My lunch: June 16, 2011

I enjoyed my falafel with some strawberries on the side (a fruit Chi would never touch). I also had forgotten until I ate this lunch how much I enjoy raw bell peppers. When I "went vegetarian" in middle school, I got crackers, cheese, and marshmallows in my lunch each day, along with a veggie. One of the "cool girls" always had raw green pepper, so I asked my mom to pack some for me too. I hated it, but I ate it to look cool. And I'm sure I did. These days, I actually do like it, and can't wait for the bell pepper plants in my garden to take off. We've got one growing so far, and I'm hoping for lots more throughout the summer!



Homemade falafel, homemade hummus, raw almonds, organic yellow bell pepper, organic carrots, and organic strawberries.

Chip's lunch: June 16, 2011

I decided it was finally time to try my hand at falafel. And I figured that while I was at it, I would try some hummus too. I mean, it's just lots of chickpeas, right? It's just mixing things together and making them taste good. I should've remembered why I don't make hummus. The reason is that I'm terrible at it. Absolutely horrible. Maybe I haven't found a good recipe yet. Maybe the chickpeas I use (canned organic) aren't the best kind for hummus. Perhaps my crappy blender isn't the appropriate tool to use to mix it all up. Whatever the reason, this hummus was not delicious, though it was palatable. Chip seemed to think it was "fine," but I was just not a fan.

The good news is that this falafel was much better than the hummus was. Per the recipe's instructions, I formed it into patties about the size of your average hamburger. Instead of deep frying, I sprayed a pan with olive oil, and sort of pan fried it that way. I cooked it on high enough heat to get it crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside. It was actually quite good, and it was easy enough to make. I prepared the patties ahead of time (on Sunday), and froze them. I defrosted them during the day on Wednesday, and cooked them up for dinner in no time.



Homemade falafel, banana, homemade trail mix with organic Sultana golden raisins, dried cranberries, organic sunflower seeds, raw almonds, and organic dark chocolate chips, homemade hummus, and blanched veggies (local asparagus, organic red bell pepper, organic yellow bell pepper).

Chip's lunch: May 6, 2011

Since the Snickerdoodles didn't really do it for me, I decided to try some vegan coffee cake. I've always loved coffee cake because...well, what's not to love? Cake, plus sweet, buttery, cinnamon-y, crumbly goodness on top. I used topping from one recipe and cake from another because I just had a hunch that it would be better. And it was amazing. Chip insisted that he doesn't like coffee cake, but then he tried a bite of this. It was gone within 2 days (though, to be fair, we shared some with our friends).



Sandwich on homemade whole wheat focaccia with hummus, organic redleaf lettuce, and tomato, homemade vegan coffee cake, organic raw cashews, dried cherries, and a banana.

Chip's lunch: April 25, 2011

For some reason this weekend, I decided I needed key lime pie. I decided to make one, and this recipe looked delicious, and, more importantly, easy. I (not surprisingly) couldn't find key limes in Ohio, so I used regular ones: five of them (much more than the recipe called for). It tasted fantastic, and was so easy! Next time, I will try the homemade crust too.



Sandwich on organic whole wheat bread with spicy red pepper hummus, organic redleaf lettuce, organic spinach, organic red bell pepper, red onion, and organic portobellos, banana, Veggie booty, homemade vegan key lime pie, and an organic Fuji apple.

Chip's lunch: April 12, 2011

Last week I had Chip stop at Whole Foods on his way home from work. I forget now what I sent him for, but I did tell him to feel free to pick up some of their house-made pesto if he wanted to. He did buy some, and told me how much he likes it; I had always thought he just kind of tolerates it. So, I whipped that pesto out on a busy morning, and ended up with this creation.

On a non-lunch-related note, I had the spinach on hand because I've been drinking a green monster every day for breakfast or lunch. A green monster is a smoothie with pretty much whatever ingredients you want, plus a big handful of spinach. You can't taste the spinach, but it adds some neat color, and more importantly, lots of nutrients. I make mine with a banana, a scoop of protein powder, ice, spinach, and some organic frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries). Yum!



Organic Fuji apple, organic red bell pepper with spicy red pepper hummus, raw almonds, dried cranberries, Kashi oatmeal dark chocolate cookies, and organic whole wheat tri-color noodles with pesto, organic spinach, and organic tomato.

Chip's lunch: April 7, 2011

The weather was beautiful here yesterday evening, so we grilled up some tofu and ate on the deck. I used the same Cajun spices as last time, and it was delicious as usual. Also, I just read in this article that roasted red pepper hummus is a great snack, and I'm glad Chip likes it so much. We get the hummus and pita chips at Costco and Chip goes right through them!



