Rise Energy+ Bars are 100% organic, made with blended superfruit and nuts, full of fiber and antioxidants to fuel you through the rest of the day. They come in five flavors which are all tasty but the Cherry Almond and Blueberry Coconut are my favorites.

INGREDIENTS: ALMONDS*CASHEWS*DATES*CHERRIES* BROWN RICE SYRUP*TAPIOCA SYRUP*AMARATH*SEA SALT (* Organic Ingredient)

INGREDIENTS: ALMONDS*DATES*COCONUT* RAISINS*BROWN RICE SYRUP*TAPIOCA SYRUP*AMARANTH*ACAI*SEA SALT (* Organic Ingredient)

INGREDIENTS: CASHEWS*DATES*ALMONDS*APRICOTS* BROWN RICE SYRUP*TAPIOCA SYRUP* AMARANTH*SEA SALTGOJI* (* Organic Ingredient)

INGREDIENTS: ALMONDS*COCONUT* DATES*TAPIOCA SYRUP*BROWN RICE SYRUP* BLUEBERRIES (WILD BLUEBERRIES, EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, SUNFLOWER OIL)*RAISINS* AMARANTH*SEA SALT (* Organic Ingredient)

INGREDIENTS: DATES*ALMONDS*COCONUT* APPLES*BROWN RICE SYRUP*TAPIOCA SYRUP*AMARANTH*RASPBERRIES* POMEGRANATE*SEA SALT (* Organic Ingredient)

Additional reasons I love these bars:

• They are naturally sweetened with tapioca Syrup/Brown Rice Syrup
• They are made of blended superfruits
• They have nuts to add protein and sustain energy levels
• They are 100% organic
• They taste AMAZING
• They are free of:
• GLUTEN
• PRESERVATIVES
• GMOS
• DAIRY
• SOY
• PEANUTS

As you can see from the list above there are so many reasons to love Rise Bar and that is why they are currently my go to snack bar. Don’t get me wrong  I still have a few other unnamed bars that I love but Rise Bar is currently at the top of my list.

Disclaimer: Rise Bar provided me with a sample of their products to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway.

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Flavors: (descriptions provided by Calnaturale)

Chocolate: The creamy, velvety flavor of our Chocolate reminds us of a chocolate milk shake – - but without all the fat, sugar or calories. Instead, we create our Chocolate with pure organic cocoa, fresh organic soymilk, organic complex carbohydrates such as rice syrup and inulin and just a hint (only 9 grams) of organic sugar. When a creamy chocolate flavor comes with such healthy nutrition, it makes you wonder why other chocolate drinks aren’t made this way.

French Vanilla: Someone recently told us that the flavor of our French Vanilla tastes like yummy melted vanilla ice cream. Gosh, we can’t think of a better compliment! You’ll love the flowery bouquet of pure organic vanilla, mixed in a blend with fresh organic soymilk, complex carbohydrates such as rice syrup and inulin and just a hint (9 grams) of organic sugar. The fragrant flavor of vanilla never had it so good.

Cappuccino: Many people love fancy coffee drinks from the coffee shops, but the excess sugar, fat and calories added to those coffee beverages will send folks running for the exits. As an alternative, we offer the rich flavor of our Cappuccino, with a complex, indulgent coffee taste that seems impossible for such a nutritionally-stellar product. But delicious flavor speaks for itself, and we’re sure you’ll love our Cappuccino.

Spiced Chai: One of the gifts of South Asia to the beverage world is the savory, exciting taste of chai. We’re so delighted that this beverage is catching on here in America that we created our Spiced Chai flavor. Our Chai has an irresistible aroma and a blend of organic black tea and organic South Asian spices. Plus, with complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, protein and fiber, our Chai has a nutritional excellence that any lover of world cuisine will find delightful.

My thoughts:

Pros:

• Low Sugar
• High Fiber
• Vegan
• Yummy flavors
• Great quick breakfast on the go or a snack before or after a workout

Cons:

• I found the french vanilla to be too sweet for me, however I am overly sensitive to sweet flavors.

My rating of flavor from my favorite to least favorite:

1. Chai
2. Cappuccino
3. Chocolate
4. French Vanilla

Conclusion: The grains were perfect.  They were not over cooked, not mushy and they held up really well with the curry sauce.  I am very impressed!  This is just the thing I need to have in my house for busy nights since grains always take the longest to cook.

Since we were pretty hungry last night we didn’t have enough for leftovers so I made beans, greens and grains this morning for our lunches.  I decided to try the wheatberry and barley blend to serve along with my stir fry of black beans, spinach, zucchini and peppers. I snuck a few bites and I’m excited for lunch to come.

I think lunch will be the perfect fuel for my run this afternoon. Then it’s off to yoga and out for a drink with the Hubz.

Happy Friday!

 Third Street Chai, located in Boulder, CO, microbrews organic chai, iced tea, yerba mate and lemonade concentrates. Third Street creates their delicious tea/lemonade concentrates in their eco-friendly facilities that are 100% wind-powered. Additionally Third Street composts 100% of their ingredients with the help of local farmers in Boulder County.  Third Street also uses high quality Organic and Fair Trade Certified ingredients to produce all of their products.

Third Street Chai was kind enough to send me a variety of samples of their products to review.

The samples included:

• Ginger Lemonade
• Authentic Chai
• Spicy Ginger Chai
• Pomegranate Green Tea
• Peach Black Tea

All of Third Street’s concentrates are lightly sweetened and are easy to prepare; all you need for the chai is some tasty almond milk (or your favorite milk) and for the iced teas and lemonade water! I quickly became obsessed with the ginger lemonade and it was the first to go (and far to quickly I must say).  I loved that it wasn’t too sweet like most lemonades and had a nice gingery bite.

As for the chai I have only tried them hot, since it is getting to be winter here, and I enjoyed both of the flavors.  Of the two chai’s the Authentic was my favorite and the Spicy Ginger the Hubz favorite.  I found the Spicy Ginger a little too peppery for me.  To make the chai latte I heated half chai and half almond milk in a pot on the stove and served.  I attempted to make a foam with a whisk but failed;  I really need an a frother to make some good foam.

Lastly the iced teas- these were my least favorite.  I am lover of iced tea but I like mine strong and unsweetened.  The fruit plus the added sweetener made these a little too overpowering for me.  My dad who tried the peach black tea agreed that it was good but a little too sweet.

Overall my husband and I were huge fans and Neil is now on a search for a 64oz super concentrate so he can have chai lattes all the time (within reason).

Have you tried Third St Chai? What is your favorite beverage? 

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I haven’t made all the recipes that interest me from the cookbook yet (I’ve only had it a few weeks) but I have tried a few that I love.  The Pasta with White Beans is quick, easy and delicious- a meal I will be making over and over.  My favorite main meal however (so far anyways) is the Smoky Tempeh & Kale it is really incredible and easy to make.  I also love how it has directions on how to bake, grill or stir fry it; providing you with a variety of cooking methods.

Recipe posted with permission of Sasquatch Books.

Recipe posted with permission of Sasquatch Books.

As for sweet treats I made the Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies but I subbed raisins for chocolate chips because I was out.  Also there was a little more oil in the cookies than I cared for so I reduced it down a little and used some apple sauce.  They turned out delicious however next time I’d make them with chocolate chips because well, chocolate is always better.

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies with "cream cheese" filling

Additional things I love about the cookbook:

• It’s spiral bound.  This makes things so much easier when you are in the kitchen because you aren’t trying to hold pages down while you cook.  I wish more cookbooks came spiral bound for this reason.
• It’s hand written with wonderful illustrations.  I just love the how artsy and crafty the cookbook is; this makes it so much fun to read.
• The variety of recipes.  There are so many different recipes in the book including breakfast, soups, main meals, desserts and drinks.  Some recipes are quick and easy others take longer and are a little more complicated but all are super tasty and have clear instructions.

Monday, October 24th, Cake Maker to the Stars <–Kick off Post

Post 3Miler- Choco-Banana Vega Smoothie

After trying the WFHO I then compared my everyday breakfast  to only one single serving of  WFHO using Vega’s online Breakfast Nutrition Calculator. I honestly had a hard time using the the Breakfast Nutrition Calculator because I couldn’t accurately find what I normally eat each morning which is on run days is a super cacao energy bite and then most days oatmeal with banana, nut butter, chia seeds and flax.  Simply finding rolled oats on the calculator was a challenge and then when I found an item labeled “oats”, I was unable to choose the correct quantity. Additionally, when adding the chia seeds and flax to the list it did not accurately compare the two items because both include omega-3′s and they did not show up on the nutrition calculator.  Overall I thought the Breakfast Nutrition Calculator was a bit flawed and did not accurately compare the WFHO with my everyday breakfast.

Moving on to really discuss how I felt the mornings that I ate the WFHO- I felt great.  The WFHO is 100% plant-based, it’s gluten-free, soy-free and dairy free and it’s super low in calories. According to Vega only one single serving guarantees:
·         100% of you daily vitamins and minerals
·         60% daily intake of fiber
·         Healthy weight loss
·         Maintaining optimal health

I did felt more energized, full and ready to take on the day after having a smoothie or the pancakes with the WFHO.  I love that it adds the edition of:

• A Full Serving of ChlorEssence (High CGF Chlorella)
• Rich in protein, chlorophyll and nucleic acids DNA & RNA
• Cleanse, nourish, rejuvenate cells and activate, support immune system
• Special cell wall fiber binds to and removes heavy metals and other toxins from the body
• A Full Serving of MacaSure (Organic Gelatinized Maca)
• Rich in alkaloids, glucosinolates, minerals and sterols
• Increase energy, reduce stress, balance hormones, improve libido
• Gelatinization enhances potency and ease of digestion/absorption

Overall I felt that the challenge was a success because I felt a difference in my energy levels throughout the day.  I am, and have been, a fan of the product for years and will continue to use it.  The only downfall in this challenge really was the Breakfast Nutrition Calculator, however there is no debate that the added nutrients in WFHO is a great addition to any breakfast.  Additionally the recipes that Vega offers on the Breakfast Challenge Page are really great and include smoothie, pancake and cereal recipes all using WFHO.

