Best Friends Granola

While my sweet mother in law has been in town we've been eating well at our house. I have had this granola recipe for a while, and with Trudy's help I finally have my own batch! This recipe was given to me by a good friend in Utah and so I decided to call this "Best Friends Granola" because is just makes me smile to pass it on to my best friends here in Louisiana! Although it takes some planning to get all the ingredients, the effort will pay off in scrumptious flavors and big smiles. 

Tip: Go to Sunshine Market where you can buy some of this stuff in their bulk foods section. It's probably the best bargain.

Best Friends Granola

1 c wheat germ

1 1/2 c oat bran

1 c raw sunflower seeds

1 c chopped almonds

1 c milled flax seed

1 c raw pumpkin seeds

1 c chopped walnuts 

8 c rolled oats

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 c raw coconut sugar, sucanat or brown sugar

1/2 c maple syrup

3/4 c raw honey

1 c coconut oil

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

2 c dried fruit

Line 2 baking sheets with foil. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine first 8 ingredients. Combine next 7 ingredients in saucepan and bring to boil.

Pour wet over dry and spread on sheets.

Cook about 20 min, stir 1/2 way through baking time. Cool and add fruit.

Refreshing Summer Cabbage Salad

The credit for this recipe goes to Charity Lighten, who is one of the authors of the blog WholeFoodMommies.com. She is a representative of The Cancer Project and is very well trained in nutrition. I went to her class where she talked about eating a whole food, plant-based diet back in August of 2012 and that's what hooked me on this extraordinary way of life that I aspire to live. She passed out recipes at this free course based on the foods she served that night and I will include her version and mine. This salad is light, refreshing and mysteriously sweet. I served it to the missionaries (elders and sisters) and they all ate it (some even had seconds), so take that as you will. It's definitely a fibrous salad--I love a good crunch--but if you enjoy a softer side of life just let in marinate in the fridge overnight. You can't beat the raw goodness of this combination and it's a great change from the traditional green salad or the stand-by Asian salad laden with sugar, salt, and processed/fried noodle bits.

Let me expound on the benefits of eating cabbage. As a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, cabbage and it's relatives have been associated with low cancer rates in those people who eat generous amounts. "Phytochemicals in cruciferous vegetables have demonstrated the ability to arrest the growth of cancer cells (cited in two medical journals Nutrition and Cancer 2001 and International Journal of Oncology 2002). Specifically, cruciferous vegetables affect the hormones that influence the progression of hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer. They change the way estrogens are broken down and eliminated so that the type of estrogen (estradiol) that encourages the growth of cancer cells is converted to a different estrogen (estrone) which has anti-cancer actions." 

Cruciferous Vegetables

They get their name from the cross-shaped flowers that blossom just before the plants go to seed.

arugula 

bok choy
broccoli
brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
collard greens
horseradish
kale
kohlrabi
mustard greens
radishes
rutabaga
turnip
greens
turnips
watercress

(Source: The Cancer Survivor's Guide by Neal D Barnard, MD and Jennifer K Reilly, RD) 

Charity's version: 

Sensational Salad (this is more an ingredient list than a recipe :)

1/4 Head Green Cabbage

1/2 yellow squash

4 Radishes

1/2 Zucchini

Red Cabbage

2 Granny Smith Apples

Zest a lemon

1 medium carrot 

Squeeze Lemon for flavor

Add about 2 TBS of Balsamic Vinegar

It’s more fun to eat if veggies are cut up in different shapes

My version:

1/2-2/3 head green cabbage slivered

1/2 head red cabbage slivered (approximate less than the quantity of the green)

2 carrots grated

2 green onions sliced (only green part, discard the stiffer whiter part)

1 red delicious apple sliced to the same size as the cabbage

1 large lemon: grate the rind and use all the juice

3 TB balsamic vinegar (If you can find one infused with orange juice it is doubly good. Napa Valley brand makes one infused with blood orange juice. Maybe even try adding a little orange juice with balsamic as an alternative.)

1/4-1/2 tsp salt

Might be good with slivered almonds but I haven't tried it. 

Let it marinate in the fridge at least four hours. 

