Avocado, Hummus, and Chimichurri Sandwich [vegan]

Man oh man oh man oh man. This sandwich has revolutionized my life.

It started with a recent discovery. Chimichurri sauce. It’s similar to pesto, but tastes more fresh and herb-y, and I want to put it on everything. 

I’ve made two variations of this sandwich–first with chimichurri marinated zucchini, and again with  chimichurri marinated tofu [pictured]–and both had me cackling with disbelief because there’s no way a sandwich this simple should taste this good.

I recommend fresh ciabatta bread for optimal chewy crispy goodness, but I used frozen ciabatta rolls because they were calling to me from the freezer. Finally, because the flavors of this sandwich are so refined, I recommend finding a perfectly ripe avocado to avoid the unpleasant flavors that unripe and overripe avocados have.

Avocado, Hummus, and Chimichurri Sandwich [vegan]

Makes 1 sandwich.

• 1 ciabatta roll
• 2-3 tbs hummus
• 1/4 a large avocado, sliced
• 1/2 small zucchini or 3 ounces firm tofu
• 1 tbs + 1 tsp chimichurri sauce
• lemon juice
• salt

1. If using zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Lightly salt and set to side for half an hour so that any excess water will be drawn out. Pat dry.
2. If using tofu, press the tofu, and then cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.
3. Coat the zucchini or tofu in 1 tbs chimichurri sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or sauteé at medium heat in a nonstick pan for 2-3 minutes per side.
4. Remove the tofu or zucchini from the pan and coat with the remaining 1 tsp of chimichurri sauce.
5. (Optional, but makes the sandwich less messy to eat: Slice the ciabatta roll in half, and scoop out about half of the bread inside. I found it was easiest to cut a rectangle in each side of the roll, leaving a 1/4 inch border between the rectangle and the edge of the bread, and shave away the bread from this rectangle. Freeze the innards to use as bread crumbs in other recipes.)
6. Spread the hummus on the bottom half of the roll, and top with with the tofu or zucchini.
7. Lay 1/4 of a sliced large avocado on top. Sprinkle the avocado with a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice. I like adding a sprinkle of garlic powder as well.
8. Close the sandwich and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or cook panini style on a nonstick pan at medium-low heat until the crust of the sandwich is hot and crisp. If planning to eat later, wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to a day (beyond that, the avocado gets a bit icky). Heat before serving. I brought it to work and warmed it up in a toaster oven. It was perfect!

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Curried “Meat” Hand Pies (vegan)

This past summer, I’ve finally created a sustainable approach to cooking for one (hungry) person. I aim for fresh meals and zero waste, and so far it’s working well. As a result I’ve been thinking a lot about my food philosophy and approach to cooking.

On one hand, I’m a huge fan of the minimalist approach to cooking. I love simple high-quality dishes with flavors that are bright and true, rather than cluttered and muddled. Think, Minimalist Baker or Budget Bytes.

At the same time, some of the best foods have page long lists of ingredients that combine to form the perfect symphony of flavors. Think, Lady and Pups or Serious Eats.

I’m still trying to figure out where I should focus my cooking with respect to these two extremes, but I’ve found it’s usually better to start simple.

These curry “meat” pies are my take on Jamaican Hand Pies. I combined a few of the recipes I found online, stripping down the ingredients to my kitchen staples (hence, the minimalism). TVP might not be a kitchen staple of yours (yet), but I recommend buying a bag because it’s cheap, an easy protein addition to sauces and soups, and it has a shelf life of over a year. If you’re still hesitant, feel free to replace it with a generous ¾ cup of crumbled tofu or 8 ounces of ground beef.

Until I get a chance to try authentic Jamaican pies, I can’t say how close they taste to the real things, but they are savory and flavorful, and my friends inhaled them. I’m headed back to college soon, but my next kitchen with have a freezer stocked with these for sure (they’re basically a much improved hot pocket). These and this vegetable lasagna. So good.

Curry “Meat” Hand Pies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup tvp “grains”
• 3 tablespoons butter, margarine, or olive oil
• 3 oz diced yellow onion
• 4 oz sweet potatoes, diced in small pieces
• 2 oz carrots, diced in small pieces
• 4 oz cabbage, finely chopped
• 2 oz frozen or fresh peas
• 3 tsp beef flavored bouillon (3 cubes in my case)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ cup tomato sauce (or ¼ cup water and 2 tbs tomato paste)
• 2 sheets puff pastry (1 box)
• optional: 2 tbs crushed walnuts, salt or soy sauce to taste

Preparation process:

Combine in a bowl:

• 1/3 cup tvp pellets
• ½ cup boiling water

Stir, and let sit for 20 minutes so that the tvp can rehydrate (you can proceed while waiting).

