Why Go Meat Free?

Meat just isn't good for you. Period.

Then why do people eat meat? When Homo sapiens roamed the earth we were Hunter-Gatherers living in small tribes based on one or two families. Homo sapiens, us, needed to get all the nutrition we could manage. To survive we diversified our diet to include meat so that we could survive. This was a vital source of protein for the monkeyman. Their Winters were alot harsher back then and meat was a great source of energy for them. Still they only ate meat as a supplement to their diet. Most of their diet was composed of fruits or vegetables. While our system can handle meat we can only tolerate a certain amount of it.

Cornbread Stuffing

This is a holiday invention of my own making and my first signature holiday dish that I alone make. I am very proud of it and it is very very delicious. This isn't your bagged stuffing at all. You can cook this in a toaster oven even. We have one small oven and were pressed for space with our over-sized turkey cooking. Here it goes, I hope you enjoy my new holiday favorite!

Spinach Egg Drop Soup

Oh my gosh, everytime the weather turns cold I crave this soup. It's hearty and delicious and has lots of nutrients. I just love this soup so much. You can make it plain or spicy, it's great both ways. This is a soup that is so yummy and satisfying and will warm you up from the inside out.

How to make a great cup of joe

I love me some coffee and I've been around the block when it comes to making it. I make coffee nearly every day and probably consume too much of it. But I want to help you guys make the perfect cup too. I am willing to divulge my secrets for you. Anything to help you enjoy the joe.

Butternut Squash Soup

I make this for my parents every time they buy butternut squash. I put this on here for my friend who requested squash recipes. Here you go!

I really like butternut squash because it has a creamy, buttery and sweet flavor without the calories of creamy, buttery and sweet things. Let me tell you this is a winner for Winter.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

Alright this one is filling even for meatatarians. It is so tasty for any meal of the day and in any kind of weather. This is one hearty and yummy for everyone. I always end up craving this quiche when I haven't had a good home-cooked meal in a while.

How to Sautee Stuff

If you didn't receive good cooking instructions like I did then you may need some extra help. I'm here to help.

Sauteeing is a basic cooking maneuver and it's good to know exactly what you're doing.

How to Cook in a Dorm

Cooking in a dorm is a bitch. I'm going to help you guys out. There are a few things you just absolutely freaking need.

I'm gonna list your basic must-haves and some tips and tricks.

Lentils Baby!

Mmm, I have made a discovery ... using dried beans!!! It's so easy. As long as you time I know what you want to make at least eight hours ahead of time, usually a day before then you can use these. They retain their nutritional value and taste fresher and yummier. Most often the vitamins and minerals go down the drain with the brine that beans are canned with. So avoid the cans if at all possible and go out and buy your dried beans!

A great way to make a kitchen look pretty and store your dried beans is to get clear jars with airtight lids and store them on the countertop, if space permits. This is a pretty way to display them and keeps them at hand.

Recently I made my awesome enchiladas with lentils instead of black beans. Lentils have lots of protein and taste very chickeny. It was the first time I played with lentils and was surprised at their taste.

Marinated Salmon with Bok Choy and Rice

Holy crap, this was so delicious!!! The salmon is marinated in soy sauce, garlic, ginger and lime juice and is baked with the marinade and topped with green onions and mushrooms. The bok choy is sauteed in a pan with some garlic and the rice is thrown in so that the flavors can comingle. How does THAT sound?

Spicy Ass Enchiladas!

Mmm MMM, were these delicious. This started when I was craving some enchiladas. The only vegetarian enchiladas served at restaurants that I've found have been straight up cheese or basically tortillas stuffed with steamed vegetables. All cheese isn't particularly healthful and just straight up steamed vegetables is BORING. I want something spicy and cheesy with beans and tomatos and lots of goodies!

I haven't perfected this recipe yet. When I made the filling for the enchiladas I came out with twice as much as I needed for 10 enchiladas. 10 is a good amount for three people with leftovers. And these make great leftovers. I'm going to attempt to tailor this to be the perfect amount for 10 enchiladas. But I've gotta say the filling is great on bread, in tacos, and however else you can think to use it. It is seriously awesome.

Sick Day Foods!

I have just been extremely sick and it has inspired me to create a list of foods and tips for those days when you're feeling under the weather.

I'm going to list a few items for each common ailment that will not only taste good and be easy to eat but will help you get better! I've also added some tips, tricks and remedies that will help you stay more comfortable and shorten the duration of illness.

Easy Snacks for the Dorm

Here are some easy snacks that I enjoy in the dorm. They require little or no prep and are nutritious. Not to mention DELICIOUS! Some of my favorites are....

Fajitas with All the Fixins

Mm boy, do I love fajitas. So here's how to make vegetarian fajitas with as much stuff you can fit in on. I recommend buying the extra large wheat tortillas for these. The normal taco size doesn't hold enough goodies.

No Shit Baked Potato

I think the men have spoken very clearly! The boys want recipes with potatos. I'm going to start with a straight-up no gimmicks, baked potato.

Breakfast Tacos, two ways

For starters, I'll be plain. I suck at cooking scrambled eggs. I get scrambled mess. If you're good at cooking them scrambled then all the more power to ya! I made them with hardboiled eggs this morning. It was delicious and easy and I didn't screw it up!

You can make your eggs with just about anything. If you're going to make scrambled eggs you'll incorporate your selection of ingredients into the eggs. If you make it with hardboiled eggs you'll sprinkle these on top.

Texas Vegetarian Confetti Chili

I saw something similar to this on the morning news. Ellie Kreiger made this one pot meal for the hosts. The only difference is she didn't spice it up quite as much. In this recipe I use red pepper flake, chili powder and some additional heat plus mushrooms and chicken stock instead of water.

This one is a perfect Fall or Winter dish. You can make it as spicy as you like. Personally I like it spicy even better. When eating vegetarian the spices are oh-so important. I used to think of vegetarian as steamed vegetables and white rice on a plate. BORING. But I don't do boring, so you don't have to worry.

I don't give exact measurements on my spices because those are all up to you. It might be hard to judge at first but once you get a handle on what you like it will become easier. All I can say about that is start with a little and work your way up. Here we go!

Hello, my name is...

...Lauren!

I guess I'll start off by explaining my blog. I am a recently turned pescatarian. I decided to make the switch when I realized I really didn't like meat all that much to begin with. Meat tends to make me feel heavy and bloated, so I just decided to get rid of it! I've been a pescatarian for around four weeks now and have not looked back since.

For clarification I suppose I should define what a pescatarian is. The dictionary definition is "one whose diet includes fish but no meat", although I have my own take on the lifestyle. I do not drink milk but will cook with it sometimes. I also do not eat refined sugars or deep fried foods.

In this blog, my own eating habits greatly affect the way I cook. Because of this I believe that a recipe is a guideline and does not have to be followed strictly. Recipes should always be altered to match the tastes of the one cooking it.

I hope you enjoy all of my recipes. I gladly welcome constructive criticism, and remember the recipes I post are the way I like them, you make them the way you want to.