Cool as a Cucumber

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).

Portland: A Vegan's Holy Land

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!

Baby Nieces and Potato Pancakes

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. :(

Givin' Thanks, Ya'll

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

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!

Memory Lane: It's a Good Road

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.

I'm with the Bride

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!

This is Cheaper than Therapy

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

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!

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

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!)

Concrete Jungle where Dreams are Made of...

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.

Running My Butt Off....Literally?

I'm running another marathon! I'm super excited to have a goal and something to work towards. AND something to get my butt out of bed and out for a run in the morning. One of my friends from high school who now lives in Florida is running the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon in December, so I decided to bite the bullet and run the full marathon. The one problem is it's on a Sunday and since it's the week before Christmas, I don't think I'll be able to get Monday off. So the flight home the afternoon after the race is gonna be a rough one. And my two mile walk into work the next morning ain't gonna be so pretty either. But who cares?! I'll feel so good after completing marathon #4, that it won't matter. I'll be walking on air. :) (I know, that's total b.s.)

Along with my running, I'm also altering my diet. Which is something I should have already done, but I'm focusing more on veggies and less on cookies. I wish I didn't love baking so much! But I need to do this to optimize my training. I've never trained for a marathon as a vegan.

I found this great recipe for a mock tuna salad - it's a chick pea salad, but is so tasty. It was on Compassionate Action for Animals' website -- that's the animal advocacy group in Minnesota that first got me interested in the cause. Tonight's dinner was a delicious chick pea salad sandwich with steamed fresh green beans with sauteed onions. YUMMERS. Recipe below. See ya on the roads!

Chick Pea Salad

• 2(15oz.) cans chick-peas, drained
  
• ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup minced celery
• 1/3 cup minced dill pickle
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ salt, or 1 tablespoon miso
• pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, mash the chick-peas coarsely with a fork. Mix in the remaining ingredients, using ½ cup mayonnaise at first, and then adding more as needed. cover and refrigerate. Use on sandwiches or on a bed of salad greens. (Note: makes a big helping, may want to half the recipe!)

Taking Care of Business

Hi! So sorry I haven't posted for such a long time (that's, of course, directed to my 4 followers). :) It's been a busy few weeks. My brother got married (I rocked the cleavage-baring dress that I mentioned a few posts ago). I have been working my butt of at PETA - we've been a bit short staffed, but have taken care of that problem with a couple of FABULOUS new hires! And I also got a second job, doing some part-time (evening/weekend) child care for a family a few miles away. It's a great way to pay off some of my cross-country-move debt....and it's a relaly nice family, so I'm happy to help out.
Combine all that with my needy dog and my 9 hrs per night sleep requirement, not much time for blogging. :)

However, now that life should slow down a bit, I'm determined to make more of an effort to see DC and be more social. When my friend Grant was in town in April for a school conference, one of his friends from school introduced me to her good friend, Eliza, who lives in DC. With Eliza and I both being good ol' Minnesota girls, living in DC, we naturally have something in common. She asked if I wanted to grab coffee today, so we met near her apartment in Capitol Hill. That area is SO CUTE. When I was doing my apartment hunt from Minneapolis, I thought about Capitol Hill, but decided against it, because it really is hard to pick the safe blocks from the unsafe blocks when you're not living there. I felt safer staying out in Arlington, but I could see moving to CH at some point down the road. Find me a nice politician to marry. :)

So Eliza and I grabbed some lunch at her apartment (she's a vegetarian, so that made deciding on what we'd eat easier). Then we walked a few blocks to a cute coffee shop for some iced coffee/chai to combat the humidity. We wandered around the Capitol, the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress. I keep saying this -- but it's unbelievable that there are so many historic sites in one city! I think I could play the role of tourist for years and never see it all! My dad mentioned that he's got his eye on plane tickets, so hopefully he'll come visit soon. He would really love the National Mall. And my mom & sister are also talking about visiting this summer!

