Tropical Vacation Smoothie

This tasty smoothie makes me dream about lying on a beach in the Islands. The dates give is a natural sweetness. The strawberries make it a little bit tart. It tastes like sunshine in a glass. This recipe makes enough for two large smoothies - Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup liquid (I used 1/2 cup almond milk & 1/2 cup water)

2 ripe bananas, fresh or frozen

2 orangesT, peeled

1 heaping cup of pineapple, fresh or frozen

1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen

1 or 2 dates, pitted

1 inch nub of fresh ginger, peeled

1/2 tsp vanilla, optional

handful of ice cubes

unsweetened coconut, optional

Blend all ingredients, except coconut, in a high speed blender. Let ingredients run through two cycles of blending to make sure smoothie is smooth. Pour into glasses. Garnish with a sprinkle of unsweetened coconut, if desired. Drink immediately. 

Heavenly Hummus Dip

Hummus is such a tasty, healthy snack! It's very versatile and can be used to enhance so many foods. Of course we love dipping vegetables and pita in it - but it also tastes great on sandwiches and wraps, and spread on bagels and toast. Last night I made these Incredible Steak Fries (click for recipe) and this amazing hummus and we ate the fries and hummus, along with a big salad, for dinner. It was absolute delicious!!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 jars garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
juice AND zest from one lemon
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cumin
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, extra for drizzling
1/3 cup water
sprinkle of paprika, for garnish

Directions:

Place beans in the bowl of a food processor with blade attached. Add lemon juice through water and blend until smooth and creamy. Scoop hummus into a serving dish and sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with a bit of olive oil, if desired. Enjoy with sliced pita, cut veggies, or in wraps and sandwiches.

Roasted Tomato Quiche with Caramelized Onions

 

This savory quiche was super yummy! Great for brunch or dinner and paired with a side salad.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbl olive oil, divided
• 1 Tbl butter
• 3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• ready made pie crust 
• 1 c. gruyere cheese, shredded
• 4 eggs
• 2 Tbl whole milk
• 1 c. white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, cut in half (reserve a few sliced tomatoes to garnish quiche)

Directions:
Heat oven to 425F

Heat 2 Tbl oil and 1 Tbl butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and 1/2 tsp salt, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the onions are well browned, but not crispy. Stir every five minutes or so to make sure onions do not burn. I added one Tbl of water to the pan about half way through cooking to keep onions soft. When onions are ready, reduce temperature to low and add chopped garlic; cook for another three or so minutes until garlic is beginning to lightly brown. Add 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and cook for and additional 10 minutes.

While the onions are caramelizing, roast the tomatoes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add halved tomatoes and drizzle with remaining 1 Tbl olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining salt, 1/2 tsp dried basil and 1/2 tsp dried oregano. Toss to coat. Roast in a 425F oven for 25-ish minutes. Check on tomatoes, if they are browned and oozing, they are ready. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until roasted to your liking. Remove from oven and set aside. 

Roll out pre-made pie crust and place into a lightly greased pie pan. I like to pre-bake my pie crust to make sure it is cooked some on the bottom. If you like, bake pie crust for 5-7 minutes in the oven at 425F. 

Place caramelized onions in the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle with gruyere cheese. Whisk the eggs and 2 Tbl milk. Pour egg mixture over the cheese. Evenly spread the roasted tomatoes over the egg mixture. Sprinkle the white cheddar over the tomatoes. Arrange the reserved tomatoes slices on top. 

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (I like to place a foil cover over the quiche about half way through cooking to prevent the crust from getting too brown). Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. 

This quiche is wonderful served for brunch or dinner! It pairs nicely with a side salad. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Vegan Cookies

I am always on the hunt for a delicious healthy(ish) chocolate chip cookie. These cookies really fit the bill! They are full of healthy ingredients, like flaxseed, oats and almond butter, and have no butter or refined sugar.  I really REALLY like the texture of this cookie - it is chewy and crunchy all at once! I found the recipe on the blog Beaming Baker. I love this blog....lots of great vegan treats and baked goods. Check out her blog!

Here is the Beaming Baker's recipe and instructions word for word:

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup gluten free rolled oats
3 tablespoons gluten free oat flour <I used almond flour>
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients 

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
¼ cup unsalted, natural creamy almond butter
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons coconut sugar 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Add-ins: 
½ cup vegan chocolate chips <I use Lily's brand>
2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped (optional)

Optional Toppings:
2–3 tablespoons vegan chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir and fold until well mixed. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.

Using a small or medium cookie scoop, scoop and drop cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet—spaced evenly apart. Optionally, dot cookies with chocolate chips. Using a fork, flatten cookies to desired thickness. The cookies will crumble at the edges a bit after flattening—use your fingers to squish the edges back together.

Bake for 10-14 minutes. <I baked mine for 12>. Place baking sheet on a cooling rack, allowing cookies to firm up for about 15 minutes. Using a heatproof spatula, transfer cookies directly onto the cooling rack.

Allow to cool for 1 hour. Enjoy!

Tuscan Pasta with Cannellini Beans

I don't know about you, but I no longer have an abundance of food and pantry staples in my fridge and cupboards like I am used to. My husband has been making sporadic trips to the grocery to stock up for the week, but I keep finding myself needing this or that....I'm now making a lot of my regular recipes with quite a few ingredients missing. 

