vegan pasta alla vodka

Just trust me on the coconut milk. I thought it was weird too. Serves 4 very generously.

• 1 lb pasta (rotini, elbows, penne, etc. - something small)

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 5 cloves garlic, minced (or more, who cares)

• 6 ounce can tomato paste

• 14 ounce can unsweetened/full fat coconut milk

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

• black pepper, fresh basil to taste

• 1/4 cup vodka (if we’re being honest you can skip this but it’s in the name)

• optional: 3 handfuls spinach

• optional but highly recommended: 2-3 sundried tomatoes, diced very small

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.

While the pasta is draining, heat the olive oil in the same pot over low heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Do not let it brown or it will be gross. Add the red pepper flakes and sundried tomatoes if using.

Add the tomato paste. It’s really thick and doesn’t “stir” so I used the back of the spoon to smear it around and mix it into the garlic/olive oil.

Add the vodka if using. Shake the can of coconut milk well, and add. Whisk to combine so it’s not lumpy. Add salt, black pepper, and fresh basil.

Add the pasta water (until the sauce reaches your desired consistency) and the spinach. Stir until the spinach has wilted and the sauce just starts to bubble. Stir in the pasta.

carrot-ginger soup

feels a lot less healthy than it really is. makes 4 generous servings.

• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2'“ rounds (about 10 carrots)

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup water

• 1/4 cup oats

• 1 tbs butter or equivalent

• 1 tsp ground ginger or fresh equivalent (do I look like the kind of person who has fresh ginger laying around?)

• black pepper to taste

Sauté the onion in butter until tender over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, ginger, and black pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the broth, water, and oats and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork - about 25 minutes.

Carefully add the soup to a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender but I’m not that fancy. Add more broth here if you would like a thinner soup.

Top with croutons or paprika-roasted chickpeas.

quinoa salad

works served over lettuce or spinach, or in a wrap with a little bit of (vegan) mayo. serves 4 as a side dish.

• 1 cup quinoa

• 1/2 small onion, diced

• juice of 1/2 lime

• 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (or 2-3 regular tomatoes, diced, but only if they are good tomatoes. don’t waste my time with off-season grocery store tomatoes.)

• minced garlic to taste

• red pepper flakes to taste

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool. Combine with all other ingredients.

tofu taco filling

a lighter, vegan option for Taco Tuesday. serves 4.

• 14-ounce block extra firm tofu, drained (don’t skip the draining unless you like mushy taco filling)

• 1 tbs soy sauce

• 2 tbs taco seasoning

• 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 tbs olive oil

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 8 oz. can tomato sauce (I prefer no salt added)

Add the tofu, soy sauce, and taco seasoning to a bowl. Crumble the tofu using a potato masher, two forks, or your hands and allow to sit while you compete the next few steps.

Finely dice the onion and bell pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes until the onions can be pierced with a fork. Add the tofu to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the black beans and tomato sauce, and cook until heated through.

pineapple chicken

I don’t usually like pineapple but this was good - very light. serves 2 generously.

• 2 chicken breasts, diced into 1” pieces

• 1 tsp onion powder

• black pepper to taste

• 3 tbs cornstarch

• 3 tbs olive oil

• 16 ounces canned pineapple (drain, but reserve 3/4 cup of juice for the sauce)

• 1 bell pepper cut into bite-size pieces

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 1/2 cup cooked rice for serving

Sauce:

• 3/4 cup reserved pineapple juice

• 3 tbs honey

• 2 tbs soy sauce

• 1/2 tsp ginger

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbs cornstarch

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Add chicken, cornstarch, pepper, and onion powder to a bowl, and toss until coated. Add 2 tbs olive oil to a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken; it may take two batches with another tbs of olive oil.

After all chicken is cooked, add the pineapple to the hot pan. Let it cook for a few minutes without stirring; cooking it on one side prevents it from falling apart later. Add the pepper and onions, and stir until the vegetables are cooked to taste - 3-5 minutes depending on your preferred tenderness. I like my veggies a little on the mushy side but apparently that’s weird.

Add the chicken back to the pan and add the sauce. Let it bubble until the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice.