It’s no secret how I feel about casseroles – I love ’em! Here are just a few of my favorites…

• Slow-Cooker Bean and Cornbread Casserole
• Spaghetti Pie
• Green Chile BBQ Cowboy Casserole
• Layered Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole
• Smoky Kale and Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole
• Cheesy Vegetable Casserole
• Macaroni n’ Cheese Sloppy Joe Casserole
• “The Best Fall” Casserole

And to add to that list, I now present my Enchilada Pasta Casserole with sweet potatoes and black beans!

It’s a little spicy and a little sweet, and very filling! This would be perfect to put together on a Sunday afternoon when you have a little time, then throw it into the oven to heat up one night after work (when you don’t have a little time, ha ha).

Enchilada Pasta Casserole (makes 6 servings)

Adapted from non-vegan/vegetarian recipe

Ingredients:

• 13oz box whole wheat shells
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small bite-sized pieces
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 10 oz red enchilada sauce
• 1/3 cup vegan sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheddar (I used Daiya)
• 1/8 cup shredded vegan mozzarella (Daiya again!)
• 4 oz chopped green chilies
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can black beans
• More cheese for sprinkling
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Diced green onions

Directions:

1. Place the pasta shells in boiling water, cooking for about 3/4 the recommended time. When there’s 2 minutes left, add the chopped sweet potatoes. Drain when finished, reserving a half cup of the water. With the pasta and potatoes still in the warm pan, stir in the cream cheese until melted.
2. In a bowl combine the enchilada sauce, sour cream, both cheeses, green chilies, corn, tomatoes and beans. Add the pasta mix. If it needs more moisture, add some of the cooking water.
3. Transfer to baking dish, and top with additional cheese and bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes until all the cheese is melted, then top with the crushed red pepper and green onions.

Enjoy!

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Reia has been telling me about Marg’s Taco Bistro (and their yummy vegan options) forever, but I just never got around to trying it… until now! I’ve actually been there twice in the past month and could kick myself for waiting so long!

They have an amazing list of margaritas to choose from, as well as wines and other cocktails. You’re gonna want to start with one of those, and an order of guacamole…

Don’t eat the flour tortillas, they have lard!

Their menu is great for vegans and omnivores alike, especially since you can sub tofu into any taco you want! Just be careful, as their flour tortillas (which they also bring along with chips and salsa or guacamole) are made with lard. Vegans can get their tacos in either corn tortillas, or lettuce. You’ll also want to ask for your beans sans cheese.

The Ninja with tofu and a lettuce wrap

The Belle (top) and the Korean (with tofu)

My two favorite tacos are the Belle (made with marinated portabello mushrooms, slaw and guac) and the Korean (tofu, pickled cucumbers, sriracha and a Korean BBQ sauce).

My favorite margarita is the Strawbanero… which is exactly what it sounds like: Strawberries and habaneros. Each sip starts sweet and ends really, really hot…

Marg’s has 3 locations: Cherry Creek, LoDo and Uptown. I’ve been to the Cherry Creek and Uptown locations, both are great for people watching while you eat and drink! I went with my friend Justin and we had a great time just sitting in the sun, drinking and talking!

Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

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Just a quickie post today, and a reminder… don’t forget to enter for a FREE copy of Happy Herbivore Abroad! The contest ends tonight at midnight.

A couple weeks ago my friends Justin and Jonathan were visiting from LA and I had the best time catching up with them!

Me and Justin

Jonathan (who didn’t want his picture taken)

When I lived in LA I was friends with this whole group of guys, a couple of whom lived in my same building. Jonathan was actually just a few doors down from me. We were all in our early 20’s and only Justin had kids, so it was a really simple and fun time in our lives, which means that when we get together now there’s LOTS to laugh and reminisce about. They all still live in and around LA and are all still besties, which makes me a bit jealous.

I realized during this visit that those really were “the good ol’ days”… I just wish I had realized that while I was still living in them!

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This contest is now closed and the lucky winner is… Shannon, who is already vegan and has started cutting out processed foods and making her own granola… way to go!  Nancy! She recently switched from vegetarian to vegan (yay!) and saw a huge difference. Way to go Nancy!  FYI- the original winner never responded to my email, so I ran the random number generator a second time.

I’m a huge fan of Happy Herbivore and all of Lindsay’s cookbooks, but I have to say this is my favorite by far. All of her recipes are simple, easy, delicious and HEALTHY! I’m not always a low-fat or oil-free vegan but I definitely try to eat like that sometimes, and her cookbooks are my go-to when I want a yummy-yet-healthy meal.

