January Favorites (Happy New Year!)

Apparently my mind gets blown by how fast time passes on a regular basis. Like, it's February tomorrow? Next week is my fourth week of classes? Where is this year going, already?? Anyways, this was a great month of food and it was hard for me to pick 10 recipes to share (as you can see, I added a couple more). For a couple of weeks, I stuck to the meal plan I made for the month. Then I got bored with it, and found myself actually spending more time re-adjusting my monthly plan than I did when I planned by the week. So, obviously, that monthly meal planning thing went out the window due to our erratic schedules etc. Starting next week, I will be blogging a little differently. I am going to start doing Friday posts with food links etc. and then one weekly post about food that I've made and other things in my life. So get excited!

1. Apple-Miso Tofu with Rice + Orange-Scented Broccoli

One thing I've really been enjoying lately is marinating tofu/tempeh and roasting it in the oven with other vegetables. It's so easy and always delicious. I've done this many times now, using different recipes, and they've never disappointed. Apples and miso may not sound like they go well together, but trust me. The soft sweet apples pair perfectly with salty miso and sweet mirin. The broccoli was also a delicious side to everything. Both recipes are from Appetite For Reduction but I found the tofu recipe online too//Rainy Day Veggies

2. Pasta Con Broccoli
This could be my new favorite pasta dish. Broccoli is cooked with a TON of garlic, plus white wine and vegetable stock, then tossed with pasta. I, of course, doused mine in nutritional yeast, which made it even tastier. I don't think I'll ever get tired of how amazing Isa's recipes are. This is also from Appetite for Reduction (see above), but I found this recipe online too//Food

3. Arroz Con Tempeh
I remember making arroz con pollo a few years ago in a Dutch oven, and I remember it being very flavorful and delicious. When I saw this arroz con tempeh in my new cookbook, I immediately had to make it. It completely exceeded my expectations and I couldn't believe how flavorful it was. I will definitely be making this again and again. Mike hates olives and I caught him eating a few from this dish! Plus it has a ton of vegetables in it, which is always a good thing! //One Dish Vegan

4. Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Do you have those long, awful days where you just want to fall over? That was me on my first day back to classes, which spanned 11 am - 630 pm with a doctors appointment squeezed in between. I kinda forced myself to put this soup in the slow cooker before I went to class, and I did not regret it. I was always intrigued by the idea of baked potato soup, but hooooly crap it's amazing. Don't skip the cashew cream, green onions or nutritional yeast toppings either//Fresh From the Vegan Slow-Cooker

5. Miso Sesame Winter Squash + Tofu
Here's another example of my new obsession with roasting/marinating, except this one doesn't have to marinate! This combination of citrus, miso, molasses, soy sauce, etc is so incredibly comforting. My squash wasn't quite 2 pounds, so I just made up the difference by using a whole package of tofu. I highly recommend serving this over quinoa with lemon wedges and sriracha!//101 Cookbooks

6. Brussels Sprouts Tacos + Guacamole + Fixins'
So Mike never gets food cravings, which is still kinda weird to me. So for our one year anniversary, I begged him to have a preference. Just this once. Just pick something you want for dinner! So he said: "Brussels sprouts." I ransacked my archives (aka 100+ paged recipe word doc) and pulled out 6 brussels recipes. He settled on this brussels sprouts taco recipe. I made a lazy version of it by making my own guacamole (I despise blender guacamole), using hard corn tortillas instead of pan frying soft ones, and using leftover homemade pintos. Let me just say, these were the best tacos I've had in a looong time. Oh my goodness. Just trust me. Don't skimp on the guac, chili lime Cholula, cilantro and green onions. It really makes it//See You in the Morning

7. Christmas Lima Stew
So it should be clear by now that I love beans. Like, I really really do and I don't care if it sounds weird. There's a bean club from Rancho Gordo that is pretty much a dream come true and I daydream about it often. Enough weird talk. This soup was incredible. My mom had us over for dinner and she made this with these beautiful purple Christmas lima beans. This soup has two whole heads of celery, a ton of olive oil, and it's garnished with lemon juice and black olives. Oh, and did I mention there are caraway seeds and celery salt involved? So yes. This is the soup of my dreams. Also, how pretty is mom's wedding china?//101 Cookbooks

