How are you doing today? Are you surviving the first few days of the week after the long and lovely holiday weekend? I did but I’ve got so many things, details, loose ends, and projects I’ve been working on. I also just got back from teaching a great yoga class and need to get a late dinner going but wanted to say thanks for the positive feedback about the Product Review Post I did yesterday.
Everything from ProBars
To Yoga Mats
To AmazingGrass that I used to make “Amazing” Raw Vegan Chocolate Coconut Snowballs.
I am glad you liked the product review info and that it’s helpful and informative. May as well share my thoughts and hopefully someone gets something out of it!
A few months back I shared a little info about the Full Moon, and specifically, what happens to us during a Full Moon. If you missed that post, go check it out.
I received alot of feedback and comments that you wanted more info about astrology and since December 2 is a Full Moon, I thought this was a good day to wax and wane about the moon. Forgive the horrible pun there.
Here are some random facts & info about the Full Moon:
Full Moon occurs when the Sun and Moon oppose each other, and this opposition creates a certain unbalance. It’s like we’re in the middle of a strong magnetic field and loose balance as soon as we try to move out. We tend to have accidents – whether it’s a fall or a car crash.
Hospitals & Surgeons are Busier
If you’ve set intentions on the new Moon, the full Moon is the time for releasing them out. Intentions are like wishes you send out, but you’ve got to take an active part in making them happen. When you set intentions consciously, it makes you more present to the moment, able to jump on opportunities, cultivate contacts, and recognize divine serendipity.
The full Moon often casts an exuberant vibe, making it a great time to have a party.
Another effect of the tension in the Universe during the full Moon is violent outbreaks. Especially where there are religious and ethnic conflicts, like in northern Ireland and the Middle East, there tend to be a peak in violence close to full Moon.
Watch your own irritation at full Moon! This is when you easily snap at your kids or significant other, or generally tend to feel tense.
Your Physical Energy is Much Stronger
Concentration More Difficult, “Fuzzy-Brained”, Chaotic & Disorganized Thoughts
Restlessness, Anxiety, Tense Moods prevail.
We all know the word lunatic. It comes from the Latin word for Moon, luna. Someone who’s lunatic is full of full Moon. Restless, nervous, tense, violent, angry.
Difficulty Sleeping. It’s common to suffer from insomnia by full Moon
Full Moon is a time for romance. The play of light over the water, the moon hanging in the branches of trees, the huge orb rising over a cityscape — all these put us more in touch with our creature sense.
The full moon is also associated with fertilization and ovulation. successful conception is easier at that time.
Sources:
My own knowledge with supplemented info from
https://www.moonslipper.com/fullmoonenergy.html
https://goddess.astrology.com/moon/phases.html
https://astrology.about.com/od/foundations/p/FullMoon.htm
Well enough of the Hippy Dippy Moon ramblings. As I mentioned before, I was asked my many to give some info on this, so there ya have it.
Moving along to some of the Food ’round here…
I bought a Cookie Dough Balance Bar.
The 15 g of protein is appealing, the fact that it contains lots of random ingredients is not so much.
But as a once-in-awhile thing, I gave some to Skylar with the rest of her vegetarian snack. Apples, grapes, frozen mango chunks, raisins, and a few bites of the Cookie Dough Balance bar.
I much prefer my own take on Raw Vegan Cookie Dough.
There was a huge garden salad with tomatoes, orange & yellow peppers, & carrots that I dressed with my Holiday Orange Spice Dressing….
…and roasted Sweet Potatoe Fries to go with it.
I made a Kale Salad
With Cauli, Brock, Peapods and my Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing.
For Dessert I brewed a cup of Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea. I adore this stuff but after drinking really black coffee, tea does seem so light. That’s the beauty of tea though, the delicateness of the flavors.
And nibbled on some TJ’s Carmel Corn (vegan & gluten-free, best as I can tell)…
…with Vegan Chocolate Chips mixed in.
Big shoutout to reader Katie who made my Vegan Creme de Menthe bars and put her own twist on them based on the ingredients she had on hand and topped them with Candycane pieces.
But then I had a Peanut Butter craving come on, so I whipped up a couple of my now infamous Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
If you haven’t gotten in on the Chocolate PB Cup action, I highly recommend them!
Many of you have asked what the Nooch in the recipe does? Well, you know how the filling in Reese’s Cups is slightly salty with just a little bit of texture to it? Well, the nooch provides a slightly savory quality and little bit of texture, all in one raw vegan shot. Love it, but not essential if you just gotta try these, they’ll be fine without it.
Yoga Today is Kapotasana (King Pigeon Pose). Please do not try this unless your back is thoroughly warmed up as well as your quads. Yoga is not a competition and so please don’t force yourself into a pose. I don’t want you to hurt yourself. This is a pose to work towards with patience and compassion for any limitations your body has.
Tip of the Day: Pay attention to how the phases of the moon effect you. When I was younger, I never did. But as I have gotten older and feel more in tune with my body and the world around me, I do notice more chatotic energy during the full moon and I’ve had a horrible time sleeping this week. Restless, insomnia, working til 2am on my computer, and eyes pop open at 6am rearin’ to go kinda thing. I think that if you open your heart and mind to nature, and to the beauty and mystery that can be found in the natural world, it can be such a profound and amazing thing to notice the effects unfold in your own body.
