2-on-Tuesday: Hungry Quebbie Crêpes

In 2013, I started the year off participating in #FoodiePenPals. My March Foodie, Jo Beaudoin, over at Diary of a Hungry Québécoise shared some of her culinary, Quebec (or "Quebbie") heritage by bestowing me with her mom's recipe for crêpes!

I was always afraid of attempting to prepare crêpes because it's a French food preparation. Silly me. Jo assured me of the simplicity and tastiness of this breakfast-dessert. And, with her blessing I give you a dainty detour from my plant-based nutrition journey.

Hungry Quebbie Crêpes

4 eggs
1 1/4 cup Milk
1 cup All Purpose Flour
5 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

• Mix all the ingredients and whisk until you get an even consistency.
• Heat a large pan to medium.
• Spread a big spoonful evenly on the pan making one crêpe, at a time.
• When the edges start to get crispy (or lacy), flip it until lightly browned!

Now, what to stuff  or top it with?

Well, if one is gonna veer from her wise nutritional choices, she may as well make it flavor-FULL! Here are a few ideas:

• Softened goat cheese sweetened with honey
• Top with your favorite fresh fruit
• Dollop some cherry, blueberry or apple pie filling
• Whip powdered sugar into softened cream cheese
• Drizzle with 100% Maple Syrup!

Not only were the crêpes lovely to look at, but they were wonderful to devour. Bon appétit!

2-on-Tuesday: HummNooch!

The Saffron Jasmine Rice was from my #FoodiePenPal

When I decided to make better choices by eating plant-based nutrition, I stuck with the usuals that meat-eaters tend to easily think of;  beans, salads, beans, fruit. Not fun and gets boring fast. I'm glad to live in the age of technology where researching new and fun plant-based menus for myself and the family is easy!

One such recipe involved something called "HummNooch." I noticed many vegans and vegetarians referred to this new-to-me ingredient. I just figured it must be an exotic spice that really didn't sound appetizing. Boy, was I wrong! By far, my fave of the online versions is from Heather of For the Love of Kale. But, I can't leave it alone, I just have to play with my food!

HummNooch or Hum-Nooch is really two different ingredients combined to make a sauce. "Hum" is short for hummus and "nooch" is the clever first syllable sound of Nutritional Yeast. Hummus + Nutritional Yeast = HummNooch. I understand this really isn't a great definition because it's leading to another question: What is Nutritional Yeast? Yep, I asked the same question and found the best answer and how to cook using it with Susan of Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

Don't be skeered! If you are looking to add some spice and jazz up your nutritional palate, try my take on -  

Humm-Nooch...with roasted stuff

Roasted Stuff: 
(Your choices, I haven't found rules in plant-based cooking)

Potato (Sweet, Red Skin or Blue) diced bigger (I prefer the Sweet)
Parsnips (they are akin to a sweet, white carrot)
Extra-Firm Tofu, 1 block - drained & diced bigger
Olive Oil or Coconut Oil

Total of any combination of above diced items: 3 cups-ish

Humm-Nooch Sauce:

6 tablespoons     Hummus (purchased or make your own)
3-4 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (I use Bragg)
1 tablespoon       Olive Oil or Coconut Oil
1/2 cup                 Soy Milk (I prefer Light Vanilla, it works for me!)
1 tablespoon       Masala (a spicy, dry Indian spice blend. "Garam Masala")

• Heat oven 400 degrees while prepping food.
• First, drain your block of tofu by wrapping the block in paper towels or napkins; sandwiching the wrapped block between two plates or pie pans; weighting down the top plate with a heavy item, pot or brick (I use my tea kettle filled with water). The idea is to squeeze out the moisture in the tofu. This usually takes 20-30 minutes.
• Cut your choice of veggie(s) to be roasted into larger diced pieces.
• Toss all items to be roasted (veggies & tofu) with a little oil (I prefer coconut oil to a spray oil in this recipe) and spread out on a large cookie sheet. 
• Bake or Roast for up to an hour until root veggies are fork-tender.

While the above items are roasting, heat all of the HummNooch Sauce ingredients together. This step doesn't take long. When roasted stuff is ready, combine everything and serve over a bed of rice!

For additional nutrition: Stir and cook down a fistful of kale into the HummNooch Sauce -OR- add shredded/flaked coconut.

TIP: If you have a meat-eater who absolutely refuses to try tofu, substitute cooked & diced chicken breast for their serving.

Any questions? It sounds involving, but I whip this dish up in a hurry!

