The Badass Vegetarian

Hearty Italian Crockpot Stew

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:56:31 -0500

I was inspired to make this hearty, yummy crockpot recipe when I heard my co-worker talking about how often she uses her crockpot. This was made with things I had in my fridge and pantry and are not hard to come by.

I love crockpots because there is rarely any fancy cutting or prep-work. Just dump it all in and stir it every now and then.

1 medium eggplant, cubed
4-5 roma tomatoes, cubed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, cubed
1 squash, cubed
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp vegetable bouillon or 2 cubes
2 cups water
1 heaping tbsp paprika
1 modest tbsp cumin
1 tbsp basil
1/2 tbsp oregano

*All measurements are approximated. I normally use a large spoon for measuring.

Put everything in a crockpot and stir it around. Cook on low for four hours stirring occasionally.

I plan on serving this in a bowl over some fettucine with olive oil and garlic and a sprinkle (more likely to be a mountain) of parmesan cheese.

How much sugar are you consuming?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:04:34 -0600

How much sugar are you consuming?

This looks absolutely delightful!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:47:54 -0600

This looks absolutely delightful!

Roasted Winter Vegetables with Cannellini Beans and Orange-Infused Quinoa

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:33:37 -0600

Roasted Winter Vegetables with Cannellini Beans and Orange-Infused Quinoa:

robotheartrecipes:

Roasted Winter Vegetables with Cannellini Beans
Serves 4

We were blasted with snow here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest last week, so what better time to make a recipe featuring hearty winter vegetables? As with most roasted veg recipes, this dish is easy to prepare and uses simple…

Robot Heart Recipes is an amazing blog with delicious dishes. I highly recommend her blog as well as this recipe. I look forward to trying it! I’ve never cooked with rutabaga before.

How to Buy Coffee Cheaply

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:44:00 -0600

I would consider myself a fairly experienced person when it comes to buying, making and tasting coffee. I have been at the cup-a-day habit since my senior year of High School. I’ve had a lot of experience with coffee: cheap and expensive, good and bad, flavored and unflavored, artisan and name brand. I’m going to help you learn to buy the best bag of coffee possible as cheaply as possible.

The Price
You know those little price labels under every item? I bet you only look at the big number that tells you whether that item is more or less expensive than the ones around it. You may think you’re getting a deal when you choose the cheapest item by price but in a lot of cases you’re getting duped.

Let’s take an example:

You are looking at two bags of coffee, one is $7 and the other is $8.

The $7 bag of coffee contains 16 oz (or one pound) which means that it is approximately 44 cents per ounce.

The $8 bag of coffee contains 24 oz (or one and a half pounds) which means that it is 33 cents per ounce.

The $8 bag of coffee is clearly cheaper than buying the $7 bag because you’re only paying $.33/oz instead of $.44/oz.

In this case, the bags might look very similar and so you wouldn’t buy the “more expensive” bag but here we see that even though you’re paying a dollar more, you’re getting more for your money.

This is why looking at the unit price is so important. It will tell you how much a product is per ounce or per pound or whatever. In coffee, it’s normally price per ounce.

The Quality
You’re going to want to make sure you’re buying a coffee that you’ll actually like. Folger’s, Maxwell House, Nescafe might always be the cheapest but if you’re going for quality you’ve got to pick the good stuff.

You’re going to want to choose a whole bean, specialty brand. Look at the package and make sure it says 100% Arabica beans because this is the highest quality species of coffee. Make sure you always smell the coffee you’re about to buy. The smell will tell you many details about what it will taste like. Squeeze the bag and smell through the little one-way valve.

If it’s cheap, smells good and contains quality beans then most likely it’s going to taste good.

You can find out more about how to find, make and brew the perfect cup of coffee by reading How to Make the Perfect Cup of Joe, which I highly recommend.

Good luck and happy hunting!

[images courtesy of americanmadness.com, Clemson University, sorbentsystems.com]

Eating disorders not only hurt you but they hurt everyone around...

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:44:53 -0600

Eating disorders not only hurt you but they hurt everyone around you unintentionally. Please, if you think you have an eating disorder know that you’re not alone.

75% of people have had a mental health problem by the time they are in their late twenties. Most people work through it but without seeking help you’re more likely to sink down deeper into that hole.

