Healthy Chocolate Oatmilk Ice Cream - Only 5 Ingredients!

It's National Oat Milk Week and I'm celebrating with my friends over at Rise Brewing Co. using their Organic Chocolate Oatmilk to make this 5 ingredient dairy free ice cream!

Not only is this the one of the simplest summer recipes to make it also sneaks in an extra serving of veggies into your favorite summer snack by using avocados to make it extra creamy and dreamy!

Easily double or triple the recipe to serve a crowd. It's perfect for the kiddos because when it warms up it gets soft but never really "melts" making it much less of a mess for little mouths! Will definitely be serving this next weekend for Memorial Day!

Healthy Chocolate Oatmilk Ice Cream

Author: Sarah | April 19, 2021
Servings: 2-4

• prep time: 15 minutes

• freeze time: 3 hours - Overnight

• total time: 8 hours

Ingredients: What You need to buy!

1 ripe avocado

1/4 c. Chocolate Oatmilk from Rise Brewing Co.

1/4 c. Cocoa Powder

3 tablespoons of Maple Syrup

Mini Chocolate Chips

Instructions: What You need to do!

1. Blend avocado, oatmilk, cocoa powder, and maple syrup until smooth.

2. Add a handful of chocolate chips and stir to combine

3. Freeze for 3 hours or up to overnight in a coverd bowl.

4. Serve with your favorite dairy free topping!

And…that’s it! See, I told you it was easy! Another of my favorite ways to enjoy this nice-cream is to make coffee floats! Simply use your favorite cold brew coffee, like the Nitro Original Black from the Rise Brewing Co. in place of root beer and top with a scoop of ice cream!

This recipe also happens to be the fastest and yummiest way to make dairy-free chocolate pudding! Simply skip the freezing step and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving! I really hope that you’ll try this Healthy Chocolate Oatmilk Ice Cream with Only 5 Ingredients this summer…and make sure to tag me when you do! @plantbasedgingr

Love, Light, and Lentils, my friends!
Sarah

Turnip Green and Broccolini Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

It’s Mother’s Day this weekend and this Spring Turnip Green and Broccolini Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing is perfect for all your spring and early summer get-togethers!

This new spin on one of my Mom’s favorites, incorporates both turnip greens and broccolini, and is a great way to "sneak in" some extra greens for all the picky eaters out there! Paired with a sweet and tangy Poppy Seed Dressing and loaded with fresh blueberries and pumpkin (or sunflower seeds) it's sure to be the new hit your table!

The turnip greens from Palmetto Gardens are perfect for spring and summer pre-dressed salads like this one, delivering a refreshing crunch with ingredients that won't wilt or lose their texture!

Turnip Green and Broccolini Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Author: Sarah | May 4, 2022
Servings: 6 to 8 side-portion servings

• prep time: 15 minutes

• assembly time: 5 minutes

• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: What You need to buy!

Ingredients: To make the Salad

1.5 cups of finely diced Palmetto Gardens Turnip Greens

1.5 cups of broccolini florets, chopped into small, bite-sized pieces

1 medium red onion, diced small

1 cup of fresh blueberries

1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds)

3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (I used a dairy-free version)

Ingredients: To make the Dressing

1/4 cup of Maple Syrup

3 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tablespoon Minced Garlic

1/4 cup of Olive Oil

2 tablespoons of sour cream (I used a dairy-free version)

2 tablespoons of Poppy Seeds

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions: What You need to do!

1. To begin, remove the broccolini from the stems so that you get small, bite-sized, pieces...about the size of a nickel.

2. Finely chop your Palmetto Gardens Turnip Greens so they easily incorporate into the broccolini.

3. Dice your red onion.

4. Into a large bowl combine the broccolini, chopped turnip greens, onion, blueberries, cheese, and pumpkin (or sunflower) seeds

5. Gently toss to incorporate.

6. To make the dressing, whisk the sour cream and maple syrup until well combined. Do this step first to avoid lumps.

7. Continue whisking and add in the apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Whisk until smooth.

8. Stir in the minced garlic and the poppy seeds, along with the salt and pepper.

9. Taste for seasoning. For a more tangy dressing add another splash of apple cider vinegar...or if you prefer a sweeter dressing, add a bit more maple syrup.

10. Gently pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine well. Keep cold before serving.

If you’re like me, you might not eat a lot of turnip greens as a part of your regular diet, at least not raw. Most of the greens that I had growing up were always stewed or creamed…neither of which are my favorite! The addition of the diced turnip greens to this Spring Salad doesn’t change the flavor of this traditional Broccolini Salad but it DOES give you an extra boost of healthy greens, plus…it’s a super thrifty way to help stretch your produce and reduce kitchen waste! I do hope you’ll try it this delicious spring salad recipe! Make sure to tag me when you do so I can see all of your yummy creations! Until next time…

Love, Light, and Lentils, my friends!
Sarah

RubyFrost, White, and Blue Summer Apple Salad w/ Poppyseed Dressing

Summer is right around the corner and that means Summer Salads! Whether you’re looking for your next recipe for the family cookout or just an easy recipe that doesn’t require turning on the stove this RubyFrost, White, and Blue Summer Apple Salad w/ Poppyseed Dressing will easily become your new favorite!

