Life feels like it’s spinning at 6453 klicks per hour these days.
Some things are happening in our lives that I can’t tell you about just yet, but will soon. Don’t you hate when people say that? I do. I hate myself for saying that.
No one likes a tease, including me. But here I am being a tease. ;)
I can tell you it’s home and career related for us (not baby related), but that’s about all I can divulge at this time. Unless of course you get me drunk and spill the beans like I did to every breathing soul that I chatted with at the wedding. I’m a good secret keeper like that. Give me a 5.5% beer and I’ll tell you my life story.
The summer is speeding by though! Suddenly, it’s August 9th, I’m craving pumpkin like it’s Thanksgiving, and I’m in serious trouble if I don’t buy Eric a kick-butt birthday gift by the 11th. We’re also hosting some Irish family this week and capping the weekend off with another big family BBQ. The weeks are flying by!
Eric said, “Ange, don’t worry! You don’t have to get me anything for my birthday.”
Oh, what a relief. I thought I had to for a minute!
Wait. This is a trick.
I thought only women played the “you don’t need to get me anything” card. Sometimes Eric even plays the “you don’t need to get me a card” card. Clearly, he wants to test me. Or he hates my cards.
Or maybe he wants one of those sentimental homemade gifts this year.
Oh noes.
Does a homemade meal count?
I will scour Pinterest hoping inspiration strikes. If all else fails I’ll just make one of everything on my Food board and send him into a food coma until he forgets all about birthday gifts.
Yes, food coma it is.
Double Chocolate Torte, you’re next on the list.
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Cheezy Summer Pasta
This is a great recipe when you need to clean out your fridge! I just chopped up whatever veggies I had lurking deep in the crisper, mixed it with my go-to cheeze sauce, and threw in my fav cooked pasta. Add some chickpeas or beans if you are looking to amp up the protein. I love using Kamut or brown rice pasta because it’s high in protein. I can see this recipe working with many different ingredients, so have some fun and play around with it…you really can’t screw it up. Well, there was that one time when I…oh, never mind.
Cheeze Sauce:
Sautéed Vegetables:
- Roughly 4 cups chopped vegetables (I used 1 zucchini, 1.5 bell peppers, 2 cups grape tomatoes, 2-3 cups kale leaves)
- 2 tsp olive oil, for sautéing
- Herbamare or kosher salt + black pepper, to season
- 1-2 tbsp Earth Balance to stir in (optional)
Pasta
- Roughly 3 cups uncooked pasta (I used Kamut Rotini)
Directions:
1. In a food processor, add all cheeze sauce ingredients and process until smooth.
2. In a large skillet, add chopped onion and cook over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute. Next, add the rest of the chopped vegetables and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
3. Meanwhile, cook your desired pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
4. Add cheeze sauce to cooked veggies in the skillet and stir well. Finally, add drained pasta and stir again until combined. Stir in a tablespoon of Earth Balance if desired (I love doing this!). Heat and serve immediately. Makes about 6-7 cups. Pasta tastes best served immediately warm. If reheating, add a splash of non-dairy milk as the sauce tends to dry out in the fridge.
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I recently made this cheeze sauce for my family last week and everyone devoured it! They spread it on sandwiches and loved it as Mac n Cheeze. The kids and adults both gobbled it up!
Unlike birthday gifts for your significant other or alcohol and secrets, you can’t go wrong with this dish.
For dessert, I made something that looked much more naughty than it really was, made primarily from GROUND FLAX and a few other all-natural ingredients.
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Flax Glowballs
Inspired by 5 minute Almond Butter Chews and PInterest.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup flax seeds, ground (or just use pre-ground)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats, ground into flour
- 1/4 cup Sucanat (or other dry sweetener like white sugar), or more to taste
- 1 cup mashed banana (~2 lg.bananas)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut, for rolling
Directions:
1. In a blender or spice grinder, grind the flax seeds and rolled oats into a flour like consistency. Alternatively you can use 1 cup ground flax if you do not have whole flax seeds. Add the ground flax & oat mixture along with the cocoa powder and Sucanat (or dry sweetener) to a large bowl. Adjust sweetener to taste.
