Vinegar Drink & Summer Lasagna

Yay, almost Friday! And I have a fun-loaded weekend to look forward to of shopping for running gear, checking out the grand opening of a new vegan shop and a cooking lecture/demonstration. This has felt like a long week being my first full work week in 3 weeks and still adjusting to getting up at 5 AM to hit the gym. But that’s going good and I really appreciate having more spare time in the evenings not worrying about cramming in a workout. Yesterday I treated myself to a relaxed lunch at Whole Foods and tried a new drink.

Bragg Apple Cinnamon drink and for only 32 calories for the whole thing, it was surprisingly sweet with a strong cinnamon flavor that felt perfect for fall. I’ve seen these drinks before right above the kombucha at Whole Foods, but have always passed over them fearing they’d taste like vinegar. It did have a slight vinegar bite, but it was mild and blended with the flavors nicely. Something I’d buy again and try the other flavors.

For another dinner this week, I turned to another fave comfort food of mine – spaghetti squash marinara and used tempeh chunks in this version and topped with hemp-asan.

Steamed spaghetti squash is a comfort food for me and this is the season that they’re super cheap and everywhere. Plus I can mooch them for free from my dad’s garden, so expect to be seeing a lot of it. :-)

Tonight, however, I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried something new – a thrown together version of Michelle & Lori’s Simple Fresh Summer Lasagna Recipe. I didn’t have peppers for the ricotta, but I did have plenty of tomatoes for a tomato version that came out nicely. And I didn’t soak the almonds ahead of time. I know, shame on me, but I liked the crunchier texture the un-soaked almonds added.

And, well, I was feeling lazy on whipping up a fresh batch of hummus, but we did have this in the fridge to use up.

Assembly was a bit messy since I’m not as skilled and I had only tiny zucchinis to work with, but the end result looked vaguely like the twins’ masterpiece. The flavor? Wow! Tomato, mint, basil and citrus all partying together at once and very well! I would have never thought to top a lasagna with mint, but it was wonderful and very refreshing. Of all the raw lasagna recipes I’ve dabbled with, this was the easiest to make taking just 15 minutes and one of the best.