Giggle Baby

Remember when I told you that I heard one little laugh the other day? Well we got a few more and I even managed to capture them on video - taping blindly with the left hand while attempting to tickle with the right hand. Let Charlotte make your day a little brighter... (please excuse the drool on the shirt!)

Life's Big Questions

I'm learning that there are some central themes to being the parent of a baby and one of the dominating ones is this:


Do I inhale my food now and get to eat it hot, or do I do X, Y, or Z (random but urgent baby-related thing) first and then eat it cold, but slowly and without indigestion??


There is no right answer.

The War of Art

I'm currently reading the book The War of Art by Steven Pressfield and I'm not being hyperbolic by saying that it is absolutely life changing. It's very easy to read since the book is broken down into chapters that are only a page or two long. And there is so much wisdom that the book should not even be picked up unless you have a pen in your hand to underline all of the ideas that speak to you. And please don't be scared off by the subtitle that includes the word "creative." In this context "creative" does not mean that the book is for painters, it refers to absolutely anything that you love and feel passion for.

The tenet of the book is this:

"Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance."

If you have ever laid in bed at night daydreaming about other possibilities for yourself (and I would be absolutely floored if someone genuinely had never done that) then go buy this book. It's not in any way a motivation book (that very phrase makes me shutter for all kinds of reasons), it's far more genuine than that.

Here's a chapter in the book about criticism that was one of the many passages that made me think "Yes! You are so smart Steven Pressfield!!" As the saying goes, everyone's a critic, but I'm sure you know people who have elevated that trait to a very unlikable art form. And on the other hand, hopefully you have had the joy of encountering someone who is so happy and pleased with their own life and their own path that they seem totally disinterested in the judgment of other people's lives.

So whether you apply this passage to yourself, a coworker, a family member, or a friend, I hope it provides a little insight that you didn't have yesterday. Or maybe it'll serve as a good reminder for something you already knew. Either way, enjoy...


Resistance and Criticism

If you find yourself criticizing other people, you're probably doing it out of Resistance. When we see others beginning to live their authentic selves, it drives us crazy if we have not lived out our own.



Individuals who are realized in their own lives almost never criticize others. If they speak at all, it is to offer encouragement. Watch yourself. Of all the manifestations of Resistance, most only harm ourselves. Criticism and cruelty harm others as well.




Passage from pg. 38 of The Art of War by Steven Pressfield.

Body Poll

I ran across a great poll in Glamour magazine the other day that I thought we could repeat here. It's been a while since we've done a blog poll and I hope I still have enough readers left to participate! As always, feel free to comment anonymously. Also, don't feel like you have to complete the sentence with just one word. Most of the magazine answers were a sentence or two and they were all SO fascinating.



My Body Is... (and you can't say anything negative!)

Home Grown Tomatoes presents: Football Seasoned

Caramel Popcorn

Home Grown Tomatoes is a weekly Vegan/Vegetarian column
by Giovanina Bucci

Well it's official, we've winterized our house and succumbed to turning our heat on. We were going to try and at least make it until Thanksgiving, but alas, when Beau could see his breath this morning inside, he decided that the battle had been officially lost. Which brings me to today's post - we're going for comfort, my friends. Pure, unadulterated, extra junk in my trunk, wintery comfort. Not to mention, it's football season. What better way to watch others exert energy than with a giant bowl of homemade caramel popcorn at your fingertips? And if you think you can make a nice big batch of this stuff and maintain portion control - you're fooling yourself.

Popping your own popcorn (uh hum...not in the microwave) is insanely entertaining. Or I'm easily entertained, which very well could be the case. Between that darling little popping noise and the aroma, it's a nostalgic combination I'm happy to delve into on a Sunday afternoon.

Servings: Dive in, selfishly...

1 C. popcorn kernels

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Directions for popping popcorn are always on the container - but I've found this to be a perfect ratio of kernels to oil. I turn the stove on medium high heat, use our 10 quart pot with a breathable lid and go to town, making sure to shake the pot every minute or so, in order to maintain an even coat of oil among the kernels.

Once your popcorn is popped, you can begin the process of making the caramel sauce. A caramel sauce WITHOUT corn syrup - can you even imagine?!

