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Spin on "Butterfinger" Candy Bars: Littlefingers!

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*Promise, no spoilers here! Don't worry I am not talking about the show plot at all. Just some candy, inspired by the best show on TV right now, and one of my fave love-to-hate-him characters!..*

Slimy, sneaky, chaos ladder climber-y. These Littlefinger Candy Bars, brought to you by Game of Thrones character, Petyr Baelish, are the perfect treat when you are in a sinister sort of mood.

(Keep reading to see the GOT candy wrapper I made for these.)

Butterfinger-inspired, these sweet, slightly crunchy, peanut butter flavored and chocolate-coated bars are the perfect treat for any GOT fan.

You can even print out some silly wrappers like I did and serve these up at your next GOT-watching party - or just for yourself because you totally deserve these to get you through the long week wait for Sunday night.

These bars are healthier than the real thing, with a short ingredients list. Vegan and dairy-free bars. GOT and DIY candy fans, hope you can give these good-treats-gone-bad a try! Plus, I share why I am so into escapism like GOT lately...

Ok, so my favorite thing about food blogging is the fact that I get to randomly think of wacky ideas and then share them with you guys as I test them out...

Last night, watching the latest Game of Thrones episode, watching Littlefinger on the screen, I said, "Ooh, someone should make a Littlefinger candy bar! Haha. Ha. That's funny, right? ... No? Yes? .. I don't care, I'm doing it! .... Hm...." So into the kitchen I went. And onto the graphic design software I went as well ... because these candy bars really needed a wrapper to match the name.

Totally silly. Totally delicious. These bars are made using a sweet peanut butter base, mixed with some finely processed puffed rice cereal, and gently baked, for that classic Butterfinger crispiness. These bars are a bit more chewy than crispy, but they do have a light crunch from the rice that I love.

On a more serious note... In the past year or so I have really been finding myself craving escapism more and more. Escapism via TV, film, music, travel and even just in my own life. Re-discovering the simplest things that bring me joy and "shut out" the noise of this often times very crazy and chaotic (pun intended!) world we live in. Little things like blasting music and baking cookies. Having a lunch date with a friend and turning off my phone. Or like today, playing a GOT podcast while I edit candy photos - listening to people talk in depth about a world that doesn't even exist. Using my imagination to think of new recipes and blog post topics and ways to interact with my readers. From childhood, I have been a fan of make believe, fantasy and film, art, creative writing and using your imagination. But more and more, as I get older, and find that I have to consciously remind myself to use those parts of my brain, I find that "escapism" isn't always just for fun, it is a way to literally help yourself thrive.

Adults need make believe and dragons and fairy dust just as much (or more) as kids do.

With so many serious and often times downright depressing things in the world, and especially in the online space where I work and play every day, a person can seriously get emotionally fatigued. I think that is why I see more and more people taking "social media breaks" and literally deleting apps on their phones for a few weeks or turning off all notifications and more. So that is why I am truly committed to trying to bring positive and creative, yet still real and honest, content and stories here to my blog. Because so much fun and creativity can happen in your kitchen, if you have the right direction, motivation and inspiration.

So anyways, this is my little piece of candy escapism. And since I actually love the character of Littlefinger (he's a villain for sure.. but he's so good at it!!) I will say this.. Nobody better lay a finger on my Littlefinger. *face palm* *nerd emoji* *yes I said that*

Two Things! Now I will say two things: 1) These bars are REALLY tasty. I love the peanut flavor that mingles with a slight molasses flavor and the crispy rice crunch, all coated in velvet-y chocolate. But, 2) They do not tastes exactly like the original Butterfinger candy bars, which use corn syrup, dairy and other ingredients in the "classic candy" area. Look, I am not a purist with food. As long as it is vegan, I will eat it! So I actually wasn't trying to make these "healthy" candy bars, just more of a vegan candy bar. They are rich and sweet and really satisfy that yummy "Butterfinger" craving!

These are perfect for GOT season or the Halloween candy season, or any season really!

Golden Color: Using peanut butter and molasses will give you a golden brown color for the filling. If you want to go a step further, you can add a tiny pinch of turmeric for a slightly golden tone. I did this and couldn't taste the turmeric at all. A little goes a very long way.

The chocolate coating is very simple, just melted vegan chocolate chips and a tiny bit of optional coconut oil.

Baking the bars. You could probably just get away with freezing the bars, slicing, then coating in chocolate. But I wanted to make sure that my bars had a bit of crunch and lightness to them, so I baked the filling before slicing it into bar strips.

Littlefinger Bites. Using the raw filling mixture, you could even roll it into tiny balls, bake them (or not..), then dip them in chocolate and do "Littlefinger" Bites!

download my wrapper pdfs

Wrappers...

DIY Candy recipes are some of my favorites - check out my other recipes:

* Chocolate Turtles - caramel and pecans
* Almond Butter Cups - nut butter cups
* Rocky Road Bars - vegan marshmallow-y
* Vegan "Snickers" - peanuts and caramel and chocolate
* Joyful Coconut Chocolate Almond Bars - coconut almond bars

And shoutouts to my three fave Game Of Thrones podcasts:

- Bald Move
- A Cast of Kings
- Game of Owns

And if you are just a big GOT fan like me, check out my Northern Ireland Travel Post, as we visited Winterfell, the King's Road, Pike and more GOT spots! It was such a fun trip in such a beautiful part of the world.

The wall!!..

Vegan Butterfinger Candy Bars

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 08/14/2017Vegan Butterfinger Candy Bars
These peanut butter-y, crunchy and chocolate-covered bars are the perfect vegan DIY version of the classic!

Ingredients

  • Filling:

  • 2 cups puffed rice (unsweetened whole puffed grain - 100% rice)*
  • ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoon peanut butter, salted and creamy - softened
  • ⅔ cup maple or agave syrup**
  • 1 teaspoon molasses
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric (optional for bolder orange color)
  • pinch - ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

  • Chocolate Topping:

  • 1 cup vegan chocolate (chips, chunks or bars)
  • 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper - a rimmed sheet is a bit easier to work with.
  2. Add the puffed rice to a blender. Process until it turns into a fine powder -- but do not over process, you want the rice powder to be crunchy and light.
  3. Add in the peanut butter, sweetener, salt, optional turmeric and molasses. Process until smooth, but again, not over processing to lose the lightness from the rice.
  4. You want your filling to load onto the baking sheet when t is about the consistency of a sturdy cookie dough, almost like a gingersnap or peanut butter cookie dough, only a bit denser.

    If your mixture is already at that ideal consistency, you can pour it right into the baking sheet. Flatten by pressing out with another sheet of parchment paper. You want the thickness to be the same thickness that you want the filling of your bars to be. Mine were around ¾" thick. A thicker bar will take a bit monger to bake. --- If your mixture from the blender is on the softer side, transfer the filling to a small sauce pot and simmer on low for 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring so that you do not burn, but just firm up the filling a bit.

    (Consistency from the blender will vary based on your peanut butter. If your peanut butter is on the oily side, it may produce a runnier filling.)

  5. Once your filling is patted down in the baking dish, try and make it into a square shape for easiest slicing. The smoother you can get the top of the mixture, the better your bars will look once covered in chocolate.
  6. Bake the flattened bar filling at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove bars from oven and place the pan directly in the freezer for fastest cooling. Chill for about 15 minutes, or until the bars are firm and cold to touch.
  7. Using a double-broiler method, or the microwave, melt the chocolate and optional coconut oil. Set aside so that it cools a bit before dipping your chilled bars. About five minutes should do it.
  8. Remove your chilled filling from the freezer. Confirm that it is firm and cold to touch. Slice off any curvy edges of the slab so that you have one uniform square or rectangle shape, with straight edges. Then slice into bars.
  9. Dip the bars in the melted and slightly cooled chocolate. Place the bars on either a parchment paper-lines baking sheet, or a baking rack.
  10. Once all your bars are dipped and placed on a parchment paper lined bakign sheet, place that sheet in the freezer. Chill 20 minutes (or longer) before serving. Store leftovers in a plastic baggy in the freezer.

Yield: 4-5 large barsPrep Time: 00 hrs. 20 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 30 mins. Total time: 50 mins. Tags: candy,butterfinger,vegan,diy,game of thrones,littlefinger,chocolate,dessert,gluten free,

Recipe notes:
* Filling Experimenting. I seen other recipe sites use corn flakes or other dry cereal. Apparently, real Butterfinger bars use corn flakes, just an FYI. But I was pretty happy with my rice-based version. Candy corn is also a very popular filling base. Or a combo of both! For crunch: anything puffed and airy should work well. You can browse the internet and find more than a few "butterfinger" recipes. Some healthy and some not so much. Candy corn versions: if you can find vegan candy corn, go for it! I am curious to try this option. I wonder what other vegan candy could work?

If you look at the actual "Butterfinger" recipe by Nestle, you will see that peanut butter and molasses are basics to achieving the classic flavor. Then lots of sweetness. Then adding crunch is pretty easy. I loved the rice puffs because they are super airy! And I always have them on hand anyways. If you just want to add body and not crunch, coconut flour might work too. I would also try cereal O's, processed granola or even graham crackers! So many options for adding crunch. Nuts or seeds might also work.
** I think agave syrup gives a cleaner flavor, but maple works too. For less sweetness, reduce sweetener to ½ cup and add in 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk

And if you just want to see the real Butterfinger bars made in the factory... Unwrapped TV has it on YouTube ..Peanuts, molasses, corn flakes and more....! The Butterfinger rep says, "As you can see, these cornflakes are much different than what you'd have for breakfast at home. We add these in and they are a lot lighter in texture."

....Thus why I thought rice puffs might be an even BETTER option than a cereal cornflake, which can be slightly heavy and hard in a crunchy way. Rice puffs process up very light and crunchy.

If you enjoy my ridiculous movie and TV-inspired recipes, check these out too!..

* Avocado Hamil-toast, inspired by the Broadway show Hamilton
* "Twilight-y" Roasted Beet Salad
* Vegan Grilled Cheese inspired by the movie Chef
* Run Amok Pumpkin Cookies - Hocus Pocus inspired

Sochi's one eye open Littlefinger face, maybe... (Excuse for cuteness)

Chocolate-smothered..

Vegan Ranch Salad Dressing

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Today's salad dressing recipe is a crowd-pleaser. Creamy, vibrant, zesty, satisfying and a classic, gone vegan: Vegan Ranch Dressing.

And today I am pairing this dressing with curly kale for a few serving suggestions like a Vegan Ranch BBQ Bowl. Ranch-tossed kale is topped with sticky-sweet tempeh cubes, warm chunks of my favorite cornbread, avocado and sliced peaches too. Video for the dressing too!...

Wrap serving suggestion..

Goodies in a wrap, ranch-tossed kale, spicy hummus, pumpkin seeds, avocado..

Serve your salad in a wrap..

Entree bowl! Kale, cornbread, BBQ tempeh, avocado, summer peaches..

Cornbread is a perfect pairing with ranch-anything!

Vegan Ranch Dressing. This recipe is cashew-based with a tangy accent from plain yogurt and lemon. Loads of spices like pepper, garlic and a hint of smoky paprika. This dressing really satisfied my creamy ranch craving. I poured it over a giant bowl of freshly chopped romaine lettuce. Tossed. And devoured the entire bowl of lettuce - no topping, nothing, just ranch and salad. That is all you really need when it comes to a good ranch! This recipe is dairy-free, vegan. Hope you love it!

To Make the Bowl:

- Toss kale and any other veggies with the ranch dressing. (recipe below)
- Whip up some BBQ Tempeh (recipe here)
- Top with sliced avocado and peaches.
- Top with my favorite cornbread, sliced into cubes or triangles, or even crumbled over top.
- Drizzle additional dressing over top if desired.

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Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Vegan Ranch Salad Dressing

This creamy, dairy-free ranch is cashew-based and has loads of tangy, peppery flavor. Whip this up in a blender and fall in love with your salad greens all over again!
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time7 minutes
Course: Salad, salad dressing
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cashews, dairy-free, easy, food, ranch dressing, recipe, salad dressing, vegan
Servings: 2 cups
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon vegan mayo
  • 1 cup raw cashews (no soaking required)
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt, vegan (almond-based recipe used)
  • 1 cup water
  • ¾ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or ¾ teaspoon fine black pepper)
  • ½ teaspoon pink salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon smoky paprika (optional)
  • 2-3 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon maple or agave syrup (optional)
  • Optional herbs: fold in 2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley if you want a fresh herb accent

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend from low to high until smooth. You really want to blend on high for a good minute to smooth everything out.
  • Pour the dressing into a salad dressing-worthy container, one with a lid works best - otherwise use plastic wrap to seal. Chill in the fridge for at least twenty minutes before serving. Store in fridge. The salad dressing lasts up to 4-5 days in the fridge. If the dressing thickens too much after a few days, you can add a splash of water or lemon juice to thin things out. Shake well before pouring.

Talking Skin Care: 21 Favorite Products

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I usually focus on food here, but another part of wellness involves self care. And today I want to share 21 of my favorite skin care products with you. As well as a few tips and other skin care anecdotes about acne and more.

I love taking care of my skin. And not just for a glow-y skin effect. Skin care for me is a relaxing ritual that makes me feel good. At the end of a long or challenging day, I crave a mini at-hone-facial. I get home, maybe chug some water first to rehydrate, then wash my face, massage a warm washcloth over my skin and maybe do a quick mask or exfoliate. I use products that smell uplifting, using essential oils or other natural plant-based aromas. I spritz my face, use a toner pad and finish up with a light serum or moisturizer. By the end of my routine I feel refreshed, more relaxed and ready to transition into recharge, see-ya-later-stress mode. Bonus effects of self-care skin-care routines: glowy, happy skin.

I am learning to embrace "aging," - I use the quotes because I am only in my thirties, still a young thing in so many ways. I am constantly trying to teach myself to embrace getting older. There are so many things I love about it!

Taking care of my skin each day is one way I show respect to my body, love it, and help it stay as healthy and happy as possible, so it can continue serving me! And our skin serves us well..

Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies! It changes swiftly and responds to our environment. It plays an important role in regulating body temperature, it stores water, fat and metabolic products. It protects your body from outside germs and toxins and is truly our first line of defense as we navigate life! It is delicate and sensitive to the environment and responds so well when we learn to take care of it.

So with that, here are a few of my favorite skin care products and a few tips too...

I also updated this post to include my remarks on Fresh and online bullying..

....I Use These Products! It was very important to me to actually photograph a few of the products in this round-up. I grabbed them directly from my bathroom. I wanted to show that I am not just picking things off the internet that might work. I frequently buy a good chunk of these and have tried every single one. Some are new faves that I cannot wait to re-stock and others are old faves.

Even with my faves, I am still constantly trying new things. Sometimes I get free products sent to me and other times I buy new products.

Some of my favorite brands are not even on this list, just because I haven't really bought them recently for whatever reason. Trust me, there are SO MANY awesome brands out there these days.

Perfect Skin. Ha! Does that even exist? Maybe in Photoshop-land. But real skin bends and wrinkles and darkens and sheds and becomes oily and dry and clogged or purified and back around again. Real skin is constantly changing. It is helping you survive, hugging you every second of the day. And over time, you will learn to listen to your skin's needs - in the same way that you have are teaching yourself to listen to your body in other ways: hunger cues, energy levels, sleep needs etc.

I know my skin pretty well by now. It is very fair and sensitive and easily burns, but then tans and stays pretty sturdy when it has a bit of color. I freckle. I get super itchy and bumpy when my cats accidentally poke me with their claws. If I stay out of the sun I keep a very fair complexion, with the usual fine lines in all my expression-y places.

I have struggled with hormonal adult acne since college. It sucks. It gets bad and then it gets really better and sometimes almost goes away completely. Actually, it is doing pretty good right now, fingers crossed. But I deal with it. I know what makes it worse and why I get breakouts and that helps me understand my skin a bit more. I know stress and wearing makeup over long periods of time are the worst things for my skin. Luckily, I have a job where I can go makeup free for days and days.

Day to day, I love to wash my face and put on a serum or moisturizer. I use tea tree oil daily and do about 2-3 facial masks a week. I am in love with the main three masks that I rotate: charcoal, black tea and magic clay. (Links below)

For my acne, I also take something called EstroBlock, the main ingredient being DIM. DIM is (basically) a phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli. I am sure it doesn't work for everyone, but it has done wonders for me. Obviously, always consult your doctor about supplements.

Skin care isn't just about what we put on our skin -- it is mostly about how we take care of ourselves internally. Our skin responds to whatever is going on inside. And frustratingly, for women especially, a lot of the hormonal stuff we just cannot control. Some things help, but sometimes you just have to ride it out and take comfort in the fact that you are not alone!

Stress, hormones, travel, the environment, our diets, how much sleep we get, water we are drinking, allergens and so much more -- these are all factors in the health and happiness of our skin.

And with that, my five lifestyle must-do's for healthy skin:
1. Drink enough water - stay hydrated.
2. Zzzzzzz - Get enough sleep.
3. Manage stress. Laugh. Do happy things. Dance. Play. Don't let the challenges of life take over your mindset. Focus on the good.
4. Eat well - lots of plants! Eat a diet rich in colorful fruits and veggies and nutrients. Vitamin C especially!
5. Routine. Start a skin care routine that makes you feel good! Take care of your skin. That includes sunscreen.

Easier said than done! But important reminders. Now for the good stuff!...

21 of My Favorite Skin Care Products In My Bathroom Right Now

Fave Faves: If you see a (***) next to the title, it is a product I am 100% addicted to...

Fresh Products...
I adore Fresh. It is probably my favorite go-to beauty brand. They do not test on animals (see FAQs) and many of their products are vegan-friendly.

Side note about Fresh products and some emails I have received at the bottom of this post.

Here are three favorites..

1. Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask*** - $92
This is probably my number one favorite mask on the planet. I love how it makes my skin feel while it is on and after you remove it. It feels like an instant facial for my skin. I use it at least once every two weeks and usually before special events.

2. Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum*** - $75
A favorite serum of mine. When I use it I sometimes don't even need a moisturizer because it feels so silky and hydrating.

3. Umbrian Clay
I am a huge fan of anything from Fresh's Umbrian Clay line. I love the oil free moisturizer when I am feeling acne-prone. And I love the bar. It seems expensive, but it it such a high quality clay bar! I use it on my face and whole body. If you use it in a bath your whole tub gets silky and clay-infused. Oh and it doesn't dry your skin at all as you might think clay would!

Really, ALL the Fresh products are amazing. They are splurge purchases for me, but when I get confused about what brands to buy I always lean towards Fresh and never feel let down. My favorite thing about them is that they have the most gentle and lovely aromas that never feel fragrance-y. Fragrance is my number one "no no" when it comes to my fave beauty products. With Fresh, and really all of the brands listed here, the rose products smell like real roses -- the citrus products like real oranges, the lavender like... you get it 🙂

Favorite Beautycounter Products right now..

4. Number 3 Balancing Facial Mask*** - $48
I am obsessed with this clay and charcoal mask! It is my favorite thing when I feel oily or I get a breakout on my chin or forehead. In just one use I feel like my skin is back in balance. The rich charcoal texture is so cleansing and purifying. But it doesn't dry out my skin, instead it leaves it feeling silky. Love this. Plus, Beautycounter never tests on animals and is safe skincare.

5. Cleansing Balm*** - $80
I bought one jar of this stuff MONTHS ago and it is still going! I love it so much. I always use it when I have a big event or video shoot and I am wearing a lot of makeup. It is literally the only thing that makes me feel like I have truly removed ALL that grimy makeup -- without over oiling up my skin. Makeup comes off easily and my skin feels fresh and hydrated and silky. I am also so impressed how long this jar has lasted me. Must have for makeup removal! Oh and if you compare it to using like a straight up coconut oil - sure it does a similar "natural make up remover" job, but the coconut oil always stays on my skin a bit and leaves me feeling shiny and oily. This doesn't.

6. Rose Mist. - $35
I am a sucker for rose water-anything. So Beautycounter's Nourishing Rosewater Mist is a favorite of mine. The aroma is SO light and natural. I adore it.

7. Lipgloss*** - $29
This product contains beeswax, FYI for those avoiding bee products. As a vegan who is ok with honey products once in a while, buying a tube of this once every 3-4 months is worth it for me. I want my lip products to be safe, since we always end up eating some of it! This gloss has such a beautiful and hydrating shine and I love the color options.

Beautycounter Special: Spend $150 and you will get a FREE Rejuvenating Night Cream ($75 value!) - offer ends 8/27 Also check out my post: my 10 favorite vegan Beautycounter Products

Kate Somerville...

8. I love Kate Somerville products. They have a very strong 'no testing on animals' policy and most products are vegan.

They say... "There are no animal derived ingredients in any of our products except for Goat Milk Cream." - source

I have a few fave products but my number one, go-to facial exfoliator has been ExfoliKate for a few years now. It is so lovely and feels so cleansing and purifying on my skin. It gives you a smooth surface of skin in just a few minutes.

Exfolikate *** - $24-$85

Favorite Whole Foods Brands: The two brands I love most that you can buy at Whole Foods are Alba and Andalou. And these products are all very reasonably priced. The masks are around $3 and travel so well because they are "single servings."

9. Andalou Masks*** - under $4
I love them all actually. You can buy them at Whole Foods. Luminous Face Mask is my fave - single serving size (I get two uses out of this though).

10. Andalou Toner - $13
Blossom Leaf Toning Refresher - I just love the smell because it reminds me of a fancy spa. It is soothing and a bit hydrating for a toner.

11. Alba Kukui Nut Body Butter*** - $7.50
I tried this a few weeks ago for the first time and hated the smell at first. But then a few times into it I was addicted to it! Haha. It smells like vanilla buttercream frosting. One person told me I smelled like cinnamon buns and Krispie Kreme donuts. LOL. The best part is that is is very hydrating and nourishing. So you might love or hate the bakery-ish smell!

-- Skin Brushing Side Note! Another huge part of my skin care routine is skin brushing. I buy a new skin brush every few months.

12. Alba Botanica Hawaiian Marula Miracle Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner - $22 for both
I usually hate non-salon shampoos and conditioners. But I was so shocked when I loved this shampoo! I actually have yet to try the conditioner, but I look forward to checking it out the next time I need to stock up.

And if you are curious about safe hair care, Beautycounter has some new hair care products that are receiving rave reviews. I haven't tried them yet, but they are definitely on my list to try.

13. Andalou 1000 Roses Complex Color Care Deep Conditioning Hair Mask*** - around $6
I love this little mask pack that I can pick up at Whole Foods. I usually get three uses out of it. It is very nourishing. I put it on and leave it there for at least ten minutes and my hair feels hydrated and silky when it dries.

My Favorite Facial Cleanser...

14. YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE - Age Prevention Superfood Cleanser*** - $36
This cleanser comes in a glass jar, with a pump and contains kale, green tea, spinach and vitamins. I love it so much. I have bought it three times in a row - which is a big deal for me! I really love this brand, I need to try more products from them.
This cleanser is 100% vegan, using cold-pressed extracts made in the USA, 100% recyclable packaging, no fragrance/parabens and no animal testing.

15. Tea Tree Pads*** - $14 for 100 pads
Desert Essence Tea Tree Cleansing Pads are something I use after I wash my face. I also use them whenever my face feels oily or like it needs some freshening up. These are inexpensive and they really work to clear your face of bacteria - naturally and gently. You can find these at Whole Foods or buy them online to save a few bucks and buy in bulk.

16. Magic Mask*** - under $10, as an Amazon Prime add-on item
Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Deep Pore Cleansing, - I had this mask just sitting in my closet for months before I actually used it. And I LOVE it. I can only leave it on for about 10 minutes because my face gets so tight and itchy, but once I remove it my face feels transformed. Perfect for acne-prone skin. Very purifying and I love the fluffy texture. The jar comes with a powder and you mix the powder with a splash of apple cider vinegar. It isn't a miracle-worker (nothing is) but I do agree that is is kinda magical!

17. Jojoba Oil*** - $20 for two pack
Another Desert Essence product I love and can find on Amazon or Whole Foods. I add a few drops to my body moisturizer or use all on its own. Jojoba and Kukui nut oils are my favorite for body hydration and healing and keeping skin soft and youthful.

18. EO Deodorant Wipes*** - $16 for 24
I am obsessed with these! They are so perfect for after working out or using in the middle of or at the end of a long, busy, stressful day. I love both the lavender and tea tree aromas. They use essential oils to cleanse and purify. I just wipe in my armpits (getting glamorous here!) and instantly feel refreshed! You can buy these at Whole Foods, but save some money by buying in bulk online.

19. Milk Makeup Vegan Natural Deodorant*** - $14
Speaking of deodorant. I still really love this one by Milk Makeup. Clear and light lavender-y. It doesn't have the power of those crazy strong and very chemical-laden drugstore brands, but it does the trick for me and I love the feel and smell of it. It is warming and very little odor at all. "This formula combats odor with natural and organic ingredients. Lavender oil soothes and nourishes skin, and keeps underarms feeling fresh and smelling clean all day."

20. Sunscreen!
The most important thing you can do for your skin is sunscreen. Even in cooler months. Seriously guys, I see how differently the skin on my shoulders (too much sun) has "aged" compared to the skin on my belly (never really sees the sun) and sun-aging is real. Kinda a silly example, but trust me young people in their teens and twenties, start a sunscreen habit early and thank me later.

- I love all the Beautycounter sunscreens. They contain beeswax, but if you are OK with that they are simply awesome natural sunscreen options for face and body.

- Alba Mineral Sunscreen - I love all the Alba sun products and their sunscreens are so wonderful

- Any sunscreen you will use that hasn't expired! (Mineral is preferred) Some reports say that sunscreens last three years, but others say a year. Whatever the truth, my advice is to be certain by updating your sunscreen ever year.

- Face Sunscreen Powder - I am obsessed with Eminence Organic Sun Defense Powder. The sunscreen is built into a lovely powder brush. I first bought this from Burke Williams Spa and have bought them ever year ever since. A quick brushing removes any shine from your face, adds a glow and protects your skin. There are other brands out there too, but this is my fave.

21. Eminence Products! I totally forgot my other favorite natural, vegan-friendly product line, Eminence. I love a few of their masks and moisturizers. But I really adore their eye products. My eyes are super sensitive, so I love that their products never irritate them. Eminence Biodynamic Bearberry Eye Repair Cream is a favorite I have tried.

Another brand I LOVE if you are ever in Iceland, ha is Soley Organics. I cannot find them anywhere in the USA though!

Vegan Natural Makeup! Ok, so I didn't even dent the "makeup" conversation because that is a whole other world of options. But I will say that some of my fave brands are Tarte, Beautycounter, Kat VonD, OCC, Pacifica and 100% Pure.

So those are just a tiny chunk of my favorite natural, no-animal-testing, mostly-vegan beauty products. There are so many options out there these days! I would LOVE to hear what some of your faves are in the comments section. What did you use on your skin today that you loved?

Other brands I LOVE and just haven't used lately for whatever reason...
- OSEA - upscale, spa-quality vegan brand that has really awesome masks and moisturizers
- Origins
- SKYN Iceland - their eye gel pads are my fave!
- Tata Harper
- Herbivore Botanicals
- Thayers Toner
- LUSH
- Fave essential oils: WellScent

If you have any specific questions about makeup or skin care leave them in the comments and I am happy to help if I can.

resource: Interested in learning the basics about the largest organ in your body: all about skin from PubMed Health.

Side note about Fresh..

Side note, a few people have commented on social media, saying that "Fresh tests on animals."

First off, I appreciate people who kindly ask questions here on my blog (like one person below - thank you), but the random people who quickly judge and vilify on social media are a huge problem online. It makes everyone feel unsafe and like the internet is a very unfriendly and judgmental place. This really brings to light the bullying problem we have in the vegan community and it needs to STOP.

But back to basics of why I posted Fresh here - I only promote and use cruelty-free brands -- and from my research on the Fresh website, they have a very progressive and strong stance on NO animal testing. The Fresh website..

If this is inaccurate, how in the world would a consumer know that? If there is a problem with transparency with Fresh and other global brands, please please please direct your frustration towards the brands and not those online just trying to share and learn just like everyone else. The world is not a perfect place, but with our passion and compassion, we can make small steps.

I am not a beauty blogger, so I do not spend days and weeks researching hidden theories about brands. Information regarding ingredients (vegan + cruelty-free statuses) should be easy to receive online but sadly, it is often very complex for many reasons I won't go into.

I am not going to change the content of this post. But I will share that according to many beauty bloggers, Fresh tests on animals in China because it is required by law. I honestly do not know if that is true info since the Fresh website is pretty clear and contradictory on that and says they DO NOT test on animals. Confusing, right?

Perfection is not the goal for me because no one is perfect. I try the VERY best I can for the animals. That is why I am vegan. When it comes to beauty products I try my very best, but if I am still learning and often get frustrated (as a vegan blogger) I know many of you out there must be too. So I offer compassion. We can all only do the best we can. And lifestyle changes do not happen overnight. Let's be loving to ourselves and each other.

I applaud Fresh for their strong stance on wanting to find non-animal testing methods. They are one of the largest beauty brands in the world and I thank them for at least being on the right side of intentions. It hugely SUCKS that China is so awful to animals and requires testing by law (according to beauty blogs I have read).

I have reached out to Fresh for more transparency on their USA site FAQs.

If you have anything loving and supportive and positive to say on this topic, feel free to.

And to anyone out there being bullied online, in any way, you are not alone. It happens to all of us. And it sucks. But learning to ignore and move on from toxic people is a huge and important life skill.

Those who bully need to think twice because sensitive people like me can take their words very deeply. Luckily I have grown very strong in my ten years of blogging, but I still feel for sensitive young people getting bullied for various reasons.

Bottom line: bullying is never ok.

Quite a tangent! But I needed to say all that because I am really passionate about creating safe and uplifting, happy and supportive spaces for people online.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon and Beautycounter affiliate links. Buying from my links allows you to support my blog and purchase amazing products for your self-care routine. Much thanks!

The Best Vegan Cornbread

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Today I am sharing The Best Vegan Cornbread. Cornbread might not seem like the most summery of recipes, but when you are using fresh corn, it certainly qualifies!

One of my favorite additions to most any meal is a fluffy nugget of warm, golden yellow corn bread - crumbly, buttery and cake-like. This recipe really satisfied every characteristic I look for in a cornbread! I enjoyed it warmed up with some vegan butter and maple syrup, and I also crumbled it over top a vegan ranch summer salad - similar to this BBQ tofu Ranch Salad. And of course, if you are making veggie chili, cornbread is the perfect side.

If you are a cornbread fan like me, hope you can give this recipe a try!..

Warm bread, vegan butter and maple syrup on top..

Bake until the edges crack and the texture feels spring-y to touch...

Love this texture! Fluffy and cake-like yet crumbly and rich. My perfect corn bread texture for sure...

Slice into squares and serve!..

This Cornbread. I was so happy with this recipe! There are a few tips for success..

