So at Casa Lemonata we're trying to cut down on our reliance on animal products, for various reasons: health, environment, love of the Curriecat. This week all dairy went out the door - sniff - goodbye, cheese! I'm trying to phase things out slowly, so I'm not setting myself up for failure. It would be an understatement to say I'm usually a "go big or go home" kind of girl, but I think a gradual transition might be the best way to succeed.

I've been a big fan and user of Sarah Kramer's vegan cookbooks for a long time, but they are coming in extra handy now. La Dolce Vegan focuses on easy recipes that can be thrown together in literally, minutes - and really, Sarah puts Jamie Oliver to shame in this department. Tonight's meal - "Cousin Natasha's Everything But the Kitchen Sink Vegetable Curry" (p. 140) took 20 minutes from start to finish, and helpfully used up all of the organic veggies in my fridge. I substituted celery for red pepper, and bok choy for spinach, but everything else (sweet potatoes, onions, zucchini, chickpeas, carrots, veggie stock, raisins, spices) was already on hand in my kitchen and ready to rock.

This is a SPICY dish though, kids - Sarah calls for a tablespoon of curry powder, and I think next time I would half that for a milder curry. I served this on brown rice, and it was awesome. And there were leftovers. Score.

La Dolce Vegan by Sarah Kramer is published by Arsenal Pulp Press.