 Hi! How are things? I hope you are well and making the time to take care of yourself during these trying times. The world continues to be chaotic with trouble brewing everywhere and it's easy to become overwhelmed. It's important to slow down and take care of yourself. Read a good book, watch your favorite film and eat good food. The weather has been more than a little odd, too. Winter is hanging on with unexpected storms rolling in here.  I broke out the soup pot and made a satisfying recipe I adapted from a much more involved recipe I found on line, late last night. It came out so well I wanted to share it with you. If you are looking for a hearty, satisfying stew to warm you up (Note: Its Spicy!) then give this recipe a go.  Not the prettiest meal I have ever made, but the taste makes up for it! Prep time is minimal and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. This spicy Moroccan-Inspired Chickpea Stew cooks quickly and makes a satisfying meal.
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25-30 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 T. extra virgin olive oil 1 small red onion, diced 2 medium carrots, diced 1 medium red bell pepper, diced 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped Sea salt and black pepper, to taste 2 T. tomato paste 1 T. ground cumin 1 t. smoked paprika ¾ t. cayenne pepper 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes 2 c. butternut squash, cubed 2 c. vegetable broth or water 2 c. kale, tough stems removed and chopped 2 T. fresh lime juice Directions:
 Hiya! Hope you are well, warm and enjoying yourself. It finally decided to become winter here. So I've had spotty net and lots of cozy evening by the fire. I really enjoy the cold, especially if I don't have to go anywhere, lol.   We had company last month and I cooked liked a mad woman, I have started a 'Veganary Food" post which should be up by late July, LOL! No, really I have a few new recipes I want to share with you and cooking tips, but work has been so busy. Which, I am thankful for. But its keeping me very busy and then when I'm done I really don't feel like blowing. (Or doing much of anything.) But with the travel restrictions easing up, it looks like we will be traveling again soon and I am so excited! But in the meantime I'm going to enjoy winter here with my warm socks and hot tea. But really, Brrr ❄️ ☕️ 📚 We have another snow storm expected next week. So Spring will be late this year. I have the urge to go purchase 9,000 + plants but am holding off till I know my schedule. I hate the idea of purchasing a horde of plants and then leaving for a month.  Thank goodness I stocked up on these vegan gems!  Snow is so beautiful! Speak soon!
 I found that picture and admit it has noting to do with the post...But I just thought it was a nice edit. And spoiler: This post, much like that picture, are much ado about nothing...  The last of my organic avaocado. WOW they were so good! But they should be as I paid $5USD each for them! OMG!  We are experiencing odd weather, or so it seems to me...but it may soon be snowing and storming, so who knows. (Shrugs and slips on sweater over tank top and shorts.) But anyway, have you been reading much lately? I found a few book reviews I left "in progress" and never finished. They should be up later this week, if the book gods allow it. I have so many new projects I want to show you, but as if yet they are still "Hush - Hush" and I also don't want to jinx them. When it comes to money, work and love, I'm all about superstitions, lol, go figure.  Using my hair for warmth... I'm also back to juicing. After all the celebrations I've been to lately its really needed. Between the holidays, new babies, housewarmings, and engagement parties you would think the pandemic was over! Well maybe not, but we are partying like it's over. Please pass the vegan pasta....  I've also been working on my Vegan Candy Game...These include almond butter and coconut. With only a few simple ingredients and no refined sugar they are a super snack. I will add the recipes to the tab soon. I just want to experiment with a few more ingredients.  Now I'm off for a hike before the weather turns. I need to burn that candy off and find something interesting to talk about for the next blog post, lol.
I hope you have a great weekend!  As we continue to celebrate 2022, I'm cooking up a storm! I had non-vegan friends from out of state come for a visit last week. I wanted to cook dishes that would be both hearty and comforting for them and wanted to share some of my findings with you. I bought Garden beefles tips and went to their website for ideas on how to make these work. What is pictured about is my version of a recipe found on their website. I used what I had on hand and jump it. IT WAS A HUGE HIT! I only have the quick photo because it was eaten almost before I could say "Vegan!" lol INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
This is based on a recipe I found on the Gardien website. I made minor changes, using what I had on hand. It was a big hit with my family and also the non-vegan company. I highly recommend this simple recipe.  Making Salsa is an ART in the Southwest. This healthy and delicious salsa recipe comes together in just 20 minutes. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days, so you can double recipe to enjoy with your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex dishes or as a snack with your favorite tortilla chips. See notes at bottom of recipe.  (My jalapeños need to be used.) Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 T. extra virgin olive oil ½ medium yellow onion, diced small 1 medium green bell pepper, diced small 1 medium jalapeno, *seeded and finely chopped Sea salt and black pepper, to taste 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped ½ t. dried Mexican oregano ¼ t. smoked paprika ¼ - ½ t. crushed red pepper flakes ¼ c. water 2½ T. fresh lime juice *Optional: 2-3 T. fresh cilantro, finely chopped Directions:
Notes: *Leave the seeds if you want a very spicy salsa, otherwise remove *Southwestern dished use cilantro while most Tex-Mex dishes do not.  Enjoy!
