Go Fish!

Vegetarian sandwiches can really go either way...when I see the famous "veggie sandwich" on a menu, I am always skeptical to order it because it seems like more times than not, I end up with a large roll with lettuce, tomato and American cheese in front of me.

Anyway, I've been trying to explore lunch options for myself, and, now that I'm at home with Laine, I have a little more room to be creative. I was researching different types of vegetarian sandwiches, and came across many recipes for a mock tuna salad. What the hell, let's give it a go!


From all of the recipes, I put together something like this:


-1 can of drained and WELL RINSED chickpeas

-1 carrot, cut into a few pieces

-salt, pepper, dehydrated minced onion

-a few spoonfuls of light mayo


Send everything through the food processor until it reaches your desired consistancy, and voila! Some sort of hummus and tuna hybrid. I toasted up a wheat baguette, and put on a generous serving of the mixture. YUM!!! I stored the rest in the fridge, and am actually looking forward to having another sandwich tomorrow!!!

Pizza...oh how wonderful you are!!!

Tragically, when I was pregnant, I could not even stomach the word "pizza." My favorite food had suddenly become a source of anxiety and sickness. Thank goodness that passed!!!! I've been exploring with different types of pizzas, and came across a real winner last night.

Let's talk dough...The recipe I use is (note: this recipe makes a lot of dough. You could probably get 2 medium sized pizzas from it. I can't tolerate getting frustrated when stretching my dough out, so I always make a lot to make it easier on myself!):

1 1/2c. warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
1.5c. Bread Flour
2 c. All purpose flour (or substitute whole wheat flour)
1.5 tsp salt
1 TBSP olive oil

Then you can experiment with adding different herbs and spices depending on what kind of pizza you are making. I normally add in some red pepper flakes and dried basil.

You can always pick up a round of dough from the grocery store or from a pizzeria, but there is something really satisfying about making your own dough (and if you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, it's ridiculously easy).


So last night, I decided to make a white pizza. I stretched out my dough and rubbed it with some olive oil, and sprinkled it with course sea salt and chopped rosemary. Then I put just a dusting of shredded mozzarella over the top. Next came...potatoes. As thin as you can slice them (I used a mandolin). My next all star ingredient was goat cheese. Goat cheese has a place in just about every dish. It's so silky and luxurious, definitely one of my favorite ingredients to use. So there I was in my kitchen, complete with sous chefs Horton, Morris, and Laine, and the pizza just looked...boring. I didn't want to add anymore strong flavors, but it needed a little, oomph. Out came the jar of red pepper flakes, making a second appearance. I was slightly heavy handed in my "sprinkling." It was the right choice. The heat seemed to open up the taste buds (totally not sure if that's what happens, but that's how it felt), and it made the pizza come alive!!!

I'm Back!

Did everyone think the world of Vegging Out ended??? To be honest, i thought so too! Turns out a baby is rather time consuming!


Anyway, here she is...Laine Gloria!!!
























I made it through the entire pregnancy as a vegetarian, and never had any issues with my health! Laine is amazing, and I already bring her into the kitchen with me, explaining what everything is to her, putting things to her nose so she can smell them, and letting her touch different foods. It's been so much fun! I feel like I finally have my cooking show audience i've always dreamed about!!!

I'm just starting to get back into cooking...the last 2 months of pregnancy, me and Justin ate Morningstar Farms chick'n nuggets every. single. night. Once in awhile, I'd mix it up and have the spicy kind :-)

So what's the latest in my cooking? Well, I've been all about cooking dried beans! Mainly black beans and pinto beans. I soak and cook a big batch on Sunday, and then use them throughout the week for tacos, rice and bean variations, chili, baked beans for side dishes, etc. At the end of the week, I take whatever beans i have left, throw them in the food processor with whatever veggies i have left, along with spices and chick pea flour, and let them blend. Then I fry them up into veggie burgers and freeze them individually. Amazingly easy, and soooo delicious!!!!

I hope to be posting a lot more, and once Laine can start "eating," i'll be experimenting a lot with making food for her!!! Such a new and exciting adventure we are on!!!

Going to be a Veggie Mama!!!

