Healthy Vegan Carrot Banana Muffins

Looking for a no oil, no refined sugar, no eggs, healthy muffin that actually tastes good? Look no further....For the last year, I have been trying to create a tasty, healthy muffin....it hasn't been easy! I have had a lot of fails - mostly due to texture issues (almond meal and oat flour have made for some mushy muffins for me). This time I had very good results using whole wheat pastry flour.  It is mildly sweet, moist (not mushy) and yep, no dairy, no oil! I think the carrots, very ripe bananas and applesauce are the combo of veggies and fruit I was searching for to bring the whole muffin together. I am really pleased with the outcome. I ate this last night for dessert (also great for breakfast and a snack) with a hot cup of ginger/tumeric tea with oat milk (click here for that recipe). The combo was amazing on a very cold winter evening. 

Ingredients (Makes 12 muffins):

2 Tbl flax meal + 3 Tbl water

1 3/4 whole wheat pastry flour (can sub all-purpose flour)

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup of very ripe mashed bananas (2 large or 3 small)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup plant milk (I used oat milk)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup shredded carrots (about two medium carrots)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips or raisins, optional (I just used walnuts)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Make the flax "egg" by mixing 2 Tbl flax meal and 3 Tbl water in a small bowl. Stir and set aside to thicken. 

Mix whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl. In another bowl mash the very ripe bananas. Add in the applesauce, plant milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and stir till combined. Fold in the carrots and walnuts, if using. 

Scoop about 1/3 cup of batter into lined muffin tins. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until muffins "spring back" when touched. 

Let cool in the tin. Transfer to a container once cooled. Enjoy for breakfast, a snack or a healthy after dinner dessert.

Creamy Oat Milk Ginger Turmeric Milk

This delicious oat milk ginger tea has been such a wonderful part of my evenings this winter, I decided it was time to share the recipe. It is a great tea to have before bed because it is caffeine free, a little sweet and very warming. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one cup tea: 

1 1/2 cups of water

1 ginger & turmeric herbal tea bag (I like Trader Joe's)

1 cup oat milk (or your favorite plant milk)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

smallest pinch of cardamon, optional

smallest pinch of cloves, optional

1 tsp vanilla

1 to 2 tsp of pure maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a small pot on the stove over low heat. Heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and let the tea steep for a few minutes. Once the tea is at a comfortable drinking temperature, remove the tea bag, ladle into your favorite mug and enjoy. 

Green Love Smoothie

This green smoothie is packed with health and vitality! It might not be for the smoothie newbie, however, as the sheer volume of veggies could be overwhelming to someone who likes a sweeter fruit based smoothie. My husband and I have been drinking this every day for the past week and we think it's just delicious. A great way to get in your greens. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 large kale leaves, inner stem removed

GIANT handful of fresh spinach 

1 to 2 ripe bananas, (preferably frozen) an extra banana will make it sweeter

1 cup mango, frozen

1 to 2 large celery stalks, depending on how you can handle the flavor

1 large pear, green or brown (keep the skin on)

10 fresh mint leaves

1 inch nub of ginger, peeled 

juice of one lime

a few ice cubes, optional

About 2 cups of water

Directions: 

Blend all ingredients in a high power blender. I use a Vitamix and always blend it through two smoothie cycles because I like it very well blended. If there is too much for just one, share! Or you can pour the extra into a mason jar with a tight fitting lid and drink the rest the following day. I do this all the time and am always so happy to have a ready-made smoothie waiting for me in the fridge the following day! Enjoy!

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!