{Meatless Monday} Curious About Kelp Noodles…

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Hola, dear readers!! Hope you all had a marvelous weekend. 

We had a nice one but it went WAY TOO FAST. We added three more chicks to our brood and finally put them into the coop with the hens but separated them until they get bigger (more on that later).

It’s time to share another meatless meal with everyone …

On our last monthly trip to the Whole Foods market, I decided on buying some kelp noodles. I’ve been curious about kelp noodles after reading several posts throughout raw foodie blogosphere. I figured I’d give them a go, so in the basket they went.

At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to think of the translucent yet rubbery feeling noodles.. but once you rinse them off they feel just like pasta noodles. Really! If you have more time you can soak them in water and little lemon juice to bring more life into them and get rid of the packaged flavor.

They have a neutral taste so they take on whatever flavor you mesh them with just like with tofu. The noodles weren’t part of my menu plan so the purchase and the sauce we made for it was definitely on a whim…we ended up making a sauce from the uncook book “Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen” called Garlic Cashew Aioli.

It was really yummy and satisfying. The sauce was creamy like and alfredo and sooo flavorful. I definitely enjoyed the kelp noodle experience and think it’s a wonderful alternative to starchy pasta.  Since the noodles don’t require any heating and the sauce was a simple blend of under 10 ingredients… it was an easy peasy meal to put together.

We served it with cooked asparagus from the dehydrator (2 hrs),  and a yummy green salad  My husband whipped up a quick  vinaigrette dressing that consisted of EVOO, S&P, Balsamic & ACV mix, with Italian spice seasoning for the salad and it was good. Organic raw vegan goodness all around.

I’ve fallen in love with eating uncooked goods off the dehydrator… the asparagus was so perfectly enhanced I’ve been uncooking it that way ever since (including other veggies as well). Who would have thought that I’d be using my Mr. Foods dehydrator so often and lovin’ it.  It was only used twice before I took it out of the dungeon garage just last July.  Experimenting with it and making fun treats has been super fun.  Soon, I’d like to upgrade to one of these babies!

Kelp Garlic Aioli + dehydrated asparagus & yummy green salad = happy honey, tots  and mama!

The only downside to this lovely sea vegetable (kelp) is the fact, it’s packaged in plastic that cannot be recycled.

Other than that…my curiosity filled my starchy needs…AND I’d like to try these variations

Kelp Kraut Noodles

Kelp Noodles in Peanut Sauce

Thai Kelp Noodle Bowl

Creamy Miso Noodle Soup

Mmmm!

What are you cooking or uncooking the kitch this week?

{Meatless Monday} Syrian Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup

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Hello everyone!

Hope you all had a marvy weekend.

Wow! Can you believe it’s already March ? No, way.

Baby C is going to be a year in exactly one month from today.

Hard to believe.

Alright, time for another {Meatless Monday} edition and you know that means another kick ass recipe!

There’s no denying…

I’m a huge soup lover. I just love soups. I especiallydig easy soup recipes and ones that are versatile.

AND

I LOVE lentils. Brown lentil soup is at the top of my list as far as favorites.

My mom made it a lot growing up and it was always so full of flavor and just pleasing to the tummy.

I request it of her when I’m sick because it’s that good and soothing.

I say GOOD soup for the soul, no?

I’m also a fan of Indian food and I really can appreciate a good serving of dhaal or lentil soup.

All the wonderful flavors of curry, turmeric, coriander…

Mmm!

Last time while I was perusing the bulk section at the market I decided on some Red Lentils.

I came home and found THE. PERFECT. RECIPE.

Simple, yet soooo pleasing and completely full of flavor. The three ingredients of coriander, garlic and salt bring such a tang of flavor to this soup.

It’s 10x better the next day.

Which is another reason why I love soups… they take on a completely different character the next day.

So, last week I prepared the Syrain Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup and am VERY glad I did.

Get your hands on some red lentils – asap!

This recipe is easy to prepare and it’s yummy.