* Bake Time. Make sure you bake the cornbread long enough. Don't be afraid of letting the tops and corners of the bread brown a bit. Also do not be afraid to watch the edges crack a bit. That is all a part of the baking process, and it doesn't actually effect the bread once it cools. This bread slices so perfectly and hold up very well, just crumbly enough, but mostly hearty and sturdy and cake like too.
* Fresh Corn. Using fresh corn cobs is the best way to get amazing flavor and texture. If you have to use a canned or frozen corn, just be sure to drain or dry the corn as much as possible so things do not get soggy.
* Add-ins! You could add green chilis, jalapeño, diced onion, shredded vegan cheese, scallions, black olives and more. Fold them into the batter before pouring into your baking dish. I love vegan cheddar cheese and jalapeño in my cornbread!
* The Milk. Try to find a really rich dairy-free milk. My preference is a full fat soy milk - the kind that has at least 100 calories per cup, unsweetened. Eden is a great brand for that. Or a rich almond milk like Califia Farms will work too. Just be sure you use unsweetened or original flavor. You could even experiment with subbing in vegan plain yogurt for the milk!
* How to Store? I slice the bread into squares and then pile it into a plastic bag. Seal it up and this bread keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. Longer storage, place in the freezer.

Why do you use masa harina instead of corn meal? Basically, the masa harina acts like a highly absorbent flour, rather than a grittier corn meal texture. Masa harina is usually used to make corn tortillas or tamales. But I love it for cornbread! Especially when you are using fresh corn in the batter too. It really helps achieve that cake-like, almost spoonable, but still fluffy texture that I love! If you cannot find masa harina, you may be able to sub with a finely ground, corn meal - like a corn flour - though I have not tested that version yet. Chowhound has a nice explanation for the two ingredients here.

I updated my popular Tempeh Bacon recipe page with new pics, a video and a few related recipes too.

Next time around, I am going to make this batter into muffins!

Vote in the Veggie Awards! The 2017 VegNews Veggie Awards are posted. I am very proud to be nominated in two categories again. Though I have never won, it is always so humbling to be nominated. It reminds me that all my many years of hard work with vegan recipes and sharing inspiration and writing cookbooks has actually been reaching people! And that is such a comforting and inspiring feeling. So if you feel like voting in the survey, I would so appreciate your vote.

When you vote you are automatically entered to win a bunch of amazing prizes too! Like a cruise, a year's supply of ice cream, meal delivery and more.

My nominations: Favorite Website: FindingVegan.com + Favorite Blog: Healthy. Happy. Life.

Vote in the survey / enter the contest here.

 

I really like the slight texture of corn in this bread. you can barely tell it is there, but it adds some oomph!


I also wanted to mention... You may have noticed that there was not a new meal plan this week for MealPlanSundays! Well, the truth is, putting together the plans was quite a time-consuming project. And while I love the idea of posting one for free on a monthly basis, I think that weekly is going to be too much for me. Plus, I found it took away too much time from recipe development for new recipes, which is my main love and passion.

So I will be sharing a new meal plan once a month. And of course you can always go back and check out the previous plans! I did three already and those are LOADED with recipe ideas.

I am also experimenting with different formats, maybe using grocery lists, or just featuring only dinners. So if you have any feedback at all, please let me know in the comments, or you can always email me at kathy at lunchboxbunch dot com.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

The Best Vegan Corn Bread

This fluffy, crumbly, super moist and tender, sweet cornbread is so incredibly satisfying. It tastes delicious all on its own or when vegan butter or sweet maple syrup is added. This will be your new go-to cornbread recipe! 
Prep Time14 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time59 minutes
Course: baking, bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baking, bread, corn, cornbread, dairyfree, fresh, muffins, side, side dish, vegan
Servings: 9 large pieces
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 2 medium ears of fresh corn, kernels sliced off (about 1 ⅓ cup kernels) - reserve about 2 tablespoon of the kernels
  • ⅓ cup raw cashews
  • ⅓ cup coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup vegan butter (½ stick)
  • 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk (soy used)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Dry:

  • 1 ½ cups masa harina
  • ½ cup white flour
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 or 9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
  • Add to a blender, corn kernels, cashews, coconut sugar, vegan butter, non-dairy milk and lemon juice. Blend from low to high until smooth - all the kernels and cashews should be smooth, and the mixture a thick liquid consistency.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the masa harina, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Whisk together.
  • While hand whisking, pour in the liquid mixture. Whisk very well until the batter is thick and smooth. It will have a rough texture from the masa harina, but will be free of any large clumps. Fold in the two tablespoons of reserved corn kernels. (These are optional, but that add a hint of whole corn texture.)
  • Pour the batter into the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. I used an 8 inch dish and baked for 50 minutes. You want to bake until the top begins to crack open on the edges, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out dry. Note: You could also bake up muffins or a thinner corn bread in a large dish, but baking times will vary.
  •  

Cashew-Banana Bread French Toast with Whip

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It is 5pm in the afternoon and a day-old loaf of super yummy whole grain crusty loaf is calling my name. French Toast! I don't know why, but I had been dreaming of this creation all day and of course, 5pm seemed like the perfect time to whip it up, photoshoot it and get it ready for posting before the weekend so you guys can try it for brunch!

This Banana Bread French Toast with Coconut Whip and Cashews is super dreamy. It takes very simple (easy!) banana french toast and turns it into something that looks restaurant-ready. If I ever open my own little cafe, this dish is definitely going on the menu!
Get the recipe ahead, and happy brunching! (Or breakfast-for-dinner-ing...)...

Big, fluffy slices of vegan french toast are my everything for brunch bliss...

The secret...

The secret (or, not so secret, trick..) to reallllllllly good french toast is all about the bread. I found this awesome loaf at the farmer's market, from Lodge Bread here in Los Angeles. It was an ancient grain loaf, all crusty and amazing. We bought it on Sunday and had it sitting on the counter for a few days and come Wednesday, it was perfect for french toast. Day-old crusty bread is perfect for this recipe.

The ancient whole grain wheat loaf made for a hearty bite in my french toast. If you go with a more refined grain like sourdough, your slices will be more tender and moist. But I really loved this texture! Perfectly moist, yet also sturdy enough to pile on bananas and coconut whip.

The accents on this dish are::

- sliced banana
- candied cashews (easy to make!)
- coconut whip ...how-to video in this post.
- fresh citrus zest

And boom. Your perfect brunch meal is ready. Just add your fave latte, matcha or espresso or turmeric work, and enjoy! This would also pair really well with a freshly squeezed glass of orange or grapefruit juice.

Gluten-Free Bread Option? Yes. If you need to stick to gf bread, you can absolutely still make this recipe. Just modify the soaking time as needed. You do not want to over-soak and come away with soggy french toast. But if you under-soak, the french toast will be on the dry side. You can a fully-marinated piece of bread, that still holds up when lifting out of the liquid. If the bread is falling apart after soaking, you have over-soaked. And some gluten-free bread might be more delicate.

Loved the cashews as an accent! They added texture and flavor while boosting healthy fats...

Happy brunching everyone! Get more of my vegan brunch recipes here.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Vegan Banana Bread French Toast with Coconut Whip

This super easy vegan french toast is booming with cravable flavors. Banana, cashew, citrus zest, cinnamon, candied cashews and coconut whip on top.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Breakfast, brunch, french toast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana french toast, bananas, breakfast, brunch, french toast, meal, vegan
Servings: 3 servings
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 6 slices of halved, day-old, crusty bread - ancient grain whole wheat used

Wet Mix:

  • ¾ cup soy milk (or any non-dairy milk)
  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of sea salt

Cashews:

  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • 1 tablespoon maple, coconut or agave syrup

Coconut Whip:

  • 1 can coconut milk, chilled overnight
  • ½ cup powdered sugar, organic

Topping:

  • fresh orange zest

Instructions

  • Slice bread. You want the bread to be a high quality crusty load, slice about ½ inch thick and then slice the large slices into halves. (If you are dealing with a small loaf you can keep the slices whole)
  • Add to a blender: bananas, non-dairy milk, cinnamon, cashews and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour into a shallow bowl or baking dish.
  • Place the bread slices in the wet mix. Press down with a fork to allow the bread to absorb all the liquid. Soak for about a minute. Flip the bread and soak another thirty seconds or so.
  • Warm a skillet over medium heat. Use a non-stick skillet or grease well with EVOO or coconut oil. When the skillet is hot you can add the first 2-3 soaked slices of bread.
  • Cook the bread for 1-2 minutes on each side, flipping as needed until you achieve a deep brown color on both sides. It helps to cover with a lid for a minute so the sides cook too. Repeat until all the french toast is cooked. Set aside on a plate.
  • On the serving plates, layer the french toast with slices banana.
  • Cashews: Add the cashews and agave, coconut or maple syrup to the pan, keep the skillet at medium heat and shake the pan a bit. Toast the cashews with the syrup for a minute. Remove from heat and pour over top the french toast on the plates. As the cashews cool they will candy a bit.
  • Zest an orange over top the plates.
  • And finally, whip up (literally) the coconut whip. Open the chilled can and scoop the hard white part (the coconut cream) into a deep and small bowl - medium in size. Also add the powdered sugar. Beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Spoon the freshly whipped coconut cream on top of the french toast. Serve!

PS. I have a little side ramble all about "healthy" "happy" food choices, vegan eating and more, below the recipe.

Bonus conversation...

But wait, IS this a healthy breakfast though?? Ha! I just had to put "healthy" in my blog title and cookbook, right? I guess I have a less strict view of what "healthy" means. Healthy to me isn't perfection.

Back in my twenties when I was struggling with my relationship with food, I would have felt just awful about eating a pile of french toast for breakfast, layers of bread, smothered in pools of maple syrup and fluffy mounds of coconut whip. It would have tasted amazing, but that euphoric feeling would have been trumped by my "is it healthy?" mentality. I would have instead wanted a smoothie or oatmeal or something with more 'healthy benefits' and 'less sugar.' But years and years of that mentality made me feel SO deprived and actually sucked joy from my everyday life. Crazy how what we eat or do not eat can actually effect our moods. (Actually, not so crazy at all...)

The truth is, sometimes our own personal happy foods, whether they are "healthy" or not can be what your body and soul needs! And for me, a big plate of french toast with fluffy whip on top reminds me of being a kid and eating brunch out with my family. And just being happy. So for me, it is a "happy food." Not all my "happy foods" are indulgent. Peaches and sweet potatoes and matcha green tea are also happy foods for me. Carrot cake and banana splits and chocolate chip cookies, also happy foods.

(And luckily, I can veganize all my happy foods these days.)

Troubleshooting: What if some of your "happy foods" are not vegan?? I think for many veg-curious people, that is where they get tripped up when committing 100% to a plant-based diet. Our emotions are SO closely tied to the foods we eat. So I basically say, you do YOU. I have found that over time, as you eat more plants and discover MORE "happy foods" that are vegan, you will crave those non-vegan "happy foods" less and less. That is what happened for me anyways.

One of my big time "happy foods" was always frozen yogurt. And 17 years ago there was no such thing as vegan fro-yo. So I went veganish, and kept froyo in my diet. And as years passed, I discovered new vegan-friendly "happy foods" and I eventually lost interest in dairy and my precious frozen yogurt. And of course years later, today, there are so many options for vegan frozen yogurt here in LA!

Healthy Eating. In regards to all the clean-eating "food noise" online these days, I really try to stay positive and less critical. When I hear people saying things like "no sugar, no caffeine, no gluten," I tend to tune them out. I am really proud of eating a plant-based diet that includes as many whole foods as possible, but doesn't deprive myself of treats. I mean, have you seen the amazing vegan ice creams on the market?? Bring on the sugar! Just don't overdo it. Your body will tell you that! Eat an entire pint of coconut milk ice cream and I promise you, you will not feel so great the next day. Eating is a learning process, like anything else in life.

And leaning towards a more plant-based diet is also a learning process. And hey, look at you! Just by browsing recipes online, here and there, YOU are already WAY ahead of the game on arriving at a physically and spiritually healthy and happy dietary place in your life.

Obsessing over anything devours our time and energy, time and energy that should be going towards finding joy and just living your life. But wait!!.. Ok skeptics, I guess some people could argue that veganism is a form of restriction. But the funny part is that, I feel the complete opposite. For me, I find veganism very freeing.

Not vegan? I don't think every person needs to be a full force vegan to make a difference in the world and in their self. You will feel what is right for you. And that may change over time. But I do think that leaning towards eating more plants and less animal products is something that every human can benefit from - both physically and spiritually. Every little bit helps this planet too!

Please never feel discouraged from embracing "vegan" even though you are not a full force "vegan."

Anyways..... Love you all and happy soon-to-be-the-weekend! I hope you can dive into this plate of french toast on Saturday or Sunday, a big fat smile across your face. xoxox, Kathy

Purple-Citrus Strawberry Banana Smoothie

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Since this week's Meal Plan is all about smoothies and salads, I wanted to share a favorite smoothie that I have been making lately. This Purple-Citrus Strawberry Banana Smoothie is an upgraded version of a classic banana-strawberry smoothie. I add in some blueberries for bonus antioxidants and a pretty purple color. And the real secret ingredient is the orange citrus zest! It adds such a bright accent of flavor. This blend is sweet, vibrant and summery. I have been making this as a late afternoon post-workout smoothie. Give it a spin, also I share a documentary I recently loved..

Orange Citrus Zest. Citrus zest is one of my favorite add-in ingredients - from smoothies to cookies or muffins - a little citrus zest goes a long way in a recipe. Citrus is such an uplifting aroma - I get a little energy boost just from the zesting process! Instant aromatherapy.

Some of my favorite smoothies in my book 365 Vegan Smoothies include citrus. You can snag a copy for under $12, last time I checked, on Amazon! And if you already own a copy, I would be so grateful if you took a minute to give it a review on Amazon.

Protein Add-in. For today's smoothie, I loved adding my friend Sophie's protein powder, Berry Bliss. It adds protein, vitamin C, and antioxidants from pomegranate, goji and acai and has a nice berry flavor. If you don't have Philosophie, you could try another protein or superfood powder that is either berry or natural/original in flavor.

I chat about my favorite vegan protein powders in this Big Protein Powder Review. Or you could add in a spoonful of hemp seeds or simply omit the added protein part. I do not always add protein to my smoothies. I usually only do it when the smoothie is acting as a meal replacement or I am really hungry and need a hunger-sustaining smoothie, or sometimes for an after-workout smoothie. Some people think adding protein to your smoothies means adding two giant scoops of it, I usually only add a little bit, just to even out the nutrients a bit too.

I recently watched the documentary Chasing Coral, available on Netflix. I randomly turned it on expecting to watch ten minutes at most, but then I couldn't turn it off. It was heartbreaking and depressing, but also fascinating. I became teary eyed a few times towards the end as they showed the coral bleaching process and the toll climate change is taking on the magical worlds under the sea. Worlds that humans glorify and are inspired-by in fantasy movies like Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid. But the crazy part is that those magical, rainbow-colored, vibrant, life-filled worlds DO exist in real life, but they are swiftly dying. And though coral bleaching has been happening for many years, this is the worst that ocean scientists have ever seen.

The film was excellent, but I feel it fell short in the "call to action" part of the film. I wish the film talked about how changing your lifestyle or diet can really impact the planet in a positive way. Or especially how animal agriculture is responsible for a very large chunk of climate change. I watched all the scientists at the end, watching the finished time-lapse project and I wondered how many of them were leaning towards vegan. Documentaries like Before the Flood and Cowspiracy really bring to light the facts about animal agriculture and our planet.

Coral bleaching is beyond sad, and I hope it doesn't wipe out all the beautiful, life-infused reefs.

The story of our oceans is so incredibly complex and also mysterious. There was one part of the film where the coral started to glow in intense colors right before bleaching occurred. The narrator said it was like the reef was crying out, "Notice me." The truth is, we can fill in the blanks and write whatever perspective we'd like about the oceans, but in truth, we still have so little control over the earth, the environment and these big, beautiful, life-filled ecosystems, like reefs, that have been on this planet for "over 500 million years." (- Coral Reef Project)

"But will the reefs heal themselves naturally, in time?" That is the big question that keeps spinning in my mind, the skeptical viewpoint. And there is no answer, but all we can look at is what we see happening, and it isn't good when whole ecosystems are collapsing right before our eyes.

Some startling facts from the film's website:
- "93% of heat trapped in the earth’s atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean. Without our oceans, the average air temperature would be 122 degrees Fahrenheit."
- "Coral reef ecosystems support 25% of marine life in our ocean."
- "A temperature increase of just 2 degrees Celsius may not seem like a lot in the air, but for marine life this is like living with a constant fever."

photo credit: from Chasing Coral (Exposure Labs)

So if you get a chance, check out the film and let me know how you felt watching it. I was surprised how moved I was.

Purple-Citrus Strawberry Banana Smoothie

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 07/25/2017Purple-Citrus Strawberry Banana Smoothie
This creamy sweet vegan smoothie contains flavors from strawberry, banana, blueberry and the secret boost ingredient is a generous dose of orange citrus zest. Bright and berry summer drink!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup organic blueberries, frozen
  • 1 cup organic strawberries, frozen
  • 1 ½ bananas, frozen
  • 1 ¼ cups non-dairy milk
  • 2-3 Brazil nuts or 2 tablespoon raw walnuts (or try 1 tablespoon almond butter)
  • 2-3 ice cubes
  • ½ teaspoon orange citrus zest
  • optional: protein or berry superfood powder

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend from low to high until smooth.

Yield: serves 1Prep Time: 00 hrs. 05 mins. Total time: 5 mins. Tags: smoothie,strawberries,beverage,banana,blueberries,citrus,drink,breakfast,vegan,dairy free,healthy

Quinoa Corn Black Bean Fiesta Bowl

by 2 Comments


Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Duda Farm Fresh.

Summer is my favorite season for big, beautiful salads and veggie-filled bowls. I find that I crave salads more when it is hot outside, probably because salads are hydrating and offer up a wide array of nutrients. One challenge people often have when trying to make a "salad" into a meal is that they do not just want veggies in their bowl. Well, plant-based recipes can easily solve that problem using ingredients like legumes, nuts, seeds and grains. As well as using hearty, nutrient-rich veggies like one of my faves: fresh summer corn.

Today I am boosting my salad bowl with a base layer of protein-rich quinoa, some hearty black beans and plenty of sweet and colorful corn. This Quinoa Corn Black Bean Fiesta Bowl has spicy-sweet-zesty flavors from lime and chipotle dressing, and is topped with avocado and hot sauce to taste. You can serve with a fork, or layer the mixture into corn tortillas for tacos!

Easy dinner or lunch recipe coming your way, plus I am chatting all about summer corn today..

The secret ingredient is the sweet corn. Corn adds color and sweetness which contrasts perfectly with savory ingredients like beans, avocado, quinoa and olives..

Hot sauce on top!..

Thank you to Duda Farms for sponsoring this post. I simply couldn't bring you guys all the content and recipes that I do without the support of my amazing sponsors. Over on the Duda website, they have a lively assortment of inspiring recipes and other goodies for fruit and veggie lovers like me. You can check out their Freebies section with a few free downloadable e-books. And their recipes section has a bunch of vegan options. I am especially in love with this vegan Mexican Street Corn recipe, with a coconut-cashew-lime sauce. It looks so good!

A few of my favorite uses for fresh summer corn:

- Corn bread. I love baking corn bread year-round, but it tastes especially amazing when using fresh corn. Here is a really delicious corn muffin recipe, but I also have an epic classic corn bread recipe coming up this weekend or early next week.
- Salads. I love adding corn to salads because it adds sweetness, fiber and texture and beautiful yellow color! Corn pairs so well with more salty ingredients like black olives or zesty ingredients like red onion or bell pepper. I love this summer reboot salad.
- Corn on the cob. Simple and perfect! Some summers when I was a kid, we had a few corn stalks in our backyard, and I always loved picking the fresh corn, then my mom would boil it. My sister and I would eat it simply with loads of butter and salt. Did you ever roll the hot corn right in the butter slab like we did?? Today I still love basic corn on the cob with a generous slab of vegan butter and some salt or nutritional yeast or even vegan Parmesan cheese.
- Corn fritters. I love these easy summer corn fritters.
- Corn Cake Bean Balls. These are a fun appetizer.
- Corn risotto for an elegant summer entree.

Corn is an excellent source of Folate, Thiamin and Fiber. It has a good amount of protein, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and Vitamin C. Fresh corn is sweet and hydrating.

How to choose corn: Look for bright green husks with healthy silky stalk fibers sticking out the top. You can peel back the husk and check for plump firm juicy kernels. Choose corn that is a bit heavier in weight - that is a sign of hydration and freshness.

How to prepare summer corn: I usually remove the husk and very quickly drop the corn into a big pot of boiling water. This brightens up the kernel color and tenderizes the texture. You can also eat freshly picked corn raw, though the colors don't pop quite as much and the texture is slightly different, a bit more 'crunchy' I would say. Both options are delicious though. You can also roast corn in the oven or pop it on a grill! Grilled corn on the cob is a summertime favorite for a reason! So many options.

Rustic farm fresh corn vibes going on over here. Swoon. #summer

 

I love working with Duda because sustainability and environmental care is built into their brand values, and as a consumer that is something that is very important to me. I also love that Duda is Non-GMO. "Our dedicated team of farming experts uses traditional breeding practices to develop high-quality products, growing and harvesting them in the best-possible conditions for peak-freshness. We choose not to use any type of genetically modified seed or crop to grow our products."

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Duda Farm Fresh, but all opinions are my own.

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Quinoa Corn Black Bean Fiesta Bowl

This one bowl meal is packed with healthy ingredients and flavor. Sweet corn, fluffy quinoa, onions, peppers, spinach and a chipotle spice and lime flavor accent. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: dinner, entree, Salad, vegan, vegetarian
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bowl, corn, dinner, entree, meal, plant based, quinoa, salad, summer, vegan, vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Quinoa:

  • 1 cup dry quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • 1 ear of Dandy ® Sweet Corn, kernels sliced off
  • 1 cup sliced black olives
  • ¾ cup roasted red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups spinach, chopped
  • 1 cup cooked black beans (from a can, drained. Add the full can if desired.)

Dressing:

  • 2 limes, juiced + pinch of lime zest
  • 2 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder (this adds heat and smokiness)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (If you like a richer dressing, you can add another tablespoon)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt + ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Topping:

  • hot sauce or salsa
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • Additional: Leafy Greens (spinach or kale)
  • Optional: nutritional yeast, crushed tortilla chips or chopped cilantro are nice optional accents as well

Instructions

  • Quinoa: Add the quinoa, water and onion, plus a pinch of salt to a large pot, over high heat. Bring to a bowl. Then close wit lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 17 minutes, then turn off the heat, but do not remove the lid yet. Let quinoa sit for another ten minutes with the lid on. then uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the olives, spinach, black beans, bell pepper, corn and the dressing. Toss well.
  • Fold the quinoa into the large bowl of veggies. Allow the warm quinoa to wilt the spinach and help marinate all the ingredients together.
  • Do a taste test! If you want more flavor and spice, you can make another batch of the dressing and fold it in, or add to taste as you serve. Another way to add flavor is to add some nutritional yeast or plenty of hot sauce or salsa. If you like more salt accents, add salt and/or black pepper to taste.
  • If you want a warm and more casserole-like presentation, you can pour the mixture into a large baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes to marinate all the flavors together and soften the veggies further. Otherwise you can serve as is, or even quickly warm further on the stovetop or even in the microwave.
  • Scoop the mixture into serving bowls over top a bed of leafy greens - kale or spinach works well. Add the chopped avocado over top. Add hot sauce or salsa to taste. You can serve this as a bowl, or add some corn tortillas for fiesta tacos. Crushing corn chips on top of your bowl is also a nice flavor-boosting option.

Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen

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Cookbook. I am thrilled to announce the launch of my second cookbook, Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen! (Read my launch blogpost here.) I loved writing 365 Vegan Smoothies, and now I am happy to add even more recipes to my cookbook collection. HHVK has it all: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts, plenty of wellness tips and vegan cooking advice.

This cookbook is filled with my all-time favorite vegan recipes. From my kitchen to yours. A few "fan favorites" from my blog as well as plenty of brand new recipes. Available online + in bookstores!

Buy Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen online:
--> Amazon USA
--> Buy on Barnes & Noble
--> Amazon Canada
--> Indiebound

What food-savvy people are saying...

“Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen is one of my favorite cookbooks on my shelves. I dare you to read her recipes and not start pulling out the sticky notes to mark the ones you just have to make! (Hint: Start with the Maple Chili Bean–Stuffed Sweet Potato!) Kathy started out as my go-to resource for all information about veganism. She has turned into one of my all-time favorite recipe sources, vegan or not.”
—Melissa d’Arabian, Food Network star and best-selling author

-- This just might be the finest vegan cookbook of 2015—gorgeous food photos plus superior design & production quality. http://t.co/RM7y7zvMVO

— Vegan (@vegan) September 14, 2015

--

“This is the new generation of vegan cooking! Long gone are the days when vegan food was considered boring or dull. Kathy’s vibrant vegan recipes will inspire even the biggest skeptic to try something new!”

—Angela Liddon, New York Times bestselling author of The Oh She Glows Cookbook and creator of the blog OhSheGlows.com

--

“Kathy’s cookbook is filled with so many brilliant and creative recipes that you truly forget it’s all vegan. So many things I want to make!”
—Gina Homolka, creator of Skinnytaste.com and best-selling author

--

“Finally, a book that makes vegan food as accessible as it is delicious. You can count on Kathy for recipes that are flavorful, hearty, and eminently doable, no matter how busy you are and no matter how much experience you have as a home cook. Best of all, Kathy’s recipes are profoundly nourishing—proof that you don’t have to choose between eating food that’s healthful and food that tastes amazing.”
—Gena Hamshaw, certified clinical nutritionist and author of Choosing Raw

"You can count on Kathy to bring striking, vibrant food photos to every post. She captures the beauty that is vegan food – its vitality and abundance!" - Dreena, Plant Powered Kitchen. review

--

"..ingredients are used in innovative dishes such as the Avo-Dilla (lavash wraps filled with avocado and sautéed) and BBQ peanut burgers, which blend zesty ingredients including mashed white beans, peanuts, brown rice, and barbecue spice and sauce. Standout selections include appealing, easy-to-prepare meal bowls..." - Publishers Weekly​ nonfiction book review

--

"These cookies were seriously good. They didn’t even last a day in our house." - Melissa of MyWholeFoodLife (on my almond butter thumbprint cookies) review.

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"She has great recipes, very fun healthy twists on classic comfort foods made completely meatless. .. her book is full of inspiring meals to make meatless or even with some flexibility." - Mckel Hill, Nutrition Stripped, review

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"One of best kale salads I’ve ever tasted. The dressing. Oh the dressing. I have no words." AND "The recipes are enticing for both their deliciousness and ease, with fuss-free methods and welcoming ingredients. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or looking to incorporate a few more plant-based meals into your life, you’ll find a special, frequently-visited spot for this cookbook in your kitchen." - Ashley, Blissful Basil. review

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"I have a lot of cookbooks in my house, but this one is sitting proudly on my kitchen counter. There’s something about seeing that bright, beautiful cover with the big, happy print that just makes me smile." - Namely Marly, review

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"Kathy opens the book by sharing her story and all of her favorite kitchen tools and pantry staples to make the recipes really accessible and doable for everybody. I particularly love Kathy's Ten Tips For New or Test-Run Vegans and her Ten Tips For Wellness. Then, the book is just chock-full of wonderful recipes which are broken into courses: breakfast; bowls; appetizers, sides, snacks, and party platters; entrees, sandwiches, burgers, soups, veggie sides, salads, kids recipes, desserts, cakes, bakery items, and then menus the whole family can enjoy." - Tess, TheBlenderGirl, full review

--

"Yayyyy! We have been waiting for the official release of @kathypatalsky newest book, Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen. It is beautiful!! .... It is so darn awesome" - review - Herbivore Clothing

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Check out my HealthyHappyVeganKitchen interview on Angela's amazing Oh She Glows website.

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"I’ve always hoped that Kathy would publish a collection of her favorite recipes. Kathy’s new book, Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen, has far exceeded my already high expectations." and "This collection of recipes has it all: accessibility, flavor, foolproof techniques, and so much heart." and "All of the food in this collection is bright and beautiful. The recipes are also really easy to prepare; Kathy understands that a lot of folks don’t want to spend endless time and energy making food, and she’s developed streamlined recipes to help make her readers’ lives easier." - Gena, review

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"For fellow fans of the blog, Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen does not disappoint. Full of inventive, drool-worthy, and approachable recipes, stunning photography, and Kathy’s positive energy, this book is bound to become a new vegan kitchen staple. Her tips on veganizing your kitchen and how to be healthy and happy outside of the kitchen will make this the perfect resource for both long-time vegans and the newcomers." and "Sure enough, the Sweet and Spicy Peanut Sauce is so luscious and delectable, I wanted to eat it by the spoonful rather than pouring it over noodles.." - Kristy of Keepin' it Kind -- review

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"Kathy’s vibrant photos always draw me in. This book is full of the same colors, enthusiasm and fun that is Kathy. The recipes are easy, delicious, fuss-free, and use ingredients that I generally already have. You can use the book for daily meals or to impress a crowd." - Richa

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"It's the kind of cookbook that you are actually going to use again and again, because the recipes are not only simple and doable, but also filling, affordable and accessible." - Erin, Olives for Dinner, review

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"The book is incredible! My daughter picked the turmeric chickpea burgers for our first recipe, and we both LOVED them. I liked how simple and fast they were to make, but they taste like they took so much time. Fast meals are a definite win in my house. Thanks for created such a great resource for us!" - Lindsey P, TheGreenPenn

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"Holy wow! One word, GORGEOUS. First off, the colors are insanely awesome. My blog colors are very similar so I may be a little partial…LOL! But who doesn’t love bright fun colors? They just make you happy looking at them! Second, the cover of the book is this picture of an absolutely beautiful burger. " - Sophia, VeggiesDontBite, review

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"We're so visual, and its clear that a content page like this is very attention grabbing...great idea! I also love the simplicity of the recipes in this cookbook. Most of the recipes are a vegan take of a healthy, classic, or favorite recipe, the perfect cookbook for showing that veganism is accessible and do-able for anyone. Some of the recipes we can't wait to make? Sweet Potato Pistachio Cakes, Pesto Chickpea Bowls, Creamy Cashew Pot Pie, and Peanut Butter Brownies. YUM!" - Amber, FettleVegan (review)

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"I look forward to returning to my kitchen next month, with proper appliances and a stocked pantry, to further explore Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen. Maple Bar Baked Donuts, BBQ Peanut Burgers, Sweet Potato Veggie Burger with Avocado, Fiesty Corn Cake Bean Balls on Tomato Moons, Lemon-Pepper Fettuccine Alfredo, Vegan Clam Chowder, Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup with Avocado, Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Vanilla Bean Coconut Glaze, and Peanut Butter Brownies all sound ridiculously tempting. " - Rika of VeganMiam, full review

--

Some details on the book..
* Over 220 recipes
* Tips and tools for wellness and cooking
* 352 pages
* Most recipes are brand new, never-before-seen -- a few fan favorites as well!
* Recipes + Photography by Kathy Patalsky (me!)
* release date: April 28th, 2015

Secure your copy now!..
--> Buy on AMAZON
--> Buy on Barnes & Noble

From Kathy Patalsky,

Facebook: facebook.com/HealthyHappyVeganKitchen

Buy Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen online:
--> Amazon USA
--> Buy on Barnes & Noble
Amazon Canada
--> Indiebound

Vegan Walnut Brownies

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These were our Saturday night in. Vegan Walnut Brownies are always a good idea. They bake up swiftly and pack a big chocolate punch. They also pair perfectly with a scoop of vanilla vegan ice cream or even some sliced strawberries and coconut whip. Or drizzle some warmed peanut butter on top. Or just spoon dive right into the dish!

These brownies are rich and chewy and fluffy and just what you need when a chocolate craving hits. I also love that they keep very well in the fridge for a few days. You can even wrap the brownies and store in the freezer. I plan on chopping up my leftovers and folding them into some chocolate ice cream for some DIY Brownie Fudge ice cream! Get today's brownie recipe!...

