tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347305083137824542024-03-05T22:59:30.986-05:00Vegetarians Taste BetterVegetarian and vegan living, dining, and drinking in greater Cleveland, OH.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.comBlogger491125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-14952402243387559412016-01-12T06:00:00.000-05:002016-01-12T06:00:09.257-05:00Recipe: Roasted Brussels SproutsOne of my favorite vegan restaurateurs and cookbook authors, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, refers to roasted Brussels sprouts as the "vegan french fry" and I can't disagree. I mean, I love french fries, but a crispy Brussels sprout is a lighter, healthier alternative to a deep fried potato that could be cooked in some oil that's also cooked who knows what.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BAV2mbGjcKk/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A photo posted by Roxanne (@roxetta)</a> on <time datetime="2016-01-10T02:17:24+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jan 9, 2016 at 6:17pm PST</time></div>
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The other night, for a <a href="http://rouxbe.com/plants/professional-certification?" target="_blank">Rouxbe Plant Based Certification Course</a> homework assignment, I had to roast Brussels sprouts. Easy, peasy, I thought. Until I saw that the recipe called for using coconut oil instead of what I normally use - olive oil. I was skeptical about how they'd turn out, but I think that I like the way they tasted even better. Something about the coconut oil kept the Brussels sprouts crispy on the outside but allowed them to be perfectly cooked (soft but not mushy with a little crunch) in the middle.<br />
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<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and cut in half</li>
<li>1 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil</li>
<li>salt and pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
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<b><u>Method:</u></b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 400 degrees</li>
<li>Heat coconut oil and toss with Brussels sprouts, making sure all sprouts are evenly covered</li>
<li>Place Brussels sprouts face down on a cookie tray lined with parchment paper. Season with salt and pepper. </li>
<li>Cook for 15 minutes and then flip Brussels sprouts. Cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes until the outer leaves have started to brown and the flat side is just starting to brown. (this varies based on the size of your Brussels sprouts) </li>
<li>Enjoy!</li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-50836384240699827792016-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:002016-01-11T06:00:15.804-05:00Recipe: Zucchini Noodle Alla NormaNew year, new me, blah, blah, blah.<br />
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Like most people in the universe, I'm using the new year as an excuse to try and eat a little healthier, move a little more, and get to a place where I'm happier about "me." I just completed a 3 day Blueprint juice cleanse (I'd write about it, but I've written about juice cleanses before - it's like a marathon - tough, long, and if your head is in the wrong place, you're going to fail) After you finish a juice cleanse, you're advised to eat "light," so I decided to make a dish loosely inspired by a recipe I saw on <a href="http://inspiralized.com/" target="_blank">Inspiralized</a>, a site dedicated to using a spiralizer to make vegetables into noodles and other fun shapes. Instead of noodles, this dish uses zoodles, or noodles made out of spiralized zucchini, and is topped with a flavorful tomato and eggplant sauce. Here's a link to the original <a href="http://inspiralized.com/2015/05/26/zucchini-pasta-alla-norma/" target="_blank">Zucchini Pasta Alla Norma Recipe</a>. My modified, boozier recipe follows below.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BATOZggDcJT/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A photo posted by Roxanne (@roxetta)</a> on <time datetime="2016-01-09T01:47:38+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jan 8, 2016 at 5:47pm PST</time></div>
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<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>2 medium zucchini - OR a package of zoodles (now sold at Whole Foods and other finer grocery stores - look in the produce section)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li>
<li>Vegetable stock or broth - 1/4 cup</li>
<li>1 medium eggplant, diced</li>
<li>2 + garlic cloves, minced (use as much or as little as you like)</li>
<li>salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li>2 cans diced tomatoes</li>
<li>1 teaspoon oregano</li>
<li>Red pepper flakes</li>
<li>1 teaspoon Italian seasoning</li>
<li>1/4 cup red wine</li>
<li>Fresh basil - chiffonade or whole leaves - 1/4 cup</li>
<li>2 tablespoons pine nuts</li>
<li>Optional: balsamic vinegar</li>
</ul>
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<b><u>Method:</u></b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Spiralize your zucchini and set it aside. </li>
<li>Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil, onions, and vegetable stock and cook until the onions are translucent. </li>
<li>Add the eggplant and garlic and season with salt and pepper. </li>
<li>Ad both cans of tomatoes, a pinch of red pepper flakes, oregano, Italian seasoning and bring mixture to a simmer.</li>
<li>While eggplant and tomato sauce is cooking, bring a small skillet to medium heat. Put pine nuts in the pan and toast (with no oil) until they start to just turn a darker tan color. Set aside.</li>
<li>Add wine to eggplant tomato sauce. Continue to cook until wine has evaporated and eggplant is a soft but still slightly firm consistency. (mushy eggplant = no bueno)</li>
<li>Fold fresh basil into the sauce just before serving and stir. Leave a few pieces aside for plating.</li>
<li>Drain any excess water from zoodles. </li>
<li>Split zucchini noodles into 2 or 3 portions and top with eggplant tomato sauce. Toss a handful of pine nuts and a few pieces of basil on top and serve immediately. </li>
<li>Optional: I like eggplant topped with balsamic vinegar, so I put a splash of that on my zoodle dish.</li>
</ol>
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My dish was a lightened up version of the Inspiralized one, but I think adding extra garlic, cooking everything all together for a longer amount of time, and adding a touch of red wine and basil added a lot of flavor. I could eat zoodles and egpplant daily, so this is definitely a dish I'll be making again.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-49074877038089188582016-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:002016-01-12T12:39:41.118-05:00Recipe: Vegan Chicken Con BroccoliIn my non-vegan days, I was a fan of the Olive Garden. Or at least their salad and bread. (but ewww...who puts eggs in salad dressing?) I think there's a market for a vegan equivalent of the OG, don't you? I could eat my weight in pasta. And bread. And hell, I eat salad just about every day. But I digress...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have you tried this tofurkey? I can't get enough of it</td></tr>
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Recently, I decided to throw some stuff in a pan to see if the flavors worked. And it did. I made my own version (I think?) of chicken con broccoli, featuring pasta in a vegan cream sauce tossed with steamed broccoli and Tofurkey shredded chicken. It wasn't the healthiest meal I've ever made, but...it was delicious.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan chicken con broccoli</td></tr>
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Ingredients: </div>
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<ul>
<li>12 ounces pasta (I used orecchiette)</li>
<li>1 head of broccoli cut into florets</li>
<li>Salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li>4-6 cloves minced garlic</li>
<li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li>1/4 - 1/2 cup <a href="http://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/" target="_blank">Minimalist Baker vegan Parmesan</a> - plus more for sprinkling when serving</li>
<li>1/4 - 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella - I used <a href="http://followyourheart.com/products/mozzarella-shreds-27/" target="_blank">Follow Your Heart Mozzarella Shreds</a></li>
<li>1 package <a href="http://www.tofurky.com/tofurkyproducts/chick-n.html" target="_blank">Tofurkey slow roasted chicken</a></li>
</ul>
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Method:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Prepare noodles according to directions on package - try to leave them a little al dente. Put broccoli florets in boiling water along with the pasta. When the broccoli starts turning bright green and is "done" use a slotted spoon to fish out the florets and set them aside. Retain a little bit of the pasta water in case you need it to thin your "cheese" sauce or to keep everything from sticking to the pan.</li>
<li>In a skillet on medium heat, cook garlic in olive oil until the garlic begins to soften. </li>
<li>Add cooked pasta, broccoli, chicken, vegan Parmesan, and vegan mozzarella cheeses to skillet. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Stir to combine and add a little water if sauce is too thick. If sauce is too thin, add additional vegan mozzarella and./or vegan Parmesan cheese.</li>
<li>Serve and top with vegan Parmesan cheese.</li>
</ol>
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This is a great recipe to make on a weeknight when you're running low on time and want to combine protein, carbs, and veggies all in one dish. I typically serve this alongside a big spinach salad for some extra greenery, but other sides would pair well with this dish, too. It's a creamy, filling, and protein packed dish that just might remind you of some of the non-vegan dishes served at popular "Italian-ish" restaurants. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-58982246743273240652015-12-31T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-31T06:00:07.461-05:00Looking back at 2015Another year has come and gone. I feel like the last couple years of my life have been kind of a blur with working a lot, getting fibromyalgia, and miscellaneous chaos in my life. I wonder what 2016 has in store for me?<br />
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In writing this, it made me remember a lot of good things that happened this year that I'd forgotten about. I've been in a funk lately, and I don't want that to carry over into 2016. So...happy trails to 2015. And to 2016? I'm ready for you.<br />
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Highlights from 2015:<br />
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<ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxF_bsRbC97F6VCxEGRKauD_30zJTReIKaKpMNGnXHQMPwhk-uBwa0wfVx4ZrIo-CWRwnD7sbDUfd6QSWZQF4bwIFESg6PqGhLAQVhJYB-3ncy51_Qb_MqQGw0woqIZ-znmO34h294n_a/s640/blogger-image-470641708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxF_bsRbC97F6VCxEGRKauD_30zJTReIKaKpMNGnXHQMPwhk-uBwa0wfVx4ZrIo-CWRwnD7sbDUfd6QSWZQF4bwIFESg6PqGhLAQVhJYB-3ncy51_Qb_MqQGw0woqIZ-znmO34h294n_a/s640/blogger-image-470641708.jpg" /></a>
<li>Learned that playing Cards Against Humanity with with spouses of coworkers might not be the best idea</li>
<li>Had my picture taken with mermaids at the Progressive boat show</li>
<li>Helped my dad recover from spine surgery and hope to never see a parent in a nursing home again (see also: learned why people who work in nursing homes smother cranky patients)</li>
<li>Turned 34</li>
<li>Celebrated a "classy" St. Patty's Day downtown</li>
<li>Traveled to Louisville, Kentucky</li>
<li>Ran the Ambulance Chase 5K (RIP Lakewood Hospital)</li>
<li>Traveled to Chicago, IL and celebrated a good friend's birthday by drinking my weight in Tiki drinks</li>
</ul>
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9xXA1_KfMmhNHxJOQzwnfb-GFrlv8LzSUaZIApnk38q84NJddBBXpjm0vMMmm9CUeZdM_7hgYN031kFfrADlOfQLz5ibWdLfAr-UqNFzvAKW9VNZC1VBkTQeWL0PqiW6gfYRAeHaxbfL/s640/blogger-image-510405012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9xXA1_KfMmhNHxJOQzwnfb-GFrlv8LzSUaZIApnk38q84NJddBBXpjm0vMMmm9CUeZdM_7hgYN031kFfrADlOfQLz5ibWdLfAr-UqNFzvAKW9VNZC1VBkTQeWL0PqiW6gfYRAeHaxbfL/s640/blogger-image-510405012.jpg" /></a>
<li>Completed the Hill Yeah Half Marathon and cursed the farm animals I ran past the whole way</li>
<li>Learned how to make rice paper spring rolls - those things are tricky</li>
<li>Had an intern - and wish that I could have an intern forevermore</li>
<li>Biked across Bay Village and made some new friends</li>
<li>Celebrated the anniversary of my grandmother's death at the <a href="http://www.redeaglespirits.com/" target="_blank">Red Eagle Distillery</a> with my mom</li>
<li>Launched a marketing campaign at work to help truck drivers get healthy - this consumed my life for many months, but it's nice to do more altruistic marketing once in awhile</li>
<li>Traveled to Dallas, TX and at at one of THE best vegan restaurants in the country - <a href="http://www.spiraldiner.com/" target="_blank">The Spiral Diner</a>- and nearly died from alcohol poisoning (two unrelated things - they don't serve booze at the diner)</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuYOC0LuurYT6-W_os3mwBtur8Q2iAgRDv8lzG91cRiJH7b7TTRHiW6csOx3An_WSmOF1zQCooltwIyfyPNKKl5t6Pnn6a9M0Lbao7zAaHyRLszHuxxSzUc4E7kUKfMDqzBBtwSOluP3L/s640/blogger-image--1479144098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuYOC0LuurYT6-W_os3mwBtur8Q2iAgRDv8lzG91cRiJH7b7TTRHiW6csOx3An_WSmOF1zQCooltwIyfyPNKKl5t6Pnn6a9M0Lbao7zAaHyRLszHuxxSzUc4E7kUKfMDqzBBtwSOluP3L/s640/blogger-image--1479144098.jpg" /></a>
