Detoxing Celery Soup

I'm not crazy about celery, I mean.. is anyone really? But a few weeks ago Erica gave me a bite of soup without telling me what it was and my first words were 'Oh my god that's good. Wait, is this celery?". Celery is one of those super foods with a ton of health benefits, which you can read about here. I try and do my best to keep a variety of veggies in my diet, but I must admit I don't eat all that much celery. When I get a head of it in my local co-op basket I accept that one or two stalks will be used and the rest will probably go to waste. Not anymore it won't. Eating clean doesn't have to be lackluster. This soup was quick to make and my body truly felt grateful after eating it.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped roughly
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 head of celery, cleaned & chopped roughly
1 large russet potato, chopped into small cubes
4 cups vegetable stock (I prefer Better Than Bouillon vegetable base found at Whole Foods)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: Baguette, sliced and drizzled with olive oil before toasting to perfection


In a stock pot heat the olive oil and add the onion, cook until translucent. Toss in the garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant. Add in the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Allow the soup to cool slightly before transferring to a blender to puree until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Reheat on the stove top before serving. Serve with the toasted baguette slices if using.

Serves 4

Recipe from Goodness Green

Ranch Salad with Buffalo Tempeh

Vegan or not you can't deny the glory of wing sauce. That stuff is just spot on. So when I was browsing through the internet and found a buffalo tempeh recipe I had to give it a go. It came together quickly, which is always greatly appreciated, and the homemade ranch dressing was divine. I had some leftovers so I threw it in a wrap for lunch the next day, which is my preferred way to eat this as I am a wrap enthusiast.

Tempeh and buffalo sauce:
8 oz organic tempeh
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided in half
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth (as the hot sauce tends to be pretty salty)
1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot buffalo hot sauce (Frank's is the original ingredient in buffalo wing sauce)
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Ranch dressing:
1/4 cup vegan mayo
1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
Pinch of coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

Salad:
2 romaine hearts, chopped
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
Extra chives for garnish

Tear the tempeh into large bite sized pieces.

In a large pot add some water and bring to a boil. Toss in the torn tempeh and boil for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the tempeh and saute in a pan with 1/2 the olive oil (2 teaspoons) for 7 minutes until slightly browned.

Once browned, push the tempeh to the side of the saute pan, add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the center of the saute pan and toss in the garlic. Allow the garlic to sizzle in the oil for 15 seconds or so before mixing the tempeh and garlic together, sauteing for another minute. 

Add the hot sauce, vegetable broth, and oregano to the pan with the tempeh and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for five minutes, the sauce will reduce by half.

While the tempeh is simmering in the buffalo sauce whisk all the ranch ingredients together until well combined.

In a large bowl toss the salad ingredients with 1/2 cup of the dressing. Serve in individual bowls before topping it with the tempeh and some extra sauce from the pain. Serve with additional ranch dressing on the side.

*If you want to have a ranch salad with buffalo tempeh wrap just skip the bowl and roll into your preferred wrap, enjoy.

Recipe adapted from The PPK

Mexican Themed Dinner Party Post 1/3: Gazpacho

My best friend from college, Indigo, came into town for a little vacation (click here if you want to view our vacation blog post). I haven't seen Indie since our New Years vaycay to Toronto and Buffalo. Yes, technically it's only been three months, but that's three months too long for us gals. 

With that said, I planned a little dinner party for us with Erica, Erica's boyfriend Shaun, my family, and Marc. Because Indie and I go hard on Mexican food I decided Mexican would be the only appropriate theme. I made Gazpacho, an Esquites Corn Salad, and Baja Tempeh Tacos with a Cilantro-Lime Crema and Cabbage Slaw. I split the recipes into three posts, so stay tuned for the Esquites Corn Salad and Baja Tempeh Tacos.

