tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79252000402058432812024-02-07T05:33:25.338-08:00xveganx partyMiccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-79663865790558504542010-05-04T07:46:00.001-07:002010-05-04T18:54:35.491-07:00Taste Testing the Bean<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://visitsouth.com/images/uploads/savannah-the-sentient-bean-coutner.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 500px;" src="http://visitsouth.com/images/uploads/savannah-the-sentient-bean-coutner.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Despite being somewhat of a reclusive miser, I am no stranger to the Sentient Bean. My roommate and I make a habit of a leisurely walk there every Sunday to catch up with each over coffee and sweets. In line, our hearts race as we select a baked good to break our weekly budget of money and calories, and we feel like royalty walking with plates that glitter with sugar. It’s a two-step over computer cords and in between conversations to find a table or couch that we can occupy with brainstorms and gossip, and we sit there too long stealing refills and wishing work wasn’t awaiting us when we left. Everything about the event is painstakingly choreographed, but it’s a choreography I love to dance. In all honesty, it’s probably my favorite part of the week.<br /><br />My experiences at the Bean have been largely limited to these Sunday mornings and specifically limited to that bakery case. Occasionally, I’ll find myself there on a weekday afternoon, a table all to myself where I scramble to meet some deadline instead of dissecting a Robert Downey Jr. movie like I usually would; but even on those rare occasions where I’ve come to work instead of play, if I’ve got anything sitting beside my coffee, it’s something sweet. <br /><br />I always go for something sweet because I’m vegan, and finding a homemade vegan treat is difficult to do even in my much-more-metropolitan hometown. (We won’t mention my outrageous sweet tooth.) The novelty of vegan sweets right here in Savannah suckers me in almost every trip - even though every time I know that half the time I’m wasting me $1.50 - $4.00 because their baked goods are so hit-or-miss. It’s that option of lifestyle compatible treats, though; I find it too compelling to avoid! I find it especially compelling because the Bean fails to offer “real” food I see worth paying for.<br /><br />I’ve eyed the Sentient Bean’s meal options more than once, but it’s never grabbed my attention. Nothing has ever looked good or interesting enough to pound my fist and say, “Give me something I can’t dunk in coffee!” When I look at their menu, I see largely generic vegetarian fanfare at sort of exorbitant prices. I’ll concede that the portions are fairly decent and the ingredients are fairly quality (they use things like demera sugar, whole wheat flour, and some organic produce); but when appealing to a broke college student who’s skilled with a skillet, I need them to give me soups, salads, and sandwiches that sizzle – and I need them vegan, not vegetarian! <br /><br />Okay, I admit, Sentient Beans gives a lone vegan option that’s gotten my salivary glands pumping from time to time: the barbecue tofu wrap. Sometimes when I catch a glance of it on the menu, my stomach checks itself for hunger so it can try to convince my brain that I need that sandwich. The board describes it as tomato, mixed greens, and tofu dressed in a combination of Vegenaise, sriracha, and barbecue sauce wrapped in a tortilla and pressed like a panini. My stomach usually pleads with my brain, “Doesn’t that sound good?!” but my brain had never given in – that is, until recently. <br /><br />I ate the barbecue tofu wrap in the shade of the Bean’s back patio with a breeze blowing that simply smelled like sunshine. If there was ever a more perfect time for eating this sandwich, it was that afternoon, and I was dancing inside when my plate arrived. The wrap’s presentation was elegant in its simplicity: a bouquet of color bundled inside a tortilla and ribboned with the crisp impressions of a panini press. The cook had laid it out in a sort of pyramid of thirds and trimmed it with a modest side salad. It looked so fresh and flavorful, my eyes were as happy to consume the sandwich as my mouth was, and when I took my first bite, I was expecting an explosion of flavor.<br /><br />The flavor was so flat, the side salad was a serious adventure by comparison. The barbecue tofu wrap had always caught my attention because it struck me as cleverly complex. After all, could one ordinary tortilla contain such three distinctly different condiments? Suffice it to say, I wasn’t expecting the condiments to fuse together into something that functioned more like lubricant and less like dressing, but my instinct was to blame the bland tofu and chock the whole sandwich up to poor tofu preparation.<br /><br />The Bean doesn’t press this protein-packed meat analogue like most veg restaurants do. Without pressing tofu, it maintains that notoriously wet texture tofu that most people are turned off by, and its residual water can drown accompanying flavors. I think that’s what happened here, and it happened in such a profound way, I was halfway through the wrap before I remembered it was called barbecue. The wrap would have been a lot better had the Sentient Bean’s kitchen staff pressed the tofu and then marinated it in barbecue sauce. Then the tofu could do what tofu does best: absorb all that delicious flavor. Now, the wrap would have been perfect had they baked the tofu after marinating it so those cute little cubes would have had crisp little outsides to contrast with the smooth of the sauces they wind up dressed in. But, the Bean didn’t do that, resulting in an underwhelming sandwich that tasted like amateur tofu skills.<br /><br />As I sat debating whether it was worth the six dollars to have only my curiosity satiated, I watched people traverse the alley paralleling the patio. The Bean’s outback is somewhat secluded by greenery and trellising, but there’s an implied doorway from the alley into the dining area with lots of places where neighbors can spot diners and shout hellos as they walk past with their dogs. Several times during my meal, people would be casually shuffling along only to look over at a friend nose-deep in a book on the patio. The person would re-route themselves to grab a seat, and soon laughter would mix with the faint aromas wafting from the open backdoor of the Bean’s kitchen.<br /><br />It reminded me that no one goes to the Bean for the food. People go to the Sentient Bean because it faces Forsythe Park. They go because it has fair trade coffee, and the coffee is actually good. They go because the dishwashers will ask you how your cake is - tell you it’s a new recipe tried just that morning, and they’re as eager as you were to try it. People go because the atmosphere at the Bean is as warm as its red walls, especially with events like open-mic comedy nights, weekly film screenings, and performances by underground and indie performers of every stripe. It’s the kind of place where Sunday mornings see children crawling away from their parents and tattooed strangers carrying them back with a smile. If you want a really good vegan sandwich, wait in line at <a href=http://xveganxparty.blogspot.com/2009/03/on-road-part-two.html>Zunzi</a>’s for half an hour to get the mushroom one without cheese; but if you want a pleasant afternoon that might unexpectedly involve five of your favorite friends, grab something at the Sentient Bean. <br /><br /><br /><center><b>Sentient Bean</b><br />13 East Park Avenue<br />Savannah, GA 31401-6436<br />(912) 232-4447<br />http://www.sentientbean.com</center>Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-34425710159943656752010-04-27T19:02:00.000-07:002010-04-27T20:01:55.002-07:00Resurrected? Or the living dead?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCXo5z4T4hmdUxd266kyQm3R2352xPe85nb0lDRzD1lPJJ_XLVWqSquC5ROrb-Y0dB9PO-445Y6T8VEqAhlxbRvXKdnkTRY4uJRG8RwGwsWjSiieR-sogogPTRm0vLXWcjtaMJjWeMW6Y/s1600/tumblr_koiqaaLyUe1qzan0uo1_500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCXo5z4T4hmdUxd266kyQm3R2352xPe85nb0lDRzD1lPJJ_XLVWqSquC5ROrb-Y0dB9PO-445Y6T8VEqAhlxbRvXKdnkTRY4uJRG8RwGwsWjSiieR-sogogPTRm0vLXWcjtaMJjWeMW6Y/s400/tumblr_koiqaaLyUe1qzan0uo1_500.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465013754708838146" /></a>I have a blog? Fuck, I have a blog.<br /><br />When I got an email from <a href=http://inmybox.wordpress.com>Scrumptious</a> reminding me, yes, I have a blog, I decided I could no longer call watching <i>Weeds</i> while studying anatomy textbooks "too busy." My absence isn't just avoidance, though. It also owes to a lot of self reflecting. <br /><br />I started the blog with the life I was leading at the time in mind. I felt like there was a lot about it that said, "Hey, my life's a fuckin' party!" and I wanted to share that along with lots of recipes and ideas. Shortly thereafter, though, I got accepted to art school and was awarded a huge scholarship - conditional on starting right then. I had a week and a half to quit my job, pack my life, and say good bye, and instead of pausing to adjust when I got there, I scrambled to find a job and dove deep into the ten-week terms. Three quarters and a whirlwind of excuses later, I still haven't adjusted, and what can I say? I'm broke, I'm busy, and I'm reclusive. Point being, it's hardly the model of fun vegan straight edge living anymore, and that coupled with some lifestyle dilemmas I've finally resolved (I second-guess my choices every couple years - still vegan! still edge!) leaves me at a loss when I think about this here blog.<br /><br />So, I might change its direction, give it a face lift - <i>something</i> when school gets out in five weeks, but I haven't decided. If you've got some thoughts, I'm all ears.<br /><br />Now, I <i>was</i> going to reward your patience with a restaurant review, but I just realized it's not on my hard drive. Damn. I guess you'll have to accept these posi living suggestions instead, then tune back in tomorrow to read what I think of a coffee shop in Georgia. (I know you're marking the days off your calendar in anticipation of a Savannah ghost tour, by the way. Don't lie. That is so up your alley, it <i>is</i> the alley, so this review is going to be VERY relevant to you. As relevant as this code for living..!)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvjjbMefcpd2-tVNbd6TtETAe2jDCNqIMV55DW2s1jYETP0fnO7gOTCEif_PNftSJlzcUtgcR7LLx56fQ4GqF9MyFwb6WephEzFh4TxXFCAVfBgROE-bbot_U899AVwbpolc-z1H-XGZf/s1600/tumblr_kw78jfbheT1qzn6ljo1_500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvjjbMefcpd2-tVNbd6TtETAe2jDCNqIMV55DW2s1jYETP0fnO7gOTCEif_PNftSJlzcUtgcR7LLx56fQ4GqF9MyFwb6WephEzFh4TxXFCAVfBgROE-bbot_U899AVwbpolc-z1H-XGZf/s400/tumblr_kw78jfbheT1qzn6ljo1_500.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465017864336378834" /></a>Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-75725888921693803982010-02-26T05:37:00.000-08:002010-02-26T05:45:33.110-08:00Tips for Being Awesome at Life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_rpbxIf3zqr4zyHjlwLF4PsdrdzDB5Q9MnJOD5cOlZBDhpuEO_ZIRLSG_9Ob8iqWHUel7UfBrEOZaPHo5MWjQhZYQjFPAahfwcdkbK25ASeSuw5a-hHB2ZewybUXh47wfCMDSACXCgTp/s1600-h/awesome.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 375px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_rpbxIf3zqr4zyHjlwLF4PsdrdzDB5Q9MnJOD5cOlZBDhpuEO_ZIRLSG_9Ob8iqWHUel7UfBrEOZaPHo5MWjQhZYQjFPAahfwcdkbK25ASeSuw5a-hHB2ZewybUXh47wfCMDSACXCgTp/s400/awesome.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442546654750347554" /></a><br />Being in art school (as well as being committed to the idea of freelance after art school), staying motivated and "inspired" is a constant struggle for me. It's been an especially big struggle this quarter because even before I'd come back from break, life had gotten kind of messy; and then after break, well, the mess just sort of shot downhill. In addition to stresses like breaking my glasses and having my car hit, I'm not enjoying my classes as much and I'm bumping heads with more people than I'm used to. As my day gears up, I sit down to do work only to find myself saying "UGHGHGHHHH" a lot. That's when I start tapping into my bookmarks.<br /><br />I've got a bookmark for just about every creative problem: coming up with an idea, implementing the idea, staying on task with the idea... When I'm dragging my feet going, "Ugh, I'm so uncreative! Ugh, I'll never get this done! Ugh, everything I do is shit!", there's always a link to put a skip in my step. So today, I'm sharing some of my link gold mine with you. The links aren't exclusive to cranky "creative" types and their "creative" projects (read: me/art students). Everyone's life requires creativity, and these are the links that help you tap into that, that help you realize your ideas - the links that keep you on track! If you want to do something about this cause but you can't decide what, these links will help. If you're trying to come up with a way to get more folks involved in a project, these links will help. If you're trying to get a project off the ground but you keep getting distracted, these links will help. Even if your only creative outlets are the kitchen, the blogosphere, the zine world - trust me, these links will help. So take a minute, browse through, and if you've got any to add, let me know.<br /><br />+ <a href=http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/Connect_with_Mark_Kelley/ID=1410271942>Brainstorming 101: How to Get Creative</a> - this is a four-minute video from the writer/motivational speaker Danielle Laport on how to get the most from your creative side. Danielle runs the blog <a href=http://www.whitehottruth.com>White Hot Truth</a>, which also has this great article on <a href=http://whitehottruth.com/creativity-art-design-articles/the-perils-of-justifying-yourself/>the perils of justifying yourself</a>. (Because you may not be aware of this, but your constant excuse-making is holding you back..!)<br /><br />+ <a href=http://pikaland.com/2009/04/16/inspiring-creativity-9-tips-to-be-more-creative>Nine Tips to Be More Creative</a><br /><br />+ <a href=http://nubbytwiglet.com/blog/2007/09/03/how-to-fight-artists-block-7-methods>Nubby Twiglet's Guide to Overcoming Artist's Block: Seven Methods</a><br /><br />+ <a href=http://blog.iso50.com/2010/02/10/overcoming-creative-block/>Scott Hansen's Guide to Overcoming Creative Blocks</a><br /><br />+ <a href=http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/linda-tischler/design-times/best-behance-13-tried-and-true-practices-making-ideas-happen>13 Tried & True Ways of Making Ideas Happen</a> - because once you've overcome that creative block and you've got that idea, you need to know how to realize it. DUHZ.<br /><br />+ <a href=http://www.dragosroua.com/33-ways-to-get-and-keep-yourself-motivated/>33 Ways to Get & Keep Yourself Motivated</a><br /><br />+ <a href=http://blogs.hbr.org/demaio/2009/03/the-art-of-the-selfimposed-dea.html>The Art of the Self Imposed Deadline</a> - short and sweet and cuts right to the point.<br /><br />+ <a href=http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline/>Self Discipline</a> - this is from <a href=http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/>Steve Pavilina's blog</a>, who is another writer/self-help type whose website YOU NEED TO EXPLORE if you like these kinds of links. I would also recommend the article <a href=http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2009/10/remove-a-limiting-belief-in-about-20-minutes/>Eliminate a Limiting Belief</a>, but there are lots of not-so-hidden gems like <a href=http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-reasons-you-should-never-get-a-job/>Ten Reasons Never to Get a Job</a> and <a href=http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/06/how-intentions-manifest/>How Intentions Manifest</a>. Seriously, look through this shit.<br /><br />+ <a href=http://sivers.org/goals>Goals Shape the Present, Not the Future</a> - sound familiar? I'm telling you, goal-setting will change your life. CHANGE.YOUR.LIFE.<br /><br />+ <a href=http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/overcome-fear-of-failure/>Overcoming the Fear of Failure</a><br /><br /><br /><br />What are your best links or tips for coming up with ideas and getting work done?Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-51945417726315210932010-02-23T17:33:00.000-08:002010-02-24T08:47:46.582-08:00Vegan Zombies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwDsLdw1isrEBat7l_KY0m2h0hsoC_XivnmRtBQqdpNO-qtUsmp-VebjX6D2MMvdDF4ka12_v2NBuvPJFsSRbEaG7h8aLuJZIsJe84QOXGL7nXkxm6_bpU_Z5Odo4tIZOcu5czRUDSfFm/s1600-h/zombie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwDsLdw1isrEBat7l_KY0m2h0hsoC_XivnmRtBQqdpNO-qtUsmp-VebjX6D2MMvdDF4ka12_v2NBuvPJFsSRbEaG7h8aLuJZIsJe84QOXGL7nXkxm6_bpU_Z5Odo4tIZOcu5czRUDSfFm/s320/zombie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441618796733567234" /></a><center><i>click for larger view</center></i><br />He was out dumpstering during the zombie apocalypse. The stakes were high, but food was scarce. Usually, his best friend kept watch while he rifled through Trader Joe's residual inventory, but she had expired about the same time as the dumpster's contents so he was on his own tonight. He had to hurry. Being outside and alone always meant a hurry. The sound of a trash can tipping over. He looked up only to be descended upon by a round woman in stretch pants and a Garfield tshirt with teeth like tombstones and smoke where the sparkle in her eyes should have been. It was all over. Garfield-tee dragged her heft across the pavement, leaving him prone and still. Except, he wasn't still. His body was beginning to pulse with the fervor of a second life. His eyes opened, and he pulled himself off the ground, stumbling as the stiffness set into his joints. He hungered, he ached. All he could think was, "GRRRRAIIIIIINNNNS!!!"<br /><br /><br /><center>+++</center><br /><br /><br />Yesterday, the blog turned one. I haven't had time to write anything in celebration, so this was my gift to you. I enjoy making art about being vegan. I enjoy making art about a lot of stuff. You can always see what I'm up to via <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/miccodraws>my flickr</a>.<br /><br /><br /><center>+++</center><br /><br /><br />Also, you could win an ice cream maker <a href=http://hihorosie.blogspot.com/2010/02/happy-monday-lets-start-this-week-off.html>over here</a>.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-12441447201006752822010-02-20T06:21:00.000-08:002010-02-20T07:37:18.260-08:00Healthy Size<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_4199.