I mean. Chocolate swoon...

I have to say that I love cold brownies, but these were even better warmed up. Super rich and fluffy, with chewy chocolate edges. And those chocolate chunks, all gooey and dreamy..

Hi there. (ps. You guys know chocolate is rich in antioxidants, right? Boom.)

Cat intrusion. I mean it was only perfect that MrWhite, a big fuzzy brownie if I ever saw one, decided to sprawl himself right next to the brownie photoshoot..

I looooove brownies. I actually used to hate them as a teenager, but I have since realized that this was because all the "brownie box" mixes are extremely sweet and rich, and I just don't like my brownies too sweet. I like to let the chocolate really lead the flavor profile, with a nice subtle sweetness mixed in. And for added sweetness I like to add in chocolate chips or chunks, which I did with this recipe.

I also added in a half of an avocado! This added a boost of decadence and richness while also adding in a tiny bit of fiber and some healthy fats. I am curious to see what would happen if I sub all the vegan butter with avocado! I bet these would be amazing like that. You would just need to add a pinch more salt to properly sub for the salty vegan butter.

So, my perfect Saturday night in? Maybe a vegan pizza, yummy big bowl salad and these Brownies ready for dessert, freshly baked to make the whole house smell amazing. Maybe a movie or a music shuffle dance party, either works for me. PJs required, no makeup allowed, face masks for a bonus. Ys, I am absolutely, secretly a sixteen year-old. *Face palm* Don't worry, I try to balance the Saturday night's in with fancy date nights out! All things in moderation, right?

And just in case you love browsing brownies, and who doesn't.. Here are a few more of my brownie recipes:

- Peanut Butter Blondie and Smores Brownies

- Pumpkin Brownies

- Everything Brownies (gluten-free)

- Peanut Butter Buckwheat Sweet Potato Brownies (these might be my fave creative recipe... love the sweet potato add in!)

- Fudgy Swirl Peanut Butter Black Bean Brownies

- Jason Wrobel's amazing RAW Brownie recipe... omg SO GOOD

- Peppermint Brownie Shake for the win..

Happy brownie baking!

 

disclosure: This post contains one Amazon affiliate link.

Print Recipe
4 from 2 votes

Vegan Walnut Brownies

These rich and chewy vegan brownies contain studs of crunchy walnuts. Chocolate bliss flavor in every bite. Gluten-free friendly.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: baking, chocolate, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baking, brownies, chocolate, chocolate walnut brownies, dessert, recipe, vegan, walnuts
Servings: 12 brownies
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Vegan "egg":

Other Wet:

  • 1 stick vegan butter, softened
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • ½ medium avocado
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry:

  • ⅔ cup flour (all purpose or gluten-free)
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (For fluffier, cake-like brownies, add another teaspoon in)

Fold in:

  • 1 cup raw walnuts, chopped
  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chunks (optional)
  • fleur de sel on top (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish with parchment paper, or grease well with vegan butter.
  • Whisk together the vegan egg, warm water and the egg substitute product. I used Follow Your Heart's Vegan Egg this time around, but another egg replacer like a flax egg or even silken tofu can work as well. Just be sure to use about ¾ - 1 cup egg replacer liquid total, about two eggs-worth.
  • Pour the vegan egg mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add in the other wet ingredients: vegan butter, avocado, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth, using a hand or stand mixer.
  • Add the dry ingredients: cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and flour. A gluten-containing flour will allow for the fluffiest brownies, but you could also use a gluten-free flour if needed. Beat until smooth.
  • Fold in the walnuts. And optional chocolate chunks.
  • Pour the brownie mixture into the baking dish. Smooth out.
  • Bake at 350 for about 22-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to pull away from the dish and darken, and the middle of the brownies feel firm to touch, and sturdy when gently pressing down with your hand. Note: For chewier brownies, bake for an additional 3-5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with optional fleur de sel. Allow to cool at least twenty minutes before removing the parchment paper and slicing and serving.

D23 in Review. (And the best salad recipe!)

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disclosure: This post is sponsored by DOLE but all opinions are my own.

Last Saturday I did something really exciting. Scary. Exhausting. But mostly really exciting! I was given the opportunity to present three cooking demos with DOLE at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim. The D23 Expo is Disney's annual convention, also known as the ultimate Disney fan event. And since you guys might know by now that I am a big Disney fan, this was a pretty cool opportunity.

In today's post, I get to share that day with you! Along with the salad recipe I made during the demo. And seriously guys, this salad recipe from DOLE is soooooooo good. Seriously, I devoured the big bowl in the photos right after shooting. I couldn't stop eating it! YES, salad. Let's go!..

At D23 there are celebrity panels, exclusive Disney content, booths, shopping, and the best people watching ever as Disney fans dress up, aka cosplay.

As for the demos, I was just really excited to engage with the crowds and help people (especially the kids and teens!) tap into their natural excitement for fruits and veggies. All while showing off some really fabulous plant-based recipes from DOLE and Disney.

This salad looks so simple because it totally is. However, the flavors and textures are complex and so cravable! This dressing, swoon..

Must-Try Salad. I sound like a broken record, but I really do hope you try the salad recipe at the bottom of this post. Sassy and bright, slight spiciness from the Dijon mustard in the dressing, zing from the red wine vinegar, richness from the buttery avocado and so much crunch from the romaine and radishes, plus a hint of vibrant sweetness from mandarin oranges and from the dressing.

Make it a Meal. This salad is so perfect paired with vegan pizza or pasta. Or add a generous layer of tempeh bacon or skillet chickpeas on top, maybe some hummus toast on the side for an entree salad. Hemp seeds or spicy pumpkin seeds or any nut would also be yummy on it.

So... onto D23!

Shoot, I forgot my princess crown or Minnie ears. I definitely felt a little under-dressed around all the princesses! I mean that Rapunzel back there, #hairgoals..

I woke up around 6am and did my hair and makeup and gathered all my supplies. My husband came along to help me schlep bags and to also entertain and pump me up in between demos. I am SO glad he came because he really helped the day fly by. It always helps to have a partner-in-crime on long work days.

We arrived at the Expo around 10:15am and my first demo was at 11am. We rushed in, got set up and ready to go. I was going on after the celebrity pancake guy Dancakes. Have you heard of him?? He is so talented! I knew of him from when he popped on Katy Perry's livestream event a few weeks ago. And then there he was, presenting at the kitchen booth right before me! Small world. But tough act to follow, ha! How could I compete with princess-shaped and colored pancakes?? Luckily, the cool thing about smoothies is that everyone LOVES them! Pull out a blender and people get excited.

Getting mic'ed up!

Crowds showing up to watch salad + smoothie making..

I loved that many of the people watching were kids or teens! I felt so fulfilled teaching young people about healthy recipes that taste delicious! Minnie ears on point..

11AM - The first demo flew by! I was the most anxious about that first demo because we were doing a Facebook Live on my channel. I am so sorry the audio was a bit off, but at least you can get a viewing of what it was like. (Embedded at bottom of this post)

Besides the recipes, I chatted about how back in May, DOLE and Disney launched "Fuel Up with DOLE!" - a healthy living initiative to inspire families to eat more fruits and veggies and embrace wellness during summer roadtrip season. The website features recipes, healthy tips and a contest - all inspired by the Pixar movie Cars 3. The contest is pretty great - one family will win a massive prize: The Ultimate Summer Roadtrip.

Cheers to DOLE and Disney, two of the most influential companies in the world, for encouraging people to drink green smoothies and infuse dinnertime with a giant, gorgeous, plant-based salad.

In this shot you can see the green smoothie off to the side. So good! I was also able to share my cookbooks with the crowd.

Loved each crowd! Thank you for showing up and engaging with me!

I closed each demo with a story. And I want to share it here too!..

The night before the Expo, I had a conversation with the stylist who was blow-drying my hair at DryBar. She was really excited to be doing my hair because I told her I was a vegan chef and she had recently gone vegetarian and was trying to enjoy eating more plants in her diet. However, she was struggling a bit because no one in her family was vegetarian, and all the recipes her family cooked were very animal product heavy. So she was stuck trying to figure out what to eat on her own. And so I asked her... "Do you cook?"

She said, "No." Then she paused and thought about it. And said, "I did make this one recipe I found one time and it actually turned out well - and I really liked it!"

My eyes lit up, "Yay! That means you do cook!" I said. "You don't have to make super fancy things or even an entire cookbook worth of recipes to cook. All you have to do is find one recipe you can make and love and have as your "go-to" recipe. Then slowly add another recipe. Then another. And another. And suddenly you will have three, four, five or more recipes in your cooking arsenal! And suddenly you DO cook! And the coolest part is that you can cook for others and show them how delicious YOUR plant-infused food is!"

I love this story because so often I meet or online chat with people who are not vegan, but trying to eat healthier. They know that more plants = a good thing.

But they get tripped up because they simply don't know how cook without using animal products. (Hey, I have been there! I didn't grow up vegan at all.) But the truth is, there are substitutions for SO many animal products these days. It just takes a bit of googling on your phone and browsing through blogs or cookbooks.

And the easy part is this truth: plants have SO much flavor and color and texture, they make cooking fun, beautiful, creative and flavorful. And once you succeed in discovering just ONE amazing recipe you will gain confidence (and enthusiasm) with this whole plant-based cooking thing. And slowly you can add more recipes to your mealtime rotation. And boom. Vegan chef status.

And the best part... suddenly, you start CRAVING veggies and healthier meals simply because you feel so good with these new healthy habits.

The Real World. I try really hard to not live in my vegan/LA bubble of healthy eating. In most of the country - and world - most people still think that adding spinach to a pineapple-banana smoothie (as I did in my demo) will ruin the smoothie. But those people just haven't TRIED the smoothie yet. Green smoothies can be so delicious. And like superfuel for your body!

So anyways... that was my little story and side-tracked rambling. I hope each and every one of you know that YOU can cook healthy-delicious recipes for your family. It is all about discovering go-to recipes you love and find simple and doable and family-friendly. Then slowly adding recipes to your personal collection of faves. Pretty soon you will have enough recipes to fill a book! I know, because that is EXACTLY what happened to me. I am self-taught. And two cookbooks later, ten years of blogging, I am still going.

Demos two and three blew by and it was suddenly 6pm and I had been going no-stop for about twelve hours. It was a busy day! Luckily, we found some time to break for lunch and also chill out a bit in a quiet corner of the hotel right next door.

Keeping busy in between sessions..

Food break! We grabbed lunch from the food trucks outside. Lots of vegan options there.

This guy kept photobombing my photos and Instagram stories. I didn't mind.

It was a pirate-infused year at D23! They had some really awesome pirate exhibits.

What did I Learn? I think my most valuable lesson from the day was that at everyone's core, people are genuinely curious about healthy food. And people want to feel their best and take care of themselves. Health and wellness and healthy recipes are for everyone. I feel so re-inspired in my longtime mission of this blog to allow my recipes and message to reach EVERYONE. Vegans and non-vegans.

For every person, tiny diet changes can lead to BIG revelations and lifestyle shifts further down the road. Small steps. Small steps.

And to close.. more about the salad I am craving right now as I type this up..

Mandarin Oranges and Avocado Romaine Salad. As I said above, I am in love with this simple salad. Every time I made it at the expo one of the kitchen managers would come up and say, "That salad, every time you make it I just want to eat it!!" I was so happy to hear that! And I believe it! It looks and smells amazing with all the bright and crisp flavors and colors. Oh and one fun part is that all the recipes are inspired by Cars 3 characters, this one by Miss Fritter. (fun for the kiddos...)

Hope you love it and loved sharing this day with me! A few more pics before the recipe..

Namastunder-the-Sea

Disney latte art. On trend.

So much energy + color + fun around every corner.

The recipe!..

DOLE's Mandarin Oranges and Avocado Romaine Salad

Cars 3 DOLE Romaine Mandarin Avocado Salad

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 07/21/2017
This flavorful and colorful salad combines buttery avocado, sweet-bright mandarin oranges and crisp romaine. Radishes add crunch and color. Zesty spicy mustard dressing. This recipe is from DOLE.

Ingredients

  • 1 package (9oz) DOLE® Classic Romaine Salad
  • ½ avocado, diced
  • 1 11oz can of DOLE mandarin oranges, drained
  • 2 DOLE radishes, sliced
  • Dressing:
  • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 4 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil**
  • 2 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • **Personal preference note: I actually reduced the oil by about half and added a splash more vinegar - because I love lots of acid in my salads, and it tasted amazing, but it really depends on your taste preferences! The recipe as is is pretty perfect too.

Instructions

  1. Add all the salad dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well until the dressing becomes smooth and creamy.
  2. In a large mixing bowl add the romaine salad, sliced radishes, mandarin oranges and avocado.
  3. Pour the dressing over top the salad and toss very well until coated. Serve! (If not serving right away, cover the salad and place in the fridge. Salad should probably served within an hour of tossing so that the ingredients do not get too soft. If you want to 'prep' everything in advanced, you can wait to toss in the dressing until right before serving.)

Yield: serves 4Prep Time: 00 hrs. 05 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 02 mins. Total time: 7 mins. Tags: salad,romaine, mandarin oranges,side,lunch,dole,

Watch my Facebook Live of demo 1:

My Instagram Story from the day... (sorry it is weirdly blurry!)

So with this salad, last night my husband and I each devoured our own entire BIG bowls of this (as in, I doubled the veggie recipe below). I actually doubled the salad dressing recipe, as I doubled the veggies, but I reduced the oil content quite a bit just for our own taste preferences - and it worked beautifully. Seriously the dressing is perfect for summer! I am kinda obsessed with this salad. It reminds me of another fan-fave that was inspired by a DOLE event... Macadamia Avocado Mango Arugula.

DOLE knows how to develop delicious salad recipes. DOLE take so much pride in recipe development, plant nutrition research and of course, FLAVOR.

Fun day of "work" for me! Thank you for following along! Excuse me while I hang with the Elsa's who clearly know how to have a good time...

And don't forget this salad! (I can't wait to hear if you are as obsessed as me about it, lol...)

Summertime magic at home? This DIY DOLE Whip is a personal fave.

disclosure: this post is sponsored by DOLE, but all opinions are my own.

Vegan Meal Plan Sundays: Week 3, Smoothie + Salad Challenge

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Hey guys, it is late Sunday and I am about to pop on Game of Thrones, but I am feeling awful because I haven't posted this week's plan yet! This weekend just seemed to zoom by in a mix of sunshine, tennis, cat naps and cooking projects and playing. But it hasn't all been rainbows and sunshine, I can assure you! But I like to focus on all the good stuff. And there was a whole lot of good stuff this weekend just like any week, if I look closely. I mean, looking to my right there is the fuzziest kitten muffin ever curled up on my leg and off to my left, my awesome husband finishing dinner. Good stuff.

The Plan: Smoothie + Salad Challenge. This week I am doing something a bit different, as I will from time to time. Instead of a straight up plan I am challenging you! For each day, I have one of my favorite salads and a fave smoothie. For each day, I challenge you to try at least one of those items! And no, I don't expect most of you to nail down all 7 days, but if you can do even one or two new recipes this week, you get a big fat gold star from me! Check out this week's recipes...

Note: You can sub any of these smoothies with any recipe from my book 365 Vegan Smoothies!

I am having trouble with the hashtag for this series. I think I will start using #HHLplan. It is much simpler than #hhlmealplansundays. We will see if that sticks!

And don't forget to check out this week's wellness mantra at bottom!

Vegan Meal Plan Sundays: Week 3, Smoothie + Salad Challenge

Monday

salad: Spicy Southwest Tofu Quinoa Bowl
smoothie: Easy Energy Almond Butter Shake (or peanut butter!) -- or a Green Dream Smoothie

Tuesday

salad: Macadamia Arugula Mango Avocado Salad
smoothie: DIY Smoothie Bowl with lots of toppings!



Wednesday

salad: Romaine Mandarin Avocado Salad with the best zesty-sweet dressing! Or you can take it back to kale-days and try my 5-Step Raw Kale Salad
smoothie: DIY DOLE Whip (pineapple bliss!!) - or a Golden Wellness Smoothie

Thursday

salad: "Feta" Tofu Watermelon Salad
smoothie: Easy Acai Bowl

Friday

salad: BBQ Tempeh Salad Bowl
smoothie: Watermelon Frosty



Saturday

salad: Kale + Corn Summer Reboot Salad or try my Creamy Mustard Maple Chard
smoothie: Creamsicle Smoothies or my Trinity Shake with turmeric

Sunday

salad: Eureka! Salad Bowl
smoothie: Mother of Dragons Smoothie Bowl in honor of GOT day of course

Bonus Blends..

For some matcha yumminess!..

Matcha Frappe

Matcha Smoothie Bowl

Watermelon is always a good idea...

Watermelon Ice Cream

And finally... ending with chocolate!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl

Wellness Mantra of the Week: Energy! This week we are going to channel the sunshine. Yup. That beautiful glowing ball in the sky. We are going to embrace summer in every cell of our bodies and soak in the warmth and energy of the sun. And with a little extra effort, try and bring that glow to our day - in at least a few little ways. Smile at a stranger. Be extra chatty with your Uber driver. Bring some energy to your work that you haven't felt in a while. Seek out inspiration. Turn up the music. Loud. Dance. Find something to laugh at and laugh extra loud. Tell your spouse or your BFF or your mom that you LOVE them. Glow. Sparkle. Be the sun this week. And let others bask in your glow and hopefully feel a little extra glowy themselves.

Basically, life can be draining. But we sometimes have to FORCE ourselves to recharge and then just GO. Find energy from some place. Find it for our dreams, our relationships, our fun, our creativity. Once you find it, you just might wonder why you were so tired to begin with.

Wishing you loads of GLOW this week.

xoxo, Kathy

ARCHIVE Meal Plan Sundays:
- WEEK ONE
WEEK TWO

Coconut Milk Matcha Ice Cream

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*disclosure: this post is part of my Encha Organic Matcha brand ambassadorship

Vegan ice cream is right up there with carrot cake and chocolate chip cookies and maple donuts when it comes to my favorite desserts. And even though there are SO many awesome dairy-free ice cream brands on the market these days, I just love making my own because I can get creative with flavors and customize the texture and sweetness.

Up until now, I have been pretty loyal to using cashews for my dairy free ice cream recipes, but I was challenged to try a coconut milk base for this recipe. And oh-my-goodness I love it! Super creamy, luscious and sweet with the perfect blend of rich coconut milk and lovely Encha organic matcha. Coconut Milk Matcha Ice Cream is ready for you..

Oh! And I bring you another matcha chat video and giveaway. This month's Kathy's Matcha Chat video is getting back to basics, chatting about some options for sweeteners for your matcha latte. Check it out and enter the monthly giveaway ahead!..

Ice Cream You Scream. You can judge an ice cream by the way it melts. If it melts in rich, thick, pillow-y cloud-like layers, soft edges, fluffy with creaminess, well you have a good ice cream. If it melts in icy crystals or watery, separated streaks, it is for me, a no go.

This ice cream just happens to melt in perfect, soft ripples of pastel green. I am so in love.

Today's recipe tastes pretty perfect served simply, as scoops in a pretty bowl. But you could get all fancy and serve it smashed between two chocolate chip cookies for an ice cream sandwich, or layered with bananas, fudge and vegan whipped cream for a banana split sundae. So many options. You cannot really go wrong here.

Watch me make it!..

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Vegan ice cream and matcha are both getting a lot of buzz right now. So if you are curious to try both of those trends in one shot, this recipe is for you. (And btw, I am pretty sure that those 'trends' are here to stay.)

For this recipe, I was glad to showcase the culinary grade of organic Encha Matcha. The culinary grade is perfect for recipes like ice cream or even baking recipes like cakes, cookies, waffles and more. Check out the culinary grade Encha on Amazon.

Meal Plan Sundays. And don't miss this week's #HHLmealplansundays vegan meal plan. "Meal plan," actually, because my meal plans are not meant to be strictly followed, they are really just some ideas for your week. Recipes you can pull from and get inspired by. If you make even one or two recipes from the menu, I consider that a win! I have been sharing a few Instagram stories as I personally make a few of the recipes each week. Today I made my favorite hummus "quesadillas" for lunch and they were so fast, easy, healthy and delicious. A win for a busy Monday!

I hope my weekly menus will give you some meal-time inspiration, while also allowing you to stay flexible and listen to your own body's needs for nourishment. Wellness, to me, is all about tapping into your inner voice. Your body wants to be healthy and happy, all you have to do is listen to it and try your best to act on that intuition - all while finding the right tools to help you succeed. Recipe + menu ideas can act as a helpful tool!

Get the week two meal plan here. Or check out the week one menu, here. And yes, coconut milk ice cream absolutely can weave into your dessert menu this week!..

Enter this month's matcha giveaway..

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This week's matcha chat video..

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Also try my Cashew-Based Mint Matcha Chip Ice Cream!

Catch up on the Kathy's Matcha Chat Series:

- episode 1
- episode 2
- episode 3
- episode 4
- episode 5 (today)

More matcha features from my blog:

* Kathy's Matcha Reviews and Buying Guide
* Everything About Matcha + Expert Interview
* 7 Tips for Making a Matcha Latte

If you are eager to give Encha a try, you can order directly from the Encha website or they are now on Amazon:

disclosure: I am an Encha Organic Matcha ambassador, but all opinions are my own. This post also contains Amazon affiliate links.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Coconut Milk Matcha Ice Cream

This super creamy dairy-free coconut milk ice cream is flavored with the pure, perfect flavor of matcha. Naturally sweetened and so dreamy. 
Course: Dessert, ice cream
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coconut, dessert, easy, ice cream, matcha ice cream, recipe, summer, vegan
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 271kcal
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 1 can of coconut milk (full fat) - chilled overnight in the fridge
  • ½ cup soy or almond milk
  • 1 frozen banana
  • ¼ cup liquid sweetener (try maple syrup, agave syrup or apple-based 'honey')
  • optional: ¼ teaspoon vanilla or mint extract
  • ⅛-1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 teaspoon Encha Organic Matcha (culinary grade)

Instructions

  • Prep: The day before, make sure your coconut milk can is placed in the fridge. Also make sure your ice cream maker container is in the freezer as well as a container for the ice cream once it is made. A small stainless steal or freezer-friendly bowl or large dish works well.
  • Open your chilled can of coconut milk. Scoop out the hardened cream part and add all of the cream to a blender. Pour most of the leftover watery liquid into the blender as well, but omit about 2-3 tablespoon of it.
  • Also add to the blender: frozen banana, sweetener, non-dairy milk, salt and optional extract. Cover with lid and blend from low to high until smooth. Add in 2 teaspoon matcha, blend. Add the next two teaspoon to taste -- if you like a lighter matcha flavor and color, use less that 4 tsp. For bold flavor and color add the full 4 teaspoon or add more to taste!
  • Place your fully chilled container on the base of your ice cream maker. Turn on. Pour the matcha coconut liquid into the machine. Allow the machine to churn for about 20 minutes, or until the ice cream firms up and churns more slowly or not at all.
  • Scoop the churned ice cream into your pre-chilled freezer-friendly bowl or container. I used a stainless steel container.
  • Place the ice cream in the freezer to chill at least 30 minutes before scooping and serving. If storing overnight, cover ice cream and chill in freezer. When serving, be sure to allow at least ten minutes for the ice cream to warm and soften before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Fat: 23g

Vegan Meal Plan Sundays: Week 2

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Well it has clearly been a busy week for me guys, because I only got one new post in since last Sunday's mealplan! But let's start fresh this week with some plant-based inspiration..

I am so glad many of you loved last week's week one of Meal Plan Sundays! I received some great feedback and so I am happy to say I will continue the series. I don't know if I will keep to the exact same format each week, one week I might jump around and do a smoothie lovers' week with seven featured blends. Or maybe a salad challenge to challenge you guys to try at least one new salad every day. Sounds kinda fun, right? I love a good challenge!

But for this week, I wanted to infuse a whole bunch of recipes ideas once again - same style as last week.

A few people said that they really wanted to have a shopping list along with the menus. Well, my best response to that is that I totally understand that some people want to follow an exact diet, a 100% committed plan for the week, but the truth is, that is not really the message I want to send through my menus. I want you guys to just get a bunch of seasonal vegan recipe ideas and be able to choose maybe one or two recipes a day. Or jump around days. Skip one day and do the next day as it shows. Eat leftovers. Just eat a bunch of fresh fruit for breakfast one day, eat out with friends, whatever your life's schedule allows -- and really above all....

Eat when you are hungry. Stop when you are full. Listen to your body. Stock up your fridge with as many plants and healthy goodies as possible and use these recipes as a guide for your week of meals. I just love the idea that we are all getting inspired by the same recipes, and can make this collection together, in a casual sense.

So let's get to it. In today's post I will show you the week two menu as well as sample menu for how I typically eat on a workday.

Thank you for joining our HHL Meal Plan community!

This week you will notice... Plenty of peaches, smoothies and salads! As well as a few easy soups too. A few sandwiches and a bunch of summer desserts too. And of course, you can pull ideas from last week's menu as well.

download + print week two menu

Vegan Meal Plan Sundays: Week 2 (July)

Monday

breakfast: Trinity Smoothie with turmeric
lunch: Quickie Cheeseless Quesadilla (made using hummus!)
dinner: Curried Chickpea Cool Cucumber Wraps

Tuesday

breakfast: Pineapple Smoothie aka DIY "DOLE Whip" - paired with some almond butter toast
lunch: Toast Tuesday!.. Avocado Hamil-Toast (avocado toast with skillet plantains) -- Meal plan note: Avocado Toast of any kind is always a great sub for breakfast lunch or dinner. You can add toppings to make it heartier or just eat it light and simple.
dinner: Taco Tuesday! Fiesta Taco Salads

Wednesday

breakfast: Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie (add granola, hemp seeds or other toppings to boost it a bit!)
lunch: Farmer's Market Cobb Salad - Use seasonal veggies to create your favorite summer salad!
dinner: Broccoli Potato Bean Soup


Thursday

breakfast: Cherry Berry Chia Seed Pudding
lunch: Summer-in-a-Jar Salad
dinner: Simple Pesto Pasta with black olives - give this pasta a boost by adding tempeh bacon on the side or right on top!


Friday

breakfast: Banana Island Spirulina Shake - if you do not have spirulina, you can add in a handful of baby spinach for the 'green' part.
lunch: Summer Caprese Salad Sandwich OR Tomato + Tofu "Feta" Sandwich -- feature summer tomatoes in your sandwiches this week! Even something simple like hummus + tomato is a great combo.
dinner: Cheezy Roasted Broccoli with Quinoa paired with Soup. Try Garlicky Two-Bean Soup or Raw Avo-Coconut Soup

Saturday

breakfast: Cinnamon Orange French Toast - add seasonal fruit like fresh berries or sliced peaches
lunch: Share this Summer Pita Bowl
dinner: Cauliflower Pizzas


Sunday

breakfast: Loveliest Lemon Vegan Pancakes
lunch: 5-Step Raw Kale Salad and/or a Peach-Provolone Grilled Cheese Sandwich (vegan of course)
dinner: comfort food Sunday! Two choices.. Rustic Creamy Cashew Tofu Pot Pie with country veggies or Broccoli Black Bean Enchiladas or Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

*had to squeeze in this vintage Nelly shot. love her. miss her.

Dessert Ideas:

Banana Splits! (Try these with a store-bought vegan ice cream, DIY vegan ice cream or even blender banana ice cream..

Pie craving? Try my Summer Peach Pie!.. (video)

The Best Little Snack Cookies

Summer Berry Bars

Featured Drinks:

Fresh Ginger Tea

Creamsicle Smoothie

Snacks of the Week:

Fresh Summer Fruit! Yes yes yes. I load up on fruit all day long. It is my favorite. Peaches, melon, berries...


Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ginger-Peach Muffins

Wellness Mantra of the Week: This week, let's meditate on: Priorities. There is so much noise in today's world. Noise from people and even noise from food and lifestyle. Focus on what is truly important to you and truly what makes you thrive and feel happy and joyful and nourished. Think about what those things in each day are, and put them at the top of your list for the day!

For me, simple things like a big smoothie bowl, a tennis session with my husband, a focused work session during my workday, eating whole foods with simple but vibrant flavors, taking an hour to walk and listen to a Podcast or just clear my mind. Laying in the sunshine or taking a nature-break. Being with close friends and family. Or doing something that makes me laugh outloud or glow with peace.

And after you kind of figure out what you want to focus on, and what good things you want to infuse your day with, then you can pause and soak in some GRATITUDE that you have those things, people and even foods in your life. Gratitude is life-changing. I try and write in my "gratitude journal" on my phone at least once a week. It is so awesome to look back on week's before and read the good things I have in my life --- even when challenges come, as they will!

Sending you lots of focus and clarity this week! xoxo, Kathy

Be sure to tag me if you make any of this week's recipe ideas!

Twitter: @lunchboxbunch and @findingvegan ---- Instagram: @KathyPatalsky ---- Facebook: /findingvegan and /lunchboxbunch

Bonus Chat for this Week!..

People often ask me, as a vegan "What do you eat? How do you eat?" Those people are usually curious about vegan diets.

I probably never have the same menu and eating schedule twice. Working from home makes things very random. Which is great for listening to your body, but not so great in that you have to work to create your own mealtime structure. Especially as a food blogger, surrounded by yummy things all day long! That is where learning to really listen to your body is so magical and just plain helpful! Your body knows what's up.

My "Typical" Eating Style During the Week...

Workday at Home

breakfast: fresh fruit upon rising or I dive right into a giant smoothie if I am really hungry. If no smoothie, I will nibble something else, a muffin, oatmeal, nut butter toast or a fluffy-warm waffle from my fave waffle maker ever.

mid-morning: giant matcha latte

(Somewhere in between here I might take a break and run on the treadmill to get my blood pumping! I find it helps me to be more productive while working. If I don't work out during the day I will do it right before dinner or skip a day of working out. I definitely do not "workout" every day, but I at least try to take a walk or do something active! Sometimes cooking + photographing is enough workout for me!!)

lunch: Depends on how hungry I am or how much I ate at breakfast. Sometimes big warm whole food bowls or leftovers from last nigt's dinner. But usually since I nibble all day, something light like soup and/or avocado toast or if I didn't do a smoothie in the morning, I will have a giant smoothie bowl for lunch. If I am having a big smoothie bowl for lunch, I always do it after working out, and load it with some extra protein powder, Brazil nuts, almond or peanut butter or pumpkin or hemp seeds. Sometimes I skip a typical "lunchtime" lunch and end up snacking on hummus, crackers, veggies, nut butter, fruit, avocado toast, mini smoothies and more - and end up eating my big lunch smoothie around 4 or 5pm -- but that is only on weird long busy days. (Confused yet? Ha. I guess you can say I do not follow a strict, usual day of eating... Work from home problems!)

I usually snack all day long, and hydrate as much as possible. Water, kombucha, smoothies, coconut water, water, water, water. I bring a water bottle with me when I am out and about.

dinner: Giant salad, sandwich, burritos, loaded sweet potatoes casserole, rice or quinoa bowls, tacos, basically a big array of all the entrees I share on these menus. My dinner is still usually the largest meal of my day. I have tried to change that around over the years, but I just find that I have more energy during the day when I eat more heavily at night. I try to eat dinner at least 3-4 hours before bed. Dinner is really where I LOAD UP on things like legumes, grains, veggies, healthy fats, nuts and seeds, protein-rich foods and carbs too. Complex carbs like sweet potatoes and whole grain breads are always welcome.

dessert: always. Ice cream is my summertime habit. But I also love banana ice cream bowls, watermelon ice cream or just loads of fresh fruit. Yes, I eat fruit after dinner... Some people don't think that is good for digestion, but for me it works well. Right now we are doing strawberries after dinner.

bedtime: sleepytime tea and a few bites of almond yogurt, usually.

