Coffee Overnight Oats

coffee overnight oats

• What’s in it?

  Rolled oats, chia seeds, vanilla protein powder, plant-based milk, brewed coffee (or decaf), coconut nectar (or other liquid sweetener), nut butter of choice

• want the recipe?

  CLICK HERE

• where did i find it?

  One Green Planet, Coffee Chia Overnight Oats

  Note - while I would like to credit the original author of this recipe, I found this recipe several years ago and it doesn’t seem to be on the website any longer.

• why do i like it?

  I am always looking for a way to get more protein, especially at breakfast, so this recipe really addresses that need! The combination of coffee with vanilla and nut butter makes a great twist on oatmeal. I love to serve it with fresh fruit and cacao nibs for some crunch. It is so convenient to have this waiting in the fridge, pop it into the microwave to heat it up for a fast, hearty breakfast.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  The original recipe didn’t have enough coffee flavor so I adjusted the ratio of plant-based milk to coffee. Also, I found it worked best to mix the dry ingredients before adding the wet then mixing again with the wet ingredients. So the technique is different from the original!

Roasted Tomato Risotto

Roasted tomato Risotto

• What’s in it?

  Roma tomato, shallot, Arborio rice, vegetable stock or bouillon, dairy free butter, salt, pepper

• Want the recipe? click here

• Where did i find it?

Vegan in the Freezer, Vegan Oven Risotto

• Why do i like it?

  Tomatoes and rice, the ultimate comfort food! This is a winning combination made even better by using the oven to cook the risotto instead of standing by the hot stove stirring the whole time.

  It is one of my family’s favorite dishes so I make it often.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  I changed up a few things from the source recipe, using shallots instead of onions, roasting the tomatoes for a bit longer and using bouillon base for the vegetable broth. It is noted on the recipe to use about 1 1/2 teaspoons bouillon per cup of water to get a deeper, richer flavor which really enhances the taste.

Sheet Pan Vegetables - 3 Variations

Sheet Pan Vegetables - 3 Variations!

• What’s in it:

  For the Broccoli Sheet Pan - broccolini, cherry tomatoes, red onion, lemon, spray oil, Shemesh Farms Culinary Table Salt (or salt and pepper)

  For the Cauliflower Sheet Pan - cauliflower, garbanzo beans, red onion, spray oil, Shemesh Farms Step in Thyme (or salt, pepper and dried thyme)

  For the Summer Squash Sheet Pan - summer/yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, navy beans, red onion, spray oil, Shemesh Farms Step in Thyme (or salt, pepper and dried thyme)

• Want the recipe? CLICK HERE

• Where did I find it?

New York Times Cooking, Sheet Pan Baked Feta with Broccolini, Tomatoes and Lemon

• Why do I like it?

  This is really a foolproof way to roast vegetables taken to the next level with the addition of onion and spices. It is so versatile, you can mix and match any combination of vegetables, any type of onion, shallot, spring onion or any type of bean you have on hand. It is perfect as a side dish and becomes a main dish when you add the beans!

  Recently I have discovered the wonderful spice blends of Shemesh Farms. Their products are top notch. Most importantly, Shemesh Farms employs around 60 Special Needs young adults so purchasing from them means jobs for these wonderful folks. If you are interested in ordering they have an online store, click here.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  Because I am plant based, I omitted the cheese and swapped in beans. I have also included different variations of vegetables and beans which make tasty pairings.

Candied Pecans (refined sugar free)

Yacon Candied Pecans

• What’s in it?

  Pecans, yacon syrup, salt

• Want the recipe? CLICK HERE

  NOTE: Scroll down 3/4 of the way to see the recipe.

• Why do I like it?

  Well, candied nuts without refined sugar, what a treat! I learned about Yacon syrup from the online blogger, Ricki Heller. She uses it as a liquid sweetener that has zero impact on your blood sugar. So I searched the web for recipes using Yacon and I found that Dr. Axe had a wonderfully informative article on Yacon with a recipe at the end of the article.

  Since I had all the ingredients on hand I decided to try this one. It was super easy and very delicious! There are so many uses for these nuts as long as the people you live with don’t eat them all up before you get a chance!

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  I swapped the walnuts for pecans, nothing else!

Cabbage Soup

Cabbage Soup

• What’s in it?

  Celery, carrot, onion, salt, pepper, vegetable bouillon, tomatoes, green cabbage, white beans, lemon juice

• Want the recipe? CLICK HERE

• Where did I find it?

The Dr. Oz Show, Cabbage Soup

• Why do I like it?

