1. Green juice in the winter sun; 2. new vintage scores set my heart aflutter; 3. bread-stravaganza

Oi Oi! Hellooooo there, and happy Friday! LOOK OUT! *whoosh* that’s the sound of this week flying by. Right?? I can’t believe the weekend is here already!

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And you know what that means! Without further ado, please bring on Le Love List!

1. Massage.
Massaged: I got it. Ooooooh yeah. But get this, it was actually my birthday present from LAST year, my 30th b-day, from Damian. But what with the book-writing and the toddler-care-taking and the blog-posting and with life being oh-so-life-y all the damn time, well, I guess it slipped my mind. Damian emailed me last week saying “Uh, this is gonna expire if you don’t use it!”.

And so I did. A year and a few days later, I got my 30th birthday massage. For my 31st birthday!

And let me just tell you . . . I came home from that appointment and promptly placed a mason jar on top of my dresser. “Mommy’s Massage Fund”. Ohhhhh yes.


2. Retail Therapy.
I used my “off night” this week to take a long (long!) stroll through ye olde Value Village (ha!), blew some birthday cash and scored a few new bags (oh I heart you cheapy cheap Value Village!) of awesome winter clothes. It was just what I needed and oh-so-fun. ♥

3. Waits, the little vegan.
Waits loves to mimic everything that we say and do. He loves to talk on the “phone” (which could be anything from a wooden block to an apple), and one of his favorite phone calls is “ordering Thai food” (what does this say about Damian and I? haha). For a few weeks now he’s been picking up his “phone” and saying, “Hello! Thai?” . . . “Tofu” . . . “Mice!” (that’s rice)

But this week: “Hello! Thai?” . . . “Mice” . . . “No EGG!” . . . “No FEESH!

Ahhhhhhhhh! My head pretty much exploded at the sweetness. Also with that video up there? He is too much, I can’t take it!

