We always bring our big cast iron skillet when we camp, but we mostly reserve it for tofu scrambles and breakfast taters on the little Coleman stove. We’ve never cooked with the cast iron over an open flame, and neither of us had ever made paella before. So, paella seemed a natural choice, to finally try our hand at high-brow campfire food.

And oh boy, it was. It really really was.




Paella is perfectly suited for campfire cooking, because it’s a one-pot meal that’s actually super easy (but feels really sophisticated). But traditional paella usually includes seafood and sausage. We chose mushrooms and soyrizo to make this vegan gluten-free version, and we couldn’t have been happier with the results. It was so good!

Credit where credit is due — this recipe is very much based on this Artichoke and Poblano Paella from Fresh Off The Grid.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup white rice, dry
2 cups vegetable broth
1 medium yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
2 poblano peppers
1 package cremini mushrooms
1 package soyrizo
1 can artichoke hearts
1/3 cup Tempranillo (or other dry red wine)
pinch of saffron
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste





Instructions
Place the cast iron skillet directly onto the grate over the campfire.

Dice the onion. Add the tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and begin to sauté the onion.

Dice the poblanos and cremini mushrooms, and peel and crush the garlic. Add the poblano, mushroom, and garlic to the pan, and sauté until the peppers soften. Stir in 1/2 the package of soyrizo.

Add the dry rice and stir continuously for a few minutes. Once the tips of the rice begin to become translucent, add the wine. Stir and continue cooking until the wine has evaporated. Add the broth, saffron, and salt. Stir to combine all the ingredients, then allow the pan to cook undisturbed and uncovered, for 20-30 minutes.

Once the liquid is almost entirely absorbed, stir in the artichoke hearts and the other half of the soyrizo. Make sure to do this while there’s still a bit of moisture in the mix. Once everything is evenly distributed, allow the pan to continue cooking. The crispy socarrat — the best part of paella — will develop over the next few minutes. Listen for the crackling of the rice. Once you can hear it crackling, cook for 2-3 more minutes, then remove from heat.




Scrape scrape scrape and serve! The deliciously crusty bottom is best when it’s piping hot. Enjoy!

♥ ♥ ♥

Recently, I’ve been sharing photos and stories from our week-long spring break road trip adventure (part I here and part II here). It was such an incredible experience, and it really lit a fire inside me! Camping, being outside, wilderness adventures — these are some of my very favorite things. And after a long winter of hunkering down and hibernating inside, nothing feels better than untamed outdoor exploration. We’ve already done a whole other weekend camping trip with Waits, just 2 weeks after we got back from spring break. Our goal is to camp a minimum of once every month through October. *M I N I M U M*

I’m so excited!

And from the feedback I’ve been getting, y’all are just as excited as I am for camping season! I’ve continued to share my camping tips and tricks, outdoor hacks, and firepit recipes on my Instagram stories, and I’ve loved seeing all of your enthusiastic comments.

So here’s another super easy, totally delicious tried-and-true campfire recipe. Personally, I think potatoes are the perfect camping food because they’re filling and comforting after a long day of hiking or swimming or whatever it is your family likes to do in the great outdoors. Taters never fail to satisfy, and this recipe is 100% kid-approved, parent-approved, and even reader-approved. That’s right — I’ve already had a number of readers tell me they’ve made and loved this recipe!

I like to use thin-skinned potatoes, though russets will work just fine. Cut the taters into strips, roughly the size of steak fries.

Spread the potatoes on a large piece of tin foil (I actually double layered it) and add a few spoonfuls of vegan butter (coconut oil or olive oil work too, if you don’t do processed stuff).

Sprinkle the potatoes with a bit of salt and pepper, and a liberal dusting of nutritional yeast. Then, wrap it all up to make a little packet. It should be snug and well sealed.

Set the packet over the campfire. You can put it directly into the flame — you want it to get hot. Potatoes need a lot of heat to cook, so it’s okay to put it right into the flame.

Timing is tough because potatoes can be so finicky. Cook for at least 15 minutes on each side, but you may need to go 15 + minutes more after that. It all depends on the size of the potatoes and the strength of the fire.

And that’s all there is to it!

These pics are all from our camping trip in the Anza Borrego desert, which is when I first Instagrammed this recipe. But we love it so much that we made it again last weekend camping in Ojai. So trust me when I say, this simple, wholesome, no-fuss recipe does not disappoint!

