Flashback Spicy Peanut Sauce, Sweet Potato Mash with Vegan Cashew Cream Sauce, and Chia Chai Latte

Someone recently mentioned to me that they were looking for more peanut sauces to try so I went back thru my photos and recipes and came across this one.  It's a Spicy Peanut Sauce that just so happens to be vegan.

1/2 C Peanut Butter 

1/4 C Coconut Aminos

3 Cloves Garlic

1 T Sesame Oil

Juice of 2 Lemons 

1 T Sriracha (or other hot sauce)

1/2 t Cayenne

If needed: Water to thin & Sprinkle of Coconut Sugar to sweeten

This might look like a colorful slop but it was actually quite good. I need to make it again soon! It's a Sweet Potato and Spinach Mash with Vegan Cashew Cream Sauce.

(For The Mash)

About 1 Pound of Cubed Sweet Potato

About 4 C Spinach

(For The Sauce)

1 C Cashews

Up to 1 C Water

1 Clove Garlic

1 T Grapeseed Oil

Nutmeg & Black Himalayan Sea Salt To Taste

Directions:

Cook Sweet Potatoes until soft.

Add Spinach and stir or gently mash leaving lumps.

Set Aside.

For the sauce add all those ingredients into a high speed blender until smooth.

Drizzle sauce over the Sweet Potato and Spinach Mash.

Serve warm.

It's been too long since I have attempted a Chia Pudding but the last time I did enjoy one I was pretty hot on a Chia Chai Latte for a while.

Ingredients:

3 T Chia Seeds, dry

1 C Almond Milk

2 T Agave Nectar

Pinch Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Soak Chia Seeds in Nut Milk, stir often.

Add spices, stir often.

Over the next few days I hope to share with you more Vegan Finds but also some things I will be attempting for Thanksgiving!  What will you be up to?

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.

Raw, Random, & Recipes

Many things have been going on as of late and things have been in high speed.  So much so that I trashed a few recipes that I was working on but still wanted to share them with you here...but...I will get to one of those in a bit. 

First up is Chia Goodness - Apple Cinnamon flavor that I have had on hand for a while but finally cracked open about 2 weeks ago.  As I have said a few times I have a 'thing' with the texture of Chia Seeds once they have been hydrated.  I did eat the bowl - whole - like this but next time I think I am going to put it thru a blender before consuming - just as my own personal preference, I guess.  The flavor was tasty, tho!

Here's another thing I have been munching on...another raw vegan cheese spread.  This one was very thick and very tasty.  I think I put a tad too much Apple Cider Vinegar in it tho but it was still good!

I wanted to try it on Brown Rice Pasta but it didn't last that long.  I used it for scooping corn chips but also for veggies, too!

Paco, Riley, and Charlie have been doing well.  Our next appointment and blood labs for Paco is January 4th.

Another reason we've been busy is because we HAD to clean our basement for a number of reasons but time-wise had to because we needed to have someone come and change out our Water Meter "parts".  Thank GOD that project is done...oye!  BUT...I will say...it worked out for the best!  We donated 28 bags of clothes, bedding, shoes, hats, and coats!

I've been busy writing a lot for numerous websites but I am happy to report that I will be doing a lot more now that I have a new computer!

I was trying to use a Chromebook that we got on sale MONTHS ago and eventho it's handy it has a lot of quirks.  It's NOT very good at multi-tasking or working off of multiple screens/windows, and it's the easiest to save or retrieve files or edit photos.  So basically everything I NEEDED it for it wasn't cutting the mustard!  DH got me my Christmas Present early last weekend - an All-in-1 Dell that has been working real well for what I need!  You can see the screen in this photo - it's a large and wide screen!  I took this pic while on Megan Elizabeth's Hang Out Chat the other night.  Some Vegetarian/Vegan/Raw Foodies met up and chatted for about 2 hours!

There were some great tips on skin products, skin care, make-up, things to do at home if you don't wear make-up (I usually don't) and then we got into food, gift-giving, and a whole lot more!  Here's a pic of me from yesterday morning.  I put it on Instagram with the tags #nomakeup #nofilter #longhairdontcare.  It was shortly after I got out of the shower.  This was my 2nd day using ACURE Organics Shampoo and Conditioner.  I hope to do a more lengthy review on those products soon.  The fist day was a bit rough but the 2nd day was GREAT!  More on that down the road.  So this was more of a mini wrap-up over the last few weeks, I guess!  More coming soon!

Paco ~ Update ~ ITP Sucks!

I know I have been hit and miss lately but things have been crazy at home with losing Suzie and a few other things as well as at work.  Today's post is an update about Paco who is still battling with ITP.  Yup!  ITP Sucks!  We lost Suzie on Saturday and Monday we had a scheduled vet appt for Paco and after his blood work the vet told us he was relapsing.  They wanted to see him again today.  After doing more blood tests - the results were still a little 'weird looking' but with his white blood cell and platelet counts being where they should be they said to keep doing what we have been doing.  This is technically GOOD NEWS at the moment that I am VERY grateful for as I don't think I could have dealt with the loss of 2 furkids in a matter of days.  We have to take him back AGAIN next Wednesday.  We we learned from all of this - this past week - is that he will have to be on some sort of medication for his immune system for the rest of his life.  However, because the steroid he's on right now causes him to have stomach/GI ulcers - we will probably have to change the med he is on at some point but because of the issues we will have to do that over time and carefully.  In addition to that med - he's been taking a med to coat his tummy to prevent ulcers - which apparently wasn't working on it's own.  We added over the counter Pepcid as well as a liquid twice/day - twice/week (Tuesday/Friday).  

