Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day! Since my dad is quite possibly me only regular reader, gotta give him a shout-out. Wish I could be home to bake him something special, but I WAS able to be home last weekend, for my grandmother's funeral :(, so at least I got to see him and give him a card in person. We also enjoyed a delicious dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Acapulco. YUM. My dad and I have always been close...I'm definitely my father's daughter. I get my appetite from him, I get my sweat glands from him and I get my love handles from him....what more could I girl ask for?! :) On a more serious note, I am thankful for everything he has done for me. I always tell him I'll even it out someday, when I put him in the best nursing home money can buy! :)

I'm sure Dad would appreciate my delicious lunch today. I made a pan of stuffed manicotti yesterday. YUM. My mom always made these amazing stuffed shells, so I was hoping to replicate that (sans cheese & egg). I found a pretty good recipe online and tweaked it a bit. I think it turned out great. Might add some fresh garlic next time... (not the prettiest picture, but don't judge a book by its cover!)

Vegan Stuffed Manicotti

1 box manicotti or large shells
1 package soft tofu
1 block vegan mozzarella cheese (grated)
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 pkg frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 onion, diced
1 tsp garlic salt (might try a few fresh, chopped cloves)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 jar of any marinara/spaghetti sauce

Cook pasta, according to box. Mash tofu in medium bowl. Add most of cheese (set aside a handful), tomatoes and spinach. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté onion for a few minutes - until just starting to brown. Add to mixture. Add garlic /salt, sea salt and basil. Mix well. Fill shells with mixture and place in non-stick pan. Pour marinara sauce over the top and top with handful of cheese. Bake at 350-degrees for about 20 minutes, or until heated all the way through. Enjoy!