Attempts at Healthier Eating and New Cookbooks! Whoo hoo!

I made the granola and açaí bowl from Julie Montagu's Superfoods cookbook. I am never buying granola again! This was so, so good and made of only healthy things - no sugar. I LOVE this cookbook so far. The recipes are super healthy and all vegan. You might know Julie Montagu from Ladies of London on Bravo. Not only is she a healthy guru, she is also a Viscountess! She married the heir to the Earl of Sandwich. Neat!

I also made the Creamy Carrot Soup and Whole Food Proteins bowl from the Rawsome Vegan Cookbook this week. OMG! This was also so, so good and packed with healthy things. I found a purple sweet potato at Whole Foods this week and it was out of this world good. I didn't know potatoes could taste that good. Damn. Anyway, every recipe in this book looks like something I want to make. It's gonna get a lot of use.

Chewie was being so precious today that I had a hard time leaving for work - more than usual when I look at his cuteness. He got a haircut and a new bed. Both seem to be agreeing with him.

2016!

I'm a bit late posting in this New Year. I spent the entire fall under a rock writing my final paper for my institute training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, so I've been taking it easy since my Christmas break.

Here are some yummy things I've been eating:

I made the Root Veggie Tagine (pictured above) from Crazy Sexy Kitchen for New Year's Day. I threw in some black eyed peas instead of chickpeas to be traditional. I used turnip. It was so, so good! This is one of my favorite cookbooks.

Today, I made the Cheddary Broccoli Soup and the Chicky Tuna Salad (pictured above) from Isa Does It. Every recipe from this book has been great. I don't even like soup and I LOVE this soup! Go figure.

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On a different note, it has been sad to read how many talented people we've lost so far in 2016 - mostly to cancer. It does make me think; life is short. How can I balance work and those things I must do to live the life I want - with actually living the life I want? I work too much. Within the next few months, I will graduate from my institute for post-graduate training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, get my license for private practice, find an office, and start seeing clients for individual psychotherapy. I will finally be able to make my own schedule!

I need time with my doggie love. I need to travel more. I need to visit the Bhakti Center more. I need to see friends more.

I've laid some plans to get started on all that. I'm going back to Paris in May for my BFF's 40th birthday! I haven't been since 2009 and that is just too, too long for moi. I need to sit on the steps of Opera Garnier eating a large sandwich. Maybe I'll take a day trip to Rouen (a picturesque little town where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake). heh.

Here are some pictures of me and my puppy love, Chewie. He looks so cute when he is crashed out. He lives the life.




So comfy. haha

Healthy Apple Crisp and other yummy things ...

Easy Healthy Apple Crisp

Ingredients:
5 medium red apples
ground cinnamon to taste
1 cup almond flour (or just pulse some raw almonds in your food processor until you get flour like consistency)
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
pinch of ground nutmeg

Method:
Layer thinly sliced apples in a baking dish and generously sprinkle them with cinnamon. (I use a mandolin to slice them really thin.)

In a small bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut oil, walnuts, and nutmeg. Then, sprinkle the mixture over the apples. Bake the crisp at 350F for about 20 mins or until the apples are soft. Serve warm.

If you have leftovers, you can put them in a bowl with some almond mylk for breakfast! Yum!

Recipe from: Clean Eats by Alejandro Junger

My local veggie stand had avocados for $1! So, I also made some guacamole and avocado ranch dressing for tonight's salad.



Guacamole

Salad with Organic Lettuce and Beets from our Local CSA, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and green onions

Pesto with Rice Noodles and BEYOND Vegan Chik Strips

Avocado Ranch Dressing

Avocado Ranch dressing and "Bestest Pesto" recipes are in Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Chewie got a haircut today too. XOXO

Napa, CA and yummy things ...

I just got back from a lovely trip to Napa, CA. Pictured above is Chimney Rock Vineyard; I loved all their wines! A shout out to Lava Vine is also essential (pictured below). They run a very fun tasting room in Calistoga, CA and also have amazing wines. They let some chickens roam around too.

I was up late last night since I was on California time, so I caught up on my Housewives episodes. This morning, I had to drive out to Long Island to pick up my sweet Chewie from his doggie hotel.

If you need help training your dog, or have a little dog that needs a very posh in-home daycare or boarding, check out Little Paws of Hope in Levittown, NY. Hope has converted her dining room into a play room for the doggies! She has leopard print chaise lounges for the pooches! Only the best for Chewie. ;)

Reunited and it feels so good ... xoxo

 

Today, I made some no-crabby salad as I like to call it (it's from the Crazy Sexy Kitchen cookbook - it's the crab cakes mix minus molding them into crab cakes and frying them). It's just hearts of palm (which shockingly taste much like crab meat when pulsed in the food processor and tossed with Old Bay Seasoning) ... diced red bell pepper ... some nooch ... vegenaise ... and pepper. Yum!

