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Savory Side: Creamed Kale and 'Kraut

8/26/2014

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Hello Lavenderlies!

I hope this post finds all of you doing well. I’ve missed you! It’s been a busy busy couple of weeks, but I am back at it, more excited than ever.

Last weekend I went to Food Blog Forum 2014 in Asheville, NC. Unlike many of the participants there, I had been to Asheville many many times before. This time was SO different, though. I felt like a royal guest! The conference was held at the Biltmore House and Estate, one of the largest privately owned residents in the United States. I am almost ashamed that I had never previously been (after all, I’m a freakin’ NC native) but at the same time, it was not lacking in luster one bit.

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The same can be said of the conference, which was hosted by the bloggers of Steamy Kitchen and White on Rice Couple. There, I also met the Charlotte masterminds behind 100 Days of Real Food!! I literally just got goosebumps daydreaming that Lisa Leake will let me follow her around like a chicken one day. She (and only a few other bloggers at the conference) writes all about clean eating and whole-foods living. I got nervous like a school girl when I had the chance to meet her!

Anywho, as was to be expected, the conference did provide a lot of food. Unfortunately, though, only two of the multiple meals provided were vegan. I’m going to admit that I let my tastebuds get the best of me, and I ate a meal’s worth of really good cheese and really great fish. I kept it pescatarian, though, and I felt awesome knowing that ALL of the food provided was grown in or around Asheville, and with consciousness. Amen to that!

Nonetheless, raising my head above vegan water made me crave creamy when I got home. I am back to vegan eating and living, but not without some challenge! Hence, my next few recipes may be more simple than ever just to help me keep ‘em coming!
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This Creamed Kale recipe is super easy and quick. I’ve fallen in love with Just Mayo brand vegan mayo, which makes a homemade “ranch” dressing or cream sauce even more easy than before. While the cashew base that I usually use is delish, sometimes I just don’t want to effing THINK, let alone get out a machine to cook. This recipe is a byproduct of that sentiment. Be sure to read the serving suggestions, too!

Until next time, know that I’m even more excited about the list of recipe ideas I’ve created than ever. Also, you can expect more posts from here on out, so PLEASE be sure to check back more often!

With Love and Lavender,
Hannah

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Creamed Kale & 'Kraut - 1 Serving
1/4 cup Sauerkraut
3 Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
5 oz. Curly Leaf or Tuscan Kale (1/2 of a pre-washed bag), torn and washed
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard (I used Gray Poupon!)
2 tbsp Just Mayo 
1/4 cup Filtered Water
1/2 tsp course Black Pepper
Salt to taste

1. Heat a large skillet or wok to medium. 
2. In a small bowl, mix mustard, Just Mayo, water and pepper until mixed and runny. 
3. Add kale, mushrooms, and creamy mixture to the skillet. Saute for 3-5 minutes until wilted and warm.

To serve: Top with cold sauerkraut, salt, and your favorite savory veggie burger! I used Organic Sunshine brand's Barbecue burger. The sweet/savory combo worked GREAT with the mustardy kale!
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A New Way to Drink Kombucha

7/9/2014

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Happy July, ya’ll! I hope you all had an amazing 4th. I worked that evening, as I’m one of the newest employees on the team, but I still got to enjoy the fun energy of everyone around me. Then, following the holiday, I had the strangest realization: it’s the BEGINNING of summer! For some reason I’ve had this sense of summer closure ingrained in me. Suddenly I started seeing all of these posts and articles about how to spend your summer that just, honestly, confused me!

To blame, I’m definitely in a state of life transition, which so many people around me have claimed to be a good thing. I am so grateful for that repeated response, too, because it’s felt challenging. I need all of the positive reminders I can get!

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At the start of it all, I left my job at Luna’s Living Kitchen. My lease ended 3 weeks later, at which point I still had not been able to find a place to live. With a month-long house-sitting gig planned for September, I intended on staying at my mom’s house for at least a couple of months. I feel so lucky to have family in town for just the reason that I can always depend on them when I’m in transition, but this time I got thrown for a loop. For various understandable reasons, my time allotted at mom’s was cut down to a short month.
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I’m not gonna lie...I feel like the Universe is trying to teach me something right now. It keeps occurring such that my “plan” gets altered by others in a way that I absolutely cannot affect. This challenges my center, which apparently was off-center anyway.

All of that’s to say that I’m really looking forward to next week, when again I will have my own bedroom and kitchen!! I could sleep on a couch indefinitely so long as I had a kitchen to call my own. (I even temporarily had my bed in my kitchen in Chicago. Hehe.) For now, though, I’m doing the best I can with the space I’m given, and have resorted to taking a lot of photos of my breakfasts and beverages. I can’t wait to get my knives and cutting boards back!! For now, though, don’t you worry your little pants off...I’m just going to share simple recipes with you until I can get back in the swing of things.
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This recipe, for example, was another attempt to “switch things up.” I was getting a little tired of smoothies, but still wanted a refreshing and nutritious bevy made from scratch. It’s pretty unique, but I can’t emphasize enough how refreshing and delicious this is. Not only that, but the possibilities for creativity here are endless!
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I would also like to hear from you all about how you found your center during times of transition. Leave a comment below about things that helped you keep your feet planted when it felt like steadiness was hard to come by. I’ve taken to more frequent yoga and meditation, but I’d love to hear your unique sources of solace.

With love,
Hannah

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Chia Kombucha Fizz (1 Serving)
1/4 Cup Kombucha 
1/4 Cup Frozen Blueberries
2 tsp Chia Seeds
1/2 Cup Sparkling Water (I used Apricot flavored)

In a blender, pulse together kombucha, blueberries, and chia until just blended. Pour into a glass, and top with sparkling water. Enjoy!
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