veggie pot pie

I think I've eaten one singular pot pie in my entire 24 years of life. My parents never made them, I never order them while out, and I've never had the thought to make one myself, until tonight! For some reason I got a mad pot pie craving while sitting in the office today, and instead of being productive and going to the gym, I promptly came home and fulfilled my pot pie desires. I loosely based the recipe off this one from Betty Crocker, but used what I had in the cupboards, and completely vegatized it!

Stuff you need: 1. Any veggies for the inside 2. 1/2 cup Bisquick Heart Smart mix 3. 1 egg white or egg replacer 4. 1/4 cup milk or milk substitute

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees while you get everything else ready. For the vegetable filling, I found in my kitchen 2 carrots, 1 zucchini, 2 tomatoes, 1 cup mushrooms, and a handful of frozen corn. Sauté the veggies in a little olive oil just until they begin to soften. Sprinkle the mixture with a little salt, Italian seasoning, and anything else you think might be nice.

Meanwhile, combine the Biquick, egg white, and milk in a bowl, and whisk all the ingredients together. When the oven is preheated and the vegetables are slightly tender, place the veggies into a small casserole dish that you've lightly greased. Now pour the Bisquick mixture on top of the vegetables, and make sure everything is nicely distributed and coated in batter. Look good? Great! Pop it in the oven for 20 ish minutes, and then dig into that tasty little pot pie.

For the second pot pie of my entire life, I'm pretty pumped! The hot, juicy filling is so nice with the warm, fluffy pastry top. I skipped the soup from the original recipe, so it definitely wasn't creamy, but the tomatoes gave off juice, so the filling was still plenty moist. My only thought for next time is more spices and longer cooking time! I was so excited for my dinner and a new episode of Project Runway, that I pulled the dish out of the oven before the top was super golden. Otherwise, it was a damn tasty meal, and one that came together surprisingly quick and easy. It may have been my second pot pie, but it most certainly won't be my last :)

southwest veggie bake

Last week was crazy for me. Between multiple grandparent birthday dinners, 10 hour work days, and a few kickboxing classes, I barely had time to breathe, let alone cook! Luckily, with some quick, simple recipes, and some planning ahead, I survived the chaos! One such recipe I made, was inspired by this summer vegetable tian over at Budget Bytes. The reds, greens, and yellows of the tomatoes and squash, were totally eye-catching, and I knew in a moment that I had to make my own version.

Stuff you need: 1. Yellow squash 2. Zucchini squash 3. Tomatoes 4. Black beans 5.Sharp cheddar cheese 6. Your favorite salsa

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees while you get everything else prepped. Slice your squashes into rounds, and your tomatoes into chunks that are roughly the same size. When everything is chopped up, arrange all the slices in a greased baking dish, until it's completely full. Give it a good sprinkle of salt and pepper, and maybe a little cumin too for good measure.

Next, combine 1/2 cup black beans, 1 heaping cup sharp cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup salsa in a bowl, and stir everything together, until it's mixed well. Spread this mixture on top of your veggies, and then cover the dish with its corresponding lid or some foil.
Pop the dish into the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the the vegetables are tender, and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Now grab those hot pads and retrieve your meal! I gobbled mine down with a little more salsa on the side, but it was pretty tasty on its own as well.
The colors of the summer vegetables are so pretty, and the meal came together incredibly quick. It's a great dish for a busy week, because I managed to do laundry and other chores, while I waited for it to bake. I also liked the addition of black beans and salsa, which gave it a little protein, and a gooier texture. Next time, onions, potatoes, and more spices would all be excellent additions. It was the perfect dish for a busy week, and it made enough for lunch the next day too- bonus! :)

wrap week

I try to pack my lunch as often as possible, both to save money and calories, and sometimes I feel like I'm just eating the same old stuff day in and day out. Last week, I thought I'd give myself a fun theme, and pack my lunch everyday accordingly. Thus, last week became wrap week! Each lunch had to include a whole what tortilla stuffed with something new and delicious, and it was a total success.

