Lessons From Easter
1. Nothing soothes the disappointment of not getting a kitten for Easter like a few jelly beans at 6:30 a.m. Obviously.
2. No one has a problem spotting a jelly bean that the Easter Bunny dropped five feet beneath our couch, but no one can find Gigi’s tights that I laid out for her to wear to church.
3. God probably frowns upon yelling at your family unintelligibly about lost tights more than He frowns upon bare legs. Or being late for church. Sorry, God.
4. We could have just skipped church and had Gigi preach to us. Obviously.
5. I always make way too much salad for our family gatherings. It’s a sign of love. And lunch the day after family gatherings.
6. I’m pretty sure no one in my family over the age of 70 knows the politically correct term for most ethnic groups. Or gay individuals. Or vegans.
7. Pea Daddy is freakishly good at Apples to Apples. He’s retiring from the practice of law and joining the professional circuit, wearing Ray-Bans and Tommy Bahama shirts. I will miss him.
8. I am freakishly bad at Apples to Apples. No one thinks “Rush Limbaugh” is “handsome.” Not even Mrs. Limbaugh.
9. Seitan and I should not be in the same room together. Or that room will be cleared.
10. Seitan is a meat substitute almost entirely made of gluten, with some spices and flavors added in. It is delicious, but lethal if you have gluten sensitivities. I think I might. Seitan isn’t worth the agony. Cinnamon rolls just might be.
11. Everyone in my family loves Funky Monkey Pie. Especially since I don’t tell them what’s in it. I can tell them it’s vegan, though. They don’t know what that means.
12. I don’t miss any traditional Easter foods, save for my grandma’s mashed potatoes. Her creamy, smooth, these-contain-an-entire-block-of cream-cheese-and-half-a-stick-of-butter mashed potatoes.
13. I miss my grandma. I can replace the mashed potatoes, but there’s still a hole at the Easter table, even if it is one less person saying, “Vegan, what?”
Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4-6
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
- 2 T. nutritional yeast
- 1/4 c. hummus
- 2 T. non-dairy milk
- 1-2 T. vegan margarine (i.e. Earth Balance)
- 1 t. freshly ground nutmeg
- salt to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Cut sweet potatoes in 1-2-inch cubes. The more uniform you cut them, the more consistently they will cook.
Add the sweet potatoes to the boiling water and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes and then drain.
Place sweet potatoes in the bowl of a food processor or into a high-speed blender and add remaining ingredients.
Pulse on low until smooth. It shouldn’t take long to get a creamy result, as your potatoes will already be soft, so don’t over-process them. You’ll end up with baby food. Really delicious baby food.
You can return the potatoes to your pot and reheat over medium low-heat, if they aren’t hot enough, or you can serve right away.
These are fluffy and melt in your mouth delicious.
Perfect with whatever Easter leftovers you like.
I better just stick to eating mine with salad and pie.
Or Pea Daddy’s Apples to Apples tour leaves tonight. I will miss him.
**************
Past Lessons:
“6. I’m pretty sure no one in my family over the age of 70 knows the politically correct term for most ethnic groups. Or gay individuals. Or vegans.”
Truer words have never been spoken. I almost bought muzzles for my parents. I am no longer allowing them in public.
Doesn’t it just make your ears bleed?!
oh my goodness. this is my grandmother. 100%. i usually just mumble “grandma forgot to take her meds” when she starts throwing around terms that make me cringe.
Funky Monkey Pie sounds delicious. And eating gluten just isn’t worth it for me! My stomach and bowels are highly unamused with even the slightest amount.
And while I’m not a fan of sweet potatoes, they sure make an awesome color for a side dish
You could sub white or red potatoes, and this would still be delicious!
Um, yum!
I think whipped sweet potatoes have to be my new fave. Will be making these in the near future for sure.
Thanks for sharing.
No lie, this is so easy and tastes SO good.
omgshhh these pictures are makin’ me hungryyyy!!
haha Gigi may be the next Billy Graham 
We’re practicing her evangelist shpeel. “Let me show YOU the way to JESUS! Can I get an AMEN?!”
hahaha~she just needs a husky and raspy voice…oh wait, and a crazy awesome accent
We totally did #1 at Christmas with hershey kisses to make up for a lack of a puppy under the tree. And by #1, I mean the first thing on your list. Not the corresponding bathroom action. In case you needed clarification.