#FoodiePenPals: March "Mars"

Bonjour! Ça va?

Comment dit-on #FoodiePenPals en français?

(I sooo had to look all that up. Thank you, online French tutorial! Merci.)

What? You don't know about #FoodiePenPals, yet? I signed up at this website ---> click here before the 4th of the month to be matched with another Foodie for one month. I connected with her via email to see if she had any food allergies or preferences. By the middle of March, I mailed a box of fun foods which I felt would represent myself to my pen pal! But, at the same time, a different Foodie (who was matched to me) was mailing a box à moi! How fun is meeting 2 new foodie friends from across the USA? IT'S REALLY FUN! You're gonna wanna do this...at least for one month!

Katie Erickson is my March #FPP from Illinois. I sent her a box of goodies from Tennessee! I had the pleasure of being in the south part of her state, last spring, cruising down a small stretch of the Historic Route 66! She blogs over at Sweetness Hunter. Check out her sweet treats! 

The #FPP who was matched to me simply thrilled my soul! Johanne Beaudoin (a French-Canadian) was born and raised in Quebec, traveled to Viriginia as an AuPair (nanny) and married Mr. Wonderful - It's true, Virginia is for Lovers!

Jo and I share a love for both food and our French heritage. Perhaps you can imagine my anticipation of the arrival of Jo's box. And, then it did: Homemade Choco Chip Cookies, Chocolove bars, fudge and some highly addictive Saffron Jasmine Rice that I could eat every single day of the year!

Included with the Pure Maple Syrup was a copy of her mother's Quebec recipe for Crêpes! I feel like I am one of the family who received the coveted secret recipe!

Waiting until the extended Easter weekend when the family was home, the griddle begged for attention. I ladeled a thin layer of batter and followed her instructions. Just as the edges began to crisp, I flipped the crêpe... Voilà!

Feeling confident I strutted my culinary stuff by filling a couple of the crêpes with fromage de chèvre avec du miel (goat cheese with honey) and drizzled the others with the maple syrup. I'm fairly certain my soul sang...en français!

I encourage you to follow Jo's passion for writing about food at Hungry Quebbie. 

Oh! Be sure to sign up for #FoodiePenPals at  The Lean Green Bean before the 5th to participate and just maybe you'll be lucky to be matched with Johanne Beaudoin as a #FPP in the coming month!

~Samalee "Sam"Allen

#FoodiePenPals: February

OOPAH! This is my second month to be active with an online community known as #FoodiePenPals. 

What is #FoodiePenPals? I signed up at this website ---> click here to be matched with another Foodie for one month. I connected with her via email to see if she had any food allergies or preferences. By the middle of February, I mailed a box of fun food to my pen pal. But, at the same time, a different Foodie (who was matched to me) was doing the same! 

I was pal'd up with two beautiful women! Tiffany Ellman of Home Grown Families in Williamsport, Pennsylvania...oddly enough, I most likely passed by her home, last October!  She's in the midst of a move and can enjoy some of her Tennessee foods now and  later. Athena Karalekas of Fitness and Feta in Belmont, Massachusetts, received my name...again, oddly enough, I drove just south of her home into Boston on that same trip!

Today, the last day of the month, is Reveal Day, when we publicly and social networkly (I know it's not a real word) thank our fellow #FoodiePenPals for taking the time and money to gather a surprise box of fun foods they feel represents them and us!

To my joy the Goddess Athena favored me with her Greekness from Sophia's Greek Pantry: Orzo, Tzaziki Sauce Spice, Greek Salad Spice and Kalamata Olive Spread! In her honor I went to work creating a salad worthy of her name. I searched and blended ideas for my offering, which I give to you, now...

PastATHENA  Salad 
(pahst-Ah-THEE-nah)

1 1/2 cups Orzo pasta, uncooked
1 can/jar Artichoke Hearts
2 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 Cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/2 Red Onion, chopped (I'm not a big fan of raw onions.)
1 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
1 can Black Olives, drained (I only used half the can)
1/4 cup fresh Parsley, chopped
Juice from 1/2 of Lemon
1 tablespoon Greek Salad Seasoning
1 tablespoon Lemon Pepper
1 cup Black Walnuts, chopped (My nod toward Tennessee!)

• Cook Orzo according to package directions to al dente. Drain. 
• Drain Artichoke Hearts and Black Olives.
• Seed and chop Roma Tomatoes and Cucumber. Chop Parsley.
• In large bowl toss all ingredients with Lemon Juice, seasonings, Feta and Black Walnuts!
• Serve warm-ish or chilled!

