Back! Meal planning.

Well I crapped out at the end of MoFo which was kind of inevitable. Anyway, I had a baby on November 12th so I think I'm justified for the last couple of weeks' absence.

Now that it's been 2 weeks, I'd like to get back into the swing of things. Thankfully, Aphra is super laid back and this shouldn't be a problem. Most of these are from the PPK. I just wanted things that are quick and easy to throw together, and tasty of course.

Chickpea Rice Soup
Taco Tuesday - Lentil Tacos
"Beef" stew and green salad
Broccoli curry stir fry
Sweet chili tofu with kale and coconut quinoa

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

A thing that happens when you buy a lot of bananas for your toddler is that he suddenly decides he doesn't like bananas, and then they all get old and brown and way too gross to eat. So then you make banana bread!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Recipe Adapted from Isa's.

1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c Earth Balance at room temperature
3 very ripe mashed bananas
1/4 c almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
2/3 c cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 c chocolate chips

Preheat to 350. Place a piece of parchment at the bottom of a loaf pan, and spray all around with cooking spray.

Cream the Earth Balance and the sugar together. Mix together the milk & vinegar and let curdle; add the bananas, milk mixture, and vanilla to the sugar/butter combo and mix well.


Sift in the dry ingredients and stir well, adding the chocolate chips right before you think it is mixed enough. Then dump it into the loaf pan and bake for an hour - an hour and ten minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool in pan for a few minutes and then turn onto a rack and allow to cool the rest of the way. Enjoy!

Note: it's pretty tender and may not cut superbly at first. Make sure you let it cool all the way down; I am also planning on trying to see if I can make it hold together by using more flour; the original recipe calls for 2c, some of which I replaced with cocoa powder.

Not Cupcakes

The last couple of times I've made cupcakes I've been all "Yeah! Gotta make cupcakes!" and then made them and not actually wanted to eat any, so they've been donated to the worthy cause of the stomachs of the people with whom I work. I decided it was time to talk about something else then, too.

I love multi coloured quinoa. It's the perfect side to this orange tofu and braised baby bok choy.

For the bok choy, heat a little olive oil (mediumish heat) in a wide shallow pan, add some well cleaned bok choy and a couple of cloves of garlic, crushed. Give it a stir, add a splash of water, and cover and let steam until crispy and bright green, just a few minutes.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Isa is a goddess of the kitchen. Only a goddess could come up with something so freaking delicious as Carrot Cake Pancakes.

With a healthy dose of Earth Balance on top!

For realz. Seen here with what Ian (lovingly?) refers to as 'smoky tempeh breakfast strips' or in the vegan world, is known simply as tempeh bacon. Awesome breakfast. Could it be made any more awesome if instead of earth balance and maple syrup I had whipped up a little cream cheese icing? Perhaps one day we'll find out.