Each year I feel that more and more products are spicing up their fall routine making them pumpkin flavored.  Some people think it is getting a little out of hand, but I for one am not one of them.  Not only do I get to shine this month because of Vegetarian Awareness Month, but I also get to cook, bake, and blend with my FAVORITE ingredient of all…pumpkin. 


My husband and children laugh at me because I work to incorporate pumpkin into almost every meal.  It is so easy adding and making pumpkin recipes because it tastes so good in everything.  My family gets sick of pumpkin by the end of the month but I never do.  I make special pumpkin treats and dips for friends and family just so I can keep cooking with this great seasonal gourd.

I found some wonderful new recipes with pumpkin and have tried them already this month. 

I promise you won’t be disappointed if you try them.

For breakfast you can try Pumpkin Baked French Toast

Ingredients-
• 3 ½ cups cubed bread, I used cinnamon raisin to have a little more flavor
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 ¼ cup fat-free milk
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup yogurt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• Additional raisins if desired

Instructions-
• Grease an 8x8 pan and place the cubed bread into the pan.
• Combine all the other ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Pour the mixture over the bread cubes, covering evenly.  Cover the pan and refrigerate overnight or for at least 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 30-35 minutes.  You can top with maple syrup if you would like.  Enjoy your fabulous pumpkin breakfast!

For a fabulous snack you can’t go wrong with Pumpkin Nutella Dip!

Ingredients-
• ½ cup Nutella, softened in the microwave
• ½ cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1, 8 oz. container of Lite Cool Whip
Instructions-
• Mix all the ingredients together until completely combined.  Serve using cinnamon graham crackers to dip.  Enjoy your mid-day pumpkin fix!

And to complete your trifecta of wonderful pumpkin recipes, my favorite…

Pumpkin stuffed with all the Good Stuff.  (That is a very technique name)

Ingredients-
• 1 pumpkin, about 3 lbs.
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ lbs. stale bread cubed, or just normal bread chunks
• ¼ lbs. cheddar cheese, cubed
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup sliced scallions
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, minced
• ½ cup heavy cream
• A dash of nutmeg

Instructions-
• Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit, make sure there is enough room on the middle shelf to fit the pumpkin.  Line a baking sheet that is large enough to fit the pumpkin. 
• Prepare the pumpkin by cutting the top off and removing all the “guts” from the inside and the cap.  Season the inside of the pumpkin with plenty salt and pepper. 
• In a large bowl mix the bread, cheese, garlic, scallions, and thyme until combined and pour into the pumpkin.  In another bowl mix the cream and nutmeg and pour over the mixture in the pumpkin.  The mixture should make the contents moist, so if you need more or less do so accordingly.
• Re-cap the pumpkin and bake for about 1½ hours until the filling is bubbly and the pumpkin is tender.  Remove the cap and continue baking for about 20-30 minutes, so the liquid evaporates and the filling is browned.
• Remove from oven and let cool, and serve your wonderful pumpkin goodness!

If you have a favorite pumpkin recipe I would love to hear it, I go through so many pumpkin and vegetarian recipes this month because I try not to repeat them.  Pleases leave the recipe in the comments below!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

Every Sunday we make sure make time to sit down and eat dinner together and prep for the week ahead.  With the summer winding down we are finally able to relax a little more and not worry about running somewhere quick or getting ready for a game tomorrow.

Liam and Hannah finished soccer this week, so we have the one week to relax and get ready before school starts.  Tonight for dinner, I did not feel like having dishes to wash after so I made skillet vegetable curry.

I think skillet recipes are the best, they are fairly easy, quick, and they don’t dirty a lot of pots and pans.  No one really likes doing dishes, but when I don’t feel like washing up, I always try coming up with something in the skillet.  You can cook anything in a skillet, I have mastered that art. 

Here is the recipe for my fabulous Vegetable Curry and my not-so-healthy brownie s’mores I made for dessert.  I also have the best lemon parmesan asparagus recipe for the skillet too!  I hope you love them as much as we do, and don’t worry about lots of dishes.

