Lentil Bolognese!

Picture this…

A stormy Friday afternoon…you’re drenched in sweat from a hard run, and make your final dash to the liquor store to pick up a bottle o’ red for a fabulous night in…then you’re stuck in traffic due to a downpour and arrive home HANGRY as hell.

I’d say that calls for some pasta.

I must admit, I am not much of a pasta person and I don’t really enjoy Italian food all that much, aside from the random cravings like the aforementioned one.

I’m a rice girl through and through, and would take a giant bowl of rice and veggies over pasta and sauce any day. But, on an occasion where all you want to do is be cozy, drink wine, and have a huge piece of crusty bread involved in your meal, there’s no denying that the only cure is pasta.

Hence, this lentil bolognese.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 container of mushrooms, diced (any kind will do, but I used baby bellas)
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 2 cups veggie stock
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and zucchini, and cook until softened, around 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook 5 minutes more. Once the veggies are softened, add the lentils and toss to coat with vegetables. Next, add veggie stock and both cans of tomatoes, and bring to a boil.

Once the mixture is boiling, simmer over medium heat until lentils are mostly done, but have a little bit. Add the wine, rosemary, and seasonings, and simmer for about 15 minutes more.

Adjust seasonings to taste, add to pasta, and top with fresh basil. Best served with a giant slab of crusty bread with balsamic, tomatoes, and olive oil.

This is a perfect rainy day meal that has the body, texture, and flavor of a “meat and potatoes” type of meal. Plus, it’s pretty damn easy and tastes even better the next day!

May I present to you….The World’s Best Buddah Bowl

I have an issue.

I want ALL the food when I have a meal.

I don’t just have broccoli, I have broccoli and eggplant and peppers and spinach and kale.

I don’t just have oatmeal with banana, I have oatmeal with banana and blueberries and strawberries and dates and every kind of crunchy topping imaginable.

With this kind of wild imagination and simultaneous desires, it’s no wonder why I’m a huge fan of buddah bowls. It’s basically an excuse to throw everything I love in one bowl and douse it all in a dressing of some kind. And don’t even get me started about the toppings…oh the toppings.

I’ve made asian style, mediterannean style, and mexican style, but this latest asian version is honestly the best concoction I have ever spontaneously thrown together.

I know the recipe may seem involved and there are many steps to creating the bowl, but it’s worth it, and most things can be substituted with whatever you may have on hand!

INGREDIENTS:

For the Tempeh:

• 1 package organic tempeh, sliced into strips
• 1 tbps. hoison sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. apple cider or rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sriracha

Combine all ingredients in large bowl, and add tempeh, making sure the strips are coated completely. Let the flavors make love for at last 15 minutes while you prep the other parts of the bowl.

For the Dressing:

• 1/4 cup tamari
• 2 tbsp. apple cider or rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp. sweet chili sauce, if you have it on hand
• 1 thumb grated ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Whisk ingredients together and set aside to pour over top of entire bowl.

Remaining ingredients:

• 1/2 package rice noodles, cooked according to instructions
• 1 small eggplant, sliced into medallions
• 1 small zucchini, sliced into medallions
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cooked in microwave or oven beforehand.

Preheat over to 425 degrees. Bake eggplant, zucchini, and broccoli on a greased or lined cookie sheet for about 20 minutes, flipping every 7 minutes or so. While veggies bake, cook rice noodles and sweet potatoes.

Once the veggies have been baking for about 10 minutes, put tempeh in a baking dish and bake until hot and crispy, about 10 minutes.

Once everything is ready, assemble bowl! Put noodles on bottom, followed by tempeh, sweet potato, veggies, and dressing!

Top with whatever you like, but here is the (DELICIOUS) combo I used.

-Kimchi

-A sheet or two of nori seaweed

-Scallions

-Sesame Seeds

-Sriracha

-Fresh Parsley and Cilantro

This shit is gold, you guys. I promise if you give it a try, you will crave this exact bowl fo eva eva.

