Already?!

In honor of Vegan MoFo coming to a close, I'm posting links to a few of my favorite recipes that I bookmarked over the course of Vegan MoFo...here they are:

Chana Masala Hummus, cherry tomatoes, Veggies Rustic Pizza - Vegan Richa
Hollyhock Berry Pie Recipe - Barefoot and Frolicking
SWEET APRICOT+ ROSEMARY ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH OVER CABBAGE WITH CRUSHED POPCORN AND SPROUTS - Big Mike's Eats
Homemade Vegan Ham - Chubby Vegan Mom
Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms with Slow Roasted Tomatoes - From Kristen's Kitchen to Yours
Vegan MoFo - Stopover 16 - Austria - Veganise This!
Pineapple & Tofu Red Curry - Bite Me (I'm Vegan)

I have a lot more recipes bookmarked. I just didn't want to go overboard. As for my MoFo recipes, here are a few of my favorites:

Butternut Squash, Apricot, and Raspberry Tarts With Rosemary, Popcorn, and Pecan Crust
Baked Falafel With Vegan Tzatziki Sauce
Vegan Corn and White Bean Summer Salad
Fresh Cucumber Salad
Kale, Bell Pepper, Grape Tomato, and Radish Veggie Bowls
Lightened-Up and Vegan "Fried Green Tomatoes"
Twist on Raw Cashew Cheese: Cashew "Cheddar" Cheese

PS: I hope you stick around...I'm posting the most awesome mini cheesecake recipe tomorrow, so don't be a stranger! ❤☮

Vegan & Gluten Free Almond and Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies:

I kind of just came up with this recipe off the top of my head. These sweet and savory "butter" cookies are really good. I'll say that they're in the shortbread category, though they're different. They're pretty healthy...I steered clear of adding a lot of sugar and oil, and they're lovely with your morning coffee! Also, if you're a sugar freak, just add a tablespoon of white sugar, and these will definitely sweeten up your day. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour

1/3 cup crushed almonds

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup warm water + 1 tsp. ground flax

3 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. Earth Balance or other non-dairy butter

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. agave nectar

1/4 tsp. salt

Makes about 12 cookies. 

Total Cook Time: 30 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Mix the almond flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a medium-sized bowl.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water and ground flax seed.

3. Mix the water and flax mixture, vanilla extract, agave, and Earth Balance in with the dry ingredients. Stir until a cookie dough has formed. (You may want to add a little  more almond flour if the dough is too wet).

4. Fold in the chocolate chips and almonds.

5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small spoon, scoop 12 dough balls/cookies onto the baking sheet. You can flatten them out a little if you'd like.  Bake at 325 for 16 to 20 minutes.

Tomato & Barley Soup:

Super Soup! This soup is very healthy and comforting. It will warm you up on those cold Mid-Fall and Early Winter days. I hear some of you are getting snow already! I'm loving these 60 degree days, though I'm already starting to miss wearing shorts and flip flops.

Sadly, today is the last day of Vegan MoFo. I'm still working on getting my 31 posts. Hopefully I'll have time to get the rest up tonight. (I've had a few set backs the past few days, and school is not helping).

On a related note, HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Unfortunately I won't be trick or treating or going out tonight, but I will be busy vegging out after I'm done with my school work/work work and such.

Ingredients:

1 can diced tomatoes + 2 cans water
1 1/2 cups kale, rinsed and ripped into small pieces
1/2 cup uncooked barley
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Lawry's Seasoned Salt (optional)
Dash of paprika
Dash of black pepper

Instructions:

1. Add the diced onions, oil, and garlic to a large pot. Cook on medium to medium high heat until softened, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, 2 cans of water, red wine vinegar, salt, seasoned salt, paprika, and black pepper. Bring to a boil.

