Simple Edamame Hummus

This is a great high-protein, multi-purpose spread that you can serve with veggies and crackers or put in a wrap. High-protein snacks like edamame keep your energy up and keep you feeling full.

What you'll need:

• 3/4 cup edamame, shucked
• 2 cups fresh spinach, tightly packed
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. asian chili sauce (use less or none if you're not a fan of spice)
• sea salt, sprinkle
• black pepper, sprinkle

What to do:

Steam the edamame until it's bright green and thawed if you're using frozen. In a food processor, combine the steamed edamame and the rest of the ingredients, and blend until smooth. 

You'll never buy premade hummus again.

Makes about two cups.

Think Before You Say "Gross" to Compost

"Can you show me how to do the compost bin?" Megan, my roommate, asked yesterday as she pointed to the compost bag filled with vegetable scraps and coffee grounds that I'd hung (conveniently, I thought) from a knob on our kitchen counter. "It's, um, leaking all over the floor."

"I'll take it out!" I chirped, excited to lay down another layer of scrap on my growing pile of decomposition.

It's my masterpiece.

I slipped on some shoes and walked out to the side of the house, where my compost bin sits in partial shade. Megan followed, eyeing the leaky bag in my hand.

I removed the lid of my bin and dumped the bag of what would otherwise be considered "trash" onto the mostly rotten, stinking pile.

Megan took a step back. "So, uh, what's the point of composting, anyway?"

I realized I hadn't really explained the purpose of my growing work of art, and I'm willing to admit: it's not the prettiest (or the most pleasant smelling) thing I keep myself busy with.

But the truth of the matter is that composting is one of the best activities for living a green and sustainable lifestyle. There are so many benefits to having a compost bin at home, whether you are have a backyard garden or not.

In this post, I'll be outlining some basic types of compost systems and listing the reasons for setting one up.

First and foremost, what is composting? 

Composting is the process of turning decomposed organic materials into nutrient-rich soil, often used as garden fertilizer, known as compost. 

Reasons for Composting

Composting reduces the amount of waste you send to the landfill. Let me repeat that: compost reduces the amount of "waste" you send to the landfill. What our society often considers "waste" isn't waste at all— it can be repurposed. You can compost more than just fruit and vegetable scraps. Paper, cardboard, scrap wood, sawdust, yard trimmings, leaves, egg shells, and coffee grounds are just a few examples of things you can recycle.

Why should you care about landfill waste? Landfills get a bad rap. They're not bad in themselves, but it's the amount of waste that gets sent to them that's bad. All the stuff in landfills represents a loss to the environment and the economy. As much as 50% of landfill space is taken up by paper, something that can be broken down naturally in your backyard. Biodegradable materials like paper and vegetable waste don't break down naturally in landfills because they require other living organisms to fully decompose and return to nature as the building blocks for new life. Landfills are simply packed with too much "garbage" for this to happen.

Composting turns your waste into a natural product. You won't need to buy as much (if any) fertilizer for your garden once you start a compost system. And if you don't garden, there's plenty of people who do, people who will be happy to take it off your hands.

Composting provides you with a lesson about the bad habits of our society and lets you have an active hand in breaking them. We're a materialistic creature, we humans, and it's a part of who we evolved to be. But there's ways to consume without overconsuming, and leaving a trail of waste behind us for the earth? future generations? to clean up. Let's break the cycle now! If you think that because you're just one person, you won't make much of a difference, I'm here to tell you that you're wrong. Our lives are entirely made up of the decisions we make, and those decisions impact others we meet. You never know how your actions can potentially influence someone else.

Are you convinced yet? Great!
Now, we'll talk about the types of compost systems.


Types of Compost Systems 

Heap: A heap is the most basic outdoor composting method. It costs almost nothing and is super low maitenenence. There are some downsides, though. Because a heap is an open air system, you lose heat, which means a slower decomposition rate. It's also unsightly, so unless you have a corner of the yard where you can tuck it and let it be, I'd invest in a different system.

Plastic Holding Bins: This is the kind of compost system I have. They're a bit more expensive, but they're compact and prevent animals from getting into your pile.They're easy to move around and the plastic reduces moisture loss. On the flipside, though, is the limited holding capacity. Plastic bins won't work for bigger gardens.

