breaded eggplant

You know what I love? Food gifts. There's almost nothing better than free, delicious things, and recently, I've been quite lucky in receiving tons of edible presents! I got a beautiful eggplant from my boss, Connie, and a truck load of fresh produce and a dozen happy chicken eggs from my parents.

After reading so much about the factory farming atrocities in Eating Animals, I'm having a very hard time eating eggs, unless I know where they come from. My parents happen to know a man in their area raising chickens in proper, humane conditions, and I couldn't be happier about supporting this local farmer, who really cares :)

Anyway, I digress. With all the wonderful, fresh organic food in my house, the first vegetable I had to devour was the eggplant. What can I say? It's my fave. I based my recipe off this one for Vegan Crispy Baked Eggplant from Chez Bettay. Mine definitely didn't come out as beautiful as hers, but for my first try at breading anything, I think it turned out pretty good.

I mostly stuck to the recipe, except I didn't peel my eggplant, used Panko for the bread crumbs, and used a regular oven sans pizza stone, since I don't own one. I baked my eggplant for about 15 minutes on one side, flipped it, and then popped it back in the oven for another 10. When the bread-crumb coating was starting to look golden, I slathered it with warmed pasta sauce, and devoured it with a side of sauteed beet greens.

The soft eggplant was a nice compliment to the crunchy crust, although I definitely should have baked it longer to give the bread-crumbs some serious bite. Also, 1 eggplant made plenty of food for my dinner, and I used the rest to make phenomenal sandwiches the next few days. Baked eggplant + pasta sauce + lettuce & fresh basil on whole wheat toast = to die for.

It was a good first attempt, and I hope the next batch is even better!

roasted root veggie salad

I hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day holiday weekend. Mine included Fright Night with the boyfriend, brunch with the parents, a couple of birthday BBQs, fighting crowds at the Taste of Colorado, building lots of Target furniture for the new place, and watching True Blood with the usual suspects, Jenna and Michael.

After a full day of grazing on various snacks at the the Taste of Colorado, a light, healthy meal sounded absolutely wonderful. Nothing makes you feel better than a giant, fresh salad, loaded with all kinds of good stuff, so that's precisely what we made last night- big ol' roasted root vegetable salads.

Stuff you need: 1. Lettuce 2. A protein of some type 3. Veggies for roasting- we found parsnips, golden beets, sweet potatoes, red onions, and asparagus 4. Your favorite salad dressing

Start by cutting up all your vegetables into big chunks, while your oven preheats to 400 degrees. Feel free to peel everything if you'd like, but we left the skins on since we didn't have a peeler. You may also want to enlist a few friends for all the chopping, since this is the most tedious part.

When everything is nicely cubed, place the veggies in a large bowl, and toss them with some olive oil, chopped garlic, salt and pepper. You may need to use 2 bowls, or do them in batches if you have a lot like we did. When everything is completely coated, place the mixture into a baking dish (or a few of them) and pop them in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Take the baking dishes out of the oven, give the veggies a good stir and another dose of salt, and put them back in the oven for another 30 minutes, or until everything is perfectly tender, just the way you like it.

While you're waiting on the roasting, watch some True Blood, drink some wine, and prepare anything else you need to- dressing, lettuce, protein etc. For the leafy base, we tore up romaine lettuce, and the greens that came attached to the beets. The beet greens were a little bitter, but a nice compliment to the rest of the salad. Jenna and Michael made fish for their protein portion, and I tried out some chick'n from Gardein, which, I must say, was pretty tasty.

Finally, after waiting so long and patiently, pull those hot, steamy vegetables out of the oven, throw everything together with a little salad dressing, and thoroughly enjoy one giant, healthy, totally loaded salad.

