The Test
In July, I stopped eating dessert on weeknights, and I stopped eating after 9pm entirely.


The Theory
There were actually two issues that I was addressing in July, though they were totally intertwined. Essentially, I’d gotten into this habit of eating dessert, every night, between 10 and 11 pm. But let’s stop there for a sec, so I can make it clear: I’m not saying I was eating a slice of cake every night. It wasn’t even a cookie. My dessert, my kind of dessert, is a frozen banana (or two), a spoonful of raw almond butter (okay lets be honest, a few spoonfuls) and some raw coconut sugar for dipping. Delicious!

And it was a nightly indulgence, as I was working on and wrapping up Rawesomely Vegan. But was it healthy? I wasn’t so concerned about the dessert aspect, since my “dessert” looked a lot like somebody else’s breakfast. At least I should say, I wasn’t worried about it in terms of sugar. I did wonder whether the caloric load (it’s quite high-calorie) was really necessary.

But most importantly, pretty much all the experts warn against late-night eating. Just Google it and you’ll see – everyone agrees that eating late is bad for health and hard on digestion. Okay. With sadness and a fond farewell for my beloved banana + almond butter, I kicked my late-night eating to the curb.


The Results
I’ll just go ahead and say it: this month SUCKED.

Strangely, through all my experimentation, both in this trial and over the years, I’ve never really felt *deprived*. But this month? Totally. At night I would get cranky and irritable and feel sorry for myself. You know – deprived!

What I came to understand, as the weeks wore on, was that there was a reason. BECAUSE I WAS HUNGRY.

We eat dinner pretty early, between 6-630 on most nights. I put Waits to bed around 9 and I’m back downstairs working by 945-10. And those crazy days of writing and editing, I was working into the wee hours every night. Even when I don’t have a manuscript, I’m up until midnight every night. That’s just my cycle.

So I don’t know about anybody else and I can only speak for myself, but 5-6 hours without food is just too much for me. Add to that an overnight, and I was waking up each morning with super low energy (and a foul mood).

I don’t have it in my notes, but I’m pretty sure I quit this trial early.

So yes, the longevity gurus will insist that I’m taking years off my life with my moonlit snack attacks. That’s okay. I found what works for me and THIS works great. Healthy-style dessert around 10 keeps my fueled and feeling good until breakfast. Maybe things will change once Waits is completely weaned and I’m no longer making breastmilk. But for now, this is it.

So why dessert? Are you wondering why I don’t just have a late night salad? Well, I do love me some salad, but I also have a sweet tooth. And for me, knowing that I’m going to get “dessert” at night helps me to stay on track eating healthy during the day. I have afternoon cookie craving just like anyone else does, and it’s infinitely easier for me to brush them off when I know there’s a perfect, perfectly wholesome, treat at the end of my day.

Frozen banana with almond butter will always be my #1, but these are a few of my other favorites:
The practically-viral Banana Soft Serve (via Choosing Raw)
These lemon-kissed blondie bites are right up my alley (from Dreena)
Simple perfection in peanut butter-stuffed dates (photo by Spabettie)
And of course, there’s always a good old fashioned raw chocolate protein shake (I would 1/2 or 1/4 this recipe for a late night drink) (via Miss Kristin)

I was so glad when July ended, and eager to start on August – the last month-long trial in the series!


Edited to link in the rest of the series:
Introduction
January
February
March
April
May

The Test
In June, I stayed RAW, and I also eliminated added oils.


The Theory
“Fat” is one of the most contentious topics in the health world. There are experts coming from every angle, each brandishing their own set of studies. MDs, specialists, naturopaths, nutritionists, RDs, gurus, shamans and the wonderful Wizard of Oz – they all have an opinion on FAT. Some advocate using food-based fats (think nuts and avocados) while avoiding extracted or isolated oils. Some advise eliminating fat entirely, like the high-carb vegetarians using low-fat processed foods, or the raw vegan “80-10-10″ fruitarians. On the opposite end of the spectrum you’ll find the high-fat proponents. To them, saturated fat is a essential nutrient and cholesterol is only a problem when it drops too low. These are the Atkins/paleo/Weston Price-types.

