Potato Stir Fry

Lately, I've been really into potato stir fries. I make the same sort of meal often, and just switch up the ingredients depending on what I have or what I'm trying to use up. This is a pretty quick meal... Maybe 30-45 mintues start to finish. I realize that I love to be in the kitchen, so a meal that takes close to two hours doesn't phase me. But, I dont' make those kind of meals every night. This is something I would make when I don't feel like making a totally kick-ass dinner, just a kick-ass one.


1 lb potatoes (I used small yellow ones this time), cut into large chunks
1-2 tsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced (3/4 inch squares)
8 oz tofu, pressed (even if it's only for 5-10 minutes, do it!)
1-2 tsp soy sauce or tamari
1/2 tsp tumeric
2-3 tbl earth balance or other butter substitute
2 leaves of rapini ,rolled tightly and sliced thinly diagonally, (rapini looks like chard, any leafy greens would work here)
1/2 cup collard greens roughly chopped
1-2 carrots, grated
1-2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup green chili or other salsa
salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (optional)


Guacamole
1/2 avocado, smushed
1 tomatoe, diced
1 tbl red onion, diced
1 tsp lemon or lime juice
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

Add potatoes to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and onions. Sautee for 2-3 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the tofu by crumbling with your hands. Add the soy sauce and tumeric. Continue to cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is drying out and getting crispy on some sides. Remove from pan and set aside in a bowl.

When the potatoes are finished, add the earth balance to the same pan you used for the tofu. Add the potatoes, coat them all with butter and let cook for 5 minutes or so, until the one side is crispy. Stir occasionally, cutting the potatoes into bite size pieces with the end of the spatula. Cook until the potatoes are as crispy as you want. Add the tofu mixture back to the pan along with the carrots, rapini and collard greens. Stir fry for 3-5 mintues. Add the green chili and garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if you desire. Top with the guacamole and DIG IN!

This is what rapini looks like.

Tofu Nuggets, Garlic Fries and Sautee'd Fall Veggies

I love tofu nuggets! The key to tofu is marinating and then cooking until it changes texture. So, these take awhile, but a lot of the time is inactive. I don't make this very often because I rarely remember to start marinating the tofu ahead of time... but yesterday I did. We were on our way out to go paint at All Fired Up (super fun by the way), and I threw the tofu in a plastic bag with the soy sauce and water and walked out the door. Easy Peasy. I also added some frozen garlic french fries from Trader Joe's to this meal. French fries are vegan, thank GOD. And then of course, the obligatory vegetable. I'm not going to lie, sometimes eating vegetables is like a chore. But as with all chores, it is necessary and you'll probably feel better after. I was using up some veggies from our veggie box for this stir fry, not sure I'd pick this variety of vegetables out of the grocery store. Anyway, on with the recipe-

Tofu Nuggets:
16 oz tofu (any firmness is fine)
2 tbl soy sauce (or tamari)
2tbl water
1/4 cup nutrional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Cut the tofu into 4 or 5 strips and place in a plastic bag (a produce bag is a good size). Add the soy sauce and water, you can add a little more of both if needed. Then place the plastic bag in a bowl and let sit in the fridge for 1.5 hours or more. Rotate the tofu slabs once or twice.

Heat oven to 375. Mix the nutritional yeast with the spices in a small plate. Cut the tofu slabs into 5 or 6 pieces, to make cubes. Roll the cubes in the nutritional yeast mixture and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating the cubes one to three times.

Garlic Fries:
I put these in the oven half way through the cooking time of the tofu nuggets. Flipping fries once.

Veggie Stir Fry:

1/2 small white onion, cut into 1/2 squares
4 turnips, sliced and then cut in half
leaves of four turnips, chopped roughly
1/2 cup green beans, ends chopped off and cut in half
1 clove garlic
2 tsp olive oil
salt
pepper
thyme

Heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium with the olive oil. Add the onions and sautee for 2 minutes. Then add the turnips and sautee for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and turnip leaves and sautee for 2-3 more minutes. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.
Enjoy!

Tortillas con vegetales y salsa verde

I don't really know what to call this dish, so I'll just say what it is, but in Spanish. It reminds me of a dish called "chiliquiles' that we serve at the Blue Onion. I have never had the one at the B.O.; in my imagination it would taste like what I made tonight- hearty, chewy, rich and savory. I had some potatoes that I cooked the night before, so this came together in flash. I served it with a side of black beans.

1 orange bell pepper, sliced 1/8"- 1/4" thick
1/2 medium onion, sliced 1/8"-1/4" thick
2 cups cooked potatoes chopped roughly into small pieces (1/4 -1/2 inch cubes)
4 6" inch corn tortillas, ripped into bite size chunks (if they're a little stale, that's even better)
1/4 cup ish earth balance (I know, it's crazy, you can cut it in half if you're trying to be low fat)
1/4 cup green chili salsa (I used Salsa Verde from Trader Joe's)
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes
1/2 tsp soy sauce

Garnish
avocado, tomato, cilantro, whatever really


Heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the earth balance (or olive oil) and add the red peppers and onions. Stir fry for 3-5 minutes and then add the potatoes. Continue to stir fry while adding the rest of the earth balance. Smush the potatoes a little with the end of your spatula. Add the tortillas after 2 minutes. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the green chili, soy sauce, cumin and red pepper flakes. Stir fry for another few minutes and then turn the heat to low. Continue to stir occasionally for 2-5 minutes.

Serve with beans and garnish. And tortilla chips if you've got 'em.

Black Bean Burgers with Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach

I've been on a veggie burger kick these days. I like eating with my hands and getting food all over my face. So, here's the black bean burgers I made last night, and today already for lunch. And we'll have them again for dinner. It makes a lot, so get your burger on.

~adapted from 'Veganomicon'

2 cups ish black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten (can be found in the bulk section of health food stores, or ask your grocer)
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 ears corn, raw, but cut it off like when you had braces
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbl ketchup (check your ketchup for high fructose corn syrup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, grated (break out your ski or swim goggles for this one)
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbl olive oil, plus spray or more olive oil for cooking

bread or buns of your choice, toasted



Mash the beans with a fork in mixing bowl. Don't puree; leave some half beans. Add the bread crumbs, gluten, corn, chili powder, cumin, oregano, ketchup, grated onion, garlic, olive oil, cilantro and jalapeno. Mix everything together with your hands until it is uniform (about a minute).

Preheat a heavy bottomed pan over medium. Divide the burger mixture into 6-8 ball. Flatten on a surface or between your hands. Pour a thin layer of olive oil in pan, add burgers and cook until brown. Flip and cook for 3-5 minutes.


At this point I leave the burgers in the pan, warming and make the sauteed spinach and mushrooms.

6 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup spinach leaves, chopped roughly
1 tbl earth balance or other butter substitute

Heat a large pan with butter over medium and add mushrooms and spinach. Spread out the mushrooms so they aren't touching and stir occasionally. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft.

