Vegan Holiday Recipe: Sausage & Rice Dressing (Gluten Free Stuffing)

12/5/2017 2 Comments

Vegan sausage crumbles, mushrooms, onions, garlic, bell pepper, quinoa, brown rice, cranberries and all the right herbs create a remarkable flavor sensation. Get ready for a party in your mouth!

CONTINUE

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Chocolate Filled Strawberries

2/10/2016 0 Comments

What is better than Chocolate Covered Strawberries? Chocolate Filled Strawberries. With only 4 ingredients and in a mere 10 Minutes you can be biting into a moist, juicy berry with a chocolate filled center. When you are making them, make a couple extras, pop one in your mouth before refrigerating for a shot of chocolate, yum! Then place them in the fridge for 10 minutes and eat them or serve. How easy, delicious and appealing. My husband and I had these alongside the chocolate covered strawberries and decided these were the winners. We both liked them even better! I didn't know that was possible.

Imagine having a gathering and you walk out with a plate of chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate filled strawberries, can you see the eyes lighting up with excitement as they reach for one? Or you surprise your most loved person in the whole world with them! I made them for my husband and I was surprised at how happy he was to be greeted with the plate of beauties and to "test" them for you all!

Ingredients:

16 Strawberries
1 Tbsp Cacao
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil - Melted/Liquid
1 Tbsp Agave

Loving Preparation:

Wash the strawberries. Slice the ends off. Carefully cut out the center making a well for the chocolate.
Mix together the cacao, melted coconut oil and agave until smooth. You can also use leftover chocolate after making chocolate covered strawberries, melted chocolate chips or a melted chunk of a chocolate bar. Note: double or triple chocolate ingredients if needed for bigger berries.
Spoon the chocolate sauce into strawberries. Place each berry in a clean empty ice cube tray so it can hold the berry upright. Continue until done. Place in the fridge for 10+ minutes until the chocolate firms up. Enjoy!

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Coconut Raspberry Hearts

1/14/2016 0 Comments

“One love, one heart, one destiny.”
― Bob Marley

Having a healthy dessert around can make such a huge and happy difference in ones life. Creamy coconut, raspberries, a pinch of salt and hint of vanilla come together harmoniously. When poured in a heart mold they create pretty pink hearts that are so desirable it is hard not to pop one in your mouth! Gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, dairy-free with no baking required and a sugar-free option these little hearts have my #!

Makes 14 Hearts - 44 Calories per Heart

Ingredients:

1 Cup Shredded Coconut
1/4 Cup Coconut Milk
Pinch Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup Fresh or Frozen Raspberries
Opt: Stevia to sweeten or 2 Tbsp Unrefined Sugar (Coconut, Agave, etc.)

Loving Preparation:

Blend, scrape down the sides, continue blending until completely smooth.
Pour into desired mold, I chose a heart mold.
Freeze for 2 + hours until solid and enjoy!

Tips:

Unsweetened Coconut is preferred yet sweetened will also work.
Cashew Milk or other creamy non-dairy milks may be used instead of coconut.
Use your favorite fruit! Blueberries, blackberries, peaches, mango, strawberries, bananas... or a mix!
Serve with fresh fruit!
These would be great for Valentines Day!

Good points

No cholesterol
Low in sodium
High in dietary fiber
High in iron
High in manganese
High in vitamin B6

PointsPlus - Weight Watchers - 1 Point
SmartPoints - Weight Watchers (new Dec 2015) - 3 Points

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Holiday Dinner - Featuring: Scalloped Potato Recipe

12/27/2015 0 Comments

Cozy socks, warm clothes, snuggles, hugs, family, loved ones, cheerful people, a giving spirit, these are a few things I love this time of year. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, are enjoying your holidays and were able to spend time or catch up with family and loved ones. We caught up with our families and it was such a nice heart warming treat. We enjoyed a relaxed day with lots of good food. A homemade baguette, a hearty lentil loaf infused with gravy vegetables with a crust made of rice....

...scalloped potatoes with a vegan cheesy topping

and a Inca quinoa salad.

I surprised my husband with our vegan feast. It was so much fun to have a variety of delicious plant-based foods gracing our plates and a home filled with love.

It's hard to believe this year is already coming to a swift end, the countdown is on and 2016 is inching closer and closer. The world in many places is in turmoil yet has pockets of peace. May the peace and love arise as we go into this next year, unknowing what will come. I do know one thing, sharing home-cooking with your loved ones is a simple way to show your love and bring people together happily no matter what's going on. It's kind of magical that way.

