Archive for My Blog
16
May 2012
What Kids Love: Blissful Cream Cheese and Jam Rollups
In today's What Kids Love From Blissful Bites we have Jennifer from Mommy's ER tell us how I helped saved the lunch box with my kid-friendly recipes. Last month Carissa shared her love for my heavenly raw chocolate mousse. If you are a parent who's kids love recipes from Blissful Bites and would like to be featured please contact me!
I had a revelation today. It happens — particularly when my husband goes out of town, and Iʼm left to do the things that I rely on him to do so thoroughly that when theyʼre done, itʼs as though a fairy godmother swept through the house… the same fairy godmother who forgets to come when heʼs away. I know itʼs often the other way around for a nursing mother, but in this case, his absence makes me wonder — what exactly do I do again when heʼs around? Case in point, the bath routine: turns out, toenails donʼt actually cut themselves, and eight year olds (or my eight year old at any rate) are like cats when it comes to hair-washing. Brian always does this while Iʼm putting baby to bed. How quickly Iʼve forgotten!
Another wake-up call: the lunch box. Husband extraordinaire packs it while he makes his morning coffee. NOT the bath and nail-cutting fairy godmother. And while he may have it down to an art form — the lunch box generally returns empty, save a couple dehydrated-looking baby carrots — I, on the other hand, do not. Apparently in the months since my infant son was born, my older son no longer cares for my almond butter and jam sandwiches — itʼs sunflower butter and honey now. Another absolute no-no, last nightʼs leftovers, however much he liked them the first time around. Brianʼs gone for a week. Iʼve got to get creative fast — oh Fairy Godmother of child and home maintenance, what am I going to do?
Enter The Blissful Chef, Christy Morgan to the rescue. The chewy trail mix bars from her cookbook, “Blissful Bites” have been a healthy snacking godsend for us – although I rarely get more than one by the time my son, his friends and my husband get through with them. I figure, if she can work that kind of kitchen magic on homemade trailmix bars, what can she do for my lunchbox conundrum?
I turn desperately to The Blissful Chef recipe section, and decide to try the cream cheese and jam roll-ups: with a toasted tortilla, theTofutti cream cheese she recommends, raspberry jam and four Tofurky slices. I roll it all up like a jam burrito, cut it into pinwheel-size rounds, and voila — it fits perfectly in his lunchbox. I include flax- corn-chips and skip the aforementioned baby carrots in favor of steamed green beans and sea salt, along with dipping hummus and Annie Chunʼs dried sesame seaweed in the other lunchbox compartments. The real test is still to come… does the lunch get eaten? Stay with me as I elapse time…
For today (and maybe today only), I am the lunchtime fairy godmother. My son Aidan has eaten it all – I have to look twice, thereʼs not a crumb of pinwheel left. Heʼs so excited for tomorrowʼs lunch that he asks me to “make it another surprise”. Chef Christy, you may be my new favorite lunchbox resource. Iʼm on to raw nut-meat tacos, and blackened tempeh caesar wrap. Next time Iʼll even be bold and try the adult version of the roll-ups – with blanched greens and sprouts. If I can get him to eat his greens at lunchtime with jam, I think Iʼll take over making lunch permanently. Just kidding, honey. Canʼt wait to have you home.
Jennifer Crain is a holistic pediatrics specialist, licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, and founder of Mommyʼs ER, a natural everyday remedies resource for parents. She has appeared on regional Fox News “Health Edge”, morning shows, in a special episode of “Dadlabs”, & in Natural Health, Glamour, & Natural Solutions. Mommy’s ER is a resource for parents that provides safe, easy, at-home remedies to improve kids health naturally – empowering parent & child, & giving families peace of mind.
You can find Jennifer on Twitter and Facebook.
Click here to watch the video of Cream Cheese and Jam Roll-ups. The adult version is with greens and sprouts but maybe your kids will eat that too!
no comments15
May 2012
Summer Cooking Retreat June 9th and 10th near Ft. Worth
I'm happy to announce my Summer Cooking Retreat will happen Saturday June 9th – Sunday June 10th. We had such an amazing time at the yoga retreat last month and everyone left wanting more cooking instruction. Now you got it! Space is very limited so sign up now!
Did you just switch to a more plant-based diet and don't know where to start? Have you been vegan for a while but need some help with cooking techniques and want inspiration for new meals? Are you ready to start feeling awesome everyday? Than this retreat is for you!
The retreat will take place at A Day Away Retreat, a beautiful escape from the city with fresh air, open space, a pool and jacuzzi, and shared accommodations. You will not only get four cooking classes with me you will have delicious plant-based meals provided, a yoga class, and free time to socialize and make new friends! You get all this for a fraction of what it would cost for private cooking instruction in your home. And isn't it nice to get away for the weekend?!