I had a very traditional curried quinoa with chickpeas and apples salad for Easter. Just like my grandparents grew up on. Or not.
ps – My little guy has the Easter story down pretty good, except for the part where Jesus comes out of the ‘tube’ on the third day. I always thought it happened in Jerusalem, but maybe it was the London subway system.
LOL! You did #1 at Christmas. Before you even opened presents so there were no accidents. I know how it goes. I saw your quinoa salad, it looked awesome!
The “tube” was empty!!!
Oooh I love mashed sweet potatoes. That monkey pie sounds pretty good, too.
. My family doesn’t know how to pronounce vegan–it’s actually kind of funny.
Trust me, that was the least of the offensive terms going around!
LOL, so funny! #6 is sad, but hilarious… and pertains to more than just your family. I’d start the line at age 50, actually.
I love Field Roast, but I am also questioning my gluten-tolerance. Seitan sure is tasty!
Those fluffy sweet potatoes look delish!
I can handle just about anything else, but the seitan KILLLLLLS me.
13. I miss my grandma. I can replace the mashed potatoes, but there’s still a hole at the Easter table, even if it is one less person saying, “Vegan, what?”
So true. My grandma had no idea what to feed a lactose intolerant mostly vegetarian. But she tried and was more fun to talk to than anyone. I miss one of my best friends.
Hugs. They are watching over us and smiling.
You are hilarious. I think a mouthful of these yummy looking potatoes could help out with #6.
I don’t even know what Apples to Apples is!
I do miss my grandma, too. Dearly. She also cooked with a block of cream cheese and at least 2 sticks of butter…in just about everything. She also cooked by feel, never wrote anything down, was legally blind and 4’10″, and also walked to mass every morning up til she was about 88 in Minnesota winters. Not that you need to know this all but you just got me all sentimental with the grandma comment
I miss my grandma’s cooking!
But seriously these taters of yours…doesn’t look like anyone would miss anything in those. They look so creamy…I can see that from here! YUM!!
Glad you guys had a nice Easter
Haha!!! These are all such noble lessons and now I’m kind of wishing I would have gone to your house to watch Gigi preach rather than our service. I’m guessing it would have been so much more entertaining.
Hope you and your family had a wonderful Easter, despite the gassy conditions.
Wait a minute…who said anything about gas?
Geese, maybe.
Totally agree with 6 & 13. My Grandma died last Easter, so this year we celebrated her life with good food and champagne. There will always be a hole where such amazing women once sat.
I’m sorry. I know how hard the holidays are. Blessings to you!
I always make too much salad at family get togethers too because I think that everyone will eat a portion like I will. I forgot the average person can’t handle that much roughage.
The sweet potatoes look so good! With hummus? Wow! Chris would love this. I’ll send him the recipe so he can make it for me.
It’s so good. Or you could take the lazy route and just add Mmmm sauce to some steamed sweet potatoes and blend them up. Also delicious.
Oh holy sweet potatoes. Those look delicious. Someday, I’m going to get the Husband to eat sweet potatoes. Until then, the’re all mine.
I wonder what kind of stuff will co e flying out of our mouths when we get “old”
My father was saying so and so jumped to the other side of the fence and so I was trying to speak in his language and said that so and so’s sister jumps back and forth over the fence and my father didn’t get it. The. I said bi-sexual and he went back to reading the newspaper…..so you can’t win really
“back and forth over the fence” is WAY nicer than what my grandmother called the character that lives next door to Jack Nicholson in As Good As it Gets. I covered Gigi’s ears. And Lulu will just be a bigot.
That pie looks so good!
We did the Spicy African Peanut Stew (w/ sunbutter!) and the strawberry salad for Easter dinner, and it was all a huge hit! Thank you
Fantastic! I’m so glad it went over well!
So glad you guys had a great easter!
Your monkey pie would be the definition of ‘who the hell cares what’s in it’ its the best thing ever! I want it!
Love Pea Daddy’s new calling, and I have to say mike might stop practicing law and be a scattergories champ, he beat me 3 times on saturday night and thought he was real cool ; )
Have a great night! xoxo <3
Thanks, Katie. I rock at Scattergories though. I should have been at your house for Easter.
Sounds like a great Easter! I just had to tell you.. they now sell Tommy Bahama perfume at TJ Maxx… soo you may wanna go out and get that for date night with Pea Daddy.
OMG! OMG! I laughed so hard about your Seitan experience!!!!!!!!!! I have to avoid like the plague anything with isolated fiber–like a “high fiber tortilla” or any processed food labeled as high fiber. My body doesn’t know what to do with the fake fiber and it treats it like a foreign army invading my intestines–watch out world!