I built my burger/ sandwich like this:
toasted bread/ bun
veganaise
ketchup
thinly sliced avocado, spread evenly (peel it first)
burger
mushrooms and spinach
tomato slices
red onion slices
toasted bread/ bun

Eggplant, Bok choy and Tofu Stir Fry with Coconut Basmati Rice

I love asian food. Love. I can stuff my face like no other when it comes to vegetables, rice and noodles mixed with yummy sauces. I'm generally a fan of brown rice, but sometimes white rice is okay. In my opinion. So tonight we went with the white basmati rice and it was freaking delicious. Here we go:
~recipe adapted from 'Curries' by Susanna Tee.

3-4 tbl vegetable oil or olive (used in two parts)
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, sliced thinly, diagonally
2 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
4 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
1/2 jalepeno, chopped
1 tbl ginger, chopped
1 medium eggplant chopped in 3/4 inch ish chunks
8 oz pressed tofu (put between two plates with something heavy on top), cubed
1 bunch baby bok choy, chopped

sauce-
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
3 tbl soy sauce or tamari
3 tbl rice vinegar
2 tbl peanut butter
1 tbl sweetener
freshly ground black pepper

garnish-
chopped cilantro and basil
bean sprouts
lime


Heat half the oil over medium high heat and add the onions, stir fry for 1-2 minutes, then add the celery, carrots and garlic. Continue stir frying for another 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Heat the rest of the oil over medium high, add the tofu and eggplant and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the jalepeno and garlic and continue to stir occasionally for 4 minutes, letting the tofu get crispy.

Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and add to the eggplant with the onion, carrot, celery mix. Add the bok choy and let simmer, slightly covered, for 4 minutes.

Serve over rice and garnish


Coconut Basmati Rice
2 tsp oil
1 1/2 cup basmati rice
1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt

Heat the oil over medium heat and add the rice. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the water and coconut milk and salt, cover and bring to a boil Simmer, with the lid slightly open for 12 minutes. Turn off, wait 3 minute and fluff with a fork.

Peanut Butter Potato Chip Cookies

This recipe is adapted from "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch" by Rory Freedman. She's rad, as are her books. Here's what you'll need:

2 1/2 cups flour (I do whole wheat pastry or split it with white and wheat)
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup refined sugar alternative (I used turbinado, a natural brown sugar)
3/4 cup oil (I used a combo of olive, safflower and melted Earth Balance)
1/3 cup finely chopped and pitted dates
1 cup chunky or smooth natural peanut butter
1/4 cup ice water
2 tbl ground flax seed (you can omit this if you don't have it)
1 tbl molasses
1 tsp pure vanilla
2 cups crushed potato chips (something natural.... whatever that means)


Preheat oven 375.

In a medium bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Blend the 1/4 cup water with ground flax seed in a blender for 30 seconds to a minute. Set aside.

In a large bowl blend peanut butter, sugar, dates and oil for 2-3 minutes. Add flax seed mixture, vanilla and molasses and mix until combined. Add the flour and potato chips in 3 equal-ish parts and mix in by hand. Mix each part in until almost all combined. Don't over mix. I try to fold in the ingredients. Mixture will be dry. Form into 3 tablespoon balls and place on cookie sheet. Use a fork to slightly press down the cookies in a criss-cross pattern. .

Bake for 8-9 minutes. I'm a big fan of rotating the cookie tray mid oven time. Also, don't over cook, they'll settle up nicely.

Dig in!

Summer Vegetable Rice Noodle Bowl

This was what I ate for lunch today. I'm in the midst of cleaning the whole house and I needed a quick, light, yummy meal to keep me motivated. This is for a serving size of one; so double, triple, quadruple, whatever it.

1 cup Rice Noodles cooked
1 carrot, grated
1 small summer squash, grated
4 green onions, sliced thinly diagonally
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped


sauce:
1 Tb rice vinegar
1 Tb soy sauce or tamari
1 Tb tahini paste
2 tsp sesame seed oil
2 tsp asian chili oil
black pepper
red pepper flakes (if you want some heat)

Start with making the rice noodles. I used vermicelli this time, but wide noodles are yummy too! Boil the water, add the noodles and boil for 1-2 minutes. Turn heat off and cover. Let sit for 7-12 minutes, or until the noodles are soft.

In a small sauce pan mix all the sauce ingredients over low heat. Stir and heat until mixed well, no need to boil, but it's fine if you do.

Drain the rice noodles, rinse with cold water and place back in the pot. Add the sauce and other ingredients, mix well and serve cold or warm.

Red Beet Chocolate Cup Cakes with Cashew Frosting

Here is my veganized version of a recipe that came in our box of veggies last week. The original recipe came from recipezaar.com
Enjoy ~
Red Beet Chocolate Cake
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup beets (steamed or canned), pureed
8 dates, pitted and pureed with the beets

3/4 cup water + 1/4 cup ground flax seed, blended well in a mixer
1/2 cup sugar or equivalent of another sweetener
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup safflower oil
2/3 cup rice milk
1 tsp vanilla


Preheat Oven 350. Grease 12-16 cup cake tins. Mix together the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together the wet ingredients plus the beets and dates in a large bowl. Gradually, add the dry ingredients, and mix until smooth, but do not over mix. Pour (or scoop) the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cup cake top bounces back when lightly pressed. Cool and frost. The original recipe said store overnight to enhance flavor. If you have that kind of will power, go for it. Otherwise, dig in!

Cashew Frosting:

scant 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 30 minutes to an hour)
juice of one lemon
3 dates, pitted
1/4 tsp vanilla
water

Blend the cashews, lemon juice, dates and vanilla in a food processor while gradually adding the water until a thick, frosting like paste forms.

Kale, Carrot and Pea Stir Fry with Peanut-y Sauce

Today starts a new season of my life. Life with fresh produce from a local farm, Mountain Bounty Farm. I'm sure I will never go with out it from now on. I love the variety, the fact that I paid up front, the little shed where you pick it up, and it brings the decision making for dinner close to zero. So, here's my first night with 'the veggies.' Serve this with rice of your choice.

1-2 tablespoons safflower oil
1/2 red onion, chopped into 1 inch chunks
6 carrots (these were small...so 2-3 large), sliced diagonally into 1/4 inch or thinner slices
2 cups thinly sliced kale (I lplaced the leaves on top of each other, rolled tightly and sliced diagonally into 1/8-1/4 inch slices)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup snow peas
1/2 cup frozen peas

Sauce:
2 1/2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tsp agave nectar or a little more of another sweetener
1/4 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce


Heat the oil over medium high and add the onions. Saute until they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and stir fry until the they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the kale and garlic, stir and cook until blending in, 3-4 minutes. Add the peas and cook for one minute, stir in sauce and serve over rice.

As I was eating this tonight, I was thinking how small chunks of pineapple and chopped toasted cashews would have been totally delish, so add those at the last minute if you have/want them!

Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Pie with Raspberry Sauce

I was craving a banana cream pie, which is odd, because I usually detest creamy pies... but I was imagining if I made it a little different how good it could be. So, I looked up a bunch of recipes and came up with this. I like this recipe because the filling is raw-ish/ totally quick and easy. I've been having issues with all the conflicting information about sweeteners. Recently I've been hearing that agave nectar is not as amazing as we all had hoped. Apparently, it has to be heated to very high heat (processed) in order to extract it from the plant....so it is not "raw" even if the label says so (there are no laws regarding using the term "raw" for advertising). Anyway, whatever! You can't win. So, back to the age old advice, everything in moderation. This recipe I cut the sugar down to about 1/4 and added dates to compensate. When using sugar, definitely use "evaporated cane juice", it's less processed and better for the environment. Also, I just try to remind myself as often as possible that sugar=satan. It seems to help as I'm pouring it into one of my recipes :) Okay, enjoy this relatively low sugar dessert~

Crust:
1/4 cup earth balance (or other non-dairy butter substitute)
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8-1/4 cup sugar

Filling:
3 ripe bananas
12 oz of tofu, drained
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar (or less)
7-8 dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup dried coconut flakes (not the sweetened kind, find this in bulk sections of natural food stores)

Heat oven to 375. Mix the crust together in a bowl and press into the bottom of a pie pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Mix all the filling ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Garnish with chocolate chips, if you wish and chill for at least 3 hours.

Top with raspberries or raspberry sauce when you serve.

Raspberry sauce;
1 cup frozen raspberries
1-2 tbl. sugar

Heat the raspberries and sugar in a small sauce pan until the raspberries break down.

Sesame Grilled Eggplant Sandwhich

I love sandwhiches. Here's one I made the other day.

2 slices whole grain bread, toasted
veganaise (confession- I used to detest mayonaise, but now I am a full on lover, thanks to veganaise. Mmmm, creamy, tangy, goodness!)
mustard
1/4 avocado, peeled and sliced very thinly
grilled eggplant slices
red onion, sliced thinly
basil, rolled in a tight roll and sliced thinly diagonally
carrot, shredded
2 slices peppered Tofurky
pepper

I was trying to use up some eggplant so here's what I did:
-peeled and sliced the eggplant into 1/4" slices
-mixed with olive oil, pepper, salt, oregeno in a shallow bowl
-baked in in my toaster oven at 400 for 8-10 minutes, flipping once
-sliced it thinly and mixed it with a splash of seseame oil, agave, soy sauce and rice vinegar

Assemble the sandwhich:
-spread the veganaise and mustard generously
-spread the sliced avocado evenly on the bottom
-add a generous amount of grilled eggplant
-two pieces of tofurky, each folded in half
-then add the grated carrots, onions, basil

YUM

Baked Potato Soup with Steak Fries and Tempeh Crumbles

This was so wonderful, and the authors of "Veganomicon" say kids love this soup, something to do with giant french fry in the middle. It was prettty easy, especially if you have the baked potatoes baked ahead of time. I try to bake potatoes more often than I need them. My mom, ever the energy and money saver, would suggest to my sister and I if that if we were going to bake (and turn the oven on) we should make more than one thing, which often meant baked potatoes. So, bake 'em. And make hash browns, twice baked potatoes, french fries, this soup, whatever. Potatoes are cheap, hearty and seem to last forever baked and unbaked. Oh, and they are fat and cholesterol free and loaded with potassium, vitamin C, and B Vitamins. Here it is:
Soup:
6-8 baking potatoes (3 1/2 pounds) baked and cooled (350 poked with a fork and wrapped in foil for about an hour)
2 Tbl olive oil
1 large, yellow onion, sliced in short strips
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cardamon
lots of fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 white wine (or more broth)
4-5 cups water or veggie broth (up the salt and spices if you are using water)
2 cups spinach
1/4 cup rice milk, or soy, or almond, or coconut


Wedges:
2 heaping tbls coarse cornmeal
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder
generous pinch of salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
safflower or earth balance for frying

Tempeh:
8oz package of tempeh, cut into 4 strips, lenghtwise
2 tsp soy sauce or tamari
splash or sesame seed oil, rice vinegar, lemon or lime juice, water, agave nectar,
safflower oil, or earth balance for frying

green onions for garnish

First, prepare the tempeh. Bring 1 quart of water to boil and add the tempeh strips, boil for 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Mix the marinate and pour into a plastic bag (like one from the produce section) add the tempeh after it has cooled for a few minutes. Let marinate in a shallow bowl for 30 minutes to 1 hour, flipping a few times.

Once your potatoes are cooled enough to handle, preheat a soup pot at medium-high and saute' the onions with the olive oil for 12-15 minutes, until brown.

While the onions are cooking, slice the baked potatoes in half lengthtwise. Save three halves for the wedges. Slice the rest into 3/4 inch chunks. Once, the onions are brown, add the garlic, salt, pepper, thyme,cardamon and any other spices you want and cook for another minute or two. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Add the chunks of potatoes and the broth or water cover and bring to a low boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes.

While the soup is boiling, start the tempeh. Preheat a heavy bottomed pan over medium and add 2 tsp safflower oil, fry each side for 5 minutes or until very brown. Set aside.

While the tempeh is frying and the soup is boiling, mix the cornmeal, spiced and garlic and pour into a small plate. Cut the remaining potatoes into wedges, I got 3-4 out of each half. Get the wedges wet with water and dredge in the cornmeal mix. Fry over medium for 4-5 minutes, flipping as necessary.

Mash up the potatoes in the soup with a potato masher, until it is a thick creamy consistency. Add the rice milk and spinach, cook for a few more minutes until the spinach has started to wilt.

Garnish with crumbled tempeh strips, green onion and a couple of friggin' french fries

Easter Brunch

Here's what I made for brunch today~

Pecan Crusted Tofu French Toast

8 oz tofu
1 1/2 cup almond milk, or other non-dairy milk
1 tsp all spice
1 tbl agave nectar or other natural sweetener
2 tbl brown rice flour

6-8 slices bread (vegan whole grain bread is my preference, Ezekiel is good)
1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Safflower oil or earth balance for cooking

Blend tofu, almond milk, flour, agave nectar and all spice in a blender. Pour into a large plate and coat each piece of bread in the mixture. Allow to soak for 1-3 minutes. Next, have the pecans on a plate as well, and coat one side of the bread in pecans. Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan or pancake griddle over medium and add 1 tsp oil. Place the bread pecan side down and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the pecans are golden brown. Flip and cook for an additional 1-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with earth balance and maple syrup or other fruit syrup.

Baked Tofu Strips:

I saw this tofu from Soy Deli at Safeway and gave it a try. It was pretty good- meaty and savory, for sure. I sliced the tofu thinly and fried in a little safflower oil for 8-10 minutes on medium low, turning every few minutes.

Fruit Salad (this would be a kick ass breakfast all on it's own. Fruit is God's gift to us, really):
apples
bananas
kiwis
strawberries
oranges

I love fruit because:
it is sweet
it helps with digestion
it hydrates
it gives me energy
and
I can eat it with my hands

Pineapple-Cashew-Quinoa Stir-Fry

This was amazing! I'm stealing this straight from Veganomicon again.... pretty much, I love this cook book. Cook the quinoa ahead of time for this one, and you'll have dinner in under 30 minutes. Also, hit up the deli section for pre-cut pineapple. This was excellent as leftovers too, I ate it cold and liked it just as much.

Quinoa:
1 - 1 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained (I used half white and half red)
2-3 cups water (or 1 cup pineapple juice and the rest water)
1/4 tsp soy sauce

*or you can use any form of left over quinoa you have*

Stir-Fry:
4 ounces cashews, raw and unsalted
3 tbl safflower oil or peanut oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic
1-2 hot peppers (I used 1 serano and 1 red jalepeno), sliced into very thin rounds
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cup frozen peas or cooked edamame
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, rolled very tightly and sliced into thin shreds
1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
10 oz fresh pineapple, cut into bite size chunks (2 cups ish)
3 tbl soy sauce
1/4 cup veg broth
limes for garnish

Prepare the quinoa first, preferably the night before. Combine all ingredients in a medium size pot and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 12-14 minutes. Uncover, fluff and let cool. If you want to do this the same day, let it cool for at least an hour.

Stir Fry:
Have all your ingredients chopped and ready. Heat the largest non-stick pan you have or a wok over low heat. Add the cashews and dry roast for 4-5 minutes or until they begin to brown. Remove and set aside.

Raise the heat to medium and add the oil, garlic and scallions. When the garlic starts to sizzle add the sliced chili pepper and ginger. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and peas. Stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes, until the bell pepper is softened and the peas are bright green. Add the basil and mint and stir for another minute before adding the quinoa and pineapple.

In a measuring cup, mix the soy sauce and veggie broth. Pour over the quinoa mixture and stir to mix well. Continue to stir fry for 8-10 minutes, until the quinoa is very hot. Add the cashews for the last minute or two. Serve with the lime wedges and additional soy sauce if needed.

Disclaimer: This picture is not the best. I was running out of the house to a soccer game, so I didn't take the picture until hours later. I think the peas were much prettier when it was fresh. Whatevs, it's delicious!

Chickpea Cutlets with Mustard Sauce, Quinoa and Broccoli

So the moral of this meal is; if you mess up, keep going. That's what I'm learning in life right now, big time, and it certainly applies in the kitchen. It's easy to get all anal and finicky when cooking, wanting everything to turn out perfectly... but if in the end you can eat, then it's a job well done. And,that is true with life too.... you can't expect every step of your life to be perfect, and in the end, if your still living, then you are doing fine. I'm telling this mostly to myself, but if it encourages any of you then, GREAT!
So in this recipe, I accidently used brown rice flour instead of wheat gluten. Um, big difference! I didn't label the bags and they were both floating around in my pantry... anyway, I ended up figuring it out and adding the gluten later, so it still worked, although it did taste a little too flour-y. But, really, truth be told, who cares. I ate it, Jesse loved it and it tasted fine. These are recipes from "Veganomicon". BUY IT!

Chickpea Cutlets:

2 cups cooked chickpeas
3 tbl olive oil
3/4 cup vital wheat gluten (I find this in the bulk section of a health food store, but check the baking section of any store too)
3/4 cup bread crumbs (I keep the heels in my freezer and then throw them in the food processor)
1/2 veg broth
3 tbl soy sauce or tamari
5 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garam masala (I didn't have the sage the recipe called for, so I used this instead.... I think any spices you want would work)
Olive Oil for pan frying

In a mixing bowl mash the chick peas together until with the olive oil until no whole peas are left. I didn't cook mine long enough, so I ended up using the food processor to do this step. Add the remaining ingredients and knead for 3 minutes or until strings of gluten have formed (this is the point I realized that brown rice flour will NOT make strings)

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Divide the cutlet dough into 8 pieces and knead each piece in your hand for a minute. Then stretch into a 6"x4" rectangle. You can do this in your hand first and then place on a clean dry surface to stretch it a little more.

Add a thin layer of olive oil to the pan, place the cutlets in the pan (as many as you can fit at once) and cook for 6-7 minutes. Flip, add a little more olive oil and cook for another 6-7 minutes. The cutlets are done when golden brown and firm to the touch.

You can also bake these at 375 for 30 minutes, flipping once. Brush each side with olive oil first. Eat it with a fork and knife! How often can you do that in the vegan world?

Mustard Sauce:

2 tbl cornstarch (I used brown rice flour. This is an example of when that substitution will work)
3/4 cup veg broth
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbl olive oil
1/2 cup cooking wine (I used some chardonnay)
1 tbl soy sauce or tamari
1 tbl lemon juice
1/4 dijon mustard

Mix the cornstarch or brown rice flour with the veggie broth and set aside. In small saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil, garlic and thyme for about a minute. Add the wine and soy sauce, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat to medium and simmer to reduce for about 4 minutes. Add the veggie broth, mustard and lemon juice. Stir often with a whisk and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. It should be on the thick side. Let cool, this is best just above room temperature.

Quinoa (start this first):

1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tbl Olive oil
pepper, cumin, salt and any other spices you like
2 cups quinoa (I used half red and half regular)
4 cups water or veggie broth

Heat the olive oil, onions and garlic over medium low, covered, until soft. Add the spices and quinoa and continue to heat for 3-5 more minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil and then simmer over very low for 18-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Steam a little broccoli and you've got yourself a meal!
Enjoy

PS- This is a lot of quinoa, but I am planning on making my next recipe with the left over quinoa. You should try it too, it's going to be fabulous. So, use only 1 cup if you are just making one meal.

Potato Kale Enchiladas With Roasted Chili Sauce

I think these are the best enchiladas ever. Really. I like them even more than the sweet potato enchiladas. I got this recipe from "Veganomicon" , my favorite cookbook. You can also check out Terry Hope Romero and Isa Chandra Moskowitz on their website, theppk.com. Lots of amazing recipes. This is one of those recipes that I made much quicker the second time around. So, don't be discouraged if it takes a little while. It's totally worth it and makes lots of left overs. Also, this is good for using kale that may be a little on the wilty side. Enjoy!

For the Enchilada Sauce:

2 tbl olive oil or grape seed oil

4 large, green chilies, I used Anaheim, roasted, seeded, peeled and coarsely chopped(see note at the bottom)

1 onion, diced

2-3 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp oregano (the original recipe calls for marjoram or mexican oregano, but I had neither)

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 tsp sugar

1- 1 1/2 tsp salt

For the Potato and Kale Filling:

1- 1 1/2 pound potatoes, diced (yellow or Yukon are preferred, I used plain ol' russet)

1 bunch kale, washed, trimmed and chopped finely (I chop the stems off where the leaves start)

3 tbl olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 veggie stock or water

3 tbl lime juice

1/4 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) , chopped (plus more for garnish)

salt, to taste

12-14 large corn tortillas

cilantro, as garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven 375. Or, be planning on pre-heating it, when the time comes. Have shallow casserole dish ready, 11 x 13 ish.

Prepare the enchilada sauce first. I started the water for the potatoes at this point too. In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan, or cast iron frying pan, heat the oil and add the onions. Sautee for 4-7 minutes. Add remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer and then remove from heat. When cooled enough to handle, blend in a blender, food processor or use and immersion blender (I can't wait to get one of those!)

Prepare the filling: Boil potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender, drain and set aside. Cook the olive oil and minced garlic over medium-low heat in a large frying pan. Be careful not to burn the garlic. When garlic is just starting to brown add the kale and sprinkle with salt. Stir so that the kale is coated with the oil. Raise the heat to medium, and partially cover to steam the kale for 4-6 minutes.