Vegetable Udon Curry

Ahh, spring time. The birds are chirping, the daffodils are out, denim jackets are appropriate again, and the world is sighing in relief that winter has finally passed. April is just the best….

NOT.

April in Rochester actually goes a little something like this: “Snow is melting, woo! Wow, I don’t need to wear my big jacket anymore, this is awesome! Shit, it’s raining, well, at least it’s kinda warm? Oh my god the daffodils are up, it must truly be spring! Fuck my life, it’s snowing.”

Yep, it’s snowing here folks, and it’s about 30 degrees. I could cry. I really could.

Being mad at the weather is the worst because you can’t curse at it or punch it in the face, considering it’s not a solid being, and you end up taking out your frustration on whoever is around to take it. This morning I trudged to work in my warmest scarf, winter hat, mittens, and fleece and saw the hopeless anger in the eyes of every person I passed…we just cannot catch a break here.

One thing that does always cheer me up, even when spring seems like a completely lost cause, is a bowl of veggie curry. It’s got to be one of my all time favorite foods. It’s stupidly easy, so flavorful, and warms up every corner of my heart and soul, even when said heart is as cold as the ice on my windshield this morning.

INGREDIENTS:

For the curry sauce:

• 3 tbsp. red curry paste
• 1 can light (organic) coconut milk
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbsp. grated ginger

For the dish:

• 1 package udon noodles, cooked as directed on package
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 medium onion
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and cubed
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 head bok choy, chopped
• 1 package mushrooms of choice, sliced
• 1 cup veggie broth
• 1/2 tbsp. coconut oil

In a large pan, heat the coconut oil over high heat. Add veggies and stir fry until softened, about 5-8 minutes, then add veggie stock. Cook until stock has evaporated 3/4 of the way.

While veggies cook, mix the curry sauce ingredients in a bowl and pour over veggies. Turn heat to medium and let simmer for another 10 minutes or so. 

Serve hot over udon noodles and garnish with sriracha, cilantro, peanuts, bean sprouts, whatever you want.

Whether the weather is bringing you down, you want to enjoy a bowl of something hot on the couch while watching a shitty TV show, or you’re just in the mood for a comforting, spicy pick-me-up, make this curry and I promise you’ll feel better.

Couscous Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

All hail the sun, blue skies, green grass, and daffodils popping up around every corner!

With a full week of spring weather (almost) officially under our belts, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve turned the corner towards a pleasant season and a bomb ass summer.

While I was pumped to bust out as many soups, roasted root veggies, and piping hot oven dishes as I could when the colder months rolled in, I am happily bypassing the butternut squashes and parsnips at the grocery store, and instead find myself heading straight for anything with color, crunch, and coolness.

To me, seasonal cooking not only connects me more to the food I’m making, it reminds me that I’m a child of the Earth and should stop, drop, and listen to her when she doles out the differing bounties of each season.

Hippie shit aside, I think eating seasonally has become a frighteningly rare occurrence in our culture, and even though obviously I eat bananas, out of season tomatoes, and frozen berries, I appreciate in-season produce so much and try my hardest to revolve my cooking ventures around the natural turn of the planet.

As the weather takes a turn for the better, my fridge is fast becoming a rainbow and my creative culinary juices are flowing once again, HALLELUJAH! To me, summer dishes mean vibrant hues, grilled goods, huge salads, and tons of fresh herbs. I broke the soil of spring with this couscous salad and swear I could taste summer on my spoon.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Salad:

• 1.5 cups uncooked Israeli couscous
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 large red swiss chard leaves, including the steams, chopped
• 4 large kale leaves, stems not included, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• 1 large handful flat leaf parsley, roughly minced
• 1/2 large cucumber, diced
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dressing:

• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (the best quality you can afford)
• 2 tbsp. organic apple cider vinegar
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

In a pot, bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat, add couscous and put lid on. All liquid should be dissolved and couscous should be cooked and tender in around 10 minutes.

