Eggs Benedict

Yesterday was one of those supremely great days where one can achieve the balance of working on constructive projects, and going out for a little bit of fun.

I have an awful habit of never hanging my clothes back up when I am done with them. They accumulate until a pile the size of Mount Everest is on the floor in, and in front of, my closet. There comes a point in time that I can no longer live with myself, and I have to take care of it. So yesterday, everything was hung up, or washed, or stored in the appropriate place. And I didn't stop there...I started cleaning out my closet. I have 2 big piles that I need to donate, or sell (sell the stuff I have never worn, donate the rest). It felt outstanding to clear out so much.

Then, I met up with an old friend for a bottle of wine at Webster's (one of my very favorite spots in town). The wine clearly put me in a really sleepy, cozy, and snuggly state, because I slept until 11:30 today. I really can't remember the last time I slept that late. I love the occasional lazy morning!

Since it is my day off and I had a little extra time on my hands, I decided to go with a classic brunch dish. This was incredibly easy, and tasted out of this world. The recipe made enough for 4 Benedicts, so I have leftovers for breakfast all week!

1 lb firm tofu
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1-4 english muffins, depending on how many you want to make at a time
2 slices (per whole muffin) of Lightlife tempeh "fakin bacon" strips (I have been lucky enough to find this at my Whole Foods...I am not sure that you can find this everywhere, but it is an absolute blessing because I refuse to use any of those processed soy meat substitutes that are so terrible for you )
sliced tomato
spinach leaves

Sauce:
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp Braggs or tamari soy sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450. Drain tofu and cut into 8 slices. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil and salt. Arrange the tofu in a 6 X 9 baking dish and pour the oil and vinegar mixture over top. Marinate for 15-30 minutes. Make sure to turn the tofu over occasionally so each side gets marinated. Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy brown... you might want to dump out the excess liquid for the last few minutes of baking if it's not getting very brown for you.

To prepare the sauce, whisk together the yeast, flour, and salt. Add the water, oil and Braggs and stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Stir in the mustard and simmer over low heat until ready to serve. Toast the muffins. On each slice of muffin, place spinach leaves, 1 tofu piece, 1 piece of bacon (cut in half), 2 tomato slices and cover with the benny sauce.

The original recipe was found on: http://www.randomgirl.com/recipes.html#benny

Vegan Potato Salad

I get so excited when I discover a healthier, delicious, vegan alternative to an old favorite food that is pretty terrible for you. Today's example is potato salad. Who doesn't love potato salad? But when it's chock full of eggs and mayonnaise, it's not exactly something you feel good about eating.

This potato salad is creamy, tangy, and fresh tasting just like the original picnic favorite. I am confident that you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between this and it's artery-clogging, cholesterol-laden sibling.



"This is nice and creamy and a bit yellow, like potato salad with eggs in it. It’s adapted from a recipe in my first cookbook, The (Almost) No-Fat Cookbook, and it’s always a hit at summer potlucks." -Bryanna Clark Grogan


2 and 1/2 to 3 lbs. red or white thin-skinned potatoes, cooked til just tender and peeled under cold running water

2-3 T. brine from a jar of dill pickles

1 recipe Tofu Mayonnaise (Niki's Notes: you can find this recipe below the potato salad recipe on the website. I just used Veganaise because I had it, and it was easy. It turned out fabulous.)

2/3 c. chopped dill pickle

1 small onion, minced

1/2 c. chopped celery

1 T. nutritional yeast flakes

2 tsp. prepared Dijon mustard

1 tsp. tumeric

salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Optional:

1/2 c. chopped red or green bell pepper

chopped fresh dillweed or some dry dillweed to taste


Dice or slice the potatoes, as you prefer them. While still warm, toss in the serving bowl with the dill pickle brine.

Mix in all the other ingredients, tasting as you go. The salad will need to be a bit runnier than you want it at first, but it soaks up the dressing and gets drier in the end. So, make sure that it’s moist enough. You can moisten it with more dill pickle brine, or just some white wine vinegar. Cover and chill til serving time. Garnish with dill.

I found this recipe on: www.bryannaclarkgrogan.com/page/page/661699.htm

What's In Your Perfume?

Did you know that perfume and cologne contain severely toxic chemicals that can injure your health? It's ok if you didn't. I didn't...or at least, I thought I didn't. I think in the back of my mind, I must have had some suspicions about what was really lurking in my favorite fragrant treats.

