Zucchini Fries with Homemade Pesto Hummus!
Technically this recipe is, in fact, TWO recipes in one, but the ingredients overlap so much and let’s face it, who doesn’t want some amazing homemade pesto hummus to have on hand, even if you don’t eat it all with these fries…? (Side note: I didn’t eat it all, either but I ended up using the rest the following day in another dish…so keep your eyes peeled for that post soon!)
Technically this recipe is, in fact, TWO recipes in one, but the ingredients overlap so much and let’s face it, who doesn’t want some amazing homemade pesto hummus to have on hand, even if you don’t eat it all with these fries…? (Side note: I didn’t eat it all, either but I ended up using the rest the following day in another dish…so keep your eyes peeled for that post soon!)
My bestie is on her own health journey these days. She's not necessarily plant-based but every now and then I can woo her over to the green side for a bit...like this week when she texted me that she was making zucchini fries! Her recipe called for egg whites but I knew I could probably pull off essentially the same thing with some aquafaba AND since I would be opening a can of chickpeas anyway homemade hummus to dip them in just seemed like the obvious choice!
What you are going to need to buy:
Zucchini - quantity is going to just depend on how many fries you want. What you see pictured is one medium zucchini and I gobbled them all up myself, so…make your best choices!
One can of Chickpeas
Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)
Bread Crumbs (I ended up using my own because I had some crutons that I had made from some leftover sourdough bread…but any will work. Use traditional Japanese Panko for a vegan version!)
Italian Seasoning
Nutritional Yeast - (If you don’t care about this recipe being vegan, you can use some powdered parmesan.)
Garlic Powder (Yes, there is fresh garlic and powdered garlic in this recipe. Don’t judge)
Onion Powder
Paprika
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Lemon Juice
Basil (and/or Italian Parsley)
Olive Oil
What you are going to need to do:
Let’s start with the Zucchini Fries!
Preheat over to 400 degrees.
Open the can of chickpeas and drain, reserving the liquid.
In a small bowl toss 1/4 cup of the chickpeas with 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, until fully coated.
Place chickpeas on a baking tray with a silicone mat or lined with baking paper.
Cut your zucchini into your prefered “fry” sized pieces. I will say that, in the end I did prefer the thinner fries because they were crispier.
With a stand mixer or traditional hand mixer, whip the liquid from the chickpeas (called aquafaba) until light and and fluffy (resembling whipped egg whites) - This can take several minutes.
In a shallow dish or a rimmed plate mix together bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. (Quantities will vary based on how many fries you are making. Don’t stress out…this is hard to really mess up.)
Dip the zucchini fries into the whipped aquafaba making sure to fully coat and then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Continue until all fries are coated.
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, flipping 1/2 through cooking.
Okay, onto the HUMMUS and PESTO!
While the chickpeas and the fries are in the oven you can make the hummus!
Into a blender dump the rest of the chickpeas along with 3 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic (along with a little of the oil that the garlic is paked in…yum!), the juice of one lemon (or a couple tablespoons of white cooking vinegar.)
Blend until smooth adding additional oil, or even some of the whipped aquafaba, until your desired consistency is achieved.
Dump…scrape… or otherwise evacuate your hummus from the blender into a bowl. Get out all you can but don’t be too picky about it. No need to rinse the blender.
Back into the blender add 1 to 1.5 cups of fresh basil (and other greens of your choice) with 3-4 tablespoons of oil, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Blend until the herbs are broken down but not completely smooth.
Back to the fries…
You can, for the last 2 minutes, turn your oven from bake to broil to get some nice toasted color on your fries but watch this carefully. Every oven is different and you don’t want them to burn!
Let fries cool on the tray for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Serve fries with pesto that you have swirled into the hummus…and garnished with the roasted chickpeas!
(Try not to eat the entire plate yourself)
Enjoy!
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 friends at Otamot, this delicious Spinach Lasagna totally hit the spot! ! Read below for my easy, dairy 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 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!
