Heading to Philadelphia

Hey friends! Happy Friday. I'm taking a weekend trip to Philadelphia and am looking for recommendations! I've been once before - 10 years ago (I'm feeling super old right now). Anyway - suggestions for a vegetarian/vegan cheese steak? This is my main goal. Also, I'm sooooo looking forward to a high temperature of 49 degrees on Sunday. Do I sound crazy yet? I'm even feeling like 20 degrees is 'warm' these days. Oh, cruel winter, how I hate you.

Throwback from my Philadelphia trip - 10 years ago!! Whoa.

What are your weekend plans? Going anywhere fun or still snowed in?

Farm to Table Roasted Vegetables

When winter is dragging me down I have to remember that even though I can't have a juicy, sweet, bright red tomato, winter has its own gifts from the ground and I need to work with that. I'm going to share a really easy recipe with you that you likely already make, but the story behind it is really the best part.

The company I work for (Steelcase) brings in different internal and external speakers for an ongoing series we have called Curious Minds. Last summer, they held a Curious Minds event to launch a new mobile farmer's market that would be visiting us each week, called the Veggie Van. The Veggie Van is part of our Grand Rapids YMCA community outreach efforts, and the purpose is that they bring fresh fruits and vegetables to urban areas where they might otherwise not have access while supporting local farmers by selling their produce. To help keep this program sustainable from a cost standpoint, they visit locations like my workplace, hoping we will spend more than the people in the urban areas. Not only does the Veggie Van have local produce, but they come up with their own fancy recipes (in the fall my favorite was butternut squash risotto) and they also sell things like local raw honey, maple syrup, and cheddar cheese.

I look forward to shopping there each Thursday afternoon! Lately I've been buying root vegetables to roast. It's really easy and delicious! I use beets, carrots, potatoes, and onion that I buy fresh from the Veggie Van.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash, peel, and/or cut everything into bite size-ish chunks and place in a large bowl. Cover your veggies with olive oil (a tablespoon or two) and some spices - I use lemon pepper, garlic, and sea salt and stir to coat evenly. Spread your veggies onto the parchment paper like so...

And bake for about 25 minutes - take it out to turn over/spread around and bake about 20 more minutes. My oven is a little iffy, so keep an eye on it! When they look good and roasted, remove and enjoy! They go well with anything - we had them as a side with crab cakes this weekend. I know I've been trying to eat vegan, but the crab cakes were so good!!

Do you have any good wintry produce recipes? Next I need to experiment with squash, cabbage, and cauliflower and spice up my repertoire!

Vegan a Week #4

Geez, this week has been kinda busy with work and extracurriculars! I had hoped to post sooner. Anyway, it's hump day and also my vegan day of the week! For breakfast I had a quick cup of coffee and an almond poppy seed muffin from a mix I had that happened to contained no dairy - yay!

For lunch I had my typical salad with my typical dressing, which may sound boring, but I love salads! I had some pretzels and fruit on the side.

For dinner I made another Plated dish. I broke down and ordered a second box because I had a $10 off code for the polar vortex induced late delivery of my first box. This was Andrew's and my least favorite dish so far, even though we both liked it and felt like it was healthy. I made Israeli couscous and kale with za'atar seasoned tempeh and tahini dressing. If it weren't for the freshly squeezed lemon juice on top, I really wouldn't have been able to enjoy this, but that made all the difference. We both felt like there just wasn't a lot of flavor, and I'm not one to add salt so I just dealt with it. But it was still good and actually this was the easiest dish to make so far, which counts for something a lot!!

Doesn't it look fancy?

I've had so much fun making vegan dishes so far this year, but this week I'm really feeling strapped for time which makes it difficult. When I have a little extra time I still need to look into make ahead things like soup and snacks. Keep those recipe suggestions coming!

Vegan a Week #3

It's only Thursday and I've already had two vegan days this week! I've already become much more conscious about what food choices I'm making even on the non-vegan days. It is hard though, if I don't bring enough food to work and need a snack, I can't just get any old treat from our cafe, so I need to look into good vegan snacks that I can buy or make ahead of time.

So on Monday and Wednesday I basically had the same thing for lunch. I made a red leaf lettuce salad with veggies and an avocado - since I can't have the creaminess of goat cheese, I love having avocado in my salad! I made a simple vinaigrette dressing - olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and garlic, shaken. I had blackberries, strawberries, and clementines and mixed nuts on the side. On Monday, I still had leftover French breakfast puffs, so I brought along one of those for dessert. On Wednesday, I brought an apple cinnamon oatmeal.

