Vegetarian Baked Beans in the Crockpot

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Britt

Vore’s prized Boston Butt with vegetarian beans and a side salad, for posterity.

Let’s just say you’re a vegetarian, and you’re invited to a potluck cookout for Memorial Day. The main dish is…barbecue. Great. You can:

Go and act holier-than-thou, eating nothing. (Bad idea, if you want another invite.)
Make a meal on chips + potato salad and leave starving.
Offer to make the baked beans, so you know they’re vegetarian AND you have something filling to eat.

I choose #3! Since Vore has been in a Boston Butt smoking mood lately, I’ve had a few chances to work on baked beans. It took three tries to get these just so, but we have a winner!

This recipe takes 10 hours in the slow cooker, so it works well with Vore’s overnight smoking routine. The beans aren’t too tart or too sweet, and they’re smokey enough to satisfy bacon lovers. Here’s how to make the perfect baked beans:

Vegetarian Baked Beans in the Crockpot

1 pound dried pinto beans

1 tablespoon EVOO

2 cups onion, chopped

1 medium bell pepper, chopped (1.5 cups)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 scant tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon dried mustard

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup all natural ketchup

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

1 bullion cube dissolved in 2 1/4 cups water

*Rinse and sort the pintos, looking for stones.

*Set them in a large bowl, cover with a ton of water and let them soak for 8 hours, or overnight.

*Get our your 4 quart slow cooker and add the olive oil. Use your hands to smear it around the crock. No sticking on my watch!

*Add the onion and bell pepper to your slow cooker crock, then the beans.

*In a separate bowl, mix everything else–the spices, sauces, vinegar, sugars, bullion, water–e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. Wisk together, then pour into the slow cooker. The liquid should just barely cover the beans.

*Set your slow cooker to low and let the beans cook for 10 hours. Keep the lid tight–no peeking!

*Give your beans a taste–are they cooked through? If so, transfer to a serving dish and be on your way. Happy Memorial Day!

What Do I Feed a Vegetarian for Dinner? Part 2

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Britt

Fabulous example of a veggie plate at Birmingham’s Bottega

Yesterday, I shared a few tips for hosting a vegetarian. Now then, are you ready to eat? I pulled out my trusty recipe files to find favorites I’ve called on again and again, and have listed them below. There are two ways to approach this: vegetarian main course or side items paired to make an entree.

Option 1: We’re All Eating Veggie!

These robust recipes shouldn’t make meat eaters feel like they’re missing anything. Each can be paired with a simple salad to make a complete meal.

Vegetarian Chili, Cooking Light

Ultimate Vegan Lentil Walnut Loaf, Oh She Glows

Spinach-Mushroom Skillet Enchiladas, Cooking Light

*Artichoke, Spinach and Feta Stuffed Shells, Cooking Light

Spinach and Black Bean Lasagna, Southern Living

Crepes with Ratatouille, Cooking Light

Mushroom and Roasted Red Pepper Tarts, Cooking Light

*This was the first meal I ever served Vore. Turns out, he doesn’t love tomato sauce, yet he still ate his entire plate. He must have liked me!

Option 2: Make a Meat Main Dish and Plenty of Sides

I love a vegetable plate. Choose three of these and voila–you have a meal! For example, Baby Blue Salad + Roasted Cauliflower + Pink Eyed Peas would make a delicious plate.

Baby Blue Salad, Southern Living

Zesty Broccoli Casserole, Cooking Light

Feisty Green Beans, 101 Cookbooks

Pinked Eyed Peas with Smoked Paprika, Cooking Light

Cheesy Black Bean Mash, Southern Living

Roasted Cauliflower with Browned Butter, Cooking Light

Creamy Light Macaroni and Cheese, Cooking Light

What’s your favorite vegetarian recipe?

What Do I Feed a Vegetarian for Dinner? Part 1

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Britt

There is really only one thing I hate about being a vegetarian: It seems to strike fear in the heart of anyone who may be hosting me. What on earth will they feed a girl who doesn’t eat meat? Should meat be present, will Britt stage an animal rights protest? (Answer: Not hardly!)

First off, I’d like to give an honest thank you for the concern about accommodating folks who eat a little differently than you. We appreciate it! I promise, feeding us is not as daunting as it sounds. I thought I would share a few tips, and also tried and true recipes the whole group will love. Ready?

