Now are the days when those New Year’s resolutions begin to look a little dreary. I don’t know about you, but I always start with great enthusiasm I’m my New Year’s goals only to get about right here and start to wonder what I was thinking in the first place. Then I resort to that whiny seven year old residing inside me and think, “Why does change have to be so hard?”

Victoria Moran has some words of wisdom for us. The best way to be successful with goals is to care. Of course we care about the goals; that’s why we wrote them out on a napkin at 2 in the morning on December 31. What Victoria wants to remind us is to care about ourselves.
“Taking care of yourself takes energy, commitment, and a willingness to go through some discomfort. Unless you think you’re really, really worth it, you’re just not going to do it.”

Sure, you might be thinking. It’s easy for Victoria. She’s a life coach and a holistic health counselor. You can think that until you learn about Victoria’s story. A chronic over-eater, Victoria worked hard and long to learn the life skills that landed her where she is today.
And it’s true that making health a habit does make it easier to follow-through. In fact, Victoria told me about something her trainer recently told her, “The best discipline is no discipline.”

I like it. The Zen of New Year’s Goals.

But it makes sense when you really start to think about it. When you get to the point of wanting to treat yourself well, you do it. You don’t have to make it work, it works for you.

Healthy people do healthy things. That’s another quote Victoria shared with me during our talk.
Victoria reminds us that the people we admire the most, usually are those that have a disciplined life. “People who have a certain healthy discipline, tend to have better lives.”

The question is how to adopt more discipline into your own life. Victoria suggests taking on what she calls “The Sacred Seven.” Pick seven simple activities that you discover makes your day work best. Maybe it’s exercise, or meditation, or writing in a journal. No one else can tell you what goes on your Sacred Seven list. Just make sure they’re the kinds of things you can do every day.

Now. Do your Sacred Seven every day for a year and realize the amazing difference in your life.

Name Interview: Victoria Moran

I can’t talk to someone for very long without the topics of names sneaking into the conversation. I’ve actually had the pleasure of talking with Victoria about names some time ago. That’s because Victoria was my life coach and she counseled me on writing a book proposal on the topic of names for which I now have an agent.

But her story is so moving and her insight so inspirational, it was worth a second conversation. Victoria’s parents actually named her Vickie, but the soubriquet didn’t represent everything she was about. And come to find out, she wasn’t the only one who felt that way. The minister presiding over her childhood christening blessed her with the name Victoria.

Eventually she went through the formal process of changing it so that now she is legally (and spiritually, she adds) Victoria.

Sometimes you just have to go out there in the world and change something, even if it’s your name. —Victoria Moran

Victoria has traveled the world over and she explained that in some cultures it’s actually considered a right of passage for a person to change her name. “It’s one thing to be given a name by your parents, and it’s another thing to find your own,” she explained.

Come join me for a fun and motivational discussion with Victoria Moran about life goals, names, Victoria’s new book Main Street Vegan, and more.

Podcast Referenced Resources:

• Check out Victoria’s new book, Main Street Vegan, inspired by Main Street, Kansas City.
• Main Street Vegan Academy – A program Victoria is developing to train and certify vegan lifestyle coaches
• Victoria Moran on Facebook
• Victoria Moran on Twitter

Source: Photos provided by Victoria Moran

For more interviews on names and life, be sure to check out the other interviews in the Namely Marly podcast series.

Did you know the word cookie is something mostly used in North America? The rest of the English-speaking world call these bite-size baked treats biscuits. In South Africa the word cookie is used to describe what we would call a cupcake. In Scotland a cookie is considered a bun. Thanks, Wikipedia for your cookie knowledge!

Cookies, like so many other tasty dishes, arrived in the United states via immigrants, mostly of the Dutch and Scottish variety.

Communication in early America wasn’t as instantaneous as it is today. That’s probably why the popularity of cookies took it’s sweet time in spreading.

Or maybe there was a naming problem. A lack of branding. Today we mostly know them as cookies. But back then there were some downright peculiar names for cookies.

They called them Snickerdoodles and Cry Babies. That’s my favorite. Do you think they were called this because it best described how people acted when they didn’t get one?

But that’s not all. They were also called Jumbles and Plunkets.

Graham Jakes.

Jolly Boys.

Branbles.

Tangle Breeches.

Kinkawoodles.

Today they’re just cookies. At least to those of us in North America. I think I might start calling them Kinkawoodles. It sounds like something my mom would have come up with. Regardless of the moniker, a cookie by any other name would still taste as sweet.

Thanks to What’s Cooking America for this brief history on cookies and their names. These cookies are best enjoyed with a glass of soy milk and a quiet afternoon of February sunshine. I hope you have both!

