raspberry•mocha smoothie

Today's my day, all day long.  It's my day every Thursday, now.


At first, I felt guilty for signing my kids up for preschool on the same day-- all day, every week, in the summertime, no less.


The first day they were both gone was actually kind of excruciating for me.  It was way too quiet.  I felt lonely.  I missed them.  I (as mentioned above) felt guilty.  


It was the first day I'd been alone all day in, if my memory serves me correctly, just over five years since my oldest was born!


I also didn't know what to do with myself that day.  I ended up engrossing myself in bills and spreadsheets on the computer, and since there was no one around me nagging me that they were hungry, forgot to feed myself lunch.  I was so happy to pick them up at the end of the day and embrace the loud, dirty, crazy messiness that is my little boys again.


But that's not happening today.  I'm on my third week of this schedule and I've got the hang of it now.  I'm completely happy that it's silent around here.  And happy that I got to make my smoothie today with espresso in it.

'Cause if I make smoothies tomorrow when my boys are around, you know they'll want some...  


And trust me: they do not need the espresso.



the veggies (er, fruit and stuff):

• 2 large (lungo) shots of espresso, or about 3/4 cup strong coffee, cooled for as long as you can stand it
• 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt or silken tofu
• 3 generous TBS chocolate syrup

the love:

1. Throw it all in the blender and mix until smooth.  This makes one large smoothie or two small ones.  But, it's best enjoyed alone in complete, glorious silence-- so you should really drink it all yourself.

chocolate cake•muffins

Chocolate cake for breakfast?  Wasn't this in a Cosby Show episode?  
Bill feeds the kids cake for breakfast and they all start chanting, "Dad is great!  He gives us chocolate cake!"*
Now Mom's great.  'Cause that's what I just did.

You might say, "Isn't this basically your Insane Chocolate Cake, with some flax meal and almonds mixed in?" 
And I might say, "Don't be ridiculous!"
But really, it is.  
But in all fairness I also cut back the sugar. 
You might also say, "Isn't it a little crazy to feed your kids chocolate cake for breakfast?"
But I say this recipe has some redeeming nutritious elements to it (whole grains, banana, omegas...).  We had these muffins for breakfast with some Greek yogurt, and felt pretty good after that.
And, oddly enough, no one complained...

the (non)veggies:

• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3 TBS flax seed meal
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 TBS apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 medium banana, mashed
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

the love:

1. Preheat your oven to 350° and prep 24 muffins' worth of pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, brown sugar, flax meal baking soda, salt, and cocoa.  Smash any large lumps of brown sugar with the back of your mixing spoon.
3. Make three holes in the flour mixture, and put the vanilla, vinegar, and oil each in a separate hole.
4. Dump the mashed banana and the water over the top of everything and stir it all together until it's just combined.  Fold in the almonds.
5. Scoop the batter into your prepared pan and bake for about a half hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
6. Serve for breakfast, a snack, dessert-- whenever really-- and prepare for cheers.

*I couldn't find the Cosby Show clip, but here's a hilarious classic Bill Cosby standup clip about chocolate cake for breakfast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRmN4KnfPxQ

cherry•almond biscotti

Until she moved to Alaska last winter, my friend Mandy and I would get together regularly for afternoon tea time.  

That was back when my kids both napped regularly, so we'd sit and have a nice relaxing chat, sip our tea and nosh some treats while my boys snoozed away.

Ahh...

But Mandy left me and Owen rarely naps now, so my quiet afternoon tea has turned into a less quiet and relaxing but slightly more caffeinated afternoon coffee break.  

One thing that made today's coffee break a little more like the good old days was these cherry-almond biscotti.  I also had a little reminder of my friend Mandy with me: the lovely hand screen-printed napkins she made for me.  

If you love the napkins as much as I do, you can buy them at her Etsy store, HomesteadingRoasters.etsy.com (and it looks like she'll ship them for free right now).  If you need some good fresh-roasted coffee to go with your biscotti, she's got that, too.  

