Anyway though, I am really glad you enjoyed Alison's post on her Weight Loss Success Story from yesterday. She is just an amazing woman and I love her so! Thanks again, Alison for sharing your lovely and inspiring story!
But moving on to what I really want to talk about today: Chocolate in Aruba!! You know how much I love my chocolate.
From Raw Vegan Chocolate Coconut Snowballs
And Raw Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Donut Holes-Another 5 Minute Recipe!
To My Raw Vegan PB Cups
Thanks, Heather, for mentioning these yesterday. So glad you got in on a little messy chocolate action of your own!
To My Vegan Guiltless & Fast Vanilla Hot Cocoa
It's pretty hot here so Hot Cocoa isn't on my mind, but of course, chocolate always is. So I whipped up:
Raw Vegan Overnight "Chocolate Brownie" Protein Oats
1/3 c dry oats
1 ripe & well mashed banana
1 heaping scoop of the Chocolate Sun Warrior Protein Powder (something that I did bring with me)
1 Tbsp Agave
Pinch of stevia (omit, reduce, or increase sweeteners to your taste)
Mix all ingredients (I use a little tupperware with a lid) together, Refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours...
...and Enjoy! (Pics taken 12 hours later.)
It tastes like an oatmeal-inspired chocolate brownie to me! Thick, fudgey, and delish!
And even though it's hot and hot cocoa doesn't come to mind, hot coffee still does. Did you catch the fact that I brought my own coffee pot with me to Aruba? And I also brought some Vanilla Stevia drops. Perfect in the 'joe!
Now for more chocolate....
Some Chocolate Bar Finds!
White Chocolate
Note the Fair Trade Label. Cool!
And then this Dark Swiss Bittersweet Bar
And the Stats if you're Interested
And then this Cappuccino Bar. A Chocolate and Coffee Lover's Dream Bar!!!! (it's not vegan though)
That Fair Trade Symbol again.
The white chocolate is the perfect compliment to the dark chocolate, which has a lovely coffee flavor according to Scott.
Yeah, it looks pretty good, I'd say.
And these Dark Chocolate with White Nougat...
...with Peanut Chunks inside the white Nougat. If Milky Way Dark were flecked with Peanut Chunks in the Nougat but with the caliber of Godiva or Sees's Candies Chocolate, that's what this is like. For 2 America dollars for 18 pieces. Score!
Ok so I confess I haven't only been eating chocolate. There's been plenty of kale, cukes, brock, and cauli in my life.
With the Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing I gave the recipe for here.
And Brown Rice, and A Garden Salad dressed with my homemade CreamyVegan Cesar-Inspired Tahini Dressing
And there's been Fruit.
Grapefruit
Fresh Mangos
And Grapes, Apples, and Pears which I didn't bother to upload. Uploading here is like the Pony Express: Slow!
But for more Chocolate now...
There's been some damage done to a batch of Vegan Chocolate Coconut Snowballs that I whipped up here. I omitted the coconut oil and just used maple as the liquid and things turned out just fine. 5 Minutes and sooo good!
And there was a dark chocolate-colored wooden statue that a friend of ours down here gave us. (Sorry bout the dark pics, the lighting is quite horrendous indoors here)
She's the perfect drishti (gazing point) for my yoga practice!
Yoga Today is Skylar's Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Savasana)
Ahh, inner peace.
Tips of the Day:
First-
Did you remember to check the Bora Bora Foods Give Away Winner?
If you missed The Winner, go Check this Post Out!
Next Tips:
RodeyGirl is Having a Tea Give Away
Danica AND Brandi have Knock Knock goods!
April’s giveaway!
Iowa Girl has a Give Away!
What's the food you never get sick of? I know Katie and I share a love of chocolate. Although she mentioned she actually OD'ed on it. And another person I know loves his chocolate. He's got a stash to rival mine. I love chocolate, too...always. And coffee.
Seriously though, like Holly mentioned in this post, I crave green, raw, fresh veggies, some fruit, but just wholesome greenery and lots of it!!! Of course I love my desserts, but I find that when my diet is well-balanced and rounded out with enough veggies, fruits, and I am getting all those trace nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, I crave desserts less. So what food(s) or beverages do you never tire of?
Or, tell me about your weekend plans? Shopping? Packing for a holiday trip to see family members? Whatcha up to?
Stay Tuned For Week in Review Highlights Post, More Great Guest Posts, and Another Give Away Announcement...
