Top 10 Moments in 2010

Last year, I did a Year in Review for 2009. It was a neat way to look back on the last twelve months and see what I had accomplished and where I'd been. You can read those here and here. As for my 2010 version, I decided to do something a little different. It was hard to narrow it down, but after a long morning of coffee and typing (poor me!) here it is - the top 10 moments that made 2010 such an amazing year.

1. Making the big (and hard) decision to leave the library and start a new job across campus.

2. Celebrating Nathan's graduation with a Masters in Environmental Science!

3. Flying to Massachusetts for one of my best college friend's beautiful wedding in the mountains.

4.  Welcoming so many lovely new people into the world, including Olivia, Andrew and Ruby June - each of them happy, healthy and beautiful.

5. Adopting Calvin and adding a new member to our family! He might not be a real baby, but then again - maybe he is?! 

6. Spending Spring Break spent in Oregon visiting Kealy and Phoenix, eating my weight in delicious vegan food, biking, hiking and a few days in a tiny cabin on top of snow covered mountain. Definitely my best vacation ever!

7. Training for and running the Davy Crockett Bear Chase with Amy, where I set a new half marathon PR.

8. Finding out I was accepted to the MFA program at University of North Carolina-Greensboro, my number one choice! Even though I couldn't attend the program, knowing I was good enough to get in was incredibly motivating and such an honor. 

9. Running my first marathon on February 14th, 2010. It took me four hours and 43 minutes. Whew!

 

10. Getting published for the first time in a real live literary journal. 

Despite some disappointments, I would say that 2010 was a pretty great year. I feel like the theme of the last twelve months was WORK HARD. Apply to schools. Run and get faster. Take classes. Train Calvin. Do too much, all the time. It paid off, but I'm hoping that 2011 will be a little more relaxing. I've laid the ground work and done the difficult stuff. Established the good habits, if you will. I'm still going to work hard this year, but I'm hoping that hard will come easier. That's the plan, anyway!

Have a happy New Year's eve! Tonight, the only hard work I plan to do is in the partying category. ;)

2010 Resolution Recap

Still working on my goals for 2011, but in the meantime I thought it was time to review the past year and see how I did. I made ten goals for oh ten, and while I didn't quite achieve all of them, I feel pretty good about the progress I made.

1. Goal One: Get Published. Yes I did! My short story "A Good Enough Town" was published in the summer issue of LIT Magazine. This is the accomplishment of which I am most proud for 2010, and maybe for my whole life. 

2. Goal Two: Run a Marathon. Yes I did! Austin Marathon on February 14th, 2010. The second thing of which I am most proud!

3. Goal Three: Complete a Century Ride. No, I did not. If you were reading this summer, you might remember the months of emotional angst I suffered on my bicycle while training for the Hotter'N'Hell 100. Ultimately, I decided to back out of the ride and it was for the best. I learned that not every goal is worth completing, and that I do not, at this point in my life, have the time and energy that a century demands.

4. Goal Four: Cook (almost) every recipe in Veganomicon. No, I did not. I would estimate that I've cooked about 50% of the recipes. (It's a big book!) I was doing pretty well but then I lost steam. I also started cooking simpler meals, especially over the summer and during the fall when I was ridiculously busy. I do think I experimented more than I would have without this goal, so that's a plus.

5. Goal Five: Have at Least One Adventure Per Month: Yes, I did! Sure, it depends on your definition of "adventure" but I think 2010 was pretty exciting. I'll do a better recap later, when I look back on the whole year, but I think this goal was met.

6. Goal Six: Get Finances Under Control Once and For All. Eh. I did and I didn't. My credit card is very nearly paid off, and I've been better about saving money. My spending is under control, and I live within my means, but the future is still pretty shaky. That's what 2011 will be for!

7. Goal Seven: Clear the clutter from my home, my life, and my living areas. Yes I did! Not only did Nathan and I have a yard sale and get rid of a ton of junk, but we also reduced our furniture, clothing and kitchen gadgets. We are so organized and have so much less STUFF, and it feels so good! Now, we just have to keep it up!

8. Goal Eight: Learn to Brew Beer. No, we did not. That's two years this has been a goal, and two years that I still haven't done it. I'm just going to stop putting it on my list. Maybe then it will actually happen!

9. Goal Nine: Discover and Embrace My Personal Style. Yes, I did. It turns out my style is pretty simple, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. The 30 for 30 challenge (even though I didn't finish it) really opened my eyes to the things I already have in my closet, and forced me to be more creative and a more brave with my sartorial choices. I feel good about the way I look (most days) and that's a nice feeling!

10. Goal Ten: Read 25 book by 2011. No, I did not. I only read 14! Even less than 2009! This is perhaps my biggest disappointment for the year, and I'm hoping to change it in 2011.

Overall, I'm happy with the progress I made, the adventures I had, and the things I accomplished. How did you do in 2010? Was it a good year, or are you glad to see it go? Even though 2010 was a good year, I'm looking forward to a fresh start in 2011. Until then!

