Vegan Brunswick Stew

As a good southern girl, I made this vegan Brunswick stew. It was always a winter comfort food for me growing up in the mountains. Packed with pulled pork, veggies, and a delicious tomato broth, I ate this by the fire while watching Christmas movies. As soon as the cold weather hit, I got the hankering for it and set out to make my own. I found that several vegan cooks use hearts of palm as a pulled pork substitute. I was definitely reluctant at first, most of my experiences with hearts of palm have consisted of bad salads, but as they cooked down they did take on a stringy meaty texture. The liquid smoke allows you to fake it til you make it when paired with barbecue sauce. Delicious leftovers as well.

Vegan Brunswick Stew (serves 6)
1 14 oz. Can Hearts of Palm
1 t Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic, diced
1/2 Cup Yellow Onion, diced
2 T Barbecue Sauce
2 T Soy Sauce
1 14 oz. Can Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 8 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
1 bag frozen vegetable medley, thawed*
1 1/2 Cups Water
1 t Molasses
1/4 t Liquid Smoke
Salt and Pepper to taste
* I used 365 Vegetable Medley from Whole Foods. It has corn, Lima beans, carrots, green beans, and peas.

To prepare the hearts of palm for cooking, slice in half length wise and then thinly slice into half moons. These will become stringier during the cooking process. In a large sauce pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and vegetables until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add the prepared palm hearts to the pan along with the soy sauce and barbecue sauce and saute an additional 3 to 4 minutes, mashing the hearts to separate the fibers. Add canned tomatoes, sauce, water, molasses, liquid smoke, salt and pepper and cook on medium heat uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Gettin' Crafty: Christmas Edition

Christmas is my favorite time of year, and I cannot wait to celebrate. Being the Holiday purist, I do not start decorating until Thanksgiving is over with....usually it means after the meal or the day after. I was lucky enough to score a four day weekend to celebrate my husband's birthday and also have time to get our tree and do a little Christmas crafting. I had been contemplating what to do with my Christmas wreath this year, I think fake flowers should be outlawed and I used feathers and ribbon for my fall wreath.

I found a post on Pinterest on how to make no-sew fabric flowers and was pretty interested to see how it would turn out. They are great to make out of leftover fabric and can be used for wreaths, hair pins, decoration, or sweater embellishments. I however did not have leftover fabric because I do not own a sewing machine. This was a great opportunity to work with some fabric, which I never get to do...no-sew is right up my alley! They recommended using Liquid Stitch, which I forgot to grab at JoAnn's, so I used hot glue with the same results. Use Liquid Stitch if you are making them with kids. When choosing your fabrics, look at the colors-not the pattern. You will not see the pattern when the flower is made, you can pick ones with puppy dogs on it and it will turn out to have swirls and flecks of other colors.

You will need:
Fabric
Hot Glue
Sissors
Grapevine wreath
Pearls, feathers, or other embellishments
*I purchased the already cut fabric squares from JoAnn's. They are about $1 a piece and will yield 10-12 flowers each.

Our Christmas decorations have always been turquoise and brown, this year I decided to add a little red (which is strange because I do not usually like red)

Step One: Cut fabric into 1" strips. Fold in half so the print is on the outside and seal with glue

The edges do not have to be perfect, it will give you a "less perfect" flower.

Step Two: Start with one end and roll. This will be the center of your flower

Side Note: Having a long weekend is awesome, I go to paint my fingernails! (Which is a no-no in the food biz)

Step Three: Twist the ribbon once over as you roll. This will give the flower it's petals. Play with it some! Twist one way, then the other, stop twisting and just roll, twist twice! No two flowers will be the same!

Step Four: When you reach the end of the ribbon, seal with glue. To make larger flowers, glue another ribbon strip to where you ended and keep rolling.

Here is the wreath I made, I just hot glued the flowers to the wreath and added pearls on floral wire. I also made a swag for our front door with the flowers to give it a theme. 