Q: What is your favorite flavor of WFHO? Mine is the chocolate!

*Giveaway*

I am giving away one single serving size of WFHO to one lucky CVL reader- all you have to do is tweet “I want to win @cookveganlover @VegaTeam Whole Food Health Optimizer giveaway http://wp.me/pFVWo-2yl #vegabreakfastchallenge” and then come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did so BY September 10, 2011. 

Over a twitter discussion over my absolute favorite tea- Mighty Leaf’s Orange Dulce I came into contact with Mighty Leaf about doing a review of their new iced teas. They sent me their four new iced tea flavors to try and let me tell you they don’t disappoint. These teas are just like Mighty Leaf’s small tea bags in giant form; so not only do they make delicious tea but what isn’t fun about a giant tea bag?

The  Mighty Leaf Iced Teas flavors:

o   Ginger Peach Iced Tea:  A blissful and lightly sweet black iced tea infused with sun-swelled peaches and delicate ginger.

o   Calypso Mango Iced Tea:  A sweet and cooling black iced tea with an indulging blend of South Indian black tea leaves, luscious mango, and tropical fruit.

o   Organic Black Iced Tea:  A flavorful black iced tea made of refreshingly rich and smooth South Indian organic black tea leaves hand-picked on the dewy slopes of the Nilgiri Mountains.

o   Sunburst Green Iced Tea:  A cool and vibrant iced green tea that delivers mountain-grown Chinese green tea leaves  brightened with the crisp taste of ripe oranges and sweet citrus. The lowest in caffeine among all four flavors.

Iced tea is my favorite summer beverage  however I don’t often make it at home because unless I have loose tea it is no fun to try to make tea from a handful of tiny tea bags.  Well Mighty Leaf makes things so much easier by having their giant iced tea bags.  All you have to do is steep the tea bag and then add ice. It’s never been easier to make iced tea at home.

I really enjoyed all of these flavors and once we started making them we haven’t been able to stop. My favorite is the Sunburst Green Iced Tea because it is fresh and crisp and perfect on a hot day.  Neil’s favorite is the Organic Black Iced Tea it is wonderfully dark and refreshing.

Summer might be coming to an end but it’s never too late to enjoy a nice cold crisp glass of iced tea.  

*CLOSED* GIVEAWAYS:  Mighty Leaf is offering a giveaway of their Summer Brewing Kit.  One person can receive a box of each of their new teas, as well as the Bodum Iced Tea Pitcher which makes fresh iced tea in minutes.  The kit’s total value is approximately $60.  US Residents only. Giveaway open until August 25th at 4pm EST

Mandatory: What is your favorite summer drink?

*Additional Entries* Leave a separate  comment for each

• Follow Mighty Leaf on Twitter
• Tweet “I want to win @cookveganlover @MightyLeaf giveaway http://wp.me/pFVWo-2vj”
• Like my NEW Cook.Vegan.Lover. Facebook page
• Like Mighty Leaf on Facebook

DISCOUNT:  Mighty Leaf is offering CVL readers a 15 percent site-wide discount on www.mightyleaf.com.   The unique discount code is: coupon code: summertea15

My Thoughts:
I thought that the vegan lamb was the better of the two. The sauce was pretty good, the texture of the “lamb” was good and it was easy to make (just warmed in a pot). The vegan chicken masala was not a favorite of mine at all. The texture was good but I really didn’t like the sauce, there was something off with the flavor and I just couldn’t eat it. I have one more of each and I’ll give it another try but overall not my favorite. I did like the texture and would be interested in trying one of the other selections such as the vegan orange chicken or vegan kung pao.

Have you tried any of the Vegetarian Plus? Which did you like (or dislike)?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer: Vegetarian Plus provided me with a sample of their products to review and giveaway, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway.

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Our date night started at the driving range where we shared an extra large bucket of balls.

After we emptied our bucket of balls we headed to the batting gages.  I watched while Neil hit a few balls and then it was time to head downtown for the second half of our date.

We debated over a few places to go for a drink and dinner but I wasn’t really that hungry so we decided to go to the German brew pub for a beer and decide on what we wanted for dinner later.  Once we sat down and perused the menu we saw that there were a few potential small plate options for us to have and since we were enjoying the quiet night on the patio we decided to stay and order food as well.

Grilled Asparagus with olive oil and lemon

Giant pretzel with horseradish mustard (no butter on the pretzel)

Spicy Fries (more liked seasoned)

The Verdict: delicious beer (we stayed for a second) and tasty food. We sat and enjoyed each others company while sipping beers and snacking on the food. Overall one of the best nights lately and I can’t wait to return for more of the asparagus-SO GOOD!

1. Five Bamboo Travel Skirt- Five Bamboo sent me a sample of their skirt for review and I have been wearing it all the time.  Unfortunately I have yet to get a picture of myself in it because well I am usually behind the camera, however this weekend we are traveling and it will be perfect for the trip. This skirt is ridiculously comfortable and so soft! I am in love with it.  I am so in love with how cute it looks on and how comfortable it is, especially right now in this crazy hot humid Vermont weather. Now I just have to find someone to get me their Rohre Dress for my birthday next month- any takers?

2. Fearless Matcha Green Trea & Peppermint Chocolate: A few weeks ago via a twitter conversation myself and another tweeter got to talking about green tea chocolate and I of course had to chim in that Fearless makes the best kind (I have ever had) and to top it all off it has peppermint in it too. Neil and I have been trying to savor this bar but like most chocolate it didn’t last long in our house.  Oh well! Luckily we have a few other flavors to try and they sell it at a number of different shops in Burlington now.

Ingredients: Organic Raw Cacao, Organic Rapadura, Organic Matcha Green Tea, Organic Peppermint

3. Running! I never thought that I would say this but I am loving it.  I actually have the urge to go on runs now and I look forward to my next run day. On top of that I am loving running in the morning- yes 6am runs are way better than my old 3pm runs.

4. The Japanese Iced Coffee Method.  We used to do cold brewing in our french press…untile we broke it.  Lately we have been trying this different method and it makes really wonderful coffee.

Source

5. My Man. Supportive. Wonderful. Helpful. Loving. and so much more xo. (I know you’re either awing or gaging right now but it’s true.)

oh and one thing I am hating- my sunburn that has blister. GROSS.
Disclaimer: Five Bamboo and Fearless Chocolate both provided me with a sample of their products to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway.

Apparently everyone else had the same idea, to head downtown and eat al fresco.  So we finally settled on Italian and waited a bit for a table.  When we finally got a table we ordered a small chicken of Chardonnay to share and decided on salads and flatbread.

Neil's Arugula and Apple salad with candied walnuts and maple-sherry dressing

My Arugula, Apple and Strawberry Salad with candied walnuts and raspberry dressing.

Our flatbread with leeks, lemon, shiitake mushrooms and micro greens.

How we felt about the flatbread and the service.

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Alo Juice Review from Lindsay Ingalls on Vimeo.

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After our shopping trip we were left with a huge dilemma- what do we do now?  Honestly there isn’t much happening in the Wrentham area and our hotel which was in Franklin well was just not what we’d hoped for on our anniversary.  So we decided that since we got a steal on the room via Hotwire that we would eat the cost  and find a new room in Boston so we could enjoy a nice night out.  Again turning to Hotwire (seriously addicted) we chose a 4 star in Cambridge and ended up with the Hyatt Regency- WIN!

Our accomodations went from:

Room at Hawthorne Suites - Franklin MA

Room at Hawthorne Suites - Franklin MA

To this:

Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Not only did the romance factor increase so did the ability to get out at night and enjoy ourselves. I mean as much as I loved that evening trip to Target and Shop & Save I’d rather be galavanting around Boston. So we checked in at the Hyatt Regency and headed straight to our room to change and take advantage of their gym – we were in need of a good run to stay on track for our training plan.

After our run and a good shower we got all done up and took a walk across the bridge to Boston to catch a T to our next destination, Addis Red Sea. We had made reservations at Addis Red Sea because it has in the past been one of our favorite restaurants to visit in Boston. We love the atmosphere and the Ethiopian food and have always had a good experience ….until this past visit. We arrived 2 hours before closing and were seated. We were super hungry so we decided to order a lentil sambusa and the vegetarian plate for two along with a few beers. Well once the girl finally took our order we settled in to what we hoped would be a great night. About 10 minutes later the waitress returned to tell us they were out of the lentil sambusa but they had the veggie if we wanted that instead; we said yes and 10 minutes after that she returned with two sambusas. I had a feeling something just wasn’t right so instead of biting right in like I normally would have I tore a corner off only to find that our veggie sambusa was actually beef; can you imagine if I had taken a big bite!! Well 10 minutes after that I finally got the waitresses attention and told her of the mistake and that we would rather not have an appetizer at all and we would just like our meal at this point.

After waiting a bit longer our meal finally arrived with two lentil sambusas (I guess they found more?). We started into the food immediately since at this point we were ravenous after waiting for almost an hour for our food. After a few bites the Hubz noticed that we were missing our salad that was to go with the meal and that most of the food was cold and in addition to that when we finally took a bite of the sambusas they were freezing in the middle. Overall we had the worst experience ever at this restaurant ever and we have been here many times. Unfortunately, after this experience I wouldn’t recommend Addis Red Sea and wouldn’t return- there are enough other great restaurants in Boston to eat at so don’t waste time (or money) here. Oh and we got charged for the sambusas after the whole mess and the fact we told them to disregard the order since they couldn’t seem to get it right.

