Baked Oatmeal with Cinnamon Apples & Walnuts (Vegan)

This might be my most baked recipe of 2023. I make it every few weeks, eat one serving out of the oven, then freeze the rest in individual portions. I eat it for breakfast or lunch all through the week. It makes for a quick, delicious, healthy meal that is completely satisfying and filling. After baking I drizzle on about a tablespoon of pure maple syrup then top with frozen wild blueberries, fresh blackberries and sliced strawberries. You can add freshly cut apples, diced pears, sprinkle on more walnuts, almonds, a scoop of peanut butter or almond butter, honey, hemp seeds....the combinations are endless. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• ▢ 5 Tbl water
• ▢ 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 Tbl chia seeds
• 2 Tbl hemp seeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/4  teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• ▢ 1 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (I use almond milk)
• ▢ 3/4 cup unsweetened, plain applesauce
• ▢ 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 large apple, diced (I use Honeycrisp)
• ▢ 1/3 cup dried fruit (I like cherries, but you can you Craisins or raisins), optional but amazing
• ▢ 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use a mix of walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds), optional but delicious

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease a 8X8 baking dish with a little coconut oil.

Make your flax eggs by whisking together ground flax seeds and 5 tablespoons of water. Set aside for about 10 minutes while it thickens. 

In a large bowl mix together the oats, chia seeds, hemp seeds, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. 

In a medium bowl mix together the flax egg mixture, applesauce, maple syrup, non-dairy milk and vanilla.  Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to combine. Fold in the diced apples and dried fruit and nuts, if using. 

Pour the oat mixtures into the prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the top. 

Bake for 45 - 50 minutes until cooked through. Let sit in pan for 10 mins before serving. 

At this point you can serve the baked oatmeal or let it cool completely to freeze individual portions of it.*

*I love to freeze this oatmeal in squares (I wrap each serving in plastic wrap first and then foil). I pull out frozen portions and reheat in the oven on 350 for 20 minutes. This makes such an easy breakfast or lunch. 

Stanley Tucci's Pasta e Fagioli

Oh my goodness, this dish is just unbelievably good! I have made it three times in the last three weeks. It is filling, full of flavor, and easy to whip up on crisp Sunday afternoon. Serve it with a small side salad and a loaf of crusty bread and you are all set to go. 

I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com.  It is adapted from Stanley Tucci's family recipe that he has shared with the world in his cookbook. 

Hope you enjoy this meal as much as my family does!

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced 
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained, and rinsed 
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth 
• 2 1/2 (about one 24-ounce jar) marinara sauce 
• 1 Parmesan rind plus 1/2 cup grated Parmesan for serving
• 6 cups stemmed, chopped Tuscan kale
• 1 pound small pasta, such as ditalini
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• crushed red pepper, to taste

Directions: 

• Heat oil in a large pot set over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion and garlic are softened, about 8 minutes.
• Add beans, broth, marinara, and Parmesan rind. Increase heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Season with 2 teaspoons salt. Add kale and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Use tongs to transfer kale to the soup, reserving blanching water. Return water to a boil, add pasta, and cook following package directions. Drain pasta and portion among serving bowls.
• Stir vinegar into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper then ladle over pasta. Garnish with grated Parmesan and crushed red pepper, if using.

Cannellini Beans with Balsamic Onions

This delicious meal from Lazy Cat Kitchen was the perfect dish to serve on a crisp, fall evening. It was so flavorful; the crusty bread paired well with the creamy beans and the balsamic onions - it was perfection! I will make it again and again in the chilly months to follow. Not to mention the whole meal came together in about twenty minutes - incredibly easy. I served this with a side salad and of course, warm crusty bread. This meal fed four of us, but please note my family is made up of small appetites. So if you need to feed more than four people or there are some bigger appetites in the family, you may want to double this recipe. Also, if you eat meat, you can sub out the vegan sausages for regular.

I recently discovered this vegan blog called Lazy Cat Kitchen. Everything I have made from this blogger has been pure gold (she has beautiful pictures, too). This recipe is certainly included in that. I keep going to her blog week after week for inspiration. 