3. Once the soup is boiling, reduce heat to medium, and continue cooking for another 12 minutes.

4. After 12 minutes, stir in the barley and kale. Continue cooking on medium heat for another 12 to 15 minutes.

Vegan Corn and White Bean Summer Salad:

I'd love to sit and chat, but life has been crazy over the past few days. As a result, I must move onto my school (and other non-cooking related) obligations. For now, here's a recipe that can be made in less than ten minutes. I know that summer's over, but I also know that you'll like it. :)

Ingredients:

1 (15.5oz.) can sweet corn, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5oz.) can small white beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium tomato, diced
1 cup cucumber, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup red onion, diced
1 tbsp. fresh green cayenne pepper, finely diced (optional)
1 tbsp. your choice of dressing (Italian works well).
1 tsp. olive or canola oil (optional)
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
A few dashes of ground black pepper

Serves 4.
Total Cook Time: Less than 10 minutes.

Instructions:

Add the corn, white beans, tomato, cucumber, onion, and cayenne pepper to a large bowl. Mix in the dressing and oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

Product Review: Lightlife Smart Dogs:

I give these dogs: ★★★★★ (Better tasting than hot dogs without all the fleshy by-products). ☺

I fried these in a pan on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Though I would prefer to use the grill, I had an unfortunate incident lighting it a few weeks back, a situation in which my hair has not yet fully recovered from. Needless to say, I've been steering clear of the grill.

I like to top these with a few generous servings ketchup, diced red onions, and Dijon mustard. Is anyone else as obsessed with Dijon as I am? I like to mix 2 tablespoons Dijon with 2 teaspoons agave nectar to make a Honey-Dijon-Like sauce. I could eat it by the spoonful!

Anyways, these are delicious. I would have taken a picture of the veggie dog that I made if I wasn't so busy inhaling it. Sorry! ❤❤❤

PS: A healthy recipe involving sweet corn and white beans should be up by tomorrow afternoon! ❤

Avocado Hummus:

Oh man...I really just love avocados. They're good with everything, and they're so healthy! So here's what I put together for you today:

Ingredients:

1 avocado, pitted and halved
1 (16 oz.) can chickpeas, drained
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. red onion (to keep the avocado from browning)
2 tbsp. olive or canola oil
1 1/2 tbsp. sesame tahini
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)

Instructions:

Add of the ingredients to your food processor, and pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Top with pine nuts and serve with tortilla chips.

PS: the weather was just so perfect the other day that I couldn't resist going for a hike: ❤

Thanksgiving Farro Salad:

My cousin decided to call me yesterday and tell me that she's flying in for the weekend, and that we're going to a music festival. Haha, so anyways, that's what I'm doing for the weekend. Despite the fact that the hurricane is causing high winds and colder temperatures, I'm excited. I just hope that her flight gets in on time and isn't delayed because of the wind.

Anyways, I've been trying to stock up on food for her arrival. She loves Spaghettio's, hence the last post's recipe. I also bought veggie dogs because she's like...obsessed with them, and I'm dragging her to my school's Halloween party tonight. I'm being a leopard, but I don't think that she even has a costume. Serves her right for spontaneously booking a flight down here on the weekend before Halloween in the middle of a hurricane. I really do love her ridiculous soul unconditionally though. Pictures to follow!

Oh, as far as the recipe goes, this is perfect for Thanksgiving or any chilly fall day. It's sweet, savory, and just plain amazing. I bought a package of farro from Target that cooks in the microwave in 90 seconds, so this took me less time. I can never find regular farro, and I don't know exactly how long it takes to cook, so this may take you longer that 20 minutes if you're not using the kind that I used.

I hope you like it!

Ingredients:

2 cups  farro, cooked according to package directions (I used Archer Farms from Target)
1 cup Boston Lettuce leaves
2 sweet potatoes, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. agave nectar or other natural sweetener
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
A few sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme

Serves 2.
Total Cook Time: 20 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Cook the farro, add the olive oil and 1/4 tsp. salt. Toss to coat and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, add the sweet potatoes, garlic, and a few cups of water. Bring to a boil, and boil until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes or so. Drain and return to pan. Add the agave and remaining salt. Toss to coat.