How to Make New Year's Resolutions

(I'm supposed to be on an Internet hiatus and a blogging break until the New Year, but I couldn't help sneaking in a post. Enjoy!)

If you've hung around The New Me for any length of time, then you know that goals and resolutions are my bread and butter. They keep me focused, motivated and centered, and I'm constantly setting weekly, monthly and yearly benchmarks for myself. Because of this mild obsession, there's always been something magical about New Year's. The excitement leading up to the big moment. The countdown at midnight. The champagne. And then waking up the next morning, hungover refreshed, motivated, and ready to have the best year of my life.

While the champagne toast as the clock strikes twelve is the climax of New Year's Eve, the real "reason for the season" is resolutions. A list of goals, ideas and intentions for the next twelve months. Everybody is making them and anything seems possible. So, how do you make resolutions that stick? Goals that will challenge you without setting you up for failure? I'm no expert on this, but I do have a lot of practice. Here's my system for making resolutions and my methods for helping them stick.

1. Choose a few general areas of your life that you want to improve. When I looked at my life, where I am and where I want to be, what is most important to me and what tasks I've been putting off for far too long, I came up with three areas. Therefore, this year, I'm seeking to improve my creative life, my health and my finances.

2. Think of three ways you can improve one of those areas. Let's use health as an example. Right now, I'm focused on training for the Houston Marathon on January 30th. My first priority is to successfully complete my training and then the actual race. Because I've been focusing on running the last few months, I haven't been weight training or cross training. I would like to do both those things and generally have a more well rounded fitness routine. I also want to get faster at running, and I want to take better care of my skin, especially as I'm getting older. Therefore, the three ways that I can improve my health are:

• Diversify workout routine with cross training. 
• Run three times a week, focusing on speed work, in order to set new PR's. 
• Take better care of my skin.
  

3. Break your goals down into smaller, more manageable goals. Give yourself deadlines.  "Take better care of my skin" is an admirable goal, but it's not very specific. And if goals are not specific, then they're doomed. Once I have set my goals, I write out the steps that I need to take to achieve them. Thinking my goals through in this way forces me to consider what I have to do to get them done. Be realistic, but don't be afraid to show some ambition. Easy goals are no fun! Here's my health example after the third and final step of goal setting:

Health Goals for 2011

A. Diversify workout routine with cross training. 

• Weight train twice per week on lunch breaks. 
• Bike, swim or take a group class once a week. 
• Start rock climbing again.

B. Run three times a week, focusing on speed work, in order to set new PR's.

• Concentrate on speed work and weight training after the Houston Marathon. 
• PR Goals: 4:30 in Houston Marathon; 1:55 in Groveton Half; break 25 minutes in a 5K.

C. Take better care of my skin. 

•  Use a moisturizer with SPF 15 every morning. 
• Create a nightly skin care routine. 
• Find a simple make up routine that works for me.
 

4. Check in with your goals monthly. Celebrate your progress and always know your next step!

As for the rest of my goals, I will post them in a few days. I'm still ironing out the details. Resolution setting takes time, as you can see! In the meantime, I hope you're all having a great week. I miss our daily chats and am looking forward to posting again regularly next week.

Happy New Year!

Yuletide Greetings, Y'all!

Happy holidays from me and Nathan, Seamus and Calvin. I'm finally on vacation, and not a moment too soon. I'll be taking the next week off from everything, including blogging, but don't worry - I'll be back in 2011 refreshed, relaxed, and raring to get cracking on my resolutions for OH ELEVEN. What will those resolutions will be? You'll have to come back in January to find out!

In the meantime, I'd like to leave you with a very special Hennessey family tradition. I thought everyone celebrated Christmas this way, but apparently only a few of us are lucky enough to have the yule log video. It's a continuous film of - yes, you guessed it - a yule log burning in a fireplace. It plays on basic cable and every Christmas morning, while opening presents, we watched as it slowly burned on the TV. After the gifts were unwrapped and before dinner was on the table, you could always find my father sitting in his chair, the glow from the Christmas lights reflecting on his beer bottle, gazing into the fire. And now, though YouTube, we can all enjoy this very special tradition. It's a Christmas miracle!



I hope you all have a happy, healthy and joyous holiday. See you next year! 

Vegan Gingerbread with Buttercream Frosting

Just two days until Christmas! My gifts are wrapped, my cards are sent, and the reason I can now post this is because my treats have been delivered! The last few years, I've been giving baked goods as gifts. They're inexpensive (always important), fun to make (any excuse to try a new recipe!) and well received (because everyone loves a fresh baked dessert, warm from the oven and filled with love). Also, I will jump on any excuse to decorate something with red ribbon and a candy cane. Presentation is everything!

While searching for a recipe, I had three criteria. 1. The recipe must be vegan. 2. The recipe must include real ginger. 3. The recipe must be delicious. I found a recipe that fulfilled the first two requirements. The final condition remained to be seen.

