I have been trying some fun recipes this past week, so instead of showing you essentially the same foods that I eat almost everyday here are some of the recipes I have tried and what I thought of them.

Thanks to Jenn over at Peas & Crayons for hosting this fun event every week!

I know it isn’t April anymore, but I just loved the Button for that month!

Mushroom Risotto with Carmelized Onions from Oh She Glows

On Monday I decided to try out a recipe that I have had on my meal plan for the last 6 weeks… Mushroom Risotto with Carmelized Onions!

Pic from Oh She Glows, click on pic to be taken to recipe

I used Oh She Glows photo because my photo did not do this recipe justice.  The verdict: Delicious!  I don’t think I have mentioned before that my hub’s has a serious love affair with mushrooms and he used to cook them in teriyaki sauce and eat them plain.  I am not actually a huge fan of mushrooms, they definitely need to be cooked into something and these were perfect!  I have also never tired barley before.  A little chewy for my liking.

After plugging in the recipe to Livestrong.com I found that this recipe had WAY more calories than I thought it would have.  It was around 850 per serving!  The next time I make this recipe there will be a few changes:

• Use water instead of oil to cook the onions in the first step.
• Change the grain to brown rice.  Barley has somewhere around 700 calories per cup (lesson learned, barley in small doses).
• I switched the vegetable stock to chicken stock.  I know this makes it not vegan, but switching over to vegetable stock could be a long process for me since I think it tastes like a**.
• No Earth Balance.  I have a feeling I wouldn’t even miss it.
• Take the carmelized onions out all together.  I know this is a part of the recipe title, but you have to use 3 tablespoons of oil and a lot of salt to make these and although they were yummy, they were not necessary, to me at least.
• Two cartons of mushrooms.  I thought one would be enough, but I was wrong.

This recipe would also make an amazing side dish for meat eaters.  Has anyone ever heard of Consomme Rice?  It is a healthier alternative to that recipe.

Smashed Chickpeas and Avocado Sandwich from Two Peas and Their Pod

Pic courtesy of Two Peas and Their Pod. Click pic to be taken to recipe

We had this for dinner last night.  I know this is more of a lunch food (which I will be having the leftovers today for that very meal), but yesterday was pretty hot and the house was so warm that it was nice not to have to turn the oven or stove on.  I am a big fan of tuna/chicken salad, and this hit the spot for that craving.  I did add a large diced celery stalk to give it a little snap, and next time I would even go as far as to add a diced purple onion.  This sandwich will definitely be making it into my lunch rotation.

I ate this salad with toasted wheat bread, and a side of baby carrots.  The meal in total was 409 calories, and left me feeling very satisfied.  Although the baby did eat one bite and turned her nose up at it.  Can’t win ‘em all I guess.

Crazy Woman Chocolate Blender Pudding from Oh She Glows

I saved the best recipe for last.  Let’s just say that I will ALWAYS have a frozen banana and avocado in the freezer from no on in case I get a craving.

Click pic to be taken to recipe

I have yet to make a vegan dessert, but I finally  rectified that last night.  I never know what to expect when I make some recipes.  Pudding?  Does it really taste like pudding?  Because I really want something creamy and cold that doesn’t have any grit to it.

This recipe totally delivered.

It was amazing.

I embarrassingly admit that I licked my bowl clean.

Go. Run.  Make. this. recipe. now.

I’d bet that you could even add some Pea Protein Powder for a kick of protein.  And did I mention that it is good for you?  One serving is 191 calories and I could easily pick it over ice cream, or use it for an ice cream craving.  One serving is about 1 1/2 cups. ONE AND A HALF CUPS!  If you ate 1 1/2 cups of Hagen Daaz it would put you somewhere in the range of 600-700 calories, and around 45 grams of fat.  This recipe has 5 grams of fat, and they are from the delicious frozen avocado that makes this pudding oh. so.creamy.

So do yourself a favor.  Make this recipe.  As soon as humanly possible.

I hope you give these recipes a try!  Happy Wednesday!