tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81056173399634642402011-10-03T10:54:53.335-05:00Laurennoreply@blogger.comBlogger721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-31137386019335670262010-12-19T22:13:00.000-06:002010-12-19T22:13:25.866-06:00

Ok, let's forget about Christmas for about ten minutes. I'm jumping a little ahead here, but I'm all 'Christmased Out' at the moment. I've heard one too many holiday songs, so to speak. I want to start talking about goals for 2011. Big goals, little goals and everything in between. Goal 1:Become a master at cooking brunch. Afterall, it is my favorite meal of the day. Example A:   Make phenomenal

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-81987401825831401172010-11-14T17:30:00.001-06:002010-11-14T17:38:24.577-06:00

As most of you already know, I am a full blown Southern Girl. Being a vegetarian in the South basically means you're missing out on most foods you grew up with. With that said, I've pretty much kept it my goal to change just that! Last week, while looking for a gumbo recipe, I stumbled upon this Jambalaya recipe and decided to give it a whirl. If you're not familiar, Jamabalaya is a traditional

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-45468019180754100552010-11-01T21:07:00.000-05:002010-11-01T21:07:09.703-05:00

This weekend Kenny and I drove down to New Orleans for a wedding he was standing in. The weather was beautiful, the friends were great, and the parties were a blast. Saturday afternoon, I took a street car (trolley) into the French Quarter and decided to take a scenic walk and do a little window shopping by myself before I got dressed for the wedding. I strolled down the sidewalk and enjoyed

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-75209698879946918862010-10-05T22:48:00.000-05:002010-10-05T22:48:21.536-05:00

It seems I've ignored my blog for five (5!!) months. Well, I've had a barely experimental summer in my kitchen. Quite possibly because our new apartment has the smallest kitchen imagineable. That alone makes it pretty hard to stay motivated about a blog such as mine. (I've already made a mental note to be more picky about kitchen size next time we move). But, the truth of it all is that I've been

Laurennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-31382108349930900722010-05-10T10:51:00.001-05:002010-05-10T10:55:10.428-05:00

"Essential Fatty Acids" sounds like something you almost want to avoid. Truth be told, Fat+Acids=good. And here's why: All the hype about Fish Oil and Flax Seed Oil is actually for good reason. Though, one day I'll have to get on my soap box to tell you all how I really feel about "hype" and nutrition (i.e. fiber bars & acai berry) ...perhaps we should make that one day very soon because I'm

Laurennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-352133258181569282010-05-01T10:25:00.002-05:002010-05-01T10:27:34.833-05:00

Let's just say I've been a bit pre-occupied... Meet Hobbes8 Weeks OldMale TabbyLikes: Playing "Red Mouse" & "Bitey Hand"Dislikes:  His own tail Potty-trained, neutered, microchipped and adopted from a local shelter. I'm in love. I'm also going to get a water gun. Hobbes enjoys climbing K's record player.... Strangely enough, even though I now have the tiniest kitchen ever, I've actually

Laurennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-4213789537458781802010-04-19T19:38:00.000-05:002010-04-19T19:38:23.915-05:00

I have officially moved, and apologize for my 2+ week lapse. I did not  forget about you guys...Nor did I forget about healthy eating- though the latter has been questionable. I currently have a chickpea soup on the stove, which is unfortunately one of very few things that has been cooked in this new apartment. I need to tell you that my kitchen is as small as a hallway bathroom. Cabinet space...

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-71563182497264617392010-03-27T18:40:00.000-05:002010-03-27T18:40:41.914-05:00

For the last year, K and I have been trying to sort through things and get rid of stuff. Give it away, sell it, whatever--we wanted to minimize our belongings. We wanted to be portable. We wanted to be able to pick up and move or travel or go back for our Masters. We wanted to feel like we had that kind of freedom. We wanted to always be able to fit our belongings into a one bedroom apartment if

Laurennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-41657996092316013642010-03-20T16:33:00.000-05:002010-03-20T16:33:52.753-05:00

