Sometimes the Simplest Meal is the Best

Mexican food is a staple in my home. I make pinto beans at least once a week, and keep a pot of them in the fridge to eat with our meals at any time of day. My husband makes eggs scrambled with onions, mushrooms, and peppers almost every day, and he eats them with a nice heap of fresh beans.

I like to make a nice simple and light lunch with mine. As you can see here, pinto beans with pico de gallo and avocados is what's on my plate today. I get delicious salt-free dip mixes at the market (which end up being seasoning for everything other than dips at my house) and my favorite is the Spicy Chipotle Dip Mix. This is phenomenal on beans! I like the smoky spiciness that it imparts on my creamy, earthy beans. The pico made with fresh summer ingredients and the cool avocado makes perfect tacos that I could eat every single day.

Lunchtime!

 

Pico De Gallo

 

1 fresh tomato, diced about 1/3" dice.

1T minced onions

1 jalapeno, diced (you can seed and remove membranes - I don't)

1 T cilantro, finely chopped

salt to taste

 

Mix all ingredients together. Enjoy!

 

 

Plant based meals do not need to be fancy! All you need is a combination of fresh and beautiful foods that tickle your taste buds and nourish your body!



Roasted Poblano Soup

Now and then when I go to the grocery store, I see a bag of poblano peppers sitting in the bins, marked "reduced for quick sale $.99." I usually jump on this deal because I LOVE poblanos, and while I eat mostly local, I still do purchase from the grocery store once in a while.

When I saw that bag, I immediately thought creamy poblano soup. It's a favorite in my household, and I've been feeling a little under the weather, so I just knew it was time to make this soup.

Creamy dishes can be somewhat of a challenge when you are plant based, that is until you discover the magic of cashew cream! It doesn't alter the flavor of your food at all, in my opinion, and you get that beautiful creamy mouth feel that is so comforting.

There is a rule I have about creating plant based recipes. I believe that recipes should be simple, have a short ingredient list, and be easy to make. I never ever want a recipe to be intimidating. This recipe has a roasting technique that can any home cook can achieve with sensational results that won't be soon forgotten.

 

Roasted Poblano Soup

 

1 quart vegetable stock plus 2 c water

1/2 large onion, diced (or 1 sm-md onion)

1 clove garlic, minced

3 small (or 2 med or large) potatoes, 1/2" diced

2-3 large poblano peppers

1 bag frozen corn

1/2 c cashews soaked in 3/4 c water*

1 t olive oil (if you are oil free, use 1-2T water for sautéing veggies)

Cilantro, for garnish, optional

 

*Soak cashews in water for several hours. (Since I'm not the best planner, I use boiling water and let soak for 30-60 minutes)

 

Roast your poblanos. Once roasted, place in a bowl and put a plate over the top. This will make it easy to remove the charred skin. At the end of the recipe, I will discuss three different roasting techniques. You get to choose the one you want to do.

 

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat up 1 t olive oil (or water, if oil free) and sautee onions and garlic till translucent and fragrant. Add potatoes and vegetable stock and the 2 c water. Cover and simmer till the potatoes are tender.

 

Meanwhile, remove as much of the char from the poblanos as you can, but don't obsess! Some charred bits enhance the flavor of the soup, so it's OK if you don't get them all. Cut the peppers open, remove the seeds and membrane. Be careful when handling, some poblanos can be pretty spicy. I always sample the peppers before I use them in a dish to determine how much to use. Cut into bite sized strips. Set aside.

 

Put your soaking cashews with their liquid into a blender, bullet, or other device that will get a smooth result. Blend on high till smooth and creamy.

 

Once potatoes are tender, add poblanos and corn. When soup is heated through, add the cashew cream. Stir till cream is evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper. I love spicy foods so I sprinkle red pepper flakes on top before eating. If you like cilantro, throw a little on top before eating. This give it a nice fresh flavor.

 

Enjoy!!

 

Roasting your peppers

 

Choose one method:

 

If you have a gas stove, you can roast your peppers by placing them directly on the burners over med-high flame and using tongs to flip them over until charred on all sides. This is the method I use.

 

Place peppers in heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat. Flip peppers as each side gets charred. I use this method often when I roast jalapeños or serranos for hot sauce.

 

Broil peppers in the oven, flipping over half way through cooking time. Mark Bittman has a good method here - I don't usually do this because I don't like the way my oven heats up the kitchen.

 

 

**If roasting the peppers turns you away from this recipe, try this: skip that step all together. Cut your peppers into bite sized pieces and add at the same time as the onions and garlic. Then proceed with recipe. It'll change the overall flavor but will still be delicious!

 

Cold Brew Iced Coffee at Home

I live in Texas. That means it's hot. Really hot, especially in the middle of summer.

I love coffee. Hot coffee and hot temperatures outside do not, in my opinion, go hand in hand.

From approximately May through October (give or take a few weeks) I prefer to drink iced coffee. I will not, however, run down to the local coffee shop every day for syrup and calorie laden fancy schmancy expensive coffee. I prefer to make my own.

Did you know that heat kills caffeine? And the darker roasts contain less caffeine?

Cold brewed, medium roasted coffee is a great remedy for that. All you need is a container to let your coffee steep in overnight and a good strainer for the morning. I was using my French press but it got broken while we were travelling. It was perfect, and if you have one, use it. If not, any glass vessel that holds 2 cups of water is sufficient.

Here is my rudimentary system for cold brew coffee. For two iced coffees, I use 2 tablespoons coffee to a little over 2 cups of water. I prepare this at night before bed. If you're using a measuring cup or anything open, cover it with a cloth, napkin, plate, whatever. Just cover it. In the French press, simply place the plunger and leave it in the up position.

In the morning, I place a #2 cone filter into my Melitta pour over coffee contraption, set it onto a jar or anything that holds 2 cups of fluid. Pour the cold brewed coffee into the filter and in the jar will be your ready to use iced coffee! The pour over filter is available at the grocery store in the coffee aisle for $2-3. Cheap and easy. You just have to remember to prepare it before bed.

Fill two tall glasses with ice. Split the coffee between the two glasses. I like mine with a tablespoon or two of soy creamer and my hubby likes the dairy creamer. You can customize this to your flavor preferences. If you want to sweeten your coffee with sugar or anything that needs dissolving, do so before adding to ice. Voila! Cheap, easy, delicious, strong STRONG iced coffee that tastes as good or better than coffee on the go!

 

Enjoy!

Heaven on a Sunday (caution, drool alert!)

Sometimes I fall. Sometimes I fall HARD.

Ok, I admit it. I am not 100% plant based. In all honesty, I'd say that I am 97%. I try. But sometimes when I wake up on a Sunday morning and I feel blah, I need comfort. Today that comfort came in the form of a chocolaty, decadent, luscious, gooey, gluten free, delicious (yes, it is possible to use gluten free and delicious in the same sentence!), cupcake.

This amazing cupcake wrapped me in its chocolaty arms and let me lay my head on its chocolaty pillow and jumped into my mouth and provided me with....comfort.

 

My sweet little Texas town has recently been blessed with a unique and charming little gluten free establishment called Red Oak Bakery. It is owned and operated by an incredibly gifted young lady named Ruby and her precious mom. They are open Friday through Monday and produce a wide variety of the most delicious baked goods you'll ever taste. Ever. Even if you are not GF. Each day, Ruby bakes cookies, brownies, scones, cupcakes, tortes, cakes, brioche, and baguettes.

 

As you can see, I couldn't wait to take a bite before photographing my cupcake. I barely got the frosting licked off my fingers to take this picture while I was waiting for my son and hubby to get into the car. Unfortunately, the chocolate almond walnut torte didn't even make it to the camera! It was devoured in seconds. Lucky for my guys, they were in on that action.

 

Behold the daily bread of Red Oak:

It is unbelievable how Ruby is able to create this flavorful baguette with a crunchy exterior and moist, chewy interior that tastes just like the bread I used to eat! But better! You might guess that this lovely loaf with be transformed into one of my mouthwatering veggie sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. While my cupcake wasn't vegan, this bread is, and I'll start fresh tomorrow. :)

 

On my 3% days (see above) I am a mindful eater - I consume eggs and milk products that are produced by farmers that live nearby and love and respect the animals they care for (myself included, I have hens that I hug and kiss and thank regularly for their eggs).

 

***a note about Ruby's ingredients - everything she uses is either local, organic, sustainable, fresh, and or raw.

Hummus With a Twist

Hummus is an incredibly versatile food. There are probably 1,256 ways to prepare it, and I am always going against the grain and trying something new, so today, let me introduce you to #1,257!

My daughters both love hummus. My son and hubby - not so much. They like the hummus delivery system - pita or tortilla chips. I tried to make it in a way they'd like it, but it's just not their thang. Luckily, everyone else absolutely loves my new recipe, so I'll share it with you here!

Cilantro Lime Poblano Hummus with Garlic and Avocado

1 can garbanzo beans, drained, reserve the liquid
juice of 1 lime (if it isn't too juicy, use 2)
1 clove garlic
1 small poblano or jalepeno, cut into chunks (you can remove the membrane and seeds if you can't take the heat)
1/4 c cilantro
1/2 avocado
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients except for the bean juice and salt in a food processor and let 'er rip on high speed for 30 seconds. Add bean juice, 1T at a time, until your hummus reaches desired consistency. Salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

For some reason, the garden I keep with my friend Kristal didn't give us much in the way of peppers. The poblanos didn't grow very big but they are sweet and spicy, unlike anything I've tasted anywhere.

Check out these little gems! Surely they didn't grow the way they were intended, but they are definitely an unexpected gift from the garden.

Why I Love Saturdays

Over the past 5 years or so, I've worked on and off for a local farm, Braune Farms of Geronimo, Texas. Early on, I helped pick veggies and pack and deliver bags for their local CSA. I took leave from them when my son was old enough to go to kindergarten and I got a job at the school. A year and a half ago, though, owners Julie and Jeffrey Braune (pronounced like brownie) offered me the chance to run their farmers market booth at the Barton Creek Farmer's Market of Austin, TX. I took about 5 minutes to deliberate (kidding, it was a little longer) and got on board! I started January of 2012.

I enjoy every minute, every aspect of the market. Although I essentially lose my Friday nights because I have to be up at 5:30 AM, and I am totally wiped out on Saturday evenings, I still love it.
There are many benefits to working at this market! Besides the obvious, year round access to locally grown, fresh produce, I get to interact with other farmers, artisans, and representatives and listen to music performed by local artists. The farmer's market scene is definitely happenin'!

This photo was taken during our colder weather growing season. See the beautiful colors, the lush greens, the spicy radishes, jewel toned rainbow chard, the collard greens, Brussels sprouts, and the crunchy sweet carrots? Yup, my friends Julie and Jeffrey and their 4 children work night and day to bring this amazing food to YOUR tables!

 

I've made so many friends at the market! The relationships with the people (other vendors and the customers) I meet and see every week  have developed into lasting friendships - and I miss them when any of us miss a week.

I always bring one of my children with me to help out. They have developed fine knowledge about vegetables, handling money, and dealing with people. Luckily for me, when the rush subsides, I get to leave the stand for a few minutes to take a break and do my own weekly shopping.

 

There are so many booths that I visit, from food to drinks to apparel and even skin care. I particularly love the mushrooms from Kitchen Pride, the peaches from Caskey Orchards, t-shirts and tank tops from Chaos, sunscreen from Hemp 360, kombucha from Buddha's Brew, melons from Two Happy Children (that is, of course, till we start bringing them!), spice packets and olives from Foods of the Gods, and juice from Fete Accompli - a catering company run by a GENIUS at creating unique delicious combinations of seasonal fruits, herbs, and citrus.

 

Almost every Saturday, I purchase juice from Fete Accompli to use as a mixer with vodka - a much more delectable choice than juice from the *gasp* grocery store! I don't usually buy the same juice twice in a row. Last week, it was blueberry lemonade. This week is honeydew coconut basil limeade. Oooh lala! This is refreshing and smooth, especially when mixed with a locally distilled, grain free vodka such as Deep Eddy of Austin. I guess you could say that this is the "piece de resistance" on a lovely day full of soul satisfying sights, sounds, flavors, colors, and relationships!

 

***a side note - almost all of the vegetables and fruits that I use in my recipes here on this blog come from my garden, Braune Farms, or any of the purveyors of fine foods whose goods grace the tables of the Barton Creek Farmer's Market.

 

 

For the Love of the Sandwich

A couple of years ago, I discovered that I am sensitive to gluten. While I am not all out allergic to it, my belly hurts and I look about 4 months pregnant after eating it. 

Luckily, for some unusual reason, I am able to eat sprouted grain bread, such as Ezekiel brand, or Trader Joe's, Central Market, or whatever your local store carries. 

With the bounty of beautiful tomatoes that I am oh so lucky to have access to, one of my favorite lunches is veggie sandwiches. I toast my sprouted grain bread, lay on a very thin layer of Veganaise, add sliced tomatoes (w salt and pepper, of course), avocados, lettuce, and whatever veggies I can add (sprouts, cucumbers, red peppers, spinach). The sandwiches always vary with their fillers, but they are delicious, 100% of the time. 

