Black-Bean Burgers, Stuffed Peppers & Weight-loss Update

It's finally feeling like summer here in Ohio, after an extremely long winter and an equally wet spring.  But all of that cold and wet melted away with the first sunny day, the reappearance of barn swallows, butterflies and all things 'summer'.

These longer days keep me outside until all hours and I only reluctantly drag myself in pulled by a vague sense of spousal and vegan duty....didn't I say I was going to help my husband eat healthier by making sure he had good meals prepared?  Why yes I did!

Duty was a little late in calling the other night and I found myself in a bit of a panic with darling husband on the way home and had not clue one on what I would make.  I thought,  hey, how 'bout a veggie burger?  I mean, how hard can it be just to whip one up.  With child-like enthusiasm I opened frig and cupboard doors and started dumping ingredients into Viv (my trusty superhero blender).....

Feeling a little like a superhero myself, I tossed in a can of black beans, some salsa, chopped onions, carrots, some spices and, figuring it would need bulk, a bunch of oatmeal.  I then pulled out the secret ingredient (every recipe needs one).....roasted corn.

If I used the phrase "this stuff is the bomb", I would say it about this stuff....but since I don't use that phrase....disregard.  It does rock though.

Viv blended all ingredients up for me and I was left with something that looked a bit like pureed mud pie....never one to give up (read:  admit defeat when all evidence indicates it), I kept adding things, especially more oatmeal as this stuff was seriously runny.  I added some chopped zuccini and some more spices...blended again.  Now it was more like pate...I sampled with a pita chip and actually, it was pretty good!  I saved some for a spread/dip.  The rest I made into patties, browned in a pan and then finished off in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

They kind of reminded me of salmon patties while cooking.  I served with sweet potato and regular potato fries and while it wasn't a heroic success, it did pass for dinner and has inspired me to try my own recipes more often.  (The dip really was very good though....I'll definitely make again!).

Speaking of creating new dishes....darling husband went off to Lake Erie to maim and torture fish....sorry, that is plainly how I see it, but it relaxes him, and he didn't actually catch anything, so guess it is win-win.  This left me free to eat as late as I want and not worry about his palate.  For all we have in common, one big, big parting of the ways, is the wonderful red pepper.  I love them.....he hates them in a 'don't-even-think-about-letting-them-touch-anything-I'm-going-to-eat' kind of way...

I'd been having some cravings for this baked stuffed pepper dish I used to live on ....was browned hamburger and rice, basically, in a pepper and tomato soup/milk for a sauce.  Loved it.  So I thought, why not try to come up with something similar.

I made up some short-grain brown rice.  I really like the sweetness in the short-grain rice....definitely has a different flavor to me.  In a bowl I assembled some more of the roasted corn, sweet peas, some sauteed chopped onion and added the rice.



For the sauce, I made up some almond milk --about a cup or so---- (soak raw almonds in some water, and blend in high-speed blender), added about half a cup of nutritional yeast, and about half a jar of salsa.  I added water to adjust consistency, but left it a bit runny as I knew the nutritional yeast would thicken it up a bit during baking.



Here it is pre-baking.  I baked it for about 20 mins in a 350 degree oven, and then turned the heat off and let it sit in the oven for another 15 mins.  (Not because I thought it would be better, but because one of the dogs took off on walkabout....).

Here it is out of the oven.  This is one of those recipes that would have endless varieties according to your tastes and you could vary the vegetable being stuffed, although I think the flavor of the red pepper really makes it.  It hit the spot for me and no cows were harmed in the process!

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I traveled to one of my favorite places in the world recently, Yellow Springs, Ohio.  It's a beautiful place to shop (has the feel of the 60s), and as a bonus, has Clifton Gorge nearby with lots of hiking trails.  I always get a sense of wonder when I'm there and come away feeling a bit more inter-connected, grounded and with an affirmation, that, as Max Ehrmann said so eloquently in "Desiderata".....'no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should'.  While we were in Clifton, my son's roommate snapped a picture of me with my son.....I was stunned when I had a chance to view it and realized, I really have made progress.  I've been so refocused on BUILDING health, that I had nearly forgotten my weight loss goals.  I knew I was down another size in pants, but somehow just didn't realize I actually look smaller.

I am nearing my goal and now feel I probably only have about 10 pounds to lose, but I am also working on my fitness and wanting to build up some muscle, so the scale may not end up budging much, but I expect things will continue to shift around a bit.  Best of all, I have so much energy and continue to feel so much better.  And the spiritual benefits, of living a life a little more harmoniously with our planet and the creatures we share it with, is also coming to the forefront....yes, Max....it is still a beautiful world.

Wishing you the best in health.  (Upcoming blog soon on my symposium notes from Dr. Esselstyn and Jeff Novick.)

Sue, rocking the red peppers, in Ohio

"Winning", Focus, Magic and Corn Bisque

I'm on a winning spree.  Truly winning, not winning in some sarcastic-Charlie-Sheenish way.  At my last craft show (I make jewelry and sell at craft shows....my jewelry site ---which needs alot of attention--- is here:  http://www.sunnyhawklane.com/ in case you are curious), I didn't win the raffle (I usually do, it's so weird), and went home thinking, ah, well, can't win EVERYtime.  A few days later I get an e-mail telling me I have won this wonderful gift basket from a crafter I met that I went ga-ga over....Karen makes VEGAN hand-cream AND awesome pottery.  I bought this wonderful bowl from her:

So, I thought it was amazingly cool that I won these items:

See more of her lovelies here:  http://www.craftybynaturestudio.com/  (Note:  she uses beeswax in some of her products, so some are not strictly vegan....check ingredient list).

I love her stuff so much that I am going to order some things from her to give away here, on the blog, in July, to celebrate my one-year vegan anniversary.  More on that in June.  (June, now there's a happy thought....flowers, fresh produce from the market, butterflies....ahhh.....but I digress).

