Acorn Squash Stuffed with Israeli Cous Cous

Every grocery store in my neighborhood is running specials on a variety of squash right now, which presents a great opportunity to incorporate it into my cooking and capitalize on the wonderful health benefits that these gourdy little friends provide.

It doesn't have to be anything complicated--vegetables shine in a simple environment. Of course there are plenty of wonderful things you can do with vegetables that end up being something close to a work of culinary art, but with the right spices and combination your dish can be equally as impressive.

This dish has a few ingredients that I want to focus on. In the cous cous, I used turmeric, ground mustard and curry powder. Turmeric is one of nature's most powerful healers. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin and it's been used for over 2500 years in India.

Here's a list detailing 20 reasons to incorporate turmeric into your diet and into your cooking (besides the fact that it adds tons of flavor!) I think the research behind turmeric in helping to prevent and treat different forms of cancer is fascinating and definitely worth looking in to more!

Curry spice also contains curcumin and has been identified as having many of the same healing properties as turmeric and is absolutely one of my favorite flavors in Indian and southeast Asian cooking.

One cup of acorn squash contains 145% of the daily recommended requirements for Vitamin A! It also has a ton of Vitamin C, potassium, manganese, folate (folic acid), and 15% of the omega three fatty acids necessary to good health. It's also a great source of fiber!

Check my next post and I'll go into more detail about protein and how I've come to know it since becoming a vegetarian!
*hint: the lentil/grain combination in this dish is nearly a complete protein, meaning it's missing only a few of the essential amino acids you need from protein. To be continued....


Acorn Squash Stuffed with Israeli Cous Cous
Ingredients:

• 1 Acorn Squash
• 1 package steamed lentils
  
• 1 package Israeli Cous Cous
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 bunch fresh spinach (Lightly chopped)
  
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 1.5 tsp curry powder
• 1.5 tsp ground mustard
• 2 tbsp Braggs Liquid Amino Acids

Instructions:
Prepare cous cous according to package instructions. I usually buy the Trader Joe's brand which calls for you to lightly toast the cous cous before hand. When it's almost done cooking, stir in your turmeric, curry powder and mustard and 1 tablespoon of your Braggs Liquid Aminos. Let it cook for a few minutes longer and add half the package ( about 1.5 cups) of the lentils.
Stir the ingredients together and add your mushrooms. Add about half of your fresh spinach on top and let it wilt. Remove from heat.


Acorn squash can be cooked in different ways, and as much as I love taking the time to slice it open (they can be tough to slice through) and roast it in the oven, I decided just to microwave this one. Pierce the squash in a few different places with your fork and microwave for about 7 minutes. When it's finished (be careful, it's hot) slice it in half length-wise and remove the seeds.

On a plate, have the rest of your spinach and cherry tomatoes anxiously awaiting the arrival its squash centerpiece. Place the squash and fill with about half a cup of the cous cous-lentil mixture in each half. Lightly sprinkle the rest of your Braggs over each half.

Tip: Before adding the cous cous, I like to use my fork to scrape the insides of the squash a little bit to make the meat squishy so it's easier to mix with my stuffing while I'm enjoying it.

Voila!
I hope you enjoy :)

Homage to Good Earth and Why You Should Drink More Tea

For me, Fall is the crystal chandelier in the waltz of the seasons. It's the focal point of my year. It's the perfect medley of late summer sunshine blended with crisp early-winter air. And as if that wasn't good enough, the changing colors of the leaves make walking outside something from a daydream.

It doesn't hurt that my birthday is in November and that I'm obsessed with pumpkins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup.....I think you get the point. And this time of year, warm flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin and molasses are found in every bakery case you lay eyes on. But, one of my favorite things about Fall is that my cravings for iced teas and cool, fresh drinks slowly shift toward warm, sweet cider and tea to warm up my hands and my tummy.

I really, really love tea. There is a tea to cure any ailment you could imagine, but when you can have a tea that's good for you and also tastes like you're drinking the most decadently sweet and satisfying liquid on the planet (minus any added sugars or artificial ingredients), how could you contest?

Here's my little nugget of gold every time the weather gets cold and wet (which is...um 80% of the time here in the Northwest!): Good Earth Original Sweet and Spicy Tea (Decaf). It's incredible. I love it. I would write a book of love poems to it if I didn't think people would call me crazy!
It's a natural combination of herbs and spices in an earthy, Rooibos base. Think Chai tea, only naturally sweet and without the caffeine (drinking decaf tea has all kinds of perks)

Here's why you should drink it, now:

1. It comes with the sweetest little messages on each tea bag. I've actually started this little cup on my kitchen tables of these little "fortunes" for people to fish out.
2. There are a huge number of health benefits from drinking tea, especially decaf.
Here are the benefits of just a few of the ingredients:

*Red rooibos:contains anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-mutagenic qualities and is great for your skin.

*Chicory root: Excellent aid in digestion, weight loss and supports the body's detoxification system through the liver and kidneys.

*Rosehips: Natural and gentle diuretic, eases cramps and studies have proven rose hips are helpful to the circulatory system, respiratory system, the thymus gland and as a blood cleanser.

*Cinnamon: I'm obsessed with cinnamon, and the benefits are almost innumerable. Check this list out!

*Lemongrass: Helps to detoxify the liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and the digestive tract. It cuts down uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats and other toxins in the body while stimulating digestion, blood circulation, and lactation; it also alleviates indigestion; also helps improve the skin by reducing acne and pimples and acts as a muscle and tissue toner. Also, it can reduce blood pressure. (PHEW...that's a lot)

*Peppermint: Yum. Soothes your tummy and digestive track and contains vitamin B (important!!), potassium and calcium. Aides in stress relief and...it'll make your breath smell great!

*Chamomile: Helpful in reducing insomnia, anxiety, muscle twitches, skin, and menstrual cramps.

*Panax ginseng leaves: Chinese medicine has used it for years, which means you probably can't go wrong.

*Anise seed, dandelion root and ginger root: relieve the pain of indigestion, colic, "flatulence", bloating and water retention.

*Orange oil and orange peel: Just delicious. Delicious! Okay, and it's good for you: Anti inflammatory, anti depressant, anti spasmodic, anti septic, aphrodisiac, carminative, diuretic, tonic, sedative and cholagogue.



(The tea contains no sugar, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. A natural source of antioxidants)

Oh I'm sorry, did I say I was only going to list a few?
I couldn't help myself ;)

Now go enjoy the sweetest, most delicious cup of tea on the planet and tell me if you don't love it!

My fortune while writing this post :)

Hungry Girl is Confused (and why not have a Quesadilla?!)

First, I absolutely must apologize for the fact that I haven't posted any new recipes in about a month (okay, or maybe longer...)

In my defense, I was busy. With what, you ask?
GRADUATING COLLEGE!

Thank you, thank you. Hold your applause, it really is only one more step taken in my professional and personal adventures. Now I’m relocating to an apartment in NW Portland and starting a new job…wish me luck!

I wish I could say this post would end my sleepy food-coma of non-posting, but I can't. Instead, I'll share an article with anyone who cares to read or is familiar with the online mega-diet-guru who goes by the name “Hungry Girl”

Hungry Girl Avatar

I admit that in the past I've visited her page on more than one occasion and read through her reviews of foods that aren't "naughty" and are "OMG GOOD!!!!!!!" However, I don't ever really take her food suggestions and am more interested in the interesting recipe swaps she posts that promise to "healthify" some traditionally rich and caloric favorites.

This article appeared in the New York Times discussing Hungry Girl's personal outlook on food and dieting, and a nutritional plan that accommodates for constant snacking on food she's approved as less "bad for you" versions of our favorite foods.

While reading this article, my own personal developments and acquired understanding about food and the importance of the nutritional whole rather than the components of our food (i.e. "added" fiber, omegas, etc) became very apparent to me. Accommodating for this kind of eating just leads to constant fixation on good and "bad" foods rather than enjoying healthy, guilt-free meals on a regular basis. Hungry Girl has become an icon for “dieters” but hasn’t ever lost a significant amount of weight herself…yet she has made a career of obsessing over foods she can devour without gaining weight.

Yet another component of modern food culture that should serve as a big red flag for anyone interesting in enjoying their food and preserving their long-term health and happiness J

Want a snack that you don’t feel bad about? I made vegan-quesadillas for some girlfriends of mine a while back. They were easy and used Red Pepper Hummus instead of cheese! They could hardly tell the difference and everyone gave them rave reviews. Try it!

Ingredients:

1 package tortillas

1 onion, sliced

Baby spinach

Two tomatoes, sliced

Crimini mushrooms, sliced

(Be creative here! You could really add anything you like…black beans, corn, tofu, etc.)

First, sautee the onions in a little bit of water and a seasoning blend of your choice (I used Spike’s and nutritional yeast!). Have the sliced tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms nearby because the rest of this goes pretty quick.

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and place one tortilla down in the pan. On half the tortilla, put the spinach, mushrooms and onions down first. Let the tortilla get just a little bit crispy on the side facing down. When it gets crisp enough for you, spread a large spoonful of Red Pepper Hummus ( I used Sabra ) and tomatoes and fold over. Slice into triangles and enjoy!

My girlfriends eating my quesadillas :)

Sidenote: For this meal I also made Pea Guacamole for dipping...it was OK, kind of weird. The peas gave it a sweeter flavor than I'm used to in Guac!

Oreo Cookie Cake

Today is my brother Christopher's Birthday and my gift to him was this cake!