Here is  Lazy Cat Kitchen's recipe word for word:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tbsp / 30-45 ml olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic* cloves, finely diced
• 3 x 400 g / 14 oz cans of cannellini beans*
• 240 ml / 1 cup soy (or other) milk
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup shop-bought onion chutney 
• 2 tbsp / 30 ml quality balsamic
• 2 tsp / 10 ml maple syrup
• 4 vegan sausages* (optional)

Rosemary Oil:

• 80 ml / 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 8 g / 0.3 oz rosemary leaves (from 4 sprigs)

Directions: 

1. Heat up two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan, add diced onion and 5-10 minutes later garlic. Sauté on low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant but not browned.
2. 
   
3. Season with salt and pepper, then add drained beans (squash a portion of the beans with a fork for a creamier texture) and soy milk. Season again.
4. 
   
5. Simmer on low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until creamy and thickened.
6. While the beans are simmering, heat up 1 tsp of olive oil in a heavy skillet. Slice vegan sausages on the diagonal into 1.25 cm / ½” pieces and pan-fry it until lightly charred on all sides.
7. 
   
8. Once sausages are done, remove them from the pan. Add onion chutney, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup to the pan. Season well and simmer for a few minutes until thickened and caramelize.
9. 
   
10. Divide hot beans between bowls. Top with fried sausages, a spoonful of onion chutney sauce and a drizzle of rosemary oil. Enjoy with a slice of crusty bread.

Rosemary Oil:

1. Pick rosemary leaves, cut the hard ends off and chop the leaves into very fine pieces using a herb cutter, sharp knife or a mini food chopper.
2. 
   
3. Heat up olive oil in a small pot until the oil has small ripples on the surface, then take off the heat and throw all of the chopped rosemary in - rosemary should sizzle as it hits the oil but it should not turn brown (this means the oil is too hot - test with only a couple of pieces of rosemary to be sure first). 
4. 
   
5. Transfer to a small jar, and keep on the kitchen counter – use to top cooked beans, soups, pasta and hummus etc.

Vegan Sausage and Peppers Sandwich with Spicy Mustard Sauce

This was a yummy weeknight meal that came together quickly. I made the sauce the day before because I had the time - having the sauce ready made mealtime even easier.  Serve it with chips or fries and a side salad or smoothie. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 vegan sausages (we like Beyond Meat Original Brats)

4 soft hoagie rolls, split

1 onion, sliced thin

2 bell peppers, sliced thin, any color

4 slices of provolone or havarti OR vegan cheese (I like Violife), optional 

1 Tbl olive oil

Sauce:

3 Tbl ketchup

2 Tbl Dijon mustard

2 Tbl water

1 Tbl honey

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp garlic powder 

1/4 tsp onion powder

pinch of red pepper flakes, optional 

Directions:

Add olive oil to a pan oven low-medium heat, depending on your burner. Add sliced onions and sauté for 10 minutes or so, stirring only every four or five minutes. Add thinly sliced bell peppers and continue sautéing for another 10 minutes or so. Turn the heat down to low if the onions begin to burn. 

While the onions and peppers are cooking, make the sausages and the sauce. 

Cook the sausages according to directions on the package (I split mine in half down the middle length wise so they were crisp all over).  

For the sauce - whisk everything together and set aside. 

Toast the split rolls in the oven, if desired. If using cheese add a slice or two to each split roll and continue toasting until the cheese is just melted. Now assemble the sandwiches by adding the bell peppers, onions and sausages. Drizzle with the sauce. Serve with a side salad, and fries or chips. Enjoy! 

Hibiscus Thyme Tea

This tea is so refreshing and delicious. I have been making it all summer long. It is so simple and is full of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties from the thyme, hibiscus tea and raw honey. The freshly squeezed orange juice kicks up the vitamin C and enhances the sweetness. I love this tea so much and truly believe I will be making it even in the cooler months to come. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Large mason jar

Purified water

2 bags of hibiscus tea (I like Traditional Medicinals) 

5-10 fresh thyme sprigs 

2 Tbl of honey, raw and local if you can

2 oranges, juiced

Directions:

Fill 1/3 of a mason jar with hot water (do not fill the whole jar with boiling water as it could crack the glass). Put the honey in the hot water to dissolve it and then add the tea bags and thyme. Let this sit for a few minutes so the tea steeps. Fill the rest of the jar with room temp water. Add the juice from two oranges. Place the lid on top, swirl and put in the fridge. I usually leave this tea in the fridge for a couple hours to let all the ingredients come together. Pour into a glass of ice over a strainer and enjoy! 

