Practically Wordless Wednesday

I had a crazy-busy week. Here are some of the highlights:

I survived this.

 I pretended this was the Hogwarts Express.

I bought this.

I ate this.

I'm reading this.

I enjoy this (my yard).

Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese

Forgive the shoddy photo, I was too hungry to spend time caring.

I had a busy day today doing errands and generally just being awesome and completely forgot about dinner until late. I am low on groceries due to complete and utter laziness. Well, not really laziness. I worked the last 7 days in a row, and have been too tired and busy to get more food. What it all boiled down to is that I had broccoli in the fridge that was quickly approaching the end of its life and needed to use it up. As much as I love steamed broccoli on its own, I wanted something a little more hearty and comfy. What's more hearty and comfy than mac and cheese? Nothing, dammit. So, there you have it. Make this shit. You won't regret it.

Makes 4 servings as a side or 2-3 as a main dish.

What I used:

• 1/2 pound small-medium shell pasta
• 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets and steamed to your liking
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 TB vegan butter
• 1 more TB vegan butter 
• 1 1/4 TB flour
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 tsp ground mustard seed/powder
•  1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Daiya mozza
• 1 1/3 cup Daiya cheddar

What I did:

1.  Preheat your oven to 430 degrees F. Then, put a pot of salted water on to boil. Add the pasta and stir. While it is cooking, start the next step.
2. In a large-ish pot (over medium heat) melt the 2 TB butter and add the milk. Then, whisk in the flour, red onion, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. When it starts to thicken and boil gently, add in the Daiya and whisk until nice and smooth. 
3. Drain your pasta and add it to the cheese sauce. Fold in the broccoli. taste for seasonings.
4. In a small bowl, melt the other 1 TB of butter and mix in the breadcrumbs with a little salt or garlic salt. 
5. Scoop your mac and cheese into an oven-safe dish (I used 2 smaller rectangle Le Creuset stoneware baking dishes). Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tops. 

6. Bake for 12 minutes on the top rack, then turn on the broiler for a minute or two to brown up the breadcrumbs.

Not a Green Smoothie

 

 

There are days that I crave a massive breakfast complete with vegan sausage, pancakes and veg. Today was not that day. I craved some green smoothie...like, hardcore. Sadly, I failed at replenishing my produce because I worked all weekend. Working Sunday (my normal grocery day) threw off my whole veg game. I know, I know...I'm rambling. What the hell was I saying? Oh, yeah. So, I wanted a green smoothie, but I had no greens, thus I made a fruit-ish smoothie instead. I pretty much never make non-green-smoothies. They feel too desserty instead of breakfasty. Yes, those are words. In a crunch, this smoothie will at least get some fruit and veg into your face. It tasted pretty sweet, but was still pretty filling. I recommend it. Fo sho. If you have a little lime on-hand, I bet the smoothie would benefit from a little squeeze.

What I used:

• 1 ripe banana
• 5 big strawberries, green tops removed
• 1 large carrot, peeled, or about 8 baby carrots
• some water...maybe 1/3 cup
• a scoop of ice

Just blend the shit out of this. Drink it down. Easy.

MostlyWordless Wednesday...again.

Huge breffast today. I am such a piggy sometimes.Pancakes, sausage and mushrooms. Oink!

This bird digs my yard. It is a Common Grackle. You can't see it in the picture, but its head is shiny, dark blue.

Another shot of the grackle.

Experimenting with the sausage. I'm obsessed.

The experiment turned into a sammich. It was pretty damn tasty.

Turkey. She loves coming to my feeder.

Um, yeah. Tacos. So delicious. The "meat" is LightLife Gimme Lean faux beef.

Peanut Butter Banana Green Smoothie

Look carefully at the jar. POWDERED PEANUT BUTTER. I know you're thinking, "What the fuck, Chickpea?" And, dear readers, I was right there with you. My auntie brought this to me from her health food store and I was an instant skeptic, as I often tend to be. But, I decided to give it the ol' college try. I have to say, I'm quite impressed. Though, I have only tried it on a spoon (yummy and it cakes to your roof) and in this smoothie. I have to tell you, I am really quite impressed. I absolutely LOVE it in my smoothie. It gave the smoothie a bit of peanutty flavor without all the oil and fat of jarred peanut butter. Here's what the back of the PB2 jar says:

So, here's how I made my smoothie of excellentness:

• 1 carrot
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 big handful of red grapes
• 1 big handful of baby kale
• 1 big handful of baby spinach
• 3 TB orange juice
• 2 TB powdered peanut butter (PB2 is the kind I used)
• some ice

Blend that shit up and drink it down.You can thank me later.

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

I decided to start doing an occasional Wordless Wednesday post when I get busy. So, here's what I've been up to for the last week:

Flowers from one of my favorite library patrons.I have the BEST job ever.

Homemade baked falafel with lemon tahini sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and steamed veg.

Adorable tiny bird at my feeder having its dinner while I cooked mine.

The awesome pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting I made for a dear friend.

Zen at the park.

Walking the pup at the park.

I grilled some pineapple. First I soaked it in full-fat canned coconut milk, then I grilled it and sprinkled with cinnamon.

Spotted this little guy on a dandelion out behind my house.

Vegan sausage gravy and biscuits with bananas for breakfast. Hell yes.

Crappy picture of the fabulous nachos I had. 'Chos are my excuse to eat tons of guacamole.

Due to horrific storms, we went without electricity for 8 hours.

I discovered the awesomeness that is the Nature's Harvest dry roasted edamame. So Yum.

New Rollerblades...finally. It's been so many years since I skated. Yes, I skated through my neighborhood in my librarian clothes after work. It was awesome.

I couldn't resist. I wear it on my work badge.