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_4199.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Anyone that's known me for a long time knows that my weight fluctuates... a lot. If you've been following this blog since its inception, you've even caught me talking about it a few times. When I started school last March, I put on a <i>lot</i> of weight my first quarter and really struggled with the sudden change. I wound up sharing a little bit of that struggle here, then realized weight loss can never be a posi topic and therefore didn't belong on the blog. (And I've since gone back and altered those entries.) The only thing I'm interested in promoting here is size acceptance and body positivity, so that's what I've focused on.<br /><br />And yet, every blogger knows they're never 100% the person they try to be on their blog. So, even though I stopped writing about my weight, it never stopped being an issue for me. After a year of maintaining that weight gain, I finally managed to lose some of those ghosts of stresses passed this quarter, but now I'm at this in-between size where a lot of my clothes are either too big or too small. The other day, I caught myself complaining, "I'm too small for my fat pants and too big for my thin pants!" - which horrified me once I heard it because my clothes don't need those kinds of value judgments, especially when they're only a size or two apart.<br /><br />That's why I was really glad when, only a few days later, I discovered one of my favorite blogs having a <a href=http://ohsheglows.com/2010/02/17/size-healthy-contest/>Size Healthy</a> contest. The name makes it sound like some absurd mission to manipulate one's body into aesthetic standards of what it means to be "healthy," but it's not. It's just an incentive to promote body acceptance and health at any size. How does it promote that? By telling folks to take their clothes, cross out the sizes, and replace them with the words "healthy size." After all, it's not about the number on the tag (or on the scale or on the measuring tape...); it's about living a healthy lifestyle and accepting the version of you that you are at this moment - because <b>there is no better version</b>! It was exactly the kind of push I needed to deal with my absurd pants dichotomy.<br /><br />My "fat pants" no longer have a number to stare at me every time I put them on. Now the wonderfully obvious cleaning-instructions tag screams "HEALTHY SIZE!!!" before I can even <i>consider</i> that number hidden beneath the sharpie. Every time I put on those pants - or any clothes I write this on - I've got that affirmation that I am enough and that my size is perfect, no matter what that size actually is. This isn't going to alleviate my weight concerns, but I know the constant reminder will be an important step in training myself to stop judging my shape. (And to stop valuing certain clothes more than others!) It's a step I encourage you to take as well because, if that's not a posi message or a posi pro-active move towards body acceptance, I don't know what is.<br /><br />With that in mind, these are my four favorite body-positive blogs:<br /><br /><a href=http://www.ohsheglows.com>Oh She Glows</a><br /><a href=http://www.http://operationbeautiful.com>Operation Beautiful</a><br /><a href=http://ed-bites.blogspot.com>ED Bites</a><br /><a href=http://www.the-f-word.org>The F-Word</a> (Don't miss the links in her sidebar!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_4187copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 400px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_4187copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-73009051087210794522010-01-30T09:36:00.000-08:002010-01-30T09:52:39.057-08:00Single-Serving Vegan Rice Pudding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/49/126938583_d169715738.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/49/126938583_d169715738.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />When I woke up this morning, all I could hear was the tapping of rain against my window. I pulled down my blinds to see soggy grey clouds and umbrellas shuffling down the street; it made me immediately fall back into bed and pull the sheets over my head. Cold was already kissing at my cheeks. Schoolwork was already causing a tension headache. It felt like nothing could drag me out of bed. And then it donned on me, the comfiest of southern comforts that could revive even the most weather-worn northerners trapped in the south: RICE PUDDING.<br /><br />The first time I can recall having rice pudding was about nine years ago. I was in North Carolina for a film festival, and one morning, there was a panel with a buffet trimmed in all the southern standards. I had just gone vegetarian a few months before, so the pickings were slim: drippy bacon over here, messy biscuits'n'gravy over there, home fries flecked with putrid pink ham. What was a vegetarian to do? But there, hidden in the corner, were these fluffy, fragrant dishes of gelatinous rice cozied with juicy little raisins that just called to me. Within one bite, I was hooked. My mouth reveled in the harmonies of flavors and textures, hints of cinnamon and cardamom mixed in a sweet cream delicately punctuated with rice grains. Oh, this was southern comfort, <i>at its finest.</i><br /><br />Suffice it to say, southern comfort is what makes me feel better about life down south, so rice pudding was definitely in order today. The best part about rice pudding is, it's <i>extraordinarily</i> easy to make. Even better, it's soooo adaptable. I make mine with brown rice and unsweetened soymilk so it's just as much about nutrition as it is about taste - and suitable for breakfast <i>or</i> dessert. I also make it without sugar. This recipe is single-serving because I've been super into single-serving dishes lately; they mean I don't have to worry about mindlessly snacking on leftovers, but more importantly, I can vary the recipe if I want to make it again. Thus, I offer a short list of variations afterward that I encourage you to experiment with. Get bold and come up with your own flavor combinations. (Then come back and tell me about them...)<br /><br />Happy cooking!<br /><br /><br /><b>SINGLE-SERVING VEGAN RICE PUDDING (REGULAR & SUGAR-FREE OPTION)</b><br /><br />+ 1/2 c water<br />+ 1/4 c rice*<br />+ 1/4 c non-dairy milk<br />+ 1/2 t cornstarch<br />+ 1 packet Purevia**<br />+ 1/2 t vanilla<br /><br />* I recommend short-grain brown rice. While more toothsome than its white counterpart, it has more starch than long-grain, making it more fluffy and sticky while still maintaining the <a href=http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=128>health benefits of brown rice</a>.<br />** I happened to have some packets lying around from a restaurant and didn't want to futz with figuring how much Stevia. If you want to use good ol' fashioned sugar - or sucanat or agave or maple syrup or whatever - 2 T should be about right.<br /><br /><br />01. In a pot on high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the rice, cover, reduce the heat, and let simmer for about fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, there should still be a little bit of water but not much - at least, this is the case with brown rice.<br /><br />02. Whisk together the soymilk and cornstarch before adding them to the pot of rice. Then add your sweetener and vanilla, raise the heat to about medium, and stir constantly as it comes to its second boil. Reduce the heat and return the lid, keeping a watchful eye and stirring occasionally to prevent any burning or clumping.<br /><br />03. When your pudding looks <i>ever so slightly thinner</i> than your "ideal" pudding texture, pull it from the stove and switch it to the fridge. (It will thicken as it cools.) Be sure to use a wire shelf/remember to put a pot holder beneath your pot! If you want to enjoy your pudding warm, it only needs to sit in the fridge for maybe three minutes. Otherwise, give it at least an hour before savoring most serenely.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b>VARIATIONS</b><br /><i>coconut rice pudding:</i> substitute coconut milk for your usual "milk." Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve with sliced bananas.<br /><br /><i>chocolate rice pudding:</i> when adding the milk and cornstarch, throw in a tablespoon of cocoa powder, too. For a richer chocolate experience, add 1/4 - 1/2 t almond extract, and for REALLY decadent rice pudding, toss in 1 - 2 T chocolate chips. To make it seasonal, try peppermint extract instead of almond.<br /><br /><i>berry rice pudding:</i> in the last five for ten minutes, toss in a handful of your favorite frozen berries and maybe 1/2 t lemon juice. Give 'em a gentle stir, and let their flavors BURST onto every rice grain. This would be an excellent way to start the day.<br /><br /><i>chai rice pudding: </i> add 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/4 t cardamom, and a splash of ginger, clove, pepper, and nutmeg when adding the milk. You might also try mixing chai concentrate with the milk before adding it or cooking the rice in brewed chai tea instead of water.<br /><br /><i>pumpkin rice pudding:</i> mix together 1/8 c pumpkin puree with 1/8 c soymilk and omit the cornstarch. Use brown sugar as a sweetener and add 1/2 - 1 t pumpkin pie spice. Perhaps substitute (or add!) almond extract for vanilla.<br /><br /><i>Indian rice pudding:</i> substitute the coconut milk for your usual "milk," and add a handful of raisins in the last five or ten minutes of cooking. Serve with a dash of cardamom and ground pistachios.<br /><br /><i>lemon rice pudding:</i> add the finely ground zest of one lemon along with the water when cooking the rice. When adding the milk, add 1 - 2 tsp rum/rum extract. To make it a little fruitier, add dried cranberries in the last five or ten minutes of cooking, or serve with fresh raspberries or strawberries.<br /><br /><i>Italian rice pudding:</i> add a splash of amaretto with the milk (or almond extract and a half t sugar). Then throw in chopped or finely ground hazelnuts (about a handful) five minutes before serving. Enjoy lightly dusted with cocoa and cinnamon with a soy latte on the side.<br /><br /><br /><br />How do you make your rice pudding?Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-41967446368516495622010-01-26T05:30:00.001-08:002010-01-26T17:07:13.055-08:00Wheat-Free, Sugar-Free Vegan Carob Muffins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/mug.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/mug.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>Note: these are tagged gluten-free but are not actually gluten-free, as they contain spelt. To make them gluten-free, substituting an equivalent amount of gluten-free all-purpose flour would likely suffice.</i><br /><br />Don't you just loved fresh baked goods in the morning? Lately, every day's begun with the same protein smoothie, but today, my body hit a wall and demanded something more. It <i>could</i> be the tremendous amount of work I'm doing; last night I stayed up until one thirty working on an illustration for a magazine (!!) that I have to put the finishing touches on today. This morning, I woke up at eight to finish a paper and brainstorm ideas for my next 3D project (we're fusing organic forms with things traditionally worn on the head or neck, and we have to make it out of paper!). Plus, I have a giant, elaborate drawing to do and a short story to write -- all of which need to be finished by early next week! (Except the paper and the magazine drawing; those are due today.) I think muffins entered the scene because I either need the extra fuel, or I need the extra feeling of reward. Either way, I thought they were so worth it that forty minutes of my morning have already disappeared. Yikes!<br /><br />So, I won't proceed with over-adulating descriptions of what they taste like or how to serve them because I really need to work! Plus, they're just carob muffins. They're high-fiber, and they're sweetened with stevia. There's not much more I can say. HOWEVER, I did design the recipe to be sort of single-serving - as in, it only makes four. If you want more, double or triple the recipe, but for me, four is plenty because I don't want to eat carob muffins clear through next week. (Of course I - or you - could always freeze any extras...) If you're a wizard in the kitchen, I think hiding nut butter in the middle of these - especially peanut or cashew-macademia butter - would be sublime. Anyway, give these a whirl one morning when you need that extra "oompf" in your gut to get you through the day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_4082.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 286px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_4082.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><b>WHEAT FREE, SUGAR FREE VEGAN CAROB MUFFINS</b><br />+ 1/2 c spelt<br />+ 1/4 c oat bran<br />+ 1/8 c carob powder<br />+ 1 1/2 t baking powder<br />+ 1/2 t powdered stevia*<br />+ dash of salt<br />+ 1 t vanilla<br />+ 3 T oil (coconut would be amazing!)<br />+ 1/2 c water<br /><br />* If you want to use sugar, 1/4 - 1/3 c would probably suffice.<br /><br />01. Preheat the oven to 350º. Throw the dry ingredients in a bowl, and give them a quick stir with a fork so they're evenly distributed and well combined.<br /><br />02. Add the wet. Stir! Stir! (With your fork - to prevent lumps. Stop stirring when there are no lumps. Remember, spelt is a cousin of flour, so gluten can still form from over-stirring. These aren't light muffins by any stretch, so don't add to that with vigorous shoulder work.)<br /><br />03. Grease up or line four of the cups in a muffin tin, then fill them three-quarters of the way full. Shove the muffin tin in the oven and wait 25 - 30 minutes before pulling the muffins, cooling them, and EATING THEM!!!<br /><br />04. Yes, it's just that simple.<br /><br /><br /><br />Again - this recipe makes four servings.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-41784624631703079422010-01-17T17:16:00.000-08:002010-01-17T17:24:35.873-08:00Recreate, Don't Procrastinate! (Or: How to Get Shit Done so You Can Enjoy Your Effin Life)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.projectsidewalk.com/images/flowchart2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.projectsidewalk.com/images/flowchart2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><i><center>Click to enlarge this pretty amazing flow-chart on internet procrastination. So fresh, so apt, so true.</i></center><br />Procrastinating: it's what I'm doing right now. I've got a really intense project looming over my head (gosh, when don't I..), but there's something about a four-day weekend that screams, "Take a day for yourself!" So here I am, sipping strawberry chocolate smoothies, having a Robert Downey Jr marathon (one of my New Year's resolutions is to watch his complete filmography), and telling you how I'm going to rectify this once I'm smoothie-d out. Because, ordinarily, I'm pretty good at getting things done once I've resolved to do them. If you want to stop procrastinating, all you need is a game plan.<br /><br /><b>GET ORGANIZED</b><br />If you're going to do something, you need to know <i>exactly</i> what you're doing. So for example, if you wanted to bake a cake, you'd need a certain amount of time, certain ingredients, certain cooking utensils - a working oven, even. So before you could even think about the actual cake, maybe you'd need to clear an afternoon, go grocery shopping, run the dishwasher, and pay your gas bill so they'll turn the electricity back on. Baking a cake can be so much more than simply <i>baking a cake</i> because even simple tasks can (and often do) have sub-tasks. Figure out your sub-tasks, how you're going to complete them, and the time necessary for each one - because doing this is like making an activity-specific recipe for success. And if you've got a recipe, you can save a lot of time and frustration in you're life's "kitchen."<br /><br /><b>GIVE YOURSELF A DEADLINE</b><br />Nothing gives you a quick kick in the ass quite like a deadline, and there's a very obvious reason for this: deadlines make time finite. Even if we're apt to put things off until the very last minute, deadlines ensure that there <i>is</i> a last minute; so rather than being some ambiguous goal bobbing in the currents of our subconscious, deadlines push tasks right into the forefront of our thoughts and timetables. They make our goals real and thus more manageable, which makes them easier to accomplish. Deadlines also create some sort of consequence (even if it's just a matter of letting ourselves down) if we don't do things when we say we're going to.<br /><br /><b>GET THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS DONE FIRST</b><br />Maybe you have a to-do list a mile long. Speaking from my own experience, the longer my to-do lists become, the more daunting they seem, so that's why I get the most important things done first. Obstacles can creep up from the most unlikely places and we can lose our steam halfway through our list. With the most important things done and out of the way, you guarantee that <i>something</i> gets done (which is satisfying), and you alleviate the stress of Really Important Tasks looming over you. Plus, if something's really time sensitive and you tackle it as soon as possible, you leave room for those unexpected delays that could have really messed things up.<br /><br /><b>ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS</b><br />If the reason you're not getting something done is that you have too many distractions, get rid of them. It's just that simple. Set up a separate account on your computer where you can't get online. Block your time-wasting websites. Get out of the house to a quiet spot. Turn on music so it's not <i>too</i> quite. Whatever you need to avoid, figure out a way to avoid it because willpower isn't always enough. Basically, you're shooting yourself in the foot just letting those distractions dangle like carrots, so throw them away and get on with your life.