In a large saucepan, cook at medium-low heat:

• 3 tablespoons vegan butter or olive oil
• 3 oz diced yellow onion

Continue cooking the onion until it is soft and light golden brown. Then, add:

• 4 oz sweet potatoes, diced in small pieces
• 2 oz carrots, diced in small pieces
• 4 oz cabbage, finely chopped

Once the vegetables are beginning to soften, add the the pan:

• the rehydrated tvp
• 3 tsp beef flavored bouillon (3 SMALL–much smaller than the boillon cubes i’ve used in the past–cubes in my case)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ cup tomato sauce (or ¼ cup water and 2 tbs tomato paste)
• optional: 2 tbs crushed walnuts

Continue cooking for 10 minutes, adding a few tablespoons water if the filling mixture looks dry.

Lastly, fold in:

• 2 oz frozen or fresh peas

Taste, and add a pinch of salt or drizzle of soy sauce if desired (I added ½ tsp soy sauce). Transfer the “meat” pie filling to a bowl and refrigerate until cold.

While the filling is chilling, place a box of frozen puff pastry out to defrost for 45 minutes and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the two puff pastry sheets (each box of puff pastry should come with 2 sheets) into four pieces each. Put away 2 pieces for later use. I went this route and made peanut butter banana pastries. So good.

Roll out the remaining 6 pieces of puff pastry into thin squares. Place 1/6 of the filling onto one side of each square (each side is a triangle), leaving a ¼ inch border between the edge of the puff pastry and the filling.

Fold the puff pastry over the filling, creating a triangle shape.Crimp the edges with a fork, making sure to not leave any gaps where the filling might fall out.

Now, either bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (~15-25 minutes) OR put the “meat” pies into the freezer. Frozen pies can be baked straight from the freezer at 400 degrees for about 25-35 minutes. The pies are down when they are golden brown and flaky, and the filling is steamin’ hot.

Enjoy!

Seitan BBQ Ribs

So, I go to school in Texas. When my high school friends and relatives found out that I was ditching beautiful NorCal for Texas, most reactions were somewhere between shock and feigned enthusiasm. Can’t say that Texas has the greatest reputation back home.

Three years in, I’m pleased to report that the stereotypes aren’t all true (although Texan pride is a very real and wild thing), and I’ve learned some key facts from living here.

For example, did you know that what Californians classify as a barbecue is considered “grilling” in Texas? All of my life I grew up thinking that a barbecue was veggie dogs and portobella mushrooms roasted over a propane flame. BBQ sauce: what’s that?

Turns out Texans would be outright insulted by that definition. People will wait hours for fresh brisket and ribs, although I don’t blame them because I’ve done the same for sushi.

I’ve tried bits and pieces of barbecued meat (pretty good!), but have never actually sat down to a complete bbq meal. I plan to someday, but there are so many other great restaurants to try that my veggie leaning self hasn’t found the chance to yet.

Meanwhile, I’ll snack on some seitan vegan bbq that, while completely inauthentic, is still hearty and delicious. It’s made with vital wheat gluten which is a great source of plant protein, and brushed with generous amounts of bbq sauce. I already have plans for a vegan BBQ pizza. (edit: pizza was delicious. dough + tomato sauce + fresh corn + bbq ribs + TJ “cheese” + bake + top with arugula dressed with balsamic dressing + ranch on the side = the perfect sweet savory zesty combo)

Here’s the recipe:

Seitan BBQ Ribs

Lightly adapted from Baked In

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¾ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
• ½ tsp liquid smoke
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup barbecue sauce, I used this brand

1. In a bowl, mix together everything but the vital what gluten and barbecue sauce. Stir in the vital wheat gluten, then gently knead the mixture with your hands for a minute or two.
2. Press the seitan dough into a greased 8×8 pan. Use a knife to cut a rectangular grid ‘rib’ pattern into the dough (a horizontal mid-line and then vertical lines 1 inch apart). Be careful not to cut completely through the dough. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
3. Next, one option is to brush the dough with bbq sauce and grill for 5-6 minutes per side (generously brushing with sauce each time you flip it). Or, if you don’t have access to a grill, brush bbq sauce on both sides of the seitan and bake for 20 minutes, flipping and recoating with sauce after 10 minutes. Lastly, broil the seitan at high heat until its edges are dark and caramelized.
4. Serve with coleslaw, potato salad, and of course, lots of mac and cheese.

