We did it! 30 Days strictly vegan! We ended the challenge right with a delicious Carrot and Quinoa Soup made with some of the beautiful fresh and organic produce I received from Farm Fresh to You! Have I not told you about Farm Fresh? Well let me get started…

A patient recently referred us to the company and I thought I’d try it out. The farm is located in the Imperial Valley, privately owned and completely organic. I received my first delivery this Tuesday morning. 8:30am and it was already waiting for me outside my front door. How exciting to wake up to a box of fresh fruits and vegetables. I love delivery!

What I like most about this CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that differs from others is there is no commitment. I can cancel up to 48 hours in advance to a delivery and suspend a week if I’m going out of town. I can also choose to order weekly, biweekly, and even choose which produce I don’t want to receive. This prevents us from wasting foods we might not like.

The price is very reasonable and look at all the great produce we got!

So tonight I made one of the recipes included with my veggie box. (Isn’t that cool? It comes with recipes!) It called for the carrots, and carrot tops, and onion included in the box. I added some of the FarmFresh basil and the rest of the ingredients I picked up at Trader Joe’s on my way home from work.

Here’s the recipe for those who’d like to partake in it’s nutritional goodness! It’s a simple but hearty recipe…vegan, gluten-free, low on the glycemic index, basically good for everyone, unless you hate carrots. But who hates carrots?

Carrot and Quinoa Soup

• one bunch carrots and carrot tops (chopped)
• one onion (chopped)
• 4 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 4 cups veggie stock (plus extra if needed)
• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed (I used red – but it doesn’t matter)
• salt and pepper to taste
• red pepper flakes (if you like it spicy)
• herbs of your liking (I used basil and parsley)

Saute onions, garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until carrots are tender. That’s it!  Simple, tasty, and good for you. Enjoy!

Oh by the way. If you live in California and are interested in signing up with Farm Fresh to You, contact me and I’ll send you a code that will save you $5 off your first purchase!

Happy Days!

Two nights ago I made polenta for the first time. It is my new favorite starch. Good for you gluten-free folks out there as it’s basically just corn meal but blood-sugar watches take care, it’s a carb after all.

I served the polenta with a most delicious vegetable ragout. The All-Star said, and I quote, “If every meal tasted this good, I wouldn’t need meat.” I’d say that’s a grand-slam for team Vegan.

I didn’t feel like cooking tonight. I had planned to make the ragout again but I’ll save that for tomorrow. Thanks to HappyCow.net, we were able to find an Asian style restaurant that had a separate vegan menu. If you’re looking for a vegan restaurant in your area, you should check out their website. There’s a pretty distant listing. We would have never found this place, and it was only a couple of miles from our apartment. Happy days!

Here’s the ragout recipe for those who are interested. The polenta can be prepared however it says on the package. I just boiled 4 cups veggie broth and whisked in some corn meal. In 20 minutes I had warm and creamy goodness. Note: the more finely ground your polenta, the creamier it will be.

Vegetable Ragout

Ingredients

• olive oil, 2 tbsp
• 1 chopped yellow onion
• 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 2 sliced zucchini
• 3/4 lb mushrooms
• 1/2 lb seeded & chopped roma tomatoes
• 1/4 cup marsala wine or sherry
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
• salt & pepper

Warm the oil over medium heat. Cooking the onion about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, zucchini and mushrooms and cook them about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, marsala (or sherry), salt & pepper. Cooking another 3-4 minutes.

Serve over most delicious polenta.

Enjoy!

I arrived at my door at 8:30 this evening to the warm aroma of Sweet and Spicy Lentil Chili. Another delicious recipe from Robin Robertson’s Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker. I crossed two fingers when preparing this one and was pleased to find it a home-run hit, and super easy to make, just throw it all in the crockpot!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder or to taste
• 1 1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed
• One 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/3 cup dark unsulfured molasses
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• cayenne pepper to taste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup apple juice

Saute the veggies with the oil in a pan over medium heat until soft and add the chili powder the last 30 seconds. Toss with the rest in the slower cooker and cook on Low for 8 hours.

Does it get any easier? If you’re really pressed for time you can forgo to pre-saute but I think it brings out the flavors.

The best part about this recipe, it’s totally vegan and gluten-free. I think it may be a little high on the glycemic index, so if you’re watching your blood-sugar, skip sweet and just go with the spicy. Maybe add a little curry powder or thyme instead.

Happy Cultivating!

There’s nothing like coming home to a warm cooked meal at the end of a long work-day. Here at the LB place, however, being the chef of the family means I’m left to prepare that meal myself. Most days it’s a pleasure, after all, I prefer my cooking to anything I can afford and I adore putting something delicious on the table for my loved one. Except for Tuesdays…. It’s a late start day which means it’s a late end day, making the kitchen the last place I want to be when I return from the grind. Enter slow-cooker. I wish to kiss the inventor of this incredible appliance. Therefore, I would like to officially announce Crock Pot Tuesdays! Yay!

