My Mom’s Day
For Mother’s Day this year, I drove down to visit my parents the night before. We prefer celebrating on Friday or Saturday to avoid the long lines and crowds of people overflowing restaurants for brunch of dinner. Mom still gets her special day, just a bit earlier than every other mother so she doesn’t need to share it with the rest of the world!
She wanted to eat at her favorite downtown restaurant, the Pub. She and Dad opted not to share their typical nachos, instead choosing the ultimate grilled cheese and Philly cheese steak. As for me? I ordered my favorite salad on the menu (salad at a pub, crazy I know)—and then snagged a few crispy beer-battered fries off of someone else’s plate too! Continue reading for recipe.
Pre-Wrapped Presents
Nearly every store offers some sort of sale, special, or layaway. Candy canes, twinkling lights, and ornaments practically jump off the shelves, while yards of wrapping paper, curly ribbon, and gift tags sneak into your shopping art to follow you home. It’s official: December has arrived in a whirlwind of cash, credit cards, and gift receipts. Although you probably don’t want to hear my frustration with the holiday spending obsession, I still readily buy one “gift.” Continue reading for recipe.
Navigating Old-Town Annecy
Find the canal, turn left at the fish mongrel, and walk past the first two restaurants. The third, with its little candy-cane-striped poles bordering the entrance, is the most delicious and affordable food you’ll find in Annecy.
We stumbled upon this gem our first night there. As of 9 am that morning on our train ride to Switzerland, I desperately wanted a salad, and at 7:30 pm, my craving had yet to be fulfilled. Strolling down the cobblestone streets, we meticulously inspected every menu we passed, but the first 9 didn’t offer dishes that could satisfy everyone’s picky palates. Continue reading for recipe.
Love Triangle
Ever been in one? I stumbled across a doozy of a love triangle in my kitchen the other night, but far from being awkward, this one had a very delicious ending.
Three beans sat socializing and swimming on my stovetop. Long and lanky, the green bean lusted after the foreign and exotic soy bean. But he wasn’t the only one; the squat yet hardy lima bean shared the same amorous feelings. Since both beans looked so appetizing, the poor little soy bean just couldn’t make up her mind. Continue reading for recipe.
For the Birds
It looked like a big bag of birdseed from the pet store got compressed into a thin, rectangular block and was placed on my refrigerator shelf, so I really didn’t have high hopes for tempeh. But, being new to veganism, I told myself I had to try it at least once before chucking the rest in the trash. Continue reading for recipe.
Simple Side Salad
Okay, I admit it, I caved. Even though it’s winter and the rain keeps pouring down, I still wanted a salad. Even though it’s cold outside and half the time I can barely feel my toes, I still craved those greens. Even though I’ve stated previously that I only eat salads in the summer and instead heat up the ingredients in the skillet in the winter, I still desired that crisp refreshing taste. So I bought the veggies for one of my all-time favorite salads and justified my purchases by remembering all of the junk I ate over the holidays. (Anyone else feel like they gained 5 pounds from sneaking all of that chocolate when no one was around?) Continue reading for recipe.
“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…”
One of my favorite things about summer, other than the sun rising early and setting late, the long hours of reading novels in the library, and the relaxing days spent swimming and lounging by the pool, is the salads. When the days heat up, I crave cool, refreshing food. Salads are the perfect fix – they’re fast, easy, and full of fresh fruits or crisp veggies. But now the days are getting chilly, so I’m finding any excuse I can to turn on the stove or heat up the oven. That’s not exactly conducive to making salads…
Or is it? I decided to have a salad for dinner, even though I could barely feel my toes through my socks and fuzzy slippers. To make my little tootsies happy, I turned on the stove and tossed my salad in a frying pan instead of a bowl. After a few minutes of stirring and sautéing, I had a dish almost as fast as those summertime salads, and just as tasty!
Warm Spinach and Bean Salad
serves 1
Perfect with a warm pita or naan. Heat the bread in the microwave or oven while salad cooks, and serve together.
2 handfuls of baby spinach
½ cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tomato, cut into small pieces
olive oil
- Heat a 2-3 tsp olive oil in a medium frying pan. Add spinach and cook until the leaves begin to turn a deeper green and wilt, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomatoes and beans. Continue to cook until spinach is deep green and wilted and all ingredients are heated through.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the warm pita or naan.
Foods for the Soul 