Spiked Vegan Peppermint Hot Chocolate!
Spiked Vegan Peppermint Hot Chocolate! is the only way I like my hot chocolate this winter. I can only have so much ‘regular’ hot chocolate before I get super sick of it. This drink has a twist of peppermint, and vanilla or whipped cream vodka to warm you up from the inside out. Not to mention, it’s done in less than 10 minutes! Perfect for a quick fix. 😉
In Portland, it’s been pretty cold. However, last year we were in the throws of some major snow storms at this time so I’m thankful that I’m not reliving that! It was fun for the first few days of fireplace, mimosas, snow forts, and sleds, and then it got too cold and old for my bones. After all, I left NY to escape NY winters! I’m hoping for a sprinkling of white flakes on Christmas day and that’s it. My snow quota is still super saturated from last year’s winter. Anyway, I LOVE my Spiked Vegan Peppermint Hot Chocolate! by the fireplace in my pj’s, with friends, or with a favorite holiday movie (A Christmas Story, anyone?). I’m ‘a gonna keep this post short ‘n’ sweet. Warm your soul, rouge those cheeks, and slowly slurp up this deliciousness. Happy holidays! Cheers! -FGG XO
- 1 C vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 C chocolate peppermint almond milk (I bought mine from Trader Joe's)
- 1.5 oz either vanilla vodka OR whipped cream vodka
- 1 Tbl unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp sugar (I used raw)
- Soy or coconut whipped cream for topping
- Optional: crushed up candy cane and small marshmallows for topping (TJ's marshmallows are vegetarian/vegan)
- Heat a small pot on medium and pour in both almond milks
- Once warm, stir in cocoa powder - mix well
- Stir in sugar - mix well
- After about 3 minutes (or until warm) turn off heat
- In a large mug, pour the shot of vodka (1.5 oz) and then top with contents in pot
- Top with whipped cream, candy cane, and marshmallow
- Done!
Sauteed Veggie & Farro Spiralized Zucchini Salad
Sauteed Veggie & Farro Spiralized Zucchini Salad totally made my mouth melt. I purchased Trader Joe’s 10 minute barley & 10 minute farro a couple of weeks ago and knew I’d eventually use the farro for a salad. If you’ve never had farro, you’re missin’ out! It’s an ancient wheat grain with a fabulously chewy texture. It’s an excellent source of protein, fiber, and nutrients like magnesium and iron, so eat up veg-heads and vegans! Or, of course, anyone wanting an awesomely healthy grain. 😉 I love my Paderno Spiralizer almost as much as I love my Vitamix, so that’s saying a lot! I spiralized my zucchini and then shaved my carrot with my spiralizer. I sauteed spinach, broccoli, and small white beans with some herbs and garlic powder. I had some farro that I had cooked with veggie broth (the BEST) and then put it all together in a bowl, tossed it with some Goddess dressing, and voila! A salad star was born. I was definitely left full and satisfied, as a good salad that is meant to be a meal should leave you feeling. When people tell me they don’t like salad or that it doesn’t “fill them up,” my response is that they’ve never gotten creative enough in the salad making department, and with a few ideas, they could eat a different salad everyday of the week that would totally satisfy them, fill them with nutrients, and load their mouths with deliciousness. I’d bet my Paderno on it! 😉
If you’ve been regularly following my blog-o-la, you’ll know that I’m not happy with my weight. I have gained a bunch since last year and miss my beautiful wardrobe. I moved from Beijing, China back to the US a year and a half ago and gave all of my clothes away before I left. Upon my return, I purchased a seriously dope, brand stinkin’ new, amazeballs, wardrobe that is just waiting to get back together with me, as I am, with it. I told myself that if I lost 5 lbs by this Sunday (almost there; gonna happen) I’d treat myself to a haircut and nail appointment. It’s been far too long since I pampered myself. Plus, I cut my hair the week after I moved to the US… I’ve occasionally trimmed it myself over my garbage bin at work only to have my students ask me why I have pieces of “hair” or “string” on my clothing. This has GOT to stop. Haha. Laziness at its finest! Not cool. 😉 Anyway, I mention this because I’m salads, everyday, at least once a day, yoga everyday, at least once a day for almost 2 weeks now and it feels great. I recommend this to anyone looking for health & happiness, or just to lose some holiday bloat. Plus, it’s delish! Inside and out. 😉 Happy salad week to all! XO