Put cooked couscous in the fridge and let cool while you prep the rest of the salad. In a steamer pot, steam swiss chard and kale for just a few minutes until leaves are wilted and the chard steams are fork tender. Take out of pot immediately and let cool.

While the couscous and greens cool, make your dressing by mincing the garlic, and putting it in a small bowl with the oil, vinegar, and oregano. Whisk until everything is combined and set aside.

Once couscous has cooled, grate your carrots, dice your cucumber, drain and rinse your chickpeas, chop your parsley, and through everything into a large bowl along with the greens and couscous. Mix thoroughly, pour vinaigrette and pumpkin seeds over salad, sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper, and mix again, ensuring that everything is well coated in the dressing.

Serve immediately or let cool in the fridge until it reaches your desired temperature.

I enjoyed this alongside some Asian style BBQ tempeh on my cute little balcony after a long day’s work. Sink your teeth into the season with this salad, folks!

once again, HALLELUJAH!

Vegetable Pho Recipe!

Can anyone take a guess what it looks like outside at this very moment?

I’ll give you a few hints…it’s March, and it’s Rochester.

If you guessed that it’s raining and a film of depression-inducing, foggy gloom has settled itself comfortably over the entire city, then you guessed right!

When it comes to weather, there are no rules here in good old Roch; mother nature seems to take out her frustrations on our city. The winters last forever, the springs last about a week, and the in-betweens are just plain torture.

With all of this gloom and doom, I actually have to work pretty hard to stay positive and keep on truckin’ because no matter what, warmth will arrive and I will forget this terrible winter and gloomy spring transition ever even happened.

One good thing about rainy days and cold weather is that it’s always a perfect occasion to make some soup!

Lately I’ve really been craving take out food. While I keep our fridge pretty well stocked, I’m a busy bee. I wake up at 5, either go to spin class or workout at home, then it’s breakfast and off to work I go! Even though I love cooking, sometimes when I get home all I want is a huge bowl of rice and spicy veggies from my local Thai restaurant. But then I remember how wasteful it would be and I whip up something myself.

Though I had never tried pho before I made it myself, I have been dying to try it, considering Rochester is surprisingly full of restaurants boasting “greatest pho you will ever eat here.” So, I decided to use the soup weather, my stocked fridge, and my pho desire to my advantage and create a bowl of Asian goodness for myself.

Behold, Vegan Pho!

INGREDIENTS:

For the Broth

• 12 cups water
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 4 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 head of garlic, cut down the middle, skins on
• 1 thumb ginger, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks of lemongrass, chopped and crushed
• 1 tsp. peppercorns
• 2 tbsp. tamari

For the Soup

• 2 cups broccoli
• 1 package mushrooms, left whole (I used cremini)
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1/2 pack rice noodles, cooked

Garnishes

• Bean sprouts
• Cilantro
• Sriracha

In a large pot, combine all of the broth ingredients, and bring to a boil. Let broth boil for 5 minutes, then turn heat down to medium-low and let it simmer for at least 45 minutes. Once broth has simmered, taste it and adjust seasonings as you like. Place a fine strainer over a bowl and discard/compost the veggies/broth ingredients so you’re left with a smooth broth. Place broth back in pot, and put over low heat. 

Add in whole mushrooms, snow peas, broccoli, and let them simmer for about 15 minutes.

While your veggies simmer, cook rice noodles according to package. Once veggies are softened and blanched to your liking in the broth, place noodles in a bowl, ladle soup over them, and add garnishes.

Now, I know this may not be the most traditional pho, but after doing some research and reading recipe after recipe, this is what I came up with, and it satisfied both my soup and asian cravings perfectly!

Give it a try, even if you live in Mexico where the sun is most likely shining and soup weather doesn’t exist.

Kicking Winter to the Curb

I simply cannot put into words how good it feels to turn my thermostat down to 60 and pack clothes to wear for a lunch time run OUTSIDE!

Yes, my friends, it has hit 50 degrees in Rochester, AKA spring is here and the token hobo across the street is donning shorts and a muscle tank.

