Happy Halloween!

Yay, it’s my favourite holiday! Though I’m a little sad October will be replaced by November tomorrow . . . and I’m quite disappointed that a) I won’t be doing anything special in the costume department, and b) I didn’t even have time to make some spooky treats to celebrate either. No fun. For all you vegan trick-or-treaters, here’s a helpful link for determining whether or not your candy is cruelty-free.

Because vintage is better. Case closed. <3

[Source]

I have been eating a rather bewitching soup lately, however—no matter how much you eat, the pot magically replenishes itself!

Well, sort of.

My mum made a batch of minestrone this weekend—and the secret to prolonging its life is just to add more beans, veggies, broth, and other goodies once the pot starts getting a bit low. It’s the epitome of quick and easy. Easier than reciting Wingardium Leviosa!

I'd LOVE to get this cookbook and veganize all the recipes!

[Source]

Mom’s Magical Never-Ending Minestrone

Serves 8-10 to begin with, but remember, you can replenish ingredients when needed. Plus, you can pretty much use whatever veggies you have on hand.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs. Italian seasoning

2-3 cups chopped portabella mushrooms

2 16-oz. cans diced tomatoes*

1 vegan vegetable bouillon

2-3 cups green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2-3 cups coarsely shredded green cabbage

3 cups cooked white beans

6 oz. whole grain short pasta of choice, cooked according to package directions**

Salt & pepper to taste

Chopped parsley, to garnish

*My mum used not only canned tomatoes, but also canned green beans and white beans . . . and the final result was REALLY salty. I prefer using fresh alternatives (or salt-free canned veggies if that’s my only option), but both ways are tasty. Just remember to watch your sodium intake!

**Adding the noodles directly to the pot often results in their becoming really mushy and falling apart with time. This isn’t a big deal, really, but we like to add cooked pasta individually to each bowl just before serving, so everything’s super fresh. Either way works, though, so it’s up to you!

Directions

1. In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in oil for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent. Stir in seasoning and mushrooms, and sauté again until mushrooms have browned and are tender.
2. Add tomatoes, bouillon, and 3-4 cups of water, or however much needed for desired consistency. Stir in green beans, cabbage, and white beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for about 30-40 minutes, or until green beans are tender. Add pasta (either to the pot or divided amongst the bowls—see above note!), salt and pepper, and serve hot, garnished with parsley.
3. Once the pot is only 1/3 or so full, add more tomatoes, other veggies, and beans as desired, thus prolonging your leftovers!

Alternatively, you could add barley instead of pasta, which isn't technically minestrone, then, but it's delicious either way.

Today is also the last day of Vegan MoFo and the October Unprocessed challenge—it’s been fun, folks! Can’t wait until next year, when I’ll actually have even more free time to participate and spread positive vegan/whole foods awareness (and food porn, too, of course!).

Diligence

Three weeks ago, I bared my heart and discussed the negative side of my relationship with food. I vowed to detox for 21 days—and yesterday was the last “official” day of this preliminary journey.

So, how do I feel?

Better. Much, much better.

How exactly? Let me list them for you:

1)   I am noticeably calmer.

2)   Those “insistent” or even “desperate” hunger pangs have virtually disappeared, so my appetite is much steadier.

3)   My sweet tooth has reset itself, so a little bit of sweetness goes a looooooong way.

4)   My cravings are now for savoury foods rather than sweet foods, and anyway, I experience cravings rarely now.

5)   My digestive system is functioning more efficiently, and those nighttime stomach issues have almost entirely cleared up.

6)   I am sleeping more soundly.

7)   I am eating less, but still feeling satiated—no stuffing myself.

8)   No binges, even when I’ve been super stressed—and there have been a couple occasions like that, believe me.

9)   I’m exercising intensely only every other day, which allows me to maintain my appetite without feeling excessively hungry a couple days later, after not consuming enough calories to make up the deficit.

10)  My confidence and body image have improved, and I have more faith in my body, rather than deeming it the “enemy.”

