Love Thyself

Valentine’s Day is a weird sort of holiday. Either a) it’s pomp-and-circumstancially fabulous because you’re receiving flowers, chocolates, gifts, etc. as quickly as King Midas transformed his possessions into gold; b) you’re single, so it makes you feel like worm-infested dirt (wait, that’s a good thing!) maggot-infested meat or the gunk that clogs the bathtub drain; or c) you’ve got better things to do with your time than be all lovey-dovey and googly-eyed and stuff yourself silly with organic, fair-trade, $7-per-bar raw chocolate (77% cacao content of course).

You feel like either a giddy Beatnik teen . . .

. . . or a pessimistic T-rex.

I’ve always been rather indifferent toward V-Day. Of course, I appreciate the thought behind it, but I firmly believe that, just like Earth Day, we should behave like it’s Valentine’s Day everyday, regularly communicating and demonstrating our love to family, partners, friends, neighbors, and even complete strangers!

As I was walking on campus today, I recalled one of my favorite quotes from T.H. Thompson and John Watson:

“Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”

It’s an excellent rule by which to live. What I find most interesting, though, is how unkind we are to ourselves: we are truly our own worst critics.

Like many young women with Type-A personalities, I am extremely self-critical. It’s either all or nothing, perfection or complete and utter failure; instead of praising my successes, I condemn myself for not being good enough. In fact, I’m never good enough, it seems—never smart enough, never pretty enough, never creative enough, never resilient enough, so on and so forth.

When I was in the darkest depths of an eating disorder, of course I believed I was never thin enough, even when I was, to be frank, skeletal. Having since gained 15 pounds, not only am I at a healthy weight, but my self-esteem and self-love have improved substantially. I feared gaining weight would ruin my life—far from. It improved it. For the first time in my life, I felt genuinely beautiful.

That was a huge step in my recovery.

Since then, I have taken many more little steps here and there, and while I still struggle with negative self-talk and ED-related residue, there’s a second voice inside me that is confident and courageous, that encourages me to flaunt my favorite bellbottoms and walk with pride in the unique Goddess that I am, instead of comparing myself to every girl I pass, instead of fermenting in futile jealousy.

Too cool for school . . .

I also remember what my hero, Mister Rogers, always told me (and still tells me, since I watch his program to this very day):

So, today, whether you’re celebrating or not, practice a little self-love. Take a bubble bath whilst listening to jazz. Watch that movie you’ve wanted to see for ages. Dance. Go star-gazing. Go on a quiet, reflective walk all by yourself. Cook yourself a fancy meal, and dine by candlelight, or go out to eat at yourself favorite restaurant and order dessert. Open a bottle of champagne for no reason other than your newly found or rediscovered radical self-love! You deserve it! I deserve it! We all deserve it!

You know what else you—and your skin—deserve? A grain salad designed to improve your complexion and electrify your glow!

Triple-A Skincare Salad

Inspired by JĀSÖN’s 5,000 IU Vitamin E Pure Beauty Oil

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup dry brown rice, cooked and drained

1 cup dry wheat berries, cooked and drained

1 large ripe avocado, chopped into bite-size chunks

½ cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup whole or chopped almonds

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup wheat germ

4 scallions, chopped

2 Tbs. safflower oil

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. lemon zest

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, juice, zest, and garlic. Set aside.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a larger bowl. Pour dressing over everything, toss gently to combine, and season as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

The three A's: avocado, almond, and apricot.

The Christmas Spirit Continues . . .

Who says Christmas should only be enjoyed on December 26^th, especially when it comes to the delicious food? Last month, I featured a savoury parfait using my Thanksgiving leftovers, and today, I’m here to share a sweeter version.

Holiday Parfait

Serves 1

Ingredients

½ cup granola OR 1 cup puffed cereal of choice (I used Arrowhead Mills Puffed Kamut)

½ cup non-dairy yoghurt of choice

½ cup cranberry sauce*

½ cup roasted sweet potatoes or sweet potato purée

Roasted pecans

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

*Try the Best Cranberry Sauce in the Universe.

Directions

In a tall glass, layer ¼ cup granola or ½ cup cereal, ¼ cup yoghurt, ¼ cup cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, pecans and chia or flaxseeds as desired. Repeat, and serve!

