Lentils! Soy Curls! Tostadas!

JL Fields of JL Goes Vegan offered a free, virtual Instant Pot class a couple weekends ago, and I've been needing some tips for the Instant Pot I got for Christmas. I use it almost daily for rice, but I know it can do so much more. JL made two recipes in the class, and I just happened to have everything to make both in my pantry and fridge! So I made her Potato, Lentil, and Apple Soup first. This hearty stew is savory and sweet (from the apple), and comes together so quickly. I believe this recipe is in her Vegan Pressure Cooking cookbook, which I really need to buy!


A couple days later, I went to make her Soy Curl Mac & Cheese but realized my last bag of Butler's Soy Curls had expired. I typically eat things way beyond their expiration date, but they smelled (and tasted) rancid! Yuck. So I quickly ordered a box of six fresh packs from Butler Foods, and they arrived in a couple days. This tasty nooch-based vegan mac & cheese is loaded with protein from the Soy Curls!

The next day, I had my leftovers with a bunch of steamed kale. It just needed something green!

Over the weekend, Paul, who NEVER cooks, decided to play chef and whip up a vegan Cabbage Stew with mushrooms, potatoes, and white beans. It's not the prettiest dish, but it's really yummy. And he made a ton, so I'll be eating leftovers all week!

I loaded up on canned beans, tortillas, and all kinds of Mexican food ingredients on my last big grocery trip. A couple nights ago, I used some corn tortillas and refried beans and salsa to create some easy Skillet Bean Tostadas, topped with lettuce, tomato, and fresh avocado (I always grab a few when I make a quick produce run!). On the side, I had some corn chips with cashew queso.