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Cookies & Scotch for Poppop

4/27/2014

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It dawned on me last night just how much I am like my Poppop. I never fully realized it until, in the hours after his passing, I sat there with my family just wishing it were me and him. I could always sit with Poppop in silence, not a trait that comes easily to anyone else in my loud family. I always admired how, amidst the mayhem of story-telling and opinions flying like pigs, Poppop could just sit there and listen. And when he did have something to share, it was immensely important.

Poppop was a genius, the kind that let his instincts dictate his work, as opposed to having an exclusively intellectual drive. What I mean by that is that he knew what needed to be done, and he did it. It was the only way he knew how to raise 10 kids. He worked his ass off.

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The truth is that I, like my Poppop, was working hard to get through it all. I never knew what a drive I had until this last day of a long work stretch, when I wanted to just push through it and pretend everything was okay. I’m so glad I reprioritized my life once I really understood the plight of his condition.

I sat by his side at 1am on Saturday, sharing his sentiment: a desire for silence. I held his hand and cried by his side, hoping that in some weird way he could hear what I was saying to him in my head. The room spun and I needed him to myself. Finally, after about 45 minutes of not knowing how to ask for such time, my mom suggested to my 8 aunts and uncles that I be left alone with my granddad.

I told him I wished we could have gone running together, and that I would miss him terribly. After my father passed away, when I was 5, I would spend hours at a time by his side in his home office, just writing on notepads and wishing that someday I could be a businessman like him. I shared his passion for words and languages, beautiful penmanship and art, and a palate for ethnic food like no one I’ve ever known. I, too, am gentle until I’m crotchity, feel certain that I always know best, and have a hard time giving compliments. I get these things from my Poppop. I will always cherish these beloved traits that both endear and deter those around me.
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After hours of eating and drinking wine with the family, last night, I retreated to the back bedroom and proceeded to allow myself to cry. I’ve always been a sympathy cryer, but this was a moment I needed alone. Finally, my mom came and held me. She, too, understood the weight of his loss, her father. We both knew it was time for us to leave.

I said all of my goodbyes, being careful to lag behind my mother so that I could complete one final task. If there’s something my grandfather taught me, his Hannah Banana, it’s to enjoy a good scotch. I quickly reached into his liquor cabinet, and stole his last set of Brandy mini-bottles, and the drop of Dewars that remained.

Today I made these cookies to commemorate my dear Poppop. And enjoyed a sip of VSOP in his honor.

To Poppop, with love.

Hannah Banana

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Soft-baked Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Cup + 2 tbsp White Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Cup Oats
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, melted
3/4 Cup Coconut Palm Sugar
1 very ripe Banana
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Vegan Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine flour, oats, and baking soda in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mash banana with oil and sugar. Add salt and vanilla extract.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry, and stir until just combined. Add chocolate chips and stir.
5. Drop by heaping teaspoon onto a baking stone. Bake each batch for 8 minutes. Allow to cool for 1 minute before removing from pan.

Enjoy, with a loud "mmmmmm" just like Poppop did. Follow with a sip of scotch on the rocks.
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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

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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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A Penchant for [Sweet Basil] Popcorn

1/28/2014

5 Comments

 
I’ll never forget the days after my father passed away, shortly after I turned 5 and just before my brother turned 7. Despite the heartache of having lost a parent, those days came to encompass some of my most fond memories of bonding, of family, of food, and of simplicity. I spent many afternoons with my grandmother. Long before my days of veganism (and seemingly before the word ever hit a shelf in Charlotte), Nana and I would cuddle up with a plate of blue cheese and melba toast, and proceed to watch Murder She Wrote.

Nana would fall asleep. I’d eat all the cheese.

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Meanwhile, my mother worked her butt off. Yet she never let her family ideals slip through the cracks, making certain we always sat at the table to eat together, no matter how hard of a day at work she had or how much homework awaited us. Despite the turmoil in our lives and most prominently our hearts, mom had a beautiful way of making it all seem so simple.

This simplicity is something I’m striving more and more to achieve every day. While I’ve always had a knack for appreciating simplicity, I’ve never been great at creating it. I like to over-think, over-complicate, and thereby de-simplify my life every chance I get. So one might be able to imagine why I so appreciate the little things my mom did when I was growing up that kept our life simple.
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A great example is how we often ended our evenings. We would eat dinner early, part ways to do homework, and often reconvene in the living room for some good old syndicated television and, my favorite part, a bowl of mom’s popcorn. I don’t know how she reached the point of insisting on making it from scratch, but I do know that she made it look so easy. It was always perfect.