Featuring delicious, RubyFrost Apples, the base of this salad swaps out boring, old, lettuce for shredded Brussel Sprouts, (Shhh, don’t tell them, they’ll never know!) and is packed full of pretty delicious flavor! Bonus, the amazing colors in this salad make it the perfect way to kick off your Memorial Day Festivities next month!

Grown by 152 family farmers across New York State, RubyFrost Apples are the perfect balance of sweet and tart - deep and rich color with a great, crisp texture!

Because of their high levels of vitamin C they are slow to brown, making them the perfect apple for a summer salad like this one!

RubyFrost, White, and Blue Summer Apple Salad w/ Poppy Seed Dressing

Author: Sarah | April 28, 2022
Servings: 6-8 (side portions)

• prep time: 10 minutes

• assembly time: 10 minutes

• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: What You need to buy!

2 RubyFrost Apples, cut into 1/2" pieces (Reverve 1/4 of one apple to slice for garnish, if desired)

16oz Brussle Sprouts, shredded

6oz fresh blueberries

1/2 - 3/4 cup of Walnuts

Crumbled, Dairy Free Feta

Ingredients: To make the Poppyseed Dressing

1/4 cup Maple Syrup

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of Salt

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1 tablespoon poppyseeds

Instructions: What You need to do!

1. To begin, cut your brussle sprouts, from top to bottom, into very thin slices and they will automatically "shread" into a cole-slaw consistency!

2. Cut your RubyFrost Apples into 1/2" pieces. (Reverve 1/4 of one apple to slice for garnish, if desired)

3. In a large bowl, toss your shreaded brussle sprouts with your cubed RubyFrost apples, walnuts, blueberries and crumbled feta.

4. To make the dressing, mix the maple syrup, vinegar, oil, and salt. I like to use a frother to quickly emulsify the dressing. Once well mixed, add poppyseeds.

5. Dress the salad just before serving.

If you know me well, you likely know that I lived within walking distance of an apple orchard for over a decade…needless to say, I’m pretty picky about apples but these RubyFrost Apples are, truthfully, pretty delicious!

I picked up my RubyFrost Apples at my local Fresh Market but you can follow @RubyFrostApples on Instagram to see if this pretty delicious apple is in a store near you.

I hope you all will give this RubyFrost, White, and Blue Summer Apple Salad w/ Poppy Seed Dressing a try…and I’d love to hear how you love these RubyFrost Apples!

Love, Light, and Lentils, my friends!
Sarah

Corn'd Beef Sandwich with Quick Pickl'd Collard Greens

While collard greens might not be the traditional way to top a corn'd beef sandwich, the fibrous texture of collards makes them the perfect green to pickle. Unlike some other, more delicate greens, collards are easily able to retain their texture and bring a delicious sweet and tangy crunch that pairs perfectly with the salty corn'd beef of this famous sandwich.

Irish or not, we promise that it's so good, you'll definitely want to kiss someone! The best part? You can store these Quick Pickl'd Collard Greens in the fridge for up to a month!

Corn'd Beef Sandwich with Quick Pickl'd Collard Greens

Author: Sarah | April 19, 2021
Servings: 4

• prep time: 15 minutes

• cook time: 8 hours - Overnight

• total time: 24 hours

Ingredients: What You need to buy!

2 c. of Palmetto Greens chopped collard greens, think the texture you'd use for the cabbage in coleslaw.

1/2 medium, white onion, diced

1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 t. dill seeds

1 t. fennel seeds

1/2 c. white vinegar

1/2 c. of maple syrup

Ingredients: To make the Sandwich

Seeded Sourdough Bread

Dairy-Free Cream Cheese

Vegan Corn'd Beef

Quick Pickles Collard Greens

Dairy-Free Thousand Island Dressing

Instructions: What You need to do!

1. Pack the chopped collard greens and diced onion into a mason jar and add all spices.

2. In a microwave-safe measuring cup, mix the vinegar and maple syrup, and heat for 1 minute, until hot.

3. Pour the hot liquid over the greens/onion mixture, seal, and shake to combine/mix well.

4. Refrigerate for a minimum of 60 minutes, up to overnight, before using.

5. Lightly toast two pieces of Seeded Sourdough Bread either in a hot skillet or traditional toaster

6. Spread Dairy-Free Cream Cheese onto the bottom piece of the Seeded Sourdough Bread.

7. Layer Corn'd Beef and top with a generous portion of the Quick Pickl'd Collard Greens.

8. Spread Thousand Island Dressing onto the second piece of bread and top the sandwich!

Seriously, since I made these Quick Pickl'd Collard Greens I have been eating them on everything! I hope that you’ll try this simple, spring, recipe! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed! I’d love to see your kitchen creations! Remember to tag me on IG @plantbasedgingr to keep in touch!

Love, Light, and Lentils, my friends!
Sarah

Vegan Dirty Rice with Mustard Greens

Did someone say Dirty Rice? Easter is this weekend and if you're still looking for a comfortfood side-dish to round out your table...do I have a recipe for you...Vegan Dirty Rice with Mustard Greens!

I know...I KNOW what you're thinking..."mustard greens, really, Sarah?" Yes, really! They are delicious and this WILL be the recipe that convinces you, I promise!

I used the chopped mustard greens from my good friends over Palmetto Gardens and picked them up at my local Publix.

Palmetto Gardens is a 3rd generation, family farm, local to the southeast, so I always know their greens are going to be fresh and delicious...

Whether you're new to cooking with greens or you grew up with them, you're going to love this new take on dirty rice! Hopefully the green beans and mashed potatoes don't get too jealous because, served with your favorite cornbread, this dish is going to be Easter's new favorite!

What you are going to need to buy:

• 1.5 cups Minute Rice

• 1.5 cups veggie stock

• 1 cup of mustard greens, chopped fine

• 1/2 cup diced green pepper

• 1/2 cup dices white onion

• 1/2 cup diced celery

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil

• 2 tablespoons Dairy-Free Butter

• 1 cup of meatless crumbles

• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1.5 teaspoon salt

• 1.5 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Cayenne pepper, to taste

• Chili powder, to taste
  

What you are going to need to do:

1. Saute' the chopped onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic in olive oil, on medium heat, in a large skillet.
2. Once the onions have become translucent, add the meatless crumbles and spices (parsley, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper, and cayenne and chili powder)
3. Cook mixture until warmed through and spices have become fragrant.
4. Remove from heat and fold in the chopped mustard green.

5. In a separate pot, cook rice per manufacturers instructions, replacing the water with veggie stock.

6. Once the rice is cooked and fluffy, stir in butter.

7. Gently stir the rice into the veggie mixture until well incorporated.

8, Taste for seasoning.

9. Serve with your favorite cornbread.

I’d love to hear if you try it! You can always tag me online at @plantbasedgingr

Love, Light, and Lentils, my friends!
Sarah

Banana and Peanut Butter Bread Pudding

What do you do with bananas that are on their way out-the-door and more sourdough bread than you can possibly finish? Banana and Peanut Butter Bread Pudding, of course! If you’re a fan of “dump and bake” kinds of recipes you’re going to love this one. The most time-consuming part is simply cutting up the bread and slicing the bananas!

Now, cards on the table…I don’t particularly love either bananas OR bread pudding but there is just something about this recipe that’s hard to beat! Great for a crowd, this vegan dish, that’s really more like dessert than breakfast is made with dairy free butter, oatmilk, and JustEgg and comes together in under an hour!

What you are going to need to buy:

For the Bread Pudding

• 3-4 cups of crusty bread, cut into cubes

• 3 ripe bananas cut into slices

• 2 cups of oatmilk

• JustEgg to replace 3 large eggs

• 1 tablepoon of cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, more for sprinkling

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• Splash of Vanilla

• 1/2 cup of peanut butter

• 1/2 cup of Walnuts

  
  For the Icing

• 1/2 stick Dairy Free Butter, melted

• Powdered Sugar, 1 cup

• Splash of Vanilla

• Pinch of Salt

What you are going to need to do:

1. Layer your cubed bread and banana slices into a baking dish (I used an 8 x 10) sprayed with non-stick spray.

2. Combine the remaining ingredients (minus the nuts and brown sugar for sprinkling) and wisk until well combined. Don’t be too worried if the peanut butter doesn’t completely combine or there are still little pieces. They will melt when baked!

3. Pour mixture over the bread and bananas. Spoon any peanut butter that didn’t totally dissolve evenly over the top.

4. Top with walnuts and sprinkle with brown sugar.

5. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. You can gently lay a piece of foil over the baking dish to keep the top from burning but keep sides loose and un-crimped. You don’t want your Bread Pudding to “steam” under the foil…it’s just to keep the top from getting too crispy! Remove the foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.

6. While the Bread Pudding is baking mix together 1/2 stick of melted vegan butter with 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt. (Add more or less sugar depending on how thick you like your icing.)

7. At 40 minutes, remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before drizzling the top with icing and serving.
   

   A couple of notes about this recipe: I know there are a lot of “egg-replacers” that vegan and non-dairy diets use in baking. I used the product JustEgg and it turned out wonderfully. I can’t guarantee that others will do the same…they may be great but I’ve not tested any others with this particular recipe.

   Love chocolate? You could totally throw in a handful of chocolate chips to this recipe and it would be delicious!

   
   Love, Light, and Lentils, my friends!
   Sarah

Blueberry and Carrot Salad with Mustard Greens and Walnuts

I don't know about you but I'm ready for Spring and all the light, fresh, flavors that come with it and this Blueberry and Carrot Salad with Mustard Greens and Walnuts was just what I was craving.

Looking for a nontraditional spring salad for your Easter dinner table next month? This is it! The slight spiciness of the fresh mustard greens are the perfect balance to the sweet carrots and blueberries and the light and tangy dressing.

Dressed with a homemade vinaigrette made with brown mustard, lemon juice, and maple syrup its the perfect mix of tangy and sweet.

