Top Recipes of 2013

The year is already over! After this upcoming semester, I will be a senior (which is terrifying)! This year has been full of good food, drinks, friends, and other wonderful people. I am really looking forward to a new year to make better habits, for my health and education. So here is a look back at the best things I cooked this year! What was your favorite dish that you made in 2013? 

1. Wonder Fries with Miso-Mayo 

Food 52

 2. Tofu Curry Laska + Rice Noodles

Appetite For Reduction

3. Edamame Hummus 

Oh She Glows

4. Harissa-Miso Roasted Fingerling Potatoes + Delicata Squash 

101 Cookbooks

5. Pad Thai 

Happy Herbivore

6. Peach, Arugula + Lentil Salad with Roasted Jalapeno Vinaigrette 

Sprouted Kitchen

 7. Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Love & Lemons

8. Pumpkin Pie Squares with Graham Cracker Crust 

Oh She Glows

9. Rustic Chickpea Vegetable Soup

Foodess

10. Hottie Black-Eyed Peas + Greens with Fried Cornbread 

The PPK

11. Zucchini Fritters 

Smitten Kitchen

12. Garden Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk, Chives + Lime 

The PPK

13. Sweet Chili Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Bleu Bird



HAPPY NEW  YEAR!

September Favorites

1. Vegan Spicy Pumpkin Chai Latte 

It always bummed bums me out when Fall rolls around and the pumpkin chai comes out at coffee shops. There is something about processed, bottle chai concentrate that doesn't agree with me. But luckily there is away around this! I made this incredibly spicy, frothy pumpkin chai latte. I never thought to use my immersion blender to make foam, but it works great! I will certainly be making this again! //Fo Reals Life

2. Vegetable Loaded Chili

I'm finally done with my summer squash surplus! I'm surprised to say it's quite a relief and that I'm ready to move on to winter squashes. This chili was super easy, delicious, packed with vegetables, and incredibly spicy! I added a few dashes of liquid smoke to take the edge off. This chili is a great way to clean out your fridge and freezer by using all your vegetables. It's also freezer friendly! //Oh My Veggies! 

 3. Cajun Oven Fries

I finally shared my "secret" recipe for Cajun oven fries! It's one of the things I've missed since going GF and I am a potato fiend, obviously. These fries are so easy and delicious. We made them twice this month to pair with these amazingly vegan quick burgers. I suggest you do the same! //here!

 4. Vegan Cinnamon-Apple French Toast

There's something so comforting about warm, spiced fruit. This vegan French toast was surprisingly filling and easy to make. I used pears for the warm fruit compote and GF bread. I also ran out of bread, so I used waffles for the rest of the French toast batter. Yay for improvising! //Vegetarian Times

5. Kale Powered Pasta

Recently, Mike and I have been trying out a vegan/soy-free/GF meal plan from the Happy Herbivore. They include easy, cheap, and delicious recipes for every meal. We haven't been following it to a T just yet, but so far, it has been a huge time saver for us. This pasta was one of the recipes that made a TON and was super nutritious! We just cooked an entire bag of GF pasta, then added in a chopped bell pepper and a bunch of kale in the last few minutes of cooking. After we drained the pasta, we returned it to the pot and added a jar of Trader Joe's no-salt-added marinara, spices, herbs, etc. 

6. Slow-Cooker Elvis Oatmeal

I received a 2 qt (smaller) slow-cooker for my birthday last year and have been meaning to use it more. I have used it a few times for smaller dishes, but oatmeal works great in it. I finally bought some GF steel cut oats and decided to try it out. You put your oatmeal in the slow-cooker to cook before bed, and when you wake up: Voila! Instant breakfast. I enjoyed the texture and this oatmeal was enough for three servings. So I ate it for breakfast a few days that week, which was a huge time saver! It reheated wonderfully! The blog I got this recipe from has written both of the slow-cooker books I own (one is only for 2qts!) and she has many oatmeal recipes besides this one! //Healthy Slow Cooking

7. Pad Thai

Why has it taken me so long to make pad Thai? I keep asking myself this. Pad Thai is one of my favorite dishes of all time, when it's me-friendly of course. I finally decided to try Happy Herbivore's recipe and it's quick, easy, scrumptious, and easily adaptable. I can't really tell you how simple this is. It's cheaper than getting take out! I added Twin Oak's premarinated Thai tofu, shredded carrots, and shredded red cabbage. I highly suggest serving it with cilantro, lime wedges, and lots of sriracha. //Happy Herbivore

8. Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

So I obviously went a little pumpkin crazy one weekend when I made these and the pumpkin spice chai above. I don't go nuts for pumpkin as much as I do winter squash. But, I couldn't resist making us a special autumn breakfast. These pancakes were simple to pull together, but they make a TON of pancakes. I was eating these for breakfast for days (which isn't the worst problem to have...). These are perfect with maple syrup, warm fruit, and a hot cup of tea. //Allyson Kramer

9. Buffalo Chickpea Loaded Potato

I have made this dish before, but I just can't get over how easy it is. Actually, I don't think I can get over how much I love buffalo sauce. Buffalo smothered chickpeas cooked with caramelized onions, stuffed in a fluffy baked potato and served with a side of steamed kale. What more do you want for dinner?! This recipe comes together quickly and is a hearty autumn meal. //Naturally Ella

10. Orange Pan-Glazed Tempeh

I've become a little obsessed with finding different ways to cook tempeh. Recently, I have really enjoyed cooking it with Asian recipes. I've had my eye on this recipe for a long time, but kept pushing it aside because of the mirin. I finally gave in and bought some (it's not that bad!) to keep around for Asian dishes. If you have a well stocked "international" pantry, this recipe is super easy to make. Sweet orange juice pairs with soy sauce, mirin, garlic and more to make a delicious twist on Asian tempeh. I highly recommend serving it with rice, lime wedges, and a steamed vegetable. //101 Cookbooks

(882) moteurs sainte

It has been a crazy first week off, hence all the photos but lack of recent posting. I have been insanely busy and am enjoying the next few days before Christmas pandemonium sets in. I have been eating pretty well, and cooking as much as I can, but have also been pretty lazy since school is out. The good news is I finished with a 3.56 and I will find out soon if I get into the Disciplinary Honors program! 

I made the most amazing vegan burgers: pumpkin black bean patties. They are definitely better when you let the batter sit in the fridge overnight to help thicken. They form a perfect, golden crust from frying in coconut oil. The flavors are perfect: cumin, chili powder, black beans, pumpkin, and other amazing ingredients. Sooo good! //sprouted kitchen

I also made this massaged kale and roasted garlic dressing salad to eat with these burgers, as well as some polenta croutons. The salad was tender, delicious, and incredibly garlicky. Like REALLY garlicky. Be warned. Polenta croutons are a great way to use up leftover prepared polenta in a tube: cut into even slices and fry over medium high in a thin layer of olive/coconut oil until golden brown. Drain briefly on a paper towel. Easy and a great addition to a meal! //eat this poem

Half-ass pumpkin hummus I made for sandwiches over the weekend: leftover pumpkin puree, a can of chickpeas 3-4 T tahini, spices, fresh rosemary, curry powder, etc. I just added a bunch of stuff and tasted it until it was to my liking! Not my best hummus but I didn't have much time and needed something.

Close up of massaged kale roasted garlic salad: a piece of art.

The best quick vegan lunch: homemade hummus, GF bread, avocado and heirloom tomato.

Trader Joe's haul: the best cider, which is even better than apple cider//not my favorite kale chips but they are kale chips//the BEST prepared salad I've ever had in my life and need to recreate ASAP//my favorite vegan caramel popcorn.

My little Christmas tree!

I had quite an abundance of mirepoix, or aromatic vegetables (carrots, celery, onion, and herbs) so I finally made homemade vegetable stock. It was probably the easiest thing ever and it made over 16 cups, and it's freezer-friendly! I used the following:

16 C water//1 C white wine//4 sprigs fresh herbs (I used rosemary+thyme)//1 onion peeled and halved//1 potato halved//4 carrots//3 stalks of celery with tops//3 C spinach//4 whole cloves garlic//2 T olive oil//mushroom caps//1 tsp pepper//1 T salt

Place in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover, and cook 1.5 hours. Let cool then strain. Place into smaller containers (I recommend by 1 C measurements). Will last 1 week in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. 

Cheap wine. 