Knowing that I am a set-it-and-forget-it gal, a wonderful colleague of mine gifted me with Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker, by Robin Robertson. It’s filled with all kinds of amazing recipes, from stews and soups to breads and cake (who knew you could bake in a crock pot.) This morning I got ready the No Hurry Vegetable Curry on p. 124. It was so good. Normally I don’t go for seconds but this dish deserved an encore. The only bad thing about it was The Art Student wasn’t home to enjoy it with me. He’s off learning or something ridiculous like that.  ☺

Here’s the recipe as it’s printed in the book. I made some slight modifications but only minor ones and mostly because I didn’t have the exact ingredients.

No Hurry Vegetable Curry

• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 2 large carrots, sliced on a diagonal
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 large yukon potatoes, peeled and diced
• 8 oz green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups chick peas, soaked over-night and drained or one 15.5 oz can, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups veggie stock
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
• salt

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over meduim heat. Add the carrots and onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, coriander, and cayenne, stirring to coat.

2. Transfer the vegetable mixture to your slow cooker. Add the potatoes, green beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, and stock; cover, and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.

3. Just before serving, stir in the peas and coconut milk and season with salt. Taste to adjust the seasonings.

And voila! A curry sensation that fills your home with a delicious aroma that will welcome you at the door.

And to all you carnivores out there…give this one a try. I’m tellin’ ya, you won’t even miss the meat!

So, do we want recipes, do we want info? How a about journal entry first. I haven’t posted much personal for a while.

The weather has warmed. Also windy here on the West Coast! Don’t forget to protect your neck when it’s windy!  Here are a few quick things I learned and practiced today.  Let’s start with the learned part…

I’ve learned…

…this April sun is strong and plants are soaking up their water quickly. I must remember to water mine properly.

…I shouldn’t say “later” to most things. “There is no time like the present.”

…Eating lots of vegetables does not warrant eating lots of dip.

Okay, that’s enough learning. What have I practiced?

hmmm…Okay!

Today I practiced…

…Driving the speed limit. I’ve increased my gas mileage while reducing my carbon footprint. Stress level decreasing.

…in my scope of practice! I helped three patients!

…making creative soups. See below.

Today’s kitchen creation…Asparagus Soup with Ginger. (broth, asparagus (cooked and pureed), lemon, ginger, carrots, celery leaves, salt, pepper, oh and heirloom tomatoes!) Not bad for just using what I had on hand. My fridge is looking a little empty though.  I served it with some guacamoli from scratch and a cucumber salad. Lots of green. Nothing wrong with that.

Have fun when making soup. Just throw stuff in! All you really need is some liquid, veggies and a few herbs and spices and you’ve got yourself nutritional wellness!

Let’s learn a little about asparagus…

Asparagus are almost at the peak of their season in California! States further East can expect to see them as late as July.  They are a major source folate, which assists in cardiovascular health, as well a natural diuretic.  According to WHFoods, woman suffering from premenstrual bloating could benefit from adding asparagus to their meal.  Don’t worry about the strange odor when you pee. That’s just the result of a natural chemical breakdown. What may be a concern is for those who have kidney problems, as asparagus contains purines. Excessive amounts of purines can lead to an excess of uric acid in the blood. Excessive uric acid in the blood can lead to gout, kidney stones and kidney failure. We don’t want this.  If you are unsure about your blood levels, you can always request a blood-work panel from your primary care provider. The best advice I can give, always pay attention to how you feel.

Carbohydrates get a bad rep. Luckily, of all the demons in the starch underworld, sweet potatoes are low on the evil scale. Sweeter than their white (potato) counterparts, but with fiber to keep their glycemic index low, these ruddy tubers are tasty like candy without the blood sugar spike! And like most naturally colorful edibles, they are dense with nutrients and health promoting anti-oxidants. Next time the corner of your plate is looking bare, I say look to the so sweet potato.

Tonight I made baked sweet potato fries. What a treat!

(adapted from a recipe by Skinny Chef)

Ingredients

• medium sized sweet potatoes
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• rosemary

Directions

• Cut sweet potatoes into “fry” size sticks. Coat with olive oil and salt.
• Arrange on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Make sure they aren’t touching.
• Bake at 400º for 25 minutes or until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
• Sprinkle with a little more olive oil, pepper, and rosemary and return to oven for another 5 minutes.

These better bad boys were so good there was no need for ketchup.

I served them alongside some cranberry pork and stuffed artichokes. Holy goodness!

Sorry vegetarians and practicing Catholics. I’m a sinning meat-eater for now.  Technically it was Saturday in NY by the time we ate. Jesus may forgive me but will the swine community be so kind? One day I’ll get it right.