Vegetable Curry

Ingredients-
• 3 cups frozen peas
• 1 ½ lbs. fresh green beans
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 handfuls of spinach
• 1 tsp. black mustard seed
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. garlic paste
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• ½ tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• Cilantro for garnishing
• Rice to serve on

Instructions-
• Heat the oil in a large skillet on high heat then reduce the heat to medium and add the mustard seeds and onion.  Cook for a few minutes then add the green beans, broccoli, potatoes, and carrots cook for about 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are almost cooked.
• Add the peas, ginger, garlic, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and paprika, cook for 3-5 minutes then add the spinach and cook until it turns bright green.  Add the coconut milk, stir and simmer for about 2 minutes.  Serve over a bed of rice and enjoy!

Not-So-Healthy Brownie S’mores

Ingredients-
• 1 boxed brownie mix
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 bag of marshmallows
• Chocolate syrup

Instructions-
• Prepare the brownies according to the directions and while they are baking, melt the butter in a small skillet then add the graham cracker crumbs and cook until the crumbs are lightly toasted.  Let cool and set aside while the brownies are baking.
• When the brownies are baked and cooled, assemble the marshmallows on top of the brownies in the skilled and turn the oven to broil and place in the oven until they are toasted.
• Take them out of the oven and sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the brownies and marshmallows and top with the chocolate syrup.  Enjoy your not-so-healthy brownie s’mores, I know you will!

And just in case you need a delicious side dish, my all-time favorite:

Lemon Parmesan Asparagus

Ingredients-
• 1 lbs. asparagus, washed and clean
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tsp. garlic salt
• ¼ tsp. lemon pepper

Instructions-
• Melt the butter with olive oil in a large skilled on medium heat and add the asparagus.  Flip and stir the stalks to coat them with the butter and oil mixture.  Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes.
• Add the lemon juice, salt, lemon pepper, and half the parmesan cheese to the skillet.  Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes more until the asparagus gets tender.  When they are cooked, flip and top with the other half of parmesan cheese and serve.  Enjoy!

I hope these recipes find you when you don’t feel like dirtying a bunch of pots and pans.  Don’t let the richness of the brownie s’mores turn you off, they are great in moderation! 
Go Green and Stay Keen,
Julie

At the restaurant last night I was chatting with a wonderful couple from Iowa that fairly recently choose to change their eating habits and become vegetarians.  The shocking part of me was that they were farmers, not animal farmers but growers. 

They had such great ideas and perspectives into buying local and being sustainable.  They suggested a documentary called, FRESH.  This morning I had a chance to watch it, and I would highly, highly recommend it.



Although it is an older documentary, made in 2009, there are still many relevant ideas about ways to product healthy organic food instead of growing everything in factories with GMO’s sprayed on everything.

Country farmers, urban farmers, and business people explain how changes by consumers can change the way the market acts and re-invent our food system.  People from all walks of life including supermarket owners, consumers and entrepreneurs weigh in on how to challenge the Wal-Mart dominating economy.

The slogan, “new thinking about what we’re eating” really hit home for me.  I always try buying local and growing my own fruits and vegetables to reduce the need for big factory farms and “super super markets.”  Having fresh food on every plate is nearly normal in today’s society, but how much of that fresh food is actually fresh and not genetically modified?

FRESH uses its platform to educate and raise awareness of more sustainable and healthier food from local growers.  I believe in sustainable food and the impact it can make on a community in a health aspect and economically.  I stand by FRESH in taking back our food system.

I encourage you to take the time to watch this incredible and innovative documentary that became a massive grassroots success.  If you do not have time to watch the entire documentary now, please watch the trailer and take action on their website found here.


Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

Since becoming vegetarian and learning about all the toxins we freely accept throughout daily life, I have tried become more conscientious about using natural and environmentally friendly products in my home. 

We don’t realize that the chemicals that are used in modern cleaner build up in homes and can cause asthma, eczema, and allergies.

I have slowly progressed into becoming all natural in my home.  As a disclaimer to this post; know that become organic and chemical free does not happen overnight.  It took me quite a while to find ingredients and recipes that worked for me and were cost effective.


Finding the products were a little challenging at first, but I realized I wasn’t looking in the right stores.  When I found ones that suited my needs, I was shocked at how much more expensive they were compared to common cleaners.  They were nearly double the cost.  I became turned off at the price but I knew it was something I wanted to do so I found a few solutions.  I went to a health food store and found a much larger selection although they were still pricier than chemically filled cleaners I gave them a try. 

