Fabulous Vegan Recipes

Ok, so this sauce (or gravy in Philly speak) came about completely by mistake. I was making oil-free hummus and messed up so I created this sauce and it is unbelievable delicious. I added some cool veggies to the hummus and it gives the sauce a veggie soup kind of taste. Why was I making oil-free hummus? I bought this fat-free hummus by mistake the other day but I ended up liking it (it was all the usual hummus ingredients except the olive oil). I made some at home but the consistency ended up being way off and it didn't look appetizing. Then I combine with the tomato sauce and it was just so amazing tonight for dinner. So, savor those mess-ups because you can just turn them into another dish!

This dish has so many components to it so make this when you need to escape to the kitchen to cook. Do any of you consider cooking to be relaxing? It is definitely a task where you can tap into your creativity, let go of stress, spend alone time and then enjoy something delicious. This is a dish that you can take your time with and use new spices and veggies. A word about radishes: they are very bitter raw. I used to like them in salads but for some reason I just couldn't enjoy them when just dipping them in hummus and eating them raw. So I baked them and added them to this dish and they actually tasted yummy. I fried the rice for this recipe. Yeah...it gives it a delicious pop, but it's totally optional. However, I suggest you do this.

How are you all doing staying inside? Are you cooking and baking more often? Are you finding it difficult to find certain ingredients? I have not been able to find tofu because it sells out so quickly. I put some in my cart, if I can even find it, and then it disappears. Which I suppose is good news for the plant-based movement since everyone is rushing to buy tofu! Beans it is...this whole shelter-in-place, it's all I can seem to keep in my cart and they are great to buy in bulk. I ordered chickpeas and lentils-my favorite beans ever, and I soak them overnight and cook them the next day. I usually make enough for a few servings so I'm not constantly cooking beans over and over again. I also put some rice in my rice cooker-my favorite long grain brown basmati! It's so so incredible and filling and tasty.

This fall, I began counting my macros and focusing on increasing my protein so that I could start to really build muscle. I hadn't sat down and concentrated on planning out protein filled meals so it took some getting used to. And I also realized that if I didn't think about what I was eating, I would reach for sugary, carb heavy foods. Plant-based protein...that's what this blog post is all about. I'm going to give three meals as an example and list some of my must-have protein-filled foods.

I'm always and forever trying to make rice like they make at Indian or Persian restaurants. It's so delicious, fluffy and flavorful and I love the texture of basmati rice. So, I was talking to a friend who makes rice alot and he helped me with the recipe. The idea is to sautee the rice first and add ingredients that will give it flavor such as garlic, onion, spices etc. I serve the rice with beans or tofu, either sauteed or in a curry sauce. Rice is just so amazing, it's simple but nutritious and is a great alternative to bread or other grains.

This vegan lasagna is made with a cheesy root vegetable sauce. It is nut-free and not made with packaged vegan cheese. A meal made with whole foods, it's is delicious and nutritious.

It's been a minute since I've blogged. It boggles my mind to look back and realize I used to blog three times a week! I miss those days when I had that vigor and enthusiasm for food and cooking and photographing said food. My goal for the rest of 2018 is to get back to blogging and find my love for developing recipes again! Are we really halfway through the year??

I'm hitting a road block in the kitchen. I tend to eat the same foods over and over again and I get bored and restless. I decided to go back to the beginning of it, the very first cookbook I received that helped me make the transition to veganism: The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. Not only does she have amazing recipes but she talks about different plant-based ingredients and why they are so packed with nutrients. That combined with this super cool weather, I decided to make soup with some awesome beans.

I made this lasagna twice, once with the cashew cheese below and some packaged vegan cheese and once with this sauce and just a little packaged vegan cheese. You can make this lasagna with or without the store-bought vegan cheese....or just add a little bit of the vegan cheese to the top of the lasagna. This is a perfect family meal and one that kids will definitely love. My almost two year old niece loves pizza and pasta!

I've had three recipes in my head since coming back to the city after Thanksgiving but I'm low on leafy greens (I know!!) and my new hot chocolate recipe did not photograph well this morning. I have a cool summer roll recipe that I'll post when I stock up on kale. I'm on a sugar detox! My only sugar source has come from dates, other fruit and veggies. I tucked the coconut sugar away and the chocolate chips. I'm also measuring out the fat. I already feel better!

Dinner was soooo good today....this recipe is amazing, low-fat, good for you, creamy and filling. Prior to this, I made mac and cheese a few different ways: with cashews, with vegan cheese and with tofu but never with cauliflower...until now. Wish I had made it sooner; with spices and herbs, it can be dressed up to be quite spicy and savory. I love how this came out and I'm loving my photos!

It's amazing how similar beans are to meat, they are filling and often resemble meat when you make them into a burger or patty. Even better is that beans are way higher in fiber and way lower in cholesterol and don't contain what was once a living creature. I love how beans can fill the meat void and provide a protein filled meal. My favorite beans are chickpeas because I've done the most with them as far as making recipes but adzuki beans are becoming a favorite.

You won't believe what ingredients are in this sauce. I'm so excited it turned out so yummy; I love combining healthy fats and veggies. The trickiest part of this recipe was deciding what to use for the orange color that typical mac and cheese sauce has. With it being autumn, there are quite a few veggies that are the perfect color and that blend well with cashews and spices. It's no secret anymore, see below, that I used carrots and butternut squash. Awesome. 

Happy October 1st!!! It's pumpkin season. Autumn rocks, the air is crisper (finally) and I'm pulling out the boots and leggings. Fall is also time for warmer foods and I've definitely felt more like cooking lately. Indian food is life. I love it, I love the ingredients and especially the spices. They are so warming and filling and SAVORY! It's so easy to make indian food vegan because you can use coconut milk and olive oil instead of butter. You also get your whole grains in rice and protein with the chickpeas. I've made a few indian dishes but this one is my favorite.

I know, it's such a long winded title for a post but this meal is epic and I can't wait to share, This is a wonderful dish filled with whole, clean food. You need your oven and some tinfoil, which makes the cleanup so much easier and some super simple ingredients and there you have it! I just came back from a nice long 7 mile run and I made this for lunch. I saw the maple syrup in my fridge and I got this idea of using it as the sauce for potatoes. And then even better, baking the potatoes in the maple syrup. The end result did not disappoint because this is a super delish meal.

The little one that I take of a few hours a week had leftover quesadillas Monday night for dinner which totally inspired this dish. I don't usually buy tofu because I keep my soy intake to a minimum but tofu is so incredibly versatile and when I do have it, I make a ton of food with it. I didn't have any avocados so I just worked with what I had, fresh organic cherry tomatoes and fresh garlic for a quesadilla topping. Yum and more yum.