Earlier in the year I won the new edition of Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book, Eat-to-Live from Wendy's Healthy Girl's Kitchen blog. Meet Wendy here: http://healthygirlskitchen.blogspot.com/  She rocks.  That made someone else a winner too, since I have a copy of the original and it will now get passed forward to another person.

I also won a prize at my niece's shower earlier this month.  It was so funny because there was a game and my other niece had set her timer on her phone and whoever's gift was being opened when the timer went off won the prize.  When the first timer setting went off, I thought to myself, I'm going to win the next prize, and I did!  I love when that happens.  Not so much the prize, although it was lovely....here it is:

but the idea of manifesting something....of somehow injecting your will and intention into the physical realm, sitting back and then watching it appear, poof, abracadabra, bibbity-bobbity-boo!  (Interestingly, a definition of abracadabra is "I create as I speak").

Winning these little treasures recently and the fun I had trying to 'will' them got me to thinking about intention and focus and how powerful these tools really are.  How often do we put our intent into the things that are 'wrong' with our lives at any given moment, or how much extra weight we are carrying, or this person's expression that we didn't like, and so on, ad nauseum. 

In horse training, we know that if our horse comes upon a scary object and we react by (somewhat naturally) putting our attention or focus on that scary object, we now embue it with even more life and power and we are now both focused on it solely.  Instead, if we continue our focus on down the path or over to whatever destination we were originally traveling, we at least don't add more to the anxiety and power of the object, and we continue to be the leader we need to be to divert the frightened horse back to the task at hand.

Wow, that's some powerful stuff when applied to our own lives.  How often do we get upset with another or get off of our own path and are now re-focused, not through our own intent, on another person's reaction, drama, or view of where else we should be, or whatever.  In the practicality of day-to-day living, we may have to pause, acknowledge the distraction or deal with it to some extent, but the sooner we get back to our own path, the more we are our own good leader.

We do tend to get, or manifest, that which we focus upon.  So, when the focus is on BUILDING health or achieving goals or making the very best food choices, we can more easily bring them into reach than when we are distracted by another path.

Leadership, intention, focus....all translate to modern day magic when practiced regularly.

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A friend of mine sent me a really good recipe.  I love it when I have someone else out there keeping an eye out for something I might be interested in....love it even more having a friend to bounce plant-based ideas off of.  We all need a little support from time-to-time and isn't it funny how far a little will go sometimes.  (Thank you, R!).

Well, this recipe is just right in there with my 'winning' cycle.  It is making me happy in these dismal rainy days that we are STILL having here in Ohio.  (I haven't worked out how to manifest sunny days yet....still working on that one!)

Yummy Corn Bisque
(My friend got the original recipe from a library book and she changed it and I changed her changes, so it is probably ok to post on here, but I am still hoping to find where it originally came from to give proper credit.  We think it might be one of Isa's recipes, but I haven't found it matching anything yet, and since I regularly promote Isa's work, I won't feel too neglectful).

Roasted peppers (yellow or red/canned or roast yourself)  I used about 3
1 bag frozen corn
1 large sweet onion
garlic cloves to suit your taste (I used 4)
3-4 C vegetable broth
2 sweet potatoes, cubed  (or white potatoes)
1/2 head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped
1.5 t salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I'm a weenie, but adjust as you like it)
1 14 oz can coconut milk
1 T maple syrup
juice of 1 lime
grated nutmeg

Saute onion and garlic in stock pot with small amount of water, approx. 3 -5 mins.  Add corn, potatoes and cauli.   Cook a few minutes and add pepper flakes, broth and salt.  Cover and simmer 20 mins on low heat.  Add coconut milk, puree all but a few cups of soup (I didn't puree all because I wanted some texture/chunks in the soup, but adjust to your tastes).  Heat.  Grate nutmeg into soup and add syrup, lime, stir and serve.

Yummilicious.  If pureed totally, would make an excellent sauce for any number of things and also a nice addition to a veggie casserole.

Sue, winning so very much, & not just 'stuff', in Ohio

P.S.  DVR  Dr. Oz, tomorrow, Wed. Apr 27.  Caldwell Esselstyn, T. Colin Campbell and Neal Barnard will be on discussing the upcoming film "Forks Over Knives.  Now that's a winner!

Chunks of Change, Kale Chips and Interview with author, Lindsay S. Nixon

It's still winter here in Ohio....winter's been going on for about 6 months now....or so it seems.  But, there is greening occuring in the lawn and change in the scruffy looking flower beds that tulip leaves pierce through and attempt to beautify.  I will try to be patient, but I am ready for the next season for sure.

Since I was feeling a little cranky this weekend about the cold dip in temps, I turned to the kitchen for sustenance and comfort and realized that I had absolutely NO compulsion to run for the dark chocolate or devour a huge bowl of butter-sodden popcorn.  Change is truly coming about.  Yeah!  No, I wanted some of Isa Chandra's yummy lentil veggie soup, and some flaxers (recipe here:  http://sunnyhawklane.blogspot.com/2011/02/usda-part-2-bullies-and-flaxers.html).

We measure change in quantifiable methods usually, whether it be numbers on a scale, pants size, test scores (or cholesterol figures), but I love it when you get a big 'chunk' of change and it smacks you up-side-the-head in a delightful, AH-HA!!!!  Now let me get this straight....I want KALE instead of CHOCOLATE?  Apparently so!

As the soup was cooking and flax-crackers low-temp baking, I whipped up some kale chips.  There are several great recipes out there on the web, but I was in the mood for some of Averie's chips.  (Averie's blog, Love Veggies and Yoga can be found here:  http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/).

These are very easy to whip up and the coating on the chips is very similar to what is used as the sauce in Rip Esselstyn's Mac Not Cheese.  You just coat the kale leaves, and bake on a cookie sheet.  I warn you though, don't plan on having any of these leftover.  Ain't gonna happen.  (Averie's recipe:  http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/04/raw-vegan-kale-chips-making-our-own.html )

In a way, they kind of remind me of Doritos, except not really.  They are lighter and of course won't kill you.
Yum-city.

