MELOMEALS: Healthy and delicious mostly vegan, frugal recipes by Melody Polakow

Thanks and lots of food I'm cooking at work!

2013-05-07T23:34:00.000-04:00

I wish I had more food from home to post here, but I don't. I've been busy cooking up a storm at work.. but before I talk about that, I want to thank you all for the lovely support for my last several posts.

Since then, I have banished the scale, which has been amazing. I am trying to just LIVE my life the way I know how to do it when I'm active and working. That worked very well for me in the past... I have decided not to weigh myself for a while.. I don't have a date in mind for the next weigh in.. BUT... I am trying on clothes and having accountability that way. I can say with assurance that I am a tiny bit smaller that I was when I wrote the last post. It feels very freeing to not be a slave to the scale... and don't get me wrong.. the scale worked very WELL for me for a long time... but the health issues I've had have created a new thing to deal with...

I'm just so happy that I am starting to really feel like my old self again.. healthy and strong.... and working cooking awesome vegetarian and vegan food!...

....

....but when I cook all day for work, I have no desire to cook at home. I literally hate the way my food smells and tastes. All I want to do is eat peanut butter and jelly rice cakes with almond milk..... it's a challenge for sure because I want to be healthy.

Here's a peak at some of the food I create at work... pics are taken with my phone in REALLY bad lighting...!

Nigerian Black Eyed Peas

Gluten Free, Vegan Eggplant 'Parm'

Roasted Mushroom, Red Pepper, Basil and Goat Cheese Risotto

Sugar Snap Peas with Portobello, Red Pepper and Smoked Almonds

Spicy Noodles (vegan, gluten free)

Stratta with Caramelized Onions, Kale and Provolone

BBQ Tempeh, Brown Rice, Kale, Sweet Potatoes

This is just a sample of what I've been cooking.... and while I LOVE creating amazing food for work, I just am sick of it at home... and am not sure what to do change that... I do cook in big batches still and freeze portions which helps... but I'd love to know what YOU do if you are in a rut or especially, if you cook all day for work!

So Frustrated.. how to stay on track when things are not happening the way you want them to.

2013-04-11T11:28:00.000-04:00

I want to thank everyone for the lovely support that is continuing since I wrote last weeks post.

I am really struggling right now because I feel like I have been totally betrayed by my body. Please, this is venting and I am not asking for advice on diet or commentary on my food choices, thank you. I would however, love to know how YOU handle the emotional side of this whole thing. How you keep doing the "next right thing" when your body doesn't seem to be responding the way it has in the past.

I weigh myself daily. This has been something that has worked for me in the past, but lately it has been an exercise bordering on mental self abuse. I am still struggling with health problems (and infection that will not go away).. Fortunately, I am recovering well from the surgery I had, and the intense pain I was in before the surgery has been fixed, but for some reason, my body is just not reacting the way I feel it should and I'm just so frustrated. I am fairly active. I walk 3 miles to and from work and I work in my feet all day long. I go up and down stairs all day long at work, but for some reason, I AM GAINING WEIGHT. This morning I sat here and literally felt my body swell up and weighed myself and I am 10 lbs heavier than I was two days ago.

My rational mind knows this is water weight, because there's no way I can gain fat that fast, but it's so frustrating to see the number on the scale and have no idea what to do to change this.

I suppose I should pick a day and time to weigh myself once a week so I don't drive myself crazy with these massive fluctuations.. My hormones are totally out of whack since I don't have any ovaries (that's another horrible health story from my past).. and I am having constant hot flashes and then chills. That's when I notice the bloating the worst.

I think what is so frustrating is what was working soooo well for me in the past is not working anymore. Or I guess that's not fair, since I was walking between 6-12 miles a day and now I'm not. I know why I GAINED the weight over the past several months, but now that I'm back to a more active lifestyle, I'm not sure why I'm STILL gaining.

Things that work against me (But to be fair, I was working with food the entire time I lost weight and had to taste the food I was preparing)

I have to taste the food I prepare all day long. I cook everything from scratch and season thing and food, especially vegan food requires a lot of tasting, then seasoning then re-tasting to make it really yummy.
I am only walking 3 miles a day to get to/from work
I am exhausted when I come home from work after being on feet and walking to do any more exercise. This is probably because I've put on 20 lbs and also because my body is totally 100% depleted from the c-diff and recovering from surgery.

I am at a loss.. obviously, I need to figure out a new plan of action. I was just so angry and frustrated when I got on the scale this morning.

I also threw away ALL of my "fat clothes" and most of my clothes are tight on me now, which makes me feel like shit.

Soo... I feel like I've hit a new type of bottom today... I'm just so very frustrated, but I'm not going to give up. I'm going to exercise today and continue to eat well. I woke up starving and had a big salad for breakfast with leftover roasted beets, veggies and hummus.