It was just what we were all craving. The leafy greens, and the warm tender vegetables were the perfect combination for a light, healthy salad, that still had some real filling power. Ever eat a salad and still feel hungry? Yeah, not with this baby. Also, all the veggies we used- 1 bundle asparagus, 1 parsnip, 1 red onion, 1 sweet potato & 2 golden beets- made SO much food, there were plenty of leftovers for my dinner tonight. As fall approaches and the months get colder, I will definitely be roasting some more vegetables for my devouring pleasure :)

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

broccoli slaw

What a lovely Monday evening. I got in a great workout, made an amazing dinner, prepared my lunch for tomorrow, and sat down on my bed and looked through the entire Ikea catalog page by page. Colorado's first Ikea store opens in 2 days, and let me tell you, there is some mad Ikea fever around here. I hear there are already people camping out in front of the store! I'm not that crazed, but I am excited to pick out some cute new items for my place.

Before fully diving into the Ikea catalog, however, I made myself a giant bowl of broccoli slaw. I have an abundance of broccoli in my house right now, and even though I love steamed broccoli, I thought I'd mix it up with something light, chilled and summery. I modeled my recipe after this one I found on Apartment Therapy, but I adjusted it according to what I found in my kitchen.

Stuff you need: 1. 1 head broccoli 2. 1/2 small onion 3. 1 carrot 4. 1/4 cup raisins 5. 1/4 cup sliced almonds 6. a heaping 1/4 cup Vegenaise 6. 2 tablespoons lemon juice 7. 1/2 tablespoon stone ground mustard 8. a pinch of salt

Start by chopping/shredding your broccoli, carrot and onion. If you are lucky enough to own a food processor, you should totally use it. If you are poor like me, roll up your sleeves and get to cutting! When your veggies are ready, place them into a large bowl, and add the raisins and almonds.

In another bowl, combine the Vegenaise, lemon juice, mustard, and salt. Vigorously stir the concoction together and then adjust the flavor accordingly. The original recipe uses vinegar, which would have been a nice addition, but I didn't have any in my cabinets, so I just used more lemon juice. Combine the liquid mixture to the shredded vegetables and toss well. The flavors will blend better if you let it sit in the fridge a while, but let's be honest, this slaw is ridiculously delicious, and there's no way in hell it could possibly stay out of my belly for more than 5 minutes.

Isn't it beautiful? The colors are so nice with the orange carrot, purple raisins, and green broccoli, but let me tell you, it is even more tasty than it is attractive. It may have turned out a little overly-lemony, but for a hot, summer night, the bold, citrus taste was perfect. The chopped vegetables and crunchy almonds also give this dish a really great texture, that would be nice in a variety of recipes. Tonight I threw it in a black bean and corn burrito, and I'll definitely take the slaw for lunch the next few days. In fact, I might even make a second batch with my other head of broccoli and eat it all week! Yes. It's that good. Ikea may be premiering in Colorado, but this broccoli slaw is pretty exciting too :)

baked tofu part 2

Ah, what a July 4th weekend. Rockies games, BBQs, surprise birthday parties, and lunches with good friends kept me outrageously busy! When Tuesday rolled around, and I was feeling like a big, fat, slob, I knew it was time to get my exercise and eating habits back on track. After a big produce shop on Tuesday night, and a couple of healthy, home-cooked meals, I'm starting to feel like I'm getting back to normal :)

Tonight I made a second attempt at baked tofu, except this time I called the expert- my mom! She has this amazing recipe that I had to get my hands on, and I must say, it turned out exactly like I remember it. The inspiration comes from a PETA cookbook, with a little help from my mom, and a dash or two of my cooking recklessness.

Stuff you need: 1. block firm or extra firm tofu 2. soy sauce 3. lemon juice 4. garlic powder

Start by pressing the liquid out of your tofu, while you prepare your marinade. For the marinade, combine 3 tablespoons soy sauce with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and a shake or two of garlic powder. Hint: it helps to prepare the sauce in a large bowl to make tossing the tofu easier- definitely should've thought of that before I used the cereal bowl. Ha!

