If you are wondering why I decided to write daily again, it’s because of my biggest, closest, uber fans and yet harshest critics – my children.

When my daughter V gifted me with botanical drawings framed with quotes taken directly from my blog posts, I just broke down.  I realized on some days, the writing was not too shabby.  Especially when you see it re-written and quoted, never mind framed.  Framing always gives whatever you squeeze under glass the distinct impression it is important or note worthy.

After calming down, they assured me they genuinely followed my daily dalliance into the land of the Internet, albeit never commenting directly on the blog.  They also felt it gave me purpose and that unless I was writing the great American novel I should not wane in my writing production.  After all, even if I were to write something of any repute, wouldn’t this serve as fodder for practice?

When I discourse on a topic, review a restaurant, literature, events or fill the space with musings, pictures and anecdotes – I guess I am writing a living memoir and it is somehow, sort of like staying in touch with home when you are away and reading it wistfully.

Enough time had gone by and I sincerely missed my periodic seat at my desk so I pledged to write daily again in Year Two.  To know I am enhancing anyone’s life at all is a deep reward but to hear your own kids egg you on, even cajole you and go to the extent of making you look good in a frame, well – that was the clincher.

I admit I am less fearful in front of the blank screen now knowing I somehow will end up posting something, anything as long as I have wifi – even if it is just a sentence with minutes to spare till midnight – because I did it for one whole year during Year One when I began this adventure.  Last year, every day was the first time, each day I was in brand new territory I had never been to or could have foreseen.

This year, I am going to probably divulge more, feeling more brazen and perhaps shock you or even myself.  I never know what I am going to spill.  Most of the time, I just open up my laptop, ask for guidance from wherever creativity comes from and fire away, first drafting, editing a spelling error here and clarifying a point there.  I forewarned you I was a terrible grammar/punctuation writer during year one and I have not improved much in that arena or on technique so I apologize and reiterate it so you know this about me upfront, if you are new or have forgotten my previous disclosure.

I was given the gift of validation which led to a feeling of being cheered on, a personal reason to write, a motivating factor to recommit.  However obscure, vague or ambiguous a compliment, a creative soul will latch on to it for dear life and see it as encouragement –  if that creator loves the process of its endeavor.

I had no idea they (my few devotees) missed me and my jabbering.  And I had no clue how much it meant to me – to have faithful quality readers over a superficial quantity of numbers.

The last few days of 2013 had all five of us on a mini romp to Palm Springs for the first time in a while.  It had been a good three years since we had all gone away together to somewhere.  It’s hard enough to dine with five different taste buds but we find we can all probably agree on Italian or Mexican and find something on the menu for all of our disparate senses.

In the shopping center and outdoor food court closely located to our time share, we found our familiar vegan eatery chain – Native Foods Cafe –  yet we decided to please everyone and eat at Giuseppes next door for dinner. Then V and I ordered all the desserts from Native Foods to go (to taste test) throughout our three day stay. Sounds like a compromise to me. Native Foods started up in Palm Springs but this particular location was not the ‘original’ one.

Giuseppes is located at the Smoke Tree Village Shopping Center on East Palm Canyon Drive.  They were swamped by the time our orders started rolling in.  Good thing we like to eat early.  We waited some time for our orders and the food was just so-so but we were all starving.  The place was packed (must have been starving out of towners like us) by the time we left with a line coming out the door and into the cold desert night air.  I don’t think I would dine here again, especially having Native Foods next door but what we chose to munch on is a good example of what you can eat as a vegan in a cheese laden establishment.

The non-vegans had some hearty specialty thick crusted Chicago style pizza with meats and cheese.  Also, a Caprese salad and a meat filled sandwich of some sort.  I know the pizza wasn’t so wonderful because we took it back home and it wasn’t  re-warmed late that night as per usual.  We threw it out when we departed instead.

To start, all five of us love bruschetta but it was rather oily and under seasoned.  The flat grilled bread was a tad burnt.  I believe there were mozzarella sticks involved at this juncture as well.Every picture tells a story and this one is no exception.

Then each vegan at the table had a salad and the non vegans shared a mozzarella/tomato salad better known as a Caprese.  It wasn’t finished and as I glanced over it barely looked touched.  Our salad was mixed greens with garbanzo beans, red onions, tomato, roasted beets in a balsamic vinaigrette.  It was ok but a little sparse.

Then I ordered the garlic special hoping I would have takers and helpers – a thin crust pizza with olive oil, garlic, tomato and fresh basil, no cheese.  If I had known it was going to be just so-so flavor wise and dry crispy like an unsalted cracker, maybe I would’ve chosen the vegetarian without cheese.  That was regular crust with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, spinach, fresh basil and artichoke hearts.  Good toppings to try on a homemade pizza.  After a few slices were consumed because of ravenous hunger, this pizza was also left un eaten during late night TV watching and also thrown out upon our departure.  I do believe the toppings were picked off somewhat though.  But if the crust, the foundation, is not right – the whole system fails.

