Peach and Rhubarb Crisp!

This dessert is from Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet. It's originally called a peach crisp but I added the rhubarb for a tangy twist.

Dinner and Dessert!

Leftovers are wonderful! No chopping or cooking involved....just heat it up and eat. Last night I had some lovely leftover veggies and quinoa. I also took some Match Meat chicken and formed it into little nuggets. I fried them and drenched them in some hot buffalo sauce. 

For dessert I had some non-dairy cookie dough ice cream! I was definitely afraid to give up ice cream in this vegan journey but they have so many options to keep your palate entertained. 

This cookie dough ice cream was definitely scrumptious! Okay, so Purely Decadent also has a brand made with coconut milk and at first I didn't want to try it because I hate coconut (yes, I know I'm probably like the only person who does). But, they were the only brand that had my favorite ice cream, which is vanilla swiss almond. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get past the coconut flavor and I was sadly disappointed. :-(  However, I do enjoy cookie dough as well and I was happy to find this one (without any coconut milk!). :-)

Ooey Gooey Cheesy Pizza!

As I watched my husband and friend scarf down some home made pizza (non-vegan) I realized that I just couldn't take watching them any longer. They offered of course and I declined but I really wanted to partake in some cheesy goodness. It was too late to order from the place that I usually get vegan pizza from, so I suffered in silence and had something else for dinner.

The next day I made a trip to Whole Foods and decided that enough was enough...I was going to have some delicious pizza and no one was going to stop me! I know I sound crazy but I just really wanted some pizza. Anyway, I picked up some ingredients:

Pizza sauce
Whole Foods ready made pizza crust (wheat)
Mozzarella & Cheddar Cheese (Daiya is really yummy or you could use follow your heart)
Mushrooms
Garlic
Vegan Parmesan Cheese (It's kind of expensive at whole foods, so if you can find it online, it might be cheaper).
Cornmeal
Olive Oil
A little sprinkle of red pepper flakes

*I actually already had some of the ingredients at home.

I used a recipe I found on the Healthy Happy Life blog.

 Out of the oven:

 

One down, one more to go. This pizza was so delicious! The crust was just right, the flavor or the mushrooms and garlic were scrumptious, and the cheese was so creamy. Yum! I'm definitely glad I didn't order from the pizza place and I think from now on I'll make my own pizza. My husband (non-vegan) even enjoyed it and couldn't stop talking about how creamy the cheese was. If you're ever in the mood for some yummy vegan pizza please check out this recipe.

Pinto Bean Croquettes with Dijon Glaze

I found this recipe in Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet book. The original recipe uses black-eyed peas but I didn't have any so I grabbed some pinto beans and gave it the old college try. They tasted pretty good and even better with the sauce. I used rice syrup and dijon mustard for the sauce (I think I'll have to try this sauce with some Match Meat chicken nuggets...Yum!). Next time I'll make these croquettes with some black beans. Mind the picture, I didn't have time to do any fancy plating.

Match Meat Dinner

Thursday night I made a pot of quinoa and roasted some veggies. I took some of the vegetables I picked up from the CSA on Tuesday, rubbed them with some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with a little salt and pepper, and topped them off with some lemon zest and juice. They were heavenly!

Last night I paired the leftover quinoa and veggies with some Match Meat Chicken. I tried the Match Meat Italian Sausage and it was delicious. I couldn't even tell the difference! If you're not vegan but trying to cut back on meat, I would definitely recommend trying Match Meat or Gardein products. This was my first time trying the Match Meat Chicken, so I was a little nervous. But, I must admit it was very good. I breaded mine with panko bread crumbs and fried it in the pan with a little vegetable oil. I added some lemon juice, parsley, and of course...Hot Sauce. Yum! You can find more of their recipes on their site.

Veggies and Fruits, Oh my!

I picked up my first bag of fruits and veggies from the CSA (Community Sustainable Agriculture) today and here's what I got:


Romaine Lettuce
Carrots
Chard
Dino Kale
Green Garlic
Baby Peppers
Zucchini
Strawberries
Tangerines
Grapefruit
Lemons

They have locations all over, so please check them out! :-)

Pancakes!

I love pancakes! Mmm...I prefer mine with butter, syrup, and nothing else. I tried to make pancakes a few weeks ago with a vegan recipe I found online, but it did not turn out well. I was very sad and very hungry...But alas, I have found the recipe I have been looking for! I found it on vegetarian.about.com. It's quick and yummy, so please enjoy! I added some blueberries this time to change things up.

                                                          Vegan Pancakes

·         1 cup flour 

·         1 tbsp sugar 

·         2 tbsp baking powder

·         1/8 tsp salt

·         1 cup soy milk

·         2 tbsp vegetable oil

        * I used whole wheat flour, maple sugar, and almond milk because these are the products I had. Use what you have or think is best. 

Delicious!

Newbie

I'm new to this blogging world but I'm very excited to now be a part of it. I began my vegan journey a few months ago and it's been an amazing change in my life. I never in my life thought that I would give up eggs, dairy, cheese, and meat (well, most meat...I still eat some fish sometimes). So, I guess that would make me mostly vegan. I'll let you know when I get rid of the fish and dive into being a full vegan. I began my vegan journey a few months ago and it's been an amazing change in my life. I never in my life thought that I would give up eggs, dairy, cheese, and meat (well, most meat...I still eat some fish sometimes). So, I guess that would make me mostly vegan. I'll let you know when I get rid of the fish and dive into being a full vegan. 

Unfortunately, I'm on this voyage alone. My husband and the rest of my family still eat meat and dairy. That is why I want to share my journey with the vegan flirts, the new vegans, and the old, and I hope that we can share yummy recipes, restaurant experiences, and vegan friendly advice. :-)


  This is what I like to call "Everything Soup" because I put just about everything in it!

-Vegetable Broth (I use Pacific Natural Foods: Organic Vegetable Broth with low sodium)
-Water
-Carrots
-Red Onions
-Garlic
-A little Organic Shoyu
-Wakame ( A type of Seaweed)
-Broccoli
-Kale
-Mushrooms
-And Rice Noodles
Yum!

I saute the onions, garlic, and carrots first with a little olive oil. I add in the broth and some water, bring to a boil, and then simmer. I put in a little shoyu and some wakame. After a few more minutes I throw in the kale, broccoli, mushrooms, and rice noodles. Simmer a little longer and then eat!