Do I have an inner vegan?

Before you deduce something false from the title of this post, let me assure you that I am far from being vegan. On the contrary, I enjoyed a completely fabulous Strawberry Poppyseed & Chicken salad from Panera the other day...for the fourth time in a week (good thing my addiction is a salad, no?)


My interest in the vegan diet is twofold: first, Todd decided he wanted to eat lighter on the nights we don't go for a run and second, I'm attracted to a diet that includes absolutely no dairy.


I'm always looking for an excuse to buy a good cookbook, so my first step in the vegan venture was finding one on the subject. After flipping through several at BAM, I came home and ordered The Complete Vegan Kitchen by Jannequin Bennett (it was half the price to get it used from Amazon, and that's with shipping). The first part of the book explains veganism and discusses nutrition, ingredients, tools, etc. I love books that read like textbooks, so I wanted one that had a good "getting started" section.


Vegan diets differ from vegetarianism in that no part of any animal is permitted for eating. That means that in addition to any and all meat, no fish, eggs, or dairy are allowed. Even honey and gelatin are no nos. Because I am only interested in eating like a vegan occasionally, I don't intend to follow all the rules. I'm ok with meatless dinners, and I already do without dairy on a daily basis, but eggs...I just don't think I'm ready to lose those.


The meal you see pictured below is called bulgar pilaf with cashews and oven-roasted tomatoes. Roasting tomatoes in the oven is an hours long process (I'd give it a good three), and it took all that was in me to give it a try. I was the kid (alright, and now I'm the adult) who picked out the tiny chunks of tomatoes from spaghetti sauce and pushed them off to the side, so bringing myself to biting into one of these things was a psychological battle.


I confess, I'm still not crazy about eating tomatoes in anything but the sauce form, but this dish was extremely low-cal and filling, a combination for which I'm willing to make mega sacrifices. And I enjoyed cooking with cashews. I'm a nut lover and have never used them before in a savory dish...maybe I should explore those posibilites.


Not pictured here but also on the vegan menu that night was dairy-free vanilla pudding, also from The Complete Vegan Kitchen. Pudding is a less than picturesque dessert on a normal day, but whip up a little sugar, cornstarch and soy milk and the delicious but gelatinous blob you're left with is better experienced in person. Really, though, I do recommend it. I have always liked pudding, but since declaring myself allergic to dairy in middle school, it's been one of those pleasures I've lived many years without. The vegan alternative is tasty, just not as creamy (for obvious reasons) as the "real thing." I've learned that one must let go of expected texture and taste issues if one wants to be happy with substitution. No muffin labeled "gluten-free," no ice cream labeled "dairy-free," and no burger labeled "meat-free" is  going to be quite like you remember their non-allergenic-conscious counterparts. It's best to accept that as early as possible.


My integration of vegan dishes will be slow, I'm sure, as my body considers most vegetables to be foreign matter. One step at a time. :)

4th Festivities

We didn't used to do much in the way of July 4th celebrations, but the addition of several kids and one very luxurious swimming pool have a tendency to change things for the better. The food was delicious, the water fantastic, and the fireworks...well, they were fireworks, but I did enjoy a color commentary from Thing 1, who took in the entire show on my lap: "Look Mernith, a green one! There's a red one! A purple one! Where the blue one go?"

When's the next holiday? I wouldn't mind doing this all over again.

Todd and I started the morning in true patriotic style with red, white and blue pancakes. The white chocolate chips, blueberries, and drizzle of strawberry syrup were completely delicious, but unfortunately, I can't take a bit of the credit. The entire thing was Todd's doing, from the list of ingredients to the perfect execution. He's the pancake man around here, for sure. :)

Thing 1 helped me showcase my mini strawberry-raspberry pies, and I'm so proud of how still he stood while I took this! He got to eat it afterwards, naturally :)  The pies aren't difficult to make, but they are extremely involved. You have to decide if the taste is worth the time. 

It will be a few years before "group" pictures are easy, but for now they are really, really cute. :) 

As she is thus far the only little princess in the family, we all take every occasion to see that she looks the part. From the star-spangled skirt to the oversized bow, Thingette is 100% girl! 

The dinner menu was superb! Chicken salad, watermelon, spinach salad with nuts and craisins, and blue-raspberry jigglers! I think I had about 5 of these...

Thing 2 at the fireworks, practicing his "smile." We're still working on it. :) 

Bran' New Favorite

While trying new recipes is something I do frequently, only occasionally do I hit upon a real winner. And when I do, I feel absolutely compelled to share it! The most reent treasure I encountered was Low-Fat Blueberry Bran Muffins, from Undressed Skeleton.


I love bran muffins and this lighter, healthier version tastes exactly like the muffins I grew up eating, just with fewer calories (ding ding ding!!) While the blueberries were an interesting addition, I found that they didn't really do much to enhance the overall experience. I have another actual blueberry muffin recipe (I'll share sometime) that I like much more when Todd wants to enjoy a good blueberry muffin (his favorite). But as far as bran muffins go, I don't think you'll find better.


I got 15 muffins out of the batter, but I suppose if I'd been consistent I probably could have gotten a few more...they just would have been a bit smaller than I like my muffins. I put a wee dab of butter on and enjoy a completely delicious (and low cal!) breakfast!

Low-Fat Blueberry Bran Muffins

Calories: 123 | Total Fat: 0.9g

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups wheat bran
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or use paper muffin liners. Mix together wheat bran and milk, and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat in bran mixture. Sift together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into bran mixture until just blended. Fold in blueberries. Scoop into muffin cups.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly tapped.

For many more healthy recipes, visit Undressed Skeleton.  :)