♥ ♥ ♥

One of the most frequent questions was: what do you cook while camping?

So, during the trip, I shared campfire recipes in my Instagram stories. And then people asked me to share them here on the blog as well — so here we go! I think vegan campfire cooking is actually really easy, as long as you keep it simple and stick to what you love.

My family? We love broccoli!



Lay out a large piece of tin foil (I actually double layered it) and spread broccoli on top. Add a few cloves of rough-chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Tuck a few slices of lemon in there for good measure.



Wrap it all up to make a sort of tin foil tube. You don’t want it too tight since the goal is to let it steam. But it should be sealed.



Set it over the campfire. You can put it directly into the flame — don’t worry! It needs to get hot. Leave it for 8 minutes, then flip it and let it go 8 minutes more.



And that’s it! Unwrap the foil (be careful of that steam escaping) and you’re good to go. It’s so easy, but seriously delicious.

We served ours with traditional camping fare. It was perfect.



♥ ♥ ♥

Which is why I’m finally posting this very, very special recipe. A recipe so special that it is, hands down, the most loved and the most commonly eaten food ’round these parts. Waits loves it because it’s quick, always at the ready, and totally delicious. And I love it because it’s a super nutritional powerhouse, packed full of protein and healthy fats and lots of essential vitamins and minerals.

Honestly? I think it’s sort of the perfect food for growing vegan children.

Protein is so important for growing bodies, and healthy fats provide calories, energy and form the foundation of nervous tissue. Fats are also essential for proper brain development and hormone function. So … kiddos need those fats!

Each kind of bean provides it’s own unique micronutrient profile, but most all beans are high in iron, magnesium, folic acid, and B-vitamins (not B12).

And perhaps the best part of all about Magic Beans, is that they require no cooking, no forethought, and only about 2 minutes to prepare from start to serving. You can’t beat that!

Here’s what you do:




Magic Beans have just 4 ingredients: beans (drained and rinsed), nutritional yeast, olive oil (or hemp oil or avocado oil or macadamia oil or another healthy oil of your choice), and tamari/Braggs/soy sauce (or just salt if you prefer).

To prepare, place 1 can of rinsed beans (or equivalent lentils) in a bowl. Drizzle with oil, I use probably 1-2 tablespoons but really it’s up to you. Add the nutritional yeast, somewhere between 1-3 tablespoons. Then drizzle or spray with tamari/Braggs/soy sauce, to taste.

Like so:




And then toss well to combine:





Finally, feed the resulting goodness to your favorite weegan — or wee non-vegan, they love Magic Beans too! In fact, we’ve pretty much gotten our entire preschool hooked on the stuff, because it’s just so dang tasty, and so dang healthy!

And around the house, we eat Magic Beans as a snack food, as an “appetizer” (you know –> “MoooOOooom I’m hungry now!” <-- while you're making dinner? This is great to hold them over, because even if they fill up on it, they've eaten something totally well-rounded and meal-worthy), and often as a main component of our meals (both lunch and dinner) (and okay, sometimes breakfast too - the cold leftovers are great in the morning!).

For example, a common dinner is Magic Beans, homemade mac and cheeze, and a raw veggie plate. Or an example lunch might be Magic Beans, coconut yogurt, fresh red peppers, snap pea crisps, and a few strawberries for dessert (Other sample lunches with magic beans, here and here). Yes, we eat a lot of them.

What can we say? We LOVE our Magic Beans!




And now, I want YOU to tell ME! What’s your simple + easy superstar recipe for vegan kids? Let’s help each other out, and share in the comments below!

Cheers guys!

♥ ♥ ♥

So anyway, I quickly became an Ethiopian lover, and I spent many a birthday or date night huddled around the table at Bete Lukas, happily soaking up miser wot, shiro, gomen, and tibs with springy strips of injera.

*sigh* I miss that.

Santa Barbara has no Ethiopian restaurants, and I’ve spent the past few years in a serious berbere deficit. Until now!

Because now I am completely equipped to make all my favorite sauces and stews – as well as oil and spice blends – thanks to my friend Kittee‘s new Ethiopian cookbook, Teff Love.