What you are going to need to buy:

• Carrots 2-3 large, shredded

• Mustard Greens, 1.5 cups, chopped into fine pieces

• Fresh Blueberries, cut in half, 3/4 cup

• Walnuts, chopped, 1/2 cup

• Olive Oil, 3 tablespoons

• Brown Mustard, 1 tablespoon

• Lemon juice, 1 tablespoon

• Maple Syrup, 2 tablespoons

• Māla Girl Sparkle Salt, 1 teaspoon

What you are going to need to do:

1. To begin, shred your carrots into a large bowl. Can you use the per-shredded carrots from the store? Honestly, I’m going to say no! There is just something so good and sweet about shredding fresh carrots. This salad simply won’t be the same with the per-shredded version!

2. Finely chop your Mustard Greens into small pieces. We’re looking for all the components of this salad to be roughtly the same size! Think of the texture that you’d chop cabbage for coleslaw!

3. Cut your blueberries in half.

4. Chop walnuts into bite-sized pieces.

5. Combine your carrots, mustard greens, blueberries, and walnut into a bowl.

Now, let’s make the dressing!

7. In a mason jar combine olive oil, brown mustard, lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt seasoning mixture. Shake dressing in the mason jar, for one minute, to combine.

8. Wait until you are ready to serve the salad to add the dressing to the carrot mixture. Mix well and serve cold! Serves 4-6, side serving sized.

This dressing is so, so simple, but I promise you, if you are a carrot fan, you’re going to absolutely love this spring salad…and because it’s totally dairy-free it’s the perfect thing to bring to pot-lucks and get-togethers this Easter! I can’t wait to hear how much you love it!

Love, Light, and Lentils!
Sarah

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Vegan Tofu Chick'n Parmesan

This Vegan Tofu Chick'n Parmesan is a recipe that I developed for my friends over at Māla Girl using their vegan, gluten-free, and adaptogentic blends. If you haven’t tried any of the Māla Girl products…you totally should! They’re local to Orlando, like me, everything is hand-blended and full of super-foods! This post actually isn’t sponsored…I just really love their products and I know you will too! Check them out here!

Just like an traditional chicken parmesan, this recipe does have several steps, but trust me…it’s so, so good! It’s seriously one of the best things that I have ever put in my face! You won't believe your tastebuds! It's almost magic how Māla Girl Soulfull Classic can make tofu taste so much like chicken! Let’s make it!

What you are going to need to buy:

• Māla Girl Fireball Basil, 1 Tbsp

• Māla Girl Oat Buttermylk, 1 Tbsp

• Māla Girl Sparkle Salt, to taste

• Extra Firm Tofu

• All-Purpose Flour, 3 Tbsp

• Jarred Pasta Sauce

• Olive Oil, 1 Tbsp

• Dairy-Free Mozerella

• Dairy-Free Parmesean

• Fresh Basil, chopped

What you are going to need to do:

1. Add 1 Tbsp of Soulfull Classic to the liquid that your tofu comes packed in and marinate tofu for 1 hour, up to overnight. This is honeslty the secret to this recipe! Don’t skip it, trust me!

2. Cut tofu into 1 inch, "chicken-shaped" cutlets and dredge in a mixture of AP Flour and Māla Girl Oat Buttermilk, with a pinch of Sparkle Salt.

3. Fry tofu, in a skillet, over medium heat, with 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil until a golden crust is formed on each side. Remove and drain on a paper towel to wick away any extra oil.

4. Add 1 Tbsp of Māla Girl Fireball Basil to one jar of pasta sauce and mix until well incorporated. Is this necessary? Nope…is it just plain good? Yep! Plus, if you are interested in this brand and what to try out their products, trust me, you’re going to want the Fireball Basil!

5. Spread 3-4 tablespoons of pasta sauce in the bottom of an oven-safe baking dish.

6. Add fried tofu cutlets to a baking dish and top with chopped basil, parmesan, pasta sauce, and mozzarella.

7. Sprinkle with a pinch of Māla Girl Sparkle Salt.

8. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and broil for 5 minutes until bubbly! Watch closely...so your cheese doesn't burn!

9. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with more warm Fireball Basil pasta sauce!

And…there you have it! I honestly can’t wait for you to try this recipe and see what you think! Make sure to tag me on all the socials @plantbasedgingr so I can see when you do!

Love, Light, and Lentils!
Sarah

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Vegan Spinach Lasagna with Homemade Dairy Free Ricotta

This cold weather is seriously making me crave comfort food. Anyone else? Made with my homemade ricotta, plus some delicious pasta sauce from my new friends over at Otamot, this delicious Vegan Spinach Lasagna totally hit the spot!! Read below for my easy, dairy free, and cashew free ricotta recipe!

My homemade vegan ricotta is so simple and because its made with silken tofu...it's safe for all my friends with nut allergies!

This recipe is for a 9x9 pan of lasagna…but is easily doubled if you want to make a large pan.

What you are going to need to buy:

To make the dairy free ricotta:
16 oz Silken Tofu, drained
3/4 c of Nutritional Yeast
2-3 tablespoons of Minced Garlic
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Salt

To make the Spinach Lasagna:
Vegan Ricotta
Tomato Sauce
1.5 cups spinach, Chopped
1/2 cup Dairy Free Mozzarella
Lasagna Noodles
Dairy Free Parmesan

What you are going to need to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

To make the dairy free ricotta:
Slowly pulse ingredients in a blender until the mixture comes together. Do not over-blend or it will get too runny! You can always finish mixing by hand.

