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New Year’s Resolutions

December 11, 2011 //
2

Yes, I know it’s a bit early, but I’ve already been thinking about 2012. Some people are against New Year’s resolutions, claiming that they set you up for failure. But as a Virgo, I’m a big fan of making lists. If I don’t get it on paper, it goes back into the jumbled mess that is my brain. And I’d like to think that I’m realistic about my resolutions. Life happens, which means you might not be able to fulfill all of them and that’s OK. Me, personally, I just have to put them out there so that I don’t lose sight of my goals while life is happening.

So, this is my piece of “paper.”

1. Take a trip to NYC. Neither my husband nor I have ever been to NYC and lately I’ve been feeling a strong urge to go. I believe some places call you at different points in your life. I want to dine at Candle 79. I want to visit the Guggenheim and MoMA. I want to just hang in Central Park.

2. Run a 10k. I’ve never been a runner. I’ve dabbled in it here and there, running on treadmills and even running in a couple of 5Ks. And I always felt awesome after participating. But I’ve always had a hard time sticking with it. I’ll get serious for a few weeks and then come up with some excuse for not going out one evening (it’s raining, too cold, I’ve got work to do), and the next thing I know, it’s been a couple of weeks since I last put in a run. But this year, I’m cutting the crap. I’m done with looking at other runners with envy and I’m done with putting it off until “tomorrow.”

3. Keep up with yoga. Thanks to a Living Social coupon, I started practicing yoga in January of this year. I quickly fell in love with it and even started going three times a week. But after going through a merger and layoffs at my work at the end of August, I decided to put it on hold. It’s not the cheapest form of exercise and not knowing where my job was going, I just couldn’t justify the expense. Sadly, I gave it up just when I needed it the most. Not going has had a very negative impact on my mood and I’ve been very down lately. And it goes without saying that I feel horrible physically. But I’ve decided to go back and I’m not waiting until 2012. Yeah, it’s an extra expense, but as my friend put it, it really is a form of health insurance.

4. Start figuring out my next chapter. I feel incredibly lucky. I love my job, even with the merger/layoffs that happened a few months ago. But, if anything, the whole ordeal made me think about what I really want to do with my life. And, hopefully, when my husband is able to find steady work, I will be able to put more time and thought into it. I miss school, but I don’t think getting another degree is for me. I love vegan cooking and would love to turn that into something, though I’m not sure what that would be. But I’m going to be a little selfish next year and really focus on myself and where I’m going professionally.

6. Get back on track with personal finances. With my husband leaving his job to go back to school, we knew we were going to have to make some sacrifices. I feel incredibly lucky that we’ve been able to maintain some savings along the way, but it’s certainly not where it needs to be. And it’s not just about putting money into an account. I want to be smarter about investing in general and that includes putting my money into socially responsible investments. I don’t want retirement to be a big question mark for us.

7. Relax and enjoy life. This kind of speaks for itself. I just want to stop stressing so much and start living life. And, really, as long as my friends and family are happy and healthy, then I know it’ll be a good year.

Well, that’s about it. I realize this is a very selfish post, but I hope that maybe it will help some readers find their focus for next year.

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Categories running, travel, Uncategorized, vacation, vegan, yoga

New Products: LUSH’s The Olive Branch Shower Gel and Orange Blossom Solid Perfume

May 28, 2011 //
0

About a year ago, I purchased LUSH’s Big Tease Hair Gel because I needed something strong enough to hold curl in my normally stick-straight hair for our friends’ wedding. Beyond that, I don’t really need the hair gel, but I use it anyway because I’m kind of obsessed with the smell.

Well, yesterday, my husband and I ventured over to the LUSH counter for the first time in months because he needed aftershave lotion and wanted to give LUSH products a try. The sales woman asked me which products I use and I mentioned my love of Big Tease’s scent. She kind of gave me a strange look because the hair gel is really only meant for holding updos and things like mohawks, not my flat, straight hair.  She then pointed me in the direction of The Olive Branch Shower Gel, which has the same scent as the hair gel. I scooped it up.

