too spicy!

While John and I both enjoy spicy food, our systems handle it less well than they did when we were each younger.  Getting old is so much fun, isn't it?  ;)

So, if that doesn't qualify as an "overshare," I'll keep going with this post.  I made some deliciously healthy Caribbean Red Beans and Brown Rice for dinner the other night, with a side of greens:

I vaguely remember this dish being on the spicy side the last time I made it . . . but of course, it didn't occur to me to cut the amount of cayenne in half!  Shoot.  And then I added too many chili flakes to the kale.  How to save a meal that's too spicy?

1. Add guacamole.  Or sour cream.  Or both!

2. Freeze some of the leftovers, hoping storage dulls the capsaicin.

3. Take a cup of leftovers and puree with a cup of quick-cooking oats for nearly instant veggie burgers. (More on that technique later, as I haven't actually eaten those veggie burgers yet!)

4. Serve the leftover kale with black-eyed peas, over leftover Millet-Cheddar Polenta.

I suppose we'll look at this "too spicy" meal as a blessing in disguise -- I learned some new ways to think about leftovers!  I'm particularly excited about this quick-cooking oats veggie burger idea.  I'll letcha know how it turns out . . . just as soon as we try them!

Saturday night supper

Even though I haven't had much of an appetite lately, (stress, ya know,) I am going to start forcing myself back into my kitchen, preparing healthy meals for myself as much as I can. I managed a gorgeous, healthy, tasty dinner for myself tonight!

Red beans and rice, (using the "Messy Rice" recipe from Veganomicon, adding a chipotle Field Roast sausage and a can of small red beans,) a few leaves of leftover chard, sauteed in garlic and finished with a little lemon juice, and a fig-balsamic marinaded portobello mushroom. Yum! The chipotle sausage is pleasantly spicy, and adding it, with the beans, to the rice recipe made one delicious entree! (With plenty of leftovers. We'll see how well I do with those!!?!?!) The mushrooms are fantastic, of course, and I must confess . . . I think I prefer chard over kale, at least in cooked form. (Gasp! I know!)

Dessert was delightful, too:

Homemade butterscotch pudding! Mmmmmmmm. My coteacher mentioned something about butterscotch pudding the other day, and I've been craving some ever since. I used almond milk in place of regular/dairy milk, and the pudding is a little thinner than usual, but still delicious!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, folks!

week-old backlog

I fell way behind in the posting this past week! Sheesh -- some of these photos are from last weekend. Oh well, better late than never, right?

For example, I'm pretty sure this is what we had for lunch last Saturday:

Oh artichokes, how I LOVE thee! At the first hint of spring, (i.e., slightly warmer MN weather when you still have to wear the parka, but long johns are optional,) giant artichokes usually appear at the co-op for somewhat reasonable prices. Somehow, I mind less splurging on a vegetable than on junk food! We panfried up the rest of the leftover homemade spicy Italian vegetarian sausage links, and oven-roased some potatoes, too. SO good. Hearty and healthy and comforting!

I really love it when blogger rotates photos for me:

Sideways slightly lower fat snickerdoodles are tasty! I didn't intend on making these lower in fat, but when I discovered I forgot to bring TWO sticks of butter (instead of one) to room temperature, I improvised with 1/2 cup applesauce. The cookies turned out soft and cakey, not what I'd prefer necessarily, but still delicious!

Dinner Sunday Night:

Carribbean Red Beans and Brown Rice from The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook, with greens and panfried plantains on the side. Good and spicy! Wahoo!

Dinner Monday Night:

I think we make too much pizza. Why? Because almost every day, the kids at work ask me, "do you have pizza for lunch today?" :) Anyhow, here's another one. Artisan Bread crust, Muir Glen organic pizza sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach, onion, mushroom, green pepper, and Yves "Meatless Pepperoni." Meatless pepperoni? Prepared pizza sauce? Well, the kids at work wanted to make a pizza, and SOMEONE had to do something with the leftover ingredients!

"Deli-Style Rye," as part of our bake-a-long:

I didn't follow the recipe exactly, since I completely forgot I was supposed to brush the loaf with a cornstarch wash and cover it with seeds, but, oh well. Floured crust looks pretty, too! I also had a chance to use the charnushka seeds that Dan's brother bought me for Christmas, in place of the more typical caraway. Thanks, Ryan!

We'll cut into the rye tonight with our dinner . . . to be continued!

Yoga Challenge (day 29) and Sunday eats!

I went for a long walk around Lake of the Isles with my friend Ann this afternoon, and did 20 minutes of "Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners" when I got home, to stretch out the leg muscles in particular.

I can't believe there are only two days left in the challenge! I'm so excited to reflect on the challenge on Wednesday, and continue practicing yoga in the coming months. It's been an adventure, to say the least!

