S.C. 1.3: Mom G's Chinese Cabbage Salad "The Remix" and The "Magical Fruit" Bowl

Today started like this...and when I say started, I  mean literally at 12 a.m.:
HONK HONK HONK
(pause)
HONK HONK HONK
(pause)
HONK HONK HONK.

It continued like this:
choice words,
standing in the driveway,
more choice words,
back to sleep.

Today started again like this...at 3:45 a.m.:
HONK HONK HONK (quick end with remote in hand, sleeping with remote in hand)
HONK HONK HONK (repeat)
HONK HONK HONK (repeat)
Resigned choice words,
standing in the driveway again,
unhooking things and hoping for the best,
back to bed, remote in hand.

Today started again -- permanently -- at 6:30 a.m.

When you feel like your first call should be to a car exorcist, it is reasonable to think that today might be one of those days.

Thankfully...the day vastly improved.  The "hey let's unplug this" approach seemed to work, which is good because the car couldn't be seen today.  Perhaps, it can go in for a check-up next week.  Due to a lack of sleep, illness, and the car situation, the hub was actually home today; it was nice to see him, since I feel like I haven't really seen him with the hectic nature of this week.  He kindly drove me to yoga, just in case possession might resume (what kind of zen could be achieved when one is constantly worrying about HONK HONK HONK?), and took care of other car-related activities.

Yoga was wonderful as always and hard.  Let's just say that when you open with push-up like activity in slow-mo, you expect to be challenged.  Lots of sweat, but also achievement.  Here's one comment from my teacher that really struck me, as I thought about wanting to encourage people to do yoga: "Yoga is about quieting the thinking mind."  Though asanas (the physical postures) function as vehicles for yoga, it seems it is possible to do yoga without the postures and in any time and place.  Another teacher of mine always leaves us with a challenge that is "between us and universe."  In that spirit, I offer you a similar challenge (no reports...just between you and the universe): Make some time over the weekend for quieting the thinking mind, even if you quiet it for only 5 min.  It always amazes me what 5, 10, 15 minutes of this kind of quiet can do!

After yoga, I walked and played with puppies, ahem...I mean worked.  I feel especially lucky to have this job on gorgeously sunny, if crisp, days.  Then, I had tea with some friends in the neighborhood, caught up with a dear friend, made two meals, enjoyed some favorite shows with the hub, and am settled in to post to you with my usual cup of tea.

As long as HONK doesn't wake the neighborhood before 11:59, day 3 ended much better than it began!

Fri. lunch...and beyond: Mom G's Chinese Cabbage Salad "The Remix"
This is one of the first meals that I ever ate with the hub's family; aside from being delicious, it evokes happy times.  Even though I eat differently now than I did then, I love to keep family food traditions alive.  Here's my veganized, reduced fat, and cleanse-friendly version of this favorite:

Serves: 4-6

1 small head of green cabbage, cored and chopped
1/2 c. cashews, chopped
1 T. sesame seeds
1/4 of a yellow onion, thinly sliced into pieces no bigger than an inch in length
1 pkg. vegan ramen (I used Koyo Garlic Pepper Ramen), noodles smashed (careful -- bag often bursts on me!) and spice packet reserved

Mix all of the above ingredients together in a bowl.  Then, make the dressing.

Dressing:
2 T. agave
1/3 c. brown rice vinegar
1/2 t. dried tarragon
2 T. sesame oil
1/2 t. black pepper
2 T. soy sauce (or similar product, I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos)
1/2 spice packet

Mix dressing, pour over salad, and stir to combine.  Put in refrigerator for several hours, preferably overnight, and serve.

Certainly, this is not the most colorful dish, but the addition of some shredded carrots, red onion, or black sesame seeds would be easy options for a bit of pop.



Thurs./Fri. dinner: The "Magical Fruit" Bowl
As I was packing up the leftovers of this dish, I wondered if I could actually call this a bowl of magical fruit, because there was only one item in the bowl actually fit the nickname -- the black beans.  Then, I started thinking, which resulted in googling, which resulted in mental cheering at the title and my nerdtasticness.  Tomatoes -- fruit.  Corn kernels -- fruit (debated, but arguably true).  Chipotle chiles -- fruit.  Olives -- fruit.  Who knew?  And therefore...for the fond, but cautionary nickname and the  real, almost magical benefits of these various fruits, I present you with...the "Magical Fruit" Bowl.

Serves: 4

1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced (I used 3/4 of the onion left over from the previous recipe)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. chipotle chili powder *
1 15.5 oz. can no salt, diced tomatoes (DO NOT drain)
1 15.5 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. frozen corn kernels
2 c. cooked brown rice (yes, from yesterday -- always good to plan for multiple use!)
1 T. tomato paste
2 t. cilantro
Salt and pepper

*Tonight, I used 1 t. which I palm-measured;  we were a bit overwhelmed.  If you like heat, you may opt for the 1 t..   Otherwise, use the amount noted here (you will get a less four-alarm inducing smoky heat), then allow people to add heat as needed.