Also! winter sun // dreaming and scheming with girlfriends // planning slumber parties // a 4-course, all-local, communal dining experience // reading Plate to Pixel and feeling so inspired // bright yellow // polka dots // finding new blogs and reading them “cover to cover” (what’s the blog equivalent?) and then feeling creepy because you have totally developed a one-sided “friendship” (COME ON WE ALL DO IT!) // but really, finding a blog worth reading like that is a rare and wonderful thing . . .

~~~

Alright guys, now it’s your turn – tell me what you’re loving this week!


My darlings, this happy little post will stay at the top of the page all weekend, so stop by any time to leave your Love List, ask a question, or offer some feedback! Or if you’re new, please introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’! This is your community, so get involved!


I hope you all have a sunny (or at least sunny-in-your-heart) weekend!

Smack dab in the middle of a very, very good weekend.

This weekend I celebrated my 31st birthday! After last year’s 30th B-Day Bash-stravaganza, I was more than happy to keep my celebrating simple and sweet. And I was totally successful.

I spent the weekend lazing about with my two favorite menfolk. Laughing and laughing and laughing. Feeling like I was in love with the world (and my family!). And of course, eating really amazing vegan food. Lots of eating . . .


Friday


It started just like every day. A breakfast plate and play time. Coffee and cleaning. This magnificent mug (who needs the sun, right?)



We made a badass smoothie, the usual(ish) (banana, water, ice, spinach, sprouts, spirulina, protein, vitamin k2, maca, probiotics) plus a few frozen strawberries. Totally out of season but hey, it’s my birthday!



Not so pretty, but dang it was great.

That afternoon I had some fun in the kitchen . . .

Irish moss is so weird.

. . . which led to . . .

Raw ice cream! Strawberries N’ Cream

Raw pudding! Chocolate Chunk.

YUUUUUUUUUMMM. I didn’t write the recipes down, but it was my first time playing with fresh mature coconut flesh and I’d say it was a success. Great flavor, suuuper rich. Irish moss paste (it’s made from seaweed!) gives it an amazingly light and fluffy texture. I’m looking forward to playing with this pair a whole lot more in the future . . .

That night we dropped Waits off with our friends, and took a little trip . . .



I had been invited to the pre-opening of the brand new Veggie Grill in nearby Beaverton. Veggie Grill is quickly-expanding chain out of southern California, serving awesome vegan versions of familiar “fast food” fare. Of course, it’s a whole lot healthier than your typical burger joint, with sweet potato fries and steamed kale and tempeh on the menu!




We started with an appetizer of buffalo wings, which was salty and spicy and tangy and ohmigosh so good. It’s been a long time since I’ve tasted those flavors! (though I’m almost certain they use Gardein, and I wish they made their own meats in-house, a la Native Foods)

For dinner Damian had the Santa Fe Crispy Chickin’ with sweet potato fries:



And I had the VG-Cheeseburger with steamed kale:



Damian loved his meal and I thought mine was good, though a bit greasy. The kale was spectacular! All in all I think Veggie Grill is a great addition to the Portland scene. I actually really appreciate that they are taking a different approach to vegan dining. They are situated in a strip mall, in a suburb. They offer a clean, familiar, family-friendly atmosphere and an un-intimidating menu. This is the kind of place where veg-curious omnis will go, and I’m pretty sure they’ll come back, again and again and again. It’s an important component of the worldwide vegan takeover! But seriously, I do think it’s important and I’m all for it. Yay Veggie Grill!

Date night.

Saturday

Saturday was a run-around, have-fun-around sort of day. Foodie highlights include an enormous fajita burrito:



Afternoon treats and coffee:




And that night we had a very small gathering at a friend’s house. We pretty much ate guacamole and fancy olives and caramel truffles for dinner. Then we had cake!

The carrot cake that killed me this weekend (such a sweet way to go . . . )

Sunday


On Sunday morning we made bread, like we always do these days. It’s one of my favorite parts of the week.

Afterwards, we hit up the all-you-can-eat brunch buffet at Sweetpea. This time it was southern-style! Biscuits and gravy, taters, tofu scramble, and tons of kale. There were also grits and some sort of berry dessert but I didn’t try any of those. It was A-MAZING (as always):



Then we played in the rain . . .



. . . and ran some errands in our rain boots . . .



And finally, made our way home for an early Sunday supper. Fresh-baked bread (sprouted wheat sourdough), home-cooked chili (it had been simmering on the stove all day, mmm) and a big-ass bad-ass crisp romaine salad.




And that, my friends, is pretty much my idea of a perfect weekend.

Hope you had a great one as well! ♥ ♥ ♥

also, just an fyi: I drink lots of water throughout the day, and I never mention it. Waits still nurse – a lot – probably 10+ times per day, and I never note that either. yup yup!

[source]

At the end of 2011 I was given the opportunity to attend an amazing web-based parenting class called Raising A Humane Child. The class is mentor-led but self-motivated, and is held through The Institute For Humane Education (IHE), a non-profit educational organization dedicated to “creating a humane world”. And they’re kind of incredible.

The IHE offers a variety of courses, everything from an accredited graduate program, to summer seminars for teachers, to in-person workshops and online parenting classes. It’s really an amazing institution and I encourage you to check it out!

You know how they say, “you attract that which you need”, or “the right people come into your life at the right time”, and other such sentiments? Well, Raising A Humane Child was offered to me at a point in my parenting journey that could only be describes as a “low”. I was frustrated and discouraged and desperate for guidance. And this course became my bright light at the end of the tunnel.

There are two main components to the class, which include 1) reading the course text, Above All, Be Kind: Raising A Humane Child In Challenging Times, and 2) assignments which are provided (and then “due”) every other day. The structure is non-demanding and the course leader is very flexible. There are no grades, and you don’ even have to submit your exercises if you’d prefer to keep them private. The focus is on discussion, sharing, learning, and growing. From the introductory material:

“There is no blueprint for raising a humane child. However, the premise of Above All, Be Kind and this course is that if we bring the tools of a humane educator to our parenting, our children will have the greatest opportunities to manifest their deepest values – learned largely from us as parents – and become ever more humane: compassionate, kind, honest, generous, and wise.”

This class is much more about examining your own life and your own belief system, than it is so much a “guide to parenting”. The accompanying text, Above All, Be Kind is not actually a text book at all. But it’s an awesome resource, and I’d recommend it for any parent really, regardless of whether or not you want to take the class.

The coursework itself is simply a series of exercises, a sort of directed self-discovery. There are no right or wrong answers, only personal realizations. For example, I found it very valuable to do things like . . . “list and discuss the values that I have absorbed through my culture, community, and media, that do not actually represent the core of who I am”. Or perhaps . . . “examine what I model – what qualities I demonstrate for my child – and if they match my values”. These are *big-picture* concepts that most of us have probably thought about in a general sense, but it’s very different to sit down, and write down, the specific thoughts and feelings and intentions that you have around such ideas.

Being accountable to the course forced me to reflect on these *big-picture* abstract concepts, and turn them into real-life applications that will inform my parenting choices. Obviously, this was invaluable! The lessons that I learned there will shape the way I parent, and probably the way I live, for the rest of my life.

So needless to say, I can’t recommend it highly enough. But one word of caution – be prepared to take it seriously! The pace moves quickly and you don’t want to fall behind. Make sure that you’ve opened up your schedule so that you can give the course the attention that it really deserves. I speak from experience here! Oi . . .

