Fajita Vegetables

These veggies are great for fajitas, but they are also really great to round out any meal that calls for a savory-spicy kick. With some cumin, paprika, chili powder, and liquid smoke, these veggies transform into a yummy Latin side dish. We often have them alongside refried beans and Spanish rice for a filling vegan meal.

Fajita Veggies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp olive oil (optional - you can also dry saute or use a bit of water)
1/2 a red onion, sliced into half-moons

Choose 3 or 4:
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into long strips
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
2 portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and sliced into strips
1 or 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced into strips
1 small zucchini, sliced into thin strips

2 cups of sliced white cabbage

1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp  liquid smoke flavor

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Choose 3 or 4 of the veggies and add them to the pan. Saute until the veggies start to soften a little. Add the spices and stir to distribute evenly. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Serve with beans and rice, in burritos, or have them fajita style with flour tortillas and your favorite fixings.

For 8 Servings with oil

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	238
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20.4g	26%
Saturated Fat 2.9g	14%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1339mg	58%
Total Carbohydrate 16.2g	6%
Dietary Fiber 6.5g	23%
Total Sugars 5.4g
Protein 4.2g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 106mg	8%
Iron 7mg	37%
Potassium 691mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

For 8 servings without oil

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	88
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.9g	4%
Saturated Fat 0.4g	2%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1339mg	58%
Total Carbohydrate 16.2g	6%
Dietary Fiber 6.5g	23%
Total Sugars 5.4g
Protein 4.2g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 106mg	8%
Iron 7mg	37%
Potassium 691mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

Banana Steel-Cut Oat Porridge (Instant Pot)

 

This is an easy breakfast that keeps well through the week for leftovers.  Steel-cut oats are hearty and filling and are so easy to make in the Instant Pot. The mashed banana gives a little extra sweetness and has a yummy banana flavor reminiscent of banana bread, which is one of my favorite things. I like to serve it with some fresh banana cut up on top and sprinkled with ground flax.

Banana Steel-Cut Oat Porridge

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats

2 1/2 cups soy milk

2 1/2 cups water

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 tsp salt

1 ripe banana, mashed

Directions:

Put all the ingredients into your Instant Pot and cook it using the porridge setting (which cooks it for 20 minutes).  Let the pressure release naturally and then stir the porridge. Add more milk to get the consistency that you like. Serve it topped with your favorite oatmeal topping.

You could also do this on your stovetop. It will take some frequent stirring and a longer cooking time, but it will taste just as good. 

For 6 Servings:

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	131
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1.7g	2%
Saturated Fat 0.2g	1%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1641mg	71%
Total Carbohydrate 30.4g	11%
Dietary Fiber 11g	39%
Total Sugars 6.2g
Protein 3.7g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 187mg	14%
Iron 2mg	12%
Potassium 277mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

Vanilla Rose Custard Pie

 

This pie is a beautiful deep pink color with a hint of flowery rose flavor to complement the vanilla. It is also oil-free, refined sugar-free, and gluten-free. It is a lightened-up vegan dessert perfect for Valentine's Day. 

Vanilla Rose Custard Pie

Crust Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
6 Medjool dates

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tbsp ground flax
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Crust Directions:

Line a springform pan with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Place the oats, dates, sunflower seeds, apple sauce, maple syrup, ground flax, salt, and vanilla in a food processor. Pulse and then process on high until it starts to form a ball of dough. 

Press the dough into the springform pan and press it up the sides a little. Try to get an even layer of dough. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

Vanilla Rose Custard Pie Filling Ingredients:

1 cup of water

3 tbsp dried rose buds and petals

1/2 cup rose tea

1/2 cup corn starch

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp beetroot powder

pinch of salt

1/3 cup of maple syrup

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cups oat milk

Vanilla Rose Custard Pie Filling Directions:

Brew a strong rose tea by steeping 3 tbsp dried rose buds and petals in 1 cup of water for about 20 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

When the tea is done, strain out the rose petals and combine the rose tea with 1/2 cup of cornstarch. Mix well to get rid of any lumps. Put the tea and cornstarch mixture into a saucepan with the vanilla extract, beetroot powder, pinch of salt, maple syrup, lemon juice, and oat milk. Simmer while stirring constantly until the custard starts to thicken. Remove from the heat.

Pour the custard into the crust and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and chill in the refrigerator before serving.

Spiced Quinoa Porridge

 

I love quinoa for breakfast because it keeps me full without feeling weighed down. Quinoa is a seed that cooks up like a grain and it is packed with nutrition. Here is what Harvard says about quinoa. It is a good source of plant protein and magnesium. This keeps nicely to reheat throughout the week. So you can cook it ahead and have some delicious and healthy breakfasts ready to go that provide a good source of plant-based protein. What's not to love?!?

Spiced Quinoa Porridge

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa (rinsed)

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups plant milk

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup hemp seeds

1/4 cup chia seeds

3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp powdered ginger

1/4 cup raisins

Optional: Toasted sunflower seeds

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa and put it in a saucepan with water, plant milk, and a pinch of salt. Cook until it begins to boil and then lower the heat and cover to let it steam for 15 minutes. After it has steamed fluff it with a fork or spoon and then add the remaining ingredients: which are the hemp seeds, chia seeds, maple syrup, and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and ginger). Then stir in the raisins. Sometimes I add a bit more plant milk to get the consistency of porridge that I like. I like to top this with an additional sprinkle of cinnamon and some toasted sunflower seeds.

