vitamix – i highly recommend investing in one. they are incredible machines! i juice every day now!
i whipped together a different blend of juice this time from random stuff i had inside the fridge…
Tag Archives: vegetarian
{meatless monday} — an easy make-ahead meal : rainbow rice
28 Jangreetings, you faithful readers, you. and thanks for reading 🙂
here’s a great make-ahead meal that keeps well in the fridge – one you can take to lunch during the week or add to your plate at dinner time. nutritious, colourful, and budget-friendly – that’s quite a trifecta!
rainbow rice – because it’s so colourful 🙂
– about a cup wild rice, rinsed
– 3 small zucchini, chopped
– 3 small bell peppers, chopped Continue reading
{thirsty thursday} — my morning vitamix smoothie
24 Jan
this has been on the menu for a few weeks now. eventually i’ll switch it up and try new things. but i have had a lot going on in my life as of late – however, i believe the dust is finally starting to settle. and no, i don’t have measurements for you – i just wing it! 🙂 i try to use all organic products, as well… for many reasons. i ought to write a blog on organics soon…
– frozen strawberries
– frozen blackberries
– frozen cherries
– fresh kale or spinach
– 1/2 banana {a whole one takes over the flavour!}
– 1/2 pear {seeds included}
– a few dates {pitted}
– orange juice
– grape juice
– almond milk
– raw protein powder {this is my favourite}
– flax seeds
– maca root powder {a smidge – stuff is potent!}
throw it all in that amazing vitamix machine on high and blend for about a minute – the consistency is so awesome with the vitamix! i highly recommend investing in one. it’s totally worth it! i can’t wait to experiment more with other things like soups and nut butters… !
SLAINTE!
{try-me tuesday} – a pomelo fruit
22 Janever seen one of these? you may have passed them in the produce section and wondered what that odd-looking grapefruit type thing was… well, it’s a pomelo – or, pummelo. they aren’t exactly inexpensive, i will say. this is because they are usually sold by the pound and are rather heavy. i paid about 4 bucks for this one… but i bought it with the specific intent of sharing it on the blog with all of you. they are super yummy. if you like grapefruit, there’s a good chance you’ll like a pummelo… the rind is very thick {about a half inch to inch} and the flesh is usually pinkish, but can vary depending on size, origin, etc.
try one!
this guy weighed about 2.5 pounds – i’ve seen them as big and as heavy as 4 pounds – that’s like a 9 dollar piece of fruit! haha
check out that rind! {and that pretty colour!}
so yummy. and so good for you : fiber, vitamin c, and potassium all come with pummelo’s yummy flavour.
try one, for real! eat them by the slice, throw them in a smoothie {white part too, it’s full of fiber!}, add to a fruit salad, freeze and throw in some soda water… whatever you do, enjoy it!
{meatless monday} — spaghetti squash primavera; it’s kind of one of my favs.
21 Jan
i make this meal a lot.
it’s basically just a bunch of vegetables. have you ever had spaghetti squash?! it’s amazing. i want to make some kind of soup with it soon… ideas are welcomed!
i moved recently, as i think i mentioned… and i’m still getting used to my new kitchen. i will admit i very much miss the kitchen i used to live in – i just loved how big and open it was and with LOADS of counter space… but i’m grateful for my new home and once we get the garden going, i will be extra joyous! and yes, i will be blogging all about that adventure!
here’s today’s simple meatless monday recipe. takes a bit longer to make than most of the dishes i feature on this blog, but this is well-worth the wait! so good for you, packed with nutrients and vitamins and yanno, it obviously tastes amazing or why would i bother?! 🙂 Continue reading
{thirsty thursday} — shitake mushroom and cippolini onion risotto w/ an authentic abbey
17 Jan
i’m extra excited about risotto now. wanna know why?! besides the fact that it’s kinda fun to make – i just found out that risotto is naturally gluten-free… hooray for that! it’s a rather starchy grain, and makes for an outstanding vegan dish such as this. simple ingredients, simple cooking, COMPLEX flavour! delicious. i super heart risotto, and you should too… it’s easy to fall in love with it. here’s what i made for this dish :
{meatless monday} something fun for the holidays! — mini chocolate-dipped lady apples
17 Dec
every now and then, i’m creative with sweets. i’m not much of a baker, so i don’t keep common baking components around the house – i seldom even have milk in the fridge. half & half, maybe… anyway, i wanted to try to make some candy-dipped apples of some kind without having to make an extra trip to the store, so this is what i came up with. i bought the apples prior, with the idea of creating something fun with them for the blog, and i had all the other items lying around.
i just think these are so fun – take them to the office for the holiday party, or make them as a special after-school snack for the season… either way they’re super easy and cute and everyone will love them! Continue reading
{meatless monday} — caramelized onion and heirloom tomato risotto
10 Dec
i’m lovin’ me some risotto lately. i just love the texture and the creaminess of it. my favourite way to have it is with mushrooms. but i had these items lying around and so i decided to try them together with the risotto.
