Walnut-Pear Green Salad

This salad is like a gourmet salad one would order at a restaurant. I know I say "YUM" all the time on these recipe posts, but it IS good, and I am picky about what salad I like! The recipe is from Eat for Health by Joel Fuhrman.

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 min.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces (about 8 cups) baby salad mix [I get a big box of spring greens]
• 2 ounces (about 2 cups) arugula or watercress [I skip these since they're expensive and just add more of the other greens ALTHOUGH watercress is very nutrient dense and thus very filling]
• 1 pear, grated
• 1/4 cup currants (raisins)
• 1/4 cup walnuts, crushed or chopped
• 2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's D'Anjou Pear Vinegar or balsamic vinegar [I just use white balsamic pear-infused vinegar that can be found at Publix]
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 pears, peeled and sliced
  
• 1/4 cup walnut halves (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Combine greens with grated pear, currants, and walnuts.

Toss with vinegar and olive oil. Top with sliced pears and, if desired, walnut halves.

One serving* contains:
Calories 145.9; protein 1.6g; carbohydrate 35.5g; fat 1.3g; sodium 4.6mg

*That is, provided you use the arugula/watercress...

Vegetable Garbonzo Wrap

What a blah name for a great meal! I instantly became addicted to this. It was pretty easy to prepare and DELISH! Not to mention healthy, incredibly filling, and yummy. Recipe from Eat For Health by Joel Fuhrman.

Serves: 4 (so the book says, but we got 6-7 wraps out of it; probably depends on how large your wraps are - we just used large tortillas rather than huge wraps)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 large tomato, chopped
1 avocado, chopped (I used to hate avocadoes; I'm now a convert!)
1 cucumber, chopped
4 leaves romaine lettuce, shredded
1 15-oz. can garbonzo beans (low or no salt), drained and mashed (though I didn't mash them)
2 T fruit-flavored vinegar (I used 3T because the flavor was so faint; I think I used a pomegranate or blueberry vinegar)
4 whole grain tortillas (again, we used large ones, but not "wraps")
1/2 T raw sesame tahini (I didn't measure, I just slathered it on)

Directions:
1. Chop vegetables
2. Toss vegetables with garbonzo beans and vinegar
3. Warm a whole grain tortilla, spread a thin coating (I did thick!) of tahini on it, and roll with the vegetable/bean mixture.
4. ENJOY THE DELICIOUSNESS!

If you want to make these for lunch the next day, obviously you can skip the "warm tortillas" step. I went ahead and made the leftover veg mixture into more wraps for lunches. You'll need to use saran/cling wrap to keep it together instead of a sealed bag. (Think of how Moe's wraps their stuff.)

One serving contains:
Calories 555.8; Protein 20.7g; Carbohydrate 84.8g; Fat 16.9g; Sodium 364.4mg
And before you go thinking, "holy cats that is a ton of calories/protein/etc." remember that (1) this is VERY filling - you eat one or two of these and you'll be stuffed and not eat anything else for a LONG time, and (2) the only processed part of this meal is the tortillas. It's HEALTHY and pure, for heaven's sake!

Tonya's Sausage and Peppers

Had this at John's grandparents' house when we visited them before Christmas. Yum! It's John's aunt's recipe. And that is a lot of apostrophes (correctly used, for the record!).

Sausage and Peppers

1 lb of whichever kind of sausage you like (you can mix hot and mild)
2 onions sliced
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
4-6 potatoes
1/2 cup water

Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Slice onions on the bottom. Cut peppers and potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Take skin off the sausage and cut into pieces. Add water. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Pinto Bean Burritos

Found this recipe in the October 2010 issue of Good Housekeeping. It was pretty easy to prepare, and while it wasn't "super-fast," it was quick enough to make (not too complicated or anything). It tasted like something you get at Moe's. Very good. And the leftovers make a great lunch the next day!

Pinto Bean Burritos

Serves: 4 main-dish servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes

• 2 teaspoon(s) vegetable oil [I hate using oil, so I used water instead]
  
• 2 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
• 3/4 cup(s) water
• 1/2 cup(s) quick-cooking brown rice [I used 1 cup of regular brown rice, so it took longer]
  
• 2 can(s) (14 1/2 ounces each) no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoon(s) orange juice
  
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 4 (12-inch) burrito-size whole wheat flour tortillas [the package I bought had 5 wraps, and we could have made 6 wraps with the amount of "filling" that was made]
  
• 1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/4 cup(s) salsa verde
• 2 avocados, pitted and peeled [I used ready-made pure guacamole instead]
  
• 2 tablespoon(s) fresh lime juice
  

Directions:

1. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium until hot. Add garlic and cumin; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until just golden. Stir in water and rice; cook as label directs.
2. When rice is cooked, to same skillet, add beans, orange juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper, stirring to combine. Cook 5 minutes on medium or until beans are heated through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in green onions.
3. Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave on High 1 minute. In large bowl, toss lettuce and salsa verde until combined.
4. In medium bowl, with fork, mash avocados and lime juice until almost smooth. Spread avocado evenly on tortillas. Divide bean mixture and lettuce among tortillas. Fold in sides of tortilla and roll around filling. Wrap each burrito tightly in waxed paper or aluminum foil.

