Crazy Vegan Mom & Recipes

Do you ever wonder what your kids will say about you in the future? I always wonder what Phoenix will say about his vegan childhood. I already get comments like: “Daddy lets me eat hot dogs everyday when I’m at his house.” “I eat lots of meat when I’m not here.” “Why aren’t donuts a healthy choice?”

My biggest fear is that he will ask to eat at a friends house every night so he can steer clear of his crazy vegan moms’ food. I work pretty hard to make sure the munchkin eats a well-balanced diet & learns the difference between thumbs up choices & thumbs down choices. Wouldn’t it be great if all the kids at school wanted to come to my house for Spaghetti & Beet Balls?! I know, I may be dreaming. :)

I will be honest--these balls took a lot of work, but it's worth it.

One of the questions I get asked a lot is: “Were your parents vegan?” Does anyone remember any vegans from the 80’s? I sure don’t. I ate Spam & Hamburger Helper along with some quick & easy casseroles--just like the rest of you guys. My poor parents think I’m crazy, that’s its just a fad--the same way the majority of my friends & coworkers think. Nonetheless, everyone is supportive.

So, where do I find my recipes?! Besides cookbooks, I get most of my recipes from blogs! There are so many great food blogs out there. I read my blogs when I get up in the mornings & star the ones with recipes I want to try. This week, I’ve tried these two great recipes:

Spaghetti and Beet Balls from Sketch-Free Vegan Eating

2 beets, grated (or 4 small ones)

1 can of adzuki beans

1 1/2 cups cooked red quinoa

1/3 cup oat flour

3 tbsp tamari

liberal salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

chopped parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

Liquid smoke (optional)

Dump beans into mixing bowl and mash dramatically with a potato masher until thick and...mashy. Add in remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll into balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes in 350F oven. Serve with rice pasta and spaghetti sauce!

The other night, I also made this delicious dish!

Indian Lentils with Cauliflower & Tomatoes from A Foodie Stays Fit

Takes about 1.5 hours total to make (30 minutes is inactive with lentils soaking)

Serves 6

Lentils:

1 cup green lentils 

2 cups water 

1 onion, diced 

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced 

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes 

1/2 head cauliflower, rinsed and chopped 

1 serrano chile, seeds removed, diced (optional) 

salt

Seasoning oil:

3/4 t cumin 

3/4 t dry mustard 

3/4 t turmeric 

1/2 t paprika 

1 T canola oil 

cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Rinse lentils and then put in a large bowl and cover completely with water. Let soak for 30 minutes and then drain.
2. In a medium pot, combine the 2 c water, onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chili and lentils. Bring to a boil then lower heat, cover pot and gently simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the lentils are very tender.
3. Add salt to taste. I used about 2 teaspoons.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, dry mustard, turmeric, and paprika.
5. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high until the oil begins to shimmer. Add the spices and stir quickly. (Stand back a little so you don’t get splashed by the oil). Let sizzle for about 30 seconds until very fragrant. No longer or they’ll burn!
6. Pour the oil mixture into the lentils, again being careful not to get burned when the oil hits the lentil mixture, and stir well.
7. Serve over brown rice and top with cilantro.

Additional serving option: Put in a small tortilla with hummus and spinach, Fold over and warm both sides in a skillet until the tortilla is slightly crispy. (This was great for leftovers at lunch the next day!)

So where do you find your favorite recipes?