Weekly Eats Eleven (3/21 - 3/27)

Post Workout Snack: Toast with Chocolate Peanut Butter + Banana Chips

I was desperate for a banana/chocolate PB toast but was out of bananas...so banana chips to the rescue! It was actually still delicious and I loved the crunch from the chips. Chocolate peanut butter is one of my favorite snack additions because its a nice little twist on regular PB!

Dinner: Fast and Flavorful Fried Rice

Cooked, leftover rice plus frozen mixed vegetables and eggs, is a one way ticket to the laziest and tastiest dinner. Next time I think I'd like to use Chinese 5-Spice powder instead of the chili powder, which sort of numbed the other spices in this dish. However, for something that took less than 10 minutes, this filling take on fried rice certainly did the trick. To make vegan, simply sub crumbled tofu or edamame instead of eggs.

Feast: Vegan Okonomiyaki Panckes with Tonkatsu sauce, steamed Edamame, and Cold Marinated Tofu

This vegan, Asian-inspired feast was sooo good. Every once in a while, I like to make a few meal components instead of just one main entree. It makes dinner feel like something special, because maybe it took just a tiny more effort than one dish. First, I prepped the cold tofu salad which comes from America's Test Kitchen's Complete Vegetarian Cookbook. The tofu is marinated in a mix of seaweeds, mirin (sweetened sake), rice vinegar, and vegan fish sauce. To serve, strain with a slotted spoon and top with crumbled nori and toasted sesame oil. I've never had tofu served like this before, but it was delicious! We had it the next day in cabbage leaves, which was also wonderful. Finally, the main even if you will, were these Japanese vegetable pancakes loaded with vegetables and topped with vegan mayo and a ketchup/tamari sauce. These pancakes were absolutely delicious. The mix of the sauces on top took it over the edge and made them perfect. To round everything out, I served all of this with some simple cucumber sake martinis - equal parts dry sake and vodka, with thinly sliced/mandolined cucumber.

Dinner: Cheater Pad Thai

Step 1: boil noodles. Step 2: make sauce. Step 3: mix noodles with sauce and miscellaneous vegetables. That's really it, and that's why "cheater" is in the name of this recipe. I love traditional versions of pad Thai, but this quick and easy version will satisfy your cravings as well. I've made this recipe many times before, but this time I added sliced cucumber, coleslaw mix (green/red cabbage, carrots), and that's it! To make this last longer/serve more people, I multiplied all of the ingredients by four to make enough for one pound of rice noodles. This is also delicious served hot and cold.

Imbibe: Beetbox at 1618 Wine Lounge

Creamy, vinegary, sharp, and bitter - the Beetbox cocktail at 1618 is absolutely perfect. Besides its Pantone hued color, the bitter tastes of Campari mixed with a sweet/sour beet shrub made the best combination. The mint on top is a nice, bright balance to all things bitter and sour.

Imbibe: Kimchi Gibbler at 1618 Wine Lounge

Kimchi in a cocktail? I know what you're thinking. But let's not forget that I have some sort of inherent duty to try all of the strange cocktails that I can find. So after some (very brief) deliberation, I decided to give it a go. Finely strained kimchi juice, mixed with just a touch more of sriracha, local gin, and lemon make a much lighter riff on a bloody Mary. The balance in this cocktail was surprising, as I was expecting the kimchi to be overpowering, but the flavors together made a wonderfully spicy and sour drink.

Les Bouchées Quotidiennes

I'm not sure how it's taken me this long to stuff a vegetable. If I remember correctly, I've never made stuffed vegetables. How strange is that? Well this taco tempeh stuffed zucchini was a great place to start and it was incredible! It has everything I love about tacos without the corn tortilla shells, which is great because GF tortillas don't taste that great. The best part is that you can eat the zucchini boat too! This makes a great meal paired with cilantro lime rice, which I make by just adding some salt, vegan butter, lime juice & minced cilantro to cooked rice.

Afraid of making spring rolls? Too hot outside to cook? Check out my recipe for fresh herb & tofu spring rolls!