  This soup is meant as a detox type of soup it’s light and flavorful. Loaded with vegetables yet feels hearty at the same time. There is a lot of chopping to prepare, but once that’s done, it comes together quickly.

  I love to make this soup when I have some cabbage to use up. The rest of the ingredients are staples that I always have in my kitchen so it’s likely that I don’t have to go to the store when I want to make a batch.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  I found that I use different quantities than the original recipe so I typed up the recipe incorporating all of my notes. Additionally, the original doesn’t specify to saute the onion, carrot and celery first which I find adds a lot of flavor. I omitted the mushrooms and green beans but I think it would work if you wanted to add these when you make this soup!

Almond Flour Rolls

Almond Flour Rolls

• What’s in it?

  Psyllium husk, almond flour (or almond meal), baking powder, salt, water, apple cider vinegar

• Want the recipe? Click here.

• Where did I find it?

Diet Doctor - Best Keto Bread

• Why do I like it?

  Bread is one of the most difficult things to make gluten-free. When you find a recipe that comes out well, it is a big deal! This recipe is very easy to make. You don’t need any fancy gadgets or ingredients. The rolls have a nice fluffy interior. My son (who has to be gluten-free) will eat half the batch when it comes out of the oven!

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

• I retyped the original recipe to incorporate a few ingredient changes and techniques I use when making this recipe.

• First off - I usually triple the original recipe so my version reflects the increased quantities.

• I omit the egg whites to make this recipe vegan friendly.

• I omitted the sesame seeds as my family doesn’t care for sesame seeds, however I like them and think the rolls would be great with them sprinkled on top before baking.

• The original recipe says to split into 6 rolls, but I find it easier to measure out so they are more uniform. I note the size measure on my version.

• The original recipe says to bake on the bottom rack, however I didn’t have good luck with this and find it works better on the middle rack. Since these don’t spread you can fit half the batch on one baking sheet and rotate halfway during baking.

Zucchini Noodles + Artichokes + Olives

Zucchini Noodles + Artichokes + Olives

• What’s in it?

  Garlic, artichoke hearts (canned), lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh parsley, tomatoes, kalamata olives, spiralized zucchini, nut based parm (for nut based parm options/recipes, click here)

• Want the recipe? CLICK HERE

• Where did I find it? Plantiful Yum, Artichoke and Olive Spaghetti

  (Note - this link is no longer working, maybe the blog was taken down. In any case I wanted to give credit to the original creator of the recipe.)

• Why do I like it?

  When I first saw this recipe I knew I wanted to try it. I love the combination of Kalamata olives and artichokes.

  If you prep all the vegetables, this recipe comes together quickly, it is very flavorful and you get a nice way to eat lots of veggies.

  I made this recipe for my parents (who are not plant based) and they loved it and asked me to make it again!

Shiitake Mushroom Sauté

Shiitake Mushroom Sauté

• What’s in it?

  Shiitake mushrooms, sesame oil, soy sauce (or for gluten-free use tamari), green onion

• Want the recipe?

Simple Fit Vegan, The Best Way to Cook Shiitake Mushrooms

• Why do I like it?

  Quick, easy, flavorful, what more can you want in a recipe? I found this recipe when I had a large quantity of organic shiitakes from Costco. After doing a search on "shiitake mushrooms” this recipe came up. I decided to try it and am I glad I did!

  These mushrooms can be eaten over noodles or with rice. If you want to increase the protein, you can add some steamed edamame to the finished product. Very versatile recipe!

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  Although I try to cook with as little oil as possible, I have tried playing with the amount of oil, however I don’t recommend going with less oil as it becomes too salty from the soy/tamari. Since I am gluten-free, I use tamari and it works perfectly well.

  Additionally, I added the green onions which I really liked as an enhancement. Above I recommend serving with edamame, rice or noodles.

PBCB (Peanut Butter Cranberry) Bites

PBCB (Peanut Butter Cranberry) Bites

• What’s in it?

  Peanut Butter, liquid sweetener of choice (honey, maple syrup, yacon syrup), coconut oil, brown rice crisps cereal, dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries

• Want the recipe?

PBCB (Peanut Butter Cran Berry) Bites

• Why do I like it?

  What could be better than peanut butter and chocolate in the same recipe? This is a decadent treat that doesn’t last too long in my house! The original recipe had oats which I swapped for brown rice crisps that took it to another level in my book.

  The recipe uses basic ingredients that are pantry staples. The steps are simple and quick.

  It is one of my son’s favorite vegan treats!

Chocolate Chip Banana Squares

Chocolate Chip Banana Squares

• What’s in it?

  Banana, coconut sugar, almond butter, gluten-free flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, salt

• Want the recipe?

