Christmas Eve/Day Menus

Christmas Eve Menu
=======================

An all-vegan Christmas Eve buffet this year, with the exception of some mlk chocolate truffles that were given to us by a well-meaning friend. (We figured we'd best foist them off on the unsuspecting omni hordes rather than let them go to waste.) And a few of our guests brought chocolate chip cookies, which were immediately seized upon. I spent the night nibbling on veggies, fruit and hummus and sipping my sparkling cider. Quite possibly my most virtuous holiday ever.

- baba ghanoush
- hummus
- pita chips
- Japanese rice crackers w/ peanuts
- toasted nori sheets
- dried mango
- dried blueberries
- black olives
- hearts of palm
- marinated mushrooms
- baby carrots
- grape tomatoes
- tortilla chips
- potato chips
- salsa
- ginger-lime-almond fruit salad
- lentil soup (from Vive le Vegan)
- roasted cashews
- potato soup
and in the non-vegan corner...
- truffles
- chocolate chip cookies

Christmas Day Lunch
========================

Inspired by our leftovers, I whipped up sort of a Middle Eastern light lunch. My husband raved while I not-so-secretly reveled in how nutritious everything was. Different strokes, I know...

- baked falafel w/ lemon-hummus sauce
- tomato-olive-heart of palm salad
- ginger-lime-almond fruit salad

Voila, the two new recipes...

Mediterranean Salad
-----------------------

a few large handfuls grape tomatoes, halved
2-3 hearts of palm, sliced and halved
6-10 kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
a few dashes each salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature to let the flavors combine.

Ginger-Lime-Almond Fruit Salad
------------------------------------

1 can longans in syrup, drained
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup almond jelly, drained and diced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp lime juice

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to chill thoroughly and let flavors combine. (It's even better when you let it sit overnight... everything gets a delicious almondy flavor.) You can find longans and almond jelly in cans at most Asian markets.

West African Black-Eyed Peas & Bulgur

This was inspired by my favorite dish at Cookry, the West African restaurant in Des Moines. My version isn't nearly as butter-laden, and I'm far too lazy to make rice, but it was delicious over cracked wheat.

1 heaping tablespoon Earth Balance
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 small leek, thinly sliced
2 cans black-eyed peas, drained
1 can finely diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 vegetable bouillon cube
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1-1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

1/2 cup cracked wheat
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 vegetable bouillon cube


Melt the Earth Balance in a heavy-bottomed large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the spices, garlic and leek and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Add the black-eyed peas, tomatoes, 1/2 of the bouillon cube, nutritional yeast, water and coconut milk and lower to a simmer. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.

Meanwhile, put the cracket wheat, water and the other half of the bouillon cube into a smaller saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the bulgur has softened.

To serve, spoon the black-eyed pea mixture over the bulgur. Eat with grilled plantains.

Hearty Vegetable-Barley Soup

I threw this together last night because I needed something easy and filling; when I ladled it out into bowls, my boy happily sighed: "I love this kind of soup!" Which just goes to show you that sometimes the simplest food can be the best.

1 tsp olive oil
1 leek, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 potato (preferably Viking Purple), diced
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup pearled barley
1/3 cup red lentils (optional)
1 veg bouillon cube
2 cans of water
1 bay leaf
1 small dried chipotle pepper (optional)
1 tsp white miso (optional)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the leeks, garlic and carrots, and saute for a few minutes, or until everything begins to brown. Add the tomatoes, potato, beans, barley, lentils, bouillon cube, water, bay leaf and chipotle pepper and mix well. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Turn the heat down to low. Remove the bay leaf and chipotle pepper and stir in the miso until dissolved.

Note: I got Viking Purple potatoes at our farmer's market. I don't normally care for white potatoes, but these are wonderfully creamy and have an almost velvety texture.

Butternut Curry w/ Sweet Potato Leaves

I got the inspiration for this from a library book on African cuisine. The book included a recipe for pumpkin curry, which reminded me of all the times I had spicy, savory, coconutty pumpkin curry for lunch in Thailand. I was surprised at how easy it was to nail this recipe in one. Truly delicious.

1 medium butternut squash, seeds removed, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
6-8 oz. sweet potato leaves (or spinach)
1 cup green beans, cut into small pieces (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 drizzle olive oil
1/4 tsp each ground ginger, cardamom & garam masala
1/2 tsp red curry paste
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 tsp peanut butter
2 tsp tamarind paste (or lime juice)
1-1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp white miso

Arrange the squash cubes on a baking sheet and spray generously with canola oil. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the cubes are tender. Meanwhile, steam the green bean pieces. Remove the squash from the oven.

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, spices and red curry paste. Stir until the garlic is well coated. Cook for a minute or two, just until fragrant. Add the squash cubes, green beans and coconut milk and lower the heat to a simmer. Whisk the peanut butter, tamarind paste, soy sauce and miso together, then add to the pot along with the water. Stir well to dissolve everything. Add the sweet potato leaves and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the leaves are wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Autumn EquiDetox Soup

This soup is light, nourishing and packed with antioxidants and vitamins to help clear out toxins and ward off autumn chill.

1 tsp olive oil
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 small winter squash, diced (butternut or delicata)
2 cups summer squash, ribboned
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 dried chipotle pepper
3 cups water
1 vegan bouillon cube
1 small apple, diced
1/3 cup uncooked barley
1/4 tsp garam masala


Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, diced squash and carrot slices. Saute for 5 minutes, or until browned. Add the water, bouillon cube, tomatoes, chipotle pepper, apple and barley and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, add the garam masala, and cook for 40 minutes, or until the barley are chewy and the squash is tender.

Guide to Weird Ingredients

A friend of mine recently (and rightly) pointed out that I call for all kinds of weird things in my recipes. Thus, I'm embarking on this master post, where I'll endeavor to explain the origin, purpose, and where to get most of my weird ingredients.

Nutritional Yeast

A yellow flaky or powdery supplement found in the bulk section of most health food stores. It adds a savory, nutty, almost cheesy taste to recipes. In most cases, it can be left out entirely. When it's called for in quantities over a few tablespoons, you might not want to leave it out. The main reason I include it in so many recipes is because it's a non-animal source of vitamin B-12, which is otherwise lacking in a vegan diet.

Seitan / Wheat Gluten

Also known as wheat-meat, seitan is made from rinsing wheat dough until all the starch washes away and all you're left with is protein. It has a meaty flavor and a tender consistency, which makes it one of my favorite foods. You can find it at health food stores, but my favorite kind comes in cans at Asian markets, where it's called 'Vegetarian Abalone.' It's also really easy to make your own using vital wheat gluten flour (available at health food stores) and some spices. I usually use the recipe from The PPK, found here:
http://theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/recipe.php?RecipeID=112

Tempeh

Yet another protein-packed soy product, this time made from whole beans. Tempeh has a firm texture and a nutty, unusual flavor that's fabulous in sandwiches. It can be found in the frozen section of health food stores. Once thawed, it should be cooked and eaten within a few days.

Tofu

These days, you can find tofu everywhere... in most well-stocked grocery stores as well as health food stores and Asian stores. Tofu is essentially a cheese made from soy milk. It has a very bland flavor on its own, but it soaks up flavors well from other ingredients. Tofu's texture can be somewhat gelatinous, so pressing as much water out as possible and cooking it until firm is important.

There are TWO kinds of tofu: silken (which usually comes in vacuum-sealed cardboard boxes) and water-packed (sealed in plastic tubs with water to cover it). The silken kind is very soft and flabby; it's usually best used in puddings and sauces where you need a creamy consistency. I always get the extra-firm variety of water-packed tofu; it can be crumbled to a consistency like ricotta cheese, or cut into cubes or slices and baked or fried. Silken tofu will last indefinitely on the shelf; water-packed tofu will last for months unopened or up to a week opened.

Miso

Yet another soy product, this time a paste made from fermented soy beans. Miso is intense, salty, savory and a little sweet. If boiled, it can turn bitter, but if cooked gently, it lends a deep, rich flavor to savory dishes and soups. It can be found in plastic tubs in the refrigerated section of health food stores and well-stocked grocery stores. It will keep for several months in the fridge.

Hummus

A spread made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans), olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and tahini (sesame seed paste). It's creamy and savory, a great sandwich spread and dip.

Baba Ghanoush

Hummus with pureed roasted eggplant mixed in, baba ghanoush has a creamy flavor and a lighter consistency than hummus. I think it makes an admirable substitute for sour cream.

Phyllo Dough

Light, thin leaves of pastry. Phyllo is great for topping casseroles or rolling up with sweet fillings to make dessert. It can be found in the frozen section of most grocery stores and health food stores. When I'm not in the mood to deal with it, I frequently use frozen puff pastry instead.

Panko

Light, flaky Japanese bread crumbs. These can be found at Asian markets and places like Target and World Market. (I've also found them at health food stores, but they're prohibitively expensive.)

Quinoa

A small, round grain that can be found in the bulk sections of health food stores and boxed at well-stocked grocery stores. Quinoa is packed with protein and cooks up in about 20 minutes, which makes it one of my favorite grains.

