An Ode to Winter Squash

Rich in Vitamins A (well over 100% of your daily intake) and Vitamins C, as well as anti-cancer fighting phyto-nutrients, winter squash (like butternut and acorn) are delicious and exceptionally healthy. Take advantage of the overabundance of these wonderful root vegetables during this never-ending winter and let those nutrients nourish your body while tempting your palate.

If you haven’t already purchased Bryant Terry’s Vegan Soul Food Kitchen, then you absolutely must buy it. It is full of painstakingly detailed recipes that are clearly made with skill and a love of southern food.

For example, his Butternut Squash and Bartlett Pear Soup is simple to make, drop dead gorgeous, and astoundingly delicious.

Bryant Terry’s Butternut Squash and Bartlett Pear Soup

I copied it here for ease, but you can also find it at the Vegetarian Times recipe database here.

3 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium leeks, white and tender green parts finely chopped (3 cups)
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (2 lb.)
3 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces (11/2 lb.)
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 14-oz. can light coconut milk
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Pumpkin seeds for garnish, optional

Heat oil in saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks, and cook 10 minutes, or until soft, stirring often.

Add squash and pears, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add salt, if desired. Simmer 20 minutes, or until squash is fork-tender.

Remove from heat, and stir in coconut milk. Purée soup in batches in blender or food processor, or use immersion blender in saucepan; blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan, and stir in thyme. Reheat over medium-low heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until warmed through. Season with salt and white pepper, if desired. Serve garnished with pumpkin seeds, if using.


If you’re looking for an even simpler way to enjoy a winter squash, simply have it as a side dish for dinner. Try this quick and easy recipe and you’ll be full Vitamins A and C before you know it.

Maple Glazed Acorn Squash Halves

1 acorn squash, cut in half with seeds scooped out
1 tsp – 1 T maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat the acorn squash (the inside, not the outside) with maple syrup and bake for 45 minutes or until the squash can be pierced with a fork.

Maple Cinnamon Quinoa Stuffed Squash Halves

If you are feeling decadent, then you can stuff the acorn squash with quinoa for a level-7 vegan dish!

1 Cup of Quinoa
2 Cups water
½ - 1 tsp cinnamon (or more if you want it!)
1 Tb maple sryup

Additional add-ins – raisins or cranberries, sliced almonds or chopped pecans

Follow the directions above for Maple Glazed Acorn Squash Halves. Once the acorn squash is in the oven, bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa. Let it simmer for 15 -20 minutes until the water is completely absorbed. Add the maple syrup and cinnamon – and any additional add-ins you’d like in your stuffing. When the squash is almost done (8-10 minutes or so), pull it out of the oven and add the stuffing. Bake until squash is completely finished.

A Restaurant Review – Butternut Squash

Lastly, in the theme of squash, I’d like to do a quick restaurant review. In Chapel Hill, NC there is an adorable vegetarian restaurant tucked away near the UNC campus. Its name is… wait for it… Butternut Squash. We were excited to try it out, but had been warned that many of its food items were bland. We decided to give it a go anyway and, I’m glad we did, because we were pleasantly surprised by the food.

We started off with the Tempeh Hot Wings with an avocado sauce. These were deliciously spicy, thick chunks of tempeh. We truly enjoyed them. Then Brandon ordered the Indian curry dish. Piled high with thickly sliced veggies and covered in a delicately spiced tomato curry, it was delicious. I had the house salad without feta, which had pan seared butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and pears. It was good, but not big. I wouldn’t recommend it for a dinner. Along with a soup or a few bites of your husband’s dish, it will fill you up though. All in all, I give Butternut Squash a big thumbs up! It was simple, delicate flavors, but it definitely wasn’t bland.

I'm sorry there were no pictures. I'm terrible at remembering to take pictures in restaurants!

I hope you enjoyed all the squash talk this week and I hope you find yourself enjoying one and reaping all the lung healthy benefits of Vitamin A and beta-carotene.

