Midweek Munchies

Midweek Munchies: What KAIVEGAN is contributing for the week Midweek Munchies newbie here. The list is not even half of everything I got over the weekend (plus the midweek run), but remember, I'm shopping for a family of 5. I'm including what I squeezed right off my head and hopefully, be able to keep up with the others on a weekly basis! bananas, gala apples avocado broccoli, zucchini lemons, limes cilantro, green onions shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms Tofurky deli slices Lightlife Smart Dogs 3 cartons Organic Valley vanilla soymilk, dd#2 drinks these like H2O Nature's Path organic cereal, I buy boxed cereal for dd#1 and these were on sale Silken tofu brown rice wine vinegar soba noodles chinese noodles chickpeas red lentils whole wheat couscous rolled oats barley basmati brown rice sesame snack, rice crisp with sea veggies- mixed together for a snack that dh loves nutmeg allspice canned pumpkin frozen strawberries, blueberries Barbara's Snackimal animal cookies flour tortilla, corn tortilla chocolate cherry sourdough bread breads from Breadsmith I do my weekly shopping at Whole Foods, and do midweek runs at Byerlys, or WFM again, if I'm in the mood for driving. I go to the smaller WFM on Saturdays and they're always crowded! But dd has art class in that area, and so I do my shopping after dropping her off. It works out for now, but I'm looking forward to when I could go, (and drag the kids) while everyone else is at work! (Harmonia, the other links don't work so I omitted them.)

WHAT' SoUP?

Have you noticed all that soup I've been making lately?
I'm not sure if I'm "soup-happy" because of the season or because I've found this to be my key to easy vegan cooking.
You see, in my omnivore days, I cooked mostly Filipino food. Not because that's what I know, but because I enjoyed eating them more than the unfamiliar American dishes I had been introduced to since moving here from the Philippines fifteen years ago.
But when I tried my hand in vegan cooking, that changed. My short stunt in veganizing Filipino food was not all that glamorous. It left us longing for more. My husband would put it this way: "something's missing..." I even cooked "adobo" (the most popular Filipino dish) using seitan and it was a big...well...flop.
On the other hand, the more I try new recipes, the more we get acquainted to new flavors that are quite good and interesting.
So if you ever see me asking questions that are rather naive to you, it's just that- it's new to me!
The good thing is- I'm loving all of these! I'm thankful to all the vegan bloggers that I've met in cyberland for all the ideas and recipes that have made this new vegan journey richer and more exciting!

Kaivegan's GarbanZoup
I made a big pot of chickpeas, and decided to use some to make this soup. This is now one of my favorites.
I sauteed onions and lots of garlic in vegetable broth, added more broth, then the rest of the ingredients:
Chickpeas, spinach, tahini, cumin, fresh lemon juice, salt & freshly ground pepper.

Zucchini Capellini

I love zucchini and tomatoes, the kids love veggie sausages, we all love pasta. Hey, everybody's happy here!
I normally sautee in broth or water. But this day, I was looking for that familiar taste, so I sauteed lots of garlic and tomatoes in olive oil. Then followed the sausages and green bell pepper. Zucchini (which seems to sneak in everything I make!) and cooked capellini joined the happy club only after the heat was turned off.

recycling

So what in the world is this kiddy craft doing here?
My daughter Aliyah made this "sandwich bag box disguised as a fun box" thing a few days ago and I have forgotten all about it until she came up to me a few minutes ago asking if I think she can do something with the empty box in her hand. That's when I noticed the pattern! I then went to her room and found all sorts of stuff like bookmarks and cards made from scraps she finds in the house! Okay, so we recycle, we use cloth napkins, buy in bulk, have Laptop lunchboxes, and don't like disposable containers... but this? Hmmm, is my kid turning into a recycling princess?
The other day, she told me she wants to own a vegan restaurant or store, or design a vegan product- so people can have better and healthier choices. And she's not even a real vegan!
Today, we pick up a food item at a discount store and the first thing she ask me when I handed it to her to put in our cart was: "Hmm, did you check the..." of which I did not let her finish and just said, "yes dear, I checked the label!"
"Okay, mom. I just want to make sure there's no bug extract in it. " (chuckle)
What have I done???

