Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar Drink & YouTuber of the Moment

My first attempt at Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar Drink - Apple Cinnamon Flavor:

16 Ounces Water

4 T Apple Cider Vinegar

8 Ounces Apple Juice

3 tea Agave

2 tea Lemon Juice

1/2 tea Cinnamon

I feel this was a success!  And the timing was PERFECT because I just ran out of a 32 Ounce Guava and Black Tea Juice I bought from Trader Joe's!

Last night I discovered the YouTube Channel of No Egg Craig!  Apparently I'm a little bit behind with my discovery but I thought it was still worth a mention!  As I binged watched several videos I noticed something his family and I had in common (other than eating vegan, that is) it was the Buffalo to Syracuse Accent!  I had a hunch he was closer to the Syracuse area and sure enough I was right!  Come to find out he's not too far from The Vegan Zombie guys!  Gotta LOVE those 'Hard A's" in the Syracuse and Buffalo Accent!  I still can't shake it myself!

I'm totally LOVING this channel because he does a lot of shopping at Aldi and Budget Friendly Videos!  After watching a few of his quick meals I realized I'm not the only one who does creative quick meals that non-vegans may find a little CRAZY.  One of them I haven't tried and MUST is the Pumpkin Oats he does often and is featured in this video!

Cherry Festival at 21 Brix

Blogger is acting up with insert photos so I am sorry I don't have any photos at this time but I do have video!  Two of them, actually!  The first one you can hear my mother in and the second one features my sister!  We took these videos at 21 Brix Winery during their Cherry Festival a few weekends ago!  We had our Wildtree tables set up and took breaks and turns to go Cherry Picking!  I completely nerded-out because they had 16 different kinds of cherries and 2 or 3 thousand trees!  Each video is only 2 minutes!  Take a look!



My sister was pretty funny in this video!  We was "overwhelmed" with the variety of cherries! LOL  And YES we did try all 16 different kinds!  They were sooooo good!  On a side note ALL of the wines that 21 Brix sell are listed as SAFE on the Vegan Wine Site I'm told.  YAY!

Raising The Bar, Vegan Protein Packed Snacks, & 9 to 5

Yesterday I blogged a bit about some of the vegan treats I was introduced to recently when my parents came home from a Candy Show in Chicago.  Today I thought I would share a few more!  First up is the one you see above!  Orchard Bar...Fruit and Nuts!  It was pretty good but the fruit was very gooey!  Take that for what it is - if you like that or if you don't.  For me - it's all about flavor - and it packed a powerful punch that is for sure!

Speaking of packing a punch...these flavored, roasted Fava Beans are pretty amazing snacks!  It was a very small bag yet they have 10 grams of protein in them.  I'm not one who counts protein often but I know some people have asked me about good vegan protein sources in the past...FAVA BEANS (among other beans) is one of the many suggestions of plant based proteins.  I always like to remind people about the Protein Myths, too!  Remember TOO MUCH Protein often causes gout and other health issues and complications.

Yesterday I also showed a few of the flavors from Bobo's Oat Bars and here is another one!  I think it's their NEWEST offering...Lemon Poppyseed and I have to say I think it my favorite one so far!
Another Part B to yesterday's post is a bit more about the vocal band HOME FREE.  Below you will see one of their many videos!  Between now and August I will be posting more and more of their songs so be sure to keep an eye out!  These guys are a VOCAL Band.  Everything they do is with their VOICES.  Most times you will hear instrument-like sounds but it's their 'beat box guru' that is providing the 'band'.  They are truly amazing, entertaining, and I can't wait to see them LIVE in August!

Spinach Pineapple Lemon Juice!

I FINALLY did it!  I FINALLY started Juicing again!  Last night I grabbed my Slowstar Juicer and everything that came with it and went over to my parents house!  I did this for several reasons!  My parents have more kitchen space not only for storage, display, and counter space while actually juicing but they also have better lighting, too!  Another reason I decided to take my juicer over to my parents house is because my father has shown interest in juicing lately and when I mentioned it to my mother she seemed semi-interested as well.  I figured it was something we could do together!  The 3 of us!  I go over to their house at least once a week anyways so why not do something good for us while we are together, eh?

I have this juice that you see here!  It's a Tribest Slowstar Juicer.  I bought it over at The Raw Food World and you can check that out HERE.

