The Be Pro-Veggie Blog

Mother's Day

Since I can't be with my Mom on Mother's Day this year, I went to see her a week early, bringing with me some yummy vegan treats. Thanks to one of my favorite bloggers BitterSweet, I made vegan Limoncello Cheesecake Bites which turned out to be surprisingly easy, scrumptious, and the perfect size. As I was packing my car with my goodies, my neighbor came out to see where I was going, and we determined that she had made the same vegan cheesecake recipe from BitterSweet just last week! What a small world. :-) 

  

With my Mom, it's not really about what present I give her, but about the valuable time we get to spend together. If I had to guess, I would say that most Moms have a similar opinion of the day as well. So instead of running out to buy the latest kitchen gadget -- even though I know Mom would love that -- I came home with my vegan treats, a bouquet of locally grown flowers, and ingredients for a lovely veggie dinner. Key ingredient -- time to cook together.

When you're thinking of what to get for Mom this year, try to think of something she will appreciate, but that doesn't take from the land. Remember -- Mother Nature deserves some thanks as well this Mother's Day. Support a local farmer or business, get something that can be used and reused over and over again, or forget buying anything and spend some quality time with Mom. The greenest choice of all! :-)

What are you doing this year to show Mom you love her?

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 09:41AM May 06, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

Cindi Avila's Recipe of the Month

Just in case you haven't been following along for very long, every month I've been making one of Chef Cindi Avila's newest creations at home. I like to see pictures whenever I'm following a recipe, so I figure why not share my step-by-step pictures of her fantastic recipes for you all to see!

I recently got the opportunity to interview Cindi and she told me that one of her favorite foods was avocado. After making her tacos, I now understand why she loves them so much! This is a must try! 

Lightlife Smart Ground® Mexican & Roasted Corn Tacos

Makes 8 tacos                                 

 Ingredients

• 1 package Lightlife Smart Ground Mexican
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 2 ears of corn
• 1 avocado
• 1 medium tomato (diced)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 hard taco shells

Directions

Place corn, with husks still on, directly on the grill over medium heat for 30 minutes. While corn is grilling, preheat olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add diced onion and sauté until onions are soft (about five minutes). Reduce heat to medium and add Lightlife Smart Ground Mexican to pan. Mix and heat through (about five minutes). While the Smart Ground Mexican is heating, mix in a separate small bowl the avocado, tomato and salt together. When corn has five minutes remaining, put taco shells on sheet of foil and place on grill. After the remaining five minutes are over, remove taco shells and corn from grill. Take husks off of the corn and cut the corn off of the cob. Stand taco shells up straight and spoon a thick layer of the Lightlife Smart Ground® Mexican mixture in them, followed by a layer of the corn, then top with a layer of the avocado mixture.  

Follow more of Cindi's meat-free recipes on our Facebook page!

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 12:50PM Apr 26, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

Earth Day...continued!

It's funny how sometimes you can be so close to something that you overlook an important part of it!  That saying "He can't see the forest for the trees" applies nicely here - especially in light of what I missed.  One of my team members at Lightlife mentioned that I overlooked one of the most effective ways you can make a difference for our environment on Earth Day in my previous post! By reducing or eliminating meat from your diet, you're making an impact on meat production, which -- according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization­ -- accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. ¹

As a vegetarian myself, I sometimes forget how much of an impact my diet decisions have on our planet everyday! Since eating meatless is something I do all the time, it didn't dawn on me that my Earth Day post was missing some vital information for our veggie-friendly readers. However, I think it's extremely important for everyone to realize the effects of their diet choices -- on Earth Day, and every other day as well. After reviewing some of the facts, it has only reinforced my passion for eating meatless, and I have a feeling it will do the same for you all.

Even though Earth Day has come and gone, I'm a big believer in that every day should be treated as Earth Day. So I thought it would be appropriate to share some surprising facts about meat production. After reading them, I'm pretty sure you all will be able to make your own conclusions on how eating less of it can help make a difference for our Mother Earth each and every day.

