#vegan romanesco recipe

[hle24]

Roasted Romanesco

Bright, nutty, and irresistibly crispy, this Roasted Romanesco recipe is the perfect combination of simplicity and flavor. Romanesco is a stunning vegetable that deserves a place in your kitchen, whether you’re serving it as a side dish, snack, or salad topper. With a handful of pantry staples, you can transform this unique vegetable into a showstopping dish. Let’s dive into everything you need…

[morethansalad]

@/theveganwanderess on Instagram: Glutenfree beet penne, roasted veg, smoked tofu sticks, tomatoes, avocado & beet hummus

[najia-cooks]

Romanesco quiche

Romanesco florets and mushrooms are folded into a tofu-based filling and baked in a flaky crust in this complexly flavored, hearty dish. Kala namak and miso paste give the tofu a deeply savory, eggy taste; the vegetables are spiced with mustard seeds, baharat, and black pepper. Serve warm with a green salad.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Fills one 9" pie pan; serves 4-6.

INGREDIENTS:

For the pâte brisée:

1 1/4 cup (150g) all-purpose or pastry flour

1/2 cup (100g) cold vegan margarine

A few Tbsp cold water

For the filling:

1 block tofu, drained and patted dry

1 tsp kala namak (black salt)

2 Tbsp tahini

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp white miso paste

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 cup (135g) mixed vegan parmesan and swiss

1 bunch parsley

A few sprigs of rosemary or thyme

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 red onion, diced

4oz (113g) cremini or mixed mushrooms

2 cups (200g) romanesco, broken into small florets (measured after removing stems)

1 tsp baharat (or substitute ground cumin)

1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the crust:

1. Measure flour into a large mixing bowl (if measuring by volume, spoon flour into dry measuring cups until overflowing and then level with the flat of a knife–this will prevent you from adding too much flour and producing a dry dough).

2. Cut margarine into the flour with a knife or a pastry blender until the bits of margarine are about the size of peas (these will melt to provide flakiness and texture to the dough).

3. Add cold water a tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together–you’ll need less than you might think! Avoid overworking the dough–you don’t want too much gluten to develop, which would produce a tough crust.

4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about half an hour–it will be easier to roll out if you allow it to rest.

5. Roll out dough between two lightly floured sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper. Form a rough circle by placing your rolling pin in the center of the dough and pushing outward, repeating the motion as you continue to turn the dough. The dough should be a few inches larger in diameter than your pie pan.

6. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and flip the dough over into a 9" pie pan. Drape the dough into the edges of the pan, making sure that it is pressed all the way down into the corners (rather than being stretched over them). Don’t work the dough with your hands too much, or you risk melting the butter.

7. Prick holes into the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork. For best results, refrigerate the crust for another half hour or so before baking.

8. Cover the center of the dough with aluminum foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights, or something like dried beans, so that the dough doesn’t puff up during baking. Parbake at 425 °F (220 °C) for 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.

For the filling:

1. Blend tofu, black salt, tahini, nutritional yeast, and miso paste in a food processor until combined. Stir in grated cheese, salt, and black pepper.

2. Blanch the Romanesco florets in an inch of boiling water until slightly tender, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from water and set aside.

3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add mustard seeds and fry for a couple minutes until fragrant and popping into the air.

4. Add onion and sauté for 5-8 minutes until softened and translucent.

5. Add baharat and black pepper and allow to bloom in the oil for abour 30 seconds, until fragrant.

6. Add mushrooms and salt and sauté until mushrooms begin to brown, 4-5 minutes.

7. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

8. Add Romanesco and parsley and sauté for another 2 minutes.

9. Remove from heat and pour vegetable mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add tofu and cheese mixture and stir to combine.

To assemble:

1. Pour the finished filling into the parbaked crust. Place the pie pan on top a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 375 °F (190 °C) for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown on top. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean, but the filling may still wiggle a bit. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Serve with freshly cracked black pepper and a green salad.

[ofcloudsandstars]

Spring Crossquarter {Beltane} Fantasy Feast

We are nearing the pinnacle of Spring! I long for the day when I can have the most dreamy aromatic sensual Beltane feast and celebration. However creating visual boards is the first step towards that reality. I did go overboard with some of the selections with this one, like I tried to be more Honest in my Imbolc and Ostara board (like as if I were to actually have a feast and constructed a menu) but this one I did not care about portions or the amount of dishes present, I just threw everything in there.

