Shells in Alfredo Sauce with Pan-Fried Green Beans

Last night I wanted to celebrate it being Friday, so decided to try out a new recipe for alfredo sauce. Occasionally I crave something cheesy or creamy, which is when I make macaroni & cheese or something similar that's *almost* like the real, non-vegan thing. This was one of those times!
The recipe for the alfredo couldn't be easier - just toss everything in the blender until smooth and mix with drained pasta on the stove until thickened! It was tasty, salty and creamy. It was definitely a bit reminiscent of the coconut milk, but until I can figure out a way to add the necessary fat to the dish without the coconut milk, it will do. Some people don't like that taste, but I thought the overall quality of the sauce was good enough to make it worth it. It was intended per the website to go with fettucine, but I couldn't find any fettucine noodles that didn't have eggs. I subbed pasta shells, which I like because bits of sauce get stuck inside the shells and burst in your mouth...kind of exciting??! Also, I added a dash of black pepper to the finished sauce; I always remember alfredos being peppery, and was definitely glad that I did this step!
Alongside this (which I don't recommend!) I made a tasty pan-friend green bean dish. The reason I don't recommend these two together is that the green beans have soy sauce, and the Italian-esque and Asian flavors don't really mesh well. Both both recipes would be good with different plate-buddies =)
The green beans were quick and easy, tender and full of flavor - it would be great with a side of marinated tofu. I'd recommend a more lemon-garlicky green bean dish if you wanted to pair it with the pasta.

Vegan Alfredo from Vegan Yumminess
1 pound dried fettuccine noodles (again, I used shells)
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch (I used arrowroot powder)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
dash of onion and garlic powder

1.Cook noodles according to package instructions.
2. Blend all other ingredients in the blender until smooth. Add sauce to cooked and drained noodles. Cook over medium heat until sauce is warm and thickened slightly (this took only a matter of minutes for me as the stovetop was already warm from cooking the pasta).

Finished product!

Pan-Fried Green Beans via AllRecipes.com

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar (I used natural cane)

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1. Place green beans in a large saucepan or pot with one inch of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook about 5 minutes until lightly steamed. They should still be bright green and firm.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Set aside.

3. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until beginning to brown. Add green beans and stir to coat in oil. Stir in soy sauce mixture and simmer for a few minutes to reduce the sauce. Serve green beans and pour remaining sauce over them.

Bottom Line: Both these dishes are recommended; very tasty and flavorful. But I would recommend them each separately with a similarly flavored dish!

 

Layered Raw Taco Salad (for two!)

Growing up in Southern California, I've cultivated quite a taste for any and all Mexican food. So, naturally, I'm always looking for ways to spruce up traditional recipes like enchiladas or tacos. When I found this recipe for a raw taco salad on Oh She Glows, I was really excited to try it!
I really enjoyed how the traditional elements of a taco salad were made non-traditionally in order to incorporate vegan, raw versions of them. This taco salad was flavorful, fresh and cooling on a warm night and packed full of powerful raw veggie and protein sources. Satisfying and delicious.
My nut cream sauce came out very chunky, as you can see in the photo...I think I just overwhelmed my food processor by putting too many nuts in at once (it is quite small), and could've achieved a better consistency by processing them in batches.

Layered Raw Taco Salad
Walnut Taco Meat:
1/2 cup walnuts, soaked for 2-8 hours
1 & 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
fine grain sea salt, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)

Nut Cream Sauce:
1 cup macadamia (or cashew) nuts, soaked in water for 2-8 hours
11-12 tablespoons water (use as needed to achieve desired consistency)
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
fine grain sea salt, to taste

3-Minute Guacamole:
1 large ripe avocado
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 small tomato, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
scant 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste

Other Salad Ingredients:
greens of choice
salsa of choice
green onion
crackers or chips 

Taco meat: In a food processor (or by hand), pulse (or chop) the ingredients until combined. Make sure to leave the walnuts chunky. Remove and set aside.
Cream sauce: Drain and rinse the soaked nuts. Add them into a processor and process. Stream in about 1/2 cup water and a couple tablespoons of lemon juice. Add more water as needed to achieve your desired consistency. The nut sauce should be super smooth and not grainy. Add salt to taste.
Guacamole: In a medium-sized bowl, mash the avocado flesh with a fork, leaving some chunks. Stir in the chopped tomato, red onion, lime juice, and seasonings to taste.
To assemble: (per bowl) Add a hefty base of greens in a large bowl followed by a heaping 1/4 cup scoop of guacamole in the middle. Spoon on 2 tablespoons of salsa over the greens followed by half of the taco meat. Add a couple tablespoons of cream into a plastic baggie, snip off end, and pipe over top the taco meat. Garnish with a chopped green onion and leftover chopped tomato and red onion. Place a few crackers/chips into the salad before serving.

Observe awkwardly chunky nut cream sauce...not so pretty but still tasty! Practice makes perfect =)

Bottom line: A healthy and tasty twist on a basic Mexican recipe, I would highly recommend this to any raw vegan foodies out there...and to those of you that aren't, just for the experience! Fun, unusual, and impressive to family and friends!


Recipe found here on Oh She Glows.

