Feeding The Whole Family

One of my hobbies is to constantly check out cookbooks at the library. I feel the urge to buy a new cookbook at least everything six months (cookbook budget is unfortunately quite limited.) I am thankful for living in a city so large that it has an enormous cookbook selection and is willing to purchase most every book I ask them too. Yea for libraries!!!

Feeding The Whole Family by Cynthia Lair is so wonderful to me that it is a definite "buy" by my standards. It is a fantastic resource on wholesome family eating, and I believe the recipes are easy for the less-advanced or least-interested cooks. Yet, the tastes have proven to be great for those more-advanced and very-interested tastebuds.

I cook and bake our family meals strictly vegan, and this book has a wide variety of recipes to accommodate. There are recipes that call for meat, but there are very few. The recipes that include dairy seem easy to translate into vegan.

Recipes we've come to love: French Lentil and Potato Stew, Split Pea Soup with Fresh Peas and Potatoes (minus the ham bone), and Pumpkin Pecan Muffins (vegan style).

Here are some of her recipes published on mothering.com and also included in the book, as well as an article she wrote:

Winter Fruit Compote with Nut Cream
Becky's Braised Greens
In The Kitchen with Baby
Summer Fruit Ambrosia with Vanilla Nut Cream
Golden Mushroom Basil Soup
Luscious Beet Green Salad

Sweet Potato Maafe

This recipe was delivered to my door last fall in a co-op newsletter. I made it once last year and received a so-so reaction. It took me a year to try it again, and this year it was LOVED. Not sure what made the difference, but it is very well-liked by me, my husband, and our one-year old. The three-year old was still a bit luke-warm. This is a easy one-pot meal that can take under an hour. I enjoy serving it with basmati rice - a treat in our usual brown rice home.

My alterations - I used potatoes rather than turnips, because I just received a mother-load of potatoes and no turnips from our CSA Thanksgiving box. I also omitted the cayenne pepper. I get nervous the babe will get the hot-spot and be mortified. I just put red pepper flakes on the table for individuals to add heat. I also did not use tomato paste, because what I had on-hand had turned moldy!

Just click here, and enjoy!

Pumpkin-Chocolate-Chip Squares a la Erin

While reading SouleMama one day I came upon this Pumpkin-Chocolate-Chip Square recipe she referred to to celebrate autumn. I was thrilled, because it was yet a new "pumpkin" recipe for me (quotations, because a pumpkin recipe in my home usually means some random winter squash). I took some liberties to make the recipe vegan and to accomodate what ingredients I had on hand. They turned out magnificent - super yummy.

Follow the directions just as stated on Martha's website, but here are my alterations:

- No pumpkin pie spice. Used cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves, as listed in the heading.

- No butter. Used 1/2 cup Earth Balance (way AWESOME - better than butter) and 1/2 cup sunflower oil (or canola oil).

- No egg. Used 1/3 cup applesauce. GREAT egg replacer for cakes and breads - especially with pumpkin recipes.

- No canned pumpkin puree. Used 1 cup roasted squashed.

- Used 1 and a 1/2 cup non-dairy chocolate chips. Don't be scared. There are AMAZING non-dairy chocolate chips. I get mine at Mississippi Market in the bulk section. Can't remember exact name - but it's obvious. I'll try to update after my next trip.

Enjoy!

Jalapeno Hummus

Hummus is a much-loved food in our home...mostly adored by my husband. I do my best to have it on-hand as much as possible, because it is one of his snack standards. Our three-year-old Finn has also become quite the fan. This recipe was inspired by Minneapolis' outstanding bakery and deli Holy Land which has an incredibly, creamy jalapeno hummus. Although I LOVE Holy Land, it's hard for me to spend money on hummus every week when it's so cheap AND easy to make at home.

The picture above is my jalapeno hummus as a condiment to a mighty trio of Indian foods we love. Lentil Puree (Dahl) over brown rice (I add spinach before pureeing) from Cathe Olson's Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family; Indian Turnips from the wonderful Driftless Organics; and, jeera alu from Mothering magazine's January-February 2009 issue. We love eating it with this type of meal but also devour it with carrots, crackers, pretzels, and bagels as a snack.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
3 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoon salt
juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup water (use more or less for your desire consistency)
2-3 jalapenos, sliced with seeds

Place garlic cloves in food processor. Run until minced. Add beans, tahini, salt, lemon, and olive oil. Run processor. Add water through tube while processing other ingredients. Run until smooth.

Remove 1/4 to 1/2 cup for a non-spicy batch for the kids. Then place jalapenos in processor. Run until well chopped and combined. The number of jalapenos you add depends on your taste and the spiciness of the peppers. I often add one pepper at a time and then taste.

Potato Leek Soup

The first batch of soup of the season! It has really cooled down outside, and soup sounded perfect. This soup is SUPER easy, and it is deeply loved by my three year-old. He asked for seconds last night which rarely happens these days. He's too eager to talk or play (or eat ice cream).