~~~

Have you ever taken a parenting class? Was it helpful? If not, is there a book or other resource that has influenced your parenting choices? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

What a week!

Good food . . .



Good times . . .



Good kid . . .


(and it’s a good thing he can’t read!) (that’s my old college calculator – his new favorite toy. ha!)



Oi Oi! Haaaaaappy Friday! I had a long week full of highs and lows, and I’m so glad that the weekend’s here. Bring on the fun times! Do you have anything fun planned for this weekend?

~~~

I just wanted to let everyone know that I’ve updated my Juice Beauty review from Monday. The kind folks at Juice Beauty are offering a special gift plus free shipping to Bonzai readers! Very cool – check it out!.

~~~

And with business out of the way, we move on to the goodness, the greatness, Le Love List!

1. This article.

“It’s helluva hard, isn’t it? You’re a good mom, I can tell. And I like your kids, especially that one peeing in the corner. She’s my favorite. Carry on, warrior. Six hours till bedtime.”

I don’t usually put things like this on my love list, but this one really resonated with me. I think it will resonate with the rest of you parents, too. And just in case you’ve ever wondered – yes, I relate to and have felt EVERY thing expressed in that article. Yup yup.


2. New friends.
Awesome women coming into my life these days, from all directions, just when I need them. Thanks for the talks and the coffee and the coffee with vodka, for the baby wrangling and the longer-than-we-needed drives home, for the commiseration and the understanding, and for letting me look like an ass (literally) when I showed up with the ass of my shorts split wide open (unbeknownst to me) (NOT my finest moment). But really, thanks.


