just another meatless monday

Hey, friends!

Just got my annual "September Head Cold." Bummer.  I try so hard to avoid getting sick.  I gargle with salt water, get intimate with the Netti Pot, avoid sugar and caffeine, and all the rest of the tricks in the book at the first hint of illness.  This time around, I took it to a whole other level and slept in a different bedroom than my husband for the past week (he got sick earlier) and did everything I could to eliminate the trail of terror that is  bacteria around the house.  But, this time, the sickies got the best of me.  I'm especially bummed out because I'm 7 months pregnant (SURPRISE!) and I really wanted to avoid a cold and/or the flu but it just was not in the cards.

I'm sharing a recipe for one of my favorite homemade, meatless soups: Ginger Carrot Soup from Eat.Live.Run (http://www.eatliverun.com/carrot-ginger-soup/)  This soup is filling, full of vitamins, low on fat and high on flavor.  Plus, it is super easy to make.

Follow the above link to read more about this easy, delightful recipe.

A few tips:

• I never have shallots in the house so I often make this soup without and it still tastes great.  
• Use a 1 lb bag of organic baby carrots to avoid chopping and peeling
• Freeze your ginger root (it makes it so much easier to grate)
• Add a dollop of Greek Yogurt to add some extra protein
• Use an electric wand blender to avoid transferring to a blender, thus saving you on dishes

Sorry for the lack of flair, peeps.  Cut the sick, pregnant lady a little bit of slack, ok? :)

Enjoy!

just another meatless monday (oh way oh)..except for the shrimp...and except the fact it's tuesday

fact: i love tofu. 

i totes used to hate that spongy, grey, dank-smelling salty brick of blaeeeeeeeeeeeahhhh but i've grown to love the stuff.

fact:  until today, i've never prepared anything at home with tofu.  i've let that up to the pros at hu hot, gingerootz, and the cafeteria at franklin campus.

it's tricky to get in protein in if you're vegging out for a while.  although i'm running this month like a pecestarian (thanks, mike!) seafood be pricey, yo.  so it's time to get down and dirty with the bean curd and the first time around was pretty damn tastey.

i present to you a recipe for (me so) hot and sour soup

ingredients:
8 oz fresh or frozen peeled and devined shrimp (i bought the cheapest, smallest shrimp i could find)
3.5 oz chicken broth
7 oz canned whole mushrooms drained (i just noticed the recipe said to halve the shrooms...you totally don't have to)
1/4 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar (white vinegar was just fine)
2 tbsp soy sauce (i used low sodium)
1 tsp sugar
1tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 oz tofu cut into bite-size chunks (adorable)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
1 cup fresh pea pods (didn't include in my recipe)
1 beaten egg (sorry, egg)
2 tbsp green onion (didn't have but wish i would have...next time)

directions:

*thaw shrimp if frozen.  combine broth, shrooms, vinegar, soy, sugar, ginger, and pepper.  bring to a boil.  reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 minutes.

*get the shrimp and the tofu into the hot tub (pot full of the other ingredients) and simmer covered for 1 minute more. 

*stir together the cornstarch and water.  stir into the hot tub and add the pea pods.  cook and stir until slightly thickens and bubbly.  cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  pour egg into the soup in a steady stream while stirring 2-3 times to creat shreds.

*remove from heat, add green onions, and get ready for a oriental taste treat senseation numbah 1!

i love this soup.  it's better than the rando bowl of meaty, brothy mystery you get at a restaurant.  you could even go without the shrimp and it'd be just as good.

now, i elected to serve mine with some brown rice on the side, a rando fortune cookie from the back of the cupboard, and some new belgium belgo ipa (which is great) but do what you want.


trust me.  this stuff is better than it looks in my half-assed picture above.

pps: shout out to better homes and gardens, "easy dinners: soups and stews" for this bitchin' delight

just another meatless...month? (oh way oh)

hot off the heals of my confession on friday, i submit confessions pt 2 (just like usher)-i ate like ridiculous this weekend.  we had a wedding and i've never seen so much awesome food in my life...shrimp the size of my fist, bacon-wrapped scallops, bruschetta, steak, and open bar...man, it was cray-cray!  and, you know what, i pigged out like ridiculous and honestly, i don't even feel bad about it.  once in a while, we all have to go a little nuts and i choose those times wisely and i had to strike while the iron was hot on this one, folks.