Believe it or not, sometimes sleepiness is not necessarily a symptom of something that we need to run out and have checked. Sometimes, it's just a good reason to curl up on your couch and relax. Pretend that you have nothing else important to do, and just nap. This is not something that I find diffucult...or ever have for that matter. I used to come home from high school and nap on the regular.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-5911017313839646092010-03-11T19:10:00.061-06:002010-03-11T23:23:07.005-06:00

I got home from work today and opened up my mail. Nothing exciting...except for a calendar that informed me that daylight savings time begins March 14th. Can I express to you how happy I am? Do you have any idea how much I miss the sunshine?? The days of 8pm sunsets are my favorites. It reminds me of being a kid- riding my bike after dinner and only coming in to bathe and go to bed. Exciting

Laurennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-46264837908533608312010-03-01T12:44:00.003-06:002010-03-01T13:04:57.025-06:00

I applaud myself for peeling away for a few days. We stayed with K's best friend in this beautiful country home for the weekend, and I couldn't be happier about it. I'm convinced there is not a better place to go to get away from the nasties. When I say "nasties", I mean: Work, City Life, Gross Air, Technology, and lack of nature. K calls his time away the "Re-acclimation". I couldn't agree more.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-77766423722026169622010-02-22T22:14:00.000-06:002010-02-22T22:14:57.989-06:00

Honestly, there is very little I enjoy about winter. One of the better things that comes of it are Japanese Magnolias. (No offense, Pansies). I should also mention that I stole these from my neighbor's yard. I think it's okay, since he's out of town. Someone should enjoy them right? Photos by Yours Truly ;) There is Nothing you can see that is not a flower;There is nothing you can think that is

Laurennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-77355470277721101232010-02-20T17:45:00.000-06:002010-02-20T17:45:36.448-06:00

Today was the first day in months that I've been able to enjoy sunshine. Today is the first day in months that the temperature has gotten up to 70 degrees! Rather than spend the day dusting, cleaning, grocery shopping or cooking, K and I spent most of the day on a blanket in the park. A good book and a fresh salad later, the ducks in the pond were...drowning each other?  (So I'm worriedly crying

Laurennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-42260487570263294152010-02-14T12:47:00.001-06:002010-02-14T12:48:41.363-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day bloggy world! I don't usually get into V-Day but it's a pretty good reminder to tell someone you love them. Single or with someone- you can share the love either way!  Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Pancake Mix. I made mine with almond milk, strawberries, bananas, a touch of love, and maple syrup. K was pretty impressed with my pancake letters. "If you fail to express yourself

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-8259349780917210192010-02-06T18:17:00.000-06:002010-02-06T18:17:21.526-06:00

I feel like I should precede this post with an update on our dairy, soy, gluten-free diet: K has introduced dairy back into his diet and so far, small doses do not seem to bother him. Soy will be introduced this week, and I have a feeling it won't be a problem either. Since he's cheated with gluten a few times and felt the repurcussions, I have a feeling gluten is in-fact our enemy. I've been

Laurennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-10213612516847655392010-01-24T14:15:00.001-06:002010-01-24T14:18:46.320-06:00

Yep, that's right, tomorrow is my Birthday! And look what I found this week! They mostly had light green shells but a few brown one's were in there too. Their yolks are a beautiful bright orange and I can't wait to get more! I woke up this morning to a beautiful plate of fried yard eggs and a cup of jasmine green tea. K doesn't like to cook, but look how beautiful this is! It tasted just as

Laurennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-70520244745645829282010-01-17T14:39:00.000-06:002010-01-17T14:39:34.914-06:00

My two day quest for yard eggs ends today. I'm eggless. I want those (or at least something similar!) I've got this itch for yard eggs. Those beautiful orange yolks- full of vitamins you could never get from commercial eggs. And if all art stems from nature, pastel water colors were inspired by yard eggs.  I'm going to try again on my lunch break, Wednesday at the Covington Farmers Market. If

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-577630199684315502010-01-16T08:56:00.000-06:002010-01-16T08:56:53.467-06:00

If you've tuned into the radio, tv, newspaper or internet lately, you surely know what's going on in Haiti. Disaster and chaos. While I wasn't here during Katrina, I was certainly here a week later. The donations of people across the U.S made a big impact on those who were trying to get their lives back together. I remember waiting in the Red Cross line for jugs of water & toiletries. I remember

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-18645396093357123842010-01-12T20:22:00.004-06:002010-01-12T20:35:58.462-06:00

There are quite a few grains that fall in my "not a run of the mill" category. Since we're going gluten free for a few weeks (if not permanently), grains are a hot topic around here. I can't say I've been very experimental in this department, but I'm certainly trying them out now. What grains am I talking about? The Gluten Free one's:                                                Amaranth

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-46005673934121715212010-01-09T08:04:00.001-06:002010-01-09T08:10:49.893-06:00

Advice from a vegetarian gluten-intolerant friend: Mexican will be your best friend. And so it has been. Corn tortillas= easy and good. Just add beans, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, scallions, or whatever you have on hand. Serve with beans, voila complete protein. Very simple. I am going to start looking for ways to amp this recipe up since I think we'll be eating tacos alot. Another night

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-56840075738635095302010-01-05T20:03:00.001-06:002010-01-09T08:11:25.944-06:00

Ladies and gentleman, the food gods have determined that I was getting lazy with my cooking and I had too much time on my hands... Therefore, I've been posed with a new challenge. My villainous boyfriend "K" has been suffering with a handful of correlated illnesses over the last few years. K went to the Dr. today and was advised to try out an elimination diet for 6 weeks.  The verdict? 6 weeks

Laurennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-16662533293054095892009-12-31T17:44:00.000-06:002009-12-31T17:44:53.623-06:00

Goodbye 09, Hello New Decade! Goals: Read more Cook more Try new things lighten up a little and quit worrying about everything (stress kills!) Take the GRE Pick a masters program Travel Save Money Spend time with my sister Ahhh, now that I put that in writing, don't you all feel better? Well, maybe not you, but I do! The good thing about putting your goals on a blog (or just sharing them in

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-65313156065561251872009-12-29T14:59:00.001-06:002010-01-09T08:06:23.267-06:00

When you get gifts like these, it's a bit of a reminder that you ( I ) need to get back into the kitchen. This Christmas I added about 6 new cookbooks to my collection! I also got a pretty fancy waist apron from my bff. I can't wait to try everything out! In regards to my absence of, say,...ehhh 2 weeks or so...I've decided to prepare a 3 course meal for you. Doesn't that make you wish I

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-53685067998728109082009-12-07T21:28:00.001-06:002009-12-07T21:33:09.570-06:00

I've been thinking and thinking on this one and considered contributing a recipe...but I do that all the time. If you're interested in making a vegetarian Christmas feast, or even a few vegetarian side dishes, I have recipes all over the place (look in the left column and click "recipes" or "vegetarian meals"), and I plan to contribute plenty more before the holiday sneaks up on us. For today,

Laurennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-82463982388356553622009-12-04T14:05:00.000-06:002009-12-04T14:05:30.563-06:00

Look at my new award!! Thanks to Dana @ Feeling Fit with Dana! Diverting the internal traffic between the Writer as Angel of Light and the Writer as Hustler is the scribbling child in a grown-up body, wondering if anyone is listening." ~Herbert Gold, Elder Statesman of The Beat Generation~ The Superior Scribbler Award has a few requirement attached to it: -Winners (aka "Superior Scribes") must

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-6371106211622948452009-12-01T23:06:00.000-06:002009-12-01T23:06:08.608-06:00

Dear Bloggy World, I'm stuck. I'm in the philosophical tunnel...and I can't find the light switch. It's amazing how external things like job situations, school decisions and the decisions I've been avoiding can impact your life in ways you cannot understand. While I was in college I had this illusion in my head that after I graduated everything would be better. I'd find a job I loved, plan for my

Laurennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-87005956798876002872009-11-23T19:50:00.000-06:002009-11-23T19:50:25.824-06:00

