5-Bean Brown Rice & Pumpkin Seeds with Tamari

As I wrote in my last post, preparing some of your own food when traveling and staying in hotels is good for both your health and your wallet if you have the means to do so (aka have use of some basic kitchen appliances wherever you are staying). Plus, when in a foreign country, it gives you more excuses to browse the sometimes curious and sometimes wonderful and new-to-you items found on their store shelves (...orrr maybe that's just me?). So, first came smashed avocado toast, and now here's another simple yet satisfying concoction: mixed beans with brown rice, pumpkin seeds and soy. It consists of literally just 4 readily-available ingredients, is 100% vegan and also gluten-free.Interestingly, on a gluten-related note, New Zealand seems to be very gluten-conscious and it's extremely common for restaurant menus to indicate GF (gluten-free) options. From the little bit I've heard, it seems that gluten allergies/intolerance is quite common here. I'm curious to do some more digging into that and why it is so.But anyway - back to the recipe! I boiled some medium grain brown rice (read more about the benefits of brown rice vs rice here), cooled it a bit in the fridge, and then mixed in a 14 oz can of a five-bean mixture (rinsed & drained), some pumpkin seeds and some low-sodium tamari. Back into the fridge it went in a ziplock baggie, and we ate it as part of dinner one night and I had it for breakfast as well. Yes - a grain/bean/seed/veggie (though there were obviously no vegetables in this recipe) combo makes for a really great and nutritionally optimal way to start the day!I didn't have any measuring utensils to use, so I just eyeballed everything and taste-tested to get the right amount of tamari. You can definitely use a different rice/grain and any bean(s) you prefer, and use soy instead of tamari - just know that soy sauce is not gluten-free.This recipe was inspired by a friend of ours back home who has been a vegan for years and serves as a go-to source of nutrition-related info for people in her life. One challenge people on a plant-based diet sometimes face is preparing some interesting, tasty and nutritious food at home that can be taken on the go and doesn't need to be refrigerated all day to prevent spoiling. She pointed out that mixing a few ingredients, like what's in this recipe, can be preserved in the fridge for a longer time and also withstand a day without refrigeration because the tamari and its sodium content acts as a preservative of sorts. So it's a great meal or snack to have with you when you're traveling/ out and about, or - if you make it when at home - keep it in a container in your refrigerator separate from veggies, and then chop and add vegetables in as you want to eat it to help preserve freshness.Final thought - did you know that pumpkin seeds have LOTS of healthy benefits? They are the most alkaline-forming seed, are high in good quality protein, are loaded with important vitamins and minerals, can be an anti-inflammatory agent, and much much more. High in fat, yes, but good-for-you fat.  

Smashed Avocado Toast

We've been in New Zealand now for about two weeks, and it has been a wonderful adventure - with more still to come! It is a strikingly beautiful country along the coast and out in the countryside and I'm really excited to see more of that.We've had some really amazing meals, in the Auckland area and throughout our south island travels (more on all of that to come). But - when traveling for an extended period of time and being mainly at the mercy of dining out, the cost can start to add up - and NZ isn't cheap!Luckily, each hotel room we've stayed in has been equipped with a sink, basic cookware/dishes/utensils, 2-burner stove top, small fridge, toaster, electric kettle (one of my favorite appliances) and microwave/convection oven. So to be able to go to a local grocery store - which I happen to love doing in foreign countries anyway - and buy a few things to let us eat in for a few meals and snacks is a great cost-saving and healthy option.Exhibit A: Simple Smashed Avocado Toast (with some Mahala Red apple slices alongside)It's as easy as can be to make this, and is great morning, noon or night. I need to also mention that New Zealand avocados are particularly delicious!!Recipe: Simple Smashed Avocado ToastEnough for a full meal for 2What You Need

