Happy 2014!

So, what are your health and fitness goals for the new year?

I'll keep on keeping on, even more determined to fix what ails me.  I'm not afraid to speak up or seek additional resources if I don't get the answers I need.  I spent too many years unsure and floundering.  No more!

I'm also done with worrying about how I'm not keeping up with so-and-so. I only need to compete with myself on my fitness journey.  It's mine.  My progress and results are mine.  It's liberating!  Try it!  Just do you!

So in 2014, expect more inspiration for people on all fitness levels, more meal plans, recipes, and general musings here.

Bye for now.  Time for a little snuggling with the dogs as they freak a little at the fireworks outside.  :sigh:

Lentil Shepherd's Pie - vegan, gluten-fee, and cheap

Yeah, it was a win.

I love planned-overs (you know, deliberate leftovers) and prepping ahead for future meals. I've learned to cook large batches of beans and freeze some in quart or gallon-sized bags, chop harder veggies and store for snacking and cooking, and generally try too cook extras most nights because of a teen boy and hungry hubby.  Last night I discovered a mash up of leftovers and pre-prepped veggies and decided to go with something different for us - Shepherd's Pie. The veggie potpie from a few weeks back went over well, so I decided to play with the veggie filling a bit by adding lentils to make a heartier dish. Served with simple mustard greens, dinner was a huge hit.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 celery hearts, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup peas
rosemary, thyme, and garlic to taste
TBS soy sauce (gluten-fee, or Tamari. If gluten isn't an issue, use regular or low sodium soy sauce.)
1/2 TBS nutritional yeast
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook lentils and set aside. Saute celery, carrots, and onion in water until soft, then add 1/4 cup water. Stir in herbs, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast; simmer until water reduces. Add lentils and peas, and cook until heated through.

Pour veggies into a prepared 8" or 9" square dish (or whatever casserole dish you have handy) and top with mashed potatoes. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

In place of the herbs, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and 1/4 cup water, use 1/4 cup of your favorite broth or stock.

Have you turned your leftovers into something new?

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Southen Season is a foodie paradise

Hubby and I finally stopped into Southern Season this past Sunday.  Imagine a cooking school, gourmet grocer, beer and wine shop, coffee shop, kitchenware gift shop, and restaurant under one roof.

So many nut and soy butters, so much time.

Yes, a huge section of just jellies, jams,and preserves.

SC's own Vegetable Kingdom dressings!

Yes, chocolate pumps!  Several options available.

Retro cookie tins ready for filling.  

We didn't eat this time, but will check out Southerly from breakfast, lunch, dinner, or bunch sometime.  Gluten-free and vegan options are available at all serving times.

Have you been to Southern Season  yet?

Semi-wordless Wednesday: Puree Organic Cafe Revisited

Once again,. Puree Organic Cafe proves that vegan organic fare is delicious for veggies and omnis alike.  

Ah, date night.  Sometimes Hubs and I can easily agree on where to dine and sometimes we can't.  When it comes to veggie dining, options on Charleston are growing, but we have our favs and tend to stick with them.  If you haven't noticed, we like Puree Organic Cafe in Mt. Pleasant, SC.  A lot. It's on our short list of vegetarian places in town that hubby really likes. We stopped in to try to new dinner menu and were thrilled with the results.  

Instead of his beloved Deep South, Hubby went with the Rainbow Row ($21).  

Old Charleston Spice braised seitan, with sautéed collards, mini corn cakes, and sweet onion jam.
If you want seitan, this is the place to get it.  Seriously.  Go get some.

I opted for the Eggplant Parmesan ($18).  

House-made almond Ricotta and gluten-free pasta made it my first choice. 

Of course we had coffee and desert. Almond, soy, and coconut milk are options. 

Hubby's Coconut Crème Brulée ($9) was yummy. 

My Mexican Chocolate Cheesecake from Unbaked was fantastic!   

We met Chef and she was as friendly and delightful as well. See why we like it?  It was all even better than it looks.  Clean, gluten-free, organic eats from people who love what they do. Check the conversation on Facebook.  We're not the only ones who love them.  



