Posts by admin:
- Which snack would you choose?
- What is your go-to snack and do you have a recipe?
- Two coupons for one FREE So Delicious Dairy Free Item and 2 coupons for 0.75 off cultured coconut milk
- One coupon for one FREE So Delicious Dairy Free Item and 3 coupons for 0.75 off cultured coconut milk and $1.00 off Earth Balance coconut spread
- Mandatory entry: “What fall recipe are you looking forward making? If you have a link leave it for me! Thanks!”
- Follow Opera Singer in the Kitchen on Facebook
- Follow Opera Singer in the Kitchen on Twitter
- Become a follower on Google Friend Connect on the right hand column
- Share the giveaway on your blog
- Tweet this message: “Thank you for being supportive readers. Second Blogiversary is here and with some giveaways! Enter here: http://bit.ly/rpAaOm”
35 weeks + Navitas Naturals Power Snacks Review w/ Giveaway
September 19th, 2011
I am actually starting my 36th week of pregnancy this week! I keep on looking at the counter on the website and I can’t believe the amount of time left for this baby girl to arrive! I have actually been feeling well except that now I am waking up more often at nights and changing pillows and positions in order to feel comfortable. I am also going through awful heartburn, which I am glad I had one night free from that last night, praise the Lord!
I spoke to my mother because she was a little concerned I mentioned to someone that I was doing fair but in reality I have been doing better than fair. If anything, the heartburn has been the biggest pain in the butt or gut, but all in all the Lord has blessed me with a great 2nd and 3rd trimester. My mother reminded me that I was going to continue to feel the heartburn until I had the baby so I was to eat light fare. Boo! I guess I will have to try my best but my meal plan for this week is no too much on the light side. I have lots of food to use in the freezer and fridge before the baby arrives. I am also planning on making freezer meals this weekend, God-willing.
On Friday I had my last baby shower thanks to the girls from MSU. A grad student’s wife and a master’s student hosted an evening shower that was really beautiful! I embrace and thank the love and generosity I have felt the last few months just going through this transition. I know there is more to come. Each guest was asked to bring their favorite book as a gift for the baby. Here is a picture of the fun books:
Did you know that Ryan received a gift too? Does anyone get it? 🙂
I took a self-portrait at 35 weeks. I did my best!
I am happy to share a new product I got to review that comes in really handy! I know I have told you that I am not a big snacker but since becoming pregnant I have been forced to eat snacks in order not to get nauseous. Navitas Naturals has come out with 2 new flavors of Organic Raw Power Snacks. Both snacks are gluten- and dairy-free, high in fiber and vitamin C, and with absolutely no refined sugar.
The second bag is called Cacao Goji Superfood Power Snacks. These were definitely my favorite. Anything with chocolate and cacao wins me over. The flavor is decadent but not because it is but because the flavor combination is perfect. I am very much looking forward taking these as my snacks to the hospital. Look at the ingredient list: date paste, chia seeds, raisins, sesame seeds, cacao powder, goji berry powder, sunflower seeds, maca powder, camu camu powder, sunflower meal,lucuma powder.
What are those ingredients known for or what benefits do they have for our bodies?
These snacks have healthy fats and ingredients that are super nutritious for the body without adding chemicals or artificial ingredients. Be on the look out for the third flavor, Blueberry Hemp to come out later this year.
You can find these treats Navitas Power Snacks and other Navitas products are available at a wide variety of retail locations throughout North America including Whole Foods Markets, Wegmans and HEB, and at many online stores such as Amazon.com and NavitasNaturals.com.
But wait! ONE reader will have a chance to win and choose a snack of their choice to try!
How to enter? Answer the following questions:(leave in ONE comment)
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Mini Chocolate-Cinnamon Cake Donuts {Vegan & Gluten-Free}
September 16th, 2011
The weekend is finally, well, almost here! I am looking forward lounging a little more this week because I feel like I have been going to to sleep way to late and working myself a tad too hard.
Wednesday I attempted to do Zumba like I normally do, but it had been 3 weeks since my last Zumba session. (I sound like I am in confession right now. LOL) I arrived at the gym 20 minutes before the class started so I could stretch and then get on the treadmill. It felt wonderful so I was almost confident I would get through Zumba.
Zumba started and I was only able to get through 30 minutes of the hour class in. I felt bad but at the same time I knew I had a limit. Looks like eights and treadmill are my only friends for the time being. I will take it and embrace that. I know the time will come when I will be able to return to my normal activities but I seriously decided not to dwell on it too much, especially when I continued hurting the rest of the evening.
The yoga ball was my friend.
Last night we had a great rehearsal for our choir and then our the whole choir presented us with a nice gift card! When I think of the amount of diapers we will need for our little girl then I am thankful for all or any help we receive.
Tonight I have my last baby shower hosted by some of the graduate students and spouses. I am very much looking forward to it especially since I have never attended an evening baby shower. Once this shower is past then I will know definitely what I will have left to buy for the baby. In reality I am not worrying about it. Tomorrow I hope to have the car seats installed so that it can be checked. 5 weeks and less in counting friends! Excitement indeed!
This morning I woke up early and made some delicious goodies for you, I mean for us. Many know I have been having a hankering for donuts but I had not really done anything about it. Probably a good thing. I check out BabyCakes newest cookbook called BabyCakes Covers the Classics: Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes from Donuts to Snickerdoodles. I really was excited to try the different donut recipes they covered so I decided to make their recipe for Chocolate Cake Donuts.
