Personal care products

I've been using Jason Naturals Healthy Mouth toothpaste for a couple of weeks now. I really like it. I like the taste and it seems to have reduced the sensitivity in one tooth that needs some work. Unfortunately, my partner doesn't like the clove oil that's in it (I can't even taste it). The flavors are tea tree oil and cinnamon.

I am also using as deodorant Crystal Stick Body Deodorant. My partner will get one when her current deodorant runs out. I like it and it seems to work quite well.

Baking bread today and having more roasted brussels sprouts tomorrow. Got some huge organic sprouts at New Seasons yesterday.

Barbara

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (VWAV)

Last night I made 'Big Gigantoid Crunchy Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Cookies' from the book Vegan with a Vengeance.

I've never liked peanut butter oatmeal cookies but these are tasty. I used Trader Joes Natural unsalted Peanut butter. Since the recipe called for chunky PB, I shelled some peanuts I had and put those in. Mixed it up in the Kitchenaid and yum! And yes, they are huge.

So far, I've liked the recipes I've tried from this cookbook. I'm glad I bought it.

Barbara

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Garlic

I had this recipe from Isa Moskowitz's Vegan with a Vengeance. I was skeptical, but she came through. I only made a few sprouts, which I've never really liked before.

They were very tasty, easy to make and eat. And I loved the toasted garlic bits too. I guess I'll be adding brussels sprouts to my shopping list now!

Barbara

Shopping

Did some shopping today. Stopped by a place called the People's Coop, which is really close to my house. It's a bit pricey, but they have all kinds of neat stuff.

They have just about everything in bulk. Cleaners, brown rice vinegar, agave nectar, all kinds of things. I picked up some slightly chunkier (although still smallish pieces) of TVP there. My partner really likes Russell's TVP sausage recipe and asked me to make more. So I made that tonight.

I bought some dish soap, forgot the brand, I'll write it down later. I"m planning to dilute a bit. I should have bought some powder dishwasher detergent, I'll get that later. I still have to find glycerin though, for making laundry detergent. What we have will last quite a while, still.

I have some Revere ware copper bottom pots. I read that baking soda will clean the tarnish off. Didn't work. I have 'Bar Keeper's Friend', that does work. Not sure if there is anything I need to add to the baking soda to make it work.

Just a lot of random stuff today! Tomorrow, steamed veggies! :)

Barbara

Getting some sun!

It was fairly warm and sunny today in Portland, so I sat outside my apartment, read about half of Vegan with a Vengance, and got my Vitamin D fix. I wrote an article about why sunlight is important and especially for dark skinned folks living in the US, particularly the northern half.

I try to get about 15-20 minutes of sun (no sunscreen) whenever I can. I also supplement with cod liver oil pills during the winter here, when we get no sun.

Barbara

Pizza night

We had homemade pizza last night for dinner. I made the pizza sauce from a recipe in Table for Two, and since I didn't have time to learn how to make pizza dough, I bought two premade crusts from New Seasons market, a brand call Vicolo. The crusts were whole wheat and cornmeal.

I also made Russell's TVP sausage (from Ruthies blog). It worked out great on the pizza. I didn't have chunks of TVP, just the small crumbly kind. I don't know if I've ever really seen chunks of it.

My partner and I put on whatever we liked and baked it for about 18 minutes. Very good.

Barbara

Quinoa Muffin picture

I decided to post a picture of the Golden Quinoa muffins I made. They taste great. This picture is of one whole muffin and one split in half.

Today I'm making pizza sauce and trying Russell's TVP sausage for the top of the pizza.

Quinoa

I tried a Golden Quinoa muffin recipe from Bob's Red Mill. Their quinoa is high quality and already rinsed, which is really nice.

Here is the link for the recipe. It came out good, if a bit crunchy. I think the boiling water wasn't quite hot enough. But they are tasty.

I also used the Nesco to make brown rice and I'm making apple butter tomorrow. I plan on making frugalveggiemama's apple pull aparts sometime this weekend.

I'm trying to learn knitting. So far I'm not very good at it (stitches are super tight). Hopefully by next winter I can make us sweaters.

Have a great weekend!

Barbara