Lowe's gave us free branches so that I could make our swag

They are also cute as centers for bows. The curtain rod that pictures are typically hung from is turned into our stocking holder at Christmas. I will probably add some greenery to the rod if I find some on sale....

Restaurant Review: Cameron Bar & Grill

It was a rough week at work. Holiday craziness is in full effect. I am stretched thinner with an event (or two) every week, putting out fires, and additional meetings and responsibilities on top of my heavy work load. That is why it was so nice to come home after said long week to a wonderful husband who said "Baby, don't worry about cooking, let's go out and have some fun". Grabbing a cocktail with my husband is a nice treat. Neither one of us are big drinkers with me working full time and him in school and work. We may have wine with dinner, but it is totally different than going out. We were going to go to our neighborhood sports bar, because it was easy, but when we got there it was a 45 minute wait due to a college football game (we don't keep up with that mess). So we walked around the corner to The Cameron Bar & Grill. This by chance will definitely become the new go to.

The Cameron Bar & Grill located in Cameron Village has turned a new leaf since coming under new management/ownership. It has a classy adult atmosphere with plenty of wiggle room and a calming decor. While it does host several televisions over the bar, it by no means is a sports bar. The menu has "bar food" with a twist like Crab and Goat Cheese Dip, Salads, and Burgers with pimento cheese or fried green tomatoes. Sticking with our Vegan diet (with the occasional dairy when we go out), my husband ordered the spinach salad with mushrooms, goat cheese, (no) bacon, grape tomatoes, and a warm homemade balsamic vinaigrette. He was definitely impressed with the portion and flavor of the dressing. I ordered the Portobello Mushroom Wrap, flat bread topped with grilled mushrooms, roasted peppers, red onion, mixed greens, tomato, and cucumber sauce served with sweet potato fries. Whereas this may sound typical and boring, it was anything but. The meaty mushrooms were seasoned and grilled to perfection and the flat bread was warm and soft. Our meal was fresh, comforting, and along with our drinks, relaxing.

Service was great, not overly attentive-we did not have our conversation interrupted, but our glasses never stayed empty for long. After we ate at one of their high top tables, we moved to the bar to have another drink and listen to the live music that was starting up. We had a great time and will definitely be back.

Ouch, sorry for the super dark picture. My wrap and fries.

The Om Nom Life goes to Wine and Design

I love doing arts and crafts. I sometimes am too busy to do it as much as I would like, but now that we have a second bedroom, I have my very own creative space. It is something I am truly passionate about and what I need to make time to do. I took extra art classes when I was in school and at one point in time thought I'd major in art education, I chose culinary arts instead.

I was invited to a bloggers' night at the Wine and Design here in Raleigh and I was über excited to go. I have been once before with a friend, but this time I was going to go solo. At the usual $35 a pop to go, I was also looking forward to just providing myself with a snack and wine and skipping the fee.

The studio is a nice space hosting a large area with long tables. Each station comes equipped with easels, paint, and canvas. There is also an additional studio in the back for private parties.

It is amazing what you can do at this place. Even if you think you have zero artistic skill, you will walk away confident and proud of your creation. The instruction is clear and easy, you are free to work at your own pace, and tweak the colors to your liking. Whereas most of the time, I like to paint in quiet or with chill music, you will pump out your painting while listening to Top 40 surrounded by women singing along (slightly annoying, but just drink up).

I brought a deliciously smooth bottle of Shiraz and 100 calorie Brie Bites (smartest and cutest thing ever) and Pita Crackers. My favorite dinner.

Wine and Design is definitely worth checking out. It's a great treat for yourself, a fun girls night, or a romantic date night. I plan on signing my husband and I up for one of their special date nights when you work on a painting together. Here is how it went!

This is making me drool to look at it (can you tell I haven't had cheese since?)

The Om Nom creative space, coming along....

