Okay. So I went a little bit overboard with the zucchini buying this week. I have 1 large and 6 tiny (they’re adorable!) zucchini. I made some zucchini pasta last night to go with my RAWsome green smoothie (recipe follows). It was DELISH. I am going to use the rest of the zesty marinara to top some avocado crostini for breakfast. YUMMY!

Moving on. So. Zucchini surplus. What is it with me and an overabundance of vegetables this week? Not that I’m complaining. I love veggies. And fruit. It’s an equal partnership to keep my body happy. So. Too much zucchini (since I don’t like having pasta every night, and I’ve already made some wraps…). I’m going to make some crunchy zucchini chips.

Yes, you read that correctly. ZUCCHINI CHIPS. Spicy ones. If they turn out, I’ll share the recipe. I just have to wait for the kale chips to crisp before I spice up my zucchini and start dehydrating it.

Now for that recipe that I promised…

Green Sunshine Smoothie

2 ripe bananas (make sure they have brown spots)
1 kiwi
3 tangelos
3 kale leaves, stems removed

Place all ingredients in your blender, with the wettest (tangelos, everyone. NOT bananas. Don’t be like me.) ingredients on the bottom, kale on the very top. Blend away. ENJOY!

“What’s this?” said Ish. “It’s a parsnip,” I replied. “A what?” “A parsnip. Kinda like a carrot, only sweeter. They’re good.” Ish put the parsnip back and looked at me like I’d just stated that the sky was green (it wasn’t in case you’re wondering). I love parsnips. If you haven’t tried them, they’re great slow roasted with some carrots and sweet potatoes. Parsnips are also a great substitute for crab (if you have the inclination or miss crab salad) in the vegan world. I will admit that I’ve been missing my pre-vegan crab salad loving ways. It’s not the crab that I miss, though-it’s the creaminess and the contrast of textures. So I set out to replicate the flavors that I loved so much. I don’t have any kelp powder (just haven’t been able to find any locally and am absolutely against paying more in shipping than the actual jar is worth!), so what I came up with didn’t have that ‘fishy’ taste-but it was cool, creamy, and just what I was missing. I caught Ish stealing bites out of the fridge before it had chilled (I like to let it sit for awhile to let the flavors meld). Here’s the recipe:

‘Crab’ Salad

• 2  c  shredded peeled parsnip
• 1/4  c  finely chopped celery
• 1/4  c Veganaise
• 2  tblsp minced fresh onion
• 1-2  tblsp  soy or almond milk (coconut isn’t the best for this) for thinning
• a pinch of  kosher salt
• a pinch of  freshly ground black pepper

Mix everything well and let it chill for at least 1 hour. You can mix this recipe up by adding cayenne or hot sauce-it’s very open to interpretation. If you sub scallions for the onion and add some slivered almonds it’s really yummy, too!

Since my first attempt was SUPER successful, I thought ‘why not?’ So, I made another batch of brioche this morning…but this time, I baked it the old fashioned way. (I have to say that my house smells AMAZING!) It turned out wonderfully!! I did cheat a little and let the bread machine do the mixing-there’s really no nice warm spot in my house that I can use to let the dough rise since I live in Texas and it’s 70+ degrees in the winter. Since my recipe turned out so well, I thought that I would share (and I did promise Christina that I would post the recipe). I will warn you that this recipe is DELICIOUS, and may cause you gain a few pounds since it’s hard to have just one slice.

My Brioche:

And now…

I started preparing for our month of full-blown veganism (remember that I am vegan, but Ish is not). I have to start by saying that I am SO excited!! I went to the grocery store and loaded up on all of the good stuff: plenty of veggies, fruits, legumes, and some nummy soy products. When I got home, I got started prepping. I wanted to make sure that there were plenty of hubby-friendly snacks on hand (he doesn’t like to do much prep), so I chopped some veggies, cleaned some cherry tomatoes (YUM!), and made power balls and granola. I LOVE granola. My house smells heavenly, and now I can’t stop snacking! While the granola was baking, I also made a wonderful sushi salad. It was so yummy, I ate until my tummy hurt (in a good way). I stumbled on the recipe in my new cookbook Appetite for Reduction and was definitely not disappointed. Ish even thought it was particularly yummy-in fact, the salad tasted just like my favorite veggie rolls! I will definitely have to make it again. I wanted to be sure to share my recipes for the power balls and granola, as they have been snack staples for me (just not normally in the same week), and are great for curbing those holiday cravings for less than healthy snacks.

The granola is simple (I just eye the quantities): combine 2 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1/4 c almonds, 1/4 c walnuts, 1/4 c cashews and 1/4-1/3 c seeds (sunflower or pumpkin work well) with 1/4 c canola oil and 1/3 c real maple syrup in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add in a dash (about 1/8 tsp) of salt, and some cinnamon (taste it so you don’t get too much). Then, dump your mix onto a baking sheet and spread it out. Pop everything into a 350 degree oven. Set your timer for 5 minutes-the take the granola out and stir it…repeat another few times, until it turns yummy and golden. Be careful not to let it burn! I didn’t watch carefully the first time I tried to make it, and ended up with sadly charred bits. Normally, it takes a total of about 20 minutes to cook. Once it’s done, let it cool, then you can add in any dried fruits that you may want…I like cranberries and cherries. Enjoy!