   

Happy Herbivore Light & Lean is coming!

I've made no secret of my love for Happy Herbivore Lindsay Nixon.  I found the blog while searching for cleaner and lighter vegan alternatives for the food I love.  Her cookbooks are my go-to when someone asks me for healthy recipes and I've picked up her meal plans from time to time.  Her twists on Southern favorites are loved by the omni family, too, and as I've mentioned before, pleasing the man and boy is not always easy.

When Lindsay made the announcement about her newest book, I pre-ordered it (In March) and scored!  I receive an excerpt with 14 recipes and a bonus book.

Happy Herbivore Light & Lean includes more of the low fat,whole food vegan recipes I love and workout plans. If you pre-ordered,you've seen some of the goodness this book has in store.  The Meatloaf Bites and Carol's Cabbage Soup are particularly yummy.  If you're looking for something sweet, her Blueberry Yogurt Muffins are a delight.  Pair one with fruit or hash browns for breakfast, snag one for a snack with coffee or tea, or have it for dessert.  

For the blog tour, I asked Lindsay three questions about her her favorite forms of exercise and her advice for someone new to the clean plant-based way of eating.  

Me:  In your blog you mention snowboarding a lot.  Besides hitting the board, what is your favorite type
of exercise?

LN: I go hiking almost every day when it's not winter. I also really enjoy yoga year-round.

Me:  That's great!  I love yoga, too. Finding activities I love helps me look at exercise as fun and not a chore. Now on to making a change in general.  Do you have any advice for someone just making the change from a sedentary lifestyle and SAD to active and whole food plant-based?  Should he/she go all in or take it one step at a time?

LN:  I can't recommend the meal plans enough!  Or my 3-day reboot or 10-day cleanse immersion 
 program. Every person is different. I find most people have the best success doing
 a 180-approach, just rip off the band aid, as I say. Other people need a more gradual approach. Make every meal you can a healthy plant-based one, and start walking on your lunch break. Start with 5 minutes if you have to, then add on. Then start walking in the morning before work. Little by little!

Me:  I thought I was a 180-degree person, but with the family I've found it easier to make gradual changes. Converting their favorite recipes is sometimes a challenge.  Have you converted all of your favorite foods into whole food goodness?  How difficult was it?

LN:  Yes! Some recipes proved more challenging than others but for the most part everything has translated quite beautifully and many times, I like the new healthy version way better.

Appreciate your time, Lindsay - thanks!

While I recover and figure out how to get into a sustainable workout routine, eating clean helps me keep on track.  If you want affordable, easy, clean, quick, and delicious recipes with wide appeal, check out the Happy Herbivore blog and books.  Light & Lean is going to be awesome!  Get a sneak peek on Amazon and keep your eyes open for more from me on the recipes.

 

What's shaking? More Vegg, lentils, and other food stuff.

The Summerville, SC area apparently.  Another couple of quakes hit this past week.  Neat, eh?

Other than quakes, it's the same old except in the kitchen.  I'm playing with The Vegg still and loving it more. The french toast and tofu scramble with cheesy grits were awesome!  And easy!  I didn't follow recipes from The Veg Cookbook, but used it in my usual recipes.

Tofu scramble and grits with Vegg, nutritional yeast, garlic, a little Earth Balance,
and hot sauce.  Yeah, baby! 

French Toast made with Vegg, homemade raw cashew milk,
cinnamon, and turmeric.  Agave Nectar-topped with fruit on the side.  

Tonight is breakfast for dinner night, a family fav.  Pancakes, grits, scrambles (eggs for them, tofu for me), roasted potatoes, pear compote, and gluten-free cinnamon rolls are on the menu.  And yes, Vegg will play a role in there.

Today (and tomorrow) the plan is to play with lentils.  I'm challenging myself to come up with several ways to use them without making hubby bored.  So far, lentil soup/stew, curry served with greens, lentil loaf, shepherd's pie, and lentil 'meatballs' with marinara come to mind.  I'l let you know how it goes.

For now, I'm out.  I am so stoked that I get to play with food for a living and for fun.  Feeling lucky, that's me!

Ahh, Vegg. Nummy goodness.

So I received a package The Vegg Cookbook and a package of Vegg.  I wasn't sure what I could do with it before I started playing with it, but so far, so good.

Hubby and the Boy don't always care for my vegan goodness when tofu is a main ingredient, but last night they tore into my experiment.  I had Soyrizo on hand I needed to finish up and wanted a grab and go breakfast besides overnight oats or chia pudding,  A breakfast casserole seemed perfect, so I went for it.

Soyriso Vegg Breakfast Casserole

2 TBS Vegg
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used homemade raw cashew milk)
1 lb.firm tofu, divided
4 oz. Soyrizo (Trader Joe's version is gluten-free)
3 small or one large potato, diced
1 medium onion, diced

Preheat oven o 350 degrees.  Blend Vegg and milk, then add 1/2 of the tofu and blend until smooth. Saute potatoes and onion until browned.  Add tofu and cook until heated through.  Add potato mixture to an 8x8 glass dish and pour Vegg mixture over it.  Stir to combine, then bake for 30 minutes.

Inhaled by a tofu-hating teen boy and tofu-tolerating husband.  I call that a win.

So much to share!

Hi, all.

I guess I'll start with the geek. What? Embracing my geek instead of hiding it relaxes me.  Relaxation is good for the cardiovascular system.  Not to mention the mind and spirit.  I can't believe Doctor Who is over until November!  And it ended on the weekend after the kids gave me this.

Yes!  Whovian for life!  Tom Baker was my first Doctor.  Who was yours?  I feel the sadness/excitement about Supernatural, too. I love the Winchesters and still mourn Bobby.

On the home front, the dogs and kids are giving me this look a lot lately.

I'm not sure what I'm doing or not doing that warrants the 'you crazy,' face.

I'm eating a lot of this for breakfast with fruit and extra walnuts.

Vegan, gluten-free goodness makes me happy.

On the health front,well, things are what they are.  I will be moving slower for longer than anticipated,but as long as I get back to me, I'm happy.  Until then, pain, stiffness, and physical  therapy are mainstays.  And the drugs, oy.  Caffeine is out because the mix of it and my meds are dangerous for me.  No one likes stroke level blood pressure.  And sodium consumption has to come down even more.

But that's ok. I'm pulling out Eat to Live, my Happy Herbivore cookbook collection, The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook, Appetite for Reduction, Crazy, Sexy Diet, and The 21 Day Weight Loss Kickstart books for inspiration. And cooking more from the heart.

Oh, and did I mention that the physician's assistant said I should go for nutritional and alternative therapies in addition to the traditional ones?  I could have hugged her.

When I work, I stand every 30 minutes so I can stretch a bit. PT schedule is three days a week in addition to work at home.  Yoga, Pilates, Tai Cheng, and walking primarily with light resistance.  And the handy dandy foam roller  is on hand at all times, too. why did I wait so long to get you?

Until next time, do what you need to do to improve your health.  Small steps are better than standing still.

**Disclosure: The book links are affiliate links.  TheTai Cheng link goes to my Team Beachbody shop.

Strategic Shopping

Salvatore Vuono photo.

I am a  huge fan of strategic shopping.  I wasn't always.  Wandering the aisles aimlessly and grabbing whatever looked good was the old plan.  It explains why I have tons of condiments in the fridge and pantry.  Returning to school, buying a house, rising gas prices, and growing kiddos forced me to re-evaluate and put spending in check.

But the budget does not keep me or the family from eating well.  Coupons, store specials, menu planning, and a stocked pantry make all the difference.  When I shop for produce, I check for sales, but make sure I wander around for goodies.  It's the only section I wander aimlessly in anymore.

We hit Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or Earth Fare for my hippie stuff I can't get in the standard grocer.  Vegan chorizo, coconut milk or almond yogurt, and an assortment of gluten-free baked goods are what I look for.

