Green Pancakes

I'VE GONE MAD!!!

I made another absurdly green recipe.

Today's green recipe comes from (never)homemaker. I shook it up a bit with oat flour, cause I like a hearty pancake. These taste great and are packed full of nutrition! Would be good for kids or St. Patrick's day. Or just me.

Green Pancake Mix

8-10 pancakes

1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. oat flour (oats pulsed into a flour consistency)

1 tbsp baking powder

2 tbsp flax meal

2 c. fresh spinach

pinch salt

Pulse all ingredients in a large food processor, until it looks like green flour.

This can store in the fridge for up to 2 days. I recommend that you just make a ton of pancakes, then reheat for a few days.

To turn these into pancakes, first make the wet ingredients:

Wet Ingredients

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 c. milk of choice - unsweetened, unflavored almond or soy are my choices

1 tbsp brown sugar for sweetness!

Stir in the green mix and then toss in 1/3 c. fresh blueberries and 1/4 c. chopped walnuts or whatever you like in your pancakes.

Cook on a skillet sprayed with cooking spray like you would any ol pancake.

I promise, these don't take like spinach. Stop looking at me weird.

Super Bowl

Sorry, the title was misleading. We're not going to talk about sports.

We're going to talk about bowls full of super foods. Gotcha!

Sometimes, don't you just want to throw a bunch of stuff in a bowl, cover it with hot sauce, sit indian style on the couch wearing stretchy pants, and watch hours and hours of Girls?

Like, especially when it's raining?

Maybe it's just me. And I feel like if I put enough healthy things in that bowl, I can counter balance the supreme laziness of my couch camping. 

I like this meal because it's very simple. Very few ingredients, and 9 out of 10 times, I have all the elements handy. Tofu and lentils are a winning combo and really anything is better covered in salsa.

Super Tofu Lentil Bowl

for one couch dweller

3 oz firm tofu, cubed

1 tsp EVOO

1/3 c. steamed lentils 

1/2 c. jarred salsa (TJ's Salsa Autentica or Pace Chunky - aka white people salsa preferred)

1 c. steamed fresh broccoli

1/4 c. avocado chunks

Heat EVOO over med-high heat. Toss in tofu and stir fry for 4-6 minutes, or until golden.

Dump in lentils.

And salsa. Reduce heat to low and toss all ingredients. Let the salsa and lentils heat through.

Scoop lentil/tofu mixture over broccoli and top with avocado.

Add about 1 gallon of Cholula hot sauce to taste.

Veggies for Dessert

Have I gone overboard?

Is this too much?

I mean, come on. Veggies for dessert? For added irony, I am writing this as I watch the most recent Epic Meal Time upload. It's my new favorite youtube channel. Other than Bad Lip Reading.

Did I mention I don't have TV?

Anyway.

Eat yo veggies. It's really quite awesome, especially if you like a good basic green monster. Subtly sweet. Spinach takes on whatever you blend it into, you just have to get over the weird bright green-ness. Speaking of which, remember green ketchup?

Well I feel like this has been sufficiently ADD commentary, so here's the recipe. Let me know if you try it!

Avocado Spinach Coconut Milk Ice Cream
makes about 3 cups

2 ripe avocados
1 can light coconut milk
1 c. unsweetened original soy milk
2 c. fresh spinach
1/3 c. sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon

Stuff all ingredients into a blender. If you have a smaller blender, mix everything but the soy milk, then just whisk that in later in a bowl.

Blend for about 1 minute or until super smooth.

Pour into trusty ice cream maker.

Run for 15-20 minutes, or until it stops churning because it's frozen!

Transfer to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for 2-3 hours. 

When ready to serve, let it sit out for 10 minutes so it may soften for scooping.

I read that you could add 1-2 tbsp of booze to keep frozen treats from freezing too hard. Someone try that and report back. I can't make an entire batch of ice cream for myself. I live alone.

Happy Thanksgiving?

For this recipe, I have no words. Other than: I should have made this for Thanksgiving.

For realsies, pin this on your "Thanksgiving" board.

