For Alysa

This recipe is dedicated to my friend Alysa who reads this blog. Friends... you may be interested to know that she is the author of a delightful book blog! Find that HERE. She often blogs about children's books and I know we are all on the look out for good ones!

The reason this post is dedicated to her is because it uses dry beans which I know she has an abundance of and wants to use! When we made this last night and really liked it, I wanted to share it with her and I know that she reads this blog. This one's for you friend!

Slow Cooker Garden Vegetable Sauce with Chickpeas (From America's Test Kitchen)

2 tbsp olive oil
3 onions, minced (I did one whole and it was great!)
2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and cubed (I did 4 carrots. just 2? They must have been large!)
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup flour
2 cups veggie broth
2 cups water
1 1/4 cups dry chickpeas, picked over and rinsed
2 bay leaves (Alysa, if you need some I have a ton! Beachy's sells them for super cheap!)
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cubed
2 tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 oz baby spinach (6 cups)
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese- optional
Short Pasta to serve over (we used a whole grain penne. It was great! The picture has it over regular bow tie pasta. I wish they made a whole grain bow tie! I also think this would be good over rice)

Cook onion, carrots, garlic and red p flakes in oil till onions are soft. Stir in flour and cook 1 min. Slowly stir in 1 cup of the veg broth to thicken, avoiding lumps. Transfer to slow cooker. Stir water, chickpeas, remaining broth and bay leaves into slow cooker. Cover and cook until chickpeas are tender (9-11 hrs. on low, 5-7 on high). Stir in zucchini, cover and cook on high until tender (15-20 min). Discard bay leaves. Stir in tomatoes and spinach and let sit till heated through and spinach wilts (5 min). Stir in salt and pepper before serving. Serve over cooked pasta with parmesan if desired.

Hope your week is off to a good start ladies!

Easy Go-To Soup

This is probably our quickest, easiest, cheapest, go-to yummy soup.

Savory Bean and Spinach Soup

1 (32oz) box of veggie broth
1 cup water
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
4 large carrots, sliced
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (1lb/16oz) bag frozen spinach
garlic powder, onion powder, basil and pepper to taste

Bring to boil. Simmer, covered, until carrots are cooked through.

Slow Cooker Mexican Minestrone

2 cans black beans, d and r
2 cans mexican style stewed tomatoes
28 oz. veg broth
1 can corn, drained
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 cups diced red skinned potatoes
2 cups frozen green beans
1 large carrot, sliced
1 cup salsa
cumin, chili powder, and pepper to taste

Yumm!

Falafel

My friend made this for us when Truman was born. It's a new family favorite!

Falafel

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons tahini
1 egg
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour (I use whole wheat, it works fine)
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
olive oil

For Serving: Pita Bread, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion and Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows)

Pulse chickpeas in processor until mostly smooth but still chunky. Stir in remaining ingredients except olive oil. Form into patties, cook in oiled pan over med/high heat 3 minutes each side. Drain on towels if necessary. Serve in halved pitas with l,o,t, and sauce.

Yogurt Sauce: (I find we only need half of this recipe)

2 cups plain yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 tablespoons cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste

mix together :)

We find this recipe totally crave-able. Love it.

Pumpkin, Kale and Black Bean Stew

• I made this about 2 weeks ago and am just getting around to posting it.  It had such a unique flavor, it definitely fit the bill for the I'm-tired-of-making-the-same-old-thing blahs.  Jocelyn ate a whole bowl, and Cory, when asked if he liked it replied very neutrally, ate FOUR bowls. You heard me. Four.
• 
  

I made a lot of changes.  Butternut Squash for Pumpkin. No meat.  Veggie broth, not beef.  No Sherry Vinegar or Sorrel. Super good.  And you can save the kale water for a future recipe.  Here is the original recipe. 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed, chopped
• 1 pound cubed cooked ham
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced sorrel

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Cook onion until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and diced pumpkin and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the beef broth, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
2. While soup is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and simmer until softened, about 3 minutes. Drain into a colander.
3. After soup has cooked for 15 minutes, add the kale, ham, and black beans; simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in the sherry vinegar and sorrel; remove pot from the heat.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 203 | Total Fat: 11.8g | Cholesterol: 25mg

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Jambalaya

Thought you all might like another sweet potato recipe since 'tis the season for cheap ones!

