Tofu Stir Fry

There are some people who think eating vegetarian must be boring and tasteless. That you have to eat bean sprouts and tofu all time. 

Well, I do eat tofu and I love bean sprouts. However, eating plant based is pretty darn delicious. One of my favorite quick, easy dishes is tofu stir fry.

You need

Extra firm tofu, drained, patted dry and sliced into chunks

Stir fry vegetables (I buy frozen organic ones)

Sweet chili sauce

Roasted unsalted peanuts 

Sauté veggies and tofu. Add chili sauce. Stir well. Top with peanuts and serve.

Maple pumpkin bake

Pumpkin...not just for fall anymore...or my cat

I love all things pumpkin, and this is a great way to start your morning

1 c oatmeal

1 c almond milk

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 can pumpkin (not pie filling)

Handful dried cranberries, flax seeds & pecans

Cinnamon

Mix everything together, bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

It's perfect with Morningstar sausage links! 

Cauliflower Rice

Several of my friends are on paleo diets, where they eat like a caveman. That means no grains, dairy or rice. While I don't think I could adhere to it, especially the no soy or grains part, there are some pretty yummy recipes in paleo world. It seems that it's the in thing with a lot of cross fit fanatics, to which I am the antithesis, but it's also bled into both the running and yoga communities.
One recipe that intrigued me was for cauliflower rice.
Rice, made out of....cauliflower???
I love cauliflower, so this sounded great.
And easy too.

You need cauliflower and a cheese grater to make the rice. That's it-you grate the cauliflower and it really does look like white rice.

Now comes the fun part.

You steam it (I found that it gives it the best rice like texture) and then make it the same way you make rice.

I've tried cilantro lime (as in Qdoba or Cafe Rio).
fried rice for Chinese night
With saffron for paella.

I would not recommend it in a casserole with a cream of soup-it's too delicate and you wind up with a mushy mess.

Tasty Tuesday: Polenta, Chard & mushrooms

As part of my one word for 2013 (joy), I decided to add food that makes me happy. I like seeing a rainbow on my plate-nature has some really great options out there. The powers that be encourage us to eat a variety of foods and colors to amp up health benefits. Eating healthy doesn't always mean slaving away in the kitchen or buying weird things.

One of my favorite quick, easy meatless meals is polenta cakes with Swiss chard.

Sounds exotic, right?

Try super easy.

Polenta is basically cornmeal and water, cooked to a thick consistency. You can make your own or buy it prepared. For this dish, I buy the tube and slice it.

Swiss chard is considered one of the healthiest vegetables. It's a member of the beet family, and the color refers to the stalk not the leaves. I prefer red Swiss chard, which when cooked is similar to fresh spinach in consistency.

Add mushrooms, garlic, nuts and olive oil and its bliss.

1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed
1 tube polenta, sliced
1 c mushrooms chopped
Minced garlic
Walnuts
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese

Blanch the chard prior to sautéing it.
In a sauté pan, sauté garlic in olive oil and lightly brown the polenta. Set aside & keep warm (I out it in the oven on 300). Add mushrooms, cook through. Add chard and walnuts, cook till wilted.

To serve: put chard & mushrooms on top of polenta round, top with Parmesan.

It Takes Two

I always love when something works out where you get two for the price of one. I was on Pinterest and saw baked oatmeal. Reading the ingredients, I realized that they were the same as my puppy pancakes! So...double the pleasure, double the yum!

2 c quick cooking oats
1 c unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 c milk (regular or soy)

For oatmeal, add fruit and cinnamon. For pancakes you can add blueberries, apples, carrots &/or peas.

Preheat oven to 350. For pancakes, drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheer. For oatmeal, spread the batter into an 8x8 pan. Bake 20 mins, let cool. Store pancakes in an airtight container. For oatmeal, store covered in a refrigerator. To serve, slice and heat for 45 seconds. I top mine with yogurt and berries!

Fruited pancake bake

I love super easy, super fast breakfast options. Most mornings I don't have time to make an elaborate spread, but want a healthy option.
This fits both criteria

2 tbsp baking mix
Splash vanilla soy milk (or regular milk and a dash of vanilla extract)
Fruit
Silken tofu or cream cheese

Mix baking mix, milk & tofu combining well. Add fruit. Microwave 2 minutes.

You were mint for me

I didn't plant a garden this year due to our cross country odyssey, but I did plant some goodies in a pot. One of my favorites is mint. I add it to my water bottle, salads, pasta and of course, sandwiches.
This is one of my favorites:

1 small cucumber thinly sliced
1 small container whipped cream cheese
Mint, finely chopped
Chives finely chopped
9 slices whole grain bread

Drain cucumber on cheesecloth. Mix cheese mint & chives. Spread on bread. layer cucumbers lasagna styl on top of spread. Add top slice of bread, press firmly.
These are terrific for a picnic, high tea or just making everyday lunch special.

Strawberry Nutella Easy Breakfast Bake

1 c baking mix (I used hodgson mill whole wheat & flax)
1 c milk (I used soy)
1/4 quick cooking oats
1 c strawberries, sliced
1/2 tsp chia seeds
Handful slivered almonds
1 tsp Nutella

Mix ingredients together in a microwave safe bowl. Cook on high 2 minutes. Eat hot!

