Cooking the Whole Foods Way Was a Welcomed Gift

Matt and I recently moved into a new apartment with not only a much larger kitchen than any of our previous places but also a dishwasher, shockingly, a first time appliance for both of us. We have both long been interested in expanding our horizons over the stove but nothing is more dream-crushing than being faced with mountains of dishes after a yummy meal. So when we moved here we were determined to start experimenting. As our housewarming gift my Mom gave us the cookbook Cooking the Whole Foods Way by Christina Pirello to start us off on the right track.

Boy did it ever!

This book is packed with over 500 recipes, all Vegan approved mind you, as well as tips, guidance and even a glossary right in the front of the book (no idea what daikon is? Don’t worry, she tells you!). She debunks the myths that: it is difficult to eat healthier, foods like this can only be purchased in special stores, it is really expensive to eat like this, that it is difficult to make these meals.

As a budding, yet still a complete neophyte, chef I found a few of the recipes I came across in this book slightly daunting, it is true. Additionally there are definitely recipes that can not be created without a few necessary appliances so there will be additional up front costs if you desire to create these. Some of these include a food processor and/or pressure cooker.

But bottom line, there are hundreds of not only simple but relatively quick to prepare and easy to create recipes in this book that will keep even the hungriest eater full and satisfied! With sections on grains, sauces, veggies, pasta, beans, salads, stews and more, Christina covers every angle of deliciousness. There are even 37 pages of deserts to choose from. Of course if you’re anything like me there is no reason to choose when all of them could be created at one time or another!

So far we have only made a few recipes from this book and have also eaten a few more at my Mom’s so I don’t think it would be fair to give a leaf rating just yet, but as far as information and variety goes, this cookbook simply shines! I recommend checking it out for anyone looking to advance their skill set in the realm of Vegan cooking as well as anyone who is interested in learning more about the best ways to eat healthier, whole foods.

Thanks Mom, we’ll have you over for some tricolor spirals with red onion and radicchio really soon!

Healthy Living Is Possible Even with a Busy Life

Over the past few months my best friend and I have been trying our best to get back in the swing of a healthier lifestyle. We meet up at least three times a week and work out, the meals we cook are lower in fat and higher in veggie content and I only have a few days left until I quit smoking forever. We are both very busy gals -- she has twin eight month old boys and their crazy schedules, I write all day -- so we struggled over how to fit a better lifestyle into our lives, but in the end we both decided the only way to do it was to simply do it!

Our workouts are not long but they are intense. During her boy’s morning nap we spend about a half hour on the rowing machine, recumbent bike, ball or Bowflex. This allows us to get a good heart rate going as well as burn off a few calories and tone at the same time without sacrificing any time with the kids or keyboard.

As far as food goes this has surprisingly been the simplest area of health for both of us. Since we are both the Reluctant Domestic Divas it was imperative that the addition of healthful meals was super simple; and it was! Each night she puts together a nice side salad full of yummies like baby spinach, carrots, tomatos and avocado as the main issue in their household was skipping veggies. For us dinner was not the problem but my food consumption over the course of the day had become lax. When I am inspired to write I tend to not leave the keyboard for hours at a time so I would grab things like entire boxes of Cheez-its for lunch. Now I have started getting back into the swing of making fruit smoothies for breakfast and accompany it with a piece of 12 grain toast and a multi-vitamin. My skin and hair has never looked so good! The extra few minutes it takes each of us to infuse our bodies with something better for us has made all the difference in ours and our husband’s attitudes towards food.

Although neither of us would ever claim to be health nuts or better living gurus it is obvious we both have a highly increased level of energy and are feeling so much better about ourselves; and it only takes about an hour a day total to bring about the change. The positive outlook keeps us motivated and it becomes a vicious circle of awesomeness! As the summer months arrive she will be walking more with the babies and I intend to up my workouts to include two days a week (at least) of yoga (great article here on how yoga helps with depression as well). Little steps everyday really add up quickly and I barely remember what I did with the time before pursuing this healthier lifestyle.

How long do you spend in a healthy way each day? What do you do for exercise?

Save Money and Lose Weight?

Sound too good to be true? Well in truth it is not really difficult to save money by preparing meals from healthful recipes meant to cook in bulk. There is no magic secret that healthy people understand; it is all about making smart choices when selecting the foods we purchase to prepare.

The internet is a wonderful place to discover a plethora of recipes on the subject -- higher fiber, more produce and grains, less sugar and processed goo -- and I tracked down this interesting three minute video on YouTube to give a boost in inspiration for how to get started.

After checking it out, consider purchasing the organic versions of fruits and veggies and also, as the temperatures warm up across the United States, look into local farmer’s markets or smaller roadside farm stands as the prices at these locations tend to be more reasonable than large chain grocery stores, the produce tends to be fresher and generally everything is grown organically. Enjoy!

Living Vegan -- Keepin’ It Real (and Simple!) With Ginger Cooke

Greenies may have noticed her lurking around these parts. The clever may have spotted her logo (Vegan With A Purpose) over on the sidebar and gone ahead and clicked. Still, many of you might be asking -- who is Ginger Cooke? She writes a fantastically fun page full of recipes, hints, tips (even some poetry and real life stories) of being a vegan** gal living in Colorado. Her approach is always ‘fun meets function’ as she shares the best ways to create meals that she has tried, many of which she created. She asks her readers to give feedback, share stories and let her know what they think after they have made the yummy goodness she has shared. Ginger has set herself apart in the world of foodie bloggers by providing those of us who are “afraid” to give up meat with some amazingly simple, truly delicious and hilarious ways to make a meal.

I have personally been reading her for quite some time and have made many of her recipes for no other reason than they sounded completely fantastic…and they were! Ginger is honest, open and shares her experiences as if we were pals chatting on the phone -- through humorous wit and trial and error. I asked her to share some additional guidance for those of us Greenies who might be considering venturing into the world of vegan (or are at least interested to hear what it is all about), but are too shy to ask for directions.

How long have you been a vegan?

I've been a vegan for about 3 years. I was a vegetarian for a year before that, but I still ate eggs and dairy.

What made you decide to stop eating meat and other animal by-products?

My transition to a vegetarian diet happened gradually as I began to lose my appetite for meat products. Not because I didn't like the taste of meat anymore, but I began to see the meat on my plate as more than a food product. I began to see it as butchered, dead animal flesh and it really began to make me ill just to think about it. I stopped eating eggs and dairy a year later by accident. My sister, who eats a vegan diet for different reasons, was visiting from out of state. I realized, after a week of hanging out with her, that I had been eating a vegan diet without intending to and I felt great. After that, I'd decided to become a vegan.

Do you find it difficult to eat at restaurants?

Not really. While more and more restaurants are offering vegan options due to popular demand, some haven't quite gotten the message yet. Still, they usually at least offer a few vegetarian options and I can just ask for the cheese to be left off. They are normally very accommodating and will substitute marinara sauce for cream sauce, artichoke hearts for chicken and so on and so forth. Some restaurants even go so far as to offer vegan boca burgers or tofu as substitutions in meat dishes. The ones that aren't so easy usually at least have a good a la carte menu that a meal can be built from. Basically, I never go hungry with a salad in a restaurant while my friends feast.

Do you have to shop in multiple places to acquire all your groceries? If so do you find it is less expensive to shop in specialty stores?

I do the majority of my grocery shopping in my regular, neighborhood grocery store. Local stores are carrying more and more specialty items that used to only be available in health food stores. However, these items do tend to be a little expensive in the grocery store so I usually still buy those items at my favorite, locally owned health food store. After a couple of shopping trips you tend to figure out what items you need to buy at which location and you can do all of your shopping in one trip with no confusion. There's also online vegan stores like VeganStore.com, which are very convenient.

How long does it take on average to prepare a typical meal?

No time at all...less, actually. Vegetables cook up a lot faster than meat and I don't have to worry about overcooking them to kill any parasites or bacteria as long as I properly wash them. I'd say an average meal, with preparation time, usually takes about 30 minutes. If I'm playing with a good recipe it does take longer though.

Do you have a favorite recipe that you have gone back to over and over?

I have so many favorite recipes that I love to make when I'm in the mood for them. My top 3 current favorites are pancakes, seitan stew and veggie-tofu stir fry...The thing I'm in to right now is veganizing traditional recipes so I can expand my horizons and enjoy some childhood favorites.

Is it possible to veganize just about any recipe?

Mostly, I'd say. There are so many creative vegan substitutes these days that a good vegan alternative can usually be created with some patience and research. I love cooking and creating new recipes so this is half the fun for me.

What common misconception about living a vegan lifestyle do you want to clear up?

