Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Fall has arrived and so has pumpkin season. Smooth inside, crunchy outside, sweet. Tastes like Heaven.

From The Detoxinista

Recipe: http://detoxinista.com/2011/12/easy-as-vegan-pumpkin-pie/

Raw Vegan Blueberry Ginger Ice Cream

Take a look at this color! Tasty, nutritious, and easy... breakfast J

I didn’t process too much and loved the outcome.

My substitutions:

Cashews –> cashew butter

Almond milk –> coconut milk

From Choosing Raw

Recipe: http://www.choosingraw.com/raw-vegan-blueberry-ginger-ice-cream/

Healthy Pad Thai

FANTASTIC. The best damn Asian recipe I’ve ever had, no kidding. I had to put this recipe in front of the others in the row because I just HAD to quickly share that with you.

Let’s face it: everybody LOVES Chinese food, I’m no exception. When I go out, I swear I am not that picky and I eat what I’m offered – it’s important to try to relax and have fun with your friends if you’re not deadly allergic. On the other hand, at home I can make my choices. What about then a healthier version of all that deliciousness? There you are J

My substitutions:

I ignored the zuchinnis, cooked some whole-wheat spaghetti as the base (you can use any gluten-free option), and then sautéed the other vegetables as per recipe.

If you can’t find coconut aminos, use Tamari. Sprinkle some delicious curried cashews!

From Against All Grain
Recipe: http://againstallgrain.com/2014/04/30/doctors-tv-pad-thai-recipe/

Chocolate Banana Mug Cake

This is some seriously amazing and unbelievably easy damn thing.

My choices (check link for complete list of ingredients):

peanut butter -> almond butter

sweetner -> maple syrup

Microwaved at 700W for 2.5 min. Done.

From Slender Kitchen

Recipe: http://www.slenderkitchen.com/microwave-chocolate-banana-mug-cake/

Creamy Avocado Sauce

Quick fix for your salad.

From Purely Twins

Recipe: http://www.pure2raw.com/2010/12/easy-avocado-dairy-free-vegan-cheese-sauce/

Nut Butter Plantain Bars

I had a couple of ripe plantains and needed to use them. I found these bars and brought some action to the kitchen! (I changed the name because I believe Samoa Bars are only familiar to people in the US).

These bars are sooo soft, light and delicious! Except for the organic 85% chocolate on top -- just because I was lazy to make my own -- the rest is egg-free, flourless, vegan, lactose/sugar-free.

My substitutions (check original recipe for complete list of ingredients):

Bars

homemade almond butter -> Nut butter mix (what I had at home)

maple syrup -> Apple syrup (ran out of maple this week)

(Had to put liquids all together with plantains to be able to pulse)

Topping

coconut butter -> coconut oil (solid)

Chocolate Sauce

Simply melted dark chocolate (85 % cocoa) – NOT VEGAN, but you can follow the original recipe or make my coconut oil chocolate (I am making a batch now to freeze) to make it so!

Personal tips:

I admit choosing store-bought butters most of the time to spare my poor little blender. I made butter once or twice pulsing forever and it was just too much effort for not such a smooth consistency. But this is just me… I like Rapunzel items, they are widely known in Germany. Most important thing: choose sugar-free and organic whenever possible.

FRIENDS ENJOYED!

UPDATE: Made another version with the original maple syrup and almond butter ingredients to take to same friends and it was a big hit among “unhealthy” eaters! :P

From Purely Twins

Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2014/05/28/flourless-almond-butter-samoa-bars-paleo-vegan/

Baked Carrot “Bacon”

Best way to have carrots! Also a big hurray to Liquid Smoke, I was eagerly waiting for for the postman with my Amazon order... 

This is nothing compared to the real one, so if you eat meat, just go for the real deal. Anyway, it’s tasty and useful in many ways – salads, sandwiches - and I hope it is somehow an inspirational recipe for vegans.

I sliced the carrots with a normal hand peeler, so they were really thin. I made 3 batches to check optimal baking time. So that’s what I found (I mean I flip them after the first minutes and bake again for the same time):

 

- 5 X 5 minutes = not crispy enough

- 6 X 6 minutes = some are crispy, some are not

- 7 X 7 minutes = they burned ;)

Find what best works with your oven, but I found 6X6 more promising, you must keepo an eye on them. SERVE IMMEDIATELY, they shrink and lose its crispiness very easily.

 

Have fun!

 

From Meet the Shannons

Recipe: http://www.meettheshannons.com/baked-carrot-bacon/

Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

My substitutions:

arrowroot starch -> tapioca flour (I used 5 TBS, and the dough was still sticky...)

sugar -> coconut sugar

1 - I couldn’t cut the little squares because the batter was not easy to deal with, probably because of the different kind of flour/starch. I baked the big thing, 1 big square.