Sandwich on local 10-grain bread with grilled organic tofu with Cajun spices, organic redleaf lettuce, organic red chard, red onion, and Campari tomato, pita chips, spicy red pepper hummus, organic salted sunflower seeds, organic dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries, banana, and an organic Fuji apple.

Chip's lunch: March 31, 2011

Ah, we've been busy since Chip was gone. Just before he left, we took in a litter of orphan foster kittens. Four two-weekers with no mom. We bottle fed them around the clock, and once Chip left, I was operating on some serious sleep deprivation. Seriously, I don't know how actual parents do it. This was traumatic enough for me. Then, we picked up a Lab-mix girl who came in on a transport from Springfield, Missouri. The shelter there burned down, so she'd been living in an outdoor run. On top of that, it's a heartstick shelter, and, well...just google heartstick, and you'll understand why we couldn't let her die there. She is a younger girl, and one of the rowdiest dogs I've ever met. Fortunately, she and Cal are best buddies, and they tire each other out daily.

Since then, our greyhound foster, Starz Artiste, was adopted by a wonderful family. She is such a lover, and I know they enjoy that about her. The kittens have grown out of the bottle feeding phase, which means we get to sleep again. Penny underwent Immiticide heartworm treatment, and is healing very well. And we got one of our old greyhound fosters back: Perpetual Puff. She was having separation anxiety from being left alone for 9 - 10 hours a day. She's doing better with us, and I'm sure she'll be adopted any time now.

My favorite photo of Artiste, gently resting her head on my shoulder:



The kittens...

Carl (named after Chip's dad, because both have mustaches):



Patty the tabby:



Betty (we thought she was a boy until recently; we had named her Benny):



And Bethany (with Betty and Patty), who is so mellow and laid back that we named her after Bethany Hamilton:



And here's Penny. She's just gorgeous, right? We are fostering her through For the Love of Labs Rescue, and if you or anyone you know is interested in her, we can arrange transport to almost anywhere.



And here's Miss Puff (yes, that is Puff spit on my shirt):





And lunch, of course!



Organic Fuji apple, pita chips, spicy red pepper hummus, pecans, organic dark chocolate chips, organic salted sunflower seeds, banana, and organic quinoa with organic spinach.

Chip's lunch: March 9, 2011

We're back in action! We've been doing a lot of traveling over the past few weeks, and things have been so busy. First, we spent a long weekend in Chicago with my brother, and we finally got to meet his girlfriend of almost a year. We had an amazing time with them, and it was so fun to finally see Chicago. I can't believe I'd never been there! A few days after we got home, Chip headed to Italy for the Milan-San Remo bike race. He ate some amazing Italian food, and saw a lot of beautiful sights. Italy is on my list, and I can't wait to get the opportunity to visit once we're living in Europe!

In Chicago, we went to Friends Sushi, and I ate an actual bento box (teriyaki tofu, tempura vegetables, rice):



And we checked out the Chicago River, dyed green for St. Patty's Day:



I packed this lunch a few days before we left for Chicago. The rollups were a great way to use up a few things before our trip.



Whole wheat rollups with hummus, organic black beans, organic quinoa, local alfalfa sprouts, Campari tomato, organic spinach, and organic Boston lettuce, banana, organic flame raisins, raw almonds, organic dark chocolate chips, organic applesauce, and homemade tomato saffron soup.

Chip's lunch: February 7, 2011

Maple! I had never considered using maple in a marinade until I came across this recipe in a search for a new way to make tempeh. I'm not huge on maple, but I do really love salty + sweet (mmm...kettle corn). I gave it a shot and it was amazing. The brown rice and plain green beans were the perfect complement to the flavorful tempeh. The marinade is really simple to make, but so complex when you taste it: salty, sweet, spicy. Yum!



Grilled organic tempeh with maple soy glaze, organic brown rice, and steamed green beans, banana, organic Sultana golden raisins, and whole wheat rollups with hummus, organic Boston lettuce, Campari tomatoes, and organic yellow bell pepper.

Chip's lunch: January 31, 2011

Pop quiz: how was I feeling this morning?
a.) creative
b.) energetic
c.) wishing the sun would go back down so I could go back to bed

For a hint, check the top left corner of the lunchbox. That's right...rollups. Or as my dad would call them, "crap wraps." I guess they kind of are, in that I throw whatever crap is in the fridge into a whole wheat roll and call it lunch. Oh well...Chip loves them, and as soon as lunch was packed, I was able to get back in bed. Win-win?



Whole wheat rollups with saffron rice, hummus, organic carrot, organic Boston lettuce, and Campari tomato, steamed asparagus, homemade trail mix, banana, and an organic Honeycrisp apple.

Chip's lunch: December 22, 2010

As a vegetarian, I admit that there are some things that I miss, and some things I miss out on. One of my favorite foods, and something I used to grab on the way into work, was a Chik-Fil-A sandwich. Buttery, sweet, juicy...yum. I still miss those things, both the taste and the convenience. I also miss the days of just going out to restaurants, without first poring over the menu to figure out if I'd be able to eat there. I hate being the high maintenance person, always asking the server too many questions. "Is this made with chicken broth?" "Is anything here vegetarian?" "Are you KIDDING me? THAT has meat in it?!" "So what exactly CAN I eat?"

So I am always excited to try something that tastes like something from my omnivorous days. I am also always excited to try something that I wouldn't have tried if I weren't vegetarian. This soup fits both categories for sure. It's creamy and hearty, like clam chowder, but it's vegan and has beans and poppy seeds in it, two things that would never have flown with me back in the day. It's great for a cold day, and is packed with protein, veggies, and fiber. Yum!



Organic Honeycrisp apple, whole wheat rollup with local hummus, organic cherry tomatoes, organic collard greens, organic mushrooms, and organic red onion, organic Sultana golden raisins, homemade banana bread, and vegan vegetable chowder.

Chip's lunch: December 20, 2010

So we've got one more week of lunches before we take off for the holidays, and on top of me being rusty from not having packed a lunch in three weeks, we're also in "use up the perishables" mode. No new grocery shopping will be happening this week, so it's time to get creative! Fortunately, the last time Chip was away, I made some of Tasha's white bean and kale (I use spinach) soup, and it's been helping both of us keep warm in these crazy cold temperatures! Here in Ohio, it's been on average 15* colder than usual. Today, the high was only 25. Yikes! I know that's not terribly cold for someone from, say, Minnesota, but that is ungodly cold to us native Marylanders.



Organic Gala apple, homemade cornbread, organic Sultana golden raisins, whole wheat rollup with hummus from Lavash, organic cherry tomatoes, organic collard greens, organic portobello mushrooms, and organic paprika, and white bean and spinach soup.

Chip's lunch: September 29, 2010

I've been trying to get up early enough to get lunch packed in the morning, so I can get a picture of it in the morning light. Did you notice that Chip didn't get lunch yesterday? Yeah. I sleep like a rock. I would love to wake up early enough, but I never even hear the alarm clock! I'm working on it.

Anyway, I threw this together this morning because I actually got up on time. We had dinner out with friends last night, and no leftovers. So I did what I always do: threw a bunch of stuff on a wrap and cut it into maki. It looks pretty, it's full of veggies, and Chip loves it.

The pumpkin bread is the usual recipe. I think this is the fourth batch I've made. And it happened...I ruined it. I do that with everything. I watch it, eat it, listen to it, etc. so much that it stops being awesome. Chip tries to help me, but it's inevitable that this happens from time to time. So...we're going to make it through this batch and then maybe enter an open relationship with our baked goods...maybe it's time for some cookies next, or maybe zucchini bread?



Farmers' market steamed green beans, homemade vegan pumpkin bread, organic Sultana golden raisins, organic dried cherries, organic dried cranberries, organic dark chocolate chips, organic applesauce, whole wheat rollups with hummus, Roma tomato from our garden, CSA kale, organic carrots, organic pine nuts, and organic mushrooms.

Chip's lunch: September 22, 2010

Who doesn't love a delicious grilled cheese? A few months ago, we had a big tomato on hand, and I decided to try grilled cheese with it. It was way more amazing than I expected! My mom has always done grilled cheese (plain) with some tomato soup. I always thought it was a Philadelphia thing, but maybe it's just a thing thing. Anyway, with all the tomatoes overflowing in our garden still, I figured I'd try to use some up again. I can't guarantee that this will be perfectly delicious by lunchtime, but my fingers are crossed.



Grilled cheese on organic whole wheat bread with Tillamook Cheddar and Roma tomates from our garden, steamed asparagus, Kashi granola bar, whole wheat rollups with hummus, local salsa, organic carrot, and CSA kale, and a CSA apple (no idea what kind...it's not Red Delicious like yesterday, and I can't remember what they told me this is...maybe Gala).

Chip's lunch: August 24, 2010

Chip and I treated ourselves to dinner out tonight (at Lavash), and we didn't have any leftovers for lunch. After an evening run (in glorious, breezy, 70-degree weather), I came home and realized lunch wasn't done. My runner's high vanished, and I asked Chip to tell me what he wanted. He was no help, so I went with what I usually make when I have zero ideas and zero time: "turkey" rollups. Fortunately, they're one of his favorites too.



