Eat Brussels Sprouts Day

Today is Eat Brussels Sprouts Day. I know a lot of people don't like them, but c'mon, they are such cute little cabbages. I admit, I wasn't a fan for a long time. I don't know, they just had kind of a bitter aftertaste to me. But over the last few years, I have come to really, actually, enjoy them. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do.

Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds

Two bags of frozen Brussels sprouts
1/4 c. vegan butter
2 T. lemon juice
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Cook the Brussels sprouts according to the directions on the bag. Drain. In a frying pan, melt the butter. Add the remaining ingredients, including the Brussels sprouts. Stir until everything is well coated and heated through. Serve. Enjoy!

You can make the Brussels sprouts ahead of time and keep in the fridge until you are ready for the rest of the recipe.

Curried Chicken Day

Today is Curried Chicken Day. I'm only over the last year or so new to Indian cuisine. I'd pretty much avoided it in the past, thinking it too spicy. But I've had several dishes that I especially liked, so am still working my way through the cuisine.

One day Whole Foods had some vegan curried chicken on their hot bar, and I tried some. Omg, it was delicious! I think I went back a few more times that week just to get more. Which, of course, can get expensive, so I decided to try to make some at home.

Curried Chicken Salad

One package favorite frozen chicken (mine is Delight Soy nuggets), baked according to package directions, chopped
1/4 c. diced red onion
 ribs celery, diced
1/2 to 1 cup chopped peanuts
1-1/2 c. vegan mayonnaise
2-1/2 T. curry powder
Dash turmeric
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Mix everything together in one large bowl, until coated well. Serve. Enjoy!

National Green Beans Day

Today is National Green Beans Day. I typically associate them more with summer, but since I can buy them year round frozen and canned, I guess every day can be a green beans kind of day.

April 4 is International Carrot Day. I know a lot of people who will eat them raw, but not cooked. It's a consistency thing, apparently. I like them both ways. So, if you miss eating this dish today, you can make it for that day.

Or, you could just make it any darn time you like!

Carrots and Green Beans with Ginger

1-1/2 lbs. carrots, sliced
1-1/2 lbs. green beans, trimmed
1/4 c. vegan butter
2 t. freshly grated ginger

Boil carrots and green beans separately, about 7-10 minutes each. Drain. Melt butter in a skillet or Dutch oven. Add the ginger and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the green beans and carrots to the melted butter/ginger mixture and stir to coat well. Serve. Enjoy!

Black Eyed Pea and Collards Soup

Every new year's day I make black eyed peas and collards in some way. Sometimes it is just simply a pot of beans and a pot of collards. This time I decided to switch things up a bit and turn it into a soup. The results were delicious!

Black Eyed Pea and Collards Soup

One package vegan kielbasa sausage, sliced into coins

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. Cajun seasoning

8 cups vegetable broth

One package of dried black-eyed peas

1 bunch of collard greens, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 c. basmati rice

1 t. hot sauce

Soak the peas in enough water to cover overnight. Drain and dump them into a crockpot. Add the onions, garlic, Cajun seasoning and vegetable broth. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. Add the collards, rice, and hot sauce. Stir to mix, cover and let cook an additional hour.

Saute the kielbasa in a little bit of olive oil until nicely browned.

Serve the soup in bowls and top with a few coins of the kielbasa. Enjoy!