Last week I made Vegan Chilli.

It seems like everybody I know was making Chili last weak. I made a huge pot of this Vegan Chili and it lasted me all week long! The "meat" is soy protein crumbles (TVP/TSP).

And here's the recipe I used: Vegan Chili

Meatless Monday Challenge!

I decided to participate in a weekly "Meatless Monday" challenge. It's only a week late, but here's last Monday's food:

Breakfast = a green smoothie made with apple, banana, kale, lemon, and other fruits and veggies.

Lunch = Mikan, Salad with boiled veggies and avocado (homemade vinaigrette), and homemade Vegan Chilli

Dinner=  I had the same Vegan Chilli with brown rice for dinner. It was nice and hearty!

It's time for a change.

It's the start of a new year, and the start of a new me. I'm making this year the best one I've ever had, because I'm working on myself, loving myself, respecting myself, and enjoying myself. For starters, I'm  dedicating this year to getting healthy in every aspect of the word! There's nothing I can't do if I have the health and energy to do it. But there's NOTHING I CAN DO if I am tired, in pain, and unhappy with my body! So here's my plan:

• Daily Smoothies for breakfast and as snacks.
• Cram as many kinds and colors of veggies as possible in each day.
• Experiment with Vegetarian, Vegan, Macrobiotic, and Raw Food recipes.
• Exercise!! Exercise!! Exercise!! (several times a week)
• Give my self permission to do the things I love without regret! (art, gardening, friends, etc.)
• Spend more time with friends!
• Cultivate a positive attitude!
• Actively listen to my body!
• Start meditating to calm my mind.
• Let it go. Let it go. Let it go!

You can help rescue animals from the nuclear zone in Fukushima!

My friend Isabella Gallaon-Aoki routinely drives up to the evacuation zone and tsunami-afflected areas of Fukushima on the weekends to rescue stray and forgotten pets. She brings them back to Niigata where they are housed, fed, healed, spayed/neutered, and re-homed. Since the tsunami, she has steadily built new cages to house these poor victims of the Fukushima tsunami. The new shelter spaces, vet bills and food cost quite a bit of money, as you can imagine. Would you like to help her out? You can contribute by chipping in to help pay for ongoing recue work! And also by visiting Animal Friends Niigata Facebook page.  

The Why Series: Phoebe Gloeckner

I just LOOOVE this interview with Phoebe Gloeckner talking about why she is an artist and how she creates. I felt like I got a sense of her as a person as well as an artist. She is totally keepin' it real.

Perfect for Fall: Chicken and pumpkin soup

Now that it is not so hot, I was able to make this really great soup in my crockpot. It has chicken thighs, onions, pumkin, sweet potato, chicken broth and milk. Add bay leaf and fresh rosemary, and a little salt and pepper. You can thicken it up even more by adding mushrooms and burdock root. Serve with hot rice (asian style) or crusty French bread like my Mama does. Bon Appetite!