One for One- TOMS Shoes

07 Wednesday Apr 2010

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Aren’t these kids adorable? I think so, and guess why they are so happy? Because they just received a pair of shoes. Kids are so easy to please, they are only shoes right?
So I know that TOMS are all the rage and they are what all the kids are doing these days, but they’re cute, fun and for a great cause. So many of the world’s children in developing countries grow up without shoes, having to walk miles to get food and water, medical help and attend school (which often require shoes as uniform). The problem is large but the solution simple, shoes. Wearing shoes and basic hygiene can prevent both infection and disease due to unsafe roads and contaminated soil. The leading cause of disease in these areas is soil-based parasites.
In an effort to bring attention to the impact a simple pair of shoes can have in a child’s life, JMR Chalk Garden and Lolabella Boutique will be joining TOMS Shoes in its third annual One Day Without Shoes campaign that asks everyone worldwide to go barefoot on April 8th. JMR and Lolabella will be leading a barefoot walk around Gateway Mall, ending at our JMR Gateway Mall location. The walk will begin at 3:00pm, meeting in the northwest corner of Pioneer Park (300 so. 400 w.) and the after party will take place at JMR Gateway (139 so. Rio Grande St.) from 4-6pm.
If you can’t make it to the walk stop by one of the JMR or Lolabella stores and purchase a few pairs of TOMS there are so many styles and colors to choose from. I have two pair myself, the red with are so fun and the burlap that appeal my hippie side. Just a little side note the JMR located at Fashion Place Mall sold 267 pairs of TOMS last month, that’s 267 pairs of shoes that went to kids in need, AWESOME.

Vegan Chocolate Pudding

05 Monday Apr 2010

Posted by in dessert, vegan

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

So a few months back I posted an awesome Mint Chocolate Pudding which I love, and then I came up with this one. It’s just a little easier and dairy free which is a great alternative for any diet direction. It has become one of Billy’s favorite ‘treats’, and he requests it often and I feel great about making it for him. I have also made it for my family and friends and they would agree it’s a winner, you may be a little surprised by the ingredients but don’t knock it till you try it. ENJOY
-Chocolate Pudding-
1 14-oz silken tofu (organic)
1/2 c. soy milk, (last time I used some leftover coffee, yummy)
1/2 c. maple syrup (real) or agave nectar
1/2 c. cacao powder (raw chocolate powder)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt, shake of cinnamon, dash of nutmeg
1. Put all the ingredients into the food processor and mix until smooth, just once remove lid and scrape down sides, put lid back on and mix again until totally smooth.
2. Divide into 6 ramekins, place in the refrigerator at least an hour before serving.

Happy Easter- Asparagus Salad

05 Monday Apr 2010

Posted by in appetizer, salad

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, ,

So I woke up looked outside, and guess what? MORE SNOW. Usually I don’t complain about the weather but I’m a little over the snow, let’s get on with SPRING! At least it is Easter and that makes it feel like spring and I had my mom’s famous Lasagna to look forward to later.
Earlier in the week my mom called and asked us to come over for a family get together on Easter, we were in ofcourse. Then she said “are you guys interested in eating meat?” sounds funny right? But here’s the thing we (Billy and I) don’t eat much meat at our house, just a personal choice. The cool thing for us is that when we do decide to partake in meat it’s usually something special like Thanksgiving turkey or my mom’s famous Lasagna, and it didn’t disappoint. Thanks mom and big Mike for a great get together and mom your Lasagna is amazing, so worth abandoning my veggie ways for a classic homemade dish of love.

P.S. I made an Asparagus dish to take to my mom’s, here’s the recipe ENJOY.

-Stalker Salad-

1 lbs. asparagus
1/4 c. finely minced red onion
1/4 c. minced red or yellow pepper
3 T. olive oil
1 T. Dijon mustard
3 T. white wine vinegar (I used a apricot wine vinegar that I got at the Farmers Market, yummy)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Trim the ends from the asparagus and steam for 5 minutes until tender, but not mushy. (I roasted mine, seasoned with olive oil in a 400 degree oven for 17 minutes)
2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the rest of the ingredients. When asparagus is ready lay them in a shallow dish and drape with the mixture in the bowl.

*This dish came from one of my long time clients Mary Strickland, thanxMary.

