I didn’t make dessert!
On Sunday evening, we headed over to an Easter party with family friends. My contribution to the party was a savory dish, chosen to ensure there’d be something I could eat for dinner while everyone else gobbled up their ham.
And so I brought my favorite Bug-a-Boo Pilaf.
Most people ate it as a side dish, but I took an extra-large portion for my main course. (I also ate hummus, steamed veggies, and salad brought by others.)
I must remember to use sesame oil more, as I said on Twitter.
Bug-A-Boo Bulgur Pilaf
(Makes four Katie-sized servings… in other words, “Four large servings”)
1 cup vegetable stock (I used Imagine No-Chicken Stock)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh, grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 zucchini, chopped
5 green onions, cut into about 1-inch pieces (don’t use the roots)
2 medium carrots, finely diced
3 cups bok choy or spinach (I’ve made this recipe twice now, once each way. Both work well.)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups cooked bulgur (it works best if you chill this in the fridge for a few hours before using)
In a bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Set aside. Preheat a pan or wok over medium-high heat and sauté the carrots and zucchini in your sauté-liquid of choice. Add in about 1/4 of the stock mixture. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.
Add the green onions, bok choy (or spinach), garlic, and another 1/4 of the stock mixture, and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Add the bulgur and the rest of the stock mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes.
Time for dessert!
Normally I don’t buy any of the prepared desserts from my local Whole Foods. In the past, they only offered three vegan items: chocolate chip cookies, chocolate pudding, and chocolate cake. None were made with whole grains, and the chocolate cake tasted dry and boring when I once tried it.
But I always look, just in case something fun and new decides to surprise me. And on my most-recent trip to the store, an item did just that!
Please excuse the ugly photo. It does not do the date-nut bread (or cake, for it tasted more like cake) justice at all. Not only is this loaf made with only whole-grain flour, it’s also completely free of added sugar in any form (even agave). Its sweetness comes from bananas and dates. Check out the ingredients.
It tastes delicious—so soft and moist and sweet. I definitely had more than one slice. Now I’m going to have to try and figure out how to replicate this bread… a google search yielded no results. Dear Whole Foods, please share your secret recipe!
I transported my contributions to the feast—the loaf and pilaf—in an Easter basket.
Speaking of which…
As usual, I’m overwhelmed by all the kind words on yesterday’s photos!
I’ve said it many times before, but I’ll say it again: You all are incredible, and you make a girl feel like a million bucks! (For one thing, you certainly make me feel braver about posting photos of myself on my blog; that’s so nerve-wracking for me!) And for those of you with discerning eyes… yes, in yesterday’s photo, that is what you think it is, sitting in my basket. Get excited… I know I am! 
Banana + dates = win win every time. I’ve made banana bread with dates instead of sugar before. If you have Veganomicon you can find a recipe in there and blend up some dates for the sugar and use whole grain flour instead of white. It turns out really yummy! I got the idea from the banana date scone recipe from the same book (I think). Yummy!!
We usually steer clear of the prepared foods section, but sometimes it is nice to buy a treat once in a while. It’s pretty rare though, as I love cooking and baking too much.
I might be the only vegan who DOESN’T have the book, but I’m sure I can find a copy at the library or bookstore. Do you know how much date “paste” you use in place of the sugar? And do you scale back on any other ingredients to make up for the volume the dates take up?
No worries if you don’t remember how you made it… I can always experiment! 🙂
mmm date bread sounds amazing!
I love Whole Foods, love love love! Bread does look amazing and I can’t get enough of dates lately. They are super a good sweet treat packed with so much good nutrition! You look cute in your easter dress!
Mmm I wish I would have thought of a quinoa pilaf to take for Easter lunch. My cousin is so sweet and, knowing that i don’t eat meat, she made a delicious salad with romaine, strawberries and almonds. Then I brought a huge bowl of cantaloupe and my Moll-teser cookies that I had just invented that morning. It was great!
I don’t ususally go to the hot bars in places.. but I did use to AWLAYS buy things like weight watchers and lean cuisine. Now I take one look at those things.and itm akes my stomach churn! So much sodium too! ugh
Banana date bread does sound good…so does pilaf…ok, so I’m hungry.
I don’t usually buy prepared foods, but every time I go to Good Earth or Real Foods I’m tempted to buy a wrap or some soup. Yesterday I was out running errands and hunger hit, and the little snacky I always carry didn’t cut it. I still had a few errands to run and I managed not to buy out the deli section of Good Earth. I did eventually get a salad at Costco though.
That cake looks really good! One more thing on my US grocery list! hahahaha
Can’t wait for tomorrow’s recipe!
I need sesame oil too! I love it and I ran out last time I used it…thanks for the reminder! The salad and the loaf sound amazing. I need to know about that loaf too. I don’t buy prepared stuff normally. I’m just too cheap and I like baking. I’m glad you had a great Easter!
that date cake SURE SOUNDS GOOD!! I saw something like that at my health foods store but when i picked it up it was MOLDY-EW EWEEWEWEEWEW!!.. now i better find one that is actually FRESH!
Eww, that’s the worst! This summer, I was so excited to find Ricemellow Cream… but when I opened it and went to put it on top of a pizzert, it was green!!!
Happy late Easter, Katie! I got plenty of chocolate in my basket and certainly thought of you 🙂
Love your Easter dress, too!! So pretty.