Because I was giving these away as gifts, I chose to bake them in mini-loaf pans, which contain about four generous servings each. The aluminum pans I purchased came in packs of five with their own clear, snap on lids, which made wrapping and delivering them very easy. Oh, and one last tip before I give you more photos and the recipes - I had the bright idea to mince the ginger root with my microplane zester, and it worked perfectly. If you don't own a zester, you're really missing out!

Mixing up the batter.

Batter poured and ready to bake.

Gingerbread! Hooray!

Which brings us to criteria number three: was my gingerbread delicious? Reader, it was! The bread itself was not too sweet, but full of warmth from the spices. The addition of the cinnamon buttercream frosting gave it just the punch it needed. Plus, the loaves were perfectly adorable once they were wrapped in ribbon and topped with a candy cane. I'll definitely be making this again next holiday season, if not sooner.


Vegan Holiday Gingerbread Loaves
makes five mini-loaves of gingerbread
(adapted from veganchef.com)

2 cup unbleached flour
2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/3 cup almond milk
2/3 cup canola oil
1 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
2/3 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp ginger, minced
4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions: 
Lightly spray five mini-loaf pans with oil and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together both types of flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and allspice, and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until blended.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pans, dividing evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool before frosting.

Speaking of frosting...

Vegan Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
(adapted from Vegan Thyme) 

You will need: 

1/4 cup Earth Balance

1/4 cup vegan shortening

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp almond milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Place the Earth Balance and shortening in a large mixing bowl and cream together (I used my fancy Kitchenaid mixer, but a strong arm would work just as well). Add the remaining ingredients and mix until creamy. Continue to add powdered sugar and/or milk until you reach your desired consistency. (For my gingerbread, I wanted a frosting that was fluffy but could still be thinly spread across the tops of the loaves.)

Yoga Saves the Day

Holiday stress is starting to get to me. We're going to Illinois for five days, which isn't that long, but anytime I have to leave my home, my comforts and my routine, I get a little antsy. It's not that I don't love adventure and travel - I do! And once the adventure is underway, I'm fine. It's the just the preparation that drives me crazy. Add to that the rush to get all my Christmas gifts wrapped and mailed, and my holiday cards written and sent, and my baking done and delivered - well, it's been a rough few days.

It doesn't help that I'm at the point in marathon training where running begins to feel like a chore. My legs are always tired and I've been resting instead of cross training, plus I feel like I've gained a few pounds. Gaining weight during marathon training isn't uncommon and it's not noticeable to anyone but me (I hope, anyway), plus I know it's only temporary. But when your favorite pants are a little tight, you can't help but feel grumpy. 

Clearly, I needed an antidote to all this stress and that antidote? Yoga. Especially when the class is at 9:00 am on a week day and taught by one of my favorite guest instructors, forcing me to take an early "lunch" so I can sneak away for an hour to get my stretch on. That's what I did this morning and it was glorious. I usually go to the same class (Hatha Advanced) with the same instructor (Amy, one of my best friends) at the same time (5:30pm) and I love the certainty and discipline of the practice (home! comfort! routine!). But every now and then, a class in the middle of the morning while I should be at work, with a new voice leading me through movements and unfamiliar music pumping through the studio, is exactly the change needed to pull me out of my rut and help the stress melt away.

Now I'm back at my desk, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and thinking of all the things I still have to do before we leave. Except now, I know they'll get done. They always do.

Butternut Squash Pot Stickers

 

I definitely have culinary comfort zones. What, you ask, is a culinary comfort zone? It's confidence in the kitchen, but only when dealing with variations of the recipes you grew up with. For me, that means a plate that echos the "starch, protein, vegetable" model. While I've come a long way from the diet that raised me, I still stubbornly cling to those old ideals. The only difference is that now, my protein is plant-based, my vegetables no longer come from a can, and my starch is more varied than white bread. 

Still, old habits are hard to break and it was with trepidation that I approached the butternut squash which had been sitting on my counter for well over a month. (I bought it at the same time I scored my acorn squash, if that helps to put things into perspective!) I was, however, armed with a recipe by the one and only Martha Stewart, knowing full well that if she couldn't help me conquer my squash, no one could. I am proud to say that I not only enjoyed my little butternut, but I did so using a recipe completely different from anything I've ever cooked before. And y'all - it was good! Take that, culinary comfort zone!  

Butternut squash, diced to 1/2 inch thick. 

Filling the wonton wrappers with the (delicious!) squash, green onion and ginger mixture.

Pot stickers, stuffed and ready to sit in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before frying.

While I've had pot stickers in restaurants, I've never prepared them at home. They were surprisingly easy to make! This recipe takes about an hour to come together, but a lot of the time is inactive, which gave me a chance to clean the kitchen while I cooked. Instead of a non-stick skillet, I fried the pot stickers in my cast iron pan. The last batch started to stick to the pan and a few of them fell apart, but they were still delicious. And while I considered baking these instead of frying them, I finally decided to just go all the way. It was the right choice. Sometimes a girl's just got to fry.

