I'll be brief: New Year's resolutions don't work.

What does work? Setting SMART goals and taking one day at a time to follow through, accept set-backs, persist and endure, be mindful and make good choices every day (more on this next week). We all have our own [often wildly-differing] priorities, but if your priorities include becoming healthier, feeling better and doing your part for the planet, I'm here to help.

----------------------------------

I hope you had a wonderful holiday. At the Bremner household, we celebrate Hanukkah too, but Christmas is our day and this year we were multiply blessed: full house with my son coming in from England and family visiting from Wales for the first time, Hanukkah and Christmas on the same night, and celebrations in both Vermont and our new home! The absence of my mom for the first time made this year bittersweet - I know she would have loved it. But we have the memories of Christmases past, while also making new ones.

On the food front, roast beef is part of our traditional meal. I did make the Ultimate Vegan Extra Tender Seitan Roast Beef, but I knew this would not cut it with our usual guests. After scouting out three stores, I chose to buy the organic grass-fed beef tenderloin from Stew Leonards. In theory, grass-fed means better living conditions for the cows, plenty of pasture space, allowing them to live in a more humane and stress-free environment. If I do buy meat, this is the kind of system, I'd prefer to support. Of course, the beef is one small part of a plant-centric meal…mushroom gravy and oyster mushrooms from Cam's Urban Farm, kale & shaved brussels sprouts salad, carrots and “neeps” (rutabaga to you), roast potatoes and popovers!

We have plenty of leftovers - which will be eaten “as is” or used in make-overs. Yum!