Kale Burgers and Sustainable Gift Baskets

I have some folks on my 'gift-list' this year that I want to do something different for.  Most of these gifts are for family members that I want to do something a bit 'extra' for, but nothing snazzy.

This year I wanted to go about the gifting process in a more mindful way and without a charred wake behind me the size of Texas as a carbon footprint.

In my theme of reuse and repurpose and REBEL from the commercialized pressures --see related post --- I thought I would put together some 'sustainable gift baskets'.  I shopped a local thrift store and found some beautiful baskets (average cost $1.), and picked up some mugs (cost .35 -.50 each),

some ceramic plates (cost .59 each) and some nice linen napkins (cost .30 each).

I might seriously have trouble gifting this very cool basket....

I hit the Amish bulk food store, picked up some bulk bags of raw almonds, raw cashews, raw peanuts, raisins, cranberries and dates.  I mixed these together to give in a mason jar (found a huge box of these in my basement I've been saving, also found some clearanced for $8. for a case of 12) with newly purchased lids.

In the mugs, I packaged the dry ingredients of Lindsay Nixon's Mug Cake along with instructions on how to prepare.  What a cute little gift that is and I'm doing a peppermint variation on Lindsay's recipe (added crushed peppermint candy) and including a candy cane.  There are endless variations on this Mug Cake.  Some of the ones I am gifting are:  Vanilla (omit chocolate/cacao and replace with additional flour/sugar), Chocolate-Cherry (include dried cherries in place or in addition to chocolate chips), Spice Cake (omit chocolate, increase flour/sugar and add cinnamon, pie spice, nutmeg, etc.).  Just let your imagination go wild.  All the recipient will have to do is add applesauce, a few drops of vanilla and microwave for 3 minutes.

I finished the baskets out by including some fresh fruit and a sand-art with rice mason jar. 

I did also include a jar of applesauce and also some whole-wheat pasta and sauce.  (I'll be encouraging people to make the switch to whole-wheat pasta---I'm still surprised at how many people have never tried it!).

I'm enclosing a note with these baskets, explaining the purpose behind the gift and referencing the video "The Story of Stuff".  http://www.storyofstuff.org/. I suggest reusing the mason jars and switching to cloth napkins instead of paper.  I don't want to sound preachy but I want to convey my concern over what is happening to the planet and our need for action now.  I'm hoping that this doesn't go over as 'the stupid gift', but I think that most of the recipients will accept it in the spirit it was given---especially since these folks already know I dance to the beat of a wacky drummer.

----------------------------------------

Kale Burgers

Diana Dyer writes a blog on kale.  Yep, an entire blog on kale.  Gotta love somebody like that.  http://www.365daysofkale.com/  She's got quite a story, is a cancer survivor and is an inspiration.  She's not vegan but has some great recipes on her site that are very easily adaptable to a vegan diet.....like this one for Kale Burgers

I subbed the eggs for my traditional egg substitute, mix ground flax seeds in water, let sit (1 T flax seeds to 3 T water per egg being subbed).

My husband hates the ground that peppers walk on, so I split this recipe in half and did 'his' half with mushrooms (which I don't care for) and 'my' half had the peppers.

I didn't get these patties to do real well in the skillet, so made up enough for us to have for dinner, then baked the rest meatloaf style in a casserole dish.  Pretty tasty!

kale 'loaf' over on left side of plate

----------------------------------------------------
May you have the best of holidays, in whatever ways you celebrate them.  And I wish you health and happiness in the new year.


Sue, working on sustainable, in Ohio

It's sooooo easy being green!

Early on into my switch to a vegan diet, I started having smoothies. One of my nieces had given me a blender (she got several extras for her wedding) and I used and abused that puppy into near oblivion trying to concoct the perfect fruit smoothie. I was using all frozen fruits, bananas, berries and a bit of water, but soon switched to almond milk after watching a video of Chef A.J. and Julieanna Hever. For more info on the Chef and the Dietician videos, click here (these two women rock the kazbah). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JMjQKt0_90 (In this episode, they show you how to make almond and other milks).

(And, in case you want to hear The Clash rock the casbah, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wHLoErB8Po)

I began experimenting and at the same time was researching ph and was discovering just how acidic our bodies become on the standard American diet (SAD). {I think that acronym is positively perfect as it is truly sad that Americans are as unhealthy as we are, given all of our resources}. I began to put serious effort into adding more greens to my diet.

The daily smoothie is a perfect and easy place to sneak in a few greens and over a period of time, I began adding more and more greens to my smoothies, starting with raw spinach and eventually working up to a healthy helping of the true superfood: kale!

My niece's blender could not keep up, so I gave that one away and abandoned all financial self-restraint and bought Viv, my Vitamix. I will have to do a separate post on Viv....she is my new BFF and a huge asset to anyone who wants to pursue a plant-based diet. (For more info on Vitamix blenders, click here: https://secure.vitamix.com/acb/stores/4/Vitamix-5200-with-48-oz-Container-and-bonus-101-Blender-Drinks-book-by-Kim-Haasarud-P2333C108.aspx).



Since then, vegan life has been much easier and I now think it was ridiculous to question spending that amount of money on my health! Funny how we will put so many things in front of our health, when that is truly our greatest asset.

These days, I've settled into a pattern for my smoothies. I start with water and throw in some almonds and let them soak for a few minutes (sometimes, will soak them over night, toss the soak water and add new). To this I add some ground flax seed or chia and blend briefly. I put in about one and a half frozen bananas (I love getting them at the local IGA for a ridiculously low price because they are 'over-ripe'---the cashier always asks if I am making banana bread). To this I add frozen fruit de jour....most of the time I favor berries, but Trader Joe's has decent prices on frozen mango and sometimes I will go for a combination of mango and strawberries...serious yum. I usually toss in a few dates as well. I let Viv blend that up for me and then I stuff in what is getting to be more and more greenery: BIG handful of raw spinach and same of kale. It comes out something like this:







This is also a great way to use up things in the frig that are threatening to become science experiments if left on their own....I love not being wasteful....I think the saved money from NOT throwing away food will easily pay for Viv....and of course, continued good health.....priceless.
Sue, truly green, in Ohio