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Basic Vegan Vanilla Baking Batter. All-Purpose. Easy. (Updated Recipe!)

by 12 Comments


Happy, healthy, red, white and blueberry day! Aka, the Fourth of July. I hope you are all enjoying some relaxing summertime fun this weekend.

Today I want to share with you a basic vegan baking batter that you can use for a wide variety of recipes: muffins, pancakes, waffles, tea bread and more. It has a zesty lemon-vanilla flavor perfect to pair with a wide variety of summer fruit or bolder flavors like spice and chocolate...

UPDATED! - 5/2013 - I updated the recipe to reflect my new love of coconut oil. Plus a I simplified and tweaked a few things. You can use this recipe for cupcakes, cakes, waffles, pancakes and more!

Happy 4th from Nelly!..

Flag waffles with vegan cream cheese + berries:

Mini Muffins..

Happy Holiday. Give yourself a day off and recharge. I know we are all hard-wired to check our cell phones and email as often as we can - but I've found that if I just "turn off" for a few hours - or even an entire day (challenging, I know!) - when I "turn back on" I am all the more energized, vibrant and ready to attack the day.

..and a great way to "turn off" is to get in the kitchen and bake. This batter recipe is lovely paired with whatever fresh summer fruit you may have on hand.

Vanilla. Subtle Lemon. Batter. There is a nice dose of lemon juice in this batter - I call it my secret brightening ingredient. It gives such a light and summery flavor to the batter. Subtle lemon is perfect for pairing with berries, peaches, banana, apples - any fruit really. Yet the flavor is clean enough to pair with bolder ingredients like ginger, spice, cinnamon and even chocolate - as in chocolate chip mini muffins. Yum.

Use your imagination and enjoy this versatile baking recipe.

Perfect for strawberry short cake round too! Soy whip swirled on top..

Easy Vegan Baking Batter
makes enough for about 15 muffins

2 cups flour (basic white flour works best for fluffy traditional cakes, but any flour can be used)
⅔ cup organic sugar (wet or dry can be used)
½ cup coconut oil (or sub with veggie oil: safflower, or melted vegan butter. If using vegan butter omit the added salt)
¾ cup non-dairy milk, warmed (I used unsweetened almond)
2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoon lemon juice (+ some optional zest for extra lemon-y flavor)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional for vanilla flavor)
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon ground flax seeds + 3 tablespoon water or non-dairy milk (vegan "egg replacer")*
*for added binding power, add in 2-3 teaspoon of ground chia seeds too!

Optional:
1 mashed banana (totally optional, for added texture and flavor)
Spices like cinnamon, ginger and more..

For use: Muffins, Waffles, Pancakes, Coffee Cakes, Tea Bread - more!

Basic Directions:

1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt.
2. Grind seeds, stir with water. Set aside.
3. Warm the non-dairy milk and add to dry ingredients. (You do not want any cold ingredients or the coconut oil will harden up)
4. Soften coconut oil and blend with sugar. Add the oil, sugar mixture to the mixture. Blend well.
5. Fold in the flax mixture and optional vanilla. Last, fold in the lemon juice and blend well. The batter will start to puff up.
6. You can now use the batter to fill cupcake tins, for pancakes, waffles, cakes and more. Grease pans well!
Note: You can reduce the oil if you'd like, just be sure to use something to substitute for it. A mashed banana works very well or vegan yogurt or even some chopped nuts for added body. If it is fall and winter, pumpkin puree is also an excellent add-in or way to replace some oil. Good luck and happy baking!!

baking times (approx):
* mini muffins - about 13-15 minutes
* muffins - about 18 minutes
* pancakes and waffles - until browned on edges
* fruit loaf - about 25 minutes

mini muffin trio skewers..

Deviled Avocado. Spicy Curry Sauce. Cado-Crunch Salad.

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I love a feisty Deviled Avocado.

This boldly flavored dish includes creamy avocado, crunchy apple, sweet onion, tender protein-rich hemp seeds, spices and lemon. Plus a sweet and spicy rich curry-tahini sauce drizzled generously over top. I love these flavors all sweet and sassy. Serve these 'cados as appetizers or alongside a crunchy entree salad for a satisfying and energizing meal...

Start with these..

And all this..

Stuff the 'cados like this. As much as you can pack in..

Then add this..

Which has plenty of this..

And serve up this..

You could even serve with this salad..

Hot Curry. One of my favorite go-to salad recipes is this spicy carrot slaw topped with tofu or tempeh cubes. I love it because it take spicy curry powder and mingles it with sturdy crunchy textures and sweet accents like the raisins.

This deviled avocado does the same thing.

Because really, I think life is better if you eat at least one avocado a day. Well at least that is my mantra when I live in avocado heaven. Aka, California.

Deviled Avocado. Spicy Curry Sauce. Cado-Crunch Salad.
vegan, makes 4 avocado halves

2 avocados, scooped (rinse skin well before using)
½ lemon - squeeze over top scooped avocados to prevent browning
additional hemp seeds

Avocado Crunch Salad:
4 scooped avocado centers (about 1 ½ cups mashed avocado)
1 small apple, diced (about ½ cup)
¼ cup sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon organic raisins or chopped dates
1-2 tablespoon raw hemp seeds
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon fine black pepper
note: you can get creative with this salad by adding in more veggies, beans, nuts and other seeds ... creativity encouraged.

Bold Spicy Sweet Curry Sauce:
1 tablespoon maple syrup (grade B)
1 tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon hot curry powder (or muchi curry)
2 teaspoon lemon juice
a few dashes cayenne for extra heat
**add a bit less maple syrup if you do not like your sauce too sweet.

Directions:

1. Rinse your avocados well under cold water. Dry.
2. Slice avocados into halves, remove pits.
3. Scoop avocado flesh. Add to small bowl and drench leftover avocado bowls in lemon juice.
4. Add all the crunch salad ingredients to your small bowl and start mashing and folding the salad until a thick avocado salad forms. Set aside.
5. Whip together your curry sauce in a small bowl. Place in the fridge a few minutes to firm up a bit for best drizzling.
6. Add avocado crunch salad to scooped avocado shells. Pile it high.
7. Drizzle curry sauce over top. Add hemp seeds over top and some more fine black pepper. Optional: drizzle of EVOO for extra richness.

Serve! Note: These actually store in the fridge pretty well for up to a day. Just cover well and drench outside of stuffed avocados in lemon juice to prevent browning.

Fresh Blueberry Muffins. Ginger. Lemon. Almond. Flour-Free!

by 28 Comments


These Ginger-Lemon Fresh Blueberry Banana Oat Vegan Muffins popped out of my test kitchen this morning and I knew I wanted to post the recipe asap. These tender, fluffy muffins are ridiculously delicious and healthy with just over 170 calories per muffin.

Flavors. Fresh organic blueberries in each bite, all plump, juicy and sweet and swirled with purple-blue goodness. Fresh lemon and spicy-sweet caramelized ginger accents. Plus banana, oat and almond ingredients too. These vegan muffins will wow your family as a grab-n-go breakfast (grab two!) or just make them for yourself, freeze the excess, and reheat these gems all week long.

These muffins are actually flour-free since I process rolled oats in to my very own homemade oat flour (in seconds using my blender). Each muffin is kinda like a to-go bowl of healthy oatmeal: fruit, nuts, oats, plant milk, flavor accents and sweetness. Make these muffins, pair them with some homemade almond milk, and have a very good morning..

Giveaways! Wow I just realized that I have THREE giveaways running right now. One for my vegan protein grab bag, one for a copy of Chloe Coscarelli's cookbook and one for a box of Vega One bars (6 winners there). And stay tuned because next month I have a HUGE contest/giveaway to announce. Very excited about this one.

Some pics from my weekend (yes they are all of food)...

And the organic blueberries in this recipe were from the Farmer's Market. We bought little baskets and (after this recipe + plenty of snacking) they are already gone!

Ginger-Lemon Fresh Blueberry Banana Oat Muffins
vegan, makes 12 muffins

dry:
2 ⅓ cups homemade oat flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
optional: a few dashes of cinnamon or cayenne or ginger powder

wet mixture:
¼ cup fresh lemon juice + ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
½ cup almond milk (make it fresh!)
2 very ripe bananas
1 teaspoon chia seeds
½ - 1 teaspoon flax seeds (whole or crushed)
⅓ cup maple syrup (or substitute with another sweetener)

fold in:
1 cup organic fresh blueberries (washed/dried)
½ cup raw slivered almonds (or another raw nut or seed)
2 tablespoon chopped crystalized ginger
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil - melted (or another oil) (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins. I also spray the inside with a spray oil because these oat-y muffins can stick a bit. Prep: Juice your lemons, zest them too. Peel bananas

2. Using a blender or a food processor, start adding rolled oats to your machine at low speed (start with 2 cups) and blend/process until a fine oat flour forms. Keep adding oats until you can measure enough for 2 ⅓ cups dry processed oat "flour." You can make a little extra and save it in your fridge for other baked good recipes if you'd like or just have leftover flour.

3. Transfer the 2 ⅓ cups oat flour to a large mixing bowl and add the salt and baking powder.

4. In your blender or food processor, add all the wet mixture ingredients and blend on low until smooth.

5. Add the wet mixture to the dry bowl and start stirring until a soft batter forms.

6. Fold in the coconut oil, almonds, ginger and blueberries.

7. Pour batter into muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes or until the tops become browned and firm to touch.

8. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before serving so the texture can set a bit.

here is what the flour looks like. The rolled oats are what your process, the fine "flour" is what the rolled oats turn into after processing. This is your oat flour..

Fast, Easy Almond Milk Recipe!

by 45 Comments


Want to learn how to make creamy, amazing, totally delicious-tasting almond milk is a flash? Good! Today I share my easy method and even a super easy TWO-ingredient recipe with a secret ingredient. (Intrigued?)

For these recipes.. You DO need a high speed blender like a Vitamix. And some sort of fine mesh strainer OR a nut bag. But that is it! Seriously, go from raw almonds in a bag to creamy-tastic almond milk in under 45 minutes. Annnnd GO!...

Chocolate almond milk:

Flavors (classic vanilla, cacao, sweet spirulina green, cinna coconut)

The basics... Full recipe below.

The best part about homemade almond milk: you can chug the bottle and not feel guilty that it is all gone. Because you can easily make more!

OK, so I love love love love love love homemade nut milks. Not only do they taste amazing, but they are perfect for adding to smoothies, drinking straight from the chilled glass bottle, pouring over top hot and cold cereal, using in baking and other recipes and you can even add your homemade nut milk to hot beverages like tea and lattes. I just had a black tea latte and NO the milk did not curdle! Yay.

What is the difference between my method and other methods? Well one thing really: THE SOAKING TIME.

Normally, raw nut milk recipes ask you to soak the raw nuts in salted water anywhere from 4-8 hours to overnight. And yes this is a great way to get soft, easily blendable nuts. But I have found that my method below really does work! So having fresh almond milk in a flash is totally possible...

The trick is to use very hot water to soak the almonds. This softens them quickly.

Secret Recipe: Coconut Almond Milk. The other day I tried something new and crazy. Instead of using water to make my almond milk, I used chilled natural coconut water! I was kinda shocked when it tasted amazing. The best part, it was pre-sweetened from the sweet coconut water flavor and bonus - it contained added nutrients from the coconut water like potassium, magnesium, manganese and more. So you can try either classic water-almond or crazy new coconut-almond. Both use the same method. And both can be flavored however you'd like.

Nut Milk Bag: If you have one. Use it. They do make things a bit faster. But this method below is super if you do not have special tools like a nut milk bag, but do have a strainer.

Fast Easy Almond Milk - Classic

By Kathy Patalsky Published 05/25/2013Fast Easy Almond Milk - Classic
This rich and creamy almond milk is the most delicious dairy-free milk around! And you make it from scratch in just a few minutes! Soak almonds ahead of time.

Ingredients

  • 3-5 cups water (purified if needed)
  • 1 cup raw almonds (soaked overnight + drained)
  • Also:
  • sea salt
  • optional flavors: vanilla bean, cocoa powder, Medjool dates, sweeteners, cayenne, more!

Instructions

  1. Allow the almond to soak in a big mixing bowl filled with water overnight or for at least a few hours. Quick soak method: Add your 1 cup of almonds to a bowl and fill with about 3+ cups of HOT HOT HOT water. Enough to cover nuts generously. You could use boiling or simmering water, but I just use the hottest possible setting on my tap. Add in a dash of salt and swirl water. Let this sit for at least 20-30 minutes. I think one hour is a bit better, but I have even tested a 15-minute soak that does work.
  2. Drain the soaking water and rinse your soaked almonds with cool water. A few of the almond skins may pop off and that is a good sign that they have softened a bit.
  3. Add the soaked almonds and 3 ½ cups of fresh water to your Vitamix. Blend on low for a good three minutes. Finish blend by carefully blending (lid on) on medium or high for a minute or so to really thrash those almond bits and churn the milk.
  4. Strain with a nut milk bag. You can also use a mesh strainer and carefully pour and scrape the liquid through, but this takes a bit longer to manage.
  5. Pour the freshly strained/squeezed almond milk back in a clean, pulp-free blender. Add a pinch of sea salt and any additional flavors. Blend on low. Taste test and tweak flavors until you like the taste. I like a few Medjool dates, sea salt and the seeds from one vanilla bean blended in.
  6. Store the almond milk in sealed jars or jugs in the fridge. Almond milk will separate naturally in a few hours, so shake before serving. Consume within three days.

Yield: 4-5 cupsPrep Time: 01 hrs. 00 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Total time: 1 hrs. 15 mins. Tags: almond milk, almonds, vegan,plant milk,easy,drink,beverage,howto,

Some flavor ideas...

Chocolate -> Add 1-3 tablespoon cacao powder + 1-3 tablespoon maple or agave syrup (or 2-3 pitted Medjool dates) + dash cinnamon and or cayenne + ⅛ teaspoon pink salt
Sweet Spirulina -> 1 tablespoon spirulina powder (I use Spirulina Pacofica!) + sweeten to taste with dates or maple/agave syrup + ⅛ teaspoon pink salt
Strawberry -> Add ½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries! (this will slightly thicken your milk with fiber)
Classic Vanilla Bean -> scrape 1 vanilla bean (add seeds from pod) + sweeten to taste + ⅛ teaspoon salt

And if you want to try my Coconut Cinnamon flavor do this:
Instead of adding water when blending your soaked almonds, add chilled coconut water! This blends up sweet, creamy, coconut-infused almond milk. I add cinnamon too.

...And guess what, you can totally do this same method with almost any nut you'd like. Try walnut, cashew or even pistachio! (These nuts quick soak best)

Good luck and tweet me your finished homemade almond milk pics!!! @lunchboxbunch

PS. If you are like, wait, *8* steps??? SO not easy! Watch my VINE video and see that I showed this recipe in *six* seconds 🙂 Follow me on Vine too!

Pulp pressing, to squeeze out all the "milk"

Disclosure: I am a Vitamix affiliate and any links to their products are via my affiliate account.

Chatting Desserts & Cookbooks with Chloe Coscarelli + VGP 2013!

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Over the past four years I have had the pleasure of interviewing some of my favorite veggie-powered ladies via my annual Veggie Girl Power Interview Series. It has been so much fun being able to follow the inspiring careers of these veggie superstars in the years since chatting with them all. Past VGP ladies included: Marilu Henner, Chloe Jo, Portia de Rossi, Vaute Couture's Leanne, Sarma, PPK's Isa, Kathy Freston, Heather Mills, Annie Shannon, Gena, Rory Freedman and many more. You can catch up on all my past interviews here: 2011, 2010, 2009. 2013's series starts now! I am SO excited to announce this year's eclectic line-up of ladies and feature an update on a past superstar: the lovely Chloe Coscarelli!

So to kick off this year's VGP Interviews (I announce this year's full line-up ahead) - I wanted to chat all things dessert, cookbooks and more with Chloe. My interview with Chloe, plus she shares with me her dreamy recipe for Vegan Tiramisu Pancakes! (Plus enter my giveaway to win Chloe's Vegan Desserts Cookbook!)..

Vegan Superstar: Chloe Coscarelli. With my 365 Vegan Smoothies book launch coming soon, I have been especially interested in following Chloe's amazing book tour adventures. Between all her book signings, TV appearances and more, I have been SO impressed with the hard work she has been putting in to bring a bright, bubbly, smiling face (and AMAZING vegan food) to the forefront of what "vegan" means today. Not to mention her eloquent words speaking about her passionate love of animals. (And sharing cute pics of her pups on Instagram.)

VGP 2013. This year there is one big change to my series. Instead of doing the interviews back-to-back, I will be posting a new interview every week for the next ten weeks starting today with Chloe. Nine TEN ladies this year to chat with! And just so you know, it is NEVER easy selecting who to interview. SO many people go swirling through my head, and I promise myself that in time I will get to interviewing each and every one of them. And ps, if you have any favorite people you'd like to see next year - please comment their names below. Love feedback on that. So, this year's VGP line-up..

Doron Peterson, of Sticky Fingers Bakery
Angela Liddon, of Oh She Glows website
Elizabeth Castoria, Editorial Director VegNews Magazine
Simone Reyes, of Running Russell Simmons / Animal Advocate
Katie Higgins, of Chocolate Covered Katie
Laura Beck, of Vegansaurus and more / writer
Emily Von Euw, of This Rawsome Life website
Marly McMillen, of Namely Marly website
Sara Sohn, of Sweet & Sara Vegan Marshmallows
Update! Ha, (from a few comments below) you guys reminded me that this year I wanted to include myself answering the questions in one round of the interview! So VGP interview #10 this year: ME!!

...many many details on these ladies in the upcoming interviews! Now for miss CC..

Chatting Desserts & Cookbook Tours with Chloe Coscarelli

Kathy: What are three words you'd use to describe your cookbook tour?

Chloe: Exhilarating, Humbling, Inspiring.

Kathy: What or who are three people or things you couldn't live without on your book tour?

Chloe: A comfortable bed, a good vegan restaurant to grab a meal, my laptop.

Kathy: What have been some (or just one) vegan culinary highlights from your travels? Name dropping yummy hotspots please!

Chloe: It has to be Voodoo Donuts. Their vegan donuts are always fresh and they have a huge variety. They are open 24/7 and my mom and I went 3 times in one day? No apologies. The best pick me up ever!

Kathy: You always look super cute! Who does your styling or do you do it yourself? Any brands for fashion or beauty you can't tour without?

Chloe: Thank you! My friend Ava is a wonderful stylist and she helps me with my outfits. She is fantastic. She has really helped me a lot with making better choices and having a more critical eye when it comes to dressing myself. It really helps that I do my own hair. I just don't have the patience or time to sit in the salon. Some of my favorite makeup brands are Make-up Forever and Nars.

Kathy: How oh how did you survive away from your pets during your traveling? Your pups are adorable!

Chloe: Thank goodness for IPHONE. My family will take little films of the babies and tons of pics and text them to me all day. I've never traveled far with them but I did take them to San Diego to a dog-friendly hotel and it was such a novelty to have the staff bring two little dog beds and bowls and brand new toys to the room. Of course Winnie and Buster would have none of the dog bed and instead jumped right up to the fluffy comforters on my bed! Shhhh, don't tell the hotel.

Kathy: What is something unexpected from your book tour?

Chloe: One young man did a beautiful oil portrait of me and framed it. It was beautiful. I couldn't have been more touched.

Kathy: What is the best way to reach a new audience to promote your book? Have you been excited about the mainstream enthusiasm for your vegan book?

Chloe: My publishers are really terrific at trying to reach new audiences and of course I love engaging with my readers on Facebook and Twitter.

Kathy: What is one of your favorite stories from meeting your excited Chef Chloe fans on your tour?

Chloe: I have met many people on my tours who have told me they lost weight after going vegan and that my book really helped them achieve that goal.

Kathy: Who is the coolest person (or celeb/hero) you have met on your tour?

Chloe: Everyone who has come out to to say hello to me is special. I really love meeting and talking with everyone. Sometimes the book store wants to hurry me up but I just can't. I want to hear what everyone has to say!

Kathy: What advice would you give new and hopeful vegan cookbook authors?

Chloe: Stay with it. Cookbook writing can be very arduous work. Recipes need to be tested and re-tested and tested some more to be perfect. The end product will be something that you can be very proud of. I love sharing my recipes with everyone. Nothing makes me happier then hearing that someone made my Fettuccine Alfredo, or Lemon Squares or Spinach Artichoke Dip and loved it so much that they made it again and again. This is very rewarding and all the hard work paid off!

Thanks Chloe! And I love these fun kitchen pics provided by Chloe. Love..

And here is a yummy brunch or breakfast (or dessert!) recipe shared by Chloe..

Chloe Coscarelli's Tiramisu Pancakes
vegan, 3 servings

Ingredients:

Pancakes:
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup water
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon dark rum
⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips (dairy-free)
Canola oil, for greasing
Coconut Whipped Cream (below)

Coconut Whipped Cream:
1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk, chilled
⅔ cup powdered sugar, plus extra for serving

Directions:

1. For the Coconut Whipped Cream, chill bowl and whisk of a stand mixer in freezer for about 10 minutes. Skim solidified coconut cream from can of coconut milk and transfer solids to bowl of stand mixer. Do not include any coconut water.

2. Into the mixer, add powdered sugar and whip for a few minutes until mixture begins to stiffen and turn into whipped cream. Chill whipped cream in a airtight container in refrigerator for 3 hours to overnight before serving.

3. For the pancakes, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together water, maple syrup, and rum. Add wet mixture into dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix; batter should have some lumps. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

4. Lightly oil a large nonstick skillet or griddle and heat over medium-high heat. Pour ¼ cup batter onto skillet. When bubbles appear in center of pancake, flip it. Cook other side until lightly browned and cooked through, about 1 more minute. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to skillet as needed. If batter becomes too thick, add a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. To serve, dust pancakes with powdered sugar and top with a dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream.

Catch up with Chloe on her website Chef Chloe.

**all images in this post are provided courtesy of Chloe Coscarelli**

Snag Chloe's books "Chloe's Vegan Desserts" and "Chloe's Kitchen" on Amazon..