<br /><br /><b>REMIND YOURSELF OF THE CONSEQUENCES</b><br />What happens if you don't get certain things done? Some things come with their own obvious consequences: if you don't pay rent on time, you get a fine. If you don't turn in an assignment on time, you get points taken off. If you don't meet your friends on time, you lose their confidence. But some consequences aren't as obvious. Maybe there's something you really want to do, but it's much easier to talk about than to pursue. But hey, who's it really hurting besides you? Well, "you" should be enough. <br /><br />Chronic procrastinators get stuck in chronically letting themselves down. Instead of living in the now (working towards goals, celebrating accomplishments), chronic procrastinators wind up spending a lot of time in the past and the future, lamenting all the things they haven't done, idly planning more things they won't do. Another frequent and unintended consequence of abandoning personal goals is having only boring shit to talk about - because all you did instead of what you said you were going to do, <i>was boring shit. </i>Personally, I'd rather talk about a totally rad zine I wrote or some cool band I put together (chya, like I have any musical talent...) than the video games I played or movies I watched instead. So reminding ourselves why we do things - and what happens if we don't - can be a very helpful tool in motivating us to get them done.<br /><br /><b>REMEMBER SATISFACTION</b><br />There's nothing quite as satisfying as having something I really, <i>really</i>, REALLY didn't want to do, done and over with. The sooner an unpleasant task is behind me, the sooner I can look forward to, you know, pleasant things. Procrastinating always seems kind of fun when I'm doing it because anything is better than that unpleasant activity I'm avoiding, but here's the catch: whatever I'm doing instead of what I <i>need</i> to do is never as satisfying as it <i>could</i> be because I'm being nagged by that other thing. Even fun things get easier when I think of that feeling of accomplishment I get finishing them because accomplishment in and of itself is a useful motivation. <br /><br /><br />... so with the whole "getting unpleasant things behind me" thing in mind, I'm now going to check on the pasta I have drying for the pasta sculpture I'm shooting for a C on! (Me? A C-student? That's exactly what this project means to me...)<br /><br />What do you do when procrastination starts getting the best of you?Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-43001694137499996762010-01-13T19:35:00.000-08:002010-01-13T19:46:18.743-08:00Tropical Gluten-Free Muffins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2739/4226442303_4a93786534.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 319px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2739/4226442303_4a93786534.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Believe it or not, I've actually been generating a lot of content for this here blog; I just haven't been posting it. Part of it is that, you know, I get ideas but I don't type them. Mostly, though, I've been developing TOP SECRET RECIPES that I think I'll put online and then decide I'd rather preserve for my zine. I know that I win World's Most Unreliable Blogger (what with promising you cookie recipes and then not updating for a month), but believe me, my little darlings, I have not forgotten you.<br /><br />In fact, I've so far from forgotten you that I thought the best way to kick off the new year would be with a super healthy recipe. Year after year, the number one New Year's Resolution is "lose weight," but I prefer the more health conscious goal of "eat better, get fitter." After all, if you're eating properly and getting regular exercise, your body will naturally settle at a healthy, sustainable weight - no calorie counting required. So with that in mind, I decided to make some improvements in my own lifestyle: no more high-fructose corn syrup; no more hydrogenated oils; and no more artificial sweeteners. Right now, I'm also experimenting with completely wheat- and sugar-free cooking, and though it's only been maybe a week (I'm trying to make it at least month), I'm feeling pretty good. Some improvements I've noticed are my skin being a little clearer, my energy being a little more even, and my focus being a little better. This is all conducive to my <b>ultimate 2010 goal</b>: looking like Linda Hamilton a la Sara Conner in T2. Gotta have priorities, right?<br /><br />So with these new(ish?) lifestyle efforts in mind, I conjured this recipe for gluten-free tropical bran muffins. I made some similar to these before I came back to school two weeks ago, and while those were just pineapple, they were amazing - <i>amazing!</i> Unfortunately, I didn't write down the recipe, and they were full of a little bit of sugar and a lot of wheat. Obviously, these babies have none of those things - just lots of good-for-you fats, fiber, and protein. They've got a little added sweetness from a scant half cup of maple syrup, but most of it comes from the tropical fruits, sweet flours, and coconut oil. These muffins get a nice, crisp exterior with a dense but fluffy interior. Plus, their tropical flavors warm your mouth on cool winter days, teasing you with daydreams of summer. Enjoy with some cold juice or an aromatic tea.<br /><br /><br /><b>GLUTEN-FREE TROPICAL BRAN MUFFINS</b><br />+ 1 c oat bran<br />+ 1/2 c coconut flour<br />+ 1/4 c sorghum flour<br />+ 1/4 c brown rice flour<br />+ 1 tsp xantham or guar gum<br />+ 2 tsp baking powder<br />+ 1 tsp baking soda<br />+ salt<br />+ cinnamon<br />+ cardamom<br /><br />+ 1/2 c coconut oil<br />+ 1 1/2 c "milk" or water<br />+ 1/2 c maple syrup or agave<br />+ 1 tsp vanilla<br /><br />+ 1 - 1 1/2 c fresh or frozen tropical fruit<br /><br />01. Preheat the oven to 350º, and sift together the dry ingredients (bran through cardamom). Sifting can produce a lighter, fluffier baked good, but it can also make the ingredients more evenly distributed, which yields more uniform and delicious baked goods. If you don't want folks fighting for the bigger muffin or biting into a nugget of baking soda, sift your ingredients.<br /><br />02. Cut in the coconut oil with a fork until you have a bowl of crumbles, then add the rest of the wet ingredients. Stir until well combined. Your batter should look like a medium between cupcake and biscuit batter - maybe somewhere in the scone neighborhood but, you know, not like your typical muffin batter. Now, the cool thing about gluten-free baking is that you can stir and stir without much concern with how all that stirring will affect the texture. The fact is, it won't, really, because no gluten is forming! So add that fruit, then stir some more.<br /><br />03. Grease or line a muffin tin, and then plop that batter in there. Feel free to fill the containers almost completely full because these babies don't get a lot of rise. Then throw them in the oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes, rotating them 180º halfway through the baking process. A fork or toothpick won't necessarily come out clean when these are ready, but the tops will look firm and maybe even a little brown on the edges. (Pull them before they get too brown!) Your oven will also RADIATE with the smell of these wonderful (and wonderfully healthy!) treats.<br /><br />04. Let the muffins cool completely before enjoying. This is important because, while I'm with you on enjoying certain things all hot from the oven, these can still seem a little wet when they're fresh from the oven - kind of in the same way cookies are still all soft when you pull them. That cooling part's important. You can let them cool in their tray for five or ten minutes, then pop them out and transfer them to a cooling rack or even a plate. (Obviously, cooling rack gets preference.) Give them maybe a half hour, then grab some tea and a good book and dig in.<br /><br /><br /><br />Makes twelve to fifteen muffins.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-14495238686168416882009-12-09T10:50:00.000-08:002009-12-09T15:28:41.949-08:00Secular Holiday Party? How About a Cookie Swap!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/cookies2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/cookies2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Even being a godless vegan straight edge heathen, I love Christmas. I'll be the first to admit there's a lot not to love about it. For instance, I don't exactly love how wasteful it is: dead trees resurrected as Christmas cards; wrapping paper mountains that disappear overnight; families on the news pleaing for help with their electric bill because their light display captures the "Christmas spirit" better than anyone else's. I also don't love how commercial it is: buy this or your daughter will hate you! buy that or your house won't be Christmas-y enough! buy <i>something</i> or you're a total Scrooge! It's all very insulting.<br /><br />And yet, I am smitten. For me, Christmas means snow-kissed landscapes and jazz in unexpected places. It means strange holiday crafts and complementary color schemes (hello, art nerd here!). It means pausing to appreciate your loved ones and pressure to be a little kinder. It also means a wealth of cookie recipes. For those of us compelled towards Christmas by something other than Christian faith, there's only one way to celebrate this odd cultural melange of Christian mythology and <a href=http://www.zenzibar.com/articles/christmas.asp>Pagan tradition</a>. And that way to celebrate is... a cookie swap.<br /><br />In my mind, cookie swaps are everything Christmas should be - and best of all, they don't even have to be about Christmas. (True story! You could host a cookie swap in July!) They're intimate because the best ones stay relatively small, and they're selfless because everyone has to do something for everyone else. Plus, the cookies are a built-in conversation-starter: "Man, how did you get those cookies to look like stained glass? That's so neat!", "Hey, these are amazing. What's your recipe?", "Don't take any of those home; they taste like feet." Cookie swaps are such a relaxed, no-fuss social occasion.<br /><br />The formula for a cookie swap is simple:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/cookies.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 497px; height: 357px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/cookies.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><b>01. Assemble a small guest list - maybe five to twelve people - and send out <a href=http://xveganxparty.blogspot.com/2009/11/throwing-parties-making-invitations-and.html>invitations</a>. </b> Be sure to specify how many cookies everyone should bake and any dietary restrictions/allergies they need to be sensitive of. Also remind folks to bring a container if you won't be providing them. If you're really amazing, tell them to wear one of those amazing holiday sweaters, too.<br /><br /><i>Pro tip:</i> the dollar store sells cookie tins and large stacks of those Chinese take-out looking boxes, so if you want to provide containers for guests, there <i>are</i> options.<br /><br /><br /><b>02. Make sure to have a table ready for all the cookies.</b> You can dress it up with a cloth, candles, whatever (there are always fancy table settings on <a href=http://www.hostessblog.com>Hostess with the Mostess</a> if you're into that), but having that surface is what's important. If you're feeling up to it, decorate your home, too. The dollar store and thriftstore are great sources for materials, but it's easy to <a href=http://www.google.com/search?q=homemade+holiday+decorations&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a>make your own decorations</a>, too. For bonus points, put on some of that sweet holiday jazz. (The library is an excellent source for said music.)<br /><br /><br /><b>03. Provide beverages.</b> Most of the cookies will probably go home with folks, but some will definitely be eaten at the party. That's why you need to provide soymilk, at the very least, and maybe some coffees and teas. Vegg nog, hot chocolate, chocolate chai rice milk, chai, chocolate peppermint soymilk - all good options, too! If you want to get crazy, throw in some juices and whatnot.<br /><br /><br /><b>04. Plan games.</b> Yeah, catching up and eating cookies are activities unto themselves - and in your case, that just might be enough - but if you really want to mark your party as <i>an occasion</i>, throw in some party games. Pin the nose on Rudolph! <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_elephant_gift_exchange>White elephant</a>! Name that (Christmas) tune! Holiday charades! <a href=http://www.worldofchristmas.net/christmas-party-games/stocking-the-stockings.html>Stock the stockings</a>! And on and on and on...<br /><br /><br /><b>05. Have fun.</b> Because that's what it's about, after all. And don't forget to remind your guests to take home some cookies!<br /><br /><br />Next week, I'm going to give some holiday cookie recipes perfect for gift-giving and cookie-swapping, so STAY TUNED.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-23376342921073149832009-11-29T10:13:00.000-08:002009-11-29T11:02:21.236-08:00Throwing Parties, Making Invitations, and Being All Around Rad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/christmassweater.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 494px; height: 334px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/christmassweater.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I'm pretty sure there are more parties thrown during the month of December than any other month of the year. December offers a little something for everyone, even if it's just an excuse to make fun of drunk co-workers or avoid work for a few days. So, chances are good that, this month (well, in a few days...), you're either throwing a party or you know someone that is. That's why I wanted to give you a few 101 tips to make your party great. Specifically, I want to implore you to use these fandangled devices known as <i>party invitations</i>.<br /><br />Now, the first thing any party needs is an occasion and a venue - because after you establish that, you can just add people. The occasion and the venue can dictate a lot - most obviously, they can dictate size - so if the occasion is a tea party, you probably don't want to invite a hundred people. At the same time, if the only place you can throw your shindig is the warehouse your uncle's renovating, you might not want to invite so few people that the size of the party echoes. Obviously, once you know roughly how many people you want, you can decide who those people are going to be; but of course, this is so much easier in theory than in practice. <br /><br />Be mindful in planning your guest list. Smaller parties are going to require more careful planning, but even large parties need some thought, too. Sometimes it's just a matter of choosing people to introduce to each other - like Karen, who's a vegan straight edge drummer, and David, who has a spot in his vegan straight edge band. Other times, it's consciously keeping people apart - like Ellie, who is working towards recovery from anorexia, and Diane, who only speaks in pounds, inches, and diets. If it's the kind of party where extra guests are just assumed, don't make a point of inviting people you know will invite someone completely unwelcome, either - so for instance, don't call up the partner of a rapist that refuses to go through an accountability process and say, "Hey, want to come to my party!" because you're probably going to get the rapist, too. (And if you're welcoming unrepentant sexual assaulters into your party, you've got much bigger problems than whether or not to serve some Tofutti three days past expiration.)<br /><br />Once you've established who you're inviting, you need to figure out how to invite them. Again, a lot of this will be dictated by the size of your soiree, but no matter what the size - <b>do not resort to texting or social networking sites</b>. Impersonal mass invites undo any and all personal touches. Sure, they save a little time, maybe money, but they're careless. Send real invitations. Real invitations are special because they affirm the person holding them as special. They say, "I consciously choose you to come to my party, and I'm so committed to that choice that I bothered choosing this invitation and making sure you got it." Plus, they distinguish your party. Let's say you're organizing a get-together on a night where there are going to be loads of them - a night like New Year's Eve, for example. You could send some invites on facebook to inevitably get lost in the thousands of other invites your facebook friends are surely receiving, or you could send an honest-to-goodness invitation people can admire aesthetically, tape to their fridges, and carry the accompanying directions from, in their car. Think of your invitation as an advertisement: you want people to come, so show people it's worth coming to. Otherwise, why bother with all this planning in the first place?<br /><br />As for the invitation itself, there are a thousand different ways you can approach it. For bigger parties, use your computer to make flyers for doling out or mailing. For incredibly small ones, hand make each announcement. You can buy invitations, too, and while there are interesting finds at places like etsy, I prefer to keep my eye out for cheap and unusual cards at thrifstores, flea markets, and clearance sales. One time, I found the perfect invitations to announce a board game I'd made, at an art store's sidewalk sale. The invitations featured an early nineties glamor shot of this five-year-old dressed like a biker flashing a "mom" tattoo, so I used a really fine-tip permanent pen to alter it and read "Marx" because the game had Marxist undertones. Unfortunately, the game never got finished, but just subtly altering each one made them the best invitations I've ever bought. (And I've bought neon Batman invitations!) The trick is to be creative, so here are some ideas to get the ball rolling:<br /><br />+ detail your event on pages ripped from a picture book (especially if the pictures relate to your party in some way)<br />+ draw the invitation<br />+ collage the invitation<br />+ send a message in a bottle<br />+ make a tape or CD with a recorded message, plus good music<br />+ make a mini-comic or zine about your party<br />+ use calligraphy<br />+ silkscreen it<br />+ embroider it<br />+ sew it<br />+ make objects into invitations (tshirts with the party details ironed on, boxes of candy with the info written on them, customized matchbooks, bubbles or jam with homemade labels, etc. etc.)<br />+ modify coloring book pages<br />+ use origami<br />+ graffiti your party details (erasably!) on friends' bathroom mirrors, fridges, etc.<br />+ turn a library checkout card into an invitation and hide it in books (NOT library books - like, books you'll give to your friends)<br /><br />Be creative in your delivery, too. Mail and hand delivery are both fine options (especially in this digital age...), but there's something to be said about delivering an invitation that looks like a newspaper... as a newspaper. Or hiding your invitation to a clothing swap in your best friend's dresser. Or wheat pasting instructions to call you on the telephone pole outside someone's apartment. (You get the idea.) Even a tired old e-vite becomes cool when it's an email to a youtube video or a website made explicitly for this party. When you put thought into your party, people notice, and that thoughtfulness goes a long way.