2 Items I Didn't NEED...But BOUGHT Anyways!

Before I get to the 2 items I didn't NEED but bought anyways...I thought I would show you my BRUNCH today!  It's Sweet Earth's Kyoto Stir Fry Bowl.  It's something I picked up about a month ago while on our regional shopping spree.  I found it at the Erie Target.  It had some heat to it and I liked it!  I don't eat enough Edamame mostly because it's not often readily available where I live.  As are many things, I suppose.  But I still make do with what I have.  Don't we all?

On to the FIRST of TWO items I didn't NEED but bought anyways!  I found this 'bad boy' at my local Tops!  I was just strolling thru the aisles and saw it.  I swear the sky opened up and the angels sang!  Garlic Tahini?  All in one tub?  AWESOME!  I know I am probably LATE TO THE PARTY here and this may not be a NEW item or a NEW brand to many/all of you but it is me!  I haven't seen the Sesame King brand here so I was pretty stoked!

Come to find out they have other FLAVORS of Tahini, too!  They have Light Roast, Roasted, Honey, Chocolate, Garlic, Olive Oil, Cajun, and Tomato Basil!  Out of all of them I have to say I am the most excited about the Tomato Basil and the Cajun!  Other than the Garlic I bought, of course!  Too bad my local Tops only sells the Garlic.  I totally understand why they only carry that one, tho!  It's a new product and an alternative product and not many people around here would be looking for it in an aisle!

The other item I bought this past week but didn't really NEED to was Mikoyo's Sundried Tomato Garlic!  I was in Erie on Saturday and stopped by the Whole Foods Co-Op and found it on sale again!  $2 off!  How could I resist!?  So this was $7.99 and the Tahini was $4.99.  That's already $13 for those 2 items so eventho I won't be doing that much more shopping this week I did splurge a bit on those TWO items!  I realized I haven't shared with you pics from the meal I had with my parents/sister over the weekend - hopefully tomorrow!

But for today I will leave you with another furkid foto!  Here is Paco and Cricket from the other night.  I think Paco was just as surprised as I was that Cricket took time out of her busy schedule to plop right down next to him and take a nap on the sofa!  It's nearly spring and that means that Paco's eyes will be watery and staining.  It's time for me to do a natural and gentle pet friendly eye wash SOON!  It will go on the fur NOT the eye, of course!

Sweet Earth Curry Tiger Burrito & Homemade Vegan Curry Dipping Sauce!

Yesterday I mentioned that I will be blogging about various things I have been grabbing at MANY stores as of late.  One of the things I have stocked up on is Sweet Earth Burritos thanks to TARGET in Erie!

I've had a few of the Sweet Earth Burritos before and have enjoyed them BUT I think they are even better with dipping sauces!  So...I have taken it upon myself to create a Curry Dipping Sauce to go along with their Curry Tiger Burrito!  I have to say - it was pretty YUMMY if I do say so myself!

I know it's NOT the best photo I have ever taken but you will get the idea!

Here is the recipe for this Homemade Vegan Curry Dipping Sauce:

3/4 C Vegan Mayo

Drizzle of Oil (I used Pumpkin Oil but it's optional)

2 t Curry Powder

1 T Lemon Juice

1 Clove Garlic, Minced

1 t Dill

Pinch of Cayenne

Pinch of Smoked Paprika

Pinch of Lemon Pepper

Pinch of Black Sea Salt (optional)

I was able to get about 6 of the Sweet Earth Burritos and 2 of their Bowls on sale!  Woot!

More Vegan Options From Mainstream Candy Shows & Back To Basics!

I have more to share with you from a not-so-long-ago Candy Show.

Eventho I wasn't the person to attend 'said Candy Show' I was lucky enough to get my hands on some of the vegan products thanks to my lovely parents!

First up - today - are these wonderful Matcha Snakaroons from Laughing Giraffe.  I have had a half dozen flavors from this company before and am a fan but I have to tell you these top my list!  YUM!  Since they are a Matcha product I might even review them for the Sororitea Sisters Blog, too!

You have probably seen Nature's Bakery's FIG BARS nearby.  This is the FIRST time I have seen their Brownie Bars and WOWZA are they TASTY!  As you can see I was lucky enough to try their NEW Double Chocolate Brownie!  Yippeee Skippy...these are VEGAN!