Our lives are made of stories. There’s one about that scar on your chin. Or the hilarious one about driving your first car. Or how about that first kiss. There are also stories about names. Why a name was selected. An awful nickname from childhood. Mispronunciations gone wrong. This is what inspired me to start a new series called Name Stories.  Names are my inspiration and I will be sharing with you photographs of people and some fun, inspiring stories about their names.

Let’s begin with Sabrina and the story about how she almost got a name that would have been entirely wrong for her.

You can learn more about Sabrina on her blog the Tomato Tart.

Stay tuned for more posts in this new series, Name Stories soon.

]]> http://www.namelymarly.com/2012/01/i-am-sabrina/feed/ 5 http://www.namelymarly.com/2012/01/dreamy-almond-chocolate-pie/ http://www.namelymarly.com/2012/01/dreamy-almond-chocolate-pie/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:47:45 +0000 Marly http://www.namelymarly.com/?p=10945 It’s time to dip my toe back into the sugar pond and the best place to start is with this Dreamy Almond Chocolate Pie. Sweet, but not overly so, and with the added value (and flavor) of a simple (and gluten-free) Chocolate Almond Crust, this pie has become one of our family favorites.

Today I found myself in a little bit of a funk. Post holiday blues? Maybe.

I looked up some tips on how to kick the blues to the curb. I read things like, “be sure to exercise.” Well, I did that. In fact, I got up at 5:30 this morning and hightailed it to my TRX class. What a workout!

Other things I read suggested getting plenty of sleep. Hmm, that might be an area where I’m lacking lately. It’s not healthy to burn the candle at both ends, unless you have some candles in reserve.

I happen to believe chocolate can be a good mood lifter. As long as it’s enjoyed in moderation which can be kind of tricky when you’re down. It seems like the blues and discipline are at odds with one another.

In my search for curing a funk, I didn’t read anything that suggested meditation. Or how about just being OK with a day that’s not OK?

See, I have this theory. We all get a little down here and there. I think it’s just part of the human condition.

Maybe feeling a little low makes the good times feel even that much better.

Sarah Ban Breathnach says in her book Simple Abundance, “It is difficult to experience moments of happiness if we are not aware of what it is we genuinely love. We must learn to savor small, authentic moments that bring us contentment.”

So, I’ll begin with a list of the things I’m grateful for today. Then I’ll go ahead and work out too. I’ll throw in some deep breathing exercises for good measure. I might try writing in my journal too.

And I think I’ll have a slice of this Dreamy Almond Chocolate Pie while I’m at it. And then to cap it off? Maybe I’ll go to bed a little earlier and hope for a better day tomorrow.

There you have it. My cure to the post-holiday blues. Now I’m off to start my gratitude journal for the day where you, dear reader, will certainly be on the list!

I guess Bingo is as American as apple pie. That must be why when we had a foreign exchange student  live with us for a year, my sister promptly went out and bought a bingo game. She wanted Dione, the Americanized name of the new member of our family, to experience it all. The only problem is that Bingo didn’t really begin in America. The game, or a version of it, can be traced all the way back to 16th century Italy.

I wonder if that’s why it ends in an “o”. Maybe from now on we should shoult out “been-GO” when we win!

As mundanely as we may think of the game, there’s at least one thing we shouldn’t take for granted about it, the free square.

I’m re-reading the book Creating a Charmed Life by Victoria Moran. That’s because I spoke with her recently (that interview to come your way very soon). Victoria reminds us in her book that we have a free square – “Talents, abilities, and inexplicable aptitudes that make certain things almost effortless.”

Me? I’m the kid who had trouble pronouncing her name without stuttering. Learning to tie my shoes was another hurdle that left a mark my childhood psyche. Oh, the pressure! So, thinking of my “free square” definitely caused me to pause…for longer than I care to admit!

So I decided to get out a pen and pad and write down what could be on my “free square” list. Things like writing, creating new recipes, being Tina Fey’s friend came to mind.

OK. I’m not really Tina’s “friend” per se, in that she doesn’t even know me. But as much as a person can have a friendship in one’s head with someone else? Well, that comes very easily for me. I had a troubled childhood, what can I say?

What are some more traditional and not-so-traditional free squares in life? Victoria Moran points to her daughter who established early on a propensity for saving money. Others might have a knack for networking or getting good deals. Or maybe you know how to make the most awkward living space feel all nice and homey.

A Bingo game is typically laid out with 25 squares – 5 rows and 5 columns. Just because we get a free square in the middle doesn’t mean we have a free ride. We still have to work at the other 24 spaces in order to win the game. And you can win the game of Bingo without using that free square. Either way it’s so exhilarating to shout out that winning word – Bingo!

Take some time this week to think about your free square, whether one or several comes to mind. Victoria says, “Use your free square. Let it work for you. Be proud of it and grateful for it. Bingo!”

So now it’s your turn. What are your free squares?

So we’re smackdab in the middle of January. It’s cold outside. I mean really cold! OK. Not North Dakota cold, but still, it’s cold. And do you know what I’m thinking?

It’s time for a little Free For All Friday! That means I’m going to be sharing with you some of my favorite recipes from the past and a new one for today, Double Decker Brownies. My hubby finally worked his way through all the holiday sweets and I found myself needing to make something new.

I love it when that happens!

But first, a little blast from the past.

Bleak Midwinter Roundup

• Holiday Snack Mix  First up? A little healthy holiday snack mix to nix any winter doldrums.
• Mini Magic Bars  Feel the magic with these bite-size dreamy treats!
• Broccoli Salad A vegan twist to a traditional salad
• Cranberry Upside Down Cake  An elegant cake with lots of wholesome cranberries and orange zest to boost!
• Tropical Muffins  Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean we can’t add a tropical flair…especially to those morning muffins!
• Red Beans and Rice  Quiet winter evenings and hearty stews go together like red beans and rice!
• Vegan Chick Nachos  The Superbowl makes a good excuse for some great snacking. These nachos are on my All-star list!
• Double Chocolate Caramel Cookies  Cookies, soy milk and a good book – now that’s a recipe for a perfect winter’s day

Now it’s time to make way for something a little new.

I decided to snazz up our traditional brownies by adding a layer of Chunky Monkey Cookie dough on the bottom followed by some Coffee-infused Chocolate Brownies on top. Snazz up is a word, right?

Well, whether it is or not, it worked in this case. Double Decker Brownies all Snazzy and delicious!

One day last month we went out to eat with friends. We’re so lucky that our local pizza joint, Waldo Pizza, not only provides vegan pizza, it offers a gluten-free crust and two types of vegan cheese. Did you read that correctly? Yes, you did. Two varieties of vegan cheese! As you can imagine it’s on our list of favorite Kansas City restaurants. And it’s another reason I was flabbergasted to read The New York Times article A Vegetarians Struggle for Sustenance. First of all, I can’t imagine anyone “struggling” to sustain themselves in any Midwest city. However, this article was focusing on what the reporter referred to as limited vegetarian options for KC (and Midwest) diners.

I do agree with the article that too many restaurants cater to meat-only eaters. Go down your list of favorite Mexican restaurants, call them, and see how many of them prepare their beans without lard. Forget it. I’ll save you the hassle. The answer is not many. At least not that I’ve seen. And Kansas City is known for its barbeque which is a tough joint for a vegetarian to get by in; even the side dishes usually come with meat. Seriously.

But by in large, we’ve been very pleased with the plethora of vegetarian options in Kansas City, both locally owned (my favorite criteria for dining) and chains. In fact, I’ll share with you a list at the bottom of this post of some of my favorite restaurants in KC that provide vegetarian options. Of course, we’re vegan, which makes it even harder and still we’ve found most of these places offer something to our liking.

So back to my story. It’s distressing how easily I can be distracted!

We were eating out with friends. James always order the lunchtime buffet which comes with a trip to the salad bar. He sat down with his first plate full of spinach and toppings and drizzled with a creamy dressing. It looked so good that I knew a fabulous salad was soon to be in my future. And here it is.

Of course by the time I got around to the salad, I was already knee-deep in this Cleanse Diet. That meant no croutons because I’m not eating gluten. What could I do besides the typical crouton? And that’s when I thought of slow-baking some tofu with thyme and sage. You know, the same flavors you would find in those yummy croutons.

I also realized I would need to make the dressing at home because many store-bought dressings come with sugar or high fructose corn syrup. These are both no-nos on my present-day detox diet. A little bit of lime and agave nectar filled the bill here.

To this I added chunks of avocado, lightly steamed broccoli and sliced yellow peppers.

With food like this, I may never need to leave this Cleanse Diet.

I guess that’s the idea of cleansing in the first place. To discover new and healthy ways to eat food you love…that leaves you feeling refreshed and energized!

And here you go. A list of some of my favorite Kansas City restaurants. Some are exclusively vegetarian. Others are more omnivorous but provide excellent vegetarian and vegan options.