She's also good company for a quiet afternoon chat, but I'm not sure you can get that through her store...

the veggies (or other stuff):

• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup milk (I use almond milk)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 TBS oil
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder*
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sweetened dried cherries
• 1 cup sliced almonds

the love:

1. Preheat your oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with parchment.
2. Whisk together the flax meal and milk in a large mixing bowl until it thickens slightly.
3. Mix in the brown sugar, oil, lemon juice, and extracts.
4. Stir in the oats.
5. Add the flours, salt, baking powder and soda, and stir until just combined.**  The dough will be very thick and sticky.
6. Fold in the cherries and almonds.
7. Using floured hands, divide the dough in two and shape each chunk into a long log.
8. Place the logs lengthwise on the pan and flatten until each one is roughly twelve inches long and three inches wide.
9. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and crispy on the outside.
10. Let the "loaves" cool on a rack (but hold on to your pan and parchment) and reduce the oven temperature to 250°.
11. Slice the biscotti in 1/3 to 1/2 inch sections and spread out on your pan.
12. Toast for about 40 minutes, or until mostly crisp in the middle.
13. Let cool and serve with afternoon coffee (or milk).  Makes about three dozen.

tips:

*Double the baking powder and soda at lower elevations.

**My standard mixing disclaimer: most recipes will tell you to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, then stir them together-- this is to prevent clumping and ensure even mixing.  I'm lazy and don't like getting out and washing an extra bowl, so I do it all in one bowl.  To make up for it I try to mix the dry ingredients together on top of the wet before I really stir it into the the wet stuff.  If this is offensive to you, by all means, get out another bowl...

ginger•cinnamon braised seitan

Brock and I hardly ever fight, but one of our more recent altercations was over, of all things, seitan.
He's generally not a picky eater-- I can give him just about anything for dinner and as long as there's a hunk of bread with it he says it's awesome.  But, as I found out, he does not like seitan that's even the least bit spongy...
My first attempt at making seitan for this recipe made a product that was a little spongy.  I thought it was still pretty good. Brock said he liked the flavor, but wasn't into the texture.  
He then brought up (several times throughout the meal) this teriyaki beef his mom used to make when he was a kid, and proceeded to suggest that I make my seitan a little more like that teriyaki beef.  
"That teriyaki beef my mom made when I was a kid was really good..."
"The teriyaki beef was chewier..."  
"You should try to broil this, like my mom did with the teriyaki beef..."  
I took it a little personally and I quickly became a little resentful of the teriyaki beef. 
First of all, this is not teriyaki (teriyaki does not contain cinnamon or red wine).  Second, this is not beef.  Third, I was so excited to use this method of smashing the ginger instead of peeling and chopping it (what a time saver!), and that just wouldn't work as well if I broiled the seitan ala said terriyaki beef.
We agreed to disagree for the time being.   But, this whole thing just made me more determined to stick with my original vision of the recipe and adjust the texture in other ways (I did not set out to make mock teriyaki beef and I was not going to end up with it).
But, attempt two came out even spongier.  It looked like animal brains and reminded me of a cheesy joke I'd heard: 
What do vegan zombies eat?
Grraaiins!
Ha ha.
These grain-brains went down the disposal without making it to the smashed ginger.
Then came attempt number three, which came out chewy and flavorful.
Even Oliver, the pickiest one in the house, was happily noshing his seitan. Brock was excited about it, too.
And there were no comparisons to other, dissimilar recipes.
And marital accord was restored.

I know this recipe looks a little complicated at first glance, but making the seitan from scratch was really pretty easy for me once I figured out how to adjust the firmness.  And, you can make the seitan ahead of time or even use store bought.*  With pre-made seitan, this comes together quickly and easily...  

And, of course, it's delicious.

the veggies:
-for the broth:

• 3 cups water
• 3 cups veggie broth
• 3 TBS soy sauce

-for the seitan:

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 cup cold veggie broth
• 3 TBS soy sauce
• 1 TBS sesame seed oil (or other oil)
• 1-2 TBS water, if needed

-for braising:

• 12 to 16 ounces of seitan strips
• 1/4 cup agave nectar (maple syrup or honey would also work)
• 1/2 cup seitan broth*
• 1/2 cup red wine 
• 1 TBS cooking oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 large piece of fresh ginger (about 3 inches long), left un-peeled and smashed with the broad side of a large knife

the love:
-for the broth:

1. Combine all the broth ingredients in a large sauce pot and bring to a boil.

-for the seitan:

1. Combine the wheat gluten, garlic powder and ground ginger in a mixing bowl.
2. In a small mixing bowl or large measuring pitcher, combine the 1/2 cup veggie broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until the mixture forms a stiff dough.
4. Knead for 3 to 5 minutes, kneading in a tablespoon or two of water if the dough is too stiff.**
5. Divide and stretch the dough into two flat "cutlets", and drop into the boiling broth.
6. Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.
7. Let simmer for 45 minutes.
8. Cool for awhile on the stove.  If you're not ready to use it yet you can store the seitan in its broth in the fridge.
9. When you're ready to braise the seitan, drain it, making sure to reserve some of the broth***, then slice it into strips.

-for braising:

1. Whisk together the agave, seitan broth and wine in a measuring pitcher or small bowl.
2. Heat a large skillet with oil over medium to medium-high heat.
3. Add the seitan and saute until it's browned on the edges.
4. Add the smashed ginger and cinnamon stick and stir for a minute.
5. Pour some braising sauce into the pan until the seitan is half-covered.
6. Stir and cook until the sauce is almost all gone, then add more.  Repeat until you've used up all the sauce and the seitan is still just a little saucy (this will take about two or three batches and about 20 minutes).
7. Remove the cinnamon and ginger and serve over rice or cous cous with a steamed green veggie on the side.

notes:


*If you want to use store-bought seitan, skip right to the braising and use 1/4 cup veggie broth, 1/4 cup water, and a tsp of soy sauce for the 1/2 cup seitan broth.
** This is the step where you can adjust the chewy- or spongy-ness of the seitan.  If you want it really chewy like Brock likes it, avoid adding extra water and knead well-- it will be very stiff.  If you want it more tender, add some water and knead a little less-- it will be like a firm bread dough.
***You'll use the reserved seitan broth in the braising sauce, but I also use a half-diluted solution to cook my rice or cous cous to make it more flavorful.

rich chocolate•pudding

This may be terrible timing for posting a chocolate recipe-- right after Valentine's day. 
But if you're anything like me all those heart-shaped chocolates only whet your appetite for more chocolate.
And, in my defense, I actually did try to make this chocolate pudding that I saw on Pinterest on Valentine's day, but it came out gritty from the dates.  We still gobbled it down, but I knew a few tweaks would make it even better.  It also needed to be a bigger batch...
So, as if all those left-over chocolate hearts I ate today did not fulfill my chocolate quota, I experimented with it again tonight.
And I think I've figured it out.

I saved the dates for other things (like my breakfast bars), and substituted banana and maple syrup instead.  Add a pinch of salt and some vanilla for a little extra flavor, and it's even more delicious and still pretty healthy.  
It takes all of about three minutes to whip up, and is incredibly decadent and satisfying.  So, toss the rest of those foil-wrapped hearts (or, on second thought, just save them for tomorrow) and get out the avocados--  this is much more of a treat and is probably better for you.
It also makes an awesome goatee...

the veggies (or technically, fruits, etc):

• 1 banana, peeled (obviously)
• 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• a pinch of salt
• 1 TBS vanilla extract
• 2 to 6 TBS water

the love:

