No bowls needed for this sugar cookie recipe! You’re just one small pot away from the chewiest, sweetest and most amazing sugar cookies EVER!

I am on a roll. The Hot Pot cookie craze continue to roll on at my house. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, look here or here.)

I love a good chocolate cookie, but man oh man, depending on the day, I could hurt someone REAL BAD for a bite of a proper chewy, buttery, vanilla-y sugar cookie. I don’t make the cut out kind very often anymore because it makes such a mess and it’s a little more time consuming than the old scoop and bake method. (Plus, I gave all my cookie cutters away when we moved to NYC.) The sugar cookie bars are a great option if you are looking to mimic the same sort of taste but I wanted a proper cookie STAT.

So off I went into hot pot territory (not the drugs, Mom) and created this recipe, based on my first two posted to the blog earlier in the year. A few corrections and tweaks here and there and several minutes later, I was pulling beautiful, soft and chewy sugar cookies out of the oven! They cooled while I threw together a simple glaze (an optional step for sure) and then went to town, drizzling away! One dozen stayed classy, and the other dozen looked a little bananas because my kids got ahold of the sprinkles. But both were fantastic and they completely hit the spot. When you haven’t had a proper cookie in a while, it makes it taste even better, methinks.

I put a lot of details into the recipe card, so take care when reading it through so you don’t miss any steps. The almond extract is optional (but delicious) and take note of the 325 bake time. Keep in mind every oven is different, so my bake time may vary slightly from your bake time. That’s why I gave you a bake time as well cookie characteristics to look for before removing them from the oven. Not hard, just something you might want to pay attention to �

Happy baking, friends!

Jack in the Box has a new Steak & Egg Breakfast Burrito. It’s definitely not this Jack in the Box Steak & Egg Breakfast Burrito.

This version features prime rib steak with scrambled eggs, hash browns, and cheese, all wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla. It also comes with a side of salsa.

The breakfast item, which can also be a lunch or dinner item because it’s Jack in the Box, has 870 calories, 52 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 gram of trans fat, 365 milligrams of cholesterol, 1830 milligrams of sodium, 66 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 36 grams of protein.

If you’ve started your morning, afternoon, or evening with it, let us know what you think of it in the comments.

(Image via Jack in the Box.)

One morning in 2015, instead of heading into the fields, a group of about 50 farmers gathered in a parking lot in Vermont — a handful on tractors. They arrived to protest outside a meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB); on a mountain of decomposing kale stalks, onion peels, and tomato stems, they objected to a proposal that would allow producers of hydroponic vegetables to put a USDA-certified organic label on berries and greens grown without soil.

The demonstration was the start of a movement called Keep Soil in Organic, and it’s one small example of the many big ways people are arguing about what “organic” really means now.

Unlike vague food label terms like “natural” and “humane,” the USDA-certified organic label has long been seen as a reliable stamp: It signals that a food was produced according to set standards that prohibit the use of most synthetic pesticides and includes other requirements related to conserving biodiversity and animal welfare. It means the farm and any processing facilities involved in producing that food have been evaluated by a third-party certifier to verify the standards are being followed.

Those who believe in organic as a solution to negative effects of “conventional” food production assumed the word would evolve into shorthand for “healthy” — but it was never going to be that simple. Talk to farmers like the ones at the protest, and “organic” is a lifestyle that involves a philosophical understanding of the relationship farmers (and all people) have to the earth; talk to a Whole Foods supplier and “organic” is a value-add that means a higher price on the shelf. Talk to a consumer, and organic is now simply confusing.

A big reason for that is that those within the industry — not to mention the institutions that use and govern the term — don’t agree on several contentious issues. First, animal welfare standards: Advocates say factory farm operations that use organic feed but confine thousands of chickens or cows into cramped indoor spaces do not meet the standard, but those farms are continually approved for certification. Second, the aforementioned soil: Should hydroponic vegetables be certified organic?

Farmers like those at the protest see these issues as related to an influx of corporations trying to cash in on the term. Organic product sales reached nearly $50 billion in 2017 and demand still vastly outstrips supply, sometimes leading to outright fraud. A Washington Post investigation last year, for example, revealed that in the rush to satisfy demand, millions of pounds of soybeans and corn from Turkey were sold into the U.S. market as organic but had been grown using conventional farming practices.

At a time when more eaters than ever say they care about where their food comes from, can “organic” weather the storms to settle on a clear definition and resell consumers on its promise? “There’s no question organic is at a very critical juncture right now,” says Max Goldberg, founder of Organic Insider. “It has become very big business, and everyone wants a piece of it.”

The history of organic

To understand the organic standard, it helps to know the history. Chemical pesticides began to transform American agriculture after World War II. With war-torn countries desperate for food, the global call was to produce as much food as possible, quickly.