• Beef is the single food with the greatest potential impact on the environment. ²

• The enormous volume of meat, pork and poultry farm waste can't be re-processed, and can potentially end up in our waterways. ³

• Less than half of the harvested acreage in the US is used to grow food for people. For every sixteen pounds of grain and soybeans fed to beef cattle, we get back only one pound of meat. ⁴

• On average, land requirements for meat-protein production are 10 times greater than for plant-protein production. ⁵

• Producing 1 kg of animal protein requires approximately 100 times more water than producing 1 kg of grain protein. ⁶

 

Surprised? Old news? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

 

¹ http://www.fao.org/ag/magazine/0612sp1.htm

² Baroni L, Berati M, Cenci L, Tettamanti M (2006). Evaluating the environmental impact of various dietary patterns combined with different food production systems. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Eur J Clin Nutr. 61(2):283

³ Conrow R, Cox C, Disla L, Lanou A, Neulist S (2005). The Promise of Plant-based Nutrition. Nutrition Advocate. 3(9):6-7

⁴ Gussow JD (1994). Ecoloogy and vegetarian considerations: does environmental responsibility demand the elimination of livestock? AM J Clin Nutr 59 (Suppl), 1111S

⁵ Leitzmann C (2003). Nutrition ecology: the contribution of vegetarian diets. AM J Clin Nutr 78 (Suppl), 658S

⁶ Pimentel D, Piementel M (2003). Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment. AM J Clin Nutr 78 (Suppl), 662S

Posted at 01:39PM Apr 23, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

It's Earth Day- Stay Green!

I think the saying 'going green' is kind of old news. By now, I hope most of us are at least aware that the world needs us to change some of our ways if we expect to be here for a while. Don't get me wrong, I think going green is great, but I just want to yell, "ok, ok I get it!" every time I see it written somewhere. :-P

My point is I think we need to stick to our guns and stay green, instead of just going there. I have enough canvas bags to bring home a truckload of groceries and somehow I still manage to forget them more often than not when I'm at the store. What is with that!? Maybe it's just me that can't seem to stay green consistently, but either way in honor of our Mother Earth on this Earth Day; I'm pledging to stay green.

No more plastic bags! From now on I will bring my canvas bags back out to my car after I unpack my groceries so they are there for me on my next trip. I will be switching out all of my light bulbs to LED ones, taking shorter showers, and washing my clothes in cold water. I've already left sticky notes on my shower and washing machine to remind me! A few other simple ideas that I've surprisingly already mastered are drinking from the same reusable water bottle, eating only locally-grown foods, and recycling.

Anyway, we are officially a month into spring, and what a better way to really celebrate Earth Day itself, than to plant a tree! Since I don't have a back yard, and apparently nurseries around me don't actually sell saplings like I used to get in grade school on Earth Day, I decided to plant a shrub instead. A Green Gem Boxwood to be exact. My friend and her daughter came over this morning to help me plant it & we had a blast!

 

 

So get out there and plant a tree (or a shrub), remind yourself that we all need to respect nature and our Earth, and stay green!

How will you remind yourself to do it?

 

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 09:33AM Apr 22, 2011 by Rachael in About  |  Comments[0]

Vacation to Colorado

Whenever I go on vacation I always do a substantial amount of research before I go anywhere new. Let me clarify though; I really only do research on where I should eat!

I absolutely love to travel, especially abroad. Of course whenever I travel there are certain things that I know I need to see and fit in, but the part I enjoy most about traveling is getting to not have an exact plan. I think perhaps it's because my everyday life is one plan on top of another, so when it's time for vacation, I want to get as far away from a schedule as possible. However, (after I just made such a profound statement about plans) I cannot go without planning what I'm going to eat. So, I suppose planning and I really have a love/ hate relationship.  :-o

Last weekend I went on a mini-vacation to Boulder, Colorado and wow what a beautiful place! Of course I did my share of researching the local veg food scene before I went and I'm so happy that I did!

 

Hello mountains... what a view!!! 

 

I decided to eat at The Leaf, which was the top rated veggie restaurant I found.

The inside was so beautiful, I had to take a picture...

 

My gorgeous (& delicious) tempeh Reuben with soy cheese!

 

 

Where is your favorite spot to vacation as a veg?

