It is time to “Take Me Out To The Ball Game!” I can’t tell you how excited I am that the baseball season has started again! I've been attending major league and minor league baseball games since I was a kid, and still, become giddy when the season begins each year. ​

Often, when people cite their reasons for making the switch to a vegan lifestyle they cite one of three reasons: their health, the environment, or animal rights.  When people cite reasons for not making the switch, they suggest that they can’t give up their favorite food (usually cheese or bacon), they don’t have the time or energy to focus on such a drastic lifestyle shift, and that they don’t have the budget for a vegan diet.

But this is a huge misconception. Budgeting for a vegan lifestyle should be one of the main reasons people choose the go vegan - not the other way around. Believe it or not, there are many economic benefits to going vegan, both for the individual and the country.

​I have mentioned batch cooking and meal prep many times, but it is something I forget to do in my kitchen. So I decided to give it a go again last week! I made large batches of brown rice, tri-colored quinoa, cheesy tempeh, and un-refried beans. I also prepared kale, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, chopped Brussels sprouts, chopped broccoli, and cut delicata squash. I made a lemon tahini dressing that I used on salads and bowls. Mid-week I made a large batch of cheesy tofu, and marinara sauce for spaghetti squash. I also used items in the pantry to save me money at the grocery store! 

Today is day 5 of the Vegan Month of Food! I strayed from the daily themes for today's post.
The theme was to cook from your favorite vegan cookbook. How do you choose just one??
I have so many vegan cookbooks, and new ones seem to be coming out each week.
​Plus I tend to use cookbooks as inspiration and not always follow the recipes. I like to learn about different techniques and flavor profiles. So, for today's post, here is my favorite meal that I have made in the past week. It is bowl packed full of flavor and protein that I made for Steve as a celebration and recovery meal after his 20-mile race event around Mt. Saint Helens.

Isn't it pretty?! Under all of the veggie goodness is brown rice. The veggies are roasted butternut squash, roasted zucchini, roasted carrots, roasted Brussels sprouts, and kale. I also sliced and cooked some of the new Beyond Meat Sweet Italian Sausage for extra protein (and because they taste incredible!). 

I topped it with a dijon sauce that pulled together using sunflower seeds, dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, a little bit of olive oil, and water - it was so good over all of the veggies! And the sauce complemented the sausage (I was first afraid it was going to clash with the sweet Italian flavor) perfectly.  It was actually the second sauce I made that day. The first sauce, which was supposed to have been a miso gravy, didn't turn out so well. But that is OK because it gave me a chance to make the delicious dijon sauce. I am still playing around with the exact measurements (because I never measure anything) and then I will share the recipe! 

Don't forget to check out what others are posting for Vegan MoFo using the hashtags #veganmofo2018 and #veganmofo18 on Instagram and Twitter. Plus you can follow along on Vegan MoFo's account! 

Today's theme is multicolor! How many colors can you fit into one dish?
​A salad is an easy way to fill a bowl with multiple colors. For my salad today, I used a mixture of romaine lettuce, mixed spring greens, carrot ribbons, diced cucumbers, sunflower seeds, and nutritional yeast. I topped the salad with a homemade tofu ranch dressing. 

This week's theme is all about eating the colors of the rainbow. And, no, I am not talking about Skittles (even though they are vegan!). Today is how to play with monochromatic foods. I selected to make foods that are all a shade of brown - pinto beans, whole wheat toast, and Upton's Naturals Bacon Seitan.
This is one of those go-to meals - one that is easy, nutritious, flavorful, and filling. I made this for breakfast, but of course, it can be savored any time of the day. Plus this is a meal that you can customize to your mood and flavor palate. 

Today's theme is hilarious! Feed the Alien – An alien lands on your doorstep. What are they going to eat? This topic was fun to brainstorm. I thought about soup, tofu scramble, and eventually decided a bowl of granola and fruit would be best to feed the weary alien. It is healthy, filling, and delicious. Everything an alien needs after a long journey!

What is your dream destination? Italy is on the top of my list of dream destinations.
With Italy in mind, I made a slow cooked minestrone. It is a hearty soup packed with green beans, kidney beans, navy beans, zucchini, carrots, celery, and tomatoes.
I also sprinkled a little bit of vegan parm cheese shreds on top upon serving.  

​I love this soup for a blustery fall evening or a family potluck. Everyone will enjoy this soup. 

​Today’s theme – where does your favorite food come from? For me, I love Mexican food. Having grown up in Texas, I mainly ate TexMex meals. This dish is a take on one of my favorites growing up. It is black beans, tempeh, and butternut squash enchiladas. 

A small warning, this recipe is a little time intensive, but it is worth it. The filling can be used for these enchiladas or for a few ideas that I posted below.