Getting "Crispylicious!" with Beanfields

Mac and I are big fans of chips: potato, rice or plaintains. Salty, sweet or savory, we‘re not picky, as long as they’re yummy and vegan, of course. Recently, the good folks at Beanfields sent us samples of their Crispylicious line of Bean & Rice chips (Thanks, Roy and team!).

Beanfields is a family-owned company that uses products that are farmed and made in right here in the U.S.. The chips are made from navy and black beans, and have a crunch texture of a multigrain cracker but light like a potato chip. They are rich in protein and fiber, and are non-GMO (Very important, we must say)! You can enjoy them just as they are (delicious) or with your favorite dip or spread.

The Crispylicious! chips come in 4 great-tasting varieties: Naturally Unsalted, Sea Salt, Sea Salt & Pepper, and Pico de Gallo. Picking a favorite is tough. Mac and I liked the Pico de Gallo most, with Sea Salt & Pepper finishing a close second. Momma Macaroon tried some and was really impressed with the Naturally Unsalted. In fact, she took a bag home with her (She says "Thanks, Roy!").

Look out for a giveaway to included Beanfields in the near future!

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It's Peanut Butter Nutella Time!

Family breakfast in bed!

We made it through the first 7 weeks of weight loss! Between the 2 of us, we've lost over 50lbs. Woo hoo! We figured we'd treat ourselves to a special day of gluttony! We started the day with a bit of a continental breakfast with some Italian bread, homemade peanut butter, homemade veganized Nutella and fresh sliced bananas. The Vitamix was put into serious usage to our delight,

Since the Vitamix is still relatively new to us, we couldn't wait for the day to make our own peanut butter. Artie has been talking about it for weeks! We couldn't help but crank it up a notch and make our own "Nutella."

Vitamix had a quick and easy recipe for peanut butter. From start to finish, it was made in under 5 minutes. We added a little bit of sugar to the peanuts for some sweetness. I also topped the peanut butter with some leftover peanuts for a bit of crunch. It was the best peanut butter I've ever had. I won't be going back to the jarred stuff...ever! Next time, I'm going to roast my own peanuts too!

The "Nutella" took a bit of time. Rather than using already-roasted nuts, Artie picked up raw hazelnuts from Dual earlier in the week. I had to roast the hazelnuts, which took about 30 minutes. I also had to rub off their skins when they were cool. That took a while to complete as best I could (left some skin on, but it didn't hurt the spread). I also made caramel which served as a base for this chocolatey spread, which wasn't too hard thanks to the recipe I found at Su Good Sweets. The work was definitely worth it, because the "Nutella" was so spot-on to the real stuff that I couldn't believe I actually made it.

So simple to make, both can be kept in airtight containers for at least a month. You can have them separately or eat them together. My new favorite way to each them is together with the "Nutella" spread over a toasted slice of Italian bread with a dollop of peanut butter and topped with 2-3 banana slices. Now, THAT's the "Breakfast of Gluttonous Vegan Champions!"



Quick Peanut Butter
Source: Vitamix.com and the Vitamix Creations Cookbook
Makes approximately 1-3/4 cups

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of peanuts, roasted and unsalted

Mac & Artie's Variation: We added 1 T of vegan cane sugar to the peanuts for a little sweetness.

Directions:

1. Pour nuts into the Vitamix container and secure lid. 
2. Select Variable 1. 
3. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High, using the tamper to push the ingredients into the blades. 
4. In 1 minute you will hear a high pitched chugging sound. Once the butter begins to flow freely through the blades the motor sound will change from a high pitch to a low laboring sound. Stop machine. 
5. Store in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for longer storage.

Caution from Vitamix: Over processing will cause serious overheating to your machine! Do not process for more than 1 minute after mixture starts circulating freely.

