Archive | June, 2012

easy “cheesy” {vegan} kale chips

28 Jun

these always disappear fast!

have you ever tried nutritional yeast?  i actually kind of love it.  a lot.  many of my vegan friends would tell me about it and i never really tried it on anything until someone suggested i put it on popcorn.  which, as you know, is totally what i do now! nutritional yeast is a great cheese substitute, as it has a creamy flavour that is almost nutty or buttery.  i find it to be amazing on kale chips. you can usually find it in the baking isle or in bulk, at most health food stores including whole foods market. Continue reading →

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batch cooking – roasted veggies

27 Jun

have you heard the term “batch-cooking”?  well, i hadn’t really heard of it, but i mean it makes sense – especially in today’s world.  i am a single gal with no kids or hubby, no one to really take care of but myself. though, i do have a lovely roommate with a big appetite and two sweet kitties with insatiable bellies. my point is, i am fully aware that i have more time than most to spend on preparing meals and fun dishes and blogs, etc.  many people do not have the time to really spend in the kitchen… for me, it’s like not only a kitchen – it’s my music hall, my therapist’s office, my sanctuary, and my dance club.  i love to cook so much that it does so much for me – on a personal and spiritual level, as cheesy as that may sound… 🙂

plus, my whole philosophy is “time is money.”  so i may have to spend a little time to cook all this stuff, which is “money,” as time is valuable.  but i also save time and money by having my meals prepared in advance.  i don’t spend money on my lunch break, and i save time on my lunch break.  plus, the meals i make are healthy and not loaded with junk – and eating the latter could actually cost me more money and time down the road…. make sense?!  – eating well is an investment in your health!

Continue reading →

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product endorsement #3 – whirley pop

26 Jun

whirley pop.

do you remember this?  i actually don’t.  but apparently it’s old school cool and marvelously classic.  i’ve loved having it and we now make more popcorn in the house than anything, i swear. low fat, low carb, whole grain, and if you buy it in bulk you save tons and it’s a snack with variety that everyone will love!

the whirley pop itself is so easy to use. you can make your popcorn with any good quality high heat oil and it doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to pop a large bowl to share.  fun for kids, too — just make sure they are always supervised!

my roomie and i love to drizzle a little coconut oil over ours and then smother it with tons of nutritional yeast.  it makes for an almost cheesy flavour.  it’s SO GOOD!  i know you’ll love it too – so try it! and go get a whirley pop!  20 bucks is a good investment for a 25-year warranty, right?!

one more thing i want to add — sort of a shameless plug here — please consider always and only buying organic NON-GMO corn.  if you aren’t sure why, please read one of my rants about GMOs… and do your own research, then decide for yourself.

thank you always, for reading 🙂

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stuffed belgian endive leaves w/ seasonal english peas

25 Jun

this was a seriously fun dish!  easy to make – fresh, light, healthy, perfect for summer on the patio.  easy clean-up.  can be served as an appetizer or main course if you make extra and serve with a light salad or steamed veggie. perhaps some organic carrots or corn would compliment this nicely… stick with the whole texture theme 😉 Continue reading →

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featured produce of the week : seasonal organic english peas

23 Jun

if you haven’t had these delicious treats, i highly recommend you try them. perhaps it’s the fact that i’m about 2/3 english, but i just love sitting  and shelling english peas.  and of course, eating them 😉  i’ll have a few recipes featuring these tasty little morsels next week, so stay tuned! Continue reading →

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garlic scape-sauteed baby artichokes topped with parano cheese

22 Jun

it’s still artichoke season, and i always enjoy seeing the “baby” version of things in the produce section.  i know that means i will only be able to get my hands on them for a brief time.  much like the baby leeks {ramps} or baby garlic {scapes}, baby artichokes are only available for a short season in late spring and early summer.  and so naturally i had to try some. Continue reading →

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happy solstice!

