2014 Vegan MOFO Day 1 - Chow Locally!

Happy MoFo 2014 to one and all. I'm excited to be back for my 7th year of the challenge. The past 4 years I have been able to post every day for the entire MoFo month. I have a lot of other commitments in my world this month, so if I make all 30 days this year, I am promoting myself to "Bad Ass" MoFo Rock star status.

I'm so jazzed for this year's theme: Chow Locally!

Chow Locally is an organization whose team is very passionate about getting local, fresh, healthy food out to people in the Phoenix area. The team works with local farmers and ranchers to bring together the best local food out there. Their service supports local farmers by providing more distribution channels than they could achieve on their own. Chow Locally has a unique way of distributing the freshest local produce. People sign up for their box online and select the most convenient pick up location. They have drop off points all over the valley including several farmers markets, Whole Foods Markes and YMCA's. Click here for a list of current drop off/pick up points to see which one works for you. I'm super excited because Chow Locally actually delivers to several locations within my company. My groceries come right to my work. It doesn't get any more convenient than that! If you are interested, you can coordinate a pickup location that is convenient for you as well.

I've tried other CSA's and co-ops that offer boxes. What I like better about Chow Locally is the flexibility they offer. You don't have to get a box every week. You can go onto their easy to navigate website and opt out of your box on any given week. You can also easily change your pick up location online. The cost of the box is very reasonable as well. The boxes are only $23.97 a week (this price includes the tax). Each week the boxes typically have 7-10 different produce items from various farms in AZ. Each box comes with an informative insert that tells which farm grew the item in the box. It also provides descriptions and helpful hints for using the produce. I highly recommend you go to their website to learn more about the team and their outstanding program and give it a try. I can tell you first hand the quality of the produce is excellent!

So how does this tie into MoFo? Well in a couple of ways.

First and most exciting, the folks at Chow Locally have generously offered to provide a box each week of MoFo for me to give away to a lucky local reader. Once a week, I will post a box giveaway. To be eligible to win a Chow Locally box you must live in the Phoenix area or be in the area to pick up your box. Winners will be chosen at random the following day. I will contact the winner via email to arrange a pick up location, so please make sure to leave an email contact in you comments. The first giveaway will be tomorrow!! Exciting!!

Don't fear my out of state blogatrons: I am planning a couple of other giveaways for you during the month. So make sure to keep coming back to get some new recipes and see what other fun is in store.

Second - I will be posting recipes using the produce from the box I get each week. This is a fun way to give you some new ideas on how to use those local ingredients. I am so thrilled to be partnering with Chow Locally this year! It is a win win win to be sure. Come along with me as I Chow Locally!

Here is a shot of the share I got last week. Make sure to come back and check out the recipes I created from this week's share.

Raw Seaweed Salad

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years back. I am one of the lucky ones who has a mild case . One of my health goals is to support my thyroid and maybe even get off the medication that will surely kill my thyroid completely one day. Sea vegetables provide a great source of iodine which is one of those fabulous thyroid supporting nutrients. I keep looking for yummy ways to incorporate sea vegetables into my meals and this one is going to stay in the rotation.

I am taking a raw food class. Our weekly assignment is to try a raw recipe we have never prepared before. We were super busy working in the garden the other day. It was super hot. I wanted something cool, quick, raw and nutrient packed. So I decided to do my homework and make a dish that would fill the bill all in one shot.

This salad is quick to make. It is raw, full off veggies and anti-oxidants. The lemon makes the flavor nice and bright. The sesame seeds give a nice crunch. You can find Arame at Asian markets, Whole Food and online. Vitacost carries a non-GMO arame. This is where I usually get mine.

Raw Seaweed Salad

Makes 2 servings

1 cup arame
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon nama shoyu (raw soy sauce) if you are not raw, you could substitute soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon filtered water
1 teaspoon non-pasturized red miso
1/2 tablespoon cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1/2 large red bell pepper, diced small
2 Tablespoons raw sesame seeds

Soak the arame in a mixing bowl with enough filtered water to cover for 5-10 minutes to rehydrate. Drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together ginger garlic, nama shoyu, lemon juice, water, red miso and olive oil until smooth.