 

I also made my Sweet Potato Curry with Spinach and Chickpeas and basmati rice for dinner. Mmmm.

I like to put a smidge of tofu sour cream on top.

 

 

Quick White Bean Salad

Quick White Bean Salad

Ingredients:
2 (14.5oz) cans large white beans (such as butter beans)
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
a couple handfuls of parsley, chopped fine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Stir together the EVOO, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over remaining ingredients in a bowl and toss. Yum.

I also made some muhammara today and raw spaghetti with veggie meatless balls for dinner. yum!

Chewie made his second trip on the subway yesterday. He held up better than last time. He's a shy pooch and the subway is a big scary loud thing.

 

Crazy Sexy Vegan Crabby Cakes with Remoulade

Another recipe from Crazy Sexy Kitchen ... you MUST buy this book. Every recipe I've made from it has been insanely delicious. This might be one of the best things I've ever made. I LOVE, LOVE crab cakes and I've eaten plenty of the seafood variety in my lifetime. These actually taste identical. I doubt any omnivore could tell the difference. Amazing!

I feel like I have no desire to eat the "real thing" again. Mission accomplished.

They are made with hearts of palm and the remoulade that accompanies them is also top notch.
I served this with a simple steamed acorn squash and some kale. Mmmm mmm good.



 

In other exciting news, my new Vitamix arrived! Huzzah! I immediately made a mango and spinach smoothie, some avocado hummus, and some raw almond butter. yay!

 

Chewie was less excited to get his new sweatshirt, but he looks very cute in it. :o)

Zucchini and Chickpea Curry (Sort of African, Sort of Indian)

Veggies and cilantro leaves getting ready to be cooked up ... and the curry cooking. Mmm

The final product (served with some vegan pierogies)! Chewie approves. ;o)

This was seriously delicious!

Zucchini and Chickpea Curry

2 zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 large can chickpeas
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno
1 inch piece ginger root, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
8oz can tomato sauce
1 bunch cilantro leaves
1-2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon of vegan butter
1-2 teaspoons cumin powder
1-2 tablespoons Madras-style medium hot curry powder
2 teaspoons hot Hungarian paprika
sea salt and black pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter and sauté the onion for a bit until translucent. Meanwhile, process the garlic, ginger, and jalapeno in a small food processor until minced. Add garlic, ginger, jalapeno mixture to the skillet and stir to combine with the onion. Stir in the fresh chopped tomatoes and zucchini. Stir in the spices and the tomato sauce. If you need to add a little water so that the zucchini is mostly covered by liquid, do so. Add chickpeas and some cilantro leaves on top. Put on lid to skillet and simmer over low-medium heat until zucchini is tender and flavors have combined. Serve with couscous, rice, or, well, pierogies tasted great with this!

Serves 4 hungry souls.

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A Mango Lassi and a Lazy Snow Day with Chewie

Last night into this morning it snowed about 8 inches and it was in the single digits this morning, so Chewie and I slept in and are now enjoying a lovely snow day.

That's the only picture I could snap of Chewie before he ran back in the house. haha. Good thing he's wee wee pad trained. ;o) When we finally got up, I made a mango lassi for breakfast.

Mango Lassi

1 ripe mango, skin removed and cubed

1 container of vegan yogurt (I used coconut almond milk yogurt which was divine.)

about 6 ice cubes

1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 teaspoon cardmom spice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Blend all ingredients in a blender and enjoy! yum.

 

After that I had some homemade hummus and melted Daiya vegan cheddar on toast as a snack. Mmm.

 

Here's a pic of Lucas and I on New Year's Eve ... heh.

 

 

 

 

Quick Vegan Tartar Sauce

Chewie, my yorkie, likes to play up the cuteness.

 

Vegan Tartar Sauce!

I just threw this together and it was delicious. Measurements are approximate as I didn't measure when I made it.

About 1 cup - Reduced Fat Vegenaise (vegan mayo)

About 2-3 tablespoons - Apple Cider Vinegar

3 Crunchy Kosher Dill Pickles, the mini ones about 3 inches long each (I used B&G brand, but I suppose any favorite pickle will work.)

About 2 tablespoons grated Horseradish

Put all ingredients in a mini food processor and pulse until combined. Voila!