Tofu Quinoa Fresh Rolls With Easy Peanut Sauce

I love the end of spring and beginning of summer. The beginning of summer is always filled with the anticipation of all the good things to come... Sunshine. Farmers market bounty. Picnics. Beach trips. The best action movies of the year. And all of the amazing summer food.

As the weather starts warming up, I naturally start craving lighter foods and wanting to spend less time in the kitchen and more time outside. Can you relate?

And that's where these fresh rolls come in. Fresh rolls are a popular Vietnamese dish and I love them in summertime when fresh basil and cucumber are are season. These fresh rolls involve thin strips of crispy tofu combined with quinoa for a hearty, protein-rich snack or side dish. I love enjoying these with a simple green salad while lounging in the sun. Hooray for (almost) summer.

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Roasted Fennel and Spring Vegetable Salad

Someday I'm going to write a book called 101 Ways to Make Tacos because tacos are what we have for dinner. Seriously. Every. Single. Night.

Okay, maybe not every single night, but certainly most weeknights. At this point, my partner has basically stopped asking what's for dinner because it's obvious: beans and something else that's going to go inside of corn tortillas. Any questions?

Someday I'm also going to write a book called 101 Ways to Make A Salad because salads are what I have for lunch practically every single weekday.

The key to making a good salad is this: it has to have a good protein source (I usually opt for beans or lentils), a variety of vegetables with complimentary flavors and textures, and a good dressing. For most salads, I usually dress the leaves in a little plain balsamic vinegar, but the classic balsamic vinegar and olive oil mix is fabulous for almost any salad.

And if you eat an oil-free diet, subbing avocado in for oil is a fabulous way to still enjoy a creamy dressing. This sweet and tangy mango salad dressing and this jalapeno avocado lime dressing are great oil-free options.

My personal challenge to enjoying salads is that I don't typically crave raw veggies because Seattle is cold most of the year. However, I can get around this by roasting vegetables and adding them (while still warm) to a bed of cold greens. This salad is my newest favorite and it's a fabulous meal during these cold, drizzly days of spring.

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A Guide To Buying Organic

I get a lot of questions from readers and folks in my personal life asking for one simple change they can make to have a healthier diet. My response is usually "eat less sugar and eat more greens." Many of us struggle to get enough vegetables into our diet, period, so I don't often talk about the importance of the kinds of vegetables that we choose. 

However, I want to spend some more time today talking about the importance of buying organic and how to easily and effortlessly make the switch --with the least amount of impact on your wallet!

For the past few years there has been a lot of buzz going on around organics: Is organic produce really better for you? Is organic produce worth the cost? Does organic produce have more nutrients than conventionally-grown produce?

Here is my answer: organic matters.

Organic produce is grown without the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and does not contain genetically modified (GMOs). Here in the United States, the USDA controls the organic certification and labeling process. They consider an item to be organic if:

• The food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. This means that synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.
• The food contains a minimum of 95% organic ingredients.

I believe that organic matters for our health, the health of the farmers growing our food, and the health of our environment. From where I stand, the point of organic produce isn't whether it has more nutrients, but rather, that it does not contain the harmful chemicals that are used in conventional farming. When I hear about a study comparing vitamin levels between conventional and organic vegetables, I feel like they've missed the point.

Pesticides have been shown to cause liver, kidney, and blood diseases, as well as various forms of cancer. These chemicals build-up in our tissues over time, resulting in a weakened immune system. And, interestingly enough, researchers are finding out that many of these pesticides act as "obesogens" and are causing us to gain weight and keep it on. This makes perfect sense because many of these chemicals are stored in our fat cells as our body's natural defense to protect our organs. The last thing our body wants to do is allow toxins to float around in our bloodstream so it holds onto that fat to prevent this from happening. 

Many of my private health coach clients come to me because they struggle with losing weight and experience extreme "detox" symptoms as they do so. A lot of the resistance I hear from folks about buying organic is the cost. I'm not going to lie to you. Yes, buying organic is generally more expensive, but what is the price of your health worth to you? And, if you've been struggling with losing weight, think about how much money you might be spending on "diet" foods or products. 

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Roasted Baby Turnips with Spicy Mustard Dressing

No one should ever have to weedwack their entire lawn. Ever.

Unless, perhaps, you have teenagers and want to punish them... Unfortunately, I don't, so I got to experience the punishment for myself.

