Coconut & Olive Oil Roasted Potato Sticks, Raw Vegan BBQ Sauce, Cooking For Others-Do You Eat What You Make, Blogging & Saftey Lessons Learned

Hi Friends!  First off, I want to thank everyone who has emailed me or commented on my post yesterday about my Blogging Crossroads and the Safety Violations that I have experienced as a result of blogging.  Your friendship and your voices of support, compassion, empathy, encouragment, love and light have truly taken my breath away and made me cry.  Happy tears of course!  I could have never dreamed that the ugly events me and my family have experienced would become the source of the most beautiful outpouring of support.  Truly, you all blew me away and thank you!

I am sorry that I can’t email you all back personal replies but please know each and every heartfelt comment that you left for me was read with major appreciation and gratitude on my part.  It showed me, once again, that stopping blogging is not an option.  I would miss this community too much!  

I also wanted to thank readers who came out of the woodwork and commented for the first time on my post yesterday and to the infrequent commenters as well.  I am glad to “meet” you all it’s a bit odd to have thousands of people reading about my life, whom never say hello.  I realize that’s part of the deal with blogging, you never fully know who’s reading, but it’s a surreal phenomenon.  So thanks to everyone who said Hi for the first time yesterday.  And of course, to my loyal commenters and readers, as always, thank you for voicing your support.

The genuine empathy and support I felt was monumental and thank you, and interestingly, I almost didn’t even write the post.  I didn’t want to draw attention to an already hard situation for me.  However, not only would it have felt disingenuous on my part to avoid posting about it, but my hope was that by bringing attention to what I have been going through, that other bloggers may be more aware of safety considerations as it relates to blogging.  It reminds me of my Tough Love Post on Abs…I almost didn’t publish that one and it’s turned out to be super popular.

Back to what I have learned from this experience.  We are not invincible; what we write and the details we give about our lives, however small or trivial to us, can be used, saved up, put together as puzzle pieces and the net result is that all of a sudden, someone knows way too much about you and your personal life.  I am not saying we have to live in fear or even censor ourselves, but we do need to realize that the snapshots that we present to the world can be taken advantage of by those who read our blogs and who have less than well-meaning intent.   Sad but true.  Just be safe everyone.  I have learned many lessons the hard way.  Hopefully you won’t have to.  We are all “fine” but the emotional ramifications will live on.   And physically speaking, as I mentioned yesterday, the whole matter has made me physically ill.  I have the world’s most sensitive nervous system and digestive system and stress = me shaking and being really ill.

So, enough of all that.  Whew.

Despite everything going on, I decided to make Potatoes for Scott.   He has a bad back and has been suffering with a back flare-up for the past few days and I feel awful for him.  For those of you who don’t know this, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.  Preferably in the form of white carbs.  This recipe proved that theory correct….haha!

Averie’s Coconut & Olive Oil Roasted Potato Sticks
2 Large White Potatoes
2-4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1-2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger (anti-inflammatory herb, great for Scott’s inflamed back)

1/8 Tsp Paprika
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Note: All the seasonings are optional, and you can play around with them.  Use cumin, dill, turmeric, garlic, onion, add lemon juice, etc.) 

Slice the potatoes into Sticks, Drizzle with the Various Oils (if you don’t have coconut oil or have other oils you enjoy, i.e. Hemp or others, use any oil combo you like) & Sprinkle on the Seasonings

Roast in a Foil Lined 9 x 13 Pan at 425F for about 45 minutes, covered with another sheet of foil on top

After 45 minutes or so, remove the top foil covering, toss potatoes and continue to roast for about 20 minutes, uncovered, or until done to desired level

The covering and then uncovering method of roasting will allow for crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, without getting too overdone, potato sticks

 

Need something to dip the taters in?  How about Raw Barbecue Sauce.  I bet this would go stellar with the potato sticks but the ketchup Skylar and Scott dipped them in seemed to work fine.

I’d much rather have Green Raw Fresh Food….  

…Fresh Raw Green Food like my Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls and 2-Minute Peanut Sauce

Breakfast Food for Dessert Today:  Butterfinger & Banana Oats 
This is another one I make for Scott when he’s not feeling well. Nothing like candy bars in your oatmeal (carbs) to make you feel better!  Feel free to use Vegan candy bars like Jokerz bars to make this vegan.  Who ever said vegan food is “always healthy”.  hah!

Gym & Weights Workout Today From This Tab: Triceps/Biceps/Back and Abs.   
Used my Home Gym/FreeWeights & Bowflex
Did Abs with my Exercise Balls from This Post

Questions 
1. What’s your idea of comfort food?
Scott’s would be white potatoes, my mother’s would be cookies, and mine would be super hot coffee.  Not really a “food” but it does comfort me!

2. Anything fun on your agenda for the weekend?
Me = Working.  Sorry to anyone who’s asked what I do or where I work.  In light of everything, I need to keep this private.

3. What lessons have you learned from blogging?  Safety or otherwise?  
I’ve learned to not tell everyone everything but that sharing brings people together and fosters a sense of community when one is open, honest, candid, and speaks and blogs from the heart.  I just need to find a better balance I guess. 

I really don’t plan to change “my blogging style”.  Hundreds of you told me the reason you read my blog is for my personality, my openness, my willingness to share and although I will tone some details down, I really don’t want to let this incident change me or the way I blog.   I don’t want to live in fear, that would be letting the situations win; but of course common sense and safety must prevail.

What lessons have you learned from blogging?  Off the top of your head, what has blogging taught you?

4.When you cook food for others, do you sample it even if you don’t really “want” it?
I have posted before that when I cook, I do often times making separate food or meals for each person in the family.  There is no need to subject Skylar or Scott to my food allergy restrictions and there is no need or desire for me to eat potatoes that I don’t really care, just because they’re “there”, or eat them “just because” I made them.  Willpower?  Not really.  Just lack of interest I’d say.  

I also find joy in cooking for my family.  Gosh I sound like a grandma, but I really do.  It makes me happy to cook food or prepare it in a way that they like best, even if I don’t want it.  Now, I am not a total short order cook, but on bad back days, I am more than happy to oblige.

How do you tackle cooking for others?   Do you always eat what you make or not?

Stay Tuned For A Give Away 

And some Progress Pics.  Here’s a Sneak Peak…