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Friday Foodie Favorites: October 25, 2013

in Friday Favorites

I am always excited when Fridays roll around, but lately I have been extra excited about my Fridays.  Last Friday I worked a half day and headed right into a fabulous weekend at my best friend’s bachelorette party in Chicago.  This Friday is a great one, too, because I am off of work at 3 and heading home to my family, friends, and puppy dogs tomorrow. I seriously cannot wait to spend quality relaxation time with my parents and puppy dogs, and to eat dinner at one of my favorite restaurants and go to a hayrack ride with some of my favorite friends.  Ahh, there really is no place like home.  Here’s to a good weekend ahead (knock on wood…please tell me that I am not the only superstitious person ;)).

Now I do not want to be the only person who has a good weekend.  So, I am going to share with you some delicious eats from around the blogging world for you to cook up in order to help make your weekend even better than it will hopefully already be!

Friday Foodie Favorites: October 25, 2013

Spaghetti Squash with Mushroom Sauce

I know what you are thinking…MORE spaghetti squash?  For awhile there I was really hooked on cauliflower rice.  Now, it appears that spaghetti squash is my new favorite thing.  I have made squash topped with the more traditional Italian red sauce, but I decided to mix it up a bit this time.

mushroom spaghetti squash 4

I topped roasted spaghetti squash with the mushroom gravy recipe that I found in the Everyday Happy Herbivore cookbook.  I followed the recipe but added in some spinach in order to up the veggies and to make it more colorful ;).  Plus, I just really love spinach, especially cooked spinach.  I really enjoyed this mushroom sauce and will likely make it again both for spaghetti squash pastsa and real pasta.

Jamaican Jerk Tempeh

I know that I have been sharing a lot of Robyn’s recipes lately, but let’s be real people…they are awesome and SO worth sharing!  You can definitely expect to see more from one of my new favorite bloggers.

friday favorite jamaican tempeh

I made Robyn’s Jamaican Jerk Tempeh a couple of weekends ago in preparation for a busy work week.  I ate this for lunch two days and for dinner the other days.  It was super easy to prep and prepare, it reheated beautifully, and it (most importantly) tasted amazing.  I am a big-time tempeh lover and to discover a new way to prepare it was absolutely exciting to me.  I will definitely make this again.

Mustardy Kale and Butternut Squash

Mustard, kale, and butternut squash?  I was instantly sold when I saw the title of  Ashley’s recipe for this tasty dish.

friday favorite mustardy kale

I made Ashley’s Mustardy Kale and Butternut Squash on a chilly Fall night and it was the perfect comfort food!  I followed Ashley’s recipe exactly, except I left out the walnuts (I did not have any) and I omitted the cheese in order to make it vegan.  I also decided to serve my dish over a serving of cauliflower “rice” (okay, so apparently I am still hooked on it…).  It was a wise decision.  I really enjoyed this dish.  It was super easy to make  and was stuffed full of Fall-themed veggies..my favorite kind of meal right now.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash + Runny Eggs + Ketchup + Sriracha Sauce

That’s right.  This is recipe number two involving spaghetti squash in this post (and the third one involving squash…helllllo Fall!).  This dinner creation came about with inspiration from Allison.  Around a month ago, Allison posted a picture on Instagram of one of her meals.  It consisted of roasted spaghetti squash, runny eggs, ketchup, salt, and pepper.  The instant that I saw the picture, I knew I would be recreating it in my own kitchen.

roasted spaghetti squash with eggs2

And here she is: Roasted spaghetti squash topped with two runny eggs (the best kind!), sea salt, pepper, ketchup, and sriracha sauce.  I just had to add some sriracha sauce to mine.  I like that stuff on pretty much everything ;).  If you are a spaghetti squash lover like myself (as if that isn’t extremely obvious by now) and you want a simple way to incorporate it into lunch or dinner, then this is the way to go!

Split Pea Soup

friday favorite split pea soup

Ahh…another fantastic recipe from Robyn.  Seriously, you are missing out if you haven’t stopped by her blog yet.  I prepped this soup last Friday evening so that I would have soup to eat for several lunches and dinners throughout the week.  Boy am I glad that I did.  It has made meal prepping super easy.  Plus, letting the soup sit in the fridge for a few days always produces tasty results.  Everyone knows that soup is always better as leftovers, am I right?  I have confessed several times that I have a strange love for frozen peas (cooked, of course).  I eat them as snacks and with my main meals.  Well, now I can say that I am a huge fan of split peas, too!  This soup was delicious, thick, perfectly seasoned, and just chunky enough (from the vegetables) to make my stomach super happy.  This is a staple recipe for everyone’s upcoming Winter!

