My Big Red Glasses

LIFE: 2013 Favorites

As I reflect on 2013, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Absolutely, positively thankful for my health, happiness, family, and friends. I am grateful for the year that I have had with all its ups and downs and curves and twists. I have a full, meaningful life that gets better and better as I appreciate it more. The years are going by faster than ever, and I continue to learn to take deep breaths and take each moment and experience as it comes.

When I was little, my sister, Katie, and I would play a game where we made a huge list of our favorite things (color, name, flower, song, actor/actress, etc.). We did these lists all the time and they were constantly changing. I don’t think anything on those lists would be the same as it is now. Everything changes. I wish I still had copies of all the lists we made over the years. In honor of the game we used to play, I’ve listed some things that made me especially happy in 2013.

SONG: “Sirens” by Pearl Jam, “Wildfire” by John Mayer

I love “Sirens” because of these lyrics: “Oh, it’s a fragile thing/This life we lead/If I think too much I can get overwhelmed by the grace/By which we live our lives with death over our shoulders.”

“Wildfire” makes me feel like I am on a road trip.

TV SHOW: Nashville

I love the music and escapism of Nashville.

MOVIE: World War Z, Star Trek Into Darkness, Fruitvale Station, Now You See Me, The Hunger Games Catching Fire, Sound City, 42, 20 Feet from Stardom, Blackfish

We watch movies one to two times a week at home. I have lots more movies from 2013 to see still, but so far, these are the top ones.

RESTAURANT ITEM: Sofrito Tacos from Chipotle

I would rather eat these shredded tofu tacos than almost anything else. Delicious.

BLOG: Keepin’ it Kind

Kristy’s Cauliflower Buffalo Pizza got me hooked on her site. I love blogs and read a lot of them, but Keepin’ it Kind is the first one I usually check out.

FOOD PRODUCT: Sukhi’s Indian Spice Mixes and Kite Hill Cheese

Sukhi’s spice mixes are available on Amazon and on their website. They make for an easy dinner and have the perfect amount of spice and flavor. Kite Hill is a nut-based gourmet cheese that tastes delicious. If you find it in a supermarket near you, grab it and give it a try. Usually it is not by the fake, vegan cheeses, instead I have found it near real bries and goat cheeses.

ARTICLE: Bill McKibben’s Rolling Stone piece “Obama and Climate Change: The Real Story”

Frustrating and eye-opening. This article hit me in gut for numerous reasons. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

YOUTUBE: What Does the Fox Say?

This video is so bad, but I love it. We have foxes in our backyard – they make a yip yip noise.

PODCASTS: Real Time with Bill Maher

I listen to a lot of podcasts on my commute, but I always look forward to Real Time. Maher makes me laugh so hard that I cry.

DRINK: Moscow Mule with Fever Tree Premium Ginger Beer and lots of lime

The Fever Tree Ginger Beer is KEY to the execution of this drink.

POEM: Mary Oliver’s “Luke” in her new collection “Dog Stories”

Oliver’s poems embrace simple pleasures and her new collection celebrates one of my favorite parts of the world…dogs. My favorite line of the poem “Luke”:

“we long to be—
that happy
in the heaven of earth—
that wild, that loving.”

HABIT: Getting up early

Who would have thought that I would ever love being an early riser? I love getting up before the sun rises and starting the day in the dark.

YOGA POSE: Malasana

I could do this pose all day. When will I be able to do a handstand?

CHEERS to a happy, healthy, peaceful 2014!

PicMonkey Collage

LIFE: Kind

“Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about 100 years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies – God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.” Kurt Vonnegut

Last week Sean called me upset because a small bird was dying on our front walkway. As soon as he noticed the bird struggling he came into the house and looked online to see how to save it and who to call to come rescue it. By the time he went outside the bird was dead with its feet up in the air. The teeny-tiny bird broke Sean’s heart a little.

Being a witness to pain in animals triggers something very deep inside of me. How we treat everything on this fragile planet is a direct reflection of who we are. I love the quote above from Vonnegut. Love, love it. In 2014 I plan on becoming more of an animal activist and spreading kindness.

Animal activism comes in all forms. I am inspired by so many people and groups. Right now, several artists have blown me away with their work. I am motivated by their creativity and kindness, I hope that they inspire you too:

This video promoting animal rescue from Moby motivates and influences me. I think I have watched it 25 times. T-bone, I wish I could come adopt you right now!

