Happy New Year! It’s always fun to take a quick look back at the past year and with social media and digital photos it only takes a few minutes to revisit an entire year of living. My family is just like yours and we had our ups and downs over the past year but overall…
Thanksgiving Family Food & Fun
We really changed things up this year for Thanksgiving since our daughter Katy and her hubby Esau hosted both families for the big day. They recently moved into their first home and were delighted to have enough room for everyone. They were gracious hosts and we had a lovely time! Katy made all of…
Make Your Own Crispy Tortilla Bowls with No Oil!
We have all seen the deep fried crispy tortilla bowls that are served up in restaurants and some of us have even indulged in them! They do make for a festive presentation but who wants all that extra fat and calories? There is a super easy way to make crispy tortilla bowls at home in…
Plant Based Vegan Food Finds
Even though we have been busy with household chores helping our daughter and her hubby fix up the house they bought we did manage a trip to Costco and Sam’s Club this past week. You never know what you are going to find at these stores. The stock changes all the time and if you…
Roasted Butternut Squash Alfredo & Lentil Quinoa Bolognese
The end of the summer season makes me kind of sad. I will miss fresh berries, corn on the cob and watermelon as well as a host of other seasonal delights. Then I take my first bite of a crisp, juicy apple and roast a butternut squash and all is well again! A friend gave…
The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook Review
I have an addiction to cookbooks! I tell myself I am not going to purchase any new cookbooks but then I see a new one and I can’t help myself. Usually it turns out to be a good decision and I rarely have regrets. I read cookbooks like novels cover to cover, soaking up all…
From Empty Nest to Full House!
I thought I had better write an updated blog post least you all think I have fallen off the edge of a cliff on one of our hikes! Truth be told there hasn’t been any time for hiking lately. Long time readers of this blog know that two years ago this month our daughter Katy…
A Birthday Hike on Fern Canyon Trail!
When hubby Tom asked me if I wanted to go out of town to celebrate my 55th birthday with a hike I didn’t hesitate to say yes! It’s a chance to get away from daily life, the phone, chores, laundry and so on. There is something so peaceful about being out in nature. I love the…
Farmer’s Market & Food Finds
Are your local farmer’s markets up and running? We are fortunate that our farmer’s market is open every week all year long. That’s one of the perks of living in California. I love seeing what new crops are ready to be shared. If you purchase from the same vendors on a regular basis they usually throw…
Can a plant based diet really lower cholesterol? My results!
At my yearly phsyicals in 2011 and 2012 a pattern started to emerge with my LDL choloeserol as it was on the rise. Despite the fact that I was following what I thought was a healhty low fat diet all the while exercising, staying active and trying to be healthy. I rarely ate red meat,…