Of course, if you’re not feeling traditional, or if you’re needing a break from the wintery gloom, transport yourself to the Middle East with . . . cake for breakfast? Yes, indeed!

Coconut-Curry Couscous Cake

Serves 1

NOTE: You will need a 1-cup ramekin for this recipe.

I finally invested in the most adorable, vintage ramekins! Can't wait to try some buckwheat bakes in the new year!

Ingredients

¼ cup dry whole wheat couscous

¼ cup + 1 Tbs. water

¼ cup pineapple chunks

1 Tbs. raisins

½ tsp. sweet curry powder*

¼ tsp. coconut extract

Sliced banana

Flaked or shredded coconut

Cashews, pistachios, or a mix

*I recommend Penzeys for this spice and pretty much all spices, just sayin’.

Directions

1. The night before you want to enjoy this breakfast cake, cook the couscous in the water, and then, stir in pineapple chunks, raisins, curry powder, and extract. Transfer to the ramekin and press contents down very firmly. Store in the fridge overnight.
2. In the morning, cut around the cake using a knife, then overturn the ramekin onto a plate, tap it gently with your palm, and the couscous cake should cleanly pop out. Serve with sliced banana, coconut, nuts, and any other toppings as desired.

Happy Holidays to All!

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah and Kwanzaa! Yuletide Blessings! Whatever you celebrate, I hope you are enjoying the company of friends, family, animal companions, and even yourself—because you are a special, sacred, living, breathing blessing.

This year, I celebrated Christmas with my boyfriend’s family. They know I’m quite the foodie, so I received a package of goodies:

Mixed nuts & seeds

GoNaturally Pomegranate Organic Hard Candies from Hillside Candy

Dried Turkish apricots

Organic Medjool Dates from Del Real

Original Ginger Chews from The Ginger People

Carob Spirulina Chunks of Energy from Chunks of Energy

Almonds & Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Bars from Chocolove

My boyfriend’s family is so understanding of my dietary preferences, and they always cook delicious, vegan fare for us. Tonight’s feast featured a wonderful, super-filling curry with coconut milk, cauliflower, yams, and beans alongside brown basmati.

And for dessert, we enjoyed a vegan blackberry pie from a local bakery.

I was quite impressed. So much so that, well, I went back for seconds, not gonna lie. I felt a little guilty, but hey, what’s one day? And besides, as I will be discussing in the near future, I’m embarking on another, potentially even deeper than usual detox tomorrow. For whatever reason, my digestive system is really struggling at the moment and needs some TLC. Hopefully, the next few days will sort it out, but today was a holiday, and I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest!

Here Comes Santa Claus

Lately, I’ve been über nostalgic and wishing to return to the idyllic days of childhood. The holiday season only exacerbates these feelings, as I recall the unrestrained excitement of Christmas Eve, striving to stay awake long enough to hear reindeer hooves on the roof and maybe even to espy Jolly Old St. Nick himself! Of course, I never forgot to arrange a pretty platter of cookies and pour a glass of milk for him, just in case he was a bit peckish when he arrived. And since I never was able to evade sleep, I would discover, much to my innocent amazement and glee, that the treats had been reduced to but a few sugary crumbs by morning (thanks to none other than my father).

Years later, I still find the idea of “cookies and milk” very charming, but traditionally, such fare obviously isn’t the healthiest, especially for an overweight gentleman such as Mr. Claus, so I began brainstorming some equally tasty alternatives he could enjoy, sans the butter, eggs, white flour, and refined sugar.

Tropical Pineapple Upside-Down Mini Bundt Cakes

Needing a tropical vacation in the dead of winter? These cute little single-serving cakes will transport you to the Caribbean with one bite! You will need a mini Bundt cake pan with 6 molds.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5 cups spelt or whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 14-oz can pineapple chunks, juice reserved

1 very ripe banana

½ cup coconut milk (or other milk alternative of choice)

¼ cup agave nectar or honey*

1 Tbs. lime juice

1 tsp. lime zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. coconut extract

6 Tbs. chopped pistachio kernels, cashews, brazil nuts, or a mix

6 tsp. flaked or shredded coconut

*I used a dropperful of liquid stevia, which also works.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mash the banana. Add coconut milk, pineapple juice, sweetener, lime juice & zest, and extracts. Stir well, then add to the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to form a moist batter.
2. Grease or spray the Bundt cake molds. In the bottom of each, add a Tbs. of chopped nuts and a tsp. of coconut. Then, evenly divide the pineapple chunks into each mold, followed by the batter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of their molds and the tops turn golden. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.