Chipotle peppers

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can be found canned in the Mexican food section of some well-stocked grocery stores. They lend a smoky, spicy flavor to all kinds of dishes. I usually dump the contents into a small bowl and puree them, then transfer to a jar and keep in the fridge or freezer until needed.

Dark sesame oil

Available at health food stores and Asian markets, as well as the Asian sections of some grocery stores. Dark or toasted sesame oil has a nutty flavor that brings out the flavors of other ingredients. Just the smell of it makes me hungry.

Vegenaise

A soy or grapeseed-oil based version of mayonnaise, minus the eggs. It can be found at grocery stores and health food stores.

Sucanat

A dark form of sugar that comes in little round granules. Sucanat is essentially evaporated cane juice, which makes it a slightly healthier sugar. It can be found in the bulk section of most health food stores. Normal sugar can be subsituted in equal parts.

Raw cashews

Unroasted, unsalted cashew nuts. Blended into a powder, they lend creaminess and protein to smoothies and sauces. Can be found in the bulk section of most health food stores.

Plantains

Plantains looks like big, slightly black bananas. They shouldn't be eaten raw, but when they're baked, grilled or fried, they take on a delectable sweetness. Can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores and Asian markets. When they're black, they're ripe.

Crystallized Ginger

Chunks of ginger root soaked in sugar syrup. Sweet and slightly spicy, they're great for indigestion or nausea. They can be found in most health food stores.

Tahini

A paste made from sesame seeds, water and/or olive oil and salt. It can be found in the refrigerated section of health food stores and the Mediterranean/deli section of well-stocked grocery stores.

Pine Nuts

An essential for many Mediterranean dishes. They can be found in the spice section of most grocery stores, but they're much cheaper when bought at bulk stores like CostCo, where they're stocked with the other nuts.

Kale & Swiss Chard

Dark leafy greens that can be found in the produce section of most supermarkets. Kale takes a little longer to cook... chard can be used pretty much anywhere you'd use spinach. Packed with vitamins and minerals, they're nutritional powerhouses.

Mori-Nu Mates pudding mixes

Available in the baking section of most health food stores, these are designed to be blended with silken tofu to make desserts. I use them in my key lime pie and my smoothies, among other things. They're time savers.

Earth Balance

A form of margarine that doesn't use the evil hydrogenated fats that makes most margarine solid.

Gnocchi

Cute little potato dumplings that cook up in about 2 minutes, gnocchi have a softer texture than pasta but pair well with almost all pasta sauces. They can be found frozen or vacuum-packed in stores like World Market (and some well-stocked grocery stores). I've made my own, using mashed potatoes and flour, too. Very tasty.

Soba

Whole wheat Japanese noodles that cook up in 5 minutes or less. We use these in place of spaghetti a lot... they're much quicker to cook and better for you. They can be found in health food stores and Asian markets.

Bragg's Liquid Aminos

Very similar to soy sauce. You can substitue soy sauce anywhere it's called for.

Rice vinegar & umeboshi vinegar

Special kinds of Japanese vinegar with special flavors. Rice vinegar is very mild; you could subsitute apple cider vinegar. Umeboshi vinegar has a salty, savory quality to it. Both can be found in the Asian sections of well-stock grocery stores, health food stores and Asian markets.

Garam masala

A blend of Indian spices available in the spice section of most grocery stores.

Polenta

Cornmeal that's been cooked up until it's firm. It's sold in tubes in the refrigerated/produce section of well-stocked grocery stores and health food stores. You can fry, grill or bake slices of it and serve with tomato sauce.

Perfect Barbecued Seitan

seitan, preferably homemade
garlic powder
onion powder
nutritional yeast
2-3 drops liquid smoke
olive oil
barbecue sauce

Cut the seitan into bitesize chunks. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, and liquid smoke and toss to coat. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a frying pan. Dump the coated seitan in the pan and let sit for a minute or so before turning. A brownish crispy crust will form on the seitan pieces. When they're browned on all sides, dump in the barbecue sauce and lower the heat to a very low simmer. When hot, consume!

(If you're going to use store-bought seitan, you might want to simmer it in water + soy sauce for a few minutes in order to make it all tender and juicy. I'm too much of a cheapskate to buy it, so I make my own, using the recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance.)

Crunchy Seitan Fingers

* 1 lb. seitan strips, no more than 1/4-inch thick
* 1 cup panko
* 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp onion powder
* 1 tsp seasoning salt
* a few dashes each black pepper & paprika
* 1/4 cup flour
* 1/2 cup seitan marinade or water
* 1 tsp cornstarch
* canola oil for frying

If using store-bought seitan, simmer in veggie broth or water + soy sauce for 15 minutes. (If using homemade, they should already be sufficiently juicy) Combine the panko, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and paprika and spread on a dinner plate. Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Whisk together the marinade or water and cornstarch in a shallow dish. Line up your dishes as follows:

1. Seitan strips
2. Flour
3. Cornstarch/liquid mixture
4. Panko mixture

Heat a thin layer of canola oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When it's bubbling, coat a seitan strip in the flour, then dip it in the cornstarch mixture, then roll in the panko mixture. When you've coated 4 or 5 strips, lay them in the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove to a flattened brown paper bag or paper towels to drain off the oil. Then consume!

I used the homemade seitan recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance. We feverishly devoured our finished fingers with barbecue sauce and hot mustard. Delish!

Creamy 'Chikin' Pot Pie

When I first started eating vegetarian, I didn't understand the thriving market of meat substitutes. After all, I don't like the taste of meat... why would I try to replicate its taste and texture? And overall, I still think that new veg*ns are better off staying away from faux meaty/creamy favorites. Learn to love the new food for what it is, not as a pale substitute for remembered past glory.

Still, the longer I do this, the more I see the necessity of occasionally replicating those favorite comfort foods. The better you can satisfy a craving, the less likely you are to fall off the wagon. If you can convince your body and your brain that the way you eat is now is just as good (if not better) than how you ate before, you're much more likely to stick with it.

Today was a hard day. Two of my recently acquired office fish died over the weekend. When I came home, I just wanted a taste of the past. Of comfort. Of home.

2/3 cup faux-chicken tenders (White Wave chickeny seitan would work well here), diced
1 cob of corn, kernels cut off
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 med carrot, diced
1 head baby garlic (or 2-3 cloves), smashed
1 cups Imagine creamy portobello soup
1/2 cup dry cashew gravy mix
1/3 cup Vegenaise
a few shakes each pepper and celery flakes
1/4 tsp sage
1 package (6) puff pastry shells

Set out the puff pastry and the faux-chicken bits to thaw. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Steam the carrots for a few minutes, or until tender. Put the carrots, faux-chicken bits, peas, and corn in the bottom of a pie plate.

Meanwhile, combine the soup and cashew gravy mix in a small saucepan and cook until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in sage, pepper, celery flakes and Vegenaise. Pour the mixture over the veggies.

Set the thawed puff pastry shells on top, brush or spray with oil, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until browned and puffed up.

Basic Mediterranean Pasta

Tonight our planned broccoli-chickpea dish was derailed by the unwelcome presence of a worm in our broccoli. Thus, we needed something to throw together in no time at all. This took roughly 5 minutes and definitely hit the spot.

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 14-oz can whole black olives
2 large spoonfuls artichoke hearts
1 tsp capers
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
a few fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Saute the garlic in some of the oil from the artichokes. When browned, add the tomatoes, artichokes, olives and capers. Add the nutritional yeast and heat until bubbly and hot. Serve over pasta!

Ginger Limeade

This nauseous-when-I-haven't-eaten thing is annoying, but fortunately it's easy to beat. I whipped this up while waiting for dinner tonight, and it really hit the spot.

1 knuckle-sized piece of ginger, grated
12 oz. water
3 ice cubes
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp maple syrup

Stir and be refreshed.

Berry-Ginger Smoothie

Tonight, like many Sunday nights, I just didn't feel like a full meal. But when 10 o'clock rolled around and I started feeling nauseous, I realized I'd better eat something. Voila, magic instant smoothie.

1-1/2 cups frozen mixed berries
1 knuckle-sized piece of ginger
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup fruit juice
2 smoothie ice cubes
2 handfuls raw cashews
splash lime juice
2 Tbsp ground flax seed

Blend for 3 minutes, or until smooth.

Grilled Plantains w/ Black Bean-Corn Relish & Gingered Mangoes & Strawberries

Grilled Plantains
1 semi-ripe plantain, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 tsp sucanat or sugar or maple syrup
1/4 tsp lime juice
dash salt

Rub the slices with lime juice and sprinkle with sucanat and salt. Generously oil the grill pan and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Black Bean-Corn Relish
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
kernels from 2 ears of corn
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
a few shakes chipotle hot sauce

Combine the corn kernels and a little water in a small saucepan. Cook the corn for 3 minutes, or until no longer raw. Drain the corn and add to the black beans. Add lime juice, cumin, garlic powder and hot sauce and mix well.

Gingered Mangoes & Strawberries
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
5-6 strawberries, quartered
2 pieces crystallized ginger, chopped or 1/4 tsp grated fresh ginger

Combine the mangoes, strawberries and ginger in a bowl and mix well. Let set for a few minutes, then serve!

