Category Archives: Entrees

Jan11

Red Beans + Rice Burgers

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_5797

Living on the east side of Houston has connected me to some fun friends from Louisiana. To a person, everyone I’ve met from that state has been warm and friendly and genuinely nice. I’m a fan.

And one of my favorite road trips is to New Orleans. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m due for one of those soon. That city feeds my soul and has the best quirky and inviting vibe of any city I’ve ever visited. So with Mardi Gras approaching, I started getting in the mood last week and came up with this simple tasty recipe.

Read the rest of this entry →

Oct27

Crunchy Penne With Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts + Sage Butter

Posted on by
Standard

12047058_10207916227933606_3109030539031249555_n

Like a lot of kids, my boys were picky eaters growing up. They spent most of their childhood eating macaroni and cheese…every night I tell you. For someone who loves to cook, this seemed like a cruel twist of fate for me as their mom. Family meals are precious to me, so I never wanted to have food battles with them. I just kept hoping if they saw how much I loved all the vegetable-centered meals I made, that maybe, just maybe someday they would get curious.

Fast forward many years and now I have two young men in my house who will eat just about anything I make and like it. Hallelujah!

Read the rest of this entry →

Sep14

Black Bean + Fresh Corn Flautas w/Papaya Pico de Gallo

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_4762

For the last two summers, I’ve had the best time teaching stand-up paddleboard yoga with BIG SUP Yoga at a beautiful spring fed lake here in Houston (288 Lake). Spending time in nature, soaking up the sun, floating on water and doing yoga! It’s my favorite thing to do in this entire town. I always feel like I’m on a mini vacation right here at home.

Read the rest of this entry →

Sep2

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Posted on by
Standard

FullSizeRender

As the mother of two teenage boys, I’m constantly on the lookout for tasty healthy recipes that make a lot. And I mean A LOT. These boys can eat when they put their minds to it.

We have a little local Thai place near our house and they serve a massive mound of Pineapple Fried Rice that both the boys love. So I’ve been meaning to come up with my own version for a while now. I did, it made a ton and the guys loved it!!! Score for foodie yoga momma!

Read the rest of this entry →

Jul7

Farro Dolma Salad with Baba Ganoush

Posted on by
Standard
FullSizeRender (44)

Center For Yoga, Birmingham, MI

I recently returned home from a month-long journey that took me from Houston, TX to the suburbs of Detroit, MI. What I am willing to do for yoga…drive 20 hours, share a hotel room with other people for more than three weeks, wake up at the crack of dawn…and love (almost) every minute of it.

I had the privilege of studying what I love with 39 other people who love yoga as much I do. And when you get that many people together focused on a common purpose, great things happen. We laughed, we cried, we sweat (a lot), we danced, we sang and we bonded in an amazing way. I’m so happy to say that I have brothers and sisters all around the country that I shared this life-changing experience with.

Another thing we did was eat some pretty delicious mediterranean food. Who knew? Detroit is home to some incredible food. Maybe food tastes better after you’ve done a ton of yoga (or meditated for 8 hours or sat in a sweat lodge), but all I know is that I loved it. We had, among other things: dolmas; lentils and rice; cucumber tomato salads, hummus and baba ganoush. Of course, I was inspired to make some of this at home.

Read the rest of this entry →

May5

Cinco de Mayo Tortilla Soup

Posted on by
Standard
IMG_2780

Cinco de Mayo Tortilla Soup

This is one of those recipes that I’d made for years and sort of forgot about. I’m glad I remembered it, because it’s so darn easy. And as a bonus, my kids completely devoured it last night for dinner. So it’s definitely a winner!

Oh so long ago I picked up a Nordstrom cookbook. Sounds a little weird I know, but they have a cafe and the food is actually really quite good. The book I have is more than 10 years old. It’s the Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook and I’ve adapted many recipes from it. It’s not a vegan book, so I’ve had to be a little creative…which I like to do.

Their recipe for tortilla soup is outstanding. It calls for chicken, but I just add more vegetables instead. It’s awesome!

Read the rest of this entry →

Apr8

“Get Your Protein On” Bean Salads

Posted on by
Standard
FullSizeRender (27)

Curry Chickpea Salad, Italian White Bean Asparagus Salad + Black Bean Avocado Salad

Recently, I’ve had several conversations with people about how to make sure you get enough protein following a vegan diet. Honestly, this is the most common conversation that I have about eating vegan. The answer for me is by eating a healthy variety of whole plant-based foods that includes beans, nuts, nut butters, seeds, tempeh, tofu and some whole grains like quinoa.

I’m not big on tracking this kind of thing and I don’t count calories, but for a nutrition class I took while I was in culinary school I was required to track my food intake for two weeks. What I found is that my vegan diet met all of my protein needs perfectly. So I don’t sweat this too much. My focus and energy is directed toward holistic wellness and I trust that my healthy lifestyle will always support me.

Matt Frazier, an ultramarathoner and author of the book No Meat Athlete says “If you’re eating enough for your activity level and consuming a variety of whole foods, you will get all of the protein you need.” He explains that for his weight and activity level he needs about 2,500 calories per day and shoots to get about 10% or 250 calories from protein.

Read the rest of this entry →

Feb27

Slow Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

Posted on by
Standard

IMG_1780

This is for all my friends living in colder climates. A little liquid sunshine just for you. A little spice to warm you up on those chilly nights. A little comfort food to let you know that you are going to be okay. And a little reminder that Spring is just around the corner.

Carrots are perfect for a pureed soup. They have just the right texture, sweetness, taste and the most beautiful color. Slow roasting the carrots brings out even more depth of flavor. I love this technique, one that I borrowed from the New York Times’ Mark Bittman.

Read the rest of this entry →

Feb23

Not Your Momma’s Sloppy Joes

Posted on by
Standard

FullSizeRender (16)

When I was a kid, growing up in the 70s, easy-to-prepare food from a box or can was the rage (well, it still is really). But back then, processed food was sort of newer and kind of exciting. So our family dinners often consisted of things like Hamburger Helper, Stovetop Stuffing and of course, Manwich Sloppy Joes.

It wasn’t until i graduated from college that I started to explore the world of fresh vegetables (not green beans from a can) and other whole foods. I got my first vegetarian cookbook in 1989 and I have been preparing plant-based meals ever since. A few years ago I came across a recipe from the Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook for vegan sloppy joes and it took me right back to my 10-year old self.

Read the rest of this entry →

Feb17

Savory Chickpea Pancakes

Posted on by
Standard

FullSizeRender (11)

I know I have friends who plan meals ahead of time. Maybe even pre-cook for an entire week. I think that’s awesome. But for me it’s just so not how I typically operate.  I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, let’s-see-what’s-in-the-fridge, totally-wing-it cook.

That’s just how I roll. And sometimes inspiration strikes and I end up making a meal like this one. First, I made a big pot of curry butternut squash soup and wanted something to go with it. So I thought I’d try making chickpea pancakes as a side dish. Oh man, these are great. Super easy and really tasty.

Read the rest of this entry →