Highlights of the Week and In the Name of Beauty

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Happy Sunday Friends!  Well, the weekend has sadly almost slipped by.  Sigh.  But it’s been a nice, mellow weekend for me.  Saturday I hung out with Skylar and we went to a park, goofed around, hit up Target, and my inbox exploded from the all the Raw Vegan Cook Book Give Away Entries I received!  I’m not complaining, I love your support and excitement about it!

This morning I went for a quickie little run and did some yoga, and my whole workout routine was done in 45 minutes.  Short-n-sweet, and that includes taking off my shoes and socks after my run and noticing a little sock tan happening.  About 5 years ago we were living on a canyon in San Diego and being that I was childless and had all the free time in the world (for the non-parents, even though you think you’re busy and that life is full now, when you look back on this time in your life, you will realize how footloose and fancy-free you really were, but I digress) anyway I would hike the canyon, powerwalk, run, and spent as many hours as I possibly could outside every day and had the most wicked sock tan ever.  I literally bought self-tanner and would spray aerosol self-tanner on my feet because they were glowing white and the rest of my legs were Hawaiian Tropic brown.  It kind of worked, but my feet did have a lovely orange hue from the self-tanner which would rub off on my socks…haha! 

Last week’s Highlight and Recap Post didn’t publish properly and upload into Google Readers across the land, and I think it was the Technology Gods way of telling me the post was just too damn big.  So I tried to scale back today, but brevity is not my forte.   If you missed last week’s recap post and then Republished Highlights and Recaps Post, Click Here or Here to Check those out.

This week, On Monday I Reviewed Products

Artisana Coconut Butter and Coconut Oil next to one another

Jar of Artisana Cacao Bliss

Reminded you to make Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate 

Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate cut and laid on top of another
Chopped up pieces of Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate

And my No Bake Vegan PB Choc Chip Coconut Oil Protein Bars

Overhead of No Bake Vegan PB Choc Chip Coconut Oil Protein Bar
Can you see the Peanut Butter woven into the inside of the bar here?  oh yeah, baby!
Side view of No Bake Vegan PB Choc Chip Coconut Oil Protein Bars

Provided a Cheezy Hemp Salad Dressing Recipe

Cheezy Hemp Salad Dressing ingredients
 
Salad with mixed vegetables in bowl

There was Popcorn with Nooch, Maca, Stevia, Cinnamon, & Chocolate Chips for snacking.  I love this stuff…totally kicks some Crunch-n-Munch bootie!

Popcorn with Nutritional Yeast, Maca, Stevia, Cinnamon, & Chocolate Chips
Up close of popcorn

Desserts

Overhead of one Brownie Cupcakes with Mint Chocolate Frosting 

Container of UliMana Tao of Cacao Treats 
Vegan Chunks of Energy Snacks
Vegan Chunks of Energy Snacks in containerHand holding one Vegan Chunks of Energy Snack

And We Talked About Guilty Pleasures

And what My Non-holistic Confessions Are
I estimate that 95% of my choices in life from my dietary & health choices to products I purchase and use are eco-friendly, holistically-minded, and “good for me” but no one is perfect and it’s unrealistic to hold ourselves to standards that only will serve to frustrate ourselves when we don’t live up to them which is why I don’t stress out when I know that I am consciously choosing things that others may not “approve of”.  But as I discussed in This Post, I try not to feel like I must defend myself or my choices anymore.  Rather, I just choose what’s right for me given my current reality, do my thing, live life, and let others live theirs with no judgment from me!  
Thanks Everyone For Telling Me You Liked This Post and What your Non-holistic Guilty Pleasures & Confessions Are!


Tuesday I had a Blogger Meetup at Whole Foods

Woman and young girl sitting in oversized chair smiling
Woman holding baby chewing on carrot

And Showed You my Whole Foods Finds.
Yes they have alot of bars at this Whole Foods.

