Easy Southwest Casserole

Oh, Christmas?  Yeah, about that... I'm over it.  I was absolutely sick the whole time.  From Christmas Eve Eve straight up through my stuffed up face this morning.  While I absolutely adored spending time with family and friends, I am ready for a new year.

Yesterday was a weird day.  Second day back at work, the least sick I had been in several days, it started off fine.  Lunchtime.  Enter moodiness, indecision and a strong craving for Mexican food.  I got in my car for my lunch break and began aimlessly driving around town until I landed very close to my house at one of the best Mexican places around: La Vaquita II.  I ate this:

All of it.  Enchiladas Poblanas en Mole- one chicken, one cheese, and some raw onions to foul my breath up for the rest of the day.  It was amazeballs.  Picture this moment: stuffy nosed loner redhead sitting with her back to the rest of the happily chatting Spanish speakers eating in the restaurant, scarfing down a full plate while the fluorescent bulbs highlight my loner status as I stuff my face in front of the huge storefront window.    Sexy.

The thing about Mexican food, is I can never get enough.  Ever.  So naturally, it's what's for dinner.  Casserole is what happens when I think I don't have any groceries and I want to get rid of random leftovers.   It's also so easy that I barely had to pay dinner any attention so I could watch copious amounts of Deadliest Catch get some cleaning done.  You can vary the ingredients with whatever you have in your fridge.  Salsa was on sale for $0.74 last time I went to the grocery store, so this made for a super cheap meal.  If you have a few more ingredients a a couple more minutes, you can make this casserole that has a little more kick.  I am posting the recipe exactly as I made it, but please use whatever you have and don't make a special trip for these ingredients.  For crying out loud, I topped a casserole containing pork with vegan "cheese".  Totally delicious.

Easy Southwest Casserole

1 cup jasmine rice

2 cups water

generous pinch kosher salt

1 1/2 small jars medium salsa (you can sub canned tomatoes with green chilies in a pinch)

1/2 pound grilled pork tenderloin (or cooked meat of your choice/omit meat to make vegan)

1 can black beans, drained

3 good glugs Mexican hot sauce (I use Valentina or Cholula)

1 Tbsp garlic seasoning

1 cup vegan "cheese shreds" (or organic cheese)

Fat free greek yogurt and cilantro for serving

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook rice:  Bring rice and water to a boil. Add salt, reduce heat to low, and cover for 15 minutes.  

Dump one whole jar of salsa in with the rice.  Dump in can of beans.  Dice up your meat.  Dump it.  Stir.

Season to taste with garlic seasoning and fresh ground pepper if desired.  Glug in some hot sauce.  Glug, glug.  Isn't that such a satisfying sound?  Mmm hmm.

Spread your mixture in an even layer into a casserole dish.  Sprinkle "cheese" shreds over the top evenly.  If you have tortilla chips, by all means crush them over the top of the cheese.  Dollop your remaining salsa over the whole mess and pop it in the oven uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the casserole is heated through.  Serve topped with fat free greek yogurt (or sour cream) and torn fresh cilantro.   Go back for seconds.

Best when enjoyed in the company of someone you love and not under fluorescent lighting.

Ideas for variations- add or substitute the following:

Chorizo

Chopped grilled chicken

Tortilla chips

Pinto beans

canned black olives

canned or fresh jalapenos

Veg-all or mixture of frozen veggies/veggies in danger of dying an ugly death in your fridge

Chives or green onions

Salsa Verde

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Sweet Potato Fries and Scenes from the Weekend

O Christmas tree, O Christmas Tree, how sappy are your branches!  So maybe that's not how that sweet li'l anthem goes, but it's certainly how Christmas tree decorating goes for me.

This is largely due to the fact that Jeremy is what some might call fanatical about Christmas light placement, distribution and saturation.  As long as the lights are being put on when he is ready to do it, that's really his problem.  Well call me whiny, demanding, or whatever you want, but I wanted the lights on NOW.  So after he'd spent a good hour putting lights on the top 1/8th of the tree, but took a break to light the grill, I picked up the slack.

And so it begins...

"You have to do it just right.  Wrapping each individual branch up and back to the core, moving to the left, from front to back."  These were my instructions.  Let's cut to 15 minutes later.  Jeremy is grilling, I am sweating, covered up to my elbows in tree sap, and have what I presume is a very fowl look plastered across my face.  Cheerful Christmas music is tinkling in the background and all of a sudden, I hear myself exclaim at the top of my lungs, a very ugly and decidedly un-Christmas-y word.  I get down off the chair on which I am standing, turn off the Christmas music and curl into a ball on the couch, glass of wine in hand, and frown firmly on face.  Consider this my public confession that I was being a total whiny baby.  After Jeremy came back inside, saw me on the couch and had a good laugh, he explained to me that I could do the Christmas lights my way and he was sure they would be just beautiful.  Well the top 1/4th of our tree is just that.  Beautiful.  As for the rest of the house, Christmas exploded all over it.  Boxes, bags, tissue paper and glitter make for a nice little Christmas sheen all over the floor.

On to more successful endeavors...
Like dinner.  I found some beautiful lamb shoulder chops at Whole Foods and marinated them in some citrus juices, olive oil, fresh garlic, rosemary, and oregano.

Jeremy grilled those babies up while I made some Garlicky Kale and sweet potato fries.

You can make these too.  It's a cinch.  These are my favorite side to make in the summer with some homemade grilled burgers with all the trimmings.  I like mine savory with a good organic ketchup, but cinnamon sugar works great if your into sweet sweet potato fries, sweetie.