For 6 servings

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	328
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7.9g	10%
Saturated Fat 0.5g	3%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 6481mg	282%
Total Carbohydrate 59g	21%
Dietary Fiber 5.6g	20%
Total Sugars 33.3g
Protein 8.5g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 119mg	9%
Iron 4mg	21%
Potassium 380mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

Oil-Free Cornbread

Oil-Free Cornbread

I have been working on an oil-free cornbread recipe that comes out with a nice springy bread texture. Some of my earlier tries were too dense and a little dry. After lots of tweaking, I found that the combination of flax and applesauce resulted in a moist bread with some lift. It was just what I was looking for in an oil-free version. I have been baking vegan cakes, breads, cookies, and pastries for just over 20 years now and have tried so many different things as egg replacers. For me, a flax egg gives the best texture to most baked goods without altering the flavor. If you are new to vegan cooking, know that your tastes do change over time. You can adjust to and grow to love this way of cooking and eating. I love the challenge of recreating old favorites and making them in a healthier way. Try a variety of methods and recipes and find the ones that suit you! 

This cornbread has just a hint of sweetness and is good on its own, especially when it is warm out of the oven.  We have made this a few times now and my family devours it within a day every time, so I knew it was a hit. Try this oil-free vegan cornbread alongside some chili, or a winter stew for a satisfying and healthy meal.  This can be made gluten-free if you use oat flour in place of the whole wheat flour, which still makes a great loaf of bread that is just slightly more dense than the whole wheat version.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp flax meal

6 tbsp water

1 cup soy milk (or other plant milk)

1 1/2 tsp vinegar

1/2 cup applesauce

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 cup whole wheat flour (oat flour works, too, but is a bit more dense)

1 cup cornmeal

1 tbsp baking powder (that is not a typo - you need a full tablespoon to get a nice rise to this bread)

1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper.

Combine the flax meal with the water. Give it a stir and let sit to thicken up a bit.

Stir the vinegar into the soy milk and add the applesauce and maple syrup to this mix.

Set these wet ingredients aside (I usually prep them in a glass measuring cup. Once the flax is thickened, I add the soy milk and vinegar to it, plus the applesauce and maple syrup).

For the dry ingredients, combine the whole wheat flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Then add the wet ingredients and fold these in until everything is just combined.

Pour this batter into an 8x8 square baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it and if the top is getting too browned, loosely cover it with some foil. After 20 minutes check that the bread is done with the toothpick test - which is a real thing. 

Let the bread cool a bit and then dig in!

Apple Cinnamon Blender Waffles

This recipe is great because it only takes a blender and a measuring cup to make these waffles. They are hearty, filling, gluten-free, and a great vegan breakfast. Slather on some nut butter, top with yogurt and fruit, or go classic with vegan butter and maple syrup.

Apple Cinnamon Blender Waffles

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups soy milk

3 tbsp white vinegar

3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 an apple, diced small (optional)

Directions:

Put the dry ingredients into your blender and pulse a few times to grind the oats and incorporate the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Then add in the wet ingredients and blend until smooth. Add the diced apple and cook according to your waffle iron's instructions. Enjoy with some vegan butter and maple syrup.

Tahini Dip

We adore this dip and make it about once a month for dressing salads, or as a dip for crackers or raw veggies. It has an almost cheese-like quality to it that is just so good. I have also put it over pasta and used it as a spread for sandwiches and wraps. It is very versatile and great to have on hand.

Ingredients:

1 cup tahini

1 cup room temperature water

3 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 tbsp Braggs or tamari

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

Directions:

Put the tahini in a bowl or jar and whisk in the water 1/4 cup at a time until the tahini has lightened in color and is the consistency you would like for your dressing or dip. It is important to add the water to the tahini before adding any other ingredients because if you don't go in that order the tahini will "break" and the oil will separate.

Once your tahini is blended with the water and creamy you can whisk in the rest of the ingredients.

Millennial Hash

This recipe is simple and very filling. I love the combination of the potatoes, kale, and avocado - it is so good!

Millennial Hash

This recipe got its name from my husband making a comment about me putting avocado on my hash browns "like a millennial"....because millennials are known for spending more on groceries than other generations and they apparently put avocado on everything. I think that is a great thing because avocados make everything better - including hash browns!

Ingredients:

1/2 bag of frozen shredded potatoes (1 lb bag)

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

4 oz button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 bunch of kale washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces

Salt and pepper

Tamari

1/2 a ripe avocado, sliced

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a non-stick pan over medium heat. I don't add oil. I find that if you leave them alone to let them brown, they don't stick and flip easily. I let them cook for 10-15 minutes - check them and flip them when they begin to turn golden brown.

While the potatoes cook, heat the onions and garlic in another non-stick pan until they begin to soften. Then add the mushrooms and the kale and cook through. Once the veggies have softened sprinkle them with salt and pepper and then use a little tamari or soy sauce to deglaze the pan. Serve the veggies over the hash browns and top it all with the sliced avocado.

Granola Bars Au Naturel

These bars are not too sweet,  nice and chewy, and have no added sugar or oil, which makes them super satisfying and good for you. These make a great snack, breakfast or dessert. I had never tried mulberries until High Carb Hannah mentioned them in her granola recipe. I found them at Sprouts and am hooked. They are sweet and chewy and remind me of a cross between a raisin and a fig. Yummy! If you can't find mulberries, you could sub 1/2 raisins and 1/2 chopped figs.

Granola Bars Au Naturel

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup mulberries
8 dates
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2-3 Tsp hemp seeds
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup water

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined.

Press into a rectangle baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. These are slightly chewy and really yummy - store in an airtight container. Enjoy!