Well, at least 4 ounces of turkey is safe this year. This will officially be my second Thanksgiving as a pesca/vegetarian. Last year I was definately eating more seafood than I have been this year. This year I'm going to attempt to keep my Thanksgiving seafood intake to a minimum. I'm sure that at this juncture, you are all wondering, "who eats seafood for Thanksgiving?!?!?". Well...my family.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-45370244711072827062009-11-19T08:28:00.000-06:002009-11-19T08:28:49.212-06:00

*Hack Hack Hack...hack hack hack* The good news is, I'm not sick anymore. Some down time with a side of hot tea fixed that. The bad news is that I'm still carrying around this annoying cough. Aside from the fact that I'm sick of coughing, I'm sick of hearing people ask me if I'm sick. NO! I do not have the swine flu! Ahhhh....no piggies here! So there, people can stop looking at me with fear in

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-30385345665198361072009-11-16T00:00:00.002-06:002009-11-16T00:00:00.825-06:00

Hey Y'all! It's Lacey from Lacey in Love!I'm Lauren's best friend from way way back. Like, we've been friends longer than... well, longer than we've ever done anything really.Here's a purdy little visual for ya'!Don't know why I'm always on the right and she's always on the left... must be our good sides? So vein! haha :)While Lauren is recovering from her first case of the Flu in FOREVER(I

Lacey Marienoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-72439935766578917072009-11-12T10:05:00.000-06:002009-11-12T10:05:18.706-06:00

Well guys, it's looks as though I'm out with the flu. I should mention that this is the first time I've ever had the flu. But, the stories are true- this is not fun. I think I've been handling it pretty well though. It came on hard and fast yesterday while I was at work and a little R&R has me feeling a little better already. Fever. The last time I had a fever I was 14 and I had Mono. I had

Laurennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-67118419449543216112009-11-05T18:26:00.000-06:002009-11-05T18:26:43.906-06:00

Always looking for suggestions. I'm mostly reading educational stuff right now, but Jitterbug Perfume is my novel right now.  I just received my first subscription to Mother Earth News. So far, I'm loving it. There are alot of really good articles in there that I will definately hang on to for reference when I finally get to grow my own veggie gardens.  Nature's Weeds, Native Medicine is my

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-803326407200247042009-11-04T17:37:00.000-06:002009-11-04T17:37:46.417-06:00

In honor of fall (officially daylight savings time!), I've picked two very fallish vegetables to highlight for this month. Carrots and Parsnips are both members of the Umbelliferae family which also includes parsley, fennel and dill. I decided to go ahead and highlight both of these at the same time since they belong to the same family and can be prepared together. Carrots The carrot has long

Laurennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-31842182899055249432009-10-25T20:17:00.002-05:002009-10-25T20:18:31.325-05:00

It's been a few weeks since we've done a Meatless Monday, but I've come across a new recipe I wanted to share. We're also sneaking up on a Veggie of the Month post for November, so stay tuned for that too. As many of you know, my giveaway is still kickin. If you haven't checked it out yet, be sure to do so before Wednesday (that is, of course, if you like free stuff) The following is what I'll

Laurennoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-40260046085686061512009-10-21T05:30:00.005-05:002010-01-09T08:05:46.774-06:00

The Giveaway is officially over. I used Random.org to draw a number which was randomly assigned and I pulled 52 which belongs to a new follower.  Congratulations to a Mrs. Pippi Rose! You are now the proud new owner of all this cool stuff. Thanks to everyone who participated. I'm thinking we'll have to do this more often :) A special thank you to my readers, and of course a celebration of my

Laurennoreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-54203705918299300002009-10-14T19:24:00.002-05:002009-10-16T18:00:59.388-05:00

I sometimes hate being a vegetarian. It's not because sometimes I crave a Port of Call cheese burger so bad I can taste it ( I can get over that by simply thinking about what exactly a hamburger is, and how bad it is for me and the cow). It's the arguments I deal with pretty regularly. I sometimes want to lie like this: Some guy: "I heard you don't eat meat!?" Me: ummm YES!, I do, every day 4

Laurennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-12013275903629806812009-10-09T18:48:00.000-05:002009-10-09T18:48:26.551-05:00

What's painful, time consuming, annoying, and down-right befuddling? Pleurisy and burnt pizza. Otherwise, the two have nothing in common. Problem 1) I fed my poor boyfriend collard greens, sweet potatoes and beans on Wednesday night. About 30 minutes later he looked like he was about to die. I apologized for giving him gas- that was the best I could do. Hours later when he was still in pain I

Laurennoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-2929638061834976942009-10-02T18:49:00.000-05:002009-10-02T18:49:45.962-05:00

Last night I made a really delicious soup out of my veggie of the month. I roasted a butternut squash and a really big carrot on 400 degrees for eh...about 35 minutes. I seasoned them with garlic, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, curry powder, cumin and a drizzle of honey. I let them roast until they smelled absolutely divine. Meanwhile, I simmered half of an onion with butter and added a little

Laurennoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-69245691892255614052009-10-01T15:07:00.002-05:002009-10-01T15:24:57.931-05:00

I got a new fancy cookbook- which made me think about how cool it would be to wield a cookbook while wearing a fancy apron at the same time!  On top of that- I found these AMAZING aprons from an etsy gal who is donating proceeds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. http://boojiboo.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/you-know-whats-kind-of-awesome/ Isn't it adorable? They used to have this same one in

Laurennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-22980270635181936532009-09-29T19:58:00.000-05:002009-09-29T19:58:03.122-05:00

A very special thank you to Jessica for giving me my very first award! I shrieked and then jumped around the house for a few seconds- fourteen followers and an award?! What a good day! :)  The rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award" are: Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other

Laurennoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-5694282406998426342009-09-27T10:54:00.001-05:002009-10-25T20:19:15.595-05:00

All summer long I indulged in eating crookneck squash and zucchini. My parents had some growing in their backyard and the produce stand always had an abundance. I would grill them, broil them, put them in soups, stews and spaghettis. The problem is that those two squashes are only one end of the spectrum. While I obviously love summer squash, I'm not as familiar with winter squash, which includes

Laurennoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-61190275220009082022009-09-21T20:09:00.006-05:002009-10-25T20:19:57.476-05:00

After listening to my boyfriends half hour lecture about how Metalica is the best band ever alive  (ahem) Master of Puppets, Metalica's 1986 album, is the best album ever put out because of the bass talents of Cliff Burton... I decided to escape get off my butt and fill you guys in. I haven't been blogging like I should be. I think you'll understand. One week ago, today, I endured one of the

Laurennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-6664615179290511122009-09-08T21:20:00.004-05:002009-09-08T22:11:20.719-05:00

It's a common argument I've heard at least five times before. If you're a vegetarian you've probably heard it too. For a long time, the belief has been that without meat humans would not have the brain size and capabilities needed to evolve into the fabulous homo sapiens we are today. Without meat, we would still be cave people living off of berries and grunting at each other.Recently, this

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-55019180854535739702009-08-31T18:49:00.003-05:002009-08-31T19:17:17.894-05:00

If you live in temperate climates and happen to have darker colored skin, this picture may look familiar to you. Tinea Versicolor is a common skin fungus caused by the overgrowth of skin yeast. I know, the sound of it makes me a little quesy also- but hey,I've somehow got it! My dad had it a few years ago and the dermatologist told him to apply Selsun Blue medicated shampoo to it everyday. I

Laurennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-63364236979761991422009-08-20T17:46:00.003-05:002009-08-20T19:07:31.383-05:00

I have got a serious case of "sittinginanofficeallday" aches. The good news is, I know a decent amount of ameteur yoga positions that will shake that out quickly.Here are my favorites, which I am going to do now!Utthita Trikonasana: Extended TriangleGreat stretch for hips. This is usually the asana I start with because I like it so much. It starts by standing with both feet firmly planted on the

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-48890596033985842892009-08-16T15:32:00.004-05:002009-08-16T17:18:14.628-05:00

