cozy

It's a beautiful Saturday morning. The sun is shining through the windows, the cats are having an playful wrestling match in said sunshine, and my sweethearts are putzing around the house in their jammies. A cup of pomegranate tea sits aromatically steaming at my side. Ahhhh. So, so cozy.

In honor of weekend coziness, I offer to you today one of our family favorites: The Scrambler. This dish got it's name after many failed attempts at flipping an omelet. Apparently, it's just not in my genetic code to properly flip. So, now I scramble with a smile and enjoy much lower stress in the kitchen.

I cooked up The Scrambler this week with Ravishing Roasted Potatoes (made this time with fingerling potatoes and dill) and we had a fine meal for dinner. It's also wonderful for breakfast or a weekend brunch, too. It there anything The Scrambler can't do?

The Scrambler

1/2 package soy sausage
4 eggs
splash of soy milk
2 triangles Laughing Cow Light
sprinkes of chives

I grew up eating and loving the Laughing Cow. John thinks the cow looks possessed. Angel or demon, this soft cheese is delightful in breakfast goodies. My thanks go to the chef at The Lied Lodge at Arbor Day Farm who first introduced me to mixing this cheese in with my eggs.

 

Okay, back to business. Here's what you do:

Saute the soy sausage in a skillet drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. We are very fond of the one and only Gimme Lean soy sausage. Someone in their marketing department clearly has a good sense of humor. The Morningstar Farms sausages are fine as well, but Gimme Lean knocks our socks off. I've served it many times to meat eaters and they can't tell the difference. Amazing!

When the sausage crumbles are browned, set aside in a separate bowl and then pour in the eggs and milk, whisked together. Scramble away. When the eggs are almost finished, add back the sausage and top with cubes of Laughing Cow. Sprinkle with chives and serve hot from the stove.

 

Get cozy with the ones you love this weekend. Enjoy!

novice

I would just like to acknowledge for a moment how hard it is to try something new. Yes, I love a challenge and thoroughly enjoy a fresh endeavor, but at times, it's really hard to be a novice again. My current, lumpy attempts at learning crochet are testimony to this.

 

I didn't spring from my father's head as a fully formed vegetarian. No, I was raised in a happy home where meatloaf and pork chops and spaghetti with meat sauce were frequent and well-loved guests at the table. And even though she often found baking inspiration in the butter and honey-dripped pages of Southern Living (yea us!), my Mom always served healthy, balanced meals. Salad was on the table every single night. I peeled a lot of carrots in my formative years. And now, looking back, I see how remarkable creating those beautiful meals really was. My Mom worked and volunteered and gardened and cared for neighbors, friends and our family with love. She simply made it a priority to create a great meal everyday.

If you are finding that it's becoming a priority for you to eat vegetarian, please accept my warm congratulations and honest encouragement. I started on this path because I really like vegetables. Growing up, I used to make myself a snack I called "salad sandwiches" for heaven's sakes. But my main motivator was that my body started rejecting meat - stomach aches and all over general malaise. It's awful to feel awful after you eat. Terrible, actually. The purpose of food is to nourish your body and soul, not drag you into a nauseated funk.

So, I changed. I first cut out the red meat and then slowly cut back on white meat as well. I checked out every single vegetarian cookbook from the library and scribbled down lots of recipes. I tried all kinds of new stuff from the health market with very mixed results. (A bizarre blue corn casserole served, unfortunately, on Thanksgiving Day comes to mind as one of my greatest disasters.) And, I felt really good inside. Really, REALLY good. Good enough to say enough to meat. Good-bye.