Meanwhile, dessert at Native Foods over the course of three days included: pumpkin pie with a granola crust and ginger creme, oatmeal creme pie consisting of a sandwich of two soft oatmeal cookies with whipped vanilla creme in the middle, a double delight brownie, a chocolate cupcake, a carrot cream cheese cupcake and my personal favorite – a peanut butter parfait – imagine a creamy peanut butter mousse layered between broken up banana bread and chocolate chips.

Good thing dinner was nothing special and we saved ourselves for sweets.

Even a teeny, tiny treat can satisfy.

One of the reasons I went raw – for over four months – back in 2009 was because I was so taken by the desserts.  I was looking for more vegan dessert choices to splurge on and an employee at Mother’s asked if I had tried any raw vegan desserts?  Needless to say, raw is almost always organic and with the exception of a few sushi lovers, vegan.

Today, five years later and back on the vegan wagon,  I find there are twenty times more options to choose from and explore in the vegan dessert market.  There is always fruit;  simple, elegant and economical.  You can make your own vegan from scratch cakes, cookies, ice creams and concoctions.  Or you can purchase any number of pre-packaged items to make it swift and easy.

The other night my daughter made me a deconstructed vegan ice cream cookie sandwich.  The cookies are from a line called Susan’s Vegan Cookies.  These particular cookies are sugar free (I remember wondering when that was going to happen) and the ice cream is made from almond milk.

Five years ago, only soy ice cream was available and I don’t even believe it was non-gmo!  Nowadays, you can find coconut, almond, any nut/seed ice creams and even sugar and fat-free.  Amazing how when you can’t find something you create it or big businesses tune into what the masses demand.  The niche is quickly becoming saturated so shop and try a few.

For me, I don’t discount a whole brand because of one poor tasting experiment.  I don’t care for certain items in certain brands and never love everything.  I thought I would like the peanut butter cookies way more than the reality.  I absolutely adore the chocolate oatmeal which I didn’t even want to purchase but had to try.  What I can attest to, is my experience, according to my palette.

This in particular treat was served in a half cup sized glass bowl we use frequently to mis-en-place so it is little but all you really need.  Two sugar free orange and chocolate chip oat cookies (Susan’s vegan brand) were warmed in the microwave for approximately ten seconds, topped off with one quarter cup vanilla almond milk ice cream and made complete with raw organic chopped pecans and a miniature spoon.  The whole experience cost me under 250 calories which is a 75 minute walk.Happy taste testing!

Could there be a happier more serene place?  When I checked the weather, the status at home and my cold symptoms I arrived at the conclusion and made the decision to come up to my sanctuary treehouse.  What a wise choice.

There was hustle and bustle at my house, a full on five course meal being prepared, a whirlwind activity since they got the ok from the oral surgeon to “please go ahead and chew to your hearts content, stretch your mouth, do not be afraid to brush back there and feel free to eat.” And upon inquiry by me, it was publicly announced within the small examining room and in my daughters’ presence and earshot – they do not medically have to sleep on recliners in the den anymore and can sleep in their own beds although they enjoyed camping in our TV room for the last six days.

This was my first clue that my plans to get out of the feasting, prepping, cleaning and serving of a very special meal for someone very special on this very special day was a good one.  I am so very grateful to my husband for this cabin in the woods.  The weather, check.   The opportunity, check.  My cold symptoms, check.  The desire, double check.

And so, here I am.  After running just one more errand for the sister duo and loading up the car with clothes, books and pantry items, I packed up my Trader Jo cold bags with healthy foods from the fridge, stopped for gas and sped up to the 91 freeway toll road from the 55 north ramp.  I let everyone know that needed to know via bluetooth and I sit here now as the place warms up, looking at my Christmas mountain decor and just about dying with gratitude.  How did I get so lucky?

The first thing I do when I arrive and drive up the steep, pine needle strewn driveway, is text my husband and today, the girls to let everyone know I am fine.  I admire my getaway, open the door, put on the heat and I start to unpack the car.  Once I have a reasonable amount of items placed about and make sure everything is working, still intact and just take in the peace, I make a half pot of organic, water processed, kosher decaf in my good old reliable coffee maker.   I may switch to tea later and I have a classic Japanese cast iron tea pot with a tea light warming stand and a stainless steel electric water kettle on the counter for just such purposes.

I get around to eating but first I look around my clean, just like I left it, Christmas adorned environment.  I think I will keep the holiday theme till spring when I can be deck the halls with my spring/summer collection of birds, butterflies and flowers.  Noel goes well with the warmth inside of this home.  No need to dismantle Christmas here, it belongs in the thirty to forty degree weather with panoramic views of towering pines like seashells and lighthouses belong in a beach house.

