Happy May – rather than say how-is-it-already-May-and-yes-I-miss-blogging and my usual beginning of month/end of month intro’s, let me tell you about my friend Olivia. I met Olivia through blogging a few years ago, and we eventually met in person in DC, and then I saw her when I was in San Diego, and now she is back in DC. It is fantastic to have a friend closer, especially someone like Olivia who has, as long as I have known her, made it a priority to integrate improving the world as part of her day to day life. 

Olivia does not just give time or money to worthwhile causes, she also spearheads grassroots efforts amongst her community, weaving together passions and interest. Her latest project is One Week to End Fistulas (which you can also follow on FB) dedicated to raising awareness of obstetric fistulas and raising funds to pay for fistula repair surgeries for women who would otherwise not have access.  The inaugural event is May 12 to May 18, and  it is basically like a walkathon, except it involves yoga:

The One Week to End Fistulas Challenge is simple, flexible, and transformational. You only have to do two things:

1.  Practice yoga daily for one week. You can practice at home or at your studio, alone or with a group. How you do it is up to you.
2.  Collect sponsorships from friends and family to help you reach your funded-surgeries goal.

It’s just like the walk-a-thons you did in grammar school, but with yoga.

I love how Olivia has put together this initiative and can’t wait to support it.

Somehow, this blog is now six years old. I am not quite sure how that happened (oh right, time passes and we all get older), but I do know that over the years, I have enjoyed being part of the blogging community, getting to know many of all of you and just generally exploring life and cooking through the lens of the blog.

Top 6 Savory Recipes

• Thai Chopped Salad
• Scallion Vegan Cream Cheese
• Zingy Spring Hummus
• Collard Greens with Tahini
• Quinoa Pizza
• Romaine Kale Salad

Top 6 Sweet Recipes

• Crunchy Bittersweet Chocolate Bites
• Mesquite Cacao Spread
• Fudgy Chocolate Cupcakes with Fig Chocolate Frosting
• Spicy Hot Chocolate
• Coconut Chocolate Frosting Dip
• Strawberry Almond Macaroons

Top 6 Favorite Posts

• On Habits, Resolutions, Intentions, Challenges and New Year’s
• On the Support of Friends
• On Cooking At Home
• Thoughts On Life Gluten-Free
• On Birthdays, Types and Movement
• On Drinking Your Greens

Here is to many more favorite posts! Thanks again for reading.

I love guacamole. I also love fancy vegetable tacos. I was very, very sad when I started getting sick eating at Oyamel and feeling like somehow I was reacting to gluten.  By some serendipity, I had a work dinner at Rosa Mexicano over the summer, which means I had to do my usual due diligence.

Turns out, Rosa Mexicano is very gluten-free friendly.  The guacamole is superb. The corn chips are not gluten-free as there is no dedicated fryer, but the yummy corn tortillas are a fantastic alternative (update April 2013 – apparently the chips are now made in a dedicated fryer, but I still prefer the warm tortillas).  The tortillas come in a cute pink holder, which I was too busy photographing to remember photographing the tortillas.

The salsas are always gluten-free:

And now comes the news that usually makes me fret as a gluten-free eater: the menu rotates every two to three months.  This is part of the reason I waited until now to write about Rosa Mexicano, even though I started eating there in August and have eaten there a couple of times a month since (including on my birthday, because, guacamole and cupcakes is the recipe to a great birthday).

Above are the selection of vegan gluten-free dishes that Rosa Mexicano has had in the course of about nine months – a vegetable enchilada with corn tortillas (hold the cheese), and two versions of their veggie tacos.  Currently, even though we are coming on the end of April, the tacos available are similar to the top ones – made with root vegetables and a pumpkin seed spread, with a side of spicy cauliflower.  The kale is no longer an option, but I still really enjoy the current version.  In addition to the tacos, I often get a side of beans (hold the cheese), which you can see on the right below.

Over the course of several visits, I have found the staff well-educated about gluten-free eating and cross-contamination. The menu turning over has not resulted in me getting sick in any way, which was definitely one of my worries. Also, it seems that the option of veggie tacos is here to stay, which is a good thing, as I really love all the different versions they have had.

One thing that has definitely changed for me as a result of being mindful of avoiding gluten is that I really like the idea of a few go-to restaurants where I eat safely over and over – before I was much more adventurous about trying new places, which I still do, but I do love to have go-to favorites much more than I used to.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I had a green hummus recipe for you all today, but (1) I have not yet taken pictures and (2) I made this hash last night and it is so so so good, that I did not want to wait any longer to share it with you. Also, the recipe has 4 cups of broccoli which is green enough for today.  I started thinking about this flavor combination when I read Cadry’s post on why vegans eat products that taste like meat where she pointed out sausage flavor is all about fennel.  I have also found that the combination of grilled onions and ume plum vinegar (aka umeboshi vinegar) gives an amazing umami sausage flavor already, so I thought about incorporating the two ideas.  Basically, this recipe is a cross between Collard Greens with Tahini and this tofu scramble. I was initially going to make it with tofu and chickpeas, but thought tempeh would have a better texture, and I think I was right.

I knew I nailed the flavor profile and texture when my husband, who counts bacon and sausage amongst his favorite foods, was impressed with this dish.  And if you want to make this dish more Irish for St. Patrick’s Day, apparently traditional Irish sausage contains thyme and marjoram, which I think could all be easily added to this dish.  Try adding 1/4 teaspoon of each and reducing the crushed red pepper by half, and then tweaking with the seasoning.

Vegan Sausage Broccoli Hash(Gluten-Free, Vegan, Nut-Free)
Serves 4 generously
This is a great recipe if you want the flavor and texture of faux meats but none of the additives – it is replete with fiber, protein, a nice balance of carbs/protein/fat and all the iron goodness of broccoli and tahini. The only downside to the recipe is that it is high in sodium, as ume plum vinegar is high in sodium. If you are concerned about sodium, consider substituting part of the ume plum vinegar with apple cider or coconut vinegar, but be aware that will change the flavor.  This dish is particularly nice served with a side of roasted sweet potatoes, as the sweetness pairs well with the umami in this dish.

• 8 oz tempeh, gluten-free (most plain soy tempeh is gluten-free, but additional types of tempeh can contain barley. be sure to read the label).
• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil (I like this one from Garden of Life)
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion (about one large onion)
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped coarsely
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (Spicely is my go-to spice brand)
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 3 tablespoons ume plum vinegar (aka umeboshi vinegar)
• 4 cups coarsely chopped broccoli (stalks or florets are both fine)
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup water

Cut tempeh into 5-6 pieces and place in food processor fitted with an S blade.  Pulse until the texture looks like crumbles.  Set aside. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the red onion and bell pepper. Sauté for two minutes, then add the red pepper flakes and fennel seeds.  Continue to sauté for another three to four minutes, until the onion and pepper are softening.  Add the tempeh and ume plum vinegar, sauté for two to three minutes.  Add the broccoli and cook for an additional five minutes. Whisk the tahini and water and deglaze the pan with the mixture.  Be sure to scrape the crusty delicious bits at the bottom of the pan.  Wait until water has cooked off and stir well to combine the tahini into the broccoli tempeh mixture.  Add an additional tablespoon of water if needed.   

Every time I go to DTDC (DanceTrance DC) at Balance Gym, near Thomas Circle, I walk by the recently opened second location of Chix DC, a local responsible eatery with a commitment to organic ingredients, and keep meaning to check it out.  In addition to the second location being terrible convenient, Chix also happens to be a great place for my husband and I to visit, as they have several vegan options (many of which are gluten-free) but also have rotisserie chicken, which makes my husband happy.  As much as I love eating at all-vegan restaurants, I also appreciate places that can cater to my diet as well as my husband’s preferences.

I have not yet made it to the 14th street location, but have been to the 11th street location several times, and have found the owners’ and staff’s knowledge level on gluten-free vegan options very good.  I can speak to the 11 street location only, but I am confident in it enough to hope that the 14th street location is just as on top of all things gluten-free and vegan.  The menu is the same at both location. Generally, all the sides marked vegetarian are gluten-free and vegan, with the exception of things like noodles and cheese. Chix does offer brown rice and a gluten-free tortillas option, but I tend to find so many other options on the menu, I have not yet tried those (nor do I know for  fact that the gluten-free tortillas are vegan). Instead I tend to almost always order a combination similar to the one above, which is a 3 side combo, where I add a side of black beans (which are not part of the combo).

Above you can see a 3 side combo with organic chix chick(pea) salad, roasted sweet potatoes and the green vegetable of the day (it was zucchini the day I took the picture). I love the black beans, which are simmered with cumin and a bit of orange and rival the chix chick(pea) salad as my favorite bean dish there. The chix chickpea salad contains green peppers, onions, parsley, olive oil  and vinegar but tastes far more complex than the simplicity of its ingredients. I also really love the black bean hummus as an alternative to either the black beans or the chickpea salad.  I have found the green veggie of the day to always be cooked perfectly, and the roasted sweet potatoes benefit from a very hot oven and have a great texture.  Another way to enjoy the black bean hummus and the chickpea salad is the veggie trio salad, which includes those two options as well as a green salad, but be sure to ask which dressings are vegan.

I always find the food at Chix to be flavorful and satisfying, and they always seem to feed me safely and avoid cross contamination issues, despite the fact that their kitchens are fairly cramped. The staff is knowledgeable about gluten-free and vegan diets, and always happy to provide information on the items. I also love how environmentally conscious Chix is, including using wind power and limiting packaging. Chix is definitely worth checking out.

About the same time as the Hail Merry strawberry macaroons I bought for Christmas ran out, I had some almond pulp, left over from making almond milk.  Seeing as my local Whole Foods and health food stores are generally the last to get the new fancy delicious products (yes, #firstworldproblems) I decided to put the almond pulp to good use.   

And make strawberry macaroons of course. Mine turned out completely different than the Hail Merry ones – less dense, more uniformly strawberry-like – but still very satisfying.  They are easy to make and require ingredients you might likely have on hand, except for the freeze dried organic strawberries, which I ordered online. 

Strawberry Almond Macaroons (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Soy-Free, High-Raw)
Makes about 10 macaroons

If you do not have almond pulp, you can substitute 2/3 cup almonds, ground in the food processor and mixed with enough almond milk to moisten the ground almonds into a semi-crumbly paste.  I have not yet tried this recipe with fresh strawberries, but plan to when it is strawberry season where I live. In the meantime, if you would like to try it, I think the best approach would be to chop the strawberries finely. 

• 3/4 cup almond pulp, left over from making almond milk (I use this recipe)
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (unsweetened coconut flakes are fine too)
• 1/4 cup coconut nectar or other liquid sweetener (the almond milk recipe I use calls for dates, so the almond pulp is slightly sweetened. If your almond pulp is not subtly sweet, experiment with adding slightly more sweetener and cutting back on the coconut oil, below)
• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted (I like this one from Garden of Life)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries, preferably organic (I used these)

Process all ingredients except for freeze dried strawberries in a food processor or mini-prep until they form a dough with some texture.  Add a little more sweetener or water if the mixture becomes too thick.. Once the mixture is the right texture, pulse in the strawberries for a few seconds (I crushed the strawberries in the bag a bit before adding them to mixture in the food processor).  Line a dehydrator tray (including the grid sheet) with a Teflex sheet and scoop round tablespoons of dough onto the sheet, resulting in about 10 macaroons. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 6 hours, or until macaroons hold together well but remain soft and pliable.

I am submitting this recipe to the following events: Ricki’s Wellness Weekend, Heather’s Raw Foods Thursdays, Amy’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, and Linda’s Gluten-Free Wednesday.

So Happy SnowNoquester – these last couple of days have been bizarre. Washington, DC is just odd about weather events, but this one may be the weirdest – there was never actually any snow that stuck, yet most of DC was shut down and everyone I know was working from home. Truly bizarre. So yes, my usual go-to’s for weather, the Capital Weather Gang … not so much this time.

I interspersed my time working at home with a quick trip to the gym in the morning (before the rain/wet snow even hit), cooking both lunch and dinner (a rare luxury), going to a yoga 1 class which was a delightful slow flow, and … well laundry did not happen.  I pulled up two recipes I associate with cold weather, both from the blog (Masoor Dal and Collard Greens with Tahini) and cooked new spins on both.  Both were lovely so I foresee updated recipes making their way here soon.  In the meantime, be sure to check out this new recipe for strawberry macaroons.

When I first started eating gluten-free vegan and exploring raw foods, I felt like chocolate and vanilla macaroons were everywhere.  They are a pretty standard raw dessert, with good reason – coconut + chocolate or coconut + vanilla always equal deliciousness.  Hail Merry vanilla and chocolate macaroons were some of my favorites from the beginning.  Over time, I discovered other Hail Merry products: the grawnolas, the tarts (there are many different flavors, and I have not yet been able to pick a favorite) and the spicy pecans (the other Hail Merry pecans are great too though).

