This week I’ve been trying to readjust back to my normal, quiet, food blogging life after spending 7 days in a row working behind the scenes on a production that was in Austin filming cooking shows. That meant waking up at 5 am every morning and usually working 12 hour days. On the plus side, it also meant hanging with the chefs of really cool restaurants, learning their trade secrets, and getting to eat their delicious food. Not all the dishes were vegan, so I wasn’t able to eat everything, but the rest of the crew knew to clear a path for me whenever a vegan dish made an appearance! It was a really fun experience and I got to meet some awesome people and gain 5 pounds from eating all day/everyday. 🍴

No more home fries and cupcakes and fried green tomatoes. At least, not all in one day. Back to fruits, veggies, and legumes. A couple of weeks ago I was craving a veggie and cheese casserole and brainstormed what my options were. I was staying with my friend at her lake house and her neighbor had given her a huge zucchini fresh from his garden, so I gathered together some quinoa, fresh basil, vegan cheese, and a couple of other ingredients to create a healthy & satisfying casserole dish. It’s very lasagna-esque thanks to the pasta taste of the quinoa, homemade tomato sauce, cheese, and basil. So if you’re craving some healthy Italian food, this is your dish!

Okay, so it kind of looks like a hot mess when you spoon it out (see first photo), but trust me, it’s completely tasty and cheesy & awesome!

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