One of the cool things about this cookbook is how it’s separated into different regions of the world so you can always find something that appeals to you, no matter what kind of mood you’re in. A great example is her Gazpacho, recipe below:

Gazpacho, reprinted with permission

Here are a couple of my favorites:

No-meat “meatballs” over whole wheat spaghetti (page 181)

These little balls held together really well and were very flavorful. They’d also be wonderful in a “meatball” sub or on pizza! (Note to self: Make a “meatball” pizza…)

Lentil taco “meat” (page 43)

I’m quite in love with this lentil taco meat.  It’s super quick and easy to make in the food processor and has so many potential uses. It’s the perfect (healthier) alternative to those “hamburger crumble” type mock meats.

I’ve tried a few other recipes that I didn’t photograph, including Thai noodle soup and Pineapple rice and loved them all. Bottom line, this recipe is full of recipes that will appeal to all types of eaters, both vegan and omnivore (and everyone in between!).

Here’s the recipe I promised, scroll down for the giveaway deets!

(reprinted with permission from Happy Herbivore Abroad)

Gazpacho

Gazpacho originates from Andalusia, my favorite part of Spain, and it’s traditionally vegan. The first time I ever had gazpacho was actually in Andalusia, back in 2007. Scott and I had just arrived in Seville (pronounced like “sa-vee-ya”) and dipped into the first cafe we saw hoping to find a quick bite to eat. It was fairly late in the afternoon, just after siesta, and the restaurant wasn’t yet serving its dinner menu (Spaniards eat dinner rather late at night by American standards — after 9:00 p.m.), but the waiter offered to bring us two bowls of gazpacho leftover from lunch.

The idea of a cold soup initially sounded strange to me, but I was so hungry and melting under the fierce Andalusian sun that I was willing to try anything that was cold and nourishing. After a few spoonfuls, I felt shameful for being so pessimistic—gazpacho is deliciously light and refreshing! Now I look forward to having a bowl every time I visit Spain, and it’s one of my favorite recipes to make in the summer when tomatoes are in season and overflowing in my garden.

Serves 2

• 1 slice stale or toasted bread
• 3 plum tomatoes
• 6” cucumber
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded
• 2-3 green onions
• hot sauce (optional)
• red wine vinegar (optional)
• water

Chef’s Note: For a cool and refreshing soup, store your veggies in the fridge before use. You can also add an ice cube to the mix, if necessary.

Chef’s Note: The heel of the bread is best in this recipe. Finally a use for the heel!

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulverize into a soup, adding ice cold water as necessary to achieve the right smoothness and soup consistency. If you do not have a strong blender, you may need to chop your vegetables up beforehand. Taste, adding hot sauce or red wine vinegar to taste, if desired. In Spain, gazpacho is topped with chunks of raw vegetables like Spanish onions, green bell peppers, and celery.

Per serving: Calories 118, Total Fat 1.2g, Carbohydrates 24.1g, Dietary Fiber 5.3g, Sugars 12.5g, Protein 5.7g

The Giveaway:

One lucky reader will receive a copy of Happy Herbivore Abroad!

The contest is open until Midnight (Mountain time), Monday 6/3. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced the following day. To Enter: All you gotta do is leave a comment below telling us what changes you’ve made to your diet to make it healthier. Did you give up oil? Cut back on nut butters? We want to hear!

Contest is limited to US and Canada only. Good luck!!

*The publishers provided me with free product to review, but the opinions are 100% mine!

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Quick post today, still recovering from the weekend, ha ha! It was full of old friends, margaritas, the most delicious drink ever called a Shanghai Mule, late-night bike rides, beer and hiking. As soon as I download my pics, I promise to share, but for now you’ll just have to make due with these Hummus and Veggie Melts.

They’re so quick and easy, perfect for dinner (or lunch!) when you have no idea what to make and much healthier than take out. They’re simply english muffins, hummus, veggies and a dab of vegan cheese.

Toast your english muffins, then slather them with your favorite hummus. While they’re toasting, water saute a handful of vegetables with a sprinkle of powdered garlic (I used kale and orange bell peppers). You don’t need to cook them all the way, just soften them up. Add them to your muffins and top with some vegan cheese and stick under the broiler until the cheese melts. That’s it!

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Since moving to Denver I’ve felt lucky to be surrounded by so many vegan dining options. Some are hidden gems, and some, like Root Down, are pretty well known within the vegan community. And why wouldn’t it be? Just look at that menu, plenty of “vegan by request” options on there. And really, doesn’t seeing the word “vegan” on a menu just make you all squishy inside?

