almost vegan pizza

What could be better than starting off Vegetarian Awareness month with a meat-free pizza party?! Pizza is one of those wonderful, easy, versatile meals that I can never get sick of. Seriously, you could put anything on a pizza and it would be delicious.

Last week, me and the roommate opened opened some wine, watched Project Runway, and made ourselves some fantastic homemade pizzas!

Stuff you need: 1. Pre-made pizza crusts- we like the ones from Whole Foods- you get 2 per pack 2. Any toppings your heart desires!

Once again, anything on a pizza will taste amazing. Here were our concoctions:

Molly's Pizza!

Side 1: Brie, chopped garlic, carmelized onions, & arugula

Side 2: Tomato sauce, broccoli, zucchini, green bell pepper, & mozzarella cheese

My pizza!

Side 1: Tomato Sauce, zucchini, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, & onion

Side 2: Tomato sauce, tomato slices, fresh basil, & almond cheese

While Molly's pizza was very cheesy, I decided to go with an almost vegan version. My favorite non-cheese cheese is the almond or rice cheese made by Lisanatti Foods. I completely fell in love with it a few years ago, while looking for vegan options to my favorite foods. The texture is impeccable- melts alright, and can be shredded- it's not slimy like a lot of soy cheeses, and best of all the flavor is great. UNFORTUNATELY, it's made with casein, so after all my searching, my favorite vegan cheese isn't vegan at all *sad trombone* If you're looking for a healthy alternative to cheese, I highly recommend this stuff. However, if you're morally opposed to any and all dairy products, this one isn't for you :(

Anyway, it was a delicious pizza party. Both versions were super tasty, and made plenty of food for our lunches the next few days. For next time, Molly recommends getting good quality brie (instead of the cheap-o stuff) so it melts better, and I recommend sautéing the veggies before applying them to the crust, for more flavor, and delicious pizza cohesion. Great night. Great food.

ALSO! Don't forget to check out VeganMoFo when you get the chance! I was too nervous to join in this year, but they're only 3 days in, and there's already TONS of amazing looking dishes! Maybe next year I'll grow a pair and join in the fun :)

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 :)

zucchini pizza boats

Let me start by saying that I'm a total blog stalker. I lurk on tons of blogs, ogle the photos, get all excited about the new posts, but never comment. I know. I'm a creep. One of my favorite haunts is a blog called Budget Bytes. All of the recipes are cost effective, look great, and many of them are vegetarian friendly too!

Last week, I spied this gem of a recipe and had to try it out myself- zucchini pizza boats? Yes please! Her pictures are much prettier, but I still think my zucchini boat looks gooey and amazing!

My one complaint, is that I wish it was more flavorful- however, I 'spose that was my bad :) Instead of following the recipe's measurements, I threw a little of this and that into the zucchini/sauce mixture. Next time, I'll make sure to pay closer attention to the specifications, and add more than just a dash of Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and parmesan cheese. Still! A great, easy recipe, that was apparently only $1.32 per serving. I love it! I will definitely continue to try Budget Bytes recipes in the future!

While I'm on the topic, here is a surprising article about vegan foods- peanuts? Yikes! Also, I'm inappropriately excited about these butterbeer cupcakes (omg Harry Potter July 15), and every single one of these sandwiches. Next time I'm hungover, I'll probably attempt that cheesy mac and rib *drooool* Of course, there are many more delightful things that I'm stalking, but that will have to wait for another time. I have another pizza boat to devour!

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 :)