Outside of the ITP issues he has developed what looks like small bruises in a few spots - near his hip - and now on his tummy - which I thought was part of the ITP - but his vet thinks its separate - and a skin issue.  So tomorrow he starts a pill for that, too.  This poor little guy is on SO MANY pills at the moment!  Eventho he's dealing with all of this - he's dealing with it VERY WELL.  His spirits are up, he's vocal, he's playing, etc.  Eventho we did get some GOOD NEWS today - it's going to be an ongoing struggle from here on out.  Some days better than others, I guess.  I'm just grateful to still have him in my life.

I was reading that "Chia" means "Strength".  Since he's a Chihuahua we've often called him "Chia" as one of his many nicknames.  Now that I know it means "strength" it just seems even more fitting.

Thank you for all of the kind words about my last post on Suzie.  It really means a lot.  Thanks again!  Ongoing positive vibes for Paco - always appreciated, too!

A Word About Farro AND Recipes for Farro with Artichokes, Sun Dried Tomatoes, & Pine Nuts AND a Blackberry Chia Smoothie

Oh YUM!  So...I made this for my lunch today and I have to say it's WONDERFUL!  I would have to say it's probably one of my new favorite dishes!  It's chewy, flavorful, and filling!  Here's what's in it...

1/2 C Farro (Nature's Earthly Choice)
About 3 C Water (to cook the Farro in)
1/2 C Sun Dried Tomatoes (with gentle oil)
About 3 C Artichoke Hearts
5 to 6 T Red Wine Vinegar
3 T Parsley
1/2 C Pine Nuts

If you are a fan of any or all of these ingredients PLEASE try this!  The flavor really pops!  YUM!  The texture is great, too!  It's a neat comfort food as well!

For my Breakfast today...I had a Blackberry Smoothie of sorts!  Here's what's in this:

1 1/2 C Almond Milk
1/2 Banana
1 Pint Blackberries
2 Small Dates
1 T Chia Seeds
6 drops of Vanilla NuNaturals Stevia

A word about Farro...

I'm by no means a Farro Guru.  I think including this dish I have only used it about 3 times so far.  But I'm REALLY loving this grain!  I guess that's why it's been around for over 5,000 years, eh!?  Not only because it's so tasty but because it's so GOOD for you!  It's high is fiber, protein, and a good source of complex carbs!  Just how much Fiber and Protein!?  Well, let me tell you!  Nature's Earthly Choice says that 1/4 C contains 5 grams or 21& of Fiber and 7 grams of Protein!  It also contains 2% Calcium and 12% Iron.  It acts like a sponge with spices, vinegars, flavored oils, and fruits and veggies which I really like, too!  But I keep going back to that chewy texture.  I guess those are just a few reasons why this grain has quickly gained a place in my heart!

Vegan MoFo ~ Chai & Chia ~ And Letting Go of Toxic Surroundings and People

 TGIF...and I don't mean Toes Go In First!

It was another busy week!  Eventho it was BUSY I felt really good about myself, how things went, the things I got accomplished, my surroundings, and the people I had around me. 

By nature - I'm a worry wart - I'm a nervous person.  I sometimes have a hard time letting emotions go.  Sometimes they get the 'best of me' which as you know means 'the worst'.  I tend to let things pile up and up and up and then eventually let everything go all at the same time - usually in the form of a "stress out situation'. 

Part of what I have been TRYING to do the last several weeks is to distance myself from situations like this.  And people like this.  This has done WONDERS for my overall well-being.  I don't mean to sound bitchy about that but it's TRUE...some people are just toxic.  BUT...if you know me or the purpose of this blog at all you will know that my goal is to keep things positive here at MY Blissful Journey so I will not get into any negative specifics about that because there is no real reason to dwell on the past - just improve your future, you know!?  So...I am happy to say things are certainly moving in that direction and for that I am grateful!

As for these first few photos, here...

The first one is of a Chai Latte I made using Almond Milk earlier this week!  I used some of the Chai I got from Chico Chai and added Almond Milk and on top sprinkled organic Cinnamon Powder.  Altho...this chai is pretty spicy by itself so it wasn't really needed I just thought it was a nice touch and addition for the photo.

In this 2nd picture I decided to try a Chia Pudding.  I used Chia Seeds soaked in Almond Milk and added some of Sun Warrior's Vanilla flavored protein Powder with a little bit of Wholesome Sweeteners Strawberry Flavored Agave Syrup.  It was quite good.  I'm going to tinker with this a bit, tho, as I think I would like the pudding to be thicker.  The sweetness level is pretty strong as it is regardless.

