Happy Things

“Sweet soul, you have done more than you give yourself credit for, you are far more beautiful than you make out, you have your past moments that could have destroyed you and your future shines brighter than you realise. Celebrate yourself in this moment. This world is fortunate to have you. ”

— S.C Lourie

- I quite coffee...kinda (not decaf). It was beyond life-changing for me. If you are sensitive to stimuli, easily overwhelmed and anxious, have essential tremors, etc...switching to decaffeinated coffee might help you immensely. It did for me. I wasn't blind to the fact that coffee really amped me up in a bad way, but I'm 110% addicted to the stuff. It's what I look forward to during my morning. I drink it everyday at 10 AM with a lot of vegan creamer. It's like a morning dessert that warms my chilly hands, and what's better than that? I haven't given it  up completely...I drink decaf! Yep, I'm that person. The person you think, "Who on Earth is seriously going through the trouble for decaf? No one is drinking decaf! Why does it even exist?" I feel so unbelievably less anxious, fidgety, and heart-pumping. It's insane to now see the effect it had on me. It's decaf all-around these days!

- Kiss My Face Grapefruit & Bergamot Hand Creme. This hand cream has the most sweet and grounding scent. It's silky without being greasy. It's cruelty-free and vegan. But perhaps it's most endearing quality of all...it reminds me of the wonderful trip Todd and I took to Vermont, where I bought it. Scents are said to have one of the most profound memory triggers. Do you have a scent that pulls you back to a serene time and place? I like to use it when I need a little emotional pick-me-up! 

- The public library. Ah yes, what joy it has brought me over the years. However, when I was gifted a Kindle I kind of stopped going to the library...ever. Why would I? With one click I can have the book I want and I don't have to leave the house, find parking, and talk to either the world's nicest or meanest librarian (depending on the day). However, there are some books I don't want to spend the money on and have forever and ever. For example, I've been checking out a lot of home-building books and food photography books lately. Is it time you rekindle your love for the library? I'm excited that I have. To the library! 

Malted Chocolate Shake

I'll be honest with you...I don't use protein powder. I'd rather throw some black beans in my smoothies, or peanut butter, or tofu. All fantastic sources of protein. I find protein powder to be too expensive, too artificial, and if it's vegan (which can be hard to come by) it can be grainy or chalky. So, you can imagine my hesitation when Sunwarrior contacted me about participating in their smoothie challenge. 

However, protein powder has it's place in life and Sunwarrior is one of the very best. Todd actually uses it quite frequently. For someone that needs an instant meal and doesn't have much culinary experience (or desire to be in the kitchen), it can be a wonderful thing indeed.

This weekend, Todd ran up the mountain I grew up on and where he proposed. I was under the weather so I stayed home with Bailey. Bailey can't do this mountain. The last time Todd brought him, he had to carry him back down...literally.  It's exceptionally steep and very unforgiving, though for some reason it's been bestowed the unfortunate and ironic name "Lazy Mountain". A joke, no doubt. I knew when he came back he would need a recovery drink and this Malted Chocolate Shake was just the thing. I had to put it in the fridge to keep myself from drinking all of it! Recipe development...almost as strenuous as running up a mountain...

I confess I was really pleasantly surprised by the Sunwarrior products. I have tasted a few other vegan protein powders in the past couple years and I was less than impressed. Even the fermented barley powders and liquid light  were really not bad! The immune shield liquid, however, was straight-up horrible. Though I'm pretty sure it's not the point to taste delicious. I really like that their products are free of GMOs, dairy, gluten and anything artificial. They also weren't gritty like other the powders I've tried. 

Growing up, my grandmother used to make me malted chocolate shakes. Alas, the instant chocolate malt powder isn't cruelty-free, so I decided to make my own! This is a protein packed shake thanks to a little help from Sunwarrior and nothing is better than a little nostalgia from time to time.

“Animals are my friends...and I don’t eat my friends.”

— George Bernard Shaw

Malted Chocolate Shake

Growing up, my grandmother used to make me malted chocolate shakes. Alas, the instant chocolate malt powder isn't cruelty-free, so I decided to make my own! This is a protein packed shake thanks to a little help from Sunwarrior.

