Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Okay, you need to put this recipe on your to-make list ASAP. No really, you are going to want to make this immediately. It’s just delicious! I made a loaf of it today and was intending to bring it to my art class friends to enjoy, but well, we ate the entire loaf this evening. So….good thing I have three more super ripe bananas sitting on the counter because I have to make it again tomorrow. 

It is so chocolatey, so moist, so melt-in-your-mouth-you-absolutely-must-have-a-glass-of-cold-milk (or almond milk!) to follow it with. I know you’ll love it, too. It is an absolute banana bread hit. Enjoy! 

PS It’s vegan. 

PPS If you don’t want it to be use real butter and a real egg. Easy swaps. 

Ingredients:

4 Tbl plant butter (I use Country Crock with Avocado Oil or Earth Balance) OR regular butter, melted

4 Tbl canola oil OR 1/3 cup applesauce

3 very ripe bananas, smashed well

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 flax egg OR 1 regular egg (flax egg = 1 Tbl ground flax seed + 2 Tbl water, let sit 10 min)

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon  

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup spelt flour OR all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, SIFTED

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life), divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Make the flax egg and let it sit for 10 min. 

Prepare a loaf pan by lightly oiling it and then placing a piece of cut parchment paper inside and over the edge (this makes removing the loaf very easy once the bread has cooled). 

Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl for 30 - 40 seconds. Let cool slightly. Add the canola oil, stir. Smash the bananas into the melted butter and oil. Really smash them well. Add the brown sugar then flax egg, stir. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir. Add the flour. Sift the unsweetened cocoa powder into the bowl. Please don't skip this step. You do not want little hard clumps of cocoa powder in your banana bread. Finally add 1/2 cup of the mini chocolate chips. 

Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on top of the batter. Bake for 52-58 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cooked bread comes out clean. 

Enjoy! 

Banana Coconut "Samoas" Cookies

This is one of those recipes where SO easy meets SO delicious!  I honestly don't know how these cookies are THIS tasty because they require so little effort! HA! My mother sent me this recipe she saw on social media and I thought, "I'll give these a try and I'm sure they are going to be very mediocre." As you already know, they turned out to be incredible. They are naturally gluten free and naturally vegan (as long as you use vegan chocolate chips). 

I have made these three times in a week - and each time I have shared them with friends. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas, smashed very smooth

2 cups of unsweetened coconut shreds (with coconut as the ONLY ingredient)

1 - 2 Tbl of pure maple syrup 

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use Hu or Enjoy Life bc they are vegan, but you can use any kind of chocolate you like)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix smashed banana, maple syrup and coconut in a bowl. Once fully combined, place tablespoon sized scoops onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Use your hands (you can lightly wet them to prevent sticking) to shape each cookie into a disk. Use a straw or chopstick to make a little hole in the middle of each disk. Make sure to not break the disk. 

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let fully cool. Once the cookies are cooled, release them from their place on the parchment (to prevent sticking once the chocolate has cooled). Using a microwave safe glass bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for 60 seconds. Remove and stir. Heat again for another 30 seconds. This always works perfectly for me - the chocolate is nice and smooth after this point. If yours still isn't fully melted you can try again for 10 seconds and stir. 

Drizzle the chocolate over each Samoas cookie. Let the chocolate cool and harden. I find it works best if I transfer the sheet pan to the fridge. After the chocolate is set - enjoy! 

The BEST Creamy Mushroom Soup

Oh my! This mushroom soup is absolutely delicious! I stand by this statement - it is every bit as good as any mushroom soup I have ever had served to me in a restaurant - just wow! Oh and! It's vegan. Don't be afraid of this word....it just means there is no dairy in it! How did I get it so creamy? A high powered blender and some cashews! Now I did use some very gorgeous and fresh oysters mushrooms that I got from my mushroom guy at the farmer's market yesterday ....yes, I have a mushroom guy! His mushrooms have kinda ruined me from most of the store bought mushrooms. They are just so fresh and flavorful! If you have the chance to get some local wood oysters mushrooms for this recipe then please do so - it is worth it! I didn't take a photo of the ones I used in this - but I do have a photo from a past mushroom haul (see below) - they are so pretty that sometimes I don't want to cut them! Also, I have bought packs of wild mushroom mixes at Whole Foods before and they are pretty good too. I would use any of these or a mix - oyster, cremini and shiitake, if you can find them. 

I served this with a big green salad and fresh sourdough bread that I also bought at the farmer's market. 

Enjoy! 

*This recipe makes enough for two dinner-sized bowls of soup or 4 smaller cups of soup. 

Ingredients:

I large yellow onion, peeled and diced 

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbl olive oil

16 oz high quality mushrooms, I prefer wood oysters, but a mix of oysters, cremini and shiitake will do, stems removed and roughly chopped

1 Tbl aged sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar + 1/4 cup water or broth

4 cups of broth (I use Better than Bouillon vegetable base)

10 sprigs of fresh thyme

1/2 cup cashews, raw and unsalted 

1 Tbl white miso paste 

1/2 tsp dijon mustard 

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

As always, I water sauté my onions. Put about 1/4 cup of water into a large soup pan over low heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 12 minutes to get the onion soft. If the water dries out as it's cooking add a little more, a tablespoon at a time. Add chopped garlic to the onion and a little more water, if needed, and saute another 3 -5 minutes, make sure the garlic doesn't burn. Scoop out the onion and garlic mixture and put it in a little dish while you sauté the mushrooms. Make sure all the water in the pot has cooked off. Add one or two tablespoons of olive oil to the soup pot and add the roughly chopped mushrooms. Give a little stir and add a pinch of salt. Let them cook for about 5 or 6 minutes undisturbed. Give them a good stir. Let them cook another minute or so.  