8. TLAT (Tempeh Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato Sandwich)
This sandwich was a revelation. Seriously. I have very few words to say about it, except make it right now. The tempeh doesn't taste like real bacon, obviously, but it still makes a damn good sandwich. I highly recommend lettuce, tomato, avocado and vegan mayo. If you're feeling really fancy, use miso mayo. And serving it with homemade split pea soup wouldn't hurt either//Vegan Peace

 9. Black-Eyed Pea + Kale Curry with Potatoes
This could be my new favorite winter curry. Black-eyed peas, kale, potatoes, perfectly sauteed thin red onions and two sliced jalapenos. The base is simpler than most curry recipes, but it creates a subtle flavor profile for the vegetables to really shine. We had it with avocado mango salsa on top (as the recipe suggests) on the first night, and that created a very interesting addition to the curry! But it's amazing on its own too. I wanted to use collards but mine were sad looking, but kale was and always is a tasty substitute//The PPK

10. Banana Snacking Cake
We FINALLY had a snow day. I seriously think we get one a year. Whenever it snows, I have to bake something. Even if I have real life stuff to do (i.e. homework). I had some bananas I needed to use up, so I settled on this snacking cake. This cake was so easy to make, delicious, and moist. You cover the cake for an hour, which helps the cake absorb more moisture. This is definitely one of the most moist GF cakes I've made. And it's perfect for snacking, obviously, and isn't laden with vegan butter or a ton of sugar. I'm also proud to say I made homemade brown sugar for this cake and I'm almost convinced it made it taste better. For conversions, I used: 1/4 C sorghum flour, 1/4 C tapioca starch + 1 tsp xanthan gum in place of the 1/2 C spelt flour. It really doesn't need the frosting, but I'm sure it would be amazing with it!//Sprouted Kitchen

11. Buffalo Chickpea Burgers 
I've realized that vegan burgers are awesome. They're quick to prepare, filling, and they're basically hands-free. I've had my eyes on these for a while now and finally made them. You guys, they have four ingredients. That's crazy. I made a double batch so that we could have extras and I'm glad I did because they're AMAZING. The buffalo sauce is seriously the only spice you need, but of course I added more on top. They take about 5 minutes to prep, chill for 20, then they bake for 30. I highly highly recommend them. You can also freeze the leftovers, which is awesome! I topped ours with vegan mayo, hot sauce, and green pepper (red onion is also good) then wrapped in lettuce//Fo Reals Life

12. Broiled Grapefruit Oatmeal
Finding a new favorite food blog sometimes feels like finding a new really good friend who just gets you on so many levels. Right now, that blog is Oatgasm. I saw this recipe on Foodgawker and was intrigued, so I clicked on the link to see the name of her blog. Then I scrolled through the entire blog. By the end of it, I was drooling and my eyes were wide. Also, the author is only 15 years old, which is mind boggling. Her writing and recipe creativity exceeds anything I could pull out of my head at that age. So expect to see more recipes from her because I plan on making pretty much all of them. Oh and this grapefruit broiled oatmeal is incredible. I felt like a Queen eating it at my sad little desk this morning, but it will seriously keep you full and make you feel super cool for broiling your oatmeal (and eating warm grapefruit)//Oatgasm

December Favorites

It amazes me that December will be over tomorrow! And it scares me that school will be back in two weeks. This will possibly be my hardest semester yet, since I am taking 5 classes, and one of them goes until 6:30 PM. That being said, I am trying a new method of planning a month of recipes instead of by the week, to cut down on time I spend during the semester planning meals. We'll see how it works out! Next month I am cooking from: Appetite for Reduction, One Dish Vegan, The Great Vegan Bean Book, Fresh From the Vegan Slow-Cooker, and 101 Cookbooks Blog. Stay tuned for tomorrow when I post my Top 13 recipes from 2013!

1. Quinoa Caesar Salad with Chickpeas + Super Briny Dressing

It's funny how many things I never dreamed of eating when I wasn't mostly vegan. The thought of a caesar salad was enough to make me gag. But now, I daydream about a vegan caesar dressing made with briny capers, mustard served over crunchy cold lettuce. This dressing is amazing, but incredibly garlicky. Like vampire-slaying-worthy-garlicky. But I seriously can't recommend it enough. This comes from Isa's latest book (aka my bible), but the recipe can be found here.

