Look what happened now...
Ready, Set, Jet!
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It's really a beautiful weekend in the Southwest! I've been spending as much time as possible outside, but when it's time to come in these are the things I'm obsessing over.
Here is a quick weekend round-up of what I'm reading, watching, and eating!
What I'm Reading: Reaper Man (Discworld, 11)by Terry Pratchett
I'm more or less a fan of Terry Pratchett - but I need small doses at a time of his British wit. My goal is to read all the 41 Discworld books, I think I've read about 4-5 so far. (I better get with it, no?) Currently, I'm about 110 of 352 pages in this novel and enjoying the book more than I expected. I will do a full review once I'm finished. In the meantime, you can read my review of Good Omens here.
What I'm Watching: Resident Alien
Looking for something new to watch? Anything that isn't depressing? I highly recommend this quirky comedy from the Syfy channel. This alien romp is based on a Darkhorse comic book series created by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse. (Which now I believe I MUST read.) It stars Alan Tudyk and a talented cast of misfits. The comic series has been published by Dark Horse Comics in installments of four-issue miniseries since 2012. Five miniseries have been completed, and a concluding sixth miniseries is forthcoming. The tv series premise: After crash-landing on Earth, an alien takes on the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor and wrestles with the moral dilemma of his secret mission, while also dealing with a 9-year-old boy who is the only person who can recognize he is an alien. (Wiki) And speaking of aliens...
What I'm Cooking: Vegan Chickpea Cookie Dough (So much better than it sounds!)
Truth - I'm not a fan of cookie dough. I know some people would rather eat raw cookie dough than bake the damn cookies. (I'm not one of them.) But then I found this vegan, raw cookie dough recipe, and all that changed. This healthy alternative makes a nice dip or can be eaten alone as a snack. The simple recipe is here: Cookie Dough but be warned, you will be making this regularly. Have a great weekend! This post contains links to buy the book on Amazon, I receive a few pennies if you purchase (the price doesn't change for you) and it helps to offset the cost of the website. Happy Monday! I hope you are well and your week is off to a good start. I'm so late in posting today...Monday mornings are always busy for me because I have all the normal reports to run, plus certain other tasks that have to be done, even if we are traveling. By the time all that stuff is done it's time for online meetings with staff. Sooo long story, short- we had a very late start today, but we did a bit of exploring. If you want to read more about Roswell look here and visit here too to learn about the town. In our quest to read the historical markers and learn more about the area we stopped at this little park. It is a very cute, and well maintained just outside of Roswell. We were going to the International UFO Museum And Research Center downtown today, but were told that it was closed due to the pandemic. (If you are planning a visit call EVERYTHING first, there seems to be no rhythm or reason as to what is open or closed.) This museum is focused on the 1947 Roswell Crash and later UFO incidents from all over the world. It was founded in 1991 as a nonprofit educational organization and is located in a former movie theater from the 1930s. The museum is said to contain an extensive library and exhibits focused on the history of UFO encounters. The Museum was opened in September 1991 and for some reason I always seem to skip going to this one... It also has a gift store with UFO-inspired souvenirs. Maybe #NextTime And finished the night off with a gluten free, cheese free, loaded veggie pizza. I haven't had pizza (of any kind) this year! So this was a special treat. It was AMAZINGLY good! I have work the rest of the week, so it could be a few days till the next post...but I will see you soon!
I was sitting at the bar in my kitchen today, (honestly texting) and had this odd feeling someone was looking at me.... I looked up and spotted this wee little Lady Bug on my Kale. Its cold here so I thought poor baby must be dead. But I gently picked it off the kale and found it to be very much alive. Stay tuned for more of Barney's adventures lol.
