In these weeks leading up to the new year—during the holidays and covid surge—I’ve found myself saying, “I’m hanging by a thread.” And friends have reminded me that one thread is better than no threads at all. It’s true. I’ve witnessed spiders suspended in air by a single thread. I’ve seen them descend to the ground gracefully with that same thread and use it as a first step to rebuilding webs. (Spiders teach me a lot!) As we welcome the new year, I’m reminding myself ... Read more ...
Recipes
Everyday living for justice includes eating in a way that minimizes harm and nourishes the body, so all recipes here are vegan and gluten-free. Many also address food sensitivities and can be adapted for a whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diet.
Spirulina Shake: Love for This Bright Green Smoothie
As I’ve shared in the last blog post, the past few months have involved a lot of shifts in my diet: keeping vegan + gluten-free eating as the anchor, but eliminating refined sugars and, at least for the time being, eating only cooked and pureed foods. This shift has me making smoothies every day, and one I’ve particularly enjoyed is this spirulina shake. It’s sweet, so it satisfies cravings.It’s simple, so I don’t have to follow instructions.It’s satisfying, so I feel ... Read more ...
Vegan and Gluten-free Tempeh Sticks
This spring I’ve been enjoying vegan and gluten-free tempeh sticks regularly, almost daily. Throughout the pandemic, so many things—my health included—have shifted, as I know it has for many people. During the pandemic, I’ve been largely in quarantine mode, so it’s been more than a year since I’ve had acupuncture or gone swimming or had allergy shots (all of which were key to supporting my body). Through the fall and winter, I also managed my emotions through an old ... Read more ...
Flourless Mushroom Gravy (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
Dedication: This recipe is for you, Mom. For years, my mom has been asking me to share this mushroom gravy recipe: a version of gravy goodness that I came to after trying to simplify and veganize various recipes. It’s been tricky to write up this recipe because I rarely measure ingredients. And this flourless gravy is very forgiving, which rewards me for not taking notes. Whether I add more or less seasoning, more or less broth, more or less additions (like gluten-free ... Read more ...
Mac and Cheese with a Kick: 4-Ingredient Vegan and Gluten-Free Twist on This Favorite Comfort Food
Mac and cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods, so when I became vegan in 2013, I began adapting familiar recipes. Some ways of making this favorite food are more complicated, but this 4-ingredient recipe is simple, straightforward, and smile-producing. In the pandemic, I’m cooking at home daily, even as my energy fluctuates day-to-day. This means that I sometimes want to stretch myself, try new recipes, and spend hours in the kitchen. On these days, cooking feels ... Read more ...
Vegan Stuffed Dates: 4-Ingredient Decadent Dessert (vegan and gluten-free)
Wanting a simple vegan and gluten-free dessert to serve this holiday season? Looking for foods that connect and fuel us, even when times are tough? This 4-ingredient recipe is a favorite in my house. I find that stuffed dates are a decadent and delicious dessert—and one that many people can eat and build relations around, across faith traditions. It’s a plant-based dish that can comfort and support, making possible liberatory work and public outcries needed now and into ... Read more ...
Roasted Red Cabbage: A Simple and Delicious Veggie
Ingredients: Red cabbage (I use a head of cabbage or less: what’s left over from other meals) Avocado oil or other high-heat oil (up to 1 tablespoon, rubbed into cabbage) Sprinkle of salt and pepper, seasoning salt, or other desired seasonings Instructions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice cabbage into strips (roughly ½ to ¾ inch each). Rub oil into the cabbage strips, covering both sides. Sprinkle salt or other seasonings onto the top of cabbage ... Read more ...
Lentil Not-Soup (Or Lentil Soup in Solid Form)
This week I’m sharing a simple recipe combining lentils with chopped carrots, celery, and onions for a quick and tasty meal. It’s essentially lentil soup in solid form: a stir-fry of the basic ingredients that make lentil soup. This creation (perhaps like many) arose from necessity—from facing hunger during and after hiking and needing high-protein food to take on the trail or to prepare in minutes afterwards. Now this dish is also a reliable option when I’m too busy or ... Read more ...
Sweet Peanut-Butter Spread for Snacks, Parties, Lunches, and More
Years ago, I had a college cookbook with super easy recipes: each with roughly 5 ingredients, taking about 5 minutes, and costing only $5. That cookbook taught me that “cooking” can be easy and still delicious. Recipes can be simple enough to be remembered and reproduced through rough estimations. That cookbook had a sandwich that I enjoyed for years while vegetarian, and it was one of the first recipes I “veganized” by making a few substitutions. The idea is to create ... Read more ...
Adaptable Pesto Sauce (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
This summer, as I’ve been working to change my relationship with sugar, I’ve also been trying to eat more greens. I’m preparing lots of green smoothies; growing basil and mint indoors; and learning to make sauces from spinach, kale, and chard. Many of these sauces are adaptations of pesto, thinned with water to make more of a dressing or dip than the typically thick and oily spread. I call this “adaptable pesto sauce,” because there are many ways to prepare it and ... Read more ...
