Recipe: Maple-Glazed Buttercup Squash

I couldn't resist doing another winter squash recipe. Not only is squash easy to work with, but it's also nutritious because it's high in beta carotene (an antioxidant) and vitamin A (helps form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, and skin).

I sure wish it felt like Fall in Florida right now because this recipe screams autumn to me. Nonetheless, it made for a tasty dinner on Sunday night. I had the idea to do the maple-glazed squash after seeing it on Seasons 52's menu a week ago. When I cook I tend to just throw ingredients together without measuring them, but here's what I came up with. And what I got was caramelized yumminess.

Maple-Glazed Buttercup Squash
1 buttercup squash
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
chili powder, seasoned to your liking
coarse salt
olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut stem off the squash and slice squash in half. Scoop out the seeds using a spoon, and then slice each half into 1-inch sections. Arrange squash on a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.

In a bowl combine the syrup, vinegar, and chili powder. Brush over the squash. Cook squash for 25 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 more minutes.

I served this with a boxed lentil & rice pilaf mixture that I doctored up with 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder, a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, 2 caramelized onions, and 1 sauteed red bell pepper.

Giddy About Salads

Yesterday I Tweeted about the great salad bar deal at Chamberlin's Market & Cafe in Winter Park. At $4.49 a pound it really is a bargain. The salad pictured is today's lunch, and it cost me $3.44. And it's filled with organic greens, carrots, beets, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, beans, and the pièce de résistance, Annie's Naturals Goddess Dressing.

I had every intention of eating my Amy's Black Bean Tamale frozen meal today, but the salad with the Goddess dressing was beckoning me for the second day in a row. And not to discount the lovely salad bar, but it's really the dressing that pulls the salad together for me.

At the risk of sounding obsessed, the Goddess dressing is really truly amazingly good. I have my friend Shelley to thank for introducing me to it. For had she not raved about it the way she did I probably would have never tried it. I was quite content with my olive oil and balsamic, but decided to purchase a bottle just to humor her. Needless to say I'm convinced. But since Goddess has 13 grams of fat in 2 tablespoons I do need to limit my consumption. Which isn't easy because it tastes great on things besides salads, too. The good news is it's vegan and made with all-natural ingredients *Canola Oil, Water, *Tahini, *Apple Cider Vinegar, *Soy Sauce (water, *soybeans, sea salt *wheat), *Lemon Juice, Sea Salt, *Garlic, *Sesame Seeds, *Parsley, *Chives, Xanthan Gum.

It's available at regular grocery stores, but an 8 oz. bottle costs nearly $5. Thankfully Shelley discovered that Super Target has it for half that price. Score!

As for Chamberlin's, while I do love their salad bar, I don't love the plastic containers they provide. So hopefully they can make the transition soon to something more eco friendly!

Orlando Needs Trader Joe's

Even though Trader Joe's doesn't fit in with my local Orlando thing here, it does fall in line with my vegetarian and sustainability themes so it's allowed! Plus, I feel I must share the awesomeness of Trader Joe's, a grocery store that we in Florida sadly do not get to appreciate.

I was first introduced to TJ's in 2002 while visiting family friends in California (where the grocery chain originated). I didn't think much about TJ's after that since we don't have them here in Florida. It wasn't until a few years ago during a trip to Atlanta that I was reintroduced to the store. Since then I've been to TJ's in Chicago, San Francisco, and Napa.

With 344 stores in 25 states and Washington D.C., Trader Joe's is known for it's specialty gourmet and organic foods & drinks, plus household cleaners and personal hygiene products. The stores aren't flashy (though they are cute) or big (they stock about 4,000 items, compared with typical grocery stores that stock an average of 50,000 items), but that really doesn't matter since TJ's has quality products at a low cost.

Many of Trader Joe's private label items are actually brand-name suppliers that offer products at a significant discount. (These suppliers do not publicize their business relationship, but I've read that companies like Stonyfield Organic yogurt and Stacey's pita chips are just a couple of the "brands" you will find there under the Trader Joe's name.) And since TJ's buy directly from producers whenever possible, it cuts down on costs for consumers. Trader Joe's also promises that anything with their logo contains no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, MSG, and trans fats, and is not sourced from genetically modified ingredients.

In a recent Fortune magazine cover story, the store was described this way: "A Trader Joe's brings with it good jobs, and its presence in your community is like an affirmation that you and your neighbors are worldly and smart."

Unfortunately, that story also pointed out that the chances of the chain coming to the Sunshine State are pretty grim. "Trader Joe's small stores don't have much of a back room, so ordering from the distribution centers has to be precise. This distribution process helps determine where the company opens its stores. Texas and Florida have cities that boast consumers Trader Joe's covets, but insiders say the current distribution infrastructure makes it difficult for the company to efficiently get products to those states."