Green Princess Plate. Romaine Salad + Fresh Green Dressing.

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So I had this romaine. Romaine lettuce that I picked up at the organic Farmer's Market, the market held every Saturday in Santa Monica. Oh my this romaine. I spotted it perched on a table, piled on top of ten or fifteen other glossy green lovelies just like it. Gorgeous, fluffy, sprawling leaves of spring green so crisp and fresh that you could easily munch them down leaf by leaf. No dressing required. So for this recipe I didn't want to do to much to these leaves. I couldn't even bare to chop them up!

Green Princess (Or Prince) Plate. I topped each spear with fresh chive hummus. Then a bit of chopped Medjool date to sweeten each bite. Cayenne. Pepper. And I needed a homemade green dressing. And everyone does "green goddess" so I decided to do Green Princess Dressing since this plate is just so pretty. Lemon, pumpkin seeds, white miso paste and some raw hemp seeds. No oil added. Light and refreshing with spring lemon zing. I actually devoured this plate for breakfast it was so irresistible!...

It all starts with a fluffy head of organic lettuce..

No Dates? You can use any sweet accent. Try organic raisins, chopped apricots or your favorite fresh fruit like blueberries, banana, apples or pears.

Princess Dressing - classic version:

I loved this dressing SO much that I made a "creamy version" of it that night for dinner...

creamy version dressing includes avocado:

All hail the mighty romaine leaf. (Not just All Hail Kale!!) - a la Veggie Grill

-> Romaine might be better for you than you think.

Compared to the dreaded "iceberg" lettuce..
* Romaine lettuce is rich in vitamins A, C, K and folate. It is a good source of iron, potassium and manganese.
* Iceberg lettuce has a nice dose of Vitamin K and Manganese … but that’s about it.

More stats (per 100 grams)..

Romaine: 17 calories, 0g fat, 1g protein, 2g fiber
RDA’s based on 2000 calorie diet.. 147% Vitamin A, 128% Vitamin K, 34% Folate, 40% Vitamin C, 5% Iron, 3% Calcium, 7% Potassium, 8% Manganese.

Iceberg: 14 calories, 0g fat, 1g protein, 1g fiber
RDA’s based on 2000 calorie diet.. 10% Vitamin A, 30% Vitamin K, 7% Folate, 5% Vitamin C, 2% Iron, 2% Calcium, 4% Potassium, 6% Manganese.

nutrition data source: nutritiondata.self.com

Creamy version dressing -> add 1 small avocado or ½ large avocado to blender!

Green Princess Plate with Dressing

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 04/23/2013Green Princess Plate with Dressing
This spin on "green goddess" dressing includes creamy homemade hummus, sweet dates and loads of green goodness from fresh romaine lettuce spears and a dreamy green dressing.

Ingredients

  • 10-12 spears of romaine lettuce, organic (the smaller the better for bite-sized pieces)
  • ½ cup homemade hummus - here
  • 1-2 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
  • a few pinches of smoky paprika or cayenne powder
  • ½ cup of green princess dressing (ingredients below)
  • Green Princess Dressing:
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves (big handful)
  • ⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon raw hemp seeds
  • 2 teaspoon white miso paste
  • 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic
  • pinch of black pepper to taste
  • add water or more lemon juice as desired to thin out dressing

Instructions

  1. Add all dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend on low until thin and textured. Slightly creamy, but more of a dressing texture than a 'pesto'.
  2. If making your own hummus, it is best to have it premade and chilled in the fridge for a few hours so it dollops well on the spears.
  3. Remove pit of date, chop into bits. Rinse romaine leaves in ice cold water to freshen.
  4. Easy set-up. Add hummus to ends of leaves and place in serving dish. Add date bit, dash with pepper and cayenne. Fill serving plate in a flower-design with hummus-topped spears. Drizzle a generous amount of dressing over top and feel free to dip the spears in leftover dressing as you eat. Enjoy!

Yield: serves 1-2Prep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Total time: 15 mins. Tags: salad,appetizer,green goddess dressing,salad dressing,green,romaine,dates,hummus,raw

SNEAK PEEK! I paired this salad with an upcoming recipe... avocado bliss...

Vega One Bar: Review / Giveaway!

by 260 Comments


Love chocolate? Love delicious ways to feed you body nutrients like protein, fiber, omega 3's, probiotics, greens and more? Well take a peek at this new (chocolate-drenched) plant-based product from Vega..

Vega One Bar. I am already a Vega One fan - one of my fave protein powders, featured in my recent Protein Powder Guide! So when I heard about those same nutrients in "bar form" I was intrigued.

Taste Test! Ahead, read my review of the new Vega One Bar - plus enter my giveaway.
Prize: a box of bars (6 winners!)..

Alright, lets chat about why I love this bar..
* It tastes amazing. And I am a very picky "bar" buyer. It tastes like a candy bar with rich chocolate coating.
* It is packed with good stuff. In fact, Vega says it is the most nutrient-dense bar on the market.
* Perfect for on-the-go nutrient boosting needs. Sadly, I cannot tote my Vitamix with me everywhere I go to blend smoothies, so these bars are perfect for taking to blogger events, on family vacations or just everyday travel for work or play. I plan on having one in my purse at all times. Ya know, just in case..
* Vega says, "When we say all-in-one, we MEAN all-in-one" This bar offers the same well-rounded nutrient profile as their popular blendable powder. I have looked, and cannot find a plant-based bar with this many wellness goodies in each bar.
* Love chocolate? This bar delivers! The chocolate tastes amazing! Silky, melts in your mouth and accents the velvety and nutty filling beautifully.

Chocolate...

Facts:
* Flavors: Double Chocolate, Chocolate Cherry and Chocolate Almond.
* Retail Price: One box of bars= $47.79 Vega One Bar Single= $3.99 (One bar = 63g)
* Nutrition: Featuring 15 grams of complete protein, 6 grams of fiber, and 1.5 grams of Omega-3.
* Probiotics & Greens Too. Vega One bar helps cover your key nutrient bases with a unique, balanced combination of essential vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, a full serving of greens, plus 1 billion CFU probiotics per bar.
* Free. Gluten-free and sugar-free.

Ingredients (Chocolate Almond) Other ingredients: Protein blend (sprouted whole grain brown rice protein, pea protein), sorghum syrup, dark chocolate coating (evaporated cane sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, vanilla), inulin, roasted almonds, dates, almond butter, sacha inchi oil, white chia seeds, rice crisps, natural almond flavor, sea salt.

Flavor Review:
* Chocolate Almond is my fave. Has an almond butter hint to it that I love.
* The Double Chocolate is super rich and tastes kinda like a brownie. Husband's fave.
* The Chocolate Cherry flavor has a slight tart sweetness from the dried fruit. A hint of chewiness from the dried fruit too.)

Three flavors..

Vega One Bar - The Scoop.. Everything you love about Vega One Nutritional Shake, now in an on-the-go bar. Vega One Nutrition Bar is a delicious all-in-one, plant-based supplement, packed with vitamins and minerals, protein, fiber, Omega-3, plus antioxidants, probiotics and greens. Made from natural, plant-based, whole food ingredients, Vega One Nutrition Bar is a delicious, convenient, all-in-one supplement.

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Try it and Share it! Use hashtag: #VegaOneBar and @VegaTeam (Facebook/Twitter)
Vega on Instagram: vega_team - Vega One Bar online

...Um, ya, this was a FUN review guys...

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

Tempeh Reuben Club Sandwich. Split a sandwich tonight..

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What is better than a delicious sauerkraut-stuffed, blackened tempeh infused, sassy stacked Tempeh Reuben Sandwich? How about a Tempeh Reuben Club Sandwich! This monster of a sandwich is built for two to share and tiny mouths need not apply. OK, tiny mouths are welcome, but you may need to unstack as you devour this amazingly yummy dish. Get my recipe and find out what all the buzz is about when it comes to vegan reuben sandwiches!..

Pile it op..

Monster 'wich. for two..

Blackened tempeh for stacking..

Three slices. Three spreads.

All those goodies...

My professional advice: Add sweet potato waffle fries..

Hello Reuben. Sandwich. I have to thank my husband for turning me on to "reuben" sandwiches. Growing up in Santa Cruz California, I actually never really knew what a "Reuben" was. Corned beef, what is that anyways? (Back then when the foodie world was smaller, it was more of an NYC-ish thing, yes?)

Well this legendary (classically meat-stuffed) sandwich has made its way into the vegan world with a proud stance and long line of fanatical followers. (Me included!) If we go to a new restaurant that has a vegan reuben on the menu, we kinda have to order it just to compare how it stacks up (ha) against the vegan reuben competition.

But this divine darling of a sandwich is actually terribly easy to make at home. Perfect dinner if you ask me. Pair with a nice side salad and maybe some sweet potato fries and boom. Dinner is amazing.

..actually more like AH-MAY-ZING.

Make Ahead Sandwich. And even better. I made this sandwich around lunch time. Stuck it in the fridge and reheated it in the oven (350 degrees for 15 minutes) and it was AMAZING reheated. I was kinda shocked at how well the outer layers of bread toasted up and that inner layer stayed moist yet not mushy. Tempeh is good at staying firm in the fridge since it doesn't hold too much water (like say tofu would). So yes. Totally make this ahead of time and reheat it later that evening of for lunch the next day.

Sandwich for Two. I find it SO much funner to make ONE sandwich and just split it. Because in sandwich making there is ALWAYS one sandwich that looks a l'il better than the other one. This way you both win the best version. And you don't walk away hungry. Because really, one average stacked sandwich is sometimes not enough to satisfy. So, in swoops the mighty CLUB sandwich to save the day. Three layers of bread and toppings split between two people.

Now grab some ingredients and make this dish!

Tempeh Reuben Club Sandwich
vegan, serves 2

Maple Tempeh:
8 ounces tempeh, sliced in half then down center to make thin square slices
1 tablespoon maple syrup, grade B
2 teaspoon tamari
dash of fine black pepper
optional: a few splashes of liquid smoke

For Sandwich:
3 slices sourdough bread* (the long wide slices from the middle part of a bakery round)
1 ripe avocado, sliced and splashed with lemon juice
1 small tomato, sliced
¾ cup sauerkraut
3 rings of onion
vegan mayo + Dijon mustard for spreading
optional: add some melted vegan cheese if you dare)

Russian Dressing Recipes - three options:

version one, rustic & nutty:
2 teaspoon tahini
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon tamari
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped chives or parsley
pinch of paprika

version two, easy and creamy:
1 tablespoon vegan mayo
1 teaspoon maple or agave syrup
dash paprika
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives or parsley (opt'l)
¼ teaspoon horseradish or dash of cayenne

version three - sweet, sassy & classic (adapted from Martha Stewart)
2 tablespoon vegan mayo
2 teaspoon ketchup
1 ½ teaspoon pickle relish
2 teaspoon lemon juice (fresh)
½ teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (try Annies brand)
⅛ teaspoon coarse salt
pinch of fine black pepper

Notes:
* If you only have square bread you should be fine, but the portion will be smaller and you will have leftover toppings so the longer the bread slice the better.

Directions:

1. Prep all veggies and slice up tempeh. Whip up your Russian Dressing. All three recipes will work.

2. Toast all three slices of bread. Add vegan mayo to one slice, Dijon mustard to another and the Russian dressing to another. Set aside, this helps spreads absorb in the toast a bit.

3. Heat up skillet. Add a tiny splash of veggie oil to pan and then add the sliced tempeh. Add the tamari and maple too. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Edges should blacken from the tamari and sweet maple syrup. Add some pepper before turning off heat. Note: I know many of you prefer to steam your tempeh before sauteing. If this is you or your really hate any bitterness in tempeh, feel free to steam before adding to saute pan.

4. After you remove the tempeh from pan, quickly add the sauerkraut. I like tot do this because it warms the kraut, blackens a few of the edges and adds more flavor. Or you can simply use raw cold kraut if desired.

5. Start stacking! Add one layer of tempeh, then some tomatoes on top. Then add the avocado. The avocado will happily mush into the dry bottom of the middle layer of toast you stack next. Add middle toast. Then another layer of tempeh, onion, and all that heavenly kraut. Last, add more avocado and the top layer of toast.

Serve now or you can add to the oven to make your sandwich extra toast and warm. Or chill in the fridge until ready to serve. For reheating: 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes will do it.

Oh and my backyard hummingbird friends are doing well. Here is the mommy feeding the chickies. (Boo strong winds this week!) I need a super zoom lens.. 🙂

Boston Cream Pie. (Almost Raw. Vegan.) Love to Boston.

by 17 Comments

With Boston on my mind, this Boston Cream Pie popped into my kitchen. My (almost) raw dessert. The 'cake' portion is raw, including my cashew 'cream' layer. The chocolate ganache topping is simply a silky combination of melted dark chocolate chips and virgin coconut oil.

Why Raw? Yes I guess I could have cranked up my oven and prepared a classic Boston Cream Pie. But the thing is, I have these dates. These beautiful, squishy, velvet-y, sweet and luscious Medjool dates from the Farmer's Market and I was really hoping to use them in a raw dessert this week. So here it is. I hope Boston approves..

After things firm up in the fridge. You can see my "cream" center...

This was an experiment recipe, and while not as elegant as I'd liked, still very yummy.

Not a lot of words today. Just some love to all the people and any of my readers in Boston.

I. Can't. Even. Imagine.

I have one close friend who ran the race. Claire tweeted..

Another tweet I loved..

Recipe. This was a total experiment. I'm not a highly skilled raw dessert maker, but this actually turned out pretty well for a new-to-me test. I mean really, when you are using delicious raw dates, nuts, coconut oil and chocolate -> it is impossible to make a bad dessert. Yes?

And oh those Medjool are fabulous.

Love to Boston. This one is for you. (sorry it is not perfect, but much love in these nutty chocolate layers.)

(Almost Raw) Vegan Boston Cream Pie
makes one mini cake, serves 4+

Top Layer:
½ cup raw walnuts
4 large Medjool Dates, pits removed
2 teaspoon agave, maple or brown rice syrup
pinch of pink salt
1 tablespoon softened virgin coconut oil (organic)
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon

Cream Layer:
½ cup raw cashews***
2 ½ tablespoon hot water
2 tablespoon softened virgin coconut oil (organic)
2 Medjool dates (pitted)
1-3 drops vanilla extract or raw vanilla bean (optional)

***If you have time to soak your cashews -DO IT. Your cream will be MUCH silkier and softer than mine. I could only flash soak in hot water for a few minutes, thus my cream was a bit textured)

Bottom Layer:
⅓ cup raw walnuts
1 date, pitted
1 tablespoon raw hemp seeds (not blended)

Chocolate Ganache:
⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (vegan)
1 ½ tablespoon virgin coconut oil (organic)
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Start by blending the nuts and date for your bottom layer. Set aside.
2. Oil up your cake bowl. I used a Matcha bowl which is about four inches wide and 3 inches deep (estimate) it worked well as a mini cake pan. You could use muffin tins and make several mini cakes even a wide coffee mug could work. Grease all side very well with coconut oil.
3. Combine all the top layer ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth yet still a bit textured. Transfer out of blender and press into your cake dish.
4. Blend the cream layer ingredients. I left my blender on low for a good 2 minutes to really make the ingredients smooth and creamy. Pour this layer over top the "top" layer.
5. Ad the crumbly "bottom layer" over top the cream layer and sprinkle hemp seeds over top.
6. Chill in the freezer for a good half hour to chill and firm. (I probably did not do this long enough since i was rushing, and so my cake came out soft and a bit morphed. I just molded it back together a bit.
7. Warm the chocolate and oil in the microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minutes. Stop heat and stir - every 20 seconds so the chocolate does not burn. When chocolate is silky and smooth it is ready.
8. Loosen sides of your cake and transfer onto plate. If you are having trouble removing, you can soak bowl in hot water bath for a few seconds to loosen the sides.
9. Pour chocolate over top the chilled cake. It will start to firm up once it hits to cold cake. Allow it to drizzle a bit over the sides.
Serve soft with melty chocolate OR place back in the fridge and serve at a more chilled state. I like to allow the chilled cake to soften a bit either way so the chocolate is silky and not hard.

Ginger-Mint-Lemon Strawberry + Avocado Salad. Or Tartine.

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This Strawberry and Avocado Tartine is infused with lively spring flavors: fresh lemon, raw ginger and refreshing peppermint. Serve this recipe as a fruit salad side dish or pile on top of warm toast for a rejuvenating spring tartine. Avocado toast infused with springtime. I sprinkled some protein-rich raw organic hemp seeds of top for added protein and texture. If you have never enjoyed the AMAZING flavor combo of strawberries + avocado, now is your moment. Get inspired...

Oh the baby heirloom tomato. so freaking cute I had bring it home..

Green + Red. Served as a fruit salad..

Tartine style:

More Farmer's Market tomatoes. Not in this recipe, but they certainly could be added!

Farmer's Market Sunday. Busy blurry weeks. Jumbled plans. Chaotic schedule. Whenever things get crazy busy (work & personal, because for me they really do blur together) I simply cannot WAIT for the weekend. Because I know that no matter how busy I am and no matter how long my to-do list may be, when the fuzzy peach sunrise melts across a powder blue morning sky on Sunday morning I am free. There is nothing that can get in the way of a sacred Sunday when computers can be closed and reusable shopping bags opened - to fill with piles of fresh Farmer's Market produce. Coffee or matcha tea on the way home and nibbling on fresh berries all day long. Work, sure, but only by choice.

That was this Sunday, and I am happy to share my peaceful space with you. Not sure why, but fresh berries, all shiny and sweet, fresh tomatoes in all shapes and sizes, fluffy kale, and bunches of fresh herbs just seem to make everything right in the world. Instant happiness via fresh produce and greens and flowers. I guess I can thank Mother Nature for those gifts.

Also on Sundays, a perfect time to reflect on yourself. Your place in this fast-moving world. Your mood, energy and attitude. To listen to the conversations that take place in your head as well as with other people. Today's mantra:

Other weekend awesome-ness: Lunch at M Cafe. Vegan "Club" Sandwich + M Tonic Juice & Sweet Potato Fries..

And trying on all my Vaute Couture goodies..

And the recipe.

Fresh Ginger. I have been grating fresh raw ginger on my salads, in my miso soup and over top just about everything lately. (Ginger + lemon + roasted beets = YUM!) Raw ginger is warming and soothing. Stimulating yet settling. I love it. And fresh ginger pairs so nicely with sweet strawberries. This fruit salad and sunny day lunch/breakfast or brunch tartine is one to crave. Easy to make!..

wheat sourdough. luckily, I am someone who CAN handle a little gluten (gf folks, use gf bread)..

More hemp seeds please..

Ginger-Mint-Lemon Strawberry Salad Avocado
vegan, makes 4 ¼ cups

3 cups fresh organic strawberries, sliced
1 small avocado, diced
1 large or 2 small lemons, squeezed + pinch of fresh lemon zest
⅛ teaspoon fresh raw ginger, grated with a microplane
splash of grade B maple syrup (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh peppermint, finely chopped + a few leaves as garnish
2-3 tablespoon raw organic hemp seeds (optional)

for tartines: add your favorite toast to serve (optional: drizzle of your favorite oil like macadamia nut, pumpkinseed or EVOO)

(You could also do "deviled avocados" and stuff avocado halves with this fruit salad - hemp seeds on top!)

Directions:

1. Wash and slice berries, removing tops. Place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add diced avocado, lemon juice, ginger, mint and maple syrup.
3. Fold well. Let marinate at least a half hour for best flavor. I place in fridge to marinate and chill.
4. Serve!

Ideas:
* Add hummus to your toast before adding the berries and avocado salad on top.
* Try sprouted grain toast for extra nutty flavor.
* Add raw walnuts for an nuttier salad.

baby tomato...

Also try my Strawberry Heart Avocado Salad!

Spirulina All in My Shake!.. Two recipes.

by 156 Comments


"Legumes all on my plate. Spirulina all in my shake. No eggs all in my cake. You don't believe it tastes great. You don't believe it tastes great. Veggie. Veggie. Veggie... Bring it on down to Vegan-ville!"

Am I the only one who still LOVES it? I cannot stop replaying that SNL Justin Timberlake "Vegan-ville" skit in my head. The lyrics keep getting stuck in my head and now I just have to sing "Spirulina all in my shake!" as I sprinkle my spoonful of spirulina into my shakes and smoothies. (SNL skit video is embedded later in this post)

Two Recipes. Today I'm sharing my Banana Island Spirulina Shake with accents of tropical pineapple and coconut, all swirled together with a dash of spirulina. And my Tropical Spirulina Guacamole Toast. Buttery avocado, sweet pineapple, lively lemon and sweet Maui onion.

Spirulina: What's All the Buzz About? There is a reason why you hear about spirulina so much. It contains over 100 nutrients including beta-carotene, iron, vitamins B12 and K, minerals and phytochemicals. Plus it is a high quality source of plant-based, complete protein.

Get my recipes + have some fun + enter my Spirulina Pacifica giveaway (5 winners!)..

My spirulina-infused avocado toast. SO good & nutrient-infused...

..And FYI, for you green-phobes.. Does all the green freak you out? No fear. Trust me on this one. I just fed my husband this spirulina-infused toast and he devoured it and didn't even notice the spirulina. Ha. I told him as he picked his plate for crumbs and was raving about how yummy it was. He loved spirulina guac! And he is a slight green-superfood-phobe.

The flavor: Spirulina has a soft nutty flavor that is barely noticeable when blended with bright delicious flavors. Delicious, I promise! And spirulina newbies, just start small. Add a tiny pinch or spirulina and work from there! You want to eat this superfood...

"One 3 gram serving of (Hawaiian Spirulina Picifica) has higher levels of key antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins and minerals than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables." - Nutrex Hawaii fact sheet

RECIPE 1 - Banana Island Spirulina Shake
vegan, serves 1-2

1 ½ frozen bananas
¾ cup watermelon, frozen (or try pineapple for island flavor)
½ cup non-dairy milk, vanilla
½ - 1 teaspoon spirulina *** if you do not have spirulina you can substitute with a handful of greens such and kale or spinach!

tropical spin: splash of coconut milk or a few pinches dried coconut (optional)

boost it: Add 1 scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder if desired

Blend until smooth. If needed, add a splash more liquid to get blender churning.

