We’ll get to the meaning of the post title in a moment…but first — THREE CHEERS FOR LUCAS!

I’ve been moaning about my injured leg and my inability to run for weeks, but it has really opened my mind to other workouts, like long walks, bike rides and now, hiking!

Well, hiking is a stretch…in Florida, we don’t have hills, so it’s more like halking. Cousin of ralking. Lucas planned the whole morning and it awas great to get outside and enjoy the cooler weather.

We saw a deer, but he (she?) was too quick for us to get a picture. We did see some other creatures, including this guy:

Pretty cool, huh?

Toward the end, I was getting a little tired, and needed a game to push through the 2-hour hike. I started following in Luke’s footsteps

But he caught on and started messing with me, taking HUGE leaping steps and walking in a circle:

Good thing he stopped, or else it could have been:

That’s one of his favorite shirts. Luckily, he also has one that says “I Love Tater Tots,” so it all balances out.

Speaking of balancing…that’s something my checkbook might not do for a while, since I decided to stock up for #VeganWeek at my home away from home, Whole Foods.

First, I had to have a delicious lunch (grilled, open-faced pumpkin, apple and cheddar cheese sammies with chicken noodle and veggie soup):

It helped me fight through a very busy grocery store to get these goodies:

I’ll be getting into the how and why of #VeganWeek in tomorrow’s post, as well as laying out some VERY exciting giveaway news (!!!), but I will say that so far, the shopping didn’t involve much more than normal. Lots of fresh, organic veggies and fruit, some organic grains, etc. The only things that aren’t normally in my cart are nutritional yeast flakes, tahini and soy yogurts. And I didn’t even need to get those. I guess Lucas and I are just so far on the vegetarian side already that it will be an easier transition.

Once I got everything unpacked, I decided to make some Kitchen Sink Granola to have ready for breakfasts this week. Here’s the recipe — enjoy!

Kitchen Sink Granola

(note: This recipe should be used as a guide, not a bible. It would work just as well with different grains, dried fruits, etc. In fact, I plan to make this with wheatberries, dried coconut and cranberries for holiday-inspired granola)

1C quinoa (rinsed)

1C rolled oats

1C ground flaxseed

3/4C bulgur wheat (I had SO MUCH leftover from my Vulgar Bread!)

3T vegetable or canola oil (I may try using hemp or coconut oil next time)

1C maple syrup or agave nectar

2tsp vanilla

2tsp cinnamon extract OR 2T ground cinnamon

dash salt

diced fruits (I used prunes and figs but next time would add more kinds)

chopped nuts (I used a mix of “Oh Nuts!” pepitas, cashews and almonds left over from the Healthy Living Summit)

Mix everything — everything! — together and spread onto a cookie sheet in a thin layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Once you smell it, it’s done…just give it a taste and make sure it’s the right texture.

          

Related posts:

1. #VeganWeek Day 4: Thanks to YOU!
2. A Meat-Filled Weekend
3. #VeganWeek Day 2: BEST.MEALS.EVER.
4. Going Vegan — Are You In?
5. #VeganWeek The Husband’s Perspective