Vegmom Moments

MORE VEGAN THANKSGIVING GOODNESS

My theme this year was "Pumpkin".. I purchased the cutest little pumpkin and was determined to do something with it... Not sure what..

I started here:

 

Scooped out all the stuff, and separated from seeds...

Hubby was like "you know your supposed to cook that, and the stuff will come out easier?"

And I was like... "that kind of defeats the purpose of having Raw Pumpkin in our smoothie if I cooked it... Not so much raw then would it"  Knowing all of my creations wouldn't be raw, I wanted at least the smoothie to be all fresh whole food goodness.

So I started with my scooped pumpkin guts and a little filtered water.

 

Then divided that in to three parts...

First our Raw Pumpkin, cranberry, apple, spinach, Green Smoothie:

 

And man was it GREEN!

 

Then our Not so Raw Pumpkin Pancakes:

 

And the star of the Show, Mr. Pumpkin Turkey pancake with Cranberry eyes and raw walnut feet:

 

The rest of the Pumpkin Guts, got blended in to an awesome fresh Garlic Hummus..(thanks to Mr. Vita-mix). and then poured back in to the cute little pumpkin for serving:

All of these were my new tries for the week, and all of them were quite tasty.  The Smoothie was a Little TOO pumpkin'y so we will try lighter on the orange stuff next time. 

But this little strange concoction was my favorite.  I mixed some of the Hummus with some organic short grain brown rice, and dried organic cranberries.... It was soo good and filling. Only 1/2 of a small bowl was enough to fill me up.

And so there you have it... Some of our Thanksgiving food... We also had lots of fruits and veggies that day...

As for this week coming up, I'm looking forward to lots of fresh salads, and some more Green Smoothie Goodness.  I see some Avocado in my future also... It is in the fridge staring at me.

Heading off to bed for an early back to work Monday! 

Hope your weekend was a great one!

A COLD AND AN UPDATE

This has been an amazing Thanksgiving break.  Seriously, the best I can remember for all my days... I got some alone time, some family time, some shopping time, lots of sleeping time, some movie and snuggles time, even a little crafting.  I let all the chores go (which I'm making up for today)... We went for long walks almost every day.. Veg got some Park time, and we all had lots of Green Goodness... 

But, even with all that goodness, I had a cold bug try to strike me yesterday.  Really, how dare a bug think it would live inside my body?  THE NERVE! 

Here is the story:

It was sudden with no warning, I was out with the guys on a walk yesterday when the sneezes hit, and my nose started running uncontrollably, with in 20 minutes I felt horrible, feverish and achy even, and just all over yuck, getting home was a chore, up the big hills and my body going down hill.  I couldn't believe how fast it was hitting me.

Well I'm not one to take sick bugs lightly and went in to action as soon as I got home...   I even took a 3hr nap. Then it came back in the evening.. so I did everything all over again... went to sleep and slept all the way until 8:30am... this morning I feel great! no sniffles, no cough, no sign of anything! I'll keep up with a few of my remedies today just to make sure the bug is dead for good.

Here is what I did:

Downed a TBS of Apple Cider Vinegar, and dabbed some in my nose, then jumped in the steamy shower for a while with Kiss My Face cold and flu menthol'ish soap. Out of the shower and put a drop of oregano oil under my tongue, swallowed a garlic capsule and drank lots of water. Later I drank a shot glass of Lemon juice straight. Rubbed garlic oil on my nose and behind ears. (yes you wouldn't want to be around me). Also added Elderberry to my smoothie.

Laid down with my Eucalyptus and Rice sock on my head. Ooh felt so good. Later I drank some Herbal Cold Care tea.

Food stayed light yesterday afternoon and evening. Lots of apples,carrots, bananas and greens and water.

And at night took another shower with the steamy and menthol'ish soap. Another drop of oregano oil under my tongue, another rub of garlic oil on my nose and and an elderberry chewy thing. Then grabbed my jar of eucalyptus & Tea Tree Goodness and rubbed it on my feet and curled up in to bed.

Woke up this morning, able to breath, no sniffles, no head ache, no fever, no cough, no aches, no Nuthin!!!

So There you go...  Today, I'm on a cleaning and disinfecting spree (natural disinfectants of course)  And everyone got some elderberry or Echinacea in their smoothies for preventative.

Hope to post more soon with pictures!!  And hope your Thanksgiving Holiday was a great one!

A VEGAN THANKSGIVING

If the "Traditional" Thanksgiving dinner is served at lunch time, then why can't I serve Breakfast at lunch time??

After all, I'm as far from "Traditional" as it comes.... And when it comes to Thanksgiving, a Vegan feast is required in my non-traditional home... Even if it is a Breakfast Feast.  Filled with fruits, veggies, a few nuts, and a "Turkey?".....

Introducing, our Breakfast Turkey at Lunch time... Say Hi to Turkey Pancake... .