Take the tofu, chop it into bite-sized cubes, and toss it in the marinade until all the pieces are thoroughly coated. Let the tofu soak for as long as you can. During this time, preheat your oven to 375 F, prepare anything else you need for your meal, and take a second to change out of your work clothes and relax.

When the oven is preheated, oil a baking sheet, and place the tofu on top. Pop it in the oven for 10 minutes, flip the tofu over, and then cook it for another 10. DONE! Omg look at that golden baked deliciousness.

I used half of the tofu in an asparagus and mushroom stir fry, and I saved the other half for a future meal.
Damn, this recipe is great. The tofu is tender in the middle, with a slightly crispy, perfectly baked outside that's just a little salty. It's great in stir fries, it's good in hearty soups, and it might be a fun addition to a fully loaded salad. Let's be honest, this baked tofu is good in everything. I'm feeling healthy, and very, very full. I'm definitely writing this one down for next time. Thanks Mom!

ass kickin tofu

I am definitely a spicy food connoisseur. Ever since I was a kid, my dad and I have have been pushing the heat boundaries with copious amounts of Sriracha and hot peppers, much to my mom's dismay. Tonight for dinner, I thought I'd try my hand at baked tofu with a little kick.

Stuff you need: 1. A block of firm (or extra firm) tofu 2. Chili garlic sauce 3. Soy sauce 4.Hoisin sauce 5. Olive oil

Start off by squeezing all the liquid out of the tofu- I like to wrap it in a paper towel and place a heavy object on top while I prepare everything else. While the tofu is indisposed, prepare your marinade. Combine approximately 2 tablespoons olive oil and soy sauce with 1 tablespoon hoisin. Give it a good stir and a taste, and adjust the flavors to your liking- some ginger, sesame oil, or lemon juice would all be nice additions.

When your marinade is ready, grab the tofu, slice it into slabs, and arrange it in a glass baking dish. Lightly coat each piece of tofu with the chili garlic sauce, and then pour the marinade on top. Now pop the dish into the fridge while you preheat the oven to 350 F. About 5-10 minutes in, flip the tofu over so both sides soak up all those great flavors. At this point, I lightly coated the other side of the tofu with more chili garlic sauce. Please feel free to skip this step, unless you like your food with some serious burn.

When the oven is ready to go, pop that spicy tofu in for 15 minutes, flip the slabs over, and cook for an additional 20. When it's looking golden all over, gather some kleenex, a glass of milk, and dig in!

Now that is some tofu that will kick your ass. I mean, real coughing-fit-makes-your-nose-run kind of spice! Yeow! Some steamed broccoli and orange cauliflower were a really nice compliment to this dish- the hot, heat of the tofu, and the mild, subtle veggies were a great combo. I ate half of the slabs tonight, and popped the rest in the fridge for some stir fry tomorrow.

I must say, that for completely making this up on the fly, I'm pretty pumped with the results. Next time, I'll definitely increase the oven temp so it's a little less soft, and a little more crunchy- I think 375 or 400 degrees would work great. Also, I think a longer marinading time would help enhance flavors, but let's be honest, I'm usually hungry and impatient after a long day at the office.

A hot, fiery meal, for a hot, summer day. It needs a little tweaking, but not bad for my first attempt at baked tofu :)

chipotle sausage cous cous bowl

Ever since I made those fantastic faux-rizo and Anaheim enchiladas a few weeks ago, I've had the rest of the Field Roast chipotle sausages sitting in my fridge. I kept thinking I'd save them for something special, but tonight they called to me, and I threw them together with some fresh produce for a cous cous bowl with a south-of-the-border zing.

Stuff you need: 1. Cous cous- or rice 2. Meatless chorizo 3. Fresh veggies 4. Salsa 5. Spices

Start off by placing a pot of water on the stove for the cous cous- this grain works best with a 1:1 ratio of water, so measure accordingly. When the water is boiling, throw in the cous cous, give it a stir, pull it off the heat, and put the lid on.