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-86382702538243879112009-11-25T16:05:00.000-08:002009-11-26T07:44:11.963-08:00Giving Thanks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/Picture1-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 237px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/Picture1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I thought about trying to cram in one more recipe for the week, but then I decided that was silly; anyone that hasn't planned their holiday menu by today is just a loon, pure and simple. Besides, I want to hang tight to my holiday recipes because they're getting included in <b>xveganx party... the zine!</b> I've just started work on it, but it's turning into a very thorough (and thoroughly enjoyable) guide to good times completely cruelty- and substance-free. Some of the parties and menus will be more traditional (like Thanksgiving) while others will be more interesting (like a body paint party). In my wildest dreams, I'll have this ready for stuffing stockings, but realistically... it probably won't get finished til the new year. Doesn't mean you can't start getting stoked now, though!<br /><br />And speaking of stoked, I've really enjoyed the different readers and bloggers I've talked to these last few months. I love hearing what ya'll are doing and eating, and I'm grateful to have this blog that connects us. With that in mind, I wanted to share a few things I'm giving thanks for this year, and I want to invite you to do the same. Tell me about your holiday traditions! What are you eating! Who are you eating it with! Seriously, I'd love to know, so share share share.<br /><br />As for me, this year, I'm eating: rolls, salad, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and stuffing, and I'm doing this with my best friend, her roommate, and their families. We're going to play dorky board games! (hearthearheart) And then I might hang out with some other close friends for some vegans-only treating.<br /><br />And I'm grateful for...<br /><br />+ being healthy, fit, and able-bodied<br />+ going to my dream school<br />+ ... and having most of it paid for in scholarship money<br />+ my dad and all the sacrifices he's made to help me along the way<br />+ having really close, supportive friends (not all of whom are the best at keeping in touch but who understand what's truly important about being friends!)<br />+ Judd Apatow & the new kings of comedy - so much laughter on those lonely art school nights<br />+ getting on a solid medication assistance program<br />+ keeping it vegan, keeping it edge<br />+ cutecutecute boys (yeah, deep down, I'm a thirteen-year-old girl)<br />+ my car Ericco and his continuing functionality<br />+ art and writing opportunities I'm starting to cultivate<br />+ being uncompromising in my beliefs<br />+ ... and feeling strong because I know the important parts of me just won't bend<br />+ facing some of my demons<br />+ having the courage to try try try<br />+ the people that I inconvenience treating me like I am no inconvenience at all (*coughBen&Carolinecough*)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibaH_-AMs3jKYCI0uDs1yQT3X5rZ1x3WfpGOAlS3tIWDHBG8fkyy8_MeLXjvhiOvq7cZ5Fppf9GQp7F-JJYUpMLdl5WD2cQLDHMoDHPYYg8-0Bufqyz1RACEkR9i-TMzI-cniVjdhMZrZ/s1600/Picture+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 399px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibaH_-AMs3jKYCI0uDs1yQT3X5rZ1x3WfpGOAlS3tIWDHBG8fkyy8_MeLXjvhiOvq7cZ5Fppf9GQp7F-JJYUpMLdl5WD2cQLDHMoDHPYYg8-0Bufqyz1RACEkR9i-TMzI-cniVjdhMZrZ/s400/Picture+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408205300868138706" /></a><center>So how about you, dear readers?</center>Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-86615560730749721052009-11-23T11:24:00.000-08:002009-12-16T16:36:19.758-08:00Going Sweet for Potatoes: Sweet Potato Pie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/sweet-potatoes-2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/sweet-potatoes-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I think it's every food blogger (especially every vegan food blogger)'s duty to contribute something when a food-focused holiday is on the horizon. And while this year, the only physical contribution I'm making to my Thanksgiving table is a green bean casserole, I wanted to share something with a little more... bite, shall we say, here on xvx party. In the last two years, I've adopted two Thanksgiving staples: the <a href=http://community.livejournal.com/vegancooking/2156163.html>stuffed tofu roast</a> from <i>La Dolce Vegan</i> and an all-pumpkin offshoot of Fat-Free Vegan's <a href=http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/11/double-layer-pumpkin-cheesecake.html>double-layer cheesecake</a>. (By the way, the soy-seitan turkey she mentions - also amazing.) Unfortunately, I have to give them the pass; there's not much demand for a tofu loaf where I'm spending Thanksgiving, and making a pumpkin cheesecake would <i>totally</i> step on my best friend's toes, whose very identity is rooted in her delicious (albeit non-vegan) pumpkin pie. Still, to me, Thanksgiving without a pie is like Christmas without a tree: it's not like it ruins the holiday or anything, but c'mon, that little absence of motif echoes. So when another friend announced she'd be rolling through town this weekend, I decided this was a resounding excuse for a proto-pie of the non-pumpkin variety appropriate for Thanksgiving. And what better pie to tackle than sweet potato pie.<br /><br />Sweet potato pie was never a staple in my household, and certainly, it never made any Thanksgiving cameos. Sure, sweet potatoes appeared on my family's table in other ways: mashed, candied, casseroled - but never pied. The only time I recall even eating sweet potato pie is when I'd go over to this friend's house around Christmas time. Because at Christmas time, her grandma would send her family a giiiiiiiant box of single-serving sweet potato pies, and they'd have so many, they'd unload a bunch onto my family. I have very vivid memories of gorging on these things: popping them out of their little foil tins, then sinking my teeth into their waxy tops for a full-mouth experience that can only be classified as <i>rich</i>. I have no recipe that recalls this kind of pie - only a detailed memory of this luscious and flavorful treat that will probably outlive all my holiday memories combined - so you can imagine my hesitance at going vegan with it. Just because I've been hesitant to try doesn't mean I haven't wanted to, though.<br /><br />Now, truth be told, I probably won't end up taking this to Thanksgiving, but I had more motiving this pie than just tradition. For starters, I wanted to make it soy-free - one, because the friend I was making it for is a little soy sensitive; and two, because sometimes omnis can detect the soy in creamy desserts like pumpkin pie so I needed a soy-free technique. Another thing I've been hankering to try is this new So Delicious coconut kefir that just came out. Hannah Kaminsky used it in a <a href=http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/sweet-and-sour/>no-bake coconut cheesecake</a>, and I thought, "Hmm, I bet the fat from those coconuts plus the tang of the probiotics would be the perfect foundation for a custard-y dessert." I also wanted to try coconut oil instead of shortening in a pie crust. And thus, my sweet potato pie concept was born.<br /><br />I can't say this pie tastes like its inspiration. This pie is smooth and rich but in a completely different way than those pies of yore. In the future, I might increase the sweet potato to increase its potato punch and try to harness that authenticity, but for now, I think it's a damn good pie - even if it's not <i>the</i> pie I remember. Serve it with a little <a href=http://xveganxparty.blogspot.com/2009/02/coconut-whipped-cream-variation-on-old.html>coconut whipped cream</a> and some hot cider for a truly autumn treat.<br /><br /><b>SWEET POTATO PIE</b><br />+ 9" pie crust<br /><br />+ 1 c raw cashews<br />+ 1/4 c maple syrup *<br />+ 1/2 c coconut kefir**<br />+ 15 oz sweet potato puree<br />+ 1 t vanilla<br />+ cinnamon<br />+ nutmeg<br />+ ginger<br /><br /><br />* I used this much kefir and syrup in the original, which was not very sweet. Some people liked it this way, but some did not. If I were going to make it again, I would probably try 1/4 c kefir and 1/2 c maple syrup. I only used so little syrup because I ran out! ha!<br />** You could also substitute any "milk," plus maybe a tablespoon or two of cornstarch. <br /><br />01. Soak the cashews in just enough water to cover them, then let them stand for at least three hours (but preferably overnight). When they're finished, drain the water, and throw the cashews in a blender or food processor with the kefir and syrup. Puree until completely smooth. Add the sweet potato and spices and mix until completely incorporated.<br /><br />02. Preheat the oven to 350º. Roll out your pie dough, then transfer it to your pie dish and make it all <i>purdy.</i> Pour your pie filling into the pie shell, and give it a good shake to smooth out ripples in the filling. Any marks you leave on the surface when putting the pie into the oven, are marks that will likely still be there when you take it out.<br /><br />03. Let your pie bake for fifty to sixty minutes until the center is set. When you insert a toothpick, it should come out fairly clean - and if it doesn't, it's not set yet! Then take it out of the oven, and let it cool completely before putting it in the fridge to really firm up. Enjoy with your closest family and friends.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Speaking of food for the holidays...<br /><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7775070&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7775070&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/7775070">xveganxparty</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/bendudley">Ben Dudley</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-81181811510172044922009-11-14T13:29:00.001-08:002009-11-14T13:48:53.525-08:00The Results are In<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://6.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kt490moymP1qzn6ljo1_500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="http://6.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kt490moymP1qzn6ljo1_500.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Remember when I said a recipe was coming? And then days and days lapsed, and it never arrived? Well, to say I've been busy in the interim would be an understatement. It's finals week, and I'm working on:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kehoehouse.com/img/content_photos/exterior1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 260px; height: 288px;" src="http://www.kehoehouse.com/img/content_photos/exterior1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><center>a two-foot-tall gingerbread house modeled after this hotel</center><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.guylivingston.com/dada/images/retourgrid.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 240px;" src="http://www.guylivingston.com/dada/images/retourgrid.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><center>a 10+ page paper on French avant-garde cinema as the prototype for independent film (have I emphasized enough that I'm a little bit of a cinemaphile?)</center><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/chuckclose.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 597px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/chuckclose.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><center>an 18" x 24" painting inspired by <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Close>Chuck Close</a><br /><br /><br />... and a roughly 3' x 1.5' still life of nature drawings and religious artifacts<br />(Sorry, no pictures - BUT you can always see what I'm up to on <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/miccodraws>my flickr</a>.)</center><br /><br />Yeah, my life is NUTTY right now. And yet, despite all that, I've managed to crawl onto my computer to belatedly announce the winner of the reader feedback give away. (Which really means, I got super exhausted drawing my still life, so I came home to decompress for a minute. I think I'm going to watch a movie and decorate some of my gingerbread landscape before going back. You had no idea my life is so thrilling and glamorous!) Gotta say, I'm a little disappointed more people didn't enter, but I really appreciate the readers I got to talk to and the feedback I did get. I may not have the most popular blog, but ya'll are pretty awesome.<br /><br />That said, the winner is...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWfGN26rdVSXAUo0w5EUejTL26eGNHQZ4C7RN_RszNq2XPvedFBYIA3rHUyeHDnfGUzJp2UG8gv2KG8WrdzRPeT6yy3yHlwsOqbTqPMOMOT1dDTPZUV7jWr0hjtu7-tur-UemsVvHE9W1/s1600-h/IMG_3744.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWfGN26rdVSXAUo0w5EUejTL26eGNHQZ4C7RN_RszNq2XPvedFBYIA3rHUyeHDnfGUzJp2UG8gv2KG8WrdzRPeT6yy3yHlwsOqbTqPMOMOT1dDTPZUV7jWr0hjtu7-tur-UemsVvHE9W1/s400/IMG_3744.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404069623537469298" /></a><center>Jenny S.</center><br />Jenny runs the really cool blog <a href=http://jenniferschmohe.blogspot.com>Unbrushed</a> which describes itself as "concerning health, veganism, feminism, personal style, and the like." I like reading her blog because it's a lifestyle blog that addresses many topics I see related to this one, but Jenny is simultaneously more theoretical and personal in her approach. If you've never read it before, definitely give it a read.<br /><br />So Jenny, email me your address and some food preferences. I'm throwing in baked goods because you emailed SO MANY PEOPLE, and that's kind of effin rad. I can't get the package out for a week or two, but trust me - it'll be worth the wait.<br /><br />Everyone else, thanks for participating. (And thanks for reading!) When finals are over, I'll post that recipe, and you can be sure I'll do another give away sometime.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-24577060757199269192009-11-10T08:22:00.001-08:002009-11-10T09:36:23.958-08:00The Best Tip for Beginning Chefs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1Eb29KBJr6AqS0agFVsu64xiYZ4_NISFIK5ETs12lHw2JYqoyOfoGob7YPvcUjHyvqh8nziRpMI6mqWiZMXFOiDeKnIdxyTS04jBVbCoWBF3CwS2O2OBZ_LCKDRmK61ZxnhqbfAD6MAx/s1600-h/Picture+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1Eb29KBJr6AqS0agFVsu64xiYZ4_NISFIK5ETs12lHw2JYqoyOfoGob7YPvcUjHyvqh8nziRpMI6mqWiZMXFOiDeKnIdxyTS04jBVbCoWBF3CwS2O2OBZ_LCKDRmK61ZxnhqbfAD6MAx/s320/Picture+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402529820338715506" /></a><br />I wasn't raised to cook. Sure, I grew up on my share of homemade meals, but kids certainly weren't invited to the kitchen to help. If it didn't come from a box, it was more or less a magic show: a mess of raw ingredients one moment, a complete meal an hour later. The first thing I ever learned to "cook" was Kraft macaroni, followed by some glazed chicken from a Martha Stewart recipe, the occasional pancakes or waffles, and then... well, I don't think I cooked again until I was almost seventeen. My interest in cooking didn't really pick up until I got a copy of <i>1000 Vegetarian</i>, but even then, it was a slow going process because I was glued to the book, meticulously following each recipe, fumbling with my knife, and... well, generally proving myself a veritable kitchen disaster. I'd have to say, much of my cooking knowledge comes from obsessively watching the Food Network. (That, and working in food service for a few years.)<br /><br />A vegan obsessed with the Food Network doesn't make a lot of sense. There's nothing particularly appetizing about a thousand shows all devoted to different ways of preparing dead animal bodies, much less preparing them with a bunch of eggs and dairy, but I've always been after the techniques they boasted. That's why I was so excited, then, to discover some amazing kitchen how-tos on Rachel Ray's website. <br /><br />It's ironic, isn't it? That the only Food Network host I enjoy poo-pooing* is also <a href=http://xveganxparty.blogspot.com/2009/08/vegans-rule-school-drools.html>the only Food Network host I've endorsed on xveganx party</a>. I have to give Rachel Ray some credit, though, because she's not a pedigreed cook; so her entire empire is constructed with this "every(wo)man" attitude towards cooking. Her <a href=http://www.rachaelraymag.com/video-how-to>cooking videos</a> skip all the dead animal parts and go straight to what's important: how to cut an onion. Making a pie lattice. The basic format for a gravy. (Roux + Stock + Seasonings) They're all generic cooking skills that anyone can adapt for their culinary preferences or dietary needs, which makes these videos positively PERFECT for the budding vegan chef - and it saves you that cable subscription.<br /><br />Another thing I've found helpful over the years is <b>youtube videos</b>. One, I can view all sorts of old episodes of <i>Good Eats</i> on there. (Understanding the science behind baking really helps you figure out those hard-to-pin vegan treats.) Two, if there's a specific technique that I want to try and there's no one to show me, I can youtube it. Ever felt like, no matter how many times you've read a recipe, it just doesn't quite make sense? YOUTUBE! For me, youtube's been extremely helpful with cake decorating, but for you, it might unravel the hidden mysteries of kneading bread - or better yet, braiding it! When I <a href=http://xveganxparty.blogspot.com/2009/05/daring-bakers-challenge-strudel.html>made strudel for the Daring Bakers</a>, I watched a video about stretching the dough because the written instructions were a real head scratcher. There's a lot of criticisms I can make about our techno-obsessed culture, but one of the real triumphs, I think, is the democratization of information which has fortified DIY living. So really, my best cooking tip isn't about cooking at all: it's about where to find the information to really hone your cooking skills. And that's varying sites with cooking videos. Ha!<br /><br />Tomorrow we'll be putting those kitchen skills to the test with a real recipe (OoooOOOOOoo...). Don't forget about <a href=http://xveganxparty.blogspot.com/2009/11/questions-for-readers-give-away.html>the reader feedback give away</a>!