That Was Vegan?

I was going to call this the Cherry Beet Cabbage Pear Chia Smoothie, but that just sounded silly. Then I was going to call it the Cheery Beet Smoothie because c’mon, who wouldn’t be cheered up by something so delightfully pink? And even more important than the color (I guess?) are all the nutrients jam-packed in there!

Beets are a particular favorite of mine, one of those things I enjoy year ’round. I love to bake them in the winter and grill them in the summer… and this is actually my first time enjoying them in a smoothie! They’re full of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B & C, beta-carotine and folic acid, just to name a few.  I’m a total fan-girl for beets, in case you couldn’t tell.

I’ve been making more smoothies in general, actually, now that the weather is getting nicer. I like to whip one up in the evening and store it in an airtight mason jar in the fridge. In the morning I’ll throw it into the freezer for 30 minutes then have it for breakfast. This recipe makes a blender full, and comes in at just under 400 calories which makes it perfect for a meal.

Most of the smoothies I make are green, which is what makes this one extra special. Just seeing it makes me feel better!

What are your favorite smoothie ingredients?

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When you want pasta but still want something different, these Vegan Spicy Drunken Noodles with Italian Sausage are guaranteed to hit the spot! Based on a recipe I found on Pinterest, these noodles are spicy, filling and full of red wine and vegan Italian sausage.

Lots o’ veggies in there too. Use whatever kind of pasta you love. I actually used lasagna noodles that I wanted to get rid of. I cooked them, then sliced them lengthwise into thirds. I was basically going for something like an egg noodle. Only, you know, without the egg. Worked great!

I hope you guys all had a wonderful weekend! It snowed here which is crazy because it’s supposed to be spring, but also not crazy at all because here in Colorado we get all sorts of weather all year ’round. And now it’s a whole new week. I hope your week is a good one, and I hope it includes some deliciously spicy noodles!

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These.

They’re just ridiculous. You should only make them if you’re prepared to eat them all yourself because I promise you, you wont want to share.

These Vegan Maple Bacon Sweet Potatoes will turn you into a greedy jerk who hogs all the food.

My first week post-flu (but unfortunately not post-laryngitis) has just flown by. It’s nice to be back into a schedule and feeling normal. It’s especially wonderful to be able to get outside and enjoy all this sunshine and the mild temperatures.

Are you enjoying spring weather where you live?

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Today is the first day of spring, and given the winter most of the US has just had, you’re probably as ready for it as I am. In honor of the vernal equinox, I give you Five Vegan Dishes that are Perfect for Spring!

Asian Spinach Salad: If that picture alone doesn’t get you ready for warmer weather, then think about this: Crisp water chestnuts, sweet mandarin oranges, and crunchy bean sprouts. Added bonus? It’s fairly quick to make. Get outside for a walk after work, and you’ll still have time to throw this together for dinner!

Caprese Quesadillas: Even if it’s still too cold where you are to fire up the grill, you can prepare these on the stove top and enjoy that light, sweet combination of tomatoes and basil. And cheese. Did I mention there’s cheese in there? Cheese.

Hummus n’ Veggie Melts: Some of us <looks in mirror, sticks out tongue> spent the winter enjoying our favorite comfort foods. There’s nothing wrong with that, but with warmer weather comes the desire to lighten it up a little bit. These melts are light, healthy and delicious. And easy, so easy!

Buffalo Tofu Spring Rolls: No, these didn’t make the list just because they have spring in their name! These rolls embody everything that spring cooking stands for – They’re light, they’re fun, and if the weather is cooperating, you can cook them outside!

Lemony Couscous & Asparagus Salad: I know I just posted this dish a couple weeks ago, but its perfect for this round-up! Asparagus and sweet cherry tomatoes are what spring is all about. This makes a lovely side dish, and the leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day!

Food For Life makes some really great products: Breads, cereals, even vegan meats! If you’re gluten-free, chances are you’ve tried their products. Even if you’re not GF, you probably have. I happen to love me some gluten, but I buy their Ezekial 4:9 bread on a regular basis. They recently sent me a couple packages of their Black Rice Tortillas to try. They’re a beautiful dark purple, and hearty and chewy like GF tortillas are. Because they’re GF they are more dry than the traditional flour version, but still very tasty. I didn’t put mine in the fridge right away like I was supposed to, and they got even drier, so I decided to skip trying to roll them (although if you put them in the microwave they do soften right up). I went for a super-easy-cheater-tostada instead! I simply heated a tortilla and covered with with vegetarian refried beans (I used the recipe from JL’s upcoming pressure cooker cookbook!), chopped tomatoes, enchilada sauce, vegan sour cream and smashed avocados. I said “easy”, didn’t I?