 

Rachael  

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 11:59AM Apr 19, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

Interview with Vegetarian Chef Cindi Avila

The other day I had the opportunity to interview renowned vegetarian chef, Cindi Avila. I have to say, I was pretty excited to be able to get some insight into her life as a vegetarian as well as a chef. I couldn't wait to find out what inspires her to create the incredible recipes she's made for us all so far!

I hope you all enjoy getting to know Cindi a little better, I know I did!

 

Me: When did you become a vegetarian & what made you first decide to do it?

Cindi: I stopped eating red meat when I was in high school. We had a class project where we had to pick a charity to go on a mailing list for, and I just happened to pick PETA. I started receiving things in the mail about what happened to animals that we eat and I was completely shocked. I immediately stopped eating beef, and from there I gradually gave up everything else over the years. I think the reality is that a lot of people are detached from what they eat and would rather turn a blind eye.

Me: Tell me about your family. Do they follow a vegetarian diet as well?

Cindi: After I first decided to stop eating beef, my mom slowly started giving up certain meats after seeing how I was affected. My husband is a meat-eater but he eats vegetarian whenever he is at home, because of my cooking of course! He likes fish a lot and says that he just can't seem to cut that out. I try not to impose my beliefs on others; instead I try to set a good example for living a healthy lifestyle.

Me: What came first; your career as a chef, or your life as a vegetarian?

Cindi: Life as a vegetarian came first for me. Eventually I realized that I wanted to combine them both and it sort of evolved from there! I realized that I was passionate about cooking and about living as a vegetarian so I put the two together. I want to make a difference in the world of meat-free cooking; showing people that it doesn't have to be flavorless.

Me: Would you say that because you are a chef, vegetarian eating is easier for you? Or do you think it can be easy for anyone?

Cindi: I think it can be easy for anyone, but first people need to educate themselves. I'm almost embarrassed to say that I used to eat white rice with ketchup before I became more educated on what to eat! After going to culinary school I learned more about what vitamins and minerals I needed in my diet, and things became much easier. Everyone can do it, and you don't have to be a chef. It's as easy as picking up a good vegetarian cook book, or nowadays with Google all you have to do is type in a few key words. It may require a little bit of time at first, but that's all.

Me: Do you have any tips on how to make eating vegetarian easier for our consumers?

Cindi: Keep dishes simple in the beginning. Preparing a meal doesn't have to be difficult. Literally only four different ingredients can be extremely flavorful. Start with a protein such as beans or a Lightlife product, and work around that. Don't over complicate things; it's just not necessary. Keeping it simple also keeps cost down! Just be sure you're maintaining a balance, the more color you have on your plate the better.

Me: What do you tell people that have a negative response to you being a vegetarian?

Cindi: Usually when a meat-eater makes a comment to me they are referring to how they can't imagine what I actually eat. I tell them that I'm getting all my vitamins and minerals, I have tons of energy, and I've never had any weight issues. Often I think that people have had a bad meal experience eating a meal specifically for dieting that just happens to be vegetarian as well. What I try and tell them is that vegetarian dishes are usually full of flavor. Low calorie or diet foods can be flavorless regardless of meat.

Me: Name one staple food in your household that you and your family could not do without.

Cindi: Avocados! They do have a lot of fat, but it's a healthy fat and I try not to over indulge. I would also say beans of all sorts. They are a starter for many of my meals, and a great source of iron.

Me: I've made just about every recipe you've created for Lightlife so far and I love them all. I'm curious- what do you think of for inspiration when creating them?

Cindi: I typically think about dishes that I knew and loved when I ate meat and how I can convert them. From there it just comes organically for me. I think something up and put it together and so far I've had a pretty good success rate! I think it would be the same for people who aren't chefs too. Whatever it is that you love, you can make vegetarian. Your inspiration should come from your own experience!

Me: Why Lightlife? What about the company stands out for you?

Cindi: What I like about Lightlife is that they have a large variety of products. Everyone always asks me, "Oh how do you only eat tofu?" With Lightlife, I can make almost any meal and Lightlife has a product to make it with. The possibilities are endless; it's so easy to incorporate.

