a new year

Happy New Year!  It is hard to believe that 2012 has come to an end and that December is now a not-so-distant memory.  I'd been making plans to put together a long post on our September wedding (complete with professional photographer photos), but that will have to wait.  I mostly want to do that post for myself, so that the lovely details don't get lost to the passage of time as they are apt to do...

The past month had some wonderful moments and some sadness mixed in.  We decorated the house for Christmas, sent our our first family photo holiday card (which used our wedding photos), shopped for gifts, and enjoyed a date night to see Skyfall.  We saw friends and family for the holidays, which is always lovely.  We also mourned the unexpected passing of the hubby's stepfather on December 8.  Mid-December was a blur for us both, but especially for the hubby, and I know our marriage had its first real test during that time.  Somehow, we've come out the other side and here it is January 2013.

Throughout the month I worked on new recipes from various vegan cookbooks and blogs.  My favorites included:
~ Chickpea cutlets from Veganomicon (p. 133) - these are super-easy to make (chickpeas, bread crumbs, vital wheat gluten, spices) and give you a meaty main.  We baked them (instead of pan-frying) and topped them with Heinz chili sauce.  Next time with gravy (like a vegan version of chicken-fried steak).
~ Quinoa-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
~ Sweet Potato Surprise with Kale - oh. my. goodness.  This was delish.  But I'm a mac & cheese fiend, so I may be a bit prejudiced.

Both the hubby and I had New Year's Day off and we spent it just as we wanted:  reading and lounging together.  Oh, and eating black eyed peas and greens [Hottie Black Eyed Peas, to be exact].  Here's to a lucky and happy and healthy new year!