Big box stores may be the bane of some shoppers, but they are awesome for my budget.  Bulk almond butter, agave nectar (if on the list), and organic produce are ready and waiting at killer prices.  Thank you, Costco!  Ethnic markets are good for the budget, too, but I have to admit I haven't visited one in a while.  I have to see if I can score gluten-free soy and hoisin sauces.  (I cannot believe how much i miss hoisin sauce! Okonomiyaki is just not the same without it.)  

How do you shop?

And on that note, I need to get to making my shopping list.  Off to check Southern Savers for this week's coupon match ups!  Peace, all.

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Raw Goodness

Oh man has it been a while.  I'll cover where I've been in another post since today is about less words and more pics.  So here's one pic of my fab lunch and (hopefully) tomorrow's breakfast if hubs doesn't love it):

It's is the Save the Tuna Salad from KrisCarr.com.  It's nummy!  It's my first seed and nut-based tuna salad and I think I have a new favorite.  Of course I had to add more pickles and celery than the recipe calls for, but that's just how I roll.  And since gluten is a no-no, I had it over romaine with tomatoes from the garden and cukes.  Want some?  I might share, but it would be better if you just made your own.  Cuz that's how I roll when I'm sleep-deprived and sore.

So much for semi-wordless, eh?  Jeez.

Peace, all.

Semi-Wordless Wednesday - Jackfruit!

Kai4104 photo.

I love jackfruit!  I wasn't sure I would, but it is perfect!  Soy-free, gluten-free, and budget-friendly goodness just ready to absorb whatever seasonings my heart and tummy crave.  Jackfruit carnitas have been the biggest hit overall, but jackfruit and black bean enchiladas work, too.  

Get to an Asian market and pick up a can or two of young jackfruit in brine.  Drain, rinse, season, and cook.  Dump it in a crockpot with onions and your favorite barbecue sauce.  Want to cook it on the stove?  Saute the jackfruit and onions, then simmer in sauce on low-medium heat.  Serve it with slaw, beans, and cornbread or a bun.  35 minutes from can to table if you have sauce on hand.

Have you tried jackfruit yet?  What did you think?

Overfed and Undernouished

Part vent, part epiphany.  Oh, and a request for a swat on my hand or bottom if you see me slipping into destructive behavior.

Yep, that's been my way of eating for years now.  On and off that is.  First it was about money and later about convenience.  When I focused on speed or cost more than getting what my body needed, I ate too much to help quench my hunger without giving my body the nutrition it needed.  And I gained.  A lot.

The various eating plans and diets I've tried over the past 15-20 years have taught me what works for me and what doesn't.  I know meat doesn't work for me.  I hate the thought of it and hate how it makes me feel more.  I love carby, yeasty, and wheaty goodness, but it does not like me at all.  And cheese used to be my beloved, but alas it broke my heart.

What does work for me is produce and lots of it.  Produce and protein.  It's simple, right?  I mean, beans, greens, fruit, and nuts.  Why does this scare me so much?  Why do I fall back on goodies and are so bad for me?  I know what I have to look forward to when I deviate (and I'm feeling some of that right now), so why torture myself?

Well, partly because I'm feeling lazy.  I'm fighting off something nasty (chest colds, woohoo - not) and want to reach for my old favorite comfort foods.  So I did.  Two sandwiches and two days and I feel horrendous. On top of the elephant sitting on my chest, I have blocked sinus and a migraine.  Were those grilled cheese sammys worth this?  Today, nope, but at the time, yes.  I know better, dammit!

I also torture myself because part of me feels like I'll spend too much money on food.  This is a dumb one I've debunked several times.  It's cheaper overall when I eat what's good for me because the ingredients are cheaper (and better) than the packaged versions of kinda food-like substances.  What I feel guilty about is the amount of Gardein and Boca I snagged before going gluten-free. Hubs said he'd happily eat them, and I know he will.  I just feel bad about how much I spent.  I can't get it back, so I need to let it go.

I promised an epiphany, didn't I?  Well, I realized I know what works.  Instead of searching for a new answer, I need to get back to basics.  Shopping in season and preparing good food.  That's it.  Summertime harvests make a huge difference for me.  I love the colors and selection of produce this time of year.  Focus on that, throw in some nuts, seeds, and other forms of protein, and I'm golden.  Avoid gluten and dairy and the headaches and joint pain will ease to manageable levels - if I hurt at all.  Keep sugar intake down (especially easy with all the berries and melon around) and I'll feel even better.

Wow, I'm chatty today, headache and all.

If you see me out and about, say hi.  And if I need a gentle swat on the hand or bottom, please remind me that I asked for them.

And speaking of bottoms, mine is still getting firmer and higher.  Yeah, baby!  The scale is holding firm, but the body is firming up.  I'll take that as a win.  

Peace, all.

Food, glorious gluten-free food! Thank you, Patat Spot!

Gluten-free isn't as difficult as I thought it might be when dining out in Charleston.

Patat Spot is one of my favorite places in town.  It's not just about the food, but the staff, decor, and falafel.  Okay, the food is one of the main reasons I love it.  I was concerned I'd have to forgo the pita with my falafel or black bean cakes, but I don't.  GF pitas are available and the black bean cakes and falafel are both GF. It works.  It works very well.

Sorry for the dark pic - my phone's camera is not the best sometimes.

Last trip was the first time we took the kiddos with us, and they were smitten.  Teen Girl does not always love new experiences, but she was willing to give it a go.   She ordered the Frikendel Especial, a veggie dog served with diced onions and Patat's fantastic curry catsup.  She thought it was pretty good.  If you've met her, 'pretty good' is her second most enthusiastic rating.  The top rating of 'awesome' only applies to electronics and anime.

Teen Boy snagged the Beef Shawarma and inhaled it before I could get a shot of it.  No joke.  He ate like he was starving (which he could have been because he's always hungry) and praised the flavor between bites.

Hubs went for the Regular Falafel (two patties in pita with all the toppings you want from the toppings bar) and I had the Salad Spot (two falafel or black bean cakes served on a bed of greens and anything I wanted from the toppings bar).  Of course, we all made our meals combos with drinks and friet.  We all left satisfied (well, closer to happily stuffed) and smiling.  Oh, and the falafel can be grilled or deep fried.  Either way, the meals are healthy and filling.

Now that school's out we plan to go more often, with or without the kids. Swing by Patat Spot at 41B George Street and enjoy some GF comfort food.  Yes, I consider falafel comfort food.  Sue me.

Until next time, peace.

Short and sweet - three days in.

So it takes three weeks to form a habit.   I intend for some form of morning exercise to make my day complete.  I restarted on Sunday and am two days with morning exercise.  I know without a doubt now that my battered body requires modifications if I am to keep on track without injury. 

My mind and body are finally connecting as they should.     

So call me lazy or undisciplined because I don't get in hard core workouts that leave me dripping in sweat.  I'm moving at a slower pace so I can keep moving instead of ending up yet again on injured reserve.  I'll bet my lazy way leads to a stronger me.  

My former workout buddy,  RIP, Willow.

Until next time, peace.   

My 24 hours juice feast fiasco

Fresh apple, carrot, and ginger juice is fantastic!
Photo credit: Paul  

I'm not saying a juice feast is a bad thing, just that it was a bad thing for me yesterday.  I'm not sure if it was juicing or the migraine that did it, but yesterday was a miserable day.

When I heard about the 24 hour juice feast on Facebook, I decided to give it a shot.  I'd had an iffy few days of eating and thought it would be an awesome way to help flush the heavy away and get back on track. I didn't think ti would be bad.  I've mixed green smoothies and veggie/fruit fresh juices with eating for quite a while now and wanted to try a feast.  It was not pretty.

The day started great.  I took my dose of Candigone and followed it with a glass of lemon water like usual. My morning juice was really good and I'll have it again.  Apples, carrots, celery, ginger, lemon, and cabbage made a slightly sweet and satisfying start.  I sipped slowly and had plenty of water.  I felt fine for a while.