I’d been eating a relatively high fat diet (I’d call it moderate, but I suppose it’s high compared to most vegans – about 35% of my calories from fat) for the past few years. When I first increased my whole-foods fat intake (from avocados, nuts, and coconuts), I experienced better digestion (it helped relieve constipation, I might as well be blunt) and much healthier hair and skin (less dry, more supple). My body just seemed to benefit from more fat! But I had been eating that way for years, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was “too much of a good thing”. What would happen if I greatly reduced my fat intake?

I was happy remaining all-raw, so my goal for June was to eliminate all added oils (like olive oil and coconut oil) while minimizing high-fat whole foods (like avocados and nuts).


The Results
Interesting. Very interesting.

The month started off so strong, on that raw food high from May which propelled me forward filled with energy. I was still working nonstop on Rawesomely Vegan and I was having a blast testing recipes and [un]cooking up wild creations in my kitchen. Eating “light” took a little getting used to, I’ll be honest, but I was surprised at how quickly I figured out substitutions.

As the month wore on I just grew weary of low-fat life. I definitely lost some weight (I didn’t have much to lose – I dropped that last few pounds which brought me back to my pre-pregnancy weight) which was nice, but other than that, it wasn’t doing me any favors. My skin lost a bit of its luster and I felt like my energy suffered some. Mostly, my enthusiasm for all-raw eating was slipping away. By the end of the month I was ready to throw in the towel.

I’m really glad that I did this trial, because it confirmed that I’m someone who thrives on a moderate- to higher-fat diet. On the one hand, I probably don’t need as much oil as I have used at times in the past, and it was great to practice incorporating alternatives. But on the other hand, my body undeniably runs better when it’s well-oiled (ha!), and gosh I’d be willing to bet that a lot of other people (especially women) are the same. We live in a lipo-phobic culture, but I think that many folks would do well adding a few more healthy fat sources (but that’s another discussion for another time). Overall, I learned that fat is my friend and that low-fat-raw-veganism is NOT a sustainable option for me.

I ended June with a sense of accomplishment. July, however, was something else entirely . . .


Edited to link in the rest of the series:
Introduction
January
February
March
April
May

July

In 2011 I set about on a journey to regain my health – a series of dietary experiments. You can read the backstory here. Prior to beginning these trials, I had used an elimination diet to clear up a systemic Candida infection. I was also healing my gut/digestion through the intensive application of probiotics via fermented foods and beverages, and it worked, because cultured food is magical!

The Test
In May, I went RAW.


The Theory
Longtime readers are probably aware of my love affair with raw foods. My first foray into the lifestyle was back in May of ’09, when I did a month-long all-raw stint. Now as part of my “diet trial”, I was jumping back in, exactly two years later to the day. How’s that for timing?! And as to the “why” of it, well, here’s an excerpt from something I wrote way back then:

“. . . it is believed that at high temperatures the natural enzymes – important in aiding digestion and absorption – begin to denature. According to Raw enthusiasts, the act of cooking food will essentially destroy it. Therefore, Raw cuisine will contain the most vitamins and minerals, and will be most effortlessly metabolized by the body. These two qualities collaborate to maximize the nutritional impact of whatever is eaten, while requiring as little work as possible for the body.”

Even more serendipitously, I was in full-on recipe development mode for Rawesomely Vegan, so it sort of made perfect sense to simply eat 100% raw. Again, such opportune timing.


The Results
Oh, how I   ♥   raw food! As expected, May was marvelous. This was actually an extremely (extremely) trying time in my life. I was attempting WAY too much, between mommying and blogging and writing a cookbook under a tight deadline. It was one of the most stressful periods of my life (undiagnosed postpartum anxiety, remember) and I really believe that the reason I got through it with my sanity intact, was because I was eating so damn well!

When I eat 100% raw, my mind is clear, I feel centered, and best of all I find that my body is full of energy. After I eat a raw meal I often have so much energy that I have to go out for a walk! That’s such a contrast to the food coma that most people experience post-mealtime.

