Meatless Monday: Pea-lafel

Last week, WCM was down to the dregs in the pantry - I had reached the point when all that was laying around was rice, peanut butter, and tuna (well, and loads of frozen oatmeal banana chocolate chip cookie dough and 5 kinds of homemade ice cream). A dinner this makes not. AND I had zero time to shop. My weekly menu went something like this:


Monday night - take out Thai
Tuesday night - tacos from my local taqueria and a bottle of chardonnay from the corner store.
Wednesday night - I don't remember, but vaguely recall the last bits of three different kinds of pasta mixed together with some butter and a can of black beans....and the rest of that bottle of chardonnay.
Thursday and Friday - who knows.

So last night, I fiiiinally got to menu plan and grocery shop. I felt quite relieved that I would spend the rest of the week eating "real" food. One of the things at the top of my list - pealafel! Pealafel is the invention of the beautiful and spunky Aarti Sequeira. For anyone living under a rock, Aarti ran a blog for a long time and posted fabulous cooking videos. She then joined the cast of The Next Food Network Star. And she was AMAZING (she won)! The Muses were definitely backing Aarti during that competition - she is so real and radiant, and it seems as though she's the kind of person that would easily slip into your friend group and come over for brunch (which would be great because I bet she'd bring something delicious to brunch). Not only that, but she's brilliant when it comes to infusing Indian flavors into modern American food. Pea-lafel, for example. This dish is the same basic concept as falafel, except it is made with peas and edamame instead of chickpeas. So delicious and fresh! I love to load plain ole pita bread with pealafel, tomatoes, cucumbers and tatziki.

PS, Dear Food Network, this photo is awful. Common people, really. The whole point of your company is to make food appetizing. 

Pealafel - recipe loosely based off of Aarti's on Food Network


Ingredients:
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp coriander seeds
1 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed and drained
1 shallot, peeled and chop roughly
1 clove garlic, peeled
Handful of fresh mint leaves, plus another handful for yogurt sauce
Glug of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Squirt of horseradish sauce (optional)
1/4 cup besan (chickpea flour; regular flour is a fine substitute)
Canola oil for frying
1 cup plain yogurt

Directions:
In small skillet, toast the fenugreek, fennel and coriander seeds for a couple of minutes until they’re fragrant and slightly darker. Don’t walk away from the pan! They’ll burn! Remove from pan into a small bowl and allow to cool. Meanwhile, make yogurt sauce: Mix yogurt with finely chopped mint leaves and a generous pinch of salt. Chill in the fridge. Throw seeds into a coffee/spice grinder and powder.

Throw peas, spices, shallot, garlic, mint, extra virgin olive oil, salt into a food processor. Whizz it up, and if it isn’t grinding well, then pour up to 1/4 cup of water and puree until smooth. It won’t get completely smooth, because of the edamame, but process until as smooth as possible.
Scrape into a big bowl. Add horseradish sauce (optional) and flour. Mix.


Pour enough oil into a nonstick skillet so that it’s 1/8″ thick. Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Meanwhile, shape mixture into a small pattie in your hands, then gently drop into oil. Fry until the bottom is dark caramel brown (about 2 minutes), then carefully flip over. Brown other side, then remove from the pan and drain on paper towel-lined plate.


Serve in a pita bread pocket with some fresh veggies and a spoonful of the yogurt sauce.

[belated] Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

The East Coast Muse was a bit preoccupied yesterday, and it's only now, Tuesday morning East Coast time, that the Meatless Monday post is being delivered to you. To be fair, it's not everyday one gets to find out the gender of their first child (for those who care - it's a boy!) But it's Tuesday now, and back to work.

This week's Meatless Monday post can be prepared vegan, should you skip adding shredded Mexican cheese and sour cream as garnish in the last step. This recipe is adapted from EatingWell.com - the original recipe called for some hard-to-find Mexican specialty ingredients, and we're all about making vegetarian/vegan cooking accessible to even the busiest singles and most harried mom's out there (let's be honest: negro pasilla and sprig epazote aren't just hanging out in your local grocery, unless you live in San Antonio - in which case, check out the original recipe and knock yourself out).