It took a while for me to find my groove in cooking vegetarian food everyday, but it came with time. And lots of black beans. And unbelievably loving support from my dear meat-eating husband who likes to remind me occasionally that I used to make a mean meatloaf, just like my Mom. And that this whole veggie mama thing was not in our original contract. But, he really likes what I cook and I like seeing him at the dinner table, so we've worked things out. :)

So, the point of this post is: don't despair. Be a novice and try new stuff and don't freak out if your meals aren't perfect. Just enjoy yourself and have fun in the kitchen. And, of course, eat your veggies.

shala

I am a lucky, lucky girl. When Miss M and I arrived at her piano lesson on Monday evening, her lovely teacher greeted us with three of these, fresh from the oven:

 

Homemade egg tarts. Oh, what a treat! A couple of years ago, my sweet family took me to eat dim sum for my birthday. What we didn't know was that dim sum is definitely not vegetarian friendly. I enjoyed the experience, however, of seeing all the little dishes on carts roll by and being a part of the incredibly lively atmosphere. But the best thing of all were the sweet and savory egg tarts - perhaps the one vegetarian item available that day. I think I ate ten. Happy birthday to me!

So with a gift like that for inspiration, it was time to whip together a little shala feast when we got home. Shala (pronounced shah-lah) is the Chinese word for salad.



My version of a Chinese salad does not involve those little ramen noodles all smooshed up. Sorry. Instead, I have fun with veggies (thank goodness I had a salad bar waiting for me in the fridge!) and top with one of our family's all-time favorites to add crispy deliciousness and excellent protein: Morningstar Farms Chik Patties. These babies sizzle up quickly and beautifully in the oven and can be used in a multitude of ways.

Shala Feast

While the chik patties are baking in the oven, create generously-sized individual salads with freshly chopped veggies:

Bibb lettuce
Baby leaf spinach
Bok choy
Edamame
Carrots
Red and yellow peppers
Pea pods
Baby pea sprouts

Be creative and use what's fresh and organic and strikes your fancy. Sprinkle with peanuts and/or sesame seeds and top with cubed chik patties, still warm from the oven. Drizzle an Asian inspired dressing on top to finish. We really like Maya's Miso Sesame or Brianna's Ginger Mandarin dressings.

 

I served our shala with side dishes of brown rice, steamed broccoli, pan-fried vegetarian dumplings, and mandarin oranges. We all had seconds it was so yummy! The egg tart waiting for me at the end made this a very delicious meal, indeed. Thank you again for the inspiration, Si-fou!

survival mode

I am currently reading a creatively unusual novel entitled A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews. In describing her edeavors in the kitchen, the main character, Nomi, says: "I've been experimenting with some vegetarian meals, something called Survival Casserole."

I felt like I could use some survival casserole myself tonight. It's been a busy day and by the time we gathered in the kitchen this evening, we had a whopping 45 minutes of time together before Daddy had to go back up to work for a poopy meeting. Grrrr. I am a firm believer in the family table, so was challenged to make a nice meal for us to share with the clock ticking. Survival mode.

I quickly decided on a simple pasta topped with homemade tomato sauce, pine nuts, herbs, and parmesan cheese.

 

Thank goodness for prepared, refrigerated pasta. While I would love to take the time to create my own ravioli, on a night like this, having these tasty little spinach and mozzarella pillows in the freezer is a lifesaver. (This particular favorite is Pasta Prima from Costco.) In a moment of anticipatory brilliance, I popped the container of homemade sauce from the freezer to fridge this weekend so it could thaw and be ready for just a night like tonight. And, adding pine nuts makes any pasta taste extra delicious.

So, in less than 15 minutes, I had a lovely meal ready and we were able to spend some much needed relaxing time together. Perhaps best of all, a bit of sunshine graced our table, too.

superstar

That's what you are. (You know it, too.) I've got that funky song in my head because I was trying to think of a phrase that rhymes with salad bar. Superstar seemed to assert itself instantly in my head, so I'm going with it. :)

Ahem . . . Yes! You too can be a superstar with this incredibly easy meal idea! You can get a whole bunch o' veggie prep done at once and simplify your meals for the next week. Plus, it's a great way to move some vegetable merchandise that's just sitting in the crisper. And, it's perfect for folks who are entertaining vegetarian / vegan friends and have no idea what to make. (Let me tell you, any time friends serve me a wide selection of veggies, I'm really happy.)

Simply gather together what veggies you have on hand + whatever looked good in the produce section and start choppin'. Put everything in separate storage containers and line up on the counter for your family and friends to make their own beautiful salads. Whenever your meal is done, simply pop the tops on the storage containers and stack up in the fridge. If you are like me, I hate to waste good food, so the likelihood that you will eat more veggies in the days ahead climbs significantly higher.

