Roasted Veggies and Impromptu Dessert

I still had some leftover veggies from the market last weekend so I figured it was about time to use 'em or lose 'em.  I actually cannot believe these baby squashies were still good, but they were!

See?  Still good inside.

Note:  I did store them wrapped in a produce plastic bag then sealed in a ziploc stored in my crisper drawer.  These babies do not usually last long so generally I would recommend eating them within the first 2-3 days of getting your hands on them.

I then tossed them with sliced green onion, fresh oregano, and fresh ground black pepper and laid them in a baking dish lightly sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.

Then I also found these baby turnips still laying around.  So, into the roasting dish they went!

And just because I love it, I threw in some kale leaves, too.  This is not usually how I do my baked kale.  Usually I fill the whole dish with it (because, well, I love it, in case you did not already know), and spread it out a little more evenly.

The kale chips still came out alright but a few were not as crispy as I like.  I still ate 'em up, though, sprinkled with some nutritional yeast on top.

Roasted squash and turnips.  Pretty simple and delicious.  If I had been hungrier I would have eaten this over some brown rice or quinoa.  But instead, I was saving myself for what is to come next...

Dessert!  I had an apple that was on its last day so I decided to chop it up and bake it.  Tossed in fresh squeeezed lemon juice then drizzled a smidgen of pure maple syrup on the apple pieces and sprinkled with cinnamon, then into the oven for about 25-30 minutes.

Towards the end of the baking, as my kitchen was smelling like the spices of fall, I thought, hey this would be sooo good with some ice cream on top. Lucky for me, I had a frozen banana in the fridge and whipped up some nice cream!

Seriously, folks.  If you have not yet tried this, you just gotta.  Look at that texture.  If I did not tell you it was only a banana, you would never guess it.  It really does have that creamy feel just like frozen custard.  This time I used only a smidgen of almond butter and a splash of vanilla and it was the perfect complement to my baked apple delight.

Say it with me, now....YUM!!!  (and healthy, too!  But in this instance, healthy does not necessarily mean low calorie.  So share with a friend or indulge sparingly.  My estimate is that the dish below has around 300 calories and yes, I ate the whole thing! Just this once...)

28-day Challenge: Complete!

Yay!  Congratulations to all my teammates.  We made it 28 days and I have not heard anyone say one bad thing about how they feel or the food we have been eating.  Great job everyone!!!

Now that the 28 days are over, I cannot imagine going back to eating a non plant-based diet.  I feel great, have plenty of energy, have been sleeping so soundly, and have lost 5 pounds.  I also do not miss that overly full feeling that often follows a rich fatty meal.  You all know what I'm talking about--that greasy, bloated, uncomfortable feeling.  Well, I can safely say that having not felt that way in 28 days makes me even more sure that I will not go back to it :)  The saying is true:  you do not know what you have until it is gone, and in this case, that's a very good thing to have gone!

While I cannot promise to stay 100% plant-based for 100% of the remainder of my life, I do intend to do it 90-95% of the time.  I have to allow some leeway for occasionally eating out at a restaurant, or simply giving in to that pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving that only my mom knows how to make.

I love that I have now learned how to flavor foods with no added fats and very little added salt and sugar.  Whenever I eat out at a restaurant things taste so over-the-top salty!  I also had a bite of birthday cake recently which tasted like pure sugar and almost made my mouth hurt.  Haha.  I will take dates, applesauce oatmeal cookies, and banana nice cream any day over that!  (To be fair, I have always had more of a salty tooth than a sweet tooth. But if you have a sweet tooth, you are in luck!  I know these treats will satisfy you because they do just fine for my accountabili-buddy, Stacey).

That's another thing.  Dates.  I have always "hated" them.  And by that, I mean I ate one once when I was a kid and I did not like it so I always thought to this day that I did not like dates.  Well, I tried one recently and discovered a new favorite (healthy) treat!  Sooo good and you only need one or two to satisfy that sweet tooth.  Thanks to Stacey for opening my eyes to medjool dates.  I also found that I like figs, both fresh and dried, which I also thought I'd never say.  This new diet has allowed me to try new things and I have actually added more variety to my diet.  Not less.  So don't be fooled by the fact that meat and dairy were removed from the diet; that does not mean meal options become limited.

So hey, what does one do when reaching a goal?  Why, celebrate!  Tonight's meal is courtesy of Caitlin, the Healthy Eating Specialist at the Whole Foods in Metairie.  She has fearlessly led our group of Engine 2-ers through the 28-day challenge and treated us to a fabulous plant-strong dinner.  It was vegan chili made with kidney and pinto beans, onions, spices, and bulgur wheat, vegan cashew cream (sub for sour cream), and a fresh salad of bell peppers, cucumbers, and fat free balsamic vinaigrette. Check it out:

And that may or may not be a glass of wine to go with it....

