How To: Cook Dried Black Beans

Since we moved into our new house I've been trying to stay on a budget and save as much money as possible...let me rephrase that...I've been trying to save as much money on the essentials so that I can buy more non-essentials (like more white dishes for my collection). Charles seemed unimpressed when I explained this intuitive logic to him last night as I was cooking up an entire pound of dried black beans. Although the process is long (about 13 hours), the actual work involved is very minimal and most of that time is just spent waiting.

I researched how to cook dried beans and there are quite a few different ways to cook them, but I chose the method that I thought would be the easiest, even though it was the longest. This method is perfect as long as you don't need the beans until the next day. (If you need to cook them quickly everything I read said pressure cookers are the way to go as far as ease and taste.)

Step 1: Soak 1lb of dried black beans in 10 cups of water for 8 hours or overnight (I just soaked them in the crock pot so there would be less dishes to wash)

Step 2: Drain and Rinse beans, discarding any split open beans

Step 3: Cover beans with fresh, clean water in crock pot (so that the water covers the beans by about 2 inches)

Step 4: Bake on high 5 hours, then check to see if tender, if not, keep baking and check every hour until they are tender

Step 5: Drain, rinse and divide up beans into freezer-safe containers and freeze for later use. They can be


I estimate that by using dried beans instead of canned beans I saved about $10. Not too shabby! I bought the dried black beans in the bulk section at Whole Foods so that helped a little too with the price. Now I'm off to Home Goods to find something for $10 =)

New Home: First Meal Plan!

We finally closed on our house, moved almost everything over here, and officially moved in a week ago this past Saturday. This past month has been so hectic with the long nights working at the house, that we have been eating horribly and slacking on our plant based diet so I whipped up a delicious meal plan for our first week in our new house to get us off to the right start in this new home. We are trying to save money for some new living room furniture and area rugs so I'm also trying to stick to a strict budget of $100/week on groceries for us...which means I need to make as much as I can from scratch to save money. (I am lucky to be getting free apples from a friend's orchard next week so that helped save some money!)

Here is what I came up with~ (For those who want to avoid soy products or include meat in their meals substitute it anywhere you see "tofu" or "tempeh". I would suggest going to a farmer's market and buying an organic whole chicken, roasting it and then using it throughout the week in the recipes below and a pound of lean grass fed beef.)

Breakfast:

Homemade Cereal w/ almond milk

Homemade Oatmeal w/ berries
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Muffins

Lunches:

Froze Meals (5)~ Charles

Asian (noodle dish, salad)~Saturday
Salads (3) ~Christen
Soup (2)~ Christen

Leftovers~Sunday

Dinners:

Chili with Fresh Bread

Soup/Grilled "Cheese" (use a non-dairy cheese, or hummus) Sandwhiches

Homemade Pizza

Burrito bowls (lettuce, tempeh, black beans, lime rice, chips, salsa)

Homemade Black Bean Burgers with Homemade Baked Fries and Homemade Buns

Italian with Salad and fresh bread (noodles, sauce, tempeh)

Leftovers

Snacks:

Muffins

Pumpkin Bars

Homemade Granola w/ soy (or coconut milk) yogurt

While Charles is all on-board with the health benefits of a plant-based diet he still wants to be able to eat junk food sometimes, but we also don't want to bring any food into the house that we wouldn't allow Isabelle to eat, so he brings his chex mix, oreos and frozen Healthy Choice meals and keeps them at work and has them for lunches when he feels like it. It works out really well for us and is a great compromise that keeps us both happy. My next goal though is to start making homemade frozen single serve entrees that Charles can bring with to work and throw in the microwave, like he does with his Healthy Choice meals, but I have a feeling that is going to take a lot of research and taste testing to get to that point...so for now I'll focus on all the food eaten at home being the best it can be.   =)

Another way we are saving money is by having Charles go grocery shopping on his way home from work, which saves me an extra trip, plus his work is only 15 minutes from the Whole Foods, and it takes me an hour to get there from our house. I've been using the "Our Groceries" app on my iPad to create the lists and then I can send the list right to his iPhone when he gets to the store. I'm loving the new arrangement!

I would like to know if anyone has ever made frozen homemade pizzas. I would love to make some of those and keep them in the freezer! Healthy plant based ones are like $10 at Whole Foods! I do like "Amy's Kitchen frozen vegan meals, they seem to be pretty healthy, and are tasty but are pricey.