Grilled Tofu with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Rice

Yet another recipe courtesy of Oh She Glows, this recipe is adventurous and delicious. It features a variety of flavors, from the delicate flavoring of the tofu to the spicy salsa to the sweetened rice. I highly recommend it if you need to break out of a boring dinner routine into an island-inspired flavor extravaganza!

Grilled Tofu with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Rice
for the tofu:
1 package firm or extra-firm tofu
cooking oil for brushing
Herbamare or salt, for seasoning
for the coconut rice:
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 cup dry/uncooked short grain brown rice
1 can (400ml) light coconut milk
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)
Sprinkle of nutmeg  
 for the pineapple salsa (this makes over 5 cups, so you may want to only make half of a batch!):
1 pineapple, cored & diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
3 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 large lime)
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, minced
Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

First, you need to press the tofu. Remove tofu from package and rinse with water. Place a couple kitchen towels on the counter. Wrap the tofu with another towel, place another towel on top, and finally several heavy cookbooks on top. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.

After pressing, slice the tofu block down the middle, lengthwise to make two halves. Now slice each piece diagonally to make 4 triangles total. Brush each side with cooking oil and then season generously. This tofu is plain, but you can marinate it if you prefer.

Preheat oven to 300F. Toast shredded coconut for about 8-12 minutes until golden. Rinse brown rice in colander and then place into a medium-sized pot. Add the can of coconut milk and stir. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat immediately to low. Cover with lid and cook for about 25-30 minutes until most of the coconut milk is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat, keep lid on, and let it “steam” for another 10 minutes or so. Stir in brown sugar and optional coconut oil. Garnish with toasted shredded coconut.

Meanwhile, add all salsa ingredients into a large bowl, adjusting to taste. Pineapple may need draining if it is very watery (to do this, place it in a colander for ~10 minutes prior to adding to the salsa mixture).

To grill the tofu, preheat the bbq grill for about 15-30 minutes  on high. Turn heat down to medium/low. Carefully, grease the grill with a cooking oil safe for high heat (e.g., canola, sunflower, safflower, or sesame). Grill the tofu for about 5 minutes on each side (this will vary). Be sure not to overcook the tofu or it will be dry. (**I don't own a real barbeque, just a miniature one without a top. So, to speed things up, I simply fried the tofu for a few minutes on each side. It didn't get a grilled flavor but was still tasty, especially because the other parts of this dish are so flavorful).

To serve, poon coconut rice on a plate and sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg if desired. Add grilled tofu next and then spoon over a generous amount of pineapple salsa. Sprinkle everything with more toasted coconut and garnish with mint leaves. Feel free to serve with a bit of BBQ sauce on the side to spruce up the tofu.

 Bottom line: This was an incredibly flavorful, sweet-and-spicy dish that I'd recommend for any palate craving some adventure. Also a great way to use up lots of aging kitchen produce, if you tend to have that problem like I do =)



Recipe found here on Oh She Glows.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Almond Parmesan

I LOVE squash...all kinds, any meal, give me ways to cook squash up yummy and I will try them! This recipe, yet another from the wonderful Oh She Glows, was a tasty side dish with a nutty flavor perfect for fall weather. I will use a little more garlic next time around for more oomph (the nut flavor is very strong as is), but overall really enjoyed this dish.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Almond Parmesan
2-2.5 pound butternut squash
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
1 cup de-stemmed and roughly chopped Lacinato kale
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup pecans
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/8th teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400F and lightly grease a casserole dish with oil.
 Peel the squash. Thinly slice off the bottom and top and then slice through the middle lengthwise to make two halves. Remove seeds & guts with a grapefruit spoon or ice cream scoop. Chop two halves into 1-inch chunks and place into casserole dish.
Add minced garlic, parsley, oil, and salt into casserole dish and stir until well combined with the squash. Do not add the kale yet.
Cover casserole dish with a lid (or tin foil with a few holes poked) and bake at 400F for about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, process the parmesan ingredients together until chunky (or just chop by hand and mix in a bowl). Make sure to leave lots of nut pieces for texture. I used a mini processor and it worked great with minimal clean up.
After about 45 minutes (or when squash is just fork tender), remove from the oven and reduce heat to 350F. Stir in the chopped kale and sprinkle the parmesan all over the squash. Bake for another 5-8 minutes, until the nuts are lightly toasted. Watch closely so you don’t burn them. Remove and serve.

Bottom Line: A yummy dish with interesting flavors and textures, perfect for fall!


 Recipe found here on Oh She Glows.

Oil Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

I stumbled upon this recipe on one of my favorite websites, Oh She Glows. What intrigued me most about it was it is healthy enough to stand as a snack or breakfast item, but also sweet enough to be dessert.
These muffins came out very well, were slightly dry but that would be my only complaint. They were chocolatey and delicious!

Oil Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water)
1 & 1/4 cup lightly packed shredded zucchini, skin left on
1 & 1/4 cup almond milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly spray muffin with oil or grease with Earth Balance butter.

Mix flax egg in a small bowl and set aside. Grate zucchini using a grater box (regular grate size). Set aside.
Mix almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and set aside. It will curdle, but this is the point as we’re making vegan buttermilk.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar).
Mix together the wet ingredients (flax egg, almond milk mixture, maple syrup, and vanilla) and then pour over dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, walnuts, and shredded zucchini.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin filling each tin 3/4 of the way full. Bake for about 15-17 minutes at 350F, or until muffins slowly spring back when touched. A toothpick should come out mostly clean. Cool in tin for 5 minutes. With a knife, loosen around the muffin edge and transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool.