YOU GUYS THIS BOOK. This book is amazing. And really, Ethiopian cooking is amazing! I’ve been a bit immersed in it for the past few weeks, and I just keep thinking “The French ain’t got nothing on this!” Okay, perhaps an exaggeration, but truly. Everyone considers French cuisine to be the height of flavor and technique, but man . . . the intricacy that goes into an Ethiopian meal!

Complex doesn’t even begin to describe it. (Complex, yes, but not difficult. It’s a lot of steps but very straightforward, so don’t be intimidated. Plus, it’s WELL worth the work.)

I began my adventure by getting a batch of injera started. Injera is the traditional bread that’s served with Ethiopian food, and it’s sort of like a sourdough crepe made from a very nutritious and high-protein grain, called teff. You all know how much I love my ferments, so setting up a sourdough teff starter was pretty exciting for me. I even made a video on the last day of the process, because I was so proud of my bubbly little beasties!





Once the injera-making went off without a hook (see my excited Instagram that night) I knew this cookbook was a keeper. So from there it was on to ye’wot qimem, an incredibly aromatic spice blend that’s used in a number of dishes.

All in all, I’ve made four separate dishes out of Teff Love, not including the injera and the ye’wot qimem.

First up was ye’nech bakela alicha – creamy garlicky white beans in an onion-turmeric sauce (top left in the first photo up there^^). This dish was amazing, smooth and garlicky. It got better each time I ate it, as the flavors continues to merge and steep.

Next up was an old favorite, ye’misser wot – red lentils in a spicy sauce (top right in the first photo). Loads of berbere and perfectly soppy, it balanced so nicely against the crisp fresh salad.

Then came ye’atakilt alicha – stewed cabbage, potatoes, and carrots in a mild sauce (bottom right in the first photo). This was Jeremy’s favorite dish, and probably mine as well. Everything was so perfectly balanced, light yet comforting. Also, really easy to make!

And finally, on a totally last minute whim I threw together some ye’atakilt wot – potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower in a spicy sauce (bottom left in the first photo). I needed an excuse to use more of that delicious ye’wot qimem!

By the end there, I was an old pro at dry salt-sweating the onion, adding the oil and spices, and layering the flavors. These techniques were all new to me but I picked them up pretty quickly, and man, I learned so much! This book is just packed full of tips and tricks, troubleshooting and all sorts of amazing advice. Truly, Kittee went above and beyond.

What is your favorite Ethiopian dish, OR, if you’ve never had Ethiopian food, what are you most excited to try?

Remember – I think “like-gating” / “fan-gating” is weird and insincere, and I’ll never make you guys do it.

That being said, the truth is that social media stats are pretty important these days, in blogging as well as in business. So no, I’m not going to require you to “like” me all over the Internet just to enter this giveaway. BUT, if you do like my blog and enjoy the work I do here – and this goes for any blog really – then liking my Facebook page, or following me on Instagram or on Twitter is a great, easy way to help me out. Those numbers really do count for something.

So no, I will never manipulate you into following me as a way to get more entries in this contest. But hey, maybe you appreciate that, and want to follow me just because? Yay! Thank you!

But no coercion. K? ALL you have to do to enter to win a copy of Teff Love, is just leave a comment here, on this post, answering that question above. That’s it!

This giveaway will end on Wednesday 15 April at midnight PST. I’ll contact the winner the next day.

Good luck guys!

♥ ♥ ♥

Congratulations to Gillian, who said:

“I love all (vegan) Ethiopian food, but my favorite is usually the yellow lentil dish, which google tells me is kik alicha!”

Yay, look for an email from me!

Two years in a row I secured a press pass, got everything all lined up, scheduled the time off . . . and then had to cancel my trip at the last minute. Two years in a row I missed my chance, but this year, I finally made it. EXPO!

For those of you unfamiliar, Expo West is the largest natural products convention in the world. It takes place annually at the Anaheim Convention Center, and sees over 70,000 people perusing the thousands of companies exhibiting their latest and greatest natural food, supplement, bath and body, and eco-lifestyle products.

But . . . mostly food.

And she’s right. And it got me thinking, as I drove myself and a trunk full of product samples, and also half of a 37 pound fresh jackfruit, 3 hours home to Santa Barbara.

What would my readers be interested in? Cutting edge food science innovation? (you guyssss the new cheeses are crazy, crazy I say! SO good. Daiya ready-made mac is what dreams are made of)

Or the most creative, most whole-foods-plant-based, absolute healthiest new foods? (like you guys, Miyoko’s Kitchen makes amazing artisan vegan cheeses using whole, natural ingredients and applying ancient, traditional cheesemaking techniques. And they’re SO good!)

And then I realized, that really, I – and my readers too I’m guessing – appreciate both. Because we believe in balance. Because we know that processed foods, though maybe not the healthiest, is also a wonderful treat that make veganism more accessible and more enjoyable. And we know that the healthiest foods are equally as important, to keep us nourished and strong and happy and vibrant. It’s all about balance, and embracing the entire spectrum of vegan options.

But then, I began to think about what’s really important to me. Like if I were to make my “Best Of Expo” list, what would be my most important criteria? Food science innovation? Ultimate health?

And I bet that’s important to you, too.

So this year I’m giving out three awards. #1 – for the Best Food Science Break-Through, #2 – for the Best New Healthy Option, and #3 – the Integrity Award.

Plus pics of all the other goodies, and oh-so-many shenanigans! Without further ado, I present: Highlights From The 2015 Natural Products Expo West

Daiya cheesecake drops in Whole Foods and health food stores across the nation, like ASAP. Like this week.

GO GET IT.

I was a little hesitant to pick these as my winner for “healthy option” because they contain sugar, but in the end I had to do it. These Hemp Heart Bites by Manitoba Harvest were simply my favorite, and I haven’t seen anything else like them out there. Just organic hulled hemp seeds with organic cane sugar, a bit of vanilla and a hint of sea salt.

THESE ARE SO TASTY. They’re kinda crunchy and kinda chewy. They remind me of a Bit-O-Honey or the inside of a Butterfinger, but of course they’re full of protein (10 grams per serving!) and healthy omega 3 fatty acids. These would be great for an after school kid snack . . .

. . . Too bad Jeremy and I ate them all before Waits could try them (they were too good!)

And finally, the winner of my “Integrity Award” goes to One Degree Organic Foods, for their organic, VEGANIC line of whole grain products: cereals, breads, flours, and seeds. Speaking with the folks at this booth was like a big bright breath of fresh air. These are good people, and they really care, and they’re really pushing the boundaries of sustainable food production.

Oh yeah, and they have chocolate rice crispies* so they WIN. (*by which I mean veganic sprouted brown rice crisps made with organic coconut sugar and organic cacao)

You can read more about this amazing company, and their amazing commitment to Integrity, here

And well, that about wraps it up for my 2015 Expo West report. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun, and I just can’t wait for next year!

And I’m sure you’ve seen all the bloggers recapping with all their highlights, so what about you guys – what products are YOU most excited about? Let me know in the comments below!

Oh and PS – Michelle from Vegan Break put together this adorable video => “Vegans Invade Expo”, and it’s funny to me how many times my blue hair pops up in the background. I definitely don’t blend in!

Also you can see Colleen Patrick-Goudreau creepin’ on my beer. Shenanigans!





Cheers!

Butternut, heirloom acorn, and even pumpkins are overflowing on my kitchen counter. And my oven had been in nonstop roasting mode.

A few weeks back I Instagrammed the following pic:

But anyway, enough about pasta. Let’s talk about sauce! This is an incredibly easy, quick, and nutritious recipe that I’ve developed in the past few busy busy weeks. And I’ve made it a number of times, using a couple different kinds of squashes: butternut, acorn, pumpkin, and an unidentified heirloom variety. The recipe has worked beautifully with every squash, and we’ve happily spooned it onto our high-protein pasta, paired with something green on the side. Quick. Simple. PERFECT!

Here’s how it goes:

(Just a note, I roast the squash whenever I have a chance – when the oven is already on. It will keep for a week or so in the fridge, so roast ahead to have it on-hand!)

Ingredients
2 cups roasted winter squash, packed (butternut, acorn, kabocha, pumpkin, etc)
1 cup unsweetened plant milk (I use almond)
1/3 cup cashew butter (I use Trader Joe’s brand. If you have a Vitamix, Blendtec, or other high-speed blender, you can also throw in a heaping 1/2 cup of raw cashews. But the butter is better)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons of 3 “Italian” herbs (so 3 teaspoons total, 1 of each), such as oregano, basil, marjoram, savory, thyme, etc. I use whatever’s around.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg




Instructions
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Done!


