with valentine’s day just around the corner (it’s in 2 days, people!) i thought i’d share my annual round up of vegan valentine’s day dinner recipes (you can see last year’s here). it’s easy to get stumped when there’s a special occasion on the horizon, so i hope these sweet and savory options will get your gears turning. this year, we’re planning to just stay in, eat a special meal and maybe watch a movie. though i haven’t quite decided yet what i’ll make, i’ve been eying this recipe for ravioli and this one for vanilla icing shots (yum!).

what will you be cooking this year?

above: roasted chili ravioli | mushroom & spinach pockets | shepherd’s stew | simple tomato soup | spicy crisp tofu | vegetable pot pies | vegetables wellington redux

below: chocolate cake balls | chocolate cupcakes with buttercream | chocolate mini tarts | chocolate strawberries | chocolate frosting shots | sparkling cranberries

wrap up: {desserts} {ideas} {plant based} {recipes} {savory} {sweet} {valentine's day} {vegan}

time for my favorite post of the week- dinner ideas! this is what you would have found on your plates had you dined with us this week. my favorite recipe was most definitely the vegan lentil loaf- it was amazing! what was yours?

monday: butternut squash and red onion pasta served with homemade whole wheat bread
tuesday: warm butternut chickpea salad served with tomato fennel soup
wednesday: pumpkin, cashew and coconut curry served with brown rice
thursday: vegan lentil and walnut loaf served with sauteed kale and sweet potatoes
friday: black bean and butternut squash burritos- i served this ‘naked’ (no tortilla) over polenta, topped with avocado

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 ideas} {gluten free} {savory} {seasonal} {simple} {vegan} {vegetarian}

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}