Christmas Pics and Peanut Chicken

Today I took some pictures for our Christmas cards, and I can't help but giggle at her toothless smile :). There's still snow on the ground, but it was a little warmer today (almost 50*) so we had the snow for the pics without bundling up all Christmas Story like ;). After wrapping gifts and mailing gifts we both took an afternoon nap which was awesome. Dinner consisted of peanut chicken over brown rice, (which came out yummy) then we watched Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer :). Now E's in bed and I'm all snuggled up with some lemon ginger tea :).

Barbecue Chicken

For dinner last night I just boiled some chicken breast and then shredded it to make bbq chicken sandwiches. I used my favorite bbq sauce, The Ribhouse bbq sauce. All natural, no high fructose corn syrup and great flavor. Our grocery store used to carry it in mild,med and hot but seems to only carry the mild and medium anymore so I went with the medium, which is still good and not too spicy for E. We also had some really good biscuits I made I class yesterday ;)

Sunset Runs and Pizza

Esther had a last minute birthday party tonight after guitar practice so I had time to get a late afternoon run in before dark. Dinner was really lazy tonight, California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas (the white one with spinach and the uncured pepperoni) but both were really good :). Off to write recipes for class tomorrow and maybe read a little before hitting the hay :)

Dinner and Dessert

Tonight's dinner wasn't anything crazy exciting, but it's something my mom used to make that always comes out good, and it's simple which was especially nice tonight because I was babysitting our friends 3 year old twins :). So I took some red skin potatoes, cut them into fours and threw them into boiling water along with some baby carrots for about 30 minutes. Whole those guys were cooking I pre-heated the oven to 350 and cut a package of chicken breast into chunks and sliced a package of kielbasa. I put the meat into a dish and poured Italian dressing over, strained the carrots and potatoes, covered with aluminum foil and baked for about 40 minutes. Just like that, dinner was done :). Super simple, but always yummy. For dessert I enjoyed some Greek yogurt, really love the Fage brand with honey, just the perfect amount of sweetness without over indulging :)

Elephant Bar Appetizers

On Wednesday for Esther's actual birthday we went out for dinner and to the movies with some friends. We saw Hugo, which was really cute, but I think we were all surprised to find it really wasn't a good movie for younger kids. We ate at a restraunt called Elephant Bar, which was really good. Last night I tried to recreate one of their appetizers that they called bruschetta. It consisted of sliced fresh mozzarella, with basil and balsamic vinegar, sliced avocado, and then diced tomato and red onion, served with large tortilla chips. So.. that's what we had for dinner last night with some veggie sushi, it came out pretty well :)

Thanksgiving Dinner and Christmas Decorating

Thanksgiving dinner was a success :). Turkey with cajun seasoning, carmelized onions, bell peppers and shallots, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry, cheesy cornbread with jalapenos.... just to name a few things :). After stuffing myself full on all the food I was definitely in need of a run today, so I went with a friend, although it turned into more of a walk it was still good to exercise. Then we took the kids over to target and did a little shopping. Esther used a giftcard she got from my mom for her birthday to pick out a dress and matching purse from the new harajuku mini line, which are both super cute. Then we headed to the Christmas section. All the brightly colored ornaments inspired me to do something different this year with the tree. We picked up a few multicolored balls and jewel looking things and got a little 4 ft white tree to mix things up a bit. E was tickled to decorate it, and loves the ornaments she helped pick out :). Time for some thanksgiving leftovers, I think they taste so much better simply because you don't have to cook again :)

Cupcakes and Sushi

So last night we had Esther's bday party (her actual birthday is Wednesday, but with Thanksgiving it was getting hard for some of the kiddos to make it). After months of various and random ideas for a party, she finally decided she wanted to have her friends over to make sushi :) (veggie of course, I wasn't going to risk preparing raw fish with little ones). So, we went to the local Asian market and picked up nori sheets, mats and PINK chop sticks. Then she had a few girls over, made sushi, decorated paper lanterns and enjoyed Esther's and my favorite- red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing :)

Tortas, Rick Bayless Style

So Rick Bayless Mexico One Plate at a Time is one of my favorite cooking shows on PBS. Everything he makes always looks super amazing. Last night I was in a Mexican mood so I made these delicious tortas I saw him make once on the show. First you take a can of black beans (I always go for no salt added) and add them, strained, to a pot in which you've sauteed some diced garlic in olive oil. Let the beans cook until you can smash them up real good like refried beans. Scramble some eggs in a seperate pan. Slice some bolillos in half and throw them in the oven just long enough to get them nice and toasted. Spread the black beans, add the egg on top and then your choice of toppings. I did cheese, sliced avocado, salsa and spread sour cream on the top slice. Tomatos and spinach though are other nutrient rich toppings that could easily be added. Such a great,  quick meal :).