Sandwiches in Simplicity

Veggie Hummus sandwich pictured here with the best hummus ever (a local brand) and a delicious Earth Fare vegan cookie

A good sandwich can heavenly. The disparate flavors and textures unite together to create a unique flavor experience. There is something simple, satisfying, and down-right magical about a well-made sandwich. It never fails to be an exciting meal for me; maybe because I don’t have it that often.

My favorite sandwiches have grown even simpler since I’ve gone vegan. The ingredients have dropped to a few fresh, healthy items that work together to create a delicious mix of flavors and textures. Many people like a complicated sandwich, piled high with faux meats and condiments. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but I prefer a more uncomplicated sandwich.

Here are three of my favorite sandwich combinations. Be warned, they are basically the same sandwich with slight alterations. The good thing is, if you are a piler-on of condiments and faux meats, my sandwiches might just be a good starter for you. If you, like me, like an unassuming sandwich - light on the belly and full of flavor - then these babies are for you.

Adapted “Vegan Powerhouse”

In Columbia, MD, there is this adorable café inside David’s Natural Market. Their Vegan Powerhouse sandwich is my absolute favorite. I can’t seem to match the exact awesomeness of this sandwich, but I try. I don’t make it a lot because I don’t buy faux cheese a lot, but sometimes I get that craving and I gotta have it!

2 slices of sprouted grain bread (or whatever bread you love)

1 slice of vegan cheese

Vegan mayo to taste

Tomato

Alfalfa sprouts, lots of it (this is the best part of the sandwich)

Lettuce

Italian seasoning to taste (optional)

Avocado Alfalfa Sandwich

Starting to see a pattern? Do I have an alfalfa sprout obsession or what?

2 slices of sprouted grain bread (or whatever bread you love)

½ an avocado, sliced

Vegan mayo to taste

Tomato

Alfalfa sprouts, lots of it (this is the best part of the sandwich)

Lettuce

Hummus Veggie Sandwich (pictured above) or Hummus Avocado Sandwich

I make this sandwich two different ways. Sometimes, I make it simply a hummus sandwich, but sometimes, I add an avocado. Yum!

2 slices of sprouted grain bread (or whatever bread you love)

Hummus

½ an avocado, sliced (if you’re going for it)

Tomato

Alfalfa sprouts, lots of it (this is the best part of the sandwich)

Lettuce

A Hot Cup of Chai

A single curl of steam curls up off of a cup of chai tea. You breathe in the spices and the warmth, hugging it close to your chest, and then you take that first sip… ahhh.


I love having a cup of tea. It gives me a reminder to take a few minutes to stop and breathe. Enjoying that simple moment in time reminds me to pay attention to the small things in life and not get caught up in my day-to-day worries.

In particular, a great cup of chai tea can truly make your entire body, mind, and soul relax. Those of you who have experienced it know what I mean. Once you begin drinking chai – assuming you like the mixture of its intense spices – then you are hooked. Just a whiff of those spices mingling together can get your attention from across a room.

Everyone has his or her favorite chai tea, and I want to share my three favorites with you.

1. Chocomaya Chai Tea from Chakra 4 Tea (pictured above)

This stuff is insanely delicious. It is chocolately and deeply spicy, with a kick from chipotle pepper. The mix of chocolate, chai, and chipotle will knock your socks off. If you don’t live in Pheonix, AZ where this fantastic restaurant and store is, then you can order the tea off of their website, linked above. It’s pricey at $3.50 an ounce, but it is definitely worth it for an occasional treat.

2. Stash Double Spice Chai

Talk about spicy! The moment this tea hits the hot water, you’ll have people coming in droves wondering what that delicious smell is. This is the kind of tea you want to sink into. Going for only $5.45 (30 tea bags) on their website, this is a cheap indulgence. You can also find it at almost any grocery store or health food store.