2. In a smaller bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Scoop the banana onto the flax/oat flour and combine well with a fork or spoon. This process will take several minutes to combine thoroughly.
3. With slightly wet hands, shape balls and roll in shredded coconut. Place balls on a parchment lined plate and freeze for 30-60 mins. If freezing for longer, allow to sit on the counter for 5 minutes or so to de-thaw slightly. Makes 10-12 large balls.
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I prefer to roll them in sweetened coconut because the flax balls aren’t very sweet and it gives them a nice pop of sweetness on the tongue, however unsweetened coconut works too. Freeze them for 30-60 minutes to set and enjoy!
The chopped almonds give them a little crunch too and the cup of flax lends an earthy, nutty flavour with a hint of sweetness. You know what else I love about them? They pack in a ton of healthy Omega oils that aid in glowing skin, hair, and nails. Hence the name, Glowballs. :)
Glo Bar Giveaway
This week, I’m busy baking, packing, and shipping Glo Bar orders and I thought a giveaway would be fun! I’m giving away a box of Glo Bars to a lucky reader this week because you guys just make me happy each and every day.
To Enter: simply ‘Like’ Oh She Glows on Facebook. (If you already liked my page, you are already entered!)
[I’m OK with bribes for food if you are.] :D
I will be choosing one random winner out of my Facebook fans on Wednesday. Goodluck!
looks awesome! i’ve started making some of your recipes-and they are fantastic so far ;) love your website!
That all looks so tasty!
And I’ve been on a rice milk kick lately….is veganism contagious? :P
You have inspired me to make that fresh looking pasta salad…..still making your vegan snickerdoodles all.the.time! They are the bomb! Great wedding pics! I had your facebook in my favourites but have not liked before now, so glad to see its a busy page now!
Both recipes look great and look like dinner and dessert tonight!!! I’m seriously printing out both recipes now and going to Trader Joe’s and the market next!! Thanks Angela!! I hope I get picked for the Glo bar giveaway!!!
Liked it! love me some glo bars!
I was wondering if you have any idea where to order nutritional yeast online? I live in a remote town in Northern Alberta and a lot of your ingredients aren’t available up here, so I am trying to find them online. The problem is a lot of them are really expensive to ship to Canada!
Im not sure about online but I know Superstore carries it by bobs red mill. Also bulk barn I think has it. Goodluck!
All of this food looks so good!
Obviously I already “like” you on facebook my lovie :) These recipes look amazing! Can’t wait to try them out!! xoxo
Those flax balls look delicious! and I liked you on facebook :)
I was already a facebook fan but decided to go and stalk your beautiful pictures anyway.
And by that, I mean there may or may not be drool on my computer…
Everything looks great! :D
You’re one funny girl! This was a real funny one to read today. I’m glad I’m in this blog life of yours! Sometimes you are terribly funny!! In case no ever told ya…
Yum yum yum! Looks delicious and definitely going to try. I usually end up with lots of veggies that need to be used! xo
Those glo balls look yummy.
…and you are *so* right to not believe the “oh you don’t need to get me anything” line :) I took my hubs at it the first time he tried it…but like when I say it – it’s so secretly not true!
I liked you ages ago. On Facebook..and otherwise :)
The Flax Glowballs looks spectacular! I make things like that with whatever nuts/seeds/oats/etc I have on hand. I usually use dates not bananas though b/c in raw/nobake balls, I find that bananas render my entire dough a sloppy mess…lol! And then I have to bake it. Which isn’t bad. But I always stick w/ dates or dried fruit not nanners.
I need to try your recipe, and actually use your ratios and not improvise :)
Those glowballs look devine.
I already like Oh She Glows on Facebook :) That salad looks delicious! What a great way to use up summer produce!
This post made me smile! What a fun tone you had today! The cheeze sauce has been sounding wonderful and I will be implementing it sooner than later as these rainy days make me craze some mac and cheese :D
Change is always fun ;)
Looking forward to your news, maybe a new job or a transfer??? Your previous wedding post was absolutely beautiful!