We hope you enjoy! ECM made this for her lunch co-op last week (post to come regarding this very fun new endeavour and its many benefits) and the ladies loved it - one even remarked that tofu and kale are not something she incorporates in her diet regularly (read: ever) and she gobbled it up and begged for the recipe.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
adapted from EatingWell.com

INGREDIENTS
1 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

2 tablespoons chipotle sauce

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick

4 cloves garlic, peeled

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups water

1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu

4 cups chopped kale leaves

½ to 1 teaspoon salt

1 ripe large avocado, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

2 cups roughly broken tortilla chips

3/4 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese (cheddar and Monterrey-jack mix)

Sour cream (optional)

1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges

HOW TO 

1. Place the can of tomatoes and their juice as well as the chipotle sauce into a blender. Blend well.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 9 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon and transfer to the blender with the tomato-chipotle mixture. Blend until all ingredients are smooth.
3. Return the Dutch oven to medium heat. When hot, add the puree and stir almost constantly until the puree has thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6-8 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and water, and bring to a boil, then adjust heat to maintain a simmer, leaving the pot uncovered.
4. Drain tofu, rinse and pat dry, then cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook in a single layer, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until beginning to brown – this will take about 10 minutes total. Once the tofu cubes have become nice and golden on almost all sides, add to the soup and simmer for 30 minutes (again, uncovered).
5. Add the chopped kale to the soup and season with salt to taste, depending on your taste and the saltiness of the broth you used (I found that I needed about a teaspoon of salt – but be sure to add a little at a time and taste as you go). Stir the soup until the greens are wilted, about 3 minutes (you don’t want them mushy, just nice and tender).
6. Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Divide the avocado, tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream (if using) among the bowls. Serve warm, with lime wedges.

Vegan Monday : Peanut Isareli Couscous stuffed Peppers

Good friends of the West Coast Muse are in the middle of a 30-day vegan challenge (how San Francisco of them!) Now, the WCM is a pretty serious meat-eater so when I made dinner plans with the aforementioned friends, a bit of panic pulsed through my body. Not only did I need to make a main course that was meatless but also eggless, milkless, and (gasp) cheeseless! Ok, deep breath. People existed and functioned before cheese was invented. Right? People survived prior to goat cheese, yes? yes.

So your WCM searched far and wide for a good vegan recipe but nothing really suited my fancy. So I made up this recipe. ::pause:: Now, I am a pastry chef...I bake things. I make up recipes all the time....for ice cream and cake and truffles. But I will be the first person to admit that when it comes to being inventive with savory dishes, my mind goes blank. I am a great cook if I have a recipe but I can't just create things. So the fact that I made up this recipe AND that it was delicious is momentous. Also, if you're squeamish about vegan eatin' you need to rest at ease because if you're favorite bacon-eater is calling the following recipe delicious, you need to trust, because I am not easily pleased. 

Peppers stuffed with Peanuty Israeli Couscous

When you are imagining this on your "mind's tongue", think pad-thai flavors. 

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced (or squished through a hand dandy garlic press)

Heat oil on medium heat in a large pot. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes being mindful to not let your garlic get too brown.

12 oz israeli couscous (easily found at TJs)

Add israeli couscous to the oil and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until the couscous are toasted. 

2 1/2 cups water or veg stock

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon siracha

Add the above three ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until your couscous are tender. 

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Mix the peanut butter and oil into the couscous until they are well-coated. 

6 small rainbow carrots, chopped

1 can garbanzo beans

Toss chopped carrots and beans into the cous cous and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now let's stuff some peppers...Take 6 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, whatev) slice them in half length-wise and gut them out from seeds and veins. Lay the peppers in two oiled baking dishes and load 'em up with the cous cous mixture. Drizzle a little bit more oil on top and pop 'em in the oven at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until the peppers are tender. 

Top the cooked peppers with with chopped scallions and toasted peanuts. YUM!

Meatless Monday: Sloppy No's

Today's Meatless Monday post is an original recipe by the ECM's dear husband. With a craving for sloppy joe's and a penchant for eating well this time of year, what's a man to do but make a few substitutions? I must say, I'm pretty proud of him. Try this recipe for yourself and let us know what you think!

Sloppy No's
by Eric Asche

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

1 cup vegetarian ground "beef" crumbles (add more if you desire a thicker consistency)
1 cup garbanzo beans
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (preferred brand: Stubb's)
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 small jalapeno, finely chopped (remove seeds)
2 or 3 garlic bulbs for a little extra flavor, finely chopped
Healthy dose of Salt / Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1: Combine ingredients in medium saucepan
2: Bring mixture to a boil
3: Reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 10-15 minutes, or until onion is tender (remove cover to thicken)
4: Stir occasionally
5: After finished cooking, let contents sit and cool for 5 minutes to help thicken
6: Toast buns, add pickle, slaw, tots and get after it!