New Finds

So I'm not sure how long these toothbrushes have been around but I just discovered them and think the idea is way awesome :) The brushes are made of recycled yogurt cups which is cool, but the package they come in converts into a postage paid envelope which you can send back so the toothbrush can be recycled again..love it :). Burt's bees has a new chapstick called ultra-conditioning.. It's so awesome, really moisturizing and the effects last a lot longer than their traditional chapsticks, which is great for Esther because her lips get so dry during the winter months, and I hate giving her chapsticks full of chemicals. Lastly I came across the new cliff crunch bars this week, I bought the white chocolate macademia ones, they are sooo delicious, they are just the  right amount of crunchy and crumbly and the white chocolate melts in your mouth. Hope you enjoyed my 'finds' :)
-Valley

Fall is near

The seasons are getting ready to change as were seeing glimpses of with random days with highs in the 60's. Summer comes and goes so very fast it seems. I for one am mot ready for cold weather dishes (soups, chilis and crockpot meals). Last night we had a delicious home made pizza with pesto sauce, mozzarella, olives, fresh tomato, artichoke and banana peppers. It came out really good :). To go along with the pizza we had a nice big ceasar salad with fresh parmesean, and both red and yellow cherry tomatoes, also super good. I think one of the biggest downfalls to winter cooking is that people tend to get away from fresh raw veggies and throw everything into soups and stews, which is still good, but even when its cold out its nice every now and then to add in some yummy fresh raw foods to the mix  (as your grocery selection provides in the winter months) and take in all the nutrients they have to offer :)

Skillet Baked Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

This may not look like anything exciting, but when you cut into it and taste the super moist, fresh-cut pineapple on the bottom... You'll realize it's pretty amazing. I got this recipe from Rick Bayless' cookbook Mexican Everyday.
Serves 8
3 oz (6 tbsp) butter, preferably unsalted
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
3 cups 1/2 inch-cubed, cleaned pineapple (you'll need about 3 quarters of a medium pineapple)
3/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C whole wheat flour (or additional all-purpose flour) (*I used whole wheat flour for the whole recipe and thought it came out great)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 large egg
3/4 C white sugar
3/4 C buttermilk or plain yogurt

Turn on the oven to 375 degrees and position a rack in the middle. Melt the butter in a large 10 inch skillet, with an ovenproof handle, preferably non-stick, over medium heat. Swirl the butter in the skillet until it turns nut-brown, then pour it into a medium bowl. Without wiping the skillet, sprinkle the brown sugar evenly in the bottom. Top with the fruit in an even layer.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, soda and baking powder. Add the sugar to the browned butter and whisk until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the egg, then the buttermilk or yogurt. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ones. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
Pour the batter evenly over the fruit in the skillet. Slide the skillet into the oven and bake about 35 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and springy to the touch at the center. Remove and let cool 10 minutes.
Invert a plate over the skillet, then holding plate and skillet firmly together with towels or pot holders, invert the two in one swift movement. Remove the skillet and the cake is ready to serve, it's best right out of the oven.
This makes a great dessert, hope you enjoy :)

Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Basil Cream Sauce

This recipe came out of a cookbook called 'The Urban Vegan' by Dynise Balcavage. I love gnocchi and what a great idea to switch it up a bit with nutrient packed sweet potatoes. This is a vegan recipe, but don't let that freak you out, if your preference or all you have in your kitchen is cows milk and butter, that's ok too.
Yields 6 servings.
Gnocchi:
2 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp earth balance butter
1/2 tsp salt
3/4-1 C flour
1. Microwave sweet potatoes until soft, about 6 minutes. Using a potato ricer, squeeze filling from the sweet potatoes into a large bowl. Mash with earth balance and salt, then add about 1/2 C of flour. Work through with your hands, adding additional flour 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky. Add as little flour as possible (this will depend largely on the humidity of your city). Roll a handful of dough at a time into a 1/2 inch wide rope. Using knife, cut rope into 1/4 inch nuggets.
2. Hold a nugget in the palm of your hand, and roll against the tines of a fork to create grooves. These indentations not only beautify the gnocchi, the "hold" the sauce.
3. Store finished gnocchi on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper, refrigerated until ready to cook, or freeze on a cookie sheet and then transfer to an airtight ziplock bag. (Will keep in a freezer about 1 month)
4. To cook the gnocchi, gently toss in a large pot of boiling, well-salted water. When they're done, gnocchi will float to the top. Remove immediately with a strainer. Drain well and toss in sauce.