These are both recipes for my recipe testing position so I'll be brief, but it was delicious! This is an oven baked tempeh sandwich with avocado, tomato & vegan mayo along with Mexican tomato soup. These were both super tasty and easy to make, plus I was able to freeze leftover tomato soup (always a plus)!

Mac & cheese is my #1 comfort food, which is funny considering I almost never ate it before I was diagnosed. But now I love it, and like everything else, I love different variations on it! This is a simple spicy vegan mac & cheese with NO cashews or blending of any kind, which automatically makes it a winner in my book! It also uses pantry items only, so you can be sure that you probably always have ingredients to make this on hand! I added some cooked green peas for color but I'm sure any vegetables would be great (especially broccoli).

This is a recipe I wrote down sometime last year, but never got around to making it. But last week, these cumin chickpea fritters with parsley chutney were calling my name. They take a little more effort than most fritters because of the amount of prep, but they are totally worth it. I love toasted cumin seeds, and paired with this vibrant and zesty parsley chutney, it's a true match made in heaven. I will also say that you should at least try this chutney recipe. It's quick and goes well on everything. I put leftover chutney on some grilled salmon from the Fourth and it was amazing! The flavor is so bright and fresh that it would probably also do well on eggs, cooked potatoes, or stirred into rice with some vegan butter.

There's always a big salad planned when we visit Mike's parents! This has a bunch of ingredients but it's basically lots of lettuce, garden vegetables and peppers, fresh chopped herbs and some balsamic vinegar. We also threw in some chopped sprite melon, which was actually a very nice addition!

This is why I really have to stop buying sorbet and ice cream: this cantaloupe sorbet only has TWO ingredients. That's right, just cantaloupe and vegan organic cane sugar. Not to mention all you do is chop the melon, blend it with sugar, then pop it in your ice cream maker, and that's that! I'm on day three of it being in the freezer and it still tastes great. If you're feeling boozy: scoop some of this sorbet into a bowl and mix in a shot of Campari. Trust me.

I've been trying to figure out pantry meals that I can make easily, since school is coming back soon. These Cajun chickpea cakes with smoky Cajun mayo are a great option for any weeknight. There isn't a lot of prep time and I pretty much always have the ingredients for them on hand, minus chickpeas. I even made the homemade poultry seasoning to give it even more flavor (totally worth it). The result is an incredibly flavorful, spicy cake that has a lovely, creamy sauce on top. I highly recommend these. Sometimes I forget how great of a source Happy Herbivore is for healthy, quick meals! This originally comes from her second book.

October Favorites

Hey all! It's November (where the hell did time go?!). Here are some October favorites:

1. Vegetable Pot Pie Stew + Mini GF Biscuits 

This stew is from the Happy Herbivore meal plan and I just love it! There's no chopping involved, but the meal is so comforting and delicious. It thickens as it sits, which makes it all the better. I made some GF mini biscuits to dip into the soup//Happy Herbivore

2. Slow-Cooker Peach Blueberry Oatmeal 

Another meal plan recipe! This seriously tastes like peach blueberry pie. I will have to make it when these fruits are in season, but oh man was it good. And there's nothing better than waking up to oatmeal in your slow-cooker.

3. Blueberry Chai Oatmeal 

This is yet another meal plan recipe, but I have to share it. It's too good. Steep a chai teabag in 3/4 C of hot water for 5 mins. Remove bag, put water in a saucepan and boil. When boiling, add 1/2 C GF rolled oats, 1/4 C frozen blueberries (if fresh, add at the end), a dash of cardamom and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Mix and cook until cooked to your desired consistency. At the end, stir in about a TBS or more of maple syrup. This is the best!!

4. Chipotle Cakes with Lime Crema 

Oh, man. Chipotle chilis in adobo sauce: where have you been all of my life? They seriously bring the right amount of heat and taste better than artificially flavored chipotle stuff. I can't find the recipe for this, but if anyone wants it, leave a comment below! These cakes come together quickly and are topped with a cooling lime chipotle vegan crema.