Chemical companies had the answer. During the war, the insecticide DDT was credited with saving thousands of lives thanks to how effective it was at eliminating disease-carrying insects. Plus, companies like I.G. Farben — which had produced chemical weapons and gas chamber poisons like Zyklon B and participated in the operation of concentration camps — needed new markets. (The company was broken up into smaller entities after a postwar trial. Two of those entities, BASF and Bayer, are still among the biggest manufacturers of agricultural chemicals today. Bayer also purchased Monsanto earlier this year.)

With these suddenly available tools that made commodity agriculture easier, many farmers heeded the call to scale up using chemical inputs, including synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. And that call got louder in subsequent decades, when famed secretary of agriculture Earl Butz repeatedly told farmers to “get big or get out.”

However, a different idea about how to feed the world was also taking root. The American version of An Agricultural Testament, a book that sparked interest in organic agriculture, was published in 1943, and J.I. Rodale founded the pioneering research organization the Soil and Health Foundation (now the Rodale Institute) in 1947. In 1962, conservationist Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, a popular book that sounded an alarm about the damaging environmental (and to a lesser extent, health) effects of pesticides. In response, part of the anti-establishment awakening of the ’60s and ’70s became the back-to-the-land movement.

“It was part of a counterculture movement… moving back to the land, eating whole foods, and growing this fruit without a lot of chemical pesticides or fertilizers, right?” says Dave Chapman, an organic tomato farmer and one of the leaders of the aforementioned Vermont protest. “In the process… we learned a lot of very good reasons to do it that way.” For these pioneers, it was about more than just not using pesticides; it was about environmental stewardship, family health, and living in line with the principles of nature. And their original customers were local eaters with the same principles, who purchased food from them directly.

Over the years, as more organic food was produced and sales shifted to bigger grocery stores, a movement for an organic certification emerged. The movement was concerned with establishing a set standard for the term so that shoppers could easily identify organic food and so that the term could not be co-opted by farmers not following agreed-upon practices. In 1973, Oregon passed the first state law regulating organic, and other states followed. To create a uniform federal standard, Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act in 1990. Even then, disagreement pervaded the industry. After a few failed attempts, a final rule establishing the USDA organic standards went into effect February 2001.

Chapman was in the first group of farmers to be certified by Vermont’s state program and then later by the USDA. “As the whole system became less intensely local, certification became something that was more important to the participants — both the farmers and to the consumers,” he says. “We had to figure out how to find each other. How do we identify each other in the marketplace when we don’t know each other, and be honest? As far as I was concerned, the whole thing was working pretty well.” For a while, in most ways, it was.

“Cheating” and disagreements in organic

While the vast majority of organic farmers are sticking to the standards the label established, many say that lax USDA enforcement means some are now getting away with “cheating” as they try to cash in on the growing market for organic food. “It’s a failure in the system,” says Cornucopia Institute co-founder Mark Kastel. “Now you have to look for this label and do your homework.”

Cornucopia released its first-ever Organic Dairy Brand Scorecard earlier this year because the association was alarmed by the rise of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in organic dairy, Kastel said. Many conventional dairy cows are kept indoors in large, factory-like settings (although small dairy farms that are not organic do exist). In contrast, the organic standard requires that cows have access to pasture at least 120 days per year. Investigations have revealed, however, that some of the bigger organic dairy brands are not meeting that requirement.

Kastel’s team set out to help consumers separate what he calls “the organic wheat from the organic chaff.” In fact, almost everyone in the industry agrees that the animal welfare requirements in the USDA standard are not in line with what consumers imagine when they choose organic (i.e., happy cows grazing on tall grass). During the Obama administration, a set of rules called the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP) were finalized to correct that discrepancy. The rules focused on further codifying what provisions in the standard related to things like “outdoor space” really meant, so that things like small covered porches outside cramped chicken barns would no longer be seen as sufficient “outdoor access.”

The implementation was delayed, however, until President Donald Trump took office, and in March 2018, the USDA announced it was withdrawing the rules. The leading voice in the industry, the Organic Trade Association (OTA), is now suing the USDA “over the agency’s failure to put into effect new organic livestock standards.” It’s also leading a task force to prevent fraudulent food imports like the aforementioned shipments of “organic” soybeans and corn from Turkey.

“Cheating” isn’t the only issue. Organic farmers and food producers also don’t agree on how to treat companies that are getting into organic food but still primarily produce conventional food within the industry, or on which practices do and don’t belong in organic.

