The Quest for the Perfect On-the-Go Breakfast

As of late, I've been hitting the gym in the morning.

Crazy.  I know.

But hear me out.

I've realized that if I get into a routine where I just get up and zombie myself through my morning routine and don't actually wake up until I'm already exercising, I can coast through the first half of my spin class without even knowing where I am.  It seriously works!  And then my work out is DONE for the day and I was only aware of HALF of it!

I encourage you all to try zombie gym time.

Anyways, this complicates my life in many ways.

For example:

-I have to lay out clothes to workout in the evening before.  This cuts into my reality television time.
-I have to lay out clothes for work the evening before.  This ALSO cuts into my reality television time.
-I have to make my lunch the evening before (see above...)
-I have to make my breakfast the evening before (I think you get the picture by now)

There have also been a few instances where I get to the gym and realize I forgot hairspray...or have to deal with creepy lady who is putting her wart cream on her foot on the counter where I just had my lipstick sitting...

But ALL IN ALL, this has been going quite well for me.

It's forced me to be more organized and also forced me into a new routine which has me getting to work earlier and therefore leaving work earlier.  Which I like.

But I did need to figure out what to do for breakfasts.  

You can't really take cereal with you (I'm sure you can, I just don't really want to), and you can't really keep a smoothie cold for 3 hours in a car, so I knew it needed to be a potable b-fast.

Enter: baked goods.

I love all things baked for breakfast.  Scones, muffins, breads, all of it.  The more sweetness, the better.  Matt unfortunately, does not like sweet things for breakfast.  

I still make muffins and scones and breads.

He'll just have to suffer.

I came across these Chocolate Zucchini Muffins in Happy Herbivore and am happy to report that even though these are basically fat free and contain a vegetable, they are still delicious and filling.  I cut back on the sugar in the hopes that Matt would appreciate the effort.

He still complained.

Here's the recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Muffins from Happy Herbivore:

Ingredients:

• 1¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 whole banana, mashed
• ½ cup raw sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• ½ cup raw sugar (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease muffin pan and set aside. If using paper liners, lightly spray inside of liners with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. In another bowl, cream mashed banana with applesauce and sugar (use extra 1/2 cup for a very sweet, dessert-like muffin). Add in soymilk, vanilla, zucchini and any other optional add-ins you might like such as vegan chocolate chips or chopped raw walnuts. Stir until evenly combined. Add flour mix to wet mix in 3-4 batches and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan and bake 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Super Easy Chalupas

Isn't it funny that prior to becoming a vegan and beyond that, prior to this whole low-fat vegan stuff, I never seemed to eat anything exciting?  Like, a meal with rice seemed "out there" or "ethnic" even if I was eating chicken and broccoli.

Since this whole thing began however, a night where I am not using a grain or spice that I cannot pronounce is rare.   My kitchen has seen cuisines from Thailand, Ethiopia, Greece, Lebanon, the list goes on and on.

And people claim vegans are deprived...

Well, this is not that exciting of a post.  In fact, Mexican may be our default cuisine these days.   When in doubt, put it on a tortilla and add salsa.  We'll both be content.

So we were in a bit of a rush and needed a simple meal that didn't feel like diet food.   Unfortunately, Mexican food, when void of things like sour cream and cheese, seems like diet food.   We were nervous, but these bad boys were DELICIOUS!   I think making my own salsa adds a whole new level of amazing to Mexican food because I control the heat and the spices.   By dulling down the salsa with cheese and sour cream, I'd been missing out on this delicate process.

Anyways, try these bad boys out.  Simple.   Delicious.  And Healthy.