After a few months of home use I could definitely tell a difference.  Now, I didn’t have to hold my breath or end up coughing every time I sprayed the counter or washed the windows.  The products not only cleaned my house well, they kept me feeling healthy. 

Although I loved using those products, they were costing me a little more; I went online and found a few recipes to make your own natural products.  I found a lot of information on this blog: Wellness Mama Click here. 

After making a few different types and finding the ones I liked, I was saving so much more; even more than when I was still using the chemical cleaners. 

Here are a few natural products I use to clean my home-

•    Lemon Juice- Cleans glass and mirrors, effective against most household bacteria (one of the strongest food-acids)

•    Coconut Oil- Wood polish

•    Apple Cider Vinegar- laundry deodorizer

•    White Vinegar- Unclog drains, removes grease, mildew, odors, some stains, keeps vegetables fresh

•    Baking Soda- Deodorizes, cleans stoves and ovens, softens water

•    Cornstarch- Cleans windows, carpets, and rugs, polishes furniture

There are so many other natural cleaners and different ways to combine them to create great natural products.  I highly suggest trying to switch over to a few natural cleaners and see the difference for yourself!

Go Green and Staying Keen,

Julie

Lime Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients-
•    1 ½ lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
•    4 tbsp. olive oil
•    1 tsp. cumin
•    1 tsp. paprika
•    ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
•    Salt and pepper to taste
•    1 small yellow onion, diced
•    1 clove garlic, minced
•    1, 14.5 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
•    1 cup frozen yellow corn, thawed and drained
•    3 tbsp. honey
•    3 tbsp. lime juice
•    2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
•    Tortillas
•    Any toppings you would like; we use lettuce, cheese, avocado, and some salsa

Instructions-
•    Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
•    Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the sweet potatoes and coat with 3 tbsp. olive oil. Sprinkle the cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and toss to coat the potatoes.  Bake for 12-20 minutes and let cool.
•    While the potatoes are baking, heat the 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion and sauté until caramelized.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic, black beans, corn, honey, and lime juice.  Heat in skillet until everything is warmed.  Remove from heat and add the potatoes and cilantro, toss and serve in the tortillas with your toppings of choice.  Enjoy your yummy and quick tacos!


I don’t know any kid who doesn’t like a quick and easy Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Ingredients-
•    8 oz. dry pasta
•    3 tbsp. butter
•    3 tbsp. flour
•    1 ¼ cup fat-free milk, heated
•    1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
•    Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions-
•    In a large pot bring water to boil and cook pasta accordingly.  As the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and then add flour and whisk into the butter for about 5 minutes.  Add ½ cup of the heated milk into the saucepan and continue to whisk thoroughly mixing together.  Add the rest of the milk and continue to stir to the constancy of your liking.

•    Reduce the heat and mix in the cheese and cook until melted and smooth.  Pour over cooked noodles and stir together.  Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Caprese Pasta

Ingredients-
•    ½ cup white onion, diced
•    1 tbsp. olive oil
•    2 ½ cup dry pasta
•    1 package grape tomatoes, halved
•    5 fresh basil leaves
•    2 ½ cup water
•    ½ tsp. slat
•    ½ tsp. black pepper
•    1 ½ cup fresh mozzarella
•    2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
•    Chopped basil to garnish

Instructions-
•    In a large skillet sauté the olive oil and onions until soft. Add the pasta, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, water, salt and pepper, and stir to combine.  Bring to boil and cook until pasta is done and water is reduced.  Top with the mozzarella and over the pan so the cheese melts.  Top with balsamic vinegar and basil.  Enjoy! 

Go green and stay keen,

Julie

The kids are getting back into the swing of school now and the restaurant is busy as ever with the start of the New Year!  We usually have a boost in customers during the first couple months of the year because of the New Year’s resolutions, but I am not complaining.  I love hearing from new patrons how they are going to try eating healthier with more plant based meals.  =)

Although I love being busy, it has been a little difficult getting dinner ready in time for the kids and my husband so I have been making a lot of crock pot dinners.  I love that I can get everything ready in the morning or afternoon and by the time for dinner I just have to finish the recipe and serve it.  Crock pot and slow cooker recipes have been my lifesaver over the week.  Here are some of my family’s favorite slow cooker meals.

