Lazy Almond Brittle

Thanksgiving has come and past, and Christmas edges closer each day. As we helped decorate the tree yesterday, that holiday spirit started to get under my skin. For the entirety of my life, my family has upheld traditions of spending time together playing Christmas tunes, keeping cozy by the fire, and, most importantly, cooking lots of goodies. So as the holidays roll in, my pallet starts to turn to an assortment of comforting sweets.

Making these tasty devils is at least half of the fun, but I'll be honest, today I'm feeling a bit lazy. I've had faaaar too many days off in a row, and I'm sure you've heard that bit about "a body at rest tends to stay at rest"?... well, that's me. Fortunately, I have a fool proof, easy-as-it-gets holiday treat that is perfect for my predicament (or lack thereof). This recipe was given to me by my friends in Virginia that we stayed with last winter. They were pros at converting awesome recipes into slightly-healthier awesome recipes. This isn't exactly on the top of the list of health foods but my theory for staying healthy is not to completely ditch all those tasty things you've indulged in your whole life. Eat them in moderation and put thought into each ingredient, buying the best you can afford. On that note, let's break out the pasture butter, and sucanat!

Almond Brittle

1 stick Butter
1 cup Sucanat, or Raw Sugar
2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
1 cup Raw Almonds, roughly chopped

Heat Butter, Sucanat, and Maple Syrup in sauce pan over medium heat, stir to combine. Leave on medium heat for about 20 minutes, letting mixture get nice and thick. I like to test if the brittle is ready by letting a drop cool on parchment, if it becomes hard and crunchy, take pan off of heat and stir in almonds. Immediately pour onto parchment, spreading to desired thickness. Let cool completely (10-15 minutes) before digging in!

You could also add shredded coconut and dried cranberries, to turn this into an extra special treat. Break out the cute tins and printed parchment, and you've got an tasty holiday gift. I actually considered turning todays batch into a gift... but I don't think I'm really feeling up to it this time around :)


  

Easy-Peasy Parmesan Potatoes

I'm not exactly the world's biggest fan of potatoes. Actually, the only time I ever use potatoes is when I toss them in a soup to thicken it up, aside from that potatoes and I aren't really on speaking terms.

This is probably because they are one of the top culprits for pesticides when grown conventionally, so it's of dire importance that I buy only organically grown taters. Although I can find organic potatoes at the health food store, they're always shipped from far off and what return am I getting out of this unsustainable purchase? Bland starch.

You may now be convinced that I'm not into potatoes, but when winter rolls around all of our local farmers bring these awesome specimens to market in every variety of color and knarly shape. How can I faithfully remain a tater-hater? I must give in. So I picked up these little yellow fingerlings that are cute as buttons and fit in wonderfully on the counter with my other produce. Once I got used to looking at them just sitting there, it dawns on me, "I've got to do something with these guys." I'm not feeling soup.... so what to do? Um... butter?...and....parmesan? Heck yes! And how about using the last few brussel sprouts, you can't screw up with butter and parmesan, can you? Definitely not.

Easy-Peasy Parmesan Potatoes (& Friend)
1 lb Fingerling Potatoes, sliced long ways
5-10 Brussel Sprouts, cut in half (opt.)
1/4 cup Butter, melted
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Dried Rosemary (opt.)
Melt butter and spread in 9x13 pan. Sprinkle parmesan, garlic powder, and rosemary in a layer over butter, and lay sliced potatoes and brussel sprouts face down in mixture. Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Allow to cool at least 5 minutes before removing from pan (otherwise the parm won't stick).
Serve with plain Greek yogurt for dipping.
And go on and love you some little potatoes!

Keep-Me-Healthy Hummus

It seems like the weather has everybody down these days. Fevers to sneezes to ear aches to tummy troubles, winter has brought an array of uncomfortable companions. But they aren't the only ones riding in on winter's shoulders, with the cold comes the holiday season bearing good tidings... and sugar and starch and very few leafy green vegetables. It sounds like a recipe for immunity self destruct, but I'm fortunate that despite a few of my pre-holiday indulgences my immune system has stood by me, keeping me afloat.

Now I must tell you, I don't have a crazy awesome immune system trained by Chuck Norris. But I guess you could say it's trained by The Beatles, (WARNING cheesy punch line ahead) since I get by with a little help from my friends. :)

The "friends" that I count on to get me by cold and flu season are ginger, green tea, honey, fresh local veggies, and lots of garlic. Garlic may give you terrible breath but it's a small con that's seriously outweighed by the pros. My favorite property of garlic is that it is antifungal and antiviral. It's sort of a ninja just waiting for some bug to try to come into your system... so it can karate chop it in the throat! It's also anti-inflammatory, great for your cardiovascular system, and makes you unappealing to mosquitos. I should mention it causes you to be very unpopular in Transylvania, which I guess could be a good or bad thing depending on whether you're team Edward or team Jacob.

Today I'm making a very simple snack  that includes all of my best seasonal friends, garlic hummus with turnip "hearts" and ginger green tea. Hummus is a very popular Middle Eastern dip/spread that owes much of it's distinct and delicious flavor to one of it's main ingredients: Tahini or sesame seed paste. Once I got a taste for this paste, I started throwing it in everything from stir fry's to desserts! I like to buy East Wind brand tahini because it's Missouri made, it can be found in any Missouri health food store and most HyVees near the peanut butter.

Garlic Hummus
1 can Chickpeas
1/4 cup Tahini
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
1/4-1/2 cup Olive Oil
5-6 cloves Fresh Garlic
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1 tsp Ground Coriander (opt.)

Combine all but Chickpeas in food processor or blender and pulse until Garlic is well chopped. Add Chickpeas and blend until smooth (if too thick to blend, add a little more Olive Oil). Serve with a drizzle of Olive Oil on top.

My favorite things for dipping are fresh Hakurei turnips, which are a small white turnip that are milder and sweeter than most radishes. Radishes and carrots are also very tasty with hummus, but whichever root you choose you're sure to get a hefty dose of vitamin-c. I guess I should inform you that turnips always taste better (especially to toddlers) if they are sliced and cut into hearts with a small cookie cutter. Something about that shape just brings out another level of veggie awesomeness.
Of course you need a tasty beverage to go along with your snack so go on and steep a few slices of fresh ginger and some  green tea in hot water for about 3 minutes. Stir in a teaspoon of raw honey and pour over ice. A pretty paper straw makes it go down a little better, but that's just personal preference. :)







Enjoy this gratifying snack knowing you're getting your immune system ahead of the game, one delightful bite at a time!

Japanese Lunch in a Jiffy

 I've got to walk out the door fully clothed and fit to be seen by the public, keys, purse, and lunch in hand in 30 minutes. It's one of those mornings. Yeah...awesome.
I do have a few tricks up my sleeve for mornings such as these, all of which avoid nasty drive-thrus and prepackaged meals. Today I'm going to throw together a super easy soba noodle and green cashew sauce lunch in about 10 minutes, all while getting myself ready for the day.

Soba is a Japanese buckwheat noodle that is traditionally served cold. They have a wonderful smooth texture and lovely flavor that stands alone. These noodles can be found at any Asian market or a well stocked super market in the Asian cuisine section. Usually they are bundled into single serving sizes, which makes measuring a breeze. Cooking for 1 = 1 bundle, cooking for 3 = 3 bundles. Easy peasy!

For Soba:
Toss your bundle(s) into a pot of boiling water cook for 5-7 minutes (or until tender), strain, and rinse with cold water.




Green Cashew Sauce:
1/2 cup Raw Cashews
1 cup Raw Spinach
2 Tiny Onions
3-4 Cloves Garlic
1 inch Fresh Ginger
2 Tbsp Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Water
Squidge of Honey
Drizzle of Sesame Oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Serve sauce over noodles with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a few slivers of nori (seaweed) and Bam! You can forget paying someone else to make you a garbage lunch and enjoy yourself a meal that's healthy and delish... not to mention that you made all by yourself in record time. Go you!
As for me, I not only made lunch (and took photos of it) I actually had time to match my socks AND put on eye liner. Now I have SERIOUSLY got to get to work. Ciao!  

Cozy Masala Chai

 Gee Minnelli, it's cold. Before it dropped below 40, I was happy as a lark hanging out near the fire place. These days, it doesn't quite cut it. So I dug out my thermals and wooly socks, my slouchy beanie and ugly Christmas sweaters so at least I'm nicely insulated. But when I'm forced to face the cold nothing keeps me cozy quite like a piping hot cup of homemade chai.

