One Frugal Foodie

At last, the temperatures have risen just enough for me to enjoy a cool and creamy smoothie for my healthy mid-morning treat.  One of my favorite indulgences, yet oh so nutritious, most of my smoothies are made with not an ounce of added sugars.  Rather, ripe fruit takes center stage for a naturally sweet treat.

Unfortunately, my fruit stocks were a bit low, with berry and stone fruit season not yet in full swing (and frozen blueberries at astronomical prices) … but buried deep in my freezer I discovered a baggie filled with melon balls.  A month or two ago I had a rapidly aging cantaloupe on my hands.  Instead of tossing it to the fruit flies, I scooped out the flesh and froze it in the hopes that one day it might serve some purpose.  Well, today was that day. 

Basic Bananaloupe Smoothie

• 1/2 to 1 cup unsweetened almond or rice milk
• 1 ripe banana, small to medium in size
• 1 cup ripe cantaloupe chunks, frozen
• 1/2 cup ice (optional)

Combine 1/2 cup of milk alternative, the banana, and cantaloup chunks into your blender and blend until smooth.  If too thick, add milk alternative to your desired consistency.  Blend in the ice if you desire a frostier consistency.

Makes 1 big serving or 2 modest ones

Optional add-ins:

• If you don’t mind the color, toss in 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves.  Spinach doesn’t touch the wonderful smoothie flavor, yet adds a good dose of nutrition.
• Ground flaxseeds, a tablespoon or two, for some of those great Omega-3’s and a little protein.
• Ground coconut, a tablespoon or two, for flavor and if you are a coconut for health fanatic like myself. (Adds a bit of fat too if you are concerned about the little ones not getting enough)

This recipe is vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free (if using rice milk instead of almond milk), gluten-free (keep an eye on your milk alternative brand), soy-free (watch for soy lecithin in your milk alternative).

We are Asian food fanatics in our household.  Whether authentic or Americanized … Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, or Japanese … we love it all.  I think my favories are sushi and thai food (lemongrass, flavorful curry, pad thai, peanut sauce, oh I could go on), but I must confess that having a basic Chinese-style stir fry recipe on hand can be a lifesaver for using up whatever you have on hand and quickly putting food on the table at an affordable price.

Years ago I found a very basic recipe that used three of the basic stir fry components, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and mirin (rice wine).  All of these ingredients can easily be found in the Asian section of most any major grocer … though they will be cheaper if you can locate an Asian market.  Now this recipe isn’t what I would call the best stir fry I have ever made, but it is solid, and really, when I use it, I am not in a tinkering around kind of mood.

But, you can feel free to alter it to your own taste buds.  For example, I never add sugar, but I think just a touch of brown sugar might mellow some of the sharper notes.  Also, meat is not required in this dish, feel free to sub in tofu, or go all veggie.  Try it out and let me know what you think!

Your Basic Go-To Stir-Fry

• 1/4 cup soy sauce (I use wheat-free tamari, which is also gluten-free)
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons mirin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons peanut or other oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 - 1 1/2 lbs sliced chicken or pork, or cut into bite sized pieces
• 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 8 ounces broccoli crowns / florets
• 4-8 ounces other veggies of choice ~ cabbage, bok choy, carrots, bell peppers, snow peas, etc.
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• brown or white rice

Set that rice to cook while you prepare the stir fry!

Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, ginger, and arrowroot/cornstarch in a bowl until the ginger and starch have dissolved.  Set aside.

In a large skillet (with high sides), heat the peanut oil.  Add the garlic and saute for just a minute.  Add the chicken/pork and saute until cooked through, 5-10 minutes.  I like to add a little bit of the sauce to the chicken to infuse more flavor.  I cover the pan for a few minutes of the cook time to ensure that it is cooked through but remains tender.  Remove the meat to a bowl, and drain the juices from the pan.

Add your veggies to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, until the veggies are crisp-tender.  Return the chicken to the pan, add the sauce, and stir to coat and heat the sauce for just a minute.  Turn off the heat, stir in the sesame oil, and allow the sauce to thicken slightly.  Serve atop the cooked rice.