When I did the master cleanse 2 months ago, I made a conscious effort not to spray any of my perfumes while I was on it. Interestingly enough, I have not actually sprayed a single perfume since then, and I just recently started reading about the toxic chemicals in the products we use every day.

Do you ever wonder why some people are so sensitive to fragrance? Why do some people get migraines almost instantaneously when exposed to these perfumes? My dad is like that. As a teenager, I always sprayed my scent outside, right before I left.

Here is an excerpt from a great article that I found:

"The reality is that up to ninety-five percent of the chemicals used to make perfume are petroleum derived. Many of these chemicals are derived from benzene, one of the most carcinogenic chemicals known. Cancer isn't the only concern with these synthetic chemicals. Some people have adverse reactions to the components used to make perfume, particularly those who suffer from allergies and asthma. Would it surprise you to learn that a single perfume product may contain over 500 synthetic chemicals?

Some of the chemicals added to fragrances that make perfume a potential health risk include acetone, benzaldehyde, ethanol, ethyl acetate, methylene chloride, and linalool, all of which can cause adverse central nervous system effects in addition to a variety of other health related issues. Methylene chloride which is found in shampoo, colognes, and perfume products is of particular concern since it was banned by the FDA in the 1980's. Unfortunately, this has not been enforced and it's still found in many fragrance products. This substance is a known carcinogen that's listed as a hazardous waste product." http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/929891/is_perfume_toxic_to_your_health.html?cat=5

Another huge problem is that, due to trade secrecy laws, fragrance manufacturers are allowed to keep their ingredients secret so that we can't even find out what's poisoning us without hiring a chemist. And a shady, inefficient FDA requires zero regulation of these toxic substances.

In 1986, the National Academy of Sciences brought a report before the 99th US Congress including startling discoveries of fragrance ingredients that proved to be neurotoxins. Despite these findings about the impact of fragrance chemicals on the human brain, the FDA rejected citizen petitions urging that product labels clearly list fragrance ingredients. God forbid consumers are allowed to make informed shopping decisions.

I want to highlight a specific perfume. This is a passage from the book I am currently reading, Toxic Beauty:

"After numerous complaints from consumers about neurological and respiratory problems from use of Eternity, a perfume sold by Calvin Klein, the California-based Environmental Health Network in 1999 hired two independent laboratories to analyze Eternity's ingredients. Testing revealed 41 different toxic ingredients in concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 12 percent, including allergens, carcinogens, and other harmful substances. The Cancer Prevention Coalition was asked to analyze and review these findings. Based on the products Material Safety Data Sheets, which chemical manufacturers must provide companies purchasing their products, they discovered the following disturbing information: 26 of the perfume's ingredients fell into the categories 'Toxicological properties have not been investigated' or 'Toxicological properties have not been thoroughly investigated.' 25 ingredients were classified as "irritants.' 5 more ingredients were allergens or 'skin sensitizers.' 3 possessed "fetal, hormonal, and reproductive toxicity.' And 2 more ingredients were designated as 'may cause cancer. A subsequent Citizen's Petition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration urging the agency to require a warning label on the perfume, filed jointly in May 1999 by the Environmental Health Network and the Cancer Prevention Coalition, was ignored. The FDA claimed the reason was 'other priorities and the limited availability of resources.'

Eternity is far from alone in its toxic composition among perfumes and cosmetics, An investigation by the Environmental Working Group in 2007 found that at least 400 cosmetic products sold in the U.S. contain ingredients that 'the U.S. cosmetic industry's own safety panel has determined to be unsafe when used as directed.' The analysis also revealed that 751 personal-care products marketed in the U.S. either 'violate industry safety standards or cosmetic safety standards in other industrialized countries.'"

Just consider what you are exposing yourself and the people around you to next time you pick up that bottle. Just consider if it is actually worth it.

I can, personally, no longer turn a blind eye to what resides inside all the pretty bottles in my bathroom cabinet. Sure, I am going to miss those scents...I own them for a reason. But I just can't knowingly spray things on my body that increase my risk of cancer. Maybe that's just me.

I have included a few more great sources of information if you are not yet convinced.


21 most common chemicals found in 31 fragrances and their effects: http://www.ourlittleplace.com/chemicals.html

http://nofragrance.org/
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?91
http://www.dldewey.com/perfume.htm

Palak Daal

Alright, so I lied when I said that I would always make the spinach and artichoke dip from my last post when I had spinach that was on its last good day. I took a stab at the Indian dish Palak Daal instead.