2 – I didn’t add the topping; it was sweet enough for me already.

2 – Baked for 20 min, then flipped the dough. Baked for another 10 min. After setting aside to cool for ca. 5 min, I started cutting the squares.

They’re a mix of bun and cereal, absolutely gorgeous! If you’re a fan of cinnamon, you’re gonna love them.

From Purely Twins

Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2013/08/16/homemade-cinnamon-toast-crunch-cereal-recipe/

Vegan “Parmesan”

Too easy to be true, but it is! Nutritional Yeast is essential for a cheesier taste (I usually even use twice the amount the recipe calls for).

From Veggieful

Recipe: http://www.veggieful.com/2012/08/vegan-parmesan-cheese-recipe.html

Frosted Avocado Cocoa Cake

This cake is so easy and it tastes so GOOD! I’ll make it over and over here. I had some doubts about the frosting so I used my Five Minute Avocado Chocolate Pudding instead.

I was very pleased with the outcome and, of course, it didn’t last long. J

From Purely Twins

Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2014/04/04/only-frosted-cocoa-flourless-cake-recipe-you-will-ever-need/

Healthy Broccoli Avocado Waldorf Salad

I hate broccoli but if you’re like me, and want to keep trying, this salad is for you! Absolutely delicious. Reminder: it serves 4, it's quite a lot and very fulfilling.

My substitutions:

walnuts = pecans (they are never bitter!)

mustard = Dijon mustard

From Purely Twins

Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2014/08/27/healthy-dairyfree-broccoli-avocado-waldorf-salad/

Bulletproof Coffee

Well, what can I say about it… I say it’s not for everyone and I say I don’t take this everyday because I almost don't drink coffee, and when I do it's barely half a mug. 

Tibetan monks have been adding yak butter to their teas for a long time, and so this seems to be a 'revisited" recipe that's now kinda trendy. I really enjoy it when I'm in the mood for coffee.

If you google you’ll find the pros and cons of this, so before trying and buying the (expensive) ingredients, please consult your physician.

I love it and sometimes crave for this.

From Bulletproof

Recipe: https://www.bulletproofexec.com/bulletproof-coffee-recipe/

Cheesy Zucchini Tomato Bake

I could rename that to “guilt-free pizza”! Amazing. Used goat cheese (I don’t eat normal parmesan).

TIPS:

-         I topped with some basil leaves. I believe with oregano it would also work well.

-         One of the comments below the recipe gives a nice tip for the part when you need to drain the liquids:  “I made a similar recipe recently that called to roast the veggies first…a great solve for the issue.” I’ll do that next time.

From Green Lite Bites

Recipe: http://greenlitebites.com/2014/08/01/cheesy-zucchini-tomato-bake/

Banana Cake in a Mug

I love single-serving recipes. This one is easy and any spotted/left-over banana you have around can be used.

My substitutions (check link for complete list of ingredients):

rice flour –> store-bought gluten-free flour mix
brown sugar –> coconut sugar

almond milk –> coconut milk

In my microwave I needed 3.5 minutes at 700W.

I also never use cooking spray, I grease everything with coconut oil or olive oil. You can also make your own homemade cooking spray, clicke here for tips.

If you scroll down the link page, there’s also a “skinnier” version using egg white instead of the whole egg, and also with less flour and less sugar.

I didn’t try it, but I believe vegans can adapt that with an egg replacement.

From Swavory Stuff

Recipe: http://swavorystuff.blogspot.de/2013/04/banana-cake-in-mug.html

Tuna Avocado Salad

I made this salad 2 days before I was leaving for a trip. I had to eat the remaining avocados, I had a few super ripe limes… These kind of things that couldn’t be stored for too long.

Ingredients:

1 can of tuna in water

1 small hass avocado

1/2 lime

2 TBS red onion, finely chopped

Himalayan salt, to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

1 nori, hand torn

Dehydrated herbs, to taste

Black sesame to garnish

Green leaves, to taste

Make a guacamole with the avocado: mash avocado with salt, pepper, onion, and the some of the lime juice. Drain the tuna thoroughly before adding it to another bowl and use a fork to flake it to a consistency you like. Mix in salt, pepper, nori, herbs and a squirt of lime. Stir guacamole in.

Add this mix to the salad (green leaves). Sprinkle black sesame over the top.

Inspired by this wrap recipe from Nom Nom Paleo: http://nomnompaleo.com/post/17420518139/tuna-and-avocado-wraps

Chia Pudding with Berries

A must-have in my fridge. Also a great snack to-go.

Pudding: I used coconut milk and sweetened it with honey instead of stevia.