 The secret ingredient in this soup is APPLES. Back in September, we went apple picking. It was so much fun! I made a short video here:   As soon as it turned off cold, I made this soup but forgot to post.... Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: 3 c. butternut squash, cubed 3 large firm apples, cubed 1 medium red onion, chopped 1 T. fresh ginger, minced 1½ t. ground cinnamon ½ t. ground nutmeg ½ t. ground cloves ½ t. allspice 2 T. coconut oil, melted Sea salt and black pepper, to taste 4-5 c. vegetable broth, preferably organic, divided Directions:
 Enjoy!
 I've been in the mood for soup lately. The weather has been cold, and I've been working so much I was craving comfort food. This easy, vegan recipe will warm you up and leave you feeling satisfied.  We love sweet potatoes, and you can see by my recipes, we eat them all the time. Below you will find the recipe for this tasty soup. Healthy Vegan Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25-30 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 T. extra virgin olive oil 1 small red onion, diced 1 medium green bell pepper, diced 1 medium red bell pepper, diced Sea salt and black pepper, to taste ½ t. crushed red pepper flakes 1 T. ground cumin 2 t. chili powder ½ t. dried oregano 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 3 T. tomato paste 2 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained 3 c. vegetable broth 1 c. frozen corn ¼ c. fresh cilantro, chopped 2 T. fresh lemon juice Directions:
 Dig in!
 I love Buddha Bowls! These vegan staples are hearty, filling, and simple to create meals that come together quickly.  The stars of this recipe are sweet potatoes and hummus, two ingredients that your family will love! Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 T. extra virgin olive oil 1 t. ground cumin 1 t. smoked paprika Sea salt and black, pepper to taste 6 c. baby spinach 2 red bell peppers, sliced thin 2 yellow bell peppers, sliced thin 2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced 1 c. fresh cilantro, chopped 1 c. plain hummus 2-3 T. sriracha sauce 2 large avocados, sliced Directions:
 Enjoy!  That moment you realize your nail polish matches the jalapeños in your recipe! Matching aside, this was an experiment in baking hashbrowns without cooking oil. I found this recipe on a random vegan cooking blog, and it intrigued me. It was also sans flour or any binding ingredients in the mix. Could that work?? In my opinion no, but plant based Vegan cooking teaches us we don't need 1/2 the ingredients we dump in most recipes, so I thought I would give it a go... I added the jalapeños along with onions to chopped and seasoned potatoes. I followed the recipes...  But it was not a winner. Sadly, that happens sometimes. It could be I missed a step (I didn't. I double-checked, and I even drained the cut potatoes in cheesecloth before baking.) Or it could be the altitude, I do live in the mountains, or it could be any number of things. Does this ever happen to you? You try a new recipe, and it's not a winner? We ate them, but... I won't use this recipe again. Okay. I'm off to match my nail polish to the next recipes! Just kidding... And because someone will ask...  This is the nail polish, it is in the OPI shade: My Gecko Does Tricks #4364011 I've had it several years and don't wear it much and never realized it was so close to the shade of jalapeños!
Catch you later- 🌶 
Hello! I hope everyone is having a fantastic week.
With the weather still very mild here, (more an extension of Autumn instead of winter), we are taking full advantage of hiking and exploring. 
Autumn in the desert □
Wednesday's are for sneaking out of work early.
I snuck out of work early (so yeah. my office is still only 20 steps from my bedroom.) But it was such a nice day! We went hiking, did a bit of shopping and had a nice meal out. #Heaven
So when we aren't on the trails, I'm trying new things. Here are a couple of cool finds for November: We are LOVING Forbidden Rice! 
And of course it's VEGAN!
Healthy, tasty and a great addition to any meal. It's pre-made so heat it up on the stove to in the microwave for a nice addition to your meal.
Grab it at Amazon before it sells out. HERE And I am sooo late to the party on this next one! 
Alpha Skin Care Renewal Body Lotion
It's sooo worth the hype! All the beauty guru's talk about this lotion and for some reason I was put off trying it. But this month I broke down and tried it! WOW! I love it and it will become a stable in my war against aging. It is affordable at under $20, goes on thick, but absorbs well and by the second use I could see a difference on my sun damaged skin. BIG WIN! Okay, I still have about 30 books to review and a couple of new recipes to share...Stay tuned! Speak soon~ |
Author Welcome to my (I'm excited to travel again) blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too! 
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