Pre-party Mmm + How to Un-Grinch the World

Here's an example of what I might nosh upon prior to the next Christmas party (tonight). Yes, I will be bringing a vegan appetizer, which I will feature in a future post after I make it, but vegans don't live on app's alone, and a vegan should always be well-fed. No deprivation allowed -- this is a gift we give ourselves!

The above is another version of how I honor the humble leftover, reinventing it by adding some easy, fresh ingredients. I had some leftover sauteed broccolini (am craving this most of the time lately) with shallots and leeks, so I added it to some quickly boiled gnocchi and tomato-basil sauce.  I also topped this off with a generous sprinkle of nooch. I took the photo first so you could see how pretty the bowlful was pre-nooch, as delicious but visually obscuring as it is.

I already ate this the other day, but will create some kind of reasonable facsimile thereof from what I can glean from my larder for this evening. If it, too, ends up looking pretty, I will show you.

Now I am off to the post office to brave the throngs of stressed-out holiday givers. Here's a fun game I play in a crowd of people: from the energy in the room I find the angriest person, and make a point of making eye contact and smiling at him or her.  The result is always so amusing and gratifying.  For about  five seconds the person is completely shocked and befuddled, then is snapped out of the grouchy mood and smiles back. It's really fun -- try it!  You can't do this with a sarcastic or mean smile -- you have to really send good energy.  We've all been in that angry place from time to time anyway, haven't we?  So no need to judge, just fix your little corner of the world as you can, grinch by grinch.  You will be surprised at how much fun it is!  Fa la la la la, la la la la!