This Quickie Parkside Salad proves a few things: you don't need greens to have a salad - a healthy, tasty, fast lunch is possible - and you never have to be bored with veggies.

Since I just returned home from Arizona last night (wrap-up post this weekend) my fridge is a bit empty. I was craving a big veggie-packed salad, but with no fresh greens available I had to get creative. Here's the tasty concoction that emerged. Protein-packed, colorful, super fast and full of flavor. And the bright yellow and green summer colors remind me of a sunny parkside picnic..

Speaking of picnics.. As I flew across the country yesterday - pretty hungry and jet lagged - sick of basic bags of nuts as "airplane food" I found a little box called Go Picnic at one of the Arizona airport stands. Hummus and Crackers - gluten free and vegan. It was awesome. Soy nuts, dark chocolate, trail mix, hummus, crackers and in-box games - around 420 calories per box, lots of protein. Great vegan travel find! Has anyone else seen this?

Anyways..

This salad I quickly made today was pretty tasty. I luckily had a fresh ear of corn in the fridge (so sweet and summery), some frozen organic petite peas, fruit-juice packed mandarin oranges, spices, a pinch of perky chopped parsley and some frozen falafel balls which I quickly heated.

F r i d a y. I decided to ditch my desk for a few hours today, and munch this salad while watching French Open tennis. Kitty by my side. (The same kitty who had been hissing at my husband the past few days because she hates it when I leave). She's angelic now though.

And rest assured, Nelly was quite excited to see me return home. So excited she could barely keep her eyes open in celebration.

Happy Friday everyone! Don't miss my Thermador adventure wrap-up post this weekend.

The recipe..

Parkside Salad
vegan, serves 1-2

1 cup frozen peas, heated
1 ear corn, heated, kernels removed
½ cup mandarin oranges
2 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
a few dashes spices (your call - I used a southwest blend)
black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar (you could also use lemon juice)
½ cup parsley, chopped
2-4 falafel balls, broken into bits
optional: assorted baby greens tossed in as well
optional: 1 tablespoon hemp or olive oil drizzled over top

Toss well. Serve.

This Easy Herbed Potato Soup is just that: easy. In fact I whipped it up about an hour ago, did a quickie photo shoot and I'm posting the recipe for you now, knowing I have a tall pitcher of soup awaiting me at dinnertime. I think I'll pair it with some hearty crusty bread sticky-maple tempeh sandwiches (like this) and a crisp wedge salad. Soup-er Supper.

These flavors are robust and smooth at the same time. Fresh herbs: dill, parsley, - spicy and salty Dijon, creamy white potato, extra virgin olive oil, pepper and a hint of smokiness. Give this creamy, rich potato soup a try for tonight's supper..

..and a tall glass of my Triple Citrus Lemonade or Spa Water would match perfectly with this..

And it's recipes like these why I indeed love my Vitamix.

Easy Herbed Potato Soup
vegan, makes 5 cups

3-4 cups mini white potatoes, boiled in salted water and diced (skin on)
¾ cup loosely chopped herbs: dill, parsley, basil (your choice)
1 teaspoon pepper
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 garlic cloves
½ cup chopped sweet onion
2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar (adds a sweeter edge)
2-3 tablespoon vegan mayo, Vegenaise (optional)
a few dashes of cayenne (optional)
garnish: EVOO, fresh herbs, dash of cayenne

* add water to thin as desired

* you can also toss in any other veggies you have on hand: celery, bell pepper, spinach and more!

serving option: tempeh bacon bits as seen in this potato soup post

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes in salted water, until tender.

2. Add all ingredients to your high speed blender or food processor.

3. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add water as desired.

Craving: a tall creamy shake, soy whip swirled on top. Fluffy frosty texture - sweetness in each sip. (Packed with healthy good stuff too.) And peaches always make me swoon. The result: my Peaches 'n Banana 'n Cream Shake. Healthy, frosty, creamy, peachy sip..

Get the recipe over at Babble's Family Kitchen: Peach/Banana/Cream Vegan Shake recipe

Also don't miss more of my vegan recipe posts: Babble's Family Kitchen:

* Peaches/Banana/Cream Shake (shown above)

* Buttery Crunch Oatmeal Cookies

* Ten Healthy (vegan) Potato Recipes for Memorial Day

* Veg-tastic Recipes for Memorial Day (dogs & burgers)

* Grapefruit "Pink Power" Smoothie

And more of the Peachy Keen shake..

Wide mouth glass..

These vegan Maple Peanut Banana Bread Waffles were an delicious addition to my weekend. I was craving banana bread and waffles. Hmm, decisions, decisions. So when life hands you two cravings: combine them! Well OK, this only works with certain foods. Chocolate Cake and say, salty pickles probably do not "combine" well. But you already knew that.

Get my recipe and check out a few more yummy vegan eats from my weekend..

Do not forget the maple syrup. For that would be a waffle tragedy..

Nelly loves the smell of waffles in the morning...

Side of 'deconstructed fruit salad' - kiwiws, blackberries and banana..

Yes, it was a swell weekend in food. There were plenty of smoothies. Which is why I felt compelled to post my Smoothie Guide yesterday. This weekend I made a pink-power grapefruit smoothie and a creamy cool Peaches and Banana and Cream Soy Shake...

Then there were these little Buttery Crunch Oatmeal Cookies - I was inspired to make them as the rounds for coconut milk ice cream sandwiches. Yum...

Then there was an amazing lunch at Pizza Paradiso in Georgetown, Wash DC. Vegan pizza with loads of veggies, vegan cheese and a nutty whole wheat crust. Plus a fabulous salad with white beans and soft sun dried tomatoes. Iced tea and warm bread on the side.

Then there were these "banana bread" waffles. They remind me of a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Or perhaps a slice of warm banana bread slathered in crunchy peanut butter. Super cozy. And easy. If you don't have a waffle maker - get one! I literally make all my waffles on a $15 machine. Works like a dream and it's quite compact so I can just stash it away under the counter when not in use. ..my counter space is pretty cramped with my juicer, Vitamix and Panini press - all of which have a permanent spot secured for them. Lucky appliances.

Banana Bread. Waffles. I hesitated on making these waffles when I realized I was out of chopped walnuts - classic banana bread usually calls for walnuts - but the peanuts added a fun and tasty level of flavor. I will certainly be making these again.

Pair these waffles with a zesty deconstructed fruit salad and some hot chai or coffee and a happy healthy breakfast awaits you. Fluffy waffles for breakfast anyone?..

And yes, you could easily make these waffles even on a hectic weekday morning. Just mix up the batter, pour on your waffle iron and in 5 minutes you'll be enjoying a warm breakfast bite. Sure does beat a Pop-Tart.

Maple Peanut Banana Bread Waffles
vegan, makes 6 medium waffles

1 ½ cups flour
¾ cup rolled oats
¼ cup wheat germ
¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 rips bananas, smashed
⅓ cup vegan buttery spread, melted
¾ cup soy milk
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup roasted peanuts
a few dashes of cinnamon
optional: splash of vanilla extract

Sides: fruit salad and maple syrup for pouring.

