Hi Friends! How has your weekend been going? I’ve been trying to soak in the time with my family and the great weather! As I mentioned, there have been no “major plans” on my agenda and that’s been perfect. I’ve also been hitting the gym to lift, outdoor cardio alone, and some long power walks with the family and it’s been great! On our family power walk yesterday, I found $20 bucks!
Seriously, if I thought there was a way to return it to it’s rightful owner I would have but since we were the only folks out in the 95F heat and blazing sun, I thought it was the Universe’s way of patting me on the back for all the working out I’ve been doing in anticipation of my Fitness Competitions haha!
So that was a nice highlight to my Saturday. And here was Last Week’s Highlights of the Week Post.
And now begins This Week’s Highlights of the Week in Food and Life in as brief of a format as I can do without totally sacrificing read-ability or omitting any of the major recipes from the week. As always, click through if something catches your eye!
Monday: Mango Banana Vanilla Softserve
New Workout Routines and Pictures Tab
(I had a rude comment this morning that hurt my feelings that I deleted in this Tab. Please Don’t Leave Me Any Nastygrams about My Body or My Parenting. Just Don’t Say It! Instead go do a Random Act of Kindness, Not Hate. Thanks. Plus, I know your IP Address…ha!)
I wonder how Brad’s Kale Chips compare to My Own Raw Vegan Kale Chips?
And I told you That I Always Have Goals. What Are Yours?
Tuesday: Chocolate Coconut Oil Protein Popcorn
As I mentioned, I am trying to be mindful and increase my protein slightly but nothing crazy, now that I’m Training for Fitness Competitions
Note: I order all my protein, Sun Warrior Brown Rice in Chocolate is my #1 Protein and **I get it from iHerb.com and if you use my code: AVE630 you can save $5 off your First Order!**
And if you think the combo of chocolate + nooch is strange….it’s not!
That’s what my Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cups are!
Salon Trip
Insurance. Ripoff or a Necessity? Thanks for telling me your thoughts on Insurance!
Green Food was Mixed Field Greens, Sugar Snap Peas, Brussels, Baby Red Chard, Tomatoes, Cukes
Dressed With my Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing
Dessert was a few Nibbles of Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate
Wednesday: No Bake Vegan Mint Chocolate Coconut Snowballs
Can you see the Little Chocolate and Mint Chips Coated in Minty Chocolate?
Which Were Inspired by…
1. Vegan Creme de Menthe Bars (No-Bake)
2. Raw Vegan Chocolate Coconut Snowballs
3. Dark Chocolate Coconut Snowballs
4. High Raw Vegan “Peppermint Patties”
New Athletic Gear
Green Food: A Kale Salad with Tomatoes, Carrots, Cukes, & Cauli Topped with….
The Dressing was my Vegan Creamy Tahini Cesar-Inspired Dressing
I don’t eat very much soy at all, but the extra protein is nice and as long as I take it easy and don’t overdo it, I don’t seem to have any glaring food allergy reactions.
Thursday: Winner of the $25 Custom Chocolate Shopping Spree Give Away!
No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls with Extra Protein Option
This Recipe Fits my Criteria for an Easy Recipe as I Mentioned in This Post: Fast, easy, one bowl, no power appliances.
Just like the Minty Snowball Recipe was inspired by previous similar desserts I’ve made, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls were Inspired By:
1. High Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
2. Raw Vegan Peanut Butter (or Sunflower Seed Butter) Vanilla Balls
3. Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls
5. And Finally, Today’s Recipe was also inspired by my Nut Butter Filled Caramel Bites
Friday A Big Protein Update:
“I wanted to touch on my Protein Situation that so many people ask me about it. I had posted that I was trying to be mindful and increase my protein slightly but nothing crazy, now that I’m Training for Fitness Competitions.
However….
…as I alluded to in this Post, my Tummy is not Enjoying the Protein Powder, at all.
