Rarely have I had to experiment so much to get a recipe right. I’ve made cream cheese before from cashews, and the results were good. However, I can’t get raw cashews where I live, and the process is pretty long and involved. I can, however, get excellent tofu. I knew there had to be a…
It’s COVID-19 time and we’ve been staying at home for almost six weeks. I’ve been cooking almost every day. In fact, in six weeks we’ve ordered take-out meals exactly twice. All this time at home has me making dishes I haven’t made in years and trying some dishes I’ve never made before. That’s the case…
Coleslaw is easy to make and can take a variety of forms based on the dressing. This version features my Creamy Avocado Dressing mixed with finely shredded cabbage and carrots. It’s the perfect companion to a Mexican or traditional Guatemalan entrée. This dressing keeps well in the refrigerator for a day or two. If you…
I’ve had cats all my life. Unfortunately, their ability to sleep never rubbed of on me. My struggle with insomnia began after the break-up of my first marriage in 1988. Yes, 1988. I would fall asleep with no problem but wake up around 3am. Staying awake for two hours or more during the night was…
I recently had a craving for Mexican chocolate brownies. After looking at a number of recipes, I found one that looked promising on mom.com. Unfortunately, the recipe had several typos and a horrible layout. I have no objection to ads on a blog, but don’t cover the recipe with them! The recipe was pretty good,…
A friend recently brought this dip to a couple of parties, and I could hardly pull myself away from it. Even if there had been no other vegan options (and there were plenty!) I would have been happy with nothing more than this dip and raw veggies. The dip is so easy to make. I…
I frequently sing in restaurants. I rarely pay attention to the food while I sing, but yesterday my attention kept wandering toward the plates of pasta being served at the tables near me. I don’t eat pasta often these days, but today it called out to me. When I saw the beautiful cauliflower Mark brought…
I recently completed a 72-hour water fast. I was never terribly hungry during the fast, and I felt great. The last night, however, I dreamed of peanut butter. I hadn’t had peanut butter in quite some time, so the next morning I picked up some roasted, unsalted peanuts and made my dream come true… fresh…
This year some friends hosted a vegan/vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner. It was a lovely gathering with a table full of vegan-friendly dishes, and the first time in years I didn’t make the whole Thanksgiving meal myself. Ahhhh. Among the dishes I contributed were a cashew-based “cheese” ball, pecan pie, and sweet potato dish made with pineapple…
I eat an enormous salad almost every day. Ever since I found out that whole food fats are needed for the body to absorb fat-soluble carotenoids from foods such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and leafy greens, this dressing has had a place of honor on my plate. This salad dressing is rich and creamy, and takes…
The Weight-Loss Merry-Go-Round This is the backstory: part one of two. Click here to go directly to my experiment with intermittent fasting. I share this story not because it’s anything special, but because it’s so common. I share it because I’m now off the weight loss merry-go-round, and maybe my story can help others get…
This is the second of two articles. You can read the first one (my weight loss merry-go-round backstory) here. I recently said to my husband “I don’t want to lose any more weight. I’m completely happy with my weight now.” His reply: “I don’t think I’ve ever heard a woman say that.” My experiment with…
This curry is easy and quick to make, especially if you cook it in an Instant Pot. I took some liberties with the spices, as berbere is an Ethiopian spice. If you don’t have any, add a touch of cumin, clove, and cayenne. You can use any kind of vegetables–those in the recipe are what…
I’ve been on a cheesy sauce kick lately. Remember that potato carrot cheese sauce that everyone seemed to be posting about a few years ago? If you don’t remember, this sauce was everywhere on vegan blogs and Facebook groups. I, of course, have my own version. I’ve been making this sauce a lot, this time…
This is one of a series of articles about our trip to Cuba. Click here for a list of all the Cuba-related articles. After a week in Havana, we were ready to get out of the city for the day. Viñales is a World Heritage Site, and one of the few places that can be…
This is one of a series of articles about our trip to Cuba. Click here for a list of all the Cuba-related articles. One of the reasons we decided to stay in Havana for our entire Cuba visit was to experience as much music as possible. Armed with my friend Ken McCarthy’s list of venues…
This is one of a series of articles about our trip to Cuba. Click here for a list of all the Cuba-related articles. Cuba has two distinct economies, and that really shows up in food and restaurants. (You may want to read my section on money in the Preparing for Your Trip post before you…
There are many ways to explore Havana. Lots of tourists opt for a tour in one of the gazillion restored 1950’s American cars–we didn’t do that. We found Havana to be a great city for walking, and we walked at least 5 miles or 8 km a day–some days double that. This is not meant…
Whenever you prepare for a trip, there’s an element of the unknown. You can read all the guides and blog posts in the world, but until you go there yourself, you don’t know what will be important to you. This is one of a series of articles about our trip to Cuba. Click here for…
This month marks 10 years of me being vegan: my veganniversary. I stopped eating all animal products cold turkey (pun intended) and I’ve never looked back. I feel better, look better, and am healthier than I was 10 years ago. When I switched to a plant-based diet, I was 47 and already had arthritis in…