Jambalaya:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz. veggie broth
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3/4 cup white rice (I know... "Boo! Hiss!" right? But it can't be helped, and it's so yummy!)
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Toppings:
sliced green onions
chopped grape or cherry tomatoes

Heat oil in skillet. Cook Sweet Potato and Garlic until it starts to brown (2-3 min). Stir in broth, sauce, and pepper. Stir in rice. Boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 min. Stir in beans. Cover and simmer an additional 8-10 min. Top with onions and tomatoes when serving.

Two Easy Snacky/Mealy Ideas

Okay, these recipes both have cheese, but I think you could easily take it out if that is your preference.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesedillas

- Shred a peeled sweet potato. Saute it with a bit of olive oil, and some diced onion. Mix it with black beans and a little (seriously, it doesn't take much) shredded cheese. Use as filling between whole wheat tortillas to make some delicious quesedillas! Yummm! And so filling! Corey is particularly a huge fan. And I think black beans and sweet potatoes go together like peanut butter and jelly!

Homemade Hot Pockets

-Steam Broccoli Florets. Place in a bowl and run a knife through them to break them up nicely. Toss with some shredded cheese of choice (I do a sharp or pungently flavored cheese like parmesan to make a little go a long way) and white beans. Wrap up in whole wheat tortillas like a burrito. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet (lightly oiled so the tortilla will seal into a "pocket.") and bake at 400 degrees 10-12 min. I think I will enjoy experimenting with fillings for this!

Enjoy!

An Easy 2 for 1

Hi girls! I know it's been a while since I've posted anything on the blog lately. I found another win last night with my husband and thought I would share. This recipe comes from melomeals.blogspot.com. It's a really cool blog from a woman who lives as a vegan for $3.33 a day, (this budget is for herself only). You can also follow her on facebook at Vegan for $3.33 a Day. I've found some really great recipes on her site so far. This recipe is a quick and easy veggie burger base, (and admittedly I haven't tried it as such) that can be made into meat(less)balls. Click here to see her original post and directions.

Veggie burger base:

3 c hot beans

2 c old fashioned oats

1 envelope onion soup mix

Hot bean liquid if needed to bring the mixture together

Combine, (I gave it a few pulses in the food processor) form into patties and cook in a frying pan.

This is where I need to admit that before I read the recipe a few times I thought that hot meant spicy. I thought she meant to use like chili beans or something. No, she means like a fresh batch of hot (temperature wise) beans right out of the pot. I'm sure you're all smarter than me, but just in case. ;)

For the meat(less)balls:

1/2 recipe of the burger base

1/2 t oregano

1 t garlic powder

pinch ground fennel

1/4 t sage

1 t balsamic vinegar

pepper

Combine. Form into balls and microwave for 10 minutes. They should be hard; they are intended to reconstitute in your sauce. Simmer in your sauce and enjoy! (These will soak up your sauce quite a bit. You may want to make it more saucy than usual?)

I didn't have any fennel, used the whole batch of burger base and doubled everything but the garlic powder. For me a little of that goes a long way.

The whole reason I tried these: first, my husband used to love when I cooked a roast with onion soup mix. I wanted to give him a familiar flavor while trying something new. This really helps him when trying meat alternatives like this. (If you don't want to use a prepackaged and processed mix there are ideas in the original post and comments for substitutes.) Second, I don't have a working oven right now so a veggie burger base that can be cooked in a pan and meatballs that can be cooked in the microwave were a big win for me. In fact she says that these won't taste as good baked. They'll be too dry.

This was the easiest veggie burger recipe I've tried and it was SO good. The flavor was spot on, they were a good chewy texture for my husband and they really added a heartiness to our dinner. She does have several other veggie burger recipes, so if this one doesn't look to be to your fancy, browse around her site. I'm sure you'll find something you like.