<li>Learned that a 300 pound trucker can inspire thousands</li>
<li>Rode in a hot air balloon and discovered the deliciousness of Cook's Spumante</li>
<li>Completed 4 rounds (in a row) of the 21 day fix and shed some major inches</li>
<li>Mourned the loss of a former coworker but honored his memory by running in a race dedicated to him</li>
<li>Learned to love vegan protein powder - thanks for the swag, <a href="http://www.naturade.com/" target="_blank">Naturade</a></li>
<li>Spent lots of time alone in hotel rooms on work trips wishing I was at home</li>
<li>Learned the importance of mini fridges in hotel rooms</li>
<li>Helped <a href="http://emmetstreetcreations.com/" target="_blank">Emmet Street Creations</a> sell some of her fine wares at various fairs and fleas</li>
<li>Learned that I probably have narcolepsy but haven't had time to get that checked out</li>
<li>Traveled to New Braunfels, TX - I'll save you a trip - there's not much there</li>
<li>Traveled to Austin, TX and met some of the coolest vegan food truck owners at <a href="http://theveganyacht.com/" target="_blank">The Vegan Yacht</a></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYGgYe5V9BtLNblj0o8Kgz9mFVx613csGmkc8mB9b4jg7aEdcHbacmW6n-VFP3BbnTgPRQwliI5QDm2G0S9cOkjJ-qiaI_R9J8IfMj3vbbL2QfaUMSSqFlCgu0NLcm34ujFYsveCT9NFt/s640/blogger-image-1865995370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYGgYe5V9BtLNblj0o8Kgz9mFVx613csGmkc8mB9b4jg7aEdcHbacmW6n-VFP3BbnTgPRQwliI5QDm2G0S9cOkjJ-qiaI_R9J8IfMj3vbbL2QfaUMSSqFlCgu0NLcm34ujFYsveCT9NFt/s640/blogger-image-1865995370.jpg" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Formed Birch Cafe, LLC in hopes of really getting started with my vegan business</li>
<li>Ran the Autumn Leaves 5 miler and remembered how large the Lake Farmpark is and cursed some farm animals again</li>
<li>Traveled to Savanna, GA and Hilton Head, SC multiple times </li>
<li>Started vegan culinary school</li>
<li>Went to Baltimore, MD and walked miles and miles and miles</li>
<li>Hosted my first all vegan Thanksgiving dinner</li>
<li>Went to Atlanta, GA and had a "famous" peach daiquiri at Polaris</li>
<li>Celebrated the unions of some great people (see also: why I'll never drink chardonnay again)</li>
<li>Didn't cry on Christmas</li>
</ul>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-53647990586819765762015-12-30T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-30T13:33:15.749-05:00Recipe: Vegan Stuffed Taco PeppersI work in marketing. I appreciate that Facebook is constantly trying to find ways to serve up content to its users. Autoplay videos are pretty much all I see these days (in addition to random people going "live"), and once in awhile, one of them will catch my eye and I won't just scroll past it.<br />
<br />
I scrolled upon a decent seeming, but not vegan recipe by <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/tasty" target="_blank">Tasty</a>, one of Buzzfeed's content hubs for short, to the point recipe videos. Often described as "too fast moving," in the comments, these videos are meant to be watched real quick just to give someone a general idea of how to make a recipe. I think this applies to all of the visual learners out there.<br />
<br />
In the past couple days, I think I've seen a Tasty video on how to make "<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/554857616571118832/" target="_blank">stuffed taco peppers</a>" about 8 million times, and even though the recipe wasn't vegan, I knew I could easily make it so. I made these for dinner the other night and I have to say, they were pretty incredible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGEVVuEOCKvJRgWdPhyRsJMSzCXcDDWt9eUzap_XhuIzxDH1Dcif0r98EE8Y0iA23bqVnzCUKG0NmeYcdoOP8RnhvhznpOTO91jKqnwsDIlT2WDWsIlCEH2lQTLG7SzS2Fu1nrz9EMCb8/s640/blogger-image-2107242678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGEVVuEOCKvJRgWdPhyRsJMSzCXcDDWt9eUzap_XhuIzxDH1Dcif0r98EE8Y0iA23bqVnzCUKG0NmeYcdoOP8RnhvhznpOTO91jKqnwsDIlT2WDWsIlCEH2lQTLG7SzS2Fu1nrz9EMCb8/s320/blogger-image-2107242678.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan Stuffed Taco Peppers<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>4 red peppers</li>
<li>1 bag Boca crumbles</li>
<li>1/2 onion, diced</li>
<li>1/2 can black beans</li>
<li>1/2 cup rice (cooked)</li>
<li>1/2 cup frozen corn</li>
<li>1 jar chunky salsa</li>
<li>1 packet vegan taco seasoning mix</li>
<li>1/4 - 1/2 cup cheddar style vegan cheese (I used Daiya) plus more for sprinkling on top </li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><u>Method:</u></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees</li>
<li>Cut off the tops/de-seed the peppers</li>
<li>Place peppers in a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes - set aside to cool once done</li>
<li>While peppers are baking, pour Boca crumbles into skillet set to medium/high heat.</li>
<li>Add taco seasoning packet and 2/3 cup water to the Boca mixture and stir, allowing some of the water to evaporate</li>
<li>Add diced onion and stir frequently </li>
<li>Add jar of salsa, black beans, frozen corn, and rice. Continue to stir and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and the onions have softened </li>
<li>Stir in as little or as much vegan cheese as you'd like to the "meat" mixture - I used a handful, and that was plenty</li>
<li>Next, stuff the peppers with the taco filling mixture - be sure to fill them a little over the top</li>
<li>Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for at least 20 minutes (the original recipes says to cook "until the cheese melts) but you could wait hours for your Daiya to melt)</li>
<li>Optional: top with guacamole and/or vegan sour cream (I used guac and skipped the sour cream)</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm normally not THE biggest fan of Boca crumbles. I mean, I'll eat them, but..the combination of ingredients and the cheesiness of the taco filling was really good. (so good that I ate the leftover "meat" with a spoon as a leftover midnight snack) I'd also never thought to pre-bake my peppers before stuffing them, and that really seemed to speed up the process. (although I would have cooked my very large red peppers for about 10 more minutes if I hadn't been starving and running out of time)</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is a relatively quick, easy, tasty, and protein packed dinner that I know I'll be making again.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-41486411738872336422015-12-29T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-30T13:33:56.080-05:00Rouxbe Professional Plant Based Certification CourseIn November, in the spirit of, "why the heck not, " and, " working in a cubicle is slowly killing me," I decided to enroll in the <a href="http://rouxbe.com/plants/professional-certification?" target="_blank">Rouxbe Professional Plant Based Certification Course</a>. My cooking and baking skills have greatly improved since I first started this blog, but...there's always room for improvement. Plus, I've created an LLC and really hope to make my dream of owning a vegan cafe a reality at some point, and having legit skills might help me find some investors. (Birch Cafe CLE - coming...soon-ish?)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIo6ZTAeH8Zfqg8HVCOqUfSeelIAGnB7hx9TSOdlQNEaOat-dyIIdy5adrC34iMKXNwfGlN07bCm-NYGkDwTyx9B2ZdbctCFDd3EdmPLMHbNjeYB1MKR4F6348Ta6d-Fve72PhkBKvzRwr/s640/blogger-image-1800682171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIo6ZTAeH8Zfqg8HVCOqUfSeelIAGnB7hx9TSOdlQNEaOat-dyIIdy5adrC34iMKXNwfGlN07bCm-NYGkDwTyx9B2ZdbctCFDd3EdmPLMHbNjeYB1MKR4F6348Ta6d-Fve72PhkBKvzRwr/s640/blogger-image-1800682171.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First homework assignment - my "go to" dish - pasta in a roasted red pepper cream sauce from Minimalist Baker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Life and some unexpected work travel have put me a little behind in my coursework, but...it's full steam ahead now until the end of my course in April. So far, I've learned a lot about kitchen and knife skills basics - and I'm really excited to learn even more as the course progresses. Stay tuned...my goal is to blog more in the new year, and I'm sure I'll have a lot to say about my homework! (and hopefully my business plans!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXgkOl4tVds7MznxHEivXnmL4xQgWBK_YoOsDc8ksPZL306KKBp_VMr3-Aq3qkelfnOIlnB09jg7d87gP112goh5z0ry9s28jKMyGxTY6kjsX12voNLpkbS-ESPxy8E29cEygiYsn8djC/s640/blogger-image-944805189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXgkOl4tVds7MznxHEivXnmL4xQgWBK_YoOsDc8ksPZL306KKBp_VMr3-Aq3qkelfnOIlnB09jg7d87gP112goh5z0ry9s28jKMyGxTY6kjsX12voNLpkbS-ESPxy8E29cEygiYsn8djC/s640/blogger-image-944805189.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practice makes perfect with knife skills</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-69689360478383484372014-08-21T11:38:00.000-04:002014-08-21T11:38:46.149-04:00In Loving Memory of Evelyn O'BrienMy grandmother died earlier this week from a brief but awful struggle with breast cancer. She saw a doctor for the first time in 56 years last Thursday and deteriorated quickly. She was comforted in her final days by all of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as well as by the amazing staff at Grace Hospice.<br />
<br />
My mother and I were with her when she passed. It was peaceful. It was quick. And it was a relief to us to not have to watch her suffer anymore. But it still hurts like hell.<br />
<br />
I've decided to speak at her funeral, and below is the eulogy I plan on sharing. I did my best to capture the spirit of my grandma. There's so much more to share, but I think this is a great summary of the amazing woman she was.<br />
<br />
*******************************************************<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqWmcQ5rLfw-7E1HJm72-6OwyyPcahCRaqelyJ1_F2YKryLU2orvvzJM2z_h-gbr37zGOvWxKNTZ0ZdCdhHURt3nrwSeyr42Uee3x2wd715nD9yrXQnqZCQQzqtA52fEZ2Ic4rI_psxZG/s640/blogger-image-1994860490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqWmcQ5rLfw-7E1HJm72-6OwyyPcahCRaqelyJ1_F2YKryLU2orvvzJM2z_h-gbr37zGOvWxKNTZ0ZdCdhHURt3nrwSeyr42Uee3x2wd715nD9yrXQnqZCQQzqtA52fEZ2Ic4rI_psxZG/s640/blogger-image-1994860490.jpg" /></a></div>
My grandma was such a special person, and describing her
nature and her spirit is going to be difficult. I thought the best way to
memorialize my grandmother would be by describing a visit to her house. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Upon arriving at grandma’s house, probably around noontime, you’d
need to knock loudly on her side door to get her attention. Not because she
couldn’t hear you – but because she couldn’t really see anyone pull in the
driveway because of her beloved pine trees. She always loved Christmas trees
and had planted a few in her yard at some point. Her tiny little trees grew
into a pine forest over the years. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After grandma peered at you through her kitchen window,
unlocked a series of doors, and decided to let you in, you were immediately
offered a glass of 7 Up or a piece of ham. And grandma didn’t discriminate –
I’ve been a vegetarian my whole life, but every time I was at her house she’d
offer me a piece of ham. Despite the fact that I groaned each and every time
and told her that I didn’t eat meat. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once grandma had successfully convinced you to have
something to eat or drink, you’d join her in the living room. You’d be seated
on her gold Davenport – another word for a couch – and she’d be sitting in her
gold chair closest to the window. Most likely, she’d be in the middle of a
grueling game of solitaire or halfway through one of her beloved Pink Lady gin
drinks. She’d be bundled up in one of her snowy white sweaters and wearing her
favorite velour pants, and probably a pair of nice flats without socks. Nearby would
be a big orange tabby cat named Happiness. Every cat grandma ever owned was
named Happiness. And all but one of them was orange. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, the tv would be on, and if you were lucky, you’d
get to watch one of her favorite shows with her – like Oprah, Wheel of Fortune,
or the news. Grandma never liked hearing or talking about bad things, so if
anything remotely scandalous came on the tv, she could change the channel or turn
the tv off in lightning speed. Even when Grandpa protested.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once the tv got turned off, you’d probably head outside to
check out the garden. Grandma loved her garden and especially loved making
cucumber salads with the tomatoes and cucumbers she grew. After looking at the
garden, she might offer you a seat in the backyard under more of her beloved
pine trees. But first, you’d have to go into the garage and pull out a white
chair near her white car. Grandma loved her white cars – especially if they had
a gold interior. She liked the color white so much she even bought a couple
non-white cars and had them painted. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After enjoying some sunshine with grandma, and maybe a
little bit of the Indians game on a very old radio Grandpa kept in the garage,
you’d head back inside for some dessert. There was no saying “no” to dessert.
