Hi there =)
We had a really tiring and physical day, but we also had a fun time today. We spent a couple hours in the basement sanding (no pics yet, too much dust) and then almost 4 hours doing yard work. Weeding, mowing the lawn, pruning, removing dead shrubs/vines, etc! Eric said I did a great job today. I beamed with pride (usually I have no confidence with renos and yard work type endeavors!)
A weed-free garden is a peaceful garden!
The weeds were out of control as we haven’t had any time to weed in over a month!
I think these beds need some flowers! All the perennials have come and gone this season. It is sad when their bloom is complete!
Blue Jay feather…we have lots of Blue jays around here.
I also discovered a love for pruning…
I went a bit crazy, as you would expect.
I sculpted, I designed, I made art. I love pruning because it appeals to my artistic side. I also love symmetrical objects. Very feng shui. Eric kept walking by and chuckling to himself because he said he’s never seen someone have so much fun while pruning before. What can I say, I whistle while I work!
While I was busy weeding and pruning, he was pulling out half dead shrubs and vines covering the house.
Even though the work was hot and sweaty and not ideal for a day off, we made it fun by enjoying each other’s company. We actually had a great time out there. Many hands make the work light, or however that saying goes! ;)
After admiring our work, we came in and were starving, so I got started on dinner right away.
I made a vegan version of my favourite 7 layer tortilla pie (aka Mexican Lasagna!). It is delish both ways and I highly recommend it!
Mexican Tortilla Pie
Adapted from 7 layer tortilla pie.
Ingredients:
- 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup salsa, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 (15 ounce) can refried beans
- 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
- 7 (8 inch) flour tortillas
- 1/2-3/4 cup Mae’s humnut cheese sauce
- Dried parsley, to garnish
- Enchilada sauce (I used for top layer)
Mae’s Humnut Cheese* (adapted)
- 2-3 tbsp hummus
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- A pinch of turmeric if you like your cheese yellow
- water to thin
[*Note: I tripled her humnut cheese recipe.]
Directions: Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, mash pinto beans. Stir in 3/4 cup salsa and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/4 cup salsa, cilantro, refried beans and tomatoes. Place 1 tortilla in a greased pie plate or tart dish. Spread 3/4 cup pinto bean mixture over tortilla to within 1/2 inch of edge. Top with 1/4 cup humnut cheese, and cover with another tortilla. Spread with 2/3 cup refried beans, and top with 1/4 cup humnut cheese. Repeat layering twice. Cover with remaining tortilla, and spread with remaining pinto bean mixture, humnut cheese, and enchilada sauce. Cook for about 35 minutes. Serves 6.
I didn’t have 7 tortillas or refried beans, so I made an adapted version, but it still worked out!
I had two slices and Eric had THREE! We were hungry monstaaaaas. In our case, it did not serve 6 as the recipe suggests! lol. It depends on how hungry you are I guess.
Eric said ‘If you keep cooking like this I won’t ever need to eat meat again!’ , as he shoveled in the pie.
I’m not so sure that will ever happen, but he has cut down meat about 75-80% and he says he doesn’t really miss it. I get a TON of questions about Eric’s diet- in fact, it is probably one of the most frequently asked questions as of late. I think he needs to start a blog! ;)
Eric does love a good beef burger, so I don’t think he would ever give up meat entirely (or maybe I am wrong here)… and that is fine by me. I will support him, just like he supports my choices. I don’t think that everyone needs to be 100% meat-free to make a difference. The fact that he is now making healthier choices than he once did, is a positive step and makes a huge impact on the system and his health. Small changes add up to something big! I truly believe this. I don’t think that everyone’s ‘end goal’ should be a vegan diet, but I do support awareness and consciousness about our food choices and the opportunity to feel our best with what we put into our bodies. I guess you could say I am pro-educated choice!
Do you live with someone and if so, do you share the same ‘diet’ or do you have different eating habits, opinions on what you eat, and different taste preferences? Is it difficult, easy, fun, creative, annoying?
I love pruning too! Except my arms are all funky after wards like I was a little too jolting on them or something.
My husband and I share very different diets but slowly he’s levitating to a more conscious diet and I love it!
I’m with you, I love pruning but weeding is another story all together! That Mexican tortilla pie looks delicious!
It’s so satisfying when you finish projects around the house. I want to see what your artistic pruning looks like!!! :D
Also the 7-layer tortilla looks like it’s to die for!!! Oh my goodness. I would love to come to your house and dine on that.
XOXO
Do you live with someone and if so, do you share the same ‘diet’ or do you have different eating habits, opinions on what you eat, and different taste preferences? Is it difficult, easy, fun, creative, annoying?
When I’m back home with my parents we have similar eating habits, but not the same. I’m a vegetarian, but my parents are not (my mom is a huuuge fan of fish). They are really respectful, and actually eat a lot of the same things I do. They love hummus, Greek yogurt, beans, lentils, veggies. They actually are eager to try anything I cook :D
p.s. they LOVED your parsnip fry recipe.
My boyfriend, who is Spanish, grew up eating lots of fresh, healthy, homemade foods. He loves most anything and everything, although in Spain ham is practically the second religion after Catholicism. (You think I am kidding. I am not.) I am not a vegetarian, nor do I really think too much about eating/not eating meat, but I barely eat any. When I do, it’s usually a meal my mom cooks or a meal that has been cooked for me. When eating out, I usually choose salads or veggie-based meals.
Mario, if left to his own devices, would eat large salads for dinner and something his mother made and froze for lunch (along with a salad). He also loves fruit for snacks. Really, I couldn’t have asked for anyone more agreeable.