I will drink my super spicy blender juice... (beets, ginger, hot peppers, beet greens and chia seeds)

and make healthy choices with food and most importantly, pay attention to portions. That is my biggest downfall is eating too much.

I am going to stay off of the scale for a week. I will weigh myself Thursday April 18th.

Simple Overnight Oats

2013-04-10T06:59:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to share my favorite spring/summer overnight oats. I've been using my Soy Kefir instead of

yogurt and love it so much.

1 cup soy kefir

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

stevia, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract to taste

Mix everything together and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy the next morning!

Whole Food Savory Corn-Oatmeal 'Bread' made from leftover Split Pea Soup..

2013-04-07T15:38:00.001-04:00

First of all, thank you for the outpouring of support on my last post where I talk about what my life was like when I weighed 300 lbs.

As I said in that post, I believe in eating whole foods with a focus of frugality. I love to experiment and have made several delicious batches of what I call, "Pizza Bread." using 100% whole ingredients, similar to my sweet, but sugar free breakfast breads.

So, I had some leftover Chipotle Split Pea Soup that I would normally turn into a burger, but today I wanted to experiment with savory bean based "breads." I had some coarse cornmeal and old fashioned oats and around 2 1/4 cups of the leftover soup, so I stirred it all together and baked it an 8 by 8 square glass pan .

I think any thick, bean based soup would work well, Chili would be amazing! Now, just a word of caution. This is NOT cornbread. This is a little umm.... weird, but I like it and think it is a great alternative to bread. It is full of nutrition and would make a great snack or savory breakfast. I'm a peanut butter nut, and I think peanut butter would taste really good on it.

Savory 'Breakfast Bread'

2 1/4 cups leftover split pea or other bean based soup
3/4 cup coarse cornmeal
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 tsp all purpose seasoning salt or creole seasoning
1 tbsp psyllium husk

Mix everything together; spray a glass 8 by 8 baking dish with cooking spray and bake at 400 for 50 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. Allow bread to cool completely before eating.

You can totally get creative with spices/herbs. I just wanted to make a very simple recipe. I will share my Pizza Bread recipe soon, when I get some fresh basil. It is super yummy!

If you're looking for a more traditional Cornbread, here are several recipes:

Cheddar Scallion Cornbread with a Vegan and Gluten Free Option

Gluten Free, Vegan Skillet Cornbread 100% Cornmeal

Sneak Peak at upcoming recipes: Jerk-Buffalo Roasted Chickpeas

Sesame Ginger Slaw

Black Bean Mole Tostadas

Strawberry Shortcake

What my life was like at 300 pounds & Comparison Pics

2013-04-04T11:11:00.001-04:00

This is hard for me to write, and I'm doing it all stream of consciousness. There are no pics of me at my heaviest, and very few body pics of me, even today.

Do you have any idea what it’s like to look down and see the scale read 310 pounds? Oh my god, I wanted to die. I think that was my highest weight, but it could have been even higher, because I stopped weighing myself after that.

285 lbs (25 lbs less than my highest weight)

Let me tell you what life is like at 310 pounds. Everything hurts. People say, “go for a walk”, but what they don’t realize is that every step feels like torture. I remember walking across the street to get my mail would make my heart pound and I would feel out of breath. Walking for 5 minutes felt like 5 hours. With every step, I would feel crushing pain in my lower back and a panic would start and I began to HATE myself with such a passion. On a good day, I was able to channel that HATRED into momentum and I would repeat my mantra, inside of my head, “Anything is better than nothing, anything is better than nothing.”

285, so miserable.

With each step, I would vacillate between utter helplessness and maybe a glimmer of hope. I remember one day, I was only able to walk for 90 seconds at a time. I would walk, rest, and then walk again and I managed a whole 15 minutes by the end of the day. That was an accomplishment, believe me.

I was someone who had always been SUPER ACTIVE, and may things led up to the weight gain, which I will probably talk about in later posts, but finding myself in this situation was so shocking.

Did I mention the self-hate? Oh yeah. I did. Well, I can’t mention it enough because it became my prison.

My poor children. They were always so loving and supportive of me, yet I was too embarrassed to be seen in public with them. I didn’t want them to look bad. I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do with them. I hid. From life. From friends. From my family. I don’t ever want to go back to that.