Vegan desserts in Des Moines

Tonight we felt like something special after a quick meal (I was craving fast food like crazy, so a quick dinner was of the essence). So we drove the few blocks to Gelaterie Stam and got a few creamy, dense servings of their non-dairy fruit sorbets. If you're in the mood for a sweet treat, their fruit gelato is really fabulous. They also had a chocolate soy flavor, but I couldn't resist the large pink mounds of triple berry. (My boy had the right idea, though, when he went for the lemon. It was bright, fresh and not too sweet.)

Our other dessert indulgence (beyond the box of Soy Delicious ice cream sandwiches that we've been steadily working our way through) is the black sticky rice at The King and I. It's a purply-black rice pudding made with coconut milk that's absolutely sinful.

Seitan Patties w/ Grilled Sweet Potato Slices

I've made homemade seitan twice in two weeks, and it's scarily delicious. It's so meat-like in texture and taste that it really kinda freaks me out -- after all, the big reason I gave up meat is because I don't like how it tastes. But somehow I always crave more of it. We had this with the Garlicky Kale w/ Tahini Dressing from Vegan with a Vengeance (a much tastier dish than I was expecting!). The marinade is based off an internet recipe for vegan Worcestershire sauce. Very tasty.

Marinade
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp chipotle pepper puree
1 pinch onion powder
1 pinch ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.

Seitan Patties
3-4 thick slices seitan, preferably homemade
1/2 cup marinade
steak sauce, for brushing

Marinate the seitan slices in the marinade for 20 minutes to overnight. Remove from marinade and smear (or brush) with steak sauce. Grill the patties for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Grilled Sweet Potato Slices
1 sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/3 cup marinade
1/4 cup maple syrup

Put the slices in the bottom of a skillet. Add 1/4 inch water, cover, and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the slices can be pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, combine the marinade and maple syrup in a jar and shake to combine.

Preheat your oiled grill pan. Grill the slices for 2 minutes on each side, liberally basting with the marinade.

Tahini (Sesame Seed Paste)

Tonight I made Garlicky Kale with Tahini Dressing from Vegan with a Vengeance. But alas, I had just thrown out my six-month-old tahini, so I was fresh out. Rather than going to the store, I made this version. While it was a little chunky, it was still utterly delicious. Tahini by itself is a little bitter, but after my first taste, I just kept dipping my finger back in. There must be something in it that my body needs (calcium, maybe?).

1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 tsp black sesame oil
1/3 cup olive oil
water to thin

In a dry saucepan, toast the sesame seeds for 2 minutes, or until they start to turn golden. Then dump them out into a mortar and pestle (or food processor), let cool, and pound with a tiny bit of salt until they form coarse crumbs. Combine ground sesame seeds with the oils and water (start with just a splash) in a bowl (or food processor) and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Add water to achieve the consistency you desire.

Chocolate-Nutty Protein Shake

I whipped this together tonight because we had baked zucchini and tomatoes -- which is super-tasty and very good for you -- but has very little protein. This was sweet, creamy and smooth... almost a drinkable dessert.

1 frozen banana
1 handful berries
6 oz. silken tofu (the vacuum-packed kind)
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
1 tsp hemp seed nuts (optional)
1 handful raw cashews (optional)
1 cup soy milk
1/4 cup fruit juice
2 Tbsp cocoa powder

Puree all ingredients in a blender for a few minutes, or until very smooth. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking. Makes 2-3 8-oz. servings.

Ingredient Notes: Smoothies tend to get all of my pantry leftovers. I used the last of my farmer's market strawberries, which were a little overripe. I used Bolthouse Farms' Green Goodness smoothie for my fruit juice, and Mori-Nu Mates chocolate pudding mix instead of cocoa powder.

Total grams protein: 36.5g, or 12g per 8oz. serving
Banana = 1g
Tofu = 12g
Peanut butter = 8g
Cashews = 5g
Hemp seed nuts = 2g
Soy milk = 6g
Juice = 1/2g
Cocoa powder = 2g

Total percent calcium: 45%, or 15% per 8oz. serving
Banana = 1%
Tofu = 10%
Peanut butter = 1.5%
Cashews = 1%
Soy milk = 30%
Cocoa powder = 1.5%

Total grams magnesium: 300mg (100%), or 100mg (30%) per 8oz. serving
Banana = 30mg
Tofu = 44mg
Peanut butter = 50mg
Cashews = 82.5mg
Hemp seed = 5mg
Soy milk = 39.2mg
Cocoa powder = 50mg

Fresh Pesto

1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp hemp seed nuts (optional)
2-3 cups basil leaves, chopped finely
2 heaping tablespoons pine nuts
1 tsp white miso
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2-3 Tbsp olive oil

In a dry saucepan, toast the pine nuts just until they start to turn golden. Put the garlic, salt and hemp seed in a mortar and pestle and pound until it forms a paste. Add the basil leaves and pine nuts and pound again until finely pulverized. Turn out into a bowl, add miso, yeast and olive oil and taste until it seems right.

Red Lentil Rice Soup w/ Kale

This is partially inspired by a delicious soup I had at The Olde Main Brewery in Ames, but it also borrows a fair amount from an Indian lentil-rice porridge called kitchari. Kitchari is used to soothe the digestive system in traditional Ayurvedic lore, and this soup is both soothing and packed with nutrition.

1 vegetable bouillon cube
4 cups water
3/4 cup red lentils
3/4 cup rice
1 14-oz. jar finely diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp soy sauce or Braggs liquid aminos
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
2-3 cups kale, washed and torn into pieces

Combine the bouillon cube, water, soy sauce and spices in a large soup pot and cook over medium-high heat until the bouillon begins to dissolve. Add the lentils, rice and tomatoes and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the lentils and rice are soft. Using a hand blender, puree the soup to desired consistency.

Put the kale and a little water in a covered saucepan and cook for a few minutes, or until darkened. Drain off the water and add the kale to the soup. Stir and serve with hunks of tasty bread!

Mango-Strawberry Sunshine Pie

12 oz. extra firm silken tofu
1 pkg. Mori Nu Mates vanilla pudding mix
3-4 mangoes, sliced
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup tart-sweet liquid of your choice (I used green goodness smoothie)

1 graham-cracker crust
8-10 strawberries, thinly sliced
1 tsp sucanat
1/2 mango, sliced into thin crescent moons

Place the tofu, mangoes, lime juice, ginger and tart liquid in a large bowl. Blend with a stick blender for several minutes, or until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Pour the mixture into prepared graham cracker crust. Arrange the strawberry slices in a layer over the top of the tofu mixture. Sprinkle with sucanat. Top with the mango moons in a sunflower-like shape on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, or until set.

BBQ Grilled Seitan

Marinade
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tsp Asian garlic chili sauce
5-6 drops liquid smoke
1-1/2 Tbsp sorghum molasses
1/2 tsp rice vinegar

2 cups seitan AND/OR 12 oz. extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp sucanat OR brown sugar

Place the seitan in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl, then pour over the seitan. Marinate for at least one hour (overnight, if possible).

Drain off the marinade and put in a small saucepan. Add the sucanat or sugar and simmer the marinade until bubbly.

Grease a grill pan very well. Grill the seitan over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until slightly blackened. Put the grilled seitan in a covered glass dish, coat with barbecue sauce and let sit until the whole batch is finished. Serve with the warm marinade on the side.

Notes: If using tofu, cut into 1/4-inch thick triangles. Unless you like your tofu wobbly, you'll need to bake it in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes to firm it up and/or pan-fry it before adding the grill marks.

Creamy Penne w/ Seitan & Tomatoes

This is total comfort food -- completely irresistible and makes for great left-overs.

1/4 cup flour
1/8 cup nutritional yeast
1 cup water
1/2 veg. bouillon cube
1/2 Tbsp. miso
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
salt to taste
1 Tbsp margarine
1/2 tsp mustard
2-3 Tobasco

Mix the flour, yeast, water and bouillon in a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until thickened. Mix in miso, garlic powder, paprika and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or so. Stir in the margarine and mustard and Tobasco.

1 can braised wheat gluten, well rinsed and shredded
8 oz. small pasta, cooked
1 can finely diced tomatoes, undrained

Put the water for the pasta on to boil. When boiling, drop in the pasta and cook until done. Meanwhile, add the wheat gluten and tomatoes (with their juice) to the sauce and simmer until bubbling, hot and thickened. Drain the pasta over them. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss well to coat. Serve immediately.

Louisiana Lentil Stew

Adapted from The Ethnic Vegetarian, which has bunches of interesting-looking recipes that I'm just dying to try. This was quite possibly the most flavorful lentil soup I've ever had... very satisfying, and packed full of nutrients to boot!

1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2-3 dashes liquid smoke
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup lentils
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp pureed chipotle in adobo OR 1/4 tsp chipotle hot sauce
1/2 cup sweet red wine
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 hefty pinch rosemary
ground pepper to taste
8-10 oz. kale and/or swiss chard

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Saute the onion powder and garlic for 3-5 minutes, or until browned. Add the water, nutritional yeast, liquid smoke, bay leaves and salt and bring to a boil. Add the lentils, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more water if the lentils start to look dry.

