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.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Cheezy Summer Pasta
Yield
4 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
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.
Ingredients
For the Cheeze Sauce
For the 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)
For the pasta
- Roughly 3 cups uncooked pasta (I used Kamut Rotini)
Directions
- In a food processor, add all cheeze sauce ingredients and process until smooth.
- 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.
- Meanwhile, cook your desired pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- 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.
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.
For the Flax Glowball Recipe click here
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.