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Lindsay Nixon http://www.happyherbivore.com/) recently went on a 'blog-book tour', which I think is genius.  What a great way to get the word out about her new book and let "little people", like me, get a chance to ask her a few questions. It was an honor and priviledge to have been able to submit some interview questions to her.  She has also given me a recipe from her new cookbook:  The Happy Herbivore, which follows the interview.

Congratulations on your new book.  I am very excited to see recipes without the use of oils and other processed foods.  What do you think is the major problem with getting the message out to vegans in particular, and the public, in general, about the unhealthiness of oils?

Oil has this great reputation for being healthy (the oil industry has deep pockets) and people *love* it, so they don't necessarily want to believe the truth.

Do you have a recipe in your book that is a personal favorite or one you are most proud of?

            The queso cheese, for sure.

How do you think that those of us who are already (whole food, low fat) vegan can be the most effective in getting others to try this healthier lifestyle?

Leading by example, rather than preaching unsolicited. Take this weekend for example, my girlfriend was staying with us for a few days and noticed I never cooked with oil. She asked why, and I explained it casually like "well there is a lot of fat and calories in it, its like a candy bar in 1 tbsp." We talked a little more about it, and I could tell she found it fascinating. Anyway, she went home on Monday and Tuesday morning emailed me saying she was a convert. She looked at the nutrition label on her evoo when got came home and it shocked her. She threw it out and that was it. Just like that, her diet has changed.

What has been the most exciting aspect of being a published author?

It's surreal to walk into a bookstore and see your book. I think that is when it finally felt real to me. Like I did write a book.

And lastly, if you could spend an hour with anyone in history, who would you choose and why?

Einstein, or Charles Darwin. They're both pretty much God to me. I'd love to be around that kind of brilliance and just watch them...do.

Thanks for all of your great work.
Sue 

Quick Queso (makes 1 cup) - It's okay to go at this sauce with a spoon. I won't judge.

1 cup non-dairy milk (such as fat-free soymilk)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tsp granulated onion powder
1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder or cayenne (optional)
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Whisk all ingredients together in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often until thick. Serve immediately.

Note: Gluten-free flours or blends may be substituted, such as chickpea flour. Also, add a 1 10-ounce can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies for a Mexican Queso twist.

I whipped up Lindsay's queso and I have to say......DELICIOUS!  I can see so many possibilities for this recipe.  It's a great idea to add the tomatoes, and I will definitely be trying that.  I enjoyed the queso as a dip for some veggies and it went great with my flaxers (pictured above) and I even spread some inside of a pita pocket and simply stuffed with raw spinach....yum!  One could use this as a base for a sauce over pasta or other grain, and as a sauce for a veggie casserole.  The possibilities are endless. 

I'm looking forward to getting my copy of Lindsay's book and am anxious to try some of her other recipes.

Thank you again, Lindsay, for the opportunity to interview you and for the wonderful recipe! See more information on Lindsay's book at Amazon:  www.tinyurl.com/4c8beet

By the way, what a wonderful suggestion on approaching change for others....leading by example and not preaching.  I too have found success by creating a bit of curiousity and allowing others to ask rather than force my opinions onto them.  It is difficult, especially when we are so enthusiastic about our changes, but enthusiasm can quickly be perceived as just plain obnoxious pushiness....I will take your advice to heart, Lindsay.

Sue, changing and allowing others the space to do the same, in Ohio

Mastery, Personal Achievement and Alfredo

I was trying to catch up on the various blogs I follow and happened upon one of Lori Painter's on Mastery.  (Lori's blog is:  http://www.inspire2act.blogspot.com/). She had an interesting take on the subject of mastery.  The premise is very simple (aren't the very best things usually?).  It goes something like if you spend an hour a day, 6 days a week working on developing a skill, or learning all you can about a particular area, etc., then in one year's time you would have the equivalent of an Associate's degree, in two years, a Bachelor's, in 3 and Master's and in 4 the equivalent of a PhD.  Now, of course, she cautions, you might have to actually be coached by someone or attend an educational program, but the point is, you could attain a certain level of MASTERY, simply by putting the time in.

This concept is not rocket science and even Nike adopted as their slogan, the to-the-point instruction, Just Do It, but there is real power in those simple words.

I thought about how much time I have put in to the mastery of nutrition, health, vegan cooking, raw food recipes, etc., over the last year or so and I think, yes, I've easily averaged the required 24 hours per month.  I thought about how much more confidence and certainty I have in this field now, and although I know I have as far to go as I have come, in fact, much farther, it still feels good to have come this far.

Then I thought about the times in my life when my health and proper nutrition was NOT at the forefront of my thinking and focus....the grab something quick to eat days....the mindless finish-the-entire-bag-of-m&m's days.  I was simply out-of-touch and not putting in my 'time' to develop myself.  How silly to put ourselves at the very bottom of the list, and sometimes not even on the list at all.  It is only through being our best and being our authentic self (a concept I am coming to embrace wholeheartedly), that we can attain our goals, help others and truly be there to make a positive difference in this life.

Also, in that simple concept, is the answer to our goals that have remained elusive....we just need to put the time in.  Period.  If you are present and focusing on whatever goal, you are going to progress...you aren't going to just stagnate over and over again for an hour a day, 6 days a week.  You WILL move forward! 

I think too, we always have to realize, that progress as it occurs, may not be obvious.  In horse training, we understand that horses don't learn perfectly, they don't progress perfectly; this is also true with humans.  But like a single black stone in a sea of white pearls that we can't take our focus from, or a sore spot in the mouth that the tongue constantly wants to play with, we are sometimes drawn more to the 'failures' or things that don't go quite right.  But it is usually when things are NOT going perfectly, that change is on the horizon.  Within every moment that is not going along smoothly, is the potential for smoothness, and vice versa!  It's up to us to shift the focus over to the side of progress.  That famous journey of 1,000 miles does indeed begin with a single step and the progress along the journey is made, just one step at a time.  We always want the next step, which is good and keeps us driven, but when the focus is truly on the step we are in, we get the joy of that mini-accomplishment too.

