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Meditate to Morocco on Chickpea Boats

7/18/2014

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Two months ago, my partner (whom I have never mentioned on here before!!) and I decided to give our long-thought-lost relationship a total second go. Following the slogans “one day at a time” and “easy does it” have been tremendous and peacefully guiding. And for once, I am so proud and happy to say that I am experiencing renewal of self more than I ever imagined a love relationship could bring.
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We started seeing a therapist, which we agreed from the get-go would be our only hope for recovering from early hurts, childhood wounds, and poor self imagery that previously led to our demise. In the first session, our guy asked us to “kneel at the altar of our hearts” as an initial mental exercise in starting things off right. Our homework at the end of the session was to spend daily time independently seeking out our “deepest heart’s desire.” Part of our relationship recovery will include sharing this with one another.
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Since then, my daily time has taken the shape of meditation. It didn’t take long for me to learn that meditation is my version of prayer. Utilizing tools I learned from Get Some Headspace, I am now guiding myself through daily “walks” with me. It has only been a week since I’ve begun this practice, but I can already share that I feel more tapped into my heart’s desire than ever before. I am learning things about who I am, what I need to do to live fully, and how to be the absolute most authentic Hannah Joy Lehman one could ever ask for.
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An extremely exciting piece of Tapping Into Me has been that my heart is truly seeking its truest creative expression. I have many a meditation to do to discover exactly what those words mean, but for now it means that I have had a HELLOFATIME fucking around in the kitchen. Pardon my french, but I ain’t holdin’ back no more, folks.
This recipe came from just such fucking around, spawned by Eat This Poem, my all-time favorite blogger. Hilariously, her post was inspired by a mutual favorite foodie blog, Smitten Kitchen who ALSO was inspired by a blogger-chef, this random french guy I’ve never heard of who is apparently famous and cooks really great shit. (I am proud to say I'm the only vegan blogger among them, by the way.) 
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All of that’s to say, I am beginning to learn that inspiration depends upon the admiration of other great works. Also, reworking a recipe can take it from meh (as was the case with this recipe, yesterday) to OHMYEFFINGGAWD my mouth just had a ‘gasm. I’m not kidding guys. Please, don’t tweak this recipe until you’ve copied it to a T the first time, because the minor changes I made (such as blasphemously removing the raw garlic and ginger) were much much much worth the extra work.

Until next week, when my heart brings you even more crazy deliciousness,


Hannah Joy                                     ... PS I’M GOING TO MY FIRST FOOD BLOGGER CONFERENCE IN AUGUST!!!


Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Salad Serves 2-3
This salad consists of a finely tweaked spice blend that I created after researching the traditional Moroccan spice blend called Ras El Hanout, which is found in many Moroccan dishes. The key to its use is slightly toasting the spices prior to mixing them with anything, so as to bring the flavors out to full capacity. 

1 can Chickpeas
1/2 cup Carrots, shredded
1/2 cup unsweetened Raisins
1/2 cup Scallions, chopped
1/8-1/4 cup Water
1 tsp Coconut Oil

1 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp each: Paprika, ground Fennel
1/8 tsp each: Cardamom, White Pepper, ground Cloves, Nutmeg, ground Ginger, Cinnamon, Salt

Black Pepper to taste


1. Heat a dry skillet to medium. Place all spices (excluding salt & black pepper) in the center of pan. Use a wooden or rubber spatula to move spices around until all are toasted, about 5-7 minutes. The room will become very aromatic when they are ready.
2. Use a potato masher or food processor to roughly chop half of the chickpeas. Do not overprocess! Move chickpeas to a mixing bowl.
3. Add toasted spices, coconut oil, 1/8 cup water, and remaining chickpeas to the food processor. Blend until well combined into a moist paste. Add to mixing bowl. Add more water if the mixture is too crumbly.
4. Add carrots, raisins, scallions, salt, and black pepper to bowl and fold all ingredients together with a spatula.


Serve in Red Cabbage Leaves with avocado (my favorite way!!) or on bread with tomato slices. Enjoy!
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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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Blue Basil Smoothie, for a Change!

6/26/2014

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Hello friends!

I don’t know about you, but I’m the type of person that needs to switch things up, often. I like change and welcome it with open arms, even sometimes going so far as to seek it when life feels too calm. That’s a little embarrassing to admit, even.

A lot has been going on in my life lately that has done just the opposite of that change I  usually seek. Rather, it has been thrown at me from every which direction, every time being right when I thought I was getting my tush settled into a comfy seat. It’s particularly in those moments that I awaken to acceptance, and start to look a little closer at the importance of sitting still. Seeking out change can be fun, but it isn’t always the most healthy approach.

So today I thought I would start small. I took a killer yoga class at Y2 Yoga, where I will soon be an Energy Exchange member (free yoga!!!!)), and I made a smoothie that I have never made before. I had never taken this class before (Tanner’s insanity, errr “Double Shot”). It was great for my brain, even when I had to walk out after the first sequence. This smoothie was equally delicious and refreshing, and will help keep me still while I sort out some details about my life. I was more than able to enjoy this one to the end. Whip it up the next chance you get!

2 Cups Kale (I used Red Russian)
1 Cup Blueberries
½ Cup Water
4-5 Basil Leaves
2 tsp Chia Seeds
1 tsp Spirulina

Blend and enjoy! And remember to sign up for the occasion emails I send! I’m going to send a “Year in Review” soon that I don’t think you’ll want to miss.

Besos,
Hannah

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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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Cookie Crazed: Oatmeal Raisin Perfection!

6/2/2014

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It’s June 2nd and life is good. I woke up early, I plunged my French Press after as little waiting time as possible, and now I’ve got my mind on cookies. See what happens when they let me loose?! I get cookie crazed.
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It’s so funny because I’ve never considered myself a baker. I grew up around many adept baking souls, but I just never got it. And though I still don’t (quite yet, anyway), I’m proud to say that I’ve perfected a recipe that was driving me nuts. I love Sarah Kramer, who wrote La Dolce Vegan! and many others, but following her recipe as close to a T as possible just did not work out for me. So I adjusted her recipe for Simple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies until I got them JUST right. And boy did I ever!
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These oatmeal raisin cookies are soft, sweet and even a little bit salty! I love that contrast of flavors, but if you so choose to leave off the icing, I’d also recommend leaving out the salt.  

Enjoy!


Soft & Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 Large Ripe Banana
2 Cups Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup White Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup Raisins  (Use more or less to your liking!)
4 Tbsp Coconut Palm Sugar
1/4 Cup Filtered Water
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Ground Ginger
For Icing:
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup Confectioners' Sugar. 

Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, cream together the banana, sugar, and coconut oil. Stir in the remaining dough ingredients until well mixed. Drop by teaspoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet (or baking stone, which I prefer) and bake for 11-14 minutes. Remove at the first signs of browning, and allow to cool for 2 minutes before removing from the baking sheet. 
For Icing: Use a double boiler (or a metal bowl that fits snugly on top of a sauce pan full of boiling water. Melt coconut oil and whisk in confectioners' sugar. Use a fork or tiny whisk to break up clumps, and drizzle over cookies with a spoon. 
** I recommend keeping these cookies refrigerated, though you may not be able to NOT eat them all right off the pan. 
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