Me: What is your favorite Lightlife product & why?

Cindi: Smart Dogs are my favorite. They are so simple and easy; they literally only take a minute to prepare. I love franks and beans or just in a bun, there is a lot of stuff to do with it. My daughter is just a baby, and Smart Dogs are going to be one of the first things I give to her. They are the perfect thing to ease people into being a vegetarian too. I had a party not too long ago and served pigs in a blanket as an appetizer; half with Smart Dogs and the other half with turkey hotdogs. No joke, I served them side by side and people didn't even know the difference.

Me: If you had one wish regarding the future of vegetarianism & veganism in the U.S. what would it be?

Cindi: I hope that everyone starts to incorporate eating less meat into their lives. If they do, I think it would have an impact on factory farming and therefore change the way meat is processed in this country. We will see it in our lifetime, it seems like people are starting to catch on. Incorporating more veggies and Lightlife products into our diets will make a change forever in the way we eat as a country.

 

Until next time... :-)

Rachael 

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 03:48PM Apr 14, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

Picking a farm share- What to consider?

How many of you have a farm share, or have the opportunity to buy one if you wanted?

This is the first year that I'm picking which farm in my area that I'd like to have a share of, and the thought of fresh vegetables on a weekly basis is giving me spring fever! My favorite part of the whole experience (because yes, getting a farm share is an experience in itself) is getting at least one unknown thing every week that I need to find a new recipe for. Sometimes it's not even that I don't know how to prepare the unknown, it's that I'm not even sure what the vegetable is called! By the end of October last year when my share was complete, I had learned more about the different varieties of vegetables that grow locally than I had ever imagined possible.

I always love a new recipe that uses a unique item that I have to go searching for at the market, but when the roles are reversed and I find myself armed with the unknown before the recipe, dinner gets that much more exciting.  :-)

Let me back up a little bit though- before I moved to the rural area I live in now, I had never even heard of a farm share, so perhaps I should fill everyone in on the basics first. A farm share is essentially exactly what it sounds like - you pay a certain dollar amount in the beginning of a farm's growing season, and you then are allotted a certain amount of their crops weekly for the remainder of the season. Different farms do certain things differently, but I'll take you through a few variations in a second. Last year I split a share with a few friends of mine, so I didn't do any research on the farms, I sort of just jumped on board. Of course I was thrilled that I did; I honestly can't find a single down side to getting one, but what I didn't realize (until I started to do a little research this year) is that there are tons of variations between the farms, which makes my selection one that will have to be made with careful consideration!

CISA is an amazing organization in Massachusetts that connects farmers in the Connecticut River Valley, which according to them holds some of the finest agricultural soils in the world, and their surrounding communities. I personally take for granted how easily accessible local products are in my community, and it is CISA that allows me to not even have to think twice about where I can find them. Among many other things, their website provides a list of farms all over the state from which you can purchase a share. From there you can see what the farm grows, if it's an organic farm, and the farm's website for more specific information. As it turns out, there are quite a few farms for me to choose from!

Here are a few variations between farms that I'm considering:

• Organic vs. chemical free: In my eyes, either way it's local!

• Cost: Ranging from $350- $720 for 20-24 weeks
• Delivered vs. Pick up: The Pedal People deliver shares from certain farms by bicycle, talk about going green!
• What's included in the share: Just veggies? Some include fruit, herbs, flowers, eggs, dairy, and pick your own options too.
• Pick up time: If I decide I want to go to the farm myself to take advantage of the pick your own options, I need to choose one that has hours that work with my schedule.

After hours of getting lost reading about various crops & what each farm is growing this year, I decided that I'm going to go with a farm where I can go and pick up my share. Seeing all of the gorgeous pictures of vegetables has me convinced that there is no way that I can pass up the opportunity to get out to the farm myself every week, even if The Pedal People would save me some gas. Typically a farm has barrels of veggies set up for each shareholder to pick from so I won't really be picking my entire share. It's the getting out in some fresh air to pick my own flowers, herbs, and smaller veggies that I can't wait for. Like I said earlier, this is going to be an experience in itself, so stay tuned as I continue to share my stories at the farm and in my kitchen!

