Category: Vegan

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Zucchini Ribbons with Spinach Pesto and Roasted Tomatoes

This dish is packed with nutrients and flavor. Besides the roasted tomatoes this meal took me about 5 minutes to assemble. Eating WFPB does not have to be hard or complicated, just delicious.

  • 1 medium zucchini, spiralized
  • Spinach Pesto
  • Roasted Tomatoes
  • nutritional yeast, garnish

Warm the zucchini ribbons in a skillet over medium-high heat. Be careful to not overcook the zucchini or they will become soggy. It only takes a couple of minutes to warm up the zucchini ribbons.

Add 1-2 tbsp of pesto to the zucchini ribbons and stir to coat. Remove zucchini from skillet and plate. Top the zucchini with roasted tomatoes and some nutritional yeast.

Note: Roast the tomatoes in a 400 degree oven, until they are at your desired consistency. I actually like to put them in the oven while it is preheating. I check them when the oven has come to temperature. Most of the time they are done by then. I used Compari tomatoes for this dish.

Serve. Eat. Enjoy.

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Note: This recipe makes one serving.

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Chickpea Ravioli

I made these Chickpea Ravioli for a client. I used the Macadamia Nut “Ricotta” for the filling. I have made these using a pasta maker attachment and also rolling them out with a rolling pin. The attachment gives you a more consistent thickness in the ravioli, but might take a little bit getting used to working with. You might want to try them first rolling them out with a rolling pin, until you are used to working with the dough.

The dough takes a little bit to get used to, but once you get the feel of it it works beautifully. It is a very stiff dough and does not have the same elasticity as a regular pasta dough. I just want you to know that, so you do not think that you have done something wrong.

You do not have to cut them in circles. You could cut them into squares, which will probably take less time. I just like the way the circles look. This recipe makes about 14-16 individual ravioli.

  • 3 c chickpea flour + some for rolling out
  • 1/2 c water
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
  • 1 tsp parsley, dried

Add all the ingredients into a food processor. Process until the dough looks like little pebbles.

Transfer dough mixture into a large bowl. Press mixture together forming a dough ball.

Roll the dough out in between to pieces of wax paper that is dusted with some chickpea flour. Roll the dough to about 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick.

I usually roll them out in small batches. It just makes the dough easier to work with.

Cut ravioli into desired shapes. Put a dollop of the Macadamia Nut Ricotta in the center of the ravioli. Place another piece of the ravioli on the top. Press the edges together with your fingers, then using a fork crimp the edges.

Cook these in a gentle boil of water. You do not want them to break apart. They are done when the ravioli float to the top of the water. It takes hardly any time at all.

Note: These can be frozen and then cooked at a later time. To freeze them: lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. When they are frozen you can transfer them to a container and then freeze them for future use.

Note: These would be great served with my Spinach Pesto.

Serve. Eat. Enjoy.

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Thai Curry Sweet Potato Bowl

This Bowl is a make you feel good bowl. There are so many good for you ingredients in it. It is bright and colorful and tastes amazing.

  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Roast potatoes until they are fork tender. about 20 minutes.

  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 crown of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced rounds
  • 1 c corn kernels, frozen

In a large dutch oven sauté onions over medium-high heat. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add the mushrooms, broccoli, bell pepper, carrots and corn. Stir the vegetables and cover the dutch oven with a lid. Cook the vegetables until the broccoli is bright green, about 4-5 minutes. Add vegetable broth as needed to sauté the vegetables.

Note: I used a yellow bell pepper, but any color will do.

Thai Curry Sauce:

  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1/4 c vegetable broth + plus more for sautéing
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp red curry paste

Combine all of the ingredients into a sauce pan and stir. Cook sauce until warm.

Note: You can swap out the coconut milk for another plant milk (about 1 3/4 c). You can add 1/2 tsp of coconut extract so you still have the same flavor profile.

Add the sweet potatoes and the Thai Curry Sauce to the vegetables in the dutch oven. Stir the vegetable until they are well combined. Cover dutch oven and turn off the heat. Let the vegetables sit in the dutch oven for about 3-4 minutes to infuse the vegetables with some of the Thai Curry Sauce flavor.

