Category Archives: recipes

Brussels Sprouts

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Hello!

Hope you had a super awesome weekend. For me, it was great to be home after traveling last weekend.

A big shout out to Meatless Mama! Thank you for the Blog Award! That was just such a nice surprise and really made my day.  :)

Eats

Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that for a long time I had never tried and just assumed that I didn’t like them.

Do you ever do that?

Then, a few years ago I was talked into giving  them a try and I discovered that I ♥ Brussels sprouts!

Brussels sprouts are among the same family that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi. they grow on big stems like this:

Brussels sprouts on stalks

Image via Wikipedia

But usually when we see them in the grocery store they are no longer attached to the stem.

brussels sprout

They look like little cabbages. Or maybe they look a little like brains!

Here’s why you want to eat Brussels Sprouts. They:

  • Protect against cancer (colorectal, prostate, lung, bladder, breast, ovarian), rheumatoid arthritis, and birth defects
  • Facilitate detoxification of your cells
  • Are an excellent source of vitamin C (take THAT swine flu!)
  • Are high in vitamin A (good for glowing skin!)
  • Are high in fiber
  • Contain indole-3-carbinol, which provides cardiovascular benefits

brussels sprouts

When purchasing Brussels sprouts, look for smaller sprouts that don’t have any yellowing or discolored leaves on them. They should be compact, and bright green in color.

Here’s my favorite way to prepare Brussels Sprouts. Brussels sprouts have a slightly bitter taste to them and when combined with the sweetness of yams or sweet potatoes, they are divine.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

  • Bunch of Brussels Sprounts (about 30-40 sprouts)
  • 1 large yam or sweet potato
  • 1-2 T olive oil (NOT extra virgin!)
  • salt
  • pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Prepare the Brussels Sprouts by cutting off the woody stem at the base and discarding any discolored outer leaves. Wash by immersing in a bowl of water.
  3. Cut a criss-cross shape into the bottom of each sprout.
  4. Cut the sweet potato into 1 inch cubes (I always keep the peel on the potato but unpeeled works too).
  5. Place the Brussels sprouts and sweet potato cubes in a dutch oven, and mix with the olive oil. Add sSalt and pepper to taste.
  6. Bake at 400F for about 20 minutes. Stir the pot and then place back into the oven for about another 20 minutes. It’s done when the sprouts and potatoes are tender – the sprouts may be a little crispy on the outside.

brussels sprouts and potatoesEnjoy!

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Vegan Cooking Demos on Ellen

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veganmofo

I don’t watch a lot of daytime TV but one show I really love is Ellen. And I love her even more since she came out as a vegan about a year ago.  :)

Recently Ellen has twice hosted her personal chef on her show to demonstrate how easy it is to cook up a healthy, yummy, vegan meal. On Sept 30 they cooked up vegan tacos:

And just last week they prepared a vegan roast with veggies and mashed potatoes:

She also hosted Wolfgang Puck on Oct 15, who whipped up a Whole Wheat Pizza with Chanterelles, Eggplant, and Leeks:

You can find the recipes for these meals at Ellen’s website.

YAY ELLEN!

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O Chickpea I Heart You

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veganmofo

I don’t know why but lately it feels like the day zooms by and suddenly it’s bedtime and I’ve barely touched my “to-do” list. What’s up with that?I keep thinking, OK tomorrow I’ll have time to do “X.” And then tomorrow whizzes by and it’s the next day.

A lot of people have been asking me lately, “how do you get your protein?” (Anyone else ever get that question??? ;) )

One way I get my protein is by eating beans. If I had to name my most favorite bean I would have to say the chickpea. Also knows as the “garbanzo bean, I use chickpeas to make homemade hummus,

White and green chickpeas

White and green chickpeas. Credit: Wikipedia

falafel, and Indian dishes such as Chana Saag (chickpeas and spinach). I love tossing them into salads. After reading Isa‘s recipe for Fronch Toast, I recently used chickpea flour to make my Coconut Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast recipe, which was amazing. With a few herbs and spices added they are even great eaten straight out of the can! I especially love to roast chickpeas, which is what I did tonight.