(Un-Tuna Salad and Gazpacho from last month's retreat)
The cooking classes will teach you the skills needed to make easy, quick and healthy meals using seasonal produce and cooking techniques. Come learn from one of the most sought after plant-based chefs!
* Take home knowledge about plant-based foods, learn about the health aspects of diet and healthy lifestyle habits
* Learn how to make life easier with delicious meals in under 25 minutes
* Take home recipes you'll want to use time and time again
* Make new friends that can support you in your healthy adventure
You are worth it so sign up now!
Schedule (subject to change):
Saturday June 9th
8:30am-10am – Meet & Greet with Breakfast
10:00-11:30am – Cooking Class: Knife Techniques (hands-on) & Easy Summer Recipes (demo)
11:30am-12:00pm – Free Time
12:00-1:30pm – Lunch
1:30-3:30pm – Cooking Class: Greens and Grains of Summer
3:30-4:00pm – Free Time
4:00-5:30pm – Yoga Class
5:30-6:30pm – Free Time
6:30-8:00pm – Dinner
8:00-9:00pm – Cooking Class: Summer Desserts
9:00 Jacuzzi anyone?
Sunday June 10th
8:30-9:30am – Breakfast
10:00-12:00pm – Cooking Class: Plant-based Proteins
12:00-1:00pm – Free Time/Pack up
1:00-2:00pm – Light Lunch
2:00pm – Final Cooking & Health Q&A
3:00pm – Time to leave the retreat center
Location:
A Day Away Retreat Center, 165 Private Road 4584, Boyd, TX 76023.
Pricing:
Space is extremely limited, so please register early!
Cost – $225, early bird discount $195 by May 25th
Limited one day passes available for Saturday only: $165
** There is an option to stay Friday night for those who are coming from out of town.
To Register:
Send your payment in the form of a check or money order (payable to "Christy Morgan") to (or email info@theblissfulchef.com to pay with a credit card):
Christy Morgan
PO Box 820247
Dallas, TX 75382
Please include: •your name, address, phone number, and email address
•food allergies, if you have a roommate preference, prefer to stay in all female room or ok with co-ed room
Register early for the best rate and to avoid disappointment! Please contact me with any questions.
Cancellation policy: Full refund by May 31st, 50% refund by June 4th, no refunds after June 5th.
2 comments14
May 2012
Meatless Monday with Microplane: Strawberry Lemon Gazpacho
Cooking Tool of the Month – Microplane
I'm taking it easy today. I had a seriously fun-filled birthday weekend (that including a few injuries at the indoor trampoline park)! An epic post is coming soon about that. Let's just say I'm totally exhausted and I ate so much food that today I'm doing a fruit only day to detox. Another thing I like to eat when I need to give my insides a break is a blended soup!
On a hot summer day all I want is chilled soup. Gazpacho is what comes to my mind, but anything can be blended into a soup. That's what makes this type of soup so special. You can sneak in all kinds of good stuff. Like citrus zest! This is the kind of recipe that just calls me to whip out my Microplane Zester. Did you see the Mini Coconut Key Lime Pies from Friday? We are crazy for zest around here!
You can also sneak in green veggies to a flavorful blended soup. I shared this recipe at a cooking class for the Black Vegetarian Society of Texas on Saturday. It occurred to me then that you could add a cup of frozen broccoli to this soup and probably not change the taste, upping it's nutrients exponentially. So try that and let me know how it comes out!
Some people are in the blended completely camp and some like their gazpacho chunky. When you use a high-powered blender it takes less than 30 seconds to blend this all together until smooth. If you are in the chunky camp I would take some extra cucumber and strawberry, dice it small, and add to the soup after it's blended.
I didn't need to add any water to this soup because strawberries and cucumbers are already so water-dense. And my Vitamix is so powerful. But if you are using a regular blender you may need to add a touch of water to help it along. Just add a little at a time; if you add too much it will dilute the flavor of the soup.
As always season to taste. Many of you know I'm a total wimpy Texan, but I'm trying to build up my spice tolerance! If you want to add fresh jalapeño peppers go for it. Feel like more cayenne? Spice it up!
What are YOUR favorite blended soups to have in the summer? Have you ever tried blending fruit into a savory soup like this one?
Strawberry Lemon Gazpacho
by
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (Serves 2-3)
- 3 cups roughly chopped strawberries
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves (extra for garnish)
- Small handful cilantro
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar (or other light colored vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (extra for garnish)
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Dash cinnamon
- Dash cayenne
- Water, as needed
Instructions
Blend until well combined. Adjust spices and salt as needed. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes then serve garnished with lemon zest and chopped mint.
