PB&A!

I know, sounds crazy, but the Peanut butter Avocado sandwich has changed my life more than yoga. The important things to remember when crafting your PB&A:

• Use chunky Peanut Butter; Avocado is creamy and smooth, texture is  needed here;
• Mix your avocado with some lemon or lime juice to stop it from oxidizing;
• get creative with your bread choice (I love cinnamon-raison bread) and your other fillings (pickled mango, anyone)?
• Have fun with it! It's a peanut butter sandwich! 

Tomatillo Chick Fajitas with Jicama-Mango Slaw  

I am a fan of the food channel, especially Chopped, DDD and Eat Street. They are a reminder that good food comes from all sorts of places, with emphasis on creativity. New food is exciting! This fajita is my take on a chicken tomatillo fajita that I saw features on "Eat Street". I love the idea that I can have food-cart food at home.

I used faux chicken strips in this one, but if you do not like to consume faux meat, you could easily substitute tofu or beans for the faux chicken strips.

Ingredients 

Jicama-Mango Slaw

Slaw

1 jicama bulb, peeled and sliced into matchstick pieces

1 mango, peeled and sliced into matchstick pieces

1 avocado, peeled and sliced into matchstick pieces

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Dressing

1/3 cup vegan mayo (homemade or store bought)

juice of 2 limes

1 tsp agave nectar 

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

Tomatillo Chick

1.5 cups tomatillo salsa (homemade or store bought)
1 clove garlic
4 fennel seeds
juice of one lime
1/4 cup water
1 pack faux chicken strips (your preferred brand)
Whole Wheat Tortillas

Directions

Jicama-Mango Slaw

1. mix all dressing ingredients together until incorporated in large bowl. 

2. toss the slaw ingredients into the dressing, gently folding with a spoon until dressing is evenly distributed, set aside.

Tomatillo Chick 

3. heat 1 tbsp oil a non-stick skillet over medium heat.

4. saute garlic in oil until fragrant (30 seconds -1 minute).

5. Add salsa, lime juice and water, stir until bubbling.

6. While you are waiting for the salsa mixture to bubble, heat tortillas on another, dry skillet.
7. add chicken strips, heat for 2-3 minutes.

8. remove from heat. Place tomatillo-chick mixture on to tortilla. Add the slaw. fold, and enjoy.

Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Root Beer Float

I spent last night on my couch, in a onesie, drinking this float and watching "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". You are all Jealous.

How to make this float:

1. pour half a bottle of micro brewed root beer into a large glass (to make this an adult beverage, first pour .in 2 oz of spiced rum).

2. add a scoop of so delicious coconut based ice cream (I used the cookie dough flavor, but I also enjoy the chocolate one).

3. pour the rest of the root beer over the ice cream and stir.

Enjoy.

Roman green beans and lentils

I love green beans, an they are finally in season! I threw this together on a snowy Saturday afternoon.

1/2 lb green beans (ends cut off )

1 tsp salt

1 diced yellow onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1/4 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp tarragon (dried)

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp thyme leaves (dried)

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp dried basil leaves

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 cups cooked green lentils (or brown, if that's what you have on hand)

1. Saute onion in a little olive oil until translucent (about 8 minutes on med-high heat)

2. add garlic, stir til fragrant (about a minute)

3. add herbs and salt to mix, stir.

4. Add tomatoes, and then 1 can of water (use the can the tomatoes came in)

5. stir, bring to a boil.

6. add green beans and boil until they are tender (15 minutes).

7. finally, add lentils, let warm, and add vinegar.

Serve over grain of your choice or mashed potatoes.

Pre-hike breakfast

Before a fantastic hike at Elk Island, I had a bagel with almond butter, an avocado (yes, the entire avocado, no halfsies here!) and Oleo and Spice's (find them here, http://www.oleoandspice.com/, they are amazing) jalapeno-peach jam (yes, Jalapeno Peach!).

It kept me going for about 2.5 hours of hiking through some tougher (read 25 cms of moist-ish powdery snow) conditions. Did I mention it tasted great?

Smoky Almond Hummus

This is a rather sophisticated hummus. Remember that the smoky flavour needs to be balanced with acidity. Add more vinegar or lemon if you like.

1 clove garlic

1 can white beans

1/3 cup tahini

juice of 1 lemon (or lime is good too, or a mix)

2 tbsps red wine vinegar

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste, I'm not telling you what to do, calm down)

1/4 tsp alspice (just trust me here, ok?)

1 tsp oregano leaves

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp of water

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1. grind garlic clove in food processor.

2. add spices, salt and oregano and almonds, grind.

3. add beans, oil, lemon juice, tahini and water, grind until smooth.

NEWS FLASH: CLEVER RABBIT DOES TAKE OUT!!!!!!

Further, they do amazing, caring take out, like your Mom or Dad or sister or brother or Grandma or Grandpa or whoever decided to cook you a meal to help you out during a busy week.

I had called ahead and ordered the chickpea-walnut burger and a salad. I was very happy with my decision. Then I went to pick it up. When I showed up and explained that had called ahead, the adorable counter clerk knew who I was. He was keeping my burger on the grill so that it would still be warm when I ate it. You don't get that sort of TLC just anywhere, let me tell you!

I also got one of their home-made sandwich cookies. It was so good, that I think it made me dumber. Seriously. Also, don't get me started on their ridiculous salad dressing. It's too silly good to even consider discussing.

Clever Rabbit Carrot Cake

I love this little cafe. It is located on 124 street, and is attached to an adorable pet bakery which contains rescue pets (I went over to say Hi after). Also, each table in the cafe has rabbit salt and pepper shakers, each set is different, and I suspect, vintage. THAT'S DEDICATION.

Their carrot cake is vegan and out-of-this-world. I walked in as they were closing, and they let me (they actually encouraged me not to leave, the staff is very sweat and welcoming) camp out for a while anyway, with a coffee and the cake.

I will be going back for their famous lunch one of these days. I hesitate to tell you about the vegan donuts...I think that once word gets out about them there will be none left for me (unless you save me one, then we can be BFFs).

Chipotle BBQ Tofu

Ok, so I like shortcuts. Sometimes when youcome home after a long day, whipping up a sauce seems like a difficult task. Luckily, there are some great vegan bottled sauces available, like this one!I marinated some tofu with it (I like extra-firm) overnight, then baked it, with some cut up fingerling potatoes, for an hour. I ended up having a great dinner without having to break a sweat. I also used the leftover tofu for wraps the next day. :)

If St. Patrick went down to Texas...

Get the recipe for green chile posole here: http://www.marthastewart.com/868407/lisa-fains-green-chile-posole-black-beans.

Martha Stewart has lots of great vegan and easily veganizable recipes. Here, I couldn't find hominy, so I used corn instead. Not as authentic, but still tasty!

The Uje...

Every vegetarian restaurant has a version of this, it's usually called a grain or rice bowl. Basically, they give you a bowl where you pick your grain (or if its a rice bowl, there's, well, rice) a protien (tofu, beans, tempeh, or what have you) and veggies.

What I had for dinner tonight was similar to this, except it was on a plate, not a bowl. It consisted of quinoa, cuban black beans (got the recipe from a martha stewart magazine, veganized of course) and some sauteed swiss chard, mushrooms and red pepper. Top that off with some avocado, lime juice and vegan cheese shreds (Daiya is what I use) and you're good to go.

I'm baaaaaack

Not as scary as that Spielberg flick, but just as awesome. I have come back to Veganism after a foray into the land-o-burgers. I'm sick of feeling sick, and so, I have made some soup :)

Here are the get-healthy ingredients:

1/2 cup miso (I chose red)

1/4 cup tamari

8 cups veggie stock (or water is fine)

1 diced onion

1 diced orange pepper (or any pepper you want)

1 head shredded nappa cabbage

2 types of mushrooms (I used cremini and enoi)

shanghai noodles (the ones from the fridge)

1 pk. medium soft tofu

1 bunch sliced scallions

2 tbsp diced ginger

3 cloves garlic (diced)

dulse (or any other sea veggie)

cilantro (to your heart's content)

juice from 1 lime

1. saute garlic, ginger and onion in oil over medium heat.

2. add pepper, mushrooms, and stir for a bit, until softened a little.

3. add napa cabbage, and continue to saute.

4. stir in miso and tamari.

5. add sea veggie, stock or water and bring to a boil.

6. add lime juice.

7. add noodles, boil for 3 minutes.

8. bring down temperature, add tofu, let simmer for 3 more minutes.

9. add scallions and cilantro.

Now, don't you feel better already?