Kansas City Restaurants for Vegetarians and Vegans

• Eden Alley Cafe – a vegetarian, organic cafe featuring locally grown produce
• FÜD - a locally owned vegan, organic cafe that boasts both cooked and raw food entrees
• Blue Bird Bistro – an organic, sustainable and locally-owned restaurant that uses locally grown produce and features vegan and vegetarian options
• Mud Pie Vegan Bakery – yes, that’s right. Kansas City has a vegan bakery. Take that NY Times article dissing KC vegetarian restaurant options!
• Waldo Pizza – a locally owned pizza joint that offers vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free pizzas, desserts, and beer.
• Blue Koi – Another locally owned restaurant that offers what I consider to be some of the best vegan dining in the area. If you go there, be sure to try the Tofu with Black Bean Sauce. I have yet to meet someone who hasn’t fallen completely in love with this dish. They’ll even prepare it for you gluten-free!
• Blue Nile Cafe – An Ethiopian restaurant that provides many vegan entrees. Vegetarians usually fair well at any ethnic restaurant.
• Jerusalem Cafe – This cafe boasts felafel sandwiches, hummus and pita, and a lentil soup to die for!
• Bo Lings – This locally owned Chinese restaurant provides many vegetarian options. If you see a meat-based entree you’d like to try with tofu instead, they’re usually very flexible and will work around your dietary needs.
• Cirque d’Alex – Offers a veggie friendly menu offers vegetarian hot dogs topped with a variety of tasty options
• The Foundry – try the Cheat Lover’s Pizza which is topped with vegan Italian sausage and vegan cheese.
• Conventionally Natural – Don’t have time to cook your own meals at home? This vegan meal delivery service will bring you a week’s worth to your door. They also provide gluten-free versions of their food as well.
• Veggie burger anyone? I’m pleased with these national chains that offer a veggie burger option for their customers – 54th Street Grill and Chili’s Grill.
• Other national chains with veg-friendly options: Noodles & Company, Chipotle, PF Changs China Bistro, Panera Bread, and Bravo!

I have to also mention the Main Squeeze. It’s not in Kansas City, but it’s right in the heart of Missouri in Columbia. If you’re ever sauntering on I-70 and find yourself neary Columbia, head over to some of the best vegetarian and vegan eating around. I have to confess this restaurant got me through more than one marathon study days in graduate school!

Do you have any others you’d add to this list of Kansas City (or Midwest) vegetarian restaurants?

As you may (or may not) know, I’m on a Cleanse Diet. And I’m completely cool with it. Really.

OK. Not really. There is one part that has gotten my goat. Poor goat.

Sugar.

Why is it so hard to “just say no” to sugar?

Maybe because it’s just so…sweet!

Although I’m still eschewing white, refined sugar, I have found my way to some sweet treats. Ah sweetness, they can’t keep me away from you for long!

And this recipe includes something I’ve been pining over for awhile, orange peel. I’ve used orange zest in a recipe before, but now I’m including the whole peel. A little squeamish about putting orange peel in a recipe? Don’t be. O Magazine recently featured an article on the benefits of using the whole peel. I had a sneaky suspicion that orange peel had its benefits. Come to find out it packs 4 times the amount of fiber. And even more flavonoids, those cancer-fighting goodies!

So this recipe is sugar free. Gluten-free. Vegan. And packing lots of nutrients. But don’t think of it that way.

Imagine Chocolate Orange Coconut Bliss…in a bite-size ball!

When you’re detoxing from the calorie-laden holiday dinners and find your self on a Cleanse Diet, what is it actually that you’re supposed to eat? I’m on one right now and I  know what I can’t eat.

No Meat or Dairy.

Well, I didn’t eat those anyway.

And while I’m on that topic. Can anyone tell me why every salad in every restaurant has to have meat on it? I know I can just order it without the meat, but the point is, why does it need to be there anyway?

I once went out to eat with several people and one woman ordered a chicken salad. At the end of the meal she said to me while pointing to a mound of chicken on the side of her plate, “Look, Marly. I didn’t even eat the chicken.” I looked at the meat. What was worse? The way the chicken was treated and slaughtered and its meat shipped across the country to be processed only to end up as wasted food on her plate? She wasn’t going to take it home in a take-home container. Thankfully, someone else offered to take it home. I was relieved. Because I do believe people should reduce the amount of meat they eat, but I also think we should reduce waste as well.

OK. Rant aside. Where was I. Oh yes, I’m on a cleanse diet and not eating meat or dairy. Check!

No Alcohol.

I’m also not drinking alcohol. No biggie. I can take it or leave it. Besides, I’ll save my imbibing for fun trips…like going to see the hubby’s parents next month.

No Gluten.

Well, I’ve been reducing gluten in my diet for the last year so this one’s really not a problem either.

No Sugar.

Ouch! That one just plain hurts. I’m still in mourning so it’s difficult to talk much about this one. I’ll write more about it later. You know, once I’m past the denial phase of grief.

What does this leave a person left to eat? Plenty! Believe me, if there’s a way to create something tasty to eat, I’m going to find it. Either that or pummel my way through a concrete wall to get to it!