Plant Based Diet: French Bread

I love this recipe I found. It's fat free! There are only 4 ingredients in it: water, bread flour, salt and yeast. Charles said it's by far the best bread I've ever made, and I would have to agree with him. It has a thick, crunchy crust on the outside and a soft and fluffy inside, a true French Bread.

Because there is no fat in this bread, it can go stale very quickly so it's best served within hours of being baked and will only last about a day before it starts to dry out...of course in our house that's not a problem since the whole loaf disappeared within an hour. Even if it does go stale on you it makes excellent croutons. 

Ingredients:

1 1/8 c warm water 

3 c bread flour 

1 1/2 t salt

2 t yeast

Method:

• Place ingredients in bread machine and select the "dough" cycle
• Once the bread machine beeps to confirm the dough is ready, take it out and shape it into a 12 in loaf
• Place the dough on cookie sheet that has been lightly dusted with corn meal
• Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour
• Using a sharp knife, make 3 cuts on the top of the dough
• Let rise in a warm spot (or warm oven) for 30-45 min (remove dough during preheating)
• Place a pan filled with water on the bottom rack of the oven, to help produce steam during the baking process
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
• Bake for 20 min

If you have a bread maker, take 5 minutes to throw your ingredients in it and impressive your family and friends with a bread that looks and tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen!

Plant Based Snacks: Baked Potato Chips

My family is doing fairly well on our new Plant Based Diet. We have "fallen of the wagon" a few times but overall are doing well transitioning. The hardest part is not meal time...it's snack time. In our house snack time is usually after dinner and before bed, when we are watching T.V. Chips and salsa get old fast, and Doritos, Cheese-It's and Pringles no longer cut it anymore. We needed healthy (or "healthier") snacks to help us stay off temptation so homemade potato chips sounded like the perfect solution...and of course a perfect excuse to buy the mandolin I've been wanting forever =)

The recipe is very simple:

Wash a potato (or two, or three), dry it off and slice it into as thin of slices as possible

Spread sliced potatoes on a cookie sheet and using cooking spray (Whole Foods sells a great Olive Oil one), mist both sides with oil

Bake for 375 for about 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown

Lastly, slightly salt them right when they come fresh out of the oven

We practiced with the straight slicer instead of the wavy slice because we could get it thinner, we still need to figure out the correct temperature to cook them on with the thinner slices though because they cook afaster. 

And, of course, because our mandolin was new we had to use it to cut a few french fries as well (which we did fry up in a little grapeseed oil, but I would like to try them in the oven next time instead)

So there you have it, a snack that's just as healthy as roasting potatoes for dinner =) There is only one problem with this snack...I spend about 30 minutes, baking up a couple batches of these, and everyone eats them within 5 minutes of taking them out of the over so I'm not quite sure yet on the best storage method =)

Super Healthy Chili

Well with our new eating habits under way, I needed to think of a great plant-based recipe everyone could enjoy and would actually eat. The easiest recipe to do that with was chili. It went over so well I ended up having to make another batch the next night so the guys could pack it for lunch too. This chili is definitely hardy enough to stand on it's own, but Charles has always loved his chili over pasta noodles, so I bought some great whole wheat organic pasta noodles at Target to go with it. The really nice thing about this chili? It has a TON of protein in it, more than you would find in a piece of chicken. It's also very easy to make, with most of the ingredients able to be stored right in your pantry until you need a quick meal. AND since you aren't using meat, there is no panic that you forgot to pull ground beef out of the freezer or making sure you cook it well enough. 

Ingredients:

1T grapeseed or olive oil (optional)

1/2 package tempeh crumbled (optional) You can find tempeh at Whole Foods, or most natural food stores

1 package of chili seasoning (simply organic makes a great one)

1/2c-3/4c water

2 (15oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (15oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/3c dried lentils (I used red lentils)

Method:

Saute the tempeh in the oil for about 1 minute

Add the water and chili seasoning and continue sauteing another minute until sauce thickens

Add the tomatoes, beans and lentils

Stir to mix and let simmer about 10-15 minutes until lentils are soft 

Butternut Squash and Tomato Bisque: Aunt Pam's Recipe

My Aunt Pam is an amazing cook....and she has hundreds of recipes. Any time I need a recipe for something I simply ask my mom to call her up and get it.  Want a recipe for homemade salsa? Call Aunt Pam. Want a recipe for the most amazing, creamy, Butternut Squash Tomato Bisque ever? Call Aunt Pam.

