Pantry Fried Rice

There are two things I always have on hand, no matter what: eggs (or any type of protein) and short grain brown rice (or any grain). When you take these two things and add vegetables, soy sauce, and other ingredients, you can create a delicious meal in less than 10 minutes! You can change the ingredients based on what you have or your preferences, just make sure you cook the longest cooking vegetables (like carrots + squash) in the pan before the shortest cooking vegetables (like garlic + green onions). You can also easily make this vegan by subbing crumbled tofu or edamame for the eggs!

Pantry Fried Rice

• 2 eggs (for vegan: 1/2 C finely crumbled tofu or 1 C thawed edamame)
• 2 C cold, cooked brown rice (or quinoa, millet, white rice, or jasmine rice)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 2-3 green onions, thinly sliced (or leave it out, if not on hand)
• 1-1.5 C vegetables (I used leftover steamed kale but feel free to use whatever you have and chop it small! See note above about cooking times)
• 1 TBS GF soy sauce
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• splash of rice vinegar
• sriracha for serving
• additional add-ins: fresh herbs like Thai basil or cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, thinly sliced carrots, finely chopped steamed broccoli, finely minced ginger

1. Preheat a skillet on medium heat. Add sesame oil and rice (I also added the kale here now to get it crispy and warm; add your long cooking vegetables now). Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes, until starting to warm and crisp up. 
2. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs together in a small bowl until smooth with a fork (for vegan, just crumble your tofu finely or thaw the edamame). 
3. Now add the garlic and green onions (if using; add other short cooking vegetables). Stir to combine and cook 1-2 minutes, until the green onions and garlic starts to brown lightly. Drizzle in the soy sauce and vinegar, and stir to combine. 
4. If using the eggs, make a well in the center of the rice and add them in. Let cook for about 1 minute or more, until starting to set on the bottom. Stir into the rest of the rice (for vegan, simply stir in the tofu and edamame, until browning).
5. Stir and flip the rice occasionally until the rice and eggs become lighly browned, about 3 minutes or more, until the eggs are cooked to your desired consistency. Serve with plenty of sriracha!

Breakfast Style Kale + Eggs

Breakfast is definitely one of my favorite meals of the day. On the weekends, we make slightly indulgent breakfasts with many components. One breakfast I've been making off and on is this kale and eggs. I will eat kale ANY time of the day, in any form, and breakfast is the perfect way to get in some dark leafy greens! I eat a lot of eggs too, so they are obviously my pick for breakfast. I'm not a big sweets person because I feel like the sugar wears me down in the morning, but sometimes I want pancakes too.

This dish is so easy to make, delicious, and hearty. It makes no sense to go out for breakfast when you can have whatever you want in your own kitchen (plus mimosas!). What do you enjoy having for breakfast?

Breakfast Style Kale + Eggs

Serves 1

• 1-2 eggs per person
• paprika or Old Bay 
• garlic powder
• salt
• 1/4 yellow onion, very thinly sliced
• olive oil
• 3 cups of kale (you don't have to measure, just eyeball)
• lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• for serving: sliced avocado, hot sauce, mimosas, grits, GF toast; whatever you enjoy with breakfast!

1. Preheat a pan on medium high. Add a thin slick of oil. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, until slightly caramelized and light brown.
2. Add the kale to the pan. Stir around a bit. Add a big squeeze of lemon juice or just a splash of vinegar (vinegar is more acidic so use a little less). The pan should sizzle, so stir everything around. Add a heavy pinch of paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Stir again. Add a little more lemon/vinegar and stir.
3. When the kale is wilted, dark green, and seasoned to your preferences, remove to a plate.
4. Wipe the pan out. Spray a thin layer of oil and crack 1 or 2 eggs away from each other. Push the whites together as much as possible, to make it easier to flip. 
5. For a runnier egg: cook until the whites are almost completely set, then flip and cook 30 seconds more. Flip again, then remove to the plate with kale and add toppings.
6. For a firmer egg: cook until the whites are completely set, then flip, and cook 45 seconds more. Flip again, then remove to the plate with kale and add toppings.
7. Enjoy! 

Peppery Sweet Potato Pinto Hash

Do you have dishes from certain restaurants that you crave? I definitely do. Sometimes I just want fresh spring rolls, or a big bowl of pho...or this "whole grain hash" from Iron Hen. But since I'm trying not to eat out, I decided to make it myself! It's not exactly like their dish, but it has everything I love about it: peppery sweet potatoes stir-fried with pinto beans, garlicky quinoa and bright green kale. Doused in hot sauce, this dish really hit the spot. 

