Mushroom lentil spaghetti squash casserole {vegan}{gluten free}

My kid loves pasta. 

Like, asks for pasta for breakfast, love.

On top of that, he wants "sauce" on everything. His darling father taught him to say "sauce me!!!" So now he demands "sauce" (which is just veggies- puréed) on everything. Apples, cereal, bananas, carrots- you get the jist of it. 

So spaghetti squash is a sneaky mom win. Holla!

Ingredients:

1 Sketti squash

1/2 c lentils

1 cup veggie broth

1cup or less onions

2-5 cloves garlic

A package of organic mushrooms (I used less)

A splash of unsweetened almond milk

1 TBSP tamari (I'll skip this next time probably) 

1 TBSP nutritional yeast (I'll skip this, too)

1 TBSP instant oats 

1-3 cups of kale

First I (ok-I made kody do this because... Let's face it- cutting squashes SUCK)

Cut the squash in half, removed the seeds (save them & roast them if you want to, YUM) 

And placed them flesh down in a shallow casserole dish of water.

It takes about 30-60 minutes on 375 to bake, depending on how big your squash is.

While the squash is bakin', get to cuttin'! Mince garlic (hopefully you have a garlic press, unlike me) 

Chop onions and sautée in oil (extra healthy points for using coconut oil) for a few minutes.

Add in mushrooms and cook until soft.

Meanwhile boil the cup of broth in a small sauce pan. Add lentils and lower heat. Cool until broth is absorbed into lentils. 

Add lentils to the onion, garlic & mushrooms. Sautée for a few minutes before folding in kale.

After the squash is tender, use a fork to remove the yumminess into a collinder to remove extra liquid. Add the squash to the pan and sautée with all the other ingredients for a few minutes. Add a splash of milk with all the seasonings and tamari or soy sauce.

Throw all of the ingredients into a casserole dish and top with nutritional yeast and instant oats. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes (or less) 

Voila! 

Ro devoured it! So did I. 

I didn't bake it long enough though,(supa important!) I had two hungry boys waiting on me.

Kody said "it's good, I just don't want to eat it.. Ever. Again... "

  

Thanks, babe!

I'll definitely cook it again. Just cause he said that :)

Egg plant nuggets {vegan}{gf}{soy free}

I often feel guilty Roman will feel left out growing up as a healthy, vegan kid.

While most kids are having Taco Bell, or chicken mcnuggets he is eating kale.

That's why I'm always on the lookout for foods that won't make Ro feel so completely different all the times. But at the same time are healthy and vegan and nourishing and protein filled.

I saw a recipe on Pinterest for "eggplant bites" not vegan, full of crap, but it sparked my interest to try to create a vegan and healthy version.

Lucky for me, I nailed it the first try. Roman ate all of his, and all of mine. Husband even approved!

I got a small graffiti organic eggplant in my farm box this week.

The truth is I've tried to cook with eggplant three times before and HAAATED it. The texture, the appearance  and the taste. 

But I was determined to find a way to like it, damn it! 

I cut the end off of this beauty and peeled the skin.

Then I cut it into one inch(ish) cubes and salted them with pink salt and let the sit in a strainer for about 30 minutes (just a few minutes would be fine, I'm sure) eggplants really absorb so this was the key to making it really tasty.

Next I combined a 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk and 2 table spoons of chickpea flour. I mixed and waited until they were completely mixed together.

In another both I added some more chickpea flour and seasoned it up- I simply used salt, pepper, garlic salt, paprika, cayenne and a little tab of rosemary. 

Heat a skillet with coconut oil over medium high heat

Coat the eggplant cubes completely into the chickpea almond milk mixture and let them sit for for 30 seconds. 

Immediately after fold them into the dry chickpea and once coated throw them on the heated skillet. Make sure you rotate so all for sides get nice and brown (or, if you're like me, black) cooking thoroughly is key so they aren't squishy on the inside. 

Perfect as is, or for dipping! 

I'll definitely be making them once or twice a week from now on.

Tuna salad sammy {vegan}

So I have a confession to make.

While 98% of the time I eat and enjoy the healthiest of organic and vegan food out there.

What's that other 2%, you ask?

Well mostly chips.

And cookies.

And anything gluteny.

All vegan, of course.  BUT the second Roman is napping or asleep for the night I hit the bag of chips, and most times, finish it.

Not my proudest moment.

And it always make me feel like crap.

I tell myself it's okay because at nap or night I deserve a break and shouldn't have to make an extravagant meal so I can eat healthy. 

And cookies are just grab and go.......

And the chips, too..

So I've been testing out EASY & QUICK, but still healthy recipes that I can throw together quickly.

This one is my favorite!

(One tree hill in the background; no shame)

Ingredients:

1 - 2 avocados 

1 can of garbanzo beans

1 lemon 

Onion

Garlic

Salt, pepper & any other seasonings you'd prefer.

I used about half of a can of chickpeas for just me.

Smash chickpeas until desired consistency. I like them really mashes, and of course I have no sort of masher; but a fork works well!

Mix in lemon juice.  I cut my lemon in half and used that.

Add onions, garlic, and seasonings.

I threw some tomatoes and lettuce and toasted a sprouted bun from my local farm. 

So. Good.

So. Easy.

And i still had time to sit on my ass and do nothing before Roman woke up from his nap. win.

Instagram: 

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