Lentil Loaf with Basil Mashed Potatoes

June has been a faboosh month! I like to think that it's because of my Rob Pattinson calendar. My thoughtful & loving husband gave me a Rob calendar for Christmas and every month on the first, when I turn the page over to see a new picture of Robby, I pretty much know what kind of month it's going to be. This picture brought an insanely awesome June:



I've been able to spend time with family, reconnect with old friends, attend the final PDub, saw Iron Maiden and Dream Theatre, went camping. I'm going to see a whooooooole slew of old friends in three days when we go to watch two of our friends get married (I get to sing at their wedding and spend it with my husband in a tuxedo. :)), then the rest of the month is spent planning and shopping and cleaning and FREAKING OUT for my Marissa's arrival on July 1. It's been seven years since I've seen her beautiful face and I couldn't be more excited to spend a few days with her!!! And heck...with July starting off like that, it has to be a good month, right? We'll see, Edward. We'll see.

Other good things that have happened this month? The food.
I can't lie, it's been amazing! I've got some pretty awesome recipes to put up...from foreign desserts to camping food. Another reason July should be great. :)

This next recipe is pretty awesome! It kinda made me feel like the wife I was 4 years ago: making full-course, full-fat, meaty, cheesy, standard American meals. I might sound like I hated this, but I didn't. I didn't know any better then, and cooking was how I really started showing my husband how much I loved him. I wanted to make all the delicious foods my mom made us, too. As I got better with cooking, I did it more. I think that has a lot to do with why I stayed so heavy for so long. Anyway, I digress. This meal is such a healthy alternative to the traditional meatloaf dinner. We had to use some basil from the garden (yesssss......), so I decided to try a basil butter to put in the mashed potatoes. Huge success. :)

Lentil Loaf
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes



Tomato Topping

1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp onion flakes (or 1/2 tsp onion powder)
1 tsp garlic salt

Lentil Loaf

Lentil Loaf

1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 block extra firm tofu
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1 tbsp Tomato Topping (recipe above)
3 tbsp yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup lentils, cooked and drained (I used black lentils!)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground mustard

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Mix the tomato topping together first because you're going to need a tablespoon to mix into the lentil loaf. The rest will be set aside to coat the loaf when its assembled.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a skillet on medium heat. Add chopped onions and the peppers. Let cook until onions are transparent, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool.

3. In a food processor, chop oats for 5 quick pulses. Set aside.

4. Drain tofu well and press with hands until all excess water comes out. In a mixing bowl, mash tofu with a fork or use grater to coarsely grate. In the same mixing bowl combine cooked onions and peppers, 1 tablespoon of tomato mixture, oats, corn meal, lentils, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon olive oil, thyme, cumin, chili powder, parsley, salt, sugar, garlic salt, onion powder, ground mustard and mix until well combined.

5. Spray a large sheet of foil with cooking spray to form loaf on, place on cookie sheet. On top and in the middle of tin foil form loaf mixture into loaf that is 2 1/2 inches high and 4 1/2 inches square. Coat top and sides with tomato mixture. Cook loaf for 20 minutes, then cover with tin foil and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.



I have to admit, I didn't LOVE meatloaf growing up. In fact, I think it was in the bottom 10 meals. Not that it wasn't good, I was just convinced that I didn't like onions or peppers. You can only lie to yourself for so long!

As far as the mashed potatoes go...I just put 1/4 cup of Earth Balance with a pinch of garlic salt and about 1/3 cup of fresh, packed basil leaves in my little food processor. I blended it until smooth and used that instead of regular butter along with soy milk to mash my potatoes.

Now a few questions for you!

It's officially summer. How do you plan on spending it?

Picnics?


Camping?


Running off to Mexico?


Some other fabulous way you can't wait to tell me about?

Soft Corn Tacos

I love Mexican food. Mexi-Cali, Tex-Mex, and especially New Mexican. I've been saving up pictures of some amazing vegan dishes, all from the restaurant I work for, La Salita. If someone were to ask me what the difference is between Mexican and New Mexican food, I'd quickly reply, "THE CHILE!!!" No one does chile, like New Mexico...and no one does red chile like La Salita.

Sometimes when I'm standing up at the window at work, waiting for food orders, certain smells will catch me off guard and I'll crave whatever it is that smells so good. Lately it's been corn tortillas. More specific: soft corn tacos. Here's my tasty soft corn taco recipe that even includes a little La Salita Red Chile, which you can order HERE.