Tips & Techniques:

Look for 12-in. whole wheat wraps if you can't find whole wheat flour tortillas.

Nutritional Information (per serving): About 670 calories; 21 g protein, 102 g carbohydrate, 20 g total fat (3 g saturated), 18 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 770 mg sodium.

Leftover rum? No problem!

My only experience with rum has been watching Jack Sparrow sing its praises on the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. But there was almost an entire bottle leftover after Matt made tiramisu the other week. I was going to make peach cobbler one night but instead searched for a recipe with peaches and rum. Since that required grilling, and it was already 90 degrees outside, I changed it a bit and came up with this:

Peaches 'n Rum

6-7 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
Sugar
Cinnamon
Chopped almonds (though I used pre-sliced almonds as a shortcut)
Rum (approx. 1 tsp per peach)

After preparing the peaches, I lined a 9-inch loaf pan with aluminum foil and put the peaches inside. Sprinkle liberally with sugar and cinnamon, then add some of the almonds on top. I poured 6 tsp of rum on top, then closed up the aluminum foil tightly and put the loaf pan in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes (until the peaches are cooked).

Whipped Topping:

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Splash of rum (optional!)

Whip cream until almost stiff, about 1 minute. Per Gail's advice, I added a splash of rum. Then slowly add sugar and vanilla; beat until cream holds peaks.

Er, since there was still almost a whole bottle of rum left, I made this again the next night, but with 3 medium-sized apples. Yum!

Awesome Banana Pudding

I tweaked this recipe from a colleague. I could eat an entire pan by myself.

Serves a crowd (or a very selfish 1!)

2 boxes of instant vanilla pudding
1 box of instant banana cream pudding
5 cups of vanilla milk (or regular milk)
8 oz. Cool Whip, refrigerated temperature not frozen
8 oz. sour cream (trust me!)
5-6 bananas
vanilla wafers

1. Line a 9x13 casserole dish with vanilla wafers.
2. In a separate bowl, cut up bananas (mash some, slice some).
3. In a large mixing bowl, make pudding with pudding mix and milk, following directions on the box(es).
4. Fold sour cream and Cool Whip into pudding.
5. Fold in bananas.
6. Pour mixture into 9x13 dish on top of wafers.
7. (Optional) Crush some of the remaining wafers and sprinkle them on top just before serving.
8. Enjoy the awesomeness!

Save Money on Groceries

John emailed me about this article: Top 10 Ways to Save Money on Food.

Highlights include #9 - Stop Using Recipes, #8 - Shop Online, and #6 - Make a Core Menu.

I do like the idea of making a core menu that's used every week, with 2 nights for new recipes. I've been working on something similar, only not the same meals EVERY week. More like a 2-3 week menu rotation, with 1 night a week for new recipes since those always take (me) longer to make.

With # 9, the point is to go "off recipe" and make something on your own that uses up what you have lying around in the refrigerator, freezer, or pantry. But I was a little aghast at that, since I am the most horrible cook in the world. If anything, I have learned NOT to go off recipe (and John totally agrees with me), unless it's something I have cooked a thousand times (like stir fry or enchiladas). I am HORRIBLE at throwing something together and expecting it to taste good. Seriously, I might as well throw the ingredients in the trash instead, since we wouldn't enjoy the final product anyway!

However, it IS a good point, and I HAVE drastically improved my cooking skills, considering that I basically started barely knowing how to boil water. Following this tip - maybe half the time - would certainly be a crash course in trial-and-error cooking. And as my friend Melissa says, if it doesn't work out, that's what the backup frozen pizza is for.

Low-Fat Vegan Waffles

I got this recipe from a friend of a friend, so I don't know where it originally came from. But it is good, especially knowing how healthy it is!

Makes about 3 waffles

1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour [I use 1 cup of whole wheat flour, and eliminate the white flour]
2 T baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup soy (or rice) milk
1/2 cup applesauce

Combine the flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the soy/rice milk and applesauce.

Pour into a lightly greased waffle iron and cook until golden brown. Serve with 100% pure maple syrup (regular syrup contains high fructose corn syrup).

Quick and easy for a lazy Saturday morning!

Ruth's Cold Lentil Salad

Got this from my friend Ruth. I suspect that she created it from scratch, but I'm not sure! VERY tasty and filling.

Boil 4 cups of water.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown 2 cups of lentils in a small amount of oil (I used extra virgin olive oil), until color changes (about 5 minutes).

Carefully pour boiling water over lentils. Optional add-ins: 2 cloves crushed garlic, chopped or dried onion, a dash of Braggs Liquid Aminos, or a dash of sherry. I added about 1/4 or 1/3 cup of sherry.

Cook lentils until water is absorbed, and lentils are soft. (This took about 25 minutes.)

If necessary, drain any excess water and chill lentils in the refrigerator.

Then add and toss with:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or regular vinegar)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 t basil
1 t salt
2 tomatoes, diced
1 (red) bell pepper, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 cup coarse-chopped parsley

Serves 6+

Enchiladas with Green Chili Sauce

From The Complete Vegan Cookbook:

Enchiladas with Green Chili Sauce

The authors recommend "any side dish rice and store-bought salsa" can be served with this dish.

Yield: 4 main-dish servings
Prep: 1 1/2 hours, including oven time [but this was my first time making it; hopefully next time will be shorter!!]. These enchiladas were REALLY, really good. It did not even taste like it includes tofu. As cold leftovers, it might resemble something you'd rather not think about, but it reheats nicely in the microwave. I will definitely make this again!

The sauce
2 cans (4 oz. each) mild green chilies, drained [I searched high and low for these, and could not find them in Publix, Walmart, or Kroger. I ended up using a jar of Mild Banana Pepper Rings. The final product still tasted very good, but I have no idea what it would taste like with the correct ingredient.]
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro [Um, I didn't have this, so I used up all my dried cilantro, 16 tsp. But I AM going to use fresh next time.]
2 cups vegetable stock [I used one 14-ounce can]
1/2 cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced [I used an entire white onion]
3 cloves garlic, minced [I always use more garlic than it says; 6 minced cloves here]
1 T chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp brown rice syrup
1/4 tsp [non-iodized sea] salt
Several grinds black pepper [... or several shakes from dollar store pepper shaker]

The enchiladas
8 [whole-wheat] flour tortillas
12 ounces frozen firm tofu, defrosted and patted dry [The tofu I bought was 14 ounces, but I used the entire 14-ounce package, and didn't notice any taste difference!]
1 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
2 T canola oil
8 ounces Monterey Jack-style soy cheese, grated [um, I used real dairy cheese since I didn't want to drive a half hour to Whole Foods]

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

First, make the sauce: In a blender or food processor , combine the green chilies, cilantro, stock, pumpkin seeds, onion, garlic, chili powder, coriander, rice syrup, salt, and pepper. [I used my new Vita-Mix blender; I don't know how a regular blender/processor can pulverize the pumpkin seeds? I guess they can.] Puree, then transfer the mixture to a heavy-bottomed skillet and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes. [How on earth can one person stir this frequently and do the next steps at the same time? I am not Wonder Woman.]

Meanwhile, warm the tortillas by heating them one at a timeover a gas burner or in a hot skillet for about 30 seconds, turning once or twice during this time. Wrap them in a clean tea towel to keep them warm. [Confession: I totally skipped this step. Didn't see the reason for it, since it's all going to get warm in the oven eventually. Not to mention, it will be stone cold by the time I get to it after the next few steps.]

Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Set aside. Leave the remaining sauce in the skillet.

Crumble the tofu into a bowl and toss with the chili powder and cumin [I added a dash of each on top of what the recipe requires, because I included the 2 extra ounces of tofu]. Heat the oil over medium-high in a separate skillet. Add the tofu mixture and stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

[Set up an assembly line: tortillas, skillet with sauce, large empty plate, bowls with cheese and tofu, then baking dish.] Working with one tortilla at a time, briefly immerse it in the sauce remaining in the skillet to coat it lightly. [Be careful to coat it quickly and move it to the plate, or else the warm sauce will make the tortilla tear in your hands!] Place the tortilla flat on a plate, and, with your hands, place about 1/8 of the tofu and 1/8 of the cheese in a narrow heap across the tortilla, slightly off-center. [I probably used more cheese than it said to, ahem.] Loosely roll up the tortilla around the filling, and place it seam side down on the plate. Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then allow to stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Each serving provides: 592 calories, 34g protein, 29g fat, 8g dietary fiber, 54g carbohydrates, 1030mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol

Curried Bulgur Casserole with Garbonzo Beans

From The Complete Vegan Cookbook:

"The fragrance satisfies long before this dish is taken from the oven. Warm and creamy in texture, it is sure to become a family favorite. For a variation, you may use cilantro in place of the parsley."
-authors Susan Geiskopf-Hadler and Mindy Toomay

It certainly did smell good in the oven; John even made a comment about it. I liked this dish and would like to make it again - except that it was a bit on the bland side. I don't know if more curry should be added, or what could be changed to infuse more flavor. And I even used more onions than the recipe called for, which was unplanned! Perhaps because I used dried instead of fresh parsley? Any ideas for more flavor?]

Curried Bulgur Casserole with Garbonzo Beans

Yield: 6 main-dish servings
Prep/Cook Time: 45 minutes

1 1/2 cups uncooked bulgur
2 T olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 green onions, minced [I used 7, the whole bunch I bought at the store]
1 cup fresh or frozen shelled peas (see Note below)
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, drained [I used one can of beans, drained & rinsed]
1 T curry powder
1/4 tsp salt [I used non-iodized sea salt]
3/4 cup plain soy or rice milk
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley [um, I used 9 tsp dried]
6 fresh lemon wedges (optional)

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in the bulgur, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onions, and saute for about 2 minutes. Stir in the peas, garbanzo beans, curry powder, and salt, and cook 1 minute, then stir in the soy milk and parsley.

Combine the garbanzo mixture with the cooked bulgur in a large bowl. Fold the ingredients together until well-blended, then spoon the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. [I used a 2 1/2-quart dish. Really, the other looked too small.] Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot - with lemon wedges, if desired. [Usually I don't care about the optional things, but for this recipe, the lemon wedges are NOT optional. They really added to the taste!]

Note: If using frozen peas, place them in a colander and rinse briefly under warm water to melt off any ice crystals before adding them to the dish. [I did this, but REALLY didn't see much difference, besides the fact that it's an extra step.]

Each serving provides: 293 calories, 12g protein, 7g fat, 13g dietary fiber, 49g carbohydrates, 126mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol

Cookbook Wars

When I taught high school English, I waged three major campaigns:

(1) Try to get at least 5 hours of sleep each night.

(2) Catch students smoking in the female student bathroom next door to my classroom by using my youthful good looks to trick them into thinking I was a student also, though my conservative, decidedly UN-teenaged trendy clothes should have given it away, so that when I walked into the bathroom, they didn't immediately flush the evidence down the toilet. You'd think they'd learn to stop smoking in THAT bathroom, at least.

(3) Impress upon star-struck adolescents that cheating (which includes plagiarism) does NOT get you far in life, despite numerous multi-millionaire athletes' doping actions to the contrary.

It turns out that there's a controversy surrounding the new cookbook written by Jerry Seinfeld's wife Jessica. I bought Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food [published October 2007] because I liked the premise, the book's format is easy-to-use, and including comments from the Seinfeld kids (and Jerry) about the recipes is a clever addition. I was pleasantly surprised (or not surprised?) to find great humor throughout the book as Seinfeld tackles the monumental job of trying to get kids to eat healthy food.

But Missy Chase Lapine, the author of The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals, claims that Jessica Seinfeld plagiarized her book [published April 2007].

You can read about the lawsuit Lapine has brought against Seinfeld here. I hope that the allegation isn't true, but we'll see how it plays out.

In the mean time, student plagiarizers beware. Teachers know that you really DON'T write that well, and that if you were smarter, you wouldn't pick the very first article that appears in your Google search to plagiarize.

Artichoke, Squash, and Red Pepper Saute

(from p. 193, The Complete Vegan Cookbook) This was quick and easy to prepare (the rice takes the longest). Strong Mediterranean flavor and very filling.

Yield: [barely] 4 main-dish servings

1 cup brown basmati rice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium red bell pepper
3 T. dry sherry
1 cup diced yellow crookneck squash (I used one squash)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. dill seed (I didn't have any so I used dill WEED...)
A few grinds black pepper
1 can (8.5 oz. drained weight) quartered artichoke hearts
2 T. fresh-squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
4 lemon wedges

Place the rice in a large, fine-mesh strainer and rinse under running water for about 30 seconds. Set aside to drain. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add 1/4 tsp. of the salt and the drained rice, then return to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer 45 minutes. Turn off the heat, and allow the pot to stand, without disturbing the lid, for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Cut the pepper in half lengthwise and discard the stem, seeds, and white membrane. Chop the pepper into 1-inch cubes. Heat the sherry with 3 T. of water in a heavy-bottomed skillet that has a tight-fitting lid. When it begins to simmer, stir in the pepper, squash, garlic, rosemary, dill seed, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and black pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, until the pepper is tender and there is still a little liquid remaining in the pan.

Meanwhile, drain the artichoke hearts, and remove any choke material you find (?? Um, I didn't know what that meant. I just checked all the pieces and removed a few of the outer "leaves" or whatever that can be hard to chew.) When the pepper is cooked, add the artichokes and lemon juice, and stir gently as you cook for about 2 minutes longer. You want the artichokes to just heat through. Serve hot over rice, garnished with lemon wedges.

Each serving provides: 225 calories, 6g protein, 2g fat, 3g dietary fiber, 45g carbohydrates, 449mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol.

Recipe for a 100 Degree Day

I got this recipe from Better Homes & Gardens (can't remember which month), but I couldn't find it online in their recipe index. It takes minimal prep and is a cold salad. Nice for when the weather is over 100 degrees outside and the thought of turning on the oven or stove makes one feel faint.