You can tell I photographed these a couple months ago . . . they've been in my backlog for quite a while!

Peanut Butter-Butterscotch Balls

Adapted from this recipe (which, in its original form, is also amazing!) and also inspired by a favourite cookie recipe from my childhood.

Makes 24 balls

Ingredients

2.5 cups rolled oats

½ cup pumpkin seeds (raw or roasted)

½ cup raisins, vegan chocolate/carob chips, or a mix

½ cup peanuts (raw or roasted)

¼ cup sunflower seeds (raw or roasted)

½ cup peanut butter

1/3 cup agave nectar or honey

2 Tbs. brown rice syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. butterscotch extract*

*Be careful when buying butterscotch extract—some contain milk derivatives.

Directions

1. In a food processor, grind ½ cup oats and ¼ cup pumpkin seeds until powdery. Transfer to medium bowl, and set aside.
2. Combine remaining oats and pumpkin seeds, raisins, peanuts, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Stir in peanut butter, sweeteners, and extracts until the mixture becomes soft and doughy.
3. Moisten hands (I recommend re-moistening every few balls or so, or else everything will start sticking to your hands), and form dough into balls. Roll balls in oat-pumpkin seed powder before transferring to a separate pan, platter, baking sheet, whatever. Place in freezer for 20 minutes to set, then serve or store in the fridge.

Watch out--these will disappear before you know it!

Be back tomorrow to highlight my Christmas feast!

A Cornucopia of Recipes

Yes, I’m finally here again to share this year’s Thanksgiving repertoire, as featured in my last post. Basically, this will just be long list of recipes, so don’t expect much (if any) interesting reading material beyond measurements and cooking times, sigh.

All these recipes required a bit of Internet browsing, but for the most part, I just used my intuition and “threw things together,” you could say, for lack of a better phrase.

Easy-Peasy Seitan Roast

I was once intimidated by seitan roasts—but this recipe is incredibly easy! It’s also scarily similar to turkey (or what I remember turkey tasting like), not gonna lie.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5 cups vital wheat gluten

3 Tbs. nutritional yeast

1 Tbs. dried rosemary

1 Tbs. celery seeds

1 Tbs. dried sage

2 tsp. dried minced garlic

Black pepper, as desired

2 cups vegetable broth

¼ cup + 2 Tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

1 Tbs. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Couple drops of liquid smoke

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350˚. In a bowl, combine gluten, yeast, and spices, sifting well with a fork to mix well. Pour in 1 cup broth and 2 Tbs. soy sauce, and stir, adding a little water or broth if necessary, until a ball of dough is formed. Knead the dough for about 2-3 minutes, then divide into two small roasts.
2. Place mini-roasts in a greased baking pan or dish (size ~1.5 quart) and pour the remaining broth, soy sauce, liquid aminos, and liquid smoke into the pan as well. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a crispy “skin” has formed on the outside of the roast. Be sure to check on the roasts a couple of times during the cooking process, just to be sure the broth mixture doesn’t evaporate too much or even altogether—I didn’t have any problems, but every oven is different, so you can always add some more water or broth if necessary.

Caraway-Rye Stuffing

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 large carrots, coined

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

6 oz. rye bread, cut or torn into bite-size cubes

2 medium apples, chopped

½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 tsp. caraway seeds

2 tsp. celery seeds

Salt & pepper, to taste

1 Tbs. neutral oil

2 cups vegetable broth

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. In a skillet, sauté onion, celery, carrots, and minced garlic for 4-6 minutes, or until soft. Transfer to a bowl, and add cubed bread, apples, parsley, spices, and salt & pepper. Drizzle oil over the mixture, and stir very well.
2. Then, add vegetable broth 1 cup at a time, stirring to help the bread absorb the liquid. Add more (or less) broth as necessary so the final consistency is evenly moist and clumping together, but not soggy. Bake in a cover casserole or baking pan for 25 minutes. Then, remove the lid, and bake another 15 minutes to form a crusty top.