Well, it's official...me and hubby will no longer be the only people in our home:


They tell me that the little blob right there is a baby!!! Due date is May 17th! I am planning on staying vegetarian throughout the pregnancy (although I have had some strong cravings for, of all things, chicken salad sandwiches!). I did make one exception for my gummy prenatal vitamins, which contain some gelatin...but how many of you ever looked forward to taking your vitamin??? I do! So anyway, I've been super exhausted, feeling crappy, and not in the mood to cook anything...but don't leave me!!!! As soon as I get over the all day sickness (whoever called it morning sickness is a lying bastard), I will start posting more frequently!!!

Pizza Sundays

So every Sunday, I've been making a different pizza for dinner! It's been really fun, and I think I'm going to continue it! I pick up rounds of pizza dough at the deli counter (they may not have them advertised...just go ask!)


These have been the pizzas so far (I've repeated a few because they were so tasty!)


-Of course, the blue cheese/walnut/arugula from "Date Night" post


-Goat cheese, fresh thyme, sage, and basil (no sauce)


-tomato sauce, cheddar and mozzarella, vegetarian "bacums" that I found at Whole Foods in the bulk bins, and roasted red peppers


-mozzarella, feta, kalamata olives, red onions, thinly sliced tomato, and fresh oregano (put on at the last minute of cooking).

I think I need to invest in a pizza stone...will post pictures when I buy it!

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

I've been meaning to post this dish...I make it a few times a month, and it is simple and delicious!!! All you have to do is throw a pint or 2 of cherry or grape tomatoes onto a sheet pan, cover in olive oil, salt, pepper, and some chopped garlic if you have any on hand. Roast at 375 degrees until the tomatoes burst open. As the tomatoes are roasting, have your pasta boiling. Save a cupful of your pasta water, just incase you need it for the "sauce". When the tomatoes are all burst open, and your house smells like heaven, take the pan out of the oven and pour every last bit from the pan onto your drained pasta. Toss around, and add some pasta water if you want it a little more saucy. Add some fresh basil if you have it, and then top it all with some parmesan cheese...


HOLD UP!


Let's talk about parmesan...now I know you've heard Food Network chefs go on and on about Parmigiano-Reggiano. Is it delicious and mind blowing? YES. Is it expensive? YES. Do you absolutely have to have it in every single dish? NO. There are some great alternatives that work great (and the canned stuff is not what I'm talking about!) I really like Sarvecchio, which is actually a domestic parmesan and runs around $8/pound at whole foods, compared to PR which will cost you around $20/pound. You can also buy Regginito, which is a cheese from Argentina...it has a similar flavor to PR and is definitely worth trying! It's about $10/pound.

Here's what it looks like at my house:


I highly recommend you give it a try...it is really really really easy, and the flavors are amazing!

Ok, Now I'm Really Back!

Wooo! Not sure what happened there! I have been super busy/exhausted from work, but I'm back...I promise!!! Here are a few updates that have happened in the last month...

-I did another outdoor adoption event in July, only this time I was a "cat supervisor." I was in charge of 2 kittens and a 2 year old cat (Capone...he was such a sweetheart!!!) One of the kittens got adopted right away, Capone was adopted 2 days later, and I'm not sure about Jerry, the little black kitten...I hope he found his forever home too!



-Last Wednesday, we decided to open our home to a foster kitten who was going to be put down at the shelter he was at...meet Stanley:


Yes, I realize how painfully adorable he is, and yes, we are still planning on giving him up when someone adopts him, and yes, I know that I will cry like a baby when that day comes. For now though, Stanley is having fun with Horton and Morris, and I love having him as part of the family!

Ok, MOST IMPORTANTLY...as many of you know, I teach at a preschool that is part of an HIV/AIDS support agency. The AIDS run is coming up in October, and I am scheduled to run the 10k race!!! It is SO IMPORTANT that people donate to our cause!!! Because we work directly with the HIV/AIDS affected community, 100% of our donations will come right back to our agency!!!! You can donate right through my fundraising website:

Kelly's Fundraising Website

Thank you in advance for your support!!!!!

OK...back to cooking and living a meat free life!!!

I'm Back!!!!!! Georgia Adventures!

Sorry folks! I have been on vacation in the mountains of Georgia for the past week! Turns out, being a vegetarian in the mountains of Georgia ain't all that easy. When we arrived, I hit up the local Wal-Mart with my mom and figured I'd just grab a few boxes of veggie burgers for easy lunches, and as add on's to whatever dinner was happening. There I roamed...up and down each freezer aisle, 3, maybe 4 times. NADA! So I had to eat a steak that night.





JUST KIDDING! I grabbed a few eggplant and ended up slicing them and grilling them (family was having chicken that night). Of course there were tater tots and salad, so I was pretty content. Similar meals followed, and then we went out to lunch...to Rib Country...the Mecca of Meat. Bring on the side dishes please! My lunch that day consisted of onion loaf, salad, and fries with bbq sauce on them. What can I say, I'm a health nut :-) Thankfully, we don't really go out all that much when we are in Georgia. The only other time we did was to Mike's Seafood. I am a big Mike's fan, so I wasn't really looking forward to my crab cake free dinner. Thankfully (can't believe I'm saying this), I had one too many Miller High Lifes that day and wasn't really into eating much by the time dinner came around lol I ordered a salad and baked potato...just for show.

My dad finally found some veggie burgers at a local supermarket, so I had those a few nights, and all was good. On the ride home, we made our annual Sonic stop. I was surprised to see the lack of veggie options on their menu, so I did what any good vegetarian would do...ordered a Sonic cheeseburger: extra cheese, extra tomatoes, no burger! And it was delicious!

And thankfully, both beer and sweet tea are vegetarian!

So anyway...back onto cooking!!!!!

Vegetarian Ramen!!!!

I found it!!!!! Justin and I were coming home from a lovely dinner with the Santiagos, when Justin decided he needed a Mexican coke (read: coke made with real sugar), so we swung into our little corner store, and I happen to see a new package of ramen noodles I have never seen before. I check the label...BAM!!! Vegetarian!!!! So the brand is Top Ramen, Chili Flavor...looks like this:

I haven't tried it yet, so no promises on that, but I'm sure it's amazing :-)


**I did attempt making my own seasoning to try and use the multiple packages of non-vegetarian ramen I have in my cabinet. It came out pretty tasty, but I have to use a lot of stuff, some of which I don't always have on hand, so it kind of defeats the purpose of a quick and easy meal.

It's OK to Be Corny!

Ahhhhh! It is officially summertime! I walked into the grocery store, and there it was...that oh-so-familiar pile of fresh corn just waiting to come home with me. There are so many things that you can do with it!

So many people just boil the crap out of it, roll it in some butter and call it a day. PLEASE!!! STOP THAT!!! My favorite way to prepare corn on the cob is to grill it. If it is nice and fresh (and by fresh I mean juicy, like you want to just eat it raw), peel the husks off, and remove all of the hairs (strings? not sure what they are called really). Then make a mixture of butter, chili powder, salt, and some lime juice. Slather this on each piece, and throw them on a hot grill. After a few minutes (maybe 5?) go ahead and turn them. They should be slightly charred (although you can adjust the charring level to your liking). When they come off the grill, for an extra special touch, sprinkle on some Parmesan (or Cotija cheese if you are feeling extra fancy). You will never look at corn the same way again..I promise!!!

**note: if your corn is not so juicy, you have a few options. You can either peel back the husks to remove the strings, then fold the husks back up and grill (this will create a steaming effect), slathering the butter mixture on after it cooks, OR you can go ahead and slather the butter mixture on the corn, then wrap it in tin foil and grill.

Another way to use all that corn is to make a summery soup (or chowder? I'm not really sure what the difference is). I made this tonight, and it was super delicious. You can really use any veggies you want...the secret is to cook and puree about 1/3 of the corn (just cook it in some water) before adding in your veggie broth and other veggies. This thickens up the soup, and gives it a really nice texture.

**helpful hint: When you are slicing the kernels off the cob, do it in a pie plate...it makes for much less mess















In my soup, in addition to the corn (remember...cook and puree about 1/3 of it before adding in the rest), I used red bell peppers, potato, carrots, celery, onion, and I seasoned it with liquid aminos, salt, pepper, and thyme. My second bowl a few hours after dinner was room temperature, and I really preferred it this way. Paired with a nice Mediterranean salad, and some olive bread, it made for a tasty summer supper!














Have a wonderful week everyone!!!

Mango Prep 101

It was brought to my attention that some fruits and vegetables are confusing to work with...so I decided to add a new segment to my blog about prepping these difficult produce members. Let's start with the mango. There are a few different types of mango, but you use the same technique for all. Please note...these may not be the official ways to prep things, but it's what works for me!

Ok...let's get started.

The Mango...

Step #1: Tip the mango on onto one end. Using a sharp knife, start slightly off center and slice into it. You want to stay just along side of the pit in the middle. Now, it's not a pit like a plum, it's like a giant almond shaped thing, that doesn't really come out all that gracefully. Just keep cutting along it on all 4 sides of the mango.















Step #2: Once you removed the big portions of fruit, give the pit to a hungry husband to gnaw away on (**note: this is perfectly acceptable for anyone, not just a hungry husband)













Step #3: If you are just cutting the mango to eat while you are alone, you can stop at step 2. Just eat the fruit right out of the skin! If you are wanting to use the mango for a salad, or some other dish, take your knife and slice through the fruit, just until you hit the skin. Make a few slices length-wise, and then across.













Step #4: Once your mango has been scored like this, just bend it so the fruit protrudes out, and use your knife (or a spoon if it is super ripe) to scrape along the skin, freeing the mango chunks!

See!!! That wasn't so hard!

Asparagus...Let Them Join the Party

I just had some wonderful asparagus...taking cues from Alton Brown (of the Food Network), I roasted some up in canola oil (I finally finished the gigantic jug of olive oil, and I can't replace it until next paycheck!), salt and pepper, and then gave a nice giant squeeze of LEMON!!!! I put it in a 425 degree oven for maybe 30 minutes...very tasty!!!

***WARNING!!! URINE TALK BELOW***

So it turns out that only 40-50% of people experience smelly pee after consuming asparagus...even more interesting...there is also a portion of the population that can't smell the smelly pee. There are many theories as to why this happens, but nobody knows for sure!

Date Night!!

One of my favorite ways to spend an evening is to cook a semi-gourmet meal for my hubby. Saturday afternoon, I started to envision my creation for the night. It started with a basic caprese salad (with basil from my new basil plant!). I made it an hour before we ate, so all of the goodness mushed together to form even more goodness:


On to the main course...this is where it gets magical. I started with some whole wheat pizza dough that I picked up from the pizza counter at Whole Foods. I rubbed it down with olive oil, sprinkled some fresh ground pepper, and drizzled it ever so slightly with honey. Then I topped it with some crumbled bleu cheese, a little mozzarella, chopped walnuts, and severely carmelized red onions. I threw it in the oven for maybe 30 minutes, and at the last minute, I topped it with chopped arugla, and let it wilt down in the oven just for a minute...this was the end result:

It was INCREDIBLE...I'm talking jaw-dropping. I normally am not 100% happy with any meal I make, but this one....ooh this one...it was special.

To wash everything down, I made a Lemon-Lychee cocktail from a blog that I follow, The Chubby Vegetarian. It was heaven in a glass:

Justin was happy, I was happy...it was just a happy date night! I encourage everyone to have stay-in date nights once in awhile, even if you aren't that confident with your cooking! It's a really nice way to show you love someone :)

I'm Not Healthy All the Time

I'll admit it...I love cheap ramen noodles. I picked up a package of Maruchan oriental flavor, thinking it should be safe, considering they have chicken, beef, and shrimp flavors, so I figured/hoped that oriental was vegetarian. I stood in the aisle reading the label, and somehow, I mentally blocked out the words "beef extract." Once I got home, I was on the vegan SubReddit, and someone mentioned a different ramen noodle brand, and that the oriental flavor was vegetarian, and how it was the only brand that had a vegetarian flavor...sure enough, I double checked the label and BEEF EXTRACT (what IS that!? how do you extract beefiness??? nevermind, i don't want to know...) was right there, clear as day.

I suppose this is also a good thread title to include my dinner tonight...sandwich consisting of cheese, avocado, sprouts, tomatoes, and pesto...healthy enough...but not when paired with Asiago and Garlic Oil fries.

I'm not sure what made me want to write this post...I think when people keep commenting, "oh you must eat so healthy! Only vegetables! I couldn't do it!" I start to feel guilty, because, well, I love instant noodles and fries soaked in garlic oil with asiago cheese all over the top.

