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.