Hoop-dancing!

Hoop-dancing!

It's great exercise and it's one of my favorite things to do! It may look complicated, but it's really not. In fact, using a larger hoop is easier than your traditional kiddie hula hoop. I think the larger width and the weight of the hoop help provide momentum. If you're interested in getting started, I have a link on the right side of the page that tells you how to make your own hoop, it's real easy (it only took my about 15 minutes to make my first hoop).

This activity is especially fun at those weekend summer music festivals!

Maybe one of these days I'll post a video of myself hoop dancing. Maybe... Lol.

Here are a few videos if you're curious:

Hula Hoop Dancer by elbee103. Oh, and they're listening to Tincup Prophette. They're pretty much awesome. Good hooping music.

Jasmine of the Whirlygirlz by jlj56.

Simple Lentils with Coconut Rice

Sometimes a simple, hearty meal is what seems right on a cold, winter day. These lentils are great when paired with chappati (Indian bread). Even better, this meal can be prepared in about half an hour!

Lentils
1/2 c. pink lentils, rinsed
1 1/4 c. vegetable stock
Olive oil

Bring the stock to a boil with a little of the oil. Add the lentils; cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until they fall apart.

Coconut Rice
1 1/4 c. water
1 c. basmati rice
3/4 c. unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Rinse the rice. Bring the water, coconut milk, and salt to a boil. Add the rice and return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 25 minutes.

Serve lentils over rice, and there you have it!

Smoothies in January?

I know it's a little cold for frozen smoothies, but I got a blender for Christmas and I've been making good use of it! Smoothies are a great way to get in essential protein, vitamins, and minerals and you can even sneak a few more veggies into your daily routine.

With this blender I also plan on introducing more raw foods into my diet, so look for a few recipes in that department.

NOTE: I only use fresh fruit or frozen fruit that has no added sugars/sweeteners, and the juices I buy are 100% natural (no corn syrup, not from concentrate, etc.). Right now I'm using soy protein powder, but I hope to get some hemp protein powder soon. It has a delicious, nutty flavor along with heart-healthy protein and omegas (I believe it to be superior to the soy powder).

Also, some of these call for a 1/4 c. carrot juice. It may seem like a small amount, but the nutritional benefits are great (over 200% of your Vitamin A in just 2 oz)!

Tropical Smoothie
1/4 c. carrot juice
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. frozen tropical fruit (mango, papaya, pineapple)
a couple frozen strawberries

Toss it all in a blender and process until smooth. You can add some more juice or water if it's too sorbet-like. I like my smoothies to have a thick consistency.

Chocolate Banana Protein Shake
1 frozen banana
1 c. chocolate soymilk
1 Tb. soy protein powder (for best results, use the amount recommended on the can)
Some ice

Toss it all in a blender and process until smooth.

Stawberry-Banana Protein Shake
1 frozen banana
1 1/2 c. vanilla soymilk
1/2 c. strawberries (I use whole frozen)
1-2 Tb. soy protein powder

Toss it all in a blender and process until smooth.

Strawberry-Orange Smoothie
1/4 c. carrot juice
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. frozen strawberries

Toss in a blender and process until smooth.

Wild Rice and Couscous Stuffed Peppers

I decided to make my wife something "fancy" for dinner the other night, and I had been wanting stuffed peppers for awhile, so this is what I came up with. The texture and flavor of these peppers are delicious and when paired with some mashed potatoes and green beans, you've got a hearty winter meal on your hands.

NOTE: Israeli couscous is larger and more flavorful than the usual "instant" couscous, but you can use whichever is more convenient for you. Also, since wild rice takes some time to cook, it's handy to do it the night before.

Wild Rice and Israeli Couscous Stuffed Peppers:
6 bell peppers, assorted colors, halved
2 Tb. olive oil
1/2 tube Gimme Lean "sausage"
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 leek (white and light green parts only), chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 c. wild rice, cooked
1/2 c. Israeli couscous, cooked
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. thyme
Sea salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c. Spaghetti sauce

Steam bell pepper halves for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, saute the Gimme Lean, mushrooms, and celery in oil until browned. Add the garlic and leek and saute another 3 minutes or so. Remove from heat. Stir in wild rice, couscous, oregano, basil, parsley, and thyme. Salt and pepper to taste. Place steamed pepper halves in a casserole dish and fill with stuffing. Top with spaghetti sauce (I use about 2 Tb. per pepper). Cover and bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

Eastern European Lentil Soup

This soup is hearty and delicious, perfect for those cold winter days. It's a fairly quick soup to make and I often make it for lunch. It's based on a recipe I found in an issue of Vegetarian Times and it's so good that I thought I should share it. Just a note, I've found that this soup doesn't really need salt when you make it with stock. Also, this recipe uses pink lentils. They cook in about half the time, with a much milder flavor, than your standard green and brown ones. You can usually find them whenever you find bulk foods.

