Vegan Pumpkin Bread

Vegan Pumpkin Bread

3 c pastry flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1.5 T cinnamon

2 t nutmeg

1 t ginger

1/2 t cardamom

1/2 t allspice

1 t cloves

3/4 c coconut oil

1.5 c coconut sugar

2/3 c applesauce

1 c pumpkin purée

1 t vanilla

3 flax eggs (3 T ground flax seeds mixed with 9 T warm water)

1/4 c loosely chopped pumpkin seeds

Heat oven to 350F. "Grease" two loaf pans with coconut oil. Sift dry ingredients/spices into a large bowl. Whisk sugar and oil together then add in pumpkin, applesauce, flax eggs and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour/spices, mix with a spatula until just combined. Divide batter between the loaves, sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out dry.

Roasted Cauliflower Wings

One of my favorite spicy treats are Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, but sometimes I want them but don't feel like going through the process of battering them. I know, that's not that big of a process, but still. It takes time. So I decided to try them out as regular roasted cauliflower, just a little jazzed up. They were way better than I expected. 

If you prefer your cauliflower soft, don't cook them as long. I still wanted the chewiness of a "wing", that's why I let them roast beyond doneness.

You'll need:

1 head of cauliflower, separated into florets and then cut in half

1.5 c hot sauce

Preheat oven to 450F. Pour the sauce in a bowl, then dip each piece of cauliflower in the sauce, making sure to coat them evenly. Lay the coated pieces on a roasting pan, making sure they have enough space between them to cook evenly. Roast the cauliflower for 10 minutes and then turn each piece over. Be careful, they will be delicate and can fall apart. Brush more sauce on top of each piece before placing the pan back in the oven. Roast for 10-15 more minutes, or until desired texture is achieved. Serve with cashew ranch, it's a match made in heaven. 

Vegan Zuppa Toscana

A few years ago, when I would frequent Olive Garden, I loved ordering the soup and salad combo. It was always a toss up between the Minestrone and Zuppa Toscana. Usually Zuppa Toscana won out, and just recently a thought flickered into my head telling me to recreate the soup. Just a lot healthier and of course, vegan. It was actually really easy to put together, but is definitely not a "healthy" soup. Save this one for when you are feeling indulgent or when you want a really hearty soup that will leave you satisfied.

I chose to use this homemade veggie sausage recipe from Yumuniverse, feel free to use your favorite.

You'll need:

2 c cooked veggie sausage
4 russet or yellow potatoes, cubed
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 c veggie stock
1 c thick nut milk, I used homemade cashew
1/2 package veggie bacon, cooked (optional, but worth it, can use tempeh bacon for a gf option)
5 stalks de-stemmed and roughly chopped fresh kale (spinach would be great, too)
coconut oil for sauteeing

Cook your veggie bacon and sausage (large crumbles) in a large stock pot, seperately in the coconut oil. Set aside. Saute the onion, in the pot, until translucent then add in the garlic and saute for an extra minute. Deglaze the pot with the veggie stock then add in your potatoes. Cook on medium until potatoes are almost tender, then add in the veggie sausage, half of the bacon and the kale. Add in the cashew milk and season with salt and pepper. Once the soup is ladled into bowls, top with the extra veggie bacon. Enjoy! 

Choco-PB Breakfast Cookies

I'm always looking for an easy breakfast for my kids. I usually make double batches of waffles, pancakes or muffins on lazy days but that can get boring.  A few years ago, before we cleaned up our diets, a quick breakfast I would give the kids was a popular, store-bought "breakfast cookie" that I thought looked healthy. I was incredibly wrong. They were full of GMOs, trans fats, artificial colors and flavors, and a whole mess of chemicals. My version of breakfast cookies contain none of that and are made with only 7 ingredients. They're also naturally gluten free. Add the delicious glaze if you feel the need to indulge a bit, they are tasty either way.

Choco-PB Breakfast Cookies

For the cookie

1 c ground oats (can be ground in a food processor, blender or coffee grinder)
1 1/2 c old fashioned oats
1 c nut butter (I used PB)
1/4 c maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt (my favorite is real salt)
3 ripe, smashed bananas 
1/3 c dark chocolate chips 

For the glaze

2 T maple syrup
2 T cacao
1 tsp coconut oil
2 T peanut butter

Preheat your oven to 350F. Mix the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon until combined. Add in the salt, ground and whole oats, stirring until incorporated, then fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon 1/3 c batter onto baking sheet, making large, round cookies, 2-3 inches wide. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on top. (sometimes I broil them on low for a minute to get a golden color on top) 

Let cool on a wire rack before adding the glaze.

To make the glaze, I used a double broiler, added all of the ingredients to the bowl and whisked until combined. Spoon the mixture into a ziploc bag, snip a tiny corner off the bag for piping, and decorate the cookies in whatever pattern you like.

This recipe makes 10 large cookies.

Peary Green Smoothie

This is my kids' favorite smoothie… even though it's green! At first, I just told them that the green came from the pears, until they caught me adding spinach in!

