Vegan Sheperds Pie

3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes

Fresh chives to taste, chopped

Splash of rice milk

2 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp curry powder

5 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cauliflower, cut up into very small "trees"

3 carrots, cut into coins

1 zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

14 oz diced tomatoes

1 cup vegetable broth

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

14 oz can garbanzo beans

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil till potatoes are soft and easy to pierce with a fork. Remove potatoes. With a hand mixer, mash potatoes, splash of milk, pinch of salt till smooth and creamy.

While Potatoes are boiling, preheat oven to 350 degrees and heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the curry & garlic. Then add all the vegetables.  Continue to cook till veggies for about 5 minutes

Add the canned diced tomatoes, vegetable broth and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer and let broth reduce till most is gone and is more of a thicker consistency. Remove from heat and add the garbanzo beans.                                                                                                                                                      Pour the vegetable mixture into a casserole dish. Spoon mashed potatoes on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with a chives. Bake sheperds pie in the oven for 15-25 minutes or until pie is bubbling and fully heated. Serve & Devour!

The Japanese Food Cuisine Study Hall

Chapter 1

Japanese Cuisine from anime land, Japan

The past 2 weeks I have been lucky to be able to travel the land of sushi, men dressed like popstars, and girls like dolls, and the cleanest city EVER! Well people, I was in Tokyo, Japan. Yes the rumors are true, their 7-11 has better sushi than most high end restaurants in the states. The traditional japanese food was to die for, while some other things I found on my plate, seemed to be more crazy then Heidi Montag. 

And yes I am vegan, but for this trip I had to really indulge in the fish. Because, seriously, when in Japan,  you eat SUSHI. When in Italy, eat a whole pizza smothered in cheese. They are just no brainers!

( One situation that this will never work on, is with meat, (cows, chicken, pigs); no matter where i may be in this world, if they are  known for their meat, I WILL NOT DEVOUR! thanks though.)

Lesson 1: Natto

Video: Me eating Natto my first day in japan, (in our ver nice hotel, hence why I'm whispering). Thank god i was jet lagged!

Most people eat this daily as a breakfast side dish. It is soybeans that are fermented with Bacillus subtilis and contains a rich source of protein and probiotics, so basically its the best thing for you in the whole world. (I try to avoid soy whenever possible, but in this case, I had to try them!) The list of positive things it does for humans is out of control! Natto has crazy amounts of vitamin K, other vitamins that help prevent cancer, it helps reduce blood clots and cholesterol, and helps reduce aging!! But just try...cause there is no way in hell I would ever eat it again...or would I?? It smells like old gym shoes and has the texture of smily beans covered in what looks like melted marshmallows (think rice krispies). 

Vegan Winter Veggie Ragout

Crockpot to the rescue! This colorful soup is so flavorful and delicious, and is so simple a 3 year old could make it. Make this before work (Cook on a lower heat) and come home to dinner already ready, or throw it all in the pot a couple hours before dinner and finally make dinner easy on yourself! 

1.5 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes

2 Tbs grapeseed oil

1 1/2 Tbs garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 bulb fennel, cut into inch pieces

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup white wine 

1 can white kidney beans

2 cup vegetable broth

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch of rainbow chard leaves, de-stemed

1 Tbs oregano

1 Tbs fresh sage, chopped

Throw all of the ingredients into a crock pot, cook on high for about 3-4 hours, or until squash is soft. Serve & devour!

Vegan & Gluten Free Sweet Potato Lasanga

This lasagna is a cheese-less spin on a traditional meal. And trust me, you won't be whining that there is no globby cheese smothering the whole dish! Plus you don't have to pre cook the noodles, they will cook in the oven!! This recipe is slammed filled with vegetables, whole grains, and nuts! You can even cut this recipe in 1/2 and still have enough to feed an army!

1 onion, chopped

1 head of garlic, chopped

8oz mushrooms, sliced

1 head broccoli, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup corn

2 tsp basil, chopped

1 tsp rosemary

2 jars pasta sauce

2 boxes Tinkyada rice lasagna noodles

2 cups spinach

2 sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed

6 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 cup raw cashews

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute onion and garlic in a pan over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until onions are limp and mushrooms are cooked. Add broccoli, red pepper, carrots and corn and sauté till all are cooked. 

Cover the bottom of a 9x13 casserole pan with a layer of tomato sauce. Cover with uncooked noodles (They will cook in the oven, yay for saving energy and time!). Top noodles with another layer of sauce. Spread vegetable mixture over the sauced noodles. Add another later of noodles and then another layer of sauce. Add a layer of spinach and then a layer of mashed sweet potatoes. Add another layer of sauce, and again, with a layer of uncooked noodle. Finally top with the last of the sauce. Cover lasagna with sliced roma tomatoes. Bake, covered in foil, in the oven for 45 minutes. Top lasagna with cashews and return to the oven for 15 more minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and Devour!

Vegan Spelt Raspberry Muffins

Whats better than a muffin that melts in your mouth, is simple to make, and is made of clean ingredients? Yeah I don't know either. So here is a recipe to make every morning start with a stoked belly. 

2 cups spelt flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup almond milk

3/4 cup agave nectar

1 container raspberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together, add in wet ingredients and add raspberries. Pour batter into lined muffin tin. Bake about 25 minutes or golden brown, and when a inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and devour (best warm of course)!