*hey friends! today i’m really excited to introduce you to two super talented young ladies, lacy and meg. i know you’ll fall in love with them and find their site to be an excellent resource for information and delicious gluten free & vegan recipes!

Lacy and Meg are two gluten free experts connecting you to the information you need to live a healthy and vibrant gluten free lifestyle.

At Lacy and Meg GF our greatest desire is to create a community of people living a gluten free lifestyle. We don’t want you to feel alone on your journey of living without gluten!
Whether you have Celiac Disease, a gluten intolerance, or are trying to eat gluten free to better your health, we have created a place for you.

We have created a resource for you to find sound educational information from a trained R.D. specializing in Celiac Disease and the gluten free diet. You can also find tasty gluten free (and most of the time vegan!) recipes, product and restaurant reviews, and stories from other people within the gluten free community.

We are just getting started, so follow along for more recipes and updates about the launch of our e-book Living Gluten Free: The Basics. You can find us on twitter, we’d love to meet you!

wrap up: {celiac} {gluten free} {lacy and meg} {recipe} {vegan}

*happy friday, friends! today i’ve invited the most lovely mary beth from annapolis and company to come share a yummy summer recipe with us.

mary beth is a foodie, natural light photographer, crafster and all around sweetheart. i have especially been wanting to try my hand at making some of these tile coasters and this recipe for peanut butter honey granola! i know you’re going to fall in love with her and her beautiful blog and this yummy recipe. enjoy! xo, bonnie

Hi roost readers! I’m Mary Beth. A wife, a mother, a photographer, a lover of all things creative…finding beauty in the everyday. I blog about our life of two artsy parents and 3 crazy schooners at Annapolis & Company. I hope you’ll come say hello!

I’m really excited to collaborate with Bonnie today and bring you one of my favorite tried and true recipes. It’s one of those healthy, but crowd-pleasing dishes that smells like a mix of fresh summer and roasted garlic….

I make this summer linguine so often I have it memorized. Seriously. It is really easy and fast to put together. I usually start by washing/chopping up all of the fresh veggies and having them ready to go. There are only a handful of ingredients, so make the ones listed count. Be liberal with your olive oil so that it will thoroughly coat all of your linguine at the end, keeping it from being too dry. Sprinkle generously with sea salt, as it is pretty much the only seasoning. And whatever you do, don’t skimp on the fresh basil. It makes the natural vegetable flavors pop. And you really don’t want to miss that!

I so hope you enjoy!

//GARLIC LINGUINE WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES

Ingredients:

- 1.5 lbs linguine
- 1/2 cup olive oil – be generous!
- 6-8 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 zucchini, chopped
- 2 yellow squash, chopped
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- large handful of fresh basil
- sea salt
- optional: pecorino romano cheese, freshly grated

Process:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large cooking pan. Add your chopped garlic and sauté for roughly 5 minutes until the oil is flavored really well. (Be careful not to burn the garlic.) Get a separate pot of boiling water going for your linguine and cook linguine according to package directions.Meanwhile, add the chopped squash to your garlic-flavored olive oil and sauté on medium to medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Add in the cherry tomatoes for the last few minutes and they’ll get all wrinkly, juicy, and flavorful. Liberally sprinkle with freshly grated sea salt. Remove from heat and add torn basil. Drain your cooked linguine and pour it into your vegetable mixture. Toss till coated evenly with the flavored olive oil and veggies are distributed throughout. Top with freshly grated pecorino romano.

Voila! A fresh and healthy meal in under 30 minutes!

Source: Tales of Me and The Husband

Thanks for having me, Bonnie!

