Suzan Colon's Blog, page 8

Eat Greens, Win Greenback$!

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My mom with her pet calf Rosebud on the farm in Saratoga Springs.

I just got a very cool email from the North American Vegetarian Society full of great "who knew?" info. First, I didn't even know the North American Vegetarian Society existed! Well color me schooled.

Second, NAVS tells me that October is Vegetarian Awareness Month. Not to take anything away from Breast Cancer Month, but I've always felt we should be aware of breast cancer every month. So maybe we can give the veggies some time in October?

Third, October 1 is World Vegetarian Day, and vegetarians the world over will be spreading the many good words about eating lower on the food chain. Regardless of your feelings about eating animals (though reading Jonathan Safran Foer's book of the same name may change your mind), even the American Dietetic Association has recommended vegetarianism as a way to combat heart disease, hypertension, and the ever-awful Type 2 diabetes. Not only that, but as Michael Pollan illustrated so well in The Omnivore's Dilemma, meat production is a huge, huge waste of energy, and it's the numero uno contributor to global warming–yeah, meat production beat out transportation emissions. That's saying something.

If all of that isn't enough incentive to try being a vegetarian for a day, NAVS has a contest where you can win $250–that's right, just for not eating meat for a day! Do it for a week and you can win $500, and go veg for a month and you might win $1,000. Hellooooo, holiday money… They don't call it a grand for nothing.

I know what you're thinking: Suzan, you little hypocrite, there are plenty of meat recipes in Cherries in Winter (especially the paperback, out on October 19, which features added recipes). True that, my friends. But things sure have changed since Nana wrote down those recipes, and not for the better. She and Grandpa were farmers who raised their chickens and dairy cows humanely, letting them roam free and eat grass. Antibiotics? The animals didn't need them. Hormones? Nana took 'em, but the cows didn't. As for fish, Grandpa caught them himself. If my grandparents ever saw the way animals are raised for food today and heard about the array of chemicals that are added to them, I think they might go vegetarian for a while, too.

As for me, I will be celebrating World Vegetarian Day on Friday by not eating meat, and I'll certainly be lowering my consumption of it drastically to help our environment. So during the month of October, I'll be posting the meatless recipes from Nana's collection that were popular during World War II, when meat was scarce.

Let me know if you enter the contest!

Cherries on Radio!

I've been crazybusy (yep, it's a real word–in my dictionary) lately, gearing up for the paperback release of Cherries in Winter (out October 19; can't mention that enough).

While doing some research for the book, I came across this great radio interview from last year, when the hardcover came out. If you're new to me babbling about Cherries, this will give you a little overview of what it's all about. And I swear I'm not doing a diva-like "Me Me Me ME!!" song here–this is purely...

It's Cherry Season!

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Cherries in Winter in paperback! Such a lovely cover (I can say that because I had nothing to do with it.)

Yep, summer's almost over. Blueberries are history, peaches are on their way out, and any watermelon you come across is almost a waste of time. But for me, it's cherry season. Cherries in Winter, the paperback edition, will be out on October 19!

CIW: PPB features additional chapters, new recipes, and a very honest recipe index where I admit that some of those baking measurements could...

Hey, What's for Breakfast?

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My vegan lemon poppyseed cake--not a bad way to start the day.

I've been very intrigued by New York Times food critic Mark Bittman's story about eating vegan during the day and whatever he wanted at night. He did it for environmental and health reasons, and in addition to helping to save the planet with the power of his plate, he ended up losing about 35 lbs. Okay? Loving this all around.

I'd like to give it a try. I don't really see a downside here. But I'm a little unimaginative when it...

Cooking to Lose Weight? Totally!

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Okay, is this not the most beautiful heirloom tomato ever? (Slice one ripe tomato, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, top with shredded basil and crumbled feta cheese. Healthy, not fattening, and da bomb delicious.)

Two things I love to talk about: food, and losing weight. Usually they don't go together, but I'm a big believer in the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup theory of joining seemingly unrelated things and getting something great out out of it. And what could be better than eating...

Double-Dipping: Nasty

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Oh crap...not another recession.

Many of you may see the phrase "double-dipping" and think of Seinfeld. This was their phrase for dipping a chip or piece of crudité in sauce, taking a bite, and then smushing the bitten piece back in the communal dip. Kind of gross, unless you're just dipping with a loved one.

Well, not what I meant anyway, and I was never a huge Seinfeld fan to begin with. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I'm more of a sci-fi girl, as you'll see in a minute.

No, I...

Peach Blueberry Cobbler, STAT!!

Q: What is the result of the following, seemingly unrelated events: My sister is preggers; it's the hottest summer on record; I have extremely productive, creative insomnia; forgetfulness.

A: A very fast peach blueberry cobbler.

I'll try to explain without rambling (a challenge pour moi). The first part doesn't require much explanation, and a little boy is due any time now. I love to see my sister, but even more now that she's full of nephew.

Second part: I am really loathe to turn on the...

100 Possessions: Could You Do It?

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The granddaddy of the minimalist approach.

My totally cool friend Arcy (maker of very cool recycled vegan baby clothes–check out her etsy shop here!) posted a link to an article from the New York Times about a couple who embraced the new minimalism. That's the phrase I'm using for voluntary simplicity, rather than enforced downsizing due to losing a job and a home and having to get rid of most of your stuff because you have to move to smaller digs. There's a big difference between that and...

Sneak Peek: Cherries in Winter, the Paperback!

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Or, as I like to refer to it, CIW: PPB.

Holla, friends! This is a first look at the new cover art for the paperback edition of Cherries in Winter: My Family's Recipe for Hope in Hard Times, which will be in bookstores (both virtual and brick n' mortar) on October 19, 2010. Mark it on your calendars, people (please).

The cover isn't the only thing that's new about this version of Cherries. Check out this fully-loaded baby's features:

* Additional chapters!

* New recipes!

* A recipe index and...

Is It Hot In Here, Or Is It RWA?

Bring 2100 romance writers to hotter-than-heck Orlando, Florida and look out, kiddies–the mouse is on fiyuh.

So, Day 1 of the Romance Writers of America conference: the big draw was the keynote luncheon with Nora Roberts–excuse me, Nora Freakin' Roberts. Everyone chomped their rubber chicken lunch (in my case, rubber tofu) in anticipation of La Nora passing on some of her pearls of wisdom. After all, the woman has written a gazillion books and sold many bazillions (that's a matter of record). ...