Vegan Pesto Cream Sauce

In the many months since my last post, I learned something new about myself.  I’m lactose intolerant. Boo.

Apparently it’s common for people to produce less of the enzyme responsible for digesting lactose as they get older, but nevertheless I’m feeling a bit betrayed by my body. Betrayed and a bit in denial.

Luckily, I’ve also learned that there are some delicious (and simple!) replacements for traditional cream sauces: a prime example being this pesto cream sauce.

I was inspired by this recipe (cauliflower and cashews, brilliant!), but I made some alterations to cater it to my tastes. This sauce is so rich and hearty, but not heavy and cloying like many dairy-based sauces. I’ve made it twice so far, and shared it with enough people and kids to declare it picky eater approved. Lastly, don’t let the iphone photo with exactly 0 food styling dissuade you…it was so good I couldn’t wait to eat.

Now to figure out a way to make my favorite lasagna ever without cheese.

Vegan Pesto Cream Sauce

Makes ~2 ½ cups sauce

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add:

• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 2 white mushrooms* (use 1 or omit if not fond of mushrooms)
• 4 florets cauliflower, ~¾ cup

Boil for around 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is soft. Next, strain the boiled mixture and add to a high speed blender with:

• 1 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk**
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast***

Blend until completely smooth and then add:

• 2-3 tablespoons non-dairy pesto****
• salt, to taste

The sauce is ready! Heat up in a saucepan or microwave and add to pasta, gnocchi, vegetables, lasagna or whatever else you can think of.

Store any extra sauce in the fridge. It stores and reheats perfectly!

*I looove mushrooms and used baby bella mushrooms for the sauce pictured. I’ve also used shiitake.

** Be careful to not use vanilla cashew milk. The packaging is almost the same.

***I thought I despised nutritional yeast, but it turns out the brand I had tried (Bob’s Red Mill) has a very strong taste. I much prefer this brand.

****Most pestos have parmesan cheese, but I found a brand without any.

Best Veggie Lasagna

It’s hellishly hot, I’m running on 5 hours of sleep, and I forgot my laptop charger at work so I’m anxiously watching the battery drain, but at the moment all that matters is this lasagna.

The origins of this lasagna are a losing battle I have with cheese. Aka, I can’t stop buying new varieties of cheese. My latest impulse cheese buy was queso fresco, which, while a delicious cheese, is not a particularly versatile one. I used it once as a topping for shrimp tacos, a second time on top of refried beans, and then watched it go untouched for a week before I decided there had to be some good way to repurpose it. Enter this veggie lasagna.

It turns out crumbled queso fresco mixed with a bit of cottage cheese makes a remarkably good mock ricotta. It also turns out that layering paper thin slices of zucchini creates something similar enough pasta that it’s kind of unsettling. I added regular lasagna sheets too because pasta is delicious, but they were the no boil kind which made assembly super easy.

I haven’t even finished this batch of lasagna, and I’m already eyeing the frozen paneer since I think it’s quite similar to queso fresco. We’ll see. Very, very soon.

I’m putting the recipe under a read more because it’s a bit long, even though the actual process is quite simple.

Recipe ahead.

Best Veggie Lasagna

Make one loaf sized pan of lasagna: 2 huge servings, 3 big servings, 4 regular servings

For the full ingredients list, see the bottom of the recipe.

Preparing the zucchini:

1) Obtain:

• 1 large zucchini

2) Create long, paper thin slices of zucchini using a vegetable peeler. Discard or save the middle of the zucchini for another use. Add the slices into a bowl with 2 cups of water + 1 tsp salt. This process will remove excess water from the zucchini and prevent it from making the lasagna watery later. After 20 minutes (make the pasta sauce while you wait!), drain and rinse the zucchini, and then pat dry with paper towels, removing as much excess water as possible.

Making the pasta sauce (or you can use 2 cups of premade pasta sauce):

Note: This makes just enough sauce. If you’re a fan of extra saucy lasagna, it might be smart to double the recipe and just store any leftovers.