  • 2 ripe avocados, pitted and scooped into a bowl
  • 1-2 scallion stalks, sliced thinly
  • pinch of salt and ground pepper to taste
  • 2-3 small vine tomatoes (or equivalent amount of a different tomato), sliced thinly
  • Good bread of choice

What You Do

  • Mash up the avocado with a fork to a still-chunky consistency
  • Add the scallions, salt and pepper to avocado and mix/mash a bit more with the fork to combine
  • Toast your bread - we used a fresh baguette this time
  • Top the slices of bread with a scoop or two of the avocado mash, lay a couple of tomato slices on top of the avocado (or place the tomatoes on the toast first - whichever you prefer) and eat up! You can also sprinkle some sliced scallion on top of your compiled toast, if you like. Note in the photo above, we forgot to put the tomato... oops... so I can testify that it's delicious without the tomato, but I do prefer it with.

Note: You can definitely spruce this recipe up with additional seasonings and veggies, but the idea here is to keep it basic and simple for easy and quick cooking a la hotel room. Though I can guarantee it'll be just as tasty as is in the comfort of home as well :)See my next post for more on cooking while traveling!

Blanco Taco & Tequila

If you're traveling through the Phoenix Airport, find yourself in Terminal 2 and are hungry - check out Blanco Tacos & Tequila, which opened about 8 weeks ago in the Gate A wing. There's a counter for faster to-go ordering, or a sit-in restaurant if you have more time to kill - and as far as airport dining goes, we were extremely impressed with Blanco. The minimalist, modern decor made for a nice atmosphere (again, especially for an airport!), the beer (love Pacifico on tap!) and food selection were great and the servers were fantastic.We had a bit of time before our flight, so we sat at a proper table in the restaurant. Too often when explaining to a server that we want to order something meat and dairy-free, they either provide recommendations that still include animal-based items, or they and/or the kitchen don't pay attention to our request and we still find butter or cheese* on our plate. Not this time though - everyone working at Blanco that we encountered was extremely friendly and helpful - exceptionally so, really - in us finding some great things to eat. Unfortunately Blanco's guacamole has sour cream in it (which I realize isn't terribly uncommon in restaurants, but I still don't understand it - avocados are so creamy as is, who needs the sour cream added?! I assume it has to do with either preservation or cost, but even so..), so we were steered away from that and toward their REALLY good freshly made chips and some spicy salsa:I ordered the mushroom tacos, which are dairy-free as is, and our waitress suggested a veggie burrito to Peter that the kitchen often makes for customers wishing to eat something vegetarian and substantial. As burritos typically come in a flour tortilla though, our waitress and the kitchen staff went out of their way enough to find out the ingredients of the flour tortillas - which happened to include dairy - and let us know before our meals came, so that we could both opt for the soft corn tacos instead. My mushroom tacos with shredded cabbage and beans were delicious, as was Peter's deconstructed veggie burrito (corn shells were wrapped in the paper on the side). Mushrooms, squash, peppers and more, and seasoned black beans, abound on both plates:Contrary to what I've found many people to believe, Mexican cuisine is actually great for vegetarian and vegan eating. Not everything has to be smothered in cheese or gobs of sour cream (something I used to be guilty of doing!) - and particularly when good, fresh ingredients are used, you can better appreciate the vegetables, beans, spices, etc. when you don't have to dig them out from under a mountain of cheese. It's hard to go wrong with a plate or taco full of good veggies, beans and some rice, though we didn't have rice at Blanco. Clean eating when traveling is particularly helpful in keeping your body - energy, immunity, GI system, and all - feeling good, and airport food can make that tricky at times. Not so with Blanco!We almost always fly US Airways, we were both really enthused to discover this great eatery in our home airport (PHX) terminal - it's great to have a clean, tasty food option that will be convenient for future travels, either when we're rushed and need to grab something to go or have the time to sit in the restaurant (and take advantage of the great service at Blanco!).A very positive airport dining experience to start off our journey to New Zealand!*(Yes I do once in a while still eat cheese - I just choose not to for health reasons 98% of the time - but when I do have it, I want it to be really worth it... more on that in upcoming NZ food posts!) 