Spicy Peanut Sauce with Brown Rice Noodles and Veggies

This recipe, from Naturally Ella, is a great variation on the Asian noodles theme.  We all really enjoyed it.  Find the original recipe here: http://naturallyella.com/2012/03/23/spicy-peanut-sauce-with-brown-rice-noodles-and-veggies/. She has some other delicious looking recipes as well and it's definitely worth a visit to her blog.

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SPICY PEANUT SAUCE WITH BROWN RICE NOODLES AND VEGGIES

Recipe type: vegetarian main course

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  15 mins

Total time:  20 mins

Serves: 2

 

This is my take on "Noodles & Company's Indonesian Peanut Saute. I love that it's really versatile in that whatever veggies you have in the fridge you can throw in and it comes together quickly!

• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• ⅓ cup veggie broth (or water)
• ¼-1 teaspoon red chiles, crushed
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tamari (soy sauce)
• Everything Else:
• 4 oz brown rice noodles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ medium onion
• 4 cups assorted veggies (cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, and/or spinach.)
• Toppings:
• Bean Sprouts
• Cilantro
• Lime juice

1. In a bowl, whisk together ingredients for sauce, tasting and adding more of anything you may want. If you like it mild, add less red chiles (1/4 teaspoon) and if you like it hot, add more! Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in onion and cook until onion is fragrant and translucent, 4-5 minutes. Stir in choice of veggies (except spinach) and cook for two more minutes. Next, add in peanut sauce and reduce temperature to low. Cover and let cook until veggies are tender, 6-8 minutes.
3. Cook brown rice noodles according to package while veggies are cooking.
4. Add drained rice noodles to the veggie mixture along with the spinach if using.
5. Serve with bean sprouts, cilantro, and lime juice.

Balancing that Awesome Plant-Based Diet in the Real World

Hello Friends,

I have been wanting to devote some time to this topic for a while, and what better time to embrace a plant-based diet than summer when so many delicious fruits and vegetables are ripening on the vine!

Meal Planning and Balance
The bulk of my meal-planning principles are based on information from the sources mentioned below.

1) www.pcrm.org (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine lead by Dr. Neal Barnard)
2) www.aicr.org (American Institute for Cancer Research)
3) www.drfuhrman.com.

Two fantastic books are
3)The China Study by T. Colin Campbell 
4) Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book Eat to Live

If these resources don't convince you to base your food choices off the best nutritional food sources available, I can't say I know any better.

5) I love ForksoverKnives.com for recipes and they do a great job at strictly staying to plant-based, whole foods for their meals.

6) For kids, I also really like www.nutrition411.com. This website was recommended to me by my pediatrician after we had been discussing Kellan's diet (Dr Singh at Ark-La-Tex Peds is awesome). She said this is a resource directed to professional dietitians and other health professionals and it was helpful for me when deciding how much dairy and other animal products to introduce to my son's diet as I weaned him from breast feeding. Although most doctors will emphasize the importance of saturated fat found in dairy milk as a prime dietary component for our little ones' brain development, I have also learned that plant-based foods rich in fats such as coconut (high in plant-based saturated fats), avocados, nuts and nut butters can also supplement some of that milk. The important thing to keep in mind is that these plant-based fat sources are not protein rich so including beans, soy, and other legumes is essential. When Kellan turned his nose up at my best attempts, I chose to resort to eggs and yogurt to keep him balanced. I haven't given up! I still offer lots of choices to help build his palate towards the foods I would prefer for him.

My Soap Box Moment

I know that most people choose not to go completely vegan, and sources show that most societies around the world do consume at least a small amount of animal products. The truth is that besides B-12, we can get all the nutrition we need from plants and no time in our history are they more abundantly available year round than now! The long-term effects of eating this way can curb our risk for many chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and cancer. Many case studies mentioned in Dr. Fuhrman's book site examples of individuals who are able to turn their lives around through adopting a strict plant-based diet; these stories include not only those who are significantly overweight, but also kids with ADD, those with asthma, and people taking several prescription drugs to manage chronic illnesses. I am not proposing that diet fixes everything, and I do believe that our genetic and environmental risk factors do play a role in our health, but why not lower our risk of acquiring such chronic conditions? I also believe that modern medicine is important to manage and treat such diseases and I wouldn't think of going rogue if I found out one of my loved ones or I had a serious condition. However, my goal is to avoid that avenue as much as possible. Working  with the elderly population has opened my eyes to how debilitating, restricting, and common these chronic diseases are in our society and how addictive and difficult it can be to change that way of life. By far the healthiest people I see are those that ascribe to the principles offered from these sources and also in following the Word of Wisdom (D&C 89; Isaiah 55:8). Learn as much as you can and then take it to the Lord to find out what is right for you and your family.

