Veggies and Beanz

Not just for decoration...

2010-11-15T17:16:00.000-08:00

Growing up, I loved the way my house looked from October through January. Where there was once boring old empty space, during these months there was suddenly an array of holiday decorations. It was generally about this time of the year that the Halloween/Fall decorations were put away and the Christmas decor would begin to emerge from the depths of the basement. Yes. I know it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. My mom is cuckoo for Christmas ; )

Anyway, what I didn't know then was that all of those crazy gourds and squash that were displayed around the house should NOT have been disposed of when the time came to replace them. They should have gone straight into the oven and then into my mouth. Fall and winter squash are AMAZING. This weekend I tried one of the great recipes that Eating Well featured on these babies... Sunday breakfast= baked apple waffles

Quick lunch before Sunday errands

Along with the squash we had a couscous and cabbage dish (recipe also from Eating Well). I was so consumed with the squash though that I forgot to snap a pic : \

Sliced squash and red onion courtesy of Patrick. Fall veggies may be yummy but you sure need some muscles to cut them up.

o0o0o0o0o the colors!

Delicata squash and red onion in maple dijon sauce. SUCCESS!

Ok. I'm off to think of same way I can eat the Christmas decorations before January roles around...

Crispy "UnChicken" Craving

2010-11-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

Yes I realize I am a reading teacher who should know better than to add random prefixes to the names of various meats but I could think of no better title for today's post. Today I had a fierce and persistent craving for what can only be described as Crispy "UnChicken."

You see, it all started on Saturday...

I was returning from the annual special education teacher conference in Houston and found myself faced with a vegan's worst nightmare: airport dining. Luckily, I found a place called "Healthy Bistro" in one of the terminals (mind you it was not anywhere NEAR our gate and involved me running down many a moving walkway to get my food and still make our flight). Anyway, the so called healthy bistro did not have ANY vegetarian options but I was able to put together a ho-hum meal with their brown rice and steamed veggie sides.

When I got back to our gate (sweaty and disheveled from the Terminal Marathon), my coworkers and I had a few minutes to gobble our food before boarding the plane back to New Jersey. I was not particularly happy about my dinner selection and felt even more sorry for myself when one of my fellow teachers whipped out a Wendy's crispy chicken sandwich right across the aisle. These were my absolute FAVORITE before my adventures in clean eating began and I'll admit, I am still not completely immune to the powers of Value Meal Number 7. I munched on my brown rice but secretly wished I was the one holding the toxic but DREAMY fast food dinner...

When I awoke this morning, I knew that at least part of my day off (thank you Veteran's Day Observance) would be spent trying to find a way to satisfy my craving for something crispy and fried.

I spent the morning doing some work on the couch. While I did manage to get in some apple cider oats and a quick trip to the gym, the UnChicken recipe was never far from my mind.

Apple Cider Oats

1 small red apples
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup apple cider
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup almond milk

1. Slice apples into 1/2 inch chunks. Heat apple chunks in medium sauce pan with cider and pie spice until apples begin to soften (approximately 5 minutes).

2. Add oats and milk. Simmer 3-4 minutes. Top with nut butter of choice ; )

By the time dinner rolled around, I had a game plan.

Crispy UnChicken

1 block extra firm tofu (pressed and drained)
3 cups sweet and crunchy whole grain cereal of choice
1/4 cup spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Egg substitute powder
Cooking oil of choice (I used olive oil because that is what we had)

1. Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick strips. Sprinkle strips with sea salt.

2. Use a food processor to grind cereal. Mix cereal with flour and cayenne pepper.

3. Coat tofu strips with egg susbtitute mixture (prepare mixture according to package directions).

3. Toss sticky tofu strips in cereal/flour mixture.

4. "Fry" in a small amount of hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Mmmmm... crispy!

My plate = Crispy UnChicken with green beans and homemade mashed taters

While I know I will still sometimes dream of my old Value Meal pal, this meal was delicious (way better than the airport brown rice and steamed veggies). Plus, my body felt healthy and nourished after eating- a far cry from the nastiness I used to feel after scarfing my fast food favorite.

Boston Veg Fest!

2010-11-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

So this past weekend I gave in to the intense feelings of homesickness that always seem to creep up around this time of year and made the trek up to New Hampshire. I'll admit, when Friday afternoon rolled around and the kiddos poured out of the school building, I almost collapsed. Getting in the car to travel for 4 hours hardly seemed appealing. However, I knew a cozy house, changing leaves, family and friends awaited on the other side. So, with pumpkin latte in hand, into the passenger seat I went- thanks for driving honey ; )

The trip was well worth it. Not only did I get to spend time with my family and TIA, the Boston vegetarian festival was also happening just a short drive away. A whole convention center filled with vegetarian goodies = one excited Beanz!

Ken and Tia sampling the toast with almond butter

We were very excited about the hummus table...

YUM!

We were all cracking up about this T-Shirt. Especially because Patrick just happened to have a belly full of breakfast bacon...

THE PEANUT BUTTER TABLE!!!!

Some people like 6 packs of beer. Others like 6 packs of peanut butter.... Yes, we bought the MONDO sized gift package. Gift? I think not. That's all mine baby!

My mom is turned around to listen to my inspirational speech on the joys of Dark Chocolate Dreams. She was convinced and purchases were made.

Heaven

Apparently I was so excited I had some sort of seizure?

I recovered...

Mary's Gone Pretzels

I LOVE their crackers so when I saw they also make curried flavored pretzels I was very excited- Patrick had to mow over a line of hungry vegans to retrieve this sample for me. Seriously.

When we returned from the festival it was time for some Halloween Traditions. Let the Pumpkin carving BEGIN!

Notice the slight rash on the back of Bartholomew the pumpkin. Not sure what he picked up in the pumpkin patch but I hope they make some sort of cream for that... Now that's a way to scare the trick or treaters folks!

Don't look so shocked that I actually put my hands in the pumpkin goo...

Pumpkin goo is worth it if there is a promise of snacks in the future...

The final touches

LIGHT IT UP!

Oooooh spooky.

Enough of the pumpkin bat with the rash. Where's the food?

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds = DELICIOUS Halloween movie treat

Scared Shrekless anyone?

GOALS

2010-10-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

So as you can probably tell from my sparse postings these past few weeks, I have not been doing so great with my goals for work/life balance lately. I suppose this is to be expected. It wouldn't make sense to set goals for yourself that are easy to achieve ( I guess it also doesn't make sense then to put things on your to-do list that you have already done just so you can check them off? Oops).

While finding time to eat right and exercise have been challenging for me this month, I have not thrown in the towel. I know you were worried that I have been sitting in my closet eating Red Vines, peanut butter cups and pork chops all week but FEAR NOT. Before going vegan and committing to a healthful lifestyle, a few set backs would have sent me running for a box of E.L. Fudge cookies. I used to truly believe that if "I couldn't do it right, I shouldn't do it all." I believed that complete perfection was the only way and I consistently failed to reach the impossible bar I had set.

Now, even when things get busy, I try to remember that BALANCE not perfection is my ultimate goal. It is unfortunate that many of my meals this week came from an Amy's frozen vegan dinner box and that I didn't get to the gym everyday. It also isn't great that I haven't had tons of time for the things I enjoy such as yoga and blogging. However, it is not the end of the world.

Yesterday, I was working with one of my students who is not doing so well this year. He has a learning disability which often means he has to work twice as hard as his classmates in order to achieve success. I talked to him at Saturday school about the fact that he needs to be reading more consistently in order to grow his reading level and improve his grades. I talked way too much (as teachers sometimes tend to do). When I was finally done, I looked at him to see what his thoughts were on the situation.

He looked back at me (probably relieved that I had finally shutup) and then informed me that he already knew he needed to read more in order to reach his goal. "I have already finished two books this week," he told me proudly.

I didn't think much of the conversation at the time. It is one I have had many times over. My students often encounter setbacks and then they decide to work harder. Then they encounter more setbacks. Then they work harder. And harder. And harder. They know that if they want to achieve anything worthwhile that they will meet many struggles along the way...

As is the case with most of my moments of clarity, this student helped me to remember something important... I have not failed. I just need to work harder if I want to reach my goals. So this weekend, I tried to recommit to my goals for healthful living and work/life balance.

First, I tried to recommit to eating fun, nourishing, humane food by dining at an NYC vegan restaurant called Candle 79. The food was AMAZING and definitely inspired me to get back in the kitchen to cook up something creative ; )

My dinner:

MOROCCAN SPICED CHICKPEA CAKE
seasonal vegetables, red pepper-coconut curry, ginger-apricot-date chutney, toasted almonds

Patrick's dinner:

BUTTERNUT SQUASH-WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO
cashew cream, pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs,
frizzled leeks

Side of broccoli and cauliflower

More dessert

I know what you're thinking... how does eating at a nice restaurant equal working hard? Well no worries. The next morning I woke up to some Fall Oats (with pumpkin granola and apple cider) and then headed out the door to do some ACTUAL work. I did the longest run I have done in quite some time and it felt GREAT. It made me think about setting some other goals...

Marathon maybe? Stay tuned...

Stretching the Weekend

2010-10-17T15:10:00.001-07:00

I knew this weekend was going to feel short because I was assigned to run detention on Friday afternoon AND we had our first week of Saturday school. This meant I had only 36 hours to relax and refresh for the upcoming work week. Rather than spending this time running around like a crazy person doing errands, school work and stuff here at home, I decided to maximize the potential of this limited time off. I crammed as many weekend pleasures into my day as I possibly could. Thus, I spent the day...

1. Sleeping in

2. Taking a nice long morning run

3. Baking pumpkin bread AND apple crisp (see below)

4. ~~Watching the oven and drooling~~ Waiting patiently for my treats to cook

5. Sipping a Starbucks coffee with one shot pumpkin pie syrup and soy milk... yummm

6. Reading a good book

7. Enjoying a hot lunch with my hubby

Vegetable Chowder:

4 jerusalem artichokes (washed, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks)
1 medium potato (washed, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks)
3 ears of corn (remove kernels from husks)
2 leeks (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
6 cups water
Earth Balance
1 cup plain soy milk
salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare all vegetables for cooking. Jerusalem artichokes are ~~a pain in the butt~~ a fun challenge so leave plenty of time for this (see the funny, peel resistant shape below).

2. Saute leeks in butter. Add garlic and jerusalem artichokes. Cook on medium for approximately 5 minutes of until artichokes/garlic become fragrant and leeks tender.

3. Add water and potatoes. Simmer for 25 minutes. Add corn. Simmer an additional 5 minutes.

4. Remove 3/4 of the soup and puree. Leave remaining 1/4 in its originally chunky state. Mix back together.

5. Add milk and salt/pepper. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Stirring occassionally.

6. Serve with a dallop of Tofutti Sour Cream.

Sunday Apple Crisp:

4 apples (peeled, cored and diced)

1 cup apple cider

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups oats

2 cups spelt flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon nutmeg

3/4 cup Earth Balance

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

2/3 cup maple syrup

1. Preheat over to 350.

2. Place diced apples in 9" baking pan.

3. Heat apple cider until boiling. Stir in cornstarch, vanilla extract and salt. Allow to simmer 3-4 minutes.

4. Pour cider mixture over apples.

5. Dry-roast oats, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg for 5 minutes on medium heat.

6. Meanwhile melt butter and syrups together in sauce span.

7. Pour melted mixture over oats. Mix thoroughly.

8. Pour topping over apple/cider in baking pan.

9. Cover with tin foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and allow to bake another 15 minutes.

Tofu you say?

2010-10-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

While tofu is not my favorite vegan protein (I usually prefer beans or my selection of revered nut butters), the white chunky stuff below does occassionally make an appearance in my cooking. I have been known to enjoy a tofu scramble or slow-cooked barbeque tofu sandwich every now and then ; )

Despite my creative tofu preparation, I have not quite been able to convince the non-vegans in my life that tofu truly does have potential... until now. This week I prepared two tofu based dishes that were a hit with vegans and non-vegans alike (mostly me and Patrick- I don't get out much).

