I picked up the latest copy of VegNews, Mar+Apr 2008 edition. I was immediately drawn to the list of 222 Reasons to Be Veg on page 50. I just had to share a couple of my favorites that I can relate to.
6. Never having to eat spam.
8. The joy and triumph when "veganizing" a recipe.
13. Not eating the bodies of tortured souls.
18. Lactose intolerance is a non-issue.
20. Having clean arteries that aren't clogged with dead-animal goo.
28. Greater spirtitual, mental, emotional and physical strength.
34. Watching loved ones and strangers slowly evolve toward vegetarianism.
36. Not having to inspect meals for fatty, gristly bits.
40. Vegan guys are hot! (damn straight they are!)
41. No dead bodies in my refrigerator.
46. Cooking is easier and more fun.
47. Feeling instantly at home upon entering veg restaurants, anywhere in the world.
52. Never having to apologize for not eating questionable potluck food.
54. Bean and guacamole burritos.
57. Vegans taste better.
58. Belonging to a higher-IQ demographic.
61. Living simply so that others may simply live.
67. A lowered risk of osteoporosis.
73. One needn't be an Einstein to choose vegetarianism (although Einstein was veg).
78. Better skin and fewer zits.
79. Getting to wear pleather in a non-weird way.
80. Cheaper groceries.
83. Reducing the risk of acquiring many chronic diseases.
87. Indulging guiltlessly in rich, delicious vegan desserts.
92. Never having to cut and prepare blood-soaked food. (This is probably one of my FAVORITES!)
99. Finding like-minded people and having something in common instantly.
100. Not feeling like crap all the time. (AMEN!)
102. Cooking for and eating with friends.
107. Experimenting in the kitchen.
110. Not inadvertently funding a corrupt agribusiness billionaire's vacation home.
113. Eating whatever I want, within reason, and not gaining tons of weight. (An answer to countless prayers after years of agonizing daily over weight instead of enjoying life!)
116. Everything!
117. Knowing the Heimlich maneuver, if ever needed, won't produce a hunk of dead flesh.
123. Not getting queasy when thinking about where food comes from.
124. Having a kitchen that never reeks of seafood.
132. Not having to use a toothpick to scrape meat of one's teeth.
134. Quinoa.
140. Having the most unique and exciting cookbook collection ever.
142. Eating healthfully by default.
143. Getting to lick the batter off the electric cookie beater without fear of salmonella.
145. Feeling squeaky clean inside.
147. Saying goodbye to diabetes.
149. Breakfast smoothies. (YUMMM!!!)
150. Vegetarians smell better.
152. More energy and stamina. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)
162. Getting to wear size 6 jeans. (Actually smaller, but not having to worry about ever going beyond a 6 again)
166. Using my vegan status to deflect weirdos in bars. (made me laugh. I can deflect almost anyone now once I bring up vegan convo.)
173. Eating all the time.
181. Not being a mindless, cheese-addicted zombie. (Lord knows I was before)
184. The excitement of discovering a new veg restaurant.
186. Not worrying about whether tofu is cage-free.
189. Greater mental clarity. (It's true!)
202. Tofu scramble.
205. Teaching children life lessons invaluable to character development.
206. Avocado every which way.
216. Vegan soap feels clean, not lardy.
And to add a couple of my own to the list... although it is a great list already...
1. How great I feel after 3 vegan doughnuts for breakfast... not all heavy and sugar-laden like before.
2. Iced Soy Chai Lattes made in my own kitchen.
3. A sense of more pride and ownership over my own life and decisions.
4. Thinking that... I am a Skinny Bitch now!
5. Goodbye fat days! They are a thing of the past.
6. I am more empowered and outspoken. (who knew I could be more so!)
7. People who are interested in my lifestyle because they see positive change in me.
8. I am proud of myself.
9. Being vegan is easy. So easy. I dare you to try it for 2 weeks and see what happens, how you feel.
10. Not feeling pressured to eat cheese or beef every time I drink red wine.
11. Better taste buds.
12. No more McDonald's.
13. Merritt knows that "McDonald's isn't healthy. We don't eat there anymore. Eww!"
14. Not feeling guilty about what I feed my child.
15. I love fruits and veggies and eat so much now.
16. Using our VitaMix blender the way it was intended to be used.
17. Coming up with my own recipe variations for anything.
18. I have rediscovered my love of reading and am in the middle of 5 or 6 books right now. All empowering, thoughtful books.