{meatless monday} — creamy mashed “yamtatoes”
3 Dec
who says you can only have ONE kind of mashed potato at once?! well, maybe nobody said that, but i’m breaking that rule anyway. sometimes my mashed potatoes just aren’t sweet enough, i need something else in them. well wait a minute… this other potato over here is even named “sweet” – why can’t i mix the two together?! well, you CAN audrey, you so can.
plus you know me, i love my dishes to have lots of colour! Continue reading
{thirsty thursday} — “vitamix breakfast cookies” and another vitamix smoothie
29 Nov
these are always always always a hit. i’m not much of a baker, but when i find something that is easy to make and that people like, i try to create it into my own. i have yet to quite create the perfect consistency for these {i’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to anything i make or do}, but i do think i found the right name for them. the ingredients are so simple and healthy that you could literally eat them for breakfast – and not feel at all guilty about it!! they are also great for holiday parties or after school snacks. a good source of dietary fiber and protein as well as healthy fats. Continue reading
{meatless monday} — meet the latest in supergrains : kaniwa
26 Nov
i discovered this grain in the bulk section. i’m always looking for new grains to try… i’m not much on rice, i’m kind of burnt out on cous cous, and quinoa can be expensive and a pain to have to rinse every time. kaniwa is fairly new to the united states, and therefore not a lot of nutritional information is yet available on it. however, according to this site, it is high in protein much like its quinoa cousin. kaniwa does not contain saponins like quinoa does, and therefore it does not have to be soaked or rinsed prior to cooking.
kaniwa is so itsy bitsy – a tiny little grain with a big earthy taste. according to what i’ve read, kaniwa is best served as a porridge, with butter and maple syrup. so that’s exactly how i prepared it. Continue reading
{thirsty thursday} — mini-eggs florentine w/ a twist and my first vitamix smoothie!!
15 Nov
i’m really pleased with how cute and delicious these little treats turned out.
half the time i plan my meals and half the time i wing it with stuff i have around the kitchen. only on occasion has that not worked out for me. my roommate usually eats whatever i make anyway because he’s a wonderful guy, but there have been some creations even i had to pass up because it just didn’t turn out good. haha – but i grab a spatula, put the apron back on anyway and try again 🙂
this time, it turned out brilliant. didn’t see how it wouldn’t, either. when you start with a basic classically good recipe, you can pretty much bet it’ll taste terrific. these were no exception.
{whatever wednesday} — batch cooking
14 Novokay…
this week has been epic for me. why? you ask… well, i’ll sum it up in my usual cryptic style :
i’m transforming and it’s really kind of kicking my ass. and as some of you may know, i’m a huge astrology buff, and boy is there some major stuff going on up in those beautiful stars… and it’s totally changing my life! good stuff, but also a lot of purging. i’ve been meditating longer than normal, and it actually takes a lot out of me, physically. which is fine because i’m manifesting some BIG changes that need to occur. i started to blog about it and realized it was a little heavy for some… so maybe i’ll open those doors again later, but for now we’ll stick to the basics – food and fotos. meanwhile, i’ll continue to lovingly work on this planet from behind the scenes…
you’re welcome.
so, having said all that – i bought a car recently and that means reconfiguring my food budget a little. it’s a good thing, because it kind of forces me to do what i always said i liked doing anyway… batch cooking ahead of time and packing my lunch for work 4-5 days a week. it’s so easy to spend 5, 10, 15 dollars a day at work just buying food on-the-go and i’ve found i spend half my breaks just buying food. so, why not plan ahead, save some money, AND save time in the long run… you know how we roll here at food and foto, we KISS – Keep It Seriously Simple.
i’ll just give myself 3-4 hours on my day off in the kitchen and just work my pots and pans out! i throw on some music or some bad TV in the background, pour a mimosa, and plan my meals for the week.
{meatless monday} — overnight lentil soup
12 Novhappy monday, ya’ll!
sorry for my absence – i missed you. i was away last weekend in the mountains, and i didn’t get the chance to blog remotely on monday or tuesday and by the time mid-week rolled around i just decided to take the rest of the week off from blogging. with the holidays rapidly approaching, my “day job” will get more demanding of my time and energy, and thus i will appreciate the “calm before the storm,” if you will.
so, we’re back on track and here is today’s meatless monday recipe. it’s all about soup in the audrey michelle household. soup is all the things i look for in a meal : simple, healthy, easy, filling, and delicious. cost-effective, too!
see, i just bought a car. i think i mentioned that? well, a car means a car payment for me and that means reconfiguring my budget. i typically just splurge on food – it’s just my thing, i don’t shop, i don’t go out, i don’t eat out – my “treat” is food, always has been. and it will continue to be that way, i just have to be a little more aware and plan ahead. i plan on posting a blog about batch cooking, which ultimately saves time and money… just need to allot some time to yourself to plan ahead and just do it!
soup is a great make-ahead meal that keeps well in the fridge and is friendly with the wallet. so, on with the recipe!