While the cous cous is sitting, chop up your chipotle sausage and fresh veggies into bite sized pieces- tonight I found spinach, tomato, and orange cauliflower- oh yes. Orange. Throw the cauliflower and sausage into a warmed skilled with a little olive oil, and sauté the mixture for about 5 minutes. Next, throw in the spinach and tomato, and season everything with your favorite flavors- salt, pepper, cumin, and hot sauce!

When your faux-rizo/veggie concoction is heated through and smelling amazing, fluff the cous cous with a fork, place it into a nice deep bowl, and then top it with your veggies and meat. Slather a little salsa on top, mix everything together, and dig in! A little spicy, super fresh, and pretty hearty- the perfect combination for my Thursday night meal.

I like the juxtaposition between the light, fluffy cous cous, and the thick, chunky sausage- it's a hearty meal, that still feels like it's on the lighter side. I also love the little kick from the Field Roast chorizo, and the bright colors of the spinach and cauliflower. Tonight was definitely a "throw-everything-you-can-find-into-a-skillet" kind of night, but the outcome was successful. I even whipped up a vegan BLT wrap for tomorrow's lunch! What a tasty, productive evening :)

slow cooked black beans

As of recently, I've decided to start tracking my eating habits through Live Strong. They have a feature called MyPlate, and it allows you to see exactly what you're eating- how many calories, nutritional breakdown, etc, etc. While this is probably a bad thing, since I now count every morsel of food that enters my body, it has also been incredibly eye-opening. Among other things, I never knew how much sodium I ingested!

I come from a family with high blood pressure and cholesterol, which is partially one of the reasons I stopped eating meat in the first place. I always thought my newfound vegetarianism was so healthy, but I was surprised to find out, that some things I thought were so great, were secretly not. Did you know that 1 serving (1/4 cup) of Newman's Own Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce has 620 mg of sodium? That's like, 40% of my recommended daily intake!

Moral of the story, is that after looking at a whole lot of nutritional totals, I've decided to take some steps toward better eating and healthier living. From this day forth, I will no longer have canned beans in my household. 1 half cup of canned beans contained 390 mg of sodium! In the long run, I'm sure that's not so bad for me, but if I take enough baby steps, I think it will really pay off in the end.

Stuff you need: 1. Bag of dried beans 2. Water 3. A crockpot

Before going to bed, take that bag of beans, pour them into a large bowl, and fill the bowl with enough water to cover the beans by a few inches. Now let them sit overnight. In the morning, drain the beans of last night's water, and place them into the slow cooker. Cover the beans with water- I used 7 cups-, turn the crockpot onto low, and now get to the office! When you come home 8-12 hours later, you'll be rewarded with home-cooked beans out the wazoo!

This one bag made around 8 cups of prepared beans! I used a little for dinner tonight, and then divided the rest into 1 cup portions, and stuck them in the freezer for future use. Home-cooked beans are healthier and cheaper for you, and I love the feeling of accomplishment I get from doing something really good for my body. I think my next step in sodium reduction will be eliminating prepared tomato sauce, but for tonight, I couldn't be happier with my beans :)

tempeh tuna wrap

June? Already? Yikes! With summer kicking into full gear, plans are being made, and time is starting to fly by. Since I last posted, I think I've made maybe 2 or 3 healthy meals at home. Bad Erin. Since I had the Memorial Day holiday off, I finally got the chance to kick back, relax, craft a little, and cook. I've been meaning to try this recipe for quite awhile now, but of course, just couldn't find the time- until today!

The recipe is mock tuna salad, which happens to be printed on the back of the Home-style Organic Five Grain Tempeh from Tofurky. I followed the recipe pretty much to the letter, except I replaced mayo with vegenaise♥, and Old Bay seasoning with Paula Dean's house blend, because of course I had Paula Dean in the cupboard, but no Old Bay. Also, at the very end, I added pickle relish, because what's tuna with no relish?