2. Tofu, Kale + Red Rice Bowl with Curried Peanut Sauce
What was my life before peanut sauce? Or more importantly, before this peanut sauce with curry powder? Nothing. That's what it was. This sauce is the star of this amazingly easy dish that comes together in 30 minutes or less. //Isa Does It

3. GF Tagliatelle with Slurpy Spicy Spaghetti Sauce
Okay, so I'm obviously a little obsessed with Isa's new book, but this spicy slurpy spaghetti sauce is stupidly easy and delicious. You caramelize the onions in a little brown sugar, then add lots of red pepper flakes, which creates the most perfect sauce. We tried these GF egg noodles, which were incredible, but definitely only for special occasions because they're not cheap. //Isa Does It

4. Wonder Fries with Miso-Mayo (side of Bourbon Pumpkin Spice Apple Toddy)

If you take anything away from this post, read this: make these fries as soon as possible. I can't even explain how delicious these were. They take a little effort, but believe me, they are worth every penny and second you spend on them. The process creates the most perfect, crispy, yet fluffy fries. Oh, and the miso mayo is life-changing. Plain and simple. //Food 52

5. Breakfast Kale with Eggs Over Easy, Avocado + Hot Sauce

This has become a well-loved staple for breakfast in our house. It comes together quickly, it's nutritious and sooo flavorful. The ingredient list is short and the possibilities for additions are endless! //here! 

6. Chipotle Soyrizo + Potato Hash with Tahini-Miso Sauce 

One thing that drives me crazy (in a good way) about Isa's recipes, is every time I try a new one, I always claim its "her best recipe yet". But I say this about every single thing I've made from her...but this, might take the cake. Miso apparently makes every sauce instantly incredible, so don't skip it. The potatoes don't need to be boiled beforehand, which is shocking because they get cooked so perfectly. So yes, make this as soon as possible. //Isa Does It

7. Arabian Lentil & Rice Soup

There is nothing better than a big pot of soup on a cold day. The red lentils cook down into the basmati rice, making a thick and delicious soup. The arabian spices and lemon tie this soup together in the best way possible. It also comes together quickly, with plenty of time to rest while it simmers on the stove! The recipe originally comes from this book, but I found the recipe online too: here.

8. Chickpea Piccata with Caulipots + Sweet 'n' Salty Glazed Carrots

I've never had chicken piccata before, but this chickpea piccata was incredible! We served it with cauliflower mashed potatoes and these delicious roasted carrots. The sauce is made with lots of garlic and white wine, creating a delicious meal to be served on these caulipots. I loved how fancy this meal made me feel, but it took only an hour to pull everything together! //Appetite For Reduction

9. Golabki (Polish Stuffed Cabbage)

I never thought I would ever be able to make vegan stuffed cabbage. But it was so easy and delicious! The filling is made of TVP, lentils, pecans, and other delicious and simple components. They take a little effort, but if you prep the lentils and tomato sauce in advance, these come together quickly! I was surprised at how authentic the filling tastes, despite not having any meat. //Vegan Yack Attack

10. Caramelized Cauliflower Soup with Croutons

This soup sounds complicated, but it's actually very simple. You basically roast a head of cauliflower, then make a simple broth with some garlic and other ingredients, and then blend everything together. It makes a perfect soup for a winter day, especially topped with croutons and toasted almonds. Also, don't skip the white balsamic. It truly makes this soup perfect. Plus you will put white balsamic on everything once you taste it. It's regular balsamic's lighter, less-syrupy cousin. //Sprouted Kitchen

Breakfast Style Kale + Eggs

Breakfast is definitely one of my favorite meals of the day. On the weekends, we make slightly indulgent breakfasts with many components. One breakfast I've been making off and on is this kale and eggs. I will eat kale ANY time of the day, in any form, and breakfast is the perfect way to get in some dark leafy greens! I eat a lot of eggs too, so they are obviously my pick for breakfast. I'm not a big sweets person because I feel like the sugar wears me down in the morning, but sometimes I want pancakes too.

This dish is so easy to make, delicious, and hearty. It makes no sense to go out for breakfast when you can have whatever you want in your own kitchen (plus mimosas!). What do you enjoy having for breakfast?

Breakfast Style Kale + Eggs

Serves 1

• 1-2 eggs per person
• paprika or Old Bay 
• garlic powder
• salt
• 1/4 yellow onion, very thinly sliced
• olive oil
• 3 cups of kale (you don't have to measure, just eyeball)
• lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• for serving: sliced avocado, hot sauce, mimosas, grits, GF toast; whatever you enjoy with breakfast!