1) To make the lasagna sauce, heat in a saucepan:

• 1 tsp oil
• ¼ a large onion, diced (½ cup diced onion)
• 1 heaping tsp diced garlic (1-2 cloves)

2) Cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Add:

• 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

3) Continue cooking for 5 minutes, and then add:

• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1 13.5 ounce of no salt added tomatoes, crushed
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

4) Cook at medium heat for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is thick. Remove the bay leaf.

5) Add to taste:

• salt
• pepper

Lasagna cheese filling:

Again, this is just enough cheese filling. Use 1.5 cups of ricotta cheese if you’re a fan of extra

1) In a bowl, add:

• Option A: 1 cup ricotta cheese
• Option B: ½ cup ricotta cheese + ½ cup cottage cheese
• Option C: 5 ounces crumbled queso fresco + ¼ cup cottage cheese + 2 tbs egg whites

2) Stir in:

• 2 tbs grated parmesan
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp salt

3) Cook at medium heat until wilted.

• 1 cup spinach leaves

Once the spinach cools, chop roughly and stir into the cheese. Set aside.

To assemble the lasagna:

1) First, gather:

• the prepared zucchini
• 1 recipe pasta sauce
• 1 recipe ricotta cheese filling
• 3 lasagna noodles
• 1 tbs grated parmesan
• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella

2) Add ¼ of the pasta sauce (½ cup approximately) to the bottom of a greased 9×5 loaf pan.

3) Top with 1 lasagna noodle.

4) Spread 1/3 of the cheese filling (1/3 cup approximately) over the lasagna noodle and any exposed sauce.

5) Add a layer of the zucchini slices, using approximately ¼ of the slices.

6) Repeat steps 2-5.

7) Repeat steps 2-5. By now you should have used up the cheese, zucchini, and noodles, but have ¼ of the sauce left.

8) Top the lasagna with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the grated parmesan and shredded mozzarella.

9) Cover the pan with a piece of aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes more, or until the mozzarella is melted and bubbly.

–

Full Ingredients List:

• 1 tsp oil
• ¼ a large onion, diced (½ cup diced onion)
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 heaping tsp diced garlic (1-2 cloves)
• 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup spinach leaves

• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1 13.5 ounce of no salt added tomatoes, crushed
• ½ tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup ricotta cheese or ½ cup ricotta cheese + ½ cup cottage cheese or 5 ounces crumbled queso fresco + ¼ cup cottage cheese + 2 tbs egg whites
• 3 tbs parmesan
• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella

• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt & pepper

• no boil lasagna noodles

Shrimp & Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

When I began cooking for myself a month ago, I naively thought that I would be like the Sunday meal planners I see on Reddit: I would cook an entire week’s worth of meals over the weekend, and eat them throughout the week. Rinse and repeat.

The first week I cooked an entire bag of black beans, but by meal three I knew that this eating the same thing was not going to work out. I didn’t even want to look at another bowl of black beans, let alone eat them for every meal. Needless to say, I now try to only make one or two servings of a recipe at a time.

Whenever I do end up with leftovers, I try to repurpose them into something new. These lettuce wraps originate from when I was making my favorite mushroom dumplings. Since I didn’t have enough dough for all the filling (I halved the dough recipe and made 1 ½ times as much filling, whoops), I decided to marinate shrimp in the filling and create a stir fry.

The result was flavorful and satisfying lettuce wraps, which my friend and I topped with avocado and spinach sauteed in miso ginger broth. (It was a great appetizer for the peanut butter, chocolate, and banana fresh-made-gelato milkshakes we had later. ;))

Shrimp & Mushroom Lettuce Wraps 

Asian Mushroom Base

In a pan, sautee until the water is mainly evaporated:

• ¾ cups diced white mushrooms
• ¼ cup diced shiitake mushrooms*
• ½ tsp oil

Add, and cook another 2 minutes:

1 cloves garlic, diced

Take off heat and stir in:

• 1 tbsp minced green onions
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ¼ tsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp chili oil
• ½ tsp soy sauce

Taste, and add a pinch of salt, or a bit more soy sauce if desired.

Allow to cool, placing it in the fridge to expedite this process if desired. Use as dumpling filling or as a base for any asian flavored recipe.

Shrimp Lettuce Wrap Filling

Stir together:

• ¾ recipe Asian Mushroom Base
• ½ tsp soy sauce
• 8 ounces fresh shrimp, chopped into pieces

Cover and allow to marinate for at least half an hour.