Xoxoxo, Mary Beth

wrap up: {garlic} {linguine} {pasta} {recipe} {seasonal} {summer} {vegan} {vegetarian}

1) pine nut parmesan 2) roasted red pepper goat cheese dip 3) vegan goat cheese 4) lemon garlic cashew cheese

for many people, the world of vegan cheeses just sounds like an oxymoron (or doesn’t even exist). for some of us though, these cheeses are rich and fulfilling, healthy, creamy and incredibly satisfying! when i first considered becoming vegan, i was heartbroken at the thought of giving up cheeses and creamy things. i liked cream in my coffee and always veered to creamy sauces and cheesy toppings. i didn’t think giving it all up was possible! well, it’s been over two years and i’m happy to report that i still enjoy cream in my coffee, creamy sauces and cheesy toppings. they’re just different! but equally as satisfying and so much healthier for my body and our planet.

if you’re interested, you can read about why switching to a plant based diet is the best thing i ever did and also how i make it incredibly easy.

vegan cheeses are most usually made out of a nut source like pine nuts or cashews and can taste incredibly close to their not-so-healthy dairy counterparts. i’ve experienced vegan cheddar, bleu cheese, pimento, cream cheese, mozzarella and feta cheeses that have all surpassed my standards for amazing taste and texture! above are a few recipes i’ve spotted lately that i can’t wait to try myself.

have you tried any dairy free cheeses? what did you think?

wrap up: {cheese} {dairy free} {goat cheese} {nut} {parmesan} {recipe} {vegan}

this weekend, david and i hosted his cycling team’s spring training camp at our home. for me, this meant i had about 12 hungry men to feed breakfast, lunch and dinner for 3 days! i put a lot of thought into what to make for them, as i wanted their meals to be really filling and nutritious. i also didn’t want anyone to miss having meat and dairy around, so i made meals that focused on hearty plant based ingredients. my favorite recipe from the weekend by far was this baked penne dish with roasted veggies and a creamy smoked cheeze sauce.

as i was brainstorming ideas for our meals, i remembered this dish by giada i used to make in college for large crowds. it was always a huge hit, but called for 3 kinds of cheese and a lot of butter. i set out to recreate the dish using vegan ingredients and can’t tell you how delicious the result was! in my opinion, it’s far better than the original recipe, and is a lot healthier to boot. this is one i’ll be making again and again!

ingredients for the creamy smoked cheeze sauce

- 3 tbs earth balance butter
- 3 tbs flour (GF if you prefer)
- 3 cups plant milk (i used plain almond milk)
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- dash of tobasco sauce
- dash of nutmeg
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp mesquite liquid smoke
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbs dijon mustard (i used smoky dijon, yum!)
- 1 tsp salt and pepper each
- 2 1/2 cups daiya mozzarella cheese

directions

in a medium stock pot, melt the butter and flour together over medium heat, whisking until bubbly and well combined. pour in the milk and whisk to combine. as you wait for the milk mixture to come to a boil, add all of the remaining ingredients except for the daiya cheese. whisk continually until mixture begins to boil and increase in volume (be careful, this happens quickly and you don’t want it to spill over!). remove from heat and whisk in the daiya mozzarella cheese until melted.

ingredients for baked penne with roasted vegetables

- 2 red or yellow peppers
- 4 zucchini
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 1 yellow onion
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbs dried herbs de provence
- 1 pound penne pasta (use GF if preferred)
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
- one batch of creamy smoked cheeze sauce (recipe above)

directions

preheat oven to 450°F. chop the peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and onion being careful to keep them all roughly the same size so they roast and bake evenly. toss with the oil, salt, pepper and herbs de povence. roast on a large baking sheet until tender, about 15 minutes.

while the veggies are roasting, make the creamy smoked cheeze sauce (recipe above), and set aside. bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, add the pasta and cook for about half as long as the package directs you to. you’ll want the pasta to still be firm, as you’ll be cooking it a second time in the oven. drain in a colander and set aside.

in a large bowl or pan, toss the roasted veggies with the pasta, marinara sauce, creamy smoked cheeze sauce and peas. pour into a lightly greased large baking dish and bake until the top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

wrap up: {baked penne} {cheeze} {pasta} {recipe} {roasted} {sauce} {smoked} {vegan} {vegetables}

i’ve been on a bit of a biscuit kick recently, so i thought i’d share with you my favorite recipe! i’m not sure where it came from (and i’m not claiming it as my own), but it’s incredibly easy and super delicious. we’re talking 2 ingredients here! it’s also easy to make vegan (or not) and gluten free (or not). they come out of the oven steamy, light and fluffy with a bit of a crunch on top. yum!

ingredients:

use equal parts:
- vegan sour cream (regular works as well)
- self rising flour*

*if you only have all purpose flour, simply add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each cup of flour to make it self rising.