This makes a big batch, and you’ll only need about half of it for a box of pasta. But save the rest! It’s epic on macro bowls, like greens-beans-grains bowls. We also love it on quinoa, and even thinned out as salad dressing! And Jeremy’s dying to try it biscuits-and-gravy style, mmmm.

I hope you enjoy this quick + easy autumn recipe as much as we have. I swear, I’ve been making it once a week and using the extra sauce in all my lunch leftovers. Paired with the high-protein pasta, it really is a perfectly delicious, perfectly nutritious, and perfectly balanced seasonal meal!




Enjoy!
♥ ♥ ♥

Breakfast was delicious vegan camp-food perfection:

Every morning we would fill the solar shower using the melted ice water from our two 48-quart coolers. This would make room for new ice as well as re-use the water, which was important to us. Win-win! Hanging from a tree near camp, it was like our own private sink station, and man it made clean-up a breeze.




And for the cleaning, we used Mrs. Meyers dish soap, which is all-natural, cruelty-free, and best of all biodegradable! The perfect camping soap indeed.




After breakfast was cleaned up and everything was packed back into the bear box, it was time to hit the road for another adventure. We had a big day ahead of us!




Our first stop was Moro Rock, which promised a pretty special view. But on our way there we got a bit distracted . . . by a bear!




This guy was pretty far away, but still so special to see. Just a young black bear prowling through the woods, bein’ all gorgeous and amazing!

And then, on to Moro Rock.




When we told Waits that we were going camping in the forest, he asked us if there would be faeries there. And could we look for some? And could he please have a faerie costume so that the faeries would want to come out and meet him?

Jeremy and I both agreed that camping just isn’t camping without a faerie costume. And this is the one he chose.

He insists his name is Tinkerbell, but I call him Stinkerbell. And I think he’s just about the coolest human being that’s ever been.

You’re basically walking up narrow stairs carved into the side of a giant granite mountain cap. Yeah, that’s about right. And the pictures don’t do it justice as far as expressing height and magnitude. It just keeps going up. And up. And up. Every time you think you’re almost at the top, you turn a corner and realize the mountain just keeps going up.






I don’t know that Jeremy and I would have gone the whole way, but Waits insisted on it. I’m so glad he did, but it was nerve-wracking. I was clinging to his hand so tight, terrified he was going to slip.

People die there! Every few years someone falls to their death. So my fear was not without warrant.




At the very top. Waits made sure we walked all the way out to stand at the very edge.

Man, what am I gonna do with this kid?

By the time we got back down, our legs were shaking uncontrollably and Waits had a big blister on his heal. But it was amazing, and totally worth it. If you’re ever in Sequoia I can’t recommend this experience highly enough.

Here, at least you can get a sense of the shapes:




We kept an eye out for cave faeries. I’m almost certain I saw one.

After our cave tour and subsequent hike back up the gorge, we were all pretty exhausted. We had another quick snack, but the wee little mister crashed out mid-munching. Bad form, little dude!

And it’s the only reason I can think of to explain why it didn’t even occur to me that picking wildflowers in a National Park is not only terribly illegal, but also not very nature-friendly either. And as soon as it was pointed out to me I realized “Oh! Of course!” and I felt like pretty much the biggest dummy ever.

So yes, there’s a beautiful bouquet on the table in the following pictures. Please do not take it as an endorsement of my behavior. I am embarrassed and apologetic, and I learned my lesson.



While I set about preparing our dinner, Jeremy and Waits settled into a little project:

As the sun went down and we cleaned up camp, Waits kept chanting one happy little word . . .




S’mores! S’mores! S’mores!

And how could we say no?

A few days later, up at Mount Shasta, I forgot to put on the Badger Bug-Spray, and we got bitten to smithereens. My legs were torn up and I was itching like crazy, especially in my sleep. So Jeremy found me this:




And WOWZA, it saved me! Again, all natural and based on essential oils. This stuff is soothing and amazing and it allowed me to get a good night’s sleep despite my bug-bitten lower half. So, I just wanted to pass along the tip to all of you. SssstingStop. It’s good stuff.