5. Chai Snickerdoodles

Two of the best things combined: chai and snickerdoodles. I used all brown rice flour here and only 1 tsp of xanthan gum. These cookies will go fast, so be careful! The spices are so perfect and smell exactly like chai//The PPK

6. Brooklyn Style Home Fries (with decadent eggs)
I'm always trying to step up my brunch game, and these home fries are it. They are definitely a labor a love, but well worth it. The potatoes are boiled, then pan fried in canola until golden, along with green peppers and onions. Oh man, these were great. And I highly recommend Isa's book in general. I made some "decadent" eggs to along with them, but a tofu scramble is a great vegan alternative!//Vegan Brunch

7. Miso Soup with Tofu + Kale
This soup is awesome, easy, and great for when you're sick (which I've been dealing with a lot here lately). Nourishing kale meets delicious tofu, amazing sweet potato noodles, and lots of spices. You will be amazed at how easy miso soup really is.//here!

 8. Chunky Celery Soup with Celery Leaf Pesto
Mike and I have both been sick for a couple of weeks now, so when I had energy, I made us soup every night. This one is a keeper. It's dead simple, delicious, nourishing, and all topped with a pesto made from celery leaves. I know, I know. What does it even taste like? It makes a delightful, garlicky pesto that compliments this soup in the best way. I promise it's worth the 30 seconds it takes to pull together!//101 Cookbooks

 9. Thai Hummus-Dilla with Mango Chutney
Okay, so I've been kind of harassed to share this recipe. I made it specifically to serve alongside this soup (which is fabulous), which is why it's Indian/Thai flavored. Here we go:
Preheat a decent sized pan to medium high. Get a brown rice tortilla (soften in microwave if frozen). Spread a generous amount of Thai coconut curry hummus on one side. Add a couple of chopped green onions. Drizzle some spicy mango chutney on top of the hummus and onions (use as much as you can handle!). Fold the dilla over to close. You can use coconut/olive oil to fry this if you're worried about fat, but I generously spread earth balance vegan butter on one side, then put that in the pan (butter side down) to create a DELICIOUS crispy/charred thing going on. Add a little more oil/butter on the side thats up, then flip until crispy/charred. You're welcome.

10. Turmeric Tea
I totally just realized I've been leaving an 'r' out of turmeric for years. Well, damn. Anyways, this is a great anti-inflammatory remedy that's easy to make. It's essentially a paste of turmeric and raw honey, which you mix with hot water, lemon and black pepper. I have been fighting something awful for a week or more now, and this tea seemed to help a lot. You can keep the paste in a jar on the counter, so it's very handy!//101 Cookbooks

une étoile filante

Wow. So I am really behind on my food blogging posts. Between taking trips out of town, summer classes, and a recent case of strep throat, things have been a *little* crazy. One good, new thing is that I now work at a gluten-free and vegan bakery! I am really excited to get more experience baking and to work in a bakery setting. So let's catch things up a bit!

I would really like to do a post about how to grocery shop with food restrictions. While I can't have gluten, wheat, or dairy and I don't eat meat, Mike has dietary restrictions as well due to gout. So, while my restrictions knock out big things like bread, pasta, chicken, cheese, etc., he has a similar long list of restrictions. These restrictions are things that are high in uric acids, such as: lentils, avocados, asparagus, broccoli, spinach, etc. It kills me that he can't eat so many good vegetables and things like lentils. So I try to always make things with vegetables he can eat. But while he's away...I binge on mushrooms, lentils, spinach, asparagus, etc. I made this fierce French lentil salad with oven-roasted tomatoes, almonds and a simple vinegar dressing. I love nothing more than lentil salads, or in any form. This salad is filling and easy to pull together! And it's from one of my favorite blogs //in pursuit of more

My first Negroni cocktail//Gin, Campari + Vermouth with orange

I made this as a belated Cinco de Mayo dinner. Tofu migas, which is tofu cooked with onions, peppers, jalapenos and corn tortilla strips & drunken beans, which are pintos cooked in onions, peppers, and GF beer. Absolutely delicious and simple! Comes from one of my favorite Happy Herbivore cookbooks //happy herbivore abroad