As I have decided to update my 2016 fantasy feasts Beltane was next after Ostara and Imbolc. These visualization posts have helped me manifest some incredible celebrations and gatherings and as my tastes have gotten more extravagant and complicated its time for an upgrade.

In the read more there are the recipe links and additional explanations on personal symbolism and of course the image credits! I also always plan my feasts to be vegan inclusive for those with dietary restrictions but also aim for all the food to be somewhat local which matters in these seasonal feasts since it's celebrating local nature. Anyway there is something for everyone here.

1: Starters Since we are in still in Spring of course there will be a crudité board, yet unlike Ostara which was refreshing and green, this would show all the floral extravagance of spring from the zesty radishes, edible flowers (Romanesco broccoli is technically a flower!) to floral seasonal toppings. To make the dip vegan for all to enjoy I would go for an Oatley crème fraiche dipping sauce I would infuse with some olive oil and chive blossoms. Along with this I would love to have the delicacy of chive butter snails with chive flowers. Not everyone would be adventurous for snails but there are a lot of other ideas here for starters such as the Creamy Garlic Scape with Chive Flower Pesto tart. Or the Purple Pansy Salad Rolls which would be a nice addition to the crudité board. Lastly I just love the presentation of the butterfly sandwiches. I'd imagine them to be like the little cucumber or spiced egg sandwiches you'd get at high tea. If I were to slap all of these dishes into one feast I would mostly have the crudité board with the scape tart and the snails. I am unsure about the rolls and sandwiches because it would just be really filling before the main course! But they deserve to be seen haha.

Floral Crudite Board Creamy Garlic Scape + Chive Flower Pesto and Asparagus Tart Recipe Purple Pansy Salad Rolls Recipe Snails with Chive Flowers Tea Party Butterfly Sandwiches Source

2: Sides The bread choice would be chive rolls. To accompany this would be floral compact butter. A lot of flowers are actually more savory and salady then fragrant and sweet. Even some of the more aromatic blooms have a vegetal undertone to their flavor which is why the violet vinaigrette caught my eye. That would definitely accompany the artichoke veggie main where guests would be able to dip each artichoke petal in. Lastly there will definitely be asparagus locally grown as they taste incredible when fresh out the garden. The ones the local garden I volunteer at taste so aromatic yet also slightly meaty? It's hard to describe but incredible sensual like the same way truffles have a somewhat "meaty" or umami flavor to them but are very aromatic.

Compound Flower Butter Recipe Honorable Mention: Compact Chive Garlic Butter Recipe Cheddar Chive Bread Rolls Asparagus Source Violet Vinaigrette

3: Mains The Main two dishes would be an aromatic duck served with a side of spring onions sliced into blooms. Duck also has such a fragrant and rich flavor to it that would accompany the floral salads and dishes very well. The vegan option would be roasted artichoke that guests can dip into the floral vinaigrette.

Roasted Beer Duck Recipe Garlic Butter Charred Artichoke Recipe Red Onion Flowers with Rosemary Recipe Roasted Onion Flowers

4: Desserts Ok this is definitely where I have gone overboard but there were too many dishes to choose from which made the selection difficult so I just included all of them for the visuals. If I were to host this feast I would realistically just pick 1 or 2 of these things (A cake and a tart) but for each sabbat I have a special dessert, a tart and a simple cake in mind so it would really depend on how many people are attending. For the special dish I would love a floral jelly, a floral panna cotta or floral jello cake like with blossoms or violets. The tart is rhubarb (I know in some regions rhubarb is very summer-y but mid-April is when it's season starts here in the UK) and the pound cake would be rose buttercream or violet sugar. I do love how buttercream can be easily shaped into flowery shapes so I’d be leaning towards that.  I just love the complexity and versatility of floral desserts. You do have to be a little familiar with what you're doing because floral flavors can easily go from sensual and enchanting to soap/perfume getting squirted in your mouth. Some flavors like rose and jasmine are very safe but others like lavender and violet can get edgy. A great way to balance those flavors out is adding honey as it balances it with a nectary undertone which makes you feel like you are eating delicious butterfly food instead of a block of soap. Lastly the Wondersmith's beautiful cake is very summer solstice vibe I will admit, but I really loved the presentation of butterflies and the elderflower blooms which are starting to bud around this time of year anyway so I thought it was worth adding in. Usually I would not include anything like strawberries in something like this as I feel they peak closer to summer solstice and are more symbolic to summer than spring for me and the region I live in currently.