Root Down has been on my dining wishlist for nearly 2 years, I just never quite made it there… Until now. I went with a small group and although I was the only vegan, everyone was more than happy to eat plant-based with me, and (most importantly) to let me eat off their plates 😉

Before we get to the food though, let’s just talk about the restaurant itself. It resides in what used to be a service station, and has a really great vibe.  A little trendy, a little industrial, and  very comfortable and inviting.

Garage doors from when the building was a service station

And now, the food. First up was the Sweet Potato “Falafel”, topped with an Israeli salad, sesame seeds and chile oil:

They were crispy, and the sweetness of the potatoes went perfectly with the chile oil. I could’ve eaten 3 more, honestly.

Next we tried the Veggie Burger Sliders:

You see that red sauce in the background? Jalapeno jam, thankyouverymuch! I dipped everything in that sauce, the sliders, the sweet potato fries and possibly even my spoon, ha ha. The sliders themselves were tasty and perfectly cooked. If only all restaurants served handmade veggie burgers like this!

I also sampled the Stir Fry Tofu which was served over this mushroom risotto cake that I’m not sure I can even accurately describe:

It was literally a cake of risotto, all crispy on the outside and smooth and creamy on the inside. I don’t know if they fried it or baked it or how exactly they got it that way, but it was divine! There were also tons of veggies including carrots, eggplant, anaheim peppers and garlic, and it was all topped off with a coconut cream and spicy date sauce. This was seriously delicious. The tofu itself was cooked the way it was meant to be (in my opinion), it was crispy on the outside and soft, almost flaky on the inside. In a way it reminded me of breaded fish, although it tasted nothing like that of course.

And finally, there was dessert….

Confession time… I don’t really remember exactly what this was. It was strawberry sorbet with oats and sweet celery. I think maybe it was deconstructed apple pie, but I might be wrong. I didn’t take notes because I rely on the menu to help prompt me, but it was a special that night and so it’s not listed. All I can say for certain is that it was delicious, hope that helps, ha ha.

Okay, so now we’re going to switch gears and talk about the bathrooms. You might think it’s a strange thing to talk about during a food review, but the bathrooms were just so cool that I can’t not mention them!

What makes a bathroom cool? Smart sinks!

 Did that make sense? Or do you need something a little more visual?

Yes, that’s a sink above the toilet! You wash your hands, and then the next time someone flushes, the toilet refills with my used sink water. Brilliant!

Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

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These Agave Roasted Red Potatoes are a simple yet delicious side dish suitable for any meal. Literally! You could serve these alongside some grilled tofu and a kale salad or as part of a fancy dinner party. Heck, these would be great for Thanksgiving too! They’re sweet, but not too sweet (thank you, chili powder!), and you can make them as crispy as you like.

So, this is pretty cool. About a month ago I was walking along a trail (I’m not going to say where, the reason for which I’ll explain in a minute) when I glance up into a tree and happen to see an owl. A great horned owl, to be precise. I can’t even remember the last time I had seen an owl, let alone in broad daylight, so I stood there for at least 10 minutes just watching him from a respectful distance. He was awesome.

I didn’t spot him again until 2 weeks later, this time he was with his mate! Great horned owls mate for life, which is really neat. I’ve actually become a bit of an expert on these amazing birds. For instance, did you know that their average life span in the wild is only 13 years, yet in captivity they can live for more than 28 years? It’s very sad that up to 86% of GHO deaths are caused by mankind (shooting and trapping, hit by cars, electrocuted by high power lines).

This past Sunday I was meandering by and saw the one adult owl, and as I was admiring him I saw movement just below him, where I then saw two owlets! Baby owls! So cute! This is a terrible picture that I snapped with my iphone:

It’s terribly fuzzy but you can see how the two babies are snuggled up to each other. The one on the right kind of looks like a puppy, haha.

I went back last night with my “big girl camera” (this is the dramatic part of the story)… I saw one of the adults, but no sign of the juveniles. I stayed quite far from the tree the adult was in, assuming the owlets were in the same one. I was circling it, looking for them while keeping an eye on Mama (or was it Daddy?) when allofasudden I look up and right in front of me is one of the owlets! It was so close I almost could’ve touched it! But I’m not crazy, and I saw the wings start to flap so I turned and crouched and got the heck out of there as quickly as I could. I don’t want any owl talons in me! And I felt horrible for inadvertently disturbing them. I would never have gotten so close if I realized where the birds were. From now on, I’m staying on the path!

I did manage to snap a picture though! Isn’t he beautiful!? Not sure how how old he/she is, but it’s definitely a juvenile so it must’ve been born earlier this spring.

Here’s Mama/Daddy. You don’t need to be an owl mind reader to know what he’s thinking…

In case you’re wondering why I made a point of not sharing the location of this trail, it’s because of idiots like this. You suck, Gazette.

