GardenDish.com

Interested in selling your homemade whole, plant-based food? Here's an interesting article to help you navigate your state's laws.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/food-policy/cottage-food-laws-zmgz15djzsto.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=01.13.16%20MEN%20SLCS%20eNews&utm_term=SLCS%20eNews

Find the Cottage Food Laws for Your State Forrager is a new website to help you find your area’s cottage food laws, which regulate the sales of food that’s been processed in a home kitchen.

FOK Meal Delivery review - Day 1 Dinner. For dinner I selected the Fresh Mushroom and Green Pea Risotto which came with a side of steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. I also selected the Savory Tomato and Red Pepper Soup as a starter. The soup is likely low in calories, judging from the ingredients, so I thought it would make a nice, low-cal, but nutrient-rich start to the meal. The soup was very flavorful, we (hubby and I) could really taste the red pepper. The Mushroom Risotto was very delicious, creamy (there are cashews in it), and lots of mushrooms. Very good! And the broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower that came with it were no slouches. They were beautiful and perfecly cooked, so heating in the microwave just brought them up to a nice warm temp without over cooking. I think it's important to note that the veggies, which are so often an afterthought in prepared or frozen meals, didn't have the appearance of mass-chopped or frozen veggies, they looked pretty, and tasted fresh. As good as I've gotten at any restaurant - actually better than most.

So at the end of Day 1, I was very pleased with the quality of these meals. Lunch and Dinner were delicious, the appearance of each dish, once plated on our everyday dinnerware was really top-notch - high-end restaurant quality, I would say. We didn't eat out of the containers they came in, but you could heat and eat them from their recyclable packaging if you preferred, which makes them easy to take to work.

Hubby and I split this meal and we each had a slice of home-made bread to go with the soup - which of course defeated the purpose of starting with a low-cal item, but they was so good together!

FOK Meal Delivery review - Day 1 Lunch. First of all, the packaging of the food was excellent. Everything arrived undamaged, and chilled. There were clear instructions in the box, stating to refrigerate everything immediately upon delivery, so into the fridge went all the individual meals. Every meal is labeled, including the ingredients (helpful if there's something in there you or a family member might not like), cooking instructions, and any other meal items from the shipment that are supposed to go with it, if any.

For lunch, I chose the Dee's Best Tortilla Soup with Brown Rice (packaged in two separate containers). I combined the two in a microwave-safe soup bowl and cooked on High for about 3 minutes, and split it between hubby and me. I thought it was delicious, so did he. It was a llittle spicy for us, but the flavor was really good. It definitely tasted fresh, not like processed or manufactured food. Next time, I'll add some pinto beans to increase the fiber and heartiness. Really, I thought it was very good, but beans are an important part of my family's diet and I miss them if I don't have them. Oddly, I'm not sure where the tortillas were in the tortilla soup, unless they were blended in. The only visible ingredient in the soup, other than the tomato base, was green peas.

We also tried the Rye Berry Salad with Chickpeas and Beets. I enjoyed this one too. I put it into a corn tortilla and ate it as a wrap. Delicious. The beets are very significant in the flavor, so if you don't like beets, you probably won't like this one. In our case, more for me. :-)

Our first shipment of the Forks Over Knives meals http://www.forksoverknives.com/forksfreshmeals/ arrived just moments ago. We ordered a week's worth of meals and will be reporting back to our monthly support group Club Veg http://www.gardendish.com/upcoming-events/. There are a few folks in the group who don't care to, or aren't able to cook, and a service of freshly prepared, whole plant-based meals would be a big help to them. I'll report back throughout the week as hubby and I sample each meal.

Forks Over Knives | Forks Fresh Meals Plant-based, low-fat, and made of fresh, whole food, our chef-created menu varies based on what is in-season and delicious.

This Super Salad, with the flavors and textures of navy beans, sweet apple, and fresh basil, isn’t just a collection of leafy greens – it’s a meal! It’s a big, bountiful, satisfying meal that brings the spectrum of whole, plant-based foods to your plate in one, appetizingly beautiful dish. We’re talking legumes, whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and finally, lettuce. That’s why we call it a Super Salad.

http://www.gardendish.com/super-salad-navy-apple-basil/

Super Salad - Navy Apple Basil - GardenDish.com This Navy Apple Basil Super Salad isn't just a collection of leafy greens - it's a meal! It's a big, bountiful, satisfying meal.

