Southwest Tempeh Veggie Bowl (Vegan)
Southwest Tempeh Veggie Bowl (Vegan) is healthy, easy, and delicious. Bursting with flavor and incredibly good for you. I was making variations of this bowl for weeks and finally gravitated towards this deliciousness. I don’t use tempeh very often because I love tofu so much. Tempeh is a great source of iron as well, fellow vegans! However, every time I do use it, I tell myself I need to eat it more. Then, it happens all over again. 😉 Click HERE for info about the amazing benefits of tempeh.
I took these Southwest Tempeh Veggie Bowl (Vegan) pics awhile ago. I am still on my California road trip and I am nearing the end. It has been the most incredible ride so far. I hope I can get my shit together to make a blog post about it! We are leaving Santa Clara today after staying with my sister and her fam, it will be hard to go. Late nights, chatting and hangin’, kids playing together all day, cooking, being well-fed by my sis, and laughing our asses off. Been incredible. This trip was meant to start 2021 off with a bang. To help leave the shit-show of 2020 behind. To be in nature daily. To give me time to figure things out – what to do before I can move to China regarding G’s schooling, my work in the US, staying in Portland, or moving onwards before the big move to Shenzhen, etc. I am so incredibly happy to say that I think I have figured shit out. More on that at a later date.
Southwest Tempeh Veggie Bowl (Vegan) is such a healthy way to feed yourself and your fam. It’s a great way to get some otherwise more challenging veggies into your kiddos belly sans complaints, at least it was for me – a shocking revelation. 😉 Enjoy the Southwest Tempeh Veggie Bowl (Vegan) and drop a message in the comments if you changed it up!
PS- Click HERE for my recipe “Cheesy Vegan Tempeh Breakfast Sandwich”
For your cooking pleasure, a new song that I heard in my brother-in-law’s car two days ago. I’m obsessed! Two super talented dudes. The perfect song to relax and cook to…
Southwest Tempeh Veggie Bowl (Vegan)
Serves 2
Ingredients –
1 package (8 oz) of tempeh (cut the block in half length wise and then cut the tempeh into about 1-2 inch rectangles)
1 medium bell pepper (I used yellow bell pepper) – diced
1 C broccoli florets
1 C brussel sprouts (chop them up almost as you would for a hash)
1/2 C (loosely packed) cilantro – chopped
1/3 C red onion – diced
3 garlic cloves – chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Oil for pan (avocado or olive preferably)
Salsa – red and green – to taste
Hot sauces (or just one) – to taste
Directions –
Heat oil in pan over medium. Add onions and let cook for 2 minutes – stir occasionally
Add garlic – let cook for one minute more – stir occasionally
Add tempeh and salt – let cook (turning tempeh occasionally for 5 minutes)
Add brussel sprouts and bell pepper – let cook for 3-5 minutes – stir occasionally (you may need to add more oil)
Add broccoli, salt, pepper, and cilantro, stir and cook for 3-5 minutes more (broccoli should be cooked but still bright green)
Separate into 2 bowls and smother in salsas and hot sauce
Done!
Pair with –
White wine – albariño
Red wine – zinfandel
Beer – Rye beer or pilsner
The Ultimate Vegan Christmas Menu
The Ultimate Vegan Christmas Menu is a perfect list of recipes that are delicious and crowd-pleasing for any vegan Christmas. Recipes include a variety of vegan appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes, and cocktails. You can mix and match to make your own perfect vegan Christmas menu!
I LOVE Christmas time. I’m sure I’m not alone in that. 😉 A perfect Christmas, even in the shit-storm we can call 2020, should still include great food and drinks. I know many people will be having a lot of family/friend time over Zoom. We make the most of what we have, right? And, it’s celebratory in its own right since we can say a hearty, “goodbye!” and “FuCk YOu!” to 2020! Wooooo-hooooo!!!
I am supposed to be living in Shenzhen, China right now, teaching music at a dope international school, with my son receiving a free and amazing education there. I am now instead, teaching over Zoom, at night, awaiting the moment I can get my visa.
I miss my friends, I miss a full paycheck, I miss restaurants, activities with my kid like bowling, the zoo, the children’s museum, etc. I miss my kid’s Taekwondo and swimming lessons. This year I was going to start his piano lessons, too. I now also work at my kid’s private Chinese School since I can no longer afford the tuition without it.
This year has also brought intense emotional pain from my ex both pre & post-divorce, panic attacks ending in ER visits, and a litany of health issues stemming from mind-blowing levels of stress. I am more than happy to let go of this shitty fucking year! I KNOW I am not alone in this. 😉
Despite my diatribe of bullshit, I am still standing, and I still choose to celebrate the good in this world. Holidays (to me) are incredibly important to keep our happiness afloat, or at least remind us that we have happiness somewhere still within, if even for a day. Make this Christmas count! Let it be the precursor to the mouth of 2021. Enjoy the shit outta your Christmas company, even if only via Zoom, good food, good libations, the giving of gifts, and of course, good music. Cheers!
If you guys have any staple vegan Christmas recipes/food that you make, please post in the comment section to share some ideas. Enjoy The Ultimate Vegan Christmas Dinner Menu and have an amazing holiday!
An ultimate classic Christmas song from my all-time favorite Rudolph movie! (The movie is free on YouTube btw)…
Also, click HERE for a link to my article, Dear Santa Baby (A letter for adults)
*Click on the name of the recipe to bring you directly to the link!
The Ultimate Vegan Christmas Menu!
Appetizers –
Premier Tomato Bruschetta with Olives & Capers
Artichoke Balsamic & Basil Hummus
Fried Green Tomatoes with Special Sauce (vegan)!
Soups –
The BEST Vegan Pasta e Fagioli
The BEST Vegan Creamy Tortellini Soup! *This could be a main dish, too – SO filling!
Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup
Lentil Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms (Vegan)
Salads –
Sauteed Veggie & Farro Spiralized Zucchini Salad
Main dishes –
Vegan Mushroom Lentil Wellington
Vegan Kale Pesto Lasagna with Veggie Tofu Ricotta
Creamy Rigatoni with Lentils & Fresh Oregano – Vegan!
Creamy Vegan Macaroni and Cheese!
Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
Cocktails –
Desserts Cocktails –
Spiked Vegan Peppermint Hot Chocolate!
Minty Cacao Espresso Cocktail (Vegan)
If this is all too overwhelming for you, Whole Foods is doing a pre-made vegan Christmas dinner and I am pretty sure you can pick and choose some of your menu items! Click HERE for the link.
Greyson & my “Happy Holidays” card 🙂
Vegan Lentil Nut Loaf
Vegan Lentil Nut Loaf is easy, healthy, and delicious! Perfect for dinner, Thanksgiving, or Christmas meals. I make some kind of loaf for every Thanksgiving I have at my home – which is every year. LOL. Sometimes I do a pure lentil loaf, sometimes I do a nut loaf, sometimes a straight-up vegan meatloaf, and occasionally a mushroom wellington (click HERE for that recipe). Needless to say, I just try to change up the deliciousness every year since I host a vegan Thanksgiving annually.
I already had one vegan Thanksgiving thus far! My friend and her daughter came over since we won’t be able to spend the actual day together. It was amazing! We drank too much wine, good beer, and listened to too much Christmas music (is there such a thing?). The kids topped it off with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Round two of unnecessary eating came late night after some porch time with Jack Herer. LOL. That’s also when we thought it was a good idea to dive into the beers. Fuck it, right? We only live once and spending this time with friends is precious. Especially as we are preparing for our inevitable departure to our new home – Shenzhen, China. It couldn’t come soon enough!
This year, our T-day will be with my sister and her son. Simple but perfect. Again, getting that time in with our nearest and dearest! It is HARD with COVID. My Saturday night plans are now on Zoom. Ideal? No. However, still fun. It is really important to maintain connections and stay social during this pandemic. One of the few things that have truly helped.
I’ll have a few more vegan Thanksgiving recipes posted in the next ten days, and then my annual vegan Thanksgiving menu post with some T-day trivia for your holiday. Treat yourself to some early T-day grub because “fuck it,” it’s COVID and we might as well! On that note, cheers!
To get you in the holiday spirit…
Vegan Lentil Nut Loaf
Makes 8 slices
Ingredients –
2 C brown lentils (I use Trader Joe’s steamed lentils)
1 1/2 C walnuts – chopped finely
1 Tbl olive oil
3 Tbl vegetable broth
2 C yellow onion
1/2 Cup carrot – diced
1 C celery – diced
4 cloves garlic – minced
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
3 tsp oregano
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 C tomato paste
1 vegan egg equivalent – I use a flax “egg” – 1 Tbl ground flax with 3 Tbl water mixed well
1 1/4 C breadcrumbs
For the glaze:
1/3 cup ketchup (I use a good ketchup – Portland Ketchup)
2 Tbl balsamic vinegar
1 Tbl real maple syrup
Directions –
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat
Add the onion, celery, carrot, and salt – mix and cook for about 7 minutes
Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes
Add the broth, lentils, oregano, thyme, sage, and salt & pepper and cook for 5 minutes more stirring ocassionally
In a large bowl, add the lentil mix, breadcrumbs, vegan egg, and tomato paste – mix very well (use a masher or your hands)
Flatten the contents of the bowl into a loaf pan
Evenly spread glaze on the top of the loaf
Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes
Done!
Wine pairings –
Red – Barbaresco, tempranillo
White – Chardonnay
Beer pairings-
German hefeweizen, English brown ale
My 5 Most Popular Vegan Entrées!
My 5 Most Popular Entrées are just that. From Asian to Italian entrées, these vegan meals offer you a variety of hearty, easy, and delicious recipes for any family meal, small soirée, or of course, for some dope solo vegan grub.
I’ve been outta commission this past month. I decided to go to New York for a long stay. My parents live here and I still have loads of friends all over the state. It has been so rejuvenating to spend time with everyone. It’s also been amazing to see Grey hang with my friends’ kiddos! So crazy! Half of the friend tribes I see here are friends from 20 plus years ago. I feel so lucky to have that.
G and I started our journey in New Orleans with my brother and fam. After a few days there, we drove to NY and camped along the way. This was the escape that I desperately needed! For some awesome pics of New Orleans and our journey to NY, check out my Instagram page (@foodgalleygab – Heather Rugile). My brother’s purple classic Nola home is f’in’ suh-weet!
Let me know what you think of My 5 Most Popular Vegan Entrées. If you change up the recipe, etc. I’d love to hear it. I believe the comment section might actually be working for one of the only times in FGG’s history in the blogosphere. LOL.
Click on the title of the recipe to bring you directly to its page.
For your cooking and listening delight… (love them)!
Tahini Mushroom Dumplings
Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese
The Cheesiest Vegan Broccoli & Cheddar Baked Potato Ever!
Vegan Grilled Stuffed Burrito w/ Avocado Ranch!
Vegan Kale Pesto Lasagna with Veggie Tofu Ricotta
*Featured photo by Vegan Liftz on Unsplash
Mediterranean & Mexican Inspired Vegan Hot Dogs!
Mediterranean & Mexican Inspired Vegan Hot Dogs! – are fully loaded and smothered in deliciousness. The most bomb veggie dogs on the block. I made these for the 4th of July this year. Totally incredible.
The Mediterranean vegan hot dog is loaded with hummus, sauteed mushrooms with fresh lemon, parsley, garlic chives, and a tahini drizzle. The Mexican vegan hot dog is loaded with olives, vegan cheddar, green onions, (usually avocado), fresh cilantro, hot sauce, and a roasted red pepper drizzle. Honestly, I can’t pick a favorite. They’re totally different dogs but equally as badass.
I missed the beach big time this past 4th of July. Usually, I go to Long Island (where I’m from) and we all mosey to the beach in glow stick apparel to see the fireworks. However, since I spent my 4th’s at my friend Maureen’s house as a child, they’ve never been as fun at my own home (LI) unless my mother hosts a big party. Maureen’s parents always had loads of family, staple food, and lawn games – bocce being the biggest. This year I hosted (I usually do) with the few people we’ve been isolating with. We had lawn darts, bocce ball, cornhole, etc. There were water balloon fights, super soakers, great food, strawberry/mint margaritas, mango margaritas, and a slightly failed outdoor movie. I fucking love the shit out of entertaining and hosting any party for any occasion and believe me, I’ll always find an occasion, no need for a “just because.”
Anyway, enjoy the shit outta the Mediterranean & Mexican Inspired Vegan Hot Dogs! Comment below and let me know how you did yours, or other crazy dog inventions you’ve rocked.
PS- We listened to Bob Marley for a large part of the 4th of July. Bob is my sunshine summer music (thanks to my old New Paltz roomies for that) Enjoy the tunes! …
Mediterranean & Mexican Inspired Vegan Hot Dogs!
*There are no measurements for these hot dogs, as you will dress each one as you’d like and to taste
Ingredients-
Mexican Vegan Hot Dog:
Good hot dog buns
Hot dogs – grilled
Shredded vegan cheddar (I used Miyoko’s Farmhouse Cheddar)
Fresh cilantro – chopped loosely
Green onions – diced
Black Olives – sliced
Avocado – diced
Optional – hot sauce, roasted red pepper drizzle
Mediterranean Vegan Hot Dog:
Good hot dog buns
Hot dogs – grilled
Hummus – You can use a classic hummus (recipe here), a spicy roasted red pepper hummus (recipe here), or any other hummus
White or crimini mushrooms – sliced thin
Garlic – minced (for mushrooms)
fresh parsley (for mushrooms)
Garlic Chives
fresh lemon (for mushrooms)
Olive oil for pan
Salt & pepper for the mushrooms
Directions-
Mexican Vegan Hot dog:
Toast your buns with a bit of the cheese and hot sauce (optional) on the bottom
Add hot dog, cheese, green onions, olives, avocado, cilantro, and drizzle with (both optional) hot sauce and roasted red pepper sauce
Mediterranean Vegan Hot Dog:
Heat pan on medium with olive oil. Once hot, add garlic and mushrooms and sprinkle on salt & pepper. Stir. Add fresh parsley and squeeze just a bit of fresh lemon juice on the mushrooms and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes stirring occasionally (toast buns at the same time).
