Eat Your Kale

New Year, New Adventures

2012-01-08T18:45:00.006-05:00

Happy 2012! The New Year has started out so wonderfully for me. Well, wait. It initially started out slightly rocky, but turned pretty amazing within a few days. Let me explain:

The movers came and took all of my DC apartment contents on Dec 13th and brought them up to Boston to put in storage. Then I departed on Dec 14th for Minnesota (with a stopover in Indianapolis to catch up with some college friends). I spent two great weeks in Minnesota, enjoying time with friends and family - and Jakers enjoyed Mom's 20 acres to roam on and chase squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and deer.

Christmas Eve with the family!

Then, the morning after my 30th birthday, I hit the road for Boston. We (Jakers, Mabel and I) made it 12 hours on the first day, stopped for the night in Cleveland, then finished the last 10 hours on New Year's Eve. So I get into Boston around 7:00pm on the biggest party night of the year, exhausted and desperate to get out of the car. The only problem: the security guard who was supposed to have my keys to my corporate apartment knew nothing about me. :( There were some mix-ups and there were no keys available for me. NOT OKAY. Luckily, someone from the apartment rental office was able to get downtown and by 9:00 we were settled.

Great, right? Wrong. This old building has old windows. I can hear EVERYTHING happening outside. Oh, and I'm surrounded by bars/pubs. So NYE was the loudest night of my life. All I wanted was sleep, all I got was drunk people, screaming, police sirens, and fireworks.

But I don't mean to dwell -- I've really enjoyed my first week in Beantown, once we got through night 1.
I've discovered Christoper Columbus Waterfront Park a few blocks away. We've taken lots of walks there, along the Boston Harbor.
My first week at the new job has been great. I'm working with some very talented folks and cool clients.
Through my apartment hunting, I was able to see some different neighborhoods -- and find a great place in the Charlestown neighborhood! I'm moving in next weekend!
And I'm looking forward to hanging out with some friends (new and old!) and enjoying some of the restaurants that I've heard a lot about.

Now, let's get onto some FOOD. :) Living in this temporary apartment for a few weeks means I'm limited with my groceries. I've been trying to find easy things to make that only require a few ingredients. This recipe fit the bill, and I knew it would keep well, so I could eat leftovers throughout the week. Perf. My mom used to make this Spaghetti Casserole when I was little, and now that I know how easy it is and how great the vegan version is, I'll be adding it into my rotation as a grown-up. :)

Here's to a great start to 2012 -- new city, new job, new apartment, and hopefully some new adventures!

Spaghetti Casserole(The pix do not do this justice - it looks like a blob o' pasta & cheese - but it tastes oh-so good!)
1 box spaghetti noodles
1 pkg Daiya vegan mozzarella "cheese"
1 pkg vegan pepperoni slices (I used Smart Deli)
1 jar of marinara sauce
Cook the spaghetti, then layer half of the noodles in pan, half of the cheese, half of the pepperoni slices and half of the marinara. Repeat. Bake in preheated oven (375-degrees) for 20-30 mins, until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
Enjoy!

(This can be scaled to whatever size pan you want to use - Mom always made it in a 9x13, but since I'm only feeding 1, I used a square 9x9 pan. The ingredients are all eyeballed, anyhow, so just use more of everything if you want to use a larger pan.)

Tofurky and Sloppy Joes

2011-11-27T20:15:00.008-05:00

I thought I'd take a break from Boston apartment hunting to do a lil' blogging.

First, let's talk about my excellent Thanksgiving weekend!! My dad, mom, and brother Ryan flew in from Minnesota and Los Angeles (respectively) for the weekend. My mom and Ryan stayed with me in my apartment and my dad stayed with my brother and sister in-law down the road. We had a great time, with lots of eating involved - just the way I like it! :) I prepared the vegan feast for Ryan and myself (recreated last years' meal), and my sister in-law made the non-vegan meal for the rest of the fam. Here are some highlights of the weekend:

Andy, Ryan, and I took the win in our post-Thanksgiving meal game of Trivial Pursuit. (They aren't into all the photo opps like I am.)

We spent Black Friday on the National Mall. Our first visit to the *new* MLK Memorial!
My sister in-law treated us to Jersey Boys tickets. What a great show!! We were all thankful that she planned ahead and did that for us! :)
Ry and I went to Mount Vernon on Saturday, after Mom and Dad had headed back to MN. It was really cool - beautiful property right on the Potomac!

It was fun to be with my family (although I wish my sister and her family had also made the trip), and it was also great to check off some DC bucket-list items. Namely, MLK Memorial and Mount Vernon. I still have a few more to check off, so we'll see if I can get those taken care of before I depart.

I also want to share a vegan sloppy joe recipe I made a few weeks ago. It made a large batch, so I was eating them for days, but the flavor got better and better the longer it was in the fridge. I got this recipe from the Vegetarian Frugal Housewife - I searched through a lot of recipes, and this one has more of a sweet recipe, which is just the way Mom used to make 'em.

VEGAN SLOPPY JOES

1 12-oz pkg Smart Ground (or other vegan "ground beef" product)
2 whole cloves garlic
1 lrg or 2 med green bell peppers
16oz tomato sauce
1 medium diced onion
4 tbs soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs mustard
2-3 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper
6 tbs ketchup
1 tbs salt
3 tbs cider vinegar
1/2 cup tomato paste (or fresh tomato chunks)
pinch nutmeg
pinch oregano
3 tbs olive oil
1. Chop onions, garlic and peppers.
2. Fry Smart Ground in pan with olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Add spices and soy/worcetershire sauce.
4. Add chopped items and fry a bit more until onions soften.
5. Add remaining ingredients.
6. Stir. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes on low.
7. Test flavor and add more spices as needed.
8. Simmer 5 more minutes and serve over buns or bread.
I paired this with some steamed/mashed potatoes and cauliflower. It's got all the great flavor and texture of the potatoes, but it makes it slightly healthier by swapping out some potatoes in favor of the cauliflower. I mean, enough margarine, soy milk and salt, and you can mash just about anything into deliciousness, right?? :)

Enjoy! Back to apartment hunting I go. Getting SO excited about Beantown in 2012!

Beantown, Baby!

2011-11-19T20:28:00.005-05:00

Okay, so I've been super bad about blogging the past few (many) months. It's been a combination of laziness and busyness. And because of the laziness and busyness, I haven't been cooking as much as I'd like, so fewer recipes to share. But I've got some big news! I'm moving to Boston!!!!

Let's rewind a few weeks! At the end of October, I had a head hunter reach out to me, asking me if I'd be interested in a Digital Media Supervisor position at Mullen (exactly the job I want at a really great ad agency) in Boston. My initial thought was, 'Nah...I want to move to LA, not Boston.' But I paused for a second and realized that I'd be happy to be on the east coast for a few more years...and Boston is a great city for advertising, *and* just a great city, in general. I've only been to Boston a couple of times, but I have some friends there. And, heck, this is the time in my life where I should embrace opportunities like this! Throw caution to the wind -- I'm young, not tied down by anything, working on building my career, and this is a GREAT chance to work at a GREAT agency.

So I replied to the recruiter, letting him know I would, in fact, be interested. I had a couple of phone interviews, and very quickly they asked if I would come up to Boston to meet with them in person. This was really cool - I've never been flown to another city to interview! (not to sound like a country bumpkin) They flew me up last Sunday night, put me up in a super nice hotel next to Faneuil Hall, and I interviewed at the agency the next morning. I knew they wanted to make a quick decision, and they weren't kidding! I received an offer yesterday (Friday) and accepted. SUPER EXCITED!

So here we are. In a matter of weeks, my entire life is changing. I've got a lot to take care of before I move in a couple of weeks, but I think the stress will all be worth it. I don't start until Jan 2nd, so I'll be moving up to Boston mid-December, storing my belongings and staying in corporate housing while I apartment hunt, then I'm turning around and driving to MN for my annual 2-week stay.
I had plans to fly to LA to celebrate my 30th bday (Dec 29th), and that has to be canceled, due to timing constraints, but I can make an LA trip in March or April. Not the end of the world. :)

I've always believed everything happens for a reason, and this really validates that for me. I was definitely ready for a career move and some new challenges, and getting to move to a new city is just the cherry on top. I'm going to miss DC and the great friends I have here. I'm also going to miss the families that I babysit for here - I've really fallen in love with some wonderful kids. BUT that's what Facebook is for, right?? :) And I'm sure I'll be back for some visits.

All that said, I also plan to get back to cooking more and blogging about recipes. So I won't be MIA for another 5 months! I made some really tasty vegan sloppy joes the other day, so I'll try to get those posted this week. :)

Cool as a Cucumber

2011-07-24T21:04:00.009-04:00

I'm two weddings into my "summer of weddings".

In June, I went to Geneva, NY (in the Finger Lakes region of upstate) for my friend Sarah's wedding. She is one of my Phi Sigma Sigma sorority sisters from Syracuse and just a really great friend. It was a lovely wedding and I was able to catch up with a lot of friends who live all over the country.

Then, earlier this month, I hit the road for 19 hours (9 hrs there, 10 hrs back) and attended my friend Jen's wedding in Midland, MI. Jen and I share a lot of mutual friends and while we both attended Syracuse, I didn't get to know her until I moved to DC. I'm thankful to have her in my life and was happy to be a party of her perfect day!

I'm heading to Minnesota for my friend Cassie's wedding in a few weeks, which should be a wonderful time. I'm flying in Thursday, staying through Tuesday, so I can see lots of friends and family. This will probably be the only trip to MN until Christmas!

So that's what I've been up to...and trying to keep cool. It's TOASTY in DC right now. We had a heat index of 120-degrees this past week. "Crazy hot", I believe is the technical term. :) So I've been trying to keep my cooking cool - and not use the oven. At the same time, my sister and I are counting calories in an effort to lose weight, while supporting one another. We just started, but I had a very successful week. So, while the recipe I'm sharing today is not the healthiest option, the key is moderation. I've eaten what I want all week...but just limited my portions. I think this will work, long term, for me, since I'm not depriving myself.

Onto the recipe -- Creamy Cucumbers are something my mom has made for us for as long as I can remember. I always loved when our neighbors would bring over some cucumbers from their garden in the summer, because I knew Mom would be making these cukes. It's really easy, doesn't take much time or too many ingredients, and tastes delicious. It always made a great side dish to corn on the cob. I've, of course, veganized the recipe. Again - enjoy in moderation and keep cool!

Creamy Cucumbers

3-4 medium cucumbers
1 medium onion
1 cup Vegenaise (vegan mayo)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar

Peel and slice the cucumbers into thin circles. Thinly slice onion. Combine, salt and let stand for about 15 minutes.
Combine the Vegenaise, vinegar and sugar with whisk and pour over veggies. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight for best flavor (or at least for a couple of hours).

Stew To Get Me Through The Week

2011-06-06T19:52:00.009-04:00

Greetings all!! Busy, busy, busy. Wedding season is upon us. I have one wedding per month from June through October: upstate NY, Michigan, Minnesota, Annapolis, upstate NY. And I'm driving to all of them, except Minnesota, in my sweet new ride! So it should be a good chance to try 'er out on the open road. I'm trying to get in plenty of babysitting to plan ahead and cover the expenses involved in all that travel (and pet care), so it's rare to have a night "off". But tonight was one of those nights - babysitting job canceled last minute!

I have a scary Friday ahead, as my sweet Jakers needs to have surgery. He needs to have his teeth cleaned, which means they put him under anesthesia, AND they need to remove a "diseased" tooth and a small growth next to that tooth. My poor Boo Bear! I'll be dropping him off Friday morning, and picking him up that afternoon. I'm hoping to be busy at work, as a distraction, but it is going to be a scary day for this single mom.

So with that coming up, I wanted to cook something this week that would last me through my busy week and right into my weekend, since I won't be leaving Jakers' side while he's healing to cook or get take out.