PS- This beautiful lil’ leaf is from my adorable kiddo who had come back from the park as I was about to shoot my food. He said, “Mom, this is for you! You can put it in your blog!” So, duh! I totally did! Thanks, G-man! XOXO
- 2 C spinach
- 1 carrot (spiralized or shredded)
- 1 zucchini (spiralized)
- 10 small broccoli florets
- 1/2 a 15oz can of small white beans
- 1 C cooked farro (I use TJ's 10 minute farro & cook with veggie broth)
- Oil for pan (I used extra virgin olive oil)
- Dressing of choice (I used Goddess)
- 1/2 Tbl garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp basil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Cook the farro on one burner, and heat medium sized pan on another burner on low-med with oil
- Put the broccoli, beans, salt & pepper in the pan and stir for about 3 minutes
- Add the spinach, oregano, basil, and garlic powder - stir for another 2 minutes (broccoli should be cooked but crunchy and still bright green)
- Divide all of the ingredients from the pan, divide the raw zucchini & carrot, and put into 2 bowls
- Toss with dressing
- Done!
- Pinot Grigio
Tahini Mushroom Dumplings
Tahini Mushroom Dumplings were inspired by my love for mushrooms, missing my favorite Beijing restaurant, Din Tai Fung, and what was left lurking in my refrigerator (waste not). Mushroom & veggie dumplings are my ultimate faves. Usually, I like them steamed, however, I was in the mood for some serious crispiness. I purchased some dumpling wraps last week and was itching to throw my shrooms in them! I decided Saturday was it, dumpling making day. So, I got out my mushrooms & wraps and then realized I had no idea what I was going to cook the mushrooms in. I ended up grabbing soy, dijon, white miso paste, and tahini. Holy sh#% balls! They were amazing! I stuffed 6 dumpling wraps, fried them, and served with a soy/Goddess dressing blend. Typically, my fave is soy & wasabi, OR soy and chili oil (ahhh… Din Tai Fung days…). I was crazy regretful that I had only opted to make 6! Who knew my kiddo would come over and go to town on them, too… which is why this also turned into a Greyson photoshoot. After all, he IS my most favorite subject. 😉 Hence the obscene amount of photos in this post.
I love sunny Oregon days. Especially when I have time to enjoy the outdoors and shoot some dope grub! Two for the win! Winter is coming. It’s frosty in the morning now. Last year, I missed 9 days of work due to snow days. Crazy! Portland wasn’t prepared for that kind of snow and did not have the resources to clean it up. Was insane! I cooked loads, drank loads of Pom juice mimosas, lit fire-after-fire, and played with my kiddo. Here’s to hoping for more snow days this year! I’ll make hundreds of dumplings! -FGG
- 10-12 mushrooms - diced (I used white mushrooms)
- 6 dumpling wraps
- 1 Tbl soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbl white miso paste
- 1 tsp tahini SAUCE (Trader Joe's make an awesome tahini sauce - different than their plain tahini)
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbl diced chives or green onions
- Oil for pan (I used 2 Tbl of sesame oil)
- Heat the pan on med and throw in all ingredients - mix well for about 3-5 minutes
- Remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes
- Evenly distribute mushrooms over all six dumpling wraps
- To wrap, start at one end, fold and pinch, and continue this way (hint: use a little water on the wrap where you're pinching)
- Heat pan on medium high with oil (I used 2 Tbl sesame oil), add dumplings
- Turn dumplings as they crisp. Mine cooked for about 3 minutes total
- Serve with dipping sauce!
- My favorite dipping sauce is soy mixed with chili oil and a small flick of vinegar!
