Yesterday morning I started the day with a short run. Before heading out, because only sumo wrestlers exercise on an empty stomach, I had a Vega Sport "Performance Optimizer Pre-Workout" drink. After my run, I threw together a quick breakfast parfait ala Oh She Glows. I used banana soft serve and layered it with raw almonds and overnight oats (although I hadn't actually planned ahead, so I stirred together oats, a bit of maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla, and lots of chia seeds to thicken it up quickly). This was so, so good and so satisfying!
Last week, my husband and I took our kids tent camping in Lake Tahoe. This might sound like a crazy idea, considering that both of our kids are under five years old, but it was great! The weather was perfect and, with a little planning, we were able to eat well and have fun. The kids, of course, got really, REALLY dirty...
...but that's just part of the fun for them. The water was cold but gorgeous...
...and we had a great day at the beach!
Cooking was quick with our simple accommodations- I love the minimalism that camping forces! To make our meals easier, I did most of the food prep at home. I chopped all of the fruits and veggies and bagged them for each meal. For breakfast we had tofu scramble burritos one day (one of my veg bags contained all of veggies and a small container of pre-measured seasonings) and then instant oatmeal (we added a few goodies like peanut butter, bananas, raisins, applesauce, etc.) the next day.
Tofu scramble burrito prep on the camp stove:
Lunch was PB&J sandwiches for the kids and Indian samosas (wheat tortillas with a mixture of potatoes, peas, and Indian spices that I prepared at home) for us. For dinner I pre-made my favorite lentil recipe (red lentils with kale) so we just had to heat it up when we were camping. The second night we had pasta with sauteed veggies (pre-chopped and bagged) and, of course, vegan s'mores (we used Sweet and Sara vegan marshmallows which are fabulous)!
Here is a menu brainstorm that I did before planning the meals for our trip. I know this list will come in handy for me on future trips!
Breakfast:
- Pancakes
- Oatmeal
- Tofu veggie scramble with potatoes (or as burritos)
- Scones (Dreena Burton's Squirrelly Scones- YUM!)
- Cinnamon rolls
- Bagels with peanut butter or vegan cream cheese
Lunch:
- Sandwiches (PB&J, tofu or tempeh, soy cheese)
- Samosas Lentil and/or grain salad with veggies
Dinner:
- Chili and cornbread
- Veggie burgers and sweet potatoes or grilled corn
- Veg kabobs, hummus, pita bread
- Pasta with sauteed veggies
- Soup and bread
- Red lentils and kale with bread
Snacks:
- Muffins or quick bread
- Cookies
- Veggies and dip
- Fruit (incl. apples w/PB)
- Bars
- Nuts
- S'mores!
I recently received a sample* of a "multi-vitamin + retinol serum" product made by emerginC. This is an anti-aging serum that is designed to fight free-radical damage, reduce wrinkles, and strengthen skin. The ingredients are vegan and it is free of parabens, artificial colors and fragrances, and other undesirable ingredients. Even the box that it was packaged in was printed on Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forest Initiative certified paperboard with non-toxic vegetable-based inks!
Now, my approach to aging is pretty simple. I believe in living as healthy as possible and letting aging happen naturally. I'm definitely not interested in any kind of surgery and I won't be spending thousands of dollars on expensive products intended to turn back the clock. That being said, though, I did really like this serum. I have a very sensitive skin but didn't find it at all irritating. My skin felt smooth and some fine lines seemed to be less visible. I loved the air-tight design of the package that keeps the serum fresh and I loved that it was vegan and didn't contain icky ingredients. I will definitely consider continuing this product and trying other emerginC products as well!
Please see the emerginC website for information on where to purchase this and other emerginC products.
Please see the emerginC website for information on where to purchase this and other emerginC products.
(*Note: I received a free sample of this product but did not receive any monetary compensation for this review.)
After dropping my oldest son off at preschool this morning, my youngest and I went to a blackberry farm. I was worried that he might eat more than he put in the basket, but he actually did a great job of helping me fill up our containers! The blackberry bushes were thorn-free, which was something that I'd never seen before. I remember spending, what seemed like, hours picking wild blackberries when I was a kid. It's funny how you never lose the ability to detect what a berry will taste like by the way that it feels in your hand when you pick it from the vine.
As fall is quickly approaching, it has triggered a feeling in me that I get every year about this time. Knowing that summer is almost over sends me into a panic and I start scheduling camping trips and baking cobblers just to squeeze a few more summery things into the year. Tonight I made a light soup with farro, chickpeas, and some CSA veggies from one of my favorite cookbooks (Deborah Madison's Vegetable Soups book).
What better way to finish this meal and this day than with warm blackberry cobbler? As usual, I made up my own recipe that is lower in fat and sugar than most. I love, love, loved this cobbler and so did my husband!
Vegan Blackberry Cobbler
4-5 cups fresh blackberries
1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/2 cup organic sugar, divided
1 tsp orange zest
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, melted
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used rice)
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 375〫F (190〫C). Gently combine blackberries, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch or arrowroot powder, and orange zest and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Whisk to combine well but don't over-mix.
- Lightly grease an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish (or deep dish pie or casserole dish). Pour batter into prepared pan then pour the berries over the top (do not stir- the cake will puff up around the berries as it bakes). Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
What end-of-summer things are you enjoying?
