Cooking in a Dutch Oven over a campfire....Heaven

We have a fire pit dug into the ground in our back yard.  What's been used primarily for warmth and aesthetics has been transformed into a cooking pit that I've been playing with using an old Dutch Oven I forgot I had.  I'm fascinated with cooking over fire.  I feel rustic and it plays into my Colonial cooking fantasies.

I used everything I had in the house for the stew.  I didn't have fresh mushrooms but used dried porcini mushrooms that I soaked in hot water for an hour or so and I really liked it much better.  I used vegan vegetable bouillon and a Guinness beer to make it hearty.  It's not an exact recipe but that was only part of the fun.  The fire was the draw for me.  The sizzling onions and vegetables.  The additions of broth and beer.  Watching the stew boil over a simple flame until it thickened.  Food porn at it's finest.

Where are they now edition

Time flies when you're having fun and experiencing life!  I've been busy.  I've fallen off the "healthy food wagon" more than once and keep crawling back on never giving up as I strive to eat a 100% raw food diet.  The photos posted are the highlights of when I've climbed on that delicious body healing foods wagon and had raw or vegan success in the kitchen.  I can't acknowledge my adventurous husband enough for being game with "what was for dinner" after a long day at the office or after coming home from being on the road.  It's been FUN!  I've made quinoa sushi and and raw spring rolls with raw lavender and green tea dessert balls (above).

I've gotten THE DREAM kitchen gadget....a Spiralizer!  It turns veggies like zucchini or sweet potatoes into vegetable noodles that can be served in raw recipes.  I dehydrated the zucchini above and ground it along with some other dried root veggies and tomatoes to make my own vegetable bouillon.  I used the larger option for the "noodles" and made raw spaghetti.

Where I ate last night (which translates to, oh DAMN!)

The husband is working in Pittsburgh this weekend so we had an opportunity to scout around for a place to eat dinner.  Just by pure luck we drove past by the Loving Hut and after some parking lot wandering we found our way inside.  The pictures I took are with my iPhone so pardon the quality.

Raw Chia Chocolate Pudding

I love pudding and I love something that is so easy you can't believe you haven't done it before.  This recipe is via Urban Vegan and she has many recipes to cook from from her blog.

          1 T agave nectar, or to taste
          1 T raw cacao powder (or cocoa)
          1 cup raw almond milk (any nut milk will do)
          Seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
          2 T chia seeds, white or black
          Pinch salt
          2-3 shakes of cayenne pepper (optional)
                
          Serves 2 

Deviled tomatoes

This sounded so good to me I had to try this too.  Copied from Veg Kitchen with Nava Atlas which is becoming a great resource for recipes and advice.

• 15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (Virgin Veg REALLY likes Veganaise brand)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, or more, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or scallion
• 8 to 10 ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes
• Paprika for topping
• Shredded lettuce or baby greens, optional

Combine the chickpeas...

Cheezy Kale Chips

I've been doing a lot of reading of other vegan blogs in an effort to learn how to cook and eat without animal products.  I've slowly come around to pulling up my big girl panties and trying some things that previously I may have deemed strange.  Here's a recipe that I'm trying tonight and today is produce delivery day at work so I'm feeling pretty excited about dinner.  I'm also a very grateful wife too since the hubby is very much on board with my experimenting.  I'm loving this adventure.

This recipe is courtesy of the blog Dreamin' It Vegan and

Salutations

Rainy days always ruin me for productivity but I actually accomplished a minor goal which was to begin a blog about changes that my husband and I are starting with our eating habits.  Essentially, I want the blog to chronicle the beginnings of the rejection of processed foods and animal products in exchange for whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  The Hubby began this thought process after watching Forks over Knives one evening and he had a form of an epiphany.  Now to be honest we're both going through the 40-something blahs about our bodies, feeling tired and worn out, and really not feeling very healthy.  The hubby has had issues in the past with periods of high blood pressure and has family history of high cholesterol treated with medications.  He sees the future and it ain't pretty.

The journey for me begins like it usually does