Thanks for your suggestions and tips you had for me…
But, I have realized in the past 2 weeks after giving it a valiant effort, that my body does not like and is not tolerating any more than 1 scoop per day of protein powder or “engineered protein”. I won’t go into the details, but suffice to say, lots of time in the bathroom, GI distress, stomach cramps, and clearly, that is my body telling me to stop giving it something it doesn’t tolerate!
So, I’m going to stop “trying so hard” to consume “more” protein, and I will have One Scoop of Protein Powder, maximum, per day, and that’s it. Let the protein chips fall where they may. And the rest of my protein is going to come from food. Real foods, not powders. “
Metabolic Typing and Why I Don’t Need As Much Protein As Others
What Type Are You? This is Interesting Stuff!
“As I mentioned in this post about why it was easy for me to become vegan (i.e. I believe my protein requirement just isn’t that terribly high), and I’ve just done some preliminary reading about Metabolic Typing. Although no one is “textbook” anything, I believe that I possess traits of a Slow Oxidizer and because of that, it’s common to have lower protein, but higher carbs, needs. Click Here for a Quick-n-Easy Test. I’ve always said I need carbs over protein or fat. Turns out, I was onto something!
Through all of this, I am reminded again that I should never doubt Plants and Plant Power! Trust in Real Food and Natural Vegan Sources of Protein as discussed in this post and just roll with it. As evidenced by my Workout Tab Pictures, I am on the right track. “
There’s Protein in overnight Chocolate Brownie Protein Oats
and in my Chocolate Coffee Vanilla Protein Shake
If you’re generally opposed to buying prepared condiments, please check out my Vegan Holiday-Spice Orange Vinaigrette
The flavors in that dressing are very similar to the mango chutney. Add in either diced mango or orange pieces if you enjoy the thicker chunks that you’d find in a chutney.
Earth Week
I saw this challenge on Katie’s Blog and on Lori’s Blog, and I plan to participate since I already do some of the things anyway. I encourage you to participate, not just because it’s a Challenge, but because long-term, it’s Good For You, Your Health and for the Planet to be as Green as Possible!
Saturday Jewelry Give Away: Custom Necklace!!!
From Friday…
Blogging Breaks, Frequency, and What You Do About It
I want to follow up and thank everyone who wrote to me and told me not to worry about blogging on the weekends, that you’ll still be here waiting for me on Monday and I really, really appreciate that!
Honestly, it has become overwhelming me to put out 7 posts a week and since my posts are long, big, and chock full of content and pictures, I am going to be scaling back my weekend posts going forward…I think but then again I’m taking it day by day and not trying to over think it. And I need to remind myself that I am probably the only one who really “cares” about this but I wanted to keep you all in the loop.
Not sure how it will all pan out and what day(s) I plan to not post, but thank you so much for all the encouraging and awesome comments you left me. It means the world to know that you not only understand that blogging every day is a lot to manage, but that you’ll still love me in the morning Still be there to Read my Blog On Monday Morning and that you’re not going anywhere.
I don’t want to let my friends and readers down, but I also have to admit that I have a whole real, full, and wonderful life away from my computer screen:
A Child!!!!!!!
A Husband
My ACE Personal Trainer Studying
Fitness Competition Training Program (If you need Workout/Training Ideas or Splits, Check out This Tab)
Friends & a Real Social Life
Yoga Classes I Teach
Just the day to day stuff of life: bills, phone calls, errands, grocery shopping, etc and it All Takes Time!
…Which is why I have to scale things back at least 1 day a week with my own blog and with commenting. Thanks Everyone For Reading and Understanding: Real Life First, Blog Life Second.
If You Missed my What Blogging Really Entails Post, for anyone who’s a Blogger, you will Relate. And if you’re not a Blogger, it may be an eye-opener, and for those of you who are contemplating starting a blog, it may give you some things to ponder.
Yoga Today is a Nice Summary of Why to Practice Sun Salutations that my friend and fellow yoga teacher Stacy McCarthy wrote:
Sun Salutations have multiple mental and physical benefits. In only ten minutes you can achieve a low impact workout that combines both Resistance Training (strength) and Flexibility Training in a time tested, perfectly balanced sequence.
