Guac:
1. Mash an avocado
2. Add greek yogurt and spices [garlic powder, sea salt, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper]
3. Garnish with onion
*Greek yogurt is optional, of course
Sweet potato fries:
1. Slice sweet potato & coat with oil + seasonings
2. Bake at 375 for 10 min, flip, 10 more min
Cauliflower soup is a wonderful base. You can add anything to it: sautéed/steamed leafy greens, cooked vegetables, beans, noodles, etc!
For instance, I like to add garam marsala along with garlic onions and sea salt, which is how I flavored my soup today. I also added sautéed spinach; it added a nice texture that complemented the dish.
Creamy cauliflower soup enjoyed with garlic mushrooms and spinach.
While I was steaming the cauliflower I sautéed sunflower oil, green onion, and garlic in a skillet until the aromas flooded my home. Then I added the mushrooms, coated them with garlic powder and sea salt, and cooked them until the moisture came out.
***this step is crucial to cooking mushrooms! I recently learned that if you leave them cooking for longer, the moisture will come out and they will be much easier to chew and more pleasant overall.
Once the mushrooms were done, I quickly sautéed the spinach.
Learning how to multitask in the kitchen can be challenging at first, but I have to say this was the first time I really noticed how much I’ve been learning within this entire experience. I felt the connection that cooks feel with their kitchens 💚 also, I efficiently multitasked without burning any pans! Horay!
I found my flow in the kitchen and it was glorious. Always learning, always growing.
Servings: 2
Time: 20 minutes
Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients:
A head of cauliflower
½ c vegetable broth + more for desired consistency
¼ c soy milk or a plant based milk
1 large garlic clove
½ tsp garam marsala
¼ tsp garlic powder
Sea salt to taste
Directions:
1. Steam clean cauliflower florets until tender enough to slide a fork through
2. Add steamed cauliflower, soy milk, garlic, and seasonings to blender
3. Blend and add vegetable broth until you reach the consistency you prefer
4. Pour into bowl and garnish with freshly ground black pepper, green onions, sautéed spinach and mushrooms – or whatever you have 🙂
*really wish I had added some cilantro and jalapeños
I remember this moment perfectly. I had just arrived to a friend’s house in Cornwall & was completely caught off guard by how beautiful his home was, right along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. I was blown away, sitting, watching, taking it all in. Pure beauty & everlasting presence.
“It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience,
including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.”
Ram Dass
I’ll toast to that.
Last summer, I went backpacking through Europe with my good friend, brother, kindred spirit. Our financial situation was not the same so eventually we had to split, which forced me to embark on a solo journey. (We split up in Split, Croatia) It was amazing and the best thing that could have happened to me. Although my parents were worried, I was not in danger once! However, I misplaced my passport twice, but both times it was necessary and it had to happen. So I’m glad it did! This was when I learned and understood that the universe is on our side, with us, in us. There’s no reason to be scared. I fully trust the universe to guide me through my journey. I guess this is the equivalent to fully trusting god, or even yourself. It’s however you want to look at it. The choice is up to you. Isn’t that religious freedom? Full circle.
I’m so grateful for this experience because I ended up planning at the very last minute, the key to spontaneity. And I ended up in places like the picture above. It was amazing I felt like I was in a movie or a dream.
*When you have no expectations, everything is phenomenal and the most beautiful synchronicities will happen to you.
Everything will flow.
It’s so easy to forget the simplicity of it all. It is so simple, yet we make it difficult to listen, to see the clues, the ideas, to make the connections. I mean, its all laid out before us. It’s all right here… but when is the right time to intervene? When is my actual cue? How do I know when I’ve waited too long?
Becoming aware of it all makes for an interesting, beautiful experience, despite the ever nagging frustration that I can’t seem to shake.
Ignorance is bliss. Ha! It really is, but that’s not where I am anymore. I’ve moved out of that experience and into this fresh one, which is brimming with introspection and some ridiculous analysis of my experience.
Despite my frustration, this truly is the human experience.
This is it!
A few years ago, when this whole realization was taking form, I consistently reminded myself of something very important:
Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react.
A nice grounding practice I like to do includes what I’ve just done: I’ve reminded myself of something productive that I used to do, something that benefited my well-being. This quote sparked some major introspection and self-analysis when I first began repeating it to myself, which lead to awareness and compassion for others, and an entirely new perspective and experiences.
Everything is on time.
Tofu has become my favorite food lately because it’s so versatile & fun to experiment with. This recipe came out of my brain and sort of just happened.
This tofu veggie bowl is packed with protein and dietary fiber. It left me feeling very nourished. High vibes! It’s such a strange combination of tastes but I really liked how different it was! Confusing my tastebuds is very entertaining 😀 I enjoyed my dinner with strawberries, blueberries, and pear slices to complete the rainbow. Maybe that’s why I feel so nourished & complete.