First of all, I have tried MANY recipes on your blog and they ALL turn out! I can not say that about any other blog. So DELICIOUS! Also, I just simply enjoy reading your every day musings. You are very talented… be encouraged and keep writing! I also wanted to tell you that I went to an amazing vegan/gluten-free/raw restaurant in Vancouver over the weekend and if you are ever in the area you MUST go. It is called ORGANIC LIVES, here is the link http://organiclives.org/. I read previous posts about vegan restaurants in Toronto and thought there must be one in Van and I wound up at Organic Lives. So good!
Thank you! I hope to visit some day!!
Those glow balls sound delicious! I’ve been wanting to make some raw snack balls (have a couple of my own recipes in mind), and now I’m adding these to the list! Love the large amount of flax. I’m always concerned about not getting enough omega 3’s.
Yum – I always love meatless recipes. I do a “vegetarian” month every year, so I’m always looking for new things to try! We eat vegetarian/vegan at least once a week anyways. And this looks like a yummy addition!
I liked you!! :)
I liked you on Facebook! Both of your recipes look so delicious- I wish I would have seen those Glo Balls before I made homemade Larabars yesterday though!
Tonight I made your Cheezy Summer Pasta for dinner. It was fabulous tasting and a very big hit at our house! I read your blog daily and really, really enjoy your recipes. They are all spectacular.
Christi
So happy you liked it!
I liked :)
The pasta and veggie mix looks divine. You could totally give me that as a birthday gift and I would be happy. Thanks for the chance to win some Glo Bars! (I had already liked you on fb before this contest)
Woot woot, a giveaway!!! I liked your facebook page :-)
So excited to hear your news :-)
Waaah,the pasta looks DIVINE!
I love your recipes,I’ve got so many of them on my “To Try”-list… :D
& I liked your FB page,too,of course! ;)
Can’t wait to make the pasta and Glowballs! They look so delish!!!
just ‘liked’ you on FB! :) somehow thought i already had, but i guess not!
I made the cheezy pasta last night, and it was delicious! Even my husband liked the cheeze sauce, and he doesn’t usually like nutritional yeast.
oooo could the secret be about babies?! sorry, I have baby fever ;) Either way I’m excited to hear about your news! And I liked you on FB!
oops! just saw where you wrote that it’s not baby related! jumped the gun there, sorry! :)
I have a question about the Glo Bar packaging. I am starting to package my own food and would love to know how you package your Glo Bars. Do you use bags and a sealer? Or Celo sheet? I’d really appreciate any information.
Thanks
I use polypro. pouches and a hot sealer for the bars :)
I made this tonight and it was amazing!!! It was a great (and
delicious) way to use my farmer’s market goodies! Thank you for a wonderful recipe :)
Liked Glo Bar on facebook!
I made this for dinner tonight – SO easy and even more delicious! Thanks!
I made this pasta last night, but roasted the veggies rather than sauteing. It was a huuuuuuuuuuuge hit!
i made these flax glow balls last night! they are such a great treat!! :) love em!
Hey Angela! Made your “cheeze sauce” last night for the first time, and my hubby and I both loved it! Thanks for the great recipes, as always.
I was wondering though…. what kind of nutritional yeast do you use? Is it a “white” color, or yellow, in order to give your cheeze sauce the yellowy-color? My sauce was definitely BROWN, but tasted great. I was just curious as to how yours looks so cheesey!
Thanks!
I just made your Banana Date Cinnamon Smoothie. It’s AWESOME! Thanks! A quality blender is indispensable to a healthy foodie!
i’ve always wanted to try your glo bars! i already like you on facebook!
haha, 5.5% beer! i get super chatty after just a few drinks too! and pinterest has become an addiction for me, it is SO AWESOME!
I love this pasta dish, but the link for the Cheez sauce is no longer available and I can’t finish the recipe! Any tips on where I can find it? I didn’t notice it in either of the books.
Thanks!