I am looking through some old pictures and my heart is fucking breaking for them.. and for me. I am going to post these pictures, because I want YOU to see how bad it was. On this day, we had gone hiking and it was hell for me. We hiked Mt. Major, which is not a very huge hike, but the walk down, almost killed my knees. My kids were so concerned and it turned what was a normally awesome day into a day filled with them being concerned for me. I literally feel sick to my stomach looking at these pictures, not because I’m disgusted by my appearance (I am), but because I just remember the utter HELL I was living in and the hell I put my poor family through worrying about me. They missed out having all of me as a mom. That’s a hard one to admit to, but it is the truth. It’s hard not to hate myself today because of that, but I have realized that life is way too short to waste on hating yourself. Today is all we have. .. but the reality is that every single thing in my life was affected by my weight.

290 lbs

I would NEVER go out to eat with my family. They would BEG me to come, but I wouldn’t because I was too fucking FAT TO FIT IN A BOOTH COMFORTABLY and I couldn’t stand the embarrassment.

Finding clothes was a challenge, because my boobs were enormous. The pain of the bra cutting into my back made breathing difficult. Everything was a struggle.

I didn’t know how to get out of the nightmare. I would find the gumption to start walking, and the first MONTH was torture, but if I could stick it out, I would start dropping weight fast and my endurance came back. I would be walking 3 miles easily. During this time, I was here, blogging. It is obvious I am pretty food obsessed and frankly, most of the weight I gained was from eating “healthy” foods, just WAY TOO MUCH OF THEM. Bread and hummus was a huge downfall for a long time. Hell, bread is still a challenge for me.

Do you have any idea what it’s like to go grocery shopping as a morbidly obese woman? The stares you get the snickers. People would LOOK INTO MY CART with disgust and then… confusion, because most of the food in there was so healthy. Cashiers would ask if I was starting a new diet, although they came to know me at the local Market Basket and we would chat about all the veggies I was buying and what I would make with them. I remember one day, these two teen girls walked by me and said straight to my face, “I would kill myself if I looked like you.”

290 lbs

Walking outside for exercise, I have been heckled and humiliated, “Hey fatty, it’s going to take a lot more than a walk about the block to lose that ass.”

I was walking past an ice cream store and someone yelled out, “Go have another ice cream, fatty.”

I NEVER ever wanted my children to hear someone say that to me. I was so afraid their friends would make fun of me, but as far as I know they never did… but the FEAR of having that happen, was enough to make me isolate. Stay inside the house. I was so embarrassed to see friends who knew me before I gained weight. I had a good friend ask me is all seriousness, “Oh my god, what happened to you”.

What happened indeed? After an initial FAST weight gain of 100 lbs partially due to steroid medication and definitely due to total lack of exercise, the next 50 – 60 lbs just piled on and off, slowly but surely.. depending on my actively level and how much I was paying attention to mindless/comfort eating. I just spiraled out of control and couldn’t seem to get it back for any length of time. I tried “diets”, Weight Watchers, Gluten Free, 100% Vegan, Raw Food “Cleanses”, Counting Calories, Giving up this or that food group, Atkins (now that was difficult as a vegan leaning vegetarian).. and while they all “worked” initially, they failed because I couldn’t stick to it. I was emotionally not able to (again for many reasons, some that I may get into in the future if I find I feel comfortable being this emotionally raw online.)

275 lbs

To make a long story short, I became so desperate, I knew I had to do something BIG and that something was to sell my car, move to Boston (from NH) when my youngest son went to college. When I moved here Sept 24, 2011 I weighed 290 lbs. I could only walk about ½ mile at a time without severe pain, but since my lifestyle forced me to walk, even taking public transportation, you have to walk to and from stops, up and down stairs at T stations, etc. I also became a bit more mindful of the food I was putting in my mouth, eating a lot of veggies and filling up on them and being mindful of my portions. I never restricted ANYTHING. I ate whatever I wanted, I was just MINDFUL. I walked and walked and walked, I remember Thanksgiving Day (I was celebrating the next day with my family) was the first LONG walk I managed, a month after moving. I walked 6 miles and was so amazed I could do it! I started to feel FREE! I think I realized that day, that my life was changing for good this time.

Over the next 9 months or so, I lost 100 lbs. I was walking between 6-12 miles every day and working on my feet most of the day. The weight loss was effortless. During this time (I was 245 lbs when I met The BF) I started seeing The Boyfriend. I had been single for over 4 years and the thought of having a boyfriend was the last thing I could imagine before I moved to Boston… but a funny thing happened, as I started to feel more in control of myself and my life, things changed.. But that’s a whole other topic as well. Wow, there are so many layers to weight/body image/health.

But I digress, so I was walking 6-12 miles a day and the weight loss was effortless, but at the end of September, I found myself in a different living situation (with The BF) and my work situation changed as well and I was no longer walking the 6-12 miles a day and then I became ill in December and the result is a 20 pound weight gain. I REFUSE to regain the weight and go back to where I was. Writing this has been good for me, because I forgot how tormented I was. I literally had no idea what I was going to write when I sat down here, and frankly, I am feeling really sad right now that I wasted so much of my life in my own prison.

