Favorite winter dinner 2012

Homemade carrot ginger soup, roasted potato squares, local bread, and a side salad. 


This was made for us by some local friends and I have made this meal 20 times since! 

You can find the soup recipe HERE on my foodie board!  I substitute chicken stock with no chicken chicken stock.  And yes, there is such a thing.  I also add tons more ginger, YUM!  I garnish with fresh arugula, my fave!!

Now, this year I was let in on a little cooking secret (thank you Corie!) that I had not been privy to before!  Apparently, if you preheat your pan with some oil in the oven your potatoes WON'T STICK!!  What What!! I have successfully made oven baked potato fries at least twice a week all winter long!  Served with Annie's Organic Ketchup and super amazing black truffle salt courtesy of Chelsea Market Awesomeness and you have a winner!

So here is to a mildly cold snow(less) winter and its fantastic root vegetables!

Vegan Mexican...

I still cannot choose a favorite food genre.  I think when venturing out I prefer Japanese, always have.  Miso soup, cucumber salad, teryaki (one time chicken now strictly veggies), and warm green tea...Yes please!

But when I am cooking at home it is hands down Mexican fare. And upon the adventure of giving up all things dairy I shed a tear for cheddar in my burrito.  However, some time has passed and I have managed many successful cheese(less) dinners, and last night was one of the best!  I think the trick is piling on so much fresh goodness that the cheese becomes simply irrelevant.

Recipe:

layer as follows

Amy's organic re fried black beans

vegan sausage (b/c we always had sausage with our dip growing up, and the substitute is yummy and better for you)

CORN.

black olives

fresh tomatoes

diced peppers

avocado

cilantro

serve with chips to dip and delicious salsa!

Kids ate their entire plate, success!