vegan

Quick & Healthy Toddler Meals #2: Salted Edamame with Cheese and Fruit

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Salted Edamame with Cheese and Berries

Nothing in the fridge? Head to your freezer for this quick toddler meal.

This is one of my favorite quick toddler meals to throw together when I am in dire need of a trip to the food store, as I tend to always keep a bag or two of edamame in the freezer.

While I’m not a giant fan of giving soy to toddlers, edamame is such a nutritional powerhouse for a “I have nothing to feed you” kind of day, that I reserve it for those desperate times. A great balance of protein and carbs, it is also high in folate, choline, vitamin K, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and manganese. Edamame also provides each of the essential amino acids, meaning it is a complete protein food.

Another bonus: Faye loves squishing the beans out of their pods. If you have a toddler who isn’t a fan of sitting at the table, this “activity” might help to settle them down. Continue reading →

The Best “Cheezy” Kale Chips

/ Tracy Gromek / 1 Comment
RaisingFayeKaleChips

The best kale chips in the world.

Kale chips. You either love them, or hate them. Like with most of my food, I am fickle about kale chips. Spending close to $10 for 3 leaves of kale coated in a mild-tasting vegan concoction doesn’t have me jumping up and down the isles in the grocery store for joy.  This recipe, on the other hand, has me (and my family, and friends and their toddlers) doing backflips.

These cheezy kale chips will change your world. They are hands down, by far, my absolute favorite discovery from my vegan/raw days. Bursting with intense flavor, these chips kick all other chips’ asses. I’m not kidding–even kale/veggie haters gobble these suckers down like they are going out of style.

Whether you are trying to incorporate more greens and nutrients into your daily life, attempting to replace junk food with a healthier but phenomenal tasting alternative, or looking for a nutritional powerhouse of a snack for a toddler, I urge you to try the recipe below. You will not be disappointed.

Did I mention they are also great for your milk supply?

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Indian Jamaican Stew (baby-friendly!)

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RaisingFayeIndianJamaicanStewA

Warning: Your house will smell incredible when making this dish.

I came across this recipe years ago when I was searching for vegan meals that didn’t suck, and even though we now eat meat it’s been a fall and winter staple ever since. Although it takes about 45 minutes to cook, the prep time is short–especially if you buy the butternut squash peeled and cubed–and clean up is quick. Leftovers taste even better as the flavors have time to meld. It’s definitely a winner in my book. It also happens to be vegan and gluten-free, so is a fabulous dish to put together for mixed diner company.  

To make future Tracy’s life easier, I like to fill up two or three small bell jars with the stew and freeze them. That way, Faye has a healthy meal when I don’t have any time or groceries in the house. Continue reading →

Broccoli, Cheddar and Bacon Stuffed Baked Potato

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Jacket Potatoes Main

Today, as I was chatting on the phone with my mom while putting these potatoes together for ‘lunch,’ she informed me that it was ten to five at night. Exactly how much time did I spend hanging out reading stories and singing with Faye? Do babies have special Jedi-like powers? Are they in possession of a Dr. Who memory worm?

On the plus side, I like these potatoes. I like them a lot. They taste good, are easy to put together, have a giant serving of green veggies, and I’m not left with a disaster area in my kitchen afterwards.

On an even happier note, Faye has started showing immense interest in food this past month. Every time I put something in my mouth, she imitates chewing which is ridiculously adorable. These stuffed baked potatoes were no exception and she chewed intensely on air while staring at Marcus and I as we shoveled forkful upon forkful of tasty cheesy goodness down our gullets. I felt it only fair to give her a taste and she made good work of sucking the juices off a broccoli stem. I guess the kid has good taste.

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Fried Lima Beans with Feta, Spinach, & Sumac

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Fried Lima Beans

It’s a little past midnight and I kid you not, we literally just finished eating dinner 10 minutes ago. Mind you, I started prepping for this dish two days ago. Don’t freak out, this dish does not take 48 hours to make. You just need a child that is willing to sleep without your lips kissing the top of her head the entire time her eyes are closed.

Aside from a little bit of super simple prep work, this dish takes only moments to put together. It tastes great warm, room temperature, or cold, so if your dog wants to go out the moment your kid decides to go nuts, don’t worry about the dish losing any of its lovely flavor or texture. It will still be there when you finally find that moment to eat.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Saffron, Onions, and Green Olives

/ Tracy Gromek / 2 Comments
Saffron Cauliflower

Cauliflower: broccoli’s unloved albino cousin

I rarely come across a recipe that I don’t believe needs doctoring. This is one of those recipes.

Yotam Ottolenghi is one of the most imaginative chefs when it comes to preparing vegetables. His combinations are ones I would never have thought to try, and I love him for that.

This dish is incredibly vibrant in both color and flavor. It takes 45 minutes to bake, but less than 10 mere minutes of prep time.

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Boobie Boosting: Vegan Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Sandwiches

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 smashedChickpeaSandwichesMainC

On my quest for a healthier diet I’ve started to look back to my vegan days for recipes. I think it’s because–for the most part–the dishes are jammed pack with nutrients. These Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Sandwiches are no different. Filled with calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, fiber, healthy fats, Vitamins K, A, and folate (to name a few).

They’re quite tasty, easy to make, and as a massive bonus, the three main ingredients: chickpeas, avocado & spinach are all known to boost the quality and quantity of your supply!

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Blueberry Cashew Smoothie

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Blueberry Cashew Smoothie

Quick and simple blueberry cashew smoothie for breakfast.

At my last acupuncture session, I realized just how little I was eating and promised my acupuncturist at Two Tiger Acupuncture (these guys are amazing) that I would make a much greater effort to eat three meals a day and go to bed earlier. In the three days since, I’ve eaten more in those 72 hours than in the entire week prior.

As a proclaimed breakfast hater, I needed to find foods that I wouldn’t just make and stare at from a distance. I was on a mission to find seven tasty foods that were quick and easy to make and that I wouldn’t mind having on a weekly basis. The Booby Boosting Dark Chocolate and Cherry Oatmeal quickly took up that first spot. I loved the Nutella French Toast Sandwiches, but I was searching for something a tad more nutritious than bread and chocolate. Then it hit me–SMOOTHIES!!!

I love a good smoothie. Not only do they fit the super quick & easy to make category, but they are easy to drink while I’m busy with a five month old, and as a BONUS do not, in any way shape or form, represent a traditional breakfast. They can also be packed full of nutrients, and this refreshing Blueberry Cashew Smoothie is no exception.

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The Ultimate Boobie Booster: Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Lactation Cookies with Bonus Vegan and Gluten-Free Versions

/ Tracy Gromek / 6 Comments
ultimate lactation cookie

Dealing with your low milk supply couldn’t be any sweeter.

Dare I say it, these are the best lactation cookies ever. Not only will they noticeably boost your supply in less than 24 hours, but you will devour them because they taste divine.

They fit so many needs seamlessly: Plagued by low milk? Eat a cookie. Looking for a quick breakfast? Eat a cookie. Baby going through a growth spurt? Eat a cookie. Just want something to satisfy your sweettooth? Eat a cookie. Need a gluten-free and/or vegan version? No problem. These cookies still turn out head and shoulders above the rest with two simple ingredient swaps.

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Buffalo Wings – Vegan and Oh, So Good

/ Tracy Gromek / 1 Comment
Vegan Buffalo Wings

That’s not chicken. That’s not fake meat. That’s cauliflower, Baby!

A while back we were vegan. And gluten-free. And sugar-free. And 80% raw.

Sounds crazy, I know, but I had a bunch of health problems at the time and I figured trying a specialized diet couldn’t hurt. My husband was kind enough to do the same so that I could have support in my journey. It was a great experiment. I not only learned how to listen to my body and decipher what my cravings meant, but I was turned onto new foods from which I had previously shied away.

In my pursuit for tasty goodies, I discovered that there is a lot of crap vegan food out and about. Most vegan food, in my opinion, is very, very underseasoned. I have no idea why so many vegan chefs shy away from using a spice or two. There is nothing worse than heading out to a vegan establishment, dropping $40 or so for lunch and being met with a boring bowl of undersalted quinoa and plain steamed veggies or worse–far worse–fake meat. God, I HATE fake meat. In a previous post I mentioned I hate breakfast, but breakfast is incredible compared to fake meat. (There is one, and only one recipe that I have ever found worked with fake meat. It’s a taco dish and I’ll post it the next time I make it.) My feeling is that if you want something with the texture of meat, just eat meat. Otherwise, use the incredible amount of non-animal source food out there to create an insanely tasty truly vegan dish.

These wings are AMAZING. We are no longer vegan and I still make them–that’s how good they are. I normally serve them as is, but I’ll post a raw vegan ranch dip in the near future in case people want a side sauce.

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