Tag: Food

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Magazine Review: Thrive

Standing in line at Natural Grocers late this afternoon, with a shopping cart full of luscious, healthy food, something suddenly caught my eye. On the magazine rack, the last copy of a magazine called Thrive held my attention, so much so that I let the person behind me go ahead of me so I could pick up this gorgeous publication and flip through it.

I admit, I have a thing for magazines…okay and calendars also. I love browsing through a magazine, with a cup of hot tea, reading articles and studying photographs. I use magazines to learn new things, collect recipes and as inspiration for my vision boards. It only took a quick peek inside Thrive to convince me to make a purchase. I dropped it in my cart.

Magazine Review: Thrive

Thrive has the subtitle, THE FUTURE of FOOD, and above its main title is printed, PLANT-BASED: FOOD. CULTURE. LIFESTYLE. Those words, in addition to the stunning front cover, are what invited me to pick up the magazine.

Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Maranda Pleasant, shares, “Here’s to a delicious year of inspired living + optimal health. Between our herbal apothecary, mood booster tips and foods to help you nourish and glow, we’ve got everything you need for living vibrantly. We also have tons of superfood recipes, perfect for kickstarting your day.” She adds that this year Thrive will be taking readers across the globe with suggestions for vegan eats, eco shopping and boutique travel.

I am already in love with this new-to-me magazine!

There is indeed a travel section in this issue, featuring Mexico City, Copenhagen, Paris, Austin USA, London, and Morocco and Greece. Listed are vegan eats and cool places to shop.

Also included within Thrive are articles about eco kitchen utensils, herbs and plant based medicinals, healthy breakfast ideas and so many health supporting recipes. So many! I’m excited to try sumptuous delights such as Coconut Curry Noodles, with spiralized veggies, Turmeric Maple Roasted Carrots & Radishes, Chipotle Bean Burgers, Savory Garlic Brussels Sprouts and Cinnamon Pumpkin Waffles. All recipes are plant based and use healthy alternatives to sugar, white flour and dairy products.

Every single page is a work of art. The glossy paper, superb photography and well done articles make this an extremely high quality publication. It is absolutely beautiful and it is perfectly geared toward me. There are articles that are timely and in sync with my health lifestyle and the artistic presentation appeals to my creative side. This is the kind of publication I would do!

But I don’t have to. I am grateful for a line at Natural Grocers today. That pause allowed my eyes to wander and light on Thrive Magazine. I’ve made a quick pass through the pages. Tomorrow, during afternoon tea, I will leisurely turn the pages and immerse myself in the magazine, reading through the articles and marking recipes to try.

Thrive may be purchased at retail stores such as Natural Grocers, Target, Walmart and Costco or you can subscribe through their website by clicking HERE

This one is a keeper. I feel so inspired, supported and encouraged by Thrive. I am subscribing, 6 magazines in a year, delivered to my front door, for $42.00. What a bargain, for such a beauty!

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Friendship, Food & Fire

This incredibly beautiful fall day was perfect for spending time outdoors. I puttered in my backyard garden, trimming back spent flowers. Unlike this time last year, when we had already experienced a hard freeze, that is all that needed doing today. Due to warmer than normal temperatures, the garden is lush and full and still growing. There is an untamed wildness to it that I am loving! 


The gorgeous day transitioned into an equally gorgeous evening, with just enough chill in the air to make a fire welcome. My good friend Georgia joined Greg and me in a simple fireside dinner. 

Although we have discussed sitting in the garden around the fire pit many times, this was Georgia’s first such visit. Greg got a fire blazing as I prepared our food. This was also the first time I have shared a plant based meal with a friend or family member since I made this dietary change four months ago. Georgia already avoids gluten and limits sugar intake. She was very willing to sample a typical vegan dinner. 


I offered one of my favorite meals…roasted seasoned potato wedges with freshly made marinara sauce. Chopped tomatoes and avocadoes completed our meal. 

It was fun to dine around the crackling fire. An almost full moon rose to spill silvery light across the backyard. We enjoyed animated conversation across a broad spectrum of topics. One of the things I love about Georgia is that we can talk about so many interesting subjects! 


In the middle of our little circle of friendship, the dancing flames repeatedly drew our gaze, mesmerizing us. Firelight is so cheerful while being magical and mysterious at the same time. I can stare into its burning heart for hours. 

Georgia declined “dessert”,  however, after she headed home I decided I had to try a recipe from the Life Changing Foods book. I had struggled earlier in the day with my long held belief that when one has guests for dinner, dessert is offered at the end of the meal. It’s time to shift that belief. I wavered between no dessert at all and offering fresh fruit. Then I remembered a simple recipe from Anthony William. 

Called Apples with ‘Caramel’ Dip, I prepared it by slicing up an apple, and created the sauce by blending dates soaked for a couple of hours in water with half a teaspoon of cinnamon. So easy…and so delicious while being a healthy alternative to dessert. 

You’ve got to come back soon, Georgia, for another fireside dinner and chat, and to sample the apples and dip!