Directions:

1. Warm up your waffle iron.

2. Combine all your ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I fold by hand.

3. Pour a few heaping spoonfuls of the batter onto your hot waffle iron. Cook until edges crisp and brown - usually only about 4-5 minutes.

4. Prep your fruit salad - by slicing and arranging fruit on plate. Add a side of maple syrup.

Serve!

I'm so excited about my recipe for super fun, super easy Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Summer Party Rolls. Perfect for your sunny spring or summer party. The recipe: rice wraps are filled with a flavor-infused crunchy slaw, Pacific Rim marinated sticky-sweet tofu and succulent mandarin oranges. Get my "Fab With Five" (5-ingredient) recipe!

And enter my Saucy Mama Giveaway! One reader will win a selection of Saucy Mama products! Details..

Enter the Giveaway by adding a comment to this post. You can earn an additional entry by tweeting the link and using #SaucyMamaHHL. Enter by Monday 5/23 11pmEST! I'll randomly choose one winner to receive a selection of Saucy Mama products! Shown here..

I love a good recipe challenge - so I decided to apply to enter the Saucy Mama "Fab With Five" Recipe Contest. In five ingredients or less, create a recipe using one of the Saucy Mama products. Now I had never tried Saucy Mama before this contest - but I fell in love with a few of her mustard's and a marinades - and yes many of them are vegan!

Saucy Mama sent me a few products to try out. And I fell in love with the Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing (or marinade). It has the perfect flavor to create a "Chinese Salad" style slaw - you know the kind that is usually topped with crispy fried wontons, mandarin oranges and more. Thus my Summer Rolls were born..

I served these little rolls as appetizers one night for guests and they all loved them! ..and these were all non-vegan guests.

Thanks to Saucy Mama for sending me the samples to enter the contest. If you'd like to try their Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing featured in my recipe below you can buy it online. It is currently on sale for $4.50! Deal.

A few of the other vegan Saucy Mama products include a robust Dijon mustard, a Sweet Heat Marinade and more. They were delicious. Very gourmet tasting, restaurant-style quality. Perfect for a busy night when you simply need to infuse some serious flavor into your dinnertime ingredients. Perfect for vegan ingredients like tempeh, tofu, seitan, roasted veggies, salads, veggie burgers, beans and more.

Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Summer Party Rolls
vegan, makes 8 summer rolls

8 spring roll wrappers
16 ounces extra firm tofu
1 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained
1 ½ cups mixed cabbage slaw
¾ cup Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing

also:
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ olive oil for sauteing

optional extras: wasabi, Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing dipping sauce, fortune cookies

Directions:

1. Drain and squeeze dry your tofu - with a paper towel or tofu press. Slice into long cubed strips. Add to large bowl. Add in your Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing and allow to marinate for a few hours or overnight.

2. Start the rolls! Add olive oil to your saute pan. When oil is hot, add in your marinated tofu and about about 3 tablespoon of the leftover dressing that the tofu was soaking in. Saute until the edges brown and the tofu edges become sightly toasted - and all the liquid has been absorbed or cooked down. Remove from heat, set aside.

Sauteed Marinated Tofu..

3. Grab your slaw - you can use a pre-shredded mix like I did or thinly slice some cabbage yourself. Toss your slaw into the same large bowl that you were marinating your tofu in - there should be about 2+ tablespoon of the Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing left in the bowl. Toss the slaw in the dressing until well coated. If you need to add another splash of the dressing, go for it.

4. Open your mandarin oranges, drain, set aside.

5. Time to prep your rice wrappers and assemble your rolls. Soak the rice wrappers one at a time in a shallow saute pan of boiling water - over medium heat. They will become soft in about 10-15 seconds - follow directions on package if they differ. Transfer the wrapper to a plate and add your filling: slaw, tofu and mandarins - add a few dashes of pepper as well. Wrap as you would a burrito and set aside. Continue until all your wrappers and filing are used up. Tip! I like to splash my softened wrappers in ice water - I find it helps keeps them less sticky and easier to work with. It may take a few tries to get used to working with the wrappers - but once you get it, it's easy breezy.

6. Serve! Serve with a side of wasabi, some extra Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing as a dipping sauce and maybe some fortune cookies as well. Happy Summer Roll eating!

Visit SaucyMama on Twitter and Facebook

Love the Saucy Mama. Fun.

Ballpark fare for vegans? Oh yes. Indulge with these vegan Chili Cheese Dogs. Smarter than you think..

Soy is the new milk, coconut water is the new "hydration beverage" and Smart Dogs are the new hot dog. The improved hot dog. The hot dog that you should be serving at all your summer beach BBQ's, camping adventures, birthday parties, picnics in the park and more. If you know someone that loves hot dogs - but hasn't switched over to vegan dogs - forward them this post! And see why it's incredibly smart - and delicious - to give your hot dog a healthy makeover. Especially important for moms and dads whose kids love hot dogs - and what kids don't?..

Family-friendly Food. Hot dogs are ridiculously easy, and the whole family can customize their own dog however they choose – and most kids can even add their fave toppings themselves. No fussing over pizza or sandwich toppings.

Smart Dog Taste Test. I recently noticed how much my 4 yr-old nephew drooled over his grilled hot dog – and so I wondered why my sister hadn’t tried “Smart Dogs” – aka soy hot dogs. They look exactly like real hot dogs – and when you add your fave toppings – they taste pretty much the exact same. Really. The texture and aroma is identical – and the taste is just about perfect as well. ..So did the kids love the Smart Dogs I made for them? Oh yes!

Plus smart dogs are totally nitrate and msg free - and one jumbo sized smart dog (1 link, 76g) contains only 80 calories, 1g fat (0g sat fat), 490mg potassium, 2g fiber, 15g protein, 3g carbs. The sodium is still quite high at 560mg – but I think that salty dog flavor is what gives them the crave-factor.

Smart Dog ingredients: water, soy protein isolate, wheat gluten, evaporated cane juice, less that 2%: natural flavor (veg), natural smoke flavor, garlic powder, paprika, yeast extract, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, fermented rice flour, salt, potassium chloride.

Compare that to a traditional Oscar Meyer Weiner…

ingredients: MECHANICALLY SEPARATED TURKEY AND MECHANICALLY SEPARATED CHICKEN, PORK, WATER, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, GROUND MUSTARD SEED, SODIUM LACTATE, CORN SYRUP, DEXTROSE, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, SODIUM DIACETATE, SODIUM ASCORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE, FLAVOR.

The nutritional facts on one 45g weiner say it all, only 5g protein, 12g fat, 4g saturated fat, 130 calories, 1g carb – and this serving size is 30g less than the smart dog.

Summer days are coming, so now is the perfect time to give your hot dogs a smart summer makeover!..

Ready to try a vegan, Happy Day Smart Hot Dog? Here’s what you’ll need..

