Food(less) Journey

Yes my post titles are getting more delirious, but no matter the recipes are still delicious. What are you going to do with that block of tofu in the fridge? Fry it? Well you could, but let's not. And don't you hate it when you find a recipe but have no idea where to buy the ingredients? This is so not a post like that. All the ingredients can be purchased at Trader Joe's. Im going to get around to writing Joe a love letter one of these days. Here's what you're going to do to that tofu: Drain and slice it into cubes. In a sealable bag toss in 1/4 cup sesame seeds 1 T oregano 1 T basil 1T parsley 1T dried onion 1-2 t dried garlic drop in pieces of tofu coating them put slices on an oiled baking sheet or on a lightly oiled piece of oil (second option better for quick clean up!) This is what it looks like all done: For the dipping stuff mix equal parts agave and Trader Joe's soyaki. Serve this on the side:

No I did not just eat Agave for breaksfast mom...lol A delicious breakfast, lunch or snack is Wasa crispbread topped with a few things. Being that they are whole grain and don't have any scary additives they are a very happy coworker. I love taking a pack of Wasa to Cleveland for our annual convention. I take them rather than buying them there because they are only $1.50 at Big Lots in my area. I've eaten Wasa in a variety of ways as they make a great bread replacement. They are deceptively small as they are very filling, but not in a carby bread coma way. Not to mention the impressively short ingredient list: Wheat flour Sesame seeds Water Yeast Canola and palm oil Sugar Salt NUTRITION FACTS: Serving Size: 1 Slice (14g) Servings Per Container: about 14 Amount Per Serving (%Daily Value) Calories 60 Calories from Fat 15 Total Fat 1.5g (2%) Saturated Fat 0g (0%) Trans fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Sodium 85mg (3%) Total Carbohydrate 9g (3%) Dietary Fiber <1g (3%) Sugars 0

Before you scoff at me: Yes I freely admit that I am really late in posting about this contest I won in December. It's been a very busy 4 months, thank you very much! Lindsay, author of the blog Cook.Vegan.Lover , was having many giveaways and I entered every day. I would win the chocolate in the middle of a healthful eating binge. At least it was dark, dairy free and had peanut butter. Want to see my winning entry? Lame. I know. Since then I have seen the need to be clever and throw a catchy turn of phrase in when I'm entering a contest. I wonder what's in the box! Oh! It's a box of tiny chocolate mummies all wrapped up and ready for go in the sarcophagi! Cute! Uh oh! One of them is emerging! These little snow guys were delicious! The fat content of the chocolate was just right so that the chocolate slowly melted in my mouth. The crunchy Pb center was just what it promised to be. Two snowmen made a lovely naughty day treat!

Whole Foods Market is having a great sale on these beauties. My suggestion: buy the case, eat as many as you can fresh and chop&freeze the rest. My brother was very happy to cut them and I was very happy to sample them.I'm so happy i helped to get him hooked on healthy coworkers like fruit. Yum! The taste of this mango is very sweet. It taste like a mango in its under note, but there is a strong flavor of something else. Dare I say champagne? In other news: Breakfast: Plain Soy Yogurt Topped with sliced almonds dates and a drizzle of agave. Apple pie Larabar Lunch: Dinner: (sorry no pic) Tofu Salad (tofu grilled and cubed, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh garlic, fresh basil) Cajun Yams (yams, cayenne, red bell pepper, clove, Cinnamon, etc.)

It looks so naked. Delicious, but naked! I know how to fix that being a great seamstress and all... There you go pretty little cuppycake! A lovely dress of peanut butter (yes i have problem). Nom nom nom! These lovelies are cholesterol free, relatively low in fat (even lower if you don't use the peanut butter), and only 120 calories or 180 with the peanut butter(lower if you sub apple sauce for the oil). The recipe makes 12, but you can freeze and microwave them as you like. Or do what I do: make them and share with friends. They will love you for it. And here is a secret I only share with my closest frenemies: They are boxed. Don't tell anyone. Just go find your own. Cherrybrook Kitchen (http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com/products/chocolatecake.php) makes some wonderful boxed mixes that are made for people with allergies, but devoured by those without with equal veracity. Ive made these several times and didnt mention they were vegan and everyone enjoyed them heartily. The wond