Ladle into bowls.

Serve. Eat. Enjoy.

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Macadamia Nut “Ricotta”

I made this “ricotta” for the filling for Chickpea Ravioli for a client. The filling is real easy to make and only has a few ingredients.

  • 1 c Macadamia nuts, soaked (1c before soaking)
  • 1/2 tsp parsley, dried
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1/4 – 1/2 c water

Combine all the ingredients into a high-speed blender. Blend, until resembles ricotta cheese. You may need to scrape down the sides periodically.

Use to mix in a pasta dish, lasagna, or as a filling for ravioli.

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Serve. Eat. Enjoy.

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Quinoa Flatbread

I spent most of a day playing with this recipe to see how I liked it best. What I found out is it depended on what kind of mood I was in. Did I want crunchy or soft and chewy. I tried making them on the stovetop and in the oven.

The stovetop and the oven both produced soft and chewy. The oven produced crunchy, almost cracker like if I flipped them over and baked them a little longer. This recipe is fairly versatile in that case.

I made some plain crunchy flatbread for a client, and the soft and chewy for our home with a little seasoning. Whichever version you choose it will be tasty.

  • 1 c quinoa (white)
  • 1/2 c + 1 tbsp plant milk
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt or All-Purpose Seasoning

Note: I will give you the directions for the oven method. That is the easiest method and can produce soft and chewy or crunchy flatbreads.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pour the quinoa into a fine mesh strainer. Rinse the quinoa for a couple of minutes to get rid of the bitter outer coating.

Transfer the quinoa into a high-speed blender. Add the remaining ingredients into the blender. Blend until the batter is smooth. It will be somewhat thick, and will require the use of a spatula to help spoon out the batter.

Make 6 dollops of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Use the spatula to spread the batter into circles, about 5-6 inches.

Bake for 15-17 minutes (for soft and chewy flatbreads).

Flip the flatbreads over and bake for an additional 10 minutes, if you like them crunchy.

Note: You can make them smaller if you would like to use them for sandwiches, or larger if you would like to make flatbread pizzas.

Note: Also, experiment with seasoning to make them your own special recipe.

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Sun-Butter Cookie Dough Bites

I made these cookie dough bites with a little change from the original. Instead of the peanut butter that is in my original Cookie Dough Bites I used Sunflower seed butter. I rolled the cookie dough bites in sunflower seeds to gives them a crunchy texture. It is perfect for those that can not have peanut butter, or just what something a little different.

Dough Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 c chickpeas, cooked
  • 1/3 c Date Paste
  • 1/2 c GF oats
  • 1/4 c sunflower seed butter
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of Himalayan salt

Combine the dough ingredients into a food processor. Process until the dough is creamy and well combined.

Transfer dough to a large bowl.

Stir-ins:

  • 1/2 c chocolate chips

Stir the chocolate chips into the dough.

Coating:

  • sunflower seeds

Roll the cookie dough into walnut size balls. Roll each ball into sunflower seeds.

Freeze the Sun-Butter Cookie Dough Bites about 20 minutes to firm up. Transfer to a sealable container. You can freeze the cookie dough bites or store them in the refrigerator.

This recipe makes about 24 Sun-Butter Cookie Dough Bites.

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Share. Eat. Enjoy.

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Tropics Bowl

I’ll be honest I had a hard time coming up with a name for this dish. The ingredients reminded me of the Bahamas and the Southwest. I think the mango is what put it towards the tropics. It is perfect for a light and refreshing meal, and so nutrient packed.

  • 1 c quinoa, uncooked (I used the trick-colored quinoa, but any will do)
  • 1 c vegetable broth
  • 1 c water
  • 1 can black beans, drained, rinsed
  • 1 c corn kernels, frozen, thawed
  • 1 c tomatoes, seeded, diced
  • 1 orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1 ripe mango, skinned, pitted, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1 lime, zested, juiced
  • 8 oz. baby spinach

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. I used 1 cup of vegetable broth and 1 cup of water for my liquid.