GOODBYE MY BAKED ZITI

You were once a good friend... filled me up with goodness, sweet, warm, cheesy,  tofu baked, veggie and carb filled goodness.. But now you must go....  I know you were a part of our home for many years, and I'm sorry, but until now, I didn't realize that you made me feel like.... like.... like...

A tired, unrested, tossing, turning, unable to sleep, baggy eye, bloaded, overly stuffed, face break out, mess.

You see, it was yesterday that Hubby put me on a guilt trip.. He claimed that I haven't been feeding him your goodness, and just because I wanted to change my diet that he shouldn't have to change his. 

Mind you, this is not what he said a week ago when he realized how great he was feeling while breaking his 4 mile time record and losing enough weight to fit in a smaller jean size... oh no... a week ago he was THRILLED with the food arrangement.

But yesterday, everything changed... he wanted my Baked Ziti.. He begged, he even put on a dancing show and offered to cut all the veggies... I couldn't say NO when he offered to cut all the veggies, now could I?  He twisted my arm.. he broke it in places that were just Unfair... he CUT the veggies, I was STUCK!!!

And so I caved, and turned on the Oven.  Yes I turned it on to 375 and watched it preheat with tears in my eyes.. It would be the first baked pasta dish in 5 months.  I made a side without cheese.  I made a side with EXTRA veggies... I called that side mine, I caved...

I ATE THE ZITI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ONE bowl... that was all... ONE LITTLE STINKIN' BOWL... and yet, I felt Stuffed, and a little hungry at the same time.  That annoying feeling I remember from 5 months ago.   I had a little acidic refluxy stuff goin on.. I had nightmares and couldn't sleep.  I was up every hour, hearing every little sound outside.   Every wind blow..... I couldn't sleep, I was MISERABLE..... And when morning finally came, I was exhausted, not rested.  I was feeling full and yet hungry... I was feeling over unsatisfied... and did I mention Tired.  I felt the need for caffiene to get me through the day.  I felt like I needed a nap and I'd just woken up.

And yet I can't blame hubby.  I chose to eat it the........ Vegan Organic Goodness... I chose to put that carby cooked food in my mouth... and spent ALL day, miserable, gassy, bloated, tired... did I mention tired?  I haven't slept that bad in months.  5 to be exact. 

And now it is night time on the second day of the Ziti Escapade and I still feel a little cruddy... I have a ZITI Hangover...

It is days like this that I realize how poorly I really fed my body in years passed.  It is days like this that I'm so thankful that I've learned a better way to eat.  And a better way to live... It is days like this that I will remember,  if Hubby wants Ziti, he can make it.  and if Hubby wants to eat it, HE CAN!!

I however, am going to say goodbye to my Baked Ziti... Farewell my baked dish friend... It was great knowing you, but I'm on to bigger and better things.... those things that allow me to sleep and feel great.   Those things that provide Nutrients and energy to my body instead of draining it...  Those are the things I will choose to eat.

And I will be better because of it!  So There!

INTRODUCING THE CHECKBOOK

A long time ago we introduced tickets when Veg did extra chores or was helpful above and beyond, he got a ticket worth a dollar.  Not only did this offer him the ability to learn about money, saving, and spending smart.  But also he would Volunteer to "work" and make money for his extra "work". 

Well then he decided he should get tickets for exercising and that didn't last very long, because he didn't keep up with his exercise on the calendar, which was part of the agreement.  

Now, his grandparents gave him a "chore chart" and "be nice" board... Apparently some parents will check this stuff off, and at the bottom if all are filled in, the kid gets a "reward".... sorry, but I'm not going to give rewards for being "nice" or for clearing your plate from the table and remembering to brush your teeth...

That goes back to my philosophy that we wouldn't be rewarded or paid to do things that we should do anyways.... Those things are Expectations when you live in our home, not things that deserve reward.   In my opinion, If you get to a point where you have to reward for being nice, then you didn't set expectations early enough.

I never understood the "do this and I'll give you candy"....  Really?   

The payment comes in to play when we do something above and beyond... When we Work, and that is what I want my Vegman to learn..... The value of the dollar, and the want to work for it, the feeling that doing more is a good thing.  Or having enough is OK too.

Now he says..  "This board says I should get a reward"... I told him that board can say all it wants, but he isn't getting one for being nice... So he starts negotiating tickets....  NOoooooo, Your not getting a ticket for being nice.  SORRY!!! 

And that is when I realized he is TOOO Old for tickets... But I'm still not prepared to deal with Cash and wallets and money lost, just yet... and so I'm switching to Checkbooks.

It is the "Bank of Mom"  and we started today...  He deposited his 8 tickets ($8) in to his account.  Which we logged the entry in his check book.. He knows where to deposit his future cash, and I taught him how to write a check for withdrawals. 

