These are great veggie burgers and make a great meal prep meal. You can also skip the lettuce wraps and go for some buns or add any of your typical burger toppings. I personally love adding avocado and tomato slices to mine. Some nice grilled corn also make a great side.
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Zucchini Verde Chilaquiles
This a great recipe for when you want to make something a little different for a great party, while still being delicious and healthy. Its also a great alternative for nachos. You can also make it your own by adding some topping to it, so play around and be creative.
Raw Vegan Morning Seed Bars
These bar are super filling and delicious. They make the perfect breakfast meal with some fruit and or yogurt. They are also full of healthy goodness that will keep you energized for the day. You can substitute the dried cherries for cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips, or really anything to make them more fitted for you.
Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Buddha Bowl
Buddha bowls are filled with natural, healthy, and delicious ingredients and this recipe is no exception. It is jam packed with protein and carbs making it a perfect post workout meal. It is also super easy to make and can be made in larger batches and saved in the refrigerator making it an easy meal prep meal.
Monthly Favorites: August Edition
Power 3 Power Blend The Power Blend mix is a great way to add crucial nutrients into your diet. You can add it to sauces, smoothies, salads, yogurt, and so much more. It is absolutely delicious and is jam packed with delicious ingredients; including pumpkin, chia, and hemp seeds plus some great spices. I Heart
Summer Vegetable Zucchini Pasta
This recipe will make your kitchen smell delicious and is super easy to make. It also makes a great family meal or can be saved in the fridge for lunches later in the week. There might be some water build up the longer it sits, but just pour it out before reheating the pasta. You can add any of you favorite vegetables to personalize for you and your family too.
Roasted Vegetable and Avocado Wrap
These wraps are perfect for a picnic or weekend lunch. They are light and filling and are super easy to make. It also makes plenty of vegetables that you can mix with rice or quinoa later for another meal. I used the WraP Original wraps for this recipe which not only adds a bit more flavor but holds everything together super well. I personally believe these are some of the best gluten free wraps I have used.
Lentil and Pea Cakes with Roasted Carrot Sauce
For a quick dinner or lunch meal prep try out these lentil and pea cakes. You can easily store them in the refrigerator and heat them back up for your meals throughout the week. The carrot sauce makes the dish complete with the perfect added flavor and color.
Three Quick & Easy Lunch Ideas
It doesn’t need to be hard or time consuming to pack up some great lunches for work or school. Bento boxes are a great way for packing up a variety of different lunches easily and you can buy them in a variety of stores. Here are a few ideas for some healthy and filling lunches that are easy to pack.
Vegan Cheesy Kale Chips
These kale chips make the perfect quick, healthy snack for any occasion. The nutritional yeast adds the perfect amount of flavor without it being overpowering and loosing its nutritional value. I recommend serving them almost immediately from the oven to make sure they keep their crunchy texture.
Raw, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Cookie Dough
These cookie dough balls are simple and delicious and make a great after dinner or movie night snack that you don’t have to feel bad about having. The sundrop chocolates add that bit of crunch just like m&ms candies, but you can really add any kind of candy or chocolates that you would like.
Monthly Favorites: July Edition
Jacksons Honest Sweet Potato Chips Jacksons Honest is a great company with the slogan “Goodness, Pass it on” and a charitable foundation tat revolves around the concept of nutrient density and educating people on the importance of good healthy food. Besides all their amazing history and story these chips are absolutely delicious and addicting and
Summer Rolls with Spicy Almond Butter Sauce
Summer rolls are great for lunches or dinners. They can be made a head of time and stored in the fridge until desired. They are also super easy to make and easy to adapt with your own favorite ingredients. The almond butter sauce is both spicy and sweet and pairs perfectly with the summer rolls. These rolls especially make you feel like you went out to a restaurant in your own home.
Raw, Vegan Mixed Vegetable Melody
This is a perfect dish for a summer barbecue, picnic, or party. It is super easy to make and can be easily paired with main dishes. Herbs de Provence is a super simple way to add natural herbal flavor to any dish and in this case pushes it from simple to delicious.
Veggie Corn Polenta Pizza
These pizzas are super light, filling, and easy to make. You can add any of your own vegetables or subtract the cheese to make it a vegan dish. They are extremely delicious and great for both lunches or dinners. You can even have a pizza making party and pre-make the pizzas in advance and let your guests decorate and top their own.
Jicama Salad with Coconut Nectar and Soy Sauce Dressing
This salad is easy to make and great for either a main course or side salad and for lunch or dinner. I added some cooked potatoes to mine for a fuller main course meal. It may seem odd mixing say sauce and coconut nectar, but the different tastes mix well together and have a really balanced flavor. You can change up the cheese or lettuce depending on your preferences.
Trail Mix Energy Balls
These balls are great for a breakfast, snack, or a quick energy boost during the day. They are both sweet and salty and super filling as well. These balls use some great healthy replacements to make you feeling better with each bite. Coconut nectar is a great substitute for honey that acts as a great sweetener alternative. It naturally contains vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
Delicious Quick & Easy Zucchini Quesidillas
These quesadillas are super easy and delicious and what could be better than some cheesy quesadillas? You can add any of your favorite toppings and have some beans, corn, or rice on the side for a complete meal. They are also great for both adults and kids and can be saved in the fridge and reheated for lunches or dinners later in the week.
Vegan Coconut Curry
What could be more perfect on a summer day then a light bowl of coconut curry? In my opinion this makes a great light meal that is perfect for a quick dinner or lunch in the summer. It is super easy to make with not that many ingredients. It can also be easily adapted to make for a larger group of people if necessary.
Gluten-Free Coconut Panacakes
And in the morning I’m making…pancakes! These pancakes are so delicious. Even with the coconut they are not super sweet, but they do have a great natural sweetness to them. They are also just as easy to make as making them from a box. I like to add honey or coconut butter to the top with some cut up strawberries and coconut flakes, but you could add any of your favorite pancake toppings to yours.
Simple Summer Gazpacho
With the warm weather approaching I had to make some time for delicious cold soups like this gazpacho recipe. I love having gazpacho for lunches or for picnics. This recipe makes it so easy to cook up that there is really no reason for you not to be able to cook it up. You can always add more hot sauce for a more spicier taste.
Vegan Black Bean Tacos
These tacos are super easy and delicious. Simply make up the bean salsa and add to your corn tortillas with your favorite toppings for a delicious and satisfying taco. I added some sliced mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, and lime to mine; but you could add any toppings that you wish.
Vegan Thai Green Rolls with Spicy Almond Butter Sauce
These rolls are so easy to make and are great for a healthy, quick meal. You can serve it up with a side cabbage salad or some rice to make up a full meal, or make a bunch for some appetizers. You can also store all of them in the refrigerator for lunches throughout the week.
When to Buy the Best Produce
I always try to get the most out of my fruits and vegetables by making sure I buy them at the right time and the best quality. It may seem complicated to know when to buy what produce but it’s not as difficult as it may seem. I have created a mini guide to know when to buy the best produce at the store. You will also notice these trends at farmers markets too. Some produce is great all year; for example grapes, bananas, celery, and carrots.
Pea and Ricotta Dip
This dip is not only perfect for an appetizer for a party or for a snack but is super easy to whip up. This is honestly such a good treat to serve your guests on a summer day or even at a picnic. Serve with some toasted bread and some vegetables to complete the dish.
