Lentil Salad w/ Cucumber & Cabbage

This is a hearty lentil salad filled with refreshing cucumber, crunchy cabbage, celery, and pepitas. It cooks up in 30 minutes flat and is a great as a side, abed leafy greens, or used as a filling in corn tortillas!

I'm always trying to work more lentils into my diet. Short of smoothies and desserts, if I can remember, they go into everything! Kind of like turmeric in that regard. Spaghetti? Check. Soup? Check. Salad? Check. Tacos? Double check!

Speaking of food...the food monster...also known as Bailey (Bob), has been coming to work with me for the past couple of weeks. The naughty little fella decided it's the most brilliant thing he's ever discovered to open the oven and gobble up all the nut and seed muffins I thought I was "Bob-proofing" in there. A few days later, he opened the fridge while we were at work and ate half a tub of Earth Balance and an absurd amount of red miso paste. A balanced diet? Umm...not so much. Check out Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to keep up on all his shameful adventures.

Bob gets walked three times a day while I'm at work and I love to bask in the sun and smell the fresh air throughout the day. The leaves are almost out in full-force up here in Alaska and late-spring finally has that distinct fragrance of freshly blooming birch leaves. Bob enjoys it too. I think he is glad to feel included when he comes to work with me. In the morning he waits on the porch until I exit the house, so I don't forget to bring him. 

It think it's helped him cut down on licking his foot a bit too; sometimes I still catch him when I go to walk him though. He has a lick granuloma on his back leg near his paw. Has your dog ever had one of these? He's had it for years. It comes and goes and I swear we've tried pretty much everything, and have been to several vets! Have you found anything that seemed to help? 

Lentil Salad w/ Cucumber & Cabbage

Recipe by Katie @ Produce On Parade

This is a hearty lentil salad filled with refreshing cucumber, crunchy cabbage, celery, and pepitas. It cooks up in 30 minutes flat and is a great as a side, abed leafy greens, or used as a filling in corn tortillas!

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown lentils, dry
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and ribboned
• 2 medium celery stalks, chopped
• ½ small cabbage, shredded
• ¼ cup pepitas
• ¾ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground paprika
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the lentils and water to a boil over high heat. Then reduce to low and cover. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Drain and set aside.
2. While the lentils cook, add the cucumber, celery, and cabbage to a large serving bowl. Toss to combine then add the pepitas and the cilantro.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and stir in the garlic.
4. Add the cooked lentils to the veggies and pour the dressing over the mixture. Stir very well to combine.
5. Serve warm or cold, using a slotted spoon. It’s great as a side, on top of leafy greens, or in corn tortillas!

Learn A New Word In Dutch

Exciting --> opwindend (op-vind-denz)

Expand Knowledge 

This is a very interesting piece from NPR regarding what's next for animal welfare and how our opinion on how we treat animals is changing because of, well, science!

Ranch Pitas w/ Roasted Potatoes & Chickpeas

This is a super easy and perfect way to use up those russet potatoes you found in the back of the cupboard that might have started sprouting (guilty!) The roasted chickpeas add a wonderful little crunch, and the homemade ranch dressing lends a nostalgic creaminess, all cozied up in a soft, warm pita! 

Thank you all for your support on my cookbook announcement and for the birthday wishes. You're all so incredibly sweet and kind. It's been a crazy few months over here, but in a good way. Todd and I just found out that we will be able to secure the builder we wanted for our house as well!  Hopefully, we'll be excavating in just a few weeks. Hurray! Are there any things you wish you had known when you built, bought, or renovated your home?

Between the house, the book, and a full-time job...whew doggy...some things can fall to wayside. Namely hair-brushing, using makeup, and my running regime. Do I look like a scraggly, homeless chef most days? Maybe. Some things though have been on the upswing though! Mostly my chocolate consumption...

“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.”

— Mary Kay Ash

Potatoes hiding in the back of the cupboard that were about to start sprouting. Fresh spinach from my CSA box. Chickpeas taking up residence in the fridge after I used the liquid from the can (to make vegan meringue). That's basically how I came up with these drop dead delicious pitas. I was thinking of what could tie it all together and a homemade ranch was just the ticket! Just look how scrumptious! Comfort food! 

Ranch Pitas w/ Roasted Potatoes & Chickpeas

Recipe by Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

This is a super easy and perfect way to use up those russet potatoes you found in the back of the cupboard that might have started sprouting (guilty!) The roasted chickpeas add a wonderful little crunch, and the homemade ranch dressing lends a nostalgic creaminess, all cozied up in a soft, warm pita!

Yield: 4 pitas

Ingredients

• 3 medium russet potatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (save the liquid for vegan meringue!)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh celery leaves, chopped
• ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• ½ tsp mustard (I use stoneground)
• ¼ tsp dried dill
• ¼ tsp dried tarragon
• 4-5 cups fresh baby spinach
• 4 soft pitas
• ¼ cup sprouts or microgreens, optional

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet (or two smaller ones) with parchment paper.
2. Dry off the potatoes and chickpeas and place in a medium bowl with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat and transfer to the baking sheet, roast for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes are golden-brown. Flip the taters halfway through and give the chickpeas a shake.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo through and including the tarragon to make the ranch dressing. Place the spinach in a medium bowl and stir in the dressing.
4. To serve, warm the pitas for about 20 seconds in the microwave. Divide the spinach evenly between the four pitas and top with a few wedges of potato, chickpeas, and sprouts each. Serve warm. There might be a few remaining potato wedges leftover, which are great with a bit of ketchup!

