At First Glance
The beauty about the OPP recipes is the prep time and ingredient list is not too extensive. I could find everything in the local grocery store. Cutting all the veggies took less than 5 minutes.
The Taste Test
The taste of this recipe was all right. I think it was because there was relatively low spices. Next time, I would have added some some basil and maybe some cayenne pepper. I added sweet potato and loved the taste of that. The One Part Plant Breakfast Potato Bowl was a bit soggy the next day. So I would suggest making enough for that evening, if you can.
Final Verdict
This recipe was pretty good. I think it needed a few more spices to make it really stand out. Therefore, I rate this recipe 78% as it was a solid recipe. The recipe could be modified as well depending on what vegetables you put in it.
And now, and interview with the vibrant Mercedes!
Tell me a bit about yourself?
I recently asked my mom what I was like as a baby. Not about my favorite toy, lullaby, or variety of mushed veggie, but who she saw me to be. The little person lurking inside. She told me that I was, “the most inquisitive and curious creature.” While I was quiet, I was always watching intently, “trying to figure out how this whole life-thing works.” Well, not much has changed… Isn’t it striking how the personalities and mannerisms we exhibit as babies foreshadow the people we grow up to become? My Momma hit the nail on he head: I am in love with trying to figure out this whole life-thing.
Currently, I’m stepping away from a career in architecture and into one that brings me massive joy and endless interest: as a holistic lifestyle guide, specializing in young women’s empowerment and fearlessness. (See: aSTANDout.com, below.)
For fun and play -since my inner child lives loudly in my heart- I run, I climb, I explore, I write, I make art, I “experiment” in the kitchen…and I give really good hugs.
The OPP movement is all about trying to eat one plant based meal a day. What do you do to try to achieve this? Are there areas that you struggle in?
The OPP mission is fantastically approachable and inclusive: Just ONE damn meal a day!
Leaves and roots and fruits (and the seeds from which they’re born) are gorgeous to look at, fun to chop, straight up delicious (especially with some s&p, chili flake, and nori if I’m feeling fancy) and recognized by our bodies as brilliant medicine.
For me, there are no strugs with eating mostly plants (as you can likely tell from the ode in the previous paragraph). I’m on the veggie bandwagon with my seatbelt securely fastened!
An area requiring greater patience on my part, though, is helping family members (namely my dad) make wiser choices. I have learned so much about how the mind, body, and planet relates to how we feed ourselves, but it’s of utmost importance to remember that everyone is unique and on their own path. Empathy is key.
What recipes have you tried from the OPP cookbook so far? Any you would highly recommend?
Jess was a doll and made a few recipes available to me prior to the publishing date, just in time for my papa’s birthday. He’s Hungarian and has the world’s biggest sweet tooth (imagine a man with the voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger growing giddy at the sight of Nutella), so per request I made him a very traditional, uber chocolate-y cake, but with a surprise… I used the baklava part of the OPP recipe for “Baklava-ish toast” to top that sucker.
The man turned 63 years young and was smiling ear-to-ear!
My tastes fall more in line with a big-ass-salad in a bi-ass-bowl, so I’m amped to try “Daniel Holzman’s Chopped Vegetable Salad.” He’s the co-founder and chef of The Meatball Shop, so of course he knows a bangin salad, right? 😉
What are some ways that you promote eating plant-based (even little bits) to your family, coworkers and friends?
I learned a while ago that holier-than-thou preaching doesn’t cut it, and isn’t my style. I’ve found that I am happiest and most effective when I simply live my values. That way, I feel flipping fantastic and hopefully radiate goodness outward. If others are desirous of the same, they’ll ask.
That’s the way I’ve helped people discover holistic upgrades, like:
• apple cider vinegar for digestion
• turmeric and black pepper tea to combat inflammation
• epsom salt baths for exhausted muscles and ridiculously soft skin
• organic and all-natural beauty regimes (for literally every person that I love in my life, especially my momma)
Anything else you would like to share?
If any of you glorious folks out there would like to hear/see/learn more from me, my website is:
aSTANDout.com
A space for modern babes seeking a STAND out life, through Soul_Tribe_Art_Nourishment_Dialogue.
The site’s features are three-fold:
Journal
- Where write about the tightrope we walk as young women in an evolving world, striving to define and achieve vibrancy, success, and beauty on our own terms. Like I mentioned in the intro, I’m right here with you: in the thick of figuring out this whole “life-thing.” So, I use my anecdotes and vulnerability (and humor?) to chip away at the things that seem to really matter.
Shop
- My most topical and SUPER DUPER EXCITING news regards beauty! This week I opened sales for the first product in my natural beauty line: RADiant Face Serum. It is a golden-hued botanical serum for the face, neck, and wherever you desire healing, brightening, and youthful radiancy of the skin.
- The ingredients are 100% organic/cold-pressed/ethically-sourced/therapeutic-grade, and crafted entirely by hand, by me (with my decades-long passion for and research into natural beauty and herbalism).
- The results are 100% rad (imho).
I will soon be opening up my online services to include holistic health coaching, where I will champion for the mental/physical/spiritual wellness of my clients.
Please join my list for updates along the journey! I email with discretion, typically on the New Moon.
Website: www.astandout.com
Instagram & Twitter: @a_stand_out
Thank you Mercedes! It was wonderful to learn more about you.
