My 1st Vitamix Veggie Soup and Tropical Traditions Coconut Concentrate Giveaway

This weekend, like usual, flew by like all other ones. After having a superb voice lesson on Saturday with the voice teacher I knew the weekend was going to go by very quickly. Ryan and I also had the chance to babysit our friends' baby. She is the most adorable baby girl and we had a good time. We played with her, while Ryan entertained her by sticking out his tongue and I entertained her by giving her a tour of the house. She was a little fussy but all under control.

On Friday I had a chance to to taste a vegan and gluten-free pizza from a local pizza joint. It was very interesting.Even though I did not take pictures I have to say that this place layed on the Daiya cheese like crazy. It was a very pricey pizza even with a 3 dollar discount. This was supposed to give me a break from cooking but I felt guilty. Next time I will make my own. Lately it has felt so much better to eat fresh that to order out or making a complicated meal. DO you someitmes feel like this?

On Sunday, I had a chance to go to the Great Lakes Folk Festival where they had lots of music from different countries and vendors from all around the Great Lakes area. This year the Festival added a Green aspect. There was a Green Kitchen where at every 1 hour there was a demonstration on different techniques from fermentation and raw / vegan foods, to making your own tonics and creams using medicinal herbs. I focused on these since Ryan was the one who alerted me about them. I learned a whole bunch and even got to meet a nice vegan / raw chef, Miko Fossum who prepared a raw Cream of Tomato soup for the audience using her Vitamix.

I found out that Miko Fossum had her own raw / vegan teahouse where she served lunch and teas. She had it opened for 5 years and last year closed the business. So sad! I missed it by a year! Either way, I was able to speak to her and hear her transformation when she transitioned to raw foods. Her ailments had disappeared after only eating and drinking green smoothies, raw soups, raw dips and crackers, etc. I was so excited to hear someone in my city speak about something I am so excited about.

It is helpful for a first time raw fooodist and for vegans trying to incorporate more raw foods in the daily diet to take in natural veggies and fruits. If you are interested, TODAY is the LAST day to purchase the Vitamix for 25% off the original price. It is SUCH a good deal. I used mine this morning and afternoon and love it! GO to my shop and buy it today!

I made my 1st raw veggie soup today using my new Vitamix. I like it so much! I added the following:

• 4 tomatoes
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 carrot
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1 cup coconut water
• sea salt
• agave
• sprinkled hemp seeds

It was so creamy and delicious and full of life. I want to make something new everyday!

Today I am featuring a fun giveaway from Tropical Traditions. Last week I featured a recipe I created using the coconut concentrate called Chocolate-Almond Coconut Bites. You can use this concentrate to add to your smoothies, soups, or even to make ic cream. Take a look at all the bits you can do with the coconut concentrate on Tropical Traditions' website.

 In order to win this 32 ounce bottle, please do the following:

Mandatory:
1. What is your favorite coconut recipe? (leave a comment)

Extra entries:
2. Subscribe to Opera Singer in the Kitchen's blog by entering your email address on the right hand corner. (leave a comment)

3. "Like" OSK on Facebook by joining her PAGE. (Leave a comment)

4. Follow OSK on Twitter @singerinkitchen  (leave a comment)

5. Vote for OSK on Picket Fence Blog by clicking on the button on the bottom left side of the page. (Leave a comment)

6. Tweet the follwing message: "Win a bottle of @TropTraditions Coconut Concentrate to make great smoothies and desserts! #giveaway http://bit.ly/d6xauA " (Leave a comment)