Salisbury.Fake dinner, food

Vegan Lasagna Roll-Ups

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Hello!  This week? Lasagna roll ups!  These are about the same amount of work as a traditional lasagna, but they’re individually portioned, making for easier serving and portion control.  Serve with salad for a complete meal.  See my notes at the bottom for clarification on ingredients.  Otherwise? Let’s get you rollin’.

For the tofu ricotta:

1 block of firm tofu, drained and pressed*
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp plant milk (I used oat)
1 tsp  salt
1/2 tsp each garlic and onion powder
1/4 tsp citric acid*

For the “meat” sauce:

1 cup of TVP*
1/2 cup of vegetable broth
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1 tsp of dried basil
1 tsp of dried oregano
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper

Boil water and prepare 6 lasagna noodles according to package directions, cooking to al dente.  The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.

In a food processor, crumble the tofu and then pulse for about ten times.  Add in the remaining ingredients and process till the mixture is smooth.  Adjust for seasonings if you want more salt or more pepper, or add in more nutritional yeast if you’d like.  Honestly, this “ricotta” is the closest tasting to actual ricotta I’ve had yet, so I recommend making it as listed above.  Once it’s combined with the sauce and the pasta, the flavors work really well together.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the TVP and the vegetable broth and allow to rehydrate for about ten minutes.  Add in about 3/4 of the can of tomato sauce, and add in the remaining ingredients.  Combine, and set aside.

For the rolling, I used a baking sheet to hold the pasta so I wouldn’t make a mess on the countertop, but you don’t have to.  You’ll need a smaller baking dish for this, since there’s only six servings in this recipe.  I recommend glass.  If you want to make more, simply double the recipe and use a bigger baking dish.

Once the pasta is al dente, drain and return to the pot.  Take one noodle and lay it flat on the baking sheet (or countertop).  Spread the ricotta down first, using about 1/3 of a cup per noodle.  Spoon on some of the sauce, again about a 1/3 of a cup.  Roll from the bottom up, and place in a well greased baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining pasta till all is used.  You might have some ricotta left over.  Simply store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.  Use the remaining tomato sauce in the can by mixing it with any leftover sauce in your mixing bowl.  Spoon onto each roll up.

I put some Daiya mozzarella style shreds on top of my roll ups, but you don’t have to.  Bake at 375* F for about 25-30 minutes.  Serves six.

You could also get this prepared and then freeze until ready to use.  I’d recommend only for a maximum of three months, though.

*Notes*

Ricotta:  Draining and pressing the tofu is a big step for this.  I usually don’t press my tofu, just squeeze as much water out as I can, but for this I pressed it.  Doing so gets rid of even more excess water and won’t make the tofu runny.  I also used citric acid because I didn’t want the flavor of lemon in my ricotta.  You absolutely don’t have to go out and buy citric acid to make this.  Use a tablespoon of lemon juice, or two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar instead.

Sauce:  Instead of TVP, you can use frozen “beef” crumbles, such as Gardein, etc.  Brown the crumbles first, though, before mixing into the sauce.  You can also use a jarred sauce you know you like instead of making the sauce above.  Personally, I don’t enjoy chunky sauces.

Salisbury.Fake dinner, food

Roasted Poblano and Split Pea Soup with Sunchoke

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A few notes before we get started:

  1. You can roast the poblano in the oven at 400* F for about 10-15 minutes, or until the skin is blistering.  You won’t have the same char effect as you would if you held it with tongs over the gas stove.  The main reason for roasting the pepper is to remove the skin anyway.  Or as much of it as you can.
  2. You can leave out the poblano entirely if you’d prefer to have it less spicy.
  3. This soup thickens quite a bit after it’s cooled, and oddly looks like custard once it’s been in the fridge.  To reheat, simply add enough water to reach your desired consistency and either reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave.  This soup will also freeze for up to 1 month.

Let’s get into it.

Ingredients

2 quarts (8 cups) vegetable stock — I used Better Than Bullion vegetable base NOT their vegetarian chicken broth base.
1 1/2 cups split peas, sorted and rinsed
1 poblano pepper, minced once it’s been roasted and peeled
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional, but it adds a bacony flavor to the soup)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Taste for salt, add if needed along the way.  I didn’t need any extra salt with the Better Than Bullion paste.