Enter Rachael Ray. Now, I can't say I'm a fan. However, I ended up on one of her dozens of series on one of the cooking channels (I think it was THE Cooking Channel, actually) this weekend while I was cleaning my apartment. She happened to make this vegan stew (well, she had to ruin it with chicken broth, but that was an easy swap), so I DVR'ed the episode and later went back and jotted down the ingredients/recipe. It's a spicy zucchini potato stew. The problem was that when I went to chop ingredients, I discovered the 2 zucchinis I bought last week were soft and covered in white, fuzzy spots. Hmm. So I swapped in yellow squash and it seemed to work well. I honestly think you could do a lot of swapping to use up whatever you have on hand! This stew is hearty, has SO MUCH flavor, and could not possibly be healthier. It's literally a pot of delicious vegetables.

I happened to have some leftover biscuits that I made this weekend, so those made a great pairing. Oh, and I spent last weekend hanging out with my ADORABLE Little Sister from my sorority - who just happened to be in Baltimore with her hubby for Memorial Day - and she turned me on to a delicious red wine called Malbec (I'm not much of a wine connoisseur). I had a glass of that with dinner, which tasted great and helped mellow me out after a long day.

Hanging at the Baltimore Harbor with my Little and her hubby (Karen & Jason).

Quick side note: Once I got my veggies chopped, I realized my largest pot would not be able to contain all of this goodness, so I ended up having to use two pots!

2 pots o' goodness

So it makes a ton of stew, but it refrigerates (and probably freezes) really well, so that just means lots of leftovers. Enjoy!

Spicy Zucchini Potato Stew

1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 med zucchinis, thinly sliced
2 Fresno (I could only find Anaheim) chili peppers, thinly sliced
2 cubanelle peppers, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
5-6 baby potatoes, thinly sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 sprigs of rosemary (I did a couple dashes of dried)
2 sprigs of thyme (I did a couple dashes of dried)
salt & pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 28 oz can Italian style tomatoes
2 cups veggie broth

Pour an even coating of olive oil in the bottom of a (very) large pot, heat over medium heat. Add all the veggies and spices from zucchini through salt & pepper. Stir and cover, allow to simmer and wilt down.

Roast the red bell pepper over open flames. If you never done this before, it's actually really easy - turn gas stove on to low/med heat and set pepper on the burner, turning every few minutes until it's charred. (If you have an electric stove, use the broiler in your oven.)

Chop the roasted red pepper and add to mix, along with veg broth and tomatoes. (I added some, but not all, of the juice in the tomatoes.) Continue cooking, uncovered until the sauce thickens and veggies all soften. But don't cook so long that things end up mushy - you want the veggies intact.

I sprinkled a little nutritional yeast (you can use Parmesan cheese if you hate animals -- I kid, I kid!!) and dried parsley. Serves many ...like, I'll be eating this for a week+.

Ramen: Breakfast(?) of Champions

2011-05-31T11:41:00.004-04:00

I just saw this link via thedailywhat - only the best website ever, which my brother Ryan turned me onto:
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/voracious/2011/05/top_uses_for_top_ramen.php

I don't think I've given ramen noodles too many shout-outs, but I am a closet ramen lover. I actually just discussed this with my coworkers, when the smell of my ramen lunch wafted over the cubicle walls and someone said, "I smell ramen." Yes, I do choose to eat ramen on a regular basis. Not only is it SO affordable, but the Top Ramen brand of "Oriental" flavor is vegan and delicious! Not just for college students anymore!

I used ramen in this recipe for Fumi Salad, but I'm now inspired to think outside the box and find some other uses! The Seattle Weekly blog post (above) includes a breakfast burrito recipe that I think I might try and veganize with tofu instead of egg. I'll keep you posted.
GET EXCITED. :)

Living the High Life

2011-05-03T20:16:00.007-04:00

I've had a rough few weeks. On April 8th, I was on my way home from work when another driver decided to make an illegal u-turn without looking in the lane next to him to see if there was someone there (why bother, right?). So he essentially turned right in front of me and I t-boned his driver's side.

The good news is that no one was hurt (the reckless driver had his two toddlers in the back seat). The bad news is the Foci (my 2005 Ford Focus) was totaled out. :( Don't get me wrong...she wasn't the fanciest of rides. But she was a good car. She's gotten me back and forth between MN and DC many-a-time. Oh, and she was paid off.

After several weeks of being in limbo, but falling in love with my rental car - a 2011 Hyundai Elantra, I ended up buying a 2011 Hyundai Sonata -- slightly larger, with a few more perks than the Elantra. But the dealership I went to made it TOTALLY worth my while to go with the next model up. I'm in love.

The new ride has bluetooth, XM radio and is so comfortable. It will totally make the ride to and from MN (and to and from the 5 weddings I have to attend this year!) so comfortable.

I'm just relieved to have that whole ordeal over with and be able to focus on other aspects of my life vs stressing about what I was going to do about a car!

Moving on - I've recently discovered something very exciting (well, exciting for me, but it doesn't take much to impress this girl). It's a pasta called Shirataki noodles. Based on my reading, it sounds like there are two types, but the one at my grocery store is tofu-based. They come packaged in a liquid (found in the produce section, near the tofu), and all you need to do is drain/rinse them, then boil them for 2-3 minutes. It's that easy!

One package contains two servings (although I was able to eat the whole thing, no problem) and contains only 6 grams of carbs and 40 calories!! CRAZY TALK! And it really has the same consistency of spaghetti noodles! They also sell it in fettuccine and angel hair, fyi.

I discovered, when I got home, that I didn't have any marinara sauce in my apartment. So I had to get crafty and make my own from scratch. Well, not totally from scratch - I had a can of tomato sauce, but it takes some work to make that into a tasty sauce! So I'm going to post the recipe I used (it was all eyeballing, so I have to guess on measurements). I liked this marinara so much that I might just always make it this way and skip the pre-made jar. Pair this HEALTHY pasta dish with some sauteed mushrooms and spinach, and you've got yourself a killer meal. (Although, full disclosure, I also ended up baking some of mom's oatmeal chocolate chip cookies after my healthy dinner!)

"Homemade" Marinara
14 oz can of tomato sauce
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small can of mushroom stems & pieces
1/4 white or yellow onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
A dash of cayenne pepper
1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Salt & pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in large skillet (or small pan, to keep splatter contained). Add mushrooms, onions and garlic. Satute, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and seasoning and stir well. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing flavors to marinade. Continue to taste, adding seasoning as desired.

Drive safely out there...and enjoy some guilt-free pasta! :)

Vegans Gone Wild: LA Edition

2011-04-11T20:44:00.009-04:00

I flew to LA a few weeks ago to visit my brother. My mom also flew into LA from Minnesota, so it was a chance for us to spend time together, while also hanging out with Ryan.

My brother, Ryan, is the smartest person I know. I have previously mentioned that he was a 4-time Jeopardy! winner, who went on to play in the Tournament of Champions last year.

Yes, that's really him.

I sent him a copy of Peter Singer's Animal Liberation a few years ago for Christmas, in hopes of having him understand why veganism was so important to me. I never expected him to go vegan, himself, but that's exactly what happened. For me, being vegan is a very emotional experience. I learned about the animal suffering, correlated my love of cute, fuzzy animals with the suffering my eating was causing, and that's all it took - it flipped a switch in my head and I was done contributing to that industry.

For Ryan, it was a more academic approach. Peter Singer poses the ethical/logical conflict to how we should live our lives, with how agribusiness works. And for Ryan, *that* flipped a switch in his head and he decided to make drastic changes. I love having him as an advocate, because he's much better at explaining "why vegan?" to people than me. He keeps a cooler head than me, because my passion just runs so deep. I tend to get frustrated when people know the facts, but don't make a change. I'm thankful to have him as a resource and ally.

I digress - what I'm getting at is that this trip to LA was filled with lots of veg-friendly restaurants (Mom was outnumbered) and some great sight seeing. Below are some highlights.

Mom's first experience with Ethiopian Cuisine @ Rahel Ethiopian

Mom and I, in front of the Hollywood sign, en route to the Griffith Observatory

On the Santa Monica Pier

Ry and I on the doubledecker tour bus

In the gardens of the Getty Center

I love LA. It was a great trip where being vegan was easy. I can't say that about every city I've visited. Oh, and I felt very at home with the traffic. Very similar to DC traffic. Sad, but true.
But the main perk of this trip was I got to spend some wonderful quality time with the fam!

I've got some new recipes to post soon! Stay tuned...

Portland: A Vegan's Holy Land

2011-01-27T19:56:00.000-05:00

I think I found a new favorite city. And it's Portland.

I flew out to Oregon a couple of weeks ago. One of my closest friends from college lives in Portland and it's terrible that I haven't been to visit her sooner. (She's visited me in Minnesota twice and DC once.) It was about dang time I got out there. And we had a fun-filled weekend!

Highlights include (don't be surprised at all the food mentions):

Multiple options for vegan cupcakes - we went to Saint Cupcake and enjoyed some DELICIOUS desserts
My friend works for the Trailblazers, so good seats to two NBA games (including the Timberwolves)
Two words: Slappy Cakes...it's a restaurant with griddles built into the table, so you choose the batter and toppings, and make your own pancakes at the table (vegan batter, toppings and butter are available!)
Voodoo Doughnuts, which is a well known doughnut shop with TONS of vegan options
Powell's Books - a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) bookstore with both new and used books. Anything and everything you might like. We wandered the main location in Portland, but I didn't buy any books and kicked myself later. Luckily, they also have a location at the Portland Airport! So I got me some quality used books! :)
Most importantly, good friends. I got to see some (new and old) Portland friends, some friends from Mpls who recently moved to Portland and one of my closest friends in DC also flew out for the weekend. Just an all around good weekend.

I am hoping to get back out this summer. It rained the entire weekend, so I'd like to check out the non-winter weather. Although, rain and 50s is GORGEOUS January weather to a girl who grew up in Minnesota. Plus, with all of our other "must see" food stops, we didn't even check out the food carts of Portland -- so I really DO need to get back!

Age is just a number...mine just happens to be a big number

2011-01-20T20:29:00.000-05:00

Not everyone seems familiar with the term "golden birthday". It's when you turn the age that your birth date is. So for me, my golden birthday was this past December - I turned 29 on the 29th.

I remember when I was younger and friends would get a special birthday when they turned 8, because it was their golden birthday. I would think, 'Aw man...I won't get to have the BIG golden birthday until I'm 29. Ew, so old. I'm gonna have a husband and a bunch of kids. I won't get to have ANY fun.' (Of course "fun" back then meant a Cinderella-themed party with pizza delivery and renting a PG-13 movie.)
SURPRISE!! I don't have a husband or (human) kids. And drinking is WAY more fun than PG-13 movies!!!

Where did the time go?? I was, like, 22 a minute ago. I swear. But each year I'm shocked to realize I don't feel old. I feel good. And each year seems to get better for me. And guess what? Your golden birthday is just like all the others. Who knew?!

This year, I baked my own birthday cake. I opted to try a vegan version of what some might know as "better than sex cake". However, I learned this recipe from my Aunt Carlotta, who doesn't throw around the "s" word, so we call it "yummy cake". :) The recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk, caramel sauce, Cool Whip and Heath bars. So definitely a challenge to make it all cruelty-free.
And - long story short - no one in my family tried it, so I ate just about half of the cake, myself, and I gave my cousin the other half (she has a husband and kids, though, so she probably stuck to just 1 piece, unlike me!). I can assure you, this cake is SO rich, decadent and satisfying for any sweet tooth. Worth the effort!

Vegan "Yummy" Cake

1 box of chocolate cake mix (just check ingredients to be sure it's vegan - I think most are)
1 can vegan sweetened condensed milk
2 cups vegan caramel sauce
vegan whipped cream (can be found at Whole Foods or co-op)
1 order of vegan english toffee

Prepare caramel sauce ahead of time. This recipe (link above) makes more than 2 cups, but don't over-do the caramel (save the extra to top some ice cream!).

