NEW tee shirt design now available!

Yes, finally they are here and now available!!  Order your Ladies Perfect Weight Crew Tee Shirt - Ahimsa Peace Bunnies. Comes in several different colors and lots of sizes! 

I am so in love with this new design and cannot wait to show off my love for all animals!!

Please have a wonderful Labor Day weekend, keep it healthy and safe!

night off from cooking!



Last night my darling husband made ME dinner!!  Normally I cook and he cleans up behind me, but what a wonderful treat last night!  Even more shocking the kids were home with us!!  As they have grown we have started seeing less and less of them, so it was nice having a full house.  It was also nice when they all left and we had peace and quiet again!  LOL!

cookies and collars oh my!

It was another crazy DIY evening last night!  But first I was in need of some vegan yumminess!!  I love making these cookies as they are so quick and easy to do so.  It is also a great way to use up those bananas before they go bad!

 

Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

loving my diy time!

What a weekend!  I'm not sure how many smoky black bean tamales I made, but it's a LOT!!  We have been enjoying them non stop, sending some to my mother-in-law and have some in the freezer for another day!  They really are easy to make, the slow part was waiting on them to steam and cook as I could only do about a dozen at a time.

Looking forward to dinner Wednesday night - the husband is cooking!  Watch for what the vegan husband can cook up!!

As promised photos from my DIY 3XL tee to cute skirt project!!  Here are the before and after photos:

what's cooking in your kitchen this weekend?

I am ready to make tamales this weekend!  My vegan Smokey Fiesta Black Bean Tamales were so amazing that I plan on making about four batches of them and freezing them up.  My darling husband has even volunteered to help - he'll be helping clean dishes and filling up beers!  I look forward to sharing photos on Monday!  Just hoping we don't eat them all this weekend.  LOL!

What are you cooking this weekend?

Update on my to do list:

Dog Room (this is a long to do list, but need to get started). We have cleaned out the room that use to be my den (scrapbook room) and will be our kick butt dog room soon! My goal just this week is to finish cleaning everything up, box it up and this weekend pull out the carpet.

Finish up End Table to Dog Bed project. Still have lots of painting, putting on the hardware and make the inside dog cushion.

Make Steelers tee-shirt (from Rome, but way too big) into a cool skirt for football season!

Learn how to make cool dog collars for my pups!

Finish Avery's Memory Box to hang up.

what day is it? what day is it??

Yes, it is hump day!!  I'm ready for the weekend already!!  LOL!  I have been in such a DIY mood that all I can think about is the craft store and ideas that are spinning around in my head!!

Last night I did FINISH my End Table to Dog Bed project!!  The cushion did not take me long at all to make and I must say that I am really happy with it!!

italian (vegan) sausage sandwiches - for those days when you need "naughty" food!

A couple of weeks ago my husband eyeballed some vegan Italian sausages at Sprouts and was dying to try them out.  We had planned on making pizza for last nights preseason football game and thought they would be a yummy topping, but we couldn't make it through the weekend without getting into them and trying them out.  We felt like we were being naughty bad with these sandwiches!!  They were beyond amazing!  And great with some vegan chipotle mayo and sweet potatoes fries.

Italian Sausage Sandwiches

Ingredients

2 Tofurky Italian Sausages
1 Red Pepper, sliced
1 Onion, sliced
1 Cup Mushrooms, sliced
Whole Wheat buns
Chipotle Mayo (optional)

In frying pan using a tablespoon of vegetable broth sauté onion, red pepper and mushrooms for 5-7 minutes.  I cooked my sausages right along side, but you could also grill.  Place cooked sausage into bun and top with veggies.  Add chipotle mayo or condiment of your choice. Enjoy!

butt of the joke

On Tuesday night I made a wonderful Butternut Squash Soup and couldn't stop laughing when I noticed as I went to roast the squash it looked like a little butt!  LOL!  Once it came out of the oven - looked more like an old butt.  LOL!  Sorry, just thought everyone could use a little chuckle today!

vegan chocolate banana blueberry nut bread

Darn sweet tooth of mine and bananas going bad.  What's a girl to do? Make bread!!  Now, is this moist to die for bread?  Maybe not, but I really wanted to make a bread that had no sugar/browns sugar/oil in it.  The blueberries do help some and if you are finding the batter to be a little dry, add a bit more apple sauce.  Overall, still VERY yummy!!

Vegan Chocolate Banana Blueberry Nut Bread

we now have a moose...I mean greyhound!

We are so excited to welcome Italy to our family!! Saturday was so exciting and the two hour drive felt like it took forever!  We were nervous when we pulled up to where Italy's was staying and hoped that she would like us.  Italy is so sweet and loving, she wanted us to pet her non-stop.  Next was how would she do with five little furry dogs running around.  The ride home went well.  Just freaked me out a bit when I would turn to look back and her HUGE head would be right there next to mine.  LOL! Once we got going she laid down next to the boy child and really seem to love him.

We were a bundle of nerves when we pulled into the driveway, unsure how the dogs would react to such a LARGE dog.  They have always done great when we brought home a foster, but this was a tick different...or LARGER.  Greyhounds are use to wearing a muzzle and we thought it would be best until we were pretty sure she wouldn't eat iHop.  I think Steeler was the most freaked out by Italy, but after a few minutes they all chilled out and did great.  iHop really enjoyed checking her out and all of her dog beds.  He wouldn't leave her alone!

