Raw Power

I've switched out my usual rolled oats for steel cut oats, since they're supposed to be better for you, less processed. They do require a slightly higher alertness level in the mornings. Can't microwave them, as they will bubble over and make a mess. So I spend five minutes over the stove, whisking them. Then I stir in flax meal, maca, mesquite powder, peanut butter, and cacao nibs.

Olivia was a good sport about accompanying me on a boring errand (oil change that ended up taking an hour since I needed a belt replaced), so afterwards we treated ourselves to lunch at JuiceLand. She had a banana smoothie, while I tried the raw hot chocolate. It's made with cacao, almonds, coconut oil, vanilla and agave, and it's phenomenal. I'll be hooked on these all winter! We also shared a bag of Just Pure Foods raw onion rings.

Olivia and I both couldn't get enough of the onion rings! We quickly polished off the bag. The only bad part is -- holy onion breath! Good thing I had some gum in my purse!

Olivia always enjoys playing on the covered patio. It's a nice quiet place to chill and let her play.

After finishing her smoothie, she turned into a wild climbing monkey! She was full of raw power.

I had to take a pic of this drawing in the restroom. We have all been there.

For dinner I made a double batch of Appetite for Reduction's 40 Clove Chickpeas and Broccoli. We just had this a week or so ago, but it's so awesome, I want it all the time now.

You can never go wrong with some Iggy. (The original, not Azalea! Ha!)

Vegan MoFo Day 3: Supplemental Superfoods

I recently treated myself to an Amazon order of superfoods. (I just learned today that, in the UK, it is illegal to label foods as "superfoods" because it encourages artificially high prices at the market. But in the US, I guess we'll superfood all day long.) Some of these supplements, like the cacao nibs and maca powder, I try to keep on hand. Others, like the dried dragon fruit and mesquite powder, were first-time purchases.

I've ordered from Navitas Naturals before, but Terrasoul was new to me. I was impressed by their prices.

I stirred maca and mesquite into my breakfast oats, and topped them with cacao nibs and bee pollen (I know there's a debate over whether pollen is considered vegan, so I apologize in advance for this questionable ingredient. For what it's worth, I consider it more of an allergy medicine than a food.)  Terrasoul's cacao nibs are quite bitter and have an almost sulfuric aftertaste. I have only bought them from Navitas in the past and I believe they coat theirs in a sweetener, so that's what I was expecting. I guess the Terrasoul nibs have a more authentic cacao flavor, but wow, it will take some getting used to!

Super basic dinner tonight -- spaghetti with Costco marinara, giant green olives, and faux parmesan (ground almonds + nutritional yeast.)

Olivia is working on her letters. She recognizes about half of them at this point. 

Hope you are having a great week!

Snake Farm

Last weekend we took a day trip to New Braunfels. Along the way, we stopped in San Marcos for lunch at the Root Cellar Cafe. We shared an order of chips and salsa to start with.

I ordered the Veggie Deluxe sandwich with a side of fruit. The sandwich contained grilled red onion, tomato, avocado, lettuce, and provolone.  I wouldn't rave about this place but the meal was adequate for a lunch on the road.

Our destination? Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo! If the name seems awkward, this place started out as an old-timey roadside attraction/reptile house, and is in the process of branching out into a tiny but legit zoo.

Austin's own zoo is actually an animal sanctuary, so I'm always slightly wary of other zoos that aren't. But the animals here seemed well taken care of. I noticed that they all had a buddy to hang out with.

I amused myself by referring to the capybaras as Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston. Olivia enjoyed watching them nibble on their plant-based lunch.

Have you heard of Reeve's muntjac? Me, neither. Apparently they are a breed of miniature deer. They are the cutest little guys ever.

White tiger cub, aw. (There were, par for the course, two tiger cubs hanging out together, but I didn't get a pic of the other one cause he was sleeping.)

The petting zoo was great. At the Austin zoo, you can feed the animals in the "petting zoo" area and pet them through the fence. But at Snake Farm, you can get up close and personal with the animals, like this super chill llama.

Olivia, the goat whisperer.

She seriously is.

"Love meeeee, Olivia! Love meeeee!"

We also saw piglets!

So tiny and amazing (these were fenced off, you couldn't pet them, and mama pig was right there with them.)

A great way to spend our Saturday! Finally, I'll share with you the Mother's Day present Tony got me. It was shipped to Puerto Rico before arriving here in Texas, haha! But it eventually made it. It's a box of raw cacao truffles from Coracao Confections.

Aren't they gorgeous little jewels? I think I'm becoming a chocolate snob, haha! So this was just what I wanted.

All the Food

Started the day early with oats, topped with Brazil nuts, maca, ground flaxseed, bee pollen, and caco nibs. I am trying to cut back on eating processed cereals every morning, choosing either oats or yogurt for breakfast. It is hard! I love cereal.

After we got around, we headed to Wheatsville. Jackson and Olivia snacked on blueberries in the car, hence the blue lips!

Whenever I go to Wheatsville, I want to buy everything! It isn't easy to restrain myself and only buy what I came there for. In fact, it was impossible on this trip because I found so many goodies! Suja Elements organic cold-pressed juice...Olivia chose this flavor, and the kids shared it. Tastes like strawberry and banana!

Wheatsville's Southern-fried tofu, Livin' Spoonful raw pizza-flavored crackers, and my very first Hail Merry raw key lime tart. I sampled a bite of it as soon as I got home, and I've been dreaming about it ever since!

I also grabbed some Living Raw darkest cacao truffles, coated in cacao nibs which are my newest love, as well as a Reed's kombucha because I'd never tried that brand before. It was super fizzy and good.

It was a day of sweet firsts, actually. Besides the Hail Merry tart, I had my first vegan donut from Red Rabbit Cooperative Bakery. I only get a donut craving once or twice a year, and it hit me big time when I saw these in the Wheatsville bakery.  I went with Boston cream pie -- if I'm going to have a donut, I want frosted, cream-filled, the whole enchilada. Jackson and Olivia both chose Mexican chocolate donuts.

After finishing a few other errands, we came home and made wraps filled with Scrambled Chickpeas (from Isa Does It), greens, tomato, and that amazing Southern-fried tofu.

For dinner I had a big salad with lemon-cashew dressing (recipe from Oh She Glows, but her site is down as I write this post) and tons of kalamata olives.