Seasonal Produce | Winter | Potato

February 5, 2016 by Lindsay Ingalls 2 Comments

Winter is here at least for a few more weeks and while Winter produce isn’t quiet as diverse or exciting as Summer there are still some really great items. The Winter brings us huge varieties of citrus from giant Sumo Mandarins to teeny tiny kumquats; all with their own unique flavor and all super uplifting and refreshing. Other fruit options include kiwi and pomegranates and some varieties of apples.

Winter vegetables are often a bit heavier and grounding and include cauliflower, broccoli, Winter squashes, root vegetables and potatoes. Maybe it’s growing up in North East where Winter seems never ending but these are some of my favorite foods. The thing is they can often become a bit boring and so I’m always looking for ways to make them a bit more exciting with new flavors and sauces.

I was recently reminded of an amazing and simple seasoning for fries just a bit of thyme and super high quality sea salt. My friend Char of Nutritiously Fit shared this idea on her snapchat (follow us on snapchat: @charmcghie and @lindsayingalls) and it brought me back to a trip Neil and I took to Toronto ages ago. During that trip we visited Fresh on Bloor and they had the best fries and they too season theirs with fresh thyme and sea salt. Going a bit further I also decided to attempt to recreate my own version of their green poutine. While my version is a bit different than what you would get at the restaurant it is equally delicious.

Sea Salt & Thyme Fries

4 Yukon Gold Potatoes or your favorite variety of Sweet Potatoes, cut into fries
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
A sprinkle of Maldon Sea Salt Flakes or your favorite high quality sea salt

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss potatoes with olive oil and spread on to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until browned and crispy. Sprinkle the hot fries with the thyme and sea salt and enjoy! Or head down to the next recipe: Green Poutine.

Green Poutine made with Thyme & Sea Salt Fries

Carrot Gravy:

1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos
2 Tablespoons Arrowroot
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onion and sautee until soft. Add in the garlic cloves and cook for one minute. Add everything to a blender and process until smooth. Return to the pot and heat over medium until it thickens; make sure to stir often to prevent sticking and/or burning.

Cashew Cheese:

1 cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1/3-1/2 cup water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon sweet white miso
salt and pepper, to taste

Place everything in a blender and process until smooth.

Greens:

1 cup shredded Kale
1 cup shredded Swiss Chard
1-2 handfuls Baby Spinach

In a medium saute pan add the greens with a bit of water and cook until wilted.

Assemble:

Base of Fries.
Next Greens.
Next Cashew Cheese.
Next Carrot Gravy.
Finish (optional) with green onions, chives, chili flakes and/or toasted sunflower seeds.

After making these I have wanted to eat these every day. Seriously so delicious! For the sweets I used Japanese Sweet Potato and Garnet Sweet Potatoes and both were really fantastic but I personally enjoy the dryer and sweet but without being too sweet.

What are you favorite types of potatoes? How do you like to enjoy them?

I would like to thank Whole Foods Tanasbourne for providing the ingredients to make these delicious recipes. Join them this month to celebrate their eight year anniversary- check back for more details as to dates and times.

Fueled By Hemp | Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart Bars

January 29, 2016 by Lindsay Ingalls 5 Comments

You know that episode of The Office at Pam and Jim’s wedding when Michael turns to Pam’s mom and asks if she has a snack and well she does? That’s me except this has been the case for many years before having children. I have always been that person that has to have a snack in their bag where ever they go. These snacks aren’t just for myself but for anyone I’m with who might be hungry especially my husband. To keep up with supply and demand I am always keep a variety of bars in my bag.

The newest addition to my snack bar supply is Manitoba Harvest’s Hemp Heart Bar. There are three different flavours- chocolate, apple cinnamon and vanilla and these bars contain 10 grams of plant based protein and 10 grams of omegas. Basically these bars pack a nutritional punch.

Now I’ll say this about these bars they taste like you’re eating a flavored, lightly sweetened handful of hemp seeds. Their taste is nutty and they are sweet without being sugary. If you love hemp seeds you’ll be all over these bars. My favorite of the three flavors is the vanilla. What flavor do you like/would you like to try?

Instagram Contest:

Tag @manitobaharvest #hempheartbar #fuelledbyhemp #sweatpink @fitapproach for a chance to win a box of your favorite flavor of Hemp Heart Bars! Photos do not need to include Manitoba Harvest products, but of course it’s fabulous if they do.

Full contest details are here: http://manitobaharvest.com/fuelledbyhemp

Eligibility: open to US and Canada residents

The discount code hhbarlaunch1015 will get you 15% off!

Expires 3/31/2016

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Manitoba Harvest in partnership with Fit Approach. All opinions are my own.

Upgrade Your Everyday Salad | organicgirl

November 2, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 10 Comments

I feel like for me I’m either all about the salads or all I want is pasta. When I fall into a salad rut it is often due to the fact that I just get bored with my normal greens. I mean I love a bit of crunchy romaine, sweet mache or nice peppery arugula but then I run the rotation and get bored. That’s until my favorite greens, organicgirl, came out with their new PEPPERGREENS and Sweet Pea. I have never found a mix of greens that are as inventive as these two.

If I’m feeling a bit sweet I’ll go with the Sweet Pea which (depending on the season) have a pea shoots and a nice mix of tender leafy greens such as baby romaine and even baby bok choy. I love to add a small handful to my avocado toast or as a nice simple salad. It’s also great when combined with crunchy romaine hearts. Bonus if you’re looking to get a little protein, Sweet Pea provides you with 5 grams per serving!

When I’m feeling a like I want to turn up the heat a bit I go with the PEPPERGREENS. This mix of tender-leaf greens includes a mix of my favorite peppery arugula as well as a few different mustard greens and a new to me herb called cress. Cress is from the watercress and mustard family. These greens are my favorite on a sandwich or tossed with marinated tofu, cherry tomatoes, crispy croutons andorganicgirl‘s vegan Lemon Agave dressing. The dressing is made with real ingredients and you aren’t going to find it on the shelf but right next to the greens in the produce section of your grocery store. Bonus the PEPPERGREENS are an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K.

Now I want to share a few tips to turn your boring salad into something fun, fresh and delicious.

Step 1. Greens. Get yourself some amazing greens that make you excited to enjoy your salad. Pick ones with features that appeal to you whether that is crunchy, sweet, or peppery. Choose high quality greens because they really do taste better and will make your salad munching experience more enjoyable.

Step 2. Toppings. The topping options are really endless but I thought I’d share a few of my favorites:

Walnuts + Roasted Sweet Potato + Lemon Agave Dressing (pair with organicgirl Sweet Pea)

Peppered Tofurky + Avocado + Tomato (Pair with organicgirl Sweet Pea)

Crispy Chickpeas + Pepperoncini + Tomatoes + Zaatar (Pair with organicgirl PEPPERGREENS)

Roasted Potatoes + Red Onion + Orange Bell Pepper (Pair with organicgirl PEPPERGREENS or Sweet Pea)

Tempeh Bacon + Avocado + Jicama + Tomatoes (Pair with organicgirl PEPPERGREENS)

Roasted Beets + Hemp Seeds + Dried Figs + Lemon Agave Dressing (pair with organicgirl Sweet Pea)

Step 3. Dressing. Whether you prefer a creamy dressing, a vinaigrette or maybe you just like a simple drizzle of lemon juice make sure you are once again choosing something of quality. When looking for a vinaigrette or dressing avoid bottled dressings that are filled with sugar and preservatives and especially ones with ingredients you don’t recognize. Go for something simple, made from really great fresh ingredients and ideally something that you’ll find in the cooler or produce section such as organicgirl salad love dressings.

I hope you find a bit of inspiration and new ways to make your salad fun and delicious. If you try out these new organicgirl salad mixes let me know what you think! Last night I enjoyed the Sweet Pea on a special vegan sausage waffle sandwich with apricot jam and it was so good and maybe, just maybe I’ll have a recipe soon…

So tell me what are your favorite salad combos? What kinds of greens do you prefer spicy or sweet? Crunchy or tender?

Where to find organicgirl: Available nationwide, including Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, New Seasons and many neighborhood markets in Portland.

Disclosure: This post was created in collaboration with organicgirl. I am thrilled to be working on a three part series with organicgirl because frankly I have been obsessed with organicgirl for years. I was provided compensation for this post but since I should already have stock in orgaicgirl most of this money is going to go towards buying more of their delicious greens.

About organicgirl: organicgirl is all about making great products people love. Created with premium quality, superior taste and a lot of love, organicgirl greens and salad love dressings are our answer to making a great salad with unmatched taste and freshness. A lot of attention to detail makes the difference; picky seed selection, diverse growing practices, tight specifications, triple washing, a cold, fast delivery system and the commitment of all our people. In addition to organicgirl greens, organicgirl salad love dressings are so great you will love them too! Premium quality organic vinaigrettes are made with fresh ingredients including whole produce to be delicious, fresh and tasty.