19. More energy every single day.
20. No more gut bombs after eating an expensive dinner.
21. Homemade pizza dough made by yours truly.
22. Discovering new spices.
23. Sharon's Sorbet. Gourmet Coconut.
24. Endangered Species Chocolate Bars.
25. Vitamins without "gelatin" listed on the list of ingredients.
26. Arbonne products.
27. Soft skin.
28. Clarity about my whole life.
29. Raising my son to feel empowered to make decisions for himself and no one else.
30. Blogging about my experiences.
31. Deep Fried Avocado from Cafe Flora. Dear Lord. Wow.
32. Knowing who Rory Freedman is and appreciating her.
33. Understanding this phrase "I don't know a single vegan who's managed to avoid being the center of a meathead bully-circle." And knowing that it does come with the territory... and that is okay because I am healthy and happy and whole!
34. My teeth don't hurt anymore.
35. Mighty O Doughnuts.
36. Trader Joe's and their countless vegan cookie options.
37. Knowing that my makeup has no icky rendering-plant related ingredients.
38. Not having to puke after watching Fast Food Nation.
39. Political awareness.
40. The idea of falling off the grid sounds good to me now.
41. I get Scott more now.
42. Hummus.
43. Knowledge is power.
K. I think I could go on and on. So I will stop now. You get the picture. I am happy to be vegan and VegNews helped to show me many of the ways I am grateful. Thank you again, to Skinny Bitch, for changing my life, opening my eyes and helping to give me that push I needed to travel down a healthier path in life! I am off to dream about Vegan Doughnuts now.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
The Answer to #1 Question
Let's see. I am about 3 months into being vegan. I feel great, people who haven't seen me in a while can tell a difference. I am still, obviously, happy with this change. The one question that continues to be brought up is... "What do you eat, anyway?" There are variations of this question such as "Do you eat only rabbit food now?" or "Well, you eat fish, right? I mean, how do you get protein?" and my favorite "I could never do that. Aren't you hungry all the time?"
So I have been keeping track of what I eat every day for the last few days so that I can answer all of these questions in one swoop. And no, I do not eat fish. So let's get this party started with Thursday.
Thursday 3/27/08
My first day of online classes started today. Economics and General Business. I sat by the computer half the day between breaks for highlighting my text and checking on my emails. Food for the day looked like this:
Breakfast - Gorilla Munch Cereal with Vanilla Soy Milk. Raspberry Mocha Smoothie with Arbonne Chocolate Protein Powder in it. Yum.
Lunch - Vegan Black Bean Half Burrito from Taco del Mar. Chips. Iced Tea.
Snack - 1/2 Endangered Species Dark Chocolate bar with espresso beans.
Dinner - 1/2 Veggie Pot Pie. Lots of apples and bananas with peanut butter. Glass of Kiona Cab wine. Some veggies with hummus. This was the night of my Arbonne party that barely anyone showed up for. So I followed up as I cleaned up all the uneaten food with a pity party and another glass of wine.
Friday 3/28/08
Good morning juice - Fresh squeezed Grapefruit juice.
Snack/Late Breakfast - Strawberry Mocha Smoothie. Banana.
Lunch - Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. Handful of Kettle chips. Arbonne energy drink. We headed to Seattle while eating our lunch.
Dinner at Cafe Flora - Appetizer of fried avocado with southwestern aoili dip. Yum! Vegan Pizza with tofu ricotta, asparagus and roasted tomatoes on a yummy herb crust. A couple bites of Hayden's ravioli. Dessert of vegan bread pudding with a chocolate topping that was delicious.
More - tall soy cinnamon dolce latte from Starbucks. No whip.
Saturday 3/29/08
Breakfast - Amazon Frosted Flakes with vanilla soy milk. Strawberry Mocha Smoothie (I love these smoothies! They are chocolate protein powder, ice cubes, frozen fruit, a scoop of instant coffee and vanilla soy milk).
Snack - Champagne with Chambord as we wait for the locksmith to come rescue us at my sister's house. Way too many macadamia nuts on the car ride down to Chateau St Michele Winery in Woodinville, WA. We are headed to a private tasting and tour.
Winery Tour eats and drinks - well, not too vegan friendly as this is a food and wine pairing tasting and they did not know that 2 of the 6 were vegan. Hayden and I ended up eating lots of strawberries, grapes, kalamata olives, bread and crackers. We also downed 5 pours of different wines that were all Heavenly. Each was about 4 ounces. Then toured the estate with a glass of champagne. Then tried some more wine. And on an empty stomach. It was funny. Then headed back to Bellingham. Had to stop into El Gitano for some karaoke. Duh.
Dinner - el Gitano. The lovely Victoria ensured that we had no icky animal by-products in our meals. I got a black bean enchilada with rice and more black beans on the side. WAY too many chips and lots of pico de gallo. I attempted a grey hound for a drink but it was not working for me so I passed it to Hayden. I drank lots of water and iced tea to prep my voice for a night of singing.