This recipe was inspired by Cucina Nicolina's Potato Leek Soup with Bay Leaves. I've altered it just a bit. Serve with a baguette and a simple fall salad. Makes 6-8 servings.

INGREDIENTS:
2 leeks, sliced and rinsed in a colander
5-6 yellow potatoes, scrubbed then thinly sliced
small head of garlic, minced (5-6 medium cloves)
5-6 cups of water, depending on how thin you like your soup
2 vegetarian bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste (set on table for adults to load on the pepper - super good)

Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil into a soup pot. Add leeks. Saute until soft. Add potato slices. Cook for two minutes or so, stirring occasionally to coat with oil. Add a bit of water to prevent scorching, if needed. Add garlic and stir. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Put on the lid and bring to a gentle boil. Lower heat to a simmer. Cook about 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender. With a hand blender, blend the soup just a bit. You can serve right away. Yesterday I mad this mid-afternoon while the dudes were still napping. I then added it to the crock-pot and set to low, so the flavor deepened. Then you can also forget about dinner until just before you eat!

Super easy to make with local ingredients right now!

Squash Bread

Well, the delicata squash plant I grew in my garden this year was a MONSTER! I guess that's a good thing. It was healthy and HUGE! I've begun reaping the benefits by beginning my fall baking. It almost seems too early for pumpkin-esque treats; it's been so warm here in St. Paul. However, yesterday marked the beginning of fall, and today it is truly a beautiful autumn day.

Here's a recipe that my dear friend Sara shared with me last year. It's FatFree Vegan's Pumpkin Bread. I quite rarely use actual pumpkin when I make recipes like this. I like to use my butternut squash or delicata squash in its place, because I tend to always have one of those on hand in the fall. Currently, I have an entire basket of delicata squash! Below are my variations on FatFree Vegan's recipe and my directions to preparing and freezing squash.

Pumpkin Bread Variations:
Replace 1 cup of pureed pumpkin with 1 cup of pureed winter squash
*Use 1/2 cup of applesauce rather than 1/4 cup. This way you can eliminate the Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with water.

*I never use Ener-G Egg Replacer, because I simply don't see the need for one more product in my pantry. I either use applesauce or banana as an egg replacer when it makes sense, OR I blend 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 Tablespoons of water (per egg you are replacing) until it's incredibly thick and creamy; I recommend using a hand blender for best results. Here is a simple reference guide to egg replacements from one of my fave sites theppk.com.

PREPARING SQUASH:
Cut squash down the middle, length-wise
Scoop out all the seeds
Place cut-side down in a 9x13 baking pan
Pour small amount of water into to pan, just to prevent scorching

Bake at 350 until squash is tender when poked with a fork...about 30-40 minutes for delicata squash. Remove when done and leave to cool enough to handle. Remover skin - should fall write off. Place the soft squash into a food processor and run it to create a more creamy squash. I then like to freeze it in 2 cup portions. Then you can easily take it out when your in the mood for pancakes or bread!

Earth Salad

I'm back! August proved to be outrageously overwhelming but now I'm thrilled to share more of what's going on in my kitchen. As summer nears its end, the food growing in Minnesota and Wisconsin continues to be oh so beautiful. This is one of my newest fave ways to eat the plentiful root vegetables given to us from Driftless Organics. Overall cooking time is long due to roasting the beets, but you barely lift a finger to make this. Hands-on time is very minimal and easy to do while the rest of dinner bakes or grills.

We enjoy this with grilled corn, portobellos, veggies burgers and zucchini (grilled zukes are the BEST!). Get those grills going while you still can. Vegans and vegetarians can rock the grill, too!

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 beets, rinsed and ends trimmed
4 yellow potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces
4-5 carrots, scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces

Preheat oven to 350. Individually wrap beets in foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 90 minutes. Let them cool while you prepare the potatoes and carrots. Place potatoes in a medium-sized pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Cook for about 8 minutes (don't overcook the pots...don't want them mushy) then add the carrots and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes (until the carrots are barely tender). Drain in colander when finished. Unwrap beets and remove the skin - it will easily fall off with barely a touch. Cut into bite-size pieces. Add all the veggies together in a serving bowl. Cover with below dressing. Serve immediately or chilled. Delicious either way.

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons of sunflower or olive oil
2 tablespoons of vinegar (balsamic, apple cider or red wine)
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together with a fork and pour over veggies. I prefer to eyeball my measuring of dressing ingredients. I think it always turns out tastier and obviously unique each and every time.

OPTIONS:

Add a few handfuls of arugula or spinach, OR throw in some rinsed and roughly chopped beet greens to the end of the potatoes and carrots cooking time. Just barely blanche them in the hot water.

Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches

Ethan, my husband, thinks that this snack may be obvious, but I think it's great! I had never made these on my own until I met Ethan. Ethan often throws these together for Finn. They're a great quick, easy, cheap snack. You can put them in a little container to eat them in the car. You can pre-make these and keep them in the fridge for a day or two (don't want them to get soggy).