Grandma always had sugary treats sitting on her kitchen counter. Normally you’d
find a white cake with white icing that she’d baked, but sometimes there would
be cupcakes from Giant Eagle with mounds of frosting. Grandma sure loved sugar. She’d sneak a pinch
of sugar from her sugar bowl nearly every time she made a trip into the
kitchen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After you finished up your dessert, if it was on or anywhere
near a holiday, grandma would have a present for you, or at the very least a
card. As one of the girls in the family, grandma loved buying me the pinkest
presents she could find. I’m not even quite sure where she found all of the
pink sweaters and sweat suits that she gave me over the years, but she probably
got them at her favorite store – JC Penny.
If grandma didn’t have some new duds to give you, she might give you an
envelope with a card. In that card, you’d find a fresh, crisp $100 bill. When I
was little, I was honestly convinced that grandma grew these hundred dollar
bills in her front closet or had a printing press stashed away somewhere,
because she never seemed to run out of them. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After thanking grandma for her presents and and saying
goodbye, she’d always give you a big hug and send you on your way. After you
left, she’d get back to playing solitaire or her other favorite hobby –
cleaning windows. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope this little depiction gives you an idea of my
grandmother’s generosity, giving nature, and giant heart. She was a very
special woman who touched so many lives throughout her lifetime. She’s only
been gone a few days, but I can speak for the entire family when I say how much
we love and miss her and know our lives just won’t be the same without her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Love you, grandma. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-13491416234652880182014-07-09T06:00:00.000-04:002014-07-09T11:25:47.543-04:00What's Up Wednesday - Dealing With Chronic PainThis past week has been a mixed bag as far as my fibromyalgia is concerned. Last week was pretty much terrible up until Friday, but last Wednesday I went to see my doctor, got some of my homeopathic meds adjusted, and all is well right now. But that could change in an instant, so I'm not taking a healthy moment for granted.<br />
<br />
Over the holiday weekend, I got caught up on my marathon training. Between Friday and Sunday I ran 20 miles. I have friends who run 20 miles in a day, but I'm only competing with myself here, and I was happy to accomplish that. Neil was nice enough to run with me most of the time, and having company when you're slogging along in the heat is nice. We made a stop on our 4th of July run at the South Euclid War Memorial and took a selfie. No disrespect to the veterans. I actually like to run to this monument every 4th as a way to show my respect for the troops. It was a little bit of a downer to see that there's a new section for fallen soldiers from the most recent conflicts in the Middle East. Which is yet another reminder to not take any healthy time for granted.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UYVO2nMHYc6juf1YlnalQpkf_fyWnX1DggYw-fj_ZLz69uCDqCMoN-sm6__DVW_2cu2hnx5iVK4EdUuc9E_Qsy9SDKhZ6sdyD9GIl_jk_Hd5oSNA4GmuIMFOpAzJQzpVNjWub6OsBguk/s640/blogger-image-1869286727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UYVO2nMHYc6juf1YlnalQpkf_fyWnX1DggYw-fj_ZLz69uCDqCMoN-sm6__DVW_2cu2hnx5iVK4EdUuc9E_Qsy9SDKhZ6sdyD9GIl_jk_Hd5oSNA4GmuIMFOpAzJQzpVNjWub6OsBguk/s640/blogger-image-1869286727.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Euclid War Memorial</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8OUA2ZhcQ5IBmkuyruIMsXzx4zC2RzstsYezVVn8WcJtupcVFl0YS5Z575PirykSomUV1CQvCOY0rU9Xm9cfBwA8EvXIOH7T_N8hG3HPeXWnNU8koMKURk3Pueq8P35QXJIzqfVPAvg8/s640/blogger-image-2103016966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8OUA2ZhcQ5IBmkuyruIMsXzx4zC2RzstsYezVVn8WcJtupcVFl0YS5Z575PirykSomUV1CQvCOY0rU9Xm9cfBwA8EvXIOH7T_N8hG3HPeXWnNU8koMKURk3Pueq8P35QXJIzqfVPAvg8/s640/blogger-image-2103016966.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie by the flag</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This week has been going pretty well, too. I'm at the 4 month mark for alopecia treatments and my hair is continuing to regrow pretty nicely. Having needles jabbed into my scalp isn't something I particularly enjoy, so I hope to have enough regrowth to end those treatments soon.<br />
<br />
I read a really amazing top 10 list about dealing with chronic pain, and it really resonated with me - <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/jessica-rose/2014/06/10-things-ive-learned-about-living-with-chronic-pain/">10 Things I've Learned About Living With Chronic Pain</a>. I'm fortunate to have more good days than bad ones these days, but I can relate to everything the writer says. If you know someone who's suffering from chronic pain, it's worth a read.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-68208598801982644402014-07-03T06:00:00.000-04:002015-12-30T13:34:22.611-05:00Recipe: Creamy Vegan Pasta Sauce with Roasted TomatoesA little while back, I saw a Buzzfeed list for<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/creamy-vegan-pasta-recipes" target="_blank"> 19 Creamy and Delicious Vegan Pasta Recipes</a> and immediately wanted to make all of them. So far, I've only tried out one of the recipes, but it was pretty good, so I thought I'd share it. I decided to try my hand at making <a href="http://minimalistbaker.com/creamy-vegan-garlic-pasta-with-roasted-tomatoes/" target="_blank">Creamy Vegan Garlic Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes</a>. It promised to be quick, easy, and delicious. I agree with the first two statements (and my fiance agrees with the third) but I think this is a solid recipe that could easily be tweaked to be great.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVDuNt781Er-r8S3FegPhsav8LxHbs-JIDkHIlyLN-fT0aIALhTz3I1hhimKFAGdqvfAOUz3OAq0GtJYpR3FX5Xi-6zejJZsIsnhzGo6RO0HAOS9zBBvUweTzylt_WAYnZ1V9csDsdA46/s640/blogger-image--517708903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVDuNt781Er-r8S3FegPhsav8LxHbs-JIDkHIlyLN-fT0aIALhTz3I1hhimKFAGdqvfAOUz3OAq0GtJYpR3FX5Xi-6zejJZsIsnhzGo6RO0HAOS9zBBvUweTzylt_WAYnZ1V9csDsdA46/s640/blogger-image--517708903.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creamy vegan pasta sauce with garlic and oven roasted tomatoes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><u>Ingredients: </u></b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 pint grape tomatoes, halved</li>
<li>1/2 box pasta</li>
<li>olive oil</li>
<li>1 shallot, diced</li>
<li>4+ cloves of garlic, minced</li>
<li>2+ teaspoons flour</li>
<li>1 1/4+ cups almond milk</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss halved tomatoes in a little bit of olive oil and salt and then put face up on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes.</li>
<li>Prepare pasta according to directions on the package and set aside.</li>
<li>In a large skillet, combine oil, garlic, and shallot, and cook over medium heat until translucent.</li>
<li>Add in flour and almond milk and whisk until the sauce is creamy. Add extra milk as needed to thin out the sauce.</li>
<li>If you want an uber creamy sauce, put everything into a blender and grind away until you get your desired consistency. I did this and I think it really helped to even out the flavor. </li>
<li>Season as needed with salt and pepper. </li>
<li>Add pasta and tomatoes to sauce .Stir frequently to coat all of the noodles. </li>
<li>Serve and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
<div>
The result? The creamiest, non-cashew based vegan cream sauce I've ever eaten. I didn't particularly care for the flavor of the roasted tomatoes, but my fiance loved it. I definitely plan on making this sauce again and experimenting with it. The basic recipe for the cream sauce could really be used on or with anything. I'm a garlic lover, so I'd definitely add more garlic, though. But if you're not the biggest fan or you're a vampire, I'd keep the recipe as is. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-18326102828261839522014-07-02T06:00:00.000-04:002014-07-02T06:00:02.308-04:00What's Up Wednesday - Fibromyalgia Flare UpsThis post has little to do with veganism, food, or drinking, so come back tomorrow if you aren't into hearing about my personal life.<br />
<br />
I published a post a couple weeks ago about how <a href="http://www.vegetarians-taste-better.com/2014/06/homeopathic-medicine-is-my-homeboy.html" target="_blank">Homeopathic Medicine is My Homeboy</a>, and how I've been seeking natural methods to treat my fibromyalgia. I've seen some significant improvements since I was first diagnosed, but this past week has been rough. Any number of things can aggravate fibromyalgia, and when you start experiencing more pain, etc., it's called a flare up. For me, the better part of the past week has been one big flare up. Maybe it's the heat, maybe it's the fluctuating barometric pressure, or maybe it's just my body being a dick, but no matter what's been causing it, it's made me pretty miserable.<br />
<br />
I think the worst thing about having fibromyalgia - besides the pain and fatigue - is that it's so unpredictable. Last weekend I ran 7 miles, NBD. A couple days later? I was too weak to get dressed. It's hard to make plans to do anything because I feel fine one day and miserable the next. As a formerly active person, it's tough to slow down a little and not do all the things I want to do. My head wants me to do the things I enjoy (except for when it's doing its own fibromyalgia tricks and is making me think like an Alzheimer's patient), but my body sometimes just says "nope." I'm feeling like an especially crummy friend and fiance right now because I really can't commit to do anything for fear of feeling like poop. I've been trying to struggle through my flare up and pretend like everything is a-ok, but sometimes I just can't. Sometimes I'm so tired I need to sleep an extra couple hours after work. Sometimes I can't shower and get dressed because every drop of water on my skin in the shower burns like acid. Sometimes I can't stand the heat because it makes my insides feel like I'm boiling from the inside out. Sometimes I lay awake all night with pain radiating down my arms and legs. I could go on forever and not really describe the pain you experience with fibromyalgia in enough detail to make someone who doesn't have it understand how it feels. Just know that it's a pain I wouldn't wish on anyone.<br />
<br />
But despite how terrible this past week has been, I'm still optimistic. I still believe going the natural route is the right way to go. I mean, my only other options are to do nothing and be miserable pretty much all of the time, or go the traditional medicine route and spend my life taking pain pills, antidepressants, sleeping pills, and more wile vegetating on my couch. And that's no way to live. I believe in my doctor and I believe that I can beat this thing or at least force fibromyalgia into a corner instead of letting it rule my life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-31035971073802332022014-07-01T06:00:00.000-04:002015-12-30T13:35:06.514-05:00Recipe: Creamy Vegan Pesto It's not easy being green. Or having too many greens in your fridge. So I decided to use up some of the greens I got in a recent Fresh Fork Market CSA bag by making pesto. I loosely followed this <a href="http://vegweb.com/recipes/simple-vegan-pesto" target="_blank">recipe for simple vegan pesto</a>, but I improvised. A lot. Mainly because the basil plant in my garden is growing at a snail's pace, but still...<br />
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The result? A frighteningly green but amazingly delicious pasta dish.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIICgohuIDQNOEIqXct1za0P23YVL4bMerpo2GTVT-KNLOasmftBmu-B2Zmc8ntnH-JgVeNMj5p8G4v3McywqkMnFZsbA_qrsimIWum88ad22eSbye22IjcvWrM13STKnoV9ziq7jA0NL/s640/blogger-image--1189003155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIICgohuIDQNOEIqXct1za0P23YVL4bMerpo2GTVT-KNLOasmftBmu-B2Zmc8ntnH-JgVeNMj5p8G4v3McywqkMnFZsbA_qrsimIWum88ad22eSbye22IjcvWrM13STKnoV9ziq7jA0NL/s640/blogger-image--1189003155.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creamy vegan pesto over farfalle pasta</td></tr>
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<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup basil leaves</li>
<li>2 cups greens - kale, swiss chard, etc.</li>
<li>3/4 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or sunflower seeds</li>
<li>2-3 cloves garlic</li>
<li>3 tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li>2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese</li>
<li>1 tablespoon nutritional yeast</li>
<li>almond milk - add as needed to create a creamy texture/consistency</li>
</ul>
<div>
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<div>
