Be Eat Drink » Reviews

Bhindi Masala Soup: A New Spin on Leftovers

Aleece — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:37:48 +0000

I went out with a friend last night to India’s Pearl and wanted to try something new. I chose Bhindi Masala – okra cooked with onions, tomatoes and spices. I envisioned something akin to the wonderful vegetable casserole dish I had while with my parents in Istanbul. What I got was a dish so salty that I couldn’t even eat it.

In questioning the waiter about it, he advised me that the dish is supposed to be salty and that Indian food uses a lot of exotic spices. I’m a big fan of exotic spices and have frequented my fair share of Indian buffets. However, I had never experienced this level of saltiness.

Rather than throw the leftovers away, my friend suggested “watering” the leftovers down by making a soup out of them. So that’s what I ate for dinner tonight.

First, I added two cups of water and one cup of vegetable broth. Then I added a 28-oz can of stewed tomatoes, a cup of cooked lentils and a 1/2 cup of red quinoa. The results were outstanding. I didn’t need to add an ounce of additional spices, let alone salt.

So before leaving your leftovers on the table and wasting both food and money, consider how you might be able to take a fresh spin on them. The results might surprise you.

Side note: If you try visiting India’s Pearl and don’t like a lot of salt, ask your waiter for light salt in advance!

Blueberry Pomegranate Trail Mix Crunch

Aleece — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:20:27 +0000

I spent a few days in England this summer with a friend of my sisters’ named Janet. I shared my story of becoming vegan with a great group of people. I ran into Janet a couple of weeks ago and she had done the sweetest thing – she bought me a bag of some fabulous trail mix crunch because she loved it and thought I would enjoy it too since it was vegan.

Boy was she right. My next goal will be to learn how to make this one on my own. In the meantime, it’s a list of ingredients that I can live with when I’m looking for an easy, tasty treat.

Two thumbs up to Mareblu Naturals for coming up with them. The ingredients for this flavorful blueberry pomegranate trail mix crunch include:

Mareblu Naturals Blueberry Pomegranate Trail Mix Crunch

dry roasted almonds
cashews
pistachios
pumpkin seeds
organic evaporated cane juice
rice syrup
blueberry
pomegranate
sea salt
natural flavors

And no – I didn’t receive any compensation for this. Although Janet didn’t charge me for the bag. Have your own favorite trail mix recipe that’s delicious and good for you? Tell us about it.

Larabars

Aleece — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:57:38 +0000

: Larabar mini bars: Apple Pie flavor

Some companies make me happy. Companies that are trying to create a good product that you can believe in. It doesn’t mean they’re perfect, but it’s nice to know they’re trying. Larabar is one of those companies. There’s something so compelling about being able to list all of your ingredients in a large font on the front of the package.

Larabar has lots of flavors to enjoy and Apple Pie is one of my personal favorites. The staple ingredient that most of the bars rely on is dates, something I regularly have on hand to make a variety of sweet treats. And to think I grew up in the Coachella Valley surrounded by dates and couldn’t stand ‘em. Now I eat em as a quick snack straight from the fridge.

Larabar also believes in supporting the community. I helped coordinate a fundraising event this year and the company graciously donated a few hundred bars for event attendees. Visit their site for more information on their event donation programs.