CSA green beans (steamed, with Smart Balance, sea salt, organic black pepper, and a squeeze of organic lime), organic blackberry applesauce, homemade trail mix (raw almonds, organic raw cashews, organic roasted & salted sunflower seeds, organic Sultana golden raisins, organic dried cranberries, and a square of Newman's Own organic dark chocolate), organic banana, and whole wheat rollups with hummus, organic pine nuts, Smart Deli "roasted turkey," organic greenleaf lettuce, and Campari tomato.

Chip's lunch: August 20, 2010

Chip's back from a short trip to California, so we've got one lunch for this week. I packed Chip some trail mix for the plane ride to California, so we are all out of dried fruit. I wracked my brain for something to put in the side compartment, when it dawned on me. What has been my food of choice* since he left? Graham crackers! I added some natural peanut butter, and made little sandwiches.

*When Chip leaves town, I am notorious for going overboard on junk food. Last time, it was Lemonheads. In the past, it's variously been frozen garlic bread, Cheetos, Laffy Taffy, and Tofutti cuties.

Sandwich on organic whole wheat bread with Smart Deli roasted "turkey" slices, hummus, Cheddar, and organic greenleaf lettuce, organic banana, graham crackers with natural peanut butter, Caprese with Campari tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil from our garden, and an organic Fuji apple.

Chip's lunch: August 11, 2010

Today was another ridiculous day with the animals, and I spent a few hours with Jack at the emergency vet. It appears he was stung by something (bee? spider? wasp?) and it caused an allergic reaction. He was covered in hives, his face was all swollen and lumpy, and his eyes were swelling shut. It came on really quickly and got worse and worse. So...to the e-vet we went.




I got back kind of late, and just threw lunch together. Dinner had no leftovers, so I didn't have a good starting off point. It took me a solid half hour to make this lunch; that is far longer than usual, and reminded me why I usually try to have leftovers with our dinner.



Organic steamed cauliflower and broccoli with Smart balance, sea salt, and black pepper, hummus with organic pine nuts and organic spices, Stacy's pita chips, raw almonds, raw organic cashews, Kashi apple cereal bar, organic applesauce, and whole wheat rollups with avocado, organic greenleaf lettuce, organic baby spinach, local organic grape tomatoes from the farmers' market, organic carrot, and Newman's Own salsa.

Chip's lunch: July 26, 2010

Chip let me go grocery shopping and to Costco this weekend, while he went to the farmers' market. I came back with tons of fruit, and he came back with tons of veggies. It worked out pretty nicely...our fridge and kitchen are filled with beautiful produce, as are our bellies (and our lunches)! We are still really enjoying the little tomatoes, and it's been great to have so much awesome produce on hand. I'm going to miss summer when it's over!



Watermelon, local cherry tomatoes with basil from our garden and shaved Parmesan, organic dried cranberries, organic Sultana golden raisins, pretzel snaps, natural peanut butter, and a sandwich on sprouted grain bread with hummus, organic spinach, CSA cucumber, Cheddar, and red onion.

Chip's lunch: July 19, 2010

We're back! We had a wonderful trip and got to see many of our friends and family members. Emmy and Cal did really well in the car, and on the way home, we got a call from Emmy's rescue. An approved adopter has selected her, and it looks like she'll be adopted in two weeks. Yay for Emmy!

When we returned home, we found that our garden had gotten even more out of hand. The zucchini plant that had had only flowers on it when we left had two huge fruits. One of our purple bell peppers had ripened also. Very exciting times! We grilled both up with dinner tonight, and the leftovers are in Chip's lunch. We also made a huge grocery shopping trip and picked up tons of fresh fruits, so I'm hoping this will be a colorful week.



Whole wheat pita with hummus, organic carrot, grape tomato, and organic redleaf lettuce, organic Fuji apple, Kashi granola bar, milk chocolate from Holland, raw almonds, raw organic cashews, and grilled veggies (zucchini and purple bell pepper from our garden, and asparagus).

Chip's lunch: June 22, 2010

We had a terribly sad day today. One of our former fosters, Roxie, became very ill recently, and she died today. She was only with her forever family for three months - not nearly long enough. She was a beautiful, spunky girl, who had a very tough life. Run free, sweet Roxie. You were dearly loved by so many.

Okie Galena, aka "Roxie" September 27, 2002 - June 21, 2010







Tuesday's lunch:



Salad with organic redleaf lettuce, organic baby spinach, organic cucumber, Campari tomato, and local cheddar jack cheese, homemade banana bread, organic string cheese, organic fair trade milk chocolate with hazelnuts, organic Sultana golden raisins, raw almonds, hummus, and blanched vegetables (organic red pepper, local green beans, asparagus).