Spicy Chinese Tofu Stir Fry with Noodles:

1 block firm tofu (drained, pressed and cubed)
1/2 package soba noodles
2 cups green beans (washed and chopped in half)
1/4 cup organic soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
Cornstarch
Olive oil

1. Coat uncooked tofu blocks in cornstarch.

2. Saute in 1 tablespoon olive oil until pieces begin to brown. Remove from oil (about 5 minutes on each side).

3. While tofu is cooking, prepare soba noodles according to package directions.

3. Saute beans in remaining oil with crushed garlic until bright green and still slightly crispy. Add water as necessary.

4. While beans are cooking, prepare sauce by mixing water, soy sauce, tomato paste, agave, vinegar, red pepper and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.

5. When beans are done, pour the sauce over the beans and add tofu to the mixture. Serve over soba noodles.

Just in case you thought this tofu success was a one time deal, meet dish #2. This one required significantly less preparation but was certainly a hit with Patrick.

Tofu sausage on Rudi's Organic Wheat Buns

Topped with sauteed green peppers, jerusalem artichokes and cheese (dairy or vegan) of choice

*Quick note: I realize I have been posting a little less frequently now that I am in the midst of the busy school year. I am ok with this considering my main reason for starting this blog was to help maintain BALANCE. Obsessing over making sure I post hardly felt aligned with this goal. However, I have committed to posting at least 3 times per week. I think this will help me to keep healthy living at the front of my mind without making me pull my hair out because I forgot to snap a pic of my PB & J...

Don't forget about me. I'll still be here eating Veggies & Beanz : )

Traaaaaaadition. TRADITION!

2010-10-11T05:13:00.000-07:00

Growing up, we had many family traditions around the holiday season. For Halloween we often hosted parties at the house complete with crazy costumes and yummy foods. The day after Halloween we decked the house out for Christmas while singing along to Dolly Parton and Kenny Roger's Holiday best (who says November 1st is too early?) On Christmas Eve, we saw a movie and went out for Chinese before heading to church. For 4th of July, we headed down to my uncle's house in VA where we would buy our own fireworks and put on a show in the driveway.

*The title of this post reflects one family tradition of ours that I have not yet mentioned. It may or may not involve an overplayed Fiddler on the Roof soundtrack.

Now that I am married, my family traditions have merged with Patrick's and we have started to develop our own hybrid from these memories. Here is a peek at some of our favorites from this weekend (thanks to both loving families for the inspiration).

1. Friday Taco Night (matched only by Friday Pizza Night)

2. Dinner and a movie (movie a la Netflix- dinner served at the coffee table)

This squash smelled so yummy it was hard not to just eat it by the spoonful right out of the oven : \

Creamy Cumin & Chili Squash Soup with Tomato-Basil-Kale Grilled Cheese

3. Pumpkin/Apple Picking (followed by Hot Apple Cider and donuts of course!)

Uh-oh! I think one of those pumpkins went rotten ; )

These little ones were much more my style.

Our prized pumpkin. Patrick named him Bartholomew. Carving pictures to come (shhhh don't tell Barth).

Misinterpreted

2010-10-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

This morning, my good friend Kiirsten forwarded me an article from Marie Claire called The Hunger Diaries. The article has caused quite the controversy in the food blogger world. I’ll give you the gist of it. The authors make the claim that many food blogs similar to my own claim to be about healthy living, but are in fact broadcasting a new form of disordered eating:

But behind the cutesy titles and sloganeering (Summit motto: "Bloggers for a Balanced Lifestyle") lies an arguably unhealthy obsession with food, exercise, and weight. The blogs' pages of meticulous food photographs and descriptions are often updated several times a day and immediately dissected by readers. A typical morning post documents breakfast with a photo and description—say, a smoothie of raw spinach and rice milk—followed by an afternoon report on the day's herculean exercise and an evening update on perfectly portioned snacks and dinner. Pare once chased a 10-mile run with a flourless, low-fat, black-bean "brownie." Boyle ran 22 miles and, after a day of light eating, signed off with, "I am so hungry!"

I felt the article was biased and took many quotes from these blogs out of context. None of the writers featured post every single thing they eat each day. Also, their emphasis is not on dieting or weight loss bur rather healthful, balanced living (similar to this one).

Though I obviously agree that blogs which promote disordered eating are an issue, I don’t think this particular article focused on these problematic sites. Instead, it targeted blogs that I believe present a very balanced approach. Perhaps healthy living food bloggers like myself are a little more “obsessed with healthy eating and exercise” than the average American. Is that a bad thing though? In a country struggling with an obesity epidemic, could we stand to be a little more obsessed? We are surrounded by advertisements everyday that enforce unhealthy habits- perhaps it is good that the counter movement is growing in intensity?

I think the article unfairly accuses some of these food bloggers of endorsing starvation diets and exercise dependence. I read many of the blogs mentioned and they all seem to promote a very balanced lifestyle. Reading the article made me wonder if my own words, thoughts and pictures could be misinterpreted…

I’m hoping people will comment and share their thoughts because I found the whole article very unsettling.

Way back when...

2010-10-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

So It has been awhile since my last post and I have many stories (and yummy foods) to share with you all. Way back when, on Thursday evening, I accidentally left my computer charger at school. It had been an unexpectedly late night. I was caught in a meeting until almost 9 and had not brought any dinner with me that day. The result = too many Red Vines for dinner. Somebody brought them to the meeting and I could NOT resist. So bad but oh soooo good.

Only one problem with my Red Vine binge. I get migraines. My migraines are triggered by lack of sleep and excess sugar. Usually this is not a problem because though I don't get tons of sleep, I rarely ever eat sugar. Except for when someone brings Red Vines to a meeting...

Needless to say I awoke Friday morning with a debilitating migraine and spent the day locked in a dark room. Fun stuff. Luckily by nightfall the pain had subsided and I felt up to some cooking. Homemade veggies calzones are a great way to recover : ) I would have posted these earlier so you could enjoy them over the weekend but in my vine-induced sugar haze, I forgot my charger at school on Thursday and was out sick Friday.

Chopped tomatoes and brocollini for filling

Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough rolled and topped with veggies and basil

All wrapped up and ready to get cooking!

Calzone with marinara and celery sticks

The cheesy guts

If you could read my thoughts here you would know I was wondering what a Red Vine filled calzone would taste like- some people never learn...

Dipping action!

Sadly, no Red Vines for dessert. Instead I enjoyed a favorite treat from way back when...
ICE CREAM SANDWICH

This one had an adult/vegan twist with coconut cream filling and mint leaves on top. Yummm!

The next day, Patrick and I drove up to MA for homecoming weekend. Above is a picture of us in front of our Junior year dormitory. Way back when, this is where we met. Patrick lived below me and I couldn't stand the fact that his heavy metal music kept me up all night. I would like to say that once we started dating, I didn't mind the loud music anymore and I thought his late night Metallic habit was cute... nope. Not there yet.

For dinner, I grabbed dinner with my sister (now a fellow alum) at Moe's. Southwestern Grill. Way back when I used to order the Homewrecker burritto. It was stuffed with cheese, sour cream and guacamole and was roughly the size of my thigh. Thank you Moe's for helping me achieve the Freshman 15. This time, I opted for a lighter choice: Whole grain burritto filled with beans and veggies (sans rice, cheese and sour cream).

After a night of visiting with old friends and traveling to some way back when favorite places, Patrick and I met my mom and Ken for lunch on Sunday. We went to one of my favorite restaurants in the area, The Flying Rhino. I was excited to see some vegan choices on the menu! It seems like more and more places have this option these days : )

Szechuan veggie stirfry with rice

When we got back home after our trip, I was feeling especially nostalgic so I decided to have a go at a way back when favorite food: Au Gratin Potatoes. My mom used to make these all the time and my sister and I LOVED them. I would turn my nose up at homemade mashed potatoes in favor of this boxed-cheesy-goodness. Unfortunately, these are neither vegan nor very healthy. My version was equally as tasty but came without the added fat and chemicals.

Au Gratin Leeks & Turnips:

4 turnips (peeled and thinly sliced)

1 cup sliced leeks

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons spelt flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1 cup shredded vegan cheese (I used a mix of Daiya Cheddar and Galaxy Mozzarella)

1. Boil a pot of water. Add turnips. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

2. In the meantime, saute leeks in oil until tender.

3. Add salt, flour, pepper, milk and water (from turnip pot) to the leeks. Cook on medium high until mixture begins to thicken.

4. Add cheese and mix thoroughly until fully melted.

5. Drain turnips and add to cheesy mixture.

Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs with homemade vegan gravy (recipe to come)

Not from a box or a Red Vine bag but delicious nevertheless ; )

Moldy Muffins

2010-09-29T18:17:00.001-07:00

So this morning I was excited to have some muffins for breakfast. Unfortunately, this is what I found...Of course I had not left enough time to actually make breakfast, so I grabbed the only other alternative I could slap together in 30 seconds in order to make it to work on time- a sesame bagel with Tofutti Cream Cheese. It was yummy but had way more calories than my usual breakfast and was also, just not that satisfying. Without my warm oats and peanut butter my tummy was growling by 9:30am. Not all calories are created equal I suppose...

My day at work was especially long and exhausting, but I did survive and made it home in time for some veggie quesadillas. I filled them with lentils, greens, banana peppers & Daiya cheddar : )

I tried I new treat for dessert. If you like coconut you will LOVE these. So good, they almost made up for my tainted muffins...

67439876279

2010-09-28T17:26:00.000-07:00

Let's let the numbers tell the story...

517 The time my alarm clock went off this morning

607 The time I actually got out of bed (sorry for the 9x snooze button Patrick)

0 The number of times I showered this morning : \

120 The number of seconds I cooked my pumpkin pie oats in the microwave this morning

Pumpkin Pie Oats:
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla soy milk
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

19 The number of minutes it took me to get to work in the pouring rain

2 The number of times I screamed through the car window at people who blocked my lane near the Holland Tunnel- grrrr

4 The number of times I let out an audible "mmmm" while eating my tofurkey, tempeh wrap for lunch today

1 The number of times I told someone NOT to stick his tongue in the fan today

800,000 The number of words our top 7th grade reader has read this year so far : )

17 The number of minutes it took me to prepare this fried rice and grilled daikon dinner

6 The number of times I nearly chewed my arm off while waiting for it to cook

11 My current stress level on a scale of 1-10 -please excuse the meager post...

Fun Food : )

2010-09-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

Do you remember how fun food was when you were young? If you were lucky like me, after school snacks and lunch boxes were like a present waiting to be opened. I never knew what my mom had written on my napkin or stashed away in the sidepocket for dessert (usually Hershey Kisses). Afterschool, there was always some kind of creative snack waiting for me on the kitchen table.

I think, so often as adults we go about our busy days and forget that snacktime and mealtime are supposed to be fun! They are supposed to be a welcome break from the stress of the day. So go ahead, draw a maple syrup smiley face on your pancakes or swirl your ice cream around in the bowl until you have made chocolate soup... the kid in you will appreciate it : )

Today was a particularly fun day for food:

Whole grain waffles topped with Better'n PB and warm cinnamon apple slices

Hey- what isn't FUN about PEANUT BUTTER??

Midmorning snack = Celery Boats (celery stalks with peanut butter and golden raisins)
I just realized I ate peanut butter twice before 11am. Oops!

For lunch, I enjoyed an old favorite from long ago- a turkey sandwich. Sorry no pic of the actual sandwich. Busy day!

Although this time around it was the vegan version of my childhood favorite, it was equally delicious and reminded me of eating out of my lunchbox back in a middle school cafeteria (oh wait, I WAS eating out of a lunchbox in a middle school cafeteria). Oh life...

Leftover Morrocan Bean Stew, Brussel Sprout Slaw and Plantain Chips

Morrocan Bean Stew:

1 can Amy's Indian Spiced Lentil Soup

1 can chickpeas

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 onion (finely sliced)

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 tablespoon olive oil

1. In a large pot, saute the onions in the olive oil. After they get tender and begin to brown a little, add garlic. Lower heat.

2. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes.

Dinner was delicious and definitely fun to eat. I dipped the plantain chips in both of the other dishes for some finger-food action ; )

Now if you'll excuse me I am off to eat the ultimate fun food- Chocolate Peanut Butter Purely Decadent Vegan ICE CREAM!!!