Eating disorders come in many forms. Anorexia occurs when an individual restricts their diet so that they are not eating enough food to sustain normal body functions. Bulimia happens when a person eats and then purges. Bulimia is often associated with binge eating and then purging through vomiting, laxatives or diuretics (drugs that make you pee a lot). Another form of bulimia involves a person eating a normal amount or binge eating but then working out so much that their body ends up in a deficit of calories. This is also a form of “purging” calories and is more prevalent in men.

I’m not sure what form this is but I’m very familiar with it. Maybe you don’t eat very often but when you do you eat a whole lot. I’ve been told that this form is a mixture of bulimia and anorexia called bulorexia but I do not think it is called that term any longer.

Over-eating is just as damaging and causes many problems that are prevalent in our country.

Food can never be a friend for you nor a therapist. If you find yourself seeking food when you are upset, stressed or bored please consider talking to your school or university counselors or seeking professional help elsewhere.

Not eating properly will never make you more beautiful or less stressed out. Not getting the nutrients your body needs will make your hair brittle and thin, your skin dull and you won’t have the energy to be a vibrant, happy person.

Many college students fight a mental health problem. Eating disorders are a common occurrence but are unfortunately less visible than alcoholism or dating violence in colleges. Get the help you need. You will never regret it.

I’ve been there.

Are you a vegetarian?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:34:08 -0600

If you’ve ever had this conversation you may just not be cut out for vegetarianism. And that’s okay. You just have to -admit- it.

Customer: “Is the chicken caesar sandwich vegetarian?”

Me: “No, ma’am. It has chicken in it. But we can substitute tofu if you’d like.”

Customer: “I don’t want tofu. Don’t you have any vegetarian meat?”

Me: “Vegetarian means no meat, ma’am. Would you like a non-vegetarian option?”

Customer: “No, I’m a vegetarian. Your menu says you have vegetarian options.”

Me: “We do have vegetarian options. Anything can be made without meat.”

Customer: “Why don’t you have any vegetarian meat?”

Me: “Are you sure you’re a vegetarian, ma’am?”

I hope everyone enjoys the funny story from notalwaysright.com!

Supermarket[ing]

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:22:52 -0600

Supermarket[ing]:

“We found that labeling all foods and beverages with a simple red, yellow and green color scheme to indicate their relative healthiness led patrons to purchase more of the healthy and fewer of the unhealthy items … [and] moving items around to make the healthy items more convenient and visible led to further improvement in the nutritional quality of items purchased.”

Supermarkets are controlled by the same rules of marketing that dominate the rest of American society. We may think that item placement in a supermarket is arbitrary but it is actually the product of an intricate bidding system. Huge food companies pay money to be at eye level where you will see them more easily and be more inclined to buy their product.

Have you ever noticed that “healthy” cereals are located high up on the shelves or out of the way tucked at the ends? This is because of the bidding system. Food companies are multi-billion dollar industries because, let’s face it, who doesn’t eat?

Staying conscious of how marketing affects you in the supermarket will help you make better, more informed choices.

[Image courtesy of sciencedaily.com]

Go ahead, step outside of the norm. Put your arm out when you...

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:52:55 -0600

Go ahead, step outside of the norm.

Put your arm out when you see someone about to step into traffic.

Tell someone their backpack is unzipped and their things are about to fall out.

Give a stranger a genuine compliment.

And don’t ever regret being kind to a person.

Easy Salmon Sandwich with Red Bell Pepper

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:49:25 -0600

Recently, I’ve been feeling abnormally hungry. I finally pinned down that I’m probably not getting the protein I need. When this happens, it’s important to act quickly and get your body a little boost. So I made myself a super easy salmon sandwich with red bell peppers and green onions. Here’s how we do it.

Ingredients
6oz can salmon, drained of water
1 red bell pepper
2 stalks green onion
1 tbsp mayo
2 tsp mustard
2 slices of your favorite whole wheat bread
Pepper
Salt if you desire

This recipe makes two small sandwiches or one monster sandwich. You decide. I went the “monster” route. If you do two small sandwiches consider using a sandwich roll instead of slices because they tend to be smaller.

So first off, open the salmon and drain the water. Get the salmon into a bowl along wit the mustard and mayo.

