Magic Kale Salad with Pistachios and Apples
Do you like magic? I’ve always had a thing for magicians. I have a cousin on my mom’s side of the family who was a model and used to date David Copperfield. I’m not related to Claudia Schiffer, so the three male readers I have can calm down now. That includes you, Pea Daddy. I had this fantasy in my head that somehow I’d show up at a family gathering and he’d be there with his mysterious demeanor, satin jacket and totally awesome eyebrows. ... Read More
Better Spaghetti Sauce From a Jar
Remember when all you needed for dinner was a jar of sauce, a pound of ground beef and a package of pasta? But now you read all these “fancy” food blogs that have you rolling out your own raviolis, cutting out homemade goldfish crackers and toasting your own cinnamon crunch cereal. Who does that? Seriously, get a life. Or get a jar of sauce, a pound of tempeh and a package of pasta. Plus a few add-ins. And suddenly your spaghetti... Read More
Coconut Collard Greens with Roasted Kabocha Squash
I’ve been talking to myself lately. There is a beauty in having one or more children with you at all times because if you are in public, people assume you are having a conversation with those children and not singing a little ditty about toilet paper, glass cleaner, orange juice and razor blades. In the Everglades. I am a crafty songstress. But when I’m not singing grocery lists to myself, I’m saying affirmations. Like pickup lines I use... Read More
Dinner Tonight: Cauliflower Cacciatore
I have to fill you in at some point on all that went down at the Vegan Vida Conference this weekend. About how star struck I was when I met Isa Chandra Moskowitz yesterday. And how embarrassed I was when the whole Pea family almost ran smack-dab into her when we came out of the bathroom today. Yes, all of us. In one bathroom. We were like clowns get out of a tiny car and trampling the coolest vegan cookbook author ever. About why for some reason,... Read More
Everyday Eats: Protein Trail Mix Cookies
I’m not a runner. I’m not even really an athlete anymore. You know I always stop doing pushups right before the workout DVD instructor says, “Three more!” She’s so bossy. But that doesn’t mean I’m not active. Especially after I’m done cheating on “girl pushups” and my day actually starts. Today, we went to the park. We jumped down from the jungle gym to run from a bee. Or a butterfly. Details, details. We wedged... Read More
Vegan Values: Saag Peaneer
If you are a connoisseur of Indian food, I owe you an apology. Actually, Gigi and Lulu owe you an apology. Good luck collecting that. I had every intention of making an authentic version of saag paneer. Well, except for the fact that I was not going to make my own carefully crafted blend of spices. Two year-old Costco bottle of cinnamon? Don’t mind if I do. And then there’s the tiny detail that my “authentic” saag paneer doesn’t... Read More
Third Time’s a Mmmm
You have one thing to thank for the amazing recipe I am about to share with you. My taste buds are still screaming. You can thank Public Enemy #1, corn on the cob. Actually, you can also thank Public Enemy #2, our backyard fence and Public Enemy #3, Gigi’s really awful “beach towel” impression. They did some damage in June, you may remember. That’s right. Corn on the cob ain’t gonna happen anytime soon. But it doesn’t... Read More
Vegan Values: Italian Style Meatless Meatloaf Muffins
“Man friendly” is not a word I would ever use to describe most things in the Pea household. We write on pink Post-Its. We blow our noses on pink Kleenex. And if Pea Daddy cuts himself shaving, he’s going to have to patch himself up with a Barbie Band-aid. They’re pink, of course. Not that the tidal wave of estrogen doesn’t have its perks. There’s never a shortage of hair products, should he ever feel the need for a slicked back look... Read More
Vegan Values: Noodle Salad with Peanut Mmmm Sauce
I have a soft spot in my heart for Chinese food. When I was Lulu’s age, my grandmother was a waitress at a local Chinese restaurant. It was literally a hole in the wall–not in the nicest part of town, only about 15 small tables, and the owners, their close relatives and my grandmother were the only employees. Thirty years later, it’s still in business. And it still has the best Chinese food in town. Present company excluded, of course. My... Read More
Vegan Values: Orange Sesame Tempeh Stir-Fry
What would you do with an extra eight dollars? I’d get a babysitter, for just one hour of peace. Or I’d buy really horrible batteries that would have died inside Gigi’s play microphone by now, because these Duracells are killing me. God love her, Gigi can do a lot of things well, but singing? Yeeeee. I could almost buy the left ballet slipper for Lulu’s mouse costume for Saturday. I found out today that mice need black slippers, and... Read More
Vegan Values: Chickpeas and Dumplings
If you are new to the Peas (welcome!) or behind on a few posts, you may have missed the excellent discussion so many of us had on Friday’s post about the new USDA recommendations via their “My Plate” concept. There was a lot of echoing my somewhat cynical sentiments, a lot of votes for dough balls to have their place on the new plate, and a few barbs at my expense about veganism only being possible if you are privileged. For the record, I... Read More
I Love This Bar
I’m not ashamed to say it. I love bars. Candy bars. Nutrigrain bars. Granola bars. Luna bars, Larabars, KIND bars and Clif bars. Bar cookies. Open bars. Bar Mitzvahs. Okay, I’ve never been to a Bar Mitzvah. But I wouldn’t turn down an invite, especially if a free kosher buffet bar is involved. Bars are just so convenient and versatile. They can be a quick breakfast while explaining that doing a headstand when you have a fresh... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Week Four
This is the sixth and final post in a vegan meal planning series. For breakfast ideas, click here. For snack and treat ideas click here. For background explanations and links to the other posts in the series (including Weeks 1, 2 and 3), you can read here. Here is the Pealightful Meal Plan for Week Four. Phew. So this is the end of a month’s worth of healthy, whole food, plant-based weight management recipes! That wasn’t so hard, was it? As... Read More
No “But Mama Peas”
“But Mama Pea,” you are saying to yourself. “I’ve had a busy day.” “It was almost as busy as yesterday, except instead of rushing to the dentist, we were rushing to ballet. A task made infinitely harder by the fact that we were out of blueberries and that now instead of spending thirty seconds brushing our teeth, we now spend thirteen meticulous minutes.” “I’m tired. And have very white teeth.” “But... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Week 3
This is the fifth post in a vegan meal planning series. For breakfast ideas, click here. For snack and treat ideas click here. For background explanations and links to the other posts in the series (including Weeks 1 and 2), you can read here. Here is the Pealightful Meal Plan for Week Three. Pea Pal had a bit of a setback last week, as he caught a nasty bug like I had. He’s still on board, but just a bit behind. He’s eating his way... Read More
Getting Sloppy
There are many ways in which my girls are like frat boys. Their favorite hobbies include picking, scratching and adjusting themselves. I highly question their hygiene standards and pretty much assume they should always wash their hands before doing anything related to food or human interaction, for that matter. They get way too excited about t-shirts with their own names on them. And most of all, they’ll look at just about anything as an opportunity... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Week 2
This is the fourth post in a vegan meal planning series. For Week One’s plan, click here. For breakfast ideas, click here. For snack and treat, ideas click here. For background explanations and links to the other posts in the series, you can read here. Here is the Pealightful Meal Plan for Week Two. Pea Pal reports that he enjoyed everything he ate last week and is ready to keep eating according to plan this week. Just as last week, please... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Week 1
This is the third post in a vegan meal planning series. For breakfast ideas, click here. For snack and treat, ideas click here. For background explanations and links to the other posts in the series, you can read here. Here is the Pealightful Meal Plan for Week 1. Pea Pal’s plan is almost identical, but he has incorporated meat into a few meals. I’m hoping to work on that. Please keep in mind that these are just my meal suggestions... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Snacks and Treats
This is the second post in a vegan meal planning series. You can see the first post about breakfast options here. For background explanations and links to the other posts in the series, you can read here. One of the problems with the popular weight loss method of six small meals a day, is that it can seem like you are constantly eating. Not that that’s a bad thing in my book. But since Pea Pal is trying to lose weight, I’ve suggested... Read More
Pealightful Plans: Breakfasts
This is the first post in the vegan meal planning series. Look for a Snack and Treats post and the Week 1 Pealightful Meal Plan/Shopping Guide later today. When I sat down to talk to our friend Pea Pal, I learned that breakfast wasn’t an issue in his weight and high cholesterol problems. Turns out, for the last twenty years or so, he’s been eating Overnight Oats for breakfast. He “soaks” his oatmeal overnight with some water or milk... Read More
A New Way to Lose, Part II
Otherwise known as: “What Happened With Pea Pal.” It was dinnertime. Pea Daddy had tipped his pal off to my veg intentions, and I was immediately told as we sat down to the table that he had no intention of ever being vegetarian or vegan. I told him I hoped he would just let me speak my piece, and he very graciously agreed. I then started preaching over mouthfuls of food, as I often do. Pea Pal loved dinner. He must have told me eight... Read More