On our way to the checkout counter, while the other sales woman pulled me aside to demonstrate the Ocean Salt Scrub (these two ladies were very cunning!), the other was showing my husband the Orange Blossom Solid Perfume as something I might like, since both the hair gel and shower gel contain orange blossom. Now, I’m not a perfume person; I prefer to stick to soaps and lotions for a light scent. But this solid perfume is amazing! I can’t stop smelling myself (sorry, TMI). But seriously, I’m obsessed with the orange blossom scent. And I love the solid form, which makes it incredibly easy to apply. And at $9.95, I’m planning on buying another one to throw in my purse.

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Categories beauty, product review, Uncategorized, vegan

Product Review: LUSH Jungle Solid Conditioner

September 4, 2010 //
2

If you’ve read my other reviews, you know that I’m a big fan of LUSH products for a myriad of reasons. Upon a recent trip to pick up a new shampoo bar, I asked for a sample of the Jungle solid conditioner. I’ve been using Vegenese as a conditioner for a while now, and I love it, but I also love the idea of a package-less conditioner.

Like the Herbalism cleanser, Jungle defies any notion of what a conditioner typically looks and feels like. It takes a little practice to use it; I run it under hot water while in the shower to soften it a bit and then roll it between my hands like soap to form a light lather. It doesn’t have a thick consistency and when applied to your hair, it doesn’t feel like there’s anything there. But Jungle successfully detangles my super-straight hair and doesn’t leave a build-up. It has a very fresh and clean smell, which I absolutely love.

According to the LUSH site, Jungle is suitable for all hair types, but I couldn’t imagine using it on dry hair. It doesn’t seem like it would condition it enough, but like most LUSH products, it can be sampled first to see if you like it.

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Categories beauty, natural, product review, vegan

New Blog Post: The Peaceful Pantry

September 1, 2010 //
0

Hello everyone! If you’re a fan of delicious vegan food, be sure to check out The Peaceful Pantry — my new all-vegan blog.

Hope you’re having a great week so far!

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Categories food, music, vegan

Product Review: Boca Original Chik’n Patties

August 16, 2010 //
0

I’m not going to lie: I had a little bit of a hangover this past weekend. It was worth it, but all I’m gonna say is that I should not have opened that last bottle of wine. Blech.

Anyway, whenever I’m not feeling well, I tend to crave junk food. And by “junk food,” I mean fast food. But as a vegan, you’re pretty much stuck with a Fresco Bean Burrito from Taco Bell when it comes to the drive-thru, and I was craving something salty and fried. That’s where these Boca Original Chik’n Patties come in. When heated in the oven, the patties remind me of the fried chicken patties I had in school back in the day. My husband, the wonderful man that he is, put one of these hangover cures on a bun next to a side of tater tots and a tall glass of 7-Up.

Now, this isn’t a meal I would condone on any other occasion, but when you’re not feeling well, it’s a feast.

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Categories food, product review, vegan

New Vegan Blog: The Peaceful Pantry

August 12, 2010 //
0

My new, all-vegan blog, The Peaceful Pantry is up! It’s pretty bare bones right now and I’m still trying to figure out the logistics of my posts, but it’s up and running! From here on out, I’ll be posting all my vegan food stuff on there. But don’t worry, I plan on posting regularly here on Happy Introvert, too.

I hope you’re having a great week!

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Categories food, music, vegan

Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry

August 11, 2010 //
0

I love stir-fry because it’s so versatile and it’s a great way to use up extra veggies. For this recipe, I used Lauren Ulm’s sweet and sour sauce recipe from Vegan Yum Yum. To it, I added fried tofu, shelled edamame, broccoli, and red and yellow peppers.

Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

1 package extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 cups cooked brown rice (2 cups uncooked)

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 yellow pepper, cut into large pieces

1 red pepper, cut into large pieces

1 cup shelled, frozen edamame

2 cups broccoli

Double recipe of sweet and sour sauce

Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Cook the rice according to the directions. Mix together the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce and set aside. Add the oil to a wok or non-stick skillet set to medium-high heat. Once the oil heats up, add your tofu and stir constantly until browned on all sides. Add the shelled edamame to the tofu and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the veggies until stir for a couple more minutes. Add the sauce mixture to the pan and stir until it thickens. As soon as the sauce thickens to coat the veggies, take off the heat. Serve immediately over the cooked rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

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Categories food, vegan

Quinoa Loaf With Mushrooms and Peas

August 7, 2010 //
0

You know a recipe is good when you wake up the next day and can’t wait to get through breakfast and lunch just so you can eat the leftovers for dinner. And then you decide, “Why wait for dinner?” and eat it for lunch instead.

