It’s officially three weeks until Johann and I welcome our baby boy into this world. I often get asked the question, “are you ready?” I’m not sure if you can ever be ready for any life change because there is so much unknown – but we are incredibly excited to finally meet this energetic little guy that has been dancing in belly.
The first time I tested this recipe, I was so excited to share it with my husband (who is my unofficial taste tester). I made it look all fancy and served it on a beautiful ceramic platter and just started at him while he took his first bite – not creepy at all.
Truth be told, I was never much of a watermelon fan. I found the fruit well… boring. Blasphemy! I know, I know. I guess I just needed some time to come to my senses, because I can’t get enough of the sweet, juicy fruit during the summer months.
When we were traveling through Tuscany, Italy, we had the opportunity to get a tour of the region from an Italian friend ours who knew the area like the back of his hand. Not only did we get to see some beautiful places, like these amazing hot springs, but Rafaele also showed us how to make some simple Italian dishes that tasted better than anything we’ve ever had in a restaurant.
On one of the nights, he served us sliced fresh apricots with this creamy cheese and a basil leaf. The most simple, yet delicious little bite! I knew I had to recreate it once I got home.
Southern cooking is comfort food for a reason. It just warms you from the inside out and satisfies you to the core. The only downside for me is that a lot of it uses meat.
So I decided to make a vegan version of collard greens to go along with my vegan mac and cheese. The secret ingredient here that gives it the smoky flavor that ham usually lends is liquid smoke. I LOVE using it in certain dishes and it works really well in this one.
One of the dishes Elena and Morgan prepared at the Fulfilled Workshop I attended in San Francisco was a vegan mac and cheese that knocked my socks off. Elena told me she got the recipe from Timothy Pakron, Founder of Mississippi Vegan, who I will say is a genius for creating this recipe. I slightly adapted the the original by modifying a few additional ingredients which you will see in the recipe below.