1. Heat oil to med./med. high heat in large frying pan.  Once hot, add garlic and onion; saute for 3 min.
2. Then, add chipotle
3. Add beans and corn; saute for 3 min.
4. Add rice to warm it and add tomato paste.  Stir to combine.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.

The hub added some black olives to his bowl.  I made the Cashew Crema from Terry Hope Romero's Viva La Vegan and thawed the remainder of the pea/avocado guacamole discussed in a previous post; both added a lovely cooling contrast to the heat.

Spring Cleaning Week 1: Gearing Up with Groceries!

I love grocery shopping.  Love.  It.   However, I particularly enjoyed this week's trip because 1) we eliminated all but a very few processed foods (soy milk, brown rice pasta) in preparation for the cleanse, and 2) I surprised the hub by coming in under the weekly budget with even more produce than usual.  WOOHOO!

I planned and purchased with these eliminations from the cleanse list in mind (see last post for cleanse guidelines and further details):

* All Level 1 eliminations: processed sugar, alcohol, yeasted products, white flour products

* Level 2 eliminations: White potatoes, white rice, peanuts, strawberries,  fruit juice, jams (animal products, of course!)

* Reduced processed soy products ( I will have soy milk and tempeh this week (mostly because I have them to use up))

*Reduced wheat/gluten (as in...only one dish and only because I just now realized that the ramen has wheat/gluten in it --argh!  See -- before I even begin, I have a good reminder to be gentle with myself in this process.)

Thus, I plan to operate at Cleanse Level 2 this week, as I am not eliminating all items from the second section in the guidelines.  To help you with your planning, I've included grocery item needs to the best of my knowledge and ability at this time.

Cleanse Purchase Overview:
(As always, buy what works for your needs and budget.)

2 heads of baby bok choy
1 bunch red Swiss Chard
1 pkg. celery hearts
1 spaghetti squash
1 fennel bulb
1 orange beet
2 broccoli heads
3 parsnips
2 Portabello mushrooms
1 head Boston lettuce
1 head green cabbage
2 sweet potatoes
bananas
apples
pears
romaine lettuce (two 3 pks.)
red/yellow onions
garlic
1 can black beans
1 bag unsalted brown rice cakes
1 vegan garlic pepper ramen
almond butter
tea/coffee/seltzer

Anticipated Items of Use from Pantry/Refrigerator/Freezer :
soy milk
bouillon
lentils
Canned tomatoes
Frozen homemade tomato sauce
garlic
shallots (4)
herbs
tomato paste
agave-sweetened ketchup
olive oil, tamari, rice/red wine/balsamic vinegar
stone-ground mustard
maple syrup
agave
dates
hemp seeds
almonds
white bean dip
brown rice
frozen fruit
mushrooms
kale
carrots
frozen corn
bean sprouts
tempeh
Frozen leftover pea and avocado guac

Menu Plan (beginning Sun. 2/27- Fri. 3/4)

Breakfasts: 
alternate between fruit/veg. smoothies, rice cakes with almond butter and fruit side, sweet potatoes and greens, and Steele's Raw Bars (my first dehydrator experiment -- finally!)

Lunch/Dinner Dishes:
*TONIGHT* Lentil Soup over Greens:
How nice that someone already posted Deborah Madison's recipe for the Lentil Soup from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone!  Yes, I think I've actually talked about this recipe before, but it is a fantastic healthy recipe so...revival, revival, revival -- wooooo!

My notes: I used 2 T. dried parsley, 3 carrots, 3 stalks of celery, 1.5 onions, and 6 c. water + 2 t. bouillon.  I don't do the garlic/salt pre-blend shenanigan.  I just add garlic with veg. and then add salt as needed.  I use my beloved immersion blender for a bit at the end (after removing the bay leaves) to smooth the deliciousness a bit, but it is still chunky!  If you like thinner soup, go with the 8 c. of stock/water+bouillon combination.  I sauteed rinsed kale (with water droplets still clinging) in a one t. oiled pan over med. heat  -- wilt to your liking.  Serve soup over greens.

Spicy Thai Basil Lettuce Wraps (inspired by this weekend's NYC trip)
Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Tomato and Roasted Root Sauce
Bok 'n Broc Stir Fry (clearly I will have to play a little ACDC with this one)
Mom G.'s Cabbage Salad (Veganized!)
The "Magical Fruit" Bowl

Snacks: raw bars, salads, white bean dip with veggies, fruit

Bevs: LOTS of water (Steele suggests starting with warm lemon water each morning), tea -- I got both the White Orchard and the Detox Infusion (Yay for Mighty Leaf sale!) to bring a bit of variety to my chamomile standard, and hazelnut coffee (I've taken the cocktails off of the table, so I'm allowing the minimal morning cup... for now).

