Vegetarian Fried-Rice

For as long as I can remember, I've loved to cook.  There's something so amazingly rewarding about creating a masterpiece in the kitchen that keeps me hooked.  However, as much as I love to cook, there is always a point where I become completely bored/burned out with everything.

One afternoon while at the library, I was stressing about what to make for dinner.  I was mentally running through what I had at home in my pantry and what veggies I had from my CSA... when all of the sudden inspiration hit me-- Fried Rice!!!  I had never made fried rice before, but I knew that I could totally make a meal out of it AND it could be 100% plastic-free!!!!  With renewed confidence and purpose, I headed back to the "Cooking" section of my library and grabbed "Simple Chinese Cooking" by Kylie Kwong then headed to Tidal Creek Co-Op :)

Yeah, I was excited to cook dinner.  And once I was finished I was even more excited to eat dinner!! Homemade fried rice is AH-MAZING because a.) I know what's in it, b.) it was fast and easy and c.) plastic-free!!! Ahh... the quintessential Chinese take-out food made with love :)

Vegetarian Fried Rice

4 main dish servings

4 cups steamed rice (1 1/3 cups uncooked jasmine rice* bring to boil with 2 2/3 c water.  Let simmer for 10 minutes then turn off heat and let steam for an additional 10 minutes.)

1/3 c vegetable oil*
4 free-roaming eggs (mine come from my backyard hens), lightly beaten
1 small carrot*, diced
1 small onion*, diced
1 TBSP freshly minced ginger
3 1/2 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms*, sliced
1 tsp sea salt
2 TBSP finely chopped cilantro or parsley (optional, but nice)
1 TBSP tamari* (or soy sauce)
2/3 c spring onions

* = Bought in bulk using my own jars or bags.

Other veggies to add: Finely shredded Chinese cabbage, fresh bean sprouts, red pepper or whatever you have on hand that sounds good :)

On med-high, heat half of the oil in a large skillet or wok until shimmering.  Pour beaten eggs into pan and leave to cook for about 10 seconds then fold the mixture over onto itself with a spatula and lightly scramble until almost cooked through.  Remove eggs from pan and set aside.

Heat remaining oil and stir-fry veggies and 1tsp salt.  Add rice, tamari (or soy sauce), cilantro, and eggs and stir-fry for a few minutes.  Use a spatula to break up the egg into smaller pieces while cooking.  When finished, toss in spring onions until well combined.  Season to taste with salt.

Serve with extra tamari and some steamed green veggies (broccoli, green beans, snap peas, kale... whatever you have on hand.)

Lemony Pasta & Broccoli

As a mother of three young children, sometimes putting dinner on the table without someone going "ugh... this is what we're eating?" can be a difficult task.  Different kids = different opinions... and I'm cool with that ;)  There are some things that I know will always make my kids happy... one of those things is pasta. (surprise surprise)  Since I'm making a good majority of things from scratch, I always have a glass jar full bulk pasta (from Tidal Creek) on hand for nights when I just don't have the time or have no clue what to make for dinner. (Fyi... that happens once a week!)  

Awhile ago, I had practically nothing in my house.  I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner and I had about an hour before I had to get my kids to gymnastics and karate.  So... I did what I always do.  I took a quick inventory of the things that I had (pasta!) and I figured out a way to make it work.  That "I'm rushed and I don't know what the heck I'm going make for dinner night" turned into one awesome dinner.  My kids kept asking for more and now this is their most requested meal. :D  (Shout out to my friend Tracy who text me for this recipe tonight!)

Lemony Pasta With Broccoli

adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

1 lb pasta*

2-4 heads of broccoli, cut into florets

1/4 cup organic unsalted butter

1/4 cup olive oil*

2 large cloves of garlic, minced 

Zest of 2 lemons

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper*

4 tsp kosher salt

Juice of 1 lemon 

1/2 - 1 cup Nutritional Yeast*

Cook pasta until almost finished, then add broccoli to the boiling water.  When the broccoli is bright green, drain the pasta and broccoli.  Don't drain too well.... leave some water on the pasta :)

While the pasta cooks, heat the butter and oil in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat.  Add garlic and lemon zest.  Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.  Off heat, add salt, pepper, and lemon juice.  Pour this over the (drained) pasta and broccoli.  Toss well.