Disclosure: Links to products are part of Amazon Affiliate. The few pennies I make if you purchase items through my site helps to keep this blog running and free content coming to you. Thanks!
Don't forgot to sign up for our email list and get my Cooking With The Seasons eBook for free!
no comments11
May 2012
Guest Post featuring Microplane: Mini Coconut Key Lime Pies
Cooking Tool of the Month – Microplane
Today's guest post comes from the sisters of Sketch-Free Vegan Eating. These ladies make my kind of vegan food; good for you, easy, and delicious! They also understand how awesome it is to have a Microplane Zester!. Enjoy!
We are so happy to be showcasing one of our favourite kitchen tools, the Microplane Zester. We use ours to grate ginger, zest oranges, lemons, limes, and even to grate chocolate on top of desserts. Some of our most beloved sweet treats include citrus zest such as these Rustic Lemonhead Oat Bars, or our No-Bake Orange Pistachio Cookies.
You may have seen lemon, or orange flavour extracts out there, and while these are good for convenience sake, we must stress that there is nothing comparable to freshly grated zest! So grab a Microplane Zester and start adding zest to your pasta dishes, cookies, desserts, soups, and salad dressings.
We used to be absolute fiends for Key Lime Pie, its tart, sweet flavour and silky smooth texture was such a treat in the summertime. Now, since adopting a healthier lifestyle we've learned to make it without the excess sugar and fat while still keeping the lip-smackingly delicious creamy key lime flavour!
These mini pies are perfect for a late night summer treat, they're even healthy enough for breakfast!
Mini Coconut Key Lime Pies
Makes 2 mini pies
Crust:
6 tablespoons ground almonds
6 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut, ground up finer
2 tbsp agave nectar
Pinch of salt
Filling:
1 large avocado
1/4 cup coconut cream (the cream that settles on top of canned coconut milk)
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
Zest of 2 limes
Stevia extract, to taste
Preparation
Combine ground almonds, coconut and salt together in a medium bowl. Add syrup and combine until a dough forms. Line two 4 inch small tart pans with the dough so that you have two pie shells, freeze until firm. To make the filling combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until creamy and smooth. Spoon filling into pie shells and chill in the fridge until set. Top with toasted coconut.
Doesn't this pie just look perfect for summer? What are your favorite pies to make in warm weather? Share a link with us to your favorite recipes!
Jaclyn and Jenn Enchin are twin sisters who are the authors of Sketch-Free Vegan Eating, a vegan blog chronicling unique, and innovative recipes. They try their best to use unprocessed, low sugar and gluten-free ingredients so that those following restrictive diets can use their recipes without compromise. Besides cooking up a storm in the kitchen, they are the site moderators of Health Freak Food while also attempting a musical theatre career.
Disclosure: Links to products are part of Amazon Affiliate. The few pennies I make if you purchase items through my site helps to keep this blog running and free content coming to you. Thanks!
2 comments10
May 2012
FAQ5 With a Vegan Chef: How to Eat Healthy When Eating Out
Today's FAQ With a Vegan Chef video talks all about how to eat healthy when eating out. I asked my friends on Facebook what their struggles were after becoming vegan. So many people said they don't know what to do when they go out to eat with friends or for business. It's my experience that you can get a decent vegan meal anywhere in the world as long as you know the right questions to ask.
Surprisingly chain restaurants have more healthy options available with most having a separate menu listing allergens like wheat, dairy, and eggs. This makes it easy to find out which menu items are vegan. Chain restaurants are very consistent with their food since each restaurant across the country uses the same recipes. So if one location has vegan black beans, another location in a different state will most likely have vegan black beans (but always ask to make sure).
Since everyone is concerned about weight gain and heart health many chains now have special "Heart-Healthy" or "Low Calorie" menus or a heart icon denoting healthier choices. If you have to eat at a chain for a business lunch go straight to this section on the menu or look for the heart icon. That's usually where you'll find options that are veganizable and dressings without dairy.
If you call ahead and speak to the manager, you can see if they can accomodate you with a special meal. Every fine dining restaurant I have been to has jumped at the opportunity to make me something special. The chefs like to be challenged and come up with creative delicious meals using ingredients they have on hand. I was really surprised with the great meal I had at Samar and we didn't even call ahead.
(please click through to the blog post if viewing this in an email)
These things can be found at restaurants: steamed veggies, a baked potato without butter, salad with veggies and plain beans, whole grain pasta, sourdough bread, avocado/guacamole, fruit, hummus with raw veggies and crackers, veggie stir-fry, french fries, vegetable sandwich, chips and salsa, veggie fajitas with corn tortillas, non-dairy soups, make your own salad.