Ingredients:
Modified from the kitchen of Pam Steffens
2T grapeseed oil
1/2 large sweet (yellow or white) onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 c squash pulp/puree (I used this jar that my mom picked up from Williams Sonoma, which has spices already added to it)
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, NOT drained
1T maple syrup (or honey)
3 1/2 c vegetable broth
1/4t salt
1 fresh tomatoe diced for garnish (optional)

Method:

• Saute onion in oil until translucent
• Add garlic and saute 30 seconds
• Place tomatoes, NOT drained, in food processor with maple syrup and process until smooth
• Add butternut squash and process until smooth (I skipped this step since I used a puree that was already smooth)
• Add processed mixture, vegetable broth and salt to Dutch Oven
• Stir well and cook until thoroughly heated, if you simmer too long it will thin the soup out
• Garnish with chopped tomato (optional) and herbs and serve

AB & J Toddler Sandwich

This is a favorite of Isabelle's, and I love that it's the perfect size for her and that it is peanut free!

Ingredients: Sandwich Thin (or bagel thin), Almond Butter (or Cashew Butter) and Blackberry Jam

Almond Butter, no salt or sugar added (take that Jiffy!)

Perfect Toddler Size

Mmm...so sometimes I sneak a couple off Isabelle's plate =)

Pantry Soup

So I'm calling this recipe "Pantry Soup" because last night I felt like making soup and decided to look through my pantry and see what items I could throw together to make a good soup. I love how this soup came out. It's a little spicy, which is great when you have a cold!

Ingredients:
1/2 c of 32 dried bean mix (available at Whole Foods in the Bulk section)
1 can diced tomatoes, not drained
1 carton of vegetable broth
1/4c dried red lentils
1-2c frozen corn (or canned)
1/4 c diced fresh red bell peppers
1 t dried cumin
1-2c fresh baby spinach
cilantro for garnishing

Method:

• Place all ingredients, except for spinach and cilantro in a Dutch Oven, soup pot, or crock pot and simmer until beans are soft (1-2 hours minimum)
• Mix in baby spinach and simmer another 15-20 minutes
• Garnish with cilantro

Kale and White Bean Soup

I am in love with this soup...and in love with Kale now. Kale is one powerhouse of nutrition and if you don't like it raw this is the perfect way to cook it (other than Kale chips, which I will share that easy recipe next week). With the cold season upon us, and *shudder* the flu season too, this is the perfect way to fight them off. Sorry, but canned Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup looks like a skinny wimp compared next to this bad boy. So when I woke up sick Saturday morning, I knew I would be making a big pot of this soup to help me fight off this cold...of course I completely forgot to take a picture of it because I ate it too quickly. I also doubled the amount of Kale listed below to help boost my immune system even more.

Ingredients:
recipe from "Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook"


2T grapeseed oil

½ onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 cup peeled and chopped carrots

1 celery stalk, chopped

½ cup peeled and cubed potatoes

2T tomato paste

6 cups water

1t ground cumin

1t ground coriander

1/4t salt

2 cups chopped kale, with hard spine removed

1 (14 ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed

1/4t dried thyme

1T chopped fresh basil

Pinch of Pepper

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
• Add theonion and sauté until golden brown, about 4 minutes
• Add the garlic, carrots,celery, potatoes, and tomato paste, and sauté until the ingredients are wellcombined
• Add the water, cumin, coriander and salt and bring to a boil
• Lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes
• Add the kale, white beans, and thyme andsimmer another half hour 
• Garnish with basil and pepper before serving

Nutritional Information: (makes 6 servings)

Serving Size- 395grams

Calories: 150

Fat : 5.9g

Saturated Fat: 0

Col: 0mg

Carbs: 21 g

Fiber: 5 g

Protein: 5 g

Curried Chickpea Cakes

I'm sad to see my week long posts on soup come to an end...I know you are too, but don't worry, I still have a couple soup recipes I want to make and share with you next week. Usually I don't eat anything with my soup, but these chickpea cakes are perfect to pair with soup...or just eat on their own with a side of sauteed veggies.