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Here are a few fun facts about chickpeas:

  • Chickpeas, which originated in the Middle East, are one of the oldest cultivated veggies – they have been carbon dated back to 6790BC
  • There are two main types of chickpeas: Desi (darker, smaller seeds, rough coat) and Kubuli (lighter colored, larger seeds, smooth coat)
  • Recent studies show that chickpeas can help lower cholesterol
  • Chick peas are high in fiber, protein, zinc, and folate

ROASTED CHICKPEAS

Ingredients

  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1-2 Tbs olive oil (NOT extra virgin)
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • chili powder
  • salt
  • pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. On the stove, heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
  4. Add the chickpeas, chili powder, salt, and pepper to and mix thoroughly.
  5. Put the skillet in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
  6. Enjoy straight out of the oven or add to salads or pasta.

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Craz-E Burger + Homemade Almond Butter

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veganmofo

I know. It’s VeganMoFo.

And here I am writing about the latest omnivore invention.

I just can’t resist. This one is over the top.

The Craz-E Burger, aka the Luther Burger (in case you were confused), was reportedly a huge hit at a recent fair in Manhattan. Consisting of a bacon cheeseburger smooshed between two halves of a buttered, grilled, and glazed doughnut, fair officials report selling 1,000 of these heart-attacking inducing monsters…PER DAY. The fair lasted 17 days. So yes, you calculated that correctly. Assuming one burger per person, 17,000 people actually bought and, I assume, consumed this thing.

You’ll be relieved to know that  “No single ingredient dominates the burger. They all complement each other…The glaze smooths over the burger and oozes into a foreign but delicious combination with the crisp of the bacon.”

Photo: STEPHEN DUNN/COURANT

Photo: STEPHEN DUNN/COURANT

This wasn’t a one-and-only state fair appearance for the burger. The Gateway Grizzlies, a minor league baseball team in Illinois, sells these burgers at their games. The Grizzlies have “improved” on the concept by deep-frying the donut that’s being used as the “bun.”

You can read the whole nightmare story at telegraph.co.uk. I especially love the labeling of Americans as “calorie comfortable.”

So ok peeps, how can we veganize this? Er…do we even want to?

Back to VeganMoFo…

Didja ever have one of those moments when you realized that something you thought might be difficult is actually ridiculously easy? Well that’s my experience with almond butter. For years I overpaid for jars of almond butter. Then I learned that you can make it at home, rather inexpensively, in just 10 minutes.

Homemade Almond Butter

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw almonds
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in your food processor and process for about 10 minutes.
  2. That’s it!

DSC_0016

I know.
Ridiculous, huh?
Feel free to experiment with other add-ins, like maple syrup, cinnamon, orange essence, cherries, chocolate.

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Kale Five Ways

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veganmofoKale is one of the most amazing vegetables.

Freshly picked Siberian kale.

Image via Wikipedia

Dubbed the “King of Calcium,” kale is also a great source of:

  • Vitamin A – good for your eyesight and your eye, skin, and nose membranes, AND is an antioxidant that fights free radicals
  • Vitamin C – good for cold prevention
  • Vitamin K – aids in blood clotting, which can be a good thing!

Kale is part of the cabbage family that also includes broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts. Kale is low and calories and inexpensive too! It comes in several varieties but the ones you’ll see most often are curly kale and dinosaur (flat) kale, both in beautiful hues of green and purple. Choose a bunch that has strong, crisp leaves with no brown spots, and store in your crisper in a large plastic baggie with a damp paper towel included.