Yesterday, I chopped like crazy while chatting with my super-funky cousin Julie. Here's the little bean sprout just a few years ago, before she became one of OP's finest:



We had fun and I prepped enough veggies for a week's worth of meals ahead. Here's what made up our salad bar - and I used organic goodies as much as possible:

Superstar Salad Bar

Bibb lettuce
Leaf baby spinach
Carrots
Edamame
Bok choy (the chopped stems taste like a sweeter version of celery)
Sweet peppers
Green onions
Broccoli
Pea sprouts
Brown rice
Feta cheese
Parmesan cheese
Pine nuts
Peanuts (roasted, unsalted)
Sunflower seeds

I also had out dressings and the fixin's for simple deliciousness dressing.

We all enjoyed our own salad creations paired with easy peas pizza. When I'm in a hurry, it's great to pull out of the freezer Bellatoria brand cheese pizzas from Costco and top with our favorite stuff. I created my pizza with red peppers, feta, and Italian seasoning. Yum. It was a great, simple dinner. And, we had fun with the Joo!

queen of beans

I have to acknowledge the first mention of the queen of beans on my last entry: edamame. For those of you not familiar with my friend Ed, edamame (pronounced ed-ah-MA-may) is a Japanese word for soybeans. Simple, fresh soybeans. There are fields and fields of them in the midwest and if you are lucky, you can find yourself dancing in a glorious one on a perfect late summer day.

 

Many thanks to my sister for taking this fab photo of me and congrats to my cousin Christie for getting married the day before! It's my uncle's field of beans I'm goofing around in here.

Edamame are truly one of nature's perfect foods. As described by local bean entrepreneurs Soy-Zen-Zay, "Edamame is an amazing veggie that is a powerhouse of nutritional value......one might call it the Veggie of all Veggies." Ah, words for my heart!

You can find this wonder bean at your local grocery store in the frozen foods section. Years ago, I had to go in search of and when I found the green beauties, stocked up like mad because I never knew when I would find them again. Now, I buy edamame in the jumbo size at Costco for only $5! Happy, happy times.

We prefer edamame as simple as possible - steamed until bright, dazzling green with sea salt sprinkled on top. An important eating tip: don't eat the furry pods. (Hi, Shelly. Thanks for a dining moment I will never forget. :) Just pop the pod into your mouth and extract the savory, buttery beans with your teeth. You get the saltiness from the outer pod along with the wonderful taste of the edamame. Plus, it's fun to eat!



(Thanks go to http://www.flotation9.net/sweetfineday/ for this gorgeous image.)

Or, you can go to Saks website and spend $70 for fancy shmancy edamame dumplings!



However you choose to incorporate into your meals, I hope you enjoy the beauty of edamame!

chinese please

Oh, to have a giant flaming wok. What I could do with a giant, flaming wok! I'm sure I could create much better Chinese food with one and it's just exciting to say, too. Giant. Flaming. Wok!

Our family loves Chinese food. We've been truly blessed to savor the real deal in China and it was incredible. A particularly memorable meal for me involved vegetable fried rice with chunks of grilled pineapple. If you know my husband, ask him about his most memorable meal. I guarantee you it did not involve pineapple. :) And, a travel tip, let servers know you are a vegetarian and they will bring you LOTS of amazing food! Despite my attempts to convince otherwise, there was a pervasive concern at the restaurants we visited that I was not getting enough to eat. Bonus for me!

But since we don't plan on being back in China for a few years, the Bo Ling's close by keeps us happily satisfied. When we go, I always look longingly into the kitchen, wishing I could spend some time back there observing and picking up secrets. Maybe even some ancient Chinese secrets if I was lucky. Man, that kitchen is humming. Clanging, sizzling, frying, steaming all coming from giant flaming woks!

I put my very nice but non-flaming wok to use yesterday with yet another attempt at a home-cooked Chinese feast. While it wasn't a prize winner, it really was tasty, healthy, and pretty simple, too. The main lesson I have learned from more botched attempts than I would like to mention is that when you are cooking Chinese, get everything ready and at hand. Everything! The cooking time goes really quick, so its essential to do your work ahead of time.