Coconut Curry Chickpea Lettuce Cups with BeanVivo!
If you are craving the flavors of curry but are short on time you are going to love these Curry Chickpea lettuce wraps! They are shockingly easy and even with roasting the chickpeas only take about 15 minutes to pull together with less than 10 ingredients that you probably already have in your panty! I used the lettuce as the “wrap” for this recipe but it would be equally as good wrapped in a tortilla or stuffed into a pita!
Are you ready for the easiest dinner you could whip together in 15 minutes with less than 10 ingredients? Thanks to our friends at BeanVivo these Coconut Curry Chickpea Lettuce Cups with with Cilantro Lime Rice and Pineapple are so simple to make and packed full flavor even the pickiest eaters in your house are sure to gobble them up!
If you’re not familiar with BeanVivo…you should be! Their mission was to develop tasty meals & snacks for people on-the-go, like you and me, by using simple organic ingredients. They combine one of nature’s most nutritious ingredients, not to mention one of my favorites, on our planet…beans, with tons of unique herbs and spices from around the world. Their ready to eat packs are sustainable, convenience (ready to eat in 60 seconds) and are totally gluten-free, and vegan! So…let’s cook!
What you are going to need to buy:
Lettuce, use your favorite…I like butter lettuce
One packet of Coconut Curry Chickpeas from BeanVivo
Minute Rice
Dairy Free Butter
Lime Juice
Fresh Cilantro, chopped fine (or parsley, if you must!)
Avocado
Chopped Pineapple
Cashews
What you are going to need to do:
To begin, prepare your rice per the boxed directions allowing about 1/4 cup of cooked rice for each serving (3 lettuce cups, per serving)
Once the rice is finished cooking, stir in 1 teaspoon of butter, and add lime juice and cilantro (To taste…I like mine really lime-y)
Open and slice one small avocado.
Slice fresh pineapple into 1/4 inch chunks
Open your packet of Coconut Curry Chickpeas from BeanVivo . The best part is that you don’t even need to heat them! They are super delicious, right out of the packet!
Assembly!
Using your lettuce as your “shell” spoon your Coconut Curry Chickpeas from BeanVivo on top of a bed of the cilantro lime rice. Add avocado, diced pineapple, and cashews!
See, told you it was easy! Check out all the delicious combinations of BeanVivo products at their website HERE!
Garlic Creamed Kale with a Parmesan Crust
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and while you might now typically think of kale as a food worthy of your holiday feasts, trust me, this recipe is going to win you over. A happy medium smack in the middle between a broccoli casserole and a green bean bake this unique side dish is packed with flavor the all the creamy goodness that you’re craving in your autumn inspired comfort foods!
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and while you might not typically think of kale as a food worthy of your holiday feasts, trust me, this recipe is going to win you over. A happy medium smack in the middle between a broccoli casserole and a green bean bake this unique side dish is packed with flavor the all the creamy goodness that you’re craving in your autumn inspired comfort foods!
One of the things that really upped my at-home cooking game in a big way was when I learned to master making a roux (pronounced rue)! Literally, the vault where all the soups and sauces you love are kept, is guarded by the culinary gatekeeper that is, roux. All it takes is a little butter and a little flour, some liquid and seasoning…once you get this down, you’ll never buy cream sauces or soups from the can or jar again. The cream sauce for this recipe is no exception and was literally whipped up with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
What you are going to need to buy:
Fresh Kale, about 4 cups, chopped into bite-sized pieces (1” - 2”)
4 tablespoons Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)
2 tablespoons of Flour
3 cups Original Oat Milk from Rise Brewing
4 tablespoons Butter - (We love THIS ONE from Earth Balance)
1/2 small white Onion, diced
1/2 cup of Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup Dairy Free Sour Cream
Salt and Pepper, to taste.
For the Crust/Topping
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
1/4 cup of dairy free Parmesan
What you are going to need to do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To begin, in a high-walled skillet or saucepan, saute your onions and garlic with 3 tablespoons of butter until the onions are soft and have taken on just a little color.