Tips for hosting a vegetarian:

When you offer the invitation, ask if there are any dietary restrictions. If you have a vegetarian, ask if he or she eats fish, dairy or eggs. Leave it at that. NBD.
Don’t feel like you have to change what you planned to cook. I can guarantee you that I will be much happier eating your delicious sides than I would be enduring the angry looks of people forced to eat tofu on my account.
Remember the stock. After you’ve been eating vegetarian for a while, any kind of meat bi-product becomes disagreeable to your stomach. Soups made with beef broth or mashed potatoes with chicken stock will not likely sit well. Luckily it’s an easy fix. Just sub in veggie broth.
Don’t make a fuss. It’s embarrassing when people go out of their way to accommodate us! Before everyone gathers at the table, explain to your vegetarian what is appropriate for her to eat. Please don’t single us out in front of the entire group.
Set a portion aside. If meat is used as a garnish or is stirred in at the end of cooking, keep a small amount separate, then discreetly offer it to the veggie folks. “Darling, I know pork isn’t your thing. I set this broccoli salad aside before I sprinkled the bacon on top.”
If you are eating out, choose an ethnic restaurant--Mexican, Italian, Indian, Chinese, etc. Other cultures tend to feature more plant-centric dishes, i.e. beans at a Mexican place, and tofu at a Chinese establishment. Outback Steakhouse or a barbecue restaurant are a little tougher for us. Vegetarians end up eating a salad and plain baked potato for dinner. (Which is fine every once in a while!)

Vegetarians, do you have any additional tips to share with our hosts? I’ll be back tomorrow with a few favorite recipes perfect for your dinner party.

The Most Decadent Little Cake in Town

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Britt

Vore and I have long loved Mama’s Pea’s Peanut Butter Blondies With Chocolate Ganache, a recipe printed in her first cookbook. I’ve made them a million times, always with almond butter, because confession: I don’t like peanut butter. I know, gasp.

I’ve tinkered with the recipe quite a bit, adding a coconut flair, upping the moisture content, lowering the sugar, adding eggs and changing the frosting entirely. Oh, and I ousted the 8×8 pan in favor of cupcake tins. At best you could say these are a distant cousin of the original. But they’re your favorite cousin–the one you look forward to seeing at Christmas every year. Holy yum!

These little cakes retain the texture of dense, rich bars, but avoid the baking pan problem I alway run into: cooked on the outside, runny in the middle. With the cupcake style, you’ll have perfectly moist bites with built in portion control.

If you’d like your cakes to be dairy free, you can melt a little dark chocolate and almond milk for drizzling on top. You could also sub a gluten free baking mix for the whole wheat pastry flour, if that’s a concern. Now let’s get to baking, shall we?

Almond Butter Blondie Cakes

2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup coconut flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup almond butter

1/3 cup coconut oil, at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup stevia (I use this. Or you can stick with plain sugar)

1 4 oz container apple sauce

1/4 cup milk of choice

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350

In a small bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the almond butter and coconut oil. Add the sugar, beating until fluffy. Now add the apple sauce and milk, beating all the while. Finally add the eggs, one at a time. Finish with the vanilla.

Now it’s flour time! Add the flour mixture in three batches, beating well after each addition. You should have a thick, rich batter.

Pour into a 12 muffin tin. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes, or until tops are ever so slightly brown and the cakes are set. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar. Voila! Frosting.

Ice the cooled cakes with the frosting, then store in the fridge. Enjoy!

Guacamole on the Fly

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Britt

You know what we have been loving lately? Fresh, simple recipes that come together without fuss. A couple of weeks ago, I whipped up a simple guacamole on a whim. I’ve made it 5 or 6 times since. We can’t get enough!

The two of us go through this entire recipe in one sitting. Should you have leftovers, squeeze a little extra lime juice over the top and place plastic wrap directly on the guac’s surface. Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Fresh and Sunny Guacamole

1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

1/2 jalapeño pepper (generous tablespoon), finely diced

1/4 cup diced tomato, seeds removed

2 tablespoons, finely chopped cilantro*

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 large ripe avocado

the juice of 1 lime

Place all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mash together using a fork or pastry cutter. Serve immediately.

*The recipe still tastes great even if you don’t have cilantro.

The “Greek Chick” Burger

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Britt

Veggie burger, how I love thee. Let me count the ways. You’re full of protein. You’re simple to prepare. You help me blend with meat-eaters at a cookout…

I used to buy the packaged kind religiously. I actually wrote an angry letter to MorningStar Farms when they changed the formula on my favorite black bean burger. **I acknowledge this scores crazy points. Please don’t judge too harshly.**

Not long after, I discovered there is more to a product label than nutrition facts. The ingredient list on most freezer aisle burgers is scary long, with far too many unpronouceables.

The good news is, it’s easy to make your own veggie burgers. They are less expensive and far less processed. And heck–they taste better! I’m a threat to make a double batch, then freeze the leftovers for quick meals down the road. Here’s a Greek version that I’ve been loving lately.