Chai is actually just the Hindi word for "tea." In the states, chai is more popularly known as a creamy spice tea drink which can be more accurately called "masala chai" (or mixed spice tea). This comforting beverage originated in India and is traditionally made by steeping tea and spices in a sweetened water and milk mixture. There is no universal recipe for chai but it normally includes ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom all of which have wonderful body-loving properties.

The list of benefits these lovely spices possess goes on and on, but what they all have in common is that they are both natural tummy soothers and pain relievers. No wonder it's so comforting!

My chai includes a few more ingredients than the basic recipe, all of which can be bought from Natural Grocers, Asian markets, HyVee, or any market that sells wholesale spices. If you want affordable, Asian markets definitely have the best prices, but if you want Organic, Natural Market is the place.
Another variation on the traditional recipe is that I use coconut milk instead of cow's milk. This is because, for one, it tastes amazing and, for duece, Jude and I both have a pesky little aversion to dairy. Make sure to look for coconut milk WITHOUT preservatives. I buy Thai Kitchen coconut milk which is only 30 cents more than the competitor who loads their stuff with preserving poisons. Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but really 30 cents is worth saving yourself even a smidge of that junk.


Masala Chai
1 can Coconut milk
3 cups Water
2 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Tsp Coriander Seeds
1 Tsp Whole Cloves
1 Tsp Fennel Seeds
1 Tsp Black or Mixed Peppercorns
5-6 Cardamom Pods
1 inch Sliced Fresh Ginger
1 small Rose, Petals only
1 Black Tea Bag
2-4 Tbsp Raw Honey


Combine everything but honey in a small pot and simmer for 30-min to 1 hour. Strain, add honey, and serve hot.
Go ahead and share if you feel like it, you probably won't but it is the thought that counts, right? Or drink it real fast before anyone sees you, then you can use ""what they don't know can't hurt them"... yeah that'll work.

Superb Sourdough Hot Cakes

 

 I'm loving my sourdough starter these days. Something about munching on that tangy bread by a fire is just the epitome of comfort. But I need not stop at it's taste, this yummy stuff has a whole list of reasons to fall in love.

1) Because it has natural yeast, you can throw it into just about any baking project and eliminate steps and ingredients. Sourdough starter = recipe shortcuts.
2) Sourdough is made by a process of fermentation. As it ferments it breaks down the starches and gluten and creates a suitable environment for digestive enzymes to settle in. This means it takes less energy for your body to break down, and leaves more energy for you to use for everything else (in my case chasing a toddler).
3) Sourdough is also said to have a much lower affect on your blood-glucose level than other breads.
4) Sourdough has it's origins rooted back in Ancient Egypt, and many starts have been passed down a dozen generations. So if you like to rock it old skool, sourdough is for you!


Sourdough is as simple as pie, and going from my last experience with making a pie, it's a heck of a lot simpler! Combine any amount of flour with enough water to make a smooth batter. Add some start, cover, and let sit at room temp for 8-12 hours and VIOLA! you have a giant sourdough start to use as you please. It retains it's smooth batter texture but will be full of bubbles.


Because sourdough IS ALIVE (I'd like that to sound as spooky as possible!) it's a bit tricky to get your hands on if you don't already know someone who has some to share, but all is not lost! You can order freeze dried sourdough culture online from CulturesForHealth and get that bad boy going. Also, I am more than happy to share mine with anybody who has an interest in trying it, it's a gift that keeps on giving and I'm  thrilled to pass it on.
Once you have a start going, make sure to save a little back in a jar before using the rest on your project, that way you have something to start the next batch. Two tablespoons, or so, will do and this can be stored indefinitely in the fridge.


Today, I am making some super simple hot cakes. I like to let my dough sour for about 2 days to get a really tangy flavor, but if you use some that has sat for a shorter period your cakes will still be awesome. They will have a very mild flavor, resembling buttermilk pancakes (only 10 times more tasty!).