Chickpea Pot Pie

If you know me, you know that I love me some chickpeas. Whether it's hummus, roasted with spices, or on my salad I can never get enough. This dish was comfort during a rainy week and was what I call "a perfect fridge cleaner" meaning you can easily tweak this recipe to add whatever you have on hand.

Chickpea Pot Pie (serves 6-8)
2 cups potatoes, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/4 cup broccoli, trimmed into bite size pieces.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup AP flour
2 cups vegetable or vegan chicken broth
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
1 tsp kosher salt
cracked pepper
dash of Tabasco sauce
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup AP flour
1/4 cup fresh chives, thinly sliced
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup almond milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise

Boil the potatoes and carrots until tender but not soft and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. For the filling, heat oil a large saucepan until hot. Add the onions and sauté until they are soft. Sprinkle in the flour and mix. Allow to cook and bubble for two minutes Slowly pour in the broth, whisking well with a wire whisk. Cook the mixture over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas, peas, broccoli, cooked potatoes and carrots, salt, pepper to taste, and Tabasco. Cook on medium heat until the mixture is heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into a casserole dish. For the crust, in a bowl combine the cornmeal, 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, sugar, chives, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the milk, oil and mayo. Add to the dry ingredients and mix. Spoon the batter evenly over the filling. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes.

Inspiration

Words to remember and live by. Sometimes I need to remind myself to not get caught up in things that do not matter at the end of the day. My goal for November is to cook more from the heart, love my little family, and spend more time in my craft room.

Halloween Meatloaf Hands

This was a fun recipe I did last year for Halloween. I got the idea from notmartha.com (great website). They used a jello hand mold to sculpt the shape, but I just did it by hand. I used my standard meatloaf recipe, which you can change to a turkey loaf, added onions for the fingernails and wrist bones and added provolone cheese to create the burnt skin look. Tip: always pull your meat out 5 degrees cooler then what you want it to be, it will continue to cook as it rests. Also, you can hide imperfections in the shape of the hand by piping mashed potatoes around it.
Meat Hands (makes 2 hands)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup whole milk
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium celery rib, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
4 sliced of bacon, diced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
1/2 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 onion
4 slices provolone cheese
1/2 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Soak bread crumbs in milk in a large bowl. Meanwhile, cook onion, garlic, celery, and carrot in butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Add to bread-crumb mixture. Add bacon to onion mixture along with beef, pork, eggs, and parsley and mix together with your hands. Shape into 2 mittens. Compress the meatloaf to sculpt the fingers. Do not mash all of the way through just half way-you do not want your fingers to burn and the hand to still be raw. Slice onion into a fingernail shape and attach to the meatloaf. Spread ketchup on the top of the hands. Tear provolone and cover the entire meat hand, except the fingernails. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Swedish Beanballs

There are few comfort foods that can top gravy. It's just good. If I'm going to eat gravy, there needs to be plenty of it and covering everything on the plate. We recently moved to a new home and took a day trip to get new things from IKEA. I love IKEA by the way, affordable while not forsaking quality and they have everything. Not to mention, they have a bangin' cafeteria inside. Any shopping venture that requires a cafeteria before you continue shopping is serious bidness. In the past, I have always chosen the Swedish Meatballs, because hello-there's gravy. We both were tempted to get them this time, and even though we were going to go for a salad, we got them anyway. As we were eating them, he gave me a mission-make vegan Swedish Meatballs. I took Veganomicon's base recipe for beanballs, seasoned and prepared them with my traditional Swedish Meatball recipe. Since meatballs (should be) juicy and soft, we definitely did not miss the meat on this one. I made some mashed potatoes with unsweetened almondmilk, vegan butter, and nutritional yeast to go along with and sauteed up some spinach.

