A nontraditional tradition

Growing up, we had certain nights designated for specific food types. For instance, I think we had tacos on Tuesdays, spaghetti Wednesdays, probably mac and cheese or something like that on Thursdays, and of course, pizza on Fridays.

From what I understand, my hubby's family did something similar, so it's no surprise that we have some meals already scheduled throughout our week. We've had spaghetti night, and it looks as though I took care of the tacos, too. Tonight continues the pizza tradition.

The boys (my hubby and son) stick to the standard baked in the oven pizza, while I tend to change things up a bit. Over the years, I've made my own cooked, unbaked in the dehydrator and completely raw versions. I even came up with this raw recipe (pictured to the above right) to introduce my hubby to the concept.

Speaking of the concept, that is pretty much the only thing that stays constant for me. I just try to create something with either the same Italian flavors or just a pile up of toppings on some kind of "crust."

One of my faves is Brendan Brazier's Sunflower Seed Beet Pizza. It is quick to assemble, packed with nutrition and can be prepared in several ways, based on how hungry I am and how raw I want to be. Usually, I am fairly high raw, but when I got pregnant with Hayden, I added in some more cooked.

Out of all of his pizzas (he "hesitate(s) to even call these pizzas. They bear little resemblance to traditional pizza, other than the way they are served."), this is the one I've been able to adjust to either bake at the low temp he recommends, unbake in my dehydrator or just eat completely uncooked off my assembly plate.

When I don't have sunflower seeds, I switch them up for other nuts or seeds, and sometimes I add in some flax and/or oats. I also play around with the seasonings and toppings depending on my mood.

What always stays the same are the beets in the base. Just look at its lovely hue. It may not be traditional, but I'm keeping it that way :-)

*****

On another note, I was just curious of something. When I was on my shopping trip the other day, one of the store clerks was talking about the relationships between siblings. From her experience, she's found that those of the same sex get along better closer in age, while a brother and sister benefit more being further apart. What are your thoughts?

While you think about it, I'm going to show off another shot of my son and daughter. They are almost 7 years apart, and they are getting along great (most of the time).

i-Curly

When you are a mom, you find yourself watching and doing things more geared toward your kids. I play with toys/video games and watch shows on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network.

Sometimes my food choices are also a little child-like, especially when the ideas come courtesy of a character from one of these shows. Just check out this crazy looking plate.

Today's veggie-based meal is none other than a raw version of Spencer Shay's spaghetti tacos. They are a specialty he serves up to his better known sister, Carly (as in "i-Carly," the name of the show), as well as to impress (more like persuade her into giving up a secret recipe) his date.

Spencer's original version is not raw, nor vegan, but still a fun concept. He just plated his standard spaghetti and meat sauce in those crunchy yellow taco shells. You just pick them and eat 'em.

I had meant to make them more realistic and colorful with some corn or yellow squash tortillas made in my dehydrator, but was too hungry to wait for them. Instead, I made a fresher, quicker meal, using large romaine leaves to cradle my zucchetti.

For those of you who are new to my blog, "zucchetti" is just my term for spiralized zucchini "noodles." Rather than mixing it with my mock "meat" sauce, I opted to keep things a little less soupy by stuffing the romaine "tacos" with a layer of the zucchetti and just topping it with the chunky filling (a combination of walnut "meat," almonds, flax, sun dried tomatoes, diced fresh tomato, mushrooms, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and some herbs de Provence). Then, just like at the taco bar (my mom always would put out small bowls of toppings so we could customize our meal), I jazzed them up with a bit more diced tomato, baby spinach leaves, avocado (they just wouldn't be tacos without it) and shredded carrot "cheese."

When loaded like this, they look kind of messy. Could this really be a hand-held meal?

As you can see, they can be picked up and eaten like the real deal. And, they don't shatter like their crispy predecessor. Nice :-)

"I enjoy being a girl"

Sorry I haven't been around to respond to your comments in a timely fashion, but I was out with the girls yesterday, specifically my mom and sister, April (my other sister, Lori, couldn't make it; hopefully she can go next time). We took Hayden out for her first official shopping excursion.

Now, when I say official, I'm talking about an entire day out and about with the girls, including a trip to the mall. This is where we'd find out if she actually possessed the so-called female shopping gene (Jacob doesn't like to shop; maybe it really is a girl thing).

Hayden started the day off right, playing dress up for the event. Doesn't she look like a living doll?

She was, in fact, a perfect angel the whole day, as she took in all the sights and sounds. Her wide eyes peeked out on her blanket-covered car seat, while I wheeled her around Trader Joe's. It was like she was already trying to decide what she'd like to eat in the future (she totally takes after me).