Soft Corn Tacos
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

4 corn tortillas
1 cup Textured Vegetable Protein
1 cup boiling water, plus 1/4 cup water, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
Shredded lettuce
(Tomato, if you want it.)
Vegan Cheese
Red or green chile

Taco Seasoning
This is a little something I always have in my cabinet, ready to go. It's so much better for you than that pre-made, high-sodium, store-bought seasoning!!!

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

1. In a large bowl, mix TVP with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add hydrated TVP, Taco Seasoning, and 2 tbsp of water. Mix to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes; if more water is needed, add by the tablespoon until you get a nice taco "meat" texture.

3. To heat your corn tortillas, place tortillas on a plate, cover with an inverted plate, and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Assemble tacos with some chile, taco meat, veggies, cheese, and whatever else your little heart desires.

That's it, my dearies! Not much to it! We love these tacos, and I'm sure you will, too. Just know they're a tad bit messier because they're soft corn! And if you don't steam the corn tortillas, chances are, they're going to break on you. Just sayin'!

Does anyone happen to know what the difference between Mexi-Cali and Tex-Mex is?

Seitan Piccata with White Wine and Capers

There are three things I love more than anything else in the world:

My husband:


My family:


My friends:


This blog is about all three. :)

Let's start with the why.

The reason I made this dinner is because I was showing a lil' love to C-Dog. My wonderful mom was here visiting for about a week...and then I was going to California to visit with my sister, her amazing girls, and my aunt and cousins...so I hadn't really been able to make him a nice meal. This was to make up for that. :)

That takes care of husband and family...2/3 of my list....now on to friends:

One of the sweetest and most darling friends that I have, Erin, is a constant reminder that there are good people in the world. She's so thoughtful, it gives me the thoughtfulness bug and makes me want to be kind to other people as well. I love her for that. When we first became friends, she sent me an autographed copy of The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. It's such an amazing read and has a plethora of amazing recipes. This recipe is from the book, given to me by a good friend. There's the last third. Bring on the recipe!



Seitan Piccata with White Wine and Capers
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Seitan Cutlets

1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp basil
3/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp tahini

1. Prepare some aluminum foil by tearing off 4 10-inch pieces. Get a steamer ready and start heating water.

2. In a mixer or large bowll, combine the vital wheat gluten,nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, and basil. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the broth and tahini. Stir the wet mixture into the dry until well blended. Knead gently 10 times. Quickly divide dough into 4 equal pieces.

3. Take a piece of dough and shape and flatten it into a thin oval-shaped cutlet. Place it on a sheet of foil, a little higher than center. Fold the bottom of the foil over to meet the top, and then fold the two edges over about 1/2 inch to form a seam. Continue folding the foil by half inches until it reaches just above the cutlet. Flatten the cutlet down a little more, and then fold the left and right edges in the same way until the packet is snug around the cutlet. Repeat with all pieces of dough.

4. Place the packets flat into the steamer and cover. Steam for 25 minutes. Keep packets sealed until you’re ready to use them.

White Wine and Capers Sauce

Whole wheat flour for dredging
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced shallots (I used scallions because it's what I had on hand)
1/2 cup diced onions
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup drained capers
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup vegetable broth, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons unbleached flour
4 tablespoons soy margarine
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2-3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

Dredge the seitan in the whole wheat flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the seitan pieces, and saute until crisp and golden brown, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer the seitan to a serving platter or individual plates.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet. Add the shallots, onions, garlic, and capers and saute, stirring frequently, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half. Whisk in the lemon juice, and cook until the sauce has reduced a bit more, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Whisk in the broth and the unbleached flour, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 minute to thicken. Whisk in the margarine, parsley, salt, and pepper. Pour over the seitan, and serve immediately.



I paired this with some wilted baby spinach and mushroom couscous. It was quite tasty, I can't lie. Especially since I drank a glass of the delicious Pinot Gris I used to cook with. ;)

This blog really brings me to a new level of hippie-ness and really makes me realize how intertwined we all are. You can't take anyone out of the equation. On that note, I need to go hug a tree and tie-dye some shirts.

Corn Chowder

...or "chowdah" if you're from New England.

I've been on this frugal kick lately; my mom is coming to visit NEXT WEEK and I'm saving all my grocery shopping and cooking for her. This is going to be such a fun vacation for both of us. I seriously can't wait. It's been over a year since I got to spend time with my mom, so I'm sincerely looking forward to every last minute with her.