Meatless Monday - Low fat vegetarian black bean soup

Hello dear readers, and Happy New Year!

The Muses fell off the wagon a bit in the past couple of months - who knew that promotions / new jobs could mean REAL work to do and less time to play?

Alas.

It's Monday, and the FIRST Monday of the New Year, at that. We are bringing back Meatless Monday posts in the Big 12, and first up on the roster: low fat, vegetarian black bean soup. What could be more delicious in the chilly winter than some soup? Not only that, but this soup is super inexpensive, super quick to prepare, and uses mostly pantry items that you most likely already have laying around.

The ECM made this for herself and her dear husband last week, and already it's back in the line-up of this week's dinners. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Low Fat, Vegetarian Black Bean Soup
[Adapted from Bon Appetit (August 2004)]

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
One half jalapeño chile without seeds, chopped
2 15-ounce cans black beans, undrained
1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

Chopped fresh cilantro
Low-fat sour cream
Tortilla chips

Heat oil in a heavy large pot (I used my Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes.

Mix in the cumin and 1 teaspoon jalapeño, and stir for about a minute or so, letting the cumin toast.

Add undrained black beans, tomatoes with juice, and vegetablebroth; bring soup to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.

Using a large ladle, transfer 3 cups of the soup to a mixing bowl and using an immersion blender, puree until smooth.

Return the puree to the pot, and allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes, until thickened.

Season to taste with salt and pepper (apprx. 1 teaspoon each, but judge by your taste).

Ladle the steaming soup into bowls, and garnish with cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, and some crumbled tortilla chips.

meatless monday: noodle bowl

It's finally feeling like fall on the east coast! I love slurping warm soup on a cool day out of a big bowl. I made this soup the other night and it was positively delish. It contains udon noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles) and tofu, as well as plenty of veggies, so it's super satisfying and hearty.

Things to note: this recipe does call for oyster sauce and chicken broth, which do not make this meal entirely meatless if you're being strict. Feel free to substitute veggie broth. Oyster sauce does contain fermented dried oyster - again, if you're not comfortable using this, there are vegetarian options available (for example, Sin Tai Hing Vegetarian Oyster Sauce or Soy Sauce with Mushroom by Healthy Boy Brand).

Udon with Tofu and Stir-Fried Vegetables

Kosher salt
3/4 lb. dried udon noodles
3 cups lower-salt chicken broth
1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. rice vinegar
4 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
2 Tbs. canola oil
3/4 lb. bok choy, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces (4 cups)
3-1/2 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 lb. extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
3 medium scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, for garnish

photo courtesy of Fine Cooking

Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to cool slightly. Drain well.

In a medium bowl, mix the chicken broth, oyster sauce, vinegar, and 2 tsp. of the sesame oil.

Heat the ginger and canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the ginger sizzles steadily for about 30 seconds. Add the bok choy and mushrooms, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tsp. sesame oil and 3/4 tsp. salt and cook, tossing after 1 minute, until the bok choy turns dark green and begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth mixture, tofu, and carrots and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots are soft and the tofu is heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Distribute the noodles among 4 bowls. Spoon the vegetables, tofu, and broth over the noodles. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve.

Enjoy!

Love,
The East Coast Muse

Meatless Monday: let's poach an egg

A poached egg, they are like bacon, everything is better when covered with it.

When you are going for a Meatless Monday sometimes salad and pasta can get tired if you are just tossing some vegetables in. A whole bunch of vegetables on pasta, a whole bunch of vegetables on spinach, a whole bunch of vegetables on quinoa, a whole bunch of...blah blah. It gets old, right? So throw an egg on it! The richness of that runny yoke will not only add decadence to your otherwise yawn-worthy dinner but they are also loaded with protein and a decent amount of iron. 

Now we realize that many people fear the poached egg. The West Coast Muse sure did until the sweet East Coaster told her how simple it is. We prefer the swirl technique. Take it away Brandon Jew...

Ok so now that you're all master egg poachers, let's check out some recipes.

Fall Vegetable Quinoa Hash with Poached Egg

Poached Eggs with Roasted Tomatoes and Portabellas

Poached Egg over Polenta with Olive-Herb Pesto

Vegetable Barley Soup with Poached Egg

Meatless Monday: Soup Roundup

Fall - as of Friday, it was official. What a fabulous season! We are looking forward to sipping mulled wine, wearing tights and boots, finding persimmons at the market, watching leaves turn bright shades of red and orange, and eating warm comfort food.