To the ricotta mixture add your spinach and dairy free mozzarella.

To assemble the lasagna:

Cook your noodles based on the packaged instructions.
Add 3 tablespoons of pasta sauce to a 9 x 9 baking dish.
Layer your noodles, ricotta and cheese mixture, and pasta sauce and continue to build the lasagna until 3 layers have been achieved.

Top the final layer with noodles, cover with remaining sauce, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes until bubbling!
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Love, Light, and Lentils, my friends!

Butternut Squash Shells Stuffed with Sage Sausage, Spinach, and Ricotta

Looking for a fall twist on an old comfort classic? While we’ve still got a couple more weeks until Autumn officially arrives…over here I was craving some fall flavors...and these Butternut Squash Shells stuffed with Sage Sausage, Spinach and Ricotta totally hit the spot!

The best part of this recipe is that, while the flavor profile is different, the assembly is basically the same, so if you’ve ever successfully made stuffed shells in the past, these will be a snap. The entire dish does take a bit of time to make because you’ve got to roast the butternut squash and make the sauce so I would recommend that you plan to make a couple of recipes with squash so you can do some prep for several meals at once! Once the sauce is made, (which can be done ahead of time) the rest of the dish comes together in less than an hour!

What you are going to need to buy:

Medium Butternut Squash

Jumbo Shells

Medium Sweet Onion, diced

Minced Garlic - (like this jarred options from Spice World!)

1 cup Plant-Based Milk

1.5 cups Vegetable Stock

Dairy-Free Ricotta

Dairy-Free Mozerella

1/2 lb Plant-Based Sausage

Fresh Spinach

Just Egg, egg alternative

Olive Oil

Butter - (We love THIS ONE from Earth Balance)

Salt & Pepper

Fresh Sage

Warming Spices (Allspice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger)

What you are going to need to do:

To start, let’s make the sauce!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Chop your squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Liberally salt and pepper the cut side. Roast on a baking sheet for one hour, flipping halfway through, until the squash is fork-tender.

In a high-walled saucepan or medium pot, saute in butter, the diced onion and a tablespoon of garlic until soft and translucent. Reduce heat and set aside.

Scoop out the roasted squash from the skin and into the saucepan with the onion and garlic. Add the plant-milk and the vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add a teaspoon of each of the warming spices.

At this point, if you have a stick blender, it’s helpful to blend the mixture for a smoother texture but it’s not 100% necessary.

Let the sauce reduce until it’s the consistency of pasta sauce. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Now, onto the filling!

In a small saucepan, gently wilt one bag of spinach over medium heat.

In a large mixing bowl combine the following:

sausage (does not need to be cooked)

the wilted spinach

the equivalent of one egg

1.5 cups of ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

2-3 tablespoons of minced, fresh, sage

salt and pepper, to taste

The Shells:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Follow your package directions and cook your jumbo shells in boiling water.

After the shells are boiled and tender, remove and drain.

In a large skillet or baking dish fill the bottom of the dish with the butternut squash sauce.

Stuff each shell with the ricotta mixture and place into the baking dish.

Depending on the size of your dish you should be able to fit 15-20 shells. Do not overcrowd the dish. You want the sauce mixture to be able to rise up around the shells on either side.

Sprinkle mozzarella onto the top of the shells and cover with tin foil.

Bake for 15-20 minutes covered. Remove the tin foil and bake another 15 minutes until the sauce and cheese are hot and bubbly.

Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

While the shells are resting, fry up some sage leaves in Olive Oil until crispy and crumble the leaves onto the top of the shells for garnish.

Serve the extra sauce on the side.

Enjoy!

Better Than Canned, Vegan Crescent Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting!

If you grew up as an 80’s kid like I did, canned cinnamon rolls were a Saturday morning tradition. Probably the best thing you can really say about canned rolls, as an adult, is that they are quick and easy, crack open the can, plop them into a dish and bake. But would you believe that in the time it takes to preheat your oven you can up your cinnamon roll game by using another canned doughy staple from your childhood? That’s right…we’re talking crescent rolls!

Ever since I realized that canned crescent rolls are are #accidentallyvegan I have been thinking about using them to make some dairy free cinnamon rolls! And...WOW am I glad that I did because these bad boys turned out absolutely amazing. These quick and easy rolls are everything you love about cinnamon rolls and everything you love about crescent rolls all in one bite!

What you are going to need to buy:

Canned crescent rolls. (The Pillsbury brand is vegan!)

Non Stick Cooking Spray

1 cup of White Sugar

3 Tablespoons of Ground Cinnamon

Dairy Free Cream Cheese

Powdered Sugar

Vanilla or Maple Extract

What you are going to need to do:

Preheat your oven to 350.
Yes, the back of the can will tell you to bake at a higher temperature…don’t do it! We are going to bake these rolls at a lower temperature for longer than what you would bake traditional crescent rolls.