It’s so sad because I was even going to make my own seitan this week. Now I NEVER will.
I just love mashed sweet potatoes — I had my fair share yesterday.
In your family it may be age 70 in mine it’s age 20 … not even my brother in law can refer correctly to ethnic groups, gay individuals, or vegans … oh wait Brad just told me that his Dad had a vegetarian guest over for dinner for Easter, but she only eats fish, so they gave her celery sticks and a shrimp ring
Oh my gosh, that is hilarious. I hope she at least got a decent dessert!
No matter how good.. or how bad you are at Apples to Apples – it is still one of the funnest games ever!
Unless you are playing with people who find a way to work political statements into the game too…
Interesting that you put hummus in the potatoes. I bet that would make them pretty creamy.
Yes!
As usual, this looks delicious
10. Seitan is a meat substitute almost entirely made of gluten, with some spices and flavors added in. It is delicious, but lethal if you have gluten sensitivities. I think I might. Seitan isn’t worth the agony. Cinnamon rolls just might be.
Cinnamon rolls are ABSOLUTELY worth it, though you could always make GF cinnamon rolls. I know I have a wheat sensitivity, which is why I never eat wheat unless there’s no other choice (like last Spring I was in Italy and all they served for breakfast that was vegan were white buns that were most definitely left out overnight or something because they were stale and jam. Eating just jam seemed a little extreme even for me), but I’m generally okay with other forms of gluten like spelt. Also I think I read somewhere that humans can’t actually properly digest wheat. Neither can dogs, and apparently our diets evolved similarly, if that makes sense. Like kind of along side each other… Idk.
Today for dinner I actually had mashed sweet potatoes! I had the biggest (like, hugest of all that is huge) sweet potato and I cooked it with some coconut oil. Yours looks and sounds about a million times better though (well, duh. Hummus + anything = heavenly, except maybe like, strawberries. Grody).
Also there’s this new vegan GF community at http://xgfx.org/ with lots of recipes and stuff. Just thought I’d let you know =)
Thanks so much! I’m sure I don’t have Celiac or anything like that, but man, those Field Roast products just do me in. I mainly eat gluten-free grains anyway, and am not a big pasta person, so there’s no huge loss, except for those tasty meatless sausages
So I totally just found a GF (sort of) seitan recipe, no big, though after looking at a few forums I’ve seen mixed reviews. Most people say to use less liquid. You could probably just season it to taste and roll it into sausages if you were desperate enough. If I were to try it I’d definitely change up the spices.
http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-cooking-article/gluten-free-gluten/472515
Wow, thanks so much, Steph!
No probs, Mama Pea! =)
Do any of your family members pronounce the word vegan “vay-gun”? My mother-in-law does. I think it’s funny.
I think it’d be way more funny to play Apples to Apples with someone like you who offers up Rush Limbaugh during the “handsome” card. Hahaha! That’d be good for a few laughs.
I think you would have to be familiar with the word “vegan” to even mispronounce it. It’s not in their vocab. I also said “Having a Baby” was “Explosive.” But nobody picked it. They weren’t there, they don’t know.
My family used to say ‘vay-gun’.
Oooooh I so feel your pain on the non-politically correctness! As horrendous as it can be there are some funny one liners that come out of it!
I got your comment while I was reading this
True love.
True love always. Let’s get those broken heart BFF necklaces.
I smiled at seeing your jar of Mmmm sauce because I made it for the first time tonight, served with browned tofu, kale chips and roasted cauliflower. SO, so good. Thank you!
You are welcome. I now have a jar of Mmmm sauce in my purse at all times.
You know, I have been really scared to make that “I am going veg” announcement. Especially after I was almost banned from my husband’s family for disliking mayo and cheese. Or how my mom will think I have some kind of disorder. And just thinking about family get togethers…yikes! But then I read your blog and am reminded how you make it work and just do what YOU want to. Suddenly, it doesn’t seem quite so scary…here’s to hoping for a 2011 of being brave! And with your Mmmm sauce…how could anyone disagree with that?
Laughing out loud at this. Laughing, out loud.
“I’m pretty sure no one in my family over the age of 70 knows the politically correct term for most ethnic groups. Or gay individuals. Or vegans.”
I know I say this a lot…but I just loved this post. Such a cute post style + fabulous lessons, per usual. I would have cleared that salad + those taters. I really miss Field Roast…man are those good, but man do they kill my stomach! Can you send jellybeans? I didn’t get any this year! Okay…I’ll settle for my chocolate bunny. Can vegans eat chocolate animals? I’m just not sure and it’s not in your lesson!!
This is so funny because of the post I’m writing tomorrow…you’ll see.
But yes, I have definitely narrowed it down to the gluten. I’m so sad for us
Sweet potato mashed potatoes with hummus and nooch? Now you got me there
Have you tried blending coconut milk and sweet potatoes together? OH so good! 
Glad you had a good easter!
That does sound awesome!
okay so i’m gonna be a little melodramatic right now. if you ever stop blogging i’m gonna … things won’t …. it’s just that …. shoot, i don’t even what to think about it. i promise, reading your blog is 5 of the most enjoyable minutes of my day.
Hummus and nooch in mash? You’re making me feel inadequate about the plate of deep-fried-ness I ate for Easter lunch
Sweet potatoes and hummus?! I don’t know if I’ll learn from that lesson… it’s still worth a try, though.
I cheat at Apples to Apples with my sisters. We have a leg-kicking-under-the-table code. Is that bad? Everyone knows, so I guess they play at their own risk.
Pea Daddy cheats too. Gigi plays and he picks things he knows she’ll go for. Okay, so that’s not cheating…it’s strategy. If only there were “unicorn” red cards.
After decades (yes) of trying to perfect my Grandmother’s mashed potatoes, I am now convinced that perfect mashed potatoes cannot be achieved unless one has grandchildren. Guess I have a couple of generations to go….
Nonetheless, I’m pretty sure you did Easter exactly as God intended!
I think you are right about that grandma thing. But thanks for the Easter love
I wait for your post all morning. It’s the first blog I read each day.
Then, when I’m done reading, I want more.
So I read the comments on your post. Your replies are so witty it makes reading the comments worthwhile
I hate weekends when I don’t see new posts. Selfish, much?
I don’t know what ‘Apples to Apples’ are. But given that you didn’t excel at it, it must be some brain-dead activity, right?
Thank you! And sorry that I usually take a day on the weekend off…I gotta have some time for me! Apples to Apples is a REALLY fun game! I think just about everyone would love it. (and they have not paid me to say this, although they should. And since a previous commenter said I need it, I would use said endorsement money to get a manicure).
“And sorry that I usually take a day on the weekend off…I gotta have some time for me!”
Gosh..I’m absolutely mortified! Of course, you NEED your time off. Even Superwoman needs a day off.
Just wanted to tell you how addictive your blog is and how endearing your family.
You don’t need no endorsements for your manicure! Come August and all of us pea-lovers are going to be buying ‘em pea-books enough for manicures galore!
And I’ll gladly travel half the world to come baby-sit for you while you get it done. Just make sure your fridge is stocked with a few home-made desserts
Oh, I took it as a compliment. I wish I could blog more too
Too bad Pea Daddy cheated at apples to apples and appealed to my niece’s sense of humor. Don’t forget you have another friendly in crowd.
Brother Pea leaves a comment!!! Another lesson I learned at Easter is that they discuss politics before you and and I get there. They must hate hearing the truth…
“Especially since I don’t tell them what’s in it. I can tell them it’s vegan, though. They don’t know what that means.”
Thanks, now I have tea spewed out all over my keyboard.
I have to stop reading your posts when I am eating or drinking, because then I laugh and bad things happen.
I am making that pie this weekend..and I am not going to tell anyone…and sit in my room and eat it while watching “The Big Bang Theory”
Your secret is safe with me.
You had me at ‘Grandma’…….love your blog.
Sue in (STILL rainy) Ohio
Thanks Sue.
Oh yum…. those mashed sweet potatos look so good!! and that pie…. looks even better!!!
Sounds like your Easter weekend was quite eventful!!
The sweet potatoes sound heavenly! I will be trying this (very) shortly.
The consistency of those potatoes looks just perfect! Hummus is such a unique idea – and obviously it worked out well
.
Good Morning Sarah! I have been reading and loving your blog and you and your family for awhile. You are doing some great work here. I wanted to ask you if you have heard of coconut oil? I ask because I’m concerned about you and the amount of good fats that you are getting in your diet. I’m concerned because I’ve seen several pictures of your hands in the posts and your skin looks dry and like it is not getting enough good fats. I see that you use margarine in many of your recipes as a replacement for butter. Please try organic, virgin coconut oil and toss out any hydrogenated margarine. Your body will thank you for it!