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 10:27AM Apr 12, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

Wild Rice Soup with Smart Bacon

Last night I made Lightlife's Wild Rice Soup with Smart Bacon for dinner. I posted the recipe to our Facebook recipe tab, so I thought I'd share some pictures with you all today to show how it turned out for me. Soups are my favorite so I was pumped to try this one! :-)

 

First, I prepped all the ingredients of course...

 

Then cooked the Smart Bacon and started the onions. (YUM)

Added everything else, and left the best for last!

 

I must say- great dinner & quite filling too. 

Has anyone else tried it yet?

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

 

 

 

Posted at 02:41PM Apr 07, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

What do you eat before exercising?

I've been dancing for as long as I can remember, literally. So I feel confident to say that I've learned a lot over the years about what to eat and what not to eat before exerting myself, specifically before a dance performance. Having a particularly sensitive stomach to begin with, nerves that come along with performing only add to the importance of paying attention to what I eat before it's time to go on stage. My stomach tells me that I'm nervous before my brain does! Maybe it's because I've trained the rest of my body to not be affected? Who knows...but they do say that your stomach has emotions too. :-P

So if exercising is stressful for you, or maybe you just can't seem to get your body to feel like it's at your full potential while exercising, it could be because you need to pay attention to what you're eating.

I usually eat a filling meal 2-3 hours before a show. For a lot of people, carbohydrates do the trick. For me, I like to have more of a balanced meal. Before my last performance, I had tempeh for some protein, broccoli for the fiber (to hopefully help my nerves), and a little bit of pasta salad for energy from the carbs. Then, about an hour before warming up, I ate a banana. Therefore I've given myself enough nourishment, enough time to digest, and a little kick start right before go-time.

The key is to know your body and know what makes it feel good. If your body doesn't feel satisfied, then how can you exercise effectively?

Now, I'm certainly not a doctor so please remember these are only my personal experiences- but they've worked for me! :)

Here are a few pictures of my latest performance:

Some candid shots...

 The view from backstage- I always think it's neat how the lights

look one way back stage and completely different to the audience.

What is your go-to food before you exercise?

 

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 08:51AM Apr 05, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

April Fools' Day!

I get fooled on April Fools' Day EVERY YEAR. I'm not sure whether it's because I'm super gullible or because I'm just not aware that it is April Fools' Day, but every year it never fails. My best friend is the queen at pulling pranks and she is typically the one who gets me. One year in high school, she convinced me that her family was moving to another state. Even my Mom got upset with her for that one, since of course I was quite distraught thinking that my best friend was moving away!

Not only do I get fooled every year, but I'm also really bad at fooling others. I think it's because I get so excited seeing the punch line coming that I give it away with my giggling. Needless to say, I'm not good at playing poker either. This year, though, I'm staying aware of my surroundings, food, conversations, etc., so that maybe, just maybe, I can avoid being the fool of the day.

It's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and leave no doubt. --Mark Twain

Here are two top April Fools' Day pranks that I found pretty shocking. :-)

• In 1996, Taco Bell took out a full-page advertisement in The New York Times announcing that they had purchased the Liberty Bell to "reduce the country's debt" and renamed it the "Taco Liberty Bell." When asked about the sale, White House press secretary Mike McCurry replied tongue-in-cheek that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold and would henceforth be known as the "Lincoln Mercury Memorial."
• In 1998, Burger King ran an ad in USA Today, saying that people could get a Whopper for left-handed people whose condiments were designed to drip out of the right side. Not only did customers order the new burgers, but some specifically requested the "old," right-handed burger.

 

Did you get fooled yet today?

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 12:26PM Apr 01, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

Cindi Avila's Recipe of the Month- Easy Penne

It's that time again! Last night I made Chef Cindi Avila's Easy Penne recipe featuring Lightlife Smart Sausages® Italian Style.

If you're looking for a fast weeknight meal that looks and tastes like it took much longer to prepare than it really did, this is the recipe for you! To cook the entire meal, it literally only took the amount of time it takes to cook pasta. But don't let the quick prep time fool you, because it definitely did not lack flavor whatsoever! Actually, I think this is my favorite of her recipes so far!