And finally…sticking with the Friday favorite theme, here are some of my favorite pictures from my weekend in Chicago last Saturday.

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The bachelorette, Amanda, and me!

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My friend, Stacy, and me!

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It was a tad bit chilly, but we were happy to be together in Chi-town!

And finally, I have to share a picture of my dinner from the night.

chicago harry carays

While it may not photograph very well, this was a super tasty mushroom risotto.  And it was made just for me…literally.  We ate at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse before heading out to celebrate.  When I first viewed the menu online a few days before, I noticed that it wasn’t particularly vegan-friendly.  I contacted them via e-mail and the general manager and chef came up with a dish to make for me that evening.  Now that is some fabulous accommodation right there.  I was beyond impressed with their service and was extremely pleased and satisfied with my meal.  If you are ever in Chicago you should absolutely check it out!

Now go have a fantastic Friday and an absolutely wonderful and fun weekend! 🙂

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{ 38 comments… add one }
  • Kelly @ hidden fruits and veggies October 25, 2013, 7:00 am
    I've been thinking about split pea soup lately, which is weird because I havent had it since I was in 4 grade (ahhh like 15 years ago! old). Definitely going to check that recipe out! Have you ever tried the Chicago Diner? Diner food made vegan. LOVE it. My meat-eating friend said a mushroom sandwich he had there was legitimately the best sandwich of his life, meat or no meat.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 25, 2013, 11:35 am
      I haven not, but I have heard awesome AWESOME things about it. I really hope to go there sometime soon!
  • Deb @ Dietitian Debbie Dishes October 25, 2013, 7:12 am
    Mmm... I need to try that mustardy kale and butternut squash recipe! Those are some of my favorite veggies. I seriously can't stop buying an excessive amount of fall squash at the market every weekend. Looks like you had fun in Chicago. I moved there about 6 months ago and I LOVE it here! Kelly @ hidden fruits and veggies is right, the Chicago Diner is super delicious!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 25, 2013, 11:35 am
      Lucky you!! I love Chicago and I am sure that they have some amazing vegetarian/vegan restaurants!
  • Alisha @ Alisha's Appetite October 25, 2013, 7:23 am
    I've been holding onto a bag of dried split peas waiting for the right time to make soup with it...I think you've convinced me that now is the right time! Have a great weekend with your fam lady! Alisha @ Alisha's Appetite recently posted...Massaged Kale Salad with Butternut Squash, Toasted Walnuts and Blue CheeseMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 25, 2013, 11:37 am
      You should definitely use it to make this soup! It is beyond tasty and SO easy to make!
  • Ang @ Nutty for Life October 25, 2013, 8:01 am
    Ah HA! I wondered where you were?! I have to switch to self hosted soon because my domain is about to to expire... eeek. No idea how to do all of that. So nice of the restaurant to accomodate! I love that. Also, the mushroom sauce over spaghetti squash looks amazing and like something I would LOVE. Like love love. Ang @ Nutty for Life recently posted...Friday FavoritesMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 25, 2013, 11:38 am
      It is hilarious that I love mushroom recipes now since I used to be "afraid" of them! ;) And you should definitely look into self-hosted. It is quite the process and can be very frustrating, but I am happy with it so far!
  • Dana @ Conscious Kitchen Blog October 25, 2013, 8:55 am
    I've been obsessed with spaghetti squash lately too! I think part of it is because it's so fun to shred it with a fork after you roast it. It still amazes me how much it looks like noodles! I love the idea of eating it with eggs and making it a breakfast dish - genius! Dana @ Conscious Kitchen Blog recently posted...Finding My ‘Fighting Shape’My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 25, 2013, 11:39 am
      It IS super fun to shred with the fork, isn't it? I am amazed by how much it resembles noodles every single time that I make it!
  • Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes October 25, 2013, 9:10 am
    I have some dried peas that I can make this soup with!! It's been a while and it's one healthy soup that I really like :) Have a great weekend! Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes recently posted...KIND Bars and Granola ReviewMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 25, 2013, 11:43 am
      It is the perfect soup to make on the weekend! Let me know if you try it out!
  • Nicole @ FruitnFitness October 25, 2013, 11:59 am
