2012: A Year in Review + A New Year and a Slightly New Blog + Giveaway Winner!

I think that may be the longest post title to date….but hey, there is a lot to talk about!

It is that time, once again.  It is time to ring in a new year and to ponder my hopes and goals for the coming year.  The year 2013 is sure to bring great changes for me, personally, and some changes here on the blog.  But before I get to that, let’s take a look back at 12 of my favorite recipes posted here during the year 2012.

1. Spinach, Tomato, Onion, Artichoke, & Basil Pizza

This is the first recipe that I posted here on the blog.  It is a GOOD one!

2. Veggie Fried Quinoa

This dish is beyond easy to make and incorporates quinoa- a complete protein- and plenty of veggies.

3. Corn Chowder

I love this soup recipe, and it is definitely a favorite in my family.

4. Chana Masala

This is one of the dishes that really turned me on to Indian food.  I just cannot get enough!

5. Vegetarian “Meatloaf”

This is, by far, one of my most requested recipes.  It is so simple to make and tastes delicious!

6. Roasted Winter Vegetable and Bean Soup

This soup is one of my most favorite soup recipes that I have cooked.  It received rave reviews from my family members.

7. Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

This was my first attempt at cooking with Daiya vegan cheese and butternut squash.  It tasted pretty amazing, if I do say so myself!

8. Slow Cooker Beans and Rice

This is probably one of the easiest recipes that I have posted on the blog.  But don’t let the ease of it fool you.  It is delicious!

9. Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, and Feta Cheese Stacks

I cannot get enough of these.  In fact, I cooked them twice in one week!

10. Sweet Potato and “Sausage” Hash

This was my first experience with Field Roast brand vegan sausage.  I cannot rave enough about it!  Plus, the addition of sweet potatoes and apples makes this dish divine.

11. Hearty Chili Soup Pizza

This recipe combines two of my favorite comfort foods into one dish: chili and pizza!

12. “No Chicken” Noodle Chickpea Soup

Thanks to this soup, I will never again miss the taste of chicken noodle soup.

And there you have it…some of my favorite recipes from 2012.  I hope they will become favorites of yours in 2013.

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Today, as we move on to the year 2013, I have no doubt that this coming year will be a wild one.  December was a whirlwind of a month.  I graduated with my Master’s degree, interviewed for and accepted my first “big girl” job, and packed up and left southeast Iowa for the Omaha, NE area.  December was a busy and stressful month, and the transition to a new state, a new apartment, and a new job has been exciting, yet challenging.  I hope to see positive results from the chances that I have taken within the coming year.

These personal changes in my life will also result in some minor changes here on the blog.  Some things that you can expect on the blog in the year 2013 are:

• A continuation of providing you with healthy and delicious vegetarian and vegan recipes
• Cooking more vegan meals and using more “non-traditional” foods (e.g., tofu, dairy-free cheese, tempeh, etc.) in my cooking
• Cooking more meals consisting of one to two servings (don’t worry, you can double the recipes! ;)) and enjoying a lot more leftovers
• A continuation of featuring What I Ate Wednesday
• An inclusion of restaurant reviews within the Omaha area
• A continuation of a new feature I began this past month entitled, “What a Vegetarian Eats at…” featuring chain restaurants
• An attempt to cook more recipes from magazines that I subscribe to and read
• An attempt to cook more “intimidating” recipes

And…you will now find me cooking here:

And…blogging/taking food pictures/eating from here:

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Last, but certainly not least….it is time to announce the winner of the Happy Herbivore Abroad cookbook giveaway!

I used a random number generator and the winner selected was:

bella211!! Congrats!  Please contact me at cleaneatingveggiegirl@gmail.com with your name and address so that I can provide the cookbook publisher with your information and they can get the cookbook shipped out to you ASAP :).

Happy 2013, everyone!! 🙂