Creamy Spinach and Angel Hair

This recipe for Creamy Spinach and Angel Hair is really really simple and tastes wonderful. A great weeknight dinner you can throw together in less than half an hour with staples from your pantry and fridge. You can even use frozen spinach - just set it in the fridge to thaw in the morning.

CREAMY SPINACH AND ANGEL HAIR

olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup plain soy creamer (I use Silk)
1 TBS nutritional yeast
2 TBS non-dairy cream cheese (I love Tofutti brand)
1/2 tsp. oregano
smoked paprika
8 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions

Start the water for your pasta. Saute the pressed garlic in some olive oil for 2 minutes then add mushrooms and lower the heat. Allow these to cook for several minutes to release their juices. Now add the spinach, plain soy creamer, nutritional yeast, cream cheese and oregano. You can add a small sprinkle of sea salt too. Allow this mixture to cook for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, get your angel hair pasta cooking so both finish at about the same time.

Drain your pasta and add to the skillet with your sauce. Toss to coat well. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil, if you like, and absolutely sprinkle on some of the smoked paprika both for color and for gorgeous flavor! (Alternately, you can drizzle and sprinkle after plating your individual portions if you prefer not to bring the pan to the table.) Serves 3-4 and tastes lovely with a dry white wine.

Easy Going Artichoke Dip

     A great lunch out with my best friend at my favorite vegan restaurant inspired me to veganize Hot Artichoke-Spinach Dip. Loved the Great Sage's version and remembered enjoying my friend's "back in the day" so here is a knock-off of both versions. (I had to do something fun indoors as it is SNOWING here in Maryland 2 days before Halloween!!! CrAzY!!)  It's so gooood!!!!

Easy Going Artichoke Dip

1 can artichoke heart quarters, drained and chopped
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup Vegenaise (or your fav eggless mayo)
1 TBS plain soy milk
2-3 tsp. lemon juice, to taste
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 TBS finely minced yellow onion
a sprinkle or two of pepper and salt

Spray a deep dish pie plate with cooking oil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients well and spoon into prepared dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with simple tortilla chips or crostini. Leftovers would be great rolled up inside phyllo or crescent rolls.

*Vegenaise is my favorite brand of vegan eggless mayo. It is found in the refrigerated section of any natural food store or the bigger chains.

Compassionate Chocolate Chip Cookies

These delicious treats were baked during yesterday's Ravens game - I COULD call them Victory Cookies, because they are winners in that they taste AMAZING but they are also completely dairy, egg and cruelty  free. I am tweaking a recipe here from The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau who is a Vegan Rockstar in my book! I highly recommend reading (and eating) anything by her. Check out HER website www.compassionatecooks.com. I didn't use the nuts, as my crew likes them without, but I would love to try them with pecans. I also plan on throwing in about 1/3 c. cocoa powder next time for a double chocolate cookie.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (about 2 1/2 dozen)

4 1/2 tsp. Ener-G egg replacer
6 TBS water
1 c. Earth Balance non-dairy butter, softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 bag Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips (Or other vegan non-milk brand. Read the label - no tollhouse.)
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (for no sticking and easy clean-up.

In a blender, combine the Ener-G egg replacer with the water and give it a really good whirl to make it thick and goopy like egg whites. Set aside.

In a stand mixer bowl, cream Earth Balance butter, sugars and vanilla. Add the egg replacer mixture and thoroughly combine.

In a sepArate bowl, combine your flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Gradually beat into the wet ingredients and mix on medium for a minute or two. Stir in the chocolate chips (and nuts if using.)

Drop rounded tablespoons on lined cookie sheets and bake for 9 - 12 minutes. (I had to let my first two batches in for up to 15 minutes.) Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Call your best friend, make a pot of tea and eat cookies while you talk and laugh about how Easy it is to Be Vegan!!!

NACHOS!!!

I have been very anxious to try this vegan Queso by Food for Lovers and I found it this morning at Roots Market in Clarksville. WOW!! Not only is this delicious nacho "cheese" sauce vegan (NO dairy or meat) it also has NO fat, NO soy, NO nuts, and NO cholesterol. It is just a bit thinner than I anticipated but once you pour it on chips it is phenomenal!! In fact, it tastes CLEANER somehow, not all goopy like nasty nacho cheese sauce from 7Eleven (which we all know kills you.)

This queso has just 20 calories per serving, so even if you aren't vegan and are just watching your weight (although BEING VEGAN is a great way to do that!) you could drink the WHOLE JAR for 200 calories!!! (I'm kidding....Don't drink the whole jar of queso.....)

