Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Year, New Blog: VegCookbookClub



So many people responded via email, comments, Facebook and Twitter to my post, VegCookbook Club 2012: Wanna Join? that I've created a new blog for our "club" activities: VegCookbookClub.com. Yay!

I'm super excited to start cooking and connecting with all of you who said you'd like to cook together from the same vegetarian, or vegan cookbook each month.  Based on everyone's response, our January cookbook will be Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Longtime Have Fun, Do Good readers, don't worry! I'll still be writing here regularly, but my Meatless Monday posts will move over to VegCookbookClub.com.

Happy New Year!

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Monday, December 26, 2011

VegCookbook Club 2012: Wanna Join ?

I'm thinking about setting up an online VegCookbook Club in 2012. Would you like to be a part of it?

You don't have to be a vegetarian, or vegan (I'm not) to join, you just have to want to eat less meat. You could join for a variety of reasons: environmental, animal rights, health, or because you want a creative cooking challenge.

Here's how I'm thinking it would work (I'm open to suggestions):
  1. I'd select a vegetarian, or vegan cookbook for us to cook from during the month.
  2. Each Meatless Monday I'll post about recipes that I tried from the cookbook.  
  3. You share the recipes you tried, how they turned out, and any changes you made as a comment, a link to your blog post, or a link to a Flickr photo of what you made.
  4. On the last Meatless Monday of the month, I'll do a round up post of some of our comments, blog posts and photos, and announce next month's VegCookbook.
Does that sound like fun to you?

Which of these VegCookbooks are you the most excited to cook from in January?

I'm looking forward to cooking with you!

Full disclosure: I have an Amazon Associates account. If you buy something on Amazon after clicking one of the cookbook links, I get a percentage of the sale.
 


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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Gift Certificates for the Juicy Blogging E-Course Are Here!


A few weeks ago a Facebook pal asked if they could give the Juicy Blogging E-Course as a gift. I asked the hubs if he would create a gift certificate for me, and here it is! Isn't it cute?

The next Juicy Blogging E-Course runs from January 25-February 15, 2012. The class consists of three kinds of fun-work:

  • Reflection questions to refine your blog’s purpose
  • Connection assignments to build community and traffic
  • Creative and juicy blog post prompts to get you writing

You'll find more info, and can purchase the class on brittbravo.com.  If you'd like to give the e-course as a gift, just purchase the class for yourself, and then email me at britt AT brittbravo DOT com with:

  • Your gift recipient's first and last name
  • Your gift recipient's email  
  • The date I can contact the gift recipient with more information about the class ( I don't want to ruin the surprise!)

I'll email the gift certificate to you as a PDF so you can give it to them yourself (:

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Friday, December 16, 2011

Love List: A Have Fun, Do Good Holiday Gift by Sherry Richert Belul

Today's post is a guest piece by my pal Sherry Richert Belul, founder of Simply Celebrate, and author of the e-book, Present Perfect: 127 creative, one-of-a-kind, no-to-low cost, wow-‘em gifts they’ll never forget. You can connect with Sherry on SimplyCelebrate.net, her blog (Cherry Blossom Soup), Facebook and Twitter (@simplycelebrate). 

Love List: A Have Fun, Do Good Holiday Gift
Want a great do-good, feel-good holiday gift that doesn’t cost a dime? A Love List is one of the best gifts you can give someone.  It's simple and fun to create. Here’s what you do:

1. Set aside an hour to make your Love List.

2. Play some music and maybe dig up a photo of the gift recipient. (That’s for inspiration, but you might decide to include it as part of the presentation!)

3. Get out a pen and paper and start thinking about things you love about this person. Let yourself be open to all the thoughts that drop in.
  • Do you love her laugh? 
  • The way she greets you with a warm hug whenever you see her? 
  • Those Rilke poems she gave you? 
  • The memory of your college trip to Paris when you wore the blue beret and she donned the red one?!
Let yourself brainstorm about who she is, things she does, what you’ve learned from her, funny stories, and favorite memories. Give yourself permission to be as silly, sweet, sincere, or sarcastic as you want! This gift is about being exactly who you are and reflecting back to her who she is to you.

4. Once you have your list, you can present it as-is, or get creative. I've posted a video on Simply Celebrate that will give some ideas on creative ways to present your Love List. You can also request a free Love List download that will give you even more ideas for how to present your Love List, as well as a ready-made list to complete.

People are always thinking of original and fun ways to turn their lists into a unique gift. I’d LOVE to hear yours!

The Love List feels good to make and is great to receive. I hope you’ll try one for someone you dearly love!




