A Birthday Celebration & Other Musings

Hey All! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was pretty jam-packed, as always. Saturday, my grandmother (Naunee) turned 82 years old! I have mentioned her in the past, she is the one who juices and still does jazzercise! Ha ha! Anyway, before we headed down to the shore, we went to lunch. I had a salad with broccoli, mushrooms, shredded veggies, chickpeas and sun dried tomatoes.

We (my family of 17 people!) celebrated Naunee's birthday at the same Italian restaurant we had Baby A's Christening.  They have gluten-free pasta and a lot of options that can be made vegan. I started off with a salad of arugula, fennel, endive and tangerine slices. Yummy! This was really refreshing!

For my entree I ordered escarole and beans over gluten free pasta. My sister and I both ordered the same meal. This was pretty tasty, but I couldn't finish it.

Here is Baby A and I enjoying the party! 

On Sunday we hit up the farmer's market (Baby A's first time, OUT of the womb!) ;) I picked up some local hummus. This stuff is addicting! So tasty! I am a BIG fan of hummus!

And I tried this new raw chocolate out that I bought at the health food store near my parents house: NibMor. This is really good raw chocolate! Probably a close second to my favorite of all time, Righteously Raw Caramel. 

Who watched True Blood last night? That is T and my favorite show! So happy it's back! ;)
Have a great day all!

Cloudy Week Eats

Hey All! I hope you had a great week. The weather has been cloudy and humid here all week, so we haven't done much! :( I am hoping for a sunny weekend!


Anyway, today, Baby A turns 7 months! Do you believe it? I sure do NOT! She is doing so well and is such a great baby. I am still exclusively breastfeeding her. She has her 2 bottom teeth now, so we might be introducing some solids next month or so. I plan on breastfeeding her as long as I can. Probably past a year! :)


One night this week, I had an all raw dinner. T was working near our parents house and stopped by the health food store and picked me up raw tacos! Yum! I had them along side a big kale salad.

For lunch one day, I decided to switch it up from my usual salad/Sunshine Burger. Instead I had a gluten free English muffin with hummus, avocado, Bubbies pickles and Nutritional Yeast. I would of added a cucumber and tomato, if I had some! Almost.. the garden is growing daily!

For a little snack, I had some organic blueberries! So sweet!

One day last week, I made lentils with kale, celery, carrots, chickpea miso, garlic and purple rice. This came out super good!  The color was so pretty too! ;)\

Have a beautiful weekend all! :) XO Don't forget to enter my latest giveaway! 

Pure Market Express Raw Goodies & a Giveaway!

Hey Everyone!


The lovely people of Pure Market Express sent me some amazing raw vegan goodies to try out! In case you don't know about Pure Market Express, here is some information from their website:

"You love how eating fresh, natural, delicious, food makes you feel and look, but who has time for sprouting and dehydrating and taking up full-time residency in the kitchen? You're committed to healthful living and could stand to shed some pounds, but eat like a bird? Never! Food—hearty, flavorful, crave-worthy food—is to be savored and celebrated!

Pure Market Express is your personal chef, your fresh food support system, your necessary indulgence. (One has to eat, after all!) We prepare fresh, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, vegan, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts and snacks daily from primarily organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. There's no meat, dairy, refined sugar or preservatives, making Pure Market Express a dream come true for vegetarians, lactose intolerants, gluten intolerance and those following other special dietary needs.

Order online or come visit us in our take-away location in Chaska, MN. Stop in for lunch, pick up dinner or enjoy a casual meal filled with yummy goodies served ready to eat in the Pure Market community table.

Now you can order a week's worth of our gluten free, dairy free, sugar free meals, or just load up on ice cream or our wonderful cheesecake. Whatever you like, we have nationwide delivery. Order today and let us share our fresh food with you."

Awesome, right? Extremely convenient for me with the baby and all! I haven't met a meal from them that I haven't loved!

This time around they sent me raw vegan Turkey Salad Wraps: Ahhhhmazing!!!

Cherry Honey Crunch Bars. These were reminiscent of Pop-tarts! I didn't have them for breakfast though, instead, I picked off pieces here and there during the day and after dinner. I love the sweet cherry flavor!

Raw Tostadas with "meat" and cashew "cheese". I had some on Lori and Michelle's flatbreads. So delicious!

And finally, the creme de la creme: Boston Cream Pie! This was so freakin good! It had a nice "graham cracker" crust and was so light and fluffy. I was in HEAVEN!

