Happy Earth Day! Did you do anything this weekend to celebrate our beautiful planet? While I think Earth Day really should be Every Day, birthdays cannot be, so we celebrate those in style. It just so happened that SoulDaddy’s special day fell over the weekend, so we made sure to let him know how special we think he is.
Think lunch downtown, homemade vegan lasagna for dinner, and this organic, vegan carrot cake for dessert. Continue reading
In the word of plant-based eating, camaraderie is a beautiful thing. Though my own extended family has been supportive of my family’s diet over the years (thanks Mom and sister [seen at left]!), it’s always a pleasure to meet others in the world who share my same vision and passion for a meat-free and now, dairy-free, lifestyle. Holly at My Plant Based Family is one of those people!
Holly’s blog is focused on feeding her family of four a whole-foods, plant-based diet on a budget. She always has an inspiring recipe on-hand, as well as great reminder on gratitude and appreciating the simple things. My kind of gal! Continue reading
With our recent jump into a full-on plant-based diet, I was in search of a new appetizer to bring to this year’s Easter weekend celebration. Since I gravitate towards uncomplicated and healthy, I settled on this simple but delicious bruschetta. that brings together some of my favorite Mediterranean flavors. It’s easy to prep and doing so a day ahead of time really allows the flavors to meld. Continue reading
Let’s get personal today folks and talk eating habits. It’s such a delicate subject isn’t it? I mean, you never dare (or at least I don’t), criticize what others choose or don’t choose to eat. Unless of course it’s my mother who needs a good reminding now and then that Cheez Its are not an acceptable snack to keep in the pantry. Yikes!
As many of you know, I’ve been a vegetarian for many years now (Approaching twenty I think, but who’s counting). SoulDaddy and I are also raising K-Bear vegetarian too, a gift I don’t I thank SoulDaddy for enough. I feel so strongly about a meat-free diet that I’ve been carrying around a book with me since my college intern days called “The Vegetarian Mother and Baby.” The first real article I ever wrote that I tried oh-so-hard without success to get published, was called “How to Raise your Child Vegetarian.”
I like to think I was simply way before my time. Or a fresh out of college, never-been-published twenty-something. Continue reading
WOW! How excited was I when I came across this vegetarian school lunch program? Over. the. moon. Thank you Veggie Fitness for making my day! It almost makes me wish I could move to New Jersey. At the very least, it gives me great hope that I may find a school for K-Bear in my corner of the world with a similar philosophy.
You may have caught my rant about the SAD diet whilst I searched in vain for a new daycare for her last year. As a health conscious consumer, parent and real food advocate, nothing is more important to me than what I feed my family. And I’ll be damned (yes, I’m that passionate about this topic!) if I’ll send my child to a school or daycare only to be filled with the exact garbage I avoid at all costs at home. I’m talking about hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, chemical additives, and otherwise processed foods which, unfortunately, are all too prevalent in schools and daycare centers across our country. Continue reading
Before I get started, I want to give a shout out to my friend Stephanie who is cleaning up her diet day by day, week by week. I’m so proud of her! It’s no easy feat, but you should see her glow from all the vegetarian, vegan and raw cuisine she is incorporating into her life. I never thought she could top the yummy Green Drink she shared with me, but then she sent over this AMAZING recipe for a creamy avocado pasta. It’s so easy to make that I whipped it up that night for dinner and got thumbs up all around the table.
Adapted from Greatist.com and ready in 20, yes 20 minutes! Do note that this doesn’t re-heat well, so either forgo leftovers or enjoy it as a cold pasta salad which we did and loved. The sautéed vegetables are totally optional, but really round out the dish with both flavor and additional nutritional value. Continue reading
We joined good friends for a fabulous dinner (yes, Ashley, I said fabulous!) last Saturday night. Since I’ve been craving Middle Eastern foods lately, I put together a small mezza plate consisting of roasted eggplant, hummus and this simple olive tapenade. Served with fresh pita, it took only minutes to assemble, was light and delicious and (bonus!) provided us with enough leftovers to make a few killer veggie sandwiches. Continue reading
One of my favorite dinners growing up was my mother’s broccoli and rice casserole. As I grew up however and started doing my own cooking, I was not so keen on the ingredients she used, mainly white rice and (gasp!) a can of cream of mushroom soup. Surely, I could do better! After many years of giving up this recipe, I am happy to have it back in my family’s rotation, all with a healthy twist! Thanks My Plant Based Family for the inspiration!
As we embark on a more stringent plant-based diet, I was thrilled that the “glue” holding it all together isn’t cheese but a tasty vegan gravy. It’s easily adaptable; use whatever delicious veggies you have on-hand! And it couldn’t be easier to make. Though the brown rice takes some time to cook, once it’s done you can easily have this one-dish meal in the oven in 15 minutes. Continue reading
This soup is thick, delicious and nutritious, and it’s spices are especially warming on a cold winter day. Put it on in the morning and revel in its warmth and fragrance after a day of snowshoeing, skiing or sledding. Vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free, it’s also suitable for any cleanse or new eating habits (I hate the word “diet!”) you may be testing in the new year. Continue reading
Stuffing is hands-down my favorite holiday dish. This past Thanksgiving I ran a 5K just so I could eat a whole lot of this particular version that I discovered new this year and adapted from A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa. Truth be told, I would’ve eaten the whole pan myself, 5K or not. It’s so simple to make and is the perfect mix of not-too-sweet and savory.
I hope you can find room for it on your holiday table. You won’t be disappointed, I promise! Continue reading