Swedish Beanballs (serves 4)
20 oz of cooked kidney beans

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
2 T. olive oil
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons steak sauce or tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t. lemon zest
1/2 red onion, minced (1/4 if the onion is large)
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of allspice

Place beans in a large bowl. Using a potato masher, mash the beans. You do not want them completely smooth, just enough to be able to form the balls. Add the wheat gluten, bread crumbs, soy sauce, oil, steak sauce, onion, and lemon. Mix again with a spatula. You may need to use your hands to thoroughly combine. Season with the nutmeg and allspice and mix again. Roll into 1 1/2" balls. If the balls are too big then the consistency will be off.

Heat a large skillet with enough oil to cover the bottom over medium heat. Add the balls and cook 10 minutes. Turn and cook another 10-15 minutes or until brown and slightly crispy on both sides. Drain and set aside.

Vegan Gravy
4 Tablespoons Vegan Butter (I use Earth Balance)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cup vegetable broth or vegan chicken broth (I use Edward & Son's Not-Chick'n Boullion Cubes)
1/4 cup vegan sour cream (I used Tofutti)
Black pepper to taste

In a skillet, heat the butter until melted and bubbling. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Very slowly, teaspoon at a time, add the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the beanballs to the pan and turn off the heat. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Garbanzo Avocado Salad with Cranberries

Here is an easy lunch recipe- instead of the typical chicken salad dripping with mayo, I made a healthier, plant based version. I forgot to take a picture, and to be honest, it is not that pretty to look at. Don't judge a book by it's cover, it is very light, delicious and filling. I served mine in a pita pocket, but could certainly eat on it's own, with crackers, or in a toasted bread sandwich with lettuce and tomato.

Garbanzo Avocado Salad with Cranberries (makes about 2 cups)
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, mashed
1/2c dried cranberries
1/2c walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4c red onion, minced
1/4c fresh parsley, chopped
pinch of garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a bowl add the garbanzo beans, with a fork mash the beans slightly. You can mash more if you like a smoother salad or not at all for a chunky version. Add the avocado, cranberries, walnuts, and red onion. Stir well to coat with the avocado. Add the garlic powder and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Restaurant Review: Firebird's

We are doing well with our new vegan lifestyle. I've lost 10 pounds in the past week and a half (which wasn't the point, but I'm not complaining!), we both have more energy and feel less weighed down after eating.

Since we are primarily choosing the vegan lifestyle for health reasons, we did agree that we could have a splurge night once a month. We hadn't been on a date since getting rid of animal products, so last night we went to one of our staples- Firebird's.

Having several locations but still maintains the small chain feel, Firebird's never disappoints. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, especially during the cooler months. A beautiful bar area, roaring fireplaces, and a wooden lodge motif, you would hardly notice that you are sitting in the middle of the North Hills shopping center. Our server, William was fantastic. The kind of service you wish you could get everywhere-attentive without being bothersome and extremely knowledgeable. My husband selected a drink and I said I would need a minute to decide. He recommended a new Pinot Noir that they had, giving background on the vineyard, their recent award, and the characteristics. I took him up on his suggestion and it was perfect.

We looked over the menu, and when William returned he told us their specials for the day which my husband and I both selected from. He chose the Peppercorn Crusted New York Strip with Port Wine Mushrooms and Bleu Cheese Sauce and selected his favorite Parmesan Mashed Potatoes as his side. I chose the Panko Crusted Flounder topped with Basil and Roasted Tomatoes served with a Chardonnay Beurre Blanc, Pecan Green Beans and the same Mashed Potatoes. We, as always, split the BLT salad as an appetizer.

The BLT salad is always perfect. Ice cold romaine with chopped tomatoes, crispy bacon, candy coated pecans and a garlic ranch. They encourage splitting the salad (which is nice) and is the perfect appetizer portion for the two of us.

His steak was cooked to the perfect medium rare and we both loved the taste of the peppercorns along with the mushrooms. My flounder, which William told me I received the last one, was a perfect golden brown, seasoned to perfection, and had the perfect amount of beurre blanc to enjoy with the fish and to swish the potatoes in.



