rainbow plate with roasted chickpeas and citrus garlic tahini sauce (vegan, gluten free)
As a food blogger, I want to believe that everyone will absolutely love what I create and share. One hundred percent. All the time. This, of course, is not realistic…as my family frequently reminds me. Take this rainbow plate, for example. Yum, right?! Except if you don’t like red peppers, sweet potato, chickpeas, kale and/or eggplant, roasted, seasoned or dressed but not disguised in a soup or sauce. Since I happen to love all these veggies, this is a plate I want to dive into on repeat. I was hoping my family would want to do the same. My youngest, however, “didn’t like that dinner” and it was like…
loaded sweet potatoes with spicy guacamole and black bean sofrito (vegan, dairy free, soy free, gluten free)
It always amazes me how hard it is to find a recipe that my entire family likes. I often get close with a 5 out of 6 thumbs up, but hitting a perfect score of 6 for 6 is maddeningly elusive. So imagine my surprise when this loaded sweet potato with spicy guacamole and black bean sofrito was a clear winner. Even with my daughter who doesn’t usually like bean dishes. Or my boys who prefer mild to spicy. Let’s pause while I celebrate with a hearty “ole.” I love the contrasting flavors, textures and color of this dish…the sweetness with the spicy, the creaminess punctuated with…
sweet potato & lentil soup (vegan, oil-free)
The first vegan cookbook I ever purchased was Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson*. It was during the season in my life that my oldest son likes to refer to as “the time when we weren’t eating healthy.” I refer to it as the time when I didn’t realize the benefits of eating a plant-based diet. But the Lord knew He would bring me to this place, so He gradually encouraged me to go meat-free on more than just Monday. I started by exploring vegan and vegetarian cookbooks in our local library until I stumbled upon Vegan Planet*. One of my favorite recipes from the book is Robin’s “Indian-spiced Lentil Soup”…
oven-baked sweet potato chips + guacamole (vegan, oil-free)
I grew up in a home where we ate quite a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. But somehow the avocado eluded us. And guacamole? The first time I tried it I was in my late twenties. It was love-at-first-bite. But chips, guac’s side kick, are rather low on the healthy eating spectrum, sprouted, organic, GMO-free or not. And despite their salty, crunchy tastiness, I’ve been looking beyond the vegan label to examine what I’m actually putting into my body. Because eating a plant-based diet doesn’t necessarily = a healthy diet. So when I want a healthier compadre for my guacamole, I round up some sweet potatoes and put…
