I'm back!

Hello world! (I'm taking a leaf from my intro to computer programming class). 

I have officially returned to the blogging realm. Unfortunately, when time became of the essence and my grades took a toll, I gradually seeded out writing in this blog. I never subscribed to a meal plan however! As an engineer, many of my lunches were not spent socializing in the dining hall or at a local cafe, but rather in the library! The cool thing about college libraries is that you can eat in them! So, my go-to lunch was prepared the night before. It was a life changing discovery... the Mason Jar salad a.k.a the Tupperware salad a.k.a the Any Container with a Lid salad. 

Here is a visual and tutorial from this website.

First, I started with a homemade balsamic dressing that I used up in 2 weeks. I also stored that in a Mason jar. I found the recipe on Pinterest and the basic ingredients were: balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, brown sugar, lemon juice, onion, and salt. The key is to place your salad dressing on the bottom and to put your least "vulnerable to sogginess" vegetables on the bottom layer. The final layer in your salad will be the lettuce. Just give the jar a little shake and it's ready to be eaten!

Another staple meal that I prepared ahead of time was overnight oatmeal. I first learned about overnight oatmeal from a healthy eating seminar at UVA OpenGrounds. OpenGrounds is a concert, poetry, seminar venue on the Corner and it's a great opportunity to plug into local movements! While at the food seminar, I met Kath, of the blog Kath Eats Real Food and the owner of the Great Harvest Bread Company in Charlottesville. I was in a gym glass first thing in the mornings so I was getting very hungry by the time lunch rolled around. Therefore, the night before my workout, I made overnight oatmeal in a Mason Jar and included: Greek yogurt, peanut butter, flax seeds, fresh fruit, and oatmeal. My hunger was definitely satisfied. Below is an awesome pic of the many combinations you can have with overnight oatmeal taken from the blog Milu's Kitchen

Stay tuned for a plot twist...!

Tropical Slow Cooker Jamaican Stew

Tropical Slow Cooker Jamaican Stew

I find that ethnic foods are really easy to enjoy as a vegetarian because rather than emphasizing portion sizes, salt, or fat content, they really take advantage of complimentary flavors. An obvious great combination is the sweet potato and cinnamon. Another delicious flavor combination is the curry powder and coconut milk. This recipe sounds complicated but it’s another sneaky, easy crock pot recipe. Definitely try this one!

Ingredients:

·        1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

·        2 cloves garlic, minced

·        2 cups sliced baby carrots

·        ¼ large onion

·        1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

·        2 medium-sized tomatoes, diced

·        2 tsp. curry powder

·        1/2 tsp. dried thyme

·        Dash of cinnamon

·        Dash of nutmeg

·        Freshly ground black pepper

·        2 (16 oz.) cans pinto beans (or kidney as substitute)

·        1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

·        2 cups vegetable broth 

Directions:

1.   Chop up the garlic, carrots, onion, sweet potato, and tomatoes and combine in a bowl. (I did this the night before so the next morning, it took me 5 minutes to place everything into the slow cooker).

2.   Pour the oil into the slow cooker and start heating. Stir in all the spices and heat.

3.   Add the remaining ingredients.

4.   Reduce heat, cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

African Slow Cooker Stew (Vegan)

African Slow Cooker Stew (Vegan)

Recipe adapted: Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker

This stew tasted and smelled complicated but honestly, it is super easy to make. Just give yourself 20 minutes to prepare the food and then go to class! Come back 6 hours later and you have a gourmet meal. Plus, your house will smell like a top-notch ethnic restaurant. The only thing that requires effort and time is going out and buying the spices. But, because I use curry, cumin, and coriander in almost every recipe, the investment is worth it.

Speaking of investments, check out my blog post about 3 essential investments you need to make if you want to cook in college!

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

·        2 cloves garlic

·        2 teaspoons fresh ginger (I use the store-bought squeezable ginger.)

·        1 teaspoon ground coriander

·        1 teaspoon ground cumin

·        1 teaspoon curry powder

·        2 teaspoons water

·        2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

·        1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces

·        1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

·        1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

·        1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with juice

·        1/3 cup of peanut butter

·        1 ½ cups vegetable broth

·        Salt and pepper

Directions:

1)    Mince the garlic (here’s a how-to). In a microwaveable bowl, combine the garlic and rest of spices. Add the water and mix well.

2)    Cover the bowl with a plate or a microwavable lid and nuke for 2 minutes. Be careful when removing because it will be very HOT!

3)    Meanwhile, combine the sweet potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and beans in the slow cooker. Stir in the curry combination.

4)    Combine ½ cup of broth and the peanut in a small bowl and mix until combined.

5)    Add the peanut butter mixture and rest of broth to the slow cooker. 

6)    Season with salt and pepper.