190 lbs this summer

I will not go back. Now, I am not walking 12 miles a day anymore to/from work, but I am walking around 3 miles to get to/from work. I need to make a game plan and become more mindful of my eating. I’m also recovering from C-Diff (look it up if you want) and a surgery, so my body is a bit wrecked. I will write more about my health issues soon too, if I feel comfortable.

I don’t believe in diets. I believe in whole foods. Healthy and delicious, mostly vegan whole foods, and exercise.

185 lbs this summer

I am posting a comparison picture of me at 285 and 190, which is the lowest daily weight (I think I got down to 185 for a couple of weeks this summer).. I have currently gained 20 lbs since then and weigh 210 now. Depressing, but I can get it off. I’ve done before and I will do it again. My goal weight is 155-160.

210 lbs present

Sesame Ginger Edamame Salad

2013-04-03T08:47:00.001-04:00

This is a delicious salad that keeps well in the fridge. It's great to round out a meal or as a quick snack. The dressing is thickened with chia seeds and is very low in fat/calories.

Sesame Ginger Edamame Salad

1 lb defrosted edamame
1/4 cup minced red onion
4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
4 tbsp nori shreds
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 avocado chopped (optional)

Dressing:

2 cups chickpea cooking liquid (or water)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp fresh ginger
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp lemon pepper
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp mirin
2 tsp Wasabi
Sriracha to taste

Blend dressing ingredients to taste and add as much as you want to the salad.

Review: Vegan Cuts Snack Box

2013-03-29T16:02:00.001-04:00

I was contacted by Vegan Cuts recently and they offered to send me their Snack Box for review. I was excited to open the box and see what goodies would arrive. You see, they showcase brand new vegan products each month, which is so cool. My box also included two $1 off coupons for Earth Balance Vegan "Mayo", which I'm excited to try.

The Snack Box is a subscription service, so each month you will receive a box of fun treats.

This box included:

Beyond Eggs
Earth Balance Aged White Cheddar Puffs
Vbar
Sjaak's Organic Chocolate
Barre
Equal Exchange Chocolate
Cocomo Joe Cocomocorn
nyl skincare
Flamoue Falafel Chips (I've actually had these before at work.. we sampled them with my African Lentil Dip.. they are super yummy!)..

For $19.95 a month (including shipping) you can get your own box too!

I look forward to trying the products and will review them as The Boyfriend and I sample them.

Awesome Vegan Tofu Banh Mi

2013-03-26T17:03:00.000-04:00

My oh my, this just might be one of my VERY FAVORITE things, yet is is so simple to make. You see, The Boyfriend turned me on (hahaha, I crack myself up) to Banh Mi sandwiches at an awesome local place. Now, I can't fault anything at all about the sandwiches they make, not to mention the owner of the place is amazing. I love to just watch him work. He obviously LOVES what he does and takes great care and pride. I was mesmerized watching him stir an iced coffee.. Anyway... I have wanted to create my own version since I tasted that first scrumptious bite!

Now, you really want to find a good quality baguette. Crusty on the outside and somewhat soft, but not too bready on the inside. It makes all the difference. You want a nice balance between the bread and the filling.

So.. I used tofu. My ridiculously simple 5 Spice Tofu. You can use it cold or hot.

5 Spice Tofu

This is more of a method than a recipe, I used a regular peeler for the carrots and daikon, chopped the raw jalapenos and cilantro and created a spicy Sriracha Aioli out of my awesome homemeade Low-Fat Vegenaise alternative.

Sriracha Aioli (this makes way more than you'll need for one sandwich, but you'll love it so much I'm sure you'll find other uses for it!)

1 cup mayo of choice (link to my home made low fat vegenaise alternative)
3 cloves garlic, pressed
juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp lime zest
1/8 tsp five spice powder
1/8 tsp white pepper
1-4 tbsp Sriracha (start with 1 and add more to taste)

Assembly:

1 6 inch baguette per sandwich
5 slices 5 Spice Tofu
Sriracha Aioli to taste
Daikon, Carrot, Raw Jalapeno, Raw Onion sliced in very thin circles (to taste)
Avocado if desired

I hope you make this sandwich! I am actually going to most likely run it as a special at work. It is super super yummy.

All About Soy Kefir

2013-03-23T20:29:00.000-04:00

I have been talking a lot about Soy Kefir lately... and it's only fair to post how I make this awesome ingredient. This most likely can be made 100% vegan, but I have only cultured it in a dairy base. but given how it continues to reproduce, I'm fairly certain that you can culture soymilk with no ill effects.