RECIPE 2 - Tropical Spirulina Guacamole Toast - (Inspired by a 'spirulina guacamole' recipe in the Spirulina book.)
vegan, serves 1

3 tablespoon pineapple-avocado guacamole (below)
1 piece of sprouted grain toast

Sunny Pineapple Guacamole
makes 1 ½ cups

½ - 1 teaspoon spirulina
1 avocado, diced
½ cup fresh pineapple, chopped
⅓ cup sweet onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon pepper + a few pinches of pink salt
1 lemon, squeezed (or sub lime juice)
pinch of chili powder or cayenne
optional: grate in some fresh ginger! (Another favorite Hawaiian flavor)

Directions: Mash and fold until soft and spirulina is well mixed in.

Now we need some music and fun to go with these recipes... (don't miss the spirulina highlight around 3:30)..


Justin Timberlake - Bring It On Down 2... by IdolxMuzic

More about Spirulina.. From Nutrex Hawaii: "Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica® is a unique superior strain of Spirulina with the highest known nutritional content in the world. It’s all natural, 100% vegetarian, Kosher Certified, and Non-GMO. It’s the only Spirulina cultured in a Biosecure Zone free of herbicides and pesticides on the sunny Kona coast of Hawaii. Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica thrives in ponds fed with 100% fresh potable water from Hawaiian aquifers and pure, deep ocean water drawn from 2000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. This ultra-pure, deep ocean water enriches Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica with 94 trace minerals and is a unique natural resource used in our patented Ocean Chill Drying™ technology which ensures maximum nutrient potency. "

I also wanted to know why they do not use the "certified organic" label. They kindly answered me..

Nutrex Hawaiian Spirulina is labeled All Natural and not Organic because the fertilizers allowed by organic production regulations -- compost teas and/or manures -- would lead to higher heavy metals and bacteria and an inferior quality Spirulina. (The approved fertilizers are geared for land-based farming, not aquatic farming of crops like Spirulina.) Hawaiian Spirulina is a natural product; it is pesticide free and herbicide free. Further, Hawaiian Spirulina earned Non-GMO Project verification from The Non-GMO Project, which offers North America's only third-party verification for non-GMO foods and products.

..appreciated the answer on this! More info on the Nutrex Hawaii website.

More Smoothies Please! ...want 365 smoothie recipes? 365 Vegan Smoothies - pre-order going on now! Like the Facebook Page for all book updates! (There will be a few awesome promotions next month!)

Enter the giveaway. (Five!) winners will be chosen to win a Spirulina Prize Pack ---GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

disclosure: I was provided one sample or spirulina (prize pack) + prizes are donated

5-Step Raw Kale Salad!

by 33 Comments


Add some green deliciousness to any meal (hey, even breakfast!) by learning how to whip up this simple (make-ahead approved) recipe for 5-Step Raw Kale Salad.

Go-To Recipe. I make this dish A LOT and love it because once you learn the basics you can change things up by adding in a wide variety of fresh veggies, roasted veggies, fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, pickled veggies, beans and other vegan goodies.

Raw Kale Salad. Yup, it still seems to be everywhere I look these days. And just in case you needed a reminder, kale is indeed PACKED with nutrients..

Whenever I think of raw kale salad I think of my friend Gena. You guys may remember a video we did a few years ago..

Gena introduced me to her massaged version of raw kale salad for our 'summer recipes' video shoot. The scene: We were smiling and happily running around doing our video shoot showcasing a few beloved vegan summer recipes when Gena said she would be making a massaged kale salad. I was thrilled because hey, I love raw kale salads! But wait, did she say "massaged" kale salad? I had kinda 'heard about' massaging kale but never seen it first hand. And then suddenly Gena was on camera with me, chattering away in my living room, wrist-deep in her bowl of salad massaging the heck out it! All those veggies and raw kale bits were getting some serious five-star spa-like pampering. If you watch the video you can see I was a little shocked by the hands-on-ed-ness of it. But ya, it tasted AMAZING.

..OK, I get it now! Do you massage your kale? Well I personally do not often do hands-on deep tissue to my raw kale salad leaves. I usually just do a vigorous fluff-n-fold-n-chill approach and let time do the 'softening' work. So I let my dressing-tossed kale sit in the fridge for about 1-8 hours (prep in the AM, eat by dinner) and by then the flavors are infused and the greens softened. Or for crunchy kale, you can eat ASAP.

THE SEED Vegan Experience!! Speaking of Gena, I am super excited that next month Gena and I will be doing a duo presentation on MY favorite topic: vegan smoothies! Demo included! We will be chatting up all things blogging, eating, vegan smoothie-making, Vitamix-loving and anything the audience wants to ask us a la Q&A sesh. This will be my first big presentation at a big "vegan" event so I am excited! I will also be hanging out at a Healthy Happy Life / Finding Vegan booth hopefully handing out recipes cards and maybe a few more goodies to remind people to buy my book 365 Vegan Smoothies which will go on sale shortly after the event. If you are in NYC please come say hi! I'd love to meet you! Buy 50% off tickets while they last!

But enough chatter, lets get kale-ing...

5-Step Kale Salad

Step 1. Wash your fresh kale greens. Run each thick leaf under warm to hot water and massage any grit away. Then refresh the leaves by running them all under ice cold water. (The hot and coldest settings on your tap will work.)

Step 2. Prep your ingredients. Remove the thick vein from your kale leaves and discard. (You could keep this on, but it is quite chewy.) Also prep your other veggies however you'd like. Chop, dice, cube, shred... Add the chopped kale and veggies to a large mixing bowl.

Step 3. Make your dressing. In a small bowl, whisk your dressing together.

Step 4. Toss! Add the dressing to your bowl of veggies and kale and start tossing! You could massage if you'd like 🙂 Fluff and toss until the dressing is well absorbed into the greens and veggies.

Step 5. Chill it! Allow at least an hour for the dressing to really sink into the ingredients. Plus chilling everything makes it refreshing and tasty as a cold salad side. You can even make this salad the night before you serve it. Overnight chilling works! The greens should be eaten within 48 hours though.

Now for the recipe...

5-Step Kale Salad
vegan, makes 6 cups

4 cups chopped raw kale (about ½ small bunch)
¾ cup shredded carrots
1 small avocado, diced
½ cup sweet onion, diced
2-3 tablespoon seeds or nuts (I added some mineral-rich pepitas)

*you can easily change up the veggie and other add-ins as desired.

Simple Sweet Tahini Dressing
2 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + pinch of zest
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
2-3 pinches cayenne
pinch of salt + a few pinches of black pepper

(Make a double batch of dressing if you like your greens more heavily dressed)

Important notes:
* If you want to lighten up the dressing, substitute fresh orange juice for the EVOO.
* You can use raw agave syrup or brown rice syrup in place of maple if desired.
* Add a splash of tamari in place of the salt if you have it on hand!
* Be sure to stir stir stir first if your tahini settled with oil on top!
* Add a splash of apple cider vinegar if you'd like a perkier, more acidic dressing.
* I like to use pink Himalayan salt.
* Freshly finely chopped parsley is a very nice touch for this dressing.

Boxed Vegan Mac & Cheez Gone Fancy! Easy Dinner Transformation.

by 4 Comments


Everyone talks about "vegan makeover" dishes. Veganizing. Well here is a new culinary buzz word for you: transforming.

This recipe for Boxed Vegan Mac & Cheez Gone Fancy is easy, cozy (comfort food!) and tastes like it came from someone's culinary heart.

Not from a box.

Get the recipe plus my tips for 3 ready-made products you can easily transform..

One thing I love to do for dinner on a busy night is to do an easy vegan dinner transformation.

Easy Dinner Transformation: Taking a grocery store product that is supposed to be a ready-made dish (like canned soup or a vegan frozen pizza) and putting a few recipe tweaks and spins on it to make it taste homemade, infused with authentic flavors and easy fresh ingredients like fresh veggies, herbs and favorite spices.

Obviously I love cooking from scratch, I live for it! But some nights doing a quickie vegan transformation is a whole lot better than picking up the phone and ordering take-out. (Although I do love my Native Foods and Veggie Grill take-out nights too .. everything in moderation, right?)

I instagrammed my "fancy" meal and you guys seemed excited about it, so I wanted to share the recipe!..

3 Ready-Made Foods and How to Make Them Homemade: Transformations!

1. Canned Soup. When I transform canned soup I usually add in a handful of chopped greens, a few dashes of cayenne for heat, maybe a bay leaf as everything simmers and usually some nutritional yeast to thicken the texture and intensify the savory flavor. If you want to extend the soup to make it more brothy, simply add a splash of vegetable broth. I also love adding in chopped vegan sausages like Tofurky or Field Roast if needed. I love Amy's Kitchen canned soups for these transformation soup nights.

2. Frozen Pizza. I do not think I have ever made a frozen pizza as it comes out of the box! I always pile on additional fresh veggies like onions, mushrooms, olives, lemon slices (remove before eating - but they add an amazing zesty flavor!), kale, spinach, bell peppers, additional vegan cheese, vegan pepperoni (my husband's fave) and some nutritional yeast and a drizzle of olive oil. The pizza comes out loaded with goodies and it always tastes homemade. I love Amy's Kitchen pizzas as well as the vegan cheeseless roasted veggie pizzas from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.

3. Mac/Cheez. You will find my recipe below, but basically I add in TONS of additional nutritional yeast, some vegan butter (Earth Balance) and a generous amount of liquids when simmering everything together - veggie broth and unsweetened soy or almond milk. I also always add in my own veggies. Try frozen organic peas, broccoli florets, kale, spinach or mushrooms. And if you want to add some protein, try vegan sausage. I love the spicy chipotle Field Roast or Beer Brats Tofurky varieties.

What other easy-to-make meals and products do you give the homemade treatment?

Boxed Vegan Mac & Cheez Gone Fancy
vegan, serves 2-3

1 box of Vegan mac & Cheese (any flavor) - Road's End Organics used
1-2 tablespoon vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance)
1 vegan sausage, sliced (Tofurky Beer Brat)
3 cups fresh kale, chopped***
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon Italian dried spices (or another variety of spices!)
½ cup vegetable broth
¾ cup unsweetened soy or almond milk
on top: red pepper flakes

***This kale can be a wide variety of veggies. Broccoli and peas pair very well with cheezy Mac. Pretty much and veggie tastes better with a bit of cheezy-ness added, yes??

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring about 5 cups of water to a boil. Add the pasta and boil until tender. Drain water and set pasta aside for a few minutes.
2. Add the vegan butter and cheezy sauce packet (from box) to the large pot. Add in the veggie broth and non-dairy milk. Stir over medium heat until a thick creamy sauce forms. Add the additional spices and nutritional yeast. Continue stirring to allow it to thicken.
3. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and fold together. Over medium heat.
4. Add the sausages and kale. Toss well and cover with lid. Allow to cook for a few minutes until the kale wilts into the hot pasta.
5. Do a taste test. If you want a thicker, cheezier sauce, add more nutritional yeast. If you want to thin things out a bit more, add another splash of non-dairy milk or broth.
6. Serve with red pepper flakes on top .. and more nooch if you dare 🙂 nooch = nutritional yeast (vegan dictionary)

Oh, and YES you could totally make this without the boxed ingredients by taking a basic cooked pasta and adding the same ingredients and maybe blending in some raw cashews, sweet potato or butternut squash puree or silken tofu to thicken the sauce ..... but to me, the fun is in grabbing "the box" and turning it into something fancy. (Probbaly connected to all my memories of craving boxed Mac and Cheese as a kid .. even though my mom never made it for me! (Hm, thanks mom.) 🙂

Or for those "from scratch nights" of Mac and Cheez:

* Fake-Out Mac 'n Cheez
* Cheez, Peas & Pasta
* Spicy Chipotle Shells & Cheez

Chocolate-Covered Almond Butter Energy Bites or Mini Bars

by 16 Comments


If you love reaching for a 'bar' when you want a quick energy snack or a healthy treat, these homemade vegan bites and bars are your ticket to satisfying your craving the homemade way.

I like to call these "Mini Moon Bars" and "Trail Truffles" because of the nutty raw trail-mix-y goodness in each bite and because they kinda remind me of "Luna" bars which I have always loved. With some raw Lara-bar-ness built in too.

The Flavors. Nutty seeds like sunflower and pumpkin seeds mingle with buttery raw walnuts which are rich in omega-3's, minerals and healthy fats. Add in some sticky sweet brown rice syrup, creamy raw almond butter, a few secret spices and an optional coating of maca-infused dark chocolate for an energizing treat worth dreaming about. Make a batch of these bites, lock them in your freezer and enjoy them all week long...

Healthy Stuff...

Walnuts.
Sunflower seeds.
Maca powder sprinkled into the melted chocolate drizzle.
Organic brown rice syrup as the sweetener.
Raw almond butter.
Sweet chewy organic raisins (or another dried fruit of choice!)
Optional goji berries.
Antioxidant rich dark chocolate.
And anything else you want to toss in the mix! (The best part is these bites and bars are totally customizable to whatever trail mix-style ingredients you currently have in your pantry.)

Servings. This recipe makes 18 bites or about 10 mini bars.
I really like making mini bars because these bites are so dense and rich that you just need a few bites to satisfy.
Each bite is around 80 calories. So mini bars are around 150 calories. (A tad less than 2 bites in one bar.) (Chocolate drizzle not included in calories)

Puff it. Lighten the Load! If you want to enjoy larger portions of these treats without increasing the calorie content, simply add in some puffed rice or another grain you love. Adding puffed grains like rice will create a crunchier texture if that is what you are craving.

You will want to make these bites again and again, so creative options are in order!..

A few must-try add-ins:

* Green-it! Add in some spirulina powder to make these bars green-infused! just like your favorite store-bought "greens" bars.
* Seed-it! Chia or flax seeds are an easy addition to these bars.
* Double Cacao! Add a heaping teaspoon of raw cacao powder to the mixture for double chocolate bars and bites!
* Protein-infused. Toss in your favorite hemp, pea, rice or other protein powder to add an extra boost of protein to each bite. (If you use stevia-sweetened protein be sure to reduce the brown rice syrup a bit.)

Raw Option: Make these bites raw by omitting the chocolate. Be sure to use all raw nuts and nut butter. But if you want "raw" chocolate smothering your bites - you can make your own raw chocolate drizzle by warming organic coconut oil and blending in raw cacao powder. It will harden like a dream upon chilling.

Chocolate-Covered Almond Butter Energy Bites or Bars
vegan, makes 18 bites or 10 mini bars

½ cup raw sunflower seeds
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds/pepitas
¼ cup organic raisins (or do half raisins and half goji berries)
½ cup Raw Walnuts
1 tablespoon organic coconut oil (refined or unrefined works)
2 ½ tablespoon brown rice syrup
3 tablespoon almond butter
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract or use raw vanilla bean seeds
dash of nutmeg (optional)

Chocolate-Maca Drizzle:
1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
¼ cup dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon maca powder

Directions:

1. Add your seeds and nuts to a food processor or Vitamix. Process until smooth - with a few chunky bits as well. I like a mix of fine nut/seed meal with chunky bits too.
2. Add the raisins to the mixture and blend for a few more seconds so that the raisins are roughly chopped.
3. Add the nut mixture to a medium mixing bowl. Warm the almond butter, brown rice syrup and coconut oil until it is in a thick liquid state (a few seconds in the microwave will do this). If you want your bars raw, you can allow the ingredients to naturally come to room temperature until soft enough to stir together.
4. Fold the almond/coconut mixture in with the nut mixture. Add the spices and vanilla too. Fold until well combined.
5. Place the mixture in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up just a bit.
6. Melt your chocolate in the microwave or make your raw chocolate. (Gena has a great recipe here!)
7. Start rolling balls or forming your bars by hand. Dip them in chocolate (or not) and lay them on a lightly greased piece or parchment or wax paper. Drizzle chocolate over top as desired.
8. place in the freezer. The bites should be firmed up in just about ten minutes. Store in your fridge or freezer. These will stay delicious for a good month in your freezer since they are high in healthy fats from the nuts and high-fat foods usually freeze quite well.

Next time I am going to make "spirulina-infused bites! With mac-chocolate on top of course.."

The PB&J Club (Sandwich)

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I had plans today. Oh so many plans. But then I hopped on Twitter and realized it was .. PB&J Day .. and (like any good food blogger) my to-do list got tossed aside and I headed into the kitchen to pull out my trusty PB&J-making supplies. This was going to be an epic PB&J making afternoon...

My P B & J Day. Not a bad day at all...

This is not rocket science people.

Peanut Butter.
Strawberry Jam.
(Both organic.)
Bread.
(Sprouted complete protein bread for me today.)

But obviously I couldn't simply blog about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You guys are a little too sophisticated for that recip1e! So I simply decided to make a PB&J .. to the MAX.

Meet The PB&J Club Sandwich. The perfect PB&J to split with a pal. Orange slices, carrot sticks, apple slices, kale salad, cucumber circles or whatever you'd like served on the plate as well. Here we go...

All while the kitty snuggled in a sunbeam..

To make a The PB&J Club (Sandwich) all you have to do is grab the basics (PB&J plus bread) and add some extras. Fruit slices or even veggies slices like cucumber and shredded carrots work well. I went super simple and used banana sliced in long lean strips.

Then all you do it slather on the peanut butter and jam or jelly. That middle slice getting a double-sided slather. Stack. Slice. Toothpick and serve.

Oh, and don't forget the chilled almond milk or cacao almond milk on the side. Or a frosty chocolate smoothie!..

(Make chocolate 'milk' in a flash by blending your favorite cacao powder with chilled non-dairy milk plus 1-2 ice cubes. Sweeten to taste or use a pre-sweetened protein powder or chocolate mix.)

Pics pics pics..

...(Yes a lot of photography here, but PB&J is just so darn pretty..)...

Oh and I have a little mantra to share..

Protein Powders! (Oh and thank you for all the protein powder advice I asked for in THIS post!) I am super excited about my vegan protein powder review feature - I am receiving oodles of samples from companies this week, so please let me know if there are any brands I am leaving out! So far I am definitely including.. SunWarrior, PlantFusion, Vega, The Ultimate Meal, Shakeology, Arbonne, Perfect Fit Protein, Philosophie, Garden of life, and more...) And just so you know, this is not a 'contest' post. I really just want to create a resource for you guys if you are ever seeking a vegan protein powder. I reference them in my book 365 Vegan Smoothies, so I want to give you guys a guide in case you need one. None of the brands are 'sponsoring' the post at all and all samples are optional from them. In the long run I would love to give you guys my personal opinion for the brand I like best, but right now I just want to educate and provide insight as to the MANY vegan brands out there - what they represent and how they might be right for your needs.

Spring Swirl & Chocolate Almond Butter: Easter Shakes!

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Happy Easter everyone! I hope your holiday is filled with sunshine, happiness, peace and good food. I'm so excited that spring is here so that more and more of you guys can join with me to lend up frosty, warm-weather perfect spring smoothies and shakes - filled with wellness, flavor and fun. (I know many of you are still hoping the cold exits swiftly so some spring sunshine can sparkle into your home.)

Smoothie Season. Since I kinda love posting a special smoothie on Easter (like this one!) I decided to do a duo of smoothies this year. My Spring Swirl Shake is a frosty, fruity blend with flavors of banana, watermelon and an energizing shot of green to top things off. And my Chocolate Almond Butter Ripple Shake is dessert-approved, yet healthy enough to sip whenever you crave it! (It reminds me of a chocolate peanut butter candy bunny!)

Pre-Order is happening.. You can find 365 smoothie recipes just like these in my book 365 Vegan Smoothies, out June 4th! All the details here. Cheers to spring and the upcoming smoothie season.

And ps, I have a question about protein powder brands for YOU guys..

Spring Swirl Smoothie
vegan, serves 2

yellow layer:
2 frozen bananas
½ cup - ¾ cup non-dairy milk
¼ cup frozen pineapple OR just add ¼ cup ice (optional - adds slight iciness to this layer)

pink layer:
½ frozen banana
1 cup frozen watermelon cubes (OR frozen red berries like strawberries or raspberries)
½ cup non-dairy milk

Green shot on top:
½ cup non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder OR ½ cup raw greens
1 heaping scoop of your favorite vanilla-flavored vegan protein powder

Tip: use as little liquid as possible so that you end up with thick shake-like layers - I gave ranges because some blenders have more power than others.

To Make:

1. Blend up the banana layer. This will be the thickest layer to pour first and let it sit on the bottom.
2. When creamy, pour banana into serving glasses. You do not need to rinse the blender.
3. Add the pink layer ingredients and start blending until smooth. Pour pink on top. It will be a bit lighter and icier so it will sit nicely on top.
4. Last to blend is the liquid green shot. Blend and pour over top the smoothies. Swirl the green so that it drizzles down the outer-inside side of the glass creating a swirled look.

Serve! This smoothie should be thick enough to eat with a spoon.

Chocolate (Peanut Butter or Almond Butter) Ripple
vegan, serves 1-2

1 ½ frozen bananas
½ cup frozen watermelon (or substitute: frozen strawberries)
¾ cup non-dairy milk, vanilla
1 heaping tablespoon almond butter, salted
1 heaping tablespoon your favorite chocolate protein powder (OR 1 teaspoon cacao powder + 1 teaspoon agave syrup)
dash of cinnamon
2-3 ice cubes
1-2 teaspoon maca powder (givea a malted flavor to the cocoa!) (optional)

topping: 1 teaspoon soft almond butter (warm in microwave if needed to soften)

Blend, add a few swirls of almond butter on top and serve! Start with ½ cup non-dairy milk and add more as needed to blend. This will make sure your shake is nice and thick.

These shakes were blended in a high speed blender. If you are thinking of investing in a Vitamix or BlendTec blender - now id the time for spring! I'm happy to ask any questions you have about them if you are on the fence. I use my Vitamix at least twice a day and I couldn't imagine my vegan kitchen without it.