  Detoxinista, Gluten-Free Banana Muffins

• Why do I like it?

  It is definitely a challenge to find great tasting gluten-free baked goods. I really love the taste but more importantly, the texture is like a conventional cake. It is very moist and spongy without feeling like a typical “gluten-free” product.

  The recipe is written for muffins and the chocolate chips are optional, however chocolate is never optional in my book! I decided to make these as a cake instead of muffins one day when I was short on time. I liked it so much that I have continued to make it in cake form.

  The author, Megan Gilmore, writes a very informative post with the recipe detailing the type of gluten-free flour, using frozen bananas and other nutrition info. Worth the read!

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  As mentioned above, I make this as a cake instead of muffins. I used a 9” x 9” square pan and baked it for the same amount of time as written for muffins.

  For the chocolate chips, I used Hu Gems which are oversized so I just sprinkled them over the top of the cake before baking. If you want less intense chocolate, use smaller chips and lightly sprinkle before baking. Allow to cool thoroughly before cutting. The chips can stick to the knife and come out of the cake if they are still warm. For this reason, I recommend lightly pressing the chips into the batter before baking.

  For the sweetener, I used half coconut sugar and half golden Lakanto (monkfruit). This cuts down on the total grams of sugar and lowers the glycemic index. I prefer cooking with the golden Lakanto in this recipe the coconut sugar flavor still comes through using half of the called for amount.

  A note regarding gluten-free flour - the author suggests King Arthur Gluten-Free flour blend that does not have any gums in the mix. After shopping locally, I didn’t find this product in any store, so I ordered it online. I did like the product, however I also wanted to be able to make the recipe without having to order the flour online so I tried making my own using Minimalist Baker’s recipe for DIY Gluten-free Flour Blend. I really love this blend so I make a big batch and it’s always ready to use. It works especially well in this recipe.

  Lastly, a note on bananas. The last time I made this recipe I didn’t have enough fresh bananas to make 1.5 cups. But, I always have a stash of bananas in the freezer. I have learned from Megan Gilmore’s recipe for banana bread that you can use frozen bananas if you simply thaw them a bit and keep the liquid that forms and add it to the batter. So I made up for the missing half cup of fresh bananas with frozen that I thawed and it worked great! I think the added moisture from the thaw enhanced the recipe and I will most likely use frozen bananas next time I make this.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Cream of Tomato Soup

• What’s in it?

  Yellow onion, fresh garlic, vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, cauliflower, fresh basil, dates (optional), salt and pepper

• Want the recipe?

  Cream of Tomato Soup, by The China Study Family Cookbook

• Why do I like it?

  Quick, easy and flavorful, this soup recipe has it all! My son said it was his favorite of all of the tomato soup recipes I’ve tried. The addition of cauliflower instead of dairy to lighten up the color works perfectly.

  Many non-dairy recipes use nuts to replace the cream. I like how this one uses cauliflower as a lighter and allergy sensitive alternative.

  This soup is easy to put together with pantry staples - I keep frozen cauliflower on hand for use in recipes. Additionally, I have been washing my fresh basil then laying flat on a tray and placing it in the freezer. Once frozen, I transfer the basil to a plastic bag and keep it in the freezer so I always have fresh basil for cooking.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  I do have a few notes:

  If you have frozen cauliflower you can make this soup any time! Ditto for the frozen basil. In the case of the basil, I just used a handful instead of measuring out a cup.

  I used Bella Terra organic, fire roasted tomatoes. They come in a glass jar, click here to see the tomatoes. Because these tomatoes have salt, I didn’t add any salt to the soup.

  For the vegetable broth, I used Better than Bouillon, Low Sodium, Organic Vegetable broth. A trick I learned from a cooking class years ago is to increase the amount of bouillon to add extra flavor. So, for this recipe it calls for 4 cups of broth which is 4 teaspoons bouillon to 4 cups water. I used 6 teaspoons bouillon to 4 cups of water.

  I did not use the dates because I prefer a savory/acid taste for this soup.

  If you like spicy you might add some cayenne or hot pepper flakes to taste.

Red Cabbage with Olives + Capers

Red Cabbage with Olives + Capers

• What’s in it?

  Red cabbage, olive oil (optional), salt and pepper, red wine vinegar, vegetable broth or water, oil-cured black olives, capers

• Want the recipe?

Food 52, Waverly Root’s Agrigento Red Cabbage with Black Olives and Capers

• Why do I like it?