Secret weapon #7= Seasoning mixes and prep techniques! If food is properly seasoned it suddenly goes from "diet food" to "gourmet decadence". And altering your food prep can take a food you eat everyday from "ho-hum" to "wow!" Seasoning Lettuce , for instance, is mostly water, so if you eat a lettuce heavy salad you will be unsatisfied and definitely unfulfilled meal-wise. So here's what you do: Start with a nutrient rich base of romaine lettuce and spinach. Add 1/4 cup each of the following as you like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, roasted almonds, chickpeas (or dollops of hummus or baked hummus for protein!), red bell pepper, avocado, red onion. 1 T nutritional yeast (nutty cheesy flavor with loads of vitamins including b-complex) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on black pepper and sea salt. Some more Examples: Cream cheese= blah bagel topping Cream cheese + seasoning = cheesecake baguette= yawn crusty bread (okay maybe not totally, but j

Ive been craving "Italian" food. I feel so strange saying Italian food. The concept of food having a nationality is so bizarre. Especially considering the diaspora of people and plants over the years. But I digress... Id rather say... Ive been craving the flavors of Italy. Specifically, cannelini (white kidney beans), tomatoes, sesame, artichokes and mushrooms. Oh yum! I was watching a travel show and apparently there is an artichoke festival in Italy. Who would like to go with me? Any takers? It will have to be next year. Sadly the festival is in April. Well not really sadly because that is the cheapest time to fly there. It's off season. So "yay!" to that, but "boo" to waiting a year, but "yay" to going a second time to Italy. This is technically a soup and as you know soup taste better the second day because the flavors have had a chance to permeate all the ingredients. Cooking soup slow and low works too. BUT..who has time for that. So, w

I always like to think im above the hype. Like that old "an apple a day.." rant that teachers figuratively (if you went to public school) pounded into students about how they would magically avoid all forms of illness if they ate the apple that came with their lunch instead of chucking it across the lunchroom**. BUT....I feel a bit healthier for eating an apple. Not being one to enjoy following the crowd I try to eat my apples in a very naughty way. This makes me feel better about feeling better for eating an apple. BUT....Being that I strive to only eat things that work with my body, you know I had to take a naughty recipe and make it Healthy Coworker. With the recipe as-is you can eat it for breakfast, be fueled til lunch, and not feel bad about it. **I was more of an apple chucker and not because I didnt like fruit. The apples they served us were obviously Genetically Modified to perfectly fit our hands and to be mass produced (there were so many apples!!!!). And even thou

Last weekend (Saturday March 26,2011 to be precise) I went to the Farm to Table Conference at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. For $10 admission you get to wander around the ballroom and check out the exhibitors as well as special presentations and cooking demonstrations. At one booth I learned all about the many uses of Hemp. Did you know there is a concrete application for hemp? Crazy! Hanging at the Bar(re) Did I ever tell you I wanted to be a ballerina when i was a wee lass? Well, I did. The seeming glamour of the dance world and the beautiful impossibility of dancing en pointe really spoke to me. SO entranced was I by that aspect of it, I taught myself to stand en pointe. I do not suggest anyone try this since I could have broken something attempting it, but now I have a neat trick to show people at parties. Weird talents are ALWAYS a great conversation starter! Alas I never pursued that dream. Well, outside of Pilates and Barre work outs. I know you are asking yourself wh

What do you do when your in the middle of a morning of service and all you had for breakfast was a banana smeared with peanutbutter and its snowing like crazy? Eat your sister's stash of trail mix. It was goooood! And to my credit I shared it with one of my 'brothers'. Roasted almond, cashews and dried cranberries. Oh yeah! Soldier on! My 'sister' was mentioning she had some tofu she was going to fry later and that of course prompted my sister to mention how much she loves the scrambled tofu i make. That of course prompted my stomach to immediately beg me for tofu. My mum injured her back and asked me to cook some produce that was looking wilty. So I made a run to Trader Joes for some sliced baby bellas and a tub of tofu. Oh and some Rice and Bean chips, but that is another story. So I scrambled the tofu. Yum! I sauteed some green beans and mushrooms in canola with sea salt and powdered garlic, oregano, parsley, basil. I love the way the vert steam while they'r