Mushroom-Miso Gravy

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, very finely diced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chopped mushrooms

¼ cup whole grain flour (I used spelt)

2-3 cups vegetable broth (depending on how thick or thin you prefer your gravy)

1 Tbs. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

1-2 tsp. dried thyme (optional)

Salt & pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. miso paste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan, and sauté onion until beginning to turn translucent. Add mushrooms, reduce heat to low, and slowly cook for at least 10 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to develop a beautiful deep brown hue.
2. Add flour to the pan, stirring quickly to coat everything without burning the flour, then pour in broth, aminos, thyme (if using), and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove about a cup of the gravy from the pan, and in a small bowl, stir in miso paste until fully dissolve. Add back to the saucepan and stir well to evenly distribute the flavour.

Smoky Mustard-Maple Greens with Caramelized Onions & Walnuts

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, sliced into rings

3 Tbs. maple syrup

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs. mustard

2 tsp. neutral oil

Couple drops of liquid smoke

3 cups fresh green beans, ends trimmed, then cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces

1 large bunch of kale, chopped into bite-size pieces

Salt & pepper, to taste

Roasted walnuts, to serve

Ingredients

1. In a skillet on high heat, sauté onion in oil for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 30-40 minutes, until the onions are a deep golden brown, perfectly caramelized.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together syrup, garlic, mustard, oil, liquid smoke, and a little water if needed to achieve a dressing consistency. Then, simply steam the veggies, transfer them to a bowl, and pour dressing on top, adding salt and pepper as desired and tossing well to coat everything evenly. Serve topped with caramelized onions and walnuts.

Winter Fruit Relish

This is adapted from one of my mum’s old recipes. After blending, feel free to stir in some pomegranate arils, too.

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cranberries

1 large apple, cored and cut into fourths

½ large orange with the peel

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1-2 Tbs. unrefined sugar of choice (optional)*

*I think this relish is perfectly sweet without adding any sweetener whatsoever, but if the cranberries are too tart for your taste, adding a little sugar will help balance the tang a bit.

Directions

Simply blend everything in a food processor until fruits are very finely minced. Serve cold.

~

So, that was that. My table also featured a blend of mashed turnip, rutabaga, and parsnip, but I really wasn’t a fan, so I’m not including it. All in all, my feast was a success (despite the lack of time/energy to also make a dessert), and I’ll be back soon with a few ideas about how to creatively re-use Thanksgiving leftovers!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is notorious for putting vegans into uncomfortable positions. The American sociocultural identity is more or less defined by the turkey on the table, as well as side dishes laden with other animal-derived foods; so, vegans invited to a traditional dinner party usually face:

1) Very few (if any) dishes they can enjoy.

2) Odd stares and awkward questions when other guests notice their empty plates.

3) Sometimes, defensive debates can stir, too, when the topic of veganism is brought up.

4) Or, they’re forced to bring food of their own, which can, again, lead to points 2 and 3 above.

During my childhood, Thanksgiving was very much traditional. My meat-and-potatoes Iowan grandmother cooked a HUGE feast, which included turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, baked sweet potatoes with marshmallows, creamed corn, cranberry sauce, garlic bread, and usually two pies. And this was completely fine . . . until my diet changed. I was suddenly excluded from this special family get-together, and I’ll admit, I’m still a little frustrated and quite hurt that no one was even willing to provide foods I, too, could eat—no one asked me my opinion or researched alternatives for butter, eggs, and the like. I was left to fend for myself, and eventually, I stopped going to the dinners altogether because I felt so alienated, so judged, so misunderstood, even though I had never (and still haven’t) forced the veganism card into any of my family members’ faces.

And that is the end of my little rant. Ahem.

So, this year, I’m actually celebrating Thanksgiving alone. A couple issues made it difficult to return home, so I opted to stick around at university and be a hermit for 5 days–true quality time with myself, you know. I questioned whether or not I wanted to cook much, but I finally did decide to recreate a traditional dinner (well, actually, lunch) for myself, plant-based style. Because anyone in the know is well aware than all the usual holiday dishes can easily be veganized. And of course, I cooked in bulk, because few things are tastier than leftovers the next day for several days after.

A seitan roast with rye-caraway stuffing. The roast was truly the highlight of the entire meal. Wow!