This is me trying to take a photograph of steam rising from Miso Soup. Obviously I need a little more practice. Maybe I should make more soup?

Miso Shy

I love the tangy flavor of Miso. It has what has been described as one of our six types of taste, umami. But I didn’t start out liking it. Maybe that’s because I couldn’t even pronounce it correctly. Miso (pronounced MEE-so) is basically a Japanese flavoring and comes in many varieties. When I first heard of it, I bought the only thing I could find which was a little bag of black goo. It had a super-strong taste and I didn’t like it at all.

In the meantime I’ve discovered “white” miso which has a much more subtle (and addicting) flavor. I now put it in my salad dressings, soups, and ice cream.

OK. I’m kidding about the ice cream.

I have only good things to say about the health benefits of spinach. It’s a superfood! I want to include as many superfoods in my diet as I can in 2012. Maybe then I can become SuperMarly! It’s a stretch, but we have to dream big!

The delicious flavor of the miso soup base combined with the tofu, carrots, and spinach, makes this a perfect not-too-heavy lunch. Enjoy!

Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence. — Abigail Adams

Last year I had a goal of attending one or more Food Blogger workshops or conferences. I hoped to network with other food bloggers, attend some sessions on photography, and to score a few goodie bags in the process. Oh, how we love those goodie bags!

I was lucky enough to actually attend three! I went to BlogHer Food in Atlanta, the Food Blog Forum conference in Nashville, and a small food photography workshop by Helene Dujardin right here in Kansas City!

I’m hoping 2012 will bring even more. Of course, we can’t go to all of them so it’s important to weigh the options and see which one will offer the courses you need at a price you can afford.

So, if you’re thinking about a food blogging conference in 2012, review this list with your goals in mind to find the best one for you!

Food Blog South

Dates: Saturday, January 28, 2012 the agenda includes a pre-conference Session on Media & Branding followed by a Pre-Party on Friday evening)

Location: Birmingham, AL

Theme:  The conference will include hot foods trends, marketing and social media tips, and even a live presentation of a blog redesign with specific tips for food bloggers.

Speakers: Food Blog South features many talented and expert speakers including: Eatocracy’s Kat Kinsman, fabulous food photographer and blogger Hélène Dujardin, and others.

Registration: Standard one-day registration is $150, but time is limited so secure your spot quickly!

Website: Learn more about Food Blog South by going to their their website, following them Twitter or you can like them on Facebook for regular updates.

Food Blog Forum

Dates: To be determined

Location: We know the next conference will be in Orlando, but not much else at this point

Theme: This will be the fourth Food Blog Forum conference. Attendees can expect relevant topics for food bloggers, including food styling and photography; best practices of blog design and usability; SEO; branding, marketing and monetization. There will also be several opportunities for networking, including an opening night reception.

Speakers: Food Blog Forum conferences continue to attract top-notch speakers. Past conferences have included: Jaden and Scott Hair, Lindsay Landis of Purr Design, Jeff Houck, Heather McPherson, and Dawn Viola.

Registration: The registration fee includes the Friday evening reception and all-day Saturday workshop and networking opportunities.

Website: You can catch the latest details about the 2012 Orlando FBF conference at FoodBlogForum. On Twitter you can follow FoodBlogForum or follow the hashtag #FBF.

Camp Blogaway

Dates: May 4 – 6, 2012

Location: Angelus Oaks (near Big Bear) in the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains of sunny Southern California

Theme: This is the fourth annual Camp Blogaway and the doors are open to passionate food and recipe bloggers from across the country — novices to well-seasoned. Set in a rustic location, Camp Blogaway takes a playful twist on the Bootcamp theme. Don’t worry, there won’t be any pushups involved just lots of great presentations on relevant topics.

Speakers: Camp Blogaway features speakers who are not just experts in their field, they’re real-world food bloggers who know the work involved in cultivating and growing high quality food blogs. The 2012 speakers include: Amy Sherman, Kalyn Denny, Denise Vivaldo, and more.

Registration: The $325 registration fee includes 2 nights’ lodging, all meals, workshops, materials, goodies as well as valuable face-time with awesome sponsors. Transportation not included. Space is limited so be prepared to secure your spot quickly!

Website: Learn more about this conference at Camp Blogaway. Join the email list or follow on Twitter for updates and reminders.

Eat, Write, Retreat

Dates: May 4 – 6, 2012

Location: Washington, DC

Theme: All-inclusive, value-packed food blogger weekend. This intensive learning weekend will focus on all the topics you love: food, photography, writing, and connecting with others!

Speakers: This conference packs a powerhouse of expert speakers each year. Check back soon to see who will be speaking at the 2012 conference!

Registration: Please check out registration pricing on their website.

Website: Learn more about this conference at Eat Write Retreat!

BlogHer Food

Dates: June 8 – 9, 2012

Location: Seattle, WA

Theme: This is the fourth annual BlogHer Food Conference that brings together food bloggers from every walk of life. BlogHer Food provides plenty of opportunities to meet other bloggers, eat great food, learn from expert speakers, and to share best practices.

Registration: This conference usually sells out quickly so head over to their site to learn more and register.

Speakers: Past conferences have included an amazing line-up of speakers such as: Jaden Hair, David Lebovitz, Michael Ruhlman and Molly Wizenberg of Orangette in sessions covering everything from food photography to blog branding. The list of speakers for the 2012 conference has not yet been published.

Website: More details about the conference will be published soon on BlogHer Food 12.

Big Summer Potluck

Dates: July 27 – 29, 2012

Location: Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Theme: The Big Summer Potluck started in 2010 as the brainchild of the ladies from Three Many Cooks and the Ivory Hut who decided that East Coast food bloggers needed to connect. The 2011 event brought together around 60 food bloggers from as close by as next door and from far away too. The setting and small group size leads to a very intimate gathering which is perfect to get to know other committed food bloggers and to learn from nationally-recognized speakers.

Speakers: The 2012 Big Summer Potluck will showcase food blogger Joy Wilson of Joy the Baker and Brooke Burton-Lüttmann of Food Woolf.

Registration: This conference registration will open up in February and is expected to fill quickly (spots are limited to 75) and last year filled within 3 hours. You’re encouraged to check the site and Twitter regularly for updated registration details

Website: The Big Summer Potluck site or follow the discussion on Twitter at: @TheBigPotluck or the #BSP2 hashtag list.

International Food Blogger Conference

Dates: August 24-26, 2012

Location: Portland, OR

Theme: IFBC in conjunction with Foodista offers this conference to help you develop your skills as a professional blogger. Hands-on sessions will allow you to work side-by-side with industry leaders in Food, Writing, and Technology. Capacity will be 250-300.

Speakers: One noted 2012 will be renowned NY Times Food photographer Andrew Scrivani. Other speakers to be announced.

Website: IFBC 2012

Plate to Page

Dates: May 18 – 20, 2012

Location: Somerset, England

Theme: This is the third Plate to Page conference that combines food writing, photography sessions with a small group size and multiple presenters to give a truly hands-on experience.

Website: Check the Plate to Page website for more registration details.

Nourished

Nourished is a food blogging conference that’s tailored to the needs of those on special diets, writing about special diets, and niche bloggers. Sounds like my kind of place!

Dates:  April 13, 2012

Location: Chicago

Theme: The Nourished Food Blogging conference aims to provide the necessary tools and information food bloggers need to help make their dreams a reality. Each session is designed to give practical, usable tips.

Website: You can buy tickets for $135 for the one-day conference on the Nourished site.

Other Food Blogging Conferences

Food Buzz Annual Conference offers an Annual Blogger Festival for its preferred foodie publishers. More information can be found on the FoodBuzz Annual Festival page.

Food Blogger Connect offers an annual food conference with a lot of exciting trends and speakers for food bloggers. Last year’s event was in London so we’ll wait with baited breath to hear the location of this year’s conference! Learn more about Food Blogger Connect by visiting their website.
TechMunch offers ongoing conferences across the US to help food bloggers gain the specific digital media, marketing and business skills they need to make their blogs more personally and financially rewarding. Learn more about these conferences at the TechMunch site or you can also “like” the BakeSpace FaceBook page to learn more about these events.

Food Blogger Camp is an annual gathering that offers food blogging tips and networking in a vacation-like setting. Food Blogger Camp will not be held in 2012, but stay tuned for information for future events. You can read about past events and stay in the know about news as it becomes available at Food Blogger Camp. On Twitter you can follow the hashtag for foodblogcamp. For a recap on the 2011 event, check out these reviews: Steamy Kitchen and Family Fresh Cooking.

Vida Vegan Conference was a first-time all vegan conference in 2011 that packed a venerable Who’s Who of the vegan blog world including: Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Post Punk Kitchen, Gena Hamshaw of Choosing Raw, Mo of Mo Betta Vegan, and more! The website doesn’t include any details about 2012 yet, but we’re hoping the  Vida Vegan Conference site, their VVC Facebook page or their Twitter feed will tell more soon.

The Roger Smith Cookbook Conference will be held February 9 – 12, 2012, at the Roger Smith hotel in Manhattan. This conference is for anyone who publishes, writes or even uses a cookbook. Does that cover about everyone? Follow the link to learn more about the Roger Smith Cookbook Conference or follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #cookbookconf

And stay tuned for my Part II post on Attending 2012 Food Blogger Conferences: How To Get the Most From Attending a Food Blogger Conference. Coming to the Namely Marly blog soon!