Even though I’ve technically achieved my detox goals, by no means do I intend to fall back into old habits—the whole point of this journey was to re-regulate my system, to re-teach my body, and even though researchers agree it takes 21 days to change a habit, it takes a lifetime to maintain them.

[Source]

For those of you who joined me on my detox, how do YOU feel now? What challenges did you face? What successes did you celebrate?

An Appetite for Asian

Perhaps I’ve mentioned this before, but when my mum was pregnant with me, she frequently ate Japanese food . . . and to this day, I am an Asian food aficionado, particularly where Japanese and Thai cuisines are concerned. Three weeks ago today, I embarked on a detox quest, and what better cuisine to cook whilst detoxing than Asian—the Japanese diet is attributed to be one of the healthiest diets in the world and is the foundation of macrobiotics, one staple of which is miso soup, which can act as a starter or, in my case, an entire meal in one big, blissful bowl.

Super Simple Miso-Soba Noodle Soup

Inspired by a recipe in The Kind Diet

Serves 1 hearty appetite, or 2-3 as a side

Ingredients

2 oz. soba noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained

2 cups water

2-inch piece of kombu, finely snipped

3 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed, drained, and cubed

1 cup shredded bok choy

1 nori sheet, cut into 3-inch matchsticks

½ cup mushrooms, whole or sliced

1 tsp. grated gingerroot

2 tsp. miso paste (I used this)

1 scallion, chopped, to serve

Toasted sesame seeds, to serve

A drizzle of soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu, to serve

Directions

1. In a medium-sized pot, bring water and snipped kombu to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add tofu cubes, vegetables, ginger, and soba noodles.
2. Ladle a little of the warm water into a small bowl and whisk in miso, stirring until smooth. Transfer miso mixture back into the pot, stirring well. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately, with chopped green onion, sesame seeds, and soy sauce as desired.

You can add pretty much any veggies you want--I used a couple slice of Heart of Gold squash for this bowl. And trust me, if you're eating this recipe all by yourself, you will want a BIG bowl!

With Asian on the brain, I started recalling favourite dishes from my childhood. At one particular Chinese restaurant, I always ordered the Moo Shu Pork—and to this day, I adore the unique flavour of hoisin sauce. A lot of storebought hoisin sauces, however, are not the healthiest. Then, I discovered an organic option from Premier Japan, and I couldn’t wait to test it, which I did on Wednesday, and I was quite pleased indeed.

Moo Shu Tofu Wrap

Serves 1

Ingredients

For the tofu:

3 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed and drained

1 Tbs. orange juice

1 tsp. rice vinegar

½ tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

¼ tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

Cracked black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

½ tsp. grated gingerroot

1 cup bok choy or napa cabbage, shredded

½ cup mushroom pieces

½ tsp. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

1 small carrot, shredded

1-2 Tbs. hoisin sauce

1 large whole grain tortilla

1 scallion, chopped

Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. To prepare the tofu, mix together the juice, vinegar, oil, soy sauce, spice, and pepper. Put tofu into a flat-bottomed container, and pour marinade over it. Allow it to marinate at least 1 hour, flipping halfway through.
2. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Place tofu on a greased baking sheet, and bake for about 20 minutes. Flip, brush with any extra marinade, and cook for another 10-15 minutes before removing from heat.
3. Meanwhile, in a skillet, sautée garlic, ginger, bok choy, and mushrooms, adding a drizzle of soy sauce as necessary. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until veggies are just tender, not too mushy. Remove from heat.
4. To assemble, spread hoisin sauce on the tortilla. Layer cooked veggies and shredded carrot on one half of the tortilla. Top with cooked tofu (halved lengthwise), chopped scallions, and pepper. Serve warm or cold, with extra hoisin sauce for dipping if desired.

Here's how I arranged mine.

NOTE: I used a sprouted grain Ezekiel wrap from Food for Life.