Sourdough Hot Cakes
2 cups Sourdough Start
2 tbsp. Raw Sugar or Agave
2 tbsp. Coconut Oil or Butter
1 Egg
A Pinch of Sea Salt
A Dash of Baking Soda


Combine start with sugar, oil, egg, and salt in glass or ceramic bowl (no plastic or metal) stirring with a wooden spoon. Be sure to stir batter gently, do not beat. Oil and heat griddle. Add soda to batter right before cooking. At this point treat them like any other hot cake, cooking at medium-high heat on either side. Serve with a drizzle of pure maple syrup.



Be sure to share these yummy gems with anyone you'd like to be better friends with. This will be my third time overnight shipping them to Ryan Gosling via the United States Stalker Post and I'm pretty much expecting a proposal any day now :) But all stalker jokes aside, these cakes are sure to impress so pass them on!

Purple Haze: The Sequel feat. Easy Wheat Bread

I've decided my leftover "Purple Haze" millet+sweet potato mash would make some pretty awesome veggie burgers. So I'll need to throw together a loaf of bread before work to have something to put them on. This is by far the easiest, most versatile, and best slicing wheat bread recipe... like... ever.

Easy Wheat Bread:

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Unbleached White Flour

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Flaxseed Meal

1 tsp Yeast

1 tsp Sea Salt

3/4 cup Warm Water

I use a bread machine to make my dough. It makes bread making immensely easy, and you can find a bread machine for a couple of bucks at practically any Goodwill or other large thrift store. I tend to double the recipe most of the time and it fits fine as dough in my machine. Add your ingredients to the machine, set to dough cycle and let it go. Once it beeps, place dough in an oiled bread pan, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour. If you don't have a bread machine, combine ingredients in a large bowl, knead for a couple of minutes, let rise in a warm place for an hour, knead, place in bread pan then let rise another hour or so (if doubling, divide into two loaf pans). Bake 'em off at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing, then enjoy.

My favorite variations of this bread are a 4 seed bread (1 tbsp. or so of each pumpkin, flax, chia, and poppy seeds) and a vitamin-b garlic bread (1 tbsp. fresh garlic, 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast). Try adding something of your own and let me know how you like it!

To make the burgers, take about 2 cups of the millet+sweet potato mash and add one large egg and some more cumin and cinnamon. This should turn out to be 4 burgers. These are a bit crumbly, as many veggie burgers are, but if you want them to be a little sturdier add a 1/4 cup of oatflour (1/4 cup plus 2 tbsps. rolled oats pulsed in the blender makes 1/4 oat flour). Pat them out into burgers and cook on medium/high heat in an oiled skillet, about 45 seconds on each side.

 Serve with toppings like greens, avocado, sliced gouda, sprouts, red onion, and, of course, some home-made bread and you've got yourself one heck of a sandwich! 

 

Purple Haze

I had every intention of coming straight home from the farm and making dinner. I've been looking forward to preparing this meal all day, mentally scrolling through food combinations and imagining the infinite possibilities waiting for me in my spice cabinet. But despite my intentions, priority went to a very messy diaper, not that it would be the first time. 

Thankfully, my mom happened to make oatmeal cookies this afternoon, and they were the perfect snack to hold me over until dinner :)

Once I got Jude fixed up with a clean bottom, I could roll up my sleeves (wash my hands!) and get to work in the kitchen. The main ingredients I'm using for my dish this evening are rather special, well, at least to me. Millet is probably most commonly known for it's role in bird seed, but don't just leave this tasty grain to birds! It can be as creamy as mash potatoes and as fluffy as rice. It is a whole, unrefined grain so it's as good for your body as it is for your taste buds! Large supermarkets and health food stores normally stock this grain, and can be found in the bulk foods or the rice section.

I bought mine from Natural Market in Columbia, where I also scored these amazing purple sweet potatoes. They taste just like regular sweet potatoes so feel free to substitute, I'm just crazy about odd varieties of vegetables so I couldn't pass them up.

Ingredients:

2 Medium Purple Sweet Potatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces

3 tiny (1 medium, or half of a large) Yellow Onions, chopped

3 cloves Garlic, chopped

1 Jalapeno, seeds removed, chopped

2-3 Tbsp. Butter (coconut oil, or olive oil)

Sprinkle of raw sugar or brown sugar

1 cup Millet

2 cups Spinach, chopped

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Cumin

Salt to taste



After chopping the sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, and  jalapeno into chunks, I put them in a foil pouch with a couple tbsps. of butter and a sprinkle of raw sugar. Since I already had a fire going I figured I'd let it cook the potatoes for me. While that's going, start your pot with 1 cup millet and 2 cups water. Cook on medium for about 20 minutes.

