Every once in a while I think we (I) could go back to being vegan no problem. I love vegan food and am quite content eating heaps of veggies all day long, but I go through phases where I want salmon at every meal, too, so perhaps I should just forget labels and continue to eat how I am. Lots of vegan meals with some animals products here and there.
I had a vision for this produce and it came out exactly how I had hoped.
Gorgeous, no?
Cast iron pots make me feel fuzzy Winter feelings. It’s like the visual embodiment of coziness. I can’t explain it.
Like many good things, this started with sautéed alliums (in the form of shallots) as well as pancetta. After that I added veggies one at a time…it was slightly crowded, but I started well in advance of dinnertime for the specific reason of letting the flavors mix and mingle (and ring ting tingle…too much jingle bells in my life?).
I left the Brussels on high heat so they’d brown and then deglazed the pot with some balsamic and water before putting the lid on so they could cook through.
Next I added red potatoes and fuji apples.
As well as salt, pepper, and thyme from the garden.
Once they’d cooked a bit I added more balsamic and made sure the scraped up bits off the pot coated all the different components. It was smelling realllllll good around now.
I had extra Brussels, so I roasted them for my lunches (since I’d already finished off the previous sheet).
Before the potatoes were all the way fork tender I turned off the heat but left the lid on until just before dinner…at which point things were looking and smelling great.
As I reheated it on the stove, I turned on the oven to roast some walnuts.
Big plate of veggies!
Kyle and the kids had bread with butter on the side (it was the bird seed bread from Upper Crust which you can buy discounted when it’s “day old” at the Davis farmer’s market). It’s my favorite of all their breads (when I feel like gluten and I are on good enough terms to have it).
But I saved my fodmaps for the apples in this dish, which were picked that week from a friend’s tree!
Yes, I could probably eat this all Winter long and be happy as could be. Maybe I should describe my eating style as “veggie forward”.
Another blogger I follow describes her diet as “plant based” – not as restrictive as vegetarian or vegan but I think that fits well with your “veggie forward” mantra!
I think the labels that aren’t defined just confuse the general public. “Plant based” is a misnomer that sounds like yet is not vegetarian, and there’s some mashup thing people are calling themselves “pagen” or paleo vegan which personally i find offensive since it’s certainly not vegan anything and actively encourages eating lots of animal products.
Maybe you’re a whole foods plant loving omnivore prone to vegan phases and IBS complications?? LOL. I’m a lactose intolerant vegetarian who hates eggs and goat dairy ;)) just never going to get to the point where I scrutinize all of everything constantly to be sure it’s vegan, and I’m ok with that.
YES!! That’s exactly what I am, haha. Love your description of yourself too!