I digress! Me being frugal means going through my cabinets and trying to make something out of all the stuff I already have. This Vegan Paella was one of those meals. We've had a few blustery days here in good ol' New Mexico, so soup has still been on the menu. I decided to throw together some Corn Chowder because a. I LOVE CORN CHOWDER and b. I didn't have to go to the store for anything. Look how easy this soup is!



Corn Chowder
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30-60 minutes

2 tbsp olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
2 tbsp Earth Balance
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
6 cups vegetable broth
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
5 cups frozen corn
1 cup unsweetened, full-fat soy milk
1/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese (optional...unless you've tried DaiYa Cheese. It's unreal!)
2 tbsp bacon bits (YES! They're vegan!)

1. In a large stockpot over medium heat, get your olive oil and butter warmed up. Add the onions and and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

2. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn to the soup, then add the soy milk and cheese (if using). Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with bacon bits as garnish.



This is a super-easy soup and is actually really good for you. It doesn't require skillz in the kitchen, either. You can kinda just throw it all together. So long as you know how to chop veggies, you can make this. Plus, it's better after a few days! Gotta love soup...

If you haven't gone over to my Primal Spirit Foods Jerky Giveaway yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? I think I might let this one go a little bit longer and let my MOM pick the winner on Random.org. Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Vegan Paella

Paella (Spanish pronunciation: [paˈeʎa]) is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near lake Albufera, a lagoon in Valencia, on the east coast of Spain.

I can't say I know much about Paella. What I do know, I likey. I know the first time I had it, I went back for seconds. It was full of shrimp and muscles, had a mild taste but was definitely Spanish. I know that my beautiful, Cuban best friend loves Paella and her parents make it the best. I also know that it's rice made with saffron (which sounds so exotic when said best friend says it) and loads of veggies. To me, Paella is kind of like goulash: if you have something to put in it, PUT IT IN!!!

I had some veggies and lots of rice and grains, so this is the Paella I came up with:



Vegan Paella
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20-30 minutes

1/2 cup quinoa* (pronounced /ˈkiːnoʊ.ə/ or /kwɨˈnoʊ.ə/ or keen-wah)
1 cup brown rice
2 3/4 - 3 cup vegetable broth
splash of beer, whatever you have on hand and are drinking while you cook, per order of Cuban BFFL
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups artichoke hearts, quartered
14 oz diced tomatoes, lightly drained
15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 tsp saffron, crushed
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp Spanish paprika
dash cayenne pepper
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup frozen or fresh peas
black olives (I used oil cured black olives)
fresh parsley, coarsely chopped, for garnish

*I know quinoa isn't a traditional grain in Paella, but I had it on hand so I HAD to use it. Plus, it's so much fun to say! If you don't have any quinoa, just use an additional 1/2 cup of rice.

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a little longer. Stir in the quinoa and/or the rice with the saffron; stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, peppers, artichokes, tomatoes, beans, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt & pepper (if using). Bring to a boil and reduce heat to very low. Cover; cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. After 15 minutes, check on the grain. If it's a little dry, add 1/4 cup broth. If it's still hasn't absorbed all the liquid, keep cooking on low. I cooked for about 25 minutes after adding the extra 1/4 cup broth. Add the peas, stir, and cook until heated through. Garnish with black olives and fresh parsley.



I ate this with a sweet potato smothered in La Salita Red Chile for my pre-race meal. If you check out the carbs, you'll see I was on the right track! The serving size in the nutritional value if you're making it a MEAL. This is such a good side dish, though, so don't be turned off by it's high caloric and carb numbers! Bring it to a potluck or a BBQ. Make it and eat it as leftovers...trust me, it's better as leftovers! Whatever you do, however you serve it, just don't miss out on this amazing dish!

PS: Keep your eyes peeled for a giveaway, lovelies!

Spinach Soup

I am the lover of all things spinach. Maybe it's from watching too much Popeye as a kid, but I love it! And I know how good it is for me!



I have this amazing friend who I have known for years. I haven't seen her in almost 7, which makes my heart break a little! We talk a lot, though, which is awesome since we went almost 4 without. I'm so glad she's back in my life, I'm actually going to post a horrible picture of us from 7 years ago. This was my 21st birthday:



This was the bar I worked at...she was always there (to visit me, not necessarily drink!) and she was always cheering me on when I sang...



And us being crazy. Something we were awfully good at!