In July of this year, the Nature’s Path cereal and grain brand made a loud exit from the Organic Trade Organization with a press release, citing (among other issues) the association allowing controversial members to join. Those members included BASF, one of the world’s largest producers of pesticides, and Cargill, a company that dominates the market for livestock feed (GMO grain) used in CAFOs. Goldberg of Organic Insider broke the story with an impassioned post outlining how misaligned the interests of the two companies are with the organic mission. (OTA CEO and executive director Laura Batcha said that while the companies do have other interests, the OTA only represents their interests in organic.)

Nature’s Path also cited the OTA’s support for allowing hydroponics in organic as a major factor in its decision, which illustrates how contentious arguments in the organic community can center around distinctions that, to outsiders, may seem small. Hydroponic farming — growing food in water with added nutrients and no soil, usually indoors — has grown in the public consciousness as companies like Square Roots and Gotham Greens have expanded, and many argue that even if those farms are not using any of the substances outlawed by the organic standard — like synthetic pesticides or GMOs — they should not be eligible for organic certification.

“Hydroponics is a complete violation of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, which says that you have to have a management plan that fosters soil fertility,” Goldberg says, emphasizing that he’s not against hydroponic farming; he just doesn’t think it qualifies as organic. Calling hydroponically farmed greens organic is “creating an unequal playing field for these soil-based farmers who can’t compete fairly,” Goldberg says.

At the end of 2017, the NOSB voted to allow hydroponic vegetables to be certified organic. Supporters of that decision see it as a sign of progress and growth, since it will mean many more fruits and vegetables will be eligible for organic certification. But it didn’t end there.

Are new certifications the answer?

Chapman’s group of protesting farmers decided to forge its own path. A coalition of farmers and industry leaders established the Real Organic Project (ROP), a certification that will function as an “add-on” to the USDA organic label. In other words, it requires farms to be USDA certified but then checks that they’re meeting additional standards — like soil fertility and animal welfare requirements — that the organization feels the USDA is failing to enforce. ROP has lined up 50 farms across the country to launch the certification, and has already inspected about half of them.

Meanwhile, the Regenerative Organic Alliance is trying to raise the bar even higher with a new certification called Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC). Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario — who also helms Patagonia Provisions, maker of packaged foods like smoked salmon and breakfast grains — said the idea came out of an observation: Many forward-thinking food producers began calling their practices “regenerative” to signify they were going beyond organic. “They were saying ‘[Organic] is not going far enough, or you know, it’s too big of a hurdle, or it’s a political lightning rod,” she says.

Marcario and collaborators like Dr. Bronner’s CEO David Bronner didn’t want the term “regenerative” to cannibalize what they saw as its foundation — organic — or to be tossed around in a way that would lose meaning. (While Dr. Bronner’s is known for its soap, it now makes food products too, like coconut oil for kitchen use.) “We thought, well, what’s the harm in putting together the highest bar certification that encompasses those three pillars: soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness?” Marcario says. “The idea is that we’re going to regenerate soil over time, sequester more carbon, and give the customer the peace of mind that the animal welfare standard is the highest level of certification and that we’re providing economic stability and fairness to farmers, ranchers, and workers.”

Twenty-one farms and brands (of 80 that applied) — including Patagonia Provisions and Dr. Bronner’s — are now part of the 2018 pilot program. Marcario expects the ROC certification label to appear on the grocery shelf in early 2019. “We believe in USDA Organic as a baseline,” Marcario says, “but we do think that these additive practices are more important for the actual transformation of agriculture.”

But will an already confused grocery shopper faced with cereals labeled USDA organic, ROP, ROC, non-GMO, and who knows what other acronym really be able to make informed choices? Advocates say certifications, no matter how imperfect, are still the best tool for quickly conveying value to a consumer and leveling the playing field for honest farmers — especially when selling not at a local farmers market, but into a growing global market.

“There’s money to be made; there are fortunes to be made,” Chapman says, “and, you know, we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

Lisa Elaine Held is a journalist based in New York City who covers the intersection of food, health, and sustainability. Keith Carter is an illustrator and designer living in Portland, Oregon.
Editors: Erin DeJesus and Daniela Galarza

Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower with Garlic and Chives – Creamy, buttery mashed cauliflower combined with plenty of garlic and chives makes for one super flavorful side dish! Mashed cauliflower is the perfect low carb alternative to mashed potatoes, and made in a fraction of the time, thanks to our Instant Pot.

The yummiest cauliflower you’ll ever eat! Cauliflower is cooked in the Instant Pot until soft and then mashed with butter and sour cream. This is an easy and very quick recipe with lots of flavor.

The result is creamy, rich, and so delicious! It’s also gluten free, low carb, and keto – not a bad way to start our Thanksgiving prep. P.S. Don’t forget that Juicy Roast Turkey with Maple Gravy from the other day.