Type of Restaurants That Always Have Vegan Options
Indian
Italian
American
Mexican
Asian-style
Thai
Vietnamese
Japanese
Chinese
Middle Eastern
Mediterranean
Lebanese
Moroccan
Fast Food and Quick Dining Options
Any natural food store
Subway
Quiznos
Which Wich?
Chipotle/Freebirds/Qdoba/Taco Bell/Taco Cabana
Moe's Southwest Grill
Starbucks (some have a vegan noodle bowl, all have soy milk)
Chain Restaurants With Options
Chili's (has separate vegetarian menu with egg, dairy, and honey icons)
PF Changs (has vegan choices and brown rice)
Jason's Deli (has notebook with ingredients listed for every menu item)
Red Robin (Facebook friend said they use original Boca Burgers but be sure to ask about the vegan bread choices)
Ruby Tuesday (has salad bar and veggie trio plate)
Flat Top Grill (mid-west chain)
Pei Wei
Soup Plantation/Sweet Tomatoes
Souper Salad
Seasons 52 (great if you want to go somewhere a little nicer)
Houston's (yes even steakhouses have good options!)
California Pizza Kitchen (they have vegan pizzas and you can get pizza with tons of veggies and no cheese)
Denny's (supposedly has a vegan burger patty but check on the bread)
Kona Grill (has vegan menu)
Buca Di Beppo (they even have vegan wine)
Gordon Biersch (clearly marked vegan options on menu)
On The Border (portobello fajitas)
I just found this list online of many chains and what they have that is vegan, though I don't know if it's updated regularly. PETA also has this list with some specifics.
Do you know any chain restaurants that have healthy/vegan options that we should add to the list? Please share with us in the comments!
Don't forgot to sign up for our email list and get my Cooking With The Seasons eBook for free!
8 comments
9
May 2012
Amazing food on the east coast, Part 2 Philly
I'm a little behind on getting out this post! I've been back a month now from my 5 week book tour, but I'm still dreaming about all the delish food I had on the east coast! Philly really surprised me with it's variety of vegan options. When I first got to Philly I was greeted by the cozy home of Allyson of Manifest Vegan. She had a variety of dishes for us along with some chocolate cupcakes. Now that was a special welcome (Did you know her book is available now? You better run over to Amazon and get you one)!
Mi Lah in Philadelphia was one of my favorite places on my whole trip. I had the pleasure of having brunch with the From A to Vegan team before our interview. Then I grabbed a quick lunch there with Kate before my interview with WHYY (a PBS show which will air in July sometime). Their menu is very creative, bridging many different ethnicities. The brunch was especially delicious with waffles, french toast, biscuits and gravy and pancakes filling the menu.
I try not to eat pizza too much because all the gluten and Daiya cheese makes me bloated, but you can't leave the east coast without trying pizza! Blackbird Pizzeria has the best pizza I've yet to try in my life. We went with the Haymaker which had perfectly thin crust, layers of cheese and seitan, garlic butter, and red sauce.
I had the pleasure of meeting up with Jennifer from Kidoing.com while in Philly and she took me to Memphis Taproom (if you are a parent you must subscribe to her blog!). She said it was a pub with vegan options (clearly marked on the menu). I had no idea what I was getting myself into going to a pub with 2 kids in the middle of the afternoon, but I trusted her. We started with the Hefeweizen Hummus (picture below). Dare I say it's the best hummus I've had in my life? It could have been the battered and deep-fried chickpeas served on top and the lovely array of veggies along side the pita bread. For entrees I had the seitan shepherd pie and Jennifer had the Smoke Coconut Club. Her sandwich had marinated and fried coconut strips for the bacon. She let me have a bite and it was most definitely the best club I've ever had. Note to self: make coconut bacon asap!
And I went to Sweet Freedom Bakery twice while in Philly. I couldn't resist their guiltless treats! Check out this interview I did with them for the HappyCow Blog and a video with the co-owner Heather. Each visit I tried many things, all of which I loved. If you are used to sugar-laden white flour baked goods you may not be a fan of their healthier counterparts. Since I bake at home with whole grain and gluten-free flours and alternative sweeteners I felt right at home. Below you'll see their cinnamon roll, banana chocolate cupcake, and the samoa cupcake in the back (my favorite!).
I ate at SO many places on my trip, many of which didn't get a mention. Philly was a very close second to New York City during my travels. Just know that if you are traveling on the east coast you will be set for vegan food! Don't forget to visit HappyCow when planning your next trip!
How you been to Philly before? What is your favorite place to eat? What are your favorite touristy things to do there? Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to get your free Cooking With The Seasons eBook!
1 comment
Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet is available on 
