What I Ate Wednesday (28)

I’m in somewhat of a rut at the moment—not only because I’m super busy, as per usual, but also because inspiration’s lacking. I need recipe ideas like crazy . . . nothing tastes “exciting” anymore, especially since I eat more or less the same breakfast and lunch every. single. day. Plus, there’s also the fact that, while I consider myself a foodie, food and cooking aren’t HUGE, all-consuming passions for me. Don’t get me wrong, I adore my culinary creativity, but I’d rather spend my time in the painting studio rather than the kitchen.

So, today’s WIAW (obligatory thanks to Jenn!) is pretty basic. Since learning about my (temporary) metabolism issues, I’ve been snacking a lot, but I was both busy and lazy yesterday, so I didn’t bother photographing all my noshes, just so ya know.

Breakfast

Oats cooked in coconut milk + water, cinnamon, nutmeg, organic brown rice protein powder from Nutribiotic, ground flaxseed, 1/4 an apple, 1 dried fig, and some pecans. I'm also loving the warmer, lighter mornings!

With Spring’s arrival, warm oatmeal has gone out of fashion, and a new season of overnight oats has made its debut. Thanks to Katie, I now enjoy never-ending bowls, too—huge helpings of dreamy-creamy oats prepared using this little trick.

Lunch

Steamed broccoli & spinach with pumpkin seeds; soup, recipe follows, with 1/2 cup chickpeas added; a generous slice of homemade bread; 1/4 an apple & dark chocolate from Chocolove.

I only have one more kabocha squash in the fridge, so Mission: Use Up All the Winter Produce is nearly complete. With the other squashes, the husband and I made a delicious soup for our weekly meal.

Curried Coconut Cream of Kabocha Soup

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 kabocha squashes, peeled, de-seeded, & cubed

1 Tbs. coconut oil

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1 large Vidalia onion, diced

2 carrots, coined

1 Tbs. curry powder

1 apple, chopped

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

1 vegan bouillon cube

1 tsp. quality sea salt

Black pepper, to taste

Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Toss cubed kabocha squash with olive oil with salt & pepper to taste. Spread cube onto a baking sheet and roast 30-45 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat coconut oil and sauté garlic, ginger, onion, and carrots for 2-3 minutes. Add curry powder, stirring well to coat veggies. Add apple and squash cubes, coconut milk, and 1-2 cups of water (depending on the desired consistency, thinner or thicker).
3. Using a hand blender, purée the soup until creamy and smooth (or if using a food processor or blender, purée in batches, then transfer back to the big pot). Add bouillon cube, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5-10 minutes to develop flavor. Add salt and pepper, and serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro.

For a protein boost, add cooked chickpeas or lentils.

Dinner

Last night, we dined with good friends—it was originally supposed to be our monthly vegetarian potluck, but our usual group of 6 or 7 was reduced to just 4, so I don’t think it can necessarily qualify as a potluck, then.

Delicious Indian/Middle Eastern pilaf; raw veggies; and hummus.

I provided dessert--and a raw one, at that. I won't give any details yet . . . you'll just have to wait for the recipe, coming soon!

Question: How do YOU get out of a food/recipe rut? How do you make mundane meals more fun?

What I Ate Wednesday (24): Deluxe Dining Edition

I’ve been dining out a lot lately, mostly due to special events and invitations—and it couldn’t have come at a better time, either, as I’ve been in something of a food rut as of late. So, for this week’s WIAW (courtesy of Jenn, as per usual), I decided to share photos of my restaurant noshing and discuss my experiences and the like. Enjoy!

Two weekends ago, the husband and I visited our favorite Thai haunt, Diamond Thai Cuisine, which I’ve featured here before. And of course, I ordered “the usual.”

Fresh tofu spring rolls with peanut-sesame dipping sauce. The best ever!

The usual is called Pad Eggplant, and it is TO DIE FOR. As soon as eggplant is in season, I'll post my recipe recreation.

What's so great about this restaurant is that it offers steamed brown rice--and just the right portion, too!

Then, last weekend, we eagerly returned to Sanaa’s 8^th St. Gourmet, our absolute favorite Lebanese/Mediterranean restaurant (and one of our favorite restaurants of all time, too!), for their Saturday lunch buffet—amazing food, 80% of which is vegan-friendly!

Clockwise from left: tossed greens salad with a dob of hummus, muhammara, and green olive tapenade on top; bulghur pilaf; a roasted mushroom & potato dish; eggplant moussaka. Of course, I went back for seconds of the moussaka! Everything was delicious, though, and I just love how balanced all the macronutrients are, too--protein, whole grains, healthy fats, and beaucoup veggies!

That same evening, we were invited out to dinner by some dear family friends. We went to Minervas, whose menu is very heavy on the meat. In fact, the menu has no vegetarian (let alone vegan) entrées. Fortunately, these friends’ daughter and son-in-law are vegetarian and vegan, respectively, so they were very much aware of our plant-based needs and also of a couple strategies for ordering. In the end, I successfully raided the salad bar and concocted a complete and satisfying (both physically and emotionally) meal—proof that vegans can find suitable options even in some of the most unlikely places!