Sweet Potato Fries
1 large sweet potato
1 to 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (if you're making a sweet version, you might try coconut oil instead)
1 Tbsp rib rub or cajun seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel sweet potato, cut in half lengthwise, and cut each half into fry shapes.  The thinner you cut them, the crispier they'll get, so you want to cut them thin, but not paper thin.  Try to cut them about the same size so they'll cook evenly.  Toss them in the olive oil to coat.  Sprinkle with the seasonings of your choice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  (This doesn't mean taste the raw potatoes...)
Cook 20 minutes on one side.  Take them out and flip them over.  Cook 15 to 20 minutes more on the other side, or until fries are crisp and browned to your liking.  Sweet potatoes are incredibly healthy, and this will definitely quench any french fry craving you have, so could this be the perfect food?  You tell me.

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Blueberry Pancakes

Want to know how many times a month I crave pancakes?
I don't want to talk about it.  It's a lot.
Instead of shoveling out 8 bucks at a restaurant for some of the cheapest comfort food out there, I cooked some up this weekend.  Because I'm cheap, and because I know I can control the quality of ingredients that go into these hot cakes.   Griddle cakes.  Ew.  Does "hot cakes" make you cringe a little?  It should.  They're pancakes.
And in this case, they're blueberry, whole wheat, and vegan.  Oh, and delicious.

Blueberry Pancakes
Adapted from Peas and Thank You's recipe for Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup Sugar in the Raw
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups almond milk (unsweetened plain or vanilla)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Earth Balance vegan margarine and Grade B Maple syrup for serving

Combine all dry ingredients.  Stir in almond milk, just until combined.  Over mixing your batter will make tough pancakes, so try to avoid that.  Fold in blueberries so they are evenly distributed in your batter.  I used a large mixing spoon to slop batter into my cast iron skillet heated on medium, but you could use a 1/3 or 1/4 cup measure depending on how big you like your pancakes.

I like a good buttery crust on my pancakes, so just before I drop some batter into the pan, I will add about a teaspoon of Earth Balance to fry it up in.  You don't have to do this, but you totally should.  Cook the pancake on the first side until you see little bubbles forming and popping on the surface and the edges turning golden brown.  Flip it.  Cook a couple more minutes until the other side is golden.         

 You're going to cook all of these one at a time unless you have a totally awesome large griddle or electric skillet, so it can take a little while.  To keep those cooked pancakes hot while you cook the rest of the batter, keep them on a plate in the oven with your oven set on its lowest or "warm" setting.  Here's a peek at my state of the art and impeccably clean oven.  Don't judge.

After they're all golden, cooked and gorgeous, serve them up with some warmed blueberries or some maple syrup.  Grade B is has less of a glycemic impact than Grade A, in case you care about that sort of thing.  I also happen to think it tastes more maple-icious.

A little magazine reading on the couch, a ponytail to hide my unshoweredness, and a couple cups of coffee later, I'm ready to go pick out this year's Christmas tree.  Feeling fa-la-la.

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Thanksgiving Flavors, The Remix: Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries

Like we've discussed before, I'm a holiday person.  The minute it strikes midnight on November 1st, I become the most Melody version Melody can possibly be and I enter my element.  Strap on some jingle bells, power up with some eggnog, and tightly clutching pumpkin in one hand and cranberries in the other, brace yourself- it's time to get festive.

I borrowed this recipe from Tracy of Shutterbean and made it my own.  Tracy is Joy the Baker's BFF.  And therefore, I want to be BFF with both of them always and forever.  But you already knew that.  Anyway, this recipe tastes like all the festive holiday flavors you love wrapped into one amazingly healthy, comforting and delicious package.  What could be better?

Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 large or 2 small apples, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 and 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 and 1/2 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper*
1 Tbsp orange zest*
1 and 1/2 Tbsp Sugar in the Raw or brown sugar
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

*Optional

Preheat your oven to 400 and get ready to do some mad chopping.  Confession:  I like chopping things so much that sometimes I cook something for the sole purpose of satisfying my therapeutic chopping needs and desires.  This is the perfect time to satisfy that need.

Let's get that butternut out of the way first.  You could use two large sweet potatoes if you prefer, but the butternut is really worth it.  Cut it in half across so it's easier to deal with.  Cut the half with seeds in it in half lengthwise and scoop them all out with a spoon.  Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, peel the skin off the whole thing and cut it into cute little 1/2 inch cubes.  This is not an exact science.  As you chop each vegetable, start tossing it onto a shallow baking dish or roasting pan lined with foil to prevent extreme messiness.

Now Brussels Sprouts.  You're going to want to trim the ends a good bit so they're not tough.  After that, peel off the outer layer and split them in half.  Done and done.  Onion.  Apple.  Cranberries.

Pretty!

Time to make the dressing.  Did you know that salad dressing is the easiest ever to make?  That's really all this is.  Find a jar or container with a resealable lid.  I used sweet li'l old jam jar.  In the jar, combine the curry powder, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and cinnamon, cayenne and orange zest, if you're using those optional ingredients.  I REALLY wanted to use orange zest but didn't have any.  If you have it, please use it.  Shake it like a polaroid picture.

Drizzle the mixture over the pretty chopped stuff and use your hands to toss.  Aren't you so glad to get this moisturizing treat for those dry winter hands?  Lovely.  Smooth into an even layer and sprinkle the sugar evenly over the mix.  You don't need to mix in the sugar.  Put it in the oven for 20 minutes.  Stir gently.  Back in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

While your veggies are working in the oven, you might want to prepare some couscous, wild rice, or quinoa on the stovetop, using chicken or vegetable broth instead of water.  Prepare according to package directions.  I used quinoa in some homemade turkey stock.  When the veggies are done, serve yourself a heap of them over your grain of choice.  I was feeling super cozy, so I drizzled the tiniest amount of grade B maple syrup (less sweet than your average bear) over the whole thing.  Yum.

I used to be afraid of curry or cooking anything with curry.  How dumb was that?  It's delicious.
What are you hesitant to try?  Afraid of?

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Roasted Chickpeas Two Ways: Chai Some Chickpeas and Hummus Deconstruced

Here's something to add some fun to your life!  Or your salad, party, what-have-you.
Did you know you can roast chickpeas?!  Oh you most certainly can and should.  Even if you think you don't like them.  This magical recipe turns slop from a can into chic (or should I say chick...) snack, topping or bar munch.  This recipe was inspired by my trusty Peas and Thank You cookbook I told you about a while back.  I would double this recipe if I were you.  Just sayin.'

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chickpeas
Juice of 1 and 1/2 lemons or limes (I used limes because I didn't have lemons.  It was legit.)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1.5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 can rinsed and drained chickpeas
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375.  Combine all ingredients and marinate for at least an hour, or a couple if you have time.  Spread chickpeas evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure they get nice and evenly crispy and brown.  These taste like hummus deconstructed, if you can imagine.

Want some dessert?  Try this next recipe over a salad with dried cranberries and pecans with a nice sweet vinaigrette or a splash of good aged balsamic vinegar.  Or eat them right off the cookie sheet.

Chai Some Chickpeas
1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
1.5 tsp garam masala
1 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt
Light brown sugar (optional)

Combine all ingredients.  Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 25 minutes, stirring frequently.  Keep your eye on these even closer.  They tend to need more stirring to prevent burning since they have a higher sugar content.  Sprinkle a little brown sugar on these when they are hot out of the oven for a more indulgent treat.

Important storage tip: Make sure these have cooled completely before storing in an airtight container.  Otherwise, they will become a little chewy and odd.  I know this from experience, and so does everyone else who ate them at Thanksgiving.

Speaking of giving thanks, I am pretty thankful for this scoundrel.  What are thankful for this year?

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A Healthy Addiction? Garlicky Kale to Your Post-Thanksgiving Rescue

I'm not one of those people you're going to find saying, "oh, I'm SOOO addicted to exercise".  That doesn't mean I can't dream about it.  You're far more likely to find me eating some combination of bread and stuff that melts and saying "oh, I'm SOOO addicted to (insert bread and fat of the day)".  But in the past several months I've had a breakthrough.  I developed a healthy addiction!  It's kale.

Wait!  Don't leave!  Once I too was like you, thinking that kale, in all its ultra deep green roughness, could only be consumed comfortably after it had the Satan cooked out of it and had been covered in some sort of high sodium or high fat sauce to mask its overly healthy and virtuous taste.  And then, as it is known to do, Whole Foods (better known to some as Whole Paycheck) came to the rescue with its salad bar brimming with vegetables and toppings galore.  Of all the delectable delicacies in the salad bar, the garlicky kale was the crown jewel.  And then I was so cruelly betrayed.  I would sneak away to Whole Foods for lunch to have a rendezvous with G.K., and it was nowhere to be found.  Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, and I'm making garlicky kale from scratch.

Lucky for me, Brittany over at Eating Bird Food had the same addiction and did most of the leg work.  I doubled her recipe and doubled my pleasure.  The awesome thing about this salad aside from its delicious and addictive properties, is that it's even better the next day.  Definitely the only dressed salad I know of that can hold its own in the fridge a second day.  If you like Caesar salad, you're going to love this.

Garlicky Kale
(Recipe slightly adapted from Eating Bird Food)

1 bunch kale
1 1/2 Tbsp tahini
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (sounds weird but it's like soy sauce or tamari.  Sub tamari in a pinch)
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (an ingredient definitely worth stocking in your kitchen)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Sesame seeds to taste for garnish (optional)

1.  Remove tough stems from the kale and tear into bite size pieces.
2.  Combine all the remaining ingredients except kale and sesame seeds in a blender (magic bullet is awesome for this) until smooth.  Pour over kale.
3.  Use your clean hands (sorry, this is going to be your best way to do this) to evenly distribute the dressing and rub it into the leaves, like you're giving it a well deserved massage.  Relax, kale, you're feeling a little stiff.
4.  Wash your grubby hands, weirdo, and shake some sesame seeds on your delectable health food before you start shoveling it in your pie hole like it was bread with melty fat.  If you can manage to wait to eat and let this sit in the fridge for an hour or two, you'll love it even more.  If not, strap on the ol' feedbag.

I like to make a meal of this when I know I'm eating pizza (bread and melty fat) for dinner later that day.  It's all about balance, or so they say.

This is great for impressing friends that think they don't like healthy food.  You sneaky devil.

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Mango Habanero Salsa

I have something up my sleeve.  Thankfully, it's not a habanero.  But this awesome mango habanero salsa is part of it!  Stay tuned for the big reveal next Monday.  In the meantime, I'll tease you with a few hints.

Have you noticed a trend here?  You may have gathered that I enjoy Mexican food.  A LOT.  If you live in California (you lucky dog), you probably have access to some pretty darn tasty authentic Mexican.  If you live in Durham, NC, you can find some authentic Mexican food, but for the most part it's limited to food trucks, carnicerias (meat markets) and little hole in the wall spots that are pretty amazing if you can dedicate some time to making an adventure out of finding one.  And I hate to break it to you, but for the most part, you are not going to find truly authentic Mexican food (which can actually be quite healthy) at that Torrero's or Bandido's Mexican Restaurant downtown. 

One of the reasons I think Mexican food is so much fun is the crazy beautiful array of colors!  Check out this confetti-lookin' beauty:

Mango Habanero Salsa Fresca

Confession time:  I only used one habanero because I was a scared little baby.  You should use two.  I will certainly use two in my next batch, which I am making this very night.  Two batches in two days because I loved it just that much!  If you are feeding more than just a couple people, you might consider making a double batch.  Trust me, you will have no problem figuring out things to put it on.

Ingredients

1 mango, cut into a small dice

Juice of two limes

Pinch of sea salt

Small red onion, cut into a small dice

2 habanero peppers

2 handfuls fresh cilantro, chopped

First, you're going to want to deal with your mango.  If you've ever dealt with one, then you know the deal.  If not, let me give you a pointer or two.  Mangoes are not a straightforward fruit.  They are tricky and slippery little devils.  Peel your fruit for starters.  It should look like so-

Are you singing the "Rango" theme song while substituting the word "mango" for "Rango"?  Because you totally should.  It made my salsa better, and it can do the same for yours.  Try it- 

"Mang-o! Mang-OOO!"

Now you're ready for the tricky part.  Mangoes don't have a "pit," per se.  At least not in the way a peach or avocado does.  They just get really dense and fibrous and hard to cut in the middle.  This means you aren't going to get all the fruit off of it that you feel entitled to, and that's okay.  Know that it's frustrating for the rest of the world as well.  Just cut off what you can from the outsides, first in large slabs, then in smaller pieces as you get closer to the center.  Get what you can from it, then give the middle to some cool kid or messy adult to chew and suck on.  If they're feeling all Mexican about it, they'll squeeze some lime juice on it and dust it with chili powder because that's what all the cool kids do.  Dice your fruit and proceed to the next step.

Get out your latex gloves for some habanero handling.  No, I'm not joking.  If you do this with your bare hands because you think you have something to prove, then your proof of idiocy will be your burning hands that feel like you stuck them in to an unquenchable fiery furnace.  Enjoy that for the next several hours.

Cut the tops off those bad boys and strip them of their seeds, membranes and dignity.  If you like things a little spicier, feel free to leave some of the membrane in.  

Not only is the habanero one of the hottest peppers in the world, I feel it is also the cruelest.  Why?  Because it tastes so stinkin' fruity and delicious that you want to eat more of it, but you will be punished accordingly.  Give your charming and hateful pepper the fine dice treatment and toss it in a bowl with your diced mangoes.  Add your chopped red onion, cilantro and lime juice.  Add salt to taste.  Taste a couple times and be sure to add your salt a little at a time.  Like toothpaste, you can always add more, but you can't take it back.  You can eat this immediately, but it's going to be even more amazing after sitting in the fridge for a bit to let the flavors get to know one another.

Now, I highly recommend you do this with your salsa:

Toast one corn tortilla on a cast iron pan on your stove top or char it a little over a gas burner.

Mash half an avocado mixed with a squeeze of lime juice, a dash of hot sauce and salt with a fork.  

Top tortilla with avocado mash and a generous heap of your salsa.

Eat this standing up because there's no time to sit when it's this good and this fresh!

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The Best Enchiladas I've Ever Made

This recipe was thrown together using pantry staples in the midst of a cleaning frenzy, not knowing what kind of crazy outcome there might be.  I was so pleased with the outcome, I decided it's the best thing I've cooked in a long, long time.  The only thing I would change would be using whole wheat pastry flour for the cheeze sauce instead of white (which was the only flour I had in my pantry save for spelt), and subbing homemade enchilada sauce for the jarred version I used out of blissful convenience.  My only kid is a fur kid, but I imagine real life kids without fur would love this meal.  Or even real life kids with fur.

Ingredients
1 can organic red lentils
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup jarred or homemade salsa verde
1 to 1 and 1/2 cups jarred or homemade enchilada sauce*
8 corn tortillas
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups water
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup Earth Balance (non hydrogenated vegan margerine)
1/4 Daiya vegan cheddar shreds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Make cheeze sauce: in a medium sauce pan, stir together flour, nutritional yeast, salt and garlic powder.  Whisk in two cups of water and stir frequently over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in margarine and mustard.

Run frozen corn kernels under some warm water to defrost.  In large bowl, mix together drained and rinsed lentils, corn kernels, salsa verde, and 1/3 cup of the cheeze sauce.

Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of a large baking dish.  Heat tortillas in a cast iron skillet or in microwave so they become more flexible.  Fill each tortilla with approximately 1/3 cup of filling before rolling the tortilla around the filling and placing it seam side down into the baking dish.  Continue filling and rolling tortillas until filling is used up or you have run out of room.  It's okay if some tortillas unfold or break since it will bake together anyway.

Top with remainder of enchilada sauce, making sure to cover all the dry parts of exposed tortillas with the sauce.  Finally, top the whole shebang with a generous amount of cheeze sauce, or to taste.  Store the rest of the sauce in your fridge to use later in the week as a pizza or nacho topping. Top enchiladas with vegan "cheese" shreds if desired.  They really aren't necessary to be honest, but it does add some visual appeal, especially if you are feeding this to someone who is wary of your cheese-less cheese sauce.  And they deserve to be wary- let's be frank here.  Wary until they taste it.  Bake 30 minutes and strap on the ol' feed bag, as my dad likes to say.

While my goody was in the oven, I put on some Black Eyed Peas for laundry folding music.  CAN'T... HOLD... BACK.... Rock that body! Come on, come on, Rock that body! Laundry will have to wait.  Fergie calls, and it's time for some trampoline dancing.  If you have a trampoline, you should make this part of the recipe.  You would have thought I had put pure, raw crystal meth into Sampson's dog food with the way he responded to this.  I assure you I did not, but I wish you could have been there.  Arms flailing about, hips shaking and singing poorly, I jumped on my little rebounder in the living room while Sam darted at the speed of light from one end of the house to the other tagging walls, and stopping only to jump on the trampoline with me and run in frantic circles whilst barking and making me double over with laughter.  Sam!  Rock that body!

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Espress(o) Yoself.

Oh, hello.  If you came here for a recipe today, here's your warning so you can feel free to navigate other wondrous blog pages, pinterest or facebook: no recipe today (okay, just a little lunch idea, but nothing you're going to write home about).  Today's post simply contains the musings of a caffeinated comfort food addict.  There, I said it.

Hello, my name is Melody and I'm a carbaholic.

Is this a problem?  A little over a month ago, I started a Raw Food Cleanse.  Amazing!  While it was only three days, it really changed my whole perspective about the food I put in my body.  I even gave up caffeine completely for over a week!  I would recommend you read it in conjunction with watching Forks Over Knives, but only if you're ready to make some dietary changes.  And some (or most of you) are probably not wanting to do that and that's totally cool.  After I finished the cleanse, I was hooked on some raw kale.  I still am!  Right now in life, there is literally nothing more I could want for lunch than a trip to the Whole Foods Salad Bar.  Pile that ugly container full of garlicky kale, spinach, mixed greens, chickpeas, roasted sweet potato, pumpkin seeds and some lemon tahini dressing and it's heaven.  It tastes amazing, fills me up and leaves me feeling great and energized until dinner.

Git in muh belly.

So what's the problem?  Laziness.  While for awhile it was so easy to come home on my lunch break and fix delicious raw zucchini pasta or a Hugh Jass salad (as Mama Pea likes to call them), when I run out of ingredients or fail to make a shopping trip when I should, I end up eating this:

Warning: May be habit forming.

What is this unusual mess?  It's the magical combination of Daiya cheddar "cheese" shreds and homemade hummus cooked grilled cheese style in a cast iron skillet with a teaspoon full of Earth Balance Vegan Margarine.  I was introduced to this killer combo by Peas and Thank You, where they are aptly referred to as "crack wraps".  And while crack is whack, these are not.  This is my default lunch, snack, meal, or comfort food when I am feeling too lazy to cut up veggies for salads or something more healthy and full of nutrients.  It could be worse, thought right?  Not when you start washing it down with egg nog flavored soy milk.  That's when you know it's a problem.  And now the caffeine is starting to slowly sneak in.  While I don't have a daily cup in the morning, I might have a latte in the afternoon, or a cup of black tea one morning because I'm feeling too festive not to.  Or a full blown two shot cafe americano.  Hello, espresso; let's be friends again.  While allowing myself caffeine during the week (but not daily) is forgivable, I have decided, the lack of vegetables at lunch is not.

I hereby resolve to find a solution.  If I wrote it on a blog, I have to hold to it.  It's like law now.  Here's my best idea.  What if I actually make it a rule that I MUST make a list before making my weekly trip that I MUST make to Whole Foods and then when I bring home all the nutrient dense veggies on my list, I will wash, chop, and store them in the fridge immediately.  I even wrote it in the largest font so you can hold me to it.  That way, it takes literally seconds to throw together a healthy salad or stir fry and I don't find myself making excuses to make things that melt on a daily basis.  If I can get more fiber and greens into my breakfasts and lunches, then it's okay if I make things like cheezy chili mac for dinner if I feel so inclined.

I know I'm not alone in this rut thing.  What kind of food ruts do you get stuck in?  Is caffeine a necessary evil, or do you stay away from it?

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Jose the Dog and Butternut Squash Fries

One of my favorite parts of the week every week is going to spend Sunday evenings with my parents.  Jeremy and I corral Sampson into the car and head over for dinner.  It's always a challenge to keep Sam reasonably calm enough to not give Jose (the overly neurotic yet adorable chihuahua belonging to Mom and Dad) a massive stroke.  It's not as easy as it sounds.

Jose enjoying his throne after a romp in the snow last year.

Chicken wings were on the menu for dinner this Sunday, so I whipped up a batch of butternut squash "fries" and made a humungo salad.  And then I did something brilliant:

Using fries for croutons > using croutons for croutons.

Just look at this delicious mess.

Butternut Squash Fries

2 small butternut squash, peeled and seeds scooped out

1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil

Garlic powder

Chili powder

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Chop up squash into fry shaped pieces.  Spread out on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle desired seasonings on top of fries.  You could do cinnamon and nutmeg here for a sweet version or really any combo.  I like my fries garlicky.  Use your hands to toss the whole mess together, evenly distributing oil and spices among the fries.  Bake for 45 minutes, flipping fries once halfway through.  If they aren't as crispy as you'd like, by all means leave them in a bit longer, but just make sure to check to make sure they aren't burning.  Serve with ketchup if desired or use as a topping on a salad like the one below.

Sunshine Salad

6 cups mixed greens or salad mix

1 large avocado cut into slices

2 handfuls dry roasted almonds

1/4 cup sliced sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained

2 tangerines, peeled and segmented

1 handful butternut squash fries for each serving

2 Tbsp lemon tahini dressing or citrus vinaigrette for each serving

Layer all ingredients on top of the bed of greens except the dressing (add that after the salad has been plated).  This salad is so crunchy, bright and full of citrus.  I hope it makes you think of sunshine too.  

As for Jose, he made it through a night of having all his precious little toys (Moo, Squirrely, Chicktoria, Dolphie, Roo and Baby Hedgie) slobbered all over and dominated by Sampson.  And then the next morning after the threat was gone and he had reclaimed his possessions, he neatly gathered them into a pile and peed on each one.  He might need some doggie therapy, Mom.

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One Pot Meal: Spicy Quinoa with Chorizo

Okay, so I dirtied two pots for this one despite the title, but it was still a quick and easy complete meal in a bowl.  You might be wondering if I ditched the whole no animal products thing after reading the title of this post.  While I did not use actual delicious and amazing authentic pork chorizo, I did find this little gem at Whole Foods: Mexican Chipotle Grain Meat Sausages by Field Roast.  Does that sound disgusting to you?  While it was definitely delicious, I completely understand should you choose to make this dish with authentic Mexican chorizo instead.

