Iced Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Latte

Even here in Southern California, it's beginning to feel like fall! The nights are slightly chillier; it was cool enough this morning that I pulled my blanket out of the closet for the first time in months (in the summer we sleep with just a top sheet and a duvet cover). While the mornings are cooling off, the days have still been warm, and to combine my love of fall with the reality of the daily temperature, I decided to try my hand at iced vegan pumpkin spiced lattes.

Vegan Lentil and Black Rice Chopped Salad

Yum. I think a lot of vegans get asked if all we eat is salads. Well...um...it's not ALL I eat!! 

The fact is that when you want a healthy vegan lunch, sometimes the simplest thing to do is chop up whatever's in the fridge, toss it with a quick homemade dressing, and have at it. But this is no ordinary garden salad!

My Reasons for Becoming...VEGAN!

A summery vegan flatbread, hummus and tomato lunch

Have you ever had something that you really wanted to do? Something that felt right, that you'd thought about for years...something that you knew would make you happier with yourself — but for one reason or another, taking the leap and actually DOING it seemed almost impossible?

Mussels with Chorizo, Tomato, and Potato Stew

I impulse bought a pound of mussels at the farmer's market on Sunday. On the way home we went to a Mexican grocery store and bought fresh chorizo and small white potatoes, and by the time we got back to the apartment I knew exactly what I was going to make.

Homemade Pita Pockets, Dumpling Wrappers, and Pesto Pizza

Things have been super busy around here so I haven't had much time to meticulously photograph my meals, even though we've been trying out lots of cool new foods. I've been especially interested in trying to recreate all of the bread products I normally would buy from the store - things like pita pockets, dumpling wrappers, pizza dough, and flour tortillas.

Spaghetti Squash Sesame Noodles

I am seriously obsessed with the flavor of sesame. I ADORE the Pioneer Woman's sesame noodles, but they call for a completely whackadoodle amount of oil. Like, 7 TABLESPOONS. So, I searched for a lightened up version, and found this recipe from Shrinking Kitchen. But I was pretty sure I could go one step further to make this delightful side dish even healthier, as I had a bright yellow spaghetti squash sitting on the counter, a ripe red pepper in the fridge, and some crispy sugar snap peas just waiting to be tossed into something.

Green Herb Risotto with Savory Mushrooms

Spring is finally here, and with it, an abundance of fresh green veggies and herbs. Living in Southern California means there isn't exactly a dearth of fresh produce in the winter, but with spring comes those tender green morsels that potatoes and squash just can't compete with. 

Freshly shelled sweet green peas!

When I saw this recipe for Green Risotto on Serious Eats, I knew I had to make it. Fresh herbs and spinach are pureed and added to creamy rice, then topped with savory sauteed mushrooms.