A concoction of so many different things, really . . . greens; black olives; banana peppers; black bean-corn salsa; marinated veggie medley; pickled beets (YAY!); the most amazing balsamic-marinated baby onions; all topped with sunflower seeds. The bread basket also happily contained a whole wheat alternative to its white counterpart, and it was very tasty! Reminded me of the to-die-for whole wheat baguettes I devoured in France.

Finally, just last night, my usual potluck group convened for our February feast. Here are the delicious dishes we shared:

Gypsy soup, containing a variety of veggies, chickpeas & green peas, sweet potato, and spices. So yummy and perfect for yesterday's chilly, rainy weather.

Whole grain pasta salad with zucchini, white beans, slivered almonds, and a tasty spice blend.

Pumpkin-almond butter "crumble" bars

Banana bread with vegan chocolate chips

Fresh fruit platter--I adore grapefruit!

Here are some coupons for your groceries, I know healthy and organic food can add up after time.
~~~

On a totally unrelated note, guess who’s going to talk to Jillian Michaels this afternoon? This girl! Yes, I emailed some questions to her podcast crew, and I received an email back asking if I’d be available to call in. Oh. My. Lordy. Lou. I’m going to be chatting one-on-one with one of my fitness gurus! If you’re interested you’ll be able to find the podcast here in the near future. I highly recommend subscribing, too: they’re fascinating talks!

A Feast with Friends

Last night, my usual group of vegetarian friends convened for our monthly potluck, and as always, the food was delicious, the conversation, compelling, and the company, delightful!

Pasta salad, provided by my husband and me (recipe follows!); another friend provided tortillas, homemade hummus, and an assorted of fresh veggies to make wraps.

A delicious soup with lima beans, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and potatoes.

For dessert, we enjoyed a delicious pineapple-kumquat Bundt cake.

As I mentioned above, my husband and I brought one of our favourite pasta salads, which, weirdly enough, we haven’t made since 2010! Believe me, its sweet-and-savoury blend of flavours makes it a dish worth enjoying often.

Orange-Broccoli Udon Noodle Salad

Inspired loosely by this recipe

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For the tofu

1 16-oz. block extra-firm tofu, pressed, drained, and cut into ½-inch cubes

½ cup orange juice

3 Tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

1 Tbs. brown rice vinegar

1 Tbs. maple syrup

½ tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

Black pepper, to taste

For the salad

12 oz. udon noodles

1 large broccoli head, florets separated

4 large carrots, shredded

4 scallions, chopped

½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil

½ tsp. hot chili oil

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Pepper, to taste

Walnuts & toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, spice, and pepper. Add cubed tofu, and toss gently with hands, coating everything thoroughly. Allow mixture to marinate in the fridge 3-4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Spread tofu cubes onto a greased baking sheet, reserving any leftover marinade. Bake tofu for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool once finished.
3. While the tofu is baking, steam broccoli florets and cook udon noodles according to package directions. In a large bowl, toss together noodles, broccoli, carrots, scallions, cilantro, garlic, and cranberries. Once tofu has cooled, toss it in, too.
4. Finally, add the remaining marinade, sesame and chili oil, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Toss again and stir gently to combine, then refrigerate. Serve chilled with walnuts and sesame seeds as desired.

‘Tis the Season . . .

. . . for potlucks! Last night, I joined my fellow vegetarian/vegan friends for our monthly potluck, and as per usual, everything was delicious! The meal was a little, well, carb- and sugar-heavy, but that’s okay. I had nibbles, not heaping platefuls, of everything.

A spicy butternut squash chili.

No, that's NOT ground hamburger. It's faux taco meat. I tried a little and it was okay, but I'm not a fan of processed faux meat products.

Coconut-curried veggies

Udi's hamburger buns, as well as homemade rosemary rolls.

Vegan apple crisp

Dessert quinoa with apples, raisins, walnuts, and granola.

Vegan cookies from the company Liz Lovely

And of course, as always, I also brought a dessert, though this is healthy enough to be considered a breakfast bread as well.

Cran-Apple Cornmeal Cake

Veganized from this recipe

Serves 9-12

Ingredients

2 Tbs. ground flaxseed + 2-3 Tbs. water

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1 large apple (red or pink variety), chopped

2 Tbs. crystallized ginger

1 cup whole wheat pastry or spelt flour

1 cup cornmeal*

½ cup raw cane sugar**

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. nutmeg

1 cup milk alternative of choice

¼ cup + 2 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ cup pecans, coarsely chopped

*Healthy Tip: Make sure you buy cornmeal that hasn’t been degerminated. That way, it’s still a whole grain.

**I actually used 1/3 cup sugar + a dropperful of liquid stevia, which I added to the liquid ingredients in step 3 below.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. First, make your flax “egg” by combining the flaxseed and water in a small bowl and allowing it to sit in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Here is a more detailed tutorial.
2. In a saucepan, add cranberries and ¼ cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add chopped apple, cook for another couple of minutes, then turn off the heat and stir in crystallized ginger. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt. In a second bowl, whisk together milk alternative, flax “egg”, unsweetened applesauce, and vanilla extract. Add to dry ingredients, and stir just enough to moisten everything before folding in the cooked fruit.
