Preface: This post took me more than six weeks to write. I started drafting on the winter solstice, so it feels right to publish on the cross-quarter day imbolc. I’ve needed the time to sit with the questions I share in this post—questions that are sure to keep evolving. I hope you’ll come with me on this journey into my spiritual life and desire to do the holidays differently. The Holidays Are Hard. Do They Have to Be? For me and for many of us, the holidays are hard. ... Read more ...
mindful eating
Spirulina Shake: Love for This Bright Green Smoothie
As I’ve shared in the last blog post, the past few months have involved a lot of shifts in my diet: keeping vegan + gluten-free eating as the anchor, but eliminating refined sugars and, at least for the time being, eating only cooked and pureed foods. This shift has me making smoothies every day, and one I’ve particularly enjoyed is this spirulina shake. It’s sweet, so it satisfies cravings.It’s simple, so I don’t have to follow instructions.It’s satisfying, so I feel ... Read more ...
Vegan and Gluten-free Tempeh Sticks
This spring I’ve been enjoying vegan and gluten-free tempeh sticks regularly, almost daily. Throughout the pandemic, so many things—my health included—have shifted, as I know it has for many people. During the pandemic, I’ve been largely in quarantine mode, so it’s been more than a year since I’ve had acupuncture or gone swimming or had allergy shots (all of which were key to supporting my body). Through the fall and winter, I also managed my emotions through an old ... Read more ...
Interrupting Thanksgiving: Three Responses to Disrupt What’s Normalized on This National Holiday
Each month, I write a Q&A newsletter for Patreon subscribers based on questions I receive, and this month, it felt important to share these responses as a blog post. Update as of 2024: Since writing this post, I've moved subscriptions from Patreon to Momence. I hope you'll join me there. Learn more via the subscribe page linked here. It felt important because I received three questions all related to the upcoming holiday: How do you interrupt the Thanksgiving ... Read more ...
Flourless Mushroom Gravy (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
Dedication: This recipe is for you, Mom. For years, my mom has been asking me to share this mushroom gravy recipe: a version of gravy goodness that I came to after trying to simplify and veganize various recipes. It’s been tricky to write up this recipe because I rarely measure ingredients. And this flourless gravy is very forgiving, which rewards me for not taking notes. Whether I add more or less seasoning, more or less broth, more or less additions (like gluten-free ... Read more ...
Mac and Cheese with a Kick: 4-Ingredient Vegan and Gluten-Free Twist on This Favorite Comfort Food
Mac and cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods, so when I became vegan in 2013, I began adapting familiar recipes. Some ways of making this favorite food are more complicated, but this 4-ingredient recipe is simple, straightforward, and smile-producing. In the pandemic, I’m cooking at home daily, even as my energy fluctuates day-to-day. This means that I sometimes want to stretch myself, try new recipes, and spend hours in the kitchen. On these days, cooking feels ... Read more ...
7 Strategies for Soothing Aches and Pains During the Pandemic
It’s been weeks since I’ve had acupuncture, and old aches and pains are now resurfacing during the pandemic. In this week’s session of “Processing the Pandemic with Heart-Head-Hands,” I realized I wasn’t alone in having these sensations. Our conversation turned to shared back pains and how we’re supporting our bodies while staying at home and missing bodywork. Because many of us are dealing with similar questions of how to soothe aches and pains, I’m sharing what’s ... Read more ...
Words Cast Spells: Spell-Casting for 2020 to Experience Grief, Temperance, and Abundance
Though the new year marks a time for review and renewal, it’s often a few weeks into the year before I’m ready to set new goals via the contemplative practice of spell-casting. It’s as though I have to get out of the turbulent holiday season and new year energy before I’m ready to engage the magic of habit formation. This year (like the past couple) I’m returning to the practice of writing spells (like mantras, poems, or intentions) that I’ve learned through adrienne ... Read more ...
Eating for Justice? Why Explore Relationships with Food
Relationships with food are tricky at all times of year, but this is especially the case in January. From the pressures of new year resolutions to weight-loss goals and fitness challenges, January highlights the swing from decadent December eating to body-shaming that’s associated with “getting in shape.” Or, in the words of a recent article by Zoe Fenson: “January is the month of body shaming. I’m tuning out.” In recent years, January has also been fashioned as ... Read more ...
Eating Vegan in Ireland
From curries and creamy risotto to mint chocolate and coconut ice cream, Ireland offers an array of vegan dishes, including comfort foods and sweet treats. This summer I traveled to Ireland with only a few weeks of planning—after realizing how much I needed a period of extended rest and reset. When I began telling friends and family about the trip, responses went something like this: You’re going to Ireland? That’s awesome! But what will you eat?” The short answer is ... Read more ...
