Crispy Tofu

Crispy Tofu

     I am going to change what you think about tofu.  It can be an extraordinary food that leaves you wanting more!  

1 package organic extra firm tofu, sliced in half lengthwise, and pressed to remove the water

3-4 TBSP sesame oil

2 TBSP Tamari sauce

2 tsp nutritional yeast

     Cut the tofu into little rectangles while heating the sesame oil in a large frying pan.   Gently place the tofu in the oil and cook each side until browned.  When all sides are browned, add the Tamari sauce and cook for one minute.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined dish.  Sprinkle the nutritional yeast on each side of the slightly cooled pieces of tofu and enjoy!  Tofu cooked in this way is a great snack in lunches or presented as an appetizer. 

A Prayer among Friends

by John Daniel

Among other wonders of our lives, we are alive

with one another, we walk here

in the light of this unlikely world

that isn't ours for long.

May we spend generously

the time we are given.

May we enact our responsibilities

as thoroughly as we enjoy

our pleasures.  May we see with clarity,

may we seek a vision

that serves all beings, may we honor

the mystery surpassing our sight,

and may we hold in our hands

the gift of good work

and bear it forth whole, as we

were borne forth by a power we praise

to this one Earth, the homeland of all we love.  

Shopping List

Chick Pea and Kale Stew

2 TBSP olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic

4 carrots, peeled and diced

1 tsp celery seeds

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups peeled and cored tomatoes

1/2 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed and diced

1 15 oz can chick peas

1 bunch kale, stems removed, cleaned and torn into small pieces

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion, carrots, and celery seed.  When veggies are soft, add the garlic and salt and pepper.  Cook for one minute.  Increase the heat and add the tomatoes and their juice.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Add 7 cups water, potatoes and beans and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  Stir in the kale.  Cook, covered, for 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Perfect fall meal.  Serve with homemade cornbread muffins or rolls.

Some of you have asked for a shopping list in order to learn how to buy the ingredients for cooking and eating healthier.  Here is a quick list, a little lengthy, but will get you started.  During subsequent shopping trips, try only to buy food on the outer isles, which indicate "fresh".  Farm markets and farm sales are a great way to buy produce and know that the food on your table does not have a long shelf life.

Shopping List!

Bulk (Always have around):

 1. Rolled Old Fashioned oats

 2. Wheat germ

 3.  Sliced almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pine nuts and pecans

 4. Brown Sugar, Honey, Agave nectar

 5. Quinoa

 6. Lentils, Chick peas, black, kidney, and cannellini beans

 7.  Whole grain rice, spaghetti, and noodles

 8.  Vanilla

 9.  Red wine, rice and cider vinegar

10. Peanut Butter

11. Canned coconut milk

12.  Sesame, Olive, and coconut oil

13. Whole grain mustard

14. Vegetable Stock

15. Soy/Tamari Sauce

16. Tahini

17. Polenta

18. Red and Green Curry jars

19. Artichoke Hearts

20. Nutritional Yeast

21. Bulgar Wheat

22. Fresh bread

HERBS: Fresh, if possible

1.Thyme

2. Basil

3. Parsley

4. Bay Leaves

5. Pepper corns

6.  Sea Salt

7.  Cumin Seeds

8. Celery Seeds

9. Dried Mustard

ALL the time Vegetables and Fruit:

1. Bananas

2. Ginger

3. Kale/Spinach/Escarole

4. Carrots

5. Romaine Lettuce

6. Sweet and Red Potatoes

7. Onions

8. Garlic

9. Celery

10. Scallions

11. Green beans

12. Oranges, Lemons, and Limes (ALWAYS lemons)

13. Tomatoes

14. Fennel bulb

15. Red Peppers

16.  Cauliflower and Broccoli

Seasonal Vegetables and Fruit:

1. Squash

2. Pumpkin

3. Apples

4. Tomatoes

5. Eggplant

6. Kale

7. Zucchini

Cold and Freezer:

1. Soy Milk, Rice Milk, or Coconut Milk

2. Frozen blueberries

3.  Organic frozen 100% fruit juices

4.  Optional Allowance- goat cheese and parmesan cheese

Now go shopping.   Smile at everyone who looks at you and enjoy your day! 

Roasted Pecan and Avocado Salad

Roasted Pecan and Avocado Salad

Finely grated zest of one lemon
1 and 1/2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
3 TBSP olive oil
Coarse and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound romaine leaves, or 3 heads, washed and trimmed
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
6-7 strawberries, or any berry in season

Whisk the lemon zest and juice and mustard in a small bowl.  Gradually add the oil, whisking constantly.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Toss the dressing with the rest of the ingredients, being careful to add cooled pecans and to add in the avocado and berries gently.  This is a lovely, light salad which pairs nicely with a rich main dish.