Mashed rutabagas with mushroom-miso gravy. Wasn't so much a fan of the former, but the latter was AMAZING!

Smoked Maple-Mustard Kale & Green Beans with Caramelized Onions & Walnuts

Cranberry Relish, based on a old recipe from my mother.

Delicious, nutritious, and nourishes body, mind, and soul! <3

Recipes to come tomorrow, I promise! Now, I must attend my kitchen, which looks like a hurricane whirled through. Though, I will say, I pulled this whole meal together in less than 2 hours!

“Do all the good you can

By all the means you can

In all the ways you can

In all the places you can

To all the people you can

As long as ever you can.” ~ John Wesley

Happy Halloween!

Yay, it’s my favourite holiday! Though I’m a little sad October will be replaced by November tomorrow . . . and I’m quite disappointed that a) I won’t be doing anything special in the costume department, and b) I didn’t even have time to make some spooky treats to celebrate either. No fun. For all you vegan trick-or-treaters, here’s a helpful link for determining whether or not your candy is cruelty-free.

Because vintage is better. Case closed. <3

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I have been eating a rather bewitching soup lately, however—no matter how much you eat, the pot magically replenishes itself!

Well, sort of.

My mum made a batch of minestrone this weekend—and the secret to prolonging its life is just to add more beans, veggies, broth, and other goodies once the pot starts getting a bit low. It’s the epitome of quick and easy. Easier than reciting Wingardium Leviosa!

I'd LOVE to get this cookbook and veganize all the recipes!

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Mom’s Magical Never-Ending Minestrone

Serves 8-10 to begin with, but remember, you can replenish ingredients when needed. Plus, you can pretty much use whatever veggies you have on hand.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs. Italian seasoning

2-3 cups chopped portabella mushrooms

2 16-oz. cans diced tomatoes*

1 vegan vegetable bouillon

2-3 cups green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2-3 cups coarsely shredded green cabbage

3 cups cooked white beans

6 oz. whole grain short pasta of choice, cooked according to package directions**

Salt & pepper to taste

Chopped parsley, to garnish

*My mum used not only canned tomatoes, but also canned green beans and white beans . . . and the final result was REALLY salty. I prefer using fresh alternatives (or salt-free canned veggies if that’s my only option), but both ways are tasty. Just remember to watch your sodium intake!

**Adding the noodles directly to the pot often results in their becoming really mushy and falling apart with time. This isn’t a big deal, really, but we like to add cooked pasta individually to each bowl just before serving, so everything’s super fresh. Either way works, though, so it’s up to you!

Directions

1. In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in oil for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent. Stir in seasoning and mushrooms, and sauté again until mushrooms have browned and are tender.
2. Add tomatoes, bouillon, and 3-4 cups of water, or however much needed for desired consistency. Stir in green beans, cabbage, and white beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for about 30-40 minutes, or until green beans are tender. Add pasta (either to the pot or divided amongst the bowls—see above note!), salt and pepper, and serve hot, garnished with parsley.
3. Once the pot is only 1/3 or so full, add more tomatoes, other veggies, and beans as desired, thus prolonging your leftovers!

Alternatively, you could add barley instead of pasta, which isn't technically minestrone, then, but it's delicious either way.

Today is also the last day of Vegan MoFo and the October Unprocessed challenge—it’s been fun, folks! Can’t wait until next year, when I’ll actually have even more free time to participate and spread positive vegan/whole foods awareness (and food porn, too, of course!).

On the Fourth Day of Detox, My True Love Said To Me . . .

Jan Brett is one of my favourite illustrators.

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Can you tell I have Christmas on the brain? And it’s not even Halloween yet. Although I’m equally excited for Halloween, too. I love holidays! Especially this time of year, when we have three major holidays in a row.

You know what else I love? Whole Foods. Since was home from university for the long weekend (due to Native American/Columbus Day), my mum and I went to Omaha on Friday, which naturally included a trip to everyone’s favourite (albeit unnecessarily expensive) market.

This beautiful sight greeted me at the door of Whole Foods . . . heirloom pumpkins!

I also visited Trader Joe’s for the first time and was pleasantly surprised to see than it’s sort of like a discount version of Whole Foods . . . for example, Tom’s of Maine toothpaste was a whole dollar cheaper there, and Larabars cost only $1.19 compared to $1.39. Granted, there’s not as large (read: overwhelming) of a selection, but when you’re a starving artist/university student, every penny counts.