Pumpkin Corn Bread

04 Sunday Apr 2010

Posted by in vegan

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

So if you are an avid cook like myself you probably have a hard time throwing away food. I’m always looking for creative ways to use up extra ingredients, that is how this recipe came to be. I had leftover pureed carrots and yams from the Mac and Cheese and remembered that I had pulled this recipe out of the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens while waiting for an oil change on our Prius one Friday afternoon with Billy. I was hoping to make it for Thanksgiving to go in my stuffing recipe but it never happened. But I had to use up the rest of those purees and thought about this recipe, and you’ll never guess what I did with the corn bread… I used it to make corn bread croutons for Black Bean Soup! I’ll give you the recipe the way it’s written and then off to the side tell you what I used, mine is actually vegan. Enjoy.
-Pumpkin Corn Bread-
6 T. butter (I used Earth Balance Butter)
2 c. cornmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill Coarse Cornmeal, I like the texture)
1/3 sugar (I used Agave Nectar)
2 T. masa harina or corn flour (I used whole wheat flour, it’s just what I had)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 c. buttermilk (I used soymilk)
1 8-oz carton sour cream (I used 1/2 c. Tofutti Sour Cream)
1 egg lightly beaten (I used egg replacer)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (I used a mixture of the leftover carrot and sweet potato/yam puree)
1. Heat oven to 350 F. Generously brush a 12 inch cast iron skillet with 2 T. butter (I used my bread pan put you could also just use a square pan) they also suggest using 22 muffin tin cups. But if using the muffin tins only cook 8-10 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine cornmeal, sugar, masa harina, baking powder and soda, salt and pumpkin spice. In another bowl combine remaining butter, buttermilk, sour cream, egg and pumpkin; whisk into cornmeal mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean, cook on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped butter. (Or make croutons like me )

Mac and Cheese (with hidden veggies)

04 Sunday Apr 2010

Posted by in pasta

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

I have been meaning to get this on the blog for some time, this recipe is family friendly meaning everyone can appreciate this dish. I don’t have kids just a husband who is a kid at heart and he loves this recipe so much that he laps up the remaining sauce with his finger and licks it off.
I was telling my TBC (Tall Bitches Club) ladies that if you have leftover of the pureed carrots and yams that go in this dish they would make great snack for your little ones. No matter what this dish is a hit it’s fast, creative and good for you. Enjoy!
P.S. This recipe was inspired by Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook Deceptively Delicious, if you have kids or a spouse who won’t eat there veggies this cookbook is very helpful and very creative.
-Mac and Cheese- Serves 4-6
3 c. Macaroni (I use whole wheat pasta)
2 T. butter (I use Earth Balance Butter)
2 T. flour (I use whole wheat flour or soy flour, it’s just whatever you have)
1 c. milk (I use soy milk)
1/2 c. carrot puree*
1/2 c. sweet potato/yam puree*
1 c. shredded cheddar (I like Beehive Cheese, they are local and make great cheese)
2 c. broccoli
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1. In a large pot of salted boiling water cook macaroni according to directions. During the last two minutes throw in the broccoli with the pasta. Cook last remaining few minutes together and then drain both into a colander and set aside.
2. In a large saute pan melt the butter over medium heat, when melted and slightly bubbling add flour and whisk into a smooth paste. Cook for one minute to remove the raw flour paste, add milk a little at a time and whisk well to avoid lumps. Whisk all together until it begins to thicken, add all the spices and whisk together once more.
3. Turn heat to low after sauce has thickened, add carrot puree* and sweet potato/yam puree*, and cheese. Turn off heat and stir all together, toss the pasta and broccoli into thickened cheese sauce and stir one last time. Serve immediately.
*Pureed veggies is easy, I do these separately though. Either use a steamer basket or place the veggies in a pot with a little water and a tight fitting lid and cook over medium heat until knife tender. (That means that when you insert your knife into the veggie it slides right off) When tender puree the cooked veggies in a food processor, you may need to use a little of the cooking liquid to puree the veggies just until smooth.
I served this dish with Roasted Brussel Sprouts. All you do is wash, cut into halves or quarters depending on the size. Place the prepared brussel sprouts on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Put into a preheated (400 degree) oven for 10 -20 minutes. After the first 10 minutes I toss the sprouts a little and determine how much longer.When they come out of the oven I season with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and maybe just a little more olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy

Brown Rice and Eggs (Cosmo Hippie Chef Alert!)