20 Jun

nothing says summer to me quite like watermelon.  when in its seasonal prime – flavourful, juicy, fresh, delicious watermelon.

whole foods market had a one day sale – 2/$5 on these organic beauties. and i bought four. this is my last one, and i’m eating it today to celebrate summer! i bought a little melon baller, which i think is just so fun for precisely this reason 🙂 — and – way easier!! Continue reading →

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italian qrunch patty smothered in homemade tomato sauce

19 Jun

as i’ve mentioned before, i love love love my Qrunch burgers. i was thrilled to discover this week that they are locally made here in colorado!  hooray!  the owners were super kind enough to even feature my last qrunch blog on their facebook page!

i was thrilled to discover a new flavour had come out! the italian version is similar to the original but with a little extra kick and spice and goes so well with this dish i created!!  🙂   Continue reading →

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celery root mashed potatoes w/ seasonal garlic scapes

18 Jun

i have to say, these were pretty amazing!!!! i wanted to try two things with this dish – both the celery root and the garlic scapes.  i had been told by a few people that celery root goes well in mashed potoatoes.  and i love to experiment with mashed potatoes – definitely one of my favourite vegetarian staples!  so, i did 🙂 Continue reading →

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always a reason to celebrate

17 Jun

so – it’s fathers day and all and my dad lives in a different state, so i will not be able to celebrate with him — but i will still celebrate him and life in general!  i did get to have dinner with my kickin’ grandpa though, and that was lovely.

Continue reading →

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two restaurants i miss most from NYC – and i shoulda been a food critic!

16 Jun

goodness, do i miss new york.

did you know i lived there? — for 3 years. i miss it every day.  mostly, when i reflect – i realize that what i miss the most is the diversity… in everything. people, culture, music, views, buildings, art, sounds, lights, and most of all – food.

i lived right in the heart of lower manhattan, surrounded by {in my humble opinion}, the best food ever. Continue reading →

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{featured produce of the week : seasonal organic garlic scapes}

15 Jun

i was going through my film, preparing some blogs for the week, and i realized that i had used these garlic scapes in about 4 of my dishes.  i had never tried using them before, but the smell was so intoxicatingly wonderful, i couldn’t resist. and at 3 bucks a pop, i was able to make so many things with them!  i just love eating seasonal foods.  it’s like, something to look forward to. it’s a treat, you know?!

this article explains what exactly garlic scapes are.  essentially, it’s like baby garlic.  can be used in place of scallions, the bulb itself isn’t as strong but the scape is wonderful!!  i just think anything “baby” is better… haha.  ** i also recently discovered these are locally grown here in northern colorado – woo!

stay tuned for some of the dishes i used them in – including a unique take on mashed potatoes! 🙂

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poblano, tomato, and brie stuffed portabello mushrooms

13 Jun

so – just to preface this real quick — apparently one can spell the mushroom in this photo either way – portobello {which spell-check recognizes}, portabella {which i personally think just sounds prettier}, or even portabello {meet me half-way?! – i like this one best}.  — all acceptable spellings.  i swear — read this if you think i’m nuts.

anyway… i’m going to always call them portabello because i think it’s a nice medium… just so you know 🙂 Continue reading →

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another {vegan} Qrunch burger meal

10 Jun

i am quickly becoming addicted to these tasty delights.  Qrunch burgers are yummy quinoa patties and are great source of complete proteins without any dairy, soy, gluten, or wheat and they are vegan. frozen, but previously cooked, delicious qrunch burger patties are a marvelous and easy way to get whole grains into your diet — and seriously, they taste SO GOOD!

Continue reading →

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sometimes i like to have 2 breakfasts…

9 Jun

…or – one breakfast, and one brunch… 🙂

especially if it’s a weekend day and i don’t have to work.  i get up pretty early most days and i love having my cup of coffee as the sun beams in and i work on both blog images and my appetite.  typically i want a snack about an hour later and so this has become one of my favourite quick meals in the morning : i call it the BACH  {banana, almond, chia, honey} a friend helped inspire this — thanks michele! Continue reading →

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vegan {nutrient-packed} pho

6 Jun

have you met pho?  it’s a wonderfully healing noodle soup that originates from vietnam.  my roommate introduced it to me when i first moved back to colorado and i was immediately hooked.  loaded with ginger, garlic, and other healing spices, this dish is something i always crave when i’m not feeling my best.  whether i just need a boost of vitamins, something warm on the throat, or a little spice in my life – i reach for the pho. Continue reading →

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hey GMO, quit trying to get in my plants!

2 Jun

GMO – do you know what this term means?  i’m sure you’ve heard doctor oz mention it, and if you’ve ever been to a whole foods market, you’ve seen their signage boasting they do not carry any GMO products. i for one, do my absolute best to ensure i do not consume any GMO products.  why is this?!  let me see if i can break it down without becoming too intense, ramble-y, or make you want to click on something else…….. oh, and there won’t be any fotos or recipes in this blog — i’m way too worked up lately and need to get some stuff of my chest… so, thanks in advance for sticking with me! Continue reading →

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