My Thanksgiving Menu (first draft, anyway!)

Hello! It's been a while. I've missed blogging, but some other things have been taking up my time.

For example, we rescued a bunny in August and she's been the center of my world ever since. She's a sweet, silly, and shy little lop with helicopter ears (one up and one down - the cutest thing ever). We named her Penny Lane, and spoil her rotten. There will probably be some posts about her in the near future, actually. But for now, just look at that cute face!

I've also been really busy chipping away at my last semester of college EVER. Only another 5 weeks or so until I'm a college grad! It's an exciting, slightly terrifying, and definitely busy time.

In between all that and more, I've still been cooking up a storm, and I'll have quite a few new recipes to share soon.

This month, however, my focus is delightfully directed toward Thanksgiving, as once again I am hosting this year! (There will probably be some flashback posts soon about the menu and decor from last year - they were on a different blog.)

I have been pinning and organizing the potential recipes for weeks, and today I may just have finalized the menu. I recently eliminated wheat and refined sugars from my diet, so had to factor that into the planning process, and I managed to create a menu that works! So without further adieu, here is a 100% vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free Thanksgiving menu that I can't wait to bring to life:

Main Course: Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf from FatFree Vegan Kitchen. After 3 blissful years of ordering the Native Foods Wellington (a puff pastry filled with meaty seitan, yams, kale, and stuffing and topped with what is arguably the best mushroom gravy in existence), we decided to go our own way this year (plus, the wellington has tons of wheat). We chose a meatless loaf that doesn't pretend to be meat. It's full of vegan staples - beans, tofu, veggies - delicious thanksgiving herbs and spices, and looks like it will be completely perfect when slathered in mushroom gravy. Speaking of which...

Gravy: Happy Herbivore's Everyday Mushroom Gravy - Quick fangirl moment - Lindsay Shay Nixon is by far my favorite plant-based cookbook author (and idol). She's a pro at creating recipes that are as simple as they are delicious, and her compassionate "progress not perfection" approach to the vegan lifestyle is a refreshing change of pace. Anyway! I'm not sure if this simple gravy recipe is anywhere online, but it can be found in two of Lindsay's books, Everyday Happy Herbivore and Happy Herbivore: Holidays and Gatherings (which is new this year and also the source of another recipe I plan to try - fangirling over!)

Stuffing: Southern Cornbread Stuffing from Food to Glow - When I asked my boyfriend if he had any special requests for Thanksgiving (which also falls on his birthday this year), he suggested cornbread. So when I realized I also had to start looking for a wheat-free stuffing recipe, this was a no-brainer. This recipe was the first to pop up in my search, and it had me at hello - I think it's going to be the home run recipe of the year.

Salad: This is going to be my original recipe, so look for that post in the next few weeks once I get it right. But it will be a kale salad with plenty of autumn accents.

Other side dishes: Garlic/rosemary mashed potatoes, simple roasted green beans, and Happy Herbivore's sweet potato casserole from her new holiday book.

Dessert: GF Maple-Nut Pumpkin Pie. I'm trying a hybrid of this simple pie filling made with cashews and this gluten-free crust made with pecans, and topping it all off with the maple coconut whipped cream that we loved last year. Making some small changes to make the recipes work together, and to work with my current diet, but I'm excited to see how this turns out.

And there you have it! I couldn't be more thrilled to make and eat all of this in a few weeks. What new recipes are you trying this year?

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Lentil Walnut Burgers/Ninja Nuggets

The last few days before a vacation are a great opportunity for creative cooking. As I attempt to empty my fridge and pantry without having to buy more groceries, I always seem to discover or create new recipes that I continue to experiment with when I return.

I'm leaving for LA tomorrow, and I've already cleared out most of my perishables (hence the lack of exciting new recipe posts!), so I found myself experimenting with dry ingredients yesterday. I had a particular abundance of lentils and walnuts, so I started searching for a new burger recipe.

Enter Oh She Glows, one of my absolute favorite blogs, with a Lentil Walnut Burger recipe for which I had everything on hand. SOLD!

They look a bit like cookies, but they are delicious savory burgers, I promise!

I followed the recipe exactly, with one main exception: I didn't have bread crumbs. I had corn flakes, which I usually use as a substitute anyway, but I had something else I had been meaning to use up that would be perfect: almond pulp! This is the by-product of making almond milk: dry, crumbly almond bits that can be ground into almond meal or flour, and, so I've heard, used in place of bread crumbs in recipes. It's incredibly versatile stuff, so I like to keep it around.