Follow more of Cindi's meat-free recipes at www.facebook.com/lightlife.

Easy Penne Featuring Lightlife Smart Sausages® Italian Style

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 packages Lightlife Smart Sausages Italian Style
• 1 package whole grain penne
• 1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of sea salt

Directions

Cook whole grain pasta according to package. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Cut each Smart Sausage Italian Style link into 1/3 inch pieces. When oil is hot, add sausage pieces to pan. After two minutes flip sausage pieces to brown each side. When lightly browned, add tomatoes and salt to the pan and cook for approximately 5-6 minutes. After draining pasta, pour sausage mixture over pasta and serve.

 

 I was only cooking for two so I modified the ingredients slightly...

 

 

 Can't get much easier than putting the ingredients in a pan and stirring :-P

 

 Delish!

Check back next month to see what Cindi has created next!

 

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 01:24PM Mar 29, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

U.S. Dietary Guidelines: What are you doing to follow them?

According to a press release announcing the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, there is an obesity epidemic among men, women, and children in all segments of our society, along with many other health issues. With the non-stop, Energizer Bunny attitude of American culture, it's no wonder people seek quick and easy meals to eat. Unfortunately, with people eating whatever they can grab on the go, basic nutritional knowledge has flown out the window in the mad dash. This, along with  the Internet, TV and video games, has decreased exercising for many as well.

The facts are alarming to me, but not because I think it's surprising that America has developed these issues. Let's be honest, I think these concerns have been pretty apparent for years. It's alarming to me because a lot of the topics that the guidelines touch on are extremely easy to overlook in everyday life, even for someone who considers him or herself healthy and fit. For example, I need to make sure I get enough calcium since I don't eat dairy products. I'm sure many of you vegans out there should be paying attention to that too! (If you aren't already :) )

Two overarching concepts that the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans communicate are to maintain calorie balance to sustain a healthy weight, and for Americans to focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages. Seems simple, right? Well, for many Americans it's not!

So bravo to the USDA and the HHS for bringing us back to the basics. It's important for people to be educated on what they should be eating in order to be healthier. Americans aren't dumb! We have just been a little distracted lately! Once people understand the importance of balanced meals and eating nutritious foods, the rest will come. It's clear that we need to take a stand and change our eating and exercise habits as a whole. And I'm not just talking about those of us who need to change our habits; I'm talking about those who are already healthy as well.

First things first, read the guidelines yourself: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm

If you're a mom or dad, read the guidelines so you know what you and your children need so they can grow up knowing for themselves. Or make a new rule that says no video games until they have had some sort of 'old fashioned' exercise! If you're single or without kids, make an interesting tidbit you read in the latest guidelines the topic of conversation with your friends the next time you see them. I know that is what I'm going to do!

I really believe that if we try to spread the word about eating properly, and stop buying into the latest dieting gimmick, we can start to create the change towards living healthier as a country.

What do you plan on doing to play your part?

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 02:48PM Mar 24, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

The Month of College Basketball...

How many of you like college basketball? I'm all for supporting college athletics; I would much rather watch a student, not getting paid an absurd about of money to do something they love, than a pro, any day of the week. But I cannot stand watching basketball. I've tried- trust me I have. There is just something about the squeaking of the sneakers on the court that drives me CRAZY!

Unfortunately (for me and maybe a few others) for the better part of March, there is what seems to be non-stop basketball on TV. Living with and having friends who love basketball, there really is no avoiding it. So instead of focusing on the negatives...I think food. :-)

I know you all know my favorite thing to eat while watching sports is our Smart Wings Buffalo style, but between football and now basketball, it was time to start getting creative. For the past two weeks, I've been experimenting with different ways to eat my favorite game time food, and I've found a winner.

All I did was throw together a quick salad and it was delish. I chopped up some fresh lettuce and tomatoes, then cut up my pre-prepared Smart Wings and tossed them over the top. Then I added some freshly toasted almond slices and my favorite yogurt ranch dressing.   So simple, yet so good. I threw the almonds in on a whim thinking that I needed a little bit of something else, and they totally made the whole dish.