To our family's mini Greek Fest and using the goodies from my #FoodiePenPals box, I made: 
Quinoa Salad with Pinenuts and Blueberries with
Yogurt Vinaigrette
Tzaziki Sauce with Pita Wedges
Kalamata & Black Olive & Feta Tapenade (also, topped the baking chicken breasts)

If you're a Foodie like Tiffany, Athena and me, YOU should come forward the fare with the rest of us #FoodiePenPals! Sign up at the website listed at the top of this post by early March 4.

2-on-Tuesday: Minestrone

You know that feeling when you just know? Sure you do! After a first and maybe a second cup of strong caffeine, you get the hankering for...something... veggie... something... savory... something fresh ...Minestrone!

A quick look over the recipe... Perfect! I have most of the necessary ingredients for a plant-based recipe. Let's do this!

My quest since December 1, 2012, has been to reduce my intake of animal protein as we pursue a healthy lifestyle of fitness and nutrition. We've tested many recipes. While this choice has taken our family on a culinary journey, we find most recipes are keepers, but some have been, well, a couple of wrong turns. But, not this fresh stop in Rome!

I adapted a recipe from the now famous documentary-turned-cookbook, Forks Over Knives, from what was already on-hand, not unlike countless Romans from centuries past. So, while the weather is chilly, open your fridge and let your inner-Italiano make a grand presentation with the "Big Soup" (the rough translation of minestrone).

Minestrone (min-eh-strOH-neh)

1 large Onion, peeled and chopped
2 large Carrots (or about 12 Baby Carrots), sliced like nickels
2 Celery Stalks, washed and chopped with leaves
4-5 Cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
8 cups (or 64-ish ozs) Vegetable Stock
2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (optional, but I've recently been cooking with it!)
2 cans (15.5 ozs) Diced Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Greek Spices (Oops. No Oregano. But my #FoodiePenPals box had a tin of Greek Spices!)
2-3 medium New Potatoes (red skin), scrubbed and diced
4-5 handfuls Chopped Kale (little to no ribs - I buy a big bag to last a week)
1-2 cups of Multigrain Pasta
1 can (15.5 oz) Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
S&P (salt and pepper - to taste) and Red Pepper Flakes

• Saute the onion, carrots and celery with 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil or Coconut Oil or try a Water Saute (without any oil) in a large pot over medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Stir in garlic - don't let it burn.
• Add vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, tomatoes, spices, potatoes, kale, pasta and beans.
• Simmer for 30-45 minutes.

I'm headed out of town, but this big pot of "Big Soup" will be a big hug for my family until I return! Hope there's some left.

#FoodiePenPals: January

Tripping around some blogs I started following over the holidays, I discovered a fun little program for Foodies like me!

What's a Foodie? Much debate --sometimes heated-- centers on the definition. Some feel the name describes one who is obsessed with researching and preparing fine or specific food. Others claim to be a foodie based on their enjoyment of good food. While there is a sect which debates that only those in the industry of creating gourmet food products can claim the title. 

The Foodies I follow fall into a familiar flock for the fervor of food! You're gonna try to say it 3 times as fast as you can. Aren't cha?

Here's how it went: I signed up at this website ---> click here to be matched with another Foodie for one month. I connected with her via email to see if she had any food allergies or preferences. By the middle of January, I mailed a box of fun food to my pen pal. But, at the same time, a different Foodie (who was matched to me) was doing the same! BAM! Two new Foodie Friends in one month from across the USA! 

So, here's the deal...Today, the last day of the month, is Reveal Day, when we publicly and social networkly (I know it's not a real word) thank our fellow #FoodiePenPals for taking the time and money to gather a surprise box of fun foods they feel represents us! I gotta tell ya, my pen pal was spot-on!

Charissa (a lovely, feminine name) Wylie packed a box full of plant-based snacks which will allow me to participate in a SuperBowl XVII festivity, this weekend, without kicking my nutrition goals out of the new year! THANK YOU, CHARISSA! I can't tell just how much that means to me!

While traveling in Montana, I sent my Foodie match, Allison Palestrini, a little box representing "The Last Best Place." Thanks, Alli, for thanking me in your blog: Time Machine Taste Tester.

And, thanks, Lindsay Livingston, for the great idea (and management) of Foodie Pen Pals!

If you're a Foodie like Charissa, Alli, Lindsay and me, YOU should come forward the fare with the rest of us #FoodiePenPals! Sign up at the website listed at the top of this post by early February 4.