At this point the mushrooms will start to stick a little to the pan. Pour in the vinegar and 1/4 cup of water to deglaze the pan, loosening up all the brown bits. Stir well and add back in the onion and garlic mixture. Add the broth to the pan and about 10 sprigs of fresh thyme. Please don't omit the fresh thyme - it brings so much flavor to this soup! Let it come to a simmer and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring every now and then.  

Okay so while your soup is simmering, grab your high power blender, I have a Vitamix. If your blender isn't super strong then you can soak the cashews in really hot water for an hour or two to soften them. Place 1/2 cup of cashews, 1 Tbl white miso paste and 1/2 tsp of dijon in the blender. Add half of your soup to the blender- but NOT the thyme sprigs- leave them in or discard the stems (the little leaves will have fallen off into the soup). The soup is going to be very hot, so make sure your blender's hole at the top is open a bit (covered with a clean kitchen towel) to let the steam escape while it blends. After it is nice and creamy, add that back to the rest of the soup. If you feel like the soup is too thick, feel free to add another cup or so to the pot. I did! And now you can carefully taste it and see if it needs a little more salt and pepper. 

Serve with fresh crusty bread and a beautiful side salad. Enjoy!  

I did not use lion's mane or chestnut in my soup (the mushrooms on the left)....just the oysters on the right. But I wanted to share this picture of how beautiful mushrooms from the farmer's market are! And how lovely they can make this soup! 

Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Chocolate and cherry has always been a favorite combo of mine and these cookies did not disappoint. The addition of the espresso powder really deepens the richness of the chocolate flavor - so if you have some, try it! If not, they will still taste great. 

I made my cookies with all vegan ingredients. I have not made them the other way, but I am assuming they will also turn out great. I listed both vegan and regular ingredients for you. You're welcome. Enjoy! 

• 1 cup butter OR vegan butter (for vegan butter I like Country Crock with Avocado Oil or Earth Balance)
• 1 1/2 cups of white sugar
• 2 eggs OR 2 flax "eggs" (2 Tbl ground flax + 5 Tbl water, wait 10 min to firm up)
• 1/4 cup milk OR plant milk (I used oat milk, but almond, rice or soy would be fine)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp espresso powder (optional, but this gives a really rich flavor to the cookies)
• 3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or you can use GF flour, if you like. I prefer King Arthur GF flour)
• 1 cup dried cherries (not craisins)
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (for vegan I like Enjoy Life or Trader Joe's makes a great vegan chocolate chip)

Preheat oven to 350F 

*If you are making flax "eggs" make them now so they have time to set. In a small bowl combine 2 Tbl ground flaxseed with 5 Tbl water. Let that sit for about 10 minutes to firm. 

In a large mixing bowl combine softened butter (or vegan butter) and sugar. Add eggs (or flax "eggs") and mix. Next add the milk (or plant milk) and vanilla extract. If using espresso powder, add now. Carefully add the unsweetened cocoa powder - stir slowly to incorporate - it can get messy! Add baking soda, salt and flour. Mix well. Finally fold in the dried cherries and chocolate chips. 

If you have time chill the dough in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes. Trust me on this. Chilling the dough enhances the flavor, creates a better texture and keeps the cookies from spreading too much. 

When ready, scoop cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 9 - 11 minutes. I usually bake my cookies on the lower end of the suggested time. Also check around 8 minutes  - everyone's oven is different and cookies continue to firm up on the hot baking sheet even after they have been out of the oven.

Enjoy! 

Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Vegan!)

I love zucchini bread ALMOST as much as I love banana bread. And since I am still getting zucchinis from my crop share I decided I would make zucchini cake. What's the difference between zucchini bread and cake? Nothing really. But instead of baking it in a loaf pan, I put it in an 8X8 square pan, added some vegan cream cheese frosting and called it "cake" - WHY not!? It was delicious and very moist - anyone who knows me knows I abhor a dry cake/muffin/bread. If you make any dessert from my blog you can be certain it won't be dry....I don't do dry baked goods- total buzz kill. 

I am always a bit nervous when I label something as "vegan" because I am afraid it turns people off, like it won't taste as good as the OG. I am telling you all, I share my baked goods with friends, co-workers, kids' friends, etc, all the time and no one can ever tell that my sweets don't have eggs or dairy. If you are nervous about it, you can always use the real thing. For instance, I use vegan cream cheese and vegan butter in the frosting - if that's not your jam, then use dairy cream cheese and real butter. 

