Recipes

Raspberry Linzer Cookies

It can be fun to make your own Valentine’s treats at home!  One of my favorites is linzer cookies, because I can cut them into heart shapes which is perfect for Valentine’s Day!  They are buttery little cookies sandwiched together with jam and they are so delicious!  The recipe I am sharing with you today happens to be vegan, because I use coconut oil and avocado oil in place of the butter and they are a little lower glycemic than classic cookies because I use coconut sugar instead of white sugar and fruit sweetened raspberry jam.  If you are looking to do edible gifts this year, give these a try!

Dessert Entree Intermediate Moderate Dairy-Free Vegan Vegetarian

Raspberry Almond Butter Cups

Although you can buy goodies for Valentine’s Day it is fun to make your own! Even if you don’t own fancy chocolate molds, foil muffin tins can serve as molds if you are making something like peanut butter cups.  For the recipe I am sharing today, that is all you need!  These raspberry almond butter cups are really easy to make, and people always appreciate them as gifts (if you or your recipient are nut free though, use sunflower seed butter).  I use a sugar free dark chocolate called Luv chocolate that you can find at Fresh and Natural Foods, as well as fruit sweetened raspberry jam and natural almond butter and they are so good!  If you would like to make something sweet for someone you love, give these a try!

Vegan Jalapeno Cream Cheese

Just because you have decided to go dairy free or are vegan, it doesn’t mean you have to give up things like cream cheese.  Not when you can make your own dairy free version at home!  The recipe I am sharing with you today is for a super delicious jalapeno cream cheese that is good on savory bagels, or as a sandwich spread, as a veggie dip, or for with crackers.  It is made from cashews and coconut milk and it tastes so rich and delicious you would never guess that it is vegan!  It is really simple to make as well!  If you are more of a sweet than savory person, you could leave out the jalapenos, pepper flakes and garlic and instead add 1 cup freeze dried berries plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup instead for a sweet berry cream cheese.

Breakfast Snack Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Vegan Vegetarian

Indian Tofu and Kale Curry

If you are looking for an easy to make, hearty comfort food recipe to make on a week night, a curry is the perfect choice!  The recipe I am sharing with you today combines protein rich tofu and nutrient dense kale for a satisfying and healthy meal.  I make a simple but flavorful coconut milk based sauce for it and it is so good served over rice!  It is cheaper than ordering takeout but just as good!

Entree Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Heart Healthy Vegan Vegetarian

Vanilla Brazil Nut Milk

For those who are allergic to dairy or just trying to cut back on it for health reasons, nut milk can be an essential part of your shopping list.  Although there are many delicious varieties at the store, I like to make my own to make sure there are no refined sugars, additives or thickening agents.  It is quick and easy to make your own at home if you have a blender!  The recipe I am sharing with you today if for brazil nut milk.  Almond milk and cashew milk may be the most common but brazil nuts make great milk too!  Brazil nuts are high in selenium, iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, all important for your body to function well.  This milk has only 5 ingredients, and I use dates to sweeten it, which not only add sweetness but also fiber as well (if you don’t strain it, as I usually don’t).  This is good on cereal, or to drink, or in your morning coffee!

Drink Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Heart Healthy Paleo Raw Vegan Vegetarian

Citrus Brussels Sprout and Bok Choy Slaw

People often times don’t think of eating raw vegetables in the Winter, but it is still good to eat them once and a while because they are packed with nutrients that our bodies need.  I like to still try to use vegetables that are in season, so heartier greens like brussels sprouts and bok choy are perfect!  And those are what I have used in the salad I am sharing with you today.  I combine them with an Asian citrus vinaigrette, orange slices and sesame seeds, and it is healthy, refreshing and delicious!  This is perfect to make ahead of time for including in lunches too, because it is even better the next day when the flavors have combined.

Salad Side Dish Beginner Easy Allergen Friendly Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Heart Healthy Paleo Raw Salad Vegan Vegetarian

Curried Mung Beans and Greens Soup

Hearty, healthy soups are the best kind of comfort food for the Winter months!  They leave you feeling full, but energized instead of heavy.  One of my favorite kinds is the bean or pea based soups.  The recipe I am sharing today is made with mung beans, and the texture is almost like a lentil or split pea soup.  It is delicious, because it is packed with flavor thanks to the curry spices, and the coconut milk I add gives it richness without adding any dairy.  I stir in greens at the last minute to boost the nutritional value as well.  This soup has plenty of fiber and protein and is an awesome comfort food dinner to enjoy on a chilly night, not to mention it is quick and easy to make!

Entree Soup Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Heart Healthy soup Vegan Vegetarian

Home Made Vegetable Stock

Warming soups are essential this time of the year when it is so chilly outside.  One of the keys to making a really flavorful soup is good vegetable stock to start out with.  It is really simple to make at home, and you can use veggie scraps so that you waste less.  I should note though that the amounts listed below are for if you don’t have scraps, but otherwise use about the same amounts of the ingredients. I like to save my veggie trimmings though in a bag in the freezer, and use them later to make stock when I have enough.  Vegetable stock made this way is a light and healthy way to add flavor to your soup without any extra fat, and it has much less sodium than most store bought brands.

Soup Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Heart Healthy Paleo soup Vegan Vegetarian

Broccoli Apple Green Juice

If you are looking for a quick way to get vitamins in, fresh veggie juice is a great way to do so.  It may sound like something that would taste not so good, but it is actually quite delicious when you use the right combination of ingredients! The recipe I am sharing with you today contains broccoli which is rich in vitamins K and C, potassium and folic acid, as well as celery which reduces bloating and improves digestion, and apples for sweetness, plus lemon which has a detoxifying affect.  Lastly a bit of kale, because this is a green juice after all, and greens are nutrient power houses.  This juice is not only delicious but It will help you feel energized and refreshed too!

Drink Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Heart Healthy Paleo Raw Vegan Vegetarian

Vegan Mozzarella Pepper Roll Ups

If you are looking for a festive, easy and delicious vegan appetizer for the Holidays, these pepper rolls are an awesome option!  They comes together in about 15 minutes, look impressive and you would never even guess that they are vegan because the cheese I use, Miyoko’s kitchen mozzarella tastes like dairy cheese!  These also happen to be gluten free as an added bonus!

Appetizer Snack Beginner Easy Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Vegan Vegetarian