Oh well! We didn’t let the dinner get us down instead we headed out for a celebratory (for our anniversary, not the horrible dinner) Manhattan down the road.  Honestly one of the best Manhattans ever and I had the best company with me too. Love.

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• Wed-June 1: C25K Week 6 Day 1
• Thurs-June 2: 30 min cross training
• Fri-June 3: 20 min AM yoga; C25K Week 6 Day 2

MPG  REVIEW & GIVEAWAY!

Savvy Top and Stance Bottom

Mondetta Performance Gear (MPG), a Winnipeg based active wear company, contacted me a few months back about doing a review and giveaway. I decided that they would be a perfect fit for the blog and a great review/giveaway for a Fitness Friday post.  MPG allowed me to choose two items to review and provided me with the link to their Fit Guide to help me decide which size would be best. I decided to go with:

Top: Savvy

Sparkle jersey workout tank with contrast laser cut details.

Bottom: Stance

Performance capri legging for all types of exercise.

• Polyester-spandex blended jersey
• Four-way stretch, moisture wicking, quick dry
• Breathable mesh leg panels
• Zippered storage pocket
• Built in gusset
• Adjustable draw cord in waistband
• Semi-low rise, fitted throughout, 21″ inseam
• High visibility reflective logo

RECOMMENDED FOR: Low or high impact workouts, yoga, dance, running

The Stance capri leggings are now easily one of my favorite bottoms to run and do yoga in.  I love them so much that I am planning on getting another pair after I finish writing this post.  They fit perfectly just below the waist (on me) and have a nice adjustable draw cord which is really beneficial for runs.  I also love the breathable mesh leg panels.  I am not a short wearer so the breathable mesh leg panels allow my legs to be covered but not over heated when I run.  The other thing I love is the zippered storage pocket on the back; it is perfect for keeping a single key and ID.

The Savvy top was nice but not a favorite top of mine.  I love the color and the material but although it is described as having full support I didn’t find that it provided full sport when I was running.  However this may be a case that I require a large top and my bust requires a medium.  However, I found that it did provide good support for yoga.

Overall I was impressed by the items I tried from MPG.  They are high quality items at a reasonable price. I have washed and worn the items a number of times since I received them in April and they still look brand new!  In addition to making impressive active wear MPG is also involved in charitable activities, the Mondetta Charity Foundation (MCF).  Our founders were all born in the East African countries of Kenya and Uganda and have decided to support an an orphanage in the former and a school in the latter.  Most of the children directly benefiting from the MCF’s efforts have either lost their parents to AIDS or are themselves living with the disease that has ravaged most of the African continent.  One percent of total MPG sales are contributed to the MCF, which is a completely separate entity from the parent company, Mondetta, meaning all operating and administration costs are covered by the company and all donated funds received go directly where they should: to help those in need.

To learn more about the foundation and its initiatives, please check out the link below.

• Charity foundation: http://www.mpgsport.com/about-the-mcf
• Blogging site: http://www.mpgcliq.com/

Also, 1% of every MPG garment sold goes to the foundation. For more info on the charity please check out Mondetta Gives Back.

So the best part about this review is that MPG has agreed to giveaway one of their products to a Cook.Vegan.Lover. reader. For the giveaway, MPG would like to offer one reader anything from the website in both active and lifestyle tops and bottoms.  Additionally, I would like to mention that MPG makes both active and lifestyle tops and bottoms for men and women so guys don’t forget to enter!

To Enter Giveaway: Open to US and Canadian Residents. Winner is Ashley! Congrats!

You must head over to Facebook and “Like” MPG Mondetta Performance Gear and then come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did so by June 8th, 2011 at 8pm EST.

Lastly, MPG is providing Cook.Vegan.Lover. readers with the following discount code to receive 25% off a one-time purchase that expires 6.30.11: veganloverlovesmpg

Want to read more? Head over to Brittany’s MPG review at her blog Eating Bird Food.

After strolling around the downtown streets visiting with lions and turtles we finally found somewhere to eat.  We stopped in at AS220 a place I had read about during my planning sesh.  AS220 has a gallery, a bar and a cafe and they also host a number of other events.  When I saw the menu I was all about ordering the vegan Bahn Mi but of course just my luck they were out.  Instead I ordered the vegan mac and cheese and the Hubz got the marinated tofu and kale sandwich.  We also ordered the “spicy” black eyed pea fritters.

My mac and cheese was really delicious and Neil (who waited inside to get the food) said they made it all fresh right there. I loved the addition of the broccoli and crispy bread crumbs to my mac and cheese- so good. The Hubz sandwich was really delicious too; we both loved the pickled onions that they put on it- so good. Now as for the “spicy” black eyed pea fritters …..well they were um gross. They had a weird smell, consistency and taste and they were by no means spicy. The vegan sour cream that they came with also tasted really awful. Well I guess two out of three isn’t bad- can’t win them all! Overall we really like the food at AS220, would we go back? Possibly but there are other vegan options around so we would probably try something new first or just eat all our meals at the best bakery ever.

We played a few (okay like 5) rounds of pool before calling it a night and heading back to our comfy giant bed. It is always nice to sleep in a king bed and it makes me miss having one (serious who down sizes from a king to a double-not recommended).

After a night of dinner, drinks, pool and of course elevator dancing we were in need of a gym sesh.  So we headed to the hotel gym and I got in a run and the Hubz used the elliptical.  After that we showered and hit the road to the most amazing bakery I have ever been to.

WE CAME TO DANCE DANCE DANCE

C25K Week 5 Day 2

We spent a hungry hour in the car making our way to Wildflour Vegan Bakery what I am now claiming to be the most amazing bakery I have ever been to in my life.  I could honestly eat here everyday (and would if it wasn’t 4 hours away). We walked in and were overwhelmed by the vast selection of baked goods as well as other tasty items such as kale chips, fresh juices and smoothies.  To help us decide we took advantage of the free samples of basil lemonade, peanut butter brownie and raw chocolate brownie.

As you can see there were so many options to choose from but in the end the Hubz and I decided that the scones looked most appealing for breakfast.  After a heated debated over which ones we would get we decided on the granola scone and the spinach and mushroom scone.  Along with the scones I got a green juice and the hubz an avocolada smoothie.

Everything was amazing and we obviously ordered too much so we ended up taking the granola scone with us and snacked on it throughout the day. The scones were absolutely amazing and flakey; I have never experienced anything so good.

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I received a number of great recommendations as to what to get at The Elephant Walk by a number of tweeps and in the end the Hubz and I decided to both do the 3 Course Prix-Fixe since it was our anniversary and all.

We both ordered the Vegan Rouleaux, Chilled Avocado Citrus Soup and theVegan Crevettes (tofu) Amrita for our three courses.  We also both picked out fancy cocktails.  I chose the Cucumber Martini; it was really refreshing and so good.

Crop organic cucumber vodka accented with a splash of Dolin White Vermouth (an amazing, small production family product) and garnished with a slice of cucumber

First Course: Vegan Rouleaux- this was a really amazing and fun dish to eat.  We were instructed that you take the lettuce leaf and place the fried roll in the middle, then top with mint, basil and bean sprouts roll it up and dip in the sauce.  It was crazy delicious and there was so much food- I definitely got a little filled up just on the first course! I am now going to have to recreate these some day after a long run.

Second Course: Chilled Avocado Citrus Soup- this was the Hubz favorite of the three. It had such an amazing flavor and zip to it.  Again something I need to attempt to recreate.

Third Course: Tofu Amrita- this final course was absolutely delicious.  It was huge as well and neither the Hubz nor I could finish more than half of it after devouring the first two courses.  The dish was filled with wonderful chunks of crispy tofu with lots of veggies and a sweet peanuty sauce. Overall delicious.

Overall the Hubz and I loved The Elephant Walk; the food and drink were both amazing.  The atmosphere of the Waltham location wasn’t my favorite because it wasn’t very romantic and they seemed to try and fit as many tables in as possible so you were basically sitting on top of the people next to you.  However despite that the food was amazing and we will be going back (again and again).

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Coffee and Complimentary Water

The Hubz and I just returned last night from an anniversary weekend getaway and we both have been back to work and busy busy busy! Where did the long weekend go?!

Friday night the Hubz and I headed out to start our Third Wedding Anniversary Getaway! We made a last minute decision to head to Massachusetts a day early and we stayed at a hotel I have been dying to stay at since I went away for girls weekend last summer. For our girls weekend getaway we headed to Lexington, MA to the Element Hotel which I loved and is located across the driveway from ALoft where the girls and I enjoyed a little night life.  After the girls weekend I knew I had to find a time to stay at the Aloft and our anniversary seemed like the perfect time!

Bed

Sink

The Most Amazing Shower

The Aloft is a fun and young boutique hotel chain part of W Hotels.  The Hubz and I both loved the atmosphere of the hotel as well as it’s gym and our room.  Our bed was super comfy and the shower absolutely amazing!

Hotel Rating (5= amazing, 4=good, 3=pretty good, 2=meh, 1=awful)

• Value: 5/5
• Rooms: 5/5
• Location: 4/5
• Cleanliness: 3.5/5
• Service: 5/5
• Sleep Quality 4/5
• Overall Rating: 4.42/5

Day 1 part 2 to come…

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Q. What is Vermont Restaurant Week?
A. From April 29-May 5, participating restaurants will offer special, prix-fixe menus showcasing their chefs’ greatest dishes. Those menus will feature discounted, three-course “tasting-style” dinners (e.g. appetizer, entreé and dessert) priced at $15, $25 or $35 per person. The week also includes a special calendar of special, food-themed events.