Method

Bring stock to a boil in a large pot.  Add in all of the remaining ingredients and lower to a simmer.  Continue to simmer until peas are starting to mush together, almost like mashed potatoes.  I know it sounds gross, but it’s what I’ve got.  Puree part or all of the soup, or leave as is.  This serves four in normal portions, three in not normal portions.

For the sunchoke — otherwise known as the Jerusalem Artichoke:

This works for any size sunchoke, but I recommend only preparing as many as you plan on serving.  Clean thoroughly before placing on a baking tray.  Pierce with a fork a few times, and then bake at 375* F for half an hour.  The fork should go through easily, but don’t go all the way through.  Once sunchokes are fork tender, smash with the bottom of a glass and sprinkle salt and pepper on top, adding a small bit of butter as well, if desired.  Put back in the oven for another 7 minutes before removing the tray and flipping the sunchokes over (carefully), and finish baking for the remaining 7 minutes.

Serve without intending for leftovers.  They don’t hold up well in the fridge after 2 days.

Salisbury.Fake dinner, food

Seitan Roast with Sides

Hello!  Happy new year!  I hope you are doing well, and I hope your food goals are going well, too.  If you’re participating in Veganuary, congratulations, I hope you succeed.  I also like to remind myself that when I’m trying a new thing and I have a slip up, it isn’t the end of everything and I just pick up where I left off.

This post is a long one, but I wanted to start the year out with a bang.  It’s all mostly recipes with a few notes for one or two of the recipes.

That said, let’s just get right in to the recipes.  Seitan roast, warm fennel and apple salad, ginger carrot and red cabbage salad, and a pomegranate reduction for the roast.  There’s also peas on the plate, but I just steamed those.  If you need a recipe for steamed peas, please let me know.

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Seitan Roast

Note: if using plain vegetable broth/stock, add in more salt than you think you might need.  Seitan is very easily bland, so adding in about 2 teaspoons of salt will help make it not be bland.  I know that sounds like a lot, but you’re making up the difference from a bullion cube or paste.

Ingredients

Dry:

2 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten (no substitutes, sorry 😦 )
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp each garlic and onion powder
2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt (see note if using vegetable stock instead of water)

Wet:

2 cups warm water
2 tbsp oil of choice (I used olive)
1 heaping tbsp bullion paste or 2 bullion cubes (I use Better than Bullion No Chicken base)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or regular white vinegar)
1 tbsp maple syrup or other liquid sweetener

Method

Whisk dry ingredients together to distribute everything equally.  In a separate bowl (or, like I do, use a glass measuring cup), mix together the wet ingredients.  There will be separation of the oil, so don’t worry, it’s normal.  Add your wet to your dry and stir to combine.  A soft dough should begin to form.  This will be wet, but it shouldn’t be shaggy (where it easily pulls apart and stringy).  Once you get a ball to form and all of the vital wheat gluten is mixed in, start kneading inside the bowl.  Knead for about 2-3 minutes, or until it becomes a bit firmer.  You shouldn’t be able to pull it apart very well at all at this point.  Let the dough rest for about five minutes.  Press the dough into a rectangle (I did this on a baking tray for easy counter clean up) and then roll into a log.  Wrap in parchment as tightly as you can without ripping the parchment.  Roast at 325 degrees F for one hour in a roasting pan  with 1/4 cup of water in the bottom.  I used foil balls to elevate the seitan above the water so it wouldn’t soak into it.  It will act as steam though, so it will evaporate a little as the seitan cooks.  Let cool for about half an hour so the seitan can set.  If it gets too cooled down, slice the seitan and then warm in a skillet with some butter or oil till golden brown.

Freeze leftover seitan in portions for up to 3 months.  Leftovers can be used for anything you’d like, really.

Warm Fennel and Apple Salad

Note: Slice the apple while the shallot is browning in order to lessen the oxidization of the apple.

Ingredients

1 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
Juice of 1 orange
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter (or use oil).  Cook the shallot till it browns, then add in the fennel and apple.  Cook down for about 5-7 minutes, flipping every now and then to ensure even cooking.  Add in orange juice and salt and pepper and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.

Ginger Carrot Red Cabbage Salad

Note: This is a small batch worth because I didn’t want to make too much since it’d be me eating most of it.  To make a full head of cabbage, just double the dressing recipe.  I know it might not seem like enough, but trust me, it will be.

