Choco-Coco Protein Bites using HEMP

In light of my recent post on hemp seeds, I thought I would share a quick recipe I made using them last night.  This "recipe" is raw, vegan, and tastes like a brownie, but it is full of protein {from the hemp and walnuts} and au natural ingredients.  Oh and did I mention it takes about 2.5 seconds to make? Yeah I know, pretty great.

All you need are hemp seeds, walnuts, dates, cocoa powder, vanilla, and fine sea salt. {+ a food processor} <<< I used my blender\\ it was fine \\ just took a little longer >>>

Enough talking though and lets get to the goods shall we?

First, you are going to blend together hemp seeds, cocoa powder,walnuts, and salt until finely ground. It will look like coffee grounds. Resist the urge to use this in your next coffee brew.  Keep your eyes on the prize people! However coffee does pair wonderfully with all things chocolate so if you want to make yourself an actual cup of joe to go along with your treat, I will not object.

Next you will add half the dates and vanilla.  Once that is blended together, add the remaining half of the dates until smooth.

Pour into a bowl.  Now for the finishing touch...so you can say you made Choco-Coco bites instead of boring Chocolate bites, add in dried unsweetened coconut.  Stir together and using a tablespoon form 15 balls.

Choco-Coco Protein Bites 

Recipe adapted from the Washington Post

• 1/2 cup raw, shelled hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup raw, unsalted walnuts 
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder or cacao powder 
• 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
• 24 pitted dates, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp. vanilla extra
• 1/4-1/2 cup dried, unsweetened coconut flakes

1. Combine walnuts, hemp seeds, cocoa powder and salt in a mini food processor or blender.  Pulse to create a finely ground coffee mixture. 

2.  Add half of the dates and vanilla extract; puree until blended smoothly, then add remaining dates.

3.  Transfer mixture to a small bowl and add the coconut flakes, stirring until well incorporated.

4.  Using tablespoon sized scoops, make 15 balls.  

5.  Roll in additional hemp seeds if desired.

6.  Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.  

* Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Best served cold*

English Muffin Throwdown

I feel very fortunate to live in a place where there is an emphasis on local businesses and products.

Because of this, I have quite a few wonderful local bakeries that I can visit all within a couple blocks of each other.  A favorite, simple activity of mine is walking to a bakery on the weekend and standing in an oversized line (sometimes much too big for the store, but hey it's cozy).  It is there I slow down and take in the aroma of fresh pastries, bread, and coffee.  Everyone is happy and smiling.. sometimes dogs are in the store with their owners.. little kids stare excitedly at the goodies behind the counter.. and of course there are samples <<< always a plus.  These are the moments in life that make me happy.

Since living in Maine I have gotten really into homemade bread.  Gone are the days where I used to go to the grocery store to get a loaf of bread.  It just doesn't taste the same and its not nearly as satisfying! Especially if we are talking about english muffins.  You see, I used to be content with the Thomas brand english muffin or any equivalent.  It never occurred to me there could be an astronomical difference in the taste of a processed english muffin vs. a homemade one.

But that all changed last summer.

HOLY COW so many bakeries make their own english muffins here. And I love 'em. They are the perfect vessel on which to serve a breakfast sandwich. Swoon. 

Suffice to say, I have probably eaten my weight in english muffins and because of my love for them I decided a good ol' fashioned throwdown was needed.

Though there are plenty of bakeries here, I only picked three for this challenge.  They happen to be the three I visit the most.

1.  Standard Baking Co
2.  Big Sky Bread Company
3.  Rosemont Market and Bakery 

Expert tasters/judges included me, Emily and my boyfriend, Chris

First up is Standard Baking Co.


 Presentation wise, I think the little indented edges around the english muffin are adorable and you can tell it is homemade.  There aren't many "nooks and crannies" like one would expect with an english muffin and it has honey wheat taste.  It doesn't taste like an english muffin and if I was blind folded I would have guessed I was eating a piece of (tasty!) bread. It is moist, soft, and the thinnest of the three.


Next up is Big Sky...

This has the most traditional english muffin look.  It is the only one out of the three that is not whole wheat as well.  I really love this english muffin because it is so light, airy, and fluffy.  It  has a nice volume (which I know is hard to tell in the picture) and it is dusted with semolina/cornmeal, like traditional english muffins are.  Like the Standard Baking Co muffin, it does not have the usual nooks and crannies.  However, it definitely has that sourdough-y taste one would expect.


And last, but certainly not least, we have Rosemont Market and Bakery...

