So here's the thing about December- sometimes it makes us a little squishy (and I don't mean from eating too many cookies, although that is certainly a possibility too). It is cold outside and it gets dark before dinner. Our friends are sharing their holiday joy on Facebook and all the images painted in our minds by Christmas songs and movies can make us feel like we're doing it all wrong. We have such high standards for ourselves. Why else would it be an option to pay someone to hang our Christmas lights?

What matters, though, is not how well we meet an imaginary holiday formula put forth by all of the hubbub. What matters is that we do things our own way; things that make our lives feel rich and help us and ours to connect with what is important to us. That has everything to do with the traditions that are connected to our heartstrings and nothing to do with anything at the mall.

As the holidays arrive next week, flourish. Pause to ponder simple things in great detail. Take your time. Navigate the pace and direction of things by following joy instead of an agenda. Sink in to honoring what you need from moment to moment. Explore. Make messes.


Right now you're likely focussed on all things carbohydratey- holiday treats, mashed potatoes, mulled cider...

If you're anything like me, though, you'll be craving something different soon after the holidays. It seems like I always start to crave spicy foods right after Thanksgiving. Szechuan veggies, curries, salsa. It all sounds so good when it is cold outside!

To help you along with your post-holiday stir fries, noodle dishes, etc., I'll be giving away a coupon for a free Nasoya item and a Nasoya t-shirt next week! Details on how to enter are coming soon. In the meantime, get some recipe inspiration and cooking tips from the people at Nasoya on their Tofu U website.*


*Legal disclaimer: I a not being paid to promote these products.

I realize that I'm a bit behind with my Thanksgiving recap here, but my week was about so much more than food and I want to share the highlights from all the deep down good stuff!

My husband and kids were off of work and school all last week. Since we were hosting Thanksgiving at our house with family due to arrive on Wednesday, we decided to spend the first part of the week having a little family adventure. It is always good to get out and experience new places and things and it is even better to reconnect with old friends, which we also did on our trip.

We only live about 90 miles from San Francisco but rarely partake in tourist activities when we are there. It almost feels like we are being tourists in our own city when we visit because we've spent so much time there, together and separately, over the years. It was great to see the city from some new perspectives last week!

Heading into San Francisco (over the Bay Bridge) on a rainy Sunday:


Despite the city chaos and all that being urban entails (and even though I am more of a wide open spaces kind of person), I find the city of San Francisco to be breathtakingly beautiful and endlessly enchanting. Watching the fog swirl around the Golden Gate Bridge while driving towards the city nestled just across the Bay almost makes me cry because it is so pretty. Every. Single. Time. Love.

Steve and Jackson in Marina Green Park (see the Golden Gate in the background?):


...and again:


Rainbow, sailboat, and Alcatraz Island:


Pier 39:


On Monday morning we took a ferry to Alcatraz Island and spent a couple of hours touring the buildings and learning about the history of the prison and the island itself. I love historical places and their stories!

Ferry ride:


The view of the city from Alcatraz Island is stunning:


We spent three days and two nights in the Bay Area, mostly on foot. Then, with a short stop to tour a Jelly Belly Factory on our way, we headed home to start our Thanksgiving-ing.

The absolute best part of Thanksgiving this year was unhurried time with family. We spontaneously jumped in the leaves in our yard and stopped to smell the roses:


Logan said that this rose smelled "like pink":


Oh and we snuggled, played, and wore our slippers too:


Our Thanksgiving meal (or "feast" as the kids call it) was big! Since my non-veg family was visiting, we had things to meet every taste. Our vegetarian spread included a Field Roast (hazelnut cranberry en croute), mashed potatoes, yam (actually sweet potato) casserole, mushroom gravy, stuffing, gingered cranberry sauce with orange, rosemary bread, green beans with pine nuts and shiitake mushrooms, and chocolate pecan pie. Yum and yum and yum!



If you celebrated American Thanksgiving this year, I hope that your feast and adventures were lovely too!

I made these muffins last month for a bake sale at my son's school. They are quintessential fall treats- spiced, mapley, apple or pear-filled awesomeness...and they will make your house smell amazing when they are baking! Can you tell that is a big thing for me? Smelling things? Yes, I'm crazy...but, if you like to cook, I bet you are quirky too. xoxo

Spiced Maple Muffins

1 cup of applesauce, or pear or pumpkin puree
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 Flax "egg" (2 tbsp water + 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds)
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons oil (canola, coconut, etc.- your choice)
2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (or a combo)

I'm on a big crockpot kick lately. I am loving the convenience of it and the way that it fills my kitchen with yummy dinner smells! The other day I actually had the bread machine and the crockpot going at the same time- I think I might win some sort of domestic award for that, right?

When I was searching online for dinner ideas last week, I found a couple of people had posted crockpot enchiladas on Pinterest (which I'm addicted to, by the way!). One of the recipes used salsa as the sauce and, though I was skeptical about that idea, I decided that I'd give it a try. Enchilada sauce is nice, but I have been wanting to make something with the green tomatillo salsa made by my favorite salsa guy at the farmers' market (The Crazy Gringo) so green enchiladas it was!

I used a combo of sweeter ingredients in the filling that paired perfectly with the sweet but savory tomatillo salsa. My husband and I loved this combo!

Simple Crockpot Enchiladas
Serves about 4