Chipotle + Lime Chickpea Salad

Just wanted to hop on here quickly to share my new favorite lunch! I often make chickpea salad sandwiches when hummus gets boring. This latest variation is a real keeper! Especially if you are as addicted to chipotle Vegenaise as I am. We put it on everything!

CHIPOTLE + LIME CHICKPEA SALAD

What you'll need . . .

• 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, drained + rinsed
• 1/2 cup pickles, chopped into bits
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped into bits
• Handful fresh cilantro, minced
• 3 tablespoons chipotle Vegenaise
• 2 teaspoons time juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method . . .

• Mash the chickpea in a large bowl using a potato masher or a fork. The texture should resemble canned tuna or chicken.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Season to taste.
• Then toast bread, top with spinach or other greens, and scoop out the salad.

It's so good!

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Tangy Freezer BBQ Sauce

I'm nearly ready to go on my big shopping date for the Vegetarian Freezer Meals I'm planning for the entire month of September. In my planning, I realized that barbeque sauce would suit a variety of the dishes I'm included in our plan well. It works as a topping for veggie burgers and even as a sweet sauce for pizza. Really. It's going to be fabulous.

And guess what! We already had several pounds of farm fresh tomatoes around. So, I did some prepping early and opted to freeze this bunch rather than can them.

SWEET + TANGY FREEZABLE BBQ SAUCE
Makes 4 to 5 pints of the stuff for slathering

What you'll need . . . 

• 1 to 2 small chopped onion
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 10 to 12 cups chopped tomatoes (any size/variety)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup smoked paprika/chipotle seasoning
• Red pepper flakes

Method . . .

1. Chop all tomatoes and set aside. In a large stock pot over medium high heat, saute your onions/garlic until glassy. Then add the tomatoes and crank the heat a bit higher.
2. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and spices. Bring to a boil and continually stir/mash until mixture thickens. About 20 minutes.
3. Then lower the heat and let simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and let cool for a few minutes.
4. And then blend in a food processor or blender. (We used our beloved Ninja Blender + I did this process in two batches.)
5. Return mixture to pot and simmer over medium/low heat for another 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how you'd like the consistency. (The longer you cook, the thicker it gets.)
6. Take stock of the flavor at this point and make any modifications accordingly. Add any sugar/spices/etc. at just 1 tablespoon at a time (or less, depending).
7. Fill pint jars, leaving 3/4 inch of space for freezing. Bring jars down to room temperature and refrigerate overnight before placing in your freezer (covered well so no air can get in). Stays good for up to 1 year. (In the fridge, use in a week or so.)

So stay tuned for my menu guide for freezer month, along with recipes for this whole thing. Many of you said you've tried this method, but that a whole month is a bit intense (both on the cooking/cleaning end and because it means not much cooking for a long while). I'm already tending to agree -- and I haven't even started yet.

But, then again, maybe I'll fall in love with freezer meals. Time will tell!

Happy Friday!

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Quinoa Salad with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Did I ever tell you what we ended up doing with our garden? We had some grand plans, but life certainly got in the way. Most years at this time, we'd have far too much squash.Tons of tomatoes. And strange, unknown items readying for a fall harvest.

This year?

A weedy wasteland. There's some mint. Note to you all: Never plant mint. We took some from our neighbors a few years ago (they were desperately chopping it OUT of their gardens), and it's been plaguing us ever since.

Just a few feet away from our barren dirt patch, our other neighbors (our surrogate grandparents) have this:


I've never asked why, but they only ever plant tomatoes. That's all. But they're awesome at it. Their secret for growth? M.a.n.u.r.e. Just a little bit. Every spring, I see Jack, the husband, turning the soil. I guess that's what he's putting in there!

Speaking of tomatoes . . .


We posted a delicious slow-roasted tomato method over the weekend. If you haven't checked it out yet -- now's the perfect time. You'll need between 2 and 3 hours. But it's totally worth it.

They taste incredible on their own. But I promised you a recipe using them. So, here it is!


The Jaws book is to celebrate Shark Week. Stephen actually found this 1st edition copy at a thrift shop over the weekend for $1. One dollar. Yeah. Anyway, this mix isn't exactly difficult to make. It's a simple, quinoa salad with tofu, tomatoes, and a basil dressing.

You'll need the following:

• Slow roasted tomatoes 
• 1 block tofu, pressed, cubed, and fried 
• 1/2 cup dry quinoa (cooked with 1 cup water)

Once you have prepared all of that, toss it in a large bowl. You can also feel free to add whatever else you might like. Roasted squash. Chickpeas. Sliced almonds. Cranberries. Whatever. That's what I like about meals like these.

No rules.


Not-so Secret Sauce:

• 1/4 cup canola oil 
• 1/2 cup white vinegar 
• 1 tablespoons brown mustard 
• 1 clove garlic, chopped 
• 1 to 2 handfuls fresh basil 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Then pour however much you'd like into the quinoa mixture. Save the rest. Or use it all. Also feel free to add other things to adjust it to your tastes. Like Vegenaise for creaminess. Or avocado. Or nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.

In case you missed it, there are many, MANY health benefits of quinoa. Especially for runners. Just check out this post.


Today on Writing Chapter Three, I'm disclosing that I am indeed pregnant. With emotion. C'mon. A Dreft commercial made me cry yesterday. Ridiculous!

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Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Things look a little different on the main site -- new banner -- thanks to some fun with Photoshop for the first time in nine long months. But those tomatoes weren't just for show. We didn't slice and eat them fresh either!

If you haven't slowly roasted tomatoes before, you're in for a treat. Just lower you oven temperature, wait a few hours, and enjoy. They taste a lot like sun-dried, but not quite as intense, which I appreciate.

HOW TO:

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. Slice enough cherry tomatoes, length-wise, to fill a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil (1 to 2 tablespoons), sprinkle with salt + pepper, and let roast for 2 to 3 hours -- enough time to watch the Olympic Marathon tomorrow morning. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week.

More recipes using these tomatoes later in the week. Till then, take care!

PS: Thanks to all our friends on Facebook who helped us narrow the choices for the new banner. You guys and gals ROCK!

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Summer Squash Pancakes

Third trimester exhaustion is REAL, people. Granted, it's been a busy few days . . . but I can't seem to keep my eyes open this morning. Dinners have been fast and easy as a result -- more time for napping. Or not.

These summer squash pancakes are made with squash from our garden. They also come together in less than five minutes.

You need not use summer squash if you have another type on hand. Zucchini would work beautifully. Or you could even get exotic with it. Remember the opo squash we bought last year?


It was HUGE!


Anyway, I love making savory pancakes on nights when I just don't have time to whip up a more proper dinner. And it's easy to adapt your favorite breakfast/sweet recipe for this purpose. This one, for example, is a variation on our Wheat and Oats Pancakes.


SAVORY SUMMER SQUASH PANCAKES

What you'll need . . .

• 2/3 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white flour (or you can use all wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon (or more) black pepper
• 1 cup shredded summer squash (rinsed and peeled first)

Method . . .

1. Whisk together the flours and baking powder. Add in the egg and almond milk. Mix well.
2. Fold in the summer squash shreds and black pepper.
3. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Grease a bit with some olive oil.
4. Drop half cup to three-quarters cup amounts of batter on the pan. Cook on each side until browned.
5. Top with cheddar cheese, sauteed onions, or savory jelly. Blame pregnancy, but I even added a little maple syrup!
6. You'll also notice that we added some tomato slices -- also from the garden -- during the cooking process.

WHY NOT TRY . . .


Leafy Green Pancakes


Corn Pancakes and Pan-Browned Brussels Sprouts

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Easy-Peasy Potato Curry

Remember our garden project? The sad patch of rocky soil that looked more like a pit than a potential home to healthy veggies and herbs?

Well, I'm excited to say it went from looking like this:

To looking like this!


Hahaha. OK. That was a REALLY lazy attempt to trick you. We didn't get to working on the garden last weekend. We had all the best intentions to. Saturday afternoon turned out beautifully sunny. But we had movie plans with some friends. By the time we got out of the theater, it was POURING. Strike! Then on Sunday, it was iffy on and off all day.

This weekend doesn't look promising as it's my high school reunion. (10 years!) I have Monday off for the holiday weekend, though. So, we'll see if we can squeeze garden time in there somewhere. We need to get those herbs homes -- and fast!