*Also, I never buy buttermilk, vegan or otherwise... I always just make it at home. Did you know you can make buttermilk using only two ingredients? Any type of milk or plant milk, and a bit of vinegar. That's it! I used to buy buttermilk for recipes - I hated having to buy a whole carton of it when I only needed 1/2 cup. So I figured out if you put 1 Tbl of vinegar into 1 cup of milk/plant milk and let it sit for 10 minutes, you have buttermilk! Boom! 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (150 g) shredded zucchini, patted dry
• 1/2 cup (120 mL) vegan buttermilk* (1/2 cup plant milk + 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup spelt flour (you can just sub another cup of all purpose flour if you don't have spelt)
• 1 Tbl cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger 
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup (80 g) avocado oil or canola oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

5 oz vegan cream cheese (I like Oatly, Violife or Trader Joe's vegan cream cheese) room temperature

4 Tbl vegan butter (I like Country Crock with Avocado Oil, Earth Balance or Violife brands for baking), room temperature

1 1/2  cups sifted powdered sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbl plant milk (I like full fat Oatly for baking, but any plant milk will do)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Grease an 8X8 inch pan and line it with parchment paper - so that the edges are hanging over a bit. This makes it super easy to remove the cake from the pan. 

Make the vegan buttermilk in a small bowl by mixing the plant milk and the apple cider vinegar together. Give a little stir and set aside for 10 minutes. 

Shred the zucchini and pat it dry with some paper towels. This will take up any excess moisture. 

In a large mixing bowl add the flours, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together.  Add the shredded zucchini and stir to incorporate. 

In a separate smaller bowl combine the applesauce, avocado oil, vanilla and vegan buttermilk you made earlier. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir. 

Put zucchini cake mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 42-45 minutes (mine came out perfectly at 44 minutes). Remove from the oven and let sit for a good hour before icing. 

 

To make the icing use a handheld mixer to whisk the room temperature vegan cream cheese and room temperature vegan butter together. Add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla and plant milk. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Once the cake is thoroughly cooled down frost it in the pan. I like to put the whole frosted cake into the refrigerator for an hour to let the icing set. You don't have to do this but I find it is much easier to cut when everything has chilled. Removed the cake from the pan using the parchment hangover. Place on a cutting board and cut cake into squares and enjoy! 

Strawberry Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

I totally have a thing for Rice Krispie Treats. I just love the combination of crunchy cereal with gooey marshmallows. Even though I adore marshmallows, I stopped eating them years ago because they aren't vegetarian (insert sad face). When I discovered Dandies Marshmallows (which are vegetarian/vegan) my sweets/baking world became full again. I can enjoy s'mores and Rice Krispies now (and I won't lie, I indulge often). Dandies are a little slower to melt than regular marshmallows, but they get there eventually....and I would bet that most people cannot even tell the difference in texture and flavor. So if you are vegan or vegetarian check Dandies out! You can easily find them at Whole Foods and other health food stores. Enjoy this fun take on a Rice Krispie treat! 

Ingredients:

1 stick of vegan butter OR regular butter

2 - 10oz packages of Dandie's Vegan Marshmallows (you can use regular marshmallows if you eat animal products)

1/2 cup sweetened condensed coconut OR sweetened condensed oat milk (you can use regular milk if not vegan)

1 tsp vanilla extract

9 cups of Rice Krispies or puffed brown rice cereal of your choice

1.2 oz package of freeze dried strawberries (I find these easily at Trader Joe's. It is roughly 1 1/3 cup - you don't have to be precise on these), slightly crushed 

3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips, melted 

Directions: 

Line a 9×13-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.  Leave some of the paper hanging over the edges. 

In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add marshmallows, then stir together just until the marshmallows are melted through. Vegan marshmallows melt more slowly than regular marshmallows, so be patient and take your time....it seems at first like they won't melt and come together, but they will, I promise.

Once the marshmallows are melted and smooth, remove from heat.  Stir in the sweetened condensed coconut milk, and vanilla extract. Add rice krispie cereal to the pot - just add a couple cups at a time. Gently fold together, making sure the cereal is evenly coated.  Add 1 cup lightly crushed freeze-dried strawberries and stir together until combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.  I like to take a square of parchment and use it to smooth the Krispies down so they are flat and even. Give this a try - it works really well for me. 

In a small bowl, add chocolate chips. Microwave for one minute. Remove from microwave and stir. If the chips are melted, go for another 30 seconds. Again, remove and stir. You want the chips to be totally smooth. If they still are not at this point, try another 15 seconds. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the rice krispie treats. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberries on top.

Set aside to cool for one hour or so. I like to put mine in the refrigerator to set the chocolate more quickly. Also, when they are slightly cold it makes them easier to cut into squares. Enjoy!! YUM! 

Coconut Macaroons

I saw this vegan and gluten free coconut macaroon recipe on Meghan Markle's Netflix series called With Love, Meghan. I was surprised at how easy they are to make and yet they seem really fancy and taste very decadent. I have made them a handful of times in the last month with great reception from all whom have tried them. I feel like going into the holidays I will be making them many more times to come. 

Do you have a little milk frother for making lattes? I got one years ago on Amazon for $10. And even though I don't drink coffee or lattes, I find myself using that little frother all the time when baking. It makes whipping aquafaba a complete breeze (life changing if you want to make vegan merengues). It almost feels like magic watching the chickpea liquid quickly transform into fluffy white clouds in a matter of seconds with the frother! I highly suggest getting one if you don't have one already. If you have a frother to whip the aquafaba I would rate this recipe a 0 out of 10 for skill level!  