Regular practice of Sun Salutations benefit your body with
- Increased blood oxygenation by copious lung ventilation. This is great news for your heart.
- Stretches and tones your muscles keeping them supple and flexible.
- Builds upper body strength, especially in the shoulders & arms.
- Clears your elimination channels helping your body rid itself of toxins. This is especially good in the morning after many hours of lack of movement during sleep (the lymphatic system eliminates toxins through movement).
- Stimulates and tones your Endocrine system (especially the Thyroid, the master gland that controls all the other glands).
- Tones up the internal abdominal organs by alternate stretching, compression cycles that results in better digestion and bowel movement.
- Increases spine and waist flexibility.
The mental benefits of Sun Salutation are similar with meditation.
- Increases your mental focus and concentration.
- Reduces depression, anxiety and stress by reducing key markers like Cortisol.
- Increases the quantity of “good mood” neurotransmitters like Serotonin.
- Increases mind to body coordination which is very good especially for athletes
Gym & Weights Workout Today: Saturday was Full Body with Super Sets and Sunday was Upper Body with Super Sets.
I am meeting my trainer Monday morning to go over New Splits and Workouts! yay!
Tip of the Day: My Jewelry Give Away for a Custom Necklace!!!!!
I’ve never had the opportunity to Reward a Reader with Jewelry.…Until Now!!!!
Questions
1. Best Thing You Have Eaten or Done this Weekend?
Me= Raw cauliflower drowning in Vegan Slaw Dressing. I know it’s not fancy, but I love it.
Power walks with my family and This:
Haven’t much of it but I still have today to become BFF’s with my chaise lounge!
2. Have You Ever Found Money? How Much? Did you feel Guilty at All for Keeping It? Or was it more like, Hell Yeah! This Rocks!
I used to work in nightclubs and bars and used to find tons of money. I probably used to find at least a couple hundred dollars a month on the floor of the bar. That’s what happens when people drink. They get so sloppy that money literally starts falling out of their pockets and super sonic eyes that I have, I could see money on the floor and in that environment, finders-keepers was my motto! That’s what you get for getting too drunk for your own good! haha!
3. What Do You think About One or Two Less Posts Per Week from Me? Or How About Non-Food Posts or Hearing About my Yoga/Workout Info?
I feel like some people truly only read my blog for the recipes and that’s great, I love anyone who finds the time in their day to read about what I’ve made in the kitchen. But this blog is about my life, too, and since I do a lot more in life than just create recipes, my blog reflects that.
Sometimes I feel like maybe I post too many pictures of Skylar or me or random life stuff, or of things I get in the mail or random details about my fitness training, and I don’t want to bore anyone or just drone on and on, but I feel like I want to post more about life stuff, too, not only recipes. I will always post recipes, I just feel like spicing things up with life stuff. After all, recipes are easy, but I feel like Life is A Lot More Fun!
What Do You Like Reading About on My Blog or On Other People’s Blogs? In General, What are your Blog Reading Turn Ons and Turn Offs?
Stay Tuned For A Guest Post of Mine on Gena of Choosing Raw‘s Blog to be Published Later Today! Please Check Gena’s Site for it!
Hi Averie,
I personally read your blog for the personal posts! I think your healthy life with Skylar is precious and admirable. As a college student in a semi-small town, I personally don’t have access to most of the super-healthy ingredients you cook with, so the personal posts are far and above my favorites. However, your flourless PB cookies are out of this world. I am also a beginning yoga lover and practice daily. I’d love to hear more about that! Keep it up!
Wow…this post is almost 2 years old! When I saw a comment come in on it, I was like…wow!
I also don’t cook with super-healthy things much of the time…and I NEVER EVER shop at Whole Foods. I get everything I need from the reg groc store or TJs. I can’t afford WFs and don’t go into it. Glad you like my cookies.
All yoga info here
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/yoga