Bar section of Whole Foods
Various boxes of bars on shelves
Box of Ruth's Maca Power Bars
 I found these Jokerz bars, i.e a Vegan Snickers Bars.  And yes, they rock and taste just like a candy bar. 
Two Jokerz Candy Bars on countertop
Close up of labeling on Jokerz Bar
Lunas Were On Sale for a Buck Each!
 
Luna Protein bars on countertop 
3 Bars, 3 Bucks.  Love It.   Don’t love the long ingredient list, but cest la vie.

I wonder how the Luna Cookie Dough Bars will stack up against my high Raw Vegan Cookie Dough?
Verdict: The Lunas are pretty darn good but my Cookie Dough is better, in my not so humble opinion!

 Raw Vegan Cookie Dough Balls on white plate


I Raw-ified Brownie Cupcakes

Raw-ified Brownie Cupcakes in paper liners
Close up of Brownie Cupcake in paper liner 

Green Food Included: Romaine Lettuce, Brussels, Asparagus, Sugar Snap Peas, Cukes, Tomatoes

Romaine salad with Mixed Vegetables in bowl

And dressed with Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing

Lidded Container of Vegan Slaw Dressing
Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Vanilla Balls in container
Close up of Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Vanilla Balls

And Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate

 Sliced Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate
Chopped up Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate


And talked about Where do you cut corners or skimpWhat Won’t You Skimp On?  The Comments Were Great and What You All Do To Save Time & Money and What Products are Essentials.  Thanks for the Info!

And also talked about Getting Massages…ahhh!

Wednesday I wrote a Comprehensive Post About Nooch

Container of Nutritional Yeast
Inside container of Nutritional Yeast showing flakes
What Is It?  Where Can You Buy It?  What Does It Taste Like?  Why Use It?  

And I Gave You Ten Recipes Using NoochYes, Ten.
Including my Raw Vegan Kale Chips Recipe among many others…

Hand holding Raw Vegan Kale Chip
Little Tree of Nooch
Raw Vegan Kale Chip on dehydrator tray

I mentioned other recipes like my Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cups Recipe with Nooch!

Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cup split on paper liner
Close up of filling in Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cup

…And GF Vegan Mac-N-Cheeze

Gluten Free Mac and Cheese

I hope you Check The Recipes Out and maybe the Nooch Post Will Get You on the Nooch Bandwagon.

Thursday in This Post I Announced the Celestial Seasonings Natural Wellness Kit Give Away Winner.  

Echinacea Complete Careâ„¢ Wellness Tea
Celestial Tea Giveaway Products on countertop
Click Here to See if You Won!

Thursday I Had a Blogger Meetup

Woman and young girl sitting at outdoor table at coffee shop
Woman kneeling next to child sitting and smiling

Reviewed 8 Cookbooks

Ea
Raw for Dessert Cookbook

 

Becoming Raw Book

And Reviewed Gluten Free Vegan Eats

Various Gluten Free Snacks on countertopHand holding a gluten free bite
Package of Chunks of EnergyChunks of Energy Bites on plate 
Skylar aka Jane “Pocahontas” Fonda with the headband and wristwarmers is eating lunch.
Young girl with headband above eyes eating snacksYoung girl holding arms up showing armbands
Food always taste better in headbands!  
Close up of young girl with headband above eyes smiling

Veggies for me with my sweet, light, and fast Holiday Orange Spice Vinaigrette

Vegetables with Holiday Orange Spice Vinaigrette

For Dessert, Scott Broke into one of the Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Centers and Mint Chocolate Frosting that I Made in This Post 

 Brownie Cupcakes in liner in muffin tin 
Click Here for the Additional Recipe & Baking Info

And you know I always have a few nibbles of Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate

Chopped up chunks of Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate

And We Talked About Touchy Teachers!  The comments blew up on this One!  Everything from What your Thoughts are About Being Touched or Adjusted During Yoga or a Fitness Class to Personal Experiences You’ve had Being Touched!
 There were some strong opinions on this one! Fun to read these comments!