Earlier this year, my partner and I began renting a house from family members who are currently living overseas. I was excited at the thought of renting an entire house, however, it never occurred to me that with the amazing deal they were giving us, it also meant we had to do a lot of work.

It didn't even cross my mind that I would need to mow the lawn. That is, until I noticed that our grass was about a foot and half taller than the yards on both sides of us. Oops.

The grass was so tall, in fact, that the lawnmower repeatedly stalled when I tried to mow it. And that is when I came up with the brillant idea to weedwack the entire lawn and then mow it.  Two and a half hours of the most intense work ever, I felt like the biggest idoit on the planet. Well, at least I did until I woke up the next morning and saw how amazing my arms looked.

So, in summary, don't ever let your lawn get long enough that you need to weedwack it, but if you do, just know that you'll look great afterwards.

And, if any of you have suggestions about a smarter way I could have handled the lawn situation, I'll take 'em. Maybe I can even trade you a recipe for some landscaping advice... Roasted baby turnips, anyone?

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Easy & Affordable Green Juice

I fell off the juicing wagon for awhile. I think this was the first time in over four years that my juicer sat in a corner of the kitchen, unused for over six weeks.  And for some reason, I felt compelled to pry myself out of bed at 6 am on a Sunday and rush to the market to find some veggies for juicing. Now that's dedication.

This morning I was thinking about the struggles I hear from folks around juicing. Most of the time, challenges are associated with time and money so today I wanted to create a simple and easy green juice with only 3 ingredients (but packed full of nutrients!) and was affordable.

Here's how this juice breaks down in terms of cost:

• 1 small bunch (about 8 stalks) organic celery: $2.68
• 2 large organic kale leaves: $.99 ($2.98 for the bunch)
• 1 organic lemon: $.99

This comes to a total of $4.66 for a 16-oz juice which isn't that bad considering you are essentially getting two 8-oz juices for $2.33 each. I bought my produce at the market closest to me out of convenience, but I know that the co-op a few miles from my house has celery that is about $.50/lb cheaper than what I bought and Whole Foods often has deals on kale for 2 for $4 and sometimes 2 for $3. With this calculation, this could actually bring the price down to $2 (or less) per 8-oz of juice. That's more affordable than a morning latte!

A typical juice bar here in Seattle can run you around $6 for an 8-oz juice and around $10 for a 16-oz juice. Yikes. Juicing at home is much more affordable option over time, especially if you pick the right juicer. (If you're just getting started with juicing, see my guide for Picking The Right Juicer For You.)

So now that we've solved those dilemas, let's drink some juice!

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How to Make Massaged Kale Salad

What was the hardest part of your week last week?

While you ponder that, let me share mine: having to watch as a teacher took kale away from a preschooler and made him cry. (Yep, ladies and gentleman, apparently I am so good at getting kids to love kale that they cry when it is taken away.)

Last week I was making my famous kale smoothie for kids with a group of preschoolers. One of the boys was so excited about getting to try the smoothie that he started eating one of the raw kale leaves that had been passed around the classroom for the kids to touch and explore. After taking a bite of the kale he liked it so much that he continued to gnaw his way through most of the leaf. (I was quite impressed!)

Of course, a child snacking on a germ-y piece of kale caught the attention of one of the teachers who promptly took it away from him. Sure enough, crying ensued. Which actually seems pretty fair because if someone tried to take my kale away, I would probably cry too.

Luckily, the nice thing about being an adult is that you can eat as much raw kale as you want. Especially if you massage it and turn it into a delicious salad. Just wash your hands first. :)

By now you might have heard of "massaging" kale and wondered what all the fuss was about. Massaging raw kale transforms it from a tough, somewhat bitter leaf into a sweet, delicate salad. And it only takes a few minutes!

Let me show you how!

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Leek and Asparagus Stir-Fry with Mushrooms

I learned a very important lesson recently.

You know those lessons that you'll never forget because they were so embarrassing to learn?  Yep, it was one of those.

Lucky for you that I'm going to share it with you so that you will never have to learn this the hard way: when you are signing one of those slightly awkward cards being passed around your office (you know those cards from everyone for someone's birthday, departure, or a general congratulations, etc...), make sure to double check who the card is for.

I mean, you wouldn't want to be the one who wrote "best of luck at your new job!" to someone who's supposed to be getting a "congratulations" card for starting their family, would you?

That's just awkward. Don't be that person.

But, if you do happen to be that person, here are a few options:

Option #1: White it out. However, this only works if the card is white and those tricky Hallmark folks love those fun colors...

Option #2: Cover it up with stickers. Of course, that is assuming that you are an adult who happens to carry stickers around. Unfortunately, (or perhaps, fortunately), I'm not that person.

Option #3: Own it. Just admit that, yes, you are that person who wrote the weird message in someone's card and there is no taking it back now.

Ohh if only cards were as easy as stir-fries... 

See, with stir-fries, there are no mistakes, no awkwardness. You can always alter ingredients or change things up as needed. They're impossible to mess up. And they work for any occasion.

So, I guess the lesson I learned is really this: sign less cards and make more stir-fries. I think that's my new motto.

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Smoky Tempeh with Purple Asparagus

I don't want to alarm you, but I think this is the best thing I have ever made. And, to be completely honest, I wasn't expecting it to be. 

Sure, I thought it would be good. I mean, salty, smoky tempeh combined with fresh asparagus? Sounds pretty amazing, right?

The end result is more than amazing. 

As I was typing this out right now I got a little nervous and doubted myself. Could this really be the best thing I have ever made? 

*Takes another bite.* 

Yep, it is.  Affirmative. 

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Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup

Let me start this by saying that I'm not a big "kid person." I heavily admire people who are parents (seriously, you have the hardest job on this planet!), but I've never wanted to be one myself.  I also work with children and families in my job so I get a pretty good dose of being around kids in my daily life.

And this is precisely why when a friend told me several months ago that I "would make a wonderful mother," I practically laughed in her face. That's nice and thank you, but nope, it's not for me. 

She proceeded to tell me that she was convinced someday I would adopt a child from an orphanage. I continued to argue that ain't ever gonna happen.

This is exactly why this week I had a mental breakdown when I read this blog post by Lindsay at Pinch of Yum.  Lindsay and her husband moved to the Philippines for a year to teach at an orphanage. When I saw the pictures of these kids and read her post yesterday, I literally felt an urge from deep inside of my chest to move there and adopt these children. All I could think was, "oh $*%t, it's happening..."

And so, in order to prevent myself from moving to the Philippines and/or adopting children tonight, I made soup. This may not make a lot of sense, but it seemed like a better choice than hiding in a corner of my kitchen and stuffing my face with cookies from sheer panic.

If you see a cookie recipe posted here tomorrow, please send help.

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Sweet Broccoli Juice

Do you end up with a pile of broccoli stalks in your kitchen? I eat a lot of broccoli so I always manage to have a growing pile of broccoli stalks in my fridge. For years I made the mistake of composting them. Of course, that was until I realized how absolutely delicious they are. If you're not eating your broccoli stalks, let me tell you right now that you are missing out.

Once you peel the outer skin of the broccoli stalk away, the inside is crisp and sweet and they make a wonderful snack by themselves. I also love using shredded broccoli stalks raw in salads and slaws or sauteing them in a quick stir-fry. 

This week I've been experimenting with adding them to juices and I am loving this spicy and sweet combo with apple, mint, and ginger. If you are one of those people who dislike the taste of broccoli, let me just warn you now that this probably isn't for you. However, if you are a broccoli fan and are looking for a new way to  use up the stalks, this is one tasty treat!

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Fried Beets

I've been in the midst of an awkward living situation for the past few months and have had the utter joy of living with my partner's older brother while him and his wife are in the process of moving overseas. As someone who has had very few roommates in her life, I am overjoyed that at the end of the month we will have the place to ourselves and life will be back to normal. 

I think the best part of the last three months was when I got a lecture from my partner's brother about "not leaving dirty dishes in the bathroom." This lecture turned out to be a misunderstanding spurred by the fact that I had left a bowl of my homemade citrus and coconut body scrub on the bathroom counter. Apparently when the coconut oil hardens (as coconut oil does when it is cold), this mixture ends up looking like "moldy cereal with almond milk."

I'm totally guilty of being an almond milk drinker, but dude, I didn't leave moldy cereal in the bathroom. It's body scrub, I swear. I think by the end of this experience we are all excited at the possibility of having our own personal space again. 

I do have to say one thing I am grateful to him for and that is this recipe. I thought I had enjoyed beets every possible way that one could enjoy beets: roasted, boiled, steamed, and raw. But fried? Ooh, this is dangerous business. 

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Black-Eyed Pea & Collard Greens Soup

This month For The Love of Food had its third-year anniversary. Three years ago I sat in my dark kitchen photographing roasted vegetables under a stove light (with a point-and-shoot!) for a grad school project. Thankfully things have changed a lot over the years.

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how grateful I am to this incredible blog community created by each and every one of YOU. Thank you for your encouragement, your wisdom, and for learning together these past three years.

Thank you for putting up with way too many cat stories. Thank you for laughing at my jokes and listening to my constant ramblings about how delicious vegetables are. Seriously... 'cause everyone else in my life is sick of it by now.

And for my gratitude, I give you a simple black-eyed pea and collard greens soup.
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Kale Smoothie for Ladies

I'm not going to lie... sometimes it's hard to be a lady. Sometimes there are days when mood swings get the best of you and you become an emotional mess. An emotional mess for absolutely no reason except that, well, you're a lady.

On days like this it's best to stay away from your kitchen. On days like this don't attempt to create a new veggie burger recipe; chances are very high that the recipe that worked so well in your mind won't work out in reality. And then it's just awkward when your male roommate walks in on you crying on the kitchen floor. Not that this has happened to me or anything...

If you do decide to venture into your kitchen, I advise you keep it simple. Throw some frozen bananas into a blender and blend it up with some kale. Toss in some maca powder to correct those hormonal imbalances and add some raw cacao powder for good measure -- unless, you don't like chocolate? And then be sure to enjoy this soothing, fiber-filled smoothie curled up in a snuggie while watching your favorite romantic comedy.

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Kohlrabi Chickpea Salad

What is kohl-rabi? Kohl...rabi? Is that how you say it?

What does kohl-rabi taste like? Can you eat the leaves?

That's a funny looking vegetable! 

I've seen kohlrabi at the store, but I don't know what to do with it. How do you prepare it?


In my life away from this computer, I spend a lot of time talking to people about vegetables and encouraging kids and adults to eat outside of their comfort zones. Fall and winter brings us many vegetables that we are already familiar with and love, including: winter squashes, a variety of greens, and beautiful root vegetables. I've found that kohlrabi is one of the most unfamiliar veggies this season and most people have questions about how to prepare it and what to do with it.

Today I have a special treat for you... Check out the video below to learn how easy it is to prepare kohlrabi and see the cooking demo for this delicious recipe!

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Daikon Carrot Salad with Almonds

Do you know how hard it is to get a cat to make a cute paw print on a card?  No, of course you don't... because why would you?  Why on earth would you do something weird and wacky like that?  Things like this are best left up to me; then I can come back and tell you how crazy they are.

I got this idea to make a card "from our cats" for my partner for Valentine's Day.  Naturally my first concern was what medium to use that would be safe on their paws. Anything possibly toxic like ink and paint were most definitely out so I opted for fresh beet juice.

You should know that beet juice stains. Bad. Especially when there are tiny paws covered in beet juice that are running very quickly away from you. In the end, I didn't even get a cute paw print on the card. All I got was a couple of red, ill-shaped blobs. I think the card ended up looking more like a threat than a gesture of one's love and admiration.  

So, the lesson here is simple: don't be like me when it comes to cats... or probably life in general. But, if you like good food, you are more than welcome to be like me when it comes to this salad.
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Mean Green Juice [Video]

It's time for another green juice! In January, I became addicted to juicing and it's been exciting to connect with all of you on a similar juicing journey! I've gotten several emails from folks who were inspired by the juicing posts so this is something I will continue to keep up. (If you have recipes or photos to share, please share them with me over on the Facebook page or on Twitter.)

Today I have a special juicing video to share with you that includes a special (unplanned) guest appearance from my cat. And, for anyone that's curious, you'll also get to see my Hurom Slow Juicer at work. Let's get juicing!

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A Plant-Based Valentine's Day Menu

I've never been one to celebrate Valentine's Day. Early Valentine's Days in my relationship consisted of me avoiding everything red, begging my partner not to buy me flowers, and rolling my eyes at everyone making special dinner plans. 

Then something weird happened. Last Valentine’s Day I found myself buying a Valentine’s Day card, going out to dinner, and bawling my eyes uncontrollably while watching The Vow. Apparently I’ve been reformed. 

I’m still not going to be cutting out paper hearts or buying flowers, but I think it’s fair that we talk about food. 

For starters, let’s talk appetizers.  Should we serve something hot like these jalapeno pickled carrots? Or something mildly spicy like these roasted radishes?

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How To Make Perfect Vegetable Stock (for cheap!)

A few months ago I stumbled upon a little secret that I’ve been dying to share with you. Are you ready? Here goes…

Making vegetable stock is one of the easiest and cheapest things you can do to add flavor to your meals while reducing kitchen waste.  

Are you ready to get started? It’s super simple and today I’m going to show you how. Vegetable stock is made by boiling water with vegetables. The common vegetables used in making stock are celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and potatoes, along with a host of other veggies that all add their own unique flavor. Since several of these vegetables are on the dirty dozen list, I highly recommend using organic produce for making stock (and in your kitchen in general).

One of the thrifty tricks I discovered is that instead of using whole pieces of produce, you can easily save vegetable scraps in your freezer and turn them into flavorful vegetable stock! This might include the skins or unused pieces of onions, potato or carrot peels, or the tips of leeks and celery. If you have any produce that you know you won't be able to use up (unless it's a member of the cruciferous family - more on this in a minute!), you can always add this to your freezer scrap pile for stock. This saves you money and allows you to use up produce that would have otherwise gone into the compost bin!

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Carrot and Cilantro Juice

I am surrounded by germs at the moment. Between my office and home, almost everyone is sick. I felt a little under the weather for several days, but so far I've been able to ward it off.  I'm definitely convinced that my strengthened immunity is due to all the fresh juices I've been drinking!

For this week's SPUD juicing box I opted for the Organic Dynamic Beauty Juicing Box, which is a beautiful combination of apples, beets, carrots, celery, chard, cilantro, cucumber, ginger, kale, lemons, green bell peppers, and spearmint. This was the first box that I tried from SPUD and I love all the different flavor combinations you can make with these juices. 

This week I've been playing around with lots of carrot-based juices. If you are new to juicing, I definitely recommend starting with a carrot-based juice because it will be incredibly sweet, even without the addition of fruit! Some of my favorite combinations from this week's produce box include: 

• 5 carrots, 3 kale leaves, and 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger
• 3 carrots, 2 beets, 1/4 apple, and 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger
• 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks, 3 chard leaves, and small handful of mint
• 3 carrots, 1/2 cucumber, and small handful of mint

And, of course, this carrot cilantro juice.

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Picking The Right Juicer

(Image sources: Jack LaLanne's and Hurom Slow Juicer)

This month I have been focusing on adding more fresh juices into my routine and I have to say that I am loving all the feedback and excitement from our blog community! I’ve gotten so many comments, emails, and messages with your photos, recipes, and questions! Keep ‘em coming!

One of the things that I know everyone is curious about is picking the right juicer so I hope to explore this topic a bit more in-depth in this post. (Please know that I am only sharing my personal experience here and am not being paid to mention the brands I compare below.) I first began juicing in 2007 when I was working at a vegan and raw foods restaurant. I started my juicing journey using an industrial-sized centrifugal juicer. It was a beast! When it comes to juicers, there are two basic kinds: centrifugal juicers and masticating juicers.

The basics:

Centrifugal juicers are usually upright models with a rapidly spinning blade and mesh basket. The blade shreds the vegetables/fruits into pulp while the spinning motion pulls the juice through the mesh filter and out into the chute. 

Masticating juicers can be horizontal or vertical, but the newer versions tend to be vertical. Masticating juicers are all a little different, but they generally work by slowly crushing the vegetables/fruits and pushing the juice out through the screen.  

Cost: Centrifugal juicers are common because they tend to be more affordable (they generally range from $80 - $160).  On the other hand, masticating juicers are more expensive and generally start around $200.

Time: Centrifugal juicers are fast and efficient. If you are looking for a speedy juicer that juices efficiently, a centrifugal juicer is for you. Masticating juicers are much more time-consuming to produce juice and to clean. Since the juice is produced by crushing the fruits and vegetables, they must be chopped into smaller pieces and the juicer will take much longer to produce juice. 

Juice Quality and Quantity: The differences in cost and time are important, but perhaps the most important factor is the juice quality and quantity. That is the whole point of juicing, right?

One of the things to consider is that slow juicers produce better quality juice. Since the blade and basket in the centrifugal juicer rapidly spins, this adds a lot of oxygen to the juice, causing it to oxidize at a much-quicker rate. Hurom has a great picture that shows this oxidation (see below). If you are using a centrifugal juicer, you must drink the juice right away because it will immediately start losing nutrients. Since masticating juicers crush the fruits and vegetables, this helps to retain nutrients so you can make the juice in the morning and drink it later in the day.  

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