BlendTec Blenders - free shipping with this link - buy online / browse models
Vitamix Blenders - get free shipping with this link
Perfect pairing: 365 Vegan Smoothies

Get ten vegan shake recipes here!

Question: Protein Powders! I am working on doing a post reviewing ALL (as many as possible) the top vegan protein powders out there. If you have a favorite PLEASE leave it in the comments section! I want to buy and taste test all brands and do a blind taste test and review some of the nutritional info for you. What are your favorite vegan protein powder brands?? Other smoothie add-ins like green powder, cacao powder etc also up for discussion.

Easter Bunny Redemption...

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It is Bunny Redemption time. Yup. One of you called me out on my bunny pics in this recipe and I am back to redeem my league of chocolate peanut butter "healthy makeover" Easter bunnies. Because this recipe is just too yummy to not be super cute for Easter..

Easter deserves cute bunnies, yes?

Cute + yummy. Peanut butter filled..

Sometimes people ask me if I read the comments posted on my blog. YES. I do.

(I love love love them. Thank you for taking the time.)

And sometimes they really do influence me.

Called Out. Yesterday a commenter (in a friendly, nice, joking (sort've) way) told me my Chocolate PB Bunnies looked like DONNIE DARKO bunnies. (Yes, they said it in all caps like that.)

I then googled "donnie darko" bunnies.

I was frightened.

But.

Hm.

They DO look like Donnie Darko bunnies!

whoops. My bunnies were not terribly cute, were they?

BUT this recipe was just so yummy I had to do it again and redeem my bunnies.

You can get the recipe (and frightening bunny photos) HERE using 5 simple ingredients:
maple or agave syrup
coconut oil
dark chocolate
peanut butter
coconut flour

(Basically you use a chocolate + coconut oil chocolate coating, melted. Then combine the flour, pb, sweetener and a touch oil coconut oil for the filling. Really easy, healthy and yummy. And now HOPEFULLY cute-r)

OK, here are my latest bunnies using vegan jelly beans and goji berries too. Cute yet???

Well, cute enough to gobble down that is for sure.

HAPPY EASTER (bunnies) (..because no one like scary bunnies on Easter..)

Bunnies!!......

The peanut butter filling really is yummy. And you can add different amounts of the filling ingredients to customize the flavor. More oil = richer texture. More pb = thicker and nuttier. More flour = drier and more cake like. More maple/agave = more liquid-y and sweeter.

Oh an check out the little hummingbird and her nest in the tree outside my window! Happy spring finds...

More bunny love.

Glad I got that off my chest.
Bunny redemption at last.
Maybe not Martha Stewart perfect, but I am now proud of my bunnies. Phew! 🙂

Holiday: 40+ Vegan Easter Recipes for Everyone to Love!

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Happy Easter Week lovelies! Easter dinner is one of my favorite feasts to make because it is really the one big family holiday that sits on the brim of springtime. So farmer's market goodies, lively spring salads, colorful spring appetizers and desserts and cool summer-y beverages are all up for grabs...

This year I will be pulling a handful of my favorite recipes out to make for a quiet, hopefully sunny Easter Sunday with my husband and kitty. I wish I could be with my sister and her adorable kids out in New York or my parents and other family out in DC, but as least they are just a phone call away, right? So no matter whether you are serving a feast for two or a feast for twenty - I hope these favorite Easter-approved recipes inspire you this week. And even if you are not vegan, it is always a great idea to add a few plant-based dishes to your feast (who knows, they just may be your faves after all!)

And don't forget, this is the last week to enter my spring green-ing giveaway $75 Whole Foods gift card prize. And check out the many AMAZING comments for ideas on how to add some green to your life this spring. Super inspiring ideas!

First some photos ... recipe links below!

Kathy's Easter Menu Ideas 2013

Drinks / Smoothies - You can serve these all week long to get in a spring-y mood!
Carrot Pineapple Juice. Spring bunnies love waking up to this bright orange fresh juice, loaded with vitamin A, accented with fresh ginger!
Happy Easter Smoothie. Three colorful fruity layers in your smoothie glass on Easter morning. Color fun without dying eggs!
Coconut Whippuccino. Serve these cappuccino-inspired espresso shots on Easter. Sub the espresso with matcha or chai tea if desired.
Matcha. Try a minty matcha latte at brunch or at the end of you meal for a soothing warming, refreshing mug.

Brunch-ing it! - If you celebrate in the AM!
Truffled Tofu Scramble with Peas. This pea-infused, truffled tofu with bold amazing flavors is a special way to serve up brunch scramble for Easter.
Coffee Cake Cinnamon Rolls. These decadent coffee cake cinnamon rolls can be slathered in orange cream frosting for a spring-y cinna roll treat.
Fresh Herb Frittata. This fresh herb tofu frittata is accented with spicy harissa, chia seeds and kale. Protein-rich and delicious!
Quiche. This herbed quiche is a classic-gone-vegan brunch favorite.
Coconut Butter Spreads. Try a few fun-flavored coconut butter spreads slathered on toast or muffins at brunch. Try strawberry, cacao, goji berry, banana and more creative flavors.
Loaded Bagels. Grab some bagels and make bunch easy and amazing. These loaded toasted bagels are topped with homemade lemon-pepper cashew walnut spread. Yummy on toast or with veggies too!
Superfood Fruit Rice Cacao Bowl or Fruit Salad. This creative, dreamy, superfood bowl loaded with fresh fruit has Easter written all over it! Just check out these colors!
Muffins. These superfood goji/cacao muffins are a nice grab-and-go addition to brunch or a casual Easter morning.
Waffles. Apple Cinnamon Ginger Waffles for brunch please! Maple syrup or soy whip on top.
Berry Bagel Spread. This bright pink bagel spread made using homemade strawberry jam is lovely for Easter bunch.
Lemon Cashew Sandwiches. These amazing lemon-cashew-asparagus-jalapeno salad sandwiches are perfect light entree bites for an Easter brunch.

Appetizers - Spring-y Easter nibbles to snack on all week long!
Avocado Toast. Avocado toast makes a lovely Easter appetizer! This recipe includes a lemon-y pesto topping that is sodium free.
Lucky Leprechaun Dip. This green kale, bean and cashew dip will have your guests hovering over the veggie/cracker/dip station. Feel good about snacking on this all Easter long.
Citrus Platter. This citrus, radish, avocado platter is beautiful to the eyes and to your taste buds! Plate full of health!
Lentil-Nut herbed Pate. This rich and flavorful savory spread is a delicious, elegant appetizer. Loaded with protein, healthy fats and nutrients from the lentils and nuts.
Beet Walnut Dip. This bright pink dip would be fun and pretty on Easter!
Mushroom Scallops. Serve up some elegant, eye-catching scallops on Easter!

Salads - Spring was MADE for pretty, rainbow-colored salads.
Shredded Carrot. This lively, flavorful shredded carrot salad will make all the little bunnies (and you!) happy.
Rainbow Slaw. Grab some colorful cabbage and make this rainbow slaw with sweet tahini dressing.
Maple Mustard Chard. I adore this easy creamy maple mustard raw chard salad. Make this yummy dish for your table and fall in love with raw chard salads.
Green Power Tower. This Green Tower power Salad with creamy tahini dressing, kale and chickpeas is hearty enough to be an entree, or serve in small portion sides for a boost of greens.
Peanut Kale. This peanut ginger kale salad adds some warmth to your salad selection. Spicy ginger and wilted kale smothered in a creamy cooked peanut dressing.
Wasabi Slaw. This pretty spring green slaw adds just the right amount of heat to your Easter meal!

Soups - These light and lovely soups are perfect appetizers or light lunches this week.
Roasted Veggie. This elegant roasted vegetable tomato-based soup is studded with golden raisins for a sweet special flavor. I love it!
No-Cream Mushroom. This rich and creamy rosemary-accented mushroom soup has bold mushroom flavor, rich, savory, perfect accent to Easter spring-y flavors.
Fresh Pea. Easy Miso Avocado Fresh English Pea Soup is a bright green color, Easter-perfection. Light and lovely starter.

Entrees - Main event dishes to impress. Make this week special!
Pot Pie. This creamy cashew veggie pot pie with a flaky, buttery biscuit crust is my first choice entree for Easter! Sweet spring peas in every bite!
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. Stuff some sweet potatoes this Easter! Fill them with whatever goodies you'd like - totally entree approved. Who doesn't love a good yam?
Risotto. This butternut squash, sage and almond risotto can be customized however you'd like using seasonal veggies. Elegant, delicious and easier than you think!
Pineapple Fried Quinoa. This fun entree includes a few tofu triangles, a pineapple boat and plenty or pineapple fried quinoa, served warm - very lively and flavorful!
Pesto Pasta Primavera. This bow-tie pasta primavera is colorful and lively with a creamy avocado pesto on top.

Desserts - Sweet spring treats for you and your favorite friends. Share dessert with someone you love this week!
Blueberry Cake. This vanilla-frosted blueberry cake, loaded with fresh berries, is super spring-y.
Lamb Cake. This was my attempt to veganize my family recipe for "Easter Lamb Cake" - coconut covered with fluffy white frosting. Color swirled cake!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles. Cute bunnies and eggs for your Easter treat baskets. Healthy makeover recipe!!
Lemon Cheesecake. This lemon cashew raw cheesecake with a lovely matcha green tea swirl is perfect for Easter dessert. Refreshing flavors!
Grasshopper Pie. Minty chocolate grasshopper pie or a creamy parfait. Spring green colors swirled with dark chocolate.
Coconut Bundt Cake. Try a moist coconut bundt cake with amazing rich coconut glaze. Your guests will swoon over this cozy classic gone vegan.
White chocolate Cookies. Try some lovely white chocolate and macadamia nut cookies for Easter. Beachy and sunny day-filled flavors.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Bunnies & Truffle Easter Eggs

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These are my kind of eggs. And who doesn't love a cute bunny? (updated CUTE bunnies HERE.)

These easy, no-bake, vegan, almost raw, super healthy Peanut-Butter Filled Easter Truffles are shaped like eggs (sort've) and cute bunnies (hey, I tried!)

Velvet-y soft peanut butter coconut-accented filling with a soft dark chocolate coating. Rich cacao nibs and other goodies can be added too. One bite and your "peanut butter chocolate egg" Easter memories will come flooding back. Y-um. And FYI, do NOT be intimidated by confection-making - obviously you can make these truffles as refined and perfect or rustic and homemade (ha, me!) as you'd like. No special egg-shaped molds or candy gadgets needed. I say: they do not have to look perfect to be super cute & delicious!..

Seriously, this recipe is healthy-tastic and you can gobble these sweet treats down guilt free. I don't think you can say that about the classic super-sweet non-vegan chocolate peanut butter eggs. And in these treats the peanut butter filling is really the star of the show (because that is always my fave part!) Get these recipes.

PB Truffle eggs..

Assembling the bunnies..

Some bunnies turned out better than others. But they are all delicious!..

OK, I have TWO more Easter posts to get up by this weekend so I am making this post a quickie guys.

OK, maybe one cute side photo just for fun..

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Bunnies & Easter Eggs
vegan, makes about 4 bunnies (double recipe for more

Peanut Butter Filling:
4 tablespoon raw organic coconut flour
3 tablespoon creamy salted peanut butter (the kind that is stirred and silky) - room temperature or slightly warmed
2 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon melted organic coconut oil

Chocolate Coating:
3 tablespoon melted organic coconut oil
4 tablespoon dark chocolate chips

other:
cacao nibs (bunny fur and eyes + texture)
goji berries (bunny whiskers)
rolled oats (bunny noses!)

Directions:

1. Combine the peanut butter, coconut flour, coconut oil and maple syrup in a small bowl. This is your yummy filling! (FYI it also makes yummy no-bake peanut butter cookies!) Stir mixture until a thick peanut butter paste forms. If things get too thick, you can add in more peanut butter or a splash more maple syrup.

2. Place the peanut butter mixture in the freezer for about five minutes.

3. While chilling peanut butter mixture, you can melt the chocolate and coconut oil together. I simply use the microwave. Actully my microwave died last week so I melted the old fashioned way by submerging the jar I had my chocolate and coconut oil in in a bowl of really HOT water from my tap. I stirred until melted. It worked!

4. Pull the peanut butter from freezer and it will be very stiff. Start rolling into shapes. Bunny heads (round) bunny ears (long skinny) and eggs (round and egg shaped) - they do not have to be perfect to be cute and delicious!

4. Place these bunny and egg parts back in the freezer for a few minutes to chill again - your hand will have warmed the mixture up, and the chocolate attaches best when the pb is chilled.

5. Pull chilled bunny parts and eggs from freezer. Dip in chocolate coating mixture, connect ears to faces via the hardening sticky chocolate - they will fully connect upon firming up in the freezer. Place them on wax paper or parchment paper or a greased/chilled plate. I did double dipping to coat more thickly. You can roll your eggs and bunnies in cacao nibs for texture if you'd like. While the chocolate is still wet, add any bunny features like noses or whiskers.

6. Place in freezer to harden. This should take about 1-2 minutes in a cold freezer! Serve chilled to room temp as they start to melt and soften. Store in the fridge or freezer. Best eaten same day.

OK, those bunnies were scary. See my CUTE-er bunnies here: Bunny Redemption.

Oatmeal, Citrus, Goji Berry, Cacao Chip, Morning Muffins. Wheat free.

by 25 Comments


Grab your rolled oats and bake up a batch of these Oatmeal Citrus Goji Berry Cacao Chip Morning Muffins and enjoy them all week long!..

If you love blueberry muffins, try these plump-goji-berry muffins with tender antioxidant-rich goji berries in every bite! Rich chocolate (cacao nibs!) and bright citrus flavors accent the sweet-tart pink goji berries. Nutty oats and a sprinkling of flax seeds bring these tender, moist muffins together. A hint of coconut, vanilla and cinnamon too! These exotic superfood muffins gives me a sunny, tropical feeling with each bite. Perfect for your culinary transition to brighter spring flavors! Vegan, wheat-free recipe ahead..

Monday mornings bring me into the kitchen. And morning muffins are always wonderful to make towards the start of a work week because you can pop them in baggies, store them in the fridge or freezer and nibble them all week long. These superfood-infused oatmeal muffins baked up fluffy and moist with bright goji berry sweetness, bittersweet rich cacao nib flavor (though you can substitute dark chocolate chips if you'd prefer) and rustic, earthy tones from the plentiful rolled oats in each bite. These muffins are "flour free" and quite a healthy-delicious way to start your day. Pair with a latte and happiness finds its way to your taste buds!..

The soaked goji berries. Soaking softens them up and plumps them to a more fresh and moist state rather than hard and chewy:

The blender-processed rolled oats to make one-step "oat flour"..

Before going into the oven..

Chocolate and berries. Count me in. Pair a muffin with a spicy non-dairy chai tea latte, matcha latte or espresso latte and swoon your way to a happy day. Those cacao nibs get even better when they soften up, so serve these muffins warm for the most flavor. And feel free to use dark chocolate chips (or CAROB!) in place of cacao nibs if the bitter rich nibs are a bit too strong for your tastes.

Oatmeal Goji Berry Cacao Chip Morning Muffins
vegan, makes 14 muffins

½ cups rolled oats (kept whole)
1 ⅔ cups rolled oats, blended into "oat flour"
*not as fine as wheat flour, but a nice dusty, crumbly texture
2 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon pink salt (any salt will work)
1 cup coconut sugar (or basic organic dry sugar)
a few dashes cinnamon

Wet Goji Mixture:
½ cup goji berries
⅔ cups boiling water
2 ½ tablespoon organic coconut oil
2 tablespoon orange juice
½ teaspoon orange zest
1 ½ teaspoon flax seeds, whole or crushed
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Fold in:
⅔ cup almond milk, room temperature (so you do not harden the coconut milk when blending)
1 small banana, mashed
¼ cup coconut flour (or substitute with more oat flour or any flour you'd like - wheat flour works if you want to use that)
⅓ cup raw cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips

optional ideas:
* ¼ cup chopped or finely processed pecans
* 1-2 scoops vanilla or plain vegan protein powder for a boost of protein
* substitute the almond milk with silken tofu or soy yogurt for added protein

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking muffin cups.

2. Boil ⅔ cup water and add to a small bowl with the goji berries, flax seeds. Allow to soak until berries are very tender. Also add to this bowl: orange juice, zest, vanilla and coconut oil. The warm liquid will melt the coconut oil.

3. Process the rolled oats. I used my Vitamix (wet blade worked fine.) Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

4. Fold the wet goji mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir until a thick oat-y mixture forms. Fold in the banana, almond milk, coconut flour and cacao nibs.

5. Add batter to muffin cups. Bake for 18 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and serve warm. These taste really yummy with a tiny slather of vegan Earth Balance spread.

Calories per muffin: around 160, fat: 4g, protein: 4g - good dose of vitamin A from the gojis and antioxidants from the cacao and berries.

Kamut Coconut Almond Butter Chip Bars. (Chocolate .. or Carob!)

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Nibble on a Kamut Coconut Almond Butter Chip Bar this weekend and have leftovers for the week ahead!..

These puffed cereal squares are light and crisp with the earthy, nutty flavor of puffed kamut in every bite. The bars are infused with almond butter, coconut, a hint of cinnamon and your choice of chocolate-y chip. This no-bake recipe is fast and easy. A healthy substitute for "marshmallow squares" or super sweet granola bars. Just a touch of brown rice syrup is all you need for these bars. Grab my recipe + get 5 reasons why one might choose CAROB chips instead of chocolate!..

Buying Carob. I picked up the forest green bag of chips labeled "vegan carob chips." My husband glared at me. I put them back on the shelf. I tapped my toe and scrunched my brow. I grabbed the mini vegan chocolate chips from EnjoyLife - that I love so much. But those silly carob chips kept whispering to me to grab them and run. I tossed back my beloved chocolate chips and quickly pushed the carob chips into my hand basket and sped away. Wait, what? I could just hear the question coming from my husband's lips as I scampered away down the Whole Foods grocery aisle, like a spring bunny on the run..

"Wait, why did you buy carob chips?"

It is an interesting question. One I could not fully answer at the time. Carob chips, for me, carry with them much history and sense-infused memories. Memories from childhood in Santa Cruz, memories of roaming the skinny aisles of the Aptos Natural Foods Store where my mom and I often shopped. My short pre-teen body standing on its tippy-toes to ogle the goodies on the highest shelves and peek into the whimsical, ever-interesting bulk section containers - the earthy aromas of apricot and fig bars, carob energy squares and yogurt-covered raisins wafting from the plastic bins, through the musty air and across my face. I would always grab a few or those chunky cubed carob bars. You know those glossy, blackish-colored cubes studded with sunflower seeds? They must be healthy if they came out of that musty plastic bin, right next to the dried lima beans and red lentils! I didn't really know why they were good for me, but my mom would buy me pretty much anything at the "health food store" and these kinda tasted like chocolate, so I loaded up every time.

The truth is, I probably loved those cubes because they were sweet! And after doing much research, while carob is rich in some nice nutrients like vitamins and minerals, there aren't too many reasons why you shouldn't just go for high quality dark chocolate if it is CHOCOLATE you crave.

But then WHY oh why did I buy the carob chips for this recipe? Memories I guess. But here are 5 Reasons One Might Choose Carob Over Chocolate:

1. Memories. Like me, you may have fond memories of stuffing your face with carob goodies as a kid thinking they are "good for you" so indulge! Your parents may have even let you indulge thinking the same thing!
2. Caffeine. OK, so the main reason why you might choose carob in place of chocolate is if you are caffeine sensitive. Carob, unlike cacao, contains no caffeine.
3. Flavor! Some people actually enjoy the unique and nutty, earthy, buttery flavor or carob. It is a bit sweeter (less bitter) than cacao so it makes for an interesting taste sensation. I admit I kinda like it a lot.
4. Carob Powder. Buying carob in powder form is a lot different that buying the sweetened, fat-added chips. In fact, the powder DOES have a few advantages over cacao. Carob powder is actually lower in sugar and fat than cacao powder (both come from beans/pods of different plants) but if you are using CHIPS there is really not much difference since the fat and sugar gets added back in.
5. Variation! Maybe you are just a little bored by chocolate chips and looking for a more exotic ingredient! Carob will give you that "different" flavor you seek.

Whole Foods has a nice Carob 411: The Advantages of Carob Powder

Any more? Carob fans please chime in here 🙂

So yes, for this recipe you can use carob or cacao chips .. 🙂

note: the carob is slightly sweeter to some, so you might be able to get away with adding a drizzle more sweetener if you choose a dark or semi-sweet vegan chocolate chip.

Chocolate-smother version..

Kamut Coconut Almond Butter Chip Bars
vegan, makes 1 baking tray worth of bars (fridge or freeze to store)

6-8 cups puffed kamut (unsweetened)
*you can substitute with another puffed cereal if desired
½ cup virgin coconut oil, melted
⅓ cup coconut flakes, raw unsweetened
⅓ cup organic brown rice syrup
½ cup salted almond butter, organic/creamy
1 teaspoon chia or flax seeds (for texture and nutrition)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup dark chocolate mini chips or vegan carob chips

*using more kamut will soften the flavors and sweetness in each bite. You can use anywhere from 5-8 cups but be warned that the less kamut you use, the stickier and sweeter each bar will be.

Directions:

!. Grease a deep baking sheet with coconut oil.
2. Add the almond butter, coconut oil, brown rice syrup, vanilla and cinnamon to a small bowl and microwave for thirty seconds. Stir until smooth and melted.
3. In a large mixing bowl, toss the kamut with the almond butter mixture. Last, fold in the chocolate or carob chips - and the flax or chia seeds. Toss a few minutes until every puff is well coated in almond coconut liquid.
4. Pour the mixture into your baking sheet and press flat.
5. Chill in the fridge until firm enough to slice and serve. Place in freezer for ten minute then transfer to fridge for faster chilling.

Chocolate coated! You can also dip or smother these bars in chocolate-coconut mixture for an extra sweet treat!