3. Add the cranberries, sweet potatoes, and garlic to the farro and mix together. Sprinkle the thyme on top, and serve over a bed of Boston lettuce or arugula.

Vegan Spaghettio's ❤

Who doesn't love a good old can of Spaghettio's? Unfortunately, they're not vegan, so I veganized them for you in this incredibly easy, 15-minute, one-pot recipe. This will feed an army, and it's actually cheaper than buying Spaghettio's. I just may start living off of them. ❤

Ingredients:

1 box ditalini pasta
1 can condensed tomato soup*
1 tbsp. Earth Balance (or other non-dairy butter)
1 tsp. olive oil (optional)
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt (to taste)

Feeds an army (8 to 10 people).
Total Cook Time: 15 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions (al dente). Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

2. Return the pasta to the pot, and add the olive oil, salt, Earth Balance, and tomato soup. Mix well.❤

NOTE:
* You may want to have another can of condensed tomato soup on hand if you'd like a little more sauce or when eating eat the next day. (The pasta tends to soak up the sauce).

Pumpkin Walnut Fudgy Brownies:

Yes, this was dinner tonight. I used my great grandma's brownie recipe for this. I just veganized it and added pumpkin! (I don't think she'd mind). I used almost a full can of pumpkin, but the texture ended up turning out a little weird, so only use about 2/3 cup. Because I added the pumpkin, I added a little more sugar in there as well. These still need a little perfecting, but I had to post them because they're still really delicious. Feel free to make substitutions, but only if you're some kind of pro-baker. Baking from scratch is hard!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup pumpkin (canned)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup coconut oil or vegetable  shortening (you can probably sub Earth Balance too)
1/2 cup water or almond milk
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. ground flax + 2 tbsp. water (in place of the egg)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (plus more for sprinkling on top)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup Walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Mix all of the ingredients (except the walnuts) in a large bowl until everything's well-blended.

2. Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan, and pour the brownie mixture in.

3. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool, sprinkle with a little more pumpkin pie spice, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (optional, but I like them better cold).

Avocado Panini Melts With Hot Pepper Salsa:

These paninis are so good! I could live off of them, and the avocado makes them so filling. You can also add chickpeas to them for some protein. I used the Smokey Cheddar Block Cheese that I made the other day. I've been melting it on everything. These are also really easy to make, and if you don't feel like running to the store to pick up pitas, you can just use bread and make these like you would grilled cheese. Anyways, I hope you like this as much as I do! ❤❤❤

AVOCADO PANINI MELTS:

Ingredients:

2 whole wheat pitas
1 avocado, divided in half
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup red onion, sliced
1 cup vegan cheese (you can use Smokey Cheddar Block Cheese, Daiya Cheese, or Cashew Cheese)

Serves 2.
Total Cook Time: 20 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Lay the pitas out flat on two plates. Spread the avocado over one half of the pita, and top with the tomatoes, onion, and the salsa. Add the vegan cheese to the other half, and then fold the pitas in half.

2. You can now either: 1) Grill the pitas in a Geoge Foreman Grill or Panini Grill, or 2) You can make them in a pan like you would make grilled cheese. For the grill: grill on medium or high heat until the cheese is melted and the pitas are golden brown, about seven minutes. For the pan: cook on medium-high heat until the cheese is melted and the pitas are golden-brown, about 7 minutes (You may want to cover the pan while cooking. It should help the cheese melt).

3. Let cool for a few minutes, cut the paninis in half, and enjoy. ❤

HOT PEPPER SALSA:

Ingredients:

4 hot peppers, seeded and cut in half (you can use sweet peppers if you don't like spicy food)

1/2 cup red onion
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. coarse salt

Instructions:

Mix all of the ingredients in you food processor, and process it until it has turned into a salsa.

Adventures in Vegan "Cheese" Making Part 3: Vegan Block Cheddar Cheese

What vegan doesn't love a good cashew cheese? Well, this is arguably even better: Smokey Cashew Block Cheddar Cheese. It's delicious. Enjoy it on a grilled cheese sandwich, add it to your favorite vegan mac and cheese recipe, or eat it with wine and crackers. You can even grate it!

It's actually way easier than you'd think to make vegan block cheese. I used to be so intimidated by it, but now, I can whip it up in less than a half an hour (minus the refrigeration time). The biggest issue for people who don't usually make their own vegan cheese is getting a hold of all of the ingredients. However, if you don't have a nearby health food store, you can get nutritional yeast and agar powder on Amazon, and all of the other ingredients can be found in your local grocery store.

For amateurs, I'm going to provide a basic overview of the ingredients that I used:

The Low Down on Vegan Cheesemaking:

1. Water: Well, you need water to dissolve the agar in.
2. Plain Unsweetened Almond Milk: I used this to give the cheese a more authentic flavor, but you can always use water instead.
3. Agar Powder: This is a sea vegetable that will help the cheese harden.
4. Coconut  Oil: Aids the agar. You can usually find it near the other oils or in the baking section (near the flour) of the grocery store - optional.
5. Raw Cashews: Versatile, and though awesome in their original form, can be turned into even more amazing and tasty cheese, spreads, and dips.
6. Tahini: made from sesame, gives the cheese a harder and more convincing flavor. Find it in the grocery store (I can't remember what aisle).
7. Liquid Smoke: I used this to achieve a smokey flavor, but it's entirely optional. Find it for a dollar near the barbecue sauce.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup plain unsweetened almond or other non-dairy milk
4 tsp. agar powder
1 tsp. coconut oil
1 cup raw cashews, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (maybe more)
3 tbsp. sesame tahini
1 tsp. salt
Lawry's Seasoned Salt (optional)
A few drops of liquid smoke (optional)

Makes a sizable block of cheese.
Active time: 15 minutes.
Refrigeration: 5 to 6 hours. 

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, almond milk, agar powder, and coconut oil to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, whisking almost constantly.

2. Next, add the cashews, nutritional yeast, tahini, salt, and liquid smoke to your food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds, then scrape the mixture off of the sides and add 1/3 to 1/2 of the agar mixture from the saucepan. Continue processing the mixture, adding the remaining agar mixture and scraping the sides down as needed until a smooth and creamy mixture has formed.

3. Grease a bowl or container, and pour the cheese mixture into it. Let it cool on the counter for at least 15 minutes. Refrigerate for 6 hours or so. (I refrigerated mine overnight).

Vegan MoFo Iron Chef Challenge: Potatoes and Sesame:

The ingredients for this week's Vegan MoFo Iron Chef Challenge are: Potatoes and Sesame, so I decided to make:

Vegan Redskin Potato and Kale Gnocchi in a White Wine and Sesame Reduction.

This gnocchi recipe is quicker because I used mashed potatoes instead of riced potatoes. My grandma taught me how to rice potatoes and make potato dumplings before, but I don't remember, so I'm going to have to have her give me a refresher lesson next time I'm home. 

Anyways, although the gnocchi didn't turn out as pretty as I had hoped,  it ended up being delicious, and the white wine and sesame sauce has left my taste buds in Heaven all day. I originally intended on using a white sauce, but I threw the tomato paste in last minute. I'm glad I did. I hope you like it!

Important: make sure that you don't boil the gnocchi on high. My first try was a little bit of a disaster...I ended up with mushy gnocchi. :( The dough is very delicate, so it's important that you don't over boil it.

Ingredients:

2 cups redskin potatoes, cut into one-inch chunks
1 1/2 cups kale, ripped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup almond milk
1/3 cup Earth Balance or other non-dairy buttery spread
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. sweet (or hot) paprika (you can also use cayenne for a kick)

1 cup all purpose flour, plus another 1/2 cup or so for dusting
1tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Kosher salt

3/4 cup white cooking wine
2 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Dash of salt
Dash of black pepper
Roasted sesame seeds

Serves 4.
Total Cook Time: an hour or so.

