Let's Catch Up: February - April

February

For our first beach trip this year, we decided to opt for going to the fish market rather than eating fish at a restaurant. My favorite fish market in North Myrtle Beach is definitely Mr. Fish Market and I highly recommend it! Both times that we've been, the seafood has been well priced, delicious, and easy to cook. This is GF beer battered fish and chips with the best habanero spiced seafood dipping sauce. These fish and chips were perfect, although our chips turned a little too brown and our second batch of fish fell apart. We added Old Bay, Italian herbs, and paprika to the beer batter. I think I have decided that I am not a fan of deep frying, and would prefer to cook fish in a different way from now on.

What better way to celebrate snow days than with chocolate chip buckwheat waffles? I always look forward to making decadent breakfasts when it snows, so these were perfect for a lazy day of reading and no class! These waffles were super quick and easy to make, but if you're cooking for more than 1 person, be sure to double this recipe. These would be lovely topped with whipped coconut cream, strawberries, or simply powdered sugar and maple syrup.

The invention of one-pot stir-fries, noodles, and other dishes is a truly wonderful thing. It's as simple as throwing things in a pot, turning it to a boil, and letting it cook until everything is soft. One-pot meals are my favorite meals for weekdays or when I'm simply not feeling up to cooking, but when I also can't justify going out. These one-pot Thai stir-fry noodles fit the bill and are so easy to make, you'll be amazed at how delicious they are! The short ingredient list also makes it a pantry and budget friendly meal. Next time I'd like to add some chopped sesame tofu!

March

This past semester, I did a research project on Senegal, which I have always been interested in since my first French professor was from there. After learning briefly about their food and popular crops, I remembered this recipe for Senegalese red lentil soup in one of my favorite cookbooks: One Dish Vegan. This belly warming soup was absolutely perfect for cold winter days, especially when topped with sriracha and chopped peanuts. I think cooked rice would also be a great addition. I love making connections between my global interests and cuisine! This is why I love international cuisine cookbooks because it is a great way to learn more about a culture through their food.

I almost always have a package of soy chorizo in my freezer as a "just in case" ingredient. Why? Because you can do so much with soy chorizo! You can make burgers, enchiladas, tofu scramble, etc. This time, I decided to go with a soyrizo sweet potato hash served over rice with chipotle Cholula hot sauce and lime. This recipe comes together quickly but is hearty enough to tide you over for more than a few days! I'm sure these would also make some amazing tacos or a lovely breakfast if you added tofu scramble/eggs. Have you ever tried soy chorizo?

When I used to eat at Mexican restaurants as a kid, fajitas were my favorite things to order. I loved the blackened, spiced peppers and onions, and piling them onto tortillas with a bunch of toppings was the best part. I would even insist upon assembling them for my entire family! Now that Mexican restaurants are pretty much off limits to me, I love making fajitas at home. I've tried oven-roasted fajitas before, but these quick black bean fajitas are possibly my new favorite! They come together in a flash and were seriously the most delicious fajitas! Making your own fajita seasoning blend is so worth it too. We added sliced mushrooms to the fajitas and topped them with sliced cabbage, guacamole, lime and our favorite hot sauces!

April

I have always daydreamed about baking a huge, fluffy angel food cake, but I always thought it was too difficult or impossible to make gluten-free. Wrong! You totally can make it GF and even dairy-free as well. I was shocked at how easy this recipe is. I will say that yes, separating and beating all of those egg whites to stiff peaks takes a little time, but it is well worth the effort. I didn't have a batch of Sarah's GF baking blend at hand, so I adjusted it to fit this recipe: 1/2 C brown rice flour, 1/4 C tapioca starch, 2 TBS sorghum flour, 2 TBS cornstarch and 1/2 tsp xanthan gum. I topped my cake with a little vegan whipped cream and these brandied strawberries!

Now that the weather is warmer, I have been craving colder items like this salmon macaroni salad. This is a great dish to make the night before so that it can chill overnight in the fridge for meals the following day. I used Frank's red hot sauce in this dish, which paired perfectly with the onions, shallots, dill and salmon. Feel free to use vegan mayo or whatever you prefer!

After a few failed attempts, I pretty much gave up on the idea of creating a perfect brownie. But when I found this recipe for tofu chocolate brownies, I knew I had to try them, and I was not disappointed. These are the BEST brownies I've ever tasted and they were so simple to make. The best part? Because they're made with silken tofu, they even have protein in them. These brownies are chewy, fudgy, with a nice kick of cinnamon in every bite. I highly recommend making these and I'm positive that if you brought them to a party, they'd be gone in 5 minutes. Need I say more?

Let me introduce you to your new favorite breakfast: the ramlet. The ramlet consists of an omelet made with ramen seasoning, from the little packet that comes with your noodles. If you ever make a stir-fry or soup recipe that doesn't require your ramen seasoning, hang on to it for this omelet! I topped mine with a little sriracha and it was perfect. Also, you don't have to stuff your omelet with scrambled eggs, but you can if you have a little more time! I know what you're thinking: isn't ramen incredibly sodium-laden and unhealthy? Yes, some are, but they also make vegan, GF and low-sodium ramen. My favorite brand is from Lotus Foods, which I can find at Whole Foods.