falafel.

muffin.

I tried a new recipe last night. It was a compilation of recipes in an attempt to get rid of some very ripe bananas. It turned out pretty well, but I didn't add any sugar, so it may be too unsweet for others. I thought it worked out perfectly.

{Vegan} Banana Nut Muffins

4 medium ripe bananas

a dash of baking soda

cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger to taste

a few tablespoons ground flaxseed

a tablespoon (or so) coconut oil

about half a cup nut milk

about 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
vanilla

oats until desired consistency

chopped walnuts

Bake at 350°F until done (15 minutes). They will be

very moist, but will stiffen up after cooled.

UPDATE: I made these again and used riper bananas, almond meal in place of the flour (leftover from my homemade almond milk), a tablespoon of cocoa, wheat bran, coconut flakes, and a handful of dark chocolate chips. The result was a sweeter, tastier muffin that won compliments quite readily.

alfredo.

{recipe}

solar eclipse.

{photos by Aaron Carson}

quinoa maki.

This sushi replaces white rice (iron: 1%, protein: 4g, folate: 0%) for quinoa (iron: 15%, protein: 8g (complete), folate: 19%). I added avocado, red bell pepper and cucumber and topped it with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger. This was a success even with my meat-eating roommates.

mid-morning snack.

la nay ferme.

fruit roll-up.

{strawberry and apple}

mid-morning snack.

carrot.

This is what a carrot is supposed to look like. My boss gave this to me from her food co-op La Nay Ferme. So cool!

chris and joanna.

carrot pancakes.

These were a good way to use up the millions of pounds of carrots I still have. Plus, they are delicious. See?

spring rolls and salads.

As you know, I've been trying out lots of new recipes lately in an effort to make veganism tasty and fun (besides the fact that I absolutely love to cook). These spring rolls were incredible and the original recipe can be found here (I added avocado, which I recommend). The salad has a new dressing that can be found here (I added ground flax seed for flavor and nutritional value and was happy with the results). Both concoctions received rave reviews by family.

photobooth.

little things.

I like summer when miniature watermelon and lettuce are on sale.

summer popsicles.

I like to make these all-fruit popsicles during the summer for a sweet, quick treat. Yum!

a dinner for two.

Last night after babysitting my niece while my sister and her husband went to the temple, AC and I had a fabulous dinner of Zucchini Alfredo and a Caesar Salad with strawberries. Quite delicious, if I do say so myself. The salad was the real winner, though.

tomato soup.

AC and I got this recipe from the bagger at Buy Low. Stuff garlic cloves into tomatoes and broil them until browned (but not burned!). Puree until smooth in a blender and add salt and pepper. I added thyme, oregano, and onion powder since they were on hand and if I had to redo it, I would bake the tomatoes for a longer period to get the garlic more incorporated and less potent, but, overall, it was a really tasty and surprisingly simple recipe.

vegan.

After almost nine years of vegetarianism, I've decided to finally make the switch to full veganism over the next few months (which the exception of a short hiatus while I'm in Italy). It has been an interesting journey along the way, which I've decided to document in a short essay I'm calling "Why I'm a Vegetarian," that I'll share when it's completed (within the next few days, for sure). In the meantime, my crazed obsession with new recipes continues on. In addition, I might start a "What I Ate" series to give readers an idea of the ease (and deliciousness!) a vegan diet can provide. For now, a preview of what I had for lunch.

Avocado Wasabi Salad (This was amazing! You can get the recipe here.)

 

Fresh Juice (I'm not a juice fanatic, but it's tasty, so when I have extra produce that I wouldn't otherwise eat raw, I toss it in my newly inherited juicer for a nice drink on the side. In this glass, I have three carrots, an apple, and the white parts of my lettuce I was going to throw away--I'm not sure the lettuce made a very big difference in flavor).

 

banana ice cream.

Recipe here.

strawberries and chocolate.

chase the mayor (5K).

23:53--A new PR!

walking home.