Mashed Yukon Gold and Sweet Potatoes

Sunday, December 27, 2015 - Dinner
Mashed Yukon Gold and Sweet Potatoes (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This was a simple and satisfying recipe on a day when I was feeling under the weather. I had some help with peeling and cutting the potatoes, then little effort remained to boil, drain, and mash the potatoes. The finished product was delicious - a sweeter version of mashed potatoes. The peachy color was pretty, resulting from the combination of yellow and orange potatoes. 

I used more almond milk than the recipe suggested, and I hand-mashed the potatoes (versus using an electric mixer) because I like my mashed potatoes to be creamy, yet lumpy.  

Prior to cooking: 

Carrot Ginger Soup

Sunday, December 13, 2015 - Dinner
Carrot Ginger Soup (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This soup was a unique combination of flavors that blended well together.  It was tasty, and really hit the spot on a dreary day.

Served with sweet and sour tofu and broccoli.  The sweet and sour sauce also turned out well, but was not a good combination with the soup - they were too similar and overpowered one another.  This soup would be a good appetizer or side dish with many other Asian meals. 

Split Pea Soup

Sunday, December 13, 2015 - Lunch
Split Pea Soup (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

I've made this recipe once before (a few years ago, before I started the blog). I liked it at that time, but I think I liked it better this time. I included the optional ingredient - liquid smoke - which added some flavor to the soup.  This is a hearty and filling soup, and I have plenty of leftovers for lunch!

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Saturday, November 21, 2015 - Lunch
Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Soup (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This soup was a great lunch on a cool day.  It was a nice blend of sweet and spicy, and it was hearty and filling.  The leftovers were also very good.  The soup tasted like a delicious mixture of sweet curry and pumpkin pie!

Toasted Quinoa with Raisins and Slivered Almonds

Sunday, November 15, 2015 - Lunch
Toasted Quinoa with Raisins and Slivered Almonds (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This recipe was filling and tasty.  It had an interesting combination of flavors.  It may have been a little too salty, either from the added salt or from the vegetable stock used to cook the quinoa.  I think the leftovers tasted better the next day, once the flavors had combined a little more.  I also enjoyed how the raisins plumped up and absorbed water as they cooked.

Southwest Black Bean and Corn Pizza

Saturday, November 14, 2015 - Dinner
Southwest Black Bean and Corn Pizza (my recipe)

This was a yummy pizza, and an easy meal to make while watching football.
Here's my recipe.  The amounts of each ingredient are estimates, since I didn't measure, and you can add more or less of each as you prefer.

12" pizza crust, either store-bought or homemade - I used a store-bought thin crust.
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Tomato sauce
Fresh or dried cilantro
Cheese or dairy-free "cheese"
1/3 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 tomato, diced
8 green olives, diced small or chopped
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
Salsa and/or hot sauce
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F (or as directed on packaging)
Brush the crust lightly with olive oil.
Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the crust.
Sprinkle cilantro on top of sauce.
Add a thin layer of shredded cheese - I used lactose-free mozzarella on 'my' side of the pizza (foreground), and the other side has a blend of cheddar and monterey jack cheeses.
Combine the black beans, corn, tomato, olives, and pepper in a bowl or colander, then spoon onto pizza.
Sprinkle a little more cheese on top.
Cook pizza in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust starts to brown.
Add a dollop of salsa on top of each piece, and add red pepper flakes to taste.

Saffron-spiked Moroccan Stew

Wednesday, November 11, 2015 - Dinner
Saffron-spiked Moroccan Stew (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This delicious stew had a great combination of sweet and spicy flavors.  The base of the soup was sweet potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, and chickpeas.  It had a variety of seasonings and spices, ranging from cinnamon to cayenne.  I used fresh ginger (after great results in the sweet & sour sauce).  The recipe called for saffron, which I have never used before - I was surprised at how expensive it was!  This pot of stew required $10 worth (about 1/2 teaspoon) of saffron threads, which are the dried stigmas of crocus flowers.  I'd like to make this stew again, because it was very good, but I would probably try it once without the saffron.

The stew was delicious and very filling.  Per the recipe's suggestion, the stew was served over couscous.  I used Moroccan couscous the first day (pictured), and larger tri-color Israeli couscous with the leftovers for lunch the rest of the week.  

If you left out the couscous and chickpeas, this stew would even work for my paleo friends!

Sugar Snap Peas with Toasted Sesame Seeds

Thursday, October 15, 2015 - Dinner
Sugar Snap Peas with Toasted Sesame Seeds (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This dish was amazing - probably one of my favorite vegetable recipes of all time! It was super-quick; the longest part of this recipe was waiting for the water to boil to steam the pea pods. It was a short steam, then a quick searing with sesame oil, and tossing with salt and sesame seeds to finish. The peas were tender yet crispy, and they tasted delicious. I was planning to take leftovers to have with lunch tomorrow, but there weren't any! I will definitely make this dish again. This could be a go-to recipe from now on!

Tofu Breakfast Casserole

Monday, October 12, 2015 - Dinner
Tofu Breakfast Casserole  (Recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin)

This dish was not visually appealing, and the texture was not particularly appetizing either. It tasted alright, and it had ingredients for a great recipe: potatoes, bell peppers, tofu, scallions, and fake bacon. I'd actually like to try this recipe as a scramble with diced potatoes, instead of a casserole with grated potatoes. (Plus, my hand hurt from shredding the potatoes on a cheese grater.)

Golden Corn Pancakes

Sunday, October 11, 2015 - Lunch
Golden Corn Pancakes (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

These pancakes were good - they tasted like a mixture between a breakfast food and a Thanksgiving-style sweet corn bake. They were easy to make, and tasted good. They are whole wheat pancakes, with kernels of yellow sweet corn added.  The cookbook said to serve with maple syrup, but I was a little skeptical of how the corn would taste with syrup. I tried a bite without, and it seemed like it needed something. I added maple syrup, and it complemented the flavor very well.

Served with: Shirley Temple (2 parts ginger ale to one part orange juice, plus a splash of grenadine and a maraschino cherry)

Grilled Tofu with Peanut Soy Sauce

Friday, October 9, 2015 - Dinner
Grilled Tofu with Peanut Soy Sauce

This is my own recipe.  I made quick-marinated grilled tofu, and served it with crunchy cooked broccoli.  

Ingredients:

1 block extra firm tofu

1/4 cup tamari soy sauce

1/8 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp lime juice

Red pepper flakes

Directions:

Press tofu to remove excess water.  Meanwhile, warm a cast iron grill pan on the stove at medium-high heat.  In a small bowl, mix together the tamari soy sauce, peanut butter, sugar, and lime juice.  Transfer the mixture to a shallow square container.  

Cut tofu into slices and pat dry.  Place tofu slices into sauce container, and turn to coat.  Let slices soak a few minutes, then place in grill pan.  Cook until grill marks darken on one side, then flip to the other side and drizzle a spoonful of sauce on top.  When cooked, remove from pan, drizzle with more peanut soy sauce, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

This turned out great, and tasted fantastic.  The peanut soy sauce was great on the tofu, and the grilled tofu was tender and tasty.  It also went really well with the broccoli. 

Miso Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms

Tuesday, October 6, 2015 - Dinner
Miso Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms  (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This was an easy recipe to make. I combined the ingredients in a pot, then let it cook while I took a quick post-run shower. It was ready to eat shortly after I got back to the kitchen.

The soup was tasty. It wasn't particularly filling, which I suppose is why it's usually served as an appetizer. Next time I'll make something to go with it, or possibly add more veggies and/or some tofu.

The recipe makes 8-10 servings, so there are plenty of leftovers for me to eat for lunch the rest of the week. 

Dark Leafy Greens with Sesame Miso Dressing

Thursday, October 1, 2015 - Dinner
Dark Leafy Greens with Sesame Miso Dressing (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This was a quick (less than 15 minutes) and easy dish to make.  The greens tasted good with the sesame miso dressing, but I think I would have preferred more greens for the amount of dressing.  I started with a full bunch of turnip greens, which cooked down more than expected during the steaming process (something like kale would have been sturdier), so we ended up with two small-ish servings.

Substitions: 

The dressing recipe called for mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine, but I didn't have any (and didn't want to get full bottle for the small amount needed), so I substituted 1 Tbsp rice vinegar plus 1/2 tsp sugar.  