(The B on this cake is for Brother Bear!)

This cake was fun to make and there was a little bit of role reversal going on between the icing and the cake itself.
USUALLY, it's the cake that takes the most time and the frosting is something you whip up in a couple of minutes after it's cooled. Well, that ain't the way the cookie crumbled for this one ;)

First, for all of you cooks out there, please don't judge me for what I'm about to tell you. For everyone else, this is a cake recipe for you because guess what? You get to use a boxed mix!

Hold your gasps...you still have spend some time on it, but the end result is a Death by Chocolate Cake smothered in fluffy, creamy, Oreo cookie laden frosting (and a hint of mint!)

Holy moly.
Happy Birthday, to my dear Brother Bear :)

Ingredients:
Cake:

I bought two boxes of the Betty Crocker Triple Chunk BROWNIE mix.

I like this one because it makes the cake taste SO moist and fudgey (like a brownie, duh?) and the extra bits of chocolate in it make it taste more like a Death by Chocolate cake when there are two layers, rather than brownies shamelessly stacked on top of each other.


Note: I made a single batch of the icing and had some leftover. Not much is worse than not having enough icing. Better to make too much than have too little. The extra icing will keep in the freezer.
But really, this makes a LOT of frosting. So save some and make some cupcakes afterward!


Oreo Cookie Frosting Ingredients:
5 large egg whites
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. light corn syrup
1 cup butter (2 sticks) cut into table spoon size pieces
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
about 20 Oreo cookies, crushed with some bigger pieces remaining

While the brownie cakes are cooking, you'll have to sit down and separate your oreos from their icing. SAVE the icing so you can put it in the middle between the two layers. Once you've separated it, you can just kind of moosh it up and put it haphazardly in the middle of the two layers.
1.

2. 3.

Place the egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium-high speed until foamy. Sprinkle in 6 Tbs. of the sugar and beat on high speed to medium peaks (the whites should be smooth, full, and shiny, and the peaks should curl a little). Turn off the mixer.


Combine the remaining 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar and the corn syrup in a medium (3-quart) saucepan over medium high heat, stirring briefly to dissolve the sugar. Continue to cook just until the mixture comes to a rolling boil.

Immediately remove the syrup from the heat, turn the mixer onto medium-high speed, and slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl in a steady stream, being very careful not to let the syrup hit the whisk.



Reduce the speed to medium and continue whisking until the whites are barely warm, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the butter 1 Tbs. at a time. Add the vanilla and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Fold in crushed Oreo cookies.



Please, before you attempt to eat this cake, unbutton your pants.

**NOTE**
I added a little bit of mint extract to the frosting when I was whipping the whites which tastes really delicious with the chocolate cookie frosting and cake.
Also, this is optional, but I bought a bag of the mini-Oreo cookies to decorate the cake with.

:)

The China Study and thoughts on being a Veg Head

*Photo via energy-treatments.com

After I decided to become a vegetarian, one of my first priorities was to do my research.
I've heard of too many vegetarians who give up a central aspect of their diet (meat & fish) and then fail to incorporate the variety of foods necessary to meet their body's needs. The result is usually an insatiable hunger for sweets and other junk food as well as a creeping fatigue that slowly catches up to them and drags them back to the nutrient that was previously supplied by meat: Protein.

I did, and continue to do, a lot of reading on nutrition and dietary research. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the multitude of "facts" out there about exactly how I should be eating and what I should be feeding my body (my temple!). There's no doubt about it, giving up meat is a huge lifestyle change, but it's one I would never go back on and am beyond thankful to have done. The benefits are seemingly endless, and the process changed my way of thinking and how my actions affect my local and global community (humans and non-humans alike!).

However, if there's one piece of reading I have been told over and over again to read it would be The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell.



Campbell's book, in essence, debunks many of the dietary myths that we've been trained to believe and provides us with sound research suggesting that our diet is THE key factor behind living a disease-free life. Specifically, he discusses a diet void of meat and other animal products.
(Well...also the many forms of Frankenfood that can be found on our grocery shelves as well!)

He makes a point that I've heard reiterated and repeated by many, many writers on this topic:
"...eat a whole foods, plant-based diet, while minimizing the consumption of refined foods, added salt and added fats."

That's it.

Campbell also challenges readers to try it for ONE MONTH. That's an insignificant amount of time in relation to your lifespan, but it's enough time to lengthen it and enrich it in innumerable ways.

So, MY challenge is this...
Check back on my blog in about a week. I will posted a budget-friendly guide on how to transition to vegetarianism based on my own experiences. Try it for a month and if you don't like it, eat all of the lovely chicken, beef, and fish that you want.

In the meantime, check out these great resources!

• Top 5 most shocking facts from the movie Food Inc.
• My other blog, although hasn't been updated since March
• Susan at FatFree Vegan Kitchen
• There's chicken poop in your steak...
  

