Vegan Maple Hot Chocolate, Raw Books, & Recent Stops!

This is my 2nd post of the day so be sure to keep scrolling!  This post you are reading now will be a lengthy one, too!  First up...I wanted to tell you about a lovely treat I am enjoying as I type this!  It's Maple Hot Chocolate from 3Leaf...and it's pretty incredible!  It's a combo of simple and pure ingredients including: Pure Cane Sugar, Raw Organic Cacao, and Natural Flavors...and it's VEGAN!  Today has been a dark, rainy mess of a day and I found this in my stash and FINALLY decided to try it!  I'm glad I did!  This was certainly a treat for me I don't have a lot of sweets and/or vegan dessert-like beverages or vegan hot chocolates.  It tasted like a darker chocolate with a nice splash of maple flavor!

 
I was telling you in my first post of today that I went with my parents to Sam's Club on Sunday.  My mother bought me two books!

Yup!  Here are the covers!  The first one is Raw Energy In A Glass.  I was excited about this one because I have the original Raw Energy Book and really LOVE it and I think this one I like even more than that one!  I already thumbed thru the whole thing and can't wait to try some of the blended soups, energy shots, and juice-smoothies...among others!

The 2nd book I got was this one and I about 70 pages in already!  It breaks down many of the fruits, greens, etc and tells you all about them and have multiple simple recipes on most pages highlighting that specific juicing or smoothie ingredient!

I know it sounds silly but I like the 'feel' of the pages!  They are thick and nice to grip!  This book is oddly sized but I like it!  It's tall and skinny almost like a half page in width.  I think it will stand out in my collection.  I can see myself referring back to BOTH of these books often!

Now on to some of the stops I have made over the last week or so!  In my travels for work I stopped at a local art gallery.  They have two art showings happening at the same time...and actually I think they are just finishing up with these two before they switch to another opening there!  One of the artists is a wonderful woman I know Ellen Paquette!  Her and her husband are so nice and SO TALENTED!  I linked her name to her website if you are interested!  I bought one of her Wee Beasties years ago and ADORE IT!  Check out her paintings HERE - these are the ones that were on display at The Crary Art Gallery.

Out of respect for the artists and their paintings and art I didn't take photos of them but here you can see some of the sculptures that are always on display at the art gallery!  Next...I'm looking forward to THESE oil paintings, too!

Yesterday - in between raining and crappy weather - I was able to visit Kinzua Wolf Run Marina and Docksiders Cafe up near Kinzua Dam.  Here is a photo from the marina.  In about 3 weeks this will look extremely different because then all of the docks will be full!  I hope to post more photos of my work travels in the near future.

Some of the roadside photos you will see in the next few months might just be over a lunch break.  A midday meditation of sorts.

Like these next photos from a local Pollinator Garden.  You may remember this garden from a VIDEO I did last year.

Here are some of my favorites from my recent walk thru the Pollinator Garden.  A group of local people do this garden every year.  They are called The Penn State Master Gardeners.

I hope to see more of what their group is doing at this years Warren County Fair and also our local Farmers Market which should start next month.

I'm also looking forward to seeing which growers will be participating in the local farmers market again this year.  Last year was a little rough on them.

And speaking of some of the festivities of last years Farmers Market I noticed you can see some photos of me HERE and HERE...from their Facebook Page.

That little sweetie is Cricket!  I can't believe it's almost been a years since we've had her!

You can tell from their PHOTO SECTION that it's a very Pet Friendly Farmers Market!

I'll leave you with one last photo from the Pollinator Garden that is under the direction of Penn State Master Gardeners and is inside Betts Park in Warren.  It's a large park here in the area that has many baseball and softball fields, Bocce Ball, Basketball, Pickle Ball areas - as well as a wonderful place to walk/jog/run along riverside.

I'm hoping the weather improves and it's more photo friendly so I can share some better pics with you soon!

Back-To-Blonde, The Good Kind of Peer Pressure, & Library Finds!

YAY for Fridays!

Sometimes Peer Pressure is a good thing!  After reading Vegan Power/Vegan Peace's blog posts about her KeVita Adventures over and over I was vegan-egged-on to go grab one myself!

So this photo is for her!  Mango Coconut Style!

We've been getting snow again...what a WEIRD year for weather!

I've been able to swing by the library a few times to de-compress lately and it's been nice.  I've chalked it up as a lunch hour or two!  I'm pretty sure I have already checked out all of the vegetarian and vegan and even raw foodie books my library has in stock but I visit time and time again to re-view a few of them as well as visit some of them I haven't looked at in a while.  Here are two that I recently viewed again.  I've been thinking about looking at some of the old cookbooks from specific countries and seeing what I can easily veganize.

It's been a few weeks now but I did go back to blonde again.  This is an old photo, however.  I need to get some more pics of me in my glasses again - I guess - but - I also need to get new glasses.  This morning my nose-pieces broke and one of the local eyeglass places replaced them for FREE.  How nice!

Any exciting plans for anyone this weekend!?  Let me know in comments!