Rhubarb Rose-twisted Tart The Wondersmith Elderflower Rhubarb Fairy Cake Lilac & Violet Panna Cotta Tart Lavender Lemon Sugar Pound Cake Rose Buttercream Cupcakes Cherry Blossom Jelly No bake Cheesecake Buttercream Pansy Cake Black Sesame Swirl Cake

Honorable Mentions: Lilac Cake with Matcha Glaze (Gluten Free)  Flower Bouquet Cake

5: Drinks Every beverage of course would be infused with more blooms and nectary flavors. I would love to serve fleurette cocktails upon arrival with fairy floss in them that would melt down upon pouring. Fleurette cocktails are pink prosecco, st germain (or elderflower syrup), rose water and a flower garnish. There would be so many options for non alcoholic drinks such as Lavender lemonade, floral teas and of course I would love to have a blooming tea being served in a glass pot during the main course.

La Fleurette Cocktail Fairy Floss Champagne reference Lavender Lemonade Flower Tea Source Blooming Tea Source

Honorable Mentions: Rose Tea Turkish Delight Cocktail

6: Treats Ok finally last part!! This would probably be omitted from a real feast I would host because we would probably get our sweet-tooths satisfied by dessert, however I always feel like including this part as treats always made holidays more memorable for me as a kid. Each holiday had its specific candy or snacks and they were like memorable tokens you acquired and snacked on days later after the celebration. Especially the candy!! If there were kids present these treats would definitely be given in little goody bags maybe in flower pots or planters as buckets to encourage them to grow something for their garden in them. Some ideas for treats would be glazed sugar cookies (the butterfly ones), home made pixie sticks with edible glitter, rose pops (I also love the idea of dressing up regular lollipops as flowers), rose Turkish delights, violet candies and gummy worms. The only savory treat I can think of would be like kale chips.

Rose Cake Pops recipe Butterfly Iced Cookies Homemade Pixie Sticks Homemade Rose Turkish Delights Leone Violets

___________________

Please share your thoughts with me!! Tell me about the recipes you like to have on this day or what you associate with spring. I feel like my approach to Beltane may be different from what most of the community does but its because it's often a reflection of the nature that surrounds me. I grew up this time of the year being bombarded (literally I was surrounded by magnolia trees) with flowers so Beltane has always been a sensual floral flirty fairy festival to me.

_________________

Image Credits:

Beltane Tea by Julia Nikitina Butterfly Animation Gif Embracing by: James R Eads Floral Tablescape Bigger Floral Tablescape Rose Lanterns Misty Forest with Bluebells Magnolia Tree Mushroom Lantern Floral candles and Lilac Dessert tablescape

[kineats]

Alien Foods

https://itsavegworldafterall.com/garlic-and-lemon-roasted-romanesco-cauliflower/ 

https://www.greedygirlgourmet.com/2-ingredient-no-added-sugar-agar-agar-jelly-recipe-vegan-gf/ 

https://www.cricketflours.com/amber-candy-and-fossil-cookies-the-evolutionary-dance-of-entomophagy/ 

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/shrimp-paste (like savory tubby custard)

http://www.twice-cooked.com/2014/09/28/klingon-gagh/ 

https://www.aspicyperspective.com/pomegranate-cream-tart/ 

[isaaceats]

Romanesco Chick Pea Curry

Got my hands on some romanesco, and I found this recipe using it. Ended up following it exactly, except found it bland at the tasting stage, doubled the spices, added about 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and also I didn't have fresh limes so I just stirred in about 1 tablespoon of lime juice at the end. Served it over rice.

Hubby was a big fan, but we both added hot sauce to ours. The flavors are good, but it was a bit bland. When I make it again, I'll probably chop some onion to sweat and double the spices to begin with. Do note that while you could sub in broccoli, the non absorbent nature of romanesco vs broccoli means that romanesco really does shine here.

Note that my local Asian grocery store sells lime leaves and Thai chilies in rather larger quantities than any one recipe I've made calls for, so I intentionally planned this dish in concert with making Tom Kah soup later in the week, as it uses many of the same ingredients; lime leaves, ginger, lemongrass, Thai chilies.

[plantbasedmaggieblog]

Seasonal vegetables in December - here are the best ways to enjoy some of the tastiest produce you can find in the first month of winter: 💚Brussels Sprouts - roasted are best! Enjoy as a side dish or in a warm salad, stew or risotto. 💚Romanesco - cut into florets and fry with garlic and lemon, or roast whole to preserve the shape. 💚Mushrooms - a perfect base or addition to all cozy winter meals. Try adding them to a casserole or making a creamy mushroom pasta sauce for the ultimate vegan comfort food. 💚Leeks - slice thinly and fry with vegan butter for a great pie or lasagne filling or a bruschetta topping. 💚Cranberries - fresh in a sauce or relish, fresh or dried in cakes, salads and stews. 💚Pomelo - best served cold, goes well with chilli and mint in asian recipes or winter salad. 💚Kiwi - in a smoothie, banana bread, or blended with coconut cream Looking for more delicious vegan ideas for cooking with seasonal fruit and vegetables? Go to plantbasedmaggie.com And don’t forget to download a free copy of my new vegan Christmas recipe e-book with everything you need to know about festive cooking! Available from my blog now #seasonal #winter #december #christmas #christmascooking #seasonalveg #eatseasonal #fall #food #vegan #veganfood #veganism #veganlife #veganrecipes #vegansofig #veganlove #veganfoodlovers #veganblogger #veganfortheplanet #veganinspo #vegetarian #plantbased #plantbasediet #plantbasedfood #plantbasedlife #plantbasednutrition #plantbasedrecipes https://www.instagram.com/p/CIeLR1Ep6HX/?igshid=4y0ds56hyoh1

[marisu712]

"Today's vegetables brunch" Vegetables time. Romanesco, Brussels sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, broccolis, spinaches, red cabbages, brackets, wasabi leaves, roquettes, potherb mustards, citrus, and some baguette and a soft boiled egg. I used just vegetables, salt and peppers today, too. I hope that you will be happy & healthy 😋. #veggies #vegetables #vegan #veganfoodlovers #organic #lunch #brunch #salad #recipe #romanesco #baguette #kyosen #karatsu #cafe #maristarcafe #rojiurabakery #マリスタカフェ #京千 #今週はパンランチ♡やっぱりメニューなくそうか (マリスタカフェ maristar cafe)

[sarahsnachosplastic-blog]

Another day of co-op hopping! Well, I only went to one this time...so I didn’t quite hop, I guess. I had a specific recipe in mind, and it called for cauliflower. The cauliflower at Trader Joe’s as well as the cauliflower at Linden Hills Co-op was wrapped in plastic. No can do! Luckily, the co-op had romanesco, which is similar enough. I also filled up on cashews, but i was bummed because they didn’t have the pieces, just whole cashews. That means they’re more expensive, but they were on sale! I also snagged some agar agar powder for vegan cheese making experiments. I’ve been dying to try some sliceable recipes!

All of the jars I purchased are glass and the egg carton is recyclable.

I am also super stoked about the little mesh ball guy i got for making tea. I’ve already brewed two quarts of tea from one scoop of the loose leaf English Breakfast tea that I’m now hoarding in my pantry (never running out again!!)

I also picked up some compostable bags. Upon further examination, they are only compostable in industrial facilities. My apartment building doesn’t support the composting program in Minneapolis, so this was a blunder, but I feel better about using these for trash bags, I guess.

It’s still really hard to shop when I can’t buy plastic. The bulk bins are great, but if what you need isn’t offered, you’re SOL. I love that they have brown paper bags in addition to the plastic bags they offer, so if I forget jars or don’t have enough, I still have a non-plastic option.

Things that are still tough: bread and tortillas.

I eat Gluten free bread, typically the Trader Joe’s brand, and that comes in a plastic bag. It would be awesome if I could easily find a great option for fresh baked bread in an earth friendly vessel, but no luck thus far.

Corn tortillas are always in a plastic bag. I looked into recipes for making them before i went to the store, but couldn’t find masa harina at the store. So, i went home with the tortillas in a plastic bag.

I usually use bread bags for foraging in the spring and summer, but I have so many, it is unlikely that I’ll ever use them all!

[lookitcookit]

A beautiful vegetable

This one is called Romanesco cauliflower. It is a miracle. How hard would that be to reproduce in clay or any other medium?

Below is the common cauliflower. Cut into small florets it's good to eat raw, sprinkled with a little salt and perhaps dipped into aioli.

Or it can be made into a creamy soup, drizzled with a puree of watercress.

Popular now are cauliflower steaks, baked in the oven.

But the latest fad is Cauliflower Wings.

These are named after the popular Chicken Wings (sometimes called Buffalo Wings) which are usually marinated in a sweet/spicy sauce and roasted.

The cauliflower florets are first boiled, then dipped in beaten egg and tossed in a dry mixture based on either breadcrumbs or panko and flour. Drizzled with oil, they are cooked in a hot oven for half an hour and served with a cool dip of yogurt with spring onion and parsley.

I’m not going to give you the recipe because, to be honest, I wasn’t impressed with the result. There are many videos you can watch on You Tube under titles like Cauliflower Bites, Wings, etc. Some are vegan, others have egg and parmesan in the mix. These were mildly crisp, mildly flavoured and took an hour to make.

If like me, you actually enjoy the taste of cauliflower, I would recommend you try my Cauliflower mac and cheese, which I featured on the blog recently under the title How to get a grip on your appetite.

[mistersuppafood]

Couscous végétal et ses falafels - Avec cette nouvelle recette, j’ai voulu réconcilier les saveurs de mon enfance avec mes nouvelles aspirations végétales. La graine de chou romanesco se marie à merveille avec les épices orientaux. En condiment une sauce taïni citron vient réveiller les papilles. Enfin je l’ai accompagné de petits légumes marinées aux épices et de raw falafels pour la gourmandise. Qu’en dîtes vous? 🇬🇧 Plant-based couscous and raw falafels - With this new recipe, I wanted to reconcile the flavors of my childhood with my new vegetal aspirations. Romanesco cabbage seed goes wonderfully with oriental spices. As a condiment, a lemon taïni sauce awakens the taste buds. Finally, I accompanied it with small vegetables marinated in spices and raw falafels. What do you think? #food #instafood #couscous #foodie #healthyfood #chefstalentfood #cookingchef #cookwithlove #falafel #cheffood #vegan #gastronomia #veganfood #foodart #veganfoodshare #govegan #chefsplateform #glutenfree #healthy #veganlife #organic #crueltyfree #ChefsAlert #veganrecipes #artonaplate #dairyfree #health #veganlifestyle #bestofvegan #intergourmetfood https://www.instagram.com/p/CLmPnokJjsL/?igshid=afsamqar4s8c

[raffaellabarack]

Oggi ho fatto le caserecci ai ceci con verdure grigliate al forno, cavolfiore e zucchine, buona giornata! Oggi fusilli integrali con broccolo romanesco, zucchine grigliate e ricotta di capra, buona giornata! . . .. . . . . #pasta #primipiatti #veggie #foodblog #food #cibo #foodporn #pornfood #yummy #oggicucinoio #fattoincasa #cucinoio #foodItaly #cibosano #healthyfood #italyfood #ig_food #yummy #instafood #foodoftheday #ricette #recipes #fooddiary #pranzo #lunch #lunchtime #vegan #veganfood https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ScS5-IsYI/?igshid=1hm1qa8pqqywl

[itunesbooks]

Skinny Pasta - Julia Azzarello

Skinny Pasta 80 flavour-packed recipes of less than 500 calories Julia Azzarello Genre: Specific Ingredients Price: $7.99 Expected Publish Date: March 7, 2019 Publisher: Octopus Books Seller: Hachette Digital, Inc. Delicious pasta recipes each under 500 calories per portion, from classic traditional dishes to contemporary twists, including vegan, vegetarian gluten- and dairy-free options. Pasta is one the easiest to make and most joyful to eat meals; always in the cupboard, ideal to turn to in a pinch and the ultimate comfort food. However, a fear of carbs has placed pasta firmly on the no-go list of 'bad' foods for many people - a huge mistake and wholly unnecessary! If you're on the hunt for a balanced, nutritious meal that can please a crowd as easily as provide a quick supper for one, pasta is a great choice. It's often the accompanying sauces and toppings that pile on the calories in a pasta dish, so here Julia Azzarello proves otherwise - all recipes are small on calories, big on nourishing ingredients and full of flavour. Focusing on fresh, healthy ingredients in delicious combinations, Skinny Pasta also has many vegan, vegetarian gluten- and dairy-free options. From Vermicelli with Cherry Tomatoes, Rocket & Feta and Mafaldine with Romanesco Sauce , to tasty salads such as Greek Rotini and soups Butter Bean, Chorizo & Spinach with Pappardelle , as well as quick and easy mains including Orecchiette with Cime Di Rapa & Chilli , Spaghetti Carbonara and Mac 'n' Cheese , there's a pasta for every occasion. If you have a little extra time on your hands then make your own basic pasta dough, gluten-free gnocchi, fresh pesto or marinara sauce, or simply add shop bought pasta, and indulge in a delicious and nutritious treat. http://bit.ly/2ERJyxC

[susiefoo]

Some of last week’s dinners included my recreation of NYT’s Baked Romanesco Broccoli with Mozzarella and Olives, where I turned it into a vegan pasta dish by adding extra wide yolk-free ribbon pasta, all vegan cheeses (Violife Mozzarella, Feta and Parm) and a little cashew cream before baking it. It was phenomenal! I still want to try a couple more tweaks, but once I get it just right, I’ll type up the recipe and share it. Because, honestly, who doesn’t love romanesco?! LOOK AT IT!! 😍I also made “traditional” vegan maztzo ball soup which is a household fave, a Buddha Bowl featuring baked tofu and broccoli over rice then slathered with the delicious cheese sauce from Veggie on a Penny (thanks, Jenn!) which is incredible! I also made Olive Pasta Even a Toddler Will Love from The Plantiful Table cookbook – another fave around here, followed by another Buddha Bowl, this one with roasted tofu, broccoli and delicata squash over wild rice and slathered in a lemony-spicy tahini sauce with roasted pepitas on top, YUM! And last but not least, I made the Black Eyed Pea Pot Pie from the Sweet Potato Soul cookbook that I gave myself for Christmas. So good and a new way to enjoy black eyed peas in the new year! It’s not super pretty, in fact, it reminds me of many meals I ate growing up in the ‘70s, but trust me, it was great! I added No Evil Foods Comrade Cluck No Chicken in it too for a little more meatiness. It held up perfectly! Ahh, all good stuff. Now I’m hungry. Gonna go get started on tonight’s dinner soon... #vegan #vegansofig #easyveganrecipes #sfvegans #theveganstruggle #meatfree #dairyfree #eggfree #plantbased #veganuary #anythingyoucaneaticaneatvegan (at Kook Corner) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsWcDK0jy4Y/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3furhzu1vpe4

[corinathecook]

Nutty Roasted Romanesco Curry

Nutty Roasted Romanesco Curry

This nutty roasted romanesco curry is a great recipe for showcasing the beautiful flavours of a romanesco cauliflower.   It’s easy to make,  relatively quick and vegan too.  If you’re looking for a healthy curry to make at home then this is it! For months I’d been seeing gorgeous looking recipes online using romanesco.    Every time I saw one, I wanted to go out and buy one.   After all, those…

[oovitus]

Weekend Reading, 2.5.18

It’s been an unusually hectic week around here, the first in a long time that had me running around without a pause. That kind of pace was much more of a norm for me a few years ago, right before and during my post-bacc, and it’s something I took conscious steps to disentangle myself from when my anxiety got really bad.

I’m glad I’ve distanced myself from that particular craziness, but life is life, and chaotic spells are inevitable. I do my best to avoid overwhelm, but I’m still looking for a toolkit to help me stay grounded when things become unusually . . . lively.