Happy Day Hot Dogs – Gone Smart
vegan

1 pack Lightlife brand Smart Dogs – I like the jumbo dogs 5 per pack
vegan buns white or whole wheat
toppings:
soy chili (for chili dogs – Amy’s or Whole Foods make delicious canned versions)
vegan soy cheese – Follow Your Heart or Daiya brands
mustard
ketchup
sauerkraut
chopped onions
chopped tomatoes
relish
anything else you like on your dog!

How to:
I like to grill my smart dogs. You can grill them on an outdoor grill – or even on a stove top grill pan – or my fast way is to grill them on my panini press.

Tip: smart Dogs cook very quickly – so don’t over cook them.

Enjoy your dogs – and have a happy day!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Like I said before, I'm obsessed with this holiday. So if you thought I was going to leave it alone after my Vegan Fiesta Menu extravaganza - you were wrong. I'm ushering in my favorite food holiday with a Triple-Stacked Quesadilla breakfast. Fresh tropical fruit salad on the side - a Mexican-spiced hot soy mocha on the side. You'll want to get the details on this yummy feast - it's fit for AM or PM!..

Everyone loves a single-stacked quesadilla, but what about a triple stacked quesadilla? More layers means more delicious filling!

As I'm typing this furiously to post in the AM hours, my husband and I are polishing off each yummy triangle bite of this dish. Happy tummy's all morning for sure.

Side Dish! this quesadilla is perfect served with my citrus-infused Fresh Lime Fruit Salad.

Check my stacked breakfast out..

Triple Stacked Vegan Quesadilla
vegan, makes six triangles - serves 2-3

6 flour tortillas, sliced in half
⅔ cup soy sausage (you could also use tofu, tempeh or even beans!)
½ cup vegan white cheese
2 portobello mushrooms, sliced thin
½ cup fiesta slaw - or any cabbage slaw - recipe below
hot sauce or chipotle powder
2 teaspoon vegan buttery spread
spray oil

Directions:

1. I did this all on my panini press - but you can use a traditional grill pan if you'd prefer. First, prep your ingredients and place the sausage and the mushrooms on your panini press - spray well with oil so they don't stick - for a more decadent quesadilla, add a teaspoon of vegan buttery spread to the shrooms. Press down the panini press so that you flatten the sausage into a flat pancake an the shrooms are pressed as well. Cook for about 2 minutes.

2. Grab your sliced tortillas. Remove your mushrooms and sausage and add the tortillas - press on grill until warmed. Then the layering fun begins. Add one tortilla, then some cheese, then some shrooms. Then add the second tortilla, more cheese and your sausage (I cut mine into strips for easy placement), also add some hot sauce or spicy chipotle seasoning if you'd like. Lastly, add a pinch of slaw and top with your last layer of tortilla. Use the cheese plentifully to allow the layers to adhere. I add a swipe of buttery spread to the tortillas on the top and bottom layers of the quesadilla.

3. Press down on your panini press again - and cook until toasty - about 1-2 minutes.

4. Slice and serve! I added a fresh lime tropical salad on the side. Recipe below..

Tropical Lime Fruit Salad
serves 4

3 limes, squeezed
1 teaspoon lime zest
½ cantaloupe, thinly sliced
1 mango, diced
1 banana, sliced
1 small apple, diced
½ white grapefruit, diced
½ cup fresh white grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon agave syrup
¼ teaspoon cayenne (about 5 dashes) – optional

Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss well. Chill for at least ten minutes before serving.
Add a few dashes of cayenne and a pinch of lime zest over top for a pretty orange/green-colored accent.

Cilantro Jicama Fiesta Slaw
makes about 4 cups

1 ½ cups red cabbage, shredded
1 cup jicama, thinly sliced
½ cup citrus, diced (orange or mandarin)
¼ cup white onion, diced
½ teaspoon citrus zest
2 tablespoon jalapeno, diced (de-seeded)
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoon hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
3 tablespoon cider vinegar (you can also sub with lime juice)
1 cup cilantro (stems and leaves), chopped
1 tablespoon agave syrup
¼ teaspoon cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
optional: 1-2 tablespoon vegan mayo (I used about 1 heaping tablespoon Vegenaise)

Directions

1. Prep all your veggies – I used a mandoline to shred my cabbage and slice my jicama.

2. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl – toss well. Customize the moisture-level of your slaw – to ‘wet’ your slaw a bit more, add in extra citrus juice. I added in about 1-2 tablespoon extra mandarin juice because I like my slaw a bit on the wet side. Salt and pepper slaw to taste.

3. Chill in fridge until ready to be served.

Happy Mother's Day everyone! I hope all the moms of the world are able to get a well-deserved pat on the back and kiss on the cheek today.

And if you are looking for the perfect easy, simple, lovely, delicious treat to present to mom (or heck, make for yourself) this Fresh Strawberry Tart should do the trick. I've made this dessert a few times since last week and totally fallen in love with it. Terribly easy and it preserves the naturally sweet and pleasing flavor of fresh strawberries - accented with a soft gel-fruit topping and a crisp gluten-free shortbread crust beneath. Recipe and an update on my "kitty-mommying" adventures ahead..

It all started with these beautiful Driscoll's Organic Strawberries..

Cheers To Moms! I give a strawberry toast to all the moms. And yes, that includes moms with all varieties of kids - furry paws included. This past week for me has been quite intense due to the fact that my kitty-mommying skills have been put to the test. Nelly has started her first week of insulin shots - since being diagnosed as diabetic. One shot, twice a day - plus ear pricks for daily blood sugar testing. Tight schedule and it can be quite frightening since you never know how a cat will react to insulin. I had to buy a bottle of Karo corn syrup in case her blood sugar gets suddenly too low and the prescribed saving effort is to syringe corn syrup into her kitty mouth. Scary.

So I've been watching her like a hawk. And have put quite a number of planned activities on hold since her kitty health is number one. Interestingly, feline and canine diabetes is reported to be on the rise - says a new Banfied Survey. Sometimes due to lack of activity and obesity in pets - but that's not Nellys case since she is at a perfect weight for her size. The true cause of type 2 kitty diabetes is really unknown, but it usually comes with age. She is coming on ten this year.

I'll hopefully be doing a full post on the topic of feline diabetes - since it has been such an eye-opening experience. I truly have so much more respect for those with diabetes (humans and pets!)

OK, enough about me, lets get back to this recipe...

Guava-Strawberry. Orange-Strawberry. You'll notice that in the directions, I put "fruit juice" in the topping ingredients - I don't specify the type of fruit juice simply because it is up to you. The first time I made this I used a combo of guava juice and fresh orange juice. Yum on guava-strawberry. Then I did straight up orange juice - also super. You could also use apple juice, white grape juice - even lemonade, passion fruit juice or fresh apple cider. Up to you.

The other option is whether you want your crust crisp like a shortbread cookie - or more soft like a scone. I actually preferred the crisp cookie version - but the soft version was nice too.

Serving NOTE: The fruit topping "gel" will harden up in the fridge when it chills. Just as a pie would. You can serve the tart warm - immediately with the soft topping - or wait until it cools and hardens in the fridge to a gel-like consistency.

Last note: this tart is gluten free since I used Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Mix. Bob's is a mix of gluten free flours and potato starch - you could sub with your own flour as well.

