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Summer Chunky Veggie Dip

Is it a Salad, Dip, or Side Dish? It’s all 3. Perfect for BBQs and picnics.

Shopping List:

Dip:

1 Cup of black beans (can is fine, use low sodium and make sure to rinse beans)

1 Cup of organic frozen fire roasted corn (thawed)

1 Cup of organic frozen edamame (thawed)

½ Cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

½ Cup seeded cucumber, roughly chopped

½ Red onion, diced

1 Small jalapeno, diced (remove seeds for less spicy)

½ Cup of parsley or cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

¼ Cup grain mustard

¼ Champagne vinegar

1 Lime, squeezed

1/3 cup of good olive oil (meaning an olive oil you really like the taste of)

Pinch of salt and dried rosemary

Method:

  1. Place all the ingredients for the dip in a big bowl.
  2. In a separate small bowl whisk all the ingredients for the dressing and adjust seasoning.
  3. Pour dressing over the veggies and gently toss together.
  4. Transfer to a tightly sealed container and store in fridge.

Pro Notes:

  1. Eat this fresh dip with crackers and chips, over a bed of greens, or as a side dish to your favorite protein.
  2. This is also great at room temperature.

 

Enjoy!

 

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Tabbouleh Salad

What is tabbouleh? It’s a yummy, easy, delicious, healthy salad. Originating from Lebanon, the main ingredients are parsley and bulgur wheat (whole grain cracked wheat full of protein and fiber), with other goodness added. This salad is incredibly low calorie and served chilled.

Shopping List:

2 Bunches of parsley, finely cut even stems

½ Cup of bulgur, cooked according to package and cooled

¼ Cup of mint, finely cut

1 Cup of Tomatoes, diced

½ Cup of chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 Cup of cucumbers, diced

2 small cloves of garlic, minced

¼ Cup of green onion

2 Tablespoons of lemon, squeezed

2 Tablespoons of lime, squeezed

2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

½ Teaspoon of course sea salt

Method:

  1. Cook bulgur and let cool completely.
  2. Meanwhile, in a bowl add cucumbers, tomatoes, and salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes, so to bring out the liquid.
  3. Drain well, ridding all the liquid (this will prevent the tabbouleh from being too juicy) and pour in a big bowl.
  4. Add all other ingredients and toss gently.
  5. Taste and adjust seasoning (may need to add a little more salt and olive oil).
  6. Cover and let chill in fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Enjoy!

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Hasselback Potatoes

You are going to love these. Easy, comforting, and goes with everything. Hasselback potatoes…thinly sliced, roasted, and traditional topped with cheese, sour cream, and bacon. My version is 86 the sour cream and bacon and top with parmesan cheese and a drizzle of garlic butter. So Good!

Shopping List:

8 Baby potatoes (I love Yukon potatoes)

1/3 Cup of parmesan cheese (I use Follow Your Heart Brand)

Sprinkle of sea salt

One garlic clove, minced

Spray oil (to spray top for roasting)

¼ Cup of butter, melted (I use Miyokos brand vegan butter)

A few sprigs of parsley for garnish

Method:

  1. Taking one potato at a time, place against a wooden spoon. With a sharp knife thinly slice potatoes going across, allowing the wooden spoon to guide you, so not to cut through the bottom (the bottom of the potatoes should stay in tack).
  2. Place potatoes on a sprayed baking sheet. Spinkle with salt.
  3. Lightly spray the top and roast for 25 minutes.
  4. Remove potatoes and top with parmesan cheese.
  5. Place back in oven for another 5 minutes.
  6. Melt butter and add garlic. Pour over potatoes. Garnish with parsley.
  7. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Raw, Easy, Refreshing. Enjoy this salad as a side dish, snack, or main meal (feel free add a little hemp seeds for added protein).

Make this your go to. You will love it!

Shopping List:

  • 2 Cucumbers, remove seeds (if any), sliced long then cut in half
  • 3 Tomatoes, cut in small to medium chunks or cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 1/4 Cup of red onion, thinly sliced or chopped
  • 5 to 6 Mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 Cup Micro greens (optional) – found in the produce pre-packaged section
  • Squeeze of lime
  • Sprinkle of sea salt

Method:

  1. Place all ingredients, except micro greens in a big bowl.
  2. Toss gently, taste, and adjust seasoning.
  3. Top with micro greens.

