Dreena’s New Cookbook!

Posted on February 3, 2012 by

Just popping in for a quick post to let you know that Dreena Burton‘s latest cookbook is now available for pre-order, and will be hitting bookstores next month!

Dreena’s cookbooks are my all-time favorite vegan cookbooks around.  Her recipes are tasty, wholesome, and often simple and speedy to prepare. Like me, she is also a mom of three kiddos, so I know she understands the reality of cooking a quick and healthy dinner while simultaneously helping with homework and entertaining a toddler!

Head over to Amazon if you’d like to pre-order a copy.  You may notice that the book cover on Amazon is different – don’t worry, you have the right book!  That was the original cover idea, but the cover shown above is the finalized version (and definitely the best one, in my opinion).   I had the privilege of being one of the recipe testers for this new cookbook, so I can vouch for the fact that these are some good recipes.  In fact, some of them have already become family favorites at my house!

Last but not least, I have to mention that the gorgeous food photos on the cover and throughout the book are the work of the talented Hannah Kaminsky – head over to her blog Bittersweet and you will see just how amazing she is!

That’s all for today.  Will be back soon to update on my new year’s resolution!

Posted in CookBook Reviews | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Is there such a thing as “Kid Food?”

Posted on January 28, 2012 by

Other moms say, "drink your milk." I say, "drink your kale!"

Food marketers would like us to think that there is.   With all the kid frozen dinners, kid cereals, and kid snacks that are constantly being advertised, well-meaning parents might think that they need to make something special for their children to eat, apart from what the adults are eating.  But is there any need to do this?

In my opinion, the answer is one big, emphatic, no!  Kids will eat whatever they are familiar with.  If you want your kids to be familiar with healthy foods, you have to serve them on a regular basis!  Even if that means taking out the broccoli from the stir-fry for a baby who has just moved on to solid foods, that’s a start.  But for kids older than age 2, there’s absolutely no reason why they can’t be eating that stir-fry, curry, or casserole, just like the adults are eating (minus any choking hazards.)

my 2 year old, as a baby, chowing down on some broccoli.

It’s true that small children have more sensitive taste buds than adults, and may find some foods to be too strongly flavored for their liking.  But goodness, I feel that we as a society don’t give kids nearly enough credit!  We stack the odds against them – assuming that they won’t like what we are eating, and making them something “kid-friendly” instead.  And in doing so we only reinforce the idea that what we’re eating isn’t suitable for kids – not only in our minds, but in theirs.  Anytime we refuse to serve them a healthy dish that we are eating, we are depriving them of the opportunity to acquire a taste for that food.

I would love to get the term “kid food” out of our collective vocabulary!  There is nothing unique about a child’s makeup that requires them to have pizza, hot dogs, burgers, mac and cheese, and chicken nuggets for the majority of their meals.  (If only US school systems would catch on…)  Kids can even learn to like spicy foods!  My 2 year old can go to town on the chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant — we’ve started letting him have his own little bowl of salsa because nobody wants to share his germs and he tries to double-dip his chips!

Just for fun, I thought I would list out some of the less “kid-friendly” foods that are favorites for my three kids.

8 year old son:

  • steel-cut oatmeal
  • lentil soup
  • beets
  • sunflower seeds
  • raisin bran
  • crunchy natural peanut butter
  • raw walnuts
  • hummus
  • green salad
  • mashed sweet potatoes
  • tofu
  • green smoothies

6 year old son

  • split pea soup
  • green smoothies
  • spoon-sized shredded wheat (plain, not frosted)
  • pistachios
  • celery
  • red and yellow bell peppers
  • tofu
  • kalamata olives

2 year old son:

  • sauteed mushrooms with garlic
  • sauteed leafy greens (kale, collards, spinach, etc)
  • hummus
  • guacamole
  • tofu
  • salsa
  • green smoothies

I didn’t list any fruit because I figure most kids love fruit.  What’s not to like about fruit?  My kids get excited about summertime farmer’s markets when they can enjoy a perfectly ripe donut peach, or some fresh raspberries.   Please, let’s not bombard our childrens’ palates with so many sugary sweets that they don’t enjoy the natural delightfulness of fresh fruit!

What do YOUR kids love that is not considered “kid food?”

Posted in Kids | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Vegan Weight Loss

Posted on January 3, 2012 by

What do you picture when you think of a vegan?

Unless I’m the only vegan* you know…you probably think of vegans as skinny, waif-like creatures.  That is certainly the stereotype I had heard before going vegan.

And some people do lose weight when they go vegan.  Their bodies naturally respond to the lower-fat, higher-fiber diet and they lose unwanted pounds effortlessly.   Allow me to be the exception to the rule.  I have never found that going vegetarian or vegan has had any impact on my weight, in either direction.  Maybe it’s because I’ve always loved peanut butter and eaten it in generous quantities.  Maybe it’s because I love vegan cupcakes just as much as I love that healthy hummus and veggie sandwich pictured above.  But I am not one of those who has effortlessly lost weight as a vegan, and I know plenty of others who are in the same boat.

Like countless other moms, I have retained some “baby weight” from each of my three pregnancies.  Recently when I’ve looked in the mirror or at photographs of myself, an unfortunate thing has begun to happen.  I have thought, “who is THAT?!”  I don’t look like the “me” that I remember.  I gleefully walk through life feeling exactly like that thin person I always was pre-babies, and then every now and then I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I think, “whoa, what happened?!”

I’m not hugely overweight, by any means.  I am right on the cusp between the “healthy” BMI range and the “overweight” range.  (I checked it by plugging in my height and weight into this handy little calculator.)   My BMI is about 25, where it used to be in the 21-22 range.  I’d like to get back there!

So, as cliche as it sounds, I’m making weight loss my new year’s resolution.   First off, I should acknowledge that I’m already doing a lot of things right.   I have a ton of healthy recipes in my repetoire.  I love vegetables of all kinds, I snack on fruit, and I enjoy brown rice, whole wheat pasta, lentil soup, and other healthy foods.  When I eat sauteed kale with garlic and pine nuts, I’m literally saying “mmmmmm…” with every bite.   As for exercise, I’ve been taking dance classes 3-5 times per week, and I have three kids to keep up with, so I’m definitely not sedentary.

However, there are a few tactics I am using to really get the ball rolling:

1.  Cut down on baking vegan goodies.  I think decadent vegan chocolate chip cookies are great on occasion, but for me baking has become more than occasional.  When I do bake, I’m going to go for healthier recipes, like those of my favorite cookbook author, Dreena Burton!

2.  Watch the portion sizes, and pay more attention to being hungry or full.

3.  Choose green smoothies/green juice rather than coffee to get me started in the morning.

4.  Get more sleep, which is already happening naturally for me as I wean myself off coffee!  Check out this Web MD article about how sleep affects weight loss.

5.  Add cardiovascular exercise (my dance classes don’t really qualify as cardio).  I’m starting by taking my toddler for stoller walks – which will gradually turn into runs as soon as I get a jogging stroller!

Tactics I’m not trying?  Tracking every food I eat, calculating calories, or eliminating my favorite treats completely.  As Kathy Freston says, there is a lot of power in simply setting your intention.  When you are focused on your goal, you will naturally make choices that push you toward your goal, rather than away from it.  I’m setting an intention to lose weight this year.

Is weight loss one of your new year’s resolutions?  If so, what tactics are you using to reach your goal?

* If you’ve followed my blog (or you know me), you know that I haven’t been consistently vegan in the past few years.  Always vegetarian, sometimes vegan, but not always vegan. I’ve recently committed to being completely vegan, which isn’t technically part of my weight loss resolution, but it certainly can’t hurt!

Posted in Vegan Weight Loss | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Posted on November 20, 2011 by

I was browsing the Sunday paper today and an interview with Dr. Mehmet Oz caught my eye.  When asked whether he ever indulges in unhealthy food, he responded that he practices what he preaches, and eats Greek yogurt with blueberries every morning.

Now, no offense to Dr. Oz (and kudos to him for taking his own advice), but I would go crazy if I ate the same thing every morning!  I enjoy variety in my day to day meals, and I also crave different things in the fall and winter than I would want in the summer.  Soy yogurt and blueberries sounds like a fantastic breakfast on a warm August morning, but right now I’m huddled in a blanket and our local blueberry farm is frosted over!  Any blueberries I’m eating this time of year are from the freezer, and usually cooked into pancakes or muffins.  (A smoothie is just waaaay too cold for this time of year.  Brrrr!)

There are plenty of healthy breakfast options that are both warm and seasonal, like my Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal.  Why eat cold yogurt when a steaming bowl of oatmeal will warm your belly?  Why eat blueberries when apples are in peak season?  And oatmeal, like yogurt, is a great canvas for add-ins and toppings, such as flaxseed for those omega-3 fatty acids that we all need.

But don’t settle for those little instant apple-cinnamon oatmeal packets!  It is so easy to make your own, and you get much bigger chunks of apple.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups water
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 2 large apples, peeled and diced
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
  • cinnamon to taste

Preparation:

Place water and sea salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  While you are waiting for the water to boil, peel and chop your apples.  Add apples to the water, turn heat down to medium, and simmer for about 5 – 10 minutes, or until apples are tender (this depends on the variety of apple and how large the chunks are).  Add rolled oats, stir through once, and simmer for another 5-6 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in ground flaxseed and maple syrup.  Sprinkle in desired amount of cinnamon.*  Top with any chopped nuts, nut butters, or fruit that you like!**  Serves 4.

Notes:

*Add the cinnamon at the end of cooking rather than the beginning.  If you add it with the water, the oatmeal turns grayish brown.  If you add it at the end, you get pretty little speckles of cinnamon throughout.

**I usually top my oatmeal with either chopped nuts or a dollop of peanut butter.  Apples and peanut butter are such a classic combination, that it’s a natural topping for this particular oatmeal.  The key is to get a little bit of peanut butter on your spoon with every bite, but not stir it into the oatmeal.  You really get to enjoy the various flavors and textures this way.  If you stir it in, it will become gluey!

Posted in Breakfast | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Quick and Easy Vegan Burrito Bar

Posted on November 14, 2011 by

 

Wow, I meant to post this a long time ago!   I’m already feeling a little wistful of that beautiful outdoor lighting that I was able to get this summer while taking photos during and after dinner.  Living in the Seattle area, it is now dark at 4:30 pm!

So, this was a couple of months ago, but I wanted to show an example of a quick, hearty and versatile vegan meal that is a favorite at our house and definitely won’t weird out any omnivores that may be coming to your table.  It’s a simple burrito bar…make any combination of these dishes, lay them out on the table, and let your guests (or family) make what they want!

Pictured Above:  Shredded romaine, whole wheat tortillas, refried pinto beans, salsa, cilantro, whole black beans, pico de gallo, brown rice, roasted zucchini and mushrooms, and vegan sour cream.

Of course there are a lot of dishes you could add to this meal, like guacamole, corn, black olives, corn chips…the sky’s the limit.  (Feel free to comment with your favorite taco/burrito bar additions.)

Some of us chose to make big juicy burritos, and others chose to make a hearty taco salad. (What can I say?  I chose both!)  Check out the awesome salad my husband put together.  Don’t you just want to dig in?

After eating generous helpings of this meal, we still had tons of leftovers!  One of my favorite things to do with leftovers is to freeze individual portions.  This makes it easy for my husband to grab a lunch on the way to work that won’t spill in his work bag on the bus, even if it’s a soup – because it’s frozen solid!  So I made a bunch of burritos, assembly-line style, and popped them in the freezer.  (I labeled these rice and bean burritos as I already had some tofu scramble breakfast burritos tucked away!)

