Goodness...it's been so long!

First of all, I hope you have had a wonderful holiday season. I was incredibly busy. It started Thanksgiving when I had to make an impromptu week long journey out West to see my mom and grandparents. I'm not complaining, but boy did I get sick during and after my trip! The week after that I had that party to cater for my dad's choir group. It went very well, I have to post about that (next post, promise!). I thank everyone for their recipe suggestions!

And then, well, that whole Christmas thing... Family, friends, work, shopping, cooking, baking...it seemed never ending. I made gifts for a lot of my coworkers and boy did that take time!

I should also mention that I began a concerted effort to workout at least 3-6 days a week. I joined the gym in my office building and go at least 3 times a week. I've been doing this since just before Thanksgiving and it has helped me to de-stress and fit in to my pants. Both are good things.

Sadly, I haven't had the time to do much blogging. Oh yes, I cooked, I baked, I even burnt weird little designs on my hands and fingers from knocking around in the oven and not realizing that my skin has touched a searing hot oven rack (or worse-the door) until after the damage has been done. Goodness, after all the blood, sweat and blisters, I feel I should have more to share!

Here are a few of the highlights of my hiatus:

Wilma :)

She is my mom's little Yorkie/Chihuahua mix. She was the family dog until I moved out! She's 7lbs of spunk and love. She is a little love that enjoys opening doors, stealing the eyes out of unsuspecting stuffed animals and sleeping in the crook of your knee. She lived for several months as a feral dog, the leader of a small pack of strays that lived in the woods for an unknown amount of time. You would never know it now...



Emily :)



Wilma's playmate. My mother and her husband decided that Wilma needed a canine pal a few years ago. Enter Emily, the toy poodle. Wilma and Emily get along, but are usually just competing for attention. Emily is a kiss monster.

Pumpkin Muffins from VwaV

Yikes. I made these for Thanksgiving breakfast. Everyone loved them. The word 'vegan' was not used, I just told them that there was no butter or egg. My memere loved them so much she wanted the recipe!



Road Shots (driving from Vegas to Lake Havasu, AZ)









Some of the shots are a little blurry, but please bear in mind that I am an amateur with a digital camera and I was taking pictures through the window of a moving car.

Some interesting bits around my grandparents house in AZ



Their prickly pear cactus is HUGE!



They have a little palm tree they planted in the backyard that is so incredibly cute...



And these pretty flowers. I have no idea what they are. I should have asked my memere!



Grub



My last meal in Vegas, made with Thanksgiving leftovers. Collard greens, chickpeas, butternut squash and my addictive cranberry sauce.



Quinoa with spinach, garlic and tomatoes topped with some tofu pan fried with nooch.



Pumpkin hummus (chickpeas, pumpkin & sesame oil) and broccoli for dipping. I think I got the idea for this off of a fellow blogger's site, but it escapes me. Props to you whoever you are!



M's second favorite dish, Soyboy tofu ravioli in marinara sauce. Thank goodness for simple pleasures!



I found these when I was at the conventional grocery looking for some cheapy baking supplies. They were on the expensive side, but it did mean not getting take out for dinner. In the grand scheme of things, they were really very good, though they were shaped much like fish sticks for those of you who might harbor painful memories of school lunches.



I made scrambled tofu & roasted potatoes more times than I could count. It's fabulous as a no brainer stand by.




Okay, Sammy was drinking at the time...I couldn't help it, I so rarely get him still while he's conscious!

So that was a nice journey down memory lane...

Now, let's get up to speed.

My New Year's resolution was to go macrobiotic. I don't know for how long, perhaps only a few weeks or months, perhaps forever. I have issues with energy and health that just haven't been resolving themselves and my doctor really hasn't been a help. Exercise has helped immensely, but I need something else. I have the luxury of having a macro buffet place close to home and work, so I knew that the food could be delightful. I had a day of decadence on December 31st which included red wine, peach bellinis, French Cambodian food, champagne, chocolates, and Banana Split Brownies from VwaV.

Starting January 1st, I started eating like this:



(blurry shot of lentil stew with quinoa, boiled collard greens, kinpura carrots and parsnips, and cabbage pickle)



Butternut squash soup garnished with toasted nori



Scrambled tofu (macro style), quinoa & boiled broccoli



Miso soup with tofu, wakame, daikon, shiitake & red miso



Pressure cooked cauliflower and millet

So far, so good! I like the food, but it is a little more work than I am used to. If anyone out there has any tips or experience in this realm, please--enlighten me!