donkey's alright

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I’ve been eating like shit the past couple of days so in order to get back on track I decided to cook every vegetable in the house and eat it for dinner. The result was so fucking delicious. Like it might be the only thing I ever eat again. 

Italian Roasted Veggies over Spinach 

• 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 small zucchini, cut into half moons
• 2 big handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 1 small head of garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/3-1/2 cup of good quality Italian dressing
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh spinach, lightly dressed

Combine everything but the spinach in a large bowl and put it in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours. When you’re ready to roast the veggies, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake on a lined roasting pan/baking sheet for about 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Serve on a bed of spinach that’s been tossed with a few teaspoons of Italian dressing.

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Late night snacker. (Taken with instagram)

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This is how vegans do lunchables.

• Chocolate Almond Milk
• Back to Nature Crispy Wheat Crackers
• Yves Veggie Dog
• Rice Vegan Cheddar Style Slices
• Apple Slices
• Baby Carrots
• Newman O’s

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I made taquitos for lunch.

While everyone else was napping I defensively ate the leftovers.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with defensive eating, it’s where you eat something (even though you’re already full) just so no one else can eat it.

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Hummus Plate

Cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, and chickpeas tossed in olive oil, balsamic, lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper. Served with whole wheat pita and a shit load of hummus.

Best meal ever.

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I’m working on a “Healthy Tots!” page for my blog that will contain healthy recipes and snack ideas for kids. These apple slices make a great snack and they are one of Mabel’s favorites because it involves both food and making a mess.

Use any variety of apple and add your favorite toppings.

Topping Ideas: Peanut Butter (smooth or crunchy), Almond Butter, Justin’s Nut Butter (I like the Chocolate Hazelnut the best), Dark Chocolate Chips, Raisins, or Granola.

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Chili Mac

• 2 tbs. of olive oil
• 8 ounces of ground seitan or other meatless crumbles
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can of petit diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can of pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups of mock beef broth
• 2 tbs. of chili powder
• 1 tbs. of ground cumin
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• pinch of ground mustard
• dash of hot sauce
• 1 1/4 cups of uncooked rotini pasta

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet or soup pot. Brown the seitan and cook the onion until it’s translucent. Add everything (except the pasta) and bring it all to a boil. Once it’s boiling add the pasta and bring the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 15-20. Garnish with Daiya.

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Best Ever Protein Shake

• 3 cups of ice
• 1 cup of almond milk
• 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder (I think the Arbonne brand is best)
• 1 banana
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter*
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

I’ve said, “Oh my god, this is so good!” about four times already and I’m only half-way through the damn thing.

*When I say peanut butter, I mean real peanut butter, as in the only ingredient should be peanuts. None of that over-processed shit. I’m looking at you Jiffy, and you should be ashamed.

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Overnight Protein Bars

• 1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter, I like the Earth Balance brand

• 1/2 cup agave nectar

• 1 cup chocolate protein powder, I used Arbonne Essentials Chocolate Protein Shake Mix

• 1.5 cups of instant oats

• 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions

Heat peanut butter and agave nectar in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir in protein powder, oats, and chocolate chips. It’s best to just use your hands for the mixing, then press the mixture (it will be crumbly) in a lightly greased 8x6 pan. Let cool for 6 hours or overnight. Makes 12 protein bars.

This is a great kid-friendly recipe. Mabel loves them. In fact, they’ve completely replaced Clif Bars in our house. 

This is the perfect thing to eat during a heat wave. I posted it a few months back on my cooking blog, but I’m currently in the process of transferring everything over to this blog.

Balsamic Quinoa Salad

•1 cup uncooked quinoa

•12-15 stalks of asparagus, roasted

•1 tomato, diced

•1/2 cup cucumber, diced

•1 can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

•1/3 cup of good quality balsamic dressing

•1 tablespoon of lemon juice

•1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

•1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

•salt and pepper to taste

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Roast asparagus and cut into bite sized peices. Toss everything together in a large bowl and chill for 3-4 hours. Serve over lettuce or throw it in a wrap with hummus and sunflower seeds.