Black Bean, Mushroom, and Lentil Stuffed Poblano Peppers

It has been a little over a month since I cut meat out of my diet. I was, as I described it, "transitioning" to vegetarianism since the new year, but it was not until I moved to Boston and cooked solely for myself every night that I finally took the plunge into the deep end. 

The most challenging part about not eating meat (besides the lure of a salami sandwich) is cooking dishes that keep you full. While fruits, vegetables, and grains make you full, proteins keep you full. Meat is the most obvious form of protein, for Americans at least. The typical American conceptualization of a "healthy" meal looks something like this: a third of the plate is animal protein, such as a chicken breast; a third of the plate is a grain, such as rice; and a third of the plate is a vegetable, such as steamed broccoli. But of course, meat is by no means the only way to get that filling protein into a dish. First and foremost, eliminating meat means finding alternate forms of protein, completely upheaving how you conceptualize a meal. 

This dish is chock full of protein: lentils, black beans, avocado... and the protein in each of these ingredients is far easier for your body to digest than is meat. Your tummy will thank you.  

I prefer stuffing poblano peppers over bell peppers, because the poblanos add an extra little kick of spice. Personally, I live for spicy foods, but for those of you who would prefer a milder option, a red or orange bell pepper would work nicely as a substitute. 

Keep reading for the full recipe!

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

This recipe happened by (happy) accident, and I could not be more ecstatic. Light yet filling; flavorful without meat, cheese, or too much fat; quick and easy to make; this is a must make immediately kind of dinner. 

When I think of making lettuce wraps, I rarely follow through with it, mostly because a complex Asian sauce - that rarely turns out right - is typically on the to-do list. These are a Mediterranean twist on the Asian lettuce wrap with a mere 10 ingredients and a cook time of less than 30 minutes. Need I say more?

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps
// Total time: 25 minuts
// Makes: 4 lettuce wraps
// Serves: 2 as an appetizer, 1 as a main dish

Ingredients:

• 1/4 yellow onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 oz. white mushrooms
• 1 can artichoke hearts
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 4 tbsp balsamic vingar
• Sprinkle dried parsley
• 1/4 cup cashew halves
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4 leaves romaine lettuce

Directions:

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Dice onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Mince garlic and sauté, moving onion garlic mixture frequently until fragrant, about a minute. Chop mushrooms and add to onions and garlic. Drizzle mixture with honey and seasons with parsley, salt, and pepper. Pour in 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar and allow mushrooms to cook until tender and heated through. Drain artichoke hearts and roughly chop. Add to mixture. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, until heated through. Add cashews and season with cayenne pepper. Allow to cook for 2-3 more minutes so the flavors can marry. Remove from heat and add remaining 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar. 

Wash romane lettuce. Remove 4 large leaves. Spoon mixture onto the center of each romaine leave. Enjoy!

xx 

Creamy Avocado Spaghetti

After a thirteen hour work day, all I want for dinner is flavorful, filling, and most importantly fast. On the train back to my apartment this evening, I thought about what I could make quickly from the contents of my cupboard. Avocado, tomato, and ricotta cheese immediately came to my mind. Done and done. 

This recipe is pathetically simple but damn it is good. It also costs less than $3 per serving. Perfect for a tired Monday. Easily quadruple this if you're unlike me and have friends to eat with. I am cookin' for number one.

Creamy Avocado Spaghetti

//Total Time: 15 minutes

//Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 serving whole wheat pasta of your choice (spaghetti, penne, etc.)

1/2 avocado

4 gloves of garlic, minced

3 tbsp. ricotta cheese

1 tomato, diced

Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan and fresh copped basil, for garnish

Directions:
Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Add a pinch of salt. Cook whole wheat pasta according to directions.

Meanwhile, pit and scoop out the avocado. In a separate bowl, mash the avocado with the back of a fork. Add minced garlic and ricotta. Incorporate well. Fold in diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drain pasta and return to sauce pan. Scoop avocado mixture into saucepan. Lick the bowl of avocado mixture clean, leaving none behind. (Is that just me?) Gently fold the avocado mixture into pasta. Transfer to a plate and top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve with simple arugula salad and a piece of crusty bread, for mopping up all that extra avocado at the end.

Happy Monday.

xx

Grow, Grow, Grow!

Growing vegetables in containers is far easier than I thought - or at least the speaker at Tomatomania made it seem so. The tricky part about gardening, it appears, is ensuring the soil conditions (temperature, acidity, nutrients, etc.) are consistent for the plants. In containers, this concern is eliminated, because potting soil is mixed and made perfect for you. Just dump and plant!

As I am new to gardening, the relative simplicity of container gardening is appealing. Eventually, once I am more experienced, I will have an entirely edible garden in my dream-house backyard. Until then, I'll stick to containers.

Here are my learnings from Tomatomania, some basics for growing tomatoes in containers:

1. Containers: Tomato roots can grow as much as 10 feet deep and 10 feet wide in the ground. Thus, you need large containers, 15 x 15 at minimum. Make sure your containers have holes that drain. Wooden or pulp containers are best because they do not retain heat, keeping the roots nice and cool. Avoid dark colored containers that absorb heat. If you do have dark containers already, cover in fabric like burlap.

2. Planting: Plant only one tomato plant per container. You will want to dig a rather deep hole when planting. Pinch off the bottom leaves of the plant and place deeply in the soil, so that only the very top of the plant is above ground. This means you will be planting some of the stem in the soil. This is good! As this will result in more roots faster.