Meanwhile, put your kale and/or swiss chard in a steamer insert or metal colander and steam for 5 minutes, or until dark and wilted. Rinse the steamed leaves under cool water and use scissors to cut them up into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

Once the lentils are tender, add the wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, chipotle, basil, oregano, rosemary and pepper. Return to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the greens and simmer for 15 minutes more. Serve hot with crusty bread!

Baked Polenta w/ Puttanesca Sauce

Adapted from The Big Book of Vegetarian. I didn't have capers or green olives for the sauce, so I adapted to what I had on hand. This was delightful, and it only took 20 minutes or so to whip up. (My boy made himself a chicken/mustard sandwich and took twice as long.)

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sweet red wine
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 jar finely diced tomatoes w/ juice
2 basil leaves, finely chopped
1 handful kalamata olives, pitted and smooshed
1 artichoke heart, smooshed
a few drops Tobasco

Heat the oil in a saucepan, and saute the garlic until golden. Add the wine, tomato paste, tomatoes and basil and simmer merrily for 10-15 minutes. Add the olives, artichoke and Tobasco and heat through, then remove from the heat.

6-8 slices sun-dried tomato polenta
olive oil
ground pepper

Meanwhile, smear the slices with olive oil and pop in the oven for 10 minutes at 425 degrees, or until browned. Transfer to a plate, season with pepper, and top with the sauce. Serve with a glass of red wine.

Des Moines: A Vegan Home Sweet Home

When we moved to Des Moines, I was initially skeptical about my chances of finding vegetarian-friendly restaurants. (I remember when a college friend from a small Iowa town said that it would be more shocking for her to come home and declare she was a vegetarian than to come home and declare she was a lesbian.) Contrary to my expectations, I've been pleasantly surprised at just how easy it is. Most of the Asian restaurants in town have entire menus of vegetarian food, and even some of the non-usual chains have been accommodating: Z'Marik's, Panchero's, HuHots, etc. As long as you don't go to a steakhouse, a barbecue joint or a McDonald's, I can almost always find something I can eat.

All that said, I've been absolutely delighted to discover two of the most vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Des Moines living side-by-side in Western Gateway Park: Ritual Cafe and Beggar's Banquet. We discovered Ritual Cafe a few months ago, when the new library opened. It's your classic funky coffee shop run by a team of happy hippie women, and the menu is all-vegetarian. I ordered a hummus sandwich minus the cheese, and they poked their heads up while making my sandwich to ask if I was a vegan. Needless to say, I happily nodded; I wasn't entirely sure any eating establishments in Des Moines even knew what 'vegan' meant. The hummus was amazing, as were their smoothies. They quickly replaced Gong Fu Tea as our regular post-library stop.

This weekend, during the Des Moines Art Festival, we eschewed the crowded food booths and headed to the Ritual Cafe for a plate of hummus and a smoothie. Sadly, they had locked up the grill to accommodate the Art Festival rush. They had pre-made wraps on hand, but all of them had cheese. The curly-headed barista remembered I ate vegan and promptly shuffled me off next door to Beggar's Banquet.

Beggar's Banquet reminds me of our favorite neighborhood deli in New Orleans. It's a no-frills sandwich shop staffed by friendly young people, and their vegan food is clearly marked as such (which nearly made me cry). I had a tempeh reuben with soy cheese, which was utterly divine. Needless to say, we'll be returning for future lunch engagements.

It so refreshing to discover such enlightened food in the middle of a traditionally meat-and-potatoes state. Anyone who thinks we're backward definitely needs to dive into these establishments. Tell 'em a happy vegan sent you their way.

Pesto Pizzas

I mourned pizza when I had to give up cheese. I deeply love pizza with all of my being, and I was just sure that you couldn't do pizza without cheese. Our first store-bought frozen no-cheese pizza held up that suspicion by being soggy and un-pizza-like. But these were delicious, and just salty and surprising enough that cheese honestly could not have improved them.

2 store-bought mini pizza crusts (or thick pita breads)
1/3 cup pesto
1 heirloom tomato, sliced thinly, goopy bits removed
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
10ish mushroom slices
4 basil leaves, sliced thinly
4-5 artichoke hearts, mashed lightly

Spread the pizza crusts with the pesto, then top with everything else in whatever order you desire. I put the tomatoes on first, followed by the mushrooms, artichoke hearts, garlic and basil. Spray the tops of the pizzas with baking spray and pop in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the crusts are browned and the veggies look delicious!

Easy French Toast

This morning, I really wanted to make the Fronch Toast from Vegan with a Vengeance, but I didn't have any chickpea flour in the house, and I was hungry and needed it *now*. So I did this instead (and boy, was it ever worth it).

1 banana
2/3 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
several hefty sprinkles of salt
1 tsp nutritional yeast

2-3 slices of stale or very lightly toasted bread
2 Tbsp canola oil

fresh or frozen strawberries
maple syrup

Blend the banana, soy milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and yeast together until they form a frothy, smooth batter. Soak bread in the batter. Heat the canola oil to medium high, then fry the soaked toast for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until crusty and golden. Meanwhile, put the strawberries in a small saucepan and just cover with maple syrup. Heat for a few minutes, or until the strawberries are heated through and the maple syrup is reddish.

Serve immediately, with strawberry syrup drizzled over each toast piece. Divine!

Pesto Gnocchi

If store-bought pesto didn't have cheese, this would be the ultimate in simplicity: gnocchi + pesto = love. But sadly, it's rare to find premade pesto without parmesan or asiago. I'd make pesto at home, but I rarely have enough fresh basil on hand to make a decent batch. Enter my local grocery store, which has packets of Simply Organic pesto sauce on hand, which (happily) are naturally cheese-free.

1 packet simply organic pesto sauce
1/3 cup pine nuts
1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 package potato gnocchi

Put on 4-6 cups salted water to boil. In a dry saucepan, toast the pine nuts for 5 minutes, or until they turn golden. Add the pesto sauce packet, 1/2 cup water, oil and yeast and stir until thickened. Remove from heat.

Once the water is boiling, drop the gnocchi in and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Drain, return to pot and toss with a little pesto sauce.

Serve immediately with a large salad and extra pesto sauce to top each serving with.

Peanut Soba w/ Tofu & Peas

Super-quick, super tasty. You might want to make your peanut sauce on the sharp/savory side, since the peas are sweet and the tofu and noodles are mild. I'd use raw garlic to give it some extra bite.

4 cups water
4 oz. soba
1/2 cup peanut sauce, or to taste
2 cups sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
2 oz firm tofu, cut into tiny pieces

Boil the water while you're trimming the ends off the peas and chopping up the tofu. Drop the soba in and cook for 5 minutes, or until al dente. Put the peas in the bottom of a colander and drain the soba over them. Return peas and soba to the pot with the tofu and peanut sauce and toss well to combine.

Garden Greens Soup

I made this up on the spot tonight when my proud gardener boy presented me with several bowls of freshly picked greens from the back yard. I needed something light and filling to take to work tomorrow... on Tuesday I'm getting my first cholesterol test in 5 months. Wish me luck...

1 veg bouillon cube
4 cups water
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 jar diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup quinoa
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 bunch kale, washed and trimmed
1 bunch swiss chard, washed and trimmed
ground pepper to taste
2 dashes Tobasco
2 dashes lime juice

Boil 2 cups of the water and pour over the bouillon cube. Stir to dissolve. Pour into the bottom of a large soup pot. Add the garlic, tomatoes, beans, quinoa, nutritional yeast and remaining water and turn on high. Boil for 5-10 minutes, or until the quinoa start rising to the top. Lower the heat to a simmer and add kale & swiss chard. Cook for another 3 minutes, or until the greens are wilted. Season to taste with pepper, Tobasco and lime juice.

Super-Creamy Guacamole w/ Homemade Corn Chips

Boy, it's a good thing I got over my childhood aversion to avocadoes. Since I've started following a vegan diet, they have been my salvation. They're the perfect creamy/rich stand-in for cheese and sour cream in a Mexican meal, and they're just so damn good on toasted hummus sandwiches. While we were in Houston last month, we went to a Mexican restaurant that made its guacamole tableside, and it had a particularly creamy depth to it that I've been craving ever since. I tried to make it last week from a recipe and failed utterly; this time around I did much better. Sinful delight! (And since my boy doesn't like guac, I had it all to myself. Mua-ha-ha!)

Guacamole
1/2 avocado
1/4 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, mashed and minced
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp chipotle garlic salsa
1/2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, minced very finely

Chips
4 corn tortillas
salt to taste
baking spray

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lay the 4 tortillas on a baking sheet. Spray them with the baking spray. Flip and spray again. Slice each tortilla into quarters, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 5-10 minutes, or just until they're starting to get golden. Don't let them burn!

While the chips are cooling, mash all guacamole ingredients together in a bowl. Serve immediately and relish your avacado-laden decadence!

