for us, valentine’s day tends to be all about eating some really great food. and since there’s no better way to get to a man’s heart than through his stomach, i thought a few dinner ideas might be in need!

these recipes are all plant based, therefore you can serve up some dairy free, meat free goodness to your loved ones. bet you didn’t know desserts could still look so good, huh?!

1. mediterranean pasta with artichokes

2. asparagus with shittake, shallots and peas

3. ‘hearty’ ravioli (hehe!)

4. pink cauliflower soup

5. crispy tofu hearts

6. four berry salad

7. roasted red pepper and walnut dip with pomegranate

1. chocolate dipped strawberries

2. mini coconut blood orange bundt cakes

3. lemon cream with blackberries

4. layered chocolate raspberry mousse

5. candied clementines

6. poached pears with dark chocolate

what are you cooking for valentine’s day?

wrap up: {dessert} {dinner} {heart} {ideas} {love} {valentine's day}

roasted fall veggies with lentils | butternut squash and apple soup | polenta pizza | shepherd’s pie | vegan lasagna recipe

i found myself craving comfort food this week, so our meals were full of hearty-feel-good-foods. potatoes, soup and yummy polenta did the job! and don’t forget, if it wasn’t delicious and totally hubby approved, it doesn’t make the list!

monday: this new vegan lasagna recipe that is to.die.for.
tuesday: shepherd’s pie made from local fresh veggies.
wednesday: polenta pizza served with sauteed kale (yum-o!).
thursday: butternut squash and apple soup, a winter favorite!
friday: roasted fall veggies with lentils.

what was on your plate this week? any favorite recipes you’d like to share?

we follow a whole foods, plant based diet. the dinner ideas posts are a way for me to log our dinners, how we make eating this way easy, and hopefully inspire you to try some new things as well. they are always meat free, dairy free and often gluten free. you can follow the posts here, and i encourage you to share your favorite recipes with us as well!

wrap up: {dinner} {gluten free} {heart} {ideas} {seasonal} {vegan} {vegetarian} {winter}

i made this fennel and tomato soup this week from the jan/feb issue of vegetarian times, and boy was it delicioso! with the addition of some corn it was extra hearty and nutritious. i served it with sauteed kale and sweet potato fries and it warmed us up from the inside out. head over to vegetarian times for the recipe!

wrap up: {dinner} {fennel} {ideas} {recipe} {soup} {tomato} {vegan}

dinners this week were a mixture of some old favorites combined with a few new recipes as well. for some reason, i found myself craving peas and sweet potatoes all.week.long, so you’ll find those intermixed within these recipes!

i’m also trying to learn more about food photography. it (sadly) gets dark here around 5:00 now, and pictures without natural sunlight are jut not-my-thang. i found this post on food photography for bloggers (also from one of my favorite recipe sites!) and hope that it will help. do you have any good tips on food photography, especially after dark?

monday: hearty sweet potato chili with sliced avocado and homemade bread
tuesday: mini veggie pot pies served with a garden salad
wednesday: vegan fettuccine alfredo with shiitake mushrooms, kale, and sun-dried tomatoes (yum!)
thursday: vegan sausage and cabbage saute* w/ potato cakes & broiled black pepper tofu
friday: tofu bay cakes (image via vegan dad) and a side of steamed veggies (we love these bay cakes!!)

vegan sausage and cabbage saute

directions

1) heat olive oil in a large frying pan and add onion and sausage, stir until lightly browned- about 5-7 minutes.

2) add the white wine and can of beans and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. cover and cook for about ten minutes.