The original instructions which is what we followed.... and I have been using the original kefir as a starter for my soymilk keifr! In a sterilized Mason Jar add 3 cups soymmilk and 1/4 cup kefir. Cover with a towel and let the mixture ferment for 12-24 hours. Make sure to reserve 1/4 cup kefir each time for the next batch and then continue on... !!

I love to use my soy kefir in smoothies!

Very Berry Smoothie

2 Smoothie Recipes

Put the Lime in the Coconut Pie!

2013-03-23T15:13:00.000-04:00

This is an EXTREMELY decadent pie, even though it's RAW and VEGAN (if you use agave). It is also gluten free and soy free, so it makes a lovely dessert for those with allergy concerns. A while back, I was making Raw Vegan Desserts all of the time for my job and I actually have a bunch of awesome recipes for them... but they are quite expensive to make and also very high in calories, so I don't make them very often. One of my favorites ever though was a Raw Carrot Cake with "Cream Cheese" frosting.. omg.. so good. I used leftover pulp from juicing for the base of that one... but now that I am again working in a restaurant, I can start creating awesome Raw Desserts again if there is a market for them.. which will remain to be seen.

I digress... I will stop rambling and post the recipe since that is why you are here!

Coconut Lime Pie

Crust

2 cups dry, unsweetened coconut
healthy pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
juice of 2 limes zest of 1 lime
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup water
8 dates

Filling

1 cup cashews
Juice of 6 limes or around 3/4 cup lime juice
zest of 2 limes
2 large Hass avocados
1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup honey or agave
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

For the crust, mix everything together in a food processor, then press into a 9 inch pie pan or sping-form pan and freeze
For the filling, pulse the cashews until totally ground into a butter, then add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until everything is totally combined. Pour on top of the crust and place in freezer for an hour or so or in the fridge overnight.

5 Minute Cucumber Onion Salad

2013-03-23T11:09:00.000-04:00

I love fresh dill so much. It really makes this simple side salad shine! 5 ingredients and 5 minutes!

1 large cucumber, sliced

1/2 onion, cut into half moons

2 tbsp Umeboshi Vinegar

2 tbsp fresh dill

Lemon Pepper/Salt to taste

Mix all of the above and enjoy!

Here's are some other cucumber recipes:

Overnight Pickles

White Gazpacho

I guess I'm wishing it was summer!

Crock Pot Baked Beans

2013-03-22T11:14:00.000-04:00

I love baked beans, even canned vegetarian baked beans. It is so easy to make them yourself, especially if you have a crockpot. I used a pound of dry Navy Beans. I cooked them on the stove until they were pretty al dente. You could always use canned beans, but they won't retain their texture as much as cooking them from scratch. If you use canned, 2 29 oz plus 1 15 oz can will suffice. You will need to reduce the Tony's Seasoning by half otherwise it will be too salty. These have a kick from the Tony's and chipotle. If you are sensitive to heat, then use your favorite seasoning salt and smoked paprika.

Crock pot Baked Beans

16 oz dry beans, cooked al dente (reserve cooking liquid)
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
28 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup bean cooking liquid
2 large onions, chopped
8 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup molasses
3 bay leaves
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1-2 canned chipotles (omit if you don't like heat)
1 tbsp Tony's Creole Seasoning
1/2 tsp allspice
Optional: 2 tbsp brown sugar
Black Pepper and Soy Sauce to taste
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Method:
Place all of the above in a crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours. Taste and add sugar, pepper and soy sauce to taste. Stir in chopped cilantro just before serving.

Serve with Cornbread and Greens!

Yum!

Click HERE for cornbread recipe.

Click HERE For my favorite GREENS recipe!

Gluten Free, Vegan Skillet Cornbread Take Two

2013-03-20T11:38:00.000-04:00

I created this super simple cornbread yesterday to go with our baked beans (recipe coming up) and while it is not a traditional cornbread by any means, we both really liked it. Especially after it cooled completely. It's even better this morning that it was yesterday, which is nice for a gluten free baked product. My Gluten Free, Vegan Brownies are the same way.

I used VERY COARSE cornmeal in these. That is important for the recipe to turn out correctly. I can't vouch for this recipe at all if you don't use the coarse cornmeal. I made a "buttermilk" out of white beans, water and soy kefir. For ease of the recipe, I used soy yogurt instead of the kefir, which will work just fine I'm sure as long as it's not flavored! There is no sugar in this recipe, but if you like a sweeter bread, feel free to add some. It would also be delicious drizzled with honey.