So when he wants to take money out of the "Bank of Mom" to spend at the store or give for donation, he has write me a check and deduct it from his account.

I found these great PDF's online:

Check Register

Checks

We printed a bunch, then put them in a folder.  (His Check book)  which he is quite thrilled about.  

He had so much fun learning about his own checkbook that he asked if we could start today.  And so we did....

Now he gets to learn about the value of a dollar, saving, giving, spending smart, working hard when he chooses, Annnnddd, how to write a check, how to balance a checkbook, which is something I didn't learn until I was 18.

Sooo there ya go... A new phase in the Veg house...  Out with the Tickets and In with the Checkbook.... 

Yes, I realize that by the time he is 18, there probably won't be checkbooks, but that's not the point... *smile*

NICE AND CRAZY

I told Veg and Hubby that I would clean up a board game mess so they could go do something else. 

Veg says:

"Hey Dad, Sometimes wives can be so nice"

Hubby agrees and says:

"Your right, and my wife is the nicest on the planet"

Awwwwwww..............Give them a couple kudos points......

Veg then says without skipping a beat:

"But sometimes they can be crazy too, right Dad?"

Hubby Agrees:

"Yes Son, YES they can"

MINUS 10 points to both of them.......Immediate Deduction, No passing go!

RAW FOOD AND HEALTH UPDATE

I recently realized that its been 5 months since I changed my diet to the extreme...  There was a challenge issued.  Those mere 30 days, changed my eating as I knew it....Funny enough, I thought my 100% Vegetarian diet was pretty good....  But when the challenge came to an end, I posted this:

Raw Food Challenge comes to a close

And now its been 5 months since the start, which just amazes me... 

I've slacked on some of the Raw Goodness variety... With being busy, seasons changing and no more Farmers Market, I'm getting in a rut of the same foods all the time.  And I suppose that's not so bad.

BUT... I'm still eating Fruits and veggies EVERY Morning.  Delicious Green and Veggie filled smoothies almost EVERY morning..  Salad variations for lunch.  Most of my snacks are Raw treats... Nuts or veggies or fruit...  Still trying one new thing each week also. 

And then mostly a light Vegan dinner of some sort...  I have had some bread lately, and some tofu, also probably two total bowls worth of pasta this past month with a little bit here or there. 

Last month had some Brown Rice....  Need to make some more this month, it was tasty with some organic dried fruit. 

Portion control of cooked foods is key now.. Too much and I'll get an upset stomach.   It amazes me that I used to eat THREE plate fulls of my Vegan Pasta dishes in ONE sitting.  Or that Hubby and I could sit down and eat an Entire Pan of Mexi-Bean dip with a whole bag of chips... Now, a small bowl is all I need... I'm sure that is all I needed then too, but I just didn't know it.

I can get a 1/2 sandwich and that be plenty...  A giant salad is even better.  And And And... I don't get hungry at night anymore.  When I'm done with dinner or a raw dessert, I brush my teeth and that is all I eat for the evening.  I'm hungry and eat so much during the day, that by night time, I'm full.  And that's how it should be. 

I'm far from 100% Raw still, as you can tell, but my diet has now permanently shifted from Straight Vegetarian, to Mostly Vegan and lots of Raw. 

I don't have a label...  Maybe I'll call myself a Regantarian (raw/vegan/vegetarian)  Hey, I like that?  Anyone with me?  ha ha, 

So, back to my update...Currently I'm down 15 pounds.  My pants are more then sagging, my shirts are comfortable again.  I no longer look like I need a bra on my back.  I'm even starting to see some muscles forming.  And a few curves.  Not the kind of curves that occur when I bend and all my thigh dimples mush together.  Nooooo, I'm talking about the curves that separate your top half from your bottom half.

My skin and hair...Well, lets just say, if the hair on my head gets any thicker, I'm going to have to brush it with a weed wacker...  And my Skin... Oh my skin... *smile*  Even when I break out on my face it is no where near what it was.  But the rest of me... I could actually wear a tank top and not be embarassed by my arms and back.  YES this is all TMI, I know that... but I must share... It is AMAZING!!!   Even the scarring is repairing itself...

The rings, circles, bags under my eyes?  GONE!   G-O-N-E....  GONE!  I have genetic bags under eyes they come with the family.. As in a large suitcase size bags.  But no more... The family genetics can keep them bags, because mine got lost in an airport somewhere.

I'm alert and happy and enjoying every minute....  I'm sleeping better then I ever have in my whole life.  As in, I can hit the pillow at 9pm and sleep all night long.  Or hit the pillow at 11pm and crash without 1000 thoughts going through my head.  I'm sleeping SOUNDLY, and waking up refreshed.  My Moods are pretty constant (except when its that time of the month)  But that time of the month shows NO other symptoms.  

I don't crave foods anymore except apples... for some reason, I HAVE to have an apple every day.   But sweets, Sugar, Salt, pastas, NOPE!  I'll eat them if I do feel like them but rarely feel like them.  I don't "NEED" caffeine anymore.