Gazpacho   

2 pounds tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
½ cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
½ red onion, roughly chopped
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup blanched almonds
1 slice of sandwhich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 medium fresh jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
Salt and black pepper

1 avocado, thinly sliced

Add all ingredients into blender, you may have to do this in batches, and blend until completely smooth. Taste for salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator and chill for a minimum of one hour, this also gives time for flavors to come together. Garnish with avocado before serving. I forgot to take the picture after I garnished, but don't skip on the avocado, it's divine with the Gazpacho.

Recipe by  L.V. Anderson

Maple Spiced Roasted Carrots

A friend of mine always brings cinnamon roasted carrots to class and they're always so delish. I added my own spin to these with a little ginger and maple. This dish takes just a couple minutes to throw together and is always well enjoyed.

1 bunch of carrots, peeled and cut into thin rounds
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup 

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick spray. Melt the coconut oil if it's not already liquid (in South Florida, it's usually always liquid at room temp). In a bowl toss the carrots in the spices, coconut oil, and maple. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the carrots are fork tender, roughly 20 minutes.

Recipe inspired by Olivia Gold

Baked Falafel Wraps

As most of you know the deal in my house goes like this: I can live at home rent free (as a budgeted graduate student this deal can not get any better) as long as I make dinner five nights a week. I really struck gold on this deal; my family keeps a vegan diet in the house (hooray for health!) and I'm able to expand my recipe index one dinner at a time. Well, I've been slacking hardcore lately. I missed two dinners last week, because some extremely important opportunities, or what not, came up. And by opportunities I mean, a cookout with my childhood best friend's family and a Girls season finale night- in which I needed to be away the whole night to both mentally prepare for this finale, and then stay up talking about it after with my girlfriends. I'm a busy gal, what can I say. Anyways, I got the guilt trip from my mom not long after my missed dinners: "I don't care so much about the dinners, but I miss spending time with you". Dagger to the heart. My Mama Bear misses me. So I buckled down and decided to make her a dinner she would love, and I'm pretty sure I succeeded- this dinner was spot on.

Falafel
1 15oz BPA-free can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro and parsley mix (or either or, depending on your taste)

1/4 red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons chickpea flour

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 

Toppings:
*If you're gluten-free, use a GF wrap or omit the wrap and serve over a salad instead

Tortillas (I used habenero lime soft tortillas from Trader Joes, which were to die for)

Arugula, or other preferred lettuce

Tomato, sliced

Cilantro/Parsley for garnish, optional

Tahini sauce
2 heaping tablespoons tahini paste
2 tablespoons vegan mayo
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons Franks hot sauce, optional
1-2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried dill
Water, to thin, as needed

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine all falafel ingredients in a food processor until it forms a 'dough ball'. Using a small scoop, make small rounded balls, flatten slightly, and place on a prepared baking sheet that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

While your falafel are baking, make the tahini sauce. In the food processor combine all ingredients until smooth. Add a little water to thin it if necessary. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Place in fridge to allow flavors to marinate.

Heat the tortillas in the oven for a minute before assembling. Lay each tortilla on a plate, sprinkle with a bed of arugula, tomato slices, and two or three falafel patties. Drizzle with the tahini sauce garnish with the cilantro and parsley before serving.

Makes 10-12 mini falafel patties

*I recommend doubling the tahini sauce recipe since it was such a big hit with the falafel.

Recipe adapted from One Green Planet

Quick Lentil Bowl

This is one of my pocket recipes that I always default to when I'm not in the mood to cook. It's hearty, yummy, and easy. Also, it's a very forgiving recipe so you can really make it your own.

1 bundle swiss chard (or other leafy green)
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
Splash of white wine
1 can lentils, rinsed and drained
Bed of baby greens or quinoa to serve it over (I prefer the greens, but the quinoa is great too if you're a fan of it)
A dollop of vegan horseradish sauce made by Follow Your Heart (found at Whole Foods), you can sub it with some some plant based sour cream or unsweetened coconut yogurt for that tang element.

