Pecans, shredded coconut, Medjool dates, coconut oil, salt, vanilla, arrowroot
It is always great to find a non-chocolate treat that tastes great. These are just sweet enough to satisfy. They are easy and quick to make. They are best kept in the freezer so you can keep some on hand for a few weeks.
Not a thing! They are great as is.
Cashews (ground into cashew butter or store bought), coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, molasses
It is a nice change from chocolate and it has the melt-in-your-mouth texture of fudge. You can use organic cashews and make your own butter by placing in the food processor. Process for about 15 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides from time to time. Since it is stored in the freezer you can have it on hand and use as needed.
I brought some to a party as a gift to the hosts. They loved it and wanted the recipe!
I made my own cashew butter because I wanted to have it organic. See my method in the paragraph above. Store bought cashew butter is also very expensive, especially for the organic variety.
I keep my maple syrup in the fridge so it is somewhat cold when I use it in a recipe. When you combine it with melted coconut oil, the coldness of the syrup can cause the oil to harden. I warmed the maple syrup up to room temperature to keep the coconut oil liquid and prevent it from going solid.
Delicata Squash (or butternut if Delicata is not available), celery, parsley, dried cranberries, pepita seeds, sunflower seeds, avocado, butter lettuce, spinach, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper
The Oh She Glows Cookbook, delicata squash, millet & kale salad with lemon-tahini dressing
Since we tend to eat salad daily, there is always a need for something new and different and this salad is just that! Delicata squash has a thin peel which is edible, the seeds can be roasted as well as the flesh. This squash isn't as sweet as acorn so it works well in a salad. The texture of the soft squash works well with the crunch from the seeds. The lemon dressing is light and flavorful.
I used butternut squash when Delicata was not available. I swapped sweeter butter lettuce and spinach for the kale. I omitted the millet to make this grain free. I decided to use the lemon vinaigrette instead of the suggested lemon-tahini as I was making it for someone who does not like tahini! I think it would be great with the original dressing as well! I added sunflower seeds and avocado to top off the salad.
Olive oil, garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, canned chopped tomato, cherry tomatoes, tomato puree (or paste), lemon juice, salt and pepper
Note - this is a You Tube video of a recipe from her most recent cookbook. If you want to see her website, click here.
This sauce was so quick and easy to prepare. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand. I had to watch the video multiple times to get it all down in writing! The flavor was delicious.
I omitted the chili flakes for a more mild sauce. I also had some homemade almond feta so I added some on top. Click here for Almond Feta recipe.
Olive oil, water, liquid aminos, nutritional yeast, kelp powder, Spike seasoning, dry basil, granulated garlic, lemon juice, tamari
This delicious recipe is from the Spot Restaurant in Hermosa Beach, CA. They are known for this sauce. The restaurant serves it over their burritos, I like to serve it over spaghetti squash or gluten-free pasta. It is very versatile, you can have it over any cooked vegetables including baked potatoes. The prep is easy just measure and blend in the food processor. Aside from the tofu, you should have most of the ingredients on hand.
Swapped the almond/safflower oil for olive oil. Swapped the brewer's yeast for nutritional yeast.
Coconut Milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla bean, vanilla extract
Chloe's Vegan Italian Kitchen, Chole Coscarelli, Vanilla Gelato
Chef Chole is absolutely adorable! I just love her cookbook. This ice cream has a really nice flavor. I like to make my own ice cream so I can avoid gums and other additives. The addition of a bit of oil makes the texture less icy and more creamy.
I used maple syrup instead of agave. I swapped the canola oil for coconut oil. I omitted the guar gum and bourbon.
Spinach, grains of choice, avocado, fennel, lemon, olive oil, salt
I had all the ingredients in my fridge and threw them all together!
The texture of chewy kamut is nicely balanced with the crunch fennel. The flavors also compliment each other with the nutty taste of grains and bright taste of the vegetables.
It is quick and easy to prepare. You can make the grains and fennel ahead of time and keep in the fridge.
Unsweetened almond milk, cacao powder, maca powder, maple syrup, ice
This drink is a nice change from coffee. It is a great way to incorporate maca into your diet. The maca powder adds a flavor which reminds me of a malt type of drink. The recipe is very easy to make.
I adjusted the measurements as the original recipe gives a range on the amount of cacao and sweetener. Be sure to use a brand of almond milk that is organic and does not have any questionable additives like carrageenan and other thickeners or preservatives.
Broccoli, coconut oil, nutritional yeast
Sometimes you just want a quick and simple way to change up a basic staple. This is an easy preparation and makes the broccoli into something special!
I would like to try this with roasted broccoli and/or cauliflower. Might also be good with other vegetables like brussels sprouts.
Chickpeas, olive oil, salt, garlic powder
I was looking for something tasty to use as a crunchy topping on salad and found this recipe from Oh She Glows. It is meant to be served over Caesar salad, but I used it on this simple salad of organic baby romaine, raw yellow beets and avocado. I like this alternative to croutons made from bread. You can also eat these as a snack or use as topping for soups or anywhere you would use conventional croutons.
These were great as is - and very simple to prepare.
Ancient grains tortilla with salad and cashew cream
Jackfruit tacos with cashew cream
Pasta with sautéed veetables tossed with cashew cream
Cashews, water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt
Angela Liddon's The Oh She Glows Cookbook
I have tried several recipes for non-dairy sour cream and I like this one the best. It can be used any time you want a non-dairy sour cream. For instance, I made a simple lunch using a warmed ancient grains tortilla. I added some salad that I had in the fridge and topped it with the cashew sour cream. I also use in on jackfruit tacos and as a sauce for pasta.
This recipe is great exactly as it appears in the cookbook. Just make sure you blend for a while until smooth, this may take longer than you think so keep going if it is still lumpy. I start blending on my Vitamix number 4/5 for about 5 minutes until you can only see small pieces. Then I put the blender on full blast to get a really creamy consistency.
Salad - Organic romaine (or greens of your choice), orange, green apple, pomegranate, dried cranberries, quinoa, avocado
Dressing - red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, maple syrup, olive oil, orange juice
It is a beautiful, colorful salad full of wonderful ingredients. It is versatile, you can opt for any type of greens, swap grapefruit for oranges, probably use blood oranges. You can top with any grain you like, nuts or seeds. The dressing is terrific and works well on any type of green salad.
I swapped the kale for romaine because I wanted a sweeter tasting lettuce. I think it would be good with butter lettuce or fresh spinach leaves or a combination of greens.
I had limited time to make this so I did not make the pickled onions. I think they would taste great, but the salad works well without them.
I chopped the cranberries to make them easier to eat. I blended the dressing in the food processor to get a smoother emulsion. I added orange juice to the dressing as is suggested as an option. Lastly, I added avocado on top.
Coconut water, frozen berries, grapes, pear, ginger, cinnamon, orange zest, dates, ice cubes
Hallmark Channel Recipes, Antioxidant Avenger Smoothie, The Blender Girl
With smoothies it is all about the taste and this one tastes great! If you want to lower the grams of sugar, omit the grapes.
I didn't have any grapes so I made it without.
Cashews, water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, chives, parsley
Cashews, non-dairy yogurt, lemon juice, green onions, mild miso, salt, maple syrup (optional), guar gum
The first recipe for cream cheese comes from Kris Carr. It is meant to be used between slices of beets which are fashioned as ravioli. I liked the cheese so much I use it as a spread instead of cream cheese. Most non-dairy cream cheeses are soy based and have lots of questionable ingredients. This one is delicious with a creamy texture.
The second recipe is from Dreena Burton’s book, The Cheese Trap. This recipe is also so simple to make and tastes great. I have made it without the maple syrup as I prefer a savory cheese. Additionally I have made it with and without the guar gum and prefer it with the guar gum. So I recommend purchasing the guar gum powder, the recipe only calls for a small amount.