Ingredients:

recipe from "Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Recipe Cookbook"

Oil for pan searing (I used grapeseed oil)

1 (15oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/3c sliced green onions

1/3 c coconut/almond/or regular milk

2t cane sugar

2/3c breadcrumbs

1t curry powder

1/2t ground nutmeg

1/2t ground cumin

2/3c brown rice, cooked

1/2t salt

Method:

• In food processor, combine the chickpeas and green onions
• Transfer to a large mixing bowl
• Add milk, spices, sugar and breadcrumbs
• Stir together until combined
• Stir in brown rice and salt
• Mold into patties (should form about 10 patties)
• Heat oil and saute patties until heated through and golden brown
• Sear on both sides

Serve on a bed of spinach and you have a healthy low-fat meal. I made my patties a little too large so they were still cold in the middle, but all I did to fix that problem was throw them in the oven on 350 degrees (I threw the spinach in with it) and cooked them for about 8 minutes, and they came out perfect!

Nutrition:

Serving Size: 123g

Calories: 170

Fat: 7g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Carbs: 23g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 4g 

Toasted Walnuts and Butternut Squash Soup

You would think after all these posts this week I would be sick of eating soup and there would be a ton of leftover soup in my fridge...but that is not the case, especially when I come across a delicious recipe like this.

Ingredients:
recipe from www.wholefoods.com


2T grapeseed oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large leek, diced (discard dark green part)
5 c cubed butternut squash (purchased mine from Costco)
5c vegetable stock
1/4t sea salt
Pepper to taste
1/3c toasted walnuts, chopped

Method:
Saute onion and leeks in oil, until onion is translucent
Add squash and saute about 10 minutes
Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 20 minutes
Let soup cool slightly
In a food processor, puree half of the soup mixture until smooth
Mix puree back into soup and season with salt and pepper
Cook another 5 minutes
Top with toasted walnuts and serve

Farmer's Market Chowder: Repeat

So today's soup recipe is a repeat of a post I did a couple months ago but this soup (or chowder) is so amazing that I just had to post it for "Soup Week". This recipe made me fall in love with leeks and ensure them a constant spot in my fridge.

This recipe also makes me miss my garden and going to the Farmer's Market. Hurry up and get here Spring!


Farmers' Market Chowder
(adapted from Vegetarian Times)
4 large ears of sweet corn
2 1/2 c soy milk (or low-fat milk)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T unsalted vegan butter (or regular butter, I used vegan to reduce saturated fat)
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 c sliced leeks
4-5 c diced veggies (I used potatoes, carrots, and parsnips)
1/2 t smoked paprika
1/3 c dry sherry (or a dry white wine, for a stronger flavor)
Cilantro (for topping)

Directions:
1) Cut the corn off the cob, place the corn in a bowl and save the cobs
2) In a saucepan bring the milk, corn cobs and crushed garlic to a simmer, stirring often, and let simmer for a minute. Cover, turn off heat, and let steep while you prepare the rest of the chowder.
3) In a Dutch Oven (or large, heavy pot) heat the oil and saute the minced garlic
4) Add the butter, paprika, leeks, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, corn kernals and any other vegetables you like and saute til vegetables start to brown
5) Add the sherry and using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pot to remove the browned pieces. Simmer until reduced by half
6) Remove the cobs and crushed garlic from the milk mixture and pour it into the large pot, cover and simmer around 15-20 minutes or until veggies are tender
7) Top with cilantro

Serve with a whole wheat baguette and Bon Appetite! 

Black Bean and Tomato Soup

I am so mad at myself. I really wanted to post a new soup recipe every day this week, and I've been seriously distracted/busy. Besides working full time, I've been trying to get Isabelle started on potty training and have been looking for a house to buy...which has been discouraging. I guess "open-floor plan" doesn't mean the same to everyone...or they are sneaky and use those words to lure me in. All I want is this house, on 10 acres, located within 15 minutes of my parents, AND the money to pay for it =)

I feel I am being quite reasonable...Charles doesn't agree. Apparently he feels we should be all responsible and not beg, borrow and steal for this lovely, million dollar home...I guess foreclosure isn't at all appealing to him =)

In reality though, we have only been house hunting for a couple weeks so I know there is something out there...I just wish it weren't so time-consuming. At least on these cold nights as I'm huddled by the fireplace, looking through houses online, I can have this amazing soup to enjoy....