Less Guilt Chex Mix

I love chex mix. There's something so decadently yummy by all those flavors combining into one snack. The only problem is it can be really bad for you and it takes forever. I did a recipe makeover, and came up with something amazing.

1 c chex cereal (I chose the whole grain)
1/3 c pretzel sticks
1/3 c mixed nuts (I used peanuts, cashews, almonds & brazil nuts)
2 tbsp dried fruit (I used a mix of cranberries, chopped dates & raisins)
2 tbsp Carob chips
1/4 c vegetable broth
1 tsp olive or grapeseed oil
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce (I keep a batch of this on hand:
http://cookingwithrockstars.com/recipes/vegan-worcestershire-sauce)
Dash minced onion
Dash garlic powder (okay, several dashes)
Dash dash dash red pepper
Dash parsley flakes

Mix the broth, oil and seasonings together in a mixing bowl. Add pretzels , cereal & nuts. Mix well, ensuring everything is evenly coated. Pour into a microwave safe bowl, heat up for 3-4 minutes on high. Turn out on a paper towel to drain excess moisture. Add carob and fruit. Store in an air tight container, and snack with less guilt.

Irreplaceable

Like everyone else on this planet I am unique and irreplaceable. I matter to a lot of people and I make a difference in their world. I make a difference in the world in general, just by being.
That is why I am making a commitment to being my best and making the healthiest choices for my life.
I've tried the shortcuts throughout my life, and obviously that hasn't worked because I wouldn't be in this position in my life. I would be super healthy and super energetic. I would be in great shape and have bounced back post op without complications.
Shortcuts are what got me here. All those times I was too tired to cook and I hit the drive through instead, or decided the couch was better than the treadmill got me here today. When I got winded going up stairs I realized it pretty much was time for a wake up call.
I look at the towheaded boy who I love more than life itself, and realized that my shortcuts are hurting him, too. I realized that I'm not able to do things because I'm out of shape. The longterm effects of my shortcuts impact him too.
Making a lasting change is a marathon not a sprint. I know I'm going to slip up now and then, and it's ok. I also know that if I don't change things I won't have to worry about slip ups because I wont be leading a high quality life. The last thing I want to do is wind up with diabetes, high blood pressure or moving into morbidly obese territory. Or worse, wind up crippled and all else because my poor eating and exercise habits got me there.
There a gazillion things I can do to change this, and there are double that for excuses. If I am going to do this, I have to do it all in. I have to make these changes to ensure that my son will have the best mom possible. I have to do this for me to be the best me possible. After all, I'm irreplaceable.

Lose Control

I circled a date on my calendar: May 12. It's the annual 5k I run in to raise funds for breast cancer patients. I have a little over 4 months to train for it, which has some good and bad points. The good is I will be able to train up to it, the bad is in my mind I have plenty of time to train.
I have not been really great to my body for over a half a year now. I treated it with incredible disrespect quite frankly. I went from being in incredible shape a year ago this time to a wide pendulum swing to my current state.
For a wide variety of reasons, I have not been kind to myself. I tend to eat to stuff down feelings and stress. That time frame was one of the most stressful times in my life. I was on an emotional roller coaster, and felt like I was never going to get off. But, thankfully I did.
And here I am.
I weigh more than I want to.
My dedication (and to a certain extent, motivation) is nonexistent.
I just feel...blah.
I have attempted to silence my little voice telling me to eat healthier and move more. I have shoved onion rings and burgers and sweets down my throat in order to keep it quiet.
The truth is, it makes me sad to eat junk. I feel awful afterwards, and if it's been particularly bad, it's a food hangover the next day. It makes me sad that I continue to do all of this even though I know it's bad for me.
There a wide variety of reasons, but the overwhelming reason is I've put myself on mute. I let myself be silenced. I've given over my voice to others, including unhealthy choices. Instead of saying no, I've either just given silent consent and tacitly went along or just said yes to keep peace.
I've always been tightly wound but in order to regain my health, I need to lose control.

3 bean chili

1 can black beans, drained
1 can dark kidney beans, drained
1 can light kidney beans, drained
2 tbsp chili powder
1 dried ancho chili crumbled
1 can tomato sauce
2 c vegetable broth

Pour ingredients into crockpot, cook on low for 10 hours. Serve over rice or pasta.