Toast your buns and then smother the bottom of the bun with your choice of hummus and then add hot dogs
Place the garlic chives on the side of the bun, top with mushrooms, and drizzle with tahini sauce
Beer pairings:
For Mexican Vegan Hot Dog – witbier or hefeweizen
For Mediterranean Vegan Hot Dog – pilsner, American pale ale, or warsteiner
The BEST Vegan Thanksgiving Menu
Happy almost T-day, everyone! This is mostly a repost from last year with a few additions. In this post, I am giving you my recipes AND my favorite premade vegan roasts. Honestly, I serve at least one every year. It’s 2019 so we have options, people! When I was 8 years old and vegetarian, it meant I could eat a lot of potatoes and some sides. As a vegan? I would’ve had nothing but some veggies. Then came Tofurky. It was okay at the time. Now, Tofurky has jazzed it up and we have Gardein and Field Roast to give Tofurky some serious competition.
This year my vegan thanksgiving will look a bit different. One, I’m divorced. Thank. Fucking. God. Well, not yet, but soon. It couldn’t come fast enough. I’m doing a Friendsgiving, okay, one of my sisters will be here too, at my new and awesome apartment. I thought I’d miss my house SO much. Turns out, I don’t. I guess home is wherever and whatever you make it. This year, I’m serving many of the recipes below and a roast. I’m also adding a staple salad from Thanksgivings of my childhood. My mother made this salad every year. I don’t have a pic of it, however, I use mesclun greens, red onion, sliced purple grapes and small bits of apple, candied pecans or walnuts, garbanzo beans, vegan blue cheese or vegan feta (optional), and a homemade honey mustard dressing. SO GOOD! My friends, their kids, the Macy’s parade, lots of jazz records, awesome cocktails, dresses that stretch to match my belly as it begins to bust, my couch, and a massive sleepover at my place will complete my holiday of fun. Hell yeah!
Below are recipes for soups, salad, appetizers, entrees, and amazing cocktails. Enjoy the grub and please leave a comment if you make these or even one of these recipes, and let us know what your thoughts are! -FGG
Click on a recipe to bring you directly to the link!
PS- The featured image is by, RUNNING ON REAL FOOD
PPS- I remember seeing this when it aired. I was having a sleepover and my friend and I were watching this from my mother’s bed. I LOVED Adam Sandler. Cheers to the past! 😉
Creamy Vegan Carrot Sweet Potato & Mushroom Soup
Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup
Lentil Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms (Vegan)
Sauteed Veggie & Farro Spiralized Zucchini Salad
Artichoke Balsamic & Basil Hummus (If you use the parm, my favorite vegan parm is Go Veggie Vegan Parmesan)
The BEST Pumpkin Seeds Ever!
Premier Tomato Bruschetta with Olives & Capers
Vegan Mushroom Lentil Wellington
Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese
Vegan Kale Pesto Lasagna with Veggie Tofu Ricotta
Crazy Delicious Veggie Couscous
Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
A Maple Bourbon Fruit Fling Named Rosemary
Blackberry Royale
Amazon Link To My Two Self-Published Books!
Image by, Player.One
Tadka Dal & Curried Yellow Lentils & Potatoes (Vegan)
Tadka Dal & Curried Yellow Lentils & Potatoes (Vegan) are healthy, easy, and totally delicious vegan Indian recipes. I am a lover of the lentil… big time. Lentils are super badass for protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, and folate – a vegetarian and vegan dream. Plus, they taste fucking incredible and are ridiculously versatile. I make “meatballs” with them, toss them on salads, in pasta, in bean dips, patties and more. I made the Tadka Dal for me (I like spice), and the Curried Yellow Lentils for my kiddo.
When I lived in Beijing (almost 3 years ago now – crazy!), I traveled alllll over Asia. One of the coolest things to me was the day I filled my passport and had to get pages added. However, it totally ruined the cool look of my passport. LOL. Anyway, I always felt bad for people who traveled with me. I wasn’t vegan when I lived in China, but I was a vegetarian (since the age of 8). Traveling in SE Asia meant delicious and cheap food for everyone… but me. Not to mention, vegetarianism is pretty much a foreign concept there so things like fish sauce and pastes were never revealed when asked if the dish was vegetarian. Better safe than sorry. I lived on the shittiest pizzas, pasta, and occasional toastie (basically a grilled cheese). All of my friends traveling with me got stuck eating at these awful western restaurant when we were traveling in various places of SE Asia – except in Ho Chi Mihn – there was this AWESOME coffee shop (Vietnam has incredible coffee) that served these crazy cheap, crazy delicious, tofu lemongrass baguettes. I ate one every day. That was the only “gem” I had ever come across… until I went to India. I ate the shit out of India. Breakfasts were insane! I could eat everywhere. A vegetarian’s paradise. Plus, Indian food is so flavor-packed, I never got bored. Oddly enough, it was my least favorite place in Asia that I ever traveled to – but at the same time, the best fucking food I’d ever had in Asia. I ate Tadka Dal like it was my last day on earth – and every other piece of naan, biryani, paneer, and kofta I could get down before barfing from overeating. 😉 Yes, Delhi Belly is real, very grossly real… but more than worth it. 😉
Let me know your thoughts on these recipes. Did you switch it up? Add things? I also have just been informed that my comment section hasn’t been working for about a year! WTF! Figuring this out now. One of my plugins is most likely the source. Feel free to comment on my FB page, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram accounts though! -FGG
PS- I LOVE The Beatles! This is a fitting song for the post. 😉
TADKA DAL RECIPE:
Ingredients:
1 C yellow lentils
1 small-medium yellow onion – diced
1 small tomato – diced
1 chili – diced finely (I used a green chili)
2 Tbl ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 cloves of garlic – diced
3/4 tsp chili powder (adjust according to your desired level of spice)
1 Tbl fresh ginger – thinly sliced OR 1/2 tsp of powdered ginger
1 tsp turmeric
Garam masala powder – sprinkled in a very tiny amount
2 Tbl fresh cilantro – loosely chopped
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
Salt as desired
4 C water
3 Tbl vegetable oil
Directions:
Rinse lentils very well
In a saucepan – boil water
Once boiling, add lentils, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, and fenugreek leaves
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for approximately 30 minutes – stir occasionally
Remove from heat when lentils are soft (add more water if necessary)
Put oil in a skillet on medium high
Add cumin seeds. After 1-2 minutes, add onion. After 2 more minutes, add garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes or until onions are browned.
Add ginger, chili, and tomato. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 8 minutes or until tomato is soft.
Combine the lentils with the mixture from the skillet, salt, and cilantro – mix well
Done!
Curried Yellow Lentils
Ingredients:
1 C dry yellow lentils
1/2 onion – finely diced
3 cloves garlic – minced
1 Tbl vegetable oil
1 Tbl cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 C vegetable broth
2 C water
Salt to taste
Directions:
In a pan, heat oil and add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 2-3 minutes
Add the turmeric, and cumin powder – cook for about more more minute
Add the broth and water and bring to boil – stir well
Add the lentils and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 20-30 minutes (add more water or broth if necessary)
Add salt – stir
Done!
Creamy Curried Potatoes!
Ingredients:
6 medium white potatoes – boiled
1/2 C (or more pending upon your level of creaminess) vegan mayo (I only use Vegenaise)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
Directions:
Let potatoes cool and cut potatoes in half
Add all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well
Done!
*Feel free to adjust your spices according to your taste!
Wine Pairings:
White – Dry riesling OR dry rose
Red- Pinot Noir
Beer Pairing:
Lager
HERE ARE SOME PICS FROM MY TRIP TO INDIA IN 2013 (DEHLI, AGRA, JAIPUR, GOA). TOO MANY “HEATHER PICS” LOL – BUT I WANTED PICS IN FRONT OF THESE AMAZING PLACES! 😉
The BEST Vegan Dinner Christmas Menu!
The BEST Vegan Dinner Christmas Menu! Is complete with amazing vegan appetizers (not just traditional appetizers, different and delicious apps that aren’t your holiday standards), soups, salads, entrees (pastas, Wellington, stuffed potatoes, stuffed portobellos), and of course, holiday cocktails (both warm and cold)! I’ve had many a small, medium, and large sized holiday parties at my home. No matter where I’ve been, whether I lived in Oregon, California, New York, China etc, I’m always the first to host a T-day or an xmas soiree… I LOVE entertaining! As long as I have the kitchen to myself (I’d love to be in the house by myself), wine, and music, I am golden for hours upon hours in the kitchen. Anyone else?
Since we’re in the seasonal spirit right now, I shall leave you with MY version (or desires) of The Twelve Days of Christmas.
The Twelve Days of Christmas
by, Heather Rugile
On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
a day alone with my SANITY
On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Two trips to Fiji, and a day alone with my SANITY
On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone with my SANITY
On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Four thousand dollars, three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone With my SANITY
On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Five days of PEACE, four thousand dollars, three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone With my SANITY
On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Six Brad Pitt’s swimming, five days of PEACE, four thousand dollars, three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone with my SANITY
On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Seven second homes, six Brad Pitt’s swimming, five days of PEACE, four Thousand dollars, three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone with My SANITY
On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Eight maids a-cleanin’, seven second homes, six Brad Pitt’s swimming, five days of PEACE, four thousand dollars, three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone with My SANITY
On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Nine buff bods dancin’, eight maids a-cleanin’, seven second homes, six Brad Pitt’s swimming, five days of PEACE, four thousand dollars, three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone with My SANITY
On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
TEN hours sleeping, nine buff bods dancin’, eight maids a-cleanin’, seven second homes, six Brad Pitt’s swimming, five days of PEACE, four thousand dollars, three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone with My SANITY
On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Eleven days no laundry, TEN hours sleeping, nine buff bods dancin’, eight maids a-cleanin’, seven second homes, six Brad Pitt’s swimming, five days of PEACE, four thousand dollars, three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone with My SANITY
On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Twelve flasks of vodka, eleven days no laundry, TEN hours sleeping, nine buff bods dancin’, eight maids a-cleanin’, seven second homes, six Brad Pitt’s swimming, five days of PEACE, four thousand dollars, three French men, two trips to Fiji, and a day alone with My SANITY
PS- Okay, so I totally cannot get enough of the Pentatonix Christmas songs/videos! I know I used their “Little Drummer Boy” in one of last week’s posts, but I feel the need to share this absolutely incredible winter holiday song! A MUST WATCH!
Click the recipes below to bring you directly to the links!
APPETIZERS:
Fried Green Tomatoes with Special Sauce (vegan)!
Premier Tomato Bruschetta with Olives & Capers
(Use my favorite vegan parmesan! Go Veggie! Parmesan)
Hummus & Veggie “Sushi” Rolls
Tofu Tuna
(Replace the greek yogurt with vegan mayo. In my opinion, the BEST EVER vegan mayo is Vegenaise! Also, you could sub out seaweed for white miso paste! This is one of my all time favorite dips)!
Cheesy Vegan Sweet Potato Fries Nacho Style!
Eggplant Meatballs (Vegan)
(Serve them just like the picture with sauce and some toothpicks)!
Vegetable Gyoza Recipe – Vegan
Spicy & Smoky Vegan Cheddar Cheese Wheel & Sundried Tomato & Basil Hummus)
SOUPS:
Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup
Creamy Tomato & Cauliflower Soup
SALADS:
Sauteed Veggie & Farro Spiralized Zucchini Salad
Pesto Mushroom & Chick Pea Spinach Salad
(Use vegan parmesan. Again, Go Veggie! Is amazing)!
ENTREES:
Vegan Mushroom Lentil Wellington
Creamy Rigatoni with Lentils & Fresh Oregano – Vegan!
Spaghetti Marinara with Chard & Burst Tomatoes
Creamy Vegan Macaroni and Cheese!
The Cheesiest Vegan Broccoli & Cheddar Baked Potato Ever!
Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
COCKTAILS:
4 Fabulous Christmas Cocktails
Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes & Menu
Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes & Menu is your go-to guide for faux T-day this November. All things delicious, all things festive, and all things healthy. Say whaaa?! I was encouraged to serve vegetarian and meat last year for T-day. I said, “fuck that!” That is demeaning to both myself and my kitchen. Why would my vegan grub taste any different than my vegetarian grub? So, naturally, being who I am, I did what I wanted. After all, it was me, and only me, who was cooking for 8 people. I’m not complaining, I love doing it solo, just don’t tell me what to do in my kitchen. Now, hope you’re not thinking I’m a cruel, control-freak kinda asshole, I assure you, I’m not. I am speaking in defense of food. If you make it well, it tastes good. Simple as that. A lesson to be taught to many who think that no food can be a meal without meat or cheese. That’s nuts-o. It’s 2018. I think by now, we should all be aware that plant-based food is DOPE! Just like any food! If you cook chicken or pasta without flavoring, it sucks. It’s alllll about flavor. I had 2 meat eaters, a gluten free-er, 5 vegetarians and moi last Thanksgiving. The result? Everyone loved the food! And I mean alllll of the food. I made everything GF as well. For me, this holiday is about eating amazing food, drinking copious amounts of delicious wine, shoveling some pie in your overflowing and about-to-burst belly, unbuttoning your pants, or losing the tights, and then enjoying good company with some good games. Last year, we somehow made it to the dart board. I have NO idea how anyone was standing long enough to make that happen. It was awesome.
