Not all of us can afford to BBQ.

4th of July this year is the same weekend I move into my new home. It’s gonna be busy and exciting. So the question bugging me today (& again) is what in the hell am I cooking?

I love mishaps that work out. You forget an ingredient in a recipe, but you don’t want food to go to waste, so you use it for something else, hoping it works. Voila. It does. Yippie. Mini victory celebration.

Mini victory celebration for YOU too. I’ve listed the prices of my local grocery store here in Boise, Idaho. For the produce only. To help give you a breakdown of how it feeds me and Jake and for how much. Plant-based is possible and affordable. After all, just because it’s the 4th of July, doesn’t mean we can all afford a BBQ.

Since it’s so busy, let’s get started right away.

Caesar Salad w/Beets

5 Servings (2 dinners  for us & 1 lunch)

2 Romaine Lettuce - $1.98
2 sets of Beets (1 set of 3 if beets are large) - $4.98
½ Red Onion - $0.39 (for the half)
Gorgonzola - $5.99* (leave out if vegan or plant-based)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Red Chili Pepper Flakes**
Salt**
Pepper**

*Optional: If desiring a true plant-based meal, leave the cheese out.
** Apply according to your taste.

1. Peel beets & chop into bite sized pieces

2. Boil for 30-40 min, until soft (you may roast them as well)

3. Toss with olive oil, red chili pepper flakes, salt & pepper. Let cool.

4. Chop or tear romaine into bite sized pieces

5. Chop red onion into bite sized pieces

6. Add gorgonzola, red onion & beets to chopped romaine

7. Add Caesar dressing and toss.

8. ENJOY! You’re done!

Need more for your salad? Get a tasty and healthy grain bread to accompany your creation.

Hope you enjoy the extra free time! Happy 4th of July!

Love,
Waffle
Ps. Send to anyone who needs a twist on a classic, a craving for healthy food AND free time! We’re all busy. This is an easy winner for me.
Pss. Believe it or not, this cost us (rounded UP) $14 total. With 5 servings that’s only $2.80 per serving. How’s that for eating plant-based. (Technically, it’s $1.60 per serving if it’s100% plant-based. That’s a steal.)

Thank you @Sarah Arista for your beautiful photo on @Unsplash

Are you out of time & trying to eat healthy?

Everyone I’ve encountered has a food story. Full of challenges, hardships & joy. Currently my challenge is I’m cooking on a hot plate. But this ‘story’ started much earlier.

I love cooking. The sound of the oils spewing through the air when I squeeze a lemon. The smell, omg, the aroooma. Of sautéing onions and garlic. Hits us right in the nose and reminds our stomachs how hungry we are.

There was a problem though. I didn't cook well and I was now curious about why I kept getting sick at such a young age. Desperate and tired of doctor appointments I went way out of my comfort zone. I saw a homeopathic doctor. My "prescription" was eat less gluten and do a detox style of yoga (like hot yoga). Since this was before gluten-free everything, I found my story one soda, one fast-food joint, one plate lunch, one processed snack at a time.

My food journey started with poached eggs and Jimmy Dean sausages. Several boring and starving months later, I felt like I was gonna have a heart attack before I was 30. Since then, I've been searching for wholesome TASTY food in a very slow fashion. Like I said, one thing at a time.

Things didn’t change dramatically until I found myself back home on Kauai. We pondered if we should go veggie cause meat and dairy there requires payment of at least 1 arm & 1 leg... even at CostCo.  I had to change the whole way I cooked. If it didn't taste good, I would snob it away like most 1st world problems. Yummy plant based diet food? Does that exist?

Shit. How do I do this? I have one hot plate in our 176 squarefoot "home" (at my parents office). And one hot plate and a toaster oven in the office kitchen we share with the employees.

I thought THAT was hard. At least it had a sink. Wanting a better quality of life, we're now living in my boyfriends parents basement. With only one burner & a blender. Yes, I could share his parents kitchen. But what occurred to me on Kauai, was how many people live like this. With kids even.