Agave Roasted Red Potatoes (4 side servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb red potatoes
• 1/4 white onion
• 3.5 Tablespoons agave
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon+ chili powder (more to taste!)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• a couple pinches of freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tablespoons vegan butter, melted

Directions:

1. Wash the potatoes and cut into large bite-sized chunks. Chop the onion as well, somewhere between a dice and a chop (a large dice?) and set both aside.
2. In a medium bowl mix the remaining ingredients together until completely blended. Add potatoes and onions and mix until coated.
3. Spray an 11×17 baking dish with non-stick spray and pour in the potato mix. Bake at 375 until the taters are tender, 30-40 minutes, stirring two or three times during. Give another sprinkle of sea salt before serving.

Enjoy!

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I stole the term “joyful vegan” from JL, but other than that tiny little detail I have really come to own the term. To make it mine. To live and breath it.

I had started to let things bother me. From angry omnivores (and rude party guests) to the mundane stresses of daily life, I was letting things get under my skin. Then I had a total meltdown on a new neighbor who didn’t deserve it. A woman who, as I later found out, has much bigger problems than I, and who – of the two of us – was the only one with the right to a meltdown! I’ll spare you the details because I’m not proud of them, but the silver lining is that it gave me a wake up call. A few days later my father passed away, which also taught me a few lessons.

As I thought about it, I knew I didn’t want to be the person who got angry when someone took her parking spot, when someone cut her off in traffic, when things just plain didn’t go her way. I want to be the person who takes a deep breath and rises above it all with a smile. I don’t want to judge those who make different choices than I do, I want to be kind to everyone and have more than enough love to go around. I don’t want to snap at the people I love just because they can’t read my mind. I don’t want to be angry at myself for falling short of expectations and goals that don’t really matter. And I don’t want to be weighed down by disappointment, regret or frustration.

I want to be a joyful vegan!

I’ve learned a few things in my 30-something years on this earth, and one of those is that the best way to make changes in your life is to, for lack of better phrasing, pretend you’ve already made them. Sort of like… ‘fake it till you make it’, I guess. Want to eat healthier? Pretend (to yourself) that you’re someone who eats healthier! Then, when faced with the old cookie vs. apple dilemma, you know which choice to make because you’re already thinking like the healthy eater. Want to start going to the gym more often? You gotta get yourself into the mindset that you are that person who goes to the gym, even when she’s sleepy/lazy/doesn’t feel like it. See?

In my case, I’ve decided that I am a joyful vegan. And when I start to see behavior or emotions that run counter to that fact, I simply whisper to myself “Joyful Vegan”, and I’m reminded of who I am and who I want to be.

A joyful vegan.

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If you’re here for the the Virtual Vegan Potluck, welcome! Add some of the Vegan Bacon and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms to your plate before they’re all gone, ha ha!

And if you’re not here for the potluck, well welcome anyway! And may I also suggest that you head over to Vegan Blogs Unite to check out the entire event from start to finish. I think you’ll find plenty to eat salivate over.

So, mushrooms. Glorious, delicious, oft-maligned mushrooms. Personally, I love ’em. They’re perfect in salads, in stir-fry’s and on pizza. And when you have some vegan cream cheese and bacon that you just need to stuff into something, well mushrooms can’t be beat!

I made a hilarious (to me) joke about mushrooms in the last virtual potluck, and although I wont repeat it here, just know that I’m laughing to myself as I type this. I may or may not have snorted, I’ll never tell.

But, in all seriousness make sure you continue along the blog chain, whether you’re going in order and are on your way to visit my girl Bex at Vegan Sparkles or if you’re a renegade who is making your way backward and are about to hit up Saving the World One Bite at a Time – either way, you can’t lose!

Bacon and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 8 slices vegan bacon (I used Smoky Maple Bacon Marinated Tempeh from Tofurky)
• Smoked applewood sea salt
• 1/2 cup minced sweet onion
• 1 dash powdered garlic
• pinch chili powder
• 16 oz white button mushrooms, cleaned and de-stemmed (save the stems!)
• 4 oz vegan cream cheese
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• S&P
• Green onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon per package instructions, sprinkling with just a bit of the applewood sea salt. Remove from pan and chop. Set aside.
2. Water saute the onions with the garlic and chili powder over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Chop the mushroom stems and add to the pan, leaving over medium heat.
3. Reduce heat to low and add the cream cheese, nooch and chopped bacon. Taste test and add salt and pepper as needed. Place mushrooms on foil covered baking sheet and stuff with cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. The filling should be hot and the mushrooms should be soft! Top with green onions and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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