Halloween Pics, Highlights of the Week, A Few Thoughts

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So I am dying to know how Halloween was for you?  What all went down?  Parties, costume pictures, regaling me with your drunken escapades & stories…it’s all welcomed and appreciated because things were very G-Rated and family-friendly around here.

We had Halloween Round 2 Saturday Afternoon.  Previously, last Wednesday, we had Halloween Round 1 by way of a Trunk-n-Treat.  Check that post out for pictures in you missed it.  But here’s a few pics from the Disney themed Halloween celebration (which is the Round 2) where the kiddies walked from store to store collecting candy at a local mall.

Young girl in fairy princess dress

There were lots of Little PrincessesMine’s in pink, of course.

Young girl in dress with other children

And some dressed-in-pink-goth-Princesses passing out candy in front of Hot Topic

Woman passing out candy in front of store

And gosh, it was so crowded.  You would have thought they were giving away free candy or something.  Oh wait, they were.

Crowd filled with Halloween go-ers

The highlight was when a candy store was giving away candy.  But they gave a very lame piece of taffy, not chocolate.  Sigh.

Young girl in halloween costume in candy store

We decided to take a rest for a minute on a bench

Woman and child dressed in halloween costume sitting on bench

 

Young girl in costume with woman sitting on bench

But my Princess was tired, hot, and on the verge of an over-stimulated meltdown, so we split.  Goodbye Halloween 2009.

Young girl in fairy princess costume on bench tired

And then Saturday night, for the actual night of Halloween, we skipped the door-to-door knocking; rounds 1 & 2 were enough for us.   My observation with most things in parenthood, not just Halloween, is that less is more.  We had our fun and since and since it’s back in the low 70s in the evenings here, we went for a lovely walk as a family, and I put a vat of candy outside with the Candy Honor System and called it a night.  So that wraps up Halloween 2009 for us, how about you, fill me in!!!

Moving along and because it’s the weekend, you know it’s time for a Weekly Recap and Highlight Reel of all the Yummies I made the previous week.  But before I roll the highlights, I wanted to thank you for the response on the Vegan Hot Cocoa.  My little 50 calorie, quick, vegan method blows Swiss Miss Away if I do say so myself.  Give it a whirl and let me know whatcha think!

Vegan Hot Cocoa

And the Raw Vegan Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is really soooo easy and tastes far more complicated, rich, and sinful than it really is.  Something in between what a chocolate tapioca crossed with melting chocolate fudge would taste like is what I think it’s like.  With no effort, yay!  I may just happen to be having a Give Away and it may just happen to involve Chia Seeds starting in a day or two….

Raw Vegan Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

So to recap the Week’s Eats….


Sunday I posted the Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

And also my Tips & Thoughts for What Makes This Recipe one of my Best Ever

Close up  of Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls on plate

Monday I came at you with Vegan PB & Chocolate Chex Mix (aka Puppy Chow)

Vegan PB & Chocolate Chex Mix

And Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

And Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries stacked

Tuesday I made the almost Raw Vegan Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes – 5 Minute Recipe

Raw Vegan Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes on plate
Close up of Raw Vegan Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes

Wednesday I got in the fall spirit with Roasted Acorn Squash

 Roasted Acorn Squash on foil lined pan
Close up of Roasted Acorn Squash
 

and Acorn Squash Fries

Acorn Squash Fries

And Dehydrated Seeds

Dehydrated Seeds

Thursday I graced you with Sundried Tomatoes

Sundried Tomatoe on dehydrator tray
Hand holding Sundried Tomatoe

And Cauliflower & Broccoli Salad

 Cauliflower & Broccoli Salad
 Close up of Cauliflower & Broccoli Salad

Friday I hooked you up Guiltless Vegan Hot Cocoa

Guiltless Vegan Hot Cocoa

And the Raw Vegan Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Raw Vegan Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

 

Close up of Raw Vegan Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

So for the final time this month, things today were brought to you in VeganMofo spirit.
VeganMofo Logo

Yoga Today is Sirsana (Headstand).  Your shoulders and arms should be absorbing about 90% of your weight, and only 10% is absorbed by your head.  If you’re feeling it too much in your head & neck, you need to really concentrate on building your arm & shoulder strength, ok love?

Woma doing Sirsana yoga pose

Thoughts of the Day:  For the past few months I have thoroughly enjoyed and have loved reading everyone’s blog and commenting on as many blog posts of yours as I possibly can.  Lately though I’ve realized that between taking care my husband and my daughter (read: my two priorities above all else), taking care of my house & day-to-day life stuff, making all my delish eats & treats, blogging about them, all while trying to squeeze a little downtime into my life that’s not in front of the computer screen, I am going to have to cut back on commenting on other blogs a bit. 

For those of you that have gotten used to my daily and sometimes epic comments on your blogs, I may not comment on every post or comment every day, but know that I am still reading.  I’d rather leave thoughtful comments with less frequency than write something akin to “nice apples”.

Know that I love receiving your comments on my blog, and I am still going to make my rounds in the blogosphere, I am just not going to comment on every blog, every day.  I just can’t.  Lately I am in the leaving 50+ comments per day range and it’s just too much for me.  Of course I could have just kind of disappeared and not drawn attention to this, but that’s not my style and I also didn’t want anyone to think I was mad at them.