Peppery Sweet Potato Pinto Hash

• 1 C quinoa, rinsed
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 C water
• olive oil
• 2-3 C kale, chopped + de-stemmed (do not dry) or spinach
• 1-2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled + diced
• 1 can of pinto beans, rinsed + drained
• black pepper
• salt
• paprika
• cayenne pepper
• garlic powder

1. Heat a small saucepan on medium heat. Add a small amount of oil, then the minced garlic and quinoa. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and the quinoa is lightly browned. Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn down to low, cover, and cook 15 minutes. When done, set aside for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. 
2. While the quinoa is cooking, steam your sweet potatoes in another saucepan. (OR: you can steam the sweet potatoes first and cook quinoa in the same pot to save you a pan). Cook until just tender, then strain. 
3. Heat a large skillet over medium high. Add about 1 T of oil. Add the beans and any spices you want, but go heavy on the black pepper (the other spices I used are listed above). Cook for 2 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and a little more pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes more, until the sweet potatoes are browning a bit and everything is warm/fragrant.
4. In the last few minutes of cooking, add the kale (add a little water if your kale is drier) and stir until wilted and bright green, 1-2 minutes. Taste for seasonings and add more pepper if needed. I really like the black pepper to stand out here because it works with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. 
5. Plate the quinoa and top with the hash mixture. Top with lots of hot sauce (yes) and whatever toppings you want. This would also be great topped with a fried egg. Enjoy!

(882) moteurs sainte

It has been a crazy first week off, hence all the photos but lack of recent posting. I have been insanely busy and am enjoying the next few days before Christmas pandemonium sets in. I have been eating pretty well, and cooking as much as I can, but have also been pretty lazy since school is out. The good news is I finished with a 3.56 and I will find out soon if I get into the Disciplinary Honors program! 

I made the most amazing vegan burgers: pumpkin black bean patties. They are definitely better when you let the batter sit in the fridge overnight to help thicken. They form a perfect, golden crust from frying in coconut oil. The flavors are perfect: cumin, chili powder, black beans, pumpkin, and other amazing ingredients. Sooo good! //sprouted kitchen

I also made this massaged kale and roasted garlic dressing salad to eat with these burgers, as well as some polenta croutons. The salad was tender, delicious, and incredibly garlicky. Like REALLY garlicky. Be warned. Polenta croutons are a great way to use up leftover prepared polenta in a tube: cut into even slices and fry over medium high in a thin layer of olive/coconut oil until golden brown. Drain briefly on a paper towel. Easy and a great addition to a meal! //eat this poem

Half-ass pumpkin hummus I made for sandwiches over the weekend: leftover pumpkin puree, a can of chickpeas 3-4 T tahini, spices, fresh rosemary, curry powder, etc. I just added a bunch of stuff and tasted it until it was to my liking! Not my best hummus but I didn't have much time and needed something.

Close up of massaged kale roasted garlic salad: a piece of art.

The best quick vegan lunch: homemade hummus, GF bread, avocado and heirloom tomato.

Trader Joe's haul: the best cider, which is even better than apple cider//not my favorite kale chips but they are kale chips//the BEST prepared salad I've ever had in my life and need to recreate ASAP//my favorite vegan caramel popcorn.

My little Christmas tree!

I had quite an abundance of mirepoix, or aromatic vegetables (carrots, celery, onion, and herbs) so I finally made homemade vegetable stock. It was probably the easiest thing ever and it made over 16 cups, and it's freezer-friendly! I used the following:

16 C water//1 C white wine//4 sprigs fresh herbs (I used rosemary+thyme)//1 onion peeled and halved//1 potato halved//4 carrots//3 stalks of celery with tops//3 C spinach//4 whole cloves garlic//2 T olive oil//mushroom caps//1 tsp pepper//1 T salt

Place in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover, and cook 1.5 hours. Let cool then strain. Place into smaller containers (I recommend by 1 C measurements). Will last 1 week in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. 

Cheap wine. 

New favorite side dish: spicy paprika roasted carrots. I added a hint too much of cayenne but they are still lovely. I paired them with the spaghetti squash below. They would be great with a warm quinoa salad or even veggie burgers. //mince + type

I finally made spaghetti squash, after seeing it all over food blogs this fall. It was delicious but quite a pain to shred after baking in the oven. I made Deb's moroccan spiced spaghetti squash, which I have been eyeing for quite a while since it's so simple. This was probably the easiest spaghetti squash recipe out there and the flavors are amazing: coriander, cumin, cayenne and butter. The sauce was easy and satisfying. It was lovely topped with toasted almonds, with a side of a white balsamic + greens salad and roasted carrots. //smitten kitchen

Vegan tacos from Crafted downtown + GF beer. Wayfarer tacos include chofu (tofu chorizo), pico, vegan jalapeno havarti, french fries, and avocado spread. Dying.

The best vegan lunch after being slammed at work and hungry: organic grapes, loaded avocado and hummus paprika sandwich and kale chips. Soooo good. Better than any non-vegan lunch I've ever had.