3. Indian Chai from Allann Brother’s

For those of you who like milder spices, this tea is the best! It’s a loose leaf chai that smells sweetly of spices without burning your nostrils. Allann Brother’s is a fantastic coffee company out of Oregon.

I hope I inspired you to make a big cup of chai and relax!

Smoothie Mania!

I am addicted to smoothies.

There, I admitted it.

I have one every morning. Usually, it’s a green smoothie – not really sweet, but bursting with greens and fruit. It is delicious, and it gives me a wonderful boost of energy for the day.

One morning, a few weeks ago, it was bitterly cold outside. We had left the heat on low the previous night, so I had been freezing all night long. I felt frozen from the inside out. I looked at my husband, who was preparing cold, cold veggies and fruit for the smoothie and I shook my head. I couldn’t even entertain the thought of putting that cold stuff in my cold belly.

“Not today. I’m having oatmeal.”

He looked at me, knowingly. “Are you sure? I think you might regret it.”

I was absolutely certain though. I made my oatmeal mix and headed off to work, braving the cold in anticipation of warming my insides all the way through with hot, cinnamon and walnut oats once I got to work. The oatmeal was good. It was even pretty good, but it was no smoothie. I missed my burst of energy. I missed the knowledge that I had ingested loads of nutrients before 9:00 a.m. I had a smoothie as soon as I got home, and it was as if all the cells in my body let out a sigh of relief. From then on, I decided that I would meet the winter coldness with a smoothie in hand.

The moral of the story is: drink smoothies! They are an awesome way to get more greens and fruit into your diet. The energy and nutrition are contagious! If the beginning of your day is so healthy, it’s hard not to follow it with more healthy choices.

I want to share our basic smoothie recipe as well as a couple special ones for you to try and enjoy. Just blend all the ingredients together in a blender. We have a crappy, old blender that serves us well. If you use kale and you have a cheap blender, you might have to blend a little longer to smooth up the tough kale leaves. These recipes will serve two hungry people, or four not so hungry people. I suggest doubling the recipes if you are trying to feed more than two or halving it if only feeding one.

Refreshing Cucumber and Berry

This is the usual formula for our breakfast smoothie. Sometimes we replace the fruit with an avocado, add some celery, and have a full on veggie smoothie, but only occasionally.

2 bananas

1 Cucumber, peeled

¾ Cup to 1 Cup frozen fruit (we are on a blueberry kick right now, but I any berry would be good)

Huge handful of spinach, kale, or romaine

1 to 1 ½ Cups Water

2 heaping Tbs of Hemp protein powder, optional

1-2 heaping Tbs of milled flax seed, optional

Sweetener to taste (stevia, agave nectar, dates, etc), optional

Handful of ice if needed

Almond Butter, Apple, and Banana Smoothie (Pictured at the beginning of the post)

We had this one for a weekend breakfast one morning and it was a thick, decadent treat.

3-4 bananas, depending on size

2 medium apples (sweet ones, not Granny Smith or the more sour apples, unless that’s your thing and then go ahead!)

2 Tbs almond butter (or peanut butter, if that is what you have handy)

1 Tbs milled flax seed, optional

Sweetner to taste, (stevia, agave nectar, dates, etc.), optional

Cinnamon, to taste, optional

1 to 1 ½ Cups Water

Handful of ice, if needed

Banana Cherry Peach Smoothie

This fantastic smoothie was discovered while we were in Arizona earlier this month. The sweetness of the peaches and the sharpness of the cherries makes a delicious treat.

2 Bananas

1/2 Cup frozen sweet cherries

1/2 Cup frozen peaches

Huge handful of spinach, kale, or romaine

1 to 1 ½ Cups Water

2 heaping Tbs of Hemp protein powder, optional

1-2 heaping Tbs of milled flax seed, optional

Sweetener to taste (stevia, agave nectar, dates, etc), optional

Handful of ice if needed

Also, the beauty of smoothies is that you have so much control. There are no rules, so you can alter these basic recipes to fit your likes and dislikes. If you don’t like bananas, replace it with cucumbers or a fruit that you do like. If you don’t like spinach, use romaine. Experiment and don’t be afraid!