Want bacon and cheese with that cauli-mash? Jot down my other recipe for Instant Pot LOADED Mashed Cauliflower – yummmmm!

My favorite part about this mashed cauliflower deal is that you can have a great side dish in minutes. Literally. Also, this creamy, garlicky mashed cauliflower is much lighter than traditional mashed potatoes, and it just tastes so, so incredibly good!

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT MASHED CAULIFLOWER

• Set the Instant Pot to sauté and heat up a bit of olive oil; add 4 mashed garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute, or until garlic is golden brown on all sides.
• Pour chicken broth and mix and stir for 1 minute.
• Place steamer basket inside the Instant Pot and add cauliflower florets.

• Close the lid and set the valve to sealing.
• Set on manual setting and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes; quickly release the pressure and open up the lid half-way. Let stand 3 minutes.

• Drain out the liquid and transfer cooked cauliflower and garlic to a food processor or blender. Add butter, sour cream, and seasonings; pulse until blended and creamy.
• Stir in fresh chives and parmesan. Serve.

Easy Peasy. Don’t wait to make it!

MAKE AHEAD MASHED CAULIFLOWER

Mashed cauliflower can be made up to 3 days in advance.

• Let mashed cauliflower cool completely; transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge.
• Reheat over low heat or in the microwave. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Add more butter or sour cream, if needed.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH MASHED CAULIFLOWER

MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES

ENJOY!

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Source: https://diethood.com/instant-pot-mashed-cauliflower/

by Sarah Pope MGA | Updated: Feb 25, 2019 | Affiliate links

Now we have to dive headfirst down the rabbit hole to pro-actively inform them about legal drugs that they (and ourselves) may benignly encounter under legitimate, seemingly safe, scenarios. Kratom is one such substance that is proliferating like wildfire, threatening unsuspecting consumers – and children – with its little known addictive effects in the process.

What is Kratom?

Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia. It contains the substance mitragynine, which is a powerful psychoactive alkaloid.

Not surprisingly, in this part of the world, kratom is popular as a recreational drug.

Kratom Tea

Prepared as a dried and ground herb, kratom tea is a deep green powder that looks strikingly similar to matcha. It is promoted as helpful for anxiety and pain, making those seeking a lifestyle boost particularly vulnerable.

Fans of kratom say it is safe because it has been used in Asia as natural medicine for centuries. Further, they claim that dangerous side effects only potentially occur when mixed with alcohol or drugs.

Here in the North America, this herb is unregulated with dried and crushed versions commonly taken in pill form or brewed into tea.

Even more worrisome, many places that serve kratom tea spike it with CBD oil, increasing the synergistic dangers for a psychotic episode.

One of the first to address the problem, New York City recently banned edibles and drinks containing CBD in bars and restaurants. As of this writing, however, it has taken no action on kratom. (1, 2)

Popular at tea bars where young people like to hang out, kratom is popular for triggering an opiod-like effect. Depending on the dose, those who consume it may experience stimulant like effects or even mild euphoria. Hence the aggressive marketing to “naturally” treat anxiety and pain.

Kratom is Unregulated

Currently, there are no age restrictions on kratom use. This means a minor can order it on their own, and it is frequently available in places where no alcohol is served giving the false impression of safety.

This substance is already the subject of at least one lawsuit, by the parent of a teenager in my local area.

Kratom is suspected of causing brain damage in a 19 year old who drank it frequently starting at age 15 at several tea cafes near her home.

Then, out of the blue, the young woman began to suffer from “psychotic episodes and hallucinations so severe that she was confined” to a nursing home. Her physician made the connection between kratom and her brain injury. The suit alleges that the tea bars failed to warn about its dangerous side effects, making them liable for damages. (3)

Disability from kratom seems to be the tip of the iceberg.

The Food and Drug Administration has linked kratom to dozens of deaths in the United States over a nine-year period. To date, however, the agency has taken no action on prohibiting or regulating its use, saying only that:

There are no FDA-approved uses for kratom, and the agency has received concerning reports about the safety of kratom. FDA is actively evaluating all available scientific information on this issue and continues to warn consumers not to use any products labeled as containing the botanical substance kratom or its psychoactive compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. FDA encourages more research to better understand kratom’s safety profile, including the use of kratom combined with other drugs. (4)

Kratom Effects

Fans of kratom claim that its effects are beneficial and can help wean people off deadly opiod abuse. While potentially true (more research is needed though – see below), it doesn’t justify easy kratom availability to minors.

What about people who don’t or have never even used opiods?

