How to cook your life

I watched a really lovely dvd from the library the other evening entitled, "How to cook you life" with Zen Chef Edward Espe Brown. Oh, how he has captured my heart! Overall the film taught me to pay attention to what I'm doing in the kitchen and to just really be in the moment. When you're stirring the soup, stir the soup. When you're chopping a carrot, chop the carrot. Our minds are filled with a dozen racing distractions and in turn, we forget to focus on what we're doing in the present moment, and to just relax and enjoy it. One thing that I loved too is that they never waste food. They will take all of the leftovers and make them into one huge pot of soup to take to the homeless or throw whatever they find leftover onto a pizza. My own mom is also really good about not wasting anything. Even if there is just a little bit left of something she will wrap it up to save for later. Having to cut back on spending money more recently, I have become much more aware of what we throw out and try to make food last as long as possible.

So, last night I decide to take whatever I could find leftover in the fridge and pantry and make a yummy soup out of it. Unfortunately, I had a reaction to what I'm assuming is the store bought vegetable broth (containing tomatoes and onions) so the next time I make this I am going to have to make my own homemade broth ahead of time. I wanted to pass on this yummy recipe I came up with to you, but also encourage you to dig around in your kitchen and pantry as well, see what you find, and throw it all into a big pot of soup! I also finally came up with a tasty vegan peanut butter cookie recipe for dessert. Enjoy! :)

Snow day soup (makes enough for 4)

4 cups vegetable broth (homemade ahead of time or store bought)
1 cup almond milk (I like Almond Breeze, but whatever you have)
1-2 large sweet potatoes, cubed
2 carrots, chopped
a few bunches of kale, stems cut out and discarded, leaves chopped
sea salt to taste
handful of almonds

I simmered the kale in the vegetable broth for half an hour then added the potatoes and carrots in to simmer for another hour. I stirred the almond milk in towards the end to add a bit of
creaminess. Add salt to taste. Serve and sprinkle a few almonds on top of each bowl and dig in!

As a side dish, I simmered some chopped up apples and pears in a cup of orange juice for about half an hour. I know it is tempting to want to add extra sweetener, but I love them just as sweet as they naturally are. If you must though, drizzle a bit of agave nectar on top. :)

Simple vegan peanut butter cookies (makes 1-2 dozen)

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup light or extra virgin olive oil
1 cup organic peanut butter (I buy Giant Eagle's brand that has no sugar or salt added)
1 cup agave nectar (or you can use maple syrup)

Pre-heat oven to 350'

Mix all dry ingredients together in one bowl (flour, baking soda, salt)
Then mix wet ingredients together in another larger bowl (olive oil, agave, and peanut butter)
Add the dry to the wet and stir well.
Let dough chill in the fridge for at least half an hour
Form into balls, press down with fork to make a criss cross pattern on top
Bake at 350' for 10 min (12 at most)

Enjoy with a glass of almond milk!