Q. How does Vermont Foodbank benefit?
A. 10% of the proceeds from event admissions, sponsorships and restaurant participation fees will be donated to Vermont Foodbank. Restaurant-goers can donate $10 via text messageor make a web donation in our Virtual Food Drive will be launched on this website to allow diners to donate to the Foodbank.

Originally we were going to try a few different restaurants but then decided due to the cleanse and the fact that the other restaurants that interested us are ones we visit often that it would be best to choose just one.  After perusing the veggie friendly menus on the Vermont Restaurant Week site we settled on The Bearded Frog, the only menu that actually said they had a vegan option.  We had heard great things about the restaurant but had never visited it due to the fact that it isn’t close to our home and that there is one vegan option that goes for $19 a plate.

We arrived at the restaurant and were promptly seated out our reserved table in the corner, which I really loved because it up’d the romance factor along with the dim lighting and warm colors.  We placed a drink order, prosecco for me and beer for him, and then we got down to business and ordered from the tasting menu (the only vegan options in each category). 

Appetizer Course: The salad was very simple yet fresh and the lemon-herb vinaigrette was truly delicious. We paired it with some fresh bread with oil and vinegar instead of the butter and the blue cheese crostini that was to go with the salad.

Appetizer: Baby Mixed Greens With lemon-herb vinaigrette

Bread with olive oil and balsamic

Entree Course: For our entree we enjoyed the vegan version of Spicy Corn and Black Bean Pudding With blue-corn tortilla, dirty rice, avocado compound butter, tofu tomato purée. Instead of the avocado compound butter we received a guacamole. The dish was really delicious however if that is what you get for $19 on the regular menu I’d rather stay home and re-create it for $5.

Entree: Spicy Corn and Black Bean Pudding With blue-corn tortilla, dirty rice, guacamole, tofu tomato purée.

Dessert Course: I would have to say the dessert was probably my favorite thing on the menu and something that I would definitely spend the money to come back and have again. The vegan dessert option was a trio of sorbets which included avocado lime, strawberry & 30 year old aged balsamic and mango violet. All three were really amazing but the show stopper was the avocado lime. It was super creamy and tasted just like ice cream, the Hubz and I both just couldn’t stop raving about it all night….honestly I still can’t stop raving about it.

Dessert Course: trio of sorbets which included avocado lime, strawberry & 30 year old aged balsamic and mango violet

Overall: We had a really wonderful time at The Bearded Frog and the food was really delicious.  I am not sure that I would go back for dinner due to the high price of the vegan option but I would go back every day just for the sorbet.  On another note I saw a number of really beautiful plates of food coming out of the kitchen and if you are vegetarian try the (unfortunately note vegan) crispy tofu cakes because they probably taste as good as they looked.

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We started with a liter of wine for the table and enjoyed the beautiful fire place and rustic atmosphere. We also had some amazing yummy bread with wonderful fruity olive oil.

We started with a vegan antipasti for the table and an order of bruschetta both were really amazing.  The vegan antipasti was not on the menu but they had no problem creating a vegan plate for us.

For our main courses the Hubz and I both got the Orecchiette con Fricone  ”Fricone, dialect of the southern region of Puglia for a fried tomato sauce, made from vine-ripened tomatoes, crushed garlic, a pinch of red pepper and arugula, tossed with an imported handmade ear-shaped pasta and pecorino cheese. This dish was easily veganizable and they were will to create other dishes for you as well. It sounds really simple but it was one of the most amazing pasta dishes I have ever had.

We finished the night with espressos and lingering conversation.  Overall we had a wonderful experience.  The food was delicious, the atmosphere was lovely and although service was not over the top they were attentive and allowed you to enjoy the experience there was no push to get you out the door.

The Hubz and I decided to extend the night into a date and had one cocktail out at a bar where we had a horrible experience but oh well we were together.

Hubz Cocktail- "Border Patrol- Canadian Club Whisky and Vermont Maple Liqueur"

However after a late night (for me) I feel a little like this today

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When I read about Bee-Free Honee I jumped at the opportunity to review and it and of course to do a giveaway. I am even more excited to do the giveaway now because I really love this product and can’t wait to have you try it as well.
The website describes the product best “Bee Free Honee is a unique sweetener with a slightly tart flavor. It is “apple honey” in that it is made from apples rather than by bees! We use only three all natural ingredients, apple, pure cane sugar, and lemon juice. There is nothing artificial, no added color and no corn syrup.”

Although it doesn’t taste exactly like honey, it has more of an apple flavor- because well yeah it is made with apples. But it really is the closest in flavor and consistency to honey and it taste delicious. I have used it in my tea and oatmeal and on apples with cinnamon and almond butter. I haven’t tried it in baked goods or granola yet but that will be my next challenge.

Now that you know more about this wonderful product I am going to give two lucky people to win a bottle of their own. All you have to do is enter- oh and for an additional chance to win head over to Keri’s blog I Eat Tree’s because she is also giving away a bottle.

To Enter: (leave a comment for each entry) The giveaway is open to U.S. residence only. The winner will be randomly selected on Monday, March 21th, 2011 at 11 PM EST.

• Leave a comment telling me why you’d love to try Bee-Free Honee
• Visit the Bee-Free Honee website and leave a comment telling me something new that you learned
• Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment below telling me you did.
• Tweet, “Enter to win #vegan Bee-Free Honee @cookveganlover http://wp.me/pFVWo-1H2” and leave a comment to tell me you tweeted.
• “Like” Cook.Vegan.Lover on Facebook and leave a comment below telling me you did.
• Sign up for the Cook.Vegan.Lover. newsletter, and leave a comment to let me know you did

http://www.beefreehonee.com/

My favorite ways to enjoy almond butter are stir into oats, on a spoon or my favorite lately is to warm it up with a few chocolate chips and spread it on green apples. Now that you know my favorite ways to enjoy almond butter now it’s your turn to tell me yours:

To Enter to win 24 snack packets: (You must leave a separate comment per entry)

The Winner is:

Giveaway is open until March 10th at 8pm. CLOSED

• What is your favorite way to enjoy almond butter?

Additional Entries:

1. Follow Barney Butter on Twitter
2. Follow Cook.Vegan.Lover. on Twitter
3. Tweet “I want to win the @BarneyButter giveaway on @cookveganlover http://wp.me/pFVWo-1FS”
4. Like Barney Butter on Facebook.
5. Like Cook.Vegan.Lover. on Facebook.

Additionally if you would like to purchase Barney Butter from their website you can save 20% off you order buy using coupon code Almond20.

The kind people over at Ciao Bella sent me four of their sorbet flavors and I picked up one additional flavor for review. The four flavors they sent were:

• Raspberry: This flavor was the Hubz favorite- honestly the best raspberry sorbet either of us have ever had.  I love how there are only a few ingredients and that it is made with fresh raspberries. Really amazing low calorie treat.
• Wild Blueberry: This was our second favorite; I was actually surprised that the Hubz even liked this one because usually he doesn’t go for blueberries in any form.  This was great not too sweet and refreshing.
• Mango: The Hubz liked this one but I thought it was just a little too sweet for my taste.  I won’t be getting this one again.  The Hubz however would like to mention this goes really well with chocolate chips.
• Blood Orange: We both really like this one; it is sweet and tart and so refreshing.

and I picked up:

• Prickly Pear: I really didn’t know what to expect when I purchased this one but I thought why not try something new and different.  I have to say we both had about a spoonful and were over it.

Overall we loved the sorbets and I will for sure be picking up the raspberry, wild blueberry and blood orange.

Have a blog? Want to win a $100? Check out the Swanson Health Blog.

Chorizo and Mushroom Stuffed Potato Skins

Yields 3 servings as a main, 6 as a side or appetizer

Ingredients:

• 3 baking potatoes, baked at 350F for 1hr 15 min and cooled
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4-5 button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 package of Upton’s Naturals chorizo seitan
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/3-1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese
• Garnishes: diced tomato, arugula, thinly sliced green onions and my smoked paprika aioli from my latest e-book

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Slice the cooled potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides just enough to stuff with 2-3 tablespoons of filling; place on a baking sheet and set to the side.
2. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; stir in the onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent.  Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Stir in the chorizo, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes- vegetables should start to caramelize and everything combine.
3. Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into each of the potato skins; using all of the filling.  Top with shredded vegan cheese- as much or as little as you like.
4. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil- making sure to tent the foil so that the cheese does not stick ot the foil. Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese has melted and the potato skins are lightly brown.
5. Plate and garnish with your favorite toppings.

Layout

• Is the layout clear? The layout of the book is clear; it starts with a detailed table of contents that breaks the book down into introduction and other things you may need to know before you start cooking. It then lists the categories and all of the recipes and their page numbers.  I really like how it is set up because it creates a directory at the front of the book that works as a reference tool when looking for specific recipes.
• Are you able to easily tell the ingredients apart from the instructions and the notes? Are the instructions easy to follow? The ingredients list is very easily distinguishable in the recipe.  The ingredients are in bold, headings are in light green and directions are in standard black text. This makes the recipes easy to follow.  Additionally the commentary for each recipe is at the top and in italics which again separates it from the ingredients and directions.
• Are the recipes numbered or is the section labeled? The recipes are referenced by category and page number in the table of contents and are easy to locate throughout the book.

Aesthetics

• Does the cookbook feature photos? If yes, is there a photo for every recipe? Veganomicon features one section in the middle of the book with featured photos. In this selection of photos, they’ve included photos of recipes from every category. However, with more than 250 recipes in the book you will not find a photo for every recipe.
• Do the photos of the recipes look like the actual results? The recipes that I have made that do have photos were the Spicy Tempeh Nori Rolls and Chickpea Cutlets both of which their photos looked like my results.
• What kind of paper is the book printed on? I actually really like the paper that the book is printed on.  I am no expert in papers but it is a nice heavy, off-white paper that doesn’t strain the eyes and compliments the ink.
• How is the quality of the photos? The photo quality is decent.  The photos look nice but they did not seem to be professionally done. I really wish there had been more photos.