Mac & Artie's Variation: If you don't have a Vitamix, you can use your food processor or blender at the appropriate settings to make any nut butter. Many of the cooking appliance manufacturers do have recipes and instructions on their websites.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread with a Caramel Base
Source: Su-Good Sweets
Makes approximately 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups whole raw hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preparation: Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Make the caramel: Combine the sugar and water in a 3- to 4-cup saucepan. To prevent crystallization, don’t stir it again during the cooking. Cover and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Remove the lid and wipe down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush or a scrunched up paper towel dipped in water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, or until the sugar’s completely dissolved. Uncover and cook until the syrup looks like pale amber maple syrup. If your pan’s dark and you can’t gauge the color of the syrup, spoon a drop or two onto a white saucer. Swirl the pan gently, continuing to cook and test the color until the syrup turns medium amber.
3. Immediately pour the caramel onto the lined baking sheet. Tilt the sheet to spread the caramel as thinly as possible. Let harden completely, about 15 minutes.
4. Toast the nuts: Meanwhile, place the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.
5. To get rid of the bitter skins, wrap the cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Rub until most of the skins come off, but don’t worry if some remain.
6. Make the nut butter: When the caramel is completely cool, break it into small pieces and pulverize in a food processor. Try to get the caramel as fine as possible at this stage (it won’t get finer once you add the nuts).
7. Add the nuts and process until they have liquefied, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Be patient; the nuts will go from a fine meal, to forming a ball around the blade, to nut butter. Add the cocoa, vanilla and salt and process until smooth.
8. Transfer the spread to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. For best results, stir the chocolate-hazelnut spread before using.

The Perfect Bite? Mac think so!

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Chickpea & Broccoli Curry

I'm not one of those folks who normally says "Well, if he can do it, so can I!" I've never made Indian food. I've certainly eaten it A LOT and absolutely love it. I've just never thought I could make it myself. Artichoke has previously made a pretty tasty Aloo Gobi. Ever since his first time making it, he uses Indian spices in many dishes, not just Indian-inspired.

On Saturday evening, we were at a loss for what to make. We had to get some beans from a neighborhood grocery store. While walking through the aisles, I starting thinking of what else we could pick up to make for dinner and what herbs and spices we had at home. After throwing out ideas, I realized that I came up with a curry! I was so excited that I had to start cooking right away.

Artie gave his seal of approval to my "whip up." And now the next time we decide to make Indian-inspired food, I can say, "Well, if he can do it, so can I!"

Chickpea & Broccoli Curry
Source: Saturday's Mac & Artie "What to Make for Dinner" Discussion
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 c. broccoli florets, chopped
• 1/2 c. vegetable broth
• A batch of Mac's Curry Sauce (recipe below)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat a saucepan over a medium flame. Mince 2 of the garlic. When pan is hot, add garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add onions, broccoli, chickpeas and 1/2 c. vegetable broth. Cover pan to allow mixture to simmer and onions sweat (should take about 5 minutes). Stir occasionally
2. Uncover pan and pour in the curry sauce. Stir the mixture and bring to a boil. Cover pan, lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes
3. Stir in black pepper and salt, if using, before serving

Mac's Curry Sauce
Source: A Food Duo Whip-Up
Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 c. vegetable broth
• 1 8oz can tomato sauce
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 T curry powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 1/2 tsp. Indian red pepper
• 1/2 tsp. oregano

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into a blender. Mix on low until sauce is a smooth and creamy
2. If you like it more or less "hot," adjust spices as you wish

Curry over brown rice. Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!

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Was Your First Time Like This?

When you first went to a vegetarian/vegan restaurant, was it anything like this?



What a great and funny commercial!

Hiltl is an actual restaurant, located in Zurich, Switzerland. In fact, it's Europe's oldest vegetarian restaurant, having been in operation since 1898. Though we won't be in that part of the world for a good long while, Mac and I think they do have a pretty interesting menu. So if you're travelling to Europe and make a pit stop in Zurich, check out Hiltl and let us know about your experience!

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And the Earth Balance Winner Is...

Sorry, we're a little late on announcing the winner. Mac's been oh so studious and Artie's been working hard on renovating our home. BUT THAT'S NO EXCUSE! A winner is to be named and it is so done.

The winner of the Earth Balance coupons and booklet is...(drumroll please)

Rachel who's got a great blog called "My Naturally Frugal Family." Rachel, congratulations! Please drop us a line at thefoodduo@gmail.com with your address and we'll get your coupons and booklet out to you!

Thanks to those who participated. We're working on a new giveaway for October! And thanks to Earth Balance for providing the coupons & recipe booklet for their 2 new great products!

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Forks Over Knives - Straight No Chaser

Mac and I had been hearing about the vegan documentary, Forks Over Knives, every since we went to the NYC Vegetarian Festival in April. Due to a short and limited screening schedule, we never got to see this flick on the big screen. As it turns out, we caught the film on Netflix, which offers instant stream viewing.

