Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus | Plant Based, Oil Free, Instant Pot

Living a whole plant based lifestyle has translated to a lot of fun in the kitchen. Going to the market is an entirely new experience now. The tender stalks of fresh asparagus caught my eyes and I decided to make something different. Pasta is a special treat for me, so I took the time to make a creamy white bean sauce to take this dish up a notch. There's no oil in this dish making it lighter than other pasta dishes I've put together. This is what I would call a guilt free bowl of creamy pasta with asparagus.

Vegan Menu at Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill

Since moving to eating whole plant based, I've only dined out at two restaurants so far and they have both been stellar. My latest dining adventure was at Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill. This is a chain of restaurants in Southern California serving food made from natural, organic, non-GMO, ingredients with gluten free and vegan options. The restaurant's motto is "feel good about eating". It's always nice to find restaurants that are vegan or plant based friendly and transparent about the ingredients in their food.

Chayote Curry | Plant Based, Oil Free, Cast Iron Skillet

Chayote is in season! This pear shaped squash is a wonderful ingredient to have in the kitchen. After it's peeled, chayote can be eaten raw or cooked. Make sure to wear gloves when peeling chayote or you'll end up with some undesired residue on your hands. Raw chayote can be tossed into a salad and cooked chayote can be added to stews and soups. This week I decided to make a chayote curry with a new curry powder I picked up from Trader Joe's. The dish turned out really well and great on its own. Next time I might serve it over some rice or lentils.

Savory Oats with Beets and Kale | Plant Based, Oil Free, Instant Pot

Savory steel cut oats have become a go to breakfast meal recently. I love the crunchy texture of the oats and it works well with just about any ingredient. When I can find organic steel cut oats, that's what I buy. At $.17 per serving, it's a great item to have in stock packed with nutrients. My latest experiment with savory oats was slightly sweet with the addition of beets. If you're looking for a savory oats recipe that's slightly sweet, give this version a try.