The recipe calls for diced tomatoes, but I actually think I prefer crushed tomatoes in this, since you get a little bit of tomato goodness in every bite. I usually add it at the end so the lentils don't get hard. Swirling in a bit of vegan yogurt adds a nice tang to the soup (I often use Wildwood Unsweetened Plain Soyogurt), but it's also good without.

This soup is also killer with some cooked quinoa stirred in, and it boosts the nutritional value way up! I also find it helps keep me fuller for longer when I add it. Also, this recipe uses cumin, but it would also be good if you substituted it with some curry powder. Double this recipe to get a nice, big pot full.

Eastern European Lentil Soup:
3/4 c. pink lentils
1/2 to 1 yellow onion, diced (sometimes I use a whole onion)
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tb. cumin
1/2 Tb. agave nectar or maple syrup
1/2 Tb. red wine vinegar
3 bay leaves
3 c. veggie stock
1 c. water
Plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt

1. Rinse and sort through the pink lentils.

2. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add cumin and lentils to the skillet and stir until the cumin is fragrant and the lentils are coated with oil.

3. In a soup pot, add the lentil/onion mixture with the agave nectar/maple syrup, bay leaves, stock, and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are soft and sort of mushy.

4. Stir in the diced/crushed tomatoes and allow to simmer another five minutes. Stir in the vinegar before serving. Serve with hot bread and a dollop of yogurt in the middle.

Comforting Onion Soup

Mosquitos don't bite me.

It's true. I live in an area where we are invaded by mosquitos in the spring and summer, but I've never been bit by one. Actually, I haven't been bitten by anything. Well, okay, I've been bit by a spider, but that doesn't count! What does this have to do with food you ask?

Well, I tend to joke that bugs stay away from me because I eat so many onions (and lots of garlic). Seriously. I eat onion in some form every single day. And while I don't know if there is any real connection between onions and mosquitos, I do know that onions possess some amazing health benefits. Onion and other Allium vegetables (garlic, leeks, chives, etc.) are characterized by their rich content of thiosulfinates, sulfides, sulfoxides, and other odoriferous sulfur compounds, which have been shown to be beneficial to your health when eaten over time. They may be a useful herb for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, especially since they diminish the risk of blood clots. It also protects against stomach and other cancers, as well as protecting against certain infections. The sulfur compounds found in the onion are also anti-microbial, so they help prevent you from getting sick. If you're feeling a little under the weather, this soup is the way to go!

Oh, and a word of note: the more pungent varieties of onion appear to possess the greatest concentration of health-promoting phytochemicals. That means a few tears are, in the words of Martha Stewart, a good thing.


This soup is warm and comforting, especially now since the weather is growing colder. To serve this soup, bake a slice of the Homemade Brown Bread with some vegan mozzarella on top until browned and (about as...) melted (...as it's gonna get). Place on top of the soup and you're ready to go!

Comforting Onion Soup:
2 Tb. olive oil
4 lg. yellow onions, sliced thin
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. good beer (I use "Shiner Bock", but a dark "Bock" beer is good. Keep it vegan!)
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 Tb. dijon mustard

Heat oil over medium heat while you slice the onions. Add all the onions and the salt, give it a good stir, and cover. Cook over medium-low until the onions are nice and soft, about 20-30 minutes. Slowly add the beer, vegetable broth, water, thyme, and mustard, and simmer another 30 minutes or so, until the soup has reduced a little and it's nice and thick. Top with hot "cheesy" bread (as mentioned above).

Note: This is based on a recipe I found in Vegetarian Times, Nov./Dec. 2008 issue. It was supposed to be an appetizer or a spread of sorts, but I made it soup!

Old-Fashioned Brown Bread

Absolutely nothing is better than homemade bread! This recipe is delicious and good for you too. It's a nice, moist bread that absolutely deserves a second slice! It makes two loaves, so cut it in half if you'd like. This particular bread goes exceptionally well with my Onion-Beer Soup.

Or with peanut butter! 

Old-Fashioned Brown Bread
1 1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. old-fashioned oats
2 Tb. vegetable shortening
2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp.)
3/4 c. warm water (110-115F, like a really hot bath. A hot tub is 90F, so keep that in mind...)
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. blackstrap (dark) molasses
1/2 c. toasted wheat germ
1 Tb. vital wheat gluten
4 3/4 - 5 1/4 c. unbleached flour (if you wish to use whole wheat flour, go with half white, half wheat. Never use all whole wheat flour because your bread won't turn out)

In a bowl, combine the water, oats, shortening, and salt. Cool to 110-115F (or easy to stick your finger in and keep in there). In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, sprinkle with sugar and let rest about 5-10 minutes. Add oat mixture, brown sugar, molasses, wheat germ, and 3 c. of flour to the yeast mixture. Mix well. Add enough of the remaining flour (1 3/4 to 2 1/4 c.) to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 6-8 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl. Turn once to grease top. Cover, place in a warm spot, and let rise until doubled, about an hour. Punch dough down, divide in half. Shaped into loaves and place in two greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled again, about 45 minutes. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.