1. Combine all ingredients except water in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Add as much water as needed to reach a smooth, pudding-like texture.
3. Chill before serving, if desired-- but you probably don't want to leave this in the fridge for too long because avocados and bananas can both get kinda funky after a while once they're mashed or blended, and also because husbands and kids can't be trusted around chocolate desserts left unattended... 

breakfast•bars

School day mornings are hectic.  I really don't make it easy on myself by staying in bed 'till the last possible minute, then trying to get myself ready in ten minutes while simultaneously trying to get both of my boys dressed.  But, I'm not a morning person.  
Neither is Oliver.  I often end up waking him up a little too late, and feeding him (and myself) breakfast when we return home after getting Owen to school.  But this doesn't cut it on mornings when he goes to school, too.
The other morning I ended up handing him a Kashi banana chocolate chip bar to nosh in the car.  I figured this made a fine in-a-pinch breakfast, but these bars are not cheap.  I made a vow to not make a habit of them. 
But that sure was handy...
Next I made another vow to come up with a recipe for a breakfast bar-- something with all kinds of healthy stuff in them that I could hand to the kids once they're strapped into their car seats, or as they're standing there trying to wake up, wondering why Mommy's always running around like a crazy woman first thing in the morning.  
These bars are my solution.  Bake them the day before, and they're just as handy as the Kashi ones.  I don't know for sure, but I'd suspect these have less sugar, too.  My bars are just barely sweet.  They're not one of those breakfast treats that could also pass as dessert (although maybe with a drizzle of maple frosting or topped with a scoop of ice cream...), but those things always leave a person feeling crappy an hour or two into the day, anyway.  My bars are a wholesome, hearty (yet still yummy) start to the day that will keep you feeling good 'till lunch (or maybe snack time when you go back for more).

So, this morning, I had these around to hand to the kiddos amidst the craziness.  They're easier for them to handle (and therefore a little less messy) than a muffin, but they gobble them up as if they were their favorite muffins.  So, breakfast was taken care of.  Next was to get Oliver's lunch packed, gather Owen's snow clothes, get everybody dressed, fix everyone's hair...  
I always manage to get my act together, but I usually get Owen to school somewhere between five and fifteen minutes behind schedule.  But really, is it reasonable to expect a preschooler to be at school at 7:30 in the morning (or to expect his morning-challenged mother to be able to get him there by that time)?
If I can manage to (at least sort of) meet this crazy expectation, my reward is some quiet time with a cappuccino and a breakfast bar when I return home.  
Whew!

the veggies:

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder*
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup flax seed meal
• 1 1/4 cups almond milk (or whatever kind of milk you have on hand, divided)
• 1 really ripe banana
• 1 cup shredded sweet potato
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped dates
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (or other nuts, chopped)

the love:

1. Preheat your oven to 375° and oil a 10 by 15 inch baking pan.**
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder and salt.
3. In a blender, blend together the flax meal and 1/4 cup milk for about a minute, until gooey. 
4. Scrape down the sides of the blender pitcher, then add the banana, sweet potatoes, 1 cup milk, canola oil, maple syrup and vanilla and blend until smooth.
5. Add the oats to the blender and pulse a couple times, until most of the oats are mixed in.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the bowl and stir until just incorporated (batter will be pretty thick).
7. Fold in the dates and almonds.
8. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan, and bake about 25 minutes, or until firm in the center.
9. Cool slightly before cutting into bars,*** and cool completely before storing in an airtight container until breakfast.

tips:
*Double the baking powder if you're at low altitude.
**A slightly larger or smaller pan would also work fine with these, but would obviously affect the thickness and texture.  My theory: thicker bars would be more muffin-like, and thinner ones would be chewier and possibly less messy in the car.
***I like to cut them widthwise into four, then lengthwise into four to make 16 big rectangles.

creamy•"pad thai"

To my chagrin, our (only) local Thai restaurant recently shut down.  After mourning the loss, I came up with this recipe partially to compensate for the lack of ethnic restaurant options around here.  Not that this is real Thai food (hence the quotes around "Pad Thai")-- I'm guessing the authentic version doesn't contain spaghetti or ketchup.  And this is a lot creamier and saucier than most Pad Thais I've seen (due to the peanut butter).

