Recipe: Vegan Ranch Dressing

I am one of those people that likes my ranch in heavy doses. Salads, wraps, as a dip, whatever. I want that familiar dill taste, and I want a lot of it.

But the ranch we all know and love is unfortunately not only not vegan, but it's also effing terrible for you. So whether you're trying to live cruelty-free or just slim down, this recipe for vegan ranch will be a staple.

It also tastes even better than the stuff you grew up on. For real for real.

This recipe will yield 1 1/4 cups, so you might want to double or quadruple it, or multiply the ingredients by seventy, depending on your needs...

What you'll need:

• 1 cup vegan mayo*
• 3 tbsp. soy milk
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley
• 1.5 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. dill**
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. dried garlic
• sea salt, black pepper to taste

*Veganaise or Just Mayo are the two brands I see most often. If you can't find either of these, combine 1/2 cup soft tofu and 2/3 cup soy milk in a blender and puree until smooth.

**The fresh or the dry stuff, whatever you've got.

How to do it:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth. Really complicated, I know.

Store in a container for up to 3 weeks in the fridge. Make sure you stir it up well when you use it after storing.

Container Gardening: Never Buy Store Bought Garlic Again!

My Nashville house is a mansion compared to some of the apartments I had in Chicago, and if you would've told me a year ago that I'd have not only a backyard, but a porch and garage too, I'd have laughed in your face and then apologized immediately because laughing in people's faces is mean.

So the days of container gardening are long behind me but hey, I have a sunroom now too and there's bugs outside, and garlic doesn't take up that much space. With just two small 6 inch pots, you can grow 10-15 bulbs for the price of just one bulb of organic garlic. 

Separate your cloves, but don't worry about pulling the papery skin off. Each clove will produce one bulb, and the size of the bulb is proportionate to the size of the clove. Bigger cloves = bigger bulbs (I want to make a joke here but I won't because I haven't thought it out entirely but just know the intention was there.)

So, pick bigger cloves to plant. 

Fill up your pots almost to the rim with soil. Basic organic potting soil works. Honestly, if you're not trying to win Best Garlic at Your Town County Fair it doesn't really matter what kind of soil you use, as long as it's not completely dried out and devoid of nutrients. Garlic is a hardy plant and will grow regardless.

Pop your cloves in about an inch apart from each other. Put the flat part down (that's where the roots come from) and the pointy end up.  They'll grow depending on how much space you give them — the more the better, but unless you're trying to repel some creepy vampire-looking dude staring in your window you probably don't need that much garlic. If you do, get some more pots and bulbs and a restraining order.

Here's Pete, my cat, after he inspected to make sure I did the job right.

Cover them up with a loose layer of soil. Call Pete to keep an eye on them. He charges $50 an hour but will make sure nothing bad happens.

Rome wasn't built in a day, Pete.

After about a week, you'll start to get tiny shoots sprouting from the cloves.

And after a week and a half, you'll notice more. GAME ON, your garlic is on its way.

I decided to repot them after 2 weeks, because a little white cat decided digging up the cloves would be SO FUN.

If you do decide to repot, be careful, because the root structure should be pretty strong. Here's what mine looked like (super healthy, with long and thick white roots.)

You can trim down the green shoots for bigger garlic bulbs; when you trim them, the plant puts all its energy into developing the good stuff. You can also use the green shoots in cooking— they have a milder taste, but still give meals a kick.

It'll take 4-6 months for your bulbs to develop fully, but be patient. You can replant cloves you've taken off your bulbs for more garlic. Never buy the store-bought variety again! 

The best part is you don't need a lot of space to do it. Garlic is a cold-hardy plant so it can be planted over the winter for early summer bulbs, or indoors in containers during any month of the year. 

Backyard Gardening: Healthy & Sustainable

If you'd have asked me, even a few years ago, if I ever thought I'd be writing a blog on the benefits of growing my own food, I'd have laughed and asked what you were smoking. I had the idea that many people have: that gardening and compost are icky, reserved for peasants and farmers. I'd have insisted that I was fine buying most of my "fresh" produce from the grocery store. Ah, the clean, glistening aisles of the grocery store, where we can pick up and purchase what is labeled as a "fresh" tomato, without so much as seeing a blemish or a speck of dirt! 