Below are recipes for: soups, salad, appetizers, entrees, and an amazing cocktail. Enjoy the grub and please leave a comment if you make these, or even one of these recipes, and let us know what your thoughts are! -FGG
Click on recipe to bring you directly to the link!
PS- Sorry for the day-late post! It was my kiddo’s bday party (HUGE) on Saturday, and his actual bday on Sunday. He got all of me. No time for anything or anyone else. My heart, G-man. 😉
PPS- The featured image is by: RUNNING ON REAL FOOD
PPPS- I remember seeing this when it aired. I LOVED Adam Sandler. Cheers to the past! 😉
Creamy Vegan Carrot Sweet Potato & Mushroom Soup
Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup
Sauteed Veggie & Farro Spiralized Zucchini Salad
Artichoke Balsamic & Basil Hummus (If you use the parm, my favorite vegan parm is “Go Veggie Vegan Parmesan)
15 Awesome Vegan Recipes for the Fall!
So, it’s been a while… a long while. I am making a vow right now that I am going to get my shit together and start blogging like I was doing before summer hit. In fact, I’m gonna blog ten times f’in’ harder than that! Why? Well, one, because I LOVE it! Two, because I’m listening to “Crushing It!” by, Gary Vaynerchuk and I am sooo inspired! It literally makes me want to pull my car over mid-drive and start blogging, writing my book, and starting my podcast. I freakin’ heart you hard, Gary. 😉
Okay, back to the title of this post: 15 Awesome Vegan Recipes for the Fall! I have compiled 15 of my favorite autumnal recipes (appetizers, salad, soups, pasta, cocktails etc) from the archives of this blog that make my soul warmer and happier in what should be called, the BEST season of the year. Who doesn’t love fall foliage, the crisp air, apple and pumpkin picking, tractor rides at farms, corn mazes at farms, all things pumpkin spice, all things maple, and of course, some warm food on a cold day?! Obviously, only the soulless! Click on the recipe title to bring you directly to the link. See you all soon… -FGG
PS- My mother had said she was listening to George Winston’s “Autumn” the other day which has inspired the musical selection for this post. Totally reminds me of my childhood!
SOUPS:
Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup, Creamy Vegan Carrot Sweet Potato Mushroom Soup, Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup, Lentil Soup with Sautéed Mushrooms
APPETIZERS & SALAD:
Artichoke & Balsamic Parmesan Hummus (replace real parm for vegan parm – GO VEGGIE is my fave), The BEST Vegan Nach Cheese Sauce Ever! (who doesn’t love nachos during game season?!), Sautéed Veggie & Farro Spiralized Zucchini Salad
MEALS:
Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese, Vegan Mushroom and Lentil Wellington, Crazy Delicious Veggie Couscous, Spaghetti Squash with Cheesy Marinara, Lentil Sloppy Joe’s (replace shredded cheese with vegan shredded cheese like Daiya’s)
COCKTAILS & DESSERT:
A Maple Bourbon Fling Named Rosemary, Warm & Delicious Spiked Choco-Coffee, 3 Minute/4 Ingredient Hot Chocolate Mini-Mug Cake (Replace Egg with Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg – this stuff is awesome!)
Eggplant Meatballs (Vegan)
Eggplant Meatballs (Vegan) are truly one of the most delicious faux ‘meatballs’ one can make. I love the flavor, texture, and the fact that they are crazy easy and quick to chef up! This recipe comes from my mother via my Aunt Lisa, or so I think. The original recipe calls for egg and cheese so I’ve made my own vegan version for y’all. Honestly, they taste exactly the same and hold together just as well.
I became a vegetarian when I was 8 years old. I never faltered for even a moment after I had made the decision to go meat-free. Thankfully, my mother rarely cooked meat anyway and was incredibly health-conscious – far beyond where the rest of the world was. I was eating quinoa balls, tofu dishes, going to vegetarian cooking classes at the local health food store, chowing down on eggplant meatballs, etc FAR before anyone had ever heard of the word ‘quinoa’, none-the-less could even pronounce it! I am beyond grateful to have had a parent with this understanding of nutrition and food many moons before the health trends (grains, tofu, non-dairy milks, etc) hit the US.
I shattered both of my wrists when I was eleven. Yup. That sucked. I started my very first day of middle school with two casts and a new set of metal in my mouth. People would walk up to me and say, “So you’re the girl with two broken arms!” To which my drugged up and angry self would reply, “Who else do you think it is?!” It’s amazing that I had friends and wasn’t a freakin’ social pariah. Anyway, my point in sharing this with you is to mention that my doctors were concerned that I wouldn’t heal quickly because I was a vegetarian. My mother argued that I was far healthier than most children. Alas, I healed weeks before they expected. My sisters were quite thankful as well, as I no longer had two hard weapons to bang heavily atop their heads. Okay, so I wasn’t the model older sister. I was more of an asshole. So sue me! I was a pretty crazy kid. I’ve grown, or so they say. 😉
Eggplant Meatballs (Vegan) are a must for your recipe index. Give them a go and send pictures or use my Heyoya to speak your comment instead of writing it! Mangia! Your listening tune for this recipe below:
EGGPLANT MEATBALLS (VEGAN)
Yields: Approximately 15 eggplant balls
Ingredients:
3 Tbl olive oil
3 cloves garlic – chopped
1 large eggplant – peeled & diced
1 Tbl water
1 C seasoned bread crumbs (I used Panko & seasoned with Italian herbs)
1/2 C fresh parsley – loosely chopped
1/2 C grated vegan cheese (I grated Follow Your Heart’s Mozzarella)
Olive oil for pan
Marinara sauce
Your favorite pasta if serving as a meal (I used whole wheat spaghetti for a classic ‘spaghetti and meatballs’ dish)
Instructions:
In a large saucepan heat the oil and add the garlic – stir occasionally for about 1 minute
Add the eggplant and water and then cover
Reduce the heat and then steam until the eggplant is very soft – about 15 minutes
In a mixing bowl, combine the eggplant, bread crumbs, parsley, and cheese
Mix very well and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes
Form the mixture into balls and either:
Fry in oil
Bake at 400f for about 25 minutes on a sprayed baking sheet – turn them after 12 minutes
Done!
Add sauce and pasta for a delicious meal!
Wine pairings:
Red – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Chianti, or Sangiovese
Spaghetti Squash with Cheesy Marinara (Vegan)
Spaghetti Squash with Cheesy Marinara (Vegan) made all the members of my household drool. Seriously. I knew there would be skepticism at first sight, but mouth-watering, “MORE PLEASE!” hollers as soon as this was tasted and immediately scarfed down… annndd, I was right. The beauty of this meal, outside of the delish factor, is how incredibly easy and versatile it is. I made the adults spaghetti squash with shredded Miyokos vegan mozzarella, vegan meatballs (Trader Joe’s), and freshly chopped basil from my garden. I made my kiddo spaghetti squash with Quorn Chicken and parmesan cheese. The following day, I threw some left over olives I had from my Greek infused tofu scramble (recipe coming soon) in my bowl and my mouth melted just a teeny bit more. My point being, throw in whatever you’d like and it will still be awesome!
Many, many moons ago, my exe’s sister was in culinary school and taught us how to use spaghetti squash as pasta. I was hooked. As you all know, I’m a total f’in carb-whore, and my thighs really don’t appreciate that portion of my personality, so this discovery was pretty freakin’ fantastic to say the least. His sister also taught us a trick for cutting cilantro and parsley off the bunch. One day, when I actually have my YouTube channel that I’ve been talking about creating for over a year now, I’ll totally share that fabulous trick with you all. For the “one day…”
Anyway, enjoy the grub and the tunes! -FGG
Okay, so TOTALLY disappointing! My Yum Print Recipe card template isn’t working! Ugh… 🙁 I’ll post the recipe below without it. When I sort it out, I will revise this post with the recipe card.
30 minutes // Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS:
1 spaghetti squash
25 oz jar of garlic marinara (I used Cucina Antica)
2 C shredded vegan mozzarella (I used Miyokos or Follow Your Heart)
1/4 C fresh basil – chopped
Optional add-ons:
Vegan meatballs (I used Trader Joes)
Vegan chicken strips (try Gardein)
Vegan sausage (Gimme Lean OR Tofurky: Italian Sausage with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Basil)
Olives
Capers
Artichoke hearts
Spinach
Fresh Parsley
DIRECTIONS:
Cut the spaghetti squash in half – length wise and place in a large pot with boiling water, face down, for 25 minutes on medium high
While the squash is cooking, shred your mozzarella and chop your basil. Prepare any other ingredients you are using as well
When the squash is through cooking, scrape out the seeds with a fork or spoon. Next scrape each half of the squash with a fork. You should be able to scrape all the way to the shell leaving no “meat” left in the squash shells
Place the scraped squash back in the pot on low, and add the sauce, basil, and cheese. Stir well until the squash is thoroughly covered in sauce and the cheese has begun to melt
Add any other ingredients you are using and stir again
Remove from heat and serve immediately
Done!
Wine Pairings:
Red – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo OR Pinot Noir
White – Pinot Grigio OR a crisp Sauvignon Blanc
Creamy Rigatoni with Lentils & Fresh Oregano – Vegan!
Creamy Rigatoni with Lentils & Fresh Oregano – Vegan! was so freakin’ good that my kiddo housed it like a drunken frat boy chowing down on pizza after a wild night out. 😉 … Yeah, so that statement just produced a litany of SUNY New Paltz memories racing through my brain. Ahh… the good ole days. When livers were strong, friends were family, stoners still laughed when they got high, cigarettes were cheap, the walk of shame was lived by all – every weekend, and life was… well… fucking great! THAT’s how unbelievably awesome this pasta dish is.
This Creamy Rigatoni with Lentils & Fresh Oregano – Vegan! is made with a cashew and pesto based sauce. It’s loaded with vitamins, omega 3, iron, and all things good for your mind, body, soul, and of course, your tastebuds. 😉 This dish talks the talk and walks the walk. I have a load of oregano and basil pumpin’ in my garden. I dried the oregano the night before to use for this meal. I had to stop myself from over-carbing, as usual.
Since I hadn’t written a post in ages until my previous gyoza post, I totally forgot to do my new thanggg. Music! I’m super into adding some good tunes to every post. I always cook with music. If you have my e-cookbook, you’ll know that each recipe has a link to a song that accompanies that specific dish. Enjoy the dope tunes and grub! Mangia!
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta - cooked
- 1 C cooked lentils (I used 1/2 a pack of Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils)
- 1/4 C fresh oregano that has been dried - this will taste very different than dried oregano in a store
- 1 1/2 C basil leaves - loosely packed
- 1 & 1/2 C cashews - raw & unsalted
- 1/2 of a large red onion - diced
- 3 Tbs nutritional yeast
- 3 Tbs ground flax seed (I add this solely for health purposes - omegas!)
- 2 cloves garlic - chopped
- 1/4 C pine nuts
- 1/2 of a lemon - squeezed
- 1 1/2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base
- 1 - 2 C unsweetened almond milk or soy milk (depends on how thick you want your sauce)
- 2 Tbl olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat pan on medium with olive oil
- Add onion and salt - cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes
- Add garlic and cashews - cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes more
- In a high powered blender (I used my Vitamix), blend all of the ingredients, except the lentils and oregano, together until smooth and creamy - adjust salt, pepper, and milk as necessary
- Pour sauce over warm rigatoni and sprinkle with oregano
- Done!
- White - oaked chardonnay, soave, chablis
- Red - teroldego, pinot noir
Vegetable Gyoza Recipe – Vegan
I am officially back from my month long vacation and hiatus from all things blog! This past school year, I taught 52 classes per week, finished getting two books edited, and published a cookbook. This is on top of a bit of a roller coaster in my own life. I desperately needed time away from everything. I went to Long Island, NY (my hometown) and was a literal recluse. I only left my mom’s house for the beach (daily), the arboretum, Teddy Roosevelt’s house, my friend’s house in Queens (one time), and the city for an evening. That might sound like a lot, but remember, I was there for an entire month! I finally began working out again – thanks Jillian Michael’s for kicking my ass daily! My mom gave me a Fitbit so I’m now watching my steps, and I’m on the road to less boozing and carbs (insert the BIGGEST sigh ever here). I have a long way to go but made some progress this past month. That all being said, I’m back and ready to get to blogging twice a week! I’ve missed my cyber home and creating daily deliciousness!
Vegetable Gyoza Recipe – Vegan is an awesome recipe that stemmed from some serious disappointment. If you follow my blog, you know that I am practically the best advertisement ever for Trader Joe’s. Alas, the time has finally come when I just can’t get down with one of their meals: Thai Vegetable Gyoza. I decided I’d have a go at making my own recipe for a flavor palette better suited to me. For an even better flavor explosion, I fried these vegetable dough filled delights in tamari sauce. So freakin’ delish! Hope you love them as much as I did! Enjoy! -FGG
- 1 package gyoza/dumpling skins
- 1 C shredded white cabbage
- 1 C diced mushrooms (I used shiitake)
- 1/4 C chopped white radish
- 1 C shredded carrot
- 1 C finely diced chives or green onions
- 1 Tbl minced ginger
- 1/2 C chopped cilantro
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbl low sodium soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
- 1/4- 1/3 C water
- Cooking oil (I used canola)
- Tamari to taste
- In a pan (or wok if you have) add sesame oil and heat on medium-high
- Add the mushrooms and stir well - about 3 minutes
- Add the cabbage, radish, carrots, ginger, soy sauce, and stir well - about 3 minutes
- Add the chives or green onions - stir occasionally for 1 minute
- Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro - let sit for about 1 minute
- Drain the mixture
- Evenly distribute the mixture into the center of each gyoza skin
- To fold, I simply squeeze the top together, pinching along the way, to create a half moon
- Heat pan on high and add cooking oil and tamari
- Place the bottom of the gyoza on the bottom of the pan - leave room to turn them onto their sides
- When the bottom of the pan begins to brown, add water and cover
- Check occasionally to see the progress of the browning and using tongs, turn to brown each side
- When all liquid evaporates and the 3 sides of the gyoza are browned, they are done!