Chop your greens into bite size pieces. In a saute pan over medium heat toss in the greens and cook until wilted, about a minute, then add in your minced garlic cloves and saute for another two minutes. Toss in your tomatoes and a large splash of wine and cook for another three minutes, until the tomatoes have softened. Add in you lentils and saute for one more minute. Spoon mixture over a bed of baby greens or a bed of quinoa.

Makes 2 large portions.

Creamy Coconut and Roasted Tomato Soup

Roasting Vegetables:
4 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes
1 large yellow onion
3 garlic bulbs
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Soup:
1 can light coconut milk
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 teaspoons garam masala spice (add gradually, to taste)
Baguette (or appropriate GF substitute)
 
Preheat the oven 400°F on a convection setting.

Wash the tomatoes and slice them lengthwise, place them on a large baking sheet that has been greased with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in oven for about 40-60 minutes. You want them to look wrinkly with most of the water evaporated out.

Find a medium sized casserole dish that has a lid and spray with non stick cooking spray. Cut the onion into wedges and add to the casserole dish. Cut the bottom off the bulbs of garlic to expose the inner garlic cloves, add the bulbs to the same dish as the onions. Drizzle with a little olive oil, pop the lid on the casserole dish, and bake until the onions start to turn golden and the garlic is caramelized, roughly 40 minutes.

Now that the vegetables have finished roasting the tomatoes should have shrunk down to about 3 cups. In a large stock pot add the roasted tomatoes and the roasted onions. Once the garlic has cooled enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of two of the bulbs and into the stock pot. Add in the coconut milk, tomato paste, broth, and spices- bring to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, slice the baguette lengthwise and then into 3-inch pieces, drizzle with some olive oil and salt. Squeeze the cloves of garlic out of the remaining bulb and spread it evenly over the baguette pieces. Bake in oven for five minutes, and then broil for another 2.

Carefully transfer soup to blender and pulse for a few seconds, leaving a few chunks here and there.  Serve with a piece of garlic baguette.

Recipe adapted from Oh She Glows

Romesco Potatoes

You know I'm always game for another potato recipe... I could very easily live off of potatoes for the rest of my life. This turned out to be a fresh new spin for the typical spud.

Romesco Sauce
5 ancho chiles (found dried in the aisle with Mexican specialty foods and spices)
2 tablespoons raw almonds
2 tablespoons blanched hazelnuts
1 cup olive oil + 4 tablespoons
1 thick slice of bread
1/3 cup canned pureed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1/2 lemon, for juicing
A splash of red wine vinegar
Salt

Potatoes
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, crushed with the back of a knife
2 bay leaves
6 springs thyme, plus 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Wash the potatoes and stick them in the oven until fork tender.

In the meantime, remove and discard the seeds and stems from the chiles, then soak in warm water for 15 minutes to soften. On a small baking dish add the almonds and blanched hazelnuts and roast them in the oven for 8-10 minutes until they start turning golden and become fragrant.

To make the sauce: Over medium heat add 2 tablespoons of oil to a saute pan, once hot fry the bread on both sides until golden brown. Once the bread cools cut it into 1-inch cubes and set aside. Return the pan to the stove over high heat, add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil, once hot add the chiles, saute for 1-2 minutes. Add in the pureed tomatoes and a hefty punch of salt, cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring until some of the liquid has evaporated. Turn the heat off, leaving the chile-tomato mixture in the pan.

In the food processor pulse together the toasted nuts, garlic and fried bread until coarsely ground. Add in the chile-tomato mixture and process for another minute. With the machine running, slowly pour in the remaining up of olive oil and process until smooth. Don't panic when the sauce 'breaks' (separates into solids and oils), this is normal. Add the parsley, then season with lemon juice, vinegar and salt. Set the sauce aside while getting the potatoes ready.