Have some extra time? Take a gander....

1. Giving up meat can reverses many of the effects of heart disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity.

2. In every package of chicken, there are traces of fecal matter.

3. Almost half the water used in the U.S. each year goes to grow feed and provide drinking water for cows. It takes 29 gallons of water to produce a pound of tomatoes; 139 gallons to produce a pound of bread; but 2,454 gallons to produce a pound of beef.

4. The average hamburger contains meat from around 100 cattle. It gets better…mass produced cows are often raised knee-deep in their own manure. Then, they're butchered so fast that there often isn't enough time to clean them. The end result? Cow pie in your cheeseburger.

5. Americans eat about eight ounces of meat a day, roughly twice the global average. At about 5 percent of the world’s population, we process nearly 10 billion animals a year, more than 15 percent of the world’s total.

6. Cows are not designed to digest corn, and when they do, their stomachs become breeding grounds for E.coli bacteria. Five days of feeding grass to a cow would kill nearly all of these bacteria, but for most industrial farms that's too much of a hassle. Instead, meat plants are "washing" ground beef (and chicken!) in ammonia and chlorine before packaging it to sell to grocery stores. Delicious.

7. The average American eats over 200 lbs. of meat a year.

8. Though some 800 million people on the planet now suffer from hunger or malnutrition, the majority of corn and soy grown in the world feeds cattle, pigs and chickens.

9. Agriculture in the United States — much of which now serves the demand for meat — contributes to nearly three-quarters of all water-quality problems in the nation’s rivers and streams, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

10. If you’re feeling interested and want to see more, search “Meet your Meat” on Youtube.com [It’s about 12 minutes long, prepare yourself!]

Incredibly Easy Brownies

Brownies that won't cause you to go into a sugar-comatose?! Why, yes indeed :)
I made this a while back and didn't get a chance to post the recipe until now. They're incredibly moist and dense, but don't use any eggs and contain less sugar than regular brownies...plus the ground cloves give it a little something extra!

As the weather starts transitioning from constant downpours to sunshine, I find myself wanting more of the fresh, crunchy, sweet vegetables that I'm starting to see at the Farmer's market and at Sundance Market. Keep an eye out for my next post, I'll make something that fits the season! For now, enjoy this delicious little treat!

Reduced-Sugar Brownies with Clove & Cinnamon (and a marshmallow, for kicks):

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground cloves
1 cup water
1 cup apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions: Get ready...SUPER easy....

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees and grease a 9.5 inch round baking pan (or square, whatever!)
2. Combine your dry ingredients as well as the sugar.
3. Add in water, apple sauce and vanilla and bake for 30 minutes.

Ta-Da!

Banana Upside Down Cake

It's been a while since I've baked just for fun and without a goal in mind (birthday, dinner party, etc) So, what better time than a relaxed Friday night to get back in my creative groove? I had to stay in to watch "The Rules of the Game" for my film class and decided I wanted to try out a new twist on one of my favorite things to make--Banana Bread.

This cake is rich. Really rich. But it's absolutely delicious served both warm and cold, by itself or accompanied with a spoonful of ice cream.

** I used a pan that was TOO small for my batter! It ended up spilling over and making a little bit of a mess.... :)
After cleaning up my spills on the bottom of the stove, I put the cake back in with a larger casserole dish underneath it to catch any ooey-gooey stuff. I think in the baking world this would be a total faux pas and I'm sure I totally messed with the chemistry of the batter--but whatever. It was still good.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large bananas, mashed
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt


Middle layer & Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

Bottom layer to cover bananas:
4 tbs butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar


--I had some white chocolate chips that I threw on top just for good measure ;)
It was delicious with it but it was definitely an extra, so skip it if you'd like!

Directions: Preheat your over to 350 degrees.

Mash the 3 bananas in a separate bowl and set aside:


In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar until creamy. Add your egg, vanilla, and apple sauce. Mix together and add then add your banana-mash. Once combined, you can add your dry ingredients.
Set aside so you can set up your cake pan next.


In a your baking dish ( I used a round cake pan, wrong decision!) Slice your bananas and arrange on the bottom. You could get creative here and make them look nice, mine seem to be a little bit haphazard. Maybe that was my inner college student rebellion coming out so I could feel more connected with the inebriated youth passing my house and breaking beer bottles?


Combine your butter and brown sugar for the base layer and cover the bananas.

Next, pour half of your cake mixture until bananas are covered:


Now, combine the middle/topping ingredients (brown sugar and cinnamon) and sprinkle about half the mixture on top of the batter. Pour your remaining batter to cover, and then sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture on top. (This is where you can also add your white chocolate chips OR any other addition you might like. Nuts?)

Oooooooh!

Ahhhhhh....