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

Watermelon, Beet, and Blueberry Chick'n Salad with Balsamic and Lime Dressing

Admittedly, for a blog about food made from veggies, I don’t typically share a lot of salads. First of all, most of the time they seem kind of self explanatory…and secondly, I like to share dishes that challenge the stereotype that folks who eat plant based diets ONLY eat salads. Having said all that, this one is too good not to share!

It is, hands down, a beautiful time of year. Blueberries are back in season and they are also on my favorites so it’s the perfect time for my Watermelon, Beet, and Blueberry Chick'n Salad with Balsamic and Lime Dressing! This is a great salad for entertaining outside because it not only looks beautiful but because there is no dairy…no fear if it comes up to room temp.

What you are going to need to buy:

Lettuce - (I know this seems vague, but seriously, use what you like…or what you have unhand! Maybe not iceberg! I used a summer mix of baby greens)

Watermelon, cut into 1/2” cubes

Fresh Blueberries

Pickled Beets, cut into 1/2” cubes - (Do not skip this ingredient! I know, I know…you don’t like beets, blah, blah, blah! Trust me! You need the tangy and salty flavor that they provide to balance all of the sweetness from the watermelon and the blueberries in this salad!

Vegan, “Chicken” - (I used the Gardein Chick’n Strips…not a vegetarian, use whatever chicken or chicken substitute you like.)

Smoked Gouda, Crumbled - (I used the Daiya Smoked Gouda Block and that’s what I would recommend. I like that smoked flavor and how it plays with the other ingredients in the salad. I know a lot of people like a tart or briney cheese, like a feta, with watermelon but with the beets in this dish, and remember you are NOT going to skip the beets…the smoky gouda is the way to go!)

Pistachios, chopped

Small Lime

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

Fresh Mint

What you are going to need to do:

Assembly Time!

You really can’t screw this up too terribly. The only tip that I have for this salad, and all salads in general, if you are making it for a crowd, is to layer your ingredients so that when you dig into the bowl to serve it, everything is already well incorporated.

You do have a couple options for the cheese. It comes In block form and you can absolutely just chop it into small pieces (think pea sized), or you can use the tines of a fork to kind of grate the cheese over top of the salad so that it’s a bit more “crumbly.”

For the dressing, simply mix the balsamic vinegar of your choice with the juice of half a lime, to your preferred taste. (Salt and Pepper are optional, if that’s your thing!) This salad is pretty juicy with all the fruit so a little goes a long way with the dressing. Be careful: too much and it will sog-out the whole dish.
P.S. This salad pairs perfectly with a mojito, just sayin’!

Love, light and lentils, my friends!
Sarah

Puffed Cranberry Feta and Walnut Bites

If you're looking for a quick and easy holiday appetizer or even another small item to add to a Christmas breakfast buffet...you've got to try these Puffed Cranberry Feta and Walnut Bites. Made with crescent rolls, which happen to be accidentally vegan...you might have all the ingredients you need already in your pantry! They look way, way, fancier than they are and can be made either vegetarian or vegan depending on the cheese option you use!!

For this recipe you’re going to need cranberry sauce…and I make my own because 1. It’s easy and only takes about 7-10 minutes and 2. It tastes so much better than the canned stuff BUT you could just as easily use some canned cranberry sauce, or even some jam or preserves!

What you are going to need to buy:

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Fresh Cranberries

Maple Syrup

Small Orange

Cinnamon

Cloves

Dairy-Free Feta Cheese

Walnuts
 

What you are going to need to do: The Cookies

To start, in a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of maple syrup, the juice of one small orange, and 1 cup of fresh cranberries to a boil and let boil on medium-high until the berries start to burst.

With the back of a fork, crush the berries and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes until the mixture thickens up. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cloves and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

Preheat your oven to 350

Open a can of crescent rolls and roll out the pastry onto a clean counter or cutting board but do not separate into triangles. Instead, gently pinch the perforations closed and then cut the rectangle of dough into 12 equal squares

Push the crescent dough squares down into a mini muffin tin.