Thanks to my dear friends The McV's who live in Virginia, I can still get my TJ's fix. I was able to send them money and have them pick up items for me at their nearest TJ's. It was so much fun opening the package when I got home from work since I didn't know what I'd be getting (I wanted to be surprised).

My TJ's loot!

The contents of my package included:

• Three Grains Blend (rice, barley and spelt)
• Organic Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Palak Paneer Indian Fare
• Organic Red Quinoa
• Cumin & Chili Chickpeas
• Harvest Grains Blend
• 17 Bean & Barley Mix
• Apples & Cinnamon Oatmeal
• Organic Tomatillo & Roasted Yellow Chili Salsa
• Pomegranate White Tea
• Instant Chocolate Pudding
• Dark Chocolate Covered Powerberries
• Honey Mango Cream Shave (obviously not food)

A big thanks to The McV's!

Let's hope that Trader Joe's can figure out a way to bring their goodies down south so all of us can enjoy too. For more info about TJ's go to www.traderjoes.com. 


P.S. - I have both of these reusable Trader Joe's bags and I have received numerous comments from fellow shoppers about TJ's. Better yet, I once had a Whole Foods employee say to me how great it would be to have a Trader Joe's here in Orlando!

Recipe: Yay for Squash

Left to right: Sweet Dumpling, Delicata, Golden Acorn

It's not technically Fall yet, but the telltale signs of the autumn season are popping up in stores (ie: Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations). While shopping at Publix last night I was drawn to the display of winter squash varieties. These types of squash always seemed more decorative to me, often used in Fall cornucopia arrangements, so I'd usually just pass them by. I'm a fan of butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squashes, but never really ventured into any of the other types... until now.

There were at least eight varieties available, each about .99 cents a pound. I couldn't resist picking up a few new ones to try. I was particularly excited to see the Delicata squash since I recently found a recipe using that kind (posted below). I'm guessing that the Sweet Dumpling will be similar in taste to the green acorn squash. And I read that the Golden Acorn is slightly sweeter than it's green sister.

One of the simplest ways to make squash (I'm talking specifically about acorn here) is to slice it, remove the seeds, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle some coarse salt, and roast it in the oven for about 40 minutes at 450 degrees. The skin gets really soft, too, making the whole squash edible (except for the stem).

Now that I have a Delicata squash I plan to try this recipe from the Eat Well cookbook by Williams-Sonoma.

Warm Spinach Salad with Delicata Squash & Ricotta Salata

1 ½ lb. Delicata squash (or butternut)

4 tbsp. olive oil 

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tbsp. red wine vinegar 

8 oz. baby spinach leaves 

4 oz. crumbled ricotta salata or feta cheese

½ cup toasted sliced almonds 

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Rinse and dry squash. Halve squash lengthwise and remove seeds, then cut crosswise into half moons ½ inch thick. In a 12-by-17-inch baking pan, toss squash with 1 tbsp. olive oil, ¼ tsp. salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Bake until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix vinegar and ¼ tsp. salt. Add squash, spinach, cheese, and almonds. Heat remaining 3 tbsp. oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully pour over salad (oil may splatter) and toss to coat and wilt spinach evenly. Serve at once. 

Serves 4

Recipe: My Favorite Granola

Earlier this year I got on a big granola kick. But store-bought kinds contain a lot of sugar and extra ingredients that I'm not really into, so I opted to make my own. This particular recipe is a blend of a couple recipes, and I occasionally modify it as I go along. And I tend to play around with the type of sweetener each time I make it, varying it up between honey, agave, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup. But I'm really digging the taste and crunch of this right now as it is, so I think I'm settled on this mix.

It has become my go-to breakfast item as of late. My favorite way to eat it is with organic vanilla yogurt and berries, while a friend of mine says he prefers the granola sprinkled on top of chocolate ice cream. And since it's filled with healthy ingredients like oats, flax, almonds, and walnuts, I don't feel guilty about grabbing handfuls of it to snack on either.

Ingredients
4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
3 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Prep
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a large baking pan and stir well. Make sure the wet ingredients thoroughly coat the mixture.
Bake for 12 minutes and then stir. Continue baking for another 12 minutes, until slightly browned.
Remove from oven and stir.
Let cool. As it cools it will stick together, so break apart into bite-size pieces.

College Park Farmers' Market

Since my friend and I had success at last week's Audubon Park Community Market we thought we'd stop by the College Park Farmers' Market on Thursday evening.