The other substitution I made was to use toasted sesame seeds, instead of starting with raw seeds and toasting them myself. This was quicker, and I don't think it detracted from the flavor.

Overall, i enjoyed this recipe. It would be a good side dish for Japanese or Thai dishes, or it could stand on its own. If I make it again, I will use more greens to get a higher ratio of greens to dressing. I might also like to try this as part of a rice & veggie bowl. 

Sweet and Sour Tempeh

Sunday, September 27, 2015 - Lunch
Sweet and sour tempeh (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

I decided to give tempeh a second chance - I didn't really like it in the form of fried tempeh bacon. I'm glad that I made this recipe, because it was delicious!  Tempeh is a cultured soy protein, made up of whole soy beans fermented together into a caked block / patty.  This recipe called for steamed tempeh to be mixed into the veggies and sauce.  The steaming process, as well as the moisture from the sauce, made the tempeh soft and tender, while still holding together in cubes - I liked it much better this way.

I've never used fresh ginger in a recipe before. I thought it would be too much work, so I have typically substituted ground ginger.  However, since this was an Asian dish, it seemed like a good time to try fresh ginger.  I was pleasantly surprised that it was easy to peel and mince.  (I found a great tip on the internet for peeling ginger: use the side of spoon to scrape the skin off the root.  It worked like a charm.)  Then, my whole kitchen was filled with the refreshing scent of ginger.  The flavor was noticeable in the finished dish as well.  In the future, I will not hesitate to use fresh ginger root.

This sweet and sour sauce is better than any store-bought sauce I've ever had.  The base of the sauce was apricot preserves ("Sweet") with miso paste, tamari, and cider vinegar ("Sour") - it was fantastic.  The one substitution I made was using corn starch as a thickener instead of arrowroot powder, because I couldn't find the arrowroot in my local grocery stores.  The sauce was thick, sweet, and a little sticky (perhaps from the jam?), and it tasted amazing.  I would definitely make this recipe again.  

Peach and Pecan Muffins

Saturday, September 12, 2015 - Dessert
Peach and Pecan Muffins (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

These muffins are amazing! This is my new favorite muffin recipe (and maybe one of my favorite dessert recipes).  The peaches and pecans are delicious together, and complemented by the (soy) yogurt.

The ideal baking time was about 5 minutes less than what the recipe suggested, and some of the pecans on top charred a little in the first batch. The burnt pecans were surprisingly tasty - they had a good roasted flavor. The muffins were soft, fluffy, sweet, and filling. They were especially good when they were still warm from the oven. These were great for dessert, but would also work as a sweet breakfast treat.  Yum!

Whole Wheat Waffles with Maple-Berry Syrup

Saturday, September 12, 2015 - Breakfast
Whole Wheat Waffles with Maple-Berry Syrup (Recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin)

This was my first attempt at homemade waffles, and they turned out really well.  The recipe is vegan, using applesauce instead of eggs, which made the waffles a little softer.  They also took a little longer to cook than 'regular' waffles.

The maple-berry syrup was delicious.  It was very sweet, and the maple and berry flavors were good together.  The berries dyed the syrup a pretty, reddish-purple color.  The syrup was a little runny, so next time I would adjust the ratio of berries to liquid, to get a better consistency.

We made this for breakfast while out-of-town guests were visiting, and everyone enjoyed the waffles and syrup!

Five-Story Bean Dip

Monday, September 7, 2015 - Dinner cookout
Five-Story Bean Dip (Recipe from Party Vegan by Robin Robertson)

I made this bean dip for a holiday cookout.  The dip was easy to make, and it was a festive, easy-to-eat food for the party.  It tasted great and was well received - I got several compliments on the dip, and most of it was eaten!

The dip was made up of five layers:
1. Pinto beans with salsa and chili powder
2. Guacamole
3. Salsa
4. Sour cream (dairy-free) with chilies and lime
5. Veggies

Served with tortilla chips.

Southern Fried Seitan

Monday, September 7, 2015 - Lunch
Southern Fried Seitan (Recipe from Party Vegan by Robin Robertson)

This was my first time making seitan (wheat protein), although I've eaten it several times in restaurants.  It turned out pretty well, and I think I'd like to try it again in some other recipes as well.  This Southern Fried Seitan recipe is an alternative to fried chicken.

The seitan pieces were dipped in a batter of almond milk, mustard, lemon, and spices, then covered with panko bread crumbs.  I used a small amount of oil to pan-fry the seitan.






The recipe turned out really well - delightfully crispy and very tasty.

Served on a tomato basil wrap, with lettuce, tomato, and green pepper.


The leftover pieces were also very good dipped in barbecue sauce.

Wheat pancakes

Wednesday, Sep 2, 2015 - Dinner
Wheat Pancakes (modified "Buckwheat Pancakes" recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin)

I followed Roberto Martin's Buckwheat Pancakes recipe, except that since I didn't have any buckwheat flour, I substituted whole wheat flour. It didn't seem to affect the recipe's taste or the consistency of the batter.  The only difference is that buckwheat is a 'superfood' that would have provided extra protein.

I'm not usually a big fan of pancakes, but these were pretty good. They were soft and fluffy, and had a better flavor than plain white flour pancakes. Like most pancakes, I found these to be very filling - one plum and two pancakes was more than enough for dinner!

Served with: maple syrup, plum

For the photograph, I didn't like the way any of my 'staged' photos looked - there wasn't enough natural light (due to heavy cloud cover during a passing thunderstorm), and the lights in my kitchen and dining room left a yellowish hue that didn't look appetizing on such a lightly-colored food.  Then, after I took my first bite, I realized that the storm clouds had passed and the natural light was returning, and I liked the way the missing bite showed the fluffiness of the pancakes.  I grabbed my camera again and snapped a couple quick photos that turned out better than any of my earlier attempts!  

Quinoa and Berry Breakfast Cereal

Saturday, August 15, 2015 - Breakfast
Quinoa and Berry Breakfast Cereal  (Recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin)

This warm, sweet breakfast cereal was similar to oatmeal, and equally delicious! It was very filling, and even healthier than oatmeal since quinoa has twice the amount of protein.  I would definitely make this again.

Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies

Thursday, July 16, 2015 - Dessert

Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies (Recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This is one of my favorite cookie recipes. I have made these cookies many times over the years. This time, I made them for a summer office party.  This batch turned out a little soft/fragile, probably because I let the batter get a little too soft in the heat.  They still tasted great, and people at the party must have liked them, because all 3 dozen cookies were eaten!

Grilled Polenta Cakes

Friday, June 26, 2015 - Dinner
Grilled Polenta Cakes (Recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin)

I made this recipe while on vacation with the family, and everyone loved it!  I had to make a couple changes, like pan-frying the corn cakes instead of grilling them.  It turned out great, and I plan to make this again.

I actually had trouble finding polenta (aka corn grits) at home in the midwest, but they were readily available in the south!

Served with my homemade black bean vegetable hash.

Tempeh Bacon

Sunday, June 14, 2015 - Lunch
Tempeh Bacon (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This was my first time cooking tempeh (a vegan protein made from cultured soy beans and rice).  The dish was pretty good. It had an interesting texture, much different than real bacon. The flavor was good - the tempeh was soaked in a marinade of liquid smoke, tamari soy sauce, and maple syrup. The smoky flavor really came through.  I'm not sure I would make this again, but I might try tempeh another time in a different recipe.  I'll definitely use the liquid smoke for other recipes as well - it would be good in a variety of other dishes, like soups, beans, and veggie kebabs.  

Served with: Tofu Scramble

Tofu Scramble

Sunday, June 14, 2015 - Lunch
Tofu Scramble  (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This is the second tofu scramble recipe I've made.  The flavor was much different from the first recipe, and it was also very good.  This dish gets its yellow color from the added seasonings: nutritional yeast and turmeric.

It was tasty and filling, and had a hearty, savory flavor. If I had to choose, I think I prefer the tofu scramble recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores, which was a little 'fresher' and lighter tasting, but I enjoyed this one a lot too.  

Ratatouille with White Beans

Sunday, June 7, 2015 - Lunch

Ratatouille with White Beans (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This recipe has been on my "to-make" list for a long time, and I finally decided to try it. My reluctance was partly because of the amount of prep work - many veggies and herbs had to be sliced, diced, and chopped for the dish. The ratatouille is a mixture of eggplant, zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, white beans, herbs, and spices. It took a long time to make, but it was worth it! It was hearty, tasty, and very filling.  I have plenty of leftovers to eat for lunch the rest of the week, too.

