Orange-Miso Bowl & Yolos

I've had a bustling spring this year, with lots and lots of teaching yoga... but now things are slowing down a bit, which feels great. One of my top priorities has been to catch up on friend-time; so recently two of our special friends came over for dinner. It felt so fun to sort through recipes and think about what sorts of foods my friends would enjoy, and putter away in the kitchen with little Stevie by my side preparing dinner. Just like old times! 

For an appetizer, I made these Kale Salad Cucumber Cups from Vegan Finger Foods. I gotta say, that book really came in handy! I was trying to find a good appetizer that would harmonize with the dinner I had planned... when I remembered my newest cookbook, VFF - of course it had many good ideas! If I had had more time, I would have also made the Glazed Sugar Snap Peas. These were really fun, and it was my first time making cucumber cups. I must find more excuses for cucumber cups in my life! 

One of our friends who came for dinner, Ms. B, has to eat gluten-free, so I decided to check out my new favorite cookbook, "Oh She Glows," because I knew it had lots of gluten-free recipes. Even though you're not supposed to try out new recipes on company (a rule I always break!), I settled on the Orange-Miso Bowl - which has quinoa, sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, and various tasty garnishes - all topped with an orange miso dressing. There were supposed to be edamames on there too, but I forgot about them entirely. No worries, it was highly delicious anyway!

(in fact, I've already made this recipe again, subbing grilled zucchini instead of sweet potato - this is a super versatile recipe, and I love the dressing!)

Whenever I cook, little Stevie Wonder lies on the kitchen floor by my feet. The other pets often come running into the kitchen if they hear me drop something, but Stevie is always there by my side ... so I sometimes sneak her little bites of veggies. But then, if the others hear her chomping, they come running anyway, and I feel guilty and end up giving everyone a nibble. Such a softie!

This was good meal for Stevie - because she got some carrot ends and some sweet potato nubs.

This is not a good picture, but I felt morally obligated to include it because these little Yolos are super delicious. Another OSG recipe, the filling is just dates and peanut butter - and somehow the result is amazingly tasty. In a moment of keen intuition and brilliant insight, I doubled the peanut butter that the recipe called for. That was a good move! Then the little balls are rolled in melted chocolate and frozen. Ms. B needed a low-sugar dessert and this was a really great solution - these guys are tiny, but tasty and satisfying. I'll definitely make them again soon!