Yummers! Easy Chili in a roasted acorn squash bowl. This was last evening's dinner, using the Black Turtle Beans talked about in an earlier post. Here's the link to the Easy Chili recipe. We added a chopped apple and chopped poblano pepper to last night's pot of chili.

http://www.gardendish.com/easy-chili/

Club Veg, our local, educational, and support group, is moving full steam ahead into the holiday season. If you live in the Pittsburgh, PA area, don't miss the next one on November 3rd, from 6:30-8:00 pm. Our theme will be There and Back Again - A Vegan's Tale - where we'll share ideas for eating whole, plant-based food during travel. Plus we'll learn how to make Travelin' Trail Mix Snack Bars to take on our trips. And of course we'll enjoy social time and share our favorite tips, tricks, and resources.

For more information and to register, click here http://www.gardendish.com/upcoming-events/

Upcoming Events - GardenDish.com Would you like to learn how to eat healthy while meeting like-minded people in a fun, inviting setting? Then join us at one of our public events...

This week's legume for our meals is Black Turtle Beans. They are cooking in the slow cooker right now. We bought Bob's Red Mill brand. We're looking forward to trying them in our weekly chili, pasta sauce, super salad, starchivore platter, soup, and yes, even as a side to our Wednesday Night Pancakes with a sprinkling of black salt on them to taste like scrambled eggs. Beans are magic.

http://www.bobsredmill.com/black-turtle-beans.html

Black Turtle Beans Black Turtle Beans have a wonderful flavor all their own. They make delicious black bean soup and great refried beans for Mexican dishes.

Calling all garlic growers! What's your favorite variety to grow? It's almost time to plant here in Zone 6a. We've had success with Music, and a few others, but there are so many options we've yet to try. Gardeners everywhere want to know your favorites! http://www.territorialseed.com/product/Music_Garlic

Seasonal Products - Music Garlic Mid-season. Music hits the top of the charts when it comes to yields. In trials at Michigan State University, Music out-produced all others with a harvest of over 13,500 pounds per acre! White skinned with just a blush of pink, this garlic makes big cloves that are easy-to-peel. The taste is a mediu…

Whipping up a batch of Wholesome Banana Nut Bread right now. Rich banana flavor and no added sugar or oil. So good with a cup of tea! http://www.gardendish.com/wholesome-banana-nut-bread/

Wholesome Banana Nut Bread - GardenDish.com No sugar added in this moist, light, Wholesome Banana Nut Bread. Instead of sugar, you'll use very ripe bananas. They provide a light, moist crumb.

Add some vegan fun to your next party with a taste-testing of vegan ingredients. You'll be surprised how much fun your guests will have! Here's how - http://www.gardendish.com/our-testing-method/

Our Testing Method - Try This at Home! - GardenDish.com Try this at home or at the office. You could be amazed at the fun and conversation a little competitive taste-testing stimulates.

Exercise your vegan brain! http://www.gardendish.com/exercise-vegan-brain/

Exercise For Your Vegan Brain - GardenDish.com To exercise your vegan brain, you can learn online, offline, by subscription, or attend live lectures and events. Here are some options that we recommend.

There are more cooking videos of whole, plant-based deliciousness at the Garden Dish youtube channel. Enjoy, and feel free to share your thoughts. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0WpGSj48LVdf7vt4AkGoA

We created the Super Salad for folks who want to get their greens but are not big fans of salads. That would be us. Haha! Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEWzMXlo1fU

Super Salad Recipe For more whole, plant-based recipes visit gardendish.com

Tips for awesome, vegan, dorm-room food! Just in time for the new year. No Freshman 15 for you! http://ow.ly/RmEqP

Dorm Room Cooking – Vegan Style! - GardenDish.com It seems like a lot of younger vegans make their transitions during their college years, which is great, because you’re generally on your own and...

