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Vegan Stir Fry, Peach Pina Colada, and Trip Finale Pics

How are you doing today? Well, this post brings our Aruba trip to a close. After I hit Publish on this one, we’re off to the airport. Sigh. As I mentioned before , I know all good things come to an end, but I am sad to leave Paradise.

We’ll be back next year, though so that’s the silver lining!

But let me take you down Veggie Memory Lane from the Past Few Days’ worth of Eats… Enter in: a Stir Fry Mix that was actually in stock at the Grocery Store . They’re sold out of kale , as mentioned.

So I’m in MKW (Major Kale Withdrawal). But I’m making do….haha!

Threw my stir fy mix in a sautee pan with about 1/2 c of water

Added about 1 Tsp of Ginger and a few twists of Black Pepper

And that’s when things got all X-Rated Steamy

Oh that’s better.

And I let the veggies cook and steam for about 5 minutes

And Tossed them with Romaine, a little Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing , and a Baked Potato on the side

And I was happy: Romaine, Carrots, Cauli, Zukes, Cukes, Yellow Peppers …. yeah baby!

If you missed my last stir-fry here , check this post out. I was made aware that Italian Salad dressing is not truly vegan. Hey, I do my best people and I just give myself major props for cooking 3 squares a day, on vacation no less! As always, use ingredients to suit YOUR lifestyle and read the fine print on the labels if you’re into labels. I am not. As Elise says, she’s not 100% vegan . And I always think it’s good to keep a healthy, balanced, non-obsessed, carefree attitude. I do my best and I think 99.278998% of the time I succeed at being vegan. I do not obsess over trace ingredients nor get fanatical. I don’t go out and buy a slab of cheese either and I don’t ever intentionally try to mislead , but us bloggers, we’re human too.

And when in Rome, you make do with ingredients that aren’t sold out of the grocery store, and enjoy because the stir fry was great!

Moving along to another plate. This one was Scott’s.

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<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LQA77yculb0/Szpwl2p10tI/AAAAAAAAEo8/KQbHuJCoFnw/s320/DSC08783.JPG" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“Mixed Salad with Homemade Creamy Tahini “Cesar” Dressing - 34”>

A Cesar-ish Salad dressed with my Homemade Creamy Tahini “Cesar” Dressing on Romaine with Cukes, and a Baked Potato on the Side

<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LQA77yculb0/SzpwwhgnOyI/AAAAAAAAEpE/Bj6EishkmqY/s320/DSC08785.JPG" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“Close up of Mixed Salad with Homemade Creamy Tahini “Cesar” Dressing - 35”>

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And this one was mine: Romaine, Cukes, Brock, Cauli

With Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing that you can see pooled up. Slurp. Chrysta told me she’s gotten in on my recipe and has been loving the sweet tang of it, too!

And then remember when I wrote about not having drank alcohol in the past 4+ years? Well, the dry spell (no pun intended) was officially broken!!!!

I bellied up to the bar

Gorgeous scenery at the Hyatt as I mentioned.

And ordered myself a Peach Pina Colada.

And it was amazing.

Come here, little girl…

As it whispered in my ear: Drink Me Now!

And I did.

On my Chaise Lounge

Oh sorry, too much skin . I’ll cover Up.

Truth be told, I split the Colada with Scott. Didn’t want to catch a buzz on ya know, half a pina colada . After 4.5 years, I was worried hoping.

And Skylar even ate the pineapple garnish and contemplated drinking her cup of sand.

And a piece of pineapple that may or may not have gotten stuck in her teeth.

She didn’t seem to mind. Pineapple, the full undivided attention of 2 parents for nearly a month, and lots of sandcastles = A Child’s Definition of Paradise!

And that my friends, sums up 3+ weeks in Aruba . And, on the last day, I broke my drinking dry spell. Not sure when I will next drink again. Definitely not on New Years Eve!

Yoga Today is Practicing a Zen-Like State with a 20 hour travel day ahead of me and a 2 year old in tow. ‘Nuff Said.

Back to New Year’s Eve…I’ll be at home, hopefully in bed long before the stroke of midnight. With a child who’s also in bed and I plan get up and go to yoga on New Year’s Day! What are your New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day plans? Going out? Staying in? Cooking or not? Drinking or not? Swinging from the chandeliers or not? Seriously, whatcha got going on? And if you’re going out, do you have your wardrobe lined up? Whatcha wearin’?

Stay Tuned For Great Food and Recipes from back home in AZ…