Enjoy!

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Quinoa Vegetable “Fried” Rice

What do you do when you have a Chinese fried rice craving? You make this recipe.

It doesn’t matter what food dietary category you practice, this “fried” rice is the bomb! You will make it over and over again. Very versatile because you can use any bite size veggies you like and I add basmati brown rice to mine, but you can leave it out and do all quinoa. It’s up to you. This Quinoa fried rice dish is so satisfying and the best part…you will feel zero guilt about eating it.

Shopping List:

1 and ½ Cups of cooked quinoa.

1/2 Cup of cooked brown basmati rice.

1/4 Cup of frozen peas.

1/4 Cup of chopped onion.

1/4 Cup of shredded carrots.

2 Minced garlic cloves.

2 Tablespoons of liquid aminos (or tamari or low sodium soy sauce).

1 Tablespoon of oil (I use expeller press organic avocado or grapeseed oil)

Method:

  1. In a non-stick fry pan heat oil on medium. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until slightly brown.
  2. Add quinoa and rice.
  3. Spread quinoa and rice around the pan in a single even layer, allowing it to get brown and toasty, (about 7/8 minutes). Toss and spread around pan again (about 3 minutes).
  4. Add garlic and liquid aminos or soy sauce – toss gently.
  5. Add carrots and peas.
  6. Toss again letting the veggies heat through.
  7. Adjust seasoning by adding a touch more sauce (liquid aminos) if needed. Time to eat.
  8. Eat as is or feel free to add tofu, chicken, or seafood.

Enjoy!

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Simple Oven Roasted Fried Potatoes

One of my all-time favorite side dishes. It goes with everything. All the comfort of fried potatoes without the deep oil cooking.

Shopping List

2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks (can also use russet or red potatoes)

¼ Cup of onion, diced

Avocado or grapeseed oil spray

Salt and pepper to taste

A Dash of garlic powder

A Dash of onion powder

Sliced jalapenos (optional)

Method

  1. Heat oven to 405.
  2. Spray the bottom of a parchment lined baking sheet.
  3. Place cut potatoes and onion on sprayed baking sheet.
  4. Spray the top of potatoes generously with spray oil (just to coat the potatoes).
  5. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  6. Roast in oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy (feel free to place under broiled for a minute or 2 for extra crispness).
  7. Sprinkle a touch more salt as soon as it comes out of the oven.
  8. Transfer to a serving platter and top with sliced jalapenos.

Enjoy!

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Onion and Feta Green Beans

I know, I know, the mushroom green bean casserole is a holiday favorite…but it’s not my thing. I love my green beans amazingly simple with a slight crunch. Try this, it’s extremely easy, quick, healthy, and delicious!

Shopping List

I Package of washed and prepped green beans

½ Red onion, sliced thin

1 Clove of garlic, minced

¼ Cup of Feta cheese (regular or vegan)

Sprinkle of sea salt to taste

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

Method

  1. Boil green beans in a pot of water with a sprinkle of salt for 5 mins.
  2. Put cold water in a big bowl. Drain green beans and place in bowl of water to stop the cooking of the beans (this will ensure that the beans keep their beautiful color and not overcook).
  3. Add olive oil to a sauté pan and heat on medium. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes.
  4. Add beans and garlic to the onion and toss for 3 minutes, allowing the beans to get a little color and receive flavor from the garlic, onion, and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
  5. Transfer to a serving platter and top with feta cheese.

Enjoy!

 

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Rainbow Baked Maple Carrots

Beautiful, Delicious, Healthy

Shopping List

1 Package of rainbow baby carrots (found at Trader Joe’s)

2 Tablespoons of real maple syrup

Oil spray

2 Tablespoons of walnuts, chopped

Sprinkle of salt to taste

Method

  1. Parboil carrots by placing carrots in a pot of salted water and boiling for 10 minutes (until the carrots are just fork tender).
  2. Heat oven to 375.
  3. Drain carrots and place on a lined baking sheet. Spray with the spray oil to slightly coat carrots.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with maple syrup. Toss gently.
  5. Place carrots back in oven for another 5 minutes.
  6. Remove and top with chopped walnuts.

Enjoy!