The New Four Food Groups
 (http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vsk/vegetarian-starter-kit-new-four-food-groups)


Be sure to include a good source of vitamin B₁₂, such as fortified cereals or vitamin supplements.

3 or more servings a day Fruits are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. Be sure to include at least one serving each day of fruits that are high in vitamin C—citrus fruits, melons, and strawberries are all good choices. Choose whole fruit over fruit juices, which do not contain very much fiber. Serving size: 1 medium piece of fruit • 1/2 cup cooked fruit • 4 ounces juice

2 or more servings a day Legumes, which is another name for beans, peas, and lentils, are all good sources of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. This group also includes chickpeas, baked and refried beans, soymilk, tempeh, and texturized vegetable protein. Serving size: 1/2 cup cooked beans • 4 ounces tofu or tempeh • 8 ounces soymilk

5 or more servings a day This group includes bread, rice, tortillas, pasta, hot or cold cereal, corn, millet, barley, and bulgur wheat. Build each of your meals around a hearty grain dish—grains are rich in fiber and other complex carbohydrates, as well as protein, B vitamins, and zinc. Serving size: 1/2 cup rice or other grain • 1 ounce dry cereal • 1 slice bread

4 or more servings a day Vegetables are packed with nutrients; they provide vitamin C, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory, or cabbage are especially good sources of these important nutrients. Dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin provide extra beta-carotene. Include generous portions of a variety of vegetables in your diet. Serving size: 1 cup raw vegetables • 1/2 cup cooked vegetables

What about organic and non genetically-modified foods?



Here's the facts. Reducing pesticides and eating plants that have not been tampered with by adding DNA from other organisms just sounds like a good idea to me (check out www.nongmoproject.org). 
It's also a fact that it can be expensive.

Here are some options that I have adopted as often as I can (and my budget permits).

1) Buy organic for the most commonly genetically modified foods: sugar, corn, canola, cottonseed oil, zucchini, and soy.

2) Avoid the Dirty Dozen and buy these organic or eat the Clean 15 instead.
*Keep in mind that this changes yearly so you want to check for updates.
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

Take-Away

1) Eating more plants and reducing processed foods is a huge first step. This puts us ahead of the curve when compared to the typical American diet. 

2) It takes time to build new habits but it does get easier! Ryan and I went hardcore vegan for about 7 months and it was tough! He lost too much weight and I felt so frustrated and exhausted trying to figure out what to make for dinner every night. After about 6 months we got into a rhythm and made some adjustments, and I couldn't have done it without help from like-minded friends and good resources.

3) Just focus on the New Four Food Groups and the rest will start to fall into place.

4) Don't make food a fight. I feel strongly about this. If the whole family isn't on board, don't sweat it! My goal is just to offer many healthy food choices throughout the day and introduce a way of life that builds health. I want my family to be comfortable with vegan meals and appreciate the principles of eating for nutrition. Beyond that, I let them choose.

Happy Eating!!




 

Barley Hoppin’ John

Traditionally made with rice, this classic Southern dish gets great toothsome texture here from quick-cooking barley instead. Serve with a green salad. 

My sister sent me this recipe and loves to make this dish. Easy and healthy! Wish I new where it came from so I could give the creator credit, but I love that it's got a southern flare. I'm going to put this on my menu for next week!

INGREDIENTS

·         1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

·         1 medium onion, chopped

·         1 small red bell pepper, chopped

·         2 stalks celery, chopped

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 14-ounce can vegetable broth

·         1 cup quick-cooking barley

·         1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

·         2 teaspoons lemon juice

·         1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         2 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas, rinsed

·          

PREPARATION

1.     Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add broth, barley, thyme, lemon juice, crushed red pepper and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the barley is done, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in black-eyed peas. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes: I didn't buy quick cook barley cuz I figured that they mustve removed the bran or something so I just had regular barley on hand. The cook time was like 45 minutes so I cooked them in broth + water (to make barley bag measurments) first then transfered everything else in after the 20 minute mark or so. The garlics I used were about as big at a clove could be so I probably had more than the recipe called for but it was super yummy. Kind of spicy depending on how much red pepper flakes you add. I only used 1 can of the black eyed peas cuz I was nervous about not liking them. I liked the ratio but the real would probably be ok too. After serving I sprinkled on a little more lemon juice. (I didn't have any broth so I used water but I bet it would have more flavor if you used the broth.)

Note: My sister likes to double the veggies and add red chard or kale and mix in sausage spices.

Kitchen Tips

Since meatless cooking requires a few different techniques than we may have been used to before making the switch, I thought it would be great to have a post for collecting the wisdom we've found from research, trial and error, and serious kitchen disasters.  Are you ready?  Share away!

Selecting Produce (How does one pick a watermelon?)

Sourcing Ingredients (Which stores here sell what best?)

Storing Ingredients (How do I keep my parsley looking sharp?)

• Peel fresh ginger root and cut it up into pieces roughly 1"x1" and pop them into a freezer bag to freeze.  Simply grate each frozen chunk as needed for your cooking.
• Garlic cloves can also be peeled and frozen and grated for use.
• Leftover coconut milk, buttermilk, cream, etc. can be frozen in ice cube trays and then moved to ziplocs for later use.
• Tomato paste can also be frozen in ice cubes or as tablespoon-sized dollops for use in  soups or suaces later.

Tools (Convince me that I NEED that Vitamix...)

General Cooking Techniques (You can steam what?)

Red Curry Lentils

This is a meal I made last night for no other reason than that I was out of fresh ingredients and didn't have time to head to the store.  I needed a great pantry meal, and for us this is it!  The recipe comes from Pinch of Yum, which is not a strictly vegetarian blog but does have a large collection of vegetarian recipes.

http://pinchofyum.com/red-curry-lentils

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups lentils, rinsed and picked over
• ½ large onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• ½ tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• a few good shakes of cayenne pepper
• 1 14 ounce can tomato puree
• ¼ cup coconut milk or cream
• cilantro for garnishing
• rice for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the lentils according to directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes until fragrant and golden. Add all the spices (curry paste, garam masala, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, sugar, garlic, ginger) and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce; stir and simmer until smooth.
3. Add the lentils and the cream. Stir to combine and simmer for another 15-20 minutes (the longer, the better)! Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Spiced Lentil Sweet Potato Kale Pockets

After Sam's great post about tortillas, I thought I would follow it up with a fun recipe to fill up those delicious tortillas. I mostly just borrowed it from another blog so I am strait up copying the URL here because the credit for this recipe is hers. From what I remember she is a college student studying cuisine and the culinary arts. I recommended reading her post, it's interesting and helpful.

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-spiced-lentil-sweet-potato-and-kale-whole-wheat-pockets-181100

Ok, now I'll tell you how I tweaked it. Instead of whole wheat calzones, which are more healthy and portable as she describes, I used tortillas for the convenience and (in my opinion) better taste. The kale and lentils and sweet potatoes are enough flavor on their own and just needed a little bit of "bad" with all that "good" for my palate. What I love about this recipe is that it is wholesome and unabashedly good for you and totally unique. So when you're feeling like you've had the "same old same old" for a while, this might be just the thing.

Here's the basics:


For the filling:
3 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup French green (Puy) lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 cups water
1 bunch kale, tough ribs and stems removed
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the sweet potatoes in several places with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until very soft to the touch. Set aside to cool.
 

Cut the onion in half. Thinly slice one half and set aside. Dice the other half. Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and saute the diced onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Add the cumin, cinnamon and allspice and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the lentils and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Cut the kale into bite-size pieces. Add kale and salt to the lentils. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes more, until lentils are soft but not mushy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lentil and kale mixture to a bowl, leaving most of the cooking liquid in the pot.
Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy skillet over low heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized, about 20-25 minutes.


Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Mash with a fork until smooth and add a sprinkle of salt, if needed.

Spread about 1/4 cup mashed sweet potato over bottom half the tortilla. Cover with about 1/3 cup of the lentils and kale. Top with a small amount of caramelized onions.Voila!