It blows my mind every time how much of a difference being present makes when doing anything, especially when cooking. I’ve noticed a great change in how I feel and how my food looks and tastes. I am full with gratitude for the opportunity and freedom to cook whatever I want and experiment as I wish.
The Greek yogurt is really nice for balancing all of the flavors, but unfortunately, makes this recipe not suitable for vegans. However, it can easily be taken out or subbed by a vegan yogurt or sour cream! I know I’ve seen recipes for both, however, that is a LOT of tofu.
This recipe is sweet, spicy, and tangy! The pear + curry powder + lemon zest give it a really nice flavor explosion. Tastebuds-approved.
Ingredients:
1/4 block tofu extra firm
1/4 c black beans
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Red chili flakes
Curry powder
2 Green onions, chopped
1 zucchini, cut in half then sliced into thin pieces
Handful cilantro chopped – stem and leaves, you get way more cilantro this way*
1 pear, cubed
1 TBS chopped red onion
Carrot shavings from 1/2 carrot
Lemon zest from 1/4 lemon
2 tbs Greek yogurt
1 tbs Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
Directions:
1. Put sunflower oil in pan on medium heat
2. Add green onions and garlic, cook for ~2 minutes
3. Mash the tofu in a bowl & add sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, stir
4. Add tofu, black beans, half of the chopped cilantro, and 1/2 tbs liquid aminos to pan, stir and cook for 5 minutes
5. Add zucchini and other 1/2 tbs liquid aminos, mix
6. Add curry powder and red chili flakes
6. Remove from heat
7. Add pear, carrot, lemon zest, red onion, other 1/2 of chopped cilantro and Greek yogurt on the side
Enjoy!
Yesterday’s lunch was vibrant & nourishing,
packed with phytonutrients & high vibrations.
I spotted a gorgeous red cabbage at the market & I could not resist.
I must say it sparked some creative fire because once I got home, I was
inspired to learn all about cabbage, including the health benefits,
nutritional profile, how to select and store it, and how to prepare it!
This website is amazing if you have ever felt overwhelmed with the internet & would like a single, condensed article with everything you need to know about healthy foods to get started.
Despite all of my cabbage research, I still decided to stick with raw red
cabbage this time around because I needed it to be somewhat strong enough to act like a hard taco shell! Although, I believe steamed cabbage would work just as well. It’s a totally durable vegetable.
So I went on to prepare the filling with what I already had/just bought, which ended up including avocado, tomatoes, leftover roasted zucchini, jalapeños, steamed broccoli + kale, and red onions.
I love the vibrant colors! Only bummer was that I didn’t have a single yellow or orange vegetable anywhere, so I can’t say I ate a rainbow today… how tragic. To prevent anymore tragedies, next time I can add…
Orange:
• orange bell peppers
• shredded carrots
• carrot juice to drink after my meal
• papaya banana smoothie
• sweet potatoes cubes
Yellow:
• yellow squash
• Lemon juice
• sliced yellow bell pepper
• yellow rice instead of white
• corn
Although I didn’t consume a rainbow, I felt like I had and I was full all day! Success.
Here’s the glorious set up:
You know it’s gonna be good when you end up having a photo shoot with your food :p
I also went to Good Will the other day to get some pots and while I was there I found these super cute plates (above) and this Japanese mug (below) for my new place. The plates and mug added up to less than $2! I love Good Will; I always find the cute stuff, muahaha.
Gah! It’s so cute.
& filled with black tea.
Holy caffeine.
I think it’s pretty self explanatory what I did with the filling and the cabbage “shell,” but just in case, here’s the order I put the filling in:
white rice first, kale, the big vegetables (broccoli, tomatoes, avocado,
zucchini) followed by the tiny vegetables (red onion, jalapeno) & herbs (cilantro).
The finished product:
Nom!
Filled with nourishment & gratitude ❤
Does anyone have a favorite filling for vegan “tacos?”
I’m always up for suggestions.
Just love because love is all there is.
💚
I’ve finally found a solution!
These oatcakes, are vegan, clean, and just the right amount of sweet.
& the funny thing is…
I kind of just made it up as I threw ingredients into a bowl, so they’re super easy to make. If I can do it, you can definitely do it.
Vegan Oatcake for One
Ingredients:
• Handful of oats
• 1-2 Large spoon-fulls of apple sauce
• Couple shakes of cinnamon (adjust to taste)
• Swig of vanilla
• 1 Mashed banana
1. Mash the banana with a fork
2. Add the apple sauce + oats
3. Add the cinnamon + vanilla
4. Cook in skillet over medium heat for a couple minutes
5. Top it off with some honey
*adjust amounts of ingredients to however mushy/dense you like your pancakes – I just added enough oats to where it seemed chunky enough to cook in a skillet.
**blending the oats first into an oat flour would be SO ideal if you want more of a homogenous PANcake rather than a chewy OATcake
Super sweet oatcake for one!