So this week we are taking a look at all kinds of soup from vegetarian pho (the traditional Vietnamese noodle dish) to cornmeal soup from everyone's favorite rustic Italian chef Lidia Bastianich. Soup is a simple way to make any meal meatless. There are so many options from straight veggie to soups loaded with noodles or rice. If you find a delicious looking recipe made with chicken or beef stock, just sub in some great quality veg stock and you're in business.

Vegetarian Pho

Swede Soup with pickled hazelnuts and turnips (fyi a "swede" is a rutabaga)

Pumpkin Barley and Miso Soup with friend wakame

Minestrone 

Rustic Spinach and Cornmeal Soup

Tortellini Soup

Beetroot Soup with crème fraîche horseradish and crisp rye crackers

meatless monday: slooooow food

Meatless Monday isn't just about going without meat - it's about celebrating "slow" food, food that is grown locally, is fresh and takes time to prepare. Chances are if you don't live in California like the West Coast Muse, you relish any opportunity to score fresh, locally-grown produce on the cheap. I, the East Coast Muse, and my dear husband have recently signed up for produce box delivery through Washington's Green Grocer. A box of produce in a size our little family can handle is delivered every Thursday to our building. We get an email four days prior letting us know what's going to be in our box (perfect for meal planning), and if we're ever out of town we can cancel our box for that week. There's no contract or obligation, so if it ever gets to be too much, we have the option to cancel without charge or agitation. The variety of goodies that come in the box is tremendous, and I'm having so much fun trying vegetables I've never actually purchased or cooked before (e.g. beets - I love beets but I've never actually cooked them before! Those were fun). I find that the fruit does get to be a bit much for us, but a clever solution I've discovered is to chop it up and put it into Ziploc bags in the freezer - add milk and ice, and a smoothie can be prepared anytime and on the quick.

What about you, faithful readers? How do you celebrate "slow" food?

Now, lest you walk away disappointed at a schpeel rather than fun, know that we wouldn't be the Muses if we didn't leave you with some parting goodies. We would like to share two delectable recipes for you today: eggplant dippers with marinara (courtesy SkinnyTaste.com) and Carrot Cake Sandwiches (from A Cozy Kitchen). Check them out and let us know what you think!

Cheers to slow, meatless cooking, baking and eating!

photo courtesy SkinnyTaste.com



photo courtesty ACozyKitchen.com

Meatless Monday: fancy pants rice and beans

We recently had a Meatless Monday suggestion from a good friend of the West Coast Muse. Leah's culinary savvy equals her elegance so when she gave a recipe suggestion my ears perked up for sure.

This is a gourmet version of rice and beans that stemmed from a recipe in Gourmet. The base is rice, beans, and sweet potatoes, topped with roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds); direction for all that is below. When Leah and her precious family had this for dinner, they added some delicious accoutrements and layered the rice and beans as follows:

Rice

Beans (any type you like)

Roasted sweet potato

Avocado

Queso fresco 

Toasted pepitas
Spritz of lime juice and some salt

This recipe could not be simpler so it would be the perfect thing to throw together as a quick Meatless Monday dinner (or lunch!)

Instructions

Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss sweet potatoes with oil and salt, then spread in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan. Roast, stirring and turning over once or twice, until tender and browned, 35 to 40 minutes.

Rice and Beans
2 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
4 to 4 1/4 cups Kemp’s black beans

Bring water, rice, and salt to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat and cook, tightly covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
1 cup hulled (green) pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas; not toasted)
2 teaspoons olive oil

Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick; preferably cast-iron) over moderate heat, stirring, until seeds are puffed and pale golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in oil and salt to taste.

meatless monday: tomatoes galore!

If you've tended a garden throughout the summer, chances are your bounty is rich with tomatoes. And even if you don't have a garden, you can't help but notice the abundance of those oddly-shaped, brightly-colored heirloom tomatoes available by the bushel at farmer's markets or your local Whole Foods. Even if they aren't heirloom tomatoes, big, fat, juicy, red, rotund tomatoes are plentiful and (literally) ripe for the pickin'.

For today's Meatless Monday post, we've rounded up several links to give you ideas for incorporating those ripe and delicious tomatoes into your lunch and/or dinner today. There's nothing like enjoying produce that is in season and at its season's peak - with meals this satisfying, you'll hardly even miss the meat.