Important to note!!.. This is just a really casual look at some basics to my eating day. Basically, I eat to FUEL my BODY and make it HAPPY and SATISFIED. And to keep my blood sugar up (I cannot work or function when it drops too low). I try to never get to a famished / hangry state because then I just feel like crap and need to eat double portions of everything to feel satisfied and happy again. You always hear that lots of mini meals throughout the day is the best way to go, well I generally agree, but usually mini meals until dinner, then one larger meal. Like, I said, that's just how my body seems to like things. YOUR body might be completely different!

Also, I am very much so just rambling a bit about my food style. So please please don't take any of it too specifically and prescribe it to what YOU should do. Every single body is so so different. I just know that it can be fascinating and helpful to hear how and what others eat, when you are trying to improve your diet or infuse it with more vegan meals. Above all eating should be something that makes you feel comfortable.

As someone who suffered from an eating disorder for over 12 years, I know how even talking about food and menus and certain 'diets' can be triggering to struggling people. All I can say is that I hope we can work, as a society, on helping young girls maintain HEALTHY relationships with food and self esteem. Eating should be easy, joyful and something that makes you feel energized.

If you find yourself obsessing or counting calories or feeling BAD about eating certain foods, stop, check yourself and hopefully you can confide in someone who can support you and remind you that you are a ROCKSTAR. You are popeye and food is your spinach.

Also important, for me, I don't always pick things that are the "healthiest option." For me, it is very healthy to not always eat healthy. That may sound strange, but it is so true for me. If I want a white grain sourdough bread for my avocado toast instead of a sprouted grain bread -- or loads of vegan cheese on my pizza or pasta -- or french fries or a slice of homemade pie or cookies before dinner --- or way too many fried tortilla chips with a whole bunch of guacamole - or eat out on date night or any night, I just do it. I try to eat whatever the heck I want, whenever I want to to feel good. If you just want to eat straight from the vegan ice cream pint after dinner, that's what ya do. If you want a maple vegan donut from Whole Foods, buy one.

What works for me, I eat vegan and besides that: Rules suck. Eating rocks.

What foods and meals make you feel good? And bonus if they just happen to be healthy things. (When eating vegan, that is pretty often!)
Next week I will share a typical weekend eating style.

ARCHIVE Meal Plan Sundays:
- WEEK ONE

Prime Day Deals for Kitchen + Home

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Shopping or browsing for Prime Day? Support a blogger while doing it! I cannot thank you enough for shopping via my Amazon affiliate links. Thank you..

Amazon Prime Day is 3pmEST July 16th through July 17th.

If you are a Prime member, don't miss out on some great deals on home and kitchen goodies this year. Not a member? Join today.

What do I love about Prime? I love the exclusive discounts at Whole Foods, free streaming of TV shows and movies on Prime Video, Prime Music, and of course the everyday shipping deals on Amazon for Prime members. I also talk to my Amazon Alexa devices all day long. I get the weather, play music, set kitchen times, convert measurements and my fave request, "Alexa, tell me something good!" (Check out all the Prime benefits.)

Browse a few Prime Days Deals, including one on a brand new Vitamix..

2018 Prime Day Deals for Kitchen + Home

1. Vitamix - Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender Professional-Grade Container, 48 oz, Slate - $349

A brand new Vitamix for $349? Wow. This is an amazing deal on a brand new Vitamix - my blender of choice when I am in the kitchen. I use my Vitamix every single day and couldn't imagine my cooking life without it. Buy on Amazon

2. Rivet Ombre Cotton Throw

Love these colors! They can brighten up a room with these cheerful ocean sunset or sunrise colors. Buy on Amazon

3. Alexa-Enabled Faucet by Delta

Ok, this is pretty funny. You can ask your faucet to dispense exactly one cup. Or to dispense warm water. I cannot decide if this is ridiculous or amazing. Maybe a bit of both.. Buy on Amazon

4. Roadtrip Portable Grill by Coleman

Because there are sooooo many vegan grilling products these days! Try with Field Roast sausages or Beyond Burgers or Sausages. Or with tempeh or your own homemade veggie burgers. Grill tofu, veggies, pizza and more! Buy on Amazon

5. Alexa Devices. I loooove my Amazon Alexa devices. I have a Dot in the bedroom and an Echo in the living room. My most frequent asks are "What is the weather today?" and "Alexa, play....(music of choice)" I also use Alexa for kitchen timing because you can set a few timers at once. You can also ask Alexa to break down measurments for you. Like, "How many teaspoons in a cup," or whatever you need to know or convert.

Amazon Echo Look - If you like photographing your outfits, check this out. Style check is a crazy new technology.

Amazon Echo - Love this one. The classic voice-enabled device.

Amazon Dot - Mini version of the Echo. Speakers are not a good, but very functional. Pairs well with other devices. Great for your bedroom, bathroom area, office or somewhere where you might was basic info, music and a way to interact with your other in-home devices. The 'announcement' feature is pretty cool. "Alexa, announce_____" Tiny size is easy to stash on a counter or desk.

6. Kitchenaid Stand Mixer (goes live on Prime Day)

More Faves and Deals..

Seagate 4T external drive

As always, snag my two cookbooks on Amazon..

365 Vegan Smoothies

Healthy Happy Vegan Kitchen

And my fave matcha, is always a great deal on Amazon..

Try Encha matcha from Amazon Prime.

Watch for Prime Day deals on..

- Roombas - my fave vacuum.
- Photography goodies by Canon - or other brands

Not a member yet? Join Amazon Prime today to start receiving some amazing perks like discounts at Whole Foods, free TV shows and movies you can stream on Amazon Video and of course everyday deals on shipping and more on Amazon.com.

Oh hey, thank you again, from me to you, for supporting my work and my blog via Amazon!..

Browse my SHOP to see my Amazon faves...

Note: some deals on this post may sell out or time out

Disclosure: This post contains my affiliate links. Thank You! By shopping on Amazon via my links, you are automatically supporting me as a blogger. Thank you

Refreshing Creamsicle Smoothie!

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This post is sponsored by Summer Fruit from South Africa.

Today's recipe is for a super refreshing, dairy-free Creamsicle Smoothie. This smoothie uses fresh citrus, creamy cashews and a few accents like citrus zest and cinnamon. It blends up light and frothy with a creamy popsicle texture.

And for this smoothie, I use one of my favorite citrus-smoothie-blending tricks that I discovered while writing my cookbook, 365 Vegan Smoothies.

Get the recipe, plus enter a summer fun giveaway! Five winners will be chosen..

Citrus, all sunny, sweet and inviting..

These smoothies blew me away! The ingredients are so simple. This almost remind me of a creamier, citrus version of my Watermelon Frosty recipe...

Clementine Easy Peelers are perfect for smoothies and so easy to prep.

I love my smoothies thick and ice cream-like, and this one really impressed!

Today's smoothie recipe is a classic gone healthy. Creamsicle flavor, made from whole food, healthy ingredients. Fresh citrus mingles with cashews and a hint of cinnamon. Bright and uplifting, sweet and sassy, citrus tastes delicious and instantly energizes your state of mind.

My Frozen Citrus Smoothie Trick: Freeze your fresh citrus! This is my favorite trick for creating the frostiest citrus smoothies ever..

1. Peel your fresh citrus, then peel apart the segments or slice into sections - basically, small pieces, easy enough to blend. (The Peelers are easy to peel by hand, the Navels are pretty easy to peel by hand, and then slice into pieces with an orange)
2. Place the prepped citrus in a freezer-friendly container. Freeze overnight - or at least until fully frozen.
3. Add to smoothies the same way you would add any frozen fruit! But because it has been freshly frozen by you, it has a super fresh flavor. Also, you just cannot find frozen citrus in stores! So this is a unique DIY trick + treat!

My freshly peeled Easy Peelers, frozen overnight for blending..



Citrus in smoothies pairs so well with all of these flavors:

- strawberries
- bananas
- green smoothies
- raspberries
- peaches
- mango
- coconut
- and more!

Make it a Milkshake! If you are craving an even more decadent shake, add in 1-2 scoops of vegan vanilla ice cream! You can blend the ice cream right in the blender, or scoop the ice cream right in the smoothie for a "Creamsicle Smoothie Ice Cream Float." SWOON.

I love citrus. It is one of my favorite ingredients for adding acidity and sweetness to salads, entrees, as well as in, fruit salads, smoothies and juices. And that is why I am so appreciative for being able to have access to citrus year-round, thanks to brands like Summer Citrus from South Africa. Their citrus is available June to October. So even if your local farmer's market does not offer year-round citrus, you can find citrus when you crave it. Citrus varieties offered: Navels, Easy Peelers, Star Ruby, Cara Cara.

Grapefruit Juice Addiction. Something I find so funny and cute about my husband. He is obsessed with fresh grapefruit juice. We own an OrangeX juice press. And he basically makes sure to have at least one freshly-pressed grapefruit juice a day. He doesn't cook. Couldn't even blend a smoothie to save his life, lol, but he is a supreme-citrus-juicing-champion. And I love that he has found a way to bring fresh fruit into his life, as a daily habit! (without me helping him, ha..)

I wanted to share that with you just in case you have a hard time getting your family to eat fresh fruit. Maybe they love juice, but usually end up drinking something pasteurized, from a box - or even worse - with artificial flavors in there. Maybe they can try a fresh-pressed citrus habit! I am personally a smoothie girl, and I think smoothies are more filling as a meal because they add all the healthy fiber from fruits and veggies, but there is something so cozy and healing about pressing fresh citrus and serving it in the morning.

The bright, fragrant aroma of citrus, zest bursting, the beautiful pink or orange colors. Fresh citrus juice is kinda magical as an eye-opener! Forget caffeine, pass some citrus aromas under your nose and see how you feel. Citrus is such an uplifting and awakening aroma, with a sweet and bright flavor! It really is ta lovely addition to any morning routine or meal.

Fresh citrus juice, like oranges or grapefruit, is rich in vitamin C and grapefruit is also a good source of lycopene!

Pin it for later:

*** this giveaway has ended ***

Giveaway. Enter the giveaway here.

Today's sponsor is offering FIVE of my readers this giveaway prize:
- One MIER 18L Large Soft Cooler Insulated Picnic Bag
- One Cool Coolers Slim Lunch Ice Packs - Set of 4
- One Zoku Classic Pop Molds
- One The Popsicle Cookbook: Ice Pop and Popsicle Recipes for 50 Delicious Frozen Desserts
**Bonus: winners can also email me and I will send them a copy of my book, 365 Vegan Smoothies!

Cool bonus thing about today's post sponsor...

Harvest of Hope. One of the really cool things about Summer Fruit from South Africa is that they participate in Harvest of Hope. The Harvest of Hope program supports skill development, healthcare, education and more for South African farm families who have been growing citrus and other farms like roobios tea (love that stuff!) and more. "For generations, South African farm families have lived and worked on citrus farms throughout the Northern and Western Cape regions. Through the Harvest of Hope program, these farm families can achieve land co-ownership and build a sustainable future for generations to come."

I love hearing stories about the farm families who help bring our beloved produce into our kitchens. Farm tours have always been one of my favorite parts of being a blogger, and I have such a deep appreciation for these skilled men and women who produce plants for the world to enjoy! I mean, as a vegan, plant farmers are basically, rockstars.

Happy smoothie blending everyone!

disclosure: This post is sponsored by Summer Fruit from South Africa, but all opinions are my own. It also contains one Amazon Affiliate link,

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Vegan Creamsicle Smoothie

This super light and frothy, sweet and creamy citrus smoothie combines fresh citrus, cashews and a hint of cinnamon. Delicious as a snack, breakfast or uplifting anytime beverage.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: beverage, Dessert, smoothie
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beverage, breakfast, cashews, citrus, creamsicle, dessert, easy, kids, smoothie, summer
Servings: 2 smoothies
Calories: 152kcal
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 1 cup non-dairy milk
  • Citrus: 3 Easy Peelers or 2 Navel Oranges, from Summer Fruit from South Africa2 tablespoon raw cashews
  • ½ frozen banana
  • a few ice cubes (optional)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon and/or pinch of cayenne for some heat!
  • pinch of fresh citrus zest

Instructions

  • Day Before Prep: Peel the citrus, slice into smaller pieces if using the Navels - or pull apart segments if using the clementines. You want small pieces that are easy for blending. Place the prepped citrus in a freezer-friendly container and chill overnight or until fully frozen.
  • Add the non-dairy milk and cashews to a blender and blend from low to high until mostly smooth.
  • Add in all the remaining ingredients and blend until thick and frosty. You want to make sure you fully blend the citrus so that it becomes smooth and silky without and pulp or rind bits. Keep blending until you see a smooth swirl in your blender. If needed, add a splash of non-dairy milk or another liquid like fresh-pressed orange juice.
  • Pour into serving glasses and serve with a fresh citrus garnish!

Nutrition

Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g

Watermelon Frosty

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watermelon frosty

I had been planning on making this Watermelon Frosty recipe for a while. But it seemed every time we had fresh watermelon in the house it was gobbled up in just a few hours. Fresh, juicy watermelon has that instant gratification effect on people. Kinda like freshly baked bread, warm-from-the-oven cookies, hot pizza or freshly flipped pancakes. These foods beg to be consumed, without hesitation. But finally, I did it. I froze the freshly chopped watermelon. And this frosty bliss followed..

Get the recipe, plus some updated pics and an added video! Enjoy one of my most popular and beloved recipes. I make these frosties many times every summer..

two watermelon frosty cups

THE original pics..

watermelon frosty original

Reshot for a bit of an update, summer 2017..

fresh lime juice
frozen watermelon cubes
frozen watermelon cubes
blended frosty
garnish with lime and frozen cubes
serve right away for frosty, cool flavor!
pink on pink
hydrating, lightly sweet, lively and refreshing

Hot Saturday? Watermelon Frosty to the Rescue!

All day at the pool. Under the sun. The first tan lines of the season. Hot. Dry. Parched. Once we were settled in our snugglies at home I blended up these refreshing Watermelon Frosty drinks.

watermelon frosty
Print Recipe
4.98 from 78 votes

Watermelon Frosty

Frosty frozen watermelon, banana and lime blend up into this refreshing blended beverage.
Prep Time3 minutes
Cook Time4 minutes
Total Time7 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: frosty, lime, smoothie, summer, watermelon
Servings: 2
Calories: 123kcal
Author: Kathy Patalsky
Cost: 3

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

  • 2-3 cups watermelon cubes frozen
  • ½-1 cup coconut water add more as needed
  • 1-2 teaspoon maple syrup optional
  • 2-4 tablespoon lime juice (1-2 limes)
  • 1 banana

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a high speed blender like a Vitamix and blend until frosty. Note: Start off with just ¼ cup of the water liquid and add more in splashes as needed to blend.
  • Pour into frosted glasses to keep cool, garnish with lime or fresh watermelon sliced.

Video

Notes

Optional: for a creamier, thicker texture toss in ½ – 1 frozen banana too!
Optional: add a few pinches of cayenne for a spicy kick!
Party cocktail version: add 1-2 shots of your fave alcohol and reduce water a bit

Nutrition

Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 903IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Smoothie Tip! Frozen Melon makes the best smoothies. You can start freezing watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew - and more for the frostiest, most delicious smoothies and shakes ever! Try my Frozen Cantaloupe-infused Matcha Shake too. I have a few frozen melon smoothie recipes in my book 365 Vegan Smoothieshttp://healthyhappylife.com/p/kathys-book.html.

Watermelon Nutrition.

One cup watermelon contains just about 50 calories and loads of hydration from the high water content. It also contains fiber, lycopene and potassium. Watermelon is delicious on its own, but this frosty is really my favorite way to consume it.

Find more smoothie recipe in my book 365 Vegan Smoothies!

And the super vintage video of Gena (theFullHelping) and I making these frosties!..

Spin on this recipe.. Summer Chia-Seeded Watermelon Frosty..

*disclosure: This post contains a Vitamix affiliate link. Get free shipping by using my link!

Vegan Meal Plan Sundays: Week 1

by 30 Comments


I have been getting a few requests for vegan meal plans over the past year, so I am trying something new this week. And if you guys like it, this series will be a weekly thing here on the blog.

Vegan Meal Plan Sundays! If you guys love this idea, each week I will share a fresh new line-up of recipes that you can try, chosen from my very favorite blog recipes. You can use the collection as general inspiration, or follow along day-by-day, meal-by-meal. If you have leftovers from one meal, you can certainly keep eating them and sub them into the menu where you see fit.

The meal plans are going to be seasonal. Along with breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas, every week I will feature a few favorite desserts and snacks too. I am personally going to try to follow along here and there, so we can all feel like we are enjoying these meals together. But keep in mind, these menus are made for YOU to make them your own. Sub ingredients, change days around, only make one recipe from each day. No rules, just inspiration.

I will post the new meal plan each Sunday so that you can look it over, prep a bit and grocery shop for any ingredients you may need for the coming week. Day one of the menu starts Monday, so you can start the week off feeling healthy, and prepared! Take that take-out menus. We are coming for you! Er, NOT coming for you, actually...

Let's do this!..

download a one sheet menu for WEEK ONE here!.. (tip: print it in color if you can because it looks so pretty! I have one by my fridge right now!)

I would love if you tag me on social as your week goes by and you try a few recipes with me!.. Twitter: @lunchboxbunch and @findingvegan ---- Instagram: @KathyPatalsky ---- Facebook: /findingvegan and /lunchboxbunch

Vegan Meal Plan Sundays: Week 1 (July)

Monday

breakfast: Pumpkin Seed Citrus Green Smoothie --- A favorite nutrient-rich green smoothie, light, sweet, frosty flavor. Optional: Pair with nut butter toast and fresh fruit.
lunch: Summer Corn Fritters with avocado --- pair with a green juice or smoothie or a kombucha. I love these fritters so much! I always add hot sauce or salsa.
dinner: Peanut Soba Noodles with Broccoli and Tofu --- Delicious served warm or chilled - perfect for summer!

Tuesday

breakfast: Easy Acai Smoothie Bowl --- One of my faves! I make this at least once a week. Top with fresh fruit, granola, puffed rice, coconut or eat au natural.
lunch: Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich or do Toast Tuesday with Avocado Toast! --- The cool thing about toast is that there are so many options! Try avocado, hummus or even the smashed chickpea salad sandwich, openfaced as toast!
dinner: Santa Cruz Beach Burritos (or burrito bowls) --- OBSESSED with these. I think we ate them four nights in a row when I first posted this recipe.

Wednesday

breakfast: Gena's Bircher Muesli (thefullhelping's recipe) --- I love Gena's recipe as a summertime cereal!
lunch: Creamy Vegan Ranch Chickpea Peach Farm Salad --- You cannot go wrong with peaches, chickpeas and creamy vegan ranch flavor.
dinner: Favorite Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes --- One of my favorite easy meals, a loaded sweet potato! If you want 'more' for your meal, you can pair with a side summer salad or hummus toast or even split a vegan frozen pizza with your fam! I love sweet potato mash and pizza.. seriously.

Thursday

breakfast: Green Dream Smoothie Bowl --- Dreamy green smoothie bowl, sweet banana flavor. Use your fave protein powder or snag some Philosophie Green Dream which is just my fave.
lunch: Candied Pecan + Avocado + Spinach Salad --- In love with these flavors. So simple and so good!
dinner: Summer Lentil Sloppy Joes --- Love! Feel like a kid again with this protein-rich, flavorful meal. Alternative cozy meal: vegan buffalo mac and cheese + tempeh.


Friday

breakfast: Your Choice Friday! 1) Almond Butter Toast with banana 2) Frozen Melon Matcha Shake 3) Peanut Butter Oatmeal 4) Peach Pie Oats 5) Indulge in a big pile of fresh summer fruit! (peaches, melon or berries) --- love them all! Cannot go wrong here. Happy Friyay!
lunch: Tomato Basil Grilled Cheese Sandwich (vegan of course) --- I mean, this flavor combo is insane. Tomato + basil + vegan cheese.
dinner: Fresh Avocado Pizza --- Friday pizza nights are the best! Serve with a side salad or fave roasted veggies.

Saturday

breakfast: Lemon Poppyseed Vanilla Frosted Donuts paired with a summer fruit salad and lattes --- In love with these summery donuts.
lunch: 9brunch options!) Curried "Eggy" Scramble Toasts or Avocado Toast Pinwheel Platter (great for sharing!) + Watermelon Frosties --- Who loves brunch just as much as me???
dinner: BBQ Tempeh Avocado Sandwiches --- BBQ Tempeh can do no wrong. So these stacked sandwiches are fun Saturday night fare.

Sunday

breakfast: Orange Pineapple Sunshine Smoothie paired with Strawberry sunrise Scones -- Cozy, sunny eats for a chill Sunday. Bake some berry scones and fill the whole house with happiness.
lunch: 7-Layer Santa Barbara Sandwich --- One of my fave lunch sandwiches! Picnic perfect too.
dinner: Sweet Potato Falafel with Chimichurri Sauce -- or do a Veggie Burger Sunday, choose from these recipes! --- You made it! Have a cozy Sunday supper everyone!

Desserts of the Week:

Cookies and Cream Vegan Ice Cream

Vegan Cherry Pie Cookies

Side Dish of the Week: Sweet Potato Hash

Snack of the Week: Roadtrip Bars

And as always, my daily matcha latte!..

Wellness Mantra of the Week: When stress hits, tell yourself My Happy Place is on the Other Side of This! I can power through. I am strong. I am enough. I am capable of this. Here I go, through this so I can get to my happy places on the other side!

Hope you love this vegan meal inspiration for the week ahead! I am excited to see how these meal plans turn out for you guys. I hope they are helpful. I will also be sharing some of the links and my experiences making these recipes, on my Instagram Stories!

Share your creations with me on social media so I can check them out and share a few!

Fresh Raspberry Blueberry Crumble Bars

by 1 Comment


Crowd-pleaser of a recipe today! Summery fresh berry bars that taste like pie, but are totally portable. No fork needed.

Flag Bars. One thing I have never been good at as a blogger: preparing properly for holidays! (I'm the monkey-covering his eyes emoji right now.) I made these bars last week, super excited to have them up for the 4th of July. Red, White and Blueberry Bars, right? "Yay, I'm totally prepared this time!" But life got in the way and I sidetracked a bit with other posts, and missed out. But thinking positively here, I am super ahead of schedule for 4th of July 2018. Win!

These bars are a delicious, summery, picnic-approved dessert/snack recipe. These Raspberry Blueberry Crumble Bars contain fresh blueberries, a zingy-sweet fresh raspberry puree and buttery, cinnamon-y oat crumble on top. Oh, and if you want to add the white frosting ripple (optional) you can do that too for the white-stripes flag effect. But the bars are super tasty even without the ripple.

Presenting these pretty bars to a crowd you will feel like a vegan, sassy Martha Stewart. (Actually, nevermind, Martha is pretty sassy herself, so a sassier, vegan Martha.)

Summertime berry bars are perfect for some summer weekend baking, happy Friday and enjoy!..

Besides being tasty - these bars were easier to make than I thought they would be! Fresh berries, an easy bar base and a crumble on top. Layers and layers of yum.

So how did I spent my 4th of July? Well, we debated taking a quick trip, but instead we spent a long weekend at home. We played tennis, went to the (very crowded) beach and spent at least one day feeling blissfully lazy, waffles for a homemade brunch and nothing on the day's "to-do" list. It kinda felt like meditation to just give ourselves a few days of a clear schedule.

Oh we also watched a few things, as one does on long weekends..

* We are still making our way through The Office for our laughter therapy. Love it!!
* BabyDriver. We skipped fireworks and went to the movies. I loved this movie!
* The Mars Generation. Watched this on Netflix. Loved it. I love anything about space, so this story about the next generation of the space program was really fascinating. I just hope I'm around when we land on Mars!

And I am really excited for the next week because I get to do a work-thing that I have always wanted to do. I will probably be sharing it on my Instagram Stories early next week, so stay tuned.

Also! I am really excited to try a new feature for you guys: Meal Plan Sundays. This Sunday I will post a week-long round-up of meal-spiration. If you guys like it, I will make it a regular feature. But for now, happy bar-ing!

PS of the Post. Summer fruit, are you also obsessed right now? I literally walked into Whole Foods last night and filled my cart with 2 carts of organic strawberries, a oversized package of organic blueberries and about 6 organic peaches. And I really wanted a melon, but I restrained myself. (And that was just the first five minutes of shopping.)

And if you are like, hm, I just want pie this time... How about some Cherry Pie in July?

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Vegan Raspberry Blueberry Crumble Bars

These fresh summer berry bars taste like pie with a crumble on top! Raspberries, blueberries and a buttery oat crumble, over top a fluffy shortbread bar base.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: baking, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bars, berries, blueberries, dessert, pie, raspberries, snacks, summer, vegan
Servings: 9 bars
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Base Layer Crust:

  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ cup vegan butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon warm water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

Raspberry Puree:

  • 2 cups fresh raspberries
  • 2 ½ tablespoon coconut sugar

Crumble Topping:

  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 3 tablespoon vegan butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice + pinch of zest
  • Also: 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
  • ¾ cup fresh raspberries 

Optional White Glaze Frosting:

  • 1 ½ cups organic powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoon non-dairy milk 
  • a few drops vanilla extract
  • Note: If you need to use frozen berries, you may, but the flavor will be a bit less perky and bright and whole fruity textures as plump.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8-9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add all the base layer ingredients and stir well by hand or with a mixer.
  • Pour the mixture into the lined dish. Smooth out over the bottom.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
  • While the base is baking, add all the crumble ingredients to the same large mixing bowl. Toss until crumbly and moist. Set aside.
  • Also while the base layer is baking, blend the raspberries and coconut sugar in a blender until smooth. (Optional Step: to thicken and reduce a bit, simmer the raspberry mixer over medium heat, in a small sauce pot for 1-2 minutes.)
  • Pull the base layer from the oven. Pour the raspberry mixture over top. Smooth so it is evenly distributed. Dot the whole raspberries over top. Then add the blueberries. Top with the crumble. (For presentation, you can wiggle a few of the whole berries so that they pop out of the crumble, on top.)
  • Bake at 400 degrees for 22-25 minutes. Cool at least 20 minutes in the dish before slicing and serving. If adding the white glaze, wait until the bars are mostly cooled, whisk together the frosting with a whisk and drizzle over top the bars. Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge.

BBQ Tempeh Avocado Sandwich

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This morning, our building's fire alarm (falsely) went off at 3:30AM. Hi. Normally, I would glide back to sleep, but not today. I tossed and turned until sunrise. I basically laid in bed for those early morning hours, pillow stuffed over my face, pink light slowly crawling through the window drapes, my husband blissfully snoozing by my side - my brain busy thinking and fighting sleep. I was thinking about everything that has happened the past few days since I wrote this post. The adrenalin rush of comments still warms my face. I feel very changed by the experience of sharing something so private, and taking a leap of faith that the universe is indeed a compassionate place where people share and support and love and think.

Hearing stories so similar to mine - from people who are not just strangers - but my readers - people who have been following me for years - makes me feel so warm and comforted.

The thing I love most about blogs are the natural exchange of life stories. And once again, having my own space to share is becoming an extremely healing tool in my life. So thank you.

And I know that as time passes, I will feel a bit less raw and vulnerable and just simply, strong.

Ocean metaphor, because that's how my brain works.. Sometimes just running straight into the crisp, cold ocean is the way to go. No tip-toeing around it! It is a shock to your system, but after a while you get used to it, and it feels good, and you turn around and stare back at the shore, and wonder why in the world you didn't dive in sooner?

But back to square one, this is still my food blog.. And the healing power of food is my jam.

And so what did I do as soon as I climbed out of bed around 7am?? Cook! This Sandwich. BBQ Tempeh at sunrise. Life of a food blogger.

Today I am sharing one of my favorite go-to tempeh recipes. The cool thing about these BBQ Tempeh Avocado Sandwiches is that they take just around ten minutes to prep. And they are SO flavorful and hearty! Summer sandwiches here we come...

Avocado. Lots of it.

The sticky-sweet BBQ tempeh of my dreams..

Serve these for any BBQ fans in your life (vegan or not) and see what they think.

This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy tempeh, which is a great source of plant-based protein.

Tempeh. A lot of people ask me what I do with tempeh. And why is it better than tofu? Or is it? What does it taste like?

Both tofu and tempeh are soy products - made from protein-rich soybeans.

Well I think tempeh is very similar to tofu in that it absorbs flavors very well. Smoky-maple-tamari sauce for tempeh bacon or BBQ sauce like this recipe. Or try a tempeh-reuben sandwich. Or try triangles over a curry carrot slaw.

Tempeh has a nuttier flavor than tofu and the texture is very different - firmer. Tempeh is less processed and so it has more of a bean-y, bumpy texture compared to tofu - which to me is pretty bland as is. Tempeh has a more fermented flavor on its own.

I love tempeh because it holds up well for things like sandwiches and even salads. It doesn't get mushy or fall apart.

It is such an easy + delicious plant-based protein source!

Layers.

These sandwiches are delicious all on their own, but you could also add a side of potato salad or small salad - try my seasonal Farmhouse Ranch Peach-infused Salad!

I hope you are having a relaxing + fun 4th of July weekend! Sending you lots of summertime love. If you try this or any of my recipes be sure to tag my on social media so I can check them out!

PS. This burger/sandwich pairs really well with a Red, White and Blueberry Banana Ice Cream Milkshake!..



PPS. This is such a little thing, but I am so glad I finally fixed my mobile site's logo. It had been super small and blurry for over a year and I fixed it to be a clear and crisp header. Nothing fancy but not an eye sore anymore. It's the little things in this gig.

I'll be back tomorrow or the next day with a delicious berry-filled dessert recipe!

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

BBQ Tempeh Avocado Sandwich

These BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches are the perfect summertime meal, spicy and sweet, loaded with avocado, juicy tomato, onion, spicy mustard and vegan mayo.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Total Time17 minutes
Course: entree, lunch, sandwich
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bbq, bbq tempeh, entree, sanwich, soy, summer, tempeh, tomato, vegan
Servings: 2 sandwich
Calories: 438kcal
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 1 8oz package of tempeh, thinly sliced
  • 1-2 cups vegan BBQ sauce (DIY BBQ Sauce recipe here)
  • 2 ciabatta rolls (or another bun/bread option)
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • ½ red onion, sliced
  • 1-2 tablespoon vegan mayo
  • 1-2 tablespoon spicy mustard
  • greens, lettuce or cole slaw (optional)

Instructions

  • Add the tempeh and BBq sauce to a large pot. Tuen heat to high and cover with a lid. After two minutes, turn heat to low and leave covered. Allow to cook another minute or two, then uncover lid. Gently toss the tempeh with the BBQ sauce a bit. The sauce should be darkening and the tempeh should be tender by now. Keep cooking the tempeh until the sauce is nice and sticky and thick, and the tempeh is soft and limp. Do not over cook to the point where the tempeh is falling apart though. Turn off heat and set aside to cool a bit. (As the tempeh cools, the sauce with thicken up even more.
  • Toast your bread and slice open.
  • Add the vegan mayo and mustard, tomato, onion. then top with plentiful amounts of tempeh. The finish with the avocado and greens (or slaw). Close buns, slice and serve warm!