Fill with cranberry sauce and top with crumbled feta cheese and walnuts.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, turning halfway through baking until pastry is golden brown and set.

Let stand fro 1-2 minutes in the tin before removing to serve!

Mini Patriotic Fruit Pizzas (Dairy and Egg Free)

Well, it’s officially SUMMER, my favorite season, and one of the reasons why I love summer so much are all of the fresh berries that are now ripe! With Independence Day just a few weeks away, these red, white, and blue mini fruit pizzas, with icing made from Kite Hill Foods cream cheese, are a great idea for your Fourth of July menu if you're still looking for a little something sweet to serve!

My niece and nephew were in town this past weekend and among a lot of pool time and craft projects we also managed to whip a batch of these Mini Summer Fruit Pizzas! These kids are not plant-based by any means, but you should have seen them gobble up the result! We all had fun, and no one even knew the difference, just the way that Aunt Sarah Likes it!

What you are going to need to buy:

Flour (1.5 c)

White Sugar (1/2 c)

Butter, softened - (or vegetable oil, vegan spread) ( 6 tablespoons) - (We like Earth Balance)

Vanilla (1 tablespoon)

Pinch of Salt

1 Egg - (Or the vegan equivalent such as Just Egg, which is what we used)

Milk - (1-2 tablespoons) (Substitute your plant based favorite - we like the Vanilla Oat Milk, for this recipe, for obvious reasons! The Vanilla Oat Milk from Rise Brewing is great for baking.

Baking Soda (1 teaspoon)

Baking Powder (1 teaspoon)

Fruit, of your choice, diced into small pieces

Cream Cheese (from from Kite Hill Foods)

Powdered Sugar
 

What you are going to need to do: The Cookies

Let’s start with the crusts…which are basically just sugar cookies.
In a bow sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
In a smaller bowl whisk together the softened butter, vanilla, oak milk, and egg until well combined.

Combine wet and dry ingredients until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Roll out dough and cut to desired shape…obviously for these I used a round cutter (actually a biscuit cutter because it had the pretty fluted edge!)

Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven.

Let cool completely before decorating.

The Icing:

This icing is so easy it’s hardly worth explaining. Into a small bowl mix together 1/2 container of Kite Hill Cream Cheese, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and a splash of vanilla. You can use the entire container of cream cheese if you plan to double to cookie recipe (This recipe makes 12 medium cookies.)

The Assembly:

After the cookie crusts are nice and cool, frost the tops of the cookies and arrange fruit (or other toppings) to your liking. Keep cool before serving.

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!

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Garlic and Basil infused Balsamic Dressing

Looking for ways to transform typical, boring, picnic or potluck style side salads? This Fresh Green Bean Salad with Sweet Basil infused Balsamic Dressing is the perfect salad for your shin-dig this weekend! Easy to make, and even easier to serve, this twist on the traditional creamy, cold, green bean salad is a great way to cut the dairy without cutting the flavor!

When most of us think green beans we typically think one thing: casserole. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a good green bean casserole just as much as the next gal but I’m always looking for ways to use them in other recipes, especially this time of year when they are so fresh and inexpensive. One of the things that I love most about this recipe is that the dressing isn’t a dairy-base, which means its the perfect option for your BBQ, picnic, or potluck because their is no worry about it sitting out too long and going bad!

What you are going to need to buy:

Lettuce - (I know this seems vague, but seriously, use what you like…or what you have on hand! You don’t need too much! I like the contrast of the purple and red lettuces BUT remember this is a green bean salad, after all…not a lettuce salad with green beans in it. I would suggest your beans to lettuce ratio be at like a 3 : 1 - so don’t over think the lettuce.

Fresh Green Beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces (4 cups)

Grape Tomatoes, halved or quartered - (For an even prettier salad try using the tri-colored blend)

Fresh Basil

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Minced Garlic - (from the jar is just fine…)

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

Smoked Gouda, Crumbled - (I used the Daiya Smoked Gouda Block and that’s what I would recommend.

