Simple Plates #18

strawberries and grapes; kidney beans with brown rice, cheddar cheese and mild salsa; crispy broiled kale chips; baked sweet potato rounds

steamed carrots, cucumber pieces, orange pieces, peanut butter on sprouted whole grain toast

whole plain yogurt with blueberries, steamed spinach, carrots, frozen corn

kidney beans with corn and cheddar, avocado pieces, strawberry

at the park

clementine pieces and grapes, grass-fed beef chili with avocado over brown rice and oats, garlicky curly kale

Meat is occasional at our house, which lets us especially savor it. I used a pound of grass-fed beef in this spectacular chili from Cook's Illustrated. I halved the recipe, subbed out the refined oil for EVOO, and left out the cayenne.  I didn't have enough cooked brown rice to go under it, so we served it over steel-cut oats.

spinach cupcake-quiche, baked sweet potato chunks, apple slices

smoky vegan split pea soup, sprouted whole wheat pretzel, orange pieces

These pretzels (Unique brand sprouted "Splits") are the best you can buy, made from 100% sprouted whole wheat and extra virgin olive oil. Darwin is thoroughly conflicted about them, because he loves them, but they're too crunchy for someone with only four molars. See his ambivalence?

strawberry, spinach cupcake-quiches

grapes, steamed fresh carrots, peanut butter on sprouted whole grain toast

grass-fed beef chili over brown rice, baked sweet potato chunk, garlicky curly kale