My Secret Obsession

Ok, it’s no real secret. I love chocolate! Who doesn’t though, right? Sometimes, a girl just needs a sugar fix. Makes me feel naughty. Wink. Since going vegan though, it’s hard to find a quick fix chocolate bar treat that I can actually eat! Everything has either too much sugar or some sort of dairy in it. Which just doesn’t fly with me. Also, I have been craving mint chocolate these days, which just makes it harder to find something I can eat and that’s tasty.

Well my lovely bloggy blog readers, I found it! The Holy Grail of mint chocolate bars. O-M-Goodness, did I ever find it.

Theobroma. Best chocolate bar I’ve evah had. Their 60% dark mint leaves is beyond amazing and not only is it vegan (I thought only 70% and higher had no dairy, but I was wrong!) but it’s also natural, organic, gluten free and GMO free! And, it tastes like heaven. It’s not too dark, so it’s not bitter and it’s not just mint flavoring. There are actual for reals mint leaves right in the bar, so it adds a really unique texture as well.

Only down side to this, is that I’ve only found it at my local organic store and it’s more money than your average bar. But it’s so rich, you don’t need alot of it so it lasts a while. May I also suggest using it for a sexy fruit fondu! Yummy. I’m also going to work this chocolate into some delish recipes for the future, so watch for those!

Theobroma’s delightful dark chocolate will astound you with its full force of flavor. Combined with the natural flavor of real mint leaves, this leaves other mint chocolates in the dust. Seriously, it’s amazing. I think it’s the texture that puts it over the top. Nothing beats something that’s pure and natural. The ingredients are simple and easy to pronounce too 😉 Organic Fair Trade Cocoa Mass, Organic Fair Trade Cane Sugar, Organic Fair Trade Cocoa Butter, and Mint. That’s it. Oh! And did I mention that the entire bar is only 400 calories?! Which is by far the least amount of calories I’ve seen in a chocolate bar this good.

So if you are lucky enough to see this while you’re out and about, treat yourself and thank me later 😉

xoxo

Becky

Have A Happy Day, Earth!

Happy Earth Day everyone 😉

xoxo

Becky

Vegan Cooking & Baking Substitutions

I came across an article on VegNews that I really wanted to share. It’s all about vegan substitutes for cooking and baking! It can sometimes be hard to keep track of how and what to do when it comes to vegan substitutions, so I hope this guide helps 🙂

xoxo

Becky

Vegan Cooking & Baking Substitutions

Ban Butter
What it does: In baking, butter adds flavor and a rich and sometimes a spongy texture. It also helps baked goods rise evenly and adds to both the density and sweetness.
How to substitute: Butter is extremely easy to substitute in vegan baking. If baking a recipe that has natural spice or flavor to it, such as spice cookies or gingerbread, olive oil or untoasted sesame oil work well. Unrefined coconut oil (which is solid at room temperature) can add the thickness that butter would, and canola oil works in recipes with liquid sugars (think maple syrup) or solid fats, such as groundnuts or chocolates in cakes. Vegan shortening works well with cookies and piecrusts. And of course, there’s vegan margarine, which creates the buttery taste so many desserts require.

Move Over, Milk
What it does: Milk adds flavor and richness and creates texture in baking.
How to substitute: Milk is definitely the easiest to substitute in vegan baking, as many non-dairy milks already exist. Full-fat soymilk will help create the richness of whole milk, while rice milk is lighter. Almond milk sometimes can add a subtle almond taste, as can coconut milk, and both will contribute to the richness of a recipe. For added vanilla oomph, try vanilla-flavored non-dairy milk.

