Vegan Challenge

The Challenge: So I've been vegetarian for almost 2 years. It's been great. I've always held the vegan title on a high pedestal, surrounded by glimmering clouds and angels singing. Not sure if I'd ever make it to that glorious place. So for Lent, even though I'm not currently a practicing Catholic, I challenge myself to go Vegan for 40 days and 40 nights minus Sundays.

Currently: I've been easing in vegan products and reducing my dairy/egg intake. I've been practicing with flaxseed and cornstarch instead of eggs. I've been experimenting with cooking vegan dinners. I made a beautiful round of vegan cinnamon rolls with vegan icing. I found this link (yes, I know crazy old Peta) to actually be quite helpful in exchanges for baking: Vegan Exchanges

-Things I'm finding:
*Earth Balance is fantastic ( I actually ate a spoonful of buttery spread-by itself!).
*Vegan Tofutti is better than cream cheese and faintly sweet.
*I made a vegan carrot cake with vegan icing and the omnivores crushed that haus in less than 2 days.
*Eating vegan-ish things =ability to eat more food. I am a chow-hound.
*Alfredo cashew cream might save my life. I need to find the creator of it and shake their hand.

My goal: Go vegan for roughly 1 month and see how well I do.
* I hope to successfully make tofu cultured yogurt
* Make more cashew cream
* Incorporate more vegetables
* Challenge myself
* Eat more cauliflower, possibly try to eat kale

Recipes XX: Vegan Freezer Burritos

Its been a while since August. The winter slump, has not visited me. I almost feel a little sad about this. In fact, December became the highest speed month so far. Thanks to our newest family member, Rufus, our Brittany puppy. I still manage to find time to create something between yoga school, work, Rufus, and chores. I'm working with an 100 year old potato bread culture passed to me by a friend. I'm dabbling in vegan food and tried my hand at almond yogurt last night. But here is one recipe I must share with you. It is clutch when you're running out of the door to yoga class or don't have enough food in the fridge to make a proper meal. Its brimming with protein and fiber. My omni husband crushed through the remainder I had after running out of burrito shells.

Vegan Freezer Burritos: when life is just too f^cking busy

Makes 8-9 burritos. Roughly 410 calories per burrito. 

1 package of burrito shells (I like the Mission flour 200 calorie ones)
1 can of black beans
2 jars of taco sauce
2 ripe avocados
1 can of organic corn
1 cup of organic quinoa
1 cup daiya shredded "cheese"
1 roll of wax paper
1 roll of tape

Start by soaking the quinoa in a bowl of water for 5+ hours. There are saponins naturally occuring in quinoa and they are rough on your system.

Rinse beans and corn in strainer. Cook quinoa in broth of choice until moisture is driven off. While its simmering, peel, deseed and mash avocados in small bowl.

In a large bowl, combine: beans, corn, faux cheese, cooked quinoa, avocado mash and taco sauces. Stir gently to homogenize.

Roll out a 9-10 in piece of wax paper on the counter. Place tortilla shell on top. Scoop heaping 1/2 cup of mixture into center of shell. Fold up the tortilla (instructions on package for novices). Wrap the wax paper up well over the burrito, secure shut with piece of tape and then insert into freezer. Repeat until all mixture is gone or shells run out. If the shells run out first, grab some tortilla chips and start dipping. :)