New favorite side dish: spicy paprika roasted carrots. I added a hint too much of cayenne but they are still lovely. I paired them with the spaghetti squash below. They would be great with a warm quinoa salad or even veggie burgers. //mince + type

I finally made spaghetti squash, after seeing it all over food blogs this fall. It was delicious but quite a pain to shred after baking in the oven. I made Deb's moroccan spiced spaghetti squash, which I have been eyeing for quite a while since it's so simple. This was probably the easiest spaghetti squash recipe out there and the flavors are amazing: coriander, cumin, cayenne and butter. The sauce was easy and satisfying. It was lovely topped with toasted almonds, with a side of a white balsamic + greens salad and roasted carrots. //smitten kitchen

Vegan tacos from Crafted downtown + GF beer. Wayfarer tacos include chofu (tofu chorizo), pico, vegan jalapeno havarti, french fries, and avocado spread. Dying.

The best vegan lunch after being slammed at work and hungry: organic grapes, loaded avocado and hummus paprika sandwich and kale chips. Soooo good. Better than any non-vegan lunch I've ever had.

I always talk myself into getting Sticks + Stones vegan pizza with swiss chard, potaotes, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, spinach and onions. It may be expensive but it's hard to resist this after a few ciders!

My new favorite English dry cider! 

This wraps up the week and I will hopefully be back soon. I am going to try and make a small post about hot/Bikram yoga tomorrow (which will mark my second class!). I tried it out Friday and am really trying to stick with it. It's great! :)

(871) le semaine d'examens

That's right...I somehow made it to exam week and I'm still alive! I also have more things going on right now than I have had during the entire semester, not including school. Not sure how that happened, but I am ready for classes to be done so I can focus on them. I am also *slowly* preparing for my trip to France next year, which means getting a passport, and hopefully an honors grant too! 

Trying to do DIY/homemade gifts for everyone this year. This is the only one I've started because it requires no attention and needs to sit for 3 weeks: homemade vanilla extract. //baked bree

I still eat snacks like a five-year old: bugs in the bed/ants on a log.

I am not very confident about cooking things that aren't by a recipe, but there are a few things that I know how to cook easily; oven fries is one of them. Cut sweet potatoes into uniform pieces (peel if desired but I dont think its necessary). Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, smoked paprika, etc. There are many ways to dress these! Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until soft and crunchy on the outside. 

This tofu scramble certainly helped me do a bit of improvisation, which I never do. I have also been searching for the perfect tofu scramble, like the one I used to get at a restaurant in High Point which is not only closed, but used to be so cross-contaminated that I was always sick from it. It was delicious though, and this is the closest thing I can find. Use any vegetables in your fridge for this and any spices you desired. This batch was: curry, cumin, paprika, cayenne, dried oregano and lots of nutritional yeast (which helps browning) and for vegetables: carrots, mushrooms, onions, and spinach. This is why I like to keep a package of tofu in my fridge because this was easy to pull together! //chickpea magazine

A little more improvising was done with this dish (yay!). It's hard to find a good, creamy vegan pasta that isn't loaded down with vegan cheese or soy milk. This vegan pumpkin pasta was perfect. I was quite hesitant about the nutmeg added to the sauce, but it compliments the salt and pumpkin perfectly. I added some white wine, vegan butter sauteed mushrooms and shallots to the sauce and it was amaaaazing. Definitely tasted better the first day but was still lovely. //chickpea magazine

Couldn't resist. Hot toddys are in my near future.

My latest meal goal is to eat something green with every meal, which doesn't necessarily mean a salad (as you can see by this post and the one below). This wonderful side dish, which didn't last in my kitchen for 10 minutes, was a lovely roasted broccolini with a smoked paprika vinaigrette and sunflower seeds for crunch. I may have to make this again next week. The flavors are just fantastic. //the year in food

I can't honestly say that I have ever had a brussel sprout. I just remember them being the butt of every vegetable/child related joke. They got picked on, as a vegetable, which I never understood. They couldn't be that bad. I mean, they weren't the stewed cabbage that was eaten in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Anyways...I have had my blog roll blown up about brussel sprout recipes in the past two weeks. So finally I roast the damn things and good lord. What have I been missing this whole time? They are perfect. I made these as one of my green sides but they are phenomenal. I would like to have them at the Christmas dinner table. So yeah. Don't hate on them, just go roast them! //oh, ladycakes!