Simply take any crackers you have on hand. Spread creamy peanut butter on one cracker and top with another cracker. That's it!

Thai Peanut Noodles with Roasted Cauliflower and Broc

I've never been a fan of cauliflower. I always thought is was bland and boring.I tend to simply ignore it. UNTIL I roasted it. Can you tell I have a thing for roasting vegetables? It's easy. You basically ignore them while they roast, and you can start washing prep dishes or make a salad. The flavor seems so deep while they're still nutrient-rich. Just ask Martha! They also soften up enough so a one-year old without molars can easily chew them. This is one of my newest and favorite quick meals. Definitely less than 40 minutes, and it will be on the table. Most of that time is just waiting for noodles and vegetables to cook.

INGREDIENTS:
6-8 cups cauliflower and broccoli florets (about 3 small to medium heads)
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti (or udon or soba noodles)
1/2 to 3/4 cup your favorite Thai-peanut sauce*
about 6 leaves of fresh basil, chopped for garnish (or handful of chopped cilantro or parsley)
sesame seeds for garnish
olive oil for drizzling
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cauliflower and broccoli florets in a 9x13 baking dish. Spread out in a single layer. Drizzle with 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil to evenly coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles for 10 minutes. I like using metal tongs to stir the noodles, so they don't stick together. They're also a great tool for tossing and mixing all the ingredients for this recipe. Prep the peanut sauce while veggies are roasting and noodles are boiling. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water to think out peanut sauce (see note below.) Once noodles, sauce and veggies are done toss all together. Garnish with basil and sesame seeds. Serve with lightly-steamed green beans tossed with sesame oil and tamari on the side.

*This recipe is pretty close, but reduce the ingredients by half. For a pound of noodles, I've found 1/2 to 3/4 cup (including water to thin it out) of peanut sauce is enough. I used Ken Haedrich's recipe in his Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family. I add about 1/3 cup of the pasta's hot boiling water to thin it out, so it is easier for the kids to eat and much easier to distribute all over the noodles.

Pesto Pasta with Collard Greens and Roasted Summer Squash

This was our quick dinner post-CSA pick-up on Thursday night. Really simple and again only takes about the time it takes to cook the pasta. I often don't have the patience it takes to cook the collard greens long enough to get them to a consistency that my 12 month-old can chew and swallow, but this turned out perfect. Plus, roasted summer squash is amazing!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb pasta (whole wheat penne is often our choice - easy for little fingers to pick up)
1 or 2 summer squash, washed and cut into bite-size pieces
one bunch (about 5 leaves) collard greens, rinsed and cut into ribbons*
handful walnuts
two garlic cloves
two big handfuls of fresh basil (and/or parsley)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt, to taste
couple twists of fresh ground pepper
1/8 to 1/4 cup of olive oil

Bring large pot of water to a boil, and then add pasta and cook for about 10 minutes. Add greens to boiling water when 8 minutes of cooking time remains. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. Place squash in a baking dish. Lightly drizzle with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 400 for about 20 minutes, until tender. Turning once halfway through roasting. Place remaining ingredients (except olive oil) in a food processor. Immediately drizzle oil into processor while it purees. Stop adding oil until you reach your preferred consistency. I like to add about 1/4 cup of the pasta's cooking water to stretch the pesto out a bit and make it smoother for the babes. When all is done cooking, lightly toss pasta and greens with the pesto and roasted squash. Serve immediately. You just may have leftovers for tomorrow's lunch, but don't count on it if you're as hungry as we are at the end of the day. Add an easy salad to the side to slow yourself down from shoveling the pasta in your face.

*I pull the greens off the vein and then pile them on top of each other. I then roll them like a tight burrito and then cut down the roll to create ribbons.

Pumpkin Pancakes

This seems a bit out of season, but I could no longer ignore the can of pureed pumpkin staring at me that I bought on sale this winter. We had to have pumpkin pancakes. I usually use a pureed squash for any pumpkin-flavored food - bread, pancakes, muffins - since Driftless Organics does a wonderful job of stocking us up on squash in the fall. If you've got that random can of pumpkin or frozen pureed squash here's the recipe for you! Or hold off until the fall for this awesome breakfast...or lunch or dinner.

This recipe is largely inspired by Robin Robertson's Pumpkin Pie Pancakes in Vegan Planet. I enjoy many of her pancake recipes; however, they are a bit too thick and heavy and don't yield enough for my family. Here's my version inspired by Robin.

DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves

WET INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/2 cup water
1 scant cup pumpkin puree (half of a 15 oz can - use the other half for pumpkin bread or next week's pancakes!)
1/8 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water (gradually added at the end of mixing)

Gently combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. In a blender, combine soy milk, 1/2 cup water, pumpkin puree, and canola oil. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add wet mixture. Stir until just combined. Add additional water until you get your preferred pancake consistency. We like it to slowly yet easily fall off the spoon.