Reduce heat to low and add another tablespoon of butter. Allow to melt.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of of flour over the top of the onions and the butter and with a large whisk, stir the flour into the onion until a paste is formed. Cook for 60 seconds and then gently add in 1 cup of oat milk, slowly, while you continue to whisk, so as not to get lumps.
Melt into mixture 1/2 cup of cream cheese and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.
Stir in additional Oat Milk. You are looking for a consistency of a nice alfredo sauce.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
If the sauce is too thin, allow to simmer until thickened. If the sauce seems too tick, add a little water.
Dump your chopped kale into the skillet and gently stir until combined.
Transfer your creamed kale to a small, oven safe, baking dish.
Top with your crust mixture that is equal parts bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and nutritional yeast, spreading an even coat across the top of the baking dish.
Cover in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Additionally, you can broil for a final 3-4 minutes so the top takes on nice color. (But watch it close so that it does not burn!)
Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Curry Chickpea Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Lime Rice
If you are craving the flavors of curry but are short on time you are going to love these Curry Chickpea lettuce wraps! They are shockingly easy and even with roasting the chickpeas only take about 15 minutes to pull together with less than 10 ingredients that you probably already have in your panty! I used the lettuce as the “wrap” for this recipe but it would be equally as good wrapped in a tortilla or stuffed into a pita!
Are you ready for the easiest lunch you could whip together in 15 minutes? I have legit been eating these Curry Chickpea Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Lime Rice all of the time since I first made them a month or so ago!
If you are craving the flavors of curry but are short on time you are going to love these Curry Chickpea lettuce wraps! They are shockingly easy and even with roasting the chickpeas only take about 15 minutes to pull together with less than 10 ingredients that you probably already have in your panty! I used the lettuce as the “wrap” for this recipe but it would be equally as good wrapped in a tortilla or stuffed into a pita! Plus, the cilantro lime rice is so good you’re probably going to want to whip up a big batch to use in all kinds of dishes for the week!
What you are going to need to buy:
Lettuce
One can of Chickpeas
Curry Spice
White Minute Rice
Lime Juice
Fresh Cilantro, chopped fine (or parsley, if you must!)
Avocado
Dairy Free Sour Cream
What you are going to need to do:
Start by preheating your oven to 425
Open the can of chickpeas and drain. Do not rinse.
Keeping the chickpeas in the can add 1 tablespoon of curry spice to the can and swirl around so that all of the chickpeas get covered with the spices.
Place chickpeas on a baking tray with a silicone mat or lined with baking paper.
Bake for 15 minutes, rotating them on the pan about half-way through.
Prepare your rice per the boxed directions allowing 1/4 cup of cooked rice for each wrap you’re making.
Once the rice is finished cooking, add lime juice and cilantro (To taste…I like mine really lime-y)
Open and slice one small avocado.
Mix 3-4 tablespoons of sour-cream with a squeeze of lime juice, just to thin it out a little.
Assembly!
Using your lettuce as your “shell” place your roasted chickpeas on top of a bed of the cilantro lime rice. Add avocado and drizzle sour cream to finish. Garnish with more fresh herbs and a sprinkling of curry powder!
See, told you that was easy! Save any extra chickpeas to use in stews or just to eat as a salty and crunchy snack.
Enjoy!
Baked Brussel Sprouts with Onion and Herb Sauce
I typically don't use much frozen produce but Publix had Birdseye veggies on sale a couple weeks back so I grabbed a few bags. Topped with a creamy sauce made with sauteed onions, nutritional yeast, garlic, oat milk from the Rise Brewing Company, and some herbed cream cheese from Miyokos Creamery I honestly wouldn't have even known the difference between fresh and frozen.
I typically don't use much frozen produce but Publix had Birdseye veggies on sale a couple weeks back so I grabbed a few bags. Topped with a creamy sauce made with sauteed onions, nutritional yeast, garlic, oat milk from the Rise Brewing Company, and some herbed cream cheese from Miyokos Creamery I honestly wouldn't have even known the difference between fresh and frozen.