Game Time!

2010-09-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

So I have to admit, I have never been a football fan. For that matter, I have never been much of a sports fan in general. When I was little, my life was filled with ballet shoes and tutus. You couldn’t have gotten me within two feet of a T-ball or soccer field even if you dragged me by my glitter covered princess tiara (Yes I did wear one of these for a recital once in addition to countless other overpriced costume pieces- thanks mom)

Despite this fact, I have somehow always been involved with sports in some way. My dad loved baseball, basketball & football so my weekend afternoons were very often spent on the couch enjoying some Indian “Hot Mix”(the snack of choice) and a Celtics/Red Sox/Patriots game. As I got older, and began dating, I developed a new appreciation for sports (or perhaps more accurately, the athletes that played them- sorry Patrick). Back then, you could often find me at a Friday night football game. I couldn’t tell you what the score was but I did know that those boys looked very good in their football pants...

When I met Pat, I spent even more time at sporting events. Although I began to be able to follow the games a little better, I was still much more concerned with the cute pitcher I was dating then what inning it was or how many outs there were ; )

Now, I still love game days. I never actually watch the game mind you, but I love making fun, yummy, finger food and curling up on the couch to enjoy some down time. So when Patrick told me that the Giants were playing at 1 today, I got cooking. So what if I read a magazine during 3 out of 4 quarters and didn’t even know who they were playing- I cooked up some great chili nachos and pablano poppers ; )

Apparently it was not a good game for the Giants...

Corn chips with veggie chili and daiya/rice cheese

$100,000,000

2010-09-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

So one of the reasons I started this blog was because I wanted to maintain a sense of balance in my life and prioritize healthy living. I have a job that sometimes becomes more of an all consuming obsession than a job, but I know it is important to make time for hobbies and health : )

That being said, I have to mention something work related...

Today, we did not have students in school because we had a Professional Development Day scheduled. After a few sessions with all the teachers in the network, we watched excitedly as Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook) announced on the Oprah show that he would be awarding Newark, New Jersey's school system with $100,000,000 dollars to support education reform efforts. I am so excited that national attention has been focused on improving education for the children of Newark and so many other children who are currently being CHEATED by a failing system.

Please read more about this and go see Waiting for Superman when it comes out. There is FINALLY an education revolution beginning in our country...

In the spirit of maintaining balance, here are some pictures of the food I ate today (no more work talk).

Strawberry-Banana-Mango Smoothie

Tomatillos from my CSA delivery (played a starring role in my lunch)

Aren't they pretty??

Banana Peppers (also a key part of my lunchtime salad)

Salad with beets, apples, tomatillos, banana peppers, kale, daikon radish, purple carrots and curried cashews

The beets made everything look kind of gross but it was really yummy : )

I met Allison for dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. The pizza and the conversation were the perfect way to start the weekend...

Allison and her buffalo chicken pizza

Roomies!

My Vegetarian Japanese Eggplant Pizza sans cheese

Tomorrow we are taking our students on a field trip so I will be waking up bright and early (I would give you some details but I promised no more work talk). Sweet dreams!

Soul Food

2010-09-22T17:49:00.000-07:00

I am going to head to bed early tonight. After our Soul Food dinner last night (pictures below) I stayed up much later than my usual bedtime. As a result, I felt kind of run down and sleepy all day. But let me tell you... the food last night was well worth it. I ate the leftovers for dinner tonight ; )
I was down to the last few bites of my almond butter this morning which was sad but an almost finished nut butter = BREAKFAST IN A JAR! I am sure I have raved about this before but eating cereal or oatmeal from a near empty almond/peanut butter jar is amazing. You get some of the flavor in every bite. Yummm.

Lunch was some Sweet Beet Salad and some leftover vegan pizza. I ate it while walking around the cafeteria on lunch duty : \

Can you truly engage in "mindful eating" when you are busy telling middle schoolers "not to pour milk and skittles into their ziti and dare someone else to eat it?" I think not...

Though these dinner pictures are from last night, I didn't get a chance to share them with you then. Plus, tonight was only leftovers of this same meal anyway.

Pat's plate = corn bread, spinach, whipped sweet potatoes, pumpkin risotto and buttermilk fried chicken

Vegan soul food = pumpkin risotto and greens : )

Just as good the second time around ; )

Beet It!

2010-09-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

Today I left work early for a doctor's appointment- I had to have some tests done. Though everything turned out COMPLETELY fine (no worries)... I had a nervous stomach all day in anticipation so I didn't eat anything worth posting.

Do you eat when you're nervous? If so, what?? I usually want baked goods or something else equally sweet and carb filled. If that is not available, I can't stomach much else when I have the butterflies. I think baked good are only an exception because I could propbably manage to choke those down no matter what. Stomach flu? Carrot cake? No problem!

Anyway, once I found out everything was ok, I was in a cooking mood and my tummy began to rumble again. When I got home I decided to try something with the beets from my CSA delivery.

Afternoon Snack= Sweet Beet Salad

4-5 beets
2 green apples
olive oil
mustard

1. Cut roots from beets and clean thoroughly. Do not peel. Cut into quarters.
2. Toss beets in olive oil and cook for 35 minutes at 350.
3. Chop apples. Toss apples with dijon mustard.
4. Chop cooked beets and add to apples. Mix together.

I love the way the beets make everything turn pink- including my hands after preparing this : \

The result was an amazing blend of sweet and tart flavors. I already have a 2nd helping packed for lunch tomorrow!

To celebrate my successful appointment, Pat and I are ordering from a new restaurant that takes a modern approach to Soul Food. They also have some vegan and vegetarian options. Soul food for Beanz?? Soooo excited.

I am getting the pumpkin risotto with collard greens and spinach. Pat ordered fried chicken and whipped sweet potatoes. I can hardly wait! I have a feeling I will be in a mild food coma after this meal so I thought I'd post now. Stay tuned for pictures tomorrow!

If you haven't taken a moment to celebrate your health today make sure you do- a special treat may even be in order- you're worth it : )

Apples & Acorns

2010-09-20T17:42:00.001-07:00

Maybe it was the brisk hike we took this weekend. Maybe it was the fact that I had to wear a sweater at work today and clutch my herbal tea cup all morning. Or maybe it was the fact that it is starting to be dark even when I get out of work early (grrrr- not happy about that one). Whatever it is, I am beginning to feel Fall in my bones : )

My body is definitely ready for the colder weather. I can tell because I have reeeeally been craving my favorite Fall foods lately.
This morning I started with an especially Fall-ish bowl of oatmeal.

Apple Cider Oats:

1/4 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup apple cider

1/2 chopped apple

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon almond butter

Cook all ingredients (except almond butter) in microwave or on the stovetop according to oat package directions. Top with almond butter!

During lunch today I had girl's group again and I got so caught up in conversation that I forgot to snap a picture. It was just leftover Corn Soup anyway. Boring but so yummy and hearty!

For dinner I had my eye on another Fall favorite that I recieved in my CSA delivery. ACORN SQUASH! My Aunt Barbara used to cook these for my family all the time and so the flavor brings to mind cozy home cooked dinners. Do you have any foods that bring to mind comforting memories of home??

The uncooked squash

Squash filling

Added greens

The squash "bowl"

Filled with vegetable soup and topped with crumbled corn bread

Loving the colors!

My other favorite Fall flavor is PUMPKIN so stay tuned for some pumpkin-y dishes!

Milkshakes, Hot Dogs & Pizza!

2010-09-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking. You read the title of the post and thought... "WTF! I thought this was a healthy living blog." But, I always try to remember that being good to my body and living a balanced lifestyle means enjoying fun foods as long as I opt for a version that won't hurt the environment, other living creatures or my body : )

On Saturday, Pat and I went for a 7 mile hike and then enjoyed dinner and drinks with his aunt and uncle. It was a lovely day/evening but I unfortunately forgot to take pictures. It must have been the bear-like hunger we worked up around mile 5 that clouded my thoughts and made me forget to whip out the camera pre-meal. Apologies.

On Sunday, Pat and I had plans to go to a Mets game. One of my best friends when I was growing up currently works for the team and she offered to get us tickets. I was so excited to see the game and reconnect with an amazing friend. Anway, our impending trip to the stadium had Pat blabbering away about the Shake Shack we would be visiting. Although Citi Field did have tons of options for me, I figured there would probably not be a vegan choice at the Shack so I decided to take matters into my own hands. Thus, the breakfast milkshake was born.

Strawberry Breakfast Milkshake

1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1 scoop vanilla brown rice protien powder

When we arrived at Citi Field I immediately began searching for the Veggie Dogs I had read about. My friend Stephanie sent me a list of the vegetarian options at the stadium beforehand and this one had caught my eye ; )

When we found our seats, I chowed down. Our seats were so close to the field... Steph really hooked us up. I had to make sure I didn't get too into my hot dog or I could have easily been hit by one of the many foul balls that came our way during the course of the game.

After my Veggie Dog, Stephanie and her dad came over to sit with us for a few innings. It was great to catch up- we had not seen each other in over 10 years! I was so excited to see her that I forgot to snap a pic of the two of us to share with you all. I have really been slacking in that area lately...

The view from our seats : )

Pat chomping on his burger (not the veggie kind)

After the game, we stopped by a pizza place in the city that has many vegan options called The Perfect Slice. Their ingredients are all organic and the pizza is sooo good.

Patrick was so hungry that he got The Joey Special- TWO PIZZAS! I hope I have some fellow Friends addict readers who will understand that reference ; )

I had the Taste of India Personal Pizza on whole wheat which was topped with delicious channa masala and Daiya mozzarella.

The wall of the restaurant explains "The Perfect Food"

Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffin Cookie for dessert

An amazing mix of a muffin and a cookie- does it get any better??

Since going vegan, many people have said things to me like, I would love to try out your lifestyle but I couldn't live without insert favorite food here. I don't really know how to explain that going vegan does not mean you need to give up your favorite foods. In fact, it allows you to enjoy them more because you know that while you are eating something yummy you are also doing something good for yourself and others : )

Hmmm... perhaps that means I can have another chocolate chip cookie muffin???

Friday Night Comfort Food

2010-09-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first weekday I did not post since Veggies & Beanz began and I missed you all! It is funny how much blogging has become a part of my daily routine. I knew I wouldn’t be able to post yesterday because we had back-to-school-night but it still felt a little strange to know that even though I ate a few fun meals, nobody would know about them. This anonymity may have resulted in me eating oatmeal with almond butter for both breakfast AND dinner. If a foodie eats oatmeal for dinner in her living room at 10pm while watching Jersey Shore reruns and nobody is around to witness it, does it still count? I think not…

Anyway, I thought I’d make up for my lack of posting yesterday by doing a pre-weekend feature! Gotta love Friday evening comfort food : )

My day began with a light breakfast (I was still kind of full from the 10pm oatmeal that never happened).

Coconut Yogurt and Diced Pears with Pumpkin Pie Spice

For a snack I had some yellow wax beans and PURPLE carrots. They are really only purple on the outside -a very pretty part of my CSA delivery!

For lunch I did some leftover spaghetti squash with marinara and kale. Delicious. The kids were eating french bread pizza in the cafeteria but my Italian meal seemed much more nutritious.

After school I took a few of my kids who earned perfect hw this week to get pedicures. It was such a fun treat. I chose OPI’s Purple with a Purpose. It seemed appropriate because I definitely had a purpose in mind for dinner…

Sweet Corn Chowder with Tempeh Bacon

(inspired by my Basis Food Delivery and Recipe Card)

3 tablespoons butter
5 ears of corn (kernels removed
2 shallots (minced)
2 cups water
2 cups soy milk
2 small Yukon Gold potatoes (diced)
1 tablespoon thyme

1. Melt butter. Add onions and cook until they soften and butter froths (about 5 minutes on medium heat)
2. Add water, milk and corn cobs.
3. Simmer 10 minutes. Add potatoes. Simmer an additional 10 minutes
4. Remove the cobs and discard. Add corn kernels and thyme.
5. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil then turn down heat and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Pat shucking the corn

Cornbread in the making : )

The soup simmering

Mmmmm... almost done

Tempeh bacon

Warm cornbread fresh from the oven

Ready for eating!