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 22g

Lemon Poppyseed Donuts, Vanilla-Frosted

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Yesterday I whipped up these vegan, baked Lemon Poppyseed Donuts. They have a light vanilla frosting/glaze on top and taste like little pillows of sunshine. Heavenly treat for summertime baking! I added some fresh blueberries on top to intensify the summery feel...

Donut party!..

So fluffy and lovely!..

Easy vanilla + lemon frosting or glaze, depending on what you prefer..

So darn good. Perfect matcha, tea or coffee pairing..

Thank you so much for the love many of you sent me from my last post. I know it was raw and real and I was SO scared to publish that thing. But I had been writing drafts of it for months, so incredibly anxious to tell my story. Keeping things like this inside can eat away at you and make you feel ashamed and embarrassed and can eat away at your self esteem, self-worth and joy -- even without you realizing it! So I am so grateful to have a platform to share my story and give other women the strength to maybe share their own in their own circle of people. Or at the very least, to not feel like fertility issues are something to be ashamed of.

We are all worthy of love and support and worthy to tell our stories no matter who we are or what story we have to tell. I pray that you never feel like you are not allowed to talk about your own life.

The truth is, despite all the love I received, sharing is still scary. Fear of judgement is part of speaking out and being real - being yourself. Some people may even try to make you feel bad about yourself . Your story. DON"T LET THEM. (I say that to you and to myself.) The only person who can make you feel bad about you, is you. Don't let them. Be true to yourself. Love yourself. Love every part of your story.

As one of my favorite TED Talks goes, by Adi JAffe, my friend Sophie's husband, F*ck Shame. Seriously. Thank you Adi, whenever I get scared, that phrase helps me.

So with that, I think it is time for donuts, yes??? YES!

Lemon-Poppyseed Donuts. These vegan donuts are so easy and delicious. You need a donut tin, but if you want to just make muffins with this recipe, you can do that too.

The buttercream vanilla-lemon zest frosting is the perfect topping and since the donuts are not that sweet, the frosting (or glaze) adds the perfect touch.

The rich vanilla combined with zing-y lemon is just so dreamy. I gobbled a few of these up while they were still warm and super fluffy. So good.

My favorite part of donut-baking is that they bake in half the time of muffins, so you can be eating them faster! Plus, this is a small yield recipe, so you won't feel like you have an entire donuts shop in your kitchen that you need to eat or give away!

Happy long 4th of July weekend everyone. Love you all!

 

Kitty cameo... you have to watch those kittens when I bake just about anything..

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Lemon Poppyseed Donuts with Vanilla Frosting

These buttery, fluffy lemon poppyseed donuts are topped with a rich vanilla frosting that glazes right over top. Vegan.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: breakfast, brunch, dessert, donuts, FROSTING, lemon, poppyseed, vanilla, vegan
Servings: 8 donuts
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Dry:

  • 1 cup white pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup coconut sugar

Wet:

  • ¼ cup vegan butter
  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup non-dairy milk, plain flavor
  • pinch of lemon zest

Vanilla Frosting:

  • ½ cup vegan butter
  • 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, organic
  • pinch of lemon zest
  • Fold in: 1-2 teaspoon poppyseeds 

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a donut tin with coconut oil or vegan butter.
  • Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
  • Add all the wet ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. The mixture will be clumpy, from the chilled butter, but that is ok once the donuts bake!
  • Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Fold until combined.
  • You can either spoon the batter into the donut tin or you can use a pastry bag and a round tip to create a cleaner donut swirl.
  • Bake donuts for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees. Donuts should lightly brown on top and be fluffy and soft yet firm to touch.
  • While donuts are baking, whip up the frosting by combining all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whipping with a hand or stand mixer. Place frosting in the fridge until needed.
  • Repeat with any extra batter.
  • Cool donuts on a cooling rack. You can frost when the donuts are completely cooled if you want a thicker coating of frosting. If you want the frosting to melt a bit into a glaze, you can frost them while the donuts are still slightly warm. Serve right away or place the donuts in the fridge until ready to serve. serve chilled, room temperature or slightly warmed.

Baby Talk.

by 109 Comments

Hey guys! A bit of a personal post today. Probably one of the most personal I have ever written. I have always felt weird sharing something like this on a 'food blog.' But after a lot of debating, I realized that this is my little space on the internet. My space to use my voice and share my life. And this story. This huge part of my journey in life. If you totally don't care about babies and these types of personal posts, don't worry, I will be back with an awesome recipe tomorrow or the next day. But for now, I am cradling a big mug of steamy matcha, and sharing a piece of me with you...

I was snuggled into my Uber ride, traveling across town to visit a close friend who recently had a baby. It was a beautiful summer afternoon. I felt energized, though I will admit, a little anxious - as usual lately, to be stepping into babyland. Rushing palm trees breezed past my window, sun warmed the side of my face. I chatted with the driver a bit, then sunk down in my seat and clicked open my phone. Click, click, click. I opened Instagram. The headliner photo that popped on my screen was a popular blogger announcing that she was pregnant. "Wow, she's pregnant too!" I thought to myself thinking of all the recent pregnancy announcements I have heard. I scrolled through her blissful, beautiful photos and captions about becoming a mom. I sighed and moved along on my feed. Scrolling through as usual. It was a flurry of food photos, travel pics, pets, a few selfies and an armful of baby photos. Friends from high school, bloggers, close adult friends, all smiling away, holding their chubby-cheeked babies, all peaches and cream adorable, with a cherry on top.

It is funny how I used to never think twice about baby photos. But lately, every single one pangs on my heart a bit.

I scrolled deeper and deeper into my Instagram feed, more foods, more babies, more travel, more happy things as usual. I felt like I was trying to climb my way out of quicksand, with that sinking feeling I get every time I see a photo of one of my friends with their happy, adorable kids. My therapist (who has helped me a lot with this journey) uses the term "triggers" for things like cute baby photos. Wait, what? I don't want cutie-pie babies, kids, babyshowers, gushing pregnant friends and all things 'having kids' to be "triggers" to me. I love kids. I have been babysitting since I was 8 years old, love hanging out with my niece and nephew and friends kids. I love little ones. I don't want them to be triggers. I don't want to be broken. I don't want to be that person.

But in some ways, for right now, I am.

I closed Instagram, put down my phone and turned my head to the window, breathing in and out to the sound of the jazz music my Uber driver was playing. I closed my eyes and remembered to think positive thoughts, focus on the good and happy things in my life and remember what I have promised myself: no matter what happens, I will be happy. Joy is a choice. It is also, sometimes, a battle. You have to claim it. And I know how to do that. I will claim my happiness, no matter what happens. Kids or no kids.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

I arrived at my friend's house, had an awesome visit with her and her new little bundle. I watched the baby sleep for long hours, snuggled away in his stroller like a freshly baked muffin in a muffin wrap. I watched her peel him up and squish him close to her chest. She had the most content and calm smile across her rose-colored cheeks.

It was a happy day. Walking and laughter. Chatting. Life. Work. Fresh air. Nothing special, just friends being friends. I headed back home feeling good but also a bit heavy-hearted. The apartment I walked into, our happy home, the one where I feel love and comfort, felt extra quiet. A bit cold. Empty. I rushed to my kitty cats, scooped them up and nuzzled their fuzzy faces. Pets always help, everything!

I went back to my evening. My life. The one I love so much. I filled the night with food, happy things and time with my little family of husband and cats. why can't I just be content with this? Life would be so much easier! But visions of kids fluttering around the room kept dancing in my head, and my good mood turned melancholy.

Babies. I don't talk about this topic here, like ever. But I am to the point where I can't shut up about it with friends and family and I just really want to be open in talking about my struggle, here on my blog. I read so many bloggers talking about life after they find out they are pregnant, but what about the time before that? What about the struggle. And what about those of us who may not get the baby in the end? I want to read those stories too, so I decided, screw it.. I'll just tell my own.

Having Kids. I have always wanted kids. I remember I was a senior in high school when I was having a carefree conversation with one of my best friends.. "Oh we are going to be the cutest moms some day!" We laughed as we imagined going to coffee, our strollers parked, adorable babies giggling in our arms.

But after high school, babies were the last thing on my mind. I went to college, had big ambitions for my career, dated, and eventually, hoped to meet someone, fall in love, move into a house, have an amazing career and have a bunch of kids on the side. Cats, a dog, and annual vacations to Hawaii. Ha. Daydreams are fun, right?

Well, I did fall in love and get married in 2006. My husband and I have gone on adventures, moved (a lot!), traveled to far off places, struggled, soared, laughed, cried, screamed, ordered takeout at 2am while watching reruns of Family Ties or Friends - you know, everything a well-rounded marriage needs.

I remember I wanted kids pretty early on in our marriage. I would've been fine with getting pregnant in the first few years, really. But that didn't happen and suddenly I was turning 30 and five years of marriage had zoomed by. On my 30th birthday, I remember wrapping myself in a fuzzy robe after my shower, we were getting ready to go to dinner, and I just started sobbing. I was freaking out about turning 30, and then on top of that I couldn't believe I was '30' and 'married for 5 years' with no kids.

A few more years passed and still no luck getting pregnant. Then this year, I started to get serious. I went to a fertility clinic, did the whole "What is going on, what are my options, and how much does it cost????" thing.

But let's pause a minute. The weird thing about this "I want kids" thing is this: I love my life. At 36, I have crafted out a pretty solid routine of work I love, friends and family, travel, art. And I have so much love in my life. My husband and all out kitty cats who bring us so much joy and love. I love my work-from-home job, the freedom I have to travel or visit friends or basically do anything I want at the drop of a hat. I can take a bubble bath a two in the afternoon. I can stay in my PJ's all day and work my butt off on projects that inspire me. I can exercise at sunrise or after sunset. I can wake up at five AM or sleep in until eleven. and I don't have to really worry about taking care of anyone else all day besides myself, my kitty cats and my husband. On one level, it feels amazing. Life, even with its ups and downs and struggles, joy and sadness, feels good.

But on another level, a deeper level I cannot even fully explain because it feels so primal: I HATE IT. The calm of it all. The quiet. I want noisy, messy, loud. I want to have kids to dote on and snuggle with and care for and feed and love on all day and giggle with and play with and I want my hair to be messy, my eyes to be tired and swollen from lack of sleep and overflow of love. I want to wear yoga clothes all day, two days in a row. I want to be typing out a blogpost, sipping a smoothie all while rocking an infant in my arms, feeling all dizzy, stressed and wide-eyed but also full and warm. I want to grumble with my friends at the park about how "two is such a hard age!" and "breastfeeding is hard!" and "Oh the tantrums last night.." While we push strollers and love on our messy buns and 'hot mess' outfits. I want to perch under a pair of giant sunglasses to hide all the signs of 4-5 hours of sleep. I want to feel my little family grow, to create something bigger than just the two of us. I want to wake up to a crying baby and snuggle on him/her and whine that I am tired, all while feeling my heart almost explode out of my chest because I created this fuzzy little human, and I am the person they need most in this crazy, scary, strange little world.

But I'm also a realist, and an analyzer, so let's be honest here. Kids are expensive. Time-consuming. Exhausting. Sometimes infuriating. And basically require every last inch of your mind, body and soul to parent. They can stress out your marriage, career and social life. So why in the world do some people want kids? I mean, it doesn't make any sense from a practical viewpoint. Especially in today's crazy, unpredictable world. But on a soulful sense, for some people, there is an unexplained pull, a heartfelt drive, a yearning to have children.

It's a strange form of insanity, really. And I totally understand why some people choose NOT to have kids. I get it. I totally respect it. I love how different people want different things. And happiness looks very different to different people. We should never compare ourselves and our wants, needs, loves, hates to others. I 100% believe that men and women who don't have kids can live very full and ridiculously happy lives.

But for me, I am one of those people who has always wanted kids. I always pictured myself as a mom. I have a notepad with a long list of baby names. I daydream about going to Disneyland with my little ones. Family trips. Christmases. The whole enchilada. I have always thought of myself as a 'someday I will be a mom' person.

So that is why my current situation is so challenging, soul shifting and strange for me.

---

So. Long story short. Fertility struggles SUCK. Financially, hormonally, emotionally. This journey so far has made me feel like I am climbing a very tall beanstalk that disappears into the clouds, and I have no idea what awaits me up there. A scary giant? A magic bean? Nothing? Just an endless climb until I decide to climb back down?

From IUIs and IVF to ultrasounds, fertility drugs and doctors fees. And reading about things like multiple miscarriages, talking about adoption, pregnancy stresses or problems - or other big, scary, life-changing things -- all those things swim way out there in the distant ocean, while I feel like I am standing on the beach, waves lapping on my ankles. Just getting my 'feet wet' in every sense of the phrase. I don't really want to dive in, I just want to get pregnant, easily, like so many women do. But that wasn't the journey intended for me. My journey feels like a long road I have only really just begun.

Oh, so I am guessing you are wondering WHY I am struggling to have kids? Well, I am not ready to divulge those details, this post feels personal enough for today. But in vague terms, it is a few things (it usually is), and to be honest even though some things are clear cut challenges for me, even doctors don't have all the 100% sure answers. I was just talking to someone today who said her friend was told she had zero chances of ever getting pregnant ... she is going on 12 weeks pregnant now. I hear stories like this all the time.

I am so grateful that you are still here, reading this. THANK YOU. I just feel really good getting this off my chest and hopefully helping a few readers who are also struggling with infertility, feel less alone or strange or sad. We will get through this together! Women, both moms and non-moms are amazing creatures, we have such a strong capability to nourish each other - lift each other up - especially when we cannot find the strength to lift ourselves up. I am so grateful to the moms in my life that have given my advice and support. And also the non-moms who have made me feel less alone and hopeful about whatever the future may bring.

Ending on a Happy Note. Through all this, this quote basically sums up my truth:

"The key to your life is how you deal with “Plan B.” You can aim for Plan A. You can arrange for Plan A. But “Plan B” is what actually happens to you. It’s your resilience in being able to roll with the punches and move on to “Plan B” that really makes your life. If something doesn’t work out, you can’t automatically think that something bad has happened. You never know why things happen the way they do, but that’s life. That’s how it unfolds. When faced with “Plan B”, don’t feel you have to be dragged kicking and screaming into it because, sometimes, “Plan B” is so much better.” ~ Marilu Henner's Veggie Girl Power Interview

Since I'm already knee-deep in Plan B, I will just have to wait and see where it takes me, and keep my chin up with some "gusto," as Marilu would say.

I have no idea how this story will end. It might end with a baby, and it might not. But that is why I am sharing NOW. Because not every person has the perfect 'baby story.' Sometimes it is challenging. And feels hopeless. Or just uncertain. Actually, uncertainty is the main feeling I have through all of this. Which is why it feels so scary to share right now. But I think that is the point. I don’t want to hide. This is real life. My story. My life. Happening right now. I don’t ever want to be ashamed of my own story - and sharing every piece of it.

So thank you for listening.

And after all my anxiety over posting this, right now I feel so proud to be using my voice, for me, and for anyone out there who needs to read that someone with a face they know, is going through a similar struggle.

I learn so much from women who have gone through this stuff before me, please share your stories or positive comments.

Much love, xoxo, K

ps. Thank u to friend/mama/writer-genius Steph for your support on this post!

Read more of my personal posts here.

22 Vegan Veggie Burger Recipes

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updated: 6/2017 - original: 2013

A full-proof way to make your summer weekend amazing? Have a veggie burger night! Veggie burgers of course. Veggie burgers are so flavorful, healthy and easy to make. Have a cruelty-free BBQ or beach burger bash while enjoying of these recipes.

Veggie burger meals are simple. Classic. Fuss-free. Plant-based burgers are free of saturated fat, gentle on the planet and rich in healthy ingredients like plant-based protein, veggies, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes and more - and yes - when done right, veggie burgers can be totally flavor-tastic.

This summer, reinvent the burger, in your own kitchen! Here are my veggie burger recipes..

My Vegan WOW-Burger...

This weekend and all summer long, ditch the meat and build clean plant-based burgers that taste amazing.

Try this for a sunset hour feast: veggie burgers, fries, toasty potato chips, potato salad, cole slaw and more.

22 Veggie Burger Recipes for Summertime (updated: June 2017, original post: 2013)

1. Sweet Potato Veggie Burger

2. Black Bean Plantain Veggie Burgers with avocado

3. Turmeric Bean Burgers with Spicy Secret Sauce

4. Pineapple Teriyaki Portobello Burgers (with DIY sauce!)

5. Vegan Mushroom Philly Cheese Sandwich or Burger

6. Black & Beet Mushroom Walnut Veggie Burgers

7. BBQ Peanut Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

8. Cali-Veggie Burger Sliders + Carrot Slaw

9. Black Eyed Pea Sweet Potato Sliders

10. Black Bean Fiesta Burgers

11. Vegan Dijon Chick'n Sandwich with cheese and avocado

12. Sunny Mushroom Veggie Burgers

13. Pineapple Jerk Burgers + Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

14. Easy Summer Lentil Sloppy Joes

15. Seven Layer Sandwich (so good it is almost a burger.. burger-ish)

16. Mean Green Edamame Burger

17. Philly Cheese Sandwich ... OK not a burger but Dad-approved!

18. Spicy Peanut Tofu

19. Apple-"Bacon" English Muffin

20. Simple Vegan Veggie Sandwich/Burger

21. And finally... The Kid-Friendly Burger... aka PBJ Club

And to round things out, my WOW-burger + some wow-burger building tips at bottom! Enjoy! Happy veggie burger-ing!

22. Vegan Wow-Burger. Steps to build are below..

How-to Build a Vegan Wow-Burger:
1 - Choose your veggie burgers. There are SO many vegan options available today. For this burger, I chose Amy's Kitchen quarter-pounder patties. They are made using soy protein, mushrooms, veggies, nuts and more. Super flavorful and large in size! A few other store-bought brands include Boca, Sunshine Burgers and more. Or you can easily make your own veggie burger patties using any of the recipes below! Tip! To moisten up the edges of veggie burgers, rub them with some extra virgin olive oil before grilling or sauteing. You can also use melted vegan cheese to help moisten them up a bit.
2 - Veggie Toppings. I added sliced avocado, red onion, tomato, curly green leaf lettuce. You can also try adding sauerkraut, sliced peaches, shredded carrots, cole slaw, roasted bell pepper slices, sliced pickles and more.
3 - Cheese. For a "cheeseburger" try Daiya's meltable vegan cheese. It comes in shreds, wedges and can easily be added to burgers to make melty, cheesy bliss.
4 - Bun. I love whole grain buns, but classic white buns work too. The seeded bun I used today was Ezekiel brand. It is sprouted grain and has a wonderful nutty flavor. Tip! I brush my burger buns with oil along the edges and sides and besides simply toasting the buns, if you saute or heat them in some oil they become very crispy along the edges and simply delicious!
5 - Condiments. I added some BBQ sauce and yellow mustard. You can add Dijon mustard for spiciness or ketchup if you'd like. Vegenaise and chipotle-infused Vegenaise is also delicious on vegan burgers.
6 - Assembly. Stack your burger carefully, it helps a lot of the veggie rounds are sliced evenly so you do not create a leaning burger of Wow! You can add a few toothpicks if needed to hold things together until you present your burger.
7 - Eating the Wow-Burger. How oh how does one eat this mammoth stack? The Wow-burger is all about presentation. To serve, I simply remove the top "burger" layer and serve that as is. Then if everyone is extra hungry you have a half burger leftover. Or you can add some more toppings to the other half and serve two full burgers.

More wow-burger shots!..

Santa Cruz Beach Burritos

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These Santa Cruz Beach Burritos remind me of being a teenager, grabbing a burrito with my friends on the way to or from the beach. The secret to these burritos is that they celebrate simplicity - nothing too fancy with seasonings. Salt, lime, maybe a few fajita spices for the grains and really letting the textures and flavors of the plant ingredients shine through.

The other secret to these burritos: cilantro. The way I add cilantro to these burritos is unique and it is my favorite signature thing about this recipe. So who is up for a vegan burrito night?

[Read more...]

The 3 Tools for Making Matcha!

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*The Kathy's Matcha Chat series is sponsored by Encha Organic Matcha

I am really happy with this month's Kathy's Matcha Chat video (episide 4) because I really get back to basics when it comes to matcha.

Today I share the three main tools you can use for making matcha.

And when I say 'matcha,' I mean both traditional matcha tea (water + matcha) or a matcha latte. I will also share my go-to matcha latte recipe (the one I use every day) and also our monthly giveaway is ahead.

(I also share a pretty matcha iphone wallpaper image)..

Watch the video with visuals and my commentary, then get more details + enter the giveaway below. (GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED)

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The Three Main Tool Options for Making Matcha:

1. Bamboo Whisk. This is the most traditional way to whisk your matcha. The whisk is made from bamboo and is super light and doesn't require any batteries or plugs to use! You could literally use this out in the woods on a camping trip. To use the whisk, you do not 'stir' in a circle direction like a spoon. You briskly whisk in an up and down "I" shape so that tiny bubbles form and whisk the powdery matcha and liquid into a smooth tea. The bamboo whisk effectively breaks up any clumps of the matcha, when used properly. The whisk creates a very subtle 'foam' when making a latte. Check out Encha's starter pack, which includes the whisk. Or snag this cute green whisk set on Amazon.

2. Frothing/Foaming Wand aka AeroLatte. This is sort've like the battery-powered version of a bamboo whisk. This tool effectively breaks up any matcha clumps and dissolves well. It also creates a pretty nice, bubbly foam. The only two drawbacks to this device: it only has one speed so it can be way too powerful for a small amount of liquid or if blending in a small cup or matcha bowl. It splashes very easily if you tilt the wand in the wrong direction. And you also have to worry about the batteries running out. Or the machine breaking. Aerolatte on Amazon.

Frother note from the video: The black wand cover in the video is supposed to be removed before blending, just to be clear.

3. Blender. The blender is easy for making a matcha latte because you just toss all the ingredients into the blender and blend from low to high for a few seconds. Pour and serve. I personally use the blender method most often. I love the foam it creates. The only drawbacks: 1) you have to be in your own kitchen since you need a big blender. 2) Blenders are not cheap! Especially if you want a Vitamix, which is what I use. 3) You have to clean the container after blending. you also want to clean it well with white vinegar and baking soda because over time, I have noticed, the matcha can stain the blender container if you are not careful. Snag a Vitamix or learn more about mine, here.

My favorite tools: I love the blender, just for its ease and the foam it creates and also because it is the least messy for me. I find that when I use the handheld tools, I always end up splashing in the matcha bowl a bit.

I prefer the bamboo whisk over the AeroLatte, simply because I love the idea of using all traditional tools when making a matcha. It feels very meditative to me and I like that the matcha isn't touching any metal during the preparation. Just bamboo and my matcha bowl!

If I make traditional matcha tea (just water and matcha) I always use the bamboo whisk.

Other Tools:

* Bamboo scoop: nice to have, but not necessary. I usually just use a small spoon to measure out my matcha, but both work. The scoop is prettier and more traditional. So if presentation is important to you, grab a bamboo scoop.

* Matcha bowls or Mugs: I am in love with my Encha Galaxy Matcha Bowl. I also love my two smaller bowls with cherry blossoms on them, also from Encha. I either use a matcha bowl or one of my extra large round mugs. All my matcha mugs are made from reputable companies - a few years ago I went through my coffee mugs and stored or donated any mugs made in China or that just seemed to be coated in too much colored paint. Since I do use my microwave, I am always paranoid about anything leaching from the mug into my drinks. I'm not obsessive about it, I just like to be conscious about where my plates and mugs come from.

* Encha Flow: This is a beautiful tool for pouring warmed milk into a matcha bowl or mug. I don't use it everyday, but if I have guests or want a beautiful serving presentation, I use this. Encha Flow Set.

Do I Need to Add Water? In my video for the tools you will probably notice that I blend the matcha with just-under-boiling water, then add the warmed milk. This is one method. However, if you just want a super creamy latte, you can use all milk. (And by "milk," I always mean non-dairy milk! Always the preference for a matcha latte - even if you are not vegan.) I love a blend of soy and almond for my lattes, and on most days I do not add any water.

And of course, traditional matcha is just blended with that under-boiling water, no milk.

My process: I warm the mixture of almond and soy milk in a mug in the microwave (or if I am feeling fancy, I will use my stovetop). Then I pour the warmed milk (I like my milk to be VERY hot) into my Vitamix. Turn it on low, add 1-2 teaspoon Encha Organic Matcha (Latte or Ceremonial Grade), add a few drops of peppermint extract and 1-2 teaspoon of sweetener (to taste). Then I blend for 30 seconds, pour and serve.

My daily recipe..

Kathy Patalsky's Go-To Matcha

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 06/27/2017Kathy Patalsky's Go-To Matcha
This is the matcha recipe I use every day! I love a hint of peppermint in my matcha latte. I love soy or almond milk, but usually use a blend of the two. And for sweeteners, I love apple honey, coconut sugar or even agave syrup.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk (I use half soy and half almond)
  • 1-2 teaspoon Encha Organic Matcha (latte or ceremonial grades)
  • ½ capful of peppermint extract (or at least a few drops)
  • sweeten to taste - depending on the day (usually 1-2 teaspoon sweetener)*
  • * sweeteners: coconut sugar, agave syrup, maple syrup, apple "honey" or even real honey if you consume that.

Instructions

  1. Warm the milk in the microwave or on a stovetop. I usually do microwave. I like my milk steamy hot, so I do 3 minutes.
  2. Pour the hot milk into blender container, turn on low. While it is blending, add the matcha, peppermint and sweetener. Blend at a slightly higher speed, maybe a 3, then turn off blender.
  3. Pour into your serving mug and enjoy!

Yield: 1 big mugPrep Time: 00 hrs. 05 mins. Total time: 5 mins. Tags: matcha,beverage,latte,green tea,breakfast,drinnk,howto,encha,matcha latte,peppermint

Encha Matcha is now on Amazon! So great for ordering ease.

Enter the monthly giveaway below! Come back next month for a new giveaway!..

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Catch up on the Kathy's Matcha Chat Series:

- episode 1
- episode 2
- episode 3

Also check out Encha on Instagram for some beautiful matcha-spiration.

Download my current iphone wallpeper below - click on the image to get the full size version and download!...

iphone:

pps. You watched the video to the very end right? I mean you don't want to miss the kitty cameos! 😉

disclosure: This series is sponsored by Encha Organic Matcha, but all opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links.

71 Vegan Ice Cream recipes for Summer!

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Happy summer everyone! Before I dive into this epic list of recipes, I want to look back on the evolution of vegan ice cream.

Over the past few 10-15 years I have watched vegan/non-dairy ice cream dramatically evolve. I can remember a time when I grumpily dove my spoon into dry and really, not-very-good soy or rice-based ice cream because they were the only options in stores. Just two to three flavors available. Chocolate. Vanilla. Strawberry. Later, soy and almond and soon coconut-based flavors evolved or popped up. More brands. Smarter brands.. Brands started to get savvier with their recipes, and vegan ice cream actually started to taste... good. Then came cashew ice cream. And the coconut milk ice cream got richer and creamier. And I even started to find vegan ice creams in soft serve, swirled form! Vegan fro-yo was finally a thing. Hooray!

Recently, Ben & Jerry's dove in on the game. Boom. Vegan, dairy-free versions of Chunky Monkey, Double Fudge Brownie and Cherry Garcia were real. Whoah. Then Breyer's snuck out vegan Oreo and Vanilla Peanut Butter flavors. Double whoah. Vegan ice cream sandwiches, vegan chocolate-dipped ice cream bars and more are available to consumers. I am just waiting on a vegan Choco Taco. (Has that been veganized yet?) There is really nothing vegan ice cream cannot do these days. And this ice cream-loving girl is very very happy.

And alongside this in-store evolution, bloggers and cookbook authors have been busy little bees, creating the most amazing vegan churn and churn-free ice cream recipes. Pretty much any flavor you can ever imagine has been veganized. And if not yet, I am sure it will be!

Vegan ice cream has come a long way in the past 15 years that I have been vegan. I really never imagined that I would not miss dairy ice cream! It is pretty amazing. So today, I asked my Finding Vegan bloggers to share a few of their favorite ice cream recipes, here they are. Grab a cone or a spoon and enjoy summertime with these 71 Vegan Ice Cream Recipes!..

Along with recipes below, I asked the bloggers to optionally share their favorite thing about summertime, or why they love the recipe they shared. Enjoy!..

71 Vegan Ice Cream recipes for Summer!

1. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream by me

2. Vegan Churro Unfried Ice Cream by Veggies Don't Bite. Sophia says, "Here's our favorite, and I look forward to our new backyard and pool being done so we can spend lazy days playing outside without school schedules or anywhere to be!"

3. Unicorn Ice Cream by Feasting on Fruit

4. Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream by Joy Food Sunshine

5. Vegan Vienetta by PlantePusherne Nina says, "Homemade vegan Vienetta - because it doesn't get more 90's decadent than that!"

6. Cookies & Cream Cashew Ice Cream by me

7. Matcha Chip Ice Cream by me

8. Cranberry Contreau Coconut Ice Cream by Vegan Yack Attack

9. Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars by VeganHuggs Melissa says, "I love these Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars because they remind me of my childhood summers on Long Island. They were so delicious, refreshing, creamy and sweet. Totally made chasing down the ice cream man, a fun summer sport."

10. Vegan + Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches by Lazy Cat Kitchen

11. Peanut Butter Sweet Potato Ice Cream by The Vegan 8

12. Salted Caramel Cashew Ice Cream by me

13. Pumpkin Ice Cream by Plant Powered Kitchen

14. Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream by Joy Food Sunshine

17. Mocha Almond Fudge by me

18. Raw Dirty Turtle Ice Cream by Fragrant Vanilla Cake. Amy says, "This ice cream is one of my favorites, I have always been a sucker for Turtle flavored anything. Chocolate, pecans and caramel is such a heavenly combination."

19. Bourbon-Soaked Cherry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream by Vanilla and Bean. Traci says, "I SO look forward to picnics during Summer, especially during the work week. For dinner I make and pack a simple picnic. I pile it all into my trusty picnic basket (a reused cardboard veggie box), throw a box of wine in and as soon as Rob gets home from work, we load up the car and head to our favorite picnic spot. It's quiet, peaceful and a perfect way to end the workday. It makes Summer feel like an extended vacation even during the work week!"

20. Strawberry Ice Cream by Welcoming Kitchen

21. Ice Cream Cake by Strength and Sunshine.

22. Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream by Garden in the Kitchen

23. Watermelon Blender Ice Cream by me

24. French Press Coffee Ice Cream with Brown Sugar Rum Raisins by Glue and Glitter. Becky says, "Rum raisins and coffee = shockingly delicious!" (I have to agree, that sounds amazing!)

25. Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream by Karen Luvs Life

26. Vegan Cookie Dough Ice Cream by Vanilla Crunnch. Lara says, "I am looking forward to eat my weekly amount of cookies in ice cream form."

27. Thai Basil Lemongrass Ice Cream by Circus Gardener. Steve says, "The principal components of this extraordinary ice cream are more usually found together in savoury dishes such as Thai green curry, yet here they are rubbing shoulders in a vegan ice cream, where they combine gloriously."

28. Chunky Maple Peanut Butter Ice Cream by Vegan in the Freezer. Ginny says, "Looking forward to this summer especially since we are living in a new location. We'll be taking lots of hikes and seeing what new animal species there are in the area."