1. Preheat a pan on medium high. Add a thin slick of oil. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, until slightly caramelized and light brown.
2. Add the kale to the pan. Stir around a bit. Add a big squeeze of lemon juice or just a splash of vinegar (vinegar is more acidic so use a little less). The pan should sizzle, so stir everything around. Add a heavy pinch of paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Stir again. Add a little more lemon/vinegar and stir.
3. When the kale is wilted, dark green, and seasoned to your preferences, remove to a plate.
4. Wipe the pan out. Spray a thin layer of oil and crack 1 or 2 eggs away from each other. Push the whites together as much as possible, to make it easier to flip. 
5. For a runnier egg: cook until the whites are almost completely set, then flip and cook 30 seconds more. Flip again, then remove to the plate with kale and add toppings.
6. For a firmer egg: cook until the whites are completely set, then flip, and cook 45 seconds more. Flip again, then remove to the plate with kale and add toppings.
7. Enjoy! 

Jamaican Coconut Stir-Fry

So two of my best friends just came back from a beautiful vacation in Jamaica! They raved over the food and a Jamaican cooking demonstration they saw. This dish is usually made with chicken or white fish, but we substituted tempeh and it worked beautifully! The sauce is delicate and flavorful, with delicious sweet potatoes in the mix as well. This dish is a nice change in my usual cooking, but is easy to prepare and comes together quickly. Thank you Piper for this recipe!! Looks like now I just need to plan a trip to Jamaica myself...

Jamaican Coconut Stir-Fry

•  1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• olive oil
• salt + pepper
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1-2 sweet potatoes, diced + steamed
• 1-2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced (or less; be careful, these are HOT!)
• 1 pkg of tempeh or tofu, cubed (press for 20 minutes if tofu; or use Carribean tofu)
• sliced chives or scallions, for garnish
• rice, for serving

1. Heat a large skillet (that comes with a lid) on medium. Add enough oil to saute with and add onion, pepper, and thyme sprigs. Cook 5 minutes or more until vegetables are softened. Add garlic, stir, and cook 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, coconut milk, scotch bonnet, and tempeh/tofu. Bring to a boil, simmer, and cover with a lid. Cook 10-15 minutes until tempeh is softened and the stir-fry is flavorful. When done, remove the thyme sprigs from the pan (the thyme leaves should fall off into the sauce). Season again and serve over rice. Garnish with scallions or chives

Cajun Oven Fries

One thing I still get a craving for are the cajun fries from Cookout. They're spicy, sometimes garlicky, and all around damn delicious with ketchup. I set out to learn to make my own because:

A) Who wants to wait in that super long line that seems to never go away?

B) I'm pretty sure they don't have a separate GF fryer for these

C) I am 100% addicted to fries

You'll be amazing at how easy and tasty these are. And if you aren't making your own fries at home already, you're seriously missing out. I will also post a list of possible flavor combos, as well as oven fry links around the web. 

Cajun Oven Fries

• Cajun seasoning (I use this)
• pepper
• olive oil
• 1-2 large Russet potatoes, or a handful of small potatoes (however many you will eat!)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel your potatoes after you wash them if desired. Cut into thin slices, coins, or fry-shapes, depending on your preference. The key is to make all of the slices the same thickness. I usually cut mine somewhere between 1/4"-1/2" thick. 
2. Grab a baking sheet. Line with parchment if desired. Place potatoes on sheet and about 1-2 tsp of oil. You want to make sure that at least each slice is coated lightly with oil. Sprinkle enough Cajun seasoning to coat the fries, about 1-2 tsp or more. Warning: most Cajun seasonings contain salt so do NOT salt your fries, unless you're a sodium fiend. Toss to combine the oil and seasonings with fries.
3. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Stir and try a potato. They may be done at this point. If not, check them again in 5 minutes, until crisp on the outside and cooked/soft on the inside. 
4. Here's the key to good oven fries: As soon as they're out of the oven, toss them with more Cajun seasoning. This is the stuff that really sticks on the potato and gives it that spicy flavor. Don't overdo it though! Just try to split half of it between before the oven and after the oven
5. Serve with ketchup (you betta) and enjoy!