Layers: I mixed goji into de pudding and then layered with blueberries and physalis.

From Nat Kringoudis
Recipe: http://www.natkringoudis.com.au/2013/03/good-food-friday-chia-puddings/

Almond Pulp Crackers

Amazing and effortless crackers. 

Note:

- I used 1 TBS coconut oil (and not tsp).

- I sprinkled some random dehydrated herbs I had on the counter and also added ca. 2 TBS water because my pulp was dry from the previous day.

- After 20 min of baking they were almost burning so that was enough for the baking part. It will depend on how thin you spread them.

- My almonds were not blanched, so the outcome is naturally darker.

From Yum Universe

Recipe: http://yumuniverse.com/plant-powerful-dairy-free-milk/

Iced Matcha Shake

Absolutely refreshing and nourishing!!!

From Sweetly Raw

Recipe: http://instagram.com/p/rphsSarG5o/?modal=true

Omelette with Avocado, Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

The most satisfying, filling breakfast one can have.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic

2 dollops of ghee

250g brown mushrooms, cleaned and sliced*

2 small shallots, sliced

1 large avocado, ripe chopped into cubes

Himalayan salt and ground pepper, to taste

goat cheese, chopped (to taste)

* The amount of mushrooms is a little too much, but I needed to get rid of them.

Heat 1 dollop of ghee over medium heat in a skillet. Add mushrooms, shallots, and salt. Sauté until fork tender (10-15 minutes), stirring frequently. Turn off heat, pour mix into a bowl and set aside.

Beat eggs well with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using the same skillet, put it over low heat until hot, then add some ghee. When ghee has melted, add eggs. Chop avocados and goat cheese. When the omelette begins to firm up, but still a little raw on top, add the avocado and goat cheese. Ease the edges with a spatula, then fold it in half. It will be ready when it’s golden brown underneath.

Put omelette on a dish. Add mushrooms. Voilà.

Homemade Cocoa Puffs

This is the cocoa version of these delicious vanilla puffs.

My 1 cup of gluten-free flour blend was a mix of lupin/tapioca flour + 1 scoop of lactose-free whey protein.

From Purely Twins

Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2013/08/07/gluten-free-egg-free-cocoa-puffs-cereal-recipe/

Crispy Seasoned Sweet Potato Fries

1 day before my 2 week vacation and there was the hugest sweet potato I’ve ever seen in my life hidden in a bowl :P

As I was not willing to make any more purchases at the supermarket before travelling, this was the fastest way to get “rid” of it. I've done baked fries before but this recipe called my attention because it adds coconut flour, which makes sense when you want more crispiness!

I must admit they are still not as crispy as the fried ones, but they are definitely SUPER DELICIOUS!!!

From Per Chance to Cook

Recipe: http://www.perchancetocook.com/2014/06/08/seasoned-sweet-potato-fries-paleo/

White Vanilla Goji Chocolate

White crunchy vegan chocolate!

½ cup cashews
2 tbs melted coconut oil
5 tbs melted cacao butter
2 tbs maple syrup
pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbs goji


1) Soak cashews for at least 2 hours in water.

2) Discard the water and blend the cashews for about a minute. Add in the remaining ingredients, except the gojis. Blend on for a few more minutes. Stir in the gojis (don’t blend) and pour the mixture out on some wax paper or in silicone molds.

3) Let the chocolate sit in the refrigerator for at least three hours before you eat it or store in the freezer.

Inspired by this recipe from Raw Guru: http://www.rawguru.com/raw-food-recipes/white-chocolate-with-freeze-dried-raspberries-and-raw-vanilla.html.html

Flour-free Gingerbread Waffles

AWESOME. I think they’ll also be perfect as muffins, as the authors suggest (and I used my beloved spiced beetroot & apple spread instead of molasses).

I have a small heart-shaped waffle maker, and this recipe yielded A LOT. I ended up with 15 waffles :P Needless to say, I had them for breakfast, then filled them with something else for lunch and stored the rest in the fridge for the next day.

From Purely Twins

Recipe: http://purelytwins.com/2014/02/28/flourless-grain-free-gingerbread-waffles/

Salad with Avocado & Halloumi

This salad will keep you satisfied for a long time. It's a full meal! The dressing is on the sweet-warm side, really amazing.

Salad:

Lettuce to taste, hand-torn

1 large avocado, chopped
1 crispy-grilled Halloumi

Curried cashews

Dressing:

3 TBS fresh lemon juice
3 TBS balsamic vinegar
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ tsp garlic powder
½ teaspoon Himalayan salt

Just use a closed container to shake the ingredients and it’s done.

Directions: 

Grill halloumi until crispy. Set it aside to cool.