Now that I think of it I hope to do some Chai Latte's with some of the Sun Warrior Protein Powders in them in the near future.  I think they will make a nice addition.  Especially the Vanilla Flavor and the Chocolate Flavor.

The exact recipe for this Chia Strawberry Vanilla Pudding is...

3 T Chia Seeds (Dry)
1 C Almond Milk
2 T Sun Warrior Vanilla Flavored Protein Powder
2 T Wholesome Sweeteners Strawberry Agave Syrup (you can also use Agave and Strawberries instead)

I did all of this in my Ninja Blender.  It turned out really good, very sweet, and tasty!  I could taste both the Vanilla from the powder as well as the Strawberry from the Agave Syrup.

Chocolate Chia Pudding OR Triple Thick Vegan Milk Shake, Tahini Veggie Stir Fry, Black Bean & Corn Salad, Tomato Cucumber Salad, Jalapeno Italian Dressing, Jalapeno Corn, Farmers Markets, Superman!

I posted a little bit about Chia Seeds last week and I had some questions about them so I will do a little break-down for you!  Because...guess what!?  I have another Chia Seed Recipe!  Chia Seeds are a concentrated food containing healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium. They have a mild and nutty flavor and they can be added to just about anything.  When you mix them with water - they gel.  You do want to make sure you drink a lot of water when you consume Chia as they do 'take' water from your system as you digest them.  Some people say they curb your hunger.  Some people say they are good for digestion and weight loss.  Others just really love the nutritional benefits of them!

As you can see here, I did some Chocolate Chia Pudding!  Sometimes I am not really in the mood for the texture of whole/gelled Chia - it's much like Tapioca or some have compared the texture to caviar.  What I did for this Chocolate Chia Pudding is I used about 4 to 6 T of gelled Chia Seeds and put them in my Ninja Blender and flooded them with Chocolate Soy Milk.  This made it very thick.  SO you could say it's a Pudding or even a Triple Thick Milk Shake.

Friday Night I wanted something QUICK and decided to do this Veggie Stir Fry.  I decided to cover it in a Tahini Sauce.  It's a little different than the last few I have done and applied it right to the frying pan while I was cooking it.  I used 2 to 3 T of Tahini, 2 T of Bragg's Liquid Amino's, Splash of Grapeseed Oil, 2 T Minced Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes to taste, I did add a little water, as well.  This turned out pretty good!  I think I added a little Lemon Juice towards the end to taste, too!

Yesterday I made some Vegan Sides for a Picnic type thing my hubby's family had.  This was one of them!  Black Bean and Corn Salad.  It's quick and easy, too!  I used about 8 ounces of sweet corn, 15-ounces of Black Beans, 1/4 C Wildtree Balsamic Dipping Oil, 1/2 teaspoon of Organic Raw Cane Sugar from Wholesome Sweeteners, 3 T Cilantro, and Chili Powder to taste.  It seemed to be a hit!  And I got a little crazy with the Vinegar's this weekend apparently!  The Vinegar Fun Continues...check it out...

For this Tomato, Cucumber, Onion Salad I used 3 Tablespoons of Rice Vinegar, 1 Tablespoon of Grapeseed Oil, 1 teaspoon of Agave Nectar, Black Pepper to taste, 1 Cucumber, 2 Tomatoes, 1 Vidalia Onion, and 1 teaspoon of Wildtree's Italian Seasoning Blend.  Right at the end I added a little of the Balsamic Vinegar to kick it up a notch!

This was also a hit!  There was not much left but what was left of both of these dishes I mixed together and ate for lunch today.

Many of you know I am NOT afraid of spicy foods.  I wanted to do an Italian Type Dressing but a spicier one!  So what I did with this one is quite simple!

I used:

1/3 C of Coconut Vinegar (Coconut's Secret)
3 T Water
2 T Wildtree's Italian Seasoning/Dressing Mix
2/3 C Wildtree's Jalapeno Grapeseed Oil

This was DARN tasty and just enough Jalapeno to get me excited!  I had a few ideas right away but have been thinking about other ways to use this prepared dressing ever since I mixed it together!


Here is one thing I did with this dressing!  I used it as a marinade!  It was VERY tasty!  I added a little bit of Nutritional Yeast to it as well to give it a little cheesy flavor and to thicken it up a bit.  I ate a small dish - just to see what it tasted like - after eating a bit of it - I knew I wanted to save the rest to use on salads this week!

This past weekend I was able to get to our local Farmers Market and I bought Collards, Green Garlic, and Pak Choi.  I'm super excite to 'play' with those this week!  I also visited one of our local produce stands that does not participate in the Farmers Market as they have full time seasonal hours.  There - I bought a few others things.  Later Saturday I went to a Produce Store in Lakewood and was able to pick up some great deals on fresh produce as well.  I was especially impressed with the Watermelons at $1.99...they were so flavorful! 

And we FINALLY saw the NEW Superman Movie!  Man of Steel!  LOVED it!  What did you do this weekend!?  Hope you had a great one!  I have a feeling this week is going to be another CRAZY one!  Game On!