Life with Rissa was always fun. Laughing, reading, tea time, snuggling...I'm a pretty lucky girl to have such a wonderful friend in my life! Exciting news, too: MARISSA HAS DECIDED TO GO VEGETARIAN!!! Yes, it may mean no more eggy cheesy bacon bagels, but I'm still working on how to veganise that one! :) She sent me an email this week with a Spinach Soup recipe from Kitchen Parade. I saw it yesterday and made it immediately. I trust her taste in food and I had the ingredients to make it, so here it is! The veganized version of Spinach Soup:



Spinach Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

1 tbsp Earth Balance Soy Margarine
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
10 ounces frozen or fresh spinach (If you're using fresh, which you should, it's about 5 cups)
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
Salt & pepper taste

1. In a large saucepan, melt Earth Balance on medium high til shimmery. Add onion, stir to coat, let cook until beginning to soften.

2. IF FROZEN SPINACH While the onion cooks, thaw the spinach in the microwave. Add to the onion mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. IF FRESH SPINACH) While the onion cooks, wash the fresh spinach very well by soaking and swishing in cold water. (It needn’t be trimmed but must be grit-free; to test, eat a piece of the raw spinach.) Stir into the onion mixture by the handful and cook until cooked but still bright green. Transfer the mixture to a blender (I used my food processor) and blend until smooth, adding some broth or stock if needed. Return the mixture to the saucepan. (Don’t waste the spinach left in the blender, just use the rest of the broth or stock to rinse it out into the saucepan when called for.)

3. Sprinkle the spinach mixture with the flour and stir in. Add the broth or stock, a tablespoon at a time at first, incorporating each addition before adding more. Stir in nutmeg and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Add milk and bring just to a boil but do not allow to boil. Season to taste. Spoon soup into bowls.



This soup was SOOOO good. I had two bowls, and when Cody got home, he took one bite and said, "Wow, babe. This is good." I don't know why he doubted me, but ha HA! Veggies 1, Carnivores, 0.

Thanks, Marissa! I love you!!! xo

PS: Want to win some awesome Muscle Soak from an awesome SkinnyRunner??? Go check it out!

Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce

If nothing in this blog title makes sense to you, keep reading and expand your horizon (and your tastebuds).

falafel |fəˈläfəl| (also felafel)
noun
a Middle Eastern dish of spiced mashed chickpeas or other pulses formed into balls or fritters and deep-fried, usually eaten with or in pita bread.
ORIGIN from colloquial Egyptian Arabic falāfil, plural of Arabic fulful, filfil ‘pepper.’

tzatziki |tsäˈtsēkē| (also tzatziki sauce)
noun
a sauce of Greek origin, made from yogurt, garlic, and cucumbers.
ORIGIN mid 20th cent.: modern Greek, from Turkish cacık.

Prior to last week, I had never eaten a falafel before. Thanks to the goalie in THIS movie:

...I had heard of them, but never experienced them. So I did a little research, checked out a few different recipes, and decided to throw my own together.

Before we go any further, I would just like to let you know that this is our new favorite. Not just C-Dizzle and mine, but also Dei, the not-so-picky-anymore one. We ate every last morsel and I've already made them again.

*Note: If you're going to be eating these, be prepared for garlic & onion breath for a full 24 hours. Make sure everyone you surround yourself with is also going to be eating falafel. Otherwise, you might seem toxic.



Falafel
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

15-oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1 small onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp FRESH parsley, chopped
1 tbsp FRESH cilantro, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp tahini
1 tsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2-4 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, mash the garbanzo beans with a potato masher or a fork. Getting these as mashed as possible is key! Set aside. In a food processor, mince the onion and garlic cloves till finely minced (for the onion hater in your life!). Add to the mashed garbanzo beans. Add the parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, coriander, turmeric, and crushed red pepper. Start out with 2 tbsp of flour. If you need more, add it 1 tbsp at a time. Add the salt & pepper, if using.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, get 2 tbsp of olive oil nice and hot. Form the falafel mix into golf ball size balls, slightly flatten, and add to the pan carefully. Cook until a little darker than golden brown; flip and cook on the other side.

Tzatziki Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes

2 6-oz containers PLAIN soy yogurt (meaning unsweetened!)
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp FRESH dill, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Assembly

There is no science here! Take a warm flat bread or pita, spread a layer of tzatziki sauce, add lettuce, tomato (the picture is Dei's falafel. We do not consume tomato. Bleck!), whatever else your heart desires, and a little more tzatziki. I served this with tabouli, warm pita slices, and Kale Chips.

Here is the nutritional value for the falafel:



Look at all that protein! These would be great for carbo-loading, too.

And here is the tzatziki sauce:



The serving size here is a bit bigger than what you actually use, so don't be frightened by the calories!