Ingredients:

1/4 cup aquafaba, whisked until foamy (I used a little handheld milk frother)

7oz can of sweetened condensed coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups of unsweetened desiccated coconut

1 cup dark chocolate (I use Enjoy Life vegan/GF/nut-free chips)

1 tsp coconut oil

Preheat over to 350F

Whisk 1/4 cup of aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) until foamy. You can whisk them by hand, but I find it as simple as can be to use a little handheld milk frother. Once your aquafaba has double in size, add the sweetened condensed coconut milk (you can find this at most health food stores like Whole Foods) and vanilla. Stir. Add the salt and unsweetened desiccated coconut. Stir to combine. Use a cookie scoop to form little mounds of the coconut mixture and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. I use my hands to make each scoop neat and tidy. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden brown (these burn easily so keep an eye on them at around 15 minutes). 

Remove from oven and let them cool completely. 

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe dish for 1 minute. Give it a good stir. Place back in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. If it isn't quite smooth you can do another 15 seconds. Give it another good stir until smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled macaroons. You can place them in the fridge to let the chocolate harden a little. Enjoy!  

Seeds & Sprouts Open Sandwich

I have been making this VERY quick and tasty sandwich for months now. It is so easy (and healthy and filling) I really had to share it. Sometimes I debate on whether or not a recipe is interesting or complex or special enough to blog.....and maybe this is too simple, but who doesn't want some simple in their lives? So here it is. If you ever wonder what I eat on repeat for lunch - it's a version of this sandwich.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

Good bread of your choosing - I love the homemade sourdough I get weekly from our local farmer's market. But I also like this with Ezekiel bread

Your favorite hummus- I like Perfect Pita, Little Sesame, Cava or Ithaca

Pumpkin seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Alphalfa sprouts or micro greens (I get the BEST micro greens at our local farmer's market)

Mini cucumber, sliced thin

Watermelon radish, sliced thin (totally optional!)

Balsamic Glaze for a drizzle on top

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Toast your bread to your desired crip level. Spread with hummus. Layer sliced cucumbers (and radishes, if using) on top of hummus. Sprinkle with seeds and sprouts. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and a grind or two of salt and pepper. That's it! 

Weeknight Taco Soup

I made this the other night for dinner and it was a huge hit! My daughter just loved it and asked me to make again soon. Win! I made ours with Impossible Meat (just as a side note, we prefer Impossible GROUND Beef over all other vegan ground beef brands we have tried).....but I have no doubt this would be incredible with real beef if your family eats meat. 

I was going to serve this soup without blending, but my daughter asked me to blend it for just her....when I tried I was like, oh, this is really yummy blended - the beans made it creamy and thick....so I decided to blend the entire pot before adding the toppings. You can do as you wish. I think it is good both ways. 

Also, please cook the meat/Impossible meat in a separate pan and add it to the soup just before serving as a topping - it really gives a good texture this way! 

I served this soup with some vegan tamales we got at the farmer's market this weekend, but I think a side salad would also be a great way to round out the meal. Enjoy! 

This recipe makes enough for 3 dinner sized portions. Double if needed. 

Ingredients:

1 Tbl olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small jalapeno, minced & seeded (keep seeds if you want more spice)

1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 cup canned tomato sauce

1/3 cup smooth salsa

2 cup beef broth *I used "Better Than Bouillon" No Beef Base

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

15oz can black beans, drained

14 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1 Tbl pure maple syrup, optional 

1 lb ground beef OR 12 oz ground IMPOSSIBLE meat *I made this soup with IMPOSSIBLE meat

Topping Ideas:

Cheese or Vegan Cheese

Sour cream or Vegan Sour Cream

Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips

Ripe avocado, cubed

Fresh red onion or pickled onions

Fresh or pickled jalapeños

Roasted corn 

Directions:

Add oil to a large soup pot over low heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for 10 minutes to soften. Stir the onions frequently. If the onions start sticking to the pan you can deglaze them with a little bit of water or broth. I usually add a tablespoon of water every couple of minutes to prevent over browning.  Next add the chopped bell peppers and jalapeños. Again, add water as needed and cook them for about five minutes. Add the chopped garlic along with some water and saute for a minute or two - do NOT let the garlic burn. 

Add the broth, 1 cup of tomato sauce and salsa, stir. Add the spices and salt; stir.  Add the drained black beans, fire roasted tomatoes and maple syrup, if using. Bring soup to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes over low heat to let all the flavors come together. 

While the soup is cooking grab a skillet and cook the ground beef or IMPOSSIBLE meat. Add a little salt if you like. Set aside when finished. 

For my tortilla strips I cut a large tortilla into thin strips and cook them in a separate skillet for about one minute on each side - just to crisp them up. You can skip this step if you're using tortilla chips, but I really like the texture of the homemade strips and it takes about 3 minutes!

Okay, back to the soup. When the soup has simmered for about 20 minutes, turn off the heat and give it a try. If you like the chunky texture, you're good to go. If you would like a more creamy soup, then you can blend it up in a high powered blender or use an immersion blender. You might like the texture a little in between - it's up to you! 

Now it is time to assemble your taco soup. Ladle the soup into bowls and then add the cooked ground beef, cheese, avocado slices, sour cream, tortilla strips, etc. Everyone can make their bowl just how they enjoy it best.

