All Better Now

This morning, after a very good night's sleep, finally, I feel back to normal. Sleep is so important to our health, and anything that gets in the way of it, like my second cup of coffee a couple of days ago, should be avoided. Here's a pretty, healthy smoothie I made myself yesterday to get a little boost.

Protein Boost Smoothie
1 c. coconut milk (or other plant milk)
2 frozen bananas
1 Tbs. almond butter
a handful of raw spinach or other greens
a stick of cinnamon
Just blend this in a high-powered blender


Yes, there is some fat in here, but I needed the calorie and protein boost, and it did the trick, giving me the right kind of focus and energy for a couple of hours. I like taking my time drinking this. The little pieces of cinnamon become a little softer and more flavorful the more they soak. It may have been my imagination, but the cinnamon felt warming and healthy in a vascular way.

After I got a bit of my groove back yesterday, I was able to focus on mindless but necessary chores, but also on a little creating in the kitchen.  I made a tuna casserole for the carnivore and I did a new recipe I had seen on the Health Seeker's Kitchen (http://thehealthseekerskitchen.blogspot.com) The recipe is called Tender Green Bean with Mushroom and Lemon Peel.  I highly recommend this dish!  Incidentally, the author of The Health Seeker's Kitchen is the Mom of Morgan, of Little House of Veggies fame! (http://littlehouseofveggies.blogspot.com) What a talented family! Do check out this green bean dish -- you won't be sorry!

Of course I have miles of green beans to use from my chinese long bean patch, so no trip to the store was necessary. Luckily I also had the other ingredients on hand. I used the white button mushrooms that were in the crisper, and I actually used a whole lemon, instead of the half that is called for, only because I know myself well enough that the rest of it would be lost in the fridge and wasted anyway. So my version of this wonderful dish was VERY lemony, but my husband and I really loved it! I get so happy when something special I am making for myself is also very much enjoyed by the carnivore -- he raved about it!

Since my husband's casserole had been made long before I tended to my own food, I had time to make myself exactly what I felt like eating. So, in addition to the Health Seeker's Kitchen's fabulous bean dish, I started to think of all those pretty green tomatoes hanging out in my garden. I came up with a simple onion/tomato relish, and then decided to serve it atop a Tofurky Italian Sausage!  Omigosh my mouth is watering as I type this! It was so easy, I hardly feel like it should be a recipe, but it was so very fabulously delicious, that I should probably honor it by presenting it as one.  Here's what I did:

Gourmet Ball Park Dog
Ingredients:
2 whole wheat hot dog buns
2 Tofurky Italian Sausages
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1 medium green or underripe tomato, sliced thinly
extra virgin olive oil
grainy dijon mustard


Heat some olive oil in a pan, medium-high, and saute the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring periodically, but allowing them to sit a little bit so they will carmelize. Add the tomato, and saute for another minute, stirring more often. Remove the relish from the pan. In the same pan, at a lower heat (medium) cook the sausage for about 5 minutes, turning often with tongs. Meanwhile, briefly warm the hotdog bun in a 350 degree oven, about 2-3 minutes. Assemble the dog in the bun, schmeer with a bit of mustard to your liking, then smother it in the tart, oniony relish. Yum.
Serves 2.


This dish was so easy to fix while I was cooking the green bean dish, there were a few minutes of waiting with each, so I got to stay busy with two burners.  Also the oven was already hot with the casserole, so I didn't have to heat the oven just for the bun. Otherwise I wouldn't have bothered to warm it. I actually only fixed one dog for myself, so I do have some relish left over for another use.  Maybe part of a quesadilla today?  I will keep you posted.

I had my first tofurky sausage over the weekend, when we had our impromptu cookout. I just gave it to my husband to fix on the grill next to the shish-ke-babs at that time, since I was just a busy, hungry, vegan girl then. I wasn't expecting much, since I heretofore haven't liked the idea of fake meats and cheeses, opting for a more bean-and-grain-based vegan experience instead. Well, 8 months into veganhood, I am here to tell you that opening one's mind can be a very good thing!  These tofurky sausages are amazing!

Last night's dinner was one of my favorites! Enjoy your luscious plateful, whatever you choose!