You guys gave us some great ideas for things to plant, like:

• Lettuce
• Kale
• Carrots
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini and other squashes
• Green Peppers
• Cucumber
• Etc.

We're also looking forward to learning some preserving processes. Like canning and freezing (it seems to me like freezing should be a no-brainer, but somehow we destroy our foods with freezer burn). Anything to gain at least a little independence from the grocery store. Plus, there's just something awesome about growing your own!

Speaking of freezer-eats, our dinner last night made use of bulk potatoes and onions AND frozen peas and cauliflower. It wasn't a 10 meals for $10 kind of masterpiece like our veggie lasagna (which, truth be told, lasted only three nights), but it served as one big meal for Stephen and dinner and today's lunch for me.


EASY-PEASY POTATO CURRY

What you'll need . . .

• 2 cups chopped waxy potatoes
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 to 3 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
• 2 cups frozen cauliflower
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 can vegetable broth, low sodium
• 3 to 4 tomatoes, skinned and quartered (I bet canned would work, too

Method . . .

1. In a large pan, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add the potatoes and onions. Cook for several minutes -- until onions are soft.
2. Add the garam masala and curry powder. Stir until well coated. Take your minced ginger and squeeze it well so just the juices make it to the pan. Then toss in the crushed garlic (I used the side of my knife to give each clove a good press).
3. Then toss in the frozen veggies, tomato quarters, and broth. Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Serve with 3-hour naan, 5-minute naan, or rice.

And if you're in the mood for dessert -- pregnant or not, you'll love this egg-less (so, SAFE), vegan cookie dough recipe over on (never home)maker, baby! Today's post is all about cravings, which -- for me -- have started early in my 13th week.

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Dinner in a FLASH: Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Wow. Coming home from work and having to exercise AND clean AND do laundry AND cook dinner . . . well, it's difficult to do. Those of you with kids -- I seriously have no idea where you find time for it all. That's why we like super fast, super simple, super easy-to-prepare AND healthy recipes. We have several in our arsenal reserved specifically for when the laundry piles are high and the daylight hours are dwindling.

Hey! That sounds a lot like . . . tonight!

We've done veggie stuffed peppers before. You'll remember them from yet another Dinner in a Flash Post (you know, the posts where we cook something great and then insult it by taking god-awful flash photos . . . food porn at its worst!). So, what's different about this recipe?


It's vegan. So stop reading and start gathering your ingredients! The sun is already setting, can you see it there -- so low in the sky? And I imagine your stomachs are growling -- mine is -- THANKFULLY this recipe will make up a big dinner for two.

VEGAN VEGGIE-STUFFED PEPPERS

What you'll need . . .

• 2 hefty green peppers, sliced in half and de-seeded
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup TVP, depending on how "meaty" you like it
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes (diced and drained)
• A splash of your favorite white wine
• Pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Hot sauce
• Nutritional yeast
• 1 healthy avocado, sliced
• Red quinoa, for on the side

Method . . .

1. Set your oven to the broil setting and place a sheet of aluminum foil on a cookie pan. Cut the green peppers in half and take the seeds out of them. Be careful to keep them as bowl-like as possible.
2. Place peppers skin-side up (you'll flip them later when you cook everything) under the broiler for about 10 minutes. Until the skins begin to display brown spots to show they're roasted.
3. While those are in the oven, in a medium saucepan, toss in some olive oil. Cook the chopped zucchini for a few minutes. Then combine it with the beans, tomatoes, and TVP. Season with the wine (I was drinking some while we were making this, so I just threw in like 2 tablespoons worth), pepper, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Cook until bubbling.
4. Take the peppers out of the oven and flip over carefully. Scoop large scoops of the bean mixture into each pepper until piled high. Top with nutritional yeast.
5. Sprinkle on some more nutritional yeast, pile on the avocado, and serve with the quinoa!

All you work-outside-the-home people (and the rest of you, too!!!): What are your favorite fast and easy dinners? Do you cook when you come home . . . or before work? We'd love to plan ahead, but unless it's a slow-cooker meal, don't seem to ever make time in the AM. Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Dinner in a FLASH: Veggie Stuffed Peppers

This is yet another dinner IN A FLASH post where we offer a quick and tasty recipe with HORRIBLE photography to show it off. Our last post taught y'all how to make vegetable dumplings at home! And before that, we posted a hearty vegetable soup with hubbard squash puree for some extra flavor and nutrition.

