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!
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!
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!
Melt Proof Dairy Free Chocolate Ice Cream - Great for Kids this Summer PLUS Easy Vegan Chocolate Sauce!
This recipe just might be the perfect summer-time treat to help you beat the heat! Yes, you do freeze it, and yes the finished product has the texture of ice cream, but because the base in not milk and eggs, even when it does warm up a little it never really “melts” only softens into a “pudding-like” consistency but never gets melty, messy or drippy!
This recipe just might be the perfect summer-time treat to help you beat the heat, plus because it’s packed with heart-healthy avocado, (yes, I said avocado, but don’t worry, no one will ever know!) and has no processed sugar, it’s great for kiddos, too! Plus, I’ll give you my tip for the fastest and easiest vegan chocolate sauce to top it with! Yum!
Oh, the memories of summer I have, from childhood, bargaining with my parents for the biggest ice cream they would allow, only to have it melting, running, and dripping down my arm, staining my face, hands, and clothes only a few bites in…Yes, you do freeze it, and yes the finished product has the texture of ice cream, but because the base in not milk and eggs, even when it does warm up a little it never really “melts” only softens into a “pudding-like” consistency but never gets melty, messy or drippy!
What you are going to need to buy:
Avocados (roughly 1 per each 1-2 adult servings)
Cocoa Powder
Salt
Oat Milk - (The Chocolate Oat Milk from the Rise Brewing Co. is perfect for this recipe)
Maple Syrup
That’s it…I know, right? Just trust me, It’s total magic!
What you are going to need to do:
In a high powered blender add your avocados and 1/4 cup of oat milk and 1/4 cup of Maple Syrup, pulse until the mixture begins to smooth out. This will depend of how ripe your avocados are. Add a bit more oat milk, if needed.
From here you are going to add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and a pinch of salt and blend until smooth.
Now, the measurments on this are going to depend on a couple of things…how much ice cream you are making, how ripe your avocados are, and how sweet, rich, or “chocolate-y” you want your ice cream.
NOTE: We are going to freeze this and like all food that gets eaten frozen, the cold dulls the flavor profile, so you will want the mixture to be slightly more intense (sweetness and chocolate flavor) than if you were eating it at room temperature!
Go slow and take your time, especially with the Oat Milk because if you get it too runny to start with you’re going to need to add another avocado!
Keep adding Oat Milk, Syrup, and Cocoa until you get the flavor profile you like AND you have reached a consistency that is like a slightly soft pudding, but NOT runny or liquid like yogurt.
When you have achieved both a taste and a texture you like, transfer the mixture to a freezer safe bowl, cover, and freeze until firm. (This will take several hours)
While the Ice Cream is freezing…whip up the vegan chocolate sauce.
This is so remarkable easy, I feel silly even typing up directions:
in a small mason jar, with a lid, shake together 1 cup of maple syrup and 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. Want a thicker, “dark chocolate” sauce? Just add more cocoa. That’s it. See, I told you it was easy!
Shaking the mixture together in a jar is so, so, so much easier than trying to mix it together, in a bowl, with a spoon, which is almost impossible because of how finely processed the cocoa tends to be. If you don’t have a mason jar, use a small Tupperware container, with a lid.
To Serve:
Scoop the ice cream into cones or bowls, as desired and top with the vegan chocolate sauce and other toppings, like your favorite vegan cream!
Enjoy!
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.
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!