Vanilla, Let Me Count the Ways

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I love Vanilla anything.  Always have, always will.

Here are just a few things I found in my kitchen in a matter of seconds that are vanilla related

Various vanilla products on countertop

I found this Vanilla Sugar in Aruba

Container of Vanilla Sugar

I found this gourmet real vanilla extract on sale at my local Ralph’s grocery store. $12.99 for 8 ounces.  That is insanely cheap for real vanilla extract.  The McCormick’s “non-gourmet” vanilla is about $7.99 for 2 ounces.  The math definitely pencils out on the Rodelle.

Gourmet Vanilla Extract bottle

If you have a TJ’s near you, this is definitely worth the $4.99 for 4 ounces.  Better grab this and some peanut flour.

Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract Bottle

You can make Vegan Bourbon Vanilla Softserve with it

Vegan Bourbon Vanilla Softserve in blender

Or Vegan Vanilla Chocolate Chip Softserve

Ingredients for Vegan Vanilla Chocolate Chip Softserve in blender
Chocolate chunks added to blended softserve
Side view of ingredients in blender

That’s a bourbon vanilla pool

And Vanilla Stevia is a staple for me

Liquid Vanilla Stevia bottle

Check out my Stevia Recipes Compilation Post for the many ways I use stevia.

And I love Vanilla candles

French Vanilla candleFor grocery store type candles, this Glade one does a good job of really making the air smell vanilla-ey.  Sometimes candles are so “faint”, I find them to be a waste of money.

I also love vanilla lotions, bodyspray, perfumes, and anything vanilla-scented.

And I love vanilla in Drinks.

Vegan Vanilla Hot CocoaGuiltless and fast.

Vegan Vanilla Hot Cocoa in mug

And I love vanilla in Food.  And Desserts.

Raw Vegan Apple Crumble

 

Raw Vegan Apple Crumble
Side view of Raw Vegan Apple Crumble in clear container

That is Vanilla-Agave-Cinnamon “Juice”

Vegan Caramels

Overhead of Vegan Caramels

Only 3 ingredients in these and one of them is vanilla.

Close up of Vegan Caramels

And Vegan Peanut Butter Vanilla Balls

Vegan Peanut Butter Vanilla Balls

 

Close up of Vegan Peanut Butter Vanilla Balls
 
Yes, I love vanilla.
 
From my last post about the discontinuation of Trader Joe’s Peanut Flour, yes, sorry to be the bearer of bad news for anyone who’s a fan who didn’t already know that. Seems many of you were caught off guard.
 
It was good to hear what foods you have tried lately or have tried because of the sphere.  Many of you said Peanut Flour was on your list.   And it was fun to hear what foods you tried but didn’t like.
 
Questions:
1. How’s your Hump Day going?
Mine has been busy.
 
But…Today is the actual day of Skylar’s birthday!
Young girl in pink zip up sweater smiling
She’s officially 4 as of today! And I can’t believe I was in labor 4 years ago and she was 6 pounds back then.
Young girl smiling with head tilted towards shoulder
We celebrated over the weekend, she had a party on Monday with her little friends, and today it’s a Mommy ‘n Skylar afternoon in between juggling work and everything else.
Young girl with arms crossed smiling
2. Are you a fan of vanilla?  What kinds of vanilla items do you love?  How do you use it?
I use vanilla extract in just about every sweet recipe, bakery item, cookie, cake, raw dessert, granola bar, or muffin you can think of.   And slather vanilla lotion, bodywash, and bodyspray on, too!
 
3. Any other scents or flavors you really love?
I did a post on scents and memories and mentioned some of my fave perfumes and scents.   Anything that’s sweet, smells like chocolate, or cookies or bread baking….mmm, good.
 
Time for me to be with the Birthday Girl!

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Comments

  1. Happy birthday, Skylar!! :D

    I love vanilla! Vanilla extract is one of my favorite scents. It’s heavenly! Vanilla beans are a real treat, too.

  2. Happy birthday to that gorgeous daughter! And I am a HUGE vanilla fan. Love it. Love the taste. Love the smell.

  3. I think vanilla is ok.

    I am a HUGE fan of mint, especially in chocolate! I have spied a new recipe that uses mint leaves in a bean concoction, and I cannot wait to try it.
    Seriously. I can’t resist anything mint. It’s my ‘strange addiction’!