According to the FDA, kratom “affects the same opioid brain receptors as morphine, [and] appears to have properties that expose users to the risks of addiction, abuse, and dependence.” (5)

Does this seem like a substance that a 15 year old girl as described above should be able to freely consume at a local tea bar?

Short Term Symptoms

One or more symptoms typically appear within 5-10 minutes of consuming kratom. They usually last between 2-5 hours. The complete list of short term side effects from consuming kratom in tea or capsule form include: (6)

• Skin: Itching, sweating, dry mouth
• Excretory: Constipation, diarrhea, increased urination
• Cardiovascular: Fast or fluttering heartbeat, panic attacks
• Neurological: Feelings of agitation, irritability, or uneasiness, drowsiness, loss of muscle coordination in arms or legs, hallucinations, seizures
• Gastrointestinal: Loss of appetite, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, liver damage

Long Term Dangers

Kratom dependency is documented in the scientific literature in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependency. More than half of users who consumed kratom for six months or longer develop severe dependency problems. The other half show moderate addiction.

Did you get that?

Nearly 100% of people using kratom for 6 months or longer were addicted – either moderately or severely.

Those who consumed 3 or more glasses per day had a higher risk of developing severe addiction. These individuals were also likely to experience uncontrollable kratom cravings and withdrawal symptoms which included: (7)

Physical

Psychological

• Restlessness
• Tension
• Anger
• Sadness
• Nervousness

The journal Addiction Biology also warns of the “evidence for an addiction potential with cognitive impairments for mitragynine [kratom], which suggest its classification as a harmful drug”.  (8)

The Effects of Kratom – Bottom Line

The current scientific literature on kratom summarized above is certainly ominous.

However, much more research needs to be done on the effects of kratom.

The best information we have at present is what doctors have observed about dependence in a clinical setting from individual patients experiencing addiction and/or withdrawal symptoms.

(1) New York City bans CBD in bars and restaurants

(2) Legality of Kratom in New York

(3) Lawsuit says Kratom Tea Caused Teen’s Brain Damage

(4, 5) FDA and Kratom

(6) Kratom Side Effects

(7) Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) dependence, withdrawal symptoms and craving in regular users

(8) Abuse potential and adverse cognitive effects of mitragynine

Source: https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/kratom-effects/

Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs (LOW CARB) is a quick throw together chicken recipe all cooked in one pan!

Golden seared chicken thighs in a delicious garlic butter mushroom sauce with a hint of herbs is THE weeknight dinner everyone raves about! The perfect dinner when your faced with minimal ingredient and no time. Serve these Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes OR lower carb options like mashed cauliflower or zucchini noodles!

Chicken Mushroom

Who doesn’t love this flavour bomb? Many readers have been writing in asking how to simplify this Cheesy Garlic Butter Mushroom Stuffed Chicken recipe. Of COURSE I’m up for that and here it is! Garlic butter and mushrooms go hand in hand already, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. BUT throw in some juicy, golden chicken thighs and WHOA have mercy!

Boneless Chicken Thigh Recipe

We decided to use chicken thighs for this recipe because dark meat suits the natural juices released from mushrooms. Although we use chicken thighs, you can substitute them with skinless, boneless breasts or chicken tenders if you like and follow the rest of the directions. This is an extremely forgiving recipe!

Simple Ingredients

With only a handful of ingredients, you’ll have one of the BEST and easiest chicken recipes hit your dinner table.

Once your chicken is seared, move onto your garlic butter mushrooms! Cook them in the same pan your chicken was in, scraping up any browned bits from the base of the pan for extra flavour in the mushrooms.

Garlic Mushrooms

The simple sauce of the buttery garlic mushrooms mixed with the seared chicken is what really makes this Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs recipe amazing.

• Butter — we use unsalted to better adjust the saltiness in the recipe
• Garlic — use fresh or bottle minced garlic. Fresh is best!
• Mushrooms — brown or white mushrooms
• Herbs — we love thyme, rosemary and parsley! Not a fan of those? Use whatever herbs YOU like!

More chicken thigh recipes

Chicken Thighs With Creamy Mushroom Garlic Sauce
Garlic Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Roasted Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs

Mushroom Chicken Thighs on VIDEO!

Related

Meet Andrea Blackford! Singer, scholar, vegan.

Andrea we met through your work with the Washington Revels, tell us more about that….

The Washington Revels Jubilee Voices is an ensemble working to preserve African American history and traditions through a cappella music, drama, and dance. With the help of Washington Revels, a Silver Spring, MD based performing arts organization, I founded the group in 2010. We were formed specifically for performing during the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, but demand for the group’s performances have allowed us to continue beyond that commemoration, and we’ve been performing regularly at heritage sites throughout the Washington DC area, singing, sharing, and learning the stories of the people in those communities.