I made cupcakes for a wedding! They were somewhat of a hit, only because they were placed away from the other desserts. But still delicious and surprisingly easy for making 50+ of them! These are toasted coconut cupcakes stuffed with lemon curd and a vanilla buttercream, topped with toasted coconut. So delicious! //foodess

I don't improvise many meals because I am really nervous about screwing something up because I didn't follow a recipe...BUT, this was an improvised three-ingredient meal! This usually happens when I am lazy, broke, and don't feel like doing much. It actually ended up being very simple! "Recipe" below:

-1 tube of Italian herb polenta (the prepared kind), sliced into 1" thick rounds
-1 block of Twin Oaks Italian Herb Tofu (it's pre-seasoned and full of protein!) sliced into 1" thick squares
-1 jar or at least 2-3 cups of marinara sauce
- fresh torn basil and nutritional yeast (optional)

Spray a grill pan or non-stick skillet if you don't have a grill pan with oil. Place polenta on your pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Flip and cook the same amount on the other side. The polenta will turn golden and firm up. Remove the polenta to a plate. 

Spray pan with more oil and place tofu in pan. Cook 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping once, until firm and golden brown. Heat marinara sauce over the stove or in microwave. 

To assemble: Place one polenta round on a plate. Top with 2 squares of Italian tofu. Spoon marinara sauce on top. Sprinkle with basil and nutritonal yeast/cheese if you can eat it. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Enjoy!

I am always looking to try non-dairy substitutes for things. Although I never ate sour cream when I wasn't restricted, this cashew sour cream is seriously to die for. I made this black bean potato nacho plate, which uses mexican baked potato wedges instead of corn chips! It's such a creative idea and delicious because everyone knows fries are my weakness. This meal can come together in less than 30 and is incredibly healthy, especially topped with avocado and cashew sour cream! This is from one of my favorite blogs (whose cookbook I can't wait for!) //oh she glows

When the word "quick" appears in a recipe title, I automatically jump for it. Some nights I am pressed for  time, and others I'm not. This quick curry tofu with sauteed kale comes together in minutes and is absolutely delicious. Something about spicy kale with sriracha drizzled curry tofu and quinoa (which I added Earth Balance to) is amazing //vegan yack attack

So it may be obvious that I am obsessed with chickpeas...like, really obsessed. I eat them at least every week if not more than that. And they are incredibly versatile! They make hummus, falafel, flour, salads, soups, stews, burgers, etc. It's ridiculous! I just love beans in general. They are full of protein, easy to cook, so damn cheap to buy in bulk and so versatile. This chickpea salad is a new favorite around here. Chickpeas are cooked with cumin seeds, tons of garlic, tons of lemon juice and zest, and then tossed with cool cucumbers. Trust me that this is the chickpea salad of your dreams. Take it on a picnic and call it a day (then thank me for showing you this beauty) //The Kitchn

Another great quick weeknight recipe from Oh She Glows! Crispy breaded tofu strips (that are somewhat reminiscent of chicken fingers) and baked sweet potato fries! This dinner comes together so easily and would be perfect with a side of steamed kale. The sweet potato fries are spiced with cumin and cinnamon, which surprisingly go very well together! //Oh She Glows

Here's the really big news...Mike made me dinner. (?!!) I know. Not that he never makes dinner for me, but this time he kind of tweaked the recipe to his own liking...and it was to die for. I can't really express how good it was. It's basically quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, green onions, and a TON of lime juice/zest. Doused in Franks red hot, I was talking about this for days. Recipe below: 

-zest and juice of 2 limes (zest them first!)
-3 T olive oil
-salt + pepper
-1 C dry quinoa, rinsed
-2 C water
-1 can black beans
-2-3 medium tomatoes, diced or a big can of diced tomatoes
-4 scallions chopped
-1/4 C cilantro
-hot sauce (optional but you seriously must)

Cook the quinoa: Bring 2 C water to a boil. Add quinoa. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook 15 mins, turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Whisk lime juice and zest, oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper together in a large bowl.

Heat tomatoes in a large skillet on medium for a few minutes, heating them and letting them boil a little bit. Add beans and scallions, cooking a few more minutes to  heat and mix. Remove from heat and toss in bowl with dressing and quinoa. DOUSE in hot sauce. That's an order.

Another improvised recipe: pasta with garlicky kale marinara + garlic bread

-GF pasta (1 box)
-28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
-a ton of minced garlic
-a ton of red pepper flakes
-some red wine (for sauce and for you)
-nutritonal yeast
-kale, chopped + de-stemmed
-GF bread
-Earth balance
-optional add-ins: chopped roasted red peppers, capers, fresh basil

Cook your pasta according to box directions. Heat a shallow pan over medium. Add some oil, then add garlic. Cook until fragrant. In the last few seconds of cooking, add a pinch of red pepper flakes and stir. Add tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until bubbles form. Let this cook 10-15 minutes until thickened. You can stir in more Italian herbs, thyme, some red wine (a big glug), salt, pepper, etc. Cook until it's the right consistency to your liking. 

When the pasta is almost done cooking, add kale to the pasta water. Cook until pasta is done and kale is blanched. Drain them together and toss with amazing pasta sauce that you just made. Top with nooch or cheese if you're cool and not lactose intolerant!

For garlic bread: This is not the "correct" way to make garlic bread but whatever. Preheat your oven to 400. I take GF bread, butter Earth Balance on both sides, stuff garlic and Italian herbs inside, then sandwich the pieces together. Wrap this in foil to cover and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, checking every so often to make sure it isn't burnt. Ta-da! 

Makeshift fruit salad: chop fresh local peaches, hand-picked strawberries from your generous dad + toss with fresh mint, fresh basil, and a touch of agave. Damn good.

Minestrone is definitely in my top list of things I love cooking. While it was a favorite of mine growing up, I've found that nothing truly beats homemade minestrone. There are so many variations on this soup that I never get tired of it. This one includes swiss chard (leaves AND stems), chickpeas, GF shell pasta, parsley, carrots, tomatoes, red pepper flakes and it comes together so beautifully. I am still drooling over it. I also can't believe how well this photo came out considering there's no filter. It makes me want to write a cookbook, really badly. Please do yourself a favor and make this soup. I LOVE swiss chard from the bottom of my heart and this soup makes it shine //Foodess

Two words: Creamsicle. Mimosa. 
Two more words: Holy. Shit. 
A suggestion: Make this immediately //How Sweet Eats

(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

(977) huis clos

Well, spring break went by way too quickly (no surprise there!) and there was a lot of food involved, obviously. Thankfully, there are only six more weeks of school after tomorrow, including exam weeks, so that's something to look forward to! Over spring break, I didn't do much homework (big surprise!) but I did do an incredible amount of food prep! I made black beans, chickpeas and brown rice (all in the slow-cooker!) and froze them. For every pound of black beans and chickpeas (est. $2.30 in bulk) I got 6-7 cups of beans. I cooked 2 cups of brown rice (est. $1.40 in bulk) and ended up with amount 6 or so cups. This is a huge money and time saver! I will be doing this from now on. Maybe I'll do a bulk prep post in the near future.

One of my stand by smoothies: almond milk, flaxmeal, agave nectar, kale, pear and spinach.