Holiday Dinner

Holiday Baguette
Lentil Loaf
Inca Quinoa Salad
Scalloped Potatoes
Cookies for dessert!

Notes:

Holiday Baguette is the June's Baguette recipe - pg 157 in The Artistic Vegan Cookbook - PDF or Book)
The Lentil Loaf recipe is free in eBook when you subscribe or ask for one at [email protected]
I used the Inca Quinoa Salad recipe, modified slightly, from the World Fusion Cookbook, my favorite! Any salad will work.
Scalloped Potato recipe is below!
Cookie recipe is coming soon!

These potatoes are so hard to resist you may find yourself asking for another spoonful. Creamy, "cheesy" and so wonderful they nearly melt in your mouth.

Scalloped Potatoes

2 Tbps. Olive Oil (Sub Vegetable broth or water for oil-free)
1 1/2 Cloves Garlic - Minced
2 Tbsp. Harina de Maiz - Corn Flour
1 tsp. Freshly Minced Thyme
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 1/4 Cup Cashew Milk or non-dairy
3 Yukon Gold Potatoes - Peeled and Sliced Thin
1 Small Onion - Diced
Opt: 1/2 - 3/4 cup Dairy Free Cheese (I used the Mozzarella Cheese recipe in my book; you could use this one too)

Peaceful Preparation:

In a saucepan add the olive oil, saute the garlic for 1 minute. Add the corn flour, thyme, sea salt and pepper, whisk for 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in the cashew milk. Whisk constantly until boiling and thickened, about 8 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Peel and very thinly slice the potatoes. Layer in a cast iron skillet, casserole dish or pan. I used a cast iron skillet, well greased. Spread 1/3 of the potatoes in a layer and top with 1/2 of the diced onion. Repeat with 1/3 of the potatoes and another layer of diced onion. Add the final layer of potatoes. Cover with the sauce, using the back a knife to spread the sauce between the layers. Opt to top with dairy free cheese (suggested) stir to mix in slightly.
Cover and bake for 1 hour, uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Happy Holidays with love from my heart and kitchen to
yours!

Christa

Adapted from the great recipe at Canadian Living.

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Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy and Steamed Asparagus

12/19/2015 0 Comments

Create a simple yet savory meal this holiday with mashed potatoes and gravy with a side of steamed asparagus. Enjoy them as sides or as a simple meal. The gravy has so much flavor from freshly minced garlic, diced red onions and button cap mushrooms with hints of pepper. It accompanies the mashed potatoes infused with dill and a side of asparagus like no other. I love to pour a little gravy on top of the asparagus with a little salt and pepper, it is so good! Roasted vegetables are equally as good, green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, garlic and onions.

This meal is:

Simple
Comforting
Satisfying
Hearty
Healthy
Great for the holidays!
Husband-approved!

Mashed Potatoes:

4 Cups of Diced White Potatoes (2 Large White Potatoes)
1/2 Cup Dairy Free Milk (I used Cashew)
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Dill
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

Savory Mushroom Gravy:

1/4 Cup Diced Red Onion
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp. Water or Vegetable Broth (Divided)
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 1/4 Cup Diced Button cap Mushrooms
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
3 Tbsp. Harina de Maiz (Corn Flour)
1/2 tsp Guar Gum

Steamed Asparagus

1 Bundle - Ends snapped off
Salt and Pepper to taste

Peaceful Preparation:

Place the diced potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and easy to mash.
Meanwhile, place 2 tbsp. of water in a small saucepan. Sauté the diced onions and minced garlic for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the balance of the ingredients. Stir together. Heat over medium-low heat while the potatoes cook. Continue to stir the gravy, allowing it to simmer and thicken.
Once the potatoes are boiling, start the asparagus. I steamed ours in our steamer for 20 minutes, they were pretty soft which my husband loves. If you like yours firmer, I'd go for 15 minutes.
Once the potatoes are soft, drain them. Add the balance of the ingredients, the dairy free milk, sea salt, dill and pepper. Mash until desired consistency. If you like them whipped you can also blend them.
Serve the potatoes hot, make a well, place the gravy in the well. Place the asparagus on the side. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, pour a little gravy on top. Serve with gravy on the side.

Enjoy this plant-based, heart-healthy meal this season! Happy Holidays!

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Vegan Thanksgiving 101

11/26/2015 1 Comment

If you look at a standard Thanksgiving meal and skipped the Turkey, there are a lot of vegan options out there. Have Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Cranberries, Rolls, Salad, Green Beans and Stuffing, modify slightly as needed to avoid dairy, gluten, oil and sugar. I released an e-Book last year, free when you subscribe, that focuses on having a vegan holiday meal. It has a delicious lentil loaf, cheese ball, winter salad, divine cheesecake with caramel sauce and more!

This year I'm making recipes from my new book The Artistic Vegan Cookbook, An Alchemical Transformation. I'm choosing options that are plant-based, low-fat and won't hurt my figure. I just lowered the PDF to $9.99 so you can have access to over 150 vegan + gluten-free recipes not released on this site. I've had wonderful feedback and hope you get a copy too!
Thanks-Living Menu from The Artistic Vegan Cookbook: An Alchemical Transformation (on Amazon!)

Shepherd's Pie (page 219) - A great pick because it has vegetables, gravy and potatoes all in one!
Squash Herb Corn Biscuits (page 153) - Perfect for this season! If you don't have squash try the Fluffy Biscuits! (page 155)
Flourishing Garden Herb Salad with Tangy Dill Dressing (page 137)

For Dessert, pick your favorite, here a few options:

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies (page 345)
Pecan Butter Cookies (page 353)
Irresistible Mango Oat Bars (replace mango with favorite jam- page 347)
Christa's Banana Blondies with Salted Caramel (page 341)

CC's Chocolate Caramel Deluxe Candies (page 365) - This is what I chose since I want chocolate! :)
Or a variety of cheesecakes (pages 321 - 337)

If you don't want to subscribe or buy a book, here are some wonderful options off this very blog! Check out my post Vegan Thanksgiving Ideas - 30 Recipes.

Plus here are some new ideas!

Breakfast - World Fusion Tofu Scramble with House Fries and Biscuits

Lunch or Starter - Creamy Curried Sweet Potato Soup

The Main Course - Homemade Vegan Sausage

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy with a Brussels Sprouts Salad.

I hope you found this helpful and you are able to enjoy a variety of vegan options this season! Thank you SO much for subscribing, following and trying my recipes.
Happy Thanks-Living!
With love,
Christa

1 Comment

Vegan Thanksgiving Ideas - 30 Recipes!

11/25/2015 1 Comment

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and is a big holiday for foodies and non foodies a like in America. Gerald and I used to both enjoy the traditional thanksgiving growing up and now enjoy a vegan variety of delicious food!

In 2010 we shared our first vegetarian thanksgiving together! This was pre-blog life in our little studio. Here are some old pictures I found of our scalloped potatoes, green been casserole, creamy potato soup with a veggie platter, pumpkin bread, pies, stuffing, fruit-salad and cranberries not featured.

Here was one of our yummy pies from 2010.

In 2011 we shared a non-traditional vegan Thanksgiving with all of our favorites! Hummus with Pita Bread and Veggies, Vegan Pesto Pasta with Tofurkey and dessert. Another pre-blogging event right before I started the blog! No pics.

This is what we had in 2012 for our Vegan Thanksgiving!

Our 2012 Menu was:

Homemade Wheat (Yeast Free) Bread
Vegan Tempeh Loaf
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
Fresh Healthy Green Bean Casserole
Pumpkin Pecan Pie & Cherry Pie

In 2013 we enjoyed an Aloha Style thanksgiving! Pic of one of our dishes we enjoyed in Hawaii below.

Now here it is 2014 and I am planning a delicious meal for me and my honey. I went to the market today and am ready to go! I typically toss tradition out the window and just have fun so don't expect anything different. ;) I will be sharing soon! In the mean time...

Here are hand-selected recipes that I think would be great for Thanksgiving!

Appetizers:
Vegan Cream Cheese Filled Tomatoes with Spices and Green Onions

Garlic Hummus

Goddess Dip

Fresh Fruit Pyramid

Napa Cabbage Croquettes with Parsley Chutney Dipping Sauce

Bakery Options!

GF Nut 'N Seed Bread

Homemade Oat Bread

Raw Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread

If no concern with gluten: Homemade Vegan Wheat Bread - Yeast Free

Side Dishes:

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Citrus Infused Rainbow Carrots & Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ensalada

Potato Sides:

Pan Fried Pepper Jack Veggie Potatoes (My husband's middle son LOVED these!!)

Steak Fries (My hubby's fav!!)

Creamy Curried Sweet Potato Soup

The Main Course:

Grab n go BBQ Tempeh Bites (Make into a Tempeh Loaf!!)

