Baked Tofu and New Year's Resolutions

I used to take part in the popular tradition of making New Year's Resolutions each year without fail. Why did I do that? For one, I thought New Year had magical powers that would transform my way of thinking as well as the way I interpreted situations as the clock was striking midnight.

Well, things do not work that way. The clock has no magical powers, however YOU do. Only YOU can decide what things you would like to improve upon or work towards. A particular time of year will not necessarily propel you towards your goals, although it may give you an incentive.

You know what I think? I think that we do not need a specific time of year to change. Any day and anytime should work. So, there is no need to wait for a Monday or for the first of the month, to start being good to ourselves. We can do it now!

I have decided that I will become more socially open - whatever that means - and I am not waiting for New Year's to start. Yesterday, I went out with some peeps, played pool, and enjoyed getting to know people. I did not wait for New Year's to make this change, I just went for it. It was FUN! Your turn - go!

Cheers! 

Baked tofu rocks!

Baked Tofu

Ingredients
1 (16-oz) package high protein organic tofu, super firm (extra firm or firm tofu may be substituted)

Marinade
1/3 cup soy sauce (substitute with tamari to make it gluten free)
2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly ground lemon pepper to taste (black pepper may be substituted)

Directions
Prepare the marinade first by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl. Drain the tofu, dry it with a towel, and slice into 8 large "equal" pieces. Now cut these into triangles - only if you dare to be fancy pants about it. I dared.

I don't usually press the tofu, you can go either way. You don't need to press it for this recipe. Place the sliced tofu in a large container and pour the marinade over it. Cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 2 hours.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 300 F. Coat a large baking pan with non-stick cooking spray, add the tofu, and pour the remaining marinade over it. Bake at 300 F for about 20-25 minutes. Flip over, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, depending on the texture you desire.

Serve in sandwiches, on pizza, or eat it as a snack. I keep mine in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It never lasts that long because I tend to eat it right away.

*Note
Instead of the spices suggested, use other spices of choice. This recipe is good for the times when you want to try new spices or get rid of old spices taking up space in your pantry.

Eat! 

Feeling Down - I Need a Remedy for That? Anyone?

I am always honest in my posts! Conversely, I do not often indulge in digging deeper into themes/issues at hand. This is on purpose…so that you can make up your mind about things without me swaying you towards one way or the other. I try to open up each and very time I post - it is not easy!

I also encourage being positive in spite of what is presented before me. However, I do admit that being positive is hard work. Today, I will not EVEN try. I am "trained" to be positive, but sometimes, one needs a break. So, I will take it - i.e. the break - and just BE.

For some uncertain reason, I am feeling way down, and I have been crying for a while now. Ugh! This really sucks. Sometimes I simply cannot do what is recommended to feel better…even CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is not working. Maybe I was meant to go through this. I am pushing through the dark forest…looking for a light to get me out of this funk.

Such is life…

I leave you with a picture of my feline roommate Dewey aka DUDE. He has a way about him which always makes me feel better. Animals ROCK!!!

Dude!

Fava Beans and End of School Semester

Snack attack!

Yet another school semester has come to end, and I can't believe that by May 2014, I will have a Master's Degree! I won't be deceitful and tell you the path to get here has been easy for me. It hasn't. I had many obstacles to conquer along the way - mainly my own self-doubts - but here I am.

I have learned that in order to release the shackles that are my self-doubts, I had to start being good to myself, even if the steps to get there appeared trivial and unnecessary. While in graduate school, I often had thoughts of giving up - I felt I was not as being as social as everyone else - and it was tough for me to find a place of my own among the crowds of all the students. I stuck with it, and even met wonderful people along the way. I would not have been able to do that if I gave up. 

Now, onto the fava beans. What is presented before you is not necessarily a recipe, but a suggestion for a healthy, iron, calcium, and protein-packed snack. I adore fava beans and remember eating them this way since a little kid. My mom used to make them for me all the time, and now whenever I see fava beans in the supermarket, I get very excited - nerd alert!

Fava beans with sea salt. 

Fava Beans with Sea Salt

Ingredients
1 pound (16-oz) dry fava beans
Sea salt to taste

Directions
Before preparing the beans, you must soak them first. Place the fava beans in a large container, cover with plenty of water, cover tightly, and place in the refrigerator overnight.

To prepare, rinse the beans, and place in a medium to large pot with plenty of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to low, and cook until the beans are fork tender, for about 40-50 minutes or longer (see package directions).

Drain, and sprinkle with sea salt. I eat the entire bean including the skin, you can choose to eat with or without. Enjoy!

Eat! 

Bueller??? and Recipe For Life

Guess what I am going to say next as you continue reading. Here it is: I can't believe how fast this school semester has gone by. After finals, there is one more semester left, and I am done with grad school…for now.

A wise fictional character and my hero, Ferris Bueller, once said: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

I admit, I had a crush on Ferris.

Until recently, I have not been able to look around once in a while or ever, and I definitely missed out. For example, I used my struggle with social anxiety as the reason from getting to know people in school. I thought that it takes too much effort on my end to try, so why should I?

Now that I have been trying, I am going to tell you that it is worth it. There are awesome, and not so awesome - let's be honest - peeps out there. How will you know which ones are AWESOME if you don't try giving ALL a chance?

