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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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Summery Sweet Kale Coleslaw

6/17/2014

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I was sitting here debating the course of the rest of my life when it dawned on me that things could be so much simpler. Instead of trying to be a magician who can predict the future (and do a terrible job, at that), I could just do something right now, like share a recipe that’s been in my queue for over a week now!

I feel so lucky because amid a lot of mayhem, life just keeps getting better. I've been a bit on edge lately because I have to move tomorrow, I'm house-sitting this week (bad timing on my part), my cat needs a temporary home, and I don 't know where I'm going to be living next besides my mom's spare room. Nonetheless, I found out today that an article I wrote for NPR's Charlotte food blog, WFAEats, is live! Read it here. What great news!
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I also recently quit my job as GM at Luna’s Living Kitchen to do something that feels totally insane - bartend at a diner. Yep, you heard me correctly. I left a community of like-minded hippies who are mostly vegan, and all love raw, organic anything, to serve a group of folks who mostly can’t fathom why anyone would EVER consider being a vegetarian. This isn’t a criticism, by the way. It’s just...totally and completely opposite where I’ve been. Nonetheless, inspiration has ensued. I will share more about my decision in a future post. 

At Pinky’s Westside Grill, we serve a burger (beef or the veggie Nature Boy) “Ding Dong Style,” which means it is topped with Honey-Cilantro Coleslaw, Peanut Butter, and Sriracha hot sauce. Unfortunately the slaw contains mayo, so I have not taken the risk of extremely upsetting my stomach, even if I could have gotten it on a veggie-dog. Ya'll know I don't do dairy. Yet that hasn't kept me from drooling at the genius flavor combination that I serve every day.


So, I made my own version at home and have been eating it for days. It is so good! I put it over romaine leaf “tacos,” with hot sauce, peanut butter and some blackened baked tofu to create my healthier version of Pinky's favorited offering. I've also sauteed it with brown rice, and of course have eaten it just plain as well. Since my version is half cabbage and half kale, the options really are endless.

I hope you enjoy it!
Hannah


Summery Sweet Kale Coleslaw
1 Small head Green Cabbage, shredded or finely chopped

1 Small Green Apple (or 1/2 of a Large one), peeled and shredded
1/2 Bunch Lacinoto, aka "dinosaur" Kale, shredded or finely chopped

1/2 Cup Cilantro, packed, then diced
1/4 Cup Red Onion, diced
1/4 Cup Brown Rice Vinegar
3 tbsp Honey or your favorite liquid sweetener
1 Lime, Juiced
Optional: 1 diced Jalapeno, per cousin Brendan's suggestion!
To taste: Salt & Pepper


Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Massage with clean hands until the sweetener is evenly distributed and the kale and cabbage are tender. Refrigerate until ready to enjoy!
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To Spring: Blackberry Balsamic Dressing

3/11/2014

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While Spring may technically be just around the corner, it’s been alive in my heart for weeks. How else is one to get through slushy cold sleet and days of cloud cover without going stir crazy? I have pounced on every opportunity to lay in the sunshine, wear bright colors, and eat ripe fruit. Oh, it’s coming, folks. We’ve all summoned it.

Seasonal change invites new “clothing,” whether it kickstarts your running habit or forces you to put away the cozy scarf. This week, I was simply in the mood to change the color palette on my plate, when this salad came to mind.
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As much as I love warm, roasted tahini veggies (that, yes, I have eaten 10 times), I bought some blackberries that just begged to reclaim my tahini addiction in the form of a new dressing. A splash of good balsamic vinegar enriches the flavor, and perfectly compliments the berries.

I also make a point each week at the grocery store to purchase a fruit or vegetable that I haven’t used in a while, if ever. If I have no idea how to use it, even better. This week: radishes. I didn’t do anything fancy with these bright red pearls. I shaved them thin and put them atop baby kale, along with sliced strawberries, hemp seeds, and sunflower seeds. Next time I’ll also add avocado and peas.

Yet, as-is, this combo got my taste buds ready for Spring without too readily ditching the warmth we’ve all needed for the cold. This would also make a great mock-chicken or pasta salad dressing. I hope you enjoy!

To Spring,
Hannah Joy

Blackberry Balsamic Dressing
1 Cup Blackberries, the more ripe the better!
2 Dates, pitted
¼ Cup Water, plus a splash
¼ Cup Olive Oil
2 tbsp Tahini
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
S & P, to taste


Combine all ingredients except oil in a food processor, or using an immersion blender, until well combined. Whisk in oil. Enjoy!
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Finding Contentment in A Warmed Tahini-Cauliflower Salad

3/3/2014

4 Comments

 
I was sitting here this morning, catching up on the blogs I haven’t had time to read, when a sudden urge [read: distraction opportunity] grasped me. I awoke my iPhone and eagerly launched the horoscope app that I’ve come to use daily. I am okay with admitting that, since I immensely appreciate the little things we do just to get us through the day. For me: a silly horoscope can propel my thinking from self-centered to more generous. If that’s what it takes, who can blame me?

Today in particular, though, I was sinking into a steep frenzy of whosits and whatits and future-predictions GALORE. Anxiety, panic, not staying in the present. But when my horoscope read, “you aren’t recognizing what you already have,” I felt an oh shit jolt right through me.
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I do have a lot. How refreshing to step out of the rut of discontentment just for this moment.

The words we tell ourselves about our current situation are exclusively to blame for our ability or inability to express such gratitude. I wish I had, I can’t wait until, and One day I’ll… remove us from our current reality of fulfilling abundance and displace us into Self Land. In Self Land, one need not leave the windows open. It’s sad, lonely, and scary.