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I'm back to trying new recipes each week, and have selected the next few that I am going to prepare from Chef A.J.'s book "Unprocessed".  I really am enjoying that book and do recommend it.  I have a recipe from Lindsay Nixon's new book, The Happy Herbivore, and an interview with her, and I hope to get that done this weekend, so I can send it out on the blogosphere.

In the meantime, I wanted to try something I thought my husband would like, and he loves fettucine alfredo, so I thought I would make up Creamy Cashew Fettucine with Mushrooms and Peas from Robin Robertson's book,  1,000 Vegan Recipes, www.tinyurl.com/6284ukm .  Alfredo sauce...oommmm...pounded away some of that in my day.  Just the thought of all that cream, butter and cheese, now sounds like death on a platter.

Creamy Cashew Fettucine

1 T olive oil (I omitted)
4 med., shallots,minced
12 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 C dry sherry (I omitted)
1 C  baby peas
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 oz fettucine
3 C Creamy Cashew Sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 C finely chopped roasted unsalted cashews (I used raw)
1/4 C dry unseasoned bread crumbs
1 T minced fresh parsley (garnish)

In large skillet heat the oil over med heat (I used water).  Cook shallots until soft, about 5 mins.  Add mushrooms and cook til soft, about 4 mins.  Add sherry and cook stirring, 1 min. to cook off alcohol.  (I did add some water with some sweetener in it to replace this as I don't use alcohol).  Remove from heat, stir in peas, season with s/p to taste, set aside. 

Cook fettucine in boiling water til al dente, about 10 mins.  Drain well and return to pot.  Add mushroom and pea mixture along with cashew sauce.  Mix gently to combine, then transfer to baking dish.  Sprinkle the top with cashews and bread crumbs.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins (375 oven) and then uncover and bake 10 more mins to brown top.  Sprinkle with parsley.

 Creamy Cashew Sauce
1C raw cashews
2 T nutritional yeast
2 C unswt. soy milk (I used almond milk)
salt
cayenne

In blender process cashews to a fine powder.  Add yeast and 1.5 C of milk.  Blend til smooth.  Season to taste.
Transfer to med. saucepan and heat over medium heat.  Stir sauce til hot, about 5 mins.  Add more of the milk if thinner sauce is desired.

While eating this last night, I immediately thought of the things I wanted to change.  As I was making up the sauce, I loved how creamy it was looking and thought, oh....this is going to just be awesome.  Well, it seemed very dry to me and lost the creaminess in the baking process.  I'm going to play with it a bit, and maybe double the recipe and maybe add some tofu, just play and see if I can keep the creaminess.  Now, my husband surprised me by saying that I should leave it just as it is, that he really like it.  I'm so proud of him and how much he is trying to eat well.  He even made suggestions of other veggies that could be added to this, broccoli and cauliflower being his choices.  Nothing says "I love you" like a spouse that will get behind you on a program and even contribute.  If you've read my earlier posts, you know it wasn't always this way, so change (AND PROGRESS!!!!), do happen, one recipe at a time.

{Note:  If you are vegan or trying to be, you simply must get one of Robin Robertson's books.  I have had several of hers from the library, and decided on Vegan Planet, and 1,000 Vegan Recipes as two I had to own.  Now, the recipes do have oil, salt and sometimes sugar, and therefore substitutions need to be made, but there have been many times when I've just opened the 1,000 recipes book and flipped around and gotten great inspiration for dishes to prepare.  Great books for sure.  Check your library listings for titles by her and others....gotta love the library!}

Sue, working on an Associate's Degree in Better Living, in Ohio

Chinese Astrology, Vernal Equinox, New Traditions

This is the Year of the Rabbit or Hare.  I love Chinese Astrology and occasionally will have a Chinese New Year celebration with my family.  Since my youngest son is a rabbit, I thought this year we especially needed to celebrate; these Chinese astrological years come around only once in 12 years; one is going to be lucky to even have the opportunity to celebrate one's own sign 7 or 8 times in a lifetime.
This year we celebrated on the vernal equinox, another important date in my line of thinking.  I don't really celebrate the major traditional holidays in my heart as I don't share many of the belief systems they are founded on and some holidays I think are simply manipulations by commericialism (see my post on Valentine's Day).  {But, I do love to put up a few Xmas decorations, hypocrisy aside}.

No, the days of the years that resonate most closely with my inner being are the solstices and the equinoxes.  I feel the most grounded and yet, at the same time, the most cosmically connected on these days that signal the magical transitions of the seasons.

So, I was thrilled when my family could come out on the vernal equinox and to have some members in the family that are willing to indulge my ideas of how to celebrate.

My oldest son brought his 3 roommates, and my youngest and his girlfriend were present, so I had 7 carnivores and was a little worried putting out a totally vegan meal (all vegan except some store-bought veggie egg rolls--which was of course the one thing my darling husband chose to comment on 'wow, these came out good'...<sigh>  he did enjoy the other foods though).  To my surprise and delight, most were happy with the food (except oldest son, who managed to fill up on brown rice and dessert....a meat, dairy, salt and sugar craver, how I worry about his health, but will work on that a little at a time). 

Our celebratory feast consisted of a simple stir fry (onions, broccoli, carrots, garlic, edamame, celery and mushrooms) over brown rice, pad thai (recipe to follow), spring rolls and peanut dipping sauce (recipes to follow) and for desert, mango tango, vegan brownies and fresh strawberries.

"A." attempts to master chopsticks.

I call this one "A. vs. Spring Roll" ---that spring roll didn't stand a chance.  (Note "C. "on right, deftly using the chopsticks---love an enthusiastic participator)

 I was also impressed with "A.'s" plate......now THAT's enthusiasm!!!  Pad Thai has fork in it.