Here's the recipe for Chalupas from Engine 2 Diet:

Ingredients for Chalupas:

6 corn tortillas

1 can fat-free vegetarian refried beans

12 cherry tomatoes cut in half (I used a lot more than 12 because they were almost past their prime)

1 jalapeno, diced

1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and sliced

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 bunch cilantro

Salsa

Directions:

Preheat oven to broil.   Place the tortillas on sprayed baking sheet (I used parchment paper) and broil for 2 minutes.   Turn the tortillas and cook for 1 minute, or until crispy.   Spread the tortillas thickly with beans.   Place 4 tomato halves on each chalupa.   Sprinkle jalapenos onto the chalupas.   Broil for 5-7 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to droop.   Divide the avocado slices among the chalupas, and top with the lettuce, cilantro, and salsa.

For my salsa, I basically mixed up a bunch of fresh tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, onion, cilantro, and hot sauce.  Blended to perfection.

Garlicky Cashew Cream Sauce and a Eureka Moment

Although I've lagged on regular blogging these past few weeks, I assure you, my kitchen is getting one HECK of a workout.  I probably spend all of my spare time in that one room and couldn't be more happy about this.  Cooking has becoming something really special to me all of a sudden...

Cooking is a stress reliever, a celebration, a spiritual endeavor, a workout, an homage to good health, and a way to tell people I love them.

Many people already know this about cooking and baking, and to some level, I knew that as well.  But it's only as of late that this has really sunk in.  

Now, although I did cook prior to becoming a vegan, I did not cook all that much.  And when I did cook, I felt way out of my league.  Cooking meat just creeped me out.  I was always afraid of undercooking something and therefore making people ill.  One such moment involved cooking a turkey and a very wise friend of mine who said "these little [insert obscenity]'s are toxic if you don't cook them right."   After allowing it to defrost in my refrigerator, I then felt the need to completely detoxify my refrigerator so as to ensure I didn't kill myself or others after that bird sat in there.

Now that I don't cook anything that could really get me sick, I feel liberated and safe.  I cook almost every meal of the week with the exception of one meal out on the weekends and to many people, this may seem crazy difficult, but I love it.  I love the idea that I pick up all the ingredients I need to sustain myself and Matt for an entire week.  I also love the idea that I know EXACTLY what is going into my body.

I love rules.  I love following them.  I love that they stand for order.  I think they are extremely necessary in life.  Which is why I also am not one to move away from a rule that is set, i.e. a recipe.   In fact, in the world of cooking and baking, I believe one of my strengths is my ability to follow directions.  Unfortunately, this also means that I squelch creativity and avoid taking risks (this bleeds into the rest of my life as well, but that's another issue...), which is a weakness when it comes to cooking and baking.

But lately...

I've been taking more risks.  

I've been venturing into uncharted territories.

Ok, nothing all that exciting, BUT, I have been taking more liberties with recipes and have even come up with a few things on my own.   Nothing is worth posting about.  Yet.  But someday in the not so far off future, I believe I may have a few recipes of my own to share with you fine people.

So stay tuned.

Until then, try this delicious cashew garlic sauce that I smothered over some vegetables on a Friday night as I made my way out the door to go to a movie.  Super easy and SUPER delicious.  So what if I smelled like garlic all night...

*Sidenote: I'm pretty sure the plate is sitting on a Victoria's Secret magazine.  This is troubling in many ways because a) I obviously was too lazy to move the magazine in order to take a picture, b) the magazine was in the kitchen and c) I have no idea why this magazine is in my house...never subscribed to it...


Roasted Bell Peppers, Baked Sweet Potatoes and Galloping Greens with Cashew Sauce from Engine 2 Diet

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes scrubbed and pricked with a fork (I only had one)
3 red, yellow or orange bell peppers halved and seeded
1 package or bunch fresh mustard greens, rinsed and coarsely chopped
4 Tbsp water or orange juice (I used water...don't generally have orange juice around the house)
1/2 C home toasted cashews (I didn't toast them myself, use regular canned cashews)
1 Tbsp tamari
2 cloves garlic (I used four...teehee)
water for thinning the cashew sauce to desired consistency

Directions:

For Sweet Potatoes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Place potatoes in a casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes, until they indent easily with finger pressure. Set aside to cool. Slice in half and serve with the skins on. (I had to run out the door before these were truly done, I think it takes longer than 45 minutes to roast these)

For Bell Peppers

If you don’t have a gas burner: De-seed the peppers and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Cook on the oven rack, above the potatoes for five minutes, until the skins begin to bubble and blacken. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Under running water, peel away the skins. Slice into 1 inch strips.