So needless to say, my May trial was ace. My skin improved, my digestion continued get stronger, and I was able to stay up into the wee hours of the morning, working working working.

However, I did run into trouble with my blood sugar. I was still getting hit with semi-unpredictable spikes and crashes, from seemingly benign meals. On more than one occasion I ate something that sent me into a wild-eyed tailspin, hyper high (complete with euphoria) followed by an exhausted plummet into cranky-ville. And actually, it would be many months before I got that all that sorted out. In the meantime, however, I sure was enjoying the benefits of living life in the RAW. So much so, that when I got to the end of May I decided to just keep on truckin’ . . . but we’ll save that for the next installment.


Edited to link in the rest of the series:
Introduction
January
February
March
April

June
July

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!

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:

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.

Last Friday was just another boring day. Another boring day of delicious, healthy, high-raw homemade vegan food. It looked like this:

Then it was walk time. We took the poochies on a long meandering walk while I caught up with an old friend on the phone. After we walk, we blend.


Local Farmer’s Market bok choy! It went into the blender along with some homemade kombucha, spirulina, raw rice protein, frozen banana, and some maca I think. That was damn good. Waits agreed:




Beautiful, bright, and brimming with nourishment!


While we drank our smoothies I prepped my lunch, which was raw sprouted buckwheat soaked in [non-raw, store-bought] almond yogurt.


Afternoon


After smoothies we bathe, and after bath we nap. Well, Waits naps. I work. And eat buckwheat yogurt mix, topped with peanut butter and apricot jam.


Damian came home from work early. He fed Waits peanut butter straight from the jar, while I made us a tall glass of green juice.


See? Cucumber-kale-parsley-celery, with 1/2 an apple for sweetness.

I had some more coffee somewhere in here too. Unpictured.


Night


Homemade chili.


Spinach salad.


Cornbread in the cast iron.

And together:




And for the wee man:


A little bit of everything, but he likes the olives the best. Smart boy.


Dessert


Raw chai cheesecake left over from Christmas night (don’t worry guys, it was in the freezer!) Epic.

