Cowboy Beans (non-vegan)

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Hubs Favoritecowboybeans

My husband and I don’t really agree on food.  We both love food but as the years have passed . . . I eat fruits and veggies and he tries to avoid them.  So what’s a girl to do?

Make the Best Choice

The hardest part of being a vegan mom is cooking for those that I love.  They don’t embrace my compassionate eating style.  I’m ok with that.  I am respectful of the choices that they make BUT I still need to reconcile the fact that I buy meat and cook it for them.  

Cowboy Beans

Cowboy beans are one of my husbands favorite meals.  It isn’t really a meal in my opinion but his Mom made this recipe and it serves as his own kind of comfort food.  I indulge.  I buy organic ingredients.  I cringe.  But above all else, I make it with love. 

Why?

It is his meal not mine.  It is his comfort food not mine.  It reminds him of his Mom.  I can’t possibly take that away from him.  I took a vow of honor and that extends to food.  

[Tweet “At Renee’s Kitchen we cook with honor and respect for our loved ones and the environment!”]

[yumprint-recipe id=’12’] For this recipe I used organic celery, organic onions and local ground beef.  I may not save the world with this recipe but some days you just need to do your best and call it a good day!cowboybeanrecipe

Eat L.O.V.E.,

Renee

#1 Soup Secret Revealed

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Do you want my secret for a great soup?

I love soup but have never been able to really figure out how to make it the same way they do in my favorite restaurants.  While I worked at Robby’s at the Icehouse in Ann Arbor, maybe 25 years ago?, Chef Dan took me aside and showed me his secrets.  I felt honored.  What I didn’t realize at the time is how much I would love creating soups.   

awesome soup!Making the perfect bowl of soup can be tricky.

But no worries!  I have taken the guess-work out of the perfect bowl of soup.  Today this video shows you exactly how I make a wonderful vegan soup base that reminds me of a great chicken soup.  I named the video “Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup”.

 

 In this video I added caraway seeds, parsley, herbs de Provence and celery seed for the “chicken” flavor.  When I create my India flavors I use a Marsala mix from the specialty store and my tex mex blends for my black bean soup include chili power, dried peppers, adobo seasoning, lime peels to name a few.  

[Tweet “”Only the pure of heart can make good soup” Beethoven”]

Looking for more inspiration?

I invite you to check out my YouTube channel where I have several more teaching videos.  Coming up are how to cut and avocado and making the perfect oatmeal.

L.O.V.E.,

Renee

Onion Gravy? Seriously?

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 Being vegan has it’s challenges.  I’m not gonna lie–I love mashed potatoes with gravy.  I could just buy a jar of savory beef gravy in the store–or I could have gravy without eating the flesh of an animal.  Then I started thinking, just thinking, thinking while probably eating bacon . . . about what I was going to eat or not going to eat.  

I decided that I for me I wanted to try to not eat any animal products.  But what about gravy?  I can’t just eat naked mashed potatoes!  Luckily for me my food convictions come with a huge dose of creativity!

Onion Gravy.  Yup.  Gravy made with onions.  And it is awesome, not oniony and has a great “mouth feel”.

[yumprint-recipe id=’6′]IMG_4388

 

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I would love to know if your curiosity has challenged you to whip up some onion gravy!   Let me know in the comments below.

Oh wait, I almost forgot–if you need a vegan mashed potato recipe to go with your onion gravy?  Check out this recipe.  Or maybe you need a stuffing recipe?  I’ve got you covered!

Be Blessed.

L.O.V.E.,

Renee