Ingredients

1/4 of red cabbage, shredded
1-2 carrots, shredded

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a medium bowl, toss together the carrot and cabbage.  In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until thoroughly combined.  Pour over the carrot and cabbage and toss until salad is coated.  Set in the fridge until serving.

Pomegranate Reduction

In a small saucepan, bring 8 ounces of pomegranate juice and 1/2 tsp of maple syrup to a rapid boil, then lower the heat to a simmer until liquid reduces by half.  Mixture will thicken as it cools.  Spoon over seitan roast at the table, or can be used before slicing the roast.

Salisbury.Fake Uncategorized

Holiday Hiatus

Hello!  I am going to take a short break from updating this blog while the holidays are happening.  It’s a busy time of year for a lot of people, and my family is the same.  I’ll be back in the middle of January with more recipes.

Have a safe and cozy holiday season wherever you are.  And if the holidays are a rough time for you, I hope it is easier this year.

Thank you for the support! I’m excited to keep growing as a food blogger.

Salisbury.Fake baking, dessert, food

Cherry Bars

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These are pretty straightforward.  Cherries are delicious and good for you.  Here we go:

For the base:

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 scant cup oat flour
1/2 stick vegan butter (4-5 tbsp)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup soy milk (or other plant based milk)
1 tsp each vanilla and almond extract
1/2 cup sugar

Combine the flours, butter, salt, and sugar till mixture is sandy and holds together when you press it.  Add in the soy milk and extracts and stir till a dough forms.  It should be slightly tacky, but not wet.  Set in the fridge to rest for about half an hour while you prepare the filling.

For the filling:

3 cups cherries, pitted and halved
1 cup blackberries + 1 tbsp sugar, pressed for juice
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

In a saucepan, add the cherries, blackberry juice, orange zest and juice, and water.  Cook till the cherries are tender and easy to mash.  Mash a few times, but leave enough whole for texture if you’d prefer.  Make a slurry with some of the juice and the cornstarch.  Add in the slurry and cook till thick.  If it’s too thick, add in a little more water, or orange juice if you’d prefer that.

To assemble the bars:

Cut the dough in half and roll into either 8×8 squares or 9×9, depending on the size baking dish you have.  Place one square on the bottom of the baking dish, and then layer the filling on top.  Place the other square on top and gently press it down to make sure it’s covering the filling.  Don’t apply too much pressure, though, so it doesn’t make the filling come up over the sides.

Bake in a 325* F oven for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.  It won’t get too much color on it, so be careful not to over cook.

Cut into bars and serve.  These will last in the fridge for a week after baking, stored in an airtight container.

Salisbury.Fake baking, dessert

Vegan Brownies

A couple of notes with this recipe, and then I’ll let you get right into it.

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photo by c.m.k.

This has a couple of add-ins, and while I know not everyone is fond of add-ins, I recommend you include them.  These brownies are super rich and need something to balance that out.

The main fat source is vegan butter.  I don’t recommend substituting anything for it.  Coconut oil will not have the same consistency required for this recipe.

And with that? I give you brownies.

 

Ingredients:

10 tbsp butter (used earth balance)
¾ cup cocoa powder
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, loosely packed
1 cup flour
3 flax eggs
3 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup chocolate chips/chunks

Method:

Melt butter with cocoa powder, white and brown sugar till grainy. Add in the flax eggs and mix till gloopy. Add milk and mix thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and mix till combined. Pour into greased baking dish, or parchment lined dish, and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.

These will be gooey, but 100% worth the wait.  The cinnamon balances out the super sweetness of the rest of the ingredients, so I strongly suggest using it.  A little goes a long way.

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photo by c.m.k.
Salisbury.Fake dinner, food

Vegan Carbonara with Tofu Pancetta

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photo by c.m.k.

Happy Friday!

Today we’re talking carbonara.  Minus the eggs.  I’ve tried other recipes before, and found they lacked the same mouthfeel straight-up carbonara has, and I think I’ve cracked the code.

The secret to this sauce is aquafaba.  Using that mimics the feeling eggs give this sauce.  Add a few other flavorings and you’re all set for a classic good time.  We’re not going to go into a huge story here, just the recipe.  Perfect for a quick lunch or midweek dinner.  Serve with a salad on the side, and you’ve got an easy entertaining meal for friends on the weekend.

