Happy New Year 2026!

Happy 2026 Friend!

As a late bloomer, this new year’s greeting in mid-January feels oddly appropriate.

The hype and hoopla of the holidays has faded and the reality of the new year has burst onto the stage in big and small ways in my life.  I hope all is well in yours today.

I started the new year adamant about not setting myself up for failure by promising myself I’d take on a bunch of new habits, break old ones and learn to be a better person.  I acknowledge being a work in progress, for life, and where I happen to be today is just fine with me. 

I’m not partaking in “dry” January, I did not join a gym, I did not begin a new diet regimen, I did not set my alarm to go to bed at a decent hour.  Still the same old me, blissfully grateful for every blessed day and messy moment that I’m here for and in the process of becoming more of myself, whatever that unfolding reveals.

I’m allowing myself to embrace progress rather than perfection. I’m allowing myself to dabble in every area that brings me joy rather than beat myself up for not being able to focus on any one thing for very long. Maybe I’d call it, going with the flow.

While our house remodel continues into our other rooms, I’ve gotten my kitchen back!  Cooking has resumed and I’m back to slicing and dicing my way to better mental health.

While still on our dining out circuit, I was noticing a “smoked trout dip” on menus that I used to adore before becoming plant-based and realized it would be so easy to revamp without any fish at all . 

Fish and seafood in general, have some of the most diverse, inexpensive, interesting and amazing textural plant-based replacements you can imagine and with the right seasonings, you’d never miss the real thing!

You might first ask, why not just eat the damn fish?

If you’re avoiding toxins, heavy metals, pollutants, contaminates, microplastics, foods high in cholesterol or saturated fat or just want to pursue more kindness and sustainability and less negative environmental impact, you might want to try some creative seafood swaps in your meals.

For my recreated “Smoked No-Fish” dip recipe, I used a can of hearts of palm, which look and feel like flaky white fish, but without the fishy taste. That’s where seaweed or sea vegetables come in. A crumpled-up nori sheet, sprinkling of dulse, algae or kelp flakes add that seafood-y taste we crave plus add the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and iodine, nutrients our heart and thyroid need for optimum health.

Another good substitute for the hearts of palm would be a block of firm tofu, grated on a box grater into shreds, or a can of mashed chickpeas or a combination of any of these to create even more protein and textural love into this succulent dish.

To your chosen mock seafood of choice, add your fishy flavor component, and if you desire the “smoked” effect, some liquid smoke or smoked paprika to make it sing.

From this fishy foundation, you’ll add the supporting cast of a good seafood dip and your favorite flavors. Use your creativity and what you have in the fridge!

 In addition to a creamy-base like tofu cream or vegan mayo, you could add lemon, Dijon, capers, diced pickles, celery, red or green onion, fresh or dried dill, tarragon, parsley, chives, Old Bay or your favorite Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.  Adjust to your taste and serve on crackers or bagel, as a sandwich or just go for it like a savage with a spoon.