Part of my reasoning for using the ingredients I do is to make it accessible.  After all, it's easy to find a Thai recipe that looks fantastic, but often it will contain at least one ingredient I've never heard of that's only available at specialty stores.  However, everything on the list below can easily be found at any regular grocery store.  In fact, most of the ingredients are things I usually keep around the house.  

And don't let my strange combination of ingredients deter you-- this peanut butter-ketchup-spaghetti concoction is actually really scrumptious, despite how weird it sounds.  It's so good, in fact, that maybe I didn't need the Thai restaurant after all...

the veggies:

• about 2/3 box (or about 10 ounces) Barilla Plus spaghetti
• 8 ounces fresh mung bean sprouts, rinsed
• 1 block (14 to 16 ounces) of extra-firm tofu
• 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 TBS brown sugar
• 3 TBS lime juice
• 3 TBS ketchup
• 3 TBS canola or peanut oil
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• a pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 6 to 8 scallions, chopped (about a cup)
• chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedges, for garnish (optional)

the love:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, adding the sprouts to the pot for the last three minutes of cooking.  When the pasta and sprouts are done, rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside.
2. Squeeze the excess water out of the block of tofu, pat dry with a clean tea towel, then slice the tofu into cubes.  Pat dry again and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, veggie broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and ketchup, and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in your largest skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the tofu and let it fry for several minutes on each side before carefully turning over.  Continue cooking and turning like this until almost every side is golden and crispy on the edges.  Then, turn once more and scoot all the tofu over to one side of the pan.
5. On the open side of the pan, add the carrots, garlic and cayenne and cook, stirring just the carrot mixture, for a couple minutes, or until carrots are softened.
6. Add the scallions, spaghetti and sauce and toss everything together until it's heated through.
7. Serve garnished with peanuts, cilantro leaves and lime wedges if you want to get fancy. 

insane•chocolate cake

While things at my house often feel a little insane (thus is the nature of living with energetic young boys), that is not the namesake of this cake.  The original recipe for this has been around for as long as I can remember, and came to me from my mom.  I think she may have gotten it from her mom.  It was originally called "Crazy Chocolate Cake", but I've done a few things to it that make it even less mentally stable, so to speak.

For instance, some people might think adding whole wheat flour to a cake is a little nuts, but that's just how I do things.

Doubling the chocolate in an already chocolatey recipe might seem a bit crazed, but that's how I like my cake.

Skipping the frosting on a cake may come across as slightly wacko, but I personally think frosting would just ruin this one.

The method of mixing the batter also seems a touch loco, but I'm just being faithful to the original recipe on that count.

In any case, this cake is insanely good-- moist, dense, dark-- and crazy-easy to make...

the (non)veggies:*

• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 TBS apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 medium banana, mashed
• 2 cups cold water
• powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

the love:

1. Preheat your oven to 350° and prep a 9-inch bundt pan (or a 9x13-inch cake pan).
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa.  Smash any large lumps of brown sugar with the back of your mixing spoon.
3. Make three holes in the flour mixture, and put the vanilla, vinegar, and oil each in a separate hole (but don't ask me why).
4. Dump the mashed banana and the water over the top of everything and stir it all together until it's just combined.
5. Pour into your prepared pan and bake for about an hour (or closer to 40 minutes if you're using a flat pan), or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Let the cake cool in the bundt pan for a few minutes before carefully inverting it onto a plate.
7. Dust the cake with powdered sugar once it's cool, or serve with a scoop of ice cream, chopped pecans, a drizzle of dark chocolate syrup, and/or berries...  Go nuts.

tip:

*Of all the things I've done to this recipe, I've never bothered to adjust it for altitude.  Somehow, it still comes out great (I know, crazy).  So, anyway, unlike with most of my baking recipes you probably won't have to re-adjust this one if you live at a lower elevation.

avocado, clementine and tofu•quinoa salad

I do love the holidays, but I always come out of them feeling run-down and asking myself a lot of questions, like, "When was the last time I went to the gym?", "When was the last time I consumed a whole grain?" and "Why are my skinny jeans so much skinnier than they used to be?".