Vegan Mac & Cheese Throwdown | GF So Delicious v. Annie’s

September 10, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 10 Comments

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I was not approached to review these products or paid to review either of these. I purchased both products with my own money.

We eat a whole lot of mac and cheese in this house and while having little ones could be my excuse it’s really just because we simply love mac and cheese. I have probably made about 40 different versions of mac and cheese that ranged from amazing to absolutely dreadful.

The thing that we don’t often have though is boxed mac and cheese so I have decided that I want to try them all. I mean who else grew up on Velveeta Shells and Cheese or Kraft Mac and Cheese or if you were so lucky to grow up in Canada like my hubby you would have had Kraft Dinner which is completely different that Kraft Mac and Cheese. I am on a mission to find the best boxed vegan mac and cheese out there because frankly I think it will be fun.

For this first round I went with two that I didn’t even know existed until the other day at Whole Foods. The first is Annie’s Homegrown organic and gluten free elbows with a creamy sauce.

Ingredients required: non-dairy milk and optional non-dairy buttery spread (I used unsweetened almond milk and Earth Balance)

Cook time: Pasta was supposed to cook in 8-10 minutes but really took closer to 12.

Texture & Consistency of Pasta: chewy and slimy and not what I would describe as elbows.

Photo on the box v. actual dish: Close but the photo on the box shows off more flexible noodles and a thicker sauce

Taste: sweet, funky, disgusting

Thoughts: I’ll tell you “elbows and creamy sauce” should have been a giveaway that this was no real mac and cheese but alas we tried it anyway – oh and by tried it I mean Edith, Alder and myself all put one bite in our mouth and promptly spit it out after a few seconds of chewing.The sauce for this one is a base of sweet potato and pumpkin and now reflecting on the ingredients I don’t see anything in it that would make it remotely cheesy. Anyway regardless of whether or not this was intended to be a vegan mac and cheese (which I think it was because it is listed under vegan mac and cheese on the Annie’s website) or not this creamy sauced pasta was dreadful.

Would I Purchase Again? I wouldn’t even take a box if I found it for free.

Next up we have the Gluten Free So Delicious Dairy Free Mac & Cheese Cheddar Flavor.

Ingredients required: non-dairy milk (unsweetened So Delicious coconut milk recommended) and non-dairy buttery spread (I used unsweetened almond milk and Earth Balance)

Cook time: Pasta was supposed to cook in 9 minutes and it did!

Texture & Consistency of Pasta: I thought that the pasta was great for gluten free pasta.

Photo on the box v. actual dish: I think it was pretty close to looking just like the photo.

Taste: creamy, sort of cheesy, a little tangy

Thoughts: So this mac and cheese was okay. I didn’t find it overly wonderful and I honestly thought it had a bit of a sour or off taste to it but it was edible. I ended up eating a small bowl of it with a ton of sriracha, Edith had a few bites but I think she wasn’t over the moon about it, however Alder ate his plate and most of Edith’s as well so we had at least one fan!

Would I Purchase Again? I would eat it if someone served it to me but I don’t think I would go out of my way to purchase it again. I will however be trying the pizza flavor because I’m curious to see how it is.

Clearly the winner of this throwdown is the Gluten Free So Delicious Dairy Free Mac & Cheese Cheddar Flavor.

Which two vegan mac and cheese should I try next?

2-Ingredient Salted Caramel Almond Bark

August 25, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 7 Comments

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds.

My sweet tooth is pretty limited to coconut milk “ice cream” and chocolate. I hate to admit that I have been indulging in both a bit too much lately but c’est le vie. One of my favorite combinations with both coconut milk “ice cream” and chocolate is salted caramel a trend that I will be riding out until the end (and beyond).

Of course when these salted caramel Blue Diamond almonds arrived on my door step my first thought was these would go fantastic with chocolate and guess what? I was right.

For this (non)recipe you will need two things: Blue Diamond Salted Caramel Almonds and dark chocolate chips. Easy as that.

Once you have acquired these two items you will also need a sheet of parchment paper. Measure out about 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips and set aside. Measure out another 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and melt in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring in-between until melted. Stir the reserved 1/4 cup of chocolate chips until melted as well; this will help to cool down the chocolate mixture faster. Then stir 2 heaping tablespoons of Blue Diamond Salted Caramel almonds into the mixture and then pour the mixture on to a sheet of parchment paper and smooth out into a thin layer.

Sprinkle the top of the chocolate bark with leftover chocolate chips and almonds. Place in the fridge and cool for at least an hour and store in the fridge.
I tell you this is an easy (not really a) recipe that pairs two delicious things together. Now I’m off to steal another piece or two for an afternoon treat.

What is your favorite flavor/food to combine with chocolate?

How Local Can You Go? | Local Food Challenge + Giveaway

July 29, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 12 Comments

Eating local is something that is pretty important in our house. We make an effort to purchase locally produced products and locally grown produce and we are lucky that we have so many great farmers markets in the area and that the grocery stores we frequent the most such as Whole Foods has so many locally produced products and fruits and veggies. For the month of August we [our family] are putting even a greater focus on eating locally and we are participating in the Oregon Food Bank Local Food Challenge.

The Local Food Challenge is an opportunity for you spend one month really focusing on where your food comes from and to track how much you spend while you do it. Here are a few things to think about before and during the challenge:

Local food supports the local economy: Money spent on local food stays close to home and is reinvested in the community.
It’s easier on the environment: From helping to maintain farmland and open spaces to reducing the carbon footprint.
Locally grown food is full of flavor: Food grown nearby is less likely to have lost nutrient value since the time between harvest and market is shorter.
It builds community: Shopping at a farmers market can encourage you to explore the neighborhood, make new friends or reconnect with old ones.

I would say in July we probably only spent about 25% of our monthly grocery budget on local products/produce. So for the month of August we are taking the Oregon Food Bank Local Food Challenge and we are challenging ourselves to spend 50% of our food budget locally. It might be a bit of a lofty goal but I think ultimately it will force us to eat more whole foods and shop the farmers markets and farm stands around us more often.

Don’t worry you don’t have to have a lofty as a goal as us. You can participate in the Local Food Challenge with goal to dedicate at least 10% of your food budget on foodsgrown, raised, or caught within 200 miles of where you live. For the average person that’s just $5/week. We’re excited to join Oregon Food Bank for the Local Food Challenge , a month long initiative to eat locally August 1-31. Register today and make a commitment to eat local!

Giveaway

To make shopping locally easier Whole Foods is kindly offering a $50 Gift Card for one lucky RWT reader. Also if you are local to Portland don’t forget to check out one of the Whole Foods Meet The Makers events going on this month.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

8 Ways to Enjoy Almondmilk

June 28, 2015 by Lindsay Ingalls 6 Comments

This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk.

I have a tendency to be a little erratic when it comes to my grocery shopping. There are very few items that are guaranteed to be on our shopping list every week but Blue Diamond Almondmilk is one that always makes the list without fail. We use almondmilk for so many recipes or simple in our cereal or as a beverage to drink. Here are 10 ways that we like to enjoy our almondmilk.

1. A big cold glass. I’ve never really been a huge milk drinker of any kind but sometimes a nice cold glass of almondmilk is in order. Cool, creamy and a perfect snack.

2. In your favorite cereal. We don’t do dairy around here so almondmilk is our liquid of choice to wet our cereal. Edith and I love to drown our cereal in almondmilk while Neil likes to use the least almondmilk possible to wet his.

3. In mac and cheeze. If you have been a reader for a while you know that mac and cheeze is a weekly occurrence at our house. My favorite version involves almondmilk, nutritional yeast, shredded vegan cheddar cheeze and spices.

4. A dipper for cookies. I grew up with cookies and milk and still as an adult I love to enjoy a glass of almondmilk with my cookies especially chocolate chip cookies.

5. Smoothies! This one is probably pretty obvious but there is nothing better than a creamy smoothie made with almondmilk. I love almondmilk, banana and chocolate protein powder because it tastes just like a milk shake.

6. In sauces. I use almondmilk as a milk alternative in dairy heavy sauces such as the mac and cheeze I mentioned above or a béchamel sauce to name a few. Side note the unsweetened almondmilk works really well to make a béchamel; once made use it for a yummy vegan lasagna or add pesto for a creamy pesto pasta.

7.Acai Bowls.Who else is on the acai bowl train? I can’t get enough of them. My favorite base is acai, banana, strawberries, vanilla protein powder, almond butter, almondmilk and ice; simply blend and top.

8. Lastly Almondmilk is perfect for……

…blowing bubbles in.

Naturally Lindsay

Food

Seasonal Produce | Winter | Potato

Fueled By Hemp | Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart Bars

Upgrade Your Everyday Salad | organicgirl

Vegan Mac & Cheese Throwdown | GF So Delicious v. Annie’s

2-Ingredient Salted Caramel Almond Bark

How Local Can You Go? | Local Food Challenge + Giveaway

Giveaway

8 Ways to Enjoy Almondmilk

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