The Greek Chick Burger

2 slices of bread (I used Ezekiel heels)

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup carrot, diced

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup basil leaves, loosely packed

1 large egg

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons no-MSG Greek seasoning

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Greek Chick Slider, get in my belly!

Get out your food processor! Add the bread, and pulse until its good and crumbly.

Add the remaining ingredients–yep, all of them–to the processor. Run the processor on a low setting, until everything combines. You should have a paste, but it doesn’t need to be completely smooth. A few chunks of beans and carrots are lovely!

Form into patties. I made 9 medium sliders, but the size is really up to you.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Spray with olive oil, then add about half of your patties. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.

I enjoy my burgers on a bun or as a salad topper. They’re also great as a component of a vegetable plate. Enjoy!

Goes Together Like Peas and Carrots

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Britt

Every time I hear “peas and carrots” I think of Forrest Gump and Jenny. Am I the only one? Is that an Alabama thing?

Regardless, I’ve got peas and carrots on the brain today. Both are just lovely this time of year! I’m over at Magic City Post dishing out a recipe for Spring Peas and Carrots with Browned Butter. Won’t you join me?

Black Bean and Corn Roasted Salsa

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Britt

Folks, Vore and I have an addiction. A local supermarket carries a black bean and corn roasted salsa in their fresh case. We buy multiple containers at a time and go through it at an alarming rate.

There are a few problems: 1) Only one store carries it, and it’s often out of the way to shop there. 2) Unpronounceable ingredients show up on the list. 3) At $3.99 a container, it’s expensive!

What’s a girl to do? Make up a copycat recipe, obviously.

Black Bean and Corn Roasted Salsa

1/2 cup fresh cilantro–mostly leaves–packed

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 cup minced red onion

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 can fire roasted tomatoes, well drained

1/2 cup black beans

1/2 cup corn kernels

the juice of 1 lime

Get out your food processor. Add the cilantro, garlic, red onion, jalapeño and salt. Pulse a few times until your cilantro is chopped up.

Add the tomatoes. Pulse a few times until all ingredients are well combined and the tomatoes are broken into smaller chunks. The size is up to you, but I wouldn’t get this too smooth. You don’t want sauce!

Carefully stir in the black beans, corn and lime juice. Pour into a serving bowl and enjoy!

*Special thanks to Vore for serving as my hand model.

Why You Need a Spring Cleaning and How to Do It…

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Britt

I’d like to introduce you to the dynamic Melissa of Real Nutrition Living. She and I thought it would be fun to trade posts this week. I’ve got a delicious Indian Spiced Soup waiting for you over there, and she’s got some easy detox tips for us. Without further adieu, here’s Melissa!

Image Credit: the lovely Sara Beth Cobb of Nimblee Designs.

Spring has finally arrived, a time for showers, flowers, sunshine, fun and cleaning! What, Cleaning? Well, you know the drill. It’s time to clean out closets and break up the dust. While you’re in that cleaning mode, let’s not forget the most important thing to take care of, YOU! Just as April showers bring May flowers, you need a shower too. No, not literally- well maybe, but what I mean is you may need to take a little time to take care of yourself so you come out bright, beautiful and energetic, just like those May flowers.

Unfortunately, we’re living in a toxic world, my friends. Our food supply, beauty, and cleaning products are full of chemicals, eighty-percent of our air tests positive for metals, we’re stressed and pressed for time, and the list goes on. Often, these toxins can take up residence in the fat cells, muscles and other tissues and organs in our system. We know these toxins can overload our immune system, causing fatigue, inflammation, weight gain, acne, mental fog and the list goes on.

This is most definitely not a helpless situation. There is much we can do to cleanse our systems and stay bright as those May flowers. Here’s a practical list:

