While my daughter Mia and I collaborated on my last meal/menu planning article, this one is all about her! I thought it would be fun to do it Q & A style, focusing on some of her “favorites” when it comes to foods and kitchen related items. I am sure that you will enjoy learning more about her and you may even pick up a few tips!

Q: What is your approach to cooking?

A: I like to be able to follow a recipe, especially the first time I make something, but I also love being adventurous! Sometimes, it’s nice to make your own things and come up with wholesome meals that I remember from before I became vegan or see at restaurants. When I have extra time on my hands, I like to look up recipes online and try them. Using different flavor profiles from different cultures (Italian, Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Mexican…) and ingredients we have available, I make new meals and share them with my family.

Q: What is one of your favorite staple/pantry ingredients to use in cooking?

A: Pasta is definitely one of my favorites. There are so many approaches to eating pasta and you can use all different kinds of flavors. Sometimes, I keep it super simple, like eating it with a tomato sauce or putting it into salads (like in the recipe below). There is also my favorite meal from your cookbook… (details later!)

Q: What is your favorite meal of the day?

A: That is easy… breakfast, of course! Some of my favorite dishes are breakfast foods. You can eat sweet or savory, and make healthy choices that give you enough energy to make it through the day. There is an infinite amount of breakfast foods, and I assure you there is one for everyone! On a school morning, I like to eat avocado toast with hot sauce and arugula (my mom has a recipe on her website). If I have more time, usually on the weekends, I like to play around with different pancake recipes.  Lately, I have been making a few versions of homemade chocolate pancakes, with a sweet berry sauce. I think that breakfast is just all around the best meal.

Q: What are some of your favorite snack ideas?

A: I am always a fan of just basic peanut butter and apple, it’s quick and healthy. I also love avocado toast, though. I can get greens, vegetables, and some healthy fats with just a few bites (Oh my gosh, I am starting to sound like my mom!). Sometimes, if I’m in the mood, I will eat a tempeh sandwich with mustard and arugula. I usually eat quite a big snack after school to keep me full until dinner.

Q: What is your favorite holiday-related food?

A: Mashed potatoes and gravy all the way! They are smooth and each bite is full of flavor. Mashed potatoes are definitely one of the big reasons I love Thanksgiving so much. My mom’s gravy is the best ever made. There is so much flavor and love in every bite. Whenever I eat it, I think of Thanksgiving and my family. When food brings you joy like that, you know it is good. (Both recipes are on my mom’s website, so you can enjoy them any time of year – don’t wait until November!)

Q: What is your favorite meal from The Foodie Bar Way cookbook?

A: Hagenburger Party Pasta… all the way! My dad makes this amazing pasta from my mom’s cookbook with sun-dried tomatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and asparagus. The sauce we use is her delicious Tomato Almond Pesto, that is to die for. My dad and I think it is one of our favorite meals of all time, and we would eat it every day if we could. We make it regularly at home, and I often help my dad prepare a big pot of it. It brings everyone together and is an excellent meal after a long soccer practice or lots of homework. The different flavors blend so well together, and somehow, each bite is better than the last.

Q: What is your favorite fruit?

A: I LOVE watermelon!! It is so sweet and refreshing. I could eat it for hours. Sometimes, my mom would freeze it and I’d have it on a hot summer day by our neighbor’s pool. I am always giddy for summer because of the fresh fruit it brings. Just smelling watermelon puts me in a happy place, as it reminds me of summer and having fun in the pool or at the beach.

Q: What is your favorite vegetable?

A: Arugula is my favorite vegetable. This may sound weird, as it has a strong taste. I used to not like it at all, but then the more I ate it, the more I loved it. It is so amazing for you (nutrition wise) and you can put it in, on or with anything. I love to put it in my pasta salad (see recipe below) and on top of my avocado toast in the morning. I also love putting it in sandwiches, scrambles, green salads, and pasta dishes. It has a peppery taste that took some getting used to, but now I can’t get enough of it.

Q: What is your favorite whole grain?

A: Brown rice is my favorite whole grain. I make my own sushi, burritos, and no-oil fried rice. Brown rice can be used to make sweet and spicy dishes with all sorts of flavors and ingredients. My mom would make us rice pudding when we were younger, with soy milk and cinnamon sticks, or homemade sticky rice for avocado and cucumber sushi. Rice is a great basic ingredient that you can add different recipes without influencing the flavors.

Q: What is your favorite bean?

A: Garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, are my favorite. I like to eat them with my mom’s Cheezie Sauce and dried oregano. They are filling and can be used in all sorts of ways. I can mash them or eat them whole. I sometimes mash them with avocado and put that on whole wheat toast with hot sauce, arugula and purple cabbage (my mom’s recipe from her website). Chickpeas don’t have an overwhelming taste, so they can be added to just about everything.

Q: What is your favorite nut? 

A: I love pecans because they have this awesome natural sweetness. I think that they are even better toasted and sprinkled on salads and pancakes.

Q: What is your favorite seed?

A: I really like both chia or flax seeds, since both are full of healthy fats and fiber, but don’t have an overwhelming flavor. I like to put them in smoothies and on yogurt bowls. We also make a super easy mango blueberry chia pudding for a dessert or even breakfast (on my mom’s website).

Q: What are your top 5 “must have” ingredients?

A: Tomatoes– They are fresh and great for your body. I put them in sandwiches and salads. Romas and red cherry tomatoes are my favorites, but there is a variety of colors and they all taste great to me!

Arugula- Adds the perfect amount of flavor to finish off meals. Like I said, I put this on EVERYTHING. My mom is so happy, as arugula is one of the most nutritious greens on the planet. I never believed my mom when she said that if you keep trying a food in different ways, your tastes will likely change.  I didn’t start out liking arugula’s complicated flavors, but now I can’t get enough.

Oregano- I know that this may sound strange, but I think that dried oregano adds a certain “cheesiness” to my food concoctions. I sprinkle it into scramble, on pizza, seasoned potatoes, and more regularly with chickpeas and our Cheese Sauce.

Avocado- This one should be obvious, AVOCADOS ARE JUST AMAZING!! They have healthy fats, fiber and are used in many of my favorite foods, especially on burritos, tacos, my beloved avocado toast, and my mom’s 7 Layer Dip (when you check out the recipes on her website, you will find plenty with avocado).

Peanut butter- It is hearty and a small amount can elevate the richness and flavor of a dish. You can make something simple like a PB&J (or apple/banana in place of the jam), something sweet, like peanut butter cookies or something savory, like a peanut sauce for fresh spring rolls with rice paper.

Q: What is your favorite cooking technique/equipment?

A: Cooking with a panini maker/press is so much fun. I can heat corn tortillas, make sandwiches and grill tofu without oil. I love using it when I want something quick, but also when I have time to put a bit more effort into my meals. Marinating tofu and cooking it on the panini griddle is so easy and it cooks from both sides as one time. I can always have fun and try new things with it. I like crunchy sandwiches and “quesadillas” with hummus and veggies.

Q: What is your favorite kitchen gadget?

A: I use whisks all of the time! I whisk ingredients together to make pancakes, because it works so much better than a spoon to eliminate/avoid lumps! I also absolutely love our potato masher! I use it to mash avocado for guacamole or my chickpea/avocado toast, and for tofu when we make our Scrambled Tacos (recipe on my mom’s website).

Q: What is your favorite spice?

A: Cinnamon is a favorite because it is versatile and I love to eat it on banana and peanut butter toast. I also put a sprinkle it into oatmeal, pancake and waffle batter, smoothies and on yogurt bowls. The flavor adds an extra kick when added in.

Q: What is your favorite cultural flavor profile?

