I’ve been wanting to start a monthly favorites post for a long time. It’s a great opportunity for readers to get to know the author of a blog and on the flip side it’s a fun way for the author to share what’s been lighting up their world lately. Since October was a month full of even more gratitude than usual, I figure there’s no time like the present. So, without further ado, here are my October favorites!

Note: This is not a sponsored post, but simply a sharing of my very favorite things of this month. If I ever feature a sponsored product, it will be clearly stated. Enjoy!

Sunfood vanilla bean powder:Vanilla powder is the happy medium between whole vanilla beans and vanilla extract. You get the fresh, full, natural flavor of a vanilla bean without the fuss, and you get the ease of using an extract but with a more exquisite aroma. Plus, if you ever use it in a cake, frosting, ice cream, or similar food, you get those beautiful black flecks in the end product.

I fell in love with vanilla powder in the beginnings of my illness. It was a two-fold reason for switching over: 1) it’s alcohol-free, great for those with gut dysbiosis, and 2) it’s pure and less processed than even an alcohol-free extract. I love to bring nature closer to me in even the smallest of ways in my life.

While this isn’t my favorite brand, it’s a close second. I get this one because it is more affordable than my favorite brand, but the quality is still excellent. I got my dad hooked on vanilla powder, too. Every so often when he visits, he totes along the repurposed spice jar I gave him so that I can top it off with more vanilla powder.

Braeburn apples:

As autumn hits, most people may be waxing poetic about honeycrisp apples, but the apple of my eye is the braeburn apple. I’ve tried some really good apples in the past, but I simply can’t get enough of this one.

Kite Hill yogurt:

The last of my food favorites for the month, this yogurt — I’m calling it now — is going to take the world by storm. While I never had “artisan” yogurt in my prevegan days, this is far and away the best yogurt I’ve ever had, vegan or not. I tried the plain, blueberry, and peach. I could’ve done without the fruit pieces (the texture was a turn-off, kind of dry and deflated. does that make sense? I don’t know) , but otherwise I loved it. Even eating the plain with nothing else was enjoyable. I hope they start selling them in a larger container because this could become an expensive habit!

Meeting Neal Barnard:

When I got interested in the plant-based side of my vegan life 5 years ago, one of the first books I read was Breaking the Food Seduction by Neal Barnard. I was so excited to hear him speak for the first time and talk with him afterwards at the recent Pittsburgh Vegan Festival. If you want to know more about the diet’s relation to diabetes, want to boost your brain health, or are wondering why cheese feels so addicting (news flash: chemically, it is addicting!), read his books and expand your mind.

Garden of Mind:

Here I am with yoga teacher, Bailey Zembower-Borrow. I am so proud of Martha D’Abruzzo for what she has created with Garden of Mind. I’m excited to be a workshop educator there, and I can’t wait to see what amazing things the future holds for us!

Blissoma Cleanser:

I got this in my Petit Vour subscription box and love so many things about it. It cleans my face so well which surprised me at first because it felt so extremely gentle on my skin. The smell is light and heavenly, too. I don’t use it on my eyes (even though you can) because my eyes are sensitive to pretty much anything getting in them. I always use coconut oil to remove makeup from my eye area and then I’ve been using this cleanser for the rest of my face afterwards. Bliss.

Tucker. need I say more?This wraps up my favorites for the month. What are some of your favorites of the month? Share them with me in the comments section. I’d love to read about them!