What I Ate Wednesday (8): In (and Out of) a Rut

So, I almost didn’t post today. Why? Several reasons, upon which I’ll expound shortly. However, considering I wasn’t able to participate in last week’s WIAW, I really didn’t want to miss out again—they’re just SOOOOOO much fun, thanks to Jenn. So, here we go . . .

Breakfast

So, I’m currently in something of a “food” rut . . . and more specifically, a breakfast rut. I’m getting desperate for Daylight Saving Time. I generally wake up between 7:00-7:30, and these days, much to my frustration, it’s still dark outside, which not only makes it more or less impossible to photograph pretty breakfasts, but it has also slowed my mornings down, making me feel sluggish and uninspired. Which brings me to my equally uninspiring breakfasts. I LOVE experimenting, and I also require variety—but lately, I’ve been eating pretty much the same bowl of oatmeal again and again and again and again and . . . you get the point.

Steel cut oats cooked in soymilk with ground flaxseed, 1/2 a Bartlett pear, 1 chopped dried fig, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. I've been eating more or less this same breakfast everyday for a couple weeks now . . . sigh . . .

Why is that photo in black and white? Because, due to the aforementioned darkness outside, I had no natural lighting for a quality picture; and also because the lack of colour reflected the “blah” I’ve been feeling lately. Don’t get me wrong: oats and I are still best buddies, but I’m really, really needing something new—either some new toppings or some altogether new dishes. Any ideas would be very much appreciated, so feel free to share!

Morning Snack

In between breakfast and mid-morning, I read this fabulous post from Chic Vegan—instant inspiration! I decided then and there that it was high time I break out of my brooding and re-energize myself. I had a midterm exam this afternoon, and I was antsy and nervous all morning, another reason why I was considering skipping WIAW. But with a few deep breaths and a brain-boosting green smoothie, I felt ready to conquer my fears and have an amazing day!

A green monster consisting of soymilk, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, 2 huge handfuls of raw spinach, and 1 Tbs. lime juice for zing!

Lunch

Re-inspired, I made myself a delicious lunch, featuring my latest obsession: wraps! And when I say “latest,” I mean all of yesterday and today; but thanks to my killer new bread knife (pun intended), I can actually cleanly cut through the wrap in order to see the insides (or the guts, hehehe. It is almost Halloween after all!).

A Moo Shu Tofu Wrap accompanied by steamed sesame broccoli--I'll feature the recipe for the wrap on Friday!

An apple & Chocolove's Peppermint Dark Chocolate for dessert.

Afternoon Snack

Wednesday afternoons last from 1:00 until 7:00 for me, so I always try to pack high quality snackfoods to get me through the long day. Otherwise, I cannot concentrate to the best of my ability, thanks to a growling tummy, headaches, lethargy, grumpiness, and all that low-blood-sugar jazz.

2 stuffed grapeleaves (dolmas) and homemade hummus with carrots.

Dinner

I feel like the day, which began with a “blah,” also ended with a “blah” since all we had to eat were the final leftovers of this week’s Pinto Bean-Pumpkin Stew. Plus, the photo quality is quite poor, thanks, again, to the early (and ever earlier) sunset.

A serving of the stew with shortgrain brown rice. I also had a second, unpictured helping of chocolate, too, just because.

And now, I’m enjoying a hot cup of Green Tea Kombucha from Yogi, and I plan on heading to bed early tonight. I don’t have any obligations tonight (for once), so I’m going to rest up for a busy (and inspired!) weekend!

Happy Food Day!

Today is Food Day—and as a foodie myself, I intend to celebrate with some delicious eats. Food Day isn’t just about culinary prowess or gastronomic epiphanies, however; organizers also emphasize the importance of whole, minimally processed foods; of environmental and financial sustainability; of alleviating hunger nationwide; of prohibiting cruelty to animals; and of promoting fair conditions for small farmers and farm workers. Be sure to check out the website and sign the congressional agenda!