But wait!  Do you know about quinoa?  Did you just say "kwin-oh-ah" to yourself when you read it?  It's okay, Jeremy did too at first.  Of course I totally got it right the first try, duh...  It's "keen-wa".  Keen!  If you are totally keen on quinoa, you should definitely use it in Stuffed Acorn Squash.  If not, the recipe below is a pretty sweet introduction.

Quinoa is an ancient grain that was a staple part of the Inca diet.  (See how I'm totally using my Latin American Studies degree while blogging?!)  I read that on the box.  Here's some awesome stats on this awesome grain:

• It's a complete protein in and of itself.  Take that, rice and beans.
• It's got a nice little "pop" to it when you bite in that gives it a satisfying, toothsome feel.
• The germ (not like cooties, but like the part that will help it germinate, silly) is this little light yellow tail thing that swirls around the grain to make each one look like a miniature Saturn.  Trippy.
• Like couscous, it cooks really quickly and is almost fool proof to make.  But it's better for you than couscous, so try using quinoa in your next recipe that calls for couscous.  Look how smart you are.
• It's delicious!  Did you really need all those other reasons?

Ingredients
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup jarred or homemade salsa verde
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 small onion, chopped
2 links meat free chorizo "sausage"
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

This dish was born out of a need for a comforting bowl of something hot and full of protein, lack of groceries, and a special ingredient that provided inspiration.  I was looking for a quick fix, but if you have more time on your hands, definitely toss in whatever veggies you might have on hand or some chopped garlic to saute with the onions for an added flavor and nutritional boost.

Directions
Cook the quinoa in the vegetable broth (instead of water) according to package directions.  While that's working, lightly coat the bottom a heavy bottomed pot with the olive oil and saute the onions on medium heat until they become translucent.  Crumble in the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and incorporating it into the onions.  The bottom of the pot is probably starting to get little browned bits sticking to it.  You want this.  Wait until you have a good amount of browning going on (but watch to make sure it's not burning) and add in the white wine.  Make sure to use the wine and the steam it's putting off to help you scrub up and incorporate all those yummy brown bits into your mixture.

Sauteed onion, "chorizo", white wine and salsa verde.

Check your quinoa.  If it has absorbed all the liquid, dump it in the pot with your spicy onion goodness.  If not, keep it simmering until the grains are fluffy and the liquid is absorbed, but be sure to watch your onion mixture to make sure it doesn't start to brown again after the wine has evaporated.  If it does, just add in a little water to get those brown bits up again.

Cooked quinoa before combining with onion mixture.

Once you've combined your quinoa with your onion mixture, stir in the salsa verde and fold in the frozen peas.  Don't worry- they'll defrost quickly but still maintain their fresh sweetness and refreshing pop.  Ta-da!  You're all set for dinner.  Scoop out a serving into a bowl and garnish with a sour cream alternative (or plain greek yogurt if you eat it), hot sauce and cilantro if you like.

I can't wait to make something with cinnamon and watch The Family Stone soon.  I'm thinking that definitely needs to happen sometime this week because I can't stop thinking about it.  Now that the time change has happened and it's dark when I get home, I am all about transitioning into holiday mode.  Break out the crafting gear and mulling spices!

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Hummus Among Us

How was your weekend?  Mine was pretty excellent; especially the part yesterday when all I did from 9am until 12pm was listen to John Mayer really loud, lay on the couch with pup, and make hummus.  What, hummus doesn't sound like breakfast food to you?

When the clock struck 12 noon, Jeremy and I decided it was time for him to put on a hat and me to put my hair in a ponytail and head out the door to The Federal to meet Mom and Dad for some crazy good grub and beer. This place never disappoints in either category.  I was too hungry to get a picture of it, but I had the veggie sliders and a side salad.  And lots of Jeremy's delicious garlic fries he forfeited by having his plate near me.  Sometimes really good food does make me happy, is that such a crime?  Just like this hummus is going to make you happy.  So don't feel bad if you find yourself half a bag of baby carrots deep into this stuff- it's tasty taste AND full of protein and healthy items for the win.

Ingredients
3 cloves garlic
Juice of two lemons
2 cans organic chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
2 Tbsp tahini (ground sesame seeds)
1/3 to 1/2 cup reserved liquid from chickpeas
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Dump all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.  You will have to stop a couple times and push down the stuff on the sides to make sure everything gets incorporated and blended smoothly enough.  You want it really smooth.  If you want to make it a little richer, add the olive oil.  It's perfectly delicious without it, but I added it for good measure.  Pour your super duper hummus into a storage container with a tightly fitting lid, or a serving dish if you're smart and eating it right away.  Top with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some paprika.  Feel free to make limitless variations.  Add some roasted red peppers to a batch.  Toss in a little jalapeno and cilantro if you're feeling spicy, or give it some zing by stirring in some finely chopped olives and capers.  Heck, top it with some fresh chopped parsley while you're at it and save some for me.

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Cheezy Chili Mac

Happy Friday!


I'm celebrating Friday by busting out the Christmas CDs.  Before anyone starts casting stones, let it be known that I realize this is ridiculous and quite possibly may even be off putting.  I don't care.  Although the Josh Groban choice this morning may have been a little much.  I think I'll ease into it a little more smoothly tomorrow with something like the Sufjan Stevens Christmas CD.  Now there is a gem.