Prepare and bake cake in 9" x 13" pan. Allow to cool completely.

Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake - don't be shy, you want to poke a hole every inch, or so.
Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top of the cake, aiming to pour the majority of it in the holes. Do the same with the caramel.

Top the entire cake with about 1" - 2" of whipped cream. Crush toffee and sprinkle over the top. Drizzle a bit of caramel over the top.

Voila! Done. ENJOY.

My niece / assistant, CharBaby. :)

Why Christmas And Surgery Don't Mix

2011-01-11T20:13:00.000-05:00

I had SUCH a good holiday at home in Minnesota. I saw so many of my friends and family. I got to meet my new niece, Evy, and spend some quality time with my 2 yr old niece, Charlotte. I ate lots of good food. I got some great gifts for both Christmas and my birthday. It was just really nice.

Well, it was all nice except for the whole wisdom tooth extraction part.

That's right, I decided to combine my vacay and a medical procedure. WEEEE! Here's the thing -- when I started my current job last January, I compared the two dental plan options and the HMO seemed better than the PPO. (and by "better", I mean "cheaper") But what I didn't realize is an HMO plan really restricts which dentists you can do to. You can read about my experience with a local dentist on my Yelp review. Clearly I wasn't going to let these people perform surgery on my face. But every dentist in the DC metro area that accepts my HMO plan was shady or just plain awful (based on reviews)! So I looked at my options in MN - as a long shot - but found that Metro Dentalcare, a chain across the Twin Cities, in fact accepted my Cigna HMO! YES. So that locked it in -- holiday break it was.

I scheduled the procedure for Dec 23rd - to give me some time to enjoy myself at home beforehand, but to get the surgery in early enough to be fully recovered before the Jan 1 drive back to DC. Bad choice. I ended up getting dry sockets (when the blood clot doesn't form over the hole, so you have exposed bone) and didn't sleep for three nights due to the THROBBING inner-ear pain. It was reminiscent of the aftermath of my tonsil removal back in 2003, for those of you who have experienced that joy.
Finally at 6am on Christmas morning, I paged my oral surgeon who, in turn told me to increase the vicodin and take it simultaneously with the ibuprofen. Let's be honest, he just wanted to go back to bed. But that worked. Christmas day was pain-free....from what I remember. Between my sleep deprivation and narcotics, I hit really high highs, then really low lows (aka I passed out about every 30 mins). MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Oh well, it's done and over with and I'll never have to worry about having my wisdom teeth removed again. And I'm on the PPO dental plan at work this year. 2011 is already lookin' up!

I'll share more about my time at home, some pics and an AMAZING cake recipe in my next post!

Baby Nieces and Potato Pancakes

2010-12-06T18:53:00.000-05:00

I'm an Auntie again!!!! My sister gave birth to sweet Evy Marie last week! I'm so excited to meet her when I drive to Minnesota NEXT WEEK!! She's 2/3rds the size that my sweet CharBaby (my first niece, Charlotte) was when she was born. We've nicknamed her "Baby Gigantor". :) But Evy is a wee baby and I can't wait to get her in my arms next Friday night.

Her name is very special. We called our great-aunt, Evelyn, "Aunt Evy". She was my grandma's sister and just a wonderful woman. She passed away many years ago, but I guarantee she's smiling down at her little bitty namesake. :)

Well, after that big news, some potato pancakes are pretty unimpressive, but that's the recipe I've got today. :) With the start of Hanukkah last week, I saw a lot about latkes on Facebook (which I learned is another name for potato pancakes), and learned that they are traditionally eaten during Hanukkah because "the oil for cooking the latkes is reminiscent of the oil from the Hanukkah story that kept the Second Temple of ancient Israel lit with a long-lasting flame that is celebrated as a miracle" (from Wikipedia).

Potato pancakes remind me of my childhood best friend's house. Jasmin is from Germany, so her mom tended to make different things for dinner than my mom did. So it was always fun to eat dinner at her house. (I remember how impressed I was when they busted out the Nutella for breakfast one morning! SIGN ME UP, SISTER*.) And one of the things she would make is potato pancakes. I remember loving those and always finding reasons to stay for dinner the days I knew Elvira was grating the potatoes. :) Normally, these have eggs in them, but I think the vegan version is delish and you wouldn't even miss 'em!

Vegan Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

1 pound white potatoes, peeled (I used 4 large Russet potatoes)
1 medium onion, grated
1/4 cup flour
Ener-G Egg Replacer equal to 3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Salt & pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
Grate the potatoes. Put them in a strainer and rinse under cold running water. Let the water drain from the potatoes, press them down and pat them dry.

In a large bowl, mix the potatoes and grated onion. Add egg replacer, salt, pepper and flour. Stir well.

In a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, pour enough oil in to cover the pan to a 1/2-inch depth. When the oil is hot and shimmering, drop the batter into the oil 1 heaping tablespoon at a time and use the back of the spatula to flatten it out.
Cook pancakes until the edges brown, about 5-6 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully flip them. Fry for another 5-6 minutes or until browned on the other side. Remove from oil and place on paper towel-lined plate to drain. (I also kept a plate in the oven at 200-degrees to transfer pancakes to, to keep warm.) Add oil to pan as needed for additional pancakes. Serve with applesauce, ketchup or vegan sour cream. I prefer them with applesauce!

*Sadly, I don't believe Nutella is vegan. :(

A Very Vegan Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T19:05:00.000-05:00

Okey dokey. It's time to share with you the feast I LIVED AND BREATHED for two days. Now, for a normal person, there would be leftovers for a week - but I'm a growing girl, so did some real damage over the course of 48 hrs.

Here's the menu:

Pillsbury Dinner Rolls (this was my one cheat - it's just so convenient that they're vegan!)
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Hazelnuts
Traditional Vegetable Stuffing
Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes (skin on!)
Homemade Gravy
Roasted Tofurky Roast
Sweet Potato Pie w/ Whipped Cream

Impressive for a single gal, no? Now feast your eyes on the pictures!! (There are a lot, because there was a lot of food!)

I made my sweet potato pie on Wednesday night. I stole this recipe from Food.com, and I would highly recommend it! Once the sweet potatoes were baked, it was just a matter of combining all the ingredients in a food processor and baking. Easy peasy!

My little helper staked out his spot on the carpet to watch me cook -- I put a blanket down for him, so he could get good & comfy. (Don't worry, that's his stuffed orange kitten toy in front of him...not a real kitten carcass.)

Everything's in the oven! That's my roast on top, with my brussels sprouts and stuffing below. I somehow timed everything just about perfectly!

The feast! My little counter was taken over by my Thanksgiving dinner.

Look at those maple roasted brussels sprouts with toasted hazelnuts! So sweet and delicious! I got this recipe off the NYTimes website (courtesy of the amazing VEGAN Chef Chloe Coscarelli). Couldn't be easier. I'll definitely make these again.

I do think the Pillsbury rolls are really tasty. I have a great biscuit recipe, but figured I had enough things to do on Thursday, so I'd cheat just this once.

Here's my Tofurky roast and my gravy. You add some veggies (and a basting liquid) to to the Tofurky for flavoring. I *do* still have those veggies and the stuffing from inside the roast leftover in my fridge. A delicious bonus meal. :)

Here are my mashed potatoes and stuffing. I love the skin on -- and the trick is to boil the taters with a few garlic cloves, and then drain and mash 'em all up with margarine, sea salt and soy milk. YUM. And I love that this stuffing tastes just like the stuff my mom makes (except it doesn't come out of the crotch of a dead bird).

Here she is! My Thanksgiving meal. I'm not a big wine drinker, but I felt like the holiday called for a little something special. :)

And here's what was happening alongside my table. Don't worry....I shared. :)

I loved my day of cooking, feasting and napping. But now I'm already focused on burning those calories off. Today was my first run since the marathon. My foot has been feeling much better, so I'm hoping I'm not pushing my luck. I guess I'll know tomorrow morning!

Who's ready for Christmas?! :)

Givin' Thanks, Ya'll

2010-11-24T20:24:00.000-05:00

On this Thanksgiving Eve, with my sweet potato pie in the oven and all the ingredients for tomorrow's cruelty-free feast out on the counter, I think I'll stop and reflect a bit on what I am thankful for...

My family
I love my family. I was blessed with smart, thoughtful, hard working, diligent and loving people in my gene pool. My parents would do anything for me. I know this, without a doubt. My brothers and sister are awesome -- I love that, even though we were raised in the same home and are only 5 yrs apart, we are four of the most unique individuals you'll ever meet. And though we share some personality traits (ie stubbornness) that can cause conflict, we somehow always find a way to get around it. No matter what happens in this life, I know I can always count on my family 110%. (Special shout-out to my sweet niece and my soon-to-be niece...who will arrive on Dec 1st!!)

My friends
I am so fortunate to know some of the greatest people this world has to offer. My friends come from all walks of life and all came into my life at various points -- elementary-high school, church, college, sorority, various jobs, animal advocacy, running, the gym, friend-of-friends -- but I cherish each and every relationship. My friends are spread out across the country (and some beyond), but even with those I only see once every couple of years, I always know once we start chatting, it's like we were never apart. And those that I see/talk to every week are the people who help me get through the daily struggles. I am so thankful.

My pets
I know, I know. I'm obsessed. But I *am* thankful they came into my life. No one can welcome me into my apartment like Jakers and Mabel. Every day, no matter what, they love me unconditionally. Having worked at PETA, I know what kind of suffering is out there for some animals -- so I am just so glad to be able to give these two a wonderful home.

My job
In this economy, not everyone is gainfully employed. I have been with my current advertising agency since January and each day realize more and more what a good job it is. My boss is great, my clients are interesting, the work is fun (for an advertising nerd like me, that is!) and I'm allowed a lot of independence to do my work. I can't say the same about previous jobs (ahem, see paragraph 3). When there are the little flaws in my work day, I remind myself how bad it can be - whether at a terrible workplace or even be without a job - and it makes me really glad I landed where I did. And getting a free iPad from a media rep this week ain't bad!! :)

Compassion Over Killing
I was asked to do an interview for COK this weekend, as part of their 15th-anniversary video. It really reminded me how crucial this organization has been in my life over the past 3 years. It was right around this time in 2007 when I saw their TV commercial and was prompted to go to their website and read about factory farming. From there, I went vegetarian, then learned about the 2008 "Their Lives, Our Voices" conference at the Univ of MN from their eNewsletter...and the next thing you know, I'm a hardcore vegan moving from MN to DC to work in animal advocacy! They do so much with so little and are changing peoples' lives every day. More importantly (well, to me), they are changing animals' lives every day. I wish I had discovered the vegan lifestyle 20 years earlier, but it's never too late to make the choice to go cruelty-free and I'm thankful for the knowledge and tools to make that change.

My health
I love running. And my latest injury has really reminded me how much I miss it when I can't run. Not everyone is healthy enough to run marathons and so I want to cherish every day that I can get out and clear my mind for that 3 mile (or 26 mile when I get back to it!) stretch. I also think my change to a vegan diet has really helped me become a healthier person, eating more veggies and grains and less cholesterol-filled meats and dairy.

I'm thankful for so many things, but I think that sums it up pretty nicely and covers the biggies. :) And while I'm spending my Thanksgiving without my family (I mean, besides Jakers and Mabes), it allows me some quiet time to reflect on all of my many blessings. I hope you are with those you love this holiday weekend (or if you're also flying solo -- THINKING of those you love), and enjoying your many blessings!