And that was it, just another day back in the swing of life. And you know? Life is precious and dynamic and beautiful all on its own, every day. We don’t really need holidays to tell us that.

~~~

Most days I actually wear more than one outfit, did I ever tell you that? Yeah, I change my clothes at least once, if not twice, as my needs change throughout the day. Here’s what I wore on Saturday.

Vintage for my morning appointments and errands:



And a bright hoodie with black skinnies for afternoon relaxing:




So, how are you liking life post-holidays? New start inspiration or back-in-the-grind slump?

The Test
In April, I eliminated all grains.


The Theory
More so than in previous months, April’s experiment was almost exclusively borne out of curiosity. Grain-free? It’s pretty drastic, but I couldn’t help but wonder. I knew that most of my issues were related to either digestion or blood sugar (or both), and I knew that I already felt so much better after cutting out wheat (THE main grain) and processed sugar.

There are some healthy-eating folks who will argue against the inclusion of grains in any diet. The “primal” or “paleo” crowd insist that the advent of agriculture was the beginning of a nutritional degeneration of sorts. A relatively recent addition to the human diet, grains can be difficult to digest and hard for the body to handle (they are broken down into simple glucose, which can produce the spike-and-crash blood sugar effect). As well, most grains contain anti-nutrients if not properly prepared. Grains – especially refined grains – can even cause inflammation throughout the body.

So what would happen if I ditched them altogether? It seemed to work wonders for a lot of other people, so I figured I’d give it a try. I was rockin’ without the gluten and the sugar. I thought I had nothing to lose . . .


The Results
There’s something to be said for quality of life.

Eating a grain-free vegan diet can be tricky, and trying to eat out? Total pain in the ass. Which is okay with me, to a certain degree. I don’t mind a “pain in the ass diet” when I’m reaping great rewards from it (ie, RAW!), but the problem here was that . . . I wasn’t. I didn’t feel any different and I certainly didn’t feel any better. I’m pretty familiar with grain-alternatives already, so eating at home wasn’t as much of a problem. I can wrap my sandwich fillings in lettuce leaves, serve my burrito innards in cabbage cups, and spoon a stir fry over spinach. I just had to eat a little more volume to compensate for the missing calories, but overall, it was okay.

Eating out, on the other hand, was tough. And you know what? Eating out is fun. But suddenly each of our favorite spots was a no-go. Thai is full of rice and noodles. Mexican relies on rice and tortillas (both wheat and corn) (yes, corn is a grain). Ethiopian isn’t the same without that glorious spongy injera. I could do Mediterranean – minus the pita, minus the falafel, minus the tabbouleh. Super. Sad. Trombone.

It was an interesting experience, because it wasn’t “hard” in the same ways as the other challenges. But it was infinitely more frustrating. Because it felt so . . . pointless. Deprivation for deprivation’s sake just isn’t my bag. After three and half weeks I threw in the towel. Even neurotic me didn’t feel the need to finish out the final week!

However, the month wasn’t a total wash. Quite the opposite in fact – this experiment helped me begin to form the foundation of what would eventually become my over-arching food philosophy. Since I *didn’t* have the same reaction as other people reported (ie, great benefit) from dropping grains (ie, going low-carb), it really hit home that different people require different macronutrient ratios. And now I firmly believe that this is why such divergent diets work so well for various people. Which has got to be at least part of the reason that there’s so much conflicting nutritional research out there! I don’t know why so many people – both professional and layman – seem to ignore this.

[Edited for clarity: when I say "different diets work for different people", I am referring ONLY to macronutrient ratios - fats, carbs, and protein - all of which can be adjusted as necessary within a plant-based diet!]

Anyway, that’s mostly what I got out of April, and I’ll consider that a success. Plus, next month was May, and May meant one of my very favorite changes . . . but we’ll get to that next time!

Edited to link in the rest of the series:
Introduction
January
February
March

May
June
July

We didn’t partake in this particular cake, but it sure was gorgeous. Yay chocolate wedding cake!

What a way to welcome in the new year! We spent January 1st in the adorable little town of Ashland (home of the best co op I’ve ever visited, and you know I’m a connoisseur!), celebrating as two of our dearest friends were married. In a book store! Because they’re both writers! Ahhhhh, I do so adore my friends.

It went a little like this:

For our complimentary continental breakfast (eaten in our room) we had: fresh fruit, vegan oatmeal with raisins + vanilla stevia (from home) + peanut butter (from home) + coconut milk (from home), lots of coffee (not pictured) with stevia and coconut milk, chlorella tablets (from home), and some coconut yogurt for Damian (from the Ashland co-op).

Nothin’ fancy, hit the spot!


Lunch


After breakfast and a bath, Waits and I ventured out to meet up with the bride-to-be at her B&B. Her sister was finishing the cake, her father was trying to find his notes (so he could perform the ceremony), and her friends were all hanging out. I love love love the getting-ready-before-the-event time. I think it’s my favorite part of weddings! I just wish I could have been more involved. Alas, these toddler days have me taking a step back from the hands-on planning. Waits and I played in the kitchen and on the stairs, chatted with pals, and snacked on pistachios. After a while it was time to head back to the hotel for a very necessary nap.




I made up a lunch plate while Waits was sleeping. All stuff we’d brought: The best bread ever – Dave’s Killer Bread – with hummus, one with cherry tomatoes and pickled garlic, the other with olives and pickled peppers and pickled garlic. Baby carrots on the side. This rocked my world.


Wedding Time!


My friends are both writers and so they held the ceremony in a small book store. It was so beautiful. Waits was completely captivated by the string trio! (he’s a musician for sure, no doubt)

Dinner and the party were back at the Ashland Springs ballroom. Our camera ran out of juice before dinner arrived, so I had to use the iPhone. You get Instagrammed dins!


1) Precious centerpiece. 2) Simple salad with dried cranberries, toasted hazelnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette. 3) Roasted acorn squash stuffed with seasoned Great Northern beans with a pesto drizzle; the best microgreens and shaved fennel salad I’ve ever had. 4) Waits ate nothing but fruit for dinner. Lots and lots of fruit. 5) My dessert, a raw tiramisu. (apparently from the Ashland co-op) 6) Damian’s dessert, chocolate cake. (apparently from the Ashland co-op)

THIS MEAL WAS REALLY GOOD!

We had a great time, but Waits was pretty rascally and either Damian or I had to be up with him through most of the evening/dinner service. He’s not really one for sitting still, haha.


Late Night Snack

We left the wedding pretty early because Waits was verging on a complete meltdown. After such a stimulating, exhausting day, we figured he would crash out pretty quickly. WRONG. Here’s a tip: don’t feed your toddler nothing but fruit (sugar!) for dinner. After trying and trying to get him to sleep, we finally bundled ourselves up and went for a drive at like, 10:45 pm. Thankfully that did it, and he was snoring by 11:30. I was totally beat and by then I was hungry again (dinner ended around 8). So . . .


Peanut butter and banana sammie. Leftover New Year’s champagne. Snuggles and HGTV in bed with my man.

Not a bad way to begin 2012, I’d say.