7)    Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Carrot Ginger Soup with Walnuts

Carrot Ginger Soup with Walnuts (Vegan)

I spent about 2 weeks on vacation, and while vacationing, I indulged in unhealthy vegan foods. So, when I got back to my house, all that I was craving was spinach and carrots. No joke! But because I bored after 3 spinach meals, I looked up other detoxing combinations. According to Detoxinista, carrots and ginger have a detoxifying quality because carrots are loaded with Vitamin C and ginger is primarily known for being a digestive aid. So, the Carrot Ginger Soup with Walnuts is not only delicious, it’s healthy and good to sooth an aching stomach.


Ingredients:

• 1 pound carrots, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

Directions:


1) Sauté the carrots, onion, garlic, and ginger in the oil for about 8 minutes in a soup pot.


2) Add the water and salt. Bring to a boil. Simmer and cook for another 15 minutes. Let cool.


3) Puree the mixture in a blender and then place back into the pot. Add the almond milk.



4) Garnish with the walnuts.

Vegan Enchiladas

“Tastes better than the real thing” Vegan Enchiladas

I made these enchiladas at the same party that I made the Party Sparkling Limeade. Like the limeade, this recipe was a hit. One person at the party even said that these “taste better than the real thing”… and he was referring to the chicken enchiladas that I had also made. Yay for a vegan victory!

Ingredients:

·        Vegan nonstick cooking spray

·        1 ½ cups of water

·        Dash of salt

·        ½ cup dry lentils

·        8, 7 inch flour tortillas

·        1 cup of sliced carrots

·        1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

·        1 tablespoon olive oil

·        2 cups of chopped vegetables (Can be zucchini, squash, eggplant etc.)

·        14.5 oz can of chili-style tomatoes

·        1 ½ cups of vegan cheese

Directions:

1)   Spray a rectangular baking dish with nonstick spray and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2)   Combine the water, lentils, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain once done.

3)   In a skillet, cook the carrots and cumin in the oil for 2 minutes.

4)   Add the rest of vegetables and cook for another 4 minutes.

5)   Remove from heat and stir in the lentils, half of the tomatoes (with juice), and half of the cheese.

6)   Divide the mixture evenly among the 8 tortillas, roll them up, and place face down in the sprayed baking dish. Top with the rest of the tomatoes and cheese.

7)   Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 8 minutes.

8)   Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

Sweet and Savory Georgia Peach Salad

Sweet and Savory Georgia Peach Salad

I made this salad with some friends while we were in Atlanta. Georgia is known for its delicious peaches and ripe tomatoes. So, this is the perfect summer dish, whether you are down South or not. It’s delicious and quick to make!

Ingredients:

• · 1 large peach, chopped
• · 1 large tomato, sliced
• · 1/3 cup of white wine vinegar
• · ¼ cup of olive oil
• · ¼ teaspoon salt
• · 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• · 2 tablespoons black sugar
• · 1 garlic clove, minced
• · 2 tablespoons basil, chopped

Directions:


1) Arrange a layer of tomatoes and peaches on a large, sloping inward plate.




2) In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic.

3) Drizzle the vinaigrette over the tomatoes and peaches and top with the fresh basil.

10 Minute Summer Pasta Primavera

10-Minute Summer Vegetables & Quinoa

Ingredients

·        1 small zucchini

·        2 small chopped tomatoes

·        1 tablespoon pesto (store bought is not vegan)

·        1/2 cups fresh spinach 

·        1/3 cup chickpeas (optional)

·        Fresh parsley

·        Pine nuts (optional)

·        3/4 cup quinoa (I used Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend)

·        1-1/2 cups water 

Directions:

1-  Boil the water either over the stove or in a kettle.

2-  Combine the pesto, zucchini, and tomato in a saucepan and sauté for 5 minutes.

3-  Meanwhile, add the quinoa to the boiling water in a saucepan. Let the water reboil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

4-  Add the spinach and chickpeas to the zucchini and tomato mixture and cook for another 3 minutes (or until the spinach has wilted).

5-   Pour the vegetables over the quinoa and top with fresh parsley and pine nuts.  

Easy Vegan Coconut Curry

Easy Vegan Coconut Vegetable Curry

This recipe is so easy that you might assume it will be missing some essential flavors. But, it’s not! This recipe serves 6, so you can make it on Sunday night, along with some instant brown rice, and have it for dinner the whole week. That’s a huge time saver! Like many other ethnic recipes, the only complicated matter is that the Coconut Curry requires curry powder and coconut milk, so you might need to do a little digging to find them! Nevertheless, the local Indian restaurant down the street might have some competition…

Ingredients:

·        1 13.5 oz. can light coconut milk

·        1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce

·        2 tablespoons Indian Curry (I used Orange)

·        2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into dice-sized pieces

·        1 cup of chopped carrots (I chopped up precut mini carrots)

·        1 large zucchini, cut into thin slices and wedges

·        1 medium onion, chopped

·        ½ teaspoon fresh ginger

Directions:

1.     Combine coconut milk, tomato sauce, and curry in a large pan and bring to a boil.

2.     Reduce to medium-low heat and add all of the vegetables. Mix well.

3.     *Cook for 45 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are cooked.

*The aromatic curry and coconut might pull in some hungry college friends. Be cautious!