At lunch I went savory with a tomato, celery, garlic, onion, broccoli, pepper, and lemon juice.  It was fantastic and is a keeper.  While drinking I thought it would make a perfect soup appetizer or dinner with some salad and garlic bread another time.  I was satisfied for about an hour, then was suddenly starving.  I made a second batch and was enjoying it when I saw the migraine aura.  I felt the beginnings of a migraine on Sunday, but what hit me yesterday around 2:30 pm was horrendous.  I could barely stand and my kiddos told me I should go lie down.  I went to bed, but took the laptop with me so I could work.  Ha.

By 6 pm, I was done.  I hurt, was just sick, and could not see.  I had to get something else to eat or drink but could not bring myself to turn on the juicer.  The sound would have pushed me over the edge.  I grabbed a cup of cinnamon tea and was again told by the teen girl to go to bed.  She sat next to me and hugged me.  I must have looked like death warmed over because both teens were nice to me and not snarky at all.  I remember hubby getting in from work and leaving to take the boy to baseball practice, and think I remember them coming back.  I do remember asking them to stop yelling because it felt like everyone was standing around me and scream talking.  I was in bed and they were all on the other side of the house.

Yeah.  Wasn't pretty.

I have no plans to do it again anytime soon.  I will keep fresh juices on my menu, but not as meals.  Maybe it was the migraine, but I am in no rush to go again.

Have you feasted?  How did it go?

Had to change things up a bit

So I started a yeast and sugar-free way of eating last week and had foggy brain by Wednesday.  By Friday night I was in a rage.  It was not pretty, I felt horrid, and scared my family a bit.  Eating clean in general (no junk or sugar with minimal if any bread) made me feel good and I had few if any symptoms I need to combat.  So back to clean eating I went - a combination of Radiant Health, Inner Wealth, Eat to Live, and clean eating guidelines. Lots of veggies, water, clean veggie protein, and no sugar.  I feel better and am still detoxing. 

Do I feel like I failed or am bailing?  No.  I know what detox feels like, and that was not just detox.  I was either yelling or crying with nothing in between. If I didn't work from home, I may have been fired.  Yes, it was that bad. I feel like I hurt my family and never want to feel that way again.  I never want to make them feel that way again or tiptoe around me like they did. 

So here I am, even tempered and enjoying meals rather than dreading them. 

Until next time, peace. 

Semi-wordless Wednesday - all about the food

Nom nom nom

Vegan French Onion Soup from Vegan Nutritionista's
Cut the Cheese 

Vegan Cheesecake from Cut the Cheese

Same cheesecake topped with strawberries.
'Twas awesome!

My fav veggie curry from Saffron Cafe and Bakery
 (soon featuring vegan desserts - just ask)

A fab dinner from Sunset Oasis

Black Bean Sliders and Sweet Potato fries from
Sesame Burgers and  Beer

Dinner salad from Runaway Bay 

Are you hungry now?

Showing Love for Everyday Happy Herbivore

I have lots of love for Happy Herbivore.  I can't remember when or how I first stumbled across Lindsay Nixon's blog, but I have been drooling over and cooking from it ever since. The omni family has loved most of her goodies, too.  I have a well worn copy of The Happy Herbivore Cookbook and received my copy of Everyday Happy Herbivore a couple of weeks ago.  I'm digging it, too.

When Lindsay put out a call for stops on her blog tour, I jumped at the chance to pick her brain a little.


Me:  You've mentioned Charleston in both of your books.  How much did the Lowcountry inspire your cooking?  Were you introduced to many new ingredients or techniques?

Lindsay:  I lived in Charleston, SC for four years to attend the College of Charleston (c/o 2004). My husband is a graduate of The Citadel (Hotel, 2000) and he was also raised in Summerville, South Carolina. 
My experience with Southern food and cooking was none before I moved to Charleston. I'd never had or heard of grits or collard greens or she crab soup... so I was constantly dazzled by all these new ingredients and foods when I lived there. Even after we left, my husband was always after me to make low country staples he grew up with -- and when we switched to a vegan diet, he insisted I learn how to recreate all these dishes that were traditions in his family and had been staples in our diets. (That's how they ended up in my cookbooks!)