My daughter, Adee, had a hectic day in front of her today so I decided to make her something a little extra special. She loves my fried tofu sandwiches, but this time I made it on french toast. Heavens to Betsy, it was a winner!

So I decided to take a quick little detour from my planned cleanse diet post and share with you this tasty sandwich.

Two slices of vegan french toast with fried tofu, spinach and cheese sauce. Like I say, what a way to start out the day!

Any part of this recipe is good on its own. All together is even better!

What’s new?

Doesn’t it sometimes seem that life is full of cleaning? Clean the bathroom. Clean the kitchen. Clean the dishes. Clean the car.

And then they get get messy again…and you’re back to square one: cleaning.

Well, now I need to add another kind of cleaning to the list.

I’m doing some dietary cleaning.

It appears that over the years I’ve picked up some dietary clutter. Like junk mail on the kitchen table, you don’t notice it at first…but it adds up quickly!

For me my lifelong dietary clutter vice has been sugar. I have a sweet tooth extraordinaire!

The way I figure it, there are two kinds of people in this world: those who eat the cake only and shove the icing aside…and everyone else. I mean seriously, who in their right mind doesn’t eat the icing?

I’m a whole cake kinda gal. That’s the way I see it. As in, why stop at one piece when you can eat the whole cake?

But there are other areas of my life that have accumulated too much dietary clutter. Too much processed food. Too much greasy food. Too many peanut butter balls. Oh lah, how I love those peanut butter balls.

So I’m doing a little self-cleaning. And it leads me to a dirty, little four-letter word. I try to keep this site clean, but there’s no way around it today. Here it is: diet.

Oh, don’t you just hate the sound of it? Diets are so overdone…especially this time of year!

But there’s really no better way to say it. I’m on a 21-day Cleanse Diet. I call this a self-made diet because I’ve combined it from a few of my favorites. But the most prominent portion of this cleanse is credited to Kathy Freston from her book Quantum Wellness.

She recommends doing a cleanse diet at least once a year. Now that doesn’t seem too bad, does it? I can do 21 days out of the year. Right?

I combined parts from my favorite recommended cleanses:  Kathy Freston’s Quantum Wellness Cleanse, Marilu Henner’s Total Health Makeover, and Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP Cleanse. So here’s the cleanse I’ve landed on. You know, in case you wanted to join along?

Marly’s Cleanse Diet

The Nay’s have it:

• No meat or dairy (basically no animal products)
• No alcohol
• No gluten
• No sugar
• No processed food

And now for the Yays:

• Daily sweat. That’s right. I said sweat. Find a way to reach a daily sweat through working out or even dancing in the living room.
• Daily sun salutations. My goal is to do 5 sun salutations a day. Don’t know what those are? Stay tuned and I’ll share more on that soon. It’s about time that yoga mat gets used as something besides a doggie bed.
• Daily meditation. Meditation can be so important and even just five minutes of it a day can make a big difference. More on this soon too!
• Daily water. We all drink water, right? But are we drinking enough? I’m working to increase the amount of water I drink each day. I think I’ll go have a sip right now!
• Daily skin brushing. Circulation. Exfoliation. Hydration. These “tions” are very important. Skin brushing can help with the first two, daily water can help with the third.
• Daily BM. Gross. I know. I promise not to get into any details. Here’s a quote from Gwyneth who says that a daily BM is paramount to a proper cleanse. Enough said on that.

I’m thinking of it this way. I’ve had a great time over the last month eating lots of fabulous food. Now it’s time to clear the palate a little bit. Focus less on food and more on life (or those jeans that are fitting a little snug).

It’s not easy, but I’ve done hard things before. I can do this one too. And when I falter in motivation, I go back to these words of wisdom from Eleanor Roosevelt.

So now that I’m pumped for this dietary cleanse, I wonder if that means I should also finally clean out that junk drawer. Nah, I think that can wait until tomorrow.

If you’re like me and tackling some New Year’s Resolutions for 2012, it’s easy to feel discouraged some days. Let these words of wisdom encourage you to know that every day is a new beginning. Every day can bring you new strength. Whether it’s changing your diet, exercising more, meditating, quitting smoking, or whatever your goal is for today, just know this – You can do it!

Dear Body,

I’m writing today to ask for absolution of the sins I’ve committed against you over the years. I know I’ve treated you like the friend who’s always going to be there for me no matter how much I’ve neglected her before. Oh sure, I promise you I’ll take better care of you – give you exercise, eat right, clip your toenails – only to break those promises the next day.