<b><u>Method:</u></b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Put all ingredients in food processor of blender and mix until creamy and smooth. Add almond milk as needed to create thinner consistency.</li>
<li>Serve over pasta, on bread, or any other way you like to eat pesto. </li>
</ol>
<div>
This was possibly the easiest recipe ever. We had to do some finagling to get the taste right. Depending on the greens you use, your sauce could taste too green. If you add too much garlic, the sauce can be overpowering. Add nutritional yeast at your own discretion, too. A little goes a long way, but if you like the flavor of it, by all means, add more. I've read that this recipe is good if you add vegan parmesan cheese into it, but I didn't have enough on hand to try it. But I did sprinkle some on top of my pasta and it definitely enhanced the flavor of the pesto. Overall, this was a quick and easy way to make up some fresh sauce and use up a lot of our greens. I'll definitely be making this again!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-62611681217957739742014-06-30T06:00:00.000-04:002015-12-30T13:35:29.346-05:00Recipe: Vegan Sausage and Swiss Chard PastaIf you're boyfriend's got beef, tell him I'm a vegan?<br />
<br />
I subscribe to <a href="http://freshforkmarket.com/" target="_blank">Fresh Fork Market's CSA </a>and love the challenge of coming up with new and different ways to use the pounds and pounds of vegetables I get every week. A couple weeks ago, I decided to veganize a <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/orecchiette-sausage-swiss-chard--michael-symon" target="_blank">recipe for orecchiette and sausage with Swiss chard</a> made famous by Cleveland food icon, Michael Symon. Now, to be honest - I'm not the biggest fan of Michael Symon.Yes, he's put Cleveland on the culinary map, but...it's no secret that he doesn't care for vegans and vegetarians. Which is fine. He doesn't need my money to stay in business. But I thought it would be a fun challenge to make one of the meat king's recipes vegan. And I must say, it worked out really well for me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-E0Y_c0fzJfbhRQHqYvC3c_9IqDjWI2Hm78HCffX8u_LzPagnXMAJYrK8kpGttFB6K2CTDD99RZTXDALMOGot368hy-bvltv8UuYy9jEALSRrpPrHxtgX_MgypQMvWA_nfPWdr-mdTG7/s640/blogger-image--1432495551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-E0Y_c0fzJfbhRQHqYvC3c_9IqDjWI2Hm78HCffX8u_LzPagnXMAJYrK8kpGttFB6K2CTDD99RZTXDALMOGot368hy-bvltv8UuYy9jEALSRrpPrHxtgX_MgypQMvWA_nfPWdr-mdTG7/s640/blogger-image--1432495551.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan sausage and Swiss chard pasta</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients: </u> (~4 servings)<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 box orecchiette pasta</li>
<li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li>
<li>1 package Upton's Italian style seitan sausage (or any other type of vegan sausage)</li>
<li>1 large bunch Swiss chard, rough chopped (I also added in spinach and kale - any greens will work)</li>
<li>at least 1/2 cup reserved pasta water</li>
<li>1 can cannellini beans</li>
<li>2 tablespoons lemon juice</li>
<li>1 tablespoon lemon zest</li>
<li>2 tablespoons earth balance</li>
<li>1/2 cup chopped parsley</li>
<li>1/2 cup Vegan parmesan cheese (optional)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Bring pasta to a boil. Cook until al dente. Remove from water using a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve pasta water to use a little later.</li>
<li>Brown the vegan sausage in a pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. I generally brown my sausage with a little bit of oil or vegetable stock, but depending on the brand of fake meat you use, you might not need to add anything at this point.</li>
<li>Add the Swiss chard and reserved pasta water and cook until it starts to wilt. </li>
<li>Add the can of beans (rinsed!) and pasta and heat until the sauce thickens/burns off a little.Stir frequently to make sure the noodles mix in well with the sauce.</li>
<li>Remove pan from heat and stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, vegan butter, and chopped parsley. If you have vegan parmesan cheese, you can add in 1/2 cup of it, or sprinkle it on top of the pasta before serving. (it definitely adds to the flavor)</li>
<li>Serve and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
<div>
I really enjoyed this recipe, although I did cook the greens down a little too much. Oops. But the flavors were still good. I also added more beans than the original recipe called for, but I like beans. If you're not as big of a fan of beans, use a half can instead. I'll definitely use more vegan cheese next time, too. It really complements the subtle lemony taste of the noodles and the spiciness of the sausage. </div>
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<div>
I love how <a href="http://meettheshannons.com/" target="_blank">Meet the Shannons </a>have veganized Betty Crocker's cookbook. Maybe I should try to veganize a Michael Symon cookbook...</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-58860826854828525602014-06-20T06:00:00.000-04:002014-07-02T11:29:15.117-04:00Recipe: Vegan Brussels Sprout Fried Rice As a kid, I loved fried rice. LOVED it. Which is kind of surprising considering I hated eggs. But I also hated vegetables, and fried rice is heavy on greasy-ness and light on vegetables. On a trip to Louisville last fall, I discovered a restaurant that makes amazing vegan fried rice, (what up, <a href="http://www.heartandsoy.net/" target="_blank">Heart & Soy</a>) and I've been on a fried rice kick ever since. It's pretty much impossible to find vegan fried rice anywhere near my house, and when I saw Isa Chandra Moskowitz's recipe for B<a href="http://www.theppk.com/2014/02/brussel-sprout-fried-rice/" target="_blank">Brussels sprout fried rice</a>, I knew I had to try it. I've made the recipe a few times since she first blogged about it, and I've made a couple changes to add some additional flavor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOnIv2jxkFzCABTaX9-y9WOE03i811Zm96gHTPNF6tAfdFThAbpSdwPTblKOQUkJ3uM5sVmNtPUIlMbnxpLsfTv2eYTF-ZdTYosgao6EFtuKerhOGt7_v0aT20BB9VHdp2EwbvuKGCovf/s640/blogger-image--356299956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOnIv2jxkFzCABTaX9-y9WOE03i811Zm96gHTPNF6tAfdFThAbpSdwPTblKOQUkJ3uM5sVmNtPUIlMbnxpLsfTv2eYTF-ZdTYosgao6EFtuKerhOGt7_v0aT20BB9VHdp2EwbvuKGCovf/s320/blogger-image--356299956.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">3 tablespoons refined coconut oil, divided</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">at least 12 oz </span><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">2 large carrots, peeled and sliced (I cut each circle into fourths)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">1/4 cup pine nuts</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">1/4 cup fresh basil</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">1 cup finely chopped scallions</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">8 cloves garlic, minced</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">4 cups/1 bag frozen jasmine rice </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">1 tablespoon fresh lime juice</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">1/2 teaspoon agave</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;">Sriracha</span></span><span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;"> to taste</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fefcf8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px;"><b><u>Method:</u></b></span><br />
<div style="background-color: #fefcf8; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18.299999237060547px; margin-bottom: 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<ol>
<li>Preheat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Saute the Brussels sprouts and carrots in 1 -2 tablespoons coconut oil for 10- 15 minutes, until Brussel sprouts are lightly charred. </li>
<li>Add the pine nuts and cook for 5 minutes, tossing often, until toasted. </li>
<li>Preheat another pan to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon coconut oil.</li>
<li>Saute the basil, cilantro, scallions, garlic and ginger for a few minutes. The herbs will wilt and everything will smell aromatic and wonderful. </li>
<li>Add the herb mixture to the Brussels sprout mixture.</li>
<li>Add the rice, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon coconut oil and cook for about 5 minutes, tossing often.</li>
<li>Drizzle in the soy sauce, lime juice and agave. Cook for 3 more minutes or so, until rice is lightly browned. Taste for salt. Serve with plenty of Sriracha!</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
I think adding spice to this recipe is key. We generally add more basil, cilantro, lime juice, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes to this recipe than what it calls for just so there's an added kick. No one wants to eat sad, bland, fried rice.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-65313987931508316972014-06-19T06:00:00.000-04:002014-06-19T11:04:42.986-04:00Homeopathic Medicine is My HomeboyHave you ever felt sick and tired...of feeling sick and tired? If you answered yes to that question, you might have fibromyalgia.<br />
<br />
For longer than I can remember, I've been intermittently feeling tired, achy, run down, etc., and I've been seeking medical answers to explain why I feel this way. The good news is, I'm healthy as a horse. At least according to the numerous blood tests and non-fun procedures I've gone through. The bad news is, I found out I'm suffering from an autoimmune disorder called fibromyalgia. If you're not familiar with fibromyalgia, it's a hard to diagnose disorder with symptoms ranging from headaches, to sweatiness, to aches and pains, to tummy troubles, to memory loss, and everything in between. My first real clue that anything was wrong was early this year when I went to get my hair cut and my stylist pointed out a fairly large bald spot on the back of my head. A doctor friend of mine convinced me that I had a fungus on my head (I didn't), so I went to the doctor to get it checked out. My general practitioner took one look at my head and said, "you have alopecia areata, or a condition that causes patches of hair to fall out." Sweet.<br />
<br />
My next step was to have a dermatologist check out my head. She confirmed that I have alopecia and started me on a series of hair regrowth treatments which consists of multiple injections of steroids to the head. Giddy up. There's no feeling quite like having a needle jabbed into your scalp. I'm not sure how people get tattoos up there, either. Ouch!<br />
<br />
I'm a self conscious person to begin with, so...losing hair was really traumatic for me. Thankfully, I have thick hair and the location of my spots makes them easier to hide, but it's still quite the blow to the ego to be a balding woman.<br />
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A few months later, I happened to be at my gyno's office talking about my tale of woe and feeling awful the majority of the time when he suggested I see a homeopathic doctor who specializes in treating chronic fatigue syndrome. At this point, I'd seen so many other doctors, I might have considered eating a steak if it would make me feel better, so I made an appointment to see a man named Harold Bowersox. Of course I googled him to see what people had to say about him but I found very little info. (more people should review doctors online, IMHO) I did find a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Bowersox-Protocol-Fibromyalgia-Chronic/dp/1933596228" target="_blank">book</a> that he'd written about fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. I ordered it and read it in about a half hour. It contained a lot of testimonials from people who had symptoms like mine who were able to feel better within months of seeing Dr. Bowersox, so I was cautiously optimistic.<br />
<br />
I showed up for my appointment not knowing what to expect. I'd read that Dr. Bowersox was trained in traditional medicine but focused more on homeopathic treatments. I'm not really into pill popping, so I figured trying natural remedies really couldn't hurt. The doctor reminded me of a tv grandpa. Sort of soft spoken but wise. He spent an hour with me getting my medical history and talking to me about my life. It almost felt like a therapy session. Towards the end of the exam he examined me and looked at my bald spots. He did some quiet thinking and then told me that he thought I had fibromyalgia but if I was willing to follow his protocol, or treatment plan, most likely, I would feel better. Although it wasn't covered by my insurance (growl) and cost me $350 for a month's supply, I figured it was worth a shot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJydu58QCt4KbqPkzsz9zbYwY36pW7igZPt4Xm93GA-Psi0OTaFyPJ9tFwsIS-G3VlJH6x2HnJNovk7bALKNJIPK5yZv9iMVASMqPJmIIAoaY3wrPmHHqNrZY99NHdPMHP6l9vEbRte7PN/s640/blogger-image--373383051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJydu58QCt4KbqPkzsz9zbYwY36pW7igZPt4Xm93GA-Psi0OTaFyPJ9tFwsIS-G3VlJH6x2HnJNovk7bALKNJIPK5yZv9iMVASMqPJmIIAoaY3wrPmHHqNrZY99NHdPMHP6l9vEbRte7PN/s640/blogger-image--373383051.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bowersox Protocol and hair regrowth medicines - month 1</td></tr>