Inside the bowl

Dipping time!

Sooo good

I forgot how much a LOVE corn bread! It was a very warm and hearty Fall Friday meal. This weekend is supposed to be gorgeous so Pat and I are thinking of going hiking tomorrow. Off to rest up for the trails : )

Double Chocolate!

2010-09-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

I did not drink enough water today at work so I have a little bit of a headache and am going to be headed to bed early…

BUT, not before sharing my double chocolate Wednesday with you.

The day started with the perfected Cherry-Chocolate Smoothie.

Cherry Chocolate Smoothie:

1 cup frozen cherries
¼ cup plain coconut yogurt
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

For a mid-morning snack I had some carrot sticks with avocado and salsa. Looks gross but tasted GREAT : )

Lunch was a wheat wrap with chopped figs, pears and almond butter. Very yummy but I had lunch duty today and did not get a chance to snap a pic : (

For dinner I cooked up some TJ’s Harvest Grain (LOVE it) with spaghetti squash. Another colorful dinner.

Added some Kale to the dish to get my daily greens in...

After dinner chocolate round #2 was in full swing. Perfect way to frame the day = CHOCOLATE!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls:

1 cup almond flour (fine ground almonds)
10 dates
2 heaping tablespoons chocolate peanut butter dreams

1. Grind together ingredients in food processor (do almonds first).

2. Roll together into small cookie dough balls.

3. Refigerate for at least one hour

BLISS

I'm off to cure my headache with some chocolate medicine if you know what I mean ; )

Taste the Rainbow

2010-09-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

One simple rule I have about healthy eating is to try to eat as many different colors as I can in a day. It is a really fun way to make sure I am eating a balanced diet without counting calories or servings or using some other crazy, complicated accountability system (life is difficult enough). Plus, I love trying to make my plate look like a box of crayons : )

Today was a busy day at work- someone had a meltdown that I had to deal with at lunch. Ugh. One of those days. So, while I don't have many daytime photos to share, I hope you'll be excited as I was about my dinner!

The PURPLE POTATOES!

Sliced thin for optimal roasting- thanks for the advice Kristen!
Can you believe the color on these babies??

Brussel Sprouts- tonight's preparation made me like them just a little bit more ; )

Purple potatoes roasted with olive oil and sea salt

Brussel Sprouts with Earth Balance and thyme

Just like a painting...

Is there such thing as a food museum???

The Mystery Mushroom

2010-09-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Although the name of this post might have brought back memories of a psychedelic college experience, I am not referring to THAT type of mystery. Keep reading for details...

For breakfast this morning I decided to go back to some smoothie action. I figured a light breakfast would be best to counteract the effects of bagelfest 2010. It was the perfect way to start a Monday morning (Ugh. Who am I kidding? Is there really any good way to start a Monday morning?). Today's smoothie flavor = strawberry, mango, pineapple with vanilla brown rice protein powder.

When lunch time rolled around I whipped out some leftover Indian food. Unfortunately I do not have a picture, but I do have a good excuse...

Today at lunch I held my first session of "girl's group." I will be meeting once a week with a small group of amazing young middle school ladies to discuss the issues that affect their lives and try to empower them to become leaders in our community. Whenever I have a chance to hang out with my students in this type of setting, I am reminded of how strong they truly are. Today, we talked about our likes and dislikes (reality tv may have been mentioned), as well as some more serious topics. I was saddened by their feelings about their bodies and their appearances. Having once struggled with many of the same issues myself, it is difficult to watch these girls talk about how "they wish they were thinner" or they sometimes "hate the way the look." They are all so beautiful! What are we doing to them?? I hope that through this group we can explore topics such as healthy living and positive body image. Maybe something will slowly begin to change...

Anyway, no lunch pics but a very wonderful lunch experience with some really good company : )

When I got home from work I tried out a Jackie Werner On Demand workout (I have had ENOUGH of that Jillian Michaels). After my workout I decided to get creative with dinner and use up some of the produce in my fridge (including the aforementioned Mystery Mushroom).

Bok Choy

Debbie (my mother-in-law) and I bought these interesting looking mushrooms when I was in Virginia a few weeks ago. I have been trying to figure out a cool way to try them out. I thought Thai Spring Rolls would be the perfect solution...

Chopped veggies pre-wrapping

Bok Choy, Enoki, Zucchini, Carrots and Avocado

The Wraps

SPRING ROLLS!

Thai spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce

Coconut brown rice with curried tempeh

Yummm....

I was loving the grilled tempeh!

Ok, well now that Mystery Mushroom Monday is officially over, I am ready for some serious sleeping -but not before a small cup of vegan chocolate chips... they may have only been Enoki mushrooms but I still have the munchies : )

Easy Like Sunday Morning...

2010-09-12T16:46:00.001-07:00

When I was little, I went to church on Sunday mornings with my family. I have to say, I was not the most spiritual 5 year old. I usually spent most of the service drinking juice, eating cheerios and coloring in Jesus’ face on the front of the service bulletin (who ever said the grass in Old Jerusalem wasn’t Crayola Pink Sherbert?) Despite my propensity for pulling my sister’s hair and eating tic tacs from my mom’s purse during the sermon, I did actually enjoy Sunday mornings. I loved the tradition of spending the morning with my family. Plus, my dad usually made us pancakes when we got home. I was a foodie even back then ; )

Although the end of a weekend visit with friends is bittersweet, there is no better way to end it than a lazy bagel-eating, Friends-DVD-watching Sunday morning : ) While there was no gospel or pancakes THIS weekend, I loved ending the weekend with some good food and some time with loved ones...

Tia came down to New Jersey this weekend and we spent the weekend outside in the beautiful weather and doing some cooking together. It reminded me of old times when we used to just bum around my house in New Hampshire for the weekend doing nothing more than listening to country music, eating yummy food and enjoying each other’s company.

Here are some pictures of our weekend adventures (and of course, the food):

Pre-Tia’s visit I roasted up some chickpeas for Friday night tacos. I had my taco salad-style : )

When Tia arrived on Saturday we had falafel wraps with avocado and hummus with some crackers and apple slices on the side. TWIN PLATES!

Afterward, we walked around town and stopped by a local organic market for a smoothie/green juice. Yum!

For dinner, we decided to cook up some Indian food. I have to say, without two chefs in the kitchen, this meal may have been quite difficult. We got some inspiration from an Indian cookbook I got for Christmas a few years ago. We had to modify things a little bit to fit with the contents of my pantry and our cooking skills but the result was quite yummy.

Naan with chutney for an appetizer

Creamy Eggplant and Peas

Bhaingan Bhurta

1 chopped yellow onion

4 ounces pureed tomatoes

1/2 chopped serrano chili

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 sliced eggplant

1 10 ounce package of frozen peas

1/2 cup hemp milk

1. Saute onions in oil. When they begin to brown add spices and tomatoes.
2. While onions are browning, steam eggplant and peas in microwave.
3. Smash eggplant and peas together.
4. Add eggplant and peas to the onion/tomato mixture. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add hemp milk. Cook for one more minute.

Wedding wine and Malbec Layer Cake to satisfy both red and white wine drinkers!

The main dishes were complicated- don't judge us for using microwave rice ; )

Notice I am wearing one of Pat's muscle t-shirts to avoid the splatter effect.

TIAMARIA!

My plate- SPICY!

It is a good thing neither of us is single because after the garlic and spices and that meal, we wouldn’t have had much luck at the bar later…

After dinner we enjoyed some drinks with Patrick and his friend Zach at a local bar. When we returned, there may have been some banana bread baking. Oops ; )

Sunday morning we slept in and then Patrick went to get some bagels. It was raining so when he brought back fresh, hot bagels and tofu cream cheese from Wonder Bagel he definitely earned the Husband of the Week Award. We scarfed our bagels on the couch in front of Season 6 Friends DVDs before Tia had to get back on the road : (

I usually try to avoid refined carbohydrates but these bagels were totally worth it.

It is still raining outside and I’m feeling pretty exhausted from the weekend activities. I think it is one of those “lounge on the couch and watch a movie” kind of Sundays. Errands will have to wait…

Do you have any Sunday morning traditions that you love to end the weekend with?

Restocked!

2010-09-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

So in case you were worried that I starved to death while waiting for my veggie delivery, you can rest easy... the delivery came today! My kitchen is now fully stocked with various produce goodies including brussel sprouts, spaghetti squash, PURPLE POTATOES and bok choy : )

Doesn't it feel good to have a fully stocked kitchen??

I know you'll be shocked but I did NOT have oatmeal this morning. Instead I enjoyed a cherry-chocolate-coconut smoothie. It was good but I'm going to wait to post the recipe until it is perfected. This one has serious potential.

Lunch was also different from my recent choices. I have been taking leftovers to school lately but today I had a nice, fresh salad. I call it the Curried Mango Tango!

Spinach salad with curried cashews, diced mango, dried pomegranate and a drizzle of mango juice instead of dressing

The vegetable delivery! I could barely contain my excitement!

The prized purple potatoes- can't wait to roast these babies up

Fruit bowl- now bursting with flavor ; )

Dinner had to be quick and simple. Thursday is my late night at school so I didn't get in until after 8. I wanted to cook something fresh because I was so excited about the delivery but I was starving and sleepy. Pat and I decided to just do a simple pasta dinner.

Grilled eggplant and zucchini

Marinara sauce with fresh chopped spinach

Whole wheat penne with grilled veggies and mozzarella flatbread

What are you stocking your kitchen with this week? Anything as interesting as purple potatoes??

Back to RealiTEA

2010-09-08T19:01:00.000-07:00

So most people tend to indulge the most in the winter and around the holidays. This is probably because bikini season seems very far away and apple pie is available in abundance. For me, it seems to be quite the opposite.

In the summer, I have time off from work. I often spend my weekends visiting family and friends or just hang around the apartment where snacks are at my disposal all day long. I also stay up way too late and sleep in. Self-discipline is not a part of my summer schedule ; )

This week marks my return to the regular year and the end of a season of over-indulgence. Don't get me wrong, a little indulgence is a necessary part of everyday, but now that summer is officially over, it is time to get back into my routine...

I am excited though because with the return to routine, I have rediscovered a little pleasure that I had been neglecting... TEA! During the school year I tend to drink it all day long but this summer, I barely touched a cup. I am excited to get back into my herbal habit ; )

Because of this, many of the meals featured on today's post were accompanied by various types of different herbal favorites...

Oatmeal with chopped apples, pumpkin pie spice, apple butter and almond butter glob I picked up this almond butter at WF a few days ago and it is delicious (jar 14 anyone?)

Leftover pineapple/bacon tempeh pizza for lunch

Snack was the ONLY veggie left in my fridge. Carrots are probably my least favorite but my CSA delivery was supposed to arrive Tuesday and it was MIA. If it doesn't come tomorrow I may starve...

Because of the aforementioned veggie shortage, Patrick took me out to dinner at a nearby bar and grill. Our appetizer, the pesto flatbread, was very tasty!

Amazing veggie burger made with lentils and brown rice for dinner- I could not eat the bun after all that flatbread so I made my meal into a veggie burger salad.

Stopped by a local market on the way home for some new herbal tea flavors. I'm excited to try these in the morning! Do any of you have favorite flavors I should try??

Multitasking

2010-09-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

Once the school year begins, I become a very skilled multitasker. Well, skilled is sometimes debatable but I do multitask quite frequently. I catch up with friends on the phone while folding laundry, I create unit plans while dinner is cooking, and I even read guided reading books on the treadmill. Sometimes all this multitasking leaves me feeling a little scattered. Occasionally I'll find folded socks in the pantry or a recipe mixed in with my lesson plans but for the most part, multitasking helps to maximize my free time. For example, today I had dinner on the stove while I ran back and forth to the bathroom to straighten my hair after a post-gym shower. This was probably both slightly unsanitary and unsafe (I had several stove/flat-iron induced burns by the time I sat down to eat) but it did give me an hour of free time to watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion on DVR... priorities people!