Friday I made Sweet Mango & Lime Corn Salsa
With Either Spiralized Noodles or Over a bed of Greens

Ingredients needed to make Sweet Mango & Lime Corn Salsa in container
Sweet Mango & Lime Corn Salsa in bowl
Spiralized Zucchini noodles in clear container
Mixed salad with Sweet Mango & Lime Corn Salsa
Up close of salad with Sweet Mango & Lime Corn Salsa

Reviewed and Received Great Treats in the Mail

Various Newmans Own products on countertop
Various Newmans Own products on countertop
Bars and other random products on countertop
Raw Vegan balls in container

Made Chocolate:
1. Chocolate Brownie Protein Oats

Chocolate Brownie Protein Oats in clear container

2. And Dark Chocolate Fudge Balls

Dark Chocolate Fudge Balls in container
5 minutes, 3 ingredients, get on these Balls!

And talked about Real Friends 

Can you really be friends with people you meet online?  Are those friendships “real”?  Or are they somehow less valid than someone you meet face-to-face in your town?  The Comments About Friendships, real, virtual, in-person, across the globe, were awesome and I loved hearing your take on friendships!  Life can be so virtual it seems, and many of you shared your experiences with making new friends in this global age while sustaining past or childhood friendships and whom you consider your Real Friends, now.  I totally loved this topic because it’s so personal and close to home for me!

In Saturday’s Mail I received this Galaxy Granola

Three Flavors of Galaxy Granola packages

Why would they make something called Not Sweet Vanilla?  They must have forgotten about my sweet tooth!  haha! 

Close up of granola in package

Seriously, I like the concept of granola baked in fruit, not oil, and it has 70% less fat, for those of you who watch these numbers.  I don’t so much!

Nutritional Facts on back of Granola Package
Clearly not Gluten Free
 
 
Ingredients on back of Granola Package

So Scott and Skylar will reap the benefits of this crunchy, munchy granola.   

Vanilla Almond Granola PackageRaspberry Granola Package
Back of package showing information about granola
Thanks, Galaxy!

I won Zevia in Katie’s Give Away and it arrived.  

Various cans of Zevia on countertop

Yay for new flavors!  The Ginger Root Beer and the Dr. Pepper Knock-off are new to me!   Scott adores Zevia and Dr. Pepper so these will go straight into his lunch bag. 

Zevia Ginger Root Beer canDr. Zevia can
Thanks so much Katie and Zevia for the 12-pack!
Page showing information about Zevia productsBlack Cherry Zevia Can
And if you didn’t know it, Katie’s a super crafty lady and she has an Etsy Shop where she peddles her adorable creations. 

Yoga Today
Woman doing yoga pose

Tip of the Day: My Raw Vegan Cook Book Give Away!!!!
Raw Cookbooks

These Books are the Ones I Reach For in my Own Kitchen All The Time and I hope you’re as Excited About This Give Away as I am!!!  This is Your Chance to Score an Awesome Book!  

Click Here to Enter Now and Have fun everyone!

Questions
1. Fave Thing You’ve Done or Ate This Weekend?
Me = Yoga & Popcorn with Nooch, Maca, Stevia, Cinnamon, & Chocolate Chips!

Popcorn with Nutritional Yeast, Maca, Stevia, Cinnamon, & Chocolate Chips

2. What have you done in the name of beauty that takes the cake of “OMG I Can’t Believe You Did That“? 
I told you about my self-tanner on my feet only.  That’s pretty good. 
Then, trying to shave my legs when I was about 8 with my mom’s razor in the bathtub.  Needless to say it looked like a crime scene in the tub.
Junior high, crimping my hair.
High school, college, early 20s, having to have perfectly flatironed or blownout hair, every single day.  The words wash-n-go did not enter my vocab til my later 20’s and thank god, because really, no one cares what your hair looks like.  Yes, bad hair days can make up feel totally meh, but save yourself some time and ease up on the flatironing, curling, blowing out, and stressing over your hair my friends!  Not to mention, your hair will love the break from the heat styling!
What have you done in the name of beauty?  Is there anything that you still do that you know probably isn’t the best?  Bleaching my teeth once a month is mine.

Stay Tuned For A Coconut Water Recipe…

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.

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