The Smoothie Vegetarians

Raise your hand if you meditate. First off,  what is mediation and what does this have to do with being a vegetarian?  Actually, these two things complement each other and are very closely related. Meditation has many different meanings. It can mean thinking or contemplating, it can be part of a religious activity or just as a way of becoming calm and relaxed. It can be practiced in a variety of ways as well. Some people choose to make it part of their morning ritual and have a designated space for it, others practice it at various times throughout the day or when they just need a moment of tranquility. I even know someone who meditates when she is ironing. There is no right or wrong way to meditate. Some people repeat mantras or words while meditating, others meditate in silence and focus on their breathing. One of my favorite way to meditate is to cook. I love to chop my vegetables, grind my spices and just put a lot of love into my dishes. Some say vega...

Things are changing in the world of vegan food, and I think we are finally seeing a shift that pushes plant-based food products out there into the world of mainstream consumers. We no longer have to skulk around in the back corners of health food stores to find a non-dairy cheese, or sit in a restaurant with a sad bowl of iceberg lettuce for lunch. Product choices are absolutely exploding, and can now be found on all kinds of supermarket shelves, not just gourmet shops anymore. Personally, I shop at our bargain grocery store chain called No Frills. Nothing fancy, and not too cutting edge. A couple of weeks ago, I found one entire cooler section now dedicated to So Delicious non-dairy ice cream products, and one whole section filled with Daiya pizzas, more Yves products and a range of vegan Amy's entrees. There was some crazy dancing in the aisles that day. Latest hits from our No Frills store. So many more choices, and these 2 are favs in our house now.  ...

I started a new job this week; a really great job. Everyone is so nice and welcoming. I've been off work for awhile dealing with a chronic illness and I had to make a major career change and go into something physically easier, so it's a huge change. I got up early, put on my brand new outfit, flat ironed my hair and went back into the working world. I was extremely nervous. I am qualified, but still it's been a long time since I did this kind of work, and like most people, I wanted my new coworkers to like me. I was on my best behavior, trying to smile as much as possible without looking insane (I have what the internet calls “resting bitch face”!) so I'm always paranoid in a new situation that people will think I look unapproachable. Five minutes in, I'm not kidding – five minutes – my new coworker, the woman I will sit beside every day, whips out a few cartons of eggs and tells me she has a small farm and sells eggs at work. People are coming in...