REVIEW: April Favorites

Hello, sweet friends!!  Happy May! This might be my shortest ‘Favorites’ post yet as April was somewhat of an off month here. But I still have some good things to share with you!

Before we dive into my favorite products, I have to share one of our favorite “news” stories. We don’t actually watch the news, since we don’t have cable television, but my Mom informed us of this pretty awesome story…I highly recommend listening to the clip:

Inky The Octopus’s Great Escape: NPR

Also, if you’re interested in reading an inspiring blog post, I found this while organizing & cleaning out some of my Pinterest pins (waaaaaay too many pins) and I can’t believe it took me this long to really read it at length. Really makes me think about not only who I am and aspire to be, but also who I surround myself with:

4 Signs of a Woman Worth Following

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A P R I L  F A V O R I T E S:

PRODUCTS WE TRIED & LOVED:

SOMA Evolutionary Refreshment >> Root Brew >> As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I can’t resist trying new kombucha options that pop up in our local natural food stores. Back in my sugary soda drinking days, root beer was my favorite! So you can see why I was drawn to this one. Definitely reminiscent of root beer, but better! SOMA is a company based out of Portland, OR and we LOVE what they’re all about…for example, here’s a bit from their website about “Zero Waste”

Basically, that everything we use in normal operations that can be re-used or re-purposed is, and the recycling bin is the absolute last resort. We know that you can’t throw anything away, because there is no “away”, so we choose products and vendors that come in reusable and less packaging, buy in bulk, get creative.  For example, the wax paper strips that labels come on aren’t recyclable so we donate them to a local funky arts supply store. But if you want some to bake a strip of cookies on, just ask!  And don’t be stingy with those cookies.
Our packaging will always be returnable or reusable, and we really appreciate everyone’s willingness with the bottle deposits.  So far, we’ve kept over 20,000 bottles out of the landfill (where many recycled bottles end up, as making new bottles is cheaper than recycling old ones).

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RECIPES WE TRIED & LOVED:

In April, we stuck with mostly basics and lots of recipes we’ve already tried, but here are two new ones that we fell in love with!

Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Dip >> Veggie Inspired >> I FINALLY tried one of Jenn’s recipes! After months of drooling over posts and compiling a loooooong list of recipes to try, I finally dove in…and also finally subscribed to her blog, which I highly recommend doing! This recipe was wonderful! Creamy, slightly smoky, tangy, and good enough to eat with a spoon. The only adjustment I made was that I left out the liquid smoke since Willow isn’t a huge smoky fan. We dipped oil-free potato wedges in it and also put a dollop on top of our homemade chili! I know I’ll be making plenty more of Jenn’s recipes because I’ve noticed that she uses tahini a good bit and you know how much I LOVE tahini!

Mint Chocolate Chunk Nicecream >> Feasting on Fruit >>  During my pre-vegan days, my all-time favorite ice cream was mint chocolate chip so when Natalie shared a much healthier version, I jumped right on it! Willow and I took some super soft dates and cut them into chunks to throw into our nicecream – I sprinkled a few raw cacao nibs on top of mine. We used spirulina for the green (she gives a few options) and while ours didn’t turn out quite as pretty as Natalie’s, it was incredibly delicious!! Super creamy with just the right amount of mint – a perfect treat for a warm day!

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BOOKS I READ & LOVED:

I read A LOT of new books with Willow last month, here are the ones we really loved:

The Snail and the Whale 

Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1)

Octopus Alone

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

The Story of Diva and Flea

And here are my favorite reads from the month:

Medical Medium by Anthony William >> If you follow me on Instagram, chances are you saw my post about this book. My best friend, Jen, recommended it to me and then I kept seeing people refer to it on IG, so I took it as a sign that I needed to buy it. When it finally arrived, I couldn’t put it down. I told myself that I was going to take my time with it and read a chapter here and there, but I finished it in three days. He sucks you in with his personal story and how this book came to be AND then he goes and continues to blow your mind with his insight. The book is broken down by various conditions: depression, migraines, PTSD, PMS + menopause, and much more. He points you in the direction to healing foods and foods to avoid, as well as supplements/herbs that can aid in healing. As someone who once battled depression, migraines & anxiety, I can look back and see where I could have done better. Ever since I was a teenager, I struggled hard with PMS and while over the years I have learned how to better cope, this book helped me to have a pain-free, symptom-free month! By implementing a few supplements/herbs and healing foods I noticed drastic changes. The thing about this book is that EVERYONE can benefit from reading it – it doesn’t matter if you’re currently sick, aren’t displaying any symptoms or have already healed…this book is filled with life-changing information. Information that could help future generations. I HIGHLY recommend ordering yourself a copy or downloading the Kindle version!

The Eagle Tree by Ned Hayes >> I’ll tell you what, I’ve lucked out with the Kindle First choices I’ve made lately…and this was no exception. The Eagle Tree is a story told through the eyes of March Wong, a fourteen-year old autistic boy, who LOVES to climb trees. One day, while climbing, he discovers this Ponderosa Pine (the Eagle Tree) and learns of its fate. March takes things into his own hands and does what he can to save this tree. I loved how engaging the narration was and thought that the author did a beautiful job.

Take me with you by Catherine Ryan Hyde >> I was in between books and decided to browse the Kindle lending library – that’s when I found this book. It ended up being much better than I anticipated. I got so sucked into the story and characters that I couldn’t put it down. It was a feel-good story, heartwarming, and it made me want to hop in the car and take a road trip!

What were some of your favorites from April? Did you read any good books or try a new recipe/product? I’d love to hear!

Thanks for stopping by!

❤