28 Sunday Mar 2010

Posted by in breakfast

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

So this yummy warm earthy dish could probably be found in many different places, though I’m sure we would all interrupt it our own unique way. I first had this dish in Playa del Carmen, Mexico on the same trip I found Chiliquiles. My first thought was Brown Rice and Eggs? What could be special about that it’s so simple? My next thought was it’s a complex carbohydrate (the brown rice) and a healthy protein (the eggs) and will probably sustain me for a good part of the day, even if all I was doing that day was laying in the sun (which I was). So I ordered it and who knew something so simple would be so good. I even went back another morning for the same dish, the second time I asked for some sliced tomato’s for a fresh element and DELISH again. Now when I make Chiliquiles I save some of the tomato sauce so I can use it in this dish, we actually had it for breakfast this morning. Enjoy
-Brown Rice and Eggs- Serves 2-4
1 c. brown rice or more depending on the amount of hungry mouths, (I recently have been using wild rice I think it’s fun to switch it up)
2 eggs per person
Earth Balance Butter, or Olive Oil
leftover Chiliquiles sauce
salt and pepper
* sometimes I saute up some Kale and add it as well (I’m always finding places to add veggies)
**optional: Tofutti Sour Cream, avocado, extra hot sauce
1. Cook rice according to directions, (most times I make the rice a day ahead if I know I’m going to make this dish, it just saves time if making it for breakfast.)
2. Warm up leftover Chiliquiles sauce, (P.S. you could totally make the Chiliquiles sauce just for this recipe.)
3. In a saute pan saute the rice with a little butter or oil just until warmed through (if using already cooked rice). I like a little crunch or crispness to the rice. Salt and pepper the rice just a bit, cook for about 5-10 minutes.
4. Scoop the warm sauce into the bottom of the bowl and top with the sauteed rice. Set aside while you cook the eggs.
5. Add a little more butter or oil to the saute pan you used for the rice. Crack the eggs into the pan, I cook mine over easy but you could certainly scramble them if you’d prefer. Top the rice and sauce with the cooked eggs. (Be sure and salt and pepper the eggs while they cook.)
6. Top with any optional ingredients you would like.

Chilaquiles

07 Sunday Mar 2010

Posted by in breakfast

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

, ,

I’m not even sure where to begin about this dish, WE LOVE IT! It’s warm, spicy, comforting, and super delicious. I first had this dish in Playa de Carmen, Mexico this last November, and I’ve been making a version of it ever since. That’s what’s awesome about traveling and trying the traditional dishes, you can bring home a piece of that experience. Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish, typically corn tortillas cut into quarters and fried are the basis of the dish and a green or red salsa is usually poured over the tortillas until they begin to soften. Either eggs or pulled chicken are sometimes mixed in. The dish is topped with cheese and sour cream and maybe served with refried beans. It’s usually eaten for breakfast or brunch, this makes it a popular recipe to use leftover tortillas and salsa. They also believe this dish is a cure for a hangover… you decide.

I will share the way I interpreted the dish but try and make it your own. We thought this dish was special enough for Christmas Eve breakfast with my mom and Big Mike, it was a total hit.

Also my friend Nicole asked me for some Indian cooking tips, and I told her I would post a list of Indian spice that I think would possibly work with this dish. Enjoy!

–Chilaquiles– Serves 2

4 eggs
2 tortillas (I use organic sprouted wheat tortillas, burrito size)
1 jar canned tomatoes, or 32 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce (I pour the rest of the can into a Ziploc and toss in the freezer)
half a medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch rounds and cut in halve again
olive oil
salt and pepper

-Toppings-

avocado
tofutti sour cream, or regular sour cream
cheese
hot sauce

1. I start by simmering the jar, or can of tomatoes in medium saucepan over medium heat, when the tomatoes begin to simmer I season with salt and pepper. Chop up the chipotles and toss into simmering tomatoes. Turn down to low and let simmer while you work on the other ingredients. (When using canned tomatoes from the store, if the mixture looses all it liquid add just a little water. You want it to be thickened and reduced, but a little liquid is ideal.)

2. Pre-heat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with foil, take to tortillas and cut in half, and then in half again. You’ll have 4 quarters then cut each of those in half and place on cookie sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and when oven is ready place in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. You want them crispy and slightly browned. When done take out of oven and let cook.

3. Next get two bowl ready for serving. Place a frying on medium heat with a little olive oil crack all the eggs and begin to cook, be sure to season with salt and pepper. Cook them to your liking, we like them over easy.

4. Just before the eggs are cooked add the half moon slices of onion into the tomato chipotle mixture and stir in. Then warm then through just a little, when ready spoon about 1/2 c to 2/3 of a cup of the tomato onion mixtuer into each bowl, next top with the eggs.

5. At this point it’s up to you what you want to top your dish with, we like tofutti sour cream and avocado for sure. If we have cheese we add it, if not it’s great without cheese. I place the baked tortilla wedges around the outside of the bowl. (I have a soggy bread and tortilla thing, this ensures that they don’t get to soft before I can get to them.)

Here’s a few Indian spices I think would work if you want to take the dish that direction.
Cinnamon, Cloves, Allspice, Cumin, Nutmeg, Corriander, Tumeric and Dried or Fresh Parsley,
I would start with about 1/4 t. of some of these to start out, remember you can always add more.

