It took me a while to warm up to the idea of quinoa, much less pronounce it. (KEEN-wah). Let me tell you, I feel like a bit of a fool now, knowing what a nutrition powerhouse it is, how easy it is to cook and that it's widely considered one of the world's healthiest foods. Did I mention that I'm a late bloomer?

My first attempt at ordering quinoa was years ago, in a cold Mediterranean salad at the Nordstrom Café in Seattle, much like this one by Plant-Based on a Budget. It pains me to say that …

There is nothing like a new year full of magical mushroom possibilities!  I feel exhilarated and hopeful after what always feels like a ‘layover from life’ holiday season, during which I ate a crazy number of mushroom-packed dishes that were nutritious, simple and delicious, like Angel “Eggs”, Mushroom Walnut Pâté, and Creamy Mushroom Lasagna.

Mushrooms can be the best supporting actor in a recipe or hold their own as the star of the show.  The braised carrot dish I made for Thanksgiving, with …

For the first half-century (plus!) of my life, I couldn’t imagine a meal, much less a Holiday, without a carnivorous centerpiece that needed to be expertly carved and kept moist at all costs. 

This holy grail of holiday fare was surrounded by a symphony of plant-based side dishes that were adorned with sausage in the stuffing, marshmallows on the sweet potatoes, cheese in the mashed potatoes, bacon in the brussels sprouts and butter and cream in nearly everything.

Divinely rich, decadent and d…