Well hello. It’s been a minute (or five months)! With this being the first full week of the year, I conducted a 2018 postmortem; a time to reflect on the past year both personally and professionally. Continue reading twix bar, circa 2019
Tag Archives: Vegan
a new experience
I recently had the wonderful experience of catering a yoga retreat. Overall it was a lot of recipe testing, shopping, prepping and of course, cooking. I’m so grateful to my friend Erin, who asked me to collaborate with her retreat. I proved to myself that I could pull it off, and in the process, I met some lovely ladies.
Lemon Carrot Cauliflower Soup
Soup season is in full force at my house. Lately I’ve been constantly testing, making and slurping new soups to see what will make the cut, and end up a permanent resident in my collection. Continue reading Lemon Carrot Cauliflower Soup
the virtues of cashew milk
I share this post with you in the spirit of the new year. I decided it would be good to make something new, something healthy, something that would make me feel like I was starting the year off in a clean living sort of way.
creamy but no cream?
I have a friend who is a self described Pinterest addict. She has told me that her evening routine after she puts her two boys to bed, involves scrolling through and pinning recipes, crafts and redecorating ideas on Pinterest. Because of this addiction, my friend has found a bunch of great recipes, a few of which she has passed along to me. Continue reading creamy but no cream?
dressing trickery
I love trying to trick people into thinking they’re eating something they’re not. No, I’m not mean spirited or a trickster, I simply enjoy surprising people with unexpected ingredients. A ‘cream’ sauce that doesn’t contain an ounce of dairy, a ‘blue cheese’ dressing that doesn’t have a bit of cheese, a dessert that has beans in it. You get the idea. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a dairy loving and meat eating individual. I just like the idea of messing with people’s tastebuds.
the cheagan vegan
Since moving back to Portland I’ve made a point of taking in the Pacific NW that I somehow forgot existed. I’ve reconnected with the beauty of my home state through a series of hikes. One of the great things about living in Portland is that it’s easy to get to a number of spectacular hiking spots in 60 minutes or less. I’ve even taken to identifying wildflowers during my hikes. Yes, I’ve become that nerdy person. Getting into nature has reintroduced me to my surroundings and has given me a new appreciation for the Pacific NW. Continue reading the cheagan vegan
it’s bitchin’
My husband has a tendency to bring home edible treats from his work trips. Dumplings from Southern California, Nutella from Belarus, you name it, he has probably hauled it home. Continue reading it’s bitchin’
the cure for homesickness in a dip
Every time I visit my home state of Oregon, which incidentally usually occurs during the summer, I breathe in the state and enjoy my time to its fullest. Family, friends, green as far as the eye can see, inexpensive (relatively speaking) housing, roadside wild blackberries, no sales tax, no getting out of the car to pump your gas; Oregon is easy living at its best. After a visit, I need to remind myself that the wonderland of greatness in the summer turns into a sunless, rainy, gray, borderline depressive state during the remaining eight, sometimes nine months of the year. Continue reading the cure for homesickness in a dip
copy cat from OC
It’s no secret that I didn’t exactly take well to living in Orange County. Aside from a friendship with three very wonderful ladies, with whom I’m still close, I really don’t miss living behind the “orange curtain” much. However, now that I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, I have better perspective on OC. The Vietnamese food in OC is superior, the weather is better and the beaches are warmer. OC is also home to my favorite vegan eatery. I keep hoping a Native Foods will pop up in the Bay Area, but it hasn’t. There’s more competition in the veggie/vegan space in the Bay Area, so it’s probably not viable for a new player to move in. Every time I visit OC, a trip to Native Foods for the peanut butter parfait is a must. Continue reading copy cat from OC
planks and sticks 