Truth be told...with the pre-Oscar spread courtesy of our neighborhood gathering, I'm not quite on the cleanse train yet, but I am ready to go for tomorrow, and hey! -- that still makes me ahead of the game by a day!  Not quite ready?  Don't worry -- Perhaps you can do your grocery shopping tomorrow, and join me on Tuesday!  What about the exact ingredients?  Again, no stress -- buy what works for you this week and/or what adheres to your desired level of the cleanse, and we'll go from there!  I'll post the recipes for the dishes as I make them, and you can make substitutions to the posted recipe as needed, make your own cleanse-friendly dish, or make the recipe another time when cleansing is right for you.

What about yoga?  I'm starting with a hot Power Yoga session tomorrow morning, but you can start with Day 1 of the "21-Day Yoga Journal Challenge" or another yoga program/workout!  Even though I'll be doing my own Day 1, I do plan to complete one of the guided meditation sessions (as posted in conjunction with the Week 1 of the YJ challenge) after my class.

I'm excited about beginning a new month with this revitalizing process; I hope you'll post if you plan to join me in any capacity!

Chicago Diner at home and a Winterized Salad

Chicago Diner Mushroom Burgers with Winterized Salad
(burger toppings are dips from earlier post)

Somehow, I ended up with three packages of mushrooms in my refrigerator.  So on Tuesday, I knew a mushroom-based dish was in order, and I had been craving a patty (having been particularly naughty this past week with eating only the french fry portion of this comfort dish -- doh!).  I've not done much patty experimentation to date, so I took to the internet and quickly received a sign -- a recipe from the Chicago Diner.  A bit of home and hearty goodness -- perfect!

Regardless of whether or not you are from the Chi-town area, you may have heard of this well-established vegan dining mecca.  I actually took my first trip to it solo, last summer, when I was in town for a visit.  It was the first time in a long time that I have been to a restaurant where I am overwhelmed by the menu.  I remember literally sitting there with my coffee, mouth agape, as I tried to narrow my options.  I finally gave in and asked my server what her favorite dish was because I couldn't decide.  Needless to say, it rocked, the place rocks, and the next time you are in or through the Chicago area, you should make a stop (preferably with several people...so that you can try more delicious eats!).

I was going to include this recipe a different way, but I thought it was quite cool of godairyfree.org to provide such easy access and citation for their recipes, so here it is:

Chicago Diner Mushroom Burgers (Vegan, Nut-Free, Soy-Free)
Go Dairy Free - Thursday, 24 February 2011

2011© Go Dairy Free

Here are my recipe notes:

* Used 3 carrots for celery/peppers and leeks for the onion (Probably closer to 4 c. instead of 2 c. for these items)
* Used all cremini mushrooms
* For quick-cooking oats and flour, I might start with 2c. and 1/4 c. respectively next time, and then add as needed to bind (remember the oats will expand in the 5 min. of cooking). My patties were lovely and dense, but I am curious to see if (with reduction) I can bring out even more mushroom-y goodness. When you are cooking the entire mix together, you will feel like you are rolling a ball around in your soup pot -- that it ok!  And yes, do use a soup pot!
*For cooking, I did the oven time as directed and then sauteed burgers in pan on the stove.  Worked out just fine, though I am certainly eager to put these on the grill in the summer!
*As for the yield, our batch made 16 thick patties about 3-4" in diameter.  I would be afraid of the size if we only made 8 patties.  Oh...and also, we ate these without buns, did not need buns, and were pleasantly full with the side of vegetables.
* The sun-dried tomato dip was AMAZING on these burgers and a little goes quite a way to heighten the flavor even more.

If you have mushroom fans in your life or are looking for a great vegan burger option, this recipe will become a fave!

Winterized Salad
When we were in grad school, my friend, Em, used to make this red cabbage salad that I loved, which I always found entertaining because I wasn't the biggest fan of red cabbage.  I thought the same was true for my hub -- he is always a good sport about eating what I make, but I wondered if I could help his enjoyment of red cabbage by taking away some of its bitterness.  So, I wanted to revise this recipe into a warm cabbage salad and hope that some adaptations would help with enjoyment a la my playing with brussels.  Ultimately, this is a lovely warming version for the winter, even though I found out that he generally enjoys the raw version -- go figure.

Serves: 4-6 as a side

1 T. oil
4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small head red cabbage, decored and sliced as thinly as possible into about 1" pieces
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1.5 T maple syrup
Salt and pepper
2 heads of baby bok choy, bottom trimmed, washed, thinly sliced
1.5 T red wine vinegar (to taste)

1.  Heat oil over med. to med. high heat in large saute pan, then saute shallots  for 4 min. until softened, but not crisped.
2.  Add cabbage and saute for 10 min. uncovered (add a bit more oil or water, as you don't want sticking).
3. Add carrots, syrup, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine turn down to med. and cover for 30-40 min. until veggies are softened.
4. Add bok choy and vinegar; stir until combined and bok choy is wilted but vibrant green (about 5-7 min.).  Check and adjust salt, pepper, and vinegar balance with veg/maple sweetness as needed, and serve.

Yum -- and a great way to vary fiber intake!  Green of the month:  definitely baby bok choy.

Enjoy -- and don't forget to let me know if you try/enjoy the recipe or have any questions!