Fresh Strawberry Tart
vegan, makes two small tarts or one large tart

Crust (crisp version - more like a pie crust - in photos):
1 ¾ cups gluten-free all purpose baking mix
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup canola oil - or coconut oil
¼ cup sugar
2-4 tablespoon water

Crust (soft version - more like a soft scone):
add in..
½ cup applesauce
a few more tablespoon water

2 pints fresh organic strawberries - stems removed

Gel Topping:
2 cups fruit juice (your choice - I did half guava, half orange)
½ cup sugar
dash salt
2 tablespoon corn starch or 3 tablespoon arrowroot powder
optional: a few dashes of cayenne to give a slight spicy undertone
optional: ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract for a vanilla tone (use depends on what juice flavor you use)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine all your crust ingredients in a large mixing bowl. The crisp version should turn out like a pie dough consistency - while the soft version will be more watery and require about 8 minutes longer to bake.

3. Spread your crust into your tart pan(s). Bake until the edges toast and the center is cooked gently though. This will vary based on pan size. My small rectangle pans took about 12 minutes for crisp crust and 18 minutes for my softer crust.

4. Remove crusts and set aside.

5. Dissolve the corn starch or arrowroot into your cold juice - in a small soup pot.

6. Place juice pot over medium-high heat and stir until the mixture begins to boil - stir constantly and you will notice the mixture begin to thicken into a gel-like substance. Boil the gel for about a minute - still stirring. Then turn off heat and set topping aside.

7. Prep and wash your berries. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Set aside.

8. Assembly of tarts. You have two options. Place the berries directly on the crust and them pour the hot topping over top. Or you can toss the berries int he topping and pour them into your crust. If you toss them in the topping they will become a bit softer and less first since the hot topping gently "cooks" them. Either way is delicious though - it just depends how firm you want your berries.

9. Chill tarts or serve immediately (see note above). Serve with vanilla bean coconut ice cream, soy whipped cream or even a dash of powdered sugar - or sprig of fresh mint. Enjoy!

Fiesta time for Cinco de Mayo! Margaritas, daiquiris, guacamole, tempeh tacos, cashew cream cilantro-smothered burritos, salsa verde, tomato rice, sticky sweet plantains and more!

Oh Mexican fiesta, I love you. Seriously, I'm obsessed. Mexican food is my weak spot. My fave. My ultimate food craving. Just writing this post is making me crave guac and chips. Growing up in Santa Cruz Cali I was spoiled by amazing authentic Mex cuisine. And the fifth of May was always a huge production at my school nestled in the rolling hills Santa Cruz - an area rich in Mexican tradition and culture. So now when Cinco de Mayo rolls around I become like a child on Christmas morning. Santa? No thanks, just pass the guac. Fiesta time - gone vegan!.. UPDATED all day!

Here is a daiquiri recipe I made last night. Loved it Then my full menu recipe links are below.

Banana Pina Guava Daiquiri
serves 2

1 banana
½ cup ice
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup guava juice + 2 teaspoon agave syrup OR 1 cup lime all-natural margarita mix
1 lime, squeezed
3 shots tequila
salt rimmed glasses + lime garnish

Here are my favorite Fiesta Recipes for your vegan Cinco de Mayo feast..

1. Pass the Lemon-y Guacamole - recipe

2. Salsa Verde - eat it with a spoon! - recipe

3. Protein-rich Tempeh Tacos - recipe

4. Fresh Citrus Daiquiri - recipe

5. Tomato Rice, red and tasty- recipe

6. Cilantro Smother Sauce (in a burrito or on a burrito!) - recipe

7. Sticky Sweet Plantains - recipe

8. Corn Cake Bean Balls - recipe

9. Daiya-infused Cheezy Quesadillas - recipe

10. Sassy Jicama Fiesta Slaw - recipe

11. Just added -> Vegan Enchiladas!

12. Triple Stacked Breakfast Quesadilla - recipe

13. Elote - Mexican corn on the cob - recipe

And if for some reason you burn your skin on hot chile peppers - try my dairy-free burn remedy!! (and tale of Christmas night horror)

Happy 5th of May!!

Have you found the perfect Mother's Day Gift yet? You still have time to put together a healthy happy gift that will make mom glow from the inside-out. Because while we all love flowers and even fruit bouquets - a truly personalized gift of health and wellness is a great way to make mom feel loved and special. Here are a few of my picks..

Mother's Day Gifts for Health & Happiness

1. Roses are Red
I am often asked about my favorite beauty products. And while I don't really have favorites, I do find that I tend to buy certain beauty products over and over again because quite frankly - I love the results. A few of these products can be found at one of my fave gift-spots OneLuckyDuck.com - you guys may already know OLD is the store from Pure Food and Wine's lovely lady Sarma. These are my favorite "I-use-these-everyday" products - and since they are rose-infused, they are perfect for Mother's Day..

Rose Du Jour Cream - love this stuff. Soft and silky - you or mom will wake up with your skin feeling like rose petals. I use this year-round because while it is hydrating, it's not too heavy for even hot summer days.

Gypsy Rose Tea Astringent - if you are into rose water astringents or "toners" - this is a fabulous pick - made from Bulgarian rosewater and "Inspired by a 1500-year old formula made by Gypsies for the Queen of Hungary." It has the slight aroma and zing of apple cider vinegar - all combined with rose and tea. Spritz it on your face for instant refreshment. I use this before the above cream.

There are also plenty of other beauty (and food) treats from OLD - if you are unsure of what mom would go for, try a gift card!

2. A Juice or Smoothie a Day..
I'm obviously a big fan of having your own juicer and/or smoothie blender in your own kitchen. If you have one you are much more likely to add healthy juices and smoothies - and more to your daily diet. So here are my top three picks for healthy bevie appliances: an OJ Juicer, a fruit/veggie juicer and a high speed blender. Here are a few options for each of these items. Inspire mom to start (and keep!) a few healthy-delicious habits.

High Speed Blender: the best -> a Vitamix - free shipping!

3. Organic Goodies
I've been buying gifts and treats from DiamondOrganics.com for many years now. I first tried a sampler back in college and was thrilled to get fresh organic fruits and veggies delivered overnight to my door. It was like bringing the Farmer's Market to me! And over the years I've bought many Mother's Day and birthday gifts here. My favorites are these fruit/veggie samplers. But you can also find amazing vegan sweet potato biscuits, vegan meals, fresh baked breads and tons of healthy living gadgets and products. Browse DO and find something for mom!

4. Well Hydrated Mom
OK, call me crazy, but I think a giant tray of coconut water makes a swell Mother's Day gift. I mean, yes CW can be expensive - so some folks may not want to shell out up to $2-$3 for one bottle/jar/tetrapak - so this year, give mom the gift of hydration with a fridge stocked with coconut water. I mean, some people give wine and champagne to mom - why not coconut water!? Check out my coconut water blind taste test. And here are a few picks..