Dear readers, warning: as we speak, I may still have butter in my nose and milk on my face...oh and pieces of potato on my eyelids...It's been awhile since I last used my trusty crock pot, so today I decided to throw some bean chili together for tomorrow night when I get home from work. So I went to the produce stand earlier to pick up the necessary peppers. I (stupidly) bought 2 jalepeno peppers

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-51544003583592024622009-08-15T13:47:00.002-05:002009-08-15T13:59:07.715-05:00

So I've been thinking about doing a *drumroll please*, Giveaway. I haven't quite decided what to giveaway yet, but I've been finding alot of really neat blogs that have been giving away all kinds of neat stuff. So, within the next few weeks, I'll be posting my freebies. Keep a look-out for it!Currently, I am entering to win some cute tops from The Van Gogh Cafe!Look for other great giveaways @

Laurennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-24269547232130660492009-08-13T12:04:00.000-05:002009-08-13T12:22:41.279-05:00

A comment from JennyMac on my "Opinion of Organic" post inspired this continuation. She wrote:"The big concern about organic vs. nonorganic is that FDA regulations allow for so many misleading words to be used. YIKES. And chicken farms for example are allowed to produce organic and nonorganic meat from the same processing plant? Ummm...how?"To receive my undergraduate, I wrote a thesis on "Green

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-66332178936823536652009-08-10T19:56:00.006-05:002009-10-25T20:20:22.999-05:00

People always ask me if it is hard to be a vegetarian (especially living in the south!). The answer is usually no- but sometimes I get these cravings for soul food. Stressful day at work, life is crazy, I'm exhausted, and I want a hot bath and something that reminds me of my childhood. Some of my old favorite foods are gumbo, pot roast, chicken salad sandwiches (the kind with the grapes, tarragon

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-6256759226794341282009-08-10T10:43:00.003-05:002009-08-10T12:14:52.915-05:00

Rotten??? Ewwwwwwww! Where did that come from? Well, believe it or not, there's a science to eating fruit. Eating fruit the correct way can lead to better health and more energy, so read on...This concept is one of the proponents of "food combining". Fruit digests faster and uses different enzymes than other food groups. Because of this, fruit should be eaten on an empty stomach, or at least 30

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-6455660077600484122009-08-07T12:23:00.005-05:002009-08-22T14:54:40.556-05:00

Wiping off the dust from my keyboard. Hello bloggyland, it's been awhile!A friend and I were talking the other day about "fads" in food. Organic, of course, came into the conversation. She said something interesting: If all farmers began growing organically, there would only be enough food produced for about 3.5 billion people. That leaves another 3 billion hungry. How true is this statement? I'm

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-44491501331739620462009-07-30T10:29:00.003-05:002009-08-03T10:34:37.573-05:00

To all of my readers: I'll be taking a blogging break for a little while. Please keep my family in your prayers over the next few days. My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer a little over a year ago. Since then we have battled chemotherapy and lost. With no other choice, we have had to leave the cancer untreated and simply attempted to battle the pain instead.Update (Monday Aug 3rd): Our

Laurennoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-63246109252386005102009-07-29T12:18:00.002-05:002009-07-29T13:01:46.922-05:00

Apologies for my minor blogging sabbatical...I've been...preoccupied. Unfortunately, I can't say "Oh yea, sorry, I've been on vacation. Touring great places- beaches & mountains. It's just been lovely. Yada yada yada." Nope, I've been preoccupied doing dumb stuff. My wallet was stolen on Friday which led to over $700 of unauthorized purchases and alot of chaos on my behalf: cancelling cards,

Laurennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-62265613039900572292009-07-24T12:12:00.005-05:002009-07-24T12:36:07.451-05:00

Check out http://www.foodincmovie.com/This is the synopsis from the website...Because A) I haven't seen it yet to give my own synopsis and B) I don't think I'm skilled enough to give you an unbiased, educated synopsis.In "Food, Inc.," filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that's been hidden from the American consumer with

Laurennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-60390046193950705282009-07-22T12:12:00.003-05:002009-10-25T20:20:59.180-05:00

Welcome to my 2nd edition of "Veggie of the Month". Make sure you check out June's edition about asparagus! (Am I a total nerd or what? I'm actually excited about this!) A little history about Tomatoes: Tomatoes originated in Central and South America. The Spanish conquistadors discovered tomatoes while in Mexico and brought them back to Spain, which began the introduction of the tomato in

Laurennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-66171409954407490182009-07-20T15:23:00.005-05:002009-08-22T14:53:19.678-05:00

I'm lazy. There, I said it... Don't you guys just love my confessionals? They're so...unexpected.But here's the deal with my "laziness": I get stuff done. I'm not the annoying lazy that erks people's nerves, but instead I'm the lazy type as far as excercise goes. It's just not fun for me. I've tried: Pilates, walking, jogging, the gym, and capoeira...not to mention the crunches I have attempted

Laurennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-60045206151881855562009-07-17T12:15:00.003-05:002009-07-24T11:13:23.998-05:00

The weekend is fast approaching and I'm going to make an honest attempt to not be irresponsible like I was laaast weekend. This afternoon I have to make a trip to my office in New Orleans, followed by a sleep over with my grandmother. Saturday I pick up the boyfriend from the airport and then we head to Baton Rouge to visit friends. Already this looks like a health disaster. My grandparents house

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-50928502534140170252009-07-14T21:53:00.005-05:002009-07-15T11:37:22.448-05:00

As a fairly new vegetarian, I’m still in the learning process. I knew I should avoid Rennet, but wasn’t quite sure why. I was at the grocery a few minutes ago shopping in the cheese isle, which made me think of all of this. Being the internet researcher I am, I ran home and looked it up. Damn you google for giving me unlimited access to information I did not really need to know. I’m sure many of

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-7617311506167984952009-07-14T14:48:00.005-05:002009-07-14T16:27:08.900-05:00

I want to live...where natural whole foods are expected. Where children grow up eating fresh home-cooked meals. Where people use the herbs and plants God has left us. Where doctors do what they're supposed to do (after all, the root of doctor means "to teach"). Where people respect themselves as well as others. Where people respect the place they live. Where people treat animals kindly. Where

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-59227917040363848042009-07-13T10:20:00.005-05:002009-10-25T20:21:30.914-05:00

So, I've come to realize that eating healthy during the Summer is harder than any other time of the year. This realization hardly makes sense since Christmas and Thanksgiving automatically come to mind. In the summer all I want are salads, fresh fruit, smoothies, and light meals. However, that's not really what happens when you live in the south and vacations are in full blast. Either going

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-73292991274967022602009-07-08T12:56:00.001-05:002009-08-22T14:52:49.798-05:00

Do your labels look like this? How much fiber is enough? Where does fiber come from anyway?If you're looking for fiber in your extra-fiber cereal, or special fiber chocolate bars, you're probably looking too far. While food companies and marketers have used this 'wonder nutrient' as a sales-pitch, the truth is that fiber is found in many natural, unprocessed foods. Fiber can be found in legumes,

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-84002536469665964952009-07-06T18:25:00.005-05:002009-10-25T20:22:01.507-05:00

Today was one of those hanging around the house, getting stuff done kinda days. I didn't cook anything crazy today, but it was overall a pretty well rounded day. The goal of Meatless Monday is to make people realize that vegetarians aren't suffering. A) This stuff is pretty tasty B) I easily get all the nutrition I need To prove my point, I've included the major nutrition highlights of each

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-12910109908551165862009-07-01T19:18:00.001-05:002009-07-01T19:10:01.212-05:00

I'm pretty good about reading labels of food items, but until a few years ago, I had never taken notice of skincare products or toiletries. The story goes like this: In 2006 I visited a friend in Germany. I was innocently pulling out my plain old girly anti-perspirant when she looked at me like I was crazy. She informed me that the type of deodorant I was using was actually banned in Germany

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-44659408905876511802009-06-29T09:10:00.006-05:002009-10-25T20:22:39.403-05:00