When the quinoa is done cooking, add the black beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, mango, avocado, garlic and lime. Stir all the ingredients together and cover with a lid for about 5 minutes. This resting time is good to let the ingredients meld together and the raw veggies soften a little.

While the quinoa mixture is setting, layer the spinach into a bowl. Spoon the quinoa mixture on top of the bed of spinach.

This recipe makes 4-6 servings. It depends on the appetite.

Serve. Eat. Enjoy.

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Tropical Snack Bites

These Tropical Snack Bites are a wonderful tropical getaway in a bite. It has all the flavors of the tropics in one bite: coconut, mango, banana and macadamia nuts. YUM!

Snack Bite Base:

  • 1/2 c Mango Paste
  • 2 large ripe bananas
  • 1/2 c coconut flour
  • 3/4 c oat flour
  • 2 tsp lemon zest

Combine the Mango Paste and bananas into a food processor. Process until the mangos and bananas are creamy and well combined. Add the coconut flour, oat flour and lemon zest. Process the ingredients until well combined.

Transfer the base mixture to a large bowl.

Stir-ins:

  • 1/2 c macadamia nuts, toasted, chopped
  • 1/2 c coconut, shredded, toasted

Add the macadamia nuts and coconut to the base mixture. Stir until all the ingredients are incorporated together.

Roll the Tropical Snack Bites into walnut size balls.

Coating:

  • 1/2 c coconut, shredded (not toasted) for coating

Roll each Tropical Snack Bite into the coconut to coat the snack bites.

This recipe makes at least 24 Tropical Snack Bites.

Share. Eat. Enjoy.

Note: You can make your own oat flour by blitzing it in a food processor or high-speed blender.

Note: Making the Mango Paste is the same as making Date Paste. All you have to do is substitute the dried mangoes for the dates.

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Glazed Tofu and Asparagus Salad

I had some of the Glazed Tofu and Asparagus with Brown Rice & Millet Ramen leftover from dinner. Actually, it was the Glazed Tofu and Asparagus that was leftover. It was just enough to make a salad out of it for lunch the next day. It just goes to show just a few changes can make leftovers something new and refreshing.

Spread chopped zucchini and pepper rings onto a baking sheet. Drizzle some of the Chinese Brown Sauce onto the vegetables. Stir the vegetables until they are completely coated. Place sheet pan in oven and turn oven to 350 degrees.

Roast vegetables until tender.  Check the vegetables when the oven comes to temperature. Stir the vegetables and roast longer if needed. Remove from oven and set aside.

Layer salad starting with the greens. Finish the salad with a sprinkling of the sesame seeds and a drizzle of the Chinese Brown Sauce.

Serve. Eat. Enjoy.

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Note: This salad recipe is 1 serving, but easily multiplied.

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Blender Banana Muffins with Chocolate Hazelnut Filling

When I had made my Blender Banana Pecan Muffins I had put a dollop of my Chocolate Hazelnut Spread – Vegan/Oil Free/Sugar Free on top. It was amazing. Which got me thinking of how I could incorporate it inside the muffin. This is what I came up with.

Wet Ingredients:

  • 3 ripe medium bananas (about 1 cup)
  • 1 c almond yogurt (I like Kite Hill)
  • 1/2 c Date Paste
  • 1/4 c Almond Milk, vanilla, unsweetened
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare muffin wells.

Blend wet ingredients for about 50 seconds. (That is how long my smoothie button takes)

Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 c rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp flax seeds
  • 1 tsp Baking Spice Blend
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the blender. Blend the ingredients together for another 50 seconds.

Pour half the batter into prepared muffin wells. Put about 1-2 tsp of my Chocolate Hazelnut Spread – Vegan/Oil Free/Sugar in the middle of the batter.(I had made this batch with about 1 tsp, and I will probably do more the next time.)Do this with each muffin well.

Pour the remaining batter into the muffin wells, covering the Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.

Bake for about 20 minutes. Let muffins cool about 10  to 15 minutes in muffin pan. Transfer muffins to cooling rack to finish cooling.

Share. Eat. Enjoy.

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