Another fun site I found recently is chefchloe.com. Chef Chloe won the Food Network's Cupcake Wars with vegan cupcakes. Pretty cool, huh?! Her site has a blog, recipes, etc. Anyway, I tried her Panang Curry last week and it was also a hit with the husband. (I left out the tofu and added more veggies; peas, carrots and the like.) It was a really good compromise for us because I actually hate curry, but the flavor in this one was a little more subdued and balanced out by everything else. He got curry and I didn't have to choke it down. ;)

Anyway I hope you're all doing well! Happy Holidays!! Can you believe it's November already?!

Better Shepherd's Pie

I posted a Shepherd's Pie a while back. It was okay, but I found this recipe and absolutely love it! I have been searching and searching for a good one because S. P. was one of my favorites growing up. I'm so glad I have something similar, but much more healthy, now!

Shepherd's Pie

Garlic Mashed Potatoes (6-8 russets, boil, drain, mash with "butter," rice milk, parsley, salt/pepper, & either roasted garlic cloves or garlic powder)
2 Large Carrots, Sliced
1 (16 oz) Package frozen mixed veggies
olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes, drained lightly
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
garlic powder, oregano, basil, chili powder, and a bit of agave - to taste
Paprika

Make the mashed potatoes- and meanwhile... Cook the carrots and mixed veggies. Set veggies aside. Cook onion in a bit of olive oil. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce and spices. Add veggies (drained of excess liquid). Cook until flavors can meld- about 3 min. Place in bottom of a prepared 9x13 pan and top with dollops of garlic mashed potatoes. Smooth out and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 375 for 20 min.

Yumm!

Poor Irish Hash

I don't know what it is about me and cabbage lately. Shay, when you said that you had never eaten cabbage until recently I could totally relate. It never appeared in our house growing up except in KFC coleslaw. Anyhow, I am discovering it is one of my favorite veggies. I love it in soup, salads, and main dishes alike. This recipe is one of my faves. Eat it and feel like a poor irishman. Fun! Don't worry, you'll enjoy it because it's not the ONLY thing you eat :)

Irish Hash

2 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
5-6 medium red or yukon gold potatoes, diced really small
1/3 cup chopped onion
thyme
1 can white beans- great northern or canellinni, drained and rinsed
1/4 head of large cabbage, very thinly sliced (I do it in chunks so it ends up being 2 inch long thin slices)
salt and pepper

Heat oil to med high in large non-stick pot (mine isn't non stick, but we manage). Cook potatoes 5 min. browning all sides. Add onions and thyme. Cook some more. Keep scraping and tossing. Stir in cabbage and stir until starting to wilt adding more olive oil if necessary. Add beans, salt and pepper. Keep a stirrin' and a scrapin'. When all heated through and cabbage is wilty-ish but not dead remove and serve.

Bean Recipes

Hello Darlings.

I wanted to give you a recommendation for a good site for bean recipes. I have been perusing it this morning and found several things I want to try.

http://www.bushbeans.com/en_US/recipes/index.jsp

I'll post it on the side bar too.

Beans and Rice

We had this for dinner last night and it was a good, basic, frugal recipe that was actually pretty tasty for how simple and easy it was.  We all loved it.  We used it as the base for a salad and put a bunch of spinach from our garden and salad dressing on it.  Jocelyn rolled the beans and rice up in the spinach leaves and ate it like a lettuce wrap.  We made it with Pinto beans.  You could also make it with a taco salad or roll it up in tortillas for burritos.

Click here to see the original post.

And here's the recipe:

Baked Red Beans & Rice

1 cup long grain rice
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 cups tomato salsa
1 16 oz. can kidney beans, drained & rinsed 
1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the rice and broth in a lightly oiled 2-quart casserole dish.  Stir in the salsa, beans, chili powder and salt & pepper to taste.  Cover tightly and bake until the rice is tender, about 1 hour.

Fresh Corn, Cabbage and Black Bean Salad

Shay posted her favorite salad so I thought I'd post one of mine :) Plus we had it for dinner last night and I remembered how much I LOVE it. Like LOVE it. It's beautiful with all the different colors and tastes so light and fresh- perfect for summer!