One of the things that really upped my at-home cooking game in a big way was when I learned to master making a roux (pronounced rue)! Literally, the vault of all the soups and sauces you love, is guarded by the culinary gatekeeper that is, roux. All it takes is a little butter and a little flour, some liquid and seasoning…once you get this down, you’ll never buy cream sauces or soups from the can or jar again. The cream sauce for this recipe is no exception and was literally whipped up with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
What you are going to need to buy:
Brussel Sprouts - (these were the ones used in this recipe)
One medium Onion, diced
Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)
Flour
Original Oat Milk from Rise Brewing
Nutritional Yeast - (If you don’t care about this recipe being vegan, you can use some grated parmesan.)
Butter - (We love THIS ONE from Earth Balance)
Herbed Cream Cheese from Miyokos Creamery
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Herbs, for garnish (pictured is Lemon Thyme)
What you are going to need to do:
Remove the brussel sprouts from the freezer and allow to begin to thaw.
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
To begin, in a medium skillet, saute your onions and garlic with a little butter until the onions are soft and have taken on just a little color. Add 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast and mix well.
Reduce heat to low and add another tablespoon of butter. Allow to melt.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of of flour over the top of the onions and the butter and with a large whisk, stir the flour into the onion until a paste is formed. Cook for 60 seconds and then gently add in 1 cup of oat milk, slowly, while you continue to whisk, so as not to get lumps.
Melt into mixture 1/2 cup of cream cheese.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove sauce from heat.
Remove the brussel sprouts from the bag. If they are still too frozen to cut in half, just pop them into the microwave for one minute. Cut all of the brussel sprouts in half
No need to drain any liquid from them. You sauce has likely thickened up and the moisture from the brussel spouts will help loosen it back up when combined.
It’s okay that your brussel sprouts are still cold at this point, even still slightly frozen.
Into an oven safe baking dish, mix the brussel sprouts with the sauce and top with another tablespoon of nutritional yeast (or parm.)
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until bubbly. Broil for the final 2-3 minutes so the top takes on nice color.
Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs.
Creamy Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup
The summer is fading fast into fall but if you’re like me you probably still have a bunch of tomatoes hanging around. If you’re looking for an easy and quick recipe to help you transition in to soup season this dish does the trick! So flavorful and creamy even your non-veggie family and friends will ask for seconds! Bonus: canning this soup is super easy and because it’s tomato based doesn’t require any extra processing to safely preserve!
This Tomato Soup is so easy and delicious you will wonder how you ever tolerated the canned stuff! The trick to really amazing tomato soup is super-ripe, almost mushy, tomatoes! The more ripe they are the sweeter and more complex their flavor, and the more tomato-y your soup will turn out.
The summer will soon be fading fast into fall but if you’re like me you probably still have a bunch of tomatoes hanging around. If you’re looking for an easy and quick recipe to help you transition in to soup season this dish does the trick! So flavorful and creamy even your non-veggie family and friends will ask for seconds! Bonus: canning this soup is super easy and because it’s tomato based doesn’t require any extra processing to safely preserve!
What you are going to need to buy:
Tomatoes - 8 small to medium vine ripened tomatoes will make abut 2 servings of soup. I recommend roasting 4 small - medium (think between the the size of a medium plum) for each serving
Sweet Onion
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Sugar or Maple Syrup
Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)
Veggie Stock - 1 cup, per desired serving
Your favorite Vegan Cream Cheese - (We used this one from Kite Hill Foods)
Cayenne Pepper, to taste
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Paprika, to taste
Basil, Chives, Oregano (optional)
What you are going to need to do:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Start my chopping an onion (1/2 for 2 servings or a whole onion for 4 servings)
Lightly oil a large skillet, (one with deep sides works the best)
Cut tomatoes in half. and arrange in skillet cut side down along with onions and 2-3 tablespoons of garlic.
Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar and a pinch of Cayenne Pepper.
Saute’ on medium/high heat until the onions are translucent and the mixture is bubbling.
Transfer your skillet to the oven and roast the mixture for 15-20 minutes checking occationally. If it’s looking too dry you can add 1/4 cup of water to the skillet to make sure that the mixture does not burn.
After 20 minutes remove the onions and tomatoes from the oven and add to the pot your veggie stock.
Simmer on the stove-top for another 10 minutes. You can also add any herbs you’d like at this time.
Using a stick blender, blend soup until smooth! No need to worry about small seeds and skins, they all get blended together. Optionally, if you don’t have a stick blender, carefully transfer the soup to a stand blender and blend until smooth.
Stir in the cream cheese 1/4 to1/2 cup depending on number of servings.
Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. You can also add a touch more cayenne at this time, if desired. If you like a sweeter tomato soup add another tablespoon of sugar or maple syrup at this time.
This soup is great garnished with toasted pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes!
Enjoy!
Carrot Bacon Topped Avocado Toast
If you have been in the veg community for any length of time, you’ve probably heard about the wonder that is, Carrot Bacon! And, while I can’t lay claim to this recipe nor the base idea, I do have enough people ask me about it when I post photos that feature it that I thought I would share with you all how I make my Carrot Bacon!
If you have been in the veg community for any length of time, you’ve probably heard about the wonder that is, Carrot Bacon! And, while I can’t lay claim to this recipe nor the base idea, I do have enough people ask me about it when I post photos that feature it that I thought I would share with you all how I make my Carrot Bacon!
I believe that the original recipe came from, the reigning vegan queen herself, Ms. Tabitha Brown, or at least that who I first saw share it! She uses a veggie peeler and an air fryer and my version uses a mandolin and the oven…just one more example of how most of cooking really is just good improv! Feel free to jump down to the end of the recipe if you just want my quick tips and tricks!
What you are going to need to buy:
Fresh Carrots
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
Avocado
Sliced Vegan Cheese (like this ONE from Field Roast)
Tomato
Bread
Vegan Feta (this recipe uses the Block Feta from Violife!)
What you are going to need to do:
For the Carrot Bacon:
Using a mandolin or a veggie peeler slice your carrots into long thin strips/ribbons. This is why you want those fat carrots because they do tend to shirk up quite a bit in the oven.
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
1 teaspoon on minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon each of the spices. (Garlic Powder, Paprika, and Onion Powder, Salt and Pepper)
Let the carrot ribbons marinate for anywhere from 10-30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
On a baking tray lay out your carrot ribbons and place them in the oven to crisp up for 15-20 minutes. (Keep an eye on them, flipping after 10 minutes. You can also baste the reverse side with the leftover marinade when you flip them.
Feel free to turn on your broiler for the last 5 minutes or so to get your bacon extra crispy but watch is carefully so that it doesn’t burn…because it will!
Remove from oven and let sit for 1 -2 minutes until cool enough to handle.
The Assembly:
Apply your best practices for standard avocado toast preparation! I like mine to resemble a BLT and use tomato layered over some sliced vegan cheese and topped with dairy-free feta
Now, for the TIPS & TRICKS:
🌿 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!
🌿 The longer you can marinate the carrots, the better the flavor!
🌿 I bake mine on parchment because when that sticky marinade cooks onto your baking sheet at 400 degrees, it’s a pain to get off!
🌿 Use the leftover marinade to base when you flip the bacon half-way through cooking
🌿 Use the broil feature of your oven at the end to really crisp up the bacon but watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn! - I leave the oven door cracked so I can keep an eye on what’s happening!
Enjoy! And as Tabitha says…
“Hey, you have a good day, but if you can't, don't you go out messing up nobody else's.”