Drink lemon water first thing in the morning to wake up the liver and digestive system. It helps to flush out toxins, as it acts as a diuretic. It will help balance pH and alkalize the system as well as clear up your skin and provide relief against inflammation. Sip throughout the day for full benefits.
Make at least half of your diet raw or uncooked, and almost all organic. Additionally, make sure the majority of these foods are fruits and veggies. Juicing, salads, and green smoothies are a great way to clean up the system. Remember to keep a 3 vegetable: 1 fruit ratio!
Drink dandelion root tea to cleanse the liver. The liver is the filter of the body and just like your vacuum filter; it must be cleaned out from time to time. Eating plenty of greens also helps cleanse the liver. We also know the bile of a clean liver will flow properly aiding in healthy digestion and elimination. When all of our elimination channels are open, we rid of toxins more easily and keep healthy and energetic.
Have fermented foods daily (sauerkraut, komboucha, homemade kefir or yogurt, and cultured veggies will all do just fine). It will help promote good bacteria in our gut. We now know gut flora (bacteria) is actually linked to not only our immune system, but our heart health as well!!
Sweat every day! This simple step is often over looked, but we eliminate a lot of toxins through the skin and when our pores are all opened up, it will assist this process. If you’re not up to moving yourself, get in a hot sauna or take a hot bath.
Do an electronic detox. While cleaning up the body, it’s a good idea take some extra quiet time for spirituality, meditation, and/or extra rest. Leave the phone and computer off and turn off the bedside clock, even just for a few hours. Instead, take a nap, a bath, a walk outside with Fido or go have a raw food picnic in the park with your sweetie. Anything that nourishes you and fills you up. The Law of Physics says energy is neither created nor destroyed (and who can argue with physics??) So while you rid of excess negative energy (toxins), refill the tank with positive things to leave you refreshed and as beautiful, vibrant and energetic as those May flowers.

Lastly, if you’re feeling pretty toxic and require a deeper cleanse, please seek the expertise of a Holistic Health Practitioner to assist you. A professional will be able to assist you through your cleanse to be sure you get optimal results, as well as help guide you through any side effects or symptoms. Because we are all bio individual, a health care professional will also be able to make the best recommendations for you with regard to your health and lifestyle.

Melissa Schollaert is a Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor and founder of Real Nutritious Living. She’s been an on-camera expert for ABC, NBC, and GoodDayLive, with her writing published on a number of healthy living and nutrition websites. She also teaches cooking classes and workshops at Whole Foods and various other retail outlets. She’s an avid yogi, always improving surfer, and a firm believer in faith, love, and the healing power of green juice. She’s got a heart for helping others achieve their health goals to attain their healthiest happiest life. Check out her website, Follow her blog, “Like” her on FaceBook , and enjoy tips and tweeting here.

How We Save Money: The Weekly Shop-N-Chop

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Britt

I confess: meal planning can be a little daunting. That said, it can save a bundle of time and money throughout the week. I’ve jumped on the train for the last couple of months, and we are loving the results. Here’s how it works:

I keep food separated by areas of the store. It’s easier this way!

On Saturday or Sunday, I take an inventory of our current supplies, then I visit the grocery website in search of sales/coupons.

I plan meals around what we’ve got and what’s the most economical that week. Then go I to the store with a meticulous list. The goal is to hit the grocery one time/week and stick to the plan I’ve mapped out. If I’m hard-headed enough, I can usually make it on both counts.

When I get home, I pull out my knife and get to work. I spend an hour or two, chopping and storing the vegetables that suit themselves to early prep. I find that I dread the chopping less when Vore is home to keep me company, and that weeknight meal prep is ever so much easier when the ingredients are ready to go.

I thought it might be interesting to show you what our pantry, fridge and freezer look like AFTER I have stocked them for the week.

Remember how much I love jars? I save them all, then keep our pantry full of goodies from the bulk bin. Bulk bins help us control how much we buy and are almost always less expensive than packaged goods. This lets you buy organic!

We don’t do a whole lot in the way of canned stuff, but I do usually have sliced olives, pumpkin and diced tomatoes on hand.

As for the fridge, I was feeling particularly zealous this week. I made my almond milk from scratch. This is not the norm–there is usually a big container of Blue Diamond in there! I rarely stock dairy milk anymore, as it seems to bug my stomach. (This horrifies me! Dairy has always been an easy protein for me.) I sometimes have pre-made decaf coffee in a jar, as I don’t do caffeine and the man does. We keep beer and water as well. It’s fun around here!

I’m a huge fan of taking your fresh things out of the crisper and putting them right in front of your face. It will encourage you to add greens to your eggs or choose fruit as a snack instead of something processed.

You can see all my veggies chopped and ready to go in beloved glass lock containers. These are brilliant at keeping fresh things fresh–highly recommended. There’s a big batch of red quinoa in there as well, so I have whole grains ready on the fly.

The freezer and I are besties. For real, I freeze e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g! Vore and I have a leftover rule. We eat a meal fresh one time, then dip into the leftovers twice. After that, it’s getting frozen for a time when we aren’t sick of whatever it is.

A few years ago, I invested in a vacuum sealer, and it’s genius at keeping our frozen meals fresh. I also keep my flour and baking supplies in there so they stay fresh.

So there you have it–a week in the grocery life of team Veggie + Vore. How often do you visit the grocery store? Do you plan your meals ahead of time, or come up with something on the fly?

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