Once the potatoes are fork tender pull them out of the oven and place them in a large casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Using the fork, crush the potatoes into the pan, leaving some large chunks of potato intact. Drizzle with the olive oil, a hefty pinch of salt, and some fresh pepper. Scatter the garlic over top along with the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and leaves. Stick back in the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.

When the potatoes are done remove the thyme twigs and bay leaves before spooning a cup of the romesco sauce over top. Serve warm. Store leftover sauce in freezer for later use.

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Comfort Mac

For a long time I didn't know if I should blog this. It's not quite a Mac and Cheese, not quite a pasta sauce. It just is. It's my go-to pasta. It's what I make when I just want to lounge around all day, it's what I make when I'm too busy to actually cook something, and it's what I make often when my friend and I are having Girl's Night and get hungry around midnight. It's my go to Mac, and it has been for a year now. It's savory and rich and perfect. You'll just have to trust me on this one. When it's rainy or cold or snowy, or you're just lounging or lazy, then you will make this and then understand why it's been a staple of mine for so long.

2 cups small pasta (elbows, shells, orecchiette, etc. I often use GF pasta for this when I have it on hand)
1/4 cup plant-based butter
1/3 cup nutrional yeast
1 tablespoon Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce
3/4 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large handfuls baby greens mix, like this

Cook your pasta so it's al dente. In a saute pan melt the butter, then add the yeast, braggs, dijon, and garlic powder and mixture until everything is incorporated. It looks chunky and strange, but it tastes heavenly so just have faith. Add your strained pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. Lastly toss in your baby greens and mix, then divide into bowls and serve.

This recipe makes enough for 2 fairly large portions.

Recipe adapted from my friend Anna Bailey

Shaved Brussels Salad Dusted with Black Sesame Salt

The Brussels Sprout has such a bad rep, they're really the underdog of all veggies. They sadly lay idle in the supermarket next to the bitter melon (okay, okay, that reference may be slightly exaggerated, no one likes a bitter melon, Brussels on the other hand are love-hate). Regardless, when I moved back from San Francisco I made my mom some crispy roasted maple balsamic Brussels and she forever has loved them. My dad and brother however were never enthusiastic about them, until now. Behold the raw shaved Brussels salad, who would've thought?

2 lbs Brussels sprouts, if you can find them shredded that will save you some work
1/4 cup lemon juice, from 2-3 lemons
2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (none of that thick sticky diner stuff)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds, toasted over dry heat
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup Bacon Bits (yeah, most bacon bits are vegan surprisingly! Double check the ingredients, but Betty Crocker brand is. If you're GF omit or use 1/2 cup homemade coconut bacon) 
3 tablespoons black tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon good quality salt


Using a knife carefully shred your bag of Brussels and place the shreds in a large bowl, this can be tedious so plug in your favorite playlist and totally make this a jam sesh. At least that's what I did.

In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, and olive oil. Pour your dressing over the shredded Brussels and toss well to coat.

In a pan over medium heat add the sunflower seeds (no oil or non stick spray), and toast for a few minutes. Keep an eye on these to make sure they're not burning underneath. Add the toasted seeds, cranberries, and bacon bits into the salad and toss.

Using a mortal and pester, or a small bowl and a wooden spoon, add in the sesame and salt and grind together. Grinding these two together always give them a deep flavor profile. Dust the salad with the salt and sesame mixture and serve.

The Best Kale Salad

I saw this recipe on my twitter feed and knew I had to make it. I'm always looking for a new way to use kale. It was freaking awesome. Although my Thanksgiving menu was supposed to be set in stone, I went out to Whole Foods tonight to get the ingredients to add this to the list. Unfortunately my picture didn't come out, but you can view a great picture from the original recipe here.

2 bunches lacinato/dinosaur kale, finely chopped or torn into baby bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
4 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Pecan-Parm Crumble:
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Spin the kale dry and set aside at room temperature while you make the dressing. Mince the garlic into tiny pieces, add it to a bowl along with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well. Pour the dressing and cranberries over the kale and toss well. Set in fridge for 30-60 minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, make the Pecan-Parm crumble. Roast the pecans at 350°F for 8 minutes. Add them to a food processor along with the nutritional yeast and olive oil and pulse until crumbly. Once the salad is done setting sprinkle the Pecan-Parm over top and serve.


 Recipe from Oh She Glows.

Roasted Radishes

A gorgeous bundle of rainbow radishes came in my food co-op box last week and I was immediately stumped. Eventually a friend suggested I roast them off in the oven, she said they lose that bitter taste and sort of remind her of mini potatoes when they're done. I gave it a go and I was so impressed. Now I'll finally have something to look forward to when I see the radishes in the co-op box again.

1 bundle of rainbow radishes
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Herbs de Provence
Optional: Squeeze of lemon

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Clean the radishes and remove the tops. Cut the larger ones in half and remove any blemishes. Toss them in the olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Roast for 15 minutes, or until fork tender, flipping them halfway through. When they come out of the oven sprinkle them with a little herbs de Provence and a squeeze of lemon. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake Mini Muffins

Yeah, that's a mouth full. Now try saying that with one of these bad boys in your mouth- impossible. I'm not a baker (that's probably evident by now if you follow my blog), but it is the holiday season... and I did have some extra pumpkin puree sitting in the fridge begging to be used. This turned out to be a great coffee cake, not too heavy, not overly sweet. You can make it mini muffin style like I did, or bake it in a cake pan which may be a good option if you plan on serving this to guests- you know, like for thanksgiving!

Streusel
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
5 tablespoons plant-based butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Coffee Cake

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon clove

1 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a bowl mix together the streusel ingredients until it becomes crumb-like, then set aside.

In a large bowl mix the milk and apple cider vinegar, allow to sit for a few minutes to curdle (it never looks curdled, but don't skip this part, it's important). Meanwhile it's doing its thing, in a seperate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

Add the pumpkin, sugars, and oil to the bowl with the milk in it, whisk until smooth, then whisk in the flour mixture. A fork may be easier than a whisk because this mixture gets very thick and you don't want to over mix.

Grease your mini muffin tin or a 9-inch springform/cake pan with a little bit of non stick spray. For the muffins add a little bit of your mix into the muffin holes, then add a thin layer of streusel, and then some more mix, then finish it off with some streusel crumbles over top. If you're doing this in a cake pan then pour in half your batter, sprinkle it with half the streusel, and then pour over the remaining batter, topping it off with remaining streusel before popping it into the oven. Bake the mini muffins between 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when you poke a muffin, allow to cool before serving. Bake the cake for roughly 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean after poking it in the center of the cake.

If you're looking for a little more sweetness, you can then drizzle it with a maple glaze. I don't think a glaze is necessary so I opted out, but if you're interested here is the original recipe.

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I've got a serious thing for these bad boys. They're so delish. I know so because this recipe converted some sprouts haters into sprouts lovers.

1 bag Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 375° F.

Rinse your Brussels sprouts and then cut them in half and take off the outer leaf if it has any blemishes. Place them in a bowl and drizzle your olive oil and maple syrup over top. Sprinkle with a hefty pinch of salt. Spray a glass baking dish with some non stick spray (I use a coconut non stick) then pour your Brussels in, making sure they're in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip, and bake for another 20-30 minutes. You want them to be tender- they're best when the smaller ones get all nice and crispy! Serve hot and enjoy!

*If you set your oven to the convection setting you can cut back the overall time- start with 10 minutes, flip, then cook for another 15-20.

Roasted Sweet Potato Mash

There is such a difference in flavor when you roast a sweet potato whole vs. cutting it up and roasting it. I can't explain it, both are great, but they're so different. For this mash I roasted the sweet potato in cubes, which both lends to a different flavor and saves cooking time. It's a simple mash that isn't very sweet, like most other sweet potato mashes. Give it a go, I served this with some maple roasted Brussels sprouts, what a good combo!

