Veggie Pasta

Since Winter is now here, and the weather has gotten colder, cooked food has become the basis of my diet once again. And quite happily, I must say.
I think I've decided that raw veganism isn't quite right for me- at least not yet. I feel like I have so much energy now that I eat cooked vegetables and whole grains.

Pasta has long been one of my favorite grain dishes. That, rolled oats, and brown rice.
I especially love pastas with creamy dishes and lots of vegetables!
This recipe is really quick and easy to make, and came out super tasty!

Ingredients:
For the veggies:
Swirl sesame oil
3 cloves garlic
1 Chopped bell pepper
2 or 3 C chopped broccoli (I like a lot of it)
1 chopped tomato

Sauce:
2/3 C nutritional yeast
1/4 C plain, unsweetened soy yogurt
2/3 C tomato sauce
1/3 C water
3 Tbsp apple sauce
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp tamari
cumin, salt, and pepper, to taste

1 lb whole wheat pasta

Method:
Cooking the pasta according to directions on the package.
Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil on medium heat. Add the garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds.
Add the vegetables and saute until tender.

While the vegetables are cooking, make the sauce. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and adjust for flavor.

When the pasta is done, drain, and return to the pot. Add the cooked vegetables and stir in the sauce. Enjoy!

Rice and Beans...

No meat, no dairy, no eggs, no honey, no artificial colorings preservatives, additives, little, if any, refined foods... yet I feel no dearth in variety of what I eat. Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, the occasional whole grain or legume... all making endless combinations of delicious ethical and healthy cooked or raw dishes. But I guess I shouldn't be too surprised when I get asked, "So... what do you eat?" from another.
If that person is serious and interested in learning more about veganism and raw foods, I will answer intelligently. But more often than not, it isn't meant that way, so I answer with a comical, "Rice and beans".

Rice and beans has been something that never really appealed to me... until recently. I've been craving a rice and bean dish all day... So I made one. The weather is getting cooler, so why not make a warming dish to welcome autumn?
Of course, I added a nice amount of veggies to mine. The idea of eating nothing but grain and legume seems boring to me...



Rice and Beans [And Veggies]
1 C brown basmati rice
1 can kidney beans
swirl olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 head broccoli, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 yellow squash, chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp tamari
2 Tbsp vegetable broth
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 Tbsp white miso
Cumin, Pepper, and salt to taste

Cook the rice according to directions on the package.

While the rice is cooking, prepare veggies. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and allow to cook for a minute. Add the onion followed by the remaining vegetables.

Sautee for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Reduce heat to low, and add the tamari, broth, vinegar, and miso. Mix well, and add in the rice and beans, stirring to combine.
Add the spices to your preference and enjoy!

Raw Carrot-Veggie Mush

I think one of the main reasons I get sick of eating raw food is that I quickly fall into a routine. Breakfast goes through cycles, spending a week or so on monkey sandwiches then to raw cereals to fruit salad to smoothies. Lunch is usually a salad consisting of kale, broccoli, carrots, raisins, and either a chopped apple or berries, all tossed with olive oil, sea salt, and lemon juice. Dinner will perhaps be a little more varied, sometimes raw pasta, or raw macaroni and cheez, perhaps raw tacos... but it just gets boring.
I once tried a raw chicken salad recipe and found it so delicious, but, like many raw recipes, it required the nuts/seeds to be soaked. Sure, it makes them easier to digest, but it's so inconvenient!
This recipe was just trying to come up with some type of raw vegan meat-like food without the nuts and seeds. Not very meat-like, but still delicious, this recipe can be tossed with a salad, eaten as a little loaf, or on raw crackers or bread. I complemented it with this broccoli mash recipe, and found, with a few modifications, the cheez sauce for said recipe went very well with the carrot veggie mush. With a handful of spinach and raisins (definitely went well with the raisins!!), this was a great lunch!


Carrot Veggie Pate Loaf serves 2-3
3 Carrots
1/2 small yellow onion
3 stalks celery
2/3 C chopped bell peppers (I used red and green)
1 T raw almond butter
Pinch of paprika
Pinch of turmeric
Pinch of cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Toss all the ingredients in the food processor until well combined.

Cheezy Sauce:
1 T and 1 tsp miso
2 T water
2 T olive oil
2 T nutritional yeast
2 tsp red wine vinegar

Mix the miso with the water, and mix in the remaining ingredients.


This is definitely a recipe I will make again, but for dinner tonight, I might just cook up some pasta and roast some veggies! :)