P.S. We had this dish for brunch this morning, and maybe for dinner later in the week :), also I use the leftover sauce for another dish that I will share, Brown Rice and Eggs.

The Best Bang for Your Bite

06 Saturday Mar 2010

Posted by in seasonal

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

,

I don’t know about you but for me I want to get the best bang for my buck at the grocery store. The best way to do that is eating not only locally grown fruits and veggies but the ones that are in season. Eating both locally and in season ensure your dollars are well spent but also that the food your eating is as nutritious as it can be. The less it has to travel the sooner to your plate. Here’s a few options to look for next time your at the store.

  1. Sweet Potatoes/Yams: A very good source of dietary fiber and potassium. They are also a very good source of several vitamins, including vitamins B1, B6, and C, and manganese.
  2. Winter Squash: Like other richly colored vegetables winter squash are an excellent source of carotene’s, the richer the color the richer the concentration such as pumpkin and acorn. Like other carotene-rich vegetables, winter squash have been shown to exert a protective effect against many cancers, particularly lung cancer.
  3. Kale: It is among the most highly nutritious vegetables! A good source of carotene’s vitamins C, B6,B1,B2,E and minerals including copper, iron and calcium.
  4. Brussel Sprouts/Cabbage: They are similar in nutritional qualities to broccoli, an excellent source of folic acid, vitamins C, K and bete-carotene. They are a good source of vitamin B6, fiber, thiamine, and potassium. Brussel sprouts contain numerous cancer fighting phytochemicals in the form of glucsinolates. Also a good food to reduce appetite, promote bowel regularity, and prevent colon cancer.
  5. Carrots: Two carrots (not baby carrots) provide roughly 4,050 retinol equivalents, or roughly four times the RDA of vitamin A. Carrots also provide excellent levels of vitamin K, biotin, and fiber and very good levels of vitamins C, B6, potassium and thiamine.
  6. Broccoli/Califlower: Califlower is not as nutrient dense as broccoli, but has many of the compounds that help prevent cancer. Broccoli is especially rich in vitamin C. A 1-cup serving of broccoli provides about the same amount of protein as a cup of corn or rice but less than one third the amount of calories. it’s an excellent source of of vitamins K, A as well as folic acid and fiber. It also contains phytochemicals with tremendous anticancer effects.
  7. Grapefruit: Is low in calories but is a good source of flavonoids, water-soluble fibers, potassium, vitamin C, and folic acid. It also contains phytochemicals, including liminoids, flavonoids, lycopene and glucarates.
  8. Pears/Red Aujou Pears: They are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, copper, vitamins B2, and E and potassium. Pears are are actually higher in pectin than apples. This makes them quite useful in helping lower cholesterol levels and in toning the intestines.
  9. Oranges: The combination of high vitamin C content and flavonoids make oranges important whenever vitamin C is required to function, especially within the immune system, lens of the eyes, adrenal glands (stress receptors), and reproductive organs and in the connective tissues of our body, such as the joints, gums and ground substance; and in promoting overall good health.

Great Flavor and Fab Prices. Good luck and enjoy the end of the winter bounty.

Outdoor Table for Two- Kale and Sausage

06 Saturday Mar 2010

Posted by in breakfast, vegan

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

So we’ve added something savory, and naughty to our breakfast routine… Kale and ‘Sausage’. Really for breakfast? Yes! I’m always striving to balance our meals in a healthy way, and since our yummy hot cereal is sweet this savory addition is another way for us to up our veggie count for the day plus a little added protein to balance the potential carb overload. So when I say ‘Sausage’ I’m talking about a new product I’ve come across from a company called Field Roast, there an artisan vegan meat company. All there product are made from vegetable protein, I like the Smoked Apple Sausages.
-Kale and Sausage
1 link Field Roast Smoked Apple Sausage, cut into small bite size pieces
1 bunch Kale, take leaves off the stem and cut up into smaller pieces
olive oil
salt and pepper
small wedge lemon
1. Start by heating oil over medium heat in a saute pan, when oil is hot toss in sausage and start sauting.
2. When sausage has started to brown add the chopped kale and begin to saute. Toss often until wilted but still bright in color.
3. When wilted enough for you, season with salt and pepper and and the juice of some lemon.
4. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

NAMASTE

24 Wednesday Feb 2010

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Hello to all my new yoga friends that may be new to my blog. My goal is to provide creative, easy ,responsible recipes. I love food and I want my food choices to not only to be heart warming and comforting but healthy for in internal workings of our beautiful bodies. I’ve always been on this healthy path but a health concern made it not even an option to go any other direction. My hope is that we all find our own healthy path and maybe my recipes can help on that journey. I have a handful of recipes that I haven’t had time to blog about so please check back when you can. Namaste