We're Back!

Our spring semester is officially over!

We celebrated instantly by going to the library and then baking scones and cookies - Scottish oatmeal scones with walnuts, and oatmeal cookies with walnuts. We were on an oat kick...lol..

So, we have been bad bloggers this semester - blame biochemistry and our other classes with lots of writing. This post will just be various food pics we've taken over the past few weeks.


First off, Part 1 is about foods that warm the soul:

- Since it was finals this past week, we wanted quick and easy snacks. The picture above is raw apricot-nut balls. One batch has cocoa powder in it for a chocolate fix, while the other batch is with coconut extract. Yummy, natural, and healthy!

- Next up, two Veganomicon recipes! A few weeks ago we tried the asparagus quiche with tomatoes and tarragon, since asparagus was in season. It was our first time to use fresh tarragon, and it gave a very nice flavor. We used filo dough pastry sheets for the crust. It wasn't a firm quiche, but more of a creamy bean dip texture. We really loved it with tomatoes, cucumber slices, and with crackers like a dip.



- Our other Veganomicon recipe was the almond quinoa muffins. We had a lot of cooked red quinoa sitting in our fridge and thought to do something creative with it. These muffins are really good. We love foods with texture, and the quinoa gave a nice but subtle texture. Instead of dried apricots/currants, we used freeze-dried green apple slices. We also used corn flour instead of almond flour and increased the cinnamon because we love cinnamon.

- We also made a dish that semi-followed the Veganomicon recipe "quinoa salad with black beans and mango". We just mixed black beans, diced fresh mango, bell pepper, spinach, diced squash, and quinoa together. It was very yummy!

- We have not made much soup this spring because it's been too hot, but we had a lentil-split pea-barley soup mix we needed to make. We just simmered the mix with a no-salt added vegetable boullion, some tomato paste, and cauliflower flowerets, and then in the last few minutes added arugula to wilt. Very filling and healthy. This was our first time to try Arugula and now it is our favorite, because it can be eaten cooked or raw like spinach and has a nice spicy bite!
- Another great meal we made was pesto flatbread pizzas. We made basil pesto (no cheese) with walnuts, fresh basil, and some nutritional yeast, and topped it with onion and tomatoes. It was so decadent! Just imagine walking along the streets of Italy passing by an authentic restaurant with the smell of pesto in the air. :)


Now, Part 2 is about fresh foods that make you excited for summer!:

- We've been on a kick for salads and lettuce/arugula ever since our AC has been cranking. They are so versatile and refreshing! One day we had a salad with walnuts, figs, chives, cucumbers, and balsamic vinegar. This picture is a salad we had with sunflower seeds, mango, sundried tomatoes, avocado, and carrots with Seeds of Change's roasted red bell pepper salad dressing.












- Other simple dishes we enjoyed were a marinated cucumber tomato salad with chives and balsamic herb dressing, and a strawberry banana smoothie. Like Veggiegirl recently mentioned in her post, smoothies are sooo healthy, refreshing, and filling. We love to make smoothies, such as pineapple banana cherry, or banana almond butter, or blueberry banana, among lots more!

- This last photo is just showing the beauty of fresh vegan food. Black eyed peas, avocado, and spinach in a wheat wrap, served alongside the tomato salad.

Hope you all have a blessed mother's day and celebrate the coming summer days! Here's a great song by Chris Rice that reminds us to just have fun and smile at the good things life brings us.
"Life gave me lemonade and I can't imagine why. Born on a sunny day, beneath a tangerine sky, I live life without pretending, I'm a sucker for happy endings. Thanks for the lemonade!"

-LK Sisters