Start the heat under your griddle at medium heat. Brush a light amount of canola oil or Earth Balance over the griddle. Begin to ladle your cakes onto the griddle. Flip when batter begins to bubble. I let mine bubble a minute or so. I like slightly brown cakes. I make baby cakes that are roughly 2 1/2 inches in diameter and regular cakes that are roughly 4 inches in diameter. This yields about 10 regular cakes and five baby cakes. Just enough for this ravenous family of four.

To serve...spoon a layer of whole-milk yogurt or soy yogurt then a layer of applesauce. Top with another pancake and repeat until you've reached a tower of pancakes that can fit in your mouth. Drizzle the top with just a bit of pure maple syrup. Pure awesomeness.

For the kids...spoon yogurt and applesauce on their pancakes, too, or just spoon a dollop of each on their plate for dipping.

Summer Squash and Rainbow Chard Za

(partially devoured za)

I have long feared making anything that involves active yeast. The first few times I tried, I failed. I was unsure how to "test" the yeast. How warm should the water be? How big should the dough be when it rises? How do I correctly knead? Well...thanks to one of my most dearest friends, Sara, I have begun to overcome this fear.

About a month or so ago, Sara came over and gave me a pizza dough tutorial. I'm a hands-on learner, and it was so wonderful to see Sara step me through everything. We made two pizza doughs, and they were awesome. Last week, I did it myself for the first time, and I actually succeeded. Yea!

Thursday is our CSA pick-up day. My kitchen is pretty bare on Thursday as I await to see what I'll have to work with for the week from my box. I decided that homemade pizza was the best meal to make. I could easily whip up some dough and homemade marinara sauce in the afternoon then use whatever veggies were presented to me that early evening by Driftless Organics. It was a fantastic meal. Thursday may now become our weekly pizza night.

INGREDIENTS:
One half batch of All-Purpose Pizza Dough (from Ken Haedrich's Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family)
3/4 to 1 cup of Easy Marinara Sauce (from Cathe Olson's The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook)
*Either of these above recipes could be easily replaced by another recipe, but these are my two all-time fave cookbooks.
One medium-sized yellow summer squash, haphazardly peeled to remove prickly skin then thinly sliced into half-moons
One bunch rainbow chard, rinsed and roughly chopped
Handful of shredded mozzarella (optional)
*I buy one block of mozzarella then shred it in my food processor. Since I use so very little cheese on our pizza, I freeze most of it. I then break off a chunk each time I make a pizza. Frozen shredded cheese lasts up to six weeks, I believe, according to Betty.
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Heat some olive oil in a saute pan. Add summer squash and cook until tender then add chard and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and steam until all is tender but not overcooked...about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, roll out dough and place on a cookie sheet. I like to bake my pizza on a Silpat. It's more idiot-proof for me. Spread sauce evenly on dough. Add veggies. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in oven at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

All members of my family loved this. The 12 month-old devours it almost as fast as his father.

Enjoy!

Watermelon

This time of year my family consumes at least one good-sized watermelon a week. We could probably double that, but I limit myself to one each week at the co-op to practice some good ol' self-control. Watermelon often serves as our dessert at lunch and dinner. I love all the water content, and feel assured that my one-year-old is getting an extra dose of water while he's mastering his drinking skills.

Sometimes I think watermelon is avoided, because it's seems like a big mess. I believe I learned our technique of cutting and storing watermelon from my husband. There is never a mess, and it's a one-time process for a whole week of tasty watermelon.

Step 1 -- We never cut watermelon on a cutting board. The juice oozes everywhere and the kitchen gets nasty sticky. Rinse the outside of the watermelon in the sink and proceed to do all the cutting in the sink. Cut the watermelon into quarters.

Step 2- Take your first quarter and create a grid of bite-size pieces.









Step 3 - Empty the inner pieces into a bowl.









Step 4 - Cut along the rind to empty the remaining pieces into the same bowl.

Step 5 - Repeat with the three remaining quarters of the watermelon. Store in storage containers in the fridge and feast for days!

Pesto Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas

A friend asked for a recommendation for a "good picnic friendly, bike hardy vegan entree," and I believe this is it. This was the very first recipe from my very first CSA newsletter in 2007 (scroll to the bottom of page two). We could eat this nearly every day. It is hardy yet not too heavy or hot on a 90 degree day. It can be made in the time it takes to cook the pasta, and you even have time to whip up a salad, as well.

People of all ages will eat this. Even my baby - who turned one today (ah!) - loves it. It won't get weird during a bike ride. It even tastes great at room temperature, so you don't need to fret over it cooling down a bit.

My only changes to the recipe include NOT using the parmesan, and I like to reserve about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta's cooking water. After draining the pasta and peas, I place the reserved water in the empty pot then add the pesto. Mix it around to get a smoother pesto. Then return pasta and peas to the pot, as well, and fully combine.