  What do you do with a head of cabbage? I wanted something different and this recipe fits the bill! The cabbage is very flavorful when prepared this way, I love the addition of olives and capers. Leftovers taste great as well. Sometimes I cut up some Miyoko’s Mozzarella to toss in.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  I like to cook with as little oil as possible, so for this recipe, I heat the pan for a few minutes first then begin cooking.

  The total cooking time for me tends to be less, around 15 minutes until the cabbage is soft.

Zucchini + Spinach Soup

Zucchini + Spinach Soup

• What’s in it?

  Onion, celery, zucchini, vegetable broth, almond butter, spinach (or watercress), lemon juice

• Want the recipe?

The Blender Girl, Zucchini and Watercress Soup

• Why do I like it?

  This recipe comes from Dr. Hyman’s 10 Day Detox and was posted by The Blender Girl with his permission, of course. It is comforting, filling and yet light at the same time. The flavors work well together making a healthy and tasty soup.

• Amy recipe notes or tweaks?

  The only adjustment was that I opted for spinach instead of watercress as I find watercress can be bitter.

Beet Hummus

Beet Hummus

• What’s in it?

  Beets, garlic, garbanzo beans, lemon, tahini, salt

• Want the recipe?

Roasted Beet Hummus, Clean Food Dirty Girl

• Why do I like it?

  First off - the color! What a beautiful and dramatic way to make hummus a star! Second - the flavor is really outstanding. It’s always nice to find a twist on the original and this one is tasty!

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  None! Followed the recipe as it appears.

Fruit Cobbler

Fruit Cobbler

• What’s in it?

  For the biscuit topping: gluten-free flour (can use regular if not gluten-free), oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, coconut oil or vegan butter, non-dairy milk , pecans (optional)

  For the fruit filling: blackberries, peaches, strawberries (can sub other berries and stone fruit), sugar, arrowroot or cornstarch

• Want the recipe?

  Minimalist Baker, Simple Blackberry Cobbler

• Why do I like it?

  It isn’t always easy to convert a conventional recipe to be gluten-free. The biscuit topping has a wonderful taste and feels just like a regular biscuit. You can use any combination of summer stone fruit or berries you have on hand.

  Whenever I make this, it doesn’t last! My son eats is for breakfast because it isn’t too sweet.

  If you are not gluten or dairy free, you can easily substitute for the ingredients your diet allows.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  For the topping - I have tried coconut oil but much prefer using vegan butter, specifically Miyoko’s Vegan Butter. I have also used coconut sugar in place of cane sugar. Recently I tried this with Golden Lakanto which is a granulated monk fruit sweetener. I liked it best with the Golden Lakanto and this product has zero grams of sugar so it really helps to make the entire recipe lower in grams of sugar.

  For the filling - I have used just about any stone fruit and berries I have on hand. Just make sure your fruit is very ripe! When you are cutting up the fruit, place it in a bowl so you can let the juices collect, then use a slotted spoon to lift the fruit out of the prep bowl and place it in your baking dish. This way the cobbler won’t be too watery when done! One time wanted to use up a bunch of fruit I had in the fridge - peaches, nectarines, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries - it worked great with all of these put together!

  I do recommend using the arrowroot as noted in the recipe to help it from being too runny.

Mushroom Lentil Salad

Mushroom Lentil Salad

• What’s in it?

  French green lentils, vegetable stock, mushrooms, olive oil, shallot (or onion), garlic, chili flakes (optional), lemon juice, flat leaf parsley, arugula, salt/pepper

• Want the recipe?

Delicious Everyday, Vegan Mushroom Lentil Salad

• Why do I like it?

  The combination of warm mushrooms, lentils and greens with tangy lemon dressing makes a winning dish! Anytime you can add lentils for protein it makes the salad a more satisfying meal.

  The technique described in this recipe to cook the mushrooms yields a golden almost caramelized edge. I liked this way of cooking mushrooms so much, I do it now whenever I have some mushrooms I want to quick cook.

  My niece found this recipe and we made it for a family get-together. I wasn’t sure if people would like it, but it was gone by the end of the event! If you have any, the leftovers taste great as well!

Roasted Red Pepper + Tomato Soup

Roasted Red Pepper + Tomato Soup

• What’s in it?

  Red bell peppers, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, non-dairy milk, dried dill, garlic powder, dry or fresh basil, sweetener (optional)

• Want the recipe?

Minimalist Baker, Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup

• Why do I like it?

  Red peppers and tomatoes are the perfect vegetables to pair up for this twist on tomato soup! I love the creamy texture without using any dairy. The flavors work so well together. Once the peppers are roasted, it’s just simmer and blend and you have a wonderfully delicious soup.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  I made a few adjustments as follows:

  Swapped almond milk for coconut milk as the picky eaters in my house don’t like coconut!