~~~

I’d really wanted to show the outfit I wore to the wedding (mustard yellow tights! vintage 1940s shoes!) but I didn’t get a single [good] full body shot. Oh well. We snapped these casual outfit pics on a coffee stop during the drive home the next day.

• Black hoodie: thrifted
• Grey lace print mini skirt: secondhand
• Black leggings: very very old
• Looong thick scrunchy socks: Sock Dreams OF COURSE (these ones)
• Black boots: super old, pre-gan

What did you do on New Year’s Day?

We arrived quite late on Thursday night – the Winter Solstice. Too late for dinner or even a snack, we were just in time to write out a wish on a scrap of paper and throw it into the dying fire. Then, with Pagan rituals out of the way, we were off to bed.



The next few days were overflowing with festive foods and lots of fun, like this:

Fresh-baked bread, raw granola, clementines. Almond milk for Waits, coffee for me.

Damian’s stepfather, Lee, is a master goldsmith. And although he no longer makes jewelry professionally, he still keeps a workshop. Coolest computer case EVER? Methinks yes . . .

Lee is also an accomplished bread-baker, so there were plenty of homemade loafs:

His sourdough starter, which “went vegan” a few months after we did. It hasn’t had any milk in years, which means it makes the most amazing vegan artisan breads. Lee gave me a jar of this to take home, and I plan on delving into the world of bread baking this winter, yipee!

Potato caraway sourdough, on the rise . . .

. . . and rising . . .

. . . and baked! This was for Christmas dinner, so good!

Just a few sweet slices of the soured multigrain loaf we were snacking on all week.

Speaking of snacking, there was plenty of that as well:

Hummus for writing time.

Tea for two.

Coffee and good ol’ apple pie

Nuts from our stockings on Christmas morning.

And this gorgeous spread on Christmas afternoon.

Which featured my homemade cultured cashew cheese dip with chives, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. HELLO! (recipe to come soon!)

Lillejuleaften



Damian’s family always celebrates Lillejuleaften, which means “Little Yule Eve”, which is basically Christmas Eve Eve. We lit a candle and set it in the window, built up a big roaring fire, and feasted. I cooked!

Giant salad with romaine, bell pepper, carrots, and homemade noochy vinaigrette.

Giant bowl of pasta! Rice pasta, extra virgin olive oil, peppers and onions sautéed with a little liquid smoke, Field Roast apple smoked sage sausages, and a liberal sprinkling of pepper jack Daiya. Mmmhmm.

We’d picked up this salted caramel apple pie on our way out of town, from our favorite bakery.

Christmas Eve




On Christmas Eve we made another delicious vegan feast, but this one was a joint endeavor. Pizza! With veggie sausage, fresh tomatoes, black olives, Daiya cheddar, and all laid out on a homemade sourdough crust. Damian’s grandmother declared this [vegan!] pizza “the best pizza she’s ever had”. Spectacular, right? Oh, and I agreed!

Another enormous salad with all the fixin’s.

♥ A family of jewelers, can you tell? ♥

A-Mazing!