When halloumi is cool, chop it the way you want (I sliced it into sticks) and then put hand-torn lettuce and chopped avocado in a big bowl. Pour desired amount of dressing and then top with the curried cashews.

Easy and Healthy Horchata

Horchata is a frothy Mexican drink with cinnamon, vanilla and rice. I made my own version and I am sure you’re gonna love it!

Ingredients: 

- 2 cups cold coconut milk
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of nutmeg
- 5 ice cubes to blend
- more ice cubes, to taste

Blend all ingredients (with 1 ice cube). Pour over a glass with more ice cubes, if desired. You can also put everything into a mason jar, close and shake it like a cocktail.

Vegan Raspberry Rose Gummies

Lovely gummies, perfect snack! Ops, my husband just said: “perfect for you, I won’t even try this”. I bet it’s just because it’s pink! :P

Since I am in a vegan mood, I decided to adapt it so my vegan friends could also enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh raspberries.
• 1.5 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 6 Tbsp maple syrup
• 4 Tbsp agar
• 1 tsp rose water

1. First, pour coconut milk in a pan and add agar. Mix until agar is fully dissolved. Leave it there for 10 minutes to soak.
2. While agar is soaking, blend raspberries them pour mixture into a colander or nut milk bag. Collect all the juice you can pressing the mix. Set juice aside (you’re free to do whatever you want with the berry pulp).
3. In a separate mug, mix already in a cup raspberry juice and maple syrup. Set aside.
4. Heat and bring coconut milk and agar to a boil, constantly whisking. When it starts boiling, reduce heat, add raspberry juice with maple syrup and keep whisking for 2 minutes (should keep boiling over low heat).
5. After 2 minutes, remove pan from the heat and add 1 tsp rose water. Whisk it in and pour hot mix into silicon moulds or any glass of your preference.
6. Place in the fridge for a couple of hours until set.
7. Remove from the fridge and cut them into whatever shape you want!

Agar has one super convenient advantage over the traditional gelatin: it doesn’t melt at room temperature, so this treat can be carried all around without the need of a thermo bag!

TIP: I would not use nut milks, such as almond milk. They are not fat enough and they curdle when heated. Coconut milk works best.

Inspired by this recipe from Predominantly Paleo: http://predominantlypaleo.com/raspberry-rose-gummies-cinnamon-eats/

Mexican Shrimp Salad with Avocado Dressing

Something absolutely delicious I had for dinner...

Salad:

(Add all to taste)

Lettuce

White Beans, ready-to-eat and cooled

Tomatoes, diced

Chives, chopped

Cucumber, chopped

Cilantro, chopped

Shrimps

Dressing:

Avocado dip/dressing from Organic Sisters

Recipe: https://www.facebook.com/organicsisters/photos/a.632465996776345.1073741832.517264748296471/780261901996753/?type=1&theater

Mini Lemon Goji Berry Cheesecakes

I used sultana raisins as a substitute for both mulberries and hunza raisins. I was also too lazy to make the topping sauce. It was pretty and tasty anyway, of course!

From Heather Pace

Recipe: http://blog.vivapura.com/2014/06/29/lemon-goji-berry-cheesecakes/

Spicy Red Quinoa Pesto Bites

These bites are AMAZING. They are super tasty and fulfilling.

I used the recipe on the link below, but I changed it a bit so I thought I'd better describe it here not to forget what I did (but you can check the original and follow it too, of course).

½ cup cooked red quinoa

1 cup mix of fresh basil and parsley

¼ cup red onion

¼ cup lupin flour

6 TBS tiny pine nuts

½ cup Nutritional Yeast

¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 egg

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 small garlic cloves

6 tablespoons marinated sun-dried tomatoes, drained + 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil

Process this until smooth: basil, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes (and oil), pine nuts, lupin flour, onion, Nutritional Yeast, garlic, cayenne, egg and salt.

Pour mix into a big bowl, add quinoa and roll balls. Put them on a greased pan or parchment paper. Drizzle some olive oil over them and bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 20 min (flipping them after 10 min).

From Cooking Quinoa
Recipe: http://www.cookingquinoa.net/spicy-red-quinoa-pesto-bites/

Rice Plantain

Since my blogger friend Jaqueline warned me, I've started reading researches about the dangerous amount of arsenic in rice (it's happening all over the world, and brown rice showing the highest levels of contamination). Therefore, I've been at least trying to diversify and look for some temporary alternatives. 

This plantain rice was simply amazing. I would highly recommend using a very green plantain so that it doesn't "stick" to much or mask other flavors due to its ripeness.

I totally enjoyed this nutritious and colorful dish.

From Inspiralized

Recipe: http://www.inspiralized.com/2014/02/25/how-to-spiralize-a-plantain-plantain-rice-and-beans/