Additional Notes:
• Brown lentils can be substituted for the French green lentils, but begin checking for doneness a little earlier.

Tortillas

I love, love, love tortillas.  Plain, nothing on them tortillas.  I get a little sick to my stomach just thinking about the kind you get in the store, though.  The texture is just awful and the ingredient list is scary.  No bueno.  So I've been making my own for years.  Recently though, I decided my old recipe wasn't quite doing it for me anymore and I discovered the holy grail of tortillas in the comments section of some blog where some other lady had posted a tortilla recipe.  Kind of round about, but worth it!  Here it is, plus some tips from my many failures and successes in the tortilleria:

6 C. flour ( more or less...most often, less)
1.5 tsp. salt
4 T. butter, cut into pieces
1 C. milk
1 C. water

1) Whisk together the salt and 2 C. flour in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer.
2)  Add the butter pieces on top.
3) In a small sauce pan, heat the milk and water until just below the boiling point (stir so you don't scorch it).
4) Pour the liquid into the flour mixture and stir until smooth and well blended.
5) Add two more cups of flour.  Again, blend well.
6) Begin adding the remaining flour one half cup at a time.  You may need to switch to your kneading hook at this point (or whatever you do with a Bosch...).  You are done adding flour when the dough has began pulling away from the sides and the bowl remains clean while kneading after the dough has been scraped down.  Your total kneading time should be about five minutes.
7) Form the dough into a smooth ball, cover, and let rest for 20 minutes (so the water all absorbs fully and the gluten has a chance to relax).
8) Cut the dough into 16 equal parts for fajita sized tortillas, fewer for larger tortillas. Cover the balls and again allow the dough to rest for about 20 minutes.
9) On a lightly floured surface, roll your balls out one by one.  You want them to be so thin that you can see the texture or color pattern in your work-surface beneath them.
10) Preheat your skillet or electric griddle (which is what I prefer to use) to about 400 degrees.  You want it to be so hot that it cooks the tortillas quickly and puffs them up instead of drying them out.
11) Cook each side for about a minute, or until it has developed nice brown spots and the dough appears fully cooked.  The dough should bubble and puff as it cooks.
12) As you cook the tortillas, stack them on a plate and cover the stack with tinfoil and a dish towel.  The key is to keep them warm.  A tortilla warmer works too, but I don't have one :)

Much like in bread baking, method trumps recipe in importance.  Accordingly, here are some method quirks I've discovered via research and painful experience:

• Kneading is crucial.  Do not under-knead these unless you want them to be dense and somewhat brittle.  Kneading develops the gluten, which is essential in giving your tortillas stretch and chewiness.  
• The rest periods are crucial.  You can skip them, but not if you want your tortillas to be springy and bendy and divine.  The gluten has to have a chance to relax or rolling them out thin enough just doesn't happen.
• Cutting the dough into sections to shape into balls is pretty important too.  You never want to tear bread or tortilla dough as a prime goal is to keep the invisible gluten strands long and aligned and tearing isn't conducive to that.  
• Sub whole wheat for up to half of the flour, but do so knowing you'll alter the flavor and texture accordingly.
• Make sure your cooking surface is sufficiently hot.  Quick cooking is essential to preserving moistness and flexibility.
• These are great to freeze and keep on hand.  A quick turn in the microwave brings them right back to awesome.
• You may well be able to use coconut oil in these and possibly some other milk to make them vegan. I don't know, as I'm too cheap to buy the stuff that doesn't taste like coconut and I don't worry about using dairy anyway.  I do know that the little bit of extra fat content from the milk is part of why these turn out so flexible and and hold it so well.  

I know this all sounds a bit fussy, but there really isn't a great deal of effort to making great tortillas.  You do have to pay attention to detail.  Practice is also pretty important for consistent results.  One last thing...my tortillas always look somewhat like amoebas...if yours do too, no one here is judging!

Blog List

I had a crazy idea that it would be handy to have a spot on this blog for links to blogs we scour for recipes.  Hence the Blog List now featured on the top right.  I added Oh My Veggies and Love and Lemons.  (I did not add Whole Food Mommies because their site wouldn't give a feed for updating.)  What sites do you love?  Add them to the list!  (Karissa, I'm not sure how familiar you are with blogger...let me know if you need any help with that.)

