I hope everyone is enjoying your Saturday! Since next weekend is Labor Day, this is kinda the last weekend of summer. Boo-hoo…where did summer go?
Thanks for all the comments on yesterday’s post and glad to see there are some other medjool fans as well as vegan shoppers readin’ along. Thanks to those of you who leave comments, it really helps me stay inspired! Much love to ya!
I am getting ready to meet up with a girlfriend I haven’t seen in awhile but thought I’d mention what’s been poppin’ up in herrre.
Made a yummy bowl of raw overnight oatmeal: 1/3 c dry oats, 2/3 c vanilla almond milk, 1 small nanna diced into pieces, & some dried mango pieces went into hibernation in the fridge for the night.
Coming outta da fridge totally raw. Totally raw, totally fine, but…
I zapped it in the micro and then added a little cinnamon, dash of stevia, garnished with some golden raisins and the morning was off to a tropical banana-mango-licious start.
Yestereday I decided to Get Poppin’!
As long as I took the Fitnessista up on her healthy raw breakfast cookie idea and have been enjoying them sooo much, I thought I’d pilfer her healthy popcorn tip while I was at it.
Why pay for greased up nastiness when you can do the same thing at home, for healthy and cheap? Enter organic kernels and brown paper bags.
This is where my recipe makes a sharp detour from what Miss Fitness probably imagined. Sorry chica, didn’t have any nutritional yeast laying around to make the cheesy version that you suggest, which I want to try when I get my mitts on some nutritional yeast. Who loves their brand of nutritional yeast and where do you get it?
After 90 secs in the micro
And then, I figured a couple tablespoons of brown sugar & about twice the ratio of agave to create a lovely “caramel” sauce for camel corn wouldn’t be that bad. Ok I’m rationalizing.
But hot diggity, it sure was good. Skylar’s fingers were stickier than Winona Ryder’s after indulging.
I also made a 2-banana, dash of vanilla almond milk, sprinkle of cinnamon, & Sun Warrior Vanilla BRPP Smoothie that I shared with my Lil Precious. Goin’ in…
And comin’ outta the VitaLove
Did I mention we go through more bananas around here than Paris Hilton goes through Louis Vuitton bags?
Lately, I’ve been trying to get more into tea and not be quite as into coffee. Not really sure this plan has been working too well but the folks at Equal Exchange were kind enough to send me a couple varieties of their fair trade, organic teas to jumpstart my tea plan.
My thoughts on the Green Magic Tea are that it’s really light and if you’re a green tea drinker, you’ll probably dig this one.
The Rooibos Tea doesn’t have any caffeine so if you don’t need the jolt, this is a nice light-n-fruity tea.
However, for me, tea will just never replace morning coffee. Not in my current lifetime. That could all change but for now, tea is nice, but after I’m done, I still need to pour a cuppa coffee. You can read more about my coffee thoughts in this post. Maybe when the weather cools off a bit, a cup ‘o tea in the afternoons will hit the spot. We shall see.
Dinner last nite was standard rabbit fare. B.S., yellow squash, greens, zukes, cukes, tomatoes, red pepps, and dressed with juice of 1/2 an orange, agave, and crack black.
Moving right along to Yoga Time!
Lately I’ve been getting lots of great, reinforcing comments about my yoga practice. Sounds like my yoga practice inspires some of you, too, which is a really awesome feeling for me.
But I just want to let you know that I didn’t always drop back into backbends or hover in the air in arm balances. When I first started doing yoga, I didn’t know what a downward dog was, I had such pathethic tricep strength I couldn’t even hold a chaturanga for months, and I followed up yoga class with lots of hydration…of the alcoholic variety. So yeah, times have surely changed and I just keep on practicing yoga, both on and off the mat, for sure, and it all works out.
So if you’re new to yoga, I just want to say, keep trying, keep practicing, try to be as consistent as you can be and if you fall off the yoga wagon for awhile, no worries. Just take 5 minutes the next time you have a chance and do some breathing or bust out a few sun salutations, or do a pose that’s speaking to you. It’s all about creating your own flow, what works for you and your body.
Here’s my yoga shot du jour
Kukkutastana
:)
Averie
Tip of the Day: Coconut Oil, despite me not really liking it in food as we’ve already established, is great on everything from dry skin to dry lips, for preventing sunburns in lieu of sunscreen (if you don’t like to slather yourself or your kids with the chemicals that are found in regular sunscreens with SPF’s other mamas I know swear by it for sunscreen). Plus, coconut oil can help skin that already got burned heal faster, kinda like aloe can.
So mine is coconut oil, but what’s your best double-duty use tip for something you buy that you don’t use as it’s intended but you can get tons of mileage out of using it for another purpose?