3. Fertilizing: In containers, you will need to fertilize once when you plant (sprinkle fertilizer in the hole you dig for the plant, mixing it deep in the soil by the roots) and every two weeks following. Use an organic fertilizer, following the directions on the package.

4. Watering: Immediately after planting, water so as to soak the root ball. It does not take a lot of water to accomplish this, as the roots are still fairly short. As the plant grows, the container will need more water to reach the growing roots. The key with watering tomatoes is watering deeply and infrequently. Of course, with containers, water tends to evaporate or drain out fairly quickly, so you will mostly likely need to be watering every day or so, particularly as temperatures rise. Speaking of when temperatures rise, watering a little extra on the hottest days so that there is some reserve on the bottom will ensure you plant's roots have enough water to combat the heat.

5. Sun: Tomato plants need full sun. Full sun means 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. What is important with this is heat on the surface of the soil. This does not mean heat in the roots. Thus, placing your containers in an area that receives plenty of sun and heat, but not on a surface that will cook the roots is important. Also, avoiding dark containers, which trap in heat, will ensure a fruitful harvest.

6. Pinching: You can pinch leaves if you'd like; you can do no pinching at all. It is up to you. Pinching results in bigger tomatoes, while not pinching results in more but smaller tomatoes.

7. Shelters: Tomatoes plants grow tall and large, so your plant will need a cage or support of some kind. You will want to install a shelter in your container when you plant, so that you do not injure any roots.

8. Mulching: If temperatures get really hot, mulching (placing shredded newspaper or hay on the surface of the soil) may help.

There you have it! The basics for starting your very own tomato plants. Grow, tomatoes, grow, tomatoes, grow!

xx

Martha Stewart's Simple Waffle Recipe

It is no secret that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. As I mature (ha), I have begun to appreciate more savory breakfast dishes. But when it comes down to it, waffles are my first and true breakfast love.
I have always depended on good ole Aunt Jemima for my waffle batter. Do not get me wrong, Aunt Jemima knows her waffles. She has never disappointed me. But pre-made waffle mix is unnecessarily expensive, and as I prepare to move to Boston and begin my life in poverty as a middle school teacher, I knew I needed a more budget friendly option.

Before this morning, I had never attempted to make waffles from scratch, so I knew I needed to call in reinforcements. Enter: Martha Stewart. Girlfriend never steers me wrong. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy these waffles were to make and how delicious they tasted. The waffles were perfectly light and fluffy and the flavor gave Aunt Jemima a run for her money. Costing a fraction of the pre-made mix, I think I have found my go-to waffle recipe.

Tomatillo Enchiladas

Following my tzatziki, these tomatillo chicken and cheese enchiladas were one of my earliest culinary successes. Mexican food is hands down, no question my absolute all-time favorite cuisine. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, taquitos, floutas, guacamole, pico de gallo, carne asada, frijoles. I curse the day I was born without a sassy Latina grandmother to teach me ancient culinary secrets.

The practice of rolling tortillas around other food (the best way to eat everything) dates back to the ancient Mayans. Enchiladas originated in Mexico and are traditionally made with corn tortillas. The word "enchilada" literally means "spicy," and in Mexico both the sauce and the tortilla are not for the faint of heart. The sauce is made with several types of dry chilies, tomatoes, and spices, and the corn tortilla is dipped in the sauce before being grilled on a flat surface. The tortilla is then filled with meat (like chicken or carnitas), vegetables (like cabbage or beans), and more spicy sauce. Unlike the American conception of enchiladas - which is far milder, smothered in melted cheese, and swimming in red sauce - this Mexican street food is traditionally simpler in filling, crunchier in texture, and spicier in flavor. Basically, all around superior.

Growing up, I did not think I like enchiladas, because I despised the soggy texture and bland sauce. Too much mush for me. When I saw this recipe, though, I knew immediately that it would change my opinion of enchiladas forever. It did.

Though not entirely authentic with flour tortillas and a healthy amount of cheese topping, these tomatillo enchiladas have the crisp and spice of tradition. The green tomatillo sauce is a more flavorful and lighter alternative to the thick red paste typically found on enchiladas in America, and the simplicity of the filling allows each ingredient to shine. Quick to make and instantly gratifying, these have quickly become a family recipe. Keep reading for the full recipe.

TEDspiration: "The Absence of Disease Is Not Happiness"

Some food for thought...

Shawn Achor, distinguished Harvard professor and brilliant mind in positive psychology, gave this TED talk a couple years ago that details a number of revolutionary findings from happiness research. The part towards the end where he explains the link between positive thinking, dopamine production, and success in numerous aspects of life is worth making note of. His subsequent suggestions for ways to help retrain your brain - all of which are supported by psychological research - to focus not on the negative but instead on the positive in the world I found particularly compelling. I definitely plan to incorporate these into my life:

5 Ways to Be More Positive:  

1) Write 3 Gratuities every day, rewiring your brain to scan the world for the positive

2) Journal about positive experiences, reliving those experiences while doing so

3) Exercise, telling your mind that your behavior makes a difference 

4) Meditate, training your mind to focus entirely on the moment at hand

5) Perform random acts of kindness

For more talks about happiness, watch the entirety of this playlist. Seriously. You will thank yourself. 

xx