Told Ya So

2010-11-22T19:55:00.001-05:00

I was right all along. I do have plantar fasciitis in my right foot. I'm not happy about it, but I do think maybe I should be a doctor since I'm a champ at self-diagnosis. :)

I finally went to an orthopedist last Friday, after 3 weeks of NO running and no improvement in pain. He x-rayed my foot, but confirmed my prediction. And JAMMED A NEEDLE IN MY HEEL! He gave me a cortisone injection, which was painful, but worked miracles. For the next two days, I was totally pain-free. However, on day 3, I'm already seeing it fade a bit. I also need to buy a night splint to keep my foot flexed at night. That sounds super comfortable, right? *sigh* But with a few different tricks and some time off of running, I should be good as new soon!

But what a perfect weekend to be free of pain. One of my best friends was in town from Chicago and we saw everything DC has to offer! It was gorgeous weather and I finally got to some of the museums I had been meaning to get to since I moved here (namely, The National Archives and the National Portrait Gallery). Emily also opted to be vegan alongside me for the weekend, which made it extra fun!

I would say Saturday night was the highlight of the weekend. We met a couple of my faves from Syracuse (my friends and my sisters, mind you - Phi Sigma Sigma 4 life!) for dinner in Old Town Alexandria. And then we took over a bar until close. It was such a fun night. I haven't had an all-out crazy night like that in awhile, with my marathon training all summer.

NOW I'm fully focused on getting ready for Thanksgiving this Thursday. I love Thanksgiving, even though some people question my ritual. This is my second year of cooking a beautiful vegan feast for...me. :) I love my solo-holiday with no cruelty and just a relaxing day at home with Jakers and Mabel. I'll be with my family in MN for two weeks in December, so I enjoy the quiet time to reflect on what I'm thankful for...my way. I'll definitely post some pics and recipe later in the week!

Well, I Survived

2010-11-08T20:34:00.000-05:00

It took a week of recovery to build up to this blog post (or perhaps it's just laziness), but I can proudly tell you I completed the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon!!!!

It did not go as planned, but that's sort of the story of my life, right? I started out the morning meeting my brother and his friend and we took the Metro to the starting line. And by "starting line", I really mean "2 miles from the starting line". Apparently when 35,000 people are running a race, they want to spread you out by making you walk really far BEFORE running 26.2 miles. So we got off at the Pentagon Metro stop, as directed, then walked. And walked. All three of us were shooting for a 4:30ish time (4:28 is my PR, so I was REALLY wanting a 4:27 or faster). But I felt like we were running way too fast in those first 3 miles -- which happened to be very much uphill. By mile 7, I waved those guys on ahead and slowed down, but the damage was done. I hadn't run my own race, and now I was fried early on. I was taking walk breaks by mile 10 (I KNOW I can run 16 miles without walking, so what the heck was I doing!?). The story of my race was "mind over matter". I just could not help but take walking breaks, even though I was feeling pretty strong.
That said, I had a blast. I truly enjoyed it all -- all 5:27 (that's right, an hour past my goal) of it. It was a beautiful course, tons of great crowd support and so many Marines in uniform. :)
I am already thinking about the 2011 Chicago Marathon. Then maybe I'll retire my marathon shoes.

Here are a couple of pics from the day.

These are three of my wonderful friends (and sorority sisters!), Linda, Sonja and Kristen. They were out on the course all day. I was so thankful to have them!

This is at the finish line, I'm rocking my Compassion Over Killing t-shirt. I am SO happy I raised over my $2,620 goal with my marathon training.

This is from the professional photogs' site. So it;s only a proof - but I'm pretty sure I'll order this. Not many marathons that finish at such an incredible spot!

I'm really just so glad it's over. With my injury and SO MUCH time devoted to training this summer, I was just really ready to have this over with. I probably made myself more anxious than need-be, but it's been a few years since I've attempted the big 26.2!

Memory Lane: It's a Good Road

2010-10-20T10:14:00.000-04:00

I've been limping through a handful of runs each week. I basically started my marathon taper about 3 weeks early. I'm not entirely sure how detrimental that will be, come race day. But with this heel injury - which, as you may recall, I've self-diagnosed as plantar fasciitis - I've just not had a choice. I'm in such excruciating pain the morning after a run (even a 3-miler), that I need to take a day or two off between runs. My saving grace is that the pain goes away about a mile into my run, so I'll definitely be able to complete the marathon (barring any other unforeseen circumstances), but I don't even want to think about how much pain will be involved on Monday morning.

With the race a week and a half away, I wanted to step back and remind myself why I'm doing this. Yes, I fundraised $2,646.50 for Compassion Over Killing, so I'm certainly running for animals. I'm obsessed with this nonprofit and all they do for animals, so it's added incentive. But the fact of the matter is that you have to have a deeper desire, within, in order to force your body to go through that 26.2 mile fiasco. I find some real motivation in looking back at my previous marathons and remembering that, even though there was a lot of pain, discomfort and doubt throughout the course, the after-affects (effects? - I never know which one to use) are so, so, so worth it.

I ran the Twin Cities Marathon in 2005, with the support and inspiration of my running club, the MN RED. I found this group online and started running with them as a way to lose some weight and get in shape. They became great friends and inspired me to sign up for a (gulp) marathon. I trained with them and carbo-loaded with them and just had a great first experience with the feared 26.2.
Here's a picture from right at the finish line. One of my best friends from high school, Amanda, came out to cheer me on and we snapped a photo together:

Then in 2006, I again signed up for the TCM. Hey, why not - I'm a pro now! But I didn't train as well as I should have so had a pretty disapointing race time. But no matter what, I'm always just really proud to cross that finish line. My mom and dad came out to cheer me on and were waiting for me at the finish. My dad is not really a fan of my marathoning - he thinks it's dangerous. I explain that it's not dangerous when properly trained for and it's way more healthy than sitting in front of a TV not exercising. We agree to disagree. But, anyhow, I've always thought it was ironic that there is an ambulance in the background of the pic with Mom and Dad. :)

Then we come to 2008. I signed up for the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach to run with my brother while he was stationed there (in the Navy). It was his first marathon, so I thought I would show him the ropes. But in reality, he could have smoked me. Instead, he stayed with me, pushing me to keep up my pace and stay strong so that I could get my 4:30 goal. We finished in 4:28. I will always be thankful to him for being there for me. Literally. Here's a shot of Andy and me with my sister in-law on the beach after the race.

Moral of the story is that even though I know I'm going to have days when I question why I'm doing this. And around mile 17 (my nemesis) of the Marine Corps Marathon I'm probably going to curse myself for running another marathon. But looking at these pictures reminds me of the amazing feeling of acomplishment I experience when I achieve my goal. No, I'm never going to win a race. And no, I'm probably never going to qualify for the Boston Marathon. But those things don't matter. It's all about crossing the finish line with your head held high.

A Birthday Walk Down Memory Lane

2010-10-13T10:18:00.000-04:00

I got a card in the mail yesterday...addressed to Mabel Chaffee. My mom sent my cat, Mabel, a birthday card and a PetSmart gift card, just in time for my baby girl's 3rd birthday!! I love that my mom plays along and feeds into my unhealthy attachment to my pets. :)

I thought I'd do a quick blog post about the day I picked Mabel out from a litter of adorable kittens and brought her home.

So it was 3 years ago, and I had had Jakers for a little more than 4 months. I was still having guilt about leaving him alone all day when I was at work, knowing he had separation anxiety (aka my dog's a hot mess), so was thinking about heading back to the Humane Society to check out the kitten selection. Then, my friend from work, Jamie, mentioned that her sister found a cat and her litter of kittens - that appeared to be strays - in a barn in Farmington (a southern suburb of Mpls). This seemed like the perfect opportunity to find Jakers a sibling, so I asked her if I could take a peek at them before her sister brought them to a shelter, as the weather was getting colder. So I drove down and saw the cutest, hungriest (Jamie's sister was their only source of food, so they LOVED to see her!) litter of kittens imagineable.

After some heartbreaking decision making (I wanted to take them all), I decided on the little tuxedo kitten - those teeny white paws were just too cute to pass up. I also liked the idea of Jakers having a little sister. So we loaded her in the car and off we went!
The original introduction went pretty well. Jakers seemed to be interested in this strange little creature, and Mabel certainly wasn't shy.

Jakers continue to molest - er, I mean - get to know Mabel, still a bit wary.

I think he was nervous.
But eventually, everyone seemed to warm right up.

And Mabel made herself comfortable.

But just as she was at ease, I decided that she needed a bath - she wasn't exactly living in the cleanest of conditions when I found her. I tried to soften the blow with some food, but she was not amused.

But, in time, we fell right into place and formed a happy little family. I'm thankful everyday for my amazing pets -- I know people think I'm over the top with my comparisons to them as children, but I really do love them more than I can explain. I think you're either born a pet lover, or not. And I got my dad's genes when it comes to loving animals. For that, I'm grateful. :)Happy Birthday, Mabel!

Baked Potato Perfection

2010-10-11T19:28:00.000-04:00

Great weekend! I babysat for some of my favorite kids on Friday night - I have a standing babysitting gig to watch the two younger boys while Mom brings the oldest son to soccer practice. Saturday was a nice little morning run and a coffee date with someone I met on Match.com. I'm really enjoying meeting new people and getting out more, socially. So I'm glad I gave Match a shot!

On Saturday night I went to a bachelor/bachelorette party for the owner of my CrossFit gym and his fiance (who I know from the gym, as well). It was a surprise, so that made it even more exciting and we all hung out and enjoyed some food and drinks. Then the boys decided it would be a good idea to lay inside a giant tractor tire and "bowl" into a stack of giant empty water jugs. It was pure class. :)

Then on Sunday, I picked up my "nephew" Gus from doggy daycare to watch him until this morning, when I dropped him off at my brother's on my way to work. He's such a nice dog, but he is obsessed with Mabel, so when he's over, she basically lives in the cupboard over my fridge to stay just out of his reach. It's pathetic.

I've got a busy week ahead, with tonight being my only free night, so I decided to stay in, get some laundry done, make some chick pea salad sandwiches for the week and cheer the Vikings on to a win over the NY Jets. I made a really tasty baked potato for dinner - which kept me from ordering take-out. I found a way to bake them that makes them taste so good - the key is to not wrap it in tinfoil (Mom led me astray all these years). By coating the outside in olive oil and sea salt and leaving it uncovered, you end up with a crispy, salty outer shell. Delicious flavor!

The Perfect Baked Potato
1 or 2 whole potatoes (I used Yukon Gold, but any kind will work)
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
margarine
Tofutti sour cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 400-degrees, making sure that one of the racks is in the middle position of the oven. Scrub the potatoes, removing any knots/blemishes. Pat dry with a clean towel.

This part gets messy, but it works best to use your hands - drizzle some olive oil on the potato and rotate in your hands, rubbing it into the skin to coat thoroughly. Next, sprinkle the entire outside with sea salt - don't over do it, sea salt has a stronger flavor than table salt.

Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack - don't use a pan or cookie sheet. Set timer to 45-minutes, rotating once during baking to brown evenly. Check for doneness by inserting a fork - it should easily slide in and out.

I like to serve mine with margarine and Tofutti (vegan) sour cream. I put a small slit in the top of the potato then, using an oven mitt, squeeze the ends of the potato to open it up more. Then plop a dab of margarine and sour cream on top. No need for more salt - with the skin coated pre-baking, you'll taste plenty of salt as you eat. Tell me that's not the best baked potato ever! :)

Should have just gotten the Pita

2010-10-05T19:07:00.000-04:00

I've been kind of lazy lately and have been doing take-out for lunch WAY too often. So I decided to get motivated and stock up on produce in order to make my own salad everyday for lunch. I was thinking about saving money and eating healthy. Here's the thing, though. When I buy a veggie/hummus pita from The Perfect Pita (a restaurant in the bottom floor of my office building), it's about $6. My groceries for my at-home salads were over $30! So I'm not saving any money! That was annoying.

But I know that the salads I make at home are super healthy with lots of good stuff - healthy fats (avocado), protein (baked tofu and chickpeas) and lots of great veggies. And unlike the Whole Foods salad bar, I'm not paying by the pound. Sister likes her a big salad.