I have been stalking this traditional Israeli breakfast dish ever since I started reading Deb's blog and seeing this pop up everywhere. What makes it so popular? Well, first of all, one of its alternative names is "eggs in purgatory" (clearly Dante would eat this) and not only is it easy to make, but it's cheap too. It consists of a spicy, anaheim chile laced tomato sauce (use San Mazrano tomatoes on this trussst me) topped with poached eggs which are directly cooked into the tomato sauce. I have never poached an egg, and didn't really poach these, but they are still edible and that's what is important. This would be great to serve a crowd at brunch because it makes a ton, haha. I served mine with garlic basil polenta rounds and brussels sprouts. //smitten kitchen

(839) golden apples of the sun

This post will pretty much sum up my last week of being a "non-adult". There was a bit of a delay in posting this because of a, let's call it a "mishap of sorts", this past weekend. But all is well now and I'm back on my feet! Trying to cope with the fact that I'll be 21 in a day and a half. Where has time gone?

A not so impressive slow cooker corn cabbage soup with amazingly impressive baked tofu sticks. These tofu sticks are so easy to make and they are the closest thing I've tasted to actual chicken nuggets...which is why they are slathered in ketchup. I also enjoy baked rather than fried, and fresh parsley! They were awesome to snack on all week. 

It's funny how I constantly crave the same things at the same time of the year. Zucchini and squash really shouldn't be cooked right now, but I still had some from the farmer's market. I wanted to do something good that showed off how delicious they are. I remembered a favorite pasta bake I made last Halloween from Joanne. The herbs de provence here really makes all of the flavors pop. I used homemade marinara sauce that I made in the slow cooker all day (not pictured but AMAZING) which made it even better. The vegetables get sooo tender. 

I feel like I am always in this "polygamous" relationship with veganism. I eat pretty much 90% vegan, but I still eat honey. Marshmallows don't scare me, nor do eggs. If I'm in a real cinch I will cook an egg or two, but I'm not too keen on chicken or beef anymore. I will also gladly order fish at a five-star restaurant. So I can't call myself a vegan, even though I rarely eat non-vegan things. Eggs are primarily consumed through baking, and well, I can't tell myself that honey is bad. I already can't eat a lot of things, so why cut my options out? How does everyone else feel about this issue?

Anyways, I finally finally found Medjool dates at my local co-op, worth a pretty penny I might add, and I also finally made salty medjool caramel for apples on Halloween. So easy. So good. And it's vegan. 

I was set on making a raw caramel apple pie for Halloween dinner, but after I saw these bars, I couldn't get them out of my head and just had to make them. I used GF rolled oats, vegan Earth Balance sticks, and the rest is totally vegan. These are essentially coconut milk pumpkin pie on an oatmeal shortbread crust, topped with chocolate, coconut, and almonds. I don't think I need to explain myself more (and they're pretty!)

I had dinner with my parents on Halloween, as always, and she made me vegan pepperjack grilled cheeses and fall vegetable soup. 

Forgive the bite taken here, but I finally tried out flatbreads! I picked up some chickpea flour after hearing so much about it and seeing so many recipes with it. These flatbreads were amazing and had great texture/flavor. I cooked them a bit longer than I should've but still great. I used pesto I froze in the summer, which turned out great, and added vegan pepperjack cheese. These are probably versatile for every season!

Breakfast is great when you want to try something new, and you just happen to have everything for it. I made Sara's sesame date yogurt cups: dates smashed with sesame seeds layered with vegan cinnamon yogurt and topped with flax cereal. Delicious, simple, and naturally sweet.

Let me guess. You probably hate turnips, right? Like I did when I was 5? Well I hope you don't hate them because this soup is so good. This soup has few ingredients, and is made even better by the accompanying greens pesto. I am always wary about pestos, especially vegan ones, but the flavors are just right: nutritional yeast, orange blanched greens, pecans, balsamic vinegar, so so so good. I hope I have some leftover to freeze. But the soup and pesto together is unstoppable. It's getting cold outside, so you better make some!

My birthday is Monday so maybe I will make some sappy nostalgic 21st birthday post.