A little of this… and a little of that!

So the other day we hopped in the car to go visit a friend!! 

Snacks were packed… tea was ready to go!!

I was feeling sassy and ready to go!!

We headed off and when we got to my friend Rebecca’s house, we got to experience EXTREME CUTENESS…

prepare yourselves!

Naturally I did a photo shoot with the newest edition to Rebecca’s family!!  LUCY!!

She was SO cute, and so sweet (minus the sharp little teeth!!) I took about 70 pictures of her, but I figured you didn’t want to see all of them!! :) 

While visiting, we went out for AMAZING Mexican food.   I had a vegetarian platter which had rice, guac, beans, salsa, fresh corn tortillas and a small salad – Sorry no photo, but it was amazing!

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Fast forward to Monday!!  Delicious food Monday!

Juice was had…  this had the works – apples, orange, swiss chard, lime, carrots and fennel.  YUM!!!

I also had an intense craving for bacon… so I made one of the best sandwich’s I have eaten!

~drools~

After a busy 2+ hours playing dodgeball with over 20 kids!! I was exhausted and had a short break before my evening shift… so I made a quick stop to Starbucks!!  

I accidently bought these beautiful bowls…

So cute!! I love Starbucks for their fun bowls, cups and stuff!  (and their shaken green tea lemonade!)

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I know this a random post….  so I’ll just keep it going with it..

Knock knock…  the mailman caught me in my Pj’s again!

But I was happy he did. 

I got some samples from JUST TOMATOES!  This could easily be the sample that I have received that I am the most excited about!

What is it you ask?

Dried fruit and veggies!!    Immediately I ripped open the mangos.

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmm

So sweet and mangoy – They are crunchy too (think freeze dried)!    And super addicting!

It’s ok if they are addicting though, this whole huge package is only 100 calories – take that 100 calorie oreo packs! ;)

I am in lovvvvvvvvvvvve!!   I can’t wait to rip open the other packages I got, I’m going to try to restrain myself until my upcoming trip, as they are PERFECT for travelling because they are light (weight wise), but filling!!

Funny fact – when I ripped them open, I dropped a few on the counter, and popped them into my mouth… THEY TASTED LIKE GARLIC!!  I couldn’t figure out why… then I remembered that I had just made some garlic bread (wait until tomorrow for the recipe and kudos to the brilliant lady who thought of it!) so they had been covered in garlic powder… thank goodness!!

Thankfully the ones out of the bag were garlic free!!

Anywhoo check out their website for more info on these yummy snacks and stay tuned for more reviews of these products and a possible giveaway!!

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Well I’m off for another exciting day of school and Easter excitement!!

See ya tomorrow!

Jessica

A, B, C’s….

Happy MONDAY!! 

Guess what I get to do today?  Run a dodgeball program for a bunch of elementary school hooligans! :) haha   - I am pretty excited… I’ve done it before and it’s so much fun!!  Wednesday is a basketball program!! FUN FUN!

I thought I’d take another break from doing a food post today and do another FUN thing that’s going around the blogs!!  If you didn’t get a chance check out my Weekend posts too! 

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Saturday – A SUPER inspiration video, if you didn’t get a chance to check it out, you must!

Sunday - Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies and a perfect Sunday!  Check it out!

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My blog has been SUPER quite lately… how about yours?  I know I have been reading tons, but not commenting at all… maybe that’s what’s going on?!?  

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Here are the A, B, C’s of Dairy Free Betty!!

 

A. AREA CODE : Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

B. BED SIZE: King---Queen

C. CHORE YOU HATE: most of them! haha… dishes probably

D. DOG'S NAME: Lance!

E. ESSENTIAL "START THE DAY!" ITEM: Liquid of some sort! Usually water or fresh juice! 

F. FAVORITE COLOR: Hot Pink!

G. GOLD OR SILVER: White Gold or Silver

H. HEIGHT: 5’8

I. INSTRUMENTS YOU PLAY: very musically challenged!!  I wish I could play the guitar!

J. JOB:  Recreation Leader, Special Needs Adults Worker, and student.

K. KIDS: natta!

L. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: a little rancher, with Dave and Lance

M. MOM'S NAME: Hannah! (Hi MOM!)
N. NICKNAME: Dixie or Betty
O. OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAY: Never!!
P. PET PEEVE: Inconsiderate people
Q. QUOTE FROM A MOVIE:  Just breathe – Ever After
R. RIGHTY OR LEFTY?: Right
S. SIBLINGS: none
T. TIME YOU WAKE UP:  8ish

U. UNDERWEAR: haha??  YES

V. VEGGIE YOU DISLIKE: egg plant

W. WAYS/REASONS YOU ARE LATE: Not usually late, but sometimes has something to do with the dog.

X. XRAYS YOU'VE HAD: none!! 
Y. YUMMY FOOD YOU MAKE: I love cooking… I can’t choose one!

Z. ZOO ANIMALS YOU LIKE: Hippos and Gorillas… Would rather see them in the wild though!!

Happy SUNday morning!!

