The Reluctant Vegetarian

The Reluctant Vegetarian “Farm boy at heart + veggie-loving wife. 🌱 After a health scare, we’re choosing veggies, beans & tofu for love & health. Suck it up, Buttercup. 💚”

He’s not always thrilled, but if he’s still loving me in a decade?

Dinner tonight for the Reluctant Vegetarian… and let me just say, we showed up and showed out.Slow-cooked black-eyed pea...
04/16/2026

Dinner tonight for the Reluctant Vegetarian… and let me just say, we showed up and showed out.

Slow-cooked black-eyed peas leveled all the way up with fire-roasted tomatoes, extra garlic (because we don’t measure that nonsense), and a healthy shake of red pepper flakes to keep things interesting.

Garlicky collard greens cooked down until tender and soaking up every bit of that smoky pot liquor goodness.

And then…
THE GRITS.

Creamy, dreamy, buttery grits loaded up with pepper jack cheese… and we doubled it because we believe in abundance and flavor in this house.

Layer it all together, hit it with a little sauce, and suddenly you’ve got a bowl that’s rich, spicy, comforting, and just a little bit life-changing.

No meat. No regrets. Just clean plates and people going back for seconds. 💚

Some nights, you don’t follow a recipe…You follow a feeling.Tonight was one of those nights.Crispy plant-based chicken b...
04/15/2026

Some nights, you don’t follow a recipe…
You follow a feeling.

Tonight was one of those nights.

Crispy plant-based chicken baked to golden perfection. Using Chef Chew's Kitchen breast.

Creamy mashed taters with the skins on (because we don’t do boring).
Corn sautéed with onions, fresh parsley, chili flakes, salt, and pepper—because flavor matters.

And then…
A rich, silky gravy made with potato water (yes, I said it—don’t throw that magic away), veggie broth, and just enough milk to bring it all together.

Layered.
Messy.
Comforting in all the right ways.

We’re calling it:
✨ A Week in Progress Nummyness ✨

And the real test?
✔️ Reluctant Vegetarian approved

Let me tell you about real life taco night… 🌮🔥We had a PLAN.We had corn tortillas.We had dreams.…and then those tortilla...
04/14/2026

Let me tell you about real life taco night… 🌮🔥

We had a PLAN.
We had corn tortillas.
We had dreams.

…and then those tortillas said, “absolutely not.” 😂

So we pivoted.
Grabbed the big flour tortillas, cut them in half, and kept it moving.

And guess what?
👉 IT WORKED. And it was DELICIOUS.

⸻

🔥 Birria-style tacos with Chef Chew's Kitchen “steak”
🌮 Crispy, cheesy, dunkable goodness
🫘 Lemon-garlic refried beans (because we got creative)

⸻

Sometimes the best meals come from the “well… that didn’t work” moments.

And honestly?
I think this version might be even better.

⸻

If your dinner ever falls apart… just know you’re probably one pivot away from something amazing

Dinner tonight was giving ✨fast food nostalgia✨ but make it fresh, homemade, and plant-based.Crispy crinkle friesSavory ...
04/13/2026

Dinner tonight was giving ✨fast food nostalgia✨ but make it fresh, homemade, and plant-based.

Crispy crinkle fries
Savory plant-based “beef”
Fresh lettuce, juicy tomatoes, red onion
Pickles (because OBVIOUSLY)
And that creamy, tangy, slightly smoky “special sauce” that pulls it all together

This isn’t just a salad…
This is a full-on Big Mac situation without the regret 😏

And let me tell you…
👉 The Reluctant Vegetarian approved
👉 The crunch was crunching
👉 The sauce was SAUCING

Sometimes you don’t need fancy…
You just need something nostalgic, messy, and ridiculously delicious.

Breakfast just got a serious glow-up this morning 🔥🥯Took a simple bagel and turned it into a crispy, melty, chili-crunch...
04/12/2026

Breakfast just got a serious glow-up this morning 🔥🥯

Took a simple bagel and turned it into a crispy, melty, chili-crunch masterpiece—and let me tell you…this one is staying in rotation.

Ghee + garlic chili oil + eggs cooked low and slow until golden, then wrapped right into the bagel with melty cheddar, fresh tomatoes, and microgreens. Toasted it all up until crispy and finished it off with a side of sweet citrus to balance the heat.

The Reluctant Vegetarian was fully on board ✔️
Which means…we’ve got a winner.

Simple. Flavor-packed. Slightly messy (the best kind).

If you’re looking for a breakfast that feels a little indulgent but still fresh and vibrant—this is it.

🥗 Reluctant Vegetarian Vibes: Simple Done RightSometimes all you need is a bowl full of fresh, real, and ridiculously go...
04/12/2026

🥗 Reluctant Vegetarian Vibes: Simple Done Right

Sometimes all you need is a bowl full of fresh, real, and ridiculously good.

This beauty came together with:
• Fresh garden greens + radish microgreens from Going Rogue Farms.
• Shredded carrots + crisp red onion
• Black beans for that hearty bite
• Crunchy pumpkin seeds
• Bold blue cheese crumbles (because flavor matters 💁‍♀️)
• Creamy blue cheese dressing
• Golden sourdough croutons for that perfect crunch

Simple. Easy. Delicious. And honestly…kind of a show-off.