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

This chilled soup may be the best gazpacho I have ever eaten! It is full of seasonal flavor especially now that heirloom tomatoes are at their peak taste of the summer.  This recipe is just delicious and comes together quickly in a high speed blender. I recommend chilling in the fridge before eating.  When I saw this recipe online I knew I had to make it ASAP. It comes from the incredible blog The Tasty Apple. 

Here is the blogger's recipe word for word:

INGREDIENTS

4 large heirloom tomatoes, quartered

1 large cucumber, peeled and diced

1 small shallot, peeled and minced

1 large garlic cloves, peeled

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish

1½ teaspoons chili powder

1¼ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Handful of fresh basil leaves

Aleppo pepper, optional, for garnish

METHOD

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Puree until silky smooth and

creamy. Pour into serving bowls and drizzle with additional olive oil and pepper,

if desired. Serve immediately.

Store leftovers in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Sesame Crunch Salad with Mandarin Oranges

This salad is all about the dressing! It is sweet and tangy; it's delicious and takes about five minutes to throw together. There are a lot of ingredients in this salad, true. But it's mostly just raw vegetables...so grab a good knife and start chopping. If you want to add protein, baked tofu or shredded chicken work nicely. To save time I used pre-baked marinated tofu. You could also grab a rotisserie chicken. I haven't tried this, but I think you could put everything into a burrito sized tortilla to turn this salad into a wrap. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

I'm not listing quantities - make this salad as big or as small as you like....the dressing is enough for about five large dinner salads, in my opinion. 

Chopped romaine lettuce

Brown rice, cooked and chilled (I used left over rice - so easy!)

Cucumbers, chopped

Carrots, shredded

Green onion, chopped

Raw button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

Red onion, sliced thin

Green bell pepper, sliced thin or chopped

Mandarin oranges, canned and drained (one can is enough for ~ 4 large salads)

Alfalfa sprouts, rinsed and patted dry

Sliced almonds

Ramen noodles, (I used one package for four salads - threw out the spice packet - just crushed the noodles into pieces and sprinkled over the salad just before serving)

Ripe avocado, sliced

Baked tofu, optional, sliced

Cooked chicken, optional, shredded

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1 Tbl sesame oil

2 Tbl fresh squeezed orange juice (about 1 whole orange - or use juice from canned mandarins)

2 Tbl coconut aminos OR soy sauce (I used coconut aminos)

1 Tbl raw honey

3 Tbl rice vinegar

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbl sesame seeds

Instructions:

Put all dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Shake well. Set aside. 

Add all salad ingredients to a bowl from romaine down to green bell pepper. Toss with as much or as little dressing as you like. Scoop salad into bowls. Top with mandarin oranges, sliced almonds, crushed ramen pieces and any of the other optional ingredients you might be serving. Enjoy!

Spiced Honey Yogurt with Citrus & Pistachios

I made this the other day when I was craving something tart and refreshing. I wasn't sure how citrus would pair with creamy yogurt, but it was a delicious surprise. Also, I liked the spices so much I am now putting cinnamon in my yogurt every time I make myself a parfait (which is often). The pistachios were also a great addition to this healthy snack. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

1 cup thick, plain Greek yogurt

1 Tbp honey or maple syrup

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ginger, or even less 

1/8 tsp cardamom (optional), or even less

1 orange, (I used a Cara Cara), peeled, all pith removed, cut into small pieces

1 container of segmented grapefruits, I like Del Monte - No Sugar Added (found in the refrigerated section of the produce department)

2 Tbl pistachios, chopped

2 Tbl pomegranate seeds, (I also buy these ready to eat in a container found in the refrigerated section of the produce department)

1 Tbl hemp seeds, optional

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl mix Greek yogurt with honey, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom, if using. Place spiced yogurt in a pretty bowl (yes, you are worth it) and add oranges, grapefruits, pomegranate seeds, pistachios and hemp seeds, if using, on top. If you like, add another pinch of cinnamon. Enjoy! 

