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Curly Kale + Tandoori Chickpea Salad (and a lecture on massaging the Queen)
Do you enjoy a really good massage? If you answered yes, you know how revitalizing a massage can be. Relaxing yet invigorating; a bit painful at times but always worth all the tissue manipulation. Right? Now apply these same principles to your kale. No, I am not kidding. You are going to give your kale a massage. Massaging your kale will break down her cellulose or woodiness. Kale is the Queen of Greens, after all. She deserves it! You know why? She is the OG of superfood cred. For the price of a 2 minute massage, she has a lot to offer in return: 5 grams of fiber per…
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Sticky Sweet + Spicy Asian (v) Meatballs
I am a cheater. There. I said it. I’m not gonna lie—I don’t really feel too bad about it. In fact, I think you’ll want to be a cheater, too. Here’s how it happened. We found out last minute that another couple was coming to our Super Bowl Puppy Bowl Party, and I wanted to make ABSOLUTELY sure I had enough food for everyone. One of my big hang-ups is running out of food. We are a very food-oriented family, so I have nightmares about such things. I made an impromptu decision to throw some things together, and am actually proud of how good of a cheater I am! By…
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Ultimate Spicy Vegan Slow-Cooker Chili
This vegan chili is so kick-ass it could convert carnivores to a plant-based diet. No joke. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. It is so healthy + hearty they won’t miss the meat! This upcoming weekend hosts a clash of colossal titans, and you need a game plan. Here’s how it is going down: You’re going to make this delicios vegan chili for weekend dinner. Then you’ll pour some of it over chips to make these Ultimate Fully Loaded nachos for The Big Game. Next you’re going to slather the chili on baked potatoes for Monday’s family friendly meal. Put the rest in the freezer for dinner on the…
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Ultimate Fully Loaded Vegan Nachos
What is game day without nachos? I mean, have you ever been to a sports bar that did not have nachos of some fashion on the menu? Am I right? Nachos are the classic quintessential crowd pleaser, but this time there is a healthy twist: these are vegan! Vegan nachos? Not very Y-chromosome, my burly friends say. But curiously enough the nachos somehow disappear. Hmmm. It’s the Mystery of the Disappearing Nachos. Just because they are vegan does not mean they are not drool-worthy! Yep. These spicy vegetable-laden chili slathered chips have converted even the most stalwart of carnivores. This is your opportunity to be creative, to think outside the…
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Spicy Chipotle Pumpkin Chili
It is obvious Americans love chili. Cowboy Will Rogers referred to chili as a “bowl of blessedness.” Heck, Texas has even declared chili to be its state food. Our past is peppered with chili parlors; our calendars penciled in with National Chili Day (the 4th Thursday in February). We attend chili festivals by the droves and some of us are steadfast members of chili appreciation societies. Those among us who are regarded as chili deity have been ordained Famous Chili Queens. But why is our passion so fiery, almost borderline mania? Do we love it because it is the harbinger of cooler weather? Is it because we associate it with friends in…
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Blistered Olives
I often catch The Man around here with his hand in the olive jar. He is wild about olives! If you ask him, he’ll tell you they are a gift from the gods. Many people might agree with him. Especially olive farmers. Olives are handled with such care that they are gently caught in nets to keep them off the ground. (If an olive touches the ground, it no longer qualifies for virgin olive oil.) While my favorite is oil-cured black olives, his love for the fruit has no bounds. We have about 10 jars in the fridge. No kidding. He is more than happy with a bowl of olives…