The craziest I go is a Chocolate coffee beverage or Vegan shake... And thats walking on the wild side, I tell ya!

I've enjoyed reading about some super cool Bloggers, have gotten some awesome recipes, ideas, suggestions and inspiration...

Have to admit the Detox was no fun... But soooo worth it on the other side.

I'm still learning and this is a work in progress... But I can tell you without a doubt, at this 5 month check up... there is NO GOING BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RANDOM THOUGHT TUESDAY

I didn't I get a chance to post yesterday... Then it would have been Random thought Monday.. But it wasn't because, well... I didn't post, that's why.  And so today, I am.... and it's Tuesday....

In case you were wondering, that is why the title says "Random Thought Tuesday"!  Now that we have that cleared  up... lets move on, shall we.

------------------------------------

Scenario:  Sunday morning, open up the newspaper to find a folding Ad for a Big Store Super Market.  On the front, the Ad says "Look inside to find 20 things that help with cold and flu"

Verdict:  Open the Ad, Hey, I'll bite... Why does it have 20 different medications and fake supplements, instead of Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbals that can truly assist?

------------------------------------

How come when I take a Cup full of Green Smoothie to a work meeting, the people at the table look at me funny?   But when I add Blueberries they all ask about my delicious looking Chocolate drink? 

Apparently the Blueberries and Spinach combo made dark brown which looked like chocolate.  And everyone thought it would be perfectly normal to have a 32 oz cup of chocolate in the morning without concern. 

But when they found out what was in my Non-Chocolate cup of goodness, they didn't say another word and continued to look at me like I was odd. 
 

I wouldn't have it any other way!

-----------------------------------

Why is it that when Hubby "puts things away" they are just moved to a different location across the same table or counter where they were before?  Is that just me, or did it come in the handbook?

-----------------------------------

I wear socks all day long, how does dirt get UNDER my toenails?

-----------------------------------

If a computer was born Jewish would Chicken soup help its Virus?  My work computer was sick today and this thought popped in my head, because Elderberry did nothing.

-----------------------------------

If a A Simple comfortable wand of an ultrasound with some jelly can see through my skin, bones, cartilage, fat, fluid, and organs, then find a baby, go through it's skin and bones... just to find its heart beat go pitter patter.......

WHY IN THE WORLD, does it take a 5000 pound Pneumatic Press to mash a boob in to a pancake just to see a lump under a thin layer of skin..  

------------------------------------

How can my dog have oily fur and flaky skin at the same time?  Seems the oil would moisturize the skin, but not so much.

-----------------------------------

Why do we say "Super Market"?  Is it really Super?  Should it have a big <S> symbol on the front.

----------------------------------

Why do guys say that Girls have a "RACK"?  If someone tried to hang a towel on my Rack, it would hit the floor faster then they could say "Rack".....  I think the name "Deflated Balloons" would be much more appropriate.

----------------------------------

Why is it, that while gaining weight, we start to get the inner leg rub.. You know, that embarrassing "swish" while walking.  And then we loose weight, our jeans start to sag and the "Swish" comes back.  That's just MEAN!

While it is true that women gain weight in their thighs when breast feeding, to store up fat to make the milk....Could someone please tell my thighs, that I don't plan to make any more milk EVER, and there is no  need to keep storing up fat.

----------------------------------

Since I've switched to a more Raw Vegan diet, I have no monthly visit painful symptoms or swelling.  This also means, I have NO warning signs...  Would be nice if the Ol' Bod could send me some Morris code or something... beep, beeeeeep, beeeeeeeepppp....

----------------------------------

Hubby asks Veg to say Grace... so Veg says "GRACE"....Because he does what he is told..Hubby gets aggravated, and this happens every night.  You would think at some point Hubby would change the question?   Just Sayin'!

----------------------------------

If you read the front of a package and it says "Made with Artificial ingredients",  Do you ever wonder what those are?   Oh, now I must break in to song.....

Twinkle Twinkle Little junk

How I wonder where you got the funk

Posted on the label so bright

Have some synthetics in your dinner tonight

Twinkle Twinkle Little Junk

No thanks, I don't want your Funk

----------------------------------

And on that sweet lullaby note, I shall say good night.....  

Happy Tuesday!

A SATURDAY VITA-MIX CREATION

Yesterday morning, I had the house to myself...  So I made an ultimate Peanut Buttery, banana, and cacao concoction...  I added a little spinach to the mix... But since I was alone, decided to go a little crazy....Are you ready.... Coffee Powder...

OH MY YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Mr. Vita-Mix

 

 

TODAY, WE RACE

A couple months ago my friend said she was going to do this 5K in honor of her Mom and asked if I would like to do it with her... Of course I said YES!  

Turns out my friend couldn't make it, but I was going to go regardless because I said I would..... And it was a really good cause.