Set in the front parking lot at Infusion Tea (which is a great spot for veg eating) along Edgewater Drive, the market is a bit smaller than some of the others I've been to and had many of the same vendors I saw at the previous market. That was okay, though, because this time I swung by the Heart of Christmas Farms table and purchased a 5 oz. bag of spinach and arugula blend for $3.50 (that's it above with my ever-growing collection of Vegetarian Times).

Located east of Orlando in Christmas, the farm grows organic hydroponic fruits and vegetables. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil, according to Wikipedia. And apparently it offers plenty of eco-friendly benefits, too. For instance, pesticides and herbicides can be eliminated, and the water system can be recycled and measured precisely for minimum waste.

Afterwards the two of us dined at Paxia just up the road. It was my first time at the Mexican restaurant and I thought it was tasty. The guacamole is yummy, by the way.  Something for vegetarian diners to know, the black beans are vegetarian! The rice is not (it's made with chicken stock).

The Nitty Gritty
What: College Park Farmers' Market
When: Thursday, 5 to 9 pm
Where: Infusion Tea, 1600 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, FL 32804
Site: http://www.infusionorlando.com/ 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Orlando-FL/College-Park-Farmers-Market/330587853090


More
Paxia: http://www.paxiarestaurant.com/
Heart of Christmas Farms: http://www.hocfarms.com/

Sustainability on UCF's Campus

I recently received my newest issue of Pegasus, the University of Central Florida's Alumni Association magazine, and read about how UCF's Dining Services is making great strides to implement environmentally-friendly practices like reducing waste and saving energy. This is great news for the school's more than 50,000 students, faculty, and staff.

Some of the significant changes include:

• Offering Fair Trade and USDA organic coffee 

• Trayless dining to conserve water and energy used to heat the water

• Buying local and seasonal produce when available
• Reusable coffee mug program
• Reusable To-Go Box Program potentially saving about 12,600 Styrofoam containers in use per month from entering landfills
• Implementing Behind-the-Counter Employee Recycling Programs
• Creating environmental awareness through sustainability events like “RecycleMania” 10-week nationwide university recycling competition, and “Dine in the Dark” energy conservation night at Knightro's

Bravo to UCF for putting into effect these and many other sustainable practices throughout the campus. 

And check out these links for more information about the college's green programs.

ucfdining.com/sustainability

sustainable.ucf.edu

Blog Breakdown

Before I get too far into this I want to explain a little more about the intentions of this blog. Look at it as your guide for ways to live responsibly in Orlando.

While I will be sharing first-person accounts, my main goal for each post is to provide useful information about good things going on in Orlando that match the kind of lifestyle I try to live. This means I'll be discussing topics like places to get tasty veg-friendly eats, companies and products with eco-conscious and green practices, and charitable organizations that are helping the community. And, since I tend to cook a lot I will also be sharing the occasional vegetarian recipe that is easy to make.

I should clarify that I am not a holier-than-thou extremist when it comes to all of these topics. And I'm not here to bash anyone for their lifestyle. There are things I do daily that do not jibe with the ideals I have stated (ie: I drive a car that uses gas, I buy food that has been shipped from other countries, etc.). However, I do try very hard to make mindful decisions to do things where I can to make an impact ... even it is a small impact.

So with all that said, I hope Happy-Go-Veggie will be a resource for all the green-minded things that are making Orlando a great place to live.

I encourage any tips, ideas, and places that are worth checking out so that I can post them here. You can email happygoveg@gmail.com to let me know.

Audubon Park Community Market

It's pretty amazing how the farmers' market trend has exploded within the last year. Not only have they popped up in towns big and small across the country, but right here in Orlando it seems that just about every community has its very own farmers' market.

I haven't been to all of them here, but it makes me happy to know that people in our community are striving to support sustainability and the locavore movement. Clearly, I can't do all of my shopping at the various farmers' markets, but I'm certainly willing to pay for quality items where I can.

With that said, I finally made my way to the Audubon Park Community Market for my first time this past Monday. Most markets are Saturday or Sunday mornings, so I just never think to go on a Monday night. But since a friend invited me along, it was my chance to finally check it out.

With tents situated in the parking lot at Stardust Video and Coffee, the market has a very intimate and bohemian feel. While a group of musicians were tuning up, market-goers strolled around sampling, buying, talking, and hanging out. And the best part is everything at this particular market is made or grown locally.

I ended up coming away with a half-dozen eggs ($2.50) from Lake Meadow Naturals farm in Ocoee and a wedge of cheese ($5.75) from the Winter Park Dairy. My friend also purchased eggs and a tomato plant ($4). For us it was a successful first visit... and I'll certainly be going back.

The Nitty-Gritty
What: Audubon Park Community Market
When: Mondays, 6 to 10 pm
Where: Stardust Video and Coffee, 1842 E. Winter Park Road, Orlando
Site: http://www.audubonparkmarket.com/