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I was given crystals to dissolve under my tongue, supplements to take twice a day, and liquids to take 3 times a day. They're all natural, and are made from plants, flowers, and other things you generally wouldn't think to put in your mouth. The medicines promised to help with everything from insomnia to hair loss. </div>
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To be honest, I had very low expectations for this treatment plan. Traditional medicine hadn't worked, and I doubted that the medicine this nice doctor in Mentor, Ohio was pushing could help, either. But I was wrong. I didn't begin to see results immediately. It took me around 3 weeks to notice that anything had changed. I was starting to have more good days than bad. My stomach issues completely disappeared. I was able to run again. </div>
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I went back after a month of taking the Bowersox Protocol and the doctor told me he was impressed with my progress and to take another month's worth of medicine, with a few extra things added in to help me sleep and to help with headaches. He also explained that some people see only minor improvements in the first month, but months 2 and 3 show lots of improvement. The ultimate goal of this treatment plan is to basically reboot your body and start over. If all goes as planned, you can stop the Protocol after a few months. </div>
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As I type this, I'm 1 month and 2 weeks into treatment. And I feel SO much better. Sure, I still have the occasional day where I have no energy, ache, and have trouble getting out of bed, but they're rare now - not a daily occurrence. I can eat a meal and not get sick. I can sleep through the night. I don't have to take Aleve every day to battle aches and pains. It's really quite incredible to me. In the past 2 weeks, I've run in 2 races. A month ago, I didn't even think I'd ever be able to run again. This protocol has given me my life back.</div>
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I hope to see continued improvement as I continue down this natural path. I just wish this type of treatment was covered by my insurance. It seems ridiculous to me that I can get sleeping pills, pain medicine, and other "masking" drugs for almost free through my insurance...but a natural alternative isn't covered. I've joined fibromyalgia groups on facebook and I'm amazed to read about the massive amounts of medicine other fibro patients take. I know out health care system is a money making machine, but I wish there was more emphasis on making people well and not just doping them up so they can get through the day. I could rant about that all day, but I won't. I'll just say that if you aren't feeling well, you might want to give homeopathic meds a try. All you have to lose is money. And you might just find your way down a path of wellness and free yourself from taking prescription drugs for life. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-53476888510375102642014-04-10T14:24:00.000-04:002016-01-05T15:40:58.240-05:00Vegan Colonoscopy Prep I haven't blogged in ages, but I felt that having my first colonoscopy warranted a post. I've been suffering from some mysterious ailment lately and my doctors have been using the process of elimination to try and determine what's making me feel like I've been hit by a bus. And so, I ended up being scheduled for a colonoscopy.<br />
<br />
There are three parts of the colonoscopy process - the prep, the actual procedure, and the recovery. Let's start by talking about the prep.<br />
<br />
I was given a sheet of very unhelpful instructions from my doctor regarding what I could and couldn't eat in the days leading up to my procedure. I found this <a href="http://www.uclahealth.org/workfiles/documents/brochures-programs/preparing-colonoscopy-en.pdf" target="_blank">colonoscopy guide from UCLA</a> to be much more helpful. (or frightening, based on your perspective) For two weeks before the procedure you need to avoid things like sesame and caraway seeds because those little suckers take longer to pass through your intestines apparently. Too bad my appointment was scheduled merely a couple days after I'd eaten some sesame seed laden noodles. Oops. (it wasn't my fault! I can't help that they wanted to get me in ASAP) A few days before your colonoscopy, you're supposed to go easy on raw fruits and vegetables, fiber, meat, and dairy. As a vegan, the meat and dairy part was easy. The fiber was more difficult. Again...oops.<br />
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I decided to do a one day juice cleanse 2 days before my colonoscopy. Juice cleanses always make me feel better anyway, and I wanted to have less in my system to have to flush out on my actual colonoscopy prep day. Juicing is easy peasy for me.<br />
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What wasn't easy was the actual colonoscopy prep. As my handy dandy UCLA guide told me, I needed to have a clear liquid diet the day before my procedure. Clear is defined as clear enough that you can read a newspaper through the liquid. So that eliminated things like green juice, miso soup, and a lot of the other things I'd planned on eating. To prevent dehydration and increased misery, I drank lots and lots of apple juice and vegetable broth. I could have had a "sports drink" but I don't like those things to begin with. I also had a lot of electrolyte water. This kept me fairly satisfied. Until the real prep began.<br />
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At 4 pm the day before my procedure I was told to take a 6 ounce bottle of Suprep (filled by prescription at my local CVS) and mix it with 10 ounces of water. If you're not familiar with Suprep, it's a ridiculously strong liquid laxative. (Fun, right?) With a happy little name like Suprep, you'd expect the liquid to be kind of mediciney, but not terrible. However, it tasted like liquid death.<br />
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Suprep tastes like cold medicine mixed with metal mixed with melted plastic. It's awful. I'd read online that drinking this terrible stuff was easier with a straw so I gave that a shot. It did make it a little easier, but I can tell you that it was so awful tasting that the liquid kept trying to make its way back up. Ugh.<br />
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After choking that 16 ounces of awfulness down, you have to drink 2 more 16 ounce glasses of water in an hour. Chug a lug. That part wasn't so bad, actually. I had to chase every sip of the Suprep mixture with water, so that got me through 16 ounces right away. And then to get the taste out of my mouth, I had 16 more.<br />
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This is where the fun part begins. For me, the gurgling in my stomach didn't start for about an hour. But once it did...look out! I won't tell you how much time I spent in the bathroom, but I can tell you that Suprep does an amazing job of cleaning out your insides. If you, yourself, are going through this process, I highly recommend buying baby wipes, vaseline, and maybe even some diaper rash cream. I didn't think I'd need it...but I did.<br />
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Fortunately for me, my evening prep wasn't all that terrible because I'm a vegan and had juiced the day before. Some people spend all night on the porcelain throne. I made a few trips there, but...it was nothing worse than what you'd experience if you had food poisoning or the flu.<br />
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A went to bed afraid that the party in my stomach would never stop, but it did. At 7 am I had to take yet another bottle of suprep with water and repeat that whole process. Somehow it was better the second time around. Taste-wise and physically. I was able to leave my house and go to Whole Foods to pick up some cashew milk for after the procedure without having to worry about running to a restroom.<br />
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My procedure was scheduled for noon, so my mom and I got in the car and went to the outpatient facility. Honestly, I was more nervous about the sedation than the actual procedure. And both were less awful than I expected. My very nice nurse put my IV in my arm (not my hand, which is the preferred and more painful method) and stated me on some fluids while I waited to be taken into the exam room. Shortly after I was whisked into an exam room, given some drugs to sedate me (I was awake the whole time but felt nothing, thank goodness), and off the doctor went exploring my insides. The drugs I was given made me chatty and a little confused. I was in front of a monitor where I could see my insides and I asked to change to a better tv channel. D'oh! In about 10 minutes she was all done and I was wheeled back to a recovery area. (This facility was like a colonoscopy factory, honestly. Oil changes for my car have taken longer.) Friends had told me they said some whacked out things when they came out of the exam room, but alas, since I was pretty much awake I was just chattier than normal. <br />
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Afterwards I was super thirsty initially and then super tired. Once I got home, I ate some fried rice from Bowl of Pho and then crashed for hours and hours. And after I woke up again, I peeled my contacts of of my eyes and went right back to sleep.<br />
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The next day I felt completely normal and got a call letting me know my insides were also normal, which was a relief. It's kind of funny to get a voicemail telling you to schedule your next colonoscopy appointment in 17 years.<br />
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Stay tuned for more adventures in mystery ailment diagnosis.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-1628471767236354682014-01-21T13:58:00.001-05:002015-12-29T18:45:37.312-05:00Say Yes to ForeverIn case you aren't my friend IRL, you might not know that I recently got engaged. If you're like most people, hearing that statement will make you want to ask me one of the following questions that I don't have the answer to:<br />
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<li>When are you getting married? (maybe 2015?)</li>
<li>Where are you getting married? (somewhere?)</li>
<li>Where is your honeymoon going to be? (let me figure out how to save for a wedding first)</li>
<li>Can I see your ring? (keep reading for the answer to this one)</li>
<li>What kind of dress do you want to wear? (one that fits? I must not have watched enough "Say Yes to the Dress")</li>
<li>etc., etc.</li>
</ul>
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As of this moment, the only questions I can answer are:</div>
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<li>Are you changing your name? (no)</li>
<li>Do you plan on getting married anytime soon? (no)</li>
<li>Can you tell me about how you got engaged? (sure, but it's a long story)</li>
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I think Neil started proposal planning shortly after our first date. While I am a commitment-phobe, he is alll about commitment. Not saying that's a bad thing, but that's one of the few things we don't have in common. I would have been perfectly content living in my little house with a bunch of cats for the rest of my life, but I guess that's not what the universe has in store for me. </div>
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His plan picked up steam in November when he asked my mother for my hand in marriage. My mom tells me absolutely everything, and I'm surprised she didn't spill the beans. He told her he planned on proposing in February, but...somehow that plan got pushed up a little. </div>
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Earlier this year, I planned a surprise getaway for Neil's birthday. To throw him off track, I told him to pack all sorts of ridiculous things to bring with him - everything from sharp kitchen knives to a wine opener. We ended up spending the night at <a href="http://www.gervasivineyard.com/" target="_blank">Gervasi Vineyard</a> and had an amazing time. So when my fiance told me that we were going to go on a random one day trip for our 10 month anniversary in December, I thought nothing of it. He'd actually mentioned wanting to go back to Gervasi for the holidays, so I thought that was where we were going. But I was dead wrong!</div>
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We set off on our trip and headed down 71. Once we got past Canton, I realized we weren't going to Gervasi. It hit me that we were headed to Columbus. Kind of random, I thought, but we'd gone there for one of our first dates to go see Maroon 5 and I thought he just wanted to make a quick inexpensive trip to get away from the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Wrong!</div>