AM smoothie & smooth tea

This was a very unusual breakfast for me! As I cleaned up from packing dh's lunchbox, I grabbed the last banana, peeled it, and took a bite. Then as if a little voice told me, "You have better use for that fruit in your hand!", I threw in some vanilla soymilk, ice cubes, blueberries, and agave nectar with the rest of the banana in the blender. There you have it, folks- morning smoothie!
I also found myself munching on baby carrots, which I meant to put away after packing dh's lunch.
And what's a morning quiet time without a cup of tea. Not just any- but loose leaf tea. I refused to go back to the bagged kind now- there's just a world of difference.
For my first cup, I had Teavana's Rooibos Peach. Rooibos, or red teas, have 30 times the anti-oxidants of green tea. Rich in vitamins, minerals and protein, they also aid in digestion. (Or so they say.) Go ahead, have a cup!
Later on, I had the Roiboos Chai, which I added rice milk to, with my "tea buddy slash daughter" Aliyah. She digs this stuff, especially if it's from Teavana!

Japanese Noodle Soup

I was feeling a little creative and made this Japanese noodle soup last night. It turned out really good, but my toughest critic won't even touch it. ("They look like worms, mom!") Nevertheless, the rest of the family enjoyed it and finished a whole pot of it! This will definitely be another regular at Kaivegan's kitchen. The distinct taste of the soba noodles and the earthy flavor of the mushrooms really added interest to this soup.
So here's all the good stuff that went in the pot:
vege broth (plus the mushroom soaking water), garlic, gingerroot, light soysauce
Japanese soba noodles, dried black mushrooms
green onions, zucchini, agave nectar & sesame oil

First, I had to soak the dried mushrooms in very hot water for at least 25 minutes. As I was slicing the soaked mushrooms, I boiled the vege broth, mushroom soaking water, garlic, gingerroot and soysauce in a large pot. I then added the soba and the mushrooms. I cooked it on medium low heat for about 6 minutes. I added the zucchini, green onions, agave nectar and sesame oil only after I turned the stove off.

What would I add to it the next time? broccoli, and more zucchini

your kids eat what?

Oh, yeah, beans... and cilantro!
I made this Three Bean Chili the other evening, and although I felt like Aliyah finished her bowl just to make me happy, it really hit the spot for me. Good ol' dried beans are nothing like the canned version at all!
So I wasn't sure about the chili, but this dd sure liked the rest of what's on her plate. The half pita pocket was loaded with garlic tomato basil hummus and lettuce. Organic mangoes were on sale at Whole Foods so I got half a dozen of them.


These are some of the fun things Aliyah found in my recycled Whole Foods bags on shopping day: Barbara's Snackimals animal cookies, Whole Kids organic raisins, Natural Ovens bagels and organic mangoes. Okay, so the books weren't in the WF bags, but I'm telling you, she snacks on these all day long. Flavor of the month: Childhood of Famous Americans; Renewed interest: Chronicles of Narnia
And let's not forget about the brownies. I used Wonderslim fat replacer and Bob's Red Mill egg replacer, and the kids like it better than good ol' brownies.

mushrooms and rice

Dd#2 has been really clingy the last few days. She hasn't been feeling well with the cold. I made brown rice in the rice cooker earlier in the day, and right before lunch, threw tomatoes in with the mushrooms in the skillet. After cutting up some romaine and other veggies for salad, I put dd#2 down for a nap. When I got back to the kitchen, which was then very quiet without a crying child, dd#1 was making some toast to go with our lunch. And to my surprise, we ate everything, except for the rice which I always make extra of, and a few leftover pieces of mushrooms and romaine leaves!

dinner at mom's

My in-laws are neither vegan nor vegetarian, but when we come over for dinner, they always have something that's vegan-friendly. Just like last night, mom boiled some pasta for salad, which I then put together. While at it, I also made Thai Noodle Salad. And yes, they liked it!
It's such a good feeling knowing that our food choices are not only understood, but welcomed by loved ones. I feel blessed that way!

what's for dinner?