This meal was so light, believe it or not, and very fresh. It's perfect for the upcoming summer weather and I have a feeling I'll be making it a lot! You should, too!

PS: There are still a few days left to enter my Alternative Baking Company Cookie Giveaway! The rules are easy: you just leave comments!

PPS: My mom is going to be here in 24 days! Woo hoo!

Reuben

Who doesn't like a good Reuben sandwich? (I guess if you don't like sauerkraut, pastrami, Thousand Island dressing, or rye bread, you probably don't. Meh.) I love them. They're a little sweet, a little salty, and rye bread is deLISH. C-Dog and I were grocery shopping the other day and I came across a jar of sauerkraut. I put it in our basket and he was like, "We're never going to eat all that sauerkraut. You're crazy. Woh woh woh woh woh woh woh woh." I got it anyway, mostly because I wanted sauerkraut all over my Smart Dog.

(We're halfway through the huge jar. FTW.)

I love Smart Dogs, but I can't eat them everyday. I knew I had to come up with another way to utilize the sauerkraut, mostly just to prove the hubster wrong. That's when I remembered Reubens. When was the last time I had a Reuben??? It had probably been years, considering how long it's been since I've eaten meat. Well, our Reuben-less days are over, my friends!



Thousand Island Dressing
Prep tim: 5 minutes

1/4 cup Vegenaise
1/2 pickle, chopped, or 1/4 cup relish
2 tbsp to 1/4 cup red pepper relish
1/4 tsp garlic powder

(This is the red pepper relish I used; thanks to my amazing sister for sending it to me from home!)



Reuben Sandwich
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes



Seitan slices, or your favorite vegan sandwich meat
Rye bread
Earth Balance
Thousand Island Dressing, recipe above
Sauerkraut

1. I use a panini press for this, so if you have one, plug it in! If you don't, you can toast your bread in the toaster OR cook the sandwich in a large skillet. Butter one side of rye bread slices. Place buttered side down on the panini (or skillet), spread about a tablespoon to two tablespoons on the bread. Throw down a few slices of seitan or vegan sandwich meat, smother with sauerkraut, and top with the other buttered piece of rye bread. Press for 5 minutes or until golden brown. If you're using a skillet, cook on one side till golden brown, flip, and cook some more. If you're using a toaster, DON'T BUTTER YOUR BREAD FIRST, just toast and assemble.



We've had Reubens THREE TIMES since the sauerkraut debate. I pretty much love anything that comes out of my panini press (thanks, C & D!), plus I made a whole seitan love AND we've got all this sauerkraut. Works in my favor!

PS: If you haven't entered my ABC Cookie Giveaway, get on it! I'm giving away some of the best cookies in the world that happen to be vegan.



PPS: HAPPY EARTH DAY! Get out there today and go for a walk, pick up some trash, recycle, plant something, JUST GET OUTSIDE!!!

Fresh Asparagus Alfredo

I think I might be one of the few crazies out there who doesn't really mind Mondays. I don't work till Tuesday, so I always get a 3-day weekend. Monday's are nice; I can run without worrying about how long I'm taking. The husband is at school, so I have a few hours of me time. I can also run whatever errands I didn't get done over the weekend. Mondays aren't that bad for me!

Speaking of Mondays, have you heard of Meatless Monday? I had never heard of it until my beautiful friend, Erin from Living and Loving in L.A., started posting meatless recipes every Monday. What a great concept, right? The whole thing is to commit to cutting out meat (at least) once a week. Might as well make it Monday since "Meatless Monday" has a great ring to it. "Wingless Wednesday" just doesn't sound the same.

If you don't follow this runner, cook, fashion designer, and great person, you should. Reading her blog is something I do every morning with my cup of coffee. She's that good. Unfortunately, she'll be in Tokyo and Shanghai this week for work (unfortunate for us, not for her), so I stepped up and wrote a Meatless Monday blog for her.


Happy Monday!

This is what I made...and I promise you, it's worth making. It's inexpensive, relatively simple, quick, and can be made gluten free!!! What more could you want?

Stay tuned for my take on the Reuben...

Stuffed Zucchini

Have you NOT entered my GIVEAWAY yet??? What on earth is wrong with you?? All this amazing sweet stuff from Suzanne's Specialties and you still haven't entered? Phhh!



Anyway, time for a new recipe.

