Mexican Casserole Soup

I'm becoming more comfortable in the kitchen to where I venture in and toss things together in a pot just to see how it tastes. There are some hits and misses, but this one blew me away. When I younger, I remember my mom making a Mexican casserole. This dish consisted of layering corn tortillas, meat, cheese and cream of mushroom in layers and topping with an enchilada sauce. Since I've gone vegan, I have to forgo dishes like that and this soup accidentally reminded me of that dish!

I had every intention of using a recipe straight from Chef AJ's Unprocessed, but I realized I didn't have a can of diced tomatoes. What I did have was some random food that needed to be used up before it was too late. This recipe is definitely inspired from her Tomato & Tortilla Soup. I was disappointed that I couldn't follow it exactly, but was delightfully surprised with the outcome of my own creation.

Mexican Casserole Soup
yields 8 bowls

2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups oka, diced
1 cup corn
4 tomatillos, diced
1 red tomato, diced
2 jalapenos, diced
3 cups water
10 tortillas, cut into six pieces each
dash cayenne
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash southwest chipotle
dash paprika
dash chili powder
1 cup almond milk
1 avocado (optional)

1. Sautee onions and garlic in water on medium high heat for 10 minutes.
2. Add okra, tomatoes, corn, water, jalapenos to the sauteed onions and garlic and bring to a boil.
3. Stir in spices and tortillas.
4. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
5. Uncover, add almond milk and use an immersion blender to blend until desired consistency is achieved. Add more milk to thin out soup if needed.
6. When serving, add a few chunks of avocado to garnish.

This is best served with Happy Herbivore's cornbread (add one jalapeno for a kick!)

  

Transitioning to Veganism: Kitchen Overhaul

Once we decided to go plant-based, I knew there was no way that I could handle having any tempting foods in the house. I had just weighed in at my doctor's office at 30 lbs. more than the day I graduated high school. Things had to change and I wanted to succeed in my journey. I watched Forks Over Knives and immediately after, I walked straight into my kitchen and declared to my husband that I was going vegan.

My pantry and refrigerator was pretty much packed with non-vegan items. I had cans of beans with pork fat, junk foods out the wazoo, frozen foods and canned meals like you wouldn't believe. Luckily, our friend moved to Austin recently and didn't mind me handing over any items that I could no longer consume under a plant-based diet. Here are my tips for starting with a clean slate and make your pantry and kitchen plant-based friendly!

Clear a counter and pull out all non-vegan items. I know this sounds daunting, but you have to get into every nook and cranny. If you allow yourself a few of your favorite non-vegan items, you'll be setting yourself up for a relapse. It's best to pull out everything so you can really see what you've been consuming and how you can clear out some space for more whole grains, beans, veggies and fruits!

Junk foods are enemy numero uno. We had all kinds of little snack items that were completely processed and nowhere near healthy for us. I'm talking buttered popcorn, salmon dip, frozen pizzas and frozen dinners that I took to work. No more of that! Clear out anything with ingredients that you can't even pronounce. That's usually a good sign that it's not plant-based! Instead, you'll be eating healthier snacks, like homemade guacamole, spring rolls and spinach artichoke dip.

Donate all non-perishable items you can no longer consume. I wouldn't tell you to toss everything into the trash since that is wasteful, however there were some items that I realized I should never have been consuming, much less anyone else! I bagged up most of what we couldn't eat anymore and passed it along to a friend. You could also donate the items to a church or local food bank.

Rethink your freezer space. I always crammed meat in the freezer but despised cooking it. I guess I always had a vegan heart, but just didn't know it yet. Regardless, you need to clear out all the non-vegan items and make room for your next trip to the grocery store. Toss or give away foods such as meats, frozen dinners, pizzas, corn dogs, waffles, ice creams, etc. You'll be filling your freezer up with frozen fruits and vegetables that can come in handy for last-minute meals, smoothies and homemade vegan fruit ice cream.

Evaluate what's left. Don't worry, you've just made one of the biggest steps in your journey, which is purging the old foods from your life and discovering all of the new ones that will replace them. I know it's tough (I've been there), but now you have the opportunity to fill your kitchen with all of the grains, beans, veggies and fruits your little heart desires! Head on over to my post Vegan Diet 101: Where to Begin for a starter grocery list for some ideas on what to buy for a plant-based diet.

Looking to go vegan? Check out these related posts below!

Where to Begin

5 Tips for a Healthy Vegan Diet

Pinterest Plant-Strong Board

Top 5 Reactions to "I'm Vegan"

Protein in a Vegan Diet

5 Tips for Eating a Plant-Based Diet (Anywhere)

Veganism in a Nutshell (video)

5 Things I've Learned Through Veganism

Foods That Kill

5 Lessons I've Learned by Decluttering

I had been thinking about decluttering for a while and I've always been a huge fan of donating unused items. After watching the documentary "I'm Fine, Thanks", my husband and I were really intrigued by the idea of downsizing. We're by no means living in a McMansion, but even in our 740 sq. ft. apartment, we we starting to feel a little cluttered. It's been nearly a month since I started really doing a deep purge of the objects in our life, and here's a few things that I have learned along the way.

More silverware equals more dishes. Kendan and I despise doing dishes. When we got married a couple of years ago, my relatives insisted that I create a wedding registry for new items. I knew we didn't need any new wooden spoons, spatulas or plates, but Kendan and I couldn't resist using the laser gun at Target to tag items. I sold an extra set of silverware from our registry to someone recently and haven't regretted it.
LESSON: When you run out of spoons, it's time to do the dishes.

There's no reason to have 12 bottles of shower gel. Another shopping habit I used to have was head to the Bath & Body Works Outlet and buy a gazillion bottles of bath accessories. I figured you could never have too many smelly things. The problem is, the hubby likes to buy shower gel, as well. After pulling everything out and decluttering the bathroom, I ended up bagging up many different items and have given it to a relative that I know will use it.
LESSON: No matter how good that bottle of shower gel smells, you really don't need it.

It's OK to let go of some kitchenware that was handed down to you. I'm a sucker for vintage kitchenware and I've acquired a nice bit of it. Letting go of something that was given to you by someone you love does not alter the feelings you have towards that person. I've always believed in donating things I no longer use because I've been in a situation that required me to go out and buy things at a Goodwill store. Seriously, it's just stuff.
LESSON: Your memories are not for sale.

Some clothing items can be sold instead of donated. Even though I have shopped at thrift stores 99% of the time when I purchase clothing, I found that most of the things in my donate pile were gladly accepted at my local teenager clothing store. I walked away with some cash in hand and our closets are a little cleaner. I donated anything they didn't buy from me immediately after.
LESSON: You can make a little money back by selling your quality brand items.

It's absurd to own 30 cups for a two person household. While doing the dishes one day, I mentioned that a few of our platic cups were not in the best of shape. We had received them from Wurstfest, a kind of beer and brat fest that we attended the year before (we weren't vegan just yet). I only was hanging on to them because I thought my husband would care if I tossed them. He didn't. They had been well used and it was time to let them go. I tossed them into the recycling bag and alas, we had more room in our cupboards.
LESSON: If a cup is no longer cuppin', it's time to let it go.

And now, the one picture to define the whole process of removing unnecessary objects from our life... How does this even happen? Before you buy, check to make sure you don't already have eight at home.

Looking to embrace a minimalist lifestyle? Check out my posts below!

Cutting the Clutter: The 5 C's to More Happiness

Top 5 Reasons for Cutting the Clutter

Cutting the Clutter: Kitchen Revamp

Sell your crap. Pay off your debt. Do what you love.

Embracing a Minimalist Lifestyle