Our performances are often done in period dress, singing traditional music, along with spoken word, historic narratives, storytelling, and audience participation. We perform and teach these songs, spirituals, ring shouts, and other traditional materials so that folks can share them, and learn why music was such an important factor in the lives of our people. Recently, we’ve been branching out beyond the Civil War era, to include the Colonial period and the Civil Rights Movement, to show the continuum throughout history.

This music helped our ancestors to survive through times of struggle and pain; it helped sustain them as they sought freedom and helped build a movement for justice. And now, more than ever, it’s important to keep sharing that tradition. The music of our ancestors–whether they toiled on the fields in the antebellum South or marched on Washington with Dr. King–was integral to their spirit, strength and survival. Sharing the history, songs and traditions gives us an ancestral “care package,” — a source of pride, affirmation, and sustenance — as we struggle with the not-so-new obstacles we face today.

Why go vegan?

At first, I decided to go vegan for health–I’m getting older, and I just got tired…tired of eating the same old stuff, tired of feeling tired, tired of seeing people in our community getting old before their time and dying of preventable disease. I began to lose my enthusiasm for dining out. I needed to shake things up. Around the same time, I got sick with a virus that left me with vertigo for weeks. It was during recovering from that where I became extremely aware of the connection between eating healthy food, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and getting exercise in. If I don’t get one of those things on a regular basis, everything else goes out of whack. Through eating vegan, I’ve become more aware of my body, what goes on with it, and how best to fuel it.

But “going vegan” is more than just diet. Veganism is a lifestyle that rejects anything that has resulted from animal suffering, death or exploitation. It’s a commitment to give up meat, honey, eggs, dairy, wool, fur, leather, and so on. There is also the matter of social justice. Veganism compels one to consider the plight of all living things, and in my opinion, that includes that of our human family, and our planet. Veganism has made me mindful of injustices and oppression, and motivates me to be part of the solution. As civil rights activist Ella Baker said, “we who believe in freedom cannot rest.”Thinking about it this way helps me to stay committed, and is helping me to take the steps from “eating vegan” to “being vegan.” For me, I’m working on slowly getting rid of animal products from my closet (leather and wool–I don’t wear fur), using stuff until it wears out, or purchasing thrifted or vintage items and buying things made of alternative materials to replace them. I am doing what works for me–it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

I’ve only been at this for six months…there is still a lot for me to learn, and I find it exciting.

What do you miss?

CHEESE. In transitioning, I tapered off it gradually, which helped. Do I miss cheese? Yes, but there are enough good vegan substitutes where I can satisfy the cravings. But you have to be careful with that, too. Many of these vegan “treats” can be very processed, so it’s best to make your own at home. You can actually make a pretty amazing vegan “cheese” sauce with potatoes and carrots as the main ingredients. I kid you not.

Another challenge? You have to plan your meals and you have to cook. I prepare food during the weekend for the upcoming week–a couple of heavy dishes, like veggie lasagna or a hearty stew–along with prepped materials for making quick meals (diced onions, a pot of greens, roasted veggies, rice, roasted sweet potatoes, etc.) during the week. And I keep snacks in my desk at work. If I’m going out, I have an app on my phone (Happy Cow) that shows me restaurants with vegetarian/vegan options so I can plan. Most restaurants are getting on board, however, and if you explain that you’re vegan, they will work with you.

The funny thing is that I thought I’d really, really miss meat. I don’t. I have really enjoyed discovering new flavors, playing with seasonings (my spice drawers are overflowing these days) and I’ve been cooking up a storm.

Sometime within the last three months, I’ve really hit my stride, but it is a process. I’m still learning. I am blessed to have a supportive, wonderful husband (who still eats meat, but eats mostly plant-based foods now.) My family has been VERY supportive. And many of my friends have begun eating more plant-based foods, which is terrific. I have brought home made vegan appetizers and dishes to parties and watch with utter amusement as folks start out with skepticism, then end up eating it all.

How does your new eating practice make you feel?

In eating this way, I feel that I’m really getting reconnected with the ancestors–whose diets were founded on plants. They used meat like a condiment–for seasoning, and it’s been relatively easy to find healthier, non-animal replacements. Eating this way has been a revelation for me, as I find new and wonderful things to cook, and it helps me to understand the struggle, sacrifice and creativity our forebears used to sustain themselves.

Six months down the line, I’ve dropped a little weight; I’m sleeping a lot better, and I don’t feel as loaded down when I eat a meal. Just saw one of my doctors, who is very happy with the results!