However, there are some times during the day when it is important to take in the moment and NOT multitask. I am trying to get up 15 minutes earlier every morning this year so I can enjoy a quiet breakfast at home before heading out the door. This is easier said than done sometimes when the alarm starts blaring at 5:17am but I did manage to do it this morning.

I savored my multitask-free and delicious oatmeal before getting on the road.

Pear-Fig Oatmeal with Almond Butter

First day of school picture (Pat insists on taking these on the 1st day of every school year no matter how tired my eyes look)

School day snack

Leftover chickpea curry and broccolini with brown basmati rice for lunch

Dinner had to be quick and easy because I also had to focus on drying my hair and responding to emails... Multitask Super Set! I cooked up some Trader Joe's couscous in vegetable broth and added some frozen veggies. Simple, nutritious and most importantly... yummy!

Not quite the same as organic red wine but still a good dinner refreshment.

After the busy day I've had, the only multitasking I'll be doing for the rest of the evening is dreaming, snoring and perhaps some drooling (don't say ew- you know you do it too).

Goodnight my blog world friends : )

13 Jars of Nut Butter and Green Salsa

2010-09-06T18:42:00.000-07:00

Today’s post is going to be short because I am trying to savor the last few minutes of summer by enjoying pizza and a movie with my hubby : ) However, there was some good food (including the pizza) and some stories today that I just had to tell you about!

Breakfast was a repeat of peanut butter banana oatmeal. I have eaten this so many times that I did not take a pic because I thought you might be getting bored with my breakfast choices. Tomorrow will be more interesting. I promise.

Pat and I did some grocery shopping this afternoon and then had a picnic courtesy of the Whole Foods hot bar for lunch.

Our picnic scenery
The company : )

Sesame tofu, broccoli, green beans and kale with bok choy dumplings

Pat had a turkey burger panini with grilled veggies.

We shared a slice of vegan lemon poppy seed cake for dessert. Sooooo good!

When we got home, Patrick decided to help out by organizing the pantry. There is a reason I like him to stay out of the kitchen. I was folding laundry as I listened to him shuffling around in the cabinets, muttering to himself the whole time. Here are some of the things I heard as he took things out of bags and tried to find a place for them...

How many jars of peanut butter does she have? 1, 2, 3... Oh there's number 10... Maple Almond Butter... Why do we have 13 different types of nut butter?

Salsa verde? Is this salsa? It's green... Sarina?? What is this??

Do you still want these fafalelela, farfale whatever you call em things?

I see we still have sea vegetables in the cabinet from 1995. Should we wait another few weeks before we throw them out or just get rid of them now?

Organic olive oil, olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, olive oil spray, safflower oil, sesame oil, and oh look... coconut oil...

The only thing worse than having a man go through your pantry is having him go through your shoe collection. Patrick- stay away! I need all 32 pairs of sandals.

After the organization extravaganza we went for a nice long walk (I had to get him as far away from my nut butter collection as possible). It was such a beautiful day! By the time we got back we were starved so we quickly put together some pizza. I was psyched to think of a way to use some leftover tempeh bacon with bacon/pineapple pizza. Yum!

Sizzling tempeh bacon

Hot out of the oven

Our new pizza stone (a lovely wedding present)

Pineapple-Tempeh Bacon Pizza with a side of cucumbers and zucchini

Close up

Now if you’ll excuse me I have to eat my pizza, watch my movie and then get some sleep before the 1st day of the regular school year. Wish me luck!

Out on the Town

2010-09-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

This weekend my mom and her boyfriend Ken were in town as well as my Uncle Steve and Aunt Diana. I knew that we would all be out and about in NYC starting Saturday morning so Patrick and I decided to cook at home on Friday night. I was craving Indian food so we made some Palak (sans Paneer- otherwise known as cheese) and chickpea curry. We also made some brown basmati rice and onion naan. So good! Better than takeout for sure : )

Green leaves being blended for palak- check out this recipe from Mama Pea for specifics
I bought some chilis for the chickpea curry. Thank god I tasted them before I added a handful to the pot. They were hot, hot, hot. I put one in my mouth and began running around the kitchen like a crazy person looking for something to cool me down. I only added 1 1/2 of these tiny chilis to the dish and it still packed some major heat.

Chickpea Curry:

1 can mashed chickpeas

1 jar stewed organic tomatoes (if I could do this again I would puree them before adding to the recipe)

1 small chopped onion

2 cups vegetable broth

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Put ingredients together in a pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Yum!

Dinner together at home was a great way to begin the long weekend. I was proud of myself when my craving for curry did not lead me to pick up the phone and a takeout menu. Hurray for sticking to my goals (I vowed to cook at home more this year).

The next day, my family and I had tickets to the Yankee game so I woke up early and did some yoga, then enjoyed some granola with a juicy chopped pear and hemp milk.

This was my first time trying hemp milk and I LOVED it. Very creamy. It has a funky color to it but I sort of like the greenish hue. Wierd huh? It also has way more calories than my usual almond milk so if you're looking to lose weight you might want to pick another type of milk. However, it would be great as a treat : )

Pat enjoying a beer at the game

There actually turned out to be some healthy eating options at the new Yankee stadium (a fruit and veggie stand). But, rather than pay a ton of money for a mediocre salad, I brought in an "egg salad" sandwich and some snacks.

Pat decided to indulge in one of his favorites.

Hmmm... I'm already thinking of a way to veganize the philly cheesesteak...

Fresh veggies in a bag at the 7th inning stretch

For dinner we tried this awesome organic restaurant by the 14th street PATH station. It was sooo good and had options for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters. My family was so open to trying food from the unique menu. Some people who make the choice to go vegan have to deal with resistance and mockery from their loved ones. I am so lucky to have people in my life who are open and willing to explore a new way of eating. Thanks guys!

The signature Gusto Soup- this was made mostly from beets which are not my favorite so I didn't love it. Also, it looked like ketchup. Not the best part of the meal.

Vegan penne with veggies and marinara. Very fresh and delicious...

My mom and Ken about to enjoy their own organic meals : )

Uncle Steve and Aunt Diana

The whole crew- notice the organic red wine at the forefront

Patrick was excited about his pizza!

The boys enjoyed some chocolate fondue for dessert. Sadly, the chocolate had dairy in it so I did not partake.

They did however have a vegan apple tart that was very light and sweet. Not quite the same as chocolate fondue but it did satisfy my need for dessert.

Another shot of the wine. I really enjoyed this Meritage. Not sure if the fact that it was organic made a difference in the taste or if it was just good wine... either way... CHEERS!

The restaurant philosophy

On Sunday we were headed back to the city to see Jersey Boys. I got up and did a quick workout with Pat and then started off the day with some Oats in a Jar. Days are always better when they begin in a PB jar, don't you think??

Leftover palak for lunch with flatbread and carrots. Points for presentation?

The show was really fun. People were clapping and sort of dancing in their seats. I was surprised to see that I actually knew all the music.

Afterward, we headed over to Philip Marie's in the Village (thanks for the recommendation Megan!) At first glance, there weren't a ton of vegan options but I spoke to the waiter and he helped me to get a little creative with my order. The results were AMAZING! Everyone really enjoyed their meals and we will definitely be going back...

Crispy portabella fries

Nuts & Berries Salad with figs, dates, currants, pear, walnuts and sesame

Side of grilled veggies to go with my salad

The drink of choice

Fresh fruit plate with mango sorbet for dessert

Basically, I had a great weekend with my family and was sad to see them go. This weekend marks the official end of summer for me as the first day of our regular school year begins on Tuesday. While I am really looking forward to the school year and the fall and everything that comes with it, I will miss the more frequent visits with family that always happen in the summer months. Corssing my fingers that the holidays come quickly!

Carbs, Cheesecake and Red Wine

2010-09-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

So I used to think that people who made homemade pasta, baked bread or made sauce from scratch had too much time on their hands. Perhaps that is true but I have now become one of those people and I can tell you this... time is one thing I usually do not have on my hands (Mr. Sketch marker remnants and a crappy month old manicure? yes. But no time.)

Anyhow, today was a lovely day filled with household chores, pre-school year parent phone calls and the aformentioned pasta/sauce making. I suppose you could say I was inspired by Julia Robert's spaghetti scene in Eat, Pray, Love.

The day began with a simple breakfast which included one of my favorite Peanut Butter Co. flavors:

Cinn-Raisin Ezekial Toast with PB Co.

Strawberry-Peach-Mango Smoothie

I had some lunch after a Jillian Michael's workout video. She kicks my butt but man... does anyone else find her a little irritating? Anyway, after hearing her voice for an hour I needed a break so I had some Thai Tempeh Pizza while watching a Jersey Shore rerun. I know you're judging and I'm ok with that.

Thai Tempeh Pizza

Crust = whole wheat pita

Pizza sauce = 1/4 cup Amy's Thai Coconut Curry soup blended with 1/2 cup organic stewed tomatoes

Topped with curry tempeh pieces and various veggies along with 1/4 cup rice mozzerella

Bake for 15 minutes at 350 until crust is crispy

Thai Tempeh pizza slices with snap peas

Post-lunch I had a cookie dough blizzard dessert. It was amaaaazing and completely guilt free. I froze some coconut yogurt in an ice cube tray this morning. Then, I blended four of the frozen yogurt cubes to create some healthy "fro-yo" I mixed in pieces from the cookie dough balls I made the other day. Soooo good and the ingedients were literally just yogurt, dates and almonds.

Around 6, the pasta making fest began. I picked up some fresh baked wheat bread from the local farmer's market and cracked open a bottle of red wine from our wedding. Isn't cooking so much more fun when you have a glass of wine in your hand?

Veggie Marinara Sauce:

1 yellow onion

1 cup broccolini florets

1 cup chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped spinach

2 cloves garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons EVO

2 cans organic stewed tomatoes

2 tablespoons fresh basil

1 tablespoon sea salt

1. Saute onions in EVO until they brown. Add in chopped veggies and salt. Saute for 5-10 minutes until veggies are tender and vibrant in color.

2. While veggies are cooking, grind tomatoes in food processor with garlic and basil.

3. Add tomato mixture to sauce pan. Simmer for 1 hour.

I also made some of Mama Pea's homemade tofu ricotta gnocchi. This dish definitely goes into the list of top 10 dinners I have made since going vegan. Sooooo good! Patrick said it was one of his favorites also and believe me... he knows gnocchi ; )

Cheescake bar for dessert. I don't know why it did the flippy thing again. Apologies. But it was good!

Time to get some rest for the upcoming holiday weekend. I am so excited for a jam-packed couple days with my family. Would love to hear about your own plans for food and fun this Labor Day! Leave a comment and let me know what you'll be cooking up : )

Dates and a Date

2010-09-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

As you know, I have some time off this week in between summer school and the start of the regular school year. Since we returned Tuesday night from our mini-vacation, I thought I'd take advantage of these few days at home to try out some new recipes. A few weeks ago I bought a container of Medjool Dates and wanted to experiment with some snack-making. Today seemed like the perfect day.

I started off the morning with a bowl of peanut butter banana oats (cooked in the stove NOT the microwave)... oh the luxury! I was really sore and achy from spending so much time in the car this weekend so I got in an hour of gentle yoga this morning in order to be kitchen-ready. I felt much better afterward.

For lunch, I had some more of my favorite...

Vegan Egg Salad:

1 can mashed chickpeas
1 tablespoon Veganaise
1/4 cup chopped dill
2 teaspoons tumeric
sea salt and pepper to taste

"Egg salad" sandwich with heirloom tomatoes and kale- snap peas and orange peppers on the side

After lunch, the Date-Fest began. First I tried out Mama Pea's version of the cookie dough Lara Bars. However, I preferred balls of cookie dough rather than bars.

Mmmm... snack time!

After the cookie dough balls, I had some dates leftover so I decided to get creative...

Cheesecake Snack Bars:

Crust:
6 pitted dates
¾ cups almonds
¾ cups cashews
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Topping:
1 container tofutti cream cheese
½ cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 tablespoon agar agar powder (to thicken)- cornstarch would probably work here too

1. Combine all crust ingredients in food processor. Press thin layer into the bottom of a loaf pan.

2. Combine all topping ingredients in food processor. Pour on top of crust. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before slicing into snack bars.