Chocolate Cherry Granola

If you have followed my blog for a time you already know cherries and chocolate are one of my favorite flavor combinations - they are just SO good together. I wanted to make a nut-free/oil-free granola that still felt decadent....and here it is. Lightly sweet, full of crunch, no oil.....delicious on its own or with yogurt and fruit. Enjoy! 

**When I make granola from scratch I do not like to bake the dried fruit with the oat mixture because I think it makes the fruit hard. So I just add it after everything has been baked and cooled. If you do this the cherries will stay soft and chewy. 

Ingredients:

4 cups rolled oats (GF certified if gluten free)

1 cup pepitas 

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup sunbutter (you can also use peanut or almond butter if you prefer)

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup dried cherries

1 cup mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life bc they are dairy free)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F

Mix rolled oats, pepitas, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a bowl. 

In a separate bowl combine sunbutter, maple syrup and vanilla extract; mix well. 

Pour the sunbutter mixture on top of the oat mix and stir well to combine. 

Pour the granola mixture onto a large parchment lined cookie sheet. Spread evenly. 

Bake for 20 minutes; check and stir after 15 minute to prevent over browning. 

Remove granola from oven and let sit until completely cool, around 30 minutes. 

Add the dried cherries and chocolate chips, stir to combine. 

Store granola in a large mason jar with a tight fitting lid or a ziplock gallon sized bag. 

Enjoy with yogurt and fruit, on top of smoothie bowls, with plant milk or just by the handful! 

Heirloom Tomato Flatbread with Goat Cheese & Balsamic Drizzle

At the moment we have such an abundance of delicious, juicy heirloom tomatoes from our crop share sitting on our counter. I have been making tomato dishes every night and our salads have been overflowing with them. I found the idea for this recipe online and decided to make it myself, putting my own vegan twist on it. I used vegan Violife feta cheese in place of goat's cheese and wow was it good! Everyone loved this meal - the only problem was we all could have done with an extra piece. So, make more if you are feeding a bigger family or if you just have bigger eaters. This isn't a recipe, just more of a suggestion when it comes to quantities - I didn't measure anything and neither should you. I don't think you can go wrong with these flatbreads. Also, I only used half the jar of onion jam (I found this close to the cheese/charcuterie board section at the grocery). I have another recipe planned for the rest of the onion jam - stay tuned! Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 2 large store-bought flatbreads, about 14X5 
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• ½ cup onion jam
• 2 shallots, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 5 heirloom tomatoes, sliced thin
• 4 oz Goat cheese OR vegan feta (I used Violife)
• Flakey sea salt (I used Maldon)
• Fresh basil leaves, sliced thin
• Balsamic glaze, for drizzling

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400F

My number one tip for this flatbread is to slice the tomatoes and let them sit on a few sheets of paper towels for at least 20 minutes to drain any excess water from the tomatoes. This keeps the crust from getting soggy. I actually sliced my tomatoes and let them sit on paper towels for about 90 minutes before I assembled the flatbread. There was zero liquid on the pizza when we ate it - it worked! 

While the tomatoes are sitting, place the readymade flatbreads on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil (maybe 1/2 tsp per flatbread). Place in the preheated oven for about 5 min to par-bake the flatbread a little. 

Remove the flatbreads from the oven and spread about 1/4 cup of onion jam on each flatbread. You can't go wrong here - if you want a sweeter, more jammy pizza, add more. Remember the measurements are only suggestions. Next add crumbled goat cheese. Again, use as much or as little as you like. 

Layer the tomatoes on top of the goat cheese, then evenly layer the thinly sliced shallots. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Just watch your crust as you don't want it to get to crispy or burn. 

Remove cooked flatbread from the oven and sprinkle with a good flakey sea salt. I love Maldon finishing salt and put it on everything from chocolate chip cookies to avocado toast. A box will last you a long time and it will elevate all your salty needs! Okay, so after the salt, crumble a little more goat cheese/vegan feta on top. Sprinkle sliced basil. Cut into slices and serve with balsamic glaze, if you like (which I do!). 

I served this with a large garden salad, which of course had MORE tomatoes on it! Enjoy! 

Creamy Beany Salad Dressing

Oh goodness this salad dressing is SO yummy! I had some leftover canned beans in the fridge and I was remembering the hummus salad dressing I posted earlier this summer. I thought, "Why not, let's see if this works for a dressing!" And it definitely worked! The oat milk gives the dressing a creamy texture, the lemon gives it a nice little zing, and the nutritional yeast bring in the saltiness. There is no oil in this dressing - you don't need it and you won't miss it! 

Double the recipe if you want to use it on multiple salads for the week. This one batch will work for a large family salad for four. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup canned, drained white beans (I did half chickpea and half cannellini beans because that's why I had on hand)

1/2 creamy oat milk (or any neutral non-dairy milk - make sure it's not vanilla flavored)

2 Tbl freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbl nutritonal yeast

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt 

few grinds of pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried basil

1 Tbl water

Directions: 

Blend this all in a high speed blender until smooth. Add a little more water, one tablespoon at a time, if it feels too thick. 

Drizzle over a fresh garden salad and enjoy!

Apple & Fennel Salad with Hazelnuts & Shaved Parmesan

This salad is light and crisp, yet full of flavor! It is refreshing and summery and a bit fancy, too. It was really easy to throw together and everyone loved it (however, I did leave the olives off my olive-hating husband's salad and put all of his on top of mine because they might be my favorite part). I think this will be one of my go-to salads this summer. I hope you like it, too! 