Bottom line: These are versatile, sweet muffins that will satisfy a chocolate craving but are also healthful!


Recipe found here at Oh She Glows.

Tomato Basil Risotto

So...I've been failing miserably! Ever since classes started in October, I've been crazy busy with reading and assignments. I've been cooking and baking, but not blogging so I sincerely apologize for that. I am hoping to get better about managing my time so I can still post routinely. But today I'm going to do a series of posts of recipes I've made in the last few months.

This recipe I adapted from my Vegetarian Planet cookbook. I just altered the non-vegan ingredients to their vegan alternatives. It also called for parmesan, which I left out. It was simple, to the extent that risotto can be (it's a slight pain in the butt), but was tasty and hearty. It was reminiscent of Italian flavors without being overly so, and just hard a nice creamy tomato flavor.

Tomato Basil Risotto
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups almond milk
2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter
1 cup minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3 tablespoons white wine
1 ripe tomato, seeded and drained of juice, chopped fine
kernels from 2 ears of corn (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/2 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste

In a saucepan,heat the water and milk to a simmer. Keep the pan over low heat.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and the ride, and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until completely absorbed. Begin to add the heated milk-water mixture 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed (but continuing to stir often) before adding the next.

When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes and most of the liquid has been incorporated, add the corn kernels and tomatoes along with the end of the milk-water mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender but still slightly chewy. The risotto should take 18-20 minutes of cooking in all.

Stir in most of the basil and the salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto immediately onto plates, top with remaining basil strands, and serve.

Tasty and good-looking  =)

Bottom Line: This is a nice end-of-summer dish, while the veggies are at their best, but would also be yummy for a winter meal if you can find them. It is a tasty and hearty addition to any meal.

Recipe courtesy of Vegetarian Planet, with alterations.

Barley with Sweet Rice and Corn

This is a versatile dish you can have any time of day, but is especially good for breakfast. I recommend making large batches of the rice/barley and then sprucing it up as you choose for several days' worth of meals. Sweet rice is just so yummy, complemented by the corn. while barley lends a nice texture to the dish. I also threw in some zucchini and mashed tofu that I had leftover from last night's recipe.

Barley with Sweet Rice and Corn
2/3 cup sweet rice
1/3 cup barley
Pinch of fine sea salt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels
Gomashio (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or scallions (optional)

Place the rice and barley in a fine sieve, and rinse under running water. Transfer the grains to a saucepan, add 2 cups of water and the salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for 50 minutes. Add the corn, cover again, and cook 5 minutes longer. Serve topped with gomashio and a bit of parsley, cilantro, or scallions, if you like.

 

Another amazing recipe courtesy of www.thekindlife.com

Ginger Pasta with Zucchini

A few of my favorite things! Paste, zucchini, and ginger all rolled into one delicious dish...plus the protein power of tofu! This is a really fun twist on classic pasta + olive oil and is just a great mix of flavors.

Ginger Pasta with Zucchini
8 ounces whole wheat penne
2 pinches of fine sea salt
1/4 block firm tofu, cut into bite-size cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Shoyu to taste
1-2 teaspoons ginger juice (grate a 2" piece of ginger and squeeze out the juice with your fingers)

Bring a large pot of water with a generous pinch of salt to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain and set aside.

Mash the tofu with a fork in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and a pinch of sea salt and saute until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to the pan if the onions start to stick. Add the zucchini and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until it softens, then add the mashed tofu and shoyu to the skillet. Saute 2 minutes longer, then stir in the ginger juice and cooked pasta. Toss all the ingredients together over medium heat until the pasta is heated through and all the liquid has been absorbed

Flavors mixing together...mmm! Smells amazing, too.

 

Bottom Line: This dish is a zesty, exciting twist on regular pasta dishes, and I love that it includes some protein to complete it. No side dishes necessary, but also delicious with a side veggie lightly steamed.

This recipe and more at www.thekindlife.com

Cuban-Style Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Okay, I apologize...I've been AWOL for a bit. I have been cooking, but haven't been sharing! So today I'm going to do a bit of a round up and post several recipes in a row.
I LOVE sweet potatoes and other sweet vegetables, and have since I was little. This recipe, from The Kind Diet, is one of my go-to delicious side dishes. It requires few ingredients and is very simple to make. It goes well with other similarly-inspired dishes, such as Mexican or South American...but really could go with anything, it's just so good!

Cuban-Style Roasted Sweet Potatoes
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

Place the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet, and toast until they can be pierced easily with a knife but still offer some resistance, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes or so. (*Definitely do not skip the cooling, or they will turn to mush in the next step!)

Transfer the potatoes in a large bowl, and toss with the garlic, lime juice, parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Adjust the seasoning the taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Per my usual, I skipped the parsley but have at it if you like the flavor =)

Bottom Line:  A yummy combination of sweet and tangy flavors that can be made with little to no brain power!