For recipe #1, I cut the quantities of all ingredients in half. With less in the Vitamix, you need to blend for longer at a slower speed (4-5 speed). I keep a small container of chopped chives in the freezer. For this recipe, just measure out desired amount and mix in, no need to thaw. You can make it with or without parsley or experiment with other herbs.
For recipe #2, I prefer it without the maple syrup. Sometimes I substitute 1/4 teaspoon onion powder for the green onions.
I have also made the cheese and layered some Everything But The Bagel (sold at Trader Joe's) seasoning - it tasted great!
White fleshed sweet potato, non-dairy milk of choice, nutritional yeast, salt, lemon juice, onion powder, chili powder, pasta of choice
This sauce is wonderfully creamy and tasty. It can hold its own over pasta or vegetables. It lasts in the fridge for up to 4 days which can be convenient to have on hand for several meals. It is easy to prepare with a simple list of ingredients.
I did not change anything! I did make this one time with orange fleshed sweet potato, but found it to be too sweet.
Coconut water, vanilla protein powder (vegan), cacao nibs, goji berries, maca powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flaxseed, beet, frozen berries, greens, coconut oil, ice
Since I make a smoothie every morning, I like to mix things up. This has a great taste and really fills me up. I love using all these amazing ingredients to get my day started.
I used Karen's MCT Lean protein powder, which I like a lot.
I used half water and half coconut water for the liquid. I didn't have gogi or cacao but I did have some organic superfood trail mix (Essestial Living Foods) so I used that instead. The trail mix has the goji, cacao and more! I used beet greens, the leaves from the top of the beets. In this photo, I used frozen blueberries. If you want a lighter smoothie, omit the hemp and chia seeds.
Coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla
Coconut Whipped Cream: A Step-By-Step Photo Tutorial, Oh She Glows
This recipe is a combination of techniques from two of my favorite sites, Oh She Glows and Detoxinista. The taste and texture are lovely. It is heavier that dairy whipped cream but can be easily substituted. It is wonderful atop any dessert you create, over fresh fruit or non-dairy ice cream.
I liked the ingredient list from Detoxinista and the technique from Oh She Glows, so I put these two together.
There is a great comprehensive article on Coconut Whipped Cream on the blog For The Love of Coconut. I highly recommend you check it out! To see this article click here.
Cucumbers, kosher salt, dill, white vinegar
I wanted to make pickles but I didn't want to have to wait days or weeks to eat them. I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen and gave it a try. It is super easy and the pickles are crisp and tasty. I made these without the dill and they still came out great!
Omitted the dill (my kids don't like "green things"!). Used organic cucumbers, there were no organic pickling cucumbers - it still turned out well.
Frozen pineapple, frozen banana, water, coconut water, parsley, avocado, cucumber, fresh ginger, lemon juice
The flavor is fresh and bright. The pineapple and banana compliment each other perfectly. There is enough green to make it healthy but not grassy tasting. I like adding just a sliver of avocado for thickness. Some recipes add more and the texture is too thick and slimy for me. This one has just the right amount for my taste. Someone said it was the best green smoothie they ever tasted from my kitchen!
I didn't measure the parsley, just added a handful. I used a 1" sliver of avocado. I had some cucumber to use up, so I added a 3" piece. I also added some lemon juice, about 2 tablespoons.
Chickpeas, maple syrup, nut butter, vanilla, salt, baking powder, baking soda, chocolate chips
I was pleasantly surprised at the taste of these blondies. I have used chickpea flour in the past and did not like the taste. In this recipe I did not taste the chickpeas at all. It was easy to prepare and didn't take too much time. I had all the ingredients on hand so there was no need to make a special trip to the market. The texture is like a conventional blondie.
I used almond butter rather than peanut or sun butter. I made my own organic almond butter. If you want to the recipe for almond butter, click here. I baked it for 25 minutes and the inside was still soft. Next time I will try baking for 5 minutes longer.