2 medium sweet potatoes
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4+ cup coconut milk from carton, not can (found in the aisle with the almond milks)
1 tablespoon plant-based butter
2 sprigs of thyme, leaves only

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Peel your sweet potatoes, then cut them into 1 inch by 1/2 inch cubes. Spray a cookie sheet with some non-stick spray (I use a coconut oil non stick). Place your sweet potatoes cubes on the cookie sheet, sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and salt and then lightly mist with more non-stick spray. Bake in the oven until they are soft enough to be flattened by a fork, about 20-30 minutes.

Transfer sweet potatoes to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. Process until completely smooth. You may need a little more coconut milk to get your desired consistency. Serve warm. You can even add a pinch of cinnamon over top before serving if you're feeling really festive!

Fall Lettuce Boats with Crispy Sweet Potato Noodles

If we're being honest this was inspired by the stragglers of this weeks organic co-op box. What could I possibly do with a cucumber, yellow tomato, 1/2 a head of lettuce, two small winter squash that I've never seen before, and 2 sweet potatoes? Make lettuce boats, that's what.

1 small cucumber
1 tomato
6 large leaves of lettuce/cabbage of your choice 
2 very small winter squash that I've never seen before (you can use 1 medium sized butternut squash)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled
Plant-Based mayo
1/2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie spice
Cumin
3 tablespoons maple Syrup
2 tablespoons plant-based butter
Salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Peel your winter squash using a vegetable peeler, then cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Dice into 1-inch cubes. Toss with maple syrup, a few dashes of cinnamon (about 1/2 a teaspoon or so), and a pinch of salt. Pour into a greased baking sheet and top it with the plant-based butter, bake until fork-tender, roughly 25-40 minutes depending on how ripe your squash is to begin with.

Using a spiralizer turn your sweet potatoes into noodles. Like so...

The noodles will shrink by 1/2

In a large bowl toss your sweet potato noodles with olive oil, a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice, a few dashes of ground cumin, and the smoked paprika. Spread the sweet potatoes out on a greased cookie sheet and pop in the oven and cook until crispy, 25-35 minutes.

Meanwhile, dice your cucumber and tomato. Spread a little mayo over each lettuce leaf, then evenly disperse the cucumber and tomato pieces. Once the squash is fork-tender divide the pieces evenly among the lettuce boats. Top with the crispy sweet potato noodles, another pinch of salt, and serve!

Zesty Roasted Asparagus

Once again this brilliant recipe comes from my friend Anna. Seriously girl, can't you open up your own restaurant already?? This dish will definitely be a side at our vegan thanksgiving this year! Oh, and Anna, even though I know you'll be spending the holiday in KY with your family, just know my family has extended the offer. Clearly the way into our hearts is with food!

1 bundle asparagus, trimmed and washed

Olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder, plus extra for later

Salt

Lemon, cut in half

2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Preheat your oven to 425°F. 

Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray (I use a coconut oil non-stick). In a bowl drizzle some olive oil (a few teaspoons) over the asparagus, then sprinkle the garlic powder and salt to taste, and the juice from half a lemon, toss to incorporate. Lay your seasoned asparagus out on the prepared baking dish and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. If you're using pencil-thin asparagus adjust your cooking time to 8-10 minutes. 

Once the asparagus are out of the oven allow to cool slightly, then sprinkle the nutritional yeast over top, along with another pinch of garlic powder, extra lemon juice, and salt to taste. Give the asparagus a good toss so the seasoning is well distributed, arrange on a dish and serve.

Roasted Asparagus Soup

The other day our organic co-op delivered us an enormous amount of fresh asparagus. I was at a loss, what could I possibly do with so many? I did a bit of research and asparagus soup seemed to be the way to go. It sounded sort of strange to me, a soup made out of asparagus...? But I rolled with it and oh my it was delicious! It took 30 minutes from start to finish and was beyond good. I mean, this will seriously be a repeat meal in my kitchen.

