Cooling Off - Coconut Chai with a recipe!

Well, here it is hotter than the sun in Phoenix, Arizona. Once the weather is hotter than 110 degrees I become a little preoccupied with finding ways to stay cool. After all, when it is so hot it hurts to run errands, that is a little scary.

One thing I noticed was that with the spike in heat, it becomes dangerous to do things outside between about noon to 5pm. Jason and I have been spending a lot of time going to Starbucks to write recipes. There is nothing wrong with this at all. I love going a few times a week, but I suck down the green teas. Each one I get with 4 pumps of sweetener, so two is 200 calories of just sugar. Kind of scary, depending on how many times you do this. Also, cost can be a factor. Yes, I am a gold card member (many times over) but my green tea is about $3.89 with tax. Not the most expensive drink at Starbucks, but with trying to cut back and save more money, not something I want to do every day.

I looked in the pantry and we have a lot of tea. And when I say we have a lot of tea, I mean we have a LOT of tea. A while back, Sprouts was clearing out their better teas and we were getting Zhena’s Gypsy Tea for .99 to 1.99 per container. We bought them all. Then we stopped drinking tea at night shortly after. They just were in our pantry, wanting to be used.

Looking at the pantry one day, I realized I could solve multiple problems, so I started making various dressed up teas, and keeping them in the refrigerator. Now, Jason and I reach for these, and I do not find myself wanting to go out as much.

Other than whipping up teas for easy summer entertaining, even if I am just entertaining myself, I have been working on recipes for the next issue of the Vegan Culinary Experience, teaching some classes, and working on 2 cookbooks at the same time, because I am like that.

I will try to post pictures soon of all the tasty things being made over here both on the blog, facebook, and my new twitter account. I am on Twitter under Madelyn Pryor is anyone is interested.

Hugs to everyone and stay cool!

Madelyn

THE RECIPE

This recipe is for coconut chai. The original flavor is Coconut Chai with Black Tea http://zhenas.com/coconut-black-chai-tea-bags.html . I made this with a whole tea kettle full of water (about 8 cups) and 6 teabags. I boiled the tea and stepped the bags for five minutes. Then, I added to sticks of Mexican cinnamon and 1 can of light coconut milk. At Trader Joes these are only $.99.  Then I added ¼ cup of real maple syrup, grade B. This is a sugar, but also is unrefined and has its trace minerals. I place all this in the refrigerator to chill, then we can drink it when we choose.

 

 

Birthdays and Spicy Tofu Scramble (with recipe!)

Yesterday, I had one of those milestone birthdays. Milestone. More like millstone around my check. Somehow, I thought that my last night on earth would be Sunday night and the next day when I reached the venerable age of 3something, the world would just swallow me. It didn’t. I woke up Monday with my beautiful husband, my kitties, and a knowledge that I needed to start taking better care of myself.

Wakeup calls come in many forms. For some of us, it is hitting a certain birthday or age. “Now that I am X, I need to be more careful.” Yeah, I had that along with another wakeup call. Recently, my friend landed in the hospital with some scary problems. I knew that could be me. After all, I had been taking care of myself, but not perfect care to be sure. Some days I don’t get enough beans, most days I don’t eat enough greens. But seeing her laying there and knowing how close we are in age made me realize that shizznit needs to come to a close. I need to handle my life with more authority and grace.

One huge help has been my review copy of Vegan for Her, Virginia Messina’s new book. I have dropped all my other reading to plow through his book and take notes. If you can’t wait to get your hands on a great book on vegan nutrition or if you are a guy, check out Vegan for Life by Messina and Jack Norris which is a great work as well. With these you can see if you are eating as well as you think you have been and check out any places to improve.

I knew that I needed to improve the way I approach breakfast. Since I hate the first meal of the day I ignore it exists until my body starts getting very cranky with me. By then, I am usually messed up and super hungry! I overeat and then feel like crap. Not the best way for me to start the day.

Today I made myself a simple, spicy scramble. At just around 200 calories and 12 grams of protein, this was a great choice for me to get myself going. The spice in the scramble also made me feel awake and significantly more bright eyed.  If you need a little something to help you get out of bed, then read on.

 

Spicy Tofu Scramble

Makes 1 serving

½ tsp of oil

½ a poblano pepper or ½ a jalapeno, depending on taste
¼ tsp turmeric
1 pinch of black salt (use regular salt if you can’t find black salt)
½ package of firm, aspic packed tofu
1 can (4 oz) of mild diced green chilies
2 tbsp daiya cheddar ‘cheese’ or other vegan cheese
A vinegar based hot sauce such as Tabasco or Cholula

Heat a skillet or wok over medium heat.
Dice the pepper, removing stem and seeds.
Add the oil to the pan and the pepper.
Cook the pepper until slightly tender.
Add the tofu by crumbling it slightly and the turmeric and salt.
Stir and add the green chilies.
Cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the ‘cheese’.
Place on a plate and add the hot sauce.
Enjoy.                                                                                                       

 

 

 

Try new things, like this awesome Bell Pepper Chili!!! (Recipe included)

You can add some extra color with cilantro or green onion!!