My biggest trick to enjoying the plant based lifestyle is by using my imagination...whether to recreate old standbys or to experiment with new ingredients and methods. 

Enjoy!!

When I'm not cooking.....

Contrary to popular belief, I am not ALWAYS cooking. There are many times that I absolutely must have a quick, grab and go kind of meal, whether for breakfast (almost every day) or lunch (like today, when I've gotten a late start and need something for post workout nutrition).

There are tons of shake mixes out there, and I've tried a few along the way. I like the Vega line by Brendan Brazier. I've tried Body By Vi (I know this is great for some people but I couldn't compromise on the whey protein and the use of sucralose. No way.) I've used the Raw protein shakes but I just can't get myself to like them.

The shake that I've found, and gotten to love, is by Rockin' Wellness. It's a whole body nutrition shake that is literally packed with organic, raw superfoods. It's not high in protein and I have not seen any scientific reviews (guessing that's because RW is relatively new to the market), but I can tell you that it does something for me. I get a nice, long lasting energy, no spikes or crashes. I feel good. It's not necessarily the most filling shake, but I always eat a rice cake with peanut butter and a half banana with it and I am full all morning (or afternoon). I blend together a handful of ice, 10 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk, a half banana, a heaping teaspoon of cocoa powder (I like it really chocolatey) and 1 scoop of RW powder. It seems a little pricey, but one bag lasts 30 days (1 scoop a day) and it costs the same or less than many of the other shakes out there. I got the deal that was $99 for two bags, a free blender bottle, and free shipping. I got my order within a couple of days.

What I like most about this product is, besides being 100% vegan, I recognize every single ingredient listed on the package. I am happy to put this into my body. ;)

 

Beans Beans The Musical Fruit

 

As you can imagine, eating a plant based diet requires some makeovers of favorite meals. Since my family still eats meat (I prepare way less meat now, so their servings are much smaller, more like a side than the star of the meal), I always cook it on the side and let them add it to their vegetarian main dish as they please.

Beans are an inexpensive, fulfilling staple in my household. The one I usually have to wrestle with on this is my youngest. He says, "Mom, I hate beans!" But somehow, he always manages to throw back two plates full of my red beans and rice. "I thought you hate beans!' "You can't even taste them in this dish!" Umm, ok! I'll take it.

When I Google "health benefits of red beans," a plethora of information pops up - but this post is a great explanation. You can't go wrong with a nutritional powerhouse like this. I was gonna link another post from Dr. Oz....about how important it is to consume beans after 40...but I won't have to post that for two more weeks. LOL!

Red Beans and Rice
You will need:
1 lb red beans, soaked*
1 medium onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 t olive oil
Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (Yeah! It's MSG free!)
1 1/2 c uncooked rice, cooked according to package directions (I only had plain white rice on hand leftover from a wet iPhone incident, so I used that. Otherwise, I would have used brown)
Liquid Smoke
2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

*I am never right on top of things, so I take short cuts here and there. I do the quick soak method with beans when I forget to soak overnight. Just boil your beans for a few minutes, then remove from heat and let soak for an hour or two.

To prepare:
Cook your beans the way you want to. You can soak overnight and boil on the stove top, cook them in the crock pot, or do like me - quick soak then cook them in the pressure cooker - soaked beans take 8 minutes at high pressure. (I LOVE my pressure cooker and use it a LOT! I use this chart.)

Once your beans are cooked, in a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat up your 1-2 t olive oil. (I understand that there are plant based eaters out there that are oil free. This is where you skip this step and simply add the diced veggies to your pot of beans or sauté in a bit of water till they are translucent). Sauté your onions, peppers, and garlic till fragrant and the onions are translucent. Add beans to the veggies, reduce heat, and cook for 10-20 minutes. The cooking juices shouldn't be more than just covering the beans. With a spoon or potato masher, mash in some of the beans so everything is nice and thick and creamy. I'd say mash in appx 1/4 of the mixture to start with and do more if you wish. Add your Creole seasoning to taste - it's spicy, so take your time adding it.

Traditionally, this dish is prepared with some form of smoky meat, like sausage (I made some on the side for my people) but since I don't cook meat in the main dishes anymore, I have to use other natural flavorings that bring life to the dish.

