news!... and it's good :)

I have the day off :^) Yippee! So, I thought I'd spend my morning doing a little bit of blog updating. Then, I intend to go for a bike ride because it is absolutely beautiful outside, today! Thank you-- the 80's have arrived in southeast PA, which makes me one happy gal!

On another note, I have more exciting news. In discovering that my body no longer tolerates dairy products, I still didn't feel right... my digestion improved for a bit, but then I was back to where I started and I just felt terrible and confused about what was going on... something wasn't right. So, I began researching my afflictions, which led me to understand that it was very likely that my body was resisting animal proteins, altogether. After a great deal of research, I decided to eliminate all animal products from my diet. This Friday will mark my second week as a vegan. I cannot find the words to appropriately express how wonderful I feel-- after just 2 weeks! My body no longer feels slug and/or sloth-like. I feel normal, again! In fact, I feel better than normal; I feel fantastic, energetic, light and alive!!! This all probably sounds overly dramatic, but the way I had been feeling was dragging me down in a horrible way, so I am totally celebrating this new vitality!

I've been having a blast cooking (and, baking!) in this new, plant-based way! I thought I'd share some of my adventures, lately :)

Grilled Hummus, Tomato, Roasted Red Pepper, Red Onion "Pizza" (see Ina's pizza dough recipe; substitute AP flour w/ wheat flour)


Black Bean Tacos with Cabbage Slaw + Guac! (omit feta cheese, add 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)


Impromptu Bean & Veggie Burritos and Dark & Stormies w/ my lovely sister, Donna!


Rhubarb is in season = Rhubarb Pie! (I am still a baker at heart, afterall!)


Veggie Burger, Tomato, Fennel & Orange Salad


My lovely, beautiful, newly-wed friend, Jesse, is also a vegan and has an amazing blog called The Happy Go Lucky Vegan which I have been using as a major source of inspiration, as well. I'm so happy to be a happy-go-lucky vegan, myself! :^) Thanks, Jesse!!!

Time to hit the road (in my gigantic, majorly nerdy bike helmet!), but not before I go make some brunch... I know it's 10 AM on a Wednesday, but it was a lounge-y morning, okay?! :^D

Ffwd!

After a bit of repose with the blog, I'm back and would like to share some of the images of Ffwd recipes I've made, but haven't posted over the past several weeks, beginning with this week's Garlicky Crumb-Coated Broccoli. Please forgive my absence! Though, I will keep things short and sweet, as each one of these recipes were wonderful, as is! (No complaints from my household!! :)) Sorry about my poor quality iPhone photographs. I will step it up for next week's post! :)

Dilemma!

I have been super neglectful in terms of not utilizing this space. . .at all! This is because I have discovered tumblr, where I have created a space and began posting/sharing. I am struggling with what format of blogging I want to use, as tumblr is akin to the lazy. Haha~ I kid. Actually, it's very user-friendly and makes it very easy to share images, thoughts, quotes, media, etc that I discover from other people I'm following. Alas, I regretfully find that I virtually never blog from scratch about things I'm experiencing, researching, etc. What to do, what to do?! I suppose I will just try to be more active about posting here in order to share thoughts and projects.

FFWD people- I have taken a break from making our dishes for two reasons: my household is not full of extremely adventurous eaters and I am experiencing some troubles with consuming dairy products, which has ensued much difficulty! However, I am making a more conscious effort to follow everyone's blogs and comment on your experiences!

Here goes an effort to blog more in 2011 :)

FFWD: all i have to say. . .

. . .is YUM. I love you, Marie-Hélène & Dorie. I made mine extra rum-y. :) Next time, I'll use a wider variety of apples, but these Fuji's held up well and are super delicious.

Wiksten

I, unabashedly, have a humungous girl crush on Jenny Gordy of Wiksten-made. For serious. Her blog is beautiful, she has impeccable taste, makes the most beautiful clothing and handknits, and is just an all around phenomenal gal. I envy her lifestyle as a lovely artist/maker with a fantastic studio with an awesome name (Dobbin Mews), a cute, city apartment, and a cute, loving hubby. I really, really, reeeeeeeeeally want to buy a Wiksten handknit item for Fall/Winter. *Sigh* Enough babbling.

(I'm really jealous of Jennifer Sarkilahti for getting these socks)

What A Surprise!

French Fridays with Dorie. Post #2.
I made Gerard's Mustard Tart last night for dinner. . . What an interesting dish! It was really tasty!! Even my picky eater of a Dad loved it!!!!! (SHOCKER) To be honest, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but the delicate mustard flavor was certainly a pleasant surprise (and is what my Dad enjoyed most). I have to admit, I did not exactly follow the instructions, because. . .well, I was out and about all day until about 4:30 when I came home, read the recipe, and saw how long I was supposed to be chilling the dough! YIPES!!!!! My bad. . . so, that didn't happen. I got the dough together and chilled it in a disc for about an hour before I pressed it into my tart dish and immediately popped it in the oven to partially bake. And then again, I took the crust out of the oven and immediately poured in the filling; no messing around with waiting for the crust to cool (I just didn't have time for that!) Despite all of my poor planning and skipping steps, it came out fabulously! . . .thank goodness! :) Someone was on my side.

It was a yummy dish that we all really enjoyed! My parents might like it even more than I do! Funny, huh?! I think I'd really like to try the traditional recipe using tomatoes rather than carrots and leeks; those flavors sound totally delicious to me. This time around I may have used too many veggies (step-Mom disagrees; she loved all the veg). It was jammed packed (using 3 carrots and 3 leeks- they must have been much larger than what Dorie/Gerard used). So, next time, I think I'll lighten the load and see what happens. This one will definitely be making it to the table again, in some form or another! :)

Bon appetito miei amici! xo

Autumn

This is the first Fall I am experiencing with falling leaves, changing colors, crisp, cool nights, pumpkins out on doorsteps, in a very long time; since I was a little girl. And, I have to say, I am so deliriously happy about it! The prospect of apple cider, glowing candles, little kids all dressed up, smells of homey spices, beautiful, warm colors, leaves crunching beneath my feet, warm sun and cool air. . . what's not to love?!?!

Many of my fellow bloggers have been posting "to-do lists" and I'd like to share a list of things I would like to do in celebration of Fall. Please indulge me.

*Pick a pumpkin in a real pumpkin patch (Yes, I am 6 yrs old)
*Go on a hayride @ said pumpkin patch
*Roast a pumpkin and make something with it
*Create a really sweet jack-o-lantern
*Pick apples @ an orchard
*Pass out candy to little trick-or-treaters!!!!
*Take photos of the Fall foliage and demonstrate the passage of the season into Winter
*Break out the glory that are boots/scarves/jackets/thick socks (However, I am admittedly nervous about not being able to wear flip-flops all year round! You can't completely take the Arizona out of the girl)

By the way:
The end. :)