This recipe and more at www.thekindlife.com

Summer Soba Noodles

Yay! Two nights in a row of A+ recipes, according to Doug! I'm really excited about tonight's recipe as well. I made Soba with Toasted Sesame Seed Sauce, taken from my Vegetarian Planet cookbook. It was really easy and quick to make, although it is recommended that you let it cool 20-30 minutes to room temp (or if you're super hungry like me, you can refrigerate it for less time) before serving as it is wonderfully cooling and refreshing this way.
This dish has a tangy, authentic flavor and the soba noodles are silky and delicious. I opted to add extra veggies to make it a more complete meal; really you could add whatever veggies sound good to you, or add tofu for some protein. It was also really easy to make lots of extra, so now both of us have lunch to take for tomorrow! It's kind of silly how excited I get about that...but really it saves me so much time and effort!

Soba with Toasted Sesame Seed Sauce
1/2 cup hulled white sesame seeds
8 ounces dried soba noodles
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar (I used balsamic)
1 tablespoon sugar
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil (I used toasted sesame oil and it was great)
3 scallions, both white and green parts, chopped fine (yay for food processors!)
3 cups small broccoli pieces or 2-inch asparagus pieces, blanced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the sesame seeds onto a rimmed baking sheet. Toast the seeds in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until they are a rich brown around the edges.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until they are just tender. Drain them, rinse them well with cold water, and drain them again.

In a large bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and scallions. Add the noodles and the toasted sesame seeds. Stir well, then stir in the broccoli or asparagus. Let the dish sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Bottom Line: You should probably make this! =)

Soup & Salad Combo, Please

Okay so I am excited about this one. These recipes, paired together, make a delightful lunch or dinner on a spring or summer day. The tofu salad is very cooling, which balances out the warmth of the soup. The soup would also be great in the winter time, when I usually picture squash in recipes. But I would HIGHLY recommend both of these, taken from Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet.

The tofu salad is quick and easy, just requiring some chopping of ingredients and a quick steam of the tofu. It would be great on toast or in sandwiches; I put mine on top of the pitas because I didn't have high hopes for the pita standing up to the heavy salad.

The soup is so incredibly simple...if you can just get the squash cut up! Kabocha squash has such a tough skin and is a very hard squash, so I find it very difficult to cut up and peel. Other kinds of squash could be substituted, even bought already cut up (such as butternut)...I just love the taste of the Kabocha so much that it is worth the battle!

A pretty frightening (albeit accurate) picture of Doug and his power saw at war with the Kabocha squash.

Creamy Sweet Kabocha Squash Soup

4 cups kabocha squash, peeled and cut into 2" cubes

2 pinches of fine sea salt (or 1 pinch salt, 1 teaspoon shoyu - this is what I used)

minced fresh parsley

Place the squash in a saucepan with 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, and add a small pinch of salt. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the squash is soft. Mash the squash with a potato masher, or blend with a handheld blender, right in the pot. Add another pinch of salt (or 1 teaspoon shoyu) and simmer for 7-10 minutes longer. Serve the soup hot with a sprinkle of parsley on top.

Soup served in a mug, as a side dish to the tofu salad

Tofu Salad

1/4 cup fresh, or frozen and thawed, peas

1/3 (14 oz.) package firm tofu

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

3 olives, chopped

1 tablespoon rinsed capers

2-3 slices kosher dill pickles, chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions or chives

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 tablespoon Vegenaise

1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar or 2 tablespoons umeboshi plum paste

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

whole wheat pitas

green leaf lettuce leaves

1 red radish, thinly sliced (I don't really like radishes, so left this out)

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the peas, and blanch for 3 minutes or until the peas are bright green. Drain and set aside.

Wrap the tofu in cheesecloth or a clean dish towel and place on a plate. Place a second plate on top of the tofu, and place a weight on top of it for 10 minutes to press out the liquid. Bring water to a boil in a steamer or pot fitter with a steamer basket. Unwrap the tofu and place it in the steamer basket. Cover the pot and steam the tofu for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the tofu and transfer to a bowl. Mash with a fork to make it crumbly.

To the tofu add the peas, celery, olives, capers, pickles, scallion or chives, parsley, Vegenaise, vinegar, and lemon juice. Taste the mixture. If it is too bland, add more umeboshi vinegar, a little at a time, to taste (I needed to add another splash or two to mine).

Spoon the tofu salad into warmed pitas with the lettuce leaves and sliced radishes, or serve on the lettuce leaves and garnish with the radishes.

As good as it looks...reminiscent of egg or potato salad!

Bottom Line: Two ultra-healthful, Superhero recipes that taste so good yet are so simple to make! Definitely recommend both of them...impress your friends with lunch! =)

For more on Alicia Silverstone and The Kind Diet, visit thekindlife.com.

Risotto and Salad

Tonight I made up a couple of yummy-sounding recipes for the first time out of my Vegetarian Planet cookbook. This cookbook is not vegan, just meat-free, but these recipes were either vegan or were easily made so.
I was very impressed by the salad...even though the tomatoes I used were not fresh (oopsie! bad planning), it was still very flavorful and refreshing. Definitely will be making this again...it really reminds me of spring/summertime. One note: I had coriander seeds, but they were not ground. I used something called a suribachi, basically a mortar and pestle in which the bowl is ceramic and has grooves to assist in grinding. In a few short minutes I was able to grind the seeds. Definitely a handy tool to have around!
The risotto was interesting...a few strange flavor combinations, and it definitely could've used more of something, thought I am having trouble putting my finger on what. It was good, creamy and satisfying, but a bit bland...I'm thinking maybe it needed more garlic, scallions, or spices...a simple fix for an otherwise easy and yummy dish.
I did have extras after dinner for both of these...I think these recipes are intended to serve 4. I don't mind though...lunch is ready for tomorrow! =)

Bistro Avocado Salad
1 ripe Haas avocado, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1 yellow or red medium tomato, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup minced red onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch squares
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 small bibb or Boston lettuce head, broken apart

Put the avocado into a medium bowl and stir in the lime juice. Add the tomato, red onion, red pepper, mustard seeds, coriander, and olive oil. Add the salt and pepper, and toss well. Optional: refrigerate for a few hours for a colder salad.

Create a bed of lettuce leaves on your plate. Spoon the salad onto them and serve.

Using my suribachi

Salad finished product

Wild Risotto

1 cup water

1/4 cup uncooked wild rice

4 cups vegetable stock (or water)

2 teaspoons olive oil

6 scallions, both white and green parts, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine (I know basically nothing about wine, so just picked up a $1.99 bottle of white at Whole Foods)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

2/3 cup coconut milk

1 cup fresh, or frozen and thawed, peas

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add the wild rice, cover the pan, and reduce the heat. Simmer 25 minutes. Drain the rice.

In a saucepan, bring the 4 cups stock or water to a simmer and keep it hot.

In a large skillet. heat the olive oil. Saute the scallions and garlic over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the Arborio rice and stir it for 2 minutes. Add the wine, the wild rice, and the tarragon. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup of the heated stock or water. Stir frequently until liquid is absorbed, then add 1/2 cup more stock or water. Continue adding the stock or water in this manner, waiting between additions until the liquid is absorbed and stirring frequently. After about 18-20 minutes, most of the liquid should be used, and the rice should be tender but still slightly chewy.

 Sauteing the Arborio rice and scallions

When all of the stock or water is used, add the tomatoes, coconut milk, and peas. Stir the mixture and simmer it, stirring often, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Serve at once.

Finished risotto. The yellow color comes from the vegetable stock I used.

Dinner is served!

Bottom Line: Both tasty, surprising dishes that I would make again. Only changes would be fresh tomatoes for the salad, and more "oomph" by way of some more spices in the risotto. I think the coconut milk might have been responsible for muting the flavor a bit.


Recipes both taken from Vegetarian Planet, written by Didi Emmons.

Gone Bananas

Growing up, I always loved when my mom baked banana bread. It was one of my favorite things she made, and she always did so when we had overripe bananas that we couldn't use for anything else. So today, when I found myself with a whole bunch of overripe bananas, I decided to bake some banana bread! I have used her recipe before, but of course this time needed to find a vegan one.
To the rescue comes Post Punk Kitchen, a fun vegan recipe website with some interesting posts. I found a simple recipe for banana bread for which I had all the ingredients already so I was off to baking right away!

Banana Bread
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup margarine, at room temperature (I use Earth Balance)
3 very ripe bananas, mashed well
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk, the original calls for vanilla soy milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat 8 x 4 bread/loaf pan with margarine or cooking spray.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl - flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
Cream together the margarine and sugars. Add bananas, milk and vanilla extract.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. (Confession: I also added chopped walnuts and some semi-sweet [still vegan] chocolate chips to the bread...in my book chocolate only improves things!!)
Pour batter into pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean (mine was done right at one hour).

Fresh out of the oven!

The bread sliced and served well, even while warm. Not too crumbly but not too sticky! The loaf had a nice, slightly crisp top but soft underside.

Bottom Line: A quick and easy banana bread recipe that can be dressed up if desired. In my opinion the banana flavor was a little understated and it could have used a bit more moisture (probably due to the kind of banana bread I am used to), so perhaps could use another banana or some oil. But overall a delicious recipe worth trying! Would love to try it with some alternative sugars and flours to improve the health of the bread as well.

Original recipe found here on Post Punk Kitchen.

Wrap It Up

While I typically take leftovers from the previous night's dinner for lunch each day, I knew yesterday that I wouldn't have anything to take for lunch today. So I made a quick run to Trader Joe's and picked up some goodies to make wraps with!
These are a great, quick, customizable and refreshing meal idea that utilize lots of fresh veggies and can incorporate any flavors that you like! They are also mostly raw, making them all the more nutritious. I thoroughly enjoyed my wrap and am looking forward to further experimentation!

Garlic Hummus Veggie Wraps
1 wrap tortilla (Trader Joe's sells vegan whole wheat tortillas made with olive oil that are soft, moldable but still sturdy, and delicious)
1/2 bell pepper, sliced (I like the sweeter colors, but you can use any you like)
1 handful fresh greens (spinach, lettuce, kale...it's all good!)
1 Persian cucumber, sliced (you can use English cucumbers all the same, but I like Persians because they are so small...perfect size for folding up in a wrap)
1 avocado (I fully intended to put this in my wrap but ran out of room, so had it on the side. I  love them too much to leave them out!)
2 tbsp garlic hummus

Open tortilla on a plate. Spread hummus in center of tortilla. Place greens on top of hummus, followed by cucumbers and bell peppers. Fold up burrito style. You can hold it together with a toothpick or two if needed.

So much freshness and color!

Happy lunching!