I love this meal because it is quick and easy, you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand, and it is pleasing to both vegans and omnivores alike.  Omnivores, if you are having vegan guests over, consider making burritos!  Our extended family does this for us all the time, and it is always delicious.  And vegans, if you are having omnivores over for dinner, this is certainly a safe, familiar choice.  Best of all, it is such a healthy and balance meal – whole grains from the tortillas and brown rice, protein from the black beans and pinto beans, veggies in the salsa, lettuce, and grilled veggies.

Now, I’m off to add some of these ingredients to my weekly grocery list, as I now have a hankering for burritos!

Posted in Entrées | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Allison’s Gourmet Design Contest

Posted on September 19, 2011 by

UPDATE:  Unfortunately Adam’s design didn’t win the contest, though between you and me, I still think his was the best!  ;)  Thanks to everyone who voted!

Hi Everyone!

Just a quick post today…I promise I’ll be back very soon with a legitimate, food photo-filled post!  Some of you may have heard that Allison’s Gourmet is hosting a design/branding competition for their website and product.  My husband Adam just so happens to be a web designer, so he created an entry that is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!  (He also created the design for this blog.)  Here’s a preview of his design:

I'm a web designing vegetarian and as my site clearly states,

The contest entries are now up on the Allison’s Gourmet website and fans can vote on their favorite one.  If you like Adam’s entry, would you mind clicking on it to vote?  It’s super easy, only one click of the mouse, and if you’re really excited about it you can vote every day!  Click through to vote!

Thanks all…will be back soon with some yummy bean burrito bar and taco salad photos!

Posted in Product Reviews | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Blackberries Galore!

Posted on August 29, 2011 by

One of the perks of living here in the Seattle area are the wild blackberries that abound this time of year.  I’m so used to being able to go to any number of parks, backyards – even the side of the road! – to pick free blackberries, that I can never bring myself to actually pay money for them.

Saturday was a gorgeous sunny day, so we headed to the park to pick blackberries (i.e. the kids and I picked some token blackberries, few of which made it into the bucket, and then went to play while my husband did the rest of the work!).  The next morning on our usual Sunday pancakes, we enjoyed some delicious blackberry syrup.  It’s so easy to make that I don’t need to post a recipe – I  just put blackberries and some pure maple syrup into a pan and let it simmer while I made the pancakes.  This next photo shows the result of that syrup – delicious but a little bit thin.  So I went back into the kitchen, whisked a little cornstarch into some cold maple syrup and added it to the blackberry syrup, brought to a boil for 1 minute, then removed from heat (as pictured above).  Perfect!

My next project was blackberry pie.  Another simple recipe, just blackberries with a little flour, sugar, and a touch of cinnamon in a pastry crust.  I’m happy with the way this held together, but it could have used more sugar to counteract the number of not-quite-ripe (a.k.a. SOUR) blackberries that were in the pie!

Last but not least, this morning I used up the last few handfuls of blackberries for some blackberry smoothies.  I used fresh blackberries, some frozen mango, orange juice, and ground flaxseed for this recipe.  When I make smoothies, I never measure anything!

We had a little bit of smoothie leftover so I poured it into some popsicle molds and made blackberry popsicles.  In our family, we call healthy, whole foods “green light foods.”  I love that these were 100% green light popsicles!  The kids felt like they were having a treat, and I knew they were nourishing their bodies.

Whew!  We have all had so many blackberries the past few days I think we are going to turn purple!  Luckily blackberries are incredibly nutritious.  Check out the nutrition facts – scroll down for the details on all the vitamins and minerals that you get in a cup of blackberries.   We’d better go pick some more!

Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Baking, Beverages, Breakfast, Desserts, Kids, Sauces & Dressings | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments