Vegetables | Blissfulbritt

I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with peanut butter. I love to dip my spoon into the jar more times than I can count on two hands, but my waistline hates me for it. It’s a tough life I tell ya.

I haven’t had a jar of PB in my house in months, sometimes when I look in the mirror I don’t even know who I am anymore. Instead, I’ve been embracing almond butter in all its nutty glory. I have a bit more self control when it comes to the AB variety, but just a skosh.

To honor my “just a little bit” mindset with nut butters lately, I made myself an Asian themed meal – all in one pot. Just a little bit of flavor, and just a little bit of almond butter. Full of vegetables, vegan, AND gluten free, but no one would ever notice the lack of meat or milk.

Before cooking.

Pad Thai has always been a favorite of mine, but I don’t tend to like restaurant versions because they are much too high in sodium. I hesitate to call this Pad Thai at all though because the nutty flavor is much too mild (I did up the amount in this recipe after making it.)

Instead I’ve channeled my inner child and put my rhyming skills to good use. Veggies-Spice-Rice…because all three are abundant here.

I’ve seen these “one pot wonder” meals around the interwebs, but I’d never attempted to make one. I don’t know what took me so long because something this easy should be done over and over again.

One Pot Veggies Spice and Rice

Ingredients

16 oz rice noodles
6 cups water
3-4 large cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1 tblsp tamarind paste
1 tblsp soy sauce (I used two of the sample packs)
1 tsp red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper
2 inches of a ginger root, cut in 1/4 in pieces
1 large carrot cut into large strips
1 red bell pepper cut into strips
4 green onions cut in half, and then into 2 inch pieces
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 or 1/3 cup almond butter (depending how nutty you want it)

Optional addition: 1 med/large jalapeno WITH seeds for extra spice.

For topping at the end of cooking

cilantro
juice from 2 limes

Optional topping (which I highly suggest): dry roasted edamame for an extra protein boost. However much you desire per serving.

Directions

Place everything except the cilantro and lime juice into a large stockpot. Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and let simmer to cook for about 10 minutes. Stir the mix every couple minutes to avoid any sticking.
Once liquid is evaporated to your liking remove from heat.
If you like salt and pepper season to taste. I didn’t add any.
If you want to, remove slices of ginger. I left mine in because I love the sharpness of ginger.
Stir in cilantro, as much as you feel is needed, and juice from the limes. I also topped my bowl with more cilantro.

After cooking.

Notes: I used all water in this because I like “mild” flavors. If you want to use vegetable broth instead use 5 1/2 cups of broth and 1/2 cup water. The tamarind paste helps give this a sweet/sour flavor.

Prepping the veggies took the most time, but even this was a quick process. The entire meal was smooth and fast. I served this over a bed of steamed kale, because I always need more green.

I find great joy in taking the extra time to make something like this. It was a nice break from my usual “quinoa and veggie” mix.

Behind the scenes cell phone shot.

Q: Do you ever find yourself dipping the spoon one too many times in the nut butter jar? I already know the answer for most of you….

I don’t participate in blogger linkups…like…ever. More specifically I don’t participate in the ever so popular linkup “WIAW,” also known as, “What I Ate Wednesday.” I’ve never had a desire to snap photos of things I ate on days other than Wednesday, but then post them on Wednesday and claim to have eaten them on….Wednesday? Meh.

Coffee always comes first, because in order to put more food in..things must first come out. This photo is of a couple I see every morning I go to Starbucks to blog. They play scrabble with their tea and coffee. Cutest thing ever. Faces blurred for privacy!

Pre-Breakfast – LOTS of fruit. With a side of nut-butter.

I’ve been asked to participate in this link up to give more vegan options to the world wide web, but instead of linking up (because I’m too cool for school) I will post my own-singular- unattached post cleverly titled, “A Day in the Life of My Gut.” AKA what I typically eat. I like to pretend that all I eat are cupcakes and chocolate, but that’s just not true. Balance.

In reality my “vegan” meals aren’t anything to be excited about. They are very simple and probably not what most people would opt for when cooking vegan. I am a bit of a minimalist, and simple is always better in my world. I like my food basic and “real.”

***Defiantly this post is on a Thursday..not Wednesday.

Breakfast- Oatmeal with berries and other fun seeds and “rabbit like” grains.

Most of my meals are very mundane, and I rarely deviate from the simplicity of what I’m posting here, but it works for me. Sometimes when I am feeling wild I will prepare something more elaborate for breakfast like a veg scramble, or pancakes…but that’s rare.

Quick morning snack.

I have somewhat of a system. I tend to eat my grains and fruit early in the day, and work my way to the veggies in the afternoon and evening. I figure I use the sugar from the fruit more during my energetic days than I do at night when I am sitting at home.

Lunch is always in a bowl. Spinach, kale, farro, wheat berries, beets, red pepper, and hemp seeds.

Lunch is always in a bowl. Raw spinach, steamed kale, farro, wheat berries, baked/skinned beets, raw red pepper, and hemp seeds. Cooked in coconut oil and lightly seasoned with some pepper and spices.

I find that bowl messes are the easiest for me to take anywhere. I always start with a base of some kind of leafy green (or two) and build from there. That part never changes. The protein source changes from quinoa, to beans, to cous cous (much more rare these days) and so on. Then more veggies like beets or brussels are added to the top. Never too many.

To add flavor to my meals I sometimes saute my veggies in coconut oil, and add mustard or salsa. I am very basic with my seasonings because I happen to like the flavors of plain vegetables. If you don’t swing that way, then finding a sauce you love can make it easier to eat a shitton of vegetables in one sitting. Also crackers or chips help add flavor.

A handful (or three) of these. Dark chocolate covered berries.

9/10 times I have something sweet after every meal, this helps me not to overdo it. A chocolate covered handful here, a cookie there, a finger dipped into PB everywhere.

This afternoon snack has made a constant appearance in my eats for weeks.

This afternoon snack has made a constant appearance in my eats lately.

Snacks are welcomed, but moderated. I try not to mindlessly snack. A work in progress.

Rice chips, OR rice crackers sometimes with hummus or salsa, and always with a giant carrot.

Dinner is one of my meals that changes frequently. Sometimes it’s soup, sometimes it’s another bowl just like lunch, but with different protein and veggies (most of the time it’s this) and sometimes I use my evenings to make something more elaborate like black bean burgers, or BBQ tofu bowls. If I’m really lazy, it’s popcorn and an orange, but that’s rare.

Kale, kidney beans, avocado, and asparagus. Asparagus was cooked in coconut oil was my flavor. My neighbor caught me taking this photo. It was awkward.

Steamed Kale, kidney beans, avocado, a baked/skinned beet, sauteed asparagus, and hemp seeds. Asparagus was cooked in coconut oil for flavor. My neighbor caught me taking this photo. It was awkward.

One thing that never, EVER changes..is my water intake.

No less than three of these a day. If I have more that’s fine. AT LEAST 100 oz must be consumed. I carry my jar everywhere…

So there you have it, this is a typical day of eats for me. Lots of fruit, vegetables, and protein sources. I’ve cut out bread and only eat it once in a blue moon, but I opt for GF. I still feel like a big pile of dog turds if I have too much wheat…it’s bizarre. Obviously this isn’t set in stone, and things change around a bit, but you get the general idea.

I say typical day because once in a while I get down and dirty with vegan butter heavy cupcakes, and I’ve been known to knock back a few rows of Oreo’s. All in moderation!

All of these meals take no more than 10 minutes to prepare..whoever says you can’t eat healthy on a time crunch is WRONG! The key is food prep for things that take longer to make, like the quinoa. Making a giant bowl and using it throughout the week makes grabbing and going SO SIMPLE. Priorities people.

***I have nothing against this link up, in fact I enjoy seeing all the food-porn everyone posts. This is not a hate message to those of you that linkup, PLEASE KEEP DOING IT. It’s just not for me..that is all! Plus, no one wants to see the same thing every week!

Q: Do you stick to simple, but delicious meals everyday, or do you play iron chef in your kitchen every night? I used to think I was Bobby Flay, but now that I cook for one and am constantly busy this quick stuff works best for me!