My partner is a classic Southern boy – fried everything, meat, bbq and potatoes. As much as he waxes poetic about the beauty of hush puppies, I find that he also enjoys everything that I make: I cook almost 100 % vegetarian, often vegan as those were my paths up until very recently. We save money, he feels better and I love that I’m able to nourish someone I love in a manner I’m ethically sound with too.
My husband is a great eater. The more exotic, the better, and he will eat vegan or vegetarian food if I make it. He shares my love of learning how food works with your body, and he’s very interested in gardening and foraging. It’s always fun to experiment in the kitchen, because he’s always game for anything. That said, he’s also always game for a fat burger or a bag of chips.
My ex husband would eat 2 things: Cheeseburger macaroni Hamburger Helper and grilled cheese. Did you notice I said “ex”?
Your photos are lovely!
Amen to what you said about being more aware! A lot of people are so black and white: tons of meat, or no meat, all dairy, or no dairy. Even one meatless day a week makes a big difference to the planet!
This looks really yummy, I love a good mexican casserole!
Love your attitude – I agree with you, small changes add up! I’m reducing my meat quite a lot and although I’ll probably never give it up completely, I’m trying to be educated and ensure my meat comes from farms where the animals are treated right and the production methods are sustainable.
I love how much you two love and accept each other. You seem so at peace with his food choices… Normally stereotypical vegans, raw-ists, vegetarians, etc etc are so defensive about their food choices that they’ll put down people who do eat what they don’t. (Does that make sense?) I think this is just proof of your ever-beautiful spirit! :)
Wei-Wei
I live with my boyfriend and I think the only difference in our eating habits is that his plate has twice the amount of food that mine does. :P But I am more of a snacker anyways so it works out for both of us.
I tend to eat less meat than he does, but since I do 99% of the cooking he eats what I eat.
Now that I am single, it seems like every guys I’ve been meeting lately feel the need to tell me that they will NEVER give up meat (after I tell them im a vegetarian) and me to answer that I really don’t care about them eating meat, won’t try to change anyone mind, it is a personnal choice! Cause you know… “REAL” men eat meat! ;) However, I don’t like preparing meat or buying it, I will do it, since I doubt I find someone on the same page as me! ;) I’ve been thinking ever since I stop eating meat… would I feed meat to my kids? I mean, since I see that as a personnal choice, I might as well give them the option? I am feeding my dog vegetarian & hollistic food since I’ve been reading the ingredients on dog food (chicken fat is often cited as the first ingredient… ewww!!).
Yum, that Mexican Pie looks right up my alley! (my husband would love it, too!)
I definitely eat differently than my husband– I eat more raw food, and almost always vegetarian, while he craves meat and fast food like crazy! Since I’d like him to eat healthy, I usually prepare separate meals for each of us at night. Lately, I’ve been staying away from our gas oven (because it makes our apartment too hot) so he’s been getting lots of sandwiches and smoothies! But when our oven is in use, I’ve gotten him to LOVE quinoa and roasted veggies, as well as a vegan lasagna! (which makes life easy, since there’s always leftovers for the next night!)
Thanks for the boy-friendly AND healthy recipe–I am going to make this for dinner tomorrow. My boyfriend is always begging for things like nachos for dinner, but I usually find them to be too greasy and not nutritionally sound enough to be a meal, but this will be the perfect compromise! Yay for happy couples eating :)
Oh, YUM! My favorite meal as a child was a mexican casserole my mom made. We were just talking yesterday about looking for a healthier vegetarian version. Welllllll, here it is! Thank you- I canNOT wait to make!
About two years ago, I convinced my parents to stop eating (and buying) processed food. This summer, both went nearly vegetarian as sort of an ongoing experiment (Nutrition major…:p). It’s interesting to see…what works for one does not always work for another.
That meal looks amazing! And considering we are mexican food addicts over here, I’ll probably have to try it.
I actually made a version of your 50 cent hummus today, and it turned out awesome!!
Jon has never had intentions of becoming vegetarian or vegan, but he has slowly eliminated meat from his diet more and more. He basically only eats the occasional chicken sandwich (read: chick fil a) when we go out…but doesn’t ever eat meat at home anymore. And most of the time he orders vegetarian meals when we go out too! It’s kind of funny because just tonight he said “I think I’m becoming a vegetarian.” It’s like it’s happening before his very eyes. lol. I’ve told him I support him either way…but of course I’m thrilled that he’s choosing to begin making changes!
My husband is vegan–we met at an animal rights protest! We used to eat almost the same thing, but then I started into eating raw foods and he tried out some things but we eventually found we need to eat what works for us. We share some things and don’t others. No big deal, it works for us.
I can see it now oh-he-glows as the companion website to oh-she-glows! I remember the guest post he did a while back, it was funny!
That tortilla pie will be created in my kitchen…. SOON!
haha whenever he surprises me with some healthy act I call him oh he glows for the day ;)
I live with my husband, and luckily we have the same eating habits … he will eat anything I cook (no matter how weird it is!!!)
My husband calls himself a “pseudo-vegetarian” :D I’m veggo, he’s not but he’s more than happy to eat vegetarian (mainly vegan) at home. Even when we go out (which is really quite rare these days) he often chooses a vegetarian dish. I always have to laugh when people ask me quite seriously what he eats when they find out that I’m vegetarian – um, the same things I do – he loves my cooking!
PS – your mexican tortilla pie looks fantastic – now I know how to use up the leftover tortillas from our mexican dinner the other night in a different way!