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We got to Columbus and checked into the Hyatt hotel. (I travel a lot for work and absolutely love Hyatt hotels and their points program) It was kind of a grey, rainy day. We'd left around lunchtime, and by the time we arrived, I was starving, so we went to one of my favorite Columbus restaurants - <a href="http://www.bettyscolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Betty's</a>. Neil mentioned that he was wearing the same outfit he'd worn the last time we were in Columbus, and I realized that I'd accidentally worn the same outfit, too. And yet that didn't set off any alarm bells in my head.<br />
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We continued to relive the events of our original date night in Columbus. And that included a lot of drinking. We even stopped at the new Melt in Columbus...where we had some late night tofu wings and more drinks. Too many drinks, actually. Ugh.<br />
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We got back to the hotel and Neil told me that he had a surprise for me. He pulled out the nicest scrapbook I've ever seen. He'd saved literally everything from every single date we'd gone on and every single everything from any place we'd gone to. There were pages and pages of pictures, and receipts, and fun memories.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhZzSF7etEVhNEv2F19uhyphenhyphenWOGGCwlPwjhWAXW5avYCbpTYRVVnU0IhW6I250gZxIUrkVkNpEwKTsBHdn3y2WPeLH9oBoonsqSYRnIU1blXFu5NrhnmRjlTqRhFPuZSR_eBmA_JTac5aiA/s1600/blogger-image-684215288.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">scrapbook cover</td></tr>
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And then we got to the last page. Or 2nd to last page, actually. There was a picture of us from the World Series of Wine and underneath it was a picture of two old people. Under the picture of the older couple, Neil had written, "all I want to do is grow old with you." </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd to last page - the old people really got me</td></tr>
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And then I panicked.<br />
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Neil said he had another surprise. And all I could say was, "no," repeatedly. Because I'd had too many drinks that evening, what actually transpired is a little hazy in my memory. But I can tell you that I said no to Neil's proposal. Judge me, hate me, think what you will, but in my heart, it didn't feel right. I was drunk, unhappy with certain aspects of our relationship, and I just felt like it wasn't the right time. We talked endlessly about being engaged throughout the night. And into the next morning, in between me getting sick from being super hung over. I knew I loved Neil, but I felt like we needed some time to talk through some things, figure some things out, and make a solid plan for the future. I agreed after much debate that we should stay engaged but work on our relationship. Because I felt like that was the right thing to do and because Neil had already told all of our friends about his intentions, and they were going to be at my house for party the next night to congratulate us. But we did end up returning the ring he bought for me. It was very lovely, and he'd bought something I thought I would like, but on my finger, it just didn't work. Then we bought a replacement ring and it couldn't be sized without damaging the integrity of the ring, so at that point I got frustrated and fed up and decided that we needed to wait before we moved further with any more wedding related details.<br />
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At this point, you might think this story doesn't have a happy ending. But it does. This whole catastrophic series of events has brought us even closer and has made me 100% sure that Neil is the right person for me. Because I really doubt anyone else would have taken my indecision and pickiness over jewelry so well. He gets me. And likes me for me. And besides being a little impatient about this whole commitment thing, we're generally on the same page about everything.<br />
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It's been about 2 months since Neil proposed and I can say that we are in a much better place than we've ever been. We've found a ring that I like and that is going to be custom made. (considering how the first proposal went we're thinking of re-doing it so I can have a nicer, clearer memory of it) I've found a caterer that has multiple vegan options. We've started saving up for a wedding. We're planning our engagement photos and have selected an engagement photographer. Everything is really falling into place. And I'm very excited to see what the future has in store for us.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-82533910442630403802014-01-21T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-30T13:36:22.275-05:00Review: Victoria Vegan Vodka SauceI have a minor obsession with pasta sauce. I've been known to eat it straight from the jar. Often. My favorite kind of pasta sauce (besides the 365 brand original pasta sauce from Whole Foods) is vodka sauce, but since I've gone vegan, I haven't had too much of it since it's typically made with cream. I make a decent vegan <a href="http://www.vegetarians-taste-better.com/2010/12/recipe-spicy-vegan-vodka-tomato-cream.html" target="_blank">spicy tomato cream sauce</a> myself, but I don't always have time to whip up a sauce from scratch.<br />
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I always look for new vegan foods when I'm wandering around Whole Foods and I stumbled upon <a href="http://www.victoriafinefoods.com/products/victoria-vegan-vodka-sauce-25oz" target="_blank">Victoria's Vegan Vodka Sauce</a> a couple weeks ago.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUxA3HKRs-qMUK0NITGf2AHNtuA8k2fTsdR5dejHX3G1yQP3vaj0idbmlWBgFslnugqSJQY-wyBxGR6AKE2bpG7KvvXjAanT6VdT09HWDbbmZyJzSn-sxZNbhW_hzj_O4wTomh6gSSJcz/s640/blogger-image--180806456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUxA3HKRs-qMUK0NITGf2AHNtuA8k2fTsdR5dejHX3G1yQP3vaj0idbmlWBgFslnugqSJQY-wyBxGR6AKE2bpG7KvvXjAanT6VdT09HWDbbmZyJzSn-sxZNbhW_hzj_O4wTomh6gSSJcz/s640/blogger-image--180806456.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victoria Vegan Vodka Sauce</td></tr>
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This sauce is amazing. Creamy. Flavorful. And you would never, ever, ever guess it's vegan. We liked it so much that I made a big batch of pasta for a party and served it up to non-vegans. I got a lot of compliments on the sauce and no one could even tell that it wasn't made with real dairy. (cashew cream is so versatile, isn't it?) </div>
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Like most cream sauces, this isn't a "healthy" food by any means, but once in awhile a little gluttony won't kill you. And I've noticed that a little bit of this sauce goes a long way, so if you're counting calories like I am, you probably don't even need to use one whole serving on your pasta.</div>
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We tried a creamy pesto sauce from Victoria and I wasn't nearly as impressed, but I still plan on trying some of their other vegan options. This is definitely worth checking out if you love vodka sauce and don't have the time to make it yourself. It's so good that no one will guess it's vegan - or from a jar.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-81501171831355816572014-01-20T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-30T13:37:00.321-05:00Surprisingly Cheese-like - Kite Hill Truffle, Dill, and Chive Vegan CheeseSince I went vegan last year, I've been on the hunt for good vegan cheese. As you might imagine, it can be pretty hard to find. Most of don't taste like cheese, don't melt like cheese, or are just plain old nasty. I've gotten creative and can make some great cashew cream "cheese" sauces, but...in terms of eating a big old hunk of cheese, most of the kinds of vegan cheese I've tried have fallen short. (unless they're homemade - I know some folks who make a mean vegan cheese in their own kitchens)<br />
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Until I tried <a href="http://www.kite-hill.com/" target="_blank">Kite Hill</a> cheese over the weekend. Now, this isn't your typical hunk of vegan cheese. It's "artisanal nut milk based cheese, " which means it's high quality, and high priced cheese. (one container will run you about $11.99 at Whole Foods)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH4R2u4bPxEGPuLWf_A5rDXp9mKJ_g3YhX4z1LfcTJ_fSapomPcMxRj9m4qlLkgiasowCbNN2VvdYbknm559ZDt0xGlWEJolxI6Ge4MWO-F459dQB15PEOtIG2Pp4b0YAzEnAeUeaXhtF/s640/blogger-image--2012769411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH4R2u4bPxEGPuLWf_A5rDXp9mKJ_g3YhX4z1LfcTJ_fSapomPcMxRj9m4qlLkgiasowCbNN2VvdYbknm559ZDt0xGlWEJolxI6Ge4MWO-F459dQB15PEOtIG2Pp4b0YAzEnAeUeaXhtF/s640/blogger-image--2012769411.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kite Hill Truffle, Dill, and Chive Vegan Cheese</td></tr>
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There were 3 varieties of Kite Hill cheese available at my local Whole Foods. I decided to try out the truffle, dill, and chive variety. My non-vegan fiance and I tried it out on some crackers. You could definitely taste the dill, but it wasn't overpowering. The texture was a little different than I expected. My fiance compared it to ricotta cheese. I was surprised at how light and airy it was. I expected it to be a bit denser. But it was definitely flavorful and a great substitute for "real" cheese. I think it would be great crumbled up and put in a pasta dish or on a salad. Or probably even on a pizza. I wonder if it melts? The only bad thing about this cheese is the packaging, I think. It comes in a non-sealable container, so if you don't plan on eating the whole thing, you'll have to get creative and find a good way to store it. </div>
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It makes me happy to see that there's a market for high quality vegan cheeses. As more and more people embrace a plant based lifestyle, I can't wait to see what other good "fakes" are developed. </div>
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Do you have a favorite non-dairy cheese?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-74013732721779781732014-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:002014-01-10T06:00:01.009-05:00Hand Feeding Chickadees at the Brecksville Nature CenterI saw a blurb on Twitter awhile back about <a href="http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/Main/EventsProgramsCalendar/Hand-Feed-a-Chickadee-2404.aspx" target="_blank">hand feeding chickadees at the Brecksville Nature Center</a> and ever since then, I'd been dying to try it out. My friend Christine is an avid bird watcher and told me that it was a really cool experience and that I needed to try it out. My fiance and I attempted to go near the holidays, but we were pretty busy and when we finally did have a chance to go, the weather was too bad and we decided that driving in a snowstorm just to feed birds wasn't a good idea.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfqkJlQLuDXhHt1-AkfV61SQXlDFMNNLEhErP-43cHz7mhQf78mEjjxVszbZbFvFAI_nc0gWoOo5ec6BRZqzO-R7uqBiiAaFbg6_bDJgtIAHQCQWe8vtFxJAbKhxT4zGnEGvJkXw1XFTL/s640/blogger-image-1515133287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfqkJlQLuDXhHt1-AkfV61SQXlDFMNNLEhErP-43cHz7mhQf78mEjjxVszbZbFvFAI_nc0gWoOo5ec6BRZqzO-R7uqBiiAaFbg6_bDJgtIAHQCQWe8vtFxJAbKhxT4zGnEGvJkXw1XFTL/s320/blogger-image-1515133287.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand Feeding Chickadees at the Brecksville Nature Center</td></tr>
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Last Saturday we made the trek out to Brecksville even though it was super cold. On the drive to Brecksville, my fiance asked me how this all worked. I explained that the birds fly up to you and eat seeds from your hand. Being from Florida, he didn't know what a chickadee is, so in his mind, he thought we were going to something similar to a petting zoo and we'd be hand feeding small baby chicks. Oops. No wonder why he didn't seem all that excited about feeding chickadees!</div>
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When we got to the nature center, there was a nice man next to a huge container of sunflower seeds who explained the process to us. Basically, you take a handful of seeds, place them in your palm, stand in a specific area, stay still and quiet, and hope for the best.</div>
