Things I Love (plus a Smoothie Recipe!)

I’ve been saving this post for a while, which is why it is a little long. I apologize in advance. There are just so many things that I want to share! There are a few affiliate links, but for the most part I purchased everything on the list (the exceptions are noted within the post).  Here are the things I love.

Tofu Eggs

I know that I’ve talked about this before, but I have become an Eggy Tofu addict! Thanks to this super simple recipe from Cadry I can now whip up tofu eggs and toast in about five minutes, which makes it so easy to have any time that I want to, even on those early mornings before work. Now that I know the secret to creating the egg flavor, I have expanded my tofu egg repertoire and I’ve started adding it to my tofu quiche and scramble recipes too. And of course, my egg muffin breakfast (with or without vegan sausage).

 

 Book: It’s Never Too Late to Go Vegan

I am a long time reader of Ginny Messina’s blog, The Vegan RD, and when, months ago she put out a call to her over-50 readers I responded with my story. Though it didn’t end up in the final draft of the book, I still was excited to read Never Too Late to Go Vegan and actually pre-ordered it. The trifecta of authors, besides Ginny, Carol J. Adams and Patti Breitman also contributed, offer a one-two-three punch argument for going vegan at any age. They cover the spectrum of reasons, ethical, environmental and health, to give up animal products, and to make it easier to get started they provide some delicious recipes that anyone can prepare and enjoy. I loved reading the real stories of others who made the life changing decision to adopt a plant based lifestyle. While it is targeted for people over 50, there is useful and interesting information for the vegan-curious of any age.

 

Cookbook: Artisan Vegan Cheese

When I ordered the Kala Namak from Amazon the other day, I also ordered the Vegg just in case I needed a little yoke with my tofu egg. Because the Vegg was an add on item, I needed a $25 minimum order to avoid the shipping charges even though I’m a Prime member. Hmm, what to buy? It is always easy to add on a cookbook, so after skimming through a few titles, I chose the Artisan Vegan Cheese cookbook. While I haven’t actually made a cheese yet, there are so many delicious sounding recipes that I can’t wait to try. I will report back.

 

 

Mizuno’s What If Everybody Ran Campaign

I love the message of this campaign and the website is amazing. Mizuno understands what running means to runners and asks the question, What if everybody ran? You really need to check out the interactive website, which will show you some incredible health statistics based on the answer to What if everybody ran?

While I have worked on programs for Mizuno in the past, I received no compensation for mentioning this particular campaign.

 

Lorna Jane in La Jolla

While shopping online is tons of fun, shopping in person is much better. Trying on clothes, seeing how they feel and what they look like on you makes for a much more satisfying shopping experience. I just found out that Lorna Jane is opening a new store in La Jolla. AND I was invited to the Grand Opening on Friday, March 14! I’ll be posting and tweeting more info, but if you’ll be in the area let me know because I have a discount to share!

Disclaimer: I am participating in this event on behalf of Lorna Jane through my association with Fit Approach and I will be compensated. All opinions are my own.

 

 My New Car

I have had my new car exactly one week today and I LOVE it. Or her, should I say, because she will be christened the Running Girl 2 as soon as I get my old license plates transferred.  I love everything about this car from the color, to the way it runs, to the cool electronics that come standard now that didn’t exist when I last bought a new car. We will be taking our first road trip together next week when I head to IHRSA and I feel so happy and confident to be traveling in my pretty new car.

 

 At a Glance

I was an early adapter and switched to an electronic appointment calendar long ago when I bought my first Palm Pilot (remember those?). These days everything is synchronized with my Google calendar, so all my appointments are available on my work PC, my home laptop, my iPad, and my phone. That being said, I have a number of things that I keep track of, starting with work appointments, coaching gigs, blogging deadlines, not to mention personal appointments. And I suddenly felt this urge for a more tactile system. I want to write things down with a pen, thumb through pages, feel the weight of the date book. I also didn’t want to invest a ton of money, especially if I wasn’t sure I’d stick with this new non-tech method of keeping track of my life. So I bought an AT-A-GLANCE datebook, again from Amazon (Prime membership..so worth it). So far, I love it! I still haven’t used it to its full capability, but I’ve transferred most of all of the above data. I think it’s a keeper (good thing I bought the refillable model).

Zola Acai Juice

I was sent a couple bottles of Zola Acai juice to sample, one with blueberry, one with pomegranate. I loved the taste of both flavors and they were very refreshing. They are loaded with antioxidents and omega fatty acids 3, 6 and 9, plus they are vegan, kosher and both gluten and GMO free. I was inspired to make a smoothie with each kind of Acai juice. Here is the recipe for Triple Berry Protein Smoothie:

6 ounces Zola Acai Juice with Blueberry
6 ounces blueberry flavored coconut milk yogurt
1/2 cup cup frozen mixed berries
1 banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth

Want to win a trip to Brazil from Zola? Click here to enter.

 

My New IPad

Last week after buying my car, I just felt that I hadn’t spent enough money for the weekend, so I bought a new iPad! I’d been puting it off because of the expense, but my old one, generation 1, was getting to the point that it just didn’t operate right anymore. They hadn’t updated the operating system since IOS 5, so many apps wouldn’t work correctly. When it finally got to the point when I kept getting bumped off Facebook every few minutes, I knew it was time for a change. I love it! It is so light and compact. I even love the cute pink case that I got on Amazon for less than half the price of other retailers.

 

 Uber Larabar

I was at Ralphs the other day and saw that they had Larabars on sale for $1 each. I scooped up a handful and was especially interested in the Uber Roasted Nut Roll. The description made it sound like a healthier vegan version of a Payday bar, which pretty much made my mouth water (what can I say, I have my weaknesses). I happily discovered that it was pretty close, though of course it’s been years since I’ve had the real thing. I also tried Bananas Foster too. One word: Yum.

 

So there you have it. A few weeks of favorite things. Do you have any special plans for the weekend? What have you been loving lately?