Yields about 4 servings

Several years ago, when I returned to a dairy-free diet, I discovered how many baked goods had milk in some form lingering within them.  Even that innocuous looking French bread often had whey on the ingredient statement.  So, I took up baking.  It turned out to be an excellent cost-saving endeavor as well … shopping in bulk foods to stock up on pantry items rather than buying pre-packaged. 

Anyway, my baking prowess has turned me into a bit of a test kitchen for baked goodies as well.  Rather than writing diligently on my blog and website as I should have been, for the past couple of weeks I have been churning out …

Pomegranate Ginger Cupcakes from My Sweet Vegan (heaven!)

Pumpkin Pie Muffins (virtuosity meets indulgence)

Banana Crumb Coffee Cake (my husband raved that this was Starbucks worthy)

Pizza (and lots of it!) …. this one with White Sauce

Nut Case Cookies from My Sweet Vegan (a new personal favorite from this cookie monster)

Maple Spice Pumpkin Cookies (can we say yum!)

Butterscotch Blondies from My Sweet Vegan (oooh, fudgy)

Namaste Gluten-Free Bread (from a mix and amazingly impressive)

Of course, with all of this baking and amateur photography, I couldn’t help but start up a flickr account ~ http://www.flickr.com/photos/21365075@N04/ ~ a long shot from professional, but fun nonetheless!

Okay, it is a bit of an oxymoron, me writing anything about the Super Bowl.  You see, we don’t have any TV’s in our house.  Sure, we could head out to a Super Bowl party … but … I am married to a Canadian.  Of course, some Canadians like football.  I am sure my father-in-law will be glued to the set.  But his son, my husband, rebelled from his father to have a strong dislike for football.  Hockey is good, but football is a no go.  I was never really “into” football, so I don’t miss it.  However, I never pass up the opportunity to write about food.

And thus, the Super Bowl snacking topic.  Actually, I posted up a little news story with ideas on Go Dairy Free.  Head on over and read it.

But what I don’t comment on in that post is how it ties into my frugal side.  Reminding you that frugal to me is value (quality + price). 

Some might look at my favorite suggestion for substituting pop with Just Juice (if you are near a Trader Joe’s, seriously good prices on their brand) as too expensive.  However, I most often by the Just Black Cherry, which only sets me back $2.99 to $3.99 (look for generics if possible).  From there, that jar lasts me quite a good while.  For a healthy soda, we mix roughly three parts sparkling mineral water ($.89 for big bottle) with just one part of the juice.  Those just juices are very potent in flavor, so a little goes a long ways.  And viola!  A wonderful fruit-sweetened fizzy beverage without that evil high fructose corn syrup (or any added sweeteners for that matter) and with a delicious taste.

Okay, you get the gist.  I hope you enjoy the Super Bowl and some of my dairy-free snacking ideas!  Please let me know your own favorite healthy snack ideas!

After finding out that my “perfect” tea (Good Earth White & Green Tea Blend) is infused with lemongrass, and discovering that the secret ingredient at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant is lemongrass, I have been eager to cook with lemongrass at home.

I finally had the opportunity to do this with the Thai Coconut Corn Stew from Eat, Drink & be Vegan.  And boy was it good!  I made it with regular coconut milk for the full richness effect, and it was one awesomely thick soup.  Rich with corn, yet fairly easy to make (once you have cut up all the veggies), I was delighted when I took my first sip/bite (it was a hearty soup) to unleash a wonderful array of flavors on my tongue. 

Needless to say, I will be cooking with lemongrass again, and I will be trialing many more recipes from this great (and did I mention nutritious?) cookbook.

Since this recipe isn’t posted online, I don’t feel that I can divulge it.  But, next on my list is the Mellow Lentil “Sniffle” Soup, which is posted up on Dreena’s site.  I hate to post and not give you any recipes!

Many people claim that they have found THE diet that keeps them free from colds for years.  Well, we haven’t found that diet as of yet, as my husband seems to have caught a cold.  But, our change in diet has yielded something interesting.  He is the type who gets a cold hard.  Whining ensues for a good 3 to 5 days while the cold is in full swing.  He is pretty much a waste case for a week.  Then he has lingering symptoms (causing more, though less severe, whining) for a good one to two weeks more.  Inevitably, we both end up wondering if he will every really get over the cold.