  Cut the peppers in half then took out the seeds before roasting. Set the oven to 350 degrees and roasted for 30 minutes. I find this easier than handling the whole pepper where the liquid drips out and the seeds are slippery to remove.

  I did not add any coconut sugar or stevia.

Lemon Alfredo Sauce

Lemon Alfredo Sauce

• What's in it?

Cashews (raw, unsalted), cauliflower, water, plant milk (unsweetened), nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper

• Want the recipe? CLICK HERE

• Where did I find it?

  I had been looking for a non-dairy lemon sauce that was also oil free. One of the friends I met on Instagram, Candi, posted her cashew lemon Alfredo sauce recipe on her feed. Her page has been taken down, but I wanted to give her credit for the original recipe that inspired the recipe I’m posting here.

• Why do I like it?

The creamy texture and tangy lemon flavor make this a great substitute for the traditional dairy cream sauces. There is an Italian restaurant near me that serves the most delicious pasta with creamy lemon sauce and breadcrumbs. I wanted to make a version of this dish without dairy and gluten. This sauce does the trick! I served it to a friend and told her that I wanted to mimic the restaurant dish I mentioned and she confirmed it was a success!

The sign of a great sauce is its versatility. This one is great on pasta as pictured above.  I have also used it on pizza, zucchini noodles and to make creamed spinach. It would also be good with a baked potato.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

This sauce comes out with a nice, pourable texture, however if you want a thicker sauce, you can boil down the sauce after blending. Additionally, you can use less water or plant milk when blending. Cashew based sauces tend to thicken up in the fridge, so you might want to thin in out with water if it becomes too thick. If you are making pasta, save some of the pasta water to thin the sauce, it adds a bit of starch which is better than using regular water to thin the sauce.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Roasted Tomato Soup

• What’s in it?

  fresh tomatoes, yellow onions, garlic, canned tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh thyme, vegetable broth, olive oil (optional)

• Want the recipe?

The Food Network, Roasted Tomato Basil Soup (recipe courtesy of Ina Garten)

• Why do I like it?

  You can never go wrong with a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten! This soup is so flavorful using simple ingredients. Since you can find tomatoes year round, this soup can be made any time! Even the picky eaters in my family loved it. I did make a few adjustments in place of the animal products and oil which I detail below.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  I had made this recipe before becoming plant based and had a hankering to make it without animal products or oil. So here’s what I did:

  -roasting the tomatoes - omitted the olive oil, just roast on a parchment lined baking sheet with salt and pepper, comes out perfect!

  -sauteed the onion and garlic without oil or butter - just heat up the pan first and then put the onion and garlic in the warmed up pan - add a splash of water if vegetables stick

  -swapped the chicken broth for vegetable broth - no problem there

  -omitted the pepper flakes - wanted to make it savory not spicy

  -left out the basil during cooking and served it on the side as a garnish

Almond Flour Pizza Crust (gluten free)

Almond Flour Pizza Crust (gluten free)

• What’s in it?

  Blanched almond flour, arrowroot starch, ground flax seeds, baking powder, garlic powder, dry oregano, salt, water, olive oil

• Want the recipe?

Detoxinista, Almond Flour Pizza Crust

• Why do I like it?

  This is the best recipe I have tried for a gluten free, plant based pizza crust. Not only does it taste good, it is sturdy enough to hold up with toppings piled on and stays crisp!

  I have tried other alternative crust recipes like quinoa, but the texture never satisfied my high standards for taste and texture.

  Additionally, the author gives directions to make and freeze the crusts. I have made them in the morning and kept them at room temperature then added toppings and reheated at dinner time.

  My teenage son, who is needs to avoid gluten and dairy was so pleased with this pizza he asked me to teach him how to make it so he can create pizza himself. He has tried several pre-made or frozen plant based pizzas and tells me they don’t come close to this recipe! He even eats the leftovers for breakfast the next day.

• Any recipe notes or tweaks?

  I followed the recipe exactly without making any substitutions. A few notes - I used blanched almond flour as opposed to almond meal which has the almond skins. I think it would work fine with either if you can’t find or don’t have blanched almond flour on hand.

  Regarding the ground flax, I keep a bag of whole flax seeds in my freezer then grind them with a coffee grinder and store that in the freezer as well. Some recipes that I make call for whole flax seeds and some call for ground so this way I always have both without having to purchase 2 bags of flax.

• Topping ideas:

  For the pizza photo above, I used plant based cheese sauce (homemade), tempeh sausage, roasted red peppers, chopped fresh spinach, sliced olives, and fire roasted tomatoes.