Okonomiyaki at Mom's

Mom's Okonomiyaki (Osaka Style)

My daughter Avery and I are up visiting my parents for a bit. The plan was to continue Dr. Fuhrman's 10 in 20. However, best laid plans, and all that...

So, we made okonomiyaki for dinner. It was yummy. There are several ways to make these Japanese cabbage pancakes. In fact, I believe okonomiyaki means "how you like it". Talk about adaptable. We talked about trying them two ways, chopped (Kansai or Osaka style) and layered (Hiroshima style). This didn't happen. My mom usually makes them with a whole bunch of veggies chopped up in a batter (Osaka style), so that's what we did. I tried to snap a quick picture of them cooking away on the skillet, but failed miserably and got this blurry mess of a picture:

My parents have been to Japan and enjoyed the okonomiyaki there. My little bro lived in Tokyo for a few years (as a missionary) and he loves these as well. I don't think my mom put bacon in these, and I know she didn't use any bacon grease, but that's in the recipe she gave me when I asked for it. Either way they were good.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups dashi or low-sodium chicken stock

4 eggs, beaten

8 cups finely chopped cabbage

8 oz. mushrooms, chopped

1 medium zucchini, grated

8 scallions, sliced, divided (sliced tops saved for garnish)

Kosher salt, to taste

4 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled (reserve grease)

Olive oil

Kewpie Mayonnaise

Okonomi sauce

Pickled ginger

Directions:

Combine first set of ingredients.  Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (or reserved bacon grease) in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add some of the batter, gently pushing the batter down with a spatula until flattened. Cook until underside is browned, about 4 minutes, Gently flip the pancake and cook about 5 more minutes, or until the cooked through. Serve immediately with mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, pickled ginger, and scallion greens. Repeat with remaining pancakes.

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Day 6 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Blended Mango Salad, Turkey Burgers with Black Beans and Mushrooms, Banana Walnut Ice Cream

Mango, Spinach, and Romaine Smoothie

Breakfast: Blended Mango Salad

1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped or 1 ½ cups frozen mango chunks
2 cups spinach
1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
¼ cup unsweetened, unflavored or vanilla non-dairy milk or coconut water
½ tablespoon ground flax seeds

Blend ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor.

This was a decent smoothie. I put about 2 cups romaine and between that and the spinach, the greens took over the flavor. With less lettuce I might have enjoyed this more.

Score: 7/10

Quick and Easy Vegetable Pizza

Lunch: Easy Veggie Pizza (should have been a Mixed Greens Salad with Pears, Apples and Walnut Vinaigrette)

I wasn't feeling a salad and I've been craving pizza

1 large (100% whole grain) tortilla or pita
½ cup low sodium pasta sauce
¼ cup chopped red onion
½ cup artichoke hearts
½ cup fresh tomato, chopped (I used a yellow heirloom tomato)
 1 oz fresh mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place tortilla on a baking sheet and warm for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes.

I broiled it at the end. I let it get a bit burned. The pita wasn't very good (just like Day 1's veggie pizza)


Rest coming soon...

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Day 3 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Orange and Kale Smoothie, Hummus Wrap, Tailgate Chili

Orange and Kale Smoothie in a bottle, ready to take to the gym :)

Breakfast: Orange and Kale Smoothie

1 ½ cups kale

1 apple, cored and sliced 

1 navel orange, peeled (I use 3 clementines)

½ lemon 

1 tablespoon flax seeds 

2-3 ice cubes 

Water as needed for desired consistency

Blend ingredients in a high-powered blender

I had to take this to the gym with me since I was running late this morning. The bottle I pulled out didn't fit all of the smoothie, so I drank some before I left. Avery thought the little glass was for her and got excited, but as she got closer to it, she decided not to drink it. Probably a good thing, she likes green smoothies, but I put in a little extra kale you could taste it! Overall, this was very good. Tasted very green and fresh. Without the extra kale I put in and a bit more orange, this would've been even better.

Score: 9/10

Here's the leftover smoothie that didn't fit in my bottle. Check out that color!

Hummus Wrap

Lunch: Hummus Wrap

1 large (100% whole grain) tortilla

3 tablespoons hummus  

½ cup chopped romaine

½ cup sliced tomatoes

2 slices  red onion 

Splash balsamic vinegar 

Spread hummus on the wrap, top with chopped romaine, diced tomatoes, sliced red onion and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

So, I used the whole wheat pitas that I already have instead of a tortillas and switched out the romaine with spinach. The raw red onion was strong. I might have used too much. The balsamic vinegar was also strong. Not bad. On the plus side, it was simple and quick.

Score: 7.5/10

Tailgate Chili

Dinner: Tailgate Chili

5 servings 

½ cup uncooked bulgur or quinoa 

1 cup water 

3 cups chopped onions 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

2 green bell peppers, chopped 

26 ounces low sodium diced tomatoes 

3 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, no salt added or  low sodium, rinsed and drained 

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 

2 tablespoons chili powder 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

Combine bulgur or quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, heat 1∕8 cup water in a large saucepan and water sauté onions and garlic until almost soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in green peppers and sauté an additional 3 minutes, adding more water  as needed. Stir in diced tomatoes, beans, corn, chili powder  and cumin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for  20 minutes. Add bulgur or quinoa and simmer for an additional  5 minutes.

This chili was good. Very filling. Definitely tasted healthier and more bland than regular chili. The recipe made quite a bit. I replaced one of the cans of kidney beans with black beans and added some smoked paprika. I'll probably need to freeze some of this. Not sure how many days in a row I want to eat it. 

Score: 8/10

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Day 1 of Dr. Fuhman 10 in 20: Soaked Oats, Mexican Salad, and Easy Vegetable Pizza

Soaked Oats and Peaches (Overnight Oats)

Breakfast: Soaked Oats and Blueberries (or peaches?)

½ cup uncooked old fashioned or steel cut oats
½ cup unsweetened, unflavored or vanilla soy, hemp or  almond milk
½ cup blueberries
1 small apple, chopped
½ tablespoon ground flax seeds

Combine oats and non-dairy milk. Soak for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Mix in remaining ingredients.

I didn't go shopping last night, so I  used peaches in my overnight oats instead of blueberries. I happened to have a ton of peaches from our peach tree in our freezer. They added a much needed sweetness to the oats. 

After eating breakfast I looked at the Day 1 recipes and realized I forgot the apple, so I just ate it afterward.

When I've had overnight oats in the past, I've added a pinch of salt, cinnamon or vanilla, and honey to them. Along with frozen fruit I usually have a banana, nuts and chia seeds. This 10 in 20 recipe wasn't bad. I just missed the stuff I usually put in. Especially the salt and honey!

Score: 9/10

Soaked oats (overnight Oats) with peaches instead of berries

Mexican Salad before I mixed it up

Lunch: Mexican Salad

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
½ cup cooked black beans
1∕3 cup frozen, thawed corn kernels
¼ cup low sodium salsa
½ avocado, peeled and chopped

Toss lettuce with beans, corn and salsa. Top your salad with the chopped avocado.

 So, this was a very simple salad. I didn't have an avocado, so I used some chopped almonds.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed salsa as a salad dressing! So, after getting this salad ready, I didn't have time to eat it before I had to rush my child to preschool and make it to the gym to meet my workout partners. I'm not sure if having a 6 hour gap between breakfast and lunch made it taste better or not (9:30 am to 3:30 pm). Surprisingly I wasn't very hungry until about 30 minutes before I had my salad. I also ate a clementine and a few strawberries. Needed to get the berry portion of my GBOMBS in :)

Score: 9/10

Salsa did a decent job coating lettuce and acting as a dressing

Dinner: Easy Vegetable Pizza

1 large (100% whole grain) tortilla or pita
½ cup low sodium pasta sauce
¼ cup chopped mushrooms
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 cup frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped
1 tablespoon shredded non-dairy mozzarella-type cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place tortilla on a baking sheet and warm for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes.

After watching a vlog about day 1 of this plan by Cheri over at the watering mouth (video link here) I expected not to like this pizza. So, confession time - I was a cheater cheater, pumpkin eater. Instead of buying vegan cheese, which is usually just oils and chemicals (who needs artificial chemical flavor in any of their food), I opted for regular dairy. I know! Not even CLOSE to being on plan. Now If I'd had the time I'd break out the nut milk and agar powder to make my own. As a side note, Kite Hill's vegan ricotta and Parma's vegan Parmesan actually look pretty good if I ever need to buy vegan cheese.

Okay, the whole wheat pitta was pretty much cardboard when compared to regular pizza crust, but overall I liked it. Okay, My tomato sauce wasn't no or low-sodium or oil free, and having real mozzarella really upped the flavor too. Also, I didn't have dinner until 9 pm, so I was pretty hungry.

Score: 8.5 (if this were really Dr. Fuhrman approved, I probably wouldn't have liked it so much)

Yes, I used dairy cheese and the Organic Kirkland tomato sauce I had on hand

My pizza topping station! 

 I decided to have the broccoli on the side, steamed with some Ms. Dash 

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Summer Vegetable Tian

Vegetable Tian

Ahhh, the end of the summer produce is upon us. I will miss the flavorful tomatoes from friend's and family's gardens (we have not planted one yet in our new home, but hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later). I will miss the zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, cucumbers, green beans and corn that are local and often grown by people I know. Sure, I will buy them and eat them throughout the rest of the year, but nothing beats a homegrown tomato! Of course, I am getting ahead of myself, there is probably another month or so for some of these vegetables and then of course all the fall and winter produce is great too...it just doesn't seem as plentiful. I do love me some vegetables. My husband doesn't understand what he is missing out on by being so picky.

So, what to do with tomatoes from our neighbors and squash (yellow crookneck/summer and zucchini) from my mother and father-in-law? I decided to make ratatouille's better looking cousin, a tian. Now, this is really just a fancy looking vegetable casserole/gratin type dish. Did you know that in the movie Ratatouille they actually made a tian at the end, not ratatouille? I'd never realized it until now. On a side note, It's been forever since we made ratatouille. In fact, as a trip down memory lane, click here to see my ratatouille and click here to see my mom's (Jane's).

A traditional Provençal tian is made with tomatoes, zucchini, onions, and eggplant, I believe. I did not have an eggplant on hand. I also looked up some recipes online and saw that many people made a riff on this dish with potatoes. I had a potato. My tian is not as pretty as all those pictures online. I used my mandolin to slice the veggies to an even 1/4 inch thickness, but the potato was huge in comparison to my other vegetables. So much so, that I even stacked some slices of squash on top of one another to to be about as high as the potato slices. Also, I had varying sizes of tomatoes. This meant that I had to slice more tomatoes than I thought (3 in total) and they were all inconsistent in diameter. Oh the frustrations of perfectionism!

Those beautiful overlapping rows of artfully arranged and thinly sliced vegetables may have proved elusive, but oven roasting them into a slightly caramelized state proved successful. I used fresh rosemary because I had it, but the rosemary flavor was strong. I used about 1 to 1 and 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary. Next time I might just stick with dried herbs for this, either rosemary and thyme, or just Italian seasoning. A few other notes, I chose to slice my veggies into 1/4" rounds, but the potato took a long time to cook. I checked it afer 45 minutes, then 50, then and hour. I had to recover it with foil since the cheese had already started browning, but it wasn't until around the 65 minute mark that the potatoes were really fork tender. I've enjoyed eating this. Too bad nobody else in the house will touch it.

Vegetable Tian

1 Tbs Olive oil
1 medium yellow or sweet onion
2 cloves garlic
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow summer squash
1 medium potato, yukon gold or russet
1-3 medium tomatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 - 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend or a few ounces of Gruyere, grated

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté onions in a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil until softened and transparent (roughly 5 minutes) then add the garlic until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes).

Step 2: While the onion and garlic are sautéing, thinly slice the rest of the vegetables. Try to slice them into the same shape, a 1/8" or 1/4" thick coin. A mandolin works well, but you could also use a food processor or cut them by hand if you can maintain a consistent thickness.

Step 3: Spray the inside of an 8×8" square or round baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread the softened onion and garlic in the bottom of the dish. Place the thinly sliced vegetables in the baking dish vertically, in an alternating pattern. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary.

Step 4: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, top with cheese and bake (uncovered) for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

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Fig Pizza

Saturday we found black mission figs in our Bountiful Basket. There were 7 figs in a plastic container. Mark and I each tried one. They were soft and ripe and tasty. I quickly hid the final five in the back of the fridge and got on the internet to find a recipe for fig pizza. I've always wanted to try one. Now was my chance.

The recipe I liked best was at this site. I put prosciutto and gorgonzola on my shopping list. Then I realized I had some Tillamook extra-sharp white cheddar cheese in my fridge that needed to be used. I also had a few slices of nice deli ham that needed a place to land. No need to go shopping, I had everything I needed right here at home. The resulting pizza was DELICIOUS! So many layers of flavor. I have some figs in my freezer that I got from Costco a while back. I think next time I'll see if they work on a pizza with the gorgonzola and prosciutto.