 

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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Empowering Low-Income Families to Create Prosperity: Interview with Ben Mangan

"It's important to never lose track of leveraging the strengths of the people that we serve. I think that when you take a strengths-based approach to working with folks who are struggling in some way, it's part of the way that you build optimism.  It's one of the most important ways that you position the people that you're serving to be successful over time. 
~ Ben Mangan, EARN 



Ben Mangan is the President, CEO, and Co-Founder of the nonprofit, EARN.  Since 2001, EARN has helped tens of thousands of low-income people enter the financial mainstream, and move toward prosperity with savings accounts for the unbanked, and matched accounts for low wage workers to invest in education, first homes, and microenterprise.

Ben has more than 15 years of experience in policy leadership, innovation and strategic management.  Ben was the Midwest Practice Leader for Ernst and Young's Public Private Development Group in Chicago, and served as Director of Organizational Strategy for the international micro-payments company, beenz.com.

He is a regular blogger for the Huffington Post and SFGate, and serves as a lecturer on the faculty of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College (which is how I know him), and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University's Kennedy School.

You can listen and subscribe to the Big Vision Podcast via iTunes, or on the player above.  If you have suggestions for people I should interview, please email me at britt AT brittbravo DOT com.  

*Show notes*

Learn more about Ben and EARN:
Connect with me:
Music: "Mango Delight," by Kenya Masala.  Connect with Kenya through CD Baby and Source Consulting Group.
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Monday, December 05, 2011

Connect with an Old Friend This Week

"Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together." -Woodrow Wilson



No Meatless Monday post today 'cause instead of trying new recipes, I spent the week getting reading for a reunion with three old friends.  Spending time with them was like having an endless bowl of delicious and nourishing soup.

Connect with an old friend this week. 

Call, Skype, write, have coffee.  Whatever feels right.

It will fill you up.

Promise.


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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

25 Gifts to Make with Your 2011 Photos


Who'd like to make more holiday gifts this year?

Me!

But I'm often stumped for ideas.

One raw material I have more than enough to work with is photos, so today I'm brainstorming holiday gifts to make with them.

I've listed 25 ideas below, along with 7 websites that can help you with your creations:


Book
Bookmark
Calendar
Coasters
Cookbook


Deck of cards
DVD slideshow (with or without narration)
Family history book
Framed photo (you could decorate the frame too)
Greeting cards


iPhone case
Magnet
Mouse pad
Mug
Notepad


Ornaments
Photo album
Postage stamps
Postcards
Poster


Puzzle 
Stickers
Scrapbook
Tote bag
T-shirt


7 websites to help you create your gifts:


What are some other ideas for gifts you can make with photos?

All photos are by me (:

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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

6 Healing Artists

"Art is a wound turned into light." - Georges Braque 

As I mentioned in my Fun-Do list last week, one of my favorite things to do is collage. The process of combining words and images helps me to work things out in a different way than writing in my journal does. I truly believe that art can heal, which is why I love producing the Arts and Healing Podcast for the Arts and Healing Network.

This year I interviewed six healing artists:












Creative living coach at Jamie Ridler Studios, and creator of one of my favorite podcasts, Creative Living with Jamie

You can listen to these interviews, and many more, on the Arts and Healing Network's website, or on iTunes.  If you have ideas for people we should interview, email the Arts and Healing Network team at ahn AT artheals DOT org.

Full disclosure: The books I linked to are attached to my Amazon Associates account, which means that if you buy anything after clicking on the link, I receive a percentage of the sale.

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Monday, November 28, 2011

Meatless Monday: 2 Soups, 1 Salad, 2 Casseroles + Cosmos Apple Pie

Meatless Monday is a nonprofit initiative of The Monday Campaigns. Their goal is to help reduce meat consumption by 15% to improve personal and planetary health.  Each week I share meatless recipes I've tried from cookbooks and online.  You can see past Meatless Monday posts by clicking here.

If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.
― Carl Sagan 

One of the items on my Fun-Do List for Thanksgiving was to try some new recipes, and boy, did I!  I made a soup, a salad, and two casseroles from Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas, baked the most amazing Cosmos Apple Pie with Olive Oil Double Crust from Vegan Pie in the Sky by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, and made a soup from Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons, also by Nava Atlas. I hope these photos will inspire your winter holiday menus!


Butternut squash on its way to becoming soup


 Coconut Butternut Squash Soup from Vegan Holiday Kitchen.
Unbelievably delicious. You're in luck 'cause the New York Times published the recipe!


Autumn Harvest Stew from Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons.
Yum, yum.  This recipe is available through Google Books.

  
Pistachios ready to roast and toss in salad . . .


Mixed Greens with Green Apples, Beets and Pistachios from Vegan Holiday Kitchen.
I liked this salad.  It has *a lot* of fruits and veggies in it, a few too many for some of my diners!