Meet MVP Leah Lizarondo who credits her plant-based diet with curing her fibromyalgia. http://ow.ly/RcJme

Blog Archives - GardenDish.com

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs, Tomato-Lime-Cilantro rice, and homemade Peach Cobbler - need we say more?? Enjoy this summertime meal when you host your next summer's eve party. http://www.gardendish.com/summer-vegetable-kebabs-tomato-lime-cilantro-rice/

Summer Vegetable Kebabs - GardenDish.com Invite some friends, set up the badminton net, and serve up these Summer Vegetable Kebabs Over Tomato-Lime-Cilantro Rice with a glass of something cold.

In our third, and final, segment of the series on Eating Out: Choosing Beans not Beef, let's look at Chinese eateries. It's soy delicious! Get it?! Ha ha ha ha! Soy delicious. We crack ourselves up. Happy Thursday.

http://www.gardendish.com/vegan-eating-chinese-style-bean-curd/

Vegan Eating Chinese Style: Bean Curd not Beef - GardenDish.com Vegan eating Chinese style - at a restaurant? You can get your (soy) beans, starch, and veggies with ease. Here's how.

Following on our recent tips for eating at Mexican restaurants, how about trying Mediterranean food? Yum! http://www.gardendish.com/vegan-eating-mediterranean-style-more-beans/

Vegan Eating Mediterranean Style: More Beans Not Beef - GardenDish.com Want to try vegan eating Mediterranean-style? Order with confidence and get your beans to boot with this practical guide.

Yesterday's lunch - Toast, Tofu, and Tomato Sandwich. We wait for these through fall, winter, and spring, when our garden tomatoes come in, and the basil in the herb garden is fresh. So good. That's homemade bread under there (http://www.gardendish.com/100-whole-wheat-bread/).

Are you traveling a lot for work? Or maybe you're enjoying some travel time for summer vacation? How do we eat healthy when eating away from home? The series "Beans not Beef" offers some suggestions, starting with Mexican cuisine.
http://www.gardendish.com/beans-not-beef-vegan-eating-mexican-restaurants/

Beans Not Beef: Vegan Eating at Mexican Restaurants - GardenDish.com Are you trying to say beans not beef and get more beans into your diet? You're going to get the step-by-step skinny on ordering beans at Mexican restaurants

Who does batch cooking? What are your favorite tips and things to cook ahead?

It's summer and that means fresh produce! Get tips on storing your summer harvest and farmers' market finds http://ow.ly/PDHwN

Storing Produce: Tips for Freshness Going vegan and eating an abundance of fruits and veggies can do wonders for your health. However, it can be difficult and can take planning when...

The video for making the fabulous Black Bean Brownies is now available. Enjoy! http://ow.ly/PqY9B

Black Bean Brownies You won't be disappointed with this recipe for Black Bean Brownies. Most importantly they're rich, chocolatey, and delicious. And if you're...

Seven experiments later, we've developed a no-oil (or other free fat), whole-grain, Black Bean Brownie recipe that we love. They're very chocolatey and fudgy enough to be called a brownie instead of chocolate cake, but not too fudgy. We'll put the recipe on the website in the next day or two. Heading out for July 4th festivities now.

Developing a recipe for vegan, no-oil, whole grain, black bean brownies for next week's Club Veg meeting. http://ow.ly/P6A7e

This amazing story of diabetes, two transplants, and a whole vegan diet inspires me every time I read it. http://ow.ly/P42my

Meet MVP David Templeton - GardenDish.com David Templeton has had one heck of a journey to a healthy vegan lifestyle.The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter said he discovered he had type 1,...

A more plant-based diet, regular exercise and sleep found to support a thriving and diverse gut community http://ow.ly/OMvRE

Could a Microbe in Your Gut Help You Lose Weight? - MedicineNet It's possible that among the millions of bacteria living in your gut, at least one microbe might change how your body processes food and affect...

The popular interview series MVP (Making Vegan Practical) is back for a second season! Meet Dr. Uma Purighalla http://ow.ly/O2zDR

Meet MVP Uma Purighalla - GardenDish.com If you visit Dr. Uma Purighalla at her office in Bethel Park, Pa., you can bet that nutrition will be brought up during your visit.