I have a soft spot for Low Country cuisine -- and cajun, too. They're magnificent and really understand the concept of sticking to the basics, using hot spices and fresh, local foods to make something amazing. 

Was it difficult it find a variety of vegan eats when dining out? 

In Charleston? No. I was actually pleasantly surprised when we went back to visit last November (2010). I contacted the Charleston Vegetarian Group on Facebook before I went for some restaurant recommendations, but some of our friends wanted to go to other places, and I admit I was worried I'd be limited to salads. Boy was I wrong! Every restaurant we went to had something on the menu that was already vegan (not necessarily identified as such -- but no dairy, meat, etc) or something that could be made vegan if we left off cheese. I thought FOR SURE when Scott's friends made us go to Wild Wings I'd starve and I actually had a really delicious meal there!

In Everyday Happy Herbivore, most of the items can be on the table in 30 minutes or less.  Are there any other quick cooking tips that work for you?

I can't stress the importance of a well stocked pantry and spice rack -- that is the secret to fast cooking.

We've all had kitchen failures.  My most recent involved misreading a recipe and adding 1/2 cup of agave nectar instead of 1/s TBS to bread.  What was your most memorable kitchen fail?

I once turned my blender on without the top on. Green smoothie EVERYWHERE. Seitan also blew up once and splattered on the wall and ceiling. That was awesome.

The holidays are upon us and omnivore family members sometimes have low expectations of the vegan's contribution to the family meal.  Should herbies stick with appetizers, entrees, sides, or desserts?  What knockout recipes do you recommend?  Desserts have won over my family 

Desserts are always a safe bet -- but I try NOT to bring a vegetable side or a soup because I want to dispel the notion that we only eat the side dish or vegetables only compliment meat. I like to show off how beans and vegetables ARE the meal and not just a side. BUT it's important to do whats right for your situation -- we all know our family and friends pretty well and that can help us decide what to bring. When in doubt, Cake.

While cake helped bring my family on to the herbie train, burgers and fries keep them coming back time and again.  Lindsay shared one of her burger recipes from EHH.  Not only is it quick and easy, it's pretty cheap, too.  This would make a great quick lunch or dinner on a crazy night. 

Quick Burgers | makes 4 

I developed these burgers in a hotel room: they’re quick, easy and require very few ingredients. (In fact, except for the beans and a seasoning packet, I sourced all the ingredients from the complimentary “breakfast bar”). I make these burgers any time I need a super fast meal or I’m really low on ingredients.

15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp onion powder (granulated)
1 tsp garlic powder (granulated)
1/3 c instant oats

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper and set aside. In a mixing bowl, mash black beans with a fork until mostly pureed but still some half beans and bean parts are left. Stir in condiments and spices until well combined. Then mix in oats. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into thin patties with your hands. Bake for 7 minutes, carefully flip over and bake for another 7 minutes, or until crusty on the outside. Slap into a bun with extra condiments and eat!

Chef's note: If you only have rolled oats, chop them up in a food processor or blender so they are smaller and more like instant oats. Rolled oats left whole tend to make the burgers fall apart. 

Per Burger: 109 Calories, 0.5g Fat, 17.6g Carbohydrates, 3g Fiber, 2.2g Sugars, 5g Protein

Thanks again, Lindsay for the inspiration, tips, and fantastic food.  Go Cougars! 

World Vegetarian Day, Vegan MoFo, and a Challenge

Another Vegan Kickstart has come and gone and so have 4 pounds. Granted they were lost in the first week, but I maintained for the month and that makes me happy.  Counting Points is working for me and I'm saving money in the process, too.  Less junk is coming in the house and less food is being wasted.  It feels good.