Eat large servings of this. It is awesome.

Iced Tea....Still Experimenting

'Tis the season for iced tea. I love coffee. I love cold press on these warm days, but I'm trying to focus on weaning myself from coffee...just a bit. I'm starting with a good two or three days a week without coffee.

A year ago, when Aksel was a mighty large baby still in my belly, I began drinking iced raspberry leaf tea. I kept reading in book after book how raspberry leaf tea has so many tremendous benefits throughout pregnancy and lactation.

Now, I am experimenting to make my favorite iced citrus green tea. A few weeks ago, I had such a thing at the Riverview Cafe and LOVED IT! I started with orange as my first citrus to infuse, which I enjoyed. But, I think it could be better. I plan to experiment with lemon and lime next, as well as a combination of all three.

INGREDIENTS:
4 green tea bags
2 quarts of water
citrus of your choice

Bring to a boil two quarts of water. Steep the tea bags as long as you desire - as little as 10 to 15 minutes or until the water cools to room temperature. When the water cools to room temperature transfer to a storage container and place in refrigerator. To serve, pour individual glasses and add a thick slice of citrus squeezing the juice as you drop it in. Serve over ice.

p.s. Lemon is AWESOME in iced raspberry leaf tea.

CSA Season Has Arrived!

Blue potatoes, arugula, spinach, scallions, green garlic, green leaf lettuce, kohlrabi, radishes, and rosemary. Those were the beautiful veggies that greeted me as I opened this year's first CSA (community supported agriculture) box with Driftless Organics. Oh! And this year, we added a share of sunflower oil.

Last year, I longed for our first box. I couldn't wait to have produce placed in front of me challenging me to make this feed my family for the week. I was tired of coming up with all the plans and recipes. I love that what is locally in-season determines what we eat and inspires every meal. However, this year I had simply forgotten how thrilled I would be when I would open the box. I've been too overwhelmed with daily life that my CSA box was a pure afterthought.

But...this box made my day, my week....maybe my spring. I immediately chopped up the rosemary and spread it over the roasted eggplant and zucchini that just came out of the oven. I chopped up a few radishes to add to the evening's salad, and I watched Finn eat his first radish and then ask for more.

Thanks Driftless Organics! I'm already longing for what will greet me next Thursday evening.

Veganomicon Snobby Joes

I heart Snobby Joes. Did you enjoy Sloppy Joes as a child? Does this speak comfort to you? Please make these. You will be so glad. They are incredibly easy to make. They are even better the next day when re-heated. Throw in a some oven fries. Or, heck. Throw in some frozen oven fries along with a pot of frozen corn and peas, and you'll revisit your dinner table as a child. Do it. Love it.

Bean and Potato Burritos

This was inspired by my husband's random cravings of Taco Bell's meat and potato burritos (minus the meat, sub beans). It is also was inspired by his own delicious burritos (minus lots of frying oil, sub hearty veggies).

When Ethan was the burrito-maker in our house, he would use a can of refried beans which he would heat until hot and creamy. He would then add salsa and sometimes olives and spinach when stocked in our pantry. Then he would cover a stainless steel skillet with sesame oil and bring to a high heat and fry the burritos. I thought, "How can I make a healthier and delicious version of these two different burritos?" So...

INGREDIENTS:
2 all-purpose potatoes, scrubbed and diced into bite-size pieces
2 carrots, peeled and sliced or diced into bite-size pieces (optional)
1 small onion, roughly chopped (optional)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed (optional)
One 15 oz can of refried beans (I prefer black beans)
1 package of whole wheat tortillas
salsa, lettuce, olives, avocado (optional toppings)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9"x13" baking dish, spread potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic in a single layer. Coat with a thin layer of olive oil and salt and pepper. (You can just use potatoes, and it will still be delicious.) Roast for 30-40 minutes, turning once in between. Meanwhile, chop and prepare toppings and start heating beans. Begin warming tortillas on a very lightly oiled nonstick skillet just before the potatoes are done. Once all is roasted and/or warmed, begin assembling burritos. Per tortilla, spread a heaping spoonful of each of the following: beans, salsa and roasted veggies. Tuck in ends and roll the burrito. Place burritos seam down on the skillet to slightly brown (about 3 minutes per side). Flip once. I can usually fit three burritos in my skillet at a time.

I often do the quesadilla version shared at the end of the double-decker tempeh taco recipe for my three-year-old for the recipe.

I also have started roasting veggies for my 11 month-old minus the spices. He loves them.

Makes four burritos and one quesadilla, as well as leftovers for a snack or lunch.

Cold Press!

My newest homemade vice is cold press. I am loving it so hard. I was determined to create a cold press that I would crave and could replace my yearning to walk to a coffee shop and treat myself to ice coffee. I searched for some concoctions around the blog world and found the one for me.

