Thursday, February 17, 2011

Chances are...

Fixing lunches every night (or in the morning when I should already be at work) can wear on a mama.  Especially one who loves reusable containers, but gets out her ugly face every time she has to wash them by hand.  Grrrr...

Chances are it ain't easy beeing green.

Little B must take her lunch everyday because of the egg and milk allergy business.  Her lunches are almost always the same: Toffutti Cheese sammie, fruit or applesauce, popcorn puffs, cashews, and a chocolate or vanilla soymilk.  I used to pack her turkey, but no more.  It turns out she is completely satisfied with cheese-only, and I can rest easy that she is not consuming the meat of some animal whose carcass dropped off the line into a pile of poultry feces.

Chances are I'll push my vegan agenda whenever the opportunity arises.   

Score one for the Vegan Bee.  There is a rare day when I'll pack her leftover pizza or some noodles with Earth Balance, Braggs, and nooch.

What, what and WHAT?

Chances are you have NOOOOOO idea what I'm talking about. 

Chances are I'm ready to enlighten you.   

Earth Balance

This is an amazing vegan, buttery spread confirming that there is an Almighty Creator.  It is take your breath away AMAZING. It tastes like butter, beats margarine hands-down, and is non-hydrogenated.  I have used it without fail in baking, frying and as a topping.  I'd walk this stuff down the aisle, but I am not sure if culinary polygamy is legal.  If it is, I'll also be sister-wifing it with...
Bragg's Liquid Aminos

This little bottle of gold is a soybean liquid protein concentrate containing all 16 amino acids.  It is very much like soy sauce only better.  I spray it on everything but cereal.  YUM.  Sharing quarters with my Bragg's spray bottle will be...
Nooch
Also known as nutritional yeast. This is a cheesy tasting vegetarian supplement.  It is usually fortified with B12 and can be used like parmesean cheese.  I buy it in bulk and shake a little cheesy goodness on anything salty or savory...or my finger.  Think of the Doritos Super Bowl commercial.  To be honest, I don't typically call it 'nooch' like most snobby, health foodies.  It rhymes with hootch and cootch.

Chances are I just can't deal with that.  And to think I only had puking issues.      

Needless to say, Little B has yet to complain about her lunches - she is easily satisfied.  Unfortunately, Mr. B isn't as lucky.  He is an amazing musician, but not a culinary wizard.  If there aren't any leftovers, he's forced to eat a toasted peanut butter and soy cheese sammie.  Don't worry, I cringe right along with you. Of course, there are days when I eat a tortilla with peanut butter and a pickle spear...so maybe I shouldn't talk.

On days when we do have leftovers, Mr. B is a happy man.  He likes my vegan cooking and is always willing to eat it the next day.  There was that one occasion when he ate 5 cups of leftover black bean soup and almost OD'd on fiber.  It turns out vegans need to eat in moderation, too. 

Chances are I'll pack individual servings from now on.

Regardless, Mr. B does like beans, which is both good and bad for me. (Draw your own conclusions on that one.)  A can of beans is both easy to open and easy to prep.  It just so happens that my, ahem...musical husband was no stranger to taking a can of tuna for lunch during his stint as a music teacher. 

Chances are I've found something better.

Chickbee Salad  (click to print)
 
15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained
4 T. Vegannaise
3 T. pickle relish
1/2 t. onion powder
Dash of salt
Few grinds of pepper

Rinse and drain the chickpeas.  Mash with a fork or potato masher (but not within an inch of their lives).  Add in the Vegannaise, relish, seasonings and mix thoroughly.  Serve on toast, with crackers, or my personal favorite, with giant celery sticks as chopsticks. 

Chances are that you have no Vegannainse. (The miraculous vegan mayonnaise imposter - culinary affair #4.) 

Now really, this recipe is like blank canvas.  I am betting that you can replace your choice of protein with a can of chickpeas and whip up your favorite egg, chicken, or tuna salad recipe with great success.

Chances are you'll love it.

Chances are you'll eat the entire can, like I did. 

Chances are it will be a musical day.

5 comments:

  1. Where do you shop? I want to try the Earth Balance. And maybe the Bragg's Liquid Aminos. I bet it would be good in a stir fry.

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  2. The Earth Balance you can actually buy at Wal-Mart or HyVee. The Bragg's I buy at the People's Grocery in Manhattan. You can buy it in gallon-sized containers, which I do! Of course, you can buy it in smaller amounts, too.

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  3. i am impressed! you guys are really doing the vegan thing well. might try the earth balance. my mom just found out she has diabetes (type 2) and i am concerned about my weight. one thing that has made me large is butter. i love love love it. anything that tastes like it without the bad results is a good thing!

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  4. Loved your blog! My friend's son is not wanting to eat ANY meat. She is a little worried about his protein. He is not liking ketchup, mac-n-cheese, mayo....or FRENCH FRIES! I think he stills eats bread :) Do you have some other ideas for snacks for kiddos? I know she will be interested. Oh, they like Tofu.

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  5. I've got some snack ideas...I'll get right on it!

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