So I think you all get it and hopefully understand, and maybe some of you even feel a bit overwhelmed with balancing commenting, blogging, and life…so I won’t beat a dead horse anymore.  Bad vegan pun there, sorry.

Switching it up, here’s something I was wondering, for any vegan/vegetarians, what do you do for the Day of Thanksgiving or even the other major winter holidays where the meals center around turkey or other animal flesh?  Just curious on that because being that we’re the lone rangers out here in AZ and have no plans to get together with family this season, I am grateful I don’t have to explain any of my “weird food choices” to anyone.  Gatherings should be a time of celebration and not having to explain yourself, or worse, go away hungry from the dinner table.  So how do you handle it?  Or even if you’re not veg/vegan, does anyone give you grief for your “weird” (read: healthier) food & lifestyle choices?

Stay Tuned For A Vegan No-Bake Holiday Pie…

P.S. I am announcing the winner Sunday of the Fruition ProBars Give Away so this is Last Call: Get Entered, my sweethearts!

 

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Comments

  1. eeeeeek! I loveee the addition of the fresh squeezed orange juice! I'm totes making these this week when I don't have school! So easy and sooo delicious looking :)

    that almond butter sounds very delish and like a perfect topping for the p-kin pie ;)

  2. On a first date, the guy and I ordered a heaping plate of nachos. I picked up the perfect warm tortilla chip loaded with gooey, gloppy nacho goodness, and apparently he could tell I was deliberating on how to eat it politely. He told me to just cram the whole thing in my mouth, so I did, and he was most definitely impressed. Manners are overrated. ;-)

  3. YUMM!!! what a great idea to vegganize fajitas!! I tried some vegan onion dip at the food festival I went to on sunday it was sooo good!!

    LOVE west elm!!! such great, modern, fresh stuff in there, and the chairs are awesome, what a great addition to your home!

    So excited for your chia giveaway!!

  4. This is my type of meal.. looks absolutely delicious Averie.

    Im also loving your furniture.. very pretty and modern looking. I also enjoy that pillow!!!

    I actually could care less about what I look like when I eat.. lol Whatever.. as long as Im not at a restaurant or something (uh even then I dont stress.. I kinda doubt anyone is looking at me anyways!)

  5. Almond Butter is to die for. The three of us go through about 4 jars a week! Dan likes to eat with carob chips mixed in for a treat, Blaine is P&J kid on spilt bread and strawberry jam. He always ask why his sandwich looks differant from the other kids. Do you thinkits alright to tell because his mama is smarter and love him more? And I love my AB mixed in a little carob powder, and coconut milk makes kind of a pudding, yummy. But could use some whippy anybody ever try making coconut whip cream?
    We're getting ready to go away for the weekend. Excited and nervous Blaine is staying with the G.P.s. Not his first time so they'll have fun. I'll just miss him but I know the break will good for me and Dan. Going cave diving. It can be a pain to pack since I now have to pack most our food to. What do other people do about Vac and food? Do you just go with it and not worry so much about your choices or do you try and remain true to deit of choice and bring what every you need with you?

    As for food manners? Lots of napkins. A big piles of them.
    Dating stories? Been married to long to remember 15 yrs in Dec plus Dan and I didn't date long enough to have any. 3 months…love at first sight.

    Chia seed. I am dying to try but hard to find here in wilmy-wood. and they had a specail on them once but to expensive for trying. I was thinking about them in my carob pudding I make. So sign me up baby! Have a great day. XOXO Rach

    I think I finally remember my password.

  6. thank you for putting that picture of the revolved side angle. i always did the pose wrong. now i know how to make it. i never place my hand down and it always seemed so easy.
    thank god you're part of this blogging community
    xoxo

  7. i love your regular yoga posts, i try almost each pose as i read your post. it makes a nice refreshment while reading blogs, to stretch a bit the body :-)

  8. Hahaha, I never worry about looking neat and lady like no matter what I'm doing! Personally, I think that is just a way to control women and make us more meek, timid, etc. So, when I munch on sloppy fajitas I MUNCH my rockin' feminist heart out….and my t-shirts can attest to that fact!

    Speaking of fajitas – YUM! I LOVE portabello mushrooms, they are SO perfect in so many different ways. I am going to have to try that sweet ginger lime sauce, lime always makes everything better.

  9. OMGoodness…everything here is just totally droolworthy, I am slobbering all over my screen. I love love love Mexican too, so I quite often make a similar kinda of dinner.

    And loving your new home furnishings. Isn't it lovely to nest???

  10. Your home furnishings and recipes are just gorgeous (as always). I can't tell which I am more excited to try, your veggie fajitas or your pie. Okay, I'm lying. I want to make that pie. Don't you think I should do a test run before Thanksgiving? :)

  11. I haven't met a jar of almond butter yet that i didn't absolutely fall in love with!
    The vegan pumpkin looks great…I think the vegan dessert I'll be using this Thanksgiving will be a vegan brownie base topped with vegan pumpkin pie filling, but your pie crust is definitely tempting!

  12. Averie,

    Love that you enjoy almond butter as much as me! I can't get enough of the stuff! Personally, my all time fav is TJ's raw natural crunchy almond butter. But, maybe I'll give this one a try:) Nice blog!

    Corinne