Green Garlic, Weather, Leftovers, Cancer Sucks, Buying Bulk, Bangkok Rice Crisps, Daiya Wildtree Nacho Cheese, Raw(ish) Vegan Vodka Sauce,

 I mentioned earlier this week - that last weekend - I picked up some Green Garlic at my local Farmers Market.  This was the first time I have done anything with Green Garlic at home.  According to some websites I visited while researching Green Garlic they stated the Green Garlic is a young garlic or a garlic that hasn't full matured yet.  Other sources refer to Green Garlic as Spring Garlic.  It's a little mellower than straight-up garlic but I found it to be fantastic in its own right.  By looking at it - it looks like a Green Onion.  You can read more about it at Food 52.  I had fun breaking it apart and warmed them on stove top.  YES...it takes very little to amuse me, apparently!

I ended up adding it to Quinoa.  I also added Diced Tomatoes and herbs.  It was very tasty!  I received one of the Traveling Tea Boxes in the mail today from the group I participate in over at Steepster.  So I spend some time with various teas and have been reviewing them as well.  The weather has been a little messy this week and it looks like it will be more of the same this weekend, too.  Hubby and I hope to attend a car show on Sunday - regardless of weather - but it will depend on the weather conditions - whether or not we will bring the Corvette.

Earlier in the week I told you about my Raw Wraps and Dipping Sauce that I made and I mentioned I would post what I did with the left overs.  Here is what I did!

It's a Stir Fry of sorts and I used that dipping sauce within it, too!

Pretty much all of the same ingredients - just in a stir fry.  I used the Collards in there too!  I just cut them up and threw them in!  This was yummy, this way, too!  I would try both dishes again!

I have more sad news to report.  This past week...2 more lives were taken by cancer in our small community.  A woman who's husband works with my father lost her battle with Breast Cancer leaving behind a husband and 2 young children.  Then, a girl I played Softball with a few years ago - and my sister played softball with her longer than I did - she lost her battle with Brain Cancer yesterday...leaving behind a husband and 2 sons.  It's getting scarier and scarier.  It seems everyone is being diagnosed these days or at the very least in our area it seems that way.  I'm going to get in touch with our cancer center next week to see which charities I can cross promote at work for families - especially children - trying to deal with the loss of a parent.  See what I can do to try and get the word out there - that there are organizations in our community that can assist children and families in their time of need.

In other news - I've been chatting with a few people about Buying Bulk.  So I thought I would post about what and where I often buy Bulk.  This is a photo of a store I frequent in the downtown area.  The store is called Herbs R 4 U 2.  The store owner, Barbie, is a wonderful lady!  She's very helpful and if she can get the products in we seek - she will!  Over the last several years I have watched her Bulk Section - grow and grow!  It's very impressive!  I've bought quite a bit from her bulk section.  I love that you can buy as much or as little as you want!  I have also bought some of these same glass jars from her for my cupboards at home.  One of the items I buy a lot of is Nutritional Yeast and I store that in one of these jars.  I can fit about a pound of it in one.  Another jar I have filled like this is my Chia Seeds stash.  I have a few alternative flours and meals in them, too.

Another place I have purchased things the last few months is Vitacost.  You can find a clickable link on the right hand side of my site, here.  Check them out!  They have LOTS of awesome items at nice prices.  These Bangkok Sweet Chili Baked Rice Crisps I bought a while back and I decided to crack them open this past weekend.  They are VERY flavorful and I really like them.  I've only had a few of them so far but I see some snacking in my near future. 

I'm so excited it's the end of the week!  But I can't believe the 4th of July is next week either.  The summer is moving way too fast.

 Check THIS out!  Nacho Cheese Sauce!  Here's what I did for this cheese sauce!  Since I had some Daiya Cheese open I wanted to use a little bit but not TOO much.  A lot of the recipes I saw online for Vegan Cheese Sauce using Daiya Cheese called for a LOT of the shreds to be used.  I cut that in about half and it turned out good!
1/3 C Daiya Shreds
1 C Almond Milk
2 T Nutritional Yeast
Wildtree Spicy Chiptole Ranch to taste
Water to consistency - or more Almond Milk

This made quite a bit and I have added it to a few different things this week.  One of them being Nachos!

How fun is that!?  If I had more produce I would have piled it high!  BUT...I ran low towards the end of the week!  I hope to get to the Farmers Market EARLIER this weekend than I did last weekend!

This was one of the best textures of vegan cheese sauces I have had luck with yet.  The liquid to 'cheese' ratio worked well!


Another thing I was pretty excited about this week is something I did last night.  I made Zucchini Pasta with a Raw(ish) Vegan Vodka Sauce.  I say Raw(ish) because I added some White Wine in there and really don't think that was raw??  But...here is what I did for this sauce - which in a way - reminded me of Vodka  Sauce.  I used 1 tomato, 1/4 C Sun Dried Tomatoes - soaked, 1 Clove Garlic, 1/4 C White Wine, 1 Date, and 1/4 C Hemp Hearts/Seeds.  It was tangy and lovely!  YUM! YUM! YUM!  I hope you have a great weekend, everyone!  Drop me a note if you can!