Coarse Cornmeal

Gluten Free, Vegan Skillet Cornbread

2 cups coarse cornmeal
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup white beans mixed with 3 cups water and 1/4 cup vegan plain yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp Tony's Creole Seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp psyllium husk
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup Onion Crunch or other french fried onions (optional)
1/4 cup Cilantro

Method:

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until totally combined, then heat a 10 inch cast iron skilled with 2 tbsp coconut oil, warm on stove until oil is melted then pour the mixture into the skillet.
Bake at 375 for 50 minutes
Let cool completely before eating and top with extra cilantro and onion crunch if desired

Ethiopian Tofu Scramble with Cabbage and Cremini Mushrooms

2013-03-19T13:57:00.000-04:00

Having our two Ethiopian Spice Mixtures on hand allows me to create dishes with amazing depth of flavor in no time flat. Early this morning, I made my Spicy Blender Juice 1 bunch cilantro, parsley, beets, ginger, jalapenos, psyllium and chia, but i was hungry a couple hours later so I threw together this yummy tofu scramble in 15 minutes.

Ethiopian Tofu Scramble

1 tsp toasted sesame oil
4 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped
4 cups chopped cabbage
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp tumeric
7 oz crumbled extra firm tofu
1 tsp Melody's Spice Mix
1 tsp The Boyfriend's Spice Mix
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
soy sauce/black pepper to taste
fresh thyme (optional)

Method:

Heat a large skillet to medium and add the oil and mushrooms. Cool the mushrooms until they are browned.
Add the cabbage and spices and tofu and a healthy pinch salt/pepper. Cook until cabbage is done (around 10 minutes)
Stir in nutritional yeast, soy sauce, pepper and add any fresh herb you may have on hand.

Serves 1 very hungry person or 2 regular people

Sneak Peak at some recipes I'll be posting soon:

Crockpot Baked Beans

Creamy Tomato Soup with Pesto

Guacamole Salad with Onion Crunch

2013-03-19T08:30:00.002-04:00

Oh how I LOVE avocados. They are super good for you too. Half on a Hass avocado has around 150 calories, 5 grams of fiber and is full of beneficial fat! This salad is super easy to make (it is still delicious without the Onion Crunch).. the combination of fresh basil and cilantro is a little unexpected and the two flavors compliment each other so well! I've been eating a lot of salad lately avocado is one of my favorite toppings!

Buffalo Chickpea Salad

Wasabi Pea Salad with Very Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

Guacamole Salad
serves 2

1 large Has Avocado, medium chop
1/2 small red onion, minced
1 cucumber, medium chop
2 roma tomatoes, medium chop
1 jalapeno (take seeds out for less heat)
juice of 1 lemon
Salt/Pepper to taste
Pinch garlic powder
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp fresh basil
3 tbsp Onion Crunch or french fried onions (optional)

Method: chop veggies and mix everything together in a bowl. Allow mixture to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.

I was given this product to review and I will also be hosting a giveaway. It's really yummy and I will have a full post about it coming up soon.

Pineapple Cilantro Habanero Green Smoothie

2013-03-18T11:15:00.000-04:00

I adore habanero peppers so much. They are so fruity and delicious. If you are sensitive to heat, you can leave it out and this is still a great smoothie.

1 cup soy kefir
2 cups water
1 cup cilantro
1 frozen banana
2 cups frozen pineapple
as much habanero as you can stand
1 tbsp psyllium husk
2 tbsp chia seeds
cinnamon to taste
stevia to taste

Caraway Dill Coleslaw

2013-03-17T20:16:00.000-04:00

I was asked on Facebook yesterday if I had a coleslaw recipe to share. Now, my favorite slaw is my Asian 5 Spice Slaw.... but not everyone is into that sort of thing, but if you are please make it because it's DELICIOUS!

Asian 5 Spice Slaw

I digress... so, I realized I have never actually written down my normal slaw recipe.. and hadn't planned on making any, but The Boyfriend had some fish for lunch, so I offered to make him some slaw and wrote down my recipe as I made it. Even though I call this caraway dill slaw, the flavors are mild enough that you could serve it as regular slaw.

Caraway Dill Coleslaw

4 cups chopped cabbage
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup minced red onion
2 tbsp mayo (My Lower Fat Vegenaise recipe is GREAT here!)
1 tbsp dijon
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1.5 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp dry dill, caraway seeds
1 tbsp fresh dill, parsley
salt/pepper to taste or Old Baby Seasoning

Method:

Massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to break down. Set in a colander to drain water. (there won't be much water released)
In a mixing bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and season to taste with salt/pepper. Let it side for 5 minutes after adding the salt/pepper and taste before you re-season.
You could also replace the salt with Old Bay Seasoning. This is super yummy!