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Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese updated

Still creamy, easy, and delicious. Comfort food at its best!

Shopping List

  • Pasta shells or pasta of choice
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour.
  • 2 Cups of unsweetened plant-based milk (almond, can coconut milk, or soy).
  • ½ Cup of Veggie stock
  • 1/2 a Lime
  • 1 Tablespoon of rainy or Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast
  • ¼ Cup of vegan butter
  • 1 Cup of plant-based cheese, shredded (I use almond, Violife, or Miyoko’s brand cheese), reserve ¼ cup for topping.
  • 1 Cup of panko breadcrumbs for topping
  • 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, divided
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons of chopped parsley
  • 2 Teaspoons of garlic powder
  • 2 Teaspoons of onion powder
  • ½ Cup of chopped spinach (optional)

Instructions: 

  1. Put pasta on to cook. Mince the garlic.
  2. Heat on medium, half the olive oil and vegan butter. Add garlic…sauté until butter has melted.
  3. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 2 minutes.
  4. Slowly whisk the almond milk (or coconut or soy milk) for a few minutes, stirring frequently. May be a little lumpy.
  5. Carefully transfer the sauce to a blender.
  6. Add the juice of the lime, Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, and veggie stock to the blender and season with, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
  7. Blend (be careful contents are hot) until smooth, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  8. Return the sauce to the pan and place over medium-low heat. Bring sauce to a simmer and stir in cheese and whisk gently until melted.
  9. Add in cooked pasta and spinach to the sauce, fold together. Add a touch more milk or stock if too thick. Mixture should be fairly thin – will thicken up during baking.
  10. In a separate small bowl, add panko breadcrumbs, other half of the olive oil, parsley, and a pinch of salt. Mix together. Set aside.
  11. Transfer mac n’ cheese to a buttered baking dish and top with more cheese and panko mixture. Bake on 400 until top is golden brown, about 12 minutes.
  12. Let cool slightly and serve.

Sit back and enjoy!

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Creamy Potato Cakes with Tartar Sauce

The ultimate comfort food…Potatoes. Made into creamy moist patties, lightly fried in light avocado oil. These are crispy, light, and so satisfying. Make extra because the left overs are just as good!

Shopping List:

1 Small Sweet potato, peel, cut, and boil until fork tender.  Dain and let cool

1 Yukon potato, peel, cut, and boil until fork tender. Dain and let cool

1/2 Small onion, chopped

1/2 of a medium red pepper (or any color), chopped

1 Clove of garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon of mayo (regular or vegan, I like Follow Your Heart brand)

1/2 Teaspoon of Dijon mustard

1/2 Lemon, squeezed

1/3 Cup of panko, divided

1/4 Teaspoon of sea salt

1/4 Teaspoon of black pepper

2 Tablespoons of avocado oil (or coconut, grapeseed if preferred)

Shopping list for homemade tartar sauce:

1/4 Cup of mayo (regular or vegan, I like Follow Your Heart brand)

1/4 Cup of dill or sweet pickles, diced

1/4 Lime, squeezed

Hot sauce, 2 shakes (optional)

Method:

  1. Combine the ingredients for the tartar sauce and place in refrigerator to chill.
  2. Place potatoes in a pot with cold water and boil on med high until potatoes are tender. Drain and let cool.
  3. In a small pan, heat oil and add onion and pepper. Sauté veggies for 2 minutes on medium heat, then add garlic. Sauté for another minute.
  4. Pour Potatoes in a big bowl and mash well with either a fork or masher.
  5. Add the veggie mixture to the potatoes along with the mayo, Dijon, lemon, salt, pepper, and 1/2 of the Panko.
  6. Mix with a big spoon, taste, and adjust seasoning.
  7. With clean hands, form patties to desired size and place on a plate (sprayed plate with a little oil so patties don’t stick). Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set.
  8. Heat a large pan with oil (just enough to coat the pan, NOT to deep fry) to medium high heat.
  9. Pour other half of the panko on a plate and gentle dredge potato cakes, coating both sides with the panko.
  10. Let brown on both sides, approximately 5 minutes each side.
  11. Place cakes on a cooling rack to cool slightly. Sprinkle with a little salt.
  12. Top cakes with tartar sauce.
  13. Enjoy with a side salad, brown rice, or a side of lentils.

 

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