Vegan Watermelon "Tuna" Tartare

Okay, I don’t know what kind of vegan voodoo this is but I finally tried my hand at making #watermelontuna and holy avocado did is turn out...amazing! Not only did it LOOK like tuna but the taste and texture were shockingly similar!

I decided to use my tuna to make a kind of tuna tartare or deconstructed sushi and it did not disappoint. I’m still trying to wrap my head around how this actually worked…but it totally did, and spoiler: it was actually really easy!

What you are going to need to buy:

To make the Tuna:

Watermelon - I used the pre-cubed watermelon that you can get in your local produce section. It ended up being about 12 chuncks of Watermelon

3 tablespoons Sesame Oil

2 tablespoon Soy Sauce

1/2 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

1/2 teaspoon each Salt and Pepper

Splash of Vinegar

Ingredients for the Tartare/Poke Bowl:

2 tablespoons Vegan Mayo

Hot Sauce, to taste

Rice

Edamame

Diced Mango

Sliced Avocado

(whatever else yo love in your sushi or poke bowl)

What you are going to need to do:

This recipe made 1 serving and you can scale it up, if you like. Don't worry too much about the measurements. As long as you have enough marinade to get each piece of watermelon coated, you should be good!

Start by preheating your oven to 375

The key to this recipe is having enough salt in the marinade when you are baking your watermelon that it balances the sweetness of the fruit.

Dunk all of the watermelon into the marinade until well coated. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Take your watermelon cubes (about 1.5” square”) and place them on a cookie sheet lined with a non-stick baking sheet, like a silpat mat OR onto parchment paper.

Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn the watermelon over on the baking sheet and rotate the sheet in the over 180 degrees. Brush the turned tops of the watermelon with any marinade that is left over.

Bake for another 30 minutes.

At the 1 hour mark yo should see something that really, really looks like tuna. It’s remarkable, really. I was shocked.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

And, that’s really all there is to it! See, told you it was easy! Now that you have your watermelon tuna, you can use it just lie you would use any tuna.

I diced mine into small pieces, mixed it with some vegan mayo, a splash of vinegar, a dash of hot sauce, more salt and pepper, to taste, and served it on top of rice, topped with diced mango, edamame, and spicy mayo.

This is where you can get creative? Did someone say vegan sushi?

Enjoy!

Mexican Street Corn Inspired Salad

Tired of the same old macaroni salad side dishes for your weekend get togethers? This cold corn salad takes it’s inspiration from one of my favorite dishes, Mexican Street Corn but since you don’t need to try and keep it warm it’s a great option for a potluck! This dish is naturally a vegetarian dish but can easily be made vegan with just a few easy substitutions.

Late summer and early fall is the best time to indulge in corn based dishes because you can get the fresh sweet corn at your local store for so incredibly cheap! I picked up 5 ears for just $3 last week at my local grocer, making this the perfect dish if you need something economical to feed a large crowd on a small budget!

What you are going to need to buy:

Ears of Sweet Corn - I would budget 1 ear per 1-2 people that you need to serve. The 5 ears that I bought would easily serve 4-6!

Red Onion

2 ripe and ready to cut, Avocados

Queso Fresco (or your favorite crumbly Vegan Cheese like this one from Daiya Foods)

2 Limes

Mayo (Vegan version from Hellmanns is great!

Dair-Free Sour Cream - (in our opinion Tofutti is the OG…and also the best!)

Minced Garlic - (our favorite is from Spice World!)  

White Sugar

White Vinegar

Cayenne Pepper

Hot Sauce

Smoked Paprika (or whatever paprika you have on hand)

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Fresh Cilantro (or Parsley if you are in the Cilantro tastes like soap camp)

What you are going to need to do:

This recipe is so simple I almost feel guilty calling it a recipe, but here goes…
Begin by cutting the corn off the cobs! Do yourself a favor and just use the fresh sweet corn! The sweet and crunchy texture of fresh corn off the cob isn’t something that you are ever going to be able to replicate from out of a can.

Dice your red onion into small pieces, roughly the same size as the corn kernels.

PRO TIP: When it comes to salads it’s nice when the ingredients are all similar sizes!