Mango Ginger Tofu

This is adapted from Isa's recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance (my new favorite cookbook). It was a little effort, but well worth it. We had this with steamed farmer's market asparagus, and it was the perfect end to a very long week. (Last night, for our anniversary, we went out for Thai food, where I chowed down on fried tofu, papaya salad and sweet purple rice w/ coconut milk. Num!)

2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 pieces crystallized ginger
2-3 mango pieces, roughly chopped
1 dash Tobasco
1 shotglass full of maple syrup
1/2 cup white wine
fresh black pepper to taste
a few dashes of Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/8 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 shotglass full of lime juice
1/2 cup orange juice

1 block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
2 pieces mango, sliced in long thin slices

Mash the crystallized ginger, garlic and mango with a mortar and pestle until well pulverized. Add Tobasco, maple syrup, wine, pepper, Bragg's, garam masala, vinegar, lime juice & orange juice and puree with a hand blender.

Cut the tofu into triangle shapes, lay in a plastic Tupperware container, and pour the marinade over them. Marinate overnight.

The next day, extract the tofu and lay in a single layer in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Ladle a little marinade over the tofu slices. Spray generously with baking spray. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the marinade in a saucepan and simmer until darkened.

Take the tofu out, flip the slices over over, and ladle more marinade on top. Spray generously with baking spray, add the mango strips to the tofu, then bake for 30-40 more minutes, or until the tofu slices are browned on top.

Pour the reserved marinade into a bowl and serve the tofu slices topped with marinade.

Sundried Tomato Pesto

1/2 cup dry sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
1 cup water
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 tbsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil

Put the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl. Boil the water in a kettle and pour it over the tomatoes, then cover and let sit for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft. Drain and set aside. Put the pine nuts in a dry saucepan and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring, or until just golden.

Crush the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt & pepper in a mortar and pestle until they form a thick paste. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, add the olive oil and tomatoes, and pulverize with the pestle. Finish the mixture off with a hand blender until smooth.

Toss with pasta or gnocchi and consume!

Spinach-Artichoke-Tomato Salad w/ Orange Dressing

1 bag (or several plants' worth) spinach leaves, washed and torn
1 tomato, sliced into chunks
10-15 artichoke hearts, drained

Put all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine.

Dressing
4 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp honey mustard
1 Tbsp olive oil

Whisk all ingredients together and serve on the side, so each diner can dress her own salad.

Panko-Crusted Portabello Tenders

I couldn't find any vegan recipes for panko-breaded portabellos, so I went out on a limb and invented my own. Oh, how I love it when a recipe bunny works out! These were delicious, decadent, and surprisingly quick to make. They're perfect for when you're having fast food cravings. Serve with a spinach salad and any dipping sauce you desire (I had mine with sundried tomato pesto thinned with a little water & lemon juice).


4 portabello mushroom caps
1/3 cup water
2 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos

3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp each salt & pepper

1/2 cup plain soy milk
1/4 cup flour
canola oil for frying
1 brown paper grocery bag, torn into dinner-plate-sized sections

Slice the mushroom caps into 1/2-inch thick slices. Toss the slices with the water and Braggs in a large covered pan and steam for 5 minutes, or until they start to darken. Drain well, rinse with cold water and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, mix the panko, yeast, onion & garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper together and spread in the bottom of a pie plate. Pour 1/2 inch of canola oil into your frying pan and turn it on medium high. Set up an assembly line leading up to your frying pan that goes thusly: 1. Mushroom slices; 2. Dinner plate with flour; 3. Shallow dish of soy milk; 4. Pie plate with panko; 5. Frying pan.

Once the oil is hot, dip each mushroom slice into the flour, then into the soy milk, then roll it in breadcrumbs and lay in the frying pan. Fry for 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Lift out of the oil and let cool on a piece of brown paper bag (the paper will absorb any excess oil).

Ingredient Notes: You can get portabello mushroom caps cheaply at Dahl's or in bulk at CostCo. Braggs Liquid Aminos, nutritional yeast and plain soy milk can be found at New City Market or Campbell's; if you can't find them, you can substitute soy sauce, finely grated Parmesan cheese, and any kind of milk you desire (cow, rice, almond) or water. Panko breadcrumbs are in the Asian section of most well-stocked supermarkets; I found mine at Double Dragon Market.

Spinach and Artichoke Pie

I adapted this from Fat Free Vegan, and it was delicious. Deeply satisfying, too, to wildly mush everything together, throw it in the oven and abscond to the living room to do yoga. We used our first spinach harvest from the garden in this dish. As in the original recipe, you can use phyllo dough to top the spinach mixture; I frequently do. But when I'm feeling lazy (which is often), I break out the puff pastry.

2 bags (16-ish oz.) baby spinach

12 oz. extra-firm tofu (the water-packed kind in tubs)
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1-2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
black pepper, to taste
a few shakes of hot sauce
7-10 artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
olive oil for smearing

Set the puff pastry out to thaw. Put the spinach on the stove with a little water and cook, covered, until uniformly dark. In a colander, drain the tofu, and using clean hands, squish it until it resembles ricotta cheese, draining off the liquid. Put the tofu, seasonings and artichoke hearts in a bowl and mash well.

Drain the spinach in the colander. Throw a few handfuls of pine nuts in the bottom of a dry saucepan and cook, stirring for a 5 minutes, or until golden. Add the pine nuts and spinach to the tofu mixture and mix well.

Spread the mixture in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Top with the puff pastry. Smear a little olive oil on top of the puff pastry. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until golden and puffed up on top.

"Neat"-balls and Spaghetti

I adapted this from the PETA Celebrity Cookbook.

1 cup TVP granules
1 cup boiling water + 1/2 veg bouillon cube
2 dashes liquid smoke
3-4 dashes Tobasco

Dissolve the bouillon cube in the boiling water. Combine the TVP, bouillon, Tobasco & liquid smoke. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

Combine the yeast, flour and bread crumbs in a small bowl. Add to the TVP mixture.

1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp sage
1/4 tsp salt
ground pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

Grind the spices in a mortar and pestle. Add the spices to the TVP mixture. Form the mixture into small balls, coat with baking spray and set in a baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

2/3 jar marinara sauce
1/2 tsp pureed chipotle pepper in adobo
2 handfuls fettucine or linguine
6 cups water

Boil the water. Drop the pasta in and cook until al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil. Meanwhile, heat the marinara sauce. A minute or two before serving, remove from heat and stir in the "neat"-balls. Dish up the noodles, top with sauce.

Food/exercise log - May 18th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- avocado & hummus on toasted whole wheat
- raw organic carrots
- banana
- butternut squash soup

Snacks:
- 4 cups green tea
- fruit leather
- date coconut roll

Dinner:
- spaghetti & 'neat'-balls
- grapes

Exercise: 45 minutes walking (2 miles), 35 minutes weight-lifting (10-25 lb. sets)

Fresh Salsa

We don't have any salsa in the house, so I whipped this up to go on our black bean tostadas tonight. It took virtually no time and tasted marvelous.

1 large tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 handful cilantro leaves
1-1/2 tsp lime juice
2 dashes onion powder

Mix all ingredients together and let sit for a few minutes to let flavors mingle.

Food/exercise log - May 10th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- curried chickpeas in relish
- pita chips
- raw organic carrots
- grapes

Snacks:
- 3 cups green tea

Dinner:
- portobello steak
- grape-orange-soy nut salad w/ honey mustard dressing
- chocolate pudding w/ raw cacao nibs
- red wine

Exercise: 50 minutes yoga (Yoga for Dummies)

Food/exercise log - May 9th

Breakfast:
- bulgur with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- refried beans & salsa
- chips
- raw organic carrots
- pear

Snacks:
- 3 cups green tea
- baked plantain slices

Dinner:
- BBQ wheat meat
- almond green beans
- banana
- red wine

Exercise: 45 minutes weight-lifting (10-25 lb. sets)

BBQ Wheat-Meat & Almond Green Beans

I think I got the inspiration for this from another vegan food blog, though I can't remember which one. Regardless, this took about 5 minutes to prepare and was damn tasty.

BBQ Wheat-Meat

1/2 bottle barbecue sauce
2 cans braised wheat gluten tidbits, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp each garlic & onion powder (optional)
1/2 tsp pureed chipotle in adobo (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat on medium for 5 minutes, or until bubbly. If it chars on the bottom, so much the better! Just scrape it up and mix it in.

Almond Green Beans

3 large handfuls green beans, trimmed and washed
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup water
salt & pepper to taste
1 handful toasted sliced almonds

Combine green beans, lime juice, water and spices in a large pan. Heat, covered, for 5 minutes over high heat, or until no longer crunchy. Drain, sprinkle with almonds and consume!

Baked Plantains

When I made these with tostadas last week, my slightly wary boy (who didn't care for the last plantain preparation) looked at these and asked hopefully: "What are these? Fried bananas?" I thought about explaining, but instead I happily fudged: "Why, yes!" We then both proceeded to gobble them up.