Monday: Whole wheat tortilla with spicy brown mustard, cucumbers, spinach & avocado
Tuesday: Whole wheat tortilla with broccoli slaw & a Boca spicy chik'n patty
Wednesday: Whole wheat tortilla with BBQ tempeh & BBQ onions and bell peppers
Thursday: Whole wheat tortilla with kale, rice, tomatoes, feta cheese & black beans
Friday: Whole wheat tortilla with pesto, spinach, tomatoes and zucchini slices

Look at that! 5 fabulous wraps over a course of 5 days. By creatively mixing my leftovers with the staples in my fridge, I managed to make a handful of really different, and delicious meals on a small budget- what a great challenge! Also, all the fillings were super tasty, and would be equally great stuffed in a bagel, pita, or sandwich of some kind. I must say, it was an excellent wrap week, indeed :)

bbq tempeh & kale

O.M.G. I don't know if it's possible to accurately describe how full and incredibly content I am right now. I don't know if it was sheer genius, or dumb luck, but tonight's dinner was incredible. I'd like to make this introduction better, but let's skip it and get right to the food. BBQ tempeh and kale! *drool*

For the BBQ Tempeh

Stuff you need: 1. 1 block tempeh 2. 1 bell pepper 3. 1/2 onion 4. your favorite BBQ sauce

Start off by bringing approximately 3 cups of water to boil in a saucepan. When the water is boiling, put some salt, and the tempeh brick into the water, and let it simmer on medium for 20 minutes. While your tempeh is boiling, thinly slice your bell pepper and onion into strips and sauté them in in a little olive oil, until they're nice and tender. When the tempeh is done, drain it, and slice it into long thing strips, just like the onion and peppers. Combine the tempeh, veggies, and a healthy helping of BBQ sauce in the skillet or saucepan you already used, and let everything heat together.When you can stand it no longer, dish it up, and dig in!

For the Kale

Stuff you need: 1. 1 garlic clove 2. a bunch of kale 3. 1 can diced tomatoes 4. brown rice

For the kale dish, I was inspired by this recipe from Epicurious, but I altered it according to what I had on hand. I started by making a pot of rice- using leftover rice would be helpful, but it wasn't a problem to prepare everything else while the rice cooked. Meanwhile, mince the garlic, roughly chop the kale, and open and drain the can of diced tomatoes. Sautee the garlic in a little olive oil, and when it's just starting to turn golden, add the tomatoes, kale, and a good sprinkle of salt. Occasionally stir it every few minutes, and when the kale is tender, add the rice, toss everything together, and serve.

Holy shit that was a good meal. The tempeh is just like good ol' fashioned BBQ- a little sweet, and the texture is perfect. Substitute this into a Philly cheese-steak, and you'd never miss the meat! Also, the kale concoction was just the right side to serve with the tempeh. The slightly-sugary BBQ sauce was nicely complimented by the savory, tenderness of the tomatoes, rice, and kale. Omg I just can't say enough good things about this dinner. Tonight's meal = AMAZING!! :D

a quick fix picnic

For those of you who survived the Colorado monsoon of 2011, congrats! This last week primarily consisted of working, gymming, and trying to stay dry through the daily, torrential downpour. Luckily, Colorado weather is as sporadic as it is fabulous, and there was still plenty of sunshine to go around- there was just enough blue sky to fit in some kayaking today, and a lovely picnic yesterday.

Since finding a little dry weather was rare, the picnic was planned, prepared, and devoured quickly. Regardless of the time crunch, the food was fantastic, and the company was even better.

Here is the menu for some speedy picnic prep in under 30 minutes or less:

• Appetizer: Raw vegetables and pita chips with hummus

• Main: Pesto bowties with cherry tomatoes and feta

• Side: Watermelon slices

• Dessert: Strawberries and whipped cream over angel food cake

Everything was very semi-homemade, but I'm most proud of the pesto bowtie dish. It was inspired by one my friend's mom who made it for a party, and it was to die for! The flavors are outstanding, it looks elegant, and if you use all pre-prepared ingredients, it comes together crazy fast.

Stuff you need: 1. Bow-tie pasta 2. Pesto- homemade or store bought 3. Cherry tomatoes 4. Feta cheese

While the bowtie pasta is boiling, chop up all the veggies and fruits for the rest of the meal- carrots, celery and red bell pepper for hummus dipping, little cherry tomatoes for the pasta, watermelon for the side, and strawberries for dessert.