Easy Vegan Crab Cakes with Tangy Green Olive and Garlic Tarter Sauce
This dish is one of my favorites for a lazy summer afternoon, great to take to potluck or cookout, but comes together quick enough that it also makes a great week-night meal option. However, by far, one of my favorite things about this recipe is that these little cakes make the perfect base for seafood or fish tacos!
The perfect summer dish, these quick and easy, low calorie, Vegan Crab Cakes are guaranteed to become a favorite! Made with just a handful of ingredients this is one of those recipes that you can serve for a party and totally fool your non plant-based friends into thinking is the real deal!
Oh, mighty chickpeas, (or garbanzo beans) are packed with protein, vitamin K, iron, vitamin B-6, and magnesium making them an essential part of any plant based diet! These faux crab cakes combine chickpeas and hearts of palm with traditional spices making them almost indistinguishable from their real sea-food counter part. This dish is one of my favorites for a lazy summer afternoon, great to take to potluck or cookout, but comes together quick enough that it also makes a great week-night meal option. However, by far, one of my favorite things about this recipe is that these little cakes make the perfect base for seafood or fish tacos!
What you are going to need to buy:
Canned Chickpeas
Canned Hearts of Palm
Small white or yellow onion, minced
Seasoned Bread Crumbs
Vegan Mayo
White Vinegar
Green Olives
Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)
Old Bay Seasoning
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Spinach & Fresh Basil and Cherry Tomatoes for plating and garnish
What you are going to need to do:
This recipe can be made with or without using a food processor. I don’t have a small one myself, so I do all the chopping by hand because I also happen to like the internal contents of my crab cakes a little more rustic and less soft. Either way, to begin you need to drain your chickpeas and hearts of palm.
If you are electing to use a food processor combine the drained chickpeas, drained hearts of palm, and onion and pulse on low until nicely incorporated. Try not to get this mixture too creamy. You want a little texture left in the ingredients.
If you are going to chop/mash by hand make sure that your pieces are cut fine enough (somewhere between a dice and a mince.) The chickpeas will easily smash with the backside of a fork. Once you have everything chopped and smashed stir to combine all ingredients until well incorporated.
Whether or not you used a food processor or not for the first step, you will want to do the rest by hand. Stir in two tablespoons of vegan mayo, a splash of white vinegar, Old Bay Seasoning and salt/pepper, to taste and enough breadcrumbs to help the mixture hold together and become somewhat “pack-able.”
Form into small cakes. I like mine about 2.5 inches wide. Coat in breadcrumbs, remembering to also get the sides. let cakes sit for one minute and coat in breadcrumbs again.
In a small skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat, just enough to coat the bottom of the skillet, until oil is shimmering. Fry crab cakes, about 2 or three minutes on both sides or until dark, golden brown, and crispy. Let sit on paper-towel to absorb excess oil while you make the tarter sauce.
Combine vegan mayo, diced green olives, minced garlic, salt/pepper, Old Bay Seasoning and white vinegar until creamy. I like mine slightly runny, but the great thing about this sauce is that it’s flexible. Substitute pickle relish for the green olives for a more traditional tarter sauce or use green tomato relish for a sweeter version.
Serve over a spinach salad with diced tomatoes. Finely chop one or two fresh basil leaves and sprinkle on top to finish.
Mom's Burrito Pie (Deep Dish Mexican Pizza!)
I grew up eating this dish once a week. Well, maybe that’s n exaggeration, but for sure, twice a month, at least! My Momma always called it burrito pie but someone informed me on my Instagram this week that it’s also deep dish Mexican Pizza! Either way, it's one of the most simple dishes you can imagine and it's good every single time! Dare I say, it will stand up to ALL the pickiest eaters, and this vegan version with homemade refried beans is the perfect thing to serve to a crowd of “mixed eaters”!
I grew up eating this dish once a week. Well, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but for sure, twice a month, at least! My Momma always called it burrito pie but someone informed me on my Instagram this week that it’s also deep dish Mexican Pizza! Either way, it's one of the most simple dishes you can imagine and it's good every single time! Dare I say, it will stand up to ALL the pickiest eaters, and this vegan version with homemade refried beans is the perfect thing to serve to a crowd of “mixed eaters”!