Open your avocados and cut into small cubes.

For the dressing: In a separate little bowl mix together 1/4 cup of mayo with 2 tablespoons of sour cream, a tablespoon of minced garlic, a splash of vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar (or use some agave) a few dashes of hot sauce, depending on your pallet, and the cayenne, paprika, and salt & pepper, to taste.

Pour the dressing over the salad and stir gently.

Give your fresh herbs a rough chop. Regardless of the herbs that you use you will want a good handful, at least 1/2 a cup or so.

Fold in your herbs and crumble in your cheese.

Lastly, squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the top and gently give one final stir. (I tend to like mine very lime-y so I used two limes, but if you’re not a lime-lover like me make sure to taste yours first before you do…

For presentation, garnish with lime wedges and another sprinkling of paprika

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!

Loaded Impossible Nachos with Homemade Cashew Free Cheese Sauce!

Let’s be real…what’s the best part of nachos if it isn’t the cheese sauce? The main comment I hear from folks who are just transitioning into a plant-based lifestyle or who are simply trying to eat less dairy is, “…but, I just love cheese so much!” Me, too, my friends! Me, too! The dairy free cheese in this recipe is something you’re going to just want to make and have on hand…so you can drizzle it on everything. Trust me!

The world of plant based cheese has come a long way in the past 20 years since I stopped eating meat…A LONG way but so many of the cheese sauces at restaurants and available in stores contain cashews but this recipe, made with some of my favorite ingredients from brand like Violife, Earth Balance, Tofutti, and Rise Brewing is safe for our friends with nut allergies and is still 100% plant based!

What you are going to need to buy:

For the Nachos:

Impossible Ground

White of Yellow Onion, diced (Some to cook with the meat and some raw to sprinkle on top)

Liquid Smoke

Olive Oil

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

Nacho/Taco Chips - (I used these from GOOD & GATHER)

Tomatoes, Diced

Sour Cream - (I’m a pretty die-hard Tofutti fan, so that’s what I always use!)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Optional: Avocado, Black Olive, Fresh Herbs (Whatever else you like on your Nachos)

Fresh Lime

For the Cheese Sauce:

Non-Dairy Butter - ( We used Earth Balance)

Flour

Organic Oat Milk from RISE BREWING - (Can you use something else…um, yeah, but why?)

Non-Dairy Cheese Shreds - (We used THESE CHEDDAR SHREADS from VioLife!)

Non-Dairy Sour Cream - (in our opinion Tofutti is the OG…and also the best!)

Yellow Mustard - (yes, just trust us!)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Garlic and Onion Powder, to taste

What you are going to need to do:

Okay, let’s tackle the cheese sauce first: This recipe is probably going to make way more sauce than you’ll need unless you’re making nachos for a party BUT trust me, you’ll find all kind of other uses for it and it keeps in the fridge just fine!

In a medium pot, on low heat, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter and gently allow butter to brown, but not burn, because we’re going to make a roux.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flower on top of the melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook mixture for about 30 seconds and then slowly add 1.5 cups of oat milk, whisking the entire time so that no lumps form. Bring to a boil and let boil about 30 seconds.

Stir in 1/3 cup of sour cream.

Add 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard…don’t be afraid, just do it! (You can use brown mustard, if you like it!)

Reduce heat and add the cheddar shreds (yes, the whole bag), stirring to melt.

Continue to stir, on low/medium heat, until everything is melted.

Add salt and pepper, and garlic/onion powder to taste. It will take more salt than you think…a full teaspoon isn’t too much!

…And, boom! vegan cheese sauce! If it seems thin, increase the heat and let simmer for 1-2 minutes, but remember it will tighten up as it cools.

A note about ingredients and brands: I’ve been plant-based for 20 years and believe me, I’ve seen quite the evolution of dairy-free products, particularly, when it comes to milks and cheeses! The products and brands that I recommend for this recipe are not sponsors and I don’t get paid to promote them…they are, simply, in my opinion, the best options, for this dish! Can you use something different? Sure. Can you substitute one brand for another? Of course…but this is legit the best cheese sauce that I’ve had, plus…it’s quick, easy, and also cashew free, so if you want to make THIS delicious version, in your home kitchen, I’d say, stick with these brands!