- Serve with gyoza sauce (soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste or red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and chives or green onions)
- Done!
- Riesling, Bourgogne, or sparkling wine
- White ale or pilsner
The Cheesiest Vegan Broccoli & Cheddar Baked Potato Ever!
The Cheesiest Vegan Broccoli & Cheddar Baked Potato Ever! is made with an incredibly easy, cheesy, healthy, and delicious vegan cheddar cheese sauce. This is my staple sauce for nachos (I add taco seasoning and cilantro to that one), some of my mac n’ cheese recipes, or to pour over veggies or fries. If you are NOT a lover of nutritional yeast (nooch), this isn’t the sauce for you. However, if you ARE a lover of nooch, like myself, you’ll find yourself drooling even thinking about this cheesy goodness! To me, this is sex in a potato. If a potato were ever sexy, this potato would have high heels and look like Christy Brinkley.
I received loads of potatoes from my Organics to You delivery and kept saying that I was going to make these broccoli and cheddar baked potatoes. However, I kept making fries on the grill because my wee man is totally obsessed with them. Last week, the craving was real so I made a TON of my vegan cheese sauce to make sure that I could fully smother my two potatoes with cheesiness and broccoli (they weren’t both for me, I’m not that much of a fatty – though my soul totally is 🙂 – carb whore 4eva!). Besides having a baked potato that’s actually baked well, the gluttonous cheese factor is most definitely the foundation for goodness in this recipe.
I stabbed the crap outta the potato (great way to let out post-concert rehearsal stressors – LOL), and rubbed it with olive oil, Himalayan pink salt, and cracked pepper, then baked it. The rest is on the recipe card. Easy as _________ (whatever works for you – certainly not pie, that’s not easy, that’s BS). Lastly, as per my new Youtube additions to my posts, I’ve left you with what I was listening to when making this glorious cheesy vegan broccoli & cheddar baked potato. Enjoy the tunes and the grub! -FGG
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 3/4 C broccoli florets
- 1/4 - 1/3 C nutritional yeast
- 3 Tbl flour (I used whole wheat)
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt & cracked pepper to taste (I use little to no salt due to the broth)
- Himalayan pink salt (or other salt) for potato
- 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base paste
- 1 Tbl dijon mustard
- 2 tsp soy sauce (I used Bragg's Aminos)
- 2 C water
- Oil for pan
- Heat oven to 425f
- Wash potatoes and rub with olive oil, Himalayan salt, & cracked pepper
- Stab potatoes with fork
- Leave in oven for 50-60 minutes -turn potatoes about every 20 minutes
- Remove from oven - let cool for 5 minutes and cut in half - be sure to NOT cut through to the bottom
- Remove about 1-2 Tbl of potato from the insides
- Heat oil in pan on medium - medium high - add flour - mix constantly for 1 minute
- Add bouillon paste and slowly add water and yeast - stir to break up clumps for 3-5 minutes
- Add broccoli and turn up to medium high - be sure to stir if it bubbles
- Add dijon, soy, oregano, onion and garlic powders, and any salt & pepper you'd like -stir occasionally for 5-7 minutes
- The sauce should be thickening from the flour and yeast
- Remove from heat or let thicken more
- Pour hot cheese & broccoli sauce over the baked potatoes
- Enjoy!
- Beer - Lager
- Red- Pinot Noir
- White- Dry Sauvignon Blanc or Cotes du Rhone
Vegan Kale Pesto Spring Primavera!
Vegan Kale Pesto Spring Primavera! will be your next favorite spring pasta dish! Crazy colorful, flavorful, and incredibly healthy… not to mention quick and easy to make. This is one of those meals where I sometimes say, “if you could purchase it in a store and didn’t absolutely love it, I’d give you a refund in full.” Dem be powerful words, pasta lovers! A rainbow of deliciousness awaits you. I found this rainbow array of veggies in my fridge left over from my Organics to You delivery and had to use them before they went bad. I had also purchased Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale, Cashew, and Basil Pesto. However, if you don’t wanna go out and spend too much dinero on that bad boy, I have an AMAZING recipe on my blog for a pesto just like Trader Joe’s – in the search box, type – crazy creamy pesto (not sure why my hyperlink wasn’t working).
On this fine and fabulous afternoon, I went nuts-o cooking dishes for the week and for the blog. Breakfast toasts, red pepper hummus, a spaghetti marinara with peppers and chard (recipe coming soon), and of course, the one and only Vegan Kale Pesto Spring Primavera! I was a cooking machine. It was sunny, I had the door and windows wide open, and I listened to some My Bubba. If you don’t know these super hot, folk-esk, Scandinavian duo, get to know their music asap. They’re freakin’ amazing! So amazing, that I feel the need to add one of their recording sessions from a totally dope hostel in Iceland to this very post. You’re welcome. 😉 To sum this short post up (well, for me, haha), if you like incredible pasta and fantastic tunes, I implore you to make this recipe asap whilst listening to these superb ladies serenade you. Mangia!
PS- There’s a gigantic gap b/w my last photo and the video and recipe card. I can’t fix it! UGH! WordPress woes… 🙁
- 1 lb fusilli pasta (I used Trader Joe's Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli) - cooked
- 8 oz of kale pesto (I have a recipe on the blog for this but I used TJ's Vegan Kale, Cashew, and Basil Pesto)
- 1 1/2 C purple broccoli florets
- 3/4 C broccolini or something similar - diced
- 3/4 C small red cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 C carrot - diced
- 3/4 -1 C thin aspargus - cut into approximately 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 of a lemon
- 6 large basil leaves (or the equivalent) - chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive oil for pan
- Heat a large pan with olive oil over medium heat
- Add the carrots and asparagus stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes
- Add the purple broccoli, broccolini, tomatoes, salt & pepper, and squeeze the lemon on top of the veggies - stir occasionally for about 5 minutes
- Add the basil and stir for approximately 2-3 minutes more
- Your veggies should be crisp but cooked - don't over cook
- Remove from heat
- Pour pesto over your pasta and mix well
- Pour the veggie mix from the pan over the pesto pasta and still well
- Done!
- Sauvignon Blanc, dry riesling, or Fiano di Avellino
Creamy Vegan Pasta with Shiitakes and Veggies!
Creamy Vegan Pasta with Shiitakes and Veggies! is flavor packed, nutrition packed, and simply: CRAZY DELICIOUS! Like I’ve said a million times before; I’m a total carb-a-holic so pasta scratches that itch hard core for me. Not to mention, anything crazy creamy is just icing on my carb-cake. I had no intention of blogging this recipe until I made it and it tasted like a creamy cloud of shiitake heaven in my mouth. So, the next afternoon I took some pics in crap lighting, but still needed to share this gem with all y’all. In my Organic to You delivery last week (see previous post) I received these tiny and scrumptious looking shiitakes. Mushrooms are my all time fave! Outside of missing traveling the world, the other thing I really miss about living in Beijing is the abundance of super cheap and plentiful mushrooms. I had such a wide variety to pick from that virtually every meal I made had some type of shroom in it. Ahhh… the expat days… I digress (I know, shocking, right?!), I used this vegan cashew-based alfredo sauce that I had purchased at Whole Foods and was curious to taste. In a sauce pan I cooked shiitakes, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in onions, garlic, olive oil, and fresh oregano, with a pinch of Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Broth, nooch (nutritional yeast), a pinch of ground flax, and then combined that with the alfredo sauce. Feel free to use any vegan alfredo sauce, however, being that this didn’t actually taste like an alfredo sauce per se, but a lighter and very tasty creamy sauce, I believe it made up a good part of the flavor palate in this dish. If you don’t want to use it, I have a recipe right here for a homemade alfredo sauce. For the pasta, I used Barilla Veggie Rotini and smothered that creamy and delicious sauce all over the pasta, and then drooled all over my bowl. After basking in my pasta glow of pure heaven, albeit, one bowl too many, I knew I had to share this Creamy Vegan Pasta with Shiitakes and Veggies! with the world. Mangia! -FGG
- 1 box of Barilla Veggie Rotini Pasta (12 oz) OR equivalent
- 3/4 - entire jar of Victoria Vegan Alfredo Sauce (start with 3/4 of the jar and add more after the pasta is and sauce have been mixed together if you'd still like it creamier - I used 3/4 of the jar)
- 1 Tbl nutritional yeast
- 1/2 Tbl ground flax seed
- 1/2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Broth (it's a paste) OR equivalent
- 1 1/2 C shiitake mushrooms - de-stemmed
- 2 C baby spinach
- 1/3 C sun-dried tomatoes in oil and herbs - julienned (I used Trader Joe's)
- 1/2 a white onion - diced
- 3 large cloves of garlic - chopped
- 3 Tbl fresh oregano - chopped
- Olive oil for pan
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Boil and cook pasta
- On another burner, in a saucepan heat oil on low-medium or medium depending on your stovetop
- Add onions and a pinch of salt - stir occasionally for about 3 minutes
- Add garlic and stir occasionally for about 1 minute more
- Add shiitakes, oregano, and pepper - stir occasionally for about 3 minutes
- Add sun-dried tomatoes - stir occasionally for about 2 minutes
- Add spinach, flax, and nutritional yeast- stir occasionally for about 3-5 minutes
- Remove from heat
- Put the cooked rotini in the pot over low heat and add the contents from the sauce pan and the alfredo sauce - mix well
- If you would like to add more salt & pepper, do so now
- When fully mixed and warm, remove from heat and serve instantly
- Done!
- This serves 4-6 bowls depending on what size bowl you serve
- Red- Tempranillo from Rioja
- White- Un-oaked Chardonnay
Vegan Snack & Food Deliveries!
Vegan Snack & Food Deliveries! was what this past week was all about for me. Firstly, I had the pleasure of getting a free box of vegan snacks from Vegan Works delivery (www.vegan.works). This.Was.AWESOME! Plus, it came with a note from one of the owners of the company on a piece of unicorn note paper that said, “You’re MAGICAL.” If you knew me, you’d know how totally super I thought that was. 😉 Thanks, Justin! I had no idea what was coming in ‘said box’ so it was a spectacular surprise. I LOVE vegan jerky. I buy it anytime I take a road trip to the Oregon coast, as there is a little hole in the wall shop that sells it en route. So, I was very happy that it arrived in my snack box. The chips, bars, chocolate were all delicious and though the price was free for me, it is only $39.99 and delivered to your door! Convenience and the ability to try new vegan snacks that I didn’t even know existed, as well as items that I didn’t even know were vegan make this snack box totally worth it. Sold!
Secondly, I received an incredible box from Organics to You this past Wednesday. I don’t always get one weekly, but if my fridge is fairly empty and I love the box, I’m down for a delivery! I get the “small bin” which is $38.00 and I always add a buck or two for a tip to the driver. This week I received:
- 4ct Fuji Apple: Local – Sage
- 2ct Red D’anjou Pear: Local – Starr Ranch
- 2# Potatoes: Local – farm direct – Denison Farms
- 1 Bunch Carrots: Cali, farm direct – Capay Organics
- 1 Broccoli Romanesco: Cali’, farm direct – Capay Organics
- 2 Honey Gold Grapefruit: Cali’
- 10oz Asparagus: Cali’
- 1 Bunch Italian Kale: Cali’, farm direct – Capay Organics
- 1-2ct Yellow Onions: Local, farm direct – Denison Farms
- 1# Mini Bell Peppers: Cali’/Mex.
- 1-2 Butternut Squash: Cali, farm direct – Capay Organics
- 1 Bag Shiitake Mushrooms: Local, farm direct – Misty Mountain
- 1Pkg Strawberries: Cali’
I feel as though that is an incredible amount of organic fresh fruit and veg for free delivery and $38 “buck-a-roos!” I’m going to make a pasta dish with vegan alfredo or cream sauce with shiitake mushrooms and kale tonight. I’ll post that recipe soon!
Anyway, I know it’s difficult to find the time to shop for all this stuff, and, it can be pricey. Therefore, I truly love finding amazing places for vegan grub that doesn’t involve breaking the bank or me having to wrangle my child down the grocery isles after work during my kiddo’s witching hour. #neverfun
Enjoy the new deliveries if you haven’t already used them before. Feel free to comment about any other amazing vegan deliveries that you know of. Share the vegan love! -FGG
*I was NOT paid to write these reviews and all of the opinions are mine and mine alone. 🙂
Vegan Kale Pesto Lasagna with Veggie Tofu Ricotta
Vegan Kale Pesto Lasagna with Veggie Tofu Ricotta is one of my ultimate comfort foods. Really, anything Italian style and carb loaded ticks the box for comfort food in my world. My mom had no idea how to cook when we were little. She was raised on shitty German food at best, but my other gma had learned to cook ca-razzzzy good Italian food from her Italian hubster, and from living in Italy for a bit. Jealous! She gave my mom a cookbook that she had typed out for her. Totally amazing! My goal is to one day replicate this book vegan style! Anyway, now-a-days, my mother is an incredibly amazing cook and chefs up all styles of food. For many of my single digit years, I spent most of it consuming loads of delicious Italian grub… not too shabby! However, I definitely blame my love affair with carbohydrates on this long-winded stint in my life. 😉
Vegan Kale Pesto Lasagna with Veggie Tofu Ricotta is incredibly simple to make. It has a kale/arugula pesto (click for my recipe), pureed spinach, tofu, nooch (nutritional yeast), flax, and more as a vegan ricotta cheese, plus marinara. I love this because it gets in loads of protein and vitamins, plus, I can get my kiddo to eat all his veggies since he’s decided that whole vegetable are no longer for him… sighhhhh… Enjoy the good grub! Mangia!