I have 3 people that I would like to THANK for their Slowstar inspiration!  Chris over at The Vegan Zombie, John Kohler, and Linda & Jay Kordich.  You can click on their names for a video from each!

Now...on to the Green Juice you see at the beginning of this post!

It's Spinach, Pineapple, Lemon!

I took a large bag of organic spinach and juice it all!  I also juiced about 4 lemons and about a half of a pineapple!

With the lemons I left the skin and peel on.  This was hardcore LEMON...lucky for me...I LOVE Lemon!  I have LOTS of others juices on tap!  I will be posting over the weekend so be sure to see what else I have juicing!

Pick 3 ~ Raw Foodie YouTubers!

I have 2 posts for today so be sure to keep scrolling for the one that was posted earlier today!  As for this specific post I'm doing another PICK 3 to qualify for #VeganYoFo.  

I'm sharing with you the TOP 3 Raw Foodie YouTubers (and their channels) that I have been following over the last several months!  There have been a few people that I used to follow and don't follow as much lately because either their attitude has changed or their focus has changed and/or they aren't posting as much lately.

The first of the 3 channels I'm blogging about today is TANNYRAW!  Tanny's energy is amazing!  Her channel is fun and she always says or does something that makes me smile!  Her information is easy to understand and makes sense on so many levels.  Her recipes are easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.  Many of which are on the frugal side and she's generous with her money saving tips, tricks, and ideas!  Her positivity is appreciated and welcomed that is for sure!

Next up is Evan Rock, Charles, and Crew!  Also known as The He{art} Tribe.  I have followed this channel for a long time and it still has my interest!  No matter which way the channel turns there is something that draws me in.  Evan and Charles have posted some lovely and original songs that are completely influenced by their healthy lifestyles.  They also post travel vlogs which I love to live vicariously thru them.  They often post about the work they are doing on their land in Hawaii and how they are improving their surroundings.  Again this is a very fun, informative, and laid back channel.  The channel often shows their friends and guests from time to time which in turn educates me about additional YouTubers to check out and follow, too!  They also have retreats on their land a few times a year and those seem pretty awesome as well!

Jack Albritton from Raw Tropical Living is another channel I have been drawn to as of the last couple of months.  Sure you get to see Raw Tropical Living but he also shares simple recipes, exercises, and thoughts to get you through your day or lift up your mood along the way!  He stays away from all of the drama and focuses on the positives.  He is very kind.  Eventho he doesn't live in the snow belt like I do he does offer ideas and different ways to look at things and how to approach them.  He has a pleasant a personal one-on-one delivery that I enjoy.  It's like he's talking WITH you and not AT you.  I like that.

What are some of your favorite YouTube Channels as of late?

Remember to LINK UP before the end of THIS MONTH for #VeganYoFo Pick 3 HERE.

Colt Ford Opens For Jake Owen

Last Saturday we made a last minute decision to go to the Crawford County Fair to meet up with a booking agent that hubby works with for entertainment for our fair.  When we got there we got a tour of their (newer) facilities and were backstage during load in for Jake Owen with opener Colt Ford.  Right away I noticed TWO of these semi-trucks with Jake's tour graphics on them!  Of course I had to snap a pic - moreso because of the 'Love Bus' you see behind me.

I know I keep saying I'm not much of a country fan.  Sometimes I like certain songs but I can't really say I'm a huge fan overall.  It's just that these opportunities keep popping up and with everything we do with work and volunteering for our fair I'm surrounded by country music.  (In case you didn't know I'm in radio and one of our stations is a country station).  I really like seeing the functionality of everything behind the scenes.  I like the stage area, the light, the sound...I guess that goes back to my theatre days in high school. Not only was I in theatre but I was with the stage crew, too!

So anyways...this concert was Jake Owen with opener Colt Ford.  It was entertaining.  Colt Ford does like rap-country mix.  More on that in a bit.

We had Jake at our fair about 4 years ago and he's a super nice guy and has only grown since then.

When Colt opened for Jake he really got the crowd going but there was over 40 minutes in between him and Jake which was excessive.

As you can see in these pics and videos the stage shows were very different...hence the 40 minute down time.



