I lived as a vegetarian for 2 1/2 years during my college career; it was the dorm food that sealed the deal. For the first year of my vegetarianism, I was more of a cheese-atarian. I lived in Oregon and it was Tillamook EVERYTHING. My roommate and I ate cheese, pizza, french fries, hummus and stir fry like there was no tomorrow. For a college student, it was all about convenience. Having our own fridge with our OWN food (not managed by parents) was really an exciting thing. That’s why I gained a Sophomore 15 (I managed to avoid it Freshman year due to the crappy food). I clearly needed help!
A few months ago during the busy holiday season, I had the opportunity to meet cookbook author/cool mom Pam Anderson & catch up with her daughter Maggy at a fabulous dinner for her latest cookbook, Cook without a Book: Meatless Meals: Recipes and Techniques for Part-Time and Full-Time Vegetarians. Let me tell you, these two are as good as it gets! I know that if they lived closer, Maggy & I would be tied at the hip. Both these fine ladies have a tremendous amount of love to give and their passion for food and helping others is downright contagious!
What I love Pam’s new cookbook is that it’s vegetarian home cooking in an easily digestible format. Pam covers many cooking basics and gives a tremendous amount of tricks & tips for the aspiring vegetarian cook. She’s basically teaching you how to cook without a book! Each recipe has Pam’s suggestions to change things up a bit. For example, there’s a bran muffin section where she shows you the muffin base and then lists add-ins & extras so you can build your own flavor profile. Her suggestions will keep your brain turning with ideas! I love it. Reading through this book is like having a cool mom teach you how to cook and fend for yourself in a vegetarian world. It would have made my college years as a vegetarian a BREEZE!
As a part time Vegetarian, I fell in love with this Potato Feta Gyro recipe. I made it earlier this week and boy was it incredibly satisfying and simple to execute. The mashed potatoes are flavor packed due to the feta & roasted garlic and the cucumber yogurt sauce is straight up ADDICTIVE. If only I had this recipe in college!
Here’s the deal!
I have an extra copy of this book that I want to give one to a lucky reader!
Please leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win!
Giveaway ends on Friday January 13th (ooh creepy!).
****CONTEST ENDED. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ENTERING!!!!******
Continue reading »
Everyday between 2-3pm, my body craves chocolate cake. The cake I crave is not a cake that’s saturated in chocolate frosting. I’m talking about a dense/moist/slightly chewy chocolate cake with a few drizzles of chocolate frosting. When I’m not able to fulfill this craving (which is like all the time), my mind goes into daydreaming mode and I start to fantasize about a chocolate cake delivery service at my work and how wonderful it would be if there were ice cream sundae vendors at every street corner. Imagine that. That would be the life!
I also had this thought the other day: Has anyone ever put EAT MORE CHOCOLATE on their New Year’s Resolution list? Doubtful.
With a chocolaty dense bundt cake like this, I can’t see why that wouldn’t be a good idea.
Maybe I should give in to my chocolate cravings more often. Maybe then I could consider myself a chocolate lover.
Continue reading »
A new year & a new photo project because I refuse to stop using my camera regularly! I’m going to call this series- My Everyday Life.
It’s not a photo everyday; it’s a collection of pictures from the week.
What you will see: moments of time, food, prettie things, details of the world around me & a few self portraits too! It’s like 365 food but with less food and more living.
Let the fun begin!
This is what this week looked like:
On a walk with my boys.
Continue reading »
This week the list is longer than normal. I had some serious catching up to do!
- This Blood Orange Gin Sparkler has my name written ALL OVER IT. Gorgeous photos too!
- Bookshelf Porn. This pleases me so!
- I’m not a fudge fan, but I’m pretty sure I’d convert for this recipe. YUM.
- Going quiet. I admire what Shauna is doing. I wish I could do it myself!
- Look at how cute this butter is! Oh and the sweet potato biscuits look divine too!
- Sheena always blows me away with her photography.
- This article on the Joy of Quiet just proves we could all benefit from a little less screen time.
- Non Goals for 2012. LOVE this idea. Erin is brilliant!
- I want this for breakfast & lunch this weekend.
- 20 New Year’s Resolutions for 20- somethings. This is good!
- Because I always get asked how to cut a Butternut Squash. Elise helps you with that!