Fresh Corn, Cabbage, and Black Bean Salad

3 large ears of corn, husked (ladies- do the fresh- don't get a can. I only make this in the summer)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups shredded red cabbage (I just thinly slice)
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup minced red onion (optional)

Boil corn 3 minutes. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, cut corn off of the cob into large bowl. Brown nuts over med-low heat 2-4 min. Add to bowl. Whisk oil, juice, cilantro, S and P in small bowl. Add beans, cabbage, tomato and onion (if using) to corn and nuts. Pour sauce over. Chill for a while and serve.

Ashlee Notes: The original recipe only calls for 2 cups shredded cabbage. We think it needs way more. I adjust the lime juice accordingly and just do what tastes good to us. Another addition we love: Sliced Jalapeno - the kind that comes in a jar- pickled? I think? Anyway we like a splash of the juice in it, and Corey likes to put a few of the slices in his.

If anyone tries this, please let me know! This is my current favorite salad!

Chick-en Nuggets

As in chickpea Chick-en Nuggets!  We got this recipe from Super Healthy Kids and it was a huge hit!  Cory actually loved them, and Jocelyn literally ate every single thing on her plate which doesn't happen very often.

CHICK-EN NUGGET FALAFEL

 1 Can Chick-peas (Garbanzo Beans)

 1⁄2 onion 

 1 clove garlic 

  Parsley

 1 tsp cumin 

 1 tsp salt 

 Dash pepper 

  1 egg

 1 TBL olive oil 

 1 tsp lemon juice 

 1 cup bread crumbs

Mash Beans

Use food processor for onion, garlic and parsley

Mix beans with onion mixture with a spoon

Mix seasonings, egg, oil, and lemon juice. Add to bean mixture.

Slowly fold in bread crumbs and combined until dough is easy to handle.

Use small layer of olive oil in a pan. Shape dough into chicken nuggets and cook on pan until browned. Cool and let dry on paper towel.

©2011 Super Healthy Kids. Amy Roskelley provides resources on feeding your family healthy food. Visit Super Healthy Kidsfor more ideas 

I thought it would be fun to do a healthier version of a fast food meal for our Friday night meal, so I served them up with some oven fries.  I know, I know, not exactly well rounded... not a green veggie in sight...but it was a special occasion kind of meal.  Besides the fact that my pan was too hot and I practically burned the outsides, we all were fans.  They are quite tasty and it doesn't hurt that they actually look like chicken nuggets too. And I used my blendtec to make the bread crumbs from homemade bread, so there was no HFCS or preservatives.  (why do store bought bread crumbs need that junk?)

And speaking of beans...I've been putting up beans in the freezer like a maniac.  I'm embarrassed to admit that up until January, I literally had no idea what to do with a dry bean.  We never, ever ate beans growing up (except a can of refried beans here and there for tacos), let alone having them start from a bag of dry beans.  A little research and a few slow cookers later, my freezer is full of black and pinto beans and chickpeas in one-can-sized quantities. Just a little step towards being more frugal and eating more healthy.

Oh, and my friend showed me this site that I am going to try some things from this week.  The subtitle is: where healthy tastes naughty...how could you not like a site like that?!

Paella

A very successful dinner last night! I was a bit worried about all the different flavors, but they actually went really, really well together. The whole family had more than one helping and there were smiles and compliments all around. It's a keeper for sure! I was actually thinking it would be a good recipe to make with guests over.

I got it from Betty Crocker's Easy Everyday Vegetarian Cookbook.

Paella

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 pound of asparagus, cut in 2 inch pieces
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 teaspoons olive oil (I omitted this and it was fine)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 small zucchinis, chopped in bite size chunks
1 med. onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz. frozen peas, thawed and drained

Cook rice as directed on package. Set aside and keep warm. Heat some water in a large pot (all of those veggies will NOT fit in a skillet- go for a soup pot!) Add asparagus and broccoli- steam about 4 min, and drain any excess water. Add oil to pan if using, add pepper, zucchini, onion, salt and tumeric. Cook about 5 min more. Stir in remaining ingredients including rice. Heat through and serve.

Yummm!

