Happy Easter everyone! Easter was an action packed day for us and we were invited to two different places for brunch and dinner. I love holidays and I love to make them feel special and different by going to these fun events. Spending the day with loved ones you don’t see very often makes it feel even more special. Eating often goes hand in hand with these events, which means there’s usually not much we can eat so instead of worrying about it, I make things to bring. This ensures we actually have something we know we can eat and it’s fun to share vegan dishes with others who don’t get a lot of exposure to vegan meals.

For breakfast I had a banana, raspberries, and Engine 2 oil free Blueberry Granola with a splash of almond milk. This is one of my new breakfast favorites that’s easy, healthy, and really tasty. You can get the Engine 2 products at Whole Foods.

For brunch, we went to our neighbors from growing up’s new house. We had the best upbringing in a great neighborhood and I had my best friends live on my street. We spent pretty much every day and weekend hanging out with our neighbor friends and have gone on countless vacations together. They’re really extended family and now we don’t get to see each other that often, so it’s really fun when we do get together. There was about 30 people there so I brought a big batch of spring pasta salad.

Spring Pasta Salad

2 lb farfalle (bowtie) pasta

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut on diagonal

2 crowns broccoli, cut small

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 sprigs fresh dill

4-5 basil leaves, torn

Fat free balsamic vinaigrette (oil free), Whole Foods

1. Cook pasta al dente.
2. Heat asparagus and broccoli in the microwave until just tender, more like a dry blanching. Go in 30 second increments because you want them to stay crisp.
3. Combine pasta, veggies, chickpeas, herbs, and dressing and combine,

For dinner we went to my Grandma’s house with 30 more people, all family. I wanted to make lentil loaf because the texture is very similar to meatloaf, but it’s made from lentils and veggies. I’ve made this High Carb Hannah recipe before so I knew it was tasty, and this time I decided to make them in muffin tins because it’s easier to share. Also, there’s more of the crunchy crust that gives more texture and flavor. I topped with ketchup as a glaze and baked for the remaining 15 minutes. This recipe is already on my blog, so search HCH lentil loaf if you want the recipe! You can make it in the traditional loaf pan or these pre-portioned muffin cups. My dad was very proud of himself for eating a vegetarian meal for Easter, and my cousin said they were “lentilicious!” Also, I got a suggestion that they would be great with BBQ sauce, so feel free to mix and match the sauces that you prefer. I made 12 cups and only came home with 3, so it was nice to see so many people interested and trying something new. Thanks to my aunts for designing the leftovers for the picture above!

I roasted some mixed small potatoes with rosemary, pepper, and garlic powder on parchment paper. I roasted them the day before, and then reheated them in the oven at Grandma’s. Then corn hole started and I forgot about them in there, so they weren’t my best roasted potatoes. They got too dry, so keep a watch on them!