I used to avoid making New Year’s resolutions as they seemed so silly and unattainable.  Exercise more, eat right, take my vitamins, etc., etc., etc.  But last New Year’s I embraced the tradition with some very specific milestones.  By breaking my wish list into baby steps, I am once again moving forward with accomplishments rather than standing frozen in my tracks from a feeling of overwhelm.  In fact, this concept has worked so well, that I now declare “New Year’s” resolutions throughout the year!  To kick start your own ideas, the following is my 2007 resolution list, all checked off:

For roughly seven years we lived in the mountains of Lake Tahoe.  It was around year six that the novelty of shoveling piles of snow began to wear off.  Nonetheless, I do often miss those relaxing days by the fire, nestled in a soft blanket with a hot beverage in hand, just watching that snow fall (trying not to picture myself outside shoveling it the next day).  More often than not my mug was filled with hot tea, but on occasion I would venture away from the usual for a little excitement.  The following mugs of indulgence include a few of my favorite cold weather beverages (all dairy-free, of course), perfect for warming from the inside out …

Bryanna Clark Grogan, Vegan Feast Kitchen - I have been hearing about Silk's Pumpkin Spice Soymilk, but I can't find it where I live, so I decided to make my own. I looked around for some recipes on the 'Net, but most seemed to involve inordinate amounts of cream and ice cream, or the vegan equivilants. Well, that's a milkshake! I wanted to make something lighter, and still festive. So, I started with my Vegan "Eggnog" recipe from my book "The Almost No-Fat Holiday Cookbook", and worked from there until we were satisfied-- very satisfied! ...

As a child I loathed holiday meals.  The turkey was always dry, I hated the consistency of mashed potatoes, and that awful orange-colored dish was always sickeningly sweet.  As I grew older I learned that this strange orange-colored dish was actually an American tradition.  Yams as they were called (though they were in reality sweet potatoes like the one pictured) doused in a sugary glaze and sometimes even topped with (heaven forbid), marshmallows! ...

By Amy B. - Every year at my office we have a Holiday potluck where everyone either donates money to be given to a charity or we bring a food dish. Last year I donated money and the year before that I donated money, so I thought I should make something this year. And it was mostly because I knew there would not be much available I could eat at the party if I did not bring it myself. But what would be easy, inexpensive and good enough to share? I decided on a side of vegetables, carrots to be precise. With a nice glaze I thought...

It is time again for the food blog awards 2007, but this year is a bit different.  Some special diet blogs are getting attention in the nominations, including one of our very own volunteer Go Dairy Free writers, Hannah Kaminsky!  Hannah’s Bittersweet Blog (a dairy-free and vegan culinary delight) was nominated for Best Food Blog in the Writing category for her wonderful stories.  Amazingly, Hannah is just eighteen years of age, competing against other more seasoned professionals.  Voting takes just one click, no sign-ups required.  We appreciate a quick moment of your time to vote for this talented young author.