Berry Breakfast Bowl

The first time I stayed with my friend Sara in Santa Monica, we went to breakfast at Novel Café and I had the best breakfast ever-- an Acai Bowl.  It's a so-thick-you-eat-it-with-a-spoon smoothie concoction topped with granola, bananas, strawberries and chocolate chips that makes me close my eyes and savor every bite.  It's nothing short of amazing and since my visit in 2010, it's one of the things that I look forward to (ok, I dream about the stuff) when I visit my friends in Santa Monica.

I have often thought about making an Acai Bowl at home, but always decide not to because acai comes prepuréed and frozen in individual plastic packs. (bummer) BUT... this morning I decided that I was just going to make a super thick smoothie with the berries I have in my freezer* and eat it like my beloved Acai Bowl...

Eyes closed, smile... Best. Breakfast. Ever.  No joke, it was so yummy that I could eat it every single day of my life.  (this is not an exaggeration)

Berry Breakfast Bowl

1 banana
2 TBSP- 1/4 c almonds
handful (about 1/4 c) frozen strawberries*
handful (about 1/4 c) frozen blueberries*
handful (about 1/4 c) frozen blackberries*
1/4 - 1/2 cup apple juice (use less and add as needed to blend)
Ice cubes (optional, add to thicken)

Put all ingredients into a high speed blender (such as Vitamix).  Blend until completely combined.  Pour (err.. scrape) into a wide bowl or deep plate.  I ate mine topped with granola, sliced banana, hemp seeds, chia seeds and chocolate chips.  One serving.

*Plastic-free frozen berries? Yes.  I picked the blackberries last summer, bought the blueberries from the farmers market last summer.  I froze both the blackberries and blueberries on sheet pans and store in glass jars in my freezer.  And Tidal Creek Coop now carries bulk frozen strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Let me get this out there.  I love burgers.  When I was a kid, I would look forward to going to my grandparents because they made the best barbecued burgers.  Then as an adult, I would make hamburgers like they were going out of style.  Then in 2009, when I decided to stop eating meat... the first thing I thought was, "well, at least I don't have to give up burgers!  I'll eat veggie burgers!"  Of course, I started off on my veggie burger adventure with the store-bought frozen versions... until I learned how to make homemade versions that had so much more flavor that to buy the premade frozen versions just seemed so pointless... blah.

Now over the years, I've tried plenty of homemade veggie burgers... and I have never been disappointed.  BUT... there is one that I make all the time and one that I would happily make to my most carnivorous of friends and family.  Behold:

When I posted the above picture of  my lunch (which happened to be leftovers... shhhh) on Instagram & Facebook... comments blew up with:

"Yummmmmm!!  Recipe please!"                "You amaze me...."

"You're crazy!!!! Looks amazing!!!!"                    "It looks like a sloppy fat beef burger..."

"Post recipe, please!"               "teach me your awesomeness"

Well, I knew that I was going to have to share my favorite homemade burger recipe! :)  So friends here you go... awesomeness is yours!

Homemade Black Bean Burgers

2 (15oz) cans black beans (rinsed and drained) 

OR 1 cup dried black beans* (soaked and cooked)

2 large organic pastured eggs 

1 TBSP olive oil* + for frying

1 tsp cumin*

1/2 tsp salt*

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper*

1 red bell pepper, chopped fine

1 shallot (or equivalent amount onion), minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs**

1. Place beans in food processor and pulse until beans are mostly smashed with half beans still remaining.  (Don't over-process or the burgers will be mush.)
2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs together with 1 TBSP olive oil, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper.  Stir in beans and remaining ingredients until just combined.
3. Make 6 patties from the mixture.  I like to form 6 semi-smooshed balls. (I flatten when in pan) If the mixture seems too wet and your patties aren't holding together, just add a little extra breadcrumbs (or vital wheat gluten).  Remember you can always add, but you can't take out!
4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add burgers (don't overcrowd!) and cook until well browned on both sides (about 4 min each side).
5. Serve. 