Now, for the rest of the nachos: In a skillet on medium heat saute your diced onions and garlic in a little olive oil. Once the onions get a little soft (2-3 minutes) add your Impossible Ground and a splash of liquid smoke and cook meat until brown. (Don’t be afraid to let some of the meet get a little “well-done” - those little crispy bits are delicious!)

Add the salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from heat.
The rest is pretty standard nacho assembly. Start with a layer of chips. Layer the meat on top, followed by drizzling your homemade cheese-sauce. Next comes the fresh toppings, (ie: tomatoes, onions, olives, avocado) and finished off with sour cream and fresh herbs! I like a fresh squeeze of lime juice over the top of mine…and enjoy!

Greek Inspired Impossible Kebabs with Tabouli and Tzatziki Sauce!

Need a dish that cooks up quickly, tastes amazing, and looks super impressive on the plate? You’ve got to try these Greek-inspired Impossible Kebabs served on a bed of Tabouli and topped with my homemade Tzatziki Sauce! And, no...you don’t need a grill to make a great kabob! These cooked up, quick and easy, in about 20 minutes...the whole meal is on the table in just 30 minutes!

Now, full disclosure, the tabouli in this recipe isn’t traditional. Typically tabouli would include diced tomatoes. For these kabobs, I knew that I wanted to use tomatoes on the actual kabobs so I decided to use olives in the tabouli instead. That’s honestly one of the most fun parts about cooking…don’t let yourself get too stressed about of ingredients and swapping out certain flavors for something else that you might prefer.

What you are going to need to buy:

Impossible Ground - (or whatever brand of plant-based meat you love)

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

Liquid Smoke

Tomatoes

Onions

Flat Leaf Parsley

Fresh Mint

Black Kalamata Olives

Balsamic Vinegar (a white balsamic will be better for this recipe)

Olive Oil

Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper, to taste

These ingredients are for the Kabobs and the Tabouli - you can find the recipe for my homemade Tzatziki sauce HERE!

What you are going to need to do:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

If you are using wood kabob sticks, make sure to soak them in water…you can do this while you make the pesto.

To start, in a medium bowl mix together your plant-based ground, minced garlic, to taste, a tablespoon, or so and a tablespoon of liquid smoke. Mix well.

For these kabobs, I formed my plant-based ground into little ‘bricks about 1 inch by 2 inches.

In a skillet, on medium heat, with a little olive oil, sear the little bricks on all sizes to get a nice color and some good char.

After all of the ground has been seared, you can begin to assemble your kabobs, alternating the meat and the tomatoes (or your choice of veg.

Place the kabobs onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, turning halfway through.

In the meantime…let’s make some Tabouli

It’s pretty straightforward and mainly just involves some chopping. You could even use a food processor if you’re not comfortable with all the dicing.

The trick to good tabouli, in my opinion, is making sure that everything is chopped/diced very fine.

Chop your parsley and mint into a very fine mixture. To the herbs add your finely diced tomatoes, some minced garlic. and finely chopped olives. Note: using olives in tabouli isn’t traditional. Typically you would use diced tomatoes. For these kabobs, I knew that I wanted to use tomatoes on the actual kabobs so I decided to use olives in the tabouli.

To your herbs and diced veg add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and a splash of lemon juice.

Now, CLICK HERE for the instructions to make the Vegan Tzatziki Sauce to top these kabobs.

Serving!

Serve these kabobs on a bed of fresh tabouli and topped with your vegan tzatziki sauce.
Enjoy!

Spicy Jackfruit Carnitas Street Tacos with Apple Salsa

I don’t know about you but when the days get busier tacos always seem to be a go-to meal for me! Quick, easy, and who doesn’t love tacos? These Spicy Jackfruit Carnitas Street Tacos taste just like Summer to me. With an Apple, Onion, and Garlic Salsa, tossed with a balsamic glaze, and topped with some vegan crema and fresh herbs these sound weird...but taste amazing!