The sun is shining and I’m a happy girl!!  YAY!!

How was your Saturday night?  Did you do anything exciting??  Did you participate in EARTH HOUR?   

I did and it was so relaxing!  Dave was out, so I put on the candles… pulled out the yoga matt, did some yoga… and listened to David Grey ( I couldn’t sit in a dark/quiet house!!)  That would have been scary!! hehe   I think I should do this more often!

So you guys will be proud of me!!  I have been to the gym 3x this week!!  (YAY!!), yoga x2, and Zumba once!!  WOO HOO!!   It feels good to be getting back to it!!

It also helps me justify this deliciousness!

Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

CAN YOU IMAGINE???  YUM!

I put a shout out on Twitter and got a response for this recipe!

They were tested out by 2 people and both loved them!! 

Another must try recipe!!

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I have been sticking to my “eat more veggies” plan!!

Lunch the other day!!  YUM this Amy’s soup is sooo good!  (My fav so far)  With some blurry cheese-less pizza!!

Left over soup, chicken, veggies and hummus!  

All my Vegan friends would be proud of this meal!!  Dave had steak and I choose portabella mushroom instead!  BBQed in a brown rice wrap with kale and hummus!  It was AMAZING!! Melted in my mouth!!

Then yesterday after the gym, we decided to get sushi!!  It was closed!! BOOO – so then Dave thought up this place that makes great red pepper soup… they were out!!  Double boo!!

So he got Subway and I went next door and got this yummy pita!

It was chicken, loaded full of veggies – when I got home I added the rest of my mushroom and hummus!!  SO GODO!

with some new tea!  Hibiscus and Vanilla! YUM!

Later on I snacked on some strawberries – which almost got eaten by sneaky puppy!!   So close!!

A few more cookies were eaten!

 

and I had some oatmeal later for dinner!! 

So I’ve been doing pretty good eating and working out wise… we will see how it goes!!   

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Hard to believe it’s Sunday already!!  

What does your perfect Sunday look like????

See ya…

Jess

A little inspiration for you…

Since I have only been eating this…

and left overs…  my foodie eats are pretty un-exciting!! :)  Tomorrow I should have some good eats to share though!

But I wanted to share some inspiration with you today. 

PLEASE watch this video – it will change your day!

Hope your Saturday is full of lots of good things!!

 

Question of the day.

What inspires you!?

Soy Force!!

To infinity and beyond… that’s what typing SOY FORCE made me think of! 

I jumped at the opportunity to do a review on Prairie Naturals Soy Force – Blueberry Cheesecake Soy Powder!  Blueberry Cheesecake – ummm yes please!

They sent me a package full of info on their products and a big jar of SOY FORCE!! 

(They are a Canadian Company – wooo hoooo)

Here are the details of their powder via their website!

 

Soy-Force — Blueberry Cheesecake

Prairie Naturals SOY-FORCE contains SoyFerm which is naturally fermented whole food soy powder GMO-free. SOY-FORCE is a great tasting, excellent source of a complete protein that is easy to digest and easy to mix. The high mineral content and highly bioavailable isoflavone content makes this an integral part of your health regime.

▪ Increases bone density
▪ Improves cardiovascular health
▪ Balances hormones naturally
▪ Regulates immune function and may lower cholesterol
▪ Made with SoyFerm fermented soy for easy digestion and best absorption
▪ Certified organic and non-GMO
▪ Perfectly balanced with lean protein, complex carbs, essential fatty acids, minerals, trace elements, phyto-nutrients and natural fibers
▪ Naturally occurring, absorbable isoflavone profile

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My thoughts… 

• 
  
  Like I said, Blueberry Cheesecake – YES PLEASE! Such a fun flavor – especially if you are craving something sweet!
• 
  
  Great consistency – unlike most hemp powders, it blends right in.
• 
  
  It  made my smoothie very creamy
• 
  
  Very blueberry flavor!! Once the powder is mixed in, you can even see little blue specs!
• 
  
  It didn’t upset my easily upsetable stomach! 
• 
  
  The smoothie kept me full for quite awhile!

The stats weren’t so bad either!

Click photo to make it bigger!

My only complaint – It’s official… I dislike stevia!  

Go ahead and gasp, because I know many of you live off of stevia.  

I dislike the aftertaste and that’s what they use to sweeten this product! *sad face*

I don’t know what sweetener I would prefer, but I have tried many different stevia brands, 

and just don’t like it! 

Other than that, I really enjoyed the flavor of this powder… I've never tasted anything like it!!         

I think if you enjoy stevia… and need a good powder to give a little ummpf to your smoothies,

this would be a great choice for you!! 

Click here to check out their website, they have lots of other great products!!  

I know there are a few things I will be ordering (especially since they are Canadian!!)

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Any big plans this weekend?   We are just playing it by ear seeing where it takes us!! 

What are your thoughts on stevia?!?!

My Wednesday Eats

Happy Thursday!!  It’s almost the weekend! YAY!!

On my facebook page right now we are discussing eating habits!  I’d love if you guys came over and let me know what your thoughts are!! 

I made a shout out on twitter yesterday for tips on how to cook this lovely beast!

Have you tried fennel before?  When I cut it open, the smell of liquorice flooded my nostrils!!  haha..  YUM!

Apparently there are many things you can do?  Shave it for salad, roast it, stirfry… who knew?     I roasted it with some turnips and cauliflower and a bit of EVOO.   I liked it… very mild taste!

I also made some….?? (I need a fun name for them) Sweet potatoe coins – they were super quick and easy…  and oh so yummy.

Dave BBQed up some chicken thighs, and I sauted some swiss chard (sprinkled with Nooch)

And dinner was served (I only ate one of those little chickens)

Very tasty meal!  

Rewind to breakfast…  I got inspired by this lovely lady to make my very own muesli…

So I tossed some oats (about 1/4 cup) into a bowl, and covered with other goodies!

(coconut, chia seeds, raisins, pistachios, chocolate chips, macca and pecans)

Then put a little bit of almond milk over top and let it sit for a few…

So good! And such a nutritional powerhouse breakfast!

Fast forward to lunch!!

My favorite lunch!  Snack plate!

Steamed kale, cucumbers, tomatoe, crackers, smoked oysters and the most amazing hummus…

This hummus is TOTALLY worth the $$

In between these meals a smoothie was had, also after dinner an apple with almond butter and some popcorn!! 

Well those are my meals for the day!!  Must go make some lunch  now which will look very  much like lunch here!!

Have a great day!

Jessica

Want a sneak peak??

I just got our wedding invites from the artist at ETSY!!  They are SO MUCH FUN!!!  She was awesome to work with and they are sooo perfect…  I want to show you guys, but too many of our wedding guests read my blog! (thanks guys, but you can’t see until they arrive in your mailbox!)

Email me if you want to see!!! :)  

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Question for you guys? 

Do you have something you do to loose weight (only in a healthy way, of course)  I eat pretty healthy, and exercise (probably not enough though)… I need some inspiration!!  (Cougars in the walking/running/biking trains ARE NOT inspirational!) … Since I’ve lost my job in September, I haven’t been as active, my job was really active…  I have plenty of time, but lack the motivation! (I did go to the gym yesterday woo hoo)

Any tips regarding eating, exercise and motivation?

 

Have a great day!

jessssssssssssssssssssssssssssica

Food food… oh wonderful food!

Since it seems like forever since I have done a food post… I will update you with what’s been on my plate the last few days!

My favorite breaky – fast, easy and delish!

There has also been some more OIAJ (Oats in a Jar)

More oats (I have finally figured out why everyone loves them so much – it’s just the right mix of toppings!)

Toppings – banana, chia seeds, coconut peanut butter, macca and a few chocolate chips!  So yummy!

 Mom’s muffins have also made an appearance!!

Other non breakfast meals lately… 

Dave was nice enough to make 2 huge pots of his specialty stew for a program I was running!!   So good!

It’s loaded full of veggies… and stewing beef…  The pictures don’t do it ANY justice… it’s amazing!

I also made some soup for the soul… Turkey and Veg!

It was delish – especially served with Irish Soda Bread

there has also been tamales…  amazing tamales that we bought from the farmers market… I decided I would make some of my own until I realized tamales – LARD… and lots of it.   EEK… probably why they are so mouth watering… (with sautéed kale)

In the mix there has also been berry/banana soft serve…  so good!

and I tested out a new juice – I didn’t enjoy this flavor, but the GREEN one was delish!!  Super thick – I had to add water too it, but it was tasty!!

That’s all for eats (of course I ate more than this, but these were my highlights!!)

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I got two beautiful, wonderful, birthday surprises yesterday too!

Beautiful Orchids from  Jess

How beautiful are these???

She came over and we went for a long walk.  Part way through our walk, someone told us that a cougar (mt.lion) had been spotted about 10 mins from us! EEK!!  We quickly turned around and walked the other direction… Can you imagine running into a 130 pound cat, alone in the bush?? No thank you!

When we got home I had a message that I had a spa gift certificate under my mat at the front door!!  A pedicure from my good friend in Alberta! YES!!  What more could I ask for!??  (Thanks Amanda!)

Oh yah?  The message from some family friends of them singing me happy birthday!!   So great!

It was a great day!  Thank you to everyone for all my lovely messages,  my twitter went crazy and my inbox was full of sweet messages. 

Have a fantastic Tuesday!!

Jessica