Uncovering Food

Whole Foods Coupon Match-ups (2/7) & Sweet Probiotic Coupons!

2012-02-07T20:47:00.000-06:00

Just a few deals I picked up at Whole Foods this week. With all of the travel for work this past month, I haven't done much shopping however I have been clipping and saving coupons! Please keep in mind the prices are based on my local WF in Northern California and may differ in your neighborhood store. Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Breeze: Normal Price was $1.99 however the Whole Deal (WF

Seitan Sausage: A Meat-Loving Father Approves

2012-01-02T14:52:00.001-06:00

Grilled Seitan Sausage on a bed of sweet potatoes, corn, peppers, and black beans My family is not vegan. They are not vegetarian. In fact, if I had to described a typical meal growing up, it was definitely meat-centric. However, as the years have passed, I watched my family welcomed more plant-based meals into their lives. Despite eating more plants, my dad remained steadfast that meat was

Whole Foods Coupon Match-ups (12/29)

2011-12-29T15:25:00.002-06:00

I spent some time this morning sorting through my coupon folder to figure out which of my coupons would be expiring soon (a lot of manufacturer coupons expire on the 31st!). Since I have some downtime during my holiday break, I decided I would hit up Whole Foods for some things I needed and play coupon fairy... leaving coupons by products I wasn't buying in case someone out there was! While many

Whole Foods Coupon Finds (12/21)

2011-12-21T23:26:00.004-06:00

The Whole Deal for November/December has coupons that don't expire until January 31, however word on the street is that they will replace these books come the beginning of January. So you might want to grab a couple books if there are things you use often. Speaking of the Whole Deal, WF also has a monthly publication filled with articles and recipes. This month, there is also a manufacturer

Healthy Eating on a Budget -- Couponing: An Introduction

2011-12-10T16:54:00.001-06:00

Have you ever seen the show Extreme Couponing? It's a TLC production that followers Americans as they grab way too many items they may never use into dozens of shopping carts and rack up hundreds of dollars in grocery bills. However through the magic of coupons, they pay less than one percent of the cost of the bill. Their homes and garages stocked with walls of these free or nearly free products

Blackberry Rosemary Wheat Focaccia

2011-12-08T08:06:00.001-06:00

Blackberry Rosemary Wheat Focaccia There is something about a rich doughy bread topped with jammy berries that screams - WINTER TREAT to me. So when Driscoll's Berries invited me to bring a recipe to an event they were hosting last week, I knew immediately what I wanted to attempt. This recipe is jammy, sweet, savory, and salty. What more could you ask for at a holiday party? Last summer,

Travel-Friendly Energy Bites

2011-11-11T17:20:00.001-06:00

(Photo courtesy of Andrew Wilder at Eating Rules) By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, I will have been on the road almost every weekend for two months. The life of a debate coach is a crazy one. Toss in the food blogging shenanigans at the International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC), and I feel like I am gone more than I am home. However, with time changes and quick layovers and

Peanut Butter, Kidney Bean, and Yam Stew

2011-10-28T22:08:00.000-06:00

Peanut Butter, Kidney Bean, and Yam Stew - Do you know how hard it is to photograph late at night?!? I love a good stew and I love peanut butter, so this summer when I had an opportunity to try some peanut butter stew, I was in LOVE! The stew was made by one of the administrators at the residential debate camp I was teaching at and she made it in a slow cooker. I kept meaning to ask for the

Summer Squash Sourdough Sliders with Grilled White Peaches and Homemade Pickles

2011-09-11T11:41:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite things to do on those rare lazy Sundays is to turn on the grill. This is a super easy meal that's so filling I didn't even get to the second slider!The peach is just a white peach quartered and grilled. Choose a peach on the firmer side or it will fall apart. The peach will also take less time than the squash, so throw it on the fire about halfway through cooking the squash.The

Small Batch Vegan Banana Bread

2011-09-05T10:47:00.002-06:00

I love baking. And eating baked goodies. But living in a small household spells trouble when I pull out the loaf pans and announce my desire to bake. Especially when that desire is for banana bread, since I am the only one at home who likes banana in my baked goods. So I played with a variety of recipes and tweaked a combination of a couple in order to create this small-batch vegan banana

Cinnaholic: Cinnamon Roll Addiction Defined

2011-06-26T21:17:00.001-06:00

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cinnamon Roll from Cinnaholic There is something about the smell of a fresh baked cinnamon roll that relaxes the soul and brings a smile to the face of this exhausted debate teacher. After teaching every day for seven days straight and listening to numerous debates about space exploration, I needed a dosing of dessert. Consulting Yelp for assistance in my quest,

Spicy Southwestern Barley Bean Maki

2011-05-17T19:44:00.000-06:00

There is just something about sushi that makes me smile. I don't know if it is the cute little pieces of maki or fun with chopsticks, but I love sushi! So this week when I made a big batch of barley and cooked up a pot of dry beans, I decided to mix it up a bit. Throw in fresh spring onions from my CSA, some spices, Garlic Gold, and pickled jalapenos... wrap that all in nori... and suddenly

Slow-Cooked Adzuki Beans with Butternut Squash

2011-04-14T19:21:00.002-06:00

I will be the first to admit I had no idea how to spell Azuki (Adzuki?) and I have only ever had these beans in sweet Asian desserts. So when I tasted a stew over Spring Break that incorporated these small red beans, I knew I had to play with them at home. I bought some dry beans from the bulk section of Whole Foods and decided to play around with a couple of preparations. This stew is easy to

Collard-Wrapped Sweet Potato and Black Bean Hash

2011-03-10T15:58:00.000-06:00

It's just a big green leaf but it was new to me this year. The Collard Green in it's raw and fresh form is something I had never purchased nor made but it's been popping up in my CSA pick-up almost every week this season and after preparing it in all of the ways I had prepared canned or frozen greens, I decided it was time to try something new (to me). I have had tacos with lettuce shells so

Clementine Cuties Cranberry Sauce

2010-12-14T06:00:00.002-06:00

This sauce is an easy and flavorful alternative to the canned variety. Clementines add a sweet note to the dish that I love! I have made several variations of this dish including the original below. One option is to toss clementine segments into the mix. You will want to increase the juice by one additional clementine, and add an additional tablespoon of syrup and water. This will bulk up your

Aji Cereza Chili Pumpkin Soup with Red Quinoa and De Arbol Chili-Spiced Pepitas

2010-11-29T16:37:00.003-06:00

While driving home from the airport last week and trying to not lose my mind in the Bay Area traffic, a commercial encouraging listeners to "Spice up the holidays!" caught my attention. I had received a sample of dried peppers from Marx Foods this month to use in their "A Spoon & A Chili" recipe contest and I was still pondering what to make. At the same time, I was yearning to make a vegan

CSA Box: Eggplant, Peppers, Lemongrass, Greens, and Guava!

2010-11-27T14:45:00.003-06:00

As it gets darker earlier, I decided to take this week's photos at the farm! Enjoy :o)Eggplant were washed, pierced with a fork, and roasted until the outside was near black. I then cooled the eggplant and scooped out the middle to make a creamy spread with some roasted garlic. The peppers were roasted and then added to some beans and rice for a flavorful dinner that doubled up as great lunch

CSA: Beets, Chard, Bok Choy, Onions, Daikon, Tomatoes, Squash

2010-11-16T19:59:00.000-06:00

This week has been crazy between local tournaments, national conventions, and academic musings. I can't believe I forgot to post! Here was my CSA box review for last week. BeetsRainbow ChardBok ChoyRed Torpedo OnionsDaikon RadishesYellow Pear Cherry TomatoesSweet Dumpling Squash I cooked up the beet greens with the chard and boy choy and some garlic. The beets were chopped and cooked down with

Exploring Attic: An Adventure in Filipino Fare

2010-11-09T19:45:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago I was offered up an opportunity I just couldn't refuse. A chance to dine at Attic with a group of food lovers. This Pre-Fixe Pan-Asian/Filipino dinner was organized by Tracy from Dishcrawl and Joanne from Jo Boston is a Foodie. What started out as a simple dinner became an adventure for the sense! I have enjoyed Filipino cuisine for as long as I can remember eating solid food,

CSA Box: Tomatoes, Corn, Celeriac, Pumpkin, Beans. Bok Choy, Arugula, and Herbs

2010-11-05T12:52:00.000-06:00

What a gorgeous bowl of fresh veg straight from the farm. Since I am at yet another tournament (really? me at a debate tournament?), this post will be short but full of flavor! In the CSA delivery: * Italian Flat Beans * Dragon's Tounge Beans * Celeriac * Sugar Dots Corn * Mixed bundle of fresh parsley and chives * Arugula (not pictured) * Pac Choi (Bok Choy) * Sugar Pie Pumpkin (not pictured)

Do it! Do it! Do it!

2010-11-02T08:39:00.001-06:00

Don't forget to make your voice heard today. Celebrate democracy and the opportunity to participate in shaping our world! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

CSA Box: Eggplant, Tomato, Basil, Kale, Okra, Radish, Garlic, Arugula, Onion

2010-10-28T09:03:00.000-06:00

This week my CSA box screamed BAKE ME. Maybe it was the small sample loaf of multi-grain bread from a local bakery, Bread and Bun, that was included this week. Or maybe it was the lack of vegan calzones in the freezer. Or perhaps it was just the dizzying array of fresh goodies in this week's box. In addition to the bread, this week included: Thai Basil Italian Eggplant Red Russian Garlic Arugula

CSA Box: Squash, Turnips, Okra, Tomatoes, Corn, and more!

2010-10-22T09:27:00.001-06:00

Produce picked fresh the day you pick it up from the farm. Who could imagine something better that delicious goodies you can see being grown and prepare that evening in your home! Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has been growing in popularity around the country. A CSA is when a local farm offers up limited "shares" of the harvest for sale to community members. I was lucky enough to get an

Spicy Baked Okra Fries

2010-10-20T14:20:00.000-06:00

Okra is in season in my area, as evidenced by the baggie full of pods that appear weekly in my CSA box. I love okra prepped in lots of ways, but this is one of the simplest ways to enjoy them. Serve as a side dish or snack (or in my case, breakfast on the way to the airport last week!). Warning that the larger pods do not fare well in this preparation because they tend to be tougher and have

Easy Pear Chips in the Dehydrator

2010-10-13T09:02:00.004-06:00

I was one lucky blogger last Friday at BlogHer Food when the USA Pear Council was packing up their table and offered me a giant glass vase full of pears. There were many varietals of pears and my mind was a flurry with everything I could do with them. With travel plans in my near future, I knew the first thing I had to make was travel friendly fare: Pear Chips! If you had the chance to meet me

Final Reflections on the Vegan Challenge & a Winner!

2010-10-12T10:02:00.001-06:00

I wanted to tell you that I had made up my mind on this vegan challenge. I wanted to tell you that a vision came to me and everything made sense. I wanted to tell you that I have a label whether it be vegan, omnivore, etc. But none of that is true. Unless the label is "confused consumer of good food." Last week, before running off to food blogger and marathon events, I wrote about how I had

Reflecting on 21 Days of Vegan Eating and a Giveaway!

2010-10-05T09:19:00.001-06:00

Before I start, I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for voting for Uncovering Food to advance to round three of Project Food Blog. You voted for a dinner party and I hope I delivered! Voting is now open for this round and I hope you will give me a chance to show you the sweeter side of Uncovering Food in round four! Voting is open until Thursday at 6pm PST. If you have been

Vegan Food and Wine Pairing: A Six-Course Adventure

2010-10-03T17:38:00.007-06:00

Growing up in the California Central Valley, I remember washing dishes after family dinners while looking out over vineyards full of ripening grapes. The smells of dirt and fruit that filled the air on those September evenings during harvest are what came to my mind when I found out my round three Project Food Blog challenge: "Celebrate! You've made it this far, and the next challenge is to hold

Mustard-Tarragon Tofu Steaks with Balsamic Mushroom Pockets

2010-10-03T17:13:00.002-06:00

This recipe was crafted to pair with a California Zinfandel for my round three Project Food Blog challenge. Other than knowing I used a pound of mushrooms, a cup of vegetable broth, and a half-cup of balsamic vinegar, the rest of the dish was made by feel. It is really easy to make even if you aren't used to cooking without measurements. Mix mustard that contains whole seeds with fresh tarragon

Simple Ratatouille Recipe aka "Rat-tat-tat-too-eeee!"

2010-10-03T16:17:00.002-06:00

This vegan dish with a complicated sounding name (unless you have seen the Disney movie) is a hearty entrée perfect to make on a Sunday and enjoy all week. You can change up the proportions of vegetables to your liking and adjust spices as well. While I used fresh herbs, if they aren't in season you can easily use dried herbs in their place, although the amounts may need to be adjusted. I

Vegan Zucchini Walnut Muffins

2010-09-29T04:56:00.003-06:00

Zucchini Walnut Muffin ***Before you read about these moist, delicious, healthy muffins -- Project Food Blog Challenge Two is open for voting! Please take a minute to vote for Uncovering Food. Voting closes September 30 at 5pm PST*** Whenever I go to Starbucks (which is more often than most), I long for the baked pastries in the glass cases to pair with my iced soy latte. But alas, I know how

Uncovering Uthappam: Celebrating Cultural Classics

2010-09-26T14:26:00.008-06:00

Uthappams with Onion, Tomato, and Coriander When I was younger, I was a very picky eater. My parents were not okay with this. They wanted to expose me to a variety of foods and to try everything. I remember a couple of nights where my dad would tell me that I could just go hungry if I didn't want to eat what was for dinner. I probably threw a temper tantrum but would inevitably eat dinner

Super Easy Crispy Kale Chips (that aren't baked!)

2010-09-24T10:48:00.006-06:00

While reading an article in the latest copy of Vegetarian Times about using your dehydrator to make healthy snacks, a friend told me that Ellen recently gave Lady Gage a kale bikini. I turned the page and there was a recipe for kale chips. I was inspired. And it didn't hurt that I found a Nesco dehydrator on sale the next day. It was like someone was telling me I had to make kale chips. So I did

Guest Post: The Best Foods for a Healthy Life

2010-09-23T20:18:00.000-06:00