That morning in Sequoia we packed up all our gear, broke down the tent, bade our campsite farewell, and hit the road. Yosemite bound.

It was a long day of driving, detouring, and dodging multiple wildfires, and we didn’t make it into Yosemite until dusk. But more on that another day . . .

For now? Homemade raw zucchini chips! And a little shared love: please tell me, what are your favorite all-natural camping essentials? Any must-have’s for my currently-in-the-works camp kit? Thank guys!

Just an FYI, I was not comped or compensated for any of these products/reviews, I just loved them and wanted to share. The links are affiliate links like always. Square?

♥

It’s been a loooong time since I’ve posted a dessert recipe, and I’ll admit, this one took me some tweaking before I got it perfect. Luckily, the strawberries keep coming every week in my CSA box, so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to experiment.




Strawberry shortcake is a summer standard, and one of my favorite celebratory desserts. This particular recipe uses the denser, shortbread-style base (there’s a “biscuit” versus “fluffy cake” debate in the strawberry shortcake world, dontchya know) smothered in perfectly ripe, perfectly sun-kissed strawberries and topped with decadent raw coconut cream. I like my shortcake airy but firm, like a sweeter breakfast biscuit. And this gluten-free vegan version does not disappoint!


For the Shortcakes (loosely adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon ground chia seed (can substitute ground flax seed, but will change the flavor) + 3 tablespoons alt milk, made into an “egg” (see complete instructions here)

¾ cup brown rice flour
½ cup sweet sorghum flour
½ cup tapioca starch
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
¾ teaspoon salt

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut oil, not melted

1 teaspoon vanilla
a heaping ¼ cup sweetener (I used organic evaporated cane juice, you can try substituting another sweetener but if you use a liquid you’ll want to reduce the alt milk)
¾ cup alt milk




Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400º.

Make your chia egg and refrigerate. (How to make a vegan “egg” for baking)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Mix well to combine.




Add the solid coconut oil and use a fork to “cut” it in, until you have a crumbly mixture.

Add the chia egg, vanilla, sweetener, and alt milk, mixing thoroughly.

On a floured surface, use your fingertips to pat out the dough, pressing it gently until it’s about an inch thick. Use a biscuit press – or an old con cup – to form the dough into 9 or so rounds.

Allow to cool a bit before serving, but these are best when served the same day.




Now.

No traditional strawberry shortcake would be complete without cream, preferably of the “whipped” variety. And for my cream I used fresh young Thai coconuts.


Raw Whipped Coconut Cream

I simply cracked the young Thai coconuts, poured the coconut water into a large bowl, scooped out all the raw coconut meat, and dropped it into the blender. Then I added just enough of the coconut water to be able to get everything blending. This works best if you have a high-speed blender like a Vita Mix or Blendtec. I did 4 coconuts because I like making big batches, but you could do as few as 2.




After it’s blended to a thick cream, you can serve it as is (the coconut water sweetens it, but of course you can also add a liquid sweetener, like maple syrup, coconut nectar, or agave if you want), or you can do like I do and culture it overnight to make a raw coconut yoghurt. And just a helpful note from Captain Obvious, if you want to serve cultured cream with your fresh-baked biscuits, you’ll need to process the coconuts the day before.

To make cultured cream, simply open a capsule of probiotic powder as the coconut cream is blending, so that the probiotic gets well dispersed. Then pour the cream into a large bowl, cover with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag (or clean kitchen rag if that’s all you’ve got), and set it out overnight in a warm-but-not-hot dark place (kitchen cabinets are great).

What you’ll have the next day is essentially raw living coconut yoghurt, an amazingly nourishing, sweet and thick and tangy topping for your strawberry shortcake. It’s also great for breakfast, and backs a probiotic punch that’s great for your digestion and immune systems! Raw cultured young coconut cream is possibly one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Truth.

BUT, if all that seems like too much work (cracking coconuts? are you crazy??!), you can also make some simple whipped cream using store-bought canned coconut milk (directions here, scroll down to the bottom). Or, ya know, you can just use whatever store-bought vegan whipped cream you prefer.




And just a heads up for the nontraditional types, these shortcakes are also excellent topped with vegan strawberry ice cream + fresh strawberry slices. If I’m being honest, I may have actually liked this version best of all!