**for gluten free biscuits, substitute all purpose gluten free flour and make it self rising by using the instructions above.

directions:

mix together equal parts sour cream and self rising flour. drop spoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet (or parchment paper). bake at 350°F until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

topping ideas:

- earth balance butter
- vegan gravy
- honey & jam

wrap up: {biscuits} {light} {plant based} {recipe} {sour cream} {vegan} {vegetarian}

hey friends! i’m so excited to have partnered with uncommongoods for this fun salsabol recipe contest and giveaway! i’ve always loved uncommongoods- they not only have really unique gifts but always incorporate thoughtful design into their products as well. for example, this salsabol is perfectly designed to help you achieve the perfect scoop!

the recipe: for the contest, i created a refreshing delicious summer salsa recipe full of garden veggies, roasted corn and fresh avocado. click here for the recipe!

the contest: my summer salsa recipe is part of a contest (click here to view the others). you can vote for it by liking, sharing or commenting on this post (thanks!).

the giveaway: one lucky winner will win a salsabol and a $50 gift certificate to uncommongoods- read on for details!

deadline: giveaway will end monday, march 4th at 12am, eastern standard time. the winner will be drawn using a random number generator and announced on this post shortly after.

to enter: check out the salsabol, then let us know why you would love to win it, why you’re a salsa fanatic or what your favorite kind of salsa is!

additional ways to enter:

>> vote for my salsa recipe by liking, sharing or commenting on this post (thanks!). leave another comment here letting us know you did so.

>> like both going home to roost and uncommongoods on facebook and leave another comment here letting us know you did so.

>> follow both going home to roost and uncommongoods on twitter, then come back here and leave another comment letting us know you did so.

>> follow both going home to roost and uncommongoods on pinterest, and leave another comment here letting us know you did so.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

wrap up: {contest} {gift certificate} {giveaway} {recipe} {salsa} {salsabol} {summer}

*hey friends! today i’m so excited to kick off a new series on going home to roost: the VEG articles- inspirational stories from around the globe. i find it so inspiring to meet other people eating a plant based diet, and feel incredibly lucky to have this amazing online space to meet, greet and discuss with others about the issues we care about. this series is meant to inspire you and enlighten us on how people from all over the world make eating this way possible. please read on, grab a few recipes and join the conversation! xo, bonnie

Being vegan in a country in which the main industry is farming, New Zealand has quite a few challenges for someone like me who is vegan. I have been vegan for almost two years and made the transition from consuming animals to veganism after investigating the link between the uses of animals and the treatment of these animals in Western society. This was when I really started to learn and understand how my own actions influence the lives of not only my own, but others too.

The benefits from becoming vegan have been absolutely amazing. Firstly, I feel better ethically. In terms of my health, I have experienced more energy, stronger hair, longer and healthier nails and fewer breakouts on my skin. The main thing that has surprised me about this is the amount of energy. I used to suffer from extreme exhaustion, often causing days where I would miss University. Now, I’m more alert, exercise a lot more and I generally feel more energetic and vibrant!

The hardest thing for me about veganism was dealing with the comments about how my diet misses out important vitamins and minerals found only in the body of an animal. If the comment arises (which it does almost once a week), I always refer to the food pyramid and how plant-based eating is the most important food group and I discuss how the process of keeping a food journal has helped me keep track of my vitamin and mineral intake.

The easiest thing for me about becoming vegan was finding recipes to experience. Vegan recipes are everywhere nowadays; just look at your local bookstore or online for recipes that are vegan and start experimenting! You’ll find that the foods you already eat are able to be adjusted to become more yummy and healthy, just without animal products.

An average day for me eating is full of yummy foods! Breakfast is my own muesli which is made with oats, dried berries and nuts with some almond milk. Lunch is often a simple green salad with a bean salad. My afternoon tea is always either pumpkin seeds or homemade chocolate chip cookies. Dinner is quite varied; tofu, edamame and vegetable stir-fry, vegetable curries or a tofu and vegetable soup is often what makes my dinner special. I drink water, chai tea or green tea.