Dutch Word of The Day

Potato --> aardappel (ard-apple)

Information of The Day

"Back in April 2012, the Food and Drug Administration launched an effort to address a problem that had been festering for decades: the meat industry's habit of feeding livestock daily low dose of antibiotics, which keeps animals alive under stressful conditions and may help them grow faster, but also generates bacterial pathogens that can shake off antibiotics, and make people sick." (Mother Jones) Between 2009 and 2013, use of medically important drugs used in livestock grew 20%.

CDC

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Bursted Cherry Tomato Spaghetti

This is an easy, hands off meal that’s done in 45 minutes top to bottom. Sweet, roasted Brussels sprouts and tart, oven-bursted cherry tomatoes tangle with spaghetti in a cheesy, buttery sauce. Make the most of those veggies that quickly move past their prime with this delicious pasta dish!

You know how some days you never feel like you're doing enough? Never knowledgeable enough? Continually falling down bruised, all throughout the race, while dropping behind the pack? I do.

 I'm a sensitive and emotive person but rarely do I ever exhibit any sort of suffering around anybody other than my husband. Let's just say that in the past two weeks I've had the first-time embarrassment of calling my dad, sobbing. Every day I spend my hour lunch break forsaking yoga and just sleeping it out. I'll dash off during the quiet moments of the day to hide and have a quick, uplifting pep talk with myself that usually, regrettably, ends up with welling tears instead of feeling better. 

Everyone goes through a period like this some time or another. If life is zooming along at the pace of a high-speed train and you feel as if you're pointlessly chasing after it barefoot with arms outstretched, doing all you can to catch up as it bullets past...you're not alone. I feel you.

If you feel the unrelenting urge to suddenly drop everything and quietly slip away to live in a tiny, remote cabin in the Scottish high country with your loved ones and furry companions, live off your vegetable garden and spend your days reading books and baking at the local cafe...I hear you. Alas, that won't happen and I wouldn't want it to.

I am exhausted with excitement for the near future, but that doesn't mean I'm not utterly silenced by the weight of it all. It doesn't mean I haven't been a zombie-like, cantankerous little asshole just trying my best to keep it together and be cheerful. I'm so grateful for the awesome opportunities I've been granted but good heavens, I think it's crushing me! I just tell myself that we've all been there and it's not shameful to feel this way. #endthestigma

All of Us campaign

If you've ever been a distant friend, mute co-worker, emotional spouse, dreary employee, or an irritable, worrisome ghost of a person wearing your hair in front of your face so people won't notice you and ask you what's wrong...I hope you know you're not alone. Lift that chin up, put on those rose-colored glasses, and wait for this massive wave of anxiety to tide out. Don't be crushed by change. 

Bloggers (and people in general) often put on a good face and act like nothing is wrong. That their life is the stuff of dreams and envy and everything is just perfect and they are always sunny and happy as can be! That isn't real life. And it's what drives stigmas. That ain't the way over here at Produce On Parade!

Should you desire support, there are a multitude of professionals that are ready and waiting. Find resources here. 

“We don’t all struggle with a mental illness, but we all have mental health.”

— The mission statement from the All of Us campaign to rethink mental health

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Bursted Cherry Tomato Spaghetti

This is an easy, hands off meal that’s done in 45 minutes top to bottom. Sweet, roasted Brussels sprouts and tart, oven-bursted cherry tomatoes tangle with spaghetti in a cheesy, buttery sauce. Make the most of those veggies that quickly move past their prime with this delicious pasta dish!

Yield: 6

Ingredients

• 2 heaping cups of Brussels sprouts, quartered
• 1 heaping cup of cherry tomatoes, whole
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• dash of salt
• dash of ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp vegan butter
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 lb. spaghetti pasta, dry

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F and wash the veggies.
2. Slice off the stem end of the Brussels sprouts and discard it, along with any outer leaves. Cut in half lengthwise, then again to quarter. Place the sprouts along with the tomatoes in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Arrange the veggies in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through.
3. While the veggies cook, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low. Add the garlic and sauté about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining ingredients.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. When there is about 10 minutes left for the veggies to cook add the pasta and boil until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
5. Stir the sauce into the pasta as well as the roasted veggies. Be sure to get in any juice that has escaped from the tomatoes while cooking.
6. Serve hot with a glass of red wine.

A big thanks to Whole Foods Market who sent me this excellent vegan, organic red wine. What a perfect pairing for this pasta dish.  It's "a delicious Spanish import that is made with 100% certified organic grapes that come from Jumilla, a region near Valencia that is said to be the birthplace of the Monastrell grape.” So if you're looking for a smooth, Spanish wine that's vegan and organic, look no further. No fish bladders here! 

Dutch Word of The Day

Overwhelmed --> overweldigd (over-velldigt"

Information for The Day

All of Us campaign

All of Us: A Campaign to Rethink Mental Health is a program founded by UCLA undergraduate students with the goal of shifting the way people and the public perceive and treat individuals with mental illness, through education and advocacy.