Ingredients:

adapted from "Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook"

2T grapeseed oil (or EVOO)
1/2 large onion, diced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 (15oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 (150z) cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1/2 c corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
3 c vegetable broth
1 c water
1t chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t dried oregeno
2 t Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste


Method:

• Saute the onions in the oil until translucent
• Add the garlic and red bell pepper and saute another 1-2 minutes
• Add the chili powder and the cumin and stir to combine
• Add the black beans, tomatoes, corn, water, Worcestershire sauce, and oregano
• Simmer 15 minutes
• Transfer half of the soup to a blender or food processor (hint: the more of the soup mixture you blend the thicker the soup will be)
• CAUTION: You must wait until the soup has cooled before you blend it, or the pressure from the steam will build up, you will burn your hand, and your kitchen will be a mess from an exploding blender...trust me.
• Blend half of the soup mixture until creamy and return to pot.
• Stir and simmer another 5-10 minutes
• Top with cilantro, cheese, green onions or a dollop of sour cream, serve and enjoy!

Spinach, Pasta and Navy Bean Soup

So I have a couple issues with homemade soups...and my blog.

First, my camera is horrible. I never get nice clear picture. I think I know what I need to ask for Christmas next year.

Second, by the time I finish making the soup and it's ready it looks so good, that we end up sitting down to dinner, and I always forget to take a picture of the finished product!

Almost all of my homemade soup recipes start out with sauteing onions. My mom bought me this Dutch Oven for Christmas, and I love it. I'm not sure if it's just wishful thinking or not, but the soup I make in here tastes so much better than when I make it in a normal pot. A Dutch Oven helps to evenly distribute the heat and cook the vegetables equally.

I used to hate onions. I refused to touch them, and if I had to I would wear bags on my hands. I even swore I would never marry anyone that liked onions so that I never had to buy them! That all changed though when I got pregnant, and now I love the extra flavor sauteed onions add to food. I still hate raw onions though!

My mom bought me this Berry Colander for Christmas too. It was only $5 at Macy's and is the perfect size for rinsing a can of beans (or for draining Isabelle's favorite meal- Mac n Cheese)

It looks even better after it simmers for 30 minutes...

I forgot to take a picture of the finished product the first time, so I had to make it again...oh well! =)

Ingredients:

adapted from "Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook"

2T grapeseed oil

1 small onion, diced

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can of diced tomatoes, drained

1 large Russet potato, peeled and diced

2 cups baby spinach

1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed

1 (32 oz) carton of vegetable broth

2 cups water

1t dried thyme

1 cup cooked pasta

Method:

• Saute the onion in the oil for a few minutes, until onions become translucent
• Add the potatoes and garlic and saute 2-3 minutes
• Add the tomatoes and spinach and saute 1-2 minutes
• Add the beans, broth, water, and thyme, stir to combine
• Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes
• Serve over cooked pasta

Roasted Veggies with Quinoa

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 golden beet
1 large parsnip (or 2 small)
1 turnip
1 potato
2 cups curly leaved Kale, washed, hard-spine removed, and chopped/torn
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T grape seed oil (or EVOO)
1 cup tri-colored quinoa
2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste


Method:

Place the water and quinoa in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer, covered for 15-20 min. Fluff with a fork, let sit another 5 minutes.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the beet, parsnip, turnip and potato. Dice root vegetables, toss with oil and minced garlic. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 min. Place kale on top of the root vegetables and bake another 5-10 minutes until kale is slightly crispy/brown on edges. Salt and pepper to taste

Recipes from the Past Week

So I was terrible this week. I barely cooked at all, and most of the meals I did cook weren't from my carefully planned meal plan for the week. 

There were a couple reasons for this tragedy:

My brothers are home and eat a lot...all the time, so my delicious, healthy, organic meals are greatly under-appreciated when they are here. At 6'3" quantity over quality prevails.

By the time I got off work every day at 5pm I was exhausted and just wanted to go to bed.

Charles started his new job, and it's taking a little bit getting used to him getting home 2 hours earlier than normal...meaning dinner is an hour early.

I'm still in "vacation" mode from having so much time off the past couple weeks. 

I was just lazy this past week.