Remove lid and mix in potatoes, lime juice, veg broth, salt, cumin and pepitas. Mash some of the potatoes with the back of your spoon. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the stock is absorbed. Add more lime juice and salt to taste. It's good when it's tangy, so don't skimp on the lime.

Create your enchilada assembly line. I put the sauce in a shallow bowl. Ladle a little sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish. Heat the corn tortillas over an open flame on your stove, turning often, just until warm. Lay the tortilla in the sauce and flip over, so both sides are covered. Place the tortilla on a plate or in your casserole dish, add the filling and roll. Arrange with the seams down. Cover the enchiladas with a little less than half of the sauce.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, covered. If you don't have a lid, use a baking sheet. Remove the lid and bake for 5-15 more minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Top with warmed sauce, pepitas, and chopped cilantro.

You can make this spicier by adding some cayenne pepper to the sauce.

Roasting Chilies:

This is my favorite part of the whole recipe! Do this first.

Lay the chili's over an open gas flame, turning with tongs or your fingers, as necessary. When the entire chili is black, put in a brown paper bag or a casserole dish with a lid. Let sit for 10 minutes. Then peel using your fingers, don't rinse with water, that will take away some flavor. Slice open and de-seed as best as possible. A few seeds and charred black skin pieces are fine.

Meaty Mushroom Stroganoff

My dad used to make the best beef stroganoff.... now, I eat the same yummy flavors minus the rotting, dead flesh. Best of both worlds, really. And, wow, I am so excited I can hardly type.... Gardein is now being carried at Safeway. I'm taking back many of my negative comments about Safeway, due to this fact alone. I'm not usually a huge fan of fake meat products, largely due to the length of the words in the ingredients. However, I view fake meat some what like I view getting pee on my ski boots while peeing on my skis in the trees. It's fine once in awhile. With that said.... Gardein is awesome. Really. Tastes good. Has normal words in the ingredients. And is so friggin' EASY. I have always hated cutting chicken, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. So, I totally heart skipping it: and all the salmonella and e. coli and separate cutting boards and trash cans full of drippy chicken juice. And the fact that it has eyes. Okay, just try Gardein. And this recipe with it.

Sauce:

1 tbl olive oil

4 cloves garlic minced

2 tbl brown rice flour

2 cups veggie broth or bullion

2 tsp soy sauce

scant 1/4 cup rice milk

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

salt and pepper

1 package Gardein "Seasoned Bites"

Mushrooms:

2 tsp safflower oil or earth balance

4 cups sliced mushrooms

1 onion, thinly sliced

Noodles:

12-14 oz whole wheat rotini (use whatever you want)

Prepare the noodles. Keep warm with a little olive oil until everything else is ready.

Sauce- Heat the olive oil over medium, add the garlic and swirl until fragrant. Add the brown rice flour, whisk in and quickly add the broth and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and boil for a few minutes. Add the rice milk if it's too thick. Add more brown rice flour if too thin. Add the chicken bites and boil for 3-4 minutes. I used my stirring spoon to break the "bites" into small pieces. Cover and keep warm.

Mushrooms:

Heat oil over medium add mushrooms and onions. Saute'e until soft. About 8 minutes.

Do this all at once and you've got yourself a delicious quick meal. Enjoy!

Home Boy Fries

Making home fries feels like a part of me. I love potatoes for breakfast! When eating out, I often order home fries with sides of salsa and avocado. So delicious, and usually.... cheaper :). We used to host sunday morning football parties at our house and I think I made potatoes 100% of the time. People loved them. I learned something about being a "good cook" from these gatherings; it's not necessarily how good your food is, but more about how often it is readily available. So, if you're feeling insecure at all about your cooking skills, just "point 'em down". That's my logic, "when in doubt, point 'em down". Okay, well that was what my ski coach used to say when we were standing at the top of something very steep.... which is similar to how some of you may view cooking healthy. So, don't think about it, just do it. And have fun! Okay, here's my uber simple home fries recipe:

1 tbl safflower oil

1/4 -1/2 onion, diced

3 potatoes, diced (use as many as you can fit in your pan with out overlapping)

3-4 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 jalepeno, diced (optional)

2 veg sausage patties, chopped (optional)

other veggies you may have laying around (broccoli, grated carrots, tomatoes, zucchini)

salt, pepper and red pepper flakes

Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed skillet with a lid. Add the onions, saute'e till they begin to soften (5 minutes). Add the potatoes and stir so they are coated with oil. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft, stir every few minutes so the potatoes don't burn. Add the garlic, jalepeno, other veggies and sausage patties. Cook, stirring often for 5 minutes or until veggies are soft. Salt, pepper and red pepper flake to how you like. Top with green onion, salsa, avocado, hot sauce, whatever!

And the grand total is....

I was trying to prove that eating "organic and healthy" doesn't have to be expensive; and now that I've done it for one month, I think I can say it is actually inexpensive. Well, inexpensive considering I would say I shopped 90% organic, 100% vegan, 75% local(meaning I didn't go to Reno, a very common practice in the Tahoe area) and 50% at a small, locally owned, health food store (New Moon). The total amount we spent this month on food was :

Groceries- $ 362

Eating Out- $ 60

Special Eating Out (ie my birthday and a using a gift certificate to Wolfdale's)- $70

Total: $492

I wanted to provide food for Jesse and me for one month for under $400. So, I was close, but I also don't really count the eating out. I know we could kick that habit if need be, but for now it's a social thing. Plus, eating vegan and sharing while eating out can make things more affordable.

This month wouldn't have been possible with out Jesse being totally on board. He's the only bf I know that will gladly eat only an apple and a salad all day until dinner. Not that we ate like that every day, but some days, it happened. Much thanks to him for supporting and encouraging me.

Also, it should be said, I do well under pressure. Well, most of the time. And in this situation, I did. I definitely ate and cooked healthier and cleaner than I ever have. I was viewing this as a challenge (competitive, much?) and I really can't say if I will continue to eat this "strictly". But, I probably will because 1) I feel good and 2) it's saving me money. So, that seems like a good idea.

I'd like to share some great advice I got from the "China Study" regarding switching to a more whole foods, plant based diet: DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE MONEY. Now this may seem like the opposite of what I've been preaching thus far, but all I'm saying is, give yourself a break for the first month or two. You are making a decision that will absolutely save you money in the long run. I can't even to begin to calculate how much something like diabetes would cost you for a lifetime. And all those sick days you don't have to take? So, don't stress if things seem costly at first. Big picture, people. Plus, you'll be surprised at how much cheaper vegetables can be....

There you have it. Thanks for following along. And.... I'll probably keep posting ,so stay tuned!

