How are you doing today? TGIF is all I can say! What a week I’ve had alone with my kiddo but hubs is back now, and I am spelled off from 24/7 solo childcare. To all you single parents out there…you have the hardest job in the world.
I’m glad that yesterday’s Vegan Chocolate Macaroons were looking so yummy to you. Thanks for all the great comments and props! Muah!!!! And thanks to the new readers and commenters for checking out my blog! Lord knows I don’t make any money blogging so just having people say they found me, are following me, and are digging my blog helps keep me going!
And yes, they are as good as they look.
But here’s what I made that’s super easy…
Overnight Tropical Soaked Oats
I made these with So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer which is intended for coffee or even vegan baking, but dang it sure made the oats really creamy.
1/3 c dry oats
2/3 c Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer (or Lowfat Vanilla Almond Milk from TJ’s is my usual liquid)
1/4 c coconut flakes
1 Tbsp Chia Seeds (optional)
1 piece of dried mango, tore up into pieces
Vanilla flavored Liquid Stevia
1 heaping Tsp Cinnamon
Stir it all up & refrigerate for 8-12 hours
Voila. Creamy, sweet, hearty, and with a taste of the tropics in your bowl from the mango and coconut.
Dinner was aparagus, tomatoes, greens, carrots, red & yellow peppers, cukes, dressed with OJ, agave, and cracky blacky
Oh and I also got my hands on some Nuttzo after seeing the lovely Jenny rave about it. Dang, this stuff is really delish!
Here’s the nutritional stats
And you can see the Omega 3 happy flax seeds even through the container. Two thumbs up for Nuttzo!!! It’s sort of sweet like sunflower seed butter, but thicker more like peanut butter, but with the crunch factor of the flax seeds that I really enjoyed! A winner no doubt! Slather this stuff on anything from the top of your oats to Mary’s Cracks to the Matter of Flax Raw Vegan Crackers I mentioned the other day to a nice dipper for some fresh fruit. Yum.
I also wanted to mention a great baked squash recipe that I’ve been making for years. This recipe works for buttercup squash (buttercup is otherwise known as kaboucha as I learned on HEABs blog).
I have always called kabouca buttercup squash and this recipe works great with buttercups! Or you could use it for butternut or acorn squash too:
(pics from https://whatscookingamerica.net/squash.htm)
Averie’s Sweet Mustard Oven-Roasted Squash
1/4 to 1/2 c Dijon or Honey Mustard
1/4 c Maple Syrup (or agave)
1/4 c EVOO
Optional: 1/4 c brown sugar
Seasonings such as 1 Tsp of each (some or none, whatever you like): cinnamon, ginger, cumin,
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Squash halves should be face up. Take the mixture you just made and smear paint it on your squash and let it accumulate in the hole of your de-seeded and cleaned squash.
Bake at 300 to 350F til done, probably about an hour. Because of the sugar in the recipe, I would cover with foil for at least the first half of your cooking time so nothing chars.
Super easy and your house will smell delish!
VeganMofo in the house today.
And now for Flashback Friday Pictures! Janetha and Deb are pros at this, and I figured I’d get in on the action today!
Here’s me 3 days before I delivered my daughter. I didn’t gain much weight being pregnant because I had horrible morning sickness.
I was on a Caribbean vacation 3 weeks prior to this pic where I was even smaller. A woman told me I had a beer belly. I was like lady, I am 8 months pregnant. She’s like nice try, nice beer belly. Very pregnant and very hormonal, I almost beat her up.
And this is me holding my new bundle, Skylar Lotus, an hour after I had her. All natural childbirth. Read: 100% drug free. And I’m still smiling. Tired, but smiling. In fact, I checked out hours later. Why I didn’t just stick to my instincts and have my daughter at home, I don’t know but hindsight in all things, especially motherhood, is 20/20.
And this was her first trip out of the country when she was a little peanut. She loves the beach! Wonder who she gets that from?
Now she’s almost 3 going on 13!
Yoga is Urdhva Dhanurasana (Full Backbend)
Tip of the Day: Amanda’s Gluten Free Cookie Giveaway!
What’s your favorite thing to do on a Friday night when you know you have the weekend ahead of you? I like to try to get an early start to the power walk I do nightly with my family and then try to have a mellow, yummy, dinner at home. I like keeping things very low key these days. Do you go out? Stay in? Catch up on work, kitchen prep work, your workout, none of the above? Do tell!
Stay tuned for my kale chip recipe!
Oooh Averie! These chocolate coconut snowballs are *awesome*. I used 1/2 cocoa powder and 1/2 carob powder, and also used a bit of coconut butter along with the oil. Divine! Thank you so much for your simple, yummy and inspiring creations. Your blog is always a go-to when I'm craving something. Inevitably, you've got something that I want to make right then and there!
YUM YUM YUM!! Those little babies look fantastic!
Thanks for all of your fun recipes! I'm adding you to my blog list!! :o)
I just bought some cocoa today so I will definitely have to try this recipe!
get out! i knew about the make your own granolas, but i had no idea there were bars too!
Oh wow, I just discovered your blog yesterday, amazing stuff!
I tried out these snowballs today and my parents gobbled them down with my help in no time. I added some oats and rolled mine in coconut after to give them that snowy effect.
You're incredibly creative and I'm loving your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing and inspiring vegans.
okay, i made these this morning thinking they'd be a great afternoon snack for me and the kid – um, yea, there is NO way these babies are making it past lunch!! LOVE LOVE them. my fave raw dessert yet i do believe;) Thanks for Sharing, once again!!
mmm… the snowballs look great! Definitely going to have to try this recipe!
can we have a snowball fight?? lol, i need to make those when i find my way back to my kitchen :) and that banana bread? oh my, too delicious to be behind a computer screen!!
Those snowballs are KILLING me! They kind of remind me of those no bake cookies (you're a Midwest girl, you have to know what I'm talking about) but 10x better.
Mmmm Barney Butter!! I love that stuff – the crunchy is amazing! Hope you had a wonderful Wednesday :)
I actually made those snowballs this morining based on a recipe from another raw vegan I saw. Same thing, but she called it something different.
I like youbars, A LOT
Lovin' the yoga pose, snowballs, and extensive nut butter stash :)
Chocolate and coconut…. ummm… doesn't get much better than that! They are two of my favorite things to eat!!!! Seriously you make yoga look so easy… though I feel each day that I am doing it I am getting stronger. It really is helping me and the sis with our depression. Yeah!!
Wow, you have so many different kinds of nut butters! I am going to have to check some of those out for my smoothie creations! :)
Those coconut chocolate balls look amazing!
Wow…you have a big stock of nut butters! Can I move in? :) You're at it with your creations again – those snowballs look awesome and I'm curious about that hummus! I'm sorry I'm behind on posts…please forgive me..
OK these snowballs look seriously dangerous – especially because I have all the makings for this dessert in my kitchen as I type. I love how simple it is – although I think I'd be sneaking in a couple tbsp of almond butter just because I can't resist the AB!
I used to eat those hostess marshmellow snow balls like it was my JOB when I was a youngin' — so I really appreciate this recipe. Sweet sweet nostalgia!
Just catching up now but the hummus sounds fab! I wonder if it'll work in my magic bullet?! hmmmmmm.. I may have to buy a vitamix just so I can make everything you make because I kind of want to be youuuu.
You have to give me the dish on the Better N' PB.. (obvs not as a replacement to regular PB.. nothing beats the real shizz) but have heard good and bad things. I am so curious and have been dying to try it. May have to take the plunge and order some – but I need to know from my food guru.. what are your thoughts?