So again, it's a legit question. How does one feed their family healthy wholesome food with one burner & one blender? Where are the delicious plant based diet recipes? It’s important to encourage ourselves and our families by eating as healthy as possible.

Every now & then, on Taste.Every.Morsel. I'll share with you my favorite recipes. Especially easy plant-based diet recipes anyone can do… with one burner and one blender and an occasional toaster oven. I'll include any tips or revisions I've made. (My boyfriend tends to eat like he's Dan Aykroyd in Coneheads.) If you haven’t signed up for Taste.Every.Morsel., you should. It’s gonna be fun.

For now, I'll leave you with one of our favorite staples: Miso Mushrooms!!!

If all you have is a hot plate, use the Waffle Version:
Although Heather Crosby’s recipe is for a wrap, we really enjoy the mushrooms in our salad. Here’s Waffle’s recipe using the same Miso Mushrooms.

4 large Portobello mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced into 1″ wide lengths

Mushroom Marinade:
2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp coconut aminos
1/4 t liquid smoke
2 tbsp miso

Salad Ingredients:
Marinated Mushrooms
1 Head of Romaine Lettuce, chopped
¼ Red Onion, sliced
1 can Garbanzo Beans, drained & rinsed
(Use dried & soaked chickpeas if possible. But if you live like me, can it.)
Balsamic dressing of your choice
(Make yourself if possible.)
Feta (optional)

1.) Mix all the marinade ingredients together. (See Waffle Tip#1)
2.) Soak sliced Portobello mushrooms with marinade overnight.
3.) Saute Mushroom with oil of your choice. I used Coconut Oil.
4.) Mix the remaining ingredients in a large salad bowl. DELICIOUS! (and DONE!)

Waffle Tip #1: Because our fridge was also a mini fridge, we soaked our mushrooms in a gallon sized plastic bag. If you feel like you don’t have room to line up your mushrooms in a single row, try this. Dump the ingredients for the marinade in the bag. Seal the bag. Massage the bag till the ingredients are mixed. Add the mushrooms. Toss the bag in the fridge and let it soak overnight.

Waffle Tip #2: We use the Mushroom Marinade on crimini’s as well.

Waffle Tips #3: Don’t stop at a salad. Get creative. Where else can you add these mushrooms? A quiche? Breakfast scramble? Sandwiches? On top your veggie burger?

Waffle Tip #4: Sometimes we soak mushrooms for a last minute meal. We’re not sure when we’ll eat them since those crazy days never come announced. But they are ready for us when we need them most.

Waffle Tip #5: Yes, I used double the mushrooms in the same amount of marinade. It still tastes great and gives me the bulk I need to keep Jake full.

If you have a full kitchen, I recommend Heather Crosbys (YumUniverse.com) version:

Ingredients:
Two large Portobello mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced into 1″ wide lengths
Gluten-free brown rice tortillas
Roasted Garlic & Lemon Aioli
Unrefined, virgin coconut oil (optional)
Greens like kale or mixed spring greens
1 cup soaked, cooked quinoa (optional, start with 1/3 cup dry/soaked)

Mushroom Marinade:
2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp coconut aminos
1/4 t liquid smoke
2 tbsp miso
2 tbsp olive oil

Whisk together marinade in a small bowl and transfer to glass baking dish.

Place sliced Portobellos into your marinade and place in the fridge for 8-12 hours (covered or uncovered, your choice).

Heat skillet to medium and add a dollop of coconut oil (or use veggie stock). Add marinated mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Flip and sauté other side for 5 minutes.

While sautéing, steam tortillas for 1-3 minutes until soft. Lay on a plate and spread on some aioli.

Add cooked mushrooms, greens and quinoa if using.

For more tips, options & the recipe for Roasted Garlic & Lemon Aioli, click here to visit yumuniverse.com. Heather Crosby is amazing and her food is delicious.

Now leave me a comment below. I’d love to know how you like the mushrooms and what creative way you’ll be using them.

Happy Health Day,
Waffle