The smoky spiciness of the jackfruit with the cold sweet crunch of the apple salsa...in case you were wondering, yes...yes, this is one of best things I have put in my face in recent memory! I seriously could have eaten three more!

What you are going to need to buy:

Jackfruit - (Fresh or Frozen is fine. This recipe uses frozen from The Jackfruit Company)

Tortilla or Hard Taco Shells, whatever you prefer

Medium Apple

Medium Sweet Onion

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

Sour Cream - (I’m a pretty die-hard Tofutti fan, so that’s what I always use!)

Balsamic Vinegar

Spices for your Jackfruit - (we used oregano, cumin, paprika, chili and a touch of brown sugar)

Liquid Smoke

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Fresh Cilantro - (or flat leaf parsley, if you must!)

Lime Juice

What you are going to need to do:

Honestly, these tacos look so fancy but they come together so fast and easy!
To start you’re going to finely chop your onion and 3/4 of your apple (reserving some apple for large slices as garnish, if you like.)

Into a bowl combine the apples, onion, minced garlic, (to taste, maybe a teaspoon), and a tablespoon of your favorite balsamic vinegar. Currently, I am loving this cilantro and garlic option from The Ancient Olive!

Set aside.

Preparing the Jackfruit:

In a medium skillet you’re going to saute the Jackfruit until it becomes soft and begins to give up up some of it’s juices.

With 2 forks, gently pull the bulbs apart like you would pull pork.

Reduce heat and add to the skillet: a dash of liquid smoke plus oregano, cumin, paprika, chili and a touch of brown sugar. Measurements will vary based on the amount you are making. Start out conservative and you can always add more of the flavors you like.

Salt and Pepper, to taste.

Assembly:

Onto your taco shell of choice, layer your Jackfruit mixture and top with your onion and apple salsa.

Drizzle some sour cream that has been cut with a teaspoon of lime juice and sprinkle with paprika to garnish. Additionally, garnish with apple wedges and fresh herbs.

Here’s a taco shell tip from Sarah: Can’t decide between hard and soft tacos? Drape your soft shells over the grates/rails of a hot oven and let them “crisp up” for about 4 minutes and boom, best of both worlds.

Crispy Vegan Potato Salad

It’s officially summer and that means cookouts! I’m always on the hunt for a dish that I can take to a neighborhood or family gathering that even the non-veg community will love AND one that I don’t need to worry about spoiling if it sits on a picnik table for a few hours and this Crispy Vegan Potato Salad checks all the boxes!

This Crispy Vegan Potato Salad recipe is the perfect plant-based dish to take to your July 4th Holiday BBQ or cookout this weekend because potato salad in general is 99% plant based anyway! I love using opportunities like this to introduce things like, plant based mayo to people who would normally never, ever try it! Let them gobble up a helping of this…and then spill the beans!

What you are going to need to buy:

3 lbs of Potatoes - (We could go on and on about the kind of spuds to use, but honestly, we say, use what you like! For this recipe we like to used the tiny, golden, baby potatoes and just cut them in half one time!)

Vegan Butter

Yellow or White Onion

Celery

Vegan Mayo

Sour Cream - (On this page we are big fans of Tofutti Sour Cream!)

Vinegar

Lemon Juice

Mustard

Dill Pickles or Dill Relish

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Onion and Garlic Powder (or whatever you like to season your spuds with!)

Paprika

Fresh Herbs, dill works great, but so would parsley or even thyme.

What you are going to need to do:

The Spuds:

This recipe is so super flexible but there is one trick to it all and that’s how you prepare the spuds!

I like to leave the skins on my potatoes but that’s a person preference, so if you would rather reel them, be my guest. Cut into 1/2” cubes, or in this case with the tiny, golden potatoes, I just cut them in half and they end up as the perfect sized bite!

In salted water, boil your potatoes until they are just fork tender…not too soft because they are going to continue to cook in the oven.

Gently drain potatoes and let sit for 1-2 minutes to make sure they are good and dry! You will see the steam continue to escape and that’s what you want. The more dry they are, the easier they will crisp up in the oven and that’s what we want!

Toss with 1-2 tablespoon of melted vegan butter and salt and pepper and roast on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven OR on a low broil setting until the potatoes become crispy. Check often and stir/flip so that they pick up color on all sides.

Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet. Do not assemble the potato salad until the spuds are 100% cool.

The Dressing:

Into a large mixing bowl combine the following:

(Note: If you like a sweet potato salad feel free to add some sugar to this dressing)

• 1 cup of vegan Mayo - (like THIS ONE from Hellmann’s)

• 1/4 cup of Tofutti vegan sour cream

• 1/4 cup of diced dill pickles, cut fine or your favorite dill pickle relish

• 2 Celery Stalks, diced small

• 1 small onion, diced small

• 2 teaspoons of vinegar

• a splash of lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard

• Salt, pepper, and paprika, to taste.

• Handful of fresh herbs, chopped fine

To Serve:

The trick to this recipe is that the potatoes are nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. To maintain that texture you don’t want to mix up this salad too far ahead. In fact, if you can, I recommend making sure that both the potatoes and the dressing is nice and cold, but waiting to toss until just before service.

Gently toss the crispy potatoes with the dressing and mix well. Garnish with more fresh herbs and a dash of paprika.

Vegan Fish Tacos with Spicy Lime Aioli

If you’re like me…you can’t seem to get enough tacos… and Fish Tacos are one of my absolute favorites, especially in the Summer time! The fishless filets from Gardein make them so quick and easy to whip up and taste amazing! Maybe a little nontraditional...topped with a spicy lime and garlic aioli but these are the perfect vegan tacos to add to your weekly Taco Tuesday lineup.

Taco are not something that I ever think to put on the blog, although, not gonna lie…I eat them at least once a week for either lunch or dinner BUT a sweet friend wrote me and asked if I would post the recipe for the yummy Fish Tacos that I featured over on my @plantbasedgingr IG page this week.

What you are going to need to buy:

The Fishless Filets from Gardein

Tortilla or Hard Taco Shells, whatever you prefer

Shredded Cabbage - (I often keep a bag of a shredded cole slaw mix on hand to use in recipes like this where I’m not going to need or want and entire head of cabbage!)

Tomatoes, Diced

Avocado

Sour Cream - (I’m a pretty die-hard Tofutti fan, so that’s what I always use!)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Fresh Herbs

Fresh Lime

For the Spicy Lime Aioli:

Mayo - (Vegan or otherwise)

White Vinegar

Hot Sauce/Chili Sauce

White Sugar

Lime Juice

Salt & Pepper, to taste

What you are going to need to do:

Start by preheating your oven and cooking the fishless filets. They are small and don’t take long. I don’t even wait for the oven to preheat, just set the temp and throw them on a baking tray. They, honestly, should be plenty warm by the time you get all the rest of the ingredients together.

Dice your tomato and your avocado and chop your herbs. You can really put anything in these tacos that you like. I have added sweet corn before and that is also really delicious.

Now for the Aioli:

Now, some people will, for sure, argue with me, but in my book aioli is just fancy, runnier mayo! It’s super easy to make…very customizable and might just become your favorite condiment.

Quantities are hard for this because it really depends on how much you need to make: Mix together Mayo with a splash of vinegar and the juice of 1/2 a lime until the consistence loosens up but is not too runny. Think like a nice alfredo sauce…it will cling to the food and not run off, but way thinner than mayo and you don’t need a knife to spread it…drizzle-able. Not a word, but you get the idea!

Taste for flavor and add salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar and depending on how spicy you want it, your desired amount of hot sauce. If you get it too spicy for your liking, just add a tablespoon or so, more mayo. Tweak until you like the taste. For these tacos this aioli provides a big punch of flavor so I like mine very lime-forward and very spicy!

Assembly:

Remove your fishless filets from the oven and slice into 1/2” strips.

Onto your taco shell of choice, layer your cabbage, fish, tomato, avocado (and anything else you like) and drizzle with the aioli you just made!

Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley or even dill!

Here’s a taco shell tip from Sarah: Can’t decide between hard and soft tacos? Drape your soft shells over the grates/rails of a hot oven and let them “crisp up” for about 4 minutes and boom, best of both worlds.

