50 Days, 50 Salads + "Fed Up" Film

[Vronsky] did not need to maintain himself too strictly, because his weight was exactly the regulation hundred and sixty pounds; but he also had not to gain any weight, and so he avoided starches and sweets.

- Tolstoy

I've given myself a challenge: eating 50 salads in 50 days.

My father-in-law eats a salad every day for lunch as part of his own directive for healthy eating.  He and my mother-in-law have both completely changed their eating habits, eliminating gluten and sugar, seriously lowering carbs and, at least for now, steering clear of dairy.  A whole blog could be dedicated to their food journey, but suffice it to say that they both feel much better, have naturally lost weight without that being their goal, and have basically eradicated daily headaches!

I have also been working to improve my eating choices and what I am cooking for dinner, but on a smaller scale.  I have lowered my intake of gluten and starches, and while I'm not bent on erasing all gluten in my diet, I am aware of how much better my body feels on lower carbs.  As much as I would like to deny it- I mean I used to LOVE cereal for breakfast absolutely every morning- physically, I can't.  I also know I'm not the strongest when it comes to food changes, so I need something more specific than "Sure, I'll lower my carbs...." while sneaking into the kitchen to grab a cookie.  I need concrete.  I will eat 50 salads in 50 days.

Salads eaten at restaurants are always delicious, but I am forever moaning about my own homemade ones.  And, try not to judge me, I usually don't want to eat a salad.  Yeah, whatever, the stereotype of a vegetarian is that they love salads all the time, but I don't.  I truly love veggies, but salad sometimes feels... too earthy or something.  Hopefully as part of this journey, I will discover to really like salads and to find out what I enjoy most in them, which veggies to add, and how to make salad dressing at home since I can control all the ingredients.  I won't force feed myself any vegetables that I don't enjoy eating as part of a salad, even though I might like it on its own.  My rules for myself are pretty open: it doesn't have to be for lunch, but will most likely be; I can put whatever I want in it, as long as it is not a starchy carbohydrate; I won't beat myself up if I don't reach 50.   

Now, no worries, I won't be posting 50 times about salad.  If I don't want to eat 50 salads, I certainly wouldn't want to read about 50 salads.  But I'll do a few updates through the time frame and challenge you to up your veggies by doing your own competition!  I'll be updating my Instagram account with some of my favorite salads (follow me @theculturethrift) and check out #50salads50days.  Use the hash-tag if you come across any awesome salads as well!

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And just a quick word- check out the documentary "Fed Up" which is currently on Netflix.  I had been interested in it and finally clicked on it after one of my best friends recommended it to me.  It's a film showing how our government, public schools, and processed food industry have conveniently supported sugar as an addition to processed foods and the ill effects it has created for our health and the health of children (especially Diabetes).  I loved how it touched on the fact that eating healthy (i.e. real, whole foods) is cheaper than eating junk food and how ultimately we are the ones who must change.  I honestly don't believe in governmental control of foods, but control in schools and advertising aimed at children, who are not yet able to make healthy eating decisions, is a worthy cause.  There is also power in the awareness of how the food industry controls our government and media (it's $$$ of course!).  Though, to keep balance and not make absolute claims (which I have to remind myself to not do!) here is a fact checking review of it: Science Based Medicine.  If nothing else, hopefully this will lead to our decrease in processed food consumption and increase in cooking at home, using whole, non-processed foods.

Other interesting books about America's food industry: "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "Fast Food Nation."

Vegan Tacos

I may have just finished the fixings for a Mediterranean meal for tonight, but I'm here to share a recipe for a different cuisine- tacos!  These vegan tacos are super easy to make, fast, and a great base to add any variety of toppings.  This is another Smart Ground recipe, but any type of vegan mock meat could be substituted.  My husband, who is not normally a vegan, also loves these tacos and they do not last very long in our house!

This particular taco combination is also rather beautiful, don't you think?

Vegan Tacos

servings: 10 tacos

Ingredients:

12 oz. Smart Ground (original or Mexican)

1 mild or hot taco spice packet (1.25 oz)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3/4 cup water

1/2 sweet or white onion, diced

2 roasted jalapenos, diced (with or without seeds)

1 cup cooked corn

1 avocado, cubed

flour or corn tortillas

Directions:

1. In skillet on medium, heat vegetable oil and Smart Ground until hot.

2. Add water and contents of spice packet, stir, and let simmer for 5-6 minutes or until water is absorbed and mixture thickened.

3. Put tacos together!

 The options on toppings for these tacos are endless.  I chose corn, avocado, roasted jalapenos, and onions for heat, a hint of sweet, and the creamy richness that avocado always adds.  You could go basic and use shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese (if non-vegan), and salsa.  For a protein punch, add in black beans and rice (or quinoa!).  These would be awesome for breakfast tacos as well: eggs, potatoes, cheese... the list goes on!  Enjoy!

Spicy Roasted Jalapeno Vegan Chili

We've had one, yes... what about Second Winter?

This little guy has been my spring inspiration for the past month, and good thing too, as you can tell from his background, it is snowy white.  And that means it is still winter, despite the passage of March 20th (at least in my book).  It is "Second Winter" since a little over a week ago the temperature soared to 72, bringing my first tank top run of 2015, then on Monday it was back to winter wonderland. Though,  I must admit that the average temperatures are at least thirty degrees warmer than the actual winter, but it is still frustrating to have postponed the upsurge in weather, at least for a little while.  Even if only for a week; I am that impatient.

Along with Freddie- the succulent- there are other additions to life outdoors that have been a welcome change.  Until recently, I hadn't noticed the absence of birdsong until about two weeks ago, when all the birds simultaneously joined in chorus together.  As all the people around Chicago suddenly seemed to brighten up with the weather change, the birds were here to also offer their soundtrack.  The call of seagulls, the chirp of robins, all the birds were rejoicing.  

I also discovered that I did not know what a robin looked like, when I asked my husband what the cute little birds with the orange bellies were called.  He chuckled and answered.  I felt sheepish and may have even blushed as 1) I grew up reading The First Robin by Robert Kraus with my mom and 2) one of my best friends is named Robin.  You'd think I would know what the bird actually looked like!

I have much to learn obviously.

With the still chilly weather, something I "learned" yesterday was the final culmination of amazing chili (I've been working on it for a few years now) and thought I would share it!  This chili is super filling, hearty, and thick.  You'd never know it was vegan (quote by husband).  Now it is spiiiiiiiiicy, but if you can't handle the heat- or if your stomach can't, with my apologies- leave the jalapenos out and you will still have an amazingly delicious chili to fill in all those corners (I'm getting a little carried away with the LOTR references). 

Spicy Roasted Jalapeno Vegan Chili

Serves: 5-6

Cook time: 30 min

Ingredients:

12 oz. Smart Ground original meat crumbles

4 Tbsp. canola oil (or try coconut!), divided

1 white onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. cumin

3 and 1/2 Tbsp. chile powder

salt to taste

28 oz. can tomato sauce

15 oz. can kidney beans

15 oz. can black beans

1 cup water

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 jalapenos

Directions:

1. In skillet on medium low heat, crumble and brown Smart Ground in 2 Tbsp. canola oil for 4-6 minutes, transfer to large pot.

2. Using same skillet, heat another 2 Tbsp. canola oil over medium heat and add onions to saute for 4 minutes.  When translucent, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add all spices and stir until mixed.

3. Transfer onion mixture to large pot with Smart Ground, then add tomato sauce, water, kidney beans and black beans (not drained).  Bring to boil, then cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

4. While chili is simmering, cut tops off two jalapenos, then slice into fourths leaving pith and seeds (see note at bottom) and place on greased, foil covered baking sheet.  Broil in oven for 8 minutes or until slightly charred.

5. Dice jalapenos and add to pot to cook an additional 5 minutes.

6. Serve with crushed tortilla chips (or cheese and sour cream if not vegan!) and enjoy!

* Note- For the spiciest chili, leave the pith and seeds in the jalapenos.  For a slightly cooler version, remove both before broiling.  Another step down would be to use only one jalapeno, and finally to not use any.  Adjust the spice level to suit your fancy!