Vegan Carbonara

1 1/3 cup aquafaba
1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup olive oil (or other neutral flavor)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp white miso paste (optional, but highly suggested)
1/2 tsp black pepper (seems like a lot, but please feel free to use to your preference)

Heat aquafaba to simmering.  Add in remaining ingredients and heat to a slow boil.  Reduce back to a simmer, and allow to simmer for fifteen minutes.  Add sauce to al dente pasta and continue cooking till pasta has absorbed sauce.

Tofu Pancetta

1 block of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

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photo by c.m.k.

2 tbsp liquid smoke
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce (vegan friendly)
1/3 cup soy sauce/tamari
black pepper to taste
2 tsp sweetener of choice (I used maple syrup)
3 tbsp oil for frying

Small dice the tofu into cubes.  Mix marinade (liquid smoke, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sweetener, black pepper) in a shallow baking dish.  Add tofu and allow to marinate for at least thirty minutes, but longer is fine.  I’d say overnight if you can manage it.

Line on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes at 375* F.  Let rest for a few minutes before tossing in a skillet with reserved 3 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp liquid smoke.  This just seals in more flavor.

Serve with your carbonara for a bit of salty crunch with your pasta.  If you don’t want to use all of the pancetta for your pasta, it works well on top of salads, and could also be used as bacon bits for potatoes.

I hope you enjoy!

Salisbury.Fake dinner, food

No Chicken Patty

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Photo by Chelsea M.K.

When it comes to burgers, I don’t really find the options for vegetarian burgers to be very appetizing.  Not that I like the texture of meat, but I need something with a bit more chew than most offer.  I’ll be honest, I don’t like to purchase the pre-made grillers out there, even though I have some in the freezer right now.  It all goes back to my biggest pet peeve with myself — convenience food.

If it’s an easy thing to pop in the microwave, or rip open a package and there’s my food, I have a love hate relationship with it.  My love is the ease in which I can feed myself.  Unless I use canned goods like beans, or frozen vegetables, preparing a meal often takes a while, and I’m usually tired when I’m hungry.  Snack foods are always a good option, but again those can be highly processed or contain things I can’t pronounce even if they are on a vegan labelled snack.

I set out a while ago to create a mock chicken patty to give me that chew of a burger I miss.  After several failed attempts, I finally managed to create something edible.  I’d even go so far as to say it’s delicious.  I can pronounce all of the things in it.  And there’s even a gluten free option!  You can have your burger and eat it, too.  Or something.

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Photo by Chelsea M.K.

I do have a few notes about this recipe, though, and I’d share my actual page where I made them because you can see me devolving into “I’m not sure what this is anymore” on some earlier stages.  For the gluten free option, the batter will be firmer and needs to cook longer.  I absolutely do not recommend baking the gluten free one.  It came out dry and gummy all at once, and that was something I can’t ever say I want in my mouth again.  Frying these will give it a lovely golden brown color that makes it all even more appealing.  Patience is key in this recipe because even though it takes a while, the payoff is worth it.

I think the seasoning in it makes it great without a sauce and just lettuce and tomato keep it simple, but delicious all the same.  I’ve been having it with some Daiya slices as well–the cheddar and American–and it doesn’t distract from the flavor of the food.  Without further ramblings, I give you the no chicken patty.

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Photo by Chelsea M.K.

No Chicken Patty (with Gluten)

1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
2 cups vegetable broth (I used Better Than Bullion’s No Chicken Base)
2 cups flour
3 tbsp vital wheat gluten (you can leave this out, just add about 1/4 cup more flour)
1 tsp worcestershire sauce (vegetarian friendly)
2 tsp poultry seasoning (no meat in it, just the herbs and spices)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (you can adjust the salt to your taste, but if you use the BTB base, it’s pretty salty already)
4-5 tbsp oil for frying (I used straight up vegetable oil)

Method:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetable broth, worcestershire sauce, and TVP.  Let sit for about ten minutes for the TVP to hydrate.
2. Add in the flour, wheat gluten (if using), and seasonings.  Stir to combine.  This will make a sort of wet batter, but that’s okay.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet and when the pan is ready, scoop 1/2 cup of the batter into the oil.  Spread the batter into a single layer, maybe 2 inches in diameter.  You can make square patties if you’d like, but the circular ones fit better on a bun.
4. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the top starts to dry out.  Check to see if the bottom is golden brown, and then flip the patties to continue cooking on the other side.
5. Remove from the pan and allow to drain on a wire rack.  Add more oil to the pan if necessary and continue to cook till all the batter is used.
6. Serve immediately, or let cool completely before storing in the fridge for 5-7 days.
7. These will bake moderately well if you’d prefer not to fry.  Oven at 375 F for 10 minutes, flip, then five more minutes.  They don’t brown as nicely as frying, but they still taste fine.

