I like food

Thank you everyone for reading, commenting, emailing and messaging me about my last post! It's so nice to hear feedback of fellow moms that made it through their children being 2.

Dave came home for a few days this week. It has been nice to have him here but he will be heading back out soon. Good thing my parents will be taking his place. Elinor and I are excited to see them.

and here is the food...

Pho. I've been craving it for so long but didn't know where in our area has a good vegan option. I went searching for this vegetarian pho soup base. I couldn't find it so I subbed ginger miso broth, baked some tofu, added cilantro, shredded carrots and mung bean sprouts with rice noodles. I topped mine with sriracha. It was exactly what I had been wanting. I made all of the rice noodles and ended up eating leftovers for lunch the next day and dinner the day after day. I think I need to keep rice noodle in stock here. It is so easy just to throw this together for lunches.

 When I was trying to get over my sickness, I made a green smoothie. I added spinach, ginger, a little bit of apple juice, oranges, carrots, bananas, strawberries and a date. Elinor liked it so much she drank all of hers and half of mine. 

Yesterday my friend texted me "Vegan Shamrock Shake!" with a recipe. I happened to have everything so we made one after dinner. 1 can of coconut milk, 1 avocado, 2-3 tbsp of agave, 1 cup ice, 1 tbsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp of peppermint extract. 

We probably only added half of the extracts. Any time I've used peppermint, it is way too overwhelming. We also added a few chocolate chips. I haven't had a shamrock shake so I don't know how to compare it but this was so creamy and sweet. Just like a milkshake. I don't think I have ever used coconut milk for a shake before but now I'm going to do it more.

 We used to make a pizza just about every friday night. Since we moved the Whole Foods here doesn't have our favorite premade pizza dough. We had tried the Trader Joe's one in MA and didn't like it. While shopping at TJ's the other day I grabbed some dough to try it out again. Elinor helped me make it which went pretty well until after the sauce was on, she started stabbing the dough and making holes in the bottom. Slight set back but she did a great job putting the toppings on. We decided on red peppers, onions and pineapples. It was one of the best pizzas I've had in awhile. The dough was nothing like the one we had tried before. We will have to buy more next shopping trip.

 I also used to make enchiladas weekly. It is one of Dave's favorites. But then I started getting reactions anytime I ate quinoa. We didn't have a fine mesh strainer so we always just did our best to rinse it before cooking. My smart friend suggested a reusable produce bag, which I had. It was simple to rinse them really well. They even dumped out of the bag without sticking to the bottom. 

My enchilada mixture is 1 cup cooked quinoa, 1/4 cup onion, 1 can of chickpeas and Daiya cheese (sometimes we add a little bit of green chiles). preheat oven to 450. Lightly grease a dish and pour a small amount of enchilada sauce layering the bottom of the pan. Fill a tortilla putting it in the pan face down. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle a little more cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 15 min. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes until cheese on top is melted.

The day Dave got home, our friends offered to watch Elinor so we could go on a date. Elinor got to hang out with her favorite people and we got to have a quiet dinner, everyone wins! I took him to vge cafe since I had been telling him about it. I got the vge cheesesteak with vegan whiz!! and he got the buffalo wrap. The potato salad there is insanely good. I had to get a side so he could try it. It is some of the best I've ever had. I really like every sandwich I've tried from there so far but Dave got his as a wrap which was way better. I think sometimes the bread being so grainy, it can be overpowering. You also have the option of getting it on rice in a bowl or as a salad. I should probably try one of those options too and be healthier. 

They have a whole case of treats (peanut butter bomb cake!) but the also have vegan soft serve. So exciting since you don't find that often. It tastes like what I remember a frosty tasting like. The prices at Vge are really reasonable. Especially for being 100% vegan. I can see a lot of trips here in our future. 

I like food

I used to post our weekly "I like food" meals awhile ago. Since it's a new year and we are trying to eat better/plan meal better, I decided to bring it back.

We made some delicious meals this week and I was surprised how well Elinor ate all of them. She eats healthy but a meal of what Dave calls "hippy food", I wasn't sure.

chocolate chip scones because after a day of dealing with a 2 year old, you need chocolate

potato chowder from profound hatred of meat So creamy and chunky with no animals harmed

whole wheat chocolate cake donuts from Bran Appetit. I thought the cake donut alone wasn't good and they were ruined but with the frosting, I couldn't stop eating them. 

deconstructed salad. I found something like this salad on another blog but I was told it's from Oh She Glows. I don't read that blog but I really need to start. We added a ginger miso dressing to the salad. It reminded me of a bowl from Life Alive in Boston. I miss that place so much!

 cheesy coconut sauteed chickpeas and kale from Fannetastic Food. I almost didn't make it because we were eating dinner really late anyway. I'm glad I did because it was so simple and fast. 

 cheesy kale chips. We soaked the cashews for over a hour. Then blended them with Nutritional yeast, lemon juice, water to thin it out, 

 So my friend made these tofu popcorn chick'n and said they were the best ever. I really wanted to try making them but for some reason glancing over the recipe, I thought it looked too involved. By dinner time I'm not up for long meal preps. But I really wanted to see if they were that good and they are! Elinor probably ate more than us. I would rather her eat these ones than the prepackaged frozen ones. 

and finally a vegan zucchini bread that worked! We have tried to make ones in the past but they are always dense of not cooked. This picture doesn't do it justice. The other loaf is a lot bigger and looks like it should but I already sent him to the freezer so we don't eat two loaves in a night. 

There was another meal but Dave deleted the picture from his phone. I know we will make it again so I will save the link for then. Tonight is pizza night! 

What are you eating?