Banana-Strawberry Waffles

I don't know what it is about Sundays, but I almost always wake up wanting pancakes or waffles. ESPECIALLY now that I'm pregnant, if I get something in my mind that I want to eat, I just gotta have it. Today, it was waffles. Thick, fluffy, Belgian waffles, with fresh banana and strawberry. Numnumnum. ;-)

This recipe is simple and easy to throw together on a lazy weekend morning.

Ginger Peanut Soba Noodles with Maple Tempeh

For fourth of July this year, one of the dishes I made was Oh She Glow's Rad Rainbow Raw Pad Thai. It had an amazing lime-peanut dressing that I thought would go great on a soba noodle dish. I added a bunch of veggies, some sweet maple-glazed tempeh, and voila! A yummy, easy new dinner favorite!

Thai Mango, Tofu, and Green Bean Salad

I'll admit, it's a little shameful I've had a copy of Vegan Eats World on my bookshelf since January  without any use. It's not for lack of great recipes in it, I just haven't been as prolific in trying out new recipes of late. But a few weeks ago I was searching through the index for a seaweed salad recipe (more to come on that later), when I spotted the Thai Shredded Mango Salad. It was one of those "I Must Make This ASAP" moments.

Random Recipe Round-Up

Here's a random array of dishes I've been whipping up in my kitchen recently:

Easy Asian meals (always a quick, healthy go-to!), pumpkin salad pizza, mini quiches, kale chips, desserts, and more.... if you are looking for vegan, healthy, and easy recipe links, ideas, quick options, and inspiration, read on!

Super Apple Salad

This simple apple salad is light and refreshing, but filling and nutritious. Crisp, slightly sweet Gala apples with a savory twist.

Nearly Raw Broccoli Slaw

Before I get to the other cookie recipe I made this weekend, let's have some greens, shall we?

Ok, so this technically might not be a slaw, but I just thought it had a nice ring to it ;-) This broccoli salad contains mostly raw ingredients, and just barely steamed broccoli, in a very light, slightly tangy and sweet, dressing. Barely-there dressing, but just enough to bring it all together. Crunch+sweet+fresh veggies= filling healthy meal love.

Coconut Collards with Spiced Chickpeas

Collard greens. Not something I tend to think of as a go-to green. If anything, collard greens make me think of a greasy-spoon, down-home Southern cooking restaurant we used to go to in New York called Mama's. They aren't something I'd really go out of my way for, usually. But they do work beautifully in my black bean very veggie soup. And now, I have another great recipe they shine in: coconut collards, complemented by spiced, nutty, hearty chickpeas. A filling side dish or meal.

Citrus-Herb Maple Tofu and Arugula Salad

Maple and soy sauce marinated, sweet, herb-seasoned tofu over fresh arugula and spinach with cinnamon-nutmeg orange slices and fresh avocado. In under 30 minutes. It's a delicious big fresh flavorful salad meal!

Winter Kale Salad

I feel whole again. This was a stressful week of tons of work (and more to come), of no time for cooking exciting meals, and it left me feeling less than. But after an awesome Saturday yoga flow class, a run with my dog, (and ok a little shopping), and a giant bowl of this hearty, healthy kale salad, I felt renewed, revived, and energized. Easy to make but so, so delicious, this salad just makes you feel good. It would also make a great addition to a Thanksgiving spread.

Salad Pizza and Vegan Frozen Pizzas

Since going vegan, I probably eat less pizza than I used to; I'm totally ok with that, since I think those pizza meals have been replaced by better, healthier options. But every now and then, you do just want some pizza! Or, you need to rely on a ridiculously easy dinner option with little to no effort. At least, I do. Recently, I've found two great, vegan frozen products that make for easy and delicious pizza meals.

Above and beyond opening the box, "Salad pizzas" make a typical frozen pizza more filling by piling on tons of greens and veggies, which can also help you eat less of the pizza. Also, opting for a pre-made, whole grain crust only, or a gluten-free or vegan frozen pizza can help make those quick frozen meals healthier, since they tend to be lower in fat, sodium, and processed ingredients. Here are some of my thoughts and ideas for easy salad pizzas.

Sweet Potato & Roasted Carrot Soup

I love soups, especially this time of year, because they are so easy to make, and so warm and hearty. This soup is thick, creamy, full of flavor, and could be easily adapted to keep mixing things up.

Kale & Kabocha Squash Curry Coconut Soup

This would be a perfect meal to make Sunday night, and then store and have waiting for you when you come home after a case of the Mondays; it's comforting, delicious, and tastes even better the next day. But it's also easy enough to quickly whip together after a long work day, in keeping with the theme of many of my vegan MoFo recipes.

When I saw red kabocha at the farmer's market, with a little sign that described it's sweet flavor, I knew I had to have it. I use green kabocha pretty regularly now, but hadn't tried the red variety yet. Kabocha squash is delicious roasted on its own, in curries, or in soups -like this Asian udon noodle soup- or this Fall-themed soup.

Apple Cider Glazed Brussels Sprouts, Tempeh, and Greens

Sweet, warm Fall flavors. Filling and healthy. This dinner is a variation on a tempeh & Brussels sprouts dish I've made a few times before, but with plenty of fresh apple cider mixed in - perfect for a cool Fall day.

White Acorn Squash with Sweet Tempeh and Mushrooms

I love "squash bowl" meals. Give me a fall squash and I'm happy. Add some more veggies to it, even better. There are a million variations to stuffed squash dinners- here's another tasty one!

White Acorn Squash with Sweet Tempeh and Mushroooms
Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 1 white acorn squash 
• 8 oz shittake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 package of tempeh, cubed
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2-3 Tbsp soy sauce
• A few dashes of sriracha (I used about 6-8 drops)
• 1 tsp fig jam
• handful of almonds, chopped

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Slice squash in half and remove seeds. Place face down in large dish with a few inches of water. Cook for 30-35 minutes, until tender with a fork.
2. After putting the squash in the oven, mix together the maple syrup, soy sauce, sriracha and jam in a small bowl. Place the tempeh in a bake safe dish and pour the sauce over it; toss to coat. Place in the oven with the squash for 15 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, place the sliced mushrooms with 1 Tbsp soy sauce and toss.  After 15 minutes of cooking the tempeh, add in the mushrooms and sliced almonds, stirring to mix around the sauce. Add more maple syrup and/or soy sauce if needed, and cook for until 10-15 minutes, until tempeh is browned.
4. To serve, place the tempeh mix inside each half of squash and enjoy warm. 

Deeeeelish. The sweet tempeh, mushrooms, and almonds go so well with the acorn squash.

Other squash bowl meal ideas:

• Acorn squash stuffed with roasted veggie quinoa, rainbow quinoa with cranberries, nuts, and spinach, or quinoa with cashew butter and apples
• Butternut squash with farro or wheatberry salad
• Spaghetti squash with tomato sauce, broccoli, and mushrooms

Gotta love those fall squashes! 

Beet and Avocado Salad with Beet Greens and Goji Berries

This dish is fresh, summery, light, and delicious, and jam-packed with healthy ingredients. AND, I used basil growing in my NEW and very own herb garden! I can't tell you how awesome it is to just open my door and pick a few leaves of fresh basil to use in my dishes. Well, ok, I can tell you. I just did. I love it. I'm going basil-crazy. I'm also ready to go golden beet crazy after making this meal.

Moving meals

Boxes everywhere. Complete disarray. Nothing in its place, and nothing fresh in the fridge... this is not how I like to live! But, we're moving this weekend, so I've been on a mission to use up those random half-empty boxes of pasta, frozen food, nearly empty bottles of sauces, and clean out whatever perishables are left in the fridge. That's led to some mostly boring meals, and not nearly enough fresh veggies and fruit (I haven't been to my Berkeley Bowl all week! I don't know how I'm surviving!!) But despite this, I have managed to come up with a few tasty meals this week...

Sweet Orange Tempeh and A Week of Asian Meals

Asian meals are great for summer because they are often light and quick to whip up. These noodle dishes taste great cold as well, so feel free to make the night before, have leftovers for lunch, or bring something more interesting than pasta salad to a picnic!

Polenta Pie - and the versatile blogger award!

Polenta- I only have one other recipe that I regularly use it in, but I really like it. And this little 'ole pie? Well, it's being welcomed into my favorite easy delicious dishes. Minimal prep, chock full of fresh herbs, healthy, and ready to eat in less than 45 minutes. Sounds like an easy week-night dinner (and leftovers!) to me! And who doesn't want pie for dinner, right?!

Lentil LOVE and Easy Cauliflower Purée

I don't want to sound like a total vegan cliché, but I love having a delicious fresh healthy meal after my yoga class. It just feels so good to eat something good for you after doing something good for you. And I have a new-found love of lentils. They are high in fiber, low in calories, totally filling, and I love their flavor. So after this week's class, I was going to just heat up some lentils and spinach, but there was a head of cauliflower in the bottom of my fridge just waiting to be used. I was tempted to simply steam it, but decided to do something a little more inventive, for minimally more effort...

Black Bean Very Veggie Soup

Is it a soup or is it a stew? This dish is thick and hearty like a stew, but is completely vegan and takes only about 20 minutes to make. And did I mention it might be one of the best soups I've ever tasted? I know that's a big statement, but oh man, this is delicious and hearty. I was going to serve it with bread but I don't even think it needs anything else... (although, I do love soaking up yummy soup with a good bread). Filling, healthy, easy, and delicious. Exactly what I look for in a great dinner.