You can’t be afraid to try new things. Well, you can be, but you shouldn’t be. I just spent an hour gluing on fake fingernails. Why? Because I have not done it for 15 years and last night I thought “I don’t like my real fingernails, why not give fakes a shot again?” Is it perfect? No. Did I have fun? Yep. My friend Liz started going to a local project called Market on the Move, where $10 gets you up to 60 pounds of produce. She brought some for me, and I immediately resolved to try going myself.  Something new to try!

 

Rocking blue sparkle fake nails!!

Sorting through the produce, I noticed that some of it needed to be used sooner than later. There were beautiful bell peppers with just a few bad spots, easily cut off, and VERY ripe romas. They were perfect at the moment but in two days they will be in roma tomato heaven.  I wanted to make something tasty and beautiful to honor the gift. Gathering a few things from the kitchen, I got to work.

 

The result was the chili you see below. It was very delicious and rather mild. The best thing about this chili is that it is delicious, low calorie but hearty, and would freeze very well!! Interested in making your own frozen dinners? This is a great one for you.

 

So get out there and try new things? Try that hike you’ve been meaning to do, or even that bright eye shadow that has been scaring you. If Liz hadn’t tried Market on the Move for the first time, we would not have this chili. So try making this chili for the first time because it is amazing!

 

Bell Pepper Chili

Makes 4-6 servings

 

2 large yellow bell peppers
3 large red bell peppers
10 large roma tomatoes or 13 medium roma tomatoes
1 large yellow onion
4-5 cloves of garlic
2 cans of black beans, whole, undrained
1 package of soy chorizo (12 oz)
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon or more of salt

Remove the seed packets from the bell peppers and dice the rest. 

Dice the onion.
Dice the tomatoes.
Place all in a heavy pot, such as a cast iron enamel pot.
Heat over medium for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender and the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic, beans, soy chorizo, cumin, Mexican oregano and salt.
Cook for 10-15 more minutes, until the veggies have reached your desired level of tenderness.
Remove from heat and salt to taste.

 

I HATE mornings, but I love my Lemon Breakfast Bites! (recipe included!!)

A sample serving with two lemons from our tree.

 

I hate breakfast. Those that know me well know this. I envy the people who wake up in the morning rosy cheeked, refreshed and ready to face the day. I wake up pinch faced, crabby, and always feeling like I need two more hours of sleep no matter how much I just got. I stumble into the kitchen and make myself a cup of coffee before setting off to see what the cats destroyed and what dishes need to be done. I sip my coffee while I get ready and then just fall into managing the challenges of the day. Two or three hours later I might figure out that I need to eat something, and by then I am usually shaking and cranky.

 

I have learned that not eating breakfast, even when I don’t feel like it, is one of my bad habits. Matter as fact, it might be one of my worst habits because it sets me up for being cranky and overeating the rest of the day. People who eat breakfast are more likely to be thinner. I could definitely be thinner.

 

I also have a goal of eating at least 50% raw foods. Through experiments on myself, I have learned that blend of raw and cooked is helping me control my horrible migraine headaches. My headaches leave me drained, dizzy, and worried that I will sound like an idiot. A frequent symptom of my migraines is my thoughts and words getting jumbled. The less of that mess, the better.

 

Raw breakfast bites are one of my favorite things in life! I keep inventing new combinations and flavors. Based on my love of lemon desserts and the fact I have lemons on my tree, I made these – lemon breakfast bites. Hopefully these will allow you to help enjoy your morning. Personally, I eat 2-3 and a bit of fresh fruit. The combination leaves me feeling refreshed and full. More importantly, it helps me face the day.

 

 

Lemon Breakfast Bites (Raw)

Makes about 24 (1 tablespoon each)

 

2 cups of raw cashews, unsoaked

½ tsp lemon powder (powered lemon peel) OR 2 teaspoons lemon extract

¼ cup lemon zest, loosely packed

½ cup of lemon juice, fresh

½ cup of raw agave nectar

1 ½ cups of shredded coconut, unsweetened

 

Place all ingredients except for the shredded coconut in a food processor and pulse until you have a thick paste with some texture.

Add the shredded coconut and pulse until the coconut still has texture, but is broken up slightly.

Place tablespoons of mixture onto a dehydrating sheet and press with your fingers so you have more of a flat cookie shape.

Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 3-4 hours, turning the cookie over after 2 hours.