Corn Salad

Start to Finish: 20 minutes

1/4 cup lime juice (or juice from 1 1/2 limes; I used 2 whole limes)
1 T. honey
1 jalepeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 T. snipped fresh cilantro or 1 T. snipped fresh mint (I used 3 tsp dried cilantro)
1/4 tsp salt
6 fresh ears of corn, husked and cleaned; or 3 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed (I used the frozen/thawed corn)
1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves (I used a whole bag of salad spinach)
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped (I just diced it)
3/4 cup seeded, chopped cucumber (I seeded and diced a whole cucumber)

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice and honey until well-combined. Stir in jalapeno pepper, cilantro, and salt. Carefully cut corn kernels off cobs. Add to lime juice mixture. Stir in spinach, tomato, and cucumber. Serve immediately. Makes 9 (2/3 cup) servings. (If you make this the entree, I think it would be 4 servings.)

Each serving (if you stick to the directions): 59 cal, 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol, 78 mg sodium, 13 g carbo, 2 g fiber, 2 g pro. Daily Values: 16% vit. A, 17% vit. C, 1% calcium, 3% iron.

This is what Darra looks like after a walk on a HOT day. Once inside, she runs to her water bowl and collapses.

Spiced Lentil Soup

This is also from the Taste of Home booklet. I love lentils! I include the original recipe here, even though I skipped all the chicken parts to make the recipe vegan. It was delicious.

1/2 pound Italian sausage (casing removed), crumbled (I chopped up the Boca Burger Italian sausage version to keep it vegan)
1/2 cup diced onion (I used a whole onion)
1/3 cup barley
3 garlic cloves, minced (I used about 1 tsp of garlic powder or more! instead)
3 quarts of chicken stock (I used vegetable stock instead, and only 3 cans of the 14 oz size since my crockpot isn't large!)
1 cup lentils
1 whole chicken breast, uncooked (obviously, I left this out)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped (or 3 T dried parsley)
1 can (15 oz) garbonzo beans with juice (I didn't include the juice)
1/2 to 1 pound fresh or frozen spinach
1 jar (12 oz) mild or medium salsa

Brown sausage, onion, barley, and garlic in a skillet. Transfer to a slow cooker or large stock pot. (For the record, I skipped the browning step. I just heated up the Boca Burger sausage in the microwave according to the directions on the box, then threw all the above 4 ingredients into the crockpot.) Add the chicken stock, chicken breast, lentils, and parsley. Simmer for as long as you desire or until lentils are tender. Remove chicken breast, discarding bone and cartilage. Shred meat and return to soup. Add beans, spinach, and salsa; heat through. Yield: 10 servings.

Blueberry -Applesauce Muffins

This recipe is from The Complete Vegan Cookbook, and it meets two vital criteria: yummy and easy to make.

Yield: 16-18 muffins

2 cups unbleached white flour (I used wheat flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup wheat germ
12 ounces firm silken tofu
1/8 cup plain soy milk (I used rice milk)
2 T canola oil
1 T lemon juice
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries* (I added about 1/4 cup more to use the rest of the fresh package)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the sugar and wheat germ. In a food processor, puree the tofu, soy milk, oil, and lemon juice. Stir into the dry ingredients, along with the applesauce, until well-combined, then gently fold in the blueberries.

Place paper liners into the cups of a muffin tin. Spoon the batter in, filling the liners almost to the top. Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Remove from the muffin tin and allow to cool on a rack for about 15 minutes before eating. The muffins will stay fresh for a few days, stored in a jar or plastic bag at room temperature. (Cool completely before storing.)

*NOTE: If using frozen blueberries, place them in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water to melt off any ice crystals before adding them to the recipe.

Each serving (with original ingredients) provides: 143 calories, 4 g protein, 3 g fat, 1 g dietary fiber, 25 g carbohydrates, 149 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol

We thought the muffins were good, but Darra slept through it all.

Saute of Many Peppers & Garbonzo Beans

I made this recipe tonight, and it is not only good but also quick and easy. It comes from The Complete Vegan Cookbook (p.196), so please don't blame me for the awkwardly long title!

Saute of Many Peppers and Garbonzo Beans

Make this dish in the late summer (oops!), when bell peppers are at their best. The colors satisfy the senses nearly as much as the aroma and flavors do. Serve in a bowl, with garlic bread and a leafy salad to round out the meal (from the book; of course, I didn't include garlic bread).

Yield: 4 main-dish servings

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1/4 tsp salt
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large red bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
2 T olive oil (I used vegetable stock instead)
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tsp dried oregano
A few grinds black pepper (or a few shakes from the pepper shaker)
1/4 c. minced fresh Italian parsley (I used dried)
1/4 c. dry sherry
2 c. cooked and drained garbonzo beans (or 1 can, drained & rinsed)

[At this point, the recipe says to cook the rice. Instead of rice, I bought 1 "bunch" (?) of Swiss Chard and steamed it on a non-stick pan in 1/2 c. of water with a lid while everything else was sauteing.]