Recipes

• How many recipes are in the cookbook? I didn’t take the time to count them all, but according to the Post Punk Kitchen website there are over 250 recipes in Veganomicon.
• What kinds of recipes will you find in this cookbook? The kinds of recipes you can find in the book are: snacks, appetizers, little meals, dips, spreads, brunch dishes, salads and dressings, sandwiches, vegetables, grains, beans, tofu, tempeh, seitan, soups, casseroles, on-pot meals, pasta, noodles and risotto, sauces and fillings, baked goods, cookies and desserts. Basically everything you could imagine and recipes with influences from around the world.
• Is there a theme to the recipes? While there was no common cultural theme, the recipes all seemed to be common, everyday type meals.
• Are the recipes complex or simple? Would they be good for seasoned cooks and/or beginners? I found that the recipes for the most part were pretty simple with the exception of a few dishes involving seitan which becomes slightly more complex.  I think that the book could be good for both seasoned cooks and beginners.

Ingredients and supplies

• Are the recipe ingredients easy to find? For the most part all of the ingredients are easy to find.  There are a couple of dishes that have items such as jicama or yuca which can be a little more difficult to locate in certain areas, but there are very few recipes that have items you can’t find in your average grocery market.
• Are there any items that stand out as being expensive or specialty? Besides those two items there isn’t really anything that stands out as specialty and nothing too expensive.
• Are there particular appliances that will be required such as blenders, juicers, dehydrators, ect? For some recipes you will need a food processor, blender and/or immersion blender and possibly a crepe pan.

Information

• Does this cookbook provide additional useful information? This cookbook does start with an introduction section that provides you with information about cooking beans, grains and vegetables.  It also gives you a list of items that are needed to stock a Veganomicon pantry and the kitchen equipment you will likely need.  Lastly it discuss the icons that are used throughout the book and various cooking and prepping terminology.

The Recipes I Tried:

Specifically for the Cookbook Club I tried the following recipes:

Snobby Joes

• How did the recipe turn out? How did it taste? The recipe turned out pretty bad.  This is one of my least favorite recipes in the book.  I found that it ended up as a big pile of lentil mash and the flavor was really lacking- it needed additional spices.
• Was the recipe easy to follow? The recipe was not very easy to follow- I started out confused because the recipe calls for 1 cup uncooked lentils but does not specify what type of lentils to use.  Now I think this is where the recipe went wrong because I used red lentils, what I had on hand, and I think that they became over cooked.  Due to the fact that no specific lentil was named in the recipe and no photo of the recipe in the book It was hard to tell which would be best.  Additionally, I found that the addition of the maple syrup to the recipe just made it too sweet and was really unnecessary.

Chickpeas Cutlets

• How did the recipe turn out? How did it taste? I thought that this recipe turned out well and even looked similar to the photo in the book.  They were tasty and an easy way to introduce people to products made with vital wheat gluten.

• Was the recipe easy to follow? I did have a few issues with the recipe.  One of the major issues I had was the layout of the recipe.  The second step is to add all remaining ingredients and when I did this I went in the order they are listed; logically that seems like the way to go.  Well when doing this you add the liquid ingredients to the vital wheat gluten before you have added all of the spices which caused the mixture to clump up and not combine well and I had to add additional water to get the mixture to come together.  Now what I have learned from my experience using vital wheat gluten you really need to mix the dry ingredients and the wet separately and then add the wet to the dry to get an even mixture. Aside from the issue with the ordering of ingredients, I really did like this recipe. Although, if it had been a few years ago before I had started working with vital wheat gluten I would probably have not known what to do and just given up and thrown the mixture away.

Mustard Sauce

• How did the recipe turn out? How did it taste? I really loved the flavor of this sauce.  I served it over the chickpea cutlets and they really made a great pair.  Now I am a huge sucker for mustard of any kind, so this was perfect to me.
• Was the recipe easy to follow? My criticism of this recipe will only make sense to those who have the first edition or possibly earlier additions of the book because edits have been done throughout the book and specifically to this recipe.  The issue I encountered with this recipe was that there was a step missing that added essential ingredients from the ingredient list.   If you know how to make a sauce you will know when to add these missing ingredients, but for those who don’t you may want to look at newer editions of the book.

Lower-Fat Banana Bread

• How did the recipe turn out? How did it taste? I made this recipe as muffins. This recipe was as big hit with the husband.  He has been asking me to make more every since he finished off the last muffin.
• Was the recipe easy to follow? The recipe was easy to follow, tasty and lower in fat which was a win overall.

Sauteed Seitan With Mushrooms and Spinach

• How did the recipe turn out? How did it taste? This recipe tasted good and came together easy. It is a good easy weeknight meal that is filling and could be served with pasta, bread, rice or you could even put it in a wrap.
• Was the recipe easy to follow? This recipe was easy to follow and overall came out just like I had expected.

In addition to the recipes I tried for the Cookbook Club I have also made the Spicy Tempeh Nori Rolls, Saffron-Garlic Rice, Chickpeas Romesco and Caesar Salad.  Out of all of the recipes I tried the Spicy Temeph Nori Rolls and the Chickpeas Romesco were the favorites and probably the only recipes i would  make again.

Overall I think that Veganomicon is just an okay vegan cookbook. I don’t think that it lives up to the title of the “Ultimate Vegan Cookbook” that it is given on the cover.  There are a number of recipes that  I just won’t make because they are filled with oil and the recipes I have made all lack seasoning.  For me when I think of the “ultimate vegan cookbook” I think of a book that I will keep going back to for reference, for my favorite recipes and for inspiration.   I don’t get any of this out of Veganomicon. I think out of all of the Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero cookbooks that this is my least favorite.  Isa’s Vegan Brunch or Isa and Terry’s Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World or Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar are three books I go back to over and over again for reference and inspiration and they include some of my favorite recipes.

What do you think about Veganomicon?

Also don’t forget to check out what other Cookbook Club members are saying and learn how you can sign up to participate in the the next cookbook review – Appetite For Reduction.

This past Saturday we finally made it to Angelica Kitchen, a restaurant that has been on my “To Try” list for years. We met up with my girlfriend Cate for lunch at noon which was perfect timing because the place filled up quickly and within 20 minutes there was a long waiting list. It took a while or us to make a decision as to what we wanted to get because there are so many really yummy sounding dishes on the menu.

To start the Hubz and I ordered the Angelica Cornbread, a wheat free cornbread that I have heard raving reviews about on a number of blogs. Now this is not your traditionally fluffy cornbread, it is dense and filled with whole grains. It is really delicious and worth the raving about. We also ordered a side of the miso tahini spread to go with it; it was good but the cornbread would have been fine on it’s own.

For my main dish I decided to go with the special of the day which was tofu with a chickpea miso sauce, veggies, quinoa pilaf and an Asian guacamole. I thought that the dish was really good and I loved the Asian guacamole; then again I love anything with avocado. Although the dish was really tasty and made with high quality ingredients I have to say at $16 the dish was a little pricey for what I got but oh well it was still delicious and (almost) worth it.

The Hubz went with the Thai Me Up entree which is An All Raw Entree – delicate strands of daikon radish, butternut squash & carrot, on a bed of garlic-lemon marinated kale, dressed with Thai tahini sauce. This dish was absolutely incredible and I am so jealous that I didn’t get it. We both really loved the noodles and the sauce but the star was the garlic-lemon marinated kale; it was incredible. This is a dish that I would recommend you order whether as the entree or the smaller appetizer version.

Cate ordered the Warm Roasted Vegetable Salad A seasonal selection of roasted vegetables tossed with arugula
in a balsamic vinaigrette and garnished with garlic crostini spread with creamy hummus. I only tried a small bite of one of the veggies which was really tasty so I can’t really tell you overall how the dish was but lets just say there wasn’t anything left when Cate was done. Cate also got a soy chai tea which she raved about and went back for seconds.

Overall this has easily become one of my favorite restaurants in NYC; I think that the price can be a little high for everyday eating but it is a great spot to visit when you are in the city. I am ready to head back and try everything else on the menu.

The first time I ever went to Babycakes NYC I was disappointed by the cupcakes, finding them dry and just not as exciting as I had hoped they would be.  Since then I haven’t had much of an interest in visiting Babycakes until I heard about their donuts.  Since  you don’t come across vegan donuts everyday the Hubz and I decided since we were already in the neighbourhood that we would stop in and try a few.

After much debate and a little help from the girl behind the counter we decided on the french toast and the salted caramel along with one their heart shaped chocolate covered coconut mound.  Immediately after we walked out the door we decided to dive right in and started with the french toast donut.  The donut was out of this world! It tasted just like french toast! It was warm and mapley and caramely and oh so good.  Next we tried the salted caramel which was also super sticky and delicious.  We both agreed though that the french toast was the better of the two.

We held out on the chocolate coconut mound until the next day after a three hour trip to Ikea.  It was the perfect treat after a crazy shopping trip.  It honestly tasted just like a Mounds Bar but better. Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo, oh well.

All in all Babycakes redeemed themselves and we will be back!

The first of the cookies that the Hubz and I tried were the Snickerdoodle; an all time favorite cookie of the Hubz.  Well my first impression was that the cookie looked good and had a great cinnamon flavor but it was just too sugary for me.  I honestly have not gone back for one of these after my initial trial of them. These were my least favorite of all of them and I would say the Hubz least favorite too.

The Double Chocolate Brownie were a huge improvement over the Snickerdoodles.  They actually tasted just like chocolate chip brownies and were soft and yummy.  I loved the addition of the chocolate chips it was great.