Slow Roasted Hasselback Butternut Squash

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

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

What you are going to need to buy:

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

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

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

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Powdered Ginger

Vinegar (Apple Cider or Rice Wine)

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

Hot Sauce or Red Pepper Flakes/Your favorite spicy seasoning

Fresh Rosemary and Sage

What you are going to need to do:

To start, preheat your oven to 400 degrees

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

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

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

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until for tender.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mediterranean Kabobs with Fresh Pesto and Fluffy Couscous (Just 10 Ingredients)

Need a dish that cooks up quick, tastes amazing, and looks super impressive on the plate? These mediterranean inspired kabobs with fresh pesto, served over fluffy couscous are it! And, no...you don’t need a grill to make a great kabob! These cooked up, quick and easy, in the oven on 400 for about 15 minutes...the whole meal is on the table in less than 30 minutes!

I love couscous…that is no secret! If you are a long-time reader you know that I make it all the time! It cooks up in the same amount of time as most rice or noodles, is so versatile that you can serve it with almost any style of food, and it’s super affordable! Plus: If you are trying to impress someone (wink, wink) it looks and sounds way more fancy than it really is!

What you are going to need to buy:

Couscous - (Here’s my secret! I typically buy the boxed stuff and my favorite brand happens to be THESE from from the brand Near East)

Butter - (I love this plant based butter from Earth Balance)

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

Vegetables for the Kabobs - (This recipe is simple, tomatoes and mushrooms, but really you can use whatever veg you like!)

Feta - (the block Feta from Violife is amazing and great for this recipe because you can cut it into big chunks!)

Basil - (about 1 cup of leaves)

Olive Oil

Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper, to taste

What you are going to need to do:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

If you are using wood kabob sticks, make sure to soak them in water…you can do this while you make the pesto.

For this small amount of pesto I don’t bother getting out the blender but if you have a little food chopper, that could be handy! Chop your basil into very small pieces! This might take a few passes, if you are doing it by hand.

To the chopped basil, add olive oil, minced garlic, pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice. You can adjust to your own taste. I like mine a little more on the lemon-forward side. Make as much or as little as you like. If you make too much, it will keep in the fridge and you can put it on…almost everything. Moral: there is never too much pesto!

Assemble the Kabobs

This isn’t hard…as long as your kabob sticks have been soaking for 5 minutes or so…

Arrange your veg onto the kabob sticks and try not to overcrowd or some things might not cook evenly. Try to think about the kinds of veg you have and how slow or how quickly they cook! This mushroom and tomato combo is great because they are both done at about the same time. Onions would also have been good! Something like potatoes are going to take more time…

Place on a baking sheet or straight on the grates of your oven, your preference! If you do go straight onto the oven rack, place the baking sheet below to catch drips!

These are going to cook fir about 15 minutes at 400…and will need to be gently turned every 4-5 minutes so nothing sticks.

In the meantime…let’s make some couscous.

It’s pretty straight forward and I would say that you can prepare per your box’s instructions with TWO EXCEPTIONS! The trick to really flavorful couscous is to toast it before cooking! If you’ve been here awhile you’ll be familiar with this but if not…(See Below)

PRO TIP: In a non-oiled, medium saucepan, on medium/low heat measure out the desired amount of couscous, according to the boxed directions, for the number of serving you need to make. Let the couscous toast in the warm pan, stirring or agitating the pan often so that the contents do not burn. After about 90 seconds you should see the couscous pearls begin to turn from blond to light brown. When this happens take the saucepan off the heat. It will continue to toast, from the residual heat but you don’t want it to burn.

I also always add about a tablespoon of butter, at the very end and stir into the cooked couscous.

Serving!

The service of this dish is really what takes these humble ingredients and turns them into something special.

After the kabobs come out of the oven, slide a piece of feta onto each end of the kabob stick and place on top of a bed of the couscous.

Brush the kabobs with the pesto mixture 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!

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

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

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

What you are going to need to buy:

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

Carrots, the biggest and fattest you can find.

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

Liquid Smoke

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

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

Garlic Powder, Paprika, Onion Powder

Salt & Pepper

Chives (Optional)

What you are going to need to do:

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

For the Carrot Bacon:

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

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

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

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

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

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

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

The Assembly:

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

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

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

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

Now, for the TIPS:

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

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

Enjoy!