Using the grounds to cold water ratio I found on VillageCoffeeCafe I seemed to have found my match. To make life even simpler, I use my french press. Now I don't have to wash it every day, but I make a batch of cold press concentrate and it lasts me most of the week.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup coarsely ground french roast coffee beans (or other bean of your choice)
4 1/2 cups cold water

Step 1 - place beans and water in french press. Stir. Leave overnight. I throw this together after dinner, so I don't forget. I'm often in a dazed coma after the babes are sleeping.

Step 2 - press in the morning and pour into a storage container. I just use a good ol' Kerr canning jar.

Step 3 - drink it! What you've made is a concentrate. First, fill your glass with ice (coffee ice cubes if you're an over-achiever) then fill half way with soy milk, milk, or water. Then continue to fill your cup with cold press. I enjoy a drizzle of pure maple syrup to sweeten.

As I tell my nearly 3-year-old, "Coffee makes me a good mommy."

Enjoy!

Tamale Pie

I bought Cathe Olson's The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook near the end of my first pregnancy after finding her Tamale Pie recipe on the Mothering website. Finding this recipe was my gateway to the most-used cookbook in my life. The recipes are incredibly easy, simple, healthy and delicious. She offers great tips ranging from how to eat in different stages of pregnancy to time-savers in the kitchen that really work and still stray from genetically modified and processed foods. At least three, if not more, meals a week are made from this book in my house.

I enjoy serving this with lettuce drizzled with salsa and a side of roasted potatoes. Follow the link for her Tamale Pie recipe. How I roast my pots follows.

INGREDIENTS:
5-6 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces
olive oil to drizzle
salt, pepper and oregano to taste

Place potatoes in a 9"x13" baking dish - just enough to cover the entire pan with a single layer of pots. Drizzle with olive oil to evenly coat. Spring with salt (1/2 tsp), pepper (1 tsp) and oregano (1 tsp) to taste.

Place in oven with Tamale Pie. Stir once halfway through. Continue to roast while the pie rests for a total baking time of 40 minutes.

Double-Decker Tempeh Tacos

This meal was inspired by a friend that once made tempeh tacos while Ethan happened to be hanging out at his house. Ethan came home sharing what he had eaten, and tacos were totally transformed in our home - tempeh with taco seasoning!

The double-decker part was absolutely inspired by good ol' Taco Bell. My generation has quite the comfort food relationship with T.B. (as Ethan and I endearingly call it.) When we were teenagers, that's what we could afford. When we were in college, it is where we found ourselves at 2am.

I LOVE putting a twist on comfort food that has little trace of nutritional value and creating something that is a powerhouse of healthy and even more satisfying in taste.

Since it is nearly impossible for a toddler to fit his mouth around this monster taco, there is a quesadilla version included.

Makes about 8 double-deckers and 2 quesadillas

INGREDIENTS:

Tacos
One 8 oz. package of tempeh, diced
2 cups vegetarian refried beans (we're in love with refried black beans)
2-3 handfuls of fresh spinach (optional)
One package of hard shell tacos (recommend you rock the blue corn taco shells)
One package of small soft shells (Ezekial 4:9 Sprouted Grain is outstanding)

Seasoning (adapted from a recipe in Vegetarian Times)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
few good twists of freshly ground pepper

Optional toppings
olives, avocado, salsa, vegan sour cream

Place tempeh in skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook on medium-high heat and stir occasionally until tempeh is browned (5-10 minutes.) Combine seasoning spices and add to tempeh along with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Add optional spinach. Turn heat to low and stir occasionally to help wilt spinach and leave until ready to assemble tacos. Meanwhile, heat refried beans in a small saucepan. Also, warm hard and soft taco shells in the oven or toaster oven. These steps can all be done simultaneously. You will likely be sitting at the table in less than 30 minutes devouring your tacos.

To assemble, spread beans on soft shell. Insert hard shell. Add tempeh and spinach and dress with your desired toppings.

Want to make a Kiddie Quesadilla!?!

Spread beans on one soft shell. Add tempeh and spinach. Add a couple thin slices of cheese along with a drizzle of salsa. Slap on another soft shell. Heat in same skillet you browned the tempeh in (just do a quick wipe down and add a teeny bit of oil.) Flip once! Cut in triangles sprinkled with desired toppings.

Crazy quick. Crazy hearty. Crazy tasty.

PS - the leftovers are an awesome chip dip snack.

Mother's Day...Four Days Late

I'm always a mixed bag on Mother's Day. I don't know what to expect and often think I end up expecting too much. That being said...this year was overall an extremely busy yet satisfying Mother's Day. I spent time with my mother-in-law digging in the dirt learning how to beautify my greenspace. I am so thankful to have her teaching me. I also shared the weekend with my own mother who spent most of the time caring for my boys. I truly believe having children when your own parents are fit to help care for them is one of the smartest ways to survive parenting young children. I don't know if I would still be standing without her being able to save me from time to time.