Breaking the Fast

Friday morning and I am getting ready for work. But what to have for breakfast? I know it is going to be a busy day (I am a manager at a pet hotel, so we're gearing up for Labor Day weekend), which means I won't really get a chance for a break until lunch...so no snack time! So I knew I should make something filling that will keep me full until the early afternoon. I cooked up some oatmeal and, by putting in some fun additions, made it more delicious and filling. I thought I would share...

Breakfast Oatmeal
1 cup Quaker Oats (I prefer Steel Cut, but they can be expensive and I splurge only occasionally)
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup dried berries (I buy Berry Medley from Trader Joes, a mix of golden raisins, blueberries and cranberries)
1 tbsp maple sugar
1/2 cup (or more) almond milk

Cook up the oatmeal (I microwave mine...really fast and easy). Top with all toppings, stir, and enjoy!

Bottom Line: This is a quick (less than 5 minutes) breakfast that will keep you going and full until lunchtime. And you can customize as you like! I also really like to slice a small apple in my oatmeal before cooking, then add cinnamon once its done!

Mexican Tofu Burritos

I didn't have meal plans for this evening and just decided to wing it on a Mexican-inspired meal. I was presently surprised with the results! I made small burritos (more like rolled soft tacos) using Mexican-seasoned tofu and served them with black beans. The fixin's were easily found in my house and the meal took about 20 minutes.

Mexican Tofu Burritos (makes 6 small burritos)
1 container firm tofu
6 tortillas (whatever kind you prefer...I used what we had at home, but whole wheat or similar would've been healthier)
1 cup Daiya shredded cheese (pick your favorite flavor)
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup diced white onions
~ 2 tbsp. Mexican seasonings (I threw together a blend of cumin, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and chili powder; making it yourself allows you to customize, making it smoky-tasting or spicier, etc.)
3 tbsp. cooking oil

Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Chop tofu to desired size and place in skillet. Saute for a few minutes, then add seasonings and tomato sauce. Continue to stir and cook until tofu is heated through. (You can cook less for softer tofu, longer for crispier).

Heat tortillas in a dry skillet until warm and soft. Add cheese to melt, then remove tortilla from heat.

Assemble burritos/tacos as desired; I topped mine with chopped green onions and a squeeze of lime juice. My fiance is a salsa guy so he threw some salsa on his. I served these with black beans that had a garnish of green onions; you could also fit the beans inside if you had larger tortillas.

Bottom Line: A quick and easy midweek meal, easily customized using the ingredients in your kitchen. You could even sub tofu for veggie crumbles if you had those on hand. Mmm!

Sicilian Collard Greens

For lunch I needed a side dish for my leftover lasagna, so I decided to make Sicilian Collard Greens, one of my favorite recipes from The Kind Diet. I've made this dish countless time...it takes less than 10 minutes, produces consistently great results, and fits as a yummy side dish with lots of meals.
Alicia lists two versions of the dish, one that is simply vegan and one that is "Superhero," meaning extra whole, clean and macrobiotic - no white sugar, white flour, or processed products. The version I am using here is the Superhero version (shoyu replaces balsamic vinegar, and pumpkin seeds replace pine nuts).

Sicilian Collard Greens
1 bunch collard greens (I buy a bag of "Southern Greens" from Trader Joes - no cutting of ribs/stems needed, and plenty to make this dish a few times)
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons raisins (I love Trader Joe's Organic Thompson Seedless)
2 tablespoons shoyu

Toast the pumpkin seeds over medium heat in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes or until golden. Shake the pan often to keep the seeds from burning. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Place the garlic and oil in a large skillet and saute over medium heat until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the damp collards and stir, then cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add the raisins and pumpkin seeds and stir. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the shoyu, cover, and continue to cook 1-2 minutes longer.

Mmm!

Summer Smoothie

Good morning! It's a beautiful day to post about my breakfast...a yummy, cooling smoothie packed with goodness for your body!
Smoothies are amazing....you can basically pack in any of the fruits (or even veggies - spinach, carrots, etc.) that you have at home, blend it up, and it comes out delicious! It's a great way to use over-ripened fruit as well, especially bananas as they add lots of extra sweetness. This morning's smoothie was pretty typical of what I usually will make, either for breakfast or a mid-day snack if I am at home. I also like to take them in my plastic tumbler for on-the-go breakfast or snack at work.

Berry-Banana Smoothie
2 cups fresh or frozen berries (mine were a trio of frozen raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries that I buy in bulk from Costco)
1 banana
1 red pear (random, but it was slightly overripe and ready to use!)
1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk (you can pick your favorite kind of milk here - soy, almond, coconut, hemp, etc...actually coconut would be amazing in a tropical smoothie! Will have to try some time =))

Place all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth! If you blender keeps getting stuck (as it may if you have lots of frozen ingredients), try stirring the mixture a bit to let trapped air out, and also add a bit more milk.

Pour into a glass and enjoy!!