Squash Lasagna

My kids favorite, Extremely Easy Cheesy Mac n’ Cheese

And my husband’s favorite, BBQ Tofu.  I serve it with French bread and usually a veggie side for a wonderful easy meal.

Go green and stay keen,

Julie

It is about that time when we are going to pick right back up into our busy schedules with the kids back in school, a busy season in the restaurant and my husband has a few business travel trips coming up.

There is nothing worse than having boring and repetitive meals.  Being busy is nothing new to our family’s life so I have figured out how to make meals that only take a few minutes to prepare.

My answer to busy schedules, cooking ahead of time and freezing.

Cooking up a big batch of something and freezing the leftovers make great weeknight meals.  There are so many things that freeze well and can even save a few dollars when you double or triple the batch.  Not to mention, freezing perishable items means you waste less!

Freezer Friendly Meals

Today I made two batches of soup for this week and an easy breakfast, it is going to be a busy week for sure!  Here are some great recipes that freeze well and work great as weekday meals!

Chickpea and Coconut Tomato Soup

Ingredients-
• 1, 400g can of chickpeas
• 1 can of tomatoes
• 250ml coconut milk
• 1 red chili, chopped
• 1 small piece of ginger, grated
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 3-4 cardamom pods
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley to garnish if desired

Instructions-
• In a large pan heat the olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger, and salt and pepper.  When the onion is beginning to brown add the chili and sauté for a couple minutes.  Add the rest of the spices and zest and stir together thoroughly.
• Add the tomatoes, cook for about 3-4 minutes then add the coconut milk and continue cooking for 5 minutes.  Finally, add the chickpeas and cook for about 3 minutes.  Divide and store in freezer containers and either freeze or enjoy right away or both!

Cheese and Veggie Egg Muffins

Ingredients-
• About 1 ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup diced orange bell peppers
• ½ cup frozen peas
• ½ cup frozen corn
• 8 large eggs
• About 12 tbsp. shredded cheese of your choice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions-
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
• Spray cooking spray on a non-stick 12 cup muffin pan making sure it is all thoroughly covered.
• In a large bowl mix the carrots, peppers, peas, and corn.  Divide the mixture in the muffin pan filling them up about 2/3 of the way full.
• In another bowl crack the eggs and whisk them adding salt and pepper to taste.  Divide the egg mixture in the muffin pan as well.  Top each muffin section with a generous amount of cheese.
• Bake for about 18-20 minutes and let cool before removing.  Divide and eat or freeze and save for a delicious and healthy breakfast.

Do you freeze meals to have during a busy week? I would love to know what you freeze, I am always looking for new recipes to try with my family!

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

Moms, if you have a preteen boy, you know that they love to defy everything and beat their own path.  Liam has been pretty good, but recently he has been in a sriracha kick.  Anything and everything I make for breakfast, lunch or dinner he has to load it up with sriracha.  I think his obsession stemmed from one day when Liam dared Hannah to have a spoon full of it and couldn’t handle it.  That sibling rivalry has made quite the “macho man” Liam is acting like now.



Instead of letting him ruin all of our delicious meals, I came up with a few recipes with sriracha hidden in them that Hannah can eat too.  I have made a few meals and surprised Liam when I tell him that it is already in it and Hannah love it and rubs it in his face a little.  I have to laugh because they love to make everything a competition and I am kindly incising them a bit.

Here are some delicious ways I have come up with to add sriracha on everything!

For breakfast I came up with a wonderful:

Sweet Potato and Endive Hash with Sriracha Buttermilk

Sauce

Ingredients for the sauce-
•    1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
•    1 tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise
•    ¼ tsp. sriracha sauce
•    1/8 tsp. salt

Ingredients for the potatoes-
•    1 ¼ lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
•    ¾ lb. russet potatoes, peeled and diced
•    1 tbsp. olive oil
•    2 garlic cloves, minced
•    ½ tsp. salt
•    4 heads endive, thinly sliced
•    1 green onion, thinly sliced
•    ¼ cup minced cilantro

Instructions for the sauce-
•    In a bowl mix all the ingredients together until well combined
Instructions for the potatoes-
•    Bring lightly salted water to a boil in a large saucepan on high heat.  Add the sweet and russet potatoes, cook until tender and drain.
•    In a large skillet heat the olive oil and add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.  Add the sweet and russet potatoes and salt, cook and stir for about 5-7 minutes.  Add the endive and green onions and cook until the potatoes begin to brown.
•    Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro, drizzle the sriracha sauce and stir to coat.  Enjoy!

