Menu April 30, 2013

Breakfast
I was running way late this morning and scarfed down about half of the leftover Cabbage Gratin while slurping a Banana, Raspberry, Pineapple, Chia Seed, Coconut, Almond Milk Smoothie in the car. Texting while driving -no. Eating - yes. I also managed to spill half the smoothie down my pants further delaying my start of the day. Is this a Monday?

Snack
Celery and Hummus in the Blender

Lunch
Lunch was provided today and I was the mercy of whatever the meeting space's chefs deemed "vegan". Ended up with a cold plate of veggies, some lettuce and Granny Smith apple slices with no dressing. So of course I then had to have "this is a bullshit lunch" compensation chips. Chips are best when eaten bitterly.


Dinner

Buffalo cauliflower salad with romaine, mixed spring lettuce, red onions, fire-roasted corn, grape tomatoes, carrots, celery, pepitas, black beans and vegan ranch dressing. And Corona Light. More than one Corona Light, actually. 

Menu April 29, 2014

Breakfast

Lentils and rice mix like yesterday.

Pineapple, goji berry and mango smoothie with almond milk and chia seeds.

Lunch

Same as yesterday just guacamole instead of avocado.

Snacks 

Baby carrots and celery with hummus and an apple


Dinner

Grilled Salad

Grilled romaine, grilled tomatoes, grilled Hilary's Hemp & Greens Burger, red onions and Oh She Glow's Lightened Up Tahini-Lemon Dressing.

Picture doesn't do this justice. Super yum.

Hilary's hands down makes the best veggie burgers and best yet, no funk ingredients. OSG's Tahini-Lemon Dressing is one of my favorites. I make with sesame seeds instead of tahini because tahini is a pain to measure!

Menu April 28, 2014

Breakfast
Della Blend's Organic Quinoa Rice Blend, lentils and grilled zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, onions and tomatoes topped with agave mustard dressing.

I'm having my monthly chocolate cravings. Dark chocolate is chock full of antioxidants and all in all not an unhealthy item however my normal monthly bar is only 55% cocoa so I thought I'd try to cure the chocolate itch with my morning smoothie this month. Frozen bananas and strawberries with unsweetened cocoa powder, dried coconut and flax seed. Topped with cocoa nibs and more coconut.
YUM.

Snack  Hummus in the Blender and raw celery. Really, there's no excuse for me not to make my own hummus. This was crazy simple and very good.

Lunch
Burrito Bowl sans rice. This was so tasty yesterday and I have so much salsa left I had to whip up some more refried beans for lunch. Tons of lettuce, refried pintos, sauteed peppers, onions and shrooms, homemade salsa, cashew and sunflower seed sour cream and avocado.

Snack  - Apple

Dinner
Dinner was supposed to be leftover Cabbage Gratin. Instead it was this ridiculousness:

Excuse - got home late, had been burning up all day because I work with people who think 76 is an acceptable workplace temperature and then went to an after work meeting at a county building. The county turns their air off at 5:30. Our meeting starts at 5:30. Yay for energy saving. Boo for lack of forethought. Went for a quick run and I'm also in a LOVELY mood so no cabbage. Just more this ain't really chocolate but it's still good smoothie and a handful of roasted sunflower seeds I found in the bottom of my produce bin. Yeah. At least they were in a halfway closed bag?

Menu April 27, 2014

Breakfast

Burrito Bowl!!! (Burrito like things excite me) This photo is misleading as this is really a glass mixing bowl with oodles of mixed lettuce underneath the toppings. Leftovers from last night - cilantro-lime rice, refried pintos, sauteed peppers, onions and shrooms, homemade salsa, cashew and sunflower seed sour cream and avocado.

Snack - Banana, strawberry and raspberry smoothie with chia seeds, dry coconut and unsweetened almond milk.

Lunch

Quick steamed and sauteed grape tomatoes, kale and chickpeas with raw matchstick carrots and Agave-Mustard Dressing.

Snack - Couple of baby carrots, dab of prepared hummus (It's gone. Fine, I'll make some.) and an apple

Dinner

I had a hankering for cabbage rolls and was eyeballing Vegan Yack Attack's Golabkis but alas I had no pecans or oats and only half a head of cabbage so rolls were out. I'll be making those soon though, damn they look good. Insert Cabbage Gratin, aka, the lazy girls stuffed cabbage.

Cabbage Gratin

half a head of green cabbage shredded
1 cup cooked brown lentils
14oz Dei Fratelli low-sodium crushed tomatoes with basil and herbs
1 tsp ground cardamom
red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of cooked kidney beans
1/3 cup bread crumbs (I used Edward & Sons Organic Breadcrumbs)

In a small saucepan combine the crushed tomatoes, cardamom and red pepper flakes to taste. Smash the kidney beans and stir into the sauce. Blanch the cabbage and drain well. Combine the cooked cabbage, lentils and sauce in an 8x8 pan and top with bread crumbs. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Menu April 26, 2014

Breakfast

Sauteed garlic, onion, mushrooms and kale with kidney beans and tomato sauce.

Banana, Strawberries, Mango, flax seed, coconut milk and dried coconut smoothie.

Lunch

Leftover  Zucchini Noodles, Italian marinated tempeh and OSG's Cali-power Alfredo.


Snack  - Apple


Dinner (So good I forgot to take a picture before we scarfed these down!)

Lettuce Burritos!  Cilantro-Lime Rice, Refried Pinto Beans, avocado, sauteed onions and peppers, mixed greens, cashew and sunflower sour cream and homemade salsa wrapped up in iceberg lettuce. 

Refried Pinto Beans - These were so simple but delicious

1.5 cups cooked pinto beans, cooked at home with no salt
1 chopped yellow onion
Minced Jalapeno - choose your spice level, I used half of a very large one
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - choose your spice level, I used one "ice cube"*
Liquid smoke (smoked paprika could work too)

Sautee the onion and jalapeno in a bit of olive oil or vegetable broth. Once translucent with a few brown bits stir in the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Add the pinto beans to warm. Use a spoon, potato masher or whatever works for you to smash most of the beans up. Shake in a few drops of liquid smoke to taste. Ta DA!

*I have a stock of frozen and pureed canned Chipotle Peppers.  Once I use up the current stock of frozen ones I'm going to try making my own with a modified version of Rubies and Radishes' homemade Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. Obviously with a vegan sweetener and vegetable broth.


Homemade Salsa - Ridiculously simple

In a food processor pulse approximately 4 large tomatoes with the seeds and membrane scooped out, 1 medium red onion, 1 jalapeno, 3 cloves of garlic, a handful of cilantro, cumin and smoked paprika to taste until it reaches your desired consistency.

Menu April 25, 2014

Breakfast
Easy Red Lentil Marinara with steamed kale and elbow macaroni. Saute one yellow onion, add 1/2 cup of red lentils, 2 cups of water and a jar of your favorite marinara. Bring to a boil and then simmer until lentils are tender.

Not pictured -  strawberry, blueberry and banana smoothie made with almond milk and chia seeds.

Lunch

 Big Ass Salad (B.A.S.) with greens, red onions, celery, broccoli, tomatoes, yellow squash, garbanzo beans, pumpkin seeds, avocado and Annie's Woodstock Dressing.

Snack  - baby carrots and prepared hummus. I SWEAR I will start making my own hummus soon.

Dinner

 Zucchini Noodles, Italian marinated tempeh and OSG's Cali-power Alfredo.