Basil Cream Sauce
Yields about 1 & 1/4 cups:
1 tbsp earth balance butter
1 tbsp flour
1 C soy milk
1 C nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp miso paste
1/4 C basil leaves, minced
Salt & pepper to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Sprinkle in flour and stir with a wire whisk to make a roux. Slowly pour in soy milk, whisking constantly. Sprinkle in the nutritional yeast flakes and miso, again whisking until smooth. Turn heat down to low.
2. Chiffonade the basil and add to the cream sauce. Mix, then season with salt & pepper.

Jamie's Vanilla Cheesecake With A Rasberry Topping

This cheesecake is super delicious as is, but you could make it patriotic for the 4th and throw some blueberries on top :)

Serves 8
13 tbsp butter, plus an extra knob for greasing tin
1 cup quick cook oatmeal (not instant)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
3- 8 oz bars cream cheese
3/4 c superfine sugar
1 lemon
1 orange
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
6
For the rasberry topping:
1/2 c superfine sugar
4 c rasberries

To make your base:
Grease a 9 inch springform cake pan with the knob of butter. Put a saucepan over low heat, add the oatmeal, and toast until it turns darker in color. Cut the butter into cubes and add it to the pan with your graham cracker crumbs. Gently stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture combines. Remove from the heat and spoon the mixture into your cake pan, smoothing it out evenly. Gently push down on the crumb base using the back of a metal spoon or your hands- you want to pack it down flat and even. Put the base in the refrigerator to chill and set for 1 hour.

To make your filling:
If using one, cut your vanilla bean in half lengthways and gently drag the edge of your knife along the insides of the bean to scrape out the seeds. Put all of the cream cheese into a mixing bowl and add the vanilla extract or seeds and the sugar. Grate over the zest of the lemon and the orange and then squeeze in the juice from the lemon. Give it all a good stir until nice and smooth. In another bowl, whisk your cream until it gives you soft peaks. Add half of it to your cream cheese mixture and fold it in. Then fold the remaining cream in gently. Once everything is blended, spoon the mixture over the crumb base and use a spatula to smooth it out. Place your cheesecake in the fridge for at least an hour.

To serve your cheesecake:
Lift the cheesecake out of the cakepan by easing around it with a metal spatula. Place on a serving plate. Mix the sugar and rasberries in a bowl-use your hands to scrunch them together. Pour this mixture over the top of the cheesecake and smooth it out to the edges using the back of a spoon.

Enjoy, and then 'pass it on' :)

Food Revolution 'Evolution Tomato Salad'

Today's 'pass it on' recipe is the evolution salad. This salad is perfect for summer, it's light and full of a variety of flavors- it's awesome.
Serves 4.
1. Get yourself about 1 1/2 lbs of ripe grape or cherry, vine and regular tomatoes. Cut the larger tomatoes into wedges, halve the grape or cherry tomatoes, and leave the smaller ones whole. Put the into a bowl with 6 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar. Toss well and coat all of the tomatoes with the dressing. Pick the leaves off of a few sprigs of fresh basil and scatter them over the salad. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Put a large handful of black olives on a clean surface and press down on them with the palm of your hand to remove the pits. Discard the pit and add the olives to the salad. Mix up well in a bowl before serving on plates.
3. Drain a 15-oz can of cannellini beans into a colander and add to the tomato salad. Mix up well to coat everything with the dressing.
4. Drain a small can or jar of tuna, break the fish into flakes or chunks and scatter over the salad.

So I skipped on the tuna this time, but you could also substitute it with canned chicken, or even diced tofu if you want to keep the extra protein in the salad. Hope you enjoy, and be sure to 'pass it on'. :)
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Food Revolution Lasagne

Although it was a great season of food revolution I was so disapointed it is over and wasn't on tonight. So I decided to get out my Jamie Oliver Food Rev cookbook. In the book he discusses his idea of 'pass it on'. The theory is that if you learn one recipe from each section of the book and then pass it on to 2-4 people and they each pass it on to 2-4 people before you know it there are loads of people who know how to cook good wholesome recipes. So for my first 'pass it on' recipe here is Jamie's Lasange.

