Carrie Underwood: In My Kitchen
Carrie Underwood may have been raised in beef country, smack-dab in the middle of Oklahoma, but when it comes to her current-day diet, times have changed. The super-successful country star went vegan two years ago (after being a vegetarian several years before) and hasn't looked back. These days, Underwood, 30, stocks her pantry and fridge with fresh veggies, tofu, and soy cheese and hones her cooking skills by making meals with her pro hockey player husband, Mike Fisher. (The Nashville Predators center does, however, add meat to his dishes.) Here's a peek at the flavorful stuff Ms. Underwood simply can't live without.
Nasoya Organic Firm Tofu. I use tofu in so many dishes. I love to scramble it with onions, red peppers, and spinach, and then top it all off with salsa. Such a yummy savory breakfast! I also use it in smoothies or to make "egg" salad sandwiches. It's so versatile!
My Vitamix blender. Mike and I both use the heck out of this thing! We both make smoothies and I love to create my own soup (canned soup has so much sodium). It was a pricey purchase, but I use it so much...it was worth it!
Ezekiel products. Once you get used to Ezekiel bread, you can't go back to "regular" bread. I also love their tortillas to make veggie pizzas. Their English muffins are amazing, too!
Mrs. Dash products. My body retains water terribly and much of the meat-free food that I eat has a ton of sodium. I don't need to add anymore to the foods that I prepare. Instead, I love all the different blends of Mrs. Dash products and they're all salt free!
The Whole Foods app on my phone. It has a lot of vegan recipes, as well as many other recipes that I can make vegan. I use this app the most around the holidays when I'm trying to get everything together for our big group meals.
vitaminwater. My favorite is vitaminwater zero squeezed. I love real lemonade but don't love the calories and sugar that go along with it, so I get my lemonade fix this way. So yummy!
Measuring cups. I am pretty conscious about the foods that I eat and their portion sizes. If the label says a serving size is "1 cup," I measure out a cup. It keeps me from distorting my portions and helps keep me accountable for what and how much I am eating.
Brussels Sprouts. I love brussels! I eat them roasted or even raw and finely chopped. I'll make my own version of "coleslaw" using shaved brussels and Vegenaise. They're filling, low calorie and, most importantly, delicious! I've even got my friends into making them!
Dark chocolate. I'm not a big sweets person, but I do like a little bite after meals. I love Green & Black's Dark 70%. The bar is small, but I'll break it in half (six pieces) and get my sweet fix without blowing my diet. It's the perfect amount of chocolate!
Onions. I put onions in everything! On sandwiches, in salads...if I can put onions on it or in it, I do! I've always heard that buying local onions helps with allergies, too. So, that's a plus, but mostly, I just love the taste!
Coconut oil. I cook with it, I use it on my skin ... coconut oil is so good for you. It gives my food a slightly sweet, coconut flavor. It's great when cooking veggies!
Daiya "cheese." This is the best cheese alternative that I've found. I love making vegan grilled cheese with truffle oil. It gets all gooey and hot! I love it!
Spinach. I eat spinach every day. I love putting it on sandwiches or in my sautéed veggies. Spinach salads are the best!
Quinoa. It's so filling and a great alternative to rice. And it has protein. I'll make it with apples for breakfast or use it for my veggie stir-fries. Or, I keep it simple and use it as a side dish. There are lots of things to do with quinoa and they're all good.
Since releasing her debut album in 2005, Carrie Underwood has sold over 15 million albums and charted 18 #1 singles, nine of which she co-wrote. Her current album, Blown Away, made history by debuting at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, making her only the second country artist in the 47-year history of the chart to have each of their first four albums debut at #1. She is a six-time Grammy winner, a two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, a three-time Country Music Association and ACM Female Vocalist winner, and a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry.