Colt Ford covered Eminem's Lose Yourself from 8-Mile.  That was pretty cool.
This short clip shows the Beach Ball Party going on!  From a sponsor standpoint this was a great way to get the sponsors name out there which was Toyota.
And JUST before my phone died...I got this short clip of Jake's stage and light show!

More Rooftop Garden Progress & NEW Patty Pan Squash is Flowering!

I have 2 quick posts today so be sure to check the post out after this one, too!  That will finish up my Warren County Fair Concert posts but something unexpected happened this past weekend...we ended up going to Crawford County Fair, too, but only for 1 day so I will start in with that tomorrow!  I still have so much to post so I will most likely be double posting most days in the meantime.

I'm also going to get back into videos, too, so here is a quick one with Rooftop Garden Progress!  I apologize in advance for it being sideways again.  I will get my act together again one of these days!  You may also notice that this video is posted to a different channel it's my 2nd account so if you want to also follow this channel it's located HERE.  I have to say with everything going on I've REALLY excited about the Patty Pan Squash potential!!!  Check it out!

Mostly Raw Vegan Foods - 4 Ideas

Lately I have been doing a lot of foods like you see here.  You know I LOVE my dips and spreads.  I did a spin on a creative Guacamole and I made some Kale Chips with a bit of a kick that turned out pretty awesome.  I hope to be sharing these recipes with The Raw Food World NEWS Site and the Recipe Section on there, too!  For Smoothies lately I have created many.  Two of them are shown here.  I'm looking for some ideas!  In comments let me know what kind of smoothie you would like me to try and throw together.  Also what kind of Kale Chips you might have in mind, too!

Next week I will be having a week FULL of giveaways!  One each day for 7 days starting MONDAY.  Then I will have a HUGE Grand Prize so be sure to subscribe to this site AND my new YouTube channel!  In other YouTube news I bought a new GoPro Camera and have been doing some crash courses on it.  I hope to start using it for some videos soon!

Rooftop Garden Mini Video Tour

Rooftop Garden 2015!

I decided to do a 2 minute video from the Rooftop Garden!  This is just the beginning!  There are some Basil Plants, small Pepper Plants, various Leafy Greens, a squash plant that was from the actual squash that started a shoot so I planted it to see what happened.  It probably won't produce but it's fun to look at and it's going a little crazy!  Also in this video are 2 different kinds of chives, lavender, 3 different kinds of heirloom tomatoes, and Rhubarb!  Woot!  I plan on visiting one of the places where I got some starters today so I might be getting a new plant or two to add to the mix!  I will keep you posted!

Since I am new to YouTube I would really LOVE some new subscribers!  Please subscribe to my channel HERE.  Thanks so much!

Happy Weekend (on a Monday)!

Happy Weekend...on a Monday!  Yeah...so I did the following THREE short videos last week and uploaded them to YouTube but didn't blog about them yet...sorry about that!

In this first video you will get to see some LOCAL strawberries!  YAY!  A few quick ideas and tips to getting your friends, family members, and co-workers to eat more fruits and veggies!  I also give you a heads-up on a walk thru the park in this next video...

This 2nd video is about a pollinator garden at a local park nearby and taking a look at some of the flowers, herbs, etc.  Do you have a community park like this or something similar where you live?

And the 3rd and last video from last week was more-so about the weather and me blabbing a bit.  Also some deals I found on mangoes and avocados at my local Aldi Store!  I've already used a few of them and have some recipes coming very soon!  What are your favorite things to do with Mangoes and Avocados?

Build Your Own Salad & Greeting Geese During a Walk

A while back hubby and I went to a restaurant and they had a new build-your-own salad option and it was pretty impressive for our area I have to say!  I took a picture of the salad but had yet to post it here until now.  Check it out...it has multiple types of greens in it including spring mix and iceberg, fresh raw mushrooms, dried cranberries, steamed and chilled broccoli, roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, raisins, pecans, and a balsamic dressing!  YUMMO!

The following video was taken and apparently was stuck sideways -  sorry about that but you will get the idea!  It's just a quick one showing you the Geese and River and such...