Simple Vegan Fruit and Nut Clusters
This is a super quick and easy dessert or snack to make for an event or just for some snacks for the week. They are also so delicious and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Monster Veggie Sandwiches
Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp dried rosemary, divided ½ tsp ground cumin, divided 8 tsp sliced almonds 7 Tbs nutritional yeast, divided 2 Tbs garlic powder 2 Tbs plus 1 tsp dried parsley, divided 1 tsp ground black pepper ½ tsp plus ⅛ tsp ground cayenne pepper, divided 2 eggs 4 medium
Quick & Easy Vegan Vegetable Pho
This is a super simple vegetable pho recipe, however you could cook up some pork shoulder steaks if desired. I did end up cooking up a steak for my guests and then added thinly sliced pieces on top. If you would like to add the meat to the dish, simply season pork with salt and pepper and cook in the skillet (that the vegetables were cooked in) while the broth cooks, about 4 minutes per side.
Nutritional Yeast: The Basics
Nutritional yeast is a non-active yeast commonly found on molasses and then drained and crushed into flakes or powder. It is known for having a cheesy taste and is high in health benefits. It is mostly used in vegan dishes as a cheese substitute. It has just 20 calories per tablespoon and packed with protein.
3 Quick & Easy Weekday Recipies
Here are 3 super easy vegetarian recipes that are perfect for weekday meals. I have one of these almost everyday of the week. Each one can be easily adaptable depending on vegetables that are more in season or taste and can be kept in a sealed container for lunches or dinners for the rest of the week.
Quick Vegan Almond Butter Cookies
These cookies are not only addicting, but are super easy to make and barely need any ingredients. They are more of a cookie brittle, but I prefer harder cookies over soft ones. The almond butter gives it a unique taste and makes the cookie almost sticky with the taste. I wanted something close to a peanut butter cookie and I think this one has hit the mark. You could also add some chocolate chips or mini m&ms to add something extra if you wish, however I think they are great on their own.
Spicy Lentil Fo-Meat Tacos with Lime Pumpkin Seed Cream
These tacos are so easy to make and absolutely delicious. I had plenty left over which means I could have more for lunches or dinner later in the week. You can add any toppings you wish to these scrumptious tacos. They are also a great size to fill you up without making you eat too much.
Quick & Easy White Wine Vegetable Rissoto
This recipe is a perfect hearty meal for the beginning of spring. I also cooked up and sliced some sausages for the meat eaters to add to their meal. It is also super easy to make, it just takes a bit for all the liquid to dissolve. The combination of the coconut oil and olive oil make the meal a bit healthier and less fatty. This can also be saved and reheated for lunches or dinners later in the week. This also makes a great dish for a picnic.
Vegan Black Beans and Brown Rice Burgers
I was craving a veggie burger and decided instead of going to one of my favorite burger spots I would attempt to make some myself. This recipe was so easy to make and also so delicious. The patty, unlike many veggie burgers I’ve made, actually stuck together very well. I tossed together a simple spinach salad for a nice side with some homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
Quick & Easy Vegan Corn Cakes with Black Beans
Corn cakes, or as my grandmother would call it “mush,” are a great way to have a quick hearty meal on a cold night. The spices in the beans are just enough to bring out a bit more flavor to the dish. The mush was also super easy to make and can even be saved for lunches or dinners later in the week.
Monthly Favorites: February Edition
Terra Real Vegetable Chips Warning: These chips are so addicting, but also so good for you as they are made from real whole veggies. My favorite flavors of the Terra chips are the Mediterranean and sweet potato flavors, however they have so many different kinds of vegetable chips. They are also not covered in salt
Gluten-Free Black Bean Tostadas with Kiwi Salsa
These tostadas are so good and so easy to make. The kiwi add a bit of sweetness that pairs perfectly with the spice of the peppers. I also used coconut yogurt instead of the greek yogurt for just a bit more sweetness and flavor. It was a great addition to the dish. You can also serve this with a bit of rice on the side to complete the meal.
Quick & Easy Asparagus and Mushroom Rice Bowl
This recipe is not only quick and easy to make, but it is also super delicious and filling. It is a great dish to cook up for dinner on a busy night that is jam packed with flavor and nutrients. Even the meat lovers in the house enjoyed this dish without wanting anything else.