{thirsty thursday} – homemade roasted pumpkin seeds w/ a belgian tripel
1 Nov
hope you all had a safe and happy halloween! i just LOVE this time of year, don’t you?! i love being in the kitchen more than normal… and i love busting out my crockpot… and i’m even more eager to bust out my vitamix!! i will be doing that this weekend when i am basically a personal chef for my best friends in the rockies 🙂
i also love making my own pumpkin seeds. they are one of my favourite snacks, and when pumpkins are on sale – so what better time to make some?! i paid 2 bucks for my pumpkins on a one-day sale. i would say these average sized pumpkins yield about 2-3 cups of seeds – that’s a decent value!
Continue reading
{meatless monday} – another spaghetti squash meal
29 Oct
look at that colourful plate!
i heart vegetables. i especially heart spaghetti squash, it’s seriously one of my favourites! and it’s hard to get it all year round, but i try anyway. right now is the best time to buy it – totally in season, and they are HUGE. i like that there is usually a variety in size with spaghetti squash… i typically buy a smaller one just for myself and my roommate, although it is still very good as leftovers, so make extra if you want!
i also realized, when browsing through previous posts to make sure i wasn’t duplicating this one, that i eat a lot of tomatoes. i mean, A LOT! i cook them, which i’ve read is actually better than eating them raw because they are more bioavailable that way. in other words, your body uses the nutrients more effectively because they are cooked… i don’t fully understand it all, but this fact i found online was interesting :
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so – hooray for cooked tomatoes! Continue reading
{thirsty thursday} a comfy classic paired w/ a perfect homebrew
25 Octi’ve been craving slash eating a lot of this lately :
classic grilled cheese and tomato soup… only, as per usual, i mix it up a little.
i use the most healthy bread i can find. usually something a little more dense like a multigrain – or in this case, a flax-seed bread. i opt for organic when i can… bread is expensive! and, instead of traditional tomato soup, i buy this from pacific foods. OH EM GEE, it is so delicious!! the red pepper makes it just a tad more flavourful and sweet and when you dip your grilled cheese in it, HOLY SMOKES!! just – just, do me a favour and go buy some. and then tell me how you’ll never want to buy any other tomato soup again… Continue reading
{thirsty thursday} — pasta primavera w/ a local oktoberfest lager
18 Oct
if you’ve been a reader for a bit, you probably know by now that i do not often cook pasta. i am getting better, but for the longest time it just seemed like i couldn’t make a decent pasta dish to save my life.
mostly, i just throw together stuff in my fridge and call it a “primavera” — and i’ve been on this kick where i just make my own sauce fresh every time i make a pasta dish or spaghetti squash dish. i’m all about things in one pan… make it easy! Continue reading
{meatless monday} – cheesy polenta w/ homemade tomato sauce
15 Oct
i made this dish weeks ago, and have had this blog in queue for a while now… i had quite a collection of blogs to keep me updating regularly, but i haven’t been cooking much this week and so my recipe backups are all gone now yikes! — see, i had a rather busy week, and another one ahead. i’m using up what’s in my kitchen to rid my fridge because i leave for a trip to NEW YORK CITY this week!
woo!
but today – today will be spent in front of my computer with WORDPRESS CLOSED so i can focus — i’ll be editing a wedding i had the privilege of fotographing this past weekend amidst the fall foliage and log-cabin backdrop. it was gorgeous and i can’t wait to share some of the fotos!
in the meantime, here is a simple recipe for a simple side dish… Continue reading
{thirsty thursday} — smashed fingerling potatoes
11 Oct
i have been craving mashed potatoes ever since long before our first frost on october 5th – {what the heck?!} — and i finally made some at home. you wouldn’t think mashed potoatoes would be a “seasonal” food, but apparently according to some, they are. i tend to think of them as a seasonal-transcendant food, but i also tend to think against the grain – whatever.
typically i use creamer potatoes for my mashed taters, and i use a special kind of butter that leaves every guest asking, “what did you put in those mashed potatoes?!?!?!!!” i take a lot of pride in making some mean mashed potatoes. it’s one of my few specialties. not a super difficult dish by any means, but i do think that i was a potato farmer in a previous life, no doubt… so i pour a lot of my soul into my mashed potatoes. and as we all know, my soul tastes like butter… 🙂
this time i opted to try something new. i decided to make “smashed fingerling potatoes” instead. a slightly different potato, but still a creamier texture. and i used a different butter. no matter, it still turned out amazing. Continue reading
i am audrey michelle
i am a minimalist
food & foto 