I was stuck again with an eggplant I needed to use. I decided to make this colorful eggplant puttanesca with capers, bell peppers, olives, tomatoes, and lots of Italian herbs. I served it with vegan buttered polenta and a big glass of red wine! It was definitely a hit. I ate it again with pasta and nutritional yeast and it was delicious! //chickpea magazine

It's always unusual to have someone cook for me these days. I am usually in the kitchen at least every night, but luckily my friend offered to cook dinner for us one night! Pictured here: kale cooked with quinoa and red pepper flakes; arugula avocado salad with a vegan lime tarragon vinaigrette; vegan apple sage sausages. These sausages were absolutely amazing! I would love to have them on hand for breakfast and they are so easy to make! The sausage recipe comes from The Vegan Slow-Cooker Book, which I highly recommend for any vegan (especially students!). //vegan slow-cooker book

Simple yet amazing quinoa black bean burgers with a smoky avocado spread, red onion + oven thyme fries with ketchup. With only three main ingredients in the burgers, they come together in practically no time! I loved the smoky avocado spread too. This is certainly my favorite veggie burger so far (though these were killer too). I also don't understand the concept of buying frozen oven fries. It takes seconds to slice potatoes, toss them with oil and whatever seasonings you want, and bake them. And truth be told...they taste a hell of a lot better and don't have nasty ingredients! //what's cooking good looking

It has been my experience, so far, that I burn curry. The first pot of potato curry I ever made was burnt to hell. I immediately went to the store, put it in a bigger pot, and made a perfect curry. This curry is from a recipe book that uses little to no oil in all recipes, so of course I burnt it a little. Lucky for me, this was the best curry I've had in my entire life. It doesn't ask for much: bok choy, bell pepper, tofu and onions. The flavor is delicate yet powerful enough to make your nose run, in the best way possible. There are also rice noodles involved so, duh, this is the best curry in the world. I will be making this again and again! //appetite for reduction

I didn't mention this above, but I managed to escape to the beach for a few days! It was definitely not long enough and I am already itching to return. I did get this amazing vegan philly tempeh "cheezesteak" on GF bread. I am already looking into recreating it in the near future...

Vegan and GF carrot cake cupcakes!

One thing I've learned recently is that being tired or slightly broke isn't an excuse I can give myself for eating unhealthy foods. All it takes is one thing: planning ahead! I kid you not. People ask me all the time how I have time to cook all of this food and how I can afford it. I have recently started to take a more minimalist approach to cooking, which is saving me a ton of money. Before we went to the beach, I planned out foods for us to take so we wouldn't be snacking on carbs all day. We did "eat out" a few times, but nothing that wasn't healthy and nothing incredibly extravagant!

Anyways, I planned this meal above to eat the night we got in at 10:30 PM. The drive wasn't bad but we were both exhausted and starving. I cut up romaine into bowls, topped with crushed corn chips, topped with homemade (warmed) black beans, salsa, then a big heap of spicy cilantro hummus. This was so so satisfying after a long drive and very nutritious (and cheap)! I would love to do another post soon about planning ahead + saving money.

Prettttty happy to be at the beach :)

Limoncello Lemon Drop // Salted Karmel Martini

More planning was involved here! Tofu scramble is obviously one of the best things on the planet, so I wanted to make some at the beach. But there are so many spices involved in my favorite recipe...solution: I packed all of the spices in a baggie before we left. That way we only brought: tofu, the spice bag, and other little fixins' for the scramble. This particular recipe was chosen because it's easy and it uses no oil, which means I didn't have to bring any! //happy herbivore

Amazing blackberry/pineapple wine slushie (yes, slushie) that I had at Broadway.

I have really been craving Chipotle lately, but am trying not to eat out too much. I settled on making some burrito bowls at home with this amazing chili-lime rubbed tofu! This recipe is so damn easy and delicious! I could see crumbling it and frying it lightly like chorizo, or leaving it as is in tacos/burrito bowls. //appetite for reduction

The final product of burrito bowl night:

Chili lime rubbed tofu, homemade guacamole (avocado, lime juice, salt, cumin, garlic powder, red onion + red pepper flakes), homemade pico de gallo (tomatoes, lime juice, salt, cilantro + red onion), homemade vegan queso (almond milk, nooch, onion/garlic powder, brown rice flour, salsa, cumin, paprika + chili powder), homemade brown rice + fajita vegetables (green peppers, onions, oil, cumin, salt + chili powder)

It sounds like a lot, and it kinda is, but everything came together easily and quickly!