^.^
Last nights dinner: spicy lentil soup
I love lentils. They are my new favorite food. I’ve even got some set aside to sprout!
Sprouting lentils is extremely easy & so good for you. I was intimidated for a while, but I did some research on sprouting and it’s actually very simple! All I did was put about ½ c of dry lentils in a strainer and I rinsed them with water from the faucet 3 different times yesterday. In between rinses I just set the strainer on the counter so that they stay moist, but not waterlogged.
It’s that easy.
And I already have little sprouts!!!
Back to the soup.
I enjoyed this soup so much I’ve decided to add it to the list of meal prep ideas for when school starts. I plan on doubling this recipe (5 servings) and storing each soup in its own individual mason jar. I could pack the lentil soup along with avocado slices, rice or some seed crackers. Or maybe some dosa!!!
Side note – I am going to learn how to make dosa someday.
Side note II – lentils + rice = complete protein
Anyways, this spicy lentil soup was fairly easy to make and only took about 30 minutes!
Spicy Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
1 TBS Sunflower oil
½ purple onion – chopped
3 large garlic cloves – minced
1 TBS tomato paste
1 TBS curry powder
½ tsp red chili flakes
2 c vegetable broth
2 tomatoes – diced
1 ⅓ c dry green lentils
1 jalapeño – sliced
Handful of cilantro
Spinach or any other leafy green
2 Green onions – chopped
Directions:
1. Heat oil in pot
2. Sauté onion and garlic in oil
3. Add tomato paste, curry powder, and red pepper flakes & stir until everything is combined (like the picture below)
4. Add vegetable broth, tomatoes and lentils. Bring to a boil & let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, until lentils are very tender
5. Remove from heat and add cilantro, green onion, jalapeño, and leafy greens
Enjoy 🙂
This recipe is adapted from Vegangela
I’ve been feeling extremely groggy since I stopped eating meat, which I understand, but I didn’t realize until this week how much protein I’ve been missing. Along with going out on weekends, my body has truly been suffering! For example, I feel weaker and yoga has been more challenging in the physical sense. Another example, I have been taking naps! I never take naps. So this is a huge wake up call for me..
I need more protein!
So I did some research on vegan protein sources:
Beans
Nuts
Legumes
Greens
Soy
I have always loved tofu so I remembered to pick some up on my next grocery haul.
And I always make sure to have some canned beans around.
& I learned all about the many ways to prepare tofu! Exciting stuff ^^
For my first successful tofu cooking experience, I decided to make scrambled tofu with black beans and green onions, tomatoes, avocado, and jalapeños.
It was fairly easy to make this! I was surprised and very happy with this meal 🙂 I used half of the tofu block for this serving.
Next time, I should add something orange and yellow like sweet potatoes and corn or bell pepper boats! And add some cilantro or fresh basil.
& maybe even a dessert bowl of blueberries and oranges.
& add a spicy chili sauce!
To make scrambled tofu:
1. Mash ½ tofu block with a fork in a bowl
2. Add seasoning to bowl and mix – sea salt, cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano
The next day, I went all out and made some tasty sesame kale (like the kind from whole foods!) so I added some tomatoes, avocado, black beans, jalapeños, and tofu that I sautéed in the pan.
I like you, Tofu.
To make the tofu,
1. Chop up ¼ of the tofu block and put the pieces into a bowl.
2. Add sea salt, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and liquid aminos. Stir the tofu.
3. Heat pan on medium with some oil (I used sunflower oil)
4. Sauté tofu for 10 minutes or until it changes color on all sides.
5. Enjoy!
I’m so so pleased with how the tofu came out both times. Definitely will be adding these two recipes to my meal prep list for the school year.
Next I want to make miso soup with extra tofu, my mom always orders it.
Also, I’d like to make crispy baked tofu!
After I recently wrote about making cabbage wraps, I became inspired to make more wraps!
This time using beautiful sesame leaves from Hmart.
I am forever grateful to my mother for introducing me to sesame leaves, yum!
I’ve been craving Asian food a LOT lately, so I mixed together a little bowl of seasoning for the rice (rice vinegar, liquid aminos, red pepper flakes, paprika, cumin, garlic powder) then I sliced some cucumber, and got out my little container of diced onions, jalapeños, and cilantro that I’ve started to keep on hand. It saves a bunch of prep time!
Unfortunately, I was unable to snap a picture of an actual wrap… Guess I enjoyed my meal too much 🙂
Not to worry though, I made wraps again the next day!
This time, the only difference was the veggies to fill the wraps.
I used: steamed green beans, broccoli, carrots, and cabbage
I used the same seasoning for the rice as the day before.
Also, I really like to put a little smudge of soybean paste (far left) on the completed wrap on the outside or hidden somewhere inside the wrap. It’s not very healthy as it contains a lot of salt but every now and then I tell myself it’s gonna be okay and indulge just a lil 😀
the mindful eats 