There were crafts.....

My youngest "T." on left and willing participant "K." are both gifted origami-ists. 

We nibbled on dessert, and had more crafts....

Oldest son "T." served as origami crane consultant.

I asked everyone to place wishes inside their paper lanterns and we took our creations outside to burn them at the firepit, to allow our wishes' ashes to be carried up on the winds.....(no one even remotely insinuated this was corny....I suspect a few pyromaniacs were present....).

Pad Thai - from Robin Robertson's Vegan Planet

12 oz fresh or dried rice noodles
2T plus 1 t peanut oil (I omitted)
8 oz extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2" wide strips (I used firm and cut into cubes)
2 T tamari or soy sauce
1/2 small red bell pepper cut into thin strips (I subbed mushrooms as my guys don't dig peppers)
4 scallions, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 med. tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1T light brown sugar or sweetner (I used agave---I know, I know, it's processed--...I hardly ever use it)
2T rice vinegar
1/2 C fresh bean sprouts
1/4 C chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts (I toast raw ones in a dry fry pan)

1.  Prepare rice noodles.  If fresh, rinse under very hot water and place in large bowl, separating them into individual strands.  If dried, plunge into large pot of boiling water to soften, drain and place in large bowl.  Toss noodles with 1 t of peanut oil and set aside.  (NOTE:  I did use a very teeny amount of toasted sesame oil to coat noodles).
2.  Heat 1T of oil (I used water) and add tofu until brown, about 5 mins.  (Mine didn't brown, but I still left it in about 5 mins).  Add 1 T of tamari and stir to coat.  Transfer to platter and set aside.
3.  Heat remaining 1T of peanut oil over med. heat.  (I used water).  Add pepper, scallions and garlic and stir-fry til soft, about 5 mins.  Add the tomato, sugar, vinegar and 1T of tamari.  Cook for about 3 mins to blend flavors.  Add noodles and tofu and toss gently and heat through, about 5 mins.
4.  Divide among 4 individual plates, sprinkle with the bean sprouts and peanuts and serve at once.

I doubled this recipe and added some steamed broccoli per Robin's suggestion as a finishing touch in addition to the sprouts and peanuts.  This is an excellent dish, is great the next day for leftovers and was a big hit with my non-vegan family members. 

Spring Rolls and Peanut Dipping Sauce

These are from Averie's blog "Love Veggies and Yoga".  http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/ Averie is a wild woman, and I mean that with love and envy in my heart.  Beautiful with a zest for life, I do like to 'check in' on her blog fairly regularly and tap into that life force.  She does not always have the most healthy recipes, even she would admit that, but she does have some interesting ones on there, including a killer recipe for kale chips.  Her peanut dipping sauce did not disappoint (although I did have to log an extra few miles on the treadmill to offset it---high sugar content and also oil, so I wouldn't recommend this as a staple---it'll be another solstice or equinox before I treat myself to it again).

Spring Rolls:

Assemble fillings (carrots, peppers, squash, spring mix, or noodles, tofu, whatever you want).  Dunk wrapper (these aren't too hard to find, even the regular stores carry them now in the asian food aisle) into bowl of warm water for 15-20 seconds.  Place filling in center of wrapper, fold up bottom over it, then fold in sides and roll up.

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

1/3 C peanut butter

1/4 C maple syrup/agave blend

1/4C sesame oil (key ingredient says Averie)

1/4C apple Cider vinegar

1t-1T ginger powder (opt).

Shake up or whisk.  (Opt.:  add 1/2 orange- blend all in Vitamix)

This year of the Rabbit is said to be a placid year, one of peace and the return of diplomacy.  Money should be plentiful this year as well and there should be opportunity for leisure and an unhurried pace.

Sounds good to me.

Sue, hopeful in Ohio



Vegan Mafia, Manners, "Unprocessed" Adventure-Part 2

I was watching one of my favorite shows, The Amazing Race, last night and saw something odd....one of the contestants had a shirt on that said "Vegan Mafia".  Now, I get really excited whenever I see ANYthing vegan, or ANYone vegan, or ANY inkling of anything even remotely related to anyone who knew anyone who's cousin USED to be vegan.  (Just ask my poor long-suffering husband....everytime a Bryan Adams song comes on..."Honey, did you know Bryan Adams is vegan?"..."Yes, dear...I believe you have mentioned that before".  Natalie Portman comes on...in Star Wars, the Oscars, anywhere...."Honey, did you know Natalie Portman is vegan?".  "Yes, dear....I think you mentioned that about 150 times before"....you get the drift).  So natch, when I saw the t-shirt I sat up with a start...oh COOL....a vega.....wait...a...minute....mafia, what?

So today when I had a chance, I looked it up:  Vegan Mafia is defined in the Urban Dictionary as "militant vegans who will ostracize their vegan friends who stray from the fold".  Oh, I get it now.  Yep, I won't be ordering that t-shirt.

Speaking of dictionaries, I had a very interesting experience over the weekend.  My husband and I went to a party at his boss' house; I, of course, wanted to make a good impression this being my first meeting of these folks.  I brought a large platter of fresh veggies and also some black bean hummus thusly insuring I would have something to eat, as I never expect to be catered to at these sorts of things.  We were the first to arrive and soon upon getting there the hosts expressed their concern about what I was going to eat.  They made a very cute confession and told me that they didn't know what vegan was and had to look it up in the dictionary.  I was so touched by this....they went on to ask if I followed the true definition of vegan and didn't consume dairy...I said that's correct, no I don't eat dairy.  It just impressed me so much how the biggest concern these people had was not even remotely similar to the reactions I have gotten from so many others which border on an attack of my choices.  No, there was none of that here; only a concern that they would not be able to properly feed me.  (More on this evening in a later post when I talk about meeting their longhorn cattle....quite a wonderful experience too).