Big Ass Burrito and Sweet Potato Chips

Jesse and I love burritos. Like, really, really, really love them. We eat veggie burritos at least once a week, our new fave is the one from the Cornice Cantina at Squaw, vegan style. SO GOOD. Our good friend, Dana, came over last night and we made some bomb burritos combo-ed with some scrumptious sweet potato chips. Here's what we put in them:

cilantro lime brown rice

black beans

sauteed red onions and red bell peppers

crumbled tofu

guacamole/salsa

sunflower sprouts

Rice Tortillas from Food For Life

Rice:

Cook rice ahead of time, then reheat in a sauce pan with a tsp earth balance, half a lime squeezed, a handful of chopped cilantro and a dash of salt

Beans:

Heat up in their liquid with a little diced red onion and salt

Sauteed Red onions and Red Bells:

Slice the bell peppers and onions equally thin, saute'e until soft 5-8 minutes

Crumbled tofu:

Press the tofu as best as possible. Heat 1 tbl oil over medium high, add the tofu by crumbling with your hands. Stir, allowing the tofu to get brown and dry, add a little: soy sauce, sesame oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Continue to stir fry and adjust seasoning.

Guacamole/Salsa

1-2 avocados peeled and diced (cut in half, de-seed and peel before dicing)

1-2 tomatoes, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

1 jalepeno, seeds in and diced

1/2 lime squeezed,

1/4 c. cilantro, diced

salt and pepper

Rice Tortillas:

Heat over open flame and then stuff! Top with the sunflower sprouts and extra salsa/guac.

Sweet Potato Chips:

We used both yams and sweet potatoes, sliced in rounds, drizzled with honey(or agave nectar) and bake at 350(in a single layer on a cookie sheet) for 30 minutes, turning once.

Mac n' 'cheese' with crumb topping, grilled tempeh and peas

This was a meal I made a week or so ago; it was the first big meal I ate after being sick and I was craving some of my favorite food ever as a kid: Man n' Cheese. Now, now, now, this really doesn't taste like 'cheese'. Don't expect that. But, also, give yourself a chance to enjoy it for what it is, a really yummy, savory, garlicy, tangy, thick, yellow sauce. And, as you start to move away from processed food your taste buds WILL change. It's true! Don't sell your body short. We were meant to consume the most natural foods out there and the more you do it, the more your body will start to crave those natural foods. Any of you who know me at all, may know that I gave up eating Reese's Peanut Butter cups. This was a full on addiction of mine, but these days they literally taste gross to me, so fake sugary it hurts my teeth. I didn't decide to "give up" Reese's Cups (although watching this video on animal testing, aided in making it easier to turn them down); I just started craving other treats. Like cookies from Alternative Baking Company. They are so good: vegan, no animal testing, environmentally friendly and made in Berkley, CA. Okay, on to the actual recipe. All I'm saying, is give the alternative a chance. You may just be surprised .

Tempeh(1 package, 8 -10oz):

Slice a into 4 slices and blanch in boiling water for 8-10 minutes. This gets rid of the bitterness.

Then soak in a plastic bag in a bowl with 2 tbl soy sauce, 1 tbl water, 2 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil. (or really whatever you want) Marinate for 30 minutes to an hour, flipping occasionally.

Cheesy Sauce: (there are a million of these recipes out there, I followed one from "How it all Vegan", by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer)

1 tbsp olive oil (compared to the fat in reg Mac n' Cheese?... I can't even...)

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbs flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/4 cup water

3/4 c. nutritional yeast (look at a health food store, in the bulk section, hopefully refrigerated. This contains vitamin b12 that needs to be refrigerated and kept out of sunlight)

2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 lemon squeezed

red pepper flakes

pepper

10 oz small macaroni

1-2 pieces whole what bread

2 tbl panko crumbs (only if you have 'em)

1-2 tsp sesame oil

gomashio (see below)

Preheat oven 400 degrees

Prepare noodles. This time we went with straight up white noodles, a treat around here. Usually I use rice noodles (not like the asian rice ones, but typical noodles, just made from rice) or whole wheat.

In small saucepan, heat olive oil over medium low, add garlic, simmer until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the water, flour, salt, nutritional yeast and whisk together. Stir over medium until sauce becomes thick, then stir in mustard and lemon juice. Taste and add pepper, and red pepper flakes (if you want).

Tear bread into pieces, add panko crumbs, if using, and pulse in a food processor. Add the sesame oil and pulse again, so the crumbs stick together a little.

Mix the noodles with cheesy sauce and pour into a lightly oiled casserol dish, cover with crumb topping and gomachio. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Broil if you desire.

Heat a frying pan over medium high, add a little oil and fry the tempeh for 3-5 minutes on each side. Let it get brown! Then, I slice it diagonally.

Prepare frozen peas.

Enjoy!

ps. I hardly follow a recipe for the cheezy sauce these days, and it turns out different, but good everytime. Feel free to google other recipes and compare!

Gomashio (deceivingly good and easy)

1/2 c. toasted sesame seeds (I bake at 350 in the toaster oven, in an over proof dish or tray for 5-8 minutes or until they are golden)

1/2 tsp salt

Blend in food processor. Well done.

Egglplant, Potato and Bell Pepper Korma

This recipe is based off a recipe by Susanna Tee in "Curries". Korma is a South Asian dish made from some sort of cream, in this case, cashews and coconut milk. This was this first time I've cooked this style of Thai food and it was absolutely delicious and filling. Enjoy!

1 cup cashews

4-6 cloves garlic, coarsly chopped

1- 1 1/2 inch ginger, peeled and coarsly chopped

generous 1 cup water

4 tbsp peanut safflower oil or peanut oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp red chili flakes

1/4 tsp cardamon

1/2 cup coconut milk

3 small potatoes, scrubbed and chopped in to 1/2" by 1/4" pieces

1 small eggplant, or 1/2 a large one, chopped in to 1/2" by 1/4" pieces

1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped ( or half a red one and half a green one)

salt and pepper

chopped mint or cilantro for garnish

1) Heat a large skillet with a tight fitting lid over high heat. Dry fry the cashews until they begin to brown, remove immediately.

2)Put nuts in the food processor with garlic and ginger, blend and add water gradually until it forms a thick paste.

3)Heat half the oil in pan over medium heat, add onions and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until they begin to brown

4)Add the nut paste and stir fry for 3-5 minutes (it's kind of hard to stir, I suggest a metal spatula with a cast iron pan). Then add cinnamon, curry powder, turmeric and cardamon

5)Add the coconut milk and water, bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and eggplant and simmer, covered for 10-15 minutes until soft. Stir every few minutes or few and scrap the bottom of the pan. Add the bell peppers in the last 3-5 minutes. You can add extra water if needed

6) Taste the seasoning, add salt and pepper, garnish with cilantro and serve over brown rice.

Three Way Sesame-Coated Tofu Strips with Spicy Broccoli and Chard

Stealing this calcium packed recipe straight from "Vegan Planet" by Robin Robertson, I love the name too! I added the chard, so I guess it's a tiny bit my recipe. Chard. Man, feel good about yourself if you eat chard, that stuff is intense. My mom is the chard queen; eats it for breakfast, just like Alicia Silverstone. Have a plan if you buy it, because otherwise you'll just let it sit there and you'll keep thinking you'll use it. Believe me. So, I had success with chard this time around. And this meal was killer:

2 1/2 cups broccoli florets

2-3 leaves of chard, chopped in 2 inch strips,

1/4 tahini (sesame paste)

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1/3 cup water or as needed

1 cup sesame seeds

One 12-16 ounce package extra-firm tofu (organic and local is much better, if you can find it),drained and cut into 1/2 inch wide by 1/2 inch thick strips

2 tablespoons peanut oil (I used safflower oil)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I 1 tsp)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1. Chop brocolli and chard. Get the broccoli ready to be steamed.