For some unexplainable reason, I've always shied away from Liquid Smoke. It didn't sound right to me. I managed to acquire a bottle from my friend's pantry when she moved away, so I started experimenting with it. I had totally unfounded misgivings! This stuff is great! It took my red beans and rice to a whole new level.

Add a few drops of Liquid Smoke at a time to your pot of beans. Taste as you go and stop when it tickles your fancy!

 

 

To serve your delicious beans, place some rice on a dish, add a ladleful of your musical fruit, and garnish with some green onions. And pass the Tony's! I love to sprinkle more of it on top for extra spiciness.

 

Enjoy!!!

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos with Sweet Potatoes and Avocado

My first recipe offering for you will be delicious sweet, spicy, cool tacos, especially delicious for a light and satisfying lunch.

To begin, you will need the following ingredients:
1 can black beans
1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
1 med- large sweet potato, peeled, 1/2" dice
1 avocado, sliced
1-2 t coconut oil
1/4 t sweet, smoky paprika
corn tortillas
your favorite salsa
salt and pepper to taste

The first thing you must do is heat up your coconut oil in a heavy bottomed skillet. Alternately, to avoid oil, you can steam, bake, or roast your sweet potatoes. I like the GBD (Golden, Brown, Delicious) goodness from the pan and the coconut oil, and I am not opposed to using it in small amounts, so that is the way I go.

As your sweet potatoes begin to brown, season with a little salt and pepper and paprika. Finish cooking when potatoes are tender. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, add your beans. I slightly drain them so there is still a little liquid for heating. Alternately, you can use 1-2 c. home cooked beans or even refried black beans. Add chipotle peppers a little at a time till you achieve desired level of spiciness. Chipotle is very flavorful and you don't need much of it to get that flavor. I like my food very spicy so I add quite a bit.

Heat up your corn tortillas and slice up your avocados.

Assemble your tacos - and add your favorite salsa as desired. you may not even find this necessary. I like to use my husband's Abuelita's (Spanish for Grandmother) roasted salsa recipe which I will provide the next time I make it so I can show pics. It's pretty spicy. :)

You will LOVE the combination of sweet, spicy, and cool here.

 

I am never a stickler on ingredients. You may not like sweet potatoes. Regular potatoes are also wonderful in this dish! In fact, I make it regularly. Black beans may not be your thing...that's OK! Use Pintos. Corn tortillas make you gag? Use flour! (I don't due to gluten insensitivity). Just be in love with your food! Relish it, enjoy it, fuel your body with it, make it yours!

 

 

Greetings!!

Here we go!

A little bit about myself - I am a mom, daughter, wife, friend, runner, and plant based eater. I live to encourage others and to inspire people to make positive changes in their lives. I have not always lived such a health conscious life, but once I connected the dots and realized that every aspect of my life boiled down to how I physically feel, I made many changes that turned my life around.

In May of 2010, I began the Couch to 5K running program. I found myself to be heavier than I ever had been before, including pregnancy, and with a complacent attitude. One day, I simply decided this was enough, and started the C25K. I stuck with it, did my 3 runs a week, and before I knew it, 9 weeks had passed and I was able to run a 5k distance!!! This opened up a whole new world for me! I gradually lost weight (a total of 30 lbs to date) and got into the best shape of my life. I began running races, starting with 5K, then 4.5 miles, 5 miles, 10K, 10 miles, half marathons, and, yes, a full marathon!!!

I've always been a good cook, preferring to provide my family with real, whole foods rather than inexpensive prepared and highly processed foods. Over the years, though, I have gotten increasingly more health conscious. Last year, I began to dabble in the vegetarian lifestyle. First time it didn't stick, but I started up again last November, and it has stuck! I am not saying that it hasn't been a struggle, nor am I saying that I haven't stumbled....I am a work in progress - with my eating, running, relationships, etc., but I keep at it, constantly thriving to be the very best that I can be!

Social media has been a great way to get connected with like minded individuals - real life friends or not - and I have been enjoying sharing life with other runners and plant basers. One of the things I love to do is photograph my food and share recipes with my friends. This has led to an invitation from my Facebook friend, Lewis Carlan, host of Proudly Plant Based with Lewis Carlan - a blogtalk radio show that you can find here, to share some of my fabulous plant based recipes with as the in house recipe expert. :)

This blog will be a place where you can find fabulous recipes, read about running, and find some random information that you may or may not find useful or interesting!

I welcome you, if you are here, you are friend. Enjoy and thank you for your time!!