The Lively Lemon were my favorite and reminded me of my Girl Scout days.  They tasted just like those lemon sandwich cookies that I used to hate as a child but grew to love as I got older.  I have to say these ones are yummy for adults but I would say just like the lemon sandwiches would probably not be as popular among the kiddlets.

Overall I really liked these cookies and I appreciate they are lower in sugar, fat and calories per serving than most vegan cookies.  They are also nut and gluten free so they are perfect for people with allergies to these items. So two out of three were tasty but of course there a bunch of other flavors that such as the gingerbread and “no oats” oatmeal that I’d like to try out.

Disclaimer: Enjoy Life Foods provided me with a free sample of their soft baked cookies for a product to review. I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose; nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway.

Friday was a ridiculously busy day- none of which did I make time to capture in photographs- but it started with a frustrating morning at the dealership where I went to get my oil changed and it turned into a whole big, extra long mess.  Then it was off to work later than planned to finish a grant proposal that was due at 5pm.  I had a later day at the office than usual but was able to finish the application and get it sent off at 3:40pm! Following that I had to pick up the Hubz and head to the hospital to visit my mom who was having out-patient surgery on her knee.  After our brief visit and long day the Hubz and I were ready for a margarita and portobello fajitas.

Saturday was as little bit more relaxed; we spent most of the day at home working on our projects. We stopped around noon and decided to try out this Vegan Harvest pizza from American Flatbread that I had picked up on a whim.

The verdict: the pizza was meh-okay.  The Hubz and I both though the crust was delicious but that’s a given because American Flatbread has the best crust.  The pizza overall was greasy and really lacked in flavor.  It had a tiny bit of sauce on it and a ton of Daiya.  I would have liked to have seen vegetables on the pizza and a few more herbs.  Overall I don’t think we’d buy this again because we can make a veggie filled home-made pizza for the same that it costs us to buy this frozen pizza.

The Hubz went snowboarding with a friend on Sunday so I spent the entire day working on edits for my e-book that will hopefully be released on Tuesday or Wednesday! Fingers Crossed! Here is a sneak peak

Also don’t forget that you still have until February 10th to enter the Fiery Vegan Valentine Contest! You can enter for all three categories!

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I decided to make enchiladas and I picked up the fixings for them which was the easy part.  Now to the hard part making this raw mole sauce into a mole enchilada sauce that tasted good.  I started by heating the mole sauce with vegetable broth to thin it out, however this did not improve the taste- it just was like spicy, nutty, chocolate soup.  Then I got the idea to add more chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, ume plum vinegar, tomato sauce and a number of other things I can’t remember until it tasted good.

I made a filling of refried beans, mushrooms and spinach which I then rolled up and placed in a baking dish.  I topped with the mole enchilada sauce and a dusting of nutritional yeast and placed in the oven to bake for 20 minutes uncovered.  Once it came out of the oven I topped with a drizzle of smoky paprika cheeze sauce (based off this recipe) and a little avocado.

Well they look good right? Now the test was to see if they actually tasted as good as they look. The verdict: they were really amazing, however due to all the playing around to make the sauce taste good it is going to be difficult to recreate this dish that turned out amazing by mistake. Oh well, I think I have enough knowledge on how to recreate it and I hope to try it again- but this time I will write everything down so you can try it too!

For dessert we tried one of the sample cookies sent to me from Enjoy Life Foods; they sent the Snickerdoodle, Double Chocolate Brownie and Lively Lemon to test out for them. Last night we tried the Snickerdoodle, overall the Hubz and I thought that they were okay. They were nice and soft but we both felt that they were super sugary tasting and the texture was almost like eating brown sugar (we just aren’t sugar lovers).  I am hoping that the other two flavors are better.

My Trio of Beverages

Peanut-Ginger Tofu, Griddled Tomato and Dry Rye Toast

The Peanut-Ginger Tofu is really delicious.  The sauce coats the tofu perfectly and you get great flavor with every bite.  Also the ginger is really a mild flavor and balanced perfectly with the peanut. “I really like how the sauce is kind of crispy too and the ginger, well you can tell it’s real ginger not just a flavor” – Quote by The Hubz

The Griddled Tomato is my new favorite breakfast item.  Cooking the tomato locks in all the juices and just creates a whole new depth of flavor; place it on top of the rye toast and you’ve got a winner.

As for the beverages I would say they have one of the best cups of coffee in town.  The water was refreshing.  The tangerine juice was surprisingly not overly sweet and I really enjoyed it- I may even order it next visit!

Just a heads up to vegans interested in eating here the homefries are not vegan.

Ratings:
Value: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Vegan Friendly: 3/5- all though not a ton of vegan options the ones they do have are delicious.
Atmosphere: 4/5

Melisser Elliott is the author of the upcoming book “The Vegan Girl’s Guide to Life”, as well as the blogger behind award-winning blog, The Urban Housewife, beauty blog Cruelty Free Face, and the founder of Sugar Beat Sweets bakery in San Francisco, CA. When not at the keyboard, she participates in animal activism, vegan outreach, &
spends time with her husband Ryan, & rescued friends Strummer, Beamish, & Scurvy. She currently resides in Vienna, Austria.

Inspiration behind the book:
I wanted to write a vegan lifestyle book from a female vegan’s
perspective, although it’s certainly not only for a book for women. The book includes not just about the food we eat, but the other things people forget about or may not know about veganism. I wanted to reduce the learning curve for new vegans by showing them how easy it can be, while appealing to current vegans with new recipes and fun crafts. It’s an easy read, but informative, nonetheless.

Q: Who is your target audience? I know that it is the “vegan girls guide” but do you think it applies to men as well?

Melisser: I consider it a lifestyle guide for the vegan curious, as well as current vegans. The book was written from a female’s perspective, but men can utilize it as well. They may find the beauty section less useful though!

In your book you ask many of your featured bloggers questions such as:

Q: What is your funniest vegan moment?

Melisser: It’s hard to pinpoint one, there’s been lots of silly misunderstandings and unbelievable questions I’ve been asked!

Q: What is your favorite accidental vegan food?

Melisser: Hungarian Baumkuchen from Naschmarkt in Vienna!

Q: What do you say to vegan haters?

Melisser: It depends on the situation, but I love to throw out facts to prove them wrong or make them think. Sometimes it’s better to just make a joke back to them, being a hater back is rarely effective.

Q: What is the one thing that you want you readers to get out of this book?

Melisser: Anyone can be vegan, it’s not a lifestyle for a certain type of person, gender, race, or orientation. With a bit of research and strong convictions, you can make the important decision to lead a vegan lifestyle.

Q:I know you are on a big book tour right now where else will you be stopping?

Melisser: I’m in the UK now doing talks in London, but in January I’ll be in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland- dates coming soon!

My Take: I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I received this book for review all I knew was that it as written by Melisser Elliot a very well known blogger (and blog I follow) and had something to do with being vegan (obviously). I finally sat down and started into the book and this is what I came to find:

• I found a lot of information that I already knew- being a 4 year vegan and a holistic health counselor and a lot of the information regarding food and nutrition I already knew. The information regarding animal welfare, factory farming, ect was all information I am already very informed about.
• Interviews: There were interviews with bloggers and vegan company owners.  I really loved these because it gave me an opportunity to learn more about the bloggers behind the blogs I read and about the business entrepreneurs of stores that I already shop from, as well as about new bloggers and new places to shop.
• Besides the beauty info this book is not just for girls. Yes this is The Vegan Girls Guide to Life and is written through the perspective of a girl but the information is really good for anyone male or female- however some men may find that the information about beauty supplies does not apply to them; however if you are like my husband you might take interest anyway.
• A few recipes. This book was not meant to be a recipe book and you can tell by the lack of vegan recipes, however there are a few and they all sound really yummy.

Overall I think that this is a very well done book and is perfect for those who are vegan curious or  a new vegan.  If you have been around the vegan block a few times on a whole this book probably won’t hold your interest for very long; however don’t be too quick to dismiss it because the recipes, blogger features and vegan store/shopping info is worth reading.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this book for  review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway or add this to my OpenSky shop in return for a discount on this product.

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1. with hummus- YUM

2. with chickpea dip- YUM (totally different than hummus)

3. My favorite way however was like a bruschetta (see below)

Overall I really enjoyed these little flatbreads; they are great on their own or with a dip or topper.  I have to say that I love the Crispbread more but the flatbreads are way better for entertaining and less mess.  The flatbreads are light an airy and have a great crispy to them.  My favorite flavor was the rosemary it was wonderful as a bruschetta, the sesame was great with peanut butter and the plan with hummus; overall a very versatile snack. So now that I have told you what I think and how much I enjoy these Wasa is providing you with an insane prize pack.  All you have to do is……

All entries must be submitted by November 26th at 8pm. For each entry you MUST leave a SEPARATE comment for the entry to qualify.

TO ENTER:

1. Check out the flatbread flavors and tell me how you would enjoy them. (REQUIRED ENTRY)

Additional Chances to win (PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY; also if you already do any of these ie. follow me on twitter/facebook, ect it counts so leave a comment).

1. Visit the Wasa site and let me know something interesting you learned.
2. Follow me on Twitter.
3. Tweet about this giveaway “I want to win @cookveganlover #wasa Giveaway http://wp.me/pFVWo-1g4″
4. Become a fan of Cook.Vegan.Lover. on Facebook.
5. Add me to your blog roll
6. Follow me an RSS reader

The giveaway we have is a Wasa prize pack including:

• Wasa Original Thin & Crispy Flatbread
• Wasa Sesame Thin & Crispy Flatbread
• Wasa Rosemary Thin & Crispy Flatbread
• Art Smith’s “Cooking with Crispbread, 32 Delicious Was To Get Whole Grains”
• 100% Eco-Friendly Wasa Tote Bag
• Wasa Recipe Cards
• Wasa Tin – Perfect for keeping your Wasa fresh or holding recipe cards
• Wasa pen and flash drive

U.S. ENTRANTS ONLY!

I don’t know Wassa matter with me, sorry this took so long to post!

Noelle is our lucky winner!

Random.org Winner Selection

Our pizza from the last post was actually inspired by a visit to American Flatbread a few weeks ago where we sipped the best beer and ate the most delicious pizza. This is one of our go to restaurants because they have amazing flatbread that is made from local and/or organic ingredients.  Plus they keep it simple- their menu has a salad (which is amazing) and a number of flatbread creations as well as an option to create your own flatbread.  THAT IS IT. They don’t need to put anything more on that menu because it is perfect keeping it simple.  They also have a special salad, vegetarian pizza and omnivore pizza each night as well as dessert specials.

On top of having a great salad and flatbreads they easily accommodate vegans and they brew their own beer. Now their dining menu maybe short and sweet but the beer list is extensive and filled with a great selection of microbrews as well as their house made which are all really good.

Veganized Special- white pizza with delicata squash, apples, garlic and maple glazed hazelnuts

Goody Good Stuff sent me a selection of their gummy candies to try.  Good Good Stuff gummy candies are gelatin free, fat free and dairy free.  They also are made with all natural flavors and no artificial colors.  All of the gummies are vegetarian and 4 of the flavors are vegan:

Vegan Flavors:

Sour Mix and Match
Sour Fruit Salad
Summer Peaches
Cola Breeze

My husband and I really had to practice self control with these snacks because like chips you just can’t eat one.  Once we opened a bag of these it was really hard not to just eat the entire bag in one sitting.  I have tried a number of different vegan gummies and these are by far my favorite and the closest in texture to the gelatin (eww) gummies I had as a child.

My favorite was the Sour Fruit Salad; it wasn’t really that sour but it had a good tang with cute fruit shaped gummies.  Coming in 2nd were the Sour Mix and Match, 3rd the Cola and 4th the peach (I’m just really not into peach flavors.

My husband’s favorite was the cola, surprise-surprise!  The Hubz is a a former cola addict so when he saw these his eyes lit up and he was in love at first sight.  For him the peaches came in 2nd, the fruit salad 3rd and the mix and match last.

Unfortunately you can’t find these wonderful UK gummies every where in the U.S. yet but you can find them on Veganessentials.com, amazon.com and in Stop&Shop’s.

At this point you are probably going what in the world is she talking about?  I’m talking about nachos and amazingly delicious ones at that. Topped with Nacho Mom’s Vegan Queso and Wholly Guacamole and Salsa.

Nacho Mom’s sent me a sample of their vegan queso to try and I knew that I was in heaven at the first bite.  This product is just amazingly delicious and the best part(s) is:

• It looks, smells, and tastes like real nacho cheese dip.
• No dairy or animal products.
• No cholesterol.
• No soy.
• No nuts.
• No fat.
• No guilt.
• No sugar.

How can you go wrong? It is amazing on chips, baked potatoes, pizza, in pasta for a fun tex-mex dish and about a million other ways you want to try it. The Hubz said it reminded him of that other highly processed non-vegan nacho cheese dip that he ate as a child.  We both couldn’t get our hands off the jar- however with no cholesterol, fat, sugar and being low calorie we ate it with all the pleasure and without the guilt.  It isn’t in my stores YET but it is available online at Cosmo’s Vegan Shoppe and Vegan Essentials along with a number of other online distributors and in select stores.

They are a good balance of the two as they are chewy and crispy and pack a lot of flavor!  I ate the Granookies on their own and broke them up and put them in my vegan yogurt.  They are delicious, sweet but not too sweet and the chocolate chip Granookies went great with my vanilla soygurt parfait.

These are great alternatives to mainstream granola bars and cookies as they are fun, healthy and convenient.  They are a great source for fiber, complete proteins, amino acids and more!  To top it all off, they are dairy free, soy free and nut free as well which is great for those with food allergies or sensitivities.

Now it is your chance to win your own sample of Grassroot Granookies!  Entries will be accepted until October 12th at 8pm.  To enter you can do any (or all) of these: Please leave individual comments for each entry.

1. Tell me what inventive way you will enjoy your sample of Granookies.
2. Become a fan of Granookies on Facebook
3. Become a fan of Cook.Vegan.Lover. on Facebook
4. Follow Cook.Vegan.Lover. on twitter
5. Subscribe to my newsletter

The Winner is JENNA

Magnolia Bistro’s menu is a vegans paradise.  Everything is labeled with a “v” if it is vegan and if you are gluten free you will be delighted to know gluten free dishes are marked with a “g”.  This make the dining experience relaxing, easy and enjoyable.

Sesame Tofu Scramble

Plate O'Sides- black beans, kale, home fries and toast with Earth Balance

The Hubz and I would recommend:

• Garbanzo Burger
• The Incredible Mr. Limpett
• Sesame Scram w/avocado
• French Toast
• Bloody Mary

However, we have never had a dish we didn’t love!

Magnolia Bistro, One Lawson Lane, Burlington, VT

Now you can get Rejuvinative Foods- Spicy Kim Chee in my OpenSky store.  Rejuvinative Foods Spicy Kim Chee is 100% organic, vegan, raw, gluten free,  and made from fresh, shredded and unheated vegetables.  It is also a rich source of lactobacilli and enzymes and of course delicious and  with high fiber content.

Buy Now

Reminder- use the Coupon Code: THIRTYVEGAN today! The coupon is good for the 1st five 3 customers who use it and expires on 9/30, so don’t wait!- I just purchased some myself!

and a few of these:

and one of these for our drive to Saratoga Springs:

After about an hour of driving we made it to our hotel for night which was a HUGE improvement over our Friday night hotel.  I used Hotwire my go to resource for great inexpensive rooms and we got the Hyatt Place in Malta NY just outside of Saratoga Springs.  Unfortunately my camera battery died during our visit to the animal sanctuary so I didn’t get a good shot of the room, however, the picture on the website is exactly what our room looked like so take a look:

After relaxing for a bit on the couch we finally headed out to see the town and get some dinner.  Our first stop was the Olde Saratoga Brewery which has a tasting room and the best part you can taste what you want and the only cost to you is what you want to tip- great right? Well we stopped in and tried 2 brews each before heading to dinner.

After brews we headed to downtown Saratoga Springs for dinner at Karavalli an Indian restaurant that I read about online and was drawn to their vegan menu options.  We started off with the Bhel Poori which was really interesting; it was like a savory rice crispy treat.  We then shared the CHETTINADU VEGETABLE: A Tamilnadu Specialty:Vegetables in authentic spicy black pepper and roasted coconut sauce and the KUNDAPUR VEGETABLES: A Karnataka Specialty:Vegetables cooked with coconut milk and dry red chilies, tempered with curry leaves and mustard seeds.

The food was amazing and there was so much of it that we had to take some with us for lunch on Sunday.  Although our meal was huge and we were pretty full we had a little room left (after a long walk around downtown) for one of these bad boys:

An Amazing vegan chocolate chip pumpkin seed macaroon.

The completely vegan menu was filled with delicious sounding breakfast dishes that I wanted to order all of them from the Oatmeal “Crème Brule” to the scrambles and of course the French Toast.  However the Hubz and I finally made a decision and picked two amazing dishes, a side and coffee.

I had the Breakfast Burrito which was massive so I only ended up eating half and saved the other half for lunch.

It was really delicious.

Breakfast Burrito: black beans, tofu scramble, vegan cheddar, salsa and guacamole served with roasted potatoes

The Hubz had the Italian Scramble which was delicious as well and also a ton of food.  He took some of his with us as well and we shared our leftovers for lunch later in the day.

Italian Scramble: spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs, served with grilled baguette & roasted potatoes

Oh yeah and we had some vegan sausages- had we known that the meals were going to be so huge we probably wouldn’t have ordered them but they sure were delicious!

After breakfast we wondered around town and visited the local flea market where I found a few pieces of costume jewelry and some beautiful figs.

I am sure that you have figured out our final destination by now however you will still have to wait until the next post to see all the fun.

Hail Merry sent me a few of their treats to sample for my OpenSky Shop .  I immediately decided to try the blonde macaroons which are raw, vegan and gluten free and AMAZING! I am a huge fan of raw macaroons and should really make them more often but these are certainly a great treat!

I wasn’t feeling to hot in the morning so I finished my work and headed home to rest for awhile.  When the Hubz got home he convinced me to get out and go to the South End Burlington Art Hop with him.  I was as little reluctant at first since I still wasn’t feeling great but went anyways. We ended up having a great time and the fresh air and walk around town seemed to be just what I needed.  After a while we got hungry and we decided to get some food.

Neil with his I'm hungry face on.

Downtown was crowded so I suggested that we try Miguel’s since it was near the water, away from the crowds, and we had never been there before.  We decided to sit outside since although cool out it was a beautiful night.

We started off with the special margarita of the night: prickly pear

We also snacked on a few chips and salsa but we were good and didn’t have too many and spoil our dinners.

For my entree I got the Tres Tacos with the vegetarian chili which was delicious and filled with bulgar, sweet potatoes and beans- with my tacos came pinto beans, rice, pickled onions, lettuce and tomato.

The Hubz got the portobello fajitas which were amazing! He was kind enough to give me one and in return I gave him one of my tacos.

Overall this place was amazing! We had great food, great service and a wonderful atmosphere to enjoy it all in (and the company wasn’t half bad either).

The Hubz and I shared the grilled veggie sandwich (sundried tomato pesto is vegan!), a Gus soda and a bag of Zapp’s Spicy Cajun Crawtators chips. Everything was delicious!