The film's director and writer, Lee Fulkerson, introduces the audience to 2 pioneers in nutritional research, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Charles Esselstyn. Through their independent studies, they make a case supporting that a plant-based diet is the most beneficial in maintaining and improving health. One's diet plays a great role in preventative medicine. What you eat can determine whether your body will heal itself, rather than relying on prescription and OTC medications to cure what ails you.

If you're looking for a Michael Moore or Maysles brothers film experience, you may be disappointed. It doesn't regale the audience with quirky tidbits, graphic images or oddball characters. The film drives along a somewhat linear and straightforward path that will no doubt inspire the newly converted and soon to be converted. It's direct in its message and doesn't rely on what can be considered "fluff" to engage viewers. Instead, the film is chock full of valuable information and is worth viewing. Even veterans like the Food Duo learned a few things along the way, and inspired us to place the China Study in our must read queue!

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Memories of Grandma's Butternut Squash

Grandma's cooking always bring back found memories. When I think about her cooking, something magical comes to mind, as if her food was like a dream dish that not even the world's best chef could beat. Nothing could be better than her roasted butternut squash.

My grandmother had a cute little garden in her backyard with big ole fig tree. In the summer, something new was always sprouting up: strawberries, tomatoes, green beans. One of her favorite things to grow was butternut squash. She would pull up these big pale orange gourds and set them on the kitchen counter. Then just as quickly as she set them down, Grandma quickly turn them into something delicious. She would often cut the squash in half, top with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then she would roast then slice them. Momma Macaroon raves on about Grandma's butternut squash to this day.

Oddly enough, it wasn't until this past Sunday that I had ever cooked with butternut squash. For some reason, the day before, I decided to make some, after seeing a bunch at Trader Joe's. I immediately thought about my grandmother and her simple recipe for roasted butternut squash that Momma Macaroon shared with Artie and me. I took it a step further and decided to make a soup, which was perfect on a chilly day like we had this past Sunday.

To accommodate our vegan lifestyle and weight loss plan, I made diverted a little bit from Grandma's squash by eliminating the brown sugar and replacing it with stevia and sage. So, it wasn't quite like hers, but definitely inspired. It was pretty good, if I do say so myself. I should make some for Momma Macaroon later this week. I hope Grandma would be proud.

- Grandma's Little Macaroon

Grandma-Inspired Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Source: Memories of Grandma Macaroon

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. sage
• 1 pkt. stevia or sugar substitute (ex. Truvia)
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped 
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 c. vegetable broth (no salt added, preferred)
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• Salt or salt substitute to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slice butternut squash in half lengthwise. Place on baking sheet and Sprinkle halves with cinnamon, sage, stevia and black pepper. Cover with foil and place in oven. Bake for 45 minutes
2. When done, remove squash from oven and uncover. Cut squash halves into chunks. Set aside
3. In a large saucepan, saute garlic until lightly browned. Add onions and peppers and saute until onions become translucent 
4. Add squash chunks and vegetable broth. Stir in cumin and allspice. Bring to a full boil.
5. Cover saucepan with lid. Lower heat and simmer for 45-minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally
6. Run soup through blender until mixture is smooth and creamy in texture

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Earth Balance® Giveaway!

Hey boys and girls! What's the best way to celebrate the middle of the week? Well, we think it's to host our very first giveaway! We know we said we'd wait until we get to 200 on Facebook, but we were too excited to wait.



Thanks to the AWESOME folks at Earth Balance®, we're now hip to 2 of their latest products: Earth Balance®  Organic Coconut Spread and Earth Balance® MindfulMayo™ Dressing and Sandwich Spread. With that, they have so graciously given us a set of 2 free coupons (one for the coconut spread and one for MindfulMayo™, redeemable at Whole Foods Market) and a copy of their "Cooking with Coconut" recipe booklet to one of our lucky U.S. readers (sorry to our friends abroad, but we'll have something for you soon enough).

So how do you get to score this set from The Food Duo? Here are your options:

1. Leave a comment on our blog telling us how you would use Earth Balance®  Organic Coconut Spread or Earth Balance® MindfulMayo™ Dressing and Sandwich Spread in your cooking
   
2. "Like" us on Facebook and let us know by leaving a comment here
   
3. Follow us on Twitter, and also let us know by leaving a comment here

You each have three shots. We'll take all of the entries and run them through Random.org to select the winner. Entries will be accepted between now and Tuesday, September 20, 2025 at 11:59pm U.S. Eastern Time. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, September 21, 2011.

Good luck to all! 