3-Bin Turning System: These are the Rolls Royce of outdoor compost systems. They produce compost fast, and they produce a lot of it. They're perfect for large yards and gardens. This system takes a bit of work when building, but the result is durable and long-lasting. On the downside, it requires a bit more space and commitment, because you have to follow strict composting guidelines in order for this to work.

Worm Bin: A great indoor alternative, worm bins are perfect for apartment dwellers or people who don't have a ton of outdoor space to work with. A longtime friend who now lives in New York actually has a worm bin compost system at the bottom of her pantry. As unappealing as this sounds, it's actually a far better system than dragging your waste to the curb to rot while awaiting garbage pickup. These are small and inexpensive to maintain, and don't require too much commitment or extra work.

So there you have it, an introduction to the reasons for and systems of composting! Please share your experiences with and/or any tips for composting in the comments.

Additionally, please comment and let me know if you'd like additional information on any of the systems I've talked about in this post. I'm happy to help with questions or concerns!

Vegan Creamy Cashew & Poblano Pepper Soup

I originally posted this recipe for cream of cashew & pepper soup on my old blog last winter. I noticed that it was consistently getting traffic, and because I no longer update that blog, I've decided to repost it here.

It's still one of my favorite recipes, because it incorporates spice and savor, and leaves you feeling satisfied.

When my friend Tim brought me a bowl of cream of poblano soup from his restaurant two years ago, it was love at first bite. I hadn't yet given up dairy, but I loved that it was meat-free and still satisfying. I asked him to send me the recipe the other day because I was craving the soup, and when I learned that it contained a lot of butter and heavy cream, I decided to improvise. I'm so glad I did, because what I've got now is a creamy, vegan version of this perfect, spicy winter soup. I've decided to share it in hopes you guys will try it out for yourselves!

Vegan Cream of Cashew & Poblano Soup

Ingredients

• 4 oz vegan butter (I use Earth Balance brand, but there's plenty others on the market)
• 2.5 oz flour
• 64 oz. vegetable stock
• 1 baking potato, peeled and cubed
• 5 medium, diced poblano peppers (about 1 lb.)
• 1.5 cups chopped celery
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1.75 c. cashew cream (you can find this at the store, but for a cheaper alternative I've included a simple recipe below)

Directions

1. Melt vegan butter in a sauce pan on low heat.
2. Add flour to melted butter; whisk together until smooth.
3. Add vegetable stock and bring to a simmer at high heat.
4. Add potatoes, poblanos and celery. Reduce to low heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30-35 minutes.
5. Strain out vegetables.
6. Place vegetables in a blender with 2 cups of the liquid. Blend until smooth. Repeat until all vegetables and liquid have been blended. (Be careful not to overfill like I did. I ended up with green liquid all over my kitchen the first time!)
7. Return blended mixture to a clean sauce pan. Add salt and bring to a simmer.
8. Remove from heat. Add cashew cream slowly and stir well.

This recipe makes about 8 servings and can be garnished with vegan cashew cheese or a real dairy Mexican cheese (Tim's recipe calls for cojita). I decided to put a slice of pobano and vegan sour cream on instead.

Cashew Cream

Use this as a vegan substitute for sour cream or heavy cream— in any recipe! It's so delicious I could eat it with a spoon.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Place cashews in bowl and pour boiling water to cover. Let sit 30 minutes.
2. Drain cashews and blend with salt, vinegar, lemon juice and 1/4 cup cold water.
3. Add water until pureed. 

That's it! Enjoy your soup. Love each other, and animals. 

Recipe: Vegan Banana Bread

Banana bread is one of those things in life that everyone needs once in awhile.

Like a back massage. Or an entire bottle of wine.

But hang on, sista. Before you tell the cashier at the bakery to ring you up for a thick slice of the stuff in the glass display, consider making your own egg-free, dairy-free version at home. You'll be able to pronounce all the ingredients, too.

This recipe is 100% perfect and is great for the bananas that have been sitting on your counter and are way brown and questionable.


What you'll need:

• 1/4 cup plain non-dairy milk
• 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegan butter 
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• sea salt
• 3/4 cup walnuts, optional

How to do it:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash the butter and brown sugar together until it has even consistency.

Whisk together the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let that sit for a few minutes. (Make a phone call, send a few texts, whatever.)

In a medium bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and a sprinkle of sea salt. Add the walnuts if you dig them.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.

