Trying almond instead of peanut butter

Recently, we stopped buying peanut butter... for the time being. Almond butter, unlike peanut butter, tends to be *slightly* healthier for a number of reasons. But before just quoting them off the cuff, I'm looking for a great article to post in the comments for you so you can see for yourself. It's nothing diet shattering, just slight. Plus, we love that raw taste of almond butter. We're trying it out for now. We'll see how it goes:)

So, last night I wanted veggies and rice with peanut sauce. I took the typical peanut sauce recipe and changed up the ingredients a tad bit to work with what I had on-hand. And it came out GREAT! So here it is...
Byrdy's Steamed Veggies and Brown Rice with Almond Sauce

INGREDIENTS - makes 2 servings:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Baby carrots (or large whole carrots sliced)
3 tablespoons almond butter
2.5-3 teaspoons sugar (adjust to taste)
2.5 teaspoons Minced Garlic (i usually used canned)
1 tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Brown Rice

DIRECTIONS:
- steam chopped cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots just until slightly tender. I still like a decent crunch so I tend to go shorter on the steamer time.
- Cook brown rice according to directions on box.
- In a small bowl (or mini food processor), combine almond butter, garlic and sugar. Mix well.
- Add in the soy sauce, water, vinegar, and cilantro. Mix or pulse until smooth.

Layer rice, some sauce, veggies and more sauce over veggies. And there you have it! A heathy, colorful, very easy and tasty meal!

I LOVE avocados

Obsessed, I say. I buy 2-3 a week just to put them on salads, sandwiches AND to make guacamole (my fave use for avocados). Usually when I make guacamole, it's the typical Chipotle-style guac - red onion, cilantro, garlic, salt/pepper, avocado, lime juice - but tonight I was making veggie burritos with brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, green onion, yellow onion, yellow pepper, and guac. I had to get creative w/out cilantro and red onion...but I didn't really want that taste anyway. I wanted something fresh and a little more natural tasting. And as it happens often, I just looked at what I had and threw it together, tasting often until I had the EXACT flavor I was looking for. So, here you have it. My version of guac. Simple Guac but it was SOOOOO good. (btw, I'm sure there's a recipe in the world like this. If you find one, please share so I can compare and vary mine!)

- 2 avocados chopped
- 1 inch slice of a whole yellow onion, diced
- About 1/4 cup green onion
- 1 small vine ripened tomato (could be roma or cherry) seeded and diced
- Roughly 1/2 tsp of salt but please salt to taste...everyone likes a different amount.

Mash all these ingredients together in a bowl until combine. It will be chunky...but if you'd prefer it smoother, mash with a fork until you get the desired consistency.

And, the final product:)

Vegan Pumpkin Cookies

In the next couple weeks, I'll be going more in-depth about vegan cooking and baking, standard ingredient swaps and some related health facts, but in the mean time, I wanted to post this great little recipe I tried out tonight. It's not the BEST recipe I have ever had but it's the best recipe I've made! I'm still searching so please feel free to share!

These make a nice light and fluffy cookie to enjoy:)

MY ADAPTATION OF THE ORIGINAL RECIPE (shown below):

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin from Whole Foods (1 can)
• 2 tablespoon unsweetened organic applesauce
• 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat sugar and vegan margarine or butter in large mixer bowl until well blended.

Beat in pumpkin, applesauce and vanilla extract until smooth.

In a medium bowl, COMBINE flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove and salt.

Gradually beat dry mixture in to wet.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

BAKE for 10-14 minutes or until edges are firm.

Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes;

remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Vegan Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies 

(makes 24 large or 48 small cookies)

35 min | 20 min prep

24 -48 cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened
• 2 cups Libby's canned pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease baking sheets.
3. COMBINE flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove and salt in medium bowl.
4. Beat sugar and vegan margarine or butter in large mixer bowl until well blended.
5. Beat in pumpkin, applesauce and vanilla extract until smooth.
6. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
7. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.
8. BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm.
9. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes;
10. remove to wire racks to cool completely.
11. Drizzle glaze over cookies.
12. FOR GLAZE: COMBINE 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons soymilk, 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter or margarine and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.

Switchin' up the Sandwich

I've really struggled finding a sandwich I love since passing on the meat-options. Then, I visited Bodega in the Short North with Amy C a few weeks ago and found sandwich happiness again.

Inspired by their Hummus Sandwich , here is my avocado with white corn chips sandwich:

Yes, there are actually chips on the sandwich. I've always been a chip-on-sandwich girl. When I was in elementary school, it used to be Doritos on the turkey sandwich. And now, white corn chips on veggie sandwiches:) Try it sometime!

Ingredients:
Harvest Bread slided 1-in thick (bread is from Whole Foods Bakery)
1/4 cup spicy sprouts
2T Veggie or Garlic Hummus
3 slices avocado
4 slices cucumber (optional)
Add as many chips as you want!

