WIAW: Vegan Broccoli ‘n Cheese Sauce

Posted on March 16, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Helllllllllllloooooooooo everybody! I can’t believe how fast this week is flying by…it’s already Wednesday? Wha?! I hope you have all had a wonderful Hump Day filled with delicious foods and things that made you smile! 😀 <- Like that! Haha!

So here we are for another round of What I Ate Wednesday, hosted by the lovely Jen of Peas & Crayons! It’s her birthday today so why don’t you stop by and leave her some comment love?

I seriously had NO clue what to make for breakfast this morning! I kinda wanted oats…I kinda wanted eggs…I really wanted a green smoothie, but guess what…no spinach! 🙁 Challenge or no challenge, Heather is going to the store first thing on Friday for some greens!

The best way to use up veggies: Salad

The best way to use up veggies for breakfast: Omelet!

Breakfast (7:15am)
1 egg + 2 egg whites omelet, bagel thin topped with light cream cheese, mini peps, and garlic gold, and a cup of 1/2 caff qua-fee! 😉

Omelet stuffings: steamed broccoli, nooch, and TJ’s roasted red pepper & eggplant spread and topped with scallions and cilantro

And of course I had my candy vitamins for dessert!

Lunch (12:oopm)
Salad Trough…this bad boy polished off almost ALL of the produce left in the fridge!
16 ounces water

What’s in the bowl:

  • green leaf lettuce
  • corn
  • mini peppers
  • shredded chicken breast
  • a “hidden” mound of refried beans
  • salsa
  • avocado
  • nooch
  • black olives
  • Mrs. Dash Chipotle
  • and some of Garden of Eatin’s Red Hot Blues (because I can!)

Snack (4:30pm)
So I found these triscuits in the cupboard…I have no idea how long they’ve been up there, but surprisingly they’re not stale…alright! Snacktime! 😉

I enjoyed my little snack with some hot lemon ginger tea…the others were also consumed at various points in the day…the ONLY thing that keeps me warm in fahreezing hospital temps!

And now for dinner…

For the past few days, I’ve been thinking about what to do with the 3 pound bag of broccoli I picked up on my last trip to Sam’s. I’ve done well polishing off about half the bag, but being a week and a half out from moving means it’s time to get serious!

Dinner (8:00pm)
Whole wheat mac topped with vegan broccoli ‘n cheese sauce

and

…a side of broccoli to kiss on!

Do you ever dream about future recipes? Because I totally had a dream about this last night and it came out EXACTLY how I imagined!

Vegan Broccoli ‘n Cheese Sauce

  • 1 cup soaked cashews, drained
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups steamed broccoli
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
  • salt to taste (I used Mrs. Dash Table Blend instead)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasonings as needed to taste.

I LOVE making cashew cream sauces! This tastes just like a bowl of cream of broccoli soup!

If you’re curious about more cashew sauces, check out these two recipes of Spabettie’s!

Wow, looks like I had a nooch filled day! Haha! What’s not to love? If you are unsure of what nutritional yeast is exactly, it is a deactivated yeast that is frequently used as a cheese substitute due to the cheezy, nutty flavor that it has. It is packed FULL of wonderful B-vitamins, protein, and fiber! It can be purchased at most health food stores or you can buy it online here.

Haha! I just realized this recipe made it just in time for St. Paddy’s Day!

Don’t forget to wear your green tomorrow! You don’t wanna get peenched!

Nutritional yeast: yay or nay?

Posted in Breakfast, Entree, Vegan, What I Ate Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Have You Heard the One About…?

Posted on March 15, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Hello friends! Hope your week is going well so far and you are starting to adjust to the time change. I’m on my late shift this week so I’m not really getting to enjoy the benefits of extra daylight, but at least I have all day Friday to bask in the sunshine! I hear we are going to get another warm weekend this weekend and I can’t wait!

Well, the “Clean Out the Fridge/Pantry Challenge” is still going on strong! I’m saving up a little stockpile of eats to share with you guys on the last day so you can see the progression of creativity. It’s just starting to get to the point where I’m having to stretch my brain muscles a bit! 😉

This morning, I indulged in a jar of overnight oats compliments of my dedicated work in “cleaning out” my jar of PB&Co. White Chocolate Wonderful.

Strawberries & Cream OOIAJ: (serves 1)

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 container Siggi’s strawberry yogurt
  • 1/2 cup So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
  • 1-1 1/2 tablespoons WCW

OOIAJ alongside a big cup of 1/2 caff with cinnamon

Oh, and it’s not just you, that is a BIG spoon! Hey, big spoon for a big mouth, right?

Today was an average day at the hospital, though I did have a patient tell me a little joke. Working in the CAT scan department, I get my fair share of “cat” jokes ranging from, “How many cats does it take to do a cat scan?”…by the way the answer is 5 calicos, 3 persians, and 1 tabby….to “What do you do if I don’t have a cat for you to scan?”…seriously? that’s the best you can come up with??