When the pasta is al dente, drain it, rinse it, and then toss it with the pesto, tomatoes, and feta in a large bowl. Pop the dish into the fridge and let all the flavors mix up to one hour. Once you have everything else prepped, packed, and ready to go, grab your pasta, your picnic blanket, and head to the park!
It would taste even better with homemade pesto, but I was in a time crunch, and this worked out perfectly. For a vegan version, all you'd have to do, is use a pesto without parmesan, and substitute dairy feta, for tofu feta crumbles.

It was brief, but delicious. Just as we were digging into some strawberries and angel food cake, the storm rolled in, and we all scarfed down our desserts. It was quickly made, and quickly consumed, but the memories will last much longer- no? Too cheesy? Yeah, I know. Anyway. Great pasta! Great picnic! :)

boca beef tacos

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you can put just about anything into a taco, and it will be delicious. Last time, I think I used Boca chik'n patties with a hodge podge of random things I found in the kitchen. Tonight, however, I went over to Michael's house, where we vegatized the classic beef taco!

If you haven't discovered Boca ground crumbles yet, go to the store and purchase them right now! They're a meatless version of ground beef, but way better. I usually use them in marinara sauce over pasta, but tonight, we mixed it up and used it in tacos.

Stuff you need: 1. Boca ground crumbles 2. a taco seasoning packet or your spices of choice 3. corn tortillas 4. taco extras- salsa, avocado, onion, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, cheese, etc.

Start by browning/warming your Boca crumbles in a skillet with a little olive oil. When they're totally defrosted and warmed through, plop in your taco seasoning packet according to the directions on the side- there are tons of different brands, but ours was mixed with 2/3 cups water, added to the "beef" and then simmered for a few minutes.

When the meatless meat mixture is all gooey and ready to go, chop up your taco extras. Tonight we had 505 salsa, a little bit of shredded cheese, black beans, avocado chunks, and red onion. Nuke the tortillas in the microwave for a hot second, and then fill to the brim with everything!

It looks like a legit beef taco, right? The seasoning packet was a great idea. The mixture may have been a little salty since we only used half of the crumbles- the entire bag would have distributed the flavors better- but otherwise, a tasty meal! This is definitely one of those dishes that hardcore carnivores would happily devour with no complaints. Another delicious use for Boca crumbles is a success! :)

hearty vegetable crockpot soup

You know what I love about slow cooker meals? They're easy to make, the food simmers all day for a soupy deliciousness, and when you come home from your first Monday back at the office, there's a hot, AMAZING meal waiting for you. I've made this recipe a few times before, but I think that this is the best one so far.

The recipe inspiration is from Robin Robertson's book Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker (one of my favorite cookbooks from my vegan idol). I used a couple of recipes for the basis, but added my own twists too.

Stuff you need: 1. 6 cups vegetable stock (I only had 4, so I used water for the other 2, and it was still great) 2. 2 cloves garlic 3. Lots of veggies all chopped- I had on hand onion, celery, carrot, potato, yellow squash, and zucchini 4. 1 can chickpeas 5. 1 can diced tomatoes 6. About a cup or so ditalini or other small soup noodle

After you're out of the shower, just before work, turn on your crockpot and throw in the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery to let them soften up while you dry your hair. Just before you run out the door, throw in the rest of your chopped vegetables, the can of chickpeas, the can of diced tomatoes, the 6 cups of vegetable stock/water, and a little salt and pepper for good measure.

Now go to work, go shopping, or do something fun for the next 8-ish hours and leave your crockpot on the low setting. When you get home, throw in some raw ditalini noodles and let cook an extra 45-ish minutes, or until it's to your desired tenderness. Season with more salt, pepper, garlic salt, or whatever else you think it needs- I used poultry seasoning, and I really liked the outcome.

Finally, serve it up! After 3 heaping bowls of soup between me, my boyfriend, and my roommate, there was still PLENTY for lunch leftovers today, and the rest of the week (see it still looks tasty day 2 in my tupperware!)

Next time: Maybe 2 cans of diced tomatoes instead of 1, and for a less intensely-hearty soup, I would pick potatoes OR ditalini, but not both. So far, this is definitely my best slow cooker meal yet! I'm proud :)