What's your most creative way to eat Smart Wings? Post your pictures to our Facebook!

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 03:35PM Mar 22, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

St. Patrick's Day

This St. Patrick's Day, I'm venturing out of my comfort zone and making Irish soda bread. I've never made any sort of bread before, but figured St. Patty's Day was the perfect time to try!

I'm partly Irish and a ton of other things all mixed together. I know a little bit about my family's ancestry, but not a whole lot. So, in hopes of getting a tiny taste of my Irish heritage, Irish soda bread it is. I suppose the typical thing to make on St. Patrick's Day would be corned beef and cabbage, but I'm not about to change my ways that drastically. Until Lightlife comes out with a corned 'beef' alternative, Irish soda bread will have to do.

Compliments of Epicurious.com: Irish Soda Bread with Raisins and Caraway

Ingredients:

• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups raisins
• 3 tablespoons caraway seeds
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 large egg

What are you making this St. Patrick's Day? Share your meat-free ideas with me on Facebook!

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

Posted at 01:26PM Mar 17, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]

National Sweet Potato Month

Happy National Sweet Potato Month! I absolutely adore sweet potatoes. When I was little, my dad used to make them for me all the time. So much so, my family came to know they should have sweet potatoes made whenever they saw me. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure my dad prepared them so often because he knew how good they were for me. Thanks Dad! :)

So in honor of Sweet Potato Month, I went on the search for a new recipe. No more sweet potato casseroles or just throwing them in the oven to bake. I really wanted to try something unique this time, and boy did I find it!

Compliments of Rachael Ray: Spicy Sweet Potato Pancakes with Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup light olive oil or peanut oil, for frying

• 1 large Idaho potato, peeled and shredded
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
• 1 small onion, peeled
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, cracker meal or matzo meal
• 1 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• Salt
• 2 Hass avocados
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small glove garlic, pasted up with some salt
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
• 3/4 cup pomegranate juice

Directions:

Heat about 1/3 cup of oil over medium to medium-high heat. Drain the shredded potatoes, pressing them down in a colander to get their moisture out. Place the potatoes in a bowl; using a box grater, grate the onion directly into the potatoes so that the onion juices fall into the bowl as well. Add the egg and flour or meal to the bowl then season with spices and salt. Combine and drop enough batter into hot oil to make 2 1/2-inch pancakes. Add more oil, as needed, and fry cakes in batches until deeply golden on each side.

You will get about 16 pancakes. Drain cooked cakes on paper towels. Cut the avocados in half, all the way around the pit. Remove the pit with a spoon, then scoop the flesh into a bowl and add the lemon juice, onion, garlic, jalapenos and a generous amount of salt. Mash the guacamole to a smooth consistency. Reduce the pomegranate juice to a syrup. Arrange the potato pancakes on a platter and top with heaping spoonfuls of guacamole. Drizzle pomegranate syrup over the guacamole and serve.

 

Ok, so I have to be honest, I didn't have the easiest time making this recipe. For one, I think the measurements of ingredients were a little off. I didn't add the whole red onion to the guacamole or the second jalapeno. Maybe my avocados were just too small, but it would have been an onion and jalapeno salad if I had! I also could not, for the life of me, get my pancakes to stick together.  Oh, and to top it all off, I was about 2 seconds from having my pomegranate juice reduced into a perfect syrup when I got distracted by the Madonna special on TV and turned away for a second too long. By the time I looked back I had a smoldering pot of gross burnt brown syrup. Whoopps!

Final product...

Even after all my mishaps, I think it turned out ok. Of course I was so frustrated by the time it came time to actually eat that I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. You live and your learn...or perhaps you cook and you learn. It really was an incredibly unique pairing of flavors though. And it didn't matter that my pancakes weren't really pancakes because my stomach, quite frankly, didn't know the difference!

If you try it, take a picture and share it on our Facebook page. I'd love to see if you had better luck with this one than I had! ;)

Rachael

Lightlife Team Member

 

Posted at 12:10PM Feb 22, 2011 by Rachael in Blog  |  Comments[0]