The evening made me think of manners and how startling it was to see GOOD manners in place.  What does this say about others in my life and where have our good manners gone?  I wonder how much better the world could be if we would take the care to put in our simple 'please' and 'thank you's and endeavor to show each other a bit of mannerly respect.  I suppose I can refine my manners as well and I've made a mental note to do just that....more of the 'be the change you wish to see' at work.
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"Unprocessed" Adventure - Part 2

I had some leftover spinach dip from my first endeavor into Chef A.J.'s book "Unprocessed" (I am cooking my way through her book, Julie/Julia style), so it only made sense to make her Disappearing Lasagna since she uses the dip as the filling.

Chef A.J.'s Disappearing Lasagna

2 boxes of no boil rice lasagna noodles (I used whole wheat)
6 C oil-free marinara sauce (I did a simple blend of tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano)

Filling:
1 box extra firm tofu OR 2 C cannellini beans, drained and rinsed  (I used both)
2 oz. fresh basil leaves
1 C pine nuts, raw cashews or hemp seeds
2 cloves garlic
1/4 C miso (I subb'ed Liquid Aminos)
1/4 C nutritional yeast
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1/8 t red pepper flakes
2 pounds frozen chopped spinach or 1 pound kale (I used fresh)

4 oz can sliced olives, rinsed and drained (optional)
2 pounds sliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove (I think there is an omission in the recipe due to instructions, so inserted this here)
1/4 C tamari
1 large red onion (I used large yellow)

Faux Parmesan:
Grind raw cashews or almonds to nutritional yeast in a 2:1 ratio (i.e. 1 C nuts to 1/2 C nut. yeast) and 1 T of salt-free seasoning

Make the filling in a food processor adding tofu, basil, garlic, lemon juice, miso, nutritional yeast, nuts and red pepper flakes.  Puree til smooth.  Add drained spinach or kale and process again.

Saute chopped onion in 2 T water until translucent, about 8 mins, adding more water if needed.  Add garlic, mushrooms and tamari and saute until browned.  Taste mixture, adding more garlic/tamari as desired.  Cook until mushrooms appear to be glazed and no liquid left in pan.

Pour 3 C of sauce in lasagna pan. Place one layer of noodles (A.J. specifies no-cook noodles, but I find that all pasta will cook in the over as long as it is covered in the sauce) on top.  Cover noodles with half of tofu/spinach mix, then with half of mushroom mix.  Place another layer of noodles on top and add remaining halves of tofu and mush.  Place one more layer of noodles on top and smother evenly with remaining sauce.  Sprinkle olives on top of sauce and sprinkle with faux parmesan.  (I put black olives on top of half of the casserole for my husband and put thinly sliced red peppers on my half).

Bake uncovered 375 degrees for one hour.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Oh-My-Gawd.  This is superbly yummie.  Even my husband (non-vegan) said:  "Delicious".  Are you kidding me?  That is beyond amazing.  Now, I LOVE Rip Esselstyn's Raise the Roof Lasagna, but this is a serious contender.  Very uniquely flavored and my only complaint was that I had prepared too large of a salad and so was only able to eat one piece.  Yum.

(Note:  I have another idea for this filling.  I'll be adding chopped onions, peppers and mushrooms and using it to fill pasta shells, then have the tomato sauce over top.  It should make a nice vegan stuffed shell or manicotti dish).

Speaking of salad, I have FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY found a ranch dressing I can enjoy.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jennifer Cornbleet.  I picked up her book "Raw Food Made Easy" at Half-Priced Books. I 've only made a few things in there, but was so beyond thrilled to find something I could use to replace my beloved (and unhealthy) ranch.    Here is her recipe.

Mock Sour Cream and Chive Dip

1 C soaked raw cashews

1/2 C water

1 T fresh lemon juice

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t onion powder

1/4 t salt

2 T minced fresh chives or green onions

1 T basil (I subbed parsley)

1 T dill

Place nuts through salt in blender and process til smooth.  Add chives, basil and dill and pulse briefly to mix.  Chill at least 30 mins in frig. 

I wanted this to be a bit creamier so I added about half a block of silken tofu.  I did tweak the seasonings a bit and added a lot more dill----I love dill.  My husband doesn't like dill, so I made some for him without the dill and increased the garlic and onion powder.  He said 'I can live with it', so I'm going to play with the spices some more and see if I can ramp the flavor up a bit.  Still, it was yummy and I devoured it both as a dip for fresh veggies and straight on the salad.  It's been a long nearly 8 months with no ranch.

Sue, not in the mafia, vegan or otherwise, in Ohio



Rainy Days, Stress and My New "Unprocessed" Adventure

It's raining here in Ohio.  I mean serious, creeks flooding, roads closing, Canada Geese-swimming-in-the-driveway rain.  In my attempts to be a 'glass-half-full' kind of gal, I remind myself that just a couple of weeks ago I literally had to skate out to the barn to do my chores with so many layers of outerwear that I felt (and looked) like the Michellin man.  So I am trying to remain in a state of gratitude for the rain, realizing that it is serving its purpose too, to fill the water tables that will nourish the earth. 

Still....it's damn dreary.
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I've been giving thought of late to the concept of stress.  It's become such a buzz word, that I think we've become somewhat desensitized to just how powerful stress is.  We get stress from work, stress if we don't have work, stress from family drama, stress over if we are stressing....it's endless.  I know it affects our bodies and certainly our ability to cope in life, but I had no idea just how much until a trip to the E.R. last weekend gave me an 'in-your-face' moment of clarity.  I had been working one of our horses and began having visual disturbances--really bizarre patterns of flashing lights---my husband and I opted to go to the E.R.  The nurse practitioner there and the E.R. doc weren't totally willing to rule out a torn retina, but suspected ocular migraine, and so put me on some physical restrictions with strict orders to go see the ophthalmologist first thing Monday.  (Which I did--turned out to be an ocular migraine). 