Since Mother's Day, I've also spent a lot of time wondering what it means to be a mom...and more specifically a "good" mom. After a minor meltdown this week, I escaped to Common Roots and picked up the current issue of Women'sPress. I actually read it front to back while sitting alone and eating at my own pace. It seemed like a gift from beyond. I also decided to put together a little list of books about motherhood that I am determined to read by the end of this year to help me gain some perspective. If you have read them or end up reading them, let me know what you think.

1. Bad Mother by Ayelet Waldman (Thanks, Sara, for the recommendation.)
2. Not Becoming My Mother by Ruth Reichl (This has no subtext in regards to my own mother. :) I could only pray my children still like me nearly as much as I like and love my mom at 28.)
3. Momfulness by Denise Roy (Thanks, Wilhelmina, for the recommendation. I'm trying to integrate some of her tips into my life.)
4. The Price of Motherhood by Ann Crittenden (I'm scared this will infuriate me. At least I'll read it during a presidency where the president works like a woman.)

Happy Mother's Day (four days late) to all you moms.

Lentil Bolognese

This is one of my all-time faves. It is sooooo incredibly hearty. It makes an enormous pot of food - at the very least eight, heaping servings. It also has very little hands-on time.

This is great to share with meat-eaters. I have found that lentils, especially when simmered with tomatoes, can be the most reminiscent of hamburger. However, I never feel like I'm eating hamburger which would turn me off. So! It's a pleaser for all types of eaters.

I stay very true to the recipe with the exception of using a small green bell pepper rather than celery (one of very few vegetables my husband dislikes). I also use about a tablespoon of dried basil rather than fresh in the fall, winter and spring. I will also throw in a generous pinch of red pepper flakes. We omit the cheese.

Enjoy the feast!

Quinoa Rocks My Face Off

I have recently fallen in love with Quinoa. I can buy it in bulk. It cooks at what seems like the speed of lightning in comparison to brown rice. And...it is a SUPER FOOD for us vegans and vegetarians (well, actually for everyone)!

Here are some of my favorite ways to eat and serve quinoa.

Baby Food!
As seen above, I've recently begun serving quinoa to my ten-month-old son. In this photo it is mixed with one cube zucchini and one cube butternut squash. I cook it a bit longer than usual - at least fifteen minutes. I can still freeze it in cubes; however, it does loosen up once you transfer it to a freezer bag. I've learned to keep the bag flat in the freezer or in the covered ice-cube tray.

Quinoa Chowder
My family really enjoys this from Cucina Nicolina. It cooks up very quickly and has a very deep, earthy flavor.

Enchiladas
Vegetarian Times Fast and Easy has a great enchilada recipe that is basically quinoa, corn and zucchini as the filler. It is really hearty and a great enchilada recipe for the spring and summer.

I strongly encourage you to go out and grab some quinoa and experiment with it this week. I'm sure you won't regret it.

Strawberry Maple Oatmeal

Well, my last post was about oatmeal...so, why not write about it again! We eat it every day for breakfast, so I would like to think we've got it figured out.

Spring has basically arrived, but the mornings are still chilly and warm breakfast is what seems right. I noticed about two weeks ago that strawberries were making a re-appearance at the co-op at a fair, in-season price. I felt odd grabbing a container, since I was still wearing socks. I felt like I was cheating and that it was still winter. Last weekend, I gave in. I bought some strawberries, and it has been a wonderful treat.

Here is our "it's not really winter, but not really summer" breakfast. Again, this feeds one hungry mama and one hungry toddler. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 and 3/4 cups liquid (I do have soy milk and half water)
1 (overflowing) cup rolled oats
4 strawberries, rinsed and sliced
pure maple syrup for drizzling

In a medium saucepan, bring liquid to a boil. Stir in oats (you can add less or more depending on how thick you like it.) Lower heat to a mild boil. Cook for five minutes.

Dish oatmeal into bowls. Add strawberries and a drizzle of pure maple syrup - I use about one teaspoon for myself and a half teaspoon for my son.

Apple Raisin Oatmeal

Ethan, my husband, taught me to start eating breakfast. Most days he is in charge of breakfast, because I still need to be dragged out of bed like a teenager. His ultimate standard is straight-up, plain oatmeal.

Since the birth of our second child, sleep deprivation has gotten pretty severe. Therefore, some mornings Ethan doesn't have time to cook oatmeal on top of getting ready for work and caring for both children, while I refuse to get out of bed. On these days (once I've re-entered the world) I still throw on a pot of oatmeal, but I like to dress it up a bit. This recipes feeds one hungry momma and one hungry toddler (with a little left over to add to tomorrow's plain oatmeal.)

INGREDIENTS:
1 and 3/4 cups liquid (I do half water and half plain, unsweetened soy milk)
1/4 cup raisins
1 (overflowing) cup rolled oats
1 apple, cored and chopped to bite-size pieces
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
ground flaxseeds, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, bring liquid and raisins to a boil (this will make the raisins nice and plump.) Stir in oats (you can add less or more depending on how thick you like it), apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Lower heat to a mild boil. Cook for five minutes. Garnish with ground flaxseeds before serving.

