A-ruggalach

It’s sunny,It’s snowy,

And it’s semi-warm for this time of year.

30 F?

But,

dancing > running

every time.

So I popped a date or two and hauled tire to BodyJam class at the gym, despite the slick roads.

So worth it! I’ll take body rolls over jog sprints anyday.

We have company tonight, so I stopped by the grocery to get some essentials for a vegan dinner: avocados, mixed greens, and vegetable broth, and crackers. Yeah, we’re cool as cucumbers over here!

Then, breakfast:

1/3 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup pumpkin, 1/4  persimmon, 1/2 banana, 1/4 tsp ginger, cloves, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, shredded coconut, sunflower seed butter

Phew!

With a little bit of agave nectar, which Mom was so nice to include in my stocking (!)

(except I can’t open it correctly. help?)

Still playing with the new DSLR:

I was going to sit down and read the manual, but among my other cracked-out behaviors today, I realized I had to be at work. Like, pronto.

So instead of preparing the acorn squash and apple soup I had planned for our guests tonight (I was so excited; one of our guests is a fellow (graduated) religion major and vegan), my mom made a soup and salad combo while I was at work.

Salad: mixed greens, avocado, apple, walnuts

Soup: diced tomatoes, veggie broth, carrots…other delicious vegan things?

Much better than any canned tomato soup, that’s for sure.

I did manage to capture dessert:

Ruggalach!

If you’ve never had this Jewish dessert, you must try it.

Screw that “it’s only dessert if it involves chocolate rule.” Raisins are really tasty, mmk?

Mom found it at the grocery, but fresh from the bakery would be amazing. Remind me to find a Jewish bakery and pick up some challah bread while I’m at it. Yum.

It’s not vegan- it contains cream cheese- but it sure is tasty. Maybe I’ll attempt it soon?

And then I’ll serve it with arugula salad so I can say, “Tonight we have arugula and aruggalach…”

Oy vey.

Let it snow, just a little bit more.

Oh, come on. Really?

If it’s going to be cold, I want there to be snow.

I want these Uggs to become want they were born to be:

snow-crunching, fluff-lined defenders of my toes against deep blankets of snow.

It’s already late enough in December that our friend at the farmstand gives us all the apples for free.

Until then, I’ll just cook warm things and stare out the window.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Oats, inspired by Holly!

1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup soy milk, 1/4 cup pumpkin, a smattering of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1 T sunflower seed butter. The spices made it! So goooey and delicious.

Sadly, you can’t just savor oatmeal and watch for snow all day. I looked for it while hiking, too, and I found some…but it didn’t last.

Back to more warmth!

I just bought my first bunch of kale a few days ago, and I’ve had so much fun playing with it. This time, I steamed it for a salad…

sauteed some mushrooms, black beans, and garlic to go with…

and yum.But the crown jewel of this warm food day?

Complete with healthy additions of whole wheat penne, whole wheat breadcrumbs, greek yogurt, cauliflower, and lowfat mozzarella…

Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta Bake, from Callieflower Kitchen.

This passed the family test, which I am so grateful for, especially because:

1. I realized I had eaten the last plain greek yogurt yesterday. So I used 2 containers of strawberry greek yogurt, leaving out the fruit on the bottom and hoping that the strawberry flavour wouldn’t peek through.

2. In interest of convenience, I used the shredded mozzarella in the fridge instead of the cheddar the recipe called for. Why do I never remember that mozz doesn’t spread as well as chedd when melted?

Doi. Still great warm food.

 

But I still want snow.