The Pancake Variations

Music: Giselle by Adolphe Adam**

Today's smoothie: organic parsley, frozen mango chunks, banana, bit o'avocado

Sunday is Pancake Day in this house (you knew that already, right?) and Jim is the pancake king (again, you knew that). Here are two delicious variations he whipped up these last two Sundays.

Biscuit-like pancakes made with slices of pear (pared just using a potato peeler) folded into the batter. This is now my preferred pancake recipe, courtesy of that amazing woman, LuAnn Bermeo, and her Amazing Meals cookbooks (luann6@msn.com). You must buy her books! They are all you need to eat well forever and ever.

The next pancake recipe Jim made was from Supernatural Cooking by Heidi Swanson. We had some leftover brown and black rice (yes, that's rice, black rice!). You just sprinkle a bit on the griddle, then pour the pancake batter right onto it. A great way to get extra grains (even though the flours we use are pretty darned packed with them already).

I made some of LuAnn's Oat Sage patties to go along with today's pancakes. Actually, I made extras to freeze for later use. You would never in a million years believe that these were NOT meat! I mean it. So good!

**From age 3 to 16, I studied ballet. While never showing signs of promise (ha ha ha), ballet instilled in me great discipline, control, and a love of classical music and dance (Thanks, Mom!). In Giselle, I danced the role of one of the villagers in the famous Maypole dance with the Fairlane Ballet Company, way back in the 1970s.

Energy Food

Music: Ben Lee, Awake is the New Sleep**

Today's smoothie: collard greens, fresh pineapple, bit o'avocado, banana, frozen tropical fruit blend

The other day I made a batch of yummy Energy Cookies from Dreena Burton's Vive Le Vegan! I froze all but about 8 of them to have in the little vintage cookie tin I keep on the kitchen counter. Sometimes I like to have a little sweet with my coffee, tea, or Teeccino. These cookies are very easy & filled with my favorite nuts and dried fruit.

1/2 C + 1 tbsp barley flour

1/4 C spelt flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 C raw sunflower seeds

1/4 C hemp seed nuts (I find these at Nutri-Foods)

1/4 C pumpkin seeds (I didn't have so I just used pecans)

1/4 C raisins or other dried fruit, chopped

3-4 tbsp non-dairy chocolate chips or carob chips

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp flax meal

1/4 C pure maple syrup

2 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used rice milk)

1- 1 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 tbsp canola oil (I used vegetable oil)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients EXCEPT the flax meal, mixing well. In another smaller bowl, combine the flax meal, maple syrup, and milk. Add the molasses, vanilla, & oil and mix well. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir well. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on a baking sheet, flatten slightly, and bake for about 13-14 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about a minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

Here's a close-up! So good!

I also made an quick and easy Pea Salad. Often when I eat at the Sprout House, I keep the lids of the plastic that the salad came in because it lists the ingredients. Then I can re-create it at home. Here's what's in their Pea Salad:

Peas, Veganaise, lemon juice (I didn't have so I substituted rice wine vinegar), sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, onion chopped fine, parsley, Dijon mustard. Quick, easy, and good for you!

**I first heard of Ben Lee from teen writer Sarah Dessen's blog. Usually, I don't like her music suggestions but I found Ben Lee to be a happy-sounding singer; and sometimes you just need that.

Eating Vegan=Eating Well

Music: Baroque music shuffled on my iPod

Today's smoothie: collard greens, bit o'avocado, frozen blackberries, fresh pineapple (bananas weren't ripe enough so I left it out)

I thought I'd just give a quick sampling of some of the wonderful food I've been eating lately.

This is a soft wheat berry and navy bean salad with fresh parsley, celery, onion, lemon juice, flax oil, agave nectar, sea salt, & dijon mustard.

This is a winter kale salad (originally from the blog Diana Stobo's Eating for Health, Vibrance, & Beauty, shared via the blog In the Raw)with cranberries (both fresh & dried in the salad as well as the dressing), onions, poppy seeds, sea salt, olive oil, agave nectar. We topped it with some sauteed firm tofu and fresh sprouts, courtesy of Jim's indoor garden.

This is a vegetable Masala "burger" patty from Trader Joe's on a whole wheat bun, with a side of roasted potatoes, carrots, & onions.

That's some potato soup that Jim made (we froze half of it to enjoy later) served with some toasted Motown Multigrain bread from Avalon Bakery that we bought at Sprout House in Grosse Pointe Park, and some leftover winter kale salad.

And this is a quick meal Jim whipped up with some Trader Joe's soy chorizo and a couscous bean salad I made earlier in the day. We enjoyed it with Garden Fresh Salsa Co.'s chips and salsa. Ole!

I should mention that all of these soups and salads were made in the mornings to be enjoyed later or by Jim on the weekend. I usually work afternoons and evenings so I am able to do this but you can do it on the weekend or in the evening after dinner. And I always, always make enough to enjoy for at least 3 days.

Who Knew?