Welcome back, nachos!! :)

Double Chocolate Cake

This is a delicious cake that was passed down to me from my dear grandmother. Cakes without eggs were popular during WWII due to food rationing. I couldn't resist throwing in a handful of vegan chocolate chips (I use Ghiradelli semi-sweet.) No need to frost this yummy cake - just sprinkle with powdered sugar!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour                                1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
   3/4 c.  granulated sugar                                    1/3 c. canola oil
1/2 tsp. salt                                                       1 TBS apple cider vinegar (or white)
   1 tsp. baking soda                                               1 c. cold water
   1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder                   1/4 c. vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cocoa with a wire whisk until well blended. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add vanilla, oil, vinegar and water. Stir just to blend. Stir in chocolate chips and stir just to distribute. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. You could also make 8 or 9 cupcakes or a 9 inch single layer cake. This doubles well for a layer cake or a fuller bundt cake as well. Cool completely on a wire rack. Turn out and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Hot Potato Skillet

This is a super yummy entree that gets all brown and crispy and fragrant. Serve simple black beans on the side for a complete protein. So good....... you can eat this breakfast, lunch or dinner!!

HOT POTATO SKILLET

3 medium yukon gold potatoes, diced and parboiled to almost soft
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS. olive oil
1/2 cup fresh corn
2 plum tomatoes, seeded & diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 TBS. nutritional yeast
1 TBS. soy sauce
1 TBS. chili powder (more to taste)
1 tsp. curry powder
3/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 pinch turmeric
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a skillet while potatoes finish boiling. Drain potatoes well. Carefully add to skillet along with all other ingredients. Stir gently to combine. Cook until bottom starts to brown and carefully stir a few times to prevent scorching but be careful not to mash potatoes too much. I like to get the potatoes nice and crispy so cooking times vary. Taste before seasoning with salt, since the soy sauce adds some sodium already. Serve with black beans or another bean on the side or maybe scrambled tofu for breakfast. :)

Peace, Love & Veggies Lor

Another Great Salad

This vegan salad is LOADED with cruciferous vegetables and tastes crunchy and satisfying. We all know broccoli is good for us but do you know exactly WHY? Dr. Neal Barnard explains in his 21 Day Kickstart book that "In the body, cruciferous vegetables stimulate your liver to make enzymes that detoxify and remove chemical pollutants. That's important because all of us are exposed to various chemical pollutants in the air, water and sometimes in foods. Some of these chemicals can damage your DNA, leading to cancer."

Here is my favorite salad for nutrition and health. It is amazing at BBQs and potlucks. Serve it year-round as  its colors are beautiful at Christmas!

Colorful Vegetable Salad

6 cups broccoli florets
6 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
1 small red onion, sliced into thin rings
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1 envelope ranch dressing mix (McCormick's is vegan)
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar

Make the dressing with the dry mix, oil and vinegar in a cruet.  Toss with the veggies in a large bowl and refrigerate at least 3 hours. This makes a large amount but stays crunchy for days! (Notice you don't need to use mayo with ranch mix as suggested on the packet. You may like this combo on other salads too!)

Peace, Love & Veggies! Lor

The Royal Black Bean Salad

This recipe is perfect for summer! Very nutritious and colorful and not too heavy. I eat it as a main dish but it can be a beautiful side salad/vegetable as well. It fits in well as a healthy/vegan addition to a BBQ.

The Royal Black Bean Salad

1 (16 oz.) can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained, maybe try fire roasted
1 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1/3 cup sweet red pepper, finely diced
3 TBS olive oil
1 TBS rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Combine everything in a large bowl and marinate in the refrigerator several hours to blend the flavors. I think this is best eaten within 24 hours as the veggies tend to lose their crunch beyond that. (The flavors still taste amazing.)

Peace, Love & Veggies! Lor

Desire Lines......

Up early this morning and plowing through my ritual - jasmine green tea and time with my pen and journal and favorite authors. Lately that has meant a daily verse of the Tao followed by a writing in 37 days: Life is a Verb by Patty Digh. Today's thoughts from Life is a Verb, written under the premise of having 37 days left to live and how you would spend them if you knew, spoke of desire lines - those paths we take that veer off of the sidewalks and lanes provided because human spirit knows a truer, surer way. Though not provided by architects and landscapers, they MAKE SENSE TO US. So little dirt paths emerge that connect us to where we are going that bypass concrete rules and directions.

So often I get negative feedback or commentary on my choice of diet/lifestyle. What I often hear is what I have come to see as a sad acceptance for an inherited way of viewing the world. This is the way it is, why be a weirdo and question it? Why deprive yourself when everyone else goes with the flow? Who are you to be different?

I'm me. That's who. I'm being Real and being Genuine. I am walking my Desire Line. And it feels amazing.And it makes sense TO ME.

Vegan!

TRUTH: I am not a real princess. I do not even play one on TV. I do, however, look fabulous in a tiara and wear one while vacuuming.
DARE: I am daring myself to commit to being vegan in order to live out my goals of living with Compassion and Love and Peace.

My path to veganism began with going from pescatarian to vegetarian to flirting with full-blown vegan. I am of average weight and good health but with a family history of heart disease, breast cancer and diabetes. After a solid month of VEGAN! I am feeling empowered and strong and healthy.

It can still be challenging, though, playing detective and flushing out animal products from some favorite family foods. My youngest daughter happily asks if something is vegan while she is eating it, but a few hours later asks for McDonald's. Getting the family on board is easier with some planning and that is what I hope to bring to this blog: realistic family meals that nourish and satisfy but maintain my mantra "Eat Beauty."

Peace, love and veggies! Lor