Vegan MoFo ~ Creamy Rice With Seitan Bacon & Baby Spinach, Featured Friday Site, & Mostly Liquids - Next Week

Happy Friday!  Last night - in preparation for today I made a rice dish inspired by left overs and made a Creamy Vegan Sauce for it as well!

Leftovers Included:

About 5 slices of Upton's Natural's Seitan Bacon
1/2 Tomato
Large Handful of Baby Spinach

I used White Rice for this but you could use any rice, really.

For the Sauce:

2 T Earth Balance
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Onion
3 T (Bob's Red Mill's) Flour
3 T (Foods Alive) Nutritional Yeast
2 T White Wine
2 C Almond Milk
Garlic Sea Salt to Taste

At the end I also threw in some Wildtree Heart Spaghetti which is basically a mix of dried herbs.  It turned out pretty good and I had a bunch of the sauce left so I am sure I will use that as left overs this weekend, too!

UPDATE: My adventures while using Upton Natural's Seitan Bacon improved last night as I did another BLT using it but this time NOT overcooking!  What a difference!  It was MUCH better.  I will probably pick this product up on a rare occasion when I do come across it.  I got this package in Mentor, Ohio about 2 months ago and that was about 2 and a half hours away.  I'm probably more apt to use Fakin Bacon which is Tempeh based instead of Seitan based.  I will say, tho, this is the best tasting SEITAN I have had to date, tho!  It's been years since I have had Seitan because I had a few bad experiences with it years ago...I just didn't like it.  BUT...this is a real WINNER when it comes to Seitan!  I will no longer be afraid of it thanks to this product!

In other News...Opal is on a Juice Feast/Fast!  She's doing really well!  Swing by her blog and check it out!  She was going to do it for a week but she's extended it for another week because other people wanted to try it as well.  Opal is a wonderful source of info!  I have been thinking about HOW I am going to participate next week.  I think what I will do this time around is do MOSTLY LIQUIDS all next week - Monday thru Friday.  This MIGHT include: Teas and Tonics, Juicing and Smoothies, Pureed Soups, Flavored Waters, etc.  This will be an adventure for me - a Journey - My Blissful Journey, if you will.  I will blog about this journey next week as much as I can.

Friday Feature - One of my favorite Pod Casts to watch for FREE on my AppleTV at the iTunes Store and online on YouTube as well as their website VeggieKitchen.org is The Veggie Kitchen with Ed. 

I really LOVE Ed's personality.  He always has a smile on his face.  He always seems so laid back and fun, too!  He's been a vegetarian for over 35 years.

Their website is very nicely done with colorful, high quality photography!  It's very easy to navigate and quiet informational. 

If you have a chance - swing by their social media!  Let me know your thoughts on their show and their recipes!  I know there will be many things you will enjoy!

Blissful Journey ~ Personal Wellness & Enrichment & iTunes Tuesday!

I was a little lazy last night with the food situation as I still have to get to the stores and produce stands this week (I hope to do that tonight, actually!)  I had a Veggie Sub from a local 'mom and pop shop' that usually has awesome subs - but last night - I thought it was just 'ok'.  So no real foodie type post today but there are a few other things I would like to touch on including some Mini-Goals, Health/Wellness Updates, Personal Enrichment, and iTunes/PodCasts I have been 'into' lately.

 

First up...a wellness update...if you will!  I have been doing VERY well with my Sciatica and visits to my Chiropractor.  So much so that I think I might have to only go every OTHER month (or quarter) to maintain everything as a precaution.  Now...I don't mind going.  I remember being SUPER Nervous about it at first, tho!  Speaking of being nervous...I still have one more dentist appointment but it's not for another few weeks and I'm NOT looking forward to that either.  Grrr!  But I am really trying NOT to worry about that until I HAVE to - like the day of the appointment!  My digestion is still doing REALLY well and I have no plans on turning back to those old habits (ie the dairy habit!  Blah!)  This past month I was 'off' on my 'monthly' but think I am back on track and totally FINE, now!  I think it was between stress at work, still losing some weight, next to no-sleep for about a week and a half, and schedule changes that messed me up.  Once 'everything was back on track' I rejoiced and was very thankful for everything! 

 

To continue with these positive feelings I want to get back on track with my exercises - most specifically - my Yoga.  I have been using Hulu+ as well as iTunes Pod Casts lately for that.  In my queue is Yogamazing with Chaz Rough.  I really like his laid-back delivery and encouragement without it making you feel like it's a competition or that you won't be able to 'get' a stretch or pose.  He's wonderful at telling you 'go as far as you can go' and 'do what you can do'.  I access my Hulu+, Netflix, iTunes, and PodCasts thru our Apple TV which I might do a more lengthier review on down the road.  I really like AppleTV and you may have read about one of my previous mentions about it.  Another Yoga Program I follow on there is the one that Yoga Journal puts out.  I also subscribe to their magazine.  I'm pretty fond of Tara Stiles, as well as others, as far as the Pod Casts go!

I'm REALLY happy to be back writing FULL TIME over at Sororitea Sisters.  For those of you who don't know it's a Tea Review Site that Anne and I co-founded a few years ago.  Anne has been a wonderful Sororitea Sister and friend by letting me catch-up on several things and issues time and time again.  If you are a Fan of TEA please swing by!  We have nearly 3,000 reviews on that site with TONS more on tap!  We update EVERY DAY at least once!

My mind is going a 'mile a minute' because there are so many things I would like to get started on but know there are other things that need attention, too!  Last night I worked on Paco's Pen and Play Area a bit and tonight I am going to work on the Cat Rooms.  Even tho they have the run of the house most of the time they have their 'areas' they feel more comfortable in time and time again.  

I have been crafting in spurts again - mostly Mixed Media and Art Journaling.  I hope to post more projects soon!  I have been thinking about re-doing my craft room.  First I was thinking of making a pantry.  But I am thinking about tweaking it to keep my Crafting Room THAT and pair it with a small space for Yoga.  I have so many art and crafting supplies it's really hard to do much else with that room.

I guess this was more of an UPDATE Post and a venting/blabbing post.  BUT...venting in a GOOD way!  I'm just feeling so thankful things are looking up and I'm feeling better thru and thru!  I don't want it to end, ya know!?  More tomorrow, friends!