Sunday 3/30/08
We started out the day with a brunch since I was being lazy and didn't cook until 11. Merritt had cereal so don't get upset.
Brunch - Greek Tofu Scramble (crumbled tofu, onions, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, spinach, tumeric and garlic). Potatoes Obrien with paprika, garlic powder, salt pepper and parsley. Very yummy.
Lunch - 1/2 bar of Endangered Species Dark Chocolate with Orange. MMMMM.... Lots of Salt & Vinegar Kettle chips. I know, healthy.
Dinner - I made black bean soup but didn't feel like eating it. I had baked potatoes and steamed asparagus instead with lots of garlic dill seasoning on top. Glass of orange juice.
Dessert - Giant Fuji apple with lotsa peanut butter.
The plan for tomorrow is....
Breakfast - Mocha Smoothie.
Lunch - Black Bean Soup with Garlic Bread
Dinner - Pitas or Sandwiches with Hummus and Veggies. Garlic Fries.
Dessert - I am getting more of that Coconut Sorbet. Period.
My dinner menu plan for the week looks like:
Tuesday - Whole Wheat Pasta Pomodoro with Salad with Poppyseed Dressing and garlic bread.
Wednesday - Boca Burgers and something on the side. Probably sweet potato fries.
Thursday - Thai food. Probably Swimming Ramma with Brown Rice.
Friday - Quinoa Pilaf. Steamed Veggies with Garlic Dill. Fruit Salad.
Saturday - Roasted Veggie Sub Sandwiches.
Sunday - Black Bean Burritos with Spanish Rice.
Monday - Homemade Pizza with Tomato and Fresh Basil.
Tuesday - Spring Rolls and veggie Fried Rice.
So I hope that gives you some sort of look into what we eat and how yummy it really is. Lunches usually consist of sandwiches, soup or something frozen from Trader Joes that is easy to make. Breakfast is a lot of Gorilla Munch (Merritt's favorite cereal) and fresh fruit. Smoothies for me and Hayden. Merr usually has some smoothie, too. And we eat lots of healthy snacks throughout the day. We have fresh cut veggies with dip, apples, oranges, bananas, etc. If you are careful to plan a well balanced vegan menu, you get all the protein, nutrients and everything else you need.
I am off to go get more peanut butter for my apples and to finish my notes for Econ. Later.
So I have been keeping track of what I eat every day for the last few days so that I can answer all of these questions in one swoop. And no, I do not eat fish. So let's get this party started with Thursday.
Thursday 3/27/08
My first day of online classes started today. Economics and General Business. I sat by the computer half the day between breaks for highlighting my text and checking on my emails. Food for the day looked like this:
Breakfast - Gorilla Munch Cereal with Vanilla Soy Milk. Raspberry Mocha Smoothie with Arbonne Chocolate Protein Powder in it. Yum.
Lunch - Vegan Black Bean Half Burrito from Taco del Mar. Chips. Iced Tea.
Snack - 1/2 Endangered Species Dark Chocolate bar with espresso beans.
Dinner - 1/2 Veggie Pot Pie. Lots of apples and bananas with peanut butter. Glass of Kiona Cab wine. Some veggies with hummus. This was the night of my Arbonne party that barely anyone showed up for. So I followed up as I cleaned up all the uneaten food with a pity party and another glass of wine.
Friday 3/28/08
Good morning juice - Fresh squeezed Grapefruit juice.
Snack/Late Breakfast - Strawberry Mocha Smoothie. Banana.
Lunch - Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. Handful of Kettle chips. Arbonne energy drink. We headed to Seattle while eating our lunch.
Dinner at Cafe Flora - Appetizer of fried avocado with southwestern aoili dip. Yum! Vegan Pizza with tofu ricotta, asparagus and roasted tomatoes on a yummy herb crust. A couple bites of Hayden's ravioli. Dessert of vegan bread pudding with a chocolate topping that was delicious.
More - tall soy cinnamon dolce latte from Starbucks. No whip.
Saturday 3/29/08
Breakfast - Amazon Frosted Flakes with vanilla soy milk. Strawberry Mocha Smoothie (I love these smoothies! They are chocolate protein powder, ice cubes, frozen fruit, a scoop of instant coffee and vanilla soy milk).
Snack - Champagne with Chambord as we wait for the locksmith to come rescue us at my sister's house. Way too many macadamia nuts on the car ride down to Chateau St Michele Winery in Woodinville, WA. We are headed to a private tasting and tour.
Winery Tour eats and drinks - well, not too vegan friendly as this is a food and wine pairing tasting and they did not know that 2 of the 6 were vegan. Hayden and I ended up eating lots of strawberries, grapes, kalamata olives, bread and crackers. We also downed 5 pours of different wines that were all Heavenly. Each was about 4 ounces. Then toured the estate with a glass of champagne. Then tried some more wine. And on an empty stomach. It was funny. Then headed back to Bellingham. Had to stop into El Gitano for some karaoke. Duh.