Butternut Squash Pot Stickers  
from marthastewart.com

You will need: 
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and seeded, flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
20 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup canola oil
 
Directions: 

Put squash, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until squash is very soft, about 12 minutes; drain. Transfer to a medium bowl; mash with a fork until smooth. Stir in scallions and ginger. Stir together sesame seeds, 1/4 cup water, and remaining 1/2 cup soy sauce in a bowl; set sauce aside.

Place 1 scant tablespoon filling in the center of each wrapper; brush edges with water. Bring up corners to make a triangle; press to seal. Place on a baking sheet; freeze until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add 10 potstickers, and cook, shaking pan frequently, until bottoms are golden brown. Turn pot stickers over; very carefully pour in 1/2 cup water, and cover. Steam until most liquid is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish; cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and pot stickers. Serve with dipping sauce.

So sticky! So good! So easy! Enjoy!

The Results Are In

Today I got the email I had been waiting for - the final results of the Good Mood Blogger Gig, for which I'd been campaigning since early November. With your votes, I clawed my way into the top twenty of 780 applicants - no small feat! - and made it to round two. Then I got to work with a good friend to make a video, overcoming my fear of being in front of the camera and creating a 90 second film that I'm still so proud of. Round two of voting went on for three long weeks, and today the judges made their decision.

I didn't win.

While I'm disappointed, I know that Tina Su is a great choice - she's a professional blogger with a loyal following and the perfect attitude, and I'm sure she'll be a wonderful Good Mood Blogger.

As for me, I'm looking on the bright side. Mostly, the fact that so many of you voted for me, reposted the link on Facebook and Twitter, hosted giveaways in my honor, and said a million nice things about me that I probably don't really deserve. (Who am I kidding - I deserve them all!) Sure, I didn't get an awesome job, a new laptop, a ton of money, and a new line on my resume. What I do have is far more valuable. Friends, y'all. Friends who supported me in my crazy Internet endeavors, who believed in my ability to win this contest and do this job. And for that - for YOU - I'm so, so thankful.

Another bright side? The time I would have spent blogging for SAM-e can instead be spent on The New Me - writing interesting and thought-provoking posts, creating recipes and documenting projects that can serve as an inspiration and/or warning, sharing stories of my fitness mishaps and latest adventures, and posting more photos of my dogs. While the Good Mood gig would have been nice, I don't need it to be a good mood blogger. Being in a good mood is who I am, and that's not going to change.

Once again, thank you so much for all your support during this campaign. I've never been all that good at promoting myself and begging for votes, and you guys made it not only easy, but enjoyable. And finally, congratulations to Tina Su - I can't wait to read along and be inspired! 

Weekend Adventure: Falling Short

We had a busy weekend, which is the only way to end an even busier week.While there were lots of successes - I am now officially DONE with holiday shopping, I attended not one but TWO White Elephant gift exchanges, the dogs were worn out in Amy's backyard, I had a great yoga class on Saturday morning followed by a coffee date with my yoga ladies, and my gifts are mostly wrapped - there were two notable moments where I fell regrettably short.

First: I attempted to do a variation of (never home)maker's Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies. While the cookies looked beautiful and photographed well (I love you, lightbox!) something about them was a little... off. My version was too dry (probably because I subbed all-purpose flour for the pastry flour portion) and the candy canes I stuck on top were too hard and crunchy. This is not to say the cookies were not eaten, or complimented - they were, in fact, a festive hit at our White Elephant Christmas party. It just means I have a little tweaking to do before I officially share them on the blog. For now, you can feast your eyes on these photos.

Second: Yesterday, I was all set to run my first 20 miler of the season. I had been working up to this distance for weeks - past long runs have been 14 miles, 16 miles, and 18 miles this last Monday. I've been doing well on these runs - more or less hitting my goal paces, recovering quickly, and keeping up with my mid-week training. The day of reckoning had arrived, and I was prepared! Garmin: charged. iPod shuffle: ready to go. Weather: perfect. I felt strong, capable and approached twenty with a relaxed and laid back attitude. And we're off!

The first five miles flew by. Around mile eight, on a long hill, my legs began to feel heavy and I blamed it on the 18 miles I'd run just six days earlier. I ran out of water, but I knew at mile 12 I'd be at the track and could refill and stretch when I got there. The miles ticked by and I kept thinking about the track, counting down until I could rest for a second and use the bathroom. Oh, the bathroom. Once I started thinking about the bathroom, it became a bit of an obsession.

I finally made it to the track, only to find the water fountains had been shut off - I guess because the semester had just ended? I walked to two fountains, only to find disappointment. Then, horror of horrors, the bathroom door was locked! I decided to try one last door, on the other side of the track, and saw that it was propped open. I finally got to use the bathroom and refilled my water bottle in the sink, which was kind of gross but I was desperate. This all took about fifteen minutes. I finally started running again, and my stomach was NOT cooperating. I looked down at my Garmin. I had just under eight miles left to run. An hour and ten minutes, if my stomach didn't cause my pace to suffer or force me to speed walk from bathroom to bathroom.  I jogged around the track to see how my stomach felt, and it was still a mess. It was clear that today was not my day to run 20 miles. I headed home.