- 12 lasagna noodles - cooked (I use whole wheat)
- 8 Oz vegan kale pesto (I used my own recipe. Click on link in post)
- 1 1/2- 2 C marinara sauce
- 4 cloves of garlic - minced
- 1/2 white or yellow onion - diced
- 1 Tbl dried Italian herbs
- 2 C loosely packed baby spinach
- 1/4 C previously soaked cashews
- 2 Tbl nutritional yeast
- 2 Tbl ground flax seed
- 14 Oz extra firm tofu - drained and pressed dry - crumbled
- 1/4 C water
- 1 tsp vegetable broth base (this is a paste - I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)
- Olive oil for pan
- Preheat the oven to 350f
- Cover the bottom of your lasagna pan with approximately 1/2 C marinara sauce
- Heat pan with olive oil on medium
- Add onion and cook for about 3-5 minutes
- Add garlic and cook for one minute more - stirring occasionally
- Add tofu, vegetable broth base, and Italian herbs, and spinach - stir occasionally for approximately 5 minutes
- Remove from heat
- In a blender, on low, blend contents of the pan, flax seed, nutritional yeast, cashews, and water
- Blend until the consistency of a ricotta cheese (if need be, SLOWLY add more water)
- Place your first layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan (on top of the marinara - my pan is 3 pieces per layer)
- Evenly spread some of the ricotta mixture, pesto, and marinara on top of the noodles
- Repeat this process until done
- Above the top layer of lasagna noodles, add more marinara and save a bit for when the lasagna comes out of the oven as well
- Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes
- Let stand and cool for about 10 minutes and then add the remaining marinara on top
- Done!
- Oregon Pinot Noir
- Serves 9-12 pieces
Easy Cheesy Vegan Tofu Quesadillas
Easy Cheesy Vegan Tofu Quesadillas is another recipe I threw together during the Christmas holiday because (insert drum roll here)… my new and fabulous quesadilla maker entered my life! Santa loves me and knows me well. Once upon a time, when I was living in OR (the first time), on an old farm, 30 acres of glory: chicken coup, barn, bunk house, an old boat that someone had began making on the property, where we spent many a day drinking next to our horseshoe pit, amongst the apple, pear, nut, plum, and cherry trees, next to the grape and blackberry vines, wild mint everywhere and so much more… my hippie lovin’ roomies and I happened to purchase a quesadilla maker and we went nuts-o! Quesadilla everything! Brie and egg bfast quesadillas, veggie meat Mexican quesadillas, Italian, Greek, Thai… you name it. There was nothing we wouldn’t put in a quesadilla. The beauty of a quesadilla maker is that it seals the contents perfectly and creates beautifully even triangles so you look like a ‘profresh’ quesadilla chef galore. 😉 I implore you to buy one of these grand machines. They’re crazy cheap as well. Amazon that beotch up! It was a last minute decision to photograph these so I only have a few of the finished product. I didn’t really style them either but I still wanted to share this exciting new gift with you all, and to remind you that quesadillas are a great way to empty your fridge to support my “waste not” philosophy. Lastly, to encourage you to purchase a quesadilla maker if you have yet to own one. Happy quesadilla making! MWAH!
- 1/4 brick firm tofu - mashed
- 1 Tbl diced onion
- 1 clove garlic - diced
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 Tbl tomatoes - diced
- 2 8-inch tortillas (I used Spinach)
- 1/4 C vegan cheese (I used my own recipe - in recipe index of my blog)
- Oil for pan
- *If using a quesadilla maker, heat now
- Heat a pan on medium and add oil
- Add onion and stir occasionally for 3 minutes (I pinch salt in as well)
- Add garlic and stir for another minute
- Add tofu and all spices/herbs/yeast and stir occasionally for approximately 5 minutes
- Remove from heat
- Put one tortilla in quesadilla maker or pan and evenly spread the tofu mixture and cheese on top
- Place the other tortilla on top and cook until both sides are browned
- Let cool for a few minutes, then cut into triangles, and serve
- Done!
- Feel free to add whatever else you'd like in the quesadilla and top with hot sauce!
Vegan Mushroom Lentil Wellington
Vegan Mushroom Lentil Wellington was the best decision EVER for my Christmas dinner. It was incredibly easy to make, loaded with flavor, healthy, and seemingly fancy-schmancy so my guests were uber impressed! Typically, I hear of mushroom Wellington as a vegan substitute for beef Wellington, however, with my love for lentils and wanting a more solid stuffing, I opted to add lentils as well. So glad I did! Was crazy tasty and enjoyed by all! This recipe will be a crowd pleaser for Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas dinners, Easter dinners etc. I’d really love your opinions on this if you make it so please share in the comment section!
Along with my Vegan Mushroom Lentil Wellington I made a carrot barley soup (usually I add mushrooms but didn’t want to overload on the shrooms), and mashed potatoes & gravy (extra gravy for the Wellington). We chowed it all down with a beautiful Simi cabernet sauvignon! For the mashed potatoes, I used Earth Balance ‘butter’, unsweetened almond milk, fresh rosemary, and salt & pepper. For the gravy, I used dijon mustard, Braggs Aminos (or soy sauce), veggie broth, flour, Earth Balance, thyme, and salt & pepper.
Christmas was extra amazing this year because it was the first year that G could really get into the xmas magic and spirit (movies, songs, presents), and because it was the first year that I have spent Christmas as a home owner! I am a lover of the art of decorating for all holidays… especially, Christmas and Halloween! It was awesome to listen to my favorite xmas tunes (classics and, hello, Mariah Carey!), drink Poinsettias, and decorate the new house with the fam. A pretty amazing month! Missing my grandma hardcore over the holidays but keeping her alive in spirit. 🙂 Now, it’s the new year and I’m crazy committed to my goals/resolutions for 2018! Read my previous Poinsettia post if you’d like to join me in ‘said’ resolutions! Lastly, I’m back to work today. Great to be back in a routine, but missing sleeping late, hangin’ with G, seeing my friends, shooting food, and exploring Portland! Sigh… maybe one day my dream of blogging/writing full time will come true. Until then, enjoy your return to the grind! XO -FGG
PS- Daytime photos of the Wellington are from the next day. For the full effect of the crispiness of the loaf, look at the nighttime pics. 🙂
- 18 oz cooked lentils (I used Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils)
- 3 C sliced baby portobellos
- 1 roll of phyllo dough/puff pastry
- 1/4 C unsweetened almond milk (or any unsweetened milk) for brushing dough
- 1/4 C olive oil for brushing dough & additional 2 Tbl for pan
- 1/4 of a yellow onion -diced
- 3 cloves of garlic - minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp all purpose seasoning
- Optional: fresh rosemary sprig for garnish
- Gravy to taste
- Heat pan with oil and add onions cooking for approximately 4 minutes
- Add garlic - stirring occasionally for 1 minute more
- Add the mushrooms, salt & pepper - stir for approximately 5 minutes
- Add the lentils, all purpose seasoning, and rosemary, and stir for approximately 5 minutes more
- Heat the oven to 375f and remove the mushrooms & lentils from the heat
- Spray a baking sheet with oil and place a few sheets of pastry on the sheet to make a large enough surface area for your Wellington and brush with oil
- Top those sheets with 5-6 more layers - brushing each layer with oil prior to placing the next layer on top
- Add contents from pan (mushroom/lentil contents)
- Cover the mixture with an additional 5-6 layers brushing oil in between layers again
- For the top layer, do not oil (top), brush with almond milk
- Press sides together, adding more oil if needed and fold upwards -flip the Wellington over and place in the oven for approximately 35 minutes or until slightly browned
- Place a sprig of rosemary on top for a garnish
- Wait at least 5 minutes before slicing
- Serve with gravy
- Cabernet Sauvignon
Mexican Style Tofu Scramble
Mexican Style Tofu Scramble is SOOO delicious! It has the perfect balance of spice, it’s loaded with protein, healthy, and easy to make! If food had moxie, this recipe would claim it. She don’t mess around, aight?! She’s fierce, fiery, and full of flavor… I’m actually eating my leftovers as I write this. Though sadly, I am not devouring it with my avocado toast this time. I made this Sunday morning because I was craving a scramble. It had been a while since I’d made one and I’d been staring the soy chorizo in its face for weeks now just waiting to taste it’s deliciousness. If you’ve never had soy chorizo, you’re missin’ out. It’s freakin’ amazing!
The weather was super crappy this weekend in Portland. I shot 4 recipes on Saturday and the natural light blew… hard. It was a clearer day on Sunday but still not sunny per se. However, it wasn’t raining (woo-hoo!) and I was craving some seriously delicious eats. Also, I knew we’d be going to the farm to get our Christmas tree etc later and wanted a solid belly. Aaannnd, because I knew I’d be walking around with a thermos of adult warmth. 😉 How else does one pick a Christmas tree?! The kiddo was pretty cute decorating that fabulously aromatic green giant later that evening but I definitely went through and reorganized everyone’s ornament hanging… sigh… the nature of a borderline ‘OCD-er.’
This Mexican Style Tofu Scramble is loaded with tofu, soy chorizo, spinach, mushrooms, spices, beans, olives, and more to ensure a flavor explosion – pinata style – in your mouth. The drool is real here. I just housed my leftovers and am already regretting not having made more. Although, I’m trying to stay away from ‘Mr. Gluttony.’ If you’ve been reading my previous posts, you’ll know that I’m attempting to ‘cleanse’ and shed some lbs, instead of packing more on for the holiday season. #thestruggleisreal. 😉 All that aside, this dish is dope, so get the fiery fiesta on in your mouth! Eat up and enjoy!
PS- Some pics of the tree decorating for shits and giggles 😉
PPS-And, sigh… when your child kindly attempts to sweep up the needles by himself because he’s Mr. Freakin’ Independent and makes an even bigger mess. Good thing he’s so stinkin’ cute! 😉
- 1/2 brick of tofu - drained & crumbled
- Large handful of baby spinach
- 1/2 C soy chorizo (I used a heaping 1/2 cup) (I used Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo)
- 1 C sliced mushrooms (I used white)
- 1 Tbl chopped garlic cloves
- 1/3 C chili style pinto beans (you can use regular pinto or black but it will change the flavor a bit)
- 1/4 C sliced black olives
- 1/4 C red onion -diced
- 1/2 Tbl of taco seasoning
- 2 Tbl fresh cilantro
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 an avocado for toast (optional)
- 2 Tbl Tofutti or a vegan cream cheese
- Oil or spray for pan
- Heat oil in pan
- Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally (I like the onions, garlic, and mushrooms to be browned a bit)
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes - stir enough so they don't burn
- Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook until browned - stir mixture enough so they brown but don't burn
- Add the tofu and seasoning - mix well and cook for about 2-3 minutes
- Add the chorizo & beans - stir well and cook for about 1-2 minutes
- Add the olives, spinach, and cilantro (I don't use anymore salt b/c I find the chorizo to be salty) Stir for an additional minute and then you're done!
- Optional: On 2 pieces of toast evenly spread and smash the avocado and cream cheese
- Feel free to throw in any kind of veggies you have in your fridge! I chose these 2 b/c that's what I had lying around. Waste not! 🙂
Spicy Garlic Asian Noodles (Vegan)
Spicy Garlic Asian Noodles (Vegan) are one of my go-to meals for a few simple reasons: easiness, quickness, and deliciousness! They’re perfectly spicy, garlicky, and topped with 2 of my 3 most favorite veggies! Mushrooms & broccoli (spinach being the 3rd). I love leftovers as much as the next gal but I have had SO very many Thanksgiving leftovers that I’m ready to explode… seriously. I needed something easy and totally different than my T-day menu so I whipped up an oldie but a goodie: Spicy Garlic Asian Noodles (Vegan). Also, I’m a massive lover of all things noodles – Italian or Asian. I don’t discriminate. 😉
This slurp worthy dish is smothered in garlic, hot pepper, sesame, broccoli, and shrooms for your next noodle love affair. Noodle love affairs are some of my favorite love affairs. 😉 Although, I think my belly would disagree with the sheer volume of carbs I’ve consumed over the past week. It’s obscene and my wardrobe, once again, is suffering from a lack of vitamin D, as they’ve yet to see some outside sun because, well, the carb bloat this past week has been reeeaalll. Time for some serious yoga and Jillian Michael’s over the next month. Back to business so I can slurp up delicious noodles guilt free. Anyway, enough about my belly and more about this dish. It’s simple: It’s crazy delicious. Enjoy responsibly with yoga. Namaste, friends. MWAH! 😉
- 1 packet ramen or other Asian noodle
- 5 broccoli florets
- 1/4 cup mushrooms - sliced (I used white)
- 1 small chili pepper - finely sliced OR 1 Tbl hot sauce - like Sriracha sauce OR chili paste
- 1 Tbl roughly chopped cilantro
- 1 garlic clove - minced
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
- 2 Tbl soy sauce OR Braggs Aminos (I use Braggs)
- 1 Tbl rice vinegar
- 2 tsp honey or agave
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp ginger powder
- Boil your water & start to cook noodles whilst chopping and mincing your herbs/veggies etc
- Heat a pan with sesame oil on medium
- Add garlic and stir for 1 minute
- Add mushrooms and soy and stir for 1 minute
- Add all other ingredients (including noodles) and stir for approximately 3-5 minutes more (broccoli should be cooked but still green and vibrant in color)
- Put in a bowl and garnish with sesame seeds
- Belgian style ale
Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese
Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese is creamy, easy, delicious, and healthy. You’ll fool all non-vegans for sure! I brought this to a friend’s Thanksgiving this past weekend and almost everyone said, “you’d have no idea there wasn’t any cheese in here.” Just another carb to add to your Thanksgiving day menu! This is a vegan game changer… no doubt.