For the long time readers of the blog, (thank you both, lol) you know I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 18 and vegan for 5 + years now, but I still get asked questions like, “What do you eat?!” So now that vegans and vegetarians are much more mainstream, chances are good you may find yourself invited over for dinner. What can you expect? Well, first off don’t panic! If a gourmet chef invited you for dinner you would expect to try some sublime foods that you had never tried before. If a specialty pizza chef invited you for dinner, you would expect to eat some incredible pizza that evening. You would probably even look forward to the bits of flair that would be added to the plates and table as you sampled this new cuisine, yeah? So what happens when your vegetarian friend invites you to dinner? Will it be a GIANT bowl of raw salad, sans dressing and heavy on the kale? Hardly, if you are lucky enough to be invited to a vegetarian’s home for dinner you can expect a culinary adventure! Now that being said, there are many different types of vegans and vegetarians and people are all different. I for one, am not a fan of curry. (Insert hate mail here, lol) Which is the one guaranteed vegetarian meal on all flights… #FML Anyway, enough about airplane food…If you yourself are not a vegetarian, you should be open to trying a couple of new and interesting foods at your *BVFF’s house. (*Best Veggie Friend Forever) Don’t be afraid to try meat alternatives, if they serve you any, most meat eaters love them, once they get over the “TOFU FEAR” that most people seem to have. Just come hungry and enjoy yourself in a new environment of tastes and smells. I have a few tips to get you ready for what you may encounter on a typical vegetarian table. Are you game? Seasoning Adventures Vegetarians frequently use strong seasoning in order to bring out flavors more effectively in foods that don’t necessarily add their own flavor to a dish. There is a high likelihood of finding characteristic flavorings from other cultures. So expect to try some new flavors. Traditional vegetarian cultures have influenced American vegetarians quite a bit. Indian spices are very popular in combination with vegetarian entrees and sides. But as I said not everyone eats Curry. Spices, herbs and seasoning from Mexico, Italy, and of course Asian cooking, are popular in vegetarian cooking. Ingredients such as peppers, soy sauces and sesame oil are also quite common in most vegetarian kitchens. Depending on the individual, of course, but its a safe bet that you can expect richly flavored dishes rather than simple salt and pepper. Favorite Dishes for Non-Vegetarian Guests So, what is it that you will be eating that will be seasoned so beautifully? There are a few options. Protein source - could be beans, mushrooms, lentils, quinoa or Tofu. Tofu and tempeh are common soy products, that are now easily found in most US markets. They both receive flavor very efficiently and are easy to make fit any dinner mold. In addition to the protein portion of your meal, expect a colorful variety of vegetables. A spoonful of peas or corn would be insufficient for a nutritious vegetarian meal, so expect more varieties and larger servings. Finally, the carbohydrates will finish off your plate. Potatoes are a possibility, but it is more likely that you will find pasta, rice or risotto. If you are not accustomed to eating vegetarian meals, you will be surprised at the filling and satisfying results that an experienced vegetarian cook can produce. #WIN Now, that being said, of course there are many different types of vegetarian meals, way too many for me to list here. The important thing to do is to be willing to sit down at the table with an open mind. Get ready to enjoy something new, fun and delicious. Vegetarian foods are definitely unique as compared to typical American fare, but they make for an incredible dining experience.
Catch you later-
It's almost SPRING!
The official date for Spring, in the Northern Hemisphere is March 20, 2018, and I can't wait. I enjoy winter, but I'm looking forward to spring this year. I love flowers and of course all the fresh vegetables. I plan on planting another garden and expand my kitchen herb collection.
So I have already started looking for pots, seeds and any/all tools to get a jump on the growing season. I found this 3 Tier Stackable Garden - for indoor/outdoor use. I like the fact that it is self watering and I can expand the number of fresh herbs I can grow NOW and I don't have to wait for warmer weather. It's not too big so you can use it in the kitchen or on the patio. Best part it's under $25USD on Amazon!
Also by growing in my kitchen I have the fresh herbs handy when I need them, plus I keep bugs and critters out of the pots.
It should also help keep the locals out of my pots. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a toad in the yard on or the patio, but not so much in the oregano.
I also really like this Earth Box kit. (It has wheels! How smart is that?) Plus it comes with everything you need- I know I hate driving into town for fertilizer or planting mix. Each trip I find more things I "need" and end up spending $50 when I went in for a $5 item. This kit is a little bit more pricey at $57 but I figure it paid for itself by eliminating all those extra trips into town. You can grow vegetables, herbs and flowers on windowsills, on your deck or even the balcony, or take it inside - with our unpredictable weather I like that I can easily bring the box inside quickly. Plus container gardening means no weeding!
And if you are just starting out gardening and are unsure about which supplies or tools you need this kit has got it all including non gmo seeds. It comes complete with:
I'm ordering one for each of my nieces and nephews so they can start gardening, too. Have you started planting yet? Nothing beats a early Spring garden full of fresh, homegrown vegetables. MMMMM I'm already looking forward to being over run with squash and strawberries!
