TGIF in a major way for me! I don’t know why, but this has been one of those insane weeks where I feel like I am in fifth gear every single waking second without a moment to just stop and smell the roses. However, the weekend’s here and let the rose smelling time begin!
Today I have been beyond busy and insanity has prevailed as I went on a major Target run, and today was grocery run time, again. Remember how I mentioned I am forever running to the grocery store to replenish our fresh produce? Well, I went again today, 72 hours since I was last there. I reloaded our fresh produce stash and it was time to come home and get clean sheets on the beds, get everything unpacked and unloaded, while singing Barney Showtunes or my ABCs with Skylar at my side.
I realize that many of you young things are kicking off your spring break now! Wow, the memories. Spring Break for meant Cancun, margaritas, crazy clubbing, staying out til 6am, and sleeping it off poolside the next day. Fast forward a decade (and then some) and the biggest excitement I have had this week was not a cute cabana boy….it was getting one of my recipes published by Tropical Traditions! Thanks to Pam who tipped me off before I even knew it!
My original recipe for my Vegan Gluten-Free Pancakes is Here and there’s step-by-step photo instructions. I am proud of this recipe because Vegan and GF pancake recipes that are edible taste great are hard to come by so I created my own! haha!
The thing about being a vegan with food allergies and intolerances is that I’ve had to get creative…necessity is truly the mother of invention!
And I’ve been creating and sharing my recipes with NuNaturals for awhile now. Here’s a link to my Chia Seed Pudding on Their Site, and on My Site.
And my Vegan Gluten & Soy Free Granola Recipe is going to be posted on the NuNaturals Site soon, too!
I promise not to let all this fame go to my head…haha!!!
I’m so grateful you enjoyed my Product Review Post Yesterday…
On everything from Coconut Oil Hair Treatment
I sometimes wonder before I post all that info if it’s useful to you guys. Thank you so much for telling me that it’s useful and you enjoy it. And with anything, if my opinions and thoughts regarding a product are not interesting, feel free to delete me or mark as read for that post…haha!
And I had a real smorgasbord of questions and it’s been duly noted who wants or already has a spiralizer, where your dream vacation is, and best of all, thank you for the great health & beauty and personal care product recommendations! If you’re curious you can always read through the comments but for drugstore brands: Garnier Fructis, Herbal Essences, and Pantene kept being mentioned. I loved the info and if anyone hasn’t chimed in with your faves, holla please!
Caronae told me that she likes the Herbal Essences for Long Hair and being that it was on sale for 2.99 each, and they were biggie sizes with 40% more free size in both the shampoo and conditioner, I decided to pick up the pair for 6 bucks. Probably not PureOlogy, but hey, the price is right!
I was overwhelmed with the amount of Pantene Products…do you all like the “original” versions because it looks like they make a “natural”-inspired one too...info please!
Reader Michelle told me she loves this bar and anything that can get me off my $30 a bottle of Lancome, I’m up for. $2.87 at Target. Cool! I’ll let you know how it works!
Has anyone ever tried Target’s Organic Coffee? It was a sale find, $6 bucks for 12 oz which is about what I pay at TJ’s for my organic fair trade coffee, so I figured, what the heck.
Ok so you asked for it, here’s more product info and I promise to hold off after today’s loot for awhile on this…
First Up
18 Rabbits
Note the uber-cute rabbits stamped on the outside of the packaging envelope. Even if the bars were less than stellar, that alone was a detail I loved…
But the bars are great! Katie and Sophia have mentioned these recently and their appreciation for them, and I’m the same: Good Stuff 18 Rabbits!
Some of you may remember my Vegan Bananas Foster Recipe?
Well the 18 Rabbits Belle Bananas Foster wasn’t quite Vegan Bananas Foster, but it was banana-flavored without tasting fake.
The Cheeky Cherry Chocolate Bar…
…was a little like eating a bar form of my Raw Vegan Dark Chocolate Cherry Balls and it was good but I do love my Balls as you know.
Thanks 18 Rabbits for the bars! Two Bunny Ears up On These! Check them out, their philosophy is pure simple food, and it’s kosher, and organic!
Next up
Bora Bora Foods Bar. I have reviewed these in the past and I actually snagged this bar by entering a contest of theirs, but if you sign up for their Newsletter, you may be able to snag some samples in the future.