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />* Actually, Rachel Ray is not the only host I enjoy poo pooing. In fact, I don't think she's even my favorite. The real award goes to Sandra Lee. Because mixing two packaged foods together does not even broach "semi"-homemade, no matter how many cocktails you make during the show.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-42964584328554669152009-11-06T08:39:00.000-08:002009-11-06T09:07:48.295-08:00Questions for Readers & a Give Away<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/2927764746_c25c95c503_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 345px; height: 347px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/2927764746_c25c95c503_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />It's two weeks from the close of my quarter, and I've got a lot on my plate for the month-long vacation ahead of me. Some of those side dishes include xveganx party projects. Come February, my little blog baby will be turning one, and very much, it's still a little blog baby (a very cute one, though). This blog is ready to grow; I need to better realize my original vision (maximum xvx living!!!). So as I busy myself making plans for the month off, I wanted to open the floor for some reader feedback.<br /><br /><br />+ What do you want to see more of on xveganx party?<br />+ Is there anything you want to see less of?<br />+ What do you want to see that you're not seeing?<br />+ How frequent would you like to see updates?<br />+ If I made a zine, would you be EFFIN STOKED?<br />+ Anything else I should know about your xvx party experience?<br /><br /><br />To lure you into responding, I'm offering a copy of <a href=http://www.vegantable.com/>Colleen Patrick Goudreau</a>'s latest book <i>The Vegan Table</i>. Described as "200 unforgettable recipes for entertaining every guest at every occasion," this is the perfect addition to the vegan entertainer's cookbook collection. Leaving a comment gives you automatic eligibility - but wait! You can increase your eligibility by promoting xveganx party! There are three ways to do this: (1) announce this give away on your blog; (2) add xvx party to the link list on your blog; or (3) email a link to xvx party to some friends or family. (Just be sure to let me know, i.e. comment if you've put up a link or cc me in your email.) Doing all four will give you four chances to win. I'll announce the winner of the give away next Friday (the thirteenth!) so keep your eyes peeled, my little vegan straight edge chickpeas.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-28098750278091425042009-11-04T19:27:00.000-08:002009-11-05T09:11:41.935-08:00Gingerbread: One Cookie, Two Ways<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_3623.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 312px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_3623.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><center><i>If you're trying to suggest that's a color theory exercise under there, you'd be correct. Check out my <a href=http://flickr.com/photos/miccodraws>flickr</a> if you're curious about what I do at art school all damn day.</i></center><br />We make it into houses, we make it into people, we make it into disagreements: ahhh, gingerbread, that classic cookie for chilly weather* that quickly polarizes people. Some folks swear by gingerbread; it's the taste of fir trees and snowmen and foil-wrapped packages bursting with bows. Just saying the word puts them in flannel pajamas in front of a fire with Nat Cole crooning on the stereo and a mug of hot chocolate in their hand. Other people detest it, though. It's spicy; it's overpowering; it tastes like the cardboard carrying a crate of cinnamon candles to a holiday shop, and it's got a texture to match. Few cookies get the mixed reviews of grins and grimaces the way gingerbread does, but a few simple adjustments is all these cookies need to find some common ground between the two camps.<br /><br />I don't often make gingerbread - this time of year or otherwise. I'm a little more, "Gingerbread? Gross!" than I am, "Gingerbread? Great!" I think it's the way the molasses typically punctuates the spices. Together, they probably have some chemical interaction like wine and cheese that exaggerates the molasses <i>and</i> spice flavors, making them group-pop in a way I find distasteful. If I can especially taste the molasses, I just keep passing the cookie tray. But then, I came across an inspired idea: cocoa gingerbread cookies. I gasped. Pairing my favorite flavor with the flavors of my favorite season? Uhh, hello, sign me up! I quickly made an excuse to whip up a batch, and they were <i>good</i> in all the ways I imagined them to be. Yes, they were good - good but not <i>great.</i> These cookies were one ingredient away from absolute greatness. What these cookies really needed were some <b>chocolate chips</b>.<br /><br />I wanted to make some improved chocolate gingerbread cookies ASAP, but when I had a no-chocolate friend coming into town, I was very torn. On the one hand, I really wanted to justify making these cookies again, but on the other, I couldn't bake something that excluded my friend. I felt silly making chocolate gingerbread cookies <i>plus</i> something else, so I groped for some middle ground. I got to stroking my invisible beard - made long, deep pulls at it because this was a quandry requiring some <i>serious</i> contemplation, and you could only grasp how serious by imagining some very dramatic beard tugging. Then it hit me: pumpkin gingerbread cookies. Yes, of course, <i>pumpkin gingerbread cookies!</i> - because pumpkin and ginger go well together in every other baked good on the planet (muffins, cakes, pies, scones...), and my roommate had half a can of pumpkin in the fridge that was going to waste! Plus, I had a bunch of raisins <i>I</i> wanted to use up, so pumpkin gingerbread cookies would sort of be a hero.<br /><br />And, oh, heroes they were. In fact, having both cookies at once was the most delightful balance of treats - a balance made all the more delightful by an absence of molasses! The chocolate version is dark and decadent: a luscious combination of sugar and spice that makes them a maturely mysterious cookie. The other is light and aromatic: a classically earthy flavor without that classic "snap" of many brick-like gingerbread cookies. (Ever notice that? That gingerbread cookies make more of a "snap" when you eat them than ginger snaps, which are usually soft and chewy? Yeah, language is funny.) Outfitting them in chocolate and raisins is another pleasant update to this baking classic, but you could keep it old school by omitting the add ons and sticking with icing.** Whatever your opinion of gingerbread, these new approaches make for a whole new taste experience, so start heating your oven because you'll want to make these lickety-split.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_3628.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 163px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/IMG_3628.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><center><i>Yep, breakfast of champions - complete with vegg nog in my favorite mug. If that mug's not a sweet use of split complements, I don't know what is.</center></i><br /><b>CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES</b><br />+ 3/4 c flour<br />+ 1/4 c cocoa powder<br />+ 1/2 c brown sugar<br />+ 1/4 t baking soda<br />+ 1/4 t baking powder<br />+ 1 t ginger<br />+ 1/2 t cinnamon<br />+ 1/2 t nutmeg<br />+ 1/2 t allspice<br />+ 1/8 t cloves<br />+ salt<br />+ 1/4 c oil<br />+ 1 t vanilla or almond extract<br />+ 1/8 - 1/4 c water<br />+ chocolate chips (optional)<br /><br /><br /><b>PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD COOKIES</b><br />+ 1 c flour<br />+ 1/2 c plus 2 T brown sugar<br />+ 1/4 t baking soda<br />+ 1/4 t baking powder<br />+ 1 t ginger<br />+ 1/2 t cinnamon<br />+ 1/2 t nutmeg<br />+ 1/2 t allspice<br />+ 1/8 t cloves<br />+ salt<br />+ 1/2 c pumpkin puree<br />+ 1/4 c oil<br />+ 1 t vanilla or almond extract<br />+ raisins (optional)<br /><br /><br />01. Sift together the dry ingredients. The measurements for the spices are just a jumping off point, but personally, I never measure. I just taste and adjust as necessary. If you're scared to trust your taste buds, err on the conservative side; it's better to have a borderline sugar cookie than a spice explosion only your waste basket wants to eat. And trust me, with some of these spices, it's real easy to go overboard real fast (especially with clove! that sneaky little sucker!).<br /><br />02. Add in the wet ingredients and gently stir to combine. You should have a moist (but not <i>wet</i> or <i>sticky</i>) wad of cookie dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for an hour or two.<br /><br />03. Remove the dough from the freezer, and let it stand for a few minutes as it adjusts to the relative tropical wasteland of your kitchen. Set your oven to 350º, then lightly flour a flat surface. Roll your dough out until it's about a quarter inch thick, trying to maintain a rectangular shape because you'll maximize your dough's potential as a rectangle instead of a circle. Definitely shoot for a quarter inch here, though, because if you go much thinner, you'll wind up with really crispy dry-wall cookies, but if you go much thicker, your cookies will be more like cake, not cookies. A quarter of an inch is the magic measure here, folks! Then use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out amazing shapes. (<a href=http://blog.jugglingfrogs.com/2007/10/make-your-own-cookie-cutter-from-clip.html>Here</a> is a pretty rad tutorial on making your own cookie cutters, but there's nothing wrong with defaulting into classic shapes like <a href=http://www.stupid.com/fun/FETS.html>fetuses</a> and <a href=http://cookiecutter.com/charcoalgrill35inb1732.aspx>charcoal grills</a>. If you don't own any cookie cutters, just use a cup. PUNK AS FUCK!)<br /><br />Pro Tip: Dipping your cookie cutters in flour periodically before pressing them into the dough makes a cleaner cut, which makes the cookies easier to remove and transfer to a tray. <br /><br />04. Continue cutting cookie shapes, then re-rolling the dough and cutting more until there's nothing left to roll and cut. Carefully transfer your cookies to a lightly greased cookie sheet (use a spatula if you need some help), and take this opportunity to press on your add ons (raisins, chocolate, nuts, whatever). Then throw those cookies into the oven and bake for eight to ten minutes. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for about two minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack or plate and allow them to cool completely. <br /><br />05. Enjoy with a mug of peppermint tea or vegg nog while breathing in the crisp autumn air.<br /><br /><br /><br />Each recipe makes approximately twelve cookies.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />* As an aside, I wanted to write "chili weather" because "chilly weather" = "chili weather," but I wasn't sure how many people would recognize that as a play on words and not a typo.<br />** Here, I am <i>hinting</i> at a play on words. Because gingerbread cookies are most often made into gingerbread <i>men</i> (and women! and inbetweens!), and what do you use the icing for? Duh, gingerbread <i>outfits</i>. Geez, I'm on a roll..! (Originally I typed "role." What up, homonym!)<br />*** While I've already got you down here reading asterisks about plays on words, I wanted to tell you about all the pop culture references I wanted to make with the title, like "One Flavor Enters, Two Cookies Leave" or "Two Cookies, One Flavor." Eh? Eh? CLASSY.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-14297411092842828372009-10-27T08:17:00.001-07:002009-10-27T14:30:56.253-07:00Get Moving! Staying Motivated to Exercise (Part Two)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/womenexercise.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/womenexercise.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><center><b>Remember that Your Life is an Example for Others</b></center>Something I always try to keep in mind is that the things I do will always mean more than the things I say, and if I think healthy living is a virtue, then I can't just sit around blogging about it. A lot of what fills your life is things you've attracted, so if you want happy, healthy friends, be a happy healthy friend. It's kind of like that saying: "Be the change you want to see." I think there's a lot in this world that's physically and emotionally toxic, and while I can't necessarily directly challenge those things, I can put myself in a position to better deal with them by staying on top of my physical and emotional health. I want my friends and family to feel just as empowered, so that's one thing that really keeps me pumped about exercising.<br /><br /><center><b>Take Care of Yourself</b></center>This goes without saying, whether you're exercising or not, but especially if you're taxing your body, you really need to be taking care of it. That means getting plenty of sleep, eating enough food, eating the <i>right</i> kinds of food, staying hydrated, and using proper form and technique when working out. Throw off just one of these things and physical activity can seem like a total DRAIN. If you're constantly dreading exercise or wind up straight <i>exhausted</i> afterwards, your body's probably trying to tell you something. Listen to it.<br /><br /><center><b>Be Clear About Your Intentions<br />Remind Yourself of Them Regularly</b></center>If you're not getting fit for the right reasons, your commitment is going to waffle. Ever wonder why you could never get yourself all the way to those washboard abs? Because deep down, you know that's dumb. Who wants to substitute a body part for an antiquated household tool that a washing machine substantially outperforms anyway. Of course, thinking in terms of abstracts like "I'll be healthier!" doesn't help much, either. Instead, be clear about your intentions but also personalize them. So, even if your overall intention might be "to be healthier," what does that actually mean to you? Does it mean fewer colds? Then think of all those miserable days you spent feeling too shitty to fall asleep and too exhausted to stay awake, last winter. Does it mean sleeping faster and easier? Then think of all the times you showed up for work or school totally drained and disoriented because you couldn't get to bed. Does it mean preventative care? Then think of losing your aunt two years ago to breast cancer. Understanding your intentions can affirm your commitment with context, and once you understand why you're doing something, you can figure out ways to remind yourself - ways like taping a picture of disgusting cough medicine to your fridge or framing a picture of your aunt by your computer. Reminding ourselves of our intentions keeps us on track.<br /><br /><center><b>Set Out Reminders in General</b></center>There are all kinds of ways we can remind ourselves, whether it's post-it notes on the computer screen or hanging our gym bag from our door handles. My biggest reminder is subscribing to fitness blogs. The number one way I snap myself out of an exercise lull is reading about others' enthusiasm for working out. When other people are getting really fit and strong, I go, "Hey, I want to be fit and strong, too!" Find what really reminds you, then make sure it's part of your daily routine.<br /><br /><center><b>Track Your Progress</b></center>... if for no other reason than, when you're feeling lazy or dissatisfied, you have a visual reminder to see how far you've come. And when you see your progress, you'll remember, "Hey, I'm fuckin' TOUGH."<br /><br /><center><b>Set Goals</b></center>For some people, it's easier to get things done if they have a sense of purpose, so if that's you, set some goals. There's a variety of ways you can do this. Commit to an event like a 5k, then train for it. Incrementally build up to running a certain speed or lifting a certain weight. Decide you need to be walking at least 10 mi a week, then get a pedometer and start tracking your steps. Your goals don't even necessarily have to be fitness related. Your goal could be to workout at least thirty minutes a day, three days a week - and hey, maybe that's just in the short-term; in the long-term, maybe you want to be doing an hour a day, five days a week. If you understand <i>why</i> you want to move around, you can usually tailor your goal around that. Then savor the sweet satisfaction that comes with achievement.<br /><br /><center><b>Visualize Your Success</b></center>This is a common technique in goal setting (and a <a href=http://behavioural-psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/visualization>pretty well-substantiated one</a> at that). Studies have shown that visualizing success is almost as good as physically preparing for success, so if you're struggling to stay motivated, picture your desired workout. This can be an emergency technique (e.g. you don't want to ride your bike to work one day, so you visualize a quick and easy ride that leaves you energized and excited) or it can be a maintenance technique (e.g. every day you struggle to get to the gym, you picture yourself with beautiful, bulging muscles six months down the road). The more details you include in your visualization, the easier the activity will be in execution, and the more successful your outcome will be.<br /><br /><center><b>Reward Yourself</b></center>Positive reinforcement (rewards) work much better than negative reinforcement (punishments), so rather than beat yourself up about skipping a workout, reward yourself for doing what you set out to do. Reward yourself when you achieve a goal. Now, dieting websites say never to make food a reward for exercise, but I say, if you're not exercising to "manage" your weight, then who cares? (Just be sure you're not exercising to negotiate or justify certain food choices!) Beyond that, you can use guilty pleasures to reward yourself for exercising. I always feel guilty about playing video games - ESPECIALLY because they're the pinnacle of inactivity - so that's a good reward for me. Maybe you've been hankering for a book that's a little pricey. Hey, but you've been working out every day that you said you would, exactly how you said you would, for three months now! I think it's about time you got that book... Reward systems can be as simple as putting a gold star on your calendar on the days when you work out, but whatever keeps you feeling proud of what you're doing, go ahead and do it.