I’ve been searching for a good vegan meatloaf recipe for quite some time and found this on the Whole Foods website. I wasn’t sure if it would cut it as a meatloaf alternative, but it was delicious. And easy to make. And budget-friendly. And healthy. I’d even go so far as to say that it’s one of my favorite recipes.

I will say that the quinoa loaf holds up better the next day. It kept falling apart on me when I served it the first night, but it still tasted great. The next day, the loaf was a lot firmer and easier to remove from the pan in a single piece.

The original recipe didn’t call for it, but I added ketchup to the top of my quinoa loaf for a more authentic “meatloaf” taste.

Quinoa Loaf With Mushrooms and Peas

(adapted from the Whole Foods recipe)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup rolled oats

2 cups cooked quinoa ( Learn to Cook: Quinoa)

1 cup frozen green peas

1 teaspoon minced dried thyme, crushed with your fingers

10 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped

1 cup (about 1 onion) chopped red onion

1/2 cup ketchup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch loaf pan with oil; set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, put beans, oats and 1/2 cup water into a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, bean mixture, quinoa, peas, parsley, tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan, gently pressing down and mounding it in the middle. Bake until firm and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. About 15 minutes before it’s finished baking, take the loaf out of the oven and spread the ketchup on top. Put back in the oven for the remaining time. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

I served my quinoa loaf with a side of mashed potatoes and carrots that had a brown sugar and butter (Earth Balance) glaze.

Enjoy!

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Categories food, vegan

Breakfast, Lunch, and a New Blog

August 6, 2010 //
2

Sorry for the lack of posts. My cooking has been pretty uninspired this week. For one, it’s been extremely hot, with a heat index over 100 degrees for most the week. The last thing I’ve wanted to do is turn on the oven, so I’ve been sticking to no-cook meals such as yogurt, berries, and granola for breakfast, and tabouli salad for lunch. And two, we’ve been on a tight budget this week, so our meals have been very basic, and not really blog-worthy.

But some good news: I’m working on a new, all-vegan blog. I want to show people just how easy and budget-friendly a vegan lifestyle can be. I want to take out the guesswork and intimidation that can come with vegan meal planning by including weekly meal plans and respective shopping lists, and all on a budget. Right now, I’m messing around with the layout and whatnot, but I hope to have it up for public view in the next few weeks.

I’m not sure what that means for Happy Introvert. When I started this blog, I wasn’t really sure what direction it was going to take. But I’ve discovered that I have a real passion for vegan food and I love to write about it. I hope you’ll follow me over to the new site when it’s up and running.

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Categories food, vegan

Coconut Curry Tofu

July 29, 2010 //
8

Our downstairs friends and neighbors, Erin and Neil, were kind enough to invite me over for dinner last week and served this recipe for Coconut Curry Tofu, which Erin had found on allrecipes.com. It was delicious, and I’ve been craving it ever since! The dish is full of bright, colorful veggies and tofu that are simmered in a luscious coconut curry sauce. Of course, I think Erin’s version tasted better than mine, but it still turned out really well.

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches green onions
  • 1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup soy or tamari sauce, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons chile paste
  • 1 pound extra firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 4 cups chopped bok choy
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Press tofu for at least 20 minutes to remove any liquid. Chop into 3/4-inch cubes.
  2. In a wok or deep skillet, fry the tofu cubes in a little vegetable oil over medium-high heat until golden-brown on all sides.
  3. Remove white parts of green onions, and finely chop. Chop greens into 2 inch pieces and set aside for garnish.
  4. In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, mix coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger, and chile paste. Bring to a boil.
  5. Stir tofu, tomatoes, yellow pepper, mushrooms, and finely chopped green onions into the skillet. Cover, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in basil and bok choy. Season with salt and remaining soy sauce. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but crisp. Serve with white rice and garnish with green onion.

Enjoy!
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Categories food, vegan
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