Baked : : Ziti

A big hit at our house for these cold, dark evenings is Baked Ziti.  Back in the old days I used to make ours with sausage, but of course now that isn't an option.  But I still want the strong flavors and smells that you get from using sausage.
So, I thought I would add some common sausage seasonings to the sauce and cross my fingers. Well, it worked!  We all loved the end result.  A hot, steamy, garlicky, basily, fennely, baked casserole deliciousness.



Baked Ziti

1/2 onion, diced (I used white)
1/8-1/4 cup water
4 cloves garlic, minced (I use my garlic press)
1 carrot, shredded
1 zucchini, shredded

1/2-1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. oregano
2-3 tsp fennel seeds

1 package Soy meat crumbles (ours are from Trader Joe's)
1/2 jar organic marinara
2/3 box veggie broth
salt to taste
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional, vegan cheese would also work)

1 package gluten free brown rice ziti (any tube style pasta will work well)

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Pre-heat oven to 375º

Start a large pot of water boiling.

Saute onions in water until onions are translucent (I saute in water to avoid using oils, works great).  Do this in a large casserole, dutch oven or oven ready deep pan.

Add shredded carrots, zucchini and half the garlic and cook until soft. (add more water if you need to)

Add soy meat crumbles, basil, oregano, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and salt and saute over med heat for 5 min. ish. A little browning on the bottom of the pan is good at this stage.

Add vege broth and deglaze pan (scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan)

Add marinara and remaining garlic and let simmer.

Add ziti to water.

Drain ziti (and rinse if using brown rice pasta)

Add cooked ziti to sauce and stir to combine, Sauce should be a bit thin at this stage, if it's not add some more veggie broth to thin it a bit.

Sprinkle nutritional yeast on top (or any vegan cheese)

Place casserole dish in the pre-heated oven with no lid for about 20-25 min, or until bubbly and browned on top.

Enjoy!

P.S. Adding the garlic in two stages gives you two different types of garlic flavor.  The sauteed garlic will be mellower, and a little sweeter and the garlic you add into the marinara will have a fresher, slightly sharper garlic taste.



'Till soon,
A

Skin : : Products

                                      
                            'If you wouldn't eat it, don't put it on your skin!'


I heard that great quote a few months ago...although I can't for the life of me remember where I heard it!  If it was you, let me know and I'll give you full credit.
Brilliant, right? It is so simple there is no getting confused.  Just read the label of the products you use...would you eat that?  If the answer is no, then do you really want to absorb it through you skin?

A friend recently asked me to write a post detailing what products I use on my skin.  She's made some wonderful changes in her diet and has come to realize that on this journey toward becoming awake to the idea of personal responsibility...she can no longer ignore all of the toxins we absorb through the products we rub on our skin.

So. Here's how we do things at our house.



Soap: 

We all use the same soap and have since the kids were babies...Dr. Bronner's.  We like the almond best.  I think that Chris would actually prefer the peppermint version, but the boys and I find it a bit too, uh...tingly. Ahem.

Chris and I also use Dr. Bronners as our facial cleanser.  Same soap head to toe.

Dr. Bronners is a  "combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, together with pure essential oils, creates a unique soap that cleans effectively without being aggressive and produces a velvety-lather that leaves the skin silky-smooth and refreshed." 


*Bonus* You'll dilute this by at least 50%...we do more like 2 parts water to 1 part Soap...so a bottle will last quite a while.  We keep our diluted soap in a pop top plastic water bottle in the shower and then just sprinkle a little in our hands or on the scrubby when we need it.  

Lotion:

This may sound crazy to some of you...but we don't use lotion!  None...I don't even own a single bottle of the stuff.

We use unrefined coconut oil to moisturize.

Yep, it's the only moisturizer we have. Of course we keep a separate jar in the bathroom just for skin care...we aren't dipping our hands into the kitchen coconut oil jar!

I use it on my legs, arms, AND my face.  Works better that any lotion I have ever had and my skin almost never breaks out now...which was a huge problem for me for most of my life.
The boys love to rub it on their hands to make them soft.
*Bonus* We all think it smells so good.  Chris used to hate the smell of my lotions so that is a very good thing!