No Chicken Patty (Gluten Free)

Ingredients are the same as above, minus the flour and vital wheat gluten.  Instead, add 2 1/2 cups of rice flour (plain rice flour), and 1/4 cup of oil (your choice, I used grapeseed).  The batter will be firmer, and lighter in color.

To cook, simply cook 5-7 minutes on one side, then flip and continue cooking till the other side is golden brown.  A little longer on the cooking process, but tastes just as great.

Salisbury.Fake breakfast, food

Blueberry Granola

When I have down days, I automatically seek comfort in food.  This isn’t a bad thing, necessarily, but it’s important to reach for the right kind of food.  Lately, I’ve been eating dairy again, which I don’t judge myself for, because judging myself is something I’m pretty good at without worrying about the food I eat.

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Photo by Chelsea M. K.

The importance of loving myself and self care through food is quickly becoming a topic I struggle with and I end up making some rather unpleasant discoveries about myself.

It makes me ask questions like why do I seek comfort in food?  Especially dairy, because as I’ve gotten older, dairy has increasingly bad after-effects on my system.  Yet, I can spend an entire day eating one pizza, and then the next day feel like a garbage can, but then eat macaroni and cheese.

The truth is, it’s easy comfort.  It’s conveniently comforting.  I find myself reaching for the foods I like without thinking of the consequences because it’s easy to ignore those things when I’m trying to find comfort.

So, what is the solution?  I know what I’m going through is not new.  It’s not a new thing for a lot of people.  So, how do I solve my problem?  The solution is to find comfort in something other than food.  Easier said than done.  As the days become more stressful, and the hours at work ramp up to overtime, convenience food is always going to be a thing.

The solution then needs to be a healthier comfort food, right?  Yeah, but I don’t like hummus that much to be eating it after work on days that I had a struggle.  I want something fast and easy.

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Photo by Chelsea M. K.

I did sign up for Thrive Market and they have a lovely smattering of vegan friendly snack and convenience foods, but that again presents a problem for me, because while it’s dairy free, vegan, whatever, it’s still a snack food. The solution is to make food the last resort for comfort when I’m having a bad day.

I love to read, and I write fiction, too.  My options for creativity are somewhat limited where I live, but that doesn’t mean I give up completely on what I love to do. The key is to believe the level of satisfaction will be the same as a bowl of macaroni and cheese.  Or a slice of pizza.  Reaching into that well of colorful visions of the future, what I could be, using that to distance myself from what bothers me will be the eventual goal to achieve. 

Food can still be a happy thing.  It should absolutely be a way to show I care about someone, or a way to help me feel happy.  But it should not be my only source of happiness.  With that, let me give you a gentle recipe, something small to provide a little bit of joy when you have breakfast, or when you need a quick, easy snack before heading out to live your best life.

Granola is not a glamorous food.  It’s probably not even that comforting.  But what it does offer is texture and crunch on top of smoothies, and it can be nutritious depending on how it’s made.  It’s simple and easy.

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Photo by Chelsea M. K.

Blueberry Granola

Recipe yield: about 4 cups
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes, plus cooling

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
2 cups nuts and seeds of choice
(I used raw, chopped almonds and pumpkin seeds)
3/4 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup maple syrup or agave (I used a combination of both)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

  1. Combine dry ingredients, minus blueberries, in a large bowl till evenly distributed.
  2. In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients, making sure the oil is combined with the syrups well.
  3. Stir wet into dry until all of the oats are coated.
  4. Line a tray with either parchment, foil, or a silicon baking mat, and bake in a 300 degree oven for fifteen minutes, stir, and then bake for fifteen more minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and place tray on a wire cooling rack.  This will help air circulate under the tray and help it cool.  Stir every now and then, as the granola will harden as it cools.
  6. Add blueberries and toss to distribute once granola is completely cool.
  7. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Use on top of yogurt, smoothie bowls, or eat as plain cereal.