What are your go to resources?
Anything and everything written by Bryant Terry (Vegan Soul Kitchen and Afro-Vegan); great vegan cooks/chefs on YouTube such as blogger Jenne Claiborne(SweetPotatoSoul), who has quick and easy meals and prep tips, and Gaz Oakley(Avant Garde Vegan) who produces some gorgeous food with complex flavors. Another go-to is the Afro Vegan Society, which is a clearinghouse of information, recipes, a directory of black-owned vegan restaurants, essays, and more. And a great read is Tracye McQuirter’s book, By Any Greens Necessary. Check it out!

Any favorite new recipes?
So many! I love making vegan sushi; chicken-fried cauliflower is a special Sunday treat in our house, along with vegan mac and cheese and collard greens, is a favorite. We also enjoy portabello mushroom “steak” (it’s basically seared mushrooms coated with steak spices and covered in a lovely vegan gravy). You can find many of these recipes on YouTube.

How can we see you with the Revels?

Visit www.revelsdc.org to learn more about Jubilee Voices and Washington Revels, a great organization that celebrates community and tradition.

Jubilee Voices is just one of several vocal ensembles; there are wonderful activities for folks of any age, ranging from monthly community sings to educational programs for kids. There is also a signature event, “The Christmas Revels,” that celebrates holiday and turning of the year traditions from different cultures. There’s something for everyone!

Sorry I left you high and dry there for a few days.  The end of summer is getting a little crazy and I’m jut trying to prioritize the right stuff.

Kyle was gone for a few days last week – I think I already mentioned that and blogged about the first couple solo nights – so now I’m picking up on the end of that stretch.

I made nothing into something with fridge leftovers and it turned into an amazing dinner!  I’ll get to it in a sec.

First, breakfast.

I started out wanting to make a blueberry almond smoothie and totally changed courses when I looked into the freezer and saw there was frozen watermelon…next thing I know I’m making a tropical smoothie!

The rest of the smoothie had strawberries, blackberries, frozen banana and coconut milk.  It was alright, but I think the combo of blueberries with  banana and almond is still my very favorite.

I made a kale salad for lunch and heaped on the candied walnuts.  And is that not the most perfect avocado ever?  Once fall hits (sooooon!) I have a feeling roasted squash is going to be calling to me.

So now back to dinner.  I had half a bag of cauli gnocchi already made, as well as a few handfuls (hands full? handfuls? what’s the correct grammar?) of an arugula and spinach mix.  Since I love finishing small quantities of things off near the end of the week, I knew that’s what I wanted to focus the meal around.

To make it a complete meal, I added walnuts, sun dried tomatoes (plus the lovely oily marinade they came in), as well as fresh basil from the garden and then the rest of the manchego.  Dinner. Perfection.

The kids had a different meal because I didn’t have enough gnocchi made for them.  It still came together in under 5 minutes though.  Yep UNDER FIVE minutes.  Here’s how it went down.  90 seconds of that time was spent heating the already cooked rice in the micro.  I buy the 6 packs of them at Costco just for moments like this, and while it PAINS ME to no end buying food in individual plastic – both from a health and environment perspective – it’s one of those convenience things that I’ve granted myself a bit of grace on.  Most of the time I am on top of planning enough that I can make rice in the rice cooker or pressure cooker super fast.  So I don’t use them very often.  But this was a night that I went for it.

Then I added avo, frozen edamame, and tamari and called it a day.  Sushi bowl for the win.  They loved it of course, and why wouldn’t they?  Any time you combine avo and tamari you know it’s going to be a hit.

But I still think I won.

I have zero photos of breakfasts or lunches on Thursday because I went to California Academy of Sciences (again!) with some friends.  We carpooled which made the HOURSSSS in the car way more fun.  Both for us and the kids.  �

Driving in and out of SF takes major mama energy because it is a wild adventure each and every time.  We had to get pretty creative when traffic threw some curve balls, but in the end we all had a blast and we got to hang with friends for a full day!

I left this in the instant pot that morning so the house smelled fantastic as soon as we stepped inside.

I used the last of the shredded Mexican beef from my parents’ anniversary party, but in order to stretch it, I added beef broth and turned it into a stew…which I then topped with chips and plain cashew yogurt.

I almost don’t want to tell you this but I didn’t have anything green that whole day.  Actually, it’s worse than that.  I didn’t have a single vegetable.  Not a one.  Eek!

Back on track on Friday with this guy…

Oh also on Friday!

A graduation for the mini striders. �

These little people will no longer be cheering on their mamas in strollers at 9 am classes because they will be in SCHOOOOOOOL!!!  It was a sweet little ceremony followed by a potluck.  I made butterfly skewers with triangle shaped wings cut out of cantaloupe with raisins as the body.  The winner was the mama who brought Califia mocha cold brew, naturally.