Cut the bell peppers lengthwise into quarters. Discard the stems, seeds, and white membrane, and slice across each section to create uniform 1/4-inch strips. Heat the oil (vegetable stock) in a wok or saute pan over medium heat, add the chili flakes and garlic, and stir for a moment before adding the peppers, onion, oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, and black pepper.

Saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, then increase the heat to medium-high and add the parsley, sherry, and garbonzo beans. Cook until the beans are hot, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a warmed bowl and serve immediately over hot rice (or the steamed chard).

[The book also conveniently provides nutritional information, but since I didn't use the rice or the olive oil, it wouldn't be accurate.]

Here's what Darra looks like after dinner and a walk:

Mothers and the devil

For Mother's Day, John's family came over to our house for lunch. I'd already decided the menu 2 months ago, when I found a certain pasta at Whole Foods called Mother-in-Law's Tongue. Not kidding. This is what it looks like:

(Apparently, there is also a plant with the same name. What is this fascination with the tongues of mothers-in-law?)

The meal was good, though it wasn't entirely vegan (who wants to make vegan green bean casserole when it would take 2 hours). And the dessert definitely had to be non-vegan or John's brothers wouldn't have eaten it.

Afterward, I cleaned up the kitchen and finished the dishes by 4 p.m., while the rest of the house looked like this:

(Yes, Darra is actually sleeping like that.)

The day pretty much passed in a fog for me because Darra has been regressing. She had finally accomplished sleeping solidly all night, until this week when the world came to an end:

Thursday night: Darra barks ALL NIGHT in her crate. We flee upstairs to sleep with earplugs in the guest room, reliving the first week we had her.

Friday: Take Darra to John's parents house for the evening to wear her out playing with the big dogs (2 golden retrievers, one of whom weighs 100 pounds). Darra sleeps like the dead all night.

Saturday: Go to several garage sales with Darra all morning. She sleeps in the afternoon to recover from the excitement of meeting so many new people and dogs. We play with her in the evening, but it is not enough. She barks all night again.

Sunday night: Play with Darra in the evening and take a long walk, which includes sniffing at neighbors' dogs being walked. Once home, she winds down and tries to go to sleep around 8 0r 9 p.m., too early for bedtime. Each time, I ruthlessly wake her up and make her play. She sleeps all night.

Basically, during the day, she is so cute and we love her. (This was taken the second day we had her, thus the worried look. But still very cute.)

At night, she becomes possessed, bent on a mission from satan to keep us from sleeping. Note the obvious change in facial attitude.


Other than the serious lack of sleep situation, our current training mission is to get her to ring a bell to go out. She HAS succeeded in sitting by the door to indicate that she wants to go out, which is a big relief, but that's a silent action. I heard about the bell training and want advance to that, since we can't and don't want to have to watch her constantly to see if she is at the door. I bought some miniature cow bells (in "copper") for $1.00 at Michaels and sewed them onto a length of blue ribbon to hang on the doorknob (if you're going to do it, at least it can match the living room). Plus, when she has to stay at John's parents house when we're on vacation, we can just move the bells to their door, so she knows where to go out.

A few months ago when I stumbled upon cuteoverload.com, I had jokingly told readers to Beware the Cuteness. Little did I know how prophetic that warning was!

Chapter 2: Lots of Recipes

I have never cooked so much in my life, but I really feel like I'm becoming a better COOK. Inevitable, I guess, when you COOK 3 meals a day (not just throwing a sandwich together or pointing someone to the cereal box).

These recipes are so easy to make that even someone like me can make them, and they will taste good. Hard to mess them up. Unless you use more cayenne than the recipe calls for.

One of the cool things about these recipes is that some of the dessert recipes can be used for BREAKFAST! How awesome is that. Yawn, I think I'll get out of bed and go fix myself some dessert!

Anyway, here are two shakes that qualify as both, followed by several other recipes I've tried out that were really good:

Banana-Berry Shake
Makes 2 servings

1 banana
1 bag frozen or 1 box fresh strawberries (I think frozen is better for a “smoothie” texture)
1 cup regular soymilk or skim milk (I used vanilla soymilk)
1 T. ground flaxseed

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor, blender, or Vita-Mix. This can also serve as a breakfast.

Jenna’s Peach Freeze
(Don’t know who Jenna is)
Makes 2 servings

1 frozen banana (slice a banana and freeze it a few hours before)
2 large dates, or 4 small (I chopped them to make it easier on the regular blender)
3 peaches or nectarines
¼ cup vanilla soymilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. cinnamon (I doubled this)

Cut up the bananas and fruit. Mix all ingredients together in a blender or Vita-Mix. This can also serve as a breakfast.