Because eating your veggies shouldn’t feel like a chore—it should feel like this. ✨

Saturday brunch hit different this week… and honestly?This one might be a new staple 👀Savory tofu breakfast hash loaded ...
04/11/2026

Saturday brunch hit different this week… and honestly?
This one might be a new staple 👀

Savory tofu breakfast hash loaded with all the good stuff—crispy potatoes, caramelized onions, and a little creative rebellion:

✨ Shredded carrots instead of bell peppers
✨ TEN cloves of pickled garlic (because our ancestors said so)
✨ Finished with Louisiana hot sauce for that perfect kick
✨ Fresh parsley straight from the garden 🌱

His plate? Topped with eggs 🍳
Mine? 100% vegan and just as bold 💅

Served up with warm, pillowy naan and a side of sweet citrus to balance the heat 🍊

Proof that brunch doesn’t need meat to bring the flavor, the comfort, AND the attitude.

Reluctant Vegetarian approved ✔️

Y’all…this one hits different 💛Back in my days at Oklahoma Baptist University, I’d walk into my momma’s office and loudl...
04/10/2026

Y’all…this one hits different 💛

Back in my days at Oklahoma Baptist University, I’d walk into my momma’s office and loudly say:
👉 “Hey, Gruesome!”

And without missing a beat, she’d fire right back:
👉 “What’s up, Ugly?”

Meanwhile…students and professors were absolutely HORRIFIED 😂

But that was us—
A little weird, a lot of love, and just enough chaos to keep life interesting.

So tonight’s dinner?
👉 Gruesome Momma’s Porcupines

Plant-based, packed with fresh garden herbs, loaded with garlic (because obviously), and baked in a deep, rich brown roux gravy that is straight-up comfort food magic.

Served over creamy mashed taters with roasted asparagus and…listen…

What is not to enjoy?!?!

This is the kind of meal that wraps you up, feeds your soul, and makes you laugh at the same time.

👉 Recipe card coming because YES, you need this one.

Dinner tonight for the Reluctant Vegetarian and let me tell you…this one was a GAME CHANGER 🙌We took fresh ingredients, ...
04/09/2026

Dinner tonight for the Reluctant Vegetarian and let me tell you…this one was a GAME CHANGER 🙌

We took fresh ingredients, layered them up, wrapped them tight, and pan-fried them into crispy, golden perfection. And y’all…that crunch when you cut into it?! 😍

👉 What went down:
• Soft tortilla + creamy queso base
• Perfectly seasoned plant-based “meat”
• Crunchy tortilla chips (because texture matters, people)
• Fresh greens straight from the garden
• Juicy tomatoes + red onion
• Homemade guac (because we don’t play around)
• ALL the cilantro 🌿
• Folded like a little flavor present 🎁 and crisped up in the skillet

And listen…
Fresh ingredients = completely different level of flavor.
Like…why did we ever settle for less?!

The Reluctant Vegetarian?
✔️ Approved
✔️ Devoured
✔️ Already asking when we’re making it again

Pro tip: Don’t skip the crispy pan finish. That golden outside + warm, melty inside is what dreams (and bad decisions 😏) are made of.





🥢 Reluctant Vegetarian Chronicles: SWLA Stir Fry Edition 🔥Listen… sometimes recipes are just ✨suggestions✨ and tonight w...
04/07/2026

🥢 Reluctant Vegetarian Chronicles: SWLA Stir Fry Edition 🔥

Listen… sometimes recipes are just ✨suggestions✨ and tonight we proved it.

No sesame oil?
👉 EVOO said “I got you.”

No plain tofu?
👉 Teriyaki tofu stepped in like the main character it is.

No red chilis in SWLA? (rude.)
👉 Enter the Anaheim chili… and honestly, no regrets.

We tossed it all together with cabbage, spices, and a whole lotta “trust the process,” served it over fluffy rice, and topped it with fresh green onions straight from the garden (because we’re fancy like that 🌱).

And let me tell you…
🔥 Crispy edges
🔥 Saucy goodness
🔥 Flavor that DOES NOT play

Even the Reluctant Vegetarian signed off on this one.
(And y’all know that’s the real review that matters.)

Guess we’ll just be over here adding “grow our own red chilis” to the summer garden plan because clearly… we’ve got a new favorite.




-ish


Easter dinner… but make it intentional ✨Roasted carrot “steaks,” crispy chili-glazed tofu, and a silky lemon white bean ...
04/06/2026

Easter dinner… but make it intentional ✨

Roasted carrot “steaks,” crispy chili-glazed tofu, and a silky lemon white bean purée that completely stole the show.

Add a side of crispy stacked potatoes, a little balsamic drizzle, and suddenly dinner feels like a whole experience.

Simple ingredients. Thoughtful cooking. And no… we did NOT miss the ham 😏🌱

🥬🔥 Greens, Beans & Bad Decisions“Because we don’t measure garlic and we absolutely chose chaos.”Y’all ever start making ...
04/02/2026

🥬🔥 Greens, Beans & Bad Decisions
“Because we don’t measure garlic and we absolutely chose chaos.”

Y’all ever start making a “simple soup” and then just…keep going?

Add a little of this, a little of that, and suddenly you’re 10 cloves deep in pickled garlic and questioning nothing? 😏

Well…that’s exactly how this happened.
Collard greens ✔️
White beans ✔️
Rotel (because obviously) ✔️
Pickled garlic (8–10 cloves like we meant it) ✔️
And a splash of apple cider vinegar to pull it all together like the boss move it is 🔥

And let me tell you…
👉 THIS. HIT. DIFFERENT.
It’s spicy, tangy, cozy, and just bold enough to make you feel like you did something real fancy…without actually trying that hard.

🍲 Quick & Dirty Recipe:
Sauté onion in olive oil
Add pickled garlic, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika
Toss in collard greens → cook down
Add 2 cans white beans + 1 can Rotel + 4 cups veggie broth
Simmer 15–20 minutes
Finish with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Taste, adjust, devour

😏 Real Talk:
If your recipe doesn’t include at least one questionable decision…are you even cooking?

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