I LOVE Asian food! I love Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese. The food is full of flavor and the different textures that keep my mouth happy. There are dishes that can be both spicy and sweet at the same time. I make dishes homemade like sushi or un-fried rice for meals when I have time to cook. Some of my favorite restaurants are Shangri La in Lodi (I love their broccoli tofu and seaweed salad), Loving Hut in Elk Grove (so many favorite – since they are an all-vegan restaurant) and Midtown Sushi in Sacramento (they have SOOOO many vegan rolls!!!). I love all kinds of food but Asian food is close to my heart!

Q: Tell me about a proud moment in the kitchen.

A: When I made taquitos and a professional soccer player loved them. He went back to get more, choosing my taquitos over everything else. He was so sweet and loved them. I was proud of making an oil-free taquito that everyone liked. I don’t make them much now because they feel like they take a while to cook, but they are worth the wait. My dad always asks me to make them. I promise to share the recipe in a future article!

Q: How do you feel when you eat well?

I feel energized and happy. It just keeps me in a great mood when I know that I’m eating something that is helping my body. It also helps me keep focus and even sleep better. I’m also actually more inclined to exercise with healthy food in my system. I just overall feel good and like I could do anything.

Mia whipped up this great salad and wanted to share it with you. She has always been a source of sunshine in my life and I am so proud to be able to share her thoughts throughout this article. Enjoy this recipe and think of her as you are treating yourself with loving care and vital nutrients with every delicious bite!

Mia’s Pasta Salad

Mia created this salad with balance in mind. She wanted sweet and salty, crunchy and soft, fresh and filling… She was also super hungry, so she chose to combine a handful of ingredients that were easily available. The result was a delicious meal that will come together in minutes and leave you feeling satisfied. The recipe below serves two, but it can be doubled or tripled to serve more.

Ingredients

2 cups whole grain* pasta, cooked al dente
1 large tomato, diced
1 small apple, cored and diced
8-10 Kalamata* olives, sliced in half or quarters
4 cups arugula*
3/4 cup garbanzo beans, cooked from dry (or drained and rinsed, if canned)
Additional veggies!*

Mia’s “Brine-y” Shaken Dressing

1/4 cup of Kalamata olive brine* (liquid from the olive jar/can)
2 Tablespoons Balsamic* vinegar
2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground

Procedure

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well and set aside. Assemble the salad, by adding all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Toss with dressing until very well combined, taste for seasoning and enjoy!

The Nutrition Professor’s Shop Smart, Prep Smart, Cook Smart Tips:

*Feel free to use any shape of noodle. Mia’s favorite for this recipe is rotini (spirals). You could also use spiralized zucchini or a legume-based pasta.

*Mia loves Kalamata olives, though she thought the salad would also be delicious with green or black olives.

*Arugula, or rocket lettuce, is full of nutrients, packs a flavor punch and is easy to chew! Kale would be another great choice, be sure to chop it into small pieces. Romaine lettuce could also be an option, look for the greenest leaves you can find!

*Mia recommends adding any veggies that you have on hand… cucumber, celery, carrot, peppers and scallions, just to name a few! Be sure to chop them small enough to get a tasty combination in every bite!

*If you are looking for a lower sodium option, skip the olive brine and use low sodium veggie broth instead.

*Experiment with your favorite vinegar. Red wine vinegar would be great, too!

Timaree Hagenburger, a plant-based registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), certified exercise physiologist with a master’s degree in public health, has over 20 years of experience as a nutrition professor. She is a sought after speaker, media personality and author, who works with private clients, and in corporate wellness, has contributed to several cookbooks and published her own cookbook, The Foodie Bar Way: One Meal, Lots of Options, Everyone’s Happy (www.foodiebars.com)! Timaree is also the founder of an incredible online membership community, The Foodie Bar Way of Life, that makes loving the food (and living a life) that loves us back… simple, satisfying, sustainable AND FUN! You can contact her about working with her through 1:1 dietitian nutrition coaching, for hands-on cooking instruction and to inquire about arranging a speaking engagement.