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We positioned ourselves away from the other people attempting to feed birds and were underneath a tall pine tree. My fiance was closer to the tree and the birds were more interested in him at first. It was kind of neat. The little birds would fly nearby to scope us out. Once they determined that we weren't huge cats who were about to eat them, they'd gently land on your hand, make eye contact, and then take a seed and fly off to eat it. I really can't put into words how neat it is to have this tiny wild creature land on you and trust you enough to take food from your hand. I felt like I was Cinderella and all of the wild creatures were my friends for a brief minute. I even had a bird land on my head. That was interesting. Had it not been so cold I could have stood out there for hours. </div>
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I grew up on a big piece of land and spent lots of time outside. Mainly reading books, but...I was still outside. I was an only child and we didn't have neighbors, so I spent a lot of time using my imagination and I always wished the animals in our yard would want to play with me like in cartoons. I had bunnies and squirrels and raccoons get close. (I did get to feed raccoons and squirrels by hand) But...I was never able to make friends with the birds. Feeding chickadees this past weekend brought one of little Roxanne's dreams to life and was really one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. Hands down.</div>
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Chickadee feeding takes place every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) from 10 am until 12 pm at the Brecksville Nature Center from now until late February. Weather permitting, obviously. This is a really fun (and free!) activity to try out and would be great for kids, too. No matter where you live in Cleveland, this is 100% worth the drive. Just be sure to bundle up and bring your patience with you and you'll have an experience of a lifetime!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-39106569661951953902014-01-09T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-30T13:37:36.169-05:00Recipe: Vegan Hoppin John ReduxA few years ago I attempted to make<a href="http://www.vegetarians-taste-better.com/2012/01/recipe-vegan-hoppin-john.html" target="_blank"> vegan hoppin John</a> for New Years. To this day, I think that was one of my biggest cooking fails. It was smoky, gritty, and awful. I never thought I'd attempt to make the dish again. Until I saw a seemingly easy (and liquid smoke-free) version posted at<a href="http://hotfromthekettle.com/vegan/meatless-monday-hoppin-john" target="_blank"> Hot From the Kettle</a>.<br />
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My fiance is a good sport and is always up for these types of cooking adventures, so a few days after ringing in the New Year, I decided to whip up this dish for dinner. It took a bit longer than I expected to cook and was hotter than I wanted it to be (I toned down the spices because I'm a big wuss when it comes to spicy foods) but I really like how it turned out. My fiance thought it was too spicy, but...he really can't tolerate any heat. When I make this again (and I will because I liked it so much) I'd probably omit the rice. It really isn't needed. The veggies and beans make a hearty meal on their own. For some added protein, I think you could add some vegan sausage to the mix. (some meat based Hoppin John recipes call for bacon and sausage)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Ingredients:</u></b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 32.390625px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 cup apple cider vinegar</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">1/2 cup vegetable stock + more for cooking diced vegetables</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">2 tablespoons agave nectar</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">2 teaspoons olive oil, divided</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less if you're not into spicy food)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px; margin-top: 0px;">1/2 </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px; margin-bottom: 0px;">teaspoon dried oregano</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px; margin-top: 0px;">1/2 </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px; margin-bottom: 0px;">teaspoon dried thyme</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px; margin-top: 0px;">1/2 </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px; margin-bottom: 0px;">teaspoon dried basil</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">1/2 teaspoon sea salt</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">1 large bunch collard greens, chopped</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">1 medium onion, diced</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">3 ribs celery, chopped</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">2+</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;"> cloves garlic, minced (original recipe called for 2 cloves - I really like garlic so I used ~8)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">1 can diced tomatoes, with juices</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">1 can cooked black eyed peas</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">1 1/2 cups rice</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">Hot sauce, optional</span></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-7PBvaAMW5LlR2XFXQIaMg0l4pEGYOOWpUvvpKdpHzwNSuwZ0IIKsW25cq0ytwnfYYZedG6ThyRV6IiYQxteCXG6S3HNOZFOSaVcq9AKjjMh-pRqA2zq1duJqhREnlUmcQkp4V-20tQj/s640/blogger-image--1513959982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-7PBvaAMW5LlR2XFXQIaMg0l4pEGYOOWpUvvpKdpHzwNSuwZ0IIKsW25cq0ytwnfYYZedG6ThyRV6IiYQxteCXG6S3HNOZFOSaVcq9AKjjMh-pRqA2zq1duJqhREnlUmcQkp4V-20tQj/s640/blogger-image--1513959982.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan Hoppin' John</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><u>Method:</u></b></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<ol><span style="background-color: white;">
<li style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, agave nectar, 1 tsp. olive oil cayenne pepper, spices, salt and vegetable stock. Set aside.</li>
<li style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic and cook for about 8 minutes, or until translucent. Add vegetable stock as needed to prevent vegetables from burning/sticking to the pan. </li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 32.390625px;">Stir in tomatoes and juice and then add the collard greens, vinegar-agave nectar mixture. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to put </span></span><span style="line-height: 32.390625px;">handfuls</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 32.390625px;"> of collard greens in at a time until they cook down a little. </span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until greens are tender. (covering is very important! the greens won't really wilt otherwise!)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">Stir in the beans and cook until heated throughout. Season with salt and pepper.</li>
<li style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 32.390625px;">Serve over rice and top with hot sauce, if using.</li>
</span></ol>
<span style="background-color: white;">
<span style="line-height: 32.390625px;">Another thing to note is how much food this recipe makes. I have a pretty hearty appetite, but this could have lasted me for days on my own, and there was definitely enough for another meal even after I had two heaping bowls the first night and my fiance had a small bowl. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-5736337017429591122013-11-27T06:00:00.000-05:002013-11-27T06:00:01.204-05:00What's Cooking In My House for ThanksgivingDisclaimer: this post has very little to do with food.<br />
<br />
I'm pretty excited to be hosting my first (of many) Thanksgiving dinners in my house. This isn't my first rodeo, and ironically, I made mostly vegan foods in years past, so I'm hoping everything goes smoothly. I have a double oven now which makes cooking/baking so much easier, and I'm looking forward to less oven Tetris, where you try to jam in a dozen things at once on one small space.<br />
<br />
Last year I don't even know what I did on Thanksgiving. Cried and drank wine, probably? I'd already put an offer in on my house and my mom had promised me (to try and make me feel better, I think) that I could host Thanksgiving again in my new house going forward. I just wasn't feeling Thanksgiving last year, so I stayed home and wallowed. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone, honestly. It's extra depressing to be alone on a holiday when you're already depressed. (I don't even want to tell you what I did on Christmas last year...weep womp)<br />
<br />
But what a difference a year makes, huh? As everyone told me - time heals all wounds. And as I've told myself repeatedly - nothing bad lasts forever. The past year of my life was trying, to say the least, but I'm happy to report that I've come out on top. I learned who my real friends are. I've gotten some exciting new responsibilities at work. I live in the house of my dreams. I've traveled to some new places and met some amazing people. And I've found a relationship with a man who loves me for who I am. Unconditionally. My life is far from perfect, but I can honestly say I'm in a better place than I've ever been in my 32 years on this planet. Progress not perfection.<br />
<br />
So whether you're having the best year of your life or are hoping for brighter tomorrows, remember to be thankful for what you have. And maybe even be thankful for what you don't have. Sometimes things in life don't go as we want them to or as we've planned, but bigger and better things are probably in store for you.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-14897375436981420922013-11-26T06:00:00.000-05:002013-11-26T06:00:02.141-05:00Review: Best Vegan Brunch Ever at Grovewood Tavern<span style="font-family: inherit;">This past weekend was fun and exhausting all at the same time. I'd worked 12 day straight and was pretty pooped by the time Friday rolled around. I spent Saturday out east at the wineries celebrating the marriage of two of my friends. And I drank about 7 bottles of wine. Not really, but it felt that way on Sunday morning. Oops. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> The weekend prior, my boyfriend and I were in Baltimore. I was there for work and happened to have a later shift on Sunday morning and we tried our darndest to find vegan brunch options for me with no luck. Since all I really think about is food, I decided to do some research once I got home to see if I could find a new place for us to check out close to home. And through the power of the interwebs, I discovered that <a href="http://www.grovewoodtavern.com/menu_brunch.html" target="_blank">Grovewood Tavern</a> is now serving brunch. (again)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Apparently Grovewood Tavern used to serve brunch. Award winning brunch. Not sure when that stopped, exactly, but I hope they never stop again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFQAkBIdx5SOFLlJIymkQ7jTcgjgHax0i8EKVZd1uXdOFRF_R1_vGYsgLTDr00LFiE1rB5WqvQWETZc7_KBK5_Xykq1adyX3XuUYQVfEcjjsLaevwRGOLUrgi9v9O-eN8innbT5voShHy/s640/blogger-image--1916521235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFQAkBIdx5SOFLlJIymkQ7jTcgjgHax0i8EKVZd1uXdOFRF_R1_vGYsgLTDr00LFiE1rB5WqvQWETZc7_KBK5_Xykq1adyX3XuUYQVfEcjjsLaevwRGOLUrgi9v9O-eN8innbT5voShHy/s640/blogger-image--1916521235.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The best vegan tofu scramble I've ever eaten</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As any good vegan knows, you need to do your homework before you go to any kind of restaurant to see if they have options for you. Grovewood Tavern takes the guess work out of ordering by having their menu on their web site and has all of the vegetarian, vegan, and veganize-able options clearly labeled. Score!</span><div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We arrived at Grovewood Tavern around 11:30 and were surprised to see that it was pretty empty. They've only been serving brunch for a short time, though, so I'm not sure word has gotten out that they're open on Sundays now. Plus, it was Browns versus Steelers day, so...half of the city was probably out drinking at that time. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our server seated us as soon as we walked in and promptly gave me the gallon of water I requested to attempt to undo the damage I'd done to my poor body the night before. I'd hoped to order some coffee, but they didn't have any non-dairy milk to use as a creamer. Weep womp. I hadn't eaten dinner the night before, so I was ready to gnaw my arm off so I was thankful when we were able to place our orders ASAP. Too bad I wasn't in the mood for drinking because they offered up an extensive menu of boozy brunch beverages. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I ordered a vegan vegetable and tofu scramble. <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.984375px;">I generally like tofu scrambles, but...they can be a little lacking in flavor sometimes. Not this scramble! There were peppers, and onions, and kale, and peppers, and crispy breakfast potatoes all jumbled up together in a delicious heap. On the side, I got toast with house made fig jam. I'm not even the biggest fig fan, but this jam was pretty incredible.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17.984375px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.984375px;">My boyfriend ordered the breakfast biscuit. Clearly, with sausage, eggs, and a cheesy biscuit, it ain't my cup of tea, but he said that his meal was one of the best brunch meals he's ever had. Hands down. Also important to note, he was a big fan of their coffee.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.984375px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.984375px;">Overall, we were really impressed with our brunch and hope to go back sometime soon. I was happy to see a notation on the menu that said they try to use local produce, eggs, meats, etc. whenever possible. I'm really interested in checking them out for dinner some night because they have a few vegan options on their dinner menu, too. And any restaurant that wants to cater to my lifestyle deserves my business, I think. Give Grovewood Tavern a try if you're in search of a new place to fill your belly on Sunday morning. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.984375px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.984375px;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-40994561663728081412013-11-25T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-30T13:38:00.344-05:00Recipe: Quick and Easy Vegan Sausage PastaIn recent weeks, I've been flexing my culinary muscles more because it's a little challenging to find decent vegan grub in my neck of the woods. Sure, I could eat french fries everywhere I go, but...I've been trying to get back on the running wagon lately, and my body needs good fuel for my workouts.<br />