My ginormous, but delicious portion of Flounder



This was the perfect dinner. Part of me thinks we appreciate it more since we are only eating non-vegan once a month, but on the other hand the staff at Firebird's has never let us down in the past. It would be hard not to choose Firebird's for our monthly splurge. The size of the meal is in proportion to the cost, we never leave feeling it was money ill spent-not to mention service is always top notch.

Lentil Sloppy Joes

Another fantastic recipe from Veganomicon (Snobby Joes). My husband and I like to have "fun food" nights, food that you eat with your hands while watching a good movie, and these was the perfect fit. They were super filling and satisfying-I made a vegan coleslaw to put on top to make it Carolina Style. The leftovers were equally delicious.

Lentil Sloppy Joes (serves 6)
1 cup uncooked lentils

4 cups water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
1 green bell pepper, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon mustard
Whole Wheat Buns

Pour the lentils and water into a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil; once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Drain and set aside. About 10 minutes before the lentils are done, preheat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.
3. Stir in the cooked lentils, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit on the warm burner for about 5 minutes so that the flavors can meld.

Coleslaw

3 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until use.

Lemony Kale & Orzo Soup

This was a tasty recipe I came up with when my husband and I both were feeling under the weather. When typically we would have ordered something, which is not easy as a vegan, I got up and cooked. Simple to make, immensely satisfying, and just a feel good recipe- a light broth with nutrient packed kale, whole wheat orzo pasta for comfort, and cannellini beans for protein. Top it off with lemon juice and you are set for the next few meals. We noshed on this with a whole grain sourdough bread and healed from the inside out. I forgot to take a picture of the soup...I guess it was that good.

Lemony Kale & Orzo Soup (makes about 9 cups)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small white onion, small dice
1 carrot, peeled and small dice
1 rib celery, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
6 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or my favorite Not Chick'n Bouillon Cubes prepared as directed)
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and sliced thinly
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly
3/4 cup orzo pasta
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

 Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the carrot and celery. Cook for 2 minutes and add the onion. Continue to cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the water and broth. Bring to a boil and add the orzo. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beans and kale and simmer until beans are warmed through and the kale is wilted. Reduce heat to low and add the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

If We Could All Be This Happy....

This is my pup, Flynn, enjoying the windows rolled down. This is probably my favorite picture of him. I set this as my wallpaper on my computer at work and my lock screen on my phone. Whenever I look at this picture it reminds me to stop, take a breath, and enjoy the moment. Whether I am stressed about something at work, letting my worries get the best of me, or feeling down in the dumps. If only we could be this happy all of the time.....

Potato & Kale Enchiladas-I'm Impressed

I recently bought the cookbook Veganomicon after flipping through it and seeing some pretty tasty looking recipes. This is the first recipe I made from this book, and I have to say, they were flippin' delicious. I could eat them everyday. Filling and satisfying and pretty fun to make. They will go on the regulars list. I tweaked the recipe slightly and have provided a couple of short cuts. They were fabulous reheated as well.

Potato & Kale Enchiladas with Roasted Chile Sauce (serves 4-6)