Remove from the dehydrator and enjoy.

 

 

Thirfting, Finding Time and a Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Recipe!

 

 

HI Everyone!

 

Yesterday I got to teach at Banner Good Samaritan hospital. It is such a lovely place full of nice, kind people. More importantly, we had a bunch of great meals with quinoa! I think I made a few converts to that particular super food, and even cooler, found out that someone gave up dairy for her whole family because I let them know about insulin like growth factors (IGFs).

 

Here at home, it has been crazy and busy as usual. Trying to keep the house clean with the construction going on with our outdoor oven has been a little extra challenging, but I remind myself that sweeping and even folding laundry burn calories (no one tell me any different!)

 

I did make sure to take some time for myself today. I went to one of my favorite thrift stores and was pleasantly surprised to find the best Mother of the Bride top from the 1980’s! It is 100% beaded and beautiful. It only needs a few small alterations (like taking out the zipper and shoulder pads) and it will be the perfect evening jacket! Score, and all for $4.

This thing is heavy!

 

It is important to steal away those few moments for yourself, even when life and work seems impossible. It helps when you have quick, healthy things to nibble on. Remember the chocolate peanut butter truffles from the last blog? They are quick and easy to make, as you see below. Remember that these amounts are approximate, so follow your gut and taste buds while you work away!

 Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

Makes about 12

1 cup organic peanut butter (or almond butter)
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup to 1/3 cup raw agave syrup
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until the dough stops sticking to your hands. Roll into 1 inch balls, and place in a container. Use in a few days, or refrigerate up to 1 week.

 

 

Going to the Movies!

I love going to the movies. When I was an omnivore (or Muggle as I like to call them) going to the movies held a few extra joys. Giant sodas, massive boxes of candy, and buckets of popcorn that were bigger than my torso. I would eat and watch and eat more… then I would leave the movie logy and full of calories. Little did I know that bucket of popcorn had more calories than I was supposed to be eating in a day! No wonder I was gaining weight and feeling badly.

 

Once I started eating vegan, I noticed there was little or nothing I could have at the movies, other than a bottled water for $4. I would have been happy to pay for fresh fruit or even baby carrots, but there were none to be found. The week I became vegan, I was due to watch a Friday morning movie with a friend. I knew I didn’t want any of the unhealthy food or candy so I brought dried blueberries. I bought two packages, one for me and one for my friend. I ate mine, she ate hers, and both of us were full of energy and fiber when we left the theater. That started a tradition.

 

Now, I always bring my snacks to the theater. If you are a guy, it’s harder. Settle for dried fruit or nuts. Place them in a baggie and throw them in your pocket. Women, you have more options. Just think about what you can fit in your purse.

I have included a picture of what I brought to watch Evil Dead this morning. I brought slices of organic fuji and red delicious apples, and organic peanut butter chocolate truffles. I also brought a bottled water for both Jason and I. Our friends ate popcorn, but I had a great time chomping away on my apples. I didn’t even finish what I brought even though I had not yet eaten breakfast. I left the movie today feeling full, hydrated, and refreshed.

 

Bring your own food and your own snacks when you go places. Only you know what your body needs on any given day. Listen to your body, and bring the fuel it needs to pick up and go.

Grab life by the… peanut butter

So last time I was on here I talked about how crazy busy my life can be! This is very true. My life can be and often is crazy busy. This can lead to lots of eating on the go, which is not always good for you or your waistline. In a matter of weeks I shall have a big birthday. It is one of those milestone birthdays that bug you when you’re a woman. How old will I be? It involves a ‘3’ and we will leave it at that. I have started paying a lot more attention to what I eat. I am already vegan, but there is a lot of vegan junk food out there.

Today’s lunch was crazy healthy and crazy good. I made flavored peanut butter and rolled it into truffles, or really, I just rolled it into balls. I can throw a few of these into a small container, throw it into my purse and go. That makes these flavored peanut butter balls great travel food. Also, it is amazing to make flavored peanut butter sandwiches.

The basic recipe for my cinnamon peanut butter is…

¾ cup of peanut butter (organic is best)

2-4 tablespoons of raw agave depending on your sweet tooth
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of almond extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice

Mix together. Either roll into ball shapes or place in an airtight container and use on sandwiches.

 

For lunch today I ate some of these with a bunch of fresh strawberries. Four hours later I feel full and refreshed. Last night I used this to make some sandwiches with whole grain bread. I smeared this peanut butter on one side, sprinkled the other side with a little agave, and placed slices of fresh gala apple in-between. Kids and adults both in my class loved this recipe and declared they were making it for lunch. Success!

 

So enjoy this recipe for your own busy schedule and grab life by the… peanut butter.

P.S. This would also work great with almond butter if you are peanut avoidant.