And you know what? I was okay with it. I didn't beat myself up over the missed miles, and I didn't wallow in guilt and disappointment for the rest of the day. My training has been going really well this season, the marathon is still six weeks away, and I have two more 20 mile runs scheduled in January during which I will have the chance to redeem myself. While I believe in pushing yourself and running through pain and discomfort, I know the importance of listening to your body and giving yourself a break when you need one. Yesterday, my body was telling me it needed a break. Yesterday, I listened.

Oh, and about the bathrooms - this happened on my 18 miler as well! I know stomach issues are common for a lot of distance runners (also known as Runner's Trots - how precious!) and it's such a bummer to have to make pit stops and deal with discomfort. I've found that I have this problem more frequently when I run later in the day. I'm going to try and start my long runs earlier from now on and see if that helps. I'll let you know!

And on that note, I have to get back to work. So that I don't leave you with the image of Runner's Trots racing through your head, here's a photo of Calvin relaxing in the kitchen.

How was your weekend? Full of success or opportunities to try again? Even though mine didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped, it was still a productive and relaxing two days! I hope the same is true for you.

Weekly +/-

Busiest. Week. Ever! But after today, there are only two working days (next Monday and Tuesday) until my glorious ten day vacation, our trip to visit Nathan's parents' farm in Illinois, and a fun New Year's Eve party at our place. Surely I can hold on until then?

As for the week that we're wrapping up:

- I had my first application for grad school due on Wednesday, as well as the final portfolio for the "fun" class which took up way too much of my free time. Somehow, I got the application submitted and the final handed in on time. Don't ask me to tell you how.
- Applying to ten MFA programs simultaneously is not advisable. My professor was telling me that law schools have a central location where your materials are uploaded, and then each school just fetches what they need from there. That sounds so easy and simple, and I have no idea why creative writing programs haven't caught on. I feel like getting through the application process is the first way they test your ability to overcome obstacles and endless forms.
- I've been talking to a graphic designer friend about helping me redesign my blog. I want a sleeker, more professional site and have been frustrated with the limits of what I can do in Blogger. In the meantime, I played with the layout and colors and gave it a face-lift. If you're reading via RSS click on through and let me know what you think!

And now for the goodies!

+ The busiest semester in the history of semesters is officially OVER! Now all I have to focus on for the next six weeks is having a great winter break and training for the Houston Marathon - only six weeks away!
+ Even though I had to skip my long run on Sunday, I used vacation time and did it Monday afternoon. 18 miles, and I wasn't even that sore the next day! Granted, they were pretty slow, but still. My body is adjusting to marathon this year much better than last year!
+ You might be wondering why I've illustrated this post with photos of old photos of fruit. It's because I got an early Christmas present from my mom - a Brevelle juicer! Oh, yes. I'm excited. I haven't used it yet, because I haven't had time, but I'm looking forward to experimenting with juices and incorporating more raw foods into my diet.
+ Exciting weekend ahead! White Elephant gift exchanges, gingerbread baking, holiday card writing and addressing, and we can't forget that 20 mile run scheduled for Sunday. It should be a wild one, and I'm looking forward to it.

How did you week pan out? Are you ready for the holidays, looking forward to a vacation from work, or holding on by the skin of your teeth? Either way, I think we can all celebrate the fact that it's Friday. Have a great weekend!

Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes

Before... 

After!

In my ongoing effort to fully absorb Southern life and culture, I decided to try my hand at fried green tomatoes. Seeing as fried green tomatoes are a quintessential Southern food, I like anything covered in cornmeal, and I came across a big bag of discounted green tomatoes at the Farmer's Market last Saturday, it was clear that the time to experiment had arrived. 

After a little Googling, I found a recipe that seemed easy and do-able, and vegan to boot! The tomatoes are not actually fried, but rather baked in the oven for 30 minutes. Cheating? Perhaps, but fried things don't sit well with me and I'm positive that this version is healthier. Since I've never had an actual fried green tomato, I can't say whether these are comparable. What I can say is that they're addictive - slightly sweet, with a crunchy exterior and a soft middle, and perfect for popping into your mouth while preparing a pot of black bean chili. Yum!

Even more exciting than green tomatoes is the fact that I finally got to use the lightbox I made a few weeks ago, using the handy tutorial provided by the (Never)homemakers! As you can see in the above photo, I took all these pictures at night. While they're not perfect, they're definitely a huge improvement over my usual yellow, grainy shots. I'm going to keep experimenting with lighting and backgrounds, but in the meantime - success! Now, on to the recipe.

Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes
(adapted from FatFreeVegan)

You Will Need:
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoon ground flax seed
1/2 cup dry polenta grits (for an extra crunchy crunch)
1/4 cup spelt flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 medium green tomatoes

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425. Spray a baking sheet lightly with canola oil or non-stick spray.

