cheaper and actually easier. It's just 3 ingredients.

    I was scared off of the Sun Warrior for years….$50 for a huge vat. What if I dont like it? Well, that was all for nothing b/c I love it. I like the Sun Warrior Vanilla best, then I'd say Jay Vanilla or Sun Chocolate are tied for 2nd, depends on my mood. Never had chocolate Jay. I did a blog about comparing them a few weeks back. I hear ya on wanting to sample the Sun W first. Sadly, I had to buy mine on blind faith but so happy I did. It is less fake stevia tasting than Jay I feel. But as with all protein powders, it's a bit of an acquired taste. Nothing like Vega's hemp though which I think is nast. LMK what you end up doin!

  10. Thanks for pointing me to this–sounds a lot better than cow dairy kefir or forking over $6 for the new Turtle Mountain coconut kefir! Well, unless it costs that much for you to buy the ingredients, that is, haha… Pretty simple! I think I can handle it, and I love the idea of incorporating fermented foods more often.

    I notice you use Sun Warrior BR protein. I am in the market for some new brown rice protein powder (or some powdered deliciousness for smoothies, at least). Do you recommend SW? Chocolate over vanilla? I've had Jay Robb BR protein and liked it, but hear more raves about SW. Not a fan of buying 2.2 lbs of it for like $50 w/o trying first, though!

  11. Hi Michelle-Thanks for checking out my blog…I have to say I am incredibly, incredibly envious that you're at 105 Degrees. What a dream come true….wow, enjoy it for us!

    The Kefir will last 3 days or so in the fridge but really, you're not going to have a probably finishing it on the 2nd day, and if someone else has 1 glass, you're done :) I'd say the batch makes 4-5 glasses. Maybe like 6-8 oz each.
    Guesstimate.

    K- Glad you liked the dishes and you're welcome for not billing you :)

    And to all the vegans who used to and/or miss dairy, the coconut milk path is the way to go, fa real!

  12. thanks for the coconut kefir recipe. I used to love kefir but since I cannot eat dairy plus became a vegan I missed it. I look forward in making this. How long will it last?