And now for the powerballs…take 6-8 medjool dates, pit them and soak them in HOT water for about 10 minutes. While that is working, toast 1 1/2 cups walnuts (doesn’t matter if they’re chopped or not) either in the oven or on the stovetop. Drain the dates really well. While that’s happening, put your walnuts into a food processor and let them go until they’re near dust. Then add in your dates, and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract. Blend until the whole thing looks like cookie dough. Now, form the dough into little bite-sized balls or press it into an 8×8 pan lined with waxed paper (if you choose to go this route, chill it down, pull it out of the pan, and then cut into bars). Chill tightly covered and enjoy! You can also vary the flavor by adding 2 tbsp of either cocoa powder, key lime juice, coconut, almond extract, etc. Get creative!

I got inspired this morning to make some croissants. LOOOONG process, but SO worth it. I used the Shmooed Food recipe, but filled them with almond paste and semi-sweet vegan chocolates. All I can say is YUMMY! I am a bit embarrassed to admit that Ish and I ate ALL of them. Yup. Every single one. In my defense, They were small-ish…kinda. I’ve also developed a total addiction for pumpkin shakes…smoothies…whatever. They’re SO good. Before becoming vegan, I’ll admit that I looked forward to fall for one reason: Burgerville’s pumpkin pie shakes. Since they (obviously) are very NOT vegan, I set out this fall to veganize them. And (drum roll, please), I’m proud to say that I was successful! Not only do my pumpkin shakes cure my sweet tooth, but they’re actually good for me! Pumpkin contains beta-carotene, which not only helps your body fight off disease, but it may actually help stave off wrinkles, too (YAY!). So…I thought I’d share my recipe. It’s nothing terribly special, but it is SO amazingly yummy (I know, I know…repeating myself…but it’s TRUE!). So…here it is: in your blender/shake-maker, combine 1/2 a cup of pumpkin puree, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or more to taste), 6 oz almond milk (tried soy and rice, but almond tastes best for this smoothie), 7-8 ice cubes, and 1 tbsp raw agave nectar. Blend until nice and combined, then enjoy!! I promise you WILL NOT miss the crust.

I’ve always had a bit of a sweet tooth (thank you Skittles!), but lately I’ve been craving some good homemade chocolate chip cookies….where to turn. Then I remembered that I have the most AMAZING cookbook on the planet: Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock. So I started flipping. Isa’s GOT to have some wonderfully delicious cookie recipe, right?? RIGHT! So, I found her chocolate chip recipe (which you can find HERE). Can I say AH-mazing?! And super easy. Yeah, the dough is a bit crumbly at first, but have patience (and KNEAD!), and you WILL be rewarded. Now if I could just stop eating them…. I am trying so very hard to be a good little preggie girl and eat all that is good and healthy for me, but those sweet cravings just seem to be getting worse. So, I have a plan. It looks like this: Kashi Go LEAN Crunch! with 1 cup of chocolate soymilk for breakfast (trying to kill that need for sweet early on!), grapes and celery with pb for snack, veggies and hummus for lunch, soy yogurt with pear or apple for snack, veggie garlic cream pasta over rice noodles with a HUGE green salad for dinner (SUPER YUMMY! Someday I’ll post the recipe), and fruit (LOTS OF FRUIT) for dessert. Sounds good in theory…but what’s a preggie girl to do when Tater REALLY wants Skittles (okay, okay, I’m a little obsessed, and since they’ve stopped using gelatin…EEK!)?? I will admit that on days like today I give in and have a few, but I make sure that I get my fruits and veggies (and legumes!! YAY for hummus!) in, as that is what fuels my body. Besides, I really dislike the annoying sugar crash that inevitably hits me broadside (and granted it’s an easy target lately) about 30 minutes later. I also find that when I stick closer to raw, REAL foods, I have more energy, which means a cleaner house AND more time to blog!! (I still have readers…right??) So, in the grand scheme of things, eating right and exercise need to stay my #1. Everything else just seems to fall into its own neat little place when I do this!