In mixing bowl with arame, toss the dressing, carrots and red bell pepper until evenly combined. If serving immediately, stir in sesame seeds and serve. The salad can be chilled for up to two days in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, stir in sesame seeds.

Cooking from My Cookbooks - The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet

The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet by Joni Marie Newman has just about every kind of burger you could dream of. Seriously, she even has recipes for breakfast and dessert burgers! I was once again looking for something quick, easy and tasty. I opted for the Ortega Burger (page. 124). The burger is very soft and fall aparty. But don't let that scare you off. Just use extra caution when flipping if you decide to cook it in a pan. Baking is really the best option for keeping the bugger together. The flavor is yummy! I decided to serve it on corn tortillas like some type of Mexican slider. I sautéed up some fajita veggies and topped it off with home made salsa and beautiful creamy avocados.

Cooking from My Cookbooks - The Candle Cafe Cookbook

I feel like I cheated on this one. There are so many intriguing recipes in this book. It was a busy week, so I opted for an easy and once again very healthy recipe. I love miso soup. This is a good version and super quick to make. Once I get through my first round of my books, I am going to return to this one for sure. Serve this with a seaweed salad and you have a super food bonanza!

Magical Miso Soup (Page 43). by Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza with Barbara Scott-Goodman

Cooking from My Cookbooks - Appetite for Reduction

I love this book. Isa is one of my personal favorite recipe creators. Her dishes are always creative, full of spice and so delicious. This book gives you all that along with reduced fat and calories. I pull this one out often. This fine day, as I like to do, I wanted to make something I hadn't made before. I had a friend who was recovering from a surgical procedure. I wanted to make something for her and her family that was healthy but super flavorful that would reheat well. I checked out a couple of recipes that fit the bill, cooked 'em up and packaged them for the trip. Of course, I had to try some myself. I loved the creamy "Broccoli pots" on their own. They were a great compliment to the tangy, pungent piccata. The recipe for the potatoes called for russets (which I did use) but I think red and yukon golds would work just as well. Another guilt free success!

Chickpea Piccata (Page 115). Caulipots - Broccoli Pots version (Page 54)

Cooking from My Cookbooks - Ani's 15-Day Fat Blast

I have posted a couple of times about Ani's 15-Day Fat Blast. I did the program last year and lost 8 pounds in two weeks. My energy level was great and I felt fantastic. I have drifted back to some not so great eating habits. When I want to give my body a treat and some love, I pull out her book and make some of her clean and simple recipes. This one is one of my go-to's for breakfast. It really is so simple, anyone can make it. It's a good reminder to give your body some raw love often.

Simple Strawberry Shake (Page 125-126). 

Arugula-Pesto Israeli Cous Cous Salad

This is a perfect summer salad. It has bright lemon flavor and flavorful fresh basil pesto. I love the fun shape of Israeli cous cous. It is a great medium for salads because those little balls get coated in the delicious dressing so every bit pops with flavor. The cous cous cooks up very quickly, so you can have this all ready to chill in about 15 minutes. While you can serve it right away, I totally recommend letting it refrigerate overnight to heighten the flavors. It's also great in a wrap for a portable meal.

Arugula-Pesto Israeli Cous Cous Salad

6 Servings

2 cups water
pinch salt
1 1/4 cup Israeli cous cous
1 medium zucchini, brunoise (very small dice)
3 tablespoons mined yellow onion
1/3 cup pesto (your favorite recipe)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 large tomato, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
1 - 15 oz. can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups baby arugula

Bring water and salt to a boil in 2 qt saucepan. Add cous cous. Cook for about 8 minutes until cous cous is al dente. Place diced zucchini in large mesh strainer. Drain cous cous over zucchini so it gets gently blanched. Stir to combine in strainer. Set over pot to drain and cool. Do not rinse the cous cous! This step is important. If cous cous does not drain well enough, the salad will be too liquidy.

While the cous cous is cooking, in a small bowl whisk together pesto, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Place cous cous mixture in large mixing bowl. Stir in dressing mixture until well combined. Gently fold in tomato, beans and arugula. Serve over green lettuce leaf.

* For best flavor, refrigerate for at least 2 hours preferably overnight.