This weekend I kissed winter goodbye with some outdoor St. Patrick’s day festivities and by cooking up my final batch of squash soup for the season.

~drunk in love~ at the St. Patty’s day parade

My intentions were to make just a regular, run of the mill pureed acorn squash soup, but since my squash was a baby, I added in some parsnips I had hiding in my fridge along with a sweet potato to bulk it up.

Since I had one of my productive but also lazy sundays, I let my soup simmer for a few hours and DAMN it was good.

I finally broke down and bought some Himalayan Pink Salt and oh mannnn does it make a difference using good quality salt; so much more bang for your buck!

In the midst of my soup simmering, I also roasted some broccoli rabe, eggplant, and red onion for my chimichurri pasta (recipe coming this week…spoiler alert: it’s really effing good), so I topped my bowl of soup off with some extra charred red onions and it complimented the flavors perfectly!

This soup is a perfect way to enjoy the last of old asshole winter’s bounty while cleaning out the cupboards of that squash you’ve been meaning to cook up!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small-medium acorn squash, peeled and sliced into half-moons
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cubed
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 container vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place squash half-moons on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool, then peel the skin off.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add sliced onions and cubed parsnips. While they soften, cook sweet potato in the microwave for a faster process. Add 1 cup water to the parsnips and onion and bring to a boil, cooking until water evaporates and parsnips become more tender.

Next, add peeled, cooked squash. Peel the skin off your cooked sweet potato and add that as well.

Add minced garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, nutmeg, salt and pepper, along with container of vegetable broth, cover, and turn heat to medium-low. Let soup simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Once soup has cooked for your desired amount of time and cooled, either use an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender, and blend until desired smoothness.

Tuesday Happy List: I Moved! Edition + Chana Palak Recipe

After months of planning, weeks of packing, and days of unpacking, I’m exhausted, exhilarated, and excited to finally be settled into an apartment I absolutely adore.

From the green and white checked tiles in my sunny, spacious kitchen, to the bay windows in my living room, to the delicate but sturdy glass-paned bookcase in my dining room, I am completely head over heels for the damn place.

This past weekend was full to the brim with moving without a moment’s rest, and the past couple of days have been no different, except of course for work and working out in between.

Needless to say, I’m beat, but I’m happy, and my happiness is most likely the culprit of my over-exertion but what the hell, I love to be busy!

Here are some reasons for my merriment and general case of rose-colored glasses.

1. This Beautiful Kitchen. I’ve already begun creating concoctions, wafting aromas of delectable dishes into the air, christening our apartment with my cooking. It’s the big, room-for-dancing kitchen of my dreams, complete with the floors I’ve always wanted in my favorite color! Easily my favorite room in the place (as if you couldn’t tell…)

2. My Mama! My beautiful mom came to visit two weekends ago and has truly been just as excited as I am for my new venture. The trait I am most proud of came from my mom: a sense of wonder and constant excitement for what life will bring. I’m the luckiest betch on the planet to have a mother who is so genuinely proud and excited for me throughout every stage of life.

3.  My Roomie. I’ve spent the past two years growing more and more in love with my muse. I’m proud to call him my man, and proud of the both of us for taking the leap together once again and making our wishes come to fruition as a dynamic duo. I love him. Nuff said.

Us in our new place!

4. My Homemade Chana Palak! Remember when I mentioned how my mom’s meal at Thali of India stole the show when we took her and my stepdad out for Indian food?? Well after a few days scouring the internet for a Chana Palak recipe I felt would match what I tasted, I found a few that I combined, and added my own touches to, to make this beauty!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4-5 cups fresh spinach
• 1 large onion
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 3 large cloves garlic
• 1 small green chile
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 cup homemade coconut yogurt* or any plain coconut yogurt
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 1 1/2 tsp. corinader powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. tumeric
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 3 tsp. salt (or to taste)

*For the Yogurt: 

Using a blender, immersion blender, hand mixer or whisk, blend together 2 cans full fat, organic coconut milk with 2 probiotic capsules (just the powder from the capsules). Place in a large mason jar and tightly close the lid. Place in an unheated oven for at least 24 hours, ideally 48. Open up to see if it smells tangy/yogurty, and you have yourself some delicious, thick, creamy, additive-free homemade vegan coconut yogurt!