Fig, Prosciutto, Gorgonzola and Caramelised Onion Pizza

For the topping
Small handful of uncooked polenta
4 or 5 figs, sliced 
6 thin strips of prosciutto
Approx 200g Gorgonzola - or blue cheese you like
2 large onions, halved and then finely sliced
2 tbs butter
1 tsp olive oil
Approx 2 tbs of fresh, chopped rosemary
Approx 1 tbs honey
Approx 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 220C and prepare your pizza tray (I used a rectangular baking tray) by scattering the polenta over the tray and lightly tapping the bottom to ensure that it is evenly dispersed across the tray.
2. Prepare your pizza dough according to this recipe or one of your choice.
3. While the dough is rising, add the butter and oil to a heavy based pan over a low to medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the rosemary and onion and cook down for about 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan down to prevent the onion from catching and burning. Once done, transfer the onions to a bowl lined with paper towel. Set aside.
4. Assemble the figs, Gorgonzola, prosciutto, honey and balsamic vinegar.
5. Once your dough has risen, knead according to the recipe and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll your dough into your desired shape and place it carefully on your tray, gather the edges to form the crust.
6. Top the dough with the onion, spreading it out evenly over the base.
7. Arrange the figs, Gorgonzola and prosciutto over the onions and drizzle with the honey and balsamic. Season to taste.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the crusts have turned light brown and crispy.
9. Carefully take out of the oven and transfer the pizza to a board to slice up and eat.

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Goji Chili Stew

I made Dr. Fuhrman's Goji Chili Stew tonight and it was actually pretty good. The goji berries turned an orange color and didn't taste like much of anything, but probably added some nutritional benefit. I don't know if this really was a chili or a stew...definitely not a soup...well, it was better than expected, whatever it was. On Dr Fuhrman's website some of the reviewers mentioned putting the chili/stew over lettuce with some added avocado and salsa. Maybe I'll try that with the leftovers.

Changes to the recipe: I cut the recipe in half, used fire roasted tomatoes, canned corn (what I had on hand), black and pinto beans, but no kidney beans, and fresh veggies for the rest.

Dr. Fuhrman's Goji Chili Stew
Serves 6

Ingredients
3 cups diced plum tomatoes or 1 (28-oz) can no-salt-added or low-sodium plum tomatoes
1 lb frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped
10 oz frozen chopped onions, thawed
2 1/2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup goji berries
2 large zucchini, diced
4 oz chopped mild green chilies
4 tsp chili powder, or more to taste
2 tsp cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans or 1 (15-oz) can no-salt-added or low-sodium pinto beans, drained
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 (15-oz) can no-salt-added or low-sodium black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups cooked red beans or 1 (15-oz) can no-salt-added or low-sodium red beans, drained

Directions
Cover and simmer all ingredients, except precooked (or canned) beans, for 20 minutes. Add beans and heat through.

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Super Immunity 2

Yesterday morning we ate the leftover Forbidden Rice Breakfast. The rest of the day was crazy and we didn't stay with the program.

This morning we started with the breakfast from day 2, Super Seed Oatmeal. I loved it. It was sweet and creamy and the apple and seeds gave it an interesting crunch. Definitely one to repeat.

The surprise for me is how much Mark liked it. He usually isn't a big oatmeal fan.

There wasn't a review for this recipe on Dr Fuhrman's site.

Super Seed Oatmeal
Serves 2

Ingredients
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick or instant)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla soy, hemp or almond milk
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup frozen blueberries or mixed berries, thawed
1/4 cup raisins
1 tbsp raw sunflower seeds
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp ground hemp seeds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
Cook oats according to package directions, using soy milk instead of water. Mix remaining ingredients together and stir into oats.

M 5   J 5

For dinner I prepared the recipes from day one's dinner. We started with Island Black Bean Dip.

I didn't have Dr Fuhrman's Mato Zest or Blood Orange Vinegar so I substituted the Mrs Dash tomato seasoning and red wine vinegar as suggested in the recipe.

I served it with mini carrots and cucumbers and half a whole wheat pit.

The veggies and pita were great. The bean dip was awful. Dr Fuhrman's site raved about it. The only thing I can imagine is that the substitutions made a big difference.

DF 5   M 3   J 2-3

Next was the Braised Kale and Squash with Pumpkin Seeds. I didn't have the Veggie Zest or the Black Fig Vinegar that it suggested so I substituted basalmic vinegar and 2 pinches of Celtic Sea Salt. I also used acorn squash rather than butternut and baby kale rather than full leaf kale. With all that being said, we still really liked this dish.

I probably should order some of the seasoning and vinegars from Dr Fuhrman's site if I'm going to give these dishes a full chance.

DF 4.5   M 4.5   J 4.5






The Black Cherry Sorbet was great. Dr Fuhrman's site gave it a 4.5. When I looked at the reviews they were all 5's except a one. That person must have got the the rating system turned upside down because their comment was "I loved this recipe! Thank you!" Because of this I'm going to allow it a full 5.

BTW, I concur with the one star commenter. I loved this recipe!

DF 5   M 5   J 5

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Best Vegetarian Chili? If Not, Still Really Yummy

Over the weekend we traveled up to Andrew's parent's house to film a family movie. His family has been making just-for-fun home movies for a long time. In the 6 years that we've been married, this will be the second movie that we've filmed. It's hard to get everyone together, come up with ideas, plan a script, do make-up and costumes, then film and edit a movie that ends up being silly and only for the immediate family's enjoyment. We decided to make a big pot of chili on Saturday during filming since it doesn't require a ton of kitchen time and because there is still snow on the ground.

CI's Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe Using Bulgar, Walnuts, and Mushrooms

A few months back Andrew made a really good vegetarian chili when I wasn't feeling well. We couldn't find/remember the recipe he used, so we decided to turn to the wonderful cooks over at America's Test Kitchen. The December 2012 issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine had a recipe titled "Best Vegetarian Chili," but it looked time and labor intensive. Eventually we might try this one, but not for the first time at a family gathering. We ended up making a different vegetarian chili by them that called for more veggies and a lot less work. After making it, Andrew's mom said that it was a lot like (and maybe even better than) her Cowboy Stew. Since I don't know what that is, I cannot compare the two, but I can tell you that this was some dang good chili.

We doubled the recipe, but didn't follow it to the letter. We used a few bottles of  diced tomatoes that were canned from the Curtis family's garden this past summer (instead of store bought ones). We didn't run them through a food processor, we liked the chunkiness. We didn't use the slow-cooker. Yeah, I know it's right there in the recipe title, but we didn't want to haul it out. Instead, we started with a large pot, sauteed the onions, garlic and seasonings in the bottom (per step number one), then kept everything in that same pot for step number two. We let everything simmer while we were out filming and it was ready by the time we were. The chili had a nice depth of flavor and just enough kick. We did serve it with avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, and tortilla chips on the side.

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Bean Chili

adapted from The Best Make-Ahead Recipe by Cook’s Illustrated / America’s Test Kitchen
Serves 6 to 8

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, minced
8 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 8 teaspoons)
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
Salt
2 (15.5-ounce) cans pinto, drained and rinsed
2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1-3 tablespoons minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
4 teaspoons sugar
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
Ground black pepper

1 – Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until slightly chunky, about 5 pulses; set aside. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the onions are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the processed tomatoes.

2 – Transfer the onion and tomato mixture to the slow cooker insert and stir in the beans, chipotles, and sugar until evenly combined. Cover and cook on low until the chili is flavorful, 7 to 8 hours.

3 – Stir in the corn and cilantro, cover, and continue to cook until the corn is heated through, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

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Mom's Visit Day 1 - Asian Tapas at Pipa in SLC

Asian Tapas at Pipa in SLC - Asparagus Fries, Aubergine Stacks, Avocado Egg Rolls, Brava Potatoes,
Sweet and Sour Chicken Bites (for Andrew), and Garden Spring Rolls

Mom flew in today. Andrew and I picked her up from the SLC airport at 4:30pm and decided to go out to eat while we were still in Salt Lake. After discussing some vegan options like the Vertical Diner, Omar's Rawtopia, Organic Manic, Sage's Cafe, Cafe SuperNatural, and the Union Street food cart (which we were too late to go to), we decided to not go so extreme. I think Andrew was relieved, although he was too nice to say anything.

We decided to go to Pipa, an Asian tapas place. Andrew and I have been there before, but it's been a while. The atmosphere is kinda interesting. There are colored lights on the walls, paper parasols hanging from the ceiling, and TVs showing a mix of anime and sports all in a dimly lit dining area by the sake bar.

I guess in China it's called a pipa, but we'd call it a loquat
Wish that was used as an ingredient in some dishes!