Bolognese sauce:
2 slices of smoked bacon (preferably organic)
2 medium onions
2 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
Olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
1 lb good quality ground beef, pork/ combination of the two
2- 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Small bunch of fresh basil

Lasagne:
4 oz parmesan cheese
2 1/2 c creme fraiche or 2 1/2 c thick sour cream
1 large ripe tomato

To make the bolognese sauce:
Finely slice the bacon. Peel and finely chop the onion, garlic, carrots and celery-don't worry about technique. Place a large casserole-type pan on medium to high heat. Add 2 lugs of olive oil, sliced bacon & the oregano and cook and stir until bacon is lightly golden. Add the veggies to the pan and stir ever 30 seconds for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly colored. Stir in the ground meat and canned tomatoes. Fill one of the empty cans with water and add to the pan. Stir in a good pinch of salt & pepper. Pick the basil leaves and place in the fridge for later. Finely chop the basil stalks and stir into the pan. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer with lid askew for 1 hour, stirring every now and again. Take the lid off and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on the sauce and if you think its starting to dry out, add a splash of water.

To finish the sauce:
Preheat the oven to 375. Remove the bolognese sauce from the heat. Tear and stir any large basil leaves, keeping the smaller ones aside for later. Have a taste of the sauce, and season with a little more salt & pepper if you think it needs it. Boil some water in a kettle and pour into a large pan, then add your lasagne sheets with a drizzle of oil and blanch (slightly soften) for 3-4 minutes. Drain the sheets in a colander and carefully pat them dry with some paper towels to absorb any excess water. Finely grate the parmesan and stir most of it through the creme fraiche.

To make your lasagne:
Spoon a third of your bolognese sauce into the bottom of an earthenware ovenproof dish (approximately 9x13 inches). Follow with a layer of lasagne sheets and another third of your bolognese sauce then dollop over a third of your creme fraiche. Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt & pepper & top with another layer of lasagne sheets. Spoon over the rest of the bolognese sauce and another third of the creme fraiche. Finish with a layer of lasagne sheets & top with the remaining creme fraiche. Scatter over the remaining parmesan cheese. Top with some slices of tomato, scatter over the small basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes. After that, remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes until the lasagne is fresh and golden. Serve on the table with a fresh green salad and let everyone help themselves.

I thought this dish came out super delicious, I hope you guys enjoy it too, and most importantly, be sure to 'pass it on' :).
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Pumpkin- Applesauce Muffins

      Thinking of summer treats? They can be healthy too. Muffins are a good way to get fiber into your little ones and for some who aren't very fond of fruits or veggies, a creative way to sneak them into their diet. You can experiment with pureeing different fruits and veggies and adding them to your mix. Plus, baking is a great way to introduce the kids into the kitchen, let them help stir or pour and even use the time to talk about what the food you are preparing will do for their bodies.

      Pumpkins are rich in carotenoids, leutein, iron, zinc and fiber. They help fight free radical damage and eye conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration. This recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of flour and then 1 cup of whole wheat flour, but I substituted whole wheat for the whole recipe and thought they came out very well. I also used safflower oil in the recipe, which is high in Vitamin E (a free radical fighting antioxidant). Also, when buying applesauce, look for *no added sugars* and check the label for unnecessary things like high fructose corn syrup or added colors.

I found this recipe in a cookbook called "pigtails and frog legs" ...

Pumpkin-Applesauce Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour


1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs beaten or  1/2 c  egg substitute

1 16oz can pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 ¼ cups applesauce

In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, soda and salt. In a medium bowl, combine beaten eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add pumpkin mix to flour mixture and stir well. Add applesauce and mix until smooth. Don't over mix. Fill greased muffin cups. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Yields 16 muffins.


Enjoy :)

Busy Busy...

     So this month has been insanely hectic. Finals, volunteering, field day, kindergarten graduation (which I think, positively, was the cutest thing I have ever seen.. As they stood in the outdoor amphitheater singing to the tune of "New York, New York" "If we made it here we can make it anywhere, see you soon 1st grade, 1st grade!!!..".. But, I digress :) So, I've been a little pressed for time to blog- but here we go...