Smoothies are a great way to start your day. You literally just drink your vitamins and your meal. They are my go-to breakfast if we are in a hurry or to take along with us. I just pop an Eco Jarz lid on and off we go. And if, at the end of the day, I feel like I haven't had enough nutrients, I'll make a quick smoothie before bed or even as dinner (an extra large one!)

This smoothie is very, very simple. 

You'll need…

1 pear, cored
2 c fresh spinach
1 frozen banana
1/2-1 c nut milk

Blend nut milk and spinach until smooth. Add in the pear and banana, and blend until smooth. Drink up!

Veggie Pizza with a Bonus!

Happy National Cheese Pizza Day! Somehow, that sounds weird saying. You know, because I don't eat "real" cheese. And I don't miss it. Although, it was the hardest and last thing I gave up in pursuing a vegan, plant-based lifestyle. But I don't miss what it represents or how it made me feel after I ate it. Blech. 

Anywho, I AM a lover of all things cashew. Especially cashew cheese. And today, I have a recipe and pictures that will make you love it, too. If you haven't already tried it. 

Have you ever seen Despicable Me? It's an adorable and hilarious movie that my kids love. Honestly, I love it, too. We don't watch much TV, but I'll sit down to watch it with them if they ask. So, as a result, I have a lot of the lines memorized. Like, one from this scene…

So, now every time the kids get sassy with me, for some reason, I've been saying, "I'll stuff you all in the crust!" Well, after one such incident, my husband and I looked at each other and said, "OOOhhhhh, stuffed crust!" And I knew, it had to be done. 

And it was a success. I stuffed that crust full of cashew cheese, rolled the sides up and sealed it. Super easy. And then I topped it with vegan, Italian Field Roast Sausage, and made it sinful.

BUT, I had to redeem my veggie-loving self, with something a bit healthier. So I made this:

And it was just as amazing, if not better. 

For the pizza crust, I adapted this recipe to fit my needs. I doubled it for the two pizzas. 

This recipe is for ONE crust.

1 tsp coconut sugar

1 1/2 c warm water

1 Tbsp active dry yeast

1 Tbsp coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder, optional

1 tsp onion powder, optional

3 1/2 c sprouted wheat flour (doesn't have to be sprouted)

Preheat your oven to 425*. Add the sugar to a large bowl and pour warm water over. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over and wait around 5 minutes, until it starts to bubble. Then add in the oil, salt and spices. Then add in the flour 1/2 c at a time. Once your dough gets thick, take it out of the bowl and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Oil a large bowl, preferably glass, and place the dough ball in it. Cover the bowl with a warm, wet dish towel and place in a warm space for an hour. After the dough has risen, punch it down and knead into a ball again. Place a newly warm, wet dish towel over the bowl for another hour. The double rise is key for the whole wheat crust, at least in my experience with this recipe. Now you can roll out your dough onto a floured surface into whatever shape you like.

For the sauce. I made two and then combined them. I made a simple marinara and a spreadable cashew cheese.

For the marinara:

4 c chopped tomatoes

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp sage

1 Tbsp chopped basil

salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil, in a large pan, until translucent. Add in the tomatoes. let simmer for 30 minutes, to thicken. Then add in the spices. 

For the cashew cheese:

1 c raw cashews, soaked for a few hours, then rinsed

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

2 Tbsp basil, chopped

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 cloves of garlic

1/4-1/2 c water

Combine all of the ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add more water, if needed.

To assemble the pizza, roll out your dough into your desired shape. Poke the crust a few times with a fork. Mix the marinara and cashew cheese together, if desired. Spread out onto the dough. Or just layer them. Then start adding toppings. I added yellow squash, heirloom tomatoes, red and green peppers, portabella mushrooms, red onions and jalapenos. Bake at 425* for 15-20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink Energy Bites

I'll admit it. I trick my kids into eating healthier than they think they are. I sneak ingredients that they try to avoid into EVERYTHING. My oldest hates nuts but eats them all of the time. They think all of my seeds are weird, yet they love them in a smoothie or muffin. They also love anything bite-sized. So I jam-packed these bites with healthy and satisfying plant-strong goodies. 

It took me under 20 minutes to make these, and will take around an hour in the fridge to set. They travel very well, and you can change up the ingredients to cater to your craving or what you have on hand.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink Energy Bites

You'll need…

2 cups rolled oats
1 c nut butter ( I used almond and peanut)
1/4 c maple syrup or coconut nectar 

1/4 c seeds, I used sesame, chia, ground flax and pumpkin
1/4 c homemade or store bought chocolate hazelnut spread
1/4 c dried cranberries
1/4 c raisins
1/4 c dark chocolate chips
1/4 c chopped nuts, I used almonds

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. I'll be honest, I just used my hands, it was easier but messier. With semi-wet hands, roll dough into 1 inch balls. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Baked Gluten-Free Falafel

When my husband lived in Turkey, he picked up a fondness for falafel. Falafel wasn't really in my meal rotation… until I made these. They are a healthier version of traditional, but just as tasty. And they were a hit with the whole family! I made a tzatziki sauce to drizzle on top I just switched coconut yogurt for the greek). I also topped them with a salad of tomato, cucumber, lemon juice, salt and pepper. We used bibb and romaine lettuce along with pitas to wrap the falafel in. 

