What I Ate Wednesday #8

Spooky Snacks & Healthy Halloween Treats

Sweet potatoes, butternut squash and pumpkins are turning up around every corner, so I've started to incorporate them more and more into my meals. Yummy!

I never liked pumpkin. I never even wanted to try it. My Mom would occasionally serve warm pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving or Christmas...but I never ate it. Don't ask me why. I think it's because it just never looked very pretty.

Then one day something happened...and I finally decided to try me some pumpkin pie. I fell in love. I didn't love the actual pie itself (it was too mushy and still not very pretty) but the flavor was something new that my mouth had never experienced before.

This party would not be possible without the lovely miss Jenn, over at Peas and Crayons. Once again, thanks for being a perfect hostess, Jenn <3

Pumpkin Spice Protein Balls: dates, pecans, pumpkin seeds, coconut, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice. Rolled in coconut, dipped in chocolate. A little bit of pumpkin pie packed with antioxidants and protein.

Sweet Potato, Red Cabbage and Kelp Noodles with Miso: kelp noodles, red cabbage, sweet potato, sprouted beans, fresh cilantro Miso Dressing: brown miso, garlic, lemon, water, olive oil.

Cocoa Granola: buckwheat groats, sunflower seeds, raisins, goji berries, walnuts, cacao powder, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar, dates, cinnamon, lucuma powder, coconut, vanilla, cayenne pepper.

Kale and Avocado Salad with Cranberries: kale, avocado, red onion, tomato, lime juice, garlic, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, sea salt, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper.

Pumpkin Seeds: a perfect snack

Pumpkin Pie Smoothies

Cooked, cooled pumpkin, or organic canned pumpkin has more flavor than raw pumpkin. If you prefer to use canned pumpkin, I suggest using plain canned pumpkin, not the kind that already has pumpkin pie spices in it.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie (Vegan)

1/2 cup organic pumpkin pie mix
1 cup unsweetened, almond milk (or make your own)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 large carrot, chopped
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
2 frozen bananas

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie (Raw Vegan)

Soak 2 cups of pie pumpkin, cut in chunks, overnight in water with 1 TBSP of lemon juice to help reduce the starchiness.

Ingredients:
1 cup raw pumpkin, cubed
1/4 cup unsweetened, almond milk (or make your own)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 bananas, peeled
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 carrot juice
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add more almond milk if the smoothie is too thick.

Marvelous in My Monday #5

Today is Thanksgiving Day! What a wonderful time to celebrate all the little, yet so important things in our lives.

Why Canada celebrates Thanksgiving ‘early’…

Have you ever wondered why Canada’s Thanksgiving is celebrated before the American date?

Not many people (myself included) realize that Canadians actually began the tradition first! The Europeans had celebrated harvest in late October or early November for centuries. Then, when the English explorer Martin Frobisher arrived in Newfoundland in 1578, he wanted to give thanks for his safe arrival to the New World, so Thanksgiving began being celebrated on November 6th in Canada. That means the first Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated more than 40 years before the pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts!

Canadians changed the date for Thanksgiving, after the World Wars, because Remembrance Day (November 11th) kept falling on the same weekend. October suited us better too, as harvest arrives earlier with us being situated further North! Source

In this season of giving, I want to take this moment to let you know how much I truly appreciate all of you: for all of your kind words, your continued love and support, and encouragement. I am forever thankful!

In this little life of mine, I Am forever Grateful For:

My Life. My Son. My Family. My Extended Family. Traditions. My Friends. My Readers. The Gift of Life. The Air I Breathe. The Best Food Ever. Sunshine. The Light. Color. Rainbows. Raindrops. The Moon and Stars. Gardens. Dreams. Being Unconditionally Loved. Being A Nice Person. Nice People. Accomplishing Goals. Being Able to Laugh. The Seasons. Rain. Books. Giving Gifts. Tears of Joy. Tears of Release. Campfires. The Dark. Opinions. The Ocean. Positivity. Rivers. Lakes. Water. Wildlife. Hiking Trails. Acceptance. Hope. Animals. Planting A Seed. Generosity. Passion. Helping Others. Green Smoothies. Green Juice. Photos. People. Birds. Yoga. Honesty. Organization. Good News. Mother Earth. The Environment. Memories. Mistakes. Libraries. The Hard Times. Excitement. Falling Snow. Fun. Music. Patience. Inspirational Quotes. Recycling. Love. Synchronicity. Flowers. Exercise. Sunrises and Sunsets. Holidays. Trust. Being Myself. Today. Choice. Today. Smiles. Sleep. Creativity. Peace. Forgiveness. Travel. Organic Farmers. Learning New Things. Listening. Intuition. Meditation. Awareness. Freedom. Me.

Celebrate and Live Life!

Celebrating the holidays with family is always such a special time for me.

Is it just me or does time always seem to move more quickly when you finally have the chance to spend time with the people you love?

Perhaps, it's just the Universe's way of saying "Spend More Time"...

...almost as if it's asking us "What Are You Waiting For?"

A Canadian Thanksgiving Menu

According to The Food Network Canada, a Canadian Thanksgiving Menu consists of Classic and contemporary recipes that add homemade flair to your harvest feast!

This year's Thanksgiving menu featured Maple Syrup Glazed Smoked Ham, Plump and Juicy Turkey, Smoky Chorizo Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Fresh Steamed Asparagus, Pumpkin Pie, and Layered Chocolate Mousse Cake.

Naturally, I contributed a few things to the mix:

Massaged Kale Salad with Carrots & Tahini Dream Dressing (recipe from Natasha Kyssa), Mint Chocolate Chip Macaroons (recipe adapted from purely twins Holiday Macaroons), Sweet Potato Casserole (recipe from In the Raw), and Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Cheezecake (recipe from Sweetly Raw).

So there you are. A Canadian Family Thanksgiving. Hope that all of my fellow Canadians had a marvelous Thanksgiving filled with good food, family, friends, and love. And a very Happy Columbus Day to all my American friends as well!

And that, my lovelies, is why I'm feeling soooooooo marvelous today!
Thank you and a big squeeze to the lovely miss Katie for this marvelous idea. Always a marvelous way to start my Monday!! XO

What's in your favorite Family Thanksgiving meal?
What are some of the things in your life that you're grateful for?
Share what you're feeling marvelous about today :]

Marvelous in My Monday #4 & September Foodie Penpals Reveal Day!

Hello friends! How are you feeling today? I trust you're all doing marvelous on this beautiful Monday morning :] I'm feeling quite marvelous myself because today is October 1st, which means that I officially completed my Be The Change: 30 Day Mind. Body & Soul Challenge yesterday!

During the month of September, I was fully committed to a 30 Day Health and Wellness Program that I believe helped transform my life while raising funds and awareness for the Global Seva Challenge India-Off The Mat and Into The World. Together, as a group of just over 40 participants, we collectively raised $10,297 in just 30 days. Amazing!

Last night. we all joined together for one final yoga class/KARMA Party.

Here's a photo that Manon took of some of the lovely ladies in our group:

After class, we enjoyed a celebratory dinner at The Table Restaurant, one of Ottawa's healthiest, vegetarian restaurants. I even snapped a photo of what was on my plate:

If you'd like to learn more, you can read more about my experience with the Be The Change Challenge here.

And that, my friends, is why I'm feeling so marvelous today in my Monday!
Super, big, warm hugs to the marvelous miss Katie, The Healthy Diva for this marvelous idea! xo

Something else I'm feeling quite marvelous about is that today is the day for me to reveal my September Foodie Penpals package to all of you. Yay!

The very first month I participated in the Foodie Penpals program, I sent a box full of goodies to the lovely miss Michelle, a beautiful blogger over at Push.Pump.Progress. Well, guess what?? This month, Michelle picked my name out of the hat and returned the favor and sent me this glamorous box:

When I picked up my box at the post office, I immediately fell in love with it <3 I mean, what girl doesn't love something flashy and pink? AND, there were glittery stickers too!

That's not all!! Check out the surprise I found underneath all that good stuff:

Disney Princesses! That's right!

Now...The moment you've all been waiting for:

The Big Reveal...

Feeling like a little girl again on my birthday, I carefully unwrapped my present to discover this elegant photo memory box:

After untying the pretty little bow, this is what I found inside:

A nice handwritten note from Michelle. I love getting little notes and letters with my package. I truly believe that this makes everything come together perfectly.

Organic Dijon Style Mustard-Wheat and Gluten Free: I haven't opened this yet but I've found a few recipes online that I'd like to try. Secret ingredient style.

Sharkies Organic Sports Chews: these are tasty little fishies which were the first item I opened. I've actually bought these a few times before ("The Taste Tester remembered them) so, naturally we munched on them together. Sooooo much better (and healthier) than your average Gummi Bear!

Jasmine Tea: is the bomb! I've never had jasmine tea before this but I totally understand why this is Michelle's favorite. Soooo good! "The Taste Tester" even had a few sips, which is rare because he never wants any other tea I've offered him before.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts: I love hemp hearts! They are a staple in my pantry. I've never had this brand before because I usually buy them in bulk from Bulk Barn. As soon as I opened the package I could tell that these hemp hearts are of a much higher quality than the ones I buy. I put them in my breakfast smoothie and they blended just perfectly.

COCO Coconut Water: I love coconut water (and all other things coconut) but there are so many different brands I've tried and I really don't like any of them. Coco is one of the better ones I've tried and if I see it in stores I will definitely be buying it again!

Taste of Nature Organic Nut Bar: "The Taste Tester" looooves any healthier-than-your-average-granola bar that I give him and this bar was the perfect afternoon snack for him to eat while we were out shopping one day. I forgot to mention that peanuts are the only nut that I stay away from (oops!), but "The Taste Tester" was perfectly fine devouring this bar all on his own. He loved it!

Pure & Natural Soap: not technically a food item but what a wonderful addition to add in to the mix. These bars happen to be the ONLY soap I buy. "The Taste Tester" and I both have extremely sensitive skin and this is the only brand of soap I can use. Ha!

This was such a MARVELOUS Foodie Penpals experience. MARVELOUS treats, MARVELOUS eats! Thank you so much Michelle! xo

If you'd like to join Foodie Penpals next month, and whether you're a blogger or a reader, CLICK HERE to sign up.

Share something that you're feeling marvelous about today :]