Pad Thai

Saturday, June 6, 2015 - Lunch
Pad Thai (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This is my favorite recipe from this cookbook - maybe from any cookbook. I have made this dish dozens of times over the last few years, and it is always delicious. I rarely modify the recipe, because it is so good to start with - the only variations I make are the spice level (2-3 x the amount of red pepper flakes) and the vegetables; I use a little more broccoli than suggested, and I alternate between snow peas, snap peas, and bean sprouts as the second vegetable.

My husband cooks the tofu, because he does a great job getting it just right - slightly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

This was a great meal!  

Honeydew Melon in Coconut Milk

Saturday, May 30, 2015 - Breakfast
Honeydew Melon in Coconut Milk (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)



This was a tasty way to eat honeydew melon - with coconut milk and lime.  I made this for breakfast while we had house guests, and everyone enjoyed it.  I would definitely make this again, and it gave me ideas for other combinations to try, such as cantaloupe with coconut milk and lemon or orange.

Kale Chips

Monday, May 25, 2015
Kale Chips (Recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin)

I've made this recipe once before, and I decided to try it again. I liked it much better this time. It's very important to ensure that the raw kale is evenly coated in oil before baking, otherwise some chips will burn while others are too greasy. This batch turned out great. I'll have a healthy snack to eat this week at work.

Mango Hot Sauce

Monday, May 25, 2015
Mango Hot Sauce (Recipe submitted to Runner’s World magazine reader comments, May 2015, by runner and chef Allan Grossman)

This hot sauce is deliciously sweet and spicy (with the addition of habañero peppers, not called for in the recipe).  It is tasty on tortilla chips, and it would be good on a variety of foods: tacos, burritos, potatoes, tofu, breakfast sandwiches, etc.

This recipe made a large amount (about 3 cups) of hot sauce, so I plan to enjoy it for a while!

Thai Curry with Veggies

Wednesday, May 20, 2015 - Dinner
Thai Curry with Veggies  (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

I was really excited to try this recipe, because I love thai curry, and because the pad thai recipe from this cookbook is probably my favorite meal.
However, I was a little disappointed in the results. The food was good, but a little bland and not at all spicy. After trying the dish and noting the lack of flavor, I went back and mixed in more red curry paste. I ended up using about 4x the amount of curry, and the result was a hint of curry flavor, but still no spiciness.
So I don't know if I got a "dud" jar of curry paste (it was still way before the expiration date), or if it just still needed more. The recipe said that it should yield 2-4 servings, and it actually made 6 servings. So perhaps the curry was overwhelmed by the amount of coconut milk and vegetables.

For the leftovers, I added crushed red pepper, and that elevated the spice level a little. (It also seemed to bring out the curry flavor.)

This dish was good, but it has potential to be even better. I want to try this recipe again - I will buy a different brand of curry and add hot peppers.  This dish would also be tasty with any variety of vegetables, in addition to or instead of those in the original recipe.

Kale and Cauliflower Salad

Monday, May 11, 2015 - Dinner
Kale and Cauliflower Salad  (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This was an easy recipe, and it was a refreshing springtime dinner salad. It was pretty quick to make, including the lemon-vinegar dressing.
I wasn't sure if I would like this recipe, because I don't particularly like cauliflower or vinegar, but it was pretty good. The vinegar taste wasn't overpowering, and the cauliflower blended in with the rest of the salad. I don't know if I would make this again, but I enjoyed it.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Sunday, May 10, 2015 - Dessert
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

These Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins were a great way to use the overripe bananas I had in the house.  The muffins turned out very well, and made a delicious dessert!  The recipe suggested adding walnuts as a variation, so I made some with and some without walnuts.  I prefer the nutty version, but both were very good.

Indian Chickpea Basmati Bowl

Saturday, May 9, 2015 - Lunch
Indian Chickpea Basmati Bowl  (Recipe from Runner’s World magazine, May 2015)

This dish was an easy post-workout meal: cook rice, then top with tomatoes, spinach, chickpeas, and scallions. The sauce is a yogurt-based curry. I only had vanilla flavored coconut milk yogurt, so the sauce was a little sweeter than the recipe probably intended, but it was a good flavor and a light yet satisfying meal.