2 lbs asparagus, ends trimmed
1/2 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 heaping tablespoons raw cashews
3 tablespoons nutrional yeast
Lemon juice to taste, I used the juice from half a lemon
Lemon peel, grated- don't skip this! It truly completes the soup.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the asparagus on a sprayed cookie sheet, then lightly mist the asparagus with spray (I use coconut oil spray, but olive oil spray or pam will work). Roast for 10 minutes, then flip the asparagus and top with the diced onion and minced garlic. Roast for another 10 minutes. If you have thin asparagus start with 6 minutes, then add the onions and garlic and roast for another 5.

While the asparagus is roasting blend together the cashews and white pepper with 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth- leave in the blender. When the asparagus are done reserve a few heads for garnish. Add the remaining asparagus, onion, garlic, and broth to the blender (you may need to do this in batches), and blend until completely smooth. Pour soup into a stock pot over medium-low heat and stir in the nutritional yeast. Once the soup is hot stir in the lemon juice, then pour it into bowls and grate the lemon peel over top and add the reserved asparagus heads for garnish. Serve.

Recipe adapted from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Mediterranean Polenta Fries with Roasted Tomato Dipping Sauce

I'm a huge fan on polenta but instead of going the traditional route I decided to switch things up a bit, these little guys are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

2 cups organic polenta corn grits (I really like Bob's Red Mill brand)
2 1/4 cups water
4 tablespoons nutrional yeast
4 tablespoons capers, minced finely
Bundle of basil, minced finely
2 large tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 shallot, diced
3 garlic cloves, smashed with the back of a knife
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven to 375°F, preferably on the convection setting if you have one.  Bring your water to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in polenta, nutritional yeast, capers, and basil. Line a glass baking dish with wax paper, then pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish and pop it in the fridge to set.

Lightly oil a baking dish and toss in your tomatoes, shallot, and garlic, then pop them in the oven for 15-20 minutes.  Once your polenta has set, it will be firm to the touch, take it out of the fridge and cut it into 3-inch long by 1-inch wide strips. Spray a cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray, then place the polenta strips on the sheet and give them a light mist of the cooking spray (I use coconut oil spray rather than Pam, but whatever you have will work). Bake them in the oven for 5-8 minutes, just long enough to crisp on the outside without drying out the inside. Once your tomato mixture is out of the oven poor it, along with the juice, into a food processor and pulse, drizzling in olive oil, until desired consistency. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm along side the polenta fries.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Oh My God. This is incredible!!  Hands down one of my favorate mac and cheeses thus far. It is so creamy, rich, cheesy, and filling. And honestly you can't even tell there is squash in this. Feed this to your children! They won't even notice the hidden squash. You can thank me later ;)

1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small cubes
Olive oil
1 tablespoon plant-based butter
3/4 cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz box of (brown rice) macaroni or other small-shaped noodles
Mix-ins of your choice: I added in a handful of raw red kale pieces and some pine nuts which were such great additions. You can also add in some steamed broccoli, pumpkin seeds, peas, etc)

Preheat your oven to 425°F (if you have a convection setting it'll cut the time in half). Toss the squash cubes into a tiny bit of olive oil, then bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove from heat and all to cool. You will only need 1 cup of the squash, if you have extra then save it- it would be a great mix-in at the end.

Cook your pasta according to package directions. While you pasta is cooking make the cheese sauce. In a small sauce pan over medium low heat melt your plant-based butter. In a small bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients: milk, cornstarch, yeast, mustard, spices, lemon- until clump free. Then pour into the butter and whisk over low heat until it starts to thicken, about 4 minutes. In a blender blend together 1 cup of the squash and the cheese sauce, then return to the stove to reheat. Pour over your pasta and stir to coat, add in your mix-ins (I used the kale and pine nuts but I wish I had some extra squash to toss in as well), then serve.

Makes four small portions, recipe from Oh She Glows