Ravioli with Sweet Potatoes and Sage from Vegan Holiday Kitchen.
Delish. How can you go wrong with ravioli and sweet potatoes! The hardest part was finding vegan ravioli.  I ended up buying fresh Roasted Butternut and Chestnut Ravioli in Pumpkin Pasta from Market Hall in Oakland. I'd like to make it again with Rising Moon's vegan ravioli.


Hearty Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd's Pie from Vegan Holiday Kitchen. 
 Also yummy, and you're in luck again 'cause Fat Free Vegan Kitchen posted the recipe.


Pretty veggies ready to roast


Veggies roasted. Don't they look like jewels?


Cosmos Apple Pie with Olive Oil Double Crust from Vegan Pie in the Sky ready to bake.  This is only the 4th pie I've ever made (see my Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust), so I'm proud of how it turned out: pretty and delicious!


It's not burned, that's cinnamon and sugar baked into the top!


Slice for day after Thanksgiving breakfast!


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What yummy meatless dishes did you make last week?

Full disclosure: The cookbooks I linked to are attached to my Amazon Associates account, which means that if you buy anything after clicking on the link, I get a percentage of the sale.  I received review copies of Vegan Holiday Kitchen and Vegan Pie in the Sky.


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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Your Fun-Do List for Thanksgiving Weekend


I'm a huge to-do list maker, which is a blessing, and a compulsion.  My lists keep me on track, but they can also be overwhelming.  I'm definitely ready to relax and have fun during the long weekend, so instead I've made a fun-do list:


What's on your fun-do list?

Photo: Our super fun Thanksgiving in Maine. 

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Monday, November 21, 2011

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian and Vegan Thanksgiving Ideas

Meatless Monday is a nonprofit initiative of The Monday Campaigns. Their goal is to help reduce meat consumption by 15% to improve personal and planetary health.  Each week I share meatless recipes I've tried from cookbooks and online.  You can see past Meatless Monday posts by clicking here.


I didn't make any interesting meatless dishes this week, so instead of posting my photos and recipe notes, I'm including a link to my Vegetarian and Vegan Thanksgiving idea board on Pinterest. Even if you aren't a member of Pinterest, you can still see the board, scroll through the photos, and click on the recipe links. Just click here to view it.


What meatless Thanksgiving dishes are you making this week?

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Friday, November 18, 2011

Friday Fun Links: Creativity, Yummy Food, Blogging, Do-Gooding and Events

A collection of blog posts and articles that caught my eye this week. I've organized them into sections: creative ladies, yummy food, nonprofits/do-gooding, blogging/social media, and events, so that you can peruse the ones that fit your interests.

Creative Ladies

Planning the Year Ahead on Jamie Ridler Studios

Wish on Create Your Own Beautiful

Holiday Poetry Book (Your Other Names) by Tara Sophia Mohr

I'm 42 and Full of Gratitude and Appreciation on SurfPrayLove

Unfun Decisions: Scraping Bottom by Gwen Bell

Forget Your Perfect Offering by Gwen Bell

Creating With Kids :: Still Shots from Goddess Guide Book

Something for the Weekend by Susannah Conway

Upcoming Right Brain Business Plan Events by author, Jennifer Lee, and licensed facilitators

Nonprofits and Do-Gooding
photo and t-shirt by kimberly wilson

Pig Animal Sanctuary on  Tranquility du Jour

Drumroll Please...Announcing Ten New Social Citizen Ambassadors on Social Citizens

Top 8 Tips for Writing a Fundraising Letter by Joanne Fritz

New podcast: Accessing student loan relief now on Idealist

Fast Company Profiles Open Philanthropy on Philanthropy 2173

Free eBook on Volunteer Management on Wild Apricot

Yummy Food

Kalyn's Favorite Baby Arugula Salad with Lemon, Balsamic Vinegar, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts on Kalyn's Kitchen

Nava's Hearty Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd's Pie on FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Warm up with Winter Squash Soup on the Kind Life

Blogging and Social Media

Why Bloggers Should Self-Publish on ProBlogger

Get Your Second Edition Copy of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Today (for 25% off) on ProBlogger

The Best Blog Growth Strategy is to Say Thank You . . . A Lot! on ProBlogger

Why Data Smog May Be Making You Depressed by Dr. Andrew Weil on Time.com (hat tip to Beth Kanter for tweeting this)

Mindmap of How to Focus in the Age of Distraction (hat tip to whomever's Facebook page I found this on. I can't remember!)

Events 
 
December 6 (Berkeley): Seeds of Resilience: Women Farmers Striving in the Face of Climate Change hosted by Women's Earth Alliance.

December 8 (San Francisco): The Power of Women Leading from the Heart with Nina Simons

**********

What posts, articles and events inspired you this week?

Leaf photo by me.


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