<br /><br /><center><b>Get some Background Noise</b></center>This is a no-brainer, but it can't be overstated! Listening to music is awesome, but don't just listen to your favorite songs. Listen to things that make you want to MOVE. Listen to things you can really lose yourself in. When I really, really don't want to workout, I reduce the intensity of my workout, then turn on a podcast so my mind's analyzing the podcast, not anticipating my finish. Whatever keeps you moving, just listen to it!<br /><br /><center><b>Make Exercise a Priority</b></center>Worse comes to worse, sometimes you just got to force yourself to do the things you know you need to do, and if that's how you feel about exercise, you have to figure out a way to make it a priority. One of the most common excuses when it comes to exercise is, "I don't have time!" but if you have time to watch a movie, make an extravagant meal, or check facebook five thousand times a night, then you have time to exercise. It's all about making it a priority. Obviously, the most simple way to do this is figuring out a way to maximize the physical intensity of your everyday experiences, but sometimes it's just about making time where you can find it. Get up half an hour earlier than usual. Turn that lunch date with a friend into a walking date. Only check facebook two thousand times a night instead of five. What are you doing that you could be doing less of? What are you doing that you could be doing more? Priorities, priorities, priorities!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/womenexercise.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/gloria.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><center>What about you? Got any good motivation tips millin' around in the ol' noggin?</center>Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-56710788603112279222009-10-26T14:46:00.001-07:002009-10-26T14:47:41.482-07:00Get Moving! Staying Motivated to Exercise (Part One)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/mugs.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/mugs.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I think we're all on the same page that exercise pretty much rules. But you know just as well as I do that no matter how stoked we get about exercise, sometimes it's hard to keep up with. There are a million excuses: no time, no energy, no excitement, blahblahblah! Substituting excuses for actions is okay once in a while - hey, sometimes our minds are making excuses because our bodies need rest - but it's really important to make sure excuses are the rare, rare exception, <i>not the rule.</i> Exercise lulls are pretty normal, but if we don't handle them properly, we lose momentum. And if we quickly stop exercising, then why the hell did we start?<br /><br />The easiest way to stay motivated to exercise is to recognize what typically de-motivates you. If you know what's holding you back, you can take steps to rectify it. Are you lacking some discipline? Are you constantly sore? Are you wondering what's fun about this 'exercise' stuff? I'll admit that my own momentum's not that consistent. I spent more time than I care to admit sitting in front of my computer playing Diablo, picking my nose, and eating pork egg rolls during early adolescence, so movement isn't exactly "natural" to me. For that reason, I know all the excuses in the book, and I've got some good ways to counter them. Here are some of the tips and tricks I've used over the years to keep myself in motion:<br /><br /><center><b>!!!HAVE FUN!!!</b></center>The number one way to keep yourself moving is to make sure you're doing something fun. So many people equate the word "exercise" with "gym," which makes them feel clammy and panicked, but more movement can (and does) take place outside the gym than ever could take place inside of it. Start thinking less about exercises that "incinerate those calories" or "give you those rock hard abs fast!" and start thinking about what's fun for you. I love zoning out on the treadmill with my iPod, but my roommate thinks that's insufferable. She'd much rather run outside because there's those scenery changes, that sense of adventure, the fresh air. (Of course, to me, running outside sounds like "knee aches" and "humidity"). I have another friend that thinks "hitting the gym" is laughable, so he skates and rides his bike - and not because he thinks he "needs the exercise" but just because, yeah, <i>it's fun.</i> I may be the one lifting weights and wiggling to Le Tigre on an elliptical, but I'm pretty sure my friend is way fitter than me. And by "pretty sure" I mean "positive" - because he's found movement that's fun for him.<br /><br /><center><b>Incorporate Exercise into your Everyday Life</b></center>... and, no, I don't mean, "Get daily exercise." What I'm really suggesting is turning up the volume on your everyday activities. A classic example is parking really far away from a destination so you're forced to walk further to get there, but there's tons of other ways to do this. For example, let's say you really need to clean your house. Now you <i>could</i> spend several days dreading this, then liesurely/begrudgingly sit around wiping down surfaces and sweeping across floors all the while wishing your were reading a good book in the park. OR you could turn on some loud, fast music, down a cup of coffee, and spazz out seeing how fast you can get it done. I've always thought <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour>parkour</a> (alternately known as "free running") was an interesting approach to incorporating exercise into everyday life. As the wikipedia article describes it, all it is, is moving from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible, but in practice, this requires some ninja-level skills. No one could ever describe parkour practitioners as physically unfit, yet all they're doing to "exercise" is some routine travel. It's just, when they travel to the grocery store, they scale buildings along the way... Point being, there's always some way to make your life a little more active so exercise doesn't become this isolated activity that you have to "make" time for. <br /><br /><center><b>Start Slowly and Be Flexible</b></center>If you're just getting into some kind of workout routine, don't get too ahead of yourself. Apart from running the risk of injury, it quickly leads to burnout. If you have fond memories of playing softball in middle school but you've spent the last ten or fifteen years sitting at your computer instead, it's probably not wise to run out and attempt joining a minor league softball team. Instead, try meeting once or twice a week for small softball games with friends at a local park or join an intramural softball team. In the same vain, getting fit may have become your True Calling, but intense workouts five days a week probably aren't wise if your second address is in front of the TV. Even with the best laid plans, you may realize you've thrown yourself into an activity just a little too hard, and rather than de-motivating yourself, just be honest and reel in your ambition. If you're consistent with your effort, you'll get to where you want to be in no time, so just focus on being consistent and <b>having fun</b>.<br /><br /><center><b>Smile</b></center>Exercise produces endorphins, but did you know smiling produces endorphins, too? Even if we're producing as much endorphins as we are sweat, that doesn't mean we're psyched about the exercise causing both, but I find that smiling through the especially tough parts of workouts pulls me through easier. Maybe it's knowing that I look happy to everyone who sees me, so I start tricking myself into thinking this is more pleasurable than it is. Or maybe putting on a fake smile makes me want to make it "genuine" so I think of all the reasons I have to smile about exercise. Maybe it <i>is</i> just the double dose of endorphins, but for whatever reason, it helps. So the next time you're struggling through a really intense workout and you just want to give up, try smiling and see what happens.<br /><br /><center><b>Workout with a Friend</b></center>Doing anything with a friend is always better because it means you've got support and you're accountable to someone. It's also just more fun, and I think it makes it easier to expand how we think of exercise. For instance, you <i>could</I> hit the treadmill with your best gal pal and gossip about celebrity break ups while counting down the minutes on the gym clock OR you could head to the park with a group of friends and play freeze tag while pushing each other in the mud until the sun unexpectedly disappears. Your call.<br /><br /><center><b>Don't Take Too Many Days Off</b></center>I can't over-stress consistency. The more time you spend not doing something, the more inconsistent you'll become, and the faster you'll lose momentum. It's just that simple. This is an especially big deal if you've made a commitment like one rugby game a week. If that one rugby game is your Big Activity for the week and you skip it, the ol' heart won't have gotten pumpin' for fourteen or so days! Plus, if you blow something off once, it's that much easier to blow off again, and your body is very, "Use it or lose it," about these things. A good way to deal with extended vacations from exercise is to put a calendar where you'll often see it, like beside your bed. Mark every day that you exercise with something you find visually appealing - cuties, lol cats, whatever. Then mark every day you don't exercise with something you hate looking at - your boss' face, a hairy butt, maybe some pharmaceutical giants. Nothing says, "Go ride your bike!" like a picture of grandma in her bathing suit, so whatever visually motivates you to exercise, plaster it all over that calendar and stop skipping so many days.<br /><br /><center><b>Maintain Variety</b></center>Doing the same thing over and over again gets redundant. If you're doing something you genuinely love - and I don't mean enjoy, I mean <i>love</i> - this probably doesn't apply to you, but for the rest of us, we get tired of the same old things, especially if we're pushing ourselves to do them because we know we "should." For that reason, variety is key, so mix it up a little. We know I'm a gym rat (sort of), but this need for variety isn't just about exchanging the treadmill for the stationary bike once in a while. I get bored even with my more everyday physical activities. Like, I live in a city (town?) that doesn't even have a ten-mile radius, so traveling without a car is easy. Sometimes I ride my bike, but other times I walk, and when I get bored with that, it's right back on my bike. (And when I'm lazy, I get in the car. haha.) Even a rousing weekly kickball game gets boring after a few months (Steve's always going to kick a home run, Ellen's always going to trip on her shoes, Mikey's going to make everyone sit through an endless stream of foul balls), so instead of losing enthusiasm, just switch to four square. Like I've been saying, the activity isn't what's important; it's the consistency, so keep things fresh and interesting.<br /><br /><br /><center><i>Ooo... Tomorrow I'll post part twooo...</i></center>Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-50194168012101824512009-10-25T16:01:00.000-07:002009-10-26T14:48:39.591-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3270404079_8141579f08_o.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 520px; height: 300px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3270404079_8141579f08_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><center><font size=5><b>WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPY IN YOUR LIFE?</b></font><br />(You can comment anonymously; I fixed the settings.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>Real post coming tomorrow.</i></center>Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-34206733236162516722009-10-14T05:56:00.000-07:002009-12-16T16:40:44.924-08:00Guerrilla Cooking Presents Mega-Healthy Chocolate Muffins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/muffinshealth.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 504px; height: 168px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/muffinshealth.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><i>This is a very attractive montage of me eating these muffins with a pureed frozen banana in the middle. I stuck it in the freezer for a little bit, then savored it like an ice cream sandwich. Exquisite.</i><br /><br />Holy cannoli, two posts in two days? I know, I can hardly believe it myself! One of them was drawn from the bank of posts I've started so I can withdraw content on a moment's notice. (What a planner I'm becoming, right?) However, I came up with this recipe that I was so excited about, I just couldn't resist a second post.<br /><br />You may be wondering why recipes have been a little few and far between lately. (I think I saw a few tumble weeds roll past the food tags a couple days ago...) If you recall, I was having a bit of a dry spell over the summer. School keeps me busy, too, but I never mentioned that, yes, I chose to be on the meal plan. So basically, I haven't been cooking much of anything that's new or interesting for the last six months, which leaves me with a whole lot less food to write about. That said, I'm living in an apartment-style dorm, so I still have a kitchen. And the meal plan kind of sucks, so what I like to do is squirrel away food from the cafeteria and make it into better food when I get home. It's kind of loads of fun (though the results are never <i>quite</i> good enough to brag about on here), and it challenges me to get really creative. I call it <b>guerrilla cooking</b>, and it's how I came up with these muffins.<br /><br />Now, if you've been following this blog for a while, you know - KNOW - that I love to bake. Specifically, I love to bake sweets. Obviously, I'm vegan, I'm straight edge, and I like to work out; so as far as "negative" lifestyle choices go, this one's pretty tame. And yet, it irks me. For one thing, I've struggled with my weight since I was a little, little kid - something I still struggle to accept/maintain, and sweets definitely complicate this. For another, an excess of sweets have ill implications comparable to a lot of vices, so it bothers me that I can feel so strong in the face of some things yet so weak in the face of this one. I've tried to figure out ways to manage this little vice of mine. I've tried the extreme approach, swearing off refined flour, turning my nose at table sugar, dusting my hands of HFCS (actually, I pretty much don't eat that); somehow, complete abstinence always fails in this department. Moderation works pretty alright, but even then, sometimes I go a little overboard. (Oh god, brownies, you will be the death of me..!) The trick, I've always suspected, is striking a strong balance between decadence and nutrition, but the how of it has always eluded me. I've dabbled in gluten- and sugar-free baking, but it's always tended a little further towards the sweets side than I was hoping. At least, that was the case... until now!!<br /><br />I'll admit it: these taste "healthy." They're rich, they're moist, they're chocolate-y - but you're not going to bring these to a potluck and pass them off as your average chocolate muffin (which I think most people call a "cupcake"...). No, these are the kind of muffins you enjoy with adventurous connoisseurs and people passionate about nutrition. Because seriously, they pack a hell of a nutritional punch, and you can eat several without anticipating any sugar crash. Most importantly, though, they honestly taste GOOD, and any lingering "health food" flavor is easily supplanted by what a literal treat this is for your body. (Seriously, eat one, and your body will say, "Wee! Vitamins!") Over the course of the day, I ate five because they were so sweet and tasty, I couldn't help myself. Eating that much of any fresh-baked treat is not uncommon for me, but I didn't feel as bad about it as I normally would because I got almost 40% of my RDA of calcium and just 300 calories. Plus, I actually felt satiated afterward, and my energy levels didn't spiral from all the sugar. (Duh, because there isn't any.) I'm proud of this recipe and have high hopes for future baking of the sugar-free variety...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/nutrition.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 600px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/nutrition.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>For the record, these actually have more vitamins and minerals than this indicates because my nutrition calculator doesn't account for the vitamins and minerals in whole wheat flour.</i><br /><br /><b>MEGA-HEALTHY CHOCOLATE MUFFINS</b><br />+ 1 c whole wheat flour<br />+ 1/4 c cocoa powder*<br />+ 1 T baking powder<br />+ 1/4 t salt<br />+ 1/4 - 1/2 t stevia (OPTIONAL)<br /><br />+ 1/2 c raisins<br />+ 1.5 c water<br />+ 1/2 c sliced beets, boiled or canned<br />+ 1/2 c unsweetened apple sauce<br />+ 1/2 t apple cider vinegar<br />+ 1 t vanilla*<br /><br /><i>* I'm sure this would work with carob, too.<br />** Almond extract would work well, too, and in fact might be better. Almond pairs well with chocolate, making chocolate's flavor bolder and deeper - never a bad thing when you're trying to make "health food" seem decadent.</i><br /><br /><br />01. Preheat the oven to 350. Place the raisins in the water, and let soak for 2 - 3 hours or overnight.<br /><br />02. In a bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour through salt/stevia). Place the wet ingredients (beets through vanilla) in a blender or food processor and puree. Add the raisins and their water, and continue to process.<br /><br />03. Gently combine the wet with the dry. The batter will be a little thicker than what you might expect - i.e. not that "thin but viscous" texture typical of muffin batter, more full-bodied and scoopable. Don't worry about it.<br /><br />04. Fill a well-greased or paper-lined muffin tin all the way to the top with batter, smoothing out any little dips or swirls in your muffins. Then put the tray in the oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until done.<br /><br />05. LET THEM COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE DIGGING IN! Because they're fat free, their texture isn't quite the same as their fat-loaded counterparts. And just as regular muffins (or cookies or any other baked good...) aren't quite "set" when they come out of the oven - well, that's double-y true of these guys. Even though a toothpick will come out clean when they're ready, their texture will still seem a little mush-y. If you let them cool completely, though, you're in a whole new ball game.<br /><br />07. Enjoy with your best xvx buddies - perhaps with some almond butter and soymilk?