5. High Tech Reader
High tech mom? I say buy her a snazzy Kindle - in her fave snazzy mom-inspired color - and load that baby with all sorts of healthy books. Like Kathy Freston's Veganist - or Marilu Henner's timeless Total Health Makeover. And many many more vegan/healthy living books.

6. Green Mom Fashionista
I'm totally in love with VauteCouture.com - the adorable pink elephant sweatshirts, cutie tees, jackets and more - if you have a mom who love fun vegan clothes VC is your go-to online shop!

Or try a MOM-basket - made by YOU!..

So those are just a few buy online ideas - hope they inspire you a little. And if you are low on cash this year - don't worry - mom would love, adore, be giddy over a basket of freshly baked-by-you goodies! Go for these homemade treats and make a MOM-Basket of our own! Use lovely ribbon-wrapped glass jars and re-usable baskets for baked goods..

Vegan Lemon Curd in a lovely glass jar (store in fridge)
Vegan Muffins - recipes (muffins/breads)
Vegan Cookies - recipes (desserts)

Healthy Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!!

ps.. be sure to check back on Saturday for my Vegan Mother's Day Menu!

*full disclosure: none of these picks are advertisements - these are simply my personal picks - I do make a very small percentage of any of the Amazon.com or Vitamix.com referral purchases - but you can find my Amazon picks at other websites or stores as well.

One of my new recipe faves is Cashew Cream Sauce. The process starts out similar to making cashew cheese - by simply soaking some raw cashews.

I recently made Cilantro-lime Cashew Cream Sauce to smother my vegan burritos in. Totally cravable! But the best part about cashew-cream sauce is that you can flavor it with a wide variety of ingredients - for use in a wide variety of recipes. Try sun-dried tomato cashew cream sauce over pasta - or perhaps a lemon-basil sauce over a crisp green salad, or wasabi-infused sauce over tofu and rice noodles. The possibilities are endless. So check out my "how-to make Cashew Cream Sauce" and get started!.. It's super easy.

Cashew Cream Sauce - Inside a veggie burrito

How-to Make Cashew Cream Sauce

Ingredients
raw cashews
water for soaking
sea salt for soaking

flavoring ingredients

How-to:

1. First you'll need some soaked raw cashews - I usually use about 2 cups per batch. I soak mine overnight, but at least 4-6 hours is standard. For soaking your cashews you'll want to add a pinch of salt and enough water to cover the cashews by at least an inch - since the water will absorb into the nuts.

2. When you are ready to make your sauce simply add your cashews, soaking water (a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached) and add-in flavors. I always like to add in at least one spice and at least one acid like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.

Need a recipe?..

Smother Sauce and more. This dairy-free (ultra-creamy) Cashew-Cream Sauce is not only fabulous for smothering burritos – you can easily use it as a raw salad dressing, toss pasta in it and you can even fill your burritos or enchiladas with this sauce. You can also flavor it however you’d like! I used cilantro and lime to stay with the “fiesta” flavor profile. But here are a few other yummy ideas..

basil and lemon
dill and onion
scallion
orange and parsley
sun-dried tomato and garlic
olive
caper
artichoke
roasted pepper and chiles

..and on and on..

But for right now, lets stick to the smothered burrito sauce..

Cilantro Cashew-Cream Smother Sauce
vegan, makes 4-5 cups sauce

soaked cashews (soak for at elate 4+ hours)
2 cups raw cashews
1 teaspoon sea salt
water – enough to cover the cashews by at least an inch
*reserve the soaking water

flavors:
2 cups fresh cilantro (leaves and stems – about a half a big bunch)
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 limes, juiced (add some zest too – optional)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon cayenne powder
salt and pepper sauce to taste
optional: a few tablespoons of agave syrup if you’d like a sweet accent

burrito garnish: fresh cilantro, pumpkin seeds, olives and chipotle powder – lime slices

Burritos with your choice of fillings (I did whole wheat veggie-stuffed burritos)

Directions:

1. Soak your raw cashews in the salted water for at least four hours. Overnight is best – you want the cashews to become velvety and soft to puree perfectly in your high speed blender or food processor.

2. Add your cashews and the soaking water to your high speed blender or food processor. I add in about 1- 1 ½ cups of the soaking water. Adjust the liquid to however thick you want your sauce to be. Obviously, the more water you add, the “wetter” your sauce will be. But just be sure to add enough water to properly blend the cashews.

3. Add in your flavors – here I used cilantro, lime and cider vinegar – and a few spices.

4. You can either serve your sauce raw and as-in (aka, room temperature) – or you can heat it and add it over top your burrito as a warm sauce. Either way is delicious. I think i prefer this sauce warmed over burritos – however, on salads – I love this sauce raw and chilled.

-add smother sauce to your favorite burrito recipe – I used veggie burritos stuffed with plantains, spicy tofu, portobello mushrooms, cabbage slaw, spinach, soy cheese and green chiles..

..I used this recipe which added lime and fresh cilantro to make my smothered burritos...

Vegan toppings to make burritos - tacos - or enchiladas! Spicy tofu, portobello mushrooms, plantains, cabbage slaw and cashew cream sauce..

plantains, my fave..

Fill the burrito, then wrap it, then smother it!..

Cashew-Cream Sauce smothered burrito..

I stuffed my whole wheat burritos with sauteed plantains, spicy tofu, spicy portobellos, cabbage slaw, avocado, vegan cheese, green chiles and more..

Get inspired and try your own Cashew Cream Sauce recipe.

Happy Easter weekend everyone! Pastel colors, spring flowers, yellow sunshine, green grass, bright eyes, twirling dresses, fluffy clouds, sweet-scented breezes, church choirs, wide-brimmed hats, white lilies and laughter. These things remind me of the Easter season. And my perfect Easter Sunday includes a cheery vegan Easter Brunch with the ones I love. I want to wish all of you a happy healthy Easter or Passover season - and if you want to celebrate with your own Sunday afternoon brunch - here are thirty recipe ideas to inspire you! Happy Easter. Happy eating...

Here are a few more photo highlights of the recipes which follow..

Vegan Easter Brunch Recipes - from my sunny table to your..

1. dessert - Veganized Easter Swirl Lamb Cake

2. entree - Tofu Spring Quiche

3. beverage - Fizzy Ginger Blood Orangeade

4. entree - Purple Pepper Eater Breakfast Sandwich

5. side dish - Mint Lime Spring Green Fruit Salad

6. beverage - AM Sunrise Juice

7. side dish - fluffy spiced quinoa

8. side dish - Curried Tahini Carrot Slaw version one - version two (bolder) - aka Bunny Slaws

9. entree - Sunny Spicy Veggie Wraps

10. entree - Fire/Ice Panini - harissa and cucumber with vegan cheddar

11. beverage - Frosted Lemon Pear-ade

12. entree - Lemon Leek Pesto Penne

13. dessert - Mini Pina Colada Upside-down Cakes

14. entree - Mint Cucumber Wasabi Tea Sandwiches

15. side dish - Marinated Chili Cucumber Salad

16. side/treat - Bunny Bars, fruit/nut granola bars

17. side dish - Sunny Asparagus Tapenade

18. Dips, Dips and more Dips

19. side dish - Red Hot Bruschetta

20. entree/side - Corn Cake Bean Balls

21. side dish - Cheesy Jalapeno Poppers

22. side dish - Spinach Dips

23. side dish - Two Bean Lemon-y Salad

24. side dish - Light and Sassy Cole Slaw

25. beverage - Spicy Carrot Mimosa - aka, the Fizzy Bunny

26. dessert - Tofu-chino Parfaits

27. dessert - Blueberry & Bosc Pear Pie

28. dessert - Vanilla Fruit Tart

29. side dish - lemon poppyseed muffins with lemon curd

30. beverage - Half-frozen Lemon-Mint Water

HAPPY EASTER!!!