But I didn't have to go alone.... Veg and his Dad wanted to go... REALLY... they came willingly... We walked (didn't run) and finished the 5K... Hubby's first one, but Veg's 3rd.  I think Hubby might be hooked.  He really really really enjoyed himself.

I was surprised at how many people were walking it.  I'm sure they had record numbers.  Looking down a hill, there were so many people that you couldn't see the road.

Here's proof that they were there... along with 1000's and 1000's of people... It was INSANE how many people.

 

Hubby gave this guy a High Five:

And when the race was over, we walked another mile'ish to and from a Veggie Restaurant... Mmmm Yum!!

It was quite a bit of fun, I must say! 

GOODBYE SOCCER

It's been a busy and fun week...  And the Soccer season is now over.   But not without me being officially a Soccer Mom, as in a MOM PLAYING SOCCER.  There is a picture to prove it... SEE:

Granted its fuzzy... but its a picture... The last practice of the season, they had the parents come out and play... The Dad's came out that were there... Except Veg's.. Nope... Hubby wasn't budging..

So this is me entering the field to play with four other brave parents (men) against 10 mighty tots.  The odds were against us... but we did pretty darn good... Especially when other kid's family members came to join us.. Then the mighty tots didn't stand a chance.

But the goal was to LET them win... which means we had to let them score at least twice.

Insert Hubby.....  He was tasked by the Coaches wife to get off his hiney and play Goalie, but let the next two balls pass through his legs so the kids could win...

The funniest part of this whole event is that it came down to Veg against his dad and Veg Scored the winning kick for their team against the Hubby!

I was laughing incredibly hard... The kids were running around the field chanting that they beat the parents.  Veg was a hero with the winning goal....  And poor poor Hubby had a little ego issue when the Vegman confronted him.

"Dad, your not very good at soccer, are you?".....  It took everything in that Man's being NOT to tell him what really happened, but he took one for the team... And I couldn't have been prouder...

It was a Great night!!!

 

EVEN THE DOG LIKES MR. VITA-MIX

The Spunk-meister has figured out, that when I get ready to pull out Mr. Vita-Mix,  a Banana can't be far behind... And where there is a banana, there is a Spunk... HE Loves bites of Banana...

And he waits for it...

 

And waits.....

 

He was right... There was banana... and he got his bite...

Much more stuff was added too.. See...

 

At this Point, Spunk-meister is no longer interested... He goes along his merry way...  Until Veg stops him and decides this is a perfect time to brush the dog's teeth.....  Get those bananas...

I how ever must enjoy this organic raw goodness...  I MUST....

Blend Mr. Vita-Mix... Blend Away...

 

A little more please....

 

Ah, that's better.... 

And, here is some Green Juice... Yummy Ummy cold Green Juice!! 

Thank you Mr. Vita-mix

PAUSE BLOG FOR SLEEP

This has been an amazing week and I haven't found time to blog about it because I was sleeping.. or working... or playing games.... or printing organic whole food coupons.... or keeping up with house chores to give me a weekend break.... or sleeping.... did I mention SLEEPING!

In bed Every night before 10 even before 9 on some days... All work still got done, And I FEEL GREAT!!  Refreshed and ready to take on this Friday.

Ya See, Hubby went out of town for a few days.  Veg and I had tons of 1on1 time.. and we made the best of it..  Started and Finished a game of Monopoly (he won, I had to go bankrupt.. stinker)

He played me some music, and doodled me some letters... we made our meals together, had huge green smoothies every morning and yummy lunches/dinners.  I exercised 3 days and Veg joined in.

He explained to me what an Atom was and how it was made up of Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons... And then went on to tell me how Helium is created and which elements are poisonous... These conversations help me to know what he is learning at school.  And I can tell you that it still boggles my mind. 

We played and cuddled with our one and only Pup... Veg went to bed Every night on time without any stalling even.  He was up and dressed before I had to wake him....The Pup even did good considering he spent his first whole day alone in over 8 yars. It has been a GREAT WEEK!!! 

Hubby is back now and had a nice trip visiting his side of the family... Hoping for an equally good weekend.

And some more blog posts, maybe with pictures...

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

THANK YOU VETERANS

Today and Always......

Thank you for the freedom to enjoy this:

And This:

And This (sorry, I couldn't resist):

And places like this:

Thorn Crown Chapel

And so much more!  THANK YOU!!!

 
 
 

RANDOM THOUGHT MONDAY

Time for a Random Thought Monday! Because I have thoughts... and so there ya go!

If the concept of light was going to allow Shadows in the shower, it would be nice if they offered a trimming effect instead of a wider one... Really!! Its fun when your making gigantic bunny ears on the wall, but when your hiney looks like Mount everest, it is not so fun. I'm just sayin'

How is it possible that Avocado with Chocolate actually taste good together?