One Of My Favorites

Happy Sunday, everyone! I love Sundays because...well, they are like everyone else's Saturdays as I typically have Sunday and Monday off. But also, I love Sundays because my fiance and I are free all day to spend the day together.
On a typical Sunday we will do something outdoorsy in the morning. Today we went for a dive at the Marine Room in La Jolla, which was enjoyable and relaxing. Then, after a quick Costco run (I'm overly excited about our new label maker!), we headed home for nap time followed by meal time. The extra time that I have on Sundays allows me to make something extra special for us. Tonight I made one of my favorite (so far!) vegan recipes, Zucchini-Quinoa Lasagna.
This recipe is great for a lot of reasons: it is extremely easy; it is packed with protein and highly satisfying; it can soothe any Italian-food craving; it doesn't even use noodles** - unique AND gluten-free; and, for ex-ricotta lovers like me, it doesn't make you miss the real thing! It takes a bit of time only because of cooking time for the quinoa and baking time for the lasagna, but it is a low-maintenance deal! It can also be easily customized - I added a bunch of broccoli, cut into small florets, into mine because I love veggie lasagna; you could also try meatless ground if you wanted, although it isn't necessary for upping the protein.

**I did use noodles this time around, per fiance's request =) But I LOVE the recipe even more with zucchini, as called for!

Zucchini-Quinoa Lasagna
2 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into twelve 1/4-inch thick slices
1 tsp. salt
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped (I leave this out because I don't prefer parsley, but to each his own!)
2 tbs. non-dairy cream cheese, optional (I leave this out as well)
1 25-oz. jar marinara sauce (this is what the recipe calls for, but I ALWAYS end up needing at least another 1/2 jar! I would recommend having two jars on hand just in case)
1/2 cup shredded nondairy cheese, such as Daiya Mozzarella, optional (I also need nearly a full bag of this, since I love gooey, "cheesy" lasagna)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place zucchini slices on a bed of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, cover with paper towels, and let stand to release moisture while preparing quinoa.

Bring broth, quinoa, tomato sauce, onion, and oregano to a boil in saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and stir in basil, parsley, and cream cheese, if using.

Quinoa mixture about to boil, already smelling fantastic!

Spoon 1/3 cup marinara sauce over bottom of 8-inch square baking dish. Blot remaining moisture and salt from zucchini slices, and lay 4 slices over marinara sauce in pan. Spoon half of quinoa over zucchini, and cover with 1/3 cup marinara. Repeat with 4 more zucchini slices, remaining quino, and 1/3 cup marinara. Top with remaining 4 zucchini slices, remaining marinara, and shredded cheese, if using.

Baking time

Bake lasagna 30 minutes, or until zucchini is tender and top is bubbly.

Finished product.

Bottom Line: A healthy, protein-packed meal sure to please even the pickiest of palates!


Recipe found in July/August 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine; originally created by and posted on peasandthankyou.com.

Lazy Thursday

We all have them...lazy days where you come home from work already tired, and the prospect of spending an hour+ cooking a meal just sounds too daunting. These, my friends, are take-out nights!
Tonight Doug and I are having a lazy night and decided to order some Thai delivery. Thai is one of my favorite cuisines for both going out to eat and getting take-out because there are just so many vegetarian and vegan friendly options.
Our go-to place here in North Park is Street Side Thai Kitchen...it has super convenient online ordering and some favorite dishes we like to order. I LOVE Thai noodle dishes and usually order Pad See Eau or Drunken Noodles...tonight I went with the latter.
I order my noodles without the customary egg and typically get tofu or vegetables (rather than chicken or another meat); I like spicy food, but also like to enjoy the actual process of eating, so I order mild =)

Mmmm!!

So no cooking or recipes tonight, just lots of effortless noodle yumminess!

Have a beautiful lazy Thursday night!

Back to Basics

Okay...I'll admit it. With a cringe I will say that tonight I literally had NO pots or pan to cook with, as we have seriously lagged on taking care of dishes these past few days. I know, ew! So we decided to go with a quick and easy staple meal, no recipes needed, that we have relied upon since becoming vegetarians years ago. A quick scrub of a few pots and we were set to go!

Whole Wheat Rotini with Marinara Sauce
1/2 bag whole wheat rotini
1/2 jar organic marinara sauce (I buy mine at Trader Joe's)
1/2 white onion
1 tsp crushed garlic

Add rotini to boiling water and cook as directed. In a separate sauce pan, simmer marinara sauce and add in onion and garlic (I like to do this for added texture and flavor...the more veggies you add the better, in my opinion!). When pasta is done, pour sauce over pasta. You know the drill!

Roasted Broccoli
I find that roasting broccoli rather than steaming it gives it much more flavor and, depending on how long you cook it for, an interesting slight crunch. You can adjust the seasonings however you like...I like to use a little garlic powder, some fresh garlic, and some garlic salt. Yes...I adore garlic =)

All you have to do is: preheat oven to 400 degrees; grab a roasting pan and drizzle ~2 tbsp. olive oil over a few cups of broccoli so it is fairly well covered (I prefer to err on the side of more than less oil, but that's just me); roast for 15-20 minutes, depending on how crispy you would like the florets to be! The end! So easy =)

Garlic Bread
Sense a bit of a theme here?!! Anyway, the garlic bread was just a way for us to use some extra whole wheat hot dog buns we had, but it is always a delicious addition to a meal. Just spread some Earth Balance butter on it, top with some crushed garlic and some garlic salt, and broil for a few minutes. I like to use real garlic as it imparts a sweeter, more heady flavor to the bread.

Okay, so at this point I feel a little silly for even having typed all of this out as it is quite basic. But just to prove how easy it is to go from empty-pantry, guess we'll get takeout night to healthy Italian meal I will publish =)

Just like mom used to make!

