Way to Step it Up, Campus!

Up until recently FSU's campus has been severely lacking in healthy vegtastic options. Sometimes I would go to the dining hall for lunch between classes, which has a pretty good salad bar, but their "vegan option" that they offer daily ususally consisted of white rice and tofu that was flavored with nothing but salt. Luckily, a new dining option opened up recently called "Salad Creations." This is the perfect fast choice for the two day a week that I do not have time to go home between classes for lunch! They have salads, wraps, and soup, and you can build your own creations with just about any fresh and  delicious ingredient you could want on a salad! Today I had a romaine salad with chick peas, edamame, black beans, broccoli, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, green peppers, carrots, and balsmaic vinegar. They put it in a huge bowl and chop it up for you so it's easy to eat! One way to stay on track with Eat to Live is to focus on certain tenants, like eating a large salad evey day. This will definitely help keep me motivated!

Where is your favorite place to eat on campus? Do they have a lot of options or do you have to get creative?

Love is Pie

As the initial intention behind starting this whole venture was to try new recipes together (but apart), share them, and talk about them with pics in order to stay in touch, I figured, why not start next weekend? This recipe for Blackberry pie called out to me as a perfect, sweet place to start! (And a way to make instant friends when we share our product.)
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2011/01/fresh-blackberry-pie-my-vegan-recipe-oh.html
I'm going home next weekend to see my sister one more time before she goes back to school, so I'll have the convenience of my mom's kitchen and staple baking ingredients. :) What do you say, Bails? Will you be able to go grocery shopping and have time to do this next weekend? If not, no problem, we can start once you get more settled!

Bailey Update

Well, i am still without full internet access (I'm blogging from my phone). I should be fully moved in to my new apartment by the weekend, my roommate arrives this Sunday, and then hopefully soon after we will get our internet set up. The job search here is proving to be difficult since I dont know where anything is! At least I have a few more weeks to search. I cant wait to post pics and start cooking in my apartment! One quick & easy meal I've been enjoying lately is oatmeal with frozen sweet pea thrown in and then sprinkled with black pepper. I never thought of having oats this way until I saw loaded oats over at Oh She Glows. Anywho, I'm headed back to Bowling Green this afternoon and the forecast predicts snow!!! Warm snuggles & snuggies, Bailey

A Berry Calm Beginning

Today is my first day of classes for my last semester as a junior in college! I opted out of Monday OR Friday classes, which is unbelievably exciting, but to compromise I start Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8am. I wanted to make sure I wasn't too frazzled this morning- (since it takes me a while to wake up when it's cold)- so I got up at 6. (Actually, my third eye woke me up lol) I lit a candle and did some deep meditation breaths with my yoga DVD, and then I leisurely got dressed (after killing a bug on my bathroom sink- one of the many joys of being back in my apartment) and started on breakfast. Knowing I won't be done with this LONG school day till about 4, I wanted a "big girl" breakfast. I made creamy oatmeal with vanilla chai soymilk with fresh blackberries in it (the sweetest, most flavorful ones I've ever had) and an orange. I am full and focused and ready to kick today's butt!

The Farewell Feast

So, the time we knew was coming has at last crept up on us, and Bailey has to get on movin'! We sent her off with the grandest and vegan-est of all feasts and a whole lot of love! We were lucky enough to have the festivities documented by the most wonderful professional photographer in town, Vicki Palombo from Photographic Memories. (http://www.vickipalombo.zenfolio.com/ and http://www.vickimichael.blogspot.com/) This is what was on the menu for our vegtastic extravaganza:

• Nori Rolls with Sweet Potato, Tempeh, and Avocado and Sweet Brown Rice
• Lentil-Walnut Pate with Garlic-Herb Crostini
• Marinated Portabello and Eggplant Napoleons with Cashew Cream and Pesto
• 3-Spice Potatoes
• Apple-Cider and Brown Sugar Brussels Sprouts with Pecans
• Kale Salad with Roasted Daikon and Sweet Miso Dressing
• Pumpkin Crumb Cake with Pecan Streusal Topping

We went to Whole Foods in the morning and started cooking around 3. We served it around 7 and the sore feet and chaos paid off! The recipes came from 3 different vegan cookbooks as well as the magic of creativity and improvisation. All these recipes will be up under the recipe section soon.

Enjoy these snapshots! Bailey, I love making memories with you! And remember to chronicle your new (slightly colder) adventures! Love you!