So it was a good day, and I was glad to get out and do something. Made a quick stop at Whole Foods on the way home and am now preparing to make a little homemade Pad Thai for dinner. I've also got some great new recipes that I'm anxious to post and talk about, but that will have to wait for another day. Oooh, and get out and buy some corn on the cob -- it's in season and deeeeelish! :)

Reconnecting With Maury

What a week! I finally caught the cold that has been floating around my office. I figured it was a matter of time, but was hoping my immune system would be able to stand up to it. No luck. I was out of the office on Thursday and Friday, home sick. So aggravating, because all I can think about is all the things I'm NOT getting done while I'm laying on the couch watching trashy daytime TV. Although, Jakers and Mabel love, love, love sick days. Their favorite hobbies include sleeping, eating and cuddling. Check, check check. So at least they were happy.

I was glad that I made a large pasta dish on Wednesday night, so I had some easy lunch options while I was feeling crappy. I'll post the recipe at the bottom of this post. Beware, though -- expect your house to smell like garlic after preparing this one!

Last night I had to suck it up, though. My good friend, Emily, was home from Chicago for the weekend and so five of us had dinner plans. I loaded up on some Sudafed and Mucinex (despite the horrendous commercials, it works) and out we went. We had dinner at Azia in the "Eat Street" section of Minneapolis. So tasty! We shared some edamame and vegetable potstickers and I ordered Vietnamese Coconut Curry with tofu. SO GOOD. Then we went to 508, a bar downtown, and grabbed a drink and caught up with another high school friend who bartends there. (I stuck with water, since my poor body was doing it's best to get better!) I had a great time and was glad that I went.
Stay healthy!!

Tomato & Mushroom Pasta w/ Garlic

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 or 3 portabella mushroom caps (or 5 or 6 baby bella caps), thinly sliced
  
• 1-2 tomatoes, diced (dependant on size)
  
• 1-2 cups (uncooked) rotini pasta...or any pasta will work
• 1 tbsp dried basil
  
• Shredded vegan mozzarella, optional

Prepare pasta in large pot. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook ~7 minutes, until mushrooms soften. Reduce heat, add chopped tomatoes and juices from tomato. Allow to simmer for a few minutes. Drain pasta, combine with olive oil mixture. Toss with basil and serve with mozzarella sprinkled over the top. Keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days -- garlic flavor tends to intensify.

Kale's Getting The Spotlight It Deserves

My friend, Charlotte, from college (actually a sorority sister of the great Phi Sigma Sigma!) sent me an email today with a link to this New York Times article. YAY KALE! :) This article goes into all the health benefits to kale, as well. Vitamins, calcium, iron, fiber...it's really a power food.

Ya know, I never think of just eating kale simply sauteed. I love this, because it has such a great flavor, no need to put it in soup, right?? So I will definitely be giving this a whirl sometime soon.

This sounds especially tasty:

Pan-Cooked Kale With Garlic and Olive Oil

2 large bunches kale (about 1 1/4 pounds total)

Salt, preferably kosher salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Freshly ground pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the kale and wash the leaves in two rinses of water. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and the kale. Blanch for four minutes, until the kale is tender. Transfer immediately to the ice water, then drain and squeeze the water from the leaves. Chop coarsely or cut in strips.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the kale. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the kale is nicely seasoned with garlic and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and serve.

Yield: Serves four

Thanks, Charlotte!! :)

Time For A Good Laugh

What a lazy weekend! I seriously did very little this weekend beyond laundry, groceries and napping. But it was nice. I think ya need a mindless, lazy weekend every once in awhile. Although, now going into the work week, I feel like I have extra on my to-do list BECAUSE so little got accomplished on Saturday and Sunday.

Oh, I almost forgot - I went with a few of my girlfriends to see Joel McHale at The State Theater here in glorious Minneapolis. SO FUNNY. It was such a great show. I mean, we all know how brilliant he is on The Soup on E! every week...but I wasn't sure what to expect of him without the teleprompter. But he did not disappoint. His spiel about meeting the Kardashian sisters made me honestly laugh for abotu 10 minutes straight. And a bit on Dick Clark/Ryan Seacrest...too funny. (Had to be there...I'm clearly not going to try and re-tell any jokes.)