Oh and did I mention it’s meatless? You can’t go wrong.

It’s a no-brainer recipe, too.

Loved it so much so; it’s on the menu again this week!

What meatless dishes are you whipping up?

Late {Meatless Monday} Not Tuna Wraps & Farmer’s Market Goods!

Hola peeps!

Happy Tuesday to you. Hope you had a great weekend.
We actually had the opportunity of visiting an organic farm 40 minutes north of us in a town called Tehachapi. We were able to score some really fresh Cal Organic produce and a pound of grassfed ground meat. I’ve been doing a lot of research on farms in our area and as well as CSA’s. I like to know what’s available to us with 100 miles. The more I look around and we visit these places the more connected we feel to eating locally and seasonally. The really cool benefit is being able to talk to the person who grows your food and get ideas on how to cook it, store it etc. It’s been a great experience for us and I think having the boys along to see where their food comes is good too.

On Sunday the hub took us down to the Hollywood Farmer’s Market (our CSA signup will not begin until March). We’ve heard such great things about it we decided we needed to check it out for ourselves. We figured it would be easier to take our Kelty for the eco tot and the Ergo for Baby C since their isn’t much walking space along the booths. It turned out to be a great trip and we came home with some fresh farmer’s market produce.  I was looking for homemade kombacha but found none. We did come across a booth that sold earthworms and other types of “good” worms for your garden. We chatted with the guy for a bit and he told us what type of worms we needed to combat our grub worms. So, when we’re ready to turn over the garden soil I think we’ll get some “good” worms.

Here’s my {Meatless Monday} feature:

I made a raw tuna salad last Monday and it was yummy!

The hubster totally thought this pate tasted like tuna… it’s a great “fool” recipe.

We had it with crudites and also tried the not so tuna salad pate with nori rolls.

It was a little messy because we dampened the rolls a little much (oopsie) but overall it was good and very filling.

We added in extra avocado and some of our homemade pickles! yummers.

cell phone pic- sorry, nikon battery died!

What meatless meals have you made in the kitchen lately?

Meatless Monday: a meal for breakfast & dinner

Hi there! Happy Meatless Monday!
Today, I’m cooking up soup in the crockpot! We visited our local farm yesterday and bought some fresh red chard and other veggies and fruit. Last night,  I decided I was going to make a soup I put together at the beginning of summer when the red chard was at the peak of it’s season.  We also bought some canned pesto and chuncky peach jam from the organic farm. Mmm! I am uploading the footage I took of the farm as I type but may not get to post it as I’m rushing to get this published before the eco tot wakes up!!

Over the weekend, I dehydrated some sprouted quinoa to make a raw version of coco pops cereal. You might be asking what in the world quinoa is… ?

Read more

A Boo-rific Meatless Monday with Top 5 Healthier Hallogreen Treats

Hey guys! It’s me again!

Time for another round of Meatless Monday- ding, ding!!

With Halloween on Saturday how about a ghoulish dish for those goblins or guests you may be having over. The dish I’m going to share with you happens to be another eggplant dish because the plant is still flourishing in my mother in law’s garden and giving us beautiful eggplants to nourish ourselves with. Oh, and my love for eggplants may have something to do with it too.

PLUS- after finding the Faken’ Bacon recipe I also found this recipe…

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Meatless Monday: Faken Bacon

Welcome to another wonderful Meatless Monday!

This week we’re dealing with eggplants! Eggplants rule! Most people that I’ve come across hate eggplant. I just don’t think most know what to do with it. I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it. My favorite way to use eggplant is in Ratatouille. I do need to post that recipe sometime because it’s a GOOD one!

My mother in law planted two different varieties this year- Black beauty & Japanese and she’s been harvesting them out the wah-zoo. Due to the extreme heat this summer a lot of our veggie plants didn’t start to yield until early September. In trying to keep up with the abundance, I found that the dehydrator is a fantastic way to preserve eggplant and use it! Once I realized I could dehydrate it – I began to look for recipes.