This meal may just be an (indirect) answer to many of my questions.  What I need is something simple and fresh, yet satisfying enough to keep me away from those glazed nuts we still have laying around.  It was inspired by a recipe that recently ran in Sunset Magazine and the fact that clementines are in abundance at the supermarket (and my kitchen) right now.  It was veganized (and therefore made more awesome) by yours truly.

While quinoa is not technically a grain, take heart that you're eating what many call a "supergrain" for it's awesome protein content.  This, along with the tofu and healthy fats in the avocado mean it will satisfy you like no Christmas cookie can.

Now I just need to get to the gym sometime this year...

the veggies:

-for the quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water*

-for the tofu

• olive oil, for prepping your pan
• 14 to 16 ounces extra firm tofu
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• juice and zest from 1 key lime or 1/2 Persian (regular) lime**
• 2 TBS soy sauce

-for the rest

• 5 clementines, peeled and segmented
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (about 1/2 bunch)
• juice and zest from 1 key lime or 1/2 Persian lime
• 3 TBS olive oil
• salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

the love:

1. Preheat your broiler to high, and prep a broiler-safe pan with a thin layer of olive oil.***
2. Cook the quinoa: Rinse and drain your quinoa then add to a pot with the water.  Cover, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes****, or until all the water has evaporated and quinoa is no longer crunchy. Fluff with a fork and set aside, covered, until ready to use.
3. Make the tofu: Squeeze the excess water out of the block of tofu, pat dry with a clean tea towel, then slice the tofu into cubes.  Pat dry again.  Combine the 1/4 cup water, minced garlic, juice and zest from one key lime, and the soy sauce in a large mixing bowl.  Add the tofu and very gently toss until it's coated.  Dump into your prepared pan and place under the broiler for 15 to 20 minutes, turning carefully a few times during cooking.  The tofu is done when it's firm on the outside and all the braising sauce is gone.
4. Prep the other stuff:  Combine your clementines, avocados, cilantro, the remaining lime and the 3 TBS olive oil in a large bowl.*****
5. Combine it all: Add the quinoa and tofu to the other ingredients and gently toss.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

tips:

*At a lower elevation, you may need to reduce the amount of water to as little as 1 1/2 cups.

**If you use a Persian lime, make sure you zest it (then divide the zest) before you halve the fruit (I've tried zesting a cut lime before, and it's not very easy).

***I used my 10-inch cast-iron skillet for this and it worked beautifully.

****For lower elevations, reduce cooking time to about 15 minutes.

*****Save on dishes and reuse the bowl you used to toss the tofu.

recipe link•snobby joes

I'm working on a couple of original recipes to post, but in the mean time I thought I'd share a link to one of my family's favorites: Snobby Joes.  

I make this pretty much true-to-recipe every time.  This says a lot for the recipe, because I'm definitely a meddler (and if I do meddle with this, it might be to switch out the green pepper for red and throw in a little frozen corn for color-- minor stuff in my kitchen).  We like this with baked sweet potato fries on the side.

I first discovered Snobby Joes in the cookbook, Veganomicon, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  They're the authors of several other fantastic vegan cookbooks, along with the website, Post Punk Kitchen.  Check them out-- Veganomicon and Vegan with a Vengeance, especially, have been indispensable to me.

Without further ado, the link: http://www.theppk.com/2009/11/snobby-joes/.  

Enjoy!