While I’ve already long incorporated those aforementioned principles into my personal and dietary philosophies, I still strive to spread positive messages about plant-based diets and clean eating through this blog and especially through the recipes I regularly post. I strongly believe that “a picture’s worth a thousand words,” so I also aim to snap the highest quality photos possible. Sometimes, however, as many other food bloggers have encountered, certain foods just aren’t that photogenic . . . of course, that doesn’t mean they’re inedible. Some of the ugliest dirt-coloured stews can be downright delicious, for example. With the two recipes I’m sharing today, the photos may be a bit boring and the food, a bit monochromatic, but just remember, “you can’t judge a book by its cover”!

North African Peanut Butter-Broccoli-Peach Salad

Inspired by this recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

½ cup peanut butter

2 Tbs. tomato paste

2 tsp. garam masala

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large head of broccoli, florets and stems cut into bite-sized pieces and steamed

2 peaches, pitted and chopped

¼ cup raisins

4 scallions, chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. To make the sauce, combine peanut butter, tomato pasta, garam masala, minced garlic, and 2-3 Tbs. of water in a mini food processor. Blend, adding more water if necessary, until a smooth consistency is achieved. Set aside.
2. Toss together broccoli, peaches, raisins, scallions, and cilantro in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing, and stir thoroughly until everything is pretty evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired, and serve chilled, at room temperature, or heated over a cooked grain of choice.

Boyfriend tested and approved--he was particularly impressed with the combination of flavours in this dish.

This week’s huge one-pot meal was a delicious stew yet again featuring every foodie’s favourite winter squash—pumpkin! Because I went to the co-op and splurged again . . .

Buttercup and kabocha and acorn, oh my! And some other varieties, too. All I want to do right now is eat squash . . . XD

Pinto Bean-Pumpkin Stew

Inspired by a recipe in The Ultimate Book of Vegan Cooking

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 large onions, diced

6-8 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbs. mustard powder

1 Tbs. dried rosemary

1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 large red bellpeppers, chopped

4 cups cooked pinto beans

1 small roasted pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes

½ vegan vegetable bouillon cube

1.5 Tbs. blackstrap molasses

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot over high heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil for about 2 minutes. Stir in mustard powder, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30 more seconds or so before adding chopped bellpepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook about 3-4 minutes, until veggies are just tender,
2. Add cooked beans and pumpkin to the pot. Stir in bouillon and molasses, thoroughly mixing everything together. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired, and serve hot over a cooked grain of choice.

Served here with shortgrain brown rice. So hearty, warming, and filling!

Everything’s Better Homemade!

Including yoghurt. That’s right, folks, I’m finally here to share my homemade yoghurt (dairy-free, of course!) tutorial. Now, I do have a yoghurt maker, and for anyone who is serious about homemade yoghurt, this machine is 100% worth the money. So, let’s get started, shall we?

What You’ll Need

A large pot

A food thermometer

Enough refrigerator space for the pot

A towel

A ladle

Ingredients

For plain yoghurt:

5 cups milk alternative

• I use Edensoy Unsweetened Organic Soymilk, but you can use almond, rice, hemp, coconut, or whatever you prefer!)

1 Tbs. sweetener of choice

• Only if using an unsweetened milk alternative. The cultures need a little sugar in order to grow. I used maple syrup.

3 Tbs. plain, storebought yoghurt OR a freeze-dried yoghurt culture

• The only strictly vegan yoghurt starters I could find were Yolife and GI ProStart, and I used the latter, about 1/16 of a teaspoon according to the directions.

For vanilla yoghurt, add:

3 Tbs. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat 5 cups milk alternative to 180˚ F over the stovetop, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

2. Lay a towel on an empty shelf in your refrigerator, and place heated pot there until the milk alternative cools to 115˚ F.

3. IMPORTANT: The milk alternative may have developed a “scalding skin” on top. Be sure to remove that before proceeding, or else you’ll end up with a few weird lumps in your yoghurt.

4. If using storebought yoghurt, add 2 tsp. cold milk alternative to the 3 Tbs. prepared yoghurt, stirring until the consistency has thinned before adding to pot, stirring thoroughly. If using freeze-dried cultures, add those directly into the heated milk, stirring well to dissolve.

5. If making vanilla yoghurt, also add vanilla extract to the pot.

6. Using a ladle, fill each of the yoghurt maker’s cups ¾ full, and be sure to leave the cups open.

7. Place the lid on the machine, plug it in and turn it on, and select the amount of time you wish to incubate the yoghurt. The longer it sits, the more tart the final flavour will be. I’m not a tartness fan, so I incubated mine for 9 hours (8 hours is the absolute minimum recommendation, but non-dairy milks often require 1-2 extra hours), and it was perfect.

8. After the incubation period has elapsed, remove the cups and seal them, placing them in the refrigerator. Allow to cool at least 8 hours before serving. Makes 8 servings. Enjoy!

And the nutritional quality is fabulous!

If you have any questions, please let me know, and I’ll answer to the best of my ability!

On an unrelated note, I was recently nominated by vegan.no.tbsp for a Liebster Blog award (thank you, dear!). Liebster is German for “dearest” or “favourite” and is an award given to lesser-known blogs.

When receiving a Liebster award, do the following:

1)   Show your thanks to those who gave you the award by linking back to them.

2)   Link 5 of your top picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3)   Post the award on your blog.

4)   Enjoy the love and support of some wonderful people.

So, here are my nominations:

1) Farmers Market Vegan. I swear, Ali is my long, lost sister.

2) One Step Closer. Dan is such a great friend, and I always enjoy and respect his dietary insight.

3) The Dainty Pig. Because macrobiotics are where it’s at.

4) Midwest Vegan. Jess’ food always look delish, and we’re both vegan Midwesterners. Yay, the movement is spreading!

5) Lux Hippie. Because while I’m a foodie, I’m also a fashionista.

Vegan Soup for the Soul

I was so sorry to miss this week’s What I Ate Wednesday. I was CRAZY busy and too stressed to take pictures of my boring on-the-run food . . . next week, I’ll be sure to share some extra special, glorious eats!

In the meantime, I’m also here to share two delicious soups I made this week, both in the spirit of the season. Autumn is, after all, the beginning of soup season . . . which will continue well into winter, thankfully. I love soups! And chili. While I enjoy traditional chili flavours (such as my Ancient Aztec Chocolate Chili), I also challenge myself to blend cuisines and create “fusion” varieties. My most recent inspiration: a can of coconut milk that has been sitting on my pantry shelf for months.

Caribbean-Cajun Coconut Chili

This just gets better and better as it sits for a few days.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. minced garlic

2 onions, chopped

1 Scotch bonnet pepper (or 2 jalapeños), seeds removed and diced

1 Tbs. dried thyme

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin*

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

3 green bellpeppers, chopped

3 cups sweet corn kernels

4 cups cooked black beans

1 14-oz. can coconut milk (lite or full fat)

1 vegan vegetable bouillon cube

2 Tbs. lime juice

Salt & pepper to taste

Chopped cilantro, to serve

*If you have Jamaican Jerk Seasoning on hand, use 2 Tbs. of that.

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot, and sauté garlic, onion, and Scotch bonnet until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add spices, stirring well to coat everything thoroughly.
2. Add tomatoes, bellpeppers, corn, beans, coconut milk, bouillon cube, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover, and cook for approximately 40-50 minutes, or until veggies are tender and desired chili consistency is reached. Stir in lime juice, salt and pepper, and serve hot, garnished with cilantro.

Serve with cornbread for dipping, of course.

I also made my first (ever!) chowder this week, with a twist on the traditional corn version.

Pumpkin, Corn, & Quinoa Chowder

As with the chili, this just gets better with age.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1-2 Tbs. minced garlic

1 Tbs. dried thyme

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups roasted pumpkin

2 cups plain, unsweetened milk alternative

½ vegan vegetable bouillon cube

2 cups sweet corn kernels

½ cup dry quinoa, cooked

Salt & pepper, to taste

Chopped parsley, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot, and sauté onion and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add thyme and cinnamon, stirring well, and cooking for about 30 more seconds before adding pumpkin puree, milk alternative, and bouillon cube.
2. Transfer ¾ of the mixture to a blender or food processor and purée before adding it back to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, and add corn and cooked quinoa. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper as desired, and serve garnished with parsley.