So for lunch yesterday, I made this amazeballs chili burrito with avocado and lime crema from leftovers from the night before.  After polishing that off with a good amount of baby carrots and homemade hummus, I was feeling pretty full.  Okay, so I was feeling really full and like I needed a big salad for dinner.  So just know that I had the best of intentions.  Then I got a headache and started feeling all moody and came home and whipped up some extreme comfort food.  Queue the latest episode of Modern Family (hilarious), pass the hot sauce, and let's call it a night.

Cheezy Chili Mac
1 lb package whole wheat or vegetable shell pasta
2 cans vegan chili beans or 3 cups leftover homemade chili
1 medium zucchini
1/2 package Daiya pepper jack shreds
1 package silken tofu
2 Tbsp hot sauce
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
Sea salt to taste
1 cup panko bread crumbs


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook entire package of noodles in plenty of water, according to package directions.  Chop a zucchini into small bite size pieces (it doesn't have to be pretty) and chunk all the chunks into the cooking noodles and water about 3 minutes before the noodles are done.  This is not a precise science.

While noodles (and zook) cook, combine chili (homemade, frozen, canned, whatever) with all the remaining ingredients except the "cheese" shreds and bread crumbs.  Stir/mash it all together.  Drain cooked noodles and put them back in the pot.  Add the chili mixture to the noodles and stir to combine well.  *Don't be scared of the tofu.  You're going to be amazed at how it brings all the flavors together and ends up looking and tasting just like the delicious cottage cheese or ricotta your grandma puts in her baked macaroni and cheese she brings to all the potlucks.

Dump all of the mixture into a large casserole dish and pat it down into an even layer.  Top with the bread crumbs, spreading them evenly over the mixture.  I shook on a little extra sea salt, garlic powder and paprika here.  Spread "cheese" shreds evenly over the whole thing.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.  Dig in.

Are you still with me here?  Are you mad that I put tofu instead of cheese into Macaroni and CHEESE?  I don't blame you.  But listen, if you eat dairy, please feel free to use regular cheese on top if you want.  But please do try to keep the rest of the ingredients the same, because I think you'll amaze yourself and maybe you'll love it.  And you don't necessarily need to tell anyone you eat this with that it doesn't have cheese.  They won't be able to tell.  In fact, I issue this as a challenge!  Cousin Ashley, I'm talking to you.  Make this for your cheese and carb addicted husband.  Maw-Maw always said, "sometimes it's okay to tell little white lies."  Let me know how it turns out!  Salad for lunch today, I promise.

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Hearty Chili with Lime Crema

There was a time in my life when all I wanted every single day was the vegetarian chili at Mad Hatter's. Served in a huge bowl with a ginormous slice of house baked ciabatta on the side, this monster was topped with slices of fresh avocado, a lime cilantro sour cream, and lots of shredded cheese. But really, the toppings were the star here. Better known for its other specialties, the chili itself at Mad Hatter's was a bit... bland.

Though I still crave that warm comforting bowl of normalcy, my budget no longer craves it, and my body no longer wants the bloat and crack-habit-like cravings that come with cheese consumption for me. Holy Schnizzle. I can't believe what I have just done. Now, I have made my fair share of chili beans. In fact, every year I host a chili cook off at work because I just can't get enough. I come by it honest, since growing up it was one of our favorite meals. My mom is one heck of a comfort food cook. I don't think there is much that is more comforting than her french toast, her spaghetti sauce, or her chili. But when it comes to veggie chili, there is always something a little lackluster about it. My last couple batches were filling, satisfying and just okay. Tonight something incredible happened. I found a secret ingredient. I don't care who you are- even Ron Burgundy or Ron Swanson would love this meatless chili. I created a monster.
Trust me on this one and give this one a go.

I'm obviously all about the toppings.

It looks like a lot of ingredients, but most of them are pantry staples.

 Chili Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can dark red kidney beans
1/2 can black beans
4 or 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 small can green chilies
1/2 package meatless crumbles (or whole if you like it meaty)
1 15 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1/8 cup chili powder
2 Tbsp cumin
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp tahini
1/4 cup organic ketchup
3 good dashes hot sauce

Lime Crema
 Juice of one lime
1/3 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme, or organic sour cream
1 small handful fresh cilantro


Toppings (Optional, but why wouldn't you)
Chopped fresh green onion or sweet onion
Fresh avocado slices or guacamole
Shredded organic cheese or vegan cheese
Diced tomatoes
Chives
Cilantro
Salsa

Directions
In a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat, saute chopped onion and garlic in the olive oil until slightly translucent.  Add in meat crumbles and continue to cook for a few minutes.  Add in chili powder and cumin.  If you have homemade chili powder, please do use that.  Continue to stir a few minutes and add in the canned green chilies.  It should look pretty messy right now.  Like this:

I didn't have any tomato paste, so I added in ketchup at this point.  I actually really loved the sweetness it added to the smoky combo at this juncture.  Then I dumped in one of my secret weapons, the can of fire roasted organic tomatoes I picked up last week.  I don't use these often because they are more expensive, but in a smoky and flavorful dish like this it was totally worth it.  Drain and rinse your beans and add them to the mixture.  I used only a half can of black beans because I used the other half at lunch for a burrito.  Add your cocoa powder.  It won't make your beans taste chocolaty, I promise.  It just plays off the chili powder to add more depth of flavor, which is what you want in chili.

Enter the next secret ingredient and the odd one: tamari.  Tamari is just sesame seeds ground up into a tasty paste.  I never cooked with it until this past month, and I'm amazed at the incredible flavor it can impart to so many dishes.  When I opened the fridge to put the ketchup back, the tamari caught my eye.  Would it's earthy flavor and rich texture beef up this beefless mixture?  It was a dangerous thought, but I live on the edge so I added in a tablespoon.  I tasted it... HARK!  One more tablespoon... SWEET LITTLE OLD LADY!  I don't think I'll ever go back to making veggie chili without it.

