Good morning lovlies! Sorry for the lack of posting lately – busy busy! I’ve been catching up with friends, work, and getting ready for school starting next week. Oh boy.
I’ve had a yummy past few days of meals. Let’s have a look :)
A snacky snack. Isn't hummus the greatest?
Lunch a few days ago! Tons of raw veggies (I had a tummyache) and leftover Spaghetti Squash Primavera 
Oh, and VegNews for dessert.
Like my big girl lunchbox? Me too
My other favorite tea mug
Possibly the greatest heirloom tomater I've ever seen.
A friend of mine was coming for din din a couple of nights ago, so of course I had to make my famous Spinach Pie! I paired it with some Black Jimaca Rice from Lundberg Farms and Brussels Sprouts - my killer combo.
Mmmm
And of course, there was a little left for lunch! I saved some for today, too. I know, I’m a sneakster.
Then for din din, I whipped up some Great Northern Beans with Mushrooms, some Parsnip Fries, sauteed daikon and carrots, and leftover black jimaca rice. It was a sweet night The poor parsnips got a little overdone (thank you, 3 things on the stove at once!), but they were delicious despite their charred appearance. Next time I’ll be paying more attention to the fries, and less to the stove!
Parsnip Fries
Ingredients:
- Parsnips, amount depending on how many fries you want (I used about 3)
- EVOO
- Sea salt
- Pepper to taste (I don’t like peppa, so I didn’t use any)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Slice parsnips in half lengthwise, then slice into fry-like sticks about 1/4-1/2 inch wide.
- Place on a baking sheet and toss and coat with about 2 tbsp. EVOO and sprinkled with sea salt.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown, tossing halfway through and checking every 5 minutes or so for the last 15.
The fries were so good, and perfectly sweet. I may have snuck a few a few handfuls after dinner…
I will definitely be trying squash, sweet potato, and carrot fries in the near future (yes, carrot fries!). Ahh vegetables, so versatile
Great Northern Beans with Mushrooms
Ingredients:
- EVOO
- 1/2 of a small red onion, diced
- about 6 baby bella mushrooms, washed and sliced
- 2 handfuls TVP
- 1/3 cup water
- 1.5 cups great northern beans
- a pinch of sea salt
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, heat about 2 tbsp. EVOO over medium heat and then add diced onion. Sauté until transparent, and then add mushrooms and sauté until reduced.
- Add water and TVP and allow to cook for about 2 minutes, then add beans and a pinch of sea salt. Cook until thoroughly heated and flavors have been absorbed.
- Serve and enjoy!
This dish was perfect for the cool night we were having, and filled me right up. This was my first time trying and cooking with TVP (textured vegetable protein), and I liked it – slightly meaty texture but without the meat! Vegans and non-vegans alike would enjoy this good source of protein. Plus, beans are unrivaled in the protein ring, and ‘shrooms are my favorite
KATEBARS:
I also had some time to make some more Katebars…but this time, Apple Pie!
Apple Pie Katebars
Makes 5
Ingredients:
- 1/3 + half of 1/3 cup almonds
- half of 1/3 cup walnuts
- 1 cup dates
- 1/4 cup dried apple
- 1/8 cup raisins
- cinnamon
Directions:
- In a food processor, pulse nuts until no whole nuts are left.
- Add dates, dried apple, raisins, and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon (don’t be shy!). Pulse until no whole dates are left and it is beginning to form a ball.
- Place in a bowl and knead it with your hands (the fun part ) until it’s all totally combined. Place on a wax sheet of paper and flatten, then divide into 5 bars.
- Using your hands, make the bars look very bar-like and then wrap in saran wrap or wax paper.
- Refrigerate until ready to eat, and then eat alone, in your hot cereal, or crumbled on anything else. Enjoy!
As usual, this morning the Katebar went straight into my favorite brekkie:
Mmmm, gooey cinnamon morning bliss With a new friend – a fresh papaya on the side! I’ve never had non-dried papaya before, so this was a treat. I love my tropical fruits!
That’s all for now, lovlies! I’m off to work. Today’s a rest day, so I’ll be reading some VegNews and indulging in some vegan desserts
What’s your favorite part of rest days? Do you believe in “active” rest or just relaxing?
xoxox,