The more pregnant I get, the hungrier I get. I suppose that isn’t a terrible thing, but it means that my normal large (read: HUGE) salad isn’t cutting it for dinner anymore. I’ve found that I have to move my salad to my lunchtime eats, and have something more substantial for dinner, or risk waking up in the middle of the night and raiding the refrigerator. So, I’ve been experimenting with quick and easy meals, especially since I’m usually ravenous by the time I get home from work. My new favorite is veggie “quesadillas”. They’re less than traditional, but WAY more filling and yummy. Did I mention better for you? You will need to find some Daiya Cheese to make them fabulous. If you can’t find Daiya, try Cosmos. They ship quickly, and are great people. Without further ado…

Quesadillas a’la Brea

4 whole wheat tortillas
2/3 cup Daiya vegan cheese (half cheddar, half italian)
1/4 cup red bell pepper
1/2 c mushrooms
1/2 can green chilies
1/4 cup onions
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
3/4 cup black beans, smashed
guacamole & sour cream for garnish
1 clove garlic, crushed (will be removed later)
Coconut oil (for frying)

To make: heat a pan over medium-high heat, add a small amount of oil, and the mushrooms. Cook them until they start to lose their juice, then add the rest of the veggies, except the chilies. Stir constantly until the onions are *almost* translucent. Add the chilies and seasonings, and remove the garlic. To assemble the quesadillas, spread 1/2 the beans on a tortilla, follow with 1/2 the veggies and 1/2 the cheese. Put the quesadilla into a lightly oiled pan, heated over medium-high heat. Cook until the cheese starts to melt, then flip (I suggest 2 spatulas-I have the MIU Flexible Pancake Spatulas, Red (Set of 2), which ROCK for this AND pancakes!) cook for another 3-5 minutes, just enough to finish melting the cheese and brown the tortilla. Remove from pan, and repeat. Allow your quesadillas to cool for about 5 minutes, then slice into wedges. Serve with your favorite toppings. Can serve 2-4 people, but I like 1 with leftovers.

….also, I promise to post a belly pic just as soon as I can get pictures to load on the site!!

This morning, Ish surprised me by waking up early and asking if I wanted to go on a WALK. I had to think about it for all of 2.5 seconds: OF COURSE! We went for a nice 3 mile stroll and got home…that’s when he asked me what I wanted to breakfast…OMELETTES! SO, I looked up a recipe that I had seen on Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, and we decided to try it out. (you can find the recipe here) We made the filling first by sauteing 4 oz of sliced crimini mushrooms, 1/2 a red onion, frozen chopped spinach, 1 diced green bell pepper and a diced tomato (added last so it wouldn’t break down too much). I also added some mozzarella Teeze, which was also AH-mazing. I must say that the omelettes turned out beautifully. I did season the filling with some Organic Fajita/Taco Seasoning. I finished the omelettes off with some salsa and devoured mine. Ish devoured his. They were SUPER delish. Thank heaven that someone invented silken tofu!!

There’s really nothing quite like a good grilled portabella mushroom cap smothered in guacamole, salsa and some Veganaise. I can’t think of anything more delicious at the moment. Then, when you add in fresh sweet potato fries and some Better Than Sour Cream ranch dip…well, let me just say that it’s heaven. Seriously. I know that I’ve been away from the blog for a bit, but I had to get my life caught up. I’m not quite at that point, but I missed my fans, my blog…all of it. I also thought that y’all might enjoy hearing about my amazing dinner tonight! I would post a picture for y’all but I’m still having trouble getting them loaded onto the website, so I’ll just post the (super, super easy) recipe.

You need: portabella mushroom cap(s), cleaned and de-gilled; hamburger or kaiser buns; guacamole or avocado slices; pico or salsa; Veganaise; red onion slices; and lettuce.

To make your burgers, heat a grill on high, or get your bbq heated up pretty good. Spread a little bit of vegetable oil (higher smoke point) on your ‘shroom and put it on the grill. Grill for 3-5 minutes, until grill marks appear on the cap, then flip and grill for an additional 2-3 minutes. Slather on the toppings and enjoy!!

In honor of Vegan MoFo, I decided to make Pasta Primavera today, and it was DELISH! I took a picture of it, but for some reason I can’t seem to get it to load…sorry, all. BUT, I am happy to report that you can make your VERY OWN version of my recipe with whatever veggies you happen to have at home! I grabbed anything that sounded yummy…from spinach to artichoke hearts! Seconds, anyone?!

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:
2 tbsp Earth Balance
1 tbsp EVOO
8 oz mushrooms
1 c broccoli florets
1 c frozen artichoke hearts
1 c grated carrot
3/4 c frozen chopped spinach
1 md. bell pepper, chopped
1 c chopped onions
1 tbsp red pepper flake (less to reduce the heat)
1 tbsp pepper
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp FRESH basil, chopped
3 tbsp cooking sherry (for deglazing…you can also use water or broth)

1 pkg pasta (I used spaghetti…but use whatever makes you happy!)

Method:

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and set a pot with water on high heat (for the pasta). (Once your pot of water boils, add pasta and cook according to package directions) Add the Earth Balance to your pan, and allow to melt. Add the mushrooms, and onions, saute for 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add remaining veggies, EVOO, and seasonings. Saute until broccoli, carrots and artichokes brighten. Add the sherry, and reduce to a simmer. Drain noodles, and add to the pasta mixture, toss to coat. Serve immediately with crusty bread and a big green salad. YUM!