When you are ready to eat your kale, and I suggest that you eat it soon after bringing it home, first wash the kale and then strip out the stems and rip the leaves into small pieces. Then, here are my five favorite ways to prepare kale:

  1. Saute.  Saute the leaves in sesame oil and garlic until they are limp and bright, and serve sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.
  2. Roast. Place the DRY leaves in a baking dish and toss with olive oil. Bake in 450 oven for 5-10 minutes until leaves are crispy, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
  3. Soup. Make a soup out of one head of garlic peeled and chopped, one onion chopped, 1 bunch kale de-stemmed and chopped, 2 medium  potatoes chopped, 2 carrots diced, any other veggies you like, and 8 cups veggie broth. Saute the garlic and onions first, and then combine everything in a big soup pot. Simmer until potatoes are tender. As an option, add rice vinegar, salt, and / or pepper and season to taste.
  4. Smoothie. Make your favorite smoothie, and add in tiny pieces of kale. Start with 1/2 a handful and then add more if you like.
  5. Steam. Bring about 1/2 cup of water in a large pot or Dutch Oven to a boil. Add a tablespoon or two of Earth Balance, and your kale. Put the lid on the pot and steam until kale is tender, adding water as necessary. Then season with salt and pepper,  lemon juice, olive oil, and / or soy sauce.

Have you tried kale before? What’s your favorite way to enjoy it?

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Recipe Giveaway – Just One Day Left!

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Guess who loves the new shrubs that D. and I planted in our yard last weekend?

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Rosie is so adorable – I didn’t have the heart to tell her to move.

The Compassionate Cooks Recipe Giveaway ends tomorrow Friday Sept 11 at noon. Colleen Patrick-Goudreau of Compassionate Cooks is giving away a set of five brand new vegan Italian recipes to our lucky winner who will be randomly selected tomorrow. These recipes haven’t been published in any of the Compassionate Cooks cookbooks (The Joy of Vegan Baking and The Joyful Vegan) so our winner will be one of the first people to have them! All you have to do is leave a comment at the end of yesterday’s post about your favorite vegetarian recipe. You can also increase your chances of winning if you:

  1. Tweet the contest on Twitter and make sure you mention @doubledogyoga.
  2. Post the contest on your blog if you have one – let me know that you’ve done so by emailing me at julia AT doubledogyoga DOT com.

Good luck! I can’t wait to see who wins!

Marty Update

Well good news is that Marty had her second surgery this morning and the surgeon called to let me know that all went well. She should hopefully be coming home later today. Since surgery has a 95% cure rate for fibrosarcoma, I fully expect that we are in the clear for now. Thank you so much for your thoughtful words and hopeful prayers. It really does make all the difference in the world.

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Don’t forget to enter into our Recipe Giveaway!

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Compassionate Cooks Recipe Giveaway!

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I’ve mentioned Compassionate Cooks several times on this blog.  :)

Foods from plant sources
Image via Wikipedia

Compassionate Cooks is an organization founded by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Their mission is to empower people to make informed food choices, and to debunk myths about vegetarianism and animal rights. I listen to Colleen’s podcasts regularly, and I love love love her cookbooks The Joy of Vegan Baking and The Vegan Table.

You might say I’m a huge fan! I really admire the work she has done. Her website is chock full of information, as are her podcasts. And whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or omnivore I’m sure you would find many recipes to love in her books and on her website. The Compassionate Cooks’ website also offers recipes in packets of five based on certain themes such as “Thanksgiving,”"Afternoon Tea,” and “High Flavor, Low Calorie,” to name a few.

So….I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to give away a set of Compassionate Cooks’ recipes called “Hearty Italian!”

From the website: These filling dishes will satisfy anyone who thinks eating vegan means eating like a rabbit! These delicious recipes are perfect comfort food. Each recipe includes serving suggestions and variations of the recipe, as well as explanations of ingredients that might be unfamiliar.

And…these are all NEW recipes that will be in Colleen’s third cookbook!

To enter, please leave a comment here on your current favorite vegetarian recipe. I know, it’s so hard to choose just one! Be sure to either provide the recipe if it’s your own (and you want to share!) or let us know where to find it.

Get an additional entry each if you:

  1. Tweet the contest on Twitter and make sure you mention @doubledogyoga.
  2. Post the contest on your blog if you have one – let me know that you’ve done so by emailing me at julia AT doubledogyoga DOT com.

The giveaway closes at noon on Friday September 11. After Friday at noonthe winner will be randomly chosen by me and announced here.

Good luck!

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