For dinner on Monday, I had my leftover Frito casserole. Then last night I made one of my favorite dishes, avocado enchiladas. Here's the inspiration: a few years ago, I went to San Francisco with my cousin Andrea. We were in the mood for Mexican one night, and a Google search led us to The Little Chihuahua, where I had their amazing avocado enchiladas. I needed to recreate this dish, so I found an amazing recipe for homemade vegan enchilada sauce from Bonzai Aphrodite, and covered some simple tortillas rolled with guacamole for my own version. (Just bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes). Yum! I normally heat up some black beans for the side.

I cleaned my stove top for you guys!

& I even have leftovers to eat for lunch today! 

So my new year's resolutions have been going really well! My other resolution is taking the stairs instead of the elevator if I'm not in a hurry (mainly at work, I'm not trying to climb 12 flights of stairs just to prove a point), and I haven't taken the elevator since new year's eve! I like to shoot for goals I can actually achieve. A few years ago my resolution was to keep cash in my wallet at all times, and I've been doing that ever since. That might not make sense for everyone, but I've found it really helpful.

Thanks to those of you who have left me vegan recipe ideas! That is so nice of you. Keep them coming!

Easy Vegan Frito Casserole

This one is a throwback (and how can it not be, with a name like Frito casserole). My mom used to make this for us when we were little, only with ground beef. I tweaked the recipe just a bit to make it vegan. I know this sounds silly, but seriously, it's so good!

Ingredients
1 can chili beans
1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 chopped pepper (red, yellow, or orange)
1/3 cup almond milk
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cilantro (optional)
Fritos (lightly salted, if you can find them!)

Optional toppings
avocado
jalapenos
cheese
sour cream

Now all you need to do is combine all the ingredients in a big bowl until mixed...

And then transfer to your 1.5 quart round casserole dish...

Top with however many Fritos you feel like topping with, and cook for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

After patiently waiting half an hour, add a few toppings and enjoy!

Note: The dish on the left does have dairy cheese on it - but mine on the right is sans dairy! One thing I want to try making this year is vegan cheese...intimidating!

What are some of your so-easy-you-can't-believe-it's-vegan favorites?

Vegan a Week #2

Week 2 ended yesterday and I again waited until the last day of the week, but I'm okay with that. With all the crazy weather we've been having, I didn't have a chance to really go shopping until the end of the week, plus my Plated box had arrived late Thursday, with one of the meals being vegan, so Saturday was the day!

I wanted something sweet for breakfast, so I found a recipe for some French breakfast puffs that I hadn't made in a while. Although this isn't the recipe I used, it appears to be exactly the same. I obviously substituted the dairy ingredients with vegan alternatives. I had to run to Meijer for the almond milk before I could make them, so this ended up being more like brunch. Bonus: when I went to Meijer I also picked up grapefruits! Mmm. Along with my coffee and a few blackberries, this was a delicious brunch!

I had a small snack in the afternoon of cinnamon graham crackers topped with Jif natural peanut butter and a clementine on the side.

For dinner, I made my second Plated creation. This one was for tofu, cashew, and pea stir-fry. Although it still took me a little longer than the directions stated, I have made stir-fry many times before, so it was much easier. I loved learning a different way to cook tofu, it turned out beautifully! And the recipe included ginger root, and I LOVE ginger. I was really impressed with the portion size of this meal. Both Andrew and I had a little bit left over for a midnight snack.

Andrew and I then headed out to see the Grand Rapids Symphony perform, and since I'm a member of their young professionals group, we were invited to a post-concert champagne toast. I had to avoid all the fancy chocolates, which was difficult, but I did enjoy a drink or two. I also happened to reconnect with a woman that I met like two years ago at a vegan potluck. She is going to invite me to a monthly vegan get-together she sets up here in Grand Rapids. It really is a great city for vegan options!

Vegan week #2 was a success! I can't wait to see what other meals I create or get to try this year!

Vegan a Week #1

One of my resolutions for 2014 is to eat a vegan diet at least one day per week. I've been wanting to incorporate more vegan meals into my life, but having a tough time actually doing it, so I think this is the perfect way ease into it. Once a week is still a bit challenging for me, but it's just enough to allow me to see how time and wallet consuming being vegan might entail. I began yesterday, so I wouldn't skip the first shortened week of the year.