For our humble family feast, I plan ahead by firing up the rice cooker with brown jasmine or basmati rice. If you don't have a rice cooker, that's okay, too. Just plan to have the rice steaming warm when you are ready to sit down to eat.

About 30 minutes before dinner is to be served, you will find me pulling all the ingredients together on my kitchen counter and thanking my lucky stars for this fabulous stuff:

 

Just in case you can't read the label, this is lemon ginger soy sauce that I found (with help, thank you again Si-fou!) at our local Asian market. It has a beautiful taste and scent and is not full of MSG or other mystery ingredients. It was just one of a multitude of options -- I invite you to go explore and find some seasoning / sauce that speaks to your taste buds, too.

You an use any combination of fresh vegetables that you enjoy for your own Chinese creation. Here's what I had on hand and tossed into the wok this week:

Humble Chinese Veggie Stir-Fry

1 block of semi-soft tofu, cubed
3 carrots, thinly chopped
1 large can sliced water chestnuts
1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped
3 bunches bok choy, tops removed and chopped
2 green onions, tops removed and chopped
1/3 C lemon ginger soy sauce
drizzle of olive oil
drizzle of sesame oil

While you are getting all the veggies chopped and ready, marinate the cubed tofu in a small bowl by drizzing on your sauce of choice. Set aside. Know in your heart that tofu will assume the flavor of whatever you add to it, so don't be afraid of the rubbery white cubes. Believe.

Heat up your wok (or large frying pan) to medium high heat and drizzle with a tiny amount of olive oil to prevent sticking. When hot, toss in your thickest veggies first (carrots, water chestnuts) and stir-fry for about 1 minute until just beginning to cook. Then, add in the tofu and nuts and cook about 1 minute more. Finally, add in the greens, drizzle with the remaining sauce and cook just about 1 minute more. Add the drizzle of sesame oil at the last moment.

Go fast, stir well while everything is sizzling together, and finish while the veggies are crisp-tender. Whew! It's quick work, definitely has taken practice for me, but oh so scent-a-riffic and fun to do!

Along with the brown rice, I served this steaming hot with pan-fried vegetarian dumplings (found in the frozen food at the Asian market - yum! I simply cook up on a skillet coated with olive oil spray) and a giant bowl of steamed edamame.

慢 慢 吃!
Mànmàn chī! Enjoy your meal!

 

just as they are

So, I'm sitting in the waiting room of my doctor's office yesterday and in walks this elderly woman. I actually should say, in marches this elderly woman. She was an eye-catcher: red velvet pants, red high heels, black leather jacket, red furry earmuffs over platinum blond hair, teased way up. Wow! But, it gets better. She plants herself in front of the reception desk and belts out her name with a volume that woke everyone up - and there actually were two people snoozing in the lobby. (It was a great name, too. Fit her perfectly!) Once checked in, she took a chair up front and began rummaging around in her giant red (of course) purse. It sounded like she had pots and pans in there with all of the clanging going on. Then, she pulled out a huge bottle, whipped off those earmuffs, and began spraying herself with a fog of some perfume that I couldn't identify, but smelled thickly floral with perhaps a hint of cotton candy. A carnival-scented cloud hovered over the entire lobby.

I was riveted with this entrance. Everyone else was staring, too. How could you not?!? My first thought was, "Am I in the middle of some sort of performance art?" But as I watched her settle in to wait, seemingly unaware of the attention she had drawn to herself, I realized, this is just who she is. She's just being herself. Dang. It made me laugh inside and also marvel at her moxie. Wouldn't it be refreshing if we ALL showed our true selves to the world, velvet pants (if that's your thing) and all?

Okay, you've read this far. Probably you are wondering what this has to do with vegetarian cooking. I honestly do have a connection here and it has to do with salad dressing. Really.

