Vegan Potato Leek Soup

This super easy and low cal soup is still satisfying with its rich and creamy texture.  It's also a great base soup for you to play around with and add your own fixings to...but trust me, it's still quite delicious all by itself!  :-)

Ingredients: Serves approx. 12 1-cup portions

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 leeks, sliced and rinsed
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 tbsp ground thyme
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups water or veg. broth

Directions

1.  Cook onion, leeks, garlic and spices in olive oil until soft.
2.  Add water and potatoes, bring to boil, cook until potatoes are soft.
3.  Blend with immersion blender and serve!

Nutrition: Cal-77, Carb-14, Fat-2, Protein-2, Fiber-1

Zombie 5K Run

Zombie 5k Run

For me, finding the time to be consistent with my running (and exercising in general) is well, difficult.  When I'm not dedicating 40+ hours a week to my job as a social worker I find myself wanting to just have fun.  I can be found having dinner with friends, drinks with friends, shopping with friends, movies with friends, IKEA trips with friends, crocheting with friends, partying with friends, beaching with friends, gossiping with friends, and for good measure, just spending time with my friends.  

Social butterfly?  You don't say.

Obviously, I'm happiest when I'm spending time with my pals.  So it only makes sense to incorporate any activities of the exercise variety...with friends.  Now I've had the occasional gym buddies who bail at the last minute.  As good as their intentions may have been they just simply weren't interested in working out regularly.  Or I've had friends who are avidly interested in shaking their groove things in Zumba classes and while I will dabble in Zumba here and there...it really isn't MY thing.

So there I am, an extroverted people person without any consistent and super local workout buddy.  Enter one of my best friends, Lisa (Hi Lisa!).  We both discovered around the same time how much we loved running.  A mutual adoration for being outside and for social contact made us quick running buddies.  We enjoyed evening jog after jog together all through the summer of 2012 while preparing for The Color Run 5k.  Both being inexperienced runners, we were able to share in the small but exciting victories of "I ran 0.4 miles further than last time!" and "I finished that mile in 32 seconds less than before!"

Those seemingly trivial moments proved to be monumental for me as I shed 20 pounds over the summer.  Our first 5k came and went and suddenly with the decreasing daylight and lack of a formal 5k run to look forward to...so did our almost daily running routine.

Throughout this past fall and winter I've managed to maintain my 20 pound weight loss with weekly half-assed workouts of Just Dance and brief walks.  While happy that I've finally managed to keep off a significant amount of weight for more than a month, I can't help but be a little bummed that my precious momentum has dissipated.

The Solution?  Getting chased by zombies, of course.

If signing up for a fun themed 5k helped me out once, it should do the trick again.  I'm back on the treadmill (and on nice days back outside) running my butt off to get ready to escape the zombie apocalypse.  I'm extra motivated due to the fact that I'm terrified of the feeling of being chased and I'm about as brave as a baby when it comes to zombies and anything remotely scary.  So this could result in me running the fastest in my life or cowering in a fetal position on a path in FDR Park.  0_o

I'm feeling great and also excited to weigh myself soon, especially since I've been transitioning my normal emptycarb-sugar-salt-aholic vegetarian diet to a more whole food and minimally processed vegan regimen.  Updates are sure to follow and I hope to see lots of friends and family at the upcoming Zombie 5k in Philadelphia.  Visit The Zombie Run's website for more details or to find a race near you.

  

Vegan Avocado Jalapeno Cilantro Lime Dip

 Vegan Avocado Jalapeno Cilantro Lime Dip

Ingredients: Yields approximately 20 2tbsp servings
Fruit of 2 avocados
2 jalapenos, chopped
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 small bushel cilantro leaves
1tbsp veganaise
3/4 cup almond milk

This is beyond easy and super healthy.  Simply throw all of the above ingredients in your blender until it's nice and smooth.  Use it as a dip for some hearty sweet potato fries, a spread for a black bean & rice burrito, or add a bit more almond milk to use it as a dressing for a refreshing salad.

Nutrition Facts per serving: Cal-32, Carb-1, Fat-6, Protein-1

Crochet: Freshman Dorm Blanket

Simple yet interesting stripes in a two-toned gradient make this quick lap blanket a must have.  Grab your crochet hook and stitch it up in your school's colors!

Find the pattern here!

Crochet: Fall Semester Infinity Scarf

A loooooonnng infinity scarf in a fun mesh pattern.  A fabulous layering piece for your fall and winter wardrobe.

Find the pattern here!

Rest in Peace Lexie

One of my best friends, Erica, has to put her gorgeous golden retriever to sleep today.  Lexie will be sorely missed as she has been so dearly, dearly loved.

"Bronte" by Goyte

Now your bowl is empty
And your feet are cold
And your body cannot stop rocking
I know
It hurts to let go

Since the day we found you
You have been our friend
And your voice still echoes in the hallways of this house
But now
It's the end

We will be with you
When you're leaving
We will be with you
When you go
We will be with you
And hold you till you're quiet
It hurts to let you go

We will be with you
You will stay with us

Etsy Treasury: Philly Love

A treasury list featuring shop owners from the Philadelphia area, have a look!