Then, on to the mall, where I have to applaud Nordstrom for its discrete and cozy ladies' lounge areas. They are perfect for sneaking in a breastfeeding session or two (we did utilize the facility more than once).

Hayden got to ride in her stroller, something she hasn't done much lately, due to the extremely cold weather. She was all smiles, as you can see in these pics. April had just asked her what she thought of the place.

Her favorite part of the trip was probably the fact that we kept moving, and when we did stop (like for lunch at Chipotle, which offers a lot of vegan options on its menu; April was commenting on how many of her veg friends eat there on a regular basis), she either took a cat nap or flirted with the store clerks.

I don't frequent the mall much these days, but opted to go after receiving a gift card from there for Christmas. With it, I treated myself to some loose tea from Teavana to brew in a glass tea pot my mom got me. I really enjoyed smelling and tasting the different varieties (the aromas are amazing; I could just live in one of those tea tins), finally deciding on Imperial Acai Blueberry (a flavored white tea) and Haute Chocolate (a decadent Rooibos) to take home in a tin, and a cup of Tiramisu Treviso (an even more decadent Rooibos) to sip on our trip.

I went on to purchase a few other frivolous items (I've stuck to the necessities since being home from work, so it was nice to have a little "fun money"), and ended up picking out some clothes for little lady, too. I love buying girl clothes.

The last stop was Whole Foods, where we had originally planned on having lunch. At this point, it was getting late in the day, so it was a good thing we grabbed a bite at the mall.

It was a mad dash to get what I needed, mainly some hemp products I can't get at the regular grocery store. I also grabbed up some Vega bars for when I'm on the run, and this already prepared raw Mock Curry "Chicken" Salad for dinner last night (by the time I got home, I was happy to just chop up some fresh produce in a big bowl and top it with this stuff).

I had hoped to have time to flip through my new copy of VegNews (my subscription ran out, so my mom purchased a copy for me at the check out counter), while I ate my salad. But, as it was a school night, it remained untouched. I spent the rest of my evening playing mom; packing Jacob's lunch, helping him with his homework, giving him a bath and making sure everyone got to bed on time.

At least Hayden was so worn out (as the title suggests, she "enjoyed being a girl" - I was assigned that song in my high school musical theater class years ago, so it kept popping into my head) that she slept through the night :-)

Body & soul bowl

In the new year, I resolved to clean up my diet a bit, although even on my worst days, it's not too shabby. Don't worry about the baby, as I have no intention of doing a cleanse (from what I understand, it's not a good idea while breastfeeding), but I do intend to make my meal plans more balanced.

My sweet tooth has a tendency to go heavy on the fruit, while my veggie intake suffers, as a result. I also use a bit too much agave, and indulge in more than my share of raw treats (oh how I am addicted to raw cupcakes; seriously, I can't get enough of them).

So far this year, I've been focusing on more veggie-based and savory dishes. Some you may see here, since I'm not just saving them for dinner (lunchtime lighting makes for much more flattering photography).

For example, as part of her Body & Soul Challenge, Martha Stewart showed her viewers how to make some basic steamed veggie bowls, adding only a touch of soy sauce and sesame oil for flavor. I've been doing something similar with a mix of colorful raw veggies, marinated in lemon juice, a hint of sesame oil and some Bragg's Liquid Aminos (sometimes I eliminate the Bragg's and just stick to the basic lemon and sesame). I serve mine over parsnip "rice" with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds.

To really enjoy my meal (I'm trying to slow down the eating process now that little lady gives me more time to consume my own food), I eat it with chopsticks, which is fun if you know how. I also toss in a handful of cashews when I do this, since I like the way they wrap around the tips of these tools.

Speaking of taking time to relax and be in the moment, Martha also did an entire show dedicated to yoga, which inspired me to get back into the practice. Since Hayden was born, I've managed to get a mini session in on most Sunday mornings, but now I hope to incorporate it into the rest of the week, as well.

My bloggin' buddy Averie is quite amazing, as she demonstrates a yoga pose at the end of almost all of her posts, and April (who has also been munching on some yummy veggies, too) makes me want to one day try her impressive balancing acts and aerial routines.

For now, I'll just be satisfied with whatever I can fit into my day. "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift; that's why they call it the present." :-)

Pomme de terre

If you know French, you might assume these are potatoes, but au contraire mon frere, they are a word-for-word translation, "apple of the Earth."

