GRAPES, BEAUTIFUL GRAPES! Maybe it’s just this batch I bought today. I. DON’T. KNOW. But, MAN, I’m addicted now. And, THANK GRAPES, these grapes totally got me through this evening without noshing like I usually do AS SOON AS the kids are FINALLY in bed (and what a time I had tonight trying get them to bed — INSANITY).

Anyway, there’s a little twist to this treat….

As soon as I brought these delicious, bulbous, juicy orbs of SWEETNESS home from the grocery store, I washed them, placed a bunch of them in two ziploc bags and threw ‘em in the FREEZER. About 9 hours later, here I am. Mmmmmmmm. Just popped one in my mouth, and it was DEELISH.

Best part of all? No guilt.

FROZEN GRAPES, Gorgeouses. Try it. You will love it. And, your body will thank you.

I’m working on the whole vegan thing. But, I’m SICK as a dog right now, and, OF COURSE, my mom’s attributing my mysterious (NO ONE is sick right now) sickness to my veganism…. But, I PERSEVERE.

In the meantime, a you know, I cook ORGANIC poultry dishes for my monkeys — one of whom is a VERY. PICKY. EATER. So, the fact that she ate THIS dish I made the other night speaks volumes. AND, by the way, the hubs LOVED it….

Check it!

MOROCCAN CHICKEN COUSCOUS

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4):

1/2 cup couscous
1 tbs unsalted butter (optional)
1 tbs olive oil
1 small onion (finely chopped)
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
2 peaches/nectarines (diced, peeled)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 tsp cumin
1 pinch of ground coriander
1 handful of sliced almonds (toasted, for added umph)
1 small handful raisins (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place couscous in a heat-safe bowl and pour boiling water over it until it’s just covered.
2. Cover couscous and let stand for 8-10 minutes, or until all the water’s absorbed.
3. Mix in the butter (if using), and fluff up the couscous with a fork.
4. MEANWHILE, heat half the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion, stirring occasionally until softened.
5. Add the remaining oil, the chicken and the garlic and cook the chicken completely — until it’s cooked through and tender.
6. Add spices and cook for another minute or so.
7. Gently mix in the couscous, peach, almonds and raisins (if using), and heat through — stirring occasionally.

Serve with a gorj green salad, and you’re good to go!

Don’t forget to give thanks for the meal, to the chicken…. And, ENJOY!

Recipe adapted from Wholesome Meals for Babies and Toddlers: Healthy Food Your Kids Will Love to Eat, p. 102.

As I get closer and closer to vegan status, I’m finding myself buying all sorts of great vegetarian/vegan cookbooks (COUGHsupportmybookbuyinghabit HERE!COUGH…). My latest find is Edith Rothschild’s Nutrilicious.

This book is ADORABLE. It’s written by Jewish GREAT-GRANDMOTHER. And, even though it calls itself “Kosher,” it’s great for everyone. I mean, I’m not even Kosher, and I LOVE it. It’s seriously PACKED with great information and health tips — and some THUPER sweet poems! And, for you non-vegans out there who would like to incorporate more vegetarian meals into their week (please do!), the book does include a few (free-range!) egg and fish recipes.

The recipes I’ve tried so far have been delish — not only for me, but for my non-veg hubby and kids. Here are two of them that we’ve totally enjoyed.

SUMMER SALAD SUPREME (p. 78)

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2):

2 cups shredded packed romaine lettuce
1 large orange or 2 tangerines, peeled and chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 small grapefruit, peeled and chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp NUTTY-EDITH CRUNCH (this is another great recipe on p. 181 of the book, but I just ground raw almonds and walnuts together in a coffee grinder, and it was WICKED ‘LICIOUS! A kind of paste formed that mixed GORGEOUSLY with the oil and lemon juice….. If you don’t want to do it my way, the author suggests that you use sunflower seeds if you don’t feel like making the NUTTY-EDITH CRUNCH)
1 - 2 tsp flaxseed oil
A small handful of organic golden raisins or dried organic cranberries.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all the ingredients in medium bowl, toss well, and ENJOY!

BENEFITS (qtd. directly from book):

What’s supreme about this salad? It’s as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot summer day. I eat it all year ’round, whenever I need a light lunch and some vitamin C. Whenever we combine fruit with salad greens, we slow down the absorption of sugars from the fruit into our bodies. This enables us to keep our energy level up longer and prevents us from getting hungry again too soon.

JOKE (qtd. directly from book): “If life hands you a lemon, squeeze it into your salads.”

QUICK APPLE TREAT (p. 224)

INGREDIENTS (Serves 1):

1 medium sweet apple (I might even add some cheaty little blueberries or raisins to this!)
2 tbsp sugar-free jam or organic apple butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Peel the apple, cut it into 8 or more wedges, and discard core.
2. Place the jam or apple butter in a medium-sized skillet and heat at Medium-High, until bubbly.
3. Stir in the apple slices, turn heat down to LOW, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, turning the apples over once.
4. ENJOY!

BENEFITS (qtd. directly from book):

This takes much less time than making applesauce, baked apples or apple pie and quickly fills a sweet tooth.

Avoid Six White Foods!!!!!
White sugar, White Flour, White Rice, White Chocolate, Salt and Milk.

Cheaty HIGHLY recommends this cookbook if not only because it’s singlehandedly brought me back to WHOLE FOOD — in the real sense of the term. It’s made my kitchen a warm and exciting place to cook in again.