Friday's Find: Beer-Glazed Black Beans and a PHENOMENAL Vegetarian Cookbook!

I know I'm a couple of days early, but I literally couldn't contain my excitement for another second. There are no words to describe my everlasting love for my shiny, green new vegetarian cookbook- and let me tell you, does it ever live up to its name. How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is almost 1,000 pages long, chock full of every little piece of advice for cooks ranging from novice (me) to pro (me someday in the distant future... hopefully). He answers questions like: What is quinoa? How do you choose a good onion at the store? What in the world do you do with leeks anyway?

My first dish- well, actually, it was a side for an impromptu quesadilla recipe I made up with zucchini, diced tomatoes and onions, and the ever-important cheese- was Beer-Glazed Black Beans. This was very exciting to me for three reasons: 1. I love cooking with beans because they are a good source of protein; 2. Um this recipe calls for beer. Of course that's the first thing I'm going to try out from this book. 3. I still have no idea what to do with tofu yet.

These beans were a vegetarian's answer to old-fashioned maple baked beans. They were sweet and hearty and complete with onion and garlic (because everyone knows that NOTHING is complete without onion and garlic). We used Sam Adams Boston Ale for this recipe, and the author, Mark Bittman, gives his readers the freedom to use any kind they like, as different beers will yield dramatically different flavors.

Beer-Glazed Black Beans

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes with cooked beans

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup beer

3 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained but still moist, liquid reserved

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon honey, or for a vegan version, molasses

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Put the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for about a minute, then add the beer, beans, chili powder, honey, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper.

2. Bring to a steady bubble and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

P.S. I HIGHLY recommend using Williams-Sonoma's Vegetable Chop and Measure. I was able to slice and dice the onions AND mince the garlic using this puppy. Huge time-saver!

Friday's Find: Wellsphere

The founders of this week's find, Wellsphere, developed this nifty networking site because of the looming American health crisis and a shared passion for helping people become empowered in their health. I have done a lot of reading recently on food production in the U.S., and all I can tell you is this: We are a bunch of walking processed corn cobs (I recommend The Omnivore's Dilemma and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle). Fortunately, people are becoming increasingly aware of the problems surrounding the things we eat, and it is my hope that things will take a turn toward more wholesome and old-fashioned ways of eating and cooking. One of my biggest goals is to have a home garden someday. But enough about that... back to the subject at hand.

Wellsphere is dedicated to connecting its members to local resources that can help them reach their health goals. When you sign up, you choose a goal, and you are automatically added to a group that is relevant to helping you achieve success by offering accountability and providing resources that will help you along the way. Whether it be healty eating, exercise or a competitive milestone, this site has it all covered based on three principles: personalization, social support and community, and incentive. I was pleased to find that they feature a vegetarian group and was sure to join that one right away.

You are not limited to the initial group you were matched with when you sign up- you can join any group that interests you. You are also free to set as many goals as you wish and log your progress, receive reminders via e-mail or text, and work towards a WellPrize as an incentive for making progress. Another great feature is Wellternatives, which shows you the healthiest menu items at the country's most popular restaurants complete with overall health ratings to show you the best and the worst places to eat when you're watching your diet.

I chose running 30 minutes five days a week as my goal- as a former college athlete, you wouldn't think it would be that big of a struggle, but it sure is hard to get up early enough to do so when you're not a morning person. I'll be adding more as time goes on, but many more of my goals will have to do with diet. I've been having a blast learning some great vegetarian recipes (actually, learning to cook, period!) and cooking for my husband has become one of my new favorite things to do. I may even have a convert on my hands one of these days...

If you're interested in joining, feel free to do so directly through Wellsphere or send a comment (with your e-mail if I don't know you personally) and I will e-mail you the link to join- this will help me earn points.

Cheers to good health!

Friday's Find: Week 3

The other day I was thinking about what to feature for my next Find, when I realized how much I LOVE my shower head, and how sad I would be if it gets stuck or impossible to remove in one piece when we move, and I need to profess my love for it to the world, because it's pretty much the best thing that has ever happened to my shower. This thing is so magical that it will take a dribbling faucet and make the spray so highly pressurized, you wouldn't even want to turn the faucet on full speed, because it starts to resemble a fire hose more than a shower head. But if you're like me, and can't stand showers lacking water pressure, this is a find you will thank me for later. And if you're a water conservationist, you'd best head out and get one of these STAT... otherwise the tables might turn and I'll be the one giving you a hard time for running more water than I do in the shower.