Although, his opening act of K.P. Anderson left a lot to be desired. He apparently is a producer & writer on The Soup (and a Mpls native), but maybe he should stick to that producing role. He was super raunchy -- and I'm no prude! But just really vulgar and topics that will never be OK in stand-up (ie Columbine and Lacey Peterson). I don't think I'm alone on that one.

Anyhow, I have a recipe to post, so I need to somehow segue into avocado corn salsa. This is going to be awkward:
You know what else is funny? Avocado corn salsa....hilarious!

Let's just move on. I made a batch of this on Sunday morning and turned it into both lunch and dinner. Of course, as per usual, the salsa is super healthy, but I downed a half a bag of Multi-Grand Tostitos along with it. Zapped up my calories for the day in no time! Oh well. That's what Sundays are for, right? This recipe is really easy, just chopping some things up and mixing everything together. I originally found it on Cooks.com, I believe, but I've changed a few things to simplify (I wasn't going to cook/slice an ear of corn, so went with canned corn). Super tasty...and will be a hit at parties. Or simply a wonderful way to take care of your lunch and dinner menu if you're like me. :)

Enjoy!

Avocado Corn Salsa

2 avocados, sliced into ~1" pieces
1 can corn kernels, drained & rinsed (I like the yellow & white Green Giant Niblets)
lime juice to taste
1 medium tomato or a handful of grape tomatoes
1 jalepeno, chopped
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1 scallions, chopped

First put the avocados and corn into a bowl, adding lime juiec to coat (and preventing oxidation of the avocado). Then simply toss in the rest, stirring well. I like to let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so, to get nice and cold and allow the flavors to marinade. Depending on how ripe your avocados are, they may kind of blend in with everything else, otherwise a less ripe avocado will remain sturdy in the chunks you sliced. No worries either way -- it all tastes pretty darn good! :)

Friends Don't Let Friends Eat Bad Food

One of my dear friends, Shannon, is moving to Prague in just a little over a week. She's finally chasing her dream of teaching English in Europe. I'm really happy for her, but really sad for me. She works at the agency, so work will be slightly less fun each day. But again -- I've got to support her for going after her dream. And who knows, maybe I'll finally make my way to Europe to go visit her sometime soon!

Anyhow, Shannon, myself and another friend (Allison) got together at our other friend Carrie's house earlier this week to make pierogies. Carrie's family makes them fairly often, and they are big in Europe apparently. And I just plain like to eat. :) The girls let me veganize the dough by using Ener-G Egg Replacer instead of an egg and luckily the dough turned out great! We did a filling of feta/cream cheese that the non-veg ladies ate, and then we did a filling of mashed potatoes/onion/garlic/shredded soy cheddar. SO GOOD. I think I had eaten them when I was younger at my elementary school friends' house. Her family was from Germany, so I guess they really are big in Europe (wow, I sound really ignorant-American, don't I?).

So I encourage you to give these a whirl. Easy and not a lot of ingredients. I didn't take any pics of the finished product, as ours weren't that attractive -- just tasty! But I will post a pic of the 4 of us, post-cooking (I love how no one pointed out that I was covered in flour...clearly you can see who did the rolling-out of the dough!)

Oh! And how could I forget about Carrie's sweet baby, Charlie? I'll throw that pic in, too! (Jakers doesn't really get along with dogs well enough to have "friends', but Charlie's pretty close!)

Pierogies

DOUGH:
-2 cups flour
-2/3 cup cold water
-1 tsp salt
-1 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer + 2 tbsp warm water

Combine into dough, roll out to just thinner than pie crust and use ~3 inch glass or cup to cut out circles.