    All of those meals look great. How awesome that the restaurant was able to accommodate your diet needs, with what looks like a fantastic dish. I need to try a fried egg over spag squash. Nicole @ FruitnFitness recently posted...Artisinal Dish OcalaMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 25, 2013, 2:49 pm
      It was super awesome! I was really impressed that they were so accommodating!
  • Jamie @ Sometimes Healthy Living Blog October 25, 2013, 1:21 pm
    mmm I can never get enough of spaghetti squash recipes! And the kale recipe looks fabulous as well :-) You're right, there is no place like home! I sure miss O-town! Jamie @ Sometimes Healthy Living Blog recently posted...30 Minute Halloween Treats + Choose Your Own Adventure WorkoutMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 25, 2013, 2:50 pm
      Next time you are back to visit we will have to grab a bite to eat!
  • Heather @ Housewife Glamour October 25, 2013, 1:25 pm
    Fun post! Looks like you had a blast in Chicago. I always love visiting CHI town! Have a great weekend! Oh, and you should totally link this up on #FFavorites! http://housewifeglamour.com/healthy-eating/friday-favorites-8-week-of-1025/ ;) Heather @ Housewife Glamour recently posted...Friday Favorites #8: Week of 10/25My Profile
  • Brittany @ The Fit Phoenician October 25, 2013, 4:34 pm
    I hadn't had split pea soup in so long until today! I love how much squash you eat as well- I'm doing a #squashweek next week you should keep in mind!!! :) Have a fun weekend! Brittany @ The Fit Phoenician recently posted...10/24: Friday FavesMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 25, 2013, 9:12 pm
      Squash week?? I am intrigued!! I LOVE me some squash..of all kinds! ;)
  • Cailee October 25, 2013, 10:47 pm
    Oooh! More spaghetti squash!! Love the versatility :) So tasty and so healthy! What a great combo, right?! Cailee recently posted...Thankful Thursday: My Brother and Grocery Shopping!My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 27, 2013, 11:05 am
      Yes!! It continues to amaze me how versatile spaghetti squash is!
  • Ashley October 26, 2013, 7:42 am
    Yay! I'm so glad you tried the kale and butternut squash! I'm still making that dish about once a week right now! I think I buy a little too more butternut squash each week at the grocery store! Have a great weekend with your parents and doggies! Ashley recently posted...Pumpkin Spice White Hot ChocolateMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 27, 2013, 11:06 am
      It was SO good!! You can never have too much squash, am I right? ;)
  • Danica @ It's Progression October 26, 2013, 7:52 am
    Everything looks delicious! Enjoy your weekend, girl! Danica @ It's Progression recently posted...computer problems…My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 27, 2013, 11:25 am
      Thanks so much!! You too!
  • Kat October 26, 2013, 11:00 am
    I've been to Chicago once, for a soccer tournament, and the only food I remember is the pizza. Holy. Freaking. Yum. It was beyond amazing. Oh and I remember thinking I was going to die in a Taxi cab. Insane driver!! Kat recently posted...Friday FavoritesMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 27, 2013, 11:32 am
      Chicago pizza is to die for!! And yes, cab rides can be awfully scary!! :/
  • Jan @ Sprouts n Squats October 26, 2013, 6:34 pm
    That mushroom sauce OMG it looks amazing! I might have to just get that cookbook so I can get the recipe. :) Jan @ Sprouts n Squats recently posted...I panicked and got the dipsMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 27, 2013, 11:34 am
      You should! Her cookbooks are absolutely amazing. I use them WAY more than any other cookbooks that I own.
  • Jessie October 27, 2013, 12:28 am
    Split Pea Soup is something I've never but have always wanted to try. Have fun with all your loved ones this weekend <3 <3 Jessie recently posted...Zombie SurvivalMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 27, 2013, 11:34 am
      You definitely need to try it! It is SO tasty and super duper easy to make!
  • Katherine October 27, 2013, 2:01 pm
    Spaghetti squash has always been a personal fav, and that mushroom sauce looks amazing! You look so cute with your friends! Glad you had a good time :)
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 27, 2013, 8:59 pm
      Thanks so much! We sure did! :)
  • Liz @ I Heart Vegetables October 28, 2013, 6:40 am
    I just made a spaghetti squash back last night! I'm obsessed :) I was joking with my boyfriend that he probably never imagined he'd be eating so much spaghetti squash before we started dating ;) Liz @ I Heart Vegetables recently posted...Easy Halloween DessertMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl October 28, 2013, 9:01 pm
      Haha, I bet he secretly loves it!! ;) Heck, I never though that I would ever be eating so much squash!
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