I’m not thrilled Sunday is here already, I was just getting into this laid back weekend! Not sure I’m ready to get thrown into another 5-day work week, ugh. Ready or not, here it comes.
When I first started getting into a raw diet, I went hardcore shunning a lot of my old favorites which wasn’t easy. What made it doable was trying so many new raw recipes and flavors to distract me from the foods I missed. But, I’m a little more laid back now and happy to enjoy more cooked vegan dishes and some of my old favorites here and there – like sourdough bread.
My mom and I went to Panera Bread for lunch and I just couldn’t resist getting the vegan black bean soup in a sourdough bread bowl. And it was wonderful, sourdough saturated with black bean soup is delicious, warm, hearty and filling – perfect for another cold, overcast day here. A very satisfying lunch for about $6.
After I finally made it to Trader Joe’s for a much needed stock up and after dropping $130, I think I should be good for awhile! For that I got wine, two huge packages of grapes for freezing, two tempeh packages, tons of fresh fruits and veggies, a couple of Kind and Pure bars to try, more peanut flour, lots of hummus, almonds, etc. I also loaded up on frozen organic berries, pomegranate seeds, and spinach for smoothies which always adds up. But so helpful when out of fresh.
That’s a lot of hummus for $5!
After unloading and catching up on laundry and chores for the week, it was time to get creative for dinner. I had another beet to use up and decided it would be my theme ingredient tonight.
The tangerines, which were the last from the little tree in our backyard, got tossed into the Vita-Mix as a base for a citrus ginger sauce.
I poured the sauce over a stir fry mixture of tempeh cubes, chopped beet, cauliflower and carrot strings, then sauteed the mess together for about 10 minutes in the wok. The end result was very red, but not bad.
Orange just goes perfectly with beets and the ginger added a nice spice to the dish. Next time I might reduce the amount of oranges I toss in because there was a slight bitterness. But overall it was a success.
Looks delicious! I used to hate beets- when I was younger I tried to like them several times because of their beautiful color but for some reason thought they were bitter— now I’m obsessed with them and put them in everything I make!
xo
Oh i love beets but didnt always used to. They used to scare me. Probably b/c i never had them prepared properly til i did it myself with my first CSA box at like age 27!
$130 goes really far (or it can) in TJs. I hope youre stocked for awhile!
Tangerine tree in your backyard? jealz. Used to have a lemon tree in our rented 1920s house in san diego. when i say tree, i mean a hugh jass tree. HUGE. Like 250 lemons at any time, year round, more than could ever be eaten or used even by like a lemon factory!
Hummus. Need your reco for your fave hummus at Tj’s…so many choices there!
I didn’t care for them as a kid either, the cheap canned stuff was awful.
We have a couple of trees in our backyard, a dwarf tangerine, apple and dwarf pear tree. I’m gonna try to add a dwarf almond tree this year, the dwarfs are about the only trees that will fit in our yard. :-P
What a great haul from TJ’s! I need to get there today as my fridge and cupboards are pretty bare!
Orange and beet sounds really good….do you juice them together? I might try this. After some serious (-ly fabulous) eating over the weekend, I’m so anxious to get back to the 50/50 raw. I felt sooooooooo good last weekend when I as doing it!
I’ve juiced beets and oranges together before with a little fresh ginger, it was awesome and I need to break out our juicer again. I know what you mean about rich eating, vacations are wonderful, but it can be so nice to get back to norm.
I love Panera, but I have never gotten one of their bread bowls– that looks SO good!
I’ve gotten their vegan soups before, but that was the first time in a bread bowl – really good!
The stir fry looks so great! I have tangerines and ginger just sitting around needing to be used up :)
I also just pulled out my black beans thinking I would use them today—hmmm, maybe I’ll do some kind of weird combo inspired by your meals :)
Have a fab day.
Damn, you stocked up! Looks great! I love beets so that dish sounds awesome!
I just said hehehe out loud when I saw the peanut flour! I just love that stuff now, it makes me happy, lol! Im a dork!
I used to dominate those panera bread bowls, I liked the broc and cheese soup in mine! Ahhhh so good!
I got the same canon camera Averie just got! I did not purchase an extra lens yet but thinking about getting the one she got too, because Kath from kath eats recommended that lens too and her pics rock!
Happy Almost Tuesday! xoxo
This looks great!!! and omg the black bean vegan soup at panera is one of my favorites! I’m sad I don’t live near one anymore!
ooh and vegan pizza night sounds fun! I have vegan dinners at least once a week =) I’m trying to make them more frequent! and you can for sure use tip #4 and #7 – make a pizza on a portobello cap and add red pepper flakes! <3 yay!
xoxox
jenn