I love veggies. Organic ones especially. I love their taste, scent, texture, and multitude of colors. And, I especially love them just as they are. Being themselves. Not covered up with globs of salad dressing (akin to stinky perfume, in my opinion) that masks their true flavor. Now I grew up with a wide selection of dressings in the fridge and still do enjoy a nice balsamic vinaigrette. But, for fresh salads that just shine with simple deliciousness, this is my dressing recipe:

Simple Deliciousness Dressing

drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
squirt of fresh lemon juice
sprinkle of herbs, fresh or dried** (I love basil, oregano, dill, thyme, you name it)

Create your dream salad. Put everything you love, or like, or are willing to give a try, into your favorite bowl. Make it pretty. Then, drizzle, squirt, and sprinkle right on top and enjoy.

I dare you to to enjoy vegetables just as they beautifully are, without covering them up. Put on some something red and channel the chutzpah of the woman above if you need a kick to get started. :)

 

**And, if you are seeking excellent dried herbs to flavor your meals, let me recommend Penzey's Spices. This gem in downtown OP is a sensory treat to visit. You can sniff away from glass jars and find all kids of great recipes, too. Plus, with their inexpensive prices, you can go a little wild trying new things.

 

Have fun!

kuai le!

Xin Nian Kuai Le! Happy Chinese New Year!


It is a happy time, indeed. We are so thankful for the bountiful good fortune in our lives - beautiful family, good health, meaningful work, vibrant community, wonderful friendships. All that we need and more and more and more. We are so very fortunate and deeply grateful.

One of these wonderful friendships is with the lovely Tzang family. Si-fou is not only a fantastic, calm, nurturing piano teacher for Miranda, but also an amazing chef. This woman can cook! Their family welcomed us into their home for dinner on CNY eve where we were treated to a traditional feast. She beautifully created ten (10!) dishes, half of which were vegetarian! I was in veggie girl heaven and savored everything. Seconds and thirds and happily accepted goodies to-go, too. I think John was slightly embarrassed with my dining enthusiasm, but I couldn't help myself. :) It's one of the great pleasures in my life to eat lovingly created vegetarian food.

It is also a great pleasure to go exploring for new ideas in veggie cooking. Si-fou has graciously taken me in the past to the fabulous Oriental Supermarket for a much-needed education. I had been in Asian markets before, but was completely baffled as to where to start. Unless you speak/read the language, it's great to have guide. I came out of there with a ton of ideas and the ingredients needed to get started.

To complete our CNY celebration, on Sunday we checked out the new 888 International Market in Overland Park. Ohhh, it's fun. Where else can you find this beauty?

 

We browsed around, giggled at the ugly vegetables, plotted ways to release the live fish to freedom, marveled at the 1000+ dried noodle options, stuck our fingers in the vats of mung beans and rice, and of course, bought some good stuff. But I drew the line on this one:

 

I've got some fun ideas percolating for meals ahead. I will share as I create. Until then, let me wish you many new year's blessings. May the Year of the Tiger be full of good fortune for your family!

speedylicious

So the clock says 6:30 PM and I'm just now entering the kitchen to fix dinner after a full day of work and taking Miss M to piano lessons. It's dark and gloomy and absolutely freezing cold outside and all I would like to do is crawl under a blanket and hibernate. But, my sweeties have grumbling tummies and I've got to make something good to warm all of our souls.

Enter Pasta Bean Soup. This is definitely a family favorite - I can whip it up quick and it's absolutely delicious. This anytime soup relies on the use of a prepared soup base and some creative additions ("Flair" if you will. Just a little somethin' I learned from Office Space). Here's my simple recipe:

Pasta Bean Soup

1 cup Barilla Plus rotini
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chopped organic tomatoes
1 container (quart size) organic creamy tomato basil soup (we love Harry's brand from Costco)

I've also tried Pacific brand creamy tomato and it's good, too. There's lots of different options on the market - my dear friend Kelly has served me a fabulous soup using a tomato/roasted red pepper base. Check out Whole Foods for some tasty choices.

Grab your big soup pot, fill with only 1 inch of water, and set to boil. Add the rotini, drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking and simmer away until almost completely done. (I love using this pasta because of it's incredible protein, omega 3, and fiber value. Just note that it really needs to cook a bit before adding to soups, otherwise it's too tough. Cook in the minimum water needed so that your soup is not too watered down.) Toss in the garbanzo beans and tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes. Finally, pour in your soup base, turn the heat down, cover, and let it bubble for 10 minutes or so while you get the rest of your meal ready.