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>EDITED TO ADD:</b> After re-making these a few times, I've discovered they are not very good the day of. Best to eat them after sitting on the counter overnight or after a few days in the freezer. Something about the flavors marrying or - gosh, I don't know; it just improves the texture and taste. Otherwise, these are a little strange.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-10989694526412998172009-10-14T05:39:00.000-07:002009-10-17T09:21:21.378-07:00Get Moving! 11 Reasons to Get (and Stay) Fit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3171673047_42453be01f.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3171673047_42453be01f.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>We all know we're supposed to exercise. Living in such a fat-phobic culture, how can we not constantly be reminded of it? In fact, we're SO reminded of it that we forget all the reasons to exercise which don't include "swimsuit season" or "attracting that perfect mate." (Tell me, how is my mate so perfect if they don't like me the size I am? Losing weight to attract partners just proves that size is subject to change, and I don't want to my "perfect mate's" affections to change with it!) Fitness is a common focus in both vegan and straight edge circles (and especially the xvx scene) because it's such a crucial part of healthy living, but folks within the vegan/straight edge scene can be just as apprehensive about exercise as the rest of the world. I think a large reason for that is our culturally linking exercise with aesthetics, which is pretty unfortunate. When it comes down to it, framing our fitness that way makes an active lifestyle about other people, not ourselves. It's about forcing our bodies to do something (manipulate weight to impress others) and not about seeing what our bodies can do for us (improve our overall quality of life). And yet, we're so saturated in these messages about our weight, do we even remember exercise's other benefits? Trust me, there are quite a few. So in no particular order, this is xveganx party's top eleven reasons to exercise. (I tried to make it ten, but I couldn't get the list smaller than eleven!):<br /><br /><b>01. Exercise enhances moods and reduces stress.</b><br />Anyone that's been treated for depression, anxiety, or a similar disorder knows that one of the first lifestyle changes a doctor or therapist will recommend is exercise. That's because exercise doesn't just release sweat; it also releases chemicals that make us feel good. This has been shown in both the short-run (that folks who exercise maintain a better mood for 4 - 12 hours immediately following a workout than those that don't) as well as the long-run. In fact, a <a href=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10547175?dopt=Abstract>recent study</a> proved exercise can be as effective as Zoloft in the long-run treatment of clinical depression. (The effects of Zoloft are much more immediate, though). Whether you're battling the blues or just need a little pick-me-up, exercise is an effective tool for stress management - and a pretty healthy alternative to other managers like alcohol - so hit the gym any time you're feeling down.<br /><br /><b>02. Exercise increases confidence.</b><br />A <a href=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1219806/Exercising-improves-body-image--shifted-pounds.html?ITO=1490>recent study</a> indicates that exercise improves confidence and overall body image. Surprisingly, the amount of exercising didn't matter; rather, the sheer act of exercising was enough to improve participants' self image <b>even if they didn't lose a single pound</b>. I've read similar studies that show people on weight loss plans that exercise feel more satisfied with themselves than folks who lose the same amount of weight just dieting. Maybe it's all those feel-good chemicals moving around, or maybe it's just the intellectual satisfaction of successfully completing a challenge. No matter the reason, exercise delivers some real ego-boosting results.<br /><br /><b>03. Exercise is one of the easiest ways to improve overall health.</b><br />Want to lower your blood pressure? Increase your metabolism? Reduce your risk of heart disease? Improve liver function? Increase oxygen circulation? Enhance nervous system feedback? Abolish various phantom aches and pains? Utilize calcium and other nutrients more efficiently? Do you want to do all this - AND MORE?!?! Just exercise!<br /><br /><b>04. Exercise regulates our immune systems.</b><br />Yes, so exercise keeps our bodies clean and improves its overall functionality. This is particularly good news for our immune systems. Exercise mobilizes our T cells, those little white blood cells that help the body fight infections, and gives a temporary boost to macrophages, the cells that attack bacteria. Immediately following a work out, our immune systems kick into over drive, too, though they generally return to normal later in the day. However, regular exercisers are able to prolong this effect, which multiple studies (like the one mentioned <a href=http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/injuryprevention/a/Ex_Immunity.htm>here</a> and another mentioned <a href= http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsdisease/a/immune_boost.htm>here</a>) have shown decreases how often exercisers are sick compared to their non-exercising counterparts. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/workout.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 390px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/workout.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><b>05. Exercise prevents muscle loss as we age.</b><br />Let's face it: aging is the extended version of fruit rotting on the counter. Slowly but surely, our bodies fall apart, and then we die. (How's that for a dose of posi in the morning?) BUT - while this may be a fact of life, we do have some control over how quickly this happens. As we age, our bodies stop utilizing protein as effectively, and we can't regulate insulin as well - both of which are CRUCIAL for building and maintaining muscle. (<a href=http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/uon-mt091109.php>study here</a>) Subsequently, our muscles begin to deteriorate, but with regular exercise, we counteract that. (<a href=http://hsibaltimore.com/2004/07/21/strong-muscles/>more evidence here</a>)<br /><br /><b>06. Exercise builds bone density.</b><br />In addition to losing our muscles, we also lose our bone density as we age, but study after study confirms that exercise - specifically, weight training - can counteract this, too. For instance, in <a href=http://www.naturalnews.com/010528_strength_training_bone_density_weight_training.html>one study</a>, there were two groups of elderly women: ones that weight trained twice a week and ones that didn't. After a year's time, the group that weight trained increased their bone density by 1% while the other group decreased it by as much as 3%. The former group also had better strength and balance, which is especially important as we age since stuff like walking in the snow gets a whole lot trickier...<br /><br /><b>07. Exercise keeps us feeling - and looking! - young.</b><br />Remember that rosy picture about rotting fruit and all that? It should be pretty clear by now that exercise is crucial to delaying that process - or at the very least, to preserving our quality of life. Think of our bodies like cars: if you change the oil regularly, do a tune up here and there, and don't constantly leave the lights on while the car's parked, then your car will likely last you a good long while. But if you miss even a few oil changes, you've blown your engine, and let's not even start on how quickly repairs pile up when just a few are forgotten. We ruin our bodies as effectively as we ruin our cars when we don't take care of them, so do yourself a favor, spare yourself the healthcare costs, and commit to regular exercise.<br /><br /><b>08. Exercise increases mental agility.</b><br />Because exercise increases blood flow, it's a no brainer that more blood is flowing to your brain. This improves its overall function, especially with regard to memory. <a href=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/11/991110061936.htm>Preliminary studies</a> also suggest that exercise helps repair and regenerate brain cells. In the short run, this means being more alert and intellectually present, but in the long run, this means that exercise may be a powerful tool in precluding alzheimer's and senility. <br /><br /><b>09. Exercise is great for the skin.</b><br />Three big reasons for skin problems: stress, hormones, and toxins. We know exercise reduces stress, but did you know that it regulates hormones, too? It also increases oxygen circulation, which improves overall waste elimination. You can use all the fancy face products and medications that you want, but the cheapest, easiest (and possibly most effective) way to get glowing skin is simply clean eating, proper hydration, and regular exercise.<br /><br /><b>10. Exercise regulates appetite.</b><br />Seriously, exercise regulates our appetites in all KINDS of ways. For starters, <a href=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211081446.htm>it can suppress appetite-stimulating hormones like grehlin</a>. Exercise also increases our insulin sensitivity, which better stabilizes our blood sugar. In turn, our bodies release energy in a controlled and consistent manner, and we have fewer cravings (chiefly junk ones). (Check out this video about exercise and insulin for more information: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/university-of-michigan/768-exercise-and-insulin-video.htm) Thus, if we regularly exercise, not only are we more likely to eat less, but we're also more likely make better food choices and avoid impulse eating. (If you want to read a little bit more about exercise, appetite, and why diets fail, <a href=http://ohsheglows.com>Oh She Glows</a> wrote a <a href=http://ohsheglows.com/2009/09/21/evolutionary-psychology-101-exercise-is-key/>really great post</a> about it.)<br /><br /><b>11. Exercise gives us energy.</b><br />I read somewhere that, if you're feeling run down, a little jogging or a few jumping jacks will perk you up as effectively as a power nap. Don't remember where I read that, but I do remember <a href=http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20061103/exercise-fights-fatigue-boosts-energy>a study</a> where every participant - young, old, fat, thin, sick, healthy - all reported improved energy levels after starting a regular exercise program. It may seem counter-intuitive that expending energy <i>gives</i> us energy, but there's something about getting that motor going that makes us want to keep going. In fact, morning exercisers consistently report that exercising in the A.M. gives them more energy and focus throughout the day than exercising at other times. Whouda thunk it?<br /><br /><center>+++</center><br />This list is pretty brief and generalized, but if it hasn't gotten the ball moving in your mind that exercise is about more than burning calories, I'm not sure what will. Plus, if you find something physically active that you actually enjoy doing, it won't feel like "exercise." It will genuinely feel FUN. Now why are you still sitting at the computer? Get up! in the gym! and work! on your fitness! (Does anyone but me still wiggle their butt to that song..?)<br /><br />Also, check back next week for tips on maintaining motivation as you begin or continue a workout plan.Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-19802517541500076082009-10-08T08:03:00.000-07:002009-10-08T08:21:48.024-07:00The XVX Party Approach to Halloween<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/pumpkin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 498px; height: 348px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/pumpkin.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Okay, so remember yesterday when I said I had a juicy post in the works? And that it involved a guest poster? WELL, it was going to be about Halloween, and I was going to have "the ghost of Emily Post" narrate it. (I had a little Emily Post ghost drawing and everything.) The thing is, I've never thrown a Halloween party, have no intention of throwing a Halloween party, and have no business posting during a time when the internet's so saturated with Halloween ideas that my post would be super lame by comparison. (LAME - but with that xvx party flare!) So instead, I want to show you some sites I thought had rad ideas. I may not be able to generate great content on this topic, but there's something to be said about knowing where to find it, eh? Eh?<br /><br />+ Last year, <a href=http://www.americanapparel.com>American Apparel</a> had a <a href=http://www.americanapparel.net/storefront/UGCStyle/Halloween08/>costume contest</a>. Even though it was a cheap promotional ploy, folks got pretty clever, and you could always replicate the ideas with non-AA clothing. Some of my favorites were <a href=http://www.americanapparel.net/storefront/UGCStyle/Halloween08/View.asp?e=1644>a solute to Mondrian</a> (can you tell I'm in art school...?), <a href=http://www.americanapparel.net/storefront/UGCStyle/Halloween08/View.asp?e=1956>muscle woman</a> (!!!), <a href=http://www.americanapparel.net/storefront/UGCStyle/Halloween08/View.asp?e=1902>Robin</a> (of Batman & Robin), these <a href=http://www.americanapparel.net/storefront/UGCStyle/Halloween08/View.asp?e=1734>Nickelodeon Guts & Double Dare competitors</a>, <a href=http://www.americanapparel.net/storefront/UGCStyle/Halloween08/View.asp?e=1211>weepy liberal Optimus Prime</a>, and <a href=http://www.americanapparel.net/storefront/UGCStyle/Halloween08/View.asp?e=1265>Wall-E & Eve</a>. They're having a contest this year, too, but it hasn't started yet. If I were going to do it, I'd dress in yellow long-johns and be that guy from <i>Mad Max</i> who... wears yellow long johns and hangs out with Mad Max. Ha.<br /><br /><br />+ Now where would all us budding crafsters and party planners be without <a href=http://www.theanticraft.com>The Anti-Craft</a>? Pretty much every "issue" offers an assortment of Halloween-friendly ideas, but the Halloween-specific ones are in the archives under "Samhein" - Gaelic for "end of summer." Personally, I've always held Anti Craft's pumpkins as a gold standard in carving because I would feel like king of the universe if I could make pumpkins like <a href=http://www.theanticraft.com/archive/samhain07/blackwidow.htm>this</a>. If you hate yourself or everyone you know, attempt <a href=http://www.theanticraft.com/archive/samhain08/papelpicado.htm>this Dia de los Meurtos paper table cloth</a>; you'll die in the process of making it, but everyone that looks at it will die from an inferiority complex.<br /><br /><br />+ One of my newest and favorite blogs is <a href=http://veryveganholiday.wordpress.com>A Very Vegan Holiday</a>, which is kind of similar to xvx party in that it's about veganism and hanging out. (I think the author is also straight edge/substance-free..!) While Andrea always offers photogenic and delicious recipes, her specialty is Halloween, and she really serves up some good seasonal ideas. I especially like her <a href=http://veryveganholiday.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/green-swamp-slime-fruit-kebobs/>Swamp Slim Kebobs</a> and <a href=http://veryveganholiday.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/mini-halloween-themed-pies/>mini Halloween pies</a>. Also check out her <a href=http://veryveganholiday.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/halloween-party-costume-contest-trophies/>costume contest trophies</a>. I don't think there ever was a more clever prize...<br /><br /><br />+ <a href=http://sparkpeople.com>Spark People</a> posted ideas on <a href=http://www.sparkpeopleservice.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=301>"not so tricky Halloween treats"</a> which takes the emphasis off food on Halloween. Most of their tips are geared towards people handing out candy to children or parents with trick-or-treaters, but I think these tips have broader applications, especially if you're hosting a small Halloween gathering. If you're hosting a larger gathering - or you're just looking for some healthier treats - I also like Spark People's ideas about <a href=http://www.sparkpeopleservice.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1218>Halloween candy</a>, especially since <i>all</i> of them are vegan. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/2920685523_b0199f4eb3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/2920685523_b0199f4eb3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />+ Speaking of vegan treats, if you've never checked out <a href=http://www.petakids.com/candy.html>PETA's classic Halloween candy list</a>, you ought to. It's a holiday-specific version of their feature <a href=http://www.peta.org/accidentallyVegan/>I Can't Believe It's Vegan!</a> (whose snack list offers even more sneaky vegan treats for the holidays). I'd also like to mention that as of sometime at the beginning of the year, Skittles went vegan. HOLY CRAPHOLE, RIGHT?!?! However, I still sometimes come across old Skittles bags at grocery stores, so before chowing down on every fun-size bag of Skittles (that doesn't have an ingredients list!), you might want to wait a year in hopes that all the gelatin-packed bags disappear from shelves. Because we all know: there's nothing's fun about gelatin.<br /><br /><br />+ The mother of all party blogs (though wayyyyyy too flashy/shopping/"look at me, I bought all the perfect little doo dads and whatnots that I'll never reuse, and I don't care because I have tons of MONEY!"-oriented for my tastes) <a href=http://hostesswiththemostess.com>Hostess with the Mostess</a> has some <a href=http://www.hostesswiththemostess.com/themes/halloween>very detailed Halloween party plans</a>. If details are the only thrill of party planning for you (we're talking picking out table cloths and the confetti to throw all over them, here), then this blog and its Halloween parties are for you! Even if you're not THAT committed to party planning (and really, who is?), there <i>are</i> some cool ideas - like these <a href=http://www.hostessblog.com/2009/10/spooky-spider-eggs-more-scary-good-halloween-treats-from-sunset-magazine/>"spooky" foods</a> and <a href=http://www.hostessblog.com/2009/09/midnight-moon-cake-spider-cupcakes-more-halloween-treats/>"creepy" cupcakes</a>.<br /><br /><br />+ Okay, this one is a cop out, but <a href=http://www.marthastewart.com>Martha Stewart</a> always has good holiday ideas. Check out her <a href=http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/our-favorite-costume-ideas?>"favorite" costumes</a> and her <a href=http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/no-sew-costumes?>no-sew costumes</a>. Both her <a href=http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/halloween-decorating?>indoor</a> and <a href=http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/outdoor-decorations-for-halloween?>outdoor</a> decorations are mostly easy and affordable and utilize everyday objects that a lot of us have on hand (or can scavenge from the right dumpsters). <br /><br /><br />+ <a href=http://creepycupcakes.blogspot.com/>Creepy Cupcake</a> is a blog that is not such a cop out. It's a year-round salute to all-things creepy, where every celebration has the sinister sensibility of a Halloween party. I especially like how Carrie Mae <a href=http://creepycupcakes.blogspot.com/2009/10/happy-halloween-unhappily-ever-after.html>updates another site's party ideas</a>, and check out her sick Halloween crafts like <a href=http://creepycupcakes.blogspot.com/2009/07/puffy-paint-webbitude.html>these puff paint spider webs</a>. For more Halloween goodies, be sure to look at her side bar, too. Her list of links is GREAT.<br /><center>+++</center><br />As for <i>my</i> Halloween tips... well, I haven't many. I like classic kids' games like bobbing for apples, goofy fortune-telling booths, ouija boards, seances, and homemade haunted houses. I also advise all you avid Halloween-sters to check out your local thrift stores around Halloween time because they always have TONNNNNS of Halloween stuff out - costumes, decorations, invitations, THE WORKS - and it's hella cheap. (I got some sweet ass Batman invitations at the Salvation Army last year for, like, fifty cents. Seriously, these things were EPIC.) If this post has inspired you, be sure to check out grocery stores and stuff for post-Halloween sales, too. Maybe you're not ready for a party this year, but there's always next year, right?<br /><br />Now be safe and have fun! What are your Halloween plans this year? WHAT ARE YOU DRESSING UP AS?!?!?Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-8942510719824755752009-10-07T17:38:00.000-07:002009-10-08T04:47:49.676-07:00Give Away?!?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.untoldentertainment.com/blog/img/2009_07_25/freeStuff.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.untoldentertainment.com/blog/img/2009_07_25/freeStuff.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I have a draft of a real entry in the works. It involves a guest, so hang onto your pantaloons. I also have my own give away in the works, but... uhh... I guess I'm nervous about it. WHAT IF NONE OF YOU WANT MY FREE GOODS???! I WILL BE CRUSHED! <i>CRUSHED!</i><br /><br />Anyway, <a href=http://mealsandmoves.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/hey-a-giveaway/>there's one rad give away here</a> for agave nectar and an agave cookbook. It's actually called xagave, but "x"-treme foods freak me out so I can't give into its "x"-factor. Regardless of this one's goofy marketing name, though, agave itself is pretty "x"-traordinary as far as sweeteners go. If you're unfamiliar with it, it's low on the glycemic index and a nutrition powerhouse compared to many other sweeteners. As a vegan, one of its best applications is as a honey substitute because the taste and texture is very similar. It's sweeter than sugar, too, so you can sub 3/4 c agave for every 1 c sugar in a recipe. HOWEVER, a cookbook would lay some good groundwork about baking with agave because that added moisture means reducing other liquids, which is the one salty thing about subbing agave: that little bit of guess work that goes in with it. Suffice it to say, this is a give away worth checking out. (Would I plug it if it weren't?)<br /><br />Also check out <a href=http://luckytastebuds.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/soy-i-giveaway-magical-froyo-biscotti>this rad give away</a> for Zen Soy pudding and soymilk. (It involves coming up with ice cream flavors. I love that!) I've never had Zen Soy's soymilk, but their pudding is A-MAZ-ING. Pudding is one of those things I didn't care much for as an omni or a vegetarian, but now that I'm vegan, it really turns my crank, and Zen Soy is THE brand for store bought vegan pudding. In fact, I'm tagging this as a review because I effin love that stuff so much. (Even though I hardly ever eat it. 'Cause it's expensive. Boo.)<br /><br />Speaking of foods that I prefer as a vegan, do <i>you</i> have foods that you like more now that you've gone through "the change?" (We're obviously talking veganism here, not puberty.) For me, chili was gross and egg nog and cheesecake were rich, but now that I'm vegan, I gobble that shit <i>down.</i>Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7925200040205843281.post-81438354761082635292009-10-01T20:22:00.000-07:002009-10-01T21:59:55.639-07:00Romance! Mayem! Excitement!: the XVX Guide to Dating<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/HU028468.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 370px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/__paperheart/HU028468.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />It recently occurred to me that I have been single for nearly a year. For a while, I was stuck in a state of serial monogamy: back to back to back relationships forcibly stretched across spans of time they hadn't the strength to endure. But luckily, I've finally broken that cycle. The interim hasn't been completely devoid of sexual tension and sultry winks, though; certainly, I've had affections lavished upon me and I've lavished my affections upon certain boys. At first, my excuse for remaining single was, "I'm on the rebound!" but now I'm at a point where I'm actively choosing to be single. The fact of the matter is, I'm too old and too busy to get wrapped up in anyone that I don't have a serious connection with, and I can't make a serious connection if certain needs aren't met. I <i>need</i> a partner that feels equally strongly about eating healthy, staying sober, being fit, and not calling the cops. However, I <i>want</i> someone that stinks as bad as me, swears as much as me, and smiles twice as many times a day. And I also want someone with a real keen sense of romance.<br /><br />I gotta say, most boys just don't fit the bill. They do not know how to properly woo smelly and smart specimens of my extraordinarily high caliber! It's not like I desire to be doted on or squired around town to flashy events and hip places to be seen, but yeah, I want some flim-flammin' effort from dudes giving me the eye. Now, I'm not throwing this out there as some gender prescription a la, "I AM A GIRL AND THIS IS HOW BOYS ARE SUPPOSED TO TREAT GIRLS!" I think this effort should go both ways, and I expect this as much from myself as I do from my theoretical partners. This lack of interesting romance isn't something I've seen exclusively in the male sex, but I complain about it in these terms because I am attracted to male-bodied people and this has been my experience of them. However, today I am introducing some xvx party ideas about <b>romance!</b> and <b>seduction!</b>, and I want them to be employed across all gender lines. <br /><br />Because seriously, all of us should be asking more of ourselves in our romantic encounters. Are we really so lukewarm towards the objects of our affections that we can't come up with creative ways to spend time together and express how we feel? <i>Hello,</i> these are the folks that make us say stupid things in otherwise effortless interactions because we're so distracted by how wonderful they are! They make our hearts explode, and we offer them what? Flowers? Candies? Dinners? Movies? <i>Valentine's Day?</i> Puh-lease. I say, death to these cliches! Today, we are getting elbow-deep in romance - the xvx party way:<br /><br /><br /><center><b>THE WAY TO A (WO)MAN'S HEART</b></center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3461768494_83e6c590c6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 379px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3461768494_83e6c590c6.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>You know what's fuckin' rad? Scavenger hunts. Scavenger hunts are fuckin' rad. I don't know why we stopped talking about them after age ten, especially since their applications in romance are soooo myriad. When I was in high school, I wanted to ask a boy to be "official" with me, so I made him a scavenger hunt that led to me, and then I asked him. Fuckin' rad, right? You <i>wish</i> you had such an awesome partner - but wait! YOU COULD BE THAT AWESOME PARTNER. Looking for some way to celebrate an anniversary? Scavenger hunt that visits important places from the relationship! Looking for a way to ask your partner to move in? Scavenger hunt that leads to a key to your apartment! Looking for a way to say "I love you?" Scavenger hunt that leads to a big cake with "I love you" on it. (Okay, that is actually very tacky, but c'mon, it has sooo much more visual impact than, like, a heartfelt letter hidden in some bushes. Plus, a lot of cake really is from the heart. Lovin' fresh from the oven, right?) There are a million different ways to do it and a million different reasons to do it, so get creative and make a flim-flammin' scavenger hunt! Your sweetheart is <b>guaranteed</b> to be overwhelmed by your effort (in a good way, of course), and you will be admired by all as A Real Cassanova.<br /><br /><br /><center><b>HOT FOR TEACHER</b></center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/2844134463_e3967d490e.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/2844134463_e3967d490e.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Teach your lover about something interesting or important to you. If you've both wanted to learn plant identification, spend some time at the library researching regional botany, then take the apple of your eye on a plant walk (perhaps one that concludes in a <a href=http://xveganxparty.blogspot.com/2009/08/pick-your-picnic.html>picnic</a>?) Maybe your significant other has expressed an interest in your mother's apple pie recipe, so go apple picking and then make the pie together. Surprise them with a rink-a-dink bike from the thriftstore, and teach them how to fix the flat tire so you can ride into the sunset together. Sharing is caring, and nothing's sexier than a big beautiful brain imparting a little wisdom. Plus, it's an excellent way to get to know someone or make a a real memory if you're in the early stages of <i>courting</I>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><b>GREAT FIRST DATE</b></center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3616/3635373449_dd264da044_m.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3616/3635373449_dd264da044.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>I don't like to promote anything that requires a lot of money here on xvx party. I want to cultivate my life and my relationships in as much opposition to commodities and their fetishization as possible, and I want to suggest recipes and activities that are by and large accessible to anyone and everyone. That all being said, I've always thought laser tag would make an epic first date. Flirtatious overtones to every shot fired, chasing your crush through dimly lit passages and secret stairways, comradely kissing at the end of the merciless slaughter (for in laser tag, you must show NO MERCY!): it's so playfully romantic. Plus, if your date turns out to be a competitive hot head or a thrill-kill that refuses to revisit childhood wonder and excitement, then it's a good thing you find out sooner rather than later. I suspect paint ball could be substituted for laser tag. (Does that scene from <i>10 Things I Hate About You</i> ring any bells..?) Loser buys/makes dinner.<br /><br /><br /><center><b>ULTIMATE POWER COUPLE</b></center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2063/2125126374_baa19813f7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 410px; height: 261px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2063/2125126374_baa19813f7.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>You and Madame/Monsieur Fabulous are engaged. One of you has just landed a record deal/part in a movie/big account at an advertising firm/something fancy and ridiculous. Attire yourselves in ensembles appropriate to your back story, then spend an afternoon touring obscenely large houses you will never be able to afford. Tell realtors uncomfortable accounts of how you met ("Well, we were both at this abortion clinic, and..."), kiss copiously in closets, and rearrange the contents of people's bathroom cabinets. Make grande proclamations about your future, deem things too small or too simple for your tastes, and talk about how this room or that detail could affect your life. ("You know, this carpet is exactly like the one I lost my virginity on. I foresee a lot of memories being made in this room...") Afterwards, assume your normal identities and spend the evening cozied up in each other's arms, glad to be who you are in this moment in time.<br /><br /><br /><center><b>PROM NIGHT... REVISITED</b></center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/501319185_350a086001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 432px; height: 288px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/501319185_350a086001.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Remember the thrill and anxiety of teen dances (and all their ensuing implications for teen love)? Okay, me neither - but I've seen a lot of it in eighties coming-of-age films, and you and your partner are going to recreate that. Dress to impress as you hit the town for this updated approach to a classic cultural experience. Show up at your partner's house with a homemade corsage, boutonniere, or bouquet, and have a roommate take some precious memory photos at the front door. (Don't forget to smile BIG!) Go out to eat at a restaurant with cloth napkins, and be sure to tell everyone who will listen that tonight is a "special night" and that you're both very excited about "the big dance." Gossip copiously and hold hands. Order one dessert with two spoons/forks/straws, and say, "You get the last bite." "No, you do." "No, you do." - until your server looks agitated. Pay for dinner, and be sure to leave a big tip - partially because you should always do this but also so your date knows how classy you are. This <i>is</i> prom night, after all; you're totally hoping to get lucky. Now, since high school is long behind you, your "prom" could be anything - anything from sitting under stars recounting the horrors and hilarities of those awkward teen years to shaking tail feathers and legs and other whatnots at some discotech. Just be sure to be home by curfew. (Unless, of course, you got a hotel room because you were THAT sure that you'd get lucky...) Bonus points if you/your partner clearly cannot pass for a teen anymore. Ditto if you/your partner pretends to be pregnant.<br /><br /><br /><center><b>CHECK ME OUT AT THE LIBRARY</b></center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/359117418_67b0927d0b_m.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 364px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/359117418_67b0927d0b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Books are hot, and what better way to turn each other on than a day at the library. Ask your partner to show you their favorite picture books from childhood. Walk through all the aisles, and point out your favorite authors, books you just read, and books you plan to read. Pick a book to share and then spend the rest of the day in bed reading it to each other. Cuddle, kiss, nap... When evening approaches, try a recipe from a cookbook you found at the library - maybe prepare it while listening to a library CD? Climb back into bed, and pop in something absurd or obscure you found hidden in the library DVDs. Cuddle, kiss, fall asleep: a perfect end to a perfect day.<br /><br /><br /><center><b>FAVORITE DAY</b></center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2038/1925101020_d4853f7ed5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 335px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2038/1925101020_d4853f7ed5.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Speaking of favorites, another great way to get to know each other is to spend a day unveiling favorites. And if you already know your partner well, what better way to celebrate that than by making a day out of all those things they love (because, you know, <i>you</i> love <i>them</i>). There are so many things in this world to appreciate: places, foods, people, restaurants, books, artists, smells... Try to be creative in how you share these things with each other. If your favorite flower is lilac, give your partner a massage with lilac-infused oil. If your partner's favorite food is <a href=http://xveganxparty.blogspot.com/2009/02/let-them-eat-scones.html>scones</a>, why not surprise them with a few fresh ones and a side of tea in bed to begin your favorites day? Sharing favorites is an excellent way to open each other up and create joy. It doesn't matter whose favorites you're experiencing because joy is infectious and it will travel between the two of you. If you make a day of favorites, it will easily be one of your favorite memories together.<br /><br /><br /><center><b>THE LITTLE THINGS</center></b><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/3569556981_e426c453d2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/3569556981_e426c453d2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Romance and excitement don't always have to involve grande gestures. Sometimes subtlety is just as tender, so think of little ways to make your partner smile unexpectedly. Hide smutty notes in their lunch box, or scribble sweet nothings and stuff them in the jeans they'll wear tomorrow. Stick a post-it on the inside of their medicine cabinet so the next time they retrieve their vitamins, they see, "You are the cutest vegan toot machine, and I hope you are having a good day!" Trace "hot stuff" on their car window in the winter so they'll see it when the heat comes on. Not only does it show you care, but it frees your partner from the routines of every day life (if only for a moment). Aww, aren't you the sweetest.<br /><br /><br />What about you? Have you ever done something particularly thoughtful or romantic for a partner (or potential partner)? What's something romantic someone has done for you? What's your idea of a hot date or a sickly-sweet romantic gesture?Miccohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12654050179014229956noreply@blogger.com4