Bottom Line: A quick, easy, ultra-familiar meal you can make with things probably already in your cupboards. It is, however, lacking a bit in protein. I usually like to add vegetarian crumbles (my favorite is by Gardein) or veggie meatballs to my sauce to solve this problem. I didn't have any around tonight though so went without.

You Can Make WHAT Vegan?!!

Yes, I was beyond thrilled to find a recommended recipe for Vegan Macaroni and Cheese...especially one that wasn't at all difficult! The recipe I followed is for classic, baked macaroni and cheese and only takes about 40 minutes total (including baking time).

My local grocery store doesn't carry Cheddar Daiya cheese so I used Mozzarella, which may be atypical for mac 'n jack but it still came out delicious! The only adjustment I'd make in the future aside from trying out cheddar would be a tad more pepper. This is also a fun recipe to play around with, adding different spices or veggies or even veggie dogs to the mix. I'm excited to make it for my vegan-fearing family! =)

Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese
8 ounces elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups Daiya shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Heat a large pot of boiling water and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add flour, and whisk constantly until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add almond milk, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes - mine hardly thickened at all). Stir in salt, pepper, 1 cup cheese, and cooked pasta.

Spoon pasta mixture into a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

All ready to go into the oven

Served with steamed baby broccoli

Bottom Line: If you are craving some childhood-favorite comfort food, this is an AMAZING and highly recommended recipe. You WILL be satisfied =)

Recipe taken from This Can't Be Vegan.

Asian Inspiration

There are very few Asian dishes or recipes that I am unwilling to try. As long as I can remember, my parents had always taken my brother and I out for Chinese at least once a week and it was nearly always my favorite meal of the week. I just love the salty-sweet flavors and knowing that the exploration is endless when it comes to Asian cuisine.

For tonight's meal I was feeling something Asian-inspired. For the main dish I chose "Ginger-Baked Tofu" from Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet. I didn't, however, have a chance to pick up any ginger; it became more of a garlic-based flavor as a result, but was still quite tasty. As a side dish, I opted to make her "Baby Bok Choy Drizzled with Ume Vinaigrette" but again found myself lacking a title ingredient: Bok Choy. Instead I followed the recipe using leeks instead and at the end added 2 cups of unsalted, cooked edamame to make it more interesting. I was pleased with how tasty and filling (it's packed with protein) the end-result was, as was my ever-wary fiancee!

(The recipes below are as I made them, omitting the ingredients I didn't use but otherwise exactly detailing the originals).

Baked Tofu
1 pound firm tofu
1/3 cup shoyu
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
2 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar
1 teaspoon brown rice syrup (optional)

Finely chopped scallions for garnish (optional)

Cut the tofu in half width-wise, and place each half on its side then slice in half again. You will be left with 4 tofu "steaks."

Pour 3/4 cup water into a bowl. Whisk in the shoyu, oil, garlic, vinegars, and rice syrup and pour over the tofu, covering it. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375. Place the tofu on a baking sheet and baste with the marinade. Reserve the remaining marinade.

Bake the tofu for 15-20 minutes. Turn the tofu pieces with a spatula, baste again with the marinade, and bake for 10-15 minutes longer. Garnish with scallions, if desired, and serve warm.

Leeks and Edamame Drizzled with Ume Vinaigrette
6-7 leeks, chopped into large pieces
2 cups cooked, unshelled edamame
1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add the leeks and steam for about 5 minutes or until they are just tender. Add the edamame just to warm. Transfer to plates.

Mix the vinegar and oil together in a small bowl, and drizzle over the steamed vegetables (you may not need it all).

Finished product!

Bottom Line: These are simple recipes that yield a protein-packed, clean and healthy meal. You only need small serving sizes to stay full!



Visit Alicia's website The Kind Life for more on The Kind Diet as well as kind-living tips and more recipes!

New Blog

While making dinner this evening I made a rather spur of the moment decision to start a blog. During my sophomore year of college my boyfriend and I decided to become vegetarians (not strict, but lacto-ovo). Our decisions were almost entirely based on animal welfare reasons, as we felt a moral obligation after becoming more informed of the realities of farmed meat.

For the last four years we have remained meat-free. In this lifestyle I have been content, but have also always sensed that I would someday want more commitment; essentially I knew that someday I would go fully vegan. This feeling became a reality about four months ago, after I read Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet which had been given to me as a gift. After reading her book, I felt I had an obligation to myself and my health, as well as to the animals and our planet, to go vegan.

Since then I have had slips, but ultimately I know that this is the lifestyle for me. With no change to my exercise regimen, I have lost nearly 17 lbs. without counting calories; I feel great, have more energy, and just generally feel that my body is operating better and more efficiently. Simply by eliminating dairy and eggs and by focusing on putting only whole, healthy foods into my body, I have become a heightened version of myself.

Along the way I have discovered some amazing new foods that I may never have learned of otherwise, and I have come to rediscover the joy of cooking and experimenting with new recipes. Thus I have decided to chronicle some of these recipes as I make them; I will include the recipes and their sources, as well as pictures and an opinion of the final result. I hope that in this way I can continue to grow my library of vegan knowledge and perhaps share some great recipes with other inquiring minds. I am intent on spreading the word on how amazing veganism can make you feel and be!!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!