Add hot sauce to taste, and let this simmer while you make your lime crema or until you're ready to eat.

To make the crema, simply combine the lime juice, cilantro and sour cream (or Tofutti) in a small blender (I used my Magic Bullet that I adore) until cilantro is roughly chopped and all ingredients are incorporated.  Use as a condiment to top your chili. I could only wait about a half hour to let it simmer and dug in after piling the toppings on high.  Check out this meaty texture!

I can't wait to eat it for lunch tomorrow in a burrito!  Leftover chili is even better the day after.  Do you ever get in a lunch rut?  Is it weird that I liked to eat literally the same exact thing every single day for...ahem... a year??


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Pesto Change-O!

Oh, now I remember why I don't watch horror movies!  Because they make me cry like a pathetic little scared baby.  In honor of Halloween, Jeremy and I decided to watch Season of the Witch while eating dinner and answering the door.  (Once, by the way.  We had only one group of trick or treaters.  Sad panda.)  It had Nick Cage in it- how bad could it be?  Pretty bad.  Like "release the demons and watch the plague eat peoples faces and turn them into zombies" bad.  Mmmm.  Hungry now?

Let's talk about pesto.  Our favorite pizza ever is the Cosmic Karma pizza at Mellow Mushroom.  It's this totally delicious swirl of regular pizza sauce and pesto sauce as the base, with toppings of fresh tomato, feta, and sun dried tomatoes that turn it into melty pizza bliss.  I can make pesto!  And you can too:

Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
3/4 cup raw walnuts or pine nuts (walnuts are cheaper, my friend)
1 tsp kosher salt

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.  Some people like it chunkier, and that's fine.  If you are into eating dairy, by all means dump at least 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese (use the good stuff, like parmigiano reggiano) into the mix.  This will make it thicker, so add more olive oil as desired.  Use as a topping for pizza, on fresh bread, mixed with pasta (or zucchini spaghetti) or mixed in with some ricotta and used in lasagna or eaten right of the dang spoon.  I chose to paint with mine.  Behold the artistry:

Finger painting for adults!  Wouldn't it be so festive if I smeared some on my face before answering the door for Trick or Treaters?  "Happy Halloween kiddos, from Swamp Thing's home to yers."  Oops, I just lost a reader.  Back to pizza construction.

I made swirls of my homemade pesto and jarred Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce from Whole Foods (because it's Halloween and I'm not trying to be Martha Stewart tonight) onto my homemade pizza crust.  I made an easy spelt flour/regular flour crust that was okay but not my favorite, so I won't post the recipe this time.  But you could totally make it so much easier on yourself and use a premade refrigerated crust.  Please do yourself a favor and don't use one in a can.  I have never been to a pizza place that wouldn't sell me a ball of their unbaked dough for super cheap.  Definitely work up the courage to be a weirdo and do this.  Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and many supermarkets also carry freshly made refrigerated or frozen pizza dough that is convenient, cheap and ready to go.  After you've painted your sauce(s) onto your blank canvas, it's time to start decorating.

Ours was festively decorated with thinly sliced onions and fresh red peppers, olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes, and local fresh goat cheese with herbs.  Jeremy's side had Cabot Seriously Sharp White Cheddar, and mine had the tablespoon I had left of my Daiya shredded vegan "cheddar" which I would totally recommend in a heartbeat.  I decided to let a few goat cheese crumbles mingle on my side since I am not trying to be a nazi about the whole no dairy thing.  Ten minutes at 425 degrees and dinner is ready and handheld.  Win!

We made short work of this pizza and totally demolished it.  I gave mine a generous sprinkling of nutritional yeast and it was so good Jeremy actually put "that weird stuff on the counter" on his seconds!  Why don't I make pizza more often?  Happy November!

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Happy Halloween!

My attempt at carving leaves with "softly glowing" aspects ended in me punching a giant hole into the side of the gooey mess.  Hence the awkward angle.  The dog food, newspaper and plants threatened by frost really enhance the holiday feel of this photo.  You're welcome.

Is it too early to start listening to Christmas music?  If it's wrong, I don't wanna be right.  There must be a "festive gene" that all the women in my family seem to have.  Maybe it's just because I have such an amazing family (no one likes a bragger, but get ready 'cause here it comes).  Maybe the arrival of Halloween marks the beginning of my favorite part of the year because there is the promise of spending more time together and enjoying each others special gifts.  From Aunt Hannah's sausage balls and Uncle Tommy's Christmas Eve serenades to Mom's all-out comforting Christmas decor and Alana's Thanksgiving Apple Cake, my family members are holiday professionals not to be trifled with.  I could go on and on, but I'll stop being a bragging jerk and point out another awesome family- Have you met the Peas?  Peas and Thank You is my new blog crush.  Mama Pea's recipes are so pealicious that I had to buy her book.  Whether you eat only plants, only animals, or both, her book and blog are full of recipes and hilarious stories that you will love.  I loved these muffins.

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

These were the fragrant and wonderful start to the day.  And apparently they are nutritious too since I had enough energy following muffin consumption (I may or may not have had more than one) to fuel a hike by the river, intensive cleaning of the stove and microwave, and more Pea inspired cooking and eating before settling in for a cozy viewing of Funny Farm with Jeremy.

Teriyaki Tofu (recipe from Peas and Thank You) over jasmine rice with stir fried veggies for dinner.  Even tofu-suspicious Jeremy went back for seconds.

In other news, I had to scrape ice?! from my windshield this morning.  The holidays are truly upon us.  I can't wait to go home and roast my pumpkin seeds I've been soaking from yesterday's pumpkin debacle (I'm not to be trusted with large knives and slippery gourds) and hand out candy to young'ins.  Do you save your pumpkin seeds, or is it too much trouble?

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