On January 1st, I started reading Melody Beattie’s Journey to the Heart. I’m loving it so far; it’s not a book that’s designed to be read continuously (though you could if you wanted to). Instead, it offers a short meditation for each of the 365 days of the year. They hit a sweet spot between challenging the reader to let go of self-imprisoning habits while also offering up tremendous empathy for how and why we all sometimes choose to be—or can’t imagine not being—stuck.

On January 29th, just at the start of this demanding week, Beattie’s entry was titled “Seek Peace.” She writes,

Cultivate peace. Commit to peace. Insist on it. Don’t settle for peace based on outward circumstances or a particular arrangement in your life . . . [f]ind the peace that prevails even when the turbulent waters of the river roar through your life.

I love the idea of “insisting on” peace. Sometimes when I read about making or finding peace the suggestion seems to be that peacefulness is just beneath our feet, something that we’d unearth if only we scraped the surface a little. My experience has been that it’s a lot harder than this. Peace is something I need to fight for, something that don’t come easily unless I insist on it, as Beattie suggests.

The insistence often means making uncomfortable choices. These include saying no to some things and postponing others, even though it’s my first impulse to be a timely and efficient taskmaster. They also include learning to recognize my body’s signals of overwhelm (insomnia, dramatic highs and lows in energy, listlessness, tension headaches, irritable digestion) and bringing things to a full stop if I sense that I’m getting close to shutting down.

Sometimes committing to peace involves even more radical steps, like reexamining toxic relationships or detrimental, long-entrenched habits. Just as important, for me, is to identify and cherish the friendships and habits that evoke a sense of truth, calm, and well-being within me. I’m working really hard lately to give these the love and attention they deserve.

The most important thing, I think, is to watch for the trap Beattie points out, which is making peace contingent upon a “particular arrangement in your life.” For so long I accepted the idea that I had to passively endure frenzy and hope for pockets of peace to show up, as if by magic.

Nowadays I recognize that I can’t control what life puts in my path, but I can avoid making things more complicated than they need to be, and I can actively seek and cultivate the mindfulness that brings me peace. It’s not always a perfectly choreographed dance, but it’s in progress.

Wishing you all peace as you move into the first full week of February. Here are some tasty vegan recipe picks and reads from around the web.

Recipes

Need a last-minute bite to serve during the Super Bowl? Sophie’s BBQ cauli wings look incredible.

Another delicious vegan side dish: Elizabeth of Brooklyn Supper roasts romanesco to crispy perfection with chili powder and meyer lemon zest, then tops it in a creamy vegan sunflower seed dressing. Yum.

I love the contrast in this dish: tofu gets dredged in chickpea flour and pan-fried to crispy perfection, then served in a delicate miso broth.

I think I’ve got my next dinner-in-a-hurry bookmarked: Gina’s 30-minute stir fry with maple peanut tamari sauce.

I’m still looking for my vegan forever brownie recipe, and I think Eva’s rocky road brownies might be it. If I stare at the photo long enough, will they come to life?

Reads

1. Beyond inspiring: Dani’s reflections on how she reclaimed her life after a devastating injury and overcame the stigma of being in a wheelchair.

2. A fascinating look at how cancer cells and placental cells may regulate the immune system in similar ways.

3. Jane Brody reports on confusion and misleading headlines surrounding the healthfulness of saturated fat. It’s a story worth reading in our day and age of frequently conflicting nutrition headlines and a good reminder that weak study designs can significantly impact research findings.

In the case of saturated fat (and many nutrition studies), one of the big confounders is that researchers can’t always anticipate or adequately control for which foods study participants will ultimately eat more of when they eliminate another food or nutrient. Many studies on reduced fat consumption seem to have been complicated by participants eating more refined carbohydrates and/or trans fats in the wake of reducing animal fats, which means that study results may not reliably indicate the benefits of saturated fat reduction alone (minus other dietary changes).

4. A harrowing account of medical emergency, which becomes a powerful statement about healthcare as a basic human right.

5. So cool: MRI scans show that memorizing ancient mantras increases the size of brain regions associated with cognitive function.

Another way I insisted on peace this week: getting this post up today because I needed to turn inward yesterday. Happy Monday morning to you all.

xo

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