I've grown quite used to cooking just enough food for myself, so most of my recipes are geared to small portions. Today, my recipes here are good for at least two people (unless you like lots of leftovers). Breakfast: Asparagus-Ricotta Frittata with Parmesan Ingredient List Serves 6 4 whole eggs plus 4 whites 1 cup part skim ricotta cheese 2 Tbs. olive oil 1 lb. asparagus, hard stems removed,

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-13298123340108787752009-06-26T10:05:00.004-05:002009-06-26T11:40:49.476-05:00

Hi, my name is Lauren and I have anxiety. About what, you ask? Everything. It is almost as if worrying is my favorite hobby. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I don't think I'm alone. As far as I know, I've only suffered one anxiety attack in my life, but I live with mild anxiety everyday. My shoulders are tense and full of knots and I'm constantly doing something with my hands (like yesterday I

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-91021165306308166002009-06-24T23:18:00.006-05:002009-08-22T14:50:31.937-05:00

" Stacks of research have linked drinking regular soda with obesity. But diet soda's not the answer either. New research has found that adults who drink either regular soda (otherwise known as liquid candy) or diet soda have about a 50 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome — a condition marked by high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and obesity. All these double your risk

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-19325250784899287032009-06-23T15:57:00.009-05:002009-10-25T20:24:35.860-05:00

Low in calories and carbohydrates Rich in protein Excellent source of Potassium, vitamin K, Folic Acid, vitamins c and A, Riboflavin, Thiamin, and vitamin B6 Oh Asparagus, how I love thee! It is quite possible that Asparagus can prevent and cure Cancer! Asparagus contains a good supply of protein called Histones which are believed to be active in controlling cell growth. It has been reported

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-38438616675654840842009-06-23T12:07:00.007-05:002009-08-22T14:48:45.328-05:00

Being aware of your own body can save you a trip to the doctor. Ever wake up one day and notice that your eyes are particularly red in one spot? Do you have breakouts on one area of your face? These are all ways your body tells you something is wrong While most people have heard of Iridology, what about Sclerology? Sclerology is a study of Sclera: The whites of your eyes. This is much easier to

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-91031647975638917322009-06-18T10:04:00.015-05:002009-08-22T14:47:46.589-05:00

I don't know about you...But I want to know WHY!?? To me it seems to be a culmination of problems, but mostly two things: 1) this country lives on junk food 2) It's all about the money!So, below I have taken chunks of an article by Ezra Klein who is a staff writer for The Washington Post. Of course I put my own two-cents in...but I put them in italics ;)Check out the whole article hereThe Health

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-86242758862018697952009-06-16T13:37:00.007-05:002009-06-16T14:30:23.523-05:00

I received this in an email today and thought I'd share it. This is very interesting.It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish ... all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners ....God left us great clues

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-87924635008174812742009-06-15T12:59:00.009-05:002009-10-25T20:23:20.669-05:00

I must start with a confession. I.am.a.weekend.junkie. There, it's been said. I tend to spend most of my weekends in my car travelling alot which leads to eating on-the-go. I'm really glad I chose Mondays to post about healthy meals because it helps me get back on track after a weekend of heavy foods, late night eating, and lots of desserts. I also want to say that my weekend problem is my

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-58514355868219392522009-06-09T14:03:00.006-05:002009-06-24T10:35:35.921-05:00

By Kathleen Fackelmann, USA TODAYTasty curry might have a fringe benefitBy Dibyangshu Sarkar, AFP/Getty ImagesFormer Indian model Divya Chauhan cooks a curry inside her kitchen in Bangalore, India. Studies have suggested that the spice could protect against heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's.IT'S THE SPICES THAT HELP YOUIndian food typically contains curry powder or turmeric, which scientists

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105617339963464240.post-86380683169533906192009-06-08T13:14:00.002-05:002009-10-25T20:23:56.803-05:00

The idea of giving up meat entirely is pretty scary for most people. While I am going to try to convince you that vegetarianism is the healthiest way to go (proven to lower risks of cancer, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol), I know it's not for everyone. However, reducing your meat intake is a great place to start. It's important to know how to get the proper nutrition when

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0