Dinner - el Gitano. The lovely Victoria ensured that we had no icky animal by-products in our meals. I got a black bean enchilada with rice and more black beans on the side. WAY too many chips and lots of pico de gallo. I attempted a grey hound for a drink but it was not working for me so I passed it to Hayden. I drank lots of water and iced tea to prep my voice for a night of singing.
Sunday 3/30/08
We started out the day with a brunch since I was being lazy and didn't cook until 11. Merritt had cereal so don't get upset.
Brunch - Greek Tofu Scramble (crumbled tofu, onions, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, spinach, tumeric and garlic). Potatoes Obrien with paprika, garlic powder, salt pepper and parsley. Very yummy.
Lunch - 1/2 bar of Endangered Species Dark Chocolate with Orange. MMMMM.... Lots of Salt & Vinegar Kettle chips. I know, healthy.
Dinner - I made black bean soup but didn't feel like eating it. I had baked potatoes and steamed asparagus instead with lots of garlic dill seasoning on top. Glass of orange juice.
Dessert - Giant Fuji apple with lotsa peanut butter.
The plan for tomorrow is....
Breakfast - Mocha Smoothie.
Lunch - Black Bean Soup with Garlic Bread
Dinner - Pitas or Sandwiches with Hummus and Veggies. Garlic Fries.
Dessert - I am getting more of that Coconut Sorbet. Period.
My dinner menu plan for the week looks like:
Tuesday - Whole Wheat Pasta Pomodoro with Salad with Poppyseed Dressing and garlic bread.
Wednesday - Boca Burgers and something on the side. Probably sweet potato fries.
Thursday - Thai food. Probably Swimming Ramma with Brown Rice.
Friday - Quinoa Pilaf. Steamed Veggies with Garlic Dill. Fruit Salad.
Saturday - Roasted Veggie Sub Sandwiches.
Sunday - Black Bean Burritos with Spanish Rice.
Monday - Homemade Pizza with Tomato and Fresh Basil.
Tuesday - Spring Rolls and veggie Fried Rice.
So I hope that gives you some sort of look into what we eat and how yummy it really is. Lunches usually consist of sandwiches, soup or something frozen from Trader Joes that is easy to make. Breakfast is a lot of Gorilla Munch (Merritt's favorite cereal) and fresh fruit. Smoothies for me and Hayden. Merr usually has some smoothie, too. And we eat lots of healthy snacks throughout the day. We have fresh cut veggies with dip, apples, oranges, bananas, etc. If you are careful to plan a well balanced vegan menu, you get all the protein, nutrients and everything else you need.
I am off to go get more peanut butter for my apples and to finish my notes for Econ. Later.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Cafe Flora, economics and why am I up so late?
I am up late again. So many things to do, so little time. I am gearing up for many changes in our lives here in the next few weeks. I am starting school in a couple of days. I have two online courses and one class on campus. I am 4 quarters away from my degree and I am really excited to embark on this new adventure. I went into WCC the other day. It was so bizarre. I was pumped to be there again. I got a few of my books and I started reading them that day. From what I recall of my prior days of college, I never looked forward to a whole lot of anything to do with school. My main priority was figuring out what class I could afford to skip that week so I could spend more time with my boyfriend. I think it will be challenging but really a good step for our family... to get me out of the house and into an adult setting again. I really need more social time. I am such a people person and it's really hard for me on days that I am cleaning up the third glass of spilled soy milk and am scrubbing the floors again to really remember how grateful I truly am to be blessed enough to stay home with my little baby bear. I don't want to be absent so using the term "absence makes the heart grow fonder" doesn't really fit. I guess for me maybe it would be phrased something like "Time to remember who I am makes me more appreciative of my blessed life." Does that sound right? I don't know but it makes sense to me.
So what are the other changes? Well, Hayden and I have a little plan cooking up (no, I am not pregnant). You will have to stay tuned to see if we can take it to the place we want to. And if we do, I promise you will be happy and so will we.
We are setting our whole plan into action of changing our lives. Now we're healthier physically... it's time to get healthy spiritually, mentally, financially. I have been singing my baby to sleep every night with Amazing Grace and I tell you what... having a toddler fall asleep on my shoulder as I sing to him... that right there really is amazing grace. It puts things into perspective. Hayden and I want to live passionately and with no fears, no regrets... always remembering that this life is too short to miss out on LIFE. We want to make just enough money to pay our bills so we can survive and eat yummy vegan food. Money is just a thing. The opportunity cost of living my life without making money to hoard away, to buy things that clutter up my house... it would definitely be missing out on a lot of fabulous fashion-related items... but I am investing in the richness of my life, so in the end I leave this earth smiling and having my son remember that mommy and daddy really LIVED (see, Economics really is pertinent to real life). What could I take to the ends of the earth that no one can ever take away from me? My memories. So I am here to make more of them with my family and my friends. And along the way in the next few months you too may learn about economics or event planning or business right along with me.
