Hey there, Veggie Lovers!
Ohhhh my goodness, I have missed you so much! I can’t believe I’ve been away for almost two whole months! Well, I am back, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after my break.
Honestly, I let let the holiday stress and winter blues get the best of me, and I let my healthy lifestyle go right out the window. It was pretty bad. Healthy food and exercise were no where to be found in my life, and I ended up just sleeping away the first month of winter, feeling exhausted and run-down.
My inspiration and motivation to blog waned because I started to fall into the mindset that all of my hard work and time invested into this blog was pointless; that because I wasn’t getting thousands of viewers and dozens of comments that I wasn’t making an impact. I know that this isn’t true. I know that this blog is important, because, if nothing else, a few people, including my parents, have been reached and affected for the better. Blogging also gives me a strong sense of fulfillment. It gives me an outlet to do what I know I’m meant to do, which is to lead others towards health they never thought they could achieve.
It also felt wrong to be pushing healthy habits on others, when I wasn’t following my own advice. As soon as I started getting back into a healthy diet and exercise routine and practicing a bit of gratitude, my inspiration came straight back, and I couldn’t wait to get back on here. After all, the better care you take of yourself, the better care you can take of others.
I am truly amazed at how much of an impact good habits can have on daily life. I’ve realized that when one or two habits head in the right direction, every other aspect of life seems to fall right into place behind it. Remembering that alone is enough inspiration to get back on here, because I want you to all be feeling the blissful effects of healthy living. I’m certain that 2013 is going to be a completely amazing year for all of us.
For my first post back, I have a fantastic recipe for you. Typically, in winter, I enjoy warm, comforting foods to help keep my body warm, but every once in a while I like a punch of raw veggies to give me some extra nutritional oomph. I combined some bright, nutrient-loaded seasonal veggies with hearty, protein-packed quinoa and pumpkin seeds, and a delicious thyme-lemon dressing to make a perfect winter-time salad, that is actually quite comforting itself. I’m sure you will love to the last bite.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup carrot, shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 1.5 cups kale, chopped and destemmed
- 2 T pumpkin seeds
Dressing
- 3 T olive or flax oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice or juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 t dried thyme
- 1/4 t garlic powder
- 1/8 t sea salt
- 1/8 t black pepper
Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the thyme-lemon dressing.
2. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, veggies, and dressing. Toss together until well combined.
3. Separate into two portions, top each with pumpkin seeds, and serve.
Now that LLV is back up and running again, I would like to petition all of you about what kind of content you would like to see on here in 2013. What would you like to see more of? What topics would you like to learn more about? I want to do everything in my power to make living a beautifully healthy life as simple for you as possible. I want to give you resources, knowledge, motivation, inspiration and whatever else it is that you need.
I love you all dearly, and I hope you have an incredible day!
<3 Lindsay
Hi Lindsay, I just wanted to let you know that I just recently came across your blog and you have given me so much inspiration! I am a young mom of 4 kids and have a wonderful husband that has planted the seed to eat healthier and your recipes are helping me do that. I started yesterday by trying your smoothies and it was refreshing. We are planning on trying a plant based diet for the month of February to see if we can convert completely and I am totally looking to your blog to keep me going, so keep up the delicious recipes! its nice to see you are back!!
Thank you so much for a lovely compliment, Adrienne! I’m glad to be of help for you and your family! Let me know if there is anything I can help you with as you embark on your plant-based adventure!
To be honest, bloggers love saying they write for their readers…. but we’re kidding ourselves: we do it because we love it. For me, it is a stress-reliever and I love connecting with others. While it has morphed from simply sharing recipes, it is still very much a journal of sorts, chronically my way through my kitchen. I try not to stress out about things too much…. I’ll even post sucky photos if the recipe is good.
Anyways, welcome back. Post whatever you have a passion for. 
I love reading your smoothie recipes! John and I are doing Paleo and I made some of your chia pudding and other non-dairy treats.
Nice, Beth! I hope you’re enjoying them!
Oh my gosh! You’re back! I am a reader from Germany and for month I was looking every day at your page to find another great post about the way you life, what you eat or one of those inspiring recipes. Thanks for beeing back again!
Wow, Nina! That is so incredibly sweet! Thank you for such a wonderful compliment, I’m really touched. I hope you enjoy the new content!
Janet, above, said it, “Post what you have a passion for.” If you are jazzed, your readers will follow suit.
So glad to have you back! Life gets in the way for all of us at times, what’s important though is that we recognize it and don’t let it get us down. Just pick up where you left off before and not all is lost
Looks delicious!
Thanks, babe! Your interview is scheduled to go up on Saturday!! I can’t wait!
Hey girl! I’m featuring this recipe on Healthy Vegan Friday this week
Make sure to come check it out!
Nice! Thank you!!
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I’ve just come across your blog but it looks great and I can see why it’s so popular. Once you start going downhill with your diet is so hard to get back on track with being healthy but it happens to us all and it’s great to know that others are going through the same thing. Blogging really helps me too. It holds me accountable so that’s one of the many reasons I love it so much.
Thank you so much for sharing this on Healthy Vegan Fridays.
Have a great weekend and I hope to see you back today, Katherine
http://www.greenthickies.com/healthy-vegan-friday-29
Thank you, Katherine! Your blog is pretty great as well! I enjoyed your post about no longer drinking your beloved green thickies because of your bun in the oven. It was a really cute way of doing the announcement. Congrats!
I would be interested in oil free vegan recipes, particularly one pot meals…
I love one pot meals! Most of the time I eat grain bowls and hearty soups. So simple and easy, that I don’t even think to post recipes most of the time. Thanks for the suggestion!
This looks beautiful! I love that it’s so brightly colored, and that thyme dressing sounds so simple and delish!
Thank you, Rachel!