The recipe for this dish is available on the Runner’s World website: http://runnersworld.com/recipes/whole-grain-rice-recipes-for-runners-0

There are a couple other rice bowl recipes in the same article that also look good.

After mixing the ingredients together

Not-just-for-breakfast Banana Split

Saturday, May 9, 2015 - Breakfast
Not-just-for-breakfast Banana Split  (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This tasty treat is a healthier version of the traditional dessert - it's basically a yogurt parfait with fruit and granola. I used coconut milk yogurt to make it dairy-free.  This was a sweet and filling breakfast meal.

Red Lentil Artichoke Stew

Sunday, May 3, 2015 - Dinner
Red Lentil Artichoke Stew  (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This stew was very hearty and tasted great. It was very filling. The recipe said to serve the stew over rice or pasta, but I think I would have liked it even better in a bowl by itself.

It took a little longer for the stew to cook than the recipe suggested. In the future, I would probably start cooking the lentils separately while making the base for the stew, so that the lentils would soften earlier without the veggies getting too soft. I would definitely make this recipe again!

Served over Israeli couscous, with fresh-baked Italian bread.

Strawberries and Wine

Sunday, May 3, 2015 - Dessert
Strawberries and Wine (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This cool strawberry treat makes a great dessert on a hot day!

When I was a kid, I remember picking strawberries at my grandparents' house, coating the berries with sugar, and putting them in the fridge overnight. The next day, we would eat the syrupy berries as a yummy summer dessert.

This dish is a grown-up version of my childhood treat: just drizzle white wine over the sugared berries, refrigerate, and enjoy!

Balsamic Strawberries

Sunday, May 3, 2015 - Lunch
Balsamic Strawberries (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This dish sounded strange, but tasted delicious. It tasted just like berries on a salad with balsamic dressing, but without the salad. It was a great springtime side dish!  

Mac N Cheez

Sunday, April 25, 2015 - Dinner
Mac N Cheez (Recipe from Mayim's Vegan Table by Mayim Bialik)

This vegan Mac N Cheez recipe was relatively easy and tasted delicious!  It doesn't have the sharp cheesiness that dairy has, but it was a really good creamy cheesy-flavored sauce, made primarily from almond milk and vegan cheese.  I would definitely make this again.  

I made a similar recipe a year or two ago, but this one was simpler and tasted better, in my opinion.

Served with: steamed kale

Vegan "Nacho Cheese"

Saturday, April 18, 2015 - Dinner
"Nacho Cheese" (Recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin)

I was highly skeptical of this recipe.  I usually like things that are naturally vegetarian/vegan, and conversely, I do not generally like foods that try to imitate meat or dairy.  However, I was pleasantly surprised, and this "nacho cheese" turned out very well.  It actually tasted very much like my mom's chili cheese dip that I used to eat many years ago, and which is still very popular among the meat-eaters at parties and family gatherings.  

The dip was not very photogenic, or at least I didn't make it look very appetizing in any of the photos I took, but it tasted good!  Maybe once I start reading some books on food photography, I will learn how to make some of these dishes look more appealing.  

Served with: chips & salsa and my homemade bean dip.  

Pan-fried Asparagus with Lime Juice

Saturday, April 18, 2015 - Lunch
Pan-fried Asparagus with Lime Juice  (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This asparagus was delicious.  The garlic, onions, and lime juice combined for a great flavor!  And pan-frying the asparagus left it just a little crunchy, just the way I like it.  It's probably healthier to steam or boil the asparagus, but I will probably make this recipe again, or at least try adding lime juice to steamed asparagus.  

Fast and Fabulous French Toast

Saturday, April 18, 2015 - Breakfast
Fast and Fabulous French Toast  (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This french toast recipe is amazing!  I have made this recipe many times in the past.  It uses almond milk mixed with sweet spices, and no eggs.  It always smells great while it's cooking, and leaves the whole house smelling like cinnamon.  Today, I topped it with syrup, walnuts, banana, and a dusting of powdered sugar; it was good, but a little sweet for my taste - I think I like it better with just a little syrup.  Yum!