Tag: lunch

Warm Chickpeas + Kale

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I’m not entirely sure what the definition of a blizzard is.

But I am 100% positive I was in one this weekend.

It was just snow. Snow, everywhere. Whipping around in equally horrifying wind gusts.

It’s like, I like Colorado just fine, ya know? Then it has to go and do this. And I’m reminded, I’m not sure I like it all that much after all. I’m pretty sure we got several feet of snow, though I can’t confirm because I did not go out there with my tape measure. But I did look across the street at my neighbor’s house and there was snow piled up on their doorway. Like, if they had opened their door, snow just would have fallen onto their threshold. Poor Topanga has a hard enough life these days competing with Louisa for attention. Add in pooping in chest deep snow and she about called it quits on me this weekend.

But it’s starting to melt & I’m left here wondering…”Will all this snow cause the ground to soften too much and sinkholes to form & my house to get sucked down????”

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed + drained
  • 1 bunch of kale, rinsed + destemmed + roughly chopped
  • 2 medium shallots, diced
  • 2 tbsp. of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. of cumin
  • 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper
  • 1 tsp. of paprika
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • S+P, to taste
  • Brown rice, for serving
  • Juice of a 1/2 a lemon

How to:

  • Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat
  • Add shallots + garlic + S+P, cook 3-4 minutes
  • Add cumin + crushed red pepper + paprika, cook another minute
  • Add chickpeas + 1/4 cup of water, cook 6-8 minutes, mashing chickpeas a bit as you go
  • Add kale + S+P, cook 3-4 minutes until kale is wilter
  • Serve over brown rice with lemon juice
  • Curl up + watch the blizzard + contemplate what you led you to this tundra while you eat

Adapted from here!

Vegan Tik Tok Pasta

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I haven’t left the house in over 3 weeks.

Unless you count walking to the mailbox or rolling the trashcans to the curb as “going out.”

I have to take Lulu to the doctor tomorrow and I’m genuinely concerned my car won’t start. Or that I will have forgotten how to drive entirely.

I’m the biggest homebody I know, but even this is a record for me, I think. Honestly, I’m impressed with myself. How many people can stay sane in the same box for three weeks? This takes a level of introversion not many understand. But even I, the queen of making up excuses to avoid social interaction, is looking forward to getting out. Like, I’m even going to treat myself to lunch to mark the occasion. Who knows, maybe I’ll go get a COFFEE, TOO!!!!! Let me and Lulu loose and you just don’t know what is going to happen.

OK, but seriously, I am a little nervous I’ve forgotten how to drive.

Time: 45 minutes (prep + cooking) | Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of pasta
  • 2 pints of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 package of extra firm tofu
  • 1/2 cup of raw cashews, soaked over night or boiled for 30 minutes
  • 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. of garlic powder
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 2 tbsp. of olive oil
  • S+P, to taste
  • Basil, for serving

How to:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  • In a food processor, combine tofu + cashews + nutritional yeast + apple cider vinegar + garlic powder + lemon juice + S+P, blend until smooth
  • In a baking dish, add tomatoes + olive oil + S+P
  • Scoop vegan tofu feta on top of the tomatoes
  • Bake for 35 minutes or until tofu feta is starting to brown + tomatoes burst
  • Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, reserving about 1/2 a cup of pasta water in case you need it
  • Pour cooked pasta on top of the baked tofu feta + tomatoes, stir to combine
  • Add pasta water if you want to thin the sauce a little, but not necessary
  • Top with basil + S+P
  • Serve warm
  • Show the kids how hip you are with your new Tik Tok trend pasta and then threaten to create your own Tik Tok after Googling what Tik Tok is

Warm Spinach Salad

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I have officially reentered the workforce.

And now I’ve reached a new level of tired I didn’t know existed.

It’s really pushing me to expand my planning ahead skills.

For instance, this past week, I knew I’d need to cook myself dinner after work one night. I had some leftovers for the other nights, but there was one night I would have to like *cook, cook*. Let me just say, no task has ever felt more impossible than making myself dinner after working all day with a 3 month old strapped to my chest. I’ve resolved to never do it again. That’s how bad it was. And don’t get me started on dishes! So this week, I’m going to make a vat of pasta that should feed me for the week. And if it starts looking gnarly by Friday, so be it! That’s a future Rachel’s stomach problem.

But this salad was supposed to last me two to three days and it lasted one so….

Time: 40 minutes (prep + cooking) | Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups of fresh spinach
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed + drained
  • 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of tahini
  • 1 tsp. of honey
  • 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning
  • S+P, to taste
  • 3 tbsp. of olive oil

How to:

  • Preheat oven to 425
  • On a lined baking sheet, spread onion + tomatoes in an even layer
  • Drizzle with 1 tbsp. of olive oil + S+P
  • Roast 25-30 minutes, tossing once, until tomatoes are nice + blistered
  • Add chickpeas to the baking sheet + toss with Italian seasoning
  • Roast another 5-10 minutes, until the chickpeas start to crisp
  • Meanwhile, combine remaining olive oil + apple cider vinegar + tahini + honey + S+P in a lil bowl
  • Add your spinach to a large bowl + add warm veggies, toss with dressing
  • Serve warm
  • Serve with tater tots to really time travel to 2063