"Breaded" Zucchini Sticks (Gluten-Free | Vegan)

I'm going to just start off by saying I have a new found appreciation for Rice Crispies They are an absolute lifesaver when it comes to both gluten-free baking and meals.

Need a gluten-free sweet on the fly? These peanut-buttery delights. How about a snackity snack, like these energy balls?

They also do great at trading places with bread crumbs, an ingredient that I swear is in 1/4 of all recipes I see that I get excited about.

So you can imagine how stoked I was to see this post - straight up gluten-free "breading" for all sorts of foods! This might turn into the deep fry craze. Rice crispy coated snickers? Rice crispy coated doughnut? Rice crispy coated zucchini? YES!

For all you carnivores, I'm pretty sure this would work well as a coating on chicken or fish as well. I'm thinking I want to try it sprinkled on roasted broccoli  next. And on a casserole. And as a hair conditioner.

Jokes.

The timing for this recipe was perfect, since I had a nice fatty zucchini sitting on our counter fresh from my parent's garden. It's demise was a delicious thing. 

"Breaded" Zucchini Sticks
adapted from The Fitnessista

1 large zucchini, sliced into sticks
1.5 cups rice crispies
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t garlic salt
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
3 tablespoons water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees; cover a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with oil.

2. Combine the rice crispies, oregano, thyme and salt in a food processor until finely ground. In a separate bowl, use a fork to mix the flax seed and water. I suggest using a larger bowl with a wider mouth than the one I used so your zucchini and get fully coated.

4. Dip the zucchini sticks in the flax seed mixture and then coat with the rice crispy mixture. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

I can't lie about the fact I am slightly excited about Fall being around.

I think it's the season that has life the hardest - it immediately follows everyone's beloved summer, it gives shorter days, and it means you can't walk around in your bathing suit top at 9pm because you're SO HOT. It's easy to hate on Fall.

However, somewhere between your first pumpkin spiced latte and smelling fresh chimney spoke, you succumb to the idea that Fall can't be too bad. Longer, dark nights to hunker down and not feel bad about watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia on repeat? Jumbo pumpkin cookies? 80's style Halloween parties?

Poor Fall - it spends half it's days trying it's damdest to awaken your senses to its glory, and then when we do, it's just about winter.

It's cold season around here - it seems like everywhere I go, there's someone fighting or getting over one. Including our household. We crossed our fingers, hoping it was just allergies, it will work out in the morning. But no, this girls has got a full-on stuffed nose with a sore throat that nothing but soup can soothe.

Hence, Fall's Vegetarian Tortilla Soup made it's way onto our stove this evening, and thank goodness for that. True, Fall may bring a few more germs, but if you get a gastronomical treat like this in exchange, it's allll goooood.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
adapted from Epicurious

1 small white onion, diced
1 heaping tablespoon garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
 2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 quart vegetarian broth
1 cup black beans
1 head broccoli, cute into bite-sized pieces
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 cup frozen corn
3 tablespoons diced jalapenos
6 six-inch corn tortillas, sliced into 1/2 strips
cilantro, for garnish
S&P, to taste
Hot sauce

1. In a dutch oven or large soup pot, soften the onion and garlic in Pam over medium heat for about 3 minutes; stir in 1/2 cup broth, the tomato paste, the cumin, and the taco seasoning.

2. Add broth, black beans, broccoli, tomatoes with juice, corn and jalapenos. At this point, I also added 2 tomato can-fulls of hot tap water so I can get more broth. More broth = happy (un)sore throat. Crank the heat up to a boil; once it boils, turn back down to medium until the broccoli are soft; about 5 minutes.

**A note here about the fire-roasted tomatoes - you can use any kind of tomato you wish, but I strongly recommend these bad boys. They contribute so much more flavor, but not in a selfish, all-eyes-on-me way. Subtle, roasted flava. Get 'em. Try 'em. Stick with 'em or not.

3. Once the broccoli are tender, add in the tortilla strips. Give the pot a quick stir to ensure all the strips get dunked in, and let cook a few minute more until the tortillas are soft.

4. Once soft, sprinkle in some S&P and ladle into mixing bowls. Garnish with cilantro and add some of your favorite hot sauce. Relax, and enjoy your over-sized bowl of Fall.