  4. happy birthday, skylar! i hope you had a beautiful day!
    do you remember where in aruba you got the vanilla sugar, averie? just wondering if at the supermarkets or downtown…
    i love the scent of vanilla lotions and candles, and love vanilla in baked goods. for some reason, have always DISliked vanilla ice cream – too plain for my taste!

  5. Skylar is just precious, beautiful and looks like she has such a great spirit. That smile is catching!!!

    Scents: I go insane for woodsy scents — mint, leaves, grass, rain. Next up is citrus and flowers. Last comes anything food-related. Haha!

  6. Happy Birthday to Skylar! She’s adorable!

    Vanilla has been since childhood and always will be my absolute favorite flavor. For the first 20 years of my life, I refused to eat ANY other flavor of ice cream. :)

  7. i find myself adding vanilla to every breakfast, snack and dessert imaginable. and coffee. and Kahlua? Rum? The possibilities are endless…

  8. Girl, I love ALL things vanilla! Vanilla almond milk, extract in everything, vanilla Vega protein, you get the idea. And vanilla stevia drops are liquid gold in my house, it’s especially good in hot chocolate!

  9. I love vanilla, too. I splurge for the good stuff–it’s so worth it! I’ve never tried vanilla stevia though, I need to.

  10. Happy Birthday to you sweet little one! She has gotten so big this past year! I love vanilla! We stopped buying extracts years ago and now we make our own. It’s too expensive for us to buy the stuff at the store. I hope you are having a great afternoon!

    1. You make your own? As in vanilla beans + vodka and wait a month? I have heard/wanted to try this for ages…just never have.

      Fill me in!

  11. Happy birthday to Skylar!
    My favorite vanilla is definitely vanilla bean paste. It’s a blend of vanilla extract, vanilla beans, sugar, and alcohol, and it makes the best ice cream

  12. Happy Birthday to Skylar! :)

    I was looking at your caramel recipe and I was wondering if you have tried it with another type of nut and have gotten the same results? The reason why I am asking is because pine nuts are RIDICULOUSLY expensive here in B.C. Canada. They cost $8 for 100gm!

    I love the smell of clean laundry. I bought a candle that is suppose to smell like it, but really… it doesn’t! I’ve been on the hunt for a replacement so maybe I’ll see about this vanilla one. :)

    My day has been pretty ok. My university is known for having a lot of wild bunnies on campus, so we had to do an ecology lab to go out and count all the bunnies. There weren’t too many though, due to new policies and whatnot. But it was still great to walk around campus for 45 minutes!

    1. other canadian readers have told me that about pine nuts. Honestly, the way the pine nut blends/gets crushed up with the pine nut oils, just buy them. You won’t regret it. And the recipe calls for a tiny amount, like 1/4 or 1/2 cup. Not many. Consider it your splurge this week :) If you use other nuts, you will get more of this
      https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2009/12/raw-vegan-sugar-cookie-dough-balls.html
      minus the sugar.

      1. Thank you for answering my question! Those sugar cookie dough balls look really delicious.

        Hope you are having a nice day! :)

  13. Happy birthday, Skylar! She is such a little lady now!!

    I am totally a sucker for vanilla pretty much anything. I used to be a total chocolate girl, and I still love me some chocolate (the darker the better!), but vanilla has my heart. I too put vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste, my vanilla true love) in anything, especially my oats, farina, and smoothies. Cookies. Cakes. And always more than they say to use if it’s called for in a recipe.
    Love. It!

  14. I just learned that madagascar had a bad year in producing pure vanilla extract :(

    BUT they are selling vanilla beans at a much cheaper price, so we’ll be able to use the actual bean instead of extract now!

  15. Happy Birthday Skylar!!

    Oh gosh you have just reminded me why I need to invest in some quality vanilla. I didn’t realize the difference until I tried some a few months ago. I buy Kirkland Costa brand…you get a huge bottle for like $8. lol. I guess I could buy a small bottle of the good stuff and then use it only for the veeeeery special recipes.

    1. I love the idea of a huge bottle for $8!

      And I totally “ration” out and select certain vanillas for certain recipes. If I know I am making something I give away like at a party, I don’t exactly break out the top shelf vanilla :)