SIDES

Swiss Chard and Vegetables for Dummies
(for lack of an official title)
Makes 3 servings

1 shock/pack/bunch? of Swiss chard (found at Publix in the lettuce section, but not available at Walmart, alas)
1 zucchini, sliced
1/4 c. chopped white onion
1/2 package of sliced mushrooms
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 c. or so of vegetable broth (enough to cook/saute)

Cut off stems of Swiss chard up to the leaves. Cut leaves in half or thirds. Steam until wilted. (It wilts to only about half its size, as opposed to spinach, which loses about 99.9% of its volume.)

After getting the Swiss chard started, slice the zucchini, dice the onion, and slice the tomato. Put them, and the mushrooms and broth, in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently or occasionally, whichever makes you less nervous, until vegetables are tender. Serve the veggies on top of the Swiss chard (which tastes similar to spinach but not quite; for a recipe that contains no salt, it was quite salty! thanks to the Swiss chard).

Broccoli Vinaigrette
Makes 2 servings

1 bunch broccoli
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar (I used regular rice vinegar)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced (I doubled this)
1 T. flaxseed for those on the ETL diet (optional)

Break the broccoli into bite-sized florets. Peel stems and slice them into ¼-inch thick strips. Steam florets and stems for 10 minutes, or until just tender. While the broccoli is steaming, whisk the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Add broccoli and toss to mix. This was GOOD!

ENTREES

Tofu Chow Mein
Makes 5 servings – it’s a lot!

2 cups cabbage, chopped
2 cups onions, sliced (1 white onion)
sesame or almond oil
1 lb. tofu, diced (I used a marinated teriyaki package tofu from Trader Joe’s)
2 cups peas (frozen, which was fine)
2 cups mushrooms, sliced (1 8-oz. package)
1 T. arrowroot powder
1 T. low-salt soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (I used the tamari)
1 tsp. Oriental seasonings (I use Emeril’s Asian Essence)
1 (15-oz.) can water chestnuts, sliced
2 cups mung bean sprouts (1 package)

In a covered pan or wok, sauté the cabbage and onions in 1 teaspoon of sesame or almond oil. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the tofu, peas, and mushrooms. In a separate small bowl, mix the arrowroot powder and the soy sauce with 3 T. of the liquid from the cooking mushrooms ro from the canned water chestnuts (I used the latter, and I also DOUBLED this part for flavor). Add this mixture, the seasonings, the water chestnuts, and the bean sprouts to the sauté mixture and mix well. Cook for 3 more minutes.

Tofu (or Bean) Spinach Pot
Do not ask me why they call this “pot”
Makes 4-5 servings

1 lb. firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed - I used half a pound/package, then added
1 can of red kidney beans, drained
1 (10-oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed (I used a 16-oz. bag)
3 tomatoes
2 T. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/8 tsp. onion powder (I doubled this)
½ cup vegetable broth

Saute all the ingredients in the vegetable broth. Any type of bean may be substituted for the tofu.

SOUPS

Tomato Barley Stew
Makes 6 servings!

1 cup celery juice (I didn’t have any, so I substituted vegetable broth)
1 medium white onion
2 carrots, diced
1 zucchini
1 baked or boiled potato (no skin)
¼ cup unrefined barley (didn’t have, so used pearled instead)
6 tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (about 1 small pkg)
8 oz. white mushrooms, chopped

Heat 1 cup of water and the juice/broth on a low flame. Add the onion, carrots, zucchini, and potato. Let simmer about 1 hour (I only did a half hour, and it was soft enough) and then blend in blender or Vita-Mix blender. Return pureed mix back to the pot and add the barley, tomatoes, dried tomatoes, and mushrooms and simmer for another 45 minutes (which was a half hour for me).

The Great American Pastime: Chapter 1

I guess I need to forewarn that this is a lengthy post. And yet, still worth reading!! Mouth-watering, too.

So my sister is on this diet through her work, and she's already lost over 20 pounds in the first few weeks. John and I decided to look into it.

The diet is based on the Eat to Live book, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman; if you want a shorter overview, you can visit his website. (But if you end up being really interested, you need to read the book.)

I have never been on a diet and have never considered doing one. John has really been the impetus for starting this diet. Having read 8 of the 10 chapters so far of the book, however, I have begun to look at food in a completely different way. Like any book about a diet, it touts the weight loss that people will experience if they go on this diet. But I don't really need to lose weight (sure, 5-10 pounds would be nice, but I still consider myself to be thin enough). I am going on this diet for my health.

Dr. Fuhrman's conclusions are backed up by data that the reader can understand, and like any good debater, he also addresses the competition's pros and cons (mostly cons). The thing about diets is that "going on" one implies that you will eventually "go off" it. Not so with this one. Because of the health aspect, it's a diet for life.

When people today hear diet, they think of "a limitation on the amount a person eats for reducing weight," and it's usually temporary so people can get back to "the good stuff." But the FIRST definition of diet is "food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health." THAT is what I mean by saying, I am going on this diet.

