nomnomnom

i recently made some vegan muffins to take to our monthly work meeting - i wanted to show people how delicious vegan food can be - it was a huge success... three people e-mailed me later today to ask me for the recipe!

yummm

mmmm food

My favorite thing, so far, about being vegetarian/vegan has been cooking!  Forcing myself out of the typical sandwiches/chicken dishes has opened up an exploration of new food - mainly veggies.  I've made so many delicious things and I've really enjoyed doing it!  I need to take more pictures of the food I create, but here is one recipe I made from Veganomicon - my favorite place for recipes!

It was a cold a rainy day, so I made Plantain and Pinto Stew with Parsnip Chips.

DELICIOUS.  And fun fact - parsnip chips taste just like sweet potato fries.

Friemly

Friemly (n): \fre-lē\

1. Friend(s) who transcend friendship and cross over to family. 

This past weekend was one of my favorites in a while... and that's saying a lot!  

Our friend Taryn was in town - I say "our friend" but really she is Tracy's friend.  She is one of those people who you meet for an hour and feel like you've known her your whole life.   She has this amazing personality and travels all over the world - I admire her spirit. 

So Tracy, Nick, Taryn, Jessica, Brad and I made a weekend trip down to Dallas to see Megan for her Bachelorette (or "Hen") party.  We met all of Megan's close friends from other stages in her life - some who I knew before and it was really great to see them/get to know them.  

I had soooo much fun!  We all did!  But I don't have any pictures... can't wait to buy my new camera!!

Since I don't have any pics, here is one of my favorite stories from the night:

Mysterious Parking Garage

At the very end of the night, we arrived at the parking garage I had parked at to go back to the hotel.  I specifically wrote down my parking location to make sure there'd be no confusion.  <5th and Commerce, 7th floor - I parked right next to the elevator to make sure the car's location would be perfectly obvious.>  We arrive at 5th and Commerce, and head up to the 7th floor... as we get out of the elevator I don't see me car!  Minor moment of panic sets in until I see that the sign near the elevator says "6th and Commerce"... weird.  So we went into the elevator to try again... and so began a series of elevator rides, getting lost, people hiding (teehee), people popping out of nowhere, and still finding many floors of 5th and Commerce, but unable to locate the much needed 7th floor locale.  Eventually we give up and try trusty the "press the lock button until you hear the beep" technique.  Eventually there was a beep!  We ran towards it only to find - no car.  It must have been above/below us!  So we ran down, still hearing the beep... not finding the car.  Up we ran and eventually - the CAR!!! And where was it located?  Next to the elevator on the 7th floor at 5th and Commerce.   I think we'll always look fondly on that confusing mysterious parking garage...

Its funny how losing your car can be so much fun.

Anyway, this brings me to friemly.  I seem to realize the quality of friemly over and over again in my life, and this weekend was one of those times.  I am so happy that we can reunite - and I wish others could have been there with us.  Whether we were just sitting around chatting or dancing and singing the night away - good friends, or friemly, are what make life worth living.

I feel so lucky to have such wonderful friends who will undoubtedly be an important part of my life forever.

Love! 

A Meatless Year...

It has been a long time since I have blogged - I am hoping to blog more consistently again this year!

This wasn't intended to be a "resolution" but I did start it on the new year.  I am going to be a vegetarian this year, with three months of the year being more hardcore - vegan.  So far it has been more challenging than expected while at the same time for meaningful and rewarding.

Brett (my brother) got me a vegan cookbook for Christmas - I've made a few recipes so far and I must say - delicious!

Cookbook: Veganomicon 

Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

I recommend this cookbook to anyone - not just vegans! It has witty commentary, reads easily, and uses simple ingredients to make delicious meals.  Yummmm

Pineapple Cashew Quinoa Stir-Fry

Gather the ingredients...

 Prepare ingredients...

 Voila!

Its actually a very simple recipe - once the ingredients are all ready, you pretty much just add it to the skillet and stir.  

The thing I love about it (and stir-fry in general) is that you can add in or substitute so many different veggies.  I can't wait to make this one again. 

Note: Next time, use shelled edamame (hahaha!).

Last step - gather around the table with some wine and beautiful friends.

So far 2012 is shaping up to be a pretty great year.  I love love love enjoying simple moments and simple things in life, surrounded by wonderful people.  Life is good!

And it will just keep getting better.  Some amazing highlights will include:

- NYC, Scotland, Ireland with Brad and others

- Megan's wedding 

- Colorado trip with friends

- Kirsten's wedding

- Portland trip to visit Heather

- running a marathon w/Heather!

Love.

fall fun... with dogs!

Fall is my favorite season.  I might say otherwise at the first snowfall, or when flowers begin to bloom, or during carefree hours spent poolside... but despite those wonderful things other seasons offer, I still think fall is my favorite.  

The feeling of fall is so refreshing - crisp and clean.  I love the fashions of fall - whipping out the scarves, boots, argyle, cardigans, etc.  Fall has football, Halloween, and Thanksgiving... all clearly very awesome. 

I wanted to blog about dogs.  But we (Tracy and I) recently took the dogs to Lake Thunderbird for some fall-time fun, so this post will be about both - dogs and fall.  

I live with 4 dogs (3 will be featured here) and I love them SO much!  I know... 4 dogs! haha They bring such happiness and love and loyalty to the home.   Their names are Bruno, Riley, Dan, and Sally.  They are all very sweet and well trained too - I feel like I'm in a good place to learn how to become a great dog owner. 

I wanted to make a video montage of our trip to the lake, but technical difficulties stood in my way. :( 

so here are some highlights:

Introducing Riley, Bruno, and Sally! 

and Tracy.

Playing at Lake Thunderbird

Playing in the water...

T and Sally leaping

haha

Love.