Shampoo and Conditioner:

We all use Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle shampoo and conditioner.


At under $4 a bottle it's a great, affordable, sulfate free, paraben free shampoo.


*Bonus* Tea Tree Oil has been proven to deter lice, so if you have any kids in elementary school this is a great all natural preventative to avoid that Headache!  Tea Tree oil has also been shown to help with dandruff and itchy scalp...although Chris says he hasn't seen any improvement in that department. 


I love the tingly feeling on my head and it leaves my straight fine hair soft, light and shiny.  Luke's long curls love it and Kai's super short hair would probably be fine with just a washcloth of Dr. Bronner's.




Shave Cream:

Trader Joe's Shave cream is A-Mazing!  I have tried so many different shaving lotions and creams over the years, including many higher priced ones from Whole foods and the Co-Op.  Nothing even compares.  It doesn't clog up the razor, doesn't irritate my or Chris's skin and doesn't reek of perfume. 
The consistency is perfect...Not too slimy, not too thick, not too foamy.  
If we didn't have a Trader Joe's near by I would be willing to drive long distances to stock up on the stuff.  It's that good.  
Judging by the reviews it get's on Amazon I'm not the only person who feels this way.


So that's it!  My entire skin care 'regimen'.   


I'll write about beauty products like makeup and nail polish in an upcoming post.


'Till soon,
A

Food : : A Typical Day

Totally unrelated photo of C and I in Sausalito last week.

I know what some of you are thinking.. "O.K. Amanda, this vegan thing is all well and good, but what the heck do you actually eat on a daily basis!?"

So I thought I would break it down and do a play by play of my food and snacks for an entire day. Here is what I ate on Wednesday...

Breakfast:

•  Glass of water with lemon (alkalinizing...most folks are pretty acidic when we wake in the am)
•  Bowl of oatmeal (3/4ish cup oats + water) with walnuts, cinnamon, coconut oil, and agave. 
•  Smoothie, which Chris makes for us every morning.  The Savarino Standard recipe is: kale,  carrot, apple, cucumber, blueberries, chia seeds, vitamin c and enough water to make it drinkable.

A.M. Snack

• Water
• Granola bar -my homemade recipe with lots of nuts, seeds, oats, almond meal, and flax meal.
• Apple slices with almond butter

Lunch

• Water
• Baked ginger tofu (leftovers, recipe from The Kind Diet)
• Brown rice noodles in peanut sauce with shredded carrots and herbs. (leftovers, my own concoction)
• Green salad - Caesar dressing homemade from The Kind Diet

Snack

• Water
• Green Tea
• Corn chips with hummus
• Carrot sticks dipped in vegan Caesar dressing - homemade from The Kind Diet

Dinner

• Water
• Spaghetti squash tossed with garlic and parsley 
• Sauteed sweet peas in garlic and vege broth
• Green Salad with avacado, carrots, zucchini and Caesar dressing 
• Cheezy Toast - Whole grain bread spread with a mixture of nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt and garlic. Pop under the broiler until browned and crispy.

After dinner snack

• Water
• Granola bar (okay, maybe 2 granola bars)

So, that's a random day sampling of what I eat.  As far as quantity I just eat as much as I can, because when  living on plants limiting quantities is a no no (this does NOT apply to sugary, fatty, processed junk...even if it IS vegan!).  I would be calorie deficient, and therefor hungry, if I limited my portions of whole plant foods.

I never feel deprived.  I eat delicious food all the live long day.  For me it was just a matter of throwing out all the unfriendly food from the pantry and fridge so that no matter what I grab for a meal or a snack I know it's good for me!

'Till soon, 

A

Deodorant : : Homemade

So, let's talk deodorant. Not a glamorous subject, right?  But it's one that affect's me on a daily basis.  That makes it important.

Like most Americans, I have worn some form of underarm protection for most of my life, excluding the first 10 years or so.  And for the last 8-10 years I have hated applying what I know is a toxic substance directly to my skin, but I do it anyway because I haven't found a truly good alternative.