Enchilada Chile Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 large green chilis, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped coarsely
2 – 3 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon marjoram or Mexican oregano
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons salt
*Shortcut: Rick Bayless to the rescue! Frontera makes a vegan enchilada sauce that is very tasty. Skip making the sauce and use that as a time saver.
Potato and Kale Filling:
1 pound waxy potatoes (I used red skinned potatoes and did not peel them)
1/2 pound kale washed, trimmed and chopped finely
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup toasted pepitas
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 – 14 corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 375F and have ready a shallow casserole dish. Prepare the enchilada sauce first: In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions in oil for 4 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Puree with a blender until the mixture is smooth and even. Prepare the filling: Peel (I didn't) and dice the potatoes, then boil them until tender. Drain and set aside. Cook the oil and minced garlic over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until the garlic is slightly browned. Add the kale, sprinkle with salt and raise the heat to medium stirring constantly to cover the kale with oil and garlic. Partially cover the pot to steam the kale until it has wilted – 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and mix in the potatoes, beans, vegetable stock, lime juice, pumpkin seeds and salt. Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the potatoes. Cook for another 3 – 4 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Ladle a small amount of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish. Heat the stack of corn tortillas, wrapped in a wet paper towel for 20 seconds in the microwave. Dip the tortilla in the enchilada sauce so that it is covered in the sauce.Place the soaked tortilla on a plate and place some potato mixture inside. Roll it up and put it in the casserole dish. Repeat with each of the enchiladas until you have lined them all up in the dish. Cover with enchilada sauce (saving some for topping) and cover with foil, place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. Top individual servings with the remainder of the enchilada sauce once cooked.
We also served with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, and mashed avocado.

Not the prettiest thing to photograph...but you get the point.

Edamame Soba Salad

Even though we have been officially vegan for 3 days, it seems like longer. So far so good. We both felt sick yesterday-chills, headache, and cold like symptoms. I think we were detoxing some, but today we have both felt much better. It is forcing me to think, be creative, and to not be lazy. Of course I have known how to leave animal products out all along, but now it is trying to make it a full meal that is filling, satisfying, and exciting.  Even though I felt horrible yesterday, I still cooked dinner (when typically we probably would have ordered delivery). I think the money we will save on eating out alone will be stellar. This is a simple recipe I whipped up for lunch today with what I had in the fridge and pantry. I will tweak and add new veggies next time-mainly I wanted to see if we would like it. (and we did!) Asparagus and mushrooms would have been amazing!

Edamame Soba Salad (makes 2-3 entrees or 4-6 sides)
6 oz soba noodles
1/2 cup carrot, julienne
1/4 red bell pepper, small dice
1/2 cup shelled edamame
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chiffonade (shredded)
1T sesame oil
2 t rice wine vinegar
1T Bragg's Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce
1/4 t dijon mustard
1 t fresh ginger, minced
Sriracha (hot chili sauce) to taste
2 T fresh chives, thinly sliced

Cook soba noodles according to directions on the box. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, aminos, mustard, and ginger. Mix well and season with sriracha. Drain the soba noodles well. (I even patted them dry with a paper towel) Place in a large bowl and add the vegetables. Pour dressing on top and toss to coat the veggies and noodles. Season again with sriracha if necessary and add chives. Serve room temp or chilled.

Going Vegan....

My husband and I were watching the documentary last night "Forks Over Knives" (knives meaning surgical knives). Right when they were showing the surgeon pull plague out of the artery, my husband pressed the pause button and just sat there. He decided right then and there that he was done. He wanted to go vegan. I was so excited! I have been wanting to go vegan for some time now and haven't because I do the cooking for him as well. Which also made me feel bad, why wasn't I pushing it as a healthy choice for him. I also felt that as a cook I would "bring shame to the family". What would Escoffier, Childs, and Keller think?

But it's not just about being vegan. Potato chips are vegan. It's about eating whole foods (minimally processed), not substituting with vegan cheese, mayo, and tofu. It's about consuming much less sugar, salts, and oils. It's about looking at our sleeping pup Flynn and think "How could anyone kill this creature?".

It's not about losing weight or jumping on a bandwagon. I am hoping that this is something we can stick to. I do not want this to be a phase. I want myself and my husband to be around with each other as long as possible. I want to run races with him, continue hiking, and challenge by culinary skills. Cancer, heart disease, and diabetes are all present in one of our families or both. The last thing either one of us wants is to be medication dependent-especially if it is a disease that it completely preventable.