You heard it here first folks - Bobby Flay is finally giving in - or as he said - "I'm finally gonna break down" - to develop a veggie burger for his popular Bobby's Burger Palace chain of restaurants. My exclusive video-interview with the talented Bobby Flay..

First off, I hope we can all have positive words to Bobby! I mean this is huge for him - and exciting for veggie burger fans!! And I'm so appreciative that he has listened to the requests for a veggie burger! Really, I have nothing but love for Bobby. Lets hope more chefs will follow his lead.

This is fabulous news since many families love BBP - and kids and their parents will have the option to choose veg if they crave it! And this is just another sign of the cultural diet shift going on in America. I love that Bobby has caved! I mean just a few years back he was quoted by Vegetarian Star as saying "I'm just not interested." when asked about the possibility of a BBP veggie burger.

BBP. I reviewed BBP a while back and was sad that the sweet potato fries were amazing - the salad lovely - but no veggie burger! Read my full review with pics here.

And be sure to check out my exclusive interview I did with Bobby for Babble's Family Kitchen. Video Here. Bobby discusses 'sandwiches' and sandwich tips - he drops a few fabulous ideas - and yes, I had to frown when he was making non-veg sandwiches - but at least I squeezed my own vegan question into the interview! Bobby is such an inspiring and talented chef - I really can't wait to see the veggie burger that appears on the BBP menu!! Gold star for you Bobby!

Watch my video interview with Bobby Flay here.

As you may know I've been writing for Babble's Family Kitchen blog for the past few months - sharing my fave vegan recipes with a spectacular audience of moms and their families. And since many of Babble's more mainstream readers are not vegan, the positive feedback I've received has been inspiring.

That's why I was thrilled when I found out that Family Kitchen decided to do a vegan recipes slideshow of recipe links! 19 Vegan Recipes for the Family. Awesome! I hope you will check it out and share it with anyone and everyone who has a family that they cook for. So glad Babble is onto the plant-based diet movement in America.

See the 19 Vegan Recipes for the Family Slideshow here on Babble.

*image is screenshot of the slideshow on Babble - click on it to link!

I'll file this recipe under "super easy" and "lovely flavors" - because that's just what you'll get when you serve up this crispy, cheesy, sweet and zesty bagel-wich. Perfect for taming a growling tummy quickly and deliciously..

I'm really craving bagel-wiches lately - toasted on my panini press and oozing with Daiya cheese and glorious toppings. So I crafted this Sunny ManCado Bagel-wich out of two of my favorite ingredients: mandarin oranges and avocado. Only three ingredients stacked on a bagel means this recipe is terribly easy. Grab this sunny day recipe - and check out my new vegan kitchen art!..

Of course I love fresh picked fruit - but I must admit that I have a thing for canned mandarin oranges. I always have them on hand. My fave mandarin oranges come from Dole - because they are packed in 100% fruit juice - unlike some other brands that use 'light syrup' - or even sticky sweet 'heavy syrup' - really, juicy sweet mandarins just don't need that added sugar! Or even worse - artificial sugar.. Yesterday I spotted a brand that soaked their mandarin oranges in splenda! And labeled them as "sugar free" - wha? Why would you want to soak luscious, natural canned mandarins in an artificial substance? Bleck. So I stock up on Dole. And toss them into easy recipes like this for flavor in a flash.

..and really, you can sub the canned mandarins with fresh mandarins - or any other fave fruit if you'd like. Just call this a Fruit & Cheese Panini to dream of. So go for it - get creative! Pineapple, apple, kiwi, pear, peaches, mango - so many fruits could be subbed into this bagel-wich - so you can make it again and again and never get bored.

For that melty vegan cheese - I use Daiya vegan cheddar cheese shreds. They melt perfectly and the robust cheddar flavor meshes well with the zingy citrus and creamy avocado.

Salty and sweet, crisp and creamy, vegan cheesy and zesty. So many flavors and textures rolled into this easy recipe!

Oh! And I finished my painting that I started last week. I have been wanting to do an oil painting of some sort of abstract "V" for a while now to hang in my kitchen. So I finally did this one. V for a vegan kitchen! (sorry the shot is a tad dark - I took it early this AM with no natural light yet)..

Onto the recipe..

Sunny ManCado Bagel-wich Panini
makes one bagel-wich

1 multi grain bagel, sliced in half - brush insides with olive oil
⅓ cup Daiya cheddar cheese
½ avocado, sliced thick - spritz with a touch of lemon juice
3 tablespoon mandarin oranges
black pepper

Directions:

1. Slice your bagel in half and brush the insides with a bit of olive oil. Place on your heated panini press (or grill pan) and allow to toast for a minute.

2. Slice your avocado. Toss in a bit of lemon juice - just a spritz. Then add them to the bagel. Top the avocado with mandarins and Daiya cheese. Place the top half of the bagel on top and press down the panini press (or grill pan)

3. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes - or until you see grill marks and the cheese has melted.

4. Slice. Serve! I made a small side dish of leftover avocado and mandarin oranges to go along with this. Perfect with lemon or mint iced tea!

See! Only three ingredients, but still so lovely. Simplicity is blissfully delicious.

Really, this Vegan Potato Alfredo needs no introduction. Seriously. Try this dish!..

Potato Alfredo Pasta
serves 4 with leftovers

1 box fettuccine pasta

Alfredo Sauce:
16oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed/drained
4 cloves of garlic – or equivalent garlic paste
2 tablespoon vegan mayo, Vegenaise
½ cup sweet onion, chopped
⅔ cup dehydrated potato flakes (plain instant mashed potatoes)
⅔ cup soy milk, plain
¾ cup soy creamer, plain
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
4-6 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes (will change the color slightly)
4 dashes of cayenne powder
½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Drop the pasta and cook according to package.

2. Add all ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add in more soy milk or creamer to thin out sauce to desired consistency. Also tweak and ingredients for your taste preferences. Salt. Nutritional yeast. More garlic. Extra spicy. Whatever.

3. Drain pasta and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour about 3 cups of the sauce right over the hot pasta. This will adequately warm the sauce.

4. Plate pasta – add a pinch of chopped parsley if you’d like – and top with ‘extra sauce’ if you are in the mood for it.