anyway, i'm no worse for the wear today but feeling like some detoxing is in order.  as the fates would have it, it's also time to go grocery shopping again.  hubs and i decided we are going to try and go vegetarian 6 out of 7 days a week until thanksgiving (after which, we will eat a TON of turkey and sommersausage and all that other great meat stuff.)  we decided to allow fish so basically, we are going to be vegetarians...except on sundays (tailgate food, people!)...and we'll allow fish...so, i don't know what that actually is called...i know it's not vegetarian...whatever...it's close.

anyway, this crazy adventure starts today.  stay tuned for some rabbit food recipes!

also, what a great weekend for wisconsin sports...the badgers, the brewers, and the pack (my fave) just wrecked the competition.  loves it.

just another meatless monday (oh way oh)

a lot of people ask me, "hey alison, what is your favorite way to cook a steak?"  "got any tasty pork recipes?" "got any kick-ass tips for meat on a stick?"  jk.  NO ONE ASKS ME THAT.  you know why? because the only meat in my house on a daily basis is chicken, tuna, hot dogs, or rando pizza toppings on leftovers (and of course, the meat on mah bones.)

couple reasons why i (we) don't have red meat in my (our) house:

a) it intimidates me.  i'm good with birds.  i'm good with fish.  i dare you to microwave a better hot dog.  red meat just costs too much in comparison for me to just screw it up.  so, unless i win a meat sweepstakes or a haen's truck tips over on the highway, that's just the way it is.  (btw, i also am i dynamo with fruits and veggies and legumes...keep that in mind)

b) is red meat bad for you? is it good for you?  it's like the damn egg and sodium.  health professionals just can't make up their minds on the subject. (note: i didn't do any reasearch but i'm pretty sure that's what's up.)

let me make it clear that i do not hate on the carnivores.  i love carnivores.  my husband?  dude is a carnivore.  he's a cheap carnivore so that's why he goes without "pricey" red meat.  he leaves that to the professionals at mc donald's (hollah mc doubles)

but woman (and man) can not live on chicken and tuna and hotdogs (and diet coke) alone.  that's why, i employ lots of vegetables in my house.  yes, i loves the rabbit food.

and anyway, here's a recipe for a tasty burger made with no meat (because, remember, i'm a dynamo with fruits and veggies and legumes in addition to cereal and hot dogs.)

southwest black bean burgers

 (adapted from some dude's recipe on sparkpeople.com)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

3/4 cup brown rice (cooked)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 jalapeno, minced, seeds removed (hey, i used a small can of diced green chilles)

2 cloves garlic, minced (mincing is a pain and a good way to use a finger...get a garlic press)

small handful of cilantro, chopped (i'll say this is optional because i didn't use it) 1/2 a red onion, minced

1/2 cup green onions (scallions), chopped (again, i say, optional)

1 tsp cumin 1 tbsp olive oil lime juice from 1/2 a lime (remember the broke ass burro drink recipe i made? i didn't have a lime so i used that) sea salt to taste, black pepper to taste, and a pinch of cayenne

*cook brown rice according to directions; set aside

*sautee red onion and garlic in oil for a few minutes

*while the onions/garlic are cooking, add all of the rest of the burger ingredients listed above into a bowl. add in the onions/garlic when they’ve been cooking long enough to look translucent and tender.

 *mix all ingredients together well. take 1/2 of the burger mixture and put it into a blender or food processor or if you're me, MAGIC BULLET (love that thing) blend until fairly smooth. leave the other 1/2 chunky.  next, blend the chunky and the smooth portions together in a bowl. ok, this will not look appetizing.  it's a really appalling grey but i assure you, it gets better. make a patty with about 1/3 cup of the mixture.

 if your mixture seems too moist to create a patty, add more whole wheat flour or rice. if it is too dry, add a little water OR more lime juice or margarita. cook in pan until brown on both sides (which, i will tell you is super tricky so start off on medium-low heat and you'll figure it out)

serve on whole wheat buns.  i offered avocado, tomato, and red onion slices as fixin's for the burger.  i also used light mayo and a little bit of Arizona Heat mustard by Koop's

oh, and i guess our friend pepperjack cheese and spicy cole slaw made it to the party as well...i kinda forgot...we had this for dinner like months ago and now i'm jonsin' again

not your mom's rabbit food, yo.