Oust Eggs
What it does: Eggs add moisture and act as a binding agent in baking. They are also a leavening agent, helping food to rise during baking.
How to substitute: Milk might be the easiest ingredient to sub, but a close second goes to egg substitutes. Ground flax seeds are a popular substitute that are also nutritious—three tablespoons of water to one tablespoon of ground flax seeds equates to one egg. Mashed banana and applesauce are other healthy alternatives that completely cut out the cholesterol eggs add to baking. Baking powder, baking soda, and vinegar are also aces. And soy yogurt is a creative way to replace eggs and can add a rich texture to your baking, as can puréed black beans.

Hit the Road, Honey
What it does: Honey acts as a natural sweetener. It also helps to brown your baked goods, adds color, and retains moisture.
How to substitute: Simply reach for other viscous liquids, such as maple syrup or rice syrup. They add the same natural sweetness and contribute to the browning effects. You can try cooking them a little to simmer out some of the water to create a thicker syrup too.

Can It, Cream
What it does: Cream creates a smooth and sometimes fluffy texture in baked goods. It adds richness, and can make for a satin-like quality.
How to substitute: The richness of coconut milk can make a good replacement for cream. For a homemade replacement, blend one-part cashews and one part water until smooth. There are also a variety of non-dairy creams and creamers on the market.

Another Day, Another Publication!

MindBodyGreen is wonderful. They have published a number of my recipes on their site, and I’ve always gotten lovely comments and feedback from people because of that. Now, they have published an article that I wrote!

Here’s the link!

My MindBodyGreen Article

xoxo

Becky

Exciting News!

I am so excited to announce that I have been accepted and am now signed up for a… DRUM ROLL… YA Certified Yoga Teacher Training! Ahh! I know, I know. Ok, allow me to calm down…

AHHHH!

Ok, I’m good. Seriously though, I am so beyond excited (and maybe a tad anxious!) to finally be doing my yoga teacher training course. I’ve been wanting to do this for so long, and finally I found a training that fits my needs perfectly.

My boyfriend is so amazing. He has supported me through all of my decision making and is just as excited for me to do this as I am.

I plan to make a blog, dedicated to my teacher training experience. More details on that soon 🙂

I can’t wait to be apart of this, what I think will be, truly life changing experience.

xoxo

Becky

The Real Vitamin Water

Forget about those sugar packed, bottled “miracle” waters. These are the true vitamin waters…

xoxo

Becky

Dear Boston

I was shocked and saddened by the news today about the bombings at and near the Boston Marathon. I’m a runner and there have been many times when I thought how amazing it would be to run the Boston Marathon, so this tragedy struck a major cord with me.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of those in Boston who have been affected by this terrible tragedy.

xoxo

Becky

A Beautiful Reminder

Just a reminder to all of my Feistiest of Them All bloggy blog readers, that I have another blog called Beautifully Vegan! It’s a place where you can find a combination of health tips, fitness advice, funnies, delish & healthy recipes and how to lead a healthy vegan lifestyle at your own pace!

I hope you enjoy it. Please share, subscribe, do whatever you gotsta do! I promise not to disappoint 😉

Beautifully Vegan

xoxo

Becky

Acai Immunity Smoothie

Mmmm, smoothies. One of my most favorite things to experiment with in the kitchen! This recipe is easy-peasy and totally yummy 🙂

xoxo

Becky

Acai Immunity Smoothie

 

1 14oz bottle of ZICO pineapple coconut water

2.5 oz fresh organic spinach

1/2 fresh mango

1/4 packet of frozen Sambazon Acai (Immunity Smoothie Pack)

 

Place coconut water, spinach and mango into a blender. Warm the frozen Acai under hot water for 5 seconds then add to the mix and blend together until smooth. For a creamier drink, add half an avocado. Add sweetener to taste, but it really doesn’t need it in my opinion! 🙂

 

Beauty Detox Baby!

I fell in love with Kimberly Snyder’s first book, The Beauty Detox Solution and as soon as her new book came out, I had it in my hands! Beauty Detox Foods is another lovely addition to my growing library of health, nutrition and vegan-y books! I highly recommend you go out and get them if you can, they are awesomesauce.

xoxo

Becky