How’s Saturday going for you? Whatcha up to? Shopping, chilling, hanging out, frantically searching for gifts? Fill me in! It’s Scott’s birthday today and so I’ve been trying to make his day as special as possible! We got hot & sweaty together this morning. On a 4 mile power walk which was great! And we spent time together as a family but I took Skylar for the afternoon so he could sit back, relax, and enjoy the beach and some much-deserved alone-time on his birthday! Tonight, he requested Italian food and since the kitchen here is small and I don’t really care to spend time boiling vats of water for noodles that I can’t eat and turning on an oven to bake the rest, we’re carrying it in from one of the bazillion Italian restaurants here on the island of Aruba. I’ll keep you posted how the food looks and if we get into any trouble on his birthday with a night out on the town. Kidding, we have a toddler with us!
I’m glad you enjoyed my Chocolate Themed Post yesterday.
I provided backlinks for some of my popular recipes like my Raw Vegan PB Cups
and my Raw Vegan Chocolate Donut Holes
And also graced you with my take on Raw Vegan Overnight “Chocolate Brownie” Protein Oats
It tastes like an oatmeal-inspired chocolate brownie to me! Thick, fudgey, and delish!
But let’s get started with recapping my week’s eats and events. If you missed last week’s recipe recap and Highlights of the Week, here you go, check it out!
For this week…
Sunday Heather Guest Posted about Veggies
And Yoga
Monday I went in Search of Coffee in Aruba
With Skylar in tow
But found Cute Bowls for 50 cents each
Tuesday Katie made Raw Tiramisu Balls Babies
.
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And I brewed some of my own coffee in a coffee pot I brought from home. Ahhh, heaven.
And mentioned Gena’s Special Cleanse & Great Pricing!
Wednesday I had a Mega Grocery Store Shop-A-Thon.
I found everything from Dutch White Chocolate and Hazelnut Pastes and Nut Butters
And more Hazelnut Pasta and Pure Chocolate Pasta.
Banana Cake and Pineapple Cake.
To Maranatha AB & Goddess Dressing halfway around the globe!
And there was Time at the Pool
Thursday Alison of Mama’s Weeds Guest Posted about her Weight Loss Success Story!
And we had a morning at the Beach
Then we came in for lunch. And a much needed nap!
Friday I announced the Winner of the Bora Bora Foods Give Away!
If you missed the Winner, Click Here to Find out!
Also on Friday I posted about Chocolate In Aruba:
White Chocolate
Cappuccino Themed Chocolate Bars
And these Dark Chocolate with White Nougat & Peanut Chocolates
And I made High Raw Vegan Chocolate Coconut Snowballs
A we received a lovely Dark Chocolate-Colored Statue
Aside from chocolate there was a Kale, Brock, and Cuke Salad with Vegan Slaw Dressing
And rice with a Garden Salad with Vegan Creamy Tahini “Cesar” Inspired Dressing
We also went to the beach. And I read. A real, live book! Something not from my computer screen. Amen!!!!
I know Alison has been all over this book forever. And so has Cindy. And so has half of the blogosphere, no doubt. I’m addicted to reading blogs a little slow in cracking this book, but I adore it so far. Adore. Especially the part where Brendan discusses that we need sunlight. Perfect. I’m on the Equator at the moment so that totally works out for me. Heather was just talking about her love of the sun, yesterday, too. Seriously the recipes in the Thrive Diet are awesome, worth the price of admission for sure!
And I also read some old Yoga Journal Magazines. I had a stack I brought with to catch up on. Yay for catching up on the printed word, not the screen-typed word!
After we came in from the beach, I feasted on a kale, brock, cauli, cuke, and sugar snap pea salad with my homemade Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing.
And Skylar had a fruit plate
And mango
with some fresh, locally-made, cinnamon-raisin bread.
Yoga Today is Bhuja Pindasana
Tip of the Day: Busyness and Rushing. When you feel harried, crazy, rushed, running around like a chicken with your head cut off, and like you can’t catch your breath, just stop. Close your eyes. Think to yourself, I have all the time in the world. I don’t have to rush. Envision a wise sage or Buddha sitting and calmly meditating peacefully. Hold that mental image as you breath in and out for a couple minutes, or 5 slow breaths in and out. When you open your eyes, carry on about your day, but just hold onto that bit of peace and calm and non-rushing attitude that you allowed yourself for those few minutes.
Do you meditate? Do you believe in quiet moments? Is sitting and being present, still, mindful, and peaceful easy or hard for you? For me, as I get older, and as I have practiced to find the sweet spot of being mindful and aware, but not being too detached nor too hyper-focused on things, especially on outcomes, the practice of meditation and slowing my mind has gotten easier. But… My mind is always going a million miles an hour and it has taken years of work and a conscious choice to slow it down, to downshift my brain’s gears, and my meditation practice has helped. What do you do to find peacefulness and calmness?
Stay Tuned For a Guest Poster who tweaked My Raw Vegan PB Cups Recipe…
just in time for the Holidays…
Love the photos of you two beautiful girls!!! And how cute is Skylar in that Christmas wonderland? :)
I totally get your iffyness with alcohol. Like you, I used to be a boozehound, but now that I've been off it for so long, I just can't bring myself to get back into it!! And knowing the calories in giant margaritas kinda ruins it for me now. I'd MUCH rather a yummy dessert than a cheap tasting tequila slushy ;)
Thanks for stopping by my blog from Gena's :) I adore Veueve myself, but if you've gone 4 years without, I say keep the good work rolling! Beautiful pics of you and your daughter.
