Alaska

Nick and I arrived in Anchorage, Alaska on Monday. We have been treated to a beautiful, wintry wonderland so far. There is lots of snow, not much wind, and even though the temperature is in the single-digits, it does not feel too cold. Last year I felt cold the entire time I was here, no matter how many layers I was wearing. I'm thankful that is not the case now.

It is also nice to be home and not have to be planning or participating in a wedding. Though it was nice having my closest friends here, it's a lot more relaxing this way. Plus, we get to celebrate our first anniversary and eat some very delicious (though not vegan) wedding cake! More on this will come on our family blog in a week from today.

Nick is enjoying the abundance of time to relax, while I am a bit restless. Perhaps I will do some cleaning and organizing, or at least go workout a bit. I got my hair cut and dyed at the salon I've been going to since I was 13. We had snacks and egg nog (soy nog this year) as part of our annual Christmas tradition. I dyed my hair a reliable dark red color that I've had several times before. It looks smashing!

That's all for now, really. More soon.

In the desert, I make my own rain.

Exhausted, drenched.
90 minutes conquered--I made it through again.
A few moments to myself, stretching on hands and knees.
The melodious drip drop from my elbows, forehead, hair
Sounds like gentle rainfall on a cloudy day
In the desert, I make my own rain.

What I'm Eating: Flax oil (ick) in a Smoothie (yum!)

As part of my health plan, my naturopathic physician prescribed me flax oil to take daily. I got a big jug of it and at first taking 2 tablespoons of it straight wasn't bad at all. Then it started getting to me.... the texture mostly, followed by the aftertaste. Sick. So yesterday I decided to take advice from the bottle itself and add it too a homemade smoothie.

In my Vitamix I added frozen blueberries and peaches, apple juice, soy milk, and flax oil, whirled it about and drank up! I couldn't tell the flax oil was in there at all. Plus, I had enough to have a second serving today.

What I'm Eating: Tofurky frozen pizza

FINALLY something to satisfy my pepperoni pizza craving! Whole Foods sells Tofurky frozen pizzas in three varieties: cheese, pepperoni, and combo ("italian somethingorother"). They are made with Daiya, the absolute BEST vegan cheese and of course all the meat is pretend. No, they are not the healthiest, but they are amazing (and not nearly as bad for you as the real thing).

What I'm Eating: Amy's Soup

I love Amy's soup. It's a little pricey, I must admit, but when I've just come home from yoga or class and I'm STARVING nothing beats the ability to have a delicious--healthy--meal in about 5 minutes. The majority of Amy's soups are vegan and gluten free and if not, this is labeled in bold making selecting these soups a breeze (all of Amy's products are vegetarian). Amy's offers organic and low sodium types, too, which is nice. I also like Amy's chili and refried beans. The company is independent and not owned by some evil parent corporation so it can still uphold its moral standards. Anyway, I always have a solid supply of Amy's soup in my pantry and someday soon I hope to replicate those flavors and make my own versions.

A few favorites:
black bean
lentil vegetable
thai coconut
chunky vegetable

Try one today and tell me how you like it :)

Bastyr University

As you may have read in an earlier blog post, in September/October I applied to Bastyr University, a naturopathic medical school. When I got back from Oklahoma after Thanksgiving I got the long-awaited envelope that said that I had been ACCEPTED to the program starting Fall 2011!!!

This is so exciting. It is nice to have plans definitively in place (well, assuming I pass Organic Chemistry II and Physics II) so we can go forward with, say, living arrangements. My mom and I are flying to Washington in January to search for a condo for Nick and me! We are very blessed that this is possible because we have been yearning for a place to call our own and are more than ready to settle down. We have moved every year for 6 years and we would like to not do that again for a while.

As for where to live, we are not quite sure. Nick just submitted his application for UW's Political Science PhD program and we should hear sometime before April. We are going to assume that he will get in so we are looking at living somewhere that would split the difference between our two schools or at least would be somewhere where the commute isn't too killer. When we visited in November we did some apartment searching and really like Lynnwood which is north of both of our schools, a little more suburban and farther from the city. I will also be looking in the Shoreline area because that is close to both our schools and hosts a Bikram Yoga studio. But I will be keeping my eyes and mind open and hopefully the perfect place will present itself to us! Here are two places we will definitely be visiting: Dunhill Terrace and Cambria Hills.

Fortunately, we already have several friends in the area so adjusting to a new state won't be quite as difficult. Plus, I just found out that a fellow Gustie from my graduating class is a second year student at Bastyr! I can't wait to be on a small, friendly campus again (with outstanding food).

What I'm Eating: Frozen Pretzels

Last night, while hungry, I was shopping at Sprouts (the local alternative grocery store). This is a dangerous thing. However, this time my hungry shopping led me to a FANTASTIC find! I grabbed Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels brand Traditional Bavarian Pretzels.

I tried a little pretzel today (they are smaller than your average mall pretzel) and was amazed by the amazingness. The taste is waaay better than those over-processed twists I had had before. Part of the reason for all the goodness is because these pretzels are made with quality ingredients: high protein unbleached and unbromated wheat flour, sea salt, and cane sugar to name a few. All varieties of the pretzels are vegetarian, and the Traditional Bavarian are egg-free, too. The pretzels are also made in a dedicated nut-free facility. Each pretzel contains 6.5g of whole grain and 10g of protein. I can eat these nearly guilt-free!

They really don't need a cheese-type sauce, they are that good. But I'm sure I'll make a little bit of cheesy sauce for a dip.

So next time you're in the freezer section, take a glance and see if you are blessed with these yummy delights!

What I'm Eating: Nick's Enchiladas

I know I already have a recipe for enchiladas. The truth is we like enchiladas; they are easy and delicious. Last night Nick made his version of enchiladas:

Corn and flour tortillas (they are made out of both ingredients.. makes a nice flavor and texture)
Sauteed fillings (firm tofu, red pepper, yellow squash, portobello mushrooms, spices)
Organic refried black beans
Kroger fire roasted red enchilada sauce
Shredded cheese or Daiya vegan cheese

Fill each tortilla with the sauteed fillings and refried black beans. Put some enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan you are using and put the filled and rolled tortillas on top of it. Slather all the tortillas in the pan with enchilada sauce and sprinkle cheese of your choice on top. Bake at 375 until cheese melts and is a little bubbly. Enjoy!