Just a quickie post today. I created this little 3.25″ x 4.5″ mini book in an online class by Joanne Sharpe called Art Sparks 1 through Ruzuku.com. I filled it with some of my favorite quotes which I’ll be sharing with you over the next few weekends.
If you don’t know about Joanne Sharpe, she is a super talented artist and instructor. I’ve been a big fan of hers for a long time and just love her work. I highly recommend her classes as they’re so much fun!
I’ve been exploring more vegan recipes, especially the ones that don’t necessarily appeal to my tastebuds. And I must say, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. So far, they have all been quite delicious and tasty.
My family likes to eat tuna fish sandwiches but tuna is one of the most toxic fish you can eat. They’re high in mercury and other heavy metals because of pollutants in the water. So I wanted to find a vegan alternative. I finally decided to give this recipe a try and I’m glad I did. It’s a “No Tuna” Salad Sandwich. It’s great because it doesn’t have that fishy smell like real tuna but it’s super delicious and quite filling. Plus it’s quick and easy to make.
The recipe was published in the latest Forks Over Knives, “100 Best Plant-Based Recipes,” 2021 and it can also be found on their website “No Tuna” Salad Sandwich.
The main ingredient is chick peas aka garbanzo beans which is not necessarily my favorite but they work well in this recipe. I served my family these sandwiches and they were a hit! Lots of flavor, very filling and satisfying, vegan and most important, No Mercury! It’s a win win.
I recommend getting a little crazy and giving it a try. You may discover new flavors on this adventure!
Thanks for stopping by!
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“Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.” ~ T. Collin Campbell
Hope your week is going great so far! I created this new angel in my Strathmore 5.5″ x 8.5″ Watercolor Journal. I tried something new this time and added a zentangle design to the wings. I kinda like it, and then I kinda don’t.
Also, with the lighter color background, the white detailing got a bit washed out so I used gold for more contrast. Would love to know your thoughts, just leave me comment below.
I have to share with you the progress our baby Mockingbirds are making. There were 3 babies born around March 25th. Both parents have been feeding these ever so hungry little ones nonstop from sunrise to sunset. Last Friday we noticed the babies had left the nest but could hear them scattered in the bushes in the front of our house.
Yesterday I was lucky enough to witness one of the parents feeding this hungry little one. It was quite a show with the wings spread and the mouth wide open, waiting for food. The tail feathers in the front are from one of the parents coming in to feed. The babies long tail feathers haven’t grown in as of yet.
In between feedings, the parents are teaching the babies to fly. You can see them sputtering about in front of the house. They fly for short spurts and safely land back in the bushes where they’re completely camouflaged.
It amazes me how much they have grown in 2 weeks. The parents started by feeding them little worms and small insects. Now we see them coming in with large dragon flies for the babies to eat, it’s just incredible.
Have a great weekend!
Thanks for stopping by. Share the Happy!!
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” ~Henry David Thoreau
I was going through some of my old sketch books and came upon this cute little guy. I created him in my 9″ x 12″ Strathmore Sketchbook quite a few years ago. He was made with Prismacolor Pencils and nothing else. I remember making him and thinking it would be so hard to draw fluffy down feathers. But I think I pulled it off, somewhat at least. Considering it was spring I figured it was the perfect time to share him with you.
Growing up, Easter was a fairly big day of celebration. I remember how excited I was to color Easter eggs with mom the night before. Easter morning we started our day with breakfast and then off to church we went. For us kids, the highlight was getting back home to the Easter baskets filled with all kinds of goodies.
Mom would always get us something new to wear. Whether it was a new shirt or swimsuit, it was always exciting. Then it was time for the infamous Easter Egg Hunt in the garden which was a thrilling event! I held on to these wonderful family traditions with my kids and we all have a lot of fond memories and more in the making!
My kids are grown now but I still make them some type of basket. I’ve switched it up and gotten pretty creative over the years. This year I was going to try making these cute wafer decorations which can be found at SmartSchoolHouse.com. My Pinterest Easter Board is full of inspiring ideas on celebrating this Easter holiday.
What are your Easter Traditions?
I wish you and your family a Joyous Easter!
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“Easter is the only time of the year when it’s safe to put all your eggs in one basket..” ~Unknown
Since I painted an angel with a little puppy, I only thought it was fair to also paint a cute kitty. This is my latest creation in my Strathmore 5.5″ x 8.5″ Watercolor Journal. Cats have the coolest personalities. My sister once had a cat that was raised by her dogs and he thought and acted more like a dog than a cat, lol. He was an awesome cat to say the least!
Hope this post finds you doing well. Wanted to share my latest angel with you that I created in my Strathmore 5.5″ x 8.5″ Watercolor Journal. My colors are getting a bit brighter as spring officially begins this weekend! I love seeing all the beautiful new blooms!
Okay, today is my last Keto Diet progress report. I promised to report the good, the bad and and ugly. Well, I started out good, losing weight and inches and that has now slowed down to a crawl unfortunately. I’ve lost a total of 7 pounds but my body fat and muscle mass is the same. I’ve hit a plateau and it’s a little frustrating.
Going back to my history, my body doesn’t normally respond well to eating more fat. However, one thing I did start adding to my morning shakes was Coconut MCT Oil which is a long-chain triglyceride that is easier to digest and is a good source of energy. It’s also good for brain health. You can have it everyday, but I only add it to my diet 3 times a week. I will say I’ve noticed that my mind is definitely sharper. So that’s a plus! Some of my other issues related to inflammation have also lessened, another plus!
Many people lose a lot of weight on Keto, but it just doesn’t seem to totally agree with me so I have to tweak my diet a little more. I think if I go back to cooking oil free but keep the avocados, nuts, coconuts and olives in my diet a few times a week I’m hoping I can find a good balance.
The Keto recipes were delicious and I now have a few new favorites. I’m still a believer in the Keto Lifestyle and recommend giving it a try. But eat a clean Keto Diet, not the ones that convince you a slab of bacon is healthy. Before making any changes to your diet, always check with your healthcare practitioner.
Thanks for your support on this adventure!
Recommend books for Keto Diet:
“Fat for Fuel” by Dr. Joseph Mercola
“Keto-Green 16” by Dr Anna Cabeca
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“If your body’s not right the rest of your day will go wrong. Take care of yourself!” ~V. L. Allineare
If you’ve been following my blog, you know I started the Keto Diet March 1st, Vegan style. So far I’ve lost a total of 6.4 pounds. My body fat dropped another .2% for a total of 1.2% while my muscle mass stayed the same for a total gain .5%.
I’m still happy with my progress. I thought I would have seen more of a change from fat to muscle by now, but it really didn’t fluctuate the last 5 days. I’m hoping to see more of a shift soon.
When I drank only smoothies made with raw fruits and veggies for a period of about 2 months, I lost anywhere from .3 – .5 lbs a day which totaled 10 – 15 lbs in a month. So considering I’m eating more fats than I have ever done in my life from avocado, nuts, olives and coconut I’m pretty surprised that the results so far are about the same.
The recipes thus far have been tasty, so no complaints there. However, I just can’t bring myself to cook with lots of oil. I still go light in that department and that’s worked out okay for me.
My energy levels are good and overall I feel great! So I’m sticking with it for another 5 days and will let you know how it goes.
Stay tuned because I will see you again on Day 15.
Thanks for your support!
Recommend books for Keto Diet:
“Fat for Fuel” by Dr. Joseph Mercola
“Keto-Green 16” by Dr Anna Cabeca
Share the Happy!!
“A healthy outside starts from the inside.” ~Robert Urich
Flowing Waters Art 