Xigua!!

...pronounced she-gwah, it is a Chinese name for a watermelon.

"It is the chief of this world's luxuries, king by the grace of God over all the fruits of the earth. When one has tasted it, he knows what the angels eat. It was not a Southern watermelon that Eve took; we know it because she repented." -Mark Twain


And a few days ago, we found one hiding in our old, neglected, weed-infested garden.


A beautiful, sweet, unexpected 12 pounder! How about that?



We assume it was one of the kids that planted a seed from a watermelon they ate at some point (they do that ALL the time) but we're not really sure where it came from. We grew some watermelons a few years ago in a completely different spot in the yard but they were terrible, tasteless little runts. Not this beauty!!



Amazingly sweet and about 20 degrees cooler than the air around it. It was as cold as if it came straight from the fridge instead of the garden. Here's a picture of the kids eating it at the sink. I did eventually get them to sit down with a plate at the table :)



What a terrific surprise!!

no stars

I used a new recipe that was quick and easy. The kids all tried it but definately DID NOT like it. This is a very versatile recipe and it's possible I just picked a bad combination of veggies to use. I think it could be good if I changed some things, so I will keep it around and try again. This was the Vegetable Upside-Down Casserole from Nava Atlas' The Vegetarian Family Cookbook. (A great cookbook with some fantastic ideas in it! Very flexible recipes. I love the suggestions for variations, sides, etc.) For the kid version, I used black beans, corn, tomatoes, and green chilies - all veggies that my kids will eat - but somehow paired together in this recipe it didn't work for them. The adult dish contained leftover seitan ham, sauteed mushrooms, red peppers, onions, and jalapenos, plus the corn, beans, and tomatoes. I found it to be tasty with some soy sour cream and hot sauce. I served it with cheezy mashed potatoes.

taco night!

This was so delicious...and easy. I like easy...especially considering how little my cooking is usually appreciated by the kids. The whole time it was cooking I had kids running into the kitchen, "Mmmm, what's for dinner, mom?" "It smells sooo good!" I think that's part of what makes this so good - the aroma leading up to the meal. I got some secret joy out of watching my kids eat a dish full of the hated, evil onion! HA HA

Surprisingly, it was loved by everyone but (as usual!) the two youngest. My 4 and 2 year olds wouldn't even try it (I think they ate cereal and fruit for dinner.) I made the lentils as taco filling the first night and served with a rice dish I converted from a soup recipe. For some reason, I got a picture of the rice but not the tacos. Used the leftover lentils for taco skins and remembered a picture that time. The leftover rice makes quick burritos.



I got this recipe from a group I belong to - it didn't say who wrote the recipe.

The BEST Lentil Tacos
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup salsa
12 taco shells or small tortillas (for soft tacos)
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded soy cheddar cheese
Directions:

In a large nonstick skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Uncover, cook for 6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly. Stir in salsa. Spoon about 1/4 cup into each taco shell (or tortilla).

Top with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Enjoy!

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 40 minutes (total)



Black Bean and Salsa Rice
6 cups cooked rice
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can corn, drained and rinsed
2 cups salsa
2 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
lime juice from 1/2 a lime

While rice is still hot stir in beans, corn, salsa, and chili powder. Sprinkle scallions, cilantro, and lime juice on top and serve.

fast food - raw cinnamon roll bars

Like I mentioned before, convenience is a huge issue for me. I want it, I need it. But honestly, I just can't seem to get it together ahead of time and make quick food that's portable...and that the kids will actually eat. No more excuses. This is just about the easiest thing I've ever made. The most time consuming part is washing the food processor when I'm done. Okay, and maybe, wrapping all the little bars, but that's totally something the kids can help with. I got my basic idea here and then experimented with the rest. These are so delicious! 4 of my 5 kids loved them. The youngest used them like playdough which is pretty much what she does with all her food lately. So, for the kids that actually put food in their mouths, chew and swallow, it was a hit!

Cinnamon Roll Bars (raw)

1 1/2 cups pitted dates, packed firmly (about 32)
1 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup raw walnuts
3/4 cup raisins
5 teaspoons cinnamon

Place everything in the food processor and quickly pulse a few times to get the cinnamon incorporated. Switch to on and let it run for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until you see the mixture start to form into a ball. At this point, turn the mixture out onto a cutting board covered with plastic wrap and press firmly with your hands into a large rectangle about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut into basically any shape that suits you (we did bars and bite size squares) and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Store in fridge. Makes about 6 large bars.

into the world of blogging

For as far back as I can remember, I have been taught by my mom and my grandma about eating healthy. My mom tells stories of me harassing the other kids in 2nd grade because their sandwiches were made wrong (not whole wheat! the horror!) I was not a picky eater. Not only did I eat my vegetables, but I LOVED them! I still do. But, I gradually slipped away from all that, and took my family with me. We had become all about convenience and quantity. With a family of 7 on one income, it was hard to pass up the junk food totally devoid of nutrition when I could leave the store with 2-3 carts of food for under $100. Coupon clipping, and shopping based on what was on those coupons, finally did me in. That, and I have 2 kids with severe food allergies (dairy and peanut), and I was tired of cooking several different dinners every night or worrying that one of them might eat something that they were allergic to.

So, I set out to change the way we eat. Mainly, to get the dangerous foods out of the house, to feel better, lose weight, get healthier, and only cook ONE meal for the whole family. It began about a year ago, based on the McDougall way of eating, but we have gotten away from that a little and are just exploring the world of vegan foods and cooking.

My kids have come a long way from where they started but I am hoping to attain the ultimate goal of whine-free, vegan meals (where no one asks "Is it chicken or chicken?" while adding air quotes to the latter) Wish me luck!