Arizona - Sunshine, Palm Trees, and Vegan Food

Imagine… palm trees swaying under bright blue skies, lemon tress fragrant and dripping with fruit, 70 degree weather, and delicious vegan food every where you turn.

Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?

I spent four lovely days enjoying these things in Pheonix, Arizona, while we visited Brandon’s aunt and uncle. It was a welcome break from the winter weather here in North Carolina. We relaxed, had great conversation, and ate delicious food.

If you ever find yourself in Pheonix, I have three restaurants you absolutely have to try. I’m only sorry that I didn’t take any pictures of the food we ate. We wolfed it down too quickly!

Chakras 4 Herb and Tea Shop

This place is absolutely awesome. It’s tiny, but it has a nice, colorful ambiance. It’s an all vegetarian restaurant which caters to those who are vegan and who eat raw. The food is pricey, but the portions are big and the food is deliciously spicy. They have unbelievable desserts. All of us, including Brandon’s omnivorious aunt and uncle were blown away by the raw vegan cheesecake (at $9 it better be good!). I suggest you grab a steeply priced pot of their Chocomaya Chai tea with almond milk and agave (it will serve 4 people with seconds). It is wonderfully fragrant, spicy, and chocolately. Everything we tried on the menu was delicious, but if you are a greens lover like me, grab the Rawvacodo kale wrap (although it can also be a sandwich or a regular wrap if you please), and the half-size will serve you well. Any bigger and you will be totally gorged and won’t be able to get those delicious desserts. Just be prepared to spend a pretty penny here. You’ll leave with empty pockets, but a happy belly. The store itself has a ridiculous array of spices and jarred treasures for purchase, from the tea on their menu (really expensive at $3.50 an ounce!) to chia seeds and cacao nibs to grapefruit peel and basil.

Loving Hut

You’ve most likely seen the Supreme Master tv website popping up on random veg websites; if not, check it out here. Not only do they do global, web-based, veg-friendly television, but they also have some pretty darn good restaurants. This all vegan, asian-inspired restaurant was a big hit with everyone. We even ate there twice! The staff is friendly, the prices are reasonable, and the food is just good. Be forewarned though, that there is a lot of mock meats and soy-based items on the menu. If you don’t eat soy or you don’t like mock meats, you might not want to eat here because that makes up the majority of the menu.

Z Pizza

Don’t let the unassuming outside and Subway-esque inside fool you, this regular-looking pizza joint offers Daiya cheese! Not only that, but many of their menu items are healthy (organic, fresh, whole-wheat, etc.). They know what vegan means and they aren’t afraid to whip up a sweet, vegan pizza for you. We had a nice, casual lunch there and enjoyed every moment and every bite. I had the lovely California Salad and a California Pizza with Daiya Cheese. It's affordable and filling, plus everyone – omnivore, herbivore, or carnivore – will be happy.

With the great company and good food, I really enjoyed my sun-filled stay in Arizona. How can you not be happy in a place that has avocadoes 3 for $1? I hope that my mini-food guide will help you find some good eats when/if you visit the area.

Also, Happy National Yoga Day! Look here to find a studio near you who will be offering free classes. YogaToday is offering a second free weekly class today, if there isn't a studio near you or you just can't seem to get out today. I wanted to go to a studio today, but staying up late last night made it pretty difficult. We'll see if I make it out or if I just do my yoga at home. Namaste!

Lastly, don't forget to sign up for the Vita-mix giveaway on Chocolate-Covered Katie's blog. If you don't know what a Vita-mix is, go here for all the details. Suffice to say, you want one - so sign up!