Getting what you need

Found this lovely little piece of paper at Whole Foods and wanted to get it documented so I don't forget it after I loose this piece of paper!  Thought you'd enjoy it too. I know this isnt shocking info. Just a nice reminder.  And I didn't remove the meats since I know not EVERYONE is a vegetarian:)

How to Build a Better Lunch Box (Chef Ann Cooper)
Lesson 1: Choose something from each category below
Lesson 2: Be mindful of portions
Lesson 3: Include as many colors as possible in every lunch

PROTEIN:
nut butter
beans
edamame (so so yummy! Add a little salt and eat over rice!)
hummus (fave)
tofu (you know how I feel)
seitan
tempeh
nuts (cashews, pecans, walnuts, almonds)
sunflower sees

WHOLE GRAINS
whole-grain swhich bread
whole-grain pita bread or chips
whole-grain tortilla
whole-grain English muffin
whole-grain chips or crackers
whole-grain pasta or couscous
brown rice, quinoa or millet
whole-grain muffin
granola
corn

HEALTHY FATS
almonds or alomond butter
walnuts
avocado
whil-caught salmon
flax oil
flax seed
olives
evoo

VEGETABLES
green leaf lettuce
greens
carrots
jicama
green beans
celery
avocado
bell pepper
olives
potatoes
broccoli
snap peas
asparagus
artichoke
spinach
sweet potato
cabbage/slaw
peas
eggplant
onion
cucumber
tomato *technically a fruit)
zucchini
squash
cauliflower
100% vegetable juice

FRUITS
apple
banana
plum
nectarine
peach
orange
apricot
kiwi
melon
grapes
strawberries
blueberries
raspberries
raisins
dried fruit
100% fruit juice
100% fruit spread

CALCIUM
tofu
dark leafy greens
almonds & almond butter
beans
hummus
soy, rice or almond milk
100% orange juice (fortified)

Calling all Tofu!

I have been cooking recently from the delicious book, The Flexitarian Table . The recipe below was from that book.

Doesn't this dish look clean, fresh and yummy? Smelled A-MAZING. So so good.

The glaze, the veggies and the rice I made with it were perfectly flavored and cooked.
But there was one problem. I hate Tofu. I tried so hard to like this dish I made. I cut it up so it was less noticeable but it didn't help. I bet if you like Tofu you would have enjoyed this!

I'm going to work on more attempts to make a Tofu dish I love and enjoy but I need your help. Any of you Tofu eaters out there have a sure-to-please recipe you wouldn't mind sharing? I'd love to give it a go, document it and share it! And better yet, if you're up for coming over (or me visiting your home) and allowing me to capture the process, and taste when you're done, even better:)

Please leave a comment below with your Tofu recipe or link to your favorite Tofu recipe!

Join me

I'm a foodie. I admit it: I. LOVE. FOOD > period. But I don't just appreciate good taste. For me, it's about the color. As a photographer OBSESSED with color, I expect the same excitement in the food I'm cooking. Not only is it more fun to look at, it's usually more tasty and MUCH better for your health.

Recently, I made the decision to eat vegetarian and serve vegetarian dishes in my home (and I'm not maintaining this lifestyle on my own...I have incredible support from the hubby, Matt, who now also enjoys and appreciates the veg life). I'm working hard at this lifestyle. And it IS hard. Here's why:
1 - Effort: As a frequent local restaurant hopper, it's a conscious decision to ask questions about the menu. Are there animal products in your food? If so, what? I'll eat eggs and dairy but sometimes the broth is beef or chicken.
2 - Options: Not all restaurants understand the diet. I say "what are your vegetarian options?" and they say "we have some salads you can look at". Well, that's easy. I could have come to that myself. No, what I need is dishes with beans or nuts or soy protein. See? Not so available at your local Bob Evans (sometimes I just HAVE to go for a yummy roll).
3 - Inconvenience: Apparently I'm a naturally high-maintenance person. Per my friends. And family. And husband (occasionally...and in an oh so kind and gentle voice). Whatever. But if I am, not interested in fueling it. So, I find myself just ordering that salad from #2 above, and shaking with hunger later. But guess what that has done in turn? Has me digging for recipes, getting back into the "test kitchen" and doing what I love. Cooking my version of every dish I love when I go out.  And also trying new ones of course:)

But the benefits out way the "hardships".  Read some of those reasons (whether you agree or not) here.

That brings me to the reason for this blog. Same reason I had my last restaurant blog: because I can't do anything I love without sharing. Here, you'll have access to every recipe I find tasty, colorfully, and beneficial! Some of you might be my lucky taste-testers (have a few in mind already!) but most of all, I hope this is a place to communicate - to hear about your favorite recipes and resources so I can constantly be expanding my dining options! And you will find the occasional restaurant review. I can't help it. But it'll mostly be local Columbus or a locally owned restaurant experience during my travels.

Enjoy the colorful and wonderful recipes coming your way and leave your thoughts!