Vegan Lemon, Arugula, & Apricot Side Salad:

Hey all! Happy Monday! I got back from Fort Lauderdale late last night, and I'm trying to get moving on this Bar prep stuff. I had another great weekend. We took a road trip to South Florida for my friend Liza's law school graduation party, and the weekend was full of fun and friends. Her party was full of delicious food, from gourmet grilled veggies to roasted artichokes and tomatoes. Did I mention that there were bottomless mimosas as well?...Coupled with beachfront views and an after party at the pool?...Clearly we all had a great time.

Anyways, I have so much to post. I will get to it. I promise. I have tons of new recipes that I can't wait to share, and I can't wait to finish writing my post that I've started on everything that has been going on in my life recently. It has been a whirlwind.

In the meantime, though, this salad is amazing. This was the first time that I can remember eating apricots (absent being in jam or in cookies), and I have to admit, I'm a little enamored. They're delicious and fresh, and they have a sweet yet tart flavor that pairs so well with the arugula and sesame oil in this salad. Serve with toasted baguette bread if you have it.

Ingredients:

2 cups baby arugula

3 apricots, thinly sliced

1 to 1 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. lemon juice (or to taste)

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a salad bowl. Toss to coat.

Vegan Beet, Carrot, and Snap Pea Cous Cous with an Apricot Lemon Arugula Side Salad (Recipe to Come!):

Quick Update: I cooked this for my mother last night. It was delicious. All of the flavors melted together beautifully. I used ginger, a touch of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, lemon, cayenne, and salt. Because my mother and I love wasabi, I also added a touch of wasabi on the side.

I will post these recipes at some point this week. My family has been in town for my graduation, and I haven't had my computer with me. My mom and I are about to head to the beach, and we're going to make tapas when we get back. I can't wait! Just so you all know, I have had the most amazing week with my family. I am so incredibly blessed to have them in my life. I'm tearing up just thinking about it. I wish that I could transport them all to Florida and never let them leave.

Anyways, I hope all is well with all of you! Can't wait to catch up with everyone. ❤❤❤

Garlic Bread Crostini with Arugula, Asparagus, and Bell Peppers:

Looking for a light yet tasty appetizer? This is perfect. It packs a nice garlic flavor, with hints of lemon, cayenne, basil, and arugula. The asparagus and bell peppers are lovely toppings, and they bring a lot of color to the dish.

Ingredients:

1 cup asparagus, shaved or cut in half
1/4 cup green bell pepper,sliced
1/4 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup arugula
15 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil or vegan margarine
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. + dash of salt, divided
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of dried basil
Pinch of onion powder
6 slices of your choice of bread

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the garlic, a dash of salt, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil/vegan margarine in aluminum foil.
2. Once the oven has preheated, place the wrapped garlic in the oven, and roast for 15 to 20 minutes. The garlic will be tender when it's ready.
3. While the garlic is roasting, add the asparagus, bell peppers, remaining olive oil/vegan margarine, lemon juice, salt, cayenne, basil, and onion powder to a large skillet. Toss to coat, and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
4. Turn the heat up to medium-high and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so (until the veggies are a little charred).
5. Once the garlic is ready, pull it out of the oven, and mash it in a small bowl.
6. Toast the bread. Once the bread is ready, spread the mashed garlic mixture over each piece, and top it with the arugula, and then the veggie mixture.

Rotini in Vegan Lemon Cream Sauce:

This recipe is so easy and so delicious! You may not see anymore recipes on this because I might have to start making this every day. The creaminess of the garlic, Tofutti sour cream, and almond milk lend a savory and comforting flavor, while the lemon adds a nice touch of citrus, which brightens it up and makes it appropriate for the coming summer months.

Ingredients:

1 package rotini, cooked according to package directions

1 cup arugula

1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream

1/4 cup vegan margarine

1/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt + more (to taste)

Dash of paprika

Dash of thyme (optional)

Serves 4.

Total Cook Time: 20-25 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, strain, and reserve about 1/2 a tablespoon of the cooking water.

2. Add the vegan margarine and olive oil, and stir until melted. Next, add the Tofutti sour cream, almond milk, nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, salt, paprika, and thyme. Add more almond milk if necessary. Stir until the sauce is covering the pasta evenly.

3. Top with the arugula, and then splash it with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Serve with grilled veggies.