Vegan Thanksgiving Foods, Furkids, and Vegan Ranch Dressing

I took a few days off from the 'net' and now I'm back!  Kicking things off with some of the Vegan Thanksgiving Foods I gobbled up last week...from top the clockwise...Garde'in Holiday Roast, Acorn Squash, Wildtree Stuffing, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole, and in the center are Sweet Potatoes!

My attempted at the Tater Tot Casserole was a last minute discussion but turned out pretty good.

Wildtree makes a boxed blend of Stuffing Mix and my mom made it for me.  It's heavy on the rosemary but it totally works in the blend for the stuffing!

I have to say this year has been the first year I have ever had Leftover Vegan Turkey Sandwiches.  With Just Mayo on top - it was YUMMERS!

One thing I did this past weekend was re-do my cookbook sections.  I have a slew of old vegetarian cookbooks in another section that I don't really use much but didn't want to throw away.  These are my newer ones, my all-time favorites, and such.  I'm so glad I did this!  Now I have to jump in and try something I haven't tried yet from them!  There are many of my favorites missing from these shelves...ones that I have borrowed time and time again and SHOULD probably add to my collection.

Cricket has been pretty high strung lately perhaps it's the change of season (not sure).  Regardless I can't stay mad at her long...I mean...LOOK at this...could you?

She's still only 4 or 5 pounds and doubt she will get any bigger than she is now because she IS 2 years old.  We and other vets and shelter people thought that we was a chihuahua and rat terrier mix but I think because of her size she's probably more like a toy rat terrier and chihuahua mix.  Regardless we adore her!

The cuteness doesn't stop there...

Look at the brothers!

Paco and Riley were bonding more than usual this past weekend, too!  Paco continues to do well and we are VERY thankful for that.  Riley is in the middle of another ear infection but we are used to that happening and always have medication on stand by.

Charlie has been pretty good with the exception of him biting me the other day.  This isn't out of the ordinary for him...he's moody because he was a feral cat.  Again...we LOVE him regardless!

I know this isn't a great photo nor does it look overly appetizing but I had to share it with you and will definitely be doing it again and again so hopefully at some point I can get a better pic!

What you see here is Vegan Ranch Dressing that I made and it's my BEST attempt to date!

1/2 C Just Mayo
1/2 C Coconut Almond Milk
1 tea Onion Powder*
1 pinch Garlic Powder**
1 tea Dill***
2 T Nutritional Yeast
Black Sea Salt to taste

*I used Wildtree Absolutely Onion which is now Organic and Vegan (the old version contained Whey Powder this version doesn't)

** I used Wildtree Garlic Galore

*** I used Wildtree Dill Dip Blend

Happy Mail This Week!

I'm super excited about the goodies that came in the mail both yesterday and today!  I got my latest shipment from The Raw Food World!  Check out the NEW Foods Alive Salad Dressings!  Woot!  I've had the Garlic Paprika before and LOVED it!  I can't wait to try the others on salads SOON!  I already sampled them by themselves and they are great!

Yes!  I was plum out of Nutritional Yeast which rarely ever happens!  Well, it did this time - so I stocked up on some!  I grabbed 3 of them!  I have also been sharing some of my nut butters while out with our Wildtree stuff on weekends at festivals and I usually bring my own food for snacking!  Well, I have a few others HOOKED on these Jem Organics Nut Butters so I got one of the Red Maca's for a friend and another for my sister as well as the Superberry Maqui Camu.

Also in that 2nd pic you will see Hemp Oil I got for another friend who has MS she's been taking it for pain and some Agave Powder jut because I was interested it working with it PLUS some Valerian Powder that I wanted to start using in evening tonics to help with sounder sleep.

In this next photo you will see I grabbed some Pineapple and Apricots!  The Pineapple is for a co-worker and I thought I would try using the apricots in dressings sauces, smoothies, and such.  Plus they all make great desk snacks to have at work or while on the run!

And speaking of snacks for work or on the go - check these bad-boys out!  Jumbo Figs!  A few Pro-Biotic Nuts, and even some Pili Nuts, too!  I hope to start working with Pili Nuts in the near future so be on the look out for that!

Then I FINALLY broke down and purchased some Purple Corn Flour.  TannyRaw was the one who pushed me over the edge on it.  It really contributes to the color and also can work as a thickener!  I have been in to TannyRaw's YouTube Channel the last couple of months!  I like her personality and positive outlook!

I've also been into Lisa Montgomery's books more lately, too, I have found myself referring back to them often so I decided to check out a few more of the ones she has her name on.

The Liquid Raw I can see myself using often I glanced thru nearly the whole thing last night already!  I'm thinking the Potluck one will come in handy, too!

And I will have to check out the Raw Challenge one when I am able to, too!

I have been interested in other detox books and some others from David Wolfe and I will keep you posted on that progress, as well!

There were a few things that were on back order from my last order that I got in the mail too!  2 Foods Alive Flavored Flax Crackers - I have had them before and LOVED them - they were on sale when I tried to purchase them before!

Then I got HOOKED on the Sprouted Trail Mix - Pineapple - but it has just the right amount of spice, too!  YUM!  And I have tried the other breakfast crusts before as you see in front in the last photo but not the Spirulina ones, yet, so I wanted to include those with that last order, too!