Spiced Sweet Potato Fries with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

These roasted sweet potato fries are just delicious. All the spices give them maximum flavor. The dipping sauce took me about 5 minutes to throw together and oh my goodness, it takes the fries to another level of yum! Serve these with burgers or sandwiches. They would be incredible on top of a huge dinner salad - and you can use the dipping sauce as the dressing! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 medium/large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium-thick fries

3 Tbl olive oil

2 tsp arrowroot power OR cornstarch

1/2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt (and more to taste)

honey mustard dipping sauce:

2 Tbl tahini

2 Tbl Dijon mustard

2 heaping Tbl honey

juice of one lemon

1 Tbl water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F

Line a baking tray with parchment paper

Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into medium/thick fries. If you have the time, soak the sweet potatoes in room temperature water for 30 min (up to an hour) to draw out the starch (this will give a crispier fry). If you don't have the time, it's okay....proceed. 

While the potatoes are soaking make the spice mixture and the dipping sauce. For the spice mixture add arrowroot powder through salt to a small bowl. Mix. Set aside. 

For the dipping sauce combine tahini, dijon, honey, lemon juice and water in a bowl. Mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside. 

About 10 minutes before the potatoes are ready for roasting, slide the prepared baking pan into the oven to get it nice and hot. This is another step to ensuring your fries come out crispy. 

Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with a clean kitchen cloth. Put them in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with 3 Tbl of olive oil. Use your hands to toss the potatoes with the oil, making sure they are evenly coated. Slowly add the spice mixture and toss to coat. 

Remove hot pan from the oven and add the potatoes one by one to the pan so they are in two even lines. Return pan to the oven and roast for 15 - 20 minutes. At this point, use tongs to flip over each sweet potato. Continue roasting for another 15 - 20 minutes. Now it's up to you on how crispy you like your potatoes. Just keep your eye on them because you don't want them to burn. 

Let the sweet potatoes cool off for 5 minutes or so. Try one and if you think they need more salt, go for it.  Plate them with the dipping sauce on the side. These go great with burgers or a sandwich. They would also be delicious on top of a beautiful salad (and you can use the dipping sauce as the dressing). Enjoy! 

Roasted Sweet Potato Sandwich with Goat Cheese & Walnuts

This unique, vegetarian sandwich is really quite delicious. The flavors and textures compliment each other nicely. I love the crunch from the walnuts, the sweetness from the dried cherries, and the creaminess from the goat cheese.  I absolutely love roasted sweet potatoes. I cut mine fairly thin so that they get a little crispy around the edges as they roast. The crisp lettuce, earthy beets, and crusty, toasted bread all give this sandwich a great taste and texture. Serve with potato chips, and either a smoothie/salad/soup. Easy weeknight dinner. Enjoy!

This recipe makes approximately 3 large sandwiches.

Ingredients:

Loaf of good, crusty bread, cut into sandwich slices (toasted or not, your preference)

1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced into thin rounds (about 1/4" thick)

Drizzle of olive oil and salt & pepper for roasting sweet potatoes

1 or 2 beets, cut into thin slices (I buy "Love Beets" already peeled and ready to eat  <found in the refrigerated vegetable section at the grocery store>. You can also peel and roast beets or use canned beets.)

butter lettuce or spring mix

6 oz plain or flavored goat cheese (I like Vermont Creamery brand), room temperature

handful of dried cherries or Craisins, roughly chopped

handful of walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F

Place sliced sweet potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast sweet potatoes for 20 minutes. Flip the potatoes and roast for another 7 to 10 minutes. When finished set aside. 

While potatoes are roasted make the goat cheese mixture. In a medium size bowl mix the room temperature goat cheese, dried cherries and walnuts until smooth. 

Toast bread, if desired. 

Assemble the sandwiches by spreading a spoonful of goat cheese mixture onto each slice of bread (so each sandwich will have goat cheese on both inside slices). Layer with roasted sweet potatoes, sliced beets, and lettuce. Season with a little salt and pepper if you like. Cut sandwich in half. Serve with a side salad or soup or a fruit smoothie. Add your favorite chips and a pickle. Enjoy!