Want to find out for yourself how good the Boston Cream Pie is? Enter below to win a FAMILY SIZED Boston Cream Pie from Pure Market Express.

Leave a comment telling me your favorite flavor of pie.

For extra chances to win:
Tweet this giveaway.
Follow my blog in Google Friend Connect.
Blog about this giveaway.

Please leave a comment for each thing you do.
This contest is open to U.S and Canadian citizens only (sorry!).
Contest closes on June 3oth and I will announce the winner on July 1st!

GOOD LUCK!

Weekend Eating

Hey Everyone! I hope you had a great weekend and wonderful Father's Day! Before I get to that, on Friday, T went to Atlantic City overnight for his brother's bachelor party. I made the most of the day, starting the day off with a cantaloupe "slushie" (that's what Kristen calls it!), cantaloupe and ice blended. Amazing!

I went to Whole Foods for lunch with my bestie (who is marrying my brother-in-law). Then my parents and sister came up and we went to dinner. I started off with a house salad (sorry for the blurry restaurant pic).

Then I had gluten free pasta with grilled vegetables. This was just okay..

On Saturday, when T got home (surprisingly not hung over!), we went to Whole Foods and grabbed lunch. I had a pre-made falafel salad.

I also picked up some raw ice cream from Organic Nectars. This time I bought Cherry Chocolate Swirl! Yum!

For Father's Day, T wanted to go to John's Pizza in NYC. So his 2 brothers, his father, my bestie, Baby A and I all met there for lunch. I passed on the pizza (no gluten free options) and had a garden salad.

For dinner (at T's request) I made (store bought) potato gnocchi with a lemon caper sauce.  For the sauce I basically sauteed garlic in olive oi,l added capers, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, basil and some chickpea-soy-free miso. When I plated it, I drizzled lemon on top. Tasted like a piccata dish. Really delish! T says he had a great Father's Day! ;)

And finally, the Goober and I having lunch with my bestie, at Whole Foods. As you can see, she likes pulling my hair! ;)

Have a great day all!!! Make sure to come back Wednesday for a YUMMY giveaway!!!

And the winner is..

The winner of one copy of "Must of Been Something I ate.." is:
TIFF!

tiff said...

Swimming in the lake!
Theres nothing better!

Please send your address to: LaurenGingerRose@gmail.com 

I will be holding another YUMMY giveaway very soon! Stay tuned!! :)

Check Out My Guest Post on Healthy Heyday!

Hey all! Just a quick reminder that today is the last day to enter my giveaway!!!


Also, the wonderful JodyLynn asked me to do a guest post and it is posted today! I talk about my crohn's, healing with veganism, and having a baby. Please click here to check it out!!!


Have a lovely day! XO

Nana's Cookies Review

Hey Everyone!


Today I bring you a review of Nana's Cookies. Nana's cookies are Certified Gluten Free, free of dairy, corn, soy, eggs, cholesterol and GMO's and are sweetened with only 100% natural fruit juice. That's my kind of cookie! :)

The people at Nana's sent me a few different products to review.  Some were not gluten-free, so T happily enjoyed them and told me what he thought.

First up, Chocolate Munch Cookie Bars: I found these bars to be the perfect portion size and very chocolatey and rich. At first, the "crunch" part made me think they tasted a little stale. But, then I realized it was part of the texture. Overall, I liked these bars and since they are individually wrapped, I thought they'd be a perfect "on the go" snack.
Next up, Peanut Butter Cookie Bites: T had to enjoy these, since they were not gluten free. I am pretty sure he loved them since the whole box was gone in days. :) He said he liked that he didn't have any guilt enjoying these.
Lemon Cookie Bites: These were my favorite out of the 2 flavors I tried. The lemon was just perfect and the cookie was soft and moist. I really love lemon in sweets! I will definitely buy this flavor!
Finally, Double Chocolate Cookie: Again, T had this one. He said he "isn't a chocolate fan" (GASP!), but he liked the softness in this cookie and it was just rich enough. He said his favorite overall were the Peanut Butter Bites.

I would definitely purchase these cookies for Baby A to enjoy when she is older. I especially liked that the cookie bars and bites were individually wrapped so I could throw them in my purse, or a lunch box. Overall, Nana's Cookies were a hit! THANKS NANA'S!

Garden Update and Weekend Eats and Treats

Hey Bunnies! I hope you all had a great weekend! My massage and facial were amazing. What a little relaxation can do for a women! ;)  Anyway, I wanted to give you a garden update. With the really hot temps and rain last week, our garden is bursting!

Little baby green tomatoes...

Hot peppers (T's favorite!). 

I can't wait to enjoy everything, especially the cucumbers! When I was done with my spa day (which was only about 2 hours, lol!). T and Baby a picked me up a salad to enjoy. How sweet! T knows all my favorites: mesclun, broccoli, olives, chickpeas and sunflower seeds. Perfect!

For dinner I made an amazing kale salad topped with cooked sweet potato (an idea I got from Lori and Michelle), a Sunshine Burger, hummus, raw kraut and olives. This was delicious!

Speaking of Lori and Michelle, I had their raw vegan cinnamon raisin flatbread topped with Rawtella for breakfast on Sunday! Sooooo good!!! The flatbread tasted just like the real thing and Rawtella tastes like chocolate frosting! Mmm! Sounds so sinful, but it's not! ;)

Have a great Monday everyone!

Trying to Beat The Heat

Hey Sunshine's! I hope you all had a great week! We are having a heat wave here and Baby A is teething, so we haven't left the house much. I am so happy the weekend is here. I am getting a facial and massage tomorrow (thanks, T!) at my eco-friendly salon that uses all natural products. I couldn't be more excited! Are you doing anything exciting this weekend?


Anyway, I made a big kale salad topped with Kimberly Snyder's Greek-Inspired Millet Salad. This recipe is in her book: The Beauty Detox Solution. Good stuff!!

On another night, I made Diana Stobo's Lentil Tostadas from her book: Get Naked Fast! These were super yummy! I used organic corn tortillas, red lentils and topped with guacamole and lettuce. 

Last week I placed a nice little order with the Pure2Raw ladies (Michelle and Lori). I wanted to order some raw snacks and my favorite twins were first to come to mind! I ordered: Pumpkin Seed Kale Crackers, Cinnamon Date Flatbread, Cheez Crackers and Kale Hemp Seed Flatbread. All raw, all vegan, all gluten free! 

I haven't tried everything yet and I will post pics as I do. So far, the Cheez Crackers and Pumpkin Seed Kale Crackers are almost gone!! The Cheez Crackers remind me of Doritos! They are amazing (both flavors are!). I had them as a snack with hummus one day. They are delicious alone too!

Have a great weekend! <3

Giveaway: Must Have Been Something I Ate

Hey All! Today I bring you a little review and a giveaway. The people at Sequel Naturals sent me some yummy Vega Powders to try and a copy of Peggy Kotsopoulos's new book: Must Have Been Something I Ate.


From The Press Release: 


Peggy K is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who encourages people to make healthier lifestyle and dietary choices that are realistic and delicious! Her new book is called Must Have Been Something I Ate and discusses the connection between the food we eat and how it makes us feel! It also features awesome recipes (vegan options, included) and how to live a more healthy and vibrant lifestyle.

There are so many great recipes in this book along with great info on how to fix different common ailments with food. Everything from depression to PMS are discussed in this easy to read guide. 

I made her Stuffed Bell Peppers for dinner one night and they were a hit!
Here is the recipe:


Stuffed Bell Peppers
Recipe by Peggy Kotsopoulos, Must Have Been Something I Ate
6 red pepper, with tops cut off and cored
3/4 cup brown rice (as you can see, I used black rice)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, grated
1 celery stalk, diced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the tops off each pepper; clean out the stem portion and seeds. Stand the peppers upright in a casserole dish and set aside. Cook rice until partially cooked; about three-quarters of the way. Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add zucchini, carrot, celery, rice and thyme, oregano, paprika and cayenne; saute until veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Stuff peppers full of rice mixture. Pour 1/4 cup water in bottom of the casserole dish, so the peppers don't stick to the bottom while cooking. Drizzle 1-2 tbsp olive oil over peppers and season with sea salt and black pepper. Cover and bake for approximately 45-50 minutes. Serves 6.




Want a chance to win a copy of Peggy's book? Leave a comment in the comment section telling me your favorite Summer time activity! For another chance to win, tweet a link to this post and leave me a comment letting me know you did so. 


That's all! 
I will announce the winner a week from tomorrow (Friday, June 17th). Sorry, this giveaway is only open to readers in the U.S.! :(

A Salad Weekend

Hey Everyone! Thank you all so much for the congrats and kind words on my colonoscopy. I am so happy that things are improving. I've changed a few things up by adding some supplements to my diet and I really think they are helping. I started taking E3live, wheatgrass powder, a prescription strength probiotic, and chlorella tablets on a daily basis. Plus, I no longer consume any gluten (I use to have it on occasion). I am not sure if one thing or the combination is helping me heal, but I am so happy to be feeling better. Speaking of E3Live, Joanna has a great deal going on, if you are looking to buy some! I love the stuff!!!


Anyway, T, Baby A and I went to dinner one night. I ordered a big salad with a balsamic vinaigrette reduction. 

And a side of broccoli rabe with garlic and olive oil.

Over the weekend we did our grocery shopping at Whole Foods and grabbed lunch. I made a of salad of raw kale, avocado, quinoa and red beans. 

We also had salads at a bistro in town one day. This one was mesclun, shredded vegetables, chickpeas, broccoli and mushrooms.

We sat outside a lot, even though the weather was pretty cloudy. Here is Baby A and I.

And finally, the Gooberson going for a walk!

I started Tweeting my "Daily Loves" a few weeks ago and they seem to be a hit! :) It's so nice to think about all the things I am grateful for at the end of each day. If you tweet, join in, it's so rewarding! ;)

Good News

Hey Lovely Angels, I am so glad you all enjoyed the pictures of Baby A swimming! She is such a little goober.  I can't even stand it!!! ;)


Anyway, I had my colonoscopy on Tuesday and my doctor said there is still some inflammation but, I am healing and he was happy with what everything looked like (compared to last time). This is the best news I have ever got after a colonoscopy!!! I am super excited that I am heading in the right direction and hopefully my next one (in a year or so), will be even better!!!


I had to fast the day before the test and they suggest having foods like: jello, ice pops, hard candy, black coffee, broth. That was so not going to happen! I happily drank fresh green juice (you are aloud liquids that aren't red or orange). This juice was apple, romaine and lemon. 

Another juice I had: celery, apple and a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt.  I actually wasn't too hungry. In the morning (you are aloud food until 10 am), I had a big green smoothie and then juiced the rest of the day. I drank a lot of coconut water so I wouldn't dehydrate. I actually felt pretty good!

After my exam was a different story! I was starving!!!! I made T stop and get me a salad. This was mesclun, mushrooms, broccoli, black and white beans, sun dried tomatoes and cucumbers. This hit the spot!

Later on in the day, I rehydrated with some watermelon!!! For those who don't know, I am a watermelon freak (so is T!)!!! Last Summer, when I was pregnant, I ate half a watermelon daily! Watermelon is one of the main reasons I looked forward to the Summer.

I'm sure eating all that watermelon while pregnant will make Baby A a watermelon lover as well. She already has a watermelon dress..

For dinner I made a big salad, a sweet potato topped with coconut oil and ground pepper and a Sunshine Burger on a gluten free English muffin topped with hummus, avocado, raw kraut and raw pickles.

Another dinner from this week: a kale salad with avocado and raw crackers topped with Mimi Kirk's Red Pepper Pate from her new book: Live Raw. Very, very, very tasty! :)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! XO

Memorial Day Weekend Part 2

Hey Everyone! Thanks for the comments on my last post! Baby A is such a pleasure, I just love being her Mommy! Anyway, back to the weekend. As I had mentioned, we planted our second harvest for the garden. But before picking up our organic trans-plants, we stopped by the health food store near the farm we go to. I had a salad with baked falafel on top. So delicious!

T did all the planting (I hung out and watched with Baby A and Ginger). We planted  peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini and cantaloupe. Last year we had success with our cantaloupe, but something ate it before we got too! I'm hoping we have better luck this year!

I usually plant more herbs, but there are so many herbs I have to avoid while nursing, including Lemon Balm, which I didn't realize until after I planted it (on the right). Oh well, just basil for me this year (on the left). 

At the farm we went to, they had bamboo utensils! I was super excited (nerd alert!), now I just need a nice bamboo bowl!

When we got home, I made a kale salad topped with avocado, raw kraut, quinoa and chickpeas.

I picked up these raw vegan donut holes from the health food store.

The company is called "Good Stuff, by Mom & Me"--and good stuff is right!!! HOLY CRAP! These were amazing! I think I might even order some other flavors from their website. Yumm-o!

And now, onto what you've all been waiting for! HA HA! Baby A goes swimming!

She LOVES water! She had never once cried in the bath (even her first bath!). But with the pool, she was a little hesitant. Then, she really, really enjoyed it.. as you can see! ;)

Ginger, T and Baby A, having fun in the sun!

I hope you all had a great weekend as well! Baby A's first Memorial Day was a great one! :) XO

P.S. I'll update you on my colonoscopy on Friday. Thanks for all the well wishes!