The food was decent. Andrew doesn't like cucumber water (Mom and I do), which is what they serve you if you ask for water - just a heads up if you feel like Andrew about your water. Here is how we felt about each menu item we ordered:

Asparagus Fries (wonton wrapped asparagus with garlic aoli) - Yum, would get these again! The asparagus was cooked just right.


Aubergine Stacks (eggplant rounds and veggie dumplings drizzled with  savory black bean sauce) - Not as good as the last time we ate at Pipa's, but okay. They were our favorite last time.

Avocado Egg Rolls (filled with tomato, avocado, and red onions) - They were good, but not very memorable.

Brava Potatoes (potatoes topped with an Asian tomato sauce) - These were a hit we all liked them a lot!


Sweet and Sour Chicken Bites (bite sized white chicken strips) - Mom and I didn't have any, but Andrew said that they were not what he was expecting and that he could have done without them, but they weren't bad. 

Garden Springrolls (fresh rice paper rolls with mango and green papaya) - Mom and I both agreed that we could make better at home.

See a copy of the menu after the break:

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Lunches (and Dinners) in Colorado

We tried to keep our meals as vegan as possible. One of our favorites was roasted chickpea tacos. We placed a pepperjack veggie slice at the bottom of the taco shell and microwaved it 15 seconds before adding the other ingredients. (recipe at bottom of page)

Jeff tried to reintroduce us to the tastiness of animals. We were undeterred.

We had several meals of our own version of Dr. Fuhrman's enchilladas. We made them with a filling of refried beans, black beans, sliced olives and grated veggie cheddar cheese. We wrapped the filling in yellow corn tortillas and topped them with a mixture of green enchilada sauce, tomato sauce and salsa.

The boys would have nothing to do with any of the healthy food we fixed. They much preferred anything we purchased at the McDonald's drive-thru window.

Another favorite that we had several times was our favorite veggie sandwich. We spread mayo and pesto on two slices of whole grain bread. Between these we put sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and avocado.

Zac decided he would rather eat anything rather than our favorite veggie sandwich.

We also enjoyed vermicelli bowls that we based on some yummy ones we had the week before at Lido in Oklahoma City. Ours had rice vermicelli, romaine, cucumbers, bean sprouts, carrots, scallions, peanuts, mint leaves, Sriracha chili sauce, and Asian sesame dressing.

Zac would rather fight than taste vermicelli. (he would eat mac and cheese, though)

We made a tasty vegetable soup.

Jeff drew us a picture of the only way he approved of preparing vegetables...

We all agreed that watermelon was a favorite.

We enjoyed it many times together.

It was usually followed by a bath.

We were invited to Jeff's soccer team's end of season party at Old Chicago Pizza. Jeff was so excited. We braved a thunder storm and 30 minutes of trying to find a parking space to get there. Unfortunately we were the only ones who made it. Since we were already there and it was happy hour, the boys ordered $2.99 personal pizzas.

Our pizza was a bit more than the boys, but it was worth every penny. We had half Vegetarian Seven and half Malibu Veggie. Yummmm!

Recipes:

Roasted Chickpea Tacos

from Peas and Thank You blog

Ingredients

2 t. chili powder

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. onion powder

1/4 t. dried oregano

1 1/2 t. ground cumin

1 t. sea salt

1 T. lime juice

2 T. water

One 14 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

8 organic taco shells (i.e. Trader Joe’s brand)

Taco trimmings: shredded cabbage, tomato, guacamole, non-dairy (i.e. Daiya) or organic cheese, etc.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, salt, lime juice and water.

Add chickpeas and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Place chickpeas on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring once during cooking, until chickpeas are slightly crispy.

Prepare taco shells according to package directions. Fill with chickpeas and desired toppings.

Dr. Fuhrman's Bean Enchiladas

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 medium green bell pepper

1/2 cup sliced onion

8 oz tomato sauce, low sodium

2 cups cooked pinto beans or canned beans

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

6 100% whole-wheat tortillas

Directions

Sauté the green pepper and onion in 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce until tender. Stir in the remaining tomato sauce, beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, cilantro and cayenne. Simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture on each tortilla and roll up. Serve as is or bake for 15 minutes in a 375°F oven.

WW Garden Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

2/3 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic

3 cups broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable)

1 1/2 cup diced green cabbage

1/2 cup green beans

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup diced zucchini

Directions

In a large saucepan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, saute carrot, onion, and garlic over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, cabbage, beans, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and salt; bring to a boil. 

Lower heat and simmer, covered about 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Stir in zucchini and heat 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

vegetarian

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