Yield: 1 shake

Ingredients

• 1 cup soymilk
• 1/2 frozen banana, chopped
• 1 package (21 g) Sun Warrior Classic Protein Powder Chocolate
• 1-2 tbsp barley malt sweetener (I used powder, but syrup would work)
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tbsp ground flax seed
• pinch of salt

Cooking Directions

1. Combine everything in a blender, and blend for a minute or two until completely smooth. Serve cold.

Dutch Word of The Day

Mountain --> berg (bearh)

Good Deed of The Day

I'm so glad this case is being presented in front of Congress. How totally messed up are we? Studying depression and trauma inflicted upon baby monkeys being separated from their mothers so we can better understand these illnesses in humans. If humans and these monkeys are close enough related that it makes sense we could implement this study...doesn't that prove that it's totally barbaric and horrifically cruel that these studies are being carried out? If it's not ethical to do this to humans, it shouldn't be to do it to moneys either...or any other sentient beings. Makes me sick inside. 

Teriyaki Romanesco & Beet Bowl

Oh, hi there. Sorry...I haven't abandoned you. You are much too precious. I will say, however, that things might be a teensy bit on the quiet side for a little while. I hope that's okay? If you're feeling lonely, I'll still be quite active on social media. Check Produce On Parade out on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter for food, fun, and Alaskany goodness. 

“We cannot change anything unless we accept it.”

— Carl Jung

Romanesco is a queen amongst vegetables. I brought this one home from our local grocery store and Todd exclaimed, "What is that thing? It looks like a seashell!" Closer to cauliflower than broccoli, (which is contrary to what people initially perceive) it can easily be substituted with either if the stunning romanesco remains elusive to you. It seems every now and again I just can't resist picking one up if I spot it.

In case you hadn't noticed, I am in love with my reusable produce bags (as seen above). No more clear plastic bags to put my produce in! I was gifted these reusable ones some time ago from a friend and I'm so happy to have them.  If you're looking to snag some of your own and ditch the plastic here are some great bags. 

This recipe came about out of, you guessed it...desperation. I needed to use the romanesco and a bunch of golden beets I had before my next CSA box came. A craving for teriyaki had been pestering me all week and I had a bag of cooked red rice in the freezer. And voila! This recipe was born. You might spot some quinoa in my rice. That's because I buy red quinoa and a while back I accidentally added it to my large jar of red rice. Whoops! I wasn't able to get all the quinoa out and so alas, I'm stuck with quinoa-rice...but I kind of like it! 

In this wonderful dish, roasted romanesco and sweet beets perch atop a bed of rice, drizzled with a scrumptious teriyaki glaze. It's sweet and salty, and done in a pinch!

Teriyaki Romanesco & Beet Bowl

Roasted romanesco and sweet beets perch atop a bed of rice, drizzled with a delicious teriyaki glaze. It's sweet and salty, and done in a pinch.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• - Vegetables-
• 1 medium head of romanesco, florets only and chopped (or broccoli or cauliflower)
• 6 small beets, stems removed and quartered (peeled or unpeeled)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• -Teriyaki Glaze-
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin (or 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar with 1 tbsp sugar)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegan granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, very finely minced
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• ------------
• 2 cups cooked rice (or quinoa, millet, etc.)

Cooking Directions

1. For the vegetables:
2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Scrub clean the romanesco and beets and chop them accordingly. Arrange the vegetables on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with the oil. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the beets are tender.
3. While the vegetables cook, prepare the rice.
4. For the glaze:
5. Whisk all the ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, excluding the water and cornstarch. When all the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is hot, whisk together the cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl.
6. Next, slowly whisk the cornstarch water into the sauce. Continue to whisk, simmered, until the glaze thickens.
7. To serve, place 1/2 cup of the cooked rice in a bowl, topped with a 1/4 of the roasted vegetables and 1/4 cup of the glaze.

Dutch Word of The Day

Quiet (noun) --> stilte (still-teh)

Story of The Day 

It's articles like this that warm my heart! A San Francisco sushi chef is creating beautiful and outstanding vegan rolls. "...with issues like overfishing, bycatch and high mercury levels gaining traction with consumers, it may only be a matter of time before demand kickstarts a faux-fish movement on the heels of the plant-based protein revolution already underway." Read all about his unique sushi in an NPR article here. Faux fish for the win!