Yummy Granola

Today while the kids were taking their nap I decided to whip up some granola mix from a recipe I found in a magazine. It is vegan, of course, but also delicious! It's so good David was enticed to clean the whole kitchen with promises of granola after!!

4 cups Old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 TBSP canola oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup dried fruit (I used raisins and dried cherries)

Toss oats, almonds, coconut, and the seeds with the maple syrup, oil, and salt.

Spread onto baking sheet, bake 350 degrees for 25-30 mins, tossing once during.

Add dried fruit.

New Twist On An Old Favorite

I love love love getting an Insalata Caprese Salad (aka Tomato, Mozzarella, & Basil in Balsamic Vinegar) at a good Italian restaurant. Today I found a great substitution recipe and made it tonight with dinner. It was a huge hit, we finished the whole plate!! And it was super easy to put together:

Sprinkle a plate with Balsamic Vinegar

Place cut up tomato slices on plate

Place cucumber on top of tomato

Place fresh basil on top of cucumber

Sprinkle with Balsamic Vinegar

Top with fresh pepper

Let chill/marinate for an hour

Last night I went out to dinner with some friends who are Non-Vegan, but very open-minded and we found a great new spot. Lemongrass, (http://www.lemongrass-rest.com/) it is a Vietnamese restaurant. I was recommended the Vegetarian Rice in Hot Pot, which I have never even heard of. Boy am I glad I tried it, it was amazing!! It was lots of veggies in a brown sauce with a rice that turned crunchy on the bottom, delish!!

And David had Sesame Tofu with Broccoli, and it was amazing!! It tasted just like chicken and the sauce was great! Our friends also loved what they ordered and tried ours and thought it was yummy.

We will definitely be making a trip back, maybe very soon!!

Something New

Tonight for dinner I made something that everyone will turn their noses up at...Cauliflower soup!

It was made for me in a vegan cooking class and it was amazing! Surprisingly sweet and very satisfying. My father, husband, and 3 year old daughter all LOVED it!! I suggest that you step outside of your box and give it a try, it's amazing! I topped it with some caramelized onions and had a great bread on the side, Seeduction from Whole Foods. It was so sweet and delicious......come on, try something new tonight!!

Creamy Sweet Vegetable Soup

You can make this with any sweet vegetable:

1) Chop up 1 onion and sauté in 2 TBSP olive oil until translucent. Add vegetable (amount depends on how much soup you want to make, I used a whole head of cauliflower) and add enough water to cover the vegetable.

2) Boil and simmer until veggies are tender; you can add seasonings like salt, pepper, ginger, red pepper flakes, etc.

3) Use an immersion blender to cream the soup. Taste and adjust seasonings.

4) Sautéed, caramelized onions taste incredible as a topping/garnish.

Caramelized Onions

1-2 Vidalia onions depending on how much you want to make

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP soy butter

1 tsp honey

Heat oil in skillet. Add onions and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add a pinch of sea salt. Continue to sauté until the onions start to brown slightly. Add the butter. After another 5 minutes add the honey. The onions will really start to brown so watch them.

They can't all be winners

Last night for dinner I made Black Bean Cakes topped with avocado and rice and fried zucchini.

While it tasted fine it was not worth the effort, tasted like a burrito minus the tortilla. Although the fried zucchini was excellent!! Can't wait to eat that again.

Mexican-Vegan Style

Today my dad and I stopped for a yummy lunch at Amigo's in Kirkwood. They have a wonderful vegetable burrito and if you leave off the cheese it's vegan!! We also indulged in guacamole and a Corona!!

Surprising Sources

Yesterday David and I drove to Chicago to shop for a new dining room table. After much driving and shopping we decided to break for lunch. As we were leaving the store the salesperson asked what kind of food we were looking for, hoping to be helpful since we did not live in the area. David and I exchanged a quick glance, do we ask if she knows of any vegan dining in the area or do we play it safe and ask where to get a good salad?

We took a chance and asked for a vegan suggestion. Another salesperson overheard us and was able to suggest a place not 2 blocks from where we were. Excited, we hopped in the car. Karen's Vegan Gourmet (http://www.karynraw.com/Raw-Cafe/) was the suggestion and it was a great one!!! We had nachos that were amazing and both loved our lunch entrees.

What a great find and great suggestion. And to think......we almost didn't ask.