The sweet potatoes cooked on the fire for about 15 minutes before I threw them in the pot with the millet to let them finish cooking. If you don't feel like building a fire, this foil pouch cooks up great in the oven. I'd say cook them for 30 minutes at 400. Whatever road you take to cook the potatoes, when they become tender toss them in with your millet as well as 2 cups chopped spinach (or other green), a half tsp. of both ground cumin and cinnamon, and salt to taste. This turns into a delectable purple mash, or what I recently renamed it: Purple Haze!

 

Southern Comfort

Autumn has taken root and with it our baby fall vegetables. The tomato plants are spent and have been replaced by mustards and collards, radishes and carrots, mizuna and turnips, and a few other lovely cool-weather veggies. And now that the air is crisp and cold my roots keep me planted inside during my down time, preferably by a fire :)
While I'm inside getting toasty, nothing ices the cake better than extra cozy comfort food and nothing is more comforting than down home southern cooking.
First we need biscuits. Lots of biscuits. Pantloads of biscuit. Start with a recipe and then double, triple, quadruple that bad boy. This healthy-ish recipe for vegan biscuits is perfect for a chilly day, moist on the inside, crispy on the outside and oh-so-buttery.

"Buttery" Vegan Biscuits
2 cups Unbleached Whole Wheat White Flour
1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp Coconut oil (chilled)
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 400. Combine dry ingredients then cut in oil with pastry cutter. Stir in wet ingredients, pat dough out on floured surface, and cut biscuits (I just cut mine into squares to save time, but these work great for round biscuits or any other shape). Place on greased or parchment covered pan and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Ok we've got a comforting starch, now let's fry something. As I ripped out the tomato plants I was sure to save all of those beautiful green fruits, perfect for this occasion.

Fried Green Tomatoes
3-4 large Green Tomatoes, sliced into 1/4 rounds
2 eggs
Breading:
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
Season Salt to taste

While you're preparing your tomatoes start the oil heating in the pot. For the best taste and benefit to your body, use Lou-ana coconut oil. It is refined so it doesn't carry a coconut  flavor and it fries at a little lower temperature, but it is a much healthier oil than vegetable oil. It is more expensive that vegetable oil, but the benefit of the switch far outweighs the price. Not to mention, if you filter and reuse you rarely have to buy it. You can buy Lou-ana coconut oil at Walmart, Hy-Vee, and just about any other super market these days.
Toss your sliced tomatoes in a Ziploc with the eggs, seal, and shake. Put you breading in a paper bag (or another Ziploc)  and pour your eggs and tomatoes into the breading bag, seal, and shake. Drop a sprinkle of flour into the oil to see if it bubbles, if it does, you're ready to go. Fry just until crispy the place on a towel lined plate, to absorb access oil.

Lastly we need some tangy braised greens. I picked some mizuna at the farm, and scored some hakurei turnips and fresh garlic from the Columbia Farmer's Market. I chopped up about 5 cloves of garlic, and sautéd in a tbsp of olive oil. Removed the greens from my turnips (and saved those guys for later) and roughly chopped along with my mizuna. I tossed it in the skillet for about 2 minutes and finished off with a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of sea salt. D-lish!

These three comfy foods work well as a sandwich or served separately. One thing is for sure, ya'll will be back for more!

Using Leftover Birthday Cake

Today I have the honor of using the rest of the watermelon from Jude's birthday cake for a tasty and nutritious breakfast. I love having to "use-up" fruit before it goes bad, it always gets my creativity going :)

 

 This watermelon is seedless so not much preparation is needed to toss it in the blender.

 One small watermelon and 1/3 cup of lime juice blends up to be a sweet and tangy smoothie that will serve 4 (8 oz glasses). If you want a beverage and not a meal, add a cup or more of coconut water and a smidge of honey then serve over ice for a super refreshing watermelon lime-ade.

Don't forget to compost the scraps, or in my case pass them on to some friends!