3) add the veggie stock, cabbage and bay leaves. cover and let cook until liquid has evaporated and cabbage is soft- about 20-25 minutes.

wrap up: {dinner} {ideas} {recipes} {sausage and cabbage saute} {savory} {seasonal} {simple} {vegan}

oh, the flavors of fall how i love you so much!

monday: butternut squash and apple soup served with stuffed figs and seasonal salad
tuesday: (leftover!) butternut squash and apple soup, savory carrot fries, spiced apple cider and homemade bread
wednesday: roasted purple potatoes and spaghetti squash saute*
thursday: spaghetti squash saute*, steamed broccoli and broiled black pepper tofu
friday: tofu bay cakes (image via vegan dad) with savory roasted potatoes and steamed kale
 

spaghetti squash saute

 
this week, we had one very big spaghetti squash arrive in our csa box. yum! it ended up lasting us two meals, because half was all we needed. feel free to sub other veggies into this recipe, or whatever you have on hand.

ingredients:

- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 tbs fennel seed
- salt and pepper to taste

directions:

1) roast the spaghetti squash: slice lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and place face down on a lightly greased baking sheet. roast at 450°f until easily poked with a fork- about 30 minutes. take out and let cool for about ten minutes. using a fork, ‘fluff’ the spaghetti out with your fork (this part is fun!).

2) meanwhile add the olive oil, bell peppers, onion, garlic and fennel seed to medium pot and saute until onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes. add spinach, salt and pepper to taste and spaghetti squash. toss to combine and serve.

what are a few of your favorite recipes from this week?

wrap up: {dinner} {fall} {ideas} {recipes} {savory} {seasonal} {simple}

it’s officially pumpkin season here in california! (that’s only my favorite time of the year.) this week’s menu was packed full of hearty fall veggies, pumpkins and comfort food. i hope you find a few new seasonally inspired recipes to try! what have you been cookin’ this week?

above: veggie pot pies, tuscan kale chips, pumpkin soup, cashew coconut and pumpkin curry, tomato basil cream pasta, fall veggies with lentils

monday:

personal veggie pot pies with roasted potatoes and tuscan kale chips

tuesday:

tomato basil cream pasta with roasted veggies and smoky miso tofu

wednesday:

cumin black beans served over forbidden rice, topped with sauteed kale & potato cakes

thursday:

thai green curry with homemade bread

friday:

cashew coconut and pumpkin curry, fall veggies with lentils, pumpkin soup (sub veggie broth)

wrap up: {dinner} {fall} {ideas} {pumpkin} {recipes} {seasonal}

this weeks meals were full of fall veggies and new recipes. this week at the farmer’s market, we had fresh corn, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, red onions, spinach, eggplant and sweet potatoes. as always, you’ll find this week’s menu was inspired by our seasonal produce. what’s growing in your town?

monday: purple potato cakes*, roasted veggies and grilled corn

tuesday: farmer’s market burritos* and strawberry salad

wednesday: dinner on the grill (too hot to cook inside)! grilled tofu, corn and eggplant, served with a salad topped with avocado and cranberries.

thursday: ceviche spring rolls (minus the cod and + fresh basil) with a summer sprouted salad, zucchini pasta and baked sweet potatoes

friday: roasted fall vegetables with lentils with whipped sorbet and no bake brownie bites

*purple potato cakes

these remind me of my childhood. any time we used to have leftover mashed potatoes, mom would always make us potato cakes the next day. these were purple because i used purple potatos (not to state the obvious, or anything) and were leftover from this shepherd’s pie. simply make patties and pan fry with a little olive oil. yum-o!

*farmer’s market burritos

we make burritos a few times a month and i always just throw in whatever is in season. this week i stir fried corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, green beans and black beans. i also used quinoa instead of corn (an excellent replacement!). add cumin, nutmeg and chili pepper to taste and serve in sprouted whole wheat tortillas. i always top mine with sliced avocado as well.

all pictures: whole living recipes

wrap up: {autumn} {burritos} {dinner} {fall} {ideas} {potato cakes} {recipes} {seasonal}

simply stated, i think these are so pretty.

these beautiful tabletop delights are found in the anniversary preview issue of rue (discovered via mochatini), and i’ve got to say.. the preview did it’s job! i cannot wait until the full issue is released (you’ll be able to find it here). wouldn’t it be pretty to have chalkboard place mats for thanksgiving? or watercolor place cards to match what’s on the menu?

wrap up: {art} {chakboard} {design} {dinner} {ideas} {inspiration} {tabletop}