So since that's the only sub I made, you can grab the recipe here, and substitute the bread crumbs, or not. The almond pulp worked great, and the recipe held together really well.

Oh, that brings me to this other thing I tried...I got these ninjabread men cookie cutters a while back, and have been meaning to use them. Since the batter was so solid and cookie dough-like, I molded some of it into ninjas. :) Ninja nuggets! I'm going to have to play with this idea a bit more and bread them next time. These were way too much fun to play with...

This is what happens when you put all of your ninja nuggets on the same plate...

And that's it! I'm off to pack for LA, and hopefully I'll have some delicious new posts for you while I'm gone. Have a great week!

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Mediterranean Grilled Veggie Bowl with Tahini Sauce

I was a bit tired last night and trying to come up with a last-minute dinner that could use the leftover zucchini from this pasta, as well as the red pepper and eggplant I got at the farmers market on Sunday. I found this recipe, which I could make with a few substitutions, so I went for it. It is absolutely delicious and I suggest you try it if you enjoy mediterranean flavors. Rather than retype the recipe (maybe I'll update it later, but I don't have time today), here are the substitutions I made:

Mediterranean Grilled Veggie Bowl with Tahini Sauce (Adapted from Chow)

(Click the link if you want the original recipe, these are only the changes I made)

• I didn't have roasted tahini, so I ground up some roasted sesame seeds. It was about 2 2/3 tablespoons to make 2 tablespoons of packed sesame seeds, and I just blended that right into the lemon juice and olive oil for the dressing. I also forgot the garlic, but didn't notice, and it was still fantastic.
• I didn't have a shallot, so I used up 1/3 of a red onion I had leftover from a different recipe.
• I used Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend instead of just couscous, because it's what was in my pantry. It's mostly couscous, but with a orzo, garbanzo beans, and red quinoa mixed in. Upgrade!
• I also grilled up the leftover inside chunks of zucchini from yesterday's pasta adventure.
• I sprayed the vegetables with my misto instead of brushing them, but who knows if this used less oil in the end. I sprinkled them with lemon pepper instead of just salt and pepper. It tasted very lemony (but not overly so) in the end, which I love.
• Grilling took forever because I have a george foreman grill, but hopefully that helped with the oil problem.
• I also didn't have fresh parsley, so I threw in a tablespoon and a half of dried.

The result was so delicious, it was addictive, and I had to fight the urge to eat the rest right out of the pan. It was the perfect end to an exhausting day.

Not a very exciting post for today, but I promise I'll make it up to you tomorrow with marinated portobello mushroom burgers! :)

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Hollylujah Hummus

Hummus, you know I love you. You're the perfect dip and sandwich spread, you are a delicious and easy source of protein, but we've got to talk. You're packed with oil, and everyone knows it. You're not fooling anyone. What we have is beautiful and I don't want it to end, but just hope I can change you, so that I can enjoy you without all of the guilt.

Turns out hummus is pretty flexible. Check out this new and improved version of my love, with a quarter of the oil, half the salt, and all of the taste.

Inspired by and adapted from my favorite hummus recipe, which you can find here.

Hollylujah Hummus Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 3-5 tablespoons low-sodium vegetable broth or water
• a few dashes of paprika (optional)

Method

1. Begin by blending the lemon juice and tahini in a food processor or blender. Scrape the sides between blending to keep everything evenly mixed.
2. Add the garlic, olive oil, salt, cumin, and 3 tbsp. of broth or water and blend a few more times, scraping in between.
3. Slowly add the garbanzos/chickpeas and continue to blend, adding more broth or water to reach the desired consistency.
4. Serve with a few dashes of paprika if desired!

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Chickpea Salad from Adventuresome Kitchen

Happy 4th of July! I hope you're all enjoying a nice relaxing day off with friends and family.

I'm headed to a potluck today, and found myself without a recipe last night. I texted some friends in a panic and told them I was thinking about a chickpea salad, and my lovely friend Jessica came to my rescue with this link. It was a miracle! I actually had almost everything on hand, and only needed to run to the store for a few things this morning. So this post is dedicated to Jessica, for saving my 4th of July :)

As usual, I made a few modifications (less oil, mostly!) to the recipe, which I'll explain in this post, but you can head over to Adventuresome Kitchen for the original recipe if you like.

