Tag Archives: plantbased

Main Dishes

Sloppy Jolene

What do I need?

  • 1/2 c onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3/4 c water divided (1/2 then 1/4)
  • 2/3 c ketchup
  • 2-3 dashes of soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or 1 tsp white sugar + 1 tsp maple syrup)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp sriracha or hot sauce
  • 1 Tbsp oil of choice
  • 1-2 cups of meat substitute (beans, lentils, plant-based meat substitute, or chopped mushrooms). Remember that if you use chopped mushrooms, you need to add a little bit more because the mushrooms will shrink down.
I like to keep a couple of these on hand just in case my husband makes dinner instead of myself. It’s quick, easy, and no fail.

How do I make this?

  • Saute onions in oil until translucent
  • Add garlic until aromatic
  • Pour in first bit of water then add ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 3 minutes.
  • Add additional water and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir often.
  • Stir in vinegar and sriracha or hot sauce.
  • Add in chopped mushrooms, lentils, meat substitute, or beans for the “meat” part.
Mhmmm

Send me some ideas for next time. Just remember, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan!

Standard
Desserts

Vegan Sugar Cookies

I NEED COOKIES! Okay, well, I don’t need them, it’s more of a want. Actually, I don’t even want them, I just want to make them. I know, I’m an odd one.

So how do you make a good sugar cookie without eggs or butter? Impossible right? I thought so too. I have a perfect recipe but I need to tweak it a little bit so that I can use cookie cutters on it. As far as plain old circle, buttery, fluffy sugar cookies though. This one is awesome!

What do I need?

  • 3 cups of AP flour
  • 1 cup room temperature coconut oil
  • liquid from one can of white beans (garbanzo, pinto, cantellini beans)
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1.5 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp baking powder

How do I do this?

  • Preheat the oven to 350
  • Cream coconut oil and sugar together
  • Add vanilla extract and bean liquid to the sugar and coconut oil mix
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the powdered ingredients
  • Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients 1/3 at a time
  • Mix thoroughly
  • Separate evenly (or don’t, who cares unless you are trying to impress someone) and shape into balls. Flatten them with your hands slightly and add to a baking sheet. I like to preheat my sheet while the oven is heating up. Look at picture for how I have mine flattened.
lol, you can see finger marks!
  • Bake for 10-13 minutes depending on thickness. I look for a slight brown around the edges. Timing has to be a little more perfect if it is cookie cutter cookies that are getting iced. Too light and they will bend, too dark and they will crumble.
  • EAT!

Send me some ideas for next time. Just remember, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan.

Standard
Main Dishes

Cauliflower Roast

So, I was trying to think of a way that I could make a really flavorful set it and forget it kind of main dish. I wanted something that felt hearty but didn’t make you feel weighed down. Cauliflower! It is one of the most versatile vegetable that you can find.

That is a pretty cauliflower!

What do I need?

  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • evoo
  • pink salt
  • black pepper

Optional Items:

  • Liquid smoke
  • Garlic
  • Hot sauce
  • BBQ sauce
  • Italian herbs

How do I make this?

  • Preheat oven for 350.
  • Take off all the extra leaves around the base of the cauliflower and cut the stem if needed so that it lays flat in the baking dish.
  • Drizzle with evoo and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Bake the cauliflower in the oven for 20 minutes, covered with aluminum foil.
  • Take the foil off of your roast and bake until the desired color on top and the tenderness of your cauliflower.
  • If adding a sauce, bake for an extra 5-10 minutes with the sauce on it.
I topped my cauliflower roast with some vegan nacho cheeze sauce, added some vegan chorizo, and some fresh avocado. Since I am on a high fat, low carb diet, I usually drizzle some flavored olive oil on it. Usually chili oil + persian lime olive oil.

Send me some ideas for next time. Just remember, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan!

Standard
Sauces

Vegan Cheeze Sauce

I was craving something cheesy and awesome to put on things and mix into things. As I look around my kitchen, I was trying to figure out what I could use to accomplish this. Good thing that I stocked up on raw cashews a little over a month ago. Vegan cheeze sauce, here I come!

What do I need?

  • 2 cups of raw cashews
  • 2 tsp garlic powder (or fresh minced garlic)
  • 1/4 c lemon juice
  • 1/4 c nutritional yeast
  • 1 1/2 tsp pink salt
  • 1 1/4 c water
  • 1 tsp red miso (optional)

How do I make this?

  • Put all ingredients into a high powered blender and blend until incorporated and thick. If it becomes too thick, add a little bit of water to the mix.
  • Ready to eat!

I only posted a picture of one mason jar but it actually made about one and a half jars total. This cheeze sauce will work really well in a vegan mac n cheese, over some broccoli, or on top of a tofu scramble. So many possibilities! Good thing I didn’t have to go and spend money, because I only get my $20 a week and I plan on using it on Wednesday at the farmer’s market as usual.

Send me some ideas for next time. Just remember, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan!

Standard
Other

Vegan Butter

So I finally did it! I made some homemade vegan butter… and it is yummy! I ran out of butter and since it is the last month of the no waste challenge, I had to make due with what I had on hand. Time to learn how to make my own. I am so pleased with how it turned out and it got Morgan’s seal of approval! Here we go!

What do I need?

  • 1 cup of coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp of pink salt
  • 2 tbsp of evoo
  • 1/8 cup of raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup of non dairy milk (make sure it isn’t flavored)
  • 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

How do I make it?

  • Melt the coconut oil to room temperature.
  • Add all of the ingredients into a crazy powerful blender (like this beautiful Ninja) and blast it until it is well blended and there are no more bits of cashews left.
One of my favorite kitchen tools.
  • Once everything is blended and combined, pour your mixture into a container and shove it into the refrigerator.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED???

That’s right, you just made a buttery, delicious, luscious concoction that is vegan butter. It’s pretty crazy that you can make something so creamy and buttery out of this seemingly random combination of foods. MIND BLOWN!

Send me some ideas for next time. Just remember, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan!

Standard
Sides

Vegan Collard Greens

Today I wanted some comfort food. I was feeling a bit under the weather so I also just wanted something that would pretty much just cook itself. My mom gave me a pressure cooker that she hadn’t even taken out of the box.

I love Christmas on random days of the year. I really am a sucker for kitchen stuff and they all know it. I couldn’t wait to try it and today was definitely the day to do it! Let’s do it!

What you will need:

  • 9-10 cups of collard greens after they are chopped
  • 2 Tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 large onion
  • 6 cloves of chopped garlic
  • 1 cup of veggie broth
  • 1 Tbsp of smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp of chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp of turmeric
  • 1/2- 1 tsp of liquid smoke (I use a little bit closer to 1 tsp because I like mine smoky)
  • 1.5 tsp of black pepper
  • 1.5 tsp of liquid aminos

What do I do now?

  • Clean your collard green leaves. I usually soak mine to make it a little bit easier to clean.
  • After you clean the leaves, cut the spine out of each one (just pretend like it’s the person that ate the last slice of your favorite vegan cheesecake).
  • Chop up your leaves into about 2-3 inch squares and drop them into your pressure cooker.
  • Cut your onions into slices and chop your garlic cloves.
  • Add everything into the pressure cooker except for the liquid smoke and the liquid aminos. ( I use Bragg’s because they are just awesome af)
  • Once you add everything in, give it a little stir!
  • Set your pressure cooker to 25 minutes and let it do its thing!
  • Carefully let the steam out of your cooker, open it, and add your liquid aminos and liquid smoke. If you want to add any kind of faux meat to it like tofurky ham or chorizo, this is the time to do it. I use either depending on what I have on hand. I had half of a tofurky ham in the fridge today.
  • Set your cooker for another 10 minutes.
  • Once your timer goes off, your greens are good to enjoy.
  • TASTE IT BEFORE YOU ADD ANYTHING TO IT! You don’t want to miss it if it is perfect when you take it out.
Oh man, look at those garlic chunks!

I usually add some hot sauce to it and once in a while, some nooch. Either way, it’s delicious and guilt free!

Tell me what you thought about this recipe if you try it. Just remember until next time, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan!

Standard
Main Dishes

Garbanzo Bean Curry Stuffed Acorn Squash

I love squash because it is such a versatile food. You can make it sweet or savory, bake with it or cook with it, carve it into scary faces for Halloween or turn it into a smoothie. See what I mean?

This recipe gets made in our house about once every two weeks. My daughter absolutely loves this meal, almost as much as her “cabbage noodles” (haluski). She is pretty good at making this herself at this point but she is still now allowed to use the stove, so still a mommy and me meal!

Below are some of the nutrition facts for an acorn squash.

Amount Per 100 grams
1 cup, cubes (140 g)
1 squash (4 inch dia) (431 g)
1 cup, cubes (140 g)
Calories 56

Sodium 4 mg
Potassium 486 mg
Total Carbohydrate 15 g
Dietary fiber 2.1 g
Protein 1.1 g
Vitamin A 10%
Vitamin C 25%
Calcium 4%
Iron 5%
Vitamin B-6 10%
Magnesium 11%

What you will need:

  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1 can of coconut milk (regular, not light)
  • 2-3 tablespoons of curry powder
  • pink salt
  • black pepper
  • Evoo (extra virgin olive oil)
  • Cut your squash in half and scoop out the seeds
  • drizzle the squash with EVOO
  • sprinkle with pink salt and fresh cracked black pepper
  • bake your squash upside down so that it cooks faster and more evenly for about 20-30 minutes
  • While your squash is baking, mix together your coconut milk and curry powder (to taste), and add the garbanzo beans.
  • After your squash is finished baking, flip it scooped out side up and fill it (or overfill it) with your garbanzo beans.
  • Put it back into the oven for another 10ish minutes. This is just to heat up the mixture on the inside.
  • Remove from the oven and plate. You can add some fresh parsley, cilantro, or whatever you like with your curry.