I would be lying if I said that coffee wasn't my favorite drink.. it totally is! I do drink water most, otherwise. Alcohol- would probably be wine and vodka- though not together! Thanks for stopping by my blog!- Yoga is going.. slowly- but hopefully will pick up after the holidays :) You and the family look like your having an amazing time- and I wish I was digging in that sand with you all! What I wouldn't do for some beach weather here on the east coast! I've been keeping it warm with all the baking going on here in the kitchen.. Have a great holiday!
Been enjoying your island posts, Averie. My niece is getting married in Aruba next summer.
My fave drink is probably Green Lemonade (Romaine, Cukes, Celery, Apple, Ginger, Lemon — or some variation of), which I have each morning.
I haven't had a drink of alcohol since Sept. 5, 1990. On Christmas Eve, while the rest of my family imbibes, I will have a glass of ARIEL with dinner. It's the only de-alcoholized wine to win a Gold Medal against wines with alcohol.
I love the pictures of you and Skyler. I feel like I am there and it gets me so excited for our trip in March.
I'm still weary of drinking alcohol…I overindulged a bit in my law school years and first year of practicing law (so stressful!), and so I always hesitate in partaking. I see to regret drinking more than I regret not drinking, but still when I'm at a holiday party and the wine is flowing (like will happen tonight), it's hard to resist.
I hope you guys are enjoying yourselves as much as it looks like you are!!!
My favorite drink is water, followed closely by red wine. I do drink alcohol- 9 times out of 10 it's going to be a glass of red wine- because I genuinely like the taste and trying new varietals. I am NOT a fan of hard liquor- it doesn't agree with me!
I love your yoga pose of the day- it is one of my goals to be able to do a full split someday!
Hey sweetie! Love your trip/fam pics! you and Skylar are just adorable (is it stupid to assume pink is your fave color after all these photos? LOL)! (I think I say that every day when you post pics of you two but it's true)
I can't do a full split yet but I am working on it. I'm so proud for doing yoga at home twice this week when normally I'm a lazy butt if I can't get out of my house.
I don't drink because I'm 4'11" and 110lbs and one drink is one too many for me. But I used to have at least two, and that just never ended well. I miss wine on occasion but it just ain't worth it – also I feel I don't have enough brain cells to spare any to alcohol deaths.
I had a nephew yesterday, so we celebrated Christmas with the fam pre-SIL-going-into-labor, so we're just chilling now – candlelight caroling tomorrow, relaxing at the IL's, then Saturday we fly to Disney World for the week :) :) :)
My fave drink is water. It is very rare I have alcohol, and I don't drink soda or juice. I'd rather eat my calories ;)
SO BEAUTIFU!L I mean everything, the sunset, and you and skylar! so pretty
wowwww what a drink list! I would have certainly gotten a specialty martini, but just 1! I do drink, nbut not that often and only if it is worth it! I never drink during the work week, only on fridays and or sat and thats IF I do…I hate that hungover feeling too!!
my fav drinks are coffee in any form! I also love unsweetened ice tea and poland springs raspberry lime seltzer!!
xoxxo
Nope, I never get sick of kale, broccoli and cauliflower! :)
Nice pictures! Clearly you're gorgeous and Skylar is adorable!
As for drinking alcohol – I don't do it because it's just never appealed to me. Laugh as you may, but my favourite drinks are water and spinach-parsley-carrot juice. Mmmm, parsley.
Wellll I never drink alcohol unless it's a cocktail, which is THE WORST i know!!! I just hate the taste of alcohol, but if it's sweet and without the bitter burning taste, I go for it. My favorite drink…hmmm it might have to be something fizzy. Maybe ice-water when I drink it first thing in the morning!! SO refreshing and delicious!! :)
I have to say, the bittersweet chocolate is what caught my eye. hahaha But my boyfriend buys Mrs. REnfro's salsa and he won't buy any other brand!!! He says it's way too amazing and SPICY like you said!! hahah looks like we're all a bunch of spice lovers aren't we?? :)
Gosh Skylar is adorable!!! I hope she knows that. hahaha
i used to really enjoy good beers, but somewhere in grad school my tummy started to revolt. now i occasionally have some wine or a drink, but the $$ and morning after feeling takes the fun out of it!!
have a wonderful holiday averie!
I'm still under-age (which doesn't matter to a lot of people), but when I was younger I was involved in a drunk driving car accident. It really freaked me out, even though I was really little, and I promised myself then that I wouldn't drink. To this day, I just have no desire to drink (although I've tasted other people's drinks on occasion).
In any case, my favorite drinks are water, tea (including kombucha), almond or soy milk, and your delicious hot cocoa!
We just might have to go out for a fancy drink when you get back! I drink tons of water, tea, and coffee. My guilty pleasure is definitely diet coke though (tsk tsk, I know!) I drank a lot more when I was in college than I do now (which is maybe once or twice a month). My body just FEELS better when I'm operating on a cleaner level. Plus, who likes a hangover?
Wow, Averie! Aruba seriously sounds AMAZING! Skylar is such a cutie, and you ARE simply gorgeous in those sunset photos. :) Thank you so much for sharing these tidbits of your vacation. It honestly gives me so much inspiration and hope for my own future.
I'd have to say my favorite drink is a soy iced latte. Yes, I'm a coffee girl! But I also have a Smartwater on hand as well!
xxoo
Heather
My favorite drink IS water – it is pretty much all I drink. I do love the occasional alcholic drink – the banana martini on the menu looks so good. Your photos are beautiful – looks like a blast! :)