I know I am on my high horse now, but I don't expect it to be easy. I like cheese. It will take some major meal planning. Here is what I have planned for this week so far:

My favorite savory sweet potatoes for lunches.
Haitian Red Beans & Rice (recipe to come)
Tempeh Stir Fry
Curried chickpeas and quinoa
Lemony Kale and Orzo Soup (recipe to come)
Snacks of hummus, celery with nut butter and raisins (his request)
Breakfasts of oatmeal and smoothies.

We will see how it goes!

Pumpkin Scones

We had a cold front move through this weekend and it automatically put me in the mood for Fall flavors. I made these delicious pumpkin scones-a tweaked recipe from my bakery textbook. Not too sweet and delicious with coffee, hot tea, or cider.

Pumpkin Scones (makes 12 medium scones)

2 cups all purpose flour

¼ cup & 3 T sugar

1T baking powder

½ t salt

½ t cinnamon

½ t nutmeg

¼ t cloves

¼ t ginger

6 T cold butter, cut into 1“ cubes

½ c canned pumpkin

3T half and half

1 egg

For the Glaze:

1c & 1T powdered sugar

Second glaze:

¼ t cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of ginger

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Add the butter and mix until the texture looks like cornmeal.

 In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into the dry and form the dough into a ball. Pat dough out on a lightly floured surface and form into 1” thick, 4” wide, and 12” long. Using a large knife, slice the dough into three equal portions. Cut each portion into an X so that each section makes 4 scones (12 scones total). 

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes. Let cool

To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Brush the tops of the scones. Let set for 10 minutes. With the remaining glaze, add the spices. Drizzle on the tops of the scones. Let icing dry before serving. 

The Om Nom Life

Yep, I changed the name of my blog. I'm a little annoyed that I did, but also annoyed that I didn't think of the name before. This will still primarily be a cooking blog, but we are moving into a new home and I feel like there will now be much more to it. I will start blogging about gardening, crafts, household projects, and pretty much everything that makes me happy.

The Om Nom Life has two meanings, on the culinary side of food being "Om Nom Nom" when it is good. The other side is the Om relating to my life practices. Buddhism (which has also been influenced by Hinduism), finding inner peace and happiness, and showing joy and love for others-primarily my husband and pup (my little family).

Hope everyone will like these changes!

Cacio e Pepe

I was watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations where he travels to Italy. I wish I had been a  notable chef a decade and a half ago, because he has my dream job. I have often wanted to write war stories from the kitchen and travel from one end of the earth to the other. Sometimes, I really dislike him because he can be so bitter and cynical...but I guess that is a part of his charm as well. He sat down at this little cafe and ordered Cacio e Pepe, an amazingly simple dish that he was having a culinary orgasm over. I watched how the chef made it on the show and wanted to see what the fuss was about. I get it.

Cacio e Pepe (serves 4)

8 ounces spaghetti (I used an angel hair instead)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper

1 1/2c freshly grated parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add your pasta. Cook until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium and add the pepper. Allow to cook for one minute. Using tongs or one of those noodle thingies, Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Add the parmesan cheese and a 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Stir to incorporate and add more pasta water, if necessary, to create a light coating of sauce. Serve immediately and garnish with more cheese and pepper.

If you do not own a microplane, get one..STAT. It makes what I like to call cheese snow

Easy Peasy: Spaghetti Squash

I saw the first hints of Fall at the Farmers' Market this past weekend and my heart skipped a beat. I love this time of year. I love the cooler weather, the crunchy leaves, the smells, and the food. This is the time of year I feel lucky to live in North Carolina. I was so excited to see apples and winter squash especially. Winter squashes are wonderful to cook, but the size and hard exterior tend to turn some away. Knowing the basic principles of how to cook these puppies is key, so I plan on showing simple ways to cook winter squashes throughout the rest of the year. I'm starting with my favorite-spaghetti squash. I consider spaghetti squash to be a culinary wonder-a squash that tastes like a vegetable with a hint of sweetness with the texture of an angel hair pasta noodle. My husband had never had them before and he loved it! I roasted them and seasoned afterwards to use as a side, but turn it into the star attraction by treating it like it is a pasta! Top with your favorite sauce!