A New Technique/Tex Mex Crock Pot Beans/Cornbread

Wow! Guys! Have you ever made and "egg," out of flax seed and water? I had heard of this before, but hadn't tried it until last night. It was amazing! You bring 6 tablespoons of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed or flax seed meal, reduce heat to med-low and whisk with a fork until it forms an "egg." It was crazy! It was like pushing an uncooked egg around in my pan. Wow! I'm not sure whether it is intended to act as a binder or a leavener in recipes... I am guessing binder though. I used it to make a cornbread recipe we had with dinner last night, and the bread turned out wonderfully. I was so pleased! Sometimes vegan baking is so... meh... you know? This just tasted like yummy cornbread. Enough gab. Here's what we had for dinner last night:

Tex Mex Crock Pot Beans: (from Betty Crocker Easy Everyday Vegetarian Cookbook)

1 pound dried pinto beans (2 cups) sorted and rinsed
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup... I think it totally needs it all if not a bit more)
2-4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 jalepeno, seeded and minced
6 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

High Heat 7-9 hours. (If you soak the beans overnight before cooking you can reduce the time. I also think you need to keep an eye on the water level. We usually have to add a bit more and reduce the heat.)

Cornbread original recipe HERE

2 tablespoons ground flax seed
6 tablespoons water
1 cup whole grain flour (I used a combo whole wheat and spelt)
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup "milk," (we used rice)
1/4 cup canola oil

Boil water. Add flax. Simmer on med-low till thickened. Set aside. Combine dry. Pour in milk, oil, and flax "egg." Stir until combined. Bake at 425 degrees in prepared 8 inch baking dish 20-25 min.

We ate this classic beans and cornbread meal with tons and tons of steamed asparagus with mrs. dash lemon pepper. Yummy!

Caribbean Pumpkin Soup

I made this soup today for lunch from the Green Shakes and Giggles blog.  I thought it was good especially if you're sick of just plain old black bean soup, but nothing sensational.  Just a good staple recipe...except that it could be that I made a few substitutions.  I didn't have chipotle chile (I used regular chili powder) or yellow pepper or coconut milk (I used almond milk-hardly interchangeable, I know).  It's probably sensational made the way it's supposed to be made, but It was definitely good enough to make again, substitutions and all.  I liked the lime flavor.

Shepard's Pie

Shay, I thought your meat and potato man might like this. I got the original recipe from Betty Crocker's Easy Everyday Vegetarian which I checked out of the library this week. I tweaked it, and thought it was better :) So that's what I'm posting :)
Easy Shepard's Pie

2 cups chunky salsa
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen green beans (not in original recipe)
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 can pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed (original recipe calls for 2 cans kidney beans... I used pinto because it's what I had, but will stick with it I think)
Mashed Potatoes (I had one large russet potato with about 6 small/med red potatoes- I peeled the russet but left skins on for the red. Boiled till tender, mashed with small amount of trans fat free margarine, rice milk, and smidge of salt and pepper- the original recipe calls for boxed potatoes- yuck! I love the taste of the slightly sweeter red potatoes, and I left the skins on for the added nutrition)

In a covered skillet cook salsa, corn, green beans, carrot and beans until carrots are tender stirring occasionally. (I added a tablespoonish of water). Place in casserole pan, top with mashed potatoes. Cover. Bake at 375 about 5 min until bubbly.

Not a terribly impressive meal, but we thought it was tasty :)

A Recipe and an Update

I'll start with the recipe in case you don't care to read on. ;) This comes from Dr. Fuhrman's book Disease Proof Your Child: Feeding kids right.

Mild Bean Chutney
1 c diced tomatoes
1 c shredded green cabbage
1 c shredded carrots
1 c diced green peppers
1/2 lemon
1/2 c diced red onions
1 c frozen corn, defrosted
1 c chickpeas
1 c frozen green peas, defrosted
1 t cumin
1 T wine vinegar
1 t Mrs. Dash
1 t garlic powder
1 c kidney beans
1 c black beans

Add the tomatoes to a small covered pot and steam the shredded cabbage, carrots and green peppers for only 5 minutes on the lowest flame possible in the pot. Stir in juice of 1/2 lemon and the onions, corn, peas, spices, and beans. Serve cold on top of shredded lettuce.