♥ Opening gifts on Christmas Eve ♥

Christmas!



Christmas was wonderful, the morning so full of joy and love! Christmas with a child is a whole different experience, and I’m happy to say that I think I’m officially retiring my Grinch hat. This shit is just too much fun! Waits was adorable and gleeful and sort of loved the bags more than the toys, except he’s pretty super stoked on his brand new baby guitar. Thank you Grandma!!!

Christmas dinner was so lovely, and I used it to break in my favorite gift: my very first cast iron! I actually teared up with excitement when I unwrapped this, because I am that much of a geek.

Caramelizing leeks to break in the skillet.

And searing the sprouts.

Christmas dinner: mashed potatoes with gravy, homemade bread, braised brussels sprouts with caramelized leeks, and Field Roast’s “Celebration Roast”. PERFECT HOLIDAY MEAL!

For dessert I made a raw Chai Cheesecake (recipe by the wonderful Natalia KW). It was the perfect rich, spicy topper to a perfect winter meal.

Off camera outtake, haha

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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So I seriously spent the four days away almost entirely in my pajamas. Yeah! But, we did venture out to the market on Christmas day, and I did wear my special Christmas socks:



Waits was super stylin’ in his Christmas moose onesie, padded vest, and red fleece earflap cap:




I hope that you all had an amazing weekend, whether you were celebrating or not. Much love to you all, from all of us!

And it looked like this:

After brunch we hit the secondhand children’s shops and a couple of antique malls, finishing up our holiday shopping and enjoying a warmish winter day in the Pacific Northwest. It was awesome awesome awesome and I ♥ my family!


Snacky Snack


In the early afternoon, Waits went down for a nap, and then afterwards I took off to run a few errands. I was still pretty stuffed from brunch, so a Larabar was just the thing to hold me over until dinner. Cherry pie flavor, to match my long socks, naturally.

Damian and Waits had organic corn chips with homemade tomato basil hummus while I was out (not pictured).


Dinner


Our last stop of the day was for dinner, at Native Foods. Okay, to be totally honest, we’ve eaten there the last three weekends in a row. I think they put crack in their food!

Native Foods is located in an outdoor mall, so while we waited for our food we took advantage of our surroundings:


Awwwww cuteness!



Grabbed our food to-go, high-tailed it home, and dug the hell in (by now pretty starving). I’m sorta stuck on this one sandwich – the Scorpion Burger. “Chef Tanya’s original tempeh burger! Homemade blackened Tempeh, chipotle sauce, romaine, carrots, avocado and onions. 8.95 Add melted cheddar. .50” You better believe I add the house-made cheddar. And side of steamed kale. YOWZA! This is, hands down, the best veggie burger I’ve ever eaten. EVER! ♥ ♥ ♥


Waits had a kiddie quesadilla with steamed veggies (which he pretty much ignored), side of canned coconut milk.

Epic Dinner. Epic. Oh, and Damian had the Chicken Run Ranch burger with fries, side of ranch. He’s pretty smitten with this burger too. Oi, Native Foods, we really do love you!


To top it all off, after the bubs was asleep and the hubs was working, and I had the house all to myself, I curled up with my puppies for some straight. up. chillin’. Behold seXXXy Harley:


*Perfect Sunday*

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So back up to Saturday, and I had organized a little get-together for a friend of mine who’s about to be married. Tea and lingerie! An afternoon of high tea at the world-renowned Heathman Hotel. I instructed the ladies to “wear your pastel and your pearls”, and “bring something skimpy for the bride.” Ooh-la-la!




Needless to say, it was an awesome afternoon. I wore:

• Pastel print dress: secondhand
• Grey tights: unknown, they’ve been with me for a looooong time
• Black vegan flats: thrifted
• Pearl necklace (worn as a bracelet): pre-gan, my grandmother’s pearls
• Cream-colored trench coat (not pictured): secondhand

The table got a three-tiered tray of finger sandwiches, scones, biscuits, and all sorts of sweet treats. And me? I got an awesome little vegan plate, specially made!




Have you ever had high tea?