I found an excellent raw vegan recipe using eggplant to create  bacon (except, this version is way less greasy)!

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Meatless Monday: Raw Recipes

As you might know, I’ve been delving into the world of the raw foods diet. The more and more I read the more and more I’m eager to try out new recipes and go to the raw side of the moon. LOL! Most of the recipes are simple and easy. I don’t want to get discouraged so we do quick, easy and of course tasty meals. I’m finding that all raw meals are tasty and look amazing when put together.

Going raw is very beneficial for the planet. By only consuming a plant based diet you are leaving all the methane gas that cows produce (and plenty of more things) at the door. Not only that, but you’re supporting local farmers by eating more organic and local fresh fruits and veggies. It’s no secret that we need more greens in our diet as well as nature’s candy- fruit!

I love raw food dishes because they’re colorful and the fresh herbs add depth to dishes. It gives you a whole new perspective on texture and taste. They say variety is the spice of life!! In the raw foods diet you’re getting a variety of fresh fruits and veggies everyday for each meal. There are numerous health benefits that it’s great for: Weight loss, Diabetes, Eczema, body odor and plenty more.  I want to glow and smell like strawberries!!!

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Meatless Monday: Spanish Breakfast Scramble

It’s MEATLESS MONDAY!

That’s right kick the meat to the curb today and indulge in fresh veggies and fruits instead.

Recently, I mentioned my interest in the raw foods diet. Much of what I’ve been doing lately is fueling my brain with tons of information on becoming a raw foodie. I’m really drawn to this lifestyle of raw foods- it’s pretty fascinating to me. Not eating cook foods and getting the most nutrition out of a vegetable or fruit seems almost like a no-brainer, right? I know this diet may not be for everyone but so far from what I’ve been reading it seems like it goes right along with my who I am. I’m so hyped on the recipes- from nut cheeses to nut milks, rawasgna, to grawnola, and ice cream (dairy free) – anything is possible in the raw foods world. Pizza, mexican food- yes, that’s right tamales- and the kicker it’s HEALTHY for you!!!

It has totally made me rethink my eating habits and even having our chickens for eggs! Anyway, I’m super thrilled to share our first raw foods recipe with you. I decided to go simple and easy on our first take- I don’t want to overwhelm myself. I’ve yet to take to leap either and invest in a Vita-Mix. I really, really, really want one! Our blender just recently broke and the food processor does not do the job like the blender did. I’m not even sure when I’ll make that step but hopefully, soon. For now, I’ll borrow my mom’s blender and juice it up with our Jack Lalanne juicer. We have the one featured in the video.

I figure it can’t hurt to incorporate a few raw meals into our daily lives… so without further a do…

Spanish Breakfast Scramble an Ani Phyo recipe…

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We enjoyed this dish for dinner. This recipe is easy peasy! Most raw recipes don’t require a lot of time in the kitchen. Major plus. My husband absolutely loved it- NO JOKE. He asked for seconds and kept raving about how much he liked the textures of the spinach and nuts. He said he could just eat the “Love the Chicks” pate plain. He also kept saying it was the perfect food for the outdoors. I agree. Tonight, we’re having a Mushroom Walnut loaf- stayed tuned!

Oh, and btw- I wanted to share a book with you that inspired me to become a vegetarian years ago- I’ve recently taken it off the shelves again…

I highly recommend it.

The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and The World- by John Robbins.

Happy Meatless Monday!

Meatless in May: Help Fight Global Warming

I’m not a big meat eater. I never have been and never will be. Especially, red meat. It’s not my favorite. I don’t crave a juicy piece of steak. I will eat chicken and fish. I’m not a huge fan of turkey or pork either. I was a vegetarian for 5 years. The reason I started eating meat again was mainly because I felt like I wasn’t getting enough protein. I became a vegetarian on a whim and really didn’t do my homework on nutrition and being a veggie until much later. I’d feel more comfortable being a vegetarian today with all the knowledge I’ve gained since then. I was young and immature.