Ok. I know, I know. I’m not being truly honest here. I don’t usually make it to the next day.

And what do I ask in return? That you be there for me through thick and thin.  (Ahem, that is something to be taken literally.) I feed you junk food and ask you to look fabulous in jeans. I don’t exercise you enough, but ask you to keep me going strong throughout my busy days. I slurp down the caffeine which means I can’t give you the rest you need and still…I set the alarm for 5:30 am. Is this enough self flagellation or should I continue?

I know you have a lot going on inside. There’s so much about you I know so little about. And frankly, there’s some things I just don’t want to know. Like colons? I’m sorry, that’s just gross.

I get it. I’ve been a bad friend. I know this because I’ve looked up the symptoms of being a bad friend. It includes some combination of these:

• I ask you to be someone that you’re not. Since we’re being completely honest here, I do wish there were some things different about you. For example, you’re a lightweight when it comes to calories; I wish you could handle a few more. I don’t really think that’s asking too much. But, it’s been awhile now and that’s just not changing. I guess it’s time I get over it. You are who you are. Someone told me once you can’t go to a steak restaurant and order tofu. Well, you can if you don’t mind getting a slab of white, unmarinated tofu on a plate. (Trust me, I’ve had this happen and it’s not great.) You’re tofu. With a little marinade and seasonings you can be fabulous, but you have to know what you’re working with.
• I promise you things, and don’t follow through. Sure, I say we’ll do things like exercise, stretching and eating right, and then I just don’t get around to it. In my defense, though, I only gorged on chocolate so many times because I read something once that said it was good for you! It’s not because I loved the taste of it or anything like that.
• I only think about you except when I need you. I obviously have mistreated you and only pay attention to you when you’re not there for me. But you know you’re a part of this problem too. If you could have learned to speak up a little louder when I was younger, I would have gotten better at this one sooner.  Now you’re finally getting your voice and I hear you loud and clear. No more jumbo size bags of potato chips in one setting. I promise!
• I show you too much disrespect. Sure, I openly say how much I hate you in front of others, I just didn’t know you were so sensitive about it. Jeez!

I’m inconsiderate. I get it. I’m a louse.

Today I want to change all that. I want to be a good friend. To prove it, I looked up the qualities of being a good friend. Here are some of them:

• Listen – I need to learn to listen to you. What makes you feel your best? I already know what makes you feel awful – all you can eat greasy pizza buffets? Forget about it! But I also need to learn what makes you feel less than tip-top.
• Be kind – I need to do a better job getting you the exercise you need. Like my dog that needs a good run at the dog park, I need to get you out to play and run and enjoy movement. No, I’m not saying you’re a dog. Oy, I forgot how sensitive you can be. I’m just saying we need to find more fun ways to get exercise, not just trudging through another 30 minutes on the treadmill.
• Give a little – I’ve got the whole “taking” thing down when it comes to you. Now it’s time I need to learn to give a little. Sure, I may want a second helping of that delicious meal, but I know it’s going to make you feel like a ton of bricks are sitting on you. I guess I’ll give to you by taking less for myself.
• Be real – I may want to add more hours to the day so I can keep up with my “to do” list, but I know there’s only so much you can give. But then again, if I learn to treat you better, who knows what heights we can reach…together!

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.”

You and me, we’re like old friends. I’ve been stupid (more times than I care to admit). Thanks for being there for me in those stupid times. Now I want to say thank you for being patient with me as we move toward smarter days.

Sincerely yours,

Marly

I’m so in love with this cake. I think I’m going to become an Orange Cranberry Upside Down Cake evangelist. I’ll begin with this emphatic testimonial. This cake changed my life!

OK. I know that’s a little dramatic. This cake didn’t really change my life…it just expanded my horizons. I had no idea cranberries could be this good!

I guess I developed a less than favorable impression of cranberries based of years of seeing the jiggly cylinder of it on our Thanksgiving day table. I never could imagine eating something that looked like it was still in a can even when it wasn’t. Spam does that and I never really liked Spam that much. How could canned cranberry sauce be any different?

I don’t actually know the answer to that question because I never actually tried it. But I have been hankering to try some cranberries ever since I read about the incredible health benefits they offer. Cranberries tout a high amount of polyphenols, those nice cancer-fighting antioxidants we all like to include in our diets.

I think this is a great way to add healthy cranberries to my diet. Maybe I should have a piece of it every day? Of course, that might conflict with my annual new year’s goal to lose a few pounds. So maybe we shouldn’t eat it every day, but if you’re like me and you want to add some cranberries to your diet, there may be no better place to start than with this delicious, elegant, and not-too-difficult-to-make Orange Cranberry Upside Down Cake. It comes with plenty of antioxidants and a few oohs and ahhs to spare!