Boyfriend Can COOK!

Not gonna lie, Boyfriend can COOK!

This post is just a few of the tasty things Boyfriend has made for his night to cook dinner.

First up, the Potato Enchiladas! He made these for a dinner party one night, and they were a HUGE hit! (I didn't take pictures like I should have, because at the time I wasn't planning on chronicling this whole transformation.)  I swear, I didn't even realize there wasn't any meat in them, in any form.  I’m not sure what I was expecting, because I’d never experienced enchiladas without at least some chicken in them before. But WOW! I ate the leftovers (there weren't many, but there was just enough for a meal for me!)  for lunch the next day, and they were just as good.

Next up, we have Hippie Loaf. This was another new meal, just like pretty much everything else. All sorts of food adventures around here!

Yeah, I totally made that salad!

 I can’t find the recipe on the Forks Over Knives website, so here it is.

Hippie Loaf

                1 15 oz can black beans or kidney beans (he just used black beans), drained and rinsed

                1 Onions, finely diced

                2 Garlic Cloves, minced

                1 large Carrot, peeled and shredded

                2 Celery stalks, washed and shredded

                1 Cup finely chopped brown mushrooms

                1 Cup cooked quinoa

                1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

                3 Tablespoons brown rice flour (or whole-wheat flour)

                2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (GF)

                2 Tablespoons Ketchup

Preheat oven to 350*F and set your 8-inch nonstick loaf pan nearby. Mash beans in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher, and mix all ingredients until evenly combined. Transfer to prepared pan and pat down firmly and tightly using a spatula. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until firm and brown on the outside. Allow the loaf to cool and firm up before serving, about 15-20 minutes.

**Chef’s Note: It’s important that you chop everything fine and pack it down tight if you want your loaf to hold together (Boyfriend used the food processor to  make sure everything was well chopped and blended together evenly).   Place a serving plate over the loaf plan and turn it upside down, to flip the loaf out onto the plate.

And finally, tonight Boyfriend made a Potato Skillet.

Not the best picture, sorry. But oh my, did it smell amazing!

I love avocado. On everything.

 Just chopped up potatoes, carrots, green pepper, an onion, tomatoes,  mushrooms, cilantro, and added some fake sausage ( I can’t remember what it’s called, exactly). He threw it all together in the sauce pan, let it cook in some peanut oil for about 20-25 minutes, and seasoned it with salt, pepper, and garlic. It was so nummy, it prompted me to post about his cooking skills on FaceBook.

A Little Introduction is in Order

About two weeks ago, Boyfriend and I watched the documentary Forks Over Knives.  That was enough to tip us over the edge into a healthier lifestyle.

As long as I've known Jeff (known hereafter as Boyfriend), he’s been much healthier than I.  He works out consistently. He watches what he eats more often than not. I, on the other hand, rarely work out, eat a ton of fast food and processed ‘quick’ foods.

In the last year or so, my weight has fluctuated back and forth between 160-180lbs. While that isn't an unhealthy weight for me to be at for my height, it’s also not where I want to be, and it doesn't make me feel healthy.

I have been vegetarian on and off since I was 15. I have never really eaten a lot of meat.  As a kid I’d have two bites of my hamburger, and be done. It was also difficult to swallow (my throat is TINY), so fruits and veggies are just easier to eat.

Over the last two weeks, we've quit smoking (we still use the electronic cigarettes, just for the habit without the yuck), we've switched from regular cow’s milk to almond milk, and (I) have been going to the gym consistently.

A major part of our lifestyle change has been switching to a plant-based, whole foods diet. As far as I can tell, it’s a Vegan Diet. Nothing that has a face, eyes, a mother and father. All that kind of stuff. Taking the meat out of my diet hasn't been too difficult, since I've done it before. The hardest part for me has been taking out the dairy and processed foods. But we are doing it. And it’s not as hard as I thought it was going to be.

We've worked out a plan with the Roomies (who are also attempting to implement this healthier, plant-based, whole foods diet) for a dinner schedule 4 nights a week, Monday-Thursday. That way, we only have to cook one night a week, we have plenty of leftovers for the weekend, and we get to experiment with fun, new recipes!

Like this one! Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili.

This blog will be a place to keep track of our progress and to share the tasty recipes we find!

Thanks for joining us!

Katie