Everyday Eats: Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Corn and Peppers
My year is not off to the luckiest of starts. Yesterday, while packing up all of our Christmas decorations, putting our gingerbread house and painted pinecones decorated with Red Hots in the safest of places*, Gigi made an upsetting discovery. *the recycling bin is a very, very safe place She found not one, but two Karaoke Christmas Microphones that my dear aunt gave the girls for Christmas. I had unfortunately not put them in the safest of places**. **Pea... Read More
Everyday Eats: Mediterranean Salad Shakers
Now’s the time of the year when everyone starts making lists. It starts with lists of what they wanted to achieve last year, followed by big red checkmarks and “x”s by what they did and didn’t achieve. It’s a real “feel good” exercise. Then, in the afterglow of their successes and shadows of their failures, they make lists of what they want to achieve next year. If I’ve learned anything in 2011, though, it’s that no matter how... Read More
Wannabe Recipea: Bliss Salad
A few helpful hints for you today: If you are going to one of Loving Hut’s many locations, call and make sure they are open on Sunday before dragging someone else across town just so you can eat a highly addictive Heavenly Salad. Someone else will be very, very angry. If you have a dirty, dingy wedding ring, you can clean it at home by using a little toothpaste and baking soda and someone else’s toothbrush. If you are so inclined. If you are... Read More
Thrive Foods in Your Future (GIVEAWAY)
I’m going to go all Back To The Future on you. Pea Daddy and I had a lengthy discussion about Back To The Future during last night’s Modern Family episode, when Mitchell and Cam were mistakenly seeing the yet-to-be-released Muppet Movie. I said, “They’re pulling a Back To The Future on us.” He replied, “Actually, it’d be Back To The Future 2.” Passionate debating ensued. It keeps the spark alive, people. He was right. (This time.)... Read More
End of Summer Salad
I don’t know what the weather is like where you are, but it is definitely Fall outside here. It is raining. This morning, I turned the air conditioning off and will not turn it on again until July. I spent ten minutes looking for a matching pair of socks in Lulu’s drawer so that her piggies would stay warm at our friend’s house. It was quite the feat. We haven’t needed socks since June, so I haven’t been meticulous in my matching. I... Read More
Dinner Tonight: Grilled Watermelon Salad
Pea Daddy has this uncanny knack for getting ideas stuck in his head and when he does, there’s no getting them out. He is the definition of tunnel vision. This explains so very, very much: Why he still hasn’t opened his Kindle. We are NOT getting an iPad. Unless, of course, one of us isn’t that attached to our kidneys. Why he has read at least five books on surfing in the last six months, even though he isn’t a strong swimmer.... Read More
Vegan Values: Noodle Salad with Peanut Mmmm Sauce
I have a soft spot in my heart for Chinese food. When I was Lulu’s age, my grandmother was a waitress at a local Chinese restaurant. It was literally a hole in the wall–not in the nicest part of town, only about 15 small tables, and the owners, their close relatives and my grandmother were the only employees. Thirty years later, it’s still in business. And it still has the best Chinese food in town. Present company excluded, of course. My... Read More
You Don’t Bring Me Coleslaw Anymore
It was a strange day. And somehow it ended in Pea Daddy buying me flowers for no reason. Or maybe, in fact, for many reasons. While driving today, I called 911 on a couple that were fighting on the sidewalk while their baby watched from her stroller. Mom shoved Dad so hard he came into my lane and I had to swerve to miss him. She’s a keeper. While mailing dough balls today, Lulu looked around the post office until she saw a man getting ready... Read More
A Controversial Post
There have been a couple of notable stories in the news this past week that have caused quite the buzz in the vegan community. I’ve written and rewritten my thoughts and opinions on the issues, wavered back and forth on what to say or even if I should say it, and then I just made up my mind. I don’t weigh in on problems. I solve them. Natalie Portman, if you are craving eggs, try this. And for the record, I’m still a fan and you can come... Read More
Build Your Own Wacky Wednesday (VIDEO)
We got out the video camera this afternoon. There was no script, no rehearsals, no second takes. After all was said and done, I just couldn’t decide which video to post. So today, the choice is yours. Do you want a salad building post with tips on how to get your kids to eat more vegetables and to learn the “recipea” for the dressing that I put on every salad I eat? Or do you want something that I’m not even sure Lulu can explain? Or you... Read More
Sunshine in a Bowl