The Ultimate Creamy Pesto with Avocado and Pistachios

Who doesn’t love pesto pasta? Not only is it a quick and easy week night dish when you’re basil is over-grown and out of control but it’s also a refreshing change of pace from all of the heavy and rich red-sauce pasta dishes that we’ve been eating all winter.

Traditionally made with fresh basil, oil, and toasted pine nuts, this recipe swaps out the pine nuts for toasted pistachios, and adds avocado, for a nice, ultra-creamy texture, that is perfect for dressing pasta! Using the avocado means you can use less olive oil, and both the avocado and the pistachios are packed full with all kinds of “good fats” - no guilt required! Make a little extra because you’ll want to have some stashed in the fridge to top everything from your morning bagels to your vegetable soup!

What you are going to need to buy:

Basil, like a bunch of it.

This really is one of those recipes that you’re more likely going to use the overgrown basil plant you have at home rather than but this much fresh basil at the store BUT if you’re going to buy it, you’ll need about 3 cups of fresh basil leaves for enough pesto to sauce 4 servings of pasta.

Fresh Parsley, (not required, but if you’re like me and your basil is over-grown, chances are your parsley is too…so I use this as an opportunity to use it up as well. All told you’re looking at about 3 cups of fresh herbs (lightly packed)

Pistachios, shelled (about 1 cup)

Avocado

1/2 cup of non-dairy Parmesan, (…or regular Parmesan, if that’s your thing. We love the vegan Parmesan Shreds from Follow Your Heart.)

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

Olive Oil

Cold Water

Splash of White Vinegar or Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper, to taste

What you are going to need to do:

Start by toasting your pistachios. On the stove-top in a dry skillet or in oven, it’s your choice…just be careful not to burn them.

Into the blender goes your de-stemmed herbs and 1/2 cup of olive oil (or another neutral oil of your choice) and a splash of white vinegar or lemon juice, (maybe a tablespoon or two…)

Lightly pulse to begin to break up the herbs. Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic (and a little of the oil that the garlic is packed in won’t hurt, either)

Add in your non-dairy parmesean and toasted pine nuts, and avocado and continue to pulse until mixture starts to come together. Once all the big chunks have processed run your blender on low, gently working up to a medium, and then high speed until pesto is creamy.

If too tick, you can add up to 1/4 cup of water, but add slowly or you’ll run the risk of thinning it out too much. It’s okay if this is on the thicker side because you can always use a bit of the pasta water, when you dress your pasta, to thin it out a bit and the starch in the pasta water will do a better job to help emulsify all the oils and the water, anyway.

After the pesto is fully blended, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper. The cheese and the pistachios are both quite salty, so waiting until the end will ensure you don’t over-season.

Assembly:

Cook your preferred pasta per the packaged directions. I always like a noodle that’s going to catch or trap a bunch of sauce, instead of a plain fettuccine or spaghetti…but you use what you like!

Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water in case you want to thin out the sauce a little.

Do not drain pasta, simple ladle or scoop from water into serving bowls and top with pesto. Mix lightly to cover.

Garnish with additional herbs, cheese, and cracked black pepper. This dish is perfect for a crowd because you can make the pesto ahead of time and it looks way fancier on the plate than it is to make!

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Vegan Peppermint Hot Cocoa

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

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

What you are going to need to buy:

Chocolate Oatmilk from Rise Brewing

Sugar

Cocoa

Peppermint Extract

Non Dairy Topping

Salt

Peppermints or sprinkles for garnish

What you are going to need to do:

In a saucepan on medium heat melt/disolve:

• 1 cup of chocolate oat milk

• 1/2 cup of sugar

• 1/3 cup of cocoa

• 1 capful of peppermint extract

• Pinch of salt

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

Makes 4-5 servings!

Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Dates and a Sweet Balsamic Glaze

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

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

What you are going to need to buy:

Fresh Brussel Sprouts

Whole Dates

Pine Nuts

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

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

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

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

What you are going to need to do:

begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

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.)