Everyday Nums! #12

Breakfast

What else but a green juice!?! I love these things, really and truly. It has become exactly what my body craves as soon as I wake up in the morning. It gives me a ZAP of energy that I bet would be a lot like what most people get from coffee. I don't drink coffee, so I'm not *totally* sure, but I'd be willing to bet on it! This green juice had chard, celery, carrots, apples, the seedy center of a zucchini, parsley, and ginger. Ginger really is awesome in green juice, try it! Oh, and will you check out the awesome perfection of how exactly my green juice filled the glass? I wish I could get a job eyeballing green juice ingredients, I seem to be extremely talented!






Lunch

Remember when I told you about that delicious raw Thai noodle dish that Robyn from Girl on Raw made for me? Well, I couldn't stop thinking about it and telling Cody about it so finally I got around to making it myself. I couldn't find miso paste so I used asian bean paste, added some garlic, used less oil....and still loved it! This really is one amazing dish. I hope you try it because it will definitely be a favorite! For my noodles I used zucchini, bell peppers, sprouts and broccoli slaw.




Afternoon Snack

Hummus, veggies and fruit! Doesn't get much simpler or much better than that! People always ask me how I get my hummus so creamy and I'm shocked by the regularity of this question. Hummus making is EASY! Take a can of chickpeas, drain the liquid, toss them into a food processor with several cloves of garlic, hefty splashes of tahini and lemon juice, and blend blend blend while drizzling in some good quality olive oil until you get the consistency you like. Add sea salt and devour!






Dinner

Rice and Beans for my main squeeze! This isn't really something that I would make for myself, but Cody adores dishes like this. His dad is from Louisiana so this kind of food is in his blood, I suppose. I sauted up a bunch of squash, onions and garlic, and once they were nice and tender I added a can of Amy's Baked Beans (delicious!), some water and tomato paste, and then to thicken up the sauce I added some ground up raw cashews and nutritional yeast. It ended up being epically delicious, even I loved it!




Dessert

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups! SO delicious and easy to make. Chocolate and peanut butter are totally made for each other. Salty, sweet, creamy, heaven. If you want to make them yourself you will be thrilled with how easy they are. Melt a ton of vegan chocolate. Spoon it into paper cupcake liners, turn them around and around until the bottom and sides are coated. Pop them in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Melt a ton of peanut butter. Pour the slightly melted peanut butter into the frozen chocolate molds and pop back into the freezer for another 20 minutes. Once they are firm, top with more melted chocolate, more freezer time, then EATING time! (You don't need to continue storing them in the freezer once they've all set up. The fridge will be fine.)

Raw Thai Veggie Wraps with Green Curry Coconut Lime Sauce

The other day when I was making my scrumptious Tuscan Pesto wraps, I decided to make Cody something a little different. He is a huge fan of Thai Curry and I thought I could make him a veggie wrap that would capture all the key flavors of one of his favorite dishes. And I did! It was easy and SO tasty!

The sauce is creamy and rich, with a lot of spice from the green curry paste and just enough tang from the ginger and lime to keep you coming back for more!

Ingredients

All of your wrap fixings, whatever veggies you like!
1/2 cup raw walnuts
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tsp green curry paste (I would have used more but this stuff was ferociously hot!)
1/2 inch of ginger
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 cup water
pinch of salt

Blend all of the ingredients (except veggie fixing!) in a food processor. I chose to leave a few dollops quite thick, for dipping, and then add in most of the water, to thin the sauce out.

I tossed all of the veggie filling with the sauce and piled it into butter lettuce wraps.

Cody loved it and gave it his lip smacking approval!

A Day at the Races!

This afternoon Cody and I participated in a fun 3K walk/run/bike charity race that raised money for cancer research and awareness. I knew that I was going to need lots of energy to keep me going so here is what I ate for the day to get me rarin' to go!



Breakfast

Breakfast on this fine morning was a gigantic glass of green juice with a little something special. No, it was NOT spirulina, thank you very much. It was raw, fresh ginger! I've never used fresh ginger before but now I know that it will be a staple in my pantry from now on. Just a tiny sliver added to our juice punched up the flavor, warmed our bellies and gave us a HUGE jolt of nutritional benefits. Yum!







Lunch


Can't you just taste the amazing freshness of this meal!?!? It makes me hungry all over again to look at those beautiful colors. I filled a few butter lettuce leaves with my most favorite dip in the whole entire universe EVER (Kristen's Raw Tuscan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto) and then piled them up with broccoli slaw, bell peppers, cucumbers and sprouts. Then I wrapped up the ones that would close all the way and just ate the last little rebel all freestyle! Delicious! I couldn't get enough of this meal, it was one of my favorites.