If you're not up-to-date on what Earth Balance® is and their wonderful product line, you need to get to the store ASAP (or maybe wait until you win the giveaway). Their spreads, buttery sticks and soymilk are phenomenal. Mac's got a major "thing" for their chocolate milk, which is so good, it's bad, but not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning good (In a Run-DMC happy mood) way.

The coconut spread has many uses. You can bake with it (coconut pie - YUM). You can cook with it (coconut rice with some tofu satay - YUM x 2). You can just spread it on your toast with a little bit of chocolate (Breakfast of Champs like us...only on a cheat day, of course). It's not overpowering in flavor. It's a really nice complement to breakfast, lunch or dinner. The possibilities in how to cook with it are endless. What you do with it outside of the kitchen is your own business.

The MindfulMayo™ is great for salads as a base to your dressing. We like to add some balsamic vinegar and mustard to ours. Now, we haven't had it on sandwiches yet, but I think we'll do something with the oat flour tortillas Mac made recently. Already thinking ahead!

We want to take a quick moment to thank you guys for reading and following this little blog we have. It means a lot to know that you stop by, whether it be to check our new recipes, read Mac's crazy poems, see the oddball YouTube clip we post or an uplifting story we may share. Our appreciation of your support is TREMENDOUS!

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Oat Flour Tortillas Revisited

We decided to make the Oat Flour Tortillas again. We had a lot of difficulty with the dough on our first attempt, while the tortillas were really good. They had more of a flaky texture that wasn't very bread-like, but it could work.

Mac broke out the Vitamix this time around to grind down the oats into flour as well as make the dough. She worked with a mixture of steel-cup and old fashioned oats (1/2 c. of each). It look no more than 5 minutes to whip it all up. Though the dough was sticky, it was tons easier to form and roll. Mac only needed a little bit of extra oat flour to work with the dough. I could easily use them as a soft taco, as they were foldable, which wasn't so easy to do with our first try.

With the tortillas, I slow-cooked some peppers and onions, while Mac made some spicy tempeh with taco seasoning. It was really delicious, especially with some freshly squeezed lime juice. We totally need to make this again!

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When Life Gives You Chickpeas, Make a Salad!

If we only had some pumpernickel bread...and pickles...and chips...and....

On Friday night, Mac didn't want us to be bothered in making dinner, especially after her workout. She decided to whip up something with chickpeas. She was probably craving one of those vegan chick'n salad sandwiches that she used to get from Mrs. Green's. Since she couldn't have one of those in following our diet, she made something that would fit in with our weight-loss program. It included making a variation on mayo too!

Her salad was really good! In fact, it was so good that I wished I had some pumpernickel or rye bread. It would have been "slammin'" in a sandwich!

Here's what she made:

Mac's Chick(pea)en Salad
Source: The Food Duo's Friday Night Whip-Up
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 c. celery, chopped
• 1/4 c. carrots, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 c. Scallion-Mustard Tofu Mayo
• Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pour chickpeas in a medium bowl and mash until texture is slightly chunky
2. Mix in celery, carrots, bell pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to mashed chickpeas
3. Stir in mayo until mixture becomes slightly creamy. Add a few dashes of black pepper, and give mixture a final stir

Mac's Scallion-Mustard Tofu Mayo
Source: Mac's Craving for a Creamy Dip
Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 6-8oz silken tofu
• 1 Tbsp spicy mustard
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4 tsp dill weed
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
• Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Throw all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Mix until well-combined and smooth. Serve as a dip, dressing or spread

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It's Artie's Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARTICHOKE!
What a great 85 years you've had on Earth!  Keep it going! LOL!

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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Soup

Need Our Greens: Added some sauteed spinach on top of soup

We spent Labor Day totally lazing about the house. We didn't do too much, and that was just as we liked it. Though we relaxed, we still had to put in some work. How else were we going to eat? So, Mac made some soup for us.

The soup was made with a lot of ingredients (almost up there with Poppa Artichoke's 21-ingredient chili), but it really didn't take much effort. From soup to nuts, it took less than an hour to make. Mac made a big enough batch for a couple of days of comfort eats!