Comfort. Food. They say pasta is the ultimate comfort food. Especially when it's creamy Alfredo Pasta. So maybe that's why I was craving it this afternoon. I had a very long day yesterday with Nelly my kitty at the vet. She has been in and out of different vets always coming up with various blood sugar readings. She was diagnosed with kitty diabetes. Then she was "not" then she was, then "not" - round and round we go. Incredibly stressful since I have been with Nelly since she was a tiny kitty whom I adopted from an animal shelter in West LA about ten years ago. She is indeed my fur-baby.

So today I am spending extra time with her at home - awaiting another test result that may or may not confirm what the vet thinks is true: diabetes. And from there, I will go.

But back to this amazing pasta which Nelly quite enjoyed me making - the luscious scent of pasta creaminess filled the air and tickled her nose..

Last week on Babble's Family Kitchen I shared my recipe for Angry Birds Vegan Mini Pizzas. This vegan cheesy, soy pepperoni-topped pizza is my kids-of-all-ages-friendly interpretation of the uber popular iPhone App, Angry Birds. Get my recipe and see why I'm giddy about red bird - but yellow bird didn't turn out as well.

..Ah, angry birds, teen mutant turtles, mushroom-eating plumbers, sonic hedgehogs, pac men, frogs that cross the road, an ape called donkey kong and more .. ah, the craziness of interactive video games through the years.. 🙂

About Angry Birds.

Full disclosure, I've never played Angry Birds - I don't have an iPhone. But I do admit that the cute angry wingless birds are super fun looking. I mean they have to be to come in second right after Facebook for most popular iPhone Apps of 2010. So I googled "Angry Birds" - a pop culture trend - and see what all the fuss was about.

From the Angry Birds Wikipedia page:

“In the game, players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures, with the intent of destroying all the pigs on the playfield.”

..wow. Slingshotting wingless birds to attack pigs? Crazy kids today! Well, then again, when I was a kid I enjoyed playing a video game where two plumbers named Mario and Luigi would run through the sewer system trying to save a princess – eating magic mushrooms all the way. Then there was another video game where teenage turtles (mutant turtles) would karate chop a big rat and sling pizzas at other enemies. ..kinda makes Angry Birds seem normal!

Get my Angry Birds vegan mini pizzas recipe!

Yes, I'm very much into slaw salads. Crunchy cool bowls of slaw make me happy at the end of a long day. This Curried Tahini Carrot Slaw has made it to my table more than a few times over the past few months since I first made it. And each time I make it I like to tweak it a tad. Sometimes I'll add in various nuts, avocado, different veggie accents or seeds. This time I added in a scoop of protein-rich hemp seeds. I loved the texture that they added. This fast and easy side salad is a perfect variation from a go-to green salad.

And you can also check out the original recipe here (topped with tofu cubes).

If you don't have hemp seeds - buy them! They have a great nutty flavor and sesame-seed like texture without the bitterness of sesame.

Why is hemp so great?? - it is rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids - hemp contains all 10 essential amino acids. Nutrition: Hemp is rich in complete protein, vitamins, omegas. Hemp is gluten-free and nut-free.

A few other slaw recipes I love..

Red Cabbage Slaw - side of fried pickles
Slaw and Tempeh
Apple Tahini Slaw - speedy!
Light and Sassy Slaw
Seedy Tahini Slaw

And find my recipe for my recipe for the (above pictured) Carrot Slaw on Babble's Family Kitchen.

A few days ago I started my Juicing Project. And this morning I reached into the fridge and pulled out a chilled glass bottle of fresh Apple Ginger Carrot Green Juice. Bliss. Energy. Hydration. Nutrients. Success. I'm loving the mind and body results of my Juicing Project. And I hope to inspire you to give it a try in your kitchen. How awesome it is to always have fresh juice stocked in my fridge when I crave it. And without all the mess and clean-up required. Big-batch juicing is my secret. Get your own Juicer's High..

Before I get to my juicing project I have to give you a bit of context. This week was "moving week" for my family. Boxes, driving, packing, unpacking, stress, long days, sleeping on the floor til the bed gets delivered, tired eyes, sore muscles and did I mention stress? Moving is tough, but I'm glad to have that hard part over with. Now onto getting organized in my kitchen and starting new healthy habits. And the number one habit I wanted to start post-move was more frequent juicing. I would love to have at least one fresh juice a day - and buying the bottled juices simply gets way too expensive to be "routine" - so here is my plan: My Juicing Project.

luckily, Nelly has moved so many times, she is used to the 'transition' thing..

Before you start: check out my Complete Guide to Juicing (and buying a juicer)

Juicing. I love fresh juice, but I'll be honest, I dread juicing. Prep, grinding, mess, clean-up. It loses it's charm and fun-factor about two minutes into the process. OK, I can think of plenty of things I dread more than juicing. I think I dread it simply because every time I juice all I want to do at that moment is gulp down the juice I am making and not have any clean-up get in the way of my post-juicing, juice-chugging bliss.

So how can I get the fresh juice I crave without the clean-up? It's easy. Juice ahead of time - in large batches.

At first I was incredibly picky about only drinking juice that had been prepared seconds before drinking it. I was worried that the juice would lose enzymes or nutrients if it sat in my fridge too long. But in reality, this juice is only sitting in my fridge for 1-3 days and since I cap my juices filled to the brim - there is minimal oxygen in the juice bottle. But the main reason I am now a juice-ahead fan is because that's what all my favorite juice bars do! Liquiteria, One Lucky Duck and more - they sell amazing juices that are bottled. Yes, I'm sure most the juices they sell have been made that day - but they usually instruct the customers to consume the bottled, unpasteurized, fresh, raw juice "within a few days" - so if they can do it, so can I. Plus I'll be saving lots of money!

The Plan:

* Juice a wide variety of seasonal, organic vegetables and fruits every three days.
* Juice at least 80 ounces of juice - and store in oxygen tight glass bottles - filled to the brim.
* Drink the bottled juices within three days - and juice again on the fourth day.

Could I do this? Would it work? Here is how my first go at my Juicing Project played out..

Juicing Project Day One

Ingredients:
* One large bunch of organic rainbow chard
* One bag of organic large carrots
* One large bunch of celery
* Three organic braeburn apples (on sale that week)
* One large piece of fresh ginger
* A few lemons to squeeze fresh lemon juice

I juiced around 75-80 ounces out of my ingredients listed above. I was quite pleased with the results. The flavors I juiced were:

* Apple Carrot Ginger
* Chard Celery Apple Ginger
* Chard Carrot Celery Lemon Ginger
* Apple Celery Chard Carrot Lemon Ginger

So I was able to get a variety of juice flavors. Some more savory green juice and others a sweeter green juice or the sweetest which was my apple carrot ginger juice.

The results - Juicing Project Day Three

How Long Did They Last?
Here's the bad/good part - it depends on how you look at it. Because I had so much fresh juice at my fingertips - I was drinking it quite often. I actually had juice cravings that I simply had to satisfy! So I drank all the juice in about two days rather than three. Well, two and a half really. I blended the last half bottle of juice into this Blue Green Ginger Smoothie on the morning of the third day.

So I was bummed that my juice bottles didn't last longer, but also thrilled because I felt so awesome from drinking all that fresh juice!

So what do I do now?

Well now that it is day four I am out of juice. Boooo. So today I plan on continuing my juicing project and heading to Whole Foods to pick up some more juicing produce. And this week I'll change up the flavors a bit to prevent any "juicing fatigue" - variety is what makes juicing so fun! There are hundreds, maybe thousands of flavor combo possibilities.

Success? Yes! I will continue to juice and let the healthy feeling roll on. Really, I've never felt more energized and revitalized than those times when I have plenty of fresh juice and smoothies on hand. They are nutrient packed and easy to digest.

Do you have your own "Juicing Project" or another sort of healthy kitchen routine you use to stay healthy? I'd love to hear about it!

juicing station..

moving in, my make-shift studio until I get organized..

MORE JUICING INFO: check out my Complete Guide to Juicing (and buying a juicer)

As you guys know, I am a huge fan of the Dole brand, so when they asked me to create a healthy recipe using leeks for their Nutrition Newsletter (sign up) I dove into my kitchen and created this Lemon Leek Pesto Penne Pasta with Peas.

This pasta is packed with flavor! Sassy bright tones from the citrus and sweet warm tones from the basil. Walnuts add depth and texture (and nutrition) to this rustic leek-basil pesto sauce. The sweet and alluring sliced leeks mesh perfectly with the rustic whole wheat pasta. Sweet, protein-rich peas complete this delightful, healthy green dish.

Leeks are low in calories and rich in fiber and manganese - they also contain detoxifying properties. Get my recipe and more nutrition info on leeks from Dole!..

lovely leeks..

Lemon Leek Pesto..

pre-garnish, penne..

dive in..

From the Dole Nutrition website - on leeks:

"One medium cooked leek (124g) contains 38 calories and provides a good source of manganese. As part of the allium (garlic and onion) family, leeks contain beneficial organosulfur compounds, including allyl sulfides, which studies show stimulate the body's natural detoxification systems. This may explain why National Cancer Institute researchers found that leeks and other allium-containing vegetables may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by as much as 50%. Leeks also contain inulin, a prebiotic fiber that selectively feeds good bacteria to protect against food-borne viruses, and may also help regulate appetite and increase calcium absorption."

Dole Nutrition. Want more Dole inspiration? Be sure to check out my past posts..

* David Murdock (of Dole) Wellness Lessons, my commentary on the New York Times article
* Dole Health and Wellness Blogger Summit

And if you love nutrition facts and quips like I do (I'm famous for reading nutrition books like Rebecca Woods Whole Foods Encyclopedia from cover to cover) - sign up for Dole's Nutrition News Newsletter (where this recipe will be featured). You'll receive a monthly email filled with healthy facts, nutrition findings and the latest nutrition news from top resources. I've been a newsletter subscriber for years now. Sign up at Dole's website.

And since many of you ask me what my fave healthy books are - I love Dole's Nutrition Handbook. It is filled with facts and photos. Fruits, veggies and more. I love to reference this book when doing blog posts - like for this juice post.

More Dole links:
* Dole on Twitter
* Dole's Salad Guide on Twitter
* Dole on Facebook
* Buy on Amazon: The Dole Nutrition Handbook..

Onto my recipe - which will also be featured in the next Dole Nutrition Newsletter..

Lemon-y Leek Pesto Penne with Peas
vegan, makes about 5 servings

12 oz. whole wheat penne pasta

Lemon-y Leek Pesto
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 garlic cloves
4 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed well - still damp (loosely packed)
1 ¾ cups sliced leeks, cleaned (about 2 small leeks)
1 cup raw walnuts
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno, de-seeded (opt'l)

veggie garnish
1 ½ cups frozen peas
1 leek, cleaned and sliced into rounds
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon fresh black pepper

Directions:

1. Start making your pesto. Clean and prep all your leeks - make sure to rinse and grit inside the folds. Add all your ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. The excess water from the rinsed basil leaves should keep the pesto 'loose' enough - but add ore liquid if the consistency is too thick. The ideal consistency is like a wet, chunky hummus.

ingredients..

2. When your pesto is ready, you can start boiling your pasta. Boil. Drain.

3. Toss the warm pasta in the pesto sauce. Cover and set aside.

Toss the pasta.

4. Next up is a quick saute of the garnish - peas and leeks. Clean and slice your leeks. Turn heat to medium-high and add olive oil to your saute pan. When oil is hot add in the peas and leeks. Saute until the leeks become tender and frozen peas are heated through. Reduce heat to medium and add in the pepper and lemon juice. Toss for a few more minutes and remove from heat.

Veggie Garnish - leeks and peas.

5. Plate your pasta and add the peas and leeks around the pasta. Serve! You can also make this dish ahead of time - chill in the fridge and reheat in the oven.

I've always been a risotto fan. Butternut Squash Sage Almond Risotto is a favorite savory entree - and mushroom risotto closely follows. But what about using creamy-sweet arborio rice as the base for a breakfast risotto? I got the idea from a Joe Bastianich recipe - I tried it and was hooked. Breakfast risotto was added to my AM eats rotation.

I love a cozy warm bowl of cereal for breakfast, but I think we can all agree that oatmeal fatigue is no fun. So I started experimenting with breakfast risotto recipes - and this Vanilla Cherry Coconut Breakfast Risotto is a flavor combination that's a keeper. Get my recipe and more hot cereal breakfast ideas...

Hot Cereal Breakfast. My favorite vegan recipes include:

Fig Citrus Almond Breakfast Risotto
Pumpkin Spice Cream of Wheat
Fuyu Spice Oatmeal
Kiwi Cherry Oatmeal
Blueberry Oatmeal - includes reasons to eat breakfast!
Farro Porridge (I don't have a recipe for this - though it's a fave of mine from Le Pain Q - when they have it on the menu)

Today's Recipe..

Vanilla Cherry Coconut Breakfast Risotto
vegan, makes 6 cups - freeze or fridge leftovers

1 ½ cups dry arborio rice
3 cups water
1 cup almond or soy milk
¾ cup light coconut milk (set extra coconut milk aside for drizzling over top hot cereal)
½ cup raw cashews
1 cup cherries
* I used Trader Joe's Morello Cherries, drained - but you can also use fresh or frozen
¼ cup agave or maple syrup
dash cinnamon
2 tablespoon coconut flakes (plus extra for garnish)
dash salt (to taste)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Add the water, salt, vanilla extract and rice to a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

3. After the rice has absorbed most of the water you can add in the soy or almond milk and coconut milk. Continue stirring over medium heat and allow risotto to thicken.

4. Fold in half of your cherries, the cashews, coconut flakes, sweetener and cinnamon. Do a taste test of your risotto. If it is tender and creamy - you may be ready to serve. You can always add in more liquid if you want an even more tender textured risotto. This cereal will be much softer than a dinner risotto.

5. To serve, add the risotto to a bowl and top with coconut flakes, a few more cherries and a drizzle of coconut milk - or soy milk. Serve warm. Store the leftovers in the freezer or fridge and reheat in microwave or stove top.