<br />
A couple weeks ago I decided to re-make a recipe I'd tried out earlier this year - <a href="http://www.meettheshannons.com/simple-vegan-italian-sausage-pasta-dinner/" target="_blank">Simple Vegan Italian Sausage and Pasta Dinner</a> - from one of my favorite bloggers/cookbook authors - The Shannons. If you're not familiar with Dan and Annie, they're a husband and wife who set out on a culinary adventure to veganize Betty Crocker's cookbook. Which was no easy feat because Betty liked her butter, dairy, and eggs. I own their cookbook - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Goes-Vegan-Classic-Recipes/dp/1455509337" target="_blank">Betty Goes Vegan</a> - and I think it offers up some great recipes for people who miss meals they used to have in their pre-vegan days or for people who are trying to cut back on meat a little and aren't sure where to start.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXDYfeMpMBLa7a7XtAT0mHvvErydU4szJ8tt0IBzUq0uHkVUIO4lyobGDDLaD82lqo50yibAXHhVAZch3vQOJaa67oczht1BsKWdkYVpTQbf-UvK8gCXzzCYz079iSvAKVWA_iGm3Ssr-/s640/blogger-image--1015806761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXDYfeMpMBLa7a7XtAT0mHvvErydU4szJ8tt0IBzUq0uHkVUIO4lyobGDDLaD82lqo50yibAXHhVAZch3vQOJaa67oczht1BsKWdkYVpTQbf-UvK8gCXzzCYz079iSvAKVWA_iGm3Ssr-/s640/blogger-image--1015806761.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan Sausage Pasta</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I mentioned that this was the second time I made this recipe, right? My first attempt was back in the spring. I followed the recipe to the letter and then realized that I like garlic more than most people and that this concoction needed more flavor. I also used Tofurkey sausage the first time. I love me some Tofurkey sausage, but it just wasn't cutting it in this recipe. This time I used <a href="http://www.uptonsnaturals.com/products/" target="_blank">Upton's Naturals Italian Seitan</a>. It's crumbly, and flavorful, and really made this pasta dish turn out better, I think. (although I think anything by Upton's Naturals makes just about any recipe better - all of their products are SO good)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Pasta shape/type of your choice (I used leftover farfalle that had been hanging around in my cupboard) - adjust the amount of noodles based on the number of servings you need</li>
<li>Vegan sausage - crumbles or sausages sliced into coins</li>
<li>5 quartered Roma tomatoes</li>
<li>1 package sliced portabella mushrooms</li>
<li>2 cups raw spinach leaves</li>
<li>2+ cloves garlic, minced (I used about 6)</li>
<li>1/2 cup red wine</li>
<li>1 teaspoon garlic powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon onion powder</li>
<li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li>1/4 cup fresh basil leaves</li>
<li>1-2 tablespoons fresh oregano</li>
<li>1 tablespoon Italian seasoning</li>
<li>1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>Method:</u></b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Prepare the pasta following the directions on the box. Set aside once cooked</li>
<li>In a skillet/saucepan, heat the oil.</li>
<li>Brown sausage in oil - be careful to not overcook.</li>
<li>Add tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, wine, and spices. Stir frequently until tomatoes and mushrooms begin to soften.</li>
<li>Add spinach and basil and cook until leaves start to wilt. </li>
<li>Slowly add pasta to sausage/tomato/mushroom/spinach mixture and stir to coat noodles with sauce. </li>
<li>Serve and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
All told, this recipe came together in around a half hour. My boyfriend and I each has pretty substantial portions and he was able to eat the leftovers at lunch for most of the week. (I definitely used too many noodles) I really think the slight tweaks I made to the recipe (mainly adding more of each of the spices) really jazzed it up a bit. I'll definitely be making this recipe again!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-75746080775064753772013-11-13T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-30T13:38:24.527-05:00Carbs for One - Sad Bastards BreadSince my dream in life is to open a vegan cafe or juice bar, I'm all about supporting anyone else (especially here in CLE) who decides to take the plunge and start their own business. On facebook, I read about<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SadBastardsBread" target="_blank"> Sad Bastards Bread</a>, a vegan baking company started a couple weeks ago by a local vegan. Why's it called "Sad Bastards?" It's pretty clever, actually. Melvin the bread smith makes small loaves of bread for single people. (AKA sad bastards) Cute, right?<br />
<br />
Since Sad Bastards Bread literally just got started, it's a work in progress. As of right now, bread and vegan cheese, hummus, desserts, and other vegan-y goodies are available at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CoitRoadFarmersMarket" target="_blank">Coit Road Farmers Market</a> on Wednesdays and Saturdays. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l8TxckvD1M4yPd5_AtoXliMhK9F5Ut7PnOcg80A6_xm82NA4nD4KzIsM9PMoEqScR6H2c8SCi39xHC_0KIoQMM2JhTkiJchIKlzMY4HFiG4tl8xtH9ctPZQSQuhZQ_XM58F7kWSKKAp_/s640/blogger-image-1653511416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l8TxckvD1M4yPd5_AtoXliMhK9F5Ut7PnOcg80A6_xm82NA4nD4KzIsM9PMoEqScR6H2c8SCi39xHC_0KIoQMM2JhTkiJchIKlzMY4HFiG4tl8xtH9ctPZQSQuhZQ_XM58F7kWSKKAp_/s640/blogger-image-1653511416.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosemary and thyme bread and white bread</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I purchased 2 loaves of bread, some chevre cheese, and the best oatmeal strawberry bars I've ever eaten. I haven't eaten the cheese yet, but the bars made it about 10 minutes after I got home. They were incredible. I also immediately ate a piece of rosemary and thyme bread. It was amazing. In my world, there are few things better than fresh bread, and this bread? Wow! Was it good! The white bread loaf was used to make garlic bread the next day and it was still great. But as with all fresh bread made without preservatives, this bread has a short shelf life, so when you go and pick up your own loaf, be sure to use it quickly.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Best wishes to Melvin and Sad Bastards Bread. If you're a carb-a-saurus like I am, check out his wares at an upcoming farmers market. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05571298992576084567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-734730508313782454.post-51449019926814196692013-11-12T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-30T13:38:48.008-05:00Recipe: Slow Cooker Vegan Pumpkin and White Bean LasagnaWhen I moved into my new house last year, after losing 50% of my kitchenware, my mother was nice enough to buy me a crock pot. My original intentions were to use it to heat up rum and cider and I was never sure if I'd find a good use for it to make food. In some families, crock pot cooking is the norm, but my mom never got down with crock pot cooking when I was growing up. The idea of putting food in a pot and letting it cook all day seemed odd to me. But after my boyfriend recently grumbled about how long it takes to cook on weeknights, I decided to buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Vegan-Slow-Cooker-Intensely/dp/1592334644" target="_blank">The Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester</a>. I'm generally hesitant about buying cookbooks sight unseen, but after reading reviews for the cookbook, it seemed like it would have some fairly simple recipes that we could try out.<br />
<br />
And by "we" I mean my boyfriend.<br />
<br />
I had every intention of making this vegan pumpkin lasagna myself. But...I basically just ended up just getting spices out of the cupboard. Not sure how that happened exactly, but if someone wants to make you dinner - don't turn them down.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan Pumpkin and White Bean Lasagna</td></tr>
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<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b></div>
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<b>For the pumpkin tofu ricotta:</b></div>
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<li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li>
<li>3 sun dried tomatoes rehydrated</li>
<li>1 package silken, soft, or firm tofu</li>
<li>1 can cooked pumpkin</li>
<li>1/4 cup nutritional yeast</li>
<li>1 tablespoon Italian seasoning</li>
<li>1 teaspoon onion powder</li>
<li>2 cloves crushed garlic</li>
<li>salt and pepper to taste</li>
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<b>For the lasagna:</b><br />
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<li>1 jar pasta sauce</li>
<li>3/4 package regular (not no boil) noodles</li>
<li>1 can (14 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained</li>
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<b><u>Method:</u></b><br />
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<li>Make the pumpkin tofu ricotta. Blend all ingredients until creamy. </li>
<li>Prepare the crock pot. Spray with cooking oil or grease the pot to prevent the sauce from burning/sticking to the sides. </li>
<li>Spread a think layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of the crock pot. </li>
<li>Break off the corners of a lasagna noodle and place it on top of the sauce. (to make use of the whole crock pot, break other noodles to fill in the rest of the pot). Place a single layer of noodles over the sauce.</li>
<li>Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. </li>
<li>Spread a thin layer of sauce over the pumpkin ricotta mix.</li>
<li>Spread 1/3 of the beans over the sauce. </li>
<li>Repeat the layers two more times and end with noodles on top. Top noodles with remaining pasta sauce.</li>
<li>Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.</li>
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So how did it turn out? Because I went for a longer run than I'd originally planned (oops) the noodles got a little overcooked. But...the lasagna still ended up being really good. There was a very subtle pumpkin flavor. Otherwise, it tasted like good old lasagna. (and my boyfriend tells me the lasagna is better reheated - he had the leftovers for lunch yesterday) I wasn't the biggest fan of the beans, but...they added protein. And my boyfriend liked them, so...maybe we'd include them when we make this recipe again. If using tofu in a recipe weirds you out, this recipe could be easily vegetarian-ized. You'd just swap tofu for ricotta cheese and omit the nutritional yeast. I'm sure it would be just as good.</div>
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Overall, I'd say this was a cooking WIN. Not just because I didn't have to lift a finger, but because this was a super easy meal to make and it was a really interesting way to use pumpkin. Let me know if you give this recipe a try! And if you're looking for quick and easy recipes to try out in your crock pot, pick up The Vegan Slow Cooker!</div>
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