Spiralizers, Noodles, and Quick Meals

I will have 2 posts today!  This first one is foods I have been eating lately.  I've really been on the Zucchini Noodles hardcore the last few weeks and I don't see an end in sight!  I've had the Spirooli for at least 2 years now and I like it BUT since getting my newest appliance I can now say I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Joyce Chen Spiral Slicer even more!  I used the Joyce Chen when I did these noodles shown!  I think I like it better because they make a thinner and more consistent noodle with less effort and it's even easier to clean!

I've been messing around with several raw sauces and will be posting them over at The Raw Food World NEWS Recipe Section in the near future!

I have had several days over the past few weeks were I have had about 5 minutes to make something if I was going to eat anything at all other than fruit!  I've even been a lacking in the greens department!  Oye!

So I remember buying some of the Wegman's Brand Chickpeas that were already flavored.  The flavor was Marsala and they were pretty good!  I have them pictured here over brown rice.  It's a very light brown rice but it's still brown rice.

I'm still in the process of trying to pack my foods for the day in my car.  My mom had an extra cooler bag which will work nicely until I find a larger one at a better price.  I saw a YouTube video that John Kohler did a while back with a Coleman Cooler that plugged into your car and was like a refrigerator which was awesome but I haven't seen one locally yet!  Video is posted at this end of this post so check it out!

As for this elbow mac dish it didn't turn out the best but it was still edible.  I really wanted it to be thicker and creamier.

I used Corn Pasta and for the sauce a combo of almond milk, 6 cherry tomatoes, spinach, soy flour, minced garlic, hemp seeds, and topped with Vegan Chipotle Parmesan.

I had a bit of a surprise over the weekend that I will be sharing with you later today!  So be sure to stop back!

Now take a look at this video that is from OKRAW's YouTube Channel.  If you aren't familiar with the YouTuber - that is John Kohler!

I've Been Drinking Again!

Just a short video I shot on Friday.  I meant to post it over the weekend but that didn't happen.  We had a few surprises over the weekend and I hope to share those with you soon!  In the meantime check out this super short video about what I have been drinking lately and what I have been drinking it out of!

Happy Mail ~ 7 Non-GMO Products To Try!

HEY there!  Today I share with  you 7 Non-GMO Products from Garden of Life!  Special Shout Outs to Rhonda and Ursula!

3 of the Vitamin Code Products are featured in the beginning of this video and 4 of the Raw Organics Products are towards the end.

In case you were wondering about the fruit in the one flax seed product here it is...

This premium RAW Certified Organic Golden Flax Seed is grown for us in North Dakota on pristine and virgin soils. The family farmers have been growing flax for generations. The flax goes through a unique five step cleaning process that gently filters all impurities, leaving behind only the PUREST, FRESHEST, Certified organic Golden Flax Seeds. The nutrition flax is sweetened with RAW Certified Organic fruits: blackberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries, plus delicious apples and tropical favorite’s bananas, and mangos - all NON-GMO, pesticide free, and with no added sugar or preservatives.

Lunch Break Update, Cheerleaders, and Motivation

I've been switching back and forth from Reggae to New Wave music as of late.  The song in the background is Cheerleader by Omi.  One thing I didn't mention in this video was the song itself.  Eventho it's more of a love song/song of a male/female relationship there were some of the phrases in the lyrics made me think about community/support/a shoulder to lean on of sorts when it comes to vegetarianism, veganism, or raw food.  It could also be applied to those trying to lose weight or stop smoking in a sense it's always good to have a cheerleader, right? I guess that is one of the reasons I started vlogging.  I want to bounce certain ideas off on people with like minds and interest yet be there for people who need motivation and inspiration but I myself need inspiration and motivation, too!

In this video I also talk about my hopes to include a cooler and place inside my car for raw foods, water, juices, smoothies, snacks to enjoy while driving during work.  Not only to make sure I am eating enough quality whole foods during the day but also refrain from purchasing lunches everyday and wasting money!

1st Vlog

My first Vlog is up!  Be kind...be gentle...I'm new at this!
Opal & Christine - special shout outs to you both!  Thanks for all you do!  You are wonderful!