This recipe uses the homemade refried beans that we made earlier in the week. Obviously, canned are just fine but be careful because if you’re wanting this recipe to be plant based…check the can! Unless it otherwise states “vegetarian” a lot of commercial refried beans contain lard, making them not vegan at all…and not even vegetarian! Aside from that, the best part of this recipe, like a lot of the things I like to make, is that it’s totally customizable to your pallet and the ingredients that you love (or hate, as the case may be.)
What you are going to need to buy:
Tortillas, size depends on the casserole dish you want to bake this in and how large a pie you are making.
Refried Beans
Olive Oil
Ground “Beef” - this recipe used the ground from Beyond Meat but you do end up crumbing it up, so the frozen crumbles work just as well.
Medium onion, diced
Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)
Taco Seasoning (or your preferred spices to season taco meat)
Red Sauce or Enchilada Sauce (Not tomato sauce, chili based)
Cheddar Shreds - (pictured are the Cheddar Shreds from Violife)
Sour Cream - (Tofutti is the best!)
Diced Tomatoes
Fresh Herbs, for garnish
What you are going to need to do:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
In a pan, on medium heat, with 1 tablespoon of olive oil saute’ you onions and garlic until the onion is translucent.
Add into the pan your Beyond Meat cook until brown and crumbled. Add a splash of water and your taco seasoning (amount will depend on how much filling you are making.) Taste for seasoning. Remove from heat.
In a round casserole dish, roughly the size of your tortillas, pour about 3 tablespoons of the red sauce into the the dish, just to cover the bottom.
We’re basically making taco lasagna!
Holding a tortillas in your hand, or placing it on the counter-top, spread a nice thick layer of refried beans onto the tortilla and place in the dish.
Note: Do not try to spread the beans on the tortilla after you place it in the dish or you are just going to pull your hair out! Before, before, before…
Layer the meat filling on top of the beans, followed by a handful of cheese and another 3 tablespoons of red sauce.
Repeat this layering process until you reach the top of the baking dish. I typically get 3 layers.
Top off your Burrito Pie with a final tortilla and pour the remaining red sauce onto the top to cover the entire thing.
Top with cheese and cover loosely with tin foil or the lid to the casserole dish. (Do not let the cover touch the cheese.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, uncover, turn your over to broil, and bake another 3-5 minutes until cheese is nice and melted. Keep a close eye on it for the last 5 minutes. Every stove/broiler is different and you don’t want it to burn!
Remove from oven and let stand for 15-25 minutes before serving.
Top with sour cream, tomatoes, and fresh herbs (or whatever you like…guac, pico, olives, etc…)
Cut into wedges and enjoy!
Creamy Hummus Pasta with Roasted Red Tomatoes (Lucky Left Overs Series)
When you live alone and cook for guests mostly on the weekends, your mid-week fridge can often end up filled with the odds and end s from dishes gone-by! This pasta dish is not only great because it uses up your leftover hummus but also because it really does take less than 15 minutes to throw together…and bonus, you can always use a tub of store-bought hummus if you have to!
Remember when I told you a couple of days ago that I was working on another recipe to use up the rest of that homemade hummus and pesto that we made for our zucchini fries? Well, friends…here it is! This Creamy Hummus Pasta with Roasted Red Tomatoes is just about the simplest dish to whip up but I promise your taste buds will thank you!
When you live alone and cook for guests mostly on the weekends, your mid-week fridge can often end up filled with the odds and ends from dishes gone-by! This pasta dish is not only great because it uses up your leftover hummus but also because it really does take less than 15 minutes to throw together…and bonus, you can always use a tub of store-bought hummus if you have to!
What you are going to need to buy:
Hummus, about 2 cups (for 2-3 servings) - CLICK HERE for the recipe that this recipe uses!