I’ve actually heard this one before, but I think it’s cute and I thought you guys might want to hear. I found this one online, which is pretty close to what he said:

A man runs into the vet’s office carrying his dog, screaming for help. The vet rushes him back to an examination room and has him put his dog down on the examination table. The vet examines the still, limp body and after a few moments, tells the man that his dog, regrettably, is dead. The man, clearly agitated and not willing to accept this, demands a second opinion.

The vet goes into the back room and comes out with a cat and puts the cat down next to the dog’s body. The cat sniffs the body, walks from head to tail, poking and sniffing the dog’s body and finally looks at the vet and meows.

The vet looks at the man and says, “I’m sorry, but the cat thinks that your dog is dead, too.”

The man, finally resigned to the diagnosis, thanks the vet and asks how much he owes. The vet answers, “$350.”

“$350 to tell me my dog is dead?!” exclaims the man.

“Well,” the vet replies, “I would only have charged you $50 for my initial diagnosis. The additional $300 was for the cat scan.”

I can’t help but giggle a little every time I get to the punch line!

I got out of work a bit late tonight so I went with something super quick and easy for dinner…and of course in line with the “challenge.”

From the beautiful mind of Gabriela from Une Vie Saine, I give you the Creamy Pumpkin Peanut Butter Bowl!

I started drooling over this as soon as I laid eyes on it the other day. All it is is 1 cup of pumpkin puree mixed with 1/4 cup TJ’s peanut flour, cinnamon, and stevia. I topped my bowl with a handful of Kashi Go Lean (which I ate more of while taking pics) and some raisins to round out the meal. The pumpkin and peanut flavors melded perfectly…’twas delicious!

Well, I’m off to bed! It’s about time I went to sleep before midnight this week! “See” you guys back here tomorrow for another edition of What I Ate Wednesday…same bat time, same bat channel!

Heard any good jokes lately? I’m easily amused…feel free to share!

Posted in Breakfast, Entree, Snacks | Tagged , , , , | 20 Comments

And The Academy Award Goes To…

Posted on March 14, 2011 by kissmybroccoli

Happy Monday everybody! So, how was everyone’s first workday after “springing forward” this weekend? Any one else dragging as much as I was today? I learned from Chelsea via Twitter that today is the least productive work day of the whole year. I can believe that…I seriously felt drugged. Of course I’m sure it didn’t help that I stayed up past 1am blog reading! Oops!

Note to all my bloggy friends: I am soooo sorry I’ve gotten so behind in all of your posts! There is just not enough hours in the day, ya know? I hope to catch up a bit this weekend since I have Friday off and then I can use the weekend for more packing. Just know I love you all and wait for days when you get like 5 comments from me all at once as I play catch up!

Speaking of catching up…did anyone miss Carrie’s Staple Sunday post from yesterday? If you did, it’s ok, I give you full permission to go there now…I’ll wait!

Are you back? Was that not the most fantastic compilation of quinoa recipes ever? And did you notice, my Taste of Fall Quinoa Bowl made it in there too? I know! I didn’t even have time to prepare a speech or anything!

“Ahem! Um, I’d like to thank all the little quinoa seeds that made this spectacular dish possible…my favorite bamboo spoon for stirring the mix ever so gently…and my bargain bowl found at TJ Maxx for holding it in such a warm embrace as I savored each and every pumpkin coated bite!”

Don’t applaud…just throw money!

Hey, mama’s got a new house to pay for! 😉

After seeing the round-up of quin-wastic (you know you loved that) recipes, I knew lunch yesterday HAD to feature the star!

And best supporting actor:

I picked up this little quy in a pack of four different spreads at TJ Maxx. Before yesterday, it had only made an appearance as a pretzel dip. It proved to be so much more!

Salmon & Quinoa Salad with Beet Puree…

…featuring the ever dark and handsome sautéed Kale, flirty Goatcheese Crumbles, and of course, who could forget little Boy Walnut?

*Insert Movie Man voice*

“Coming this spring to a kitchen near you…

It was a day just like any other until G. Leaves (Kale) and Silky (Crumbles) are surprising overcome by a chef’s knife in broad daylight. What first appears as a horrible and devastating accident proves to be so much more as the two are introduced to they’re destiny for lunchtime greatness. Watch as the magic unfolds when one average produce-hailing green and a shy yet strong chevre come together with a cast of refrigerator misfits to take on the quest to stop hungry dead in its tracks!”

*This film is not yet rated.

Salmon & Quinoa Salad with Beet Puree: (serves 1)

  • 1/4 cup red onions
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup canned salmon
  • 2 tablespoons beetroot chutney (or you could simply use pureed beets)
  • 1 large handful fresh kale leaves
  • goat cheese
  • walnuts

1. Saute red onions in a small skillet over medium-high heat until translucent.
2. Combine onions, quinoa, salmon, and chutney (or puree) in a small sauce pan over             medium heat and heat through.
3. While the mix is heating, saute kale in 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
4. Plate greens, then add salmon & quinoa salad, and top with crumbled goat cheese and       walnuts.

The options are really unlimited with this recipe. I’m thinking dijon mustard with pine nuts or barbecue sauce with shredded cheese or nooch! But that my friends is a story for another day…

Nighty nighty punkins! 🙂

 

Posted in Entree | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments