Tasty Links
It seems I've once again amassed a nice list of tasty recipes found elsewhere, many of which have appeared in our kitchen multiple times. Click through and enjoy!
In the Kitchen
A Little Help
I know it might seem like it, but my transition to a clean, vibrant, healthy diet didn’t magically happen overnight. I didn’t wake up one morning and start slurping kale smoothies and mowing down alfalfa sprouts. It took time, evolution in my taste buds, and some redefining of what I saw as food. And thankfully, there were a handful of store-bought products that I was able to lean on to get me through those first few weeks.
Yes, whole foods always trump anything you can buy in a box, carton, or can, but there is no shame in using such things to aid your transition into healthier eating. And with consumers becoming more conscious in recent years of what's going into their food, many companies have responded by producing some really great products that you don't need to feel so bad about bringing home.
Carrot Cake, Veganized
Since a good number of you told me you made my Carrot Cake with Maple Icing to celebrate the spring holiday last year, I thought I'd revisit it, veganize it, and make it all-around a little healthier for this spring. Plus, it's one of my father-in-law's favorites; it was important that I come up with a reliable vegan version so that I can still bring it to family gatherings.
Mujadara
One of the biggest misconceptions about plant-based (or generally healthy) eating is that it is expensive. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, our grocery spending has decreased over the past few months—and that’s despite buying organic most of the time. Plus, since it’s not so convenient anymore, we also spend less money dining out. Savings all around!
Some of the most expensive things you can buy at the grocery store or farmer’s market are butter, milk, meat, and cheese—gosh, is cheese ever expensive! Even eggs, which most people think of as a cost-effective staple, cost a pretty penny when you’re attempting to buy them conscientiously.
Things like beans and grains, however, are so gloriously budget-friendly that it’s a wonder more people don’t go vegan for the sole purpose of saving some dough. If you buy your legumes dried, and especially if you hit up the bulk bins, you’ll save even more. But really, even canned beans are a decent value if you’re looking for convenience.
Leaning V
Though these things can seem that way, my decision to go vegan didn't happen overnight. To be honest, I estimate that it took me a couple years to get to where I am today. I had to educate myself about a lot of things, not all of them easy to accept, and do quite a bit of leaning into a plant-based lifestyle before I was ready to make the commitment. And it certainly helped to know that, once I took that leap, there would be an abundance of delicious, nourishing food on the other side.
So, in the spirit of abundance, I've gathered together several of my favorite plant-based recipes that I developed over the past couple years. These recipes are sure to satisfy--whether you already have a full-on vegan kitchen or are simply looking to lean.
Momofuku Milk Bar’s Birthday Cake
If you live in New York City or delight in the world of food, there's a good chance you're familiar with the highly reputed Momofuku restaurants, including their Milk Bar confectionery. Momofuku's Milk Bar is headed by pasty chef Christina Tosi, who has made a name for herself and her shop by utilizing offbeat techniques (steeping cereal in milk, making an ingredient of breakfast bowl remnants) and quirky flavor combinations (chocolate chip cookies packed also with butterscotch, pretzels, and potato chips) to create treats that are shocking, stunning, and totally crave-worthy. Their Crack Pie is said to be as addictive as its namesake, and their cakes are something to swoon over. I know this because I’ve done so many a time—without ever having taken a bite.
Buffalo Chickpea Dip
I’m not sure when or where it very first began, but sometime in the past few years I noticed a wondrous thing of beauty starting to appear on the appetizer table at social gatherings. It was warm and creamy and spicy, and it elicited publicly inappropriate yum-noises from yours truly. I’ve heard it go by many names, but I’m sure you’ll recognize it when I say: buffalo chicken dip.
3-Bean Chili
Everyone has a chili recipe, a comforting, go-to, maybe even committed to memory pot of warm, hearty goodness that emerges when the weather goes cold. A glimpse into one person’s bowl usually conveys an opinion on beans. A spoonful can tell you whether they have a taste for heat. Is it thick enough to stand on a plate or does it lend itself to a bowl and a spoon? You know yours.
This one is mine.
Polenta Sticks & Croutons
I was always sort of intrigued by those sausage-like tubes of prepared polenta. I walked past them in the grocery store countless times, picking one up, turning it over in my hands, sort of wanting to take it home but never quite sure what I'd do with it. I got super nerdy excited the first time I saw that they make one studded with quinoa, but then I realized I had even less of an idea of what I'd to with that. It was one of those weird things that I couldn't bring myself to purchase but also couldn't seem to ignore.
So one day I said what the hell and I tossed one in my basket.
A Few Good Things
I am always writing new recipes, so I don't often get around to making dishes from other blogs. It's a pretty special thing when I find a recipe elsewhere that I can't resist recreating in our kitchen. Below are links to a few of those such recipes. I thought you might like to have them too.