After our bite to eat we went for a walk to kill some time before our spa appointment.

Finally it was time to enjoy our spa treatment! Since there were no cameras or cellphones allowed I didn’t get any shots but let me tell you it was amazing! Here are some photos from the Jivana website:

Entrance

Entry and Massage Room

The Sugar Scrub Table

After the amazing Balinese massage I had a sugar scrub and left the spa feeling refreshed, renewed and so relaxed.  I decided to go with the lemongrass massage oil and body scrub and it really did smell wonderful.

After our spa appointment it was getting pretty late so we decided to go out for some yummy Asian Food.  We got the avocado roll to share and then I got a big bowl of tom kar soup with tofu, veggies and udon noodles. The Hubz got this great dish which was almost like a deconstructed sushi roll both amazing and ridiculously filling.

Q: What are you treating yourself to this year?

Hope Aurorae Yoga Mat

Considering I had a huge day ahead of me I decided that I needed to enjoy a healthy yummy breakfast. This morning I enjoyed miso soup, whole wheat toast and I attempted to enjoy some melon from our CSA but it as just awful.

I made myself some lunch which was good minus a little failure; I made a mesclun salad with chickpeas, raisins and heirloom tomatoes. Raisins a little old and were supper sugary and secondly I HATE MESCLUN MIX. There I said it. I have tried to like it but it just isn’t going to happen. With my chickpeas and tomato salad I had a dijon balsamic dressing and had some dried mango and Mr. Krsipers on the side.

Dressing: 1t agave, 1t dijon mustard, 1t hemp oil and 3t balsamic

For dinner I made some grinders (aka heros, submarine sandwiches) for the Hubz and I which had sauteed onions, peppers, fennel, vegan sausage, tomatoes, lettuce, dijon mustard and Nasoya vegan mayo.

Grinders with squash "fries" and a few crackers

Nasoya sent me a coupon for a free jar of Nayonaise so I tried fat free Nayonaise.  I honestly never was a fan of Nayonaise when I have had it before but decided since it had been years since I last tried it that I would give it another chance.  Honestly though the consistency and the flavor just isn’t very great.  I find that Vegenaise is much more similar to what I remember as mayo. So I have to say this was a sample fail for me

Q: What is your favorite vegan mayo?

Tomorrow starts my Birthday Weekend! On the agenda:

• Spa Treatments
• Shopping at Target
• Dinner with Friends
• Homework—yeah I know, I know

Between Bread with Jam

In My Overnight Oats

In My Banana Soft Serve

On top of My Oatmeal

In My Raw Cookies

And the Best way to eat Almond Butter is Straight out of the JAR!

As you probably saw earlier this week launched the OpenSky Lunch Box Project where a dollar from select items will go to help this charity. “The Lunch Box provides schools with free, tangible tools to transform school lunch from highly processed foods to made-from-scratch meals using nutritious, fresh ingredients. It contains tools for real change including school-tested recipes with nutritionals and training tips, financial modeling guides, budget templates, downloadable, customizable calendars, and training videos.” Source

In honor of this amazing charity and my love for almond butter you can now find Artisana Almond Butter in my OpenSky shop and  for every jar sold from now until September 7th  $1 will be donated by OpenSky and I will also be making a donation for every jar sold as well to The Lunch Box Project.
Buy Now

To tell you a little more about the HUMANWEAR, the company behind this shirt, I interviewed the Jellie Stanton the founder:

Q: Why did you choose to partner up with OpenSky?

I believe that OpenSky is a great new e-commerce platform for introducing innovative products to those who follow bloggers that they share common interests with and respect.  I’ve bought products myself based on recommendations from bloggers I follow.

Q: What is the inspiration behind the different shirts that you offer?

It all started after watching the documentary “Go Further” where Woody Harrelson and a group of friends take a road trip to demonstrate ways to be environmentally responsible.   I decided that I was going to become really involved in the green movement, just like they were hoping to inspire.

My desire was to form a company that would create the “greenest” t-shirt possible, that met the conditions of being stylish, really appealing colors that could be found in nature, with light-hearted yet thought-provoking messages, and was affordable.

Q: Besides making green t-shirts what other environmentally responsible practices does your company do?

We use recycled paper for our hangtags and gift cards and offer really cool recycled wrapping paper.  We also ship in recyclable boxes and buy carbon offsets so all shipments are made carbon-neutral.

Q: Tell me what is your favorite shirt?

My favorite t-shirt is COMMUNAL EVOLUTION-a collective push towards a higher state.  Woody talks about this concept in the movie and to me, it really sums up the idea that we must come together as a world-wide community to effect the change needed to preserve our planet.                  I also love HUMAN BEING because it says so much without you having to say anything.

Disclaimer: HUMANWEAR provided me with a discount to purchase this shirt of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway or add this to my OpenSky shop in return for a discount on this product.

The flavors hubz and I tried were:

• lemongrass mint vanilla
  • My husband described this perfectly “it taste like your drinking a fresh roll” and it did – the flavor was fresh and cooling and we both loved it.
• lavender mint
  • at first I didn’t know what to expect with this considering lavender is not something I generally eat or drink but the flavor with the mint was really nice
• ginger lemon peel
  • this was one of my favorites it almost reminded me of a iced ginger tea it was delicious
• cinnamon orange peel
  • another favorite of mine (who am I kidding I pretty much loved all of them) this one was different than the other because the cinnamon actually had more of a savory warming taste
• cloves cardamom cinnamon
  • this was similar to the cinnamon orange peel in that the flavors were warming and reminded me of the fall
• lemon verbena geranium
  • I liked this one but it was the only one that I didn’t love. I think it was the geranium flavor it was a bit too much floral tasting for me.

Overall these were a hit at my house.  After one bottle my husband was asking where we could buy more because he loved it.  This is my new favorite go to drink when I’m looking for something refreshing that isn’t just plain water.

All of the flavors are now available in my OpenSky shop hope you enjoy them!

“At Herbal Water™, we make our beverages by infusing organic culinary herbs in pure water. We use no artificial sweeteners, no preservatives, and no additives of any kind. Culinary herbs have been prized for centuries, for their calming, stimulating and aphrodisiac qualities, and are the natural way to flavor and enhance any food or drink. You’ll find Ayala’s Herbal Water a delightfully refreshing, mellow yet complex aromatic drink that’s 100% good for you!™. Enjoy our taste of the garden, with fresh spring breezes in every sip.”source

Disclaimer: Alaya’s Herbal Water provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Last night we had our first dinner party at our new home!  I made a peanutty pad thai, cucumber salad and tempeh lettuce wraps.

After dinner we played a game “What is Yours Like” which was pretty fun, however, the best part of after dinner were the Coco-Zen Truffles that we ate.  Isn’t the tin really cute that they came in? It turns into a lunch box after!

Also I am excited to say that all of my OpenSky stuff that I ordered on Tuesday came yesterday, service was quick and efficient!

Q: Have you ordered anything from OpenSky yet?

About and hour in I got antsy and decided that I would try out the new Couch to 5K iPhone App that I had purchased last night.  The Hubz decided he would go swimming and we headed out to the bike path which is conveniently behind our place and right on the lake *swoon*.

So I successfully completed day 1 of C25K and I LOVE IT!  I think that this is one of the best app’s that I have ever purchased never mind that it’s the only app I have ever purchased. Three things that I love about it are:

• You can add play list right to the music section of the app and they start when you start the workout.
• Before each interval starts there are 3 beeps and then it tells you to run/walk so you never have to look at the screen to see what you need to do next.
• When you reach the half way point it lets you know so that you can either turn around like I had to or just so you have a reference point to how long you have been going.

This program is really great for me because I was running and then for various reasons you can go back to read about I just drifted away from running.  I signed up for a run in September and I am so excited to do it and use this app for my training.  The Hubz has even decided that he would like to try it after he met up with me after swimming and saw/heard how enthusiastic I was about it.

All the running and extra speed walking I did worked up an appetite and so we came home and made yummy wraps and had coconut water and Brad’s Raw Chips-sweet potato.  The wraps had sauteed portobello, avocado, spinach, green onions and a little hot sauce in them, and some cilantro in mine.

Hubby scrapped out the insides of the coconut and I will use it later to make some “chicken” burgers from Ani Phyo’s new recipe book.  Now it’s back to the work station to get down to business.  Then we are off to  run errands and to the movies with my GF to see Inception!

A couple of months ago, the fine people at Sodastream sent us a Sodastream Jet Soda Maker and a whole host of flavours to sample.

As someone who used to drink way too much soda, the soda stream is definitely a great product.  While the upfront cost may be a little intimidating, it doesn’t take long for it to be paid back. When you take into consideration the cost of the flavours and the cartridges it works out to about $0.25 per can of soda or $0.25 per litre of soda water.

It’s also wonderfully convenient.  It’s nice to be able to make some seltzer to mix a drink or some soda to go with your meal whenever you want.

We were also provided with many different soda and water flavourings.  The flavours were similar to those of mainstream soda brands.  One good thing about adding your own flavouring is that you are able to control how much you add.  I found this great because it would allow me to control how sweet the soda was.  My favourite soda flavours were the cola and lemon lime.  My favourite of all though were the  “MyWater” flavourings.  These flavours are made from natural ingredients. With a little drop of the flavours, you could add a little punch to your drink.

There is a lot less sugar and calories in these sodas than commercial sodas (and they have no High Fructose Corn Syrup), but this comes at the expense of combining sugar with the artificial sweetener Splenda to keep the calories low.  To avoid the artificial sweeteners, you can stick to the MyWater flavours or by coming up with your own flavours for the sparkling water.

Overall, I think the SodaStream is a great value for people who drink a lot of soda and seltzer.

Disclaimer: SodaStream provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.