My parents said that this year was WONDERFUL for vegan products and many of them shined bright during the show!  This is a annual, national candy show that he's attended for YEARS, too!

Up next are a few different flavors of breakfast and/or snack bars from Orchard Bar.

These are a mix of fruit and seeds but the thing I want to point out right away is that these are MOIST.  The fruit "jelly" surrounding the whole bar is quite gooey and fresh!

I can't say as I have had another bar quite like it!  It was memorable for that fact.  Secondly - the fruity flavors never failed to pack a powerful tarty punch and blast of flavor in your mouth!

Here's one of the other flavors I had recently.  I can't tell you which one I liked better.  They were both good!

I'm also liking that more and more companies are stating that the product is vegan.  Regardless I am still a label reader - but - it's great to have it identified right away and SEE the word VEGAN if you know what I mean!?

This next product I am hot and cold about.  I'm happy that it clearly states Maple Bacon Flavored Almonds VEGAN on the label.  And the label itself is pretty cool if you are into label EYE CANDY like I am.

BUT...I didn't think these really tasted like bacon.  Not that I ever liked bacon even before going veg.  Therefore, I personally don't care that they weren't closely bacon-esque anyways.  However, if you are a 'bacon person' and looking for a TWIN of bacon-with-out-the-bacon...I don't know if this would fit the bill.  Having said that...a co-worker who is NOT veg in anyway really liked these so I guess that is all that really matters!

That about does it for the Candy Show wrap-up!  But I have more to share with you in today's post...so here goes...This next photo is my new Positively Posh Easy Peasy Big Bath Chunk Bar.  I realized eventho they aren't a vegan company they do have many vegan beauty care product options!  That I am thankful for!  This Sweet Mint Lemonade flavor smells AMAZING!  It certainly lives up to it's name, too, it's so large of a bath bar that you might need two hands to hold it.  The retail price for this specific bar is $9.  Yes...that IS pricey...but I didn't make any other purchases this past weekend and haven't bought any pampering products as of late so I thought I would treat myself!

Monday I stopped in a Wegmans while traveling to have some lunch - which I will show in the next photo - but - also spotted these two 'rays of light'.  That's RIGHT...I was FINALLY able to get my hands of Daiya Dressings locally!  I bought Home Style Ranch and Blue Cheeze.  I will already say I am a fan of BOTH.  I have made my own vegan ranches at home before and some where better than others but this VEGAN Blue Cheese...OMG!  Winner!  Winner!  Tofu Dinner!!!!  It's out of this WORLD!  Yum!  Because these are priced at $3.99 each this was another 'once in a blue moon' type of purchase for me but I will certainly be buying them again I just have to pace myself!

And finally this last photo of this post...my lunch that day!  It included: corn, watermelon, roasted yams, raw mushrooms, HUGE Blackberries, celery, and I think that is about it!

It was a solid lunch!

I have a confession to make...not so much in the last month...but..prior to that for a few months I was being LAZY.  I was consuming beer on a weekend sometimes.  I was falling back on pastas and had a little bit too much bread, I think.

Well, I think the beer, bread, and pasta caught up with me.  Eventho I was rather bloated this past week I can FEEL that I have gained a notable amount of weight back and just seemed to realize it.  Therefore, I think it might be time for a reboot!  I've already started this reboot and plan on continuing with it for a while...at least a month...maybe more.  What I am doing is this...MOSTLY juicing, smoothies, salads.  I will fill in holes from time to time with other things such as raw veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds.  I think my cheats for the most part will be with my dressings.  The dressing may or may not be store bought...and/or if I make them at home may or may not be higher in fat.  But with me cutting back on so many other foods I shouldn't be that concerned about the higher fat in a dressing once a day.  Another thing I may do once or twice a week is include blended soups I make at home, myself, too!  Years ago I did this in the summer months...June, July, August...I believe...and for the most part this worked well.  What non-veg people might not understand is that - when I do a salad - I do a salad!  I throw all sorts of stuff on my salads!  I hope to post most of them here!  Stay tuned for some REALLY FUNKY salads, and salad dressings...not to mention dips and/or spreads.

These are the type of recipes you will be seeing from me in the very near future!  So it's Back To Basics for me!!!

Also...I don't have a code for MIDWEEK MUNCHIES but let me know if you participated this week in comments!  I would LOVE to see them!

MidWeek Munchies Vegan Garlic Galore Wildtree Recipe Dip (***CONTEST***)

Happy MidWeek Munchies to ya!