Eat to Live is a vegan diet, or if you feel you can't eliminate meat and dairy entirely, then it can also be modified into a vegetarian diet that includes very little animal food. Basically, over 90% of the diet consists of vegetables, fruits, and beans/legumes.

Saying that this is a radical change in the way we'll eat is an understatement. I have slowly switched out the items in the pantry and refrigerator that aren't needed anymore (giving them away to a food pantry and my in-laws - AND feeling very guilty for giving them food that I now know is not very healthy!!).

I'll chronicle the journey with recipes that ANYONE can use, whether on a diet or not, as well as my usual stunning commentary.

I'm starting off the diet by using the one-week sample menu plan that's outlined in Ch. 9, with some modification, since I don't have the powerful veggie blender he talks about in some of the recipes. Officially, today is Day 2 on the diet. Since I've slowly been phasing out meat and dairy, however, we've already sort of experienced some effects.

For example, today I felt full ALL day, and only ate lunch and supper because it was time to do so. No snacks were necessary today (snacks are "allowed" - as much as you want of fruits/veggies/beans). (See Eat to Live Ch. 6, especially p. 118 for the reason behind this phenomenon of feeling full.)

Last night for supper, we had salad - every lunch and supper is to begin with a big salad - and the suggested Acorn Squash Supreme and Swiss chard with vegetables.

HOLY COW. For preparing my first truly vegan meal, I have to say it kicked butt. It was SOOOOO good, and I am not exaggerating. The squash didn't even taste like squash. The recipes are at the bottom of the post.

I read some of the online reviews of the book at Barnes & Noble, and I had to agree with one guy, who said that the recipes are aimed more at people who are more familiar with cooking than today's generation; some of the meal suggestions leave out a lot of detail.

Here's an example of what I mean, using last night's Swiss chard: "Steamed Swiss chard and zucchini cooked with onions, mushrooms, and stewed tomatoes."

Now, as a VERY pedantic person, I'll translate that into how I actually read it: "Swiss chard? What the heck is that? (Note: call sister and ask.) How much zucchini? What kind of onions? How many mushrooms, onions, and stewed tomatoes? What ARE stewed tomatoes, and is that a separate step? (Note: call sister and ask.) What do I cook these WITH, since olive oil is taboo? Do I cook them all together, or cook the vegetables together, then put them on top of the separately steamed Swiss chard?"

I almost broke out in hives just worrying about it. After calling my culinary encyclopedia, I got a better idea of what to do, and - this is a testimony to how far I have come in the kitchen, as well as in my personal psychological journey - I WINGED IT and got great results. Note: Usually, me "winging it" brings about culinary catastrophe.

Such as this morning, when breakfast for Day 2 called for, among other things, "1 cup of oatmeal." We're talking, using OATS FROM SCRATCH instead of Quaker's Already Flavored stuff. It was your typical terrible oatmeal, BLAH and thick and dry, but I'm working on it. I also learned the recipe probably means "1 cup of COOKED oatmeal," not dry.

And so the recipes:

Acorn Squash Supreme
(which John said he liked, and he doesn't like squash at all)
Makes 2 servings

1 large acorn squash
4 T. diced dried apricots
2 T. chopped raw cashews
1 (15-oz.) can unsweetened, crushed pineapple, juice reserved
2 T. raisins
cinnamon

Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, and bake facedown in 1 inch of water for 45 minutes.

Dice the apricots, then cover them in a bowl with some of the pineapple juice. On top, add the pineapple, raisins, and cashews. Let stand and soak while the squash is cooking.

After the squash has cooked, mix up the fruit in the bowl and scoop it into the squash's center. Cover with aluminum foil and bake covered for an additional 30 minutes. [Paranoid Cook's Comment: Leave the 1 inch of water in there, or dump it?! I left it. Just be careful that all the topping doesn't fall into the water.] Sprinkle with cinnamon, then put it back in the oven for 5 more minutes.

Swiss Chard and Vegetables for Dummies (for lack of an official title)
Makes 3 servings

1 shock/pack/bunch? of Swiss chard (found at Publix in the lettuce section, but not available at Walmart, alas)
1 zucchini, sliced
1/4 c. chopped white onion
1/2 package of sliced mushrooms
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 c. or so of vegetable broth (enough to cook/saute)

Cut off stems of Swiss chard up to the leaves. Cut leaves in half or thirds. Steam until wilted. (It wilts to only about half its size, as opposed to spinach, which loses about 99.9% of its volume.)

After getting the Swiss chard started, slice the zucchini, dice the onion, and slice the tomato. Put them, and the mushrooms and broth, in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently or occasionally, whichever makes you less nervous, until vegetables are tender. Serve the veggies on top of the Swiss chard (which tastes similar to spinach but not quite; for a recipe that contains no salt, it was quite salty! thanks to the Swiss chard).