I am in love with by Shannon Johnstone’s project Landfill Dogs. Her work demonstrates the power of art as she highlights our disposable society where we are careless about animals and we generate tons of junk that ends up in a landfill. Her work has led to many lives saved because the dogs she highlights are usually adopted. Please check out her site and her work.

Jo-Anne McArthur is another hero of mine. The objective of her work is: “to photograph our interactions with animals in such a way that the viewer finds new significance in these ordinary, often unnoticed situations of use, abuse and sharing of spaces.” She has many different projects on her website and they are all thought-provoking.

The documentary “Blackfish” horrified me. I am disgusted that I ever went to Sea World, and I think anyone that watches the movie will feel the same way. The documentary changed the way I will see wild animals in captivity forever. It must be watched and talked about, because there is no reason to keep whales in fish tanks. Please watch it.

“The Ghosts in our Machine” is another documentary about animals that I am so glad exists. As soon as I can, I will be watching the documentary.

These artistic statements have inspired me over the last few months. They give us a vision of another kind of future. I plan on moving towards that ideal by doing something this year that will inspire others to think about how we treat animals. I’ll keep you updated.

READ: ALLEGIANT by Veronica Roth

I just finished “Allegiant” by Veronica Roth, the final book in her “Divergent” trilogy. I’m underwhelmed, but I’m reviewing it because the first two books had me waiting for the third one. Two out of three good books is pretty darn good for any author. And if you a start a trilogy, you have to finish it to find out how it all turns out.

I am a “Hunger Games” fan and that is what led me to this series. Young adult science fiction is huge right now – in books and movies. “Allegiant” sold half a million copies on its first day of being published. Like the “Hunger Games,” the “Divergent” trilogy is being made into a movie, and of course, I’ll be watching it:

In two sentences, here is what the “Divergent” trilogy is about: The main character, Tris Prior, lives in a future version of Chicago where (almost) every person is a part of a faction (Dauntless, Amity, Abnegation, Erudite, and Candor) determined by their strongest traits. Tris falls in love with Tobias and together they start a revolution that uncovers the truth about their fenced in city.

The book offers a believable, bleak future. Tris is no Katniss, but she is a tough, brave woman who refuses to accept the status quo. The series explores themes like the nature of evil, eugenics, knowledge vs. ignorance, what is worth fighting and dying for, and growing up. Roth explores common ideologies: “What if my parents’ God, their whole belief system, is just something concocted by a bunch of scientists to keep us under control? And not just their belief about God and whatever else is out there, but about right and wrong, about selflessness? Do all those things have to change because we know how our world was made?”

I don’t like reading books that I think I could write. I kinda thought I could have come up with a better storyline in the third book. Parts of “Allegiant” were not written well, I cringed as I read several parts of it. For instance, during an intimate scene with Tris and Four, Roth writes, “But now I know I am like the blade and he is like the whetstone-” Ugh. The only reason I continued reading after that horrific line is because there were only a few chapters left of the book.

The ending of the series upset a lot of fans. In fact, Roth addresses fans of the series directly on her blog to discuss the end of the series. I actually think the plot works out okay, but the pacing of it, character development, and the overall writing were unsatisfactory.

I think Veronica Roth has more good stories in her, and she will keep getting better. She is ONLY 24!! So even though “Allegiant” did not live up to my expectations, I am excited to read what she writes next.

EAT: Quinoa Loaf and Baked French Fries

It’s meatless Monday. Here’s a simple suggestion for dinner:

QUINOA LOAF

This recipe is based on the Whole Foods Recipe for a Quinoa Loaf. I never have all of the ingredients for the original recipe so I add different things each time. This is how I made it yesterday:

Saute the following ingredients for about 5-7 minutes in a little bit of grapeseed oil:

1 lb of chopped mushrooms
1 small chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Let the above cool just a bit, then add it to a bowl with the following:

1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (Trader Joe’s brand is my favorite!)
1/2 cup cashew pieces
2.5 cups cooked quinoa (cook it in vegetable broth to give this dish more flavor). Cook this first, so it is a little cool when you add it to the bowl.

Add the following to a food processor (or blender) and blend until smooth. It should have a hummus-like texture.