You’re going to use about 1/4 of that bell pepper. Take the quarter of the pepper and cut the ribs out as well as remove the seeds. The ribs are the bitter white membrane inside the pepper. Go ahead and dice it and put it in the bowl with the salmon

Take the two stalks of green onion and chop them finely making small little rings. For best results, use a very sharp knife. When you cut them, press down and then pull back a little bit for a clean cut. Add the green onions into the bowl and proceed to mix and mash.

You should probably taste it to see whether you want to add any more salt or pepper. Toast up your bread if you like and serve!

Notes: Remember to always wash your produce and check the expiration dates on cans!

Freezer Necessities

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:52:10 -0600

There are some things you need to have in stock in your kitchen that you just can’t keep fresh all of the time. These are a few things that I have always found come in handy!

There is a huge myth that frozen fruits and vegetables are less nutritious because they packaged and processed. This is completely untrue for the most part. Frozen produce is usually more fresh and more nutritious than what you will find in the produce section of your grocery store and I’ll explain why. When the produce arrives at the processing plant it has probably been in transit for a few hours at least. The produce is taken inside lightly processed, usually involving a flash-steaming and then flash-frozen. This prevents any of the nutrients from degrading further in transit or in sitting in the store. There is a lot of time that passes between a piece of produce being picked and eaten between the transit time and waiting time. During all of that time, the piece of produce is aging and the nutrients are degrading. This is why frozen produce is a necessity in any kitchen.

My all time favorite is frozen chopped spinach in a bag. I prefer the bag because I can break off as much as I need whereas the frozen “block” of spinach makes you defrost the entire thing before using it. I use frozen spinach in soups, quiches, indian dishes, etc…

Secondly, I love to have a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. You can find many different kinds of vegetable mixes including asian-style mixes and french-style mixes. You may keep one or two big bags of your favorite mixes on hand for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. These can be used in stir-fries, side dishes, soups, quiches, casseroles, etc… Use your imagination!

Thirdly, I love to have some sort of frozen berry mix. Fresh fruit in the winter-time is often extremely expensive and not very tasty. These can be used in smoothies, pancakes, desserts, oatmeal and many other things. It’s a great thing to have on hand should you need a large amount of fresh berries!

I hope this helps you out in your shopping endeavors. As always, drop me a line if you have a question!

Actual representation.

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:58:55 -0600

Actual representation.

This just looks awesome. I plan on making a spicy version...

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:36:39 -0600

This just looks awesome. I plan on making a spicy version soon!

robotheartrecipes:

Minty Pea Dip
Makes 2 cups

Well now here’s a wondrous little ditty—perfect for a snack or appetizer! With the tahini, lemon, olive oil, and garlic flavors it could be called “pea hummus.” This mixture was very quick and easy to make and is satisfying without weighing you down. I’ve been eating it with carrots and cauliflower to dip. Super yum!

INGREDIENTS

3 cups frozen green peas

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 tablespoons tahini

coarse salt and pepper

vegetables for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Cook peas in salted boiling water until tender, 1 minute. Transfer to an ice-water bath; drain.

Step Two: Pulse peas in a food processor with mint, lemon zest and juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and tahini.

Step Three: Season with salt and pepper; drizzle with oil.

Source: Whole Living, January/February 2012. View the recipe on WholeLiving.com.

I have a problem where when I make soup I tend to make way too...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:18:23 -0600

I have a problem where when I make soup I tend to make way too much and then I get sick of it and beg my roommates to finish it. Maybe if I make small portions of soups like this I’ll eat it more! I definitely need to get a bag of frozen veggies.

eatsimple:

Lentils, barley and vegetable soup

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, uncovered. Add half a cube of soup stock (or enough for one cup of water), a bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, pepper, garlic, a tablespoon of dry green lentils and a tablespoon of dry pearled barley. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add in a tablespoon of red lentils and half-a-cup of mixed frozen veggies and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Makes about one cup of hearty soup.

Robot Heart Recipes is an amazing blog full of gourmet...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:16:00 -0600

Robot Heart Recipes is an amazing blog full of gourmet vegetarian cuisine. Check her out some time on her Facebook and Tumblr.

robotheartrecipes:

Robot Heart Recipes Test Kitchen: 10 Easy Vegetarian Breakfasts

So even though your kitchen may find itself abuzz with holiday food prep and cookie baking this week, you (and your house guests) still need to eat breakfast, right? Here is a list of Robot Heart Recipes Test Kitchen Approved quick, easy, and healthy vegetarian (some are vegan too!) breakfast ideas to keep your holiday motor running!