4. Pour batter into a greased 9X9 pan. Top with chopped pecans, pressing the nuts gently into the batter so they’ll stick. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before serving.

Too Much squash?

Is there such a thing? Probably, though I will still argue that there is, in fact, no such thing as too much squash.

Why am I contemplating this?

Because I’ve eaten roughly 4 pounds of squash in the last 3 days.

That’s right, you read correctly.

4 pounds.

All by myself.

My mum says I’m risking turning yellow, thanks to all that beta-carotene, but the delights of roasted hubbard and kabocha squash were just too tempting to ignore. Thank god there aren’t any carnival squashes around, or else that’s probably all I’d be eating.

By the by, a delicious wrap combination includes hummus, pesto, spinach, apple, and roasted winter squash of choice.

Speaking of eating, are you getting excited for Thanksgiving? I certainly am! I’m already planning out all the dishes I want to make—I’m still pondering whether I’ll veganize traditional dishes or if I’ll create an unconventional theme and allow my creativity to soar from there. I have a couple more weeks to decide. If you have any ideas or requests (something you’d like to see veganized/healthified/whatever), feel free to let me know! I’m always open to brainstorming!

Tonight, our campus vegetarian club met for our monthly potluck, our own Thanksgiving feast, per se, powered by plants instead of poultry. It was a smaller gathering than usual, but as always, the company and cuisine were delicious! Here are some photos of our eats.

An appetizer platter with raw carrots, green peppers, and Ants on a Log (peanut butter, celery, raisins)

It may not look like much (my fault for poor photo quality), but this hearty vegetable stew was delicious! It contained carrots, peas, parsnips, brussel sprouts, and 2 types of mushrooms.

Homemade dinner rolls for dipping into the stew.

Someone also brought some beans and rice, but he arrived 30 minutes late, and I “forgot” to snap a photo because, well, I was in the middle of enjoying dessert, which I provided . . . pumpkin pie, of course!

Perfection. <3

I was so pleased everyone LOVED the pie. One guy even commented that it was as good as any non-vegan pumpkin pie! The ultimate compliment for a vegan cook/baker! Unfortunately, I can’t take really any credit for the recipe, which can be found here.

And tomorrow, one last piece of this delectable pie awaits me . . . can’t wait!

“Today, today, today. Bless us . . . and help us to grow.”

~From the Rosh Hashanah Liturgy

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Surprisingly, I’ve never mentioned here that I’m the founder and current president of a vegetarian club at my university. A couple years ago, one of my friends (and a fellow vegetarian) suggested I start an organization so fellow veg-heads could meet each other, eat together, and promote plant-based power on campus. And I did just that, and I must say we have quite a lot of fun!

Once a month, we host a potluck, and these are truly the highlights of our extracurricular calendar! Last night was our first potluck of the autumn semester—and I’m here to highlight some of the dishes we enjoyed.

Raw Cucumber-Avocado-Cilantro Soup & (Cooked) Butternut Squash-Leek Soup

Marinated Greek salad with feta on the side for anyone who wanted it

Roasted Butternut Squash-Chickpea Salad with Tahini-Lemon Dressing

Perfectly roasted root vegetables

A spicy twist on traditional ratatouille, thanks to serrano peppers

Brown rice maki with tofu, carrot, and green beans

Finally, I provided dessert—a raw apple pie! I’m becoming quite the raw dessert enthusiast! After scouring raw pie recipes all over the blog world, I bravely concocted a recipe of my own, and may I say that it’s . . . RAW-mazing!

Raw Apple Pie

Serves 8-12

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 cup pecans

1 cup walnuts

2 cups dried dates

For the filling:

3 red apples (such as red delicious, gala, or braeburn), cored and coarsely sliced

2 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

2 Tbs. maple syrup or 2 dropper-fulls liquid stevia*

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup raisins

2 Tbs. ground flaxseed

Thin apple slices, for garnish

*I find that NuNaturals Vanilla Liquid Stevia is a wonderful sugar-free sweetener without that weird aftertaste common to some other brands. If you don’t have stevia on hand, feel free to use whatever sweetener you desire, such as maple syrup as suggested.

Directions

1. Soak pecans, walnuts, and dates for at least 3 hours. Drain, then blend all three in a food processor until a slightly chunky consistency is reached. Transfer to a pie dish, and press down firmly to form the crust. Chill in refrigerator.
2. Meanwhile, combine sliced apples, cinnamon and nutmeg, sweetener, and extract in the food processor, and process until apples are very finely shredded, but not quite to an applesauce consistency. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in raisins and flaxseed, allowing it to sit for about 15-20 minutes before pouring filling into the crust, gently pressing everything down to compact it. Chill overnight, garnishing with apple slices right before serving.

Perfect autumnal flavours. <3