Ditalini soup

10 c water
4 c vegetable broth
1 c baby carrots
1 tbsp pesto
1 box ditalini
1 c spinach or escarole or kale
2 vegetarian sausages, cooked


Pour water & broth in a stock pot. Add carrots, bring to a boil. Boil for 5-7 minutes. Stir in pasta cook according to box directions. 5 minutes before done, stir in escarole, sausage and pesto. Serve hot with garlic bread and vegan Parmesan cheese

Feed Me

After several months of drowning my sorrows in cookies, cake, ice cream and soda I am ready to get back on track with healthier eating. My menu for the first week of 2012 reflects that.
Instead of having a bagel and cream cheese, plus a large Starbucks frothy drink, I realized that I really dig oatmeal . Seriously.
Lunches have been a lot of not so good for me fast food. Instead, I need to get back to healthier options. Salads and soup are always great choices.
Dinners need to be fresh and not from a drive through.
So on the menu next week:
Monday pasta with Italian stir fry
Tuesday Mexican lasagna
Wednesday minestrone soup with rustic bread
Thursday lentils & bulgar pilaf
Friday-dinner out for 1st Friday

Creamed spinach

1 c spinach
Dash garlic
1 c plain yogurt
1/3 c parmesan cheese

Cook spinach and drain. Add yogurt, parmesan cheese and garlic. Stir well, serve hot

Vegetarian lasagna

Vegetarian lasagna
1 box no bake lasagna
1 package silken tofu
1 tbsp basil
1 egg
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper
1 large can spaghetti sauce
1 c mozzarella cheese

Mix silken tofu, basil, garlic powder, red pepper and egg together. Layer lasagna with tofu mixture, alternating so you have a layer of noodles on top. Pour sauce over it; sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Tofu scramble

1 slice of extra firm tofu, patted dry
1 frozen stir fry vegetables, cooked
dash sweet chili sauce

spray a saute pan with pam. saute veggies for several minutes. crumble tofu into pan, add chili sauce and heat through

Mocha smoothies

1 c cold coffee
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 c milk

mix together in a blender. serve immediately

Hippie chick

There is a huge misconception about people who choose a (mostly) meat free lifestyle. One is that we are rabid PETA animal liberation army crazies. Another is that you are some sort of patchouli smelling, tie dye wearing hippie chick. Or that you lean more towards the alternative sides of life, like living in a yurt or something.
My meat free journey started when I began practicing yoga in high school. Part of the yogi philosophy I learned was the vegetarian lifestyle as doing no harm to others. When I got to college, I went full time vegetarian because the food in the dining hall was inedible.
I have been a bit of a hippie (man, those peasant skirts are comfy!) but that is really not my lifestyle choice. I am a type A personality, which means being laid back is a completely foreign concept to me.
Besides, I'm more punk than hippie.
This is why yoga is also important to me. I need that balance.
About 12 years ago, I had a really bad bout of bronchitis that lingered for a while. I could not shake it, so my doctor wound up pumping me full of steroids & antibiotics. It cured the bronchitis, but prednisone is hard on your body after a while. I was a bloated mess. My body hurt to move, and I was beginning to think the bronchitis was much better than the after effects.
Luckily, I had an open minded doctor at the time, who was willing to try different out of the ordinary things for me to feel better. He put me on an anti inflammatory diet: basically, vegan. Chiropractic. Yoga. Meditation. Biofeedback. All sorts of new agey things, but eventually it worked. I felt better. The swelling went away. I had energy again.
Unfortunately, as time went on, I didn't adhere to that lifestyle as much. My insurance changed & I no longer had coverage for chiropractic. The Big Man is a total carnivore, and quite frankly, being a short order cook stinks. I still practiced yoga, but it was a 3 legged stool and two of the legs were wobbly, if not gone.
Fast forward a few years. Given the choice, I do tend towards the meat free side. In the past 10 years, there has been an explosion of meat free products out there that means you dont have to miss the meat.
You can go to a BBQ & have something to eat & not look different.
You can have a deli sandwich.
You can have chicken parm.
My son's birth parents were vegan. They weren't very good at providing adequate nutrition (there's a lot of thought & planning vegans have to do to prevent rickets and other malnutrition) As a result, my guy had a lot of challenges to overcome in the eating department. However, he is proudly vegetarian & I'm ok with that.
I had been asked by a reporter about what misconceptions people have about being a vegetarian or vegan. The hippie thing is the biggest obstacle. I'm definitely not that. I like tailored clothes . I wear makeup. I wear Design by PS, Happy by clinique not sandalwood or patchouli oil. I still dress mostly in black, which is a lingering after effect of goth/ska fashion sense.And I only own one peasant skirt. I have a few Indian inspired shirts, but that's because I have a hernia & can't wear anything fitted right now.  I like designer clothes & all; my handbag of choice is Coach. The only time I wear a tie dye is if I'm in costume or participating in Relay for Life. I don't listen to a lot of jam band music, and I don't like Phish in large doses. Right now I'm on a Dresden Dolls kick, and the Clash are part of any playlist on my iPhone. I'm more punk rock than peacenik.  Yes, it's safe to say I'm shattering that hippie stereotype of being meat free.

Vegan pot pie

1 c extra soft silken tofu
1c frozen mixed vegetables
1/3 c soy milk
2 large potatoes, scrubbed & diced
1 c baby carrots
1/2 c vegan cheese (I like Daiya cheddar), shredded
Assorted root vegetables
1 tbsp ground sage
1 tsp sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 double layer vegan pie crust

Beat tofu & soy milk together until creamy. Add sage & veggies. Pour into pie shell, sprinkle with cheese, salt & pepper. Top with second pie crust, cut in air holes. Bake 375 for 30-40 minutes