I had to quick up a quick dinner after the date-fest because I had an actual date to see Eat, Pray, Love with my good friend Allison : ) I cooked up some brown rice Mediterranean Couscous with chopped bell peppers in a hurry.

Added some curried cashews for some crunch and protein

While the movie did not inspire me to drop my current life and travel the world, it did make me think about cooking up some yummy pasta dishes... stay tuned!

Misguided

2010-08-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

So as you know, I have spent the past few days doing a lot of relaxing during our Virginia mini-vacation. As a result, I finally had the opportunity to read through the backlog of magazines I had accrued. These included all of my favorites, Whole Living,Shape, Fitness and Health.

However, by Tuesday morning, I had run out of reading material and unfortunately had neglected to bring a good book down with me. So, when Pat and I headed out to the pool yesterday morning before getting on the road, I decided to peruse one of his choices Men's Health. In addition to finding out tips for how to "unlock the female libido" and make a good grill rub, I did read some pretty good articles about topics that often get shortchanged in women's magazines. For example, they had articles about lifting and overcoming plateaus in the gym... very helpful. Amidst all these tips though, I discovered some shockingly misguided information.

One page which claimed to tote expert advice stated that a low carb and high fat diet of beef helped him to fight flab. Though I don't expect everyone in the world to adhere to my diet, I do have a problem with people advertising a high beef diet as a "healthy lifetsyle." This was not the worst of it though, on the Nutrition page there was a blurb titled "Don't Fear Meat" which encouraged readers to eat beef, lamb and pork without worrying about disease risk. Directly above this blurb was a statistic stating that 56% of meat packing facilities have not been inspected in the past 5 or more years. WTF??

I actually do think Men's Health and Women's Health are pretty good magazines but this just served as a reminder that any information we read in magazines or newspapers or see on tv should not supersede our own basic knowledge of nutrition and common sense.

After reading up poolside, Pat and I had some leftover Mellow Mushroom and then got on the road back to Jerz. We were sad to go. Family visits are never long enough for us but I guess that makes us pretty lucky.

Anyway, on the way home, I made some misguided decisions of my own. We left Virginia later than expected which meant we were stuck finding dinner on the road. This situation is certainly not ideal when you are a vegan driving through middle of nowhere West Virginia. I got really excited when I searched for a Whole Foods in the GPS and discovered that there was one located on our route right over the border of Pennsylvania. Score! I immediately started chatting about what I would get from the hot bar when we arrived.

When we got off the exit, things did not look promising. Pat didn't say a word as we followed the GPS nearly 3 miles off the exit to arrive outside a store adorned with the following sign:

Oops. No hot bar here. Stupid GPS. At this point we were starving and had already added 15 minutes to our travel time.

We decided to take a risk and try a local Thai place. It seemed like the most likely option for satisfying both Patrick and myself in a hurry- hmmm that sentence sounded remarkably like some tips I read in Men's Health ; )

Veggie Spring Roll

Rad-Na Wild Rice Noodles with Steamed Veggies

The food did not compare to my own Thai Coconut Curry Rice Bowls but it was probably better than anything we could have gotten via drive through window.

Grill Master

2010-08-30T17:51:00.001-07:00

When I was young, I associated the smell of the grill with summer cookouts and family. Usually, we started up the grill when my older brother and sister were home or family from out of town was visiting. It was one of those comforting summer moments that I probably didn’t appreciate enough at the time…

As an adult, the smell of a grill being fired up still brings happy thoughts (even though now it is the smell of roasted zucchini I enjoy rather than a NY strip). So tonight, I was very excited to get some veggies on the grill and savor the last days of summer with a good old-fashioned cookout.

Before the grilling began, the day was spent doing some serious shopping. First I hit up a J Crew Warehouse sale. The clothes were great but unfortunately the dressing room situation was not. I spent the better part of an hour crouched in a corner trying on pants while Pat “stood watch.” My philosophy? Good sale prices are worth sacrificing a little bit of modesty ; ) I did find two pairs of work pants and a very nice fitting pair of size 4 jeans. That’s right… goodbye extra three pounds!

After the J Crew sale, I had worked up a pretty decent sized hunger so we stopped by Whole Foods to hit up the hot bar for lunch:

Salad with kale, cauliflower, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes with curried tofu and wheatberries.

We shared the new Larabar flavors for dessert. Cookie dough = yum!

Once I was refueled I was ready to hit the sales racks again. Unfortunately, my morning shopping buddy was very done (Patrick was not a fan of the crazed wholesale shoppers). Luckily, Debbie came to the rescue and whisked me away for a Cabi clothing excursion (all readers interested in fashion as well as good food should be sure to check out the link). I will post pictures of the clothes I picked when they arrive in the mail but let’s just say I will be cooking in style this fall!

When we got back, I was so fired up from all my new purchases that I tried an Insanity workout with Pat and his brother. It kicked my butt. Post-workout we enjoyed some pool and then fired up the grill. Perfect summer day/night:

Debbie stir fried the broccoli and mushrooms in sesame oil. Very flavorful. Perfect compliment to the grilled veggies.

Grilled veggies in teriyaki sauce

My plate

Close up

The grill master (Patrick) and his brothers (sans Albert). Sign of true brotherly love? Sharing your grilled corn on the cob ; )

Birthday Weekend

2010-08-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

So this weekend I celebrated my 25^th birthday and my 1^st ever birthday as a vegan! The birthday cake showed a strong resemblance to my favorite peanut butter cups. I know, you’re shocked, right? The company was good and the weather was beautiful. All in all, a successful way to ring in 25 years of Beanz ; )

Pat and I spent Friday evening in because we knew we would be leaving early in the am to head down to Virginia, where his family lives. Because I have a week off before school starts and work wasn’t too busy for Pat, we decided to use this time to do some family visiting. He took Monday and Tuesday off so we could spend some time down here and then my mom will be visiting over the Labor Day weekend. We were both very excited at the idea of a mini-vacation. So excited in fact that we decided to try some new recipes in between the packing…

Dinner was “cheese stuffed burgers” from one of my favorite food blogs. I also figured out something to do with my purple turnips.

Creamy Mashed Turnips:

5 purple turnips, peeled and quartered

2 apples, peeled and cored

1 cup soy milk

¼ cup Earth Balance

1 tablespoon sea salt

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Drop in turnip pieces and simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Add apples and simmer for another 20 minutes.

3. Drain apples and turnips. Mash together with soy milk, Earth Balance and salt (or mix in food processor/blender if you’re looking for the quick and dirty version)

4. Put mixture into baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Dinner was good but not great. I had to make a few substitutions on the burgers. Although they tasted good, they did not look as pretty as they could have and some of the cheese oozed out during the cooking process. The turnips were yummy though. Purple turnips? Who knew?

The next morning we were supposed to be on the road early but the snooze button made one too many appearances. After sleeping in two hours later than projected and enjoying some breakfast, we were ready to go…

Coconut yogurt with Galaxy Granola and Kiwi

I couldn't ignore the way my shirt matched the meal. Pure coincidence I swear.

Lunch on the road was a vegan “egg salad” wrap. Recipe to come.

Sorry for the blurry factor. Difficult to eat and take pictures in a moving vehicle.

Pat enjoying a mid-drive snack.

When we arrived in Virginia, we got to see Patrick’s younger brother Sean play in his soccer tournament and then headed over to the Mellow Mushroom for some birthday dinner.

Patrick and his dad at the soccer game.

Veggie loaded pizza with soy cheese

The pizza was good but the cheese was not. Another unfortunate fact, the soy cheese is not actually vegan. It contains small amounts of milk protien. Oops. It would have been better cheeseless.

Patrick's brother Sean gave his BBQ chicken pizza the thumbs up!

Patrick and Debbie

About to lick the melted chocolate spoon from birthday "cake" preparation

Today was a perfect blend of reading, napping and relaxing. I did manage to get in a workout from Health magazine though before the relaxation commenced.

Oatmeal with fresh peaches

Lunch was leftover pizza and some delicious salad that my mother-in-law, Debbie, made with pine nuts, grapes and blueberries. The combination was fresh and unique. I think I have discovered a new love for pine nuts. Yummy.

For dinner, I had a pasta dish mixed with veggies and vegan bean dip. I have to admit, I didn’t do ANY of the cooking. The colorful looking dinner you see below was also prepared by Debbie and was made even more delicious by the fact that I did not prepare it myself ; )

Debbie’s Black Bean Dip (which she has now dubbed Beanz’s Beans)

1 can black beans

1 tsp veg oil

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup diced tomato

1/3 cup picante sauce

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp chili powder

1 tablespoon lime juice

Fresh cilantro for garnish

Partially mash beans and set aside.
Saute onions and garlic in oil about 4 minutes or until tender.
Combine beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally about 5 minutes or until thickened.
Stir in lime juice. Garnish with cilantro.

Now I think it is time for some leftover birthday PB cups and some more vacationing : )

Unprepared

2010-08-26T18:12:00.001-07:00

When my middle school students are unprepared for class, they receive a deduction on their progress reports. When a prospective employee is unprepared for an interview, they don’t get the job. When a lawyer is unprepared for court he loses his case. Well, today I found out what happens to an unprepared vegan and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty folks…

The day started out well. I had prepared my lunch the night before and even set out the fixings for a pumpkin pie breakfast smoothie. BTW, I am loving this pumpkin pie hummus in a big way. I don’t think I’m quite ready to leave my Dark Chocolate lover for it but am certainly contemplating a casual affair ; ) I snacked throughout the day on fresh fruits and veggies from my CSA bag.

For lunch I enjoyed a pita pocket stuffed with sliced heirloom tomatoes, mixed greens and falafel. I think I am in love with falafel by the way… I know it is probably old news to most vegans but I have only recently discovered it and it is GOOD!

After the regular workday, the teachers on my grade-level had planned an evening meeting for team building and school year prep. I knew we would be working late and ordering food but I had not done my homework… I was UNPREPARED. Usually, if I know I won’t be home for dinner I plan ahead and bring a vegan-friendly snack or some leftovers in case there are no options for me on the menu. Not this time.

I ended up ordering a side salad and french fries. The side salad was a poor excuse for a meal so I ended up going a little heavy on the fries. Soon after, I discovered the consequences for being an unprepared vegan…

a colossal stomach ache. Ugh. I would have rather had a deduction on my progress report!

Not Just Veggies & Beanz

2010-08-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

I know I have mentioned her on the blog many times and she has even appeared in a few pictures but I am excited to formally introduce Veggies & Beanz's first guest blogger... my dear friend Tia!

Tia is a great friend and a former college athlete. Though she is not vegan herself, she is a great cook and has been experimenting lately with a more healthful lifestyle. I hope you enjoy a snippet from her day as much as I enjoy the time I spend with her : )

As I was talking with Sarina last week, during one of the many phone conversations we had in trying to plan for country fest, she asked if I would like to do a guest post on Veggies and Beanz. I was super excited, so here it goes…

Although I am not ready to fully dive into veganism, over the past few months I have become much more conscious of what I eat, largely due to Sarina. I am not going to say with 100% confidence that I would never go completely vegan, but for right now, being more conscious and trying to eat healthy is good enough for me!

So here is my day (not quite as exciting as many of Sarina’s)

For breakfast I had Stonyfield Organic Vanilla yogurt (to cut down on sugars, plain yogurt has significantly less sugar), BearNaked Fruit and Nut Granola, and mixed berries.

I planned on running after breakfast, but for the third day in a row now it was raining and I did not feel like running in the pouring rain. I had an idea…. I would try an OnDemand exercise video.

Well for some reason nothing I chose on OnDemand was working this morning... “At this time, this feature is not available, if the issue continues, please contact Comcast at….” - Yeah stupid Comcast. I am not a fan of them lately.

Being the problem solver that I am, I thought no worries I will make up my own little workout. I was thinking some lunges, abs, and squats along with whatever else I could think of for a short 20 minutes workout. Well my motivation quickly decreased... My workout consisted of lying on the floor watching HGTV occasionally doing a couple crunches when I remembered I was supposed to be in the middle of a workout.

