Hello again my friends! As usual, everyone is killing it on their #fruitsandveggiesmonday entries, so since I think I'm caught up on commenting for the moment I'm taking the time to share some of my own goodies for the week. @dksart hit up the market for me Saturday morning since I was racing, but he still snagged me plenty of the fantastic local produce I have come to love to use for meal prepping. First on tap for cooking this week was one of may favorite meals--baked spuds!

You all know I adore all my veggies, but potatoes take top billing in my heart. I try to diversify my produce choices to keep my gut happy with a well-rounded microbiome, so I try not to eat potatoes EVERY week. I try to vary my potato types, as well, depending upon what is in season. Since he brought home 4 massive russet potatoes, it was time to get out the baking sheet for some loaded bowls!

To streamline my meal prep action, I made the most out of my oven space by cooking my potatoes, broccoli and carrots, and chopped beets for a Buddha bowl all at the same time. The broccoli and carrots added some veggie power to my potatoes, and I knew I would also toss in some leafy greens as I try to do with most of my meals. That just left what to top it all off with...how about some cheezy sauce?!

In case you've been following me for a while, about a year ago I did post some similar loaded baked potatoes, but I used someone else's sauce recipe that time. I wanted to add extra plant-based protein to my meal, so I decided to use white beans as a base for my sauce. Nutritious, but also a delicious base to build flavor from! Even better, I made plenty to last through the beginning of the week with very little effort. Three cheers for easy meal prep!

The potatoes and roasted veggies were pretty straightforward, so I'll just share my variation on the sauce since it was pretty darn tasty. Feel free to use any kind of combination of vegetables you enjoy or have access to in your part of the world! The greens on the side of the bowl is garden cress. A bit of a fresh, peppery bite on top of all the creamy, roasted goodness. 😉

White Bean Cheezy Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

• 1 cup dried white beans, rinsed & soaked at least 8 hours or overnight
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 small yellow onion, peeled & chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground garlic (or a few cloves freshly minced)
• pinch of cayenne (optional)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (oat, almond, etc.)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon white miso

Place the soaked beans and the bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Cover with water by a few inches, then bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer the beans for about an hour or until they have cooked through. Since you will be blending them up you want them to be pretty soft. This is a great step to do while your potatoes roast.

After the beans are cooked, remove the bay leaf and drain off the water. Meanwhile, in another small pan cook the onion and spices (turmeric through cayenne) over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the onion has softened and the spices are nice and toasted. Stir occasionally and add a bit of water as needed to prevent sticking.

Once the onions are cooked through, add to the pot with the beans. Add in the remaining ingredients and blend with a stick blender (or place everything carefully in a blender). Process until the mixture is combined and as smooth as you would like it to be. Taste and adjust the spices to your liking.

Place back on a low heat burner if you need to warm the sauce back up for serving. Once everything is ready spoon a generous amount over top of your veggies! With four large potatoes, the other roasted veggies and the sauce I was able to prepare 4 solid meals for each of us. 💪

And in case you haven't been super active on here the last few days, I would be remiss if I didn't put another shout out to my @steemitbloggers crew in the latest delegation poll from @theycallmedan. Yes, this is a different one than a few weeks ago, so you do need to vote again even if you voted in that one! There have been some amazing posts by other members sharing just how awesome this group is. Check out the poetry contest by @quillfire, this post about the integrity of the group by @bengy, or any of the other countless posts written with such heart, passion, and creativity by the numerous members in addition to our tireless leaders @jaynie and @zord189.

All it takes is just a few minutes to click on this link, sign in and cast your vote! Thank you to all of the people who have supported us so far. 🙏

Banners by @zord189, @woman-onthe-wing, @dksart and @bearone for @steemusa