Meatless Meal: Italian Sausage with Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus

2/29/2016 0 Comments

Homemade Italian Spiced Sausages are pan fried with onions and bell peppers served alongside mini roasted potatoes and asparagus for a bright and healthy meal this spring. We enjoyed this meal as a fine lunch yet it could also make a lovely dinner. What's nice is it is pretty easy to toss together, while the sausage, peppers and onions cook you can bake the potatoes and asparagus, then serve it all together steaming hot.

Serves 2 - Doubles Well

Ingredients:

1/2 Bundle Asparagus
6 Mini Red Potatoes Sliced in Half
2 Vegan Italian Sausages like Tofurkey OR try my recipe. - Sliced in Rounds
1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper - Diced
1/2 Green Bell Pepper - Diced
1/2 Small Sweet Onion - Diced
1/2 Jalapeno Diced (opt)
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Feel free to add garlic or favorites here

Peaceful Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with baking paper or lightly grease. Place the potatoes in a small pot covered with water, bring to a boil and let cook for a minute or two, until a fork can gently pierce yet not break the potato.
Transfer to the baking sheet, season as desired (salt, pepper, any seasonal herb). Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven, flip, add asparagus toss in the 1 tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
While baking, heat a cast iron skillet or favorite over medium heat. Once hot add 1 Tbsp olive oil or use coconut butter, vegan butter or even vegetable broth for oil-free. Sauté the onions and peppers for a few minutes.
Add the sliced vegan sausage to the pan. Sauté for 5+ minutes each side until desired consistency. I like to take them a little longer to get a crisper exterior. Serve with the potatoes and asparagus for a complete meal.

Random Recipe of the Day - Oil-Free Pesto Pasta

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How to Make Creamy Natural Peanut Butter

2/28/2016 0 Comments

Sometimes you just want some creamy peanut butter! Maybe a big spoonful, on a PB&J, in smoothies, celery sticks, on a banana, in cookies or granola bars, surrounded with chocolate...there are so many fun options with how to use this magical butter. Made with natural peanuts and optional add-ins you really only need one to two ingredients for a creamy spread. I am amazed at how quick it is to make, in about 5 minutes it can be yours.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Peanuts
2 tsp Olive Oil + more if desired

Peaceful Preparation:

Blend the ingredients together in a high speed blender on speed 1 for one full cycle or until unit stops.
Scrape down sides, increase speed to level 5 for one full cycle or until unit stops.
Repeat until desired consistency. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.

Ideas:

Use coconut butter for oil-free or pass altogether.
Add agave, extracts like vanilla, sea salt, cacao or your favorite flavor additions.
Roast the nuts first for roasted peanut butter.
Recipe works well with other nuts like almonds or pecans.

Random Recipe of the Day - 5 Min No Chop Salad

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Blueberry Soursop Ice Cream - Vegan

2/24/2016 0 Comments

Vegan Blueberry Soursop Ice Cream also known in as Vegano Helado con Guanábana y Arándanos creates a creamy, one-of-a-kind ice cream is completely sugar-free. It is made creamy from coconut milk and the custard-like soursop/guanábana. Blueberries are added for sweet and healthy deliciousness along with mandarin juice for a shot of vitamin C. All of the ingredients are completely healthy so you can eat a big helping or two and feel great. Watch the video or get the recipe below. Watch the video or get the recipe below.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cup Soursop (Guanábana) Purée
1 Cup Blueberries
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Mandarin Juice
1 Can Full Fat Coconut Milk

Opt:

1 1/2 Cups Extra Blueberries

Peaceful Preparation:

Blend the pulp of the soursop or guanábana into a purée until you have 1 1/2 cups. Add the vanilla extract, mandarin juice and blueberries. Blend until smooth. Add the full fat coconut milk and blend until smooth.
Transfer to an ice cream maker. Serve with berries on top once done.
If you are like me and don't have an ice cream maker: pour 1 cup blueberries into the base of desired pan (I used a loaf pan) and 1/2 cup blueberries into an ice cube tray. Pour the blended mixture on top.
Place the ice cube tray in freezer overnight or until solid. Put the pan of ice cream in a freezer and stir every 30 minutes vigorously to break it up. Smooth it out, repeat until desired consistency. We could have let ours go another hour or two but couldn't resist the deliciousness and ate it after only 2-3 stirs. Serve with extra berries. Enjoy!!

