Snacks and Dessert

I have a sweet tooth.
A year ago I would satisfy my cravings with candy bars, cookies, ice cream..... well just about anything. Now, I'm proud to say, when I really want something sweet I reach for fruit.

I have found that it really seems to satisfy me better than the candy, cookies and ice cream. I can have a couple of pieces of fruit and be happy instead of having the need to reach for more junk a couple of hours (sometimes minutes) later.

I do treat myself to non-dairy ice cream once in awhile or a smoothie like I did today.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

2 frozen bananas
10-12 strawberries
1 1/2- 2 cups non-dairy milk (this time I used part vanilla almond milk part original almond milk)

Cut up bananas and strawberries and put in a blender. Tip for freezing bananas: peel them first. I didn't and I thought I would get frost bite holding the bananas trying to peel them with a paring knife. Lesson learned :)

Add milk and blend.  This recipe makes enough for 2 smoothies.

Happy Slurping :)

Teriyaki Tofu

There is a Teriyaki restaurant down the street from our house that has the best tofu noodle dish. I love that dish but I try not to eat out very often. I like to know exactly what is going into my food and you can't always be sure in restaurants. So I came up with my own Teriyaki Tofu dish.








Teriyaki Tofu

1 block extra firm tofu (sometimes I use firm tofu)
teriyaki sauce
2 tbls oil ( this time I used corn oil)
green onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 zucchini
mushrooms
1 package of frozen veg stir fry
1 package of ramen noodles (I don't use the flavor pack in this dish)
black pepper

The trick with tofu packaged in water is to press the tofu to get as much water out as you can. The more water you get out the more it will soak up the flavors of what you're cooking it with. I cut the tofu into 3rds and lay them on a plate covered with a dish towel (you can also use paper towels)

Cover them with another dish towel and place a plate on top.

Then add weight by placing things on the top plate. ( this time I used my spice rack)
I pressed the tofu for about 30 mins while I did the dishes. Next I cut the tofu into cubes and marinated them in teriyaki sauce for about an hour. You don't have to worry about covering the tofu in liquid. The tofu acts like a sponge so a little goes a long way. I just drizzled the sauce over the tofu covered it and put it in the fridge.

Heat oil add tofu and sear.

next add veggies:

First I did the garlic and onions

Then mushrooms and zucchini

Then frozen veg

For seasoning I just added some black pepper. There is enough sodium in the teriyaki sauce you shouldn't need any extra salt.

Cook noodles, plate and enjoy!

Yum!

My Shepherds Pie

I have been completely meat and dairy free since Jan 1st this year. By the end of Jan my husband James told me he was going to eat mostly veggie. Cutting out a lot of the meat he used to eat. I was super excited. He did tell me that he would never go completely dairy free because he could never give up cheese and he loves his eggs too much to give up those. But I'll take it. It makes dinner time a lot easier. Plus, now I get to share the nummy veggie dishes I make, with him. Instead of him just eating the meat entree I had made for him.

2 nights ago he had a request for dinner. He wanted Shepherds Pie. So I made my version of it. It was a quick fix so you will see some short cuts like frozen veggies and instant mashed potatoes.

 (when I cook I don't often use measurements. So if you would like me to give more detail on how much of what I put into my dishes please let me know)

Shepherds Pie

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves ( I used about 6 this time because mine were tiny)
frozen veggies ( I used green beans, corn, broccoli, and peas.)
1 box of organic vegetable broth
4 tbsp flour ( I used whole wheat)
seasoning ( I used thyme, oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper)
instant mashed potatoes

Filling:
I started sauteing onion with the garlic cloves minced in the olive oil . Then I added the veggies. Cook 5 min. In a large cup( or whisk in a bowl) I put half the broth and the flour and stirred them together to get rid of lumps. Add to veggie mix with the rest of the broth. Season to taste. Cook for 10 mins or until thick while stirring.

Topping:
For the instant mashed potatoes I made sure there was no milk or animal products on the ingredients list and I substituted soy milk for cows milk and I didn't use any butter. The gravy was flavorful enough to not need the extra fat.

Since it was a quick dinner we just scooped them into bowls and enjoyed. It's not at all like classic shepherds pie but close enough to satisfy the craving :)

Here is a photo of my leftovers last night

Happy Eating :)

So, what do you eat?

"So, what do you eat?"

 Is the first question people ask when they hear that I've stopped eating meat and dairy. I love to cook, share recipes, and talk about food. So it feels only natural to start a blog and share the food I do eat with you. I started my meatless/dairyless journey almost a year ago. I started for health reasons and I have to say I feel amazing now. I don't think I've ever felt this good. I never want to go back to eating the way I did. And I truly don't miss bacon or even cheese. There are many reason for choosing a plant based diet but they will not be the focus of this blog. I just want to talk FOOD!

Happy Eating :)