A couple of my sibs are flying in for my vegan T-day. We have gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan amongst us. I am making this Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese (with gluten-free pasta), a vegan meatloaf, Tofurkey roast, stuffing with ‘sausage’ (homemade of course), mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, spinach salad with candied pecans, and an apple pie & pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving. I’m serving a vegan spinach and artichoke dip, some sort of hummus, and a vegan sour cream & onion dip for appetizers. They’ll be LOADS of wine and bubbly throughout the day and well into the evening. If any of us make it up the stairs for bed I will die in utter amazement! I’m carbin’ everyone the ‘f’ up and steering us into booze-ville. If we end the night with garage games I’ll be pleasantly surprised; though I won’t be holding my breath.
I didn’t anticipate shooting this pasta so these are all of the pics I have. I brought this Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese, fresh flowers and herbs from my garden, and a bottle of pomegranate mimosas with pom seeds to my friend’s house. She hosted an awesome soiree and it was SO great to see her, as I’ve not seen her since I moved back to OR last year. Thanks for the hospitality, Bethany! 🙂
- 16 oz pasta (I used cellentani)
- 1/3 cup raw and unsalted cashews
- 1 small butternut squash - steamed and de-shelled
- 3 Tbl nutritional yeast
- 1/2 a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp of thyme
- 1 veggie broth cube (I used the equivalent with Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Broth)
- 1 small onion - diced
- 2 cloves of garlic - diced
- Oil for pan
- Boil water for pasta and cook when ready
- Heat a pan and cook onions for 3 minutes
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes ( like mine slightly browned)
- In a high powered blender (I use my Vitamix) add the onion/garlic mix and all other ingredients other than the pasta
- Blend until smooth
- Poor contents of the blender over the drained pasta and mix well (add water if needed)
- Done!
- Amazing dish for Thanksgiving! Also, I LOVE a good hot sauce on any mac n' cheese. If we are sympatico, go nuts!
- White wine: Chardonnay
- Red wine: Barbera
Creamy & Cheesy Pasta Bake (Vegan)
Creamy & Cheesy Pasta Bake (Vegan) is crazy delicious and easy! Yesterday, I was by myself for about 2 hours, a total rarity in life, and decided to take advantage of this randomly awesome moment and shoot some amazing eats! I drank red wine and danced around the kitchen listening to Billie Holiday. I truly did this. And, it felt sublimely amazing. “You Go to My Head” is one of my all time favorite tunes. I put it on repeat. 😉 I need more of these moments in life for sure! Not to say I don’t love my little guy to the freakin’ moon, but mama needs a break sometimes, too. Some me time. So, yesterday was suh-weet!
This recipe uses an arrabiata sauce (homemade recipe coming soon), and creamy vegan cheese sauce. You can buy a creamy vegan cheese OR you can make it yourself. If you’re looking for a recipe, I used mine from my Creamy Vegan Mac n’ Cheese recipe. I used Lisanatti Almond Mozzarella Cheese and shredded it for the top of the pasta bake. This is a simple but incredibly flavorful recipe!
Side Note: Upon reheating, I put the pasta in a sauce pan on medium, added a Tbl of Tofutti Cream Cheese, dash of garlic powder, flick of the wrist of olive oil, and crisped that baby up! A pasta that actually tasted just as good, if not better, reheated! One for the win! Mangia, my friends. 😉
- 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
- Approximately 24 oz arrabiata sauce (can sub out for marinara) - a garlicky option is best
- Approximately 24 oz creamy vegan cheese (I used my recipe from my vegan mac n' cheese)
- Approximately 1 C shredded vegan mozzarella (I used Lisanatti)
- Fresh basil to taste (chopped) and for garnish
- Boil pasta and preheat oven to 350f
- On the bottom of an oven safe pan, smear both sauces and add spaghetti
- Top spaghetti with both sauces
- Continue this pattern until pasta has run out
- Top the pasta with more sauce, shredded vegan mozzarella, and fresh chopped basil
- Cover pasta with aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes
- Enjoy!
- Sangiovese
5 Easy & Delicious Vegan Asian Inspired Meals
5 Easy & Delicious Vegan Asian Inspired Meals is a compilation of recipes from my blog that I totally love! Going vegan from veg-head a few months ago has been amazing for me. I have loads of energy (pumpin’ my B12’s of course) and a lot less belly bloat. I remember, many moons ago, this being the case when I was vegan for 2 years. Asian food is a fabulous foundation for vegans because there is rarely any dairy (Indian food aside and sans meat of course) involved. So many flavors and veggies to play around and experiment with. I often do ‘inspired’ meals. For example, my Mexican Sushi Rolls. I am definitely not a ‘by the book’ kind of gal. I like to mix it up and use whatever ingredients are in my fridge. When you read my recipes, I encourage you to take your own creative license with them as well.
Get some chopsticks out, prepare to make yourself a hot and saucy mess, get together with friends, chow down with the fam, drink well, chat well, eat well, and appreciate the amazing conversations and moments that come from the kitchen to the table. Life is short. A recent and heavy loss reminded me of this, and she lived a beautiful 93 years. I’ll always have our family meals… politics, humor, tales from the times etc. In many Asian cultures, food is a time to be together. Click on the light green title of the recipe below the pic for the link to the recipe, and serve up your own good times and traditions… let the memories begin!
RIP, grandma. You’re my woman amongst all women. I’ll carry you with me forever and always. XOXO
Mexican Vegan Sushi Rolls!
Mexican Vegan Sushi Rolls! are so incredibly healthy, easy, and delicious. I wanted to do something unique with my nori rolls so I looked at what I had to get rid of in my fridge, and this idea rolled (hehe) right into my head. I had whipped up some fire roasted hot sauce last week with my various hot peppers that are pouring out of my garden. I smothered the inside (and out) with it. Of course, using store bought hot sauce will be just as amazing. From there, I added my sushi rice, and everything else from the recipe card below…
Everyone always assumes that I don’t eat sushi because I’m veg. Sushi is an awesome veggie or vegan food! You can put absolutely anything in it. The weirder the rolls, the better. At least in my humble opinion. 😉 Carrots, cucumbers, and avocado. That is primarily the “it” veggie sushi roll. Screw that! Shove some buffalo patties, chives, and pinto beans in there! Why not use tofu or tempeh? Go Italian style with some amazing Tofurky Sun-dried tomato/basil sausages and more. Go Greek with olives, tomato, and hummus, think of throwing some kind of veggie patty or a falafel in there! There’s no end to what you can roll into your nori. Obviously, swishing it down with some hot saki is highly recommended, or even encouraged. I live near a saki factory where you can go and taste the amazing flavors that sakis have to offer. Pretty dope! If I haven’t mentioned it before, I’m in love with living in Oregon again. Five years in China and I’m extra freakin’ in love with this orgasmic place! I get asked all the time why in the world I don’t live in New York (my home state), and I have one answer: The Pacific Northwest rocks!
Mexican Vegan Sushi Rolls! should be on your list of things to make this week. In addition to some cocktails, Halloween decorations, jack-o’-laterns, and costumes of course. 😉 Eat up and enjoy!
- 4 Nori wraps
- 3/4 C cooked sushi rice
- 1 vegan buffalo chicken patty (I use Boca) cut into strips
- 1 slice vegan cheese (I used Field Roast Chao - Tomato Cayenne) cut into strips
- A handful of chives cut in half
- 8 slices of cucumber
- 8 slices of carrot
- Optional: avocado slices (recommended) & cilantro to taste
- Pinto beans to taste (I dived 3/4 of a can)
- Hot sauce for inside and out - to taste
- Optional: Everything bagel seasoning for a garnish (I used Everything But The Bagel from Trader Joe's)
- Top each sushi roll with rice (split evenly among all 4 rolls)
- Add hot sauce on each roll (to your taste)
- Add beans
- Add cheese and buffalo patty
- Add carrots and cucumbers
- If using, add avocado and cilantro now
- Add chives
- Roll them up and lightly rub with water then sprinkle with everything seasoning
- Garnish with hot sauce
- Feel free to squeeze a fresh lime over those rolls!
- Hot saki OR Hefeweizen, Witbier, American Ales
Creamy Vegan Macaroni and Cheese!
Creamy Vegan Macaroni and Cheese! is my most favorite comfort food. This is a mac n’ cheese recipe for vegans and non-vegans alike. It’s crazy creamy, flavorful, and (drum roll please)… healthy! Don’t let that scary word deter you. I promise you that this kinda health will only bring you happiness. In a mouth watering, drooling, gimme some more, can’t stop won’t stop, this is the food bomb of the year, melt in your mouth, orgasmic kinda shit, kinda way. I know, I’m setting the bar high, but this will deliver. My kiddo, when asked what he wants for dinner, at least 3 days of the week begs me for “vegan macaroni and cheese puhleeeasse, mom!” Even the meat eating, vegan sceptic hubby thinks it’s incredible. His vegan fearing mother is coming for a visit from Scotland soon and he’s asked me to unknowingly feed her loads of yummy vegan food and drop the “V” bomb on her after she’s scarfed it all up. Now, this just feels wrong, but hey, it just might still happen. However, he can drop that dirty lil’ “V” word, not me. Judge us if you will. 😉
Creamy Vegan Macaroni and Cheese! is the perfect lunch or dinner for all walks of life. I recommend saving some of the cheese sauce on the side so that if you actually have left overs the following day you can pour on some new sauce before reheating, otherwise it will be a bit dry like a ‘real’ mac n’ cheese. I used my fabulously beautiful and buttery crooked neck heirloom squash from my garden, however, you can use any yellow squash. That all being said, go get cookin’ into your carb coma! *IMPORTANT: Be sure you have someone to roll you from the table to the bed. This mac n’ cheese don’t mess around, aight? 😉
- 2 1/2- 3 yellow squashed - sliced
- 1 C vegetable broth
- 1/2 C nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2-3 Tbl flax seed (optional - but hey, so healthy, why not?!)
- 1 Tbl garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/3- 1/2 C raw and unsalted cashews
- 1 lb pasta
- Salt to taste
- Preheat oven to 400f and then roast squash until soft (about 25 minutes)
- Meanwhile, boil your choice of pasta and set all other ingredients in a blender (I use my Vitamix)
- When squash is done, place in blender with other ingredients and blend until creamy and smooth
- Pour over pasta and done!
- You will have extra sauce for another round of pasta! Make 2 lbs for a party size. Also, save some sauce if you will have left overs the following day when reheating. It will be too dry without extra sauce when reheating like a 'real' mac n' cheese.
- Beer- American style brown ale
- White wine- Dry riesling
- Red wine- Grenache
Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl
Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl! Why did it take me so long to try this buffalo cauliflower trend?! It’s freakin’ delicious and amazing! Anything uber tasty and guilt free gets a 5-star rating in the book of “Heather.” 😉 Side note: This would be a frightening book. Resume: I was in Bend, OR 2 weeks ago for a vacation (amazing! Managed to squeeze in a night in Sisters and Crater Lake as well), and went to the Bend Brewery. It was there that I was first deflowered to the hot and steamy buffalo cauliflower. What a tasty and ravenous treat. Hehe. 😉 It was instant love. A saucy treat that ended in a very real addiction. Obviously, I had to keep coming back to buffalo cauliflower for more, because, like my love for General Hospital, #additionisreal. Hey, don’t judge, we all have our vice!
I read loads of recipes online about how to make this taste sensation. I was also trying to recreate the incredible recipe from the brewery. This Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl is a result of a few recipes leading me to my buffalo cauliflower of perfection. You will LOVE this as much as everyone I have shared it with. Pinky promise!
I wanted to add this delicious treat to a ‘bowl’. I’m all about the bowls since going more plant-based. It’s an amazing way to get tons of goodness and flavor in your life in an easy fashion. I smothered some sliced portobellos and potato wedges in this buffalo sauce and grilled them up. I put spinach on the side and then smothered the shrooms, fries, and spinach in my left over vegan mac n’ cheese sauce. *Recipe coming soon! I’ll hyperlink the italicized words once I post the recipe so you can dig into this delicious cheese sauce asap. Now, stop reading this and start making your soon-to-be most favorite hot and steamy dish of the summer! Summer flings are the best kinda flings. Only, she’ll leave you wanting more. Every season. Every day. Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl does not disappoint. Enjoy the addiction. 😉
- 1 medium head of cauliflower - diced into florets
- 1/2 of a medium sized potato - cut into wedges
- Approximately 5 sliced portobellos
- 1 large handful of raw baby spinach (or any other green)
- 1/2 C flour
- 1/2 C water
- 1/4 C vegan breadcrumbs (optional)
- 1/2 cup hot sauce - I prefer buffalo style (or more sauce if you like it fully smothered)
- 2 Tbl Earth Balance (vegan butter) - melted
- 1/2 tsp agave or honey (optional, but so good)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Preheat the oven to 450f.
- In large bowl, whisk together flour, water, bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper
- Toss in cauliflower - toss well
- Spray tinfoil or cookie sheet and place in oven for 20 minutes
- Remove the cauliflower from oven - keep oven on
- In small bowl, mix hot sauce, agave, and Earth Balance
- Toss cauliflower in sauce and butter and place back in oven for 30 minutes
- About ten minutes before the cauliflower is done, mix and toss the potatoes and mushrooms in the same bowl that had the hot sauce - I add pepper too
- Spray them with oil and place them on the BBQ until done
- Assemble bowl and done! Use any dipping sauce/dressing you desire!
- I smother my fries, mushrooms, and spinach in my vegan mac n' cheese sauce!
- This makes one bowl with left over buffalo cauliflower
- A cold IPA or Pale Ale
Vegetarian Chicken Street Tacos
Vegetarian Chicken Street Tacos was the last recipe I had made as a veg-head!* I was vegan many moons ago for two years and have decided that after watching “What the Health” and a few other documentaries about plant-based diets/veganism that I would return to the vegan world. Also, just my own want and desire to always return to my vegan ways. That being said, Vegetarian Chicken Street Tacos was an incredible creation that would be just as incredible with a vegan chx and sans queso fresco.
I am a massive lover of tacos, quesadillas, or anything that I can smother in hot sauce, cilantro, and avocado. Obviously, a margarita wouldn’t hurt the process if you decided to sweeten the deal. 😉 Everyone I know has been raving about street tacos for the past year. I guess I live under a rock because I had no freakin’ idea what the hell they were talking about. Hence the birth of this delicious lil’ taco recipe I have so kindly shared with you here. 😉 Invite some of your most favorite peeps over and chow down with some incredibly beautiful, delicious, yet healthy and easy (bonus for sure) food, and blend up some tasty margs. You’ll be a taco making star amongst your nearest and dearest. If you’re not convinced, serve them more margaritas. 😉 Taco time!
*Veg-head: (Top definition in Urban Dictionary)
- Quorn Fajita Chicken
- 5 street taco tortillas (4.5") - corn or flour
- 1 zucchini- diced finely
- 1 avocado- diced
- 1/2 can of pinto beans (seasoned or unseasoned)
- 5 mushrooms -diced finely
- 1/2 lime or the equivalent in lime juice
- Fresh cilantro to taste
- Taco seasoning to taste
- Queso fresco- enough to be sprinkled on each taco. Approximately 4-5 Tbl
- Hot sauce to taste
- Toss the pintos beans, taco seasoning, lime juice, zucchini, and mushrooms in a bowl and mix
- Cook in pan with chicken for about 5 minutes (medium-medium high)
- Lay out tortillas and divide the mix evenly on top of each tortilla
- Garnish with cilantro, queso fresco, avocado, and hot sauce
- Fold in half and done!
- Your choice of margarita
- OR
- Beer (pale ale or IPA)
Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushroom is the most delicious stuffed mushroom you’ll ever eat! Easy, vegan, and a flavor explosion in your mouth! I saw this beautifully large fungus on the shelf at Trader Joe’s and knew it was mine. I went home and scoured through the fridge to see what I had left over to stuff this baby with. I decided that I did not want to add rice or any grain, as it was a huge mushroom and I didn’t want it to be too heavy. Plus, I always make my stuffed mushrooms that way and was ready for a change.
I remember the first time anyone had ever introduced me to this delicious mushroom. My mom and my neighbor had decided to knock down the fence we shared in the backyard to rebuild a taller one for more privacy. I was extremely disappointed to say the least because my next door neighbor, Erick, was the love of my thirteen year old life and had been since I was eight. We would always chat over the fence and hang out. I was beyond bummed! Didn’t our parents know what they were doing to us?! Literally building a wall in between our hearts. Okay, so we just walked out our front doors instead, but still, this led to a diminished ability to stalk one another and two bleeding teenage hearts. Years later my sister and his sister said they found one of Erick’s old sneakers that he had saved that had penned in it “I ‘heart’ HR.” My older teenage heart melted. Anyway, I’m sure you’re wondering why in the world I’m sharing my first love tales of woe with you. Being that we were rebuilding this fence into a fortress (hey, I’m allowed some dramatic license here) we temporarily had no fence in between the yards. “Ahhh…” and love hearts filled the air and love stalking each other was easier than ever. Erick’s mom came over often and BBQ’d with us. One day, she brought over a marinated portobello mushroom for the grill and couldn’t believe that my vegetarian self had never had the wonder of such a delicatessen. I was hooked! This was the best thing since, well, Erick! From that point forth, stuffed portobellos were in my top 5 grilled foods.
I hooked this baby up with canellini beans, baked tofu, fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, spinach, and brushed the mushroom in balsamic and olive oil. This was the birth of the BEST and most flavorful mushroom I had ever eaten, and voila, we now have Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Stuffed Portobello Mushroom on this earth. Woo-hoo! Enjoy, folks!
- 1 large portobello mushroom
- Olive to brush the mushroom
- Balsamic vinegar to brush the mushroom
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dried oregano to taste
- 4-5 basil leaves finely diced
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil - julienned
- 1/2 brick of baked tofu diced in small cubes
- 3 Tbl kalamata olives diced finely
- 2 C fresh spinach
- Approximately 1/4 C of cooked white beans
- Preheat oven to 350
- Brush the mushroom with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the salt and pepper and brush over the mushroom again
- Wilt the spinach (pan or microwave) and place on the mushroom
- Add white beans and kalamata olives then top with dried oregano
- Add the baked tofu and basil
- Top with the sun-dried tomatoes
- Wrap the portobello (completely covered) in tinfoil and place in oven for approximately 20 minutes
- This would be delicious with feta cheese or parmesan cheese as well
- Red Zinfandel, Shiraz, or Syrah
5 Minute Tofu & Broccoli
5 Minute Tofu & Broccoli is exactly what I need in my life right now! I have been lagging in posting on my blog because I am preparing for 3 concerts in less than two weeks, in addition to preparing to move after 5 crazy and awesome years in Beijing! There are barely enough minutes in the day to keep up with my main priorities! Finding nannies, apartments/houses, buying a car, sorting through insurance (after 5 years of having none), cell phone plans, and the fact that we don’t own so much as a fork anymore! Coming abroad to China, you are given amazing housing that is fully furnished. I had shed my entire life of belongings when I left the US. It’s more than exciting to be purchasing, planning, and preparing for the future, but dang! It’s busy to the extreme! I am, however, EXTREMELY excited even though this is quite bittersweet. There have been tears shed for the smallest of things because I know I’ll never be doing them, or doing them this way, again.
5 Minute Tofu & Broccoli was not meant to be a blog post. I literally had zero time, looked in my fridge (or scrounged around more accurately), threw stuff in a pan, created as I went, and voila. Done in 5 minutes! I was so stinkin’ pleased with myself and the bowl of food looked quite “pretty” that I decided to snap a few shots. This is why you will not see the process making in this post. I had no intention of posting or picture taking until it was all done! To add to this, my amazing friend, Lindsay, had just showed me how to use the basics of Lightroom. Once upon a time, I had attempted to teach myself Photoshop. Once and only once. Honestly, I got so incredibly frustrated by this program that I refused to try it again and almost cried. This seriously happened. In the future, when I actually have back that little thing we like to call “time,” I fully plan on revisiting the horror with a clearer and more driven head, however, until then, if not always, Lightroom is far more intuitive and most definitely did not bring me to the verge of tears. If you are a Beijinger, and even if you’re not, check out my friend’s amazing blog! She offers fabulous packages for family shots etc around Beijing. My best Beijing friend, Alana, who you’ve all heard about just got some great pics from her. I threw this 5 Minute Tofu & Broccoli picture into Lightroom so Lindsay could show me some basics. Fabulous program! Unfortunately, had to throw it in Photoshop to do one small thing that Lightroom does not do and it saved like this… blurry and discolored! Didn’t even remotely attempt to fix it, as I was not going down that rabbit hole again! Like I said, for future days with more time and perhaps a glass (at least) of wine.
Tofu, broccoli, tumeric, onion, garlic, Braggs Amino Acids (or soy sauce!), ginger powder, red pepper flakes, s & p, topped with some Goddess dressing, and done. Like I said, 5 minutes to awesomeness doused in a bowl of health. Simple living for stressful times does not have to mean abandoning your health & tummy happiness. Eat merry & be happy!
- 1 brick firm or extra firm tofu - Very well drained! - Sliced into squares
- 1 small head of broccoli - florets
- 1/4 cup diced onion (optional)
- garlic powder to taste (if you have more time or have pre-minced, throw in 2-3 cloves real garlic)
- tumeric - pinch or two
- red pepper flakes - to taste
- Braggs Amino Acids OR soy sauce - at least 3 Tbl
- s & p to taste (if using soy sauce, limit your salt or do not add)
- Goddess dressing - to taste
- Sesame oil (or whatever you've got!) for pan
- Heat oil in pan
- Add onions - cook for 1 minute
- Turn heat up (fairly high)
- Add pressed tofu, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, tumeric, and s & p -press down on tofu. Flip after 2-3 minutes.
- Throw in the broccoli and Braggs or soy for the last minute. Toss well
- Remove from heat, let cool for a minute or two, and top with Goddess dressing
- Feel free to add anything you'd like or remove anything from this dish. It's delicious but you can also use this as a guideline to healthy & quick cooking dishes that would be similar. Use what's in your fridge!
- White wine pairing - Gewurztraminer
- Red wine pairing - Sangiovese
Green Goddess Cheesy Quesadilla
I have been on a quesadilla kick lately. Honestly, they’re amazing no matter what you do to them. Years ago when I lived in Oregon my roommate got a quesadilla maker. Now, I’ve always been partial to a quesadilla cooked in a pan, as my father had always made them for me this way, however, for this month long quesadilla binge that occurred post purchase of the quesadilla maker many moons ago, I was in love. We’re talkin’ breakfast, lunch, and dinner quesadillas. We couldn’t be stopped. Everything from eggs, tofu, every cheese in the rainbow, veggies, veggie meat and more had a place in a quesadilla at one time or another. Needless to say, I went on a quesadilla hiatus after this. Ahhh… old OR and quesadilla memories. Makes me smile! I’ve been creating all kinds of craziness lately in a tortilla or two. The Green Goddess Cheesy Quesadilla reminds me of the old farmhouse Oregon days. Yes, we lived on a 30 acre farm. It was awesome! I miss my gigantic gardens more than words can say. I loaded it with mozzarella cheese (it oozes as you slice it open…yum…), basil, tomato, spinach, and then topped it with smashed avocado & salt, and a pesto rosso (sun-dried tomato pesto). It was beyond fabulous, deliciousness to the extreme! Hence why I’ve given it “Goddess” status. Just to top it all off, it took ten minutes. Easy, quick, amazing. Crack open a nice Peroni and mangia!
- 1 whole wheat tortilla
- Approximately 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella
- Large handful spinach
- Small handful basil - chopped
- 1 small ripe tomato -sliced thin
- 1/4-1/2 ripe avocado
- 2 heaping Tbl pesto rosso
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Dried oregano to taste (optional)
- Olive oil for pan
- Oil & heat pan
- Add spinach, salt & pepper, and oregano - cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat
- Place tortilla on pan. Add cheese, then basil, spinach, and tomato. Fold tortilla in half
- Heat each side until golden brown and cheese is fully melted
- Let cool for a minute or two and slice in half
- Top each half with smashed avocado and salt followed by your pesto rosso
- A cold Peroni or beer of your liking
Crazy Delicious Veggie Couscous
Crazy Delicious Veggie Couscous is easy, incredibly healthy, and can be made in just ten minutes! I’m always trying to make something well-balanced, healthy, and yummy for my wee man, Lil’ G. Now that he is eating what I eat, this has cut down my Sunday cooking by almost 2 hours, as I like to make two big meals for the week for the both of us. Not to mention, I’m also always attempting to create dishes from the leftover ingredients in my refrigerator. What’s that annoying phrase I keep posting? Oh yes, waste not! Clearly, I am a pusher of this personal philosophy. Food truly is a terrible thing to waste. Onwards, I was hangin’ with Greyson looking for a dish to make for us. I loaded the floor with pots, pans, spoons, and a variety of other kitchen items for G to play with whilst I took to the stove. After all, he has just turned 17 months. Can he entertain himself? Sure. For a little bit of time. However, when I give him the opportunity to play with things he doesn’t get to use daily, this increases my odds of a more lengthy self-play session giving me the opportunity to cook with ease! Of course we play and “compare” creations throughout, too. 😉
Crazy Delicious Veggie Couscous is a perfect choice for an easy and healthy dinner any day/night of the week. Pumpkin, lentils, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, and herbs make this dish a tasty meal. Naturally, feel free to add any veggies you may have left over in your fridge. Please comment and let me know how your creations came out. Share a pic and let’s chat about ideas for other couscous delights! Enjoy!
- 2 C cooked whole wheat couscous
- Olive oil for cooking
- 1 shallot - diced
- 3 gloves garlic - diced
- 1 can lentils
- 1 C pumpkin - diced
- 1 carrot - diced
- 1 C mushrooms - sliced (I used cremini)
- 1 handful spinach leaves
- Dried parsley, oregano, and basil to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: Parmesan cheese for topping
- While your couscous is cooking, heat a large pan with oil
- Add shallot and cook for 1 minute
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds - stir
- Add carrots, pumpkin, and some salt & pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes
- Add mushrooms, lentils, and herbs, more salt & pepper if needed. Cook for 2-3 minutes
- Add spinach and any more herbs you would like. Stir for 30 seconds.
- Place in individual bowls. Serve
- Garnish each bowl with parmesan cheese & dried parsley
- Serves 6 adult sized dinner bowls.
- Optional: Cook your couscous with a veggie broth cube
- White - Viognier
- Red - Syrah
G’s Arugula & White Bean Quesadilla
G’s Arugula & White Bean Quesadillas are a protein packed meal full of flavor and done in 15 minutes or less! Healthy, delicious, and guaranteed to make any toddler actually eat their entire portion! I make one quesadilla, give my wee man (G) 1/4, save another 1/4 for the following day, and eat the other 1/2 myself. This is most definitely a meal that is for any age. I had all of these ingredients left over in my fridge (remember my food philosophy? “Like the mind, food is a terrible thing to waste”) and wanted to make something different for Greyson than he’d been eating over the past few days. I quickly pieced together these ingredients and was left with my mouth watering. Not only did G eat his portion and practically lick his plate (lots of “more” baby signing came afterwards), but I had to go and make another one for my work lunch the following day. I, too, was in love. As a veg-head, I’m always packin’ with protein everywhere I can. Make the recipe as is or adjust for your lil’ one or yourself however you deem fit. Use as much or as little of the ingredients as you’d like. Now go chow down with your kiddo in total bliss!
