I Made Baked Potato Cakes + Homemade Avocado Aioli!

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 This past Mother's Day I was feeling a bit homesick as I wasn't able to be with my Ma and family on the day so I decided to spend the majority of the day cooking up some yummy food and dessert (I also made lemon bars!) to help cure my homesickness. It helped...a lot. ;) Anyway here's the recipe below if you'd like to try making it. :)

Crispy Potato Cakes + Homemade Avocado Aioli

Cakes:

Ingredients-

- 1 lb of small purple potatoes

- 2 tbsp evoo

- Generous amount of sea salt and pepper

- Garlic powder, for sprinkling on top

- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

Aioli:

-1 large avocado, halved and pitted

-1 tbsp of minced garlic

-1/2 tbsp lemon juice

-1/4 cup soy-free Veganaise

-sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add potatoes into a large pot and cover with potatoes. Place on stove top, turn heat on high and let boil for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the avocado aioli. Add garlic, avocado, lemon, veganaise, salt, and pepper into a food processor or just mash together with a fork in a bowl until creamy texture. 

3. When potatoes are ready, grease baking sheet then place on baking sheet and flatten with a mug or measuring cup.

4. Drizzle potatoes with seasonings generously and evoo.

5. Roast potatoes for 25 minutes, remove and sprinkle chopped parsley, more sea salt, and pepper.

6. Drizzle aioli (I put mine into a sandwich back to make it easier) and enjoy!

(Vegan) Munchie Monday: Sweet Potato Orzo!

Holy heck, I haven't shown any signs of life on here in a while but trust me my dears I have been livin'! Work has consumed my life but it's wonderful so I don't mind it 95% of the time. I hope you all are well and take a looksy at the deliciousness that I cooked up! #ILoveFood

Ingredients:

1/2 lb of pasta (gluten free)

2 cups of cubed sweet potatoes

1/2 cup of onions

1/3 cup of green onions

1/3 cup of peanuts

2 tbsp of evoo

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

1/2 cup of arugula

pinch of lemon juice 

Directions:

1. Boil the pasta until tender in a saucepan.

2. Cut up the sweet potatoes into 2 inch cubes, dice the onions, and chop the green onions.

3. Set a pan to medium heat, add in the evoo, then pour in all of the cut up ingredients until the sweet potato is thoroughly cooked (cut through it with a knife and if it goes through easily then you're good to go!)

4. Drain the pasta and add it into the saucepan with the cooked ingredients. Stir around for about a minute so the pasta can gather some of the flavors.

5. Roast the peanuts for about 2 minutes in another pan. 

6. Add in the nuts and the seasonings (lemon juice, salt, and pepper) and mix around for about 2 minutes on the lowest heat setting. 

7. Wash the arugula, then place it on the plate, lastly add on the pasta, ta da you're done!

(Vegan)Munchie Monday: Stuffed Squash + an anniversary dinner

Fall is here and my life has revolved around consuming as many fall-ish foods: pumpkin anything, squash, and apple anything among the few. So when it came time for my boyfriend and I to plan out our 6 month anniversary dinner, using fall ingredients was at the top of my list. Being that he lives over a thousand miles away we decided to have a Skype dinner together where we'd both eat the same exact dinner and get dressed up. So on the menu was stuffed squash with a side avocado salad. I really thought baking the squash would be difficult because it's so thick pre-bake but it cooked in no time and was super yummy. Here is the recipe below, enjoy, and happy anniversary my love. 

Ingredients:

1 squash

1/4 cup of quinoa

1/4 cup of pine nuts

1/4 cup of celery

1/4 cup of carrots

1/2 cup of spinach

A pinch of black pepper

A pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp of (vegan) butter

1 tbsp of evoo

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven at 400 degrees.

2. Wash the squash, cut out the top, and scoop out the seeds inside.

3. Set a small saucepan on medium heat, fill it with about 1 cup of water and allow the quinoa to cook thoroughly.

4. Chop up all of the vegetables, put a pinch of evoo into another pan, set it to medium heat, stir vegetables for about 5 minutes and allow the spinach to wilt. Add in the salt and pepper to taste.

5. Once the quinoa is cooked, combine all of the vegetables, then scoop them into the squash, place the top on again.

6. Bake for 60min, once cooked set aside for 10 min, and enjoy!

(Vegan) Munchie Monday: It's All Good: Black Bean Tacos, Mexican Rice, and Mango Salad {yum}

Penelope is hungry...surprise surprise

I recently bought Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook It's All Good and let me tell you I've been Julie and Juliaing the crap out of it! It's so great because it has introduced me to different ways of combining flavors and creating fun new vegan recipes. I spent Saturday having dinner with Leonardo Dicaprio and Tobey Maguire {I wish...} and cooking up a storm. Here's the recipe below! Enjoy. 

Mango + Avocado Salad with Balsamic-Lime Vinaigrette 

Ingredients:

2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced

1 batch balsamic-lime vinaigrette

1 tbsp of freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup of evoo

freshly ground pepper

coarse sea salt

a small handful of fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. cut up the mangoes and avocados into cubes

2. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and set aside

Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of evoo

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

A 15 ounce can of black beans

4 sprigs of cilantro

A pinch of coarse sea salt

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a small pot, set over medium heat

2. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, just until fragrant (1-2 min)

3. Add the entire can of beans (including the liquid), the cilantro, sea salt, and turn the heat to high

4. Once the beans begin to boil, turn the heat to low and simmer until the beans lose their can flavor and aren't too watery (about 15 min)

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

A 14 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

1/2 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1.5 tsp of coarse sea salt

3 tbsp of evoo

1 cup of basmati rice (it's gluten free!)

3 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup frozen peas

2 tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped

Directions:

1. Combine the tomatoes with the onion, garlic, and salt in a powerful blender and puree until smooth. Add enough water until you have 2.5 cups of liquid and set aside. 

2. Heat the evoo in a large saucepan set over high heat, add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice turns opaque (about 3 min)

3. Stir in the tomato paste and add in the blended tomato mixture and bring the whole thing to a boil.

4. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the rice is cooked all of the way through (about 45min)

5. Take the pan off of the heat and add in 1/2 cup of green peas and allow to sit for 10 min (they'll self cook in the pan)

6. Give the whole thing a good stir and serve sprinkled with the cilantro

Oh Leo how I love thee

(Vegan) Munchie Monday: My 5 Favorite Vegan Recipes!

 

Greetings from southern California! As you can see from the photo above I've been very busy on my summer vacation! Oh, this is my best friend's cat Guapo, he says hi too! The last few days have just been wonderful, I remembered why so many people take tropical vacations now, being here has been so dreamy. Anyway being that my last few days have mostly consisted of eating out {and zero cooking} I wanted to share 5 of my favorite vegan recipes. I promise I'll get to cooking today! ;) 

Spicy buffalo cauliflower.

Gilled Zucchini with yogurt sauce.

Grilled Ratatouille.

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Guacamole salad.

Oatmeal and chocolate chip pancakes

(Vegan) Munchie Monday: The Many Great Uses of Coconut Oil + Super food and Coconut Smoothie

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Well hello there my friends. Today's food post is looking a little different mainly because I wanted to share the magic that is coconut {my current food obsession}! Anyway lately I've been adding coconut oil to everything! Being a vegan-celiac disease-lactose intolerant-corn allergic card carrying carrier {Ha!} I'm always trying to mix things up in the kitchen. Anywhoos, not only is coconut really refreshing to drink, it has great benefits for your health as well as so many great uses. So take a peek below and revel in all of the coco yumminess. 

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 All Things Coconut:

The health benefits of coconut oil

Studies have show that intake of coconut oil can help our bodies mount resistance to both viruses and bacteria that can cause illness. Even more, it also can help to fight off yeast, fungus and candida.

Coconut oil can also positively affect our hormones for thyroid and blood-sugar control. People who take coconut oil also tend to have improvements in how they handle blood sugar since coconut can help improve insulin use within the body. Coconut oil can boost thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. [1]

Coconut oil is good for your skin and hair

Coconut oil is a wonderful moisturizer for skin and hair. It has good amounts of the antioxidant vitamin E, which is very protective. If you are using on the skin regularly, it is best to try to find an organic coconut oil, to reduce the absorption of toxins and pesticides through your skin. [2]

How can I use coconut oil?

Coconut oil works in both baked goods like zucchini and banana bread and with vegetables. It is especially tasteful when paired with bitter greens like kale. You can use it as part of the onion and garlic sauté, where it offers a surprisingly different and pleasant full-bodied taste. It is also a wonderful addition to oatmeal to make it even creamier, while staying healthy. Coconut oil can withstand the heat – making it a better cooking option. [3]

 + One of My Favorite Coconut Filled Recipes: Super food and Coconut Smoothie

I mean doesn't everyone match their smoothies to their nail polish?

Ingredients

1 handful of blueberries
1 handful of blackberries
1 handful of raspberries
1 handful of strawberries
1/2 of a banana
2 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp of (organic) almond butter
1/2 cup of (organic) coconut water
1 cup of (organic) spinach

Recipe

1. Toss in all of the fruit into a bowl and wash thoroughly.

2. Put in all of the ingredients into a blender until they're mixed well together...and boom! Done! Enjoy!! {wow that's a lot of !!! marks!}  P.s. I'm enamored with { } symbols...what are they called?

+ 21 Miraculous Uses For Coconut Oil

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+ A Great DIY Coconut Oil Hair Mask

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