If you have a gas burner: Place the pepper directly on top of the burner, turn to high heat and turn pepper until it is completely blackened. This is best done with a long pair of tongs. immediately place under running cold water and peel the charred skin off. 

For Galloping Greens with Cashew Sauce

Place coarsely chopped mustard greens and juice (or water) in a large covered pot over medium heat. Cook the greens for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender. In a blender, mix the toasted cashews, tamari and garlic together adding small amounts of water as necessary until the mixture is the consistency of a smoothie. Spoon the cashew sauce over the cooked greens and enjoy.

A New Post, a New Cookbook, and Blueberry Scones

So I'm FINALLY done travelling for awhile.  A month to be exact.  Don't quote me on that.   I'm ready to be at home for a change.  Ready to not live out of a suitcase.  Ready to not wear the same 3 outfits for the majority of the month.  Ready to not go angrily running down to the front desk in search of a can opener while trying to maintain the composure that my hangriness is making OH SO DIFFICULT.

Yea, I'm ready to be at home.

And I'm ready to get back to blogging!

Just to bring you all up to speed about the Engine 2 Diet stuff, we're still going strong.   Matt has lost about 12 pounds and is feeling good and motivated about everything.  I'm not weighing myself, but I do know that my clothing feels a bit looser.  So that's always nice.   We eat a vegan, oil-free, whole grain diet the entire week and then go out to dinner once a weekend to celebrate.  It's been pretty impressive to see how much has changed (at least in Matt) in terms of his appearance, his energy, his mood.

But it's also been hard as HELL to do this when I travel.   Basically I have to cook 8,000 meals and try to bring it with me.  This works when I am driving to my destination, but when I'm flying, I have to research restaurants in the area I'm going to, research where the nearest Whole Foods is, and try to bring along foods that do not need to be refrigerated (hence the scene with the can opener).

All in all, it's a pain.  But I've been trying!

Matt and I were becoming jaded with the recipes in the Engine 2 Diet book and really do not feel equipped to make our own dishes yet, so I took to the internets to see if there was any help.  Thankfully, at just about this same time, I saw that the folks at Engine 2 were doing a giveaway of Happy Herbivore.  This is a cookbook I've been coveting for awhile and so although I did not win the competition (in fact, I did not even enter...so that sort of complicates things), I did make a very wise purchase of this book.  And THAT has made all the difference.

This book is great because it has recipes that basically all fall within the guidelines of the Engine 2 diet, so we feel like we can try out all sorts of things, but it's an ACTUAL cookbook.  Not a diet/lifestyle book with a few recipes thrown in there.  

It's been great and I've loved almost everything we've made from the book.

Especially these scones:

These were delicious and especially timely because I had just returned from a family vacation where we had "Tea and Scones" in the afternoon and I couldn't participate.  No, we aren't British.

So, here's the recipe from Happy Herbivore.  I also highly recommend purchasing this book if you're looking for a supplement to Engine 2 or are just looking to cook delicious low-fat vegan food.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. non-dairy milk
2 tsp lemon juice
3 c whole wheat pastry flour
2 tbsp baking powder
pinch of fine salt
1/3 c raw sugar (optional...I chose not to use this)
1 cold banana, peeled and cut in half
1 c fresh blueberries (you can also use frozen)
dash(es) of ground giner

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

Whisk non-dairy milk and lemon juice together, then set aside to curdle.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar if using, together in food processor and pulse a few times to ensure even distribution of the ingredients.

Add banana and let motor run until it has been incorporated  and the flour has little pebbles of bananas (my pebbles looked like stones...but I also didn't use a cold banana).

Transfer to a mixing bowl and pour in non-dairy milk, blueberries, and ginger, stirring until just combined.