I do have/use coconut oil! I assure you, I’m getting plenty of healthy fats in my diet, primarily through nuts, nut butters and avocado. My skin IS dry, but I just have dry skin. It comes from washing my hands 50 times a day, between doing everyone’s dishes, giving everyone baths and wiping everyone’s bottoms. My body is perfectly happy and though I do use Earth Balance in some of my recipes, those recipes are consumed in moderation. I appreciate your concern, and if you want to spring for a manicure for me (and a baby sitter so I can go get it done), you will no longer be subjected to my horrific dry hands.
Mama Pea – not only do you have (gasp!) dry skin, you also have quite a thick skin. Nicely done.
When I was on vacation in Arizona, my skin got so dry. I found this great lotion at New Frontiers and am in love. I use it on my face and legs. A little goes such a long way, and it is made with coconut oil. I feel like I’m on a tropical island when I put it on. yum yums for my skin. Plus it doesn’t break the bank. Check it out – Coconut Cream from Super Salve Co. http://www.supersalve.com/creams.html#
Thanks!
Merf. My Vita is broken and just looking at these photos are making me wistful. Funny post, though!
Vitas break?!? That’s not good news for me. I abuse mine just for fun.
Can I come play Apples to Apples with you next time? I’m not very good either but maybe we could team up and beat Pea D! My 8 year old cousin introduced me to it and it’s probably one of my favourite games (says the very mature 22 year old over here!)
Yes, come! I can use all the help I can get!
I ALWAYS win Apples to Apples! I wonder if I could beat Pea Daddy?
Those sweet potatoes look like the super tasty ones at this local restaurant we have that I LOVE!
And Apples to Apples is all about knowing the sense of humor of a person. My sister & I own that game almost as much as we own Cranium.
I guess that tells you what my family thinks of my sense of humor! But I already knew that
“Vegan, what?” ….. LOL! .. And they look scared too when they say “vegan”.
Haha I wish my mom gave me jelly beans at 6:30am to soothe any disappointment! I think that is a fix that works for a lot of things.
“I can tell them it’s vegan, though. They don’t know what that means.” – I’m almost positive I’d receive blank stares from the whole Fam if I explained something was “vegan”! Especially if it was a full-on Fam reunion in Kansas. The location should tell you enough.
My grandpa is from Kansas. And he was a butcher before he retired.
Is seitan pronounced Satan? Because that’s how I say it in my head and it makes me giggle.
I say it “sayTAN,” with the emphasis on the second syllable. But either way, it’s hell on my stomach.
Ba-dum-psh!
I got a vegan orange glazed donut today as my farmers’ market eat-on-the-ride-home treat and my first thought was “Mama Pea would be so proud of me.” Haha
Side note: I am going to try out your Funky Monkey Pie on my anti-tofu boyfriend. After he eats it should I tell him it’s tofu or just evil laugh to myself?
Evil laugh…definitely evil laugh!
You had me at “vegan orange glazed donut.” I must make.
No one in my very “meat and potatoes” family knows that their favorite chocolate mousse is actually vegan and made with tofu!
*evil laugh*
Love it!
I’m already addicted to sweet potatoes, but this makes me want to have them for EVERY meal! Yum!
As someone who only ever had sweet potatoes drowning in butter, sugar and marshmallows, I thought I hated them growing up.
) to the awesomeness that is mashed sweet potatoes.
And then I saw the light, and I’m now working on converting my family (Gigi style
I agree…much better than the marshmallow kind.
LMAO @ ‘Everyone in my family loves Funky Monkey Pie. Especially since I don’t tell them what’s in it. I can tell them it’s vegan, though. They don’t know what that means.’
You crack me up…and I can so relate.
That pie looks good!
Aron
http://www.babymine.net
http://www.hitherandthither.net
for the Funky Monkey pie– the recipe says “silken tofu, Firm or Extra Firm”… I thought silken tofu, firm tofu, and extra firm tofu were all different? Thanks!!
You can find firm or extra firm silken tofu, just like non-silken tofu. I find it doesn’t make much of a difference when it comes to silken tofu.
does field roast make your stomach funky? it makes mine go nuts, but i handle normal seitan just fine. just wondering.
I haven’t really had a lot of “normal seitan” so maybe it’s just the field roast? Yes, it KILLLLLLS me.
thats so weird. there must be something in it that doesnt agree wih both of us bc its pretty brutal. but like i said, when i make my own seitan im totally fine! ive only had the porcini mushroom loaf, and its weird because looking at the ingredients theres nothing that should irritate me. “should” being the operative word…(story of my life)…oh to have a normal GI tract…
Maybe I will have to try making my own after all…