-
Slow Cooker Quinoa Chili (Gluten-free + Vegan)
I feel like I am really outing myself lately with how much of an emotional eater I am. But listen, I am totally aware of it, that’s a first step, right? I try to keep it in check and make sure that whenever it’s tied to junk food, I try to make the best decision and swap something healthy or just ignore it (most of the time). Otherwise, I am all about eating your feelings!
Tuesday, I was driving up to LA for a photo shoot for some yoga stuff (I will tell you guys more about that at a later time) and on my way there, on the obnoxious 405, I got into a car accident. It wasn’t anything too serious and everyone is OK, thankfully, but it was scary and I was very shook up afterward. That, plus the fact that my back and neck feeling a little “off”, meant I had to postpone the photo shoot until next week. So, that required immediately driving back home, in the terrible traffic on the highway I just got into a wreck on, (with my pretty, messy braid), feeling all scared. By the time I got home, I was starving, I was rattled, I was sore and was feeling pretty sorry for myself.
I wanted some warming, comforting food. I wanted spicy and I was wishing for a big bowl of authentic pho, some spicy thai food or some homemade chili! But, I was in no mood to cook after the afternoon I just had. I was bummed when I remembered our favorite Pho places don’t deliver and I wasn’t about to drive, the Thai place we love was closed, but then I remembered I had some of this delicious, leftover Slow Cooker Quinoa Chili in the freezer from when I made it to photograph for this post.
-
Smokey Tomato Vinaigrette {Gluten-free, Vegan}
Last month while in my yoga teacher training program, I basically lived on salads every single day for lunch. They are such a simple thing to pack up in the morning and with all the many variations, I never find myself getting sick of it, even if you are having it every day. Some days I added grilled chicken or cooked lentils, often I would skip out on cheese, but other days I would add some crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese. I would add nuts or seeds, dried fruit or sun dried tomatoes, etc. It was quite fun and always delicious.
I started out the month by making my own dressings and vinaigrettes and then on a trip to Whole Foods in a moment of weakness and desperation, trying to save some time where I could, I bought a couple different bottles of organic dressings and vinaigrettes. Of course, as soon as I tried all of them, I realized I could easily be making these myself and I realized how silly it was to buy store-bought dressings, especially because even when organic, they have far more ingredients than they should, many of which as strange preservatives.
I had bought a yummy creamy, vegan, smokey tomato dressing that I really loved and instantly realized I should be making this myself. And often. This Smokey Tomato Vinaigrette is creamy and full of so many amazing flavors. It is of course, great on a salad, it would make an amazing marinade for chicken or fish, it’d be great on a pasta salad and it’s delicious drizzled on your favorite sandwich or wrap. I bet it would also be incredible as a marinade and/or dipping sauce for these grilled artichokes, too. Tomorrow I am sharing a yummy recipe for a plant-based sandwich alternative and this is the perfect condiment on it. So keep a look out for that. Read the rest of this entry »