- Anchor Steam
Dear Santa Baby
Dear Santa Baby is a post of two letters that I’ve written to “Santa.” My mother always asks me what I want for Christmas via email and I always respond with a list, and then a fictitious letter to the jolly old dude. If you don’t want insight into my ‘interesting’ sense of humor, workings of my odd brain, if you’re easily offended, or don’t think life is funny and meant to be laughed at, stop reading now and just continue to follow my blog for the good eats. 😉 I mean, my true wishes? To be a blogger full time, to publish an amazing cookbook with a bonafide publisher. For my book, “One More Sip of Whine,” to hit the ground running and find an incredible publisher to work with, and, of course, to find a magic skinny and happy pill. One that puts me in both of those states permanently. Hehe… seriously though, those are my magical wishes.
My first Santa letter is the one that I’ve just written to my momma, and the second letter is one that I randomly just found from 2008! Enjoy, and I hope you still come back to my blog for more of me and my grub. Happy holidays friends and followers! MWAH! XO
Dear Santa Baby,
This year’s been a rough one, sir. New house, new three-nager, the ol’ ball n’ chain, and of course, the turds and turdettes that I teach daily. I know, I know, I can feel your tears for me now, and I knew you’d understand. This being said, I think I’ve been an extra good girl this year, as I’ve endured the wrath of ‘poverty’ (house poor), politics (Trump-o-la), and pain (I have a hus-child, ya know). What more can a girl go through before the good people of the Lotto decide that my good reward should come now, this very year, this very Christmas, and be GRANNNDDDD.
A few things: My closet and all of its glorious inhabitants have been suffering from a severe lack of vitamin D, as I’ve gotten fat and can’t wear those goods in the outdoor venue in which they are so deserving of. Also, I live in OR so naturally, my skin is suffering from the same lack of vitamin D. This all being said, I would like the following 2 things from you:
1- A magic skinny pill so that I can eat everything I want and still maintain the svelte figure of Giselle Bundchen. Thanks
2- A trip to Bora Bora for some well-needed sunshine, sanity, and surf
Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel!
Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel! has been in my dreams as of late. I’ve been craving a bagel sandbo, don’t know why, but knew it was gonna happen and be my next blog post… so here it is! I love everything bagels. Pretty sure that if you left me on an island with only 1 food option, I’d opt to survive on everything bagels. I’m a carb-a-holic (if you can’t tell by the everything in my blog)! I’m also a lover of crispy tofu, especially on a sandwich! Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel! is stacked with avocado, crispy tofu, cucumbers, carrots, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, spinach, and smeared with Tofutti Cream Cheese and my sundried tomato & basil hummus (click for recipe). This bagel was bustin’ with goodness and flavor. I always feel extra great when people realize that something SO healthy can taste equally as delish!
Being that I live in Portland, OR, it is often rainy for parts of the day. I really wanted to have a picnic with my kiddo. Currently, he is obsessed with his new Radio Flyer mini-wagon, so we opted to pack the wagon with grub and picnic indoors! I ended up putting a blanket down with a vase of flowers and we ate to the tunes of Dizzy Gillespie (one of my kiddo’s faves… and mine). Love that my little G-dog is 3 and has been requesting “Gillespie” since he was 1! I did something right in this world! LOL. Anyway, picnic indoors, picnic outdoors, picnic by your lonesome or with friends or fam, picnic with your dog, picnic with a ‘lova’… just make sure you’re doin’ it with this super fabulous Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel! by your side. Happy days! MWAH! XO
- 1 everything bagel (or bagel of your choosing)
- 3 thin slices of firm or extra firm well-drained tofu
- 1 Tbl sundried tomatoes
- Small handful of spinach
- 2 basil leaves
- 4 thin slices of carrot
- 4 thin slices of cucumber
- 1/2 of an avocado - sliced
- 2 Tbl cream cheese (I used Tofutti)
- 2 Tbl sundried tomato hummus (or any hummus you have)
- Garlic powder to taste
- Onion powder to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat a small pan on medium/high - high
- Add tofu - gently so not break and add a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper
- Flip when crispy, about 3 minutes & add pinches of powders, salt & pepper again
- Cook until crispy, about 2 minutes
- Cut bagel and smear one side with hummus and the other side with cream cheese
- Top hummus half with avocado, and cream cheese half with sundried tomatoes
- Top on cream cheese half: basil, carrots, cucumber, tofu, and then spinach
- Place hummus half on top, cut, and devour!
- Feel free to replace any of the veggies or add more. Use what you've got in your fridge!
Mexican Style Tofu Scramble
Mexican Style Tofu Scramble is SOOO delicious! It has the perfect balance of spice, it’s loaded with protein, healthy, and easy to make! If food had moxie, this recipe would claim it. She don’t mess around, aight?! She’s fierce, fiery, and full of flavor… I’m actually eating my leftovers as I write this. Though sadly, I am not devouring it with my avocado toast this time. I made this Sunday morning because I was craving a scramble. It had been a while since I’d made one and I’d been staring the soy chorizo in its face for weeks now just waiting to taste it’s deliciousness. If you’ve never had soy chorizo, you’re missin’ out. It’s freakin’ amazing!
The weather was super crappy this weekend in Portland. I shot 4 recipes on Saturday and the natural light blew… hard. It was a clearer day on Sunday but still not sunny per se. However, it wasn’t raining (woo-hoo!) and I was craving some seriously delicious eats. Also, I knew we’d be going to the farm to get our Christmas tree etc later and wanted a solid belly. Aaannnd, because I knew I’d be walking around with a thermos of adult warmth. 😉 How else does one pick a Christmas tree?! The kiddo was pretty cute decorating that fabulously aromatic green giant later that evening but I definitely went through and reorganized everyone’s ornament hanging… sigh… the nature of a borderline ‘OCD-er.’
This Mexican Style Tofu Scramble is loaded with tofu, soy chorizo, spinach, mushrooms, spices, beans, olives, and more to ensure a flavor explosion – pinata style – in your mouth. The drool is real here. I just housed my leftovers and am already regretting not having made more. Although, I’m trying to stay away from ‘Mr. Gluttony.’ If you’ve been reading my previous posts, you’ll know that I’m attempting to ‘cleanse’ and shed some lbs, instead of packing more on for the holiday season. #thestruggleisreal. 😉 All that aside, this dish is dope, so get the fiery fiesta on in your mouth! Eat up and enjoy!
PS- Some pics of the tree decorating for shits and giggles 😉
PPS-And, sigh… when your child kindly attempts to sweep up the needles by himself because he’s Mr. Freakin’ Independent and makes an even bigger mess. Good thing he’s so stinkin’ cute! 😉
- 1/2 brick of tofu - drained & crumbled
- Large handful of baby spinach
- 1/2 C soy chorizo (I used a heaping 1/2 cup) (I used Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo)
- 1 C sliced mushrooms (I used white)
- 1 Tbl chopped garlic cloves
- 1/3 C chili style pinto beans (you can use regular pinto or black but it will change the flavor a bit)
- 1/4 C sliced black olives
- 1/4 C red onion -diced
- 1/2 Tbl of taco seasoning
- 2 Tbl fresh cilantro
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 an avocado for toast (optional)
- 2 Tbl Tofutti or a vegan cream cheese
- Oil or spray for pan
- Heat oil in pan
- Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally (I like the onions, garlic, and mushrooms to be browned a bit)
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes - stir enough so they don't burn
- Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook until browned - stir mixture enough so they brown but don't burn
- Add the tofu and seasoning - mix well and cook for about 2-3 minutes
- Add the chorizo & beans - stir well and cook for about 1-2 minutes
- Add the olives, spinach, and cilantro (I don't use anymore salt b/c I find the chorizo to be salty) Stir for an additional minute and then you're done!
- Optional: On 2 pieces of toast evenly spread and smash the avocado and cream cheese
- Feel free to throw in any kind of veggies you have in your fridge! I chose these 2 b/c that's what I had lying around. Waste not! 🙂