While the tempeh was simmering and I was mixing sauces, I must say I was seriously skeptical. Soy sauce in tuna? Hell no. The tempeh boiled, I stirred everything together, spread it out onto a whole wheat tortilla, and guess what. It was surprisingly delicious!

The texture is much thicker and chunkier than normal tuna, which isn't a problem, and the flavors are actually pretty dead on considering that there's absolutely no fish in there. I also like the fact that the recipe makes a ton of food, and is very filling. I made a hearty, over-stuffed wrap, and still had a bowl full of tuna for leftovers. This was one recipe I anticipated hating, but ended up really enjoying. Once again, impressed with tempeh! :)

b.l.t. & vegenaise

It's always such a nice treat to go home to my parents' house for a few nights. I get to see the folks, play with the pets, sleep in my old bed, and eat tons of delicious meals from a phenomenally stocked pantry. Mom is a huge Vitamin Cottage shopper, so she always has something new and tasty for me to try out when I come home. For lunch today, Mom whipped out a package of tempeh bacon, and we made some vegan BLTs. Normally, I don't like meatless bacon, but apparently I just haven't tried the right brand, cause this stuff is seriously delicious!

Stuff you need: 1. Bread 2. Vegenaise 3. Tempeh Bacon 4. Lettuce 5. Tomato

Start by heating up a little olive oil in a skillet. When the pan is warm, throw in your tempeh bacon- we found that 2 strips was perfect for each sandwich. While the fakin' bacon is browning, pop your bread into the toaster, and slice up your tomato and lettuce.

When the tempeh strips are slightly browned and warmed through, pull them off the heat and assemble your sandwiches! Take a piece of toast, slather it with Vegenaise, and top it with your bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Boom. Lunch is served.

Okay, it's not rocket science, but honestly, this sandwich blew me away. The bacon's texture is thick with just the right amount of bite, and the taste is like smoked hickory maple goodness. Add a dollop of Vegenaise and some fresh vegetables? That is a damn good sandwich. If you haven't tried tempeh bacon yet, I highly recommend it.

And speaking of amazing products, I can't believe I haven't mentioned Vegenaise before, cause I absolutely love it! It's perfect on sandwiches, in cole slaw, for egg salad, and just about any recipe that calls for mayo. I was never a huge mayo fan in the first place, but Vegenaise is lower in saturated fat than the regular stuff, I love the flavor, and no animals were harmed in the making of it. Sounds like a pretty good combo to me :)

So with my adoration for Vegenaise, and my newfound obsession with tempeh bacon, a BLT was the perfect lunch today. Thanks Mom and Pop! ♥

basic miso soup

I think miso must be one of my favorite soups of all times. I love the unique, fresh, flavors, and it makes a perfect appetizer or light meal. I bought a tub of miso a while back, but kept forgetting it at my friend's house, so when I finally reacquired my miso paste, I was excited to make a big batch tonight. I mostly followed the recipe from The 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of the East, but tweaked it to my own liking a little bit too.

I won't give away all their published secrets, but I will tell you what I did differently. The book and most other recipes I found online call for dashi stock, but I'm poor and lazy, so I used vegetable broth, and I think it turned out just fine. I also used more tofu than it called for, and added strips of nori as well- hint: use scissors instead of a knife on nori sheets. It's way easier!

Maybe a little sodium-heavy, but honesty, I was craving it, and it was so worth it! In the book, the nori sheets were an optional addition, but it wouldn't have been as good without it. It was also nice that the recipe made a ton of soup, so I froze a little, and packed a portion or two for lunch this week. If I can figure out how to cut back on the salt a little, I will happily made this soup on a weekly basis. Not quite as good as the restaurants, but still tasty and satisfying! :)

almost instant faux pho

The first time I had pho, it totally knocked my socks off. The flavors are so rich and fresh, it's seriously healthy, and I love adding sauces to make the dish taste just how you like. Unfortunately after becoming vegetarian, I quickly found out that the flavorful pho broth is made with a crap ton of animal parts. Boo. I hear that there are a few places that do veggie pho, but I have yet to hunt those locations down. So craving pho, and being short on time, I threw together my first attempt at homemade faux pho.

Stuff you need: 1. Veggie broth 2. Rice noodles of some kind- I used stick noodles 3. Various sauces- hoisin, soy, and chili garlic were perfect for this dish 4. Veggies- I used bean sprouts, bell pepper, cucumber & green onion 5. 1/2 lime

Start by bringing your vegetable broth to boil in a pot- just enough to cook the noodles in- kind of like pasta. When the broth is boiling, remove the pot from the heat, and throw your noodles in for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente.

While you're waiting for your noodles to get tender, chop up all the rest of your ingredients. I cut the bell pepper into julienne strips, the cucumber into sliced quarters, and the green onion into little chunks- just bite sized pieces that you can easily slurp up.

When the noodles are ready and the veggies are prepped, take a bowl and fill it with noodles and a big ladle full of the broth. On top of this, toss all your chopped vegetables and bean sprouts, and then season with the sauces of your choice- hoisin is especially great, and the chili garlic gives it a nice kick. Finally, squeeze the lime half on top of everything, and devour. Really, that's it!

For being such an impromptu meal, I was really surprised that the flavors were so great. If you don't like how it's tasting, it's so easy to add a little more of this and that until it's just right. The only thing I think my faux pho lacked was basil- which it's traditionally served with. Next time, I will make sure to use basil as well, but honestly, I think it was pretty damn delicious as is. Quick, filling, healthy, and spectacular. I will definitely be making this one more often :)

sesame asparagus & mushrooms

When I say sesame tonight, I don't mean the usual sesame sauce you find in restaurants- I mean sesame oil. This is one of my parents' favorite recipes, and a wonderful, simple dish that I've grown up eating, and loving. If asparagus is in season, definitely use it, cause it makes the flavor so much better!

Stuff you need: 1. a bunch of asparagus 2. a bunch of mushrooms 3. sesame oil 4. soy sauce 5. rice and/or sesame seeds (both optional)

Start by chopping up your mushrooms and asparagus- making sure to snap off the nasty ends of the asparagus before you start. Stir fry tip: prep all your ingredients before you start cooking- veggies chopped, spices measured, etc. Stir frying is such a quick method, so having everything ready to go will help make the meal faster and easier.

When your prep work is done, heat a little sesame oil in the wok over medium heat. When the wok is warmed, throw in the asparagus and cook for a few minutes. Next, add in your mushrooms and cook for a few minutes longer. When your vegetables are to your preferred tenderness, add more sesame oil and a little soy sauce, and call it a night. Feel free to add more spices to your liking, but the simple flavors of this dish are what make it so great.

When your veggies are ready, toss some sesame seeds on top, and serve the concoction over rice, or noodles, or just by itself since it tastes so good!

It's a quick meal with fantastic flavors. When it's asparagus season, nothing beats this recipe. It's been a staple at my parents' home, and now it's becoming a staple at mine :)

quick fix chik'n tacos

Surprisingly enough, tacos aren't usually one of my staple dinners. Tonight, however, I have a bundle of corn tortillas just waiting to be devoured, so I thought I'd stay away from pasta and sandwiches, and go with some faux-chicken tacos! I must say, I don't know why I don't make these more often. Not only were they outrageously quick to make, but they were super tasty too.

Stuff you need: 1. Tortillas- corn or wheat or whatever you have 2. Filling- tonight I found salsa, veggies, and some Boca Original Chik'n Patties

Start by throwing your boca chik'n patty into the toaster oven, skillet, or for those lucky ones out there who have one, your microwave. While you're waiting for your fake-meat to get all defrosted and toasty, chop up whatever veggies and other items you'd like to put in your tacos.

