White Beans & Cream Chili

Even though the summer is thinking of coming to Oregon (at least it is finally spring weather!) I was still craving something warm to eat. I discovered when I had pneumonia earlier this year that consuming warm foods really did help, and when I drank ice water (my favorite!) my body was not too happy. The last few days I’ve been feeling like I am fighting to stay healthy, so this chili seemed like a good answer. I get bored with soups and chili sometimes, but the addition of green chilies and the vegan sour cream really brought out the flavors. Enjoy!


White Beans & Cream Chili

1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 medium Zucchini, chopped
1 medium Yellow Squash, chopped
1 Tb Olive Oil
28 oz. White Beans (any variety)
14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes
1 Vegan Bouillon Cube
2 cups Water
8 oz. Diced Green Chilies
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Garlic Granules
½ tsp Cumin
6 oz. Vegan Sour Cream

Sauté the chopped vegetables in the oil over medium-high heat until almost soft. Add the beans, tomatoes, bouillon cube, water, green chilies and spices. Cook about 10 minutes over medium heat. Add more water if you would like it to be more of a soup consistency. Add the sour cream and blend into ingredients. Cook an additional 5 minutes, or until the chili is the desired temperature.

Portland Folks - Blind Cafe is Back!

This week, The Blind Cafe comes back to Portland, and I highly recommend the experience! Read about my first experience from December to see what to expect. I think I especially love this idea since it introduces people to a new perspective. It challenges you to find comfort in an unfamiliar place using different senses than usual- all while enjoying vegan and gluten free food.

I really appreciate the fact that the entire menu is vegan (since otherwise I would not be able to participate) and that some proceeds benefit the Portland blind community. To find out more and to purchase tickets, check out their website.

http://www.theblindcafe.com/portland-blind-cafe.htm

Portland's 2011 Vegan Iron Chef

Last year’s Vegan Iron Chef in Portland was quite the event! Three amazing vegan chefs competed for the 1st annual competition, which was sold out and enjoyed by many. Prizes were given away to audience members, excitement was in the air in anticipation as to what the contestants would prepare, and the vegan community was celebrated. The organizers of Vegan Iron Chef out did themselves by putting together such an exceptional event. And that was just the first year!

July 10th will be the 2nd annual Vegan Iron Chef, and the tickets are selling fast! Make sure to get yours before they are all gone, since I guarantee they will sell out. This year’s contestants include Piper from Kitchen Dances, Jeff with Homegrown Smoker and Morgan with Dovetail Bakery.

The new website for Vegan Iron Chef was also just announced, and it is beautiful! Check out my Vegan Joys recipe featured on the website, since I am sure you will love them if you didn’t see them originally posted on my blog. There are also instructions for making your own vanilla; something I’ve been meaning to try for quite awhile.

www.veganironchef.org

Vegan Celebrity Smackdown

Natalie Portman recently told the world that she is no longer vegan, sighting her pregnancy and the difficulty to curb cravings with sweets and getting proper nutrition as the reasoning. While Natalie admits that people do have successful pregnancies as a vegan, I guess she doesn’t care enough to give it a go. Getting proper nutrition, regardless of diet, can be difficult in a world of processed foods, and even more so for a pregnant woman. However, eating a vegan diet is a great way to eat a healthy diet and just a little bit of planning will allow you to get all your needed nutrients.

It appears to me that Natalie is sidelining her morals for pure laziness. Celebrities have the money and resources to be successfully vegan, no matter the circumstances. Vegan indulgences such as cake, cookies and ice cream would be easy for her to obtain as well. She has the privilege to make a conscious decision to continue following her previous decision to not contribute to animal suffering.

I think the reason this makes me so mad (besides the fact she is contributing to the suffering of animals and knows better) is that fact she is saying to the world that veganism is difficult, that having morals is not enough to be successfully vegan and that it is okay to harm animals with your choices. Maintaining a vegan diet may be hard in some circumstances, but being pregnant in Hollywood definitely does not count.

Natalie is the second celebrity within the last six months to admit to cheating or going off a vegan diet. Late last year, Al icia Silverstone admitted to cheating on a vegan diet by eating cheese while drinking at parties. Al icia has claimed herself as a spokesperson for veganism and profits from talking and writing about a vegan diet. While some people argue that she is human and her cheese-eating just shows people that mistakes can happen and that is okay, I think she is demonstrating that veganism isn’t that significant. She is downplaying the important decision of choosing a vegan diet for the animals, the planet and our own bodies.

No one is perfect. We are all human. Al l we can do is the best we are capable of. I would rather someone be mostly vegan than not vegan at all. But I do think celebrities who stamp themselves vegan have a responsibility to not give veganism a bad name. Or dismiss it by cheating when they feel like it. These individuals are turning their back on a decision to treat animals with respect by not eating them or contribute to their suffering. This gives a message that you don’t need to take veganism seriously, which is not true at all. Hopefully the public can recognize the faults in these people, not a vegan lifestyle.

