Sundried Tomato Dressing (Dip and Spread)

Been doing a lot of walking and hiking as of late. Sometimes for 10 miles or more. Walking around for over four hours, your mind starts to wander.  Some of the places my mind wanders to... 

...what a wild time we are living through right now 

...how scared some of my fellow angelenos must be 

...binaural beats and telepathy 

...Denny's new vegan pancakes 

...delicious blue cheese wedge salads and grilled cheese sandwiches 

Well, I was able to put that last one into reality. I whipped up a multi-use sun-dried tomato sauce and used it in this wedge along with the classic iceberg, chopped apples, chopped almonds,  Follow Your Heart blue cheese crumbles, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Then I used it on a grilled cheese on sourdough with sliced apples and more blue cheese. At least I solved one of the world's problems.  

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This one is a great dish for potlucks and make-ahead meals for the week as it seems to only get better in the fridge! And, hear me out, I think it tastes like pizza! 

Creamy Basil and Herb Sauce (Dip, Spread, and Dressing)

Lately, I have been really leaning into getting a bigger nutritional punch from my foods. Trying to up the protein and fiber without sacrificing flavor. I am also focusing on recipes that have multiple uses, so I can make a big batch and then use it in different ways throughout the week. This one really fits the bill. This rich, savory sauce is great in pasta (hot or cold), as a dip, on a grain bowl, a spread for wraps and sandwiches, and as a salad dressing. And each tablespoon has 2+ grams of protein...and y'all know I won't stop at 1 tablespoon. Ha!

Winter Kale Salad with Satsuma & Pomegranate in a Creamy Garlic Dressing

Winter Kale Salad with Satsuma & Pomegranate in a Creamy Garlic Dressing 

Created for Tanaka Farms to show off the seasonal bounty! All ingredients, except a few spices and pantry staples, are available at the Farm's Produce Market Stand during the winter season. Show off the seasonal produce in this easy-to-make salad that is definitely pretty enough to show off on your holiday table. You can also substitute any dried fruit for the pomegranates, and other mixed greens are great mixed in as well. Spinach, bok choy, arugula... 

Vegan Jamaica (Hibiscus) Tacos

 

Vegan Jamaica (Hibiscus) Tacos 

We were having a Dia de los Muertos celebration at work, so I made jamaica tacos as the vegan option for guests. 

“That” Broccoli Salad!

“That” Broccoli Salad!

You know the one.  The one everyone's Aunt invented and brings to every potluck?  Well, now you can make it completely vegan and tell everyone you invented it!

Cauliflower Tacos with Quick Pickled Radish Relish, Strawberry Salsa Fresca, and Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce Plus Coconut Cilantro Lime Rice

Forget about farm-to-table, I say straight from the fields to your face! Ha! Yesterday I did a cooking demo at Tanaka Farms! I made Cauliflower Tacos with Quick Pickled Radish Relish, Strawberry Salsa Fresca, Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce, and Coconut Cilantro Lime Rice on the side. 

It was nice to teach about plant-based/vegan cooking to a non-vegan crowd and then chat with them

Connecting the Dots: Green Goddess Bowls

This past weekend I had the honor and privilege to be a guest chef at the Connecting the Dots event, in Santa Ana, put on by Living Ubuntu. I was humbled to be invited to feed and teach amongst this amazing line-up.

I could spend all night writing about the inspiring speeches given throughout the day. But I know you are here for "just the food" so I will say this...please visit the Living Ubuntu Connecting the Dots: Finding Compassion Through Our Differences event page and click around. There were five amazing young people (Jose Trinidad Castenada, Nyajouk "Sunday" Kuany, Amina Mohamed, Arthur (Trey) Carlisle, Audrey Waight) speaking about everything from immigration reform, to the housing crisis, to the refugee crisis, to genocide, to racism. The future is in good hands!

After a brief intermission we were able to enjoy some fruit and cupcakes (Thanks, Susan! They were amazing!) and then we settled in for the second session. It started with a video presentation by Aph Ko, followed by three more inspiring speakers...Asian American Studies and Animal Rights Professor, Claire Kim; iACT’s COO and Camp Darfur exhibit, Katie-Jay Scott; and Farm Sanctuary's Gene Baur.