Tonight I found red cabbage, tomatoes, and a little bit of salsa, but there's SO many other things that would be great too- cheese, sour cream, onions, lettuce, soyrizo, black olives? If it's in your kitchen, it will probably taste great in a taco.

When your filling is prepped and your chik'n patty is warmed, slice up that chik'n and throw everything into a couple of tortillas. My 1 patty made 2 tacos, but I could have easily stretched that into 3 :)

It was a quick dinner that totally hit the spot. I've never actually thought about making tacos with chik'n patties of any variety, but I think I may have to try it more often. Mom swears by the Field Roast Mexican Chipotle sausages for all her vegetarian taco needs, but for a quick meal after a long day of work, this was great too!

Oh! And on a side note, Robin Robertson (omg my vegan idol) is having a book giveaway over on her blog Vegan Planet. I can't highly recommend her books more. The idea of vegan food terrifies a lot of people, but all of Robin's books are incredibly user-friendly. Post a comment and win her new book! You won't regret it I promise :)

stir fry & simply asia sauce

Stir fry is one of those go-to , meals that I know I can always fall back on for a quick, healthy, and always delicious dinner. Tonight was that night, however, instead of throwing a little of this and that into the wok, I decided to try one of the stir fry sauces from Simply Asia, and I must say, it turned out pretty good.

Stuff you need: 1. Vegetables 2. Simply Asia stir fry sauce- or your own homemade sauce 3.Rice or noodles- totally optional 4. A splash of canola oil 5. Anything else you'd like to throw in- garlic, ginger, spices, etc.

Start by chopping up all your vegetables. After a quick trip to the store, I found myself with onion, carrots, broccoli, red cabbage, red bell pepper, and some left over mushrooms from the other night. Stir fry tip #1: chop all the ingredients to around the same size so everything cooks evenly. Aren't the colors beautiful?

When all your veggies are prepped, throw a splash of canola oil into your wok and heat it up on high (you can also use a skillet with some olive oil, if you'd rather). If you're adding garlic, ginger, or hot peppers, I would start by throwing those in the wok. If not, then just start cooking up your vegetables! Stir fry tip #2: put the ingredients into the wok from hardest to softest, once again, to help everything cook evenly. I started out with the carrots and worked my way up to the cabbage. When everything is cooked to your preferred tenderness, squeeze in that sauce packet, or start adding various sauces and spices until it tastes just the way you like it.

I used Simply Asia's General Tsao's sauce, and it was pretty good. It had nice flavor, and it made this speedy meal even faster to prepare. Unfortunately, the sodium content is pretty high, so I think that next time I'll stick to making my own concotion. If you're tight on time, these stir fry sauces are a great option, but I definitely wouldn't make a habit out of it.

I heated up a little rice from the weekend, spooned my colorful mixture on top, and dug in! Seriously, I love stir fry. It always makes me feel healthy, and it's a great kitchen sink recipe cause you can throw pretty much anything in it- fresh vegetables, tofu, nuts, pineapple, mango, seitan, frozen vegetables, rice, noodles, you name it. Not only was this a delicious dinner, but the leftovers will be just as good tomorrow for lunch :)

funfetti cupcakes

It's been far too long since I've made a fun, healthy, creative meal. When work gets busy, and the groceries get sparse, it's always the dinners that fall by the wayside. A person can eat only so much pasta.

Last night I had the pleasure to host a birthday dinner for one of my favorite ladies, Kelly. We ordered in Chinese food, drank far too much wine, and devoured some vegan funfetti cupcakes. That's right. Vegan funfetti. Now, when you buy the funfetti cake mix, the instructions tell you to add oil and eggs, but my friend Christy and I vegatized it!

So here it is, super simple. For every egg that the recipe calls for, replace it with a little over 1/4 cup of applesauce. That's it! The cupcakes turned out super moist, cakey, and delicious. Our frosting skills are seriously lacking, but more importantly, the sweets were tasty.