For the first time since I have known him, he is actually overcoming his cold, and in record time!  He felt something coming on Saturday, but wasn’t under the weather, just a slight sore throat.  Sunday he was sick, definitely a cold.  Today, he is actually working!  No whining at all, and his cold seems to be already in its tail end.  One bad day.  This is almost unprecedented! 

Can I say it is the vegan diet?  Who knows for sure, but he has been very strict to the diet, professing how much better he feels.  Perhaps the extra load of fruits and veggies we have been intaking is actually working.  Or perhaps it was the wonderful homemade soup I made for him yesterday, with love of course …

Healing Mushroom Soup (for two)

• 1-2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
• 3-4 Ounces Extra Firm Tofu (about 1/4 of a package), Diced
• 4-6 Mushrooms, Thinly Sliced
• 3 Cups Mushroom Broth (Pacific Foods Organic Mushroom Broth goes on sale often)
• 1 Cup Packed Spinach Leaves
• 1 Cup Bean Sprouts
• 1 Green Onion, Sliced
• Additional Soy Sauce or Wheat-Free Tamari (for gluten-free) to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic, tofu, and mushrooms and briefly saute, for just a minute.  Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer/light boil.  After a few minutes (when the mushrooms are just starting to look cooked), add in the spinach and continue with the light boil for another minute or two, until the spinach has wilted.

Clean the bean sprouts well, and divide them between two soup bowls.  Pour the hot/boiling soup over top of the bean sprouts.  Allow the soup to cool for 5 minute, the bean sprouts will also lightly cook during this time.  Top each bowl with a sprinkling of the green onions, and serve with tamari/soy sauce in case someone wants an extra hit of flavor/sodium in their soup.

With no sign of letting up, and already a week past our designated vegan week, we are joyfully continuing with this delicious vegan-at-home diet.  My husband is loving the food (and quite frankly that I am actually cooking rather than asking to eat out all the time), and I am finally enjoying the kitchen.  Who knew it was meat all this time that was intimidating me?

While I am just barely dipping my toes in creativity, it is still fun to be able to throw something together that turns out quite tasty.  With some lemony dill seasoning just waiting for a new setting, I thought what better medium than a light cream sauce? Paired with whole wheat pasta, white beans and spinach, it was healthy and filling. 

Since the spinach does shrink down, I would probably add another cup or two the next time I make it (I love spinach), but 2 cups does make a fair bit. You can easily replace the seasoning mix I used with any flavors of your choice, or use some fresh lemon zest and herbs (dill, basil, etc.).  Also, I like my sauce a bit thick, hence the addition of arrowroot at the end, but after a simmer with the flour, you may find it thick enough …

Creamy, Lemony Spinach Pasta

Makes Dinner for Two

• 4-5 Ounces Whole Wheat Pasta (we like angel hair - use brown rice pasta for gluten-free)
• 1 Tablespoon Dairy-Free Margarine
• 1 Tablespoon Flour (your choice, I used whole wheat)
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 cup Unsweetened Milk Alternative (I used almond milk)
• 2 cups Packed Fresh Spinach Leaves
• 1 can White Beans (Great Northern / Cannelini), drained
• 1 Tablespoons Lemony Dill Seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch

Prepare the pasta according to the package directions.  While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.  Melt the margarine in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir in the flour and garlic, and slowly add the milk alternative, wisking until the liquid is smooth.  Stir in the spinach.  Allow it to simmer at this low heat, stirring occasionally.  Be careful to ensure that the sauce does not boil.

After say 5-10 minutes or so, the sauce should begin to thicken and the spinach will look cooked.  Stir in the beans and the seasoning.  Wisk in the arrowroot until smooth.  Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to thicken for a minute or two before serving.  Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired. Pour the sauce atop your pasta.  Some chopped olives go nicely as a garnish.