I always talk myself into getting Sticks + Stones vegan pizza with swiss chard, potaotes, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, spinach and onions. It may be expensive but it's hard to resist this after a few ciders!

My new favorite English dry cider! 

This wraps up the week and I will hopefully be back soon. I am going to try and make a small post about hot/Bikram yoga tomorrow (which will mark my second class!). I tried it out Friday and am really trying to stick with it. It's great! :)

(862) action de grâces

Well, let's see what's out of the way: Thanksgiving, Black Friday, the busiest weekend of the year at Starbucks, my last real weeks of school...I guess that's a lot! I have been incredibly busy since last week but I only have this week and exams left in class, then I'm done! Yay! I also made a vegan Thanksgiving for the first time this year and everyone approved!

New favorite tempeh dish: sweet peppers and tempeh cooked down in a mixture of soy sauce, lime juice, and cilantro. So flavorful and delicious! //greens + seeds

 So this exists at my new job...you can all imagine how stoked I was to see this. 

 Black Friday morning shift late breakfast at 1 PM: hashbrown egg cups from Ashley smothered in ketchup with leftover homemade biscuits (below).

 Pretty much made everyone eat something green on their Thanksgiving plate that wasn't mushroom soup drenched green bean casserole (yuck!): warm carrot ribbon and kale salad with toasted almonds. //Mince + Type

 This is my first year of not eating meat during the holidays. Until I moved out, I ate meat a few times a week, but never everyday. For me personally, I find it easier and cheaper to cook from bulk grains and beans, vegetables, and fruits. This is just my personal opinion however! It's easier for me to prepare things that are vegan usually, and this goes for baking as well. It also ends up being healthier in the long run! I strangely don't really miss bacon. I do eat eggs, honey, and fish, which is why I can't claim to be 100% vegan. But I still try to branch out my "veganism" as much as possible. This vegan lentil "meat" loaf exceeded everyone's expectations. My dad even ate it, who tried to get me to eat turkey this meal haha. It is flavorful, moist, and tastes like the real thing! //Tasty Yummies at Healthful Pursuit

 Yay for doing other new culinary things: I made my first from scratch pie crust! I made the mistake, however, of not greasing my pie pan (because I'm an idiot) but it turned out great. My dad hates pumpkin pie for some reason so I made this vegan chocolate pecan. It was incredible flavorful and custardy for not having any eggs! I would love to make this into mini tarts sometime. //The First Mess

 I have made biscuits before with bacon, brown sugar, and GF all purpose flour. They were good, but these almond and chickpea flour, honey laced biscuits with coconut oil are AMAZING. They taste better than the ones I ate for years at meals. My mom and dad are hooked on them, so I guess I will have to make them from now on. They only took 5 minutes to pull together too. //Elana's Pantry [note: I used 1.5 C almond flour, 1 C chickpea flour, 1/4 C melted coconut oil and 1/4 C honey]

 Vegan thanksgiving plate! Everything was delicious, especially alongside a glass of Beaujolais Noveau

 Had a little pre-Thanksgiving get together with some friends to watch ThanksKilling, which is terribly amazing. I made this vegan bean dip, which was super easy to pull together, and they made mango salsa and guacamole. This comes from one of my new favorite vegan blog finds! //For Reals Mom

Now that all of the Thanksgiving dishes are cleaned, the leftovers are gone, and the shoppers finally told themselves to go home, things are somewhat back to "normal" before Christmas hits in a month. I am really looking forward to being over with school so that I can try new things in the kitchen. I made this amazing rosemary vegetable soup with white wine, kale and potatoes. It is very filling and delicious! I hope it gets really cold so I can eat this for a few more days! //Vegetarian 'Ventures

(615) fresh catch

delicious vegan cassoulet with fresh vegetables and homemade beans

finally bought these suckers after they came through my line at Whole Foods about ten times. they are so good but a little pricey. I'd like to try my hand at homemade kale chips!

what happens when you work at Whole Foods: I got into Kale! my parents are so proud.

before going to brunch with Ashley at Printworks. the weather today was lovely!

an interesting appetizer at Printworks: poached fruit in a spicy broth. it was out of this world and would be amazing over rice pudding

one of the best dishes I've had in Greensboro: lemony golden beets over quinoa/black rice with kale and chickpeas. do I really need to say anything else?

daisies from our floral department!

Kale, Bean + Squash Tostadas
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-Soak pinto beans overnight and cook according to package directions. Let cool slightly, then mash with some cumin and a little olive oil. Saute dinosaur (lacinato) kale with garlic, olive oil, and red pepper flakes in a pan. Set aside. Add chopped sunburst squash to the pan with a little more oil and cook until soft. Set aside. Add fresh corn kernels and sweet peppers with oil to the saute pan; add onions and cook until done. Toast (blue) organic corn tortillas and top with mashed beans, kale, squash, corn/onions. Top with guacamole or fresh avocado. It's super delicious and easy!