FILLING:
Make mashed potatoes however you like 'em and add sauteed onion, garlic and shredded cheddar cheese. We eyeballed the amounts. Let filling sit for an hour or two for best results. (Can also do filling of other soy cheese blends, if you like.)

Place about 2 tsp of filling in middle of pierogie circle, and fold over, pinching edges to seal. Drop into pot of boiling water. When pierogies float to the top, they are done. Remove and let cool. ENJOY!

You Don't Need a Reason to Carbo-Load!

Happy Sunday! I've had a busy week/weekend. I spent Thursday through Saturday in Washington D.C., visiting friends. I really love that city. Not only is it quite veg-friendly, but they have an amazing public transportation system (the Metro) and a lot of my friends live out there, too! Oh, and of course there's my brother and soon-to-be sister in law who are going to be buying a house there soon. Good times. (Shout-out to Kristen Hines for letting me stay with her all weekend!)

Anyhow, I boarded Jakers for the very first time while I was out of town. It was a much better experience than I anticipated. I brought him to a new place called Now Boarding - right by the MSP airport. It's really convenient, because you can drop off & pick up 24/7, so I was able to bring him at 4:30am on Thursday and get him after 9pm on Saturday -- no where else would let me do that. PLUS, you can leave your car there and they offer a shuttle to bring you to/from the airport. It was great!
The only hitch is that I did the online reservation for him, putting his name as Jakers (I never call him Jake, his given name). So when I arrive at 4:30am on Thursday, I'm over-tired and really emotional and fully crying by the time I walk in the door with him. The woman at the desk greets us, saying "This must be Jackers!" (rhyming with crackers). Well, I didn't correct her right away, so by the time she had called him Jackers a dozen times, it was too late. So not only was he super devestated to see me abandon him, I'm sure he was thinking, 'Who the crap is Jackers!?' *sigh* But I called to check on him a few times over the weekend, and they assured me he got a lot of attn and snuggles, and he was happy as a lamb when I arrived last night, so I will definitely be using Now Boarding again!

But now that Jakers (Jackers, if you prefer), Mabel and I have been apart all weekend, I've decided to stay home for the Superbowl. Insted of going to a party where there's a ton of snack foods I can't eat, I'm going to stuff my face with lasagna and snoogle on the couch with my babes! This vegan spinach lasagna recipe is one I found on cooks.com, but I've made some changes to the measurements & ingredients. I've also opted for a square pan, as a 9x13 pan would make WAY too much lasagna for one person...not that I couldn't handle it. :) Oh, the vegan cream cheese addition was also a change I made -- it makes it just a bit creamier! I like that you don't need to cook the lasagna noodles, as the moisture in the recipe will steam the noodles while it bakes. It's also something you can make in advance and throw in the fridge for a day or so until you're ready to bake it.

Vegan Spinach Lasagna
adapted from cooks.com recipe

15 oz fresh spinach, well washed
8-10 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
14 oz (1 block) soft tofu, mashed
8 oz soy cream cheese
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/4 dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
7 oz soy mozzarella cheese
1 lg jar of marinara sauce, any variety

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Coat square cake pan (I think mine is 8"x8" or 9"x9") with nonstick spray.

Cook spinach in large pot of boiling water for 2 mins. Drain, chop and set aside.

Heat olive oil in small skillet and saute the chopped onions & garlic for 3 mins, but do not brown.

In a large bowl, combine mashed tofu, cream cheese, sauteed onions & garlic, parsley, oregano, sea salt and pepper. Add spinach and stir well.

Put 3-4 tablespoons of marinara sauce in the bottom of pan to coat. Put down 4-5 uncooked lasagna noodles, overlapping slightly (you'll need to break an inch or so off, to make it fit in the pan). Place half of tofu/spinach mix in a layer over noodles, then put half of mozzarella on top of that.

Repeat process again (marinara, tofu/spinach mix, cheese) and then end with marinara over the top of everything. Cover with tinfoil, sealing along the edges, and bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Let cool ~10 mins then slice and enjoy!