My “strenuous workout” must have worked up my appetite, so I had a mid-morning snack consisting on a banana and peanut butter. I did not think to take a picture until I was half way through eating it and no matter how I took it, the picture turned out looking a little inappropriate, and so there is no picture to go along with my snack.

For lunch, I had a salad. It was just baby spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, and sliced almonds, topped with a touch of feta cheese. I am out of my favorite dressing though, Trader Joe’s Tuscan Italian with Balsamic Vinegar (picture also featured below), so I just used a regular Balsamic dressing instead.

My afternoon snack, to hold me over to dinner was carrots and hummus- my favorite healthy snack.

For dinner tonight I was craving vegetables, so I roasted up a couple of my favorite types together.

Tia's Favorite Veggies:

1 summer squash
1 red pepper
1 large cluster of asparagus
1 tablespoon vegetable broth
1 garlic clove
Squeeze of both lime and lemon juice
Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions:

Cut up vegetables.

In pan heat up vegetable broth and garlic until garlic just before garlic turns golden brown.

Add vegetables, lime and lemon juice and salt and pepper.

Cook until vegetables are just starting to get soft, I do not like to cook my vegetables too long, soggy veggies are the worst I think.

To make the meal a little more filling I served with a small portion of brown rice.

DELIVERY!

2010-08-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

I have always been one of those kids who couldn't fall asleep on Christmas Eve. I was soooo excited about the idea of a big fat man downstairs putting gifts under the tree that I stayed up almost all night every year.

Perhaps it was no surprise then that today, I was super pumped about the arrival or my first basis foods delivery. I signed up for the grocery service with a bunch of people from work to reduce delivery costs and I have been waiting for weeks for the first arrival. Most of the food is organic or locally grown. The best part is, you never know what will be in your delivery bag! It is almost like opening up your stocking to find that Santa brought you Trolls this year instead of My Little Ponies (only slightly less frightening than the neon-haired, jewel-bellied creatures).

Anyway, when the package arrived I brought it home and ripped it open to discover an amazing array of fresh fruits and veggies:

Curly Red Kale

Broccoli Rabe

Baby Boston Lettuce

Purple Turnips

ps I have no clue what to do with these... any suggestions??

Heirloom Tomatoes

Strawberries

Yellow Wax Beans

Paula Red Apples, Bartlett Pears, Yellow Peaches, Nectarines

Fingerling Potatoes

Mini Pearl Onions

All that fresh food had me craving something veggie-filled and fresh. Solution = Veggie Tacos! Recipe to come...

Patrick lends a helping hand!

Heirloom Tomato Salsa

Chopped lettuce for topping and taco salad

My taco salad

Pat's dinner pre-cheese and salsa

Stay tuned for more delivery bag meals! My kitchen is fully stocked and ready for some food bloggin action ; )

The Adventurous Type?

2010-08-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

After shopping at a new grocery store yesterday, I was very excited to try out some of my new snacking products. As a result, the day was full of eating adventures.

Outside of food choices, I am not sure if I would categorize myself as someone who loves adventures. I try to constantly push myself to try new things but I’ll admit there are times when I let hesitation and nerves get the best of me.

However, when it came to breakfast this morning, I had no hesitations about diving into my pumpkin pie dessert hummus. I tried a variation of a pumpkin pie smoothie from one of my favorite healthy living food blogs.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie:

2 ice cubes
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie dessert hummus
1 cup almond milk
½ banana
1 tablespoon organic vanilla brown rice protein powder

Another new thing I tried this morning was the Breville we received as a wedding present. Amazing! It barely broke a sweat as it blended the whole ice cubes into smoothie perfection.

For lunch, I had another new product to try. I made a wrap with a whole wheat tortilla, some veganaise, greens and some sliced falafel I picked up at Stew Leonard’s. It was delicious. See falafel below:

As a snack this afternoon, I had some sliced berries topped with Ola Vanilla Almond granola (also a Stewie’s purchase). A nice afternoon treat : )

After work, Pat and I met up with his good friend Kevin from high school and his girlfriend Meredith. We tried a place called Apiary in the city and enjoyed a delicious dinner and some BYO wine. I was a little self-conscious about snapping pictures of my food at the restaurant. I need to work on that...

The Apiary Dining Room

Anyway, I was really impressed with the food and how accommodating the restaurant was of my needs. There were no vegetarian choices on the menu but as soon as I mentioned to the waiter that I didn’t eat meat or diary, he said “I’ll take care of you.” Take care of me he did! I loved my noodles and veggies in white wine sauce. For dessert I had the sorbet trio. I could only have a few bites because I was full after the meal but it was the perfect sweet ending to an adventure filled day.

So yes, it was a successful day of new foods and new friends. We even made plans to go sky-diving in the future… I suppose time will tell if I am truly the adventurous type : \

One of those memories

2010-08-22T20:01:00.001-07:00

This could be one of those memories
We want to hold on to, we want to cling to,
One that we can’t forget…

-Darius Rucker

This weekend Pat and I drove up to New Hampshire for Country Fest (featuring Brad Paisley, Sarah Evans, Darius Rucker and Jason Aldean). My best friend Tia got me tickets to the concert for my birthday and I was sooooo excited that the weekend was finally here. I had such an amazing time hanging out with Patrick, Tia and her boyfriend Ed on Saturday (see pics below). Then on Sunday, we stopped at my sister’s new apartment in MA and got to have breakfast with my mom and her boyfriend Ken. After spending so much time with family and friends this weekend, and having waaaaay too much time to think and reflect on the traffic-laden ride home, I started to feel really lucky.

Time seems like it is going by so fast lately. Sometimes I can’t believe I am married or that my baby sister is out on her own or that my oldest niece is almost old enough to drive (scary huh?) Anyway, when time is flying by it is comforting to think that along the way I am making great memories with loved ones : )

Ok, enough of the mushy-gushy stuff. On to the grub…

Dinner on Friday was snacks on the road to New Hampshire:

Berries with crumbled graham cracker crumbs

The cooler and the amazing cowgirl hat Pat bought me in South Dakota

Country Fest here we come!

Saturday morning Tia and I went for a long walk and returned to enjoy the colorful fruit salad that Tia had made. Although I always knew she was a one-in-a-million kind of friend, the fact that she stocked her house with vegan eats for my visit was another indicator of how lucky I am. We also enjoyed some stove-top banana oats.

Tia and I are both cowgirls at heart : )

Packing the cooler with VEGGIES!

Finally, we were on the road to the festival. After lots of traffic (have you noticed the weekend theme?) we arrived in the parking lot and the tailgating began.

Patrick grillin some veggie skewers with shrimp

Eggplant "burgers"

The spread

Tia eating homemade pickles from our tailgating neighbors

Pre-bite photo shoot

I approved!

Ed working the grill

Only Tia and I would drink Pinot out of Solo cups at a country concert

Rockin Out

I don't know...

We found Diana in the section right next to us! Only true friends can find each other in a stadium of thousands.

The night ended…

well, let's just say some stadium french fries may have been involved. Oops!

Sunday morning I awoke feeling the effects of late night Brad Paisley. Nevertheless, I was ready to visit with the fam. We stopped by my sister’s new gorgeous apartment and then headed over to a local breakfast place. There weren’t many options for a hungover vegan so I passed on the pancakes and picked up some Panera later on the road. It was so good to catch up with my family. I haven’t really gotten to see my mom since the wedding festivities and I missed her!

On the way home, traffic was so bad that Pat and I needed a break from the road. About 4 hours into the drive I spotted a childhood favorite: Stew Leonard’s. It is this grocery store we used to go to when I was a kid; Meg and I LOVED it. There were buttons to press and dancing bananas and free samples to be had. So, when I spotted the familiar sign I shouted "PULL OVER" and a grocery shopping pit-stop ensued.

I was very excited to discover a new product called dessert hummus. It came in many flavors but I was most excited about the pumpkin pie flavor.

The goods

So I am off to bed (but not before a little taste of my pumpkin pie dessert hummus). Did anyone else get excited by seeing the words pumpkin pie and hummus in the same sentence?? I have not seen two such amazing foods combined since the invention of Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter...

Portion Shmortion

2010-08-19T17:38:00.001-07:00

So forgive me if the following sounds a little teachery...

When it comes to healthy living, I usually feel like I do pretty well. I try to eat the right foods, cook my meals at home and exercise at least a few times a week. You could say I feel like I have mastered most of the healthy living objectives. However, there is one area in which I need consistent remediation: portion control.

If life was a classroom, I would be in the slow group for Portion Control 101.

The reason I mention this is because I was a little disappointed today when I got on the scale and discovered I had gained 3 pounds.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not someone who lives and breathes in accordance with a number on a scale. In fact, I rarely weigh myself unless I get bored while the shower is heating up. However, after all the desserts and yumminess I have been featuring on my blog, I knew deep down, I had been overdoing the sweet stuff just a little bit…

The amazing thing about being vegan is that it provides so much freedom. You don’t feel guilty when you indulge in an occasional brownie or cookie because you know that you cooked it yourself and the ingredients are wholesome. However, vegan or not, 2 brownies or cookies or chocolate peanut butter cups a night for weeks on end does not make thee a “skinny bitch.” Oops!

At one time in my life, I may have freaked out about a few extra pounds. In fact it could have spawned some mild starvation stints (I have only recently started to realize that I may have struggled with some disordered eating issues in my younger days). Now, I just look at it as a signal to start doing my portion control homework again. What a drag.

Basically, my goal for the next two weeks is to cut down on my dessert portions and try to check in with myself before going back for seconds at meals. I need to remember that healthy food is not so healthy for your body when you eat too much of it. As much as I wish it was the case, my little body does not need to eat 2, 500 calories a day. Bummer.

I think mindful eating is just as important as healthy eating and perhaps I have been neglecting that…

To start off my challenge, I began the day with a smoothie infused with protein powder. Now, don’t go adding Myoplex to your smoothies just cause I said the words protein powder! That stuff is terrible for your body. For real, read the ingredients sometime. In fact, I tried out some organic protein powder made from spirutien and brown rice that was not half bad. I did miss my double bagels with cream cheese and honey that I had been enjoying along with the smoothie but I figured a supersize breakfast would not be the right way to start off…

About half way through the morning I enjoyed a peach and some seltzer water. At first, I wanted to go for some PB too but I checked in with my tummy and realized I didn’t really need it. For real! I promise! I passed up peanut butter and didn’t even miss it. Strange huh?

At lunch the peanut butter reappeared (I couldn’t stay away for long). I had a wrap with peanut butter and apples. Yum! That held me over until after the kiddos left the building when I enjoyed some cut up veggies. Sorry no pics. The middle schoolers kept me quite busy today.

By the time I got home from work and got in a quick workout, I admit I was starving. Mindful eating made me very MINDFUL of the fact that my stomach was beginning to eat itself from the inside out. Vegan veggie fried rice to the rescue:

Veggie Fried Rice:

2 cups cooked brown rice
Chopped baby bok choy
½ cup broccoli florets
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons organic shoyu
¼ cup water

1. Saute rice and veggies in sesame oil. As rice heats up, it may get dry so add water slowly to keep moist (ughh I hate that word!)

2. Add shoyu and ginger. Let cook on medium until bok choy is wilted (about 8 minutes)

Patrick's portion with eggs added

I enjoyed a medium sized portion with some leftover veggies from last night and only went back for a tiny portion of seconds (couldn’t resist).

Fresh berries for dessert tonight.

I don’t even miss the chocolate peanut butter cups…

much.

Date Night

2010-08-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

When I say Date Night, I am actually not referring to the movie above (which by the way I found sorely disappointing- except for the scene with the mouthpiece- that was hysterical). Otherwise, definitely a movie that did not meet my expectations. I am in fact referring to the email Pat sent me today around noon saying that he’d like to take me out for sushi. Hurray!

I didn’t really feel like cooking tonight anyway. There. I said it.

Sushi was one of my favorites before going vegan and I was a little bit wary of having to give it up. However, I’ve since learned that there are ways to enjoy sushi and other Asian choices “vegan-style.”

We often go to this place nearby called Wild Fusion. The food is pretty good but the real appeal is in the take-out. Literally, you hang up the phone and the food arrives within 5 minutes. Makes me question the freshness of what they bring me but when you get home from work at 9:30 and haven’t eaten lunch since 12, you sometimes just don’t care...