Happy cooking (and menu planning) friends!

Apple-Pear Salad with lemon poppyseed dressing

INGREDIENTS:
Dressing:
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
1 teaspoon Dijon-style prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size
pieces
1 cup cashews (I like roasted and salted to balance the other flavors)
1 apple - peeled, cored and diced
1 pear - peeled, cored and sliced

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a blender or food processor, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard, and salt. Process until well blended. With machine still running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until mixture is thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds, and process just a few seconds more to mix.

2. In a large serving bowl, toss together the romaine lettuce, shredded Swiss cheese, cashews, dried cranberries, apple, and pear. Pour dressing over salad just before serving, and toss to coat.

Variation:
The original recipe called for 2 tsp diced onion, 1/2 c white sugar, and 2/3 c vegetable oil to make the dressing and added dried cranberries and 4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese in the salad. I felt like the pear and apple added enough sweetness (thus omitting the cranberries) and I wanted the tartness of the fresh lemon juice to take center stage.

Another variation I saw increased the dijon mustard to 1 Tb.

Vegetable Pot Pie

We have a winner - and sadly not enough of this dinner.

Found on my latest blog that I use until it's all dried up of vegetarian recipes. Budget Bytes.

I'm just going to copy and paste for times sake, but be sure to double everything and bump it up to a 9x13 (at least double veggies depending on your love of the biscuit top.)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil $0.04
• 2 cloves garlic $0.08
• 1 medium onion $0.44
• 8 oz. button mushrooms $1.99
• 2 Tbsp butter $0.17
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.04
• 1 cup vegetable broth $0.13
• 1 cup milk $0.25
• ½ lb. green beans $0.99
• 2 medium carrots $0.27
• 2 stalks celery $0.32
• ½ cup frozen peas $0.24
• ½ cup frozen corn kernels $0.24
• 1 tsp dried thyme $0.05
• to taste salt & pepper $0.05
• 1 recipe biscuit dough $1.12

Instructions

1. Before you begin cooking, prepare all of the vegetables. Mince the garlic, dice the onion, chop the celery into small pieces, peel and slice the carrot, and break the green beans into one inch sections. If your mushrooms aren’t pre-sliced, go ahead and slice them.
2. Add the vegetable oil, onion, and garlic to a large pot. Saute over medium heat until the onions have softened. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms have released all of their moisture, become limp, and turned dark tan in color.
3. Melt the butter into the pot. Once the butter has melted, add the flour. Stir and cook this mixture for about three minutes. It’s okay if the flour begins to coat the bottom of the pot, but if it looks like it may begin to burn, turn off the heat.
4. Warm the vegetable broth slightly in the microwave. Add the broth to the pot and stir to dissolve all of the flour off of the bottom of the pot and off of the vegetables. Warm the milk in the microwave. Slowly add the milk while stirring.
5. Add the rest of the vegetables (green beans, carrots, celery, corn, peas) and the thyme. Increase the heat and bring the pot up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the biscuit dough. Stir the mixture occasionally to prevent it from scorching on the bottom of the pot.
6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare a basic biscuit dough. The recipe and step by step instructions can be found here. This will only take about 10 minutes.
7. After simmering for 10-15 minutes, the liquid in the pot should have reduced and thickened. If you’d like it thicker, you can sprinkle in about a teaspoon of cornstarch and stir until thickened. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking (I added about ¾ tsp of salt). Pour the vegetable mixture in the bottom of an 8×8 inch casserole dish.
8. Turn the biscuit dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a large square, approximately the same size and shape as the casserole dish. Transfer the biscuit dough to top the vegetables in the dish. Use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the biscuit dough to allow steam to escape. Bake the dish in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the biscuit is golden brown on top.

Polenta Basics

Karissa's awesome post on roasted veggies and polenta made me think that we ought to have a post on polenta in general.  It's a great base for any number of healthy, comforting casseroles. It's also easy to make and a nice staple to have on hand if you have any gluten-sensitive friends and family coming over for dinner.

Ingredients:
1 C. cornmeal
3 C. liquid

I most often just use veggie broth for the liquid, but you can use your milk of choice or any combination of milk, water, and broth that suits your fancy.  You can also add whatever seasonings go with the meal you have in mind (some Italian seasonings to swing it that way, a can of diced green chilies and a half cup of shredded cheddar for a Tex-Mex vibe, etc.).  Something I like to do is add a few handfulls of fresh spinach toward the end of the stove top cooking time.