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Chocolate Chai Latte - Vegan

2/22/2016 0 Comments

A few weeks back my husband and I wanted some tea. I was craving something more robust than lemongrass and thought I'd give my hand at making a Chai Latte. I didn't have the powder but I did have chai tea bags. Soon I was whisking, adding a dash of this and that and pouring a steaming hot creamy drink. My husband was delighted at how good it was and it soon became a new request and favorite in our home. Almond milk, chai tea, agave, cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate and a splash of coffee make a creamy, sweet, delightful drink for two.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Almond Milk (Reserve Foam from homemade if you make it)
2 Tbsp. Agave Syrup
1/4 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
2 Chocolate Hearts or 2-4 Tbsp Chocolate Chunks/Chips
OPT: 1/2 Cup Coffee or Shot of Espresso
2 Chai Tea Bags

Loving Preparation:

Combine the almond milk, agave, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate and coffee if using in a small pot over low heat. Whisk together until combined and slightly frothy.
Add the 2 Chai Tea Bags. Heat over low until hot, ensure to remove from heat before it reaches a simmer. Squeeze the tea bags to get as much chai tea flavor as possible.
Pour into two mugs. Top with the almond milk foam if you have it for added froth.

Notes/Tips:
Use additional sweetener or your preferred sweetener such as stevia, maple syrup, brown rice syrup...

Once I didn't have the chocolate hearts or chips so I used 1 Tbsp. Cacao powder and a little extra stevia, it was still very good! I also tried 1 Tbsp. Cacao Powder mixed with 1 tbsp Coconut Oil and 1 Tbsp Agave, stirred into a chocolate syrup, then poured that in, yum! I like the hearts or chips best myself. Even without chocolate it is good, enjoy! Love, Christa

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3 Ingredient Homemade Chocolate - Raw & Vegan

2/21/2016 0 Comments

With only 3 Ingredients you can be making homemade chocolates! This is my staple, quick and easy chocolate recipe. Feel free to add a dash of salt, a hint of flavor with vanilla or your favorite extract, add dried fruit, nuts, nut butter, coconut flakes or anything your heart desires to make a special treat. For fun, watch the quick how to video!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Coconut Oil - Melted
3 Tbsp Cacao
2 Tbsp Agave (or desired syrup)

Loving Preparation:
Melt the coconut oil in a hot water bath. Add the cacao and agave. Mix well. Pour into desired mold or a pan line with parchment paper. Freeze until solid. Enjoy!

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Cream of Celery Soup with a hint of Curry

2/19/2016 0 Comments

Creamy potatoes, celery, onions, garlic and a large infusion of spices come together to create a unique spin on the classic Cream of Celery Soup. I was telling Jerry, my husband, that I don't recall ever buying a can of cream of celery from the store but I'm really digging the homemade version. You can enjoy it chunky style or blend it into a creamy soup. Both are delicious but the blended one is surely our favorite.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Celery, Chopped Small
3 Cups Diced Potatoes
4 Cups Filtered Water
1 Cup Dairy Free Milk of Choice (I used Almond)
1 Cup Diced Onion
2 Large Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Tbsp. Dried Dill
1 Tbsp. Garlic Salt
1/2 Tablespoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano Leaves
1/2 tsp Curry Powder
Opt: Add a large spoonful of Creamy Vegan Cheese or your favorite vegan cheese
Opt: Top with chopped celery leaves or your favorite herb and a swirl of dairy free milk, I used homemade almond milk. For added spice add a little diced jalapeño.

Peaceful Preparation:

Add the chopped celery, diced potatoes, water, dairy free milk, diced onion and minced garlic in a pot. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to simmer. Add the dill, garlic salt, pepper, oregano and curry powder. Mix, simmer for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
You can either serve as is or with an immersion blender or heat proof blender, blend until smooth. We eat ours chunky, then the next day when it is cold, I blend it and we eat it.
Top with a sprinkle of chopped celery leaves with a swirl of dairy free milk. We added a little diced jalapeño too. Mmm. Serve hot!

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Jerry's Fav Granola Cereal (Thus Far)

2/16/2016 0 Comments

Oh my gosh! I am so excited to share this homemade granola cereal with you! I had literally a jar heaping full of almond pulp and other small containers with the almond mash jammed packed and overflowing in some instances stored in the freezer. Mocking me as I open it. It sat there for a good while before I finally made something out of it. I dried it out partially and then added it to a mixture of wonderful ingredients to create a homemade granola. Almond pulp, pecan pieces, sunflower seeds, a tad of salty 'n vanilla sweet with a generous helping of cinnamon, dried fruit and coconut flakes.

Enjoy it with homemade almond milk for breakfast cereal. A highly recommended vegan treat!!!

Jerry's Fav Granola Cereal (Thus Far)

2 Cups Almond Pulp, Lightly Packed from making Almond Milk
3/4 Cup Pecan Pieces
3 Tbsp. Sunflower Seeeds
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp. Coconut Flakes, Unsweetened
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Agave (or favorite like Maple Syrup)
2 Tbsp Stevia
3/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Stir in Last:

1 Cup Dried Fruit (I did 1/2 Cup Raisins and 1/2 Cup Cranberries)
1/3 Cup Coconut Flakes

Serve with:

Almond Milk
Fresh or Frozen Berries or Fruit

Instructions

If your almond pulp is frozen, defrost it first. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Place the almond pulp on a non-stick cookie sheet and into the oven for 20-30 minutes to dry out, remove from oven and cool.
Increase the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Mix the cooled pulp with the pecan pieces, seeds, coconut flakes, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the olive oil with the agave and vanilla. Mix everything together until slightly wet yet not dripping wet nor too dry.
Pour everything back onto the cookie sheet and place into the oven. Let bake for 15 minutes. Remove and stir.
Replace the pan and bake for 15-20 more minutes until lightly browned, stirring every 5 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool (it will crisp up more while cooling).
Stir in the dried fruit and additional coconut flakes and enjoy as is or add the homemade almond milk, fresh or frozen berries (or fruit like banana slices) and serve!

Note: Adapted from Civilized Caveman Cooking

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Vegano Zuppa Toscana

2/15/2016 2 Comments

CONTINUE

2 Comments

Blackberry Cheesecake Bites

2/14/2016 0 Comments

A chocolate infused crust is sweet with a pinch of salty covered with creamy cheesecake and topped with homemade blackberry sauce. The recipe makes 12 individual servings that are so fantastic. I shared with with our neighbors and her husband's eyes lit up "sweets!" The base is sweet with a pinch of salty, a perfectly lush and creamy center is topped with vanilla blackberry preserves. They make a mouthwatering, light your eyes up, delicious experience that begs to be repeated. Plus, they are vegan, refined-sugar free, gluten-free and raw. We enjoyed our very last ones for our Valentine's Day dessert, a sweet ending to a great day. I hope you all had wonderful weekends and if you celebrated a very Happy Valentine's Day! Sending you all bright Love & Light! Christa

Crust

3/4 Cup Almonds
3/4 Cup Dates
2 Tbsp Cacao
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Pinch Salt

Cheesecake:

3/4 Raw Cashews Soaked Overnight; Drained and Rinsed
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Agave
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil - Melted
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Pinch Salt

Blackberry Sauce:

1 Cup Blackberries
1 Tbsp Agave
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 Tbsp Chia Seeds

Peaceful Preparation:

Prepare the crust by placing the almonds in a food processor, pulse until chopped relatively fine. Add the balance of the crust ingredients and pulse until well combined and sticky, pushing down the sides and repeating as needed. Divide and press into 12 cups.
Prepare the cheesecake by placing all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth, press down sides, repeat until completely smooth. Pour on top of the crust, place in freezer overnight or until solid.
Prepare the blackberry sauce by combining the ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth. Place in fridge overnight.
Once ready, remove from freezer and top with preserves and a berry. Allow to thaw to desired consistency, I can usually make it 5-10 minutes before I must try it. Dig in!!

Tips:

Make 1/2 the amount of blackberry sauce if you don't want any leftover. I love it so much I made a little extra. If you don't have blackberries, use what you have. Cherries...strawberries...raspberries...blueberries...mixed berries...
For Oil-Free use melted coconut butter. You can also use melted cacao butter for a more white-chocolate experience, yum!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts

2/12/2016 2 Comments

Do you ever want a treat that is so small you can pop it in your mouth at any time of day and not feel bad? I do! I absolutely LOVE to have bite sized desserts around, especially chocolates. Peanut butter and chocolate are both such wonderful comfort foods, the combination is a favorite of many worldwide. Growing up the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were how I got my fix and at Christmas when my mom would make her special homemade version. Now I can enjoy a healthy version and you can too! These aren't quite the same as the original but they are made using few healthy ingredients, with a darker chocolate, are totally vegan, healthy and delicious! Plus, they are pretty, a plus. After a meal I love to have a little sweet, and this size is just enough to meet my craving and not hurt my body. These are wonderful to have in your freezer anytime!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil - Melted
1/4 Cup Agave (or favorite syrup)
1/4 Cup Cacao Powder
Opt: Pinch of Sea Salt
3-4 Tbsp Peanut Butter

Loving Preparation:

Mix together the melted coconut oil, agave and cacao powder. Opt to add a pinch of sea salt if desired, I like the salty and sweet combination.
Pour 1/2 of the amount in the base of desired mold, I used a heart mold with 14 hearts. Freeze for 10 minutes until the chocolate firms.
Place a dollop of peanut butter in each heart and spread on top of the chocolate. Top with remaining chocolate. Freeze until solid. Perfect when frozen overnight.

Tip:
Melt the coconut oil by placing it in a hot water bath. Measure out 1/4 cup, place in a glass cup or dish, place that dish in a heatproof bowl and pour hot water in the heatproof bowl, ensuring it doesn't touch the coconut oil. It will melt from the heat. Replace water as needed until it is clear liquid.