Instructions:

1. First, boil and mash the potatoes. Add them to a large pot and boil until tender, 12 to 15 minutes, adding the kale in during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving a tiny bit of the cooking water (1/8 cup-ish?).  Return to the pot, and mix in the almond milk, Earth Balance, parsley, and paprika. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Make sure that they are completely mashed. Set aside and let cool for at least 10 minutes.


2. Bring a few cups of water and the 2 tsp. of salt to a simmer/ very soft boil in another large saucepan. While it's coming to a boil, mix the mashed potatoes with the flour and a little bit of olive oil. Shape it into a ball, divide it into 3 smaller dough balls, and then roll each ball into a thin "snake" (about 1/2 inch wide - pictured below). Add flour as necessary to keep the dough sticking together. Cut off small pieces, press with a fork, and toss into the boiling water. Remove each piece of gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon when it floats to the top of the pot. Place the gnocchi in a bowl.

3. In a medium saucepan, bring the cooking wine, sesame oil, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to a boil. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes, until the flavors have begun to integrate and the sauce has begun to thicken. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. (You can wash the dishes and clean up while the sauce is cooking).

4. Once the sauce is done, pour it over the gnocchi. Serve with steamed kale, asparagus, cabbage, or with sauteed bell peppers.Garnish with roasted sesame seeds.

Green Smoothie and Other Accomplishments:

Well, I just want you all to know how very flattered I am that I won as a runner up in the Vegan MoFo Chopped Challenge...not too bad for my first cooking contest!  I'm even more flattered to have captured Isa's "tart." (I won the "Captured My Tart Award"). ❤

I can't wait to get my prize! (The "Appetite For Reduction" Cookbook, signed by Isa Chandra Moskowitz!) ❤ Read more about it at Vegan MoFo. I would also like to congratulate the legendary Post Punk Kitchen and Isa on their 10th anniversary!

I figured I'd keep it simple with a quick smoothie recipe today. Because I'm awful at remembering to eat fruit when I have it, I usually end up throwing it in a smoothie. I've had plums in the fridge for over a month (I don't know how they didn't go bad). Anyways, I  decided to freeze them so that I cold use them in  smoothies. ❤

Ingredients:

2  frozen plums, seeded and chopped into a few chunks (let them thaw a little before cutting)
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup kale
2 tsp. lemon juice

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth, adding more coconut milk as necessary to thin the mixture out.
 
Other Noteworthy Competitors in the Chopped Challenge Included:
Fall In Your Face Sticky Buns (Yum!!!)
Popcorn Crusted Polenta Stacks with Barbecue-Glazed Squash & Cashew Cream (Polenta?! Yes Please!)
Sweet vs. Savory Crepe Showdown
Popcorn, Apricot, and Rosemary Biscuit Cups with Butternut Squash Creme Brulee (Butternut Squash Creme Brulee = Genius)

Vegan MoFo "Chopped" Challenge: Brunch:

I got super-excited when I saw Vegan MoFo's "Chopped" Challenge and the course that we have to make: brunch! The "mystery" ingredients are: butternut squash, apricot preserves, popcorn, and rosemary. I'm thinking of sipping mimosas and cute little tarts, so this is what I came up with:

Butternut Squash, Apricot, and Raspberry Tarts With Rosemary, Popcorn, and Pecan Crust:

This turned out so delicious: savory and sweet with a little bit of a tangy flavor. I could totally eat both the popcorn, pecan, and rosemary crust and the butternut squash apricot filling separately on their own, but when you put both of them together, it really makes a statement. Yum!

Here's the recipe! (Sorry for going a little crazy with the pictures!)

INGREDIENTS:

For the Filling:

1 1/2 cups butternut squash, roasted (I will explain this in the instructions)
1 cup apricot preserves

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (I used frozen mixed berries)
1 1/2 tsp. agave nectar (optional)
1/3 cup water

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups pecan halves
2 1/2 cups "Simply Salted" (or plain) popcorn, popped
1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary
Dash of Kosher Salt (or Sea Salt)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Roast your butternut squash in the oven on 400 for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Add the pecans, popcorn, brown sugar, and rosemary to your food processor. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt. Process the mixture until it has formed into small crumbles (pictured above). Pour it into a medium bowl, and mix in the melted Earth Balance spread.