I hope my little blog finds you in happy place. On that note I will leave you with one wonderful restaurant recommendation.
Cafe Flora - Madison Street. Seattle, Washington.
Let's talk about happy vegans for a moment. Cafe Flora is nestled between cute little buildings in a suburb-type area of Seattle. This restaurant looks simple from the front. Then you look at the menu posted outside... and if you are vegan like me, you squeal with delight! So many options, clearly lined out on the menu. Hayden and I had a nice little lunch together and we both enjoyed food without any fear of animal products creeping in without our knowledge. I had a black eyed pea curry soup with a very delicious salad and about 10 bites off Hayden's plate... Hayden's plate full of heavenly potatoes and "Chorizo" Southwestern Scramble. His also came with a little piece of coffee cake that was our dessert. While we waited for our food I sipped on Rosemary Lemonade... probably the second best lemonade I have ever had (and that is saying a lot because numero uno is like, well, numero uno I guess). I browsed through their cookbook and decided to buy one to bring home. I am getting so many amazing ideas already! The service was normal, not the very best but for that amazing food, we didn't care. And did I mention the take-out vegan Sticky Buns? I have been picking at those for a few days and they still taste just as good as when they were hot out of the oven. So next time you're in Seattle, definitely check out Cafe Flora. You won't be disappointed! It's yummy for vegans, vegetarians and carnivores alike (but don't show up there expecting any meat because then you will be disappointed).
So what are the other changes? Well, Hayden and I have a little plan cooking up (no, I am not pregnant). You will have to stay tuned to see if we can take it to the place we want to. And if we do, I promise you will be happy and so will we.
We are setting our whole plan into action of changing our lives. Now we're healthier physically... it's time to get healthy spiritually, mentally, financially. I have been singing my baby to sleep every night with Amazing Grace and I tell you what... having a toddler fall asleep on my shoulder as I sing to him... that right there really is amazing grace. It puts things into perspective. Hayden and I want to live passionately and with no fears, no regrets... always remembering that this life is too short to miss out on LIFE. We want to make just enough money to pay our bills so we can survive and eat yummy vegan food. Money is just a thing. The opportunity cost of living my life without making money to hoard away, to buy things that clutter up my house... it would definitely be missing out on a lot of fabulous fashion-related items... but I am investing in the richness of my life, so in the end I leave this earth smiling and having my son remember that mommy and daddy really LIVED (see, Economics really is pertinent to real life). What could I take to the ends of the earth that no one can ever take away from me? My memories. So I am here to make more of them with my family and my friends. And along the way in the next few months you too may learn about economics or event planning or business right along with me.
I hope my little blog finds you in happy place. On that note I will leave you with one wonderful restaurant recommendation.
Cafe Flora - Madison Street. Seattle, Washington.
Let's talk about happy vegans for a moment. Cafe Flora is nestled between cute little buildings in a suburb-type area of Seattle. This restaurant looks simple from the front. Then you look at the menu posted outside... and if you are vegan like me, you squeal with delight! So many options, clearly lined out on the menu. Hayden and I had a nice little lunch together and we both enjoyed food without any fear of animal products creeping in without our knowledge. I had a black eyed pea curry soup with a very delicious salad and about 10 bites off Hayden's plate... Hayden's plate full of heavenly potatoes and "Chorizo" Southwestern Scramble. His also came with a little piece of coffee cake that was our dessert. While we waited for our food I sipped on Rosemary Lemonade... probably the second best lemonade I have ever had (and that is saying a lot because numero uno is like, well, numero uno I guess). I browsed through their cookbook and decided to buy one to bring home. I am getting so many amazing ideas already! The service was normal, not the very best but for that amazing food, we didn't care. And did I mention the take-out vegan Sticky Buns? I have been picking at those for a few days and they still taste just as good as when they were hot out of the oven. So next time you're in Seattle, definitely check out Cafe Flora. You won't be disappointed! It's yummy for vegans, vegetarians and carnivores alike (but don't show up there expecting any meat because then you will be disappointed).
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
When God Speaks
I have been a bit stressed lately. The perils of being a small business owner have hit hard in the last few weeks and money is tight. This, of course, after we have a plan to get out of debt and to be successful financially as well as personally. We have a budget and we stick to it. We have been diligent about our goal and it has been going well. Then we hit March and all of a sudden Hayden has had very little work. As you know, in construction things don't always go as you might plan them. Sunday morning I had reached my point. That point when I was either going to go psycho like a mad woman on someone or I was just going to crawl under the covers, stay in my jammies all day and feel sorry for myself. I believe it takes getting to that point before you are ready to learn a lesson or allow God to take control of the situation. I said a prayer... it's in your hands Lord. I give it all to you. But please take this from us. PLEASE!
I called up my mom. She is a good listener. I told her in detail how I was feeling, how stressed I am and that I don't know what to do. Hence the selling of Arbonne, going back to school to get paid for it, selling all my clothes at consignment... attempting to sell everything we own to get past this moment. She listened and reminded me to give it to God. What I really needed was just for someone to listen and she helped me by just allowing me to vent. So I got out of bed and decided to face the day with a smile. Less than 3 hours later I got a phone call from Hayden. We sold the property we inherited from Hayden's dad.
It will close within the next few weeks and we will have more than enough money in the bank to make our goals a reality. Debt will be paid off. We can finally close up Steve's estate and allow him to rest in peace without all of that junk hanging over our heads anymore (this will probably end up being the biggest blessing of the whole lot). We can jet off to Hawaii to renew our vows on the beach like we promised each other. We can get everything in order to sell our house and move down on the family property. We can give our marriage some breathing room with the heavy burden of debt and the estate of a parent still in probate almost 3 years later... all lifted off of us.
It's funny how God listens and He answers prayers. Just not always in the way we think He will or in the way we have planned. But nonetheless, prayers were answered with that offer on the property and in about a month we will see our goals become a reality. I think I will probably cry tears of joy the day we are handed that check. So thanks be to God for knowing what we truly needed right now... and for finding a way to make it happen. Amen!
I called up my mom. She is a good listener. I told her in detail how I was feeling, how stressed I am and that I don't know what to do. Hence the selling of Arbonne, going back to school to get paid for it, selling all my clothes at consignment... attempting to sell everything we own to get past this moment. She listened and reminded me to give it to God. What I really needed was just for someone to listen and she helped me by just allowing me to vent. So I got out of bed and decided to face the day with a smile. Less than 3 hours later I got a phone call from Hayden. We sold the property we inherited from Hayden's dad.
It will close within the next few weeks and we will have more than enough money in the bank to make our goals a reality. Debt will be paid off. We can finally close up Steve's estate and allow him to rest in peace without all of that junk hanging over our heads anymore (this will probably end up being the biggest blessing of the whole lot). We can jet off to Hawaii to renew our vows on the beach like we promised each other. We can get everything in order to sell our house and move down on the family property. We can give our marriage some breathing room with the heavy burden of debt and the estate of a parent still in probate almost 3 years later... all lifted off of us.
It's funny how God listens and He answers prayers. Just not always in the way we think He will or in the way we have planned. But nonetheless, prayers were answered with that offer on the property and in about a month we will see our goals become a reality. I think I will probably cry tears of joy the day we are handed that check. So thanks be to God for knowing what we truly needed right now... and for finding a way to make it happen. Amen!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Lemon-Lime Vanilla Drop Recipe and Random Ramblings.
Just a little update from the home front here in my cold neck of the woods. I am currently working on getting enrolled and registered and yada yada yada to return to college in a few weeks. I will be completing my Business Admin degree with a focus on tourism and hotel business management. I am very excited for a bit of a change in pace around here. I have been needing something for myself and I think this will help a lot. I will be going full time on a federal grant and so everything will be paid for and taken care of. Very exciting! I am only 56 credits from completing my degree (thank you Running Start!) so I should be graduating next June!
I am also very excited about my newest discovery in the world of vegan products... Arbonne! Arbonne is a company that has skin care, makeup, nutritional products, baby products, sun care and so much more. I was so convinced on their product and company beliefs that I decided to become an Independent Consultant. So far I am loving it and am excited to share the products with others. It's easy and fun when the product really does sell itself. And when I really believe in the company, it's mission and goals and the high quality of what I am selling and using. Woo Hoo for Arbonne.
Other than that, I am just busy trying to organize my home and my life before I hit the books. I want more order around here so I will have a calm place to study and do my homework. Ha! Yeah right. I know. I have a two year old and a husband; but, one can hope. I am busy working on new recipes to post but I need to perfect them a bit more. I promised you a cookie recipe and a crouton recipe and I am slacking. Sorry. Once I have a bit more energy I will get to it. I will, however, leave you with a great lemon-lime vanilla drop recipe that hit the spot for me on this St Patty's day. So cheers to finding your pot of gold... whatever that might be!