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I cooked today. (Finally.)

First, brunch:

Potato, kale, and sun-dried tomato frittata, with toast and apple slices. We may be having frittata more often. I like the idea of ONE dirty pan, instead of the usual THREE dirty pans! :)

Second, baking:

Scones, from Vegan with a Vengeance. I used mostly whole-wheat pastry flour with some ground oats thrown in for good measure, ground cinnamon, and diced apple. These spread quite a bit on me and turned out pretty flat, but they still taste amazing! Must file away apple-cinnamon scones for future reference.

Third, beans and rice:

I must be honest . . . "beans and rice" is one of those vegetarian staple meals that I've never quite been able to get behind, until very recently. Nobody ever puts recipes out there for beans and rice, and I was never happy with the concoctions I created -- but lately I've been adapting the recipe for "Messy Rice" from VCON to make my most favorite beans and rice to date! I'll share:
Cook together until soft:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt (use less if you're using canned beans)
Stir in:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup brown rice (short or long grain, or a mix of the two)
Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the rice, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Stir in:
2 cups cooked pinto, black, or kidney beans (home-cooked or canned)
P.S. A canned chipotle in adobo would be awesome in this, too, (remove before serving,) and a healthy squeeze of fresh lime juice is always welcome. :)

Last, my favorite thing to do with beans and rice:

If the beans and rice are already cooked, these are the easiest, most delicious burritos ever -- sprinkle some shredded cheese in a tortilla, (my favorite is pepper Jack,) add a big scoop of beans and rice, fold and secure with a toothpick, and bake at 400 until the tortilla is crispy and the edges brown. Top with salsa and devour!
These burritos would also be great topped with sour cream, or guacamole, or salsa verde, or mole, or a homemade faux-cheese sauce! I also think the beans and rice would make amazing stuffed peppers . . . maybe I'll experiment next weekend!

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So, what's your secret recipe for amazing beans and rice?

Yoga Challenge (day 7,) big shop, and FLOG

I went for a walk with my friend Courtney this afternoon, and decided yoga would be a good way to stretch out my muscles following our light, social work-out. I chose the 35-minute instructional portion of Yoga Journal's "Step by Step Session 1" video that I got from Netflix earlier this week. Although this portion was not a flowing routine, I still think I got a lot out of it -- the tutorial moved more slowly, so I was able to focus more on my breathing, as well as attempting to do the poses correctly.

I'm really struggling with downward dog. I have an extra "bend," (my body is more of a U-shape, as opposed to a V-shape,) and can't seem to find a way to get my feet flat on the floor. I have long legs, stubby little arms, and inflexible leg muscles -- downward dog is quite the challenge! Any ideas/suggestions from you yoga queens out there?

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Almost first thing this morning, I decided to borrow Dan's car for a majorly big shop at the co-op. I felt like I needed one of everything! Geez! Here's the motherload:



BULK:
local sliced almonds
organic raw almonds
organic pecans
organic walnuts
tahini
local, organic, whole-wheat pastry flour
local, organic rolled oats
organic short-grain brown rice
active dry yeast
organic, fair-trade, dark chocolate chips
nutritional yeast flakes
dried blueberries
dried cherries
dried apricots

CHEESE:
local, organic ricotta
sharp cheddar

FROZEN:
organic raspberries
Boca meatless crumbles

HERBS & SPICES:
local, organic ground allspice
local, organic star anise
local, organic Italian seasoning
oregano
parsley

PACKAGED GROCERY:
organic brown rice vinegar
red wine vinegar
aluminum-free baking powder
organic no-stir peanut butter
"Moroccan Pomegranate" red tea
organic apple cider vinegar
organic light agave nectar
local, organic maple syrup
organic pumpkin puree
artichoke pasta sauce
local, organic sunbutter
muffin liners
Seventh Generation laundry detergent
Seventh Generation dish soap
Seventh Generation TP

PERSONAL CARE:
razor cartriges
NatraCare pantiliners

PRODUCE:
organic celery
organic bananas
organic avocado
organic eggplant
organic red onion
organic red bell pepper
jalapeno
organic pitted dates

REFRIGERATED GROCERY:
organic superfirm tofu
Earth Balance buttery sticks
"Watermelon Chill" Naked Juice
local, organic eggs

I should be set for a LONG time, save for produce, don't you think?? :)

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COFFEE:

I usually take my coffee black, but I decided to add almond milk and agave this morning.

ERRANDING SNACK:

I HATE it when I get it in my head that waiting to eat breakfast is a good idea . . . I saved myself by picking up a Naked Juice at the co-op. This one is one of my favorites.

LATE BREAKFAST:

Leftover roll, toasted, with sunbutter.

BRUNCH:

Scrambled tofu, hash browns, and a Minneola.

AFTERNOON TREAT:

The last chocolate-chip cookie.

DINNER:

My friend Ashley came over to hang out, and I made us chili and cornbread. I used the "Very Veggie Chili" recipe from Vegan Planet again, adding a package of Boca meatless crumbles. I also switched it up a little more this time, using kidney beans instead of chickpeas. This may be my go-to chili recipe from now on -- it is so hearty, nutritious, and tasty!

TREAT:

Ashley bought us some pumpkin ice cream! It was SOOOOOOOO tasty. I'm using all of my willpower NOT to finish off the rest of the pint that's tucked away in my freezer right now!

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Don't forget to spring your clocks ahead tonight!

I like good food!

Dinner Friday Night:

Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower, from Real Simple. (Green cauliflower, you ask? Nah . . . broccoli. I guess Dan doesn't like cauliflower??) The dish was relatively easy to prepare (much simpler than a traditional bechamel-based baked mac and cheese,) delicious, nutritious with broccoli and whole-wheat pasta, and even reheated well! If you decide to make this, beware . . . it's a LOT of food. We had this Friday night, for lunch again on Saturday, and there were still two helpings left! (One I sent home with Dan, one for a work lunch for me this week.) P.S. More beet 'n' goat cheese topped salad on the side. MMMMMMMMMMMM.

Saturday breakfast:

Not brunch, mind you, breakfast! We had things to do, so we had an earlyish start Saturday morning. I varied our brunch this week a little bit by roasting Yukon Golds and sweet potatoes, (I had a sweet potato that needed to be cooked STAT!), instead of our usual hashbrowns.

Dinner Saturday night:

I finally cracked Vegan Planet, (I swear I've owned this cookbook for three years and have never cooked from it,) and made the "Very Veggie Chili," adding a package of Boca "Meatless Crumbles." (I rarely buy "fake meat" products, but I must admit, a package of soy crumbles really makes a chili, in my opinion.) We topped the chili with shredded sharp cheddar, sliced avocado, and light sour cream. Corn muffin, (from Veganomicon,) coleslaw, and homemade pickle on the side!

Lunch Sunday:

"Tempeh and Red Bean Jambalaya with Chipotle Chiles," again from Vegan Planet, served over brown rice, with a side of coleslaw. This was good, but not stellar. I wonder if this is one of those dishes that gets better the longer it sits? It was spicy, smoky, and tomato-ey, but that was about it. I was hoping for more complexity . . . alas!

Last, a couple of weekend baking projects:

Lemon Shortbread:

I based these off a recipe I found in an old issue of Cooking Light, but I didn't really follow the recipe completely. Regardless, the shortbread are lemony, crunchy, slightly sweet, buttery (even though I used Earth Balance,) and vegan, to boot! Yum.

More Artisan Bread:

I may never buy bread again. (Just lots of flour.)

I can't tell you how many sinks full of dishes I've washed this weekend, but it was totally worth it! I like good food!

FLOG, full vs. stuffed

First, my Saturday FLOG:

BREAKFAST:
a cup of black coffee, my multivitamin, and:

a Muesli Breakfast Bar and a pluot

WORK SNACK:

Naked Juice "Blue Machine" smoothie (never tried this flavor before -- not my favorite. It was good, but not groundbreaking.)

LUNCH:
leftover curry and brown rice from last night
one cookie
(no picture; sorry!)

DINNER:

Carribean Red Beans and Brown Rice (from the Mayo Clinic Cookbook,) broiled plantains with kosher salt (SOOOO good!), and sauteed kale with garlic.

MOVIE SNACK:
popcorn with Earth Balance and sea salt
unsweetened ginger tea

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Dan made a comment as we were serving up dinner this evening; "you're really doing the vegan thing lately." I guess I have been, mostly, anyways. I've also been eating a TON of beans. I love beans! We got to talking, and Dan admits that he loves vegan food, but that it doesn't make him feel "full." I brought up the idea of "full" versus "stuffed" -- heavy things like eggs, dairy, and meat have always made me feel "stuffed," whereas healthier fare makes me feel comfortably "full." He agreed with my distinction between the two feelings, (and the two cuisines,) and I also mentioned that tofu, tempeh, and seitan have the potential to be more filling than beans, lentils, and whole grains. I guess, in the end, I tend to prefer lighter foods. I don't know whether I always have, or if my tastes have changed with my eating habits.

However, not being one to disappoint the BF's palate, I pose the following questions:

What are your favorite tricks for making vegan food very filling? What are your favorite "heavier" vegan meals/recipes?

For me, I think seitan is probably the most filling vegan entree I've ever eaten, and strangely, white rice sushi has "stuffed" potential, as well.

Thanks!