Pasta!

      

     The thing I love most about eating a low fat, low sodium, low glycemic index, high fiber vegan diet is that I can actually eat! Yay, I can eat! There is no need to ever be hungry when eating this way. I feel and look healthier, have more energy, and am steadily losing weight. It's such a relief from the days of struggling to drop weight to no avail.

     My daughter made this pasta sauce and said she didn't miss the oil or salt. This easy sauce is made by mixing roasted red peppers, fresh tomatoes, roasted garlic, and lots of fresh basil leaves in the food processor. It is packed full of flavor and very satisfying.

A Vegan's Blank Canvas

  
   I admit, it took some time for me to wrap my head around tofu. One day I had an aha! moment that went something like this:  For an artist, the blank canvas is not the work of art; for a writer, the blank page is not the story; and for a vegan cook, the bland tofu is not the meal.

   Before starting an oil painting I always take a little time to prepare the canvas. Similarly, for the best result,  I prep a brick of tofu by putting it in a colander and placing something heavy like a Gladware filled with water on top of it for about 15 to 20 minutes.

   Tofu is very versatile since it takes on the flavors of other ingredients in a dish.  It is low fat and loaded with protein.

   Tofu used to intimidate me.  However, now I see it as an opportunity to be creative and express my ever-developing culinary style while having fun creating masterpieces in the kitchen.

 

Top photo:  block of tofu

Bottom photo:  penne pasta, tomato, tofu