Pre Race Snack

This is one of my favorite snacks/light breakfasts/post workout refuels/desserts, etc. It is so quick and easy to put together, and it always tastes so yummy! It is whole grain bread spread with a bit of almond butter, topped with sliced banana and drizzled with agave nectar and a dusting of cinnamon.


And we're off!



Before we left I had to get some good luck kisses from Jack. He was a bit resistant at first (he is way too cool for kisses) but I hauled him in (look at the grip I have on his neck scruff!) and laid a big ol' smack on his juicy nose.



He promptly licked the yucky kiss right off his nose. I told you he was too cool for kisses! (If you look really closely you can see my green GO VEGAN pin that I am wearing. I figured, it's a run to raise money for charity, what better pin to wear than one that proclaims a great and easy way to PREVENT cancer!)



I decided that I needed some extra protein (since, you know, I'm a vegan and we totally don't get any - *major eye roll here*) so I gnawed on Polly's head a bit. She is my sweet, tasty, patient best friend!



Before the race we got our cute t-shirts and Robyn (the awesomeness behind the fabulous blog Girl on Raw) and I decided it was the perfect time for an impromptu modeling session! Aren't we so glamorous? Hmmm...maybe we could be Saudi Arabia's Next Top Models???





And, of course, while everyone else was stretching and warming up before the race, what does Tasha do? Mingle with all the cute pups, of course! Seriously, I am so much more excited to meet people's dogs than I am to meet the actual people. These three were such adorable sweeties, I just couldn't resist smooching them!





These were my two main views during the race: the backs of all the people in front of me and Cody's sweet face. We alternately jogged and walked. I might be 27, but my knees are 67 and don't do well running, even though I love it so much. That is why I stick to the elliptical and summit climber when I do my cardio!



The weird (and slightly creepy) finish line! Success!



Dinner

Dinner was more raw veggie wraps. Told you I couldn't get enough!



Dessert

S'mores! I know, I know, they are pretty scandalous, being topless and all, but they were delicious! Like I mentioned before my dad just got back from the states and brought me a bunch of vegan goodies, like these amazing Sweet & Sara Vegan Marshmallows. Have you tried these? They are BRILLIANT! They taste better than 'regular' marshmallows, more real, old fashioned and authentic, not the overly sweet and chemical filled, nearly flavorless puffs that most marshmallows are these days. These are so complex and beautiful, I love them.



Dessert Dessert

More goodies from the states: Tings! Let's all sing the Vegan anthem now: I LOVE TINGS!

We had a great day over here in Saudi Arabia! Hope that wherever in the world you are, you are having a fabulous day too!

Everyday Nums! #11

Breakfast

Brekkie Nums was a green juice....that tasted like death. Normally I like my green juices, they have all sorts of super amazing foods in them: chard, carrots, apples, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, cilantro, and many other amazing things that I have on hand. But this green juice had a little something extra: spirulina. My dad just returned from a trip to the US and brought me some goodies from Whole Foods. Well, let me just say that spirulina is not my friend. Ughgh! I almost couldn't drink this thing, I just kept chugging and telling myself 'it's good for you! it's good for you!' Is there any way I can disguise the gnarly taste so I can still get all the amazing health benefits it offers?



Lunch

Lunch was SO much better than brekkie nums! My wonderful and inspiring friend Robyn from Girl on Raw invited me to her (amazingly decorated) house for a delicious raw lunch.





First she served us these amazing spring rolls, filled with bell peppers, spinach, carrots, sprouts and mint. The mint really made these treats something special, it was such an unexpected taste that worked so well with everything else. The spicy chili dipping sauce had me sweating!



This raw pasta dish is one of the most amazing meals I have EVER had. I always knew Robyn was a good un-cook but this was really out of this world. I could not believe how amazingly fresh and delicious this was, it had such a complex flavor. There was miso, ginger, dates, and so much more, that just made my head spin. When I was done with the noodles I still had a bit of the dressing at the bottom of the bowl. I'm not ashamed to say I asked for a spoon so I could slurp up every last bit of the tastiness! Here is the recipe for this dish, it is from Choosing Raw, and you should definitely go make this right now!



Then we had hours and hours of awesome chatter, the heartfelt kind that you can only really have with another woman. Aren't strong, courageous, genuine women the most amazing thing? And isn't it even better when they have two cute little pals for you to cuddle? Sam is the black cat who is probably too cool for school, and Lucy is my little Arctic fox cuddle bunny. She is so smart and sweet!



And to follow up all the delicious raw food Robyn prepared I supplied dessert in the form of triple chocolate cupcakes. YUM! Not raw and absolutely packed with sugar, but they were healthy for the soul!





Dinner

After such a beautiful lunch I really wanted something light and refreshing for dinner, so I kept it simple and wilted a bunch of spinach, bell peppers and red onions and topped that with a handful of almonds. After a few bites I decided to jazz it up and I drizzled it with a bit of tahini and lemon juice. Delicious.

Dessert



I can't get enough of this lately. I eat at least 2 or 3 oranges a day and I'm going through strawberries like I can afford them...which I can't! But they are so delicious, how could I resist!?!

Also, PLEASE go check out the wonderful blog Chocolate Covered Katie to learn about how you can help make the world a much better place in a very simple way through Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness. It really is as simple as clicking your mouse and people will benefit in a very real and tangible way.

Red Onion Marmalade

Red Onion Marmalade has always been one of my favorite things, but up until now I had never made it for myself. One taste of this amazing spread and I bet it will be one of your favorite things, too. It has the buttery taste of cooked onions, the tangy bite of vinegar and the sweet, molasses mellowness of brown sugar, all together in one place. It is delicious spread on toast in the morning, on top of crispy fried tofu, in a baked potato, topping a veggie burger, mixed with mashed black beans to make an insane dip for crackers and chips, there are a million different ways to use this yumminess!





Here it is on top of crispy fried tofu, served with a side of steamed broccoli and my cheddar jalapeno biscuits. The tofu was marinated in soy sauce, olive oil and lemon juice and then dredged in nutritional yeast, AP flour, cornstarch, garlic powder and ground flaxseeds and then fried up in a thin puddle of olive oil.


Ingredients
2 red onions, chopped small
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
3 cloves garlic, chopped small
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

- In a small saucepan combine all of the ingredients. No need to be specific about the order, just get them all in there, and stir it up.



Onions and garlic in the vinegar, water mixture



Brown sugar and ginger added!

- Bring to a gentle simmer/boil and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes, to an hour. You want to cook until most of the liquid is gone, everything is soft and it has the consistency of jelly.



Bubbling away!

- Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Another great recipe from Vegan Brunch. I had actually planned to make my own pumpkin pancakes but my brain was just not functioning and the thought of figuring out yet another recipe completely eluded me that morning. So, I opened my trusty copy of Vegan Brunch and flipped straight to this recipe.



These were not what I expected. Once I whipped up the batter I gave it a quick taste test and I was shocked. It was spicy and sharp, not sweet at all. I added a few tablespoons of evaporated cane juice to sweeten everything up and then, once satisfied with the now slightly sweet taste, ladled the batter into the frying pan. The texture of these pancakes is extremely luscious and moist, absolutely dense with pumpkin and spice, not the fluffy and light pancakes you would usually think of. But they were good, in fact, as I took bite after bite, I realized that I really liked them! And they were the perfect way to start our Halloween weekend. My only regret is that I didn't fill these with chocolate chips, the combination of chocolate and pumpkin is one of my favorite.

Zombie Apocalypse Cupcakes

The zombie apocalypse is coming, are you prepared? We are holing up in our zombie proof bunker this weekend and doing some serious strategizing. We'll be watching our favorite zombie movies, plus a few we haven't seen before, and we will definitely be eating these delicious and creepy cupcakes that will not only satisfy our sweet tooth but will also remind us of the very real threat of the dead rising from the grave to try to feast on our brains.





These were really easy to make. I made a batch of chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate icing. I then sprinkled and pressed dyed green coconut shavings onto the top. (I couldn't find green food coloring, or even blue and yellow, so I had to improvise. I juiced a small bunch of chard and drizzled the bright green juice onto the coconut. Worked perfectly and you couldn't even taste the chard!) Then I molded zombie hands out of a stick of marzipan and carved a tiny hole in the top of the already frosted cupcake with a knife and popped the hands down in there. Voila! Instant zombie apocalypse!

If you are curious, some of our favorite zombie movies are: Night of the Living Dead (both original and remake), Dawn of the Dead (both original and remake), 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, and Fido.

What are your favorite zombie movies?

The Vegan Patty Melt Rebuttal

Hello Readers of The Voracious Vegan, I am so glad I have the chance to speak with you today. I am that beautiful patty melt you see pictured above. What's that? You've never heard of a patty melt? Well, a patty melt is a cheeseburger grilled on buttered toast and it is quite popular throughout the USA.