Most of our meals are meatless since we are health conscience and don’t mind getting our protein in others ways for the planet’s sake… AND- for the sake of those poor animals!!!  I’m all for farm raised! Actually, my husband’s parents just purchased a half of half – farm raised steer. Raised purely on grain and grass- supplements and no chemicals- all organic.  I think this is a great way to go if you’re meat eater. My husband’s family are huge meat eaters. In fact, they raised many animals when my husband was younger through 4-H. They’ve sponsored many, many 4-H auctions and have had enough meat in their freezer to choke a horse!

Luckily, my husband has become wise to his meat eating ways and has made a huge improvement over the years. He was never a vegetarian but he came pretty darn close those last few years I was. He was totally fine with meat free meals and would hardly complain. Every once in awhile, he’d have a craving for steak but usually he was happy with what I’d serve. Currently, we try to go meatless as often as possible. If we have meat for dinner it’s usually chicken or fish.  Occasionally, my husband will have his way and cook up a steak. Everything in moderation, right?!?!

I didn’t realize that it was Meatless in May month until I stumbled upon the article on it at Your Daily Thread.

YourDailyThread.com and ChelseaGreen.com have partnered up to raise awareness about global warming…

The raising of livestock (animals for human consumption), specifically factory farming is a major contributor of green house gases that pollute ou planet.  The raising of these animals creates 18% of global greenhouse gases, more than all of the world’s cars and SUVS combined.

Take the pledge for the month of May and go Meatless!!! If you can’t do it for the month then maybe you can participate in Meatless Monday!!!

We’re going to serve up Portabello Mushroom Stroganoff for MM! My favorite…delish!

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1 (8-ounce) package sliced portobella mushrooms
1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces medium egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

1. In large, heavy skillet over low heat, sauté onion in butter until softened. Increase heat to medium-high, add mushrooms and continue to sauté until mushrooms begin to brown. Remove mushroom and onion mixture to bowl. Set aside.
   In same skillet, over high heat, add broth to pan drippings, bring to a boil and reduce by 1/3. Lower heat to simmer and return mushroom/onion mixture to skillet.
   In a small bowl, combine sour cream and flour until smooth. Stir in sour cream mixture and continue stirring until sauce thickens, stir in parsley and season with salt and lot’s of fresh cracked pepper. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Meatless Monday Recipe

 

I loooove eggplant it’s one of my favorite vegetables. It’s so verastile! Eggplant is a very healthy and a tasty alternative to meat. When you’re looking to buy eggplant it should be shiny, plump, firm, unwrinkled and heavy for it’s size with no scars or bruises. If you press gently on the skin, it should spring back quickly. Eggplants are rich in fiber and antioxidants also light in calories and fat. We grow eggplant every year in our garden and they’re delicious fresh. Last year we grew 2 kinds the one pictured is Japanese eggplant they’re longer and thinner.

Here’s the recipe…

Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan

Tomato Sauce:

1 tbs. olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 clove fresh garlic, miniced (1 tsp)

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes

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1 large globe eggplant cut into 4 diagonal slice, each about 3/4- inch thich

2 tbs. olive oil

4 large leaves of fresh basil

1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced vertically into 8 thin slices

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions until almost translucent about 4 minutes. Add garlic and oregano, cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook until tomatoes soften, about 8 minutes. Lower heat and simmer.

2. Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium heat. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, and cook in skillet, covered, about 4 minutes per side; they should be flexible but not mushy. Reduce heat to low. Pour tomato sauce around and over eggplant, then top each piece with basil leaf covered by 2 slices of mozzarella. Cover skillet for 1 to 2 minutes, until mozzarella just warms through.

3. Place 1 slice of eggplant on each of 4 plates, spoon additional sauce around eggplant.

Super yummy and super easy and quick too!

Enjoy~