Ingredients: 

1 head of Bibb or Little Gem lettuce, rinsed, patted dry and chopped

1 Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple, sliced as thin as you can

1 fennel bulb, sliced very thin

Craisins

Green olives, pitted and chopped

shaved Parmesan (or vegan Parmesan) 

hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

 Dijon Dressing:

1 clove garlic, peeled and grated on a microplane

1 lemon, zest and juice (about 2 Tbl juice)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 heaping Tbl honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

To make dressing:

Use a microplane to zest the lemon and then grate the garlic clove on the same microplane. Add both to a jar with a firm fitting lid. Add the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Shake vigorously until thoroughly combined. Set aside. 

To assemble the salad:

I like to toast the hazelnuts for this salad. I do this very quickly on the stove top. Heat a small pan over low heat, add the chopped hazelnuts and toast for about 3-5 minutes. Don't leave the hazelnuts because they will burn the second you walk away!  Stir them every minute or so to make sure they toast evenly. Once they are ready, remove from heat and set aside. 

I like to make each salad separately instead of making it all in one bowl. I find it to be easier this way and then I can exclude ingredients some people do not care for (like my husband who LOATHS olives of any kind and my daughter who does NOT enjoy Craisins).  Divide rinsed and dried lettuce between your salad bowls. Then add the thinly sliced apples, fennel and crainsins to each bowl. Top with green olives, shaved Parmesan and toasted hazelnuts. Drizzle each salad with the Dijon dressing. Enjoy! 

Hummus Salad Dressing - Two Ingredients

I have a little "Chefie Tip" for you today. It's my very VERY easy hummus dressing. Not only is this incredibly simple to put together, but it just tastes amazing and I crave it over regular salad dressing 9 out of 10 times.  I was telling my friend about this little trick - and that I thought it was maybe too simple to blog....but she assured me it sounded fantastic (it is!) and encouraged me to blog it. So thanks, Leslie! You can use homemade hummus, of course....but I ALWAYS have store bought hummus in my fridge (ALWAYS!) and I want you to see how truly easy this is. Here is the recipe for hummus salad dressing. 

Ingredients (this is enough for one salad):

2 or 3 Tbl store bought hummus <my favorite is The Perfect Daughter Original Hummus; my family also really likes Ithaca Hummus>

2 Tbl water

That's it for ingredients. That is truly it. Store bought hummus and water. You're welcome. 

Directions:

Put hummus in a dish along with a couple of tablespoons of water. Mix until desired consistency. If you want it smoother/runnier add a little bit more water. If it's too runny, add a bit more hummus. There is no rhyme or reason to this - I just eyeball it until it's about right. Drizzle over salad and enjoy!

My Favorite Fruit Parfait

This might be obvious, but I am a bit of a fruit-a-holic. I probably eat around ten different fruits every day! HA! Especially navel oranges - my gosh I cannot get enough oranges. Okay, so this fruit parfait has been a daily staple in my life for a couple of months now. I just can't seem to get enough. It is so simple I almost didn't blog it....but really, don't we all want super simple, healthy meals we can pull together quickly? 

There isn't much of a recipe here - just an outline. I cut up or throw in all the fruit I am feeling at the moment - this photo shows an orange (there is always an orange- see statement above) and berries (blackberries are my favorite, but also I like raspberries, blueberries and strawberries), I just bought some fresh cherries (LOVE!), and when I have fresh pineapple I throw that in too. You can use whatever you love and whatever you have (cut up grapes are another fave, and I sometimes do chopped apples and pears). Okay you get the idea. Simple. Read on....

Ingredients:

Any of your favorite fruits (try to get at least five different kinds for lots of anti-oxidants, vitamins, fiber, natural energy!!):

Orange, peeled & cut

Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries

Cherries, pitted

Fresh pineapple, chopped

Apples & pears, chopped

Kiwi

Grapes, sliced in half 

Banana, sliced

Mangos, peeled and chopped

Cantaloupe or honeydew, chopped

Fresh peaches or nectarines, chopped

Pomegranate seeds

Your favorite yogurt, I use CocoJune vegan yogurt in Chamomile Vanilla (the best!)

Drizzle of honey

Sprinkling of seeds or nuts, I have hemp seeds pictured, but I also like to add chopped walnuts or almonds

Directions:

Prepare the fruits you are using by washing, peeling, chopping, etc. Place in a dish or parfait glass. Drizzle with a bit of honey, dollop with yogurt, sprinkle with seeds or nuts and enjoy! 

Sometimes I will prep a few days worth of fruit so that when I want it for breakfast or lunch (or dessert!) I it is ready to go in a container in the fridge. Enjoy! 

My new fun fruit necklace I bought at the Farmer's Market! 

Nut Butter Brown Rice Crispy Squares

These four ingredient, no-bake treats are absolutely delicious and incredibly easy to throw together. They can be vegan (depending on the chocolate you use) and are naturally gluten-free. They can also be nut-free if you use seed butter instead of nut butter. I have made them with peanut butter, almond butter, and sunbutter - every time they turn out great! **One thing that cannot be substituted is the brown rice syrup. I have tried subbing maple syrup and honey and they just don't hold together in the same way. You can find brown rice syrup (which is a plant-based liquid sweetener made from brown rice) at Whole Foods, various health food stores, and on Amazon. Be careful buying it on Amazon though as some sellers charge far too much. A jar of brown rice syrup should cost around $8 in store. I use Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Syrup. One jar is enough for two batches of this fun treat.  

