Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe

Happy  World Vegetarian  Day and first day of the Vegan Month of Food (Vegan MoFo). I am thrilled to be a part of Vegan Mofo again this year…drenching the world in vegan foodie blogging.

To kick off this veggie charged weekend I have a recipe for a seasonal dish that is going to blow you away. The ingredients are inexpensive and readily available. I created this for a weekday lunch, but you could easily double the recipe or cut the taters in half for an add-on to your dinner plan.

Sweet Potatoes with Five Spiced Walnuts and Kale

Makes two biggie stuffed potatoes

By: S. Duquet

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes

heaping 1/4 cup raw walnuts

1 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder ( I found mine in the bulk food store, also readily available in an Asian grocery store)

1/16 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp agave

5-6  stalks of kale (remove the spine and tear leaves into pieces)

2 tsp liquid aminos

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

2 tsp water

Make It Happen

~Cook whole sweet potatoes using your preferred method.  (I like to bake them in the oven in foil, but sometimes, the microwave is your friend to get them on the table faster)

~Put walnuts in a dry pan and toast lightly over low heat. When they are hot but not yet done toasting, add Five Spice and Cayenne pepper and toss to coat. This will look like an enormous amount of spice and that is okay. Add agave and stir until coated. Cook for a few seconds more, just until nuts are caramelized.

~Take nuts off heat and transfer to a plate to cool. Spread them out so they do not stick together in one yummy mass.

~Using the same pan with any remnants from the nut mixture, add Liquid Aminos, garlic and water. De-glaze your  pan on medium heat until you have a sauce. Add kale and lightly wilt, tossing to coat.

~To assemble, cut open sweet potato fluff insides, then top with kale and caramelized walnuts.

Sit down with your heaping plate of goodness and enjoy the satisfaction of dining on plant rich foods that are vibrant in health and cheap on your wallet and the environment. Now that tastes really good.

Kale Trail Update

Two years ago Sandy and I visited a Metropark that I had never been to before. We brought our bikes  and did a monster ride. This park in particular is blessed with the most brutal hills I have ever encountered in a Metropark in Michigan. You are always either going up or going down a significant grade. As we rode around this gorgeous park  I watched the runners I saw there with disbelief and envy. I had only been running for a year and sporadically at that. I thought, my god….if you can run at this park you must be at the very top of your game.. the elite, a goddess, a machine in attractive wicking clothing. I will never be those things.

Last weekend we packed up the Veggie Van and headed straight for that park. I was ready to stare it down and I did. I ran eleven strong miles at the park I have long held as the Mecca for real runners. As we ran and ran we encountered a buck with a full rack, a doe and a turtle (Sandy saved his life).  I wanted to burst into tears as we ran our last step because I had done it. I had confronted the bully in my mind, the run I will never be good enough to do. I did it with grace and attractive wicking clothing. I did it.

Have a delicious weekend.

Tags: 30 day challenge, compassionate eating, dairy free, E2 Diet, E2 friendly recipe, Engine 2 Diet, going veg, Kale Trail update, Meatless Monday recipe, plant based diet, plant strong recipe, sweet potatoes with Chinese five spice candied walnuts and kale, trying vegan, trying vegetarian, Vegan MoFo, Vegan MoFo recpe, vegan recipe, vegan side dish, vegan wannabe, vegetarian side dish, vegetarian transition