Add nutritional yeast.  Stir well.  The pasta should get a bit creamy looking (almost like adding parmesan... in fact, you could use parmesan.).  Taste.  Add more nutritional yeast if you like.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  If you want more lemon (which my kids usually do... add the juice of the 2nd lemon) 

Oh right... so you may be looking at the photo... thinking... "ummm... where are the peas in the recipe??"  Here's the thing.  You know that mantra "make it work"... well, along with the broccoli I had peas in my CSA box.  I figured why not? :)  That's kind of how I view cooking... tweak the recipe for what you have.  Seriously.  Don't go buying shell noodles to match mine.  Have another green on hand, use it.  Add some chickpeas. Really love garlic, add more.  Do whatever sounds good to you.  That's what cooking is about... and it makes it so much more enjoyable being released from the constraints of a recipe. :)

* Bought in bulk with my own containers at Tidal Creek Co-op

Plastic-Free Food: Day 5

For as long as I can remember "5" has been my number... I call it my favorite number, my lucky number... I often say I live by fives.  SO... of course, I had high expectations for day 5 of plastic-free food week.  

With the rain falling, I knew exactly what I wanted to eat for breakfast.  MUFFINS!!  I, seriously, have an addiction to muffins... they're so quick and easy to make AND the flavors are endless.  Today, I made Happy Herbivore's Apple Crisp Muffins.  I decided to make apple muffins because I have applesauce that I made last week and EVERY single ingredient on the list is plastic-free (thanks to the bulk bins)!!!  The muffins were absolutely amazing... I couldn't stop eating them!!  True, I do LOVE apple pie more than any other dessert... so these muffins are on my make... ummm... everyday list!! ;) Yep, the day started off AWESOME!!

At noon, the rain was pouring down... I didn't have a clue what I was going to make for lunch.  The kids shouted in unison that they wanted "PIZZA" (again), but I had to let them down because I was out of cheese.  I scoured through my pantry... trying to figure out what to make for lunch.  I grabbed a box of elbow noodles and thought that I would make Pasta E Fagioli... but looked at the little plastic window on the box and put it back.... I was starting to revert to Day 1 when I couldn't stop thinking about all the things that I wanted to make but couldn't.  Then I stopped..... stopped thinking about plastic and started thinking about food.  I made the decision that I would make soup... I had to have everything to make soup!!  I skimmed through a few cookbooks... and then looked at what I had and decided to make my own soup.... no recipes... no ingredient list to follow... Potato, Cannellini and Green Bean Soup.  It was perfect because I used what I already had and it was just what I needed (and wanted).

My afternoon was busy preparing for our camping trip... ever gone camping plastic-free??  Me neither.  Days 6 and 7 of our plastic-free food week will be spent camping... at first, I was super nervous... but after stocking up on bulk snacks, making bread, making graham crackers (YES! I made graham crackers... I'll share the how next post), making chili, shredding (paper wrapped) cheese, and filling glass (juice) bottles with water all today... I think we're about ready! (Note:  I always cook before we go camping... I find it more relaxing to reheat something than to slave over a camp stove while everyone else hangs out... extra work now means I get to chill later ;) )

Based on everything that I was doing to prepare for 2 days of camping, I wanted a simple dinner.  Once again, I had no idea what to make.  I stared at my CSA box hoping for inspiration:

Acorn squash, turnips, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, collards, eggplant, okra (in biobag) and arugula (in biobag- not pictured)



Day 5 Plastic-Free Dinner Menu
Potato and Onion Frittata
Sautéed Okra
Romaine Salad with Carrots and Red Onion

This dinner was the easiest (of all the meals I've made) to make plastic-free.  Everything naturally comes without plastic... no special requests... no plastic alternatives... they're all REAL whole foods... in their purest form... this is one the the best dinners that I never would have made if we hadn't decided to go plastic-free this week.  (Oh yeah, and I would've never bought okra had it not come in my CSA box... cooking okra tonight was a first!!!)

Before I started typing this post... I opened my email to read this:  (I think it's rather fitting... day 5 ;) )

"Starting something new allows us to choose to reset; knowing that with each choice we learn, grow, and move forward."

It's perfect... it says everything that I feel about what I've been accomplishing this week...
Moving forward, learning and growing... :)

Hey, Big Spender.... Where Are YOU??

Last week, I received this letter from the the grocery store that I used to frequent at least two times a week... 

Ok... so I know the people who work in the produce department have commented on how they haven't seen me much... BUT... I didn't realize I had cut back on my shopping that much!!!! YAY!!

Of course, I filled out the survey (in detail) and called the 800 number.  Here are some of the things I discussed:

Local foods (produce, dairy, seafood), bulk foods, more organics AND how a year or so ago they used our coastal area as a test market for ONLY plastic grocery bags (seriously)... and let them know that the store I do shop at now has a plastic bag ban. ;)

I am just so pumped that I used to be a big spender at Harris Teeter... and now... they've taken notice that I'm spending my money elsewhere....

SO....I would like to thank my Farmers' Markets, my CSA (Cottle Farm Organics), my garden (even though it didn't perform to my expectations), Tidal Creek Cooperative Market, Edens Produce (a roadside farm stand) and the lady that sells local shrimp on the side of the road for helping make this happen!!!

VOTE with YOUR $$