Quickie Chili

On those cool nights we will enjoy my Quickie Chili! You can do this fast on the stove top or cook it half the day in a crock pot. Nothing better than the smell of chili in the house! 

Equal parts of canned bean (drained)

• 2 cans of pinto
• 2 cans of black beans
• 2 cans of red kidney beans

One 28 oz. can of Muir's roasted tomatoes diced.

One onion chopped (yellow or white)

Pickled jalapenos or fresh organic jalapenos to taste

Garlic minced (out of the jar is fine) - I-2 table spoons

Cumin two table spoons

Chili powder - 3-5 table spoons

Optional - Cilantro (dried or fresh)

Optional - drained can of corn

Optional - organic red/yellow peppers diced

Place all of the ingredients in a crock pot or stock pot. You may need to add some water or vegetable broth so that you can easily stir the chili. For stove top cook on medium heat and stir frequently so that it doesn't stick to the bottom. In a crock pot cook on medium/high heat for 4-6 hours.

Happy Cooking,

The Dirty Girl

Vegan Food Shopping

If you are new to being vegetarian or vegan, going to the grocery store can be a daunting experience. I personally am vegan and usually only eat whole food. If you are transitioning and/or eliminating animal products check out the freezer aisle as there are likely frozen vegetable options for fish, chicken and hamburger. These options can supplement your cravings as you move to a plant based lifestyle.

Do your research! Get the up-to-date "Clean 15" and "Dirty Dozen". You can simply Google the list as there are many resources. Check out the Active Vegetarian We want to know what is heavy in pesticides and when we should choose organic produce.

Source: Active Vegetarian 

Secondly, shop for your produce first. This is just personal preference, as I will get inspired in the produce section and then I can visit some of the other aisle for seasoning and what-not to add to my dishes. This helps me get out of the store quicker, as I am not, for example, revisiting the spice aisle.

Rice and beans can be your reliable "go to" not only for healthy meals but on your budget. I try to stay out of the middle aisles, as they have tempting "healthy" options that aren't really healthy. I stick to produce, rice, dry beans, canned roasted tomatoes and other canned vegetables and soups. Many vegetarians are heavy in pastas, breads and noodles, be careful and balance your meals so that you are heavier on the vegetables. If you do this you will have more meals that are nutritious, low in salt and tasty.

Try something new! As you spend more time in produce you will see items that maybe you haven't had before. Have you cooked a kohlrabi? I will buy something that I have no idea as to how to prepare and take it as an opportunity to try something new and learn in the process.

Salads are also a good "go to". If you have one large salad a day it is a great way to not only get fresh vegetables in your routine but it’s also easy on your budget. You can mix it up with different ingredients and never get bored. If I have leftover stir fry or vegetables fajitas I will throw that into my salad the next day, add garbanzo or black beans, quinoa or rice and you can always make your salads different.

Happy shopping!

The Dirty Girl

First Harvest of 2018 (Spinach and Arugula)

Last year we had extended warm weather that carried well into September. I decided to plant lettuce and spinach, in the hopes to have some late crops to harvest. 

The weather changed suddenly and I knew quickly that there wouldn't be enough time for them to fully grow, so I left them. Also, I had onions that never got big enough to harvest so I took a gamble and left them in the garden over winter as well.

Spinach

It is April and our spinach and arugula look fabulous to my surprise! They both taste good and will be our first harvest for this year. I will need the space for new crops and so will harvest likely within the next week. The onions can stay; I would like to see how big they will get now that the weather is warm. We have added compost, organic fertilizer and water to support their growth.

As you can see below, in the image, the compost is clumpy but will break up as it dries out. We will hand till it into the garden before planting new rows.

Row of Arugula, Onions and Spinach

Radish Pico De Gallo

Radish is usually our first crop harvested each year in June. I am ambitious with my radish crop, as I want as many as I can manage in our small space. 

This recipe was created a couple of years ago when I had a huge crop of radishes and I needed to figure out how to enjoy them to their fullest...and of course, share! 

Enjoy! 

• Equal Parts of diced radishes, cucumber and white onion. 
• Add 1/2 to 1 cup of lime juice (depending on how much you are making) Fresh limes are the best.
• Add diced jalapenos (fresh and organic)
• Add cilantro, cumin, and salt to taste and serve with tortilla chips

Warm Day for Tomatoes!

It is a warm day for tomatoes! Everyone is outside! 

Remember to not let the pots get too hot as you will fry your roots. Add dirt to any plants that look too spindly and this is a good opportunity to water as well. 

These babies will go back into their indoor greenhouse after some much needed natural light.

Friday Drink: The Dead Parrot

So, this may not sound like a vegan friendly drink, but it is and it's sooo very good. Nicely balanced and, in part, good for you ;) Try it and let me know what you think!

In a shaker with crushed ice add:

• Two shots of your preferred Vodka
• Two shots of Pomegranate juice (organic)
• One ounce lime juice
• One ounce triple sec

Shaken and served up!

Status Update: Seedlings

Our seedlings of yellow squash, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli and peppers are coming along nicely. They are extremely fragile, as many haven't formed their true leaves yet. 

I have them outside for some natural light today. If the wind picks up they will come inside, as I don't want to stress them out to terribly.

Facts not Fears

Check out this site so you know what fruits and vegetables to buy organic! Facts not Fears https://ift.tt/2ql9cDh

Last Season's Harvest: Spaghetti Squash Dinner!

This week we cut open the last of our harvested spaghetti squash for dinner. We harvested it in early September 2017. We kept fresh by keeping it in a cool, dark corner of the kitchen. 

We brushed it with olive oil and baked it for 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Topped it with our homemade pasta sauce (sauteed clove of garlic, 28 oz can of Muir Crushed Roasted Tomatoes and Italian seasonings) and served it with an arugula salad. 

For the salad dressing I made a agave/mustard dressing. (mustard, agave nectar and almond milk). Bon appetit!

Garden 2018: Seedlings

We started our tomato seedlings inside about three weeks ago. We also started, cabbage, zucchini, yellow squash and broccoli in small peat pots about a week ago. It is not to late to plant these.

The best advise I can give you is to not worry about the science of gardening, just get the seeds into the dirt, keep the seedlings moist and warm until they sprout and then water on a schedule, to allow the seedlings to dry out a bit between watering, and add dirt as they grow. We have a small greenhouse (purchased on Amazon) that allows us to keep the seedlings inside at a sunny window and protected from predators (aka Pekoe the cat). Note Tomato plants are poisonous to cats.

Broccoli, Squash and Cabbage Seedlings

Tomato Seedlings

If you have the space in the yard or in a large container, this is the time to plant peas outside. We expect our first harvest this spring to be our peas. Tasty peas are a good reward at the brink of the garden season.

Last year we had strong tomato plants from seed shown here:

2017 Tomato Seedlings (Last Year)

Spicy Spring Lentil Soup

• 1 onion diced, white or yellow (small)
• 28 oz can of  Muir's Organic Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 package of Fernandez enchilada seasoning,(or your own mix of chili powder, chipotle, cayenne seasoning)
• 1 cup of red lentils
• 1 32 oz box of Vegetable Broth
• 1 red pepper diced 
• 1-2 diced serrano peppers (depending on how spicy you want the soup)
• tablespoon of lime juice
• 1 orange pepper diced 
• 1-2 yellow squash, medium size diced 
• 1-2 zucchini squash medium size diced
• 1 cup of diced carrots
• 1 cup of chopped cauliflower 
• 1 heaping tablespoon of garlic minced
• fresh cilantro - handful cut (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 3 dashes of chipotle Tabasco or equivalent

Put all ingredients in a Crock-pot and cook on high 4- 6 hours or until ingredients are tender but not overcooked.Salt to taste and serve with slices of avocado on top.