Be sure to link up below!  Anything Vegan is welcome!

For my quick post today...

Garlic Galore Vegan Dip

You may or may not know that I (along with my mom, dad, and sister) have been Wildtree Representatives for a while now.  It works well because I can speak on the vegetarian and vegan products, my mom and sister can talk about more Standard American Diet type things, and my dad can talk about his personal experiences about how some of the products has helped his overall health, too! 

As a vegan foodie - I can eat the majority of offerings in the catalog.  Heck!  I'm just stoked they have so many options!  And MOST of the products are not only organic but many of them gluten free, too!

Having said that...here is my take on the Garlic Galore Dip VEGANIZED!

1/2 C Just Mayo

1/2 C (many a little more) Tofutti Sour Cream

1 1/2 T Wildtree Garlic Galore Blend

That's all!  And it's WONDERFUL if you LOVE garlic like I do!  But that isn't all I do with this product...I basically use it almost everyday!  Every time you need garlic!  

Before we get to the LINK UP...I'm going to do a spur of the moment CONTEST!  If you LINK UP to this weeks MWM - as well as - LEAVE A COMMENT on this post with your email addy - I will choose a winner to receive one of these Garlic Galore's in the near future!  I will choose the winner Wednesday, May 28th!  WHO WANTS TO WIN?

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MidWeek Munchies & $5 Lunch

Sorry this is so late in the week!  MidWeek Munchies is BELOW and I would LOVE for you to join!  Remember you can link up ANYTHING Vegan!

For this first photo - I went to our newly transformed grocery store this past week and found these few items that I was thrilled with!  This is the ONLY place in our region that carries Sour Supreme and it was on sale 2 for $5.  I grabbed an Amy's Kitchen convenience meal the other night because I needed something quick!  I got some organic carrots as you can see and then there is this new-to-me bread which I LOVE LOVE LOVE!  All Vegan, YES!  These 5 items I was able to purchase for about $11 and because I spent over $10 in organic items (on the 3 items other than the Tofutti) I received a $2 off coupon!  WOOT!

I went back there today for my lunch.  I didn't want to spend a lot but my lunches haven't been very balanced as of late.  I am working on it.  Today I spent $5 on the photo above.  Seems like a lot but you can't buy a meal here for $5...it's usually closer to $10...so with that in mind I was happy about this purchase.  It's the first time I have tried the Blueberry Yogurt and I have to say I am a fan!  I think it was $1.29 on its own so it was certainly a treat I will only do once in a blue moon!

TWO MORE THINGS I WANTED TO MENTION...that I don't have photos for...a while back I found 6 quarts of Almond Milk at Sam's Club for $10 and some change and that will last me a while.  Another thing I bought locally by the case was JUST MAYO.  My local herb store was able to order 6 of them for me direct.  I think I paid $33 for 6 of them.  This was about 40 cents per bottle cheap than anywhere else I could find them...since my local Walmart hasn't been carrying them consistently as of late.  So YES I was pretty thrilled with my purchases this week!

What did you find?

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A Few Days Off, MWM, Inductees

I took a few days off from work!  I needed it!  I was getting burned out!  Hubby and I were able to spend some time on the road with our Abarth!  I slacked on photos except for when it came to Monday when we went to Cleveland.  More on that later in this post and a near future post.

We were able to visit Mad Mex in Erie on the way home and I opted for the Veggie Enchilada which was easily veganized by asking for vegan cheese and sour cream!  It was so YUMMY but not photo friendly so sorry for teasing you!  Here's a snapshot of the guacamole, tho!  I'm LOVING the GREEN theme in this photo!  I want those green plates, too!  'Just sayin".

While in Erie we stopped by the Whole Foods Co-Op.  It's been a while since my last visit.  And I had to restrain myself because I didn't want to spend a lot of money this trip.  I was very pleased with the visit because they are consistently upgrading EVERYTHING in the store!  I'm so happy they are doing so well!  I know someone who is reading this who used to live in Erie and who's cat loves Daiya would be thrilled to see the upgrades!  (hint, hint!)

I'm also happy to see so many new products there!  I grabbed Daiya Slices because they were $1.20 cheaper than Chao Slices.  I still haven't seen the Daiya Gouda and it's driving me CRAZY!  Since finding the last Jackfruit product I posted about I am compelled to buy additional Jackfruit products when I see them.  They had a growing Upton Naturals section and I decided to grab the Jackfruit BBQ.  I noticed Victoria Vegan has new labels and new offerings, too!  When I saw they have an Alfredo Artichoke I couldn't resist! That was my splurge as VV is quite expensive.  You can see the Earth Balance in the right hand corner, too!  Hubby has now converted to EB.  He really likes it!  No...is isn't veg and he never will be but EB he actually likes.  So now it's the only 'butter' found in our (mixed diet) frig.  The Whole Foods Co-Op is the only place I'm able to actually pick up issues of VegNews, too, so I jumped on it.
One of these days I will actually subscribe!  Of course I have been saying that for YEARS!

Here is my first MWM Post of the Week!  Remember to keep reading and link up below to participate!  You can link up as much as you want thru Tuesday!  It can be anything VEGAN...product reviews, grocery store visits, online purchases, produce stands and farmers market hauls, recipes, etc!  LINK UP at the bottom of this post!

I won't post photos in this post from our Monday trip to the RnR HoF but it will be very soon!

YUP!  We dropped by the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame!  Just days before this years induction.  They were getting ready for the festivities!  More on that in a future post!



It's LINK UP Time!!!!  We would LOVE for you to join us during this week's MWM (MidWeek Munchies!)

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Midweek Munchies is BACK...and a Home-Made Tomato Soup!

Another quick post today!  First up another soup I have made and enjoyed!  

Tangy Vegan Tomato Soup

1/2 Sweet Onion

2 Cloves Garlic

1 T Grapeseed Oil

1/2 C Raw Cashews

4 to 5 Tomatoes

1/2 C Water

1/4 C Coconut Milk

To Taste:
Sprinkle of Nutmeg, Smoked Paprika, Basil or Oregano, and Pink or Black Himalayan Sea Salt.

It was YUMMY!  You can do this RAW or COOKED Vegan!

Midweek Munchies is BACK!!!

Check it out!  LINK UP Below!!!!  If you haven't ever participated in MWM (MidWeek Munchies) - all you have to do is link up with a post for a vegan recipe, product, review, shopping haul, garden pick, Farmer Market finds, etc...anything plant-based and/or vegan is welcome!

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MidWeek Munchies ~ Kaniwa

Hello everyone!  Thanks so much for the kind notes the last few weeks while my blog has been quiet and inconsistent.  I've been in a 'funk' lately that I really need to snap out of!  I have been trying and will continue to.  

One of the things I wanted to share with you today is one of the deals I found yesterday that I couldn't pass up!  The Kaniwa you see above!  It was the last box of its kind in the discount section of our local grocery store.  If memory serves - it was $2.52 - most Kaniwa I've seen over the last year has been between almost $5 and $9.  

I will go ahead and say this will be the post that will start back up the MidWeek Munchies Weekly linky, however, there will not be an actual linky this week, but, I would love for you to participate so PLEASE be sure to link in comments!

The difference between Kaniwa and Quinoa?

Kaniwa (pronounced ka-nyi-wa) is about half the size of quinoa but otherwise quite similar. It's high in protein, fiber, iron, and calcium; has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor; and comes from South America (primarily from the Andes Mountain region of Southern Peru and Bolivia). It's also gluten-free like quinoa and just as versatile; use it in salads, soups, and stir-fries, or eat it for breakfast.

One way that kaniwa is different from quinoa is that it doesn't contain the saponins that give quinoa that soapy, bitter flavor (the saponins get washed away when you rinse quinoa, which is why you really shouldn't skip that step). This makes kaniwa slightly less fussy and perhaps just a touch faster to prepare than quinoa. Otherwise the cooking process is pretty much the same, though it's common to toast kaniwa in a dry pan to bring out its flavor before cooking.

The reason this was on sale was because our former Bi Lo has officially turned into a Tops Market.  The redesign is under way and it's quite the switch-a-roo!  I LOVE it but a lot of people around here are complaining.  Sigh.

MidWeek Munchies - Vegan Snack Chip & Sticks!

Today is Wednesday and that means it's the beginning of another MidWeek Munchies week!  So if you have anything vegan to share link up below!  It can be a munchie you made or one you bought!  If you did an online purchase of interesting vegan products, found them locally, or were gifted them!  If you picked some items from your garden or farmers market we would love to see them!  Link up at the end of this post!

For my post, today, I wanted to share a few snack finds that I have grabbed this past week!  This first one is Eatrageous Sweet and Smokey BBQ (sticks)...they were yummers!

Next up are Better Chip Spinach and Kale Whole Grain Chips which were darned tasty!  I also bought the Chipotle flavor, too!  YUM!

BOTH were clearly marked vegan on the bag!  Why aren't all products so simple to identify, eh!?

I made an online purchase yesterday that I might save for next week's MidWeek Munchies.  I also have a pile of posts that I need to finish up!
Everything from recipes, reviews, and much more!  What do you have up your sleeve as of late?

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MidWeek Munchies & What I Wore Wednesday!

I thought I would kick things off with the NEW Earrings I got in the mail!  Woot!  I will be doing a more lengthy review on each one of these in the near future but aren't they COOL?  The company is called Green Tree Jewelry and they are made from renewable and recycled materials!

When it comes to MidWeek Munchies I don't have too much to report but here is what I do have to share this week!  First up is BRAZIL NUTS!  I really need to grab some more cashews but I'm trying to hold out for a better price!

One of my favorite dressings EVER!

I needed to grab some more ACV!

And I also needed some more Agave Nectar.  This time I opted for the clean Agave from Ojio.

And I splurged for some trail mix!

I hope you will participate in this week's MWM!  If you have anything VEGAN you would like to share and link up with we welcome you and your posts! It can be a grocery store haul, garden or farmers market trip, online purchase, or anything you made and munched on that happens to be vegan!

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Daiya Fire Roasted Vegetable Pizza

As you know - Today is Wednesday - and that means it's time for MidWeek Munchies! I hope you will participate! This is actually my 2nd post of the day and 2nd post of this weeks' MWM.  CLICK HERE to check out the first post AND to LINK UP to this weeks MWM!  If you have anything VEGAN you would like to share and link up with we welcome you and your posts! It can be a grocery store haul, garden or farmers market trip, online purchase, or anything you made and munched on that happens to be vegan!

Eventho I didn't do much grocery shopping this past week I did run into Wegman's in Lakewood, NY, and picked up this vegan pizza!  I'm sure many of you have already tried this offering from Daiya but it's a first for me.  I have tried a few of their other vegan pizzas but it seems this one really spoke to me.

I think it had something to do with me wondering why veggie vegan frozen pizzas tend to skimp on the veggies!  This one didn't.  It didn't disappoint!  It had a good amount of veggies on top of the vegan cheese and it what exactly what I was looking for!  In addition - the sauce was 'kick ass', too!

I hope Daiya continues to come out with additional products quickly!  I would love to try them!

This Non-Baker Baked Cookies For MWM (MidWeek Munchies)

I know I always say that I am NOT a baker and I totally stand by that! But I have to at least TRY and remind myself why I don't bake often! All jokes and silliness aside here is a pic of the cookies I made over the weekend. 

At the moment I cannot find the recipe I jotted down for these but they have very few ingredients and what I can tell you is they are mostly made of crunchy peanut butter and maple syrup. 

They were a little flat but they were pretty tasty! I'm not upset with this attempt but there is certainly room for improvement!

I'm posting this for MWM. I haven't really grocery shopped much lately but I do have one other post I will be posting - one lonely item I did pick up this past week but wanted to do a separate post for that so I will be doing at least 2 or 3 posts today because I have another subject I want to post about as well! 

As you know - Today is Wednesday - and that means it's time for MidWeek Munchies! I hope you will participate! If you have anything VEGAN you would like to share and link up with we welcome you and your posts! It can be a grocery store haul, garden or farmers market trip, online purchase, or anything you made and munched on that happens to be vegan!

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MidWeek Munchies: Dollar Tree Edition

It's MidWeek Munchies Time!  Everyone is invited to link up below thru Tuesday, December 1st, to any vegan post that has to do with grocery store hauls, garden or farmers market finds, munchies that you created in your kitchen, online purchases, or products that you have come across otherwise that happen to also be vegan!

Today I would like to share with you my haul from my local Dollar Tree!  Because I went with my hubby who isn't vegan/vegetarian I will say that together we spent $41 and bought over 41 items with that $41!!!!  Here's a look at some of MY stuff...

Frozen items!  Including frozen spinach!  YAY!  I also found Tater Rounds and Pepper Stir Fry (as you can see the blend also includes onions)!