Combine the water and ground flax seeds in a small bowl and beat vigorously for one minute. and blend at high speed for 30 seconds. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken slightly.

In another bowl, combine the grits, flour, cornstarch, pepper and salt. Cut the tomatoes into slices about 1/2-1 inch thick. Submerge a tomato slice in the flax-water, gently shake off the excess liquid, and place the slice into cornmeal mixture. Press lightly to assure that bottom of slice is covered with cornmeal and turn to coat other side. Place on prepared baking sheet.

When all tomato slices are coated, bake for 15 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown. Turn and bake another 15 minutes to brown other side. Remove from oven and serve immediately. This recipe should serve six, but Nathan and I ate them all in one sitting. We're crazy like that. 

The Easiest Way to Update Your Address Book, Ever

A rosemary bush masquerading as our Christmas tree!

As I've mentioned before, I've really gotten into the whole "holiday season" thing this year. This is new for me. In years past, Christmas has always been a sad and uneasy time. When I was 15, my grandmother was in a fatal car accident on Christmas Eve. My family didn't have a lot of money growing up, and while my parents tried their best to give us happy Christmases, the stress of the holidays always took its toll. This year, however, I've had a change of heart. Maybe it's because I love giving and receiving things. Maybe it's the fact that I no longer work in retail and can actually enjoy Christmas music. Maybe it's the cookies. I'm not sure what flipped the switch, but I'm glad to be feeling so jolly!

Last year, Nathan, Seamus and I took a last minute holiday photo and emailed it to all our friends. This year, we took the time to take a real photo and will be sending out actual cards. I didn't have everyone's address in one place and wasn't looking forward to collecting them, organizing them, and figuring out where to keep them. Then I had a brilliant (if I do say so myself) idea. Follow the instructions below and you'll have all your addresses in one handy place in no time!

1. Go to Google Docs.
2. Click the drop down menu "Create New" and then choose "Form." 
3. Title the form something obvious and explain what it is, so people won't think you're selling their information. You can see what I did below. 
4. You will be creating a minimum of three questions with "Text" answers. You can do this by clicking "Add Item" and then "Text." I listed my questions as "Last Name," "First Name," and "Address." I also added "Phone Number" and "Email Address" just because, but I made those questions optional. 
5. When your form is complete, click "Save." Then click "Email Form." 
6. If you have a Gmail account (which you should, because Gmail is amazing) you can use your contacts to insert all the people who's addresses you need. If you do not have a Gmail account (shame on you!) just fetch your contacts and plug 'em in. 
7. Make sure you've checked "Include form in email," then hit "Send." Voila! 
8. When folks get your email, the form will be embedded in the message. They fill in their info and hit submit, and Google Documents automatically uploads them to a fancy little spreadsheet.
9. The end!

You can also embed the form in a blog post or webpage, in case you want to send holiday cards to some of your blog friends. (Hint, hint!)

Happy holidays, and may all your address collecting be easy and stress free!

How To Do Everything (Kind Of)

When do you sleep? Seriously! Between working, writing, running, spending time with your boyfriend, doing yoga, and cooking, how do you make time for it all?

 You are involved in so many things (running, vegan cooking, literary readings, writing, yoga, etc.). Where do you get so much energy?

Those comments come from my survey, which many of you so kindly filled out a few weeks ago. I was surprised and flattered to see that two people asked nearly identical questions, and then I felt a little like a fraud. On the blog, it may seem like I do a million things every week. In real life, I often feel like I'm doing a million things. And the truth is - I am! But, before you envy the speed at which I live my life and the length of my to-do lists, I need to make a confession.

It's not always easy. It's not always fun. And the list I don't publish on my blog is the one of things I still haven't done.

Let's take the last few months as an example. Since September, I have been: training for the Houston Marathon and running about 25 miles a week; organizing and preparing applications to ten MFA programs, which included studying for and taking the GRE; taking a graduate fiction workshop at the university where I work (for fun!); working 40 hours a week; taking care of two dogs, one of whom is a hyper-active, headstrong, 85 pound puppy; maintaining my twice-a-week yoga practice; blogging fairly regularly; hosting bi-monthly literary readings; eating well enough and mostly at home; and spending quality time with my partner.

I can see why y'all think I don't sleep.

How do I fit all this in? Well, besides coffee, I have a supportive and understanding partner who is willing to walk the dogs on those mornings when I need to write, study or run. I live in a small town, so getting out of work at 5 and to the yoga studio by 5:30 isn't a problem. I don't have kids, which is a HUGE time saver, and most of my friends are new mothers, which means my social life has slowed down. I get up at 5:00 almost every day, just for a few extra hours. I write most blog posts ahead of time, when I have time, and then post them as the week wears on. And I am an expert at packing my weekends to the brim with activities - long runs, social gatherings, household errands, and taking most of the photos you see on the blog.

I also make a lot of sacrifices. Because I definitely overloaded myself this semester (ambition strikes again!) I've put a lot of things on the back burner. I hardly ever call my mother (sorry mom!). I owe three close friends birthday packages (one of my specialties). Cross training is a lost cause. I haven't finished a book in two months. We hardly ever eat dinner before 8pm. I still need to clean and return a dress I borrowed in September. Writing and submitting work is put on hold until these applications are done. I've been trying to organize my closet for the last three months. Don't even think about looking at my kitchen sink. And, most concerning, I have no idea how to relax. I'm constantly thinking about what I need to do next, and my plotting and planning has reached such heights that Nathan feels stressed just being around me. Living in the moment? What's that?


The thing about being busy and having a million goals is that you become addicted to them. While my to-do list causes stress, the thought of not having anything to do scares me even more. I love life, I love being active and taking advantage of every opportunity available, and if I feel like I'm missing out on something I become agitated and cranky. Then again, what's the point of creating an awesome, adventure-filled life if you don't give yourself time to enjoy it?

How about you? Are a zen, live-in-the-moment kind of person? Or do you cram as much into every day as you can? And is there a way to find a balance between the two? If you have any secrets, I'd love to hear them!

Quinoa, White Bean and Kale Stew

Lately, I've been trying to incorporate more leafy greens into my diet. They're powerhouses of nutrition and come in enough varieties to satisfy even the pickiest eater. Plus, I've found that if you add garlic, ginger and a splash of oil, any green - from collards, to turnips, to kale, to spinach - reaches new heights of deliciousness.

Speaking of greens, my favorite part of this recipe is the kale. Also, the potatoes. Oh, and the quinoa! Actually, every ingredient in this stew is on my list of favorites. (To be fair, it's a pretty big list.)

This recipe, like all great recipes, comes from The Post Punk Kitchen, courtesy of Ms. Isa Chandra Moskowitz. It's warm and filling and perfect for a cold winter night, and best of all it only takes about 45 minutes to get to the table, making it a great choice for a mid-week meal. I suggest making it on a Monday or a Tuesday night, as this recipe will produce a ton of soup and you can eat it the rest of the week for lunch. 

You Will Need: 

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups leeks, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, peeled, diced medium
1 large parsnip, peeled, diced medium
8 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, diced medium
1 cup dry quinoa
1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch kale (about a pound), rough stems removed, torn into bite sized pieces

Herb blend:
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed (see crushing fennel tip)
1 teaspoon dried majoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
Fresh black pepper, to taste

I followed Isa's directions exactly, so head over to her post for the how-to, as well as for a bunch of other awesome, delicious and nourishing recipes.

Weekend Adventure: Annual Art Swap

Nacogdoches is a funny little town. On the outside, it seems like any other East Texas hole in the wall, whose only saving grace is the college campus plunked down right in the middle of it. But once you dig deeper, you find all sorts of wacky characters, unique events, and a veritable gold mine of kitsch. This past weekend, we attended one of my favorite Nacogdoches celebrations - the Annual Art Swap Party.

I'm not sure of the exact origins of the party, but from what I can gather the process has not changed much. First, invitations are distributed (we got on the list a few years ago, thanks to Nathan). The party used to take place at the home of the organizer, but since it's grown they've moved it to the yoga studio. This is fine with me, since the studio is pretty much my second home. The night begins with a potluck style dinner and a lot of conversation, and then everyone settles down as a band plays a few songs. This time, we had a folksy bluegrass-esque band from Texas, featuring a husband and wife duo, plus the man's mother. They were pretty great.

The studio was decked out with decorations (holiday themed, of course) and most people either brought their own chairs or sat on bolsters on the floor. I opted for a bolster, and got to chat with my friend Chay, her newborn daughter Ruby June, and her precocious three year old, Rees, who recently got her town Twitter account, used exclusively to document the gems that come out of her mouth. (Most recently: "Those tattoos are gorgeous!") I ate vegan sushi and garlic stuffed olives, sipped on a Fat Tire, and waited for the main event to begin.

And then it was time for the swap! Everyone who participates in the swap makes and wraps a piece of art. Each work of art is assigned a number, and each artist pulls a number out of a hat. Rees picked out the wrapped artwork and handed them to her father (Scott, the emcee) and he read out the number taped to the paper. Whoever has that number comes to the front of the room and claims their prize.

While they unwrap their present, the audience yells, "What is it?!" and after the gift is revealed, we yell, "Who made it?!" There is much oohing, ahhing, and clapping. The artwork is then hung on the wall until the end of the night, creating an art show that everyone can enjoy.

Nathan and I didn't actually bring anything to swap. We don't consider ourselves artists (not really - unless someone wants a copy of a short story, which I don't think is suitable for hanging on the wall). I love the swap and the show, but art is so subjective and I'd be nervous that someone would hate my piece, or that I would hate mine (but still feel compelled to display it in my home). Too much pressure! Instead, I attend the swap, admire the art, and enjoy all the colorful company that the fine town of Nacogdoches has to offer.

How was your weekend? Did you attend any holiday events? I've seen a lot of cookie swap parties going on, which seem like a lot of fun. Next week is all about the White Elephant - my most favorite holiday celebration of all!