Tonight I wanted to do a pasta dish, so I took a peek in my pantry. I had marinara sauce, I had cannellini beans, an onion and some carrots in the fridge. Okay, I thought, I can make this work. The most exciting part of all is I had some Beyond Sausage! I thought, "Now this will be a feast!" HA! Normally, I would have used fresh herbs, but even with dried herbs, this quick, hearty meal was quite tasty! I had some leftover pizza dough and made garlic butter knots to serve along with it. Everything was yummy and everyone was happy! 

Ingredients:

1- 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, evenly diced

3 garlic gloves, peeled and diced
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinse
24 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I like Rao's)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 oz long pasta, like bucatini, linguini or spaghetti

1/2 to 1 cup of pasta water or broth to thin the sauce, optional

2-4 links of sausage, I used plant-based Beyond Sausage (my fave!), cooked and sliced

Parmesan

Directions for the Sauce:

Add olive oil to a large pan and set to medium low. Add diced onions and carrots. Cook for 10-15 minutes, adding a little water, 1 Tbl at a time, to the pan as needed to prevent sticking. Carrots should be soft when ready. Add garlic cloves and cook for another 2 minutes or so. Add beans, spices, salt, and pasta sauce to pan. Give it a good stir. Heat until warmed through. If you like, add 1/2 a cup to 1 cup of the pasta water or broth to the sauce to thin it a bit. 

Scoop pasta sauce over cooked noodles. Arrange cooked and sliced sausage on top. Sprinkle with parmesan. Serve with a side salad and good bread. Enjoy!

Better-Than-Three-Bean Salad

I have always loved Three Bean Salad! It's easy to make, tastes even better the second day, and is great for weeknight dinners, potlucks and picnics. The problem with most Three Bean Salads are they are swimming in vegetable oil, use mushy canned green beans, and have a ton of white sugar in the dressing.

I wanted a healthier version of this classic side dish, so I created one! It's still easy to make, definitely tastes better the second day, and is not only full of healthy, protein packed beans, but also has raw veggies, fresh green beans, and no white sugar.  I also added sunflower seeds for some extra crunch. I honestly think it tastes much better than your grandma's typical three bean salad. The last two times I
made this for my family we gobbled it up in no time.

This recipe is enough for four side servings. But it is so easy to double or triple if you need more! Enjoy!

Salad:
1 cup of blanched haricot verts (skinny French green beans), chopped
1 15oz can of mixed beans (pinto, black, kidney), thoroughly rinsed
2 celery stalks, finely chopped (I like to use the bright green interior stalks, including the tender interior leaves)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup of capers
1/3 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:
2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbl raw apple cider vinegar (or red/white wine vinegar)
1 - 2 Tbl pure maple syrup
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1 tsp yellow mustard
salt & pepper, to taste

Rinse your haricot verts under clean running water (I use a handful of about 20 green beans). Next you want to blanch the haricot verts; this will get them slightly soft, but still crisp. To blanch, bring a small pot of water to a low boil. Add the haricot verts and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the desired texture (do not over cook or they will be mushy). Drain the boiling water and rinse the haricot verts with cold water to stop them cooking. Cut the blanched haricot verts into bite sized pieces. Place in a medium sized mixing bowl.

Add the drained and rinsed mixed beans, chopped celery, chopped bell pepper, and capers to the bowl with the haricot verts. Pour the dressing over the bean salad and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors marinate. I like to make my salad in the morning so it has all day to marinate; overnight is great too! Just before serving, add the sunflower seeds. Waiting to add the sunflower seeds will ensure they stay crunchy!

To make the dressing put all of the ingredients into a container with a tight fitting lid. Shake well before pouring over bean salad.

Incredible Fruit & Nut Loaf

I am literally obsessed with this loaf. I have made it four times in the last month! My husband loves it for breakfast and I have been having a slice for lunch a few times a week. It's super versatile. The dried fruit gives it a sweet, but not too sweet, flavor...there is no added sugar! And the nuts and seeds give it a rich, hearty taste. It is excellent plain or with a spread of butter. I like it with almond butter and berries or sliced apples on top. I also like it with a soft, spreadable cheese and sliced cucumbers. It really is so versatile. 

I found this recipe in The Wholesome Life eBook by Ellie Bullen (which has some great recipes, btw), but I have made some tweaks to the ingredients. Her original recipe is vegan. I added eggs to this recipe because because I felt the loaf needed a binder to hold it together better when sliced. I reduced the amount of water, subbed coconut oil for olive oil, and changed the type of flour used. Another tip on making sure the bread holds tight when sliced is to chop the dried fruit and nuts into fairly small pieces. 

I really hope you love this recipe as much as I do! Enjoy! 

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit* 
1 cup nuts**
1 cup seeds***
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup water
2 beaten eggs
+ extra 1 tbsp of seeds for topping

*Dried fruit suggestions:
figs
apricots
cherries
Craisins
raisins
dates
apples

**Nut suggestions:
walnuts
pecans
almonds
hazelnuts

***Seed suggestions:
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds
flax seeds
hemp seeds

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease a loaf pan with coconut oil and set aside.

Chop all dried fruit and nuts into small, yet irregular sized, pieces with a knife (I recommend this over using a food processor which could turn the fruit into paste). 

In a medium bowl combine all fruits, nuts and seeds. Add flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl combine melted coconut oil, vanilla, water, and eggs. Whisk to combine wet ingredients.  

Pour wet ingredients on flour/fruit/nut/seed mixture. Stir until combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan. 

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before transferring to a cutting board and slicing. Enjoy plain or with butter, jam, nut butter, cheese, etc. This bread can go any way you like!! Top with sliced apples, berries, cucumbers, tomatoes....just go with what you are craving!