Music: Becoming Jane, soundtrack**

Today's smoothie: baby spinach, fresh pineapple, bit o'avocado, banana

I've known for a long time now that onions, part of the allium family of plants, have wonderful antioxidants that help prevent many chronic diseases and cancers. And readers of this blog know that they are my all-time favorite vegetable, be they red, white or yellow onions, leeks, shallots, scallions, even chives. Raw or cooked equals absolute deliciousness in my humble opinion.

So I picked up another neat little tip from Jim the other day and my co-worker Donna will just love this one. (She loves onions, too--bad breath? too bad for you!).

From the latest issue of that kinda sorta weird magazine, Mary Jane's Farm, comes a handy dandy tip to keep those pesky winter germs away. During the 1918 flu epidemic, a doctor apparently visited a farm woman whose family managed to stay healthy. Her tip? Dishes of unpeeled onions in each room of her house. When this doctor observed these onions under a microscope, he found traces of the flu in the onions. Wow! Yet another reason to make friends with this strong-smelling but very tasty vegetable.

I'm going to put an onion in a bowl on my desk at work on Monday. Working with the public as I do, I'll try anything. Boy, will that start a lot of conversations.

**In case you didn't know, I am a student of everything Jane Austen. This includes all the novels, minor & unfinished works, film adaptations & their respective soundtracks. I am an English major who has been fascinated with her writing for many years. I re-read the novels often and in the last few years I've begun devoting my reading to literary criticism of her works as well. I'm a member of JASNA (the Jane Austen Society of North America) as well as its Michigan chapter. Sneer if you wish, but what other author (besides, of course, Shakespeare) is still discussed so much today, almost 200 years after her untimely death?

Do You Eat Enough Beans?

Music: Peter, Paul, and Mary The Very Best of Peter, Paul and Mary**

Today's smoothie: frozen peaches, banana, collard greens, avocado

Sometimes some of the best meals are the old favorites. This is simply black beans, basmati rice, and a side salad. Beans are so easy to make; you don't have to soften them from dried, just buy organic canned, saute some vegetables for flavor, add your beans, and warm through. Start your rice before you start the beans and you have a meal in less than 30 minutes. Yum!

Beans are one of the best sources of protein and fiber for vegans. In fact, women especially should make sure to eat 1 cup of beans, peas, or lentils every day; it's great for regulating hormones.

And beans are good for everyone as a source of incredible fiber. Many people claim they can't digest beans; the more you eat the more your body gets used to them. Additionally, if you use canned beans, rinse and drain them well as this will help. Alternatively, if you use dried, drain the soaking water and rinse the beans several times before cooking.

**I grew up listening to Peter, Paul, & Mary on my parents' stereo. They all had such beautiful voices. My brother would sing "Puff, the Magic Dragon" without fear whenever asked. Now it just makes me sad because we don't have the relationship we used to. One of my favorite songs has always been "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," despite its very somber meaning. The most popular version was by The Kingston Trio but this version is just as nice. Rest in peace, Mary Travers (1936-2009).

Mom's Refried Beans

Music: Joni Mitchell, Court and Spark

Today's smoothie: dandelion greens, frozen strawberries, frozen blackberries, banana, avocado

Since I'm Mexican, one of the great comfort foods of my childhood is refried beans. My mom's (and her mother's) recipe for the simple pinto bean was absolutely delicious. They were simply softened (usually in a pressure cooker--something I'm afraid of, esp. ever since Jim had an explosion incident with one early in our marriage), then refried in small batches in a pan on the stovetop. Of course, they were refried in lard which I most certainly do not eat now.

But somehow, mine have never achieved that certain taste that I remember. So I've come up with my own recipes over the years and most recently, using some simple vegan recipes in my cookbooks, most notably the recipes in Sarah Kramer's books. They're delicious but not exactly the same.

My mom still makes refried beans and she always saves some for me. This was a batch I took home with me last weekend. She doesn't use lard anymore but, rather, vegetable oil. They still have that taste I remember so well. Thank you, Mom!

I stuffed some into a whole wheat tortilla (Mission brand from Hollywood market), with fresh parsley and avocado.

Vietnamese Salad

Music: sampling various artists on iTunes based on a recent issue of Rolling Stone.

Today's smoothie: dandelion greens, frozen raspberries, banana, bit o'avocado

I'm on the email list for actress Gwyneth Paltrow's blog, GOOP. I especially enjoy her "newsletters" called MAKE, since they usually include amazing food recipes, many of them vegan or easily "veganized." This is one of them. It's a tad bit time consuming with all the chopping but the taste was so good it was worth it. It's got bok choy, watercress, peanuts, carrots, cucumber, basil, mint, cilantro, & Napa cabbage and the dressing is garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, agave nectar, fresh lime juice, ginger, and shallots. The dressing recipe called for fish sauce but I don't use that so I just left it out. I topped it with some sauteed firm tofu. I cannot wait for summer when I can use the fresh herbs from my garden; I think my fresh lemon balm would taste great in this salad!

Isn't it beautiful?

You can find the recipe here.