Plus, I bought the wrong kind of spinach. Instead of the baby spinach (which is convenient and ready for salads), I bought the spinach with the thick stems that need to be removed. Annoying. And the bag was HUGE. So in order to use up some of the spinach and the button mushrooms I bought - that weren't tasting so good in my salads - I came up with a new dish. Well, at least new to me. It's no sauteed kale :), but spinach is like its slightly less cool younger brother. This combo of flavors was delicious...and totally guilt-free. It would make a better side dish, but I made a full batch and turned it into my main course.

Sauteed Mushrooms & Spinach
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 package of button mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/2 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste
~1 lb of spinach, destemmed and torn into smaller pieces
vegan parmesean cheese (optional)

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large pot. Add mushrooms and onions and cook, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are soft and onions begin to brown (about 8-10 mins). Add garlic, salt and pepper, stir. Add spinach. It will wilt down as it cooks - saute, stirring occasionally until fully cooked down (about 5-8 mins). Top with parmesean cheese, if desired, and serve.

I'm with the Bride

2010-10-03T16:49:00.000-04:00

Busy lady!
I've had a hectic couple of weeks. Not only have I been doing a lot of babysitting (which I enjoy and makes me money, so no complaints!) and running, but I was also in Minnesota for 5 days for one of my friends' weddings. I was honored to stand up as a bridesmaid in Shannon and Ryan's wedding - alongside some of my other wonderful friends. I'm so thankful that I've maintained these friendships since high school - these girls have seen me at both my best and my worst....and stuck with me! :) Shannon made a beautiful bride and it was one of the most fun nights of my life. I'm just sad it's over!

As far as my running, things ain't lookin' as bright. I'm in A LOT of pain lately. I am fairly certain it's plantar fasciitis - so the swelling of the thick band of tissue (the plantar fascia) on the bottom of the foot. It's causing me pain in my arch, my heel, my knee -- just bad news. I tried taking a week off of running (which coincided with the wedding, when I knew my miles would be low anyhow) and it didn't seem to help at all. I still woke up every morning, barely being able to put weight on my right foot. And as soon as I started running again, same issues. The only positive thing about this particular injury, though, is once I get a mile or so into my run, the pain goes away and so I am fine during the run. It's after the run - esp the next morning - that is brutal. So I'm not worried about my ability to run 26.2, but my training is being tailored back a bit. It's always something, right?

I've been doing WAY too much take-out and frozen/boxed meals lately. So no new recipes to share. Although, I'm enjoying some homemade hummus in quesadillas as we speak. But since I didn't have pitas or roasted red peppers, I used flour tortillas and tomatoes. Always ways to make it work with whatever it is you have on hand!

Busy Redhead Seeks Perfection

2010-09-08T19:17:00.000-04:00

What a week. I've been busy. Between my full-time job, my babysitting jobs (currently babysitting regularly for 5 families!) and marathon training, I have very little free time. And that is usually spent reminding Jakers and Mabel that I still love them and haven't abandoned them entirely....oh and maintaining friendships!

Anyhow, I've decided that I need to find another activity to occupy my 6 minutes of free time each week. Enter: Match.com. I've been a single lady for a long time now. And I haven't done a lot of dating, because I have set my standards really high. Granted, boys have not been beating down my door, exactly...but I also think that I don't really put myself "out there". So this is a good way to meet people, get out and about and explore some of DC's hot spots. I joined a couple of weeks ago, and have been out on a handful of dates. So far, so good. It's definitely fun....just really hard to squeeze it into my schedule. A sister's gotta prioritize.

But, as I keep pointing out to friends and family, I'm really quite content being single, so I'm not about to lower my (very high) standards. If the "perfect" man doesn't come along, I'll just remain a single parent to the greatest cat and dog ever. :)

There's really no natural way to transition from dating to pasta, so let's just do this.
I made some FANTASTIC pasta tonight. The cupboard/fridge is getting bare - due to my low funds, because I had to drop $600 on car repairs this week. (Mom wants me to meet a nice Christian mechanic.) So I've gotta work with what I have on hand. I came across this recipe and thought it sounded promising. (Yes, I do usually have canned artichoke hearts on hand. Ha!) I actually didn't expect it to be THIS good. But it was a delicious dinner and will make for an equally delicious lunch tomorrow!

Creamy Artichoke Penne
1/4 cup margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (I used 1 1/2 c boiling water and dissolved a vegetable bullion cube in it)
1/2 cup soy milk (I used almond milk)
juice from one lemon or 2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
~16 oz penne pasta (or whatever you have on hand)
Get pasta cooking in large pot.
While the pasta is cooking, simmer the margarine, flour and and veg broth in a large saucepan until it thickens, forming a roux. Continue stirring well with a whisk, so it doesn't clump. If the mixture does not thicken, turn up the heat and add more flour.
Add remaining ingredients (except for pasta) turn heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing flavors to blend.

Drain pasta when done cooking, toss with sauce and enjoy!

This is why I don't Stop to Smell the Roses

2010-09-06T16:40:00.000-04:00

I was so excited for the gorgeous weather this long, Labor Day weekend. I was anxious to turn off the AC and open up the apartment to bring in some fresh air and allow Jakers and Mabel to get to smell the outside smells. (They love just chillin' in front of the open windows. Easily amused.)

So this morning, I bust out the vacuum cleaner and suck up all the cobwebs and random dead bugs that accumulated in between the screen and window over the summer. And off goes the AC! It was lovely for aboooooout 15 minutes. That's when the excessive pollen count slapped me across the face. I tried to suck it up for a few hours, but have since closed up the apartment again and am trying to keep my upper-respiratory system from shutting down.

I just don't know if non-allergy sufferers understand it. You know that feeling in your face the SECOND before you sneeze? Yeah - I feel like that all the time. My face is tingly, my eyes are watering and puffy and I can't stop blowing my nose. And this is all happening while I'm on a daily allergy med. Can you imagine if I DIDN'T take meds already?? Oy vey.

Anyhow, I was thinking about doing take-out for dinner, but I think we'll just stay safe & sound indoors now. I think I have the ingredients for a salad that I really love. I got the recipe from my Aunt Carlotta (famous for her pick les). She makes this salad at a lot of family get-togethers and I just love it! And it happens to be vegan...yay!

FUMI SALAD

dressing

4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
1 c vegetable oil
6 Tbsp white or apple cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients with a whisk and set aside.

salad

1 head cabbage, shredded (or you can buy the already-chopped bagged cabbage)
8 Tbsp slivered almonds
8 Tbsp sesame seeds
8 Tbsp chopped green onion
1 pkg. Ramen noodles (crush in bag)

Brown sesame seeds and almonds in a little bit of margarine on the stove. Combine cabbage and green onions in large bowl. Just before serving, add sesame seeds, almonds and crushed Ramen noodles and toss. Coat with dressing and serve.

Now...whose going to take Jakers for his evening walk??? Oh. Guess that will be me. *sigh* Thus is the life of a single parent. :)

This is Cheaper than Therapy

2010-09-03T20:46:00.000-04:00

Let's start this post with my acknowledgment of my hoarding tendencies. I know that my genetics (cough*cough*DAD*cough*cough) have burdened me with a strong desire to save/hoard things. However, I am aware of this and therefore am able to fight against this desire. Plus, I have a 1-bedroom apartment and am limited on how much I can save before the clutter is visible - which is where my OCD steps in. I don't like clutter. (Should I be seeing a psychologist for all this?) :)

Anyhow, so I was hanging out with my friend, Kristen, tonight and she told me that since marrying her husband last year, they have had three sets of dishes - his set pre-marriage, her set pre-marriage and the set they registered for together. So she was wondering if I wanted her old set.
Now, if you've noticed, my current dishes aren't exactly the most trendy. Going back to my genetics/hoarding - my dad bought these years ago at a garage sale or an estate auction and when it came time for me to move out on my own, he just happened to have a full set of dishes in his shed. Win/win - I get free dishes, Dad can purge some belongings.

I can't even really tell you what's going on with this pattern. It *appears* to be a couple of birds who want to make-out, but that random, floating crown is getting in their way. I mean, clearly they're in love. (Note the giant heart.)

So I've accepted Kristen's offer and have taken in her much trendier/fun dishes.

But the weird thing is, I don't know if I can part with my old dishes! I'm really attached to them. But why?! I mean, I think they're very "quaint" and cozy...but I think I'm the only one.

Let me share another (very exciting) dish-related story:
For Christmas several years ago, my sister bought me 4 place settings of some really nice Pier One dishes. I ended up returning them, which infuriated her. And still, to this day, bothers her. But there is a twofold reason for my decision to return them. (1) I want more than 4 bowls and 4 plates, but I didn't want to spend the money on buying the rest of the place settings and (2) I didn't need dishes. There's nothing *wrong* with mine. She reminded me of how ugly my current dishes were, and I felt really defensive and protective of them. Weird, right? But that's just the way it is.

So, for now. I hoard dishes. But I thought I should start including the new fellas in blog pics, so you'll see their debut below, accompanied by the best cookie recipe you'll ever have. This is my veganized version of my mom's cookies. Just baking a batch makes me feel closer to home. :) Mom really is the best cook ever...and I love how these cookies are so chewy and delicious.

Mom's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/4 c margarine
1/4 c shortening
6 Tbsp granulated sugar
6 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Ener-G Egg Replacer equivalent of 1 egg
3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c oatmeal
6 oz (half pkg) of vegan choc chips

Blend margarine, shortening, sugars and vanilla. Stir in Ener-G egg replacer. Add flour, soda, salt and mix well. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet (I use my baking stones).
Bake in preheated oven at 375-degrees for 10-12 minutes or until brown.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

My Own Kind

2010-08-24T21:18:00.000-04:00

I had SUCH a great night tonight! I met up with five friends who I worked with at PETA. It's been nearly a year since I left, and I hadn't seen some of them since. So it was great that we were all able to get together (minus one friend, who couldn't make it at the last minute). And we tried out this great restaurant in NW DC called Everlasting Life Cafe. I know, I know. A pretty terrible name, but it's an all-vegan restaurant that serves some of the best food I've ever had. I had the shepherd's pie with a side of cabbage and mac 'n cheese and a piece of cornbread. ALL VEGAN. So amazing. I have leftovers that I'm *hoping* to save for lunch tomorrow, but they just might be calling my name now...
It's just so great to spend time with like-minded people. I obviously love all my friends and family, but there's something about sitting around a table with fellow vegans/animal advocates that just warms my heart. We don't have to explain it to one another - we just get it.
We're hoping to do dinners once a month - just a regular date that we can all get together and catch up. Waiting for an annual get together is just too long! :)

Anyhow, speaking of vegan deliciousness...I tried a new recipe this weekend. My high school friends have referenced a recipe that one of the girls' mom's makes - these breadballs. I was skeptical, but they all swore these were so tasty. So Emily emailed us the recipe to make these meat-and-cheese-filled dough balls. And my first thought was, 'I can veganize this!' And so I did. I present to you....Sharon's Famous Breadballs!! (Sharon named them herself.) :)

SHARON'S FAMOUS BREADBALLS

-One loaf frozen bread dough

-One package seitan

-One package Daiya Vegan Cheese

-1/4 cup vegan margarine

-1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Thaw frozen bread dough (it doesn't have to raise, just be thawed). Cut it into 32 pieces. Cut the seitan into 32 small chunks (about 1/2" squares). Pour the cheese into a bowl (for easier access - you won't use the whole bag up). Melt the margarine on a plate and stir the garlic powder into it.

Take a piece of dough and kind of flatten it out. Set a pinch of cheese on the dough and top with a chunk of seitan and wrap dough around the seitan/cheese and pinch it shut. It forms a kind of a ball. Roll the ball in the margarine/garlic powder mixture. Repeat with each piece of dough

Place the balls in a casserole dish or even a 9" inch glass pie plate works well. You want them touching each other.

