Lots to share from this week's activities:
One of my new year's resolution was to walk 10,000 steps/day. I chose this goal for many reasons: health, being more green, training for the Avon Walk. This week, I reached my goal all but 2 days. I walked to school (2 miles) and back 3 of the days. On those days, my car was off the road. I also walked to several errands. My challenge to you: Try to do just one errand on foot. It can be quite easy, healthful, and helpful to the Earth!
Yesterday, I made vegan donuts! It was so nice to be able to have a donut! I haven't had any since becoming vegan. Not that that is a bad thing, since they are really not good for me anyway, but once in awhile... Here is a link to the recipe, along with many other great recipes:
http://haymarket8.blogspot.com/search/label/donuts%20%28basic%29
I didn't frost them, but instead rolled them in cinnamon and sugar. Yum!
One other recommendation I have is for a frozen food product:
Vegetarian Plus Vegan Black Pepper Steaks
Okay, so it's backwards, but it gives you an idea of what the package looks like. I think I bought it in Whole Foods, but it could have been Stop and Shop. They were delicious!!!!! The texture was good, and unlike meat, it had no grissle nor fat. The sauce was so yummy; I even used my veggies to soak up every last drop! I would even serve these to my non-vegan friends.
Tonight I made fresh butternut squash from the garden! I still have one more left. How cool is that in the middle of winter! Remind me of this next year when I am complaining about all the work the garden is. I also remembered to put the potatoes, that were left at the end of the season and have been sitting in paper bags in my garage, into a box and cover them with sand. Perhaps they will be seed potatoes for next year's crop, and maybe not, but at least I tried!
Now, how could that have anything to do with being a green, vegan gardener, you ask? Well...
The most green option for travel to Disney is probably air travel, but I just couldn't do it, so Amtrak it is. It is both quicker and greener than driving.
And, research has proven that Disney can accommodate vegans. They now offer Rice Dream and Tofutti at the ice cream concessions! They have vegan cookies called Divvies at the parks. And, there is a fantastic chef, Chef T. J., at Ohana in the Polynesian Hotel who prepares a vegan feast!
Lastly, the garden...Well, that was probably the hardest part. I had to arrange a garden sitter, well, really a cat sitter that can also watch the garden.
This year, in an effort to help others save time, I am going to try to blog about three things that I have become passionate about: being "green", living a vegan life, and becoming more self-sufficient through gardening. I plan to offer stories about my successes and failures in these three ventures and present little tips and tricks that I think could prove useful to others.
"Green" Tip: I have just discovered Freecycle. It is a wonderful online community for turning one person's junk into another person's treasure. I have used it this week to help clean out my garage and shed, and am so happy that my items are not only NOT going into a landfill, but that someone else is being able to use them and get joy from that!
Vegan Tip: Last night, I made vegan Rice Krispie squares, and they came out great. I used the Kellogg's recipe, left-over margarine from Christmas cookie baking (not Earth Balance, just something cheap and vegan I got at Stop and Shop---next batch will be with Earth Balance, though.) I did not use Rice Krispies, but instead used Erewhon Organic Crispy Brown Rice, and I used Dandies Marshmallows. I got both the cereal and marshmallows at Whole Foods Market. It took a long time for the marshmallows to melt, but perhaps I was just a little impatient because I had a friend coming over and wanted to finish before she got here. Both I & she thought they tasted great.
Gardening: I got nothing. (December was a vacation from the garden month.) But, stay tuned. Soon I will be preparing for next year's crop.
Happy New Year! I hope you found this information helpful!
Laura