We need some sunshine up in here. I’ve been in a bit of a funk since we got home from Phoenix. There is absolutely no date in the foreseeable future in which I will need sunglasses, sunscreen or a bikini wax, and frankly, I’m not okay with that. Nor is Pea Daddy. Prickly Mama Pea. How could this really have just been a week ago? In my naked-eyed, faded tan, stubbly state of depression, I haven’t left the house all week. Why... Read More
Lessons from the Road: Phoenix Edition, Day 1
It’s a two and a half hour flight to Phoenix. It’s 87 degrees. If you are three and five years-old, having unlimited juice at a pre-flight breakfast buffet is like winning the lottery. But not for the parent on airplane bathroom duty. It’s a two and a half hour flight to Phoenix. It’s 87 degrees. You don’t need eight pairs of shoes. You need flip-flops. Shoes weigh a lot. If you were to, say, remove ten pounds of shoes from your... Read More
Meals on Wheels
I have to be the most indecisive person ever. Wait, maybe I’m not. I can’t decide. If I didn’t have other people to make decisions for me, I’m pretty sure I would be huddled in the corner of my room, hugging my knees and rocking back and forth. Or maybe I’d be on my couch. It’s hard to choose. That is why I’ve come up with a fool proof decision-making method. I once read that one of the best ways to make decisions is to flip... Read More
Mother Goose
Dear God… something stinks. It might be Mommy. (Mommy is now wishing Pea Daddy’s friends, a few neighbors and friends of her parents would skip this post. I’ve got to keep it real, though.) I’ve led Pea Daddy to believe that I have an invisible pet goose. This goose first came to visit one evening when we were hanging out in my apartment in law school, sipping on Diet Pepsi and sitting in a completely upright position on the end of my... Read More
Best Friends With Rings
Pea Daddy and I became best friends ten years ago. Seven years ago, we became best friends with rings. Someone had a plan, and as a result, it’s been five years since we became best friends with rings…and kids. Since Gigi came along, we have never spent the night alone in a hotel together. We went on an overnight date once when Gigi was two, but since I was seven months pregnant, technically Lulu was there and I had the bulging belly, hemorrhoids... Read More
Homebody Loves You
It should come as no surprise that we spent New Year’s Eve at home. I am an absolute homebody. I like my house. I like my books, my TV and my family’s tolerance for mediocre hygiene. I have to be a homebody–it’s in my job title. It’s not called a “drive-around-town-entertaining-your-husband-and-children’s-whims” mom. Maybe that’s just because the acronym stinks. “I’m a DATEYHACWM,” doesn’t exactly roll... Read More
Lessons From Christmas Dinner
If you pile my family around a dinner table, you are bound to learn a thing or two. We eat. We talk, borderline shout. We argue. We eat. We talk, borderline shout some more. I cannot guarantee the factual accuracy of any tidbit that comes out of any person with my genetic makeup, admittedly, myself included. Perhaps that is why it is so easy to get into little arguments. When two parties of a heated debate are both making things up, it is virtually... Read More
A Test Run
Practice makes perfect. Or a good blog post. Gigi has been practicing her Christmas carols. You can join in. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Had a very special thing, And if you ever heard of, You would even say it blows. Then one foggy day-uh-ay, Santa came to..uh. Rudolph with your red nose, Won’t you guide my sleigh-uh-ay? Then all the reindeer got in line. And they shouted out with fear! Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, You’ll go down... Read More
Not Your Average Day
Today was not your average day. It was World Diabetes Day! To me this meant an opportunity to reach the Portland community via a Circle in the Square event, an opportunity to spread the word about Peas and Thank You, and an opportunity to share the wonderful effects of a plant-based diet in the treatment and prevention of disease. To others, though, it was merely an opportunity to get woken up and stuffed in the car instead of leisurely eating... Read More
Living La Vida Loca
If I thought flying on a plane solo was crazy, I had no idea what I was in store for. I almost got right back on a plane as I walked into our hotel and was met by a man holding a placard that said, “Sarah.” How nice!, I thought, Ashley sent someone to greet me! As he led me to a van and asked me what time my flight left, I knew that I was not his “Sarah.” Side note #1: Pea Daddy, I’m only your “Sarah.” And I miss you. Side note... Read More
Thanks for Asking
If you’ve been reading for awhile, you may have noticed that I almost never post on Friday nights. “What ARE you doing?” you might ask. “Washing your hair?” Yes. “Visiting the elderly?” Yes. “Making your husband and children drive 35 miles to go to your favorite stores in the entire world to participate in one of your favorite activities in the entire world?” Yes and yes. “Is Pea Daddy still sporting that smokin’ stubble…... Read More
Disneyland: The Vegan Friendliest Place on Earth?
