Hoff's Vegetable Honey Mustard Sauce

Hoff's Vegetable Honey Mustard Sauce
Yields: Enough for 4-6 servings of vegetables
dairy-free, egg-free, oil-free, soy-free, gluten-free

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Honey Mustard
• 1/4 cup Water
• 2 tbsp. Hemp Seeds/Chia Seeds
• 2 tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
• 2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3-4 pitted Dates

Directions:

1. In a Mini Food Processor or NutriBullet, blend ingredients until smooth
2. Check Sauce for consistency and add more Water if necessary

Hoff Thoughts: Use this sauce over Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Asparagus, etc.

Move Over Bread, There's A New Kid In Town

So, I've kinda been on a diet.  I'm not a believer in diets, but I have been giving the McDougall Maximum Weight Loss Program a spin.  It's a modification of the whole-food, plant-based, oil-free diet that I typically follow - basically it eliminates high fat foods.  Since I've been "living it up" with frequent restaurant trips, vegan bakery and fake meat products, my body was crying out for a reprieve. I feel a lot better since being on this program and although it's meant to be used for short durations, I'm surprisingly not feeling deprived at all and am not anxious to stop doing it.

But that's not the purpose of this post.  On the MWL program you don't eat bread among other key things.  So the first thing to go was my weekend breakfast toast.

That was until my boyfriend had an ingenious idea!  On a recent grocery outing he questioned my stocking up on plain rice cakes to which I replied that they were legal on the MWL program and that I had them as an after dinner snack.  He pondered this for the night and come Saturday morning, accompanying our usual weekend hashbrowns, were rice cakes and jelly.  That's when my light bulb finally went off - rice cake toast!  I love it!  It's crunchy just like toast, except I don't have to wait impatiently for the toaster to do it's thing and it's the perfect delivery vessel for my homemade blueberry jam. 

Now the wheels are turning...what else can I do with rice cakes.  Once I end my MWL run, I am definitely putting a little salted avocado on these bad boys, maybe some vegan cheese for an open-faced "grilled cheese," almond butter!  I may never eat bread again!  Ok let's not get crazy.

Check it out!

Snack Attack: Fresh Figs

I love fresh figs! That's why from June to October my go-to snack is 4-8 fresh Figs paired with and 4-5 Brazil Nuts.

Keep it healthy!

8 Habits of Highly Healthy People

Check out this video snack!

Soul :) Smile

Crazy Easy Steamed Asparagus

Crazy Easy Steamed Asparagus
Yields: As much as you want
meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free, oil-free, gluten-free, soy-free

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Asparagus (trimmed)
• Water
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Sea Salt

Directions:

1.  Layer two, three half sheet paper towels on top of each other and spray with Water until well saturated
2. Spread out Asparagus and apply Seasonings liberally
3. Gather Asparagus into a bundle and roll in the towels 
4. Microwave for 3.5 minutes
5. Unroll and enjoy!

Hoff Thoughts: Truth be told, this was not my idea, I lifted it from Alton Brown.  That guy really knows his food stuff.  But it is by far my most preferred way to prepare Asparagus - it's quick, easy & tasty! If you can't tell, I like to use those select-a-size paper towels - 3 squares per layer seems to do the trick.  Basically you just want enough paper towels to wrap around your Asparagus bundle & enough moisture to steam.

A Ripple Can Make A Wave

There is a little park at the end of my street, where kids can play on the swing set and such & boys as well as grown ass men gather to play basketball.  It's the latter that leaves the park covered in trash on a daily basis.  Why anyone would choose to play, work or live in garbage is beyond me.

Whenever I walk by this park I make a point to pick-up any trash along my path and place it in the provided trashcan (yes, there is a trashcan as you exit the park!)  My hope is that the kids/men will see me and get the hint & be inspired...

This past Sunday, the park was in the worst condition I had ever seen.  Determined not to allow the ugly side of mankind mar the beauty of Mother Nature and all that she gives us so freely - the Garbage Chick in me sprang into action & I paused from my daily walk to clean every inch of that park (my park, your park, our park).  It was early morning; no one was around - so no inspiring today I thought.  Until, a friendly wave and a good morning, greeted me on one of my many trips to the trashcan.  Friendly banter ensued around what I was doing, followed by a sincere thank you.  But more so, this stranger was inspired to call his local councilman the next morning and demand a second trashcan be placed in the opposite side of the park.

Just when you think one person can't make a difference with a simple, small act...a wave starts to form.  That wave led to a second trashcan...who knows what else...

Do it for yourself...
Do it for others...
Do it for the animals...
Do it for the planet...

It doesn't matter why you do it, just be the change you want to see in the world.

Keep it healthy!