One of the other natural phenomena that I am really effected by is sunlight. I say this jokingly but not totally, I need to live in a place where it’s sunny most of the time or I just don’t feel right. Are there any nature or natural occurrences that you notice that effect you? In what way?
What’s your take on astrology, yoga musings, and things that are less tangible, but that may indeed exist? Are you a believer? Do you think it’s hocus pocus? Are you open to this kind of thing or are you more of a concrete, left-brained thinker?
Stay Tuned For Holiday Cha-Cha-Chia…
P.S. Sorry that I haven’t made my rounds throughout the blogosphere today….I’ve been slammed and plan to cruise your bloggies later tonight, best I can before I pass out from exhaustion! It’s been a freakishly busy day for me!
I'm always so glad you post your guest posts on your blog – I always feel like I learn something new about you every time. :)
I do send out holiday cards and since we started doing photo cards 3 years ago I find it SOO much easier! Chris and I tend to vacation a lot so we usually choose one from a place we've gone to, order the photos online, stuff 'em in envelopes, lick em, stick the stamp and off they go! I love receiving cards from people (it lets me know they thought of us) and I've found that photo cards of others are my favorites. My problem is that I feel like the holidays bring out the procrastinator in me – I am late shopping, decorating, and sending out cards. This was a good reminder…thank you!!
Oh my, I would love try the Dill Flackers. I'm a sucker for anything Dill flavoured!!
I want to try the peppermint chocolate donut holes..I noticed it calls for 1 cup of flaxseeds..what would the equivalent be to ground flax?
Yep, I love holiday cards. But I stopped sending out Christmas cards a few years ago. Now I send out Thanksgiving cards. People definitely don't expect one of those! And it is a great opportunity for me to take the time to tell each person why I am thankful to have them in my life! NO GENERIC CARDS FOR ME! I'd rather not send one than send a card with just my signature. Too impersonal.
My parents have no blending apparatuses (apparati?) here in Tokyo so I'm pretty much completely helpless if I want to make anything fun at all (coughdonutholescough). Not like I want to get out of vacation mode at all, but I spose a Diana-style kitchen is something I can look forward to returning to, eh? :)
Love love love all your posts. Food is so decadent. Your little one is adorable.
Gosh – warrior 3 – my nemesis! – it's a hit or miss for me always :(…much easier if i just try going into airplane or enter from a standing pose…if i try from revolved triangle or something…uh yeah i'm falling…i don't practice it enough though – so that might explain alot haha ;)
So much to comment on! I did not know you changed your name to Averie Harmony! How hippy dippy fabulous is that?! That's awesome.
Pepperment donut holes sound amazing.
I really, really need to get myself a spiralizer. I just peel my zuke to get it pasta-fied. I'll add it to the Christmas list! haha
busy weeks are good weeks! i think they make the week fly by but in a good way :)
i'm so happy you're loving the teaching!! and these peppermint treats are making my tum grrrrowl!
Okay… YUM! Thanks for this. First time I stumbled across your blog, love it!
It was great to see you and Skylar yesterday! I will miss our coffee dates while you are gone! And, per usual, those donut holes look incredible.
We decorated the house this past weekend- and the tree last night, and while looking through our box-o-christmas-crap I found all the cards from last year, about 40 of them, that I made out, and put the addresses on but never sent out! Haha- so that made me decided to not do it this year either. Part of me feels guilty about it- but I just don't have the urge to do it at the moment. I did want to get the dogs a picture with Santa and send that out- because I think that would be funny.. but time is running out for that endeavor!
– On another note: I'm taking some Acroyoga tomorrow! Have you taken this before? I've always wanted to and I can't wait!!! I'll let you know how it turns out. I'm also supposed to take a workshop with Angela Farmer in a couple of weeks if I can scrap the money together- I've never taken one with her so it should be cool. Who are some of the "master" teachers that you've taken workshops/trainings with?
-Ps… I'm SO EXCITED for you to get your 500 hours!! I want to hear all about it!! AND thanks for all your support Averie- it truly means the world to me <3
hey mama, isn't it BALANCE that makes that honey yogurt bar?! It used to be Erin's fav. It has a blue stripe on the white wrapper?! (ya i used to EAT WAYYY TOO MANY bars when i was skating.)
I don't send out holiday cards but I would like to! Should have gotten my act together this year but I waited to long. Hmmm…maybe I'll do them as an email, with my family and friends spread out on 5 continents and dozens of different countries that is pretty much the only way!
Love the donut holes, anything holiday themed is good for me!
I don't send out holiday cards but I would like to! Should have gotten my act together this year but I waited to long. Hmmm…maybe I'll do them as an email, with my family and friends spread out on 5 continents and dozens of different countries that is pretty much the only way!
Love the donut holes, anything holiday themed is good for me!
delicious raw peppermint bites! love how you link back to yoru recipes just in case I forget to print it out!
I love the name of the dr flacker crackers LOL they look like the Foods alive crackers which I love crunching up ontop of salads
xoxo
Wow. Who knew? Raw donut holes! Peppermint to celebrate the winter season, too! :D
I've never sent out cards before, but I will be starting this year! :-)
and I was just bumming because I forgot my last bit of Holiday Spice dressing at work….oh well, I do have more oranges. MMMMMMM
I love sending out cards and it's on my list for this weekend to get started.
I was thinking about doing a photo one this year.
well, i'd love to ramble on but I need to get JJ to bed. gettin' late!
xo