Pine Nuts - (or Almonds would also be quite good in this dish)

Small Lime

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

What you are going to need to do:

This recipe can scale up or down pretty easily depending on the size of salad you want to make. I have literally made this salad as a single serving before by just cooking up 3/4 cups of green beans and washing a handful of lettuce. For a nice pot-luck or family sized salad I would suggest 4 cups of green beans. This is a green bean salad, after all…not a lettuce salad with green beans in it. I would suggest your beans to lettuce ratio be at like a 3 : 1

To begin we need to blanche our green beans. In a medium pot, filled with boiling, salted water, cook beans for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove beans from boiling water and plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking and retain the bright green color. Drain beans and pat dry with a paper towel.

Now, for assembly time!
You really can’t screw this up too terribly. The only tip that I have for this salad, and all salads in general, if you are making it for a crowd, is to layer your ingredients so that when you dig into the bowl to serve it, everything is already well incorporated.

You do have a couple options for the cheese. It comes In block form and you can absolutely just chop it into small pieces (think pea sized), or you can use the tines of a fork to kind of grate the cheese over top of the salad so that it’s a bit more “crumbly.”

For the dressing, mince 3-4 large basil leaves into very fine pieces. (Note: please use fresh basil…this is not the place for the dried stuff. It just will not taste the same!) Combine 1/2 cup of Olive Oil, 1/2 cup of Balsamic Vinegar, 2 tablespoons of Maple Syrup, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, minced basil, and salt and pepper to taste.

This salad is best served very cold! If possible, assemble all ingredients (minus the dressing) and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, up to one hour, before serving to make sure the green beans are not still lukewarm from cooking. Drizzle the dressing over the salad before serving. Finish with a fresh squeeze of lime, and garnish with a few more small basil leaves.

Enjoy!

Summer Squash and Sweet Corn Chowder

While everyone else is itching for pumpkins I’m trying to hold onto every last flavor of the Summer season that I can! With only a month or so until we fall into Autumn, I’m also trying to take advantage of the bountiful and inexpensive Summer produce while it lasts and this Summer Squash and Sweet Corn Chowder does just that.

If there is anything that you have left at the end of the Summer season it’s probably sweet corn and squash! This chowder, while isn’t necessarily a 30-minute meal, is still a great weeknight option because most of the cook-time is just simmering, making it a great multi-tasking dinner option. All in, you’re looking at maybe 45 minutes, because we are going tome our own stock, but trust me, it’s totally worth it.

What you are going to need to buy:

Fresh Sweet Corn (4 ears) - (I repeat, fresh…as in, on the cob, as in, not in a can!)

Yellow Squash - (I like the look of the yellow squash mixed with the yellow corn in this recipe….but if you’ve got zucchini to get rid of you can absolutely use that.

Mushrooms - 1.5 to 2 cups (We like either shiitake or cremini mushrooms. If you live in the South East and can find the “gourmet blend” at your local Publix, even better!)

Carrots

Medium Shallot, diced

Minced Garlic - (from the jar is fine…here is a great option from Spice World!)

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Fresh Thyme

Dry White Wine - (Remember, if you wouldn’t drink it…don’t cook with it)

All Purpose Flour

Your favorite plant based milk - (I used the Forager Project Brand Half & Half)

Scallions, for garnish

What you are going to need to do:

Step one is to prep your corn. Remove the husks and as much silk as you can. Rinse and pat dry.
Using a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the cob, cutting as close to the cob as you can. Watch your fingers. Place corn in a large bowl and set aside.

In a large pot bring 6-8 cups of water to a boil, with 3 tablespoons of salt and 2-3 stems of fresh time. Once water is simmering, add your corn cobs to the pot (If your corn cobs are too large just cut in half) and allow to simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occationallly, while you prepare the rest of the vegetables. Stock should reduce by about half.