I didn't have the urad daal lentils that the recipe calls for, but I did have green lentils, so I substituted those. I am sure that detracted from the authenticity of the dish, but it turned out pretty delicious regardless, so I am content with the substitute.

1 cup white urid or urad daal, picked over and rinsed

6 cups water, plus more if necessary
1/2 pound spinach, washed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 medium green chile peppers, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons earth balance vegan butter
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon pure red chile powder
a pinch of asafetida, optional (I did not use)
more salt to taste
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

In a large pot over medium-high heat combine the daal and water. Bring to a boil, then add the spinach, ginger, turmeric, 3/4 of the green chiles, and all of the tomatoes. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the lentils are extremely soft. You may need to add a bit more water during the cooking process to keep the lentils soupy. After an hour and a half, stir in the salt.

In a separate pan, heat the butter and cumin and fry until the cumin seeds start to pop. Now add the red chile powder (and asafetida if you're using it) and fry for another 30 seconds. Taste and add more asafetida if you like. Add this butter mixture to the lentils and allow to cook for another five minutes. Taste, and season with more salt if needed. I also enjoyed a touch of lemon juice added at this point. Serve topped with the cilantro and the remaining green chiles.

Niki's notes: There was something lacking in the flavor department once this was finished cooking. This may have been a matter of personal taste. To remedy, I added about half a can of coconut milk and a fair amount of salt. This completely transformed the dish (in my opinion) and added a lot more depth to the flavor. Sometimes you have to experiment to find out what works best for your palette!

Serves 4-6 with rice or roti.

The original recipe came from: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/palak-daal-recipe.html

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

The person responsible for creating this recipe knocked it out of the park. I mean absolutely nailed it. This was gone in less than 30 minutes. Instant hit. Delicious. You would never in a million years guess that this creamy, rich, savory, cheesy-tasting dip was made from tofu and nutritional yeast and actually contained very little fat at all. I will be serving this any and every time I entertain. Or anytime I have a bag of spinach on it's last good day. Give it a shot!!

* 1 (12 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach (thawed, drained and squeezed dry)
-Niki's Notes: I used fresh spinach, and it worked perfectly fine

* 1 (8 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts
-Niki's Notes: I used frozen artichoke hearts, and it also worked just fine

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 (12 ounce) package firm silken tofu
* 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
* 3 garlic cloves
* 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Saute onion, spinach and artichoke hearts in olive oil until onion is soft, about 6 minutes.

3. Blend together tofu, nutritional yeast, garlic, vinegar and spices in blender until mixed and smooth.

4. Combine all ingredients.

5. Taste and add extra seasonings and nutritional yeast, as needed.

6. Smooth into non-stick baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
-Niki's Notes: I sprinkled a payer of nutritional yeast on top to get a nice golden brown crust. I also sliced pieces of bread and baked in the oven with the dip once the timer hit 10 minutes.

7. Serve warm with toasted gluten-free bread or tortilla chips. Enjoy!

This original recipe came from: http://www.recipezaar.com/Yummy-Vegan-Spinach-Artichoke-Dip-212129

Cinnamon Raisin Pancakes

Fridays and Saturdays are my leisurely mornings, and I always like to indulge myself in a breakfast that is a little too time consuming to prepare on the mornings that I need to sleep until the very last minute possible. I love a sweet breakfast now and then so, today, these yummy cinnamon raisin pancakes were on the agenda. I had to balance it out with a protein (tempeh fakin' bacon strips) and a shot of wheatgrass, otherwise I was really just having dessert for breakfast.

I have tried a few different gluten-free/vegan pancake batters. This one is by Namaste Foods, and I picked it up from Whole Foods. Cherrybrook Kitchens makes my favorite pancake mix that I have tried to date, but this one was also very good.

I simply followed the package directions except I substituted the eggs with Ener-G Egg Replacer. You could also use a mixture of ground flax seed and water for an egg substitute. I also added a splash of vanilla extract, a fairly hefty dose of cinnamon, and some Thompson Seedless Raisins. I topped the finished pancakes with some Grade A 100% Maple Syrup.

Swirlz Bakery Cupcakes

Ok. Wow. These cupcakes are off the charts amazing. They come from a bakery in Chicago called Swirlz (mine actually came from Whole Foods). They are both vegan and gluten-free, as well as absolutely delish. I hate to sound surprised when I know what can be accomplished with food, but desserts of this nature are not easy to master.