Cheese-Free & Proud!

Last night, I watched the documentary Forks over Knives, and wow! Was I impressed!

[Source]

Granted, I was already strong in my vegan beliefs, but the film further fortified them, as well as amplified the pride I harbour for my plant-based diet. I recommend the film to absolutely everyone, herbivores and omnivores alike. It is well worth your time!

One of the key debates concerned dairy and the link between casein and cancer. I know a lot of vegetarians claim that cheese is their downfall, the one thing preventing them from eschewing animal products altogether. Last year at this time, I was the same way—I loved feta and cottage cheese, kefir, and yoghurt. Yet, around this time, I also starting learning more about The China Study (which Forks Over Knives explores in depth), and veganism called to me. I started eating less and less dairy, maybe once or twice a week instead of everyday . . . then, whenever I did eat it, I usually experienced heartburn and indigestion, which led me to believe I was mildly lactose intolerant. My grandma is, so it seemed reasonable that I could have inherited it from her.

Even if I’m not technically lactose intolerant, I in no way regret eliminating dairy from my diet. I don’t miss it whatsoever—and now, I’m making my own soy yoghurt, too, so that old staple has been replaced at least (tutorial coming soon!).

Some people find it especially difficult to imagine Italian food without cheese, pizza and pasta above all. I have a whole slew of tasty veganized Italian recipes, including this one I made last week.

Caponata Pasta

Caponata is a traditional Sicilian stew with an eggplant base—and when cooked correctly, is hearty and flavourful, no grated parmesan necessary!

Inspired by this recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 onions, diced

1-2 Tbs. minced garlic

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

1 Tbs. dried oregano (or 1 Tbs. Italian seasoning)

1 large eggplant, chopped into bite-sized pieces

3 cups Portobello mushrooms, coarsely chopped

3 cups diced tomatoes (approximately 1 28-oz. can)

3 cups cooked chickpeas or Lima beans

¼ cup capers

1/2 cup red cooking wine

12 oz. whole grain pasta

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot, sauté onion, garlic, and jalapeño in oil until soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in oregano, followed by eggplant and mushrooms, and cook another 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms have browned nicely.
2. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, capers, wine, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package directions. Once stew has finished, add salt and pepper as desired, stir, and serve caponata over pasta.

This would also be delicious served over couscous or accompanied by crusty bread.

Burnout

I’m the sort of girl who needs a bit of variety when it comes to food. If I eat the same thing everyday for weeks on end, I get to the point where just looking at the said food will make me queasy. A couple weeks ago, something I believed would NEVER happen, happened—I burned out on chickpeas. I ate hummus sandwiches for lunch, chickpeas with dinner, hummus again for snacks, and this pattern continued for several days . . . until the very thought of eating another chickpea seriously made me want to gag.

But what could replace that staple tub of hummus in my fridge? Easy! A delicious macrobiotic pâté inspired by Jessica Porter!

Lentil-Walnut Pâté

Adapted from The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics

Makes approximately 6 cups (a whole freaking lot!)

Ingredients

2 cups dried green lentils

1 vegan vegetable bouillon cube

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup roasted walnuts

½ cup fresh parsley

6-8 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1-2 Tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

Pepper, as desired

Directions

1. Soak lentils overnight in water with the bouillon cube. Cook in the morning. Drain and set aside, allowing to cool.
2. In the meantime, heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in a large skillet and add chopped onion, sautéing for a couple minutes before lowering the heat to simmer. Slowly caramelize the onion for 15-20 more minutes or until it turns a deep golden colour and is very, very tender. Remove from heat, and allow to cool.
3. In a food processor, combine all ingredients and blend until desired consistency is reached—less time for a chunkier spread, more time for a thick, creamy spread. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Delicious with salads, on sandwiches, or for dipping veggies!