Cranberry-Orange Stuffed Acorn Squash

makes two

Inspired by Martha

1 acorn squash

2 tsp EVOO

1 sweet yellow onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic. minced

2 cups sliced brown mushrooms

1/4 c. walnuts, roughly chopped

1 sprig fresh thyme

3-4 medium sage leaves

1/4 c. dried cranberries

zest of 1/2 orange

1 cup cooked wild rice

salt and pepper to taste

Wash squash well - lots of nooks and crannies! Cut in half, scoop out goop, and roast face up, uncovered at 450F for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, saute garlic and onion in EVOO.

When soft, add mushrooms and saute for 4-6 minutes or until soft.

Chop walnuts.

Remove thyme leaves from sprig. Finely chop with the sage.

Remove squash from oven and scoop out about 1/3 c. of flesh from any thick edges.  Roughly chop.

Add nuts, sage, thyme, squash, and dried cranberries to onion/mushroom mixture.

Zest orange over the pan.

Add wild rice and mix.

Stuff mixture into squash halves. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until toasted. 

Remember that garlic cashew cream? Yeah, pour that stuff over.

Never too early for Thanksgiving meal planning :)

Resolution One and Cashew Cream

I mentioned that I have an arsenal of resolutions this new year. One of my biggest is to significantly reduce my intake of meat and animal products. Like as in... stop buying them.

I've never been a big meat eater, mostly a chick-a-tarian, the occasional bacon-y product, cured meats popular on wine bar tapas menus, etc. And of course, fish has always been my friend. You can see the blog history for yourself.

As someone who's had a mind on healthy eating and... well let's be honest... calorie intake....since I was 13... I've always understood from various websites, reading, weight-loss groups, and the like that lean meats, chicken breast, non-fat dairy, and egg whites were your best of friends. Lean protein! Eat as much as possible! You need more protein! It's carb-free! Super low-fat! Carbs are evil. You need to eat more meat. Have some whey protein. EAT MORE PROTEIN.

There are groups and advocates that will argue to the death that this is the best thing for you - protein protein protein! Why are we so protein-obsessed? When did we (the American nutrition mind) decide that protein HASTOBE an animal product? A person can derive just as much if not more than necessary daily protein intake from plant sources. MIND BLOWN.  PS don't use cavemen as an argument. They didn't have desk jobs, SUV's, and meat processing plants. Pipe down.

I know nothing of science. I know a lot about printing? And I could write a marketing textbook fresh out of grad school. So I'm not going to stand on a soap box and regurgitate Vegan/Vegetarian propaganda, which is probably just as puffed up as the other end of the spectrum. But I don't need a science credential to understand this logic:  the meat industry is a huge waste of resources (we raise crops, process said crops, feed said crops to animals, raise animals, kill said animals, process said animals, distribute animals). This is not a sustainable system.  Also, the meat and dairy industries are as influential and powerful as Big Tobacco and use that power to support their lobby (did you know milk is not the best all-around source of calcium? But what about all those commercials and TV ads?). Why is ground beef so cheap, and organic spinach is a rip? Finally, as someone who reads a lot of news about the food processing industry professionally, I am unsettled by the...ahem... harvesting of both meat and dairy animals. Especially poultry... oh it's horrific. It's just not something I want to support personally.

Plus I really want to have a pet pig one day and I don't want a terrible guilt cloud hanging over me the whole time. 

So I'm resolved to stop buying animal products at the grocery store. Will I keep this up eating out/holidays/dinner parties/etc? Probably not 100%, but I am not trying to be perfect. Just trying to do better. And I've got to learn to be happy with doing better over perfect in many facets of life. I guess that's another resolution.

So here's a condolence recipe for reading my rant.

Garlic Cashew Cream
makes about a cup

1/2 c. raw, unsalted cashews
1/4-3/4 c. warm water
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
s+p to taste

First, I give you options. Pick one.
1. Soak cashews overnight in fridge in enough water to cover +1 inch. Drain soaking water before blending.
2. Simmer cashews  in enough water to cover +1 inch for 25 minutes. Drain water before blending.

I chose boil.

Drain, as directed, and transfer cashews to a blender. Not a food processor! A blender. Start with 1/4 c. of water and add as you get the consistency you want. Blend for about 30 seconds to a minute, or until a sour cream like consistency is attained.