2 ripe (mostly black) plantains
2 tsp Sucanat
2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp paprika
canola oil spray
dash salt

Spray a baking dish liberally with canola oil. Peel the plantains, then slice them into rounds. Lay the slices in the baking dish. Sprinkle with Sucanat, lime juice and paprika, then spray the tops liberally with more canola oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt, then bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until browned and crispy around the edges.

Food/exercise log - May 8th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- peanut-butter & creamed honey on toasted whole wheat
- raw organic carrots

Snacks:
- 4 cups green/pu-erh tea

Dinner:
- tomato-olive pasta w/ garlic & hearts of palm
- coconut rice crackers
- dates
- hard cider

Exercise: 35 minutes yoga (Crunch Joy of Yoga)

Food/exercise log - May 5rd-7th

5/5/06

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- veggie enchiladas
- refried beans & tortilla chips
- quinoa-chickpea soup
- mudslide pie (1/2 Tbsp)

Dinner:
- tempura vegetables
- seaweed-sesame salad
- miso soup
- avocado nori roll
- martini
- red wine

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

5/6/06

Breakfast:
- Kashi Good Friends and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- tomato-lime-chipotle soup
- hummus-avocado sandwich
- banana

Dinner:
- veggie-black bean burrito w/ guacamole
- chips and salsa
- red wine

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

5/7/06

Breakfast:
- fruit-nut muesli and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- peanut-butter-banana sandwich
- fruit leather
- vanilla soy milk
- pita chips w/ hummus

Snacks:
- goat cheese
- lemon curd
- kettle corn
- chocolate milk
- vanilla ice cream

Dinner:
- pita chips w/ salsa and hummus

Exercise: 45 minutes walking (2+ miles)

Food/exercise log - May 3rd-4th

5/3/06

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- peanut-butter & banana sandwich
- apple

Snacks:
- green tea (4 cups)
- fruit leather

Dinner:
- chickpea-quinoa soup
- oven-crisped corn tortillas

Exercise: 45 minutes yoga (Crunch fat-burning yoga)

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

5/4/06

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- black bean tostadas w/ tomatoes & cilantro
- banana

Snacks:
- green tea (4 cups)
- granola

Dinner:
- coconut-lime-mushroom soup
- broccoli-slaw salad w/ lime-garlic dressing

Exercise: 45 minutes weight-lifting

Refried Black Beans

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lime juice
2 Tbsp enchilada sauce
2-3 drops liquid smoke
4-5 drops chipotle Tobasco
3 Tbsp veggie broth
2 handfuls soy cheddar cheese (optional)

Combine all ingredients (except cheese) in a glass baking dish and mash until creamy. Top with cheese and bake for 30 minutes at 350 minutes, or until cheese is all melty.

Food/exercise log - May 2nd

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- red lentil-and-rice patties w/ coconut-cilantro sauce
- apple
- banana

Snacks:
- green tea (4 cups)
- fruit leather

Dinner:
- black bean tostadas w/ tomatoes & cilantro
- red wine

Exercise: 20 minutes vigorous lawn mowing, 20 minutes weight-lifting (10-25 lb. sets)

Red Lentil-Rice Patties w/ Coconut-Cilantro Sauce

When Fat-Free Vegan mentioned the recipe Telephone game, I had to play. My boy was very impressed by these -- and although they smoked up the kitchen, I'm very happy to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. (The sauce is absolutely divine.)

1 cup red rice
1/2 cup red lentils
3 1/2 cups water
2/3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pureed chipotle pepper in adobo
1-2 dashes liquid smoke

2 tbsp. Bulk UnCheese Mix
2-3 tsp sesame oil

Combine all above ingredients (except the UnCheese Mix and the sesame oil) in a saucepan and simmer briskly until the rice is tender and all the moisture is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Set in the refrigerator until completely chilled.

While the rice-lentil mixture is chilling, combine the following ingredients in a bowl and pulse with an immersion blender until completely mixed:

1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Set the coconut sauce in the fridge to chill. Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan. Roll the mixture into balls and flatten into patties. Dredge in the UnCheese Mix and fry patties in sesame oil for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve hot with the coconut sauce on top.

Ingredient Notes: I found the red rice at Double Dragon, our local Asian market, for $1/pound.

Food/exercise log - May 1st

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- soba, tofu, gluten and tomatoes
- pear

Snacks:
- green tea (4 cups)

Dinner:
- red lentil-and-rice patties w/ coconut-cilantro sauce
- vitamin C drops

Exercise: 40 minutes yoga (total body tone w/ weights & power beauty sweat)

Broccoli-Chickpea Bow Ties

3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 squirt Tobasco
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus additional olive oil, for drizzling
1 head broccoli, chopped into bite-size bits
1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper to taste
1 (15 ounces) can or 2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups penne pasta
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Put on water to boil. When boiling, drop in pasta and cook until al dente. Steam broccoli bits for 5 minutes, or until no longer crunchy.

Cook garlic, dill, salt and pepper in olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes.

Add broccoli, chickpeas, nutritional yeast and lemon juice and cook until heated through. Mix pasta and a few more drizzles of olive oil in with broccoli mixture.

Food/exercise log - April 27th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- chickpea-broccoli-garlic pasta
- raw organic carrots
- apple

Snacks:
- 4 cups green tea
- blue corn chips
- ginger granola

Dinner:
- portobello steaks
- strawberry-orange spinach salad
- shitake quinoa pilaf
- red wine

Exercise: 20 minutes yoga (Urban Living AM), 45 minutes walking (2 miles), 35 minutes weight-lifting (10-25 lb. sets)

Portobello Mushroom Steaks w/ Quinoa Pilaf & Fruity Spinach Salad

Portobello Mushroom Steaks

3 portobello mushroom caps
1 heaping tsp miso
1/2 tsp chipotle-pepper-in-adobo puree
1 drizzle dark sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp nutritional yeast flakes
3-4 drops liquid smoke
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds

Clean the mushroom caps and lay them in a baking dish. Mix all other ingredients except for the sesame seeds in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Smear the miso mixture on top of the mushroom caps. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake, covered, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until caps are cooked through.

Quinoa Pilaf

1/2 cup quinoa
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 veg bouillon cube
1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 handful shitake mushrooms, crumbled

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer vigorously for 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff and serve.

Fruity Spinach Salad

1/2 bag spinach leaves
4-5 strawberries, cut into small pieces
1/2 can mandarin oranges
1 handful roasted soy nuts
1 handful pecans, crushed
2 Tbsp mandarin orange juice, from the can
1 large squirt honey mustard

Combine spinach, berries, nuts and oranges in a bowl. Mix together orange juice and honey mustard to form dressing. Serve!

Food/exercise log - April 26th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- spicy papaya salad
- kitchari
- raw organic carrots
- pear

Snacks:
- 4 cups green tea
- dates, pecans and almonds

Dinner:
- chickpea-broccoli-garlic pasta
- strawberries & pineapple

Exercise: 45 minutes yoga (Crunch fat-burning yoga)

Food/exercise log - April 25th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- macaroni & peas
- pear
- raw organic carrots

Snacks:
- 3 cups green tea
- dates and pecans

Dinner:
- portobello-pine nut-phyllo strata
- apple

Exercise: 45 minutes weight lifting (10-25 lb. sets)

Broccoli & Gluten w/ Peanut Sauce & Quinoa

I've had this recipe idea in the back of my head for ages, and tonight I finally made it (we needed something fast, and we happened to have leftover broccoli in the fridge). It was gobbled up almost instantly... very filling, tasty and packed chock full of protein! I didn't have enough broccoli, so I threw in mushrooms and frozen peas, as well.

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 can braised wheat gluten bits, drained and rinsed
4-5 mushrooms, sliced thinly (optional)
2 Tbsp veggie broth
2/3 cup quinoa
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup veggie broth
Peanut Sauce

Combine the 2/3 cups water and broth and bring to a boil. Drop the quinoa in and let cook over medium-high heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli and mushrooms in 2 Tbsp veggie broth. Make the peanut sauce. Add the wheat gluten and 1 Tbsp peanut sauce to the broccoli/mushroom mixture, and cook until heated through.

Serve the broccoli/gluten mixture over the quinoa, and top each serving generously with more peanut sauce.

Peanut Sauce

A good peanut sauce should be in everyone's culinary repertoire. It's so easy, so satisfying and such a show-stopper. Note: All amounts in this recipe are approximate. You'll need to taste and adjust as needed.

1/2 cup peanut butter (preferably natural)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp lime juice
a few splashes orange juice, coconut milk and/or water, as needed

Optional:
1/2 tsp red curry paste or hot chili sauce
1 Tbsp coconut milk
a few drops dark sesame oil

Mix the peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic powder, honey, curry powder, lime juice, sesame oil & curry paste together in a bowl. Stir vigorously to combine, adding liquid of your choice as needed to thin the mixture to a workable consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings (I like mine sweet-tart, spicy and heavy on the curry). Mine is usually intense and thick when it's done... I have to shake the spoon to drip it onto whatever I'm eating it with.

This also makes a fabulous dip for raw veggies... almost *anything* tastes better with peanut sauce on it. It will keep indefinitely in the fridge.