Chop shallots, squash and carrots into small pieces (about 1/2” thick) Mushrooms can remain slightly larger, as they will drastically shrink down when cooked.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook sweet corn and carrots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper, until bright yellow and slightly softened. (3-5 minutes) Reserve 1/2 cup of corn/carrots for garnish when serving and set the rest aside in a large bowl.

In the same skillet, over medium heat sauté, in olive oil, garlic, squash, shallots, and mushrooms, being careful not to let. the vegetables take on too much color, or stick to the bottom of the pan. (about 5 minutes) After shallots have turned translucent, and mushrooms have reduced in size, add the corn and carrot mixture back into the skillet and sprinkle over 2-3 tablespoons of all purpose flour. Stir veggies to incorporate the flour. Cook for one-two minutes until the flour smells slightly nutty.

Deglaze the skillet with 1/4 cup of dry, white, wine and stir, somewhat vigorously, to thicken. Slowly add 1 cup of strained corn cob stock to the skillet. Reduce heat and set skillet aside.

Strain out all solids from the corn cob stock and gently add all of the vegetables into the stock pot. Mix until well incorporated, making sure there are no lumps. Increase heat to medium and add 2 cups of your favorite plant based milk. Bring to a light boil, reduce heat and let simmer for another 5-7 minutes before serving. Taste for seasoning. At this point, it almost always needs back pepper!

Serve sprinkled with a tablespoon on the reserved corn/carrot mixture from earlier and the diced scallions.

Additional, top with your favorite brand of vegan cheddar spreads - (We love the Cheddar Shreds from Follow Your Heart)

Serve and enjoy!

Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Roasted Artichokes with a Spicy Pistachio Berry Chutney

It’s hard to explain just how good this dish really is. I know…I know what you’re thinking. Just by reading the name of this recipe you are already suspicious, but trust me! The variety of flavors and textures come together to create the perfect side dish for summer entertaining and BONUS: it ends up looking way, way, more fancy than it actually is, and so do you, by association.

Oh, potatoes…how we love thee: fried, mashed, and in this case, smashed. But, all potatoes are not created equal and for this recipe you are going to want to look for a nice baby potato that is pretty uniform in size and shape and that isn’t waxy. The goal is for the exterior to get good and crispy while the inside maintains a soft and creamy texture. This recipe does have a couple steps, but nothing about it is difficult. Start to finish you’re still looking at about 30-35 minutes.

What you are going to need to buy:

Small Baby Potatoes. (My favorites for this recipe are Baby Honey Golds)

Veggie Stock or Bouillon – (I like the “Not Beef Bouillon” by Edward and Sons)

Olive Oil  

Artichoke Hearts (One can, halves or quarters)

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

Small Onion, diced

Salt

Paprika

Chili Powder

Agave Syrup (or you can substitute Maple Syrup or even brown sugar, if you prefer)

Pistachios, half cup, lightly chopped (or you can substitute walnuts or pecans)

Handful of black berries (or you can substitute raisins, dried cranberries, or even cherries)

Fresh Herbs (I used rosemary and basil but parsley or mint would also work well)

Sour Cream (Non-Dairy, or otherwise - of course by now you know I’m a Tofutti gal!)

 

What you are going to need to do:

To begin, in a medium sized pot cover your baby potatoes with water or stock and bring to a boil. Depending on the size of your potatoes they will need to boil for 5-8 minutes until they are “fork tender.”

Drain and let sit for 1-2 minutes to make sure that all of the water has drained/evaporated off. The more the dry the potatoes are at this point, the better that they will crisp up in the oven when we smash and bake them.

Preheat your over to 425. At this point, if your artichokes are not cut into quarters, quickly drain them and chop them to size, retaining about 2-3 tablespoons of the brine that they are packed in.

Transfer the potatoes and the artichokes to a heavy bottomed baking sheet and using the bottom of a mug or measuring cup, gently smash each small potato until it cracks. Remember that these are “smashed” potatoes, not mashed…Don’t get too crazy, here! Drizzle liberty with olive oil and salt, making sure that all of the cracks and crevices in the potatoes get a little oil to ensure good browning and crispiness.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, checking halfway through. Optionally, you may flip the potatoes halfway through for browning on both sides. Do this gently, or the “smashed” bits may fall apart.

While the potatoes are crisping up in the over we need to make the chutney. Is chutney really the right word for this…maybe not, but once you taste how good it is…you won’t care!

In a medium saucepan toast your Pistachios on medium heat until they have taken on a little color and become fragrant. Add to the toasted nuts 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, the small diced onion and 2 cloves of mined garlic. Saute’ until the onions are soft and translucent. Keep an eye on this! Do not burn your garlic.

Add in the reserved couple of tablespoons of the artichoke brine, paprika and and chili powder (to taste…but really don’t be a wimp!) and the Agave syrup, or your preferred sweetener, about 1 tablespoon.

Dice your berries (or preferred fruit) into small pieces and, after turning off the heat, add the fruit and stir well to incorporate. The residual heat will cook/warm/break down the berries, but we don’t want them to totally dissolve into the sauce. Stir occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add more spice or more sweetener depending on your liking.

Check on your potatoes. If golden and crispy on both sides, remove from oven and let sit on the pan for 1 minute.

To serve: Spread a thin layer of sour cream (Obviously, we used vegan sour cream) but use what you like…to a plate or serving dish. Arrange smashed potatoes and artichokes on top of the sour cream and drizzle with chutney. Garnish with fresh herbs or your choice!

Enjoy!

Homemade Minestrone Soup

I feel like homemade soup sometimes can get a bad wrap…“it takes too long, I don’t know what to put in it, it’s bland, etc…” but this homemade Minestrone Soup is so easy and so flavorful I promise you’ll never want to eat canned soup again!

The weekends see a lot of soup-making at my house! Not only is it easy but it’s the perfect way to use up al of the odds and ends veg that is hanging around the fridge and countertops left over from the rest of the week…and this homemade minestrone soup is no exception! The best part? You can put the leftovers in a glass jar and it will keep in the fridge for a couple weeks, or freeze, for months!

What you are going to need to buy:

Tomatoes (3-4), small, diced - This is honestly the perfect way to get rid of tomatoes that have gone a little squishy in the fridge. As long as they are not moldy, they are going to be just fine for soup.

White or Yellow Onion (1), medium - (Cut into chunks. No need to be too pretty, it’s all going to cook down anyway.

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

Tomato Paste, 1 tablespoon

Olive Oil

Veggie Broth (2-3 cups) or your favorite veggie bouillon cubes - (we like THESE from Edward & Sons)

White Mushrooms, sliced

Non-Dairy Butter - (We used Earth Balance)

Veggie Stock or Bouillon Cubes - (We used THESE from Edward and Sons)

Roasted veggies of choice, about 3 cups, total (We used baby potatoes, carrots, broccoli, baby corn, and snap peas, but again, use what you’ve got on hand!)

Dry Pasta - 1.5 -2 servings (We like orecchiette for this but any small shell or noodle should do)

Fresh Herbs - (Use what you like, use what you have. We used some rosemary and lots of curly parsley!)

Salt and Pepper, to taste.

Parmesan Cheese for topping - (Our favorite is THIS DAIRY FREE OPTION from Follow Your Heart)

What you are going to need to do:

Start by cutting your tomatoes and onions into 1” pieces - No need to be too pretty, it’s all going to cook down anyway.

In a skillet, over medium heat, stew the tomatoes, onions, and 1-2 tablespoons of garlic until the veg is soft and mushy. (This should take 5-10 minutes)

Once a lot of the liquid has cooked out of the tomatoes and has evaporated, add the tomato paste to the skillet and stir to incorporate. Continue to stir so that the tomato paste cooks, but does not burn for about 90 seconds, to 2 minutes. Mixture will be thick.