Who says you cannot have delicious, fun desserts?  Bring on the 256th way to use dates that I have now learned:  caramel covered lady apples!

Lady apples are cute little baby apples that we stuck on skewers, dipped in the caramel sauce, and rolled in slivered almonds.  The sauce was made of dates, cinnamon, maple syrup, and a little water (recipe also called for coconut oil, but you can eliminate it). They were so good and fun to eat.  I think kids would love this!

Here is farewell to the 28-day challenge but have no fear, readers.  All 10 of you.  I am still going to keep this up and continue to share my healthy journey.  Come join me!

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Oh yeah, I forgot to share my delicious vegan tofu scramble from Surrey's Uptown that I had for Sunday morning brunch.  Be jealous.  It tasted even better than it looks:

I am going to hazard a guess and say that biscuit is probably not vegan.  But hey.  I opted for the potatoes instead of the grits (which are smothered in butter and cream and more butter) so I get points for that, right?

And behold the best hangover cure ever.  In a new flavor, which is now my favorite!  Lavender.  This will be a shock to my friend, Caroline, I know.

Peace!

28-day Challenge: Day 27

Ok folks, only one more day until the 28-day challenge is complete!  I have been reflecting on how these past four weeks have been and I will be sharing some of my thoughts in the next day or two.  For now, I will share my impromptu lunch made of some of the remaining ingredients from my Hollygrove haul last week.

What does one do when one has a big bunch of bok choy, a pile of shiitake mushrooms, green onion, garlic, and tofu?  Why, make a stir fry, of course!

Above: bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and green onions.  In the bag is tofu marinating in a sauce of Bragg's liquid aminos, splash of apple cider vinegar (rice vinegar would work, too), agave nectar, sriracha, minced garlic, green onions, drop or two of liquid smoke, ground cumin and ground ginger (I wish I had fresh ginger!)

I just could not get over how perfect these bok choy leaves were.  So fresh and just waiting to get chopped up for my stir fry.

All chopped up and ready to go.

Heat the wok to medium heat and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Saute the garlic and onion for a minute or two, then add the mushrooms.  Saute those for about 3 or 4 minutes, until they get slightly soft.  At this point I added a splash of sherry cooking wine because that flavor goes well with mushrooms, but you can omit this if you want.  Then add the bok choy.  Use a splash of water here and there if the pan gets too dry.  Above is what it looked like right when I added the bok choy.

Saute the whole mixture for about 3 or 4 minutes until the bok choy starts to wilt.  I like the ends of my bok choy to still be crispy so I do not overcook them.  How tender they get is up to you, but I suggest limiting the cooking time so they do not get mushy.  Test them with a fork for your preference.

Then I added the tofu and the remaining marinade and mixed to heat thoroughly.  (If you'd like, you can cook the tofu first over medium-high heat to brown it.  I was too lazy to do that this time because I almost always ruin it and it sticks to the pan.  If you have drained your tofu really well and you have a nonstick pan, this will be much easier for you.)

Serve over cooked brown rice and grind some fresh black pepper on top.  I suggest eating this with chopsticks because it tastes better and it is more fun!  Definitely more fun.  Enjoy!

28-day Challenge: Day 26

Hi strangers.  Sorry for the delay in posting--I was in Minneapolis for work all week and did not have the chance to sit down and write.  Even if I had, I was not cooking up gourmet plant-strong meals in my hotel room so I would not have had anything too interesting to say, anyway! :)

Some of you may be wondering how well I stuck to the diet while traveling.  Traveling is usually the biggest barrier to healthy eating, at least in my experience.  When I am in a new place and I do not have the option to cook for myself, there really is not any other choice than to eat out for almost every meal.  And often the options are limited to what you can easily access around the hotel, which is certainly no guarantee for healthy choices, let alone plant-strong menu items!

So, this time I planned ahead.  I stocked up on portable healthy foods which could get me through four breakfasts, four lunches, and some snacks in between.  Check it out:

 I have satsumas, apples, almond butter, raw almonds, medjool dates, Rip's Big Bowl, Lara Bars, and homemade oil-free oatmeal dark chocolate chip cookies (from the E2 book, made with applesauce.  Thanks, Stacey!!).  This was plenty to get me through and I brought the leftovers home.  Thankfully, this helped me avoid eating fast food during our lunch break at the conference.

Now, I will not pretend that everything I ate while away was completely healthy, but I did stick to the plant-strong diet as best as I could.  On Tuesday night I went with a friend to a friend's potluck bonfire where we ate chickpea salad, veggies and hummus, tofu and veggie spring rolls, and chips and salsa, plus a few beers.  Check these out!  These are not from Minnesota, (I'm sure you can guess where they are from when you see the photo) but I got such a kick out of the labels that I just have to share:

 Polygamy Porter and Provo Girl Pilsner!  Ha!

