sunny vegan » food, photography, and fun

6.11.12

a new brew ~ Michelob Ultra Light Cider

Backyard bbq’s, the beach, lounging by the pool, sipping a cool drink in the warm weather. Yup, that’s what summer is is all about. Hanging with friends and family and chillin’, I mean literally keeping cool.

I spend a lot of time in Scottsdale , Arizona where the heat is truly unbearable. There are misters and pools everywhere, but when it’s 112 degrees outside, there isn’t much to do except sit still and try to cool off. Yes, I do spend some time by the pool with a drink in hand and this year I have a new favorite, Michelob Ultra Light Cider.

When you pop the top, the cool crisp scent of apples is amazing. It offers such a pure clean taste made with all natural ingredients and sweetened with stevia, this is the perfect alternative to sticky sweet cocktails and heavy beer.

While this may be the first cider Anheuser-Bush has made, they certainly took the time to get it just right. The color, crisp fresh taste, light sweetness and pretty package all had me at hello! Adding to that, it’s naturally gluten-free and only 120 calories! Yup, this is my new summer drink of choice, feel free to bring some by this summer.

For more information please visit the Michelob ULTRA Light Cider page on BlogHer.com and the Sponsor’s site.

What favorite summer meal or activity to you think would go best with Michelob ULTRA Cider?

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6.7.12

strawberry basil salad.

I swear, salads get a bad rap. As a diet, boring, tasteless side dish. But in reality, salads need to be front and center! Savor the gorgeous colors, textures, and fresh flavors of summer in a tasty yet light way that keeps you full and cool despite the heat.

In this salad, I wanted to the veggies and berries to take center stage so I kept the dressing simple. No time to make your own dressing? Not a problem, there are some great bottled vegan balsamic and poppy-seed dressings out there. Take the time to enjoy the tart strawberries, delicate spinach and earthy fresh basil – it’s really a great blend of texture and flavor.

What is your favorite summer salad??

Ingredients:

dressing- makes approximation 1 cup
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon agave
salt and pepper to taste

salad-
3 cups organic spinach
2/3 cup strawberries- thinly sliced
2 tablespoons basil – chiffonade or ribbon cut
1/4 cup tofu feta – optional

Method:

layer spinach and strawberries onto plate, drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons dressing, top with tofu feta and basil.

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June 7, 2012 - 7:06 pm

Nicole - This might be the most delicious thing I have every laid eyes on. I could get lost in your blog for hours.

June 7, 2012 - 7:34 pm

Amanda - Ahhhh, Nicole that is so sweet! Thank you so much for stopping by =)

June 7, 2012 - 8:39 pm

Laural Out Loud - I went to an educational dinner put on by the California Strawberry Council last year, and discovered just how amazing strawberries are in savory dishes. LOVE this salad idea!

6.6.12

Sliding into first ~ a kindergarten promotion

As many of you are parents and can relate to this, thought I would share this with you all!

Well, it was a big day here. A day I have been dreading and excited for all at the same time.

Teagan graduated from kindergarten. *sob* Don’t get me wrong, I knew there was no way to avoid it (I tried) and she has had an absolutely wonderful year! Surrounded by the absolute Best Teacher EVER, the sweetest students and such giving parent volunteers made her first year of elementary school something to be cherished. Something I am having a very hard time letting go of.

Gosh, I have so much I wanted to say but my emotions, as usual, have gotten the best of me. I’m just going to share part of our day with you and maybe I’ll be able to write more later.

Sliding into first…

with her best buddy, they are so sweet to each other…

so glad I still had the camera out for this one, her friend ran up and said “Do you want to sign my yearbook?” seriously the cutest 5 year olds =)

followed by hopscotch and messy hair.

That’s all for now, going to spend the evening holding on tightly to the last few days she has in kindergarten.

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6.1.12

roasted sweet potato and black bean salad.

This is one of my most favorite flavor combinations, hearty black beans with the sweet and tender roasted sweet potato. We use them on everything, Saturday morning sweet potato black bean burritos have become very popular with the family over the past few months. During the Winter, we make a wonderful chili with them. But now, the weather is getting warmer, our clothes are getting more revealing and we need to keep the flavor while losing the extra calories (well, at least I do).
So as this months Lazy Susan was fresh salads with a homemade dressing, I knew exactly what I wanted to make. It’s honestly everything I expected and more. The gorgeous colors, the sweet, earthy, and tangy taste really are worth the ever so slightly greater effort to take your salad from eh to EH-mazing. *sometimes I just crack myself up*

Ingredients:

salad-
2 medium sweet potatoes- peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pint grape or cherry tomaotes- halved
8 cups butter lettuce – or other mild green

dressing-
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup packed fresh cillantro
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 clove garlic
4 tablespoons light agave
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon salt
gresh ground pepper – to taste

Method:

spread prepared potatoes onto a cookie sheet in single layer, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and peppet. bake for 10 minutes, toss, and bake an additional 7-10 minutes or until tender and lightly golden. set aside and allow to cool. combine tomatoes, balck beans and potoato in a large bowl, drizzle 1/4- 1/2 cup of the dressing over top and stir to combine. divide greens onto 4 plates, top evenly with black bean – potato mixture, add adiitional dressing to taste. serve immediately and garnish with additional cillantro and lime as desired.

dressing:
place fresh lime juice, garlic, cilantro and agave into a food processor or blender and mix well. gradually add the olive oil, then salt and pepper to taste.

Don’t forget, this is a group effort and next up is Gretchen Davis with a salad of arugula, pear, candied walnuts and bleu cheese.
Keep on clicking for a full month of June salads.

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June 3, 2012 - 6:23 pm

Lazy Susan | June | Serbian Salad » Sara Tegman Photography Blog - [...] Please direct your attention to the Sunny Vegan, Amanda Prince and her super yummy sweet potato and black bean salad. [...]

June 3, 2012 - 6:24 pm

Sara T - So in love with your presentation and salad! Can’t wait to make it for my brood.

5.31.12

The First Husband ~ a book review

The First Husband. Laura Dave. New York, New York: the Penguin Group

The First Husband by Laura Dave is an entertaining, thought provoking novel worthy of your beach reads list. Annie Adams thinks she has life pretty together, when her boyfriend of five years announces that he needs a break. Feeling lost and confused with how her life is going, her friend suggests she “ be the opposite of you”. A few days later, she wanders into a bar and meets Griffin, a charming chef. After a whrilwind romance, they marry and move across the country.
Then Nick returns and Annie is forced to look at where her choices have led her, and if this is the life she really wants. If you have ever loved and lost or questioned your own life choices, you will easliy relate to Annie. Love and relationships can be complicated and depressing, but The First Husband is a beautifully written, charming tale that will have you laughing and reflecing on the empowering message of truly finding yourself.

Don’t forget to check out the BlogHer Book Club for weekly discussions and other fun reads.BlogHer Book

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

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