Anyways, here are some recipes and links that go with the Meal Plan I posted last week:

Smoothies

Since I'm off soda for the year, this is the perfect drink- Cold Passion Fruit Tea

Roasted Veggies with Quinoa

This is so easy to make and you can use any veggies you want. I love Kale prepared this way. When the edges are crispy it literally melts in your mouth. I could eat Kale like this every day. I love kale and quinoa because both supply me with iron, that most people get from eating meat. (I make Isabelle eat a lot of spinach for this reason too because she doesn't eat meat either.)

I made these too but forgot to take a picture of the Baked Oatmeal Squares I made. They were a huge success. Charles ate almost all of them...even after I told him that they contained tofu.

I think I need some time away from the house to recharge. Living with your parents for 6 months, and your brothers for the past month can be draining...my brothers head back to college tomorrow though, and my mom gave me money to get a hotel room so next weekend Charles and I are are headed to a hotel all weekend. Sleeping in as late as possible Saturday and Sunday mornings and then sipping coffee in bed for another hour while flipping through a magazine are on the top of my list!

The Skinny on Soup

Soup is amazing. It is filling, can easily be a low-calorie meal and is diverse enough to fit whatever you are in the mood for. I have never been a huge soup fan...because the soup I've always eaten was the nasty, canned , processed stuff. I used to think that making homemade soup was difficult and time-consuming. I could not have been more wrong. Most soups I make simmer 20-40 minutes and are ready to serve, and they taste AMAZING!

Making soup is therapeutic for me too. There is just something about dicing vegetables and turning them into a delicious soup. And seriously, is there anything better than warm soup belly on a cold winter day?

Here are a few staples that I always have on hand that make it a cinch to throw together basically any soup I'm in the mood for:
Fresh Produce (especially root vegetables)
Fresh Herbs
Spices
Frozen steam bag veggies (the ones that have veggies and rice together are awesome)
Canned beans
Dried Rice
Dried Lentils
Dried Barley
Vegetable broth
Canned diced tomatoes
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Tomato Paste


And so I will begin my week long "soup posts" with one of the simpler soup recipes, literally you are just heating this soup up, although if you let it simmer 20-30 minutes the flavor will be much better. This is the only soup I will be posting that isn't literally from scratch.

This recipe is as easy as throwing all of these ingredients into a pot and simmering over low-medium heat.  I call it simply "Mexican Soup".  

• 2 cans of Southwestern Style Corn from Green Giant (which is a mix of corn, onion, red peppers, and black beans, which you could just add separately if you don't want to buy this brand)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (do NOT drain)
• 32 ounce carton of vegetable broth
• 1 bag steamed rice, do NOT steam, throw it in frozen (this one had spinach and tomatoes in it too) If you want to skip this step you can leave it out and then just serve the soup over cooked rice
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/2t-1t of Red Pepper Flakes if you want some spice

Since all of these items can be kept in either the freezer or pantry it's a nice "go-to" meal when you are short on time and inspiration.

I can't wait to share my "Black Bean and Tomato" soup later this week. It is my new favorite soup!

Farmers' Market Chowder

One of my absolute favorite Saturday morning activities is going to the Farmers' Market. Waking up early, grabbing a travel mug full of steaming coffee, and heading out the door with my daughter for a walk down Main Street to shop for fruits and veggies for the week is my idea of a perfect day, and one of the things I'm going to miss most about summer.


Farmers' Market Chowder
(adapted from Vegetarian Times)
4 large ears of sweet corn
2 1/2 c soy milk (or low-fat milk)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T unsalted vegan butter (or regular butter, I used vegan to reduce saturated fat)
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 c sliced leeks
4-5 c diced veggies (I used potatoes, carrots, and parsnips)
1/2 t smoked paprika
1/3 c dry sherry (or a dry wine, for a stronger flavor)
Cilantro (for topping)

Directions:
1) Cut the corn off the cob, place the corn in a bowl and save the cobs
2) In a saucepan bring the milk, corn cobs and crushed garlic to a simmer, stirring often, and let simmer for a minute. Cover, turn off heat, and let steep while you prepare the rest of the chowder.
3) In a Dutch Oven (or large, heavy pot) heat the oil and saute the minced garlic
4) Add the butter, paprika, leeks, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, corn kernals and any other vegetables you like and saute til vegetables start to brown
5) Add the sherry and using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pot to remove the browned pieces. Simmer until reduced by half
6) Remove the cobs and crushed garlic from the milk mixture and pour it into the large pot, cover and simmer around 15-20 minutes or until veggies are tender
7) Top with cilantro

Serve with a whole wheat baguette and Bon Appetite! 