Sundried tomatoes, 1/2 cup - (we like the California SunDry Tomatoes that come in a jar! Plus, they keep in the fridge forever!
Cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half, 7 or so, per serving
Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper
Pasta of your choice
What you are going to need to do:
Preheat over to 415 degrees.
Cut your tomatoes in half and sprinkle with salt.
Place tomatoes on a baking tray with a silicone mat or lined with baking paper and roast for 12 minutes, flipping half-way through.
Cook your pasta, per the package directions, in salted water until tender.
Drain pasta, but reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Gently stir in the hummus, the sundried tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, adding the pasta water, as necessary, until the hummus coats the pasta with an “alfredo” like consistency. Note: You may not use all the pasta water and that’s okay.
Gently scoop the roasted tomatoes from the baking tray and fold them into the pasta.
Salt and pepper, to taste.
Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of the oil that the sundried tomatoes are packed in onto the top of the pasta before serving and garnish with fresh herbs.
See, I told you it was easy! In all likelihood, it took me longer to type up this post than it will for you to make this dish!
Enjoy!
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!
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!
Pork Fried Rice with Fresh Veggies and Garlic
The trick to any fried rice recipe, including this one, is “day-old-rice.” This is a great dish to plan to have for dinner towards the end of the week, like a Meat Free Friday meal (or even on a Saturday afternoon) because it uses up all the leftover things that you probably have taking up space in your fridge from earlier in the week!
The trick to any fried rice recipe, including this one, is “day-old-rice.” This is a great dish to plan to have for dinner towards the end of the week, like a Meat Free Friday meal (or even on a Saturday afternoon) because it uses up all the leftover things that you probably have taking up space in your fridge from earlier in the week!
Yummy fried rice paired with Beyond Meat’s Plant Based Brats, even the meat-eaters in the family will ask for seconds! This recipe is really adaptable so don’t worry if some of your ingredients (like the veggie selection) varry a little! If you don’t have any day-old-rice hanging around to use for your fried rice base then you can always cook up a batch, strain and spread out on a small sheet tray and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Fresh rice, straight piping hot and from the pot simply has too much moisture to “fry” up properly and you’ll end up with a slightly soggy or chewy end result.
What you are going to need to buy:
Rice
Veggies (use what you have in the fridge) or a frozen bag from the store works just fine. We used corn, green beans, peppers, and onions.
Butter (for a Vegan Recipe we used Earth Balance)
Egg (for a Vegan Recipe we used VeganEgg from Follow Your Heart)
Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)
Plant Based Brats - (We used these from Beyond Meat)
Soy Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Sesame Oil (optional)
What you are going to need to do:
In a large skillet saute’ your veggies in a small amount of butter and garlic. This is especially important if you are using frozen veggies because they will likely have more water/moisture that you will want to cook out.
Add your egg, or VeganEgg to the veggies and stir vigerosly so that the egg coats the veggies and cooks at the same time. You’ll likely have some small, pea-sized pieces of egg along with the veggies and that’s what you want. Use a spoon or spatula to break up any larger pieces of egg.
Add another 1-2 tablespoons of butter and bring heat in skillet to medium high. Add in rice and stir to combine with veggies. Add soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste. This would also be the time to add more garlic, if desired. Stirring every 15-20 seconds for 3-4 minutes, or until you notice the rice and veggies starting to brown and get slightly crispy. Be careful not to burn!
Remove rice and veggies and place into a glass bowl that can be covered to keep warm. I like to set my bowl on the stove behind the burner that I am using so some of the residual heat can work to keep it warm while you cook the brats.
Cut your brats, on an angle, into 1” thick pieces. Over medium heat add butter to the skillet and place braut pieces into pan with cut sides down. At this point, I like to sprinkle the brats with a little worcestershire sauce and additional garlic. Cook until you see that the cut sides are picking up some color and then flip, about 1-2 minutes per side.
Serve the brats over the fried rice and garnish with a drizzle of sesame oil, if desired.
Enjoy!
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.
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!