Tag: vegan

Reindeer Mix

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Reindeer Mix (2)

Really this is just an ordinary snack mix that you could make any time of year. But if you tell your kids it’s “Reindeer Mix”, all of a suddenly ordinary becomes extraordinary!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons Earth Balance butter
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 2 cups pretzel twists
  • 1 cup Puffins cereal
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup vegan white chocolate chips
  1. Combine the butter, brown sugar, thyme, salt, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, just until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
  2. Arrange the almonds and walnuts on a baking sheet lined with foil and pour half of the brown sugar mixture over the nuts, tossing to coat. Bake at 375 degrees F for 7 minutes.
  3. Toss the pretzels with the remaining brown sugar mixture. Add to the baking sheet and bake for a final 3 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.
  4. Transfer the nut mixture to a large bowl and add the cereal, dried cranberries, and white chocolate, stirring to combine.

Reindeer Mix (3)

Be sure to snack on this mix while you track the reindeer and Santa across the sky on Christmas Eve!

Rudolph Sandwiches

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Rudolph Sandwiches (4)

We love watching classic Christmas movies, and what better to nibble on during a re-run of one of our perennial favorites, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer than little Rudolph sandwiches?

To assemble, cut bread slices into triangles and spread half of the slices with your sandwich filling of choice. We made one with peanut butter, one with agave nectar, and one with non-dairy cream cheese!

Rudolph Sandwiches (1)

Top with additional slices of bread. Add maraschino cherries for noses, raisins for eyes, and pretzel twists for antlers.

Rudolph Sandwiches (3)

The kids thought these were adorable, plus loved sitting together for the cartoon. All in all, this was a cozy pause on a winter afternoon.

Rudolph Sandwiches (6)

Candy-Less Canes

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Candy Less Canes (2)

Confession: we’ve probably eaten way too many sugary candy canes this holiday season. So it was time to put a healthier spin on this favorite holiday treat!

Over two afternoons, we had fun making faux candy canes with red-and-white foods. First up was a fruit version. I sliced strawberries and bananas and set them on a cutting board, then challenged Travis to arrange them like a candy cane (or as Veronika calls it, a “minty”).

Candy Less Canes (1)

He quickly got the hang of it, and then both kids loved devouring this trompe l’oiel snack.

Candy Less Canes (3)

Needless to say, the red stripes (a.k.a. strawberries) didn’t last long.

Candy Less Canes (4)

The next day it was time for a savory spin on the treat! This time I set out piles of sliced tomato and vegan feta cheese. Travis again quickly figured out how to line them up like candy cane stripes.

Candyles Canes (6)

And the kids quickly polished it off for a snack! What foods would you use for a pretend candy cane? Please share in the comments!

Tofu Boats

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Tofu Boats (2)

Playful food is always fun for kids, especially when encouraging new tastes or flavors. Today the kids tried these little “boats” for a snack! Our boats ended up not very sea-worthy (they were prone to tipping over), but they were still cute.

Ingredients:

  • 24 snap peas
  • 1/2 pkg. firm tofu
  • 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons butternut squash puree
  • Olive slices
  1. Slice open each snap pea pod, and press to open slightly. Set aside.
  2. In a bowl, mash together the tofu, vegan mayonnaise, and squash. Spoon a little tofu mixture into each pea pod.
  3. Add olive slices along the sides as life preservers!

Krispie Christmas Treats

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Krispie Christmas Treat (5)

The combination of gooey marshmallows, crisp rice cereal, and holiday shapes means this quick cooking project is a toddler’s kitchen dream come true.

First, melt 1/4 cup Earth Balance butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add 4 cups mini Dandies marshmallows; continue to cook until gooey and melted.

At this point we stirred in green food coloring. Veronika loved watching the white turn to green! You could also use red food coloring, or a mix of the two if you divide the marshmallow mixture in half at this point.

Krispie Christmas Treat (1)

Next, we added 5 cups rice crisp cereal, stirring until coated. Pat the mixture into an even layer on a baking tray.

Krispie Christmas Treat (2)

I made sure to let the mixture cool slightly so it wouldn’t burn tiny hands, and then showed Veronika how she could press our Christmas-themed cookie cutters into the mixture. She loved pressing these down as hard as she could!

Krispie Christmas Treat (3)

I lifted the cookie cutters out and showed her that we now had Christmas shaped treats to eat. She loved selecting which shape to press onto the mixture, especially the candy cane (“minty!”) and the gingerbread men.

Krispie Christmas Treat (4)

You can’t exactly gather the scraps and re-roll this mixture as you could with sugar cookie dough, but you can pat the mixture back together and get a few more rounds of cookie cutter shapes done.

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Meanwhile Veronika didn’t waste a moment before starting to snack! She pretty much took a bite in between each cookie cutter we pressed down.

Krispie Christmas Treat (6)

Whether you devour them all at home or share these Christmas treats with friends and family, they’re a great cooking project for the holiday season.

Krispie Christmas Treat (8)

Baked Pita Chips

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Baked Pita Chips (1)

These easy homemade chips are a delicious alternative to store-bought ones, and perfect for dipping in hummus.

Ingredients:

  • 3 whole wheat pitas
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
  1. Brush the olive oil evenly over the pitas, coating both sides.
  2. Cut each pita into 8 wedges and transfer to a baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with the garlic salt.
  3. Bake at 400 degrees F for 6 minutes, just until browned.

Baked Pita Chips (2)

Chick’n Enchiladas

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Chicken Enchiladas (3)

Enchiladas are a great family meal, but versions made with store-bought enchilada sauce can be too spicy for kids. Swap in mushroom gravy for the enchilada sauce and you’ll hear cries of “yum” instead of cries of pain.

Chicken Enchiladas (2)

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon Earth Balance butter
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 (8-ounce) box mushroom gravy
  • 1 cup vegan sour cream (such as Kite Hill)
  • 2 cups cooked and chopped Gardein chick’n strips
  • 2 chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 2 cups shredded vegan cheddar, divided
  • 6 whole-wheat tortillas
  1. To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the green onion and garlic; cook for about 4 minutes, until softened.
  2. Stir in the gravy and sour cream, whisking to combine. Cook for a few minutes until heated through.
  3. Remove 3/4 cup gravy mixture from the pan and set aside. Add the cooked chick’n, tomatoes, black beans, and 1 cup cheddar to the remaining gravy mixture.
  4. Divide the chick’n mixture evenly among the 6 tortillas. Roll up and place, seam side down, in a 9×13-inch baking pan.
  5. Pour the reserved gravy mixture over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheddar. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Creamy Spinach Pita Pizza

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Spinach Pita Pizza (1)

A creamy spinach sauce takes the place of tomato sauce in this recipe, which is perfect for the next time you need a novel spin on pizza night.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 4 tablespoons plain non-dairy milk
  • 5 ounces fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
  • 2 whole-wheat pitas
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 2 tablespoons shredded vegan Parmesan
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
  2. Whisk in the flour, then add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring to combine.
  3. Add the spinach and cook for about 2 minutes, just until wilted.
  4. To prepare the pizzas, spread each pita with about 1/3 cup spinach mixture. Top evenly with the tomato slices and sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan.
  5. Broil for 2 minutes, checking to make sure the pitas don’t burn. Cut into wedges to serve.

Gobble It Up: Thanksgiving Leftovers on a Waffle

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Gobble Waffle (4)

Forget Thanksgiving leftovers on a sandwich; here are four breakfast ideas for leftovers on a waffle. