VeggieGirl

VG NYC Part Four: A Day Filled with Major Occurrences

2009-07-09T07:40:00.010-04:00

**Thursday, June 25th: Never to be forgotten**

On this date, two "major world events" occurred during this recent trip to NYC - one serious event (which had a larger impact on the world) and one fun event (which was more on a personal level).

First, the serious event = the sudden death of musical legend and iconic performer, Michael Jackson, as well as the death of actress Farrah Fawcett.

When we heard the news of both of these deaths, we were quite shocked and saddened - however, Fawcett's death was "expected," since she had been battling cancer for so long. Jackson's death, on the other hand, came at an unexpected (and far too early) date.

No matter what your view or opinion may be of either of these individuals, there is no doubt that both made an impact not just in the entertainment industry, but in the world and culture as a whole. Rest in peace, Farrah and Michael - you will be sorely missed by many, and never forgotten.

And now onto the second event, which was the fun and more personal one. It took place during the afternoon **and** at none other than Pure Food and Wine with more dear friends and family there to witness.

Read on to find out more about this "fun event"...

On Thursday afternoon while walking around the city (and through Rockefeller Center), we stopped in a boutique on 5th Avenue called Teuscher Chocolatier.

And this is where the "fun event" began.

After my dad and I read through all of the chocolate bar labels (yes, yes we did, haha), we purchased the one and only soy-free bar in the entire store to share:

Their 99% Cocoa Extra Dark Bar (which you can read more about and even purchase here).

That is right, ladies and gentlemen - I have become a true, unapologetic, hardcore chocoholic (I prefer to eat 80%-99% dark chocolate - I love the strong stuff and consume it daily now).

You know what I say now?? Carob, schmarob!! Chocolate is where it's at (please forgive the poor grammar, haha).

But this event was just getting started...

That evening, my parents and I met up with Gena and Melissa (two dear friends of the family at this point) at Pure Food and Wine for dinner.

While looking over the menu (which I have become quite familiar with, haha), I realized that I was in the mood for something sweet right away - nothing savory. So, I ordered what I was craving:

Yes, for dinner I enjoyed the Trio Of Dark Chocolate Coated Indian Spiced Ice Cream Treats.

The dessert plate components, from left to right: a Chai Tea Creamsicle, Pistachio Gelato Ice Cream Sandwich, and a Chocolate-Cardamom-Coconut Ice Cream Cone.

I ate the Chocolate-Cardamom-Coconut Ice Cream Cone first, which brought back memories of the Nestlé Drumstick sundae cones (ahh, nostalgia) - so rich, creamy, and delicious.

Next up was the Pistachio Gelato Ice Cream Sandwich, which featured pistachio gelato sandwiched between two thick chocolate cookies, enrobed in a thick chocolate fudge coating, and garnished with pistachios. Wow was this treat ever a ride for the taste buds - incredible.

By the time I got around to the Chai Tea Creamsicle, I had to gobble it up quickly before it completely melted, haha - so no photo (sorry!!). It tasted like vanilla ice cream to me - no "chai essence" whatsoever. Still delectable though!!

I think it is safe to say that I enjoyed my dinner ;-)

After dinner, I headed next door to One Lucky Duck for dessert (yes, more dessert, haha):

I savored a Raw Oreo, which was stuffed with a creamy filling...

...and for the cab ride back to the hotel (sorry for the odd photo - the dessert bag is on a park bench outside of One Lucky Duck, haha), I experienced the Raw Mallomar - heavenly. Period.

Both of these treats tasted eerily authentic - more nostalgia, just like the ice cream cone!!

Everyone should know what an Oreo is; but if you are not familiar with a Mallomar, I suggest reading more about them here.

Needless to say, I was awake until about 3:00am after consuming all this chocolate/caffeine in one day, haha - but it was well worth the lack of sleep.

VeggieGirl the chocoholic...who would have thought that this day would ever come??

I would say that that makes this a noteworthy and fun event to remember and to continue embracing :-)

**Stay tuned for Part Five of the VG NYC post series, which will recap what everyone else ate at Pure Food and Wine that night**

VG NYC Part Three: Out and About

2009-07-06T09:48:00.015-04:00

**Wednesday, June 24th: Spending morning, noon, and night out in the city**

I may or not have finished the pint of Raw Almond Butter Cup ice cream from the previous night, for breakfast on Wednesday...

Or maybe I did ;-)

After I finished my dessert (err, I mean, breakfast), I headed across the street to Whole Foods (located in The Shops at Columbus Circle) to meet up with a new friend and fellow blogger:

Lauryn from the "Making Moves" blog!! She just happened to be in NYC that day for a job interview, and made time in her busy schedule to meet up at Whole Foods.

Despite time constraints in both our schedules, we still managed to have a great time. We rocked out to old-school tunes that were blasting in the store (Spice Girls, anyone?? Major childhood flashbacks there, haha), chatted, and continued to be amazed at how far back we were in the check-out line (we couldn't even see the cashiers or the beginning of the line from where we were, haha).

I am so pleased to have had the chance to meet Lauryn, since we have become good friends - shout out to you, girl! :-)

After saying goodbye to Lauryn, I met up with my parents for some strolling & sightseeing:

Following (err, avoid getting run over by) the horse-drawn carriages...

...and saying hello ;-)

Walking through Central Park...

In memoriam...

My mom is such a New Yorker, haha.

Shopping at Saks...

VeggieDad admiring the Lemon & Coconut Sorbet Cone Trio.

Close up...

Statue at sunset...

The folks, going for a horse & carriage ride.

After a long, tiring (and fun!!) day, my parents and I did not hesitate to retire to our respective hotel rooms a little early (which means before midnight or 1:00am). After all, we wanted to be energized for the remaining two and a half days of our trip!!

**Stay tuned for Part Four of the VG NYC post series!!**

VG NYC Part Two: Our First Night Out in the City

2009-07-02T21:03:00.013-04:00

**Tuesday, June 23rd: Out for the evening**

After traveling all morning and spending the afternoon around town and at the hotel with my parents and Caroline, it was already time to start getting ready for dinner and a night out.

I wanted my parents to have at least two nights on the trip to themselves for dinner together; and so tonight was one of those "date nights" for them (awww).

They chose a restaurant located near the one that I dined at that evening (more on that later), so that we could easily meet up after our meals: BLT Prime.

VeggieDad took photographs of the meal components that he and VeggieMom considered "exceptional eats":

Freshly-Baked Oversized Popovers, which are a signature item at the restaurant. Although they could not even finish half of these rolls, my folks loved the "light texture, hollow insides, and sprinkling of celtic sea salt."

Skipping right to dessert, VeggieMom enjoyed a slice of the Cherry Pie with Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream. The pie had a luscious filling and flaky crust, while the scoop of ice cream was smooth and cooling - a "nice contrast to the warm pie."

My dad ordered the Mango Sorbet Trio, which satisfied his craving for something refreshing and tropical-tasting.

Overall, my folks enjoyed and highly recommend BLT Prime.

Simultaneously, I enjoyed my meal (and company!!) at an old favorite restaurant of mine, Pure Food and Wine.

So who did I dine with??

Well, it was none other than Kristen from "Kristen's Raw" (as well as her wonderful husband, who was behind the camera, haha).

I have a special friendship with and appreciation for Kristen, since she has helped me for the past two years with my high-raw lifestyle (from the beginning, through transitioning, and now). She is truly one of the most compassionate, genuine, knowledgeable, and fun people that I know; and it was a blessing to finally be able to meet in person!!

And now for our meals...

Kristen ordered the Taco Salad, which is made up of romaine lettuce, spicy taco crumble, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cashew "sour cream."

Kristen's husband opted for perhaps the most "famous" item on Pure's menu, the Zucchini & Local Hothouse Tomato Lasagna . This dish features zucchini "noodles" layered with mounds of basil-pistachio pesto, sun-dried tomato sauce, and pignoli "ricotta." It is certainly a very rich meal, but does not leave you feeling overstuffed like "traditional" lasagna often can.

I ordered the Falafel with Lemon Tahini & Spicy Red Pepper Sauces, which was served in romaine lettuce "boats." Let me tell you - as a true "falafel fanatic," I was quite pleased with this raw version - very hearty and flavorful!!

For dessert, Kristen and I both ordered the Warm Peach Cobbler, which was comprised of maple soaked peaches, buckwheat streusel, vanilla-cardamom ice cream, bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup, and garnished with a white chocolate tuile (yes, all of that was in those tiny portions).

Although quite delectable with a wonderful melding of ingredients and flavors, this dessert was just not satisfying - I finished mine in exactly three bites!! But no worries, I already had a plan to take care of my continued hunger...

After saying goodbye to dear Kristen and her husband for the evening, I headed next door to One Lucky Duck (Pure Food and Wine's takeaway location) in order to satisfy my hunger for something more.

So how did I do that, exactly??

By purchasing a pint of raw Almond Butter Cup ice cream - the person behind the counter at One Lucky Duck recommended this flavor the most (and damn, was it ever creamy and holy yum!!) and even scooped some of the pint into a takeaway cup (I took the rest of the pint back to my hotel room, to store in the freezer) for me, so that I could go meet up with my parents afterwards.

After walking around the city for a while, we eventually took a cab back to the other side of town (to our hotel's location). My mom headed upstairs to her hotel room to rest while my dad and I ventured out a little longer.

Since our hotel is conveniently located across the street from the Time Warner Center (filled with Whole Foods, several shops, and restaurants), my dad and I spent some time (until the stores closed, haha) browsing through Borders Books & Music and other shops.

Needless to say, after such a full day (which began roughly before 7:00am) and night, we were all more than ready to retire to our respective hotel rooms and quickly fall asleep - however, we were all looking forward to Wednesday (the next day) to officially begin!!

Day & night #1 in the city = absolutely fabulous.

**Stay tuned for Part Three of the VG NYC post series!!**

VG NYC Part One: En Route & Early Afternoon (including Episode 20 of VeggieGirl TV!!)

2009-06-29T09:32:00.017-04:00

We're back!!

My parents and I have officially "recuperated" from our quick trip to New York City, which was nothing less than spectacular.

Aside from the horrid weather conditions (it rained everyday and was quite humid as well), we got to spend time with great friends, savor exceptional meals, and experience all over again what we experience every year in the city - the magic and true allure of "The Big Apple."

So how exactly did the trip begin?? Well that is what you are about to read about (and see!!) in Part One of the VG NYC post series.

**Tuesday, June 23rd: Early morning and afternoon**

Since we wanted to have all day on Tuesday to spend in the city, we made sure to leave the house (and to fly out) early in the morning. So...

Here I am with my "on-the-go" breakfast: Green Smoothie (made with unsweetened hempmilk, frozen cherries & strawberries, vanilla Sun Warrior protein powder, and fresh spinach).

As soon as we arrived at the airport, we boarded the plane and took off within minutes. No delays = the best way to fly.

VeggieDad and VeggieMom (see me in the mirror, taking the photo??), all situated on the plane...

Even though the flight was less than an hour, we still managed to enjoy the aerial views from the plane:

Welcome to New York City!! You can see the famous Empire State Building in the center of the above photo.

Even though our flight was less than an hour, the ride from the airport to our hotel was over an hour (talk about irony!!). But once we made it, our excitement quickly overrode the frustrations with the bumper-to-bumper traffic.

It seems that my parents and I enjoyed a lot of green-based foods that morning and afternoon:

There were lots of salads (no photos, sorry!!), Split Pea Soup (my mom's favorite)...

And some Thai Green Juice (made with greens, cilantro, lime, and pineapple - although I swear there was no lime or pineapple in it). Wow this tasted very green. Whew!! Intense.

After refueling and checking into our hotel, we had some time to relax a bit before heading out for the afternoon and evening.

So what did I do during this time??

I recruited VeggieDad and my dear friend Caroline (who greeted us at our hotel when we arrived) to film Episode 20 of VeggieGirl TV!!

Please enjoy the first of the two episodes that were filmed while in NYC (**this episode is 3 minutes and 9 seconds in length**):

By the way, June 23rd marked my 2nd-year blogiversary!! This made the beginning of my NYC trip that much more celebratory and enjoyable :-)

**Stay tuned for Part Two of the VG NYC post series!!**

Episode 19 (on the 19th!!) of VeggieGirl TV: "In Remembrance" and a Dedication

2009-06-19T09:03:00.017-04:00

Before I get into the topics of today's post and video...

I wanted to address the "anger" that I expressed in last week's episode while answering one of the questions from the Q&A session.

I wanted to clear up and assure everyone that I was not directing my "anger"/annoyance towards Ashley (the person who asked the question) - I was directing the tone of my answer towards the negative commenters who insist on continuing to stalk my blog (despite the fact that they despise me and my blog so much).

Please know that I answer these questions honestly and thoroughly, and I encourage you to listen to the content rather than just focusing on the tone. If you have read my blog for a while now (and/or if you know me personally), then you will understand why I sound a "certain way" while answering a certain question.

Thank you again for your support and understanding.

And now onto tonight's special tribute & dedication episode, featuring two major figures and angels in my life:

Kiwi and VeggieDad. The above photo was taken at the veterinary hospital just a few days before Kiwi's birthday (which is June 19th) and death (June 20th).

After watching this week's episode (**which is 5 minutes and 9 seconds in length**), I hope that you will revisit the post that I wrote about 1 year ago about Kiwi's death and her memory.

And Happy Father's Day to all of the wonderful dads out there!!

**I will be in New York City from June 23rd until June 27th - please stay tuned for my NYC trip recap when I return.**

Episode 18 of VeggieGirl TV: Inquiries and Indulgences

2009-06-12T10:53:00.022-04:00

As I opened up one of my cabinets to retrieve a new tub of Sun Warrior protein powder, I discovered something hidden behind it...

Don't worry, it was not alive (or previously alive, for that matter) - it was simply the Q&A cookie jar (courtesy of Heather from the "Heather Eats Almond Butter" blog)!!

It then dawned on me that I have neglected to answer questions from readers and fellow bloggers for quite some time - so I decided to address this issue in tonight's episode of VeggieGirl TV (**which is 6 minutes and 1 second in length**).

I answered four of the questions. Will your question finally be answered tonight??

Oh and what's the deal with VeggieDad?? Will he emerge from behind the camera??

Please tune in to find out:

**And now for some more Pure Raw Café food porn...**

Blueberry Pancakes, served with a side of blueberry cream sauce and agave nectar.

Peaches & Cream Breakfast Pie, which is composed of "soft ripe peaches and cinnamon layered with sweet cream on a coconut almond nut crust."

An individual portion of the Peaches & Cream Breakfast Pie.

Blueberry Crispy Cereal, which is delightful when served with hempmilk or your own "milk of choice."

Mexico City Tacos, which features corn & vegetable tortillas served with unfried "beans" (made of walnuts, chili peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and spices), queso "cheese," guacamole, and tomato salsa.

Tomato Basil Focaccia, which tastes just like a brick-oven pizza (minus the oven, of course).

Strawberry Passion Shake, which is made with strawberries, coconut, and cashew cream. So thick, creamy, and rich.

Key Lime Pie. A taste of the tropics! Sorry, I couldn't resist, haha ;-)

Chocolate Brownie with Chocolate Frosting. The frosting had a mousse texture, and could simply just be eaten on its own with a spoon - so delectable!

**Please stay tuned for Episode 19 of VeggieGirl TV (next Friday), which will feature a special dedication/tribute.**

Wishing all of you a glorious weekend and upcoming week!!

Episode 17 of VeggieGirl TV: Lots To Say About a "Pure Raw" Delight

2009-06-05T19:29:00.008-04:00

It feels great to be back to my "regularly scheduled programming"!! Let us pick up where we left off with VeggieGirl TV, shall we??

In this week's episode, (**which is 7 minutes and 37 seconds in length**), I have a lot to say about a wonderful nationwide meal delivery service called Pure Raw Café.

I found out about this place from Kristen (my dear friend and raw guru), and I would like to share my official review of the service and food with you.

Check out the episode below, and then enjoy viewing the photos of some of the Pure Raw Café delights (since I just received my delivery this past Thursday/yesterday, haha).

**And now, feast your eyes on some pure, raw goodness...

This week's menu. The menu dramatically changes every week - so many tantalizing choices!!

Special delivery!! They ship overnight for guaranteed freshness; and the elaborate packaging prevents any spillage.

I only just received my shipment yesterday (Thursday); but so far I have tried...

The Sun Burger, complete with fresh sides and condiments - and each component is wrapped for freshness during transit...

I transferred the burger to a separate plate, haha.

The Chinese Dragon Stir-Fry, composed of crunchy cashews, mixed fresh vegetables, sesame seeds and a side of creamy almond sauce.

The Chocolate Passion Shake. This is a scrumptiously rich and creamy concoction of raw cacao, almond milk, agave, and vanilla. Heavenly. Period.

Like what you see?? Well this is nothing compared to what I have yet to enjoy for this week and more. Obviously there are more details in the above episode, so I do hope that you had time to tune in.

Please check out more information on their website!! You too deserve to enjoy pure raw delights!! :-)

**And please let me know what you would like to see in next week's episode!!**

VeggieGirl Gone Wild? : Part Six

2009-06-02T09:08:00.013-04:00

We arrived in Las Vegas on Friday, May 15th; spent the entire day and night there on Saturday; and then before we all knew it, it was Sunday the 17th and time to head back home.

**Sunday, May 17th: Goodbye, Las Vegas**

Despite the fact that none of us probably got any sleep that morning (yes I said morning, since we did not return to the hotel from our club-hopping adventures until after 3:30am or so), we still managed to get our bags packed and meet down in the lobby.

Riding from our hotel to the plane - time to head home!!

Once we got on the plane and settled in, we...

...admired the picturesque views outside the windows.

...enjoyed some fresh fruit (look at that, free advertisement for Dole there!).

...ate vegetables and salads with gluten-free/dairy-free dressing (score!!).

But mostly, we just did a lot of this:

My brothers and sisters-in-law recovering from our night (and morning) of clubbing on the plane ride home...

My parents, recovering as well.

Luckily, no one took a photograph of me sleeping - I was sneaky, haha ;-)

With a 3-hour time difference, we lost an entire day due to traveling - but no worries!! Every moment spent traveling to and from Las Vegas (and our time in Las Vegas) was more than worth it.

I hope that you enjoyed the six-part VeggieGirl Gone Wild? series. I am glad that I could share my Las Vegas trip with all of you.

**Regularly scheduled posting will return either this coming Friday, June 5th or Saturday, June 6th. I hope to "see" all of you then!!**

VeggieGirl Gone Wild? : Part Five

2009-05-29T08:32:00.028-04:00

The night that we had all been waiting for in Las Vegas had finally arrived - a night of "club-hopping," haha. And my oh my, was it a night (and early morning) that none of us would ever forget.

**Saturday, May 16th & Sunday, May 17th: Late Night and Early Morning, Respectively**

Before heading over to the Palms Resort & Casino (which is located off of the Vegas strip), we obviously had to get ready before going out. In my family, this usually means taking photos:

"Alright, enough photos!! Let's go already!!"

Our first stop at The Palms was The Playboy Club, since it opened much earlier than the other clubs.

Entrance to the Playboy Club...

Inside the Playboy Club. Very swanky and sophisticated.

The whole gang.

Me and my brother...

My brothers with our bunny waitress.

The man himself, Hugh Hefner.

View of the strip from the Playboy Club...

Another view of the strip. Las Vegas is seriously gorgeous at night (duh).

Before heading over to the Ghostbar nightclub, my sisters-in-law decided to get tattoos while at The Palms, at Huntington Ink.

One of my sisters-in-law, getting a tattoo. This tattoo parlor was ridiculously clean, classy, and professional - if you are going to get a tattoo, I suggest getting it there!!

Her end result = a "B" in the middle of the heart for "Billy" (my brother/her husband's name).

And here is my other sister-in-law, with basically the same tattoo design (her tattoo has a "D" in the middle of the heart for "Danny," my brother/her husband's name).

After my sisters-in-law were done getting their tattoos, and my brothers and I returned from a "wild goose-chase with a hothead/lunatic cab driver" cab ride back from our hotel over to The Palms again (to get my forgotten ID in my hotel room - this is all too long and complicated of a story/adventure to fully share, haha), it was officially time to head to Ghostbar.

"Welcome to Ghostbar."

We were all dancing, having a great time (even though the see-through glass floor was a little daunting, since we were on the 56th story of The Palms)...

...but then we found out that apparently we were not supposed to be doing that.

My dad could not stop laughing when he saw this sign, so he proceeded to photograph it.

Around 2:00am, we hopped over to the Moon Nightclub - a decision that we would all soon regret.

Inside Moon. If there were to be a fire in the club, we would all die basically. No breathing room whatsoever in this trashy club (even though it is one of the most popular nightclubs in Las Vegas...).

The only good thing about Moon was the retractable roof - pretty cool...

But between the trashy go-go dancers and crowd itself, this club was awful.

Take my advice = go to the Playboy Club, go to Ghostbar; skip Moon. Ick.

Too many nasty stories that happened at Moon, haha ;-)

Although we had planned on going to the Rain nightclub as well, we were all just too revolted by our experiences at Moon to go any further.

Considering that our bodies were still not adjusted to the 3-hour time change, we were more than ready to call it a night (err, morning) anyways.

This concluded our last night and early morning in Las Vegas. The weekend flew by!!

**Please stay tuned for Part Six of the VeggieGirl Gone Wild? blog post series - last one, I promise!!**

VeggieGirl Gone Wild? : Part Four

2009-05-26T07:57:00.002-04:00

**Saturday, May 16th: Late Afternoon**

Since I had some time to spare before getting ready to go out, I thought that it would be fun to film Episode 16 of VeggieGirl TV (which is 4 minutes and 18 seconds in length) while in Las Vegas.

After filming the episode, it was time to get ready for a full night (and morning) of dancing, fun, and adventures...

**Please stay tuned for Part Five of the VeggieGirl Gone Wild? blog post series!!**

VeggieGirl Gone Wild? : Part Three

2009-05-23T09:24:00.018-04:00

Our first night in Las Vegas was absolutely amazing - how could it get any better?

It was time for us to find out, on Day 2 of our trip.

Please read on for Part Three of the VeggieGirl Gone Wild? blog post series:

**Saturday, May 16th: Morning and Afternoon**

I started my day with some raw P.B.J. Tasty Toast from the Go Raw Café. An all-raw restaurant right in Vegas that delivers?? Dream come true.

This Tasty Toast was comprised of raw almond butter & jam on sweet bread (which can be purchased from the restaurant's online store). Excellent morning fuel.

**Please excuse the out-of-focus photo!! I was hungry and did not thoroughly check my camera's settings ahead of time, haha**

My sister-in-law ordered the #18 Stra-bana Smoothie for delivery, which contained strawberries, bananas, and dates. Perfectly sweet.

My trainer back home said that I "better keep up with training while on vacation - no breaks." Tough love!! So...

... here I am warming up with the trainer at the gym (in the Palazzo, where we stayed).

About to "officially" begin our training session...

Some of you have asked about my training progress, so here is a quick glimpse at that, haha.

Awkward expression on my face, but it still shows some more of my training progress ;-)

After my training session and freshening up a bit, I was more than ready to refuel. Luckily I had pre-ordered lunch from the Go Raw Café that morning.

**Major perk of raw cuisine = you do not have to worry about the food getting cold ;-)

I ordered the Perfect Pasta, which was made up of zucchini "pasta" primavera with a blend of marinara, pesto, olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, & garlic. It was also served with Garlic Bread "Stix," (which can be purchased from their online store). An epic dish!!

**Again, I apologize for the out-of-focus photos**

After training in the morning and an afternoon filled with shopping and casino-hopping (played some slots and table games like Blackjack and Roulette), it was almost time to get ready for our big night (and eventually morning) out.

But there was one more thing that took place on Saturday afternoon...

I guess that you will just have to wait until my next post to find out more about that ;-)

**Please stay tuned for Part Four of the VeggieGirl Gone Wild? blog post series!!**

VeggieGirl Gone Wild? : Part Two

2009-05-20T11:28:00.013-04:00

Let us pick up where we left off, shall we?

It is time for Part Two of the VeggieGirl Gone Wild? blog post series - enjoy! :

**Friday, May 15th: Our First Night in Las Vegas**

With a three-hour time difference between home and Las Vegas, we were all more than ready to leave for our dinner reservation at 4:30pm (since our bodies thought that it was 7:30pm).

Here I am in my hotel room, getting ready for our full night ahead (dinner & a show - please read on to find out more details about that).

We walked over from The Palazzo (our hotel) to The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino for dinner.

Pictured above is the Gondola Ride attraction at the hotel, which is a lot of fun (not quite like the "real thing," but still fun, haha).

We had dinner at Zeffirino in the hotel, which boasts Italian cuisine and an Old-World charm/decor.

I ordered exactly what I was craving - a generous portion of Sautéed Spinach & Mushrooms with Garlic. Filling, nourishing, and comforting.

After dinner, we spent some time browsing the shops and sites in The Venetian...

...while my brother and sister-in-law posed for photos with the Blue Man Group wax figures (although I am still not 100% sure if they really were wax... I could have sworn I saw one of the men move, haha).

Around 6:30pm (half an hour before show time!!), we walked further down the Las Vegas strip toward The Mirage Hotel, which is where we saw...

... The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil show!!

We had front row seats at the show, which made the experience and performance all that more phenomenal and captivating.

No photography was allowed in the show though, so we just took some photos in the box office/lobby area.

Me, outside of the Beatles LOVE show entrance.

The "psychedelic feel" to the lobby was just too fun!!

Another view of the lobby...

After the show, we just happened to catch the Volcano show at The Mirage (which occurs every hour of each night).

The heat was so intense from the flames (in addition to the hot nighttime temperatures outside already) and the site was simply breathtaking.

When I returned to my hotel room, I quickly noticed a surprise treat on the table (courtesy of The Palazzo) - a chilled bottle of champagne and a plateful of luscious chocolate-covered strawberries!! I shared it all with my brothers, sisters-in-law, and parents, of course :-)

After a long day of traveling, doing some shopping, seeing shows, and walking around Las Vegas, it was time to retire for the night (err, morning, at this point, haha).

Saturday was expected to be even busier than Friday was... so did it live up to our expectations??

**Please stay tuned for Part Three of the VeggieGirl Gone Wild? blog post series!!**

VeggieGirl Gone Wild? : Part One

2009-05-18T08:07:00.038-04:00

What. a. trip.

My parents, sisters-in-law, brothers, and I (all seven of us) had the time of our lives in Las Vegas this past weekend, encountering many adventures and experiences along the way.

Since I have quite an abundance of photos to share from this unforgettable trip, I will try to keep the text/details as brief as possible (sharing just enough to get the gist of each photo).

Without further ado, I bring you Part One of the VeggieGirl Gone Wild? blog post series:

**Friday, May 15th: Getting to Las Vegas**

Promptly at 10:15am, my brothers, sisters-in-law, parents, and I were all officially packed and ready to embark on our journey.

We were all more than ready to begin our weekend vacation - we have been counting down the days to this trip since even before my April birthday, haha.

Posing for a family photo before boarding the plane...

My siblings getting settled in before take-off...

Me, looking happy, haha. And if you shift your gaze to the left-hand side of the photo, you will notice that the approximate length of our flight to Las Vegas was about 4 hours and 9 minutes long.

A glimpse at the pilots, in the cockpit.

Heineken = Not gluten-free...

...so my brothers enjoyed it for me instead ;-)

The bar and snack area were fully stocked with fruits, vegetables, sandwiches, salads, drinks... holy yum, for sure!!

VeggieDad enjoying his raw vegetable platter.

I even got to try a Wild Bar for the first time (the Mayan Spice flavor), courtesy of my friend Heather of the "Heather Eats Almond Butter" blog. My "no chocolate rule" went out the window fast for this epic bar. So rich, dense, and delicious.

Since it was a relatively long flight, I rocked out to some tunes on my iPod for most of the trip.

Um, crop circles?? So bizarre-looking!!

Above the clouds...

Gorgeous, no??

We have arrived at our destination!! Here I am with one of my brothers, getting off the plane.

The lobby at the Palazzo Las Vegas Resort & Hotel, which is where we all stayed.

More of the lobby...

Front desk area...

The fountains out front - such works of art!!

In the casino!! This slot machine photo is dedicated to my friend Abbie of the "Foods That Fit" blog, since she wanted me to play the Wheel of Fortune slots, haha.

Well, that all basically sums up our Friday morning and afternoon - traveling and getting to Las Vegas.

What happened next??

**Please stay tuned for Part Two of the VeggieGirl Gone Wild? blog post series!!**

Leaving You With a New Product Preview, Recipes, and a Surprise

2009-05-08T09:25:00.015-04:00

I am officially in "summer mode" right now (despite the severe lack of sunshine where I live - I need my Vitamin D fix already!!)...

No more classes, exams, assignments... and it feels FANTASTIC :-)

I want to kick off my summer vacation with all of you; so what better way to do that then with Episode 15 of VeggieGirl TV and with more featured recipes??

First, here is the "Topics Overview List" for Episode 15 of VeggieGirl TV:

- Remember when I mentioned that my "official" 21st birthday celebration would be taking place in May?? Well, the time has come!!

Tune in to find out where I will be celebrating my 21st birthday (since I couldn't really do it when school was still in session)...

- I discovered a new "potentially holy yum" food product while shopping at Whole Foods this past week.

What could it be?? I will preview this upcoming product review.

**This episode is 4 minute and 11 seconds in length - hope that you have time to view it and enjoy!!**

And now I present to you my latest baked good creations and a recipe:

Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes

I used this recipe from the September 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine, making my usual substitutions (using gluten-free flour, hempmilk, etcetera; didn't make the glaze).

These cupcakes have a mousse-like texture, rich flavor, and heavenly aroma. My parents, grandfather, siblings, nieces, nephews, Shannon, and myself (a "no chocolate" girl) absolutely loved these treats!!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I received many requests from my family members to bake a loaf of banana bread; and hey, I always aim to please my best "customers," so of course I complied. Although a Chocolate Chip Banana Bread seems rather simple, it is often the simplest treats that satisfy the most.

I used this recipe for the banana bread, substituting 1.5 cups of chocolate chips into the batter in place of the peanut butter.

And now, my newest treat...

Caramel Banana Bread

I baked this banana bread variety for Heather and Mark, of the "Hangry Pants" blog. The aroma alone is enough to make anyone swoon, whether or not you are a caramel fanatic (like me) or not.

Heather presented a fabulous review of the Caramel Banana Bread on her blog, here.

VeggieGirl’s Caramel Banana Bread

(**Adapted from the Lower-Fat Banana Bread recipe in Veganomicon cookbook**)

• 3 overripe bananas

• 1/4 cup applesauce

• 1/8 cup canola oil

• 1/2 cup sugar (I used organic turbinado sugar)

• 2 teaspoons molasses (I used the Plantation brand of blackstrap molasses)

• 2 cups flour (I used Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour - but any flour will do, depending on your needs)

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1.5-2 cups caramel syrup (I used the Santa Cruz Organic brand of caramel syrup)

• Nondairy "milk" of choice, added to the batter as needed (**Note: I used Living Harvest hempmilk)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly coat a 9"x5" loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mash three of the bananas. Then, add in the applesauce, canola oil, turbinado sugar, and molasses. Mix well.

In the same bowl, add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and caramel sauce. As the mixture starts to thicken up/combine, add as much nondairy "milk" as you need (but not too much) so that the batter is mixable.

Pour mixture into the 9"x5" loaf pan (coated generously with nonstick cooking spray).

Bake for about 48-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Makes roughly 10-12 slices/servings.

Have a glorious weekend, everyone!! I will "see" you when I return.

And of course, I would like to wish all the moms out there a very happy Mother's Day (for Sunday, May 10th). Celebrate and enjoy - you deserve it!!

Episode 14 of VeggieGirl TV: It's Time To Stop Being Polite and Start Getting Real

2009-05-01T09:17:00.019-04:00

April came and went in the blink of an eye, proving yet again that time passes by with incredible speed. And with time fleeting so quickly, I believe that it is important to briefly reflect on the past, and prepare for the future.

This past week marked the end of the semester for me - it finally arrived!! The end of classes (as well as giving myself a break) left me with a little more time to ponder about the future and some changes that could potentially be made - especially concerning my blog.

This leads to the main topic of today's blog post and video:

You may have noticed a lack of VeggieGirl in the blogging world this past week. What's the deal, you may be wondering? Is this "blog commenting hiatus" going to continue?

Allow me to bluntly explain in Episode 14 of VeggieGirl TV (**in roughly 8 minutes and 19 seconds**)...

I encourage all readers to delurk and (respectfully) provide feedback - thank you :-)

And please, have a lovely weekend!! Spend time with your loved ones, do something fun, and simply celebrate life.

Let The Battle Begin!!

2009-04-24T13:10:00.021-04:00

The sun is shining, the temperatures are rising (it was 81°F here today!!), the flowers are blooming, the air is refreshing, the produce is starting to look decent at the farmer's market...

Dare I say it, but I believe that springtime has finally arrived!!

The highly-anticipated, "official" arrival of springtime ("official," in that the calendar said that spring arrived a while ago - ha! good one) always brightens my spirits, and I hope that it has done the same for you - that is, if it is also springtime where you are ;-)

In addition to being excited about the arrival of springtime, I am also quite anxious for the end of next week, which happens to be my last week of classes. Hopefully I will make it - we shall see, haha.

Alright, enough babbling - there is also quite a bit of excitement in today's post, so let us begin (as always) with a brief synopsis of what is in store:

Here is the "Topics Overview List" for Episode 13 of VeggieGirl TV:

- Why I will be "M.I.A." this Saturday, April 26th (and why it is not by choice).

- Explaining the significance of the new link located on the right-hand side of my blog.

- Notice the new recipe and poll below?? Well, I was challenged to a Food Blog Battle by Nick from the "Macheesmo" blog!!

(**think Iron Chef America or Throwdown with Bobby Flay, two popular/of my favorite shows on Food Network**)

Okay, you should know the drill by now - please click the "play" button below, if you wish to view Episode 13 (**which is 4 minutes and 49 seconds in length**)

Here is a photo of the two Food Blog Battle Ingredients that had to be used:

Raisins and Fruit Spread.

And here is my recipe entry for the Food Blog Battle:

VeggieGirl's Raisin-Pear Spread Blondies

(**Adapted from the Butterscotch Blondies recipe from Martha Stewart's cooking website**)

• 6 ounces (1 single-serving sized container) plain or vanilla vegan "yogurt" (I used So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt - it's gluten-free and soy-free!!)

• 1/4 cup canola oil

• 1 cup sugar (I used organic turbinado sugar)

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons molasses (I used the Plantation brand of blackstrap molasses)

• 1.25 cups flour (I used Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour)

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1.5 cups raisins

• 3/4 cup fruit spread (I used the St. Dalfour brand of Gourmet Pear fruit spread)

• Nondairy "milk" of choice, added to the batter as needed (**Note: I used Living Harvest hempmilk)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly coat an 8"x8" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, add in the "yogurt," canola oil, turbinado sugar, vanilla extract, and molasses. Mix well.

In the same bowl, add in the flour, baking soda, raisins, and fruit spread. As the mixture starts to thicken up/combine, add as much nondairy "milk" as you need (but not too much) so that the batter is mixable.

Pour mixture into the 8"x8" baking pan (coated generously with nonstick cooking spray).

Bake for about 35-38 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the blondies comes out clean.

Makes 16 blondies.

**PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE - THE POLL IS LOCATED IN THE LINK BELOW!! THANKS!!**

**Click here and scroll down to vote in the poll**

**In other important news...

Be sure to check out the fabulous Carla, of the "MizFit" blog, as well as her posts on the Yahoo! Healthy Living blog - particularly, this recent post. Great tips, information, and expertise!!

Satisfying Reader Requests

2009-04-17T10:14:00.022-04:00

In episode 11 of VeggieGirl TV, I asked all of you what you wanted to see in my next post. Well, you asked for it!! Read on (and watch) below, to find out what is in store for this post:

Part 1: Episode 12 of VeggieGirl TV

**Featuring Session #3 of the Q&A's - was your question chosen from the "question container" tonight??**

Video Duration = 5 minutes and 54 seconds

Part 2: Baked Goods Galore!!

**Finally getting around to posting all of the backlogged baked goods that I have been whipping up in the kitchen - all since March!!

Note: All blondie batches were adapted from previous recipes that I have already posted on the blog**

Chocolate Chip-Carob Chip-Fig Spread Blondies

St. Patrick's Day-themed Chunky Banana Muffins (with gluten-free sprinkles baked right in; based off of this recipe)

Almond-Fudge Blondies

Chocolate Chip Blondies

Oatmeal-Carob Covered Raisin "Pudding" Cake (the result of an impromptu baking experiment)

Peanut Butter Puffin-Carob Chip-Pecan Blondies

Easter-themed Chocolate Chip Cookies (slathered with allergen-free vanilla frosting and topped with Whole Foods Gourmet Gumdrops)

Chocolate Chip-Hazelnut Butter Blondies

Walnut-Fig Spread Blondies

Cheetah Spot Sweet Potatoes...

Okay, so these are not technically considered a "baked good"; but I still wanted to share my new favorite way to bake sweet potatoes, thanks to Kailey's cooking method expertise.

And the baking adventures continue... stay tuned!!

April is already half over - can you believe it?! Enjoy it while it lasts, as time does fly...

Three Steps

2009-04-10T09:06:00.024-04:00

This post is comprised of 3 Steps, in order to fully understand and enjoy everything - are you up for the challenge??

**Step 1: Watch Episode 11 of VeggieGirl TV, to hear about my 21st Birthday Celebration Recap:

**The episode is just 2 minutes and 14 seconds in length**

**Step 2: Enjoy the photographs and descriptions of my Birthday Celebration Dinner, at the VegiTerranean Restaurant**

(**a chic, modern 100% vegan restaurant that is appealing to practically every type of diner, no matter how picky**):

Yours truly, the birthday girl :-)

The "celebration gang" for the dinner outing was a smaller group than usual - just my mom, dad, nephews, sister-in-law, and brother.

**No, there is nothing wrong with one of my nephews (on the far right) - he is just a goof/joker and made a funny face right when I took the photo, haha.**

A cup of Smoked Tuscan White Bean & Potato Soup with Aged Balsamic drizzle (my mom's) ; fresh-baked Rosemary Bread & Olive Oil for the table.

A cup of Fresh Tomato Bisque with Olive Oil & Basil (my brother's).

Baked Polenta Triangoli with Wild Mushroom Bolognaise & Braised Escarole (my mom's) ; Spaghettini with Vegan Gardein-brand "Meatballs" & VegiTerranean’s house-made Marinara (in the background - my dad and both of my nephews ordered and enjoyed this dish).

Gardein-brand "Strip Steak" with Morel Mushrooms, Tuscan Roasted Garlic-White Bean Mashed Potatoes & Braised Escarole (my brother's - he said that it really did taste "like the real thing," haha).

Spaghettini with Fresh Tomato, Basil, Oilve Oil, and Grilled Onion Shavings (my sister-in-law's).

Choice of Four Sides entrée: I chose the Braised Escarole, 2 orders of the Sweet & Spicy Broccoli with Garlic, and the Wild Mushrooms sauteed with Sherry & fresh Thyme.

And now, onto the desserts...

Triple Berry Pie with Whipped "Cream" & Raspberry Glaze (filled with fresh blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries).

New York-Style "Cheese"cake with Whipped "Cream" & Raspberry Glaze (much better than the infamous Cheesecake Factory restaurant's offerings).

Mini Carrot Cake with Whipped "Cream" & Raspberry Glaze (with my nephew in the background, since he loves carrots, haha).

Deep Chocolate Cupcake with a Raspberry Filling & Chocolate Ganache Frosting (and, you guessed it, with a side of Whipped "Cream" & Raspberry glaze).

**Step 3: Read about some other things happening in the blogging world:

- ZestyCook just launched a new clothing line with the infamous "Get Zesty" slogan on the gear. He is donating all profits to the food bank and giving away 2 t-shirts and 2 aprons. Such a great cause!! Check out the giveaway, here.

- Just wanted to wish Jaime (a fabulous friend and fellow blogger) a very happy birthday (which is Friday, April 10th)!!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter, Passover, and weekend!!

Episode 10 of VeggieGirl TV: Q&A Session #2 (And More!!)

2009-04-03T17:14:00.008-04:00

Ten episodes already?? Am I reading (and typing) that correctly?? Wow, time flies by quicker than I thought, haha ;-)

Seriously, thank you so much for your interest in VeggieGirl TV - I am having so much fun with it, and will continue to film more episodes as long as you decide that that it is still a worthy feature on this blog.

Before we get into Episode 10, let us first kick off tonight's programming with the usual preview:

Here is the "Topics Overview List" for this week's episode:

- What happened to the baking and food photography??

As an "unofficial Q&A," I will update you on what I have been up to in my kitchen, and when you will see the results.

- You still have questions?? Well, I still (hopefully) have answers!!

I will pick 4 more questions out of the cookie jar to answer - will your question be answered tonight??

- Aside from Meghann's Blogger Bake Sale, what is so special about Monday, April 6th??

If you don't know already, then you will find out this day's significance tonight!!

Episode 10 is 7 minutes and 18 seconds in length - hope that you take the time to relax and enjoy the show :-)

"Good night, and good luck."

- Edward. R. Murrow, broadcast journalist

Episode 9 of VeggieGirl TV: Q&A Session #1

2009-03-27T08:08:00.013-04:00

**Warning: This week's episode of VeggieGirl TV contains extremely bizarre and comical content. Some material may not be suitable for individuals who fail to understand/appreciate my dry sense of humor.**

Whew, what a week - time for the weekend and for some entertaining programming (in the form of VeggieGirl TV, of course)!!

Here is the "Topics Overview List" for this week's episode:

- Did you submit a question for me?? If so, then you just may hear the answer on tonight's episode!! If not, I promise that it will be answered during the next Q&A session.

8 minutes. 46 seconds. Answers to 4 of the questions (**I will continue to answer more questions in future episodes, so that I do not overwhelm all of you with content**).

ARE YOU READY?!?!?!?!??!!

**In other important news...

- Please support Jenna as she trains as a part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training for the 2009 Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco.

She has committed herself to raising $4,200 in an effort to fund more cancer research and find a cure. Show your support in making a donation to the cause, by visiting Jenna's donation website.

- Check out Meghann's blog about the Blogger Bake Sale and Team in Training information!!:

- Bake Sale begins on April 11th at 11:00am EST.

- All profits from the bake sale are directly donated to Meghann's Team in Training account to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

- She will be running the San Diego Marathon at the end of May with Team in Training and has pledged to raise over $3900 to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. She is completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers.

- There will be over 30 blogging bakers participating this time around, including myself. I will be donating a batch of "completely customizeable" blondies, so that folks can choose exactly what type of blondie they would like :-)

Episode 8 of VeggieGirl TV: Powerful Protein Powder

2009-03-20T09:04:00.011-04:00

TGIF, folks!!

Well, we made it through another week; and you know what that means...

It is time for another episode of VeggieGirl TV!! Here is the "Topics Overview List" for this week's episode:

- Giving credit where credit is due (shout-outs to Dawn and Kristen).

- The highly-anticipated product review of the Sun Warrior vanilla protein powder and of the Sun Warrior natural protein powder - are they truly worthy??

This particular episode is 6 minutes and 34 seconds long - I hope that you will watch the episode when you have spare time, so that you can truly enjoy it!!

**On another note...

Sunday, March 22nd marks my two-year "veganniversary." Fun :-)

Episode 7 of VeggieGirl TV: Friday (the 13th!!) Features

2009-03-13T09:39:00.012-04:00

Welcome to yet another episode of VeggieGirl TV!! Here is the "Topics Overview List":

- Brief overview of my first week back to school after Spring "Break."

- Showing support (fashionably) for another fellow blogger.

- A possible new feature for VeggieGirl TV (**please let me know what you think of the idea!!**)

- A shout-out to Mara, Polly, and Marianne (since they provided me with some fun, new accessories for my kitchen).

- Preview of a future product review.

This episode's duration is 4 minutes and 22 seconds - much shorter than the other episodes have been, for sure!! So, I hope that you will enjoy this week's show in its entirety :-)

Please click below to get started:

**I hope that you enjoyed the latest episode on VeggieGirl TV; and as always, I look forward to hearing/reading your thoughts & comments!!**

Before I go, I thought that I would leave you with a photograph of my latest baked good creation:

A batch of Chocolate Chip-Cranberry-Blueberry Blondies (which were created for Kristin, of the "Kristin's Nibbles" blog) - holy yum, if I do say so myself ;-)

Wishing all of you a glorious, fun-filled weekend!!

Spring Break Baking Bonanza: Blondies & Banana Bread

2009-03-06T09:46:00.010-05:00

This past week (which marked my Spring Break) has been absolutely glorious for me.

It was filled with the "usuals," such as daily yoga, personal-training sessions, and food-shopping; but I also had the chance to catch up on my favorite television programs, chat longer with friends and family, and bake (more on that in a bit!!).

Oh and I also had the pleasure of taking part in celebrating not one, but two very special birthdays:

My brother turned 37 on March 2nd; and VeggieDad turned 61 on February 27th. Love them so much!!

And perhaps the best part about all of this is that I was able to enjoy everything without having to worry about school!!

Yes, I did still have a lot of schoolwork and studying assigned over "break"; but at least I did not have to sit in long classes, suffer extreme stress, or worry about studying every single night.

All of the extreme school-stress will resume during this upcoming week, but oh well, haha - I am savoring every last moment of my Spring Break as much as I can, believe me.

As always, I will do my best with the commenting on blogs - I appreciate your generosity and understanding.

Alright, so now it is time to finally get around to the "baking bonanza" that I engaged in over Spring Break - wow, did it ever feel great to get back into the kitchen.

The first baked good that I whipped up was another batch of Peanut Butter-Pretzel Blondies , which I featured a recipe for just a few weeks ago:

**These blondies were made for Matt of the "Run, Live, and Enjoy" blog, who is a fabulous fellow blogger and incredible runner.

The second baked good that I made was yet another batch of blondies (which is fine by me, since blondies are my favorite baked good variety to create!!) - a batch of Chocolate Chip-Almond-Fig Spread Blondies, based off of this recipe that I have posted before:

**These blondies were made for Jenna of the "Eat, Live, Run" blog, who has become a true life friend and inspires me with her impeccable baking skills.

The third and final baked good that I created over Spring Break was a classic sandwich in "dessert-y" loaf form - PBJ-Banana Bread (based off of this recipe, which I featured a while back):

**The mini loaf (pictured on the left) was made for Miss Gliding Calm, of the "Gliding Calm" blog; and the larger loaf was made for my family and for The Co-Worker:

**VeggieDad's review (representing the opinions of my mom, grandfather, me, and himself)**:

"The texture of the bread was very smooth and the peanut butter flavor was right where it should be - at the forefront.

You couldn't really taste much of the jam, but the large banana chunks added a wonderful level of sweetness."

**The Co-Worker's Review**:

"The name makes you take a double-take, but the taste has everything the name says...

The jam-sweetness hits you right away; and then the peanut butter and banana flavors end the taste experience.

Different? Yes - but it is good overall."

By the way, the jam that I added to the PBJ-Banana Bread was the St. Dalfour brand of Cranberry-Blueberry fruit spread.

Even though my Spring Break and this recent "Baking Bonanza" have come to an end, I feel ready to take on the second-half of my grueling school semester. Never fear though - this is not the end of VeggieGirl's Kitchen Adventures ;-)

**On another note, please don't forget to send your recipes to Abbie of the "Foods That Fit" blog for the Blogger Cookbook. I have actually entered some of my own favorite recipes already.

Please see this post for more details about the cookbook; and check out this post for details about her latest giveaway!!

Episode 6 of VeggieGirl TV: News & Reviews

2009-02-27T13:47:00.031-05:00

**I apologize for the delays - this post should have been up on Friday evening (February 27th), but the video took so many hours (over 18!! I started uploading the video at 6:00PM on Friday night!!!) to upload properly**

Well, we made it through another week, folks!! And practically another month as well, since March will be here in just a few days. But enough about how time flies, we all know that - it is time to reveal the "Topics Overview List" for tonight's newest episode of VeggieGirl TV:

- Aside from it being Friday and the beginning of the weekend, there are 2 more reasons why this day is just so special :-)

- Showing support for a fellow blogger, in a fashionable manner.

- Larabar vs. Pure Bar smackdown = what are the pros and cons of each bar (**in my opinion**), and which one will reign supreme??

Alright, are you ready for 10 minutes of enjoyment?? Yes?? Well then please tune in below, to Episode 6:

Questions?? Comments?? Please let me know your thoughts, as always!! :-)

So, How About Those Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Pretzels??

2009-02-20T09:50:00.012-05:00

In regards to my previous post: All I can say is wow. I seriously cannot even begin to properly articulate just how much your understanding, support and concern means to me.

There are still negative comments coming in, but oh well - I have learned that you just cannot please everyone. I am so thankful to have my family, friends, and of course all of my positive fellow bloggers and readers out there!! :-)

And now onto today's post...

If you had a chance to watch at least the end segment of Episode 5 on VeggieGirl TV, then you may recall that I talked about a "new" product for an upcoming baking project...

Trader Joe's Peanut Butter-Filled Pretzel Nuggets!! When I saw these at Trader Joe's (as well as on various food-blogger posts), I knew that I had to purchase a bag - they just seemed like such a fun ingredient to play around with for a baking project.

So, what did I create with this tantalizing TJ's treat??

A batch of Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies, of course!! My all-time favorite treat to bake :-)

There is only one thing "bad" about this treat...

Even though these pretzel treats are vegan and soy-free, they are not gluten-free - so unfortunately, I was not able to try my latest baked good creation. But that is okay!! I love baking for others; and hey, I promise you that you can still trust the opinions of my "taste-testers," as always.

Speaking of my taste-testers, here are the reviews from the lucky few who were able to try the latest batch - my dad and The Co-Worker:

**VeggieDad's Review**:

"A most different kind of Blondie is this "peanut butter pretzel" version. The peanut butter taste is quite apparent and adds to the flavor of this treat -- plus the crunchy pretzel pieces were welcome too. Overall a not-too-sweet but very tasty snack or dessert."

**The Co-Worker's Review**:

"Being that anything with peanut butter these days is getting a second look and many times tossed in the garbage… I too am a little worried.

But I braved ahead and tried not one, not two… but four of these Blondies. To be clear… two yesterday and two more today, both times with coffee.

As you can tell, they tasted good enough for me to eat four in two days. The peanut butter is there, but not “stick to the roof of your mouth” there. They’re a bit dry… so I might suggest something to counteract that.

But overall, these are a good and safe peanut butter treat."

Okay, no more delays!! Here is the recipe:

VeggieGirl's Peanut Butter-Pretzel Blondies

(**Adapted from the Butterscotch Blondies recipe from Martha Stewart's cooking website**)

• 6 ounces (1 single-serving sized container) plain or vanilla vegan "yogurt" (I used So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt - it's gluten-free and soy-free!!)

• 1/4 cup canola oil

• 1 cup sugar (I used organic turbinado sugar)

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons molasses (I used the Plantation brand of blackstrap molasses)

• 1.25 cups flour (I used Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour)

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1.5 cups Trader Joe's peanut butter-filled pretzels, crushed into smaller pieces (**feel free to substitute 1 cup crushed pretzels and about 1 cup peanut butter, if you cannot find the TJ's treat!!**)

• Nondairy "milk" of choice, added to the batter as needed (**Note: I used Living Harvest hempmilk)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly coat an 8"x8" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, add in the "yogurt," canola oil, turbinado sugar, vanilla extract, and molasses. Mix well.

In the same bowl, add in the flour, baking soda, and crushed peanut butter pretzels. As the mixture starts to thicken up/combine, add as much nondairy "milk" as you need (but not too much) so that the batter is mixable.

Pour mixture into the 8"x8" baking pan (coated generously with nonstick cooking spray).

Bake for about 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the blondies comes out clean.

Makes 16 blondies.

I hope to find/purchase some gluten-free pretzels soon, so that I can recreate this recipe for everyone to enjoy.

And as always, there is absolutely no obligation to try the recipe - but if you do, I hope that you will let me know whether or not you liked it :-)

**Stay tuned for my next post, which will feature Episode 6 on VeggieGirl TV**