Add nutritional yeast and garlic. I use raw garlic cause I like the bite and I'm single. You could roast garlic first for a more mellow, nutty sauce.

Blend another 20 seconds or so. Season to taste. Cashew cream keeps very well in the fridge for up to a week!

Tune in later for something veggie-licious to put it on! (other than the obvious- crudites, pasta, potatoes, pita chips, veggie benedict...mmmmm)

Roasted Marinara

I can keep a 50 pound dog alive - perfectly healthy! - but for the life of me, I cannot keep a basil plant alive.

Too much sun, not enough sun. Too much water, not enough water. Bugs eating the leaves. Pets eating the leaves. Picked too many of the leaves.

This basil plant I picked up last weekend will be my 4th attempt as basil plant ownership. Annddd I think it's already dying.

So, at the pre-funeral for my basil plant, I will bring this:

Roasted Marinara
makes 4 cups

4 lbs grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
2 large sweet onions
5 cloves garlic, peeled
15-20 freshly picked large basil leaves
3 tbsp EVOO
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp red chili flakes if you so dare

Wash basil, since you don't know who or what has been chewing/licking/barfing/peeing on the leaves.

Wash tomatoes too! Pat dry.

Spray 1 large or 2 medium casserole dishes with cooking spray and add in tomatoes. You want a single layer so they will roast. If they are too tight, they will just steam.

Peel and roughly chop the onion.  Spread the onion, garlic, and basil over tomatoes.

Drizzle with EVOO. Shake the pan around so oil gets nicely distributed.

Sprinkle over the salt and the hotness.

Roast at 425 for 1 hour for 1 pan, longer for two, or until items look like this:

Transfer in batches to a blender.

You'll want to vent the blender. Blend until smooth.

Steamy.

Transfer to a saucepan and simmer on low until your noodles or whatever are ready. This is where you can add extra seasoning like salt or more hotness. You could also add grated romano or parm, a splash of wine, more basil, vodka and cream, etc etc to customize.  This recipe makes a simply amazing basic marinara.

It's a bright orangy red unlike the bottled stuff, which is usually fortified with tomato paste. And it's amazing.

You could also make this recipe with regular sized tomatoes like heirlooms or romas. You will likely have a thinner sauce which might benefit from 3-5 tablespoons of tomato paste. Or you could simmer uncovered and let it reduce if you have the time.

You may have noticed a new setting for my photos! (different dishes, CRAPTASTIC lighting, different countertops). Here's my new kitchen!

Lighting is kinda wonky in here, so bear with me.

Remember me?

It's been four months since my last blog. Forgive me.


I've been kinda busy.

A bunch has happened. Got a degree, moved, got a job, lost a pet. All pretty big deals (to me).

So here it is another new year. I've got resolutions that include doing this blog thing sometimes (among many other things). Apparently I feel very resolved this year cause I have a lot of resolutions. None of which I have written done or even typed up. (PS why do we write down and type up?) The resolutions are all in this little head of mine. Maybe they'll make it to the blog. Maybe.

I made you treats (healthy treats!) to make up for all that lost time. And yeah, I shot these with my shitty camera phone, cause I haven't used my camera for umpteen millions days and it's dead. And I don't plan ahead. 

Hot 'n Spicy Chocolate Balls

just kidding.

Raw/No Bake Chocolate Chili Truffles
6 truffles

1/4 c. cashews
pinch o salt
sprinkle o cinnamon
sprinkle o cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
10 pitted dried dates

Add cashews to food processor.

Sprinkle in salt (love my bull terrier salt shaker!)

Sprinkle in spices and flavors.

Add 1 tsp of the cocoa.

And dates.

Process for about 20-40 seconds.

Or until you reach a fine quinoa-like consistency

Scoop out by the loosely packed tablespoon.

Roll into a ball.

And drop into a shallow bowl with remaining 1/2 tsp. cocoa. 

Once all balls are in the bowl, shake the bowl around to coat the truffles.

Pop in the freezer for 1-2 hours to set.

See, I didn't forget about you. I brought you chocolates.