"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food" -Hippocrates

This quote is so amazing and I whole heartedly believe in it.  Food is not something that we should mindlessly consume to satiate our hunger, it is so much more!  Food is an experience. It has the power to heal, love, create and gratify. Food is fun! Putting whole healthy food into my body is very important to me so I try to stay away from processed junk and stick to the good stuff:)  I love to learn about new foods and new techniques that make cooking even more interesting and enjoyable.  Don't get me wrong, sometimes it is so hard, and sometimes I curse. But it is worth it. The feeling after eating a healthy, homemade meal is so satisfying to the mind, body and soul:)

A few weeks ago my husband Graham surprised me with some new vegan recipe books. I was so giddy with excitement! We dove into these recipes making orange glazed beets, sauteed green beans with mushrooms, carrot bisque, bbq tofu, chickpea-quinoa pilaf...the list goes on. Have I mentioned how much I love quinoa? For those of you who don't know what this is let me just tell you how it rocks my world.

Quinoa: Pronounced "keen-wah," is a complete protein first cultivated by the Incas for hundreds of years, but have no fear because you can easily purchase it at your local grocery store. I like to buy it in the bulk at Costco. Quinoa comes in red and brown varieties and has a slightly bitter, nutty taste. I like to use it as my base and add things to it because it absorbs flavors great. Try it you will love it!

My favorite recipe so far has been Seitan and Herb Stuffed Mushrooms I found from the recipe book Vegan Vengeance, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. This recipe is seriously delightful I decided to share!

makes 30 large mushrooms
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 c. walnuts or pecans
• 30 large (about 2 inches in diameter) white mushrooms (about 1 1/2 lbs) wiped clean
• 1/2 c. seitan, diced as small as possible
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• fresh black pepper
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• juice of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Toast the nuts:  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Place the nuts in the pan and toast for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Chop coarsely and set aside.
3. Remove stems from the mushrooms and set stems aside.
4. Place mushroom caps in a lightly greased baking pan, stem side down.  Bake for 10 min.
5. When cool enough, drain the liquid  released from the mushrooms.  KEEP the LIQUID.
6. Finely chop the mushroom stems.
7. Saute the stems and seitan in olive oil in a large skillet for about 5 minutes.
8. Add the onion, garlic, dried spices, salt and pepper.  Saute additional 5 minutes.
9. Add parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice and mix well.  Cook for 3 more minutes.
10. In a large bowl, combind the vegetable mixture, bread crumbs and nuts.  Use hands.
11. If mixture is too dry, add the reserved mushroom cooking liquid by the tablespoonful until the mixture holds together when pinched. 
12. Mound the filling into the mushroom caps, gently pressing it in.  
13. Bake, filling side up, for about 20 minutes
14. Enjoy!!