Life has a way of throwing curve balls our way sometimes... Mine started coming last September when my 86-year-old mother coded and was placed on life support. As you might remember, I live in the Sedona AZ area; and my parents resided in New Jersey, just ten miles...
Farmer’s Market Season in The Verde One of my favorite times of year is summer. With summer comes the adventure of farmers market season. Did you know there are several farmers markets in the Verde Valley every week during the long days of summer? My personal favorite...
When the chocolate craving bug bites, do you find yourself reaching for that all too inviting bar of dark chocolate stashed at the back of your pantry? Hey, it happens! I had such a moment recently, and remembered I have a wonderful little recipe for chocolate mousse,...
The desert ... no grass to water ... but these weeds! When the monsoons hit, and when the winters have been wet, the little weedy boogers are EVERYWHERE! So what is a Vegan girl to do?! Well, I refuse to use chemicals, and I can tell you that the task of pulling weeds...
The other night, a friend of mine was at home watching "Death to Smoochy" - a dark comedy, but a comedy none the less (which also happens to star not only Ed Norton but also one of my favorite actresses, Catherine Keener, who starred in one of my favorite movies,...
I was reflecting on life the other day. Looking back on what steps I have taken to get to where I am today and the philosophies I keep and practice daily. This made me think of the blog I wrote a few years back about how it all became crystal clear how and when I...
It's Coming! Plants for the Planet is way for you to get involved and help a great cause out! Healthy World Sedona is choosing to make a difference this April by encouraging us all to take a positive step each and every day to improve our health, that of the planet...
The world is in a sorry state due to greenhouse gas emissions. You know to recycle, reduce and reuse, but a girl can't go around looking like a tree-hugging hippie; you must look chic at all times. And that includes every aspect of your green-living life, from the way...
As some of you know, I've had to travel back to the Land of Jersey due to a family emergency. Well, the emergency has turned into a semi-long term stay so I can help my parents. Once our ducks are in a row, we'll ALL be coming back to the land of sunshine! That's...
The Impetus That Started It All On February 23, 2018, my friend, Kris, and I went to a local tattoo parlor that uses only vegan ink to get our long-talked-about Vegan V tattoos. We both had them placed on the inside of our right wrists. These were not the first...
Hungry and want something hearty, nutritious, and delicious in a flash? Well, this dish is for you. My Uncle Buddy used to make this for me all the time when I was a child. While Uncle Buddy has long ago crossed the Rainbow Bridge, his memory lives on in my family. ...
Doesn't Get Much Better! I’m writing this blog on a cool Sedona winter’s day in the comfort of my home retaining last night’s flannel pj’s, heavy socks, and a vastly oversized, baggy Vaute Couture pullover sweater with a delicious cup of coffee at my side. My kitty...
As promised last week, let’s talk a walk down my memory lane, reminiscing about Farm Spirit in Portland and the evening that blew me away on the Richter Scale of Gastronomy. Starter As we began to gather for our festive evening, the first pour of our beverage flight...
Living a Cruelty-Free Life I have been a vegan for a very long time. I try to encourage others every day to live a cruelty-free life and consume only plant based nutrition. Doing so can help with a number of physical issues many in America and around the world suffer...
Change Things Up In keeping with the Holiday Season, how about pleasantly surprising your loved ones and friends with a change-up from the expected pumpkin pie with a spirited sweet potato pie? If you use an organic, store-bought pie crust that’s 100% whole wheat or...
Add This to the Holiday Menu As we are quickly approaching 2018’s Holiday Season, thoughts begin to turn to what’s going to be on our holiday feast menu and what to bring to the holiday potluck dinner. This absolute showstopper may seem daunting; but honestly, it...
A few years ago, I wrote a blog all about Lavender and how it's gone beyond just an air freshener scent! You'll find below my blog from June, 2013. with a great recipe for Lavender Shortbread Cookies! Enjoy! So, we all know how wonderful lavender smells, right? It...
Betcha Didn't Think of This ... Whether I’m hungry and need to have something delicious and nutritious in a pinch or want to impress guests with an appetizer that I can bet most likely they never even heard of never mind tasted and couldn’t be easier to prepare,...
Cookbooks - My Favorite Read Those of you who know me personally know that I read cookbooks as others might read novels or non-fiction. I can’t help it. I’m obsessed with reading cookbooks, especially well-written, well-illustrated vegans ones that tell some stories...
PIZZA! PIZZA! PIZZA! Who doesn’t LOVE a great vegan pizza? I know I do. And today, we have a plethora of vegan pizzerias (one of my favorites is from my old stomping grounds in Philadelphia, Blackbird Pizza). Right here in Sedona, we are so lucky to have Picazzo’s...
While I was searching the internet regarding World Farm Animal Day, I was shocked and appalled at how many images said “Happy World Farm Animal Day”. Contrary to those images, it is anything but happy. In fact, quite the contrary. Bad For You Eating animals is not...
Recently I participated in the 2020 Sedona VegFest, sponsored by Healthy World Sedona, which took place on January 18-19. The VegFest is a celebration of all things plant-based! I did a demo January 19 of a Root Vegetable & Fava Bean Tagine with Quinoa and...
Valentine's Day may have just passed us, but shouldn't we show that V-Day love to those around us, and ourselves, all year? Why don't you treat yourself or someone special to a post V-day night in! I'm thinking Thai Corn Coconut Soup, Veganified Beef Wellington, and...
Hello All! Did you know that February is Vegan Cuisine Month? This is a great time to really dive in and see what amazing food this lifestyle has to offer, and to encourage those around you to give it a try as well! You can learn more about Vegan Cuisine Month HERE...
Happy New Year Everyone!
The Holidays are upon us! Here in Arizona, there is a tradition which marks this time of year - many of our friends, family, and neighbors are making tamales. I figured this was the perfect time to share my delicious dessert tamale! It is an after dinner treat to...
Today is a Special Day Today is World Vegan Day and the first day of World Vegan Month. As I paused a moment to acknowledge this day, it brought me back to that infamous day in November, 1997 that thrust me into transition, when Freya Dinshah, Executive Director of...
A Good 'ol Chili Cook-Off Earlier this month I participated in the Cornville Chili Cook-Off with my mole-inspired chili, and I won Second place! Now, while first place would have been amazing, I am happy to report that the other vegan option out of 30 participants won...
Quick, Easy, Sumptuous! Perfect For A Healthy and Nutritious Weekday Meal After a Busy Day at the Office! With the availability of two pretty darn spectacular plant-based ground meat alternatives (Beyond Meat Ground Meat and LightLife Plant-Based Ground Meat), I have...
Being a Jersey girl, Jersey corn represented the much-anticipated August harvest each year. One of the great joys of being a transplanted Jersey girl now residing in the Sedona area is the elongated corn harvesting season. Ah, what more can a vegan food-obsessed...
My experience found that many of the all-natural, environmentally-sustainable laundry products were not only expensive, they didn’t clean as well as the commercial products on the market. I took this as a challenge very similar to when I write food recipes. So, the...