21 Comments

One fun thing to do is add a handful of black rice to a pot of white rice. Your rice will come out a vibrant purple. :)

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Ooo wee that sounds pretty.

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Your dishes always look so colorful and inviting! I'm not much of a cook, but I do have a delicious and easy banana pancake recipe. Speaking of dancing in the kitchen, this recipe is from one of the dancers at NYCB.

Mix ingredients in a bowl (rather than a blender)

1 banana

3 tbs. flour (I like oat or almond flour)

1 egg

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

Pour batter in pan with butter & wait for surface to bubble. Flip pancakes & cook about 2-3 minutes. I usually top it with plain Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and blueberries but you can use any of your favorites.

Hope you, Hayes and JH enjoy this recipe!

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Thank you.

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I have that cookbook! I haven't used it much, but as fall starts rolling in, I plan to use it a lot more. I love hearty fall veggie dishes. (And the couple recipes I have tried were really good.)

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We’ll have to compare notes.

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I love cooking. I went to a top culinary school so I can cook when I put my mind to it. My mother was from deep, as far back woods south Georgia a one can get. When we visited the Georgia kinfolk, every meal was a feast. All the womenfolk pitched in (as long as nobody stepped on my grandma's toes), so to speak. Food was from the farm. "Where's old bessie?" Well she's those chicken fried steak we had last night. They had a big garden and my grandaddy plowed it with a mule- "blue". Vegetables from the garden. Wild game from traps. Anyway it brought out the love of food. Early August here on Michigan brings the best sweet corn on earth. Tomatoes bring blts until I'm sick of eating them. We also have awesome peaches for about 3 days, cherries too. I'm rambling. As always, I love you❤

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Kenny, I had no idea! You are a Renaissance man.

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Thank you. I couldn't hang in a professional kitchen. That work is way too hard. But I like to eat. But one thing I can't do is put together avacado salads like in your picture. Or some of the things that you've posted that look really nice. I'm good at stews and braises that are pretty great but those finer touches like I've seen you post are not in my realm. Thanks for the response. You're special

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Ooooh I love the sound of the black rice! I have some autoimmune tendencies myself and have been trying to cut back on gluten….the trouble with that is that I recently moved across the country to be with my 84 year old mother who still makes her own bread! Her breadpower is stronger than my willpower. But we could both use more and varied veggies and grains. That’s an autumn goal for me. (I haven’t told mom yet :)

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Well, sometimes you need to eat your Mama’s bread. I would if I could!

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Looks yummy! I’m coming over! 🤣☺️🌹

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I make a lot of vegetarian recipes from Mollie Katzen’s early books. They are still wonderful after all these years. I also do a lot of Indian cooking. I especially love aloo gobi:

https://www.today.com/recipes/indian-braised-cauliflower-potatoes-aloo-gobi-t33226

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Thank you.

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I relate to you. Since January 2020, I strive to eat plant-based. However, I allow myself to occasionally indulge in my favorite Armenian foods like dolma (grape leaves stuffed with ground beef) or soubereg (homemade egg noodles layered with oodles of cheese and parsley). Occasionally eating and cooking Armenian food ties me to my family and ancestors. I find great plant-based recipes on Pinterest.

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Lovely article. I have been a vegetarian for about 4 years. I have a full blown aversion to any meat and I cannot fathom the thought of eating animal. I am not a vegan but I do choose my eggs carefully as they must have a free range and healthy diet. 🦋

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Yum! My family eats a predominantly plant-based diet. My go-to for recipes is https://www.delishknowledge.com/.

I’ve yet to make a dish from her site that wasn’t amazing. Her avocado chickpea salad and chickpea salad have been go-to options this summer.

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Thank you.

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Allison, I stopped eating animals several years ago. I still eat fish and seafood. I'm a Baby Boomer. I've never regretted it. Another good cookbook is Mississippi Vegan.

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Good morning, Allison! Your breakfast sounds and looks delicious! I've never had black rice but have been wanting to try it. I've been plant-based/vegan for almost 3 years after watching the "Forks Over Knives" documentary. (I have Fibromyalgia and like you said, plant-based helps so much with inflammation.) Here are some of my favorite recipes:

Vegan Breakfast Casserole: https://www.veggiessavetheday.com/tofu-scramble-tater-tot-casserole-2/

The Best Vegan Cornbread: https://www.noracooks.com/the-best-vegan-cornbread/ (I lived in Spartanburg, SC for 16 years and know a thing or two about cornbread. This one is THE BEST. :)

Best Portobello Mushroom Burger: https://eatplant-based.com/portobello-mushroom-burgers/

Best Veggie Burger Recipe (Vegan & Grillable): https://www.noracooks.com/the-best-black-bean-veggie-burger/#wprm-recipe-container-1604

Roasted Tomato & Mushroom Pasta: https://www.cookincanuck.com/roasted-tomato-mushroom-pasta-recipe/

Vegan Truffle Ricotta and Mushroom Lasagna Roll-Ups: https://www.rabbitandwolves.com/vegan-truffle-ricotta-and-mushroom-lasagna-roll-ups/ (This one takes a bit of work but is sooo worth it. A friend made it for her son (who hates mushrooms) and he loves it and asks for it all the time now!)

Tortillas Enchilada Casserole with Ranch Dressing (Vegan): https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/tortillas-enchilada-casserole-vegan/

Southwest Chipotle Tostadas: https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-baked-stuffed/southwest-chipotle-mini-vegan-pizzas/

Veggie Fajitas: https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-burgers-wraps/veggie-fajitas/

“No-Tuna” Salad Sandwich: https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-no-tuna-salad-sandwich/

Vegan Tzatziki Pasta Salad: https://www.rabbitandwolves.com/tzatziki-pasta-salad-vegan/

General Tso's Tofu: https://simpleveganblog.com/general-tsos-tofu/

Garlic Miso and Onion Soup: https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/garlic-miso-and-onion-soup-vegan/

Peanut Butter Granola Bars: https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/peanut-butter-granola-bars/

Have a great day!

Patty Ann

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I'm a lucky gal... my hubby (of almost 40 years!) is a wonderful cook and he loves grocery shopping and cooking. I'm intimidated by all things in the kitchen (long childhood drama kind of story). But we both recently decided to try being vegetarian and I've decided that 60 is NOT too old to learn to cook a little. So I'm having fun with the air fryer right now trying to find ways to use all the zucchini from our garden that are overtaking our kitchen. I don't want to cook too much or my chef will get lazy. And if he gets lazy in the kitchen, I've threatened to send HIM out to do the lawn work and house maintenance stuff that I do (we just by nature reversed many of the societal 'normal' roles). But I'm starting to feel a lot more comfortable in that room that always gave me anxiety. BTW, I'm really digging your posts; I'm a newbie here although I've been a fan of your music for a long time. Brightest blessings to you and your sweet family!

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