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The Giveaway

One lucky reader will receive two free packages of Exotic Black Rice Tortillas from Food For Life.

This contest is open until Midnight (mountain time), Sunday March 23rd. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced the following day. Enter below.

Contest is limited to US only. Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

These Vegan Tofu Scramble Stuffed Sweet Potatoes make my stomach smile.  They combine my favorite breakfast food with something I love like crazy. I’m such a sweet potato fan! Anything with that much fiber, that many nutrients… and it tastes good? How can you go wrong? Wanna know a secret? I’ve never actually had these for breakfast! Just for lunch and dinner. When you’re making breakfast for dinner, these are a great option because they’re seriously filling and seriously healthy. And you can totes play around with the toppings: Avocado? Absolutely. Salsa and sour cream? Fantastic idea! A big ol’ drizzle of maple syrup? Sign me up! The ones pictured here actually do have avocado on them, although it’s hard to tell.

After the miserable 7+ days I just had, I need good food like this. I woke up 2 Fridays ago with the flu, which grew to include bronchitis, laryngitis, a bacterial infection in my lungs, and two pulled muscles in my abdomen. I missed an entire week of work and life. I truly don’t know where the time went. I started feeling human again on Saturday, and have never been happier to do mundane tasks like laundry, or even coming to work this morning! Funny how illness changes your perspective, eh?

Now that I’m feeling a bit better I’m making the most of it. Yesterday I spent over an hour walking the dogs in the sunshine, then had a delicious Thai lunch with Jamie and Ems. There might have been a vegan blueberry cupcake from Whole Foods for dessert. Then it was back home to just sit in the sun with a book. Loving this warmer weather, and as far as I’m concerned, winter is over. So keep this nice weather coming, please!

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Please tell me you’ve been to (graduated from!?) Nasoya’s Tofu U! It’s a fantastic online resource where you can learn more about tofu, find new recipes, and even download coupons. As a member of Nasoya’s Dean’s List, I’ve had the opportunity to share recipes, thoughts and opinions with other tofu-lovers, and it’s been a blast. This is one of the posts I put together for them, and would *love* it if you could head over there and check out the site and some of the work I’ve done there!

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I’ve always enjoyed a thick, rich, creamy alfredo sauce, and I bet you have too. Who doesn’t? The good news is that even if you’ve gone dairy free (or just trying to cut out the fat and calories), those sauces can still be part of your diet!

I know you’re shaking your head in disbelief right now, but it’s true! I would never lie about something as serious as alfredo sauce.  The fact is, Nasoya soft and silken tofu both make a wonderful substitute for the heavy cream many recipes call for.  To prove it to you, I’m going to share one of my very favorite recipes: Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce! Simple stir it over your favorite pasta (I like mine with whole wheat fettuccine!) and enjoy. Then, try it in your favorite recipe!

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*I was provided compensation but the opinions are 100% mine!

I have a wicked case of spring fever, which is being compounded by the fact that one day it’s almost 70 degrees, and two days later I wake up to a couple inches of snow in my yard. Lucky for me, this salad works in either of those scenarios! My Vegan Lemony Couscous & Asparagus Salad is guaranteed* to either make you appreciate the spring-like weather you’re having, or to cheer you up from the non-spring-like weather you’re having.

See? Win-win!

I just love asparagus, and for the past few weeks it’s been on sale at all my local grocery stores. I don’t think I’ve seen it for more than $1.99 a bunch, and often for much less.  Combined with fresh, crisp cherry tomatoes and a light seasoning, this just screams spring is almost here!

Plus it’s great as a side dish, or on it’s own as a quick n’ easy lunch.

You know what else is here? FRIDAY! It’s time to enjoy the weekend before our alarm clocks go off an hour early on Monday. I plan to get outside and enjoy some sunshine with my pups, maybe use my healed foot a little bit. And if you find yourself in the kitchen with a craving for a light, springy dish, I highly recommend this salad!

 

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*This guarantee is guaranteed to not stand up in court! 🙂

As a brand advocate for Daiya, I’m lucky to be able to create delicious recipes using their fabulous products… and this is one of them! And believe me when I tell you, these Vegan Beer Cheese Nachos will knock your socks off!

Regular vegan nachos are faboo, don’t get me wrong… but when you add a little beer, it just makes it better. I’m not sure why, it just is. Want some more nacho porn?

That’s a whole lotta beer-cheesy goodness, isn’t it? And the best part is, once you get this beer cheese down, you can add any other toppings you want to make your dream nachos.

Mmmmm….. nachos….

We both know you want these for dinner tonight, so go ahead. Make them. I wont tell anyone.

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*I was provided free product, but the opinions are 100% mine!