These will not be a regular part of my repertoire as they still contain sugar, as well as soy of the non-fermented variety (I assume it's soy milk--I can taste the nuttiness in the frosting). However, during the pesky three days a month where I crave something sweet on a level that borders on psychotic these will, very happily, suffice.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the lovely bakers at Swirlz for seriously making my day!

Spinach, Tomato, and Artichoke Pizza

I love pizza. It is so easy. So delicious. So balanced and healthy when done my way. This pizza is lacking in the protein department. I always just drink some hemp protein and water to round out my meal when I eat something a little more carb-focused like this. The great thing about gluten-free pizza crust is that it is actually nutritious. It is full of whole grains and fiber that keep you full much longer than white-flour based crusts. It is also a little lower in overall carbs than white flour pizza dough, which allows me to eat 3 little slices instead of 2. :-)

I usually make my own pizza crusts, but I actually found these gluten-free, soy-free, vegan pizza crusts at Whole Foods! I still like to make my own crusts, but this saved me an hour on a night when I really didn't feel like cooking but had to because I was running out of things I had prepared.
I cannot remember the brand name of the pizza crusts off the top of my head, so I will amend that later.

I used Muir Glen Fire Roasted crushed tomatoes for my sauce. I simply minced a small handful of fresh basil and tossed it in the saucepan with the crushed tomatoes. I added half a can of Muir Glen tomato paste, a little red wine, some sea salt and pepper, and a squeeze of agave nectar to balance out the acidity. I let it simmer for about 20 minutes.


Next, I spooned the sauce onto the pizza crusts and topped it with sliced tomatoes, artichokes, and whole spinach leaves. I sprayed very lightly with extra virgin olive oil so that my toppings wouldn't char in the oven (with this AMAZING aerosol-like spray can by Martha Stewart. You fill it with olive oil, pump it, and then you can spray it. So simple yet amazing!). Then I topped with a sprinkling of Raw-mesan cheese, and baked according to the package directions.

My boyfriend has an affinity for frozen pizzas, so to be able to bake one of these quickly is like a dream come true when he gets the jonesin'.

Sesame Noodles

Yes, those are brown rice penne noodles. Haha. I had a craving for sesame noodles without any thin rice noodles in sight. Whatever, it was still delicious. But obviously, I would recommend the appropriate noodle for the job. And yes, I definitely find it odd that I happened to have seaweed in my pantry before thin rice noodles...

This is supposedly enough for one serving, however, I think this could easily be two.

1 cup cooked rice spaghetti noodles
1 cup hot broth
1 tablespoon toasted sesame tahini
1 teaspoon agave nectar
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil- or hot chili oil if you like heat
Pinch cayenne or hot curry powder, to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons sea vegetables, such as arame, wakame, etc
1 small carrot, shaved pieces
1 spring onion or scallion, sliced
1 small dash of coconut milk, hemp or rice milk
Washed baby salad greens
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Warm up and soften the cooked noodles by briefly soaking them in freshly boiled hot water (if you just cooked the noodles, omit this step).

Drain the noodles and pour into a warmed soup bowl. Cover with a plate to keep warm.

To the hot broth add: tahini, agave, rice vinegar, sesame oil, spices and garlic. Whisk to combine.

Pour into a small soup pot and add the sea vegetables, carrot and scallion. Heat through until the sea vegetables are cooked.

Add a small dash of coconut (or whatever kind) milk

To the noodles- add some baby greens. Pour the soup over the noodles and greens. Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste.

Recipe courtesy of Karina Allrich.

Quinoa Salad with Yellow Grape Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, Basil and Mint.

This is a light, delicious, and refreshing quinoa salad. It's the perfect combination of flavors for a lakeside picnic on a warm, sunny afternoon! I also remember this salad being equally perfect during an indoor picnic, next to a roaring fireplace, on a similar "spring" afternoon. It was a little less than year ago, and our former plans were disrupted by an unwelcome snowfall...Ahh, memories!