1 can of garbanzo beans (or cannellini beans)
3/4 cup of oats (I was out of them and I used garbanzo bean flour, it still worked well)
1/4 cup of tamari (or soy sauce)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (can be omitted, but why wouldn’t you include it?)

Add the bean mixture to the quinoa mixture, and combine. Transfer the mixture to a sprayed loaf pan, and cook at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Top with lots of ketchup or gravy.

This can be made the day before and stored in the fridge. Leftovers are good in a wrap (I like to add leftover french fries to the wrap too).

BAKED FRENCH FRIES

This is a super simple recipe, but I am sharing it anyways. We make these at least once a week.

Ingredients: 4 medium russet potatoes, grapeseed oil, seasonings

Cut the potato into fry-type pieces – leave the skin on if it is an organic potato.
Take 1 TB of grapeseed oil, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast and rub it into the cut-up potatoes.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes.
The MOST important part about baking french fries is moving them around every 5 minutes for the first 20 minutes of cooking. That allows you to use a small amount of oil and they won’t stick to the baking pan.

Top the fries with lots of ketchup or chili, if you want to eat them like a Michigander.

LIFE: Cultivating Courage

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Nelson Mandela

This morning at yoga my amazing teacher reminded us that we are almost at the end of the year and we should use the days that remain in 2013 to cultivate a trait that we want to work on. For me, that trait is courage.

I consider myself brave, but I continually need to work on my fears to face them down. I never want to miss out on an experience because I am afraid of the outcome. The bravest thing that I have ever done may have been moving to California over six years ago. Up to that point in our lives, my husband, Sean, and I were very risk-averse. We had a good life in Michigan with a terrific support system, solid jobs, and a low mortgage payment. A lot of people thought we were crazy when we announced we wanted to start over in California. We were very scared, but we knew if we did not try it we would always wonder what it would be like. It felt like it was something that we HAD to do. When the opportunity to come out here came, we jumped on it. It worked out better than we ever envisioned, now it is hard to imagine what our lives would be like if we had not taken the risk and moved across the country.

The move encouraged both of us to always try to be brave in all aspects of our lives. A lot of my courage comes from being loved. I am so lucky to have a supportive husband, family, and friends who give me confidence every day. With that in mind, I will try to always give those I love and care about support and encouragement so they take chances and risks. I strongly believe that one of the best gifts that we can give children is confidence to follow dreams and take chances.

I start a new job this week, and I am nervous. I need to remember to be brave. I have confidence in my abilities and know I made the right decision leaving a job where I had been for almost six years. Starting new is not easy, but it keeps life interesting and it leads to exciting adventures. I keep reminding myself that no matter what happens, it will be okay. Trusting my gut will lead me in the right direction.

I am a little obsessed with this video right now:

For me, cultivating courage means being authentic and true to myself. I will work on it for the rest of the year, and for the rest of my life. Life goes by quick, I don’t want to live a timid life.

“Freedom lies in being bold” Robert Frost

READ: Best Books of 2013

This is the time of the year when all of the best books of 2013 lists come out. Of course, the lists come out right before Christmas. I am sure that is not intentional.

For the most part I am doing a book Christmas this year, it is my way of fighting the commercialism of the holiday season. Books are lasting gifts that can be passed from person to person so the cycle of giving can continue.

I love “best of” lists (Remember Nick Hornby’s book “High Fidelity” where they compile a Top Five list for everything? So great). I obsess over the best book lists that come out and immediately start reserving books from the library. After reading the lists below, my library reserve list has thirty books.

Here are some of my favorite best book lists of 2013 (click on the links to visit the lists):

In a few weeks the Morning News of Books Tournament will announce the best books of 2013. They hold a March Madness of books with a champion crowned. Great fun for those of us that love books! The last two winners of the tournament have been my favorite books of that year. In 2012, “The Orphan Master’s Son” by Adam Johnson won and in 2011, “A Visit from the Goon Squad” by Jennifer Egan won. See below for my favorite book of 2013/prediction for the winner of the tournament.