P.S. Reminder on the Vita-Mix GiveAway to go check that out!!!! Winning a Vita-Mix? There is a God after all.
And stay tuned for a GiveAway of my own. Details in a few days….
no doubt about it, yoga is my favorite way to destress! you are such a pro girl :)
That ice cream looks delicious!! :) Thanks for stopping by my blog, it's always nice to talk with people taking similar meds (humira). I went to my doc yesterday and I am going to be starting LDN, not sure if it could help you, but you should look into it. No cancer warning! :)
awesome girl! it'll be a long time before I can do that pose :)
and i LOVE Your mat!
I'm so glad to see you back! Thanks again for the nice comment on my blog…that was actually very helpful! :)
Every time I read your blog I am drooling over food porn and striving to learn a new yoga pose. I need to take the yoga thing one step at a time – and become more flexible!! You and Deb have definitely inspired me!!
De-stressing? Hmmm…exercising helps me manage stress, taking a walk, but for immediate relief I have to take deep breaths.
My favorite way to de-stress is yoga of course:) I am realizing that I don't breath very well! People may think breathing just comes naturally, but for me, I don't breath DEEP. I did a 20 minute yogadownload for breathing the other day and it really de-stressed me!
Your soft serve is making my mouth water–so, gotta go:)
Well, since a 40 was first….I love to meditate and do pranayama.
Just found your blog, love it! Have a great Labor Day weekend,
Namaste,
Mandy
PS. going to freeze some nanas
Haha at the 40 ouncer! One of my favorite ways to destress is to go on a long walk with my dog – no music, just me and the puppy :)
That ice cream looks so creamy and delicious!
By the way, thanks for finding me!! That's too funny about our carob filled childhoods!
Your posts are AWESOME! :)
Cheers XOXO,
Kristen
Hi Cindy, yep, I'm here. A girl takes 36 hrs off bloggin for the first time ever and people take note. Nice to feel missed :) Skylar does the pee-youuu game too. Fun but only up til the 217th time, yk ? :)
A xx- Bendy. Well, not always. I have been a student of yoga for the past nearly decade and I would have described myself as a stiff runner 9-10 yrs ago, with horrid upper body strength. Time has changed that and I am glad you are inspired! C'mon back for some mo'
VG-Would love to see that sight. And, also, hope classes aren't too nutty yet for you but sounds like it's really gonna get hectic.
Katie-Yep I should make some o that nanna buttah you've been talking about. So tasty, I'm sure!
Jess & Deb-Yes, yes, and yes I totally agree with all 3 ideas!
Michele-Thank you for your heartfelt concern both here and on FB, it's really touching and I feel awesome to be missed and that you're thinkin' of me. Just some stressful things out of my control but doin' the best I can to facilitate and finesse the situation.
As far as your wrist, maybe just do more standing postures like triangle, revolved tri, extended side angle and revolved, things like that, balance standing postures like tree or ardha badha padmottanasa, stuff like that where there's no wrist action. HTH
:)
Thanks to all my commenters! You ladies all make me so happy with your presence on my bloggie!
MASSAGE!!!!! Yumm!
De-stressing? Hmmmm…. Well, for me, that'd be: prayer, yoga, chocolate, reading, enjoying a beautiful breeze outside, going somewhere different, writing, reading blogs, drinking hot, soothing herbal teas… Any of those ideas help? ;-)
Hope things are stressless for ya soon! And, yeah, the yoga moves are SO crazy–in a good way! I'm having trouble right now with some of my yoga poses because my right wrist is REALLY bothering me. :-( I've taken a couple days off and I can feel (hear) my body crying out for its yoga!!!
I'm feeling much better now that I've read a fresh post from you!! SO glad you got your banana soft serve figured out! YAY!!!
*smiles + hugs*
Michele
aka Raw Juice Girl
Either working out or a glass of vino.
MMMM bananas and vitamix = perfection :)
Yoga and dancing around my kitchen to my iPod = stress relievers
Hi Averie!
You have some crazy ass moves on your blog. I'm totally in awe and inspired by how bendy your body is!
Have you ever done bikram? I tried it a couple of weeks ago and loved it!
Well, hope you have a lovely day!
ABB
There ya are!
was wondering!
hmmmmmmmmmm destressing lately has been sittig with JJ and seeing who can laugh harder at the peeeeeeYOUOOOO game or any other such nonsense.
and I began knitting a scarf (to honor Fall being here) and it seems to chill me out too.
yoga of coures (you know this) is always good for stretching and breathing and exercise! but why am I telling YOU this?
glad your back!