The reason I am talking with you today is that after Tasha's last post, Everyday Nums #10, I just had to do something. With all that healthy food I didn't want her readers to get the wrong idea. You see, Tasha might enjoy eating vibrant, healthy food most of the time but she also loves a greasy fry up, 3 inch thick frosting on her cupcakes, and the occasional entire bag of salt and vinegar potato chips. And she loves me. That's right, she followed up her day of green juice, salad and beans with a gigantic patty melt and she loved it. She cooked up an Amy's burger, put it between two pieces of buttered bread, slathered it with a nutritional yeast cheese sauce and then fried it up like a grilled cheese sandwich. Delicious!

Like Tasha always says: "Drink your green juice but then eat your cupcake, too!" Or in this case, a patty melt.

Everyday Nums! #10

Breakfast

Breakfast was a green juice which started out with 2 apples, 1 carrot, a scrawny bit of celery, 2 cucumbers and a bunch of swiss chard.....



...and was transformed into this! Talk about the perfect amount, it got RIGHT to the top but didn't overflow!



I enjoyed my tall frosty green juice with a plate of oranges and strawberries. These strawberries were so good! Perfectly juicy and ripe, like little red jewels of sugar.





Lunch

I enjoyed a monster of a salad for lunch, and no, I didn't share any with my ancient sweetheart of a beagle, Lobi. (Doesn't she have the most beautiful face?) I usually show you my salads before they are all dressed up but today I wanted to show you how they look right before I devour them. They are covered in mounds of bacos and dripping with my favorite salad dressing: tahini, spicy mustard, and olive oil. Oh, and don't forget the nooch! This salad had 3 types of lettuce, carrots, broccoli, radishes, bell peppers, red onion, cucumbers, pickles, and was topped with a perfectly ripe avocado:



Isn't he gorgeous?





Dinner

We have been eating beans a lot lately! They are so delicious and make a ton of leftovers which is great because we have been really busy the past few weeks and it is always nice to know that you have a delicious pot of beans sitting in your fridge just waiting to be reheated. On the side I roasted up some turnips which were delicious! I've never cooked turnips before and I really like them, they have the same kind of texture as kohlrabi but without the slightly sweet flavor. I piled those onto a bed of steamed chard and we had a beautiful meal.



Dessert/Snack/Daily Requirement for My Life

Dark Chocolate! Isn't it crazy how people always think vegans can't eat chocolate? GOOD chocolate never has milk in it! This is my little chunk of happiness, isn't it pretty? I snack on dark chocolate pretty much all day long, I must be the most anti-oxidant filled person ever! I buy all kinds of dark chocolate, my requirements are that it not be too bitter, and that is has to be soft and yielding. I can't stand it when my chocolate is dry and bitter!

What have YOU been eating lately?

Benecio Del Toro in Food Form

This is an example of a food fail that quickly turned into a major success! I was throwing together flour, water, oil, cornmeal and a few spices, trying to make a pizza crust....and it just wasn't happening. The cooking gods must have been unhappy with me that day for some reason which may or may not have to do with the fact that I ate chocolate for breakfast...again. Anyway. The dough just wasn't working, I knew it wasn't going to magically transform into the perfect crust so I decided to go an entirely different direction and make a gallete.

My filling was 2 cans of mixed beans, caramelized onions and garlic, nutritional yeast, fresh basil...and probably a few more things that I can't remember at this point, all topped with fresh sliced tomatoes. So, I piled all of that deliciousness into the failed pizza dough and folded it up to form a basket for all the tastiness to live in while I baked it in the oven for a while.

It was delicious! The crust worked perfectly for this, it was crumbly and buttery and just scrumptious. The filling could be eaten on its own with a spoon, it was that tasty! So rich and creamy and filling, I can't wait to make it again.



Now you are probably asking "But why is this Benecio Del Toro in food form?"

While yes, they are both gorgeous and delicious, that is not where the inspiration came from. Poor Cody seemed a bit flummoxed by this meal, he had never even heard of a galette before. (No, I didn't find him under a rock.) So, he could never, and I do mean NEVER, remember the name of it. He called it a Goalie, a Galactic, a Cremini Mushroom, and the name that finally seemed to stick was Benecio Del Toro. Imagine: "Hey Tasha, I'm going to have another slice of the Benecio Del Toro. Do you want one?"

I don't see the resemblance but it was hilarious.