...but what's really going on underneath that so-called cleanliness?

The truth of the matter is that local or homegrown organic produce is not only more nutritious but also better for the environment. They are free of pesticide residue and simply just taste better. Have you heard that adage about homegrown tomatoes? The idea that homegrown tomatoes taste better than their store-bought relatives is true.

One of the most important lessons I've learned in life is that a societal acceptance of an idea doesn't always mean that that idea is the best for society. Generally, people tend to accept beliefs that are comfortable, assuming that those beliefs are the right ones. We've seen this time and time again throughout history: everybody's milling about doing one thing until something better comes along and all of a sudden everyone's doing it that way. Take the industrial revolution or Henry Ford's assembly line production as two examples of this evolution. Instead of evolving physically, we're evolving mentally. And that's great. 

We see these patterns a lot in food and nutrition, especially in the last twenty years or so, since people began relying less on fresh, home-cooked meals and more on prepackaged or heat-and-serve meals. The 2000s brought an explosion of health food products, and now it seems we can find products that used to be unheard of (e.g. Veganaise, coconut milk) at most well-stocked grocery stores. Great! 

We're attracted to words like "natural" and "chemical-free," because we all want to take care of ourselves and live long, happy lives. More and more people are beginning to wake up and take control of their food choices and ultimately, their health. 

But wait a minute... is the wool still being pulled over our eyes? What if we don't always need these health food companies to produce the products that we're enjoying as deliberate and health-conscious humans? The object of any business is to make money and stay in business by convincing everyone that their products are necessary. Sometimes, they are. (I'm not going to go and make vegan cheddar cheese– I'll leave that to Daiya.)

But what I'm saying is, why buy organic produce if you can grow it yourself, and have even more of a hand in where your food comes from? If we're really concerned about the process in which our food gets to our table, wouldn't we want to make that process as transparent as possible?

If you say time is an issue, think of how long it takes to drive to the grocery store, choose your items, and wait in line. Setting up and maintaining your garden or hydroponic system takes half that amount of time, if that.

If you say money is an issue think of the amount you already spend on organic or treated produce ($1.99 per pound of tomatoes?), and then ask yourself: how much of that goes bad? Nature is abundant! Think of being able to walk out your door, into your yard or patio, and having more than you can possibly eat to choose from. Your neighbors and friends will love you, too, and who doesn't love love?

And once you get going with your bad, sustainable self, you'll learn so much and get so much more than what you bargained for, in all the best ways! Nature (and all of life, really) moves in cycles. Your produce is fed by sunlight and organic nutrients in the soil, which you can add to by composting biodegradable, natural products (like eggshells and coffee grounds) and plant waste. These items, which make up 20-30% of all of our waste, realistically should break-down once they're returned to the earth, but unfortunately the landfill system in effect doesn't make it so easy. In addition, when we take an active stance in waste management, in a way that's more hands-on than simply sending off our paper and plastic to recycling, we're able to see the whole metamorphic cycle of "gross" food scraps into a dense, nutrient-rich resource.

It really gives perspective to how often we rely on the concept of "out of sight, out of mind" to rationalize our choices.

By choosing to grow some of your own food, you're not only benefiting your health, but the earth as well! Gardening can be a pleasant experience for anyone, regardless of how big or small a space you have to work with. It's extremely rewarding when you pick your first baby eggplant or make salsa not only from scratch, but from home-grown scratch. Even if you don't have a green thumb, there are plant varieties that are easy to grow and very forgiving. 

In the coming weeks, I'll be posting more about gardening, both in containers and in outdoor beds. Other health and environmentally sustainable topics (like a more in-depth post about DIY composting) will be covered as well.

Remember: the earth is naturally abundant. Give it a chance to grow! 