Other favorite seasoning combos:

- dried rosemary, paprika, salt + olive oil

- cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt + olive oil

- thyme, salt + olive oil

- paprika, garlic powder, salt + olive oil

- curry powder, paprika, salt + olive oil

Oven fries around the web: 

- ketchup baked fries//Plant-based on a budget

- zucchini fries//Budget Bytes

- black bean oven fry nachos//Oh she glows

- curried squash fries//Generation foodie

- curry spiced pomme frites//Sprouted Kitchen

- crispy cornmeal sweet potato fries//My new roots

- panko green bean fries//Happy healthy life

GF/V Student Emergency Essentials

One thing I am struggling with is putting my "foodie" habits to the side during the semester. What I mean by this is that I am constantly making recipes that take way too long and have too many ingredients. I like a good culinary challenge. It's hard for me to make something that's just simple. Is that weird?

So this semester has already gotten insane. I've quickly realized that I just don't have time to cook all of the complicated things I'd like to. I am literally forcing myself to cook simpler, quicker, and cheaper meals. Next week, I will be trying a vegan/gluten-free meal plan from Happy Herbivore just to see how it works for me.

I decided to make a post about my "fail-safe" items that I always have in my pantry. Things that I can always rely on if dinner is just not going to happen tonight. Or I am too upset over a ridiculous French paper I have due to even stand in my kitchen. I know, you're thinking "Why don't you just go out?": this is cheaper, more than likely healthier if you buy the right products, and you can stay in your little humble cave/office! So here is my list of things that makes surviving college a *little* easier:

 1. GF/V mac + cheeze: This is the ultimate comfort food for me, and sometimes I just don't feel like looking at a recipe. This brand is organic and you can pronounce all the ingredients, which is always a good sign! I've tried other brands of boxed GF/V mac + cheeze but this is my favorite. Bulk it up with beans or whatever vegetables you have on hand!
2. GF instant oatmeal: Getting up in the morning can be a real struggle, but I always have to eat before class. If I didn't, I would probably fail every class. This oatmeal has a TON of protein from different grains, and its super healthy. I add a spoonful of peanut butter and nuts to my oatmeal.
3. Peanut butter: Peanut butter might be the best portable, protein packed snack there is. Tote it around with a spoon, carrots, celery, or even apples. I use this on waffles, in oatmeal, just as a snack, or to make bugs in the bed. A PBJ sandwich even has enough protein to keep you full on a night of hard work!
4. Larabars: I don't eat these all the time because they aren't incredibly filling, but they do have a lot of protein and the only ingredients are fruits and nuts. I keep these on hand for when I'm staying on campus longer than usual. You can eat them on the way to class, heck, even in class if you want, and there's no mess! I like these better than Kind bars because they contain less sugar.

5. Amy's frozen dinners: Yes. I am telling you that I have frozen dinners on hand. Why? Because I have been eating products from this company for years now. I trust them and know their policies. Their ingredients are wholesome, sometimes organic, and even light in sodium sometimes! Amy's has great options for GF/V bowls, pizzas, burritos, etc. I keep these bowls on hand to have a wholesome meal when I can't make myself cook. My favorites are the brown rice vegetable bowl, stir fry vegetable bowl, black-eyed pea bowls, and non-dairy burritos.
6. Amy's soup: Same as above: these soups are great for a quick lunch or dinner, or especially when you're sick and can't make it to the store. I try to choose light in sodium options and those high in protein. My favorites are lentil vegetable, tuscan bean and rice, and the Indian lentil dal. Eat over rice or a baked potato for a super filling meal! 
7. Pasta: Fun fact: pasta and breads were my favorite foods growing up. Who'd guess I was allergic to them this entire time? Pasta has become my ULTIMATE comfort food. And it's incredibly versatile. GF pasta especially has a lot of protein and nutrients, compared to regular pasta. This is not the only pasta I eat but it was $1.50 a bag at Harris Teeter. I usually keep 3-4 bags on hand just in case. Pair this with your favorite organic pasta sauce, vegan butter and salt, or just steamed vegetables!
8. Tasty Bite Indian meals: These Indian dinners are quick and delicious! Like I said about Amy's, I trust this company and have never gotten sick or found any odd ingredients in their products. They have a pretty wide variety from instant jasmine rice, chana dal, to bombay potatoes. Throw the instant rice and a main dish together for an instant meal! 

What is Tempeh? + 10 ways to cook it

Tempeh. One of the things I like to include in "the vegan holy trinity" (i.e. tofu, tempeh, and beans). I have been eating tempeh since I was a kid, and never really knew what it was. But now I am cooking it more than ever! It costs about the same as tofu, but is quite different from tofu. So what is it?

Tempeh is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans. Unlike tofu, tempeh has a mild nutty flavor on its own that some people steam to get rid of before cooking. So what can you do with it? Pretty much anything. It's firmer than tofu, but absorbs flavors just as well. Chop it, shred it, dice it, bake it, fry it. There are so many wonderful ways to cook tempeh! 

For any fellow gluten-free folks, fair warning: not every brand of tempeh is gluten-free. Be sure to read labels carefully. If it says "five-grain tempeh", it is most likely not GF due to barley or spelt. On average, 8 oz of tempeh racks up 48g of protein, so this is why I include it in my vegan holy trinity. I usually buy westsoy but soyboy is also great. Sometimes tempeh looks darker than other packages, but this is perfectly normal. It is not mold, that is just how tempeh looks sometimes. 

So what do you do with this stuff? 

 

 

 

1. Tempeh Chili Mac (Everyday Happy Herbivore)//2. BBQ Tempeh Kale Pizza (VV)
3. Tempeh Cacciatore (me!)//4. Buffalo Tempeh & Vegan Ranch Salad (PPK)
5. Sweet & Sour Tempeh (Everyday Happy Herbivore)//6. Buffalo Tempeh & Vegan Mozzarella Sandwiches (Vegan Yack Attack)
7. Smoky Tempeh & Peppers (Greens & Seeds)//8. Summer Tempeh Sandwich (TK)
9. Sriracha Tempeh & Green Beans (FoReals Life)//10. Orange Glazed Tempeh (101)


Hungry for more? Here are some saved recipes that I haven't tried:

- 10-minute brussels + tempeh stir-fry
- Potato + Tempeh Curry
- Tempeh + Broccoli Stir-Fried Noodles
- Tempeh Reuben Club Sandwiches
- Tempeh Chili Con Frijoles

Easy Weeknight Meal: The Taco Salad

Sometimes I really love standing in the kitchen for hours working on something really complicated. What motivates me to put this much effort into a dish is the finished product. Putting a stool in front on your stove, stirring the risotto every 45 seconds, adding broth now and then, inhaling your piece of work, is an experience to relish. 

And then there's school. School makes it hard for me to take any free time out of my day, to do anything, except to cook. But even still, I try to find recipes that take minimal effort from my brain: my brain that is probably trying to transition into reading English and not French.

This taco salad is it. There's something satisfying to me about eating warm beans with cold, crisp romaine lettuce. This can be customized to your liking, too! I used things I always have in my pantry: organic beans, corn chips, salsa, lettuce, vegetables, etc. Make it yours. Just pile a bunch of stuff in a bowl and call it a day. 

Taco Salad

• 1 can organic refried black or pinto beans (or use regular black/pinto beans)
• romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
• salsa of choice
• hummus (optional, but adds a nice creamy flavor)
• pickled jalapenos
• hot sauce
• corn chips
• carrots, chopped
• celery, chopped
• mushrooms, chopped
• leftover cooked rice/quinoa (optional)
• tomatoes, chopped
• juice of 1/2 lime
• cilantro
• optional add-ins: anything! I dont make the same salad every time because it really depends on what I have in the fridge. add vegan cheese, nooch, corn, etc.

1. Put lettuce in a bowl and top with vegetables. Warm beans in the microwave or over a stove. Spoon beans onto salad. Add salsa, lime juice, jalapenos, hot sauce, and top with hummus. Sprinkle crumbled corn chips on top. DEVOUR! 

Black Bean Spaghetti + Garlicky Balsamic Peppers

School is back in session (ugh), so time is short in my little kitchen. I am trying to learn to throw together quick meals and not fall back into the easy habits of processed food. I am also trying my best to not go to the store for just one single thing. Pantry cooking rules! I promise, with a well-stocked one, you can do it too. Here's something I pulled together late last night that is packed with flavor and protein. Black bean spaghetti has a whopping 80g of protein for the entire bag. So next time someone asks you where you get your protein from and you're vegan, just shove a bag of that pasta in their face. Deal? :)

Black Bean Spaghetti & Garlicky Balsamic Peppers

• 1 bag of black bean spaghetti or regular GF pasta
• olive oil
• salt
• dried thyme, red pepper flakes + dried oregano
• 5-6 baby sweet peppers or 1-2 large bell peppers, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 C mushrooms, chopped (optional)
• 3-4 small tomatoes or 1/2 cherry tomatoes, sliced (do not de-seed)
• 2-4 garlic cloves, minced
• balsamic vinegar (note: I eyeballed the measurements for the vinegar, so they aren't accurate) 
• red wine vinegar (or red wine) 
• fresh basil

1. Bring a pot of water to boil for your pasta and cook according to package directions (note: black bean spaghetti cooks on simmer not boil). Heat a skillet over medium high, add about 1 T oil. Add mushrooms, peppers, a few pinches of dried thyme and a pinch of salt to help release water. Saute until almost softened, 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add dried oregano and red pepper flakes, and more salt if desired. Stir and turn up to high.
3. Add about 2 T red wine vinegar to the pan and 1/4 C or more of balsamic vinegar. The fumes will be very "acidic" and could be unpleasant to the eyes, so be careful. Bring to a quick boil, then turn down to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally 3-4 minutes, until the "sauce" has reduced in half. 
4. Plate your spaghetti and top with sauce. Add more red pepper flakes and fresh chiffonaded basil on top. Voila! 

(997) le dîner de cons

Well I guess I have been really busy because it's been over two weeks since my last post! But things are kind of back to "normal" now, you could say, except it is the end of school. My classes are getting harder, I am certainly more stressed, but I only have a little over 3 weeks left (!!!). I haven't been cooking too much due to being out of town, having a friend visit from NY, and just having too many books to read for class. I also only had to cook for one person for about a week since the boy was away to Puerto Rico for business. So things are back to how they were (kind of) so I should be in the kitchen more now! 

This dish has a ridiculous amount of protein: corn-quinoa pasta, kidney beans, tempeh, and nutritional yeast. If I remember correctly, it had well over 35g of protein per serving! The best part is, this dish is incredibly cheap, filling, and quick, like most Happy Herbivore recipes. It's called tempeh chili mac because it greatly resembles regular chili mac. //happy herbivore everyday

Sometimes I just want incredibly good Indian food, but it's next to impossible for me to eat Indian restaurants/or out at all. Even though this is probably not authentic, this curried chickpeas and greens with jasmine rice was amazing! It comes together in less than 30 minutes and leaves you with so much food. I was eating this (happily) for days. There is no better combination than ginger, garlic, garam masala and other Indian spices! //appetite for reduction

I have become a little obsessed with making tofu scrambles for brunch on the weekends. I really need to try out vegan omelettes and benedicts before I get bored with scrambles! This particular scramble, from the PPK, is a blackened tofu scramble with onions, garlic, swiss chard, and tomatoes served with garlicky vegan buttery grits. I really enjoyed the blackened flavor of this scramble and it obviously is a million times better with hotsauce! //the PPK

There is something so incredibly satisfying about baking a cake. The process is slow, relaxing, and quiet. Playing music when I cook or bake is a must. Lately I have been listening to my huge Wes Anderson playlist, the Beach Boys, or Yelle. This cake is now being hailed, by my parents, as the best cake I've ever made (note: they say this after every cake). I made this for Easter, so it needed to be springy and light: so I made the lemon coconut bundt cake from Veganomicon. I was so pleased with the delicate flavors of this cake. Here are the substitutions I used: 
-1 C tapioca starch -1 C millet flour -1 C almond flour -3 tsp xanthan gum
The almond flour gives the cake a very soft crumb and the millet flour makes it a little denser. I will definitely be making this again! //Veganomicon

A very unhappy Easter Bunny!

Easter grill dinner on my father's new grill: asparagus, portobello mushrooms, brown sugar-soy sauce salmon + lemon garlic salmon

Sometimes I seriously have to force myself to cook something, even if it takes little effort. I steamed broccoli and seasoned it with nutritional yeast and garlic powder. Then I baked a potato, split it down the middle, stuffed it with Amy's organic canned baked beans, vegan butter, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder. You better believe I ate the entire thing! 