It's almost October and that means another World Vegetarian Day will kick off another Vegetarian Awareness Month.  I'm a giddy girl because it means another Vegan MoFo is upon us.  My procrastinating butt missed the Vegan MoFo signup deadline so I will be sitting on the sidelines again.  But I won't be completely out.  I'll be blogging more often and posting pics more often, too.  That will be a challenge in itself because I don't always post regularly.

Another challenge that I'm going to take on is the Eat-In Challenge from Cook. Vegan. Lover.  Basically I'm going to eat in for every meal, drink, and snack for the month of October.  I am somewhat torn because I have a new job (yay) and wanted to celebrate at The Sprout next week.  The special events are scheduled monthly, but this one is screaming my name.  Other than this meal, I'm going to stick it out.   It's easier for me to eat at home anyway since I'm the 'difficult' one in the family when it comes to eating out.  Difficult according to the omni family, anyway.  :sigh:

Eating in would save us a bundle.  We rarely spend less than $40 when the four of us are together and most of the time the bill pushes $60. I can throw a killer week of meals together for $60.  Hell, I've done it with less.  Once the pantry is stocked, I can work magic with $40-50 a week.  I know I can keep on track because I track Points already.  The most difficult part of this challenge will be the hubby and kidos.   Yeah, I'm going to give it a shot.  

On the health front, the headaches continue while the blood pressure continues to fluctuate, but that's another post.

Until later, peace.

Harmony Valley Mixes and my Food Network Addiction

You know me.  You know I love to cook and have to please the omni family while making meals healthy, colorful, and veggie.  Because I don't always have the time to block 1-2 hour cooking sessions, most meals have to be quick.  Harmony Valley Foods helped cut down cooking time and made the omni man and boy happy at dinner and breakfast.  

I was sent two packages of Harmoney Valley to try, and both resuted in kitchen success!  I cannot tell you
how much I enjoyed them.

I am a Food Network Addict.  I freely admit it to anyone who asks.  On weekends, I set my DVR to record my favorite shows so  can catch up during the week.  I don;t always watch all of the shows.  I watch the intros and see if the family or I would be interested in any of the on-screen goodness and to see if I can veganize any of it.  Aarti Parti is one of my favorite shows.  Not only is Aarti a doll, her food looks amazing.  Hubster and I love Indian food, so learning from Aarti's show is a must see.  Keeping food prep time manageable is also required most days.

A few weeks ago, Aarti made Kheema, a quick-cooking dish with ground beef and peas. While beef is out of the question, vegan beef crumbles are not.  Usually I make my own crumbles by seasoning TVP, but I was out of some of my 'beef' stock ingredients.  Harmony Valley Foods' Hamburger Style mix was perfect.  I added cold water to the mix and threw it in the fridge.  The instructions say to refrigerate for 15 minutes before cooking, but it was much longer than that.  The dogs can be particularly cute when I'm cooking and I was distracted and watched them for a while.

I pulled out the rehydrated mix and went to cooking.  The recipe took 25 minutes from the minute I put
the onions in the skillet and made the house smell yummy. I forgot to take a picture of the finished dish
topped with cilantro because once I tasted it, I was ready to eat.  No need for stinking cilantro.  Cilantro,

baby, I still love you.  It was tender and much more like ground beef than my usual TVP blend. And the bonus was that it took took less time than my usual route.  The Hamburger Mix and Kheema recipes are keepers!

A few days later, the craving for biscuits with sausage gravy made me a mad woman, so I whipped some up.  The biscuits came from The Joy of Vegan Baking, and the sausage gravy was my own recipe with Harmony Valley Sausage Mix instead of my usual Gimmie Lean.  I loved it!  The texture was more like the sausage I loved back in the day, but so much better since it's cruelty-free.  And the flavor was spot on!  I had it for breakfast, lunch the next day, and breakfast on the third day.  I still have a little waiting for me in the freezer.

Harmoney Valley mixes can be found on the dry goods store shelves (near the rice) and online.  And a Classic Hummus mix is next on tap!  Have I mentioned that one of my first vegan experiments included falafel and hummus mixes?

Anyway, pick up some HV and save some time in the kitchen.  And watch Aarti Party!  I'll be doing both.

Peace!