Vegan Paella (kinda)

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I saw a vegetarian recipe for paella and decided to give it my own twist. It was wonderful! 

Take olive oil, green onions (I used two, including the green and white parts), 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, a tblspn of garlic, and one box of veggie broth. Bring to boil then add 2/3 a cup of lentils and 2/3 a cup of quinoa. At same time add 1 tsp of saffron threads. Cook for about 10 min then bring down to a simmer. Add broccoli (I used two large heads), and 1 bunch of kale. Cook until the lentils and quinoa are tender (about another 10-15 min). 

Say yum! 

Vegan Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

I tried about four different versions of this, which all tasted great, but fell apart. Finally I found an egg replacement that worked!

1 cup of peanut butter (I use the organic, no sugar - just peanuts stuff. Trader Joe's has a great one)
1/3 cup of raw agave nectar dark
1 tablespoon flax seed mill (I just used the scoop that comes with my flax seed protein powder).

Mix all ingredients together until there is no flax seed mill powder lumps and it all looks like wet peanut butter. Use a tablespoon measuring aid to scoop out 1 tablespoon cookies (should make about a dozen) onto a cookie sheet (I use olive oil to make them not stick), and then flatten the cookies with a fork and bake on 300 for about 10 minutes (I started with 5, then checked them at 8, then checked them and took them out at 10). Let them cool for about 20 minutes and you should be able to scoop them off and eat them like a regular cookie without them falling apart.

Tacos

So I am back to doing the grain free (although it is debatable that corn is a fruit, a veggie, or a grain), dairy free, vegan, sugar free diet (actual sugar not stuff like agave and honey). It is way easier than you would think. I do this for a few months a couple times a year. It makes me feel great and helps me lose a few after the holiday pounds.

Today for lunch: veggie tacos. These are some of the purest ingredients and some of the best tacos you'll find.

1 zucchini, 1/4 of a bell pepper, 1 handful of spinach, 2 carrots
to taste: garlic, pepper, olive oil, and jalapeno pepper (if you have a jalapeno flavored olive oil a drop of that will work best).
1/2 cup cooked of pinto beans.
3 corn tortillas (I used the Mission tortilla thins so I get a better calorie bang for my buck).

Saute the veggies, beans, and to-taste items for about 7 min.
Cook your tortillas separately. I get them almost burnt
Add a slice of avocado or guacamole to each taco ... and say yum!