I love love love the look of this english muffin.  Again, I know the picture is not doing it any justice size wise, but just know it is big! When I hold it in the palm of my hand, it takes it over both width and height wise.  Like the first english muffin, this is one made with whole wheat and it has yellow seeds dispersed throughout that gives it a nice, wholesome texture.  I also love how rustic these ones are-- a lot of times they're slightly misshapen and some are bigger and/or smaller than others.  I love those imperfect details. Out of all three it has the most nooks and crannies.  It also has a sourdough-y taste to it as well, but perhaps not as pronounced as Big Sky's.   One downside (or upside) is that they are best and only worth eating the day of purchase.  The next day they are pretty hard and really give your chompers a workout.


So.. Which one is English Muffin King?!


Drumroll please....

Ahem... Based on two wise foodies who may or may not be known for walking around town with a coffee in one hand and breakfast sandwich in the other on any given weekend {And who may or may not spend way too much time in grocery stores} the winner is:

Confession: Even before I did this contest my boyfriend and I pretty much knew Big Sky would be the winner.  Nothing truly can compare.  And if you wanna know what I mean, come get your butt up to Maine and experience it yourself :)

My suggestions on what to get at the other two places:

Standard Baking Company: Morning bun with nuts and I have a friend who is particularly smitten with their scones, so I suggest you try that too!

Rosemont Market and Bakery: Slice of the pizza of the day and/or their rugelach cookie. I also want to try, but never have, their homemade almond joy bar.  

Even if you don't come to Maine to check out any of these places mentioned, I suggest you do some exploring in your own neck of the woods! There are bound to be some real gems that just might become your favorite. #LocalLove

Hemp Day- The Supa Food Interview

There are a lot of 'trendy' food items out there these days.  Let's take chia seeds for instance.  I remember buying them a couple years ago and making chia pudding.  Now you can actually go to the grocery store and find pre-made chia pudding.  You wouldn't have found that a couple years ago.  I'd say it's definitely having a moment. And for good reason. See here

But today I want to talk about Hemp. This little guy has had quite the buzz around him. I thought it would be fun if I interviewed the cool kid on the block.  So without further ado...

Me: Hi Hemp, thank you for taking the time to talk to us today.  Can you tell us where you're from?

Hemp: Hi everyone. Thanks for having me! I am originally from the Cannabis plant. I am actually considered a fruit, not a seed.  I have a mild nutty flavor similar to sunflower seeds or pine nuts but my texture is more akin to sesame seeds.

Sometimes I have a negative reputation because people lump me in with marijuana.  We come from different varieties of the Cannabis plant and I have much lower levels of THC.  THC is the psychoactive ingredient in Marijuana.  When you eat me you don't have to worry about experiencing any mind altering effects or a false positive drug test.

Though the United States is the leading consumer of hemp products, growing hemp is banned here due to it's affiliation with marijuana.  A few states have passed laws removing barriers to production and research of hemp.  Most of the hemp sold here actually comes from Canada.

Me: Wow. Well it seems with your ever increasing popularity things may change in the future.  Could you tell me a little about your nutrition profile?

Hemp: I am a complete protein source.  This means I contain all the 9 essential amino acids your body needs to properly function.  I am a great option for vegans/vegetarians because many plant based foods are incomplete sources of protein (meaning they lack one or more of the essential amino acids). Essential amino acids are important because your body cannot produce them, you must get them from food. However, even though I do contain all the essential amino acids, it is important to note I am low in leucine (an essential amino acid) so you would not want to use me as your only source of protein.

Me: That's very interesting.  I know as a vegetarian, I am always looking for alternative protein sources to change up my routine.  What types of products can I find hemp in? And do you have any other nutritional benefits?

Hemp: You can find me as a milk alternative, flour, oil, ice cream, protein powder, and seeds.  My seeds are great toppings for salads as well as useful in smoothies and granola.  I am also found in beauty products such as lotion.

My other stats include:

The natural ratio (4:1) of Omega 6 fatty acids (GLA) to Omega 3 Fatty Acids (ALA): These fatty acids help with inflammation, brain health, reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, improving lipid levels, and blood pressure regulation, joint function, maintenance of skin and hair.

Many times we consume Omega 6:Omega 3s in a much higher ratio of say 20:1 or even 50:1 because omega 6 fatty acids can be found in processed vegetable oils and processed foods.  By consuming me, you are getting the desirable ratio nature intended.  Some studies have shown the imbalance of omega 6 to omega 3s can contribute to illness.

Other vitamins and minerals include: manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, thiamin, zinc, calcium, vitamin B6, riboflavin, and folate.

For a serving size of 3 tablespoons,  I contain: 10 grams of protein, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 13 grams of fat (healthy fats), and 170 calories.

Me: That's it.. ?

Hemp: Um, err I thought that was a lot..

Me: Hemp! I'm just kidding.  You're great!

Hemp: Oh haha right! You pulled a fast one one me.

Me: Thanks again for the interview.  See you next time in some food.


Okay so that was a lot to digest and absorb (haha).  Some important things to keep in mind are while it is a nutrition powerhouse, you want to be mindful of your portion size.  As you can see it contains concentrated amount of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, and calories.  At 170 calories for 3 tbsp. you don't want to get too hemp happy at the price of your waistline just because its "healthy".

I know most people have heard how important omega 3's are in their diet and know that fish or fish oil pills are a great source for them.  But did you know that plant omega 3s are different than the omega 3s you find in fish?

Seafood and algae (<<< a great option for vegetarians/vegans who do not eat fish) contain the long chain fatty acids,  eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) while the short chain fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is found in plant sources including walnuts, flaxseeds, canola oil, and soybean oil.

Many studies proclaiming the benefits of omega 3s are talking about DHA and EPA specifically. The body only partially converts ALA into DHA and EPA.  Because it is not converted as efficiently, many experts recommend DHA and EPA over ALA.  With that said, all three are beneficial to the diet. [Nutrition can be so confusing sometimes..]

In my opinion, I think it is  important to consume a variety of foods and perhaps take supplements if you are concerned about your omega 3 intake. Don't forget if you don't eat fish, you can buy algae omega 3 supplements.

To conclude, hemp seeds and food products can be a great addition to your diet by not only providing essential fatty acids, but a number of other vitamins, minerals, and protein.

And just incase your curious, I browsed Whole Foods to see what hemp products they carry and this is what I found:

Red Thai Curry Sauce

I am back with another tofu dish within the week.  I am shameless.  But seriously, this sauce is everything.  I found it the other day on  Pinch of Yum's blog and it is a recipe I know I will make again and again.  It's that good.

It does not require any obscure ingredients/complicated steps and can take anywhere between 5-20 minutes, depending on how thick you would like it and what you are using it for.

I decided to make a Thai curry bowl with baked tofu, broccoli, carrots, and red bell pepper.

First I started preparing baked tofu and when that was about half way done baking, I started to assemble the sauce.  Once the sauce was in the simmer/thickening stage I added my vegetables to cook.  Because I had plenty of veggies, I added additional vegetable stock  {as the recipe indicates you might need} to increase it's volume.

By the time my vegetables were done cooking, the tofu was ready and I added it directly to the sauce and veggies to coat.  I poured it over some rice and BAM! Just like that I had a darn good curry that rivaled any takeout place. 

Red Thai Curry Sauce
Modified slightly from a pinchofyum.com

• 1 can of light coconut milk
• 2 tbsp. peanut butter
• 2 tbsp. red curry paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/3 cup crushed peanuts
• up to 1/2 cup water or broth
• extra crushed peanuts and scallions for topping

1.  Pour coconut milk into a sauce pan over high heat.  Once it is simmering add peanut butter, red curry paste, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and garlic. Whisk on high heat for 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. 

2. Add the peanuts and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. When the sauce coats the back of the spoon, add small amounts of water or broth depending on the consistency you're going for. 

* Note:  I have tried this recipe both with light coconut milk and regular coconut milk and I prefer the light version.  The dish wasn't as spicy with regular coconut milk and it was far more rich. I suppose you could add more red curry paste to remedy the spicy issue if that is a predicament for your taste buds.

I also did not add 1/3 cup of crushed peanuts like the recipe stated because I didn't have any on hand. Plus I buy chunky peanut butter so that uhh little bit counts for something right?

* Baked tofu method: After draining tofu on a plate with something heavy on top of it (another plate with cans for example) for 15-30 minutes, cut the tofu into cubes or slices and place on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Take out of the oven, flip the tofu, and place it  back to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown. 

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

I have never been a muffin person.   I always regarded them to be an over glorified, sorry substitute for a cupcake.  Yeah, a cupcake.  Think about it-- they have so much sugar, fat, and calories you might as well eat a delicious cupcake instead. And really, muffins are a sweet bread.  Sweet breads shouldn't be equivalent to the nutrition facts of a cupcake.

But that all changed when I moved to Maine.  There is a cute mom and pop shop where I go to school that sells the best homemade muffins I have ever had.  They're wholesome and you can tell they don't use a lot of sugar.  Now that is the type of muffin I can get  down with first thing in the morning. I am partial to their Vegan Blueberry Apple Oat Muffin (I am currently working on recreating these and sharing them on the blog soon) and I get it every time I go in there.  That is, if it's not sold out.  I think these muffins are catching on because for the past couple of months, if I come in any later than 8:30 (am!!) they're gone! Except on Fridays... She always seems to have at least one or two in the afternoon.

Can you tell I'm obsessed? 

Last summer, inspired by the muffin mentioned above, I decided to create a low sugar muffin.  A muffin I could eat for breakfast that I knew was healthy and full of yummy ingredients.  I have experimented with several recipes and came up with my own version below.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins 

• 2 cups whole wheat flour 
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup of sugar (use 1/2 cup if you would like a sweeter muffin)
• 1/4 cup of butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• Optional: Nuts (I used pecans), ground flaxseeds, or whatever you dig  

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Add all dry ingredients into a small bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together softened butter and sugar.  Add egg and beat well, followed by the milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.  Now add dry ingredients and stir until moistened, being careful not to overmix {overmixing will create a tough muffin}.  Fold in the blueberries.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until done.

I hope you enjoy these muffins as much as I do.  They'd be perfect with a cup of coffee and this song in the morning. 

Tofu Stir Fry

Hello all.  This is the first time I have made tofu that I actually think compares to the tofu you get in restaurant dishes.  Except it's not fried like I suspect theirs is : )  It's BAKED.  Win for your tastebuds and a win for your insides.

Tofu Preparation:

The secret to getting crispy tofu is to buy firm tofu at the grocery store, drain it, and place it in a  shallow dish with a plate and something heavy on top of it {canned food, a bowl, a book, etc.} and let it drain for 15-30 minutes.  Slice into cubes and place on a lightly sprayed baking sheet.  Bake for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees, turning once halfway.
This method creates perfect golden brown nuggets and once you take the pan out and let the tofu cool, it gets drier/crispier. The perfect situation for absorbing sauce.

Stir Fry Sauce

• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame seed oil 
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger 
• 2 tbsp corn starch 
• 1/4 cup water
• Veggies: whatever you feel like! I used snow peas only , but next time I want to use broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, snow peas, and baby corn. (variety and options are my thing)
• Cooked Rice or Quinoa 

1. After tofu is done baking, start making the sauce.  Combine soy sauce, vegetable broth, rice wine vinegar, sesame seed oil, and minced garlic and ginger in a bowl.  Dissolve cornstarch in water separately and then add to the rest of the sauce mixture. 
2. Place a small amount of oil in a pan and stir fry veggies for 5-7 minutes or until desired tenderness.  Pour sauce over veggies and stir around until sauce is slightly boiling and thick. 
3. Add tofu and stir to coat. 
4. Serve over cooked rice or quinoa 

This will serve 2 people.  Maybe 4 if more a medley of vegetables are added {check out my suggestions above}.  You will have extra sauce, but there are plenty of other ways you can use it such as eating it over rice the next day or with soba noodles...Marinating chicken, tofu, or any other kind of protein...using it as a dip for fresh spring rolls.

Yep, I'm thinking leftovers are just fine. 

And don't forget after all your "hard" work slaving away in the kitchen to make yourself some tea {cinnamon for me!} and put it in a very special mug that reminds you of a very special animal. 

RIP my sweet Woofie.  You will always be in my heart. 4/6/14

Spring

Although there is still snow on the ground, I think I can say with confidence that this is the official start of spring in Maine (translation: sunny with temps in the high 40s/50s).  I cannot wait until the snow from the picture above melts and everything turns green again.  Happy Friday everyone! Have a good weekend.

Black Bean Bugers

Who doesn't love a good burger?  It is filling and always hits the spot.
What's not to love?  That greasy, bloated feeling you can get with heavy grub.
 Butttt this burger is different.  It's vegetarian. Naturally. Plus, it  gives you that meaty bite I am  you're  looking for. Thus keeping you satisfied without feeling like you over did it.

This recipe is one I have been making for the past year.  I started out with a basic black bean burger recipe and I switch it up depending on what I have on hand.  This variation is my favorite yet.

Spinach Black Bean Burgers

1 Can of Black Beans

1 egg

1 1/2 cups fresh spinach

1/2 cup bell pepper

1/2 cup onion (optional)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1-2 cloves of garlic

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rinse and drain black beans. In a large bowl, add black beans and mash 1/2 of the beans up with a fork while keeping the other 1/2 whole and intact.  Add in the egg and breadcrumbs.  Mix thoroughly.  Add in the garlic, spinach, and bell peppers.  With clean hands, scoop up the mixture and make patties of desired size. {I find that I usually get between 4-6 patties.  I recommend basing the size of your burgers off of the size of the bun you are serving them on} On a greased baking sheet, place the patties and bake for 10 minutes.  Take them out of the oven and flip them.  Place back in the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Serve on hamburger buns with a side salad or baked sweet potato fries. 

g