Let them rise for 2 hours. (Turn the oven on to the lowest possible temperature while making the balls. Then I turn it off, set the casserole inside the oven and also put in a separate bowl of water.)

Bake at 350, for 20-25 minutes, until they start to brown.
Pull off chunks of filled dough and devour. Enjoy hot or cold - always delicious!

Perspective and Pickles

2010-08-22T17:01:00.000-04:00

I decided to be ambitious this weekend. I had a pretty lengthy to-do list which started bright and early on Saturday - with a 14-mile run.

I took off from my apartment and headed around the Iwo Jima Memorial, down past Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River, around the Lincoln Memorial, alongside the Reflection Pond, past the WWII Memorial and the Washington Monument and then turned around at the Smithsonian Castle. INCREDIBLE. There is no better city for your long run...I am telling you. Just breathtaking. And I love watching the reaction of the tourists who are seeing this incredible sights for the first time. It's a great distraction from the monotony of running for 2+ hours.
The best part of my run was on my way back home -- I was at about mile 8 -- and starting to feel tired and had a dull ache in my back. I looked over at the WWII Memorial and noticed some people escorting about 100 WWII vets out onto the memorial for a photo. The volunteers helping to wheel/guide the veterans out kept saying "thank you for your service" and several of the old men were wiping tears from their eyes. I had to stop and watch. Wow, was this moving. And it really put my complaints in perspective. After paying my respects and witnessing this moving sight, I continued on and had a really great run, and was able to reflect on all the blessings of my life that I take for granted. I think living in DC has given me a new-found respect for those who serve in the military.

So after a morning run and an afternoon at the Arlington County Fair with the kids I babysit for, I had a lot left on my to-do list today. Including -- wait for it -- canning my own pickles!

My Aunt Carlotta makes some killer dill pickles. I have many fond memories of sleepovers with my cousin, Chrissy, that involved us polishing off a jar or two of homemade pickles. :) My aunt is one of the best cooks I know -- she's the one who turned me on to the wonders of rice pudding, if you recall.
Since I don't live in Minnesota, mooching jars of pickles off of Aunt Yiya is more challenging. So I decided just to mooch her recipe and can my own. I drove all over Virginia, DC and Maryland, looking for supplies this morning, and when I got home made my first batch. It's kind of labor intensive, but I think it's well worth it. I just have to wait 6-weeks to try them and see if they turned out! Recipe and pictures below. :)

Aunt Carlotta’s Dill Pickles

(Makes about 3 quarts)

· Small pickling cucumbers

· 2 cups water

· 2 cups vinegar

· 6 Tbsp canning salt

· 3-6 garlic cloves, peeled

· 3 Tbsp dill seed

· 1 bundle of fresh dill

Fill jars with the cucumbers. Bring water, vinegar and salt to boil. Pour in jars*, filling to one-inch from top. Put 1 Tbsp dill seeds and 1-2 cloves of garlic and a couple of piece of dill in each jar. Put lids on and wait for them to seal (you'll hear a pop).

*Make sure the jars are clean and hot. (I kept mine turned upside down in a cake pan with an inch of water on the stove and boil the water while I'm putting the cucumbers in the jars.)

It’s easiest to do it in small batches like this. I did 12 quarts, so had all my ingredients ready to go and then did 3 quarts/jars at a time.

For the record, I bought the jars and canning salt from Wal-Mart, the cucumbers from a farmers market and rest from the grocery store. I looked at a co-op for bulk dill seeds, but couldn't find them. So I bought 5 of the small McCormick spice jars of them. Next time, I'll plan ahead and buy the dill seeds online, since they're tough to find!
Also, the cucumbers I got are pretty big, so I put 4 or 5 whole cucs in each jar, then sliced some up in quarters and slid a few spears in each jar, as well. We'll see how that turns out (my aunt usually only makes whole pickles).

Overhaulin'

2010-08-18T18:13:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I'm guessing you (all 3 of my followers) noticed my new layout for the blog. You like? I needed to change it to freshen it up a bit. It still looks like a BlogSpot blog, but what can ya do?

I'm apparently on a renovation kick, because I also made a huge change - which was referenced in my previous post - and dyed my hair red. I've been blonde forever. I was a real blondie as a kid, then as I got older became a dark blonde. So I've been getting highlights added in for the past 10 years. I've always wanted to go red, since I have some red tones in my natural hair color. And with my freckles and pasty white skin, I figured I could really pull off the ginger look. The problem, though, is that when I've done some red highlights in the past, they fade really fast. Every hair stylist has told me that red won't stick - it will always fade. But *that's* just with chemical color.

Enter: Lush's henna hair dye.

Lush is a fabulous store that carries all-natural hair and body products. A lot (most?) of their products are vegan, too, so that's a bonus. This henna hair dye is completely natural. No harsh chemicals on your hair (therefore soaking into your body). And I could go red with the "Caca Rouge" henna. The names of these products could use some work, huh?

I showed up to Lush in the Tyson's Corner Mall after work one day, pretty sure I wanted to go red. But with henna, it sort of reacts to everyone's hair differently, so it was hard to know exactly how this would turn out. Especially since the ends of my hair were chemically treated (there were a lot of roots happening, too), so they could turn REALLY red. I wanted a Marcia Cross red. So I went to Lush and talked it over for literally an hour with the three girls working that day. In the end, one last phone call to my personal consultant (sister) who said "Why not? Go for it!" and I was sold.

We went with 4 blocks of the caca rouge and 2 blocks of the ca ca marron. So the red henna, plus the auburn henna would hopefully prevent a kool-aid hair look. They mix it up and apply it for you in-store. And by "in-store", I mean they pull up a stool from the Sunglasses Hut and set me on some newspapers in the mall hallway with garbage bags wrapped around me with a chip-clip holding them on. AWKWARD. Oh, and the consistency and color of the stuff is literally IDENTICAL to that of goose poop. I know this, because I grew up on a hobby farm and had a special pair of "barn shoes" whose sole purpose was to allow me to walk through the slimy green goose poop without tracking it into the house.

Let's document the journey in pictures, shall we?

Here is me right before we started (sigh, I do like my blonde tresses):

Here we are as Evan, the store manager, applies the henna (aka goose poop):

Here is me in my car. AFTER I'd walked through the mall and Macy's to get to the parking lot. And YES, that is saran wrap helping to secure my goose-poop-coated hair to my head and a towel catching the dripping goose poop.

And here is me the next night. Drinking WAY TOO MUCH at The Refuge (a bar) in Minneapolis as a red head:

All's well that ends well, right? I really do love it. The 6 hours that I had to sit on my couch and let the henna work wasn't a highlight of the process (no pun intended), but it was worth it to avoid chemicals and get to that ginger look I was going for!

Like Mother, Like Son. Wait....no.

2010-08-12T16:07:00.000-04:00

I just have to share these pictures, because weeks later, they continue to make me laugh outloud.

I flew to Minnesota a couple of weeks ago for one of my high school friends' bachelorette party. I was able to see a lot of people who I haven't seen much since my move out east. It was a great weekend, filled with lots of friends. Here, let's take a look at some of the pictures.

I spent Thursday night going out in downtown Minneapolis with friends from my former ad agency, Carmichael Lynch:

And then I spent all day Saturday with my niece, Charlotte, my mom and my sister (ain't she precious!?):

Then Saturday night was the super fun bachelorette party with some of my favorite high school girlfriends:

Jakers - as with most weekends I'm traveling - spent his time at doggy daycare. I LOVE the place I take him. It's called Dog Paws 'n Cat Claws University (I mean, it's like going off to college -- weeeee!). They treat the dogs so well, he doesn't have to be crated at night, there are lots of staff to give the dogs love AND they get daily walks - which a lot of daycares don't offer or charge extra for. So he really is in a great place. And there are tons of dogs there, so a *normal* dog would have a blast making friends and playing with companions. Here are some pics from their Facebook page of my bundle of joy LIVING IT UP at daycare.

I call this first one "where's the party at?":

Then you have him, clearly seeking out some fun activities with the group:

And finally, making the fellow dogs feel loved and welcomed:

My sister thinks he acts this way to make me feel guilty. Which would be really clever for a canine, right? And it works. But I gotta say, it's not very much fun comparing photo albums after my weekends away.

Thus is the life of a single pet parent...

(Oh yeah, and as you can see, I dyed my hair red! I'll talk more about that in a later post!)

No Stress Fractures in my Confidence

2010-08-09T19:41:00.000-04:00

Oy vey. My marathon training was going beautifully:
My mileage was increasing gently, but significantly each week.
My knees, shins and ankles - which usually start to bother me when my mileage gets higher - were all feeling strong.
I was coping well with the heat, but when there were heat advisories, I'd transition to the treadmill in my (FREE!) apartment gym.

I mean, too good to be true. And then it happened...I'm fairly certain I have a stress fracture. DUN DUN DUUUUUUN. :(

I've had stress fractures in my foot twice before. But by the time I get the doctor's office for x-rays, they've already started to heal, and their only advice is to rest. So I've skipped the doctors and the x-rays altogether and self diagnosed. I was tempted to try and keep powering through the pain, but one of my friends (who is also a marathoner) reminded me it will be easier to rest now than rest later, when my mileage is higher. So I took the last week off. My foot still hurts when I walk, but definitely is feeling better.

But BEFORE my rest - last Tuesday - I ran a small 5k race that took place in a park near my apartment. It was a random weekday evening, my foot was hurting, I was over-tired. Everything was working against me. But I had told a friend I would be there to run this with her. And guess what?? I ran a 25:18 5k!!!! That's 8:08/mile pace!! Out of control. I cannot believe I can run that fast. My previous PR was around 30:00. It shows that hard work pays off.
And as an added bonus, I just happened to step on the scale last week and I'm down 8 lbs since I last weighed myself. SHUT UP!

So while I've had little-to-no social life, go to bed at 8pm on the weekends and spend my mornings soaked in sweat, plugging away on the roads -- it's all paying off. I feel great, I'm really proud of myself and I know this marathon is going to be my best ever.
Fingers crossed my foot starts to feel better soon!!

Oh, You're Here Too?

2010-07-19T19:19:00.000-04:00

Wow - long time, no post! But I have some great excuses. For one, I'm still training like a mad woman for my marathon. 15 weeks to go!!! I'm trying to still get to CrossFit at least twice a week, as well. I think that combo will make for a very successful marathon in October!
I also just completed party planning for my mom's surprise 60th birthday party -- my brother flew in (to MN) from LA and I flew in from DC and along with 70 of my mom's friends and family, created one big surprise for Mom! :) So I was planning that for the past couple of months from afar. (Well worth the effort for a successful party, though!) I also am on my 10-year high school reunion planning committee. I, unfortunately, can't attend this August, but have been happy to help with the planning and tracking down folks' contact info. On top of that, I've been babysitting more than ever. I have 5 families now that I am babysitting regularly for.

So you can't blame me for not being on top of the blog, right? I'm feeling great, though. I have to stop and remind myself how lucky I am every so often. I'm at my happiest when I'm busy, so I'm in my glory days. :)

One thing I want to share with you is my secret for a power breakfast. I decided to do my marathon training in the mornings. It's just too darn hot here to run later in the day, so I get up between 5:30 and 6:00 each morening and run 3-5 miles before work. On the weekends, I still get up as close to 6:00am as I can and get my run in early. Sunday is my long run day - so especially important to get the party started early. After every run, I make this super easy oatmeal. It's easy peasy - no need for a "recipe".
I slice up one banana and put it in the bottom of the bowl. Then I prepare one serving of "quick oats" oatmeal (cooks in 1 min) - it's 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of oats. I pour the hot oatmeal right on top of the banana and top it with a handful of blueberries and a dash of rice milk. YUM.

