I had a doctor’s appointment today. Not a big deal really, so no worries. Just been feeling a bit off lately and well, having a bit of a skin rash issue. I’ve been a bit in denial about dealing with the rash, but last week when it appeared on my neck (and forehead), I figured, […] Read more…
My Homestead
cooking, vegan, recipes, family, gardening at Lita’s house
When Pops is away….
Pops is away for the next week. He’s off in Mexico on a surf trip with his buddies. One word describes the moment… aaaahhh! Don’t get my wrong, he’s the love of my life, my soulmate, the yin to my yang…all of that, but in a moment of honesty, it’s so nice to have […] Read more…
Banana Coconut Cream Pie
Not that there’s ever a bad time, but this week I figured I needed to make a “Springy/Summery” dessert. Summer is trying to get here…but it’s just happening a bit too slow for me. Maybe this will move it along a bit. The recipe comes from VegNews May/June 2011 (my favorite magazine). It was created […] Read more…
Favorite Finds of the Week
I think everyone knows I have a magazine addiction. In fact, I think it would be lovely if I could have a job that included reading magazines and sharing fun tidbits from them. So, I thought I’d start a new weekly feature here based on my career aspirations. I typically rip out pages from the […] Read more…
Spinach, Mushroom & White Bean Strudel
This marks my first time using phyllo dough!! I may be a geek, but this was seriously exciting to me. Somehow, I’ve always had “fear” of using it. I thought it was just too fragile to work with for someone as clumsy as I can be at times. The verdict is…it’s super easy to use. […] Read more…
Green Onion Trick
So, maybe you already knew about this…it’s possible I’m the last one to realize this little trick. I can definitely be a geek that way. Did you know that you can keep your green onions growing after you bring them home from the store? My friend Kathy told me her mom does this, so I […] Read more…
Vegan (Brownie) Sundae
For anyone who thinks it’s “No Fun” being vegan, here are a few steps we take around this household to have some: Step 1 – Bake the fudge vegan brownies from the mix you purchased a few weeks ago. Step 2 – Top with your favorite non-dairy frozen delight. (Optional – heat up the brownie […] Read more…
Beach Toy Advice
I have a feeling we’re going to be making quite a few trips to the beach this summer if we’ll have as much fun as we had this past weekend. Here in Northern California the weather at the coast can be hit or miss in the summertime – you can have a gorgeous sunny day […] Read more…
Garden Progress
My passion for gardening is in full swing right now. Thoughts about seeding, planting, designing and caring for my yard seem to be always on my mind. Last year, my garden simply never took off as I wanted it to. Not due to my lack of work though, I think there were a couple of […] Read more…
Meatless Monday – Banana Pudding Bars
I have been dying to make these! I saw them in the VegNews Recipe Club and between the photos and descriptions, my mouth just watered. It turns out the recipe was created by Hannah Kaminsky of the Bittersweet Blog – one of my FAVORITE vegan recipe sites!! Here’s the recipe and in italics I share […] Read more…
Epcot Photo Journey April 2011
As many of you know, I recently spent some time in Central Florida visiting my mom. One of the highlights of the the visit was going to Epcot. I LOVE Epcot. It’s just simply so beautiful there and I find all the information along with all the cultural information so interesting. As luck would have […] Read more…
Meatless Monday – Vegan Baking Mixes
I’ll admit I’m not big on “mixes” for baking. I know, I know it makes baking much easier and quicker – but do you really want the baking process to go that quickly? I love time in the kitchen so rushing, for me, is never a priority. I’ll also admit that searching, trying and buying […] Read more…
Wordless Wednesday – Sport Star Ty
Meatless Monday – The Joy of Being Vegan
Ok, ok, so I didn’t cook anything new this week to share a recipe for. I hope you understand – I was gone most of the week and, though, I did cook this past week, I simply remade some of my favorites. If you’re really looking for a new recipe to try this week, you’ll […] Read more…
Babycakes!!
If you’ve been following my Central Florida trip adventures on Facebook, you know that I was super excited to visit the new Babycakes Bakery at Downtown Disney. WOW! Everything looked absolutely delicious!! I especially loved that they give you a view into their kitchens – so you can watch what they’re baking (and get some […] Read more…
Thai Cabbage Salad
Just in time for the warmer weather, this salad is sure to please. I think I could eat servings for 4-6 people all myself…truly. Simple to make – more fun to eat. The key to great cabbage salad is in the shredding. Remove the stem part first. Shred the cabbage as thin as possible – […] Read more…
Boy’s Game Night
I must say, my Grandsons are just so much FUN right now! Westly is just chatting up a storm lately and Hunter, well, he’s just the absolute handsome angel that you see in these photos. I often get a bit jealous that Pops is retired and can spend so much more time with them just […] Read more…
Green Tea & Miso Glazed Tofu
I made this for the first time when my friend Anne came over for dinner. As I was making it I thought, “wow, what if this doesn’t turn out very good – what else will I serve?” But the verdict was an overwhelming Super easy and incredibly tasty and healthy – you won’t regret trying […] Read more…
Gardening Season Begins…
and I’m so ready…YAHOO!!! Finally, our weather is becoming “Spring-Like” and I’m just loving my mornings out in the garden. Here’s a few shots of what’s blooming so far: It’s truly unbelievable how quickly the weather has changed. We had 22 out of 25 days of rain in March. I know my yard has enjoyed […] Read more…
Hiyyyy-Yaaaah
Karate chops TWO-YEAR-OLD style. ~ Lita Read more…
Meatless Mondays – Linguine Casserole
My friend Kathy asked me for a vegan casserole recipe that she could make for “Teacher Appreciation Day” at my Grandson’s school (here niece also goes there and she volunteers there and she knows one of the teachers is vegan). Here’s the recipe I gave her with some added ingredients (in green) I would use […] Read more…
You’re on the Path to Freedom when…
You can’t come up with one good reason why you should be anxious or frightened. Read more…
Searching for Calm
Boring. It’s how I feel right now, and I somewhat welcome it. somewhat. It’s a bit calming and my life tends to be a bit chaotic – of my own creation I know (and possibly with a little help from Pops). Every once in a while I decide to address this issue and try to […] Read more…
Meatless Monday – Black Bean & Corn Soup
I think finally my taste buds are returning!! maybe it was the cold/flu, maybe it was the antibiotics, but wow, food has just not tasted very good lately! I’m ready to eat and enjoy food again and, this recipe just sounded DELISH! Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium red onion, chopped 1 medium yellow […] Read more…
You’re on the Path to Freedom when…
You can listen to others without the need to tell them what you know Read more…