Moo Shu Veggie Tofu

I’ve gained five pounds since coming home from my MFA residency. There are so many sources of blame, but the most likely factor is my horrendously weak willpower coupled with an undying love of Chinese food. No kidding, last night I was on the phone with my best friend since elementary school and I noticed a crumpled piece of paper on the floor. It was the fortune from a fortune cookie.

My metabolism started to slow after I turned 29. I’m 31 now and can’t seem to eat at the same pace I once did without needing to purchase terrifying undergarments made of spandex.

This aggression will not stand.

Tonight I learned that I can make my own Chinese-inspired food in the same amount of time it takes to wait for the delivery dude. My homemade meal comes with lots of fiber and protein – but no fortune cookie.

Serves: 4

What you need:
1 cup quinoa cooked with one teaspoon minced garlic
1 package tofu, cubed
1 package sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
8 teaspoons hoisin sauce

What to do:
Cook quinoa and garlic according to package directions. Saute the tofu in sesame oil on medium heat. Add mushrooms once the tofu firms up (after about five minutes). Add broccoli, carrots, red pepper, and onion once the mushrooms soften. Add soy sauce and saute until everything cooks, but stays crunchy. Add scallions a minute before turning off the heat. Divide everything into four bowls and serve on top of 1/3 cup quinoa. (I save the leftover quinoa to add to soups, stews, or salads.)

Top each bowl with two teaspoons hoisin sauce and toss until mixed. Enjoy.

Chick Pea Herb Wraps With Artichoke Butter

I’m not sure how this happened, but Carl talked me into going to a minor league baseball game this weekend. This will be the fourth baseball game I’ve attended in 31 years of life. I plan on smuggling in a book, headphones, and some yummy plant based sandwiches that are perfect for Labor Day plans of all varieties. I’ve already made big Monday afternoon bike ride plans for the leftovers.

Serves: 4

What you need:
1 can artichoke hearts
1 can chick peas
1 jar roasted red pepper strips
2 cups of spinach
1/4 onion, minced
2 tablespoons fresh green herbs (basil, parsley, or tarragon)
1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 whole wheat tortillas

What to do:
Drain artichoke hearts and puree in a food processor to make the artichoke butter. (I used my mini KitchenAid.) Set aside. Drain and wash chick peas. Mash them in a bowl with a fork. Add olive oil, juice of one lemon, herbs, onion, and stir. Set aside. Spread one or two tablespoons of artichoke butter on a tortilla. Layer with 1/2 cup spinach, a few strips of roasted red pepper, and about 1/4 cup of the chick pea mixture. Repeat until you have four yummy wraps.

Slow Cooker Summer Lentil Soup

Cool breezes are greeting me each morning when I walk Dobby and Scout. While I’m sad to see summer leave, I'm looking forward to fall hikes in the Catoctins. Last week I dreamed up a recipe that reflected the transition between summer and fall. This lemon and thyme infused lentil soup takes less than 30 minutes to prep and requires almost no effort because it cooks in a slow cooker.

Serve with a green salad, roasted summer vegetables, and multigrain bread – or whatever you like. Cut down on prep time by using pre-chopped onions, carrots, and celery.

Serves: Between 6 and 8

What you need:
3 cups chopped lentils
9 cups water
Two cubes of Rapunzel vegan bouillon – I use low sodium.
1 onion, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 cup baby Portabella mushrooms
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned and not oil-packed
3 cups spinach
Juice from two small lemons
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp dried tarragon
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. dried thyme


What to do:
Combine everything but the spinach in a slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, depending on the strength of your slow cooker. Add the spinach 30 minutes before you are ready to serve. The soup is ready when the lentils have softened and the vegetables are cooked. Don’t let the lentils get all mushy.

Super Carrot Zucchini Oatmeal

It’s carrot and zucchini time at the CSA and our Friday evening pickup inspired me to throw together Super Carrot Zucchini Oatmeal on Saturday morning, while I killed some  time between dealing with our move, walking the furballs, and taking Scout Boo Radley to his obedience school graduation. The powers that be awarded him a diploma, even though I had to drag him on his belly during the processional – Scout saw another boxer mix/potential wrestle mate on the way down the aisle. Then he saw some squeaky toys ...

Kathy Hester’s Carrot Cake and Zucchini Oatmeal from The Vegan Slow Cooker inspired this recipe. I substituted pumpkin pie spice for the cloves and nutmeg because I had it on hand. I also used soy milk and walnuts instead of coconut or rice milk and pecans.

Not to be a martyr, but I grated the veggies by hand. Feel free to use a food processor to save time and avoid unnecessary bleeding.

I tripled Hester’s recipe and have to say that I felt like a superhero after finishing my breakfast. This oatmeal and fruit salad have seen me through a few long bike rides, runs, and tug-of-war dog walks in the past few days. What more does a girl need from her plant-based breakfast?

Serves 6

What you need:

1. Slow Cooker
2. 1.5 cups steel-cut oats (I used Trader Joe’s ‘cause they’re cheap)
3. 3 cups non-GMO vanilla soymilk
4. 5 small carrots grated
5. 1 zucchini grated
6. 2 tsp. cinnamon
7. 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
8. 6 tablespoons Grade A maple syrup
9. 6 tablespoons chopped walnuts

What to do:

• Combine everything in the slow cooker crock and cook on low. Hester recommends 6 to 8 hours. I have a KitchenAid Slow Cooker and was finished in four hours.
• Top bowls with a tablespoon of nuts.
• Serve with a delicious fresh fruit salad – whatever’s in season. I’m loving apricots, peaches, blueberries and raspberries right now. Scout's loving the leftover carrots.

Pumpkin Spinach Black Bean Quesadillas

We're in the middle of another move, so what better time to relaunch this blog? I'll try and post new recipes and photos at least once a week. I don't know if I'll ever be 100 percent vegan again, but am aiming to eat a vegan diet as much as possible. More on that in another post.

Made these quesadillas last night. Felt full and had a good run this morning, minus some mild heat exhaustion toward the end. The best benefit? This morning I only needed two cups of green tea to feel awake. Generally, I drink between four and five cups. Don't judge, please.

Hope y'all enjoy this meal as much as I did. I served the quesadillas with asparagus sauteed in one teaspoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of minced garlic, and a bit of lemon. Also, mashed up an avocado with half a lemon and a teaspoon of cilantro. Those cute orange slivers are apricot slices.

What you need:

• Six whole grain tortillas
• 1 14. 5 oz. can organic pumpkin
• 1 14. 5 oz. can black beans (rinsed well)
• Six cups spinach
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• cookie sheet

What to do:

1. Saute onions in olive oil. Add spinach once onions soften. Cook until spinach reduces, but is not wilted. Add garlic and remove from heat.
2. Lightly brush olive oil on both sides of a tortilla.
3. Spoon two tablespoons of pumpkin onto the tortilla and spread into a thin layer.
4. Top with two tablespoons of the spinach/onion mix, followed by two tablespoons of black beans.
5. Fold the tortilla in half and press down lightly to flatten.
6. Place tortilla on a cookie sheet.
7. Continue steps 1 through 6 with the remaining five tortillas.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn quesadillas over after 15 minutes and bake for another fifteen minutes on the opposite side.