Eating in Prescott: Bill's Pizza

You already know my thoughts on Bill's Grill. Now I must rave for a moment about Bill's Pizza (and yes, both places are owned by the same person).Everyone has their own specifications as to what constitutes a great pizza, but even with something as seemingly basic and common as pizza - we can all probably agree that we've encountered some lousy versions. It's not so hard to mess it up - soggy dough, overly sweet or acidic sauce, poor quality of toppings, etc. Bill's Pizza couldn't be farther from that though - everything is fresh, and prepared and cooked to perfection. The pizza is REALLY fantastic. Really really. And not just for here - for anywhere.We tend to order a large when we go, knowing it will last the two of us for two meals, with the "add 7 toppings" menu option, and the restaurant is kind enough to add an 8th topping since we get the pizza without cheese (which I swear you don't even notice is missing with so many great vegetables on top). They also have a gluten-free crust option, but not in the large pizza size.Here was yesterday's: a thin, crunchy crust (my favorite kind) that held up well beneath mushrooms, zucchini, artichoke hearts, jalapenos, kalamata olives, green olives, green chilies and plenty of fresh spinach (and bonus points for it being added raw to the otherwise cooked pizza):Easily the best pizza around - I have yet to encounter another place nearby that can rival the freshness and quality of the ingredients and finished pizzas here. Plus it's locally owned, and we all need to support local businesses - wherever you live!

Tomato, Green Olive & Spinach Dip

On a recent trip to Costco (with enough hunting around, there are indeed organic and clean-ingredient products to be found there!), there was a sale on Baba Foods hummus. We tasted and enjoyed many and bought three: sun-dried tomato and basil, spicy black bean, and garlic and artichoke. YUM. A nice way to switch things up with typical store-bought hummus flavors.Wanting something on the lighter side for dinner last night - and having these three tubs of hummus to go through - I figured I'd try and add some veggies to bulk the hummus up in a healthy way. What I wound up with is one of those "refrigerator/pantry recipes" - where I didn't plan ahead at all, but instead took a look at what ingredients were already in our kitchen and picked out a few that sounded like a good combination. With some fresh veggies, garlic, a touch of olive oil and a food processor, you really can't go wrong mixing together just about any combination of ingredients! And it takes all of 5 minutes. Quick, delicious andsuper healthy. Gotta love the food processor (I used a mini one) as a time saver!After preparing the tomato, olive and spinach dip, I thought it would go well with the sun-dried tomato and basil hummus. So into a bowl went the hummus, and I made a little well in the center into which I scooped the dip. We ate it by dipping in griddle pan-warmed za'atar pita (by Kermanig Bakery - another recent and great Costco find) slices.This dip works well on its own, and did exactly what I was hoping for in terms of bulking up the hummus with some quality, healthy veggies. In combination with the hummus, it's a nutritionally well-balanced dish - great for a snack, appetizer or light meal.Recipe: Tomato, Olive & Spinach DipNote: I didn't measure exact amounts when making this, but it shouldn't be a problem, as slight variations on the ratio of ingredients won't have a negative impact!What You Need

  • 1 c cherry/grape tomatoes (any color)
  • 10 medium green pimento olives
  • 1 c loosely packed spinach
  • 1/2 garlic clove
  • pinch sea salt (or any other salt will do)
  • a few grinds of fresh black pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided in half
  • 5 large basil leaves (optional)
  • 1-in chunk of a fresh jalapeno (optional)

What You Do

  • Add garlic to food processor and pulse to chop
  • Add tomatoes and pulse to chop
  • Add all other ingredients (minus 1/4 tbsp olive oil) and pulse, chopping to desired consistency
  • Scoop into desired serving dish - over hummus or by itself - and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top
  • Serve with warmed pita or whatever you want to dip in it, and enjoy!