Pour into a floured loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes. 

Let cool for five minutes before you pull the bread out or eat it all. 

Banana bread does it better.

Vegan Dark Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

My aunt Sandy is an excellent hostess. At any function, whether it be a holiday party or a casual get-together at her lake house, she always provides an atmosphere that makes you feel at home. She really goes above and beyond not only to make sure that everyone's having a good time, but that everyone is well-fed... and amused while they're well fed. This past Thanksgiving, for example, she made penguins out of olives, cream cheese and carrots, a task I'm sure took hours— just for the presentation! Somehow, though, she manages it every time.

As an adult, I want to make sure that I elicit a similar feeling when someone comes to my house. I may not be at the point of making turkeys out of bell peppers and cucumbers, but I'd like to at least play the part of a good hostess. So, when I found out our friend was coming to visit from Chicago for the week, I took it as a sign to try out a new recipe for dark chocolate coconut cookies. Because, uh, everyone loves cookies and whenever my house smells like baked goods I know I've done something right.

And even though the majority of the food I cook is vegan, that doesn't mean other people don't love it. With any recipe, I want to make sure that it's not so out there as to be unappealing to people who aren't used to vegan food, and simple substitutions allow just that.

Which brings me to this recipe for dairy-free, egg-free dark chocolate chip coconut cookies.

What you'll need:

• egg replacer to equal to 1 egg*
• 1/2 cup vegan butter
• 3/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

*I use Ener-G Egg Replacer

How to do it:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a food processor, blend the egg replacer, butter, sugar, vanilla and cocoa powder until smooth and set aside. 

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, coconut, and chocolate chips. Add the butter mix and stir until well incorporated. 

 

Roll dough into balls and lay out on a cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Let them cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet before taking them from the cookie sheet.

This recipe will make about 15 cookies, so double it if you have lots of guests! 

Nashville Spotlight: Porter Flea

I'm all about supporting local businesses. They're part of the foundation of classic Americana and help real people do what they love. Sure, big box chains may be convenient, but there's a very important aspect of human-to-human connection missing when a purchase is made from one, as opposed to from a local merchant. Local merchants always deliver on quality, not only because their name is at stake, but because they actually care about the work that they do. And it shows.

So on Saturday, when my roommate, Megan, brought up the Porter Flea Holiday Market, I didn't need to think about whether I wanted to go. The answer was an immediate "yes!" Less than an hour later, we were stopped by a line of cars. A man in the road directed traffic. I rolled down my window.

"Ya'll going to the market?" he asked. "Head that way but pull into the farthest parking lot. Don't park on the street. It's a mad house."

That was an understatement.

After parking, we followed the crowd to what was the line to get into the OZ Arts Center, where the market had been set up.

The line was a bit long to say the least, but it moved quickly and after about a half hour, we were in.

From the line, I saw a row of food trucks and immediately forgot that I had just eaten lunch, like, an hour ago. It was free entry, and once we'd gotten in, the four of us walked immediately over to the trucks.

The Grilled Cheeserie's line for, you got it, artisan grilled cheese

Riddim N Spice, feat. jerk chicken & vegan Caribbean food. Mmm.

But alas, we hadn't made the trip for the food trucks alone, so we found our way into the OZ Arts Center and waited a few more minutes to enter the market.

And man, I had seriously underestimated the size of the market. What waited inside was vendors galore, selling everything imaginable— from pottery to prints to pasta.

The Meat and 3 Printing Co. was swarmed with shoppers when we passed

Nicoletto's Pasta Co'., serving handcrafted small batch pasta

When we walked out of the OZ Center, we were surprised that there was another part of the market, an entire tent set up with dozens more vendors. We had to check that one out too, of course...

By the time we'd walked through the entire market, I'd made a few purchases: an air plant from The Zen Succulent (because ugh, if you know me, you know how much I love plants) and two postcards from Dordles. I'd also received a natural and nontoxic soap sample from Rainwater Farm that smells so good that I'm planning on buying them for everyone on my Christmas list. Good-smelling natural soap is hard to find! I'd also received a sample of chocolate chai tea, served with chocolate almond milk, from Firepot. It was, hands-down, the best caffeinated drink I've tasted all year. 