2. In a small, shallow bowl, combine tahini, 1 tbl tamari, and enough water to make a smooth. Place sesame seeds on a plate, dredge tofu strips in tahini mixture and roll in sesame seeds.

3. Heat the 1 tbl oil in a large skillet over medium, fry the tofu until brown on all sides, about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli for 2-3 minutes. When tofu is done, transfer to a plate and cover

4. Using the same pan, heat the rest of the oil ,add the red pepper flakes, broccoli and chard and stir fry for a minute or two, until the chard is beginning to soften and is hot. Splash with remaining tamari. Serve broccoli over tofu strips and drizzle the sesame seed oil.

Snacks, Obscure Ingredients and a Pantry

Just going to throw out my ideas on the afore mentioned topics.

1) SNACKS: When trying to maintain a whole foods, other wise thought of as natural and unprocessed, diet, snacking can be difficult. But, when approached with the right mind frame, it is totally possible. First, determine if you are really hungry. Some may be freaked out by this next statement, but... it's okay to be hungry. Really. I'm not talking about starving yourself;but letting your body work off everything it has consumed. Once you've determined if you're hungry. Snack on whatever you want! Just kidding, well kind of, I actually do want to eat these foods most of the time. Here's what I'm snacking on these days:

fruit (the more local you can buy the better... taste, price, everything)

nuts ( try soaking them sometimes; it's a totally different nut and better for you, check this site for times)

miso tea (miso paste in boiling water.... I add dried seaweed too..mmmmm!)

Lara Bars (or you can make them from dates and pecans.... blend in a food processor and mush)

smoothie (bananas, avocado, rice milk, dried coconut flakes, peanut butter, frozen berries, this delicious protein powder Jesse's mom sent us, any combo of those)

2)OBSCURE INGREDIENTS: So, this is new to you, and me. It's definitely a change to go towards more natural eating. Don't get discouraged! You may have to try new grocery stores, but it's totally worth it. I would recommend going to a health food store, something other than Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. A smaller health food store usually makes finding new items easier, plus the staff tends to be knowledgeable and helpful. Am I totally in California or can I assume that there are health food stores in most areas of the US? Anyway, feel free to post if you want advice on where to find an item.

3)PANTRY: A few of the cookbooks I have used have a pantry suggestion, so I'll just tell you what I like to have on hand:

diced tomatoes (the bigger can the better, they stay in the fridge for at least a week)

miso paste

sesame seed oil

rice vinegar

soy sauce or tamari

oils, olive, safflower, peanut

dried beans-black, pinto, lentils

canned beans, for emergencies :) black, kidney , garbanzos

frozen berries

rice, quinoa, wild rice

almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans

rice noodles

sea vegetable mix (I like rising tide sea vegetables)

coconut milk, rice milk

vegetable stock or cubes (get ones with out MSG)

seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower

spices: chili powder, cumin, curry powder, red chili flakes, turmeric,

garlic, onions, shallots,

fresh vegetables

fresh herbs-cilantro, basil, mint, parsley

fresh peppers and roots: ginger, jalepenos, seranos

lemons and limes

potatoes and sweet potatoes (store in a cool dry place, they'll keep for a while)

tofu, tempeh

peanut butter (ORGANIC! I know it's way more expensive but they use tons of pesticides on conventional peanuts. Or, almond butter or other nut butter is a good alternative)

dried coconut

dried fruti-cranberries, apricots, dates (sometimes)

Miso Tofu Scramble

I've been under the weather for the last two days. I detest being sick. Really, it's probably my pride that makes a cold twice as bad. I hate calling in sick to work like I did today, but really, I need to chill out and take a day off. So today I did. And as the morning goes on and I'm gaining energy, I realize I need food. So, what do I do in a pinch? Tofu frickin scramble. I love this meal; it's so comforting and simple and filling. Today, I was craving miso (a mug of miso is a healthy, filling, cheap and easy snack by the way), but wanted more than soup, so I went for it and tried Miso Tofu Scramble. Here it is:

2 tsp safflower oil, or whatever you have

1/4 onion, diced

10-14oz tofu, pressed (even if just in between your hands over the sink)

1 zucchini, diced

2 carrots, shredded

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup pinto beans (or black)

1- 1 1/2 tablespoon miso paste (organic if possible)

1/2 tsp soy sauce or tamari

1 tsp water

2 tsp gomashio (see recipe below)

green onion, cilantro, basil for garnish

1. Heat a medium (cast iron :0) skillet over medium high

2. Add onions, saute til they begin to soften

3. Add tofu. Leave on medium high for 5-10 minutes, until the tofu has turned light brown, then stir and let sit again for 5-10 minutes.

4. Add zucchini and carrots, stir fry for 3-5 minutes.

5. Add the beans, chopping them up a little with the spatula,

6. Mix the water, miso paste and tamari or soy sauce, stir in well

7. Garnish with green onion, cilantro, basil and gomashio

Gomashio:

1/2 cup toasted sesames (dry roast in a pan until light brown, or in an oven safe dish in a toaster oven

1/2 tsp salt

Blend in food processor

This will safe for months in an air tight container in the fridge. Some people think this is similar to parmesan cheese, I would be one of those.

Sweet Potato Enchiladas

My friend Meggie just sent me some knives for my birthday, SWEET! And as I was thinking of her I thought of these amazing potato and kale enchiladas we made over christmas.  But then I realized I had neither kale nor the chilis I needed for that recipe, so I branched out and tried a similar recipe, behold,

 Sweet Potato Enchiladas

2 large sweet potatoes, washed and diced  (I don't peel, but you can)

1 tbl safflower oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 fresh hot chili, minced (I went for serranos, but it was spicy)

2 cups pinto beans (black would work too)

2 cups diced tomatoes

1-2 tbl chili powder

1/8 cup nutritional yeast

salt and pepper 

2 cups fresh salsa or your favorite (my recipe below)

10-12 corn tortillas

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 chopped fresh cilantro 

avocado slices

This is my take on a recipe I found in Vegan Planet, by Robin Robertson. It was delicious! 

1. Preheat oven to 400, bake sweet potatoes (single layer) in a lightly oiled baking pan for 20 minutes. set aside.

2. Lower oven to 350. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add garlic and serranos, cook, stirring until fragrant (30 seconds).  Add beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, chili powder, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes

3. Spread a thin layer of salsa in a lightly oiled baking dish

4. Heat corn tortillas over the burner (gas or electric both work) and stuff with filling mixture. Place seem side down in baking and repeat until almost all filing is used. Spread the remaining filling and salsa over the top of enchiladas.