♥ ♥ ♥

And I was traveling! Me and Waits and my sweetheart all went down to Orange County to spend the holiday at my aunt and uncle’s house. They’re not vegan, but they’re very accommodating, and basically gave us free reign to cook an entire gluten-free vegan Thanksgiving dinner alongside them while they cooked their traditional Thanksgiving dinner, in their less-than-large kitchen. It was so fun! But I’m getting ahead of myself, because first came breakfast.




Waits had oatmeal cooked in almond milk, with cinnamon and maple syrup, and a side of grapes. Plus more almond milk for drinking.




My man and I each had a few pieces of toast, made with The Best Gluten-Free Bread On The Planet™ (it’s official, the search is over) slathered in Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet cream cheese. This stuff is a rare treat ’round these parts – just perfect for a holiday morning!

After we were all breakfasted up, I took Waits upstairs to take a bath and get ready for the day ahead. I knew it would be a long many hours indoors, so I wanted to make sure we got out to the park to burn off some energy first. It was such a beautiful day! Gotta love Thanksgiving in southern California.

Also, on the drive to the park Waits ate almost an entire bag of snap pea crisps. Haha, whoops.

While we worked, more family arrived!




Oh these two. That’s my granny on the right, age 87, and her sister on the left, age 94. They both have trouble seeing and hearing, but they’re non-stop gossip the second they get together. It’s completely adorable.




Snacking on hummus and carrots while we work.




This is a dish I haven’t eaten since going vegan, but it was a staple on every single Thanksgiving plate before then. It’s a simple, old-school “recipe” that basically involves four ingredients: petite peas, green onions, mayonnaise, and bacon.




This year I veganized it! I subbed in coconut bacon and Follow Your Heart’s Vegenaise (the BEST vegan mayo, cross my heart) and it was amaaaaazing. I know I know, it’s not the healthiest dish. But it tastes like nostalgia and decadence and holiday delight, and to have a vegan version made me happier than you can imagine.




There was champagne.




I made a big batch of Traditional “Dandied” Yams, which is an old favorite.




Bubbles!




The roasted Brussels sprouts were finished off in the pan, with sautéed mushrooms, green onions, and coconut cream.




Our main dish was a creative experiment borne from the depths of my sweetheart’s mind. Tofu cutlets, marinated for 2 days, hollowed out on one side. Each hollow cavern filled with a paste of thick cashew cream, oven-roasted garlic, rosemary, and a bit of Earthbalance. Two caverns married to create a sealed center, all tied up with green onions like a little present, neat and tidy and stuffed with garlic-y rosemary creamy goodness.

They worked. Oh goodness how they worked!




4 o’clock. Dinner is served! The full plate, with kale salad, sweet potatoes, tofu, peas, Brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes and gravy.

Can we take a moment to reflect on this gravy?

My man made it from scratch – gluten-free scratch – late late after work on Tuesday night. This gravy has 4 different types of mushrooms (button, crimini, porcini, and morel), pan-toasted flours (for full depth of flavor) turned into a roux, stock and nooch and sage and thyme and I wish I knew what all went into this gravy! While he cooked I was busy working on The BEST Gifts For Vegan Kids Of All Ages, and when he finished it was after midnight, and he brought it over to my computer, and handed me the spoon . . .

I think my exact words were: “I want to eat all of it. I want to eat a bowl of gravy soup.”

Or maybe something along the lines of “So what are you eating on Thanksgiving? ‘Cause this is all mine right here!”

By the time Thursday rolled around, the flavors had mingled and melded and omg, this gravy was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

Thanksgiving success!




Well, for us at least. Wee Waits ate . . . bread. Have you ever heard of a kid who doesn’t like Thanksgiving food??! But no, not for this little guy. He ate bread with dinner and then later, a bowl of leftover lentils. *sigh*




Much later, when our bellies and bodies had had a bit of time to rest, we pulled out the pies. We’d gotten a store-bought pie this year, a gluten-free vegan pumpkin pie which tasted fantastic but ended up being . . . less than firm? We were having trouble serving it, until my sweetie, genius-as-he-is, plopped the whole sucker down in a cup. Brilliant!

Topped with vegan rice whip, of course.

And what about you guys? Did you have a delicious plant-based Thanksgiving? What was your very favorite dish??

Happiest Holidays!

♥ ♥ ♥