Recipes Worth Making
I’ve made this lasagna several times and it always receive high praise. If you have an abundance of fresh garden tomatoes, I recommend adding a few large spoonful’s of this fresh tomato sauce to the sauce from this recipe. The lentils absorb a lot of the liquid making it quite thick, so the extra sauce helps thin it out. It also adds depth of flavor. Lentils break down more slowly in tomato-based sauces so it’s a good idea to soak them for 30-60 minutes. Even after soaking, I find the lentils are still quite crunchy after the recommended 15-20 minute cook time. I usually let the sauce simmer for 30-45 minutes, which is likely why my sauce turns out on the thicker side.
I’ve layered in fresh zucchini slices and spinach, which was super tasty. Roasted red peppers and squash would also be good add-ins. Top with pesto, extra sauce, and a side of greens and crusty sourdough bread. So good!
This is my go-to slaw recipe; it’s super versatile. I mostly use it as a topping for sandwiches and tacos but it works well as a base for salads or grain bowls. I use cilantro but think parsley would be tasty if serving alongside a Mediterranean dish. I like to add a little bit of sliced jicama for extra crunch. So tasty!
These BBQ tempeh strips are a great meatless protein option for sandwiches and salads. I usually bake the tempeh in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (flipping halfway and brushing with extra BBQ sauce). For easy clean up, line your sheet pan with parchment paper. The homemade BBQ sauce is a must try! I was skeptical of the liquid smoke but the flavor is subtle and adds a little something special to the sauce.
Pickled onions are a cherished thing in our household. We love them on just about everything – tacos, burgers, gyros, grain bowls, salads… even pizza. I think Ava could eat them as a main dish. This is the recipe I use the most as it’s super quick and easy. I like to cut my onions on the thinner side, so they’re usually ready to eat in as little as an hour. I try to make them at least a few hours in advance as the flavor gets better the longer they sit in the brine. These onions last up to three weeks in the fridge; though, they never do at our house.
I served this dish with forbidden rice, spinach, mushrooms, grated carrots, Asian cucumber salad, and sauerkraut. I highly recommend the cucumber salad; the vinegary flavor paired really well with the dish. The spinach cooks down a lot, so I’d use two really large handfuls. Two ounces of mushrooms was hardly enough for two people; use more if you like mushrooms. The marinade was a bit thin causing it to run off the tempeh onto the sheet pan and burn. Overall, the flavor was really good but I’ll try less oil (maybe 1/2 tablespoon) next time to help thicken the marinade.
Other recipes I’ve made recently:
Vegan Risotto with Miso and Spring Vegetables
This risotto was good but needs a little tweaking. Next time, I’ll try adding some lemon zest or lemon juice to enhance the flavor. I found myself missing the smooth, creamy texture provided by the cheese in a non-vegan risotto. I’m sure you could add store-bought vegan parmesan cheese and get similar results, but I don’t love the ingredients in store-bought vegan cheeses. I liked the recipe enough I’ll play around with it and see if I can find another way to add the creamy, cheesy factor (thinking a cashew-based cheese sauce might work).
Ideas Worth Considering
Rich Roll: Guru Singh
This [conversation] is not an interview. This is equal partners in a conversation and that is the greatest value that I get from our time together. There is not a person who is an expert and a person who is an interviewer. There are two people who are exploring the world.
Source: The Rich Roll podcast (episode 634)
Reflections
Conversation is an act of information sharing. In every exchange, you have something to give and something to learn. When you’re of this mindset, interactions with others become infinitely more interesting.
