First week of our vegan challenge and I have to say, we’re doing pretty good! I was expecting to feel hungry and to miss all my dairy staples. And I was also concerned about eating too many carbs. But none of that has been an issue so far!
After our last posts, I got a lot of feedback from friends and family. Most of it good and encouraging thankfully.
But the one thing people have asked the most was, why? Why did I decide to go vegan? And the question makes sense, since I never really explained it.Well, a couple of reasons:
First, my energy level has been really low lately. Not sure why, but I knew it probably had something to do with my diet. I knew I needed a change. I remembered when Ruth first decided to go vegan, the first thing she noticed was how much energy she had. So I figured, why not give it a try??
Second, I realized also that the amount of junk food lying around the house had been increasing dangerously over the past few months. And I didn’t like it. So going vegan has forced me to not only become more creative, but also make sure I always have TONS of different fruits, veggies and grains on hand. Junk food is off limits now, locked in the junk food cabinet!
So… on my quest for vegan creativity, I came up with this tasty side dish. My inspiration? The market, of course, where I found beautiful fresh peas that stared at me screaming “Buy me!!”. And also, our friend Mo (personal trainer and nutrition “master”) who right now is really into the “bacon-is-good-for you-and-helps-you-lose-wait” theory. Sounds kinda weird, doesn't it? And fascinating at the same time. Honestly, I’m not sure I get it (maybe I should ask him to write a post explaining it?). But I asked him if vegan bacon counted anyway... Can you guess the answer?? Big fat NO!
It's ok though. I'm very content with my fake bacon. Even if it doesn't make me skinny 🙂
Vicky
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58wPxWEO_Zc]
Fresh Peas with Vegan "Bacon"
- Total Time: 22 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups shelled fresh peas
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup chopped onion (1 small)
- 4-5 strips of meatless bacon, chopped (we use Lightlife Smart Bacon)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp salt
- Lemon pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, bring salted water to a boil. Place the shelled peas on a steaming basket en gently drop it in the boiling water. Cook for about 2 minutes
- In the mean time, prepare a large bowl with iced water
- Remove the basket from boiling water and gently place it into the ice water bath. Let it sit for a couple of minutes, then remove and drain the water. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil, add chopped onions and cook until translucent
- Add “bacon” and cook for 2-3 minutes
- Add peas, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Cook for an additional 6-8 minutes.
- ENJOY! From May I have that recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
Rebecca P.
This looks great and i LOVE the picture!!