     So summer is here, the kiddo's are home and it is so easy to want to hit up your local fast food restaurant of choice, or feed them a lunchable for that matter, while you are out and about experiencing beautiful warm days; but with a little planning it is so easy not to fall into this rut- not to mention your wallet will thank you ;). Buying fresh fruit is a great way to get those nutrients in your little ones, however once we become pressed for time, the fruit may sit and go bad because who has time to cut a few slices of watermelon when there are swimming lessons or soccer practice or whatever other lovely activities your kiddos are involved in. So forgive me if this sounds moronically simple, but I know many people are not in the practice of it...*cut the fruit ahead of time*. Whether you prefer a nice big tupperware in the fridge or individual plastic baggies ready for little hands to eat, it will be there, begging to be eaten. Easy. As. Pie.
     Whether you're headed to the pool, the beach or even to the back yard who says you can't still pack their lunches in the summer? Whether you continue your school year routine of making lunch at night or in the  morning, have it ready in the fridge. When lunchtime comes or if you decide to head out for the day, it's there, and you won't be tempted to eat out and eat unhealthy. Plus, I know my daughter likes the fact that she can grab her own lunch box just like during the school year and eat when she's hungry. It may seem like a pain, but it really simplifies things, no last minute trying to decide what to make- it's already done :).
     Trying to think of things to do with your little ones? Try farmer's markets and local farms. Most farms will let you do a tour, you may have to call ahead and plan it but it is a great experience for them to see where food comes from, beyond just the grocery store. You can head to fruit farms near you where you can go and pick your own, and have a really fun experience. Farmer's markets are  a great opportunity to expose them to all sorts of fruits and veggies and they may be more likely to want to try something new when they are surrounded by all the bright colors and different textures.
     If there are local parents out there who are interested in their kids eating habits and what they are served at school, check out Denver Food Revolution on facebook. We can use the page to share ideas and recipes :).   

Birthday, bananas,burgers and beets

   Yesterday was James' birthday. I started the day early, early making banana pancakes with fresh berries and agave nectar and smoky tempeh strips:

    After a super delicious breakfast and dropping E off at school we ran some errands (including taking his birthday shoes back to the Vans store), then went to a burger place in Denver called Park Burger (http://parkburger.com/). Friggin' awesome. I had the turkey burger with bacon and guacamole... One of the best burgers I've ever had. James had the buffalo burger with brie and slices jalapenos which he said was also pretty killer. We split a side of sweet potato fries too, which were perfectly crispy and salty. After lunch we headed downtown to see a daytime showing of Sucker Punch which was a pretty good flick, then headed home to pick up E from school and start on the birthday cake.

    So this cake we made (which came out really good), I saw on an episode of Christina Cooks on PBS. This woman has amazing recipes all of which are wholesome and great for you, but an even more amazing story. She was diagnosed with terminal leukemia at the age of 26, she met with a whole foods advocate, radically changed her diet and lifestyle and overcame her diagnosis. This particular recipe was a chocolate red velvet cake, instead of using food coloring like most recipes would call for to get that rich red color, she used beets.
(you can find her recipe and read her story here:
http://www.christinacooks.com/_webapp_3121462/Chocolate_Red_Velvet_Cake)

  

 It came out really good. There is a definite interesting flavor from the beets, but it all blended together super nice. I added vanilla gelato in between the two layers and drizzled the chocolate icing (which is included in her recipe) all over the top. It was definitely a cake you don't have to feel bad about enjoying :)


    Also last night I was able to watch the premier of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution which I missed Tuesday night because I was in class. Again I want to say how amazing this man is for what he is trying to do for the youth and future of America. I can not believe that he would be denied access to public schools in California. It is an absolute shame that his help wouldn't be accepted, and probably for no other reason than that the school board is ashamed of what they are feeding their kids, they should be even more ashamed of not allowing change to happen. The information he presented about beef and "pink sludge" I believe he called it was sickening. I can not wait to see how much progress he is able to make this year.


Birthday, bananas, burgers and beets :)
Valley

Spring Planting

     So E is so excited to start planting a garden this year, we already picked up all of our seed packs from the store and put down the little wire fencing stuff around where we are going to plant, but I think it's still too early for anything to survive the cold nights.. Plus just when you think the weather is starting to get nice here it seems to snow soooo :). Anyway, to help curb her excitement in the meantime we planted a strawberry plant in a big terra cotta pot we can bring in at night:

     The little guy looks so lonely in the big pot, hopefully it will take root in its new home and turn into a pretty (producing) plant.. How great would it be for her to pick fresh berries this summer while she's playing outside- all those great nutrients :).
     Tonight's dinner was a little lazy, but really good...MorningStar Farms spicy black bean burgers (just one of their veggie burgers for E) on whole wheat buns and corn on the cob:

       On a side note, I'm super excited about the premier of Jamie Oliver's second season of Food Revolution starting next week! He also has a link on his food revolution website to send an email to the USDA regarding better food in school lunches, which you can sign up for too here:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/us/foundation/jamies-food-revolution/usda

Here's to blossoming strawberry plants and food revolutions ♥

Valley

Spring Break and Spring Cleaning

So spring break had me cleaning out my house and kitchen. I decided to trash the microwave- sure it's more convenient but, it isn't really a necessity, plus, since the space where it was was free-d, I was able to fill it with these beautiful fresh herbs :). Not only are they super pretty to look at, but they smell amazing, like a natural potpourri. Also, an unanticipated bonus, Esther couldn't be more excited about popping popcorn on the stove in our glass lid pot where she can see each kernal pop. She finds it extremely entertaining :)

This week I made these super yummy personal size pizzas:



 I used pre-packaged whole wheat pizza crusts we found at Sunflower Market, pesto, mozzarella flavored rice shreds, tomato and artichoke. They came out really great and E had tons of fun 'decorating' her own pizza, she threw sliced black olives on hers and made a smiley face :).

Although yesterday was unseasonably warm (we saw record breaking high temps) and we slept with the windows opened for the first time this year (which is always refreshing), today we woke up to dropping temps and now- snow :(. So E and I made a trip to the local Ace hardware and picked up all of our seed packets for the garden we're going to plant as the temperatures normalize. We got lots of veggie seeds, and we're very excited to see if they take :).

Watercourse Denver

Yesterday we had brunch at the Watercourse restaurant in Denver.. SO awesome. The restaurant is vegetarian with some vegan options. We split the breakfast burrito, which was huge and really filling- whole wheat tortilla filled with eggs/tofu, homefries, refried beans, tempeh chorizo then topped with asadero cheese and gravy or green chile. We each had one of their delicious cinnamon rolls for dessert.. The decorations in the restaurant are so cool, the walls are filled with scenes of rabbits and forrests, and lots of windows so lots of natural light meet the wood floors and bar. If you're in Denver I highly recommend you give this place a try :)

Savory Spice Shop

Yesterday we went to the Savory Spice Shop in downtown Denver... It might just be my new favorite store! They have almost any spice you can imagine you can buy bulk or in a small pre-packaged container. It smells delicious, has gorgeous wood floors and old wood displays, and it smells absolutely AMAZING in there. We left with a jerk rub, which James threw on some chicken and we put on the grill last night... I also made some fresh green beans with ginger, garlic,onion and shallots; and some cuban style sweet potatoes (another great Kind Diet recipe) that had garlic, lime juice, salt, and fresh parsley tossed in olive oil.. super good!

We finished eating just in time for another round of snow to start falling, but at least we were filled with super yummy food that had us dreaming of warmer days :).

Daily Grind

It seems every semester as school starts back up its such a drag to get back into the grind, adjusting to new schedules. At least we have had beautiful weather to be thankful for :).. To help ease into the new routine I've been making fresh carrot juice every morning to start the day off with a healthy kick. We have a Jack Lalanne juicer (R.I.P. Jack ), which I absolutely love. Not only does it make juicing super easy, but you can make some killer fiber rich muffins with the pulps that it separates in the juicing process into a nice back section of the juicer. Also trying to get back into a cardio routine.. Walked around a frozen Sloans Lake today with Bodhi. Now, time for dinner and then a little yoga tonight to wind down from the day :)

The Kind Diet

A couple of weeks ago I purchased the book, ‘The Kind Diet’, by Alicia Silverstone. This book has great information and resources for vegetarians, vegans or anyone that is/has contemplated consuming a plant based diet. The first half of the book is reading material and the second is filled with awesome recipes. She breaks the ‘Kind Diet’ into three levels: flirt, vegan, and superhero. For each she lists meal plan ideas, and foods that should be kept on hand for cooking.  This book is a great resource, both for recipes and information for people who are considering going vegan. Last week I made the rustic pasta, caesar salad, sicilian collard greens with pine nuts and raisins, ginger pasta with zucchini, and ‘my favorite cupcakes’. All of which were really delicious... especially the cupcakes, which I just made a second batch of J.