From Passionate Homemaking:

"Did you know nearly all commercial deodorants contain aluminum salts, usually aluminum chlorohydrate? Manufacturers like aluminum because it effectively suppresses perspiration but the metal has a dark side once it makes its way into our body.

Aluminum toxicity: It has been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other health issues. 

It is especially important for women to take thought to the harmful aluminum materials in deodorant as it has been linked to breast cancer, being that the breast tissue extends up into the armpits.

Most commercial deodorants also contain parabens, which act as preservatives and stabilizers, but which like aluminum can be absorbed into the skin. Parabens mimic estrogen, and though the amounts we absorb on a daily basis might be small, over time, the accumulation can be significant. "

Of course I've tried going without (smelly!).  I have also tried quite a few of the natural alternative brands from Whole Foods or the Natural Foods Co-Op (also smelly!).  All to no avail.

I had pretty much given up and surrendered to using the toxic junk when I saw this recipe on Pinterest: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2010/02/homemade-all-natural-deodorant.html

The recipe calls for only 3 ingredients  (click the link ↑ for the exact measurements):

• Coconut Oil,
• Baking Soda,
• Arrowroot Powder (or Cornstarch) (I used Cornstarch because it's what I had on hand, but next time I will use Arrowroot)

Of course initially I thought it seemed to simple to actually work, but there were lots of folks touting it's effectiveness in the comments and reviews.

I generally keep all of the ingredients on hand anyway so trying it out was a no brainer.  The entire process of making the deodorant took me about 5 minutes in the kitchen.  I opted to store it in a snap top plastic container.  Easy access and no extra work.  If I had wanted to I could have cleaned out one of our old twist up deodorant containers to keep it in, which would make it seem all official and whatnot.  Seemed like too much effort for something I wasn't even sure would work.

Well...guess what?  IT WORKS!  Really Well!  We've been using it for about a month and after about the first week Chris and I  both threw out all of our store bought stuff and now use this exclusively.  We are both really happy with the results...and it doesn't feel like a compromise at all.  We still sweat...it's not an antiperspirant, although the cornstarch does seem to help with keeping moisture to a minimum.  But, no smell.

Do take the time to read through the Passionate Homemaking post and the comments at the bottom.  Some people's skin had a reaction to the baking soda, but most people were able to remedy this by just changing the proportions of the ingredients.

Go ahead...make some and see.

'Till soon,
A

Simple : : Food Rule

Michael Pollan  : :  "Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much."


Me : : "Eat Plants.  As much as I like.  Easy on the gluten"


Michael Pollan's wonderful book,  "Food Rules"  has just been released in a new edition illustrated by Maria Kalman.    If you haven't had the opportunity to read this book yet, it's a fun little quick read, even more fun now with the addition of illustrations.  While it's not vegan specifically, it's none the less sensible. A great starting point for those just getting their feet wet in the whole foods movement, and a great reminder for those of us who've been at this for a while.


From his website : : 

"....Expanded with a new introduction and nineteen additional food rules, this hardcover volume marks an advance in the national dialogue that Food Rules inspired.

The impetus for this new edition came from readers. Many chimed in with personal policies they had found useful in navigating the supermarket, or rules they recalled hearing from their mothers and grandmothers. Several of the new rules – Place a bouquet of flowers on the table and everything will taste twice as good; If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple, you’re probably not hungry; When you eat real food, you don’t need rules – underscore the central teaching of the original Food Rules, which is that eating doesn’t have to be so complicated, and food is as much about pleasure and communion as it is about nutrition and health. Maira Kalman illustrates that simple truth with her paintings, bringing color, life and wit to Pollan’s philosophy."

Seeing the book pop up again got me thinking about Pollan's simple, sensible statement, "Eat food. Mostly plants.  Not too much." from a January 2007 NY Times Article.   I have tweaked his brilliantly pared down directive a bit over the years to suite my circumstances, but I always refer back to it's profound simplicity when pondering my food journey.

'Till soon,
A

Halloween : : How We Handle It

Quite a few people have asked how we handle the deluge of immune system suppressing sugar that comes along with the annual fun of Halloween dress up and neighborhood frolicking.  And it comes right at the time of year when we need our immune systems to be in tip top shape, the beginning of cold and flu season!