Today's recipe is one of our favorites because it's super-duper easy, oh-so very cheesy, and about as quick as you can get without simply microwaving a frozen dinner . . .


What you'll need . . . (dinner for two)

• 2 large green bell peppers
• 1 can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can corn (low sodium and drained)
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes (diced and drained)
• Garlic powder
• Pepper
• Cheddar cheese (shredded and optional)

Method . . .

1. Set your oven to the broil setting and place a sheet of aluminum foil on a cookie pan. Cut the green peppers in half and take the seeds out of them. Be careful to keep them as bowl-like as possible.
2. Place peppers skin-side up (you'll flip them later when you cook everything) under the broiler for about 10 minutes. Until the skins begin to display brown spots to show they're roasted.
3. While those are in the oven, in a medium saucepan, combine the beans, tomatoes, and corn. Season with the pepper and garlic powder. Cook until bubbling.
4. Take the peppers out of the oven and flip over carefully. Scoop large scoops of the bean mixture into each pepper until piled high. Top with shredded cheddar.
5. Return to oven and broil until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

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Rainbow Stew: Another Slow Cooker Favorite

My typical lunch "hour" is spent hunched over at my desk doing work, unfortunately. My responsibilities entail not only my attention to detail as the director's assistant, with the PR committee, and with various editing and photography needs (all of which I love) . . . but I'm also the building manager. What exactly does this mean? Well, I'm responsible for arranging to fix anything that breaks within a gigantic, four-story monster of a building that enjoys foot traffic from most of the campus daily. Toilets explode. Alarms go off. Students spit on the floor (true story). ID cards stop granting access. Electricity fails and outlets spark. Ants take offices by force. The list goes on and on (and on). Yesterday I found myself leading an entourage of facilities employees through the building to find nuts and bolts to fix one of our periodicals stacks. Random, random stuff here. And it doesn't stop for lunch.

What's worse is that until recently, I always, always would forget to even BRING my lunch . . . or wouldn't have enough time in the morning to slap something together. For a while, Lean Cuisine was my savior. But all the salt in them started to concern me. And since my favorite is mac and cheese, I wasn't exactly getting the best nutrition.

Enter, again, the slow cooker. I made this "rainbow stew" -- a rather psychedelic name for a rather trippy stew -- by throwing all the veggies I could find into a pot. My favorite ingredients? The sweet potatoes and eggplant AND cauliflower. But the kidney beans and fire-roasted tomatoes have their moments, too. It's all good. If you're wondering why you should eat a rainbow of fruits and veggies, read this.

So, when I take the time to actually bring my lunch, I find myself taking time to actually TAKE my lunch. Use this recipe as a jumping point and you, too, can enjoy a week of intensely nutritious, relaxing lunches (or half a week for two people eating a little over a cup daily). I paired mine with half a PB&J on multi-grain.

Just look at all those veggies!




RAINBOW STEW

What you'll need . . .

• 1 medium-large sweet potato, skinned and cubed (orange)
• 1 medium eggplant, cubed (purple)
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped (green)
• 1/2 medium Spanish onion, chopped (yellow)
• 2 small heads cauliflower, chopped (white)
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (dark green)
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced (white)
• 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (green)
• 1 can kidney beans, drained (dark red)
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained (light brown)
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained (red)
• 2 cans vegetable broth (a little over four cups)
• Salt and pepper to taste . . . though we only used pepper

Method . . .

1. Chop, mince, and otherwise prepare all your ingredients.
2. Put EVERYTHING -- all vegetables (and fruits if you want to get all technical on me) and beans -- in the slow cooker pot and mix them to distribute.
3. Pour in the vegetable broth
4. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for about 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Mix every hour or so.

PS: Unless you like your soups hot-hot-hot, you'll really want to seed the jalapeno. My husband didn't do this, and ours was very good, but for the first couple days, I'd choke when I took my first slurp. :)

PPS: Check us out on one of my favorite cooking/kitchen-related blogs -- THE KITCHN -- our kitchen tour made the cut and is now up for your viewing pleasure.

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