I was short on time, and a hand, to make a decent meal the other evening. Dh was out and the 2 li'l ones decided they both wanted my undivided attention.
Dd#1 had gotten sick the previous night from eating too late and going to bed before any of that could be digested, so this eating late business was not going to work this time, I figured. What to do?
Well, dh finally got home, and with these rather yummy noodles (or pansit) that a new costumer of ours made. That took care of dinner! (I did toast a bagel for myself, though.)

Thai Noodle Salad

These noodles went into the lunchbox right after posing for this shot!

We live 32 mi. from church so when we go, I usually pack food with us, to keep my family from the "junk trap". Last night was one of those. I wasn't going to pack this Thai Noodle Salad in the lunchboxes, but of course dd # 1 had to ask for it the last minute. Last minute- meaning everyone, but me, was already heading out the door! Quickly, I got some pretzels, and opened a can of mandarin oranges, thinking that was faster than prepping some fresh fruits. Those grape tomatoes were the first thing that caught my eyes when I opened the fridge, so in they go. Okay, so by now, everyone is waiting in the vehicle for me, but I just couldn't resist this picture perfect moment. Thanks to JenniferShmoo of Vegan Lunch Box for the inspiration!
It was 13 degrees below zero in the Twin Cities, windchill at -30 some degrees! Brrrr! I would have just hibernated, but we just didn't want to miss the "Breakthrough to Destiny" meeting with Jerry Savelle.
(I will post the recipe to this yummy salad later- someone's crying "mommy" upstairs!)

Taco Soup

It took me longer to figure out what to make for lunch today than to prepare and cook this dish! And yes, it tastes as good as it looks! This would definitely be a regular at KaiVegan kitchen. Aliyah's verdict? "Let's make this again, mom!"

TACO SOUP*
3 1/2 c vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked)
1 1/4 c salsa
1 1/4 frozen corn kernels (more is okay)
1 c avocado chunks
1 c tortilla chips

Cook the broth, beans, salsa and corn on low heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the avocado and break up the chips into bitesize pieces.

Divide the chips and avocado evenly into 4 bowls and ladle the soup over.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

*This is adapted from Dr John & Mary McDougall's Quick & Easy Cookbook

seasoned vegan moms & stir- fry

I was not much of a cook before. I used to dread being in the kitchen. I was always burdened not knowing what to make for dinner just because I want it easy and nutritious and yet I never liked handling some "things" that in my old way of thinking "needed to be in the menu." Even grocery shopping was stressful!
Vegan cooking is so liberating! Now, it is one of my favorite things to do. The other evening, I didn't have to make dinner at all, but that night, found myself making a stir-fry for my dear hubby's lunchbox. I realized then how much I enjoy being in the kitchen. Haha.
I still struggle sometime, but that's when I don't plan ahead of time. What I try to do is I look at my cookbooks or borrowed ones from the library before making a grocery list. Planning really saves me time, and from stress. I let Aliyah help me plan our weekly menu. It's not a thorough one, but it's useful. I also assign her the grocery list- that way she's working on her spelling and handwriting, while she thinks it's fun (she illustrates the veggies and fruits!). I think I'm teaching her a valuable lesson, too.
It's helpful to have vegetables around that are good for stir-frying. That's what I do nowadays, when not sure what to whip for dinner. I just make some brown rice in the rice cooker, and stir-fry whatever veggies we have on hand. The kids have different favorites, so I always make sure I throw things in there that the kids would devour. Usually, that would be mushroom for the 2 yr old.
I would just love to hear from veteran vegan moms and borrow some great ideas from them.. that is, if I could get them to visit my blog, haha!

kids favorite soup

When I try new recipes for dinner, which happens a lot in our house since I started cooking vegan last year, I almost always get a mixed verdict from the crowd. (That's how I "Iron Chef"! Although my judges are polite and they love me!)
But this one is a hit with everybody. Next time, I have to pick some sourdough bread up from Panera and serve the soup in bread bowls. yum!

