Archive for November, 2011

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November 29, 2011

A New Series and What I Ate for Thanksgiving Dinner

by Katie Glenn

As a vegetarian, I am often asked…what do you eat? This question is never asked more often, than during this glorious “Season of Food”. I have always enjoyed learning, sharing and teaching, and I find that this simple question provides an opportunity to help people understand a different way of looking at food. I also know that many people have a vegetarian in their lives and they can find it daunting to prepare a meal that accommodates the vegetarian and the meat-eating part of the group.  As the only vegetarian in my family and group of friends, I can tell you that it is easy to have a group meal, where everyone feels satisfied and full, without a lot of extra work, if any at all.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to start a series called: When Veggies Come to Dinner. It is a multipart series where I define different types of Veggie diets. I’ll provide tips for eating veggie in restaurants, at fast food locations and quick, easy meal suggestions.  I hope you’ll enjoy it!

The “When Veggies Come to Dinner” Series (coming soon)
Part 1: Vegetarians (lacto-ovo), Pescatarians and Flexitarians Defined
Part 2: Vegans and Raw Vegans Defined
Part 3: Tips for Feeding and Understanding Your Veggie Friends and Family
Part 4: Vegetarian Curiosities, FAQs and Nutrition

.  .  .

Now, onto the BIG question of the season: “What do you eat at Thanksgiving Dinner?” The answer is simply this: SO much!  Just like everyone else, I happily stuff myself to capacity, then top it off with a large plate of desserts.

Plate 1
(yeah, there was more than 1)

Plate 2
(I must apologize, plate 2 was eaten with such ferocity that I forgot to photograph it.  These are the items it included, with the exception of “Uncle Keith’s Famous Mashed Potatoes”.  They are SO very bad for you, yet SO very good.)

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I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Posted in Feeding Vegetarians, Normal Life | 5 Comments »

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November 4, 2011

The Many Uses of Olive Oil, Part 1: Basic Skin Care

by Katie Glenn

Olive oil has many wonderful uses outside of the culinary world. In my new series, “The Many Uses of Olive Oil”, I’ll share some great alternative uses that you may not have considered before. Let’s start with some basic uses…no mixing, no blending, no fuss required!

I like to keep a small bottle of olive oil (ideally pure olive oil, not extra-virgin or virgin) next to my bathroom sink, to make application easier. As you’re getting ready for bed, give each of these a try.

Cuticle Moisturizer
Shake the open olive oil bottle with your finger over the bottle’s opening, this will get enough olive oil on the tip of your finger to apply to your cuticles. Repeat until you’ve massaged some olive oil into each cuticle, that’s it!  This will keep your nail beds healthy and prevent dry, cracked cuticles.

Lip Balm
Once you’ve got some olive oil on your finger tip, just apply it to your lips as well…they’ll thank you for it!

Deep Moisturizer for Eyes
Use your ring finger for this application, as it is the weakest finger and the skin around your eyes is very delicate.  Gently dab a small amount of olive oil beneath your lash line.  Then starting at the outside corner of your eye (remember to use your ring finger), gently move your finger under the lash line to the inner corner of your eye, then up into the crease above your eye.  Try not to apply directly along the upper lash line, it’s an easy way to get olive oil in your eye (ouch).  The natural oils in your skin, will mingle with the oil you rubbed into the crease of your eye and this process will moisturize the lid of your eye, up to the lash line.  Continue to gently massage the oil around your eye in this clockwise circle until you’ve rubbed a thin layer all the way around.  No additional eye moisturizer required.

Rub any extra olive oil into your hands and have a good nights sleep!

Additional Information
- Olive oil is great for every skin type, especially for those with dry or allergy prone skin.
- Olive oil won’t clog your pores.
- It seems counter intuitive but olive oil is very beneficial to those with oily and acne prone skin.

Posted in All-Natural, Skin Care | Leave a Comment »

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November 1, 2011

The Nature Walk Project – Month 2: November

by Katie Glenn

Location: Orlando, Florida from 11:00am-12:00pm

Weather: Sunny, 69°F – High: 74°F  Low: 65°F

It’s already been a month since my first Nature Walk! During October the temperatures crept up to the high 80′s and even the low 90′s, but now they’ve dipped back down into the 70′s. I suspect this won’t last long and we’ll get few more weeks of warmer weather before the real winter weather settles in.

As I step onto the shell path, there are scattered Fall leaves and down by the water’s edge there are fresh green plants with delicate white flowers.  There is a near constant breeze today and it creates a pretty rustling noise among the trees on the nearby island.  I sit on the wooden bench that overlooks the lake and the cool breeze gently swirls my hair, while the brightly shining sun warms my back.  The branches on a nearby Cypress Tree (Taxodium distichum) bounce in the wind and I notice a small, abandoned wasp nest.  After many attempts, I finally manage to catch a clear photo of it.

As I continue down the path, I can’t help but notice that the Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), that lines the path and circles around the entire lake, has started to bloom.  It fills the water’s edge with bursts of feathery, mauve colored mounds.  I run my fingers along them as I step onto the wooden bridge. I can see that the water is clear today and peering over the railing, I can see straight to bottom of the small pool above the falls. Lily pads are blooming and the flowers bob back and forth as fish swim beneath them.  The near constant wind is stronger on the bridge and it carries the light scent of lake water, reminding me of all the other lakes that I’ve had the pleasure of visiting over the years.

I let the gentle sound of the falls calm me as I watch the fish darting to and fro among the reeds.  Occasionally I can hear bird calls in the background and overhead. Fully restored by the serenity of this spot I continue on my way, circling around the lake, all the while snapping pictures of the micro bits of nature tucked here and there.  A gentle breeze and the warm sun accompany me. This is November.

Learn more about the Nature Walk Project here: The Nature Walk Project

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Posted in Nature Walk Project | 10 Comments »

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