- Just another reason to love my friend, Cheryl. She’s hysterical.
- Oooh! A pretty peacock print for sale!
- I’m totes gonna make one of these Vintage Style Headbands!
- Bon Appetit has a good looking Food Lover’s Cleanse. My friend Kimberley shot the photos for it!
- This homemade ginger ale is totally going on the TO DO list.
- OprahReadsNews on Twitter. OHHHHH MY GOOOOOOSH.
But wait! There’s more:
Check out the first Joy the Baker Podcast of 2012! I go over my Disney cruise, we talk about EAT DAYS and how to start off your 2012 right!
Need some motivation for your resolutions? Let me help! I rounded up some of my favorite inspiration prints on Etsy over on High Straightenence this week!
My favorites from my 365 Food Photo project!
I decided to pick two photos from each month that represent:
- a special moment in time
-a photo that got me really excited about photography
-a meal/snack that totally blew my mind
ENJOY!
01.12.11
Continue reading »
I’ve spent the past 48 hours feeling like I’ve been rocking back and forth (spending 7 days on a cruise ship can do that to you!). Everything right now is a bit off kilter because in the past week, time zones were crossed, climates changed, calendar days were disregarded, and I did something I never thought was possible- I spent a whole week without using my cellphone (OMG!). Instead of tackling the laundry, emptying suitcases and sorting through the mail when we got home Monday, I immediately went grocery shopping to get provisions for the week. I figured the only way to feel like normal again at home was to get back to work in my kitchen and binge on kale.
When I was eating lifeless romaine salad with extremely unripe yet mushy tomatoes on the boat (not all the food was dreadful!), I daydreamed of crispy kale salads with toasted coconut. Spending a week without kale was absolute torture and when I was standing in my kitchen swaying from side to side chopping kale, I vowed never to let that many days go by without my leafy green security blanket.
The crispy crunchy kale & cabbage shreds tasted amazing with the roasted cashew pieces and hemp seeds. The apple added a nice sweetness too! What you have here is a gigantic plate of HEALTH! I think the slaw could have potentially erased all of those chocolate dipped mickey mouse ice cream bars I ate. Who am I kidding? What I actually need is some serious Mousercise. For reals.
Continue reading »
I DID IT!! It’s OVER! 365 DAYS OF FOOD!!!
Here’s the last week:
365/365 Gin & ginger ale on the deck.
Continue reading »
Friends!
I’m currently taking a little blog break and enjoying the holidays with my family. I hope you’re doing the same! Wishing you the happiest New Year!
More soon!
Tracy
A long time ago I told my mom that I’d like to be a caterer and she immediately talked me out of it. I thought that my love for making food in assembly lines, piping things with pastry bags and my passion for all things filo dough & puff pastry would be enough. Then she reminded me of how I’d have to stand on my feet for 8+hours and then someone else told me how much packing up and moving was involved in the life of a caterer. Dang. Maybe I just want to be a catering company’s quality assurance tester? Yeah! I’d be really good at it.
This recipe has been on my radar forever. I had a Christmas party to attend and whipped up these beauties in absolutely NO time. They’re fun, colorful, bite sized and uber fancy. Don’t you just love the sight of little appetizers lined up on a tray? I sure do…
Continue reading »
Champagne! Never been a fan (blasphemy, right?!). I’m not sure why. I guess I always end up inhaling bubbles and then they spew out my nose. Truth!
Did you know that I married into a champagne loving family? A good portion of my in-laws take their champagne drinking to a whole new level. It’s as if they’re athletes and champagne is their Gatorade. You think I’m kidding?
Today is the last Monday of 2011 and chances are you’re looking for a signature cocktail for New Years Eve. Champagne lovers, listen up! The French 75 is slightly herbal with the gin, it’s tart with the lemon juice and slightly sweet with that cute little sugar cube floating on the bottom. A word of caution-These cocktails are a bit STRONG. Two of these French 75s may or may not have caused my husband to fall asleep on the couch at 8pm the other night…
There are many variations of this classic cocktail. Some recipes call for cognac instead of gin. Others may add Cointreau or brown sugar and it’s often served in a collins glass. I think the champagne flute makes it a little more festive. Enjoy!
Continue reading »
2007 - 2012 shutterbean, All Rights Reserved.