You can find the recipe for the Quinoa and Kale Salad here (pictured below)

Baked Gluten-Free Falafel

You'll need...


3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 cups soaked overnight
3 Tbsp chickpea or brown rice flour
1 Tbsp cumin
1/4 c chopped parsley
1 tsp coriander
1 small onion
4 garlic cloves
5 green onions
salt and pepper to taste

Let's get started!

Preheat your oven to 375*. Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor until it becomes a thick paste. Remove and scoop into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and pulse until a paste forms. Mix thoroughly with the chickpeas. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and press flat to make a disc. Lay onto a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, flipping once, or until both sides are brown. Makes around 25.

Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers

I found some beautiful poblano peppers at my local co-op and couldn't just chop them up as a flavoring for a another dish. I wanted this dish to be a bit more colorful so I grabbed some red bells to add to the mix, but any color would work. You could use any rice or bean in this, and add more spices if you want. My kids loved the stuffing for this, it would be perfect to stuff a squash with, too.

(before they went in the oven)

Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers

You'll need...

2 poblano peppers and 2 whole red bell peppers, cut in half, seeded and boiled in salt water for 3-4 minutes

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Tbsp coconut oil or evoo

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 c water

2 cups cooked beans (I used Great Northern and Black)

2 cups cooked wild rice

Let's get started!

Preheat your oven to 350. Prepare your peppers and lay them in a casserole dish. Saute chopped veggies and spices. Add the beans and water and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the rice to your bean mixture. Scoop mixture into pepper halves. Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges of the peppers start to brown. I served mine with guacamole. 

Black Bean Burgers

I love these "burgers", they are simple and easy to make, no fancy equipment needed. We have them a couple times a month. Also, they are baked, so I'm not stuck standing in front of the stove all night. I usually make a double batch so that I can freeze half for a busy night. Although I don't love to turn my oven on very often in the summer, these are worth it. They are a crowd pleaser in my house, even my picky guy scarfs them down. I'll add additional spices once I have patties formed, like crushed red pepper or cumin. These are easily gluten-free, just leave out the bread!

Or add bread and BBQ sauce, like my hubby did.

Black Bean Burgers

You'll need...

3 cups cooked black beans (I just soak mine overnight and then toss them in the crockpot, but if you use canned make sure the lining is BPA-free)

1/4 c ground flax seed mixed with 1/2 c hot water (to make flax seed "egg")

1 white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp oil (I used coconut, but evoo would be fine)

salt and pepper to taste

Let's get started!

Preheat your oven to 425*. Saute the veggies in the oil, until soft. Meanwhile, mash the beans with your hands until mushy, but there are still some whole beans left. Add in the cooked veggies, salt and pepper. Mix in the flax egg, and then form your patties. May use coconut oil  to "grease" a cookie sheet, then place your patties on it. Bake for 45 minutes, flipping once. Your cooking time may differ depending on how big your patties are. They'll be done when both sides are brown, but don't overcook or the beans will be crunchy. I made ten out of this batch.

Amazingly Good Black Bean Brownies

I love a good brownie. Especially one that's packed full of protein, no refined sugars and is gluten-free. I know these may sound odd, but they are amazing! I made these pretty simple, but you could jazz up the flavor profile by adding cinnamon, walnuts or pecans, a little espresso powder or even cayenne… or a little powdered sugar. ;) These would also be amazing with my vanilla-banana Ice "cream". 

Black Bean Brownies

You'll need… 

2 c cooked black beans
3/4 c coconut sugar (or maple syrup/coconut nectar)
1/2 c cacao or cocoa powder
1/2 c oat flour (preferably soaked for a few hours and rinsed, and GF)***
3/4 c nut milk
1 tsp vanilla bean powder or extract
1/2 c applesauce
1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 c chocolate chips (optional topping)

*you can grind rolled oats into a flour in your blender 

Lets get started!

Preheat your oven to 350*. "Grease" a medium sized baking dish with coconut oil. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until smooth (around 5 minutes). Pour mixture into prepared dish. Top with chocolate chips. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. 

Easy White Bean Hummus

I like to make a batch of hummus weekly. We use it in wraps, sandwiches, as a pizza sauce, or as a dip for veggies. This recipe can be made with any white bean or chickpeas. 

Easy White Bean Hummus

You'll need...

1 1/2 c cooked white beans

1 garlic clove

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp chopped basil

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp cayenne

Let's get started!

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Add more evoo, if you'd like. Also, feel free to add more or fewer spices, I happen to LOVE cumin, so I add a lot.