Not-So-Laborious Labor Day Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup
Source: The Lazy Macaroon 
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp olive oil, optional
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 c. vegetable broth
• 1c. water
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• Pinch of thyme
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. star anise
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• Salt to taste, optional

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, saute garlic (in oil, if using) until lightly browned. Add onion, carrot and celery and stir occasionally until onion becomes translucent
2. Add sweet potatoes and broth. Give mixture a stir and bring to a boil. Then lower heat to a simmer, cover pan with lid and cook for 15-20 minute or until potatoes are tender
3. In a small pot, add black beans and water. Stir in cumin and thyme. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. When ready, pour off any extra water and set aside
4. When potatoes are done, pour contents of saucepan into a blender. Add cinnamon, cayenne, parsley and star anise. Puree mixture until smooth and creamy
5. Pour mixture back into the medium saucepan, and stir in cooked black beans. Mix in black pepper and salt (if using) 
6. Enjoy!

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Oat Flour Tortillas

Tortilla strips atop of a tempeh taco salad


We're on a wheat-free, low fat, low sodium weight loss plan. With that, we're learning of alternative ways to get complex carbs into our diet. We've come across some pretty creative recipes, such as a burger bun made out of mashed potatoes. However, one of our now favorite ones has been for Oat Flour Tortillas, using a recipe found on Bob's Red Mill site.


Artie and I both found difficulties in making the dough for the tortillas at first. The flour to water ratio seemed a bit off. Also, the tortillas dried out water quickly while I was rolling out the dough. However, I found that if I brushed them with water once or twice, everything worked itself out.

The tortillas had great flavor, thanks to the taco seasoning (we made a no salt added mix), and worked well as strips atop of a warm taco salad and later as garnish on the carrot-ginger soup we made in our new Vitamix. It also could work well as a flatbread substitute.


Oat Flour Tortillas
Source: Bob's Red Mill
Makes about 4 Tortillas



Ingredients

• 1 cup Oat Flour 
• 1 tsp Taco Seasoning 
• 1/2 cup Water 

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the flour and seasoning. Stir in water, then evaluate the consistency. The dough should be soft, but not wet and mold easily into shapes. The dough will easily form a ball as you stir. In necessary, add a bit more flour or water to achieve the proper consistency
2. Pinch off balls of dough the size of golf balls. Toll them in additional flour to coat well. Knead each ball a bit as you pat or roll it into a flat circle that is about 1/8 inch thick and 5 inches across. Repeat with all dough
3. Heat a heavy frying pan or griddle. Use no oil. Place each tortilla in the hot pan and cook for a few minutes on each side. Tortillas should become lightly brown and start to appear dry. Cool on wire racks
4. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks or freeze

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The Towering Salad - A New Poem

I've been on this weird poetry kick lately. So here's a little ditty about Sunday's dinner

The Towering Salad (to the tune of "On Top of Spaghetti")

On top of romaine lettuce
All covered in veggies
I lost my poor tofu
Because it was so yummy

It rested on eggplant
with pretty grill marks
That laid on asparagus
with lemon juice not too tart

It was layered with tomato
Heirlooms taste so good
Then topped with strips of red peppers
And a dressing that will make you drool

I cut into the tower
My mouth opened wide
Now, I've lost my poor tofu
After too many delicious bites

What do you think?

For Sunday's dinner, I was inspired by a Caprese (tomato-mozzarella-basil) salad. I hadn't eaten one in a while. Being on our diet, we couldn't use cheese, even vegan cheese! So I would substitute the cheese with tofu seasoned with a little oregano and black pepper. It worked pretty well.

Building upon my love of Caprese salads, I decided to make a tower with tofu, heirloom tomatoes, grilled asparagus, grilled eggplant and roasted red peppers. The tower sat on top of romaine lettuce. Unfortunately, we were out of fresh basil leaves. Normally, I would use balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a dressing, but instead I made a spicy roasted pepper dressing with dried basil. With roasted peppers as a side, we were all set.

I don't have a formal recipe for the salad itself, but I do have one for the dressing, which is oil-free and still has a lot of flavor. I actually got it from a weight-loss forum, and made some slight modifications. Oh, and it was made in the Vitamix!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Dressing
Source: Provida Support Community
Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 clove garlic, crushed (I doubled the garlic)
• ½ cup roasted red, yellow, or orange bell peppers (see below for roasting method)
• ½ cup diced tomatoes (Fresh tomatoes, not canned)

I also added 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1/4 tsp. dried parsley, 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, 1/4 tsp. dried basil and a dash of ground black pepper

Directions:

1. To roast peppers, place whole peppers on grill or under broiler until skin is black and charred (turn as necessary). Let cool (careful, there will be steam inside, so I usually slice the peppers once as they are cooling to vent), then peel off charred skin
2. To make dressing, puree ingredients well in blender or food processor, chill, and enjoy!!! Will keep in the refrigerator about a week

Stacked!

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Saturday Night Special - Baked Orange Tofu

This is our "Saturday Night Special"

Our Aunt Grace recently sent us an Edible Arrangements bouquet as a "Just Because" gift. It was such a great surprise! If you're not familiar with Edible Arrangements, they're a U.S.-based company that specializes in "floral" arrangements made out of fruit, just like this one:


Oh, that green "stuff" is lettuce or kale

We could have easily gorged ourselves on the delicious fruit, but we decided to use them in a variety of ways; one of which being a baked orange tofu dish I made on a whim. I decided to pair it a cabbage stir-fry (we had a head that needed to be cooked) and some brown rice spaghetti. Earlier, I tweeted that it was almost "Italiasian" (hehehe).

Playing with food can be really exciting, as you never know what you'll create. I was so nervous about how my orange tofu would come out. I drove Artichoke a bit crazy about it, asking him about 5-6 times if I needed to add anything else. Happy was I to see, smell and taste how nicely it all came together. The orange gave the tofu a vivid color and flavor, the lemon kept the spices balanced and the vinegars lent a nice sour complement to the sweet orange juice with the added Splenda.

Now, I'm looking forward to what else we could make. Maybe using the Vitamix? Yeah, I'm addicted to it already!

Baked Orange Tofu
Source: Macaroonie, the Fruit Warrior
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
• Juice of 2 oranges
• 1 Tbsp. orange zest
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tsp. curry powder
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. ground mustard
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• Dash of salt (substitute) and ground pepper

Directions:

1. Slice tofu into 8 equal slabs, widthwise. Set aside
2. In a bowl, whisk together, the juices, zest, vinegars and spices
3. Dip each slab of tofu into juice mixture, then place into a 7x11" baking dish (8x8 works too, may be a tight fit)
4. Pour juice mixture over tofu slabs, and cover dish with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for at least 90 minutes
5. 30 minutes before marinading time is completed, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Replace plastic wrap with aluminum foil, and place dish in oven
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and flip tofu slabs. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. Then broil on high for 3-5 minutes on each side

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The Vitamix Is Here!

Artichoke and I love trying out new kitchen gadgets. Being foodies, how could we not? As some of you may know from our tweets and Facebook posts, we purchased a Vitamix blender from QVC on Sunday. It arrived on Thursday. We finally tore into the box on Friday to break out our shiny new toy!

What we have is the Vitamix Creations II 10-in-1 Blending Machine with 48oz Jar! After seeing Vitamix in ads and on TV, we've been wanting to get one, but the price was just too high! On Sunday, QVC had this machine as their "Today's Special Value." The price was too good to pass up.


It's here! It's finally here! YAY!


The Vitamix isn't just for making smoothies and juices. It can replace so many appliances in the home from food processor to hand mixer. It has minimal bells and whistles, yet does so much based on the variable setting you select.

The blender came with a DVD to introduce us to Vitamix, 3 spatulas, a tamper to help break down food when necessary, and a pretty cool cookbook that included recipes from Mario Batali and Rick Bayless.


All ready to go!

As a cookbook collector, I immediately went through the recipes. Right away, I noticed one for a carrot-ginger soup and it was VEGAN! I told Artie that's what we were having for dinner. Because of our diet, I modified things, leaving out oil and sodium.

The recipe was so simple and quick. From start to finish, I had soup cooked in the Vitamix (yes, cooked! thanks to the super high setting) in under 10 minutes. The soup was smooth and velvety, just how I like it! It also had a nice kick from using fresh ginger and white pepper.

I can't wait to use our Vitamix again tomorrow. Hmm, what should I make? Let me know what you think!


The finished product with oat flour tortilla strips!

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Kale & Tomato - A Love Story

Sauteed kale with tomatoes with rice and balsamic grilled tofu! 

I'm a poet, and I bet you didn't know it! HA!

Ode to Wednesday Night's Dinner

There once was a green named Kale
Who loved to be fresh, not stale
Who enjoyed being tossed about
With his pal, Garlic, sauteing himself out

There once was a fruit named Tomato
Bright red with seeds, and full of flavor
Who could be very sweet and also salty
But never could be deemed as paltry

One day Tomato met Kale
It was at a farmer's market sale
It was love at first sight right away
They ran off together that day

Now Tomato and Kale are two
As a side, they're never alone or blue
They make a great combination
With tofu, rice and imagination

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