And then guess what happened for dinner!!  The new chill and less OCD Elise made another impulsive decision and accepted a last minute invitation over to a friend’s house!

Woo hoo!  It was SO SO FUN!  I am still in shock that I said yes to this day-of invite, but Kyle and I agreed it was the most fun night.  The kids ate at a separate table and were completely insane the entire time, but aside from that, it was awesome to hang out and eat fish tacos with newish friends who we are getting to know better.

Thanks to stroller strides, my already very big social circle just seems to be growing and growing and I couldn’t be more happy about it.  Sometimes you think you’ve found all “your people” and then you go and discover another whole group of friends who you feel like you were meant to know and that group introduces you to more and more people and then the next thing you know you are the mayor of Davis.  Kidding! But for reals, I feel like pretty soon there won’t be a parent in town that I don’t know.

Also, this dessert was amazing.  I think it was just frozen berries with melted white chocolate poured over it.  It was phenomenal!!  I’m 100% making this at our house.  The kids had plain frozen berries and came away from the night with blue fingers and lips and more rock solid friendships.

Turns out, saying yes brings much more joy than holding on to the “safe” plans that you’ve already scheduled out in your head.  I wish this came more naturally to me, but I’m starting to get it, so hopefully this trend continues.

Learning How to Make Marshmallow Fluff may seem intimidating, but as long as you have a thermometer and an electric mixer and a few simple ingredients, you can have this made in under 20 minutes and it’s far superior to any store-bought version. This version is made using only honey and maple syrup!

How to Make Marshmallow Fluff

Here in the New England area Fluff is so beloved that a local Boston suburb has a festival every year to celebrate the iconic Marshmallow Cream. If you haven’t tried Fluff, it’s basically a sticky sweet marshmallow spread that is classically known to be the other half to peanut butter in a Fluffernutter Sandwich and it’s delicious. The bad news is that it’s made with corn syrup and a few other suspect ingredients. The good news, we’ve cracked the code on How to Make Marshmallow Fluff at home because it’s easy and a super fun treat! And what makes it even better is making Homemade Marshmallow Fluff at home uses only a few simple ingredients: egg whites, cream of tartar, honey, maple syrup and vanilla! And we promise, it’s really simple!

Tips and Tricks for Making Marshmallow Fluff

The first thing you need to know about How to Make Marshmallow Fluff is that you are making candy! You’ll be cooking up a very hot sugary syrup and then pouring it into beaten egg whites and whipping them up until the whole mixture has transferred into magical Marshmallow Fluff. It’s like a marshmallow without the gelatin to set it.

1. If you are wondering if this is a lot of sugar—it is. You are making candy and one of the principal components of candy is: sugar! If you lower the sugar content it may not work. We orginally tried this recipe with less than ½ cup maple / honey and it failed miserably. We did successfully make it by reducing the honey from 3/4 cup to 1/2 cup, but really liked the stability that this amount of sweetener offered.
2. The bowl and whisk attachment must be cleaned well because if there is any grease in it, it will prevent the egg whites from whipping up properly.
3. The added water in the sugar mixture helps the sugar come to a boil without burning. Put the water in the pot first, then the other two sweeteners. Do not stir the pot. Do not move the pot. You run the risk of crystallizing the sugar. If you have one, use a candy thermometer, or you can also use an instant read thermometer.
4. You want your sugar mixture to reach the “soft ball” stage or 235ºF-240ºF. This stage gets it’s name from the fact that if you put a droplet of cold water into the boiling sugar, it will turn into a soft ball. This hot sugar mixture is what cooks the egg whites and turns it into Marshmallow Fluff.
5. Troubleshooting: If the egg white mixture hasn’t thickened up and become glossy, either the sugar syrup was not the proper temperature, or you haven’t whipped the egg whites long enough. So If it isn’t looking thick and glossy, try whipping longer. And of course use a thermometer to make sure the sweetener has boiled enough!
6. You can store the Marshmallow Fluff in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1 week, though we recommend using it within the first 3 days. After a few days the mixture might start to weep, and this is totally normal for Fluff made without any artificial ingredients. All you have to do is re-whip the whole thing until it is glossy and thick again.
7. This Fluff tastes amazing toasted with a kitchen torch!

What recipes can you use this Marshmallow Fluff with?

1. You can’t go wrong with a fluffernutter! This is a peanutbutter and marshmallow fluff sandwich!
2. Use it in this Gluten Free Hostess Cupcakes recipe.
3. Use it in this S’mores Pie recipe.
4. Use it to make marshmallow cream s’mores.
5. Use it to top any pie!
6. Use it as a frosting on any cake! This is a great option because it’s dairy-free!

Tools we used in this recipe:

• Electric mixer
• Thermapen
• Essentials: Pot

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