I looked at these items over and over again and couldn't find any ingredient that wasn't on the safe list of vegan finds!  I think I scored pretty good this past weekend!

There were additional canned items and frozen items that I didn't include in these photos but they were pretty plane-jane items like canned beans, for example...and frozen and canned corn, too!

Eventho these are labeled 100% vegetarian...they seem to also be vegan!  I'm always excited to find 'breaded' items that are made WITHOUT egg!  So I had to scoop them up!

I also saw these veggie burgers that I never tried before this last trip to the store!  I have tried one already and the flavor is tasty but I have to work on the texture.  I did them with grapeseed oil in a frying pan and they were still a little mushy...I will certainly work on that SOON.  The important thing is that the taste was good, eh!?

Next up and from the same company are Vegetable Empanadas and Vegetable Samosas.  The Empanadas are Black Bean based and take well to my small toaster oven.  The Samosa's are yummers and I have pan fried them.  They have whole seed spices within that pack that lovely punch, too!

I enjoy coming up with different vegan sauces to pair with these and I am sure to do more in the near future.  I ended up getting TWO of each of these as well as the Beans and Burgers you see above, too!

And FINALLY...Jennifer Garden Vegetable Spring Rolls!  Again, no egg!  YAY!  I had these as a part of my hubby's family's Thanksgiving Dinner this past weekend and made a dipping sauce for them which consisted of soy sauce, peanut butter, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic powder, etc.  It turned out pretty good!  I LOVE these because they are so small and cute!  I also pan fried them.  I think they would be mushy if microwaved.

YOUR TURN!!!!

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MidWeek Munchies & Shame On Me!

It's been a weird few weeks! I know I have been spotty with my posts! So sorry! Shame on me! Now that I am so far behind I have tons and tons of stuff in the works! 

Today is Wednesday and that means it's time for MidWeek Munchies! I hope you will participate - we had a great week last week! So if you have anything VEGAN you would like to share and link up with we welcome you and your posts! It can be a grocery store haul, garden or farmers market trip, online purchase, or anything you made and munched on that happens to be vegan! 

As for me...this particular post is a boring one...so sorry! This past week I didn't buy all that much. I did, however, get some Earth Balance and Chickpeas. With the Chickpeas I made what you see above...it's one of the many Chickpea Spreads I have whipped up. This one has sun-dried tomatoes in it, too, and it was YUMMERS!

I also met up with one of my best friends on Monday. I took a vacation day from work. Her and I went to Wegmans and grabbed some Polenta and Salsa. She had never had Polenta before so I got some that was packaged and used a little of the Earth Balance and did it up in a frying pan and topped it with Salsa. We both enjoyed it! She and I met in college and have had a connection ever since. I wish I could spend more time with her! She told me that she is back to being a vegetarian again! Lacto-Veg! I thought that was wonderful! She was in college for a while, too, and she's really excited to start back up again! She might just be reading my blog now...so...if she is...HEY GIRL! 

The winner of the MyKind Organic's Vegan D3 Spray was Emily! CONGRATS! There will be another chance to win a prize from Garden of Life this weekend so stay tuned!

Tell me...what have you been munching on?

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MidWeek Munchies Wegman's Mini-Haul

It's been another rough week but I'm choosing not to focus on that.  What I have been pretty excited about and thankful for are some of the FINDS I located at Wegman's over the weekend.

This post is part of a weekly link-up called MidWeek Munchies!  As long as it's vegan and it's a munchie of some sort it belongs on our link-up!  Won't you join us?  If it's a munchie you made or products you located let us know about them!  Link-up below!

Here's what I grabbed so far this week!  Mini Gnocchi, Tostones - which are frozen mashed plantains you can bake or fry, some Ghost Pepper based Salsa I grabbed for a co-worker's hubby, Seaweed snacks, Daiya Moz Shreds, Daiya Cheddar - block in new packaging, 4 small Tomatillos, 6 Large Red Bell Peppers, and Marmite - which I didn't even know I could get in the US.  I've heard from a few UK Friends about Marmite and Vegemite...so that's pretty cool that I was able to find some here.  I found this and a few of these other items in the International Foods row - including these Plantain Chips that you see here.  It's funny...I'm NOT a fan of bananas but plantains are A O K especially if they are dried with a bit of garlic and sea salt.  YUM!  I'm looking forward to trying the Tostones and I'm looking into some vegan sauces to create for the mini gnocchi.