Later that evening we removed her muzzle and she has been doing wonderful! She is sleeping in the boy child's bedroom, which he loves.  He also has been walking her in the evening and morning!  We have decided that we are keeping her name and not changing it.  Italy has grown on us and seems to fit her nicely.

I have already did a little shopping for Miss. Italy!  Had to buy her a stunning collar!  Yesterday we found this cool store Garden Ridge (I'll be going back!!) and they had great prices on dog beds! We now have three large beds for her, but think we'll pick up one more to have out back.  Lets just say, she'll be one spoiled Greyhound!!

Today it's back to reality and cannot wait to do some cooking later this evening!

 
 

roasted asparagus and veggie tacos & prada count down!

Who else is ready for the weekend?? Tomorrow is our big Greyhound adoption day!!  OMG, we are excited and nervous but really looking forward to meeting Italy (or, Prada as we'll call her).  We have had eleven foster Cavaliers come through our home so we feel like we are "somewhat" ready, but it has been years since we had a BIG dog in our home.  Hoping everyone meshes really well together. Still waiting to finalize the day and how we are meeting up as Italy is a couple of hours from us.  Fingers crossed it's a successful day!

I couldn't wait yesterday to get home from work and have a nice quiet night home with J.  I have been dying to make roasted asparagus & veggie tacos and this was just the perfect night for them!  My husband couldn't believe how great the asparagus was IN a taco!  Who knew?!?  LOL!

Roasted Asparagus and Veggie Tacos
makes about 8

simple banana nut cookies!

Still on my DIY kick and having a blast!  The End Table to Dog Bed project is coming along nicely.  The back and one side are now finished.  The other side should be done today and then it's onto the front.  Just unsure still how I want to paint that.  Cannot wait for the panting to be done and I can move onto making the bed cushion to go inside!

I am also doing well on crocheting my own dog snoods, once I figured out how to crochet a circle and not an infinity looking circle LOL. Just having fun practicing for now.  Lets just say, my Cavaliers will have warm necks this winter. 

While painting away last night and waiting for paint to dry I was in the mood for a snack.  Not much in the house, so with a quick look around I came up with these little babies.  Note, there is no sugar in them so they are a bit bland.  I would have used vegan chocolate chips, but sadly was out.  They were still good and tasted like banana nut bread!

Simple Banana Nut Cookies

Ingredients

2 Bananas
1 Cup Oats
1/3 Cup Nut Butter of your choice
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 Cup Walnuts, pieces
1/3 Cup Shredded Coconut

checking it off & introducing prada (not my handbag prada)

 

Really feels good to have some sweet DIY motivation going on right now.  I am even trying my hand at crocheting dog snoods, but I am in need of taking classes (will do after I finish my dog bed!). So, my DIY To Do List as of today:
 
 

• Dog Room (this is a long to do list, but need to get started). We have cleaned out the room that use to be my den (scrapbook room) and will be our kick butt dog room soon! My goal just this week is to finish cleaning everything up, box it up and this weekend pull out the carpet. Still need to pull out the carpet and then baseboards.
• Finish up End Table to Dog Bed project. Still have lots of painting, putting on the hardware and make the inside dog cushion. The backside is 100% done, finishing up the sides now.
• Make Steelers tee-shirt (from Rome, but way too big) into a cool skirt for football season! Forgot to buy elastic for the waist.
• Learn how to make cool dog collars for my pups! Ordered the hardware kit so I can start making them.
• Finish Avery's Memory Box to hang up.

Feels great to actually check a few items off!  So, the dog snoods (if you're not sure what they are click HERE).  Cavaliers will wear them to keep their food out of their long beautiful ears (iHop has one!).  Greyhounds will wear them in the winter to keep warm.  Because they have no body fat they get cold very easily.  Why do I bring up the Greyhound?  Well.......we are looking at adopting our first Greyhound on Saturday!  Right now her name is Italy, but we are changing to Prada.  She is a stunning four year-old brindle retired racing hound.  She is being fostered up in Northern Arizona and we cannot wait to meet her.  We pray that he Cavaliers welcome her and they all get along.  Is she not stunning??  So, the snoods will be for her - once I figure out what the heck I'm doing LOL.

Prada the bag looks like this -

AAahhh.....so pretty too!  Tomorrow I will be sharing this weeks lunch recipe, Red Lentil Chili.  Was perfect for this rainy Arizona Tuesday! 

leftovers & weekend update

Sorry, missing in action a bit this weekend.

Quick update of what this redhead has been up to and a great recipe for those breakfast leftovers! My boy child is back in the cellular world again! The poor child busted the crap out of his old phone and it then got to the point he couldn't call out on it and I couldn't call him.  So, he saved up and now owns a pretty cool HTC One!  He was my dinner date....and spent more time on he phone than chatting with his mother.

Friday the boy child was also nice enough to hit the grocery store with me.  The plan that evening was to finish re-boxing up my den and have it ready for carpet to be pulled out.  Yeah, that didn't happen.  LOL!

Saturday was more productive.  Finally got everything cleaned up (still unable to find the power cord for the printer, guess I'll just be buying a new one). The den is now ready to have carpet removed and baseboards too.  Next will be priming the walls.  Once done the room will be a dog room/small office/sewing room.  We will be painting the floors like we did in our Great Room, so much cleaner and easier with dogs.  Really want the room to have a fun funky feel to it.

I have started on Saturday mornings making a HUGE tofu chorizo southwestern scramble for breakfast.  This way I have leftovers for Sunday and none of the work!!  Win-win!!

Chorizo Southwestern Tofu Scramble