Crack open your crescent rolls and carefully unroll them onto a piece of parchment paper.
Do not break apart along the perforated edged into individual pieces. The goal is to get one rectangle of dough.

Take your fingers and gently press the perforated seams that you would normally use to separate into individual crescent rolls back together.

Spray the dough rectangle with the non-stick cooking spray. This is going to give the cinnamon sugar something to stick to.

Combine your cinnamon sugar and sprinkle a liberal amount onto the entire rectangle, leaving a one inch seam on one of the short ends. This is where you will close your rolls and you want the dough to stick to itself after rolled up!

Begin at the opposite end from where you left your sugarless seam and roll the dough onto itself until you get a log. Go slow and try to make sure that the whole log stays together. You can use the parchment to help you roll.

With a very sharp, serrated knife, cut the roll in half, then in half again and one final time so that you have 8 equal pieces.

Lightly spray the pan you are going to bake the rolls in.

Note: I like to bake mine in a round pan but if you want to use a 9 by 9 pan that is fine too but you will want to cut your rolls into 9 pieces so that they fit nicely into 3 rows of three!

Place the rolls onto the center rack of a hot oven and bake for 15 minutes with a piece of tin foil draped over the top of the baking dish. This doesn’t need to be sealed on the edges, just lay flat onto the top. The crescent dough will brown faster than it cooks so you want to guard aganist the tops of your rolls getting too brown, too quick!

After 15 minutes remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until light golden brown and fluffy!

I like to frost these rolls with cream cheese that I have added just a pinch of powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Personally, I don’t like my frosting to be too sweet because there is so much sugar in the rolls. The tang of the cream cheese is the perfect balance to all the sweetness and butter inside the rolls!

Let sit for 1-2 minutes after baking before frosting.
Enjoy!

Slow Roasted Hasselback Butternut Squash

I know squash is something. that a lot of people think about for Fall but Summer it’s the perfect time to start collecting and testing all of your harvest and squash recipes for the season and this Slow Roasted Hasselback Butternut Squash with a Sweet and Spicy Ginger Maple Glaze should absolutely be added to the list!

Okay, cards on the table…this is an adaptation of Chris Morocco’s 2016 Squash Hasselback recipe! (And if you know me, you know what a fan I am… of Chris, and of squash…not so much of 2016.) It’s also not a 30-Minute Meal. This dish takes some time! The good news? It’s actually perfect for entertaining! Nothing about this recipe is hard to make…if you can use a vegetable peeler, reduce some glaze on the stovetop and have a little patience, this dish will reward you and your guests with an amazing tasting side dish that looks five-star, for sure!

What you are going to need to buy:

Small to Medium Butternut Squash - (The size really depends on how many people you are looking to feed and the recipe can be adapted to a larger squash for Holiday crowds.)

1/2 sweet, yellow onion, small, diced fine

Minced Garlic - (Again, as always…we use the jarred kind from Spice World!)  

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Powdered Ginger

Vinegar (Apple Cider or Rice Wine)

Maple Syrup - (The real stuff, not pancake syrup)

Hot Sauce or Red Pepper Flakes/Your favorite spicy seasoning

Fresh Rosemary and Sage

What you are going to need to do:

To start, preheat your oven to 400 degrees

With a heavy, sharp, chef’s knife cut your squash in half, lengthwise, taking extra care with the stem. (The stem is super dense and can be difficult to cut through. Be careful! Do not cut yourself! If you’re not too concerned with magazine style photo ops then you can always cut the stem off and just slice the squash in half lengthwise.)

After you have bisected your butternut, using a good quality vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the outside of the squash.

Lightly oil, salt and pepper the exterior and inside of the squash and place cut side down on a roasting rack.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until for tender.

Remove the fork tender squash from the oven and with a sharp chef’s knife cut 1/4” horizontal slits into the squash, being careful to slice as deep as possible without cutting all the way through. (If you slice all the way down to where your knife hits the baking sheet then your squash will have a hard time maintaining its shape.)

Return the squash to the oven for approximately 10 minutes while you make your glaze.

In a saucepan, over medium heat sauté diced onion and garlic until translucent.

Add an additional teaspoon of olive oil, 1/3 cup of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger, and desired hot sauce or red pepper seasoning, to taste. (For my glaze, I used 2 tablespoons of one my favorites, Pickapeppa Sauce)

Cook glaze over medium heat until it begins to thicken and boil and is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Reduce to low heat to keep glaze warm.

Baste the butternut squash liberally, every ten minutes with the glaze. Each time that glaze is added, remove any extra glaze that accumulates or pools on the baking dish that begins to brown or burn too quickly. Repeat glaze process 4 additional times.

On the 4th and final time that you are glazing the squash, nestle fresh sage leaves between some the slices and sprinkle finely chopped rosemary on the top. Bake for a final 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and brush one final time with glaze. Any glaze that is left can be poured onto serving dish and the squash allowed to rest in the mixture for serving. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Crispy Vegan "Carrot-Bacon" Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Feta

Want to try a recipe that seems like it should be bad for you…but really isn’t? These little Crispy Vegan "Carrot-Bacon" Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Feta are sweet, salty, creamy and decadent without much of the guilt of the traditional appetizer. Perfect for a party or as a tapas plate to enjoy with your pre-dinner drinks, even your non-veggie friends will love them!