Weekly +/-

This week, I feel like Calvin looks. (This was taken pre-surgery.)

Y'all, it's been an exhausting week! I've been falling asleep on the couch at 9:30pm just about every night. I'm going to blame the cold weather we've had, the fact that marathon training is getting intense, and the reality of being woken up by a whining puppy at approximately 5:00am every morning. Thank goodness it's Friday!

Despite being tired, this was a pretty good week. But first, the inevitable downsides.

- I haven't made the progress on my MFA applications that I want/need to. First one is due on the 15th, so this weekend will be very busy. 

- Nathan's parents called, and their ten year old dog, Sidney, has fallen very ill. We're not sure if it's cancer or hepatitis at this point, but either way it looks like we won't be able to bring our pups to Illinois for Christmas. While I'll be sad to leave Seamus and Calvin behind, I'm more concerned with Sidney. Please send healing thoughts her way!

- We gave away the old desk in our office, but Nathan is still working on building us a new one. Which means my apartment is currently in disarray and I am desk-less. This bothers me less than I thought it would, which is both a relief and a concern!  In related news, I heart my laptop.

Enough of the negatives. Let's move on to the upside!

+ Despite a rough surgery and a missing testicle, Calvin seems to be recovering very well. While it's hard to keep him from running around and wrestling with Seamus, the fact that he wants to do all those things is a good sign.


+ Today is the last day to vote for me to be the next SAM-e Good Mood Blogger! If you haven't voted yet, please click this link

and do so now. It only takes two seconds and this is pretty much my dream job. Tell your friends!

+ I'm going to TWO holiday parties this weekend. I'm usually not a huge fan of Christmas (I prefer New Year's) but this year something has shifted, and I'm all about celebrating. It's a nice change!

+ I asked a local cafe and bakery if they would consider carrying vegan baked goods. They asked me to recommend something that would "hold well and have universal appeal." I'm compiling a list of suggestion, but if you have anything to add let me know!

That about covers me week. It's been a slow one, but I'm okay with that - especially considering the holidays are right around the corner, and I can use this quiet time while it's available! How was your week? Mostly on the upside, I hope, and if not - well, it's Friday, and there's always next week to look forward to!

We Have a Winner!

First of all, a thousand thanks to all who took my little survey. This is the first time I've polled my readers in any formal way, and I was thrilled and flattered to receive 41 responses! (Especially since the majority of y'all didn't even enter the contest - you're so selfless!) Naturally, I loved reading the nice things you had to say about my writing (personable), my dogs (adorable), my photography (not too shabby), and my optimism and enthusiasm for life (aw, shucks!). What I loved even more, however, were the suggestions some of you gave for improvement.

The New Me is, like everything in life, a work in progress. While I blog for fun, I do take it seriously. Writing is my passion and I hope to one day make it my career, so I don't take the words I publish on the Internets lightly. I want to offer my readers a reason for returning, whether it's a recipe, a recommendation, a little inspiration, or a funny story.  My about page says the following, and I think it sums up the mission of my home on the Internet well (not surprising, since I wrote it!):

The purpose of this blog is to collect evidence of and inspiration for a life well lived. To me, that means good friends, good food, ambitious projects, constant goal setting (and achieving!), adventure and travel (when possible), and lots of pretty photographs.

One of my goals for 2011 is to help my blog mature and deepen the sense of community and camaraderie that we've got going on. Some of these ideas have been kicking around my head for a while, but I haven't had time to implement them. Others stem from suggestions made in the survey. While this list will grow and adapt as we go, here are just a few of the things y'all can look forward to in the coming months.

•  A blog redesign. I want to streamline my navigation and have a simpler, elegant and more user-friendly space. I've been tweaking it here and there, but it's time for an overhaul.
• More thoughtful posts. I tried this out with my recent post about veganism, and loved the conversation it stemmed. These posts take more time to craft, but I think they're worth the effort. It's just a matter of making the time!
• More photos of things other than dogs and food. My friends are all so good looking! I need to show them off more. ;)
• Book reviews and writing posts. A few of you suggested book reviews and I think it's a great idea. I love to read and talk about books, but don't do it nearly enough. And while I mention writing in an off-handed way, I don't go into much detail about the process. I'm not sure how to write about this and keep it interesting, but it would be fun to try.
• How-to's. This includes recipes (y'all love recipes, which is great because so do I!), crafty adventures and home improvement projects. I really enjoyed blogging about our side yard makeover, and looking at those projects as blog fodder motivates me to get them done. (Sad, but true!) 

So what will change at The New Me? Nothing, really. I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing for the last six years - blogging about my life, my interests, and my adventures - only I'm going to do it better. I'm honored to have you as readers, and I want to write a blog and create a space that will make all of us proud. Thank you so much for following along!

And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for - the winner of a shiny new copy of Veganomicon!

Comment Number 15 - Erica! Erica, I will get the book to you ASAP. Congratulations, and thanks again to everyone for playing along!