3. MY BIRTHDAY!!!
Sunday is the day, but the whole weekend will be for celebrating. Yay! Fun times! BRING IT ON!

Also! walking and talking in the rain with my baby zipped up completely under my sweatshirt // Grey’s Anatomy marathons that go past midnight . . . every night // our weekly trip to the library to pick a new book // Waits starting to make sentences // planning for future endeavors (what to do, what to do???) // dreaming of fermented adventures // snow // MY BIRTHDAY . . .

~~~

Alright guys, now it’s your turn – tell me what you’re loving this week!


My darlings, this happy little post will stay at the top of the page all weekend, so stop by any time to leave your Love List, ask a question, or offer some feedback! Or if you’re new, please introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’! This is your community, so get involved!


I hope you all have a spectacular weekend!

It’s snowing!

Tuesday night. 10:18 pm. Long day, late work, but at least the world is slowly disappearing under a quiet cloud of ivory crystals outside my window. And life is beautiful, no?

Sometimes it can be hard to stay on a healthy track in winter. Here’s how I made it work . . . at least for today:

Morning


We woke up to snow!


Waits enjoyed a small cup of almond milk while I brewed my coffee and fixed our breakfast. Breakfast!


We split a piece of sprouted grain bread with nut butter. I was going to use up the last of the peanut butter, but Waits ate it all off the spoon before I could get it onto the bread. I switched to a homemade raw hazelnut-almond spread. Side of banana slices. Bowl of pomegranate arils with sprouted buckwheat and sliced almonds, with a splash of coconut milk.


During breakfast we rocked out to the awesome musical stylings of one miss Laurie Berkner. To my parent peeps – this is super fun kids music! Free on Spotify.


It can be really tough to find fresh food in winter, especially in these northern latitudes. I often end up sluggish and run down come spring, and I’m determined to not let that happen this year.

Enter: sprouts! There’s nothing more fresh – they are literally alive! Full of minerals and amino acids, totally easy to grow at home. I made my first plate of sprouts this weekend (in the sprouting jar, I just finished them off on the plate in the sunny window) and today they went into the smoothie. I’ll keep them in rotation and this way, I’ll have fresh food all winter. Smoothies, salads, sandwiches. Delicious!




This was like a super-vitamin! I’m on a bit of a supplement kick, haha. This smoothie had water + banana + ice + spinach + sprouts, plus the following additions: Sun Warrior protein powder, spirulina, Cal-Mag Plus (the “plus” is zinc and vitamin D), Truly Natural Vitamin C powder, vitamin K2, Maca powder. Whew!



After I poured mine I added coconut milk, reblended, and then poured a glass for Waits. Need to get those calories in for him where I can!

After smoothies we had our bath and then I tried to put Waits down for his nap. But he was teething something fierce, and just wouldn’t settle down. So I loaded him up in the car. Sometimes a quick drive is the only way I can get him to sleep. Sometimes mama just needs a drive-thru coffee to get her over the hump . . .




Afternoon


I ate lunch while Waits napped. Homemade split pea soup with a side of blue corn chips (with a tiny bit of leftover hummus).

When Waits woke up we went straight for the juicer . . .


Juice!




Cilantro-celery-spinach-apple. PERFECTION.

Then I packed us up for our errands




I brought along the travel snack cup, with black beans + nutritional yeast + sunflower seeds. The sunflower seeds add a bit of fat since he doesn’t like it when I add oil to things.

On our way home from the library, we stopped by Trader Joe’s, where Waits tore into the carrots and peanut butter during his cart ride. Not pictured.


Night


Pizza! On a homemade whole wheat sourdough crust. I really loved this dinner, for two reasons. First, because it sprang from the mind of my dearest, who said to me: “Let there be pizza! And let it have pesto AND green olives AND savory soy curls!” And I was like “That just sounds crazy enough that it just might work!” It did.

And second, because it put to use some of my summer stash. Like bell peppers, which I’d chopped and frozen at their peak of freshness. And pesto, made by the gallon (and frozen in ice cube trays) when both walnuts and basil were super cheap and in season:


And these black eyed peas, which I made in bulk and froze in small batches. (not seasonal, just economical)


I actually blended about a cup of the beans into 1/2 cup of pesto, to make a creamy, protein-y pesto spread. It was great in big ol’ dollops on the pizza, burried under all those other toppings.


Savory soy curls, bell peppers, caramelized onions, and green olives. SO YUM.

I also made a salad:


Romaine, carrots, red onion, kalamata olives, nutritional yeast, fresh garlic, and red wine vinegar. SO YUM.

And Waits’s little plate:


Awww. He’s such an olive fiend.


Dessert


I made a cookie pie. Hey, it’s my birthday on Sunday!

But seriously, I couldn’t resist after Bonzai reader Joselle linked to this recipe. A flourless, chickpea-based, gluten-free soy-free dessert of awesome. It was too weird. I was too curious. I had to try it! And it was awesome.

SO YUM.

edited to add: I wrote this after tasting the cookie pie straight out of the oven, at which point it truly was SO YUM. However after it cooled, I could definitely taste more of the . . . bean-y-ness. I think it’s still good, but if you’re not used to “healthy” desserts, this might be sort of strange. Damian said, “It’s good . . . but it does have a sort of . . . er . . . *Mediterranean* flavor . . .” Ha!

And now, it’s 12:14 am. And now, I retire.