Tomato salad with olives coriander

Linguine with summer succotash

French tomato tart with goat cheese from David Lebovitz

Margherita Pizza

Chilled heirloom tomato soup from Cannelle et Vanille

Enjoy!

Love, The Muses

meatless monday - lemon scented quinoa with corn, mint, and scallions

You may not know this, but of the two Muses really only the East Coaster is a veg-head (counter intuitive, we know) - hence, Meatless Mondays were her "brilliant" idea. But this time the West Coast Muse is taking a crack at today's feature. This means you can totally trust this recipe - if the WCM devoured it, that means you, the average-everyday-meat-lover will too. Mint and lemon are a fab combo in fancy-pants lemonade; so why would they not be great in your quinoa? This is a fresh-tasting, light dish but it's also loaded with protein and nutrients thanks to the powerhouse quinoa.

Also, errr... disregard that my photo here has chicken on it. This was made on a Sunday...which was not meatless. But I assure you, this would be great chicken-less!

modified very slightly from Epicurious

lemon scented quinoa with corn, mint, and scallions

4 ears corn, shucked
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon mild honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups quinoa (about 10 oz)
4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
8-10 oz feta

Put corn in a 5- to 6-quart wide pot, then add water to cover and bring to a boil, covered. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer corn with tongs to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut kernels off cobs with a large heavy knife.

Meanwhile, whisk together lemon zest and juice, melted butter, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined.

Epicurious has the following directions about cooking quinoa but I like to just throw mine in the rice cooker. 1:2 ration of quinoa to water...and salt that water!

or do it the Epicurious way... wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a large sieve each time. Cook quinoa in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve over same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid (don't worry if lid doesn't fit tightly) and steam until quinoa is tender, fluffy, and dry, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand (still covered) 5 minutes.

Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in corn, scallions, mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Crumble a good helping of feta over the top before serving.

meatless monday - green smoothies!

The Muses were together this past weekend in DC, and they had a little too much fun yesterday between the Next Food Network Star casting call and extra large beers at African restaurants - needless to say, the Meatless Monday post did not happen.

But never fear, faithful readers. We are excited to bring you today the green smoothie. We've been following sweet Kallie of Kallie Brynn Photography for about a year now, and besides lusting over her photos of France, cooing at snapshots of her sweet little girl and ooh-ing and aah-ing over her amazing photography portfolio, we also have been intrigued by the instagram photos of her green smoothies. These concotions seem bizarre but the thought of downing no less than four fruits/veggies in one sitting with the use of an everyday blender truly compells us. We asked Kallie for a recipe, and she sent us 8! You're such the over-achiever, Kallie!

We're posting a recipe that we've tried and can attest to its deliciousness, as well as Kallie's favorite and also including a few photos taken by Kallie of her smoothie creations. We hope these recipes inspire you to concoct your own favorite - the ECM has recently discovered that parsley and lemon juice give her green smoothies an added zing that really opens her eyes in the mornings.

Enjoy! And be sure to leave a comment letting us know how you make them your own!

Kale-Apple Smoothie
3/4 cup chopped kale (stem removed)
1 small stalk celery
1/2 banana
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup ice
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!

ECM note: using an apple instead of the apple juice works well, and combining spinach and kale takes some of the bitter kale bite away. Throw in a banana for added creaminess. Also, the use of So Delicious Coconut Milk is a great option!

Kallie's Favorite Smoothie
one handful frozen each:
-strawberries
-mango
-pineapple
one handful fresh blueberries
one banana
carrot juice
orange juice
two handfuls of spinach

Kallie's note: "I make this one the most (about every other day) and play around a lot with different frozen and fresh fruits. I also add cucumber often and sometimes substitute kale. Most recent variation: one handful of spinach and one stem of kale, a little cucumber, added some frozen peaches, and used fresh strawberries."

Readers - stay tuned to Kallie's blog, as she intends to do a series on her smoothies in the near future!

Meatless Monday: Black Bean Tacos

We know what you're thinking: "Haven't you already done black bean tacos?"

Why yes - we have. But today we bring you a version of black bean tacos by Bon Appetit that will have you begging for seconds; not that the others didn't - but consider these the grown-up big sister to the ECM's everyday, go-to tacos.

Also, we'd love to hear from you - have you begun to incorporate Meatless Monday into your weekly routine? What has your experience with it been - easier than you thought? Inconvenient? A lot of extra effort?


Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw

Recipe by the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen


1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cups coleslaw mix
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 white or yellow corn tortillas
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Bottled chipotle hot sauce or other hot sauce

Place beans and cumin in small bowl; partially mash. Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla; cook 1 minute. Fold tacos in half. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Fill tacos with feta and slaw. Pass hot sauce alongside.


Is there a Meatless Monday post that you would like to see? Let us know - send us an email, leave a comment or send us a Tweet! 

Belated Meatless Monday: Brussels sprouts that taste good (no bacon required)

For those of you who believe that Brussels sprouts taste best with bacon, we’re with you.

However, it’s not a necessity (try as my husband may to win that argument with me). And in fact, you can make Brussels sprouts taste good without a drop of animal fat coming anywhere near the skillet.

Don’t believe me? Read on, and then get busy cooking!

Photo stolen from The Kitchn. Thanks. (recipe however is not stolen...it's an ECM original)

Ingredients

1 container/bag of Brussels sprouts (about a pound, a little less), washed and ends trimmed
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter, plus a little more for later
½ tablespoon salt, plus more to taste later
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste later
1 cup vegetable broth


Directions

Heat a large skillet/sauté pan over medium heat, and add the butter. Once the butter has melted (do not allow it to start frothing and sizzling away), add the shallots. Allow the shallots to cook for about 7-8 minutes, until they’re softened and slightly translucent but not brown.

Add the Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper. Saute the Brussels sprouts for about 5 minutes, until their outer leaves start to brown a bit. Add the vegetable broth and turn the heat down. Allow the Brussels sprouts to simmer for about 12-15 minutes, until the broth has reduced and the Brussels sprouts are tender (you should be able to easily poke them with a fork, but you most definitely do not want them too soft). Add some more salt and pepper to taste, and a smidge more butter if you prefer.

Meatless Monday

The whole idea behind Meatless Mondays is to take a small step that makes a big difference. Going meatless once a week reduces your meat consumption - which in turn  promotes global sustainability, reduces your grocery budget, and improves your diet. One person doing all this doesn't make a big difference - but lots of people doing this does. Going meatless was a campaign promoted in America and beyond during World Wars I and II as a way to make sure that everyone had what they needed during hard times. In this time of economic turmoil, it just makes sense to revive the tradition. Besides, isn't retro the way to go? 

The Freelance Muses fully support Meatless Mondays – we think it’s always a good idea (and good manners) to think about things beyond yourself.

With that said, we launch our Meatless Monday post series. Each Monday we’ll feature a new meatless recipe for you to try, and, depending on how ambitious we’re feeling, we’ll also share a statistic about how going meatless once a week helps the environment, your wallet, and your health.

Enough talking.

The East Coast Muse and her dear husband invited a guest over for dinner a few Mondays ago. What better way to spread the word about Meatless Monday than to have their guest partake as well?

On the menu for that evening:

• Soft tacos made of adobo black beans and/or taco garbanzo beans
• Grilled corn on the cob
• Mexican rice

You can't get any easier than these vegetarian soft tacos!

ingredients:

One can black beans
One can garbanzo beans
Adobo seasoning
One taco seasoning pack

Rinse and drain the black beans. Heat the beans in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add Adobo to taste and a teensey bit of olive oil (to make those spices stick). Voila.

No, we’re not kidding. That it’s.

For the garbanzo beans – rinse and drain the garbanzo beans. Follow the directions on the back of the taco seasoning packet, subbing the beans in the directions for the ground beef. Use a bit less water than called for.

Provide dinner guests with a variety of tortillas – corn, flour, whole wheat – and homemade guacamole, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, cilantro and whatever other garnishes you prefer for your tacos!

Grilled corn on the cob

Remove the outer husks of the corn and trim the silk. Soak the corn under water for 15 minutes (those bad boys love to float to the surface – make sure you wedge them in a pot so they stay under water).
Peel back the layers of the remaining husk and generously butter and salt the corn.
Replace the husk and plop the corn on the grill until cooked through – usually 15-20 minutes.

Mexican rice

The East Coast Muse is a hard working woman, and on a weekday she opts for as easy as easy comes. For weekday Mexican rice, she uses her rice cooker and adds salt, a little bit of adobo, cumin and chili powder. Once the rice is steamed, fluff with a fork and add some room temperature butter.

That’s it! Going meatless is so easy, so healthy, and so fast. Anyone can do it!

For more information about the Meatless Monday campaign, visit http://www.meatlessmonday.com/.