Food/exercise log - April 20th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- spinach/mushroom enchilada
- sweet potato black bean hash
- banana
- raw organic carrots

Snacks:
- green tea (4 cups)
- raw organic carrots
- dates & pecans
- date coconut roll (I was hungry!)

Dinner:
- peanut-sauced gluten, broccoli, mushrooms & peas
- quinoa

Exercise: 30 minutes yoga (Urban Living AM), 45 minutes weight-lifting (10-25 lb. sets)

Food/exercise log - April 19th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- red beans
- Creole okra, tomatoes & corn
- toasted pita bread
- pear

Snacks:
- green tea (4 cups)
- banana
- fruit leather

Dinner:
- sweet potato black bean hash
- baked plantains

Exercise: 30 minutes yoga (Urban Living AM), 40 minutes yoga (Power Yoga - Intermediate Strength & Balancing)

Baked Zesty Plantains

I always loved fried plantains in restaurants, but I'd never thought to make them at home until a vegan blog (sorry, I don't remember which one!) mentioned having them with black beans. I drooled, I fantasized, I set out to make these. Plus, organic plantains are cheap! Cheaper than bananas! We had this with Black Bean Sweet Potato Hash, and I think I'm going to need to go get some more. Fabulous!

2 ripe (mostly black) plantains
2 Tbsp coconut rum
2 Tbsp lime juice
canola oil spray
dash salt

Spray a baking dish liberally with canola oil. Peel the plantains, slice them lengthwise and cut into pieces a few inches long. Lay the slices cut side up in the baking dish. Sprinkle with coconut rum and lime juice, then spray the tops liberally with more canola oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt, then cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until browned and smelling so damn good you have to rush out and gobble them up.

Food/exercise log - April 18th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- avocado-hummus sandwich on toasted whole wheat bread
- raw organic carrots
- apple

Snacks:
- green/rooibos tea (4 cups)
- banana
- date coconut roll
- raw organic carrots
- ginger zing granola

Dinner:
- red beans & (brown) rice
- Creole okra, tomatoes & corn

Exercise: 45 minutes weight-lifting (10/15/20/25 lb. sets)

Food/exercise log - April 17th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- curried chickpea-tomato soup
- pita chips
- apple

Snacks:
- soy chai
- banana

Dinner:
- stuffed pasta shells (spinach tofu, and marinara)
- date coconut roll
- red wine

Exercise: 30 minutes yoga (Urban Living AM), 45 minutes yoga (Crunch Fat-Burning Yoga)

Creole Okra, Tomatoes & Corn

A co-worker of mine brought this to our Mardi Gras potluck, and it was surprisingly delicious. Okra is a vegetable I've always been skeptical of (something about the combination of hairy and slimy that turns me off), but this is genuinely delicious. We served this with Red Beans and Rice Deluxe for a killer combination.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced mild green chiles, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, juice reserved
1-1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 dash each salt and pepper
1 16-oz. package frozen okra pieces
1 cup frozen corn

Drain the tomatoes and the chiles over a large bowl to catch the juices. Saute the onion powder and garlic in the olive oil until they start to brown, then add the chiles, tomatoes and Cajun seasoning. Cook for 3-5 minutes, then add okra, corn and reserved tomato juice. Cover and cook until heated through and the okra is no longer crunchy.

Red Beans & Rice Deluxe

This recipe was inspired by one at Fat Free Vegan. A revision of the Mardi Gras potluck classic. We had this tonight with Creole okra, tomatoes and corn, and it was so good that the boy actually licked the plate.

2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained
2-1/2 cups boiling water mixed with one veg bouillon cube
1 slice tempeh bacon, crumbled
1 generous handful each:
* red lentils
* texturized vegetable protein
1 Tbsp chipotle-garlic salsa
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp each:
* chipotle-flavored Tobasco
* garlic powder
* Cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 bay leaves

Combine all ingredients except for the rice in a crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove the bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, puree half the batch to create a thick stew-like texture. Serve over rice.

Cooked brown rice:
- 2/3 cup sweet brown rice
- 1-2/3 cup water
- dash salt
- drizzle of olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat for 30 minutes, or until nice and chewy.

Ingredient Notes: I used Lightlife tempeh bacon and Frontera chipotle salsa here, both of which I found at Campbell's.

Food/exercise log - April 16th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- spinach-mushroom enchiladas w/ tomatoes, olives and cilantro
- banana

Snacks:
- date coconut roll
- coconut-flavored rice crackers
- pickles

Dinner:
- "pink and purple" noodle/tofu/seaweed soup
- red wine

Exercise: 45 minutes weight-lifting (10/15/20/25 lb. sets)

Pink & Purple Asian Noodle Soup

3-1/2 cups water
1 cube bun rieu chay soup base (Vietnamese veg bouillon)
1 small handful dried laver, crumbled (optional)
3 Tbsp diced firm tofu (optional)
1 bundle somen noodles
hot chili sauce to taste (optional)

Put the water, bouillon and laver in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Add the tofu and noodles and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the noodles are soft. Season each serving to taste with hot chili sauce.

Ingredient Notes: I got all these ingredients at the Double Dragon Asian Market on 2nd Avenue for a combined total of less than $10. The resulting soup was filling, extremely tasty and it took less than 5 minutes to throw together.

Food/exercise log - April 15th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- black bean soup in a bread bowl

Snacks:
- soy chai
- date coconut roll
- banana

Dinner:
- spicy gluten w/ rice vermicelli, carrots & cucumber
- Thai iced tea

Food/exercise log - April 14th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- avocado/hummus sandwich
- tomato soup
- banana
- fruit salad

Snacks:
- rooibos/green tea (5 cups)
- raw organic carrots
- granola

Dinner:
- sweet potato red bean chili
- steamed broccoli
- date coconut roll

Exercise: 45 minute walk (2 miles)

Food/exercise log - April 13th

Breakfast:
- fruit-nut muesli and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- baked beans
- curried chickpea-tomato soup
- fruit salad
- whole wheat roll
- chips and salsa
- lemon pudding w/ ricemellow creme & flaked coconut

Snacks:
- rooibos/green tea (3 cups)
- jellybeans (1 small handful)
- dark chocolate (1 piece)
- banana
- ginger granola

Dinner:
- spinach-mushroom enchiladas w/ tomatoes, olives and cilantro
- dates & pecans

Exercise: 35 minutes yoga (Crunch Joy of Yoga)

Lemon Meringue Pudding

What can I say? The local health food store had rice-mellow creme on sale (it is delicious, by the way), and we had an Easter potluck at work. The fates aligned.

1 box silken firm tofu (the vacuum-packed kind)
1 package Mori-Nu Mates lemon creme pudding mix
4 Tbsp roasted coconut juice OR soy milk
2 Tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
a few drops lemon essential oil (optional)
1/2 tub rice-mellow creme
flaked unsweetened coconut
jellybeans

Blend the tofu, pudding mix and coconut juice/soy milk with a hand blender until smooth. Add the lemon juice & essential oil to taste (I like mine a little tart). Transfer to a glass bowl. In another bowl, whip the rice-mellow creme with a little water until it can be easily spread across the top of the pudding. Sprinkle coconut on top and arrange jellybeans attractively on top of that.

Curried Chickpea Tomato Soup

With my last batch of Potato Scones, I froze some of the unbaked scones by wrapping them in Saran Wrap and then sticking them in a Ziploc bag. I forgot to defrost them before starting this soup, so I just popped them straight onto a baking sheet and baked them for 30 minutes at 375. They didn't rise very well, but they were still damned addictive.

16 oz. (1/2 box) Imagine creamy tomato soup
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 heaping teaspoon mild curry paste OR curry powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 dash each liquid smoke and chipotle Tobasco (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a soup pot and simmer on low for 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Food/exercise log - April 12th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- sweet potato red bean chili
- raw organic carrots
- apple

Snacks:
- rooibos/green tea (5 cups)
- date coconut roll
- raw organic carrots
- granola
- passion fruit bat smoothie

Dinner:
- curried chickpea-tomato soup
- potato scones
- lemon pudding w/ ricemellow creme & flaked coconut
- red wine (1 glass)

Exercise: 30 minute walk (around the block), 35 minutes weight-lifting (10/15/20 lb. sets)

Food/exercise log - April 11th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- soba w/ tofu, gluten and tomatoes
- coconut rice crackers
- pear

Snacks:
- rooibos/green tea (5 cups)
- date coconut roll

Dinner:
- pasta w/ garbanzo beans, tomatoes, garlic & dill
- crystallized ginger (2 pieces)
- red wine (1 glass)

Exercise: 35 minutes yoga (Crunch Joy of Yoga)

Food/exercise log - April 10th

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

4/10/06

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- soyrizo burrito w/ black beans, wild rice, salsa and guacamole

Snacks:
- rooibos tea (3 cups)
- banana spring roll
- date coconut roll

Dinner:
- soba w/ tofu, gluten and tomatoes
- red wine (1 glass)

Exercise: 20 minute walk (around the block), 20 minutes yardwork (vigorous weeding)

Food/exercise log - April 6th

Breakfast:
- fruit-nut muesli w/ soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- sweet potato-red bean-tempeh chili
- rice chips & salsa
- pear

Snacks:
- rooibos/green tea (3 cups)
- coconut-date roll
- black sesame/rice crisps w/ hummus

Dinner:
- lentil tostadas w/ soy cheese, tomato, avocado, salsa & cilantro
- hard cider (1)

Exercise: 30 minutes yoga (Urban Living AM), 10 minute walk, 55 minutes yoga (Urban Living daily)

Total Exercise for April: 310 minutes

Veggie Pot Pie w/ Potato Scone Topping

1 small head broccoli, chopped into florets
1 small sweet potato, cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup each frozen peas and corn
pepper
2 batches of Cashew Gravy, made with a little curry powder
1 batch Potato Scone dough

Chop the broccoli and sweet potato. Steam the broccoli on the stove for 5-10 minutes, or until tender. Meanwhile, place the sweet potato and a little water in a microwaveable dish and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mix with the garlic, peas and corn in a pie dish. Season with pepper.

