Guacamole Salad

This stuff melts in your mouth... And even though it is just like guacamole, it is nothing like guacamole since you keep the avocados in chunks when you serve it versus mashing them. Either way it is super delicious.

It is sitting in the refrigerator at this very moment taunting me...telling me to eat more!

For the salad:

2 jalapenos, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 pint of grape tomatoes, cut in halves

2/3 cup diced red onion

1 can of black beans

1/2 tsp lime zest

3 ripe, small Haas avocados *** cut into 1/2" squares but WAIT until the end to use

For the dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (2-3 limes)

1/2 tsp minced garlic

Cut up all the items for the salad and toss to combine. DO NOT add the avos to the salad until the moment you are about to serve it. This is one of the yummies that makes this salad perfect.

Whisk together all the dressing items and coat the salad items. You can allow these to sit together (at room temperature) before serving. Moments before you serve, carefully fold in the avocado pieces into your salad/dressing mixture, adjust the seasonings and enjoy!

Brown Rice with Toasted Almonds and Parsley

This is a main staple at our house.... It is a way to accent the nuttiness of brown rice and make it irresistible. When you add nuts to anything it becomes irresistible to me. THE TRICK: USE SHORT GRAIN BROWN RICE, people!! You don't need to cook brown rice for the ridiculous 45 minutes when you use my method with short grain!

This will change your life.... But be warned...doubling this recipe will increase your cook time.

1 veggie bouillon cube

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup SHORT GRAIN brown rice

1 garlic clove

1 cup toasted and chopped almonds, chopped fine

1/2 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

Salt and pepper

Bring the 1 1/2 cup water to boil with the veggie bouillon cube in there. Once at a boil, salt your water some. Add the rice and a whole garlic clove. Cover, bring the heat to low, and wait for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, the visible water should be evaporated. Turn off your heat and let the pan sit. This is the steaming phase of your cooking.

SIDE NOTE: So - you SHOULD let it sit. I feel that it is already quite cooked at this point and only allow it to sit for about 5 minutes since I am so anxious. You MAY run into it being quite moist since you havent allowed ample time for steamage. I feel that it is fine. Just a side note...

Once cooked, toss in your toasted almonds and parsley and reseason with s and p. Mmmmmm

Corn Salad with Basil Dressing

Oh my! I love this stuff! I have dreams about this stuff! I am growing these items in my garden JUST so that I can make a continuous supply of this stuff! Try it! Yes, there is a lot of veggie chopping prep work, but there is for anything that is good...right?

1/2 lb fingerling or very small red potatoes, boil and cut into halves

4 ears of corn, kernals cut off the corn

2 cups of cherry tomatoes, cut in halves

1 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup shallots

3 TBSP white balsamic vinegar

1 TBSP dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt (plus more to season at end)

1/2 tsp pepper (plus more to season at end)

3 TBSP olive oil

6 cups arugula (or other greens mix)

1/2 cup torn basil leaves

Place your potatoes in a small saucepan and boil for 12 or so minutes. Remember to put your potatoes in the cold water and bring the entire pot to a boil (or they get funky on the inside!). Once done, run under cold water and set aside. Cut into halves once cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together your shallots, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, and dijon. This is the delicious dressing for your fresh and crunchy veggies!

To make it easy, simply mix together all your veggies in one bowl - corn, red bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, arugula, and potatoes. Toss the dressing all over your delicious, re-season with salt and pepper and serve.

To consider - if you toss it all together in one step, you will get less dressing on each individual item. If you toss everything BUT the arugula in the dressing and then serve the salad ON the arugula, you get more. Ive had it both ways - both are great. I might serve it the second method first and then decide from there the next time you make it.

Because there will be a next time, trust me....

Slap Ya Mama Banana Bread

Sorry, Mom..... you know that is just an expression. This is melt in your mouth, add 10 lbs because you can't stop eating it, kind of delicious! I can't even believe that it is vegan!

You're going to use my favorite "vegan buttermilk" trick for this one. I adapted this recipe from "anonymous" on the web...wish I could take credit for it! Great job, Anonymous!

1 tsp vinegar

1/3 cup nondairy milk

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup mashed bananas (I use 3)

1/2 cup veggie oil

3 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer and 5 TBSP warm water (egg mixture)

1 cup walnuts or pecans

Preheat your oven to 325 and grease 2 loaf pans. Also, create your 'buttermilk' mixture by combining the vinegar and nondairy milk. Set that aside.

In one bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

In a bowl, mix together bananas, oil, and 'buttermilk'.

Combine the banana mixture and flour mixture, stir well.

Add in the egg replacer and the nuts.

Pour into your prepared loaf pans and bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes or until the fork comes out clean trick!! ENJOY!!