29. Vegan Peanut Butter Blender Ice Cream by me

30. Avocado Ice Cream by Elephantastic Vegan

31. Peanut Butter Praline Crunch by Heart of a Baker

32. Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream by Vanilla and Bean

33. Ginger Switchel Floats with cinnamon Ice Cream by SpaBettie She says, "A fun one to entertain with!!"

34. Dairy-Free Cookies & Cream by The Pretty Bee Kelly says, "Our family loves eating dinner outside in the summertime, and then enjoying homemade ice cream for dessert!"

35. Vegan Raw Butterfinger Ice Cream by The Vegan 8

36. Cashew Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream by me

37. Healthy Bluster with chocolate crunch and drizzle by Ricki Heller. Ricki says about summer, "I love anything and everything about summer, but watching my dogs frolics while swimming is the BEST."

38. Rhubarb Swirl Gelato by Occasionally Eggs Alexandra says, "My favourite thing is gardening in the summer, or more specifically, eating the garden produce"

39. Nutella Banana Ice Cream by Abbey's Kitchen

40. Maple Nut Royale Ice Cream by Bittersweet Blog

41. Mango Pineapple Ginger Turmeric Ice Cream by Unconventional Baker. Audrey says, "Summer has my favorite wildflowers in bloom. Look forward to spending time in the fields..."

42. Banana Peanut Butter Soft Serve by Vegetarian Gastronomy.

43. Fresh Blueberry Ice Cream by SunnysideHanne. Johanne says, "The morning that I wake up and can go make my coffee without putting on a sweatshirt and socks is the moment I know summer has arrived. Isn't that a heavenly feeling?"

44. Tahini Ice Cream with pistachios and cardamom by May I Have That Recipe. Vicky says, "Living on the East Coast, we love spending time outside when we can. We look forward to going to be beach, biking, and eating out on the deck."

45. Blueberry Pie Ice Cream by Craving Nature. Emma says, "Pie + ice cream. 'Nuff said. 😛 J/K. I love being barefoot on the sand or on the grass. There is nothing like having to scrub your feet before hopping into bed after a day outdoors."

46. Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream by May I Have That Recipe

47. Blueberry Lavender Ice Dream by Vegan Monster

48. Berry Ice Cream Cake by Sunnyside Hanne. Johanne says, "Yesterday in the garden I found the 1st ripe strawberry hiding under dark green leaves. It was tiny and fragrant. What I love about summer is the cadence of ripening fruit in my garden. After the strawberries come the currants and then the raspberries, then the apricots, then peaches, and so on. It is the song of summer."

49. 4-Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream by The Vegan 8. Brandi says, "Love this because it's so easy, just 4 ingredients and tastes exactly like dairy!"

50. Starbucks Copycat Mocha Ice Cream by The Vegan 8

51. Peanut Banana Chocolate Bars by Occasionally Eggs. Alexandra says, "I love how easy it is and that I feel good about all the ingredients, even though it's super creamy and decadent."

52. Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches by Ann Arbor Vegan Kitchen. Vicki says, "The best thing about summer just might be relaxing with family on the back porch with homemade ice cream sandwiches!"

53. No-churn Peanut Butter Ice Cream by The Nut Free Vegan

54. Snickers Ice Cream Bites by Rhian's Recipes. Rhian says, "Love how easy these are to make!"

55. Turkish Coffee Ice Cream by My Darling Vegan. Sarah says, "Long days and late summer nights with good friends and food."

56. Rocky Road Ice Cream by Yummy Mummy Kitchen. Marina says about ice cream excitement, "I'm looking forward to eating allll the sorbetto on our Italy trip"

57. Banana Pudding Ice Cream by My Plant Based Family. Holly says, "This recipe takes me back to growing up in the south! We always had banana pudding at family get togethers. I remade it into a vegan ice cream dessert with allergy friendly cookies."

58. Blackberry Nice Cream by Phruitful Dish

59. Coconut Chili Basil Ice Cream by Rough Measures. Sus says, "This reminds me of our summers working at festivals in the UK! Much needed refreshment after a week of building a glamping site!!"

60. Chocolate Chocolate Chip Protein Ice Cream by Lauren Kelly Nutrition

61. Chocolate Pecan Ice Cream by Life Currents

62. Peanutty Coconut Vanilla Fudge Ice Cream by Happy food healthy life

63. Chocolate No-Churn Vegan Ice Cream by Trinity's Kitchen

64. Tropical Soft Serve by Vegetarian Gastronomy. Anjali says, "This one is another favorite because it reminds me of summer in Hawaii...my favorite place to vacation with my family growing up!"

65. Vegan Peach Ice Cream by Serving Realness. Nick says, "I'm looking forward to all the stone-fruit!"

66. Vegan Fried Ice Cream Bombs by Strength and Sunshine

67. Salted Caramel Ice Cream by My Whole Food Life

68. Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream Pie by EA Stewart

69. Super Easy Vegan Oreo Ice Cream by Vegan Heaven Sina says, "I'm looking forward to delicious vegan BBQs and ice cream afterwards. I love this recipe because it's super decadent and extremely easy at the same time."

70. Vegan "Klondike" Bars by me

71. Vegan Banana Split by me

Thank you to all the bloggers who contributed recipes via the Finding Vegan bloggers Facebook group.
Happy summer!

Try My Sweet Potato Chili via Veestro

by 39 Comments


disclosure: This post is sponsored by Veestro

A while back I gave the plant-based meal delivery program Veestro a test run for a review. I loved their company and their delicious meals. So I was excited when they came to me and asked if I wanted to collaborate on a custom Veestro meal!

During the month of June only, you can order my vegan Sweet Potato Chili directly from Veestro! It comes delivered to your doorstep, just heat, eat and sit back and relax. Info on my chili, a giveaway, promo code to try Veestro and more ahead..

Spoiler alert: Loved it!..

I added some diced avocado on top for color and added flavor - and more healthy fats!

A Veestro box on your doorstep is a very happy thing!..

I sampled my chili as well as some juices and the new cookie pie dessert which was so good! The cookie pie is even loaded with healthy ingredients like oats and beans - and chocolate of course..

My recipe, with a few Veestro modifications, delivered to your doorstep!..

I actually didn't get a really good photo of the cookie pie, but it was SO good! Moist and tender like cookie dough, only filled with healthy ingredients.

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Sweet Potato Chili. My chili recipe comes from this original recipe I posted a few years ago. I loved that recipe so much because it was a true meal in a bowl - so it was perfect as a Veestro meal! Tender sweet potatoes, hearty beans and lentils and plenty of smoky-sweet-spicy flavor. This chili is very mildly spicy, just enough to warm you up. You could always add in a few pinches of cayenne for more heat.

The Veestro version uses white sweet potatoes and chickpeas and lots of hearty lentils. It has nice chunks of bell peppers, celery, onion and corn. It has chili powder and a hint of chocolate for that rich and warming "chili" flavor. I really loved the cozy, warming flavor! Perfect for an easy lunch or light dinner. Or pair it with a Veestro salad (I loved the kale + beet) for a heartier meal.

Nutrition Info - Veestro Sweet Potato Chili:

One serving contains:
360 calories
4.5g fat
170mg sodium (7% RDA - impressive for a frozen meal!)
67g carbs
14g fiber (nice!)
17g protein (also nice!)
25% RDA of iron
60% RDA vitamin C
290% RDa vitamin A
8% RDA calcium

How to Cook the Chili: I had two frozen chilis to try and I microwaved one and used my stovetop for the other. The microwaved version was warming and delicious, but a bit more like a very thick stew than a chili because the microwave retains more moisture, so it becomes thinner in texture. But the flavor was still superb.

Cooking the next chili on my stovetop gave my chili a much thicker texture, something I crave from a chili. It all depends what you want and how much time you have. I also noticed that cooking the chili on my stovetop darkened the colors a bit more into a deeper red color, which I really liked.

Microwaved preparation:

Microwaved prep is a bit a thinner texture, more like a thick stew. But still so flavorful and warming.

Stovetop preparation, thick and chunky chili, loaded with veggies and legumes..

My Review. Overall I was so impressed with how Veestro turned my home-cooked recipe into a ready-to-go frozen entree, rich with hearty ingredients and so much flavor. I love that this entree is truly a complete meal because it have veggies, legumes, protein, carbs, fiber and healthy fats. I like to add fresh avocado and maybe some vegan sour cream or mayo to serve. A slice of cornbread on the side would be perfection!

The best part about Veestro is that their meals really do taste like homemade dishes because they use the freshest ingredients, do not use preservatives and the best part - Veestro owners, Mark and Monica, truly put a whole lot of love into their company and their meals show that!

So if you are curious about Veestro and want to try my Sweet Potato Chili recipe - you can order here, but don't wait because it will only be offered in the month of June, which is quickly passing by!

Try Veestro with 20% off. Use code HAPPYLIFE to get 20% your Veestro order.

Enter the 21-Day Kickstart giveaway below, ends in one week!
 $229 value - includes dry ice shipping!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Kathy. I also did an interview for the Veestro blog, which you can read here: Plants for the People: Kathy Patalsky Interview

Facebook Live! And if you are on Facebook, be sure to tune into the Veestro Facebook Live this Friday, June 23rd, 12:30 PST. I will be cooking/blending something! I am nervous/excited because this will be my first FB Live broadcast ever. Hope you can tune in, say hi and thank you!! Any questions, ask away!

Be sure to check out the Veestro website if you are curious about a convenient way to add more plants to your life! Browse the meals and also check out my detailed review with my favorite meals.

Veestro's website - find the sweet potato chili here
Veestro on Twitter
Veestro on Facebook (where the Facebook Live will be hosted!)
Veestro on Instagram

Facebook Live with Veestro!..

My Veestro 21-Day review video..

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disclosure: This post is sponsored by Veestro

Orange Pineapple Sunshine Smoothie

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Who wants some instant sunshine for the week ahead? I have the recipe for you!..

Monday. I started my day off with this smoothie and that felt really nourishing and sunny. Today's recipe tastes like a piña cola meets creamsicle - creamy and frosty, yet light, bright and tropical. Nice way to wake up! Looking back on the past few days, my weekend involved some chill time, some ocean air time, some tennis time, lots of kitchen time, some lazy time and a lot of check-ins to the Katy Perry #KPWWW live stream. I was kinda addicted to checking in on it! Did you watch?? Modern day Truman Show. I am so fascinated by live streams! How cool would it be if I just live streamed my kitchen 24/7, ha!

And I have been sipping this Orange Pineapple Sunshine Smoothie all week long. I usually stick to my favorite purple or green smoothies, but the past week I have just been craving this blend. It feels like a tropical vacation in a glass.

I love this blend of ingredients because they are very anti inflammatory in nature. Keep reading to find out why and get the recipe!..

A Few of the anti inflammatory + just 'good whole foods' ingredients:

* Turmeric - turmeric is such a wonderful, naturally healing food. Turmeric actually comes from a root and looks a lot like ginger root, but the inside is bright orange in color. My favorite turmeric for smoothies is by Ojio. I find that it has the very brightest color and sweet, lovely flavor that meshes so well with fruit. My fave turmeric on Amazon (affiliate link)

* Cayenne - I lean towards spicy foods for 'healing' powers simply by one fact - I can feel it when I ingest them. When I have a cold or feel a virus creeping on, I load up on garlic and spicy broth and lemon and cayenne and it just makes me feel better. So I do like to sneak cayenne into my smoothies sometimes. And cayenne, from chili peppers, may have anti inflammatory benefits too..

"...chili peppers contain natural compounds called capsaicinoids. These are what give the spicy fruit its anti-inflammatory properties." - healthline

* Pineapple - Pineapple contains bromelain which is an enzyme that can help everything from digestion to wound healing. "Bromelain appears to have anti-inflammatory properties." - Cleveland Clinic Pineapple is also rich in vitamin C and fiber and bonus it tastes amazing and tropical!

* Baobab - I love adding this to my citrus smoothies because baobab has a naturally citrus flavor. It is super rich in vitamin C and fiber and I just love it. Check out my fave baobab on Amazon. (affiliate link)

"With an ORAC value of 24,000 u mol TE/100g , baobab powder has 20x antioxidants of green tea and more than blueberries and pomegranates combined." - aduna's website

But sometimes "anti inflammatory" foods do not have to be superfoods and special spices - they can literally be whole foods you eat every day like leafy greens and nuts and even tomatoes. Check out what Harvard has to say about a few every day anti inflammatory foods.

And just to focus on this smoothie as a whole it is such a natural sunbeam in your day. It boosts your intake of fruit for the day, hydrates, leaves you feeling warmed and uplifted and nourished and it just tastes SO GOOD. Kinda like a creamsicle meets piña colada. So, with that, let's just dive into the recipe...

When Do I Drink This? I have been using it as a breakfast smoothie or a late afternoon, post-workout smoothie. I love the flavors for the morning and I can easily boost it with protein and anything else you'd like because the flavors are so easy to tweak.

Some other recipe of mine that include turmeric:

- Turmeric White Bean Burgers

- Dayglow Smoothie

- 2014 Golden Wellness Smoothie

- Vegan Golden Milk

Let the sunshine in!...

 

ps. If you make + post any of my recipes be sure to tag me online so I see it and can say thank you!

Insta: @KathyPatalsky #365vegansmoothies #healthyhappyvegankitchen #findingvegan

Twitter: @lunchboxbunch

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Orange Pineapple Sunshine Smoothie

This frosty citrus and pineapple flavored vegan smoothie tastes like a piña colada meets a creamsicle. Rich in fiber and vitamin C - healthy and delicious.
Prep Time7 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Total Time14 minutes
Course: beverage, Breakfast, Dessert, smoothie
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beverage, blend, breakfast, citrus, drink, orange, pineapple, smoothie, turmeric, wellness
Servings: 1 smoothie
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almond milk, plain
  • 1 small orange, peeled + pinch of the zest
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 - 1 ¼ cups frozen pineapple
  • 1 tablespoon baobab (optional)
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1-3 Brazil nuts or a scoop of hemp seeds or walnuts (optional)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
  • a few ice cubes (optional)
  • 1 scoop plain protein powder, vegan (optional) 

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Matcha Mint Chip Ice Cream (Vegan)

by 13 Comments


One of my favorite ice cream flavors is mint chocolate chip. I am pretty sure it was my sister who turned me onto it. I remember being kids, sprawled out on the living room floor, sunbeams cascading down the walls as we held cereal bowls filled to the brim with that soup-y, melting green ice cream. I would smash it around until it was the perfect creamy consistency, all as we watched Labyrinth, Dirty Dancing, Adventures in Babysitting or Nadia for the millionth time on video. So while I have so many happy memories associated with this flavor, I have to say that this dairy-free version satisfies like nothing else. I actually feel good after eating it. Cashew-based ice creams are my favorite - so creamy, silky, dreamy.

So in the name of warm weather and summer-is-coming vibes, I bring you my vegan recipe for Matcha Mint Chip Ice Cream. This ice cream is perky green with a refreshing mint flavor, accented by ripples of finely chopped dark chocolate chunks.

I hope you can scoop some into an ice cream cone or bowl very soon! (And laying on the floor with your sister or other favorite people, giggling your heart out while watching favorite movies, is a nice serving tip..)

Video included with this recipe..

Simple, healthy ingredients!

Blended cashew mixture..

After churning, freeze in a freezer-friendly container until a scoopable consistency is reached.

Matcha adds beautiful, natural green color, while also adding a boost of green tea Zenergy.

How many scoops are you craving?..

Matcha Ice Cream. The funny thing about this bright green matcha ice cream is that the matcha green tea flavor is incredibly subtle. You don't need a lot of matcha to achieve a lovely, bright color. So just in case you are worried about getting too much matcha flavor in your dessert - don't! Plus, the flavors are actually incredibly welcoming and complimentary with peppermint, sweetness, a subtle matcha flavor and all-that-chocolate. Plus, the cashews add a creamy light sweetness all their own.

Encha Organic Matcha. As you guys have probably noticed from my Kathy's Matcha Chats the past few months, I am an Encha Organic Matcha ambassador. And every single brand I work with has to be something that I adore and embrace as a favorite product. And yes, Encha is the best brand I have found for a variety of reasons including: quality, cost and just the overall amazingness of the brand! I am in awe of their commitment to the organic side of the matcha business - as well as their community passion - encouraging more and more people to give matcha a try. I am so proud to be a part of watching the Encha brand grow!

Fun Fact: I mean, did you know that Anna from Frozen drinks Encha? Princess beverage here! Ok, so I actually mean Kristen Bell, but same thing, right? Pretty cool!..

Bottom line, Encha is a brand that excels in bringing matcha that is a bright green color and has a light, deliciously grassy and dreamy matcha green tea flavor. Boom and boom.

Which Matcha-grade Do You Use for Ice Cream? For this recipe, you could easily use any grade of matcha, but the most cost effective and appropriate variety is probably the Encha Culinary-grade Matcha. For my recipe, I used the Latte-grade Encha, just because that is what I usually have on hand for recipes like this.

More matcha features from my blog:

* Kathy's Matcha Reviews and Buying Guide
* Everything About Matcha + Expert Interview
* 7 Tips for Making a Matcha Latte

If you are eager to give Encha a try, you can order directly from the Encha website or they are now on Amazon:

Peppermint Flavor. For minty ice creams, I use peppermint extract because it is super simple and provides an intense minty punch. But if you'd like to experiment with adding in whole mint leaves you are welcome to do that as well. For the sweetener, I used maple syrup, but agave or even honey (if you consume it) would work. You can also sweeten vegan ice cream with Medjool dates, like this salted caramel swirl flavor, although I have not tried that yet for this recipe, and it would darken the color a bit.

I am eager to experiment with a few variations of matcha ice cream this summer, like coconut milk ice cream and maybe a rainbow ice cream with a green matcha swirl. Do you have a favorite ice cream you would love to see me veganize? I love hearing your suggestions!

Enjoy this one!!..

Watch me make it..

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disclosure: I am an Encha Organic Matcha ambassador, but all opinions are my own. This post also contains Amazon affiliate links.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Matcha Mint Chip Ice Cream

This super rich and creamy cashew ice cream creates a classic mint chocolate chip look and flavor using matcha green tea, peppermint extract and vegan chocolate.
Prep Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cashews, chocolate chips, dairy-free, dessert, ice cream, matcha mint, summer, vegan
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 338kcal
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 3 cups raw cashews
  • 2 ½ cups non-dairy milk (unsweetened soy or almond)
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup**
  • ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 ½ tablespoon Encha Organic Matcha (culinary or latte grades advised)
  • **This ice cream is not super sweet, it is just right to me. But if a sweeter flavor is desired, reduce non-dairy milk by a ¼ cup and add another ¼ cup of maple syrup.

Fold in:

  • 1 cup vegan dark chocolate chunks, chips or bars, finely chopped (add more if desired)

Instructions

  • The day before making your ice cream, soak your cashews in water. You want to soak for at least 6 hours so that they plump up. Soaking overnight works well. (Also make sure your ice cream maker container is in the freezer, ready to be fully chilled when making the ice cream.)
  • Drain cashews and add soaked cashews to your blender, along with the non-dairy milk, maple syrup, matcha, salt and peppermint. Blend until silky smooth.
  • Turn on your ice cream maker and pour the matcha mix into the fully frozen container. Allow to churn for about 20 minutes, or until it is thick and spoonable.
  • Add in the chocolate and turn off the machine.
  • Pour the ice cream into a freezer-friendly container, cover and chill until it has firmed up to a scoopable state. You can also chill overnight. To serve, allow the ice cream time to thaw to a scoopable state. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g

Vegan Broccoli Black Bean Enchiladas, with Homemade Sauce

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I made these Broccoli Black Bean Enchiladas with Homemade Sauce last weekend and have been eating them all week long. And I have a theory. Enchiladas are good the first day. Great the second day and amazingggggggg the third day or re-heated after frozen. After a few days, all the sauces marinate the tortillas and everything gets more flavorful and tender and sings comfort food perfection.

As I was eating these on day three I proclaimed to my husband, "Yup, enchiladas, the way I make them, they are definitely my favorite food." I said holding my steaming hot plate of warmed up enchiladas. "..I mean, like savory food, not like fruits and smoothies, obviously."

Enchiladas were always a fave of mine. I remember going out to Mexican restaurants every week with my family when I was a kid. I would always order the spinach enchiladas with rice and beans. Red rice, so good and flavorful, fluffy and cozy. And the beans all melty and rich. Then the enchiladas with layers of dense, soft spinach leaves inside tortillas coated in sauce and cheese. Ahhhhhhhh.

And yup. Today, my vegan versions of enchiladas win all the points for me. And today's recipe is my way of helping myself eat more broccoli! I did a skillet broccoli "taco meat" before loading the mixture into the enchiladas with black beans. I am absolutely making this recipe again this weekend because they were finished Thursday night and I am still craving them! I hope you can try them too..

Before popping one tray in the oven..

Broccoli "taco meat" for filling the enchiladas..

Freshly pulled from the oven.... Instagram-chiladas..

Eat More Broccoli! That is what I keep telling myself. And I did something fun this time. Instead of using a vegan "meat" or a vegan "chorizo" style filling, I finely chopped broccoli and it turned into a sort of ground meat-like" texture. Now ok, I'm saying meat words a lot here, but I am just trying to describe how you can use veggies as subs for traditional animal product fillings! And broccoli is a protein-rich veggie too! One bunch contains 17g or brotein! Haha... I accidentally wrote "brotein" their, instead of protein. And I had to keep that typo in because it is kinda cool.

These enchiladas are packed with brotein, guys!

This was just one tray, I actually made two batches like this..

 

Sleeping kitty cats make cozy cooking days even cozier..

A different recipe I made a few years back, Spinach Enchiladas..

Bubbly... (Yes I made a whole quick video out of these 6 seconds...) LOL, hi.

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Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Broccoli Black Bean Enchiladas with Homemade Sauce

These cozy and flavorful veggie enchiladas are loaded with broccoli and beans with a spicy red sauce on top!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: dinner, entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beans, broccoli, dinner, enchiladas, entree, gluten free, meal, mexican, tomato, vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 390kcal
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • Vegan Broccoli "Taco Meat:"
  • 1 bunch of broccoli, finely chopped (rough ends of stems discarded)1 teaspoon taco or fajita blend spice (or try a combine of cumin + chipotle powders)
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2-3 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • a few splashes of veggie broth or water (as needed)
  • salt, to taste (omit salt if using pre-salted fajita seasoning)
  • 10-12 corn tortillas
  • 1 15oz can of black refried beans, vegan
  • 1 4oz can of chopped green chiles
  • 1-2 cups baby spinach (optional)
  • 1 batch of Kathy's homemade red enchilada sauce
  • vegan cheese, shredded (use to taste - a good sub is a sprinkle of nutritional yeast)
  • garnish: pico de gallo and freshly sliced avocado (optional)

Instructions

  • Warm a skillet over high heat and add the olive oil, onion and garlic. Saute for about two minutes, until onion is soft. Then add in the broccoli and spices. Saute another minute. Add in a splash of veggie broth or water, cover with lid and reduce heat to medium. Allow the steam to soften the mixture for another minute or two. When broccoli is tender, but not mushy, and all the liquid has been absorbed, turn off heat and set broccoli mixture aside. Note: If you want to add spinach to your enchiladas, add the spinach to the saute pan before closing the lid, this will soften and reduce the spinach.
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees while you assemble to enchiladas.
  • Blend up your sauce by following the recipe directions here.
  • Assembly: To each corn tortilla, add 1-2 tablespoon beans, 2-3 tablespoon veggie mixture. Roll the tortilla tightly and place in the casserole dish. Repeat until all the enchiladas are lined up. I add enchiladas on the sides to fill any gaps as well.
  • Pour the sauce over top, soaking each enchilada with sauce. You want to completely cover the tortillas so you just see red sauce. Add a sprinkle of vegan cheese on top (or sub with nutritional yeast.) The top with the entire can of diced green chiles. Optional:You can add some salsa or pico de gallo on top before cooking to add more texture to the top of the enchiladas.
  • Cover the dish with foil and bake at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes. Remove the foil about five minutes before removing from pan. Allow at least ten minutes to cool. Serve warm with optional guacamole or avocado. I also like vegan cashew cream or Vegenaise dolloped on top. These can also be chilled for up to five days, or frozen for a few months! They are delicious as leftovers or made-ahead frozen meals.

Nutrition

Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g

Easy Acai Smoothie Bowl

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acai bowl

One of the smoothies that I make most often is an acai bowl smoothie. So when I realized I really only had one recipe for an acai bowl here on the blog, from four years ago, I knew I wanted to add one just in time for summer!

My original How-to Make an Acai Bowl recipe post is here. And it contains a ton of great tips and anecdotes on choosing acai packs and blending a bowl. But today, I share my current go-to recipe. I will be making this more than a few times this summer! Hope you love it as much as I do..

Side note, even though I only have one (now two) acai bowls / smoothies here on the blog, I do have a bunch of acai smoothies in my smoothie book 365 Vegan Smoothies. So if you are smoothie-curious, check that out!

So, this smoothie. It is so refreshing for summer!

And it isn't too fancy. "Instagram" perfect it is not. In real life, I don't take too much time adding toppings, fluffing things and making sure only the prettiest berries make it to the bowl. So I didn't really do that for today's photos. Quick and dirty! Simple and so good.

Toppings are pretty casual for me with my daily bowls. Some days I want a lot of texture, and other days I just throw some puffed rice on top and spoon dive in.

The toppings I usually rotate on top of my acai bowls are:

  • sliced banana
  • fresh berries
  • puffed rice
  • pumpkin seeds (salted)
  • coconut
  • granola
  • sliced peaches or apricots
  • fresh mango, diced
  • hemp seeds
  • chopped nuts (walnuts, cashews..)
  • drizzled nut butters

But some days I just pour my acai "bowl" in a tall smoothie glass and serve it as a smoothie. Depending on the thickness, I use either a spoon or glass straw.

Thickness? I love my acai bowls to be super thick. How do you do that? 1) Use as little liquid as you can get away with, or add more frosty ingredients like frozen fruit or the actual frozen acai (which is also a fruit btw..)

Another trick for keeping your acai thick and frosty and chilled is here... Some people like to warm up there acai packs before adding to the blender, but the colder your acai pack when you blend it, the thicker the blend will be.

And another tip is to use your Vitamix tamper to blend the thick, frosty fruit.

What is acai?

Acai is a berry from the Amazon. It is a small berry harvested from an acai palm tree. The berries are so delicate that they are not really the type of berry you would ship and import and sell fresh. The acai is processed into frozen fruit packs, which is how most Americans buy acai. If you travel to countries or regions where fresh acai is a local treat, you may be able to find fresh acai bowls.

Acai Nutrition:

One 100g serving contains just 60 calories, 3g fiber, 6% RDA iron, 15% RDA vitamin A, 5,800 ORAC units, 4.58mg heart-healthy omega fatty acids, 0g sugar and zero caffeine or gluten. It also contains various minerals, vitamin C and even some calcium.

Tip! I prefer to buy the unsweetened, 100% pure acai packs. Sometimes there is sugar and/or other ingredients added. That only takes away from having more acai goodness in your smoothie.

acai bowl
acai bowl
Print Recipe
5 from 29 votes

Acai Bowl

This easy, go-to dairy-free acai bowl is dreamy and creamy and packed with healthy ingredients like fruit and nuts. Add toppings as desired, and serve!
Cook Time1 hour 7 minutes
Total Time1 hour 7 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: acai, smoothie
Servings: 2
Calories: 279kcal
Author: Kathy Patalsky
Cost: 3

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

  • 1 cups non-dairy milk
  • 1 frozen acai smoothie pack
  • 1 banana fresh or frozen
  • 6 Brazil Nuts - or sub with 2 tablespoon nut butter
  • 1 cup wild blueberries

Toppings

  • any toppings you'd like - fresh fruit, nuts..

Instructions

  • Add ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth.
  • Pour into a bowl and add toppings to serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 541IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 1mg
acai bowl
acai bowl pin
Pin for later!

disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links

Baked Alaska-Inspired Tofu Pudding

by 5 Comments


This post is sponsored by House Foods Tofu.

Today is my final post for the 50 Plates of Tofu Series! It has been a lot of fun collaborating with House Foods on this creative recipe challenge. I whipped up ten state-inspired, vegan tofu recipes. And today's final recipe was inspired by Alaska. This was a tricky state! But I chose to make a pudding inspired by "Baked Alaska" because 1) it was a great excuse to use roast vegan marshmallows and 2) because one of my favorite things is a chocolate and vanilla layered pudding. This recipe has a hint of nut butter in it as well. So, peanut butter and chocolate pudding parfaits with toasted marshmallows on top it was!

Plus, I chat about dessert styles and my dessert-everyday-is-good state of mind..

These tasty Baked Alaska-Inspired Tofu Pudding Cups combine chocolate and peanut butter, flavored silky tofu pudding, along with warm and toasty vegan marshmallows on top. This is an easy dessert that you can make in a flash, with minimal ingredients. And these summertime-inspired, "S'mores-y" flavors are perfection! Kid-approved and a healthy dessert treat.

Dessert every day? Survey time. Raise your hand if you enjoy 'dessert' after dinner every night? Ok, so I cannot actually see your response but I am guessing that a bunch of you have your arms waving over your heads. I know I did! And the thing about dessert is that it doesn't have to be a bad thing!

"Dessert" doesn't have to mean decadent. As in consuming a leaning tower of Oreos or a giant 3-scoop bowl of full fat ice cream - or the entire vegan Ben & Jerry's pint - or a thick slice of double fudge layer cake. While those are certainly worthy treats from time to time, dessert can very easily be something you treat yourself with every night - and feel good about.

Dessert can absolutely be a healthy habit! For me, it gives me a happy feeling as I wind down at the end of the day, and prepare to get calm and sleepy for bed. And while it may sound eye-rollable to some, I get freaking excited about a giant bowl of strawberries after dinner. I often eat fresh fruit after dinner as a TV-watching snack. After years of being vegan, I crave things that are a bit on the healthier side.

In my teens and early twenties, I'm 36 now, I used to try and restrict myself way too much with sweets. I would force myself to buy the "diet" desserts even though I craved the real stuff. And that never ended well. I would eat diet-y desserts for days, weeks even - and then eventually end up blowing that by eating very large portions of the stuff I was actually craving. It was a bad cycle of restrictive eating. Habits I will never return too because they messed with my mind, body and soul. But from those experiences, I learned that restriction and dieting, for me, do not work.

I also learned that healthy eating is very closely linked to self esteem. And if you can grow to love your body as it is (not how society or Instagram) wants it to be - you will slowly just eat in a way that supports your body and it's dietary needs - instead of punishing it or trying to always chase the "eat as little as possible" train. Trust me, that never ends well. Eat breakfast, eat when you are hungry, eat to keep your body thriving. At least, that is what works for me.

For me, the key to dessert (and actually all day eating...) is listening to my body. For treats and desserts, I will eat basically anything vegan. It doesn't have to be 'healthy.' Full fat ice cream, cookies, refined sugar vegan treats. Whatever looks amazing. I'm game. (And vegan food can be SO incredible these days!) But the cool thing is that after 15 years of being vegan and learning how to nourish myself all day long with healthy-delicious plant foods, my cravings actually lean towards the healthy stuff. And here on the blog I have loads of dessert recipes that I can pull inspiration from. But when I DO crave the 'regular, not-healthy-ish' desserts, (like, oh yes I DO want to try that frosting-swirled vegan cupcake!) for me, it is about portion size.

I try to watch portion sizes with decadent things. In the end, I trust that I won't crave super decadent desserts every single night, so when I do want a big portion of one, I just do it. Especially when eating out at a cool restaurant with amazing desserts or at a friends party or celebration or just as a treat.

Botton Line of Desserts. I guess some people just have a dessert habit and others don't. I know that I DO. So I have tried to find healthy options to fill those after-dinner sweet cravings. For me, it works!

So yes, I absolutely treat myself after dinner, pretty much every night.

Some desserts can include:

* Bowl of full fat vegan ice cream with sliced banana or berries (the amount varies for me - sometimes one small scoop will do - sometimes two large scoops are a must.)
* Giant bowl of fresh berries and maybe a vegan yogurt an hour later
* A few mini sized cookies
* Splitting a vegan maple donuts from Whole Foods with my husband
* A portion of a decadent dessert I may be testing or have made for the blog
* A watermelon or banana nice cream smoothie bowl
* A slice of healthy-ish vegan carrot cake. One of my favorite desserts!
* Chocolate. dark chocolate. (OR in the cooler months, hot cocoa with vegan whip on top)
* Pudding! Like today's recipe.
* Cold cereal. Weird? Well sometimes I love cold cereal with berries as dessert. It's a comfort treat to me!
* More fruit... I am a fruit lover. So a few peaches, giant apple, giant berry bowl, other tree fruit and more -- all very worthy after dinner treats for me.

...those are just a few ideas off the top of my head. But YES I personally think that if dessert makes you feel good, which for most people it does, there is no harm in having dessert every single night. I actually think that depriving yourself of something you love is worse than skipping it.

What are some of your favorite after dinner treats? And do you eat "dessert" every day? Let me know in the comments!

And when I say "dessert" I am usually referring to after-dinner style eats. But "treats" can happen at any hour of the day, obviously. My husband has swiftly taught me that sometimes you just have to eat the cupcake before dinner.

So, anyways..... I guess I'm in a ramble mode after a very long and lovely Memorial Day weekend. It was full of sunshine, cleaning, movies and lots of tennis. I hope you had an awesome weekend too!

Catch up with all ten of my tofu recipes here!..

1 - California Avocado Toast
2 - Southwest Tofu Burrito with Avocado
3 - Creamy Cashew Tofu Pot Pie
4 - Gooey Butter Cake
5 - Cherry Tofu Parfaits
6 - Southwest Tofu Quinoa Bowl
7 - Salt and Pepper Tofu Skewers with peanut sauce
8 - BBQ Tofu Corn Kale Ranch Salad
9 - Beer-Battered Tofu Tacos
10 - Baked Alaska Inspired Pudding

Follow along on the House Foods Facebook Page.

disclosure: this post is sponsored by House Foods Tofu's 50 Plates Series, but all opinions are my own.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Baked Alaska-Inspired Tofu Pudding

These tasty pudding cups combine chocolate and peanut butter flavored silk tofu pudding, along with warm and toasty marshmallows on top. Super easy dessert that you can make in a flash. These flavors are perfection.

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate, dessert, marshmallows, plant based, pudding, smores, tofu, vanila, vegan
Servings: 3 servings
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 1 package House Foods Tofu, soft
  • 6 Medjool dated, pitted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup maple or agave syrup
  • ⅓ cup peanut or almond butter
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Also: 2 teaspoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 6 large vegan marshmallows ( I used Sweet & Sara vegan marshmallows, Dandies is another vegan brand)
  • bamboo skewers

Instructions

  • Soak the dates in warm water for five minutes, to soften. Drain water.


  • Add all the pudding ingredients (except the cocoa powder) to a blender. Blend from low to high until smooth.


  • Pour out half of the pudding, into a small bowl. 

Add the cocoa powder to the pudding still in the blender. Blend until combined. Pour the chocolate mixture into another side bowl.

Place both bowls in the fridge or freezer to chill. You want them to chill just until they are thick and firmed up to a mousse-like state. (About 40 minutes in the fridge or 25 minutes in the freezer).
  • When the puddings are fully chilled, scoop the vanilla pudding into serving cups. Followed by the chocolate layer. (Place back in the fridge while you work on the marshmallows.)
  • Roast your marshmallows on your stovetop. Roast in sets of two, on your halved bamboo skewers.
  • Grab the fully chilled, layered pudding cups. Add the toasted marshmallows on top of the puddings to serve.



Fresh Artichoke Dip

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This post is sponsored by Ocean Mist Farms, but all opinions are my own.

This fresh artichoke dip is so flavorful and such a crowd-pleaser if you serve it at an event or casual snack party. You know, TV watching, study-seshing, whatever.

And one of my favorite snacks is a hearty, healthy bean dip! When most people think of 'bean dips,' they think of hummus. But today I am sharing a velvet-y, lemon-pepper-garlic dip that uses fresh artichokes as the secret ingredient.

This Lemon Pepper Garlic Artichoke White Bean Dip is easy and super flavorful.

Vacation anyone? And I'm also sharing an amazing online contest. Ocean Mist Farms and a few other produce brands are sending one lucky grand prize winner on a $4,000 tropical vacation. And a few awesome cash prizes for the runner up winners. Yes, please! I would be so excited if one of my blog readers wins one of these amazing prizes. Details ahead! Be sure to enter to win after checking out today's recipe...

update: this contest has ended.

Skinny Dips Sweepstakes. Ocean Mist has teamed up with some favorite fruit and veggie brands to help you celebrate the arrival of summer with a chance to win a premium getaway for two to a Sandals Beach Resort of your choice, valued up to $4,000!

Plus, two lucky secondary prize winners will win a $500 Visa Gift Card and four lucky third prize winners will receive a $250 Visa Gift Card!

These Ocean Mist Farms artichokes are so big, beautiful and fresh. Love the colors of green and purple accents!..

Lemon-pepper dreaminess!..

Dip deliciousness, right here. I love basic warm crusty sourdough bread or a whole grain bread. This is quinoa bread from my local farmer's market.

Steamy artichokes. So luscious and magical..

Smart snacking is easy with this bean + veggie dip. This entire recipe has only around 500 calories. So you could totally share this with a friend and eat this entire thing. Beans and veggies and spices? Yes and yes.

Some optional ingredients you could add and still keep things healthy:

* raw hemp seeds
* nutritional yeast
* tahini
* fresh parsley
* spinach
* raw walnuts
* raw pumpkin seeds

White beans add texture, protein, fiber and vitamins...

Whipped perfection. I'm in love with this velvety texture

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Lemon Pepper Garlic Artichoke White Bean Dip

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 06/10/2017This summer-y bean dip features garlic, lemon, pepper flavors with a velvet-y white bean and fresh artichoke dip base. Pair with crusty bread, veggie sticks or pita. You can even slather on toast for the best avocado toast ever!Ingredients
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, dip, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: appetizer, artichokes, bean dip, dip, healthy, lemon, skiny dips, snacks, vegan
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 100kcal
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups cooked white beans
  • 4 Ocean Mist Farms fresh artichokes - using the hearts and stems
  • 1 ½ small lemons, juiced
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
  • pinch of fresh lemon zest
  • 2 cloves raw garlic
  • a few splashes of water if needed to blend

Topping:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon vegan cheese (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)

Instructions

  • Prep your raw artichokes. Reserve those big tender leaves for eating on their own with a bit of lemon juice or melted vegan butter. Artichoke prep instructions in this post - with a how-to video!
  • Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend from low to high until velvet-y smooth. Blend long enough so that the blender warms the dip.
  • Pour the dip into an oven-safe bowl and top with the olive oil and vegan cheese.
  • Place in an oven on BROIL for 1-3 minutes, just enough time to warm the dip and melt the cheese on top.
  • Serve warm! Dip veggies, bread or spread on toast.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Protein: 5g

Enter the Skinny Dips Sweepstakes here, because we all deserve a vacay, yes?

How-to video for artichokes:

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Such a beautiful vegetable..

Tender artichoke hearts are so dreamy.

Prepping these feels like a meditative kitchen process for me. I just love unraveling the layers..

Enjoy everyone! Happy summer snacking..

Ps. Another favorite fresh artichoke recipe: Artichoke + Spinach Dip:

disclosure: This post is sponsored by Ocean Mist Farms, but all opinions are my own.

51 Things to Do This Memorial Day Weekend

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Kathy Blogger Working HAppy


Memorial Day Weekend has a special place in my heart. Why? Not because my husband and I go on epic quickie beach vacations or attend the most amazing Memorial Day parties or festivals ever - but because we spend time together. We have an extra day to do anything we want. From cool adventures, to brainstorming ideas and talking about life plans/dreams to embracing completely lazy days at home, binge watching shows or napping in sunbeams.

This holiday weekend is three things to me:
1. Summer. The silent welcoming to the summer season. (Aka, the "you can now wear white pants" wknd. Haha, does anyone still follow that?)
2. Remembrance. A time to remember and have gratitude for those who fought and died in active military service. (It is always good to remember the true point of these holidays. Stop and pause on that, even if for a moment.)
3. Joy + Time. A weekend without expectations, to find joy and leisure in the most random of places. To spend time with your favorite person(s). To do whatever your body and soul is craving and needing at this place in time.

What does your soul need this Memorial Day weekend?? Maybe you will find it on my list!..

Maybe you have an awesome tradition for Memorial Day weekend, but me, I can only remember bits and pieces of my Memorial Days..

I remember the weekend we binge watched all the Marvel movies like Iron Man. Yes, Iron Man. I couldn't tell you the tiniest piece of info about that movie today, but I just know that it was an awesome day-long spree of chilling in bed and watching the hours past, the sun scroll across the sky. I remember one weekend when we rode our beach bikes for the whole day, tired and groggy as the sun set over the misty blue ocean, we stumbled back to our place and probably ordered takeout from Native Foods or whipped up something easy and delicious. One Memorial Day weekend in NYC, we did our epic "long walk." We walked from our apartment downtown all the way to 82nd street. We took the subway back of course. But enough about my memories, how about you make a few of your own, by doing the most random of things. Here are a few that might inspire you...

0. Make veggie burgers. I feel like this is the most obvious thing to do, so I'll just put this fave recipe right here in case you need it...

Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers with Avocado

51 Things to Do This Memorial Day Weekend

1. Go see Pirates. Because everyone needs a little Johnny Depp therapy from time to time. Or at least listen to the soundtrack music because the Pirates theme is just the best thing ever. (ps. Just play that music link now while you read - open in a new window on your browser, and I promise you'll have even more fun on this post)

Or just watch this...

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2. Water Therapy. Find your nearest beach or lake or natural spring or pool and have some water therapy.

3. Organize your closet and fill at least one large trash bag with clothes to donate. Channel a minimalist and see how many cool outfits your can create out of less clothing items.

(And if you want to "spring/summer" clean up your diet recipes, check out these 78 recipe from bloggers!

4. Grab a pen or pencil. Start a pen and paper writing habit. Get off your screens and be oh-so-vintage. Fill a journal with poems, an idea for a novel or even your grocery list.

Or if you really need to... write on your screen. I'm with you.

(But paper is nice sometimes too.) #WhatsYourMood?

5. Binge watch Game of Thrones to prep for the new season.

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6. Blend. Make a new green smoothie recipe and share it with someone who "hates green smoothies." Or make an acai bowl and top it with fresh fruit.

* Matcha shake


* Watermelon Frosty from 365 Vegan Smoothies (other recipe here)

7. Bake some cookies and bring half your batch to a neighbor or friend.

8. Play a Group/Pair Sport. Like tennis, soccer, volleyball, basketball or heck, even golf. Yes, mini golf counts.

9. Clean out your kitchen cabinets and fridge. Make an attempt to organize things so you love your kitchen a bit more. Go shopping for any new inspiring ingredients you want to find spots for in your kitchen.

ps. If you can tell me what VWG stands for you win a huge gold star! haha

10. Find a sunbeam and nap in it. If you are a bad napper, try and teach yourself the skill of day-napping!

* Nelly belly! love + miss her.

11. Meditate. Just do it. It is HARD. But usually clears your mind and gives you a Zen-ful feeling.

12. Try matcha. Green tea is awesome and I wish everyone would try it. Feel the Zenergy. Everything about matcha.

13. Go to brunch and keep your phone OFF the table the whole time.

* vegan waffle brunch at Wynn Vegas.

14. Call your mom and ask her to tell you a funny story.

15. Call your dad and ask him to tell you about the best live sporting event or music concert he ever went to.

16. Research your summer travel dream adventures in Instagram. Where do you want to go? (Even if you cannot go this summer, at least you will be prepared!)
*Kauai was a good idea.


*Anywhere with sea turtles and I'm in.

17. Go Deep. Go to church. Pray. Volunteer. Visit an animal shelter or pet adoption day and play with the pups and kittens. Do something "spiritual" - whatever that means to you. Spend time with your SELF. Remind yourself the bigger picture of what life is all about - to you. And how you interact with the community and planet around you. Who is up for some deep thoughts this weekend?

18. Watch cartoons while eating ice cream or cold cereal or DIY granola..

19. Make a big dinner, then save the leftovers for the next two nights so you don't have to cook! I'd go for Creamy Tomato Pasta or Enchiladas.

20. Read a book. Anything in your bookshelf or iBooks is worthy .. or 365 Vegan Smoothies, just sayin.


*Richard Kind and I at an event a few years ago

21. Clean Like a Princess. Scrub your floors and clean your house while playing Cinderella music or the Disney movie.

22. Photo Day. Grab your camera or iphone and go on a photo day outing. Snap some beautiful photos, print them out and frame your favorites.


* Switzerland was one of my fave photo spots ever! I have this photo hanging in my office area - you never know what photo is just around the corner!

23. Pack a picnic and lounge + eat in a pretty spot like a local park, grassy spot in your backyard, hiking or the beach -- peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fresh fruit, iced tea, cookies and all. Picnic spots and grassy knolls are great for doing cartwheels too..

24. Sip and Chill. Go to a spot that serves fancy drinks outside - sip them, relax, chill.

25. Dance Party. Listen to 80's or 90's (or whatever) music and have a dance party -- in your PJs or yoga clothes. Pets invited of course.

A post shared by kathy / healthyhappylife (@kathypatalsky) on Apr 29, 2015 at 4:34pm PDT

26. Play with your pets. (If you are a cat owner, step one: wake up the cat(s), then play with them...) 🙂

27. Start a Blog. For fun or a side career. These tips can help.

28. Watch "Old" Movies. Troop Beverly Hills, Ferris Bueller, The Burbs or Can't Buy Me Love. Go 80's or 90's chic for a few days, whatever that means to you. Watch Full House, like the old episodes on Hulu.

29. Outdoor Movies. Find an Outdoor Movie showing and go watch it under the stars!

30. Documentary Day. Watch a bunch of awesome docs on Netflix or another streaming program. Try Cowspiracy, Forks Over Knives, Planet Earth, Cosmos, Chef's Table, Tony Robbins I am Not Your Guru, Food Inc and more....

31. Hang with friends. Laugh a lot.

32. DIY Facial. Pull out all your beauty goodies and give yourself a facial. Warm towels, exfoliate, a few masks, tone, moisturize and feel fabulous. If you are really nice you can offer to give your sig other a facial!

33. Go to a local theme park. Ride ridiculous rides, play carnival games, smile 'til your cheeks hurt.

34. Binge watch Shows.. Better Call Saul, GirlBoss, Master of None, Friends, Breaking Bad, The Americans, House of Cards or Grey's Anatomy.

35. Two Words: Ice Cream. Epic Ice Cream. Buy ingredients to make epic ice cream sundaes. Or DIY your own ice cream - like Cookies and Cream. Banana Split of DIY Ice Cream

36. Nap again. That never gets old on holiday weekends. Sun beams highly advised.

37. #Goals. Make a list of ten life goals (career or personal). Do or start one of those things this weekend!

38. Try a new type of workout. Spin class. Yoga. Tennis. Weight lifting. Swimming. Errr.... Canoeing....


* Date Summit with a bunch of awesome ppl. Like Cat of RFFMBT.

39. Retail Therapy.


* Moo Shoes in NYC or LA is always a good idea..

Or you can shop online and take advantage of deals like this. My FAVORITE blender that I use everyday is $120 off!..

*disclosure: this is my affiliate link

40. Go to a farmer's market and ask a few farmer's about their produce and fun facts or tips with it.

41. Fruit. Eat a bowl of cherries. Or strawberries. Or bake some Strawberry Sunrise Scones.

42. Wake up early and watch the sun rise while hiking, walking or driving to a fun destination.

43. Watch the sunset. Don't look at your phone. Just breathe and watch the glow disappear into the horizon.

44. Watch a Live Show. A play, musical, ballet, comedy act, something live!

* Aladdin on Broadway was a good one!

45. Be spontaneous and/or adventurous! Decide on something adventurous to do - road trip - museum - bike ride - hike - bridge crossing - whatever - the morning of and DO IT.


* Northern Ireland bridge crossing was pretty amazing.

46. Go to a local Museum. And feed your brain.

47. Pull a Britney Spears and try on a bunch of old dresses and parade down your hallway doing a fashion show of one. Post it on the internet and tag me, bc I definitely want to see that.

I mean, why not?...

A post shared by Britney Spears (@britneyspears) on May 22, 2017 at 2:32pm PDT

48. Go to a bookstore and browse the cookbooks section. Find a cool recipe and make it. And if they don't have HHVK or 365 Vegan Smoothies, ask them to kindly re-order that amazingness because you want to browse it anytime you want.

*bookstore in Florence, Italy with my Italian version of 365 Vegan Smoothies. such a cool memory!

49. Movie + Watermelon. Watch an uplifting movie (Disney, Nancy Meyers, Star Wars, Adventures....) while wearing a flower crown and eating a watermelon ice cream bowl.

50. Make a vision board. Hang it up where you can see it every day. Manifest the heck out of those dreams and positive messages!

51. Leave a comment on this post telling me one awesome thing you plan on doing this weekend! I send you virtual hugs for taking the time to share and inspire.

Green Fuel Protein Shake, inspired by Disney's Cars 3 and DOLE!

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by DOLE, but all opinions are my own.

If you are an avid reader of my blog you probably know how much I adore all things Disney. So when another favorite of mine, DOLE, asked me to develop a recipe inspired by the upcoming Disney/Pixar film Cars 3, I was fueled up and ready to go!!

When I think of food as fuel, I think of smoothies. Especially green smoothies! But it can be challenging to craft a green smoothie that you CRAVE. Luckily, I have one for you today. My Green Fuel Protein Shake is a citrus-infused, creamy and protein-boosted green smoothie. It is so tasty that you will totally forget how many greens and other healthy things are in here!

The recipe serves two, but I always drink it all myself. Proper green smoothies should leave you chugging them. Fuel up your day with today's recipe and hear more about Cars 3, National Eat More Fruit and Veggies Day and how to enter to win an adventure road trip prize woth over $10,000!..

Fuel your body with this sunshine-filled, sweet and creamy green smoothie! I have been drinking this all week long and it keeps me super hydrated while filling my body with lots of nourishing plant foods!

In addition to today's smoothie-tastic, Disney-fied recipe, I also want to celebrate National Eat More Fruit and Veggies Day (which is May 25th, aka today!) with a few fun facts.

But first, What is National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day? It is a national holiday created by the Dole Nutrition Institute (DNI) and others in 2015 to encourage greater produce consumption and help reverse various negative health trends, among them improper diet and inadequate exercise as the leading causes of preventable death.

..Aka, to get more people to embrace MORE fruit and veggies in their daily meals. I am so on board for that.
More plants = a very good thing.

The DOLE Nutrition Institute - a super cool place I was lucky enough to visit a few years ago..

Fruit and Veggie Fun Facts, from the DOLE Nutrition Institute:

* Eat greens to feed your brain! Folate-packed foods like asparagus and salad greens have been linked to lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia in women.

* Strawberries promote heart health. In a study from the University of Toronto, patients at risk for heart disease saw a 13% drop in bad LDL cholesterol after adding three cups of strawberries to their diets. Strawberries also support brain function and are high in vitamin C, fiber and manganese – all for only 46 calories per cup!

* Pineapples are a wonder healer. This sweet, tropical fruit is the only source of an enzyme called bromelain, which has been proved to reduce inflammation, provide pain relief and help skin injuries heal faster. It may even alleviate asthma symptoms.

* Down with Diabetes, Up with Broccoli! British researchers found that sulforaphane – an indirect antioxidant in broccoli – reduced production of free radicals by 73%, protecting blood vessels from damage that quadruples the risk of heart disease, a condition people with diabetes are five times more likely to develop.

* Blueberries…in outer space! Researchers at Tufts University believe that blueberries may someday protect astronauts against the radiation-induced free radical damage experienced during extended space flight.

* Strong to the finish … Cuz I eats me spinach! Spinach may be one of the healthiest foods on earth, supporting six body systems: heart, eyes, brain, skin, bones and immunity. Popeye’s favorite food may even help maintain mental sharpness and reduce risk of certain cancers, according to preliminary research.

* Bananas top the charts worldwide. The iconic yellow fruit is not only North America’s most popular produce, it is also one of the most-purchased single items in the supermarket – not only in the U.S. and Canada but around the world.

* Cauliflower can fight prostate cancer? Cauliflower contains glucosinolates, which may trigger your body’s own natural defense systems. Canadian scientists found that men with prostate cancer who ate cauliflower more than once per week cut their risk of the cancer turning aggressive by more than 50%. (Whoa!)

* Grapefruit, a (not-so-hidden) weight-loss secret. The old “grapefruit diet” has finally been proven by science. Researchers at the Scripps Clinic found that people who ate half a grapefruit with every meal for 12 weeks lost an average of 3.6 pounds, while those who drank grapefruit juice three times a day lose 3.3 pounds.
Many subjects lost more than 10 pounds in the study!

* Kiwi fruit: An ancient Chinese secret. While New Zealand is nearly synonymous with kiwi, the sweet, exotic fruit originally came from China in the early 20th century. Each kiwi fruit contains more than the Daily Value of vitamin C and is a heart-healthy food. Eating two to three kiwis a day can even significantly lower blood clot risk!

Cars 3! “Fuel Up with Dole” is part of the impressive nutrition alliance between DOLE and Disney, aimed at helping parents encourage their kids and families to make healthier food choices. Check out the Fuel Up with DOLE, Cars 3-inspired page! You can find Cars 3 inspired healthy recipes as well as the tour dates for DOLE's Road to the Races Nationwide Tour.

Look how fun this is.. Get the Pineapple Pit Stop recipe here.


* screenshot from the DOLE/Disney page

Cars 3 Contest. And if you are into Disney and amazing adventures, be sure to enter the “Fuel Up with Dole® Ultimate Family Road Trip Contest” - the grand prize is a “road trip” travel package for the winner and up to three (3) guests. The grand prize is worth over $10,000!!

The contest is also giving away a bunch of first and second place prizes. Total prizes being given away is over $11,000! So enter that contest today, right here! Good luck!

Cars 3 is in theaters June 16th and stars Owen Wilson, Armie Hammer, Kerry Washington, Nathan Fillion, Bonnie Hunt and more.

And now for today's fuel-up recipe!..

Watch me make it and get the recipe below..

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disclosure: This post sponsored by DOLE.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Green Fuel Protein Shake

This creamy sweet green smoothie is filled with antioxidants and fiber, with a boost of plant-based protein. So good, you will chug it!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Total Time8 minutes
Course: beverage, Dessert, Drinks, smoothie
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beverage, breakfast, drink, green beans, healthy, plant based, protein, smoothie, vegan
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup almond milk
  • ½ cup coconut water
  • 2 handfuls DOLE baby spinach
  • 1 frozen DOLE banana
  • 1 large orange, peeled (for extra frostiness, freeze it!)
  • 1 cup frozen mango chunks or peaches
  • one quarter of a DOLE avocado, optional
  • 2 tablespoon raw cashews
  • ½ teaspoon maca powder or matcha green tea powder (optional for an added boost)
  • 1 tablespoon green, vanilla or plain protein powder or try raw hemp seeds
  • ⅓ cup ice, optional

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a powerful blender and blend from low to high until silky, frosty smooth!

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

by 12 Comments


Today I am sharing my recipe for Vegan Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies, aka, what I lovingly call "Mall Cookies."

Mall Cookies. I grew up in the 80's and 90's, so going to the mall was a pretty exciting outing. I would pop by with a group of girlfriends and we'd browse Wet Seal or Express. And at some point we would stroll by the food court. Ah, the mall food court. Sorry mall food court, but you certainly didn't have many healthy options back then. Giant cinnamon buns, pizza, hot dogs, stir fry, pasta or a frosty orange-flavored "smoothie." But really, the best treat to get at the mall, in my opinion, was a tiny bag of mini chocolate chip cookies from the cookie spot. Those warm and tender cookies had a dreamy aroma that seemed to marinate my pores and leave me drunk on chocolate and butter and flour. One bite and everything felt cozy. you could of course always buy the giant sized cookies, but I always went for the minis.

So cut to today. I decided to go all in with buttery goodness for these vegan version cookies. They are SO GOOD. Neighbors will smell them baking and find themselves at your doorstep. Friends will hear you are making them and pop by just to say 'hi.' And these are so fun to bring to parties or as a house-warming treat for someone. Or even better, offer to bake the cookies in someone's house - so they can really steep themselves in this cookie perfume.

Needless to say, I think you should try these cookies the next time you want something decadent, dreamy and dare I say it, mall-inspired. Enjoy!..

Dough balls, rolled by hand into mini sizes..

Freshly baked cookies, ready for snatching!..

Warm, buttery and chewy and oh so dreamy..

Melty chocolate chips are everything..

Mall cookies. In a little baggie or served on a plate with a cool glass of plant milk..

These super buttery, amazing vegan cookies taste just like those classic "mall cookies" that always intoxicated you with their dreamy aroma in the mall food court.

Why Aquafaba? I have not really jumped on the aquafaba, aka chickpea brine bandwagon, but I decided to add a splash to this dough to hopefully fluff up the cookies a bit. I think it worked! They definitely have a nice fluffiness to them, more so than any other cookie I have made.

Trick: Rolling the balls. If your hands feel like they are getting sticky while rolling the dough balls, coat them in a thin layer of coconut oil before starting to roll. This also gives the cookies a slightly extra buttery glaze on top! And your hands will feel super soft once you wash them.

Watch me make them..

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Ingredients..

Dough, ready for chilling..

Are these healthy? Can I tweak the recipe? As is, these cookies are pretty decadent. No whole grains, lots of vegan butter and chocolate. A good amount of sugar, refined sugar, oh my! But these are treat cookies and they really impress. If you need to modify, you can certainly change up the flour to something less refined or omit some of the vegan butter and add in a replacement like applesauce or a mashed banana. But I have not tested any of those options yet. These are mall cookies for my purposes. The best darn not-actually-in-a-mall cookies ever.

All the cookies, please..

gan,baking,chocolate chip cookies, mini cookies,dessert,chocolate

Cooling just a bit..

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Vegan Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

These super buttery, amazing vegan chocolate chip cookies taste just like those classic "mall cookies" that always intoxicated you with their dreamy aroma in the mall food court. Accents of vanilla, oats and walnuts.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: baking, chocolate, cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baking, chocolate, chocolate chips, cookies, dessert, mini cookies, vegan
Servings: 32 mini cookies
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Wet:

  • 2 sticks of vegan butter (Earth Balance)
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, organic
  • ⅓ cup raw sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 7oz. silken tofu
  • 1 ½ tablespoon aqua faba (chickpea brine)

Dry:

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 ¼ cups organic white flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon pink salt

Fold ins:

  • ⅓ cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • 1 bag vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Add all the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat until fluffy - I try to beat for a few minutes, not just until things are combined.
  • Add in the salt, baking soda and a third of the flour. Blend again with your mixer until smooth. Add more flour. Beat. And then add all the flour and whip until smooth and fluffy.
  • Fold in the walnuts, oats and chocolate chips.
  • Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place the dough in the fridge. Chill for at least two hours - overnight is best!
  • Day of baking: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Take a little over a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball, place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used up. Note: If you only want to bake half the dough the first day, you can chill the remaining dough in the fridge, covered, for up to five days.
  • Bake at 350 for ten minutes. Cool on a baking rack and serve!

Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce in a Flash!

by 7 Comments


One of my favorite things to do when I make basic spaghetti and marinara sauce is to mix in a bit of my favorite vegan mayo to the pasta. It creates a lightly creamy texture and I just love it. But the more practical way to achieve this creamy tomato pasta effect is to simply craft the most amazing creamy tomato sauce from the start. And this one tastes like lasagna...

Today's recipe for Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta is a new favorite of mine. This sauce is super flavorful - bright and sassy with a hint of cheeziness, spice and tomato zing all spun together in a creamy, rich (yet healthy + dairy-free!) recipe. And the best part about this recipe is seriously how ah-mazing it tastes the next day, aka leftovers. The sauce marinates the pasta and it all just .. again .. tastes like lasagna! Get the recipe, plus, watch me make it with a video..

This sauce is so addictive!..

Try the sauce with gluten-free pasta..

Or your fave wheat pasta, like penne..

So so creamy!..

For the greens you can try spinach, basil or parsley. I love a little vegan Parm on top..

Watch me make it..

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Not into Vegan Mayo? Ok, so after posting the video on Facebook I had a few people say they didn't want to add in mayo. Well, if you are a fan of Vegenaise, you know that it doesn't really have "mayo" vibes, more of a sweet creamy delicious spread style vibes in my opinion. I have always hated normal "mayo" and I love Vegenaise. But if you want an alternative ingredient idea: try raw cashews! For best results, soak them overnight and drain before adding. I would add about ¼ - ½ cup of them, plus some additional salt if desired. you could also try subbing with a plain vegan cream cheese... but I haven't formally tested either of these options so let me know!

No Nooch? Try subbing any vegan white cheese or a spoonful of sunflowers seeds or add in another spoonful of walnuts. Nooch is optional, but definitely adds loads of savory cheezy flavor.

I almost called this "lasagna sauce" because that is what it reminds me of. All the flavors of creamy, cheesy lasagna -- in a one stop shop sauce. You know, the ricotta, mozzarella, tomato.. this sauce kinda has those types of flavors built in with the creaminess from the vegan mayo, cheeziness from the nooch and richness and earthiness from the walnuts.

...And bonus, this sauce is totally dairy-free and loaded with good stuff. Vegan lasagna tomato sauce guys.

I hope you love this one as much as I do and can whip out this recipe on your next super busy, comfort-food craving weeknight. Enjoy!

In love with this meal. And the leftovers taste just as good (or better) as day one!..

So, let's recap.. This super easy sauce is my new go-to tomato sauce because (I'll say it agin) it tastes like lasagna. Garlic, spices, tomato and layers of amazing flavor. Just add your favorite pasta and serve! You could also add in some spinach, white beans or vegan meatballs. Enjoy!..

Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce

This creamy tomato sauce is rich and flavorful and can be whipped up from scratch in just minutes! Just add your favorite pasta and dinner is done. I like to serve with some beans on the side or folded in.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: dinner, pasta
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy, creamy tomato, dinner, easy, gluten free, italian, pasta, tomato sauce, vegan
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Vegan Creamy Tomato Sauce:

  • ⅓ cup vegan mayo***
  • 750g (3 cups) chopped plum tomatoes (or San Marzano Tomatoes) 
  • 2-4 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon pizza or Italian dried seasoning (salt-free)
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅓ cup raw walnuts (Add a few more for an even thicker, richer sauce)

Fold in:

  • ½ cup chopped white onion (optional)
  • ⅓ cup chopped parsley flat leaf parsley or fresh basil - or try a handful of baby spinach
  • bay leaf to simmer (optional)

Other Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of your favorite pasta
  • vegan Parm and/or EVOO on top
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • ***(I advise using Follow Your Heart Vegenaise, it is my favorite)

Instructions

  • Pasta: While you are making your sauce, you can boil your pasta. Add salted water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook according to directions. (Cooking times will vary.)
  • Sauce: Add all the sauce ingredients to a high speed blender. Blend from low to high until smooth.
  • Pour the sauce into a medium sauce pot and add the onion, herbs and bay leaf. Cover with a lid to prevent splattering as you bring the sauce to a boil. Boil for just a few seconds, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low for about 5-10 minutes, just enough time to cook the ingredients a bit and fully warm the sauce.
  • Drain pasta and place cooked pasta in a large mixing bowl. Pour in about 2 cups of the sauce and toss well. Add more sauce to taste or keep on the side so everyone can add extra if they want it.
  • Serve warm with vegan Parm and chopped parsley on top. For extra richness, EVOO can be drizzled on top.

Crispy Beer-Battered Tofu Tacos

by 3 Comments


This post is sponsored by House Foods Tofu.

You had me at beer-battered. And vegan. All in the same sentence. These Beer-Battered Tofu Tacos are my vegan-spin on a beer-battered fish taco. The crispy-coated, Old Bay-seasoned tofu is wrapped in a warm corn tortilla and topped with homemade pickled onions, avocado and crunchy red cabbage. Vegan sour cream or chipotle mayo and/or hot sauce is also a nice touch. Have a tofu taco night with this delicious recipe!..

Can you believe that Memorial Day is next weekend?! The year is flying by for me. I am excited that the weather has been so sunny lately and that smoothie season is in full swing. I have been making at least one smoothie a day, sometimes two!

The two smoothies I usually make are purple and green. Purple meaning lots of wild blueberries and/or acai or other berries. Green meaning all things leafy green, avocado and usually orange-colored fruit like frozen mango and more. I will be sharing a few smoothie recipes here on the blog soon, or you can always snag my book 365 Vegan Smoothies. But today is all about these tacos!

So much flavor in these. You could also use flour tortillas, or some of those fancy new "alternative ingredient" tortillas with almond and coconut flour.

These tacos are inspired by Colorado in House Foods 50 States of Tofu Series. I only have one recipe to go and its probably my favorite because, #chocolate. Follow along all my tofu posts with the links at bottom.

These would pair perfectly with a watermelon frosty or my fresh mango margarita...

 

My '50 Plates of Tofu' Posts so far:
1 - California Avocado Toast
2 - Southwest Tofu Burrito with Avocado
3 - Creamy Cashew Tofu Pot Pie
4 - Gooey Butter Cake
5 - Cherry Tofu Parfaits
6 - Southwest Tofu Quinoa Bowl
7 - Salt and Pepper Tofu Skewers with peanut sauce
8 - BBQ Tofu Corn Kale Ranch Salad
9 - Beer-Battered Tofu Tacos
10 - Baked Alaska Inspired Pudding

Follow along on the House Foods Facebook Page.

disclosure: this post is sponsored by House Foods Tofu's 50 Plates Series, but all opinions are my own.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Beer-Battered Tofu Tacos

These cravable beer-battered tofu tacos make for a delicious crowd-approved entree! Colorado beer-battering makes tender slices of tofu even better. Avocado, pickled onions and fresh red cabbage on top.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: dinner, entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beer-battered, colorado, dinner, easy, entree, recipe, tacoss, tofu, vegan
Servings: 4 tacos
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Beer-Battered Tofu

  • 1 package House Foods Tofu, extra firm, sliced into 4 rectangle slabs
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup corn meal
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 ¼ cups beer (alocohol-free option: kombucha)

Also:

  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 1 ½ cups red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 4 teaspoon vegan chipotle mayo or sour cream
  • sea salt to taste
  • hot sauce or salsa
  • For pan: 1 cup canola or peanut oil

Quick Pickled Onions:

  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoon vegan sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt 

Instructions

  • First prep your pickled onions. Bring a pot of water to a boil and submerge the sliced onions for a minute. Remove with a strainer and place the onions in a deep bowl or jar. Add the water, vinegar, salt and sugar. Stir well, cover bowl and place in the fridge for at least a half hour to allow them to chill, overnight is even better.

  • Prepare your tofu stations by placing the flour, corn meal and Old Bay seasoning in one bowl - stirring well to combine. And the beer in another bowl. Place some parchment paper on a large baking sheet - this will be where your tofu can cool.
  • Add your vegetable oil to a medium soup pot. Turn stove heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot, you can start coating your tofu and placing it in the pot.

  • Soak your tofu in the beer for a few seconds, then dredge in the flour mixture, then back in the beer for a second, then back in the flour, coating all sides. Then carefully place the coated tofu in the oil pot. Repeat with all the tofu until the pan is filled. Fry for 1-2 minutes on the first side, then flip using a slotted spatula, and repeat. When tofu is golden in color and crispy, remove from the pan and place tofu on the parchment paper to cool. Repeat until all the tofu is done. Sprinkle some sea salt over top the battered tofu if desired.
  • Start assembling your tacos! Use two layered tortillas per taco. Warm tortillas in oven, microwave or stove stop. Add a slathering of the vegan mayo, then add the cabbage, tofu, avocado, pickled onions and optional hot sauce. Serve warm!


BBQ Tofu Corn Kale Ranch Salad

by 4 Comments


This post is sponsored by House Foods Tofu.

Today's BBQ Tofu Corn Kale Ranch Salad is a meal in a bowl! This entree salad is loaded with healthy ingredients like kale, corn, carrots and of course hearty BBQ skillet tofu triangles on top and creamy silken tofu ranch dressing to make everything extra amazing. This country style salad is a delicious and easy dinner option for you and your family. These flavors will impress!..

This Tofu Ranch Dressing is so good! Rich and creamy with a punch of plant-based protein..

Sauce and toss! For a creamier salad, be generous with your dressing..

Sticky-sweet BBQ tofu on top for protein and flavor. I also added a sprinkle of vegan Parm topping.

Drizzle on an extra coating of ranch if you want!..

Today's state in the House Foods 50 plates of tofu series: Nebraska! When I think of Nebraska I think of rolling fields, endless miles of countryside, corn fields and sunshine. Enter in giant country-style salads with creamy ranch on top.

This country-inspired, rustic BBQ tofu salad combines delicious triangles of skillet tofu - all sticky and sweet - with a homemade vegan ranch dressing, made using silken tofu. The salad contains kale, Nebraska-inspired corn, radishes, grated carrots and a few fresh tomatoes. 


 

My '50 Plates of Tofu' Posts so far:
1 - California Avocado Toast
2 - Southwest Tofu Burrito with Avocado
3 - Creamy Cashew Tofu Pot Pie
4 - Gooey Butter Cake
5 - Cherry Tofu Parfaits
6 - Southwest Tofu Quinoa Bowl
7 - Salt and Pepper Tofu Skewers with peanut sauce
8 - BBQ Tofu Corn Kale Ranch Salad
...a two more left, and they are two of my favorites from this series! (Hints for you.. Chocolate something and some ah-mazing tacos...)

Follow along on the House Foods Facebook Page.

disclosure: this post is sponsored by House Foods Tofu's 50 Plates Series, but all opinions are my own.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

BBQ Tofu Corn Kale Ranch Salad

BBQ Tofu Triangles and a veggie-filled salad combines with vegan ranch dressing for a delicious entree bowl.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: dinner, entree, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bbq, corn, dinner, entree, kale, salad, tofu, vegan
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Salad Veggies:

  • 1 bunch of organic kale
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
  • 2 large carrots, grated

BBQ Tofu:

  • 1 package House Foods Tofu, firm or extra-firm
  • ½ cup vegan BBQ sauce
  • 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Ranch Dressing:

  • 1 package House Foods Tofu, soft
  • 2 tablespoon vegan mayo
  • ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2-3 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
  • ¾ teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (optional for a bit of heat)
  • ½ cup finely chopped parsley or chives (optional)
  • **Feel free to add larger doses of the spices if you like a bolder ranch flavor
  • Also: Vegan Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 cup blue corn chips, crushed

Instructions

  • Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender and blend from low to high until smooth. Pour into a medium glass jar or cup. Cover and place in the fridge until needed.


  • Prep the tofu by draining excess liquid from container, and patting the tofu dry with a paper towel or clean dish towel. Slice into triangles or cubes.


  • Warm a large skillet over high heat. Add the two teaspoons extra virgin olive oil. When oil is hot, add the tofu. Shake the tofu in the pan and cook for two minutes, then add the BBQ sauce over top the tofu. Cover pan with lid or a sheet of foil and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 2-3 minutes more. Flip tofu and keep cooking until the BBQ sauce becomes sticky and coats the tofu. Turn off heat and let the tofu rest in the pan for at least three minutes before adding to salads.


  • Kale prep. Rinse the kale leaves, then remove the thick stems of the kale, leaving only the curly leaves. Using a knife (not everyone has a “chef’s knife”), chop the kale leaves. Rinse and drain one more time. Set aside. For extra dry leaves, squeeze excess moisture out with a paper towel.


  • Salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the kale, corn, radishes and carrots. Also add about ¼ cup of dressing. Toss well until all the ingredients are coated. You can add more or less dressing at this stage if you prefer. Add in the corn chips and a few sprinkles of vegan Parm and lightly toss again.
  • Pour the tossed salad into serving bowls and top with the BBQ skillet tofu. Add more chips and vegan Parmesan if desired. Serve!


15 Things I Love For Travel

by 68 Comments

adventures in Switzerland

*The video in this post is sponsored by Encha Matcha and contains a few affiliate links

Summer travel season is almost here! (Can you believe it?) And whenever I travel I make sure to have a few things to make the trip happier, healthier and just a little more cozy. It is amazing how a few thoughtful things from home when you are far from home can help you feel nourished, comforted and energized for the adventures ahead of you.

Here are 15 Things I Love For Travel, plus my video episode #3 of Kathy's Matcha Chat (includes a giveaway!!)...

Matcha Chat. Check out my video where I talk about five of the things below. I also share a post-travel smoothie recipe..

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Catch up..
Matcha Chat #1
Matcha Chat #2

Giveaway... To enter the giveaway, simply follow the giveaway widget below. Prize: Encha Starter Pack!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

15 Things I Love For Travel

1. Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate. The morning of, during a flight and after arriving I make sure to stay hydrated with plenty of water and maybe even some coconut water. Traveling, especially air travel, can be very dehydrating and air cabins can be very dry, so making sure you drink enough water is key to feeling energized and just your all around best. Sometimes when I get dehydrated I feel tired and headache-y, so this helps combat that!

2. Snacks! Healthy Snacks. No matter how much you just want to get to your destination and then enjoy a nice meal, traveling is exhausting and sometimes very time consuming - so you are bound to get hungry or at least need to keep your blood sugar up while you are en route to your final destination. I used to be the type of person who would just skip meals while traveling, but then when I finally arrived, I would be exhausted, super cranky and just feel like crap. Eating is fuel for your brain, your body, your everything! So the trick is to bring healthy snacks with you on your trip. I share plenty of tricks for this in my video above. Including my absolute favorite fresh fruit trick. Some go-to snacks include nut butter pouches, energy bars (the whole foods healthy-ish variety), salty baked snacks and more.

Some snacks I have been grabbing lately:
- Larabars, VEGA bars, Zing bars
- Baked Salty Snacks like PopChips or Green Pea puff snacks or Hippeas (love those)
- Nut Butter Pouches (Almond, Peanut or Walnut)
- Fresh Fruit! (my fave - my trick for travel is in my video above)
- Classic Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich
- Homemade muffins or bars

3. Noise-Canceling Headphones. I adore my noise-canceling headphones! They allow me to listen to my music, movies and audiobooks with so much more Zen in my ears. They cancel out all that rumbling from a noisy plane or even train. I pop them on right before takeoff and love how I get a super quiet flight. They are not cheap, but for me they are so worth it.

4. A Big Awesome Carry-on Bag. I bring a lot of little awesome things when I fly. I also usually pack my MacBook Air and my big Canon EOS 6D Camera. So I need a nice, sturdy, big carry-on bag for all those goodies. It can be challenging to find a high quality, vegan brand, but I talk more about my fave brand and bag in the video above.

5. Encha Matcha. I love bringing a few Encha mini matcha packets along on a trip. I also sometimes bring my matcha bamboo whisk so I can easily stir the matcha into some hot water. Otherwise, I just use a fork to whisk.

Matcha leaves me feeling super Zenergized, which is a very welcome feeling when I am traveling. And even though I can find matcha lattes in many cities now - since Starbucks and Peets carry matcha beverages - I still love finding ways to make Encha matcha on my trips. All you really need is some hot water. And if you are really crafty and have it, some warmed non-dairy milk and a sweetener. And Encha is so much better than most coffee-shop matchas, in my opinion.

Encha Matcha is now on Amazon! So great for ordering ease.

6. Cozy Socks. When it comes to cozy feet, I am obsessed with Thorlo socks. They are so soft, thick and lovely. My feet crave them. So I bring a pair on long flights. They are also great once you get to your hotel room

7. Reusable Water Bottle. I have recently made a habit of bringing my own reusable water bottle on trips. I leave it empty as I go through security, then seek out a water station at the airport. A lot of airports have them nowadays. If I am traveling to a destination with good drinking water, like Iceland, (omg amazing water), I can just fill from any faucet. I end up saving so much money because I drink a lot of water and don't have to buy bottles everywhere I go. I love S'well.

8. Supplements. I bring a few supplements when I travel: magnesium, B complex (great for travel stress and it contains B12 which vegans need to supplement), multi-vitamin gummies (I usually take a few every other day just as nutritional backup), sometimes I will bring along some digestive enzymes like papaya or bromelain and also turmeric which I use as a natural anti-inflammatory. If I am traveling to a new time zone or overseas, I will sometimes bring melatonin.

9. Hand Sanitizer and Deodorant Wipes. I love these two products from EO: wipes and spray. They help me feel refreshed and clean when traveling does the complete opposite!

10. Phone Charger. I have a few big phone chargers that I always bring when I travel. I love Mophie's products that have the cords built into the charger.

11. Lip Balm or Gloss. My lips get so dry when I travel, so I always bring a high quality balm. I love BeeSweet, made by a friend of mine.

12. Movies Pre-Loaded + iPad. If I am traveling on a plane for over four hours, I will bring my iPad and load it with a few movies. Watching movies or binge watching a TV show really helps the hours speed by on a plane. And bringing my own iPad safeguards against any possibility that the plane will not have working entertainment screens - or any available at all.

13. A Great Toiletries Bag. You don't need anything super fancy or expensive, just something with a lot of little pockets and enough space to hold all your stuff. Something you love and feel organized loading up - especially for long trips.

14. Individual Masks - Sheet Masks for Face and Eyes. I love placing a few sheet masks in my luggage. I can then turn my hotel room into a mini spa! Plus the masks really help perk up a tired travel face. I love Farmacy Sheet Masks. A few other brands I found online: Origins, 100% Pure... Sephora and online stores have a bunch of options these days. If anyone has a brand they love, let us know!

15. Body Oil or a Good Lotion. There are a bunch of goodies in my toiletries bag, but one I cannot live without is a brought-from-home lotion or body oil. The lotions in hotels can vary greatly in quality and I just love making sure my skin is very hydrated when I travel. My go-to is to bring a small bottle of jojoba oil. I usually grab the small bottle of Desert Essence from Whole Foods. I can use a small amount to perk up any hotel room lotion because a little goes a long way. Make sure to store it in a plastic baggy in case the bottle leaks during the flight.

So there they are! A few of my favorite things to bring when I travel. I really put "hydrate" as number one because it is so important..

Airplane Hydration Tip: If you are afraid to drink too much water on an airplane, you can always try to snag an aisle seat where you can have easier bathroom access. Or if you have to skimp on water during your flight, try to chug some water about 20-30 minutes before you land because that will give your body enough time to hydrate a bit, but you will also be on the ground soon!

Don't forget to watch my video and enter the giveaway at top.

what are some of your favorite travel goodies?

Blender: Vitamix 780 -- Get free shipping when you use my Vitamix link!
Kale Tee: SubUrban Riot
Matcha: Encha

disclosure: *The video in this post is sponsored by Encha Matcha and contains a few affiliate links

Salt and Pepper Tofu Party Skewers

by 2 Comments


This post is sponsored by House Foods Tofu.

These Salt and Pepper Party Skewers with peanut dipping sauce are an easy, fun and delicious way to serve tofu and add more protein to your day. Lively black pepper crusted, skillet tofu triangles pair well with my favorite rich, sassy-sweet peanut dipping sauce. These skewers are delicious served on their own, and also pair well with a giant salad or even a pasta or rice dish!...

I love this recipe because it is such a simple and fun way to add more plant-based protein to a meal.

This recipe is part of House Foods 50 Plate of Tofu, representing the state of Nevada. I was inspired by Vegas. These party-ready skewers have simple flavors that most anyone will love. Tofu is accented with a salt and pepper flavor bite and made even more dreamy when you add peanut sauce. You could also try a vegan honey-mustard sauce or a simple spicy sriracha sauce.

My '50 Plates of Tofu' Posts so far:
- California Avocado Toast
- Southwest Tofu Burrito with Avocado
- Creamy Cashew Tofu Pot Pie
- Gooey Butter Cake
- Cherry Tofu Parfaits
- Southwest Tofu Quinoa Bowl
- S&P Tofu Triangle Skewers

Follow along on the House Foods Facebook Page.

disclosure: this post is sponsored by House Foods Tofu's 50 Plates Series, but all opinions are my own.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Salt and Pepper Tofu Party Skewers

This super easy and delicious party appetizer is fast and fancy, just like the glittering streets of Las Vegas, Nevada. These flavorful, pan-fried tofu triangles are perfect for dipping in a rich peanut sauce. Stovetop-roasted peppers add color and flavor.

 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: appetizer, easy, pepper, tofu, vegan
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 package House Foods Tofu, firm - sliced into small triangles and patted dry

  • 
½ teaspoon sea salt

  • 
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Pinch of cayenne (optional)

  • 

1 bell pepper, any color



Sauce:

  • ½ cup peanut butter


  • 2 ½ Tablespoon maple syrup


  • 
1 ½ Tablespoon tamari

  • ⅓ cup warm water


  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar


  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ginger, optional



  • Bamboo or Wooden Skewers for serving



Instructions

  • Sauce: Add all the peanut sauce ingredients to a blender and blend from low to high until smooth. Pour into a small sauce bowl. Place in the fridge to chill and thicken for at least thirty minutes before serving.


  • Slice your bell pepper into quarters and remove the seeds and stem. Turn a gas stove on high and roast the bell pepper with the slices directly on the burner in the flame. The bell pepper will soften and become charred in just a few seconds. Turn off heat, flip bell pepper and repeat with flame on high for a few more seconds. Remove the charred bell pepper from the heat and slice into one inch square-ish pieces. If you do not have a gas stove, you can pan-saute the bell pepper or use a traditional grill to heat them. Or just slice them and serve them raw, also delicious!


  • Prep the tofu. Drain the excess liquid from the container, pat the tofu dry with a large bunch of paper towels or a clean dish towel. Slice the tofu into small thick triangles - eight per package of tofu.


  • Warm a large skillet over high heat and add the extra virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the tofu. Cook the tofu for about 5-7 minutes, using a spatula to flip it every few minutes to cook evenly on all sides. The tofu will start to turn golden yellow along the edges.


  • When the tofu is done, remove it from the pan and place in a bowl. Add the salt and pepper and optional cayenne and toss well to season and coat all sides.


  • Skewer your tofu and bell pepper, alternating with each. Continue creating skewers until all your ingredients are used up. Serve the skewers alongside the peanut sauce. Serve warm.


Spring Pea Avocado Toast with Pickled Radishes

by 5 Comments


* This post is sponsored by Duda Farm Fresh Foods.

I am obsessed with three things. 1) Pickled veggies. 2) Radishes. 3) Tartine sandwiches.

Oh shoot, I guess I could go on to say that I am also obsessed with avocados + avocado toast. (But, really, who isn't.) Oh and I am also obsessed with fresh crunchy sprouts and spring peas. So basically, today's recipe leaves me swooning, emoji-style, red hearts in my eyes.

Today's Spring Pea Avocado Toast with Easy Pickled Radishes is my idea of lunchtime perfection. Smooth, rich, lemon-y avocado and fresh pea spread is slathered on bakery crusty bread, and then topped with the most amazing (and easy) DIY pickled radishes and sprouts. Slice, serve, swoon.

This meal looks and tastes like it should be served in one of those fancy European tartine restaurants. But you get to enjoy it at home, watching Netflix, in your cozy sweats. Win win win.

Get the recipe, plus, find out how you can enter to win one of five $100 Visa Gift Cards!..

Love these flavors and textures!..

I like my spread slightly chunky..

Before pickling the radishes. So pretty..

Lovely pickled radishes! These have been soaking for about 36 hours..

The perky pickled Dandy mini stick radishes are the perfect tartine topper in this recipe!

Dandy Radishes. I am so excited to work with Dandy on this post because, well, radishes! Radishes are one of my all time favorite veggies. They taste amazing with their spicy flavor and crunchy texture. Plus, they and are just so beautiful.

Flashback. You can see my radish obsession goes all the way back to 2009 on my blog, when I was determined to veganize "radishes and butter" after watching Breakfast at Tiffany's and feeling kinda fancy shmancy.

And yes, Dandy radish coins with softened vegan butter, on crackers, with a bit of salt and pepper is absolutely a yummy, sophisticated, throw-back snack.

Some reasons why radishes rock:

- Versatile! You can add them to salads, sandwiches, wraps, tacos and more.
- One cup of sliced radishes has only 19 calories, so you can snack, snack and keep snacking!
- Radishes are gorgeous. They have the most beautiful creamy white and perky pink colors.
- Healthy ingredient. Radishes contain vitamin C, fiber and minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese.
- Storage. They won't go bad in a few days like some veggies. Dandy radishes can lasts up to 17 days when stored properly.
- A half cup of radishes adds 15% of your daily intake of Vitamin C.

Dandy Radishes. I was so excited to try these ready-to-go radishes from Dandy. Just like we grab those easy baby carrot bags, you can absolutely grab ready radishes. There are three ready-to-go, bagged varieties from Dandy:

- Radish Coins
- Radish Mini Sticks
- Ready Radishes

The crunch and flavor is awesome and I love the grab-n-go feel of these bags.

Easy + Stylish. If I want a match stick sliced radish, these make is SO easy. And the pretty crimped coin radishes are perfect for a party platter.

Dandy Radish Coins pair well with hummus, guacamole, vegan ranch dip and even nut butters. I snacked on some while I was developing this recipe!

The Dandy Radish Mini Sticks are perfect for salads or wraps or tacos. They have a wonderful crunchy texture and bright spicy radish flavor. OR you can even pickle them like I did for added fun and flavor.

Instantly Download a Free Radish Recipe Guide. If you are a radish lover like me, you get loads of recipes and inspiration by simply downloading the Ready, Set, Radishes Recipe Guide. (note: not all the recipes are vegan, but I looked them over and most are very veganizable. If you need tips veganizing just ask me and I will help!)

$100 Visa Gift Card BONUS: When you enter to download the recipe guide above you will automatically be entered to win one of five $100 VISA gift cards! Winners will be chosen May 17th, 2017.

The goods..

Love this spread! The peas add a boost of protein, while the avocado adds the creamy healthy fat base.

 

Blended pea-avocado spread. You can blend it slightly chunky like this or keep blending for silky smooth..

And btw, back in 2007 when I started my blogging adventure, I created a bunch of fruit and veggie characters, and one of my favorites was this guy, Punk Rock Radish...

...but anywayyyyyys.

Lovely tartines!..

Love these colors..

Spring peas..

Or go with this lovely snack of radish coins and hummus..

* This post is sponsored by Duda Farm Fresh Foods. But all opinions are my own.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Spring Pea Avocado Toast with Easy Pickled Radishes

This perky spring green spin on avocado toast is packed with lively, healthy flavor. Rich protein-boosted avocado is slathered on the best crusty bread. Homemade Dandy Pickled Radishes and sprouts on top.
Prep Time13 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch, sandwich
Cuisine: American
Keyword: avocado, dinner, easy, entree, lunch, peas, pickled radishes, protein, rasidhes, sandwich, tartine, vegan
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Pickled Radishes:

  • 1 bag (4oz) Dandy Mini Radish Sticks
  • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar (or a red or white vinegar)
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or whole peppercorns
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne (optional)

Green Pea Avocado Spread:

  • ¾ cup fresh green peas
  • 1 large avocado, pitted
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup raw walnuts or almonds
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste (at least ¼ teaspoon salt)
  • optional: 1 clove of garlic

Also:

  • Fresh bakery crusty bread (3 large or 4 medium slices)
  • assorted sprouts
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Prepare the pickled radishes at least a day before you want to serve this recipe. Add the Dandy Radish Mini Sticks to a large jar or other glass container. Add the vinegar, water, maple, sea salt, peppercorns and red pepper flakes. stir briskly. Cover jar and place in the fridge to chill for at least eight hours, and overnight is even better. The longer the radishes chill and marinate the more flavor will emerge. The color of the radishes will fade a bit into a light pink, but the pickled texture is amazing! Perfect for topping salads and sandwiches like this recipe.
  • Day of serving. Prepare your pea spread. If using peas in their pod, remove them from their pods, until you have about ¾ cup. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and submerge the peas for about 2-3 minutes, or until they darken in color and soften. Once they are tender, strain them from the water and rinse them in cold water or an ice bath to preserve the green color.
  • Place the peas, avocado, walnuts, lemon juice, olive oil and optional garlic clove in a blender or food processor. Blend from low to high until smooth. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Salt (and the lemon juice) are important for bringing out the savory flavors in the spread. Pour the pea-avocado spread into a small bowl.
  • Slice your bread and lightly toast. Rinse and dry your fresh sprouts.
  • Slather 2-3 tablespoon of the pea-avocado spread onto each slice of bread - add a generous amount for a think layer of spread. Then top with as many pickled radishes and fresh sprouts as you'd like. Finish with some fresh black pepper on top. If desired, you can add a pinch of fleur de sel or another coarse sea salt on top to serve. Slice and serve the toasts. Best served same day.

Vegan Buffalo Mac 'n Cheese with Tempeh and Avocado. Easy Dinner.

by 11 Comments

So I am back from my wild weekend, as I mentioned in my last post. But I am backtracking a bit with recipe. I made this Buffalo Mac 'n Cheese with tempeh and avocado two nights in a row, right before I left for my trip. It was the perfect pre-travel comfort food with no leftovers and easy cleanup.

Keep reading to get this fast and easy recipe. Plus the CUTEST Sochi cat photos...

Comfort Food. I made this recipe not only because I was traveling, but because my TMJ/TMD was flaring up big time and I had been struggling with a rolling migraine for about two weeks. Pure awfulness. And whenever that happens I crave soft comfort foods because it chills me out and I don't have to use my jaw to chew to much. (BTW, if you don't know what TMJ is, it is basically a jaw disorder, but mine is really bad because I have an actual dislocated disc on one side - and if you have a tendency for headaches, it can basically make you feel like crap when it acts up. Yup, 'feel like crap' is my professional analysis. LOL.) But anyways, I won't bore you with all that today - just wanted to mention it because I know a lot of people deal with migraines, TMJ and even other chronic pain issues. And I just really think food can heal in ways even beyond healthy nutrients - comfort food is real. Food nourishes us in so many ways. But a-n-yways...

The point is, this recipe is perfect for any time you are craving hearty, protein-rich comfort food. I absolutely love love love this bowl, my Buffalo Mac 'n Cheese with tempeh and avocado.

The buttery avocado in this recipe adds some green, healthy-fat goodness. You could also do guacamole. Or if you can chew a bit better than I could at the time #TMJProblems, you could add leafy greens, roasted veggies, peas, broccoli or even a simple side salad.

The most-"healing" ingredient for me when I have a headache is the hot sauce! That spicy kick always seems to help, not sure why. But this article seems to agree.. "How to Eat Your Way out of a Headache" -- And something about Mac and Cheese just seems to heal all, amiright or amiright?..



Sometimes you need easy.. I actually used a (gasp) boxed Mac and Cheese because I was really needing a super easy recipe. There are SO many rad vegan boxed mac and cheeses in stores these days! Dairy-free and many are even gluten-free.

But if I was more up to it I would have definitely made my m+c from scratch using one of my recipes..

- Mac and Cheese 1 - spicy chipotle
- Mac and Cheese 2 - original fake out mac and cheese recipe (old recipe)
- Mac and Cheese 3 - creamy vegan cheese sauce (newer recipe)

(And here is another spruced up Mac and Cheese recipe.)

Tempeh! I love these tempeh sticks so much. They are tender and sweet and savory. And so freaking easy to make. Just a few minutes in a skillet and they are done.

My favorite hot sauce is Cholula. What's yours? I was recently rummaging through my friend's fridge and saw that she had like ten different hot sauces in there! Super impressed by that. Skills.

This recipe is totally kid friendly too! You can omit the hot sauce if your kids do not like spicy things. You could also add a pesto sauce or even a drizzle or vegan mayo or hummus if you really want a sauce on top. Or extra cheese sauce on top is always a great idea.

Cat Photography. Oh and while I was shooting this, Sochi snuck into the "studio" aka far side of the living room, and decided to take over the photo shoot. I am in love with these adorable shots I got..

My instagram caption of choice...

Bio: Sochi the cat. Loves long naps, any hour of the day. Lives for belly rubs. Begs for kitty treats by whacking the box on the floor. Chaser of hair ties. Champion middle of the night meower. World class snuggler. Rolly Polly. Mushroom. Muffin head. Fuzzy creature. BFF. Kitty cat.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Buffalo Mac 'n Cheese with tempeh and avocado

This meal bowl contains creamy Mac and Cheese, drizzled with hot sauce, avocado and savory-sweet tempeh sticks on the side.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: avocado, comfort food, dinner, mac and cheese, tempeh, vegan
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

  • Vegan Mac and Cheese (DIY recipe or boxed**)
  • ½ - 1 avocado, thinly sliced
  • your favorite hot sauce to taste
  • ¼ cup sliced black olives (optional)

Tempeh Sticks:

  • 1 package tempeh
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon tamari
  • pepper, salt and smoky paprika to taste
  • Optional: add in some veggies if you'd like (peas and broccoli are my favorite)
  • **I used Daiya boxed today, but I only use about half of the cheese sauce that is included 

Instructions

  • Prepare the vegan mac and cheese according to the recipe or box. Fold in the optional black olives or any other accent ingredient you want to add. Set aside in a pot to stay warm. Or continue to make the tempeh while the pasta is boiling.
  • Tempeh: Slice tempeh into sticks. About 8 sticks per package. Warm up a large skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil. When oil is warm, add in the tempeh. Cover skillet with lid and allow the tempeh to cook and slightly steam in its own moisture for 2-3 minutes. Flip tempeh with cooking tongs. Add in the tamari and maple syrup. Shake pan a bit to distribute the tamari, oil and maple. Allow the tempeh to cook for another minute or two on each side - just until it begins to caramelize on the edges and outside and turn dark caramel brown. Turn off heat. Sprinkle pepper and paprika over the tempeh to taste. Taste a piece of a stick and decide if you'd like to add additional salt.
  • Begin plating your meal. Add the warm mac and cheese to a bowl. Place the tempeh around the edges and add a fan of the avocado slices. Drizzle a generous amount of hot sauce over top. Serve warm.