A Little Help From Our Friends

I am amazed at where I can find "a little help from friends" who I have never met but come into my life on the Internet as I continue to search out VNO receipes or vegan recipes that I can tweak to replace the oil and nuts not items on my eating plan.  So here is a wonderful new site. 

This is the Baking Fairy who moved from San Francisco to Costa Rica.  I found her because of another blogger who writes Cafe Fernando, in Istanbul and also spent time in San Francisco.  Enjoy.......   Elin.  

http://bakingfairy.blogspot.com/2011/10/lunch-today-and-many-days-to-come.html

Lunch today and many days to come:)

It's leftovers!! We had a guest over last night for yummy veggie burgers and we made a lot! So today lunch was ready in less than 5 minutes. My god, best burger I had in a long time! Of course, I am spoiled to have my husband home, so he can bake whole grain buns and cook burgers to perfection with patience, skills I still haven't developed-yet:) It is really fun to be in the kitchen together especially on days that are gloomy gray like this. Also, I learn something new from him everyday, I am truly grateful to the universe for our connection.

Don't laugh, but I will tell you how I built my burger. We had dandelion pesto on hand, so I started with that, added Swiss chard, roasted pumpkin, home pickled cucumbers, tomato and leftover lentil burger on top. Everything was cold and it was great. Now, I know it takes a lot to do all these things at once, especially if you are hungry. The trick is to organize your kitchen in a way that works for you. You can bake bread and freeze, or skip bread and make this into a salad with lentil patty on top.

Roasting veggies is so easy because you don't need to babysit them and wait in front of the stove. They also keep well in the fridge. Kitchen can be a challenge if you are pressed against time, or don't have the inspiration. However, it can also be an artist canvas if you work with ease and use local ingredients. Then you can see the magic happen on its own, painting plates in colorful veggies and watching your inspiration blossom.

Here are the recipes I used for the burger...Something to play with, hopefully some joy and excitement! Have fun!

Pickled Cucumbers:

Using a mandolin, slice your cucumbers thinly. Long English cucumbers of thin Asian cucumbers are the best. If the cucumbers have a lot of seeds take them out because they are hard to digest. Sprinkle pinch of salt, 1/2 cup rice vinegar and a dash of black pepper. Press down with a plate and let them sit for about 30 mins or overnight in the fridge.

You can totally skip this and use fresh cucumbers. That is how I made our burgers at Organico all these years, easy yet delicious and fresh.

Roasted Pumpkin

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

Wash the skin of the pumpkin and cut into finger thick pieces on the long side. Place them with the skin on a roasting pan, sprinkle sea salt, olive oil and sage. I used dried sage, but you can also use fresh sage or any other herb you like. Rosemary is also great.

Next, make sure to get your hands in the roasting pan and show some love to the pumpkin, covering each side with olive oil.

Bake for 40 mins, turning the pan in the middle. Check for doneness by inserting a knife. Let it cool. If using for the burger, take the skin off. This is also a great side dish to any other meal or salad.

Plantains and pineapples are also a great alternative. You can bake or grill them.

Dandelion Pesto:

1 bunch of dandelion, chopped into small pieces.
1 bunch of basil, chopped.
1 bunch of arugula, chopped.
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 heads of roasted garlic or 2 raw cloves (roasted garlic is creamy and sweet and helps with the dandelion flavor, so if you have time, don't skip this step).
1/2 tsp sea-salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Juice of a half lemon
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional

Blend everything in a high speed blender until creamy. If you like your pesto chunky, use a food processor instead and process slowly, adding your greens in parts.

Keeps in the fridge about a week.

A super easy spread alternative would be mashed avocado with basil or cilantro with lime and salt. Please don't stress!!!

Lentil Burgers

3 cups of soaked green lentils, about 2 cups of dry lentils soaked overnight.
5 cups of water
1 onion, cut into two
1 head of garlic
1 celery stalk, cut into 3 pieces
1 bay leaf (its ok if you don't have it)

Bring all the ingredients to boil, and cook until the water is gone and the lentils are soft.

Saute with 4 tablespoons olive oil:

1 onion, diced small
2 stalks of celery, diced small
1 medium carrot, diced small
1 tablespoon of tomato paste

It will take about 10 to 15 minutes, until the carrots are almost mushy. Add 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt.

Once the lentils are cooked, put them over a sieve and drain the water. Transfer the lentils into a big bowl.

Add the sauteed veggies and combine with 1/2 cup oat flour, 1/2 cup ground flax seeds, 1 cup oats. Mix well with a wooded spoon, pressing into the lentils, like making a dough. There will be still chunky pieces of carrots and celery and that is good. If the mixture is too wet, add more ground flax seeds. If it is too dry, add some liquid from the lentils. You should be able to make patties at this point. It is ok if the mixture looks wet, as long as it holds it shape.

Make sure to taste them and see if you like the taste. Adjust seasonings to your liking, salt, pepper, cumin. I also added a dash of cayenne pepper at this point because it was a little sweeter than I liked, carrots to blame:)

Place the mixture in the fridge for about 30 mins, the flours and oats soak up more liquid. Roberto did the rest of the cooking. He first pan fried the burgers, high heat both sides about 3-4 mins each until browned and then baked 400F for about 10-15 mins, so they dry up inside. It was perfect.

Leftover burgers are great for the next day, they hold their shape even better.

Again, if you want a burger now and don't want to spend the time in the kitchen,think what could be an alternative for the lentil patties...Maybe portobello mushrooms or eggplant steaks?

Additional toppings:
Avocados
Tomatos
Fresh greens
Sauteed Onions
Sprouts
Mustard
Some good organic ketchup if you can find it...

Cheers to the happy times in the kitchen!!

Thanksgiving plus

Lots going on including playing a part for a photo shoot for a friend...in costume far afield of my vocation. After the photos were taken, the photographer let me set up the kitchen shot complete with a "Mary of the Kitchen" icon. Closest to the real Heavenly Bodies I may get.

Photo of another loaf of whole wheat, raisins, and goji berries the size of Cleveland ... A two pounder that takes 3 hours 45 minutes while the aroma of the bread fills our home and we keep checking the time left before it beeps its finish signal. "Waiting is such sweet sorrow..." first slice.. Au natural..second, with jam and roasted tahini, a sesame seed paste (my go to for peanut butter replacement on my VNO eating plan which besides vegan- no oil also is sans nuts and avocados. )
The ingredients for the bread is an amazing and magical staple; the process is so simple and the product delicious. I found adding Ener-G egg substitute makes a better crumb.

A photo about two topics: feeding the eyes,(inviting yourself to a table set for company) and my new fun past time, documenting the Heavenly Bodies process now with photos and art apps. The photo is of the last meal for the season at Oak Street Station Bed & Breakfast where I have worked with Sue and John, for 5 years. This was a special breakfast fundraiser which included the major actors from the play, Animal Crackers, at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and an awesome breakfast menu with generous guests. It was hard for us to be preparing the next course in the kitchen and also be hearing the delightful and continuous laughter at the table.
So make every presentation pretty. I hope that even if, when the meal is just for ourselves, we would treat ourselves as an honored guest. Get creative; get out the best and have fun. secret: All that attention even makes the food taste better!

Details of the last of the squash samplings for awhile. I have tried 8 different kinds of squash and even took photos of the last bunch to remind me which ones I preferred. ( wished I had thought of taking photos when I started my journey) the plate also includes the end of tomatoes from the store made into a Caprese salad with tofu as the cheese and a great tomato dressing. The squash winner is the Delicata featured with pumpkin and sweet potato on the plate. The last component is a mélange of all things in the kitchen at the time. "variety is the spice of life."

Mixing driving and drinking? The end of the season for the grape vine that found an interesting place to spread its vines. Even though I live in a society in the States that can provide out-of-season fare anytime, eating a food source that is vegan has changed my taste. Local produce in season is unmatchable. I will learn, during this time of thanksgiving and reflection, the art of patience and anticipation. Happy, happy Thanksgiving and blessings abound on your journey. Elin

Heavenly Bodies November post

Happy November. Looking forward to the end of the month and my one-year anniversary of being a VNO. Vegan-no-oil.  What a healthy adventure this has been.  November is the month for giving thanks and I have a hearty list of people to thank for helping on this journey.  First to my husband and head chef at Chez Michael, who bought Dr. Esselstyn's book, How To Prevent And Reverse Heart Disease, fixed the recipies and made them beautifule on the plate. We are learning together.
To Dr. Esselstyn and his wife, Anne who were so gracious when the visited here. After our meeting, Anne sent us a card with all the family on the front. I keep it on the bathroom mirror to remind me of a whole, large family who eat well, raise their kids as vegetarians, are athletes and look great.
To family and friends who continue to give me that boost. To all the chefs and food providers in Turkey, France, Ireland, and at home who have gone out of their way to fix beautiful meals which helps me to feel comfortable traveling and going to restaurants. To those who have invited me to their homes for dinner and adjusted the food for me. To all the bloggers and writers who embrace the idea that this food plan can be really, really good eats. To the Heavenly Bodies group who give me so much support to learn how to write a blog and to keep it up. Whew..... Lots of thanks......

Chili for the chilly weather.
We ate it before I could get a photo but we put together a fast and great chili dish. Totally comfort food.
Cold Weather Chili 
1 sweet onion
1/2 red bell pepper diced
1 carrot diced
1stalk celery
1can of low salt kidney or chili beans  (or a combo of beans you like)
1cup of mushrooms cut into pieces
1 cup Gimmie Lean broken into small pieces
1 can of crushed tomatoes (we used fire roasted which added flavor)
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 beer. (I used dark beer.  You can also use veggie stock)
Minced garlic to taste
Season with cumin and chili powder or your go to spices.

Sauté onion with small amounts of beer to keep it from burning.
Add carrot and pepper and continue to sauté.   Add celery.
(all veggies above cut very small)
Dry sauté mushrooms with a scant pinch of salt.
Heat Gimmie Lean using beer to keep it from sticking
Drain beans well

Combine all of the above and cook together for 1/2 hour, giving all those ingredients time to socialize. It's even better the next night.

Variations.  Serve over squash, noodles or rice.

Thanksgiving the old fashioned way...... Really old fashioned .... Native American style. 

 No turkeys were on the menu. This Thanksgiving, people, will be a challenge for me because of forging new ways to celebrate being alive and healthy.

I enjoyed and appreciated this article from the Washington Post. I will try out some ideas and change a few recipes that have dairy but it is a good start to sweetening the day.
 It is called, Vegetarian Thanksgiving Can Be Every Bit As Traditional and Comforting as One With Turkey.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/vegetarian-thanksgiving-can-be-every-bit-as-traditional-_-and-comforting-_-as-one-with-turkey/2012/11/01/707301d6-2450-11e2-92f8-7f9c4daf276a_story.html

Recently I started taking photos of some of the food. I copied the photos and hopefully it worked so you can see them. The first photo is of the latest squash test. BP- before photo, I couldn't remember what squash was delicious and which one, and only one so Faroe, way yucky. Photo# 2 with the gray ring at the top of the photo, we form some of those mixtures into a beautiful feed the eyes dish. Photo #3, fruit butterflies for the B&B. Photo4, stuffed mini peppers with a veggie mix and Israeli cous-cous.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving month
Elin