There seems to be an assumption among people I'm introduced to that vegans are generally anemic, malnourished and angry at anyone else who chooses to eat or use animal products. First, if anyone reading this has met an angry vegan and felt judged, they probably just met a zealot who would most likely be angry no matter what their lifestyle...most of us just want to make friends over a plate of sweet potato fries, I promise! ;) Second, the misconception that we suffer from poor nutrition really should be cleared up. Most vegans are well educated about their diet and nutrition and actually get more protein, iron and calcium than is required. They usually live longer and suffer less from heart disease and cancer than those who eat a standard Western diet.

In all honesty, is there anything you miss from your carnivorous lifestyle?

No, no, no! In all honesty, for the first 5 months of being vegetarian I missed cheeseburgers. Anytime the craving hit, I would eat something high in fat and the craving would be satisfied....ergo, it wasn't the beef I was craving, but the fat I had been getting from the beef. The secret to not missing animal products is utilizing resources to find vegan substitutes. I have a list of vegan resources and information in the sidebar on my page for anyone interested and searching for information. Also, if anyone ever needs information and can't find it, they can email me and I would be happy to do some research, make suggestions or point them in the right direction.

What are your top five vegan resources (books, blogs, tv shows, etc.)?

1) The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living. Go out and buy this book and read it right away. It's filled with resources, information and nutritional education for anyone who wants to make an easy and healthy transition into a vegan lifestyle.
2) The Post Punk Kitchen or theppk.com. Hosts of a vegan cooking show and a vegan blog that provides much humor and lots of great recipes and cooking tips.
3) VegNews magazine or VegNews.com. It has loads of information, fun and yummy recipes to try.
4) GoVeg.com. You can explore and learn for hours.
And
5) Vegan.com. It's blogging, news and links to the vegan world that the general population rarely has exposure to. If they did, they'd rethink their lifestyle a bit.

**It is important to note that being vegan is not solely relegated to the arena of food. I chose to ask only food related questions of Ginger because it is the most identifiable area of change for most of us and because it is the focus of her blog, but to truly be vegan is a complete lifestyle change. Everything from cosmetics to clothing can be made with animal by products. The book Ginger recommends in her first favorite resource is a terrific way to start learning about some of the other life shifts that can be made to go completely vegan.**

It Is Time to get In the Tiny Garden!

Well almost. But it is certainly time to get things ready. Here in the Boston area the days are getting longer and warmer and that brings up all kinds of thoughts about Farmer’s Markets with fresh produce as well as vibrantly colored flowers like crocus and daffodil pushing their way toward the sun to welcome back its warmth. In the next couple weeks the snow might even melt back enough to begin turning soil for planting our own yumminess. For those who enjoy it, there is nothing quite like getting their hands (and knees!) dirty to sow their harvest.

But what about those of us who live in apartment buildings? Are we shunned from the gardening world simply because we have nothing more than a balcony or patio? The answer is no! Not only can it be fun but it might even look better than the neighbor’s back yard garden when all is said and done.

Flower pots with some soil can be gorgeous and plentiful in limited outdoor spaces. Consider using many different sizes, stagger in groupings of odd numbers and vary the color and type of plant grown in them to bring great interest to the space. Bring in small tables to house smaller pots, place larger ones in the back. Have fun with it!

If your outdoor space is very plain in general why not paint the outside of the pots a vibrant color or pattern? Old kitchen sponges that are too gross to wash dishes with can be great stamping devices. Wet the sponge and wring out the excess water then use a couple different sizes and several paints in similar colors or tones to create depth in the finish. This looks especially wonderful (and holds up great) on terracotta pots. On plastic a top coat would be beneficial to ensure the look lasts.

Why not check craigslist, freecycle, yard sales or even the local newspaper to see if there is anyone looking to get rid of a small bistro table and chairs? Those old sofa pillows that are about ready to kick the bucket make great outdoor cushions when using a water resistant fabric to cover them such as vinyl. Check with fabric stores or online for remnants that will be less expensive, or free depending where they are located.

In our situation we have an even greater challenge -- our balcony is north facing so we get just about zero sun. This year we are planning to plant produce but shade loving plants like some lettuce, scallions and broccoli. Doing research about your specific climate and conditions is key to a successful growing season.

For those with no outdoor space, a window sill is a great spot for a lovely planter. Or get creative! Install an L bracket shelf system directly under a window that gets a lot of sun and place some sun loving plant filled pots on top to enjoy.

An apartment can be just as fun for a gardener as a large outdoor space if the residents use their creativity in approaching the spring growing season.

What are your tips for growing plants in small spaces?