Will I get kicked out of the club if I admit I served it all warmed through on brown rice? And, I used canned beans, so I didn't want to waste the bit leftover after a cup. So it made a ton. But it was good. My kids all ate it without a fight, and even though I could tell Brandon didn't love it, he did say it was good and he would eat it again. And I do think the leftovers will be lovely cold on a salad today.

Now for the update......for anyone who's dying to hear about the new Vitamix. I LOVE IT!!!! I wish I could have taken a picture of my green smoothie for you this morning but my camera is dead. It was good; a splash of OJ, banana, a blend of frozen strawberries, peaches, mango and pineapple, spinach, flaxseed, and spirulina. We also had a little homemade granola with almond milk, (which Andrew said looked like dog food, but he still ate). The vitamix has made it so easy to eat things raw that we otherwise would have a hard time with in much quantity. It's definitely kick starting us into eating lots of veggies. Plus it can do all sorts of things like make nut butters and is an awesome food processor.

So our new lifestyle is consisting of lots of green smoothies and veggie juices, salads, and dinners like Dr. F's posted above. And making Em's raw treats. I feel so great! I finally have some energy coming back, and the best part? I feel so full! Even though I don't feel guilty about Emily's treats, I have one and I'm good. There's no internal fight to stop. And when I went to Walmart last night to stock up on more fruit, I walked right past the doughnuts and the Easter candy and thought, "Nah....not hungry." It feels great not to feel so "weak" in that area. My skin has cleared right up again as well. And I LOVE almond milk. MMMMMM......tasty. Even Paige has come to like having salad with me. The boys still prefer veggies and dip, but I'm sneaking enough greens in their smoothies that it's okay. I even had one chalk full of broccoli the other day and they thought it was so cool. Drank it right up. I'm hoping to move ever closer to being raw....but for now I feel like we're doing pretty well. No more dairy! YAY!!! That was huge for us. Next up will be learning to sprout grains, and dehydrate things. Do you do that Emily?

Oh and by the way.....if you can afford it, spirulina is SO COOL. No more B12 worries!

Emily, I'm so glad you're posting again....I'm trying all your stuff. I wished I lived closer to you so I could learn from you. Maybe I'd have done all of this a lot sooner. :) My husband is especially appreciating the treats. He thought "raw food" meant that he'd be gnawing on carrots and cabbage all day.....and that everything would taste like cardboard.

Thanks for all your support ladies! It's good to have friends like you. ;)

Lentil Soup

This is less of a recipe and more of a how-to.  I make a ton of this at a time, because it freezes well and then I don't have to make more for awhile.

You saute an onion, cut up carrots, cut up celery, and sliced mushrooms in a little bit of oil then add a tablespoon or two of flour (I did 2 heaping tablespoons of wheat flour), and then I added 5 cans of beef broth or veggie broth. Then I diced up as many potatoes as I wanted in and added it and 2 cups of lentils and let it boil/simmer until the lentils and potatoes are soft.  

The original recipe came from an Inn in Portland and you add a sliced up keilbasa type sausage in the saute stuff before.  I just made it without and I thought it was yummy.  It is good the first day, but as it sits in the fridge, it gets better and better, but you do have to add more liquid to keep it a soup.

I actually just made this this week in the slow cooker and it was super easy and I ended up with 4 meals worth out of it, because I packed that slow cooker as full as it could go!  To make it for slow cookers, just put the carrots and potatoes in first so they're touching the bottom and sides of the pot because they take the longest to cook.  Then put the rest of the veggies in on top.  Sprinkle the flour in, add the lentils, and then add enough liquid to cover the veggies plus an extra little bit (maybe up to an inch above the veggies).  I cooked it on high for 4-6 hours.  Just until the potatoes and carrots were totally done.  

I put the leftovers in bread pans and freeze them and then you can transfer the soup to food saver bags (or just regular freezer ziploc bags) once they are frozen solid.  Then just pull out a brick of soup later and heat up and you have instant dinners!