#Glutenfree Monthly Favorites: Vegan Potato Soup, Online Gluten Free Expo & More!

Another month, another post about what this gluten free celiac has been up to! As usual, February flew by...and I literally don't know where it went considering my schedule was much less exciting than January's. However, I still managed to squeeze in plenty of adventures - whether for Valentine's Day, National Cook a Sweet Potato Day and everything in between!

What did my February look like? And what can you expect from the month of March? Here's what I've been eating and doing...plus what's to come!

What I'm Eating

The creamiest vegan potato soup I've ever eaten...(and not just because this is only potato soup I've ever made and tasted). As much as I drool over Brandi's recipes at The Vegan 8, I rarely find the time and motivation to try out some new recipes. After randomly dreaming of potato soup in the middle of the night, though, I knew I finally needed to whip up Brandi's Chunky Potato and Zucchini soup. Three potatoes, one large zucchini, and one blender later...the ultimate vegan comfort food. Ironically enough, I think my meat-and-dairy-lovin' sister enjoyed this soup even more than I did!

Allll the homemade cheese sauce. I hadn't made my fave vegan cheese sauce for around three months and by the time I was finally reunited with my Vitamix, my taste buds were more than ready. The sauce only makes around 10 minutes to make, but I devoured it for four days straight (before putting the rest in the freezer for safe-keeping). Besides whipping up the usual mac n' cheese, I also did a "sampler" plate of roasted veggies, lettuce and smashed black beans plus homemade chips and baked potato for dipping. Heaven!

So simple...so scrumptious...

Plenty of blackstrap molasses. As I shared earlier this week, my recent doctor's appointment found that I was low in iron - so I decided to rescue my bottle of blackstrap molasses from the back of my pantry. For those who've never tried blackstrap molasses, it definitely can be an acquired taste. However, it tastes delicious on oatmeal, smoothie bowls or yogurt parfaits - and in baking!

What I'm Doing

Spending more time at the Broadmoor Hotel than some of the guests. I was chatting with a friend from college the other day and they asked, "So, besides work and going for walks...what do you do in your free time?" To be honest, my life right now pretty much revolves around work, enjoying the Colorado outdoors, blogging and making/eating food. I think the views while walking around the Broadmoor can make even the most exciting person jealous, though - and I'd say some of the workers are getting used to seeing my face by now!

Embracing nightly yoga dates with YouTube. Since I work for most of the day on my computer in one position, stretching out at night has been a must. I'm still loving Fightmaster yoga, though I pretty much just alternate between the same handful of videos: Yoga for Balance, Yoga Total Body Workout With Twists (great for helping digestion!), Total Body Workout Strength and Hips Focus, and Total Body One Hour Vinyasa Flow. I admit I'm usually watching TV as I do my practice...but it still does wonders for my body and mindset!

Me in all of my PJ glory...

Catching up with friends - on and offline. While my folks were away on their romantic vacation (hola Mexico!), I enjoyed plenty of Facetime/Facebook dates with friends. We reminisced on some favorite moments from my last semester of college (for those that saw that photo of me in a fancy dress on a swing saw...that was from PLNU's Fall Ball. I didn't know the photo existed until Chris and I were swapping funny photos!). I also learned that next week is apparently Spring Break for the college kids. I'd say I'm jealous...but I don't think the midterms are worth it. I've also loved getting a bit closer to some of my blogging friends, like the amazing Amber and Ellen. I don't have to meet them in person to know they're 100% awesome.

What I'm Planning

Trying out some new recipes and products. I know I say this nearly every month...but my goal for March is to experiment more in the kitchen. Between lack of time and motivation (plus worry over my finicky stomach), getting in food ruts is basically my MO. Some of the recipes I'm eyeing? This bean (!!) packed trail mix, this amazing homemade cereal (that lists GF cookies in the ingredients, not gonna lie), this "oatmeal" made of shredded coconut and nuts and this easy stove top enchilada.

Hanging out with Taylor at GlutenAway for his monthly Online Gluten Free Expo! Taylor was kind enough to include me in his featured bloggers for March and, if you enter my (virtual) "booth," you can see my favorite on-the-go snacks and travel tips. If you've never checked out Taylor's expo, definitely do so this month. There's an "expo hall" with nine companies offering a variety of giveaways, plus demos and recipes (including a few of mine).

What you'll see if you click here!

Hanging onto my sanity...one day (and night) at a time! As I wrote earlier this week, these next few weeks have been brutal - and probably will continue to be. However, I'm definitely getting better at taking a step back by jamming to some good music, going for a long walk outside or whipping up a killer vegan scone. One baby step at a time.

You've probably heard the old saying,"Time flies when you're having fun." Well, in light of this past February, I'd like to provide an alternative: "Time flies when you're working to stay very busy!" I'm sure March will fly by just as quickly...but that doesn't mean I'm any less anxious excited to see what I'll be typing a month from now.

Here's to hoping that, this month, good eats, fun activities and exciting plans are in everyone's future!

(FUN FACT: Late on March 1, the day I typed and scheduled this post, I got my first grad school acceptance...so March is off to a pretty good start!)

*Also found at Pretty Pintastic, Dare to Share, Snickerdoodle Sunday*

What were some of your favorite eats and activities from February? What are you planning this March? Tell me your thoughts below!