My mom came to visit this weekend! Evan was out of town visiting his family, so my mom and I took the opportunity to have a girl’s weekend. She got here Friday night and we got right to work, putting some raw onion bread in the dehydrator.
After cleaning up the kitchen, we headed off to bed, woke up, and created two batches of cheesy nacho kale chips and some cashew pizza cheese.
For breakfast we had some of this amazing raw granola in rice milk, that is mainly comprised of sprouted buckwheat groats and cacao.
Chewy, crunchy, filling, and delicious.
I really want to create my own version of these in our dehydrator because they’re expensive to buy at Whole Foods. However, I think it’s okay to initially splurge a little in order to be inspired for all of the possibilities in the future. Similarly, we picked up the same brand’s pizza flax snacks and I was further inspired to create something like these wonderful little crackers. They tasted just like pizza and I highly recommend a small handful of them for an afternoon snack.
Really, almost too good to be true. I’m finding myself thinking this way about most raw food lately!
And green smoothies…
After breakfast, we headed to the Winter Park Farmer’s Market to browse. Nothing really popped out at me as necessary, so we continued on to Cafe 118 to get some raw drink treats.
I got the Tropical Mint Shake that had young thai coconut, agave, pineapple and mint in it. I’m craving it now! So incredible.
My mom had the Rain Forest Rapture with blueberries, acai, pomegranate, ginger and apple in it.
She loved her drink as well and we stopped by there on Sunday to get our drinks again, but sadly, they are closed on Sundays.
We walked around Park Avenue for awhile, spent some time in William Sonoma (I got a lemon squeezer) and one of my favorite stores, Synergy. I needed a new hat and thought this one was completely appropriate.
“have a green day” 
Eventually we ventured to Infusion Tea in College Park for lunch. My mom and I split the Pesto Panini on whole wheat bread and the Concorde wrap. Perfect food.
The afternoon was quite rainy, so we hopped into Whole Foods quickly, then went home to rest up a bit. After a few hours, I made us a dinner of raw onion bread sandwiches, grilled yucca from the WF hot bar, and cheesy nacho kale chips.
Mmm, mmm, mmm!!
Later, we headed out to Anthropologie to drool over expensive home and body decorations until the mall closed, and then spent the rest of the night in Barnes and Noble browsing vegan/raw cookbooks and Michael Pollan books. I walked away with , The China Study
Sunday morning we woke up and quickly headed out to brunch at Ethos Vegan Kitchen. My mom said a woman snarled at me while I was taking pictures of our food. Hmph!
Mimosas were in order 
Vegan biscuits and gravy…A family favorite of ours and this is the only place I can get them!
Chocolate chip pancakes topped with walnuts and maple syrup, and home fries on the side! Mmmm…indulgence at its BEST!
Then we headed to Lake Eola to walk around and explore the Sunday Farmer’s Market.
As an Orlando resident for 6 months now, I can’t believe I’ve never been to Lake Eola! I loved, loved, loved it! It sure was coooold on our walk though.
The farmers’ market wasn’t all that great, but it could have been the cold, drizzly weather . I’d be willing to give it another shot.
We had such a FUN weekend and I hope she comes back soon for more adventures in Orlando!
What kinds of things do you do with your parents when they come to visit you?
Have a great night!
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
what a weekend recap!! i wish i had a dehydrator so i could make some of your onion bread; all of your food looks so good (and healthy too!) seeing that pesto panini has ignited a major craving
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Please keep us updated on your thoughts of The China Study. I looked at it at Barnes too, but was turned off by the statistics and length. I’m already vegan, so I don’t need convincing, and I just wasn’t willing to give it a shot. But I’d love the Cliffs Notes
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I loved The China Study! I consider myself fairly educated when it comes to health (and veganism), but I still was really impacted by the book. I listened to it on audio book in my car and was pretty impressed by it overall. Can’t wait to hear what you think of it!
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Gosh! Where do I begin?
Okay… Love green smoothies – yum! And, the raw granola by GoRaw – super and a staple in my cupboard. Love all your cool pictures. I want that hat! Cafe 118? How lucky are you! China Study is an amazing book – one of my faves! And, all those vegan foods? Come to mama!!!!
Cheers,
Kristen
KRISTEN’S RAW´s last blog ..Raw Vegan "Protein Grenades" Help Keep My Husband Strong!
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Hi Autumn, The China Study is an amazing read – fast, engrossing, and you don’t want to put it down. Life changing book for many people.
KRISTEN’S RAW´s last blog ..Raw Vegan "Protein Grenades" Help Keep My Husband Strong!
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Sorry for the third comment… PS Autumn, I was vegan when I read it and still loved it!
KRISTEN’S RAW´s last blog ..Raw Vegan "Protein Grenades" Help Keep My Husband Strong!
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What a great weekend! Your Mom is such a trooper for eating such great food – or does she always eat like that? My Mom would be giving me the stink eye for sure
Andrea of Care to Eat´s last blog ..Andrea: Suzy Homemaker
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Ryan @ Greens for Good Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Generally speaking, my mom really loves and enjoys the food that I eat. She always wants me to make her stuff and loves how vegan food makes her feel.
Oh and she loves daily green smoothies!
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Love the recap of all your eats
Everything looks so yummy. Love cafe 118! Been there once and had a great time. Your smoothies looks delicious!!!We still need to read the China Study have heard so much about it!
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Ryan!
I’ve been to that lake, I wrote the swan paddle boats. We’re you not with us?!
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Ryan @ Greens for Good Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 6:11 pm
I wasn’t with you for that! I think it was after I went back home
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Your smoothie looks mind-blowing!! When my parents visit we are all about eating-sight seeing-and walking around as much as possible. I’m glad my mom and dad are still so active because it makes vacations so much more fun!
emily ´s last blog ..Carb Craving
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Ryan, what lovely pictures. The food looks amazing.
I still live with my mom, we dont do much together tho.
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What a yummy weekend! By the way, I was so freaked out to see a black swan in one of your pictures! I am an American living in Australia, and I had never seen them until moving here. I thought they were only found here. Well, lo and behold, they are only native to Australia but other places fancy them as an ornamental waterbird! Well, at least that’s what tells me! Anyway, they are on our state flag in Western Australia. I love them!
Sarah´s last blog ..Vegan Education and Behavioural Change – Part II
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I’m not a vegan (or even a vegetarian) but The China Study really made me evaluate my eating habits. I already ate meat only about once or twice a week before I reading, but now I find myself wanting it even less and am cutting out most of the dairy in my diet as well. Definitely an eye-opener!
Carrie @ I See Monsters ´s last blog ..Tofu Epiphanies
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my mom just sent me goraw’s plain buckwheat crispies! i really like them!
and i like your new blog layout a lot!
you should enter our superbreakfast bowl challenge this week!
http://dontwhitesugarcoatit.blogspot.com/2010/02/super-breakfast-bowl-challenge.html
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I live in Clermont and went to lake eola and cafe 118 last weekend, two of my fav places!!!
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