Orange Pumpkin time.  This vegetable is a member of the squash family and weighs @ 40 pounds. Insane.  My husband thought it was a keeper and brought it home.  

The sweeter pumpkins are actually the squatter ones.  It is fairly simple to prepare to eat.  Cut the squash with a strong and sharp knife into large pieces.  Scrape the seeds out and rinse in a colander.  Be sure to dislodge all the stringy strands away from the seeds.  Toss the seeds with some olive oil, spices of your choice and salt.  Spread evenly and thinly onto a cookie sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes at low heat, @ 250 or until crunchy and golden.  This is a great snack and keeps well.  

The squash meat can be boiled or steamed until tender.  Then, when cool, remove the skin and use in all of your fall recipes.  You can even freeze it for @ one month.  

Try pumpkin ice cream or custard.  Pumpkin bread or pie.  Replace 1/2 mashed potato recipe with smashed pumpkin.  Add to soups or whir in blender with veggie broth for a sublime, creamy, hearty soup.  Use your imagination!

So after over indulging all weekend (see cookie fiasco – yesterday’s post), eating non-vegan pizza and non-vegan ice cream Saturday night and gaining a little weight back, I decided it was time to clean out my body and reset or reboot it.

So I had an organic Spirulina Fruit Shake this morning and organic quinoa, sweet potato, celery, greens, zucchini and onion for lunch.  Lots of filtered water, organic herbal teas and maybe an organic mango later.

Spirulina is a type of algae and 1 tsp. purportedly has the benefit of 5 servings of fruits/veggies.  It does not substitute for eating 5 fiber rich, nutrient dense plant foods but it is high in complete protein, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, chlorophyll (it stains very green), phytonutrients, elements and powerful antioxidants.

According to research, spirulina and most blue green algae from non-toxic water environments, improve the immune system, the body’s performance and endurance, it eliminates metals and toxins while also thinning blood, breaking down blood clots and preventing atherosclerosis.

In this homemade detox shake I used frozen organic mixed berries and some frozen banana I had peeled and thrown in the freezer last week when the fruit seemed too overripe to eat comfortably.  Mashed, overripe bananas work well in vegan pancake and baking recipes, also.   Strawberries are an especially helpful berry because they contain ellagic acid which also neutralizes toxins.  The banana and lemon juice cleanse the digestive tract. No need for ice cubes when you use frozen fruit.  Try freezing coconut water in an ice cube tray and adding coconut water ice cubes to your shakes instead of plain water for flavor variety.  You can do this with watermelon juice, or any other flavored water with juice.

I used:

2 cups frozen organic mixed berries

1 frozen organic banana, cut previously in pieces

1 tsp. raw organic spirulina powder

1 cup water

stevia to taste

2 Tbs. fresh organic lemon juice

Chop and liquefy in blender and serve with a fun straw!

It is the middle of the summer.  Grilling is so popular this time of year so I thought about what could a vegan grill on an outdoor fire?  When we barbecued on the Fourth of July, we kept one side of the grill just for vegan fare so as not to contaminate.  That is something to keep in mind.

Simple Ideas that would work as sides for omnivores as well are the ‘obvious’ corn on the cob.  At the fair, we had seasoned grilled corn kernels in a cup, hot off the grill and expertly shaved off the cob.  This kept the kernel skins from sticking to my teeth that occurs when you are chomping on a cob.  It is a terrific way to serve corn.  The corn ‘milk’ is naturally released, so by adding chili powder, spices, salt and lime juice created a tangy sauce that married well with the crunch and sweetness of the yellow grain.

Another clear cut option is vegan burgers, whether store bought or homemade.  There are some excellent recipes on the internet and frozen patties abound on the market (just make sure they are vegan, not vegetarian with added eggs or cheese).

A good ole baked potato or sweet potato on the grill is always a delight.  I like my baked potato topped with salsa or pico de gallo.  Chopped Green onions, vegan sour cream and vegan butter is also delicious.  I enjoy a baked sweet potato with cinnamon, salt and a little olive or even coconut oil. Yummy.

More inventive, inspired fare would include veggie pizzas or flatbreads, pesto portablello mushrooms, veggie kebobs with peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, cremini or button mushrooms and red or sweet onions.  No one ever thinks of it but how about fruit kebobs with peaches, plums, grapes and pineapple?  Grilled fruit can take on an exotic flair with some tamari, jam and sesame oil brushed before it hits the rack or rub some coconut oil on and make it effortless.  Pre-packaged,  marinated tempeh would heat up rather quickly and well on your flaming grill too.

You can get creative and if you have time and the inclination, you can make vegan sausages by making your own seitan as my daughter did, adding fennel and bavarian spices to make it truly taste authentic.

The joy of cooking outdoors is part of this season’s pleasures and keeping it simple and out of the kitchen makes it comfortable.  Celebrate July and August with healthy vegan eats and you can retain your bathing beauty looks.