Talk about a good morning right there, am I right??

For the Chana Palak:

In a large pan, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add minced green chile and spinach. Sautee until right when spinach starts to wilt. Take out of the pan and set aside.

Cut onion into quarters and put in a blender/chopper with the garlic and ginger. Blend until everything breaks down and purees. Add to a hot pan and cook for 5 minutes or so until onions are translucent. 

Add all of the spices to the onion/garlic/ginger mixture, and sautee for another minute or so to toast the spices. 

Puree tomatoes and add to the pan. Turn heat to low, put cover on, and simmer everything for 15-20 minutes until liquid absorbs.

Once tomatoes have cooked down, whisk in the yogurt and add the spinach, mixing everything together. Lastly, add the can of chickpeas, cover and cook for another 15-20 minutes until mixture reaches desired thickness.

Serve over basmati rice, die, and go to heaven. This shit is GOOD.

While you can use store bought yogurt for this recipe, in my experience, coconut yogurt from the store is NOT anything close to the homemade stuff. If you want the full spectrum of taste and rich flavor, it’s so easy to make your own yogurt and so worth it!

Another option is to use 1 cup of cull fat coconut milk and about 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar to get the creamy and tangy elements but I have not tried it so I can’t vouch for it. Either way, enjoy!

Indian Spiced Cauliflower & Tempeh over Garlic Ginger Quinoa!

So remember how I’m in midst of a passionate love affair with the ever seductive world of Asian cooking?

Well, my friends, it has reached whole new heights of ecstasy with my current plunge into the magical land of Indian food.

Shockingly, I hadn’t tried Indian food until this past fall! But then my BFF and I ventured to the Indian restaurant down the road from her house in Syracuse (Taste of India off Westcott St. It’s delish!) and from the first bite of my Baingan Bharta, I was hooked.

This past weekend my mom and step dad came for a visit since Collin and I are moving to our brand spankin’ new apartment, and we took them to Thali of India in Henrietta, the land of Asian restaurants. It was an overall amazing dining experience since the waiters were super friendly and there was a whole vegetarian menu with a note that said anything could be made vegan!

I chose the vegetable jalfreezi which was excellent in its own right, but the scene stealer of the night was my mom’s Chana Palak, a creamy spinach and tomato curry base with chickpeas; out of this world, I’m tellin’ ya.

While I’ve been hunting down a recipe (and more free time) to experiment with cooking up some chana palak of my own, I did cure my now constant Indian food craving with some boldly spiced cauliflower and tempeh last night.

Flavorful, complex, and savory, I’d say it was the perfect way to christen my new kitchen with me and Collin’s first meal in our new place.

Piled on top of some simple quinoa and garnished with a few sprigs of cilantro, this dish came together better than I imagined, and is definitely going in my ethnic food rotation.

INGREDIENTS:

For the cauliflower & tempeh

• 1 package organic, original tempeh
• 1 bag frozen cauliflower
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. tumeric
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. tamari
• 1/2 tbsp. sriracha

For the Quinoa

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 inch piece grated ginger
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• salt & pepper to taste
• Optional: Greens like kale or spinach

Preheat oven to 450. Melt the coconut oil until in liquid form. In a separate, large bowl, mix frozen cauliflower, cubed tempeh, soy sauce, sriracha, and spices. Pour oil over everything and mix thoroughly. If your bowl has a top, put it on and give it a good shake. Bake in a large baking pan for about 30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes or so until cauliflower is browned and tempeh is crispy.