This recipe isn’t hard, in fact…it’s another one of those dishes that almost seems too simple to really dedicate an entire blog post to BUT I got such a good response over on the Plant Based Ginger IG account about these that I thought I would share some of my tips on how I make mine!

What you are going to need to buy:

Whole Dates, buying the pitted ones is easier but I personally think that the ones with the pits are sweeter. (I have NO proof of this, only a personal theory. Pick your battle.) Either way you’re going to need to get your hands on some dates sans the pits.

Carrots, the biggest and fattest you can find.

Your Dairy Free cheese of choice. (I love the Block Feta from Violife and that’s what I always use for this recipe!

Liquid Smoke

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Maple Syrup - (The good stuff, not pancake syrup.)

Garlic Powder, Paprika, Onion Powder

Salt & Pepper

Chives (Optional)

What you are going to need to do:

If you’re reading this blog, I am going to assume that you probably already do a fair amount of plant-based cooking, and may have already heard of this carrot-bacon craze. If you have a preferred concoction that goes into making your carrot bacon…do that (and you can probably just make like a 80’s choose your own adventure book, and skip to the end for the “tips” I have about making this recipe in general.)

For the Carrot Bacon:

Using a mandolin or a veggie peeler slice your carrots into long thin strips/ribbons. If your carrots are pretty skinny, like only an inch or so you may want to budget two carrot ribbons for each date because they shrink up a lot. Otherwise, one ribbon per date will be fine.

Into a zip-top baggie that is large enough to hold your ribbons add 1 -2 tablespoons of Liquid Smoke, 1-2 tablespoons of Maple Syrup and 1/2 teaspoon each of the spices.

Let the carrot ribbons marinate for anywhere from 10-30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

On a baking tray lay out your carrot ribbons and place them in the oven to crisp up for 10 minutes. (Keep an eye on them, flipping after 7-8 minutes. You can also baste the reverse side with the leftover marinade when you flip them.

After 10 minutes your carrot bacon will be soft, but still floppy enough that you can roll/wrap it around the dates. This is the goal. If you get it too crisp in the beginning you won’t be able to wrap them.

Remove from oven and let sit for 1 -2 minutes until cool enough to handle.

The Assembly:

Cut chunks of the feta cheese to fit inside of your dates, place them inside, and pinch to close. It’s okay if they don’t close entirely.

Wrap the dates with the carrot-bacon ribbons and return to the baking sheet.

Baste with the remaining marinade and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.

You can turn on your boiler for the last 1-2 minutes to get them really good and crisp but make sure to keep an eye on them because the dates can burn pretty quick.

Now, for the TIPS:

If you made the jump down from the first paragraph and skipped the carrot-bacon tutorial…welcome back! I have made this recipe several times now and here are some of the tricks that I have found helped me:

🌿 Use giant carrots...like really the fattest ones you can find. My local Asian Market has the biggest carrots I’ve ever seen!
🌿 Use a mandolin or a peeler because you won't be able to slice the carrots thin enough with a knife. I love my Pampered Chef Simple Slicer. I use it for everything!
🌿 I use the @violife_foods block feta cut into long chunks and I pop them into the freezer for a few minutes so that the cheese doesn’t ooze and spill out before the carrot bacon is crispy.
🌿 Painstakingly garnish with chives if you're desperate to impress the internet! (Or just use a toothpick)

Enjoy!

Spinach and Mushroom White Lasagna

If you’re looking for a recipe this Holiday for a non-traditional family dinner or need to accommodate dairy free guests this Spinach and Mushroom White Lasagna made with oat milk from the Rise Brewing Company just might be it!

Did someone say carbs? Creamy and delicious, no one will know that this entire dish is dairy free! The best part about this recipe is that it reheats just as well the next day if you have any leftovers…but don’t hold your breath. You can make ahead and assemble the night before, just bring to room temperature before baking.

What you are going to need to buy:

Lasagna Noodles

1 bag (6 oz) Baby Spinach

8 to 10 oz of Baby Bella Mushrooms

Minced Garlic - (We like the jarred kind from Spice World)

Ricotta Cheese - (We used the Dairy Free Ricotta from Tofutti)

Sour Cream - (We used our favorite Dairy Free Version from Tofutti)

Mozzarella Cheese - (We used the Mozzarella Shreds from Follow Your Heart)

8 oz Parmesan Cheese - (We used the Parmesan Shreds, also from Follow Your Heart)

Oat Milk - (We love the Original Oat Milk from Rise Brewing)

1 Egg or your favorite vegan Egg Substitute - (We used Just Egg from Just Foods)

Plant Based Butter - (We used our favorite from Earth Balance)

Flour

Fresh Herbs, Basil, Rosemary and Parsley

Nutmeg

Salt and Pepper

What you are going to need to do:

This lasagna is assembled much like any traditional recipe.

To make the filling…

To begin, slice mushroom and saute in a medium skillet with butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Once Mushrooms are cooked stir in spinach and cook down until spinach has wilted down. Set mixture aside.