All of Hail Merry’s products are refined-sugar-free and raw or high-raw, using soaking and dehydration methods.  Hail Merry products are also GFCO certified, which is basically the gold standard in packaged gluten-free products, as well as non-GMO verified. How cool is that? And finally, Hail Merry is exploding in creativity. When I first started trying their tarts, there were maybe two flavors on the market, now there are six Miracle Tart flavors.  The nice thing about Hail Merry products is that my (gluten-eating, not vegan) husband also enjoys them, so they are a go-to when we want to share dessert.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, I spied on Facebook that there were two new macaroon flavors so ordered one of the macaroon Holiday Tins for my husband – it had the standard vanilla and chocolate macaroons, and the two new flavors: caramel and strawberry.  I bought the tin for my husband, but I won’t lie – when it arrived, I immediately regretted not ordering two, because I really wanted to break into it, and Christmas was several days away.  Ironically, I expected the caramel to blow me away but it was the strawberry flavor that did. I loved the caramel flavor, but the strawberry was so creative and different.  Like the other macaroon flavors, the primary sweetener is maple syrup, combined with the natural sweetness of coconut, almond and strawberries.

Apparently the Hail Merry strawberry macaroons are slowly becoming available, so of course, I had to mention it here and share the happiness, especially as I am having a bit of a case of the Mondays tonight.

The other day, I was standing in line at Whole Foods, fiddling with my phone and catching up on twitter and blogs, and came across Amber’s review of Suja Juice.  Amber concluded her review by saying Suja has been expanding in Whole Foods across the country. I was standing near the cooler that holds Blueprint so looked over, and sure enough there was Suja’s beautiful packaging.  Social media synchronicity at its best, especially since I am always curious about new pressed juice brands that are not heat-pasteurized. Suja uses High Pressure Pascalization (“HPP”), the same technology that Evolution Fresh and other brands use, so I picked up Suja Glow and Suja Green Supreme.

I eat a lot of raw and love my green juice, the fresher the better. While I am not a believer in the enzyme theory often associated with raw foods, I am a big believer in freshness, so to me the benefit of green juice is its freshness and lack of oxidization – much the same way I like my apples freshly sliced and not turning brown. I find pressed green juice a nice way to get a concentrated source of vitamins and other minerals, and a good complement to the whole-foods based, gluten-free, vegan diet I eat.  I do not consider green juice to be a meal replacement in any way, but it is one of my favorite snacks, even more so when I am on the go.

Of the two Suja juices I tried, I think I like Glow just a bit better – the combination of ingredients is creative (green apple, cucumber, celery, collard, spinach, kale and spearmint) is creative – it is green, without being too earthy, and the cucumber and spearmint give it a spa-esque feel.  I particularly like the mint in it.  In contrast, Green Supreme is a very zingy lemon yet sweet green juice, with three basic ingredients: kale, green apple and lemon.  Glow is more nuanced.  Also, when I still juice at home ((using a masticating juicer, which allows me to store the juice for a couple of days) I use it as an opportunity to use up stalks of all my greens so often drink juice with a base of kale stems, collard stems, chard stems (with other veggies that I have at that point).  Therefore, Glow is closer to juices I drink at home in that sense. 

Bottom line, Suja may be my new go-to when I travel.  I find green juice refreshing, particularly when working a 15 hour day and dehydrated from travel.  So while I do not ever do juice cleanses I am a fan of easily accessible green juice. As much as I love my sweetpress (I rely on it when I need to save time or simply crave the convenience, which is more often than not) sweetpress is a DC thing and only available to me when I am in DC.  I travel quite a bit for work, so am always curious about finding other pressed juice brands that use organic ingredients that I can easily find when I travel. So far,  I have mainly relied on local juice bars, Blueprint juice (upside: organic, downside: I find their green juice very sweet) and Evolution Fresh (downside: not organic, upside: I have found the carrot-based Essential Vegetable at several Starbucks).  Unlike all those options, Suja Glow has that exact combination I like: green yet refreshing.  I am definitely looking forward to trying other Suja juices as I come across them.  As I try more of them, I will definitely do a pros and cons list, but for now, I am only seeing pros to Suja: organic, well packaged, tastes good, and likely increasingly easier to find across the U.S..

No, I am not big on Valentine’s day, but I do love chocolate so I wanted to share with you several of my favorite chocolate recipes – all these recipes are easy to make, gluten-free, vegan and use alternative sweeteners and raw cacao. Some would call them healthier chocolate recipes. I just think they are delicious. 

Crunchy Bittersweet Chocolate Bites:

Mesquite Cacao Spread:

Fudgy Chocolate Cupcakes with Fig Chocolate Frosting

Grain-Free Vegan Chocolate Fruit Tart:

Cranberry Almond Bittersweet Chocolate:

Spicy Hot Chocolate:

Coconut Chocolate Frosting Dip: