Vegan Mashed Potatoes & Caramelized Onions:

Lala...love this recipe.

I have to admit, mashed potatoes have always been a favorite food of mine, not only because they're carby and starchy and comforting, but also because they're ever present at pretty much every family gathering. 

They remind me of all of the holidays and times spent with those I love the most. Funny, how something as simple as mashed potatoes can stir up such emotions, but these definitely do the trick for me. When I do actually take the time to make and enjoy mashed potatoes, I also take time to reminisce and be thankful for everyone who I've been blessed to have met in this beautiful and crazy life. I hope that these potatoes take you to that same place. 

Summer Pasta in a Light, Vegan Cream Sauce:

This is the kind of pasta that you get when you don't want to dirty another pan to make a sauce and when you're out of most of the ingredients that you usually use to make said cream sauce. 

(In other words, this recipe is perfect who those of you who are just starting out as vegans and have absolutely no idea what nutritional yeast is, let alone where to buy it). 

I have a TON of different recipes for vegan cream sauce. In fact, I rarely make the same one twice. I will tell you, however (no matter how convoluted this particular recipe may be), that every single one of my cream sauce recipes is pretty simple to make. 

All day at work, I was dreaming about a creamy pasta, laden with vegetables. I knew that I had broccoli that I needed to use up, and I almost forgot about the bell peppers that were hiding in my fridge. I also knew that I had almond milk and a little bit of vegan margarine sitting on the door of the fridge, so I figured I'd combine the ingredients. The result? This delicious and (almost) guilt-free vegan pasta. 

Because I usually use Tofutti products and nutritional yeast to thicken my cream sauces, and because I had neither of which when I made this, the sauce is thinner, and thus, has a much lighter feel. It's perfect during these waning days of summer.

In fact, I enjoyed it while sitting on my front porch, watching my neighbors walk their dogs. There was a light breeze, and the sun was just beginning to set. I'm finally starting to feel a bit settled in. :)

Ingredients:

1 box Farfalle pasta, cooked according to package instructions

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 1/2 cups broccoli, cut into medium florets

1 small yellow onion, sliced

5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1/4 cup white cooking wine, divided

1/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk

2 tbsp. vegan margarine

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Dash of paprika

Serves 4 to 6.

Total Cook Time: about 25 minutes.

Instructions: 

1. Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and the crushed garlic. Cook according to package instructions. 

2. While the pasta is cooking, add the onions, a dash of salt, and about 1/4 tbsp. of the olive oil to a large skillet. Cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes, and then add about 1/8 cup of the white cooking wine to the skillet. Continue cooking until almost tender, about 6 minutes. 

3. Next, add the red pepper, broccoli, and the remaining white cooking wine to the skillet. Add another dash of salt and the paprika. You probably also want to add another 1/4 tbsp. of olive oil. Cook on medium-high heat for another 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Drain the pasta, and then add the vegan margarine, the remaining salt, and another dash of paprika. Stir, and add the almond milk. 

5. Turn the burner on low, and let the almond milk thicken up a bit, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for another 3 minutes or so. (The sauce should thicken up a bit more).

6. Stir the veggies in with the pasta and serve.

Another favorite: Rotini in Vegan Lemon Cream Sauce.

A Simple Summer Snack:

Hey everyone! Here's a simple and healthy recipe for a snack or light lunch. I utilized some of the season's best ingredients here. (I think by now, it's pretty apparent that I love tomatoes and avocados). If you love these veggies as much as I do, this recipe's for you. Add a little sriracha to the mix, and you've got yourself a little snack party. 

Ingredients:

1 large yellow tomato, diced

1 small white onion, thinly diced

1/2 an avocado, sliced 

2 tbsp. hummus

2 tsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. Sea Salt

1/4 tsp. dried cilantro (1 tsp. fresh)

Dash of cayenne pepper

Serves 2.

Total Cook Time: 5 minutes. 

Instructions:

1. Add the diced tomatoes and onion to a bowl. Stir in the olive oil, sea salt, cilantro, and cayenne. Toss to coat.

2. Split the tomato mixture into two servings, top each with half of the avocado slices and 1 scoop of hummus. Serve with tortilla chips (optional). 

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.

Tomato Basil Salad With Vegan Mozzarella Crumbles:

Yum yum yum. This salad was perfect for my Florida day, sunny with a high of 76. It's hard to imagine that some of you are getting snow right now. I'm also loving the fact that the sun is staying out longer. It's so lovely, and it gives me a lot more time to get good pictures for this site. I even have time to go for walks after work now without having to worry about it getting dark out.

Since I last posted, I  had tons of fun at Barrister's Ball, got a little sick, got and started a new (and awesome) job, and have been trying to finish and tie up loose ends at school. Some pretty big decisions are looming; decisions that I thought I already made. But new opportunities are always good, and surprise twists in life keep it exciting. I'd rather be surrounded by doors than walls. Fortunately, I trust my gut pretty well. I somehow seem to have steered myself in the right direction so far, so I'm very confident about what lies ahead of me.

Enough of that, let's get to talking about the food. This tomato, basil, and mozzarella combo is a classic. It's light and delicious, with a subtle hint of sweet basil. The balsamic vinegar gives this salad a nice bite, and the ripe tomatoes will melt in your mouth. I got the mozzarella recipe from Artisan Vegan Life. It's an awesome recipe, and the cheese is pretty easy to make. For all of you stuck in the snow,  eat this salad for a quick reminder that summer is right around the corner (hopefully).

Ingredients:

2 cups tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup vegan mozzarella, crumbled

4 Boston lettuce leaves

1 clove roasted garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. basil (to taste)

1/4 tsp. salt

Dash of black pepper

Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Serves 4.

Total Cook Time: 10 minutes 

(not including the time it takes to make the mozzarella)

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients except the lettuce to a large bowl and toss to coat. If you don't want to mix your mozzarella in, sprinkle it on top once everything else is mixed together.

2.  Serve the salad in the lettuce leaves (as pictured above).

Juice Review: Odwalla Superfoods and Smoothies

I was sick over the past few days, so I haven't been cooking anything blog-worthy. I did make this really spicy soup that made me feel a thousand times better, but other than that, I haven't really had much of an appetite.

As a result, I picked up these Odwalla Fruit Smoothies so that I could at least get some nutrients in me. The green one is the company's "Original Superfood, " which blends a bunch of super foods with spirulina,  and the orange smoothie is "Mango Tango," which has mangoes, bananas, apples, and oranges in it.  They are both delicious and 100% vegan. They're fruity and sweet (and delectable). I like to drink them for breakfast and for snacks during the day. They're good for times when you don't have the ingredients or the time to make a green smoothie, but still want to reap the benefits of one.

Whether you're looking for an immune system boost or just some energy to get you through the rest of the day, you should definitely try Odwalla products. Look for them in grocery stores, pharmacies, and health food stores. Your can usually find them at gas stations and quick marts too. I found these ones at Walgreens while I was stocking up on medicine and Vitamin C.

20 Ways to Eat Sriracha:

Sriracha: a beautiful combination of sun-dried chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and touches of salt and sugar. Its spicy yet versatile flavor just may be the finishing touch that you need. Given that it's so versatile, sriracha goes well with just about any dish without overpowering it. I've just started using this sauce, and I can't get enough. I love it. In fact, everyone seems to be going crazy over it lately. Even Lay's Potato Chips have jumped on the bandwagon. Don't worry if you're a little late to the party...I've compiled a list of 20 Ways to Eat Sriracha. It's delicious. Here it is:

20 WAYS TO EAT SRIRACHA:

1. On pizza - use as much as you want. :)

2. In burritos or tacos - just a drop of sriracha goes a long way with flavor, but feel free to load it up anyways.

3. On potato chips - Lay's does it.

4. On tortilla chips - mix 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of sriracha with 1 cup of salsa for an added kick.

5. As a salad dressing - mix 1 teaspoon sriracha with 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and a touch of salt for a yummy dressing.

Substitute it for the hot sauce in this recipe.

6. On cauliflower or tempeh wings - sriracha = a great wing sauce.

7. In bloody marys - I always love a spicy bloody mary.

8. On fries  or in hash browns - because sometimes ketchup and hot sauce get boring.

9. In a sandwich.

10. On sushi - swirl it on your sushi with wasabi, and you'll have all different kinds of heat going on.

11. In pasta sauce - add a few drops of sriracha to tomato sauce or vegan alfredo to give it a surprising yet delicious flavor.

12. In desserts - a dab or two of sriracha would go a long way in dark chocolate brownies or cupcakes. (Recipe to follow).

Vegan Bean Burritos & Avocado Lime Guacamole:

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can easily customize it. I think that jalapenos would be a very nice addition, as well as salsa or rice. You could also substitute black beans or chickpeas for the refried beans. These burritos are  definitely filling and delicious. You can definitely get your protein fix here. Your omni friends and family won't miss the meat at all, promise. Also, I would've preferred to use flour tortillas, but I only had spinach wraps at the time. Just use your favorite kind of tortillas.

Guacamole:

Ingredients:

1 avocado, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. lime juice

Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Process until nice and smooth.

Burritos:

Ingredients:

1 (15.5 oz.) can refried beans

1 tomato, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tsp. olive oil, divided

2 tsp. water

1/4 tsp. salt

4 flour tortillas

1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream (optional)

Hot sauce (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Add 2 tsp. of the olive oil, the onion, and the garlic to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until soft and a little browned, about 10 minutes. Add the 2 tsp. of water if the onions get too dry while cooking.

2. Once the onions and garlic are soft, stir in the refried beans, salt, a dash of hot sauce, and remaining 1 tsp. of olive oil. Continue cooking on medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.

3. Once the beans are ready, assemble the burritos. Fill the middle of each tortilla with the refried beans (add whatever else you want in there: more hot sauce, salsa, peppers, etc.), and fold.

4. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook one burrito at a time, on each side until browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Mix the sour cream and some hot sauce together. Top the burritos with the guacamole, tomatoes, and sour cream/hot sauce mixture.