Woman in Real Life

Since a few of you asked me to share What I Ate Wednesday posts more often, I'm back to photographing almost everything I eat. Sometimes people think I'm strange. But it's kind of fun anyway. While it might seem slightly obnoxious to photograph your food each day, I hope that people will look at what I eat and take away some ideas for healthy, tasty, simple meals. I'd like more people to know that eating vegan is really quite easy, whether you do it every day or a couple of times a week. In my opinion, you don't give up anything by being vegetarian or vegan. On the contrary, you add lots of possibilities to your life - possibilities for healthy and delicious plant-based meals that are kind to your body and to our animal friends.

I didn't do any thrifty or vintage shopping this week, but I did add a treasure to my collection nevertheless. I received a package in the mail this week from my very kind cousin Mary who lives in Texas. She blogs her groovy perspective on the world over at Babylon Sisters. She also handmakes incredible bohemian gypsy curtains, which she sells via her Etsy shop. Her curtains have appeared on the TV show Sleepy Hollow. Mary and I grew up nowhere near each other and yet we have so much in common, including being committed vegetarians.

Mary sent handcrafted tote bags for me and my sister. The totes are made from antique quilt pieces created by our grandmother (my dad's mom). I have lots of quilts, dishes and linens from Mom's mother, but little from my dad's mother. The quilts were in bad shape so Mary smartly turned them into these lovely (and useful!) keepsakes.

The other day my mom told me she misses my What I Ate Wednesday posts. With Mother's Day coming up on Sunday, I'm doing this post for her. (I'll get you something better too Mom. I promise.) Mother's Day for me this year will involve getting up around 5:30 a.m. to do my daughter's hair and makeup for a dance competition. You don't know how much I love my usual breakfast in bed, followed by hours of reading magazines! (I made my husband promise I'll get to do this another day.) Hopefully at the very least my little girl will be less critical of my hair and makeup work this weekend. ("The bun is crooked! The eye shadow's not the same on both eyes!")

As the weather gets warmer, one's thoughts tend to drift towards icy cold, creamy dessert treats. While ice cream may be your summertime favourite, there's a healthier way to indulge that will still completely satisfy your cravings.

I've created this healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana "Nice" Cream as a still-delicious, but more nutritionally beneficial (and dairy-free, vegan) version of ice cream. If you haven't heard of "nice" cream before, you're in for a revelation, because this taste sensation get its ice cream-like texture from frozen bananas. Bananas. That is all.

Currently I am taking a (very short) vacation from thrifting. With warm weather entertaining opportunities coming up, I want to get the house de-cluttered and tidied up. (I'll take to adding more "stuff" again later I'm sure.)