Vegan food; it is more about salads and leafy greens. Living in New Zealand, foods that are made specifically for vegans are 99% non-existent. Major supermarkets and even specialty produce stores do not have products for vegans. (Vegetarian food, yes.) Therefore, I make 99% percent of the food I consume and the 1% is for special stuff. If you don’t have access to readily available vegan foods, think about foods you already consume and make them vegan. Something as simple as a fresh salad is beautiful anytime. If you don’t like salads, try finding pasta that doesn’t contain egg or milk, add some kale or spinach, add tomato and zucchini with some pasta sauce and you’ve got a lovely dish. Tofu is not everyone’s taste but it is definitely something to try at least once. Almond, hemp, soy or any other milk is a yummy alternative to dairy; I drink almond milk and I never feel ill like I did with cow’s milk. The important thing is to not rush the process – it is important to take notes and find out what works best for you and your taste.

My favourite recipe is; Tomato and Eggplant (or anything) Linguine.

1 large eggplant (if in season) thinly sliced.
1 lemon.
375g dried vegan pasta.
2Tbsp olive oil.
250g cherry tomatoes.
Any other vegetables you want; zucchini, capsicum, spinach, kale.
1 bunch of parsley.

Cook vegetables except tomato on medium heat. Grate lemon over vegetables and add juice. Cook pasta following packet instructions until tender. Drain water completely. Cook tomatoes on medium heat until they start to soften. Add other vegetables and cook for a further five minutes. Add parsley and serve!

My advice for anyone who is thinking about becoming vegan is RESEARCH. Books and the internet were my greatest resource for finding out information about becoming animal-consumer free. “Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet” by Jack Norris and Virginia Messina is a book that helped me understand the different types of food that I could eat. Organizations such as Leaping Bunny and PETA both have lists on their website of products that do not test on animals and do not contain animal derived products. This list has changed my life; veganism is not only about not consuming animal products through food choices but also being aware of daily products that can be made using ingredients of an animal. The idea that being vegan only means not consuming animal products through food is the most common misconception people have assumed throughout my veganism.

Being vegan in New Zealand is not as easy as some other countries such as the US. We do not have faux meat or specialty stores stocking vegan items. Often, I purchase vegan food and household items online from animal rights organizations in New Zealand and cosmetics from my local drugstore. I travel to Australia about 6 times a year and finding vegan products is completely the opposite of New Zealand. There are many vegan restaurants and specialty health/vegan stores in the cities. When travelling to new places, I will ask around or research specialty stores that may have products for vegans. If both fail, I always have my go-to food; salads, tofu, vegetable bakes and other yummy food.

The inspiration that keeps me from returning to a life of animal consumption is the knowledge that the treatment of animals in society is cruel and unfair. I’ve learnt a lot since becoming vegan and I know that I could never go back to my previous lifestyle. There are challenging times but I always think about how people before my time such as Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin and Franz Kafka all advocated a plant-based diet. Knowing that people from centuries ago believed in the same thing I do today, has helped me continue this inspirational journey.

a huge thanks to stephanie for sharing her story and recipes with us! if you’re interested in sharing your story about eating a plant based diet with GHTR, i’d love to hear from you. just email me!

wrap up: {countries} {diet} {food} {health} {new zealand} {plant based} {recipe} {the VEG articles} {vegan} {wellness}

i know it’s not september, but this jam make me wish it was. straight from juls’ kitchen in tuscany, this september jam calls for wine grapes, figs and fall apples- yum! it’s been a while since i’ve made jam (two summers ago to be exact) and i miss having homemade jam on hand. last time i made some we went to an organic raspberry farm and picked several baskets of fresh raspberries right before we made it. it was amazing (and so fun)! this year i hope to make some fall flavored jams, and will definitely be bookmarking this recipe for when the time comes. do you have a favorite jam recipe?

wrap up: {apples} {figs} {grapes} {jam} {recipe} {september} {tuscany}