Friday's Find: Week 2

If you read my last post, you know that I don't like being a slave. It makes me angry. And if you're a slave, you should be angry too. Because chances are, if you are reading this, and you are an American, then you are indeed a slave.

With that in mind, this week's find is all about coupons. Cody and I went to the grocery store on Wednesday night for the first time in a month or so, and for once in my life, I was prepared. With a list. A list of SALE items. Pulled from the weekly circular. And I was armed and dangerous with a fist-full of coupons, ready to punch out any and all full-price items trying to weasel their way into our cart. If you're a full-priced item, you'd best watch your back, or I may just send the Easter Bunny after you.

We spent a good hour and a half walking up and down every aisle in the store, at the end of which Cody was on the brink of a bona-fide meltdown, as is generally the case when he volunteers to accompany me on my shopping excursions (proof that my husband must REALLY love me). I, on the other hand, was sure that I had experienced a divine revelation. There were angels singing, and harps, and a very bright light. Here's why:

I stood at the front of the line and watched the monitor closely as the cashier scanned our items and sent them down the little grocery mover. I nervously held out my coupons and looked sheepishly at the rapidly growing line of fellow shoppers, hoping that I wouldn't get jumped in the middle of Safeway for holding everyone up. As I started to have visions of angry fangs and warewolf-style hair growing out of their faces as the flustered cashier zapped my coupons, a lady standing two spots behind me said, "Smart girl!" I turned to look at her, almost incredulous, when the guy standing directly behind me said, "No kidding, I'm impressed!" I apologized for taking so long, and he responded with, "Are you kidding? I just watched $20 disappear off your bill!" Not gonna lie- it was one of my prouder moments. A secret thrill, if you will.

Here would be an appropriate place to insert a cheesy spin-off of the oft-over-quoted MasterCard "Priceless" commercials, but I will spare you, just this once.

Instead, I would like to bestow on you the PRICELESS world of online coupons. And I'm totally not supposed to draw attention to my ads, but I must reference you to the coupon ones posted on the top and bottom of this page. I printed most of mine from these sites and they worked. Also, Printable Coupons listed on my blogroll is one of the most amazing resources out there. Someone needs to build this woman a shrine.

All in all, my receipt read like this:

Club Card Savings: $31.45
Coupon Savings: $15.49
Total Savings Value: 37% $46.94

On Wednesday night, I was a shopping badass. I had stepped out of the Full-Price Matrix and into the Real World. The only thing I lacked was my black, shiny pleather catsuit, and Cody his superhero trench coat.

Now it's your turn! Tell me how much you saved and what you donned while kicking full-price butt.

Friday's Find: Week 1

Every Friday, stay tuned for my newest fave product/latest obsession, be it a beauty item, handy household must-have, outrageous page-turner or current music craze.

Click here for this week's find.

Partur Review: I must share this first find with the ladies- the most delicious summer scent my nostrils have ever encountered. No joke. I discovered it a few years ago at Becker Surf in Orange County and wasn't able to find it again until our honeymoon in Kaua'i. Even Cody, when he smelled it, understood my immediate need to jump up and down excitedly while screaming at the top of my lungs, "DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS STUFF?!" in the middle of Island Soap & Candle Works. Normally I just get a strange look and a shake of the head before he walks away pretending he doesn't know that crazy woman. Now whenever I wear it, he says, "Mmmm... Hawai'i." That's the power of scent at work, people.

A few years ago it didn't even exist online, but lo and behold, it is now accessible to the masses and here I am to share it with you so that we can all smell like gardenia-coconut-mango-beachy goodness, all the time. If we all wear it at once, it just might bring all fundamentalist religious conflicts to a final, jubilee-type end and usher in the world peace* we have been waiting for.

*Will not actually dissolve conflict or bring in world peace. But it was a nice thought.