After I post, I will fill up the bird feeder, finish distributing all the paraphernalia I brought up here and read awhile before a roaring wood fire.  And after supper, I will settle in with some tea or decaf, recline on our sofa and watch a little TV or read some more.  I brought the new electric hot air popcorn popper I gifted my husband and organic corn kernels.    Let’s see how that works out.

Everyone knows I am an avid reader.  I may be slow but I am methodical, erratic, passionate and committed to the written word, read aloud or in silence, technical device or old school bound copy (which is by far the most romantic, practical for highlighting and flagging and personally desired) and preferably done in seclusion so as not to be anti-social.

Well, today is day three of my illness and after feeling better yesterday, rebounding and doing more than I should have (sound familiar?) – I relapsed worse than ever and now have to start all over again.

Looking on the bright side, I received great reads from my children for Christmas, I borrowed a few from the library and bought some titles while shopping for others.

The universe’s message?  Stay still today, chill and catch up on organizing email, pictures, writing and the most appetizing reward for being sick and heeding advice I would give to others – reading.  Yea! Guilt free and plenty of hours to do it in!  I have to remember, I am healing while I enjoy the thing I love to do best!  It makes me appreciate I am ailing.  I get to recuperate and I get to read.

Instead of Bon Appetit or Bon Voyage it is Bonne Lecture!

This is just my Christmas through let’s say February reading.

Perusing Amazon is a great way to read some more, BTW.  Found two more interesting books for my collection.

Not feeling well and I am being taking care of.

Healthy bean soup topped with chopped cucumbers and cilantro with a side of strawberries and… a vegan cheese (use Daiya) and bitchin brand chipotle sauce on a corn tortilla quesadilla.  

Just what the doctor ordered alongside some orange herbal tea with coconut milk and stevia.  I feel better already.Together this combination beats chicken soup and is a spicy version of grilled cheese and tomato soup my mom used to make me when I was younger and ill.  It’s a winning duet!

Yesterday my daughter made a superb Vegan Curry I added atop brown rice and she atop soft Asian noodles.  I don’t have exact amounts but when probed, I quickly jotted down the ingredients.

Silken Tofu, Light Coconut Milk, Orange and Red Bell Peppers, Red Onion, Asparagus, Swiss Chard, Green Onions, Cilantro, Thai Basil, Lemon Leaves, Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes, Ginger, Pineapple and Tamari were used to create this delicious, spicy yet light stew-like etoufe that works well over rice or noodles.

I didn’t think I would like the pineapple but it actually gave the flavors depth and a refinement I didn’t expect.  The pineapple touch is what elevated it to a master level.

Needless to say, the cute cut up and arranged just so cucumber slices were also a class act keeping the flavors clean.   I wouldn’t have bothered with the arrangement fanned out with a sprig of basil and cilantro but she wouldn’t think of not garnishing like I wouldn’t walk out of my house to get the mail without lipstick painted on my lips.

I love putting up Christmas decor; sipping hot chocolate or my favorite coffee/tea drink of the moment, listening and singing along to Carols, hanging ornaments, swagging garland, lighting up with mini lights, reminiscing, sashaying to and fro and the list of merriment goes on.

But –

I despise taking it down.  Today is the day.

I have hours of dismantling, unhinging, re-organizing, misplacing, deconstructing, re-packing, unwinding and no holiday music to look forward to but at least I have a decaf cappuccino and I will reward myself with some chocolate later and watch some TV with my two poor convalescing daughters whom just had their wisdom teeth pulled.  Poor babies.

I even had two wreaths I spent some quality time decorating in our small powder room.

I get to ‘let go’ of Christmas and ‘accept’ it is January.  Themes that keep recurring.

Let’s let go of some heavy duty toxins and drink some juice.  Even if you buy bottled green juice and have as little as one 8oz serving, you will be rejuvenating your cells.  Good combinations include celery, parsley, beet, fennel, lemon, fresh ginger, apple and pear.  You can try your own concoction or look some up on line for ideas.  Carrot juice, orange juice and berry juices all go well with any greens too, such as kale.  The advantage of juicing is it side tracks stomach juices having no fiber and is injected directly into your system.  

Another option is to have a green smoothie.  All you need for this is a blender.  Start with some fruit and add some veggies.  A tasty mixture of cucumber, mint, lemon, berries or grapes and baby kale is delightful, easy and full of antioxidants.  Again, create your own.  I love banana, cocoa, maca, stevia, almond milk and romaine.  The addition of easily processed greens works best in a blender and with a green smoothie you get all the fiber.  Make a big batch and store it airtight in the fridge for later in the afternoon.

I have found that after a walk or workout I look forward to a nice cool drink of veggie/fruit juices, coconut water or a smoothie.  It fills me up and it just seems to punctuate the healthy physical choices I make to keep my body running as smoothly as possible.