Tonight, I paired our soup with quick garlic biscuits and fresh, chopped veggies.

Gather the fam, ladle out your steaming soup, and watch their spirits rise. There's really nothing like a great bowl of soup on a winter's night. And, best of all, dinner was served at 6:59 PM.

 

Speedylicious!

sweet talker

Are you chocolated out? (Is chocolated even a word?) Regardless, even I, adorer of dark chocolate, sometimes reach my limit of chocolate. It's usually only after I indulge in super goopy holiday treats such as these:

Yes, I baked the above super goopy treats. I had fun sprinkling the little hearts on top. It's been a long time since I used cake mix and I can certainly see the appeal, especially when baking for a crowd and it's after midnight. Betty Crocker, you really are a sweet talker.

Anyway, back to my initial question. If you are seeking a lovely sweet treat that is non-chocolatey and has just a hint of healthiness, try my Oatmeal-Golden Raisin Cookie Bars. I created these after another holiday where I ate too much cheap chocolate (maybe the Easter bunny was involved) and I wanted something tasty to go with my tea. So, I took the classic Toll House recipe and gave it a twist. I tried them out on my girlie friends (thank you Sooz, Kelly, and Debbie!) and after we all ate 2 or 3 warm from the oven and moaned with delight, I knew I had something good. I happily share with you here:

Meg's Oatmeal-Golden Raisin Cookie Bars

1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 C oat flour (This adds lovely texture, but is unfortunately sometimes hard to find. You can also just use a total of 2 1/4 C all-purpose flour)
1/2 C oats (regular or quick cook)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 C butter, softened (I use Smart Balance 50/50 olive oil blend. It's great for cooking and helps my conscience.)
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 C golden raisins
1 C chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 pan. Combine flours, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir in raisins and pecans. Spread into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

The final product, ready to share. It looks like this platter is flying through space, but actually it's just sitting on my stove. :) Enjoy!

feelin' fancy

It's so easy to feel fancy. Really. Cook up this supremely simple frittata for your family and they will say you are the queen (or king or goddess or whatever royalty/deity you choose to embody). This dish impresses dinner guests, too. As Miranda has taken to say recently, "Fabulatte!"

This is one of those recipes that I created off the cuff, just because I had eggs and veggies on hand and felt like messing around in the kitchen. I've made many variations on this basic recipe as well, tossing in different veggies or cheeses based on requests or out of necessity. Thank you, mother of invention.

Here's what graced our table last night:

 

Fancy Frittata

5 eggs (I prefer brown, organic eggs from happy chickens)
spash of milk (soy makes eggs extra fuffy, I've discovered)
a few shakes of oregano
1 cup of cheese (feta, parmesan, cheddar, you name it)

Whip up and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and survey your refrigerator for some fabulous veggies. Wash and chop and set the veggies aside as well.

Last night, I chose leaf organic spinach, sweet peppers, and plum tomatoes. We already had chopped peppers and tomatoes in the fridge, leftover from taco tico. Hooray for simplicity!

Grab a frittata dish (or deep pie plate or casserole dish) from the cupboards and spritz with olive oil to prevent sticking.

Then, this is the easy-peas part, simply layer your veggies along the bottom of the dish (I used enough spinach to cover the bottom of the dish and about 1 cup total of tomatoes / peppers) and pour the eggy mixture on top.

Pop in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until puffed, golden, and aromatic.

Serve warm from the oven with your choice of side dishes. Last night, I served the frittata with soy sausage patties, whole grain toast, and strawberries to a very happy family. Ahh, it's good to be the queen.

Wear your crown with pride!

giddy

A trip to Whole Foods yesterday morning made me giddy. There's so much vibrant color to enjoy, interesting scents to savor, tasty ideas to gather from the aisles.