I get requests for these treats all the time! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup of brown rice syrup**, no substitutions (see note above)

1 cup nut or seed butter of your choice, peanut butter, almond butter, sunbutter for nut-free, room temp

4 cups of puffed brown rice cereal, (I like One Degree Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps - you can find these in the gluten-free section of your market)

~ 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips, melted (I use Enjoy Life Chocolate Morsels, bc they are delicious and they are also vegan)

Directions:

Line an 8X8 or 9X9 dish with a 4" X  16" strip parchment paper placed in the middle of the baking dish - leave the long parts hanging over both sides. This will help you pull everything out easily when the treats are ready to be transferred to a cutting board. 

In a large mixing bowl stir together room temperature nut or seed butter and brown rice syrup until fully combined. Add 2 cups of rice cereal and mix. Add the remaining 2 cups and mix until fully combined. I find it is much easier to use my hands as the mixture gets very thick. I put on a pair of gloves and dig right in until everything is incorporated. 

Next transfer the cereal mixture to the prepared baking dish. Use your hands to smash the cereal mixture evenly into the pan (this is why I like to wear gloves when making this). Sometimes I use a little square of parchment on top of the mixture to really get it all in there and spread evenly - the parchment helps the cereal from sticking to your hands.

Next put the dish into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let it firm up. Once it's firm, melt the chocolate. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and head for one minute. Remove and stir. Put it back into the microwave and heat for another 30 seconds. Remove and stir. It may be smooth and ready to pour or you may need to give it another 15 to 20 seconds. When fully melted pour the chocolate on top of the crispy cereal mixture and spread evenly. The treats go back into the fridge to firm up for about an hour. If you are feeling impatient you can put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. 

When you are ready to cut the treats into squares remove from refrigerator and grab a cutting board and a large knife. Use the overhanging parchment strips to pull the whole thing out with ease (you might have to run your knife around the edges to loosen up some of the sticking treats first). I find that if I let the treats sit out for about five minutes and soften slightly they are easier to cut through. Cut into squares. I think these are best kept in the fridge so the chocolate stays firm. They won't last long, though, I promise! Enjoy! 

Mediterranean Orzo Bake with Sun-dried Tomatoes

I saw this recipe on social media and decided to give it a try - I tweaked it a little bit and wow, it was really good especially for being so simple and easy to throw together. Thursdays are always my busiest day of the week where I have little time to devote to dinner prep - so I made this on a Thursday. I would say the whole meal came together in about 20 minutes. It baked for 30 minutes and we were ready to eat in under an hour.  I added some microgreens to the dish just before serving to add more greens and we had some homemade ciabatta in the freezer. I think this would also be great served with a side of roasted broccoli. If you want to add more protein I believe Beyond Sausage or chicken sausage would make a nice addition. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Tbl olive oil

1 cup of diced red onion

2 garlic cloves

1 lb of orzo pasta

3 giant handfuls of fresh spinach

1 can of chickpeas, drained

8 oz jar of sun-dried tomatoes, drain oil and chop into  bit sized pieces

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

juice of one large lemon

2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth (I use Better Than Bullion Vegetable Base)

Feta cheese or vegan feta cheese for topping (I LOVE Violife Vegan Feta- it is delicious! I am the only person in the family who doesn't eat cheese, but everyone loves this feta, so that's what I use)

micro-greens for topping, optional 

Protein options: Beyond Sausage, cooked and sliced or chicken sausage, cooked and sliced, added just before serving, optional

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400F

Let's sauté the onions first! You can put the chopped onions and garlic in raw, but I think it is worth 10 extra minutes to sauté them with the garlic in a pan before baking - it takes the bitterness out and softens them up. Okay so add 2 Tbl of olive oil to a pan over low heat. Add the chopped red onions and sauté for about 8 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to avoid over browning. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Line a 9X13" baking dish with parchment paper or foil. This will save you a lot of clean up mess! Put a tiny bit of olive oil on the bottom of the dish and spread it around evenly. Evenly pour all the dry orzo in the bottom of the baking dish. Next add the fresh spinach and then the chickpeas. Do all of this evenly over the dry orzo. Sprinkle on the spices and salt. Evenly squeeze the lemon juice over it all and then top with the chopped sun dried tomatoes. Now it is time to pour the vegetable broth over the whole dish. 2 1/2 cups of broth was enough to cover the layer of dry orzo on the bottom. If you think you need a little more, add another 1/4 cup. 

Bake this in the oven for 30 minutes. Take it out and use a wooden spoon to stir it up and break up the clumps of orzo that formed while baking. The orzo should be perfectly al dente! Sprinkle the feta OR vegan feta over the top. Adjust with salt and pepper, as desired. Just before serving add some micro-greens on top for color and yumminess and fiber! Add cooked/sliced vegan or regular sausage, if using. Serve with a side of good crusty bread. Enjoy this quick weeknight dinner!