Vegan Curried Spaghetti Squash
This recipe is perfect for a cold night. It is a flavor packed dish that not only looks great tastes great too. The best part about it is that if you run out of spaghetti you can scrape out dome more. It may take a bit to cook everything up but in the end it is totally worth it. You can also crape out the insides and put it in a container to store for later on in the week.
Vegan Valentine Cashew Cream Truffle Squares
I decided to make some homemade truffles for my friends and family for Valentines Day this year. This is such a good recipe and makes super delicious, healthy truffles. I decided to use both white and dark chocolate for the coating on top. I also put some red food dye in the white chocolate (which is not vegan), after all the truffles had been dipped, to make the drizzle on top of the truffles a bit more festive. Put them in some nice boxes with a bow to make them perfect for gifts.
Quick & Easy Vegan Spicy Corn Chowder
This is the perfect quick meal for a cold winter night. It is both delicious and spicy. You can pair it with some saltine crackers, or corn bread for a heartier dish. You can also store it in the fridge for lunches later in the week and just reheat over the stove or in the microwave.
Monthly Favorites: January Edition
Ancient Harvest Ancient Grains Organic Hot Cereal; Traditional I was looking for some new oatmeal to try and happened to see this giant box at my local store. It is so delicious and perfect for a quick hot meal on a cold day. They have a variety of flavors, however I just went for the
Vegetarian Tex-Mex Crispy Potato Skins
This recipe was so easy to come together and was a huge success with the family. I did a sort of taco twist on these potato skins which was both fun and added more flavor and fun to the meal. Instead of just using the regular toppings, I put some other toppings in some bowls for people to dress up the potato skins. I had bowls with cheese, caramelized onions, bacon (for the meat lovers), cheese, and diced tomatoes. I also mixed up some of the potato that was removed earlier with some salt, pepper, and a bit of butter to add to the skins or just on the side. It was a great take on your standard potato skins.
Vegan Sweet Chili Soba Noodles
This Soba noodle recipe is super quick and easy to make. It is also delicious and has tons of health benefits. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and have a similar shape and thickness as spaghetti noodles. These noodles being made from buckwheat flour provide vitamin B1 and B2, protein, and several minerals. It also helps with the body’s metabolism, lowers the blood pressure, and helps decrease cholesterol.
Ingredients & Foods to Always Have in Your House
Rice and/or quinoa: Good base to any meal and is quick and easy to make. They are also good for adding fiber, iron, and other dietary benefits. Agave nectar and/or dates: They are a quick and easy way to add sweetness to any recipe. Coconut oil: Can be used as a healthy replacer for olive
Quick & Easy Butternut Squash Fritters
These fritters are super delicious, light, and filling. They are perfect for a quick and easy dinner or can be saved in the fridge and reheated (a quick 1 minute zap in the microwave works for me) for lunches later in the week. You can serve it up with some yogurt or sour cream. I mixed up some chives and coconut yogurt to have with the fritters and might I say it was the perfect addition.
Gluten Free Asparagus & Cheese Strata
For Christmas Day I decided to make this Strata for a little brunch after we finished with all the Christmas festivities. I woke up early that morning to make it and let it chill in the fridge until we were ready, but you could make it the night before and bake it in the morning. I had served it with some bratwursts (for the meat eaters of course) and fruit salad, but you could have it on its own as well.
