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kitchen sink millet bowl

April 3, 2014
somethin' on the side, the main event, the underwear diet
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A rendition on one of my absolute favorites, Vegan Kitchen Sink Salad, which was originally inspired by the Abundant Harvest Salad I gorged on at Dandelion Communitea Cafe in Orlando, Florida. Make this huge salad at the beginning of the week and enjoy for quick lunches and last-minute dinners all week long. Not only is it vegan and chock full of vegetables and fiber, it is a great allergen-free dish. I usually make it with quinoa, but this time I experimented with millet, a gluten-free grain-like seed that is more commonly known as bird feed. Literally. We’re eating bird food. Feel skinny yet?

1 1/2 cups millet, prepared according to package’s directions, cooled
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on a bias
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced in a bias
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
3 oz sprig mix, or other salad green
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Lemon tahini dressing, for drizzling (though I made a bigger batch, 1/2 cup tahini and 1/2 cup water, to accommodate this bigger recipe)
Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, to garnish, toasted or raw

1. Combine cooked millet with carrots, celery, broccoli, chick peas, corn kernels, spring mix, and tomatoes.
2. Drizzle with tahini dressing and garnish with seeds. (Leave the salad undressed and drizzle just before serving.)

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andouille chicken sausage with grapes

March 23, 2014
sweet thang, the main event
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Not the prettiest dish, but hearty and tasty. I used this recipe for Sauteed Sausages with Grapes and Balsamic Glazed Onions from Fine Cooking, made a few little changes, and served it over raw Tuscan kale.

3 tsp canola oil
4 andouille chicken sausages (I used precooked because it was all I had on hand, but uncooked is best)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup red seedless grapes (if they’re small, leave them whole; otherwise, cut in half)
1 pound Tuscan kale, ribs removed, cut into 1-inch thick slices
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total.
2. Remove the sausage, lower the heat to medium, and add the onion to the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
3. Deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits, and reduce by half.
4. Add the chicken broth and grapes, and nestle in the sausages.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by about half and the sausages are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, massage kale with lime juice, salt, and pepper and place on a platter.
7. Serve sausages, grapes, and onions over the kale salad.

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strawberry cucumber smoothie

March 22, 2014
drink this, the underwear diet
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This simple smoothie is ridiculously easy to prepare, and provides key nutrients to nourish your skin. Strawberries are full of vitamin C, and cucumbers contain silica, both helping to boost collagen production for youthful-looking skin.

1 cup strawberries
1 cup cucumber, sliced
1 cup coconut water

1. Combine all three ingredients and whirl in a blender until smooth.

photo 1 (5)

photo 2

vegan chili: part two

March 20, 2014
the main event, the underwear diet
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I first time made this chili I served it to two meat-loving men, who both couldn’t believe that it was vegan. The first recipe attempt was spot-on, and I had to be sure it wasn’t a fluke. Attempt number two is very similar to number one, with some minor changes: changed the type of oil and reduced it from 3 to 2 Tbsp, increased beer from 9 to 12 oz (simply because it makes more sense, and I was making it at 11 a.m. on a Monday, which, even for me, is too early for a drink), corrected an error in the preparation method, increased cooking time. My S.S. preferred this attempt over the first.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, medium dice
1 red bell pepper, medium dice
1 green bell pepper, medium dice
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup textured vegetable protein
2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
12 oz beer of your choice (use gluten-free beer to make the recipe gluten-free)
1 28-oz can peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 4-oz can fire-roasted green chiles
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Saute until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, soak the textured vegetable protein in hot water. Drain, and then add to the pot along with the paprika, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Saute for 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the beer and reduce by half, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the bits.
4. Crush the tomatoes and add to the pot, along with the beans and green chiles.
5. Cover the ingredients with water (about 1 quart). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thick (chili will continue to thicken as it sits).
6. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with sliced scallions (optional).

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The result? Very tasty, not as spicy as last time. Increase cayenne pepper to 1 tsp, but otherwise this one is getting close to where I want it to be!

avocado fries with chipotle aioli

March 6, 2014
appeteaser, the main event, the underwear diet
3 Comments

The ultimate healthy TV dinner. I served this with a raw broccoli and grape salad (recipe to follow).

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2 avocados, sliced
1 cup all-purpose flour (can use gluten-free all-purpose flour)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs (substitute with gluten-free to make it, well, gluten-free)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain, non-fat yogurt (or Greek yogurt)
3 chipotles in adobo, roughly chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (feel free to scale down or up, depending on how spicy you like it; this makes it pretty spicy but not overpowering)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Set up a breading station: Combine flour with salt and pepper and place on a plate. Beat the eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Combine breadcrumbs with salt and pepper and place on another plate.
3. Dredge the avocado slices in flour, then shake off excess and dip in the egg mixture. Allow excess egg to drip off before dipping in the breadcrumbs.
4. Place breaded avocado slices on a baking sheet.
5. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
6. Make the aioli by combining mayonnaise, yogurt, chipotles, and adobo sauce. Season with salt, to taste.

Generously serves 2 hungry people.

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Notes: Very tasty, but next time try a shallow fry in oil, which will lend tremendous flavor to the breadcrumbs.