Super Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Muffins (Vegan and Gluten Free)

2013-03-16T15:51:00.000-04:00

This is an adaptation of one of my old recipes. I originally created these for my kids to grab for breakfast on the go. I like using beans, veggies, whole grains and as little sugar as possible when I made these "Breakfast Breads and Muffins. I use my Vita Mix to grind everything as smooth as possible, so it resembles a more traditional muffin.

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups oats, ground (measure before grinding)
1 cup brown rice flour
¼ cup chickpea or yellow split pea flour
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg, cardamom
¼ tsp kal stevia
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar or sucanat (or ¾ cup sugar if not using stevia)

Wet Ingredients:

2 cup shredded zucchini (1 medium)
¾ cup cooked soy beans
3 tbsp chia seeds
1 banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
¾ cup water
¼ cup evoo
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tst almond extract
1 tst vanilla extract
1 tst lemon extract (optional)

Optional: 1 c walnuts, cinnamon sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 375
Mix the dry ingredients together and make a well in the middle.
Shred the zucchini, place in a separate mixing bowl
Process of the rest of the wet ingredients then mix with the zucchini. Fold into dry mixture (adding nuts if desired)
Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and scoop ¼ c for each muffin. Top with some cinnamon sugar if desired. Bake for 25 minutes
Yield: 18 muffins

Peach Spice Green Smoothie

2013-03-16T10:02:00.003-04:00

Since my surgery, I have been starting my day with a green smoothie of some sort. My entire digestive system has been very compromised due to illness over the past three months (I will blog about what I went through soon).. and I am slowly but surely rebuilding health from the inside out. I am making a point to take in at least 1 tablespoon of psyllium husk and two tablespoons of chia seeds daily in a probiotic rich base. I am using home cultured soy kefir (post coming up).. and I feel like it is REALLY HELPING!

Peach Spice Green Smoothie

12 oz soy kefir, yogurt or non-dairy milk of choice
8 oz water
1 tbsp psyllium husk
2 tbsp chia seeds
8 oz frozen peaches
1 frozen banana
nutmeg, cinnamon and stevia to taste
several drops almond extract
4 cups loosely packed spring mix

This makes a huge blender full. I drink the whole thing all morning long.

Grocery Shopping Haul and Prices, Blender Juice and Salad

2013-03-15T14:45:00.000-04:00

I love love love Market Basket! We go to the one in Brokton, MA. It has the BEST selection. I have even found Teff there! Amazing, isn't it?

Here is what I bought and the prices I paid:

Strawberries 2.50
16 oz organic spring mix lettuce 4.99
16 oz organic baby spinach 4.99
7 oz organic baby arugula 2.99
loose garlic .78
12 oz cremini mushrooms
ginger root .97
large bunch fresh basil 2.49
serrano peppers .95
3 lbs sweet potatoes 1.99
2 lbs red onions 1.99
cantaloupe 1.99
peeled garlic cloves 1.84
big bunch collard greens 1.69
5 kiwis 1.49
plum tomatoes 3.53
3 bunches cilantro 3.53
4 cucumbers 2.00
3 lemons 1.00
3 14 oz packages xtra firm tofu 2.98
2 bunches flat leaf parsley 1.98
2 lbs frozen peaches 3.98
2 lbs organic quinoa 4.99
sriracha 3.29
bunch of beets with greens attached 2.29
medium size head green cabbage 1.26
24 oz frozen broccoli florets 1.99
2 lbs brown rice 2.49
1 lb black beans 1.49
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes 1.38 (yes, they were .69 each!)
2 lbs cabot extra sharp cheddar 7.99
2 packages Barilla pasta 3.00

I made some blender juice (I will be doing a blog post about blender juices) out of parsley, cilantro, beets, beet greens, ginger and jalapeno. It horrified The Boyfriend hahaha!

.. and then I made this delicious salad for lunch:

Very Berry "Green" Smoothie

2013-03-14T08:32:00.000-04:00

Very Berry "Green" Smoothie

Even though this smoothie has 2 cups of spinach, it is not green! I used Costo brand frozen mixed berries. They are fabulous! I am very pleased with most Costco products. This makes a huge blender full, so you can either divide it into two servings or have half for breakfast and half for a snack later in the day. This is a great smoothie to win over skeptics. You really can't see or taste the spinach at all!

1 cup soy kefir, yogurt or milk of choice
1 cup water
1 frozen banana
2 cups frozen mixed berries
2 cups spinach
1 tbsp psyllium husk
2 tbsp chia seeds
stevia, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste
several drops vanilla extract

Amaranth Porridge

2013-03-13T08:43:00.000-04:00

I grew up eating Cream of Wheat and it was one of my favorite breakfasts. I loved making it with milk and using honey to sweeten it. Not so healthy .. I might as well have been eating wonder bread! Since my surgery a week ago, I have been making a point to have at least 1 tablespoon of psyllium husk and 2 tablespoons of chia seeds every day. Smoothies and pudding are a great way to utilize these ingredients, but I was craving a hot bowl of comforting cream of wheat!