Chocolate Coconut Mixture:
½ cup chips + 2 tablespoon coconut oil - melted

nutritional info estimate based on 18 servings (per serving) (using mini chocolate chips, vegan)
Calories: 175 per square (13g fat, 4g protein)

10 Vegan Shake Recipes

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These ten vegan shake recipes will come in handy for those days when spring fever finally hits and all you crave is a sunbeam, your sunglasses and a frosty sweet treat to cool you off and make you smile.

Spring. Is. Coming. Do you feel it? That warm feeling on the back of your neck. The squint in your eye and the urge to take off your fuzzy sweater and heavy winter shoes - and frolic around in a tank top and light sandals. It's the feeling of spring! And no matter where you live (sunny LA or breezy Boston) spring fever will catch your glance at some point soon and when it does you'll be wishing you had a tall frosty glass of something to match your sweet-n-sunny mood. I usually reach for a smoothie - or a vegan shake. So here are ten of my favorite vegan dessert shake recipes -..

Matcha Shake with a scoop of vanilla protein powder & a hint of spirulina too. Power shake..

..Want 365 vegan smoothie and shake recipes? Secure your copy of my new book 365 Vegan Smoothies!

10 Vegan Shake Recipes

1. Secret Ingredient Matcha Shake. Green and sweet with a cravable, energizing accent of matcha green tea. I make this several times a week!

2. Cashew Ripple Strawberry Shake. Rich and creamy like a strawberry milkshake with a hint of nuttiness.

3. Secret Ingredient Vanilla Shake. This totally yummy vanilla protein shake is made using two frozen fruit ingredients. Dairy-free, wellness shake bliss!

4. Wild Blueberry Shake. Deep purple color and creamy thick vegan shake texture. This antioxidant-rich shake tastes like a treat, but is a wellness sip for sure!

5. Chocolate Strawberry Banana Shake. Chocolate covered berry flavor via a plant-based shake.

6. Almond Butter Banana Shake. Energizing and delicious! Almonds and bananas make for a wonderful go-to shake when you want energy or just a sweet treat.

7. Double Chocolate Chip Shake. This double chocolate shake is for the chocolate lover!

8. Calm Chamomile Banana Shake. This calming shake will slow you down and ease your mind and body with the power of chamomile blossoms.

9. Chocolate S'mores Shake. Chocolate meets vegan marshmallow and graham flavor.

10. Sweet Citrus Avocado Dreamboat Shake. Or smoothie. This green blend with citrus flavors will make you swoon. This sip is more of a smoothie, but so rich from the avocado that you can easily call it a shake. Must try for green smoothie lovers!

11. And lastly, a dessert shake recipe!..

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bliss Shake
vegan, makes one tall shake

2 scoops vanilla soy or coconut ice cream
1 tablespoon vegan chocolate fudge sauce
2 tablespoon peanut butter, chunky
¼ cup soy milk or creamer (more decadent)
soy cream whipped topping
optional: diced banana mashed into the shake (or use a blender to puree a frozen banana)

Directions: Hand mash the ice cream, soy milk, fudge and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. Mash until a malt-thickness forms. Then top with another scoop of peanut butter, soy whipped cream and some extra fudge sauce if desired. Serve with a tall spoon.

And a very funny "vegan shake" in Justin Timberlake's SNL skit "Bring it on Down to Vegan-ville"

Want 365 vegan smoothie and shake recipes? Secure your copy of my new book 365 Vegan Smoothies! Fan on Facebook for updates!

Herb-Crusted Peppercorn Lentil-Nut Pâté. Appetizer or Vegan Entree.

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At first glance, as I popped this round out of its pan and settled it on a plate, I was worried. A brownish-grey recipe dish? Great! How do I photograph and 'sell' this recipe? Then I took a bite. And all anxiety dissolved as I melted into the amazing peppery-nutty--earthy-cheezy flavors and thick yet velvety, fluffy soft texture. This Herb-Crusted Peppercorn Lentil-Nut Pâté is not to be missed...

Slice into the fluffy, buttery-crisp top layer that coats the soft lentil-walnut-cashew insides and the aroma of Italian herbs, black peppercorns and cheezy nutritional yeast hits your senses. An elegant ring of raw pumpkin seeds adds texture to the complex, rich layers. One bite and I knew that this recipe was a keeper.

I love when recipe experiments go RIGHT! This new recipe was one where I was literally tossing ingredients in my Vitamix hoping that all would go well! The inspiration: I was craving lentils and wanted to make some sort of lentil spread. But instead of a been-there-done-that dip I wanted to try merging my favorite cashew cheese recipe with lentils, walnuts, Italian herbs, pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast and a hint of spiciness. Black peppercorns provide a lively burst of spice.

This recipe is baked at a low temperature for about two hours. Chilled for an hour and served warm. I used a quick soak method for my nuts. Easy canned, pre-cooked lentils. You can serve this pâté as an entree nut loaf, spreadable appetizer or easy snack-y style lunch. This pâté kinda reminds me of a nut-based quiche actually! I devoured two slices for lunch and can't wait for you to try a slice as well..

Herb-Crusted Peppercorn Lentil-Nut Pâté
vegan, makes one large loaf - 18 servings

1 ½ cups cooked lentils, rinsed and drained
2 cups raw cashews, quick soaked and drained (hot water)
1 ¼ cups walnuts, raw (also quick soaked)
1 ½ - 2 cups of water
⅓ cup nutritional yeast
¾ teaspoon pink salt
¾ teaspoon black whole peppercorns
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon

*measure nuts after they have soaked and absorbed some water

Crust accents:
2 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
spices: salt, cayenne, pepper, red pepper flakes
2 teaspoon dried Italian Herbs

9" round cake pan used

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add your cashews and walnuts to a large bowl and add very hot tap water. Allow them to soak for about twenty minutes. Drain the water, rinse and place the nuts in your vitamix along with the rinsed cooked lentils, pink salt, nutritional yeast, peppercorns, olive oil and lemon juice. Also add in 1 cup water.

3. Start blending in your high speed blender or food processor. This is a good five minute process to really smooth things out. Add in another ½ cup water as you proceed. Blend until smooth. Remove 1 cup of this mixture and set aside.

4. Pour in the remaining amount of water and continue blending.

Process Check: So you will have mostly thin and smooth mixture, but you have reserved a small portion of mixture that is slightly more rough, thick and less wet.

5. Prep your cooking pan by adding a generous layer of herbs and spices to the bottom of the pan.

6. Pour in the wet mixture and then spread the thicker mixture over top. (You do not have to do layers like this, but I find it creates more complexity in the cheese.

7. Add a top layer of herbs and spices and seeds similar to the bottom.

8. Place the pan in the 350 preheated oven. Bake for ten minutes then turn the oven down to 250 degrees. Bake at this low temperature for two hours.

9. Pull pan from oven and cool. Place in fridge to chill for about 30-60 minutes.Serve warm. (You can also serve completely chilled or hot from the oven - up to you.)

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to about 3 days.

estimate only. per slice, based on 18 slices per recipe.

*because the nuts were actually measured after soaking up some water, these values will be slightly inflated. More water in the nuts means less were used if they had been dry.

San Francisco: 19 Awesome Things from my Trip!

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Last week I hopped on a flight to San Francisco for a few days. LAX -> SFO. I was asked to speak on a blogger panel at the Produce for Better Health Foundation's annual conference at the W Hotel. But instead of hiding out in my swanky hotel room, eyes glued to the screen - hotel wifi on the scene - I decided to make the most of my few days in the delightfully foggy, salty-sea-air-kissed city of San Fan and have some laptop-free, heavy Canon Camera-free, kitchen-free fun. Check out 19 awesome things that happened on my trip!

San Francisco Trip: 25 Awesome Things!

1. PBH Invite: Speaker Status. I was excited to be invited to the Produce for Better Health Consumer Connection event as a featured blogger. Three other food bloggers joined me, more on them in awesome thing #13. Panel info page.

Friendly blogger panelists:

2. The W Hotel. I got to stay at the beautiful W Hotel in SF. Loved it...

The "W" SanFran:

3. Veg News Visit! Plus Photo Sesh. Um, huge highlight of this trip was that I was invited to visit the VegNews Magazine staff at their (gorgeous!) office. I have been reading VegNews for over ten years so to visit the team that makes the magic happen was more than awesome. It was inspiring, exciting, fun and really a dream come true. I was given a complete office tour by Colleen Holland (the sweetest!) and I met the super cool team: Elizabeth, Sutton, Joe, Jennifer, Hilary, Anna, Melissa and Tommy - they were all so friendly and sweet. What a great place to work! I could feel the vegan love. Such a talented team of people, now I know exactly why their magazine ROCKS each and every issue. And their office really is beautiful..

The photo session with the VegNews staff was fun. Nathan from Mercy for Animals was there too! I was excited to see my VegNews cover (the carrot cake issue) blown up to giant size, so I took a few pics with it.

4. Pizza from Patxi's. While at VegNews, they served up a yummy lunch of vegan deep dish pizza on their lovely outdoor patio. Complete with vegan Parma on top. Thanks for a yummy lunch VN!..

5. My Vaute Couture Coat. "Book" style in black. It travels so well. Soft. Cozy. Vegan. Love VC.

6. Meeting Cat! Catherine from the awesome veg blog Rabbit Food for My Bunny Teeth. There I was just lounging in the lobby of the "W" when this sparkly eyed brunette with a big glowing smile popped around the corner and shouted at me, "Kathy?!? I'm Catherine!!" My mellow mood was suddenly perked up as we chatted for hours about blog stuff and realized how well we get along. Catherine has an inspiring blog where she openly chats about healthy veg eating, her dramatic weight loss (she lost 80lbs!) and more. Cat and I had a lot of fun on this trip and I'm so glad I met her in person! And her blog shirt is THE CUTEST. She might even help me design an HHL tee since she is a talented graphic designer.

7. Girls Night. Since I grew up in Santa Cruz, Cali - just 90 minutes south of SanFran - I have many friends who live in the Bay Area. One of my high school BFFs and I got together for a fun night out. She introduced me to some amazing grapefruit cocktails at Tacolicious. (They also have delish salsa and guac. The salsa has an accent of mint which is so unique!)

Girls night-ing... Beretta Pizza, Drinks and Guac from Tacolicious:

8. Beretta. That night we had vegan Mushroom Sausage Daiya Cheese Pizza + Arugula Fennel Salad at Beretta Restaurant. Loved it.

9. Hotel Bars. Some of the funnest people watching can be done at hotel bars, yes?

10. Laptop Free Weekday. Spent the entire first day laptop-free. Felt nice.

11. Solo City Strolling. I really do miss living in a walking-friendly city. When I lived in NYC for 3 years I went for a city stroll at least once a day. Mingling with the crisp air, brash yet alluring city sounds like honking horns, zooming cabs, chattering city dwellers, passing puppies and views of tall buildings for endless city blocks. I miss that! So strolling solo through SF was a nice change from the LA car culture I currently live with. Strolling..

12. PBH. The produce conference was fun. Loads of people whose jobs and passions revolve around fruits and veggies and healthy eating. And I kinda gushed to the "watermelon people" because of THIS smoothie recipe. And it was so great working with the Dole folks again because I simply adore their brand and things like salad-tude and wellness.

13. Panel-Speaking. The panel went great! And I was thrilled to meet Cooking with Amy and Sodium Girl, the other bloggers on the panel. Bob Ochsner, who moderated the panel did such a great job. And I really liked when he said this... "Bloggers are the rockstars of the future..."

14. Saha. I have to thank the VegNews staff for the dining advice! I was told by Elizabeth that I HAD to try Saha, and now I know why! I went for our post-panel dinner and it was SO good. The eats: Cauliflower Coconut Lavender Soup. Stuffed Artichoke Hearts. Vegan Tagine. Mushroom Ravioli. Kale Quinoa Tofu Salad. Vegan Baklava. And more. We shared a few dishes but thank goodness we were starving from skipping lunch that day - not smart! So yes, when in SF, go to Saha. I even met the friendly Chef Muhammad.

Saha:

We jetted off to Saha right after the panel, we arrived at 5pm hoping to squeeze in early, but it doesn't open until 6pm! We were of course the first diners to arrive. By 7pm the place was PACKED!

Saha before opening:

STARVING post-panel bloggers..


15. Matcha Lattes. Peets and Starbucks galore near my hotel so luckily I squeezed in matcha breaks.

16. Whatever Whenever. So I randomly tweeted the "W" and said I missed my Goji Lemon Tea. I hashtagged #whateverwhenever - which is their customer service slogan. Well that night when I got back to my hotel room, there was a message on my phone saying that I had a dining amenity waiting for me! It was Goji Berry Tea!! I was floored. So I delayed the delivery until the next morning and it was such a treat to have. Thank you "W SanFran!"

Goji Tea from the W:

17. Sharing Cabs. Cat and I were able to spend the last day together and share a cab on the way to SFO. Such a fun way to end a nice trip to the city by the bay!

18. Arriving Home. As much as I love getting away. It is so nice to get home to my husband telling me how much he missed me and my kitty who gives me a million kitty kisses. Hot bath. Native Foods for an easy dinner and home is feeling quite refreshing after a very busy trip.

19. New Friends. In Person! Like I said, I made some new friends on this trip! From meeting the folks at VegNews, to the brands and bloggers at the event and more, I think the best part of heading out into the world is coming back to the very "online" world we live in and feeling a bit closer to those online screennames and Facebook profile photos that we see flashing on our screens daily. I love my very digital life, but as Colleen spoke about at the VegNews office, nothing really compares to a face-to-face interaction.

...ps. next time: Cinnaholic will happen!! 🙂

What do you do when you visit San Francisco?

Easy Miso Avocado English Pea Soup. Bright Green. Fresh Flavor!

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This super easy Spring Pea Soup combines some favorite flavors: sweet protein-rich English peas, white miso, avocado and some simple spices like fine black pepper and optional cayenne. This silky soup is served warm instead of steamy hot and will be ready in minutes. The taste is ah-mazing. I made this as a quickie lunch and felt super energized and satisfied after this creamy bowl.

So grab some spring peas at the store and make this soup! Plus - please take my easy/two-question HHL reader survey..

(don't forget to take my HHL reader survey below recipe .. 2-question quickie!)

It is funny how so many of the vegan protein powders and even plant-based "faux meat" products are now proud that they include "pea protein" instead of soy protein as their protein source. Well in spring it is delicious to go straight to the source by enjoying plenty of sweet, nutty, bright green fresh English peas.

These fresh and perky rounds are quite superior to their frozen year-round pea friends. If you have never tried fresh peas, now is your chance. This recipe is super easy and quite yummy. You can whip this up in ten minutes, easily!

White Miso Paste. If you do not keep this stuff in your fridge: do it. Why? Well it is a super easy ingredient to add salty, savory flavor to just about any food. I love miso flavors in fresh pesto, to season veggies, as a glaze for tofu and tempeh and of course miso soup! Miso is a fermented food which means it contains healthy "good" bacteria, aka probiotics. Other fermented foods include sauerkraut, kombucha, non-dairy yogurt, tempeh and kimchi.

recipe!..

Easy Miso Avocado English Pea Soup
vegan, serves 1-2

2 cups fresh English peas
2 teaspoon white miso paste
¼ - ½ avocado
½ cup water (or thicken to taste)
spices: dash of pepper, dash of cayenne
(no salt needed since the miso is quite salty!)

optional: ½ teaspoon tahini

Directions:

1. Boil some water on the stove. Add your peas to the boiling water and allow to cook for just under 2 minutes.
2. Drain the peas and pour the warm boiled peas in your high speed blender or food processor. Add the avocado and miso.
3. Start blending on low and slowly pour in the water until a sloshy mixture forms. As the peas blend the mixture will thicken nicely. Add spices as desired.
4. When the mixture is velvet-y and silky smooth, pour and serve. Enjoy as is, the temperature will be warm-ish and lovely.

Garnish: fresh avocado

Get creative! So many flavors you could add to this bowl. Harissa, mint, fresh herbs like basil or cilantro, some lemon zest and more.

Survey, survey. I want to know YOU better! Just TWO questions..

And more fresh pea soup.. Also try my Fresh Pea Almond Soup from last spring!.. Craving HOT pea soup? Try my homestyle pea soup.

Lemon Cashew Raw Cheesecake. Matcha Green Tea Swirl.

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This zing-y Lemon Cashew Raw Cheesecake with a Matcha Green Tea Swirl and walnut crust is a delightful dessert recipe for spring. Each bite floods your taste buds with an energizing sunburst lemon flavor.

Taste: sweet creamy lemon zing! And after the bold and cleansing sweet lemon flavor lifts your taste buds into zing! mode, the silky creamy cashew texture, slight bitterness of matcha and rustic nutty crunch of buttery walnuts are welcome tones and flavors. Sassy meets earthy with a whole lot of zing.

This simple recipe can be made in minutes (with some easy prep), let it set in the fridge for at least an hour (overnight is best) and your sunny season raw vegan, no-bake dessert is served…

Cashews! The main ingredient in this (any many raw dessert recipes) is raw cashews. Normally I would tell you to soak your raw cashews in salted water for at least 4-6 hours before blending your cheesecake filling. But I took a chance with this recipe and tried a shortcut method. I soaked my raw cashews in salted HOT water for just about 30 minutes and to my pleasant surprise, the filling blended up super creamy and silky. I used a high speed blender. If you do not have a high speed blender or high powered food processor, I would still suggest keeping the 4-6 hour soaking rule for raw cashews. Using hot water will speed up the process.

This recipe is so easy and delicious! It makes one "cheesecake" in a 7-9" serving dish. (I used 9" pan, but would have like it a bit thicker to slice. An 8" pan is suggested.) For the raw crust, I just used walnuts since I was out of dates. But if you want your crust to be a bit less crumbly, add in some chewy dates. Those will help to bind the nuts together a bit more.

Matcha green tea swirl is optional. You could also sub in a swirl that is green via pistachios or a hint of spinach. Learn more about match here. Make my match shake too!

This zesty lemon dessert is an ideal palate cleansing treat after a heavy meal. You really only need a tiny slice of this cheesecake since it is so rich and packed with zing-y lemon cashew flavor. I estimated around 300-350 calories per slice, 12 generous slice servings per cheesecake.

Matcha Swirled Lemon Cashew Cheesecake
vegan/raw, makes one 7-9" "cheesecake"

3 cups cashews, raw (soak/drain before blending)
½ cup grade B maple syrup (to make truly "raw" substitute raw agave syrup in place of maple)
½ cup melted organic virgin coconut oil (refine or unrefined both work)
¾ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice**
pinch of zest (over top)

green swirl:
½ cup cashew filling blended with ½-1 teaspoon matcha powder

crust:
¾ cup raw walnuts
½ cup dates (optional)
1 teaspoon flax seeds (optional)

matcha sprinkle to serve (optional)

**when I first made this cheesecake I used ¾ cup lemon juice. While I actually love the bright lemon flavor, I think the average person may want it scaled back just a bit. So ⅔ cup is plenty. If you want a more subtle lemon flavor you can even scale down to ½ cup or even ⅓ cup and add a pinch of zest to the filling mixture (which provides a more subtle lemon essence) and replace the omitted lemon juice with water.

Directions:

1. Soak your raw cashews. For quick soak, add nuts to a bowl and fill with hot water until covered. Add a pinch of salt and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes. I like to swirl the cashews in the water every few minutes to speed up the loosening process. For long soak: soak in water for 4-6 hours. Quick soak should only be used if you have a high speed blender and use very hot water to soak.

2. While nuts soak, start squeezing your lemons. You can also process your raw walnuts until fine and chunky - for use in the crust. If using dates, process those with the nuts and optional flax seeds. Grease your serving pan with coconut oil and press the walnut mixture into the dish until a loose crust forms. Place this dish in the freezer.

3. Drain you cashews. Rinse. Add cashews to your blender or food processor. Warm/melt your coconut oil and add it to the warm drained nuts in the blender/fp. Start blending from low to high. Add in the maple syrup too. Keep blending until a chunky nut mixture forms. Blend son high until it begins to thin out a bit. Then slowly pour in the lemon juice and watch as the mixture suddenly becomes creamy and white. Keep blending until this mixture is silky smooth. This will take a few minutes and high blending speeds at some point. Use your Vitamix tamper if using a Vitamix.

4. Pull your dish from the freezer and pour our ¾ of the mixture into the dish. Smooth flat.

5. Blend ½ - ¾ teaspoon match green tea powder with the leftover mixture - until smooth and green. Pour this green mixture over top the white filling and swirl. Add lemon zest over top.

6. Chill in the fridge until firm enough to slice. Serve chilled. Eat within 2-3 days. Serve with a lemon wedge and some match green tea sprinkled over top.

Have you entered my Spring GREEN-ing $75 Whole Foods gift card giveaway yet? Enter here!

Homemade "00" Flour Pizza Crust. (Vegan) Pizzeria Night at Home.

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I have been making homemade pizza dough for a few years now. And I have always loved the results. But recently I finally switched out my basic baking flour for "00" aka "double 0" flour. And oh my goodness was the difference remarkable.

In today's post I will give you my easy tutorial on pizza dough. (I highly advise using"00" flour, but yes any flour will work!) Plus share my recipes for vegan Parmesan (made in seconds) and an easy homemade pizza sauce. Italian pizza night for you!..

Warm, Chewy, crispy bottom pizza crust with "00" flour.

..This pizza included some of my fave toppings including shiitake mushrooms, sweet onions, vegan pepperoni and kalamata olives. (I also LOVE squeezing fresh lemon juice on my pizza before baking!)

Fresh dough + homemade vegan Parmesan:

"00"

Fluffy soft dough:

So what is "00" flour? "In Italy, flour is classified either as 1, 0, or 00, and refers to how finely ground the flour is and how much of the bran and germ have been removed. Doppio zero is the most highly refined and is talcum-powder soft." - 0chef.com

Double "oh" flour is ideal for making authentic pizza crust. So I know many of you guys (and me as well!) might be more in favor of whole grain, hearty-fiber, less processed type flours, but if you really crave that pizzeria-style crust at home THIS is the flour to grab at the store.

Where can I find "00" flour? I bought mine at a gourmet-ish grocery store here in LA called Bristol Farms. You can probably find it at any specialty or gourmet store and you can always buy it online too.