I have discovered one of the greatest tofu products ever: Twin Oaks tofu More than Tofu. I used the garlic shiitake one for this recipe, which also has quinoa and amaranth for extra protein! For once 8 ounce block, I believe, there are about 32g of protein. I decided to pan fry it until golden to eat with this amazingly simple stir-fried noodles with broccoli and portobellos. I will definitely be making this again all the time because of how simple it is! I seriously recommend this tofu because it comes pre-seasoned/marinated so all you have to do is fry/bake/grill it! It didn't need any seasoning whatsoever. //Foreals Life

South in your mouth: Cheerwine, lime juice, gin
Blueberry Lemonadka: lemonade, Stoli vodka, blueberries

Well, the weather finally perked up in Greensboro. It may be hot as crap outside, but I still crave soup year round. I made this very easy, simple, yet satisfying soup: tomato-rice soup with navy beans and roasted garlic. I did not roast the garlic, however, because of the onset of laziness. The soup is still delicious though and just what I wanted today. It takes no effort at all. If you do roast the garlic, the only thing you're chopping is an onion. Too easy! //Veganomicon

(943) je suis gâté

It's certainly been a while since I've posted! I've had a few minor injuries since then, which have been happening frequently unfortunately! I finally cut my finger pretty good and went to the ER, I burnt two fingers badly and as of yesterday, I fell on my face on campus and banged myself up pretty good. Hoorah! I guess school has been crazy too. 

Moroccan vegetable soup from EHH. Probably one of the easiest soups I've ever pulled together with pantry ingredients only! I made it spicy by adding red pepper flakes and used the leftovers in a very different way (see below) //happy herbivore everyday

I have been wanting to re-do leftovers for a while now. I baked a purple sweet potato and added vegan butter, topped it with leftover Moroccan soup, then added garlic butter sauteed spinach around it. So delicious, filling, and I'm pretty sure it has all the colors of the rainbow!

I am a sucker for nightcaps (I'm almost out of bourbon which is a PROBLEM) and this one might be my new favorite: red wine hot chocolate. I know, it sounds weird. Hot wine? But trust me. You won't go back after trying this. I used almond milk and added marshmallows on top. I can't wait to make this again! //home cooking adventure

So remember the gluten-free dairy-free pizza crust I made from scratch in october? Well, I froze the leftovers by wrapping it in saran wrap and then foil. They reheated perfectly! I am still trying not to eat Daiya whenever possible, so I made this amazing white bean pizza sauce instead. I might be hooked. It's incredibly garlicky and I added Italian herbs too. I topped it with tomatoes, kalamata olives, red pepper flakes + nooch. This pizza was amazing! This issue of chickpea magazine is where you can find the sauce.  //chickpea magazine

I love mac and cheese, hot sauce, and black beans...so this was an obvious dinner choice. It's the Pablo pasta recipe from EHH and it's now my favorite rendition on mac and cheese. The cheese sauce as green chiles, cumin, tomatoes, black beans and all of this gets smothered in hot sauce. Tooooo good. Lindsay's recipes are incredibly easy, budget friendly, and healthy. I seriously recommend all of her books! //happy herbivore everyday

I have been craving a lovely salad and have also been trying to use different cookbooks lately. This everyday chickpea-quinoa salad was my first pick from Isa Chandra's amazing book. I added shredded carrots, huge handfuls of alfalfa sprouts and mixed super greens. The homemade balsamic vinaigrette is amazing enough on its own! This salad kept me full and made me feel healthy all week. //appetite for reduction

I have been eating a lot of tofu lately, which is awesome! I went through a long period of hating tofu and not understanding it. Now I love it and try to eat it as much as possible. This was a sesame tofu scramble with swiss chard and sweet potatoes from Vegan Brunch. The flavors were great and I added a lot of sriracha to "balance" everything out. //vegan brunch

Finally tried these baked egg avocado tostadas! So easy, delicious, and great with hot sauce. I just need to try and not over cook my eggs next time...or severely burn two of my fingers! //naturally ella

It's always nice to make something that you already have all the ingredients for! This mushroom pea pasta was buttery, delicious, and simple. I love nothing more than well sauteed mushrooms and I could eat them everyday! //martha stewart

handmade Miyazaki valentine for someone special!

I didn't get to cook for Valentine's Day since I bumped myself up so well, but I still had to make cupcakes. I made Smitten Kitchen's black bottom cupcakes. I've made them before and I stand by them because: they're easy, you only need a mixer for 1 minute, there's no frosting, and they're the BEST! Essentially it's a 2/3 brownie cupcake and 1/3 cheesecake. here are the substitutions I used: 1 C sorghum flour, 1/2 C tapioca starch, 1 tsp xanthan gum + vegan cream cheese (8 oz). There is an egg in the cream cheese filling but I'm positive you can sub with egg replacer or even some blended tofu. //black-bottom cupcakes

The most perfect gift: a French "A Clockwork Orange" poster. YES