But before shopping the afternoon away, we had lunch at McFoster’s Kind Café. I hadn’t been there for a while, and the dish I ordered was not only delightful, but also perfect for my first official detox day.

Mustard, turnip, and collard greens, sautéed with spinach, red cabbage, caramelized onions, fresh garlic and ginger, then glazed with a spicy Thai curry paste mellowed out with tahini butter. Served on organic whole grain basmati rice and topped with organic tempeh and sesame seeds. Served alongside charbroiled mixed veggies. There was also a whole grain roll, which I saved for later that afternoon.

My tummy was a mess pretty much all Friday, but I remembered to fuel myself properly and intuitively . . . so, of course, I just had to indulge in a Gingerade kombucha! I knew the ginger (as well as the kombucha’s natural carbonation and probiotics) would soothe my tummy.

I took one drink and was in heaven--haven't had a kombucha in a long, long, far too long time.

GT’s Kombucha drinks were on sale, so I also snagged a Cherry Chia flavour, something I’ve wanted to try for ages. The texture was so cool—sort of like drinking a watered-down tapioca pudding, and the flavour was great. Two three thumbs up!

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As well as a Whole Foods salad for dinner-to-go that night . . . I’ll admit, it was nice to have a day off from cooking.

Everything sort of got mixed together during the drive home, but this beautiful box contained steamed kale; roasted artichoke hearts, beets, butternut squash, carrots, and fennel; mock tuna salad; macrobiotic seaweed salad; detox salad; sesame broccoli salad; falafel; and some sort of whole grains mix (I can't remember exactly which grains). I really tried not to overfill the box or to feel obligated to eat everything--success times two!

I also purchased a box of kukicha tea, also known as Twig Tea, as per Alicia Silverstone’s recommendation in The Kind Diet. A macrobiotic staple that’s great for detoxing and restoring bodily balance. Thanks, Eden Foods, for being the best company on the planet and creating the highest quality products!

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So, after four days of detox, I’m feeling much better. My tummy is still bothering me a bit in the evening hours, but I’m on a quest to alleviate that—hopefully, I’ll find some relief soon. It’s relatively annoying and discouraging to feel like I have something akin to the flu almost every night. With time, I’m sure my innards will heal.

See you again in two days for WIAW!

The Most Wonderful Time of Year

And that just doesn’t apply to the Christmas season, in my opinion!

I mentioned on Friday how I already have the holidays in mind—and what better way to pre-celebrate than with breakfast! I noticed this morning that some Bartlett pears I purchased earlier this week were finally perfectly ripe, so following the trend commenced by Pumpkin Pie Oats and continued by Plum Pudding Porridge, I indulged in some gingerbread . . . oatmeal, that is!

Gingerbread Breakfast Bowl

Serves 1

Ingredients

½ cup oat bran or rolled oats

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*

¼ tsp. ground ginger

Pinch of salt (optional)

½ cup milk alternative

1-2 tsp. blackstrap molasses

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Chia seeds or ground flaxseeds

½ pear, chopped

Dried figs, chopped

Dried cranberries

Chopped pecans and walnuts

Candied ginger (optional)

*See my Carrot Cake Oats for a homemade blend.

Directions

Sift together oats, spices, and salt in a saucepan. Add milk alternative, ½ cup water, molasses, and extract, and bring to a boil before reducing to medium-low heat and cooking until liquid is mostly absorbed and oats are creamy. Transfer to a bowl and add toppings as desired.

So warming and comforting! I actually used steel-cut oats for this bowl. If you prefer steel-cut, I suggest soaking 1/4 cup overnight in your milk alternative of choice + water, so that the cooking time in the morning is only about 5-7 minutes, not 25-30. Works like a charm!

Yesterday, I went to one of the local co-ops, and look what I found!

From left: a turban squash (New discovery! Wow!), two acorn squashes, a pumpkin pie squash (that's what it was called?!), and my favourite, a butternut squash! *drool*

I seriously flipped (figuratively, not literally). I am a rabid squash-aholic. Expect to see many a squash recipe in the coming months, my friends!

Question: What’s your favourite oatmeal combination, especially during the colder months? Do you like love squash?