Peach Fried Rice

When you are looking for a new apartment, there are a lot of things to consider: the price, size, neighborhood, amenities, access to public transportation, etc.  But for me?  It's all about the kitchen. Obviously.

Is there a dishwasher?  What kind of storage are we talking about here?  Will I have space for fermenting kimchi?  Is the apartment close enough that I can walk to a farmers market or a food co-op?  And don't even get me started on access to natural light for photographing food.  That's a whole other post.

I'm pretty resourceful when it comes to space.  For the last two years I've been living in a 460 square-foot apartment with my partner and two cats.  That's a huge feat right there.  But we've definitely outgrown the space and now it's time to move on to something a bit bigger.  But I sure will miss my kitchen...

Peach fried rice is the perfect way to say goodbye.  Whether it's goodbye to a visiting relative, the end of peach season, or goodbye to your adorable little kitchen, I think this dish will leave a lasting impression.

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Teriyaki Tempeh & Veggies

I think it's time that we talked tempeh.  Have you tried tempeh before?  In case you haven't or in case you have no idea what I am talking about, let me clue you in.  Tempeh is cooked and fermented soy beans that have had a bacteria starter added to them and then were held at 86 degrees for 24 - 36 hours.  Tempeh is a very digestible form of soy and is full of protein - making it a perfect entree in a vegetarian or vegan meal.  Tempeh has a very unique taste and I have often heard it described as "nutty," "earthy," or similar to the flavor of mushrooms.

Tempeh is best when marinated in a sauce to give it some flavor, especially if you are trying tempeh for the first time.  You can also steam tempeh before cooking and this will help cut down on the bitterness.  Most health food stores will carry tempeh ranging from plain to flavored and some brands even have tempeh with a mix of grains.  Tempeh will have a white layer and often dark spots as well.  This is completely normal and is part of the culturing process.  Since tempeh is made with soy, I highly recommend choosing organic because it ensures the soybeans were not genetically-modified.  Tempeh will most often come as a solid block and then you will be able to slice, chop, or grate it depending on your recipe.

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Raw Zucchini Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

You can tell a lot about what's going on in my life by what's on my library queue.  I have this weird habit of getting fascinated by one particular subject and then reading everything I can about it until I get bored and find my next interest.  This year alone I've been through a gardening phase, a running phase, a preserving food phase, a cycling phase, a twitter phase (yes, there are books on it!), a vegan nutrition phase, and a writing phase. My newest phase?  Raw food.

With the weather warming up and longer days approaching, my body has been craving more cooling and fresh foods like salads, raw veggies, and raw soups.  The only problem with a lot of raw food recipes that I've seen is that they tend to be a tad labor-intensive and nut-based.  I really enjoy using nuts in recipes, but I wanted a recipe that was a bit on the lighter-side.

This week I set out to create an easy raw entree that is fresh, delicious, and can be prepared quickly.  I ended up with a hearty zucchini pasta dish covered with a light, creamy tomato sauce.  The best part?  This meal can be prepared in under 5 minutes!

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Kale and Spelt Berry Salad

If you did not spend your Friday evening making kimchi and rocking out to Cher... then you really missed out on a good time.  If you did not spend your Saturday morning spilling a green smoothie on yourself while doing the Minion Mambo and rocking out to the Despicable Me soundtrack... then you really missed out this weekend.  And if you did not spend your Sunday evening making a kale salad and writing an embarrassing post about yourself ... then what did you do this weekend? 

For me, Sunday evenings are lazy evenings.  I am just starting to come down from my weekend-high and am about to crash right into reality.  This reality usually hits about 5 pm when I realize that a) dinner time is quickly approaching and I have nothing that's easy to prepare b) I haven't made Monday's lunch and c) I don't feel like making dinner for tonight or lunch for tomorrow.  These things are usually enough to make me a tad cranky, at least for the moment.  Luckily kale usually steps in to save the day.

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Whole Grain Quinoa & Lentil Wrap

Sometimes when I have a lot going on in my life I have a hard time sleeping.  I find myself staying up late and cleaning my kitchen pantry, scrubbing out cupboards, and organizing bulk goods into jars.  Even though I accomplish absolutely nothing related to what I am stressing about, nights like this somehow bring me back into balance.   I suppose spending some quality time to myself listening to Neil Diamond doesn't hurt.  Do you ever have nights like this?  Most likely... minus the Neil Diamond?

In one of my recent late-night cleaning episodes I stumbled upon a full jar of tricolor quinoa hiding in the back of my pantry.  It was definitely time to pull this out and put it to use!  The result?  A hearty whole-grain wrap with quinoa, lentils, and tahini sauce.  Perfect for lunch or a quick weekday dinner.

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