I have waited a long time to get my hands on this book. It was waiting under the tree for me Christmas morning... and Clean Food is everything I'd hoped for and more. This book is packed with recipes and information on making "clean" food a priority in your life. It has been incredibly challenging to stay on this vegan path. Some days I'm just not on the path at all. The holidays were hard, some days better than others. It's not so much a temptation thing as it is a "I can only cook for so many different palates!!" thing. (I'm pretty sure my guests would not have appreciated a Tofu Kale Lasagna... it's in the book and is next on the list for me to try...) But what a difference I felt on the days that I fell off the vegan wagon, ugh. It's mostly the dairy that clouds me physically and mentally. Choosing this way of eating was based more on awareness and discipline than it was a moral decision. I know people have very individual feelings on this sort of thing, but for me it has to do with seeking optimal health and well being. Wanting to feel like I am firing on all cylinders, all the time, that sounds good too. This book is an wonderful place to come to full of easy to prepare whole foods recipes. I'm a Moosewood girl from way back, but some of those early books? Holy cheese... and egg pies! Hard to refer to when you're trying to let go of those very things.
There has been sooo much cooking going on. Homeschooling is back in full swing as well, which I hope to be better about documenting the second half of the year. I rarely stop mid lesson or experience and think to grab the camera and capture the moment. I'd love to be better at that because I am always so inspired by what others share of their own homeschool life. I also think I'd like to combine the two blogs. It was an honest attempt to create two houses but I'm drawn to the idea of simplifying my life in many, many ways - and I think whittling down the number of blogs I write is a reasonable effort in this practice. I also think much of what I write over there could easily blend in right here. Our "schooling" is mostly our intentional living... hence the name Life Is For Learning... that and my love for pulling blog names from song lyrics.
Here are the finished Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies and Carrot Ginger Soup. Both in the book, and both amazing. I see myself cooking almost exclusively from this book from now until who knows when... which means lots of food pictures showing up here.
My morning staple lately.... Oatmeal with blueberries (from the summer, frozen), cinnamon, and maple syrup, topped with vanilla soy yogurt and maple roasted peanuts (my uncle's). So yummy. Which makes me wonder, what is your morning fuel? I'd love to know, I'm so inspired by what works for others. And I'm always grateful when you share little bits of your own story here...