I only adapted the recipe because I remembered from previous recipes I have made from their other cookbook that they add just a little too much sugar for my liking. I decreased the sugar and added cinnamon to the mix and then dusted the donuts with cinnamon sugar. It was really delicious.
Do you know I only own ONE mini donut pan??? Someone needs to help me remedy this. Anyone?
Anyway, the recipe made 3 dozen mini donuts and they were so moist and dense. These were probably the best that I have had. You have to make them! Make them for your families tomorrow morning. Who knew that vegan and gluten-free donuts could be good?
I am now currently enjoying 1 with some iced-coffee. Follow my lead…..
Chocolate-Cinnamon Cake Donuts
Using a tablespoon, drop either 1 Tablespoon of batter to mini donut pans or 2 1/.2 Tablespoons of batter to the regular donut pans.
Run a knife around the donuts in the molds, lift them out and place them on a baking sheet. Enjoy!
http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/slightly-indulgent-tuesday-92011/
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Veggie Muffulettas
September 15th, 2011
Two days ago I told my husband that I was no longer cooking. Well, no, not really. I told him that I was only going to make sandwiches, salads and soups for dinner because not only were they easier and quick to make but it would be perfect for my digestive system.
As the baby has been growing, my tummy has been pretty high and so acid reflux has been my friend these last couple of weeks. Temperature changes are making me nauseous and so having to find different solutions has somewhat been working.
There have been several mornings after taking a warm shower that I have called out to Ryan to either bring me a banana or granola bar because I was about to get sick in the shower. Imagine that! Munching food inside the shower!! Unheard of….or is it?
Back to lighter foods. Not only has my desire been to make lighter foods but I am just craving more sandwiches. If I could I probably could eat at Chipotle, Subway, or Jimmy John all the time. I will probably loathe sandwiches after I have this baby, hee hee, but in the meantime I have been looking for delicious recipes and thinking of my own creations.
I found a Food Network Kitchens Cookbook in the library and found a recipe for a standard muffuletta. I knew that everything on the list of ingredients sounded perfect except for the mortadella and salami, so I decided to make it a vegetarian sandwich. Ryan made sure he asked for the salami so I made his with it.
It was hard trying to find the right bread specifically for this sandwich so I bought sourdough soup boules. They were not as big as imagined and once you put a weight on the sandwich to flatten it, the bread works perfectly for the recipe. I love sourdough bread, especially from bakeries. I would love to make my own sourdough starter but who has time for that?
The most exciting part of this recipe was the homemade giardiniera . It was not the typical recipe with jalapeños and peppers but it was made more veggie based giardiniera. I modified the recipe, because I always have to. The only thing pickled about the salad were the olives and the banana peppers but the recipe just called for seasoned veggies. I was looking forward trying it.
I have to say that the finished product was VERY delicious! I will definitely be eating and making this again. You can of course use vegan cheese slices, melt Daiya shreds, but I will be adding avocados to this sandwich next time. I had some but they were not ripe yet. 🙁 I really recommend this recipe! It was a perfect and quick dinner recipe.
If you get a chance, remember to vote for my Veggie Chilaquiles with Mole’ Sauce. Polls close on 9/16.
3 Tablespoons flat Italian parsley, chopped
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Second Blogiversary and Giveaway
September 14th, 2011
I can’t believe that I have been blogging for 2 years now. I am actually late because my actual anniversary was last week but somehow the week went by and here is today.
I started the blog after being inspired by the movie Julie and Julia. Who else did not do that? I already knew I liked making different kinds of foods and creating recipes but the movie was just an encouragement to keep a log about my experiences.
After 2 months of blogging I then decided to lead a vegan lifestyle. Yes. How about turning completely meatless, dairy-free, and egg-free cold turkey? I started talking about how too much consumption of certain foods was affecting my health and weight and how I wanted to focus on eating more healthy like I had been years back.
In comes year 2 and I am back at eating as a non-vegan even though I continue making lots of recipes that are vegan. Since February 2011, I have been documenting how getting pregnant brought on food aversions and cravings even though I was not one to give in to my cravings.
I have learned that labels do not define who I am but having a healthy and disciplined life is more important. God has given me the strength to walk each day empowered by his strength to make the right decisions and STILL love my body whether through eating the right foods or though exercising.
I hope you have enjoyed this adventure and experience despite it being a little frustrating, it is a journal of my experiences and daily walk. Thank you to all who have been great supporters these last 2 years! I look forward sharing the next chapter as my little girl comes into this world and as I transition into my normal eating patterns.
As a thank you I want to do several giveaways. As you know I have been a great supporter of Turtle Mountain products. So Delicious coconut milk has been so great in my life through my baking, cooking and general consumption and I want to be able to have several enjoy tasting their products or even tasting a product you have yet to try.
There will be 2 winners who will each win the following:
Another winner will receive:
Since I love cooking and cookbooks I also decided I would like to share some cookbooks with 2 lucky winners.
Another winner will receive a copy of The Voluptuous Vegan.
How about that? There will be 5 winners who will receive great gifts and all because of your support. Thank you for reading and I look forward to another year!
How to enter the giveaway:
Additional entries: (leave a comment for each)
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Blogger Chile Recipe Contest–Vote for my recipe!
September 13th, 2011