In a medium mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, 4 or 5 oz of mozzarella cheese, 2 oz of Parmesan cheese, your egg, (or egg substitute), chopped herbs, salt and black pepper and mix until smooth.

To make the White Sauce…

In a saucepan over medium/low heat melt 2 tablespoons of butter. After butter is melted but before it begins to brown, reduce heat and sprinkle over 1 heaping tablespoon of flour, whisking until smooth. Cook flour and butter for one minute. Add in 1/4 cup of oat milk and whisk quickly to avoid lumps. Add in an additional 3/4 cup of oat milk and bring mixture to a light boil. After mixture has boiled, reduce heat and stir in 4 oz of Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg. if mixture is too thin, continue to cook on medium heat until it thickens up to a runny pudding consistency. Remove from heat and cool for 3-4 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream. Check seasoning. Add more salt/pepper/nutmeg if desired.

Boil the lasagna noodles until soft.

The Assembly…

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

In a buttered 9 x 9 pan spoon a small amount of the white sauce in the bottom, just to cover.
Add your first layer lasagna noodles, overlapping slighting at the seams. Follow with a layer of the ricotta mixture and top that with 1/3 of the spinach/mushroom mixture. Ladle 1/2 cup of the white sauce over the spinach and mushrooms and top with another layer of noodles.

Repeat 2 more times:

Noodles, Ricotta, Spinach and Mushroom, topped with the white sauce.

Top your 3rd layer with noodles and spoon over remaining white sauce. Top with remaining mozerellla and Parmesan cheese and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese on top and golden. You can also switch over the a low broil for this step but watch is closely so that the top doesn’t burn.

Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Vegan Peppermint Hot Cocoa

I’m super excited to be partnering on this recipe with the Rise Brewing Company! Their organic chocolate oat milk is the fastest and easiest way to make the richest and the most creamy dairy free cocoa you’ve ever tasted!

This recipe is so easy and to be honest it doesn’t even feel like much of a recipe but this time of year who doesn’t love a quick and easy recipe that comes together in only minutes?

What you are going to need to buy:

Chocolate Oatmilk from Rise Brewing

Sugar

Cocoa

Peppermint Extract

Non Dairy Topping

Salt

Peppermints or sprinkles for garnish

What you are going to need to do:

In a saucepan on medium heat melt/disolve:

• 1 cup of chocolate oat milk

• 1/2 cup of sugar

• 1/3 cup of cocoa

• 1 capful of peppermint extract

• Pinch of salt

Once the sugar and the cocoa are well incorporated add the remaining Oat Milk from the carton and keep on stovetop until heated through. Finish with your favorite dairy free topping.

Makes 4-5 servings!

Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Dates and a Sweet Balsamic Glaze

Anyone who thinks that they don’t like brussel sprouts, I dare you not to like this recipe. This dish is so good and so simple. It’s perfect for entertaining as we head into the holiday season because although brussel sprouts are often available year-round these days their peak season is from September to mid-February making them budget friendly for serving a crowd.

The trick to this recipe is, of course, fresh brussel sprouts, and really ripe dates! There is something kind of magical about the sugar content in the dates and how it almost caramelizes into a chewier crunch when they are roasted. If you are really time sensitive go ahead and get the pitted dates, but if you can spare a couple extra minutes I think buying dates with the pit in and removing yourself at home keeps them softer and sweeter. (I have no proof of this…it’s just been my experience.) With under 10 ingredients, including the spices, what’s not to love?

What you are going to need to buy:

Fresh Brussel Sprouts

Whole Dates

Pine Nuts

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Maple Syrup - (The good stuff, not pancake syrup. You could also use agave or honey.)

Balsamic Vinegar - (I get mine locally here in Orlando from The Ancient Olive)

What you are going to need to do:

begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.

Remove all loose, witty, or soft outside petals from your brussel sprouts and cut in half length-wise.

Lightly oil, salt and pepper your brussel sprouts and place on a sheet pan or cookie sheet being careful that they are only one layer thick.

Cut your dates length-wise and remove the pit. Then cut each half length wise again so that you end up with 4 quartered wedges. Place on the sheet pan with the brussel sprouts. Roast at 400 degrees, on the middle rack for 25 minutes, flipping/stirring half-way through so that you can get some browning on all sides.

To make the glaze, mix equal parts of Olive Oil, and Balsamic Vinegar with minced garlic and maple syrup or honey, to taste. If you can’t find the thick balsamic vinegar, you can always take of of the extra soft and squishy dates from the package and scrape out the contents into the glaze. Use a fork or small wish to incorporate the date flesh into the mixture and it will thicken it up a bit. If you do this…you will need less maple syrup or honey because the dates are so naturally sweet.

After 25 minutes, turn oven on to a low broil and broil for another 5-7 minutes, checking every 90 seconds or so to make sure that nothing is burning. Note: The dates will get really dark in color, and you might be afraid that you have burned them…rest easy. You likely didn’t but this broil at the end is what makes them caramelize into a nice chewy crunch!

Once the brussel sprouts and dates are out of the oven, toss them with the glaze and allow to cool for 4-5 minutes before serving to let that glaze really thicken up. Garnish with pine nuts or chopped pistachios!

Enjoy!