3. Add the roasted squash, apricot preserves, and brown sugar to your processor and blend until smooth.

4. In a small saucepan, add 1/3 cup water, agave nectar, and the frozen berries. Bring to a boil, let cook for a few minutes until it has thickened a little. Remove from heat.

4. Spoon the pecan mixture into a lined cupcake pan, filling each individual cupcake tin about 1/3 of the way up. After that, spoon the squash and apricot mixture on top, filling the cupcake tins. Drizzle about a teaspoon of the berry mixture on top of each tart, and top each tart with the remaining pecan mixture/crumbles.

5. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Garnish with popcorn and rosemary!

I hope you like it...let me know what you think!!! ❤❤❤☺☮ PS: These are gluten free.

Quick Mushroom and Kale Pita Pizza:

Happy Sunday! I've been having a lazy day. I've just been working on my paper and cooking. Once I'm done here, I'm going to the river to be lazy with a beer or two and some food truck food (though I've probably nibbled enough while cooking today that I shouldn't be hungry for a few days). Yay for Sunday!

By the way, this pizza is so quick and easy! I takes less than 15 minutes to make. You can also go the no-cook route, and just top the pita with raw kale, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. If that's the case, this should take you less than 5 minutes. You could also add a dollop or two of cashew cheese if you have any extra in your fridge. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 6-inch pita
1 cup baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
1 cup kale, sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1  tbsp. olive oil
A few dashes of salt
Dash of black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat your over to 375. Add 1/2 cup water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.

2. Add the mushrooms and kale to a wire strainer and put the strainer over the saucepan of boiling water. Steam the mushrooms and kale until a little bit tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Spread the tomato paste out over the pita, and then place the garlic, mushrooms, and kale on top. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake until the crust is crispy, about 5 minutes.

4. Change the oven temperature to broil and broil the pizza until the veggies are done. It should take no more than 2 minutes.

5. Once you've taken the pizza out of the oven, top it with the fresh cherry tomatoes and black pepper. Drizzle with a little more oil if desired.

Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Pizza:

Ingredients:

1 premade pizza shell (from the bakery section)
1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp. tahini
3 tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is preheating, chop the broccoli and onions.

2. Add the almond milk to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, tahini, and nutritional yeast. Continue cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes, whisking often.

3. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil, and place the pre-baked shell on top. Spread the tomato paste evenly over the shell. Add the garlic.

4. Once the "cheese" sauce is ready, spread it out evenly over the shell. Top with the broccoli, onions, salt, and pepper. Add more cheese sauce as desired. Bake at 400 until the crust in golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Baked Falafel With Vegan Tzatziki Sauce:

Falafel: everyone's favorite Middle Eastern street fare. Although it originated in the Middle East, it can now be found in the streets of just about every major city across the globe. This recipe allows you to enjoy it in the comfort of your home. I also included my recipe for vegan tzatziki sauce!

Serve it with veggies and tzatziki in a pita, as a veggie burger, or plain. I guarantee that it will tempt you while you're mixing it up too. If that's the case, just eat it raw by the spoonful. (I'm guilty of this one).

Tzatziki sauce is generally made with yogurt and cucumbers. Because soy yogurt can sometimes be hard to find, I used silken tofu and almond milk instead. You can also substitute 1/2 cup coconut milk for the 1/2 cup almond milk as well. The coconut flavor will compliment the cucumber flavor. If you have soy yogurt, omit the nondairy milk and tofu altogether. If it's sweetened, only add a drop or two of the agave nectar/maple syrup.

I have been wanting to make falafel for quite some time now. I just haven't been able to coordinate the right time and ingredients together in order to actually make it. It's by far one of my favorite foods. I ordered it whenever the opportunity presented itself in Europe (which was a lot). The falafel that I had in Mallorca was amazing. I want to go back!

Ingredients:

Falafel:

1 large can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (reserve a tbsp. of liquid)
1/3 to 1/2 cup sweet onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1/2 to 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt
Dash of cayenne pepper

Tzatziki: (makes 1 heaping jar)

1 package silken tofu (soft)
1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
1 cup cucumber, sliced
2 tsp. agave or 1 tsp. maple syrup (to taste, more or less depending on how sweet you want it)
Dash on parsley
Dash of cayenne pepper
Pinch of black pepper
Garlic Salt

Other Ingredients:

4 pitas
Veggie toppings: I used cucumber and red pepper, but it's generally served with lettuce, onion, and tomato.
Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with olive oil.

2. Process the onions, garlic, and olive oil in food processor until very fine. Add the garbanzo beans, cumin, coriander, parsley, salt, and cayenne pepper. Process, but don't over process. You don't want the beans to completely liquify. Otherwise, they'll fall apart while baking. Just make sure the mixture is a still a little crunchy. Stir in the breadcrumbs (this will help keep the mixture from falling apart).

3. Scoop the mixture out of the food processor and shape it into small patties, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place each patty onto the baking sheet. The mixture should yield 12 to 16 patties. Bake until golden-brown, 12 to 15 minutes. If the patties are not ready after about 15 minutes, place them under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, until they are firmed up and can be removed from the baking pan without falling apart. Let cool for a few minutes before handling.

4. While the falafel mixture is baking, clean your food processor. Once it's cleaned, add the unsweetened almond milk, silken tofu, cucumber, agave nectar/maple syrup, parsley, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add any other seasonings or sweeteners as desired.

5. Serve on pitas with whatever veggies you want and/or hot sauce. ❤❤❤☮

Dad's Quick Skillet Veggies:

I was starving and feeling lazy when I was home last weekend, so I asked my dad to make me something. I jokingly told him to challenge himself after he told me that he didn't know how good it would turn out. I'll tell you what, he definitely rose to the challenge, and I miss him so much already. 

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Anyways, these veggies only take about 15 minutes to make. Being quick, easy, healthy, and vegan, I figured that they're perfectly appropriate for Vegan MoFo. Also, more posts to come! (I've still been trying to get my bearings after traveling, school, and all that fun stuff). I'm thinking Eggplant "Parmesan" and Coconut Butter recipes for tomorrow. I guess we will see. 

More on my trip home to come too ❤

My "baby" brother Ethan & I ❤

Ingredients:

1/2 cup baby carrots
1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
1 (15oz.) can new potatoes, drained, rinsed, and halved
1 zucchini, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 sweet onion, diced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
Dash of crushed red pepper
Dash of black pepper
Any other veggies you want

Serves 4.
Total Cook Time: 15 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oil in a large on medium heat. Add the potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, sun dried tomatoes, zucchini, onion, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper to the skillet.

2. Add the garlic salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper. Cook on medium-high to high heat until the veggies are tender but still a little crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.

Feel free to add chopped fresh garlic as well! ❤

Vegan Breakfast Potatoes❤:

I usually order these potatoes when I go out to breakfast with a bowl of fruit, and every time that I order them, everyone, including the waitress, tells me how good they look. They couldn't be more right.

I love these potatoes. They're like an omelet with potatoes instead of eggs, and just think of how much better they are for your heart! Here's a recipe so that you can enjoy them at home as well. PS: They go great with ketchup and/or hot sauce. ❤❤❤


Ingredients:

3 cups potatoes, sliced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup spinach
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 to 3 tbsp. olive oil
Garlic salt
Black pepper
Dash of paprika

Instructions:

1. Preheat the 2 tbsp. olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and green pepper, coat them in olive oil. Cook for about 3 minutes.

2. Add the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika to the skillet. Cook until all of the veggies begin to get tender, 8 to 10 minutes (maybe longer).

3. Stir in tomatoes and spinach and cook for another 5 minutes or so, adding spices as desired.