Question…what do vegetarians give up for Fridays during Lent? (not a joke, I’m genuinely curious.)

So sorry, I have returned.

What’s your favorite “take-out” spot? Mine is Chipotle. I always order a burrito salad. Pretty darn tasty, but all that healthy? It could be better. So tonight I took a shot at my own chicken burrito salad.  The results were a winner! And another notch on the health belt.

Ingredients

• Chicken tenders
• salsa
• yellow onion
• corn
• fresh cilantro
• red onions
• avocado
• mango
• lime
• vinegar
• salt & pepper
• oil

Baked seasoned chicken in salsa @ 375° for about 35 minutes.

Make a cold salad topping with corn, mango, red onion, lime, oil, vinegar and cilantro.

Saute onions (optional additions: mushrooms, zucchini, peppers)

Serve over lettuce and top with avocado.

Why not try out home-made versions of your take-out favorites.

Home made is well made.

I’m not a noodle hater by any means. You gotta put Sunday Sauce on something, right? And spaghetti is my favorite. Unfortunately, pasta isn’t exactly a conquering hero for the department of nutrition. But I fret not. Finally after all these years of twirling my fork full of empty carbs, I found a healthier substitute that meets my fancy. Not quite the same consistency as pasta but holding just as much water in a battle of culinary delight, the Spaghetti Squash has won a seat at my table and in the bellies of me and my loved one.

I adapted this recipe from one found on AllRecipes.com. When I first started dapling in the art of food, All Recipes was my go to guide for how-to’s in the kitchen.  I’ve since evolved, but they’ll always be a tried and true.

Spaghetti Squash with Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 4 tbsp goat cheese
• basil, fresh or dried
• 1/4 c. kalamata olives, halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• cooking spray

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance (about 35 minutes). Remove from oven and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
• Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and dried basil (if using),  and cook until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
• Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash into in a medium bowl. Mix in veggies, olives and fresh basil (if using, I didn’t have any ). Serve warm topped with goat cheese.

This dish was so good! I was really impressed. If you haven’t yet discovered the joys of cooking, I highly recommend it. I get so much satisfaction from sitting down to a healthy and delicious meal that I’ve made myself.

Happy Day-Light Savings!

Oatmeal may appear to be just a bowl of warm carbs, but “oh contraire!” While oats certainly do contain carbohydrates, they’re a little more complex than that. (aahh, how’s that for a pun!)

Anyway. Unlike simple carbs like refined sugar and white flour, oatmeal is full of fiber and digested slower which means two very good things. One…it makes you feel full longer, perfect for those trying to lose weight, and two…it won’t raise your blood sugar levels as much as quickly, making it a good choice for diabetics.  My favorite reason for eating oats in the morning, they go great with an array of toppings.

I went all the way with this morning’s oatmeal recipe. It was so good. Even the All-Star, an old lover of crappy instant packaged oatmeal, filled with sugar and dehydrated fruits, wished for seconds. Houston, we’ve made contact!

So this recipe was inspired by a can of pumpkin that’s been sitting in my cubbard since we moved in.

Just a couple tablespoons…

Some blueberries I picked up yesterday, which aren’t local but are SO good…

A touch of vanilla extract, some crushed walnuts, coconut flakes and voila…

sprinkled with cinnamon…Breakfast deliciousness!

What’s favorite addition to oatmeal?

Okay, so it’s Lent. For many that means no meat on Fridays. But don’t let Lent be an excuse for carbs. Pasta, the easy vegetarian fix, it isn’t exactly a nutritional substance. And while we’d like to think that faux-meat is a healthy alternative, it’s really just another example of a processed food-like substance. So what’s the alternative? Of course you can have fish, a wonderful source of omega-3’s and a nutritious way to keep the ritual. But fresh fish isn’t always an option. I say, turn to the bean! High in fiber and protein and always available, a hearty bean soup can fill your belly and your appetite, especially in these last few weeks before the thaw.  Here’s my recipe for a delicious black bean soup I conjured up. Let me know what you think.

Black Bean Soup

1 lb black beans, soaked overnight in water and rinsed
3 red bell peppers, chopped
1 serano pepper, chopped
1 jalepeno pepper,chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 organic celery stalks, Chopped
3 garlic cloves (optional)
1 cup corn, freshly cut from the cob (if available)
4 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth (according to mom it’s only the flesh of the animal you have to refrain from)
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro
1 lime
a little bit of sour cream (just to be naughty)

I went the total easy route with this recipe. Warmed some oil, added the veggies and beans at the same time, mixed it together, then added the stock and the spices to taste. Set it low and cooked it partially cover until the beans were tender, about an hour. Viola! Perfecto! It was delicious.