I will update you on the garden process over the next few weeks and also don't forget I'm planning that BIG Pacific trip - so any advice on where to go/stay/see/avoid would be appreciated. Speak soon~ It's almost Halloween! Are you ready? Vegans Cuts offered an additional box this year for Halloween, besides the regular monthly box, so I had to grab it! It arrived very quickly after I placed the order and it was jam packed with great, organic snacks! I really think there was EVEN MORE snacks in this box than the normal monthly one. There were a lot of favorites included too. So it was a nice treat - especially if you are trying to avoid all the sugary Halloween candy from the supermarket. So my son took 90% of this, but it's okay- my Halloween Treats were in the form of Masks this time! Read about the October Horror Masks HERE if you haven't already. And Happy Almost Halloween!
*Warning* This tastes more like a decadent dessert than a nutritious way to start the day. The natural sweetness of the orange and carrots are balanced by a trio of complementary spices, while a spoonful of homemade coconut whipped cream serves as the perfect finishing touch. Prep time: 10 minutes Serves: 2 Coconut Whipped Cream Ingredients: 1 13.5-oz. can full fat coconut milk, chilled 1 tablespoon organic maple syrup (optional) 1 teaspoon orange zest (optional) Smoothie Ingredients: 1 cup coconut milk 1 large ripe banana, peeled, cut into chunks and frozen 2 large stalks celery, roughly chopped 1 large orange, peeled 4 large carrots, roughly chopped ¾ teaspoon cinnamon ¾ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 4-6 ice cubes Optional Garnish: Ground cinnamon Finely chopped walnuts Directions:
Makes a wonderful breakfast for two!
See you at the airport~ Better Late Than Never... *Warning! Random Picture Post* I started this in June (2017) I have no idea why I didn't finish... So let's start from the beginning... This was the Vegancuts monthly snack box. It was GREAT, per usual. Check out all these healthy treats! So I searched my phone for other random June pictures... So that was my June, more or less.
Now on to the next 300 post in the queue! Catch you later- Are you on board for a raw August? Let’s go Raw together! The month is almost half over and it gets simpler every day to eat only raw! If you haven't started yet, that's okay too. Even just replacing one meal a day will help you. The best part of Rawgust for me, is all the great choices we have..so many fruits and veggies are in season! I have just finished the shopping today, having so much fun in the produce section of the market. Only buying fruits and veggies makes for a faster and more pleasant experience too! People complain that organic fruits and veggies are expensive, but when you are not buying other items (like cola, bread, cheese, etc.) you see that a $100USD buys so MUCH Goodness! And Speaking of Goodness... Did you know one serving of blueberries contains almost 25% of your daily requirement of vitamin C? Vitamin C is necessary for growth and development of tissues and promotes wound healing. #WIN Blueberries are also high in manganese. Manganese helps the body process cholesterol and nutrients such as carbohydrates and protein. So eat your blueberries! Oh and thank goodness Cherries are in season too!
A few people have asked me what the hardest thing to give up was...Without a doubt it was coffee! I eat pretty good most days, usually enjoying at least one raw meal a day so going fully raw was pretty simple, except for no coffee. That's right NO COFFEE! We are 13 + days into the month now and I really don't miss it all that much. (But I'm not going to lie..the beginning was tough!) But enough about coffee-- Many Veggies are also in season right now. So there is no excuse...we have HUGE selections of flavorful options to graze through, lol. It seems odd that greens taste so good as raw wraps, but simple is sometimes best. I just cleaned out the leftover peppers, onions and added mushrooms/tomatoes for a killer supper wrap. And did I mention how wonderful I feel?
OMG I have so much energy and feel so good! How about you? Are you doing the raw challenge too? I'd love to hear what you are experiencing. See you at the Farmer's Market~ |
Ms One~🌍 Welcome to My Adventures! 🌱 Foto Friday's
🗣️ Featured Blog Posts: Nature-Inspired Creativity: Overcoming Creative Blocks by the Bay: An easy way to overcome writers block. Plant-Powered Living: Raw Till 4 This an older post, but a great place to start it you want to eat healthier. "Life Lessons": Foto Friday: Glass & Light Join me in reflecting on the simple joys and lessons life brings our way. 🌟 Connect with Me: 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msoneworld4me/ 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsOneWorld4Me 📌 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/msoneworld4me/ Follow for Daily Inspiration 🚀 Upcoming Adventures: Stay tuned for my next travel destination and upcoming blog posts. Where should I go next? Share your suggestions! Share Your Ideas 📚 Book Nook:
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