Although I am high raw, I do eat some cooked foods during the colder months, like steamed veggies, sprouted whole grains, beans/peas and sweet potatoes. My favorite way to eat a sweet potato is in the form of baked (not fried) sweet potato fries.

The other night, my hubby had a craving for Old Bay (a popular seafood seasoning, that thankfully on its own is vegan; people in my area put it on everything) on his popcorn (I've been known to do the same thing with raw cauliflower "kernels"). Then, thinking about how I used to put vinegar and Old Bay on Boardwalk Fries, I happily did the same with my sweet potato version. Yum!

But these are not potatoes in the photos; they are in fact apples.

What? Now why would I do a thing like that?

Well, I figured if Burger King can market apple fries due to their shape, I can add this zesty taste. I just sliced them to appear like fries, tossed them in a little Old Bay and EVOO, and served them alongside some apple cider vinegar for dipping. It's sounds weird, but you've gotta try it. Bon appetite!

*****

friday, january 8, 2010, continued ...
......................................................................................................

Apple of my eye


Sometimes I think Hayden is a mini me. Matthew always joked that Jacob is his little clone, and now, I know what he means.

I've been doing my best to teach her new skills. Poor thing has my baby build (my nickname was "Tubs"), so she has yet to roll over, although she loves to stand. She's gotta get a good view of everything, especially in the kitchen.

The girl can't wait to taste some solids, as she drools (literally) whenever she sees us eating something. She definitely has an interest in food.

She also adores music, like the classical kind I've been exposing her to via Baby Einstein (I'm not really a fan of the videos, but we like this toy). The funny part is, she really wants to devour the toy radio, too :-)

Chia pet

Now, this wouldn't be the first time I blogged about chia seeds, but it is my first taste of this calcium-rich pudding made with sesame seed milk. Usually, I opt to use a nut milk, banana puree or other muddled fruit to activate my chia; it just never occurred to me to use sesame seeds. Thanks to Joanna, my pudding is brand new again.

And, thanks to my mother-in-law, it is also a cherry vanilla pudding (it even has vanilla bean seeds in it to really make it special). Lucky for me, she picked up some cherries from the grocery store for us the other day. Nothing beats a cherry on top :-)

The cherries weren't my only customization to the recipe. I also tweaked it a bit by swapping out the agave for dates (I'm trying to cut back on my consumption of the sweet nectar) and thickening it up with twice the called for chia (hey, it's good for you; do ya think it will thicken up Hayden's lack of locks?).

In the new year, I look to my fellow blogger friends for inspiration to keep my menu fresh. Of course, you've already seen what I made from Joanna's blog, but I have also had some dishes similar to Tina's spiral creation (I've been loving beets lately) and Heather's incredibly photogenic salad (I would've taken a photo of mine, if hers hadn't been so much better looking; besides, you've already seen why I don't snap as many shots at night).

Speaking of Heather, that explains the pet part of the today's post title. No, I'm not referring to her as a pet; I'm talking about her kitty cat featured on her Kombucha Chic blog. After seeing his Christmas attire, it reminded me of my mom's cat, who proudly modeled her Santa suit for us (you may recall her Halloween costume, as well). Despite her less than enthusiastic expression in this pic, she really does like her outfit :-)

Green photography

What's good for the environment doesn't always make for good photos, as you can see (this pic actually looks a little green). Since my hubby and I opted to use energy saving bulbs in our home, nighttime snapshots often end up appearing like this (no wonder I rarely show my dinner creations).

My poor modified version of a Brendan Brazier (always "Thriving" in the new year) "burger" (I like to mix up the nuts, seeds and seasonings, and amp up the nutrition and flavor with some added veggies) appears far less appealing than my lunchtime lasagna salad, photographed in natural light.

After seeing my fellow raw food bloggers proudly showing off their lasagnas, I just had to have some for myself. I would've loved some Russell James lasagna (like the one on Raw Princess Studio), but didn't have any zucchini in the fridge.

How does one make raw lasagna without a lot of time (the Raw Chef's dish is time consuming, but well worth it; I've told him in the past that his raw lasagna is my favorite) or zucchini noodles?

When you have cucumbers (they look a little like zucchini), you make a salad stack in its place. This single serving is constructed from layers of cucumber "noodles," seasoned avocado puree mixed with chopped up baby spinach, thinly sliced tomatoes and broccoli sprouts (all typical salad ingredients I had on hand). I tied the whole flavor combination together with none other than a tomato basil salad dressing (the recipe is also from Brendan Brazier's book). This photo's green in a good way :-)