This chili was exactly what I needed last night to take away the "l" from my chill and gave me a huge boost of protein.  I used one of our wedding gifts for this meal, the medium chili powder from Savory Spice Shop, which was delectable and made me reminisce of Austin and our time there.  

food: Hummus, Chocolate Mousse, and a Lifestyle Blog

I've been a little cooking obsessed lately.  I think about foods, ingredients, recipe ideas, talk about the foods I have been making, spend hours searching for recipes, ask my friends for them, then take that all into the kitchen and experiment, sometimes ending up with great additions to my repertoire.  Some additions are just okay: a suitable meal for the given night but not anything to comment about.  A choice few are given an awful face, where I turn down my mouth and wrinkle my nose, then feel like all the time has been a waste... but it is all useful learning in cooking and how to choose recipes.  

Today I decided to make hummus, completely from scratch, using a whole pound of dried chickpeas.  I also decided it was a great day to go authentic and shell the chickpeas.  

Two and a half hours later, I had shelled the chickpeas. 

In that time frame, I had talked with my mom on the phone, listened to music, sat on my exercise ball because my back was hurting so much from being still that long, and been accompanied by Mr. Bear, my Maltese Shih Tzu all the while.  Every now and then, I would "drop" a chickpea on the floor to attract Mr. Bear's attention and his company in my journey.  Add to that, the overnight soaking of the little devils, hour of boiling them, finally making the actual hummus in my blender, then broiling jalapenos to add to it = Hummus.  Whew!  Such a process that it deserves a capital.  I went a little too "authentic" for my taste.  I thought I was a patient person, but my goodness.  

However, the finished product was quite delectable, oh so smooth, and quite a treat.  Did I say it was worth it tonight?  Perhaps.  Will I shell chickpeas for almost three hours again?  Probably not, unless we buy ourselves a farm, complete a Fall's harvest, then invite the whole neighborhood to shell chickpeas with us.

Another treat that was TOTALLY worth it- meaning it took about ten minutes to make- was Vegan Chocolate Mousse!  Whoa.  My husband actually exclaimed that word on his first taste.  Whoa to the fact that it only requires four ingredients and is amazingly rich, velvety chocolate deliciousness: dates, coconut milk, cocoa powder, and a drop or so of vanilla extract.  

An exhausting but exciting day of culinary adventures!  While both recipes were not short on time, they were extremely cheap to make.  A four pound bag of dried chickpeas is $3.99, meaning I spent about $1 in my main ingredient for hummus.  Take out the shelling and the recipe is a no brainer.

I have also been thinking lately about how to define my blog.  Probably pointless at this stage since I have only been blogging for five months now- and really only seriously for the past three- but you know how the mind wanders.  As humans we really must have our world categorized, labeled, and organized, and I suppose I have wanted to do that with The Culture Thrift.  It's not fair of me, she is still growing, deciding what she wants to be.  As I said, it's not fair.  Though I would gently (ever so softly) like to call her a lifestyle blog.  Labeling as only a fitness or fashion or whatever website is too narrow a scope... maybe "lifestyle" is not quite it, but it is a place to start and that's what she needs. 

 Okay, what I need.  She probably doesn't even need a label.

food: Strawberry Citrus Water

 Yesterday, after my frigid winter run, I treated myself to a healthy, wholesome drink.  It was a nice reward for exercise and a reminder that spring will come, even to the Antarctic of Illinois.  

It is my own variation on a fruit water by Dr. Oz, called Swimsuit Water (which is also delicious, might I add).  I wanted a little more of a kick to mine however, so I changed the recipe and added lemon.  If it were possible, I would add lemon to everything!

Strawberry Citrus Water

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen strawberries

juice of 1 lemon

juice of 1/2 lime

cold water

Directions:

1. Add first three ingredients to blender

2. Fill remainder of blender with cold water

3. Puree for 15 seconds

4. Enjoy after a hard workout- you deserve it!

As today is 9 degrees, with a -11 degree wind chill, I may stay inside for my workout.  But I still have my Strawberry Citrus Water to look forward to!

And success- finally a food post on The Culture Thrift!