My favorite way to eat devour mine is on a homemade burger bun with caramelized onions, bbq sauce, jalapeños, and avocado. (...and sometimes cheese)   YUM.

* ingredients bought in bulk with my own containers

** Homemade bread crumbs:  Every time I have bits of leftover bread, I run it through my food processor to create breadcrumbs.  I store my homemade breadcrumbs in a glass jar in my freezer.

Also, just in case you missed the link: 
Plastic-Free Recipe: Burger Buns

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing.  It's one of those crazy versatile salad dressings... it's pretty much good on everything.  French fries, wraps, sandwiches, crudités... you name it.  As good as it is... store bought versions are lackluster, often chemical tasting and filled with funky ingredients that no one should be eating.  Over the past couple of years, I've been making the majority of my salad dressings and have learned that they are one of the easiest and fastest things to whip up!  So quick and easy!!  AND as usual, homemade tastes SO much better than any version we could ever buy in a store!

After sharing the above photo of my homemade ranch dressing on Instagram with the tagline "Hidden Valley ain't got nothin' on my #homemade ranch"... my friends immediately starting asking for the recipe to my homemade organic ranch dressing! :) So friends... this one's for you!!

Homemade Ranch Dressing*

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/4- 1/2 cup milk, whatever you have on hand-- whole, buttermilk, almond, soy

1/2 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)

1 small shallot minced (if you don't have shallot, substitute 1 TBSP red onion)

1 garlic clove, minced

2 TBSP finely chopped fresh herbs, my preference is cilantro (others: parsley, tarragon, dill, or chives)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice (if you don't have lemon juice, substitute white vinegar)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper

Put all ingredients into medium size jar and shake until smooth and combined.  Store refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Don't like to chop?  You can alternatively throw all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. If you don't want your ranch to have a green tint, add the fresh herbs after processing.

*All ingredients are organic

Where's My Milk Come From??

I've been buying organic milk for a LONG time.  Years ago, my father-in-law sent me a report about the integrity of organic milk.

"The Cornucopia Institute's national survey of organic products in the dairy case showcases ethical family farm producers and exposes factory farm producers and brands that threaten to take over organic dairying. With this Web-based rating tool, you can see which brands and dairy products found in your region are produced using the best organic farming practices and ethics. Based on a years research into the organic dairy business, the scorecard rates 68 different organic dairy brands and private-label products."


From that scorecard, I learned which organic dairy products I would buy... and what companies that I wouldn't support.  And while I knew what type of farmers I would support... I never really thought about "where" the farmers lived that I chose to support.  Since January, I've been trying my best to buy local milk from my co-operative food market (Tidal Creek).  Sometimes I would remember to pick up milk when I was there... other times I would forget and purchase Organic Valley at the grocery store.

Then I came across this website: Where Is My Milk From?.   As soon as I saw the website... I grabbed every bit of dairy in my fridge... Milk, Chocolate Milk, 1/2 and 1/2 (all Organic Valley).  I knew that Organic Valley has farmers in the Southeast... so naturally, I assumed (yes, I am aware of the saying ;) ) that all the dairy products I had purchased came from the Southeast.  WRONG!!  I could hardly believe it when Minnesota, New York and Ohio popped up for the codes that I entered.

SO... for the past month I have only been purchasing local... North Carolina... milk.  Sure, it takes a little more planning on my part since Tidal Creek isn't as convenient as the grocery store a few miles from my home.  BUT I'm feeling great about my decision because:

I'm supporting North Carolina farmers!!
The distance from farm to table is SO much shorter :)
Reusable glass bottles... I pay a $2 deposit that I get back when I RETURN the bottle.
I'm REUSING, which means that I have less in my recycle bin.


On a side note, I should say that we don't really use that much milk.  Partly, because I have my "issues" with the dairy industry.  Over the past several months, I've been using a lot of dairy alternatives that I will share shortly :)