Recipe For Life

Ingredients
1/2 cup of bravery
1/2 cup of chance
Dash of humor
1 cup of trial and error, minced
2 cups of raw sweetness, to deal with challenges

Directions
Stop and look around to appreciate what you have. Use the ingredients to help you along the way. Happy living!

I Am Not That Cool! and Everything Indian Green Lentil Stew

I have misled myself all this time in thinking that I was somewhat cool. To my surprise, I have been proven otherwise, very recently. I refuse to name names...

Given my history of liking everything that parents do not typically like, including loud and angry music, dressing against the stream with a hint or two of rebellion, and let's not forget about being GOTH for quite some time, I have come to a conclusion that my idea of coolness differs from others immensely. 

I no longer know what's up, and yet I am ok with it, so there!

Stay Cool!  

Everything Indian Green Lentil Stew served over rice. 

Everything Indian Green Lentil Stew

Ingredients 
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil or vegan butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound (16-ounces) small green whole lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 (28-oz can) crushed tomatoes
7 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon crushed fenugreek
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 large bay leaves
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 large cinammon stick
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Cayenne pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon raw cane sugar

Not sure how Blue's picture got here. She's got the cool factor for CERTAIN. 

Directions
In a large soup pot, heat oil or vegan butter over a medium heat. Add all the spices, and toast for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Mix in lentils, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook until the lentils are creamy, for about 45 minutes.

Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and the cinnamon stick. Taste for salt, and serve over rice of choice.

Cheers! 

Pantry Chick Pea Salad and Research Methods - you read it right!

Pantry Chick Pea Salad on a toasted bagel, served with a roasted red bell pepper. 

I had my favorite class today called… Darn, what was it? Research Methods...and I can't help but feel - !@#$%^&* - after each class I attend. I try to be positive and even practice Wonder Woman pose in the bathroom before I step into hell, but I simply cannot make myself interested in it.

Where am I going with all of this? Somewhere good actually. Sometimes the things we hate or fear the most, may be the solutions we seek. For example, I know that I hate Research Methods because I like the written word without numbers (italicized and bolded - I mean business!). At the same time, I think that working through difficulties, such as Research Methods for me at this moment, allows for reflection in regards to how one reacts to obstacles that are inevitable and natural in life.

I am still learning how to calm myself down when upset. How DO YOU handle loathing something?

Post Scriptum - I have gotten my midterm back today from the Research Methods class, and I was not crying about the grade I received. Although I wrote it the night before, I did well. I guess practicing Wonder Woman poses in the bathroom worked!  

Got bagels? Got Vegan Kitty Patrol (VKP) for life. 

Pantry Chick Pea Salad 

Ingredients 
1 (15.5-oz can) chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon organic ketchup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons unflavored plant milk of choice or vegan mayonnaise
Lemon pepper to taste (I used lots!)
Sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon dried parsley (Add at the end)

Directions
Combine chick peas, ketchup, dijon mustard, onion powder, granulated garlic, plant milk, lemon pepper, and sea salt in a food processor, or a high-speed blender. Place in a bowl, add dried parsley and mix well. Taste for salt and serve. That's it!

Cheers!

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Frustration

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce. I used whole wheat pasta because I am cool like that. 

It is hard to believe it is November already, and that I have not posted anything this month. Midterms kept me busy for quite some time. They also unleashed much despair and chaos onto my life. Well, that was then. Now I face another struggle, which quite honestly is a thorn in my side lately.

What is it? I can't get into much detail for confidentiality reasons, but let's just say that helping people who are not ready to be helped is a challenge. I know it is not about me, and yet me is part of the equation. As much as I try to remove me in efforts to think objectively, it sneaks in. It also takes things personally. I can't help it, I am human. There is a word I thought I would never use in regards to myself.

I am writing this to vent a ton and to also to draw some conclusions. The conclusions I have been able to gather in a neat pink bow thus far are: meet the person where they are, and ride it out with them, even if you sit in a room together, in silence. The wave will break eventually - PLEASE break.

Cheers!

Notice my feline friend Lilah in the background. I think she brings it all together, don't you? 

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients 
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced (I like garlic!)
1 (28-oz can) crushed tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper (I used lots of it)
Sea salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon or less)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon raw cane sugar (I used about 3/4 of a teaspoon)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup green peas, defrosted (optional)
1/4 cup raw blanched almonds, slivered and soaked overnight (This is your almond cream for the tomato sauce)

* Cooked pasta of choice. 

Directions 
To make the cream, soak the almonds in 1 to 2 cups of water, in the refrigerator, overnight.

In a large pan, sauté the onion in oil for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and continue sautéing for another minute or so. You can add a splash of water instead of additional oil to prevent it from burning.

Add crushed tomatoes, pepper, sugar, oregano, basil, salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to low, and continue cooking for about 15 minutes.

During this time, prepare the pasta of choice and make the cream.

To make the almond cream, drain the almonds, add a splash or two of water and process it in a high powered blender. The cream should yield about 3 tablespoons total. I used all of it in my sauce.

This is what the almond cream should look like. 

Once your tomato sauce is ready, use an immersion blender to make it smooth or if you like it chunky, don't bother. Add the peas, cream and mix well. Taste for seasonings, adjust accordingly.

Ready for pasta!

Serve over pasta of choice.