A Very Fruity Birthday Cake

Mr. Jude is turning 2! Woot woot! 

This very special boy deserves a very special cake, and this one he's sure to love. Who says you have to have refined sugars, gluten, funky oil, and other weirdo cake ingredients to have a party? This spectacular (looking AND tasting) cake uses only 5 ingredients, all of which are fresh fruit! Take note all you raw vegans, this party's for you!

 

 

 Start by cutting off the top and bottom of your watermelon. Then cut as evenly down the sides as you can, to get that "cake" shape

 

Then slice your kiwis and attach them around the base of your cake using toothpicks. Slice grapes in half and attach using toothpick as your polka-dot "icing."
.

 

 

 Slice strawberries and attach with toothpick along the top edge.
I finished the top of this cake off with sliced peaches, kiwis, and grapes and of course a big ole' 2!

 Jude was SUPER excited about his birthday cake!

 

 This fruit cake is bound to pass with flying colors. Check out that thumbs up, I'd say it's a pretty clear stamp of approval!

Stuffed Peppers with Vegan Taco "Meat"

 


I have the last harvest of bell peppers hanging over my head so why not throw some yummy things inside and make a meal of them. Yellow, red, and orange bells happen to contain nearly 6 times your daily value of vitamin C! Talk about proppin' up your immune system a bit, these baby's are super-veggies!

I'm stuffing these bad boys with something I like to call vegetarian taco meat. Most people use ground beef for taco meat, but store bought beef makes me feel a bit uneasy for a number of reasons.
A) I'm almost positive the cow ate some junky GMO feed. If you are what you eat then by the transitive property eating beef makes ME=GMOs. B) This beef is most likely shipped from outside the country. What's that I hear? The beef you buy says 100% US beef? Get this. Word on the street is that beef companies OUTSIDE this country name there establishments "US Beef" so they're able to advertise 100% US beef despite not being in the states at all. Why does it bother me that it's shipped from outside the country? It's not at all sustainable and other countries have far fewer regulations on their farming practices. If an animal lives a crap life, then is killed in a horrifically painful process the animal undoubtedly has gobs of adrenalin bouncing around it's veins. It turns out this actually taints the meat nutritionally. You don't have to be an animal protecting vegetarian-hippie to give a darn about the total lack of nutrition it has. If you love eating cow simply buy local grass fed beef! If you have to bargain shop for your food (like me), buy less meat and use this simple, cheap, and sustainable recipe to supplement.

Okay, I'll go ahead and step down from my soap box and get to my recipe. This "meat" so resembles seasoned ground beef in flavor and texture you won't ever miss the old stuff. Today I'm doing the simplest version of this recipe, so I'm using canned black beans. I normally use both black and pinto beans so feel free to use both or swap the black out for just pinto. The most work you'll be doing is chopping half of this onion :)

Toss the chopped onion into a pot and sauté in about a tablespoon of coconut oil, butter, or olive oil until they appear translucent. Then add a cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water, cover and let cook about 15 minutes.

Quinoa is a wonderful vegetarian protein source. It has a high protein to carbohydrate ratio so it's a wonderful supplement to meat. It can be expensive, so I recommend buying it at a health food store that sells bulk foods. I scored this beautiful tri-color mix from Natural Grocers in Columbia. There is some controversy over the quality of life of the farmers in the Andes that produce this grain and ship it to us American vegetarians. So if the fair treatment of these farmers is something you feel strongly about make sure you buy quinoa bearing the fair trade label.

While your grain is cooking use this time to cut the tops off of your peppers and remove the seeds. I'm using 7 medium/large bells.

Drain and rinse your beans and add to the pot about a minute before the quinoa is cooked. If the liquid has not yet been completely absorbed let it sit, covered, after removing from heat. Once the liquid is absorbed, add a 2 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning (Recipe to come). 

 

 Stuff each pepper with the mixture and either serve as raw peppers with a little grated cheddar or pop in the oven preheated to 350 for about 15-20 minutes for soft, cooked peppers

I recommend raw goat cheddar for topping, so to keep it "raw" I top the peppers after they come out of the oven instead of baking with the cheese. 

Serve with any combination of avocado, sprouts, salsa, and/or sour cream, and of course, ENJOY!