45 comments:
LOVE Skylar's take on downward dog. Yoga master in training :)
I never ever get sick of sweet potatoes, raw veggies, or apples. Seriously.. could consume all 3.. everyday.. all day!
Congrats to Evan!!
I LOVED Alison's story because clearly I'm still eating too many calories as the weight is not moving. I think I'm gonna have to buckle down and count calories after all (or at least go back to WW Points which I'm used to). Part if me knows I should just count calories as they are the real deal and not the casino chip version (aka Points). Anyhoo, pain my butt. Apparently, I'm not in the "I gave up sugar and white flour and the pounds melted off" category.
(PS. I did not join the Bora Bora giveaway b/c guess who's getting her first free swag??? If you had anything to do with that - muchas gracias!)
I love Skylar's downward dog! :) So cute. You know, I wish that I craved veggies. And it's not like I haven't tried. In training for fitness comps I've spent a few months really limited sweets, eating other natural foods and forcing down veggies a few times a day in every form possible.
What do you suggest I do, dear Averie?? I wish I liked them. I can't ever imagine craving greenery..LOL! It makes me laugh. :)
Ok girl - where do I get my hands on vanilla stevia??? I need to try this in the Joe!
You are too cute - you brought your own coffee pot.....cute...
I Hope you are having a blast!
All the best!
This weekend is christmas light viewings - there is a large park here that lights every single bush up!!
XXOO
Skylar is adorable! (BTW..I love that name!)
I'll be braving the grocery store this weekend for ingredients to make some raw goodies...but that's it. No "shopping" to speak of. ;-)
I never get sick of organic apples. So juicy and yummy.
You and Skylar need to make a mother/daughter yoga DVD! :)
I agree with VG. How cute would that be?! Plus, all those yuppie mommies would EATT IT UP! And Skylar is totally gorgeous, so the camera would love her.
Now as for this post, I don't like it at all... I mean, a post dedicated to chocolate? Boring!
JUST KIDDING!!!
Averie, your pb cups are at the TOP of my to-make list. I'm serious; I have all the ingredients now and just have to get off my lazy butt and make them. Maybe when my mom and sister start making Christmas cookies, I'll make yours so I won't be left out.
Love you, babe!
Oh boy. So jealous of your capabilities and zest for life :)
Jealously is evil.
Looks like you got some good chocolate buys.
Be safe and sound.
Skylar is adorable!
It's funny - before I became veg I had the hugest sweet tooth, baked all the time, and now I'm like, eh. I still love to bake, but don't have the urge to eat it all myself. It's not about the sweets, I just enjoy the act of baking now. You're so right about a well-rounded diet!
I crave . . . peanut butter, but that's the only food I have to eat regularly, that and bananas, usually together. And since I made my pot of cabbage veggie stew yesterday I've eaten like half of the entire Dutch oven, can't get enough of those vegs!
I ALSO agree with VG and CCV. :)
Yum! I've been making a variation of Chocolate Oats of my own lately! I'll post my recipe soon!
LOVE your PB Cups, and so does the BF. I might make some tonight...just to be an extra sweet girl.
And guess who just found Bora Bora bars at Costco? ME. Can't wait to try them, even if it was risky buying a whole box with out even trying them first! I'm SO stepping outside my comfort box!!!!
Hope the Vaycay is going well!
XOXO,
Erin
Oh gosh everything looks fabulous! I love overnight oats and protein oats.. I'm definitely trying your combination! And I may need to make those little doughnut balls for my family this holiday.. they are chocolate freaks!
Skylar is beautiful. I can't wait to start doing Mom and daughter things with Ava.
Foods/drink I could eat and never get sick of: honeycrisp apples, sweet potatoes, squash, wine, kombucha and coconut candy from the carribean.
I am doing a quick stop at Scottsdale Fashion "show" today, and other than that, staying away from stores as much as possible. We are going to take a picnic to Fountain Hills tomorrow and sit by the fountain and bask in the beautiful weather we've been having. Maybe a little cooking and baking. :-)
Enjoy!
I would never, ever get sick of peanut butter, nor of popcorn.
Cool that you can tell that you don't crave sweets as much when you feel your diet is healthy.
Nice of your friends to bring you a gift!
What a fun post Averie! All that chocolate looks SO good. I'm totally intrigued by that Cappuccino bar. YUM!!!
Hmm... I don't think I could EVER get sick of apples, carrots, greek yogurt, and sweet potatoes.
xxoo
Heather
Skylar is SO CUTE!! I can't even handle it!
I love foreign candy - those chocolates sound amazing and I'm not even that big of a chocolate lover. Your overnight oats remind me of those no bake cookies (you're a Midwest girl, you HAVE to know what I'm talking about). Sounds yummy!
Enjoy paradise!!
aw little Sky-Sky is a yogini in the making :)
Can I officially dub you the queen of chocolate? (I officially wanted to dub you the queen of balls but I figured that could be misconstrued) Your recipes are so amazing, regardless of how many times I see them!
love you, Av :)
oh my gosh GO SKYLAR!! haha she is a doll baby!! and a future yoga star like her momma!!!
girl ive never gotten sick of peanut butter!! i HAVE gotten sick of oats but never PB! i hope i never do!
keep having fun!!
Oh no! The chocolate post is killing me! I ate like 3 almond butter cups yesterday and I was so pudgy feeling I vowed to have nothing to do with chocolate for a week! I think that may be out the window now ; )
I can't live without blueberries! They are back in season and I could eat nothing but those all day long and I'd be a happy, happy girl : )
Right now...Kale. Period. have a batch in the oven right now dehydrating (I have not made the trek to Costco yet to go pick mine up...considering it my xmas gift)
I've made a seriously good go at "not needing" one but since I've been keeping my oven on continously since Fall started to dehydrate things ...I guess I've justified spending $50 bucks on one I like.
I esp like that I can make a dish and warm it just a tad..OH and a spiralizer too.
well, more RAW food is on my agenda, I've also been CRAVING NOOCH...and I think b vitamins are calling my name. I too notice when I eat my veggies (leafy greens esp) I crave junk less.
Our family decided we are going to go shopping as a unit (AFTER XMAS) and take advantage of sales. Of course stockings and gifts are reserved for the little uns (as it should be) and I am so okay with this.
also my Step daughter is home from basic and we are going to spend the weekend and weeks ahead re connecting as a family.
BEST GIFT EVER.
me? hope to be busy in the kitchen cooking fun foods to snack on!
love your chocolate stash! Love trying new things!
oh my gosh!! i love those photos of Skyler. A yogi in training <3 like her momma! awe, i love you two <3
and YUM that fresh mango had me salivating... as well as those brownie oats.. anything brownie and you have me hooked.
thank you for you comment dear Averie <3 it means so much!
Your trip to Aruba sounds and looks AMAZING. haha. I cant belive it was 6 dollars for a cup of coffee!! HOLY MAN.. but, worth it i bet ;) xox
OMG!! Skylar is too cute. She is rockin that downward dog pose! I love it!! GO girl!
That chocolate from aruba looks absolutely heavenly. And that overnight chocolate brownie and those chocolate snowballs... So amazing. I want to eat those right now!
I with you on the veggies. I crave them everyday. My husbands always asks about how I can eat so many but I just love them. So good and even better I feel good about myself after I eat them too. But my two vices that I cant live without are coffee and nut butters. They are so tasty!
This weekend I plan on finishing up all last minute holiday stuff and doing some major relaxing. I cant wait. I hope you have a fabulous day!
Hey! Thanks for checking out my blog :) I've had a rough time this year with my eating (I eat clean), and then the ALCAT, which cut a lot of stuff out that I ate on a daily basis (blueberries, green beans, even cane sugar!)I will let you know how it goes. My doc said to give it a month to see if it's working for me. I just made your chocolate coconut balls and they are DIVINE. And no cane sugar! :) Thank you for the recipe! I will be sure to try the others that you mentioned also!
Mmmmm CHOCOLATE!! And fruit! I'm developing a serious craving for mango at the moment--it's been too long!
Sweetness on the giveaway!
That milk chocolate looks deicious. It's true; I don't think I tire of chocolate because when I'm tired of cocoa I just turn to white or visa versa. I could also eat maple syrup, oatmeal, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and peanut butter everyday. In fact, I think I do.
Now that I'm home I can't wait to try that hot chocolate and PB cups! I'll need to hunt down some nutritional yeast
I have been looking for a good dark chocolate-coffee bar (Green and Black's is just okay); two of my favorite things to eat! And fair trade to boot - not bad!
I agree about the greens too. Vegetables make up 80-90% of my diet, and the more I eat, the less I crave sweets. It's all about balance though, as you are obviously aware. Clean eating + exercise = balance for me too!
(and I am the Katie who comments on your blog - obviously :) Thanks for reading and commenting on mine!)
I have been looking for a good dark chocolate-coffee bar (Green and Black's is just okay); two of my favorite things to eat! And fair trade to boot - not bad!
I agree about the greens too. Vegetables make up 80-90% of my diet, and the more I eat, the less I crave sweets. It's all about balance though, as you are obviously aware. Clean eating + exercise = balance for me too!
(and I am the Katie who comments on your blog - obviously :) Thanks for reading and commenting on mine!)
oh i wanttt those oats! definitely on my menu sometime soon but i'm all about the vanilla :) mmm mmm
i totaly would never ever ever ever ever get sick of apples! i eat like 2 a day atleaaast! and love them so much. i guess i'm a big apple girl at heart ;)
i'm feelin your use of things from home while you're away. way to pull through girl
Aww, thanks Averie! I LOVE the S. Berger dark chocolate I've had and hadn't seen it in Evan's expansive chocolate collection I figured it would be a good choice ;) I read about the exchange on someone's blog (wish I could remember who!) that linked over to it, and I signed up just in time! If I'm in the know next Christmas promise I'll let you know too :)
~ new to your blog, but wanted to say hi and let you know I'm looking forward to reading more! ;)
Oh my goodness, I just LOVE that you brought your own coffee pot with you! Makes me giggle. That's really what I should have done when coming here... because Nescafe is all the Doha rage ;)
Enjoy your oats! They look delish.
You make me jealous of your eats even when you are thousands of miles away! That white chocolate looks insane! I could eat peanut butter and banana every day for the rest of my life!
Lot's of people recommend yoga as an easy way to get back into physical exercise, I don't know whether this is because they don't really understand it or I don't really understand it - so I thought I'd ask the one person who knows everything about yoga!
What is your opinion on yoga for someone who has only just become physically healthy after being at an emaciated weight for a few years?
Thanks, Katie.
Chocolate! Who doesn't love that?
Those snowballs are perfect for the weather I'm having.
I love those vanilla stevia drops - heaven! (please, oh please don't cause cancer Stevia. I'm begging you.)
I'd probably never get tired of kale. I have major kare for kale. It's just absolutely wholesomely greenly delicious - I can't get enough of it! Skylar's down dog is totally rockin'. :)
to be totally honest the best looking thing here is that MANGO! omg i die over a good, fresh, ripe mango! mmmm.
SKYLAR IS SO STINKIN CUTE! yogini at heart.
never get tired of ice cream, cereal and bread. i am a carb monsta.
love you!
Ok, there is just so much in this post that I want to comment on 'cause your content is awesome!! First of all, I love how you take us on a journey from sweet to savory....chocolate to salad and I am drooling the whole time!! Yum all the way!
I have not tried New Naturals stevia drops only their stevia powder which I adore. I am a huge fan of Sweetleaf Stevia's flavored drops. Only problem is I spend waaaayyy too much on them 'cause I use them on all my sweets each and every day.
Now on to read your thoughts on the xmas gifts.... Happy b'day to your hubby. Treats looked great.
So, I saw your chocolate protein oats link on today's (the 9th) post and thought it'd be perfect for after my Mysore class today. I figured I'd make some up real quick and leave it in the fridge and have it when I get back. One question...I mixed together the banana, oats, protein powder, liquid stevia...and it was really really dry. I had to add some soymilk to get it to an even remotely brownie like texture. I also had to add some cocoa powder, I can't believe the sun warrior is that dark, yum!
Oh, but bottom line, it is SUPER awesome!
My favorite use of oats, right now at least, is your cookie dough balls. My brother is addicted to these. He says they are waaaay better than any cookies he's ever had.
I feel kind of boring in the oats department.. but my favorite way to enjoy them is with a banana and peanutbutter melted in and a touch of stevia and cinnamon
My favorite way to eat oats is definitely chewy oatmeal cookies! No raisins! hehe
Oatmeal with bananas, chocolate and pb is my favorite, though I tried your chocolate protein oats recently and loved it! I'll admit I was skeptical about the lack of liquid, but it was delicious.
I love oats! I've never actually tried overnight oats (need to do this ASAP) -- but I love good old fashioned stove top oats, but I'd have to say my favorite is taking instant oatmeal packets, combining them with 1/2 a banana, 1/4 cup egg whites, and LOTS of cinnamon and about 1/2 tsp baking powder to make an Oatmeal Pancake. It's easy to make and keeps me full for many hours! I've eaten too many to count, usually eat one every day before I go to my classes!
My favorite way to eat oats is in my Protein Dollie/Baked goods recipes!
I like my oats with PB and extra salt
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