Process:
Boil the liquid and add the cornmeal.  Reduce the heat to medium high and stir often as the cornmeal absorbs the water and begins to thicken.  Once the mixture begins thickening, become more attentive in your stirring.  If you like soft polenta, you can stop and serve after just a few minutes.  I usually want mine much more firm, as the base for a casserole, so I continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, or until the polenta begins to form a ball (sort of like your homemade play dough would, if you know what I mean).

Now you're ready to top your polenta and serve (as you would with a stew or other hearty soup), or else place the polenta in a greased 8x8 pan and preheat your oven for whatever casserole you have in mind.

The baked polenta we make most often is a lasagna inspired dish.  Simply top the polenta with an already steamed bag of mixed veggies (we like the California mix of cauliflower, broccoli and carrots), then layer on a batch of spaghetti sauce and top with shredded mozzarella.  Bake for about 20 minutes and let set for five before dishing.

We also enjoy polenta topped with vegetarian chili and baked until bubbly.  There are really a ton of ways to use it though (including topped with fruit for breakfast)...the Internet is full of them.  Thanks for the delicious inspiration, Karissa!

Sam's Spaghetti Sauce

Kris is a big spaghetti lover, so it was one of our go-to meals when we first started going meatless. Both of us felt like the sauce was kind of flat though, missing the added richness and complexity a good sausage can give.  So I started looking around for additional seasonings to round things out.  We love the end product from the following recipe. (Also, don't get too married to these "measurements" on the seasonings...they are my best approximation of the shaking from the jars that I really do.)

1/2 onion, diced
1 large or 2 med. cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1-1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. sugar (optional, but it really balances the flavors)
2 T. Marsala cooking wine (located in the vinegar section of your supermarket)
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Saute the onions for about five minutes on medium heat until they are softened.  Add the garlic, fennel seed, and red pepper flakes; cook for one minute more.

2) Mix in the tomato products and stir until the mixture is homogeneous.

3) Add the remaining ingredients.  Simmer for a few minutes (10ish) while the flavors blend.

This is my basic sauce.  Sometimes I add mushrooms or bell peppers or any other veggies I'm in the mood for.  The fennel and smoked paprika lend some of the sausage flavor you might otherwise miss and the cooking wine gives it the true Italian edge (in addition to reminding me of my perpetually boozy and now deceased grandfather), though it can certainly be omitted.

Kickin' Black Bean Salad

1 ½ C cooked brown rice, cooled to room temperature

½ C extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 C fresh lemon juice

1 bunch green onions, including green tops, cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices

2 bunches fresh parsley, chopped

4 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

4 tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch dice

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼ inch dice

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed and cut into ¼ inch dice

1 ½ C cooked, cold black beans

Sea Salt and freshly Ground Pepper to taste

Combine the oil, lemon juice and garlic and mix it into the rice.  Add all the remaining ingredients and stir gently.  Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.  Sprinkle with a little additional salt then toss and serve.  Tastes the best at room temperature.

SAAG-Sational Curry (without the curry)

• 4 ounces (113g) fresh or frozen cauliflower,

cut into bite-sized pieces

• 4 ounces (113g) fresh or frozen spinach

leaves, chopped

• 1 teaspoon ginger powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup (120ml) grapeseed oil

• 1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped

• 10-15 grape tomatoes, halved

• 1-2 tablespoons (14- 22ml) water

COOKING:

If using frozen vegetables, defrost both then:

Pat the cauliflower dry to remove excess

water. Place the spinach in a colander and

push the excess water out with back of a

mixing spoon. Grind the ginger, fennel seeds,

mustard seeds, chili powder, garlic, and salt

into a thick paste. In a sauté pan, sauté the

onion in the oil until it softens considerably.

Add the spice paste and continue to sauté

for a few minutes. Reduce the heat and add

the spinach, cilantro, tomatoes, cauliflower,

water and continue to cook, stirring

frequently for about 20 minutes until tender.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

Per Serving: 316 Calories; 28g F at (3g saturated

fat); 5g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary

Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 603mg Sodium.