Salisbury.Fake Weekly Update

Veganuary Thoughts

All righty.  So, it’s now February.  If you participated in Veganuary, I hope you feel successful!  If you had some slip ups, that’s okay.  You’re doing great!  I know it’s hard to feel successful after a slip up, believe me.  But the important thing to remember is to keep going.  Persistence creates the habit.

My version of Veganuary inspired me to continue the decision to go plant based through the month of February.  As I participated in this month, I discovered a few things about myself.  I might repeat a few things from previous posts, so please bear with me.

Plant based eating is expensive if you purchase prepackaged, highly processed foods.

This one is kind of a no-brainer.  Prices per ounce on whole food ingredients when they’re fresh, frozen, or canned is significantly cheaper than the overly processed, prepackaged foods.  Not only are they cheaper, you also pay for your sodium intake as a lot of those products up the salt content to make it more “flavorful.”

It’s up to the individual consumer what compromises are to be made because if you’re like me and appreciate convenience, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying these products.

One of my favorite things about purchasing fresh, whole ingredients is being able to take the time and make them taste good with my personal preferences.  I might not like the way a macaroni and “cheese” tastes out of a box, but if I can recreate a facsimile of it with whole ingredients, then I’d much rather do that.

I think going forward, my goal will be to definitely stick to more whole foods as much as I can.  I rediscovered a love of lentils, and my adorable mother (who went a little upset when I told her I wasn’t eating dairy anymore) went through her cookbooks and recipe collections to find me recipes to help out in a way she knew how.

Making mistakes during a goal is not the end of a goal.  It’s the middle of your progress.

Over the course of the month, I did end up eating some dairy products, if by accident or on purpose, but I never once felt bad about it.  It’s incredibly important to keep a positive mindset when trying to change a part of your life, because negativity is so easy to fall back into.

I used to be on Instagram, and I followed a fitness person there, which was a different thing for me as I’m not into fitness at all, but she had a day where she discussed what she ate over the weekend.  She mentioned that she’d gone to a party for a friend’s birthday and made the choice to eat a cupcake.  It was her reaction to eating it that stuck with me, because it wasn’t a positive experience for her.  She took it as a slip up, a poor choice.

I’m not saying there aren’t bad choices, because I don’t need to eat macaroni and cheese all the time, but I do.  I know, what is it with me and macaroni and cheese?  Well, I couldn’t tell you, hah. The point is don’t get caught up on the days you don’t meet your goals.  It’s all in how you react to the situation.

I decided I wasn’t giving up dairy and eggs, but I was choosing not to eat them any more.  The difference in those statements is one is a loss, and the other is exactly what I said, a choice.  Losing makes it harder to accept, choosing is a step forward.  The times I ate dairy — at a friend’s birthday party, as part of my partner’s Taco Bell, or inadvertently in a batch of hash browns at a restaurant — didn’t mean I’d completely failed myself.  It meant I could just keep going the next day toward the goal I set out to achieve.

People will always have their own opinion on what you’re eating.  It’s up to you to ignore it and do what works best for you.

I think the biggest problem I have with veganism is how judgmental some of the community is.  For something that seems so wholesome and inviting for everyone, there’s quite a few people who make little comments to those around them that just doesn’t make it a friendly environment.  It’s an important thing to me to remember that not everyone has the privilege I do to go plant based, whether for family reasons, for religious reasons, or whatever.  It’s not my place to judge someone for how much plastic they use, or how much “insert generic criticism” happens.

We don’t know everyone’s story.  We only know our own.  It’s up to us to make sure we continue to improve the goodness in the world not by aggressively going after those not like us, but by making changes in ourselves first so that maybe others see it and feel inspired.

I don’t know.  I’m not an expert.  This is all just a ramble, really, while I watch Forensic Files on Netflix.  I was going to include a recipe in this blog post, but it’s really long, so I’m going to link to one of my favorite YouTube channels instead.

Pick Up Limes is a channel run by Sadia.  She is an actual dietitian who happens to be plant based, and her channel is incredible.  The amount of work she puts into her videos is impressive.  She gives reasons for why foods work the way they do, and she provides recipes and printable pdf sheets on her blog to help you on your food journey.  I love her professionalism and her ability to make learning about food interesting.

I hope you’re well, and I wish you well on your food way.