Acorn Squash Ragout

Fall is officially here! Or at least it is in Minnesota. The garden is slowly dying, leaves are turning colors, and temperatures went below freezing last night (there was actually snow an hour north of us). Yes, I would say that makes it officially fall. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The air is crisp and clean, sweaters are back, the holidays are right around the corner and there's a whole batch of new vegetables to be found at the farmer's market. Here is an easy recipe to highlight these delicious vegetables. This dish also makes a great showcase for a fall or Thanksgiving dinner party.

Acorn Squash Ragout:


(Disclaimer: I never measure ingredients when I cook, only when I bake, and I'm always improvising with whatever I have in the fridge or pantry so all measurements are approximate)

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 T oregano (more or less depending on preference)
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 c diced onion
1/4 c diced tomatoes (I also added a little tomato paste and some chicken stock to thicken it up since I wasn't using canned tomatoes and didn't have that extra juice)
1/4 c diced potatoes/carrots/sweet potatoes (or any other root veggies you like)
1/4 c diced bell pepper
1/4 c sweet corn

Directions:


1) Cut the tops off of the acorn squash and scoop out the seeds and fiber
2) Cut a thin piece of the bottom off so the squash stands upright
3) Grease a baking sheet and the outside and lid of the acorn squash
4) Saute the oil, orgegano, garlic, and onion for 3-4 minutes
5) Add the rest of the veggies and simmer for 5-10 minutes (longer if your potatoes don't get tender), season with salt and pepper to taste
6) Scoop ragout into acorn squash
7) Bake on 350 degrees for 60-90 minutes until you can insert a fork into the top of the squash easily
8) Top with cinnamon or nutmeg if you like

I wrote the first half of this post while my squash was cooking in the oven and now having just finished it for dinner I'm even more excited to share this recipe with you. This was one of the most amazing dishes I have ever eaten. It's so hard to describe all the flavors except to say it seriously tastes like fall on a fork/spoon. I can see eating this once a week throughout fall/winter.

After you cut off the top, scoop out all the insides (leave the good "meat" of the squash)

Cut a thin slice off the bottom so it stands upright

The "ragout" can be made a day ahead of time and then baked in the squash right before dinner

AMAZING!! I'm thinking of maybe trying pumpkin next time

Pad Thai:Fresh, Delicious and Versatile

One of my favorite Asian meals (besides sushi) is Pad Thai. This amazingly flavorful dish is so versatile. You can use any protein you want in it, and also sub in different vegetables to match your preferences. When I make this dish I usually precook the protein and keep it to the side until the very end, then I take a portion of the finished product out for myself so it's still vegetarian (maybe add some tofu or my favorite  Mandarin Orange Chick'n, available at Target. YUM!) and then I add the meat in for the rest of the family I also saute the veggies in the order of . Pair this meal with an Asian soup or crispy spring rolls and date night will never involve take out again!

Pad Thai has been around for centuries but became widely popular in Thailand in the 1930's when the Prime Minister of Thailand made it the national dish, to discourage the country's dependence on rice exports. Since then not only is it still a staple in Thailand but has become extremely popular in the United States as well.

Ingredients:


4 T extra virgin olive oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 c diced onion
1-2 beaten eggs (omit if you want a vegan dish)
Bean sprouts (I add them at the very end so they stay crunchy)
(I also add mushrooms, peppers and any other veggies I like or have in the fridge)

Sauce:
4 T lime juice
3 T soy sauce or fish sauce
3 T sugar (or a sugar substitute)
1/2 t red pepper flakes OR 1 t garlic chili sauce (or more for extra spice)

Garnish:
Fresh cilantro (I like to use basil instead)
Roasted peanuts
scallions
lime slices ( I love to squeeze them over the dish right before my first bite)
sesame seeds sprinkled on top seriously take any Asian dish to the next level

I love these pad thai noodles by Annie Chun's. They are gluten free and only contain 2 ingredients: brown rice flour and water. How awesome is that?!

Mmmm! Notice my soy "chik'n" that I prepare first and then add in meat for the rest of the family after I take my portion out

The finished product! 

If you have never made (or tried) Pad Thai give it a shot and let me know what you think!