Recipe: Vegan Apple & Squash Bisque

This warm weather soup showcases the abundance of nature during a Midwestern fall... so naturally, I had to bring it to the south. It's light but filling and will keep you satisfied. Savory and sweet, you'll want to keep this one handy in your freezer for the colder months ahead.

What you'll need:

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 2 granny smith apples, cored and sliced
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 4 cups apple juice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

How to make it:

Prehead your oven to 375.

On a baking sheet, combine the apples, squash, and onions. Drizzle your oil over the mix and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, until everything's tender and smelling fantastic. Make sure you keep and eye on it and turn it over a few times throughout the roasting process. 

Those colors, though. 

Let that cool for 10 minutes.

Combine your roasted fruit and vegetable mix with the vegetable stock and apple juice and puree until completely smooth. You might have to do it in batches. 

Transfer everything to a stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and thyme and let everything simmer for 20 minutes.

Season with sea salt and black pepper and serve immediately. Once it cools, refrigerate for up to a week. It will also keep well in the freezer for up to two months— but trust me, it won't last that long.

Makes 8 cups! 

Recipe: Vegan Coconut Macaroons

I made these bite-sized cookies for girls' night last week and they were snapped up fast. This recipe makes 9-10 macaroons, but you might want to double it if you're entertaining more than a few dainty ladies (or  if you have a vicious sweet tooth.)

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar*
• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup vanilla almond or coconut (or other non-dairy) milk
• Vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup nondairy chocolate chips**

*Huh? Turbinado sugar is a raw brown sugar that has been partially processed to the point where only the surface molasses has been melted off. It has a mild flavor.

**You can use regular chocolate chips if you don't care about keeping this recipe vegan.

How to make them:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the sugar, shredded coconut, and whole wheat flour in a bowl. 

Add your nondairy milk and a splash of vanilla.

Mix everything together and shape into balls.

Bake on a non-stick cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes, until light brown. Let cool 10 minutes.

Heat up your chocolate chips in a pan and drizzle it over your macaroons, or dip for a neater presentation.

Try not to eat the whole batch. I dare you. 

DIY: Easy $40 Outdoor Fire Pit

In Chicago, I was used to small apartments. While I never lived in a studio, my one bedroom units were still small, typical for the city. And outdoor space? Forget about it— I was lucky if I had a patch of grass in front of my building.

One of of the best things about living in East Nashville is being able to rent a house instead of an apartment. Even better than that is the outdoor space that comes with it. When Megan and I were looking for a place, it was important to both of us that we have a yard— and we got what we asked for, with not one, but two yards. I already posted about building my garden beds, but we didn't just want the yard for practical purposes. We're twenty-something ladies— we need to socialize, damn it. 

A view of our yard — coming together with the new fire pit.

Naturally, a fire pit was on the list of things to make the place feel like home. What better way to enjoy the warm Nashville nights (compared to Chicago, at least) than with a fire? I started browsing local hardware stores, looking for a pre-built pit to add to the back yard, but the prices turned me off. $100 was the lowest I found, and it wasn't much to look at. 

Like most things, a homemade option is better than the store-bought variety in terms of design and function, and we found ourselves at the hardware store once again buying supplies for our newest yard addition.

We spent just $40 and it took less than an hour to build.

Choose your spot. Make sure it's not too close to your house or any shrubs/trees that could catch when it's dry outside.

You'll need 36 blocks. You can find them in the building materials section of the store. We got them for $1.09 each. Don't use cinder blocks, as the heat from the fire makes them crack easily. You can use 48 blocks if you want your pit to be a little higher, but we were happy with just three layers.

Use a shovel to draw a circle about the size of twelve blocks around. Take off the surface layer of grass and soil, and stack 'em up like you'd lay bricks. Not directly on top of one another, but overlapping so the middle of one covers the gap in the layer beneath. 

Clean up the edges with a chisel if you'd like. They'll come right off! Set up your chairs, cut down some firewood, and you're good to go. 