3/4 C. brown sugar

3/4 C. white sugar (Most often, I have organic, cane sugar on hand)

1/4 C. Grade B Maple Syrup

1/4 C. honey

3 Tbs. butter

3 Tbs. water

1 tsp. vanilla

Bring all ingredients to a boil for 8-10 minutes and then pour over popcorn. I do this right in the 10 quart pot, stirring to make sure all of the kernels are coated evenly. Once coated, spread the, now caramelly, popcorn on a sheet of wax paper. Give it about 15 minutes to set up and then DIG IN! In my rare moments of non vegan baking, I like to add chunks of candy bars to cakes, cookies, etc. I'm assuming this combination would be borderline illegal. But, can you imagine biting into a half melted bit of Snickers amongst crunchy caramel popcorn? Not to mention, you could also add nuts or chocolate to kick things up a notch as well.

Also, I'm sure you could use agave syrup or agave nectar in place of maple syrup (due to costliness) or in place of honey (due to hard coreness of being vegan). Regardless, indulge and enjoy!!

Could NOT be more hooked

About a month ago I was sitting on my sister-in-law's couch and saw this clip. I realize that for many people this is what hell looks and sounds like, but in my world this is exactly what heaven looks like.






Glee
Wednesdays on Fox!*




*Um... Fox didn't pay me to post this. I just really love musical theater THAT much!

Home Grown Tomatoes presents: Taking the Heavy out of Cream

Cream of Celery Soup

Home Grown Tomatoes is a weekly Vegan/Vegetarian column

by Giovanina Bucci

Obviously, posting recipes requires cooking and it SHOULD require eating, but alas, I am here on the penultimate day of the Master Cleanse, salivating instead. And to top things off, I planned our Thanksgiving menu this week - what the hell was I thinking?! Clearly, I wasn't. But enough about the silly predicaments I put myself into and onto the Cream of Celery soup that filled Beau's belly for a few a days.

We're big fans of celery in our house; we use it for dipping in all kinds of goodies, most often homemade hummus and peanut butter. (Because celery and peanut butter make me feel like I'm nine again, which is a good thing with a birthday around the corner). Every time either one of us goes to the grocery store, we come home with celery, unknowing whether or not we actually need it. As a result, the moment was bound to arrive whereby celery was literally leaking out of every crevice in our refrigerator. I took all of the "not quite firm enough to dip anymore" celery and went to town, and produced a pleasingly, creamy, perfect-for-a-November-day, soup. And so it goes...

Serving Size: 4 bowls, 6 or so cups (I actually have no idea, this is an estimate)

3 heaping Tbs. Earth Balance Butter

1 medium sized yellow onion (diced)

4-5 large stalks celery (diced)

3 small red potatoes (diced)

1-2 Tbs. Bragg's Liquid Aminos

3 c. (or more, depending on the consistency you enjoy) Rice Milk (or other milk product, you could even do half Veg. broth here)

3-4 Tbs. Tofutti Sour Supreme

1-2 Tbs. Tofutti Cream Cheese

1/2 tsp. celery seed

1/2 tsp. onion powder

dash of white pepper

dash of red pepper flakes (optional)

garnish with spring onion (if you're feeling spunky)

Saute the white onion in the butter and Bragg's on medium high heat until the onion is translucent, or better yet, until the onion is caramelized. Then add the diced potatoes, let them saute for about five minutes, so they begin to get a bit tender. Don't hesitate to add some milk at this point, if it seems like your pan needs some moisture. Finally, add the celery and about 1/2 c. of milk and let all three veggies tenderize for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

At this point, turn the heat down to medium low, add the rest of your milk, sour cream, and cream cheese. (If you're a vegetarian, you can use heavy cream for this recipe and nix the sour cream and cream cheese. Personally, I use sour cream and cream cheese as thickening agents in vegan soups, not to mention they do add a nice punch of flavor.) To top things off, add the celery seed, onion powder and white pepper and let the soup simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Finally, puree the soup to give it a thick and hearty consistency. After I've done this, I usually let the soup simmer on low heat for about 5 more minutes. Add those red pepper flakes if you're into a bit of heat and give it a taste test. I tend to go big on herbs and spices, more often than not, I find myself adding a touch more of this and a tad more of that. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, thinly sliced celery (1" in length) and chopped green onion. Then pour yourself a nice glass of red wine, bundle up with a blanket, and enjoy a perfect, cozy November day.