Remove from heat and into a soup pot add the stewed mixture, the veggie broth and rosemary (or preferred herbs). Stir and return to stove-top, allowing stock to simmer, but not boil. Cover with a loose lid so that you don’t loose too much to evaporation.

Now, Roast those Veggies!

Cut all your veg into bite size (1/2 to 1 inch) cubes. Making sure everything is roughly the same size allows all the veg to roast at about the same speed. Oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

No leftover veggies and no time to cut and chop? THESE PACKS from Birdseye works just great. Simply dump the frozen veggies on a tray with oil, salt, and pepper, and roast like you would fresh!

Roast at 375 for 20 minutes, checking half-way through to make sure nothing is browning too quickly.

For the last 3-5 minutes of the roast you can turn the oven to a low broil to really make sure you get some nice color on the veggies. Watch this closely! All ovens broil at different rates…and you don’t want them to burn.

Assembly:

At this point, I like to use a stick blender in the stock liquid to bust up any remains of tomato skins, herbs, or large chunks of onions. We are not looking for it all to be super smooth, just not too chunky, so pulsing the stick blender in short bursts works better. You could also transfer and do this in a traditional blender, if you like.

After blended, into the simmering stock, add the pasta, and increase the heat to achieve a low boil. Allow pasta to cook for 8-9 minutes. Add more water, if necessary.

Add in all of the roasted veggies to the pot and like to add a bit more curly parsley at this point.

Simmer another 3-4 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with more fresh herbs and grated parmesan cheese.

The Best Fresh and Chunky Guacamole

I love avocados! Big surprise, I’m sure. Hang onto your hats…I also love guacamole! But, I know that a lot of people, (gasp)…do not. Perfect for a party, this recipe is sure to turn even the pickiest eaters green with avocado envy

I’m personally convinced that there are two reasons why some people don’t like avocados (and guacamole to be more specific): one, people who don’t eat them often, are a little intimidated about buying avocados, (ie: knowing when they are ripe) and two, because most of the “guacamole” that people have had at their restaurants and neighborhood backyard barbecues is basically green, processed, mushy baby-food! Yuck! If I had to choose between most restaurant and grocery store guac and no guac at all…I’d be on the anti-avocado train myself. Luckily, now you have this recipe! It’s so easy and delicious, I promise…you’ll never want to eat store-bought ever again.

What you are going to need to buy:

2 Ripe Avocados

1/2 Small Red Onion, diced

Handful of Cherry Tomatoes, diced

Garlic, minced - (our favorite is from Spice World!)  

1 Fresh Lime

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Cilantro, if that’s your thing…

Mayo (Optional)

What you are going to need to do:

Open your avocado by slicing through the entire circumference of the fruit! Yes, It’s a fruit. I know…I know. It’s green. Look it up! Fruit, I promise. (Mind blown!)

Gently twist the two halves apart and with a large, sturdy kitchen knife, remove the pit. This is exponentially easier when the avocados are ripe.

Score the flesh of the fruit into a grid pattern and then scoop out the contents from the skins.

Into a mixing bowl combine the flash of two avocados, the diced onion, the diced tomatoes, (Using yellow and red tomatoes makes for an extra pretty dish, perfect for entertaining) and 1 -2 teaspoons of minced garlic.

Using the back of a fork, gently mash the mixture together to smooth out some of the lumps, being mindful not to turn your homemade guacamole Into the aforementioned baby-food. Personally, I like mine a little on the chunky side.

Squeeze in the contents of one small lime (Do not skimpy this…) and add salt and pepper to taste. If you’re a cilantro lover throw a handful of rough chopped cilantro into the bowl, give a final stir and serve!

That’s it! I told you it was easy!

Enjoy!

(A note about the Mayo: This can be either traditional or vegan mayo and can be a good trick to use if your avocados are not quite ripe enough to make your guacamole very creamy. Take 1 heaping tablespoon of mayo and add to the avocado when you are doing your initial “mash and mix” step. If you do add mayo, just know, it will flatten out the flavor a little and you will likely need a pinch more salt plus some more garlic and lime.)