foodie friday: healthy-ish mashed potatoes...

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When I moved to Cali I assumed that it was going to be sunny and warm every single day of the year, but alas, LIES. It gets cold, a lot. I've been craving awful, fatty comfort foods... Yes, vegan's also like those things. So this week I'm making a grain meatloaf and the most delicious, yummy, decadent mashed potatoes that just so happen to be really good for you too. You use navy beans to pump up protein which leads to using less potatoes and because they are blended with fresh garlic they are so creamy and garlicky you really don't miss the butter or cream. I found the recipe at Oh She Glows and made them for Thanksgiving 2011, all of my meat eating friends couldn't get enough, #VeganScore.

what the hell does a vegan eat!?

so, this meal is one of my favorite things to eat ever!!!! ohmygoodness. it's so creamy and yummy and fresh and light and VEGAN!!!! hooray! i got the recipe for quinoa tabbouleh from the vegan table by colleen patrick-goudreau. it will seriously make you very happy, plus it's super healthy. 

1 large or 2 small tomatos, seeded & chopped/1 cucumber chopped/olives chopped(however many you want, they are my favorite part so i do a ton)/3-4 cloves of garlic finely minced. 

i do a 1/4 cup of lemon juice and olive oil(yes. we store our oils in old liquor bottles. we're classy folk.)

1 cup of dry quinoa to 2 cups salted water or veggie stock. i use a rice cooker, it's super easy, almost impossible to screw up.

rinse 1 can of organic garbanzo beans. 

mix everything throughly. 

eat. yum!!!!! eat a lot!!!! trust me you will!!!!! 

what the hell does a vegan eat!?

so this recipe is the greatest thing ever. my steak loving husband is in love with this dish...he doesn't even have to add a meat. it is so satisfying and warm and yummy!!!! i got this from the cook book vegan yum yum. i made a few tweeks, but it's pretty much the same recipe. please make this, you are going to friggin' love it.

get your fave mixtures of italian herbs. i like thyme, basil, and tarragon. 

add a tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 cup of pine nuts and a few teaspoons of each herb. cook until the pine nuts are light brown. 

add 1 can of strained and rinsed cannellini beans. stir gently, so you don't break the beans. after heated through add 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. 

add a crap ton of baby spinach. i usually use an entire bag. it wilts down soooooo much. 

i cook up 1 cup of brown rice in 1 3/4 cups salted water. add cooked rice on top of spinach. it will help the spinach wilt. 

once it's all cooked, gently mix and add the zest of one lemon. 

add 2 seeded and chopped roma tomatoes. heat through.

serve with a lemon wedge.

dude, you will love this. it sounds so simple, but it comes out perfect every time and is really super tasty. we vegans are smart folks. 

what in the hell does a vegan eat?

so, i've been a vegan for nearly 5 months and i am loving it. still. i am amazed that i haven't completely caved at the sight of giant piece of cheese or a deliciously tempting what-a-chicken sandwich! i just haven't been willing to give up how good i feel. now, i know if you think like i did, you assume that vegan food is all rabbit food with a side sawdust like grains. and it is soooooo much more. it's freaking delicious. you can make just about anything vegan, seriously, i have been baking like it's my job. this is one of my most favorite and satisfying meals. it seriously puts takeout food to shame.  

pick whatever vegetables you like. i use cabbage, snow peas, and sauteed kale.

i used udon noodles and a tablespoon of barley miso(sooo good for you) for flavor.

while noodles are cooking, brown up tofu in a little bit of safflower oil and good quality soy sauce(shoyu). once tofu, is browned, remove from pan. add another bit of oil and add cabbage and snow peas. cook until tender but still with some snap to them. add greens and tofu just to heat through. toss another tablespoon of soy sauce to coat and the tablespoon of miso. then just saute for another few seconds until miso is dissolved.  

mix in noodles and...

taaaa-daaaa, yuuum. it's so satisfying. it feels like it's really bad for you, but it's totally not. 

oh, and for dessert, coconut milk chocolate ice cream(my favorite) w/ chocolate chips & crushed walnuts.

so, tell me? does being a vegan seem like crazy talk? could you do it? what do you think would be the hardest foods to give up?

so tasty i had to share...

holy bananas this was good. a few weeks ago, bo and i were hungry and tired and we whipped this meal together in record time, seriously, like 10 minutes total. it was so tasty and not terribly bad for you either.

whole wheat tortillini with artichokes and peas for 2

1 package of ww buitoni pasta

1 can of artichoke hearts in water, quartered

1 1/2 cup frozen peas (we really like peas, use what you like)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 cloves of garlic minced (we like garlic, use what you like)

start water for pasta with peas in to defrost, bring to a boil, and cook pasta as directed on package. heat up olive oil and saute the garlic until it's aromatic, but before it turns brown. Add artichokes to oil and garlic, toss around. add a few table spoons of pasta water to oil. strain peas and pasta and add to oil. mix up and serve. add parm or red pepper to taste. sooo good.

if you try it, let me know how it works out for you.