We’ve been back from Disneyland for a week and a half now, and I’m still surprised. Surprised that today was the first time I’ve cleaned a toilet and mopped the floor (we’ve been busy!). Surprised that Gigi was playing “Disneyland” this morning and was almost in tears because there was a “20- minute wait for the Teacups!” I love the imagination, but she needs to learn to have it work for her instead of against her. Surprised that... Read More
The Problem With Pretty
Last night was one of those special nights that happens every few weeks. A night when we eat dinner in the living room. A night when we kick Pea Daddy out and invite one of our best friends in. A night when we wish Pea Kitty was a boy so we could kick her out too. It was a girls’ night! When it was time for Pea Daddy to go hang out with his friend Scott (who happens to be a dedicated P&TY reader…Hi Scott!), Gigi pulled the”... Read More
It’s My Job
The only things I’ve said more on this blog than “tutu,” “tinkle” and “Oh. My. Peas.” is “I have the best job in the world.” It’s not really fair that I throw that out there without telling you about some of the other jobs I have had that have led me to this conclusion. I’ve been, among other things: a desk clerk at a basketball-only gym when I was barely old enough to appreciate... Read More
PKEA
We woke up this morning with a mission: big girl beds for everyone! It is impossible to leave our house before 9 a.m. with everyone showered and fed. We solved that by skipping the shower and eating “breakfast dessert” on the road. Juice boxes and pickles for everyone! Very sour and juicy pickles, obviously. We first stopped to upgrade our vehicle. “Upgrade” is a loose term referring only to size, because when furniture... Read More
Leaving the Nest
I want my babies to stay babies forever. Unhealthfully so. I’m pretty sure Lulu would still be breastfeeding were it not for that nasty back injury and not wanting to pump her bloodstream full of Vicodin. Although my OB/GYN said at a recent appointment that she would have been fine nursing even with the narcotics. Shh…don’t tell Pea Daddy, I think he wants that week of his life back that he spent “weaning” while... Read More
The Most Dramatic Post Ever
More false words have never been spoken. Except for a few. Like “I don’t expect much from my husband.” I most certainly expect him to jump out of bed at 12:30 a.m. (regardless of the fact that he is the responsible adult that has been asleep for an hour) and dispose of the hamster-sized spider that was on our bathroom wall. He didn’t budge from that bed. I don’t consider myself a defenseless female and I don’t... Read More
Domestic Goddess
We are playing a bit of a waiting game here. I keep pacing the yard waiting for those little baby robins to hatch. Unfortunately watching paint dry waiting for birds to hatch is about all I had energy for Monday. Luckily, I was not alone in my exhaustion. There really is no better place to take a breather than a slab of concrete. I settled for the couch. It’s a pretty unnerving feeling to wake up in the middle of the afternoon when you... Read More
Pea Mail: On Being Social
The weekend has officially caught up to me, and so has my inbox. So rather than make a healthier vegan granola for you this morning, I thought I’d answer a question that was asked of me several times over the weekend. It’s not, “Why is your child eating the butter balls of my plate like they are gumdrops?” (this happened at the wedding reception and it was Lulu. She likes butter more than Paula Deen). The question instead... Read More
I Admit
I have a few disclosures to make. This morning Gigi was simultaneously asking me to get her a snack, pick out her clothes, fix her hair and read to her. Exasperated, I said, “Geeg! I can only do one thing at a time!” Lulu then piped up, “Gigi, Mommy has two hands…not fourteen!” I admit she may have gotten that from me. Our lofty goals for the day included cleaning the house, finding some shoes to wear for some book... Read More
Old, New, Borrowed, Blue
I truly can’t remember if on my wedding day I had “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue…” This post has a bit of everything to make up for it. It also is a good opportunity to congratulate both Janetha and Kalin on their nuptials this past weekend. Love you, girls! I’m not exactly traditional, so I’m going to start with the borrowed. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,... Read More