Quick Tips to Making The Best of 2016 Resolutions
If you want to make sure you will be able to make your new years resolutions stick, there are a few things that you should make sure you do. Make simple goals Far too many people make difficult resolutions that they can’t reach and begin to get frustrated to the point where they stop reaching
Holiday Cutout Sugar Cookies
Approximately 25-40 cookies Ingredients: ¾ cup unsalted butter 1 cup graduated sugar 1 large egg 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1¾ cup brown rice flour mix (see below) ¼ cup sweet rice flower 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon xanthan gum ¼ teaspoon salt Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar in a
Vegan Coconut, Peppermint, Dark Chocolate Bark
Ingredients: 1¼ cup dark chocolate chips, divided ½ teaspoon peppermint extract 2 Tablespoons coconut milk 2 cups unsweetened dried shredded coconut dried cranberries, chopped crushed peppermint Directions: Melt the ¾ cup of the chocolate chips in a bowl over simmering water (double boiler). Mix in the peppermint extract and coconut milk to the melted chocolate
Redbridge, Asparagus, and Red Pepper Risotto
This risotto uses Redbridge gluten-free beer to create the creamy texture as well as give it additional flavors. It is a great recipe for a cold night in and can be used both as a main dish or a side. If you are using it as a side you can cook up some protein or add some toast with cheese on top. For those of you who don’t like cheddar cheese you can always replace it with another kind.
Quick & Easy Vegan Potato and Artichoke Ragout
This ragout is both super easy to make and delicious. I increased the cooking time for the potatoes as mine weren’t brown until about 7 minutes in. I also added more vegetable broth so that way it would have more gravy in the end. All in all, is a really nice light, but filling recipe to have in on a cold day in the winter.
Monthly Favorites: November Edition
Garden Veggie Chips With Sea Salt These chips are so delicious and healthy for you since they are made from real vegetables. They are also the perfect size to carry in a little bag when you want a snack on the go. I love having these as a little snack in the afternoon and since
Autumn Gluten Free Scones
I really wanted to bake something for breakfast, so I decided to bake some scones. After consulting the family and friends as to whether or not they wanted cranberry or pumpkin the results had been a mash up of the two. I decided that rather than choosing which one to make, I would just make both flavors. I am not great at being able to come up with my own gluten free baking creations; so after searching the web I found these two amazing recipes. Both of which make delicious flavor packed scones that are still moist as any great scone should be. I added cinnamon on top of my pumpkin ones for a bit more of that pumpkin pie flavor.
Vegan & GF Sweet Potato-Black Bean Falafels
These falafels are great if you are looking for something to make but don’t have a lot of time to make it. Even the meat eaters in the family will go for seconds with this deliciously simple dish. Instead of using traditional pitas, you can use lettuce or cabbage as your wrap, as I have, for a gluten-free option. Add in your favorite vegetables to give it more health benefits and taste. I decided to go for some caramelized onions, sautéed asparagus, cucumber, beets, and bell pepper.
Is Detoxing For You?
Detoxing can be a great way to get yourself out of a sluggish period. If you are feeling more depressed, anxious, tired, or just not yourself you might consider detoxing. I have found it most helpful for me to do it around the holidays or even at the beginning of the new year, as the holidays can tend to involve a lot of deliciously unhealthy food and alcohol.
Simple Speghetti Squash Gratin
This is a great casserole dish for a cool autumn night. It can be easily parred with some vegetables, chicken, or lamb. When I cooked it for the family I picked up some simple pre cooked salad chicken strips and some zucchini and squash to cook up and pair with this dish. Serves 8 Ingredients:
Monthly Favorites October Edition
Purely Elizabeth: Ancient Grain Oatmeal Purely Elizabeth is a great certified gluten free, non-GMO, vegan, and organic brand. Their products are mostly grain based and include granola, oatmeal, muesli, and even cookie mixes. I have tried their granola before which was delicious so when I saw the oatmeal I had to give it a try.
Easy Ways to Add In Superfoods
In the morning: Try adding some vegetables when cooking up your eggs. It has a supreme amount of protein and vitamins to help boost you for the remainder of the day. For an easy way to do so try making these flower eggs. If you don’t like red peppers or want to try something else
Vegan Cauliflower Leek Soup
This soup is absolutely delicious for a light, warm dish for the cooler weather; and makes plenty for more to have later in the week. It is also so simple and easy to make. You could add some vegetable broth instead of water to make it a bit thicker and heavier, but I loved the lightness of the soup as it was. I also cut up some bread to dip in to the soup which of course is always amazing.