Anyway....so Wednesday we ate out at a Thai restaurant for dinner where we chowed down on coconut red curry with veggies and tofu, pad thai (I ate around the egg....best I could do), and stir fried spinach and tofu with black bean sauce.  It was pretty good, but they did not have brown rice.  Who doesn't serve brown rice these days?!  Even Thai restaurants in NOLA have that option...harumph.

Thursday night we went to a Mexican restaurant and I had chips and guacamole.  I just can't say no to tortilla chips, so do not judge me.  It's my one vice!  My entree was a watermelon, cucumber, heirloom tomato, and arugula salad which was delicious.  I am lucky it was so good, because it was apparently the only thing on the menu that could be modified to be vegan....

Then on Friday I gave in to temptation and skipped my pre-planned lunch and went out to a Middle Eastern restaurant for hummus, baba ganouj, falafel, Lebanese salad, and veggie curry.  Ok, so this clearly was not oil/fat-free, but relatively healthy and delicious all the same!

I must say, while I was not looking forward to spending a week in Minneapolis, I was pleasantly surprised.  It was a very clean and green city.  There are recycle bins on every corner, some even with an "organic waste" bin for composting, rent-a-bike stations everywhere, and free hybrid/clean air buses that run through downtown.  The weather was in the 50s on the first day then dropped to the 30s for the last part of the trip...it even snowed on Thursday!  I cannot believe I am saying this in public but....I enjoyed the cold.  Yes, there, I said it!  This girl from the South still has a soft spot for the colder weather.  I miss the seasons, the changing of the leaves, and the cute cold-weather outfits.  There are just only so many outfits I can put together with shorts and tank tops down here.  But with sweaters and layers, the possibilities are endless!  Ha.  Anyway, those feelings were fleeting once I fast forwarded my memory to what it is like January through April.  AKA=miserable.  So yeah, it was nice to visit but I'll take the warmth of the South any day.

28-day Challenge: Day 21

What a lovely Sunday!  I hope everyone enjoyed the nice "fall" weather here in NOLA.  And by that, I mean 70 degrees, feels like 80.  Sheesh. Regardless of the temperature, I made a big ol' pot of soup today.  I decided that I needed to go ahead and cook all those greens that I picked up yesterday because I'd never be able to eat them all individually before they go bad.  So....what does one make in Louisiana when one has so many greens laying around?  Why, gumbo z'herbes, of course!  (Thanks, Jessica!)

Gumbo z'herbes is a traditional Louisiana dish that is usually served on Good Friday.  That means, no meat.  This may be the only traditionally vegetarian dish of the South!  Ha.  Even so, I still had to make a few adjustments and tailor the dish to my liking.  For example, Emeril's recipe calls for a ham hock and bacon fat.  No thanks!  Anyway, it is also said that for the number of different types of greens you use, you will make that many new friends in the coming year.  AND, you have to use an odd number of greens for good luck. 

So I searched around online and decided to somewhat follow the recipe I found at FatFreeVegan for the most part, but opted to not puree the soup and I had different types of greens.  I did, however, make her smoky tempeh bacon which was surprisingly bacon-y and was a delicious combination when crumbled on top of the gumbo.

So 7 types of greens and a multitude of veggies later, lo and behold here is my first and rather successful attempt at making gumbo z'herbes, veganized!

Step 1 was to brown some flour in a dry pan.  Now, I've never done this before so the instructions at FatFreeVegan were super helpful.  And yes, I did burn it the first time and so I made a second batch which turned out much better.  See below.  The first picture is the regular whole wheat flour and the second one is what it looked like when I burnt it.  The third is the good one--you can see it is more like the color of light brown sugar.  I did actually get out some brown sugar from my pantry to compare...ha!

Whole wheat flour

 Burnt flour! Ick.

Flour browned just right.

The next million steps were to chop the veggies.  Here you can see almost all my ingredients: 

2 chopped onions, 1 chopped bell pepper, 4 chopped celery stalks, 4 minced garlic cloves,  2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, and 7 types of chopped greens--radish tops, turnip greens, green cabbage, parsley, spinach, mustard greens, and kale.  I also added great northern beans, sriracha, liquid smoke, black pepper, a pinch of salt, 1 1/2 tsp cayenne, and 12 cups of veggie broth (I used low-sodium veggie bouillon, not shown).

Look at all those greens!  I almost did not have enough bowls to fit everything while prepping....

Oh yeah, I included the leafy tops of the celery, too.  That does not count as an 8th green though...I am sticking with 7, because I need all the good luck I can get :)

So the next step was to brown the onions in the bottom of a big pot, then add the garlic and bay leaves and saute for a few minutes.  Then, it was time to add the flour and stir, stir, stir.  It turns to a mush when you get the flour mixed in just right, so don't be alarmed.  This is a pseudo-roux, which is essential to any well-respected gumbo.