Using a wide 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop up batter and drop onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until firm to touch.

Cauliflower Soup

Dearest readers, I apologize for my absence this past week. I was traveling for work and then had a quick trip up the North woods of MN to see my family and attend a wedding. Needless to say, my computer access has been limited. Beyond that, my ability to keep my eyes open during a spare 5 minutes has been even more limited.

What I'm saying is, I'm tired. And I have to travel AGAIN this weekend. Remind me why I agreed to travel this much in this job? Oh yea, it's because that's what I do...

Anyways, my cooking has actually not decreased all that much even with all of the traveling because I took a big step and PACKED FOOD for my trips! This was HUGE for me. But now, after all is said and done, I am always going to plan ahead and pack my own food if at all possible. It saves me from a) eating Subway for every meal and b) getting so hangry whilst trying to google vegan friendly restaurants which then causes me to start crying in a hotel room and ordering a bottle of wine that will be my dinner. Neither of those things have ever happened...no, not a chance...

Anyways, prior to my departure, I also had to stock up for Matt. Now, listen closely all you feminists out there. I AM ONE OF YOU. And I have no idea how we got to the point where I had to pack Matt's lunch for him. This makes zero sense to me. He loves to cook. And he's 30, so he's obviously survived up until this point. BUT, now that we're on a diet and he can't zip over to McDonald's for lunch. Instead, he stares at the refrigerator and has no idea what to do and ends up eating bread and then acting like the spawn of Satan when I come home after work. So, I've taken pity. On myself. And I pack his lunch.

I'm horrified by this.

But anyways, I had to make a few extra meals prior to my departure to make sure Matt didn't die, and this soup was one of them. (Note to the world: mass quantities of soup are the fixall for all marital problems...at least 2 months in). So, I made this cauliflower soup from Engine 2. And it was divine. Creamy and delicious even on a hot August day.

Here's the recipe for Kole's Creamy Cauliflower Soup from Engine 2 Diet:

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped onion
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 cups water, divided
3 cups diced potatoes
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 large carrots, diced
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
2 cups vegetable broth (I used 1 low sodium vegetable bouillon cube)
2 Tbsp cashew or peanut butter (I used almond butter)
2 Tbsp low-sodium tamari
sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Heat onion, salt, and 1/2 cup water, then simmer on low for approximately 20 minutes, or until the onions cook down to a nice mush. Check to make sure the water is sufficient, and then add 1/4 cup water as needed, so the onions don't burn on the bottom of the pot.

Add the potatoes, celery, carrots, and cauliflower along with 2 cups of water and the vegetable broth. Simmer until all of the vegetables are soft--about 20 minutes. Add the cashew or peanut butter and tamari.

Mash with a potato masher (or an immersion blender) until the soup is mostly smooth, with some chunks. Season with cracked pepper and sea salt to taste.

Variations: Add one bunch of freshly chopped kale, mustard greens, or collard greens 5 to 8 minutes before serving for a nutritional power punch.

Green Pizza and I'm Feeling a Little CRUSTY!

It's been about a week and a half on this Engine 2 madness, and it had to be done. We had to make a pizza. No ifs, ands, or buts.

May I be frank for a second? I have a serious frustration with this Engine 2 book in terms of the recipes. Now, I know the book is not just a cookbook but is also the whole method behind the madness (and a really intense workout that made my bum sore for seriously 3 days), but I strongly dislike the product marketing. I get that this book has fostered a lucrative deal for Rip-a-roo and Whole Foods, but I RARELY buy processed or packaged or pre-made foods. But this diet has forced me to do that on numerous ocassions.

Exhibit A: Pizza Crust.

In the recipe for this Green Pizza, it calls for Kabuli crusts. I have no idea what those are. I looked around WF and could not find them. Since I have no idea how to make pizza crust that is prepared within the parameters of this diet, I had a mild panic attack in WF that lead to me buying some other crust.

That looked like this when I got home:

That's right folks, that's MOLD.