For breakfast I made coffee and added a bit of coffee-mate (not the purest of choices, but it doesn't contain dairy), had a couple clementines, and cooked up some Ore Ida hash browns with red onions, garlic, and topped with Tabasco sauce. I would normally cover my potatoes with cheese and cook an egg or two for the side, but I skipped it this time. I also considered making a package of muffin mix, but it contained egg. Darn, you really have to pay attention!

Mug from The Mitten State.

For lunch I just made a salad with red leaf lettuce, cucumbers, tomato, and a simple homemade vinaigrette (dijon mustard, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil - shaken). I had Stacy's Pita Chips and spinach hummus on the side.

That didn't quite fill me up, so sure enough, my cinnamon graham crackers contained no animal products, and I covered them in peanut butter for dessert.

I wouldn't say I cheated for dinner, but I wasn't sure I had anything to make at home, so we grabbed Qdoba after running some errands. I got a naked vegetarian burrito, skipping the cheese and sour cream. (Don't you hate it when they don't give you enough guacamole)? 

So that was day/week 1 of 52! I definitely snacked way less than I would have on a normal day, especially with all our Christmas candy still laying around, and I really had to pay attention to those hidden ingredients because a lot of stuff contains a little egg or milk! 

If you have any great (preferably easy/with few ingredients) vegan recipes on your blog or somewhere else on the interwebs, please share! I want this to become so easy that I do this more than one day a week.

Foodagram

I really do enjoy remembering the great things I ate, so I take pictures and make them pretty on Instagram. Haters, they gonna hate. And I'm gonna drool.

Lunch the other day - Morningstar veggie burger topped with cheese and lots of veggies, notably avocado. Also mozzarella sticks with marinara and granny smith apples, strawberries, and blackberries.

Vegan meal from a Symphony event we volunteered for. I'm not certain of all the ingredients, but the way they cook their tofu is excellent and to die for.

One of my favorite dishes to make - avocado enchiladas. I make the sauce myself and it is so worth the effort. This would be vegan if I didn't put the cheese on top, which makes it even more rewarding! Mmmm.

Someone at work had these! I asked where they got them and they let me try one! I'm so excited because of the viral youtube video from this summer, "Hot Cheetos and Takis."

White sangria. I'm on a white wine kick these days. I think I'd like red more if it was something people drank chilled.

And the vegan banana coconut cake I shared my recipe for. It's so good I can't even

Eating My Vegetables: Kale

Ugh, I can't believe I let myself go without updating for a whole week! I think I've definitely felt uninspired because I have the winter blues, and it snows like everyday and our heating bill keeps going up and up! I just want the sun and a temperature above 30 degrees! I tried not to let it all get to me, but it's getting to me. End rant! Send your warm vibes my way: )

So, I recently decided that I want to try and incorporate some new vegetables into my diet, because there are so many that I still haven't tried! My first choice was one I've had a few times before, but never actually purchased and cooked with myself - kale! Kale seems to be everywhere right now, so I figured it's about time I jump on the bandwagon. I bought a big ole bunch for $1.49 and just figured I'd make kale chips because I've tried those before. I ended up not making kale chips, but found another recipe with an Indian influence. The primary ingredients were chickpeas and kale, and I thought it turned out great! I almost always fail when I try and make Indian dishes, so I was really excited that this one worked out - and better yet, was completely vegan! Here's a link to the recipe, from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

{Photo from Mixed Greens Blog}

I had some kale left over, so I added it to the salad I brought to work the other day. I thought it complemented my spinach well, and tasted a bit like broccoli...? Anyone else experience that? Anyway, I'm glad I experimented with it and definitely think I'll be buying kale again.

What are your favorite kale recipes? And what other lesser used vegetables should I try next?!

Easy and Delicious Tabbouleh!

I'm not all that amazing in the kitchen, but I would love to share one of my favorite recipes with you. It's easy and healthy and only takes a few ingredients. (I get very discouraged when someone posts a great recipe but I am short about seven ingredients, grr)! So here it is, tabbouleh!

What you need:
1/2 cup bulgur wheat
Juice of 1 lemon (appx 6 tbsp)
1 cucumber
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes
1 bunch of parsley (I prefer curly leaf)
3 tbsp olive oil (the recipe I go off of uses a 1/2 cup! way too much!)

So you first juice your lemon and use 4 tbsp of that to mix with the bulgur wheat in a small bowl to help it soften. It's supposed to sit for 20-40 minutes.

Next, set that aside and chop up your parsley, tomatoes, and cucumber into pretty small pieces.

Put all of your veggies in a large bowl, and add to it the remaining lemon juice and your olive oil. The tabbouleh is best with some fresh chopped mint as well, but I usually don't spend the money because it's kind of expensive and you don't use much of it.

Finally, add your bulgur wheat/lemon juice mixture to the salad and mix it up. Tabbouleh is actually better if you let it sit overnight so that the flavors mix and the bulgur wheat is soft. Once it has sat for long enough, enjoy! It's great with falafel (I normally use a boxed mix) and pita bread and hummus, mmm. 

Bonus cat picture^.^ I let him watch: )

Let me know if you try it out! I could eat tabbouleh every day, it's so delicious!

3 Easy Vegetarian Dinners

I think I set a new record, because I have made myself and Andrew dinner THREE nights in a row! I am just now regretting not take photos, because I want to share my simple vegetarian meals with you, but I will do my best to share them anyway. FYI, the average time (besides oven preheating) for these meals is just 15 minutes! Each meal serves two and costs about $5 total.

Night 1

I had a coupon for any frozen item from Alexia, and it happened to be on sale! Woo! Anyway, I sauteed this up and added some red pepper and spinach to bulk it up, since I used this as a main dish and not a side. The oil is included in the package and it only takes about 12 minutes, like the package says. Before I put it in the bowl to serve, I added some goat cheese at the bottom and then stirred that together with my veggies. It was delicious, easy, affordable, and pretty healthy!

Night 2

Andrew and I love these MorningStar Mushroom Lover's Burgers. I had a coupon for these too, huzzah! Anyway, they do not take long to make at all on the stove. Just a few minutes on each side, but do not forget to add some swiss cheese when you have a couple minutes to go. I served it on a bun with spicy mustard, spinach, onion, and tomatoes. I also baked some Ore Ida crinkle fries and cut up a Honeycrisp apple for sides. We had coffee for dessert. Andrew said it was the best meal he'd had in a long time! (The fries took much longer than the veggie burger, so keep that in mind if you make this!)

Night 3

I don't know why I have never bought this pizza crust mix before, because you just have to add water. Thanks, Betty! We have bought the premade crusts before, but this is so much cheaper and tastes way more homemade! All you need to do is combine the mix and water, let it sit for five minutes, and then spread it on your pizza pan and add the toppings. I added tomato sauce (didn't have any pizza sauce but this worked just fine), minced garlic, fresh basil leaves, tomato, Italian shredded cheese, and goat cheese, yum! I thought it turned out really well and Andrew was 3-3, loving this as well.

I feel so accomplished and like we saved so much money! We tend to go out too much because we don't have time or we're too hungry and we'll spend anywhere between $10 and $20 even for takeout! So crazy. What are your favorite quick vegetarian meals? I'd love to know because I need more ideas! 

Hot Dogs and Ice Cream

today was the prettiest day we've had since last friday, so we had to celebrate! we almost went back to cinco de mayo for the sangria margaritas, but we walked up the street to jonny b'z instead. being vegetarian, it's always great to find a delicious veggie dog, and theirs is delicious. they also toast the bun, yum! i got mustard, tomatoes, onions, and pickles on mine. andrew always gets the veggie chili.

 i like the above picture because the little girl at the pinball machine had a crazy outfit on! a crazy orange piece in her hair, a nice dress, and cowboy boots! andrew looks nice too; )

we walked back home to eat on our swing!

 i lost this necklace with some of my other jewelry for a year and a half and i FINALLY found it! i always get compliments on it and tonight was no exception.

 new beer we tried from martha's vineyard. they spoke very highly of it. i really like it for an IPA. check out their website here.

brad walked over to join us for dessert. andrew took us to the jersey junction in east grand rapids. the line was huge, but went pretty fast.

they had hudsonville ice cream, so delicious! and a large assortment of candy and other treats. i'm not going back to eastown sweet treats after coming to this place. they had great prices, too. next time i want to try the chocolate covered fruit kabob, it looked sooooo good.

we walked around gaslight village with our ice cream and andrew almost lost his scoop.

brad's new friend!

my blue lips and my pretty boyfriend. happy friday! how did you spend the day?