1 clove of garlic, peeled
2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked quinoa (package directions)
A handful of sweet grape tomatoes- yellow is low acid, and delicious
1 carrot, grated
4 scallions, sliced (white and light green sections)
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, whole or pitted and chopped
1/3 cup slivered nuts- pecans, almonds or walnuts
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1-2 lemons or limes, depending upon size

Rub the clove of raw garlic inside a glass or ceramic salad bowl. While the cooked quinoa is still a bit warm (but not steaming hot) scoop it into a bowl and fluff with a fork. Halve or quarter the yellow tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Add in the grated carrot, sliced scallions, Kalamata olives, and slivered nuts. Toss lightly to combine. Season with sea salt and ground pepper. Add the chopped fresh herbs. Drizzle the salad with extra virgin olive oil- enough to moisten. Toss to distribute. Squeeze a lemon or a lime all over the salad and toss. Taste test (this is the fun part). Adjust seasonings. Does it need more olive oil? Salt? More citrus? Is there a good balance of quinoa and add-ins? When the seasoning tastes right, cover and chill until serving (at least one hour, but longer is better). Before serving, taste again and adjust seasonings if you need to. Chilling summer salads dulls the flavors a bit. Serve as a side dish. Makes roughly 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Karina Allrich.

Asparagus Quinoa Risotto

Quinoa

1 1/2 cups quinoa
2 cups of water and 1 cup of low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt

Vegetables

1 tbs olive oil
2 medium leeks, chopped (both white and green parts)
2 lbs asparagus cut in 1/2 inch long pieces
1/2 tsp sea salt

Finishing

1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place quinoa in a medium sized saucepan with water, broth, oil, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn to low heat and simmer until the water has absorbed (usually about 15 minutes).

Heat a pan over med-high heat and add 1 tbs olive oil. Add the leeks and cook about 5 minutes (I added just a splash of veggie broth for a little more flavor. This is totally optional). Add asparagus and cook until barely tender. Add the sea salt and cook for 1 more minute.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a little bowl, whisking until smooth. Add to the cooked vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Add the cooked vegetable mixture to the quinoa and mix.

This turned out awesome as is, but I was in the mood for something a little "cheesier". So, as a variation, I took a bowl and poured maybe a 1/3 cup of hemp milk and 2 tbs of nutritional yeast and whisked with a fork. I took a serving of the finished quinoa and mixed it into the bowl. That turned out awesome and really satisfied my craving. Plus, I added a ton of extra protein and B-Vitamins by doing that. Bonus!

I adapted this recipe from the cookbook "A Taste of Vitality."

TLT Sandwich (tempeh, lettuce, and tomatoes)

Today was one of the first gorgeous Chicago spring days. The high was near 70, which is outstanding for March!

While I did not get quite as much accomplished as I would have liked to outdoors today, I did get some cleaning and a little bit of cooking done.

This is a recipe that I found a while ago on the amazing website "101 Cookbooks." I am so impressed with everything that Heidi posts on that website, that I think I am going to have to purchase her cookbook. She is awesome!


3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
3 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers

8 ounces of tempeh, cut into 1/3-inch thick strips

1 small basket of cherry tomatoes (2 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil olive oil
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
scant 1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 small head of romaine lettuce, cored, then cut into 1/4-inch ribbons (I used baby romaine leaves from the bag because I had it)
1-2 large avocados, mashed with a pinch of salt just before assembling
4 or 8 extra-thin slices of hearty, brown rice bread

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Whisk together the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and adobo sauce. Pour 1/3 of the tempeh marinade into an 8x8 baking dish (or something comparable) - you want a dish that is just big enough to hold the tempeh in a single layer - this way it will be fully enveloped by the marinade. Pour the remaining marinade over the top of the tempeh, cover and keep in the refrigerator for at least a couple hours. I let mine sit over night.

When the tempeh is done marinating, go ahead and roast the tomatoes. Cut each tomato in half and arrange them in a large oven-proof baking dish. Whish together the olive oil, sugar, and salt and pour this over the tomatoes. Gently toss them a bit, making sure they all get coated, finishing with each tomato facing cut-side up. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or so, until the tomatoes are shrunken and sweet.



When the tempeh is done marinating heat a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the tempeh slices for a few minutes on each side. You may need to do this in batches if you don't have a big enough pan. Set the tempeh slices aside until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.

To assemble each sandwich take one slice of bread and slather a generous layer of mashed avocado. Place a small helping of the shredded lettuce on top of the avocado, a few tomatoes, then a few slices of the tempeh, and more tomatoes. Enjoy either open faced or topped with another avocado-slathered bread slice.

As much as I enjoyed this sandwich with the avocado, when I make another one of these with the leftover tempeh, I am going to try it with veganaise instead. I think that may really satiate the BLT craving.

