[Reflection] 2012 Goals

Water under the bridge
(El Yunque Rainforest)

Around this time last year, I comprised a list of goals, both food & personal, for 2012. In my opinion, goals are so much better than resolutions. They're attainable endpoints that give you something to look forward to, rather than vague, monstrous wishes that are impossible to accomplish. Plus, doesn't the word "goals" just sound better?

This week, I've finally found some time to fully reflect on my 2012 goals and start assembling a new list for 2013, which I'm even more excited about! While I may have not met all of last year's goals, I think I was able to accomplish a good amount for one year! (Not?) surprisingly, I seemed to have been more successful in my food goals than personal goals...Priorities, priorities... 

Here's my 2012 in review:

~FOOD~

• Use the following strange ingredients in a dessert (separately) - I successfully made two dessert from the strange ingredients listed. Seeing as pomegranate is in season, I'm hoping to tackle that dessert within the upcoming month or so!
• Avocado - here and here
• Garbanzo beans - here
• Black beans
• Pomegranate

• Can something (e.g. homemade tomato sauce, a fruit jam or butter) - Ok, no "official" canning occurred in 2012. It requires a good amount of time and supplies! Also, wouldn't it be better for me to perfect a recipe before going through the trouble of canning? The marinara sauce I made this year turned out well, but it wasn't enough for me to go through the trouble of canning since I managed to use it all within a matter of weeks. 

• Make homemade - I managed to make half of the items in this category!
• Hummus - I made pumpkin hummus for my cookie party this winter, but I didn't post the recipe because I think I still needs some work. Good news is that I've done it!
• Granola bars
• Chocolate syrup - I made this recipe from Annie's Eats. It was super easy and (from what I can tell) keeps for months! I've enjoyed it on sundaes and in my coffee for a special treat :)
• Pita bread
• Gnocchi - here (pictured below)
• Vanilla extract

  

• Master blueberry pancakes a la Home Kitchen - An ambitious goal indeed! I started the year off strong, making pancakes what felt like every-other weekend. Unfortunately, that pattern quickly ended. There are still a number of pancake methods I'd like to try out (yeast, self-rising flour), which I hope to tackle this year. One day, I will become "Pancake Master".
• Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, Recipe 1 (Smitten Kitchen) - here
• Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, Recipe 2 (What's Cookin', Chicago?) - here
• Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes (Closet Cooking) - here
• Blueberry Yogurt Multigrain Pancakes (Annie's Eats) - not posted

• Cook a vegan meal with friends twice a month - Well, we were consistent for a while...then people started moving (including me). Here are some of the meals we made:
• Quinoa Mac'n Cheese (with Daiya) and apple crisp
• Sweet Potato & Black Bean Soup, cornbread, and brownies
• Berkley Vegan Pizza (zPizza) & chocolate ice cream (Rice Dream)
• Orange-Glazed Tempeh and cookie cake
• Black Bean Quinoa Burgers, Wheat Buns, & PB Agave Cookies
• Spring Salad, Mini Pizzas & Dirt Cups
• TLTA Sandwiches and Strawberry Milkshakes
• Chocolate Avocado Cake
• Panzanella & Peach Blueberry Crumble

  

• Locate my favorite breakfast restaurant in Richmond - You can view all the reviews I've posted here. I had breakfast or brunch at about 20 places in Richmond, and plan to continue posting away in 2013! Brunchin' is a lifestyle! (Reviews focus on the quality of what makes a great breakfast place great [to me]: coffee, pancakes and/or french toast, bacon, biscuits, and sausage gravy.)

~PERSONAL~

• Run in 3 races (at a minimum) -
• Monument 10K - I registered, but didn't get to run this because of work (which I was SUPER disappointed about!).
• Run for the Dream 8K- Completed, and I was totally surprised by my finishing time. Such an awesome feeling :)
• Maymont X-Country Festival 8 Mile Trail Run - I ran this last year and was disappointed to find out that it's overall a slower-paced run due to narrow trails. This year I was mentally prepared and improved my time by ~1 minute a mile!
• Richmond 1/2 Marathon (and, ideally, I'd like to beat last year's time) - Check and check! You can read about it here.

• Volunteer more - Ok, this goal wasn't a great example at being specific and attainable. Because of it, I have to admit that I totally failed here. I helped advise the Phi Mu Chapter at The College of William & Mary in the spring; however, my volunteer efforts were nonexistent in the summer and fall.

• Consistently attend mass - Catholics don't lie, so I'm just going to come out and say that this goal certainly did not happen, as in I went maybe 4 times this year. Total. And only because I was either at home with my family or it was a holiday.

• Donate blood - Yet another incomplete...

• Make moves for the future - This goal had to do with wanting to go to business school and/or coming up with a life backup plan in order to force me to do something NEW in Fall 2013. Now here's a dose of real honesty: Wouldn't you know that I feel even further away from my future professional self than I did this time last year? That's right, I have no goal or plan. And it's terrifying. I was, however, able to make a literal move this past fall to Richmond. I suppose its better to be aimless in a city, than aimless in the suburbs. Meaning: I'm not counting this as a totally unmet goal! :)
  

There you have it! I'll be announcing my 2013 goals next week!