At the same time I burned out on chickpeas, I also burned out on couscous, primarily due to a lack of time and a lack of quick carbohydrates in the pantry. When I finally decided to cook some again, I also had an eggplant on hand, so I made one of my top ten best main dishes to accompany a couscous side:

Greek Stuffed Eggplant

Adapted from this recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 medium eggplants

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

1-2 Tbs. minced garlic

3 cups chopped tomatoes

3 cups cooked chickpeas

2 heaping tsp. ground cinnamon

1.5 tsp. dried oregano

Salt & pepper, to taste

Roasted walnuts, to serve

Directions

1. Halve eggplants lengthwise. Cut out flesh into bite-sized cubes, leaving approximately ½-inch thick edges within the shells. and scoop out flesh and seeds, leaving 1/2-inch-thick edges on eggplants’ shells.
2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add eggplant pieces, tomatoes, chickpeas, cinnamon, oregano, and ¼ cup water. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. until vegetables are softened and browned.
3. Preheat oven 375°F. Divide filling evenly amongst the empty eggplant shells, and bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve garnished with roasted, chopped walnuts.

Excellent served with a side of couscous with chopped dried figs.

What I Ate Wednesday (7): Detox, Day 6

Well, six days into my detox, I’m feeling quite well indeed. My tummy hasn’t been torturing me at night, and my sugar cravings are nearly non-existent.

So, what exactly have I been eating on my detox quest? Well, let’s find out, shall we? Featuring my seventh What I Ate Wednesday, courtesy of Jenn.

Breakfast

One of my favourite breakfasts this time of year: Pumpkin Pie Oats! And the pumpkin wasn’t even from a can—I roasted it myself!

Mid-Morning Snack

When I visited Whole Foods last Friday, I indulged in a loaf of sourdough bread. It’s not whole grain, granted, but it’s fermented . . . and delicious! Even more so with a little homemade vegan pesto.

Lunch

I was craving Asian food, and this was what resulted:

A sort of "deconstructed" sushi bowl (recipe follows), alongside a braised daikon radish, and a pear.

Fruity Fusion “Deconstructed Sushi” Salad

This is sort of like lazy maki—no rolling necessary. A bit inspired by this recipe.

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 cup shredded red cabbage

½ nori sheet, cut into strips

½ cup shelled edamame

½ pear, chopped

1 Tbs. chopped cilantro

For the Dressing

1 tsp. brown rice vinegar

1 tsp. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

1 tsp. sesame oil

½ tsp. brown rice syrup (optional)

1 tsp. each minced ginger & garlic

Pepper, to taste

¼ cup dried shortgrain brown rice, cooked and cooled

Chopped walnuts, to serve

Pickled ginger, to serve

Directions

Combine dressing ingredients, and set aside. Toss together cabbage, nori strips, edamame, pear, and cilantro with dressing. Serve on top of rice, garnished with walnuts and served with pickled ginger.

You could also add some shredded carrots, chopped cucumber, red bellpepper, sweet potato, or even kabocha squash.

Afternoon Snack

Finally got around to trying a Blueberry Muffin Larabar. It was okay—not my favourite flavour, though.

Dinner

Whereas lunch was Asian-themed, dinner was delightfully Mediterranean.

An abundant spinach, roma tomato, cucumber, and parsley salad with hummus, whole wheat couscous, and a couple stuffed grapeleaves, otherwise known as "dolmas".

Dessert

Detox shouldn’t exclude occasional desserts . . . if they’re healthy, of course, and especially if they include HOMEMADE, low sugar vanilla soy yoghurt. Yes, my first attempt at making my own yoghurt went fabulously, thanks to this lovely machine. I will be posting a tutorial and recipe soon, I promise!

Homemade vanilla soy yoghurt, a little homemade granola, some pistachios & raspberries, and a chopped dried fig. Dried figs are sort of my weakness. <3