5. Bake 20-30 minutes, garnish with cilantro, avocado and onion.

Fresh Salsa

2-3 tomatoes, diced

1/2 chili, minced

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/8 cup chopped cilantro

salt

lime or lemon (or neither sometimes)

PHO

Oh man, I am OBSESSED with Pho(a vietnamese noodle soup). My friend Shawna shares the same addiction, so we talk about and eat Pho as much as possible. Pho, in Reno, by Target is my favorite place to eat out. I've gotten into the habit of doubling the broth when I make it, so that I can eat pho for days and days. I use this recipe from elliemay.com for the broth. When buying spices (ie the star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves), it's definitely worth it to buy in bulk if possible. Both the New Moon in Tahoe City and Truckee have bulk spice sections. Here's what I put in the soup:

cooked rice noodles

bok choy

broccoli

carrots

mushrooms (sometimes)

fried tofu

green onions

whole cilantro and basil leaves

bean sprouts

lime wedges

sriachi

To make the fried tofu, first press the tofu for up to an hour. I place the tofu between two small plates and put something heavy on the top plate. Even if you only have 10 minutes, it helps. Slice the tofu into 1/8-1/4 inch rectangles or triangles, roll in cornstarch and fry in earth balance (or other butter alternative) until VERY crispy. It usually takes me 15-20 minutes.

Chop vegetables and steam. Garnish soup with the lime, bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro and basil. ENJOY!

Holy Hearty Chili

Chili. Whenever I think about making soup, I don't get that excited. Maybe it's because it seems like a last resort. But, I do love eating it, and I mostly love that there are always leftovers. My sister, Shauna, keeps telling me about her awesome lentil chili; so, last night I finally made some:

1 tbl oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1-2 carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1-2 jalepenos, chopped (with the seeds)

3 small potatoes, skins on, cubed

5 cups water

1 1/2 cup dried lentils (rinsed and picked over)

1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes

3 tbls chili powder

1 tbl curry powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup quinoa

2 cups cooked beans (I used pintos)

Garnish:

avocado, green onion, srirachi sauce

Heat a large pot over medium heat, add oil, onions, carrots and celery. Cover and cook until they begin to soften (5-8 minutes). Add garlic, jalepenos and potatoes. Cook for a few more minutes. Add water, lentils, diced tomatoes and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Add quinoa, simmer another 20 minutes. Add beans and adjust seasoning. Top with sliced avocado, green onion, and hot sauce, if you like. Oh, and cornbread :)

green schmuey

My dad used to make us something he called "schmuey", which doesn't resemble my recipe in anyway. I vaguely remember the stuff, but it was usually something you could eat with either a fork or a spoon, which is maybe why I think of this dish as "shmuey". Anyway, I somewhat followed a recipe in "How it all Vegan", by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer, a cook book I love. Here it goes:

2 tsp safflower oil (that's my oil of choice these days, but any high heat oil is fine)

1/4 large red onion, roughly diced

4 stalks celery, sliced

6 oz ish of tofu, cubed

1/2 green bell pepper, roughly chopped

1 head broccoli, chopped, separate stems from heads (hint, use more of the stalk than usual)

1 1/2 cup spinach , torn

3 stalks kale, chopped

4-5 0z cooked wide rice noodles*

sauce:

2 tbs miso paste ( I used red)

3 tbs soy sauce or tamari

2 tbs water

1 tbs vice vinegar

1 tbs sesame oil

2 tbs ginger (minced or grated)

garnish:

green onions

toasted sesame seeds (toast in an oven safe dish in a toaster oven, or dry roast in a frying pan)

Heat a cast iron pan (really they are the best, get one, it will change your life), over medium high, add the celery, onions and tofu. Stir fry until the tofu begins to golden, 10 minutes or so. Add the bell pepper and broccoli stems, stir fry for 7 minutes. Add the broccoli heads, 3 minutes. Add spinach and kale and stir fry 'til they soften and mix in. Reduce heat. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together and pour over the vegetables. Add the rice noodles and stir until all noodles are covered. Top with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

*These are your basic asian rice noodles, I find them at New Moon or Reno Asian Supermarket. They should also be available at Whole Foods or any health food store. I cook them for about 7 minutes, make sure to stir once in awhile, or they will stick. Drain and rinse. Set aside until needed. Also, these noodles stay in the refrigerator so if you see yourself using them again in the next 5 days, make a bunch.

grocery shopping

I love grocery shopping. I do. Maybe it's because I start fantasizing about all the wonderful food I'm going to make, or maybe it's because I like to see, touch, talk about, taste and hang out with food more than anything else on this planet. I'm not a quick shopper, in fact I like to take my time. I rarely make lists, but when I do I stick to them. Today I went to New Moon Natural Foods in Tahoe City. I heart New Moon. The staff is always friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Their produce is 100% organic and local. And today I had a list:
pecans, almonds, walnuts,
nutritional yeast
carrots,celery, zucchini, kale, cucumber
quinoa
diced tomatoes
tofu
agave nectar
garbanzo beans

I accomplished my list, minus the agave nectar (they were out) and the dried garbanzo beans (not sure if they carry them). My total came to $41.13. I felt good about that, considering $15 went to the nuts, which are expensive. I usually buy nuts about once a month, so we'll see how long those last.

Yesterday I went to Safeway and bought:
broccoli,
bananas
rice milk
tofu
onions
spinach
heirloom tomatoes

which came to $19.31. My goal is to spend $100 a week or less for both Jesse and I to eat. Week one is off to a good start.

Twice baked potatoes and steamed broccoli

Dinner tonight was simple, with a little extra. Here's how I made this. Not so sure about the picture, but I'll take it for my first post.

Bake your potatoes.

Scoop the inside out of the potatoes and mix using an electric mixer with:
(for 6 small potatoes)
1 tbs earth balance (or other butter alternative)
1/8 cup tofu
1/2 cup spinach
1/8 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbs pesto (blend fresh herbs, olive oil, almonds ,garlic and salt)
salt and pepper

spoon the potatoes back in to their skins and top with gomashio. Which is:
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/2-1 tsp salt
Blend in a food processor.

Put the potatoes back in the oven til warm, and broil if desired. Serve with steamed broccoli.

Feb 1st- Tofu French toast

With this fabulous birthday month of mine upon us, I've decided to do an experiment and put my big ideals to the test.  I'll keep track of all expenses food related and also buy mostly vegan and organic items.  I say mostly vegan and organic because that's how I'm am... so that's how my experiment will go.  

I'll keep track of the items I buy and also share the recipes I make this month. I started this morning off with Tofu French toast. YUM. My mom made this when we had our six week vegan stint as a kid. It was pretty much the only item off our new, ultra healthy menu that I really LOVED.  It's so simple.

In a blender/ food processor:

1 cup tofu 

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (rice, soy, almond, coconut etc....)

1 tsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp other spices (nutmeg, cardamom, cloves)

6-8 slices whole grain bread

Preheat a cast iron pan (or the heaviest bottomed pan you have) on med-high. Pour the mixture into a shallow plate, place 3 slices of bread in the tofu mix and let soak for 1-2 minutes. Turn over, soak for a few seconds and then place in the lightly oiled pan. Cook on med-high for 3-5 minutes or until goldent brown, flip and cook for 1-3 minutes.Top with earth balance and maple syrup.