veg 101: sorry in advance.

Are you ready for my mini-novel? Don't worry, I'm not about to go all PETA on you.

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We don't even need to talk about these little guys. They're purely there for decoration. I will, however, give you a very brief history of my quick and painful journey from carnivore to herbivore, whether you wanted to know or not. Rewind to November in Nashville during a weekend trip with a friend - the setting was a local BBQ joint, the meal was smoked chicken, and for reasons that I'll leave out for fear of grossing y'all (that's what they say in Nashville) out, let us just say that I did not enjoy the look or the feel of my dinner. I had to stop eating before I passed out (which I've done many a time before, so no one's to say that I won't do it again), and ever since that night I have been meat-free, except for the very sporadic fish.. which has been pared down even further since a post-Bahamas ciguatera diagnosis in the family. I'll just apologize again right now because this is reading like a Debbie Downer skit. Bottom line, the idea of eating an animal is not really an option for me since my brain has completely rejected the idea, so it's been my mission to find other things to eat aside from celery with peanut butter, and also to remain healthy and proteinized. I'm not trying to change any opinions about eating meat, just documenting my own voyage into the land of herbivores.

Correction: I would be an ABYSMAL hunter.

STEP ONE - GO COLD TURKEY (GET IT?!) OR EASE ON OUT
Decide which way is best for you. Stop full-stop or set some kind of a schedule to phase meat out of your diet.

STEP TWO - PREPARE YOURSELF
Unless you're tofu's biggest fan (which I consider to be an impossibility), you'll miss out on some key nutrients from this point forward. A good list to go by is here, and below is my own personal arsenal of horse pills. About three months into this lifestyle change my reserves of D and B12 had been emptied and I was practically falling asleep at work. Whoops.. take your supplements, yo! And then the Biotin was something I added in after hearing a horror story about someone who went veg and lost their hair. No gracias.

STEP THREE - MEAL PLAN

Time to get creative, or at least it's time to start relying on the creativity of others. In the last few months I've found a few fab resources, and between a magazine, a couple of veg-heavy websites (here and here), and a bible of a cookbook, I feel like I'm covered for the time being. Also, it's not difficult to find a frozen vegetarian meal in a pinch, my personal favorite being Amy's.

STEP FOUR - ENJOY IT
Benefits include better heart health, lower blood pressure, cancer prevention, and you're even less likely to get osteoporosis. Aside from all that mumbo jumbo, I've heard that meat-eaters consume an average of one hundred animals per year, so it's a nice little bonus to know that you're no longer a part of it. But if none of that works for you, at least you'll be able to compare yourself to some well-known faces, like Gandhi, or.. Pam Anderson? Sorry.

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for the kitchen impaired, part one of many.

Welcome to the first installment of something I am maybe a little too familiar with.

photo via moi / spice jars via anthro

I know for a fact that I actually can cook, I just don't.

Do you have a food processor, a working finger to hit a button a few times, and an oven that will stay at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes of time? Please say yes, because if you don't then you're far worse off than I am, and that's saying a lot. While you'll hear all about fancy slow-cooking and sautéing stuff and boiling water from Kaya, I am at the other end of that spectrum. I am excellent at having food delivered. However, there are times when what I want isn't something that can be ordered in, and when having it actually homemade instead of store-bought is also preferred. Typically this means baked goods of some kind, and today it means cookies. My mom is a master chef, but even she has her shortcuts. The following recipe is courtesy of her, and while our family has loads of secrets, this recipe isn't one of them. It's ideal for a quick solution to gift-giving, potluck parties, or, you know, a casual Sunday evening. The best part is that it's not at all evident what a cinch it is.


THE EASY PEASIEST
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

       INGREDIENTS

• 1 EGG
• 1/2 CUP SUGAR
• 1/2 CUP BROWN SUGAR
• 1 STICK (SALTED) BUTTER, SOFTENED AND CUT INTO 8 PIECES
• 1 TBSP VANILLA
• 1 1/3 CUPS FLOUR
• 1/2 TSP SALT
• 1/2 TSP BAKING SODA
• 1/2 TSP ESPRESSO POWDER
• 1/2 CUP WALNUTS/PECANS/WHATEVER
• 1/2 CUP OATMEAL (REGULAR, NOT INSTANT)
• 1 CUP SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Buzz the first 5 ingredients in food processor for 30 seconds. Scrape down and buzz for 5-7 seconds more.

Distribute flour, salt, baking soda, and espresso powder over mixture in processor. Scatter nuts, oats, and chocolate chips on top of that. Buzz on/off 10 times. Do NOT over mix. Just use a spatula to swipe any flour that looks unmixed.

Drop by teaspoonful 2 inches apart on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let stand for 1 minute on sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool.

And scene.

chilaquiles.

We came home exhausted and starving after an evening workout, and the last thing I wanted to do was brainstorm something inventive, healthy and delicious to cook for dinner.  Since I’m only a weekend gourmet, J’s talents are limited to the grill, and our take-out rotation has gotten stale, it was up to my wifely powers to get us through the crisis.

Luckily, Chilaquiles, a long favorite brunch item, also makes for a quick and easy dinner solution. What could be better than a simple yet flavorful Mexican dish that can basically be made with anything you have in your fridge?  Go investigate what's in your kitchen, and if you find a half-empty, crumpled bag of tortilla chips, you're golden:

Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with broken tortilla chips 
Layer on any/all of the following:
Shredded chicken, beef, or pork (leftovers are perfect)
Black beans (I’ve used refried beans, and even black bean soup!)
Fresh spinach, tomatoes, peppers, onions, corn
Top with a few more chips, salsa and finish with a layer of cheese

Bake for 15-20 minutes on 350 degrees

 

I like to serve it with a fried egg on top, but that’s up to you!

Works perfectly without the meat if you are a vegetarian, or skip the cheese and go dairy-free.

My recipe above is a free-for-all, but there are thousands of respectable ones online.

If you're looking for the real deal, try this one.

Enjoy!