Make the cashew gravy according to directions and pour over the vegetables. Put together the potato scone dough and flatten it into a circle roughly the size of the pie plate. Lay the potato topping on top of the pie and spray with baking spray (or brush with olive oil).

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the topping is cooked through.

Food/exercise log - April 5th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- guacamole & hummus on a toasted hoagie
- zucchini-quinoa-tomato soup

Snacks:
- rooibos/green tea (5 cups)
- apple
- dark chocolate w/ chilis (1/2 piece)

Dinner:
- veggie pot pie w/ potato scone topping
- roasted coconut juice
- red wine (1 glass)

Exercise: 15 minutes yoga (Crunch energizer), 45 minutes weight-lifting (10/15/20/lb. sets)

Total Exercise for April: 215 minutes

Portobello Steaks w/ Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Portobello Steaks

Boy, do I love me those packs of 4 portobello mushroom caps that our local CostCo carries. If you love mushrooms even the slightest bit, this recipe is a no-brainer.

2 portobello mushrooms caps, stems trimmed
2 Tbsp steak sauce (as noted below, I prefer Pickapeppa sauce)
salt & pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 drizzle dark sesame oil
1-2 drops each liquid smoke & chipotle Tobasco
1-2 Tbsp black sesame seeds

Redhydrate the sun-dried tomatoes by setting them in a covered bowl of boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and let it sit in a mixture of the olive and sesame oils plus the liquid smoke and Tobasco while you prepare everything else.

Clean and trim the mushroom caps. Lay the mushroom caps in the bottom of a baking dish. Brush each cap with the steak sauce, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the oil/garlic mixture over them. Sprinkle each cap with black sesame seeds.

Cover with foil and bake in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked all the way through. Serve over...

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

4-5 Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and cut into bite-size chunks
water to cover
1 veg bouillon cube
1/3 cup plain soy creamer, or as needed
3 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
a hefty sprinkle nutritional yeast (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes, water and bouillon for 20 minutes, or until very soft. Drain and mash with the remaining ingredients until seasoned to taste. Finish the pureeing job with a hand blender, if desired.

Savory Chickpea Relish

Making cauliflower curry last night, I was hit by just how much I love Pickapeppa sauce. I had never even heard of it until I checked out Crescent Dragonwagon's The Passionate Vegetarian from the local library. And hoo boy, am I glad I decided to pick some up at the store. Since I'm obsessed with tamarind, it's no surprise that I love it so much.

So last night I had some leftover chickpeas from a gargantuan can of them we bought at Sam's, and it hit me like a train... wouldn't it be great if I mixed chickpeas with Pickapeppa sauce... and some pickle relish, maybe?... and stuffed it into warm pita bread? Heaven! Lunch today revealed that it is, indeed, a divinely inspired flavor combination.

1 cup (1/2 can) cooked chickpeas, drained
1-2 Tbsp Pickapeppa sauce
1-2 tsp sweet pickle relish
a hefty sprinkle each:
- curry powder
- nutritional yeast (optional)
pita bread

Mix the chickpeas, Pickapeppa, relish, curry powder and nut. yeast together and let sit overnight. Lightly toast the pita bread in your office's kitchen toaster, stuff with chickpea mixture and delight!

Food/exercise log - April 4th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- chickpeas and pickle relish w/ Pickapeppa sauce
- toasted pita bread
- pear

Snacks:
- rooibos tea (5 cups)
- kitchari w/ chopped dates
- ginger-peanut chew

Dinner:
- portobello steaks w/ garlic mashed potatoes
- roasted coconut juice
- red wine (1 glass)
- dark chocolate w/ chilis (1 piece)

Exercise: 45 minutes weight-lifting (10/15/20/lb. sets)

Total Exercise for April: 200 minutes

I wasn't having the best time coping last night, so I quit after one 10-lb. set of dumbell rows to cuddle with the boy on the couch and watch Boston Legal and consume red wine with dark chocolate. Sometimes you've just gotta give yourself a break, you know?

Food/exercise log - April 3rd

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- macaroni & peas w/ 'cheeze' sauce
- apple

Snacks:
- rooibos tea (2 cups)
- green tea (2 cups)
- kitchari w/ chopped dates
- ginger-peanut chew

Dinner:
- caulifower-potato-pea curry w/ red lentils & quinoa
- hard cider (1)

Exercise: 15 minutes yoga (Crunch Yoga Energizer), 20 minutes yoga (Intermediate Yoga for Dummies)

Total Exercise for April: 155 minutes

Food/exercise log - April 2nd

Breakfast:
- Malt-o-meal w/ apricot honey and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- papaya salad w/ tomatoes, green beans and peanuts

Snacks:
- soy chai (1 cup)
- rice crackers w/ peanuts (1 bag)

Dinner:
- kitchari (rice-lentil porridge w/ coconut milk & spices)
- red wine (1 glass)

Exercise: 35 minutes vigorous leaf raking, 45 minutes yoga + weight-lifting (10/15/20 lb sets w/ free-form yoga)

Total Exercise for March: 1545 minutes

Orange-Lacquered Tofu

I made this recipe pretty much exactly as it appears in the latest issue of Vegetarian Times, so I won't reproduce it verbatim. But the general method is to pan-fry slices of extra-firm tofu until brown, then add a sauce made up of orange juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil and a little Tobasco (which is essentially my default tofu marinade). Cook until the sauce thickens and serve!

I brought extra sauce to the table, thinking that the tofu might be a little bland. But it was perfect... with an almost al-dente exterior and an addictive flavor.

My boy made this for me while I did yoga this evening... he's much better at frying tofu than I am. I'm just not patient enough. :)

Food/exercise log - March 30th

Breakfast:
- oatmeal with walnuts, flax seeds, raisins and soy milk
- orange juice w/ calcium

Lunch:
- lentil-black bean enchiladas
- pear

Snacks:
- green tea (6 cups)
- coconut-flavored rice crackers
- peanut-seaweed candy

Dinner:
- orange-lacquered tofu
- steamed broccoli w/ pine nuts
- red wine (1 glass)

Exercise: 45 minutes yoga (Crunch fat-burning yoga)

Total Exercise for March: 1380 minutes

Portakopita (Mushroom-Pine Nut-Phyllo Strata)

A few weeks ago I bought a box of whole wheat phyllo dough on sale from the local health food store (New City Market). The clerk asked me what I would be making with it when I checked out -- I told him I honestly had no idea. But glimpsing it in the freezer this week sparked an idea... spanakopita minus the spinach (and cheese, of course). I've tried replacing the cheese with tofu before, but spinach and tofu alone don't quite stand up to my memories of decadence. So this time I went for portobello mushrooms, garlic and pine nuts, drizzled with a generous amount of olive oil... earthy, rich flavors that turned out miraculously.

2 portobello mushroom caps, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 hefty sprinkle each salt & pepper
a few dashes chipotle-flavored Tobasco (optional, lends a smoky hint)
1-2 Tbsps olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 handfuls pine nuts
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
6 sheets whole wheat phyllo dough, defrosted

Combine the mushrooms, garlic & olive oil in a skillet and cook on medium heat until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, spread the pine nuts in the bottom of a dry saucepan and heat on medium, stirring frequently, until just browned (be careful not to let them burn!). Season the mushrooms with the salt, pepper and Tobasco. Slice the phyllo sheets in half lengthwise.

Spread half the mushroom mixture in the bottom of a Pyrex dish. Top with half of the nutritional yeast. Place a phyllo sheet on top, brush with olive oil and repeat until you have used 6 of the half-sheets. Top with the remaining mushroom mixture & yeast, then with another stack of oiled phyllo sheets.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the top layers of phyllo are golden and puffed up.

Ingredient Notes: I sometimes find it easier to use a spray can of olive oil/baking spray than to brush each sheet with olive oil. I also use a relatively small pan, so I'll take 3 phyllo sheets for each layer and fold them in half, which saves time. In a pinch, I've also used frozen puff pastry, but it doesn't have quite the dramatic crunch that phyllo dough does. This time around, I used the cooking juices from a batch of Baked Tomato & Zucchini in place of plain olive oil for brushing.