Online..
Antico Molino Napoli Antimo Caputo '00' Flour

If you are a pizza lover, can handle gluten, and love the taste of authentic Italian pizza crust, give this recipe a whirl. I think you will start saying this on pizza crust night: "once you go "00" you never go back."

Before baking:

After baking:

Below you will find sauce, dough and Parm recipes. For the toppings you can really use whatever you love. My faves: shiitakes, kalamata olives, chopped pineapple, freshly sliced tomato, sliced sweet onion, fresh basil, kale, vegan pepperonis, EVOO and more.

Three Pizza Night Recipes: Crust. Sauce. Parm.

(And although I added a tiny sprinkle of vegan cheese shreds to the pizza photographed, the next week I made a pizza with just this vegan Parmesan and it was amazing. No shreds needed!)

Recipe 1. Easy Pizza Sauce
makes enough for 2-4 pizzas - store in fridge for up to a week

1 cup san marzano tomatoes
1-2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 leaf fresh basil
pinch of salt and pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions: Puree in a blender until smooth.

Recipe 2. Easy Vegan Parmesan
vegan, makes 1 cup (store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks if well covered)

½ cup nutritional yeast
½ cup nuts (try walnuts of cashews)

Directions: Blend until smooth the chunky

Recipe 3. Crust: "00" Pizza Dough
makes one medium or two small pizzas

2 ⅓ cups "00" flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1 packet yeast (I used Rapunzel brand organgic yeast - 9g / .32oz)
*sometimes when I want super pillow-y dough I use 1 ½ packets of yeast.

+ additional flour for kneading (about ¼ cup)

optional: corn meal for bottom of crust

(nutrition: there is about 1,000 calories in one ball of the pizza dough .. for those who are interested)

Directions:

1. Add the yeast and water water to a large mixing bowl. Stir until the yeast has dissolved.

2. Add in 1 cup of flour and the salt and stir until sticky. Then add in the remaining 1 ⅓ cups flour a scoop at a time - kneading all the way through. Yes your hands will get nice and dough-y. Knead this mixture for a few minutes right int he large bowl until a soft pillow-y ball of dough forms.

3. Flour and oil spray the bowl so the dough doesn't stick to the bowl as it rise. Cover with a clean cloth or a few paper towels and allow the dough to rise for a good hour in a warm spot.

(About a few minutes until you punch out the dough you can preheat the oven to 425 degrees)

4. In an hour or so, punch out the dough, add a few pinches of flour and start kneading the dough. If you are making two mini pizzas, split the dough into two balls.

5. Start rolling, tossing and stretching the dough to form a pizza shell. Press out the dough on your baking sheet or pizza pan that will go in the oven. If using corn meal, run the dough through a bit of corm meal so it lightly coats the bottom of the crust and edges.

6. To top the dough I add this: 1-2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a pinch of vegan Parmesan. Then i add 4-6 tablespoon of sauce. Then I add all the veggie toppings.

Pro-Tip: Make sure your oven is nice and HOT! 425 is a good temp, if you can go up to 450, go for it. Pizza dough loves heat.

7. Bake the pizzas in the very hot 425 degree oven for 11-15 minutes - basically until the edges crust over and the middle is not doughy.

Let the pizza rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.

More of my pizza recipes (that you can use this dough with!)

* Vegan Pepperoni Pizza
* Pesto Cashew "Ricotta" Pizza
* Balsamic Brussel Sprout Pizza
* Mini BBQ Pizzas
* Beachy Pesto Pizza

And last night we did pizza night again!..

Spin on Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers: BBQ Peanut.

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These BBQ Peanut Sweet Potato Burgers are a spin on one of my fave veggie burger recipes. This time around, I added in some bold BBQ flavors via dry BBQ spices and smoky sweet BBQ sauce. Plus some nutty, amazing crushed roasted peanuts to pump up the burger texture. Crushed nuts in general, taste amazing in veggie burgers. Cashew, walnut and almond burgers are quite delicious - but I had never tried peanut burgers - so this was my peanut burger success recipe!

This southern-inspired recipe really made me swoon. Serve with a side of vegan cole slaw, carrot slaw, a raw chard salad, some simple sweet potato fries (or tater tots a la Trader Joe's!) Make these burgers for your next veggie burger night!..

Toppings!!..

The basics: rice, beans and crushed peanuts. Add in the sweet potato and accents, mash and done!

Go for a juicy, ripe tomato sliced on top..

Side of vegan tater tots .. compliments of Trader Joe's freezer section. (Had to try these)

Guys, I have to vent, things are pretty crazy at Healthy Happy Life headquarters. (Aka, my home office and kitchen.) Thus why I haven't posted a new recipe in a few days. (All good stress thank goodness!) Good thing I have my Stress Free Living guru on call 24/7 (aka Nelly Cat.) She squeezes me into her busy napping schedule..

But stress is good! I thrive on being busy and I hate to admit it, but I guess I do work well under pressure. Just as long as I remember to breathe and balance work with activities that de-stress me. Like foam roller yoga, walking, bubble baths, cooking and breathing. Ah, yes breathing. Deeply, with intention - and feel the jitters smooth themselves out.

And even though my work revolves around food, I still adore pleasure cooking. It always centers me. So even when I am busy I find time to get in the kitchen. I turn off my phone, shut down the screens and immerse myself in the bright colors, alluring aromas and lively sounds of dinner being made. And getting to eat and enjoy the results with my husband is pretty nice too! What do you do when you have a lot coming at you at once?

So with that, lets all get in the kitchen and whip up these fun burgers.

Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers: Peanut BBQ
vegan, makes 5-6 patties

½ cup cooked brown rice, short grain
½ - ¾ cups whole peanuts, roasted & salted (process until crumbly bits)
* start with ½ cup and add more if you'd like a nuttier burger
1 cup mashed sweet potato (oven baked)
1 ½ cups cannellini white beans, drained/rinsed in hot water to soften
1 tablespoon dry BBQ spice blend
2 tablespoon liquid BBQ sauce, vegan
¼ cup onion, diced
2 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon fine black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder + a few dashes cayenne (optional)
salt to taste

Other ingredients:
oil for sauteing (optional)
burger buns, vegan
vegan mayo
sliced avocado (tossed in lemon juice)
slaw (optional topping or side)
toppings: onion, tomato, mixed greens
warmed BBQ sauce

sides: slaw, sweet potato tots (from Trader Joe's! vegan)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prep: prep your veggies, process your peanuts and cook your rice. I used my Vitamix to process my peanuts. You want a blend of fine crumbles that range from powdery to chunky.
3. Combine your sweet potato, rice, beans, peanuts, spices, onion, parsley and BBQ sauce in a large mixing bowl. Start mashing! Mash until the mixture is thick and creamy.
4. Spray a baking sheet with oil - must do to prevent sticking. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until edges brown. I like my patties on the softer side so I always under cook them a bit. If sauteing, add a splash of safflower or extra virgin olive oil to a hot sautepan and cook 2-4 minutes on each side over medium-high heat. Patties will fuse and firm up a bit as they cool.
5. Assemble: Toast buns. Slather warmed BBQ sauce on one bun and vegan mayo on the other. Place patty. Add onion,s tomato, sliced avocado and greens. Slice and serve!

Notes:

* Not So Nutty? If you are allergic to peanuts or nuts in general you can either sub with a different variety of nut (walnuts, almond..) or you can use a seed like pumpkin or sunflower seeds! Just process until crumbly and use in the same way that the peanuts are used. The texture will be similar, the flavor will just vary a bit.

* BBQ flavors. For these burgers you will need either a really stellar dry BBQ spice blend and/or an awesome BBQ sauce. (For best results use both, but just one will work if necessary.) Be sure to check to make sure your BBQ sauce is vegan. Or make your own: vegan BBQ sauce recipe.I like a sweet and slightly spicy sauce for these burgers. Something thick works best since you will be uses some as burger sauce. For the dry blend, check to see if your spices are salted. If they are not you will need to salt the patty mix to taste. And lastly, if you cannot find a BBQ blend, you can add single spices to taste like: paprika, black pepper, mustard, garlic, white pepper and more. Or simply dry season as desired. Creativity encouraged!

* Creative Options: If you want to get creative, try adding in these veggie burger ingredients: 2 tablespoon tahini, ¼+ cup nutritional yeast, panko bread crumbs to coat, try subbing in lentils for the beans, sub in a different grain like farro or barley for the rice...

* To Bake or Saute? You can bake or pan fry the burgers in a light splash of safflower oil. I personally really loved these burgers lightly pan fried because the nutty flavor of the peanuts came out nicely. But you can also bake in the oven: 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Do not over cook or they will dry out too much on the edges. (optional) -> To prevent the "dry out" baking effect, slather patties in some extra virgin olive oil.

Nutrition info estimate (per patty, based on 6 patties) - doe not include bun or toppings..

*Enjoy*

Have you checked out all my smoothie book updates?

Spring Greening: 10 Simple Tips!

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Spring is just around the corner (March 20th 2013 to be exact!) and spring is the perfect time to make a few changes in your life to clean-up your home, the planet and most importantly, green up your lifestyle. So along with cleaning out the garage, milling through outdated clothes in your closet and scrubbing the veggie drawers in your fridge, take a few steps to embrace all things GREEN via recipes, habits and activities. Get my ten tips for some spring greening! Plus enter my spring greening giveaway - one person will win a $75 Whole Foods gift card to help them green their diet!..

What is spring green-ing? To me, green-ing your lifestyle is about starting with YOU. Keeping your body, mind and spirit active, well and well-nourished will allow you to extend your wellness to your community and planet. Before fixing the planet's problems, it is a good idea to take care of yourself first! And the rest will seem easy. A wise man once said, "I'm starting with the man in the mirror. Oh yeah. I'm asking him to change his ways ... if you want to make the world a better place you gotta look at yourself and make a, change! Na na na, na na na, na na na na naa." - wise man, aka Michael Jackson.

Spring Greening: 10 Tips!

1. Blend Green. Green smoothies are an excellent way to add some GREEN nutrition to your diet. This spring, start experimenting with a few green blends! You can green your smoothies by adding: matcha green tea powder, fresh greens like spinach, kale and chard, fresh green fruits and veggies like kiwi, avocado and green grapes. Or try green super foods like spirulina or wheat grass. Green smoothies can easily taste sweet and delicious - even to green-food-phobes. I promise! Check out these recipes: Salute to Green Smoothies. Green Dream Boat Smoothie. Secret Ingredient Matcha Shake. Pre-order my 365 Vegan Smoothies book for a boost of wellness motivation to plop on your doorstep come June!

2. Walk-a-Day Challenge. Here is my challenge to you for spring 2013. Take one walk outside every day. Yup. Even if it is around the block, across the parking lot at work or the long tree-lined path back to your car. Even a few minutes counts. Do it at sunrise, on your lunch break or as the sun is just about to set. Just once a day can green your life. How? Well first off, it will improve your fitness by helping you stay active - get your blood flowing and muscles moving. And second, by breathing the outside air, mingling with the trees, hearing the birds and strolling past a few spring blooms you will become more connected to nature. And in turn be more motivated to live a green life that supports this magical home we call earth.

3. Go Vegan. Sounds simple. But one of the most helpful things you can do for your body, mind, spirit AND the planet is to ditch animal products. I recently watched this video with James Cameron and how he thinks going vegan is one way we can help save the oceans and fish..

Need some recipes? Browse my vegan recipes index or head over to FindingVegan.com for over 22,000 vegan recipes from bloggers all over the web!

4. Embrace Salads. Go green by adding a few more green salads to your diet. Try this one: Green Tower Power Salad. (more salads in my index!)

5. Green Your Favorite Meals. Add a green spin to your favorite recipes. Try this Green Shamrock Breakfast Sandwich, with kale, green pumpkin seeds and vegan sausage patty for a very lucky spring morning. Or add some green to your Mac 'n Cheez by adding in perky sweet peas. Or green your lasagna: Lasagna Verde.

6. Household Detox. Rummage through your kitchen and bathroom cabinets and read the labels of your cleaning and personal care products. Be sure to note the products that say *NO animal testing* - you will want to buy these brands again! And note the ingredients and warning labels on your products. Too many chemicals for your tastes? And the next time you need a few cleaning products, choose green options OR try out some very basic ingredients like lemon juice, white vinegar, baking soda and essential oils like lavender and citrus to freshen up your home!

7. Farmer's Market Habit. Try to get in the habit of paying a visit to your local farmer's market each week. You will be supporting the 'locavore' movement while enjoying farm fresh produce that you select yourself. Try to buy from organic vendors when possible. Chat it up with the vendors - much can be learned from them! Ask about recipe advice, cooking prep for their produce or just about their farm in general! Get to know the people and places that grow your food.

8. Support Pet Adoption and Animal Sanctuaries. If you are a pet lover, ask your local pet adoption non-profits what you can do to help! Sometimes these companies are in need of volunteers or food donations. Helping animals find loving homes is an act that will make you feel good from the inside out. Other Non-profits like HSUS, Farm Sanctuary, Our Hen House, Teal Cat Project, COK and more would love your support. There are even so many ways money-free you can help, just ask them! Green your spirit.

9. Dip it! Green your snacking hour by whipping up this Lucky Leprechaun Dip. This cashew, white bean, lemon and kale dip is an easy way to feel all spring-y.

10. Start a Recycling Habit. Confession, I was once a horrible recycler! Tossing every bottle right into my kitchen garbage can. But lately I've become much more recycle-savvy. Once you start recycling it becomes addicting! You start *looking* for those recycle bins in restaurants and on the street and it feels good. Pitching in feels good.

Finding Balance. To me, "going green" isn't just about the earth - it all starts with YOU. Green your spring by practicing wellness in your own life by eating healthy, taking care of yourself, getting enough fresh air, staying active and keeping stress levels at bay. Only when you find health in your own life can you reach out and bring that same sense of balance and well being to the planet around you.

This Giveaway Has Ended. Congrats April @ricedaisy on Twitter!!

Lucky Leprechaun Dip! Creamy green goodness.

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This Spring Green Lucky Leprechaun Dip is rich and creamy. Lively yet comforting. The amazing ingredients: raw cashews, white beans, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, kale, parsley and plenty of spices. Lemon accents in every bite too. Pair this dip with your favorite dipping snacks - carrots, celery, flax crackers, rice crackers - for a healthy-delicious snacking platter. You will be a lucky snacker with this on your table...

Happy March guys! Yup, that means spring is just around the corner. My favorite time of year when the sunshine is glossy yellow, fresh and warm. Spring green leaves and buds begin to pop up on caramel-colored tree branches. And feathery birds start singing at every chance they get because they too know that this season bring a lot of happiness to the air.

And of course spring recipes are the best! Spring brings us fresh peas, asparagus, artichokes, fiddleheads, leeks, garlic scrapes, greens in general, morel mushrooms, ramps, radishes and early season berries like strawberries. Piled high sunny sandwiches and spring smoothies - I am SO ready!

But for now, I'll embrace March in all its green glory with this easy dip. I whipped this up Saturday night and we were snacking on it all Sunday afternoon and evening. SO SO good. And so good for you too...

Bean-hater approved. ..Shhhh, DO NOT tell my husband that this dip contains lots of beans 🙂 (He happily gobbled up half a bowl and had no freaking clue he was eating his most-hated food) "It is cashew kale dip honey!" .. "YUM! I love it!!" 😉

Lucky Leprechaun Dip
vegan, makes about 2 ½ cups

1 can white cannellini beans (1 ½ cups) - drain/rinse in hot water
1 cup kale (I actually used frozen kale! But fresh works too)
4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoon lemon juice + generous pinch of lemon zest
½ teaspoon fine black pepper
3 dashes of cayenne
¼ cup raw cashews (no need to soak if using a high speed blender of food processor)
1 ½ tablespoon tahini, roasted, organic
¼+ cup warm water
¼ cup chopped parsley, flat-leaf
optional: garlic powder or roasted garlic

To make:

1. Add all ingredients to high speed blender of Vitamix. Blend from low to high until silky and smooth. Add a few extra splashes of water or drizzles of oil if needed to blend smooth. (It will firm up quite a bit in the fridge)

2. Pour in serving dish and chill in fridge for 1 hour or overnight. You could serve right away or warm if desired as well.

3. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top and fresh parsley to garnish.

Serve with: flax crackers, carrot sticks, rice crackers, toasty bread and more.

estimated nutrition facts (per serving - based on 8 servings per recipe)

Creamy Maple Mustard, Raw Chard Salad: Simple Salad Success.

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It is often those super simple afterthought dishes that wow me most at meal time.

I whipped up this Creamy Mustard Maple Dressed Raw Chard Salad around lunch time last week. Then I let it marinate and chill in the fridge for a few hours and by dinner time it was cool, flavorful and the perfect green accompaniment to dinner.

This creamy vegan dressing is made using maple, apple cider vinegar, spices, some creamy vegan mayo and coarse/whole grain mustard (..which I honestly do not normally prefer, but in this dressing it WORKS). This salad, with its sweet-and-spicy-mustard undertones really reminded me of a sunny spring day. I wish I had some edible flowers to garnish this perfectly simple salad dish with!

For best results, take your time finding the perfect fluffy, ruffled bunch of organic rainbow or red chard for this recipe! I found my bunch at the farmer's market...

the most important ingredient..

Serve with toasty bread and (vegan) cheese...

..raw DrCow tree nut cheese (I know, I know this is hard to find and crazy expensive - but they ship nationwide!)

You guys know my ever-growing love of raw chard salads. If you have ANY DOUBT that you would love this. Just try it. Chard has a super sweet flavor for a green and even my "once-salad-phobic" husband agrees that RAW chard salads are AMAZING! He gobbled this salad up in about three bites. No joke.

More raw chard salad..

* Raw Chard Salad - with tofu triangles and quesadillas
* Raw Chard Salad aka my "Christmas Tree Salad"
* This salad is made with a mix of kale and chard, but either way - it is FANTASTIC

Thank you for all the 365 Vegan Smoothie love! I was THRILLED to be mentioned on Veg News's list of 15 Most Anticipated Cookbooks of 2013! Get all my book updates by liking my smoothie book page on Facebook.

I also just updated my "About Kathy" page to include my 5 recipe posts that best describe me. (And yes, a raw chard salad is one of them!) check them out!

Creamy Maple Mustard Dressed Raw Chard Salad
vegan, serves 2-3

1 beautiful bunch of organic Swiss chard (any color will work!)

Creamy Maple Mustard Dressing:
2 teaspoon whole/coarse grain mustard
2 teaspoon vegan mayo, aka Vegenaise
1 teaspoon grade B maple syrup
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (you can substitute this with lemon juice if necessary)
⅛ teaspoon (or just a few pinches) or fresh orange or lemon zest
pinch of salt (to taste)
pinch of fine black pepper
pinch of cayenne powder
optional: squeeze of lemon juice

additional spices you may want to try: garlic powder, coriander, turmeric, onion powder, nutritional yeast - dried or freshly chopped jalapeno, garlic or parsley.

dressing notes:
* If your chard is an extra large bunch, or you just like more dressing, double my recipe.
* choose a spicy whole grain mustard if possible, otherwise you can add in a ½ teaspoon spicy Dijon mustard in addition - or a few extra dashes of cayenne. The spicy kick is a nice compliment to the sweetness of the maple

salad garnish: fresh lemon or orange citrus zest

Directions:

1. Rinse your chard in cold water - each leaf should be well rinsed to remove any sandy residue. Chop off any brownish ends on the stem. Pat leaves dry with a paper towel of you can use a salad spinner to help dry once they are chopped.

2. Thinly slice the chard into ribbons. Add to a large mxing bowl. You can rinse one more time in cold water if desired.

3. Whisk together your dressing in a small cup. Pour over top greens and toss well.

4. Pour into serving bowl and cover. Place in the fridge to chill for at least one hour before serving. Greens should be eaten within 8 hours of preparing. Serve chilled. Add fresh lemon or orange zest over top to serve.

Crazy Double 'Coconut' Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies. Vegan.

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Can you ever have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes? I think not.

These vegan Crazy Double 'Coconut' Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies have caramelized coconut undertones, a bronzed caramel color and a dreamy tropical flavor from the mingling of (double coconut) - coconut sugar, coconut oil - cinnamon, banana, walnuts and chocolate. I promise that the smell that glides from the oven as you bake these gems is one that will mellow you out in an instant. (Other recipe title: chill out cookies.) These tender cookies were enjoyed with RAVE reviews...

The coconut sugar (which is brown) gives the cookies a bronzed color..

Tweak. Sometimes one or two simple tweaks to a favorite recipe can produce delicious results. I'm sure you have a handful of favorite recipes you make again and again and change things up by modifying a few ingredients...

Adding new ingredients to a favorite stew. Switching up the toppings on homemade pizza night. Adding in a new spice or herb to your favorite pasta or sandwich dish. Or using a different variety of sweetener in your favorite cookie recipe. Well that is just what I did here today. Two or three little tweaks, and my favorite Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie recipe turned into a brand new blissful dessert that had me swooning with every rich, buttery and caramelized coconut bite.

(More ingredient tips and info below recipe!)

Crazy Coconut Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
vegan, makes 18-22 cookies

1 ½ cups white flour, organic
1 cup organic coconut palm sugar
⅓ cup virgin coconut oil, melted (measure before melting)
*add an extra tablespoon of oil for extra rich & buttery cookies
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ - 1 cup dark chocolate chips (semi-sweet and/or vegan)
1 banana, mashed
⅓ cup warm water + 1 teaspoon flax seeds (whisked and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken a bit)
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ - ¾ cup walnuts, raw
optional: pinch of orange zest and or dash of cayenne

note: I use *unrefined* virgin coconut oil for a more coconut-y flavor

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, lightly grease or line baking sheet.

2. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon. Toss.

3. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave - just a few seconds should soften.

4. Combine the flax/water mixture with the oil and vinegar and the mashed banana. Slowly fold this mixture into the dry mixture. Make sure it is not too hot of it will made the dough chewy.