Vegan Rice Crispy Treats ~ Inspired By Jason Wrobel

I made these vegan 'rice crispy treats' inspired by Jason Wrobel.  I used the 'chocolate' version of the cereal noted below but I didn't have the other flavor.  What I did have was another vegan cereal that was quite similar with the addition of chia and shredded coconut so I mixed those two together.  I stuck pretty true to the recipe that he mentioned in the video with the exception of the Lucuma Powder.  I used Mesquite Powder instead.  They turned out tasty and I was pretty proud of myself with this attempt.  I was going to blog about a few other eats as of late but I think I will just leave you with this fun video that Jason did so you can see the full recipe!

More Food Backlogging

I ended up finding more photos I never posted on my blog with foods I have eaten over the last several weeks!  Oopsy! 

I remember making this Kale Red Quinoa and Peanut dish and I think I over did it with the Flavored Nutritional Yeast Seasoning.  I used the Garlicky Green flavor.  It was ok but a bit salty.  I really like the idea of this dish but will have to tweak it down the road.  I thought the photo was neat so I thought I would at least share that now but the recipe does need a bit of work in the meantime.

WEEKS ago I dehydrated some Brussels Sprouts.  But not before I coated them in an intensely flavored sauce.  I originally got the idea from Tarah over at 40 Below Fruity's YouTube Channel.  I ended up using a different recipe, however, because I didn't have any Zuke's!  I should have stayed with HER recipe!  Oye!  BUT...they weren't too bad.  I do prefer by Brussels Sprouts cooked.  These were RAW and dried.  I really like the idea of this recipe and will do it again but HER way!  I have followed many raw foodists on YouTube for years and I have enjoyed Tarah's channel this past year, too, but I think I will be lurking around her site and channel more frequently moving forward because our climates are similar.

Something that definitely ISN'T raw...this vegan pretzel!  But it was a comfort food I consumed about a month ago and forgot to post here.  I did, however, post all of these on InstaGram, tho! 

I found a generic or discounted brand that didn't have any animal ingredients in it and grabbed 2 boxes.  My husband LOVES them too and you BAKE these instead of 'nuking' them.  I made a Agave Mustard dipping sauce for it, too!  YUMM!

I'm trying to finish all of my Holiday prep but work is really exhausting me!  Might have to shoot for smoothies every morning in the near future to kick my days off right!

Exciting Updates/News, Weekend Writing Warrior, and a Comfort Food Sidedish!

I'm spending most of this Sunday updating a few things on my website - such as the About Me/Find Me Section...I've decided to do clickable links on that page mostly for a cleaner look, and added a few things to the SHOP Page/Tab, too!  I'm thinking about redoing that page/tab in the future but I think I will keep the eye catching banners there for now.  I've been joining up as an affiliate to a few products, shops, and sites which you can find on both of those pages.

Another thing I am doing with today...is writing...I know...big shocker, eh!?  But I have signed on to guest blog for some companies, contribute to their websites and newsletters, and also have my own sites that I wanted to keep up with, too!  I have a slew of exciting things on deck so please be sure to subscribe to my site - on the sidebar to get the latest updates.

I'm working with several companies to bring more contests/giveaways to my site, too!  Very exciting!

And incase you missed it...I have officially started posting slide shows/videos to my YouTube!  Be sure to subscribe to my channel - all social media links at located in the About/Find Me tab, too!  AND..for my life in photos be sure to follow me on Instagram because I normally add pics to that before posting them with a write up here on my blog!

And...FINALLY...a bit about that food photo at the top of this post!!!

I used left over Earthly Choice Super Grains in this dish...which include red and white Quinoa, Millet, and Buckwheat...probably about 1 cup worth.  Then I added the following for flavor...

1/4 C Cashew Butter

2 T Minced Garlic

1 tea ginger powder

3 T Coconut Aminos

2 T Maple Syrup

1 T Coconut Vinegar

1 T Sesame Oil

topped with Hot Sauce to taste

The veggies in this side included a mix of...

Peas & Peas in the Pod
Yellow Bell Peppers

Onion

Broccoli

I'll be back tomorrow with more of what happened over the weekend.  In the meantime...I'd love to hear about yours!

Coconut Organics Variety Box Contest & Giveaway!!!

I have some exciting news!  Actually a few things I am excited about!  Of course...one being that I am giving away a Variety Box from Coconut Organics and the other being...that I am NOW on YouTube!  Check out my first video/slideshow below - it's all about the giveaway!  All you have to do is enter a comment on which flavor you are most excited about trying - but - ALL of the details are in this video...