Other merchants worth mentioning are as follows:

• Suburban Pallet, a super unique collaborative of woodworkers and artisans producing quality furniture & decor.
• Pourtaste, whose E. Harlow Pristine Tonic was both delicious and unlike anything I've tasted before (and I was a craft cocktail bartender in Chicago for years!) If you have anyone in your life who prides themselves on their home bar, you have to buy them this product. 
• Holler Design caught my eye with their beautiful cheeseboards and butchers blocks. These would make an excellent gift for the chef in your life... or, you know, me.
• Nola, a natural granola company that was happy to let us sample most of their flavors. I was impressed by their bourbon granola, because, uh, bourbon and granola. 

Be sure to check these vendors out and knock out some holiday shopping! Also, remember that even if you don't live in Nashville, there's always independent markets going all over the country. It's worth looking into, and way more rewarding to spend your money on products that are handcrafted by people who care about making them. 

And maybe, by spending time in such a creative environment, you'll even be inspired to create something of your own.

Recipe: Vegan Eggplant Chutney with Basil & Quinoa

Sometimes it gets colder outside and you just want to eat something warm. Other times, you realize you bought a perfect eggplant a week ago and you'd better use it soon or you may as well just throw away the money you spend on wasted produce. And sometimes, these two occasions fall on the same day, so you have to figure out kill two birds with one stone.

That day was today, which brings me to this fairly simple, cold-weather recipe for eggplant chutney with basil & quinoa. 

What you'll need:

• 1 eggplant, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 zucchini, julienned
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into ribbons
• 1 cup quinoa

How to do it:

Combine the tomato sauce and 3/4 cup of water in pot or dutch oven (thanks for the recommendation, Gary) on the stove. Mix in the cumin and cayenne pepper, and bring it to a boil. 

Once it's bubbling, fold in the eggplant, onion and tomato pieces. Reduce the heat, cover it and let it simmer for forty-five minutes, stirring occasionally.

While your chutney is simmering, add a half cup of water to a separate skillet and toss in your julienned zucchini. Turn the heat on low, and cover. Let it cook, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, get your quinoa going. Always use 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. I generally buy Nature's Earthly Choice because it's quick, taking only 15 minutes, but depending on how long yours takes, you might want to get this going first, as some kinds can take up to an hour to cook.

That's it! Everything should finish cooking around the same time. Top with the fresh basil ribbons (which I hope you're growing in a windowsill herb garden by now... haven't you learned anything from this blog?) and a bit of salt and pepper. I also topped it with some bite-sized corn muffins I had in the oven while the rest was on the stove, which added a southern kick to this hearty stewed chutney.

Recipe: Vegan Banana Chocolate "Ice Cream"

Dairy is a real bummer because:

a) It's a fattening agent for baby cows and YOU ARE A HUMAN, not a cute lil' calf,
b) Our society raises us on it so we think it's normal to drink the breast milk from a COW, and
c) It's full of sugar and forces your pancreas to go into overdrive, which means insulin is invading your bloodstream and tissues (see: weight gain. see: diabetes. see: wacky metabolism.)

And, okay, I sound like a real debbie downer because uhhh hello ice cream parties and bad breakups and whatever else we are conditioned to believe that eating processed and frozen corn syrup is NORMAL. Ugh. Whatever - don't get me started on social norms.

So what do we doooooo, party pooper Ashlee?

Say hello to my little friend, the banana.

BORING, you scream! We don't want your bananas!

Yeah, you do. Especially when the banana fell behind your coffee pot and is now overripe and brown and questionable. Cut that guy up and throw him in tupperware in your freezer. (Because you don't really still use plastic bags, do you?)

Let that sit for, like, two hours or twenty-four, but at least two. Grab some raw cocoa powder (the kind you use for baking works) and put a tablespoon with the frozen banana in a food processor or blender. Turn it ON.

Top with peanuts or some sea salt. It's seriously so good you'll probably die. Death by bananas.

Now when you've got a sweet tooth or when your faaaaavorite Tinder match doesn't text you after your date, you can still have the comfort of ice cream without all the bullshit that's in that tub of Ben & Jerry's.

Get creative! Dried fruits or chunks of vegan cookies are good folded in, or use it to top a vegan brownie. Oh my god, I'm a genius.

But if you stick with the simple banana & cocoa powder, you're looking at a low 100 calories. And they're calories you can use because, hello, mister fiber.

Now go, live in frozen banana heaven.

You can thank me later.