To make cloverleaf rolls: 
After the initial rising, punch the dough down. Then, roll the dough into even sized balls, about the size of a tablespoon or so. Place three balls in the cup of a sprayed muffin tin. Repeat for each of the cups in the tin. Allow to rise, covered, a second time for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Bake at 375F for about 20-25 minutes. Oven times will vary. 

Baking bread takes practice, so don't get discouraged if it doesn't turn out right your first time. Here's a few hints to help you out:
 
1. If the yeast is not foamy after about 5 minutes, when it comes time to add it, DON'T ADD IT. Throw it out and start over. The yeast has to be foamy, otherwise your bread won't rise.

2. Don't over knead. Some people get knead-happy (because it's kind of fun), but you only knead to do it (hehe) a few minutes, just until it's smooth. If it's still sticky, add some flour a little bit at a time until it isn't anymore.

3. Place in a warm place to rise. I usually put the oven on warm and set it right on top to rise. I've found this to be the best method. If you set it on the oven, it should just be warm to the touch. If it's hot, it'll kill your yeast.

4. Don't forget to oil the bowl and the pans.

5. Bread is done when the outside is hard and crusty, and it will sound hollow when you knock on the top of it.

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

Here's those pancakes I promised you. They're delicious! I'm going to be making these all the time!

1/2 c. unbleached flour
1/2 c. graham flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 Tb. brown sugar
1/2 c. pumpkin puree (I use Libby's canned)
1 c. soymilk
1 Tb. oil
1/2 c. pecans, chopped (optional)

Mix unbleached flour, graham flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar. Add the soymilk and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Add pecans, if desired, and stir well. Cook over a medium, oiled skillet until the edges are dry and bubbles have formed in the middle of the pancake. Flip and cook about 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet if necessary. Serve hot with real maple syrup.

Note: The pancakes may look "doughy", but that's due to the consistency of the pumpkin (like pumpkin pie filling).

UPDATE: I posted this recipe on VegWeb a long time ago. There's a review of this recipe here.

Whole-Wheat Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread men are a type of cookie that, to me, are the epitome of both Christmas and cookie traditions. That means I like my gingerbread pretty traditional: kind of crisp, heavy of the molasses, and full of good spices. I actually saw a recipe for gingerbread just the other day and was a little sad that they left the molasses out! That's a key ingredient for me!

I like to make these cookies kind of crisp because I like to dip them in my coffee (what don't I like to dip in coffee?). I'm also not an icing person. Since gingerbread men are traditionally decorated with Royal Icing (made with egg whites) I would suggest maybe making a glaze out of some non-dairy milk, powdered sugar, and a little vanilla to decorate. If you like your cookies a little softer, then roll them a little thicker and take them out of the oven while they're still a little soft. They'll stay that way!
 
Another thing I do with my gingerbread is make them with whole wheat flour. Seriously. 100%. I think that the flavor of the whole wheat is divine with the spices and molasses! I think I would also like to smear some of these with some coconut butter (so much for tradition!).

Whole-Wheat Gingerbread Cookies:
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2/3 c. non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
1/2 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. blackstrap molasses (unsulfured)
8 1/2 Tb. hot water
1 tsp. vanilla

0-2 Tb. almond milk (or "milk" of choice)

In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. Stir in the molasses, hot water, and vanilla. When mixed, stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt. Cover and chill 2-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350F and remove the dough from the fridge. Allow it to set on the table for about 10-15 minutes to warm up slightly. If the dough is crumbly, add 1 Tb. of almond milk. You want the dough to stick together, but not be sticky. You also may not need any at all. Roll it out on lightly floured surface (rolling it out on floured wax paper is also a good idea) to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters of choice. Repeat the re-rolling and cutting for the rest of the dough. Decorate with nuts, red hots, etc. if desired, before baking. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool before removing from the sheet.

Note: Be sure to stick the dough back in the refrigerator between the baking of the batches for the best results!

Simple Roasted Vegetable Medley

The butternut squash in this recipe gives the medley a nice sweet note. Butternut squash tastes very similar to sweet potatoes. 

Simple Roasted Vegetable Medley:

1 butternut squash, cubed
3 lg. russet potatoes, cubed
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and halved
1/2 Tb. minced garlic
2 tsp. sage
2 tsp. crushed rosemary
about 3 Tb. olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste


Preheat oven to 450. Toss vegetables with garlic cloves, 2 Tb. oil, sage and rosemary in a large roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast covered for about 25 minutes. Toss once. Add minced garlic and remaining olive oil if necessary (I usually find it necessary...), and roast 25 minutes more. Toss once more. Roast until veggies are browned on edges and tender. Season with additonal salt and pepper if necessary.

Feel free to add about 1/2 lb. each of carrots and parsnips