Chickpea Salad (adapted from Adventuresome Kitchen)

Ingredients (Serves about 10)

• 4 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into cubes
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 bag, or several bunches of spinach, torn into smaller pieces
• 2 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4-1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
• 3 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 tbs dried rosemary
• 1 tbs herbes de provence
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Dice the sweet potato and onion. Place in a large bowl with 1/2 tbs oil and stir.
   
   Place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook until softened - about 30 minutes.
   
2. Drain chickpeas and place in a large bowl. Add tomatoes. When the sweet potato onion combo has finished cooking, add to the bowl.

   

   I had a few different brands of chickpeas lying around. Can you see the color difference?

3. Place the torn spinach and 1/4 cup vegetable broth into a large pan and heat over medium heat. Saute until the greens are barely wilted- about 2 minutes, adding more liquid if necessary. Add to the bowl.

   

   Magically shrinking spinach

4. Whisk together the remaining 2 tbs oil, red wine vinegar, and herbs, and pour over salad.
5. Using a large spoon, gently toss all the ingredients together.
   
6. Salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

We'll be heading to the potluck with this, some blue corn chips and salsa, and a red summer wine. Hope you have a beautiful day!

Nutrition (Per 1 1/4 cup serving)

• Calories: 219
• Total Fat: 6.7 g
• Saturated: 0.5 g
• Polyunsaturated: 0.4 g
• Monounsaturated: 2.5 g
• Trans: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 430.5 mg
• Potassium: 219 mg
• Carbs: 37.9 g
• Fiber: 12 g
• Sugars: 4.6 g
• Protein: 9.8 g
• Vitamin A: 114.7%
• Vitamin C: 18.8%
• Calcium: 9.5%
• Iron: 41%

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Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe

I have a bit of an obsession with tabbouleh. It's a middle eastern salad made with a refreshing combination of fresh parsley and mint, tossed with lemon juice, tomatoes, and bulgur wheat. As a vegan I like to pack in a little more protein wherever I can, so I prefer to make it with my favorite superingredient, quinoa.

I've tried several different recipes for quinoa tabbouleh that I've found online, but the one from Epicurious is by far my favorite. Recently I've made some changes to it to make it a bit healthier and easier to prepare. 

Behold: a nutritious, delicious summer salad that you can grab and take anywhere. You can substitute the cucumber or add just about any of your favorite salad veggies here, and it's also great served over shredded romaine lettuce (might want to make more dressing, though).

Hello, I'm delicious.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe (adapted from Epicurious.com)

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large cucumber or 2-3 small, sliced into half moons
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) olive oil
• 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh mint
• 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

1. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. This step is very important to remove the bitter coating.
2. Cook the quinoa in 1 1/2 cups water and a few dashes of salt. I like to make mine in a rice cooker, but a pot works too. Stir frequently to prevent burning, and cook until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, roughly 10-15 minutes. 
3. Set aside in a large bowl until cooled to room temperature, and then refrigerate. I like to prepare my quinoa several hours or even a day in advance, so that it is fully chilled when I prepare the rest of the tabbouleh.
4. Add chopped tomatoes, cucumber, and onion to chilled quinoa.
   
   
   
5. Pick leaves from parsley and mint and add to blender. A mini blender works great if you have one, but a large one will do. You can also just chop the herbs and then stir in the liquids.
6. Add the olive oil, vegetable broth (or water), garlic, lemon pepper, salt and pepper to the blender. Pulse a few times until the herbs are finely chopped (but not pureed) and the ingredients are all well mixed.
   
   
   
7. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine.
   
   
   
8. Eat joyously.

That's a happy bowl.

Nutrition (Per 1 1/2 cup serving)

• Calories: 314
• Total Fat: 16.3 g
• Saturated: 2.1 g
• Polyunsaturated: 2.5 g
• Monounsaturated: 10.9 g
• Trans: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 371.2 mg
• Potassium: 644.7 mg
• Carbs: 37.8 g
• Fiber: 4.4 g
• Sugars: 3.8 g
• Protein: 7.1 g
• Vitamin A: 26.1%
• Vitamin C: 53%
• Calcium: 7.3%
• Iron: 29.9%

Special thanks to my friend Nena for taking some of the photos for this post.
You can check out her blog here.

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