The Joy of Vegan Baking

I have found staying home full-time with a toddler is the most incredibly challenging job I have ever had. Our days are filled with every extreme emotion from anger to pure bliss. The energy ranges from off the charts wild to a tender moment falling asleep together in a chair.

On the days where I don't have the energy to match Finn I find we work quite well together in the kitchen. We often use The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. I am just beginning my journey as a vegan baker. I always seemed to fail every time I put a baked good in the oven. BUT! I've yet to completely ruin any of these recipes, and everything we've made has been quite amazing.

This week Finn and I made Hearty Spiced Cocoa Muffins. Nothing makes my day much better than double chocolate anything.

Baby Lentils and Spinach

I'm a bit obsessed when it comes to those vitamins and minerals some non-vegetarians suspect I'm incapable of providing for my children at the appropriate levels...B vitamins, iron, calcium. When Finn went to his first-year check-up he was just shy of the perfect level of iron. He had to take the oral iron supplement for a few weeks, which made me inappropriately irritated with myself. :)

So! I decided to start making this super iron-rich meal for Aksel! I'm sure he'll be eating this for dinner the night before his first-year check-up!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 cups filtered water
2-3 handfuls of spinach, rinsed and spun in a salad spinner (awesome kitchen tool!)

Place lentils and water in medium saucepan and cover. Bring to a boil then simmer until lentils are tender (15-20 minutes). Some water should still remain in saucepan. Place spinach in saucepan and recover. Cook until spinach is wilted (5-10 minutes).

Pour into glass bowl to cool for about 30 minutes. Place in food processor and puree to your desired consistency (depending on the age of your child). Place in ice cube trays for many iron-rich meals to come!

TO SERVE:
2 cubes, warmed
1 cube other green vegetable, warmed AND/OR few shakes of baby cereal
filtered water or breast milk

Mix and serve at desired consistency. Makes 1/2 to 3/4 cup.

Rolling Out the Rain Barrels!

This weekend we rolled out the rain barrels. Last year, we bought two recycled wine barrels that were converted into rain barrels by Barrel Depot. They are absolutely beautiful! Since the weather is so severely cold here in the winter months, we have to store them over the winter to save them from cracking. Unfortunately, the incredible aroma of red wine has left the barrels.

It felt like the first true sign of spring outside our home! I can't wait to use this weekend's rain to water our already budding perennials!

Later,
Erin

Berry Yogurt

I've been making this snack for my toddler for quite some time - when I can remember to throw it together the night before! Thankfully, it doesn't take more than five minutes, and Finn is always ecstatic when I pull it out of the fridge for his morning or afternoon snack.

I've noticed that individual sized yogurts for babies and toddlers have become very popular, but they are also very expensive - I think. They also market the added DHA (omega-3 essential fatty acid), which these yogurts usually have in fish oil form. We don't eat fish, so this is easily replaced with a good sprinkle of flaxseed meal (which is SUPER FOOD!).

I like to buy one tub of plain yogurt and a bag or two of frozen berries, and I'm able to get many snacks for much less money. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 - 3/4 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 cup of frozen berries (I often mix blueberries and raspberries)
1 tsp of flaxseed meal (optional)

In a one-cup tupperware, place a layer of yogurt followed by a layer of berries. Repeat. Top with a thin layer of yogurt. Place in the fridge overnight for the berries to thaw! Sprinkle with flaxseed meal just before serving.

Baby Prunes and Apples

My second child was very "stuck" around seven months, and pears just didn't do the trick as they did for my first child. I started serving this to him for breakfast, and he became a much happier guy. I enjoy making a batch of this during his morning nap while my two year old reads or does puzzles at my feet.

INGREDIENTS:
8 prunes
2 organic apples, cored, peeled and sliced

In a medium sauce pan, place prunes and add filtered water until prunes are covered (about an inch). Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add apple slices and continue to simmer covered for 5 minutes.


Pour into a glass bowl and let cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes).

Spoon prunes, a few apple slices and some of the water into food processor. Run until prunes are a smooth puree. Add rest of the apple slices and as much of the remaining water as desired for your preferred consistency (depending on the age of the infant).

Spoon puree into ice cube trays to freeze. Once frozen, place into freezer bags for many breakfasts to come!

TO SERVE:
2 cubes warmed (or 1 cube and 1 pear cube)
a few shakes of baby cereal (I use Earth's Best)
filtered water or breast milk

Mix and serve! Makes about a 3/4 cup.

Here I go!

I did it. I created a blog!

Over the past few months, I have found myself scratching down favorite recipes, books and new ideas with the plans of throwing it all on a blog. I hope you enjoy my stories, and I hope to hear yours!

Cheers!
Erin