Simple Roasted Spaghetti Squash (serves 4)
2 medium sized spaghetti squash
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

A little size reference for you

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a large knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise.
 Tip: if you are having difficulty, get the knife at least in the squash and pick up the handle of the knife with the squash in it, and slam it down on your cutting board...barbaric, but effective.

Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Brush or rub the inside with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Lay cut side down on a baking sheet and cook for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

Using a fork, start on one of the outside edges and scrape to the other side. Do this gently to keep strands in tact instead of it turning to mush.

I prop the hot squash half in a bowl to scrape.

Now comes the fun part-be creative. My favorite is to toss in a little butter, a drizzle of honey, and a touch of a specialty oil. Truffle oil is amazing, but walnut oil is delicious as well. If I use it as a base for pasta, I will just add a little olive oil and top with the sauce. Spaghetti squash also lends itself nicely to warm spices like curry.

It's that easy!

Restaurant Review: The Pit

My cousin and her boyfriend were in town from Florida, and wanted some good, traditional Carolina barbecue. I didn't want to take them to a "feed trough" so we went to The Pit. My husband and I had been to The Pit before and for the most part enjoyed ourselves. This time we were pretty disappointed...

First off, they have what they spend five minutes explaining to you-team service. They mean for you to be able to ask anyone for service and to always be taken care of. I find it confusing and impersonal. One person sat us, one poured our drinks, and then we sat. It seems like everyone expected someone else to have their turn. I finally flagged a waiter down and told him we were ready to order, and he replied "Let me get your waitress" (kind of defeats the purpose, huh?)

I ordered the pulled pork plate with fried okra and macaroni and cheese, as well as my cousin who got different sides, my husband got ribs, and her boyfriend got the beef brisket. Everything on my plate lacked flavor. The pork was plain, I assume to add the sauce of your liking, the okra was decent, and the macaroni and cheese was, well, pretty cheeseless. A pet peeve of mine also came out on that plate-lukewarm food. It seems like everything sat in a steam table until served, instead of pulled off the smoker or out of the oven. I turned to my fellow diners, all food enthusiasts, and no one said a word. (and not in the no-news-is-good-news kind of way) Slowly everyone piped up agreeing that everything was just okay.

As a cook, I find it mortifying when I suggest a restaurant expecting a good dining experience and am left empty handed. The Pit lacks flavor, service, and is overpriced. We would have been better off going to a hole in the wall or fast food barbecue restaurant. The only thing The Pit really has going for it is the decor. Too bad there were not a whole lot of customers there to fill this beautiful restaurant....

Bacon Maple Herb Pork Loin

I made this as a special request from my little brother. I made a plain bacon wrapped pork tenderloin once before and you would have thought I invented sliced bread. This time I jazzed it up a little for when my mom and brother came over for dinner. Easy to make and looks impressive. This time I used a slightly cheaper cut-pork loin.

Bacon Maple Herb Pork Loin (serves 4)
2 lbs pork loin roast
4-6 slices of bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1T dried Italian herb blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4c pure maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees as well as a large skillet over medium high heat. Rub all sides of the pork loin with the herbs and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and allow to sit for one hour. Depending on the length of your pork loin, lay strips of bacon out on a cutting board to measure end to end.

Pick up one end of the bacon and hold it to the pork loin. Roll the pork loin and the bacon will wrap around it. 

Season the outside with additional pepper and dried herbs. Laying the bacon seam side down, sear the pork loin in the large skillet. Cook for 4 minutes and roll to the side and cook for another 3 minutes. Continue to roll the poin loin until all sides are browned. Place on a rack on a baking sheet (just a baking sheet is fine), brush with maple syrup and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. (165 for those of you who freak out over slightly pink pork), lightly brushing with the maple syrup every 10 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and slice to serve.