Anyway, I digress. So after all the cooking I’ve been doing lately I was pretty psyched to get out of the kitchen and get a menu in my hands. My go-to choice is usually the veggie hand rolls with brown rice OR sometimes I select from the vegetarian Chinese food side of the menu (the beauty of fusion people).

Tonight was...

Veggie Spring Roll for Two

Buddha's Delight with Brown Rice
Snow peas, Green Beans & Broccoli

Pat was hungry for more than just Budha's Delight. He was aiming for a Budha Belly!

The best part about going out to eat is that it means two meals with NO cook time (aka doggie bag lunch).

So the date night was a successful one (even one day later than expected). Now if you'll excuse me I have no kitchen to clean, no dishes to wash, and no lunches to pack...

I feel like I already got lucky and date night isn't even over yet ; )

Expectations

2010-08-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

I spend a great deal of time thinking about expectations- what I expect from my students, my husband, my family, my friends, my body… I have come to the conclusion that I expect a lot.

Anyway, I am feeling a little blah today because it was one of those days when nothing seemed to meet my high expectations. Some days life just frustrates you and it is best to go to bed and start fresh in the morning. Before I do that though, here are today’s eats...

This warm, sunny Tuesday (aka stifling, fire burning, sweat inducing Tuesday for those of us who spend our days in an un-air-conditioned classroom) began with a hot breakfast. I know. What was I thinking? But it is never too hot for oats and berries.

Lunch was some leftover Thai rice bowl with cherry tomatoes on the side.

Tonight I was unexpectedly on my own for dinner. Pat and I had made plans to go out but there was a change of plans so I cooked up some soup and a special grilled cheese. Less than 10 minute prep required!

I like to throw some extra greens into these veggie soups to beef up the nutritional value and make them a little more filling.

Most amazing grilled cheese ever = Red pepper hummus and Daiya cheese

I apologize if today’s post does not meet your expectations. I expect that tomorrow will be better… but we know how that sometimes goes…

I am off to go enjoy the company of a good book. Things always seem better after some relaxing reading time (and some chocolate peanut butter soft serve of course- recipe to come).

Who? What? Where? When? Why?

2010-08-16T18:05:00.001-07:00

MY DAY IN QUESTIONS
5:30am -7:00am

Why does 6am seem to come so much earlier after a weekend of rest and relaxation?

When is the last possible second I can get out of bed and still make it to work on time?

What does it take to get some coffee around here?

Why aren’t vegans supposed to eat honey? IT TASTES SO DAMN GOOD! (Oops not a question)

Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread:
Top toasted bagels with tofutti, honey and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice

7:00am-7:00pm

Where is your homework?

What is your next class?

Why are your pants so low I can see your underwear? Where is your belt?

What leftovers are for lunch today? LEFTOVER BBQ BURGER. Yum!

Why did I forget to take a lunch pic AGAIN?

When will this meeting end?

7:00pm-Bedtime

Why does my kitchen floor look like my students ate lunch on it today, and every day for the past year, at a time when the school janitor was on a leave of absence?

When will I vacuum? (not tonight is the answer to that one)

Who makes better home-cooked meals than mom?

Mom-Inspired Black Bean Burritos:
1 can black beans
1 package frozen winter squash or fresh winter squash if you’re feeling ambitious
1 cup vegan cheddar (Daiya works best for this recipe)
Whole wheat tortillas
Olive oil spray

1. Mix together squash and blackbeans.

2. Split mixture between 4 tortillas. Add cheese before wrapping up. Save some cheese to sprinkle on top.

3. Heat at 350 degrees in lightly greased glass dish for 15 minutes.

4. Thank GingerB (the amazing mom who inspired this recipe)

What is for dessert?

When is bedtime?

Mega-Post Weekend!

2010-08-15T17:55:00.000-07:00

So I know I have been slacking lately on the food blog this week due to my return to the insane schedule that is my life from August-June. However, this weekend I tried to regain some balance in my life and have therefore put together a more lively post for your enjoyment!

The weekend got off to a great start on Friday evening with a Mexican Fiesta Dinner. Well… great start in terms of food. If you’re looking for a bustling social calendar you have the wrong blog people. I enjoyed my quesadillas while lesson planning in front of the TV in my pajamas. If you’re looking for a blog that makes you feel better about the way you spent your Friday evening, I’ve got you covered...

Holy Guacamole:

4 mashed up avocadoes (I have not forgotten the meaning of PORTION CONTROL- Pat and his friend Ben shared the guac before heading out for a movie)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (Who knows what minced means? I put it in a garlic press… is that minced?)

1 tablespoon sea salt

Spash of OJ

Splash of lime juice

MASH IT UP BABY! DIP AWAY!

Veggie Quesadillas:

Whole wheat tortillas
Earth Balance
Vegan cheddar (Diaya or Galaxy)
Assorted veggies (lightly steamed)

1. Spread earth balance on one side or tortilla. Put face down on frying pan or skillet.

2. Top with light layer of cheese. Heat on medium until cheese melts slightly. Top with steamed veggies and a little more cheese.

3. Spread earth balance on another tortilla. Place on top of cheese & veggies, butter side up (holy Dr. Seuss Butter Battle flashback).

4. Press firmly with spatula. Flip. Heat until both sides are crispy and cheese is melty.

5. Wait until cooled to cut or you will have an ooey, gooey mess!

Post-Lesson Planning Treat = Melted vegan chocolate chips with almond milk and coconut yogurt

JUST LIKE CHOCOLATE FROSTING EATEN STRAIGHT FROM THE CARTON : )

Saturday morning didn't start off so good. No use crying over spilled oats in a jar?

Though this looks gross, it is actually amazing (not when you have to eat it from the bottom of the microwave). You take an empty peanut butter jar and make oatmeal in it. Peanut butter in EVERY bite. Anyone want to come clean my microwave for me? I'll make you my chocolate frosting! Yummmmm... dirty microwave.

After the microwave mishap, the day got progressively better. In fact it was the perfect, active, sunny August day. Patrick and I went hiking at Jockey Hollow which is a beautiful area in New Jersey (I know right? Who would have thunk it?) It was actually the sight of some Revolutionary War battles. Don’t ask me specifics… Patrick makes me read every single historical information sign when we’re there and I’d rather not discuss it further…

Pre-hike lunch = Pita bread pizza with collards and broccoli

Anyway, we enjoyed a lovely hike and then stopped at Whiteman’s for some Farmer’s Market essentials. See the loot below:

Grrrr... don't know why this is flippy dippy...

When we returned I cooked up some BBQ Apple Butter “Burgers.” First time I tried this recipe and definitely in my new top ten. So good!

BBQ Apple Butter Burgers:

1 can garbanzo beans
½ cup quick cooking oats (ground fine in food processor)
¼ cup chopped mushroom
*1 tablespoon bbq sauce
*1 tablespoon apple butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin

*I used two teaspoons apple butter bbq sauce but I’m not sure if you can find that anywhere so I figured this would be the closest thing.

1. Pour garbanzo beans into a bowl and mash with fork.

2. Grind oats in food processor.

3. Finely chop mushrooms.

4. Mix together in a bowl with BBQ sauce, apple butter and spices until you have a ground up mess.

3. Form mixture into 4 patties.

4. Spray frying pan with cooking spray and "fry" patties for about 5 minutes on each side.

5. Top burgers with Tempeh Bacon. Sooo good. See below.

What is a summer burger without some WATERMELON?

Jersey corn and asparagus on the side

Mouthwatering (one word?)

About to go in my mouth... CHOMP

Sunday was a not so fun day so I knew I had to start off strong. I had to finish my final exam for my School Law class (my last assignment for my Masters- hurray!). I fueled up for paper writing with some vegan french toast and fresh berries from Whiteman's. The syrup is a combo of organic maple syrup and melted PB.

I enjoyed some snacks while paper writing but by the time dinner came around I was starving. I felt like ending the weekend Thai-style so I whipped up a Coconut Curry Rice Bowl. It is a quick and easy recipe if you want an exotic dinner in a hurry!

Coconut Curry Rice Bowl with Tempeh:

1 can Amy's Thai Coconut Soup

Assorted veggies (broccoli and zucchini pictured here)

1 cup dry brown rice (uncooked)

Coconut oil

Coconut Curry Tempeh

1. Empty soup and rice into a pot. Cover and bring to boil.

2. Add veggies and simmer for 12 minutes.

3. In a separate frying pan, heat coconut oil until it pops.

4. Turn heat down to medium and add tempeh strips. Cook 5 minutes on each side.

5. Mix together and gooble up.

Now if you'll excuse me, I am exhausted from a weekend of cooking, hiking and paper-writing. I am off to read my latest book purchase Skinny Bitch (as recommended by my good friend Bloomer). I'll let you know if they have anything revolutionary to say. There is an entire chapter entitled "Pooping." Should be interesting...

Sleepy Time?

2010-08-12T17:39:00.001-07:00

So I have a confession to make. While my blog may create the impression that I live a completely healthy and balanced lifestyle, that is not exactly true. Though I have been trying to eat healthy and workout and maintain hobbies that help me to feel centered (e.g. this blog), I continue to make really unhealthy choices when it comes to sleep. Over the summer, I really caught up in this area but after less than a week back at school I am already feeling depleted.

Someone please tell me how it is possible to work 60+ hours a week, workout and cook all your meals while still getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep????

During the work week I typically get about 5 hours a night (6 if I'm lucky). I know it isn't good for me but I'm not sure what to cut out (I know what you're thinking, stop watching Real Housewives... not an option people).

One of my personal goals this year is to get healthier in every way. I know that means getting more sleep in addition to everything else but right now I am just not making the grade in that area.

Anyway, I hope all that sleep-deprived rambling helps to expain the following meal choices:

Breakfast:

Cinnamon raisin Ezekial toast with Earth Balance

Strawberry-Peach Smoothie made in the Magic Bullet

Lunch:

Last night's leftovers. Yum!

When it came to dinner time, I was utterly exhausted. It was just one of those nights when this...

Could not compare to this...
Over tired Beanz = Banana Peanut Butter Oats for dinner and an early bedtime
Goodnight ; )

When the hubby is away...

2010-08-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our first giveaway winner Kate! Tonight I drew a #4 and she was the 4th comment on the list:

Kate said...
The Kind Diet (since Kiirsten already voted for eat, drink & be vegan...) because I recently saw a clip on the news about this book and was interested in reading it!!

Email your address to Srutherford07@gmail.com and I will send you a brand new copy of The Kind Diet! Happy Cooking!

Thanks for all the comments you guys posted. Stay tuned for the next giveaway (Hint: Some peanut butter products may be involved).

Now on to the post...

I have never lived alone. I went from living with my family, to living with roomies, to living with Patrick. To tell the truth, I don’t really like being home alone. I get a little creeped out (too much crime tv I suppose). However, there are many nights when Patrick works late and I am left to my own devices. In those situations, I find solace in some of the little pleasures of having no one else around. You know what I’m talking about! Those things you do that you can ONLY do when no one else is home. My “home alone habits” are as follows:

1. Wear my grossest, most amazing, pj shirt

2. Watch Real Housewives of New Jersey or some other equally terrible reality tv programming

3. Forget to close the bathroom door

4. Lick the blade of the blender to get the very last drop of chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie

5. Order take-out and eat it on the couch in front of the week’s most sinful DVR recordings (see #2)

So, tonight, when Patrick called to tell me he would be at the office late, I decided to spend the evening doing ALMOST all of these things. Instead of calling up my favorite Indian takeout place (my home alone eatery of choice), I decided to whip up my own version of some of my go-to choices.

Samosa Burritos:

1 package Trader Joe’s cumin and chili chickpeas (you can also season them yourself but I was feeling lazy)

1 cup slightly steamed veggie of choice (broccolini pictured here)

2 whole wheat tortillas

Brown rice

Mango chutney

1. Split first two ingredients between the two tortillas.
2. Fold in ends of the tortilla and then wrap up “burrito style”

3. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes
4. Serve with brown rice and mango chutney
3. Save the leftover burrito for the lunchbox