Sweet Sundays: Two weeks ago I addressed a viewer question regarding dating and dining with others who consume dairy. Carol Kicinski of the blog Simply...Gluten-Free expands on a couple of my suggestions with her own tips (and a recipe!) on easy and delicious free-from entertaining ...

It’s been said recently that eating in is the new eating out and while it is highly unlikely that dining out will go completely out of fashion anytime soon there are many compelling reasons to stay in and enjoy a meal, especially when entertaining.

Economics aside, when one entertains at home it is more intimate, friendlier and gives the host or hostess the chance to create the exact atmosphere he or she desires.  And of course it is a lot easier to talk when one doesn’t have to shout to be heard over the din of a noisy restaurant.  Add to this the fact that dining out can be fraught with challenges for the dairy and gluten intolerant (who wants to “celebrate” with a bloated tummy, intestinal damage and headaches?) and it makes sense (as well as saves cents) to entertain in the comfort of one’s own home.

Frugal Foodie Friday: As my friend Ricki pointed out, half the fun in using recipes from 500 Vegan Recipes is trying to guess which author wrote which recipe. Both ladies have been blogging their recipes for quite some time, offering hints of their style. But still, I was stumped on some. This recipe though, definitely Joni. I think.

Well, whoever created it, it is delicious! And talk about filling. I tend to be one of those people who eats half my body weight at each meal. But a modest bowl of this Dairy-Free Rustic Potato Leek Soup at dinner was plenty. My husband also scarfed back his bowl and felt perfectly satisfied. On that note, this recipe makes for a perfect vegetarian night meal (Meatless Mondays anyone?), and who doesn't love leftover soup for lunch?

There are many potato leek soup recipes out there, but this one has its own special touches that I just loved. Unpeeled potatoes for a "rustic" look and taste; lemongrass for a unique essence that melded perfectly, and the use of vegetable broth instead of chicken broth gave the soup a beautiful and unexpected orange hue. View the Full Recipe on One Frugal Foodie.

The virtual world may bring us all together, but you still can't beat purchasing some delicious baked goods locally to support a charitable cause. The Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale kicks off this weekend, with bake sales around the world taking place between April 24th and May 2nd, 2010. Last year this sprawling event raised over $25,000.

Though it may be a bit late to organize a bake sale in time for this event, you can support one by showing up and buying some delicious goodies! See the 2010 Bake Sales by Region Page for a full listing - from San Diego, CA to Adelaide, Australia with many stops between.

Now, we have one last bake sale-worthy recipe to share with you before the event, and this one comes from a very special young lady, Meggie ...

The launch of Dairy Free & Fit, Earth Day coming up ... I think it is time for a nutritious, delicious, and eco-friendly foodie celebration giveaway ... don't you?

Of course, as the inaugural giveaway of Dairy Free & Fit, this couldn't be a toned down affair. I have chosen one of my favorite product lines, and let’s just say the prize package is nice and BIG. The winner will receive a generous collection of goodies valued at over $150 from Amazing Grass.

Dairy Free & Fit is a new site offering a blog-style forum to cover five main subjects for special diets: health topics, fitness & fun, just the food, recipes, and my own journal. It will of course be dairy-free, but will span other foodie, special diet, and health topics too. And, yes, the site is family-friendly too! You can read the reason for the site's creation here, and my story here.

Check it out! I will do my best to ensure that all posts from Go Dairy Free, One Frugal Foodie, and Dairy Free & Fit are announced on our Facebook Page and Twitter. But you can also RSS or sign up for an email subscription for each of the websites. Now, head on over to check out the Amazing Prize Package and to Enter to Win!