If you've seen the past few blogs you might be wondering "what's with all this vegan food?" Although I'm not a big meat eater I've never been vegan, or even vegetarian before. Recently I've heard and read a lot about the benefits of a vegan diet so I figured I'd give it a try. Can't knock it till you've tried it right? For a month I tried a vegan diet. No meat, no dairy. Cheese and yogurt were the hardest for me. I find there's not really a good substitute for those and I like to use them for flavoring in my dishes.

After the month I came to a few conclusions:
1. There are many delicious vegetable dishes you can eat that conform to the vegan diet. Some of the ones I found I'd eat vegan diet or not.
2. Vegan meals that try to recreate meat are a bad idea. Fruits and vegetables are delicious and there are many ways to prepare them. Trying to make a meatloaf out of anything except for meat is going to be a letdown no matter how delicious it is.
3. I don't get such a "heavy" feeling in my body after a big vegan meal the same way I would after a full meat and dairy meal. I don't miss that feeling.
4. It's hard to eat vegan. Not because there aren't delicious vegan options, but because it's impossible to either eat out or go eat at friends houses while still eating vegan.

After my vegan month I decided to not be officially vegan because it's too difficult when eating out. Also, I miss cheese and yogurt. Most importantly, when I eat the occasional burger... I want it to taste like a nice juicy burger! However, I still limit my meat intake and love my veggie dishes. If you're vegan (or not), hope you enjoy this pea and tofu recipe.

I was at a party last summer and someone had brought the most delicious cold avocado salad. Of course I asked for the recipe and this is my version of that dish. One of the main differences is that I eliminated the cilantro. I'm not a fan, but many people love it and I'm sure it would be a good addition here if you like it.

Despite the "vegan" name, these enchiladas are very flavorful. It's a version of a recipe I found online. This recipe uses tofu instead of ground beef and adds some tasty (and healthy) black beans to the "stuffing". And then top with guacamole to give it a nice sauce on top without having to add cheese. It has some kick though so tone it down if you don't like spicy. 

What to do when someone brings you a dozen deliciously fresh tomatoes? Eat one and then make marinara sauce! This is a basic sauce recipe. It really just needs the tomatoes and whatever spices you want to add. To spice it up you could always add peppers, or anything else you might normally find in spaghetti sauce (mushrooms, spinach, pesto, etc). The beauty of a homemade sauce, which I didn't realize until I made it the first time, is that it is so naturally sweet. I don't use any sugar, yet the sauce tastes sweet. Although tomatoes are ripe in the summer, this would be a good winter dish if you make extra and freeze. And then of course I have to mention how great it makes your house smell while it's simmering!

A friend made a dish similar to this and I just had to recreate it - hers was delicious! This version has a good mix of veggies, plus black beans and feta cheese to give it a pretty mix of colors. I used a green apple balsamic vinegar in this salad but a red wine vinegar would also work well. This Tangy Black Bean and Feta Salad is a great dish for experimentation! 

This is an easy summer salad that can be mixed up to incorporate any of the fruits/veggies in your kitchen. For me the key difference between this summer strawberry salad and any other is that I use a flavored balsamic vinegar (green apple), combined with extra virgin olive oil, as my salad dressing. Delicious and better for you than store-bought salad dressing. Go crazy and pour extra without feeling guilty, I do!

I love squash, and there are many tasty ways to make it, but I find this seasoned squash to be the most convenient for me. It involves my beloved crock pot, which allows me to be away from the kitchen while my squash is still getting nice and tender. You can also chop it into pieces (or leave in halves) and cook in the oven. The oven method is quicker, but requires you to be in the kitchen to keep an eye on the oven - I'm overly cautious about my house not burning down!!

I actually made this a little while ago and just never got around to posting it, so it could be a little late in the season for winter squash. You could probably find some, but if not then you'll have a tasty meal planned out and ready for the fall.


I went a little crazy with my spices (see below). I LOVE cinnamon so I put a ton on top and then mixed it all inside with the squash "meat". If you have a really fresh squash the flavor will be so delicious you really won't need much in the way of seasoning.

Enough talking, enjoy!

As soon as the really warm weather hits I feel the need for a cold pasta. This cold chickpea, sun-dried tomato, and feta pasta is a twist on using traditional noodles, although I've made it with penne pasta recently and that was also good.

This pasta uses barley and chickpeas instead of noodles. It also has sun-dried tomatoes, feta, spinach, pesto, and chicken for flavoring. Plus the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes make for a colorful dish.

This broccoli idea is from a friend, who also got the idea from a friend, and .... isn't that how all great ideas get passed along? Anyways, it's the easiest way to make broccoli and the touch of lemon at the end gives it a nice crisp citrus flavor. Broccoli is a great side dish because it's incredible for you. Luckily it's in season right now so it's fresh and cheap! Check out nutrition info here.