Date Sweetened Chocolate Chia Pudding

 

This pudding is so thick and decadent it's hard to believe it is vegan and refined sugar-free. I love to make this when I want something rich and chocolatey but don't want the sugar crash after eating. This is a great option for a vegan dessert that is healthy and satisfying. The Mayo Clinic lists several health benefits found in chia seeds including Omega 3s and lots of fiber to keep you feeling satisfied.

Date Sweetened Chocolate Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

6 dates

1 1/2 cups plant milk

2 tbsp rolled oats

1/4 cup cocoa powder

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup chia seeds

Directions:

Simmer the dates, plant milk, and oats for 15 minutes on low heat. You want the dates to get very soft and the oats to really cook down.

Pour the date-milk mixture into a blender and add the cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. Blend until everything is smooth and creamy. Pour this into a glass jar and stir in the chia seeds. Let it set and thicken in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

For 3 Servings:

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories	209
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4.4g	6%
Saturated Fat 0.7g	4%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 12943mg	563%
Total Carbohydrate 42.3g	15%
Dietary Fiber 9.2g	33%
Total Sugars 4.3g
Protein 4.9g
Vitamin D 21mcg	104%
Calcium 147mg	11%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 219mg	5%
*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

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

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

Tempeh Sausage Breakfast Casserole

 

This breakfast is reminiscent of a shepherd's pie that can be made ahead and then baked and enjoyed when ready. It has a bottom layer of tempeh sausage, then a layer of cooked greens, and is topped with hash browns. 

It isn't hard to assemble, but there are three layers to make separately. This is totally worth the savory breakfast that is ready for you to enjoy throughout the week. It has plant-based protein in the tempeh sausage, micronutrients from the greens, and carbs from the potatoes so it is a well-balanced breakfast.

Tempeh Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Tempeh Sausage Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 8 oz package of plain tempeh, crumbled

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp dried sage

1 tsp ground thyme

1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

pinch of nutmeg

1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos

Tempeh Sausage Directions:

Spray on non-stick frying pan with olive oil and add the quinoa and crumbled tempeh to the pan. Then add all the seasonings and cook until heated through. This is the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, maple syrup, sage, thyme, paprika, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. 

This is the bottom layer of your casserole. When it is done spread it on the bottom of a casserole dish.

Cheesy Greens Ingredients:

1 large bunch of greens (collards, kale, chard, or spinach) or 1 bag of frozen greens

1 tbsp soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp liquid smoke

Cheesy Greens Directions:

Wash and chop your greens and then put them in a saucepan with just a little water. You want the greens to steam and cook down. You can use frozen greens and prepare them the exact same way: a little water in a saucepan and dump them in over medium heat. Cook until the fresh greens are wilted, or the frozen greens are defrosted, and then add the soy sauce or Bragg's, the garlic powder, and the nutritional yeast. Taste and add salt to your liking. I add about 1/2 tsp to mine (but I love salt :-). Top it off with the liquid smoke and mix to combine. 

Put this layer on top of the tempeh sausage layer in your casserole dish.

Hash Brown Ingredients:

1 bag of frozen hash browns (shredded potatoes)

Directions:

Heat the hash browns according to the package directions and top the casserole with them. 

Casserole Directions:

At this point, you can either dig in, or you can refrigerate and heat later. If you prepare ahead, you will want to heat in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Be sure to check on it and cover it with foil if the top is getting too browned. You just need it to heat through.

Enjoy!

Baked Sweet Potato

Here is another basic recipe for something that I feel like I have to look up each time I want to make a perfectly done baked sweet potato. It is easy to forget the details, so I thought I would capture the basics of this method here.

Baked Sweet Potato

Ingredients:

Sweet potato, washed

Directions:

Wash the sweet potato(s) and poke all over with a fork. Bake uncovered in a parchment-lined baking dish or tray in a 400-degree oven. You want the potato to get soft so this can take between 40-60 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Start checking them at 40 minutes. They are done when they are very soft and you can squish them. Let them cool before peeling. These keep well to be added to component bowls or other recipes throughout the week.

Oceanic Chia Pudding

Oceanic Chia Pudding

I like this for dessert, a snack, or occasionally breakfast. It is a little reminiscent of tapioca pudding and can satisfy a sweet craving while providing protein, fiber, and antioxidants. I like that it feels a bit indulgent but is made with simple and healthy ingredients. This article from Harvard dives into the health benefits a bit more and highlights the healthy fats and omegas found in chia seeds.  Plus it is easy to make! I just mix it up in a glass jar, stir, and let it sit overnight. 

I have tried several chia pudding recipes and like them all especially chocolate, chai, or plain vanilla, but this is the version I make the most. The color is so beautiful (in the photo I did half blue algae and half spirulina) and though it comes from the ocean it doesn't taste like it, it just adds a mild background flavor that elevates the vanilla but you can't quite put your finger on it.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups plant milk
2 Tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp spirulina or blue algae 

6 tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

Put it all into a jar and mix or shake to combine. If you mix with a spoon, just know the spirulina and the algae take a while to incorporate, they like to float on top. It helps to add the chia and the spirulina and then add the milk a little at a time to stir it in. Also, I like to leave it overnight or a few hours before eating so the chia seeds can absorb the milk and the flavors. Mix it again or shake the jar occasionally so the chia seeds don't clump together. For me, I make this in the evening and then stick it in the fridge. Right before bed I go and shake or stir it again and then once more in the morning.