Tastes great, non-GMO, Vegan, just not readily available in most stores.
Next Up
The people at Snubbr sent me RawVolution by Matt Amsden
It has Great Raw Vegan Recipes & Pics like Nori Wraps
Mango Chutney
Spiralized Food
p.s. for the Info about What Spiralizer I Have, Click Here.
Pics of Dessert Balls
..hey wait, I have Ball Recipes, too..haha!
RawVolution is really an inspirational book with beautiful pics and it fits right in next to some of my other favorite raw and vegan cookbooks!
Next Up
NuNaturals Stevia
I Cannot Live Without the Vanilla Stevia Drops
Or Without the Alcohol Free Stevia Drops, either!
And the White Stevia Powder…
And the Baking Blend for my Vegan Gluten & Soy Free Granola Recipe
…Stevia has become a total Staple for Me! Of all the Stevia I have tried, NuNaturals is my favorite because it is the least bitter with no aftertaste. Now, if you use too much of it, it will get a little funky tasting on you, but this stevia is really high quality so you really only need just a tiny bit!
I use NuNaturals in Everything from my overnight Chocolate Brownie Protein Oats
To my Raw Vegan Banana Bourbon Vanilla Softserve for a Touch of Extra Sweetness!
…To The Popcorn I make!
Popcorn Toppings
Nooch
Stevia
I make the Popcorn using my Super Fast, Easy & Healthy Way…
Then added the cooking spray, and the added Nooch, Cinny, 1 packet of Stevia, and Stirred.
Click Here for my Super Easy & Healthy Cooking Method
Finishing Touch: Chocolate Chips!
Green Food Included: Mixed Spring Greens, Sugar Snap Peas, Tomatoes, Cukes, and Brussels (I steam those for 45-60 seconds in 1 inch of water in the micro and they are still pretty raw and crunchy, which is how I like them).
Dressed with Maple Ginger Dijon Vinaigrette
Dessert For Me was Nut Butter Filled Caramel Bites
Scott had Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse
And No Night Would be Complete Without Vegan Homemade Coconut Oil Chocolate
Yoga is Urdhva Dhanurasana (Full Backbend)
Tip of the Day: Many of you have been asking me about where I get my protein powder (Sun Warrior), my probiotics (Jarrow), my supplements and natural food (Navitas Naturals), and my natural body care products (Jason) or my Stevia (NuNaturals)….well, iHerb.com.
*Use Code: AVE630 to save $5 Bucks off your iHerb.com order…they have thousands of awesome products and shipping is free on orders over $40. They are soooo much cheaper than buying retail or at Whole Foods!
Questions
1. If you’re in school, are you going on a spring break trip? Have you ever been on one? Where would you like to go? And Please, Share Your Craziest Spring Break Story or Memory with Me, I’d Love to Hear It!
I used to go to Cancun on Spring Break and as I mentioned above, and ahhh, the memories. Lots of crazy shenanigans and dancing and drunken revelry and you know what, it was awesome and it was what I was supposed to be doing back then! Because now as a mom and a “grown up”, I look back on those times and am happy to have had them. 99% of the time I was super studious, extremely responsible, but Spring Break Week, was, well, what happens in Vegas Stays In Vegas!
2. Do You Use Stevia? What’s Your Favorite Brand? Or, do you use other sweetners such as agave, white or brown sugar, dates, yacon syrup, maple syrup? What have you tried?
As a cook, there are times and places where Dates work, can you saw Raw Ball Recipes! But other times, brown sugar works, or agave is best, or Stevia is best. It is very application and recipe dependent for what sweetener I use. And I will admit to formerly using lots of Splenda and Truvia. Does anyone use those? In general, what’s your fave sweetener?
3. Top 3 Weekend Plans/Goals:
(ok I’m listing more than 3…)
1. More Time With Scott and Skylar, 2. Less Computer Time, 3. More Time Outside, 4. Laugh & Smile a Ton, 5. Get some good yoga in 6. Cook Something Fabulous
What Are Your Goals or Plans for the Weekend?
4. Fave Cookbook? Or Cookbooks You Want To Get Your Hands On?
If you look at the pics above, you’ll see my stash…I enjoy all of them!
Stay Tuned For Highlights of the Week…
P.S. Please Check out my Guest Post on Mama Pea’s blog…Click Here to Check It Out!