 

And, some inspired employee created this giant, artful arrangement of carrots. Whoever you are, my hat is off to you. I love, LOVE, L O V E carrots -- the big ol' bugs bunny kind. I think we've all had enough of those little, pale, flavorless ones dipped in ranch at boring office parties. Blah. If you're gonna eat carrots, get the good ones, I say! You won't believe the delicious difference.

 

I came away with two bags of goodies, tons of terrific meal ideas, and a great big smile. Even though people stared at me while I took photos of vegetables, I just don't care. I'm a veggie girl and proud. :)

May you find giddy, veggie inspiration in your grocery store as well!

taco tico lady

When Miranda was a tiny girl, still in her highchair, she totally surprised us one night at dinner by singing her first self-composed song: "Taco tico laaaady. Taco tico Maaaama. Taco tico Daaaady." And on and on with the names of our cats, relatives, friends, etc. It was so delightfully funny and wonderful and one of those sweet little girl moments I will never, ever forget. I will also never forget what we were eating that night . . . of course, it was Mexican.

So, whenever it's time for a little fiesta at our house, we always sing the Taco Tico song. In fact, this night has since become simply Taco Tico Night. Here's how to replicate:

Taco Tico Night

2 cans of really good black beans (pay the extra few cents and skip the generic beans)
sweet corn (fresh is best, but for now, frozen will have to do)
chopped organic tomatoes
chopped organic sweet peppers
organic leaf spinach (resist evil iceberg lettuce!)
guacamole (again, I love to make homemade, but we had guac-in-a-box tonight)
sprinkle cheese of choice
sour cream
salsa
whole wheat tortillas
organic tortilla chips
anything else you would like to add or is in season . . . olives, green onions, jalapenos, etc.


While you get the beans bubbling on the stove and heat the corn, lay out all other ingredients buffet style. Then, let the fam get creative in assembling their perfect taco tico plate of deliciousness.

 

Ole'!

burgers & fries

So it's been pointed out to me that starting a blog with a recipe that relies on intuition and experiencing happy scents in the kitchen isn't too wise. In John's quasi-intelligent review, "I'm not a cooker. How am I supposed to know what to do?" Well. Maybe play with your food? :)

Really, I do get it. Taking on a new attitude with vegetarian cooking takes time and courage and experimentation. Yet, even I began this process 15 years ago with some easy-to-follow recipes. It's just that intuitive soup is what we ate for dinner. And since I'm all about easy peas here, I'm simply going to offer what I am cooking and we are eating and hope that this is of some benefit to you. Maybe my little blog can be a catalyst for you to bring veggie cooking into your daily life. Now, for me it's second nature. Truly effortless.

So, with that in mind, plus a craving to guide me, last night I created the veggie version of burgers & fries . . . veggie burgers and roasted potatoes. Here's the scoop:

Ravishing Roasted Potatoes

Small potatoes - any assortment, any amount, washed and dried

Last night we had some funky purple, red, and yellow little potatoes that I picked up at Costco. When I chopped the purple ones, they squirted bright purpley juice all over the cutting board! Bonus! We love roasted new potatoes and sweet potatoes, too.


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees while you have fun choppin' your potatoes into 1 inch chunks. Dump the chopped potatoes into a large bowl and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Stir to coat and then pour in a single layer onto a foil-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle the taters with coarse sea salt and the spice of your choice. We are very fond of rosemary, so when I can't pick it from my garden, I buy a little herb packet of fresh organic rosemary at the grocery store.



Pop in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. It's fun to hear all the sizzling and popping going on in there while you start your veggie burgers!

Choosing your veggie burger is a matter of trial and error. We despise the blahness of Boca and love the spiciness of Morningstar Farms Black Bean Burgers. We've tried all kinds, and you may need to as well to find one that makes your belly happy. Slap some cheese on there if you wish and top with whatever you like -- BBQ, mustard, pickles, you name it. Make it your dream burger and you won't miss the meat one single bit. (Okay, I'm an optimist).



Last night we tried a new contender, the Don Lee veggie patties from Costco. Yum! Great texture with crunchy sunflower seeds and oniony good. Even John liked them! Now that's an endorsement.