I surveyed what we had around the house and figured Amaranth was small enough to simulate cream of wheat and psylium husk would bring it all together. I was right! Now, this is not something that I would serve to most "normal" people, but for those of us not afraid of a little "slime" in our food, this quite delicious.

Apple Amaranth Psyllium Porridge

1/4 cup dry amaranth
2 cups water
1 apple
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch cardamom, nutmeg, salt
1tbsp psyllium husk
1/2 cup non-dairy milk of choice
1/2 tsp coconut oil
Stevia or sweetener to taste

Method:

Place amaranth and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, turn heat down to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the apple, spices and salt and cook for 10 more minutes
Stir in psyllium, milk, coconut oil and sweetener. Let sit for 10 minutes, then enjoy. If the texture is too stringy, add more milk.

Here's another recipe using psyllium... Orange Scented Barley Pudding. Super Yummy!

Easy Gluten Free, Vegan Brownies

2013-03-12T11:19:00.003-04:00

I am pretty picky when it comes to brownies. I like them dense and not cake-like at all. Several years ago, I created this recipe for a restaurant I worked in and we sold them every day. I decided to re-visit the recipe since I plan on making them for my new job and wanted to make sure they were as good as I thought they were.

Enter The Boyfriend. He loves brownies. Traditional egg and gluten filled brownies. I remember telling him about my brownies and he was very skeptical. VERY SKEPTICAL!

I also know that he is the most brutally honest person when it comes to critiquing food, so I KNEW I'd get the truth from him. Here is my original recipe. I am used to cooking these in a commercial convection oven, but have modified this recipe so it works in a regular, home oven too.

Gluten Free Vegan Brownies

1/2 cup golden flax meal
1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1/2 tsp xantham gum
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp instant coffee
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Mix*
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp baking powder

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350, spray a metal 9 by 13 baking pan with cooking spray
In a large bow, mix the first 8 ingredients together well, let stand for 15 minutes
Stir in the baking mix, chocolate chips and baking powder, mix VERY WELL. Do not worry about over mixing!
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, turn heat down to 325, rotate the pan and bake for 25 more minutes.
Let brownies cool completely (overnight is best) before serving. Trust me on this.. they are not good until they have cooled.

*This is the only Gluten Free Flour I have used, so I can't guarantee results with any other gluten free flour.

Vanilla Chia Pudding

2013-03-12T10:09:00.000-04:00

Vanilla Chia Pudding

1 cup soy kefir (you can use soymilk or any non-dairy milk)
3 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp psyllium husk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
tiny pinch cardamom
pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp good quality vanilla extract
stevia or your favorite sweetener to taste

Method:

Place everything together in a bowl, mix well and let sit for 30 minutes before eating.

I'm a big fan of Chia seeds. They can be used in a variety of ways:

Sesame Beet Salad with Chia Dressing

Pineapple Crush Green Smoothie

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

2 tablespoons of dry Chia seeds contain 120 calories, 10 grams of fat, 12 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.

Two Green Smoothie Recipes

2013-03-11T10:50:00.002-04:00

Pineapple Crush Green Smoothie

So, I have been having a lot of health issue the last three months. I found myself hospitalized 10 days ago and had surgery on Wednesday. I will write more in depth about the health issues at some point, but wanted to share some really yummy smoothies I've had the last two days. I am in need of major fiber, so I am using 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and tablespoon of psyllium husk in each smoothie. I love how it affects the texture ... it's so smooth and airy. I'm also using soy kefir which is full of probiotics. I will blog about that as well at a later date.

So.... being on IV narcotics for 5 days and having surgery tends to uhem... slow things down and I'm not really able to eat large amounts of beans/veggies at the moment, so it's green smoothies to the rescue!

12 oz Soy Kefir (you can use soy yogurt or dairy yogurt thinned with water or soymilk to = 12 oz
1 frozen banana
2 c frozen pineapple
2 c spinach
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp psyllium husk
cinnamon, nutmeg, stevia to taste
several drops almond or coconut extract

Blend blend blend. I obviously used my vitamix, but you can do this in a regular blender , just do it in batches and maybe add a bit more liquid

Yesterday, I had an "Apple Pie Smoothie.

Apple Pie Green Smoothie

12 oz Soy Kefir
1 frozen banana
1 large gala apple
2 cups spinach
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp psyllium husk
nutmeg, stevia, cinnamon to taste
several drops vanilla extract

Tip: You can store fresh spinach in the freezer!