While cauliflower mixture roasts, cook your quinoa. Once it’s done, place a bit of veg broth in a large pan and sautee onion over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, a bit more broth, and cook 5 minutes more. Add greens if you wish, the remaining broth, salt and pepper, and cooked quinoa. Simmer until liquid dissolves and season again to your liking.

Top the quinoa with roasted cauliflower and tempeh, a skirt of sriracha if ya love the spice like I do, and garnish with some cilantro. Voila!

This meal satisfies take out cravings without leaving the house, comes together easily if you have a stocked spice rack, and clears up your sinuses with its subtle but powerful kick of heat!

If you’re an ethnic food fiend like me, cook this baby up and let me know how it goes!

Monday Happy List: I’m F***ing Freezing Edition

As the temperatures continue to drop and my work load continues to increase, I’ve kind of adopted a certain numbness when it comes to the unpleasant things in my life.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still stopping to smell the roses and all of that good stuff, I’ve just realized the extent to which we as humans have the capacity to get used to pretty much anything.

The ungodly cold used to shock me when I trekked off to work, but now wearing leggings under my pants, a sweater, fleece, parka, two pairs of socks, hat and mittens is a standard I just don’t think twice about.

I used to consider myself “slammed” at work if I had to write three scripts in a day, but now I pump out four in the first half of my work day alone.

Despite this seemingly endless conveyor belt I’m on at work, and being in the midst of the Winter Without End, there’s always a happy list to be found.

1. A New vegan restaurant just opened up in my hood! It’s called Vive, and it serves absolutely indescribably delicious casual French food. I cannot explain the excitement and general “Willy Wonka” feeling that bubbles up when I’m in an all vegan restaurant. Where most places I dine, I have to significantly alter a vegetarian option or just get a side salad, at vegan restaurants, I have an ENTIRE menu to choose from, something I once took for granted. Anyway, this place is just the bomb. The people were so so friendly, gave me free coffee from their fancy shmancy drip coffee thingy (I’m not up on the coffee lingo) and were so excited to hear that I’m a vegan! My best friend and I both got sandwiches and soups, and left 100 percent satisfied and honestly awed. My soup was a root vegetable with orzo and pesto and came with grilled bread and my sandwich was roasted red pepper with massaged kale and maple vinegarette on ciabatta. The sandwiches come with their homemade chips, made from carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips. TO. DIE. FOR. I think I sense a new go-to place!
2. Homemade Almond Milk & Oatmeal Raisin Cookies! After learning more and more about the harms of consuming carageenan and really trying to commit to making most of my kitchen staples homemade, I decided to give making homemade almond milk a go! Expecting it to be some kind of daunting process, I was pleasantly surprised when it was basically just soak almonds, drain, blend, and strain! You would not BELIEVE the world of difference between homemade and store bought almond milk..unreal! My almond milk is creamy, actually nutty, beautifully white, and rewarding. I’ve always hated cow’s milk even before I was a vegan, and never truly enjoyed a tall glass of ice cold milk until I poured myself a glass of this liquid ecstasy to go with some leftover oatmeal raisin cookies I made last week. I had my nostalgic snack on a sunny Sunday in my cozy apartment and finally let myself slow down from the prior week and remember that it’s the little things, ya feel me??

ALMOND MILK:

• 2 cups raw almonds, soaked over night
• 6 cups fresh water
• Cheesecloth or a nut milk bag (I used cheesecloth)

Once almonds are soaked over night, drain and rinse them well. Put in a blender with the 6 cups of water, and blend on high for 2 minutes or so. Place a fine strainer over a large bowl and pour the milk mixture through. Take whatever pulp is in the strainer and wrap it in cheesecloth, tightly squeezing the liquid into the bowl. Just to be extra careful I got all the grit out of my milk, I strained two more times through the strainer until there were no tiny pieces of almond grit left. Put in mason jars and keep in the fridge. I’m pretty certain it lasts about a week. I use mine for savory dishes as well as sweet, so I didn’t sweeten or flavor mine, but you could use fresh vanilla bean, dates, cinnamon, maple syrup, agave, etc. to make your own flavored milk.