Berries with Cashew Cream and Granola

Breakfast Quinoa with Blueberries

Fig and Flax Muesli

Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

Millet with Pineapple, Coconut, and Flaxseed

Peanut Butter French Toast

Santa Fe Breakfast Burrito

Southwestern Style Breakfast Sweet Potatoes

Strawberry and Goat Cheese English Muffin

Toast with Cinnamon-Almond Butter and Sliced Pears

Food Safety Recalls

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:34:11 -0600

Food Safety Recalls:

It’s always a good thing to check the Recall boards. Grocery stores are not required to post when an item is being recalled they simply take it off of their shelves. This can be a problem if you’ve already BOUGHT some.

Through this link you can submit a problem with a food item and take a look at past and current recalls.

Dirty D's Chipotle Salsa

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:15:00 -0600

My roommate Dawn is a fiend for the spicy delights. She makes some of the best authentic salsa I’ve ever had, with a kick. This is her recipe for some kick ass chipotle salsa.

WARNING: Will fuck your shit up.

This salsa is really easy to make especially in winter time when fresh ingredients and nice weather are in short supply. For a summer salsa, use fresh tomatoes and fire up the grill. Roast your tomatoes, jalapenos, onions and garlic on a veggie tray. The recipe below is good for beginners to salsa or those that want salsa right now.

What you’ll need:
2-7 jalapenos (start low and add as you go)
1 lb can of whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 white onion
1/2 7.5oz can of chipotle peppers
2 cloves garlic
Salt

How you do it:
Get a medium pot with some water and boil your jalapenos until soft. A good tip is that the jalapenos are ready to come out when the skin cracks. Strain out the water and pull the stems off. Start with a few jalapenos and add them as you go along. Shove a few of them in the food processor. Rough chop the onions and garlic and toss in the food processor. Add the chipotle peppers and then the can of tomatoes. Pulse the processor until the desired consistency is achieved. Taste and add salt. Make sure you don’t add salt before you taste with your chips. You may end up over-salting if you do.

If you mess up and make it too spicy you can correct the heat to some degree by adding white vinegar. This will tame the heat.

Dirty D Trick: Choose your jalapenos by how much heat they have. Jalapenos with more wrinkles, or lines, will be hotter since they have been on the bush longer. They will also be hotter when they are in season, which is Spring and Fall.

Local and Organic at Your Door

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:17:32 -0600

Local and Organic at Your Door:

So do you think it’s hard to make time to go to the Farmers’ Markets that happen early on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays? Greenling is a delivery service that will bring local, sustainable and organic produce and meal-kits directly to your door.

They have a revolving selection of produce that changes week by week depending on what is in season and available from the farmers. If you choose the local box you’ll get a random selection but they have other types of boxes available like meal-kits for five days, movie night boxes, etc…

As for the pricing, they can be a little bit pricey but it might actually be slightly discounted for local, organic produce especially since you don’t pay for delivery. The local box is about $35 on average it seems for a big box of assorted goodies.

As far as I’m aware this may only be a service that’s available in major cities in Central Texas but I do know that it delivers to San Antonio, San Marcos and Austin. On the front page you can check your zip code to see if they will deliver to you.

I bought one of these for my parents for Christmas! I hear they make great presents for the eco-conscious.

Pizza is a Vegetable

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:22:00 -0600

Pizza is a Vegetable:

A while back, ketchup was defined as a vegetable in school lunches. This meant that french fries with ketchup were seen as two servings of vegetables. I’m thinking that this previous legislation is what lead into this one.

To clarify, they did not define pizza as a vegetable. Their new legislation says that the pizza sauce on pizza is considered a vegetable. This article cites evidence protecting this legislation but from a nutritional standpoint this is going backwards. While tomatoes are a vegetable- and a good source of many vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals- pizza sauce is processed, has a lot of salt, sometimes sugar is added and may contain HFCS. This is encouraging a poor diet where we can say “I’m getting all of my vegetables” by eating pizza with a side of fries and ketchup.

Drinkify.org

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:01:30 -0600

Drinkify.org:

This is an awesome little website. Enter the music you’re listening to and out pops a drink recipe. Voila.