 

Eating in Prescott: Bill's Grill

There are a few solid places to get a good burger in Prescott, but fewer worthy veggie burgers at the local restaurants. PBC has had my favorite version, but the still relatively new Bill's Grill is giving it a run for its money! We've been frequenting Bill's Grill since it opened; it has quickly become a local go-to for us.Top five favorite things about Bill's Grill, in no particular order:

  1. There are THREE veggie burger options! Only one (the Boca burger) is vegan, but the black bean chipotle patty is dairy-free (not vegan because of a small amount of egg present) and delicious. I tend to go for that one; it is very flavorful and the texture is perfect.
  2. Aside from pre-selected burger concoctions you can order, the menu features a "build your own" system which has tons of toppings to choose from for your burger. Onion straws, crimini mushrooms, avocado and pepperocini/banana peppers get my vote! And, the barbeque and buffalo sauces are great. Those toppings, a black bean burger and a multigrain bun are my standard order:
  3. Three words: sweet potato fries. Enough said.
  4. If you're opting for meat, Bill's Grill offers locally raised beef - a great, clean option!
  5. The selection of craft beers on draght is fantastic. I especially recommend the Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, a brew from Colorado. It's easily one of my absolute favorite beers.

I have yet to try a beef burger there, but hear only great things. Bill's Grill also has seafood options (seared Ahi tuna, and recently salmon as well) and bakes their own buns (including a multigrain and a recently added gluten free bun) - bonus points for that.They also have daily/weekly specials - including red meat, chicken, seafood and/or veggie-centric options - and deserve creative props for thinking outside of the box. On a recent lunch date there with friends, one decided to go for the special at the time - the "Luther Vandross" - which included bacon, cheese and doughnuts in place of a regular bun. I did not try it, but E. who ordered it did enjoy it!:I really admire and appreciate what Bill's Grill is putting out there. They're all about good food made with fresh ingredients, offer tremendous variety to keep customers interested, and aren't overly expensive. I like the fact that they have plenty of healthier offerings as well as some off-the-wall indulgences - there's something for everyone!

How to Juice Wheatgrass Without a Juicer

I spotted a small container of wheatgrass - which I love - amidst sprouts and herbs at New Frontiers recently, and curiosity got the better of me so I grabbed it to try preparing the juice at home for the first time. I initially thought we'd use the juicer, but another experiment with that machine recently left enough to be desired that I decided to instead tackle the wheatgrass with a blender and fine mesh strainer.Turns out you don't need a fancy juicer or special wheatgrass juicer to make your own wheatgrass shots; a high powered blender will do the trick as well. Granted I did have to use a little water, so the juice was a little more diluted than usual, but it still had its trademark refreshing, sweetly grassy taste.How to Juice Wheatgrass Without a JuicerThe container of wheatgrass I bought was about 5 x 5 inches and filled with rooted wheat grass. I cut the green grass portion off and put it into my blender (a Blendtec). I then added  few ounces of cold water - enough to just cover the flat part of the blender blades. I pressed the juice setting button, and let the Blendtec go to town! Once it was done, I placed a small fine mesh strainer/sieve over a Pyrex measuring cup (you can replace this with just about any cup or bowl) and poured the juiced wheatgrass through the strainer, using a spoon to press down and extract as much liquid as possible. Very little was left in the strainer aside from a bit of thin pulp and some foam. I then poured the wheatgrass juice into two small glasses (see photo - that's a teaspoon in front of the mini glass to help show how small the glass is), and we drank away!As I said, the addition of water to this makes for a wheatgrass juice not quite as concentrated as what an actual juicer would produce, but that didn't bother us; it was a very enjoyable and delicious morning treat to have this at home!Why wheatgrass? Read more about the potent benefits of this powerful detoxifier at the Hippocrates Institute.