The Lemony Dill Seasoning has gotten some serious mileage, but I still have a ton left.  The package is seriously stuffed.  I tried it the other day as a seasoning for some roasted red potatoes.  While good, it just didn’t shine.  Beyond the pasta above, my favorite backdrop for this seasoning is definitely the Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise.  Turned into a dip or salad dressing, this seasoning really shines.  Of course, it isn’t half bad just sprinkled atop a salad for a dressing free mix either. 

I forgot to mention that I just received a copy of Eat, Drink & Be Vegan, the new cookbook by Dreena Burton.  It is the first cookbook of hers that I have viewed, but I may have to go back and buy the other two!  It has sucked me in already.  Her style is to use healthful ingredients whenever possible, which perfectly suits my taste buds.  Last night I took my first stab at her recipes, and it was very successful.  I prepared the Polenta Casserole.  It was quite simple to make, easily customizable, and my husband said “very good,” …. a definite bonus.

The recipe called for fresh thyme, which would likely add a nice flavor boost, but I couldn’t locate it.  I added some extra oregano to compensate and the flavor still turned out wonderful.  I also added a chopped zucchini.  This is an addition I highly recommend.  It melded perfectly in this Mexican inspired casserole and added some needed veggies …

This morning, we used up a past-its-prime banana to trial Dreena’s Banana Cream Pancakes.  They were a wonderful blend of banana, coconut milk, and spelt flour. We used just a bit too much banana, so our pancakes were a little bit dense, but my husband gobbled them up with fervor.  I try not to have sugar in the morning, so I had my pancakes with cashew butter.  They weren’t bad, but I recommend a sweeter topping for this sugar-free pancake.

I have many other recipes marked from this cookbook… so I will keep you posted as the trials continue.  So far, so good!

Overall it was a tasty day.  It was refreshing to find comfort in a pasta marinara, a dish I take for granted.  Just a quick low down for some vegan meal ideas … 

Breakfast: (vegan (egg-free/dairy-free), gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free) The smoothie has become our routine.  It seems to be the best way to break our “nightly fast” (otherwise known as sleep) with the least amount of disturbence.  Plus it is a great energizer for morning workouts, and we headed out for one today.  Frozen mango and pineapple are the best deal (at Trader Joe’s) I have found around here when neither the fresh or frozen fruit is on sale, so I prepared our old reliable mango coladas.

Snack: We were both starving when we got back as some major traffic detours made for a late arrival home.  I sliced my husband up a thick slice of the Banana Orange Chip Bread (still awesome even though it deflated), and held my hunger back with my usual rice cakes with a thick layer of almond butter and cinnamon.  Yes, I really do like rice cakes.

Snack II: Still hungry, but husband isn’t yet, ate an orange.

Lunch: (vegan (egg-free/dairy-free), gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free) Needing something in a jiffy (in the middle of a project), I turned to Amy’s, Amy’s Kitchen that is.  They are a mainstream organic vegetarian company, with a huge vegan line-up.  I have long been a fan of their chili, which can often be fetched on sale for under $2 a can and makes a very hearty lunch for two with some rice (I have even spotted it at Walmart).  Luckily, their soups have been on sale quite a bit lately as well.  We tried the lentil vegetable - low in sodium variety.  Sadly, my first thought was “needs salt.” Refraining, I reached for the pepper grinder instead, which helped to give it a little of the spark that it was missing.  It was more like a chili with very little liquid, so I dished up two large bowls of leftover brown rice, and divided the soup between the two.  It was hearty enough with the lentils and brown rice to tide us both over for a couple of hours.

Snack: Oh goodness, the remaining 1/2 of the quick bread loaf has magically disappeared!  Wherever could it have gone?

Snack II: Feeling guilty about the two mongo slices of cake-like quickbread I had just downed, I steamed up some kale and broccoli.  Just enough to meet a bit of my greens quota.

Dinner: (vegan (egg-free/dairy-free), gluten-free, nut-free) It seems my husband had been into the bread and the cookies, so he wasn’t very hungry.  I had planned pizza, but decided to go with a simple pasta instead, featuring a very non-frugal pasta sauce from Amy’s.  The price tag keeps it off of my purchase list, but it was a gift.  Considering the virtues of this organic, all natural, vegan (and loaded with garlic) pasta sauce, I figured it should pretty well be able to handle its own atop some noodles. 