It's YOUR turn!  Tell us about your MWM - MidWeek Munchies!  Link-up Below!

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Poms, Snips, & Crystals

It's been a rough week.  But since this is my positive and uplifting space My Blissful Journey I won't vent here.  Instead I will focus on a few things that made me smile yesterday.

A small local grocery store near here had pomegranates on sale for quick sale.  They were VERY ripe but you could get 2 for 79 cents!  I grabbed a duo of them and might try and go back to get more depending how the two I got look when I crack them open later today.

Parsnips!  Parsnips are a food that I don't eat a lot of.  Not because I don't like them - mostly because they aren't a big thing in my area and they don't keep many in stock at the stores.  And when they do they aren't the cheapest thing.  I don't really have many recipes and/or ideas in my creative arsenal for them either.

I branched out.  Yesterday I grabbed two of them.  They cost $3.71 for the two of them.  I would like to do a raw vegan rice recipe with them soon!

One of the many things I am learning about at the moment are crystals and chakras!  I ordered two of these cones and should get them tomorrow.  The orange and the yellow.  I'm thinking about getting the red, too, because of how I tested on a chakra test and daily life, habits, characteristics, and interests.  I hope to put them on my desk at work and surround myself with more positive things.  Another thing I am getting back into is Mandalas, too, and will be putting some of those in my office when I complete them.

MidWeek Munchies, Happy Mail, Vegan Products, Raw Snacks

It's MidWeek Munchies Time!  Keep scrolling to check out more and participate!

I will most likely be doing a few MWM posts from now to next Tuesday!  This past weekend I grabbed some lettuce, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, a sweet onion, carrots!  Not overly exciting but still MWM!  I finally received one of my shipments which is pictured above.  Kale Krackers and Kale Chips from Awesome Foods, Organic Bilberries from The Raw Food World, and a new raw foods UNcookbook focused on desserts.

I also received a shipment from Indigo Herbs from the UK that I'm super excited about and will be blogging about VERY soon!  Here are the things I received!  Organic Cacao, Organic Pea Protein Powder, Organic Chia Seed Protein Powder, and 2 nut butters...Raw Almond and Raw Hemp!!!  YAY!  All 5 products are VEGAN!

Love Force is a brand that I am totally loving over the last few years and haven't gotten anything from in a while but will be placing an order for some of the energy bars and maybe even some of the Kale Chips!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE their Kale Chip flavors!  The Raw Vegan Energy Bars I have tried of theirs, too, are pretty amazing, as well!

It's YOUR TURN!  Link up friends!!!

SORRY FOLKS!  Having a little problem with the LINKY.  If you are participating let me know in comments and I will let you know when this week's coding is UP!

MWM (MidWeek Munchies) & The Winner Is...

It's MWM Time!  That's right...MidWeek Munchies!  But first I would like to say CONGRATS to the winner of the Chocolate Raw Meal from Garden of Life!  The winner is...Katherine!

CONGRATS!  I dropped you an email - if you would like to send me a response with your info I will let GoL know and they will send you your prize!

Now here are some of the goodies I would like to share this week for MidWeek Munchies!  Remember...you can link up anything VEGAN!  Whether it's a farmer's market or grocery store haul, online purchase, something that someone gifted you, a new vegan product find, vegan munchies that you made at home this week, or a edible vegan product review!  Let's see them!

I've blogged before about a few things I have tried from Awesome Foods and I am waiting on some more of their items to arrive including Herb Flax Crackers, Zesty Tomato Flax Crackers, Quinoa Crackers, and Poppadom Chips.  Also on my list to receive this week in the mail are raw almonds, Dark Agave Syrup, a few organic pastas, some Maple & Cinnamon Flax Snackers from Foods Alive, from Alive & Radiant 3 different types of Kale Chips that I have had before and LOVED, and from Living Nutz Pesto Walnuts, Mayan Chili Pistachios, and Vanilla Bean Coconut Creme Walnuts.

I've finally pulled the trigger on all 4 Atlantic Seaweeds, too!  There is Dulse, Kelp, Wakame, and Sweet Kelp!  I would like to start incorporating more of these in my dishes.  I'm assuming I will use them more as a crumble for a more savory flavor in things.

Question of the day:

What are some non-traditional ways you use these seaweeds?

Now it's YOUR Turn...show me what you have for this week's MidWeek Munchies by linking up below!

An InLinkz Link-up