Sweet Potato Mac and "Cheese"

Oh, macaroni and cheese. Sweet, sweet mac and cheese...the ultimate comfort food. Cheese isn't really on my vegan list of ethically edible items, however, so what's a comfort food seeking vegan to do? Don't worry my dear compassionate foodie, I have the answer.

This mac and "cheese", made with sweet potato is creamy, and rich, and as always the nutritional yeast lends that proper "cheesy" flavor. Honestly, I truly enjoy this version much more than the typical macaroni and cheese. Now that's saying something. Nostalgia is a hard thing to beat.

Sweet Potato Mac and "Cheese" 

Inspired by Detoxinista

Serves 4

• 1 medium sweet potato, chopped

• 1 cup almond milk (or nut-free milk for a nut-free mac and "cheese")

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 tsp. pink Himalyan salt

• 1/2 Tbsp. liquid aminos or soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 tsp. mustard seeds or mustard (optional)

• 1 tsp. onion powder

• 1/2 tsp. chili powder

• 1 small garlic clove

• desired pasta[gallery type="circle" ids="414,412,413"]

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta. I used about 6 servings.

Bring a medium pot of water to boil, insert steaming basket, and add chopped sweet potatoes. Cover, turn to medium-low and let steam for 10 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, add the remaining ingredients, except pasta (obvs), into a blender and whirl on high until the mixture is smooth.[gallery type="rectangular" ids="411,409"]

When the sweet potatoes are done steaming, add them to the blender as well and whirl on high again for about a minute or so. Add water as needed to achieve the desired viscosity. Stir in as little or as much sauce as wanted to the cooked pasta.

I'm a firm believe that any day, good or bad, can be improved upon by a warm and creamy dish of mac and "cheese". Especially when no animals were exploited in the process.

Easy Hazelnut Chocolate Avocado Mousse

While scarfing down lightly munching on a bag of dark chocolate chunks (the type clearly meant for baking) last night, I decided the chunks just weren't cuttin' it. My chocolate craving was a little more sophisticated than I had previously thought. Grow up, Katie! Fine. So I starting thinking of what I could make myself. Should I bake something? Surely not. I'm impatient as hell! That would take much too long. In addition, I didn't want anything that was going to be too involved, or that was going to make a huge mess. And then, there I was pacing around the kitchen like a crazed addict, when I spotted them...my two ripe-ass avocados staring at me, taunting me.

I don't know what it is about these trickster avocados. They're firm when I buy them at the store, and then four hours later they're practically rotting on my kitchen table! My point being; a dessert that doesn't make a mess, is quick, easy, relatively healthy, made primarily of chocolate and uses up my sad, nearly dead avocados is the perfect sweet treat for a lazy Wednesday night.

Easy Hazelnut Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Inspired by Giada de Laurentiis (so you know it's good)

Serves 2 but it's so rich maybe more like 4

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp. honey (or maple syrup, molasses etc.)
• 2 Tbsp. molasses (or maple syrup, honey, etc.)
• 1 Tbsp. Hazelnut Kahlua (or other liqueur or maple syrup, honey, etc.)
• 1/4 tsp. pink Himalayan salt
• 2 Tbsp. almond milk
• mint leaves, chopped hazelnuts, and/or berries for garnish (optional)

In a small saucepan, add a little water, only so it rises a few inches along the side. Bring to a boil. Place a small stovetop-safe bowl inside the pot and turn the heat down to low, just enough to keep the water boiling. Add the chocolate chunks and whisk intermittently, erasing any clumps and ensuring it doesn't burn.

While the chocolate is melting, add the remaining ingredients to a food processor, followed by the melted chocolate. Process until silky smooth.

[gallery type="rectangular" ids="373,372"]

Pour into two or four bowls, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Wasn't that easy? As the mousse chills, it will really firm up. I sincerely recommend allowing it to do so if you can. This mousse is certified super, duper rich and super, duper hardcore badass. It's the cure for PMS, a bad breakup or just a really horrific chocolate craving. And for the record, I'm not oblivious to the irony of a dessert that takes 3 hours to chill, versus a dessert that may have taken only 30 minutes to bake. I never said I personally waited the three hours.

Fresh Thai Pesto and Purple Cabbage Spring Rolls

I'm getting a little weary of the same old boring, predictable spring roll. You too? Never fear! Allow me to introduce these Fresh Thai Pesto and Purple Cabbage Spring Rolls. A refreshing and unique take on the typical spring roll, but still tasty enough to satisfy even the most snobby of spring roll eaters (such as myself). Perhaps the greatest thing of all though, aside from how incredibly delicious these are, is how quick and easy they are to make too!

Fresh Thai Pesto and Purple Cabbage Spring Rolls

Inspired by Tales of a Kitchen

Makes 7 spring rolls

• -For the Pesto
• 2 handfuls of fresh basil leaves (half a large container, or two little containers)
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 small knob of ginger, peeled
• 1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. liquid amino acids or soy sauce
• juice of 1 lime or a few squirts of bottled lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. honey or sweetener of choice

• -For the Rolls
• 7 rice paper sheets
• about 70 grams of uncooked rice vermicelli noodles or about 1/4 of the box
• 1/4 head of purple cabbage, thinly sliced into strips
• 3 green onions, sliced in half (optional)
• sesame seeds for sprinkling

First on the list, put a small pot of water on to boil.

While the water works it's way to a boil, wash and dry the basil then place in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients for the pesto. Now give them a good whirl about! Make sure to stop and scrape the bowl occasionally. This should only take a minute or two, or until it looks like...well...pesto. Hurray for pesto! So easy, right?

[gallery type="rectangular" ids="350,351,348"]

If by now the water is boiling, remove from heat and add in the noodles. Let bathe for about 10 minutes, giving them a gentle stir occasionally. This is what my package of noodles recommended, however, others may differ so be sure to check the instructions.  While the noodles are softening, slice up the cabbage and green onions.

When the noodles are done, drain them. Gathering the noodles and the veggies, congregate everything at your designated "rolling station" area. Gather a large plate with a rim or a pie dish and fill it with hot water. Not boiling mind you, your fingers have to be able to stand it! Bring that to your station as well.

I like to roll up my spring rolls on a plate, but you can do it on the table, counter, baking sheet, whatever. Dip one rice sheet in the hot water and let it sit, submerged for about 10 seconds or so. I place my fingers atop to drown it and also so I can feel when the sheet is ready. It shouldn't be too mushy or too stiff. Carefully lift it out of the water and place it on the rolling surface, ensuring there aren't any large folds.

Next, place 1/7 or about 1 Tbsp. of pesto in the middle of the sheet and smear it to make it even.

Add an even pile of cabbage, followed by a green onion strip and finally sprinkle with sesame seeds. Try to keep everything in order. A stray, crazy cabbage arm could poke a hole through the sheet, so keep those hooligans in line!

Fold the left and right side up first so they are almost touching in the middle, then fold the bottom portion up and over the two sides (like an envelope) and finally from the bottom, roll the entire spring roll towards the top! Now you have a spring roll! Do a little dance.

[gallery type="square" ids="347,346,345"]

Here's a picture demonstration from Keep Your Diet Real for those more visual learners...

These rolls are so good, no sauce is necessary. Yes, you read that right. If for some crazy reason you really, really need a sauce or just plain don't trust me, whip up some peanut butter, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and/or mirin and voila! There's so much flavor packed into these little buggers though, it would just be redundant.

Perhaps the tastiest spring roll I've ever had. Did I mention it's vegan, too!? I actually whipped up another batch in the morning for lunch! Can't let that basil go to waste...nom nom nom.