Lemon Glazed Ginger Tempeh with Brown Rice and Fresh Basil

Garlic & Herb Roasted Potatoes with Baked Soyaki Tempeh & Chili Peppers

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Roasted Purple Asparagus

Forbidden Brussels Sprouts

Sweet Treats:

Pecan Carrot Cake (Raw)

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Savory Pumpkin Bites

Mixed Berry Pie with Almond Crust

I hope this helped provide some ideas! May our family and yours be blessed with an abundance of thanksgiving and love!

“One kind word can warm these winter months” Japanese Proverb

Christa

1 Comment

4th of July Vegan Meal Plan!

7/3/2015 0 Comments

When I was working in corporate we had a curious visitor from Japan that asked how we celebrated holidays. My co-worker replied "With a BBQ!" and went on to say "they typically have burgers, hot dogs, beer and drinks, lots of food, people and music" it seemed to be the response for most celebrations! Since the 4th of July lands in summer, a BBQ is a typical way to celebrate. This year, instead of meat what if you changed up it up and celebrated in health! Here is a fun meal plan for the day! It starts with a Red, White & Blue Smoothie, has an afternoon pick-me-up with a Zen Chakra Salad with Asparagus and ends with Lentil Zucchini Burgers and a Tropical Blossom Cherry Banana Cream Pie! Click on the picture or title to go to the recipe. From my heart to your kitchen ~ Christa

Breakfast: Red, White & Blue Smoothie

Lunch:Zen Chakra Salad with Asparagus

Dinner:Lentil Zucchini Burgers

Dessert:Tropical Blossom Cherry Banana Cream Pie

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Fresh Cranberry Sauce with Mixed Berries

12/6/2013 0 Comments

Fresh cranberries make a sensational splash at the dinner table during the holiday season! Plus they're loaded with antioxidants to keep your body happy. Cranberries are high in vitamin C and low in calories! Did you know that only one cup of whole cranberries has 8,983 total antioxidant capacity!

The cranberry sauce turned out so good we even enjoyed it on our homemade Jerry Berry "ice cream"!

Fresh, sweet yet slightly tart, quick, easy and tasty!

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh cranberries
1 cup of water
Stevia to taste
1/4 cup +/- agave
1/2 - 1 cup raisins
1 cup mixed berries
Grind of orange
1/2 Orange - freshly squeezed

Directions:

Bring 1 cup of water with stevia and agave to boil, add the cranberries.
Reduce heat to a simmer and allow to simmer for 10 minutes allowing the cranberries to burst, stirring occasionally.
Slowly stir in raisins, mixed berries, orange juice and orange grind. Adding any additional treats to taste (nuts, raisins, agave, stevia etc)
Allow to cool completely to room temperature. Transfer to fridge allowing to set. Serve alone, with salad, in a shake, in baking or even as a dessert topping!

E N J O Y ! ! !

With love,
Christa

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Brussels Sprouts Salad

11/28/2013 0 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are! We have so much to be thankful for. One of many would be sharing a meal with Jia Patton and her husband Michael in Kauai, Hawaii! What a honor! She had just shared her beautiful inspirational cookbook "Celebrate Life" with me. Within the book she talks about kitchen yoga where the most important ingredient is you. I took her advice, and did some yoga as I chopped the vegetables thankful with each chop, singing a bit. I let my heart flow and a new recipe was created! :) Brussels Sprouts Salad! I'd never had raw Brussels Sprouts before, turns out they're delicious!

Take 1 lb of Brussels Sprouts, chop them up, add raisins, nuts, fresh and candied ginger for a spin, salt, pepper, olive oil and some balsamic vinaigrette. Mix 'er up and top with fresh red grapes to create added flavor and an artistic flare!

Brussels Sprouts are great for the holiday season, having them raw provides a new spin that will surprise your guests and your taste buds! I hope you enjoy! I'm so thankful for all the sweet blessings that overflow this season, what are you most thankful for?

Ingredients:

1 lb Brussels Sprouts - Chopped finely
1 tbsp fresh ginger chopped or grated
1 cup raisins (or cranberries)
1 cup mixed nuts (cashews...almonds...walnuts...)
2 pieces candied ginger - diced finely
Salt and pepper to taste
Drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette to taste
1/2 1lb fresh red grapes

Prep:

Chop the veggies
Toss the veggies together in a large bowl
Add salt and pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Toss together.
Decorate the top with fresh red grapes, enjoy!

Thank you all for your wonderful support!!! I'm so thankful to be sharing with you!
With love and gratitude,
Christa

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Last year we had a Thanksgiving Dinner to remembert! Click here for pics!

Here are some recipe ideas, maybe you'll be in the mood for something different like a Spicy Kale Quinoa Crustless Quiche.