While in the E.R., they kept taking my blood pressure.  Normally I run around 110/75 yet I was putting out numbers like 155/105, 150/95, crazy high for me.  Now, I didn't FEEL like I was under that much stress....I mean I was sitting there in the E.R., but my husband was there, and my son and his girlfriend had even come to offer their support, which touched me deeply, and I felt like I was pretty relaxed all things considered, yet here was my body clearly showing the measurable signs of what was really going on. 

I guess you can't fool your body.

I am putting 'stress reduction practice' as a priority on my list of things to do for self-improvement.  Yoga has to go back in (and as a serious main course, not the garnish status that it currently has in my fitness program), and time spent doing the beautiful soothing moves of my Tai Chi, as well as the simple act of consciously taking some deep breaths throughout the day.  Stress deserves its due.

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The Great "Unprocessed" Adventure

I just got Chef A.J.'s book "Unprocessed". http://tinyurl.com/5vrbscw .  I've been an admirer of Chef A.J. and her partner-in-kale, Julieanna Hever for quite some time and she is definitely one of my heros.  After reading the story of her life, I am now even more in awe; she has had much to overcome. 

While doing a quick scan of the recipes in her book, I decided I would do a "Julie/Julia" approach to the book.  (Julie-Julia refers to the book and movie (http://www.julieandjulia.com/) wherein Julie Powell undertook the monumental task of cooking her way through Julia Child's first cookbook.  It's a really fun movie if you haven't seen it (however, recipes are definitely NOT vegan...yikes, so much butter!).  Anyway, I follow A.J. on her FaceBook page and mentioned this idea and she said we might be able to do giveaways of her book here on the blog at some point, so watch for news of that.

I am going to skip around in the book as I make my way through the recipes and started with her Kale or Spinach Dip and her Fennel Salad.

Kale or Spinach Dip

(A.J. notes this is also the filling that is used in her lasagna)

1 box of extra firm water packed tofu OR 2 cans (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 oz fresh basil leaves
1 C pine nuts, raw cashews or hemp seeds
2 cloves garlic (or more to taste)
1/4 C low sodium miso
1/4 C of nutritional yeast
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1/8 t red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
2 lbs. frozen, chopped spinach (defrosted, drained with all liquid squeezed out) OR 1 pound frozen kale (defrosted, drained, with liquid squeezed out)

Place all ingredients except spinach or kale in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth and creamy.  Add spinach or kale and process again until combined.  Place in hollowed out loaf of round sourdough bread for a spectacular presentation.

I tried a couple of different things with this recipe.  I was out of basil (who DOES have pine nuts in their kitchen but DOESN'T have basil???....that would be me.)  So, I subbed some parsley.  I am sure the basil would make a difference.  Also, I had a silken tofu slab that was nearing the expiration date, so I used that instead of the extra firm.  As, predicted, I knew this dip would come out more liquidy than with the firm tofu, so when I remake, will use the extra firm.  Also, I don't like miso at all; have tried a couple of different types and I just don't like it, so I subbed Bragg's aminos for that.  Again, I am sure it had an effect on the recipe.

This makes quite a bit of dip and I even halved the recipe.  I enjoyed it with some fresh veggies and was happily munching away and then decided to try adding the cannellini beans for kicks even though the recipe calls for either or, tofu or beans.  That gave it a different texture and flavor and was quite good on some 'flaxers' (http://sunnyhawklane.blogspot.com/2011/02/usda-part-2-bullies-and-flaxers.html) I had on hand.  (Note:  this would be a really fun dish to include for a St. Patrick's Day dinner; the green is gorgeous).

Since I have so much of this left-over and since I just happen to have some whole-wheat lasagna noodles on hand, I'm going to make a small pan of A.J.'s lasagna tonight, so will have a post on that soon.

Next up:

Fennel Salad

(Raw) - A.J. credits Ellen Greek with this recipe

2 bulbs of fennel

1 lemon

20 dates

Slice the fennel very thin into a bowl.  Keep the green top to decorate the salad.  Slice the dates and mix them with the fennel.  Pour the lemon juice over this and mix it well.  Serve cold or room temp.

I just used a portion of one fennel bulb and adjusted the other ingredient amounts accordingly.

I was amazed at this salad.  There are so many flavor variations in this between the anise flavor of the fennel, the tartness of the lemon and the sweetness of the dates that it is like a taste kaleidoscope in the mouth. While this is not something I would want to eat a huge serving of, it was light, lovely and very unique.  I definitely will be preparing it again.

Sue, de-stressing in Ohio



USDA Part 2, Bullies and "Flaxers"

I had to revisit the topic of the USDA and suspect I will do so again.  It's been an intense week for me, and I think some of it has to do with the after-effects of watching the first 10 minutes or so of the film "Earthlings".  I'm going to have a post about that important film in the future, when I am able to finish viewing it.  I was too upset over the first 10 minutes of the film to continue, but I do know that part of being responsible and empowered will include finishing that film.  Anyway, it has left me a bit raw and maybe defensive and quicker to jump to things like 'bitch slapping' the USDA.

Enter Dr.William Harris, Dr. Michael Klaper and John Robbins to my psyche rescue.  I've watched several videos on youtube of Dr. Harris' (amazing man...80 year old who sky-dives among other things.... see him here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSuvTn6Yv_8 - Note:  this provider, Supreme Master TV is highly religious and a little quirky, but very much peace and love which I needed healthy doses of this week.  I recommend you watch part two of this series as well.  In that, you hear Dr. Harris' rules for eating:  If it doesn't have fiber, don't eat it.  If man made it, don't eat it.  Love it!) 

I also watched Dr. Michael Klaper's lectures (early and more recent ones); here is the link to Part 1 of his early series, Foods that Kill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG_tn3KAXNE&feature=related. 

In Dr. Klaper's later lectures, 2009 in Australia, there is an underlying calm and hopeful measure to his voice about the future of mankind and the crucial role that vegans will play in it.  It was quite uplifting to hear this gentle man's take on what often seem to be over-whelming challenges and his ability to look past all that is wrong with our modern society and see the good.

Enter John Robbins.  Seriously, this man is my hero.  I am reading his book "The Food Revolution".  This is the Robbins of Baskin & Robbins fame who left it all behind to pursue a more earthly (and non-animal product) existence. The quiet and controlled way that he gets the vital messages of the unsustainability of current agriculture and its devastating effects to our health and the planet is beyond admirable.  Even Ghandi would be proud.

Which brings me back to the USDA.  I realize that part of my journey to a healthier me, is learning how to deal with the various frustrations and indignities of this world in a non-violent, non-aggressive yet EFFECTIVE manner.  I hereby take back my rude BITCHslap to you, USDA and politely tap you on the shoulder with an organically-grown cotton-gloved hand and ask that you reconsider your very own Mission Statement, per usda.gov:

We provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources and related issues based on sound public policy, the best available science and efficient management.

I don't think you are using the best available science OR efficient management when you view the massive amounts of resources that are skewed to special interests (i.e. Big Beef, Big Dairy-got osteoporosis??).  And wouldn't 'sound public policy' include the most effective ways to prevent heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and cancer? With diet-related health issues now beyond epidemic proportions, we definitely need some leadership! Tom Vilsack is our current Sec. of Ag, and I think that'll be a good place for me to start asking some POLITE questions.
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I've been pondering the topic of bullies.  Do you have any bullies in your life?  Do you know anyone who does?  I do.  I've come to recognize some bullying behavior of people in my life.  Some of these people, it is impossible (or rather impractical) for me to simply disregard & I've run out of cheeks to turn, so, the universe has given me yet another 'learning opportunity' to develop into someone who can and will stand up for myself.  I believe this is intimately connected to my own self-esteem and it is funny how now that I am taking care of myself physically, these other areas have become like blaring neon flashers.

Bullying can be defined as:  repeated acts over time attempting to create or enforce one person's/group's power over another person/group.  This can be done socially or physically and creates an imbalance of power.  (U.S. Dept. of Justice).

Also:  persistent, unwelcome behavior;  unwarranted or invalid criticism, nit-picking, fault-finding.  Humiliation.  Some bullies are arrogant or narcissistic.  They are unwilling/unable to recognize the effects of their behavior on others.  They don't want to know any other way of behaving.  And there are even serial bullies, who have to have someone to bully.  (UK National Workplace Advice Line).

Hmmm.....Interesting and I think the USDA might fall into this category as well.

For me, and the bullies in my life, I am trying to effect change in a gentle manner.  Reading so much of John Robbins' work and falling back on other works I have read (Eckhart Tolle, George Leonard), I'm reminded of the power of water, running softly over stone, yet cutting its own way thru the stone, by persistently staying on its course, or, if need be, going around the objects that won't yield to its presence.

The great LaoTzu quote:  Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water.  Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it.  So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful.

I'll have to fall back to my resolutions this year and PRACTICE this method of reacting.  It'll definitely be a challenge for me.
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"Flaxers".

I have been reading yet another book (I love hitting Half-Priced Books and clearing them out of their vegan cookbooks....usually there are only one or two and are less than $10.).  I found two raw cookbooks and have been researching the whole raw foodist movement with some interest.  Fresh, The Ultimate Live-Food Cookbook, by Sergei and Valya Boutenko, is a fascinating account of this brother's and sister's and their family's health problems and how they resolved them and attained good health through eating raw foods.  I decided to try their recipe for Golden Flaxseed crackers.

I dug out my dehydrator, cleaned it up and was good to go.  It turns out that raw foodists don't necessarily (at least some) not cook at all, but are trying to consume food that isn't heated above 118 degrees to avoid breaking down enzymes and other valuable nutrients.  Thus the instructions in the cracker recipe to dehydrate the mixture at 110 deg.

3 C golden flaxseeds, ground
2 large red bell peppers
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 C raisins
1 t sea salt
1/2 t ground cumin

Grind seeds in Vita-Mix or coffee grinder and transfer to bowl.  Blend remaining ingredients in food processor and mix with flaxseeds.  Spread mixture onto dehydrator trays and dry for 16-20 hours at 110 deg. 

Viv, my superstar Vita-Mix, processed the seeds up very well and I just added the other ingredients into the blender and processed that way.  At this point I lost my enthusiasm for my dehydrator and instead spread the mix on parchment paper on a baking sheet, made score lines and put in a low temp oven (around 200 deg) and baked for at least a half hour...I wasn't paying too much attention--American Idol was on-- :-).  I checked it a couple of times and left the sheet in longer as the crackers were still very flexible, so probably it was more like 45 mins.  I ended up turning the oven off and leaving the sheet in the oven overnite as the crackers still seemed very soft to me.

I absolutely LOVED these crackers!  I was going to call them "Brackers" as they seem part bread, part cracker, but settled on Flaxers.  I did sprinkle the top with coarsely ground Himalyan salt...just a very small amount; I'm phasing salt out or at least cutting it down to minimal amounts.  These went fantastically with the last of my tomato-squash soup....yum, yum.  I can see just endless variations on this recipe; throw a couple of shallots in there, or some dill.  Many options.

I only made up half the recipe amount as I have had quite a few recipe failures of late, and that can be discouraging.  I made the Black Beans in Red Velvet Mole from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Appetite for Reduction book.  I found it to be completely inedible.  I'm not sure what type of tastes a person would have to have to eat this, but it wasn't for my palate.  I also tried a miso dressing, will have to find which cookbook that came from....not for me as well.  Like Edison said, when you make a mistake, you really don't make a mistake, you just eliminate an option (I'm paraphasing), so I will chalk it up to that.

Even with my mistakes, my food program is going well, and I'm down another pound this week; thank you, Joel Fuhrman!  Now I will work on my self-assigned homework to be more like water and to not become a bully myself in my efforts to create change.

Sue, like water...if only a trickle, in Ohio