Lemon-Lime Vanilla Drop
2 Large Lemons
2 Large Limes
5 oz vanilla vodka (don't get the cheap stuff, it isn't worth it)
1/4 cup or so of sugar (and not the icky kind processed with charred animal bones)
Water
Shaker, Peeler, Reamer, Muddler, Pitcher... and cute martini glasses!
Shave the skin off the lemons and limes into a shallow bowl. Be careful to shave only the colored part of the rind and avoid getting to much of the white stuff (pith). Once you have all the rind peeled from the lemons and limes, add the sugar over the rinds and let this mixture sit for a while. I allowed for about 45 minutes. Sniff vanilla vodka to get yourself in the mood.
Once the peels have sat for enough time, pour enough water to cover the mixture and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add to a pitcher. Add about 1 cup of water. Juice the lemons and limes into the pitcher. Stir and taste. Make sure it is sweet enough to your liking for a martini. It all depends on the person, right? Right.
Next, fish out some of the rind and add it to an ice filled martini shaker. Muddle the rinds with the ice until you feel like you have taken out your aggressions for the day. Add in your sweet little lemon lime mixture and the vanilla vodka. Shake, shake, shake. Shake like a bar tending rock star. You know you want to. Strain into glasses and enjoy. But don't enjoy too much. I highly recommend paying attention to how fast you drink this because it's like candy and you can over-do it quick!
And oopsie... did I forget to mention that this is good for about 3-4 drinks? Right. I wouldn't be putting out recipes for one drink that include 5oz of vodka. I hope y'all know that!
Happy St Pat's Day everyday. I hear Irish music in the background of my mind. I guess that means it's time for bed...
I am also very excited about my newest discovery in the world of vegan products... Arbonne! Arbonne is a company that has skin care, makeup, nutritional products, baby products, sun care and so much more. I was so convinced on their product and company beliefs that I decided to become an Independent Consultant. So far I am loving it and am excited to share the products with others. It's easy and fun when the product really does sell itself. And when I really believe in the company, it's mission and goals and the high quality of what I am selling and using. Woo Hoo for Arbonne.
Other than that, I am just busy trying to organize my home and my life before I hit the books. I want more order around here so I will have a calm place to study and do my homework. Ha! Yeah right. I know. I have a two year old and a husband; but, one can hope. I am busy working on new recipes to post but I need to perfect them a bit more. I promised you a cookie recipe and a crouton recipe and I am slacking. Sorry. Once I have a bit more energy I will get to it. I will, however, leave you with a great lemon-lime vanilla drop recipe that hit the spot for me on this St Patty's day. So cheers to finding your pot of gold... whatever that might be!
Lemon-Lime Vanilla Drop
2 Large Lemons
2 Large Limes
5 oz vanilla vodka (don't get the cheap stuff, it isn't worth it)
1/4 cup or so of sugar (and not the icky kind processed with charred animal bones)
Water
Shaker, Peeler, Reamer, Muddler, Pitcher... and cute martini glasses!
Shave the skin off the lemons and limes into a shallow bowl. Be careful to shave only the colored part of the rind and avoid getting to much of the white stuff (pith). Once you have all the rind peeled from the lemons and limes, add the sugar over the rinds and let this mixture sit for a while. I allowed for about 45 minutes. Sniff vanilla vodka to get yourself in the mood.
Once the peels have sat for enough time, pour enough water to cover the mixture and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add to a pitcher. Add about 1 cup of water. Juice the lemons and limes into the pitcher. Stir and taste. Make sure it is sweet enough to your liking for a martini. It all depends on the person, right? Right.
Next, fish out some of the rind and add it to an ice filled martini shaker. Muddle the rinds with the ice until you feel like you have taken out your aggressions for the day. Add in your sweet little lemon lime mixture and the vanilla vodka. Shake, shake, shake. Shake like a bar tending rock star. You know you want to. Strain into glasses and enjoy. But don't enjoy too much. I highly recommend paying attention to how fast you drink this because it's like candy and you can over-do it quick!
And oopsie... did I forget to mention that this is good for about 3-4 drinks? Right. I wouldn't be putting out recipes for one drink that include 5oz of vodka. I hope y'all know that!
Happy St Pat's Day everyday. I hear Irish music in the background of my mind. I guess that means it's time for bed...
Monday, March 10, 2008
Recipes Galore.
I posted some of my new and old favorites this morning for your cooking and eating pleasure. After getting many requests I decided I had better get on it and start sharing this wholesome goodness with the world. Within the week I will be posting my all time favorite Very Chocolatey Coconut Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookie recipe and my Good Enough to Eat Alone Crouton recipe. Stay tuned and let me know if you have any specific requests. I'd be happy to share!