Making a recipe vegetarian or vegan is actually surprisingly easy. Here is one of my favorite articles on vegan baking substitutes from the Post Punk Kitchen. Vegan baking is great, because your meals will be delicious, and you'll feel good about eating them too! Highly recommend you try it out :)

spinach pesto

Oh ho, what's that you say? Pesto is made with basil not spinach? Well let me rock your world. I still have an excessive amount of spinach from the soup party a few weekends ago, and tonight I wanted to make sure it got used before it went bad. Enter Vegan on the Cheap by Robin Robertson (omg my vegan idol). I've had this cookbook for a while, but life got busy, and tonight I decided to try my first recipe from it! The dish is traditional pesto, but she suggests replacing the basil and pine nuts with spinach and walnuts. Holy shit, I may never eat regular pesto again.

This was the first time that me or my roommate had ever had alternative pesto, and let me tell you, we're obsessed. It was so creamy and fresh, with the perfect amount of lemon and garlic flavors. It was also way cheaper and healthier than the normal pine nuts and basil. I just wish that I would've made more for lunch tomorrow! Seriously, if every recipe in the cookbook is this good, I may have to try making EVERYTHING!

Oh, and on another creative thought. Have you ever tried putting fruit preserves or jam in your oatmeal? Try it. It may change your life :)

quick & simple spring rolls

Ever since I went to Uoki last week with my friend Jenna, all I want to do is eat Asian food. I had the stone bi-bim-bob, and I'm totally hooked. All I can think about is reproducing that recipe and eating it every night! Instead of acting on my new obsession, purely because I'm too lazy to walk one block to the store, I dug in the pantry and made something that would satisfy my cravings for now.

Stuff you need: 1. Spring Roll Skins 2. Veggies for the inside 3. Your favorite Asian-themed sauce

Start by cutting all your vegetables into matchsticks- aka julienning. I used carrots and spinach since that's what I found in the fridge, but you can use anything you'd like. When all your vegetable filling is cut, fill a pie pan, or any large flat receptacle with warm water.

Take one of your spring roll skins- it'll be hard and brittle- and soak it in the warm water. When it's nice and soft, pull it out of the water bath, place your vegetables in the middle of the wrapper, and roll it up like a burrito. Don't forget to tuck in the ends!

Keep rolling until you're out of vegetables and your plate is full. I put my sauce directly into the rolls, but if you prefer, you can have it on the side for dipping- dealers choice. Soy sauce is great, hoisin is my favorite, but tonight I discovered this peanut sauce hiding behind the mustard.

They look all fancy and stuff at the restaurants, but seriously, these are so simple to make. Cutting included, this took me maybe 10 minutes. It's a great snack or appetizer, and it's ridiculously healthy to boot!

sweet potato and peanut soup with spinach

Tonight I am pleased to say that I attended a soup party. One of my best friends' older sister always hosts amazing, food-themed parties, and tonight was no exception. The challenge was to bring a soup that was delicious, creative, and if possible, New Kids on the Block themed. Check out her blog. She is great.

My roommate and I selected sweet potato and peanut soup with spinach from Robin Robertson's book 1,000 Vegan Recipes (omg Robin Robertson is totally my vegan idol. If you like vegan food, check out her cookbooks because they're tasty, affordable, and do-able. Love it). We called our concoction "good all knight sweet potato and peanut soup with spinach."

I won't give away all her published secrets, but I'll tell you our modifications. After the onions were all cooked up, and the sweet potatoes were tender, we used our magic bullet to puree most of the soup in small portions to give it a thicker texture that we were looking for. We also added more veggie stock, peanut butter, and spices, to make it go farther at the soup party.

It didn't win best soup overall, but we did get quite a few votes for most creative! Definitely not a classic soup that I would make all the time, but it still tasted great, and was an interesting blend of flavors that I would have never put together before. I hate peanut butter, but I didn't hate this. Surprising? Yes. Delightful? Also yes.