For an easy and delicious snack:

Sriracha Chex Mix

Ingredients-
•    6 cups mixed Chex cereal, I like using half wheat Chex and half corn Chex
•    1 ½ cup cheez-its
•    1 ½ cup pretzels
•    1 cup peanuts
•    4 tbsp. unsalted butter
•    ¼ cup sriracha, more or less depending on your desired spicy level
•    2 tbsp. soy sauce
•    1 tsp. grated ginger
•    1 tsp. grated garlic


Instructions-
•    Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit
•    In a large bowl mix the Chex, cheez-its, pretzels, and peanuts and lay out on a large line baking sheet.
•    In another bowl combine the butter, sriracha, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic and microwave for about 15 second intervals until the butter is melted.  Stir each time to combine.
•    Pour the butter mixture evenly over Chex mixture and combine with your hands to evenly coat.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring and moving the mixture every 15 minutes.  Cool and Enjoy!

Sriracha Garlic Bread

Easy Instructions- quantity of ingredients can be based on the level of spicy and servings.
•    In a small bowl mix sriracha, minced garlic, and butter and microwave to melt the butter.  Brush mixture on slices of bread and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and broil until toasted.  Enjoy!

With Liam’s new obsession, I am constantly trying to come up with recipes that incorporate sriracha.  I am hoping this phase passes fairly soon, the lady at the grocery store is going to think I have a sriracha problem.

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie

I love encountering individuals who are eager to learn about a vegetarian lifestyle and make a change.  Last night at the restaurant I had the opportunity to chat with a couple that has just decided to embark on their vegetarian lifestyle journey.  They asked me for some helpful hints to get through the difficult first couple months.  With spring quickly approaching and BBQ’s and soccer games around the corner they were concerned about vegetarian options.  Luckily for them I have quite a few helpful hints.


Deciding to become is a big diet and lifestyle change.  There are times when it will seem impossible, but once you find your strength and keep pushing forward there is not turning back.  Here are a few tips that helped me “keep on trucking” and create a healthy lifestyle for myself.

1.    Don’t expect everyone to embrace your new lifestyle change initially.  My parents thought I was crazy when I told them I was making the change, and now they eat a primarily plant-based diet.  During the first couple months my friends and family would taunt me with my past favorite meals with meat making it a game to see if I would crack.  I stayed strong and soon everyone came to realize this was something I was doing to better myself and I wasn’t going to back down.  Stay strong!

2.    There will be times when you crave a dish with meat in it, and when that happens just watch one of the wonderful documentaries out there about the factory meat industry.  I am sure that craving will pass.  Documentaries are a great way to find inspiration to make change and find your strength from within.  Educate yourself!

3.    Try new fruits and vegetables.  There are so many it shouldn’t be hard to try a new one every week incorporating it into a new recipe.  I can’t stress enough that even “ugly” fruits and veggies taste wonderful.  Don’t overlook certain types just because you have never tried it before or it looks ugly.  Dive in head first and see what you like.

4.    If you are not a chef, take a vegetarian cooking class.  I took a class in my first couple months of becoming a vegetarian and learned so much and met a great support system.  Working and having fun with likeminded people is a great way to discover some new recipes and new friends.

5.    Eat what is in season and go to the farmers markets.  Going to the farmers markets is not only a way to get your groceries, it is an experience in itself.  Become friends with the farmers and really find out where your food comes from.  I also suggest planting your own garden.  It is such a satisfying feeling cooking a meal with all your own fresh yields.



Making a lifestyle change doesn’t have to be that hard.  Find a good support system and make a promise to yourself, you’ll be half way there.  If you have any other questions about become a vegetarian, I would love to answer them for you! :)

Go Green and Stay Keen,

Julie