New of Isla

 I realized recently that I have stopped taking pictures of Isla all the time so I made up for it a little bit yesterday.  

One day at a time

Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies: Amazing

Being dirt-poor: Great learning experience

Having a cold & menstruating at the same time: So. Much. Fun.




Sometimes it's the little miracles throughout the day (like figuring out that if you omit the almond extract it makes the cookies taste WAY better) that make life beautiful. 

Never dull

One of my favorite aspects of life is that it's always changing---that we are always changing.  I was just singing one of my new favorite songs in my head (Radar Detector by Xaphoon Jones) when I realized that a few years ago I probably wouldn't have enjoyed this song very much.  Back in High School I listened mostly to pop, but had a healthy appreciation for country, "classical", classic rock, and the occasional rap/hip-hop tracks.  I'm delighted that my musical horizons have since broadened considerably.



Thank you to all who have helped me see the musical light---who have let me enjoy their iTunes or their Grooveshark playlists.  You help my world spin-round.  You keep my otherwise monotonous days interesting with smooth beats and sweet, sweet, tunes.

Chili

I love chili and cornbread. It's possibly one of my favorite food combinations.  This recipe is one of the easiest things I've ever tried. If you can operate a can-opener you can make this.  And it tastes pretty darn good, too.  Pair with your favorite cornbread  and you have a perfect fall-ish dinner.  Bonus: it's healthy.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 (16-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven (or whatever soup pot you have) over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add sugar and remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

Recipes

Here are a few recipes I've tried recently that Michael and I have really loved.  They're both either low-fat or fat-free and are both cholesterol free.  If you have any questions about ingredients (namely the nutritional yeast) let me know.

Mexican Dip
makes 2 cups

1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and top removed
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp onion flakes
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/4 tsp pepper
dash of granulated garlic powder
dash of paprika
juice of 1/2 lime
1/3 c nutritional yeast
2/3 c (or less) salsa
1 jalapeno, seeded (optional)
1/2 c canned or cooked black beans

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease an 8-inch round or 9-inch square casserole dish and set aside.
3. Add all ingredients except black beans to a food processor.
4. Blend until smooth and transfer mixture to prepared casserole dish.
5. Gently stir in black beans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until dip is thoroughly warm.


Lasagna Rolls
Serves 4

1 8-oz box whole-wheat or brown rice lasagna noodles
1 10-oz package frozen spinach, thawed
1 recipe Tofu Ricotta Cheese (*see below)
1/4 c vegan Parmesan (or mozzarella)
salt, to taste
nutritional yeast, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 25-oz jar marinara sauce

Directions:
1. In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta al dente, according to package directions.
2. Immediately rinse with cold water, pat dry with a clean towel, and set aside, laying flat on a plate.
3. Press out any excess water from spinach and combine with Tofu Ricotta Cheese and vegan Parmesan in a large bowl until well incorporated.
4. Once evenly combined, taste, adding salt as desired and adjusting nutritional yeast, Parmesan, and other seasonings, such as Italian seasoning or pepper.
5. Then add 1/2 cup of marinara and stir to combine
6. Line your large pot with a thin layer of marinara.
7. On a clean work surface, spread 1/4 cup of the tofu-spinach mixture on a noodle and roll it closed.
8. Place the roll in the pot with the crease facing down.
9. Repeat with all noodles.
10. Pour the remaining marinara over the rolls, cover, and bring to a boil.
11. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes, until rolls and marinara are warm.
12. Serve immediately.

*Tofu Ricotta Cheese
Makes 3 cups

1 lb extra-firm tofu, drained
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 c nutritional yeast
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp granulated garlic powder
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen cloth and place between two cutting boards.
2. Place a large, heavy object on the top board.
3. Allow to rest for 20 minutes, forcing excess water out of the tofu.
4. Crumble tofu with your hands so it's broken down into smaller pieces but not yet the consistency of ricotta.
5. Mix in the rest of the ingredients
6. Incorporate all ingredients with your hands, breaking down tofu to the consistency of ricotta or feta cheese as you mix it together.


These recipes are from The Happy Herbivore by Lindsay S. Nixon.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Trouble in vegan paradise

My second week of being a vegan is about over and it has proved more difficult than the first.  The reason?  Jacob's birthday.  The son of the couple in whose home we are currently living, resides in the basement.  His name is Jacob and this week was his birthday.  One might wonder why that had any bearing on my eating habits, but the 2 pumpkin pies, chocolate cookies and donuts he brought home should make more sense.  

I haven't had a donut in a long time, but seeing them on the counter made them mighty tempting in the face of my chocolate withdrawal.  Thankfully Michael was around every time I was tempted so I didn't give in.  I've never wanted dairy so much in my life and so tonight I bought vegan chocolate chips to compensate.  They taste like a dream.  Yum.  

Also really good?  The Mexican dip I made last night for a party.  I would have never guessed it was fat free if I didn't know it was beforehand.  Perfectly spicy, and miraculously tasting of cheese even though there was none.  It almost made up for the near-criminal lack of chocolate in my current diet. 

My first week

My first week of being a vegan is now complete and happily I am still alive.  The following is a list of food that actually turned out pretty well:

-black-bean brownies
-enchilada casserole
-couscous with spinach, fresh basil, tomatoes and garlic
-lentil and edamame stew served with toasted whole-wheat pita bread
-lentil tacos in corn-tortillas


As it turns out, I really enjoy eating this way.  Michael has reported higher levels of energy as he does his ROTC workouts, and I am sleeping better.  Michael lost 3 lbs last week (not that he needed it...), and I've lost weight as well (but have no idea exactly how much since I hate weighing myself).


I feel so much healthier even after just one week and I am even more excited about what the future will feel like.  Perhaps one day soon I will wake up and no longer be in constant pain.  How marvelous.