Spinach Lasagna with Mediterranean-Style Sauce

I made this last night, and it is almost gone already. Definitely a hit!!


Sauce:

1 tbl olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbl dried oregano
2 tbl dried basil
2 tbl capers

28 oz tomatoes, canned, pureed
3 oz tomato paste
1/2 tsp sea salt

Heat a large sauce pot over med-high heat and add oil. Add onion and saute for 8 minutes. Add red and yellow peppers, and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes. This longer cooking process of sealing the vegetables using a saute is important for developing a good flavor. Add the oregano, basil, and capers and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt. Simmer for 10+ minutes.

Pre heat oven to 350.

Lasagna:

approximately 1 box oven-ready, brown rice lasagna noodles (i needed 2 strips from another box)
1 package of silken tofu (creamy and delicious--makes a very convincing "ricotta")
1 bunch or 6 ounce package of fresh spinach
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley


Bring a pot of hot water to a boil. Blanch the spinach in the boiling water for approximately 30 seconds (should turn bright green). Using a slotted spoon, remove spinach from the boiling water and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Be sure to squeeze out all excess water from the spinach. Set aside.

Crumble tofu in bowl with the parsley.

In a 13x9 casserole dish, start building your layers. First, a layer of noodles. Next, a layer of the tofu. Next, the sauce. Finally, the spinach. Repeat. End with a layer of noodles, but be sure to cover completely in sauce, otherwise the noodles will not get soft while baking. I topped with a generous sprinkle of Raw-mesan cheese.

Bake in 350 over for about 45 minutes or until the top looks done.

The sauce recipe comes from a fantastic cook book called, "A Taste of Vitality."

Potato and Tempeh Pancakes

My boyfriend described these as a healthy tater tot. I am obsessed with how delicious they are.

This would be a great thing to make out of leftover mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, I did not have any, so I made some this morning.

First, I boiled gold potatoes until they were soft. Next, I threw them in the food processor with unsweetened hemp milk, sea salt, cracked black pepper, a little garlic, and about a tablespoon of vegan butter. Finally, I let it cool in the fridge.

Next, I simmered about 4 ounces of tempeh (cut into cubes) in vegetable broth. While that was going on, I minced half an onion and sauteed until soft.

Finally, I combined all the ingredients and mixed them up in a bowl (making sure the tempeh crumbled as I mixed). Seasoned to taste, then I spooned into a greased (vegan butter) saute pan and grilled both sides until golden brown. I finished with a sprinkle of dill on top for garnish.

Soooooooooooo good!!

The original recipe came from http://www.vegancoach.com/vegan-breakfast.html

Toxic Beauty?

On the first Thursday of every month, my restaurant hosts a Green Eco-Mixer. I am always present for these events, meeting people and mingling (or at least trying to...usually my uncomfortable awkwardness with strangers prevails) as one of the faces representing the restaurant.

The theme of the event changes monthly. While I always support the ultimate goal (ways to live greener), the theme doesn't always touch a specific nerve in me. For example, a past event was, "Green Parenting." I am not a parent, nor do I aspire to be. So, during an event like that, it is a little difficult for me to mingle with mommies and discuss eco-friendly diapers. There really isn't any common ground.

Last night was the the first mixer that I genuinely looked forward to, and also learned a lot from. The theme was, "Alternative Personal Care Products."
As an added bonus, I also took home a reusable Whole Foods grocery bag stuffed full of pamphlets, resources, and personal care samples. Score!

Most of the information I learned, as with most eco-conscious "lectures", was not pleasant. Some of it made me feel kind of silly for never realizing on my own...

For example:

Your skin is your largest organ, and what goes on your body, goes in your body. Things that you put on your skin bypass the liver (which is great at filtering out toxins) and goes directly to your bloodstream, brain, kidneys, etc.
With 90,000 known chemicals floating around our personal care products, what you put on your skin is, potentially, more harmful then what you put in your mouth.

The President of the American Nutrition Association was one of the speakers. They are a wonderful organization whom I have had the privilege of working with a few times now. He had copies of the book "Toxic Beauty" for sale. The author, Samuel Epstein is, apparently, the leader in this research. So much so, that Congress calls on him to evaluate items in our environment that cause cancer. The founder of Aveda called the book, "the most important book of the decade." That seems a little ambitious to me, but I guess I will find out.

After talking him down from $25 to $20 for the book (I mean, really...), I had to buy it. So, I am sure there will be much more info on this subject in the future. After I finish Geoff Emerick's book on his life recording the music of The Beatles, that is. :-)

I did walk away with 2 very simple things that anyone can do to reduce the amount of toxic or carcinogenic chemicals absorbed into the body.

1. Avoid products with sodium laurel sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. My guess is that out of the 90,000 known chemicals, these 2 must be the most dangerous because they were the only 2 specifically mentioned by name. A quick glance in the shower showed me that both of these items are in my boyfriend's body wash. And our toothpaste. Yuck.

2. Purchase a chlorine filter for the shower.
When you take a hot shower, your skin becomes more porous, so the amount of chlorine and chemicals from your personal care products absorbed into the skin is magnified.

Knowledge is definitely a scary, scary thing. Quite frankly, I am a little nervous to start reading "Toxic Beauty!"

Creamy Garlic and Spinach Pasta

I woke up with the intention of doing something with the spinach in my fridge that was probably on its last good day. I was in the mood to cook something a little heartier today, so when I found the following recipe, it seemed a little perfect. As usual, I changed the recipe around a bit. When I make it again, I will definitely add some artichokes. The flavor profile is screaming for artichokes. Enjoy!


1 1/2 cups of any kind of pasta (I used brown rice fusili)
¼ cup water
1 1/2 cups hemp milk
2 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter
½ cup nutritional yeast flakes
¼ cup lemon juice
4-5 ounces chopped fresh spinach
parsley, salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion (I used a sweet onion)
As much garlic as you prefer (I used 4 cloves)

1. Lightly saute onions and garlic in the Earth Balance butter (just 3-4 minutes).
2. Add water and hemp milk and bring to a boil (use medium high heat)
3. Add pasta, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, spinach and seasonings.
4. Simmer until sauce reaches desired thickness. Cover, and let sit for 3 minutes.
5. I garnished with red pepper flakes for color.

Here is the link to the original recipe: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8009.0

Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Bread

Just made this. Outstanding. Meat-eating boyfriend approved. On the next go around, I will make it a little sweeter, but that is the only thing I would change (the recipe below reflects the changes I would make in sweetener)

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose flour
1/4 cup each agave nectar and Grade A 100% maple syrup
3 tablespoons ground flax seeds
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, ripe, mashed
1 1/2 cups unsweetened hemp milk
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1. Combine rice flour, all purpose flour, agave nectar and syrup, flax seed, cinnamon, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2. Stir in bananas and milk. Stir VERY well with a fork, or beat with a mixer for a minute or so.

3. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 square pan or a loaf pan, and bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes, or until the center is set.

4. Allow to cool in pan.

5. Cut into slices, when cool. Topped with Earth Balance vegan butter.

This recipe originally came from http://www.recipezaar.com/Gluten-Free-Vegan-Banana-Bread-301233. However, I did make about 4 changes to the recipe.

Vegan Tofu Scramble

This breakfast is ridiculously high in protein (roughly 35 grams!). And at (roughly) 36 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat, and around 300 calories, it's an awesome way to start your day, or follow up a strength training workout.

1/3 of a brick of regular tofu - firm
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon Tamari soy sauce
dash garlic powder, or to taste
dash onion powder, or to taste
dash turmeric (1/4 ish-- for color)
dash sea salt, or to taste
1 Teaspoon-ish extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 bell pepper (red, green, yellow or orange), chopped
1/2 cup shredded non-dairy cheese-- I used a non-dairy pepperjack

1. Drain and mash tofu. Mix with nutritional yeast, soy sauce, garlic and onion granules, and turmeric. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cover and steam veggies until slightly tender (approx. 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.

3. Remove cover, push veggies to one side and add tofu mixture to 1/2 of pan. Cover tofu mixture with veggies, and add remaining tofu mixture to the other half of the pan. Smooth veggies over the top. Flatten with a spatula, and let cook over medium heat until browned on underside (5-10 minutes, or more). Flip with a spatula, and continue to cook until browned on the underside. Repeat this step until cooked to your preference.

4. Turn heat to very low. Cover scrambled tofu with cheese, place cover on skillet, and allow to melt.

5. Plate, Garnish, and Serve (I used a sprinkle of dill)

I served with 3 strips of Tempeh Fakin' Bacon, and a piece of brown rice bread, toasted and buttered with Earth Balance vegan butter.

I originally found this recipe on Vegancoach.com, however, I did alter the measurements to a smaller portion, and the ingredients reflect what I had in my kitchen.