The cookie recipe I got from good ol’ pinterest: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3. Fun Cake Bakin! When i was in high school, I got super into baking cakes and cutting them into cool shapes/designs for special events, bdays, etc. Not gonna lie, I was pretty well known for it…at least in my group of friends who I baked them for. Since I hadn’t made one of my good ol’ fashioned funky cakes in about a year or so, I decided to whip up a cake for my friend Mike’s birthday this past weekend. He’s a huge dead head, jam band loving weirdo (sorry, hate jam bands) so I made him this Phish cake! While my cakes are always just a tiny bit ghetto, they always put a smile on my face and make the recipient happy, so I love to make ’em!

Cheers to a week filled with warmth (yeah right…), relaxation, productivity, and fun.

Happy Monday!

Surviving Winter + Millet Stuffed Acorn Squash

Okay, Winter, your shit is getting pretty old.

When I wake up at 5 in the morning to bust out a workout, I get in my gear next to the saving grace that is my space heater (thanks, mom), carry it with me to the kitchen while I make breakfast since by then my sweat has dried and I’m even colder than I was when I woke up, and then proceed to wrap myself up in a blanket and fleece over my sweat-stained workout clothes to enjoy my breakfast with a side of Gilmore Girls.

The next part is the hardest: Dragging myself into the shower.

Obviously my space heater nips at my heels as it follows me into the bathroom while I shower, making it at least a bit bearable to leave the pseudo sauna that is my steamy shower.

Now that I’m dressed and semi-warm, the worst is yet to come.

I suit up and walk the one mile to work through the poorly-shoveled (and many, not shoveled at all) sidewalks, where it takes a surprising about of effort to balance my hat-ed and hooded head, backpack full to the brim with my lunch, snacks, and shoes to change into.

At work, my feet never quite dry out or warm up even with a change of socks and shoes, and my hands are perpetual icicles. I lay a blanket over my lap all day while I huddle up at my desk since our building is a grandma and apparently the heat doesn’t work correctly.

You get it….I’m cold. I’m cold all the time. The only times I am truly warm are when I’m working out, taking a shower, or eating soul-soothing, body-warming food.

This past weekend, when it was particularly hard to handle the winter vortex we’re succumbed to for eternity, I made this stuffed squash that I consider truly healing for everything from a broken heart, a sore throat, or the winter blues.

It’s healthy, but totally stick-to-your-ribs thanks to the hearty millet filling. It’s creamy, had a rich flavor that just screams “soul food”, and is surprisingly easy to put together.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium acorn squash, cut in half, seeds removed.
• 1/2 cup dry millet
• 1/2 cup kidney beans, already cooked
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1/2 medium zucchini, diced
• 2 cups spinach
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup veggie broth
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 dry or fresh bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat over to 400 degrees. While over preheats, slice squash in half, removing seeds. Drizzle 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, dividing evenly on both sides, and rubbing to coat the squash. Place squash halves face down on a cookie sheet, and roast for about 25-30 minutes, or until squash is fork tender.

While squash roasts, cook millet according to package and set aside. Next, preheat a skillet on medium-high, and add sliced onion, diced zucchini, cooking until soft and tender. Next, add the garlic and kidney beans, and sautee for another few minutes until everything is incorporated. Add the veggie broth, balsamic, wine, and bay leaves, and give it all a stir. Turn heat up to high, and let boil rapidly for 3-5 minutes. Turn heat back down to medium-low, and add the millet, stirring to incorporate. Add salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste. 

Take the squash out of the oven, and scoop out just a bit of the inside, making more room for filling. Spoon millet filling into the centers of each squash half, filling as much as you please. Place back in over for 5 minutes or so, until top is slightly browned.

I had a ton of filling leftover, which I am eternally thankful for since it makes an excellent and comforting bowl of goodness.

This recipe really helps you slow down and remember the bright side to winter: cozying up after a long, cold day and enjoying the warming sensations that come with winter comfort foods.

Enjoy and stay warm!