Enjoy your roasted potatoes piping hot from the oven with your groovy burger. It's junk food - veggie style!

leftovers

Funny that my first veggie girl recipe is for leftovers, but that's honestly what we ate tonight. Leftover Intuitive Soup. Humble beginnings for a blog. But dang, it was good. Even better the second day.

I create this soup like I create most of my recipes -- with a dash of this and a handful of that until I get the look / consistency / scent I want. So, put those measuring cups aside and get to know your veggies. Roll with me as I give you approximates and options. Then, be brave and create something yummy!

Intuitive Soup

This is my basic veggie soup recipe and, as the name implies, has a multitude of variations based on what's in the pantry, what sounds good, and what feels right for the day. I'm especially inspired to make this soup on cool, cloudy, stay-at-home weekends. It's good for warming body and soul.

Grab your favorite soup pot and assemble:

1 onion
2 garlic cloves
extra-virgin olive oil
1 tetra-brick box of vegetable broth (I prefer the Pacific brand)
1 cup lentils, rinsed
1 large can fire-roasted organic tomatoes**
1 small can organic chopped tomatoes
2 chopped potatoes (any variety, even sweet!)
2 cups or so of organic frozen mixed veggies
dash of oregano or your spice of choice

Saute the onion and garlic in extra-virgin olive oil until aromatic and golden. (I think that all good recipes start this way.) Dump in the broth, toss in the lentils, and add the tomatoes and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for around 30 minutes or so until the lentils and potatoes are soft. Add the frozen veggies and seasonings about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve. Or, this can simmer on low for a long while, scenting your home with goodness. Enjoy!

I served this soup tonight with homemade garlic-cheddar biscuits (thank you, Bisquick!) and fresh carrot and cucumber strips.

**A special note on fire-roasted tomatoes is necessary here. I first found these years ago at Wild Oats market. Now, the Muir Glen brand is available at most grocery stores. These tomatoes bring a wonderful, smoky, savory taste to soups that is divine! I encourage you to give them a try.

spokesmodel

Today in the conference room at work, I had two people ask me for ideas for vegetarian dining. (Confirmation that I'm on the right track, here.) Of course, I sent them to check out my favorite place: Eden Alley.



(I'm deeply in love with their Smoky Tomato Bruschetta - amazing!)

Maybe through this blog I can become their spokesmodel! All I would ask for in payment is their amazing Mexican Mandarin Chocolate Cake. Unlimited amounts of cake, please. Yum.

easy peas vs. easy-peas

Just out of curiosity, and to make sure you wouldn't end up on some unsavory site should you inadvertently mistype, the holder of "easy peas" blog vs. "easy-peas" is a lovely Irish girl who describes herself as "The poor thinking man's Nigella, with a Nordic twist." Her recipes look complex, however, and not altogether veggie lovin'. But, it was fun to find her and peek around for ideas. Perhaps I will try her "Tangy Goats Cheese Salad" someday. :)

veggie girl inspiration

Inspiration struck today. Fresh from the shower, while I was moisturizing my face, to be precise. After being asked five times this week -- and more times that I can count in the past -- by friends old and new to share ideas on how to bring vegetarian cooking into daily life, my brain finally clicked on this.

Brain to me: Hey, sleepy girl in the mirror - wake up. I've got an idea.

Me to brain: Hmm?

Brain to me: How about a simple blog? Just post some ideas and what you are cooking? Maybe add in some photos and recipes and a poem or two?

Me to brain: Hmmmmmm.

Brain to me: Really. This is easy.

Me to brain: But I have a textbook chapter to write and books to read and Barbies to play and crafty collaging I want to do and I really need to get this lumpy bod exercising and blah blah blah . . .

Brain to me: This is so hootin' easy. Five minutes a post. Get with it, girl. Plus, you've been slacking in the cooking department. Canned soup and grilled cheese for dinner. Come on.

Me to brain: You are right. As always. This could be fun and helpful plus will kick start my cooking mojo again.

Brain to me: Do it. Easy peas.

Me to brain: Hey! There's my title! (now smiling :) Thanks, you.

So, dear friends, here you go! May this simple blog be of benefit to your dinner table, your health, your well-being.

with veggie love and blessings, M