Les Bouchées Quotidiennes

I'm starting a new segment on Infinite Zest called "Les Bouchées Quotidiennes", which means "Daily Bites". Instead of posting monthly round-ups, I'll be posting little bits of what I eat each week. If there's anything else you guys would like to see on here, please let me know! I don't do many recipes during the year because I can't find the time but hopefully I will this summer!

 I've been trying to eat salads every week, even though it's winter. I went back to one of my favorites, a blood orange kale salad and created a new one with this clementine-wasabi ginger dressing. I love eating winter fruit in salads, and especially when avocado is involved. Do you have a favorite winter salad?

I'm going to sound like such a dork, but this was a huge thing for me. I finally finally made spring rolls. If people are telling you they take forever and fall apart: they're wrong. They are so easy and the only time consuming part is cutting up all the fillings. These spring rolls come from this recipe and have homemade wasabi hummus, grapefruit segments, avocado, green onions and carrots. I've actually come up with about 15 different spring rolls ideas, so expect me to post them this summer! 

I made these insane nachos from Isa Does It with an amazing vegan queso blanco made from cashews. Yes, you read that right. Cashew queso. And it was ridiculously good. I had it for dinner two nights in a row, and for lunch in between that. If you haven't bought her book yet, you really really should.  

This baked oatmeal, which comes from this book, is so so good. It tastes a little like banana pudding, which I miss eating so much. This is perfect for a winter morning. 

Eating seasonal means lots of brussels sprouts. This quick stir-fry with tempeh did the trick! 

I made an omelette without dairy, gluten, or eggs. Are you amazed?! These averaged about 15g of protein per omelette and they are VERY filling. I stuffed mine with tomatoes and spinach, then topped with avocado and hot sauce. It's easier than it sounds, I promise! 

Still on the Oatgasm blog train, and this garam masla oatmeal did not disappoint. I tried the sweet version with clementines, pecans, a little extra maple syrup and extra garam masala. The garam masala leaves a pleasant heat in your throat that is great for the weather.

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

(806) slipping/standing through time

My weeks are slowly, but surely, getting crazier. My priorities and free time are getting blurry and I seem to keep mixing them up. I am trying to be more focused, and am even trying some natural pills for focusing. We'll see how well they work! Exams are coming up, like midterms and papers, but so is fall break! So I can look forward to that...and my birthday in about a month!

Usually I'm a follower, in most situations, and especially in the kitchen. This time, however, I made my own decisions on this: taco spiced tofu nachos with vegan queso. Saute green peppers in oil in a pan for about 4-5 minutes until browning a little bit. Add crumbled tofu (I used about 1/2 a package), cumin, paprika, cayenne, chili powder, etc. Stir and saute until browned to your liking. While cooking, crumble a few pieces of Daiya pepperjack wedge in a small bowl with a bit of unsweetened vegan milk and a heavy pinch of pepper. Microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring in between, until melted. Layer chips on a plate, then salsa, then tofu, then queso, then diced avocado.

Still learning the ways of my huge IKEA frying pan, since I managed to burn most of this fried rice. Still an easy recipe, especially if you're just cooking for yourself. I don't think I'm too keen on stir fried ginger, however.

Avocado toast with lemon, sea salt + paprika//Orange spice tea with honey: Breakfast

I have days when I don't feel like cooking, but don't want to buy something/eat something "unhealthy". Freezing soup has become one of my favorite secrets. I made this zucchini tomato soup, froze it, and ate it almost a month later. It was still just as flavorful, delicious, and spicy. I learned some great soup freezing tips from the soup chick. It's easier than you think and nothing goes to waste!

This kale red onion + pistachio pizza will always be one of my favorites. As you all know, I've been on a huge homemade pizza kick since the last one I made was out of this world. As you can see, I used a different crust this time: Gillian's frozen GF/DF/WF pizza dough. It was kind of a pain to roll out and I found it didn't cook evenly. There were no instructions to pre-bake and it kind of tasted similar to pie crust. I think next time I will do a completely from scratch GF crust, which will be easy to knead with a dough hook. This pizza is seriously amazing though. The combination of wilted kale, spicy red onion, salty pistachios, and red pepper flakes is amazing.

I am constantly reminded of the importance and beauty of simplicity. I am also constantly amazed at the effortless complexity that comes with simplicity. "Homemade is always best." Everyone hears this and thinks: "Yeah, if you have the time." This sauce will change your mind. I was so surprised by the complex flavors brought out by only three ingredients: whole peeled tomatoes, butter, and an onion. That's it. You don't even need to stand over it. It was perfect. I don't think I will make another sauce ever again (okay I probably will but this one is out of this world). I'd like to make a double batch one weekend and freeze it for a quick dinner. I served it with brown rice spaghetti, red pepper flakes, dried Italian herbs, and steamed broccoli. I also added a glug of red wine to my sauce.

It's always tea time in this house.

I always amaze myself and others by somehow making gluten-free things taste not so gluten-free. I surprise people with my answer to the question: "What do you eat?" with these photos I take. Food allergies are an obstacle only if you make them an obstacle. Having allergies has totally changed my perspective on health, food, the kitchen, and the relationship the mind has with the stomach. 

I would never usually come out and say this, but food and I haven't always had the best relationship. It used to scare me. It terrified me. Would it make me sick for days? Would I be okay? Why is it doing this to me?

Resolving this issue has changed my life forever. I know it sounds stupid. You cut two big things out of your diet and your life is changed? Yes. I am not the person I was two or more years ago. My perspective on life, my body, my mind, food, has totally transformed into something amazing.

Overcoming years of struggling, sickness, depression, anxiety has made me stronger and happier. I don't see things in a negative light. I tell myself that things can only get better because they have. I never gave up. I knew I would find the key to curing whatever I had; and I did.

I encourage everyone to find their relationship with food. Don't take it for granted, instead, take advantage of it. Make it your own. Love it. Find out what you hate about it. Learn new techniques. Make your own recipes. Share with your loved ones. Brag about it!

I adapted Ming's recipe for pumpkin cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting + crystallized ginger. I used 1/2 C sorghum flour, 1/2 C tapioca starch, 1 tsp xanthan gum, 4 oz vegan cream cheese and vegan butter. The smell of pumpkin and spices will totally permeate your kitchen.

(736) home sweet home

things have been pretty mellow here. school starts in 2 weeks and some days. I go to the beach Sunday! ready for a vacation and also for school to start!

nothing I love more than a simple meal, hard cider, and a dear friend. I am always willing to trade dinner for drinks. always. 

makings for the first soup I'll make

delicious lentil soup for two topped off with fresh lemon juice

one of the best friends in my life. pretty much a brother to me

breakfast for Ashley and I: dill scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, strawberries, toast, and juice boxes

delicious two-toned squash. sauteed this with onions and served with buttered pasta

orange colored tomato, red onion + balsamic vinegar salad

first time making (perfect) hard-boiled eggs resulted in dill egg salad

oven baked vegan nachos

finally tried this wine! suits me just fine

//1. spiced chickpea zucchini saute
//2. quick lentil soup for one
//3. breakfast nachos