My top books of 2013 were:

“MaddAddam” by Margaret Atwood. This is the last book in the “Oryx and Crake” apocalyptic trilogy. It is creepy, horrible, and so believable. Atwood continues to amaze me.
“Life after Life” by Kate Atkinson. I’ve talked about this book in a previous post. It is so good. Read it.
“And the Mountains Echoed” by Khalid Hosseini. I have also mentioned this devastating and wonderful book in a previous post.
“Transatlantic” by Colum McCann. McCann is a phenomenal storyteller who weaves multiple story lines together. This book is historical fiction that covers normal lives filled with happy and sad moments.
“Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes. This book surprised me, because I did not expect to like it. It is an unconventional love story that I am sure will be made into a movie.
“The Interestings” by Meg Wolitzer. A big, juicy book that covers the lives of a group of six friends from New York.
“Tenth of December” by George Saunders. My FAVORITE book of the year. A beautiful collection of unrelated short stories that explore capitalism, greed, stupidity, and the absolute beauty of life.

This list is not complete because I have a lot of 2013 books to read. I just picked up Veronica Roth’s “Allegiant” and Elizabeth Gilbert’s “The Signature of All Things” from the library. I am also very excited to read Mary Oliver’s new collection of poems and “Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt.

In a week or two I’ll have a post on the books I am most looking forward to in 2014.

Happy Reading!

LIFE: Idyllwild, California

If I didn’t live in San Diego, I would live in the mountains. Idyllwild, California is the perfect weekend, mountain escape from San Diego. It is a short, 2-hour drive, yet it feels like it is much further. Part of the route to Idyllwild is known as the Palm to Pines Highway, the name is a perfect description of the changes that happen as the elevation climbs.

My husband, Sean, and I have visited Idyllwild at least twelve times in the last five years because we feel most calm and centered when we are surrounded by immense trees, big skies, bright stars, and gorgeous peaks. We have celebrated holidays in Idyllwild several times, including this past Thanksgiving weekend. On our recent trip it was sunny and 71 degrees when we left San Diego, by the time we reached the mountains it was 52 degrees and the perfect weather to build a huge, cozy fire.

Idyllwild Hike - Humber Park to Saddle Junction — Idyllwild Hike – Humber Park to Saddle Junction

Since we’ve been there so much, I have lots of recommendations. Part of me doesn’t want anyone else to know about this quirky, artistic village near Palm Springs, but it is too great of a place not to share. If you decide to go, here are some suggestions…

STAY:

Quiet Creek Inn and Vacation Rentals is the only place that we stay. When we first started visiting Idyllwild, we would stay at Quiet Creek Inn which are cozy cabins near Strawberry Creek. They are comfortable, relatively inexpensive (about $130/night), and full of amenities like free fire logs, coffee, and movies.

After staying at the Inn a few times we decided to rent a vacation home from them and we have continued to do that each time. We have stayed in five different vacation rentals, a few of them multiple times. The rentals range in price from $100-over $400/night, prices increase during peak seasons and there are fees for pups (of course we always bring ours) and for housekeeping.

All of the houses are well-equipped, secluded, and generally better than they are advertised on the Quiet Creek website. The houses are ideal for group travel. Last weekend our group consisted of 6 adults, 2 kids, and 2 pups. All of us had plenty of space and were able to make and share a Thanksgiving feast together.

EAT:

I crave the penne arrabbiata at Cafe Aroma. Super spicy and deceptively simple, it is the only thing I order; however, I do try dishes that others order and they are always also yummy. This restaurant is warm, charming, and smells like roasting garlic at all times. Sean and I have ate many dinners outside under heat lamps and a star-filled sky. On our recent trip, we enjoyed a delicious lunch that included a bottle of wine, bread and garlic oil, curried carrot soup, and of course, penne arrabbiata. When we got home I re-created the curried carrot soup and was pretty successful (1 lb carrots, 2 cloves of garlic and 1 onion, diced and roasted for 40 minutes at 400 degrees, after they are done add to a soup pot with 5 cups of vegetable broth and 1 -2 TB of Penzey’s curry, puree with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy). I have tried and can not re-create the arrabbiata, so I’ll continue ordering it every time I go.

We shop for food at the Mountain Harvest Market. It is a small grocery store that sells healthy, organic food with a Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings.

For a quick meal we generally order pizza from Idyllwild Pizza Co. It is a satisfying, easy meal to pick up in town.

The best coffee in Idyllwild is at Higher Grounds Coffee House, which is located right in the center of the town.

THINGS TO DO:

Idyllwild has a lot of shops and art galleries that are fun to stroll through. It is listed as one of the best 100 art towns in America, so there are a lot of artists that reside in the area. The only stores that I have purchased items at are Ink Book Gathering and Mountain Paws. Ink Book Gathering is a used bookstore with a great selection and good deals. Mountain Paws is a dog-lover’s heaven. It is full of handmade dog treats, unique gifts, and fun gear for pups and cats.