Soup Versus Salad

Icy cold temperatures across the nation are keeping us all in doors huddled over our stoves, making soup and tea in a desperate attempt to warm up. This frigid winter is a reminder to us all how the food we crave reflects the season. In the winter, you want hearty, warm, spicy foods that warm you from the inside out. In the summer, you want light, crisp, cool foods to cool you off.

Now, I love the taste of salad and I often want salad for dinner. Tonight as I stood in my kitchen, shivering, I debated whether to have the salad I wanted or heat up the leftover soup in my fridge.

The soup won, even though I wanted the taste of the salad. It was definitely the right choice. My whole body curled around the soup and I enjoyed every warm, nourishing bite. It's amazing just how much the temperature outside reflects the choices we make regarding food.

I don't have a picture of my soup, but I do have a couple of pictures of food I've been eating lately. One of our absolute favorite dishes of all time is Veganomicon's Smokey Grilled Tempeh. It is absolute heaven with a sweet potato and buttery brussel sprouts on the side.


I know I just talked about how salad lost in tonight's battle for dinner, but I want to remind myself (and you!) just how delicious and beautiful a salad can be. This lovely massaged kale salad was inspired from Choosing Raw's lovely dish:

I hope everyone is cuddled over their own bowl of soup tonight, or if they are brave enough, crunching on a cold salad.

A New Year

Happy New Year!

I'm not huge on resolutions, but I am huge on reflection and goal setting. I think making a simple goal or two for the year is a great way to get things accomplished and take stock of your life. For me, food is a huge aspect of my daily life, so I like to reflect back on the choices I've made this year. I personally think it's important for all of us to constantly check ourselves when it comes to food; to reiterate to yourself why you've chosen this path.

For most health conscious people, especially those of us that are veg, the path we choose is fraught with sudden realizations, obstacles, and emotions. Choosing this way of eating is ultimately questioning our entire society’s way of living and consuming. It is not easy, and no two people have the same experience; therefore, it’s often a lonely path to take.

For these reasons, I think it’s very important to constantly check in on yourself to see why you are choosing to eat the way you do at this stage in your life. For example, I’ve been eating progressively simpler and unprocessed foods. I’ve began to shed the faux meats and cheeses, eating them only rarely. I’ve added a lot more green smoothies and salads to my diet. I also know that I’ve struggled in the past with calorie obsession, so I have to guard against that in my current diet. I need to constantly check in and make sure that I’m not succumbing to the worry that I’m eating too many calories. Thankfully, I haven’t stressed over calorie content in a long, long time.

Ultimately, you have to answer the question for yourself. No one can do it for you. So, why do you eat the way you eat? It’s good to check in with yourself and see why you are eating the way you are, being honest with yourself about your worries and concerns. Do you worry about weight? Does that affect your choices? If so, does it affect them in a negative way? Are any of your worries unfounded? Do you eat mindfully? Do you eat the way you do in order to reduce animal suffering, is it for your own health, or both or neither? It might even behoove you to have a buddy, who you feel comfortable with, to help you answer these questions honestly.

For me, my reason for eating the way I do is to maintain and grow my level of health and happiness, as well as to reduce the suffering of sentient beings and the planet. I want to love what I eat and feel good eating it. I think I'm definitely on that path. (Re)Discovering your reasons for your choice can sometimes help to keep you motivated and give you clarity. I know it does for me!

If you are looking to make some positive changes in your lifestyle, then I fully suggest checking out the following two challenges:

- http://30dayyogachallenge.com/ - a daily email with short yoga videos.

- http://www.21daykickstart.org/index.cfm - PCRM's fantastic 21 day vegan challenge. If you aren't already vegan, then try it out! It's only 21 days! :)

-http://www.choosingraw.com/choosing-raw-spark-wellness-january-2010-cleanse-program/ Although it costs a little moula, this looks like a great opportunity to really make a major change in your eating habits.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful New Year!!!