Did you know.....

...that exercising 3 hours a week will activate your anti-inflammatory response, reducing the risk of arthritis, infections, and even skin diseases?

...that good sources of iron include spinach, kale, broccoli, and beans?  A lack of iron can alter the function of important neurotransmitters that help us with daily problem solving.  

...the expression of obesity related genes are triggered when you don't get enough sleep?  Seven or more hours are required for most women.  



 "One of the gifts of reading good literature is discovering oneself as one is and to see glimpses of a self- and too, perhaps, of a world-that might be, a self and world that you can begin working to create."

                   - Mark Edmundson, taken from the book, Why Read?

Butternut Squash - Again!

Butternut Squash Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs Yukon gold organic potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 bay leaf

5 sprigs fresh thyme

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 TBSP olive oil

freshly ground nutmeg, to taste

     In a large pot, cover the potatoes, squash and herbs with water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid, then drain and discard the herbs.  Return the vegetables to the pot and mash with the olive oil until smooth.  I pull out my beaters and whip it up!  Adjust seasoning, adding nutmeg to taste and more herb water if necessary.  

My kids loved this dish.  It was sweet, warm, and lush.  Try this on Thanksgiving day!  

She Walks in Beauty

by Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night

  Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

  Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow'd to that tender light

  Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

  Had half impair'd the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

  Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

  How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

  So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

  But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

  A heart whose love is innocent!

Quinoa

     As I was juicing all of my carrots yesterday, I thought back on a wonderful recipe from the past; quinoa salad!  Please go to my March 18th, 2011 blog and find out how to make it.  I whipped some up while juicing and found it to be an excellent side dish with dinner or a lunch in itself! Throwing in any left over vegetables from the garden would enhance this salad.  The sweetness from the coconut, apples, and carrot juice is so delicate and dynamic. Please try and enjoy!



     "My point is simply that whether or not one believes in free will, true freedom is something else.  It doesn't contradict free will; it transcends it. "
                                                   -Roger Olson

A woman's influence

Green Beans, Pears, and Smoked Turkey

     I rarely add non-vegan recipes to my blog, but this recipe is so good and warming that I just had to add it!  I occasionally buy turkey from a local turkey farmer.  The farmers that we use free range their turkeys and ensure proper grain ingestion,  free of hormones and antibiotics.   My kids love the change in diet, especially on these cooler nights!  Serve with warmed nan bread or french bread.

2 TBSP olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 pound smoked turkey breast
3 large pears, or 10 small pears
3/4 pound green beans
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup vegetable stock
the seeds from half of a pomegranate

     Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, cut the turkey into 1/2 inch chunks.  Raise the heat to high.
     While allowing the turkey to slightly brown, peel and core the pears and cut into 1 inch pieces.  Lower the heat and add them to the pan.  Trim the beans, cut into 2 inch pieces and add to the skillet along with a little salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper.  Cook for a minutes, then raise the heat to high and add the stock and stir.
    Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are bright green and tender, pears are tender, and liquid is reduced to a sauce.  Add the pomegranate seeds and serve!  Absolutely delicious!

   


     When considering women's leadership in the workplace, we have a long way to go.  But the opportunities that we have to share our talents, our strengths, and our gifts are plentiful!  Our roles are significant and we must embrace what we have to give to this world.

   "In some key respects, though, the distinction between public and private, between professional career and mothering, is being blurred.  Many stay-at-home moms have become publicly influential as they blog from their farmhouses, tweet from grocery stores, or phone in a conference call while watching a 2-year-old."
                                                       - Sarah Pulliam Bailey

No difference

French Lentils (Puy)

3/4 cup dry French green lentils, rinsed
2 and 1/4 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
3 large cloves garlic
1 tsp dried rosemary, or one sprig fresh
3/4 tsp dried thyme, or 2 tsp fresh
1/2 tsp dried savory
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 dry or fresh bay leaf
1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
freshly ground black pepper to taste
lemon wedges

     Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, except the lemon, and cook on high heat until boiling.  Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 35-40 minutes or until lentils are tender.  Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.  Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the lentils.  Serve with cooked squash or over basmati rice.

No Difference

by Shel Silverstein

Small as a peanut,

Big as a giant,

We're all the same size

When we turn off the light.

Rich as a sultan,

Poor as a mite,

We're all worth the same

When we turn off the light.

Red, black or orange,

Yellow or white,

We all look the same

When we turn off the light.

So maybe the way

To make everything right

Is for God to just reach out

And turn off the light!