I cooked up some brown rice rigatoni, topped it with the sauce (added a bunch of sliced mushrooms), sprinkled some vegan gourmet cheddar cheese atop (a splurge for the week, really I must try a vegan cheese during vegan week, don’t you think?), and fired it in the oven to see if that cheese would melt.  I have heard that vegan gourmet does, but apparently I didn’t have it in for long enough.  I baked it for 10 minutes, and tried a quick broil for 3.  It really didn’t go anywhere, but it was quite tasty. 

Overall, my husband gave this very simple meal two thumbs up, and even said “wow, I don’t feel sick and I haven’t had meat for three days.  I’m not even craving it.”  Leave it to my husband to think that not eating meat would make him feel sick.

Oh, before I forget, if you live near a Wild Oats that hasn’t been shut down by Whole Foods, they have a few good items in their weekly flyer beginning on Halloween.  I added the Oetker Organics pudding mix, Pacific organic broth, and bulk organic quinoa to my shopping list, you may find a few other deals. 

Now where are those cookies?

I have been toying with the idea of giving the vegan diet a whirl for some time now.  After all, I am half way there with dairy-free living and I often feel energized from meat-free meals.  Yet, it wasn’t until two inspirations emerged that I decided to declare our house vegan for this week. 

First off, thursday is World Vegan Day.  Really, what better time could there be?

The second inspiration came from two great vegan friends, Hannah and VeggieGirl.  As if they coordinated with one another to coax me over to the vegan way of life, each sent a package of wonderful baked goodies! 

For my birthday (it seems I have had a month long celebration!) Hannah sent a dozen Vegan Ginger Biscotti …

Though I am not a cake person, she insisted on making me some cake for my birthday as well …

VeggieGirl sent an entire (very large!) loaf of her famed Pumpkin Raisin Nut Loaf …

So with a taste of the good vegan life, I have begun vegan week!  Today I started the morning with some leftovers.  I fortified a large serving of the Orange Spiced Whole Wheat Couscous from The Hippy Gourmet with garbanzos/chickpeas for some extra staying power.

Last night we met with friends at the new Trader Vic’s on the Las Vegas Strip.  I ordered a virgin coconut drink, which hit my taste buds just right.  So, for a lunch starter, I decided to make my unsweetened mango colada.  It contains frozen pineapple and mango, a small ripe banana, a tablespoon of unsweetened coconut, and a bit of unsweetened almond milk.  Seriously, I must have used some super-ripe fruit, as it was the sweeetest thing I have had all week!  It kicked the pants off of the Trader Vic’s drink.  Perhaps I should share my secret with them? ….

Since this was more like a large snack than a lunch, I continued on with an afternoon of snacking:

• Steamed broccoli (yes, I really do get cravings for it)
• Raw carrots for crunching
• Rice cakes slathered generously with cashew butter and sprinkled with cinnamon
• Apple cake from recipe trials for a new cookbook we are publishing
• Tea, and lots of it

At last, it was time for dinner, my vegan stumbling block.  Breakfast and lunch are a breeze, but dinner, when my hearty cravings set in, can be a problem.  Luckily, an old friend was nestled in my vegetable keeper, a large Chinese eggplant.  I stir-fried it up with broccoli, red bell peppers, onions, and ooops… I accidentally left the neatly chopped mushrooms on the counter, uncooked.  Well, I have done some prep-work for tomorrows meal I guess! 

For the sauce I used a Hoisin (sweet potato base) with some tamari (soy sauce) and of course, garlic.  Set alongside a hearty helping of brown rice, and dinner was served.  To my pleasant surprise, my husband scraped up every last bite within mere minutes and proclaimed, “really good!”  He was right, simple but tasty.  Though I am sure all of the salt in the sauces helped a little.

It did fill me up … temporarily, but I can now feel a void coming on.  Thank goodness for that leftover apple cake and some pints of Purely Decadent “ice cream” chilling in the freezer!