I LURVE zucchini. Which is crazy, because I used to hate it growing up. I remember my mom used to boil zucchini and summer squash and it was mushy and gross and used to make me gag. It's giving me the heebies just thinking about it. I know my mother is my inspiration for most things, but this is NOT one of those times. I know she now steams her veggies...plus, I believe taste buds change...so we can be squash friends again.

Zucchini was on sale at the market so I had to buy some. I was going to make some Zucchini Weenies ala my beautiful New Hampshire-born friend, Jaclyn, but I wanted something more meal-oriented, so I went with Stuffed Zucchini. I've never made Stuffed Zucchini before, so the wheels were turning, but they were pretty tasty and really got me excited for summer!


HEY!!!

Stuffed Zucchini
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40-45 minutes

4 medium zucchini (6-8 inches long)
2/3 cup TVP
1 cup water, boiling
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer OR 1 tbsp ground flax seed
2 tbsp water OR 3 tbsp water, if using flaxseed
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp Italian spice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Vegan Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for topping (optional)

1. Bring 4-6 cups of water to a boil in a large sauce pan. Cut about 1/2-inch off each end of the zucchini. Carefully place in the boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, pour a cup of the zucchini water over your TVP and let it hydrate.

2. Preheat oven to 350° F. When the zucchini are cooled, slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Put the seedy parts scooped in a large mixing bowl and set the skin aside. Add your hydrated TVP, bread crumbs, egg replacer, and tomato sauce. Mix well. Taste a little bit and see what the salt level is like before you add additional salt. Add your spices.

3. Spoon the tomato mixture back into your zucchini skins. It's ok if it's overflowing! Sprinkle nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan over the top, place on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes.



That's it! It's a little more work than someone should commit to on a nice summer-y day, but it's worth it. You could even prepare these ahead of time and just stick them in the oven when you're ready to make them. I love food like that!

Do you have a favorite summer food that you simply can't WAIT to whip up?

Veggie Burger

Every now & then, I can convince Cody to go out to eat. It's not that he doesn't like going out to eat, he's cheap. It doesn't bother me all that much. When he was still in the Marine Corps and I was working full time, we went out to eat a lot more because we could. Things have changed so we're a bit more thrifty, and I'm officially a picky eater due to my awesome vegan lifestyle, so we eat at home. I'm ok with it. I know what goes in my food and I know it's (almost) always going to be awesome.

Last week was one of my lucky weeks. We went to a new restaurant that came highly recommended from our friends (and boss'), Five Star Burgers. The ambiance was nice, although a little cold. You could definitely tell it was new and that some of the servers have never waited before. Totally ok in my book. I'm a good experience for them..."Is there eggs in this?", "Do you butter that?", "No aioli, please..."

Cody ended up getting a green chili cheeseburger of sorts. It came with green chili mayonnaise, onions, and pickles. No lettuce or tomato, which I thought was a little odd. I chose the veggie burger and I was not disappointed. The burger was hanging over the buns, the flavor was out of control, and I honestly couldn't even finish it. We split a side of sweet potato fries. For the money, I was thinking we'd get a little more, but since I had so much burger, it was fine. Of course, you know me: all I could think about was how to recreate this burger. So here it is. :)




Veggie Burgers
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

2/3 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour (you could easily use whole wheat or even brown rice flour here. Hooray for gluten-free substitutes!)
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced, green parts only
1/2 cup mushrooms, minced
1/4 cup roasted red peppers (I had a jar in the fridge!)
1-2 green chillies, diced (optional, but not in this household)
1 handful fresh baby spinach
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp tahini (optional)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
dash salt and pepper, to taste
oil for frying

1. Get your vegetable broth boiling in the microwave or on the stove top. Meanwhile, put the TVP in a medium-sized bowl. Once your broth is boiling, add to TVP and let it hydrate for about 15 minutes. Add flour, egg replacer, vegetables, nutritional yeast, tahini, and spices. Mix well. If it's too sticky, add a few extra tablespoons of flour. If it seems too dry, add a few tablespoons of water.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil or cooking spray. Shape about 1/2 cup of burger mixture into a patty, place carefully in pan, and cook until golden to dark brown. Flip; cook on the other side.



Voila! I served mine on sourdough bread because...well...that's what I had. I threw some fresh spinach on top because I didn't have lettuce and I lurve spinach. I also took some of my Vegenaise and mixed it with one chopped up green chile so we could enjoy tasty green chile "mayo"naise. So tasty.

PS: Don't forget about my sweet, sweet GIVEAWAY!!! Get on it!

PPS: Now I leave you with something to brighten your day. As if this recipe isn't enough! Yes, I toot my own horn.