Hope everyone's week is going well! Half-way through!

ANGELS WITH TAILS-THIS SUNDAY!

In case anybody reads this and is from Chicago...and is looking to adopt a dog or cat, PAWS (Pets Are Worth Saving) shelter is hosting their annual "Angels with Tails" event on Sunday, June 13th. Dogs and cats will be all along Michigan ave. and Oak st. some outside, some inside. Come take a look, maybe your new family member will be waiting for you!!!! Here is the WEBSITE.

Let's hope lots of animals find their forever homes!!!!

Sabotaged by Bacon...ALMOST!

I knew this would happen at some point...sneaky meat. We went out to dinner with our friends last night to this new Italian/Polish pub, and I was very excited to have some pierogi! I ordered a few potato ones, and a few mushroom ones, along with a lovely little panzanella salad (loving the Italian/Polish combo). The pierogi came on a bed of warm sauerkraut, and as I dug into it...BAM! Little red bits...of BACON! uuuggggghhhhh!!!!! I had a few bites, but it became too much of a pain to inspect each forkful. Luckily we had more than enough food (as usual), so I certainly didn't go hungry.

I volunteered at the Admissions/Intake part of PAWS shelter today, and had a great time! I got there at 9:30, and was informed they were very under-staffed today. I went into the dog area, and most of them hadn't even been taken outside yet :( There just aren't enough people to help! So I definitely got my exercise in, walking maybe 5 or so dogs all around Little Village (it's a huge Latina area...very fun to walk around!). I fell in love with this little guy, Dobbs. 6 months old and a big goofball! Look at those ears!!!! I don't think Hort or Morris would appreciate him, so hopefully he will get a good home SOON!!!


Dinner tonight is looking like veggie burgers on the grill, and this Greek-ish salad I made (I saw it in the prepared section at the deli, but the line was too long and I got tired of waiting, so just decided to throw it together myself!). It's just made up of cucumbers (peeled, seeded, and chunked), a few tomatoes chopped up (some of the seeds and guts removed), some red onion, and feta cheese crumbled in. Then I tossed it around with dried oregano, mint, salt and pepper, and some olive oil and rice wine vinegar (only vinegar I have at the moment). I took a sample taste, and it's pretty darn tasty.

***One more thing! The Cooking Channel has arrived!!! It is on the same channel that the Fine Living Network used to be (on Direct Tv, it's channel 232). I am really enjoying it! Meat still dominates, but there are a lot of ethnic-based shows now too, so I'm hoping I'll get a lot of vegetarian ideas (or at least flavor inspirations!).

Have a great week everyone!

Memorial Day challenges...maybe not so challenging!

We had a little cookout with some friends...the usual suspects were there-Brats, burgers, you know the rest. Though I'm normally not a fan of soy products that parade around as something else (if it's a veggie burger, I like to see the veggies), I decided to try Morning Star Farms grillers prime (I think that's what it was called). It was supposed to have that true "flame broiled" taste. I decided to put it in the toaster while the meats were on the grill. I topped it off with some sauteed onions I made, some cheese, a pickle, and a little ketchup. Not bad! It still had that smell that some soy products have, but the toppings masked it pretty well. Not sure if I would buy it again, but it was nice not to have a completely different meal than everyone else. Sides were easy- caprese salad and chips of course :) I felt good about being meat-free today...no urges for a burger, definitely not for a brat. It was also the first time that I went out of my way to make sure my pretend burger wasn't cooked next to the real burgers...as more time passes being meat-free, the more unappetizing meat becomes to me. I did briefly forget that I was vegetarian when Jen mentioned her dad wanting to make a deep fried turkey, but I caught myself, and ended the excitement (and by ending the excitement, I mean stopped jumping up and down)...there's just something so wrong, but so right about a deep fried turkey....

ANYWAY...

I also had my first day of volunteering at the PAWS spay/neuter clinic this morning. It went really well! I spent most of the morning cleaning ears, cutting nails, helping dogs and cats to wake up from anesthesia, and pulling out a few breathing tubes! Overall I really liked it and felt good about it...all except the dog that came in to be spayed, and turned out to be pregnant. Of course I peaked into the OR just as the vet tech was giving the euthanasia shots to all the tiny puppies (they didn't really look all that much like puppies, but I still knew, and it was still really sad). I made myself feel better by playing with the tiny fluffy gray kitten named Rupert, which is such a great name for a fluffy gray kitten!

Hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day weekend!

Sorry I've Been Slacking!!!

Sorry I haven't been adding anything (not that you probably are checking everyday, hanging onto my every last word, but humor me for a moment and pretend you do!). I have been super busy trying to get in shape for the summer!!! Not only have I been hitting the gym like a mad woman, but I also have really been paying close attention to what I am eating. I made a really good broccoli and seitan stirfry the other night that was a big hit with Justin. I just diced up the seitan, and added it to a wok with some fresh broccoli, onion, and garlic in a little canola oil. Then made a sauce with hoisin (like an Asian bbq sauce), Siracha chili sauce (my favorite hot sauce! It's the one in the Asian aisle with the green top. It's super hot, so be careful!), a little veggie broth, and some liquid aminos. It was really good and VERY filling! I also made a 3 bean chili in the crockpot that turned out pretty tasty! In the mornings, I've been drinking a protein shake that I buy at my gym. I like the vanilla, and I blend it up with a frozen banana and some unsweetened almond milk (which is only 40 calories, woot woot!). For lunch most days, I've been eating an avocado with some lime juice squeezed on the top, and a yogurt, or grabbing a salad or veggie sub with no cheese from subway.

I'm going to an orientation for volunteering at an animal shelter on Wednesday, I'm really excited about it!!!

Have a good week everyone!!!

Couscous Salad!!!

Heading over to the Santiago's for a cookout, so I decided to make an Israeli couscous salad. It is AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS...and gorgeous!!!!! I've made it a few times, but I think this is my favorite version. Israeli (or Middle Eastern) couscous is just about the cutest food there is (besides apricots, aka "baby butts" according to Justin). They are fun little balls that you can do pretty much anything with. Sometimes I just cook some up in veggie broth and eat it as a side dish, other times, I've mixed in curry powder, potatoes, onions, peppers, chicken (before i went veggie, now i would probably try tofu or seitan) and made a whole meal out of it. Anyway, here is the recipe for the salad I made today:

-3 cups Israeli couscous
-4 cups veggie broth or water (if using water, flavor it up a little with salt and maybe some garlic powder)
-2 granny smith apples, chopped into like 1/2 inch cubes (leave the skin on)
-dried cranberries chopped up
-slivered or sliced almonds (you can also use pinenuts, or probably walnuts would be good too!)
-fresh rosemary chopped tiny
-some grapes, sliced length wise
-red onion, minced really tiny

dressing-i'm not really a measurer, so start with maybe 2 parts olive oil to 1 part acid

-juice from 1 lemon apple cider vinegar (you can use both lemon and vinegar, or just 1 or the other...i like both)
-salt
-little honey
-olive oil

Cook the couscous in the broth or water UNCOVERED until all the liquid is absorbed (it only takes maybe 10-15 minutes, depending on how wide your pan is). Throw the still warm cooked couscous into a bowl, and add in all of the ingredients, mix together. In a small container, add the ingredients for the dressing, and shake into a frenzy. Pour over couscous and stir. Cover the salad and stick it in the fridge until it is cool. It gets better the longer it sits.

Veggie Enchiladas!!!

Tonight is veggie enchilada night!!! The filling consisted of 1 eggplant, 1 onion, a handful of roasted red peppers (from a jar), 1 package of thawed and well drained frozen spinach, and 1 green bell pepper. I chopped everything pretty small, and added it all to a frying pan with some canola oil. After things had softened, I added a small can of tomato paste, and some pepperjack and fontina cheese. After 5 "tasting" spoonfuls, I broke out the flour tortillas, gave them each a quick zap over the gas burner, and generously filled each one. I placed all of them into a casserole dish, covered them in red enchilada sauce (jarred), added a little extra cheese, then put it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!

For an extra authentic Mexican side dish...au gratin potatoes. Justin had his wisdom teeth out on Friday, so no rice for the Webers for the next little while!

Hope everyone's weekend was great! Happy Mother's Day!!!