DIY: Simple Raised Garden Beds for $25

My love for gardening has grown over the years as I've learned more about nutrition and where my food comes from. Michael Pollan's 2006 release of The Omnivore's Dilemma was one of what I consider a flagship book for me. A big chunk of the book talks about the author's attempt to raise and/or grow every ingredient necessary for a dinner: he cultures yeast for bread; he grows vegetables and herbs; he picks wild mushrooms; he hunts a wild boar. It was an expose of what really goes into preparing a home-cooked meal, and also made me question what our society considers "food." 

I began gardening with a kitchen window herb garden. It wasn't much, but it allowed me to have a few fresh things to add to my meals, things I knew hadn't been genetically modified or touched by chemicals. Every season, I'd let the plants flower and collect seeds to replant again. Only a few times in the last few years have I bought basil, cilantro, parsley or chives at the store. 

Naturally, that progressed into wanting to grow more of my own food. Since such a huge chunk of my diet is fresh vegetables and because I cook most of my meals, it was inconvenient (and sometimes, pricey) to have to run to the store every other day to restock my produce bin. I decided to venture into vegetable gardening, because it was an inexpensive way to get high yields of quality, organic produce. 

In Chicago, I was able to grow a lot in containers. I sort of had to, considering my apartments never had lots of space. Container gardening is a great way to dabble in growing your own food while in a small space, and it's fairly easy! You can grow lots— peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, mini varieties of nightshade vegetables like eggplant, salad greens— you name it, and it can probably be done. But when Megan and I were looking for houses in Nashville we knew we wanted one with outdoor space. My main reason was to have a garden.

True, it's fall, but it's never too early to get things done, which is why this past weekend, while Scott was visiting I asked for help building raised garden beds.

Initially, I was going to buy two pre-assembled beds. I told Scott my plans. The conversation went something like this:

"I'm going to buy some raised garden beds." - me 

"You're going to buy garden beds?" - Scott

"Uh, yeah." - me

"How much are they?" - Scott

"Like, $120 or something each, I don't know." - me 

"Are you insane?" - Scott

Which is how I found myself en route to Home Depot, aka my favorite store (seriously— Megan and I have been there so many times since we moved that we know a few employees by name) and then in the lumber section, stacking boards on a cart as Scott handed them to me.

I ended up with two 4x4 beds, but for this post I'll be giving you instructions and a material list for just one. I like to grow a variety of veggies and herbs, but if you're just looking to have a few things at your disposal, you don't need a ton of room. Nature is abundant; you'll have more than you need if you're just gardening for you (get ready for your neighbors to be your best friends.) If you have more mouths to feed than just yourself, you may want to consider a bigger plot.

What you'll need:

• 2 2x12 (each cut in half)
• 1 2x4 (cut into 4 pieces)
• sledge hammer
• drill
• wood screws
• tape measure
• wood saw (optional; you can always have the nice fellas at the hardware store cut the boards for you. Usually it isn't more than $0.75 per cut.)

How to do it:

Gather your materials.

Cut your 2x12s in half if you didn't have it done at the store.

Measure your 2x4 into 4 equal pieces, and cut. Then, cut a "V" at the top of each piece (this doesn't have to look pretty— it's going into the ground.) These are your stakes.

Assemble your bed using the 4 pieces you cut from your 2x12. We drilled two wood screws into the top and bottom of each piece, but you can use more if you want extra support.

Drive your stakes into each corner using your sledge hammer, and attach with wood screws.

Pull the weeds out. Because I don't plan to plant anything until next season, Scott suggested I put down cardboard and cinderblocks to kill all the resident weeds and plants in the beds. Nashville is home to a plant called Creeping Charlie, a perennial ground creeper that invades EVERYWHERE. I wanted to nip it out long before sowing season.

That's it! The supplies should cost you about $25, provided you already have basic tools like a hammer and drill. 

Raised beds are beneficial if you're choosing to grow your own food because they provide good drainage and block certain garden pests from destroying your plants. They tend to make weeding easier (and you have to do it less, because it's harder for them to grow.) Your soil won't wash away during heavy rains, and the beds prevent it from compacting. It's so worth it to invest in these and dedicate half a day to building them. Your health will thank you later :)