In Self Land, we lose sight of a lot of things. We lose sight of the simple fortune that it is simply to wake up each day. We start to think about the things we wish we had instead of what we currently do have. Unfortunately, when those long-lost wishes do come true, we find ourselves right back in Self Land, staring at the grime of dirt beneath our feet when there’s a beautiful forest and sky above us. Here, we refuse to embrace the here-and-now, rather owning the imagined perfect life that would certainly woo our contended selves out from beneath the rocks.
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I prefer to choose gratitude for the present. Learning to return oneself here often is an art form I have yet to master. Fortunately, though, life is so forgiving that we can start back at square one when we find ourself absorbed in negativity and unaware of reality. Someone said to me this week, what is your reality? This helped tremendously.

In reality, I have a roof over my head.
In reality, I am able to feed myself.
In reality, I have an awesome job.
In reality, I know how to have fun.
In reality, I am loved.


I AM loved. When I started this blog, it was part of a commitment to loving myself through the food choices I make. I show myself love by preparing delicious, healthy food on a regular basis. This dish in particular has also come to represent my love of a simple life. I have given myself permission to eat this- not once- ten times, in the past two months. I love it that much. It is easy, wholesome, comforting and light all at the same time. It makes my taste buds sing.
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It also quickly snaps me out of that ungraceful food rut. I’m not kidding when I say I will never tire of this salad because I can make it notably different every time without sacrificing the parts I love so much.

The gist is as follows: roast cauliflower and whatever else you have on hand. Warm evoo, garlic  and tahini. Toss. Serve over your favorite greens with a squeeze of lemon, and enjoy. Slices of avocado or crusty bread take it over the top.  

To the Here and Now,

Hannah
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There are so many variations to the salad, so trust me when I say to experiment outside this basic guideline!

Warmed Tahini-Cauliflower Salad
1 head Cauliflower, cut into florets
2 other vegetables, chopped:
- Sweet Potato
- Mushrooms
- Bell Pepper
- Snap Peas
- Red Onion
- You name it!
Kale, Romaine, or a blend of the two!
1/2 Cup Chopped Parsley
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Tahini
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 lemon, quartered

1. Lightly oil veggies. Roast at 350 just until fork tender. It's important to roast each vegetable separately (as opposed to all mixed together), since they may take different times to cook. I always check first at 10/15 minutes, then every 10 minutes following. 
2. Meanwhile, add olive oil and garlic slices to a small soup pot. Put on Low for 10 minutes. Remove from heat if the garlic begins to fry, as you are just trying to warm the two and infuse the oil with the garlic. 
3. Turn burner off and whisk in tahini and juice of half the lemon. 
4. Top greens for one with 1/4 cup of each veggie (still warm!), and drizzle with the warm dressing. Squeeze another quarter lemon over each and generously sprinkle with parsley, salt, and pepper. Avocado makes a great addition!

Enjoy!
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Veggietorials.com Post! Comforting Kale Salad with Zesty Sesame Vinaigrette

12/23/2013

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Below is a repost of my recent guest spot on Veggietorials.com. Veggietorials was created by the amazing Cobi Kim in Hawaii. She has a really fun Youtube Channel where she creates and shares unique and easy vegan recipes. Since I'm not a film expert, she was kind enough to let me do a video intro, paired with my traditional posting style. Check out Veggietorials.com for more from Cobi!! 
What I love most about the holidays is that it’s a time ripe with the essence of both past and present. In these weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, this remains more true than ever. I used to always wonder why and how and who thought it was a good idea to “put” two such grand holidays so close together (isn’t one enough?!), but I now know that it was a brilliant idea.
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During these early December weeks, we’re all a little tired, a good bit cozy, some giddy with expectation, others antsy to call it all a day. Regardless of where you find yourself, though, the reality is that this time of year reeks of tradition while also begging for something fresh. Thankfully the New Year is just around the bend.
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With this in mind, I wanted to come up with something that would embrace the past while refreshing the present. I’ve written before about how I’ve become know as the Salad Maven of many a party. I find it to be something many are scared to play with, yet to me it’s fun, inexpensive, and the hardest culinary experiment to mess up. Not to mention that amidst the heaviness of casseroles and roasts, salads are the saving grace!
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Bowl provided by The Frock Shop - Charlotte, NC.
So in celebration of this holiday interim, I thought it appropriate to embrace hearty and comforting ingredients, while calling on some lively current food trends. I’ve combined coconut shreds with warm quinoa to bring out the oils, creating a soft and delicate texture. The bite of Granny Smith apple perfectly compliments the sweetness, and my Zesty Sesame Vinaigrette ties it all together. Toss it with shredded Lacinato Kale, and you may just find you’ve been knocked into 2014!

Best of celebrations! 

Hannah
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Bowl provided by The Frock Shop - Charlotte, NC.
Comforting Kale Salad with Zesty Sesame Vinaigrette

1 Bunch Lacinato Kale, chopped thin
1 Cup Red Quinoa, cooked and warm
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1 Granny Smith Apple, diced
1 Recipe Zesty Sesame Vinaigrette (Below)
Fun Options: Dried Cranberry, Walnuts, Pumpkin Seeds

Zesty Sesame Vinaigrette
1/2 Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice, strained 
1/4 Cup Brown Rice Vinegar
1/8 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Maple Syrup
1/2+1/4 Tsp Sesame Oil
1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger
Dash Salt & Pepper
Sesame Seeds, to garnish

Combine all ingredients except oils. Slowly whisk in oils.

To serve:
Before quinoa has cooled completely, stir in coconut shreds. Toss with kale and apple, adding the dressing last. Once everything is sufficiently dressed, finish with sesame seeds. Add additional options if you wish. 

Enjoy!
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