- 4 whole wheat tortillas
- Handful of arugula
- 3/4 can of small white beans or cannellini beans
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 brick of tofu (I used firm)
- 1 ripe tomato - chopped (finely chopped for toddler)
- 2 Tbl pesto
- 4 slices gouda cheese
- Small handful cilantro
- Cumin to taste
- Salt to taste
- In a small bowl, toss the tomato and pesto together. Mix well
- Put one slice of cheese on top of each quesadilla
- Divide then smash white bean (leave some whole as well) on two of the tortillas
- Smash half and avocado on top of the each white bean half and sprinkle with a pinch of salt
- Divide the tofu and smash on top of the avocado with another pinch of salt and the cumin
- Top each with tomato and cilantro
- Top again with arugula and a pinch of cumin
- Put the other tortillas with the gouda on top of the two filled tortillas
- Heat pan on low - medium heat. Cook on both sides until golden brown
- Done!
- This recipe came from what was in my refrigerator so feel free to make something similar and change up the ingredients to accommodate what is in your fridge!
Easy & Amazing Fettuccine Alfredo
I am sitting in this awesome Airbnb rental in Amsterdam as I write this. Not too shabby, right?! Husband’s putting the wee man to sleep and it has just occurred to me that I haven’t posted in a week! I’d been posting everyday to get this blog up and running but oh, Amsterdam! You’ve been a pleasant and well needed distraction and I have not touched my blog or my book (I am currently writing a book about the craziness of my last 5 years in China) in the past week. So, with my delicious beer, full on far too much cheese & bread, I sit here, looking out over the awesome balcony, ready to post. If you’ve never been, I can’t recommend it enough! Anyway, there will be a large Amsterdam post upon my return.
Easy & Amazing Fettuccine Alfredo is just that- easy & amazing. This to me is one of those sauces like a pesto sauce. Very few ingredients, easy to make, but I rarely enjoy it. When I do enjoy one of these sauces they are one of my top choices & favorites for a sauce. However, for some reason, I find myself a stickler for the perfect balance of ingredients in order to make sauces like these tasty. Anyone else this picky or find this to be true?
As my mom used to call this dish – “a heart attack on a plate” – I won’t even pretend to paint a pretty picture of health & weight loss. You are swimming in a sea of fatty deliciousness. A true comfort food. Let’s be serious. There’s almost always a time and a place for this type of food. I am quite a healthy eater on the day-to-day but sometimes, just sometimes, I must indulge, and when I do, I dive right in for a creamy & rich swim in this here Alfredo sauce. Yes ma’am. This is the recipe for when the boyfriend breaks up with you, a hell of a day at work, or anything that involves comforting your inner self. Enjoy!
- 1 lb (16 oz) of fettuccine pasta (fresh if possible)!
- 1 1/4 C heavy cream
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 3/4 C parmesan cheese - grated
- 2 Tbl lemon juice
- Salt & pepper to taste (I use a lot of cracked peppercorn)
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Optional: 1 garlic cloves (minced) or 2 tsp garlic powder
- Optional: 1 very ripe tomato – diced
- Boil pasta
- Over medium heat, put in butter (let melt for a few seconds) & add cream (I dash some s & p here)
- Add lemon juice & garlic (optional), and then stir in cheese until melted with the rest of your s & p
- Remove from heat and add pasta into sauce - stir until pasta is fully covered in sauce
- To serve: (optional)
- Top each bowl with diced tomato & garnish with fresh basil and additional cracked pepper
- White wine- Chardonnay for you chard lovers! (I don't love Chardonnay myself so I often opt for a Pinot Grigio)
- Red Wine- Pinot Noir
- This dish takes less than 15 minutes if you use fresh pasta!
Lentil Sloppy Joes To Die For!
Lentil Sloppy Joes To Die For! are a twist on a childhood recipe. I loved these growing up! Now, I smother these in cheese, however, if you want it a tad healthier or you would like to make it vegan, forget the cheese! Still totally delicious, cross my heart! I have to say, I’ve never had a real sloppy joe, as I have been a veg head since I was 8 yrs old. I can honestly say that I don’t really think I’d love one. I am, and always have been, a lover of the lentil so this is truly an amazing recipe whether or not you enjoy the real deal. Thinking of what to do for a meatless Monday perhaps? These are your jam. Thinking of alternative or twists on the ol’ classic? Again, these are your jam. I think I’ve mentioned before how my mother told me to never eat spaghetti on a date (me + pasta = hot mess). Well, these should never be eaten in the company of a first date or anyone you are trying to impress. You will less than impress, as you will be a sloppy mess! Sorry, had to do it. Sloppy & delicious. Wash it down with a cold brew and you’re golden. Bring your napkin (or ten) and slop your way to heaven.
- 6 large toasted buns of your liking
- Oil for pan
- 2 cans lentils
- 20 oz (about 2 1/2 C) shredded pepper jack cheese
- (Optional) Some sort of soft & creamy spreadable cheese for the bottom bun - I used cracked pepper cheese
- 1 avocado - sliced
- 1 large onion - diced
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 4 celery stalks - diced
- 1 small carrot - diced
- 1/4 good ketchup
- 1/4-1/2 tomato paste
- 2-3 Tbl dijon mustard
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbl brown sugar
- 1/4 veggie broth
- 2-3 Tbl dried oregano
- Hot sauce to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat pan with oil and add onion & a dash of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes
- Add garlic, more salt/pepper & cook for 30 seconds more
- Add celery, carrot, and half the oregano - cook for about 5 minutes or until soft
- Add tomato paste, ketchup, mustard, broth, balsamic, brown sugar. Stir for 1 minute
- Add lentils, hot sauce, and rest of oregano, plus any more salt & pepper you'd like
- Cook for about 10 minutes stirring often.
- On toasted buns, spread creamy cheese on bottom halves & add half of the pepper jack on top
- On top bun add avocado and the rest of pepper jack
- Slop the lentil mixture on top of bottom bun, carefully put the top on
- Throw some awesome potato chips on the side of each plate!
- These make 6 large sloppy joes but can be make into slider style buns for a party!
- Serve with a cold brew of your liking!
- I always serve with potato chips on the side (these were jalapeno flavored...yum)!
Cheesy Mushroom & Onion Pizza
This is an amazing Cheesy Mushroom & Onion Pizza recipe. So easy, so delicious, and a must try. Go extra crispy to sweeten the deal! If you’re not one for the well done, no worries, cook for ’til your lil’ heart desires. As a native New Yorker, I find that buying pizza virtually anywhere further north than the Hudson Valley (some would even argue that’s too far north) is almost always an incredible disappointment. I’ve had some amazing pizzas that are clearly the style of the restaurant, but I’m talkin’ classic, thin crusted, bubbly, fold it, flop it, yet not soggy slice of heaven that is a true NY slice of life. My mouth is actually watering and I feel possible drooling coming on… I must continue before I raid my fridge for some complete and utter unnecessary caloric gorge. But oh, yuummm… Now, I am not even going to pretend that this recipe is supposed to imitate, even in the slightest, the unworldly goodness of the NY pie, however, this is an awesome recipe when you’re looking for more of a homemade style pizza, or if you simply don’t live in New York! Mushroom & Onion, a tad overly cheesy, and a bit ‘a garlic have always been my sweet slice. Hence why this is pretty much one of the only pizzas I make. Now go and pizza yourself to pieces!
- 12" pre-baked pizza crust (preferably thin)
- 1/2 - 3/4 C delicious pizza or marinara sauce (don't cheap out here)
- 1 1/2 - 2 C shredded mozzarella (how cheesy do you want it?)
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 small red onion - thinly sliced
- 2 C mushrooms - sliced (I use cremini, though white or most others would be okay as well)
- 1 Tbl dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive oil for cooking
- Parmesan for sprinkling (optional)
- Heat oven to 425 f. and oil pan or pizza stone
- Heat pan, add oil, and cook onion with salt for about 3-5 minutes
- Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds - stirring
- Add mushrooms, oregano, basil, more salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes
- Remove from heat
- Top the pizza crust with sauce, 1 - 1 1/2 C mozzarella, mushroom mix, and bake until your desired level of crispiness has occured (I love mine crispy)!
- Remove, let cool for a few minutes
- When serving, sprinkle each slice with remaining cheese and parmesan cheese
- Serves 2-3 people
- This would also make a great appetizer for a party!
- Serve with: Red zinfandel or a nice & cold lager
Holy Enchiladas!
This awesome vegetarian enchilada dish was inspired by Martha Stewart’s recipe. My husband never knows what to cook for me. He wants to do it all of the time but I am a stickler for flavor (usually I want loads of flavor or no thank you!), and I don’t want to have to recite an entire recipe with specific instructions. That would ruin the idea of someone cooking for me, hubby agrees. He desperately wanted to make something for my bday two years ago. I figured, Mexican is almost fool proof and I freakin’ love it any time of day. It’s one of the few foods that I simply can’t get sick of. So, Scotland (my hubby is Scottish), let’s call him, in his fear and trepidation took to the internet to find me some vegetarian Mexican good eats. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about what the after math would bring. Would I be swallowing ‘said dish’ with a smile on the outside and wanting to spew on the inside? I knew however it turned out I’d have to “like” it… a lot. Really, I was just so pleased that he wanted to do this for me. This said, it was awesome! I was beyond super impressed and giving silent praise to Martha for all of her wisdom passed on via internet to hubby. Phew… the smile and enthusiasm for the enchiladas were very real and I’ve requested them many times since. Today, he has really become quite a good cook and is always looking for new recipes to add to his repertoire. Get yourself ready for a taste explosion in the form of “Holy Enchiladas!” You will NOT be disappointed!
- 8 tortillas (I use 8" corn tortillas)
- 1 small onion - diced
- 10 oz corn kernals
- 5 oz black olives
- 10 oz frozen spinach (thawed & strained)
- 1 can black beans
- 1 C shredded pepper jack cheese
- 2 C shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp of taco seasoning (optional)
- 2-3 tsp cumin
- 3 Tbl olive oil
- 1/4 C flour
- 1/4 C tomato paste
- 3/4 C water
- 1 can veggie broth (use a good broth)
- 4 scallions - diced
- Heat 2 Tbl olive oil in pan. Add 1 teaspoon of the cumin, flour, and tomato paste - mix well for about 1 minute
- Add vegetable broth, 3/4 cup water, and boil
- Reduce to a simmer and then cook until the sauce is slightly thickened (about 5-10 minutes)
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- First, start preheating the oven at 400 degrees
- In a pan, quickly cook the onion for about 3-5 minutes
- In a bowl add: 1 cup of each cheese (2 cups total), black beans, olives, spinach, corn, cooked onion, 1/4 of the scallions, taco seasoning if using, and the remaining 1 teaspoon cumin
- Add salt & pepper to taste
- With the remaining 1 Tbl of olive oil, brush oil onto two 8-inch baking pans
- Evenly divide the ingredients from the bowl into each tortilla. Roll up and face the overlapping part of the tortillas on the bottom of the pan
- Sprinkle the last cup of cheese and smother in your delicious mole sauce
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes]
- When serving, garnish with scallions
- Serve with a cold Mexican beer or a delicious margarita!
Breakfast Tofu Taco Tuesdays!
Taco Tuesdays have been all the rage for as long as I can remember. I used to look forward to them all day long at work when I lived in California. I’m pretty sure that’s how I got through the beginning-of-the-work-week blues. It was something to look forward to and a way to end my night right. Well, why not start your day that way, too? Something to look forward to upon waking, and a way to start the day right! SOLD! I took this philosophy and rolled with it. When I made this taco, I, as usual, used what I had in my fridge. That being said, I didn’t have any taco shells at the time. Therefore, I made my own. I had these small homemade tortillas (love them) that I turned into taco shells. You can do this by simply bending it over two of the bars in your oven or convention oven and heating them up. However, due to the awesome texture of my tortillas I simply have to put it in the pan and cook on both sides. Feel free to do either! This taco recipe is super simple, quick, and delicious. Of course, I am pushing you on the taco-ness of Tuesdays but naturally, you could have this any morning, or even any day or night. The only downside about the Taco Tuesday morning is sadly, you cannot accompany it with a tasty beer. However, that just means you’ll have to celebrate Taco Tuesday evenings as well. Did I twist your arm yet? Sorry! You’ll thank me later.
- 2 taco shells or small tortillas
- 1/2 a brick firm or extra firm tofu
- Handful of baby spinach
- 4-5 Tbl small white beans
- 3 Tbl diced ripe tomatoes (optional)
- 2 Tbl cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- Approximately 4-5 Tbl crumbled feta (optional)
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Dash of cumin
- Dash tumeric (optional)
- Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
- Olive oil for pan
- Heat the oil in pan and add garlic - cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute
- Add tofu, white beans, tomato, seasoning, salt & pepper - cook for about 4-5 minutes
- Add spinach & cilantro - cook for about 1-2 minutes more
- Add half of the feta to the bottom of each taco shell and divide the tofu etc from pan into both shells
- Sprinkle the remainder of the feta on the top of both taco shells
- I HIGHLY suggest making your taco shells the way I mention in my post. Use a tortilla, heat it whilst bended, and turn it into a shell. You can do this while your tofu is cooking. With some tortillas, you can even place the tofu etc (once cooked) inside the tortilla and then put the tortilla back in the pan, fold it, and heat both sides. The latter is the best way in my humble opinion. Want to make it vegan? Remove the feta!
