Because I Like Goals

Clearly, I like goals. I like plans. I like challenges.

Recently I got my hands on the library's copy of the cookbook Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson and promptly ordered a copy of my own.

source and link to Robin's blog

I had been on the hunt for some cooking inspiration and was so glad to have found these 400 recipes! I decided that I wanted to go a little Julie and Julia and work my way through this cook book. Of course I know I can't get through every single recipe, but what a fun project.

Yesterday I chose about five recipes to try and bought ingredients after my Bikram class (I have six classes under my belt and am still going strong by the way!). I tried to choose some things with like ingredients and thanks to the cheap produce market near my class, I got everything I needed for under $25 (and this will make sooooo much food dinners and lunches!).

This evening I made two recipes while Mr. BB30 is off at a man's night : Sassy Vegetable Gumbo (page 90) and Poblanos Stuffed with Cumin and Orange Scented Rice (page 399). 

Scenes from my kitchen:

Gumbo Ingredients!

Mmmmmm...Orange Zest!

These poblanos were huge!!!!

My intention was to have the gumbo for lunches this week and eat the poblanos for dinner tonight, but I couldn't help but have a little of both for dinner instead!

THE RESULTS:

Sassy Vegetable Gumbo:

As a Cajun girl, I am always on the quest to find a gumbo recipe that tastes like my MawMaw's. I was delighted that this gumbo recipe called for file powder, because frankly, it's not gumbo if there is no file powder in it!!! There will never be a gumbo that tastes like my MawMaw's (especially now that I am meat free), but I like this stew as whole. It's full of okra and tomatoes and corn and chipotle and green bell peppers! Although we've been reaching heat indexes of over 100 degrees in Chicago lately, my day job office is brutally frosty (as in I wear a sweater and have a blanket at my desk), so this will make for some much needed hot lunches this week!!

Poblanos Stuffed with Cumin and Orange Scented Rice:
I halved this recipe since I'm really only cooking for myself. I actually forgot to cut the cumin in half, but I love cumin in a big way so came out wonderfully in my book. Oranges and and onion and carrots and poblanos topped with almonds...mmmm. I am such a sweet and savory person that the orange paired with the salty cumin and spicy peppers was so dreamy. I think next time I will add some garlic. You can see that I tried one regular one and added Daiya Mozzarella to the other. I really liked the addition of the cheese. Daiya, you are my hero! I definitely would like to perfect this one for entertaining guests.

Wishing you all wonderful weeks!