Heat a pan to medium-high heat and add a bit of oil. Sautee the shrimp and mushroom mixture for about 3-5 minutes, or until the shrimp pieces are pink but still tender.

Stir in the remaining ¼ recipe of the Asian Mushroom Base.

Serve with all, some, or none of the following:

• Large iceberg or romaine lettuce leaves
• Sliced avocado
• Spinach sauteed in miso ginger broth (I love this broth a lot)
• Sushi rice! (next time)
• Pickled or fresh shredded carrots/cabbage

Asian Mushroom Potstickers

I love dumplings.

I love the Czech fruit dumplings my grandmother makes, the Asian vegetable dumplings my mom and I inhale, and the Tibetan potato “momo” I have every time I visit home.

Despite my dumpling adoration, up until earlier this year I never attempted to make dumplings because I assumed it was a long and tedious process. To my surprise, dumpling making isn’t hard at all, and it’s especially nice because any leftovers can be freezed and used for easy meals.

I’ve still got ways to go before I master all the dumpling recipes I intend to (I think Czech fruit dumplings are up next), but I think I’ve got this mushroom potsticker recipe down. These dumplings are super simple to make, yet incredibly flavorful and delicious. I encourage anybody, regardless of cooking experience, to try this recipe out.

Asian Mushrooms Potstickers 

Dumpling Dough

Adapted from here.

• 240 g flour*
• ½ cup boiling water
• ½ tsp salt

1. Add the salt to the boiling water, and stir into the flour. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, or until smooth. (For more detailed instructions, see here.)
2. Pat the dough into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, and set aside in the fridge to rest for at least an hour.

*This equals 2 cups of flour, but unless you have a feel for how much water to add, I would weigh it out if possible. I halved the recipe and used 60 g spelt flour, 50 g all purpose flour, and 10 g vital wheat gluten, but when I made it with 120 g all purpose flour, the dough was easier to handle.

Mushroom Potsticker Filling

Adapted from here.

In a pan, sautee until the water is mainly evaporated:

• 1 ½ cups diced white mushrooms
• ½ cup diced shiitake mushrooms*
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/8 tsp salt

Add, and cook another 2 minutes:

• 2 cloves garlic, diced

Take off heat and stir in:

• 2 tbsp minced green onions
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp sesame oil
•  ½ tsp soy sauce
• (optional:  ½ tsp chili oil)

Assembling the potstickers:

1. Cut the dough into 40 equally sized pieces (mine were 9g each), and roll into thin circles.
2. Add dumpling filling to the middle, making sure the filling doesn’t touch the edges of the dough (the oil in the filling will prevent the sides from properly sealing).
3. Fold the dough over the filling, and pinch the edges to trap the filling. The edges shouldn’t have a visible seam. Crimp the edges if desired.
4. Set aside, covering with plastic wrap, as you prepare more dumplings. Either cook immediately, or place in a tupperware and freeze.

Cooking the potstickers:

See here for an in depth instructions on cooking potstickers. They are also good when boiled in broth.

Homemade Pizza for One

This is my kind of pizza.

It has a thin, unimposing crust that’s soft and chewy, but also sturdy enough to hold triple its weight in toppings.

Because I love toppings.

However, I usually shy away from making pizza because I don’t want to buy entire cans of olives or pineapple since it’s a hassle to use up so much of one ingredient.

(Yep, my favorite pizza combination is black olives and pineapple. I discovered this salty sweet combo in middle school and haven’t looked back.)

Recently, I’ve cracked this problem. Salad bars! Ok, I might look a little weird buying a container of artichoke hearts, mushrooms, black olives, salmon, corn, and pieces of pineapple picked out of pineapple salsa, but it’s so worth it because now I can get the perfect amount of pizza toppings/omelette fillings.

I feel so empowered.

And now with my topping dilemma solved, I anticipate a lot more pizza in my future.

Pizza for One

Makes one small pizza–double if you’re hungry!

Making pizza to share? Check out this recipe.

Crust:

Makes one 6 inch crust. Double or triple the recipe as desired.

• ¼ cup (30g) spelt or all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp instant yeast
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• tiny pinch salt
• warm water
• ½ tsp oil

1. Combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and ¼ tsp oil, in a small bowl.

2. Add warm water, 1 tsp at a time, until the dough is moist, but not wet.
Knead the dough until smooth. The surface should be supple but not sticky.