Whales, Trains and Mexican Meals
Welcome to my office. I spent a lot of time in there this weekend. I hope one day, I’ll look be able to look back at “my office” and laugh. Hopefully that day I will own a chair. I’m just proud that I’m still able to sit on the floor like I have since I was Lulu’s age, knees spread and bottom on the ground. I must be doing something right. When I did venture out of my workspace, it was to attend a whale-themed... Read More
Secrets Don’t Make Friends, but Giveaways Do
I hate to keep secrets from you guys. But how does that saying go? “Why buy the charming, hilarious, almost finished meat-free memoir cookbook when you can have the recipes for free?” So in exchange for my relentless teasing, I have another giveaway for you. I’m just going to make you wait for it first while looking at pictures of recipes that I can’t give you. Yesterday we hosted a birthday barbecue for Pea Daddy with... Read More
Job Opening
I think my husband should start looking for a new housewife. I am a hasbeen. For starters, despite the fact that I spent almost four hours cleaning my house yesterday, I hired a professional to do my dirty work. What kind of housewife hires a cleaning service? A housewife that wants her shower whiter than Moby in January, whiter than a weekend in the Hamptons with Muffy and Preston Vanderhausen, whiter than me the summer I decided Jergens... Read More
Pea Mail: Winging It, Lunch Edition
We are literally pooped and had a day full of errands and laundry (for obvious reasons), so I thought today would be a great day to pick up with Part II of reader Jessica’s question. You may want to see the previous Pea Mail posts to bring yourself up to speed: Pea Mail: Winging It, Breakfast Edition Pea Mail: Vegan to Go Here again is Jessica’s eloquent and flattery-filled question (as all questions should be…): Hey Mama Pea, Love... Read More
It’s Earth Day All Week Long
We’ve been celebrating Earth Day all week long. I’d entertained the notion of making a plastic six pack-ring countdown calendar to Earth Day, but that would require purchasing a six pack, and since my recent experiences with coffee, I don’t trust myself to make responsible beverage choices. Monday I used the promise of Earth Day as a little tool in my Parenting Toolbox, which also contains Barbie band aids and copious amounts of... Read More
A Matter of Perspective
As some of you know, specifically my Twitter followers, I’ve been off of coffee (again) for exactly 166 hours, 23 minutes and 48 seconds. When you look at it that way, via a description stretched over seven numbers and three increments of time, it seems like an eternity. In actuality, it’s been a week– a long “still wearing my Breathe Right strips during my first set of squats, drank my way through an entire box of decaf... Read More
Lots of Estrogen Up in Here
Am I talking about my soy intake or my company for the day? Guess you’ll have to read on to see. I woke up this morning and spent time with this lovely lady and her six-pack. The Body for Life weight workout can be found here. While it’s a great workout for use at the gym, I’m currently shying away from doing it at home because it is based on increasing/decreasing your weight with each set. I only have your basic dumbbells with... Read More
I Am Protein
And Pro-Teen. He’s dreamy. And in third grade. Thanks for everyone’s supportive comments on the new road I’m heading down. Very few of you voted for a one liner about potty training and a vegan cookie recipe, though you’ll probably get that tomorrow anyway, so put on your plastic pants and preheat your oven. As for how this will play out blog-wise, I may return to the food diary format on some days and on others just have... Read More
Can a Vegan Do Body For Life?
When Gigi was a baby, we were perusing the local Borders when I stumbled across a cookbook called Eating for Life. I wasn’t looking to lose weight at the time, I’d already lost all my baby weight and then some, through skipping meals and acting as a personal all-you-can-eat buffet to a nursing baby. I had no balance in my life, and was basically at a colicky infant’s beck and call, so discovering this way of eating (and exercising... Read More