Veggie Puff Pillows with Basil-ee Tomato Sauce
I concocted up this recipe last night to try to use up some of our fresh veggies in the fridge... and to try something other than stir fry or any of the other standbys we have been eating lately. I was so happy with the results. We love puff pastry and I used to try lots of recipes in my non-vegan days, so I guess this is just a healthier and much yummier variation. Enjoy!
Veggie Puff Pillows
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, diced
5 medium stalks of asparagus, diced
1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup kalamata olives, diced
2 plum tomatoes diced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 tsp dried or frozen chopped basil
1 cup baby spinach, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
For sprinkling: pinch of salt, pepper and dried basil
Cooking Spray
Small dish of water
Preheat oven to 425. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Cut thawed puff pastry into 12 even squares and allow to rest on a floured cutting board.
In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add yellow and green peppers, carrots, asparagus, kalamata olives and pine nuts. Season with basil, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Saute for an additional 3-5 minutes until flavors are combined. Drop in baby spinach and stir for about 1-2 minutes until spinach begins to wilt. Turn off heat. Allow to cool for a couple minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
Spoon 1 tbsp of mixture onto center of 6 of the puff pastry squares. Using your fingers, dab water around edges of each filled pastry square. Then go to work on the tops. Slightly stretch each remaining square using gentle pressure and set a top onto each filled square. Crimp edges with a fork. Puncture top with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking. Place on greased cookie sheet. Spray tops with cooking spray and sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper. Cook until tops are golden brown and pastries have puffed. Approximately 18 minutes in my oven. Allow puff pillows to cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve with Basil-ee Tomato Sauce (see below) for dipping.
Basil-ee Tomato Sauce
Why by tomato sauce when you can make a healthier, inexpensive version in minutes!
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup onion, diced
4 tsp dried or frozen basil
1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes with basil
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp ground flax seed
In a medium sauce pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for two minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, basil and Italian seasoning. Salt and Pepper to taste. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat and simmer at least 5 minutes (I know you're impatient...) but more is better to allow flavors to incorporate well. Mix in flax seed and stir to incorporate. Simmer an additional 2 minutes and serve. This goes well over pasta dishes, as a pizza sauce or as a dipping sauce for bread sticks or puff pastry pillows. Healthy and tastes good. My favorite combo!
If you want to take advantage of my favorite "I'm feeling lazy and want to pull something out of the freezer for dinner" method... allow remaining sauce to cool and transfer to 1 qt freezer bags. This freezes well. You will probably use up all the left over sauce within a couple weeks... but if you don't, I would suggest trying to use it all up within 3 months.
Veggie Puff Pillows
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, diced
5 medium stalks of asparagus, diced
1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup kalamata olives, diced
2 plum tomatoes diced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 tsp dried or frozen chopped basil
1 cup baby spinach, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
For sprinkling: pinch of salt, pepper and dried basil
Cooking Spray
Small dish of water
Preheat oven to 425. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Cut thawed puff pastry into 12 even squares and allow to rest on a floured cutting board.
In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add yellow and green peppers, carrots, asparagus, kalamata olives and pine nuts. Season with basil, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Saute for an additional 3-5 minutes until flavors are combined. Drop in baby spinach and stir for about 1-2 minutes until spinach begins to wilt. Turn off heat. Allow to cool for a couple minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
Spoon 1 tbsp of mixture onto center of 6 of the puff pastry squares. Using your fingers, dab water around edges of each filled pastry square. Then go to work on the tops. Slightly stretch each remaining square using gentle pressure and set a top onto each filled square. Crimp edges with a fork. Puncture top with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking. Place on greased cookie sheet. Spray tops with cooking spray and sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper. Cook until tops are golden brown and pastries have puffed. Approximately 18 minutes in my oven. Allow puff pillows to cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve with Basil-ee Tomato Sauce (see below) for dipping.
Basil-ee Tomato Sauce
Why by tomato sauce when you can make a healthier, inexpensive version in minutes!
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup onion, diced
4 tsp dried or frozen basil
1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes with basil
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp ground flax seed
In a medium sauce pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for two minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, basil and Italian seasoning. Salt and Pepper to taste. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat and simmer at least 5 minutes (I know you're impatient...) but more is better to allow flavors to incorporate well. Mix in flax seed and stir to incorporate. Simmer an additional 2 minutes and serve. This goes well over pasta dishes, as a pizza sauce or as a dipping sauce for bread sticks or puff pastry pillows. Healthy and tastes good. My favorite combo!
If you want to take advantage of my favorite "I'm feeling lazy and want to pull something out of the freezer for dinner" method... allow remaining sauce to cool and transfer to 1 qt freezer bags. This freezes well. You will probably use up all the left over sauce within a couple weeks... but if you don't, I would suggest trying to use it all up within 3 months.
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