Teaching kids how to spell would be much easier if words like to, too and two didn't exist... To is to...could it be simple? Noooo... four, fore and for... Why? What's the point...And don't even get me started on dough...

Why does the lady on the Exercise video say I look beautiful? How does she know?

If I weigh myself at night, I'm usually 2+ pounds heavier then in the morning...and yet, I don't excrete anything while sleeping, so where does the 2+ pounds go? Does a little fairy come in at night and swoop it off my body? If so, I need to have a talk with her. A few more pounds wouldn't hurt... I mean she's already there, right?  Maybe I could bribe her with money under my pillow.  It would make things  a lot easier.

Sorry, Only 5 today... guess I don't have that many thoughts...

Happy Monday!

A WALK, DOG, AND RECYCLE BIN

Today was such a variety one....See here:

• Wake up in the morning, make Green smoothies - head to soccer
• Home for a pit stop and take care of Dog
• Off to our Fav. Veggie eating place (now a Saturday Tradition)
• Then to our Fav. Coffee place (also a Saturday Tradition)
• That is when a dog found us... a sad sweet dog looking for his family with no collar tag.
• Dog followed us for a walk to the park, sniffing for his family the whole time... he'd befriend different people and other animals and eventually left us....he'd continue on his way..
• Veg wanted to keep dog and was very angry that we didn't
• But following dog and Veg who began following dog led us to a Recycling event at the end of the park..
• We didn't know about recycling event.. Dog found friends there, and we hoped he would be OK
• We found a free Recycle Bin and Free posters which was pretty thrilling
• Recycled Crafts were there too, and lots of them.. Some pretty nifty things...
• Walk all the way back to car with Recycle Bin and posters and sad Veg (who had to leave the dog)
• Then off to the New Pet Supply Store by our house.. He loves to watch the critters inside and we thought it would cheer him up...
• Little did we know they were having an Animal Rescue event that day... Oh yes... Cats, Dogs... LOTS OF THEM... Veg now didn't want to leave... he wanted to take them ALL home!  Especially a creepy little looking white cat.
• And so we promised the Leaf Jumping Pile when we got home.. This would cheer him up (again)
• Hubby joined in the fun... Leaves, Leaves and more leaves
• Then I spent several hours on line trying to figure out new insurance choices...whether or not to Refi the house and updating this blog....
• We had some good dinner, tried New things
• Played some board games
• And called it a night

So you see... Random, Variety... Fun, Enjoyable.....yet sad regarding dogs with Chelsea fresh in Veg's mind.  But Good food, and nice company (and some grumpies), Beautiful Day, yet parts were freezing...

A little of this and a little of that!  Variety at its finest...

Speaking of which, my new favorite Tortilla:

 

With Vegan Pizza Fixin's:

Oh My YUM!!!

Hubby stole one.. Really, he did... Took it, and ate every last bit... So I made another, which Veg claimed as his own... So I made another....and another.. You get the idea... Everyone liked their little pizzas.

THE MOSTLY RAW PIE STORY CONTINUED....

A few days ago I posted about my attempt at a mostly Raw Pie... ..  But after being in the fridge over night, it didn't get solid enough.. turned in to a soupy pudding pie.

 

Several of you suggested putting it in the freezer... I was worried it would get too icy and not so much creamy...Didn't want a Slushy Pie...

But then I did it... Introduced Pie to Freezer... And the Pie Was happy!

 

As were our bellies!!!  Oh My Yum!!!  Give it a try..  I don't have exact measurements, but all ingredients are listed in the original post. 

For all those Raw Foodies that know more then me, what are your Raw Pie tricks?

A STORY ABOUT SOME LEAVES AND A BOY

Once Upon a time there were some trees with pretty colors on them:

Then the colors were no longer as pretty and a fierce wind blew!  Down came the leaves.  

A Veggie Mom and her son were raking these leaves in to a pile....

The pile grew big enough for a Veg Boy to jump in and hide... If you look close you can see hat on head of Veg Boy...

Where's Veg Boy..

 

But then a Super Hero Hubby came along and said, "Those rakes just won't do... move out of my way"

And brought in his sidekick  TORO:

This made the Leaf Pile very happy!  And Very Huge...

And it made a Soccer Veg boy very happy too... as he got ready to take off across the drive way and fly head first in to a massive pile of fun stuff!

Thank you Leaves, Trees, Hubby and Toro for some GREAT Fun! 

Veg Boy jumped and flipped in the leaves until the sun began to go down... Free Entertainment at its finest!

PEANUT NANNER CAROB SHAKE

This is not Raw goodness, but it is my special Non-Raw Treat.   Hubby created his concoction while I was on vacation and when I came home he surprised me with this goodness.  He said it took him a while to get the perfect combo. 

Now we make them about once a weekend.

The Fixins:

4 or 5 Ice Cubes, 2 ripe bananas, and an over ripe sliced frozen banana, handful of carob chips, Two or Three TBS of Peanut Butter, 1/2 cup of vanilla soy milk and 2 TBS of Vegan Vanilla So Delicious Ice Cream.  (amounts are approximate and can be increased or decreased as needed)

Sorry for the dark photo, but OH MY YUM!!! 

Creamy, Thick, Peanut Buttery Goodness.....

Thank you Hubby, and Thank you Mr. Vita-Mix!!!

 

P.S. My difference between a Shake and A Smoothie is the liquid we choose.  If I use a Juice or Water, then I usually call it a smoothie.  If I use Ice cream or Soy Milk then I usually call it a shake....

Does that matter?  No!  They are both just blended goodness!

RAW CHOCO GUACO PUDDING

I got this amazingly easy recipe from Green And Crunchy and had to try it today... 

The Fixings...

An Avocado (minus seeds and skin), a dibble of water and a tsp of Vanilla, 4 pitted dates and a TBS of Cocoa or Cacoa Powder.  I go light on the chocolate because of the migraine triggers for the Vegman.  But when I get some more carob powder, I'll use plenty of that. 

Her recipe also invited some other yummy tasties to the dish, but I stuck with the basics for our first try.

 

Mash Mash Mash Mr. Vita-Mix...  And Voila!

Seriously some really good really nutritious Pudding!  And Raw and Vegan and.... did I mention good...

Yes, the thought of Avocado pudding really grossed me out.. but with the other stuff added, you can't even taste it.... Really!! 

Veg saw me making it, and was like "Mom, what in the world are you doing?"  I told him to trust me and he did.. .And he ate EVERY LAST DIBBLE and Dabble... More more, he'd say, until it was all gone!

Thank you Green and Crunchy for this great recipe... Yum Yum Double Triple Yum!

LOOK WHAT HE DID

Hubby was very busy yesterday... Look See... Yes, we ate it too fast for pictures... but you get the idea:

He taught himself how to use Mr. Dehdrydrator and Mr. Freezy Contraption....And did a pretty good job..  I have lots of saved goodness waiting for me to use.

Thank You Hubby!
 

MR. VITA-MIX STRIKES AGAIN

 
First the Mean (Imean tasty) Guac... turned a little too thin this time, so I used it mostly as salad dressing... YUM....:

Green Smoothie Goodness in the making:

AHHHHH, and the Smoothie Goodness... Perfect consistency... Perfect Taste... Perfect Color!

Just Perfect!!!

Frozen Bananas and Strawberries.... Ice Cream (without the cream) anyone???
 
 

I decided to make a mostly raw pie...But didn't have a recipe, and so just used all my favorite ingredients.  Hoping I would find some Goodness:

The Crust Fixin's are Dates, Coconut Shreds, Raw Macadamia Nuts and Raw Walnuts

All Mixed and mashed ready for the pan:

Ah, doesn't this crust look Yummy!  I wanted to just stop here and eat every bit... But I waited, patiently..

 Now for the pie filling fixin's... Dates, Coconut Shreds, Bananas, a dabble of lemon juice, and a dibble of vanilla:

All mashed and Mixed... Thank you Mr. Vita-Mix

And here.... Drum roll please.....  My Mostly Raw non-cream Pie banana/coconut Concoction:

ONE Problem....  it didn't harden like I hoped... so while eating this delicious goodness, it is more like pudding (as in eating with a spoon and not a fork) and crunchy nutty crust... And I'm OK with that!  So Tasty!  

Veg had a whole bowl of this for breakfast (fruit, coconut, good fatty nuts, protein and nutrients)  Plus his green filled smoothie (lots of nutrients and immune boosting power)... Granted if your a food combiner, this is NOT for you... 

And if you like pies that you can eat with a fork, this is NOT for you.... Guess I will be looking for more ingredients to make it a little more thick... If I find the perfect recipe, I'll post it here.
 
But Mr. Vita-Mix has provided many delicious treats this week...

Thank you Mr. Vita-Mix!

MEAN QUAC

i made some Raw Guacamole care of Mr. Vita-Mix... It was Soooooo Good, and yet it had a mean streak. 

Last night, hubby was going to eat left overs, and a little water (lemon) had condensed on the top.  So he went to the sink, to pour out the dribble of water (lemon), and PLOP, his whole helping fell in in the sink.

Today, I had some in my Tiffin... My Tiffin fell over, and bits of the quac juice came out the sides of the dip container... which left Guacamole on my Raw trail mix.... Ewwwww.....  Sorry but dried fruit and quac just doesn't go well together.

So I took the top and set it on some work papers while cleaning up the other tiny mess, when someone came in my office.  45 minutes later, the someone leaves, and my phone rings.. meeting after meeting.. and then, I went to pick up my Tiffin container..  IT is GLUED to the paper... NOT COMING OFF!!!

Finally had to tear the paper and will need Vinegar to get the paper OFF my tiffin!   

When the day was almost over, I decided to eat what was left of the Guac from my lunch, and PLOP on to my shirt!  GROWL!!!

Mean Mean Guacamole!!

But on a good note, Hubby dehydrated and also froze me some fruit while he was home today.

Dinner was light and easy, so I had time to prep salads for tomorrow, And I tried to make a Raw coconut banana Pie .. with concocting my own recipe.  IT is sort of hardening more like SOUP then pie... but I have pictures of all this goodness and will share them soon.

Now I shall go talk (not really) to my refrigerating soupy pie and ask it to please get a little harder so we can eat it tomorrow. 

(I snuck a spoonful and man is it tasty)  Shhhhhh!

DOLL OR ACTION FIGURE?

A couple years ago, Hubby and I got in to a debate about dolls. 
So I made the comment about GI Joe, he corrected me quickly that GI Joe is an action figure and NOT a Doll.

I carried the debate in to work and, instantly girls  said "Doll" boys said "action figure"  As if it were stuck in our genetic pool.

Well to my surprise, with my Vegman knowing none of this story, he got a GI Joe from his Grandmother a couple weeks ago.  And I said, "Don't forget to grab your doll"

"ITS not a doll" he yelled!  "Its a TOY"  I was cracking up... I asked if Barbie was a Toy?   And he said "NO, she is a doll" And he'd get so mad at me if I said otherwise.  So I asked him what made it a TOY vs. a DOLL and he had very specific reasons....  Which were all the same as Hubby's from a few years ago. 

Makes me wonder if the little swimming buddy that helps decide if baby will be boy or girl, actually carries the boy manual with him upon egg impact.   Then when the boy passes through the birth canal it gets tattooed in his brain.  Much like the inability to move things in the fridge to see if something is behind it.  Or sticking his tongue out when getting in to a video game.  Anyway...

So I ask, what is the difference?  A toy, A doll, An Action Figure....  And Hubby said "An action figure actually does things"

Well the "doll that drops water in the toilet really does something too, does that make it an action figure?"

NO, THAT IS A DOLL?  So then the explanation of an Action figure is quite weak, I must say!  Which is it?

Personally, I think they are all toys, but what do I know?

CLOTHES GETTING BIGGER

The Hubby is doing an Amazing job sticking with exercise the past few months.  He's walking outside or doing something inside on the equipment at least 4 days a week, but mostly 5 days.  

Recently, he dropped one scoop of his morning coffee sugar In addition to all the other diet changes he's made lately..  But the coffee sugar is a HUGE step.  And while going out to eat, he's getting tea or water, and stopped ordering Pop.  This is also HUGE...  And of course he is still meat free.  I'm really really proud of this Hubby of mine.

So with all the inches lost, he is facing a dilemma.  He's down to the last hole on his belt.  Which means the next option is buying smaller pants or punching new holes in his belt.  I'm sure he will go with option B. 

Hmmm..... Now, If I could only decrease the cheese in his diet....  Oh Yeah, I have... Silly me... 

Isn't it fun, when your the only person who does the shopping, you can choose what they eat while they are in the house...

Muah ha ha!!!  *wink*

RANDOM THOUGHT MONDAY

Just because:

• Why is it called J-Walking... It doesn't look like a "J" when I cross the street? 
• Where does the sneeze go, when it gets lost?   Ah Ah AH AH. CHhhh...... never mind.....Where does the Ooooo go?
• Why do we say Time Flies... I've never seen a real flying clock? 
• How come when a 4 Way  Red light isn't working, it only blinks red on two sides and blinks yellow on the other two sides?   Thought they were supposed to be 4 way stops... I guess its good, if your going the way of the yellow.  But if your going the way of the red... STUCK!
• Isn't it great when we have to change the clocks back an hour, we get an extra hour sleep... Unless we have children.
• How come when I'm looking for something I need to buy, I can never find it?   But when I can't buy something, THERE IT IS!
• They created the ability for running water in our homes.  They created the ability for multiple sources in a home to use that running water at the same time.... Why oh Why, did they not put in a little piece during that creation to make me not burn my buns in the shower if the sink is on in the kitchen?
• Try to say Grey Green Juice three times real fast...

And on that note... Happy Monday.. and Welcome to November!

FALL HIKE 2009

We headed into the mountains today for our first Fall Hike of the season... The leaves were at their peak, but with the sun and shadows, the pictures were hard to get.  I have a few to share though!!

The drive .. Just love this pictures:

Them Mountains:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hiking Companions took some breaks:

 

Them rocks skipped far!




The Snacks.. For both raw and non-raw enthusiasts...Thank you Mr. Tiffin!!

 

And there ya have it... A beautiful Hike, a beautiful Drive, A beautiful View... Some nice companions, And some very yummy snacks...

What more could a girl ask for??