
I thought it might be fun to take a snap shot of everything in my kitchen and pantry. I got embarrassed about how unorganized everything looked and decided to make a list instead! The items in my kitchen change from week to week (especially with the garden vegetables) but it at least gives you an idea of the kinds of things that I stock my kitchen with. The list is just what I happen to have today.
I am one of those people that likes to keep my pantry completely stocked. If I know I don't have a can of black beans for example, it will drive me nuts until I purchase it (even if I am not planning on using it in a recipe any time soon). I am kind of anal when it comes to my kitchen, and I always want to make sure I have everything that I "might need"....you know...just in case 
So please don't feel like in order to eat a plant-based diet you need to go out and buy the grocery store. Start simple and then slowly ease your way into exploring new foods. I also really like to cook and I love to try new things so some of the things on the list might seem a little foreign. You'll also notice from my list that I have a slight obsession with oils and vinegars (to make those salads a little more exciting)!
My fridge probably looks a lot like the average person - ketchup, pickles, apple sauce etc. The only differences might be the Veganaise, the Vegan butter (Earth's Balance), and my latest purchase of Tofurkey lunch meat (my kids have been asking for turkey sandwiches and don't mind the substitution). My cupboards are also filled with regular things like baking soda, tortilla chips, and Ramen noodles. I definitely don't consider myself that different from anyone else.....just an ordinary Mom trying to feed my family the best way I can!


My sweet sister introduced me to Vietnamese and Thai food. She has a great taste for delicious ethnic flavors. One of the first dishes she recommended to me was the Vermicelli Rice Bowl. I was in heaven from the first bite. The great thing about this dish is that it perfect for vegetarian and meat-eaters alike (just throw on some grilled shrimp or chicken and voila). It has the freshness of a delicious salad (due to the lettuce base) but also has noodles as the "meat" of the dish. It is just the right combination of flavors for a fantastic meal.
The thing with this recipe is that it is more of a list of ingredients rather than actual measurements. You are basically just preparing each plate with an amount that you choose. Here is a basic list:
Chopped romaine lettuce
A large handful of bean spouts
A large handful of Rice noodles (found at any Asian store)*
Carrots, julienned
Cucumber, cut matchstick style
Chopped mint leaves
Chopped cilantro**
* I had an Asian chef teach me the secret of "3" when preparing the noodles. 3 minutes in boiling water, then 3 minutes resting in the water with the heat turned of and then 3 minutes rinsing with cold water. This will give it the perfect consistency without the sticky starch.
**in the picture above I decided to put the freshly chopped herbs directly into the dressing. The taste was fine, but the herbs looked soggy and didn't distribute evenly. From now on I will put them directly onto the salads.
Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup fish oil
1/2 TBS chili garlic sauce
2 TBS agave nectar

The smell of freshly baked Banana Bread is just one of those things that instantly triggers my salivary glands. The only problem is that it is often not a guilt-free pleasure. I fiddled around in my kitchen and came up with this FANTASTIC recipe (if I do say so myself). I fed it to my hubby and although he knew there wasn't any butter in it (well duh), he did agree that it was pretty delicious!
Since I am super picky about my bananas - which leaves about a 48 hour period to consume them - my pile of frozen bananas has been growing in my freezer. By the way, click here to make sure you never waste a ripe banana again!
Dry ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats (I prefer regular, not quick)
3/4 cup white flour (preferably organic)
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 TBS ground flax seed
1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup white Northern beans (drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 ripe bananas
2 TBS almond oil (you can also use olive or Canola oil instead)
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs (cage free is preferred)
1/2 cup honey
2 TBS maple syrup (this is optional to make them just a little sweeter)
Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Combine all the wet ingredients in a Vita-mix or a food processor. Puree until smooth and then mix with the dry ingredients. Mix with a mixer for about 2 minutes. This recipe will make 2 bread size loaves, about 18 muffins, or approximately 10 mini loaves. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and the center it cooked through. My kids keep begging for more! I think I will make a big batch of muffins this weekend and freeze them for school lunch "dessert".

I recently chatted with my cousin about my food choices. He commented that it seemed like eating vegetarian was a lot of work and that there wasn't really any quick and easy meals. To a certain extent that is true if you are trying to eat nutritiously. It definitely takes a little more planning and preparation. BUT....as I made this for dinner tonight I could help but think of him....it was such a quick and easy meal after a long and busy day. This one's for you Cuz!
This is another one of those recipes that is more of an ingredient list than anything else. So here's what I used.
Whole wheat pita
Pesto
Pizza sauce*
Fresh spinach
Sliced tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Fresh Basil
Spread a little pesto on the pita bread. Then arrange a handful of spinach to cover the pita. Top the spinach with a little pizza sauce, sliced tomatoes, cheese and basil. It's as easy as that. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
* In the picture above I used a bottled jar of Fire-Roasted Soup since I didn't have any sauce. It was delicious!
This also happens to be a great lunch for the kids. I will either use leftovers or quickly whip up a batch before school! They will never need to miss out on 'pizza day' again.
Wow...to even have the word "maintenance" in any way associated with my name is still somewhat surreal. Inside of me I have grown so accustomed to being "weight-loss mommy" that it is going to take some time to appreciate that I am FINALLY in maintenance mode. Hooray, hooray!! My journey definitely began as a crusade to lose weight (something I have struggled with since I was 13 and my mom told me I needed to start watching what I ate). It wasn't until I firmly rooted myself in the desire for HEALTH and not WEIGHT that I finally achieved my goal. It was so much easier than I thought and I was infuriated that the knowledge and information I needed had eluded me for so long. All I want now is to share it with the WORLD!!