We all have busy days when taking the time to prepare a meal just seems like too much. Instead of opting for a pre-packaged and highly processed meal or reaching for a take out menu, there are many simple and tasty meals that can be prepared quickly. A lot of these come in handy as food items to bring on the go as well. Here are five of my favorites. They are the most diverse recipes that can added to in any way that you like.

1. Pasta with herbs, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. Warm some Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a pan. Add some minced garlic, pepper, and herbs of your choice (fresh or dried). If you like, add some quick cooking vegetables such as broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and asparagus. You could also add some frozen pre-cooked shrimp, grilled chicken, or tofu for protein. Toss the warm Olive Oil mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

2. Couscous with vegetables. Saute vegetables of your choice in Olive Oil. I usually do onion, garlic, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Add them to your cooked couscous before serving.

3. Quesadillas. Beyond the basic tortilla with cheese, these are really versatile foods. I saute chicken in fajita seasoning for flavor. I also saute onions, green peppers, or any other vegetable I have on hand that sounds tasty. Enclosed in a tortilla with soy cheese and with salsa on the side, it makes a very filling and easy meal.

4. Omlettes. Keep them simple, low fat and low calorie by skipping the processed meat and using minimal, if any, cheese. To cut cholesterol, use all egg whites or a mix of 2 egg whites and 1 egg with yolk. Fill with vegetables, a sprinkle of soy cheese, and serve with salsa.

5. Tofu with vegetables. Lightly coat diced tofu with flour. Pan fry with soy sauce (or flavorings of your choice), minced garlic, and assorted vegetables until tofu has browned and vegetables are done.

I added two new pages to the site : The Book List and The Shopping List.

The Book List is where I am going to feature books that I am reading, will read, and have read during 2008. I used to read a lot and have been wanting to get back into it. I think that seeing the list grow over time will help keep me motivated.

The Shopping List is where I will post photos of the items that I acquire during 2008. I love fashion and shopping, so I think it will be nice to see what I pick up over the year. It might also give me more outfit ideas. Perhaps I’ll even see a shift in my style over the course of the year.

While flipping through this months Glamour Magazine I saw a little list in the back that I thought was adorable. Some are fluff, and others are just way too true. I just wanted to share it with you all.

12 Sneaky Little Secrets of Supposedly Perfect Women

1. Underwear that makes it look like she goes to the gym.

2. Delegating, delegating, delegating. Mantra : “Who else can do this?”

3. A splurge of a watch, set a few minutes ahead.

4. Knowing that she doesn’t need to be the best at everything. Who cares if all she can cook is slice-and-bake cookies?

5. Safe places for life’s messes : a hall closet, a junk drawer, a long phone call with Mom.

6. The expensive concealer.

7. Every workday meal has a job : Breakfast is fuel, lunch is business, and dinner is friendship, love, sex – or all three.

8. Being OK with having three enemies who hate her as long as her three best friends love her.

9. An LBD, a DVR, and a car with a GPS.

10. A bag that may or may not have status but definitely has tons of pockets.

11. Sumatra, Kona, Yrgcheff – whatever buzzes her up fast!

12. An ironclad priority list. And not caring if anything below #17 ever gets done.

I’ve been sick again for the past several days. Feeling under the weather always makes me crave comfort foods. One of my favorites is Hungarian Mushroom Soup from The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. Of course, since I can’t have dairy products, I substitute the dairy options for non-dairy. Soy margarine instead of butter, soy creamer instead of milk, and soy sour cream instead of sour cream. Check out Tofutti makes a great sour cream substitute called Sour Supreme and Silk makes a good soy creamer. Using soy will help cut the calorie and fat content of this soup. If you are going to use soy for this recipe, it’s very important to use soy creamer and not soy milk. Soy milk does not thicken to the consistency needed for this soup like soy creamer does. I usually accompany this soup with a slice of garlic bread, but it’s a great meal on it’s own. Expect lots of leftovers, which can be easily re-heated on the stove top.

Ingredients :
+ 12 ounces fresh mushrooms
+ 2 cups chopped onion
+ 4 tablespoons butter
+ 3 tablespoons flour
+ 1 cup milk
+ 1 – 2 teaspoons dried dill
+ 1 tablespoon paprika
+ 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
+ 1 teaspoon salt
+ 2 cups stock, broth, or water
+ 2 teaspoons lemon juice
+ 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
+ 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Directions :
1. Saute the onions in 2 tablespoons butter, salt lightly. A few minutes later, add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon dill, 1/2 cup stock, tamari, and paprika. Cover and summer for 15 minutes.

2. Melt the remaining butter in large saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, a few minutes. Add the milk. Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat for about 10 minutes – until thick.