Tell me what you thought about this recipe if you try it. Just remember until next time, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan!

Standard
Cakes & Muffins

Butternut Squash Muffins

So, most of the time when I make muffins, I generally use what I have around the house whether it be fruit, nuts, or veggies. I had some butternut squash this time. I still have not found a muffin that this kid will not eat. You guys are going to get so sick and tired of muffins, but hey, it’s what my little guy likes!

What will you need:

  • 3 cup of flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp pink salt
  • 1/2 cup of brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp of ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1.5 cups of pureed butternut squash

Let’s get baking!

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • While the oven is preheating, cut the squash in half and scoop the seeds out.
  • Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the squash is easily mashed with a fork.
Bake your squash open side down so that the moisture from the squash steams it and cooks it faster.
This is what your squash should look like when it is ready to come out of the oven.
  • Mix all of your ingredients together (sorry every single recipe and cookbook that I have ever read but I don’t do dry in one, wet in the other, then combine… I just dive on in!)
  • Fill your muffin cups almost to the top. This recipe made 18 muffins but if you “follow the rules” and fill your muffin cups 2/3 of the way full, it will make 24.
  • Bake muffins at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. I always check them with a toothpick at 20 minutes to see if it comes out clean. If it doesn’t add another 2 minutes and check again. Do so until they are ready.
This is why I fill those bad boys up! Look how big those muffins are!!!

What can I do to make these muffins even more yummy?

  • Sprinkle some sugar on the muffins before baking them
  • add some chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans for some crunch
  • chocolate chips

Tell me what you thought about this recipe if you try it. Just remember until next time, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan!

Standard
Cakes & Muffins

Citrus Poppy Seed Muffins

I know, yet another muffin recipe. It’s not that I like muffins, or making muffins, but my son just loves eating muffins more than anything else in this world. I am always making them from whatever I have laying around the kitchen. Peanut butter, zucchini, different squash, carrots, lemons, oats, and everything else.

I looked around the other night and realized that I had oranges, grapefruit, and lemons… in abundance. Well, there’s one of 2 muffin batches that I will make this week! EZPZ!

What do you need?

  • 2 TBSP citrus zest (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)
  • equivalent of 2 eggs (see end of list for egg replacement ideas)
  • 2 TBSP of fresh citrus juice (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1.5 Cups of flour
  • 2 TBSP of poppy seeds
  • 3/4 tsp pink salt
  • 1.25 cups of sugar
  • 2/3 cups vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cups of non dairy milk

Egg replacers:

  • 1 tsp baking soda + 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup of silken tofu
  • 1/4 cup of mashed banana
  • 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed + 3 tablespoons of water (let this sit for 5 minutes)

Let’s make this!

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
  • Get your mixing bowl or stand mixer ready!
  • Mix together all of your dry ingredients
  • Add your citrus zest to the dry mix
  • After mixing together your dry ingredients, juice your citrus. In these I did a mix of oranges and lemons.
  • Add in all the rest of the ingredients
  • Most recipes tell you to fill your muffin pans 2/3 or 3/4 of the way full to bake… Yeah, okay. I want my muffins big and pretty. I fill mine this high!
  • Sprinkle the top of your muffins with some sugar if you want (no one is looking anyway, just do it)
  • Bake your muffins for 20-25 minutes. I usually check them at 20 minutes with a toothpick. Just check to see if the toothpick comes out clean. Once it does, they are ready to come out of the oven and onto the cooling rack.

I love silicone muffin cups because they not only save you a ton of money, but the muffins and cupcakes never sticks to the inside of them!!! Patrick just likes letting everyone know what color muffin he wants. Silly boy.

Look at those pretty muffins!!!

Tell me what you thought about this recipe if you try it. Just remember until next time, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan!

Standard
Desserts

Cinnamon Sautéed Jicama

The fruit and veggie box strikes again! Again I get a new root veggie that I have not used before but have seen many times. So what is jicama?

I automatically inspect new foods the same way. I cut it open, smell it, taste it, feel it. So, jicama looks like a big, brown turnip and it smells and tastes almost like an apple.

To the cooking!

What you will need

How do you cook this thing?

  • Cut the skin off of your jicama. I tried to use a potato peeler but it took forever and it was awful. I gave up half way through.
  • Cut your jicama into smallish cubes
  • Melt your butter in a cast iron pan
  • Add in the jicama
  • Sprinkle in the cinnamon and brown sugar
  • Sautée the jicama until it gets a little softer. (It will not get fully soft, just slightly less firm)
  • Eat!

Tell me what you thought about this recipe if you try it. Just remember until next time, anything you can make, I can probably make vegan!

Standard