I can't decide which picture gives you a clearer visual as to what it is supposed to look like...but you get the idea.

Once the roux is mixed together, you slowly add the veggie stock (or water), a little bit at a time.  Keep stirring so the flour and veggie mixture stays consistent.  Then, it is time to add in all the remaining veggies and greens. Just go for it, dump it all in there. Except the beans--hold off on those for a bit.  I find if you put them in too early they just boil down to mush and that's not what we want here.  Unless you are using uncooked beans that you've soaked overnight already...then by all means, get them in there now.

Here is what it looked like once assembled:

Let it come to a boil, then turn down to simmer.  About 30 minutes into it, add the beans and additional seasonings (hot sauce, liquid smoke, cayenne, black pepper).

No, it's not very pretty.  But it is what is inside that counts!

While the gumbo is simmering, cook some brown rice.  I used the Jazzmen Brown Rice that I love so much.  This is when you can prepare the tempeh bacon, too.   As on FatFreeVegan, you marinate 1/4 inch strips of tempeh in a mixture of soy sauce (I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos), agave nectar, garlic, water, cider vinegar, and hot sauce (I omitted the sesame oil) for about 15-30 minutes.  Then you cook them in a skillet over medium heat until nicely browned, flipping halfway through.  See full recipe on FFV for all the details. (Fun fact: if you steam the tempeh for 15 minutes before marinating, it will soak up more flavor).

Let the gumbo cook for at least 1 1/2 hours, or longer.  When it is ready (or you just cannot wait any longer), scoop some rice into the bottom of the bowl and ladle the gumbo over it.  Serve with a side of tempeh bacon (or crumble it up into the soup).

Close up of my "bacon"

Stirred up with the rice and ready to get into my belly 

 Who says Louisiana food can't be healthy and delicious??

28-Day Challenge: Day 20

Get ready for a day full of plant strong goodness!!  Here goes...

Today I volunteered at our local market, Hollygrove.  I was not sure what to expect, but it ended up being a very fun day!  We bagged and bunched and sorted all the veggies for the market and kept the bins supplied throughout the day.  It was their 4th anniversary and it was packed.  I loved seeing all the folks out supporting our local farms.  Hollygrove grows many of their own fruits and veggies on-site, and also sells other local produce from our region.  Each market day they have a set box of items for $25, and you can walk down the line and fill your bag.  

Picture of the $25/box line at the market (pic stolen from Hollygrove's Facebook page)

It is so much food!  Look at today's haul:

3 satsumas, 3 apples, 5 mini squash (look how cute!), baby turnips, shiitake mushrooms, a bag of mixed salad greens, micro greens, a bag of kale, huge bunch of mustard greens, fresh green onions, a bag of arugula, bok choy, radishes, 2 sweet potatoes, and some fresh herbs.  I have no idea what the herbs are but they smell unbelievably good!

Pardon my photography skills, I'm still learning!

Aren't the baby squashies cute???

I used the kale, salad greens, arugula, micro greens, herbs, radishes, green onions, and mushrooms in a big salad for lunch.  I also added some spinach leaves, cucumber, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds and used lemon juice and apple cider vinegar as a dressing.  YUM.

Dinner is with yet another talented friend who I mentioned earlier this week.  The lovely Preet cooked up some vegan, low fat samosas which were freakin' delicious.  These were made with whole wheat tortillas with a mixture of potatoes, onions, peas, cumin, ginger and garam masala, then were lightly brushed with oil and baked in the oven (not deep fried!!).  Dip them in some spicy chili garlic sauce, and before you know it you will have eaten 3 of them.  I must say, these are way better than the regular deep fried versions of days gone past....

And next up: lettuce wraps that were A.MAZ.ING.  Seriously.  She even went to extra lengths to let me cook me my own vegan ones with tofu.  Check these out:

Tofu cooked with mixed vegetables and peanut sauce, scooped into crisp lettuce leaves and topped with green onions and sriracha.  Does it get any better than this?!

Now just up the street my accountabili-buddy, Stacey, was noshing on this Engine 2 approved vegan meatloaf.  I can confidently say that it is delicious based on her description, and I plan to stop by to sample a bite tomorrow to confirm :).  It looks like it could be a great addition to the vegan Thanksgiving menu this year!

Hope everyone is having a plant-strong weekend!  And, food for thought (well, question for thought):  How do you best describe your decision to go plant-strong to people who don't understand it?  What is your best response to the oft-repeated question "how do you get enough protein?"  I have had several people just flat out tell me that they work out and therefore need the protein and calories from meat.  My response is, well, guess what?  I work out too and I do just fine with the protein and nutrients I get from my whole foods.  I also reference Arian Foster and the Williams' sisters...but I don't think I'm very convincing so any ideas would be much appreciated :)