Incredibly Delicious Date Bark

I make this very quick, easy, heath(ier) "candy" for myself all the time. It takes about ten minutes to throw together and only has four ingredients. I just pop it in the fridge to firm up, and voila, a delicious, decadent treat for any time I feel like eating a candy bar. The dates really do taste like caramel; the crunch of the nuts with the chocolate is a combo I crave all the time. 

For this recipe I tried out three different nut butters along with three different chopped nuts. Honestly, I like all of them very much....but the peanut butter with crushed peanuts is probably my favorite. The pistachio butter is really decadent. Try out any combination you can think of - it'll be great. And to make it nut free, use sunbutter with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds on top. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

• 12 Medjool dates, pits removed and sliced in half lengthwise
• Nut butter of your choice: peanut butter, almond butter, pistachio butter, cashew butter, sunbutter (for nut free)
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips,  I use Enjoy Life chocolate chips because they are vegan
• Any nuts or seeds for the topping, crushed peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc

Directions:

Lay a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Place the sliced and spread open dates (cut side down) and touching on the parchment. Place another piece of parchment paper on top. Use a rolling pin to press and flatten the dates. When you peel back the top piece of parchment they should be uniformly flat and slightly sticking together. 

Next spread an even layer of nut butter on top of the flattened dates. In the photo below I experimented by using three different nut butters (peanut, almond and pistachio). 

Place 3/4 cup of chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir. Place the dish back into the microwave and heat for another 30 seconds. At this point my chips were all melted and ready to pour. If your chips still need a bit more time try another 15 seconds and stir. Repeat until fully melted. Pour the melted chocolate evenly over the nut butter layer and smooth. Now it's time to add the chopped nuts of your choice. Sprinkle evenly on top. Place the date bark in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set and has hardened. 

I cut my bark into 9 pieces, but cut yours as small or large as you like. I keep my bark in the fridge or freezer. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! It is one of my most favorite desserts! 

The Very Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is the vegan version of the Yogurt Banana Bread I blogged over 15 years ago. It just so happens to be the very first recipe I ever blogged! I have many many recipes for banana bread on this site, but 9 times out of 10 I make my OG version because it truly is our favorite. So, I took this amazing recipe, and like I do with so many other recipes I "veganized" it. I have brought it to parties, potlucks, served it for breakfast, dessert, shared it with friends and family who would NEVER choose to eat something vegan....and everyone loves it, nobody can tell the difference. In fact, every time I tell non-vegans, "this banana bread is vegan", they are blown away because they had no clue. So give it a try if you want to venture into something new or if you already know how delicious vegan baked goods can be, here ya go, you're welcome. 

One thing I would like to say is be choosy about the vegan products that you purchase. There are so many plant yogurts out there and most of them don't taste good. I don't want to shame any brands, but I have had some really terrible vegan yogurts. If you can, use CocoJune. In my opinion, this is THE best plant based yogurt. It is thick, creamy and delicious. Also, please use Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter with Avocado Oil in sticks when vegan baking. These two brands are the best for baking. There are other plant butters I like better for my toast or cooking, however, today we are baking. 

I hope you enjoy this banana bread as much as I do! It is one of my most favorite recipes I have ever created! 

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas

4 or 6oz carton of vegan yogurt (I like CocoJune Vanilla Camomile) 

5 Tbl. of plant butter, melted (I like Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter with Avocado Oil)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 flax eggs = 2 Tbl ground flax + 5 Tbl room temp. water

3/4 c. whole wheat OR all purpose flour

3/4 c. spelt flour*

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 c. chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life vegan mini chocolate chips)

1 Tbl brown sugar, for topping, optional 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease a 9X5 loaf pan, set aside

Make flax eggs by combining 2 Tbl of ground flax with 5 Tbl room temperature water. Set aside to thicken for five minutes. 

In a large mixing bowl mash two ripe bananas with a potato masher. I do not use a hand mixer when making my banana bread because I like the bananas to be slightly chunky, rather than silky smooth. Add vegan yogurt and melted plant butter and stir with a big wooden spoon. Add the white and brown sugars, stir. Add the flax eggs, stir. 

Next add the whole wheat flour and spelt flour* (see notes below if you do not have spelt flour). Add the salt through ground ginger and stir. Now fold in the chocolate chips. Pour into the greased loaf pan and smooth out the top so it's even. I always like to add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to the top of my sweet, quick breads. It gives the bread a sweet little crunch on top. You do not have to do this, but it just takes the bread up another notch. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar, if using, over the top of the banana bread. 

Now it's time to bake. In my oven I have found that 54 minutes makes the perfect loaf of sweet quick bread. It doesn't matter the recipe, if it's sweet and quick, 54 is the magic number for my oven! Every oven is different so I would suggest baking for 52 to 56 minutes. You know your bread is ready when you insert a toothpick in and it comes out clean. If there are pieces sticking to the toothpick, it needs to cook for a bit longer. 

After I take the bread out of the oven I let it sit on the counter for a full hour. It will continue to bake a bit as it cools. Once cool, flip on to a clean cutting board, cut into slices and ENJOY!! This bread is great for breakfast, brunch, snacks and dessert! 

*Note on spelt flour. I love the rich, nutty flavor of spelt flour. It can be found at health food stores such as Whole Foods. If you do not have spelt, then just add an extra 3/4 cup of the other flour you are using - all purpose or whole wheat. This bread will still turn out great!