So to this day, I’m a homemade popcorn gal. Of course, I keep it “simple,” but in my favorite way - with a twist. In my recent years, I’ve never been able to settle on just buttered [read: Earth Balanced] and salted popcorn. No, I tend toward honey-cayenne (I’m still using up my honey from my pre-vegan days) and a lot of experimenting. Think: coconut oil and black pepper, olive oil and oregano. And most recently, Sweet Basil.
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I went to the Holiday Gala for The Humane League Charlotte Chapter last weekend, and donated three huge bowls of this stuff. I thought it was kind of a weird concoction at first, but the feedback I received was unrelentingly positive. So of course I had to share it here with you.

I hope you thoroughly enjoy this!

To your Winter evenings spent on the couch,

Hannah
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Sweet Basil Popcorn

4 cups organic plain popcorn
(I cook mine on the stove using coconut oil!
Cook according to packaged kernel directions.)
1 tablespoon vegan Earth Balance
1 tablespoon organic brown rice syrup
¼ cup basil, finely chopped
dash of salt

1. Melt Earth Balance over medium heat on stove.
2. Add brown rice syrup and basil to hot pan. Swirl to combine.
3. Remove pan from heat as soon as syrup begins to bubble.
4. Pour mixture over popcorn and stir/toss together immediately.
5. Sprinkle with salt.
Enjoy!
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Product Review: Doctor Kracker and a Sammy

1/10/2014

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I don’t know what part of brain prematurely decided that the new year would be more relaxed and smooth sailing than say, the past 2 months. Sure: the holidays were typically mayhematic in that ever so pleasant familiar way. In my mind, though, January would be the launch of Spring and easy breezes and ahhhs. That was a very very silly thought to have.

Rather, this first full work week I’ve had since mid-December has resembled a high-speed face plant into Two-thousand Fourteen. By no means take this as a complaint. It’s really just that face-plants inhibit one’s ability to GET SHIT DONE.

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Hence, I left work today with only the gusto to buy some crackers and make a sandwich. I made a sandwich! Progress ensues from the fact that I’ve purchased 9 out of 10 of my meals for the past five days. Hallelujah, there’s hope for us all! MAD congratulations to those of you who’ve had the incredible ability to springboard into 2014 with rigor and self-control. I suspect I’ll catch up eventually.

That being said, I thought I’d take advantage of my inkling of progress to share my first ever product review. See there? See how quickly I’m catching on?
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So, my boss recently introduced me to Doctor Kracker’s Seedlander crackers. Since going completely vegan and aiming for a plant-based lifestyle that doesn’t resemble the way I used to eat, I’ve resisted buying anything chip or cracker-like. No matter how less “bad,” I still tend to find myself making a meal out of an entire package of anything crunchy and salty. I blame growing up on high-fructose laden Saltines and Wheat Thins. Until now.

The Seedlander (in the miniature Snackers variety) is the perfect bite-sized cracker because despite it’s minimal square footage, it’s got a hefty thickness. You actually have to sink your teeth into these, which inhibits any urge to plop the whole thing in your mouth. Add to that their ever-so-slight spongy texture, and you’ve just found a cracker that you can bite into without adding a pile of crumbs to your lap. Perfection!

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Another thing I like about the Seedlander, which is USDA Organic and made primarily with Whole Spelt Flour, is that none of the seeds overwhelm the flavor. I’ve had many crunchy, seeded crackers that are also loaded with spices, which I personally don’t like. I like plain and simple, with flavor added later. These have the perfect balance of sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and poppy, but not too much of any one seed.

There is also just a subtle hint of a molasses sweetness that paired well with my salty cashew cheese. I can imagine adding many a sweet or savory topping in the future. Hummus, baba ganoush, tapenade, jam…any of these would do.

My only qualm is that they didn’t have any saltiness, so the molasses ends up leaving a tiny bit of bitterness on the palette. However, at an affordable $3.59 for a 6 oz box, top quality can’t always be perfect. I’ll certainly be buying these again! They also have 3 other varieties, including a flatbread version, that I can’t wait to try.

Hope you enjoy!!

Hannah

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