BEAN AND CORN SOUP*
prep time: 5 minutes/ cooking time: 10 minutes

1/2 c minced onion
1/3 c water
2 16-ounce cans refried beans (I used a little less)
1 3/4 c vegetable broth
2 c frozen corn kernels
1/2 c salsa
1/2 t cumin
freshly ground black pepper
dash of Tabasco
fresh cilantro for garnish, optional

Cook the onion in water for about 4 minutes. Add the beans and broth. Stir until well combined. Add the corn, salsa, cumin and pepper. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the Tabasco to taste.

By the way, if you want to keep your cilantro fresh longer, unbundle it as soon as you get it home and put in a jar/glass with some water, just enough to cover the bottom tips. Cover with plastic bag from the top.

*This recipe is adapted from Dr. John & Mary McDougall's Quick & Easy Cookbook.

help, need your advice!

My family and I have come to a place now where we are so happy and satisfied with our eating lifestyle, that we are thankful to God for showing us a better way in terms of our health. We have so much energy now, versus being tired all the time, health complains are gone, those nasty headaches that made me throw up are history, and as a bonus, we have smaller waistlines.
If you're like that, you'd know what I mean. You'd feel good all over, etc, etc. I'm sure you see friends and family not eating as healthy and are concerned about them and maybe even try to convince them that there is a better way.
What do you do when you hear from a loved one miles away who's not doing as well? What if, you're not a major influence to that person? Maybe you've been in this situation before. Hey, I could really use your advice! Or maybe you're just clever. Can I pick your brains for once and ask for a word of wisdom? I would ever be so grateful. I'll even send you a chocolate bar, vegan, that is.

how could you live without eggs?

Since July of last year, we have eliminated meat and dairy from our diet.
"You mean, no eggs?"
Yes, no eggs. And now we see that it is the culprit of some things we suffered from in the past!
"No, cow's milk?"
Yes, I'm lactose intolerant anyway. Besides, Zurielle loves her soymilk!
"How about steak?"
Helloo.. steak is meat!
What happened?
Reading Dr. John Mcdougall's 12 Days to Dynamic Health was a real eye-opener for me. A few books (and cookbooks) later, and experiencing all the benefits of a low-fat, high complex carbohydrate plant-based diet, Ron and I are hooked.

this was from a previous post that I've deleted:
Yeah, what about protein?
The number one question that is asked of vegetarians and vegans alike! (Homeschoolers, you'd know what I'm talking about when someone asks you: "What about socialization?")
Why not, considering that protein is the most important nutrient in the food supply anyway. Well, I'm not an expert or a nutritionist, so I don't think I could convince you, but...
If a loved one's vegan or vegetarian diet is worrying you, you could read more about it. What is the daily requirement for protein anyway? Could someone really be protein deficient?
In this country, that is almost impossible! Even vegans can easily get all their protein needs from complex carbohydrates. Rice, potatoes, beans, with some fruits will provide all 9 amino acids for complete daily protein requirements.
Okay, I better stop now. Like I said, I'm not an expert, but you could always check with them, as long as they're not an Atki... er, high-protein diet follower, of course!

Some food that provide all the essential amino acids:
Potatoes 11% protein
Corn 12%
Cauliflower 40 %
Need more protein?
Then eat beans and peas- they're 28 % protein.

Hydrogenated what?

A year ago, the concierge at Whole Foods Market in St Paul gave us a tour of the store. Allison catered it to Aliyah, and suprisingly, of all the things that were talked about, "hydrogenated oil" got her attention. Now, if you ask her what she knows about it, she'll tell you without a blink that hydrogenated fat can cause heart disease and cancer. She also understands that manufacturers use it to lengthen the shelf-life of their products.
From then on, she would read food labels of every processed food we buy at the stores. She would be the first one to point out that we shouldn't get certain things- "That has hydrogenated oil!"

"Unfortunately, a longer life for the product may mean a shorter life for you."
- Dr. Dean Ornish