We hike and walk a lot when we are in Idyllwild. It is best to start early before the crowds come, and it is important to remember that there is often snow at the higher elevations so the trail can get slippery. We like to hike the following trails (in order of preference): South Ridge Trail to Tahquitz Peak, Devil’s Slide Trail to Saddle Junction, The Ernie Maxwell Trail, and Deer Springs to Suicide Rock. We take Ruby on all of the hikes, and (mostly) keep her on her leash.

What we do in Idyllwild — Idyllwild images: Nature, hiking, snuggling pups

It was fantastic spending Thanksgiving weekend in one of my favorite places with some of my favorite people. Sean and I are looking forward to heading to Idyllwild sometime this winter so we can play in the snow with Ruby.

READ: The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan

I think a lot about nuclear bombs. They have been an unhealthy preoccupation since I learned about them in third grade. Knowing that we have these terrible weapons on earth will always frighten me. I read as much as I can about them, because somehow it makes me feel better, instead of worse.

The development of the bomb and the history of the Manhattan Project has strange and fascinating characters, unstoppable technology, and huge political decisions – it all adds up to a dramatic story. I’ve read a lot about all of the men who contributed to the development (and use) of the bomb; “The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women who Helped Win World War II” by Denise Kiernan tells a different narrative, the women’s side of the story.

The Girls of Atomic City

Everything related to the Manhattan Project was super secretive and as time passes more and more information becomes available. Kiernan is a master storyteller who uncovers the story of the women who worked at Oak Ridge, Tennessee on the production of materials for the bomb. Oak Ridge was created in 1942 for the sole purpose of the Manhattan Project. Built fast for 70,000 people (at its peak production), the secret city expanded from a vast expanse of mostly vacant land to a huge city in less than two years. Kiernan writes: “Women infused the job site with life, their presence effortlessly defying all attempts to control and plan and shape every aspect of day-to-day existence at Oak Ridge. The Project may not have known what was to become of the town after the war, but the women knew that while they were there, they would not only work as hard as the men, but they would make it home.”

There are so many history books that are boring, but this is not one of them. Kiernan paints vivid pictures of the young women who were working at Oak Ridge and the lives they had while they were there. Dating, dancing, drinking, slopping in mud, friendships, and marriages were all a part of the activity at Oak Ridge. I kept envisioning my Grandma and Aunt Nanc because they were around the same age as the women who worked there. Parts of it reminded me of stories they have told me. In seventy years the role of women has changed dramatically and these women were true trailblazers. Kiernan writes about some of the women being excited about getting to wear pants to perform the work, “She remembered the first time her little sister Jo saw their mother in pants and a kerchief. Jo started sobbing and wouldn’t stop. She wanted to know where her mom had gone.”

My grandmother and Great Aunt Nancy in the late 1930's. They are still this beautiful. — My grandmother and Great Aunt Nancy in the late 1930’s. They are still this beautiful.

The most interesting part is that the vast majority of the people who worked at Oak Ridge had ABSOLUTELY no idea what they were doing and they didn’t find out until the first bomb was dropped on Japan. They did not ask questions because they were told not to. They heard rumors, but no one wanted to talk about it because they knew that they were always being watched. Signs were posted that said things like “Your pen and tongue can be enemy weapons. Watch what you write and say.”

Kiernan writes: “The result made for a potent mix of anxiety and inspiration for some: the anxiety of not knowing, of being watched, of worrying you might say something out of turn, and the inspiration to stay on the job and do it well, because whatever you were working on was going to end the war. That much you knew, that much you had been promised.” A secret like Oak Ridge could never exist today. This story is unique and extraordinary. I don’t know if anything like it will happen again.

“The Girls of Atomic City” provides a great introduction to the Manhattan project and the basic science that went into making the bomb, so even if you don’t know anything about it you’ll be fine reading the book.

If you read this book and like the nuke aspect of it, I suggest reading Lydia Millet’s speculative fiction novel “Oh Pure and Radiant Heart.” And if you liked the historical part of it, read “Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh and America’s Fight Over World War II” by Lynne Olson. It is a well-written account of isolationists vs. interventionists, and all of the politics involved in WWII.

READ: Literary City Guide San Diego, California

Just a quick post to share something I am excited about. Eat this Poem is one of my favorite blogs because it involves two of my favorite things: poetry and food. Nicole blogs about these two items that have brought me lots of comfort and joy over the years, so of course, I am a fan. I also think the literary city guides that she posts are spectacular!

I contacted her a few weeks ago with my ideas for San Diego, and it came together yesterday. I am excited to join all the fantastic literary city guides that are on her blog. San Diego is a great city and I love sharing things that I’ve discovered. Please check out my Literary Guide to San Diego here. I hope it makes you want to come visit.

Coronado Beach

EAT: Favorite Vegetarian Cookbooks

When Sean and I moved across the country we got rid of A LOT of stuff. It felt liberating to downsize. The only hard part was shrinking my book collection. I had almost 500 books, and they all meant something to me. After a lot of deliberation, I only kept things that I would re-read over and over again like Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Dickens, “Little Women,” poetry collections, and cookbooks. We’ve moved six times in the last seven years and I am glad that we can fit the books that I have in 3 boxes, instead of 30.

In honor of Meatless Monday, I’m sharing my favorite vegetarian cookbooks. These are the books that I will hold onto as we continue moving around. They are the ones that I continually turn to for dinner inspiration when I feel stuck. Reading cookbooks is relaxing and a great way to escape for me.

Vegetarian Cookbooks

“Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook“ by Isa Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. I can not recommend this cookbook enough. Everything that Isa and Terry do is amazing. All of their cookbooks are full of healthy, yummy recipes that are inspiring and adaptable. Isa blogs at www.theppk.com and everything I have ever made by her is delicious.

“How to Cook Everything Vegetarian“ by Mark Bittman. My favorite parts of this book are the bean cooking methods and the pizza dough recipe. This is a huge book full of helpful tips and cooking methods.

“The Happy Herbivore“ by Lindsay Nixon. We make the Chorizo Quinoa at least twice a month. These recipes are easy, low-fat, super healthy and not intimidating.

“Passionate Vegetarian” by Crescent Dragonwagon. My mom gave me this vegetarian cookbook about eight years ago. It is a personal cookbook with great stories. This was my first veg cookbook so it will always mean a lot to me and I’ll keep it forever.

“Chloe’s Kitchen” by Chloe Coscarelli. I learned so many tricks reading this book, like adding brown sugar and rice milk to pasta sauces (it makes them so much better!). Avocado Pesto Pasta, Oh-la-la Lasagna, Mongolian BBQ Seitan, Cinnamon Rolls…so many yummy recipes in this cookbook!

Isa Does It

I just got “Isa Does It” by Isa Moskowitz from the library. It is so good. Her recipes are fail-proof and I am excited to cook my way through it. She also shares a lot of the recipes in here on her blog. Her passion for vegan cooking is inspiring and always gives me new ideas. In most cookbooks I mark recipes that I want to make…I want to make every, single thing in this book. This is the cookbook that I will be buying for my family this holiday season!

Dinners this week:

Butternut Squash Alfredo from “Isa Does it” with kale salad. Recipe is here.
Greek Diner Salad and Broccoli Soup from “Isa Does it”
Curry with Sukhi’s Spice Mix, tofu, and peas with rice (Tip: Cook the tofu before adding it to a curry. Mix a little sesame oil, grapeseed oil, tamari and turmeric and coat the diced up tofu. Bake for about 20 minutes at 425 until it is firm and crisp)
Soup with Udon Noodles and Tofu (Easiest dinner ever! Warm about 6 cups of water, add 2 TB of miso, 1 TB soy sauce, a little srichacha, diced up carrots, tofu and kale, and udon noodles)
Miso roasted delicata squash and sweet potatoes with kale salad
Field roast sausage, Bubbi’s Saukerkraut, and vegetarian baked beans

Last night my friend and I went to a great cooking class by Katie’s Healing Kitchen. This girl has a fantastic, confident personality and is going to be a superstar! The theme of the class was a Plant Powered Thanksgiving. We had delicious food like Roasted Carrot Soup, Butternut Squash Mac-n-Cheese, Lentil and Wild Rice Stuffed Squash, Maple and Dijon Brussel Sprouts, Kale, and Apple Crisp. The meal was healthy, animal-free, gluten-free and delicious. I can’t wait to take more of her classes.