We have a secret weapon...The Candy Fairy.

She's been a visitor to our backyard patio table since the kids' second Halloween (the first Halloween we just threw their candy away...they had no idea what it was anyway!).   The amazing Candy Fairy gives gifts in exchange for candy...Our theory is that she's in cahoots with the tooth Fairy.

I imagine some sort of system system where the Tooth Fairy and The Candy Fairy sell the candy, or some product they create combining candy and small teeth, for profit and then use the money they earn to procure yet more teeth and to purchase gifts to use in trade for yet more candy.  Maybe they just create money from teeth and Candy?!  Whatever they are doing it's a beautiful system!  Keep it up girls!

Our boys eagerly put their entire bag of hard earned candy outside knowing that whatever they get will be infinitely more fun than eating candy...which mom would only let them have a small  piece of MAYBE once every week or two.

It goes like this :  :

Immediately upon returning home from trick-or-treating they choose one piece of candy to keep for a special occasion...then the rest is out of sight out of mind, straight out to the backyard (unlike Santa and the Tooth Fairy, the Candy Fairy prefers to perform her exchanges outdoors).

Next we have our annual piece of Halloween Pumpkin Pie at the kitchen table.  It's a sweet treat that satisfies that sugar craving, but is't as awful for the boys as mainlining sugar 20 minutes before bedtime...and of course I make a vegan version (recipe coming in my vegan Thanksgiving post).  This give us a chance to recap all of the evenings excitement.

The following morning the boys RUSH outside to see what The Candy Fairy has left them.  The same amount of excitement as on Christmas morning!  So fun!  This year they received Star Wars action figures AND Ships...Every year She seems to up the ante a bit, to make sure the kids stay excited about the exchange.  What can I say, that Candy Fairy is a savvy business woman.

We all love this arrangement...The boys have something exciting to look forward to, Mom and Dad feel good about the kids health and we get to have all the fun of seeing all our neighbors and friends out and about.  Win, win, win.
Yesterday Luke mentioned that he feels sorry for the kids that don't get visits from the Candy Fairy.  Music to my ears.

'Till Soon,
A

Granola Bars : : Any Time, All The Time

I made these Granola bars on Sunday night while the kids were in the bath...it's such a simple recipe that I prepped, prepared and had it it the oven before the boys had their jammies on.
Granted, my boys bathe like they are royalty at a Roman bath house, luxuriating for ages while they contemplate things like which Star Wars character is the best or who farted last.

Anyhoodle.

Here is the recipe...

Anytime Granola Bars (yes, that includes breakfast) : :

Dry : :

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (I used gluten free oats)
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of almond meal (I made my own by processing raw almonds in my Vitamix)
• 1/8-1/4 cup flax meal (optional)
• 1/2 cup mixed nuts or seeds finely chopped (I used Pumpkin and Sunflower seeds)
• 1/2 - 1 cup dried fruit (I like apricots and cranberries, Chris loathes dried fruit and has his without any. at all. ever.)
• 1/4 cup of chocolate chips...if you're feeling Crazy, which I usually am.

Wet : : 

• 2-3 ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup coconut oil warmed to liquid state
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tbs agave, brown rice or maple syrup (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º

• In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients, making sure the dried fruit doesn't clump up.
• In a separate bowl mash bananas.  Add remaining wet ingredients and mix well.
• Add wet to dry and mix until well combined.  If it's too dry add another mashed banana.
• Spread batter onto a large prepared cookie sheet.  I use my Silpat to avoid greasing/oiling the sheet.  Parchment would probably work great too.
• Smooth batter out to be about 1/2-3/4 inches thick.  Take care to smooth out the edges creating a tidy rectangle.  Now with a sharp knife or a pizza roller you can cut them into bars.  I like ours about 3" x 2".  Using a spatula slide the bars a little bit away from each other to help with more even cooking.  Alternatively you could shape the batter into individual logs and then flatten on the cookie sheet with a little space between each.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until the bars are firm in the center and browned around the edges.  Start checking them after about 20min.

Till Soon,

A