5. Fold in the walnuts. Last, fold in the chocolate chips.

6. If you want perfectly round cookies, you should fridge the dough for 5-10 minutes and scoop into balls. But I just like to add the dough as is in semi-messy rough balls. Keeping some air pockets in the dough when I place it on the pan. This makes for more bumpy, bubbly cookies ... (which I love!)

7. Cook for 15 minutes or until the edges brown and darken a bit. Cool. Serve. Store in the fridge or freezer if not eating within a day.

Nutrition estimate: If you make 20 cookies from this recipe:
calories: 160 per cookie - 8g fat per cookie - 2g protein

What is Coconut Palm Sugar? I bought a bag a few weeks ago and have been testing it out in a few recipes. It reminds me of sucanat (sucanat is minimally refined cane sugar) - only a bit sweeter and with a coconut undertone that is very mild. It almost acts more like brown sugar rather than white sugar in recipes. And it has been applauded for its nutritious qualities as well. I love that my bag says "vegan" on the label and that it is less processed than most sugars.

Pure coconut palm sugar is made from the nectar of the coconut palm tree. My bag says "pure coconut flower blossom nectar" .. which sounds a bit 'flowery' in a description, but you get the point.

But it is still sugar. So don't go overboard on indulging just because it looks and sounds so healthy! I learned that lesson when I plopped two giant spoonfuls in my tea one day. Whoops. It is still quite sweet despite the sand-like appearance. But in terms of nutrition, I do think that it is healthier than most average sweeteners simply because it is less refined than most and does contain some nutrients (in small amounts) like zinc, calcium and potassium. Plus, the brand I bought had its bag labeled vegan. Which I just LOVE to see. (note: not all bags will say vegan.)

So if you love trying NEW ingredients, give organic coconut palm sugar a whirl! .. BUT if you want to use the sugar you have in your pantry. Go for it. Luckily, coconut sugar has about a 1:1 ratio to traditional dry sugar. The flavor is different though and sweetness less intense, in my taste test.

Tip to try! If you like air-y cookies with air pockets - nooks and crannies of melting chocolate and walnuts - add your dough to the baking sheet in a light manner, but crafting loosely packed balls of dough. So often we roll the dough in our hands or scoop it out after it has settled into a firm, stiff state. Well try keeping a few air pockets in each ball and see what you think of the difference in texture!

The cookie aroma mellowed the kitty out! Wait, she always looks like this..

Vegan Passover Recipes - Matzo Treats, Charoset

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I often get requests for vegan Passover recipes. And while I don't think I'll be able to "veganize" an entire Passover Seder menu anytime soon (I'm simply too un-experienced in Passover cuisine) - I can offer you a few treats and nibbles that I whipped up. First off is a delicious fruit and nut mixture called Charoset. And then three different peanut butter chocolate Matzo treats. Passover delights made easy - and vegan!..

When I first started sifting through Passover menus online I realized that there is not a whole lot of room for vegan cuisine in the traditional recipes. However, the big fat loophole is that the number one staple of Passover - Matzo - is vegan! So you can certainly get creative with Matzo (as I did with my assortment of chocolate pb treats).

..and yes, you can totally veganize Matzo Ball Soup by using veg-based stock instead of chicken. And Kugel could be made vegan as well - add sweet potatoes for texture instead of eggs.

Another totally vegan-approved recipe - that is indeed traditional - is called Charoset. It is a sticky fruit and nut mixture accented with cinnamon, red wine and more. I gave this recipe a whirl and loved it!

Choco PB Flat Crisp..

Charoset:

Though I celebrate Easter, I love vegan Passover recipes and food! And I was thrilled to discover this traditional Passover recipe a few years ago. It is not only traditional and delicious - but also quite healthy!

Charoset, is packed with fruit and nuts! I give my recipe a few unique accents. The traditional recipe also calls for a splash of red wine. Interesting, right? To be honest, I had no idea how this muesli or granola-like concoction would turn out. But once I blended the ingredients and took a taste, I was thrilled with the results. Try it for yourself!..

What is Charoset exactly? Wiki says: “Charoset, haroset, or charoses is a sweet, dark-colored, chunky paste made of fruits and nuts served primarily during the Passover Seder. Its color and texture are meant to recall the mortar. The word “charoset” comes from the Hebrew word cheres — חרס — “clay.” Before eating the maror — in the present day generally horseradish or romaine lettuce— participants dip the maror into the charoset and then shake off the charoset before eating the maror. This action symbolises how hard the Israelites worked in Egypt, combining a food that brings tears to the eyes (the maror) with one that resembles the mortar used to build Egyptian cities and storehouses (the charoset). Despite its symbolism, the charoset is a tasty concoction and is a favorite of children. During the Seder meal, it may be eaten liberally, often spread on matzah.”

Walnut Citrus Spice Charoset
makes 4-5 cups

2 ½ cups assorted raw nuts, chopped/pulverized (I used walnuts and pistachios)
1 green apple, peeled/diced (about 1 ½ cups diced)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon ginger powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2-3 tablespoon maple or agave syrup
3-4 tablespoon red wine
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
¼ cup tiny orange slices (plus extra for garnish)
¼ teaspoon orange zest – grated over top

Directions

1. Prep your nuts by pulverizing them in a high speed blender or food processor. The nuts should be very finely ground – a few chunkier bits are a nice touch. Peel and dice your apple and slice your orange.

2. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss well. Plate in your serving bowl and grate orange zest over top.

3. Chill until ready to serve.

Easy right?

Version 2:

Citrus Ginger Pear Golden Almond Superfood Charoset

2 ½ cups chopped almonds
1 ripe Bosc pear, peeled/diced (about 1 ½ cups diced)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2-3 tablespoon maple or agave syrup
3-4 tablespoon white wine
¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chia or crushed flax seeds
1 tablespoon fresh orange or apple juice
2 tablespoon golden mulberries
¼ cup tiny orange slices (plus extra for garnish)
¼ teaspoon orange zest – grated over top

Same prep as above.

PART TWO - FUN WITH MATZO..

I made three varieties of treats:

1) A Chocolate Peanut Butter Matzo Sandwich
2) Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirled Flat Crisp (more like the Brittle)
3) Choco-PB Birds Nests

Chocolate Peanut Butter Matzo Sandwiches or Flat Crisps or Birds Nests
vegan, makes about 10 sandwiches or 3 large flat crisps

3 Matzo squares (large size – as packaged)
1 ¼ cups dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoon canola oil
pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cup creamy peanut butter, kosher-certified (almond or sunflower butter also works)

Directions:

1. If you are making flat crisps leave the matzo as is. However, if you are making sandwiches you will want to carefully chop the Matzo into squares. It’s OK if the squares are not perfect – just try to break them into large shapes that match up in some way. If you have lots of leftover Matzo crumbles – you can make a few birds nests.

2. Heat a double broiler and add the chocolate, canola oil, salt and sugar to a stainless steel bowl or pan above the steaming double broiler. Melt the chocolate until creamy – do not burn! When chocolate is melted turn off stove an cover with lid to preserve melted state. Work quickly – as freshly melted chocolate is easiest to dip.

3. To make sandwiches: spread a small amount of peanut butter between two Matzo squares – enough to cover the surface. Then roll the squares in the chocolate – and place on a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Repeat until all your sandwiches are completed. If you are making the flat crisps you will be able to swirl the peanut butter right into the chocolate and spread over top the top surface of each matzo square. Also place on the baking sheet. And lastly, if you are making all – or a few birds nest crisps, crush the Matzo squares and toss right into the peanut butter and chocolate mixture – also add in the slivered almonds. Scoop portions into cupcake liner or silicone baking cups – arrange on baking sheet.

4. For a quick chill – I place my baking sheet in the freezer. your treats should be ready to eat in just about ten minutes – the flat crisps take a tad longer. Yippee!

Enjoy! These treats should be stored int he fridge or freezer until all gobbled up – I’m sure that won’t be too long!

**note: Thanks to your comments, I now realize that peanut butter is not always Passover approved! - I guess make the matzo treats after Passover!

Happy Passover

Superfood Bliss Bowl: Fresh Fruit, Cacao Cream, Warm Brown Rice.

by 18 Comments


This Super Food Fruit Salad started off pretty simple with some sweet zing-y fruit: juicy oranges, perky kiwi, sweet banana and tangy Goji berries. Cravable and energizing. But I went a bit further and made my fruit salad into a meal, I'll call this a bliss bowl. My cravings lead this recipe...

Chocolate.
Warm, nutty, brown rice.
Hint of maple.
Fresh zing-y fruit.
Chocolate.
Nuts.
Did I mention chocolate?

So my salad turned into a Super Fruit & Cacao Rice Bowl. The cacao cream/puree/pudding in this dish could easily be served all on its own for dessert of breakfast. This nutty and somewhat unusual dish is pretty fantastic if you like to get creative with your wellness meals. So start with the fruit salad recipe and add some fun, if you'd like. Click ahead to see how it all turned out!..

Super foods all around.

Cacao powder and nibs were crushed with walnuts and cashews in my Vitamix to create a super creamy puree that resembled a chocolate pudding of sorts. You can sweeten and salt to taste. I only added a tiny splash of sweetener since the fruit was sweet enough on its own. Cacao is rich in free radical fighting antioxidants! And this healthy dish is a super way to satisfy a chocolate craving (and feel REALLY good about it).

It is amazing what a little chocolate can do.

From rice bowl with fruit..

To cacao bliss bowl..

The fruit is bursting with antioxidant bliss. Vitamin C galore. Fiber. Potassium and more. This salad boosts wellness is a variety of ways including immunity-boosting and anti-aging/ free-radical fighting power. Plus all that sweetness provides a natural burst of energy. (And since there are healthy fat nuts in there too, you are slowing down digestion so that your blood sugar doesn't spike and crash.)

Fruit.

Modify it. I made this dish a meal by adding in some simple warm brown rice. You could easily use a variety of grains: warm quinoa, oatmeal, cream of rice, cream of wheat, warmed farro, warm barley or you could even serve the fruit and cacao puree over toast, pancakes, waffles or a muffin if desired! (So many options here...)

So even though it looks NEW and unusual - give this super food meal a try!

Rice. I just used basic just-cooked brown rice. Rice pudding or non-dairy milk simmered rice works too.

Cute cat. just because.

bowl bliss..

Super Food Fruit Salad + Cacao Puree. Over Warm Brown Rice.
vegan, serves 3

Fruit Salad:
2 kiwis, peeled/sliced
1 banana, sliced
1 orange, peeled/sliced
1 ½ tablespoon Goji berries
⅛ teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon raw walnuts
squeeze or lemon juice (optional)

Brown Rice:
1 ½ - 2 cups cooked brown rice
+ toss with a drizzle of maple syrup for a sweet accent
+ salt to taste (optional)

Cacao Cream:
2 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1-2 teaspoon cacao nibs (optional)
1 cup water
⅓ - ½ cup raw cashews (soaking is optional)
3 tablespoon raw walnuts
2 teaspoon maple or agave syrup (or to taste)
pinch of salt
optional: dash of cayenne

Directions:

1. Prep your fruit salad fruit. Add chopped fruit to a large mixing bowl. Toss well with all ingredients and place in the fridge.

2. Add all the cacao puree ingredients to a high speed blender (like a Vitamix) and start blending from low to high. Note: start out with just ⅓ cup cashews and add in up to ½ cup if you want a thicker puree. Blending on HIGH is the best way to fully pulverize your nuts and thicken your puree. Sweeten and salt and add cacao to taste. Place this puree in the fridge to chill for a few minutes or overnight before serving over top warm rice.

Note: If you do not have a high speed blender, use a food processor or you will need to soak you nuts before blending to soften. (Nut Soaking: Soak in hot water for 1-8 hours and drain before blending)

3. Warm pre-cooked rice, or boil and cook rice as directed on package. You can either sweeten and soften with some non-dairy milk or just serve a more dry cooked rice. Up to you. You could also substitute oats, quinoa, farro, cream of rice and more.

4. Serve! Add the grain base (warm rice) and top with the cacao puree and as much fruit salad as you'd like.

Optional: Add chia seeds, mint and/or cacao nibs over top if desired!

Nutrition estimate (per serving, 3 servings per recipe) - big bowl!

Cacao puree / PUDDING!..

Golden Caramel Coconut Popcorn Bites. Oscar-Approved! (vegan)

by 9 Comments


Tomorrow is the Oscars! A swanky night for all the Hollywood celebs means I get to cozy up at home and serve up some fun snacks to nibble while we watch those shiny golden statues get handed out. In celebration of golden Oscar, this year I whipped up these Golden Caramel Coconut Popcorn Bites. Each bite of crunchy fresh popcorn is coated in a buttery, coconut-y, rich and sweet caramel coating. Caramel-coated nuts speckled in between the fluffy popcorn.

And with only four base ingredients, this vegan recipe is a simple sweet treat to try! Especially if you are a popcorn or caramel corn lover.

This was my first recipe experimenting with organic coconut palm sugar. I also used virgin coconut oil. Double coconut flavor made these bites simple, buttery and blissful. Yes they are sweet and rich, so all you really need is a tiny bite to experience the flavor. Join me in a caramel corn toast to Oscar night! (Or any movie-watching night!)..

On Caramel Making.. So normally when people make caramel corn they get all fancy and use a candy thermometer. Now I do not own one of those lovely items 🙂 And I usually just wing my caramel. I know, I know, true candy and dessert-savvy chefs would roll their eyes at me, but I find that my methods usually work out quite well so I keep winging it! You just want to make sure that you bring the sugar mixture to a slow boil for a minute or so, without over-heating (you do not want to burn it or wait too long until it starts hardening and turns to candy texture too fast.) Give my method a try and if you like to use a thermometer - go for it!

Lighten it Up: And if you want to tone down the sweetness, you can simply add more popcorn to this recipe and the coating will be a bit thinner and lighter overall.

Sugar Substitutes. Yes you can absolutely substitute with another dry sugar. But you might want to reduce the amount by ¼ cup since coconut sugar is kinda mildly sweet.

Golden Caramel Coconut Popcorn Bars
vegan, makes 16 bites

6+ cups air-popped popcorn
¾ cup organic virgin coconut oil
¾ cup organic coconut palm sugar (Big Tree Farms, Blonde variety)
3 tablespoon water
pinch of salt
1 cup nuts (sliced almonds used)

Directions:

1. Air pop your popcorn to make about 6-7 cups. Set aside, be sure to pick or strain out any loose, un-popped seeds.

2. In a small sauce pan add the water, sugar and coconut oil. Over medium heat, stir continuously until a liquid forms. Keep stirring as the mixture slowly turns to a simmer and slow boil. Stir and boil for about one minute and then reduce heat to low and stir for another minute.

3. Remove the pot from heat and pour the sugar mixture into a large mixing bowl - stainless steel or glass bowls work best. Roll the liquid in the bowl for a minute until it cools a tiny bit and looks like it is about to thicken.

4. Add the nuts to the wet mixture and stir until they are well coated.

5. Next fold in the popcorn until well coated. (Again, you can add in more popcorn if you'd like a lighter caramel corn .. more popcorn will mean you may need a larger dish or two dishes to fill.)

6. Lightly grease your dish and pack in the popcorn. Flatten until smooth. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes or until the popcorn cools and chills to a firm state so that you can slice the popcorn into bites and serve. Store leftover bites in the fridge or freezer. Best consumed same day.

Nutritional estimate per serving (16 bites per recipe)..

Get more Vegan Oscar Night Recipes! on Babble.com

Creamy Cashew Veggie Pot Pie. Flaky Biscuit Crust. Comfort Food.

by 44 Comments


Oh boy guys. This recipe. THIS recipe. This is one of those recipes where I made it on a whim (I had some frozen peas in the freezer just begging to be used up!) and the recipe turned out miles and galaxies better than I had imagined. And after a few small bites during my recipe photoshoot, I simply could not WAIT until dinner time to have a proper feast-ful serving of this stuff.

And one day after, my review of this pie is: wow. yum. mmm. (Sorry that is not a very sophisticated review. ha.)

This vegan Creamy Cashew Veggie Pot Pie is silky smooth with a super rich, creamy, cashew base. Sweet petite peas, diced white sweet potato, chopped carrot and shiitake mushrooms dance and roll in this rich white, velvet-y sauce. The top layer coconut oil crust is buttery, flaky and kinda dreamy - yet SUPER easy to make.

If you have even been a "pot pie" lover you need to try this recipe! (And even if you are not a pot pie fan, this may convert you!)..

Creamy Base. The ultra creamy base is made using raw cashews. So when it bakes up the sauce actually firms up a bit like a very very very soft cashew cheese (my favorite thing to do with cashews!)

This cashew creamy sauce is really nothing new to me, but I have never used it in pot pie before. Usually I use cashew cream sauce in things like nachos, enchiladas and burritos.

But it worked like a dream!! I even took a risk and used white miso paste as my "salty" ingredient to give the cashew cream sauce an extra kick - worked great. (You could sub with just salt and maybe some cheezy nutritional yeast if needed.)

And even though this recipe looks super creamy, it does greatly thicken up when baking. The edges even get all nutty and toasty like a cashew cheese crust.

So enough about me, lets talk about THIS...

And this...

And THIS recipe...

Ultra Creamy Cashew Veggie Pot Pie
vegan, makes one pot pie

Veggie Filling:
*note that the amounts of the veggies are easy to modify and switch out as needed. You just want about enough veggies to fill up your pot pie serving dish
¾ cup petite peas, organic (frozen)
1 large carrot, diced
1 small potato, peeled/diced (I used a sweet white yam, but you could use a plain white Russett potato or even a sweet potato) - about 1 ¼ cups when chopped
½ cup chickpeas, drained/rinsed (canned)
½ cup shiitake mushrooms, diced

spices/oil for veggie saute:
½ teaspoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
a few dashes of black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
a few pinches of cayenne (optional)
(Any other dry spices/seasonings you would like to add)

Cashew Base:
1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups soaked raw cashews
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
2 tablespoon white miso paste (adds saltiness and subtle flavor)
additional salt if needed (if you do not use miso paste, you should add some salt)
a few pinches of cayenne (optional)

Crust:
1 cup white flour, organic
¼ cup virgin coconut oil (use refined if you do not want any coconut flavor at all, unrefined will have some coconut flavor)
* I actually used unrefined and liked the subtle coconut
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4-6 tablespoon warm water
a squeeze of orange juice (brush top of pastry with it, or squeeze over top)

*note: if you use a casserole dish or something with a larger opening space than my dish, you will need more crust to cover, so you may need to double my recipe

My dish: measures 9½ inches in diameter; holds 3.88 quarts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Yes! At the start because this goes so fast!)

2. Add you cashews (about 1 ½ cups before the are soaked) to a large bowl and cover with very hot water. The hottest setting on your tap. Add a pinch of salt and allow to sit while you do the veggie prep. (note: If you have time and plan ahead, soak the cashews for even longer - 4+ hours is great. This will help ease the blending process just a bit. This is advised if you are not using a high speed blender.)

3. Prep all your veggies. Set aside.

4. Add you potatoes to a deep skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cover with lid. Reduce heat a bit and allow to cook until a tested potato is tender, but not mushy. Drain the water and set potatoes aside with other veggies.

5. Drain your cashews and add 2 cups of the soaked cashews to your blender. If you have any extra cashews you can thrown them in as well or toss them in whole with your veggie mix. Add the veggie broth, miso, sauce spices and acid. Blend from low to high until smooth and creamy. This may take a minute or so. Set aside. (Adjust salt and seasonings if desired.)

6. In that same skillet, add your oil and when the oil is hot add in the carrots, beans and mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes until cooked down. Then add in the peas and potatoes and saute until peas thaw a bit. Over medium heat.

7. Pour the base sauce over top the veggie saute and toss until all the veggies are well coated. Turn heat to high and saute for another 1-2 minutes so that the flavor of the nutty sauce develops a bit.

8. Pour the heated veggie filling into your pot pie serving/baking dish. Set aside.

9. Quickly mix up your dry ingredients for your crust. Then using your hands, mash in the coconut oil. Then one tablespoon at a time, add in the water. Mixing with every new spoonful. Keep adding until your dough in kneadable yet still moist. When this occurs, knead a bit then roll out on a floured surface. This does not to be perfect at all! I very quickly pressed and rolled out my dough (as you can tell by the crumbly state after baking). Add to top of your serving dish and slice a few vent lines in top. Lastly, squeeze a bit or orange juice over top - or brush pastry lightly with it. It gives a subtle orange tint that beats an "egg wash" any day!

10. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve after about 20 minutes of cooling. Store in fridge and reheat as needed. Eat within 3 days. This dish probably freezes quite well, but I have not tested freezing yet.

Nutrition estimate based on 6 servings per recipe (per serving below)


Lighten it up! If you want to increase the number of servings and decrease some of the calories per serving you are free to do this: simply add more veggies! Use a larger serving pan and add dough in strips across top. More veggies lighten things up a bit, but the creamy sauce is still there!

Mushroom Melt Breakfast Sandwich with Sweet Potato Home Fries.

by 20 Comments


For a hearty breakfast or brunch treat, serve up this easy-to-prepare vegan plate consisting of a warm and toasty Mushroom Melt Breakfast Sandwich, Spiced Sweet Potato Home Fries and some freshly squeezed orange juice. This guy-approved meal is my favorite way to treat myself or my husband to a weekend-style, protein-rich breakfast ... breakfast sandwiches are easy enough to prepare on a weekday even. Get my recipes, more breakfast sandwich links and a cool kitty lover factoid about Disneyland!..

My husband loves his vegan breakfast sandwiches. So I love making them for him as often as he'd like. Especially since he is a long time breakfast skipper. A "where's my coffee? All I need is my soy cappuccino." kind of breakfast-er. But breakfast and morning wellness in general are SO important... (Read: On Most Mornings: 8 Tips..)

Though I only like to eat faux meat products in moderation, one way I splurge on faux-ness is with this breakfast sandwich! Or any breakfast sandwich .. there are so many ways to serve them.. (recipe links at bottom of post)

Green Kale..

Jack-o-Pumpkin..

Bagel-wich with tempeh..

Oh and The Big Stack. Serves two..

And today's Mushroom Melt..