I spent at least $4 on a pizza crust that had MOLD on it when I am sure I am quite capable of cooking a knock out pizza crust!!!

I'm hurt. I'm not sure who to blame. The pizza crust company? Maybe. Whole Foods? I'm sure they're partially to blame. No, I am mostly pissed off that I had to buy this crappy pizza crust dough because I felt uncapable of cooking something for this diet!!!!

GAH!!!!!

Ok, so, glad I got that off my chest.

In other news, I did eat a bite of the crust before realizing it had mold on it. Was vigilantly checking myself in the mirror to make sure I didn't have the flesh eating bacteria after that little incident.

So, anyways, I went BACK to WF and bought ANOTHER crust and this time it wasn't moldy. And since I was so pissed off, I decided not to buy the suggested "pizza sauce" but rather was going to make Matt come up with his own. Which he did. And it was delicious.

The pizza was delicious. I will give you that. But the amount of effort and frustration that went into creating this dish was not healthy. NOT HEALTHY I TELL YOU!

(Can't you tell how angry I am by the quality of this photo??)


Here is the recipe for "Green Pizza" from Engine 2 Diet:

Ingredients:


1 jar pasta sauce (we made our own, can of tomato sauce, garlic, and a few spices)
2 Kabuli crusts (we used moldz-ville brand I'm not repeating their name because I'm not sure it was their fault)
8 oz frozen spinach, thawed, rinsed and drained (we used fresh spinach)
1/2 C fresh whole basil leaves (forgot this part)
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 C broccoli florets
1/2 C sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 C finely ground raw cashews or 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (we used both)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Generously spread the sauce on the crusts, and layer with the remaining ingredients except for the cashews/nutritional yeast. After all the veggies are added, sprinkle cashews/nutritional yeast on top. Bake on a sprayed cooking sheet or pizza stone for 15 minutes (we cooked ours on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper).

Vegan Veggie Burgers That Don't Suck!

Alright, we're still going strong on this Engine 2 Diet Review, but I have no noticed that since embarking on this journey, I have received ZERO comments. Not that I was swimming in the commentary over here, but like, I at least got a shout out here or there...

So that leads me to one of two conclusion:

1) You all were abducted by aliens
2) My crazy antics on this diet are not nearly as entertaining or noteworthy as they were before.

Any thoughts?

Is anyone out there?

Is this thing on?

Anyways, I'm still cooking and still screwing up in the kitchen so none of that has changed. I also just ordered a few new cookbooks which means this diet has a definite end date in sight :)

Anyways, I made veggie burgers this past week from Engine 2 and you know what, these were awesome! Like, I loved these bad boys and would gladly bring them to a cookout. They didn't fall apart and were really hearty. I slathered them in ketchup, mustard, and green hummus and also served them with some way undercooked red potatoes. Trying to eat those taters was like trying to chew on leather.

If that makes any sense...

On a vegan blog...

Anyways, I didn't really mess anything up with this recipe which must mean it is SUPER easy. So I therefore COMMAND you to try it. The cilantro really was icing on the cake for me and I could have easily eaten these two at a time. Matt loved them as well!

(Sorry for the weird picture, this was taken at work in a tupper ware container. That's usually a tell-tale sign that something is delicious - I was way too hungry to wait to take a pic at home.)


Here's the recipe for the "New York Times Veggie Burgers" from the Engine 2 Diet:

INGREDIENTS

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can tomatoes with zesty mild chilies, drained
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup parsley or cilantro
2 cups quick rolled oats
8 whole grain buns
Fresh veggie toppings and healthy condiments

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450º. Process the first seven ingredients using an immersion or a regular blender or food processor. Remove contents into a large bowl and stir in the oats. Form into patties, place on a sprayed baking sheet (I used parchment paper...trying to go completely oil-free), and bake for 8 minutes. Turn oven up to broil and cook for 2-3 more minutes, until the tops are nicely browned. Toast the buns and pile on your favorite toppings.