Nutritional Yeast Vegan "Cheese" Sauce

Creaminess is texture not found consistently or very frequently in vegan eating due to the absence of dairy. The most common vegan sources of something creamy are probably avocado, soaked and blended nuts, non-dairy milks and butter substitutes, and tofu. But certainly when cheese is removed from the picture, you need to get a little more creative to bring back a creamy texture to your plate.I made vegan mac & "cheese" a while back, the base of which was Daiya "cheddar", and was extremely pleasantly surprised with how great it turned out both in favor and mouth-feel - though Daiya gets most of the credit for creating a product that melts and imitates real cheese so closely.I've been reading a lot about nutritional yeast though, and my curiosity to make something in which that was the main ingredient finally got the best of me. I made this nutritional yeast sauce over the weekend and similar to my vegan mac & cheese, I was yet again taken aback by how well this creation turned out.On a slight digression... I've seen nutritional yeast referred to as "nooch" on many online resources... and maybe since "nutritional yeast" is a lot (I guess?) to say/type over and over, I can begin to understand a shortened nickname... but even so, I just can't get on board with calling it nooch. No judgement, but I prefer the whole name or an initial abbreviation (NY?)!Nutritional yeast is an interesting and versatile ingredient. I've been using Bragg brand, which is vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO and sugar-free. And, not only does it taste great in many recipes, nutritional yeast has some noteworthy nutritional value, particularly for a vegan source. Most of all it's a tremendous source of B vitamins - thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folic acid (B9), cobalamin (B12) - as well as other vitamins like selenium, 18 amino acids, and minerals such as zinc and iron. (On yet another quick digression, I've been thinking a lot lately about how we are constantly told to "take our vitamins", but sometimes the benefits and specific importance of each gets lost in translation. So, stay tuned for a post on the breakdown of important vitamins and minerals!).This nutritional yeast cheesey sauce is easy to whip up in no time, and is so tasty: it's very creamy, rich, salty and tangy. It's also very versatile: eat is as is and dip in your favorite chips or crudite, pour it over raw or cooked veggies or grains, or add in some diced tomatoes, olives, peppers or herbs for a new twist.Click through for the recipe!Recipe: Nutritional Yeast "Cheese" SauceWhat You Need

  • 1/4 c nutritional yeast 
  • 1 tsp salt
  • a few grinds of fresh black pepper
  • 1/4 c flour (brown rice or other gluten-free blend, or all purpose unbleached flour)
  • 3/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 c water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Earth Balance (or other vegan butter substitute)
  • dried cayenne (optional)

What You Do

  • Mix all of the dry ingredients in a small saucepan
  • Slowly whisk in the water, whisking until all clumps are gone
  • Add Earth Balance and put the saucepan over medium heat, whisking frequently until it begins to bubble and thicken
  • Remove from heat and taste in case you need to adjust any seasoning
  • Add a pinch or two of cayenne for some heat, or chopped veggies for a heartier dip/sauce
  • Leftovers should keep for a couple of days in an airtight container in the refrigerator - but my guess is you'll rarely have any leftovers to save when you make this!

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Pineapple Strawberry Orange Juice + 1 Unsuspecting Ingredient

Starting out this beautiful morning with a new juice concoction whipped up in the Blendtec:

pineapplestrawberryorangespinachjuice

pineapplestrawberryorangespinachjuice

I'm heading to spin class and wanted a clean and healthy jolt of energy to get me going and hit my system quickly - and didn't feel like making the usual protein smoothie (frozen berries with a vegan pea protein powder) - so I threw in about 1 cup each of sliced fresh pineapple and strawberries, 1 peeled orange and two large handfuls of spinach. I pressed the "Whole Juice" setting on the Blendtec, but you could just pulverize this in any blender on a high speed setting, or throw it in a juicer (but I didn't want to eliminate the fibers). After I poured it into the glass, I threw in a few ice cubes to increase the chill. A refreshing way to start the day.I hope your day is off to a great start as well!