Disneyland Kitties. This past weekend I frolicked around Disneyland with some girlfriends, and one super cool husband. (yes, Disneyland again. I love a sunny Dland day.)

This veganized panini from the Winery restaurant at California Adventure Park was pretty tasty!..

And my friend even shared a super cool animal story that I had never heard before! I have always seen stray cats roaming around the Disneyland park grounds at night .. and some around the resort during the day. I thought this was so odd, but learned that there is a happy ending explanation for this.

Disneyland has long known about the feral stray cats that learned to venture into the park at night. So they decided to make these sweet creatures work with them! Check out this info from an LA Times article on Disneyland "Clean-Up" After Dark:

" Park workers have also found a resourceful way to remove other unwanted guests — rodents.

Years ago — no one seems to know when — feral cats began to sneak into the park, living among the park's trees and shrubs during the day. At night, they venture out, and an estimated 200 cats now prowl through Disneyland and neighboring California Adventure Park.

But instead of evicting the cats, Disneyland's animal wranglers work to control the feline population by spaying and neutering the adult cats and finding homes for all kittens born in the resort. The cats eat at five permanent feeding stations installed throughout the two parks.

"We are not trying to get rid of them," said Gina Mayberry, manager of Disneyland's Circle D ranch, where the park's animals are housed. "They keep the rodent population down.""

How cool is that! If you live in California, or any year-round sunny spot, you know how many stray cats roam around. Well I am glad that Disneyland is warmly welcoming the feral cats and letting them live a pretty good life at the park. This past visit I saw one cat running across main street just as the park was closing. What a fun place to prowl at night!

If you want to support stray cats and kitties in general - check out Isa Chandra's awesome Teal Cat Project. I already own a few teal cats. Love TCP!

Anyways.... back to this recipe!..

Mushroom Melt Breakfast Sandwich with Sweet Potato Home Fries.

Step One: Get my Sweet Potato Home Fries recipe over on Babble.com

Step Two: Grab some juicy oranges and juice your fresh juice. I like to add a splash of chilled sparkling water to my fresh OJ to tone down the sweetness a bit! (If this is for weekend-er brunch, you can add a splash of prosecco!)

Step Three: Mushroom Melt Breakfast Sandwich
vegan, serves 1

1 sprouted grain English muffin, sliced in half
1 teaspoon berry jam (or any jam flavor)
1 teaspoon vegan butter (optional)
¼ cup of vegan sausage, Gimme Lean by Lightlife used
 (smush into a patty shape
1 tablespoon vegan cheese (any brand - try Daiya or Trader Joe's cheese shreds for meltable varieties)

Mushrooms:
1 teaspoon oil for saute pan
½ cup thinly sliced mushrooms (I used Oyster mushrooms, shiitake or portobello are other options)
a handful of spinach leaves (or another tender leafy green)
salt + pepper to taste (for mushrooms)
optional: add heat with cayenne or chipotle powder

optional: add some hot sauce to serve if you'd like!

Directions:

1. Toast your English muffin, rub one side with the jam and one side with the (optional) vegan butter - and set aside.
2. Heat saute pan over high heat burner. Add oil and when oil is hot, toss in the mushrooms. Allow them to saute until tender and edges have caramelized and turned brownish.
3. Push mushrooms off to the side of the pan and add in your patty. Cook about 1-2 minutes on each side, tossing mushrooms a bit so they do not burn. You can remove mushrooms and place over top the jam-slatered slice of English muffin and set aside.
4. Melting the cheese is quite simple. Pour it over top the patty, still in the skillet. Keep the pan on high heat and add a few splashes of cold water or one small ice cube to the pan while quickly covering with a lid. The steam and heat will melt the cheese in a minute or so. Remove patty and place on top of the buttered slice or your muffin.
5. Add the spinach over top the hot, vegan cheesy patty and close sandwich. Slice and serve alongside the sweet potato home fries and fresh OJ.

Nutrition estimate for the breakfast sandwich only (complete with all ingredients listed. To lighten up, omit vegan butter and/or reduce oil and vegan cheese.)

More vegan breakfast sandwich recipes you may like:
* Green Kale Shamrock Breakfast Sandwich
* Jack-o-Pumpkin Breakfast Sandwich
* The Big Stack
* Purple Pepper Eater Breakfast Sandwich
* 15 minute Classic Breakfast Sandwich
* Sunny Mushroom Tempeh Bagel Morning Sandwich
* Brunch Melty Muffin

Veggie-Loaded Avocado White Bean Salad on Toast. + Harissa.

by 24 Comments


This delicious Veggie-Loaded Avocado White Bean Salad on toast is an easy vegan lunch (or dinner!) recipe to try. Avocado-lovers, meet a pumped up version of "avocado toast." Serve as an open-faced sandwich for a light and lovely lunch, or serve along side a spicy broth-y soup for a hearty dinner feast. The vibrant veggies and rich creamy avocado merge perfectly with nutty rustic white beans, and accents of citrus, white miso, cayenne and pepper.

I call this recipe an "avocado salad" since (kind of like this recipe) it is creamy and thick, and perfect for piling on top of toasted bread. You could also slather this mixture on top of toasted bagels, inside pita bread or even serve it on top of a fresh bed of greens for a 'bread-free' serving solution. I loved this recipe and will be making it again for lunch for sure! Get the recipe + nutrition info..

The dish. I wanted to create a recipe that took my beloved avocado toast and turned it into a true well-rounded meal. So I basically took avocado toast and fully loaded it up with goodies. Freshly chopped veggies like carrots, sweet onion, spinach - protein and fiber-rich white beans that easily mash creating a rich, rustic texture - plenty of bold flavors like citrus, white miso and a hint of nutritional yeast. And some spicy, smoky harissa on top to really make my flavors pop.

Nutrition estimate based on 3 servings per recipe..

Veggie-Loaded Avocado White Bean Salad
vegan, serves 3

1 16 oz. can white beans (cannellini) - drained, rinsed
1 small avocado, diced
⅓ cup sweet onion, diced
1 small carrot, chopped
½ cup spinach, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoon white miso paste
1 tablespoon fresh tangerine or orange juice + pinch of zest
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon hemp or sunflower seeds
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt + pepper to taste

topping: harissa + fresh chives
*I used Le Pain Quotidien harissa

toasted bread (I used sprouted grain English muffins)

note: obviously your can greatly tweak the ingredients in this recipe by trying different veggies, seeds, beans and even seasonings.

Directions:

1. Add the beans and avocado to a large mixing bowl. Mash well with a fork until thick and chunky, yet creamy like a chunky guacamole or hummus. Mash beans as desired. I like mine well mashed.
2. Prep all your veggies and fold into the avocado mixture.
3. Whisk the white miso paste with the citrus juices and vinegar. Fold this liquid into the mixture and continue folding until well combined and the veggies begin to soak into the creamy and liquid.
4. Serve right away or chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before serving. This fresh salad is best served right away, since it slightly separates when left over night in the fridge.

Tweak ingredient ideas:
* chipotle powder
* jalapeno, diced
* radish, diced
* kale, finely chopped
* parsley or herbs, chopped
* chopped nuts
* omit the miso and just use salt to 'salt'
* teaspoon of tahini

Want more avocado toast recipes? Check out my round-up on Babble.com: 12 ways to serve avocado toast

Double Chocolate Ganache Strawberry Layer Cake. Vegan!

by 25 Comments


This Double Chocolate Ganache Strawberry Cake is perfect for some well-deserved Valentine's Day decadence.

I already did some cute heart-shaped sugar cookies. And some chocolate-frosted banana cupcakes with pretty pink sprinkles. So why in the world would I need to do another recipe? Well, as usually happens when I browse the internet, I came across this post on BuzzFeed: 71 Reasons Candy Hearts are Stupid - and was immediately inspired. I mean oh-my-goodness look at all that decadent chocolate bliss! I needed to do a vegan version of some double chocolate, fluffy cake, drizzly chocolate, rich buttery-ness, strawberry-accented dessert heaven...

After the cake cools a bit, the ganache turns its melty satin layers into firmed up ripples of chocolate art..

The cake is not too sweet, which I really love. The fresh berries and chocolate richness really takes the flavor lead here. The creamy chocolate ganache frosting compliments the sweet, juicy strawberries perfectly!

Slices of leftovers are super delicious too..

A few videos of me making this cake, be sure to follow me on Vine App!
(Update: I do not really post Vines anymore, but I am active on Instagram!)

Double Chocolate Ganache Strawberry Cake

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 02/13/2013Double Chocolate Ganache Strawberry Cake
Rich and fluffy layer cake mingles with chocolate ganache frosting and freshly sliced, sweet strawberries. Tools: 2 9" cake rounds.

Ingredients

  • dry:
  • 2 ½ cups flour, organic (white used, substitutions ok if needed)
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ tablespoon baking powder
  • 2-3 pinches cayenne pepper (optional)
  • wet:
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ teaspoon freshly ground flax or chia seeds + ⅓ cup warm water
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup almond or soy milk
  • 1 ⅓ cups sugar, organic (I love coconut sugar)
  • ½ cup virgin coconut oil, melted (or sub with safflower oil)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • chocolate ganache frosting:
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • ½ cup sour cream, vegan (yes sounds weird, but it works!)
  • ¾ - 1 cup powdered sugar, organic
  • 2 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted
  • pinch of salt
  • Also:
  • 2 cups organic strawberries, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Grease your two round cake pans with coconut oil and set aside.
  3. cCombine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, mix well.
  4. Combine the flax (or chia) egg ingredients and stir briskly. Set aside to thicken for 2-3 minutes.
  5. After 2-3 minutes, add all the liquid ingredients to the dry bowl and fold in the flax egg. Using a hand beater, whip the batter until smooth and silky, about 1-2 minutes on medium speed.
  6. Pour the batter into the cake pans.
  7. Bake cakes at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until they appear to bake through. Do the toothpick test if needed.
  8. Remove baked cakes from oven and allow them to fully cool before assembling cakes. Cakes should be ready to be removed from the pan after about 15 minutes of cooling off. Use a cooling rack if available.
  9. Make your chocolate ganache. Add the chips and coconut oil to a medium bowl. Place in microwave for 30 seconds on high. Remove. Stir, stir, stir as the chips melt with the heated oil. If still lumpy, place back in microwave 10 seconds at a time and stir until creamy. Next, add the powdered sugar to the melted chips. Using a hand or stand mixer, blend until very thick and combined. This will get really thick like a fudge. Now the best part. Heat your vegan sour cream in the microwave for a good 30-60 seconds or until steamy and hot - melted. Add the hot sour cream to the chocolate and blend on low. The mixture will smooth out to a silky consistency within seconds. Blend until smooth. Fold in optional salt and flavorings to ganache. Set aside. Note: you may use a small sauce pan and a stovetop in place of microwave if desired.
  10. Transfer chocolate cake to serving platter and place bottom layer in the freezer for about five minutes while you slice up your berries. You may also want to place the top layer on a separate plate and chill it for a few minutes too so the warm ganache thickens as it hits both layers of chilled cake. (The coconut oil makes the ganache very controllable in consistency, based on temperature.)
  11. Pour the slightly warm ganache over top the chilled from the freezer bottom cake layer. Then add a layer of sliced strawberries over top. Then add the other layer of cake and drizzle more ganache over top. And add more berries on top. If you want the ganache fully chilled for serving, place cake in the fridge to chill. Otherwise, serve warm for rich and melty ganache.

Yield: 10 slices - 1 layer cakePrep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 20 mins. Total time: 35 mins. Tags: dessert,cake,valentines day,vegan,strawberries,chocolate

Store on your counter (covered if you have a cake display cover) for up to 24 hours. After that time, store in the fridge for up to a few days or freeze for longer storage.

Lemon Avocado Toast + Basil Pesto on Top. Low Sodium. + Giveaway!

by 55 Comments


I think we can all agree that "Avocado Toast" is one of life's greatest culinary simple pleasures, yes? Take some toasted bread, a ripe, buttery (healthy fat-filled) avocado, some optional seasonings and such and your perfect snack is born.

Now I won't lie. I usually generously sprinkle (drown..) my avocado toast in seasoned chili salt and pepper because that is how I love it. But okay yes, even plain au natural, salt-free avocado on toast tastes delish. And for today's post I'm featuring another low sodium way to serve up avocado toast. This toast is brimming with bright sunny flavors of basil, lemon, nutty walnut, pepper ... and of course avocado. Meet my Lemon Avocado Toast with Nutty Basil Pesto.

Take your favorite snack to another level by trying my salt-free pesto dressing drizzled over top. PLUS a giveaway I'm taking part in. This recipe is part of Sodium Girl's Recipe Rally for low-sodium recipes. I was happy to take on her low sodium challenge. So... enter to win a VITAMIX! (I know you guys love smoothies and Vitamix recipes just as much as me!) All the details ahead..

Low Sodium Recipe Rally with Sodium Girl. I was super excited to take Jess's low-sodium challenge and apply it to one of my favorite recipes. I knew that i could pump up the salt-free flavor by using fresh flavors like lemon, pepper and basil. LOVED this version of one of my favorite snacks. And loved giving my salt shaker a rest 🙂

Some amazing sodium facts from Jess (get more on her Recipe Rally post):

* The recommended daily sodium intake for a healthy American is 2,300mg, which equals 1 teaspoon of salt
* The recommended daily sodium intake for over 50% of adults (due to health problems, age, and other needs) is 1,500mg, which equals just over ½ teaspoon of salt
* Nine out of 10 Americans (that’s 90%) eat almost double the recommended daily intake, averaging over 3,500mg per day

Giveaway details below recipe..

Favorite Lemon Avocado Toast + Nutty Basil Pesto
vegan, serves 2

Pesto:
¼ cup raw walnuts (or try almonds or pine nuts)
1 lemon, squeezed
2 pinches fine black pepper
1 pinch cayenne
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon hot water
⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional for cheezy accent)

Toast:
3 slices spelt toast (or another variety of crusty sliced bread)
1 avocado, sliced
micro greens as garnish
black pepper
extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Directions:

1. Add all pesto ingredients to a blender or food processor, blend until smoothed, but still a bit nutty. Like a thick hummus, but with texture.

2. Slice your avocado and toast your bread.

3. Assemble! Add the avocado to your toast - add some EVOO over top and extra lemon if desired. Then drizzle .. No wait, DROWN your avocado in delicious pesto dressing. Add micro greens and pepper over top. Serve and enjoy this LOW sodium avocado toast.

Details for the VITAMIX giveaway below.



Recipe Rally Vitamix Giveaway - enter below and be sure to "like my page on Facebook to entered to win" .. if you already like me you are good to go!.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway goes live -> Tuesday, February 12th at 9:00AM PST (ends promptly on Monday February 18th, 2013 at 12:00Am PST)

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Winner must be a US resident in order to win. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email to claim prize before another winner is chosen. The name of the winner will be announced on SodiumGirl.com and the Rafflecopter Widget once the giveaway has ended. More rules can be found here: http://www.sodiumgirl.com/vitamix-giveaway-disclaimer/

*Vitamix provided to Jess/Sodium Girl. This is not a sponsored product or review post.*

Valentine's Day Heart Sugar Cookies. Almond. Coconut Oil.

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Everyone needs a heart-shaped treat on Valentine's Day, and these vegan sugar cookies are both delicious and cute for your holiday.

Tender, buttery sugar cookies are made using simple ingredients like organic flour, virgin coconut oil, raw turbinado sugar and extras like and a hint of almond extract and citrus (flavors that really make these cookies memorable). Some vegan pink sprinkles and coconut glaze on top and you have a very sweet dessert platter to present to your beloved Valentine! Or anyone who you want to spread a little love and cheer to this week...



Sprinkles. I used Williams & Sonoma pink sprinkles. They are all natural. Bottle text: "Natural vegetable colorant" .. ingredients list beet juice - woo hoo!

Valentine's Day Heart Sugar Cookies. Almond-Coconut Oil.
vegan, makes 12 2-3 inch cookies

1 ½ cups white flour, organic
1 cup raw turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ - ½ cup virgin coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoon freshly squeezed citrus juice (I used tangerine)
¼ cup warm water
+ you will need additional white flour for rolling out cookie dough and handling

Coconut Glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar, organic
¼ cup virgin coconut oil, melted
pinch of salt

optional vegan sprinkles on top! pink. or red. (no sprinkles? try thinly sliced strawberries for color!)

tool: heart-shaped cookie cutter

notes:
* yes, you can substitute another variety of sugar, but I really enjoyed the raw turbinado sugar since it has a very caramel-y flavor.
* the almond extract is optional, but advised! If you need to, you can substitute with vanilla extract. Or a lemon or orange extract would be nice too!

Directions:

1. Combine the warm water with the coconut oil so that the oil melts into a very liquid state, a few soft clumps are OK.
2. Add in the salt, extracts, citrus juice and sugar.
3. Then start folding in the flour. Make sure your wet mixture is not hot when you do this. The warm water should be just warm enough to soften the coconut oil. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens to a very soft dough.
4. Transfer this soft dough to a small bowl and place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. This will firm up the dough to a rollable state.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and pull dough from the fridge. Heavily flour your rolling surface and press out the dough with your fingers or a rolling pin. Slice out hearts and place on a greased baking sheet. Add sprinkles over top cookies.
6. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, you want the edges to start to puff up and crisp out to look toasted and not doughy anymore. Slightly browned edges will give you a crisper cookie. I personally like my cookies a but more buttery than crispy, but the choice is yours for baking time.
7. Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool. This will firm up the cookies quite a bit since the coconut oil makes them very delicate upon removing from the oven.
8. While cookies are cooling, you can whisk together your glaze. Place in the freezer about five minutes to firm up a bit.
9. I drizzled the glaze over my cookies when they were still slightly warm and it melted quite a bit, but it still worked to attach the sprinkles! Add glaze and sprinkles over top and store in a covered container, at room temperature for up to 3 days. Longer, store in the freezer.

calorie estimate from caloriecount.com: 158 calories per cookie, 6g fat, 24 carbs, 2g protein. (12 cookies per recipe)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Want more: check out my "Pretty in Pink" Valentine's Day round-up on Babble.com Food!

Or try the always popular chocolate covered strawberry! -> recipe + exotic topping ideas.

Rustic Tomato Rice Kale Stew. Comfort Soup. Oil-free.

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This Rustic Tomato Rice Kale Stew is bliss in a bowl I tell you. No, really, seriously. Having a gloomy day? Need some warming up? Need a hug from your soup bowl? This is the recipe for you.

I don't know why, but I had a random craving for "Tomato Rice Soup" yesterday. Since I have not had 'tomato rice soup' in forever, it caught me off guard. But since I actually had some leftover cooked rice in the fridge and a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, I knew I could easily whip something up in a flash. Under twenty minutes actually since my rice was pre-cooked.

This thick and creamy tomato veggie soup turned out even better than my taste buds imagined. I added in some organic, sweet peas and carrots (from a frozen bag!) And some thinly chopped kale just begging to be pulled from my fridge veggie drawer. A few warming spice accents and a generous helping of nutritional yeast and my perfect tomato rice stew was born. And this was my first time making tomato rice soup since I usually use pasta or beans. So thick and creamy, I had to call this a stew. So for some serious comfort food in a flash, whip up my recipe..

vegan grilled cheese sticks + croutons..

Hello Italy. Did I channel my Italian grandmother while making this? Tastes like it! This rustic Italian-y recipe is how I picture stews and soups from a hundred years ago, simmered and bubbled and boiled over a glowing gold flame stove, in a heavy iron pot, in a tiny farmhouse in Italy, overlooking rolling vineyards and winding dusty paths, a powder blue sky with dots of puffy clouds passing by. Virtual vacation via this bowl!

Well this classic-tasting recipe stands the test of time for sure. And it appreciates a veganized update.

I know, I know, I JUST posted a grilled cheez + tomato soup post. But this is different guys. This is not just a basic tomato soup. This is a full on, super chunky, rich and creamy tomato, rice and veggie STEW. A meal in a bowl for sure.

Beer Brats. As a last minute decision, I added in one Tofurky vegan "beer brat" sausage to this stew. While the stew doesn't need it for flavor, it really does add an extra punch of deliciousness. Plus extra protein. It is optional, but advised! You could also add in healthy, protein-rich canned beans or lentils to this soup.

Peas 'n Carrots. Those colorful frozen veggies that I hesitated to add actually added an incredible vibrant sweetness to this soup that I loved! Plus more veggie goodness.

Alongside: Grilled Cheese Sticks! Get my grilled cheese recipe in this post. I sliced them in long strips and added a few cubed bits on top of the soup as "croutons."

Nutrition per serving (4 generous servings per recipe - not including grilled cheese garnish or Tofurkey add-in)

Rustic Tomato Rice Kale Stew
vegan, makes 4 generous servings

28 oz. can of fire-roasted tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
½ cup nutritional yeast (or to taste)
1 bunch of kale (I used dino kale)
1 ¼ cups rice, cooked (I used white basmati rice)
¾ cup frozen pea + sliced carrot blend, organic
2 bay leaves (remove before serving)
1 heaping tablespoon chili powder
pepper/salt to taste (at least ½ teaspoon salt)
1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves, chopped
2-4 pinches of cayenne (to taste - adds warmth)
1 Tofurky Beer Brat vegan sausage, sliced (optional)

garnish: fresh parsley (you can also add a handful of chopped parsley to stew)

Directions:

1. Rice: If you do not have cooked rice on hand, you will need to cook ahead of time and set aside. (You could also add rice directly to boiling broth + more broth or water and cook for a longer period of time, but that was not the method I used.)

2. Add your tomatoes to a blender or food processor. Blend on low until smooth. Add in 1 cup of veggie broth the ease the blending a bit.

3. Pour the tomato mixture plus remaining veggie broth in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil.

4. Add in the spices, bay leaves, frozen veggies and reduce heat to simmer. When the frozen veggies have broken up and appear cooked through add in all remaining ingredients like the finely sliced kale and rice. Season to taste adding more spice and salt if desired.

5. Simmer on low until ready to serve - at least ten minutes or until Tofurky becomes tender.

6. Serve with fresh parsley on top. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Serve with grilled vegan cheese croutons and sticks. recipe.