3. Stir in the mushroom mixture and remaining stock. Cover and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.

4. Just before serving add salt, pepper, lemon juice, sour cream, and, if desired, extra dill. Serve garnished with parsley.

With the new year a lot of people seem to be thinking more about the environment and how they can cut back on their impact. Don’t worry! I’m not going to suggest that you sell your SUV’s in favor of hybrid cars (although, that would make a huge impact). Instead I am going to offer some easy and simple suggestions that everyone can do.

1. Switch to cloth. Cloth bags, cloth napkins, cloth dish towels, etc. I grew up using cloth for everything, and the idea of using paper napkins, plates and towels for uses beyond spills or picnics is totally bizarre to me. You can use them, wash them, and they are good to go. If you don’t want to spend the money on cloth napkins, pick up cheap bandanas or scarves at thirft stores. This is what I have done and it leaves you with all sorts of funky kitchen accessories.

2. Go with non-toxic cleaners. A lot of commonly bought store cleaners have toxic ingredients that aren’t needed to get the job done. Brands such as Seventh Generation and Method are available in all kinds of stores. Personally, I was raised using Seventh Generation products and have never tried any other commercially available non toxic cleaners. There’s are amazing, but Method is very affordable. Vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and tea tree oil are great alternatives to make your own cleaners, such as the ones described here.

3. Recycle everything. If it can be recycled, do it! Make sure to clean items before recycling since anything with food items left on them, such as jars, boxes, etc., will have to end up going in the landfill. The packaging is recyclable, not the food. If items can’t go in recycle bin, find new uses. Recycling doesn’t just mean taking care of your bottles and cans. It can be extended to all types of things. For example, I use old socks that have gotten holes in them to clean the tub instead of using a sponge or cloth.

4. Compost. Either in your yard or rent a compost bin from your local sanitation department. How much of what’s sitting in your trash can is food waste? All kinds of food waste can go into the compost. So can paper scraps, wood, and anything else that is natural. Though I’d strongly suggest not trying to compost meat or dairy products. It makes a great mix to add to your yard if you are planning on starting a garden in the spring.

5. Conserve energy. Turn off lights when you leave rooms, use energy efficient bulbs, and unplug items that aren’t in use. During the warmer months of the year, ditch the air conditioning (I’ve never lived in a place with it) by either leaving the windows open at night or opening them in the early morning. Make sure to close them by 9:00 or 10:00AM to keep the cool night air in your house longer. Insulate your windows! You can apply plastic over the outside or use thicker curtains.

6. Use less water. Take shorter showers, avoid baths when possible, and shave outside of the tub. Fill the sink with water, soak a washcloth, and rinse the razor in the sink. Re-use cooking water to water plants or as broth. If you just cooked some vegetables in water, use that same water for pasta or rice. This will add a little extra flavor and some extra nutrients. Turn off water when lathering up or brushing. If you have a lawn, water it as little as possible and do so early in the morning or at night when less will evaporate.

I already posted some Health and Beauty Resolutions for 2008, but I wanted to post one related to cooking as well. As you all know, I love to cook! You’ll often find me browsing cookbooks at home and in bookstores for new recipes to try. There are so many new things that I want to try and so many kitchen items I own that I have yet to use. So, I decided to change that. Here are my cooking resolutions for the new year.

1. Use my cheesecake pan and test out all these vegan cheesecake recipes that I have. My mom makes the best vegan cheesecake ever. I kid you not. I’ve had vegan cheesecake at patisseries that don’t even come close! I want to make the best vegan cheesecake too.

2. Find a place down here that sells Soy Feta and cook more dairy free Greek food! I grew up with Greek family and one of the things that I have always missed is the cooking. Especially since some of the family lived in Greece and just came out here for vacation. Dairy free spanikopita, here I come!

3. Bake cupcakes! Lots of them! Lots of flavors, tons of sprinkles and frosting. I really want to try to make ice cream cone cupcakes. Hopefully I’ll acquire a Hello Kitty apron to bake in as well.

4. Try a new recipe every week, then post the recipe, pictures of the dish, and a review here.

5. Learn how to be more creative with cooking on a budget! There are so many things that you can make besides the standards. I want to post these recipes here as well.

What can I say? I’m a total sucker for the classic and preppy style of Abercrombie & Fitch. I love thrift store shopping and all kinds of styles, but casual, comfy, and classic looks are definitely what appeal to me the most. The color combination of navy blue and white is going to be everywhere this spring. As a completely classic and versatile color combination, navy blue and white is great for creating classic and crisp outfits. I couldn’t resist putting together a couple of outfits that revolved around the color combination and the brand.

This is the outfit that I wore yesterday. The sweater is perfectly lightweight. Plus, I finally found the perfect legwarmers that I’ve been waiting for all season at a great cost, so I had to throw those into the outfit somehow.
1. Sweaters – Claudia in Navy Stripe
2. Fashion Jeans – Brianna Super Skinny in Dark Wash
3. Tanks – Allison in Navy
4. A Hollister Co. tank I’ve had for ages that’s exactly like the Tanks – Allison in Heather Grey
5. Winter Accessories – Cable Legwarmers in Light Grey
6. My Old Navy flip flops that are exactly like Flip Flops – Classic Rubber Flip Flops in Navy.

Today I just felt like dressing very casually, but I still wanted to look nice.
1. Knits – Juliette in Navy
2. A Hollister Co. tank I’ve had for a few years that’s almost exactly like the Tanks – Julie in White. Only mine has white lace and doesn’t have the empire waist band.
3. Classic Jeans – Emma Low Rise Boot in Dark Dirty Wash
4. My black low top Converse Chuck Taylors.

I hope that everyone who celebrates it had a great Christmas!! Mine was mellow, but really nice. It was my first attempt at cooking a whole turkey! I was really worried about it, but it came out really good.

On Christmas Eve I marinated some chopped apples and onion in salt, pepper, peppercorns, oregano, thyme, and a bit of basil. The next morning I stuffed the bird with this mixture, chopped up more apples and onions, and spread everything out around in the pan. Then covered the bird with some cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and more herbs. I cooked it under foil for the first 4 hours to keep the moisture in, then cooked for another hour or so uncovered to brown the bird nicely. The foil combined with lots of basting kept it super moist and flavorful. I’m really happy with how it turned out! We cooked a lot during the day, and it was a lot of fun. I love any excuse to cook or bake!

Opening the presents under the tree is always a lot of fun! My mom had shipped my presents down last week, so I had ones from her and my boy waiting for me. I made out quite well. Some of the comfy items that I had been wanting the most this year, Bearpaw boots and knee socks, were waiting for me. My boy got me the Bearpaws and a set of Britney Spears’ Curious perfume, which is my favorite! My mom knit me a scarf since she had looked everywhere for cable knit tights and hadn’t had any luck. She also got me chocolate bars and coffee from local markets back home, and lots of other goodies. I also got gifts from May and Marsadie! As well as a card from Hether! It was too sweet of them.

I got my boy I, Robot and a flannel shirt from my work. Unfortunately, it didn’t fit him right, so I’m going to return it and he picked out the 3 Predator movies in exchange, the original, 2, and Aliens VS. Predator. We’re big on movie nights. Lol. His parents got him a new TV for Christmas, which has been amazing! The one we had before we an old hand-me-down I received a few years ago from a friend. It was made in 1980. Lol. So, this year it was a big upgrade and we’ve been enjoying watching movies on it since.

Well, I’ve got to be at work fairly soon, so I’m off to get ready for that. I hope that you all have been having a lovely week!

Merry Christmas to those readers who celebrate it!!! I hope that you all have a wonderful day!

This is my first Christmas away from my family, so it’s been a bit hard to get into my usual amount of Christmas spirit. I love Christmas though! We have our brightly lit little tree with presents underneath and the holiday cards we’ve received displayed. I have a 13 pound turkey in the oven! My first whole turkey that I have ever cooked! Wish me luck on that! Lol. Once the boy gets up, we’re going to make some sweet rolls and coffee with gingerbread creamer for breakfast before opening our presents. Then spend the rest of the day cooking our giant dinner and watching Christmas movies. Sounds like a great day to me.

No matter what your stance is on religion or all the holiday shopping, please don’t forget that so much of Christmas is really just about a few things : family & loved ones, hope, and, most importantly, love. Without these things, it just wouldn’t be a proper holiday.

With the New Year people make all sorts of resolutions. Many that they fail to keep, or never intend to keep. Personally, I find it best to make resolutions that are attainable and will improve myself and my life. This year, I’ve decided to do the following :

1. Take vitamins daily. I forget them more than I should, but being committed to taking them daily will only help.

2. Stay hydrated. Moving to a new climate has been really hard on my skin and I find that I get dehydrated a lot faster than I used to. Through tea, water, water spiked with fruit juice, and mineral water, I plan to get plenty of water in my system.

3. Moisturize. I think that we all forget how important it is to hydrate yourself from the inside and the outside. Finding the perfect eye cream is next on my list of beauty buys.

4. Wear sunscreen daily. My skin will thank me for it later. Probably even sooner than I realize.

5. Eat more fruits and veggies. We could all do this. With all their vitamins and antioxidants, fruits and vegetables should be a bigger part of everyones diet.

So, what are some of your health and beauty resolutions for the upcoming year?