Creamy Potato Vegetable Soup

I was the last at my work to get sick this season, but I didn't just get a cold, I got pneumonia. I am still not 100% yet, but am doing much better. While sick, I did not eat too much, but soups were a staple. Mostly I ate canned soups (which I don't think are very good) but when I had a little more energy I did get around to making my own. My original idea was a potato dill soup, but somehow that turned to this instead. Get your soup on before the sun comes back.

*Please excuse the bad photo. I forgot to take a pic with my good camera before eating the last of it at work.

Creamy Potato Vegetable Soup

3 cups Potatoes, chopped
1 Red Onion, chopped
2 medium Zucchini, chopped
3 small Squash, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tb. Vegan Margarine
1/2 tsp Garlic Granules
1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast
3 cups Coconut Milk (I used So Delicious)
2 cups Broth
Salt & Pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until soft. Drain off liquid until there is about 1/2 cup of water still in pot. Mash potatoes until half mashed, half has some texture. Add half margarine, garlic granules and nutritional yeast. Set aside.

Saute the onion in half the margarine until soft. Add the garlic, zucchini and squash and cook until slightly browned. Add the potato mixture, coconut milk and broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat until hot and serve with bread or a salad.

Miso-Maple Tofu

A while back I somehow acquired a cookzine called "Kitchen Witch: Vegan Magic" filled with unique vegan recipes. One recipe really stood out, but it never had quantities, just of list of ingredients. I've been able to find a good flavor combination of all the ingredients every time I made it, but finally wrote down my version so I could share it. I made this during my last family visit and served it along with stuffing, roasted potatoes and a mustard greens dish. Hope you enjoy it as my family and I did.


Miso-Maple Tofu

1 1/2 blocks Tofu*
1 cup Walnuts
2 Tb Miso
1 Tb Maple Syrup
1 Tb Sesame Oil
2 Tb Tamari

Cut the tofu into 1/4 inch slabs. Combine the sesame oil and tamari. Coat the tofu in the oil/tamari combination and place on baking sheet. If any oil/tamari is left, pour over top of tofu. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, flip tofu and bake an addition 10 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, miso and maple syrup until it is a paste-like consistency. Spread the paste evenly over the baked tofu. Bake an addition 15 minutes.

*High protein tofu from Trader Joes is the perfect size.

Weekly Cooking Ritual

All of November I did not eat any sugar, processed foods or alcohol, and then in December I ate whatever for my birthday and the holidays. I had an eye opening experience since I felt way better while eating healthy. Of course this should not be surprising, but the amount of difference I felt was.

Currently I am trying to get back into eating really healthy like I did in November, but it is not an easy task. Sugar seems to be in everything, convenience food often involves processed foods, and I like to get drinks with my friends. I have also become addicted to these unhealthy foods, just like most people have, even if they don’t want to admit it.

Now is a time to remind myself of the flavors and benefits of wholesome foods. It is easy to get in a rut and just rely on certain foods that you know are tasty, but may not be the healthiest option. Vegetables, whole grains, beans, tofu, etc. has so much potential to create amazing meals, but sometimes you have to be a little creative.

A friend of mine is also staying away from sugars and processed foods for the next few months, so we started to get together once a week and prepare food. Last night was our third week together and everything we have made so far has been excellent.

Week 1:

Spaghetti squash with Tofu Ricotta (new love for squash!)
French Beans & Berries Salad using kale instead of spinach and tomatoes

Week 2:

Miso Vegetable Soup
Tofu Maple-Walnut Bake (recipe coming soon)
Wild Rice
Steamed Kale with lemon juice & tahini

Week 3:

Quinoa Protein Bars
Vegetable Whole Wheat Cassoulet

The Quinoa Protein Bars are a great option for a quick breakfast or snack. Sometimes I do not have time to cook up my oats in the morning (which I fill with fresh fruit, chia seeds and nuts so I don’t miss the sugar). These bars are a great alternative!

Quinoa Protein Bars

2 cups Quick Cooked Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Quinoa Grain
1/4 cup Flaxseeds Meal
3/4 cup Hemp Protein Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup Shredded Coconut
1/2 cup Date Sugar
1/2 cup Oat Flour
1/4 cup Oil
2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Water
2 cups Berries

Cook dry quinoa according to directions. While this is cooking, combine oats, flax, protein powder, baking soda, date sugar, flour, walnuts, seeds, coconut and sea salt in a large bowl.

Once quinoa is cooked, add to the pan the oil, vanilla and water. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together. More water may be needed. Add the berries and mix to combine.

Spread mixture into greased 9 x 13-inch pan, pressing down with hands to fit into pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F. Allow to cool and cut into pieces. Makes 15 bars.

* Add spices, apples, raisins, cranberries, other seeds and nuts to mix up flavors to make variety of different types of bars.