3. Coat the dough with the remaining ¼ tsp oil, and then place covered in a bowl to rise for an hour.

4. Use the dough immediately, or place in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Assembling the Pizza:

• 1 pizza dough [above]
• 2-4 tbs pizza sauce*
• 3 tbs shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ tsp parmesan cheese
• toppings! (I added grilled pineapple, baked cauliflower, sauteed mushrooms, black olives, and artichoke hearts)

1. Roll out the dough into a circle and place on a greased pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. Add pizza sauce on top, sprinkle with the parmesan, and add as many toppings as desired.

3. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes (I baked mine for 14 minutes but I had a lot of toppings and pizza sauce).

Zucchini, Peas, and Tuna Pasta

I’m currently learning a new skill, and it’s called: how to cook for one person and not waste any food.

I spent high school learning how to cook for myself, but I never really mastered the art of making the right amount of food, which is unfortunate because I’m not someone who’s particularly fond of leftovers.

Now that I’m living on my own and making my own meals (well, for the last two weeks, that is), I’m much more conscious of how much food to buy, and when food will expire.

Earlier this week I made mushroom potstickers, and was left with some extra dough. I decided to repurpose the dough as noodles, and create a sauce with whatever I had in the fridge. This ended up being some extra zucchini, fresh peas that I’ve been meaning to use up, canned tuna for protein, parmesan, and a sunny side up egg since I decided the dish wasn’t saucy enough.

This pasta was so, so good. I’m already ready to go buy more vegetables, just so I’ll have an excuse to make it again.

Zucchini, Peas, and Tuna Pasta

• 2-3 ounces pasta, dried or fresh
• 1 large zucchini, sliced into thin coins
• ¼ cup onion, diced
• ½ cup peas (I used a cup on account of having way too many peas, but I think half a cup would be more reasonable)
• 2 ounces tuna
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce (or salt, to taste)
• ½ tbs parmesan
• 1 egg

Cook pasta according to directions, and set aside.

Heat up oil at medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauteed for a minute, or until golden brown. Add the zucchini and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft, and its edges are somewhat golden. Add peas and continue cooking until they soften. Stir in soy sauce and tuna.

Add the pasta to the pan, sprinkle with the parmesan, and then set aside.

Cook the egg however you like it. Since the pasta doesn’t have a very “saucey” sauce, I made a sunny side up egg which I stirred into the pasta. The yolk coated the noodles, which was really delicious.

Potato Corn Tacos

Tacos are really, really, really, really, really delicious.

Not so delicious though is when you’re eating a Taco, and you go to place it down for a while but the filling comes crumbling out. D:  Taco lovers out there understand my pain?

Now, I know you’re all cringing at the though of a sideways Taco, I know I am, but not to worry,  I’ve invented a new, very simple yet ingenious (I’ll never be modest about my creations to rid the world of Taco-eating problems. >:D) contraption that prevents this problem, “The TACO holder”.

TACO holders are basically mini taco shells that I made courtesy of my ceramics class at school.  They support a taco’s weight, so there’s no threat of a fallen taco. :3

So far, I’ve just made one batch of multicolored TACO holders (one you can see holding up the taco), but I’m going to make another set of them soon, learning from the flaws in the last one (I underestimated the side of tacos XD).  When I do made a perfect batch, perhaps I’ll do a giveaway here 😉 That way we can all bask in the glory of upright tacos. 🙂

Potato Corn Tacos (aka starch with starch on starch. so good)

• 4 medium yukon gold potatoes (peeled + cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
• 1 large ear fresh white corn
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons Penzey’s Taco Spice (or 1 packet taco seasoning)
• 2/3 cup water
• salt & pepper
• 2 ripe avocados (diced)
• shredded lettuce and/or tomatos
• 1 can sliced black olives
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• 12 hard taco shells

Heat up a pan at medium heat, and add the potatoes and olive oil. Cook until the edges of the potatoes are beginning to turn golden brown.

Add the water and taco spice, cover the pan, and continue cooking until the potatoes soften.

Cut the corn kernels off the ear of corn and add to the pan, cooking for a few minutes more. Season the potato corn mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

To prepare the tacos, put some of the potato corn filling in a taco shell and top with cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced black olives, shredded lettuce and/or tomatoes, and diced avocado.

Serve immediately and enjoy.