Here's why it's good:
Oatmeal naturally lowers cholesterol, plus it's high in fiber, keeping you full all morning (among other health benefits). Bananas are loaded with potassium and (again) fiber. They also help aid your digestive system while promoting kidney health. The sweetness and texture of the bananas pairs perfectly with the oatmeal. Blueberries are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, yet are low in calories. Great for your eyes, brain, digestive system AND has shown to help prevent ovarian cancer. And the tartness pairs wonderfully with the banana's sweetness. Give it a try - the worst thing you can do after a workout is load your body with high sugar, unhealthy cold cereal, so devote an extra minute or two and fix up a toasty bowl of oatmeal!

Pizza Makes me Run Faster

2010-05-31T19:30:00.000-04:00

Marathon training began today! I'm 22 weeks out, and ready to get the party started. I picked a pretty terrible day to sleep in, though, since by the time I hit the road for a 5-mile run, it was close to 90-degrees and a humidity level of ridiculous (that's a technical term). But it's Memorial Day and the last day of a 3-day weekend...no need to get up too early, right?

I've been craving comfort food this weekend, and gave in to some temptations. The "recipe" (not too complicated - one might be able to figure that out on their own!) below is something my mom used to make for us. It's such a typical Midwestern meal -- kind of cheesy, but the kids love it. I'm still a kid at heart, though, so decided it was totally socially acceptable to fix for dinner tonight. :) That, paired with some waffles for breakfast (using my pancake recipe), it's been a carb-o-licious day. So the calories burned on that brutal run are much-needed!

English Muffin Pizzas

English Muffins, sliced in half
1-2 veggie dogs (sliced into small, "sausage-like" pieces)
Bottle of pizza sauce
Small can of mushrooms
Daiya vegan shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Slice english muffins in half. Spread pizza sauce over each half. Next, portion out veggie dog slices and canned mushrooms (any other pizza ingredients you want!) and place on top of each english muffin. Finally, top with a handful of shredded Daiya. Place in oven for about 10-minutes, then move to broiler for ~2 minutes, to melt and brown cheese.

The Best of Both Worlds

2010-05-22T17:45:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty stoked for tomorrow - I'm running the Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary's "Run for the Animals 5k". Last year, I was the captain of Team PETA for this race. This year, I'm running as a member of Team COK. All of the funds raised go to support the rescued animals living on the farm. But not only is a great fundraising event, but it also is just a really fun time. A lot of people coming together to share their passion for animals. And afterwards, there are various awards given out for the fastest finishers, highest fundraisers, fastest team, etc. and tons of great food - including Sticky Fingers desserts!

So in anticipation of binging on sweets tomorrow, I wanted to get some veggies in tonight. I recently came across this great recipe for -- wait for it -- KALE CHIPS! My favorite food combined with a salty snack?! YES, PLEASE! I found this recipe on the same website on which I found the delicious biscuits recipe that I posted recently, called Savvy Abby. I used some of the comments on the original blog post to tweak my recipe a bit and I think it was a success. These chips are crispy and salty, just like potato chips, but made from kale...so much healthier - and baked, not fried. And with the vinegar, it gives it a taste similar to salt & vinegar chips. YUM, right? :) You can also use less salt if you want to watch your sodium intake. Enjoy!

Kale Chips
1 large bunches kale, washed and de-stemmed
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop or tear kale into chip-size pieces. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix to coat.

Spread kale onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until crispy (kale will wilt down.) Serve immediately.

Concrete Jungle where Dreams are Made of...

2010-05-20T21:30:00.000-04:00

I spent this past weekend with friends in New York City. I had such a great time!
I took the BoltBus from DC to Manhattan on Friday afternoon ($40 round-trip!), where I met a good high school friend (who now lives in Chicago). Then we took the subway over to Brooklyn, where we stayed with one of my college/sorority friends & her roomie for the weekend. She lives in Prospect Heights (just north of Prospect Park -- the Central Park of BK). Her neighborhood is adorable! On Friday night we wandered a few blocks away for a delicious Thai dinner. I experienced a new favorite dessert - coconut sticky rice with fresh mango. YUM.

Then we spent Saturday afternoon with another high school friend who now lives in Manhattan - we ate lunch at Grimaldi's Pizzeria (under the Brooklyn Bridge), then walked across the bridge to spend the afternoon wandering and shopping in SoHo and the East Village. Such a gorgeous day out, too (which translates to: "pasty white kid got sunburned"). Oh! And we found this little vegan bakery in the Village where we stopped at to get some sweets. I love patronizing cute little local businesses.
Saturday night back in Brooklyn, we ordered the best Mexican take-out I've ever had from a local restaurant. Then we went out to a few bars in the neighborhood for drinks.

Such a fun time spent with good friends. I hope I never take for granted all the amazing friends God has blessed me with. I've always been someone who tries to keep in touch with EVERYONE, but it can sometimes be hard to do. I think it's definitely worth the effort. Friends make every life experience that much sweeter and adds so much more to my everyday life.
Alright, enough of the mushiness, huh?

Working on some new recipes this coming weekend, so I'll get to posting those soon!

PS Yesterday (5/19) was Jakers' 8th birthday and the 3-year anniversary of his adoption. (Obviously I don't know his real bday, so we just lump them all together.) I also don't ever want to take for granted such a great dog. I can't imagine what my life would be like had I not walked into the local humane society shelter that day.

Classiest of Taste Buds

2010-05-11T19:51:00.000-04:00

Fundraising is going well! I've already raised over $1,800!!! I am so grateful for my family and friends - such generous and loving people. I cannot wait to run the Marine Corps Marathon this fall, knowing that I have been supported by so many people who also care so much about animals. Or they just want me to stop mooching - either way, the animals win! :)

Anywho - I have some other fun happenings in my life. My brother, who was a 4-time Jeopardy! champ last December (winning nearly $92,000) appeared on the Tournament of Champions this week! He unfortunately lost in the first round, but I was absolutely bursting with pride. I like to say he got the brains, I got the looks. :) (We won't get into what the other two siblings got. Ha!) So I needed to give him a shout-out on my blog. Because I think we all know you ain't nobody, 'til you've been mentioned on Eat Your Kale. Can I get an 'amen'?

I've got a new recipe to share! Because I had scheduled a last-minute blood donation last weekend (givelife.org - do it NOW!), I wanted to eat something very rich in iron, to ensure I would be able to donate. In case you're not aware, before donating, they test your hemoglobin to be sure you have enough iron in your blood. I looked through my cupboard and discovered that black beans are a really good source of iron! I immediately thought about how much I love the rice and beans that Chili's restaurants serves. (Sad, but true. I'm a chain restaurant kind of girl.) So decided to try and recreate those. I did some Googling and created my own beans creation and it was SO GOOD. As for the rice, I just prepared some Rice-A-Roni Rice Pilaf. I loooove this stuff and it was a cheap, easy and guaranteed tasty rice to pair with my beans.

Recreation of Chili's Black Beans Side Dish
1 can of black beans, drained but leave a little liquid with the beans
1 can Rotelle (or any brand of diced tomatoes w/ peppers), drained
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in pot or sauce pan and let simmer for 25 minutes. Pair with any rice side (I like Rice A Roni!).

Early Launch on the Blog

2010-04-29T21:20:00.000-04:00

OK, so maybe this isn't so exciting because (a) I have very few readers on my blog and (b) the news isn't THAT exciting, but it's the first I'm speaking of it....

I'm aiming to raise $2,600 for my favorite nonprofit, Compassion Over Killing, through my 2010 Marine Corps Marathon training!!

Check it out:

http://www.firstgiving.com/beckychaffee

I'm going to start soliciting donations tomorrow, and I'm really hoping some friends and family can support me with $26.20 donations. I'm really excited to combine two of my passions - running and animals. I've always liked fundraising for causes I care about, and this is a biggie!

Never a Dull Moment

2010-04-19T18:31:00.000-04:00

April is a crazy busy month for me. Vegas was A BLAST. I survived the bathing suit. :) Then this past weekend I flew to Minnesota for my niece's 2nd birthday party - which was also A BLAST...in a different sort of way. This coming weekend, my mom and sister are flying out to stay with me. So much going on! And with that, I haven't been grocery shopping because I can't stand to throw out produce, but I can't get through an entire bag of spinach or an entire bunch of broccoli in under a week. So, I'm making due with what I have in the house already.

Tonight I'm waiting for my roasted potatoes to come out of the oven while enjoying some delicious biscuits. I found these biscuits on another blog, through VegNews - a great magazine. They are super duper simple - I made them, start to finish, in under 15 minutes. They remind me of KFC biscuits, which I loved as a kid. I now realize KFC is an evil empire, so am glad to find a vegan and delicious replacement for their goods! Give 'em a try - they're a great supplement to any meal or a stand-alone snack! Besides, now that Vegas is out of the way, we don't have to be quite as stressed about carbs, guys. :)

5 Ingredient Biscuits

1-2/3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup non-dairy milk

1/3 cup oil

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add milk and oil, and mix until just combined.
With a 1/4-cup measuring cup, ice-cream scoop, or your clean hands, drop dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.
Top with non-hydrogenated margarine, syrup, jam, peanut butter, gravy, or anything else that you could possibly put on bread. Devour!

Check out the Savvy Abby blog for some fun twists -- I can wait to try the garlic/cheese version of them!

What Happens with Arugula, Stays with Arugula

2010-04-08T23:57:00.000-04:00

This is it! Off to Vegas tomorrow. And although my CrossFitting and dieting has definitely shown some results, I'm still not quite ready to slip into a bathing suit. Too bad, 'cuz it's gotta happen. I bought a couple of new tankinis, so I think we can keep things decent. :)

I do want to share a new favorite salad recipe before I head out for the weekend Just in case you're under the gun to fit into a bathing suit amongst 15 of your skinny friends. Not that I'm bitter - I'm happy to be the chubby friend. Really. *sigh* :)
Anyhow, I made this several times last week. I got the recipe from this month's issue of Vegetarian Times. Sounds like some sexy reading, eh? In all seriousness, I'm a huge fan of this magazine. It's the only subscription I'm still willing to pay for these days. I always get at least one recipe that I love from each issue. And there are lots of ideas and health tips.

What drew me to this recipe is the artichokes. I LOVE artichokes. The canned ones (used in this recipe) are tasty, but even better are fresh, steamed artichokes. If you've never made them before - do it! Or at least order it from a restaurant and have them prepare it for you. :)
If you haven't worked arugula into salads before, you may not expect the strong, peppery flavor. But I think it adds a perfect contrast to the salty kalamata olives and sweet vinaigrette here.

Sliced Artichoke and Baby Arugula Salad

Vinaigrette
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. aged balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
Salad
8 cups baby arugula leaves
8 oil-packed artichoke hearts, drained, patted dry, and cut in 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
4 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (I used green onions)
1. To make Vinaigrette: Whisk together oil, vinegar, and garlic in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
2. To make Salad: Toss together arugula, artichoke hearts, olives, and Vinaigrette. Top with tomatoes and chives. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serves 8

Not Quite Bill Gates

2010-03-31T20:36:00.000-04:00

I got a new cell phone yesterday. I intended to post this blog last night, but instead I spent about 4 hours playing with my new smart phone. I researched this for months, and ended up staying with Verizon Wireless and going with the Android ERIS. It's SO COOL. I thought my BlackBerry Pearl did a lot, but it ain't got nothin' on this ERIS!

My favorite feature, thus far, is that you can use voice recognition for search. So I can select Google search, then just say (for example) "eat your kale" and it finds my blog. (Also exciting to see my blog in search results...although, can't imagine many people are searching for "eat your kale"!)

But before I opened the packaging on this exciting phone last night, I first made a delicious dinner. I found this recipe in my latest issue of "Vegetarian Times" (my fave magazine ever). I was really excited to make my own, homemade hummus - and in this recipe, it creates a hearty filling so that you might not even miss the cheese! (I think it would be esp tasty topped with some guacamole!)

Pita Quesadillas with Cilantro Hummus

Hummus
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
15 oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
Quesadillas
4 whole wheat pitas, split crosswise
4 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced into strips
1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
Make hummus: In a food processor, combine cilantro and garlic and blend until chopped. Add chickpeas, lime juice, olive oil and 1/4 cup water. Puree 3 mins, or until smooth.

Make quesadillas: Place 4 pita halves on baking sheet. Spread about 1/2 cup hummus on each. Top with red peppers, spinach and remaining pita halves.
Bake 10 minutes or until crisp. Cut into triangles and serve.

Migraines: God's Way of Reminding us He's in Charge

2010-03-29T21:19:00.000-04:00

Oy vey! After 13 years of being migraine-free, joke's on me - they're baaa-aaaaack. I had a really rough week last week, dealing with a severe migraine. It hit me on my way home from CrossFit on Tuesday night. It started, as they typically did back in the 90's when I used to get them so often, with tunnel vision. Then before the headache even set in, I had a really weird symptom. My cognitive thinking went haywire. I couldn't comprehend/read simple things. It was scary - I called my mom to tell her I thought I was having a stroke (can you be aware of a stroke?). And some of the things she was saying were not clicking in my brain, only making me panic more.

I went to the doctor the next day, who immediately sent me to the hospital for a CT scan (in turn, scaring me to death). That came back clear, but she still referred me to a neurologist, who I saw on Friday. He basically said it was part of the migraine, although he was surprised that my comprehension was impacted so much. He gave me a painkiller prescrip for next time one starts to hit, but let's just all pray that I NEVER get another one. Ever. Never.

Anyhow, cooking was kept to a minimum last week, but I do want to share a fun secret that I learned recently. Well, "fun" and "secret" are relative terms, but do with it what you will.

Did you know that you can save the bottom of the green onion and drop it in water and it will regrow?! I've been so happy to learn this, because - let's be honest - every penny counts these days. So I haven't bought green onions (a standard in my daily lunch salads) for weeks!

PS Just beware of any cats in the house. I've come home to green onions and water all over my floor on more than one occasion.

Spicin' Things Up

2010-03-18T20:53:00.000-04:00

I have had a hectic week. It's all I can do to get home from CrossFit, throw together some dinner and stumble to bed. But a coworker had passed along a chili recipe last week that I really wanted to try. So tonight I decided to make time for it. Even though a 9:00 dinner is not ideal, it was worth the wait for this delicious chili! I had never used the chili peppers in adobo sauce, but they use them on Food Network all the time, so I felt like a pro. :) My coworker said he put the entire can -sauce and all - in a food processor and used that in this recipe. I sort of wiped the sauce off the peppers and chopped just those up, since I can't handle too much spice. I'm a Minnesotan -- ketchup is spicy to me. :)
**Edit to the above - my coworker used 2 cans(!) of chilis in adobo sauce! He thinks the sauce doesn't really add much spice, but rather more sweet...so it was dumb of me to try and keep that out. :)

Even if you're not vegan, I would encourage you to try this recipe. It's easy - beyond chopping a couple things up, it's just opening some cans and dumping it. It's also very hearty and filling. You don't miss the animal cruelty - er, I mean meat.

Note: My favorite thing about this picture is the personalized SpaghettiOs Spoon! My mom ordered those for my brother and I off of the SpaghettiOs can when we were little. I still love it.

Spicy Vegan Chili

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 onion, minced
5 tsp minced garlic
2 cans black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 small can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (use half the can for less spice)
2 bottles dark beer (I used Yuengling Black & Tan)
1/2 - 1 tsp each: cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper (season to taste - these are adjustable)
Heat olive oil in large pot or dutch oven (4qt or larger) over medium heat, add pepper, onion and garlic and saute until soft (~5 mins). Add in everything else and bring to a simmer (over med heat). Continue to simmer and stir frequently for 45-60 minutes, until liquid reduces and it reaches a good "chili like" consistency. Top with vegan sour cream, cheese, guacamole or whatever you prefer. I like to serve - the old fashioned way - with saltines. :)

No, Not the Lettuce Wraps

2010-03-13T18:16:00.000-05:00

I am obsessed with take-out. I don't know if it's because, growing up, take-out was only for special occasions (Mom was an amazing cook!), so I'm making up for my childhood OR if it's just because I'm a food addict (which I think I am...I watch more Food Network than any 28-year old should). But lately, I'm constantly tempted. I always want to stop and pick up something fun, even when I have a fridge full of food and don't need to spend the moolah.

Well, today I'm at the bottom of the barrel with my produce, because Sundays are my grocery shopping days, so wanted to make something take-outy with the frozen veggies I had on hand. Tough order, right? But I think I succeeded! I made my favorite dish at PF Chang's: Coconut Curry Vegetables. Yes, I'm the only person on Earth whose fave PF Chang's dish IS NOT the lettuce wraps. I love anything with coconut milk in it...I could practically drink the stuff! But this dish is sweet, hearty and has a great texture. Enjoy!

Coconut Curry Vegetables
One block of firm tofu, drained and sliced into ~1" rectangles
One bag of frozen veggies (or, if preferred, chop up some fresh veggies)
2 Tbsp canola oil
Sauce
1 cup canned coconut milk
4 tsp soy sauce (I like low sodium)
1 tsp curry powder
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 tsp rice vinegar
4 tsp cornstarch, dissolved first in 3 tsp cold water
Combine sauce ingredients in small bowl, using whisk, and set aside.

Heat the canola oil over med-high heat in wok or large pan. Add tofu and cook, turning until golden. Add veggies and heat thoroughly. Re-stir sauce and pour over veggie and tofu. Stir and continue to heat for about 5 more minutes.
Serve over brown rice. (Serves 4)

Another One Bites The Dust

2010-03-07T21:40:00.000-05:00

I've decided that any days I take off from CrossFit, I will instead go for a run. I don't want to lose my momentum with an entire day of laziness. So this weekend, I opted to run Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I'm easing back into running, so just did 3 miles on Fri and Sat. I felt really good (thanks, I believe, to CrossFit strengthening every single muscle in my body), so decided to do 5 miles today.

Everything started out lovely: it was 56-degrees, sunny and I had found a new route that was proving to make for a lovely - yet challenging - run. Then when I was about half way through, I was running on the sidewalk and looked over my shoulder to see if there were cars coming, so I could cross over to the other side of the street. OF COURSE I did this just as I was approaching a raised lip in the sidewalk and bit it like you would not believe. I hit the ground HARD, taking most of the force on my left shoulder, left hand and right knee - sort of like Twister on the sidewalk. I did a sort of tuck-and-roll military move and was back on my feet in under .4 seconds, but it didn't matter. There were witnesses. I had a minivan pull over to see if I was OK and to point out that it was "quite a tumble" I took. Yeah. I know. Thanks.

I continued on, acting fine until the minivan was out of sight, when I looked down to see flesh and blood hanging off of my left hand and dirt all over my clothes. I think I sprained three fingers, but beyond that and some scrapes and bruises, I'm fine. Really, it's my pride that's in the worst shape. None the less - I made great time on my 5 miles and will pay better attention to where I place my feet from now on! :)

Because of a solid run, I thought I deserved some carbs. I bought sweet potatoes recently, after reading about how they are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium and iron. They are also antioxidant-rich and a natural anti-inflammatory (which may help with my swollen fingers!). Anyhow, I'm not a fan of just baked or steamed sweet potatoes. They are sort of squash-like (and I like squash, but not my fave). So I decided to make some homemade sweet potato fries - which I LOVE to order when they're on the menu. Easy and healthy (because they're baked), I'll def make these again soon!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

1 sweet potato (= about 1 serving)
~1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Use a peeler to remove the skin of the sweet potato (no need to wash, since you're taking the skin off...plus the water would add too much moisture). Slice into thick spears. Toss in bowl with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper (don't go overboard - you can always add more later!). Spread onto baking sheet or stone and bake about 20 minutes, turning them over once. Remove and serve immediately!

Indian, Basketball and Tofu - Oh My!

2010-02-28T22:10:00.000-05:00

It's Sunday night...already?! I had a really great weekend, so perhaps that's why it seemed to go by so quickly. Friday night I went out to dinner with my friend, Kristen. She and I share a LOVE of Indian food - a new discovery for me. So we hit up a local Arlington restaurant to binge on naan and amazing Indian dishes. Then we made a stop at Trader Joe's (because what else would two hot ladies do on a Friday night, but grocery shop?!). I like Trader Joe's, but am not part of it's cult following. It's a more affordable Whole Foods, really. Great spot for veg-friendly foods, but they're so small, that I find their produce is limited. Namely, I can never find my absolute must -- kale! Although, I stocked up on tofu, since it's so cheap there....more on that later.

Then yesterday was a fun day, because I met some college friends out at a bar to watch the Syracuse vs Villanova game. Big game for us -- meeting another top 10 Big East team...and with some other big teams losing, it looks like we may be ranked #1 tomorrow. I can't wait for the NCAA tourney...I'm not that avid of a sports fan, but having been a junior when SU won the tourney in 2003, I love 'cuse basketball! That was such a great part of my college years. Ah, the memories!

Anyhow, with my week ramping up, I used Sunday night to make a batch of asparagus soup and prepared some baked tofu and brown rice for my salads this week (I bring a big salad for lunch every day). I'm new to the baked tofu idea - I use it in stir-frys all the time (fried), but never thought to bake it and use it in salads. It's SO GOOD. And with it being a source of protein and carbs, I bring a little tupperware of them and pop them on my drive home post-CrossFit. Such a great treat. Give the recipe below a try -- good addition to a meal to beef it up a bit and make some veggies more filling! (And, yes, my salad is in a Halloween-themed tupperware. I am my mother's daughter. *sigh*)

Marinated and Baked Tofu
1 (16 ounce) package firm tofu
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Cube tofu.

Mix all ingredients into a large bowl.

Let marinade in the fridge for about one hour.

Preheat oven to 350.

Place tofu on a cooling rack with a baking pan underneath to catch excess liquid.

Bake for 10 minutes, turn tofu and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.

Pink is the new Green

2010-02-23T21:05:00.000-05:00

Ever since I've been REALLY focusing on eating healthy the past few weeks, I've realized I need to add some variety to my meals. I like a big salad as much as - if not more than - the next girl, but the same old, same old gets...well...old.

I did some really elementary Google searches for terms like "power foods" or "super foods" and came up with some things like beets, kale(!), sweet potatoes and some other less than "traditional" foods, at least in my world. I had a friend turn me onto beets last year and kind of forgot about them, so decided to pick some up at the grocery store this week. They really are so tasty! PLUS, I learned the leaves at the top are edible! And you all know how much I don't like to waste food, so I of course had to take advantage of that. Sauteed, they are similar texture and flavor to kale. Love it.

My only issue is that after my CrossFit workouts, I need to be focusing more on protein and carbs, as "recovery" foods. A friend from high school advised me (via Facebook!) that it should be a 3:1 carb to protein ratio. So I'm working on that aspect of it -- more tofu in my future, I think! But the beets could be easily paired with some brown rice for healthy carbs.

Be warned: beets can turn anything (hands, counter, clothes) a really pretty shade of pink!

We Got the (roasted) Beets

1 bunch beets
~2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green onions or 1/2 white or yellow onion, chopped
sea salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Cut beets from stem. Scrub with water, dry and coat with olive oil (~1tbsp). Place in roasting dish/pan and cover with lid or tinfoil. Bake 40-60 mins until knife is easily inserted into the center of the beet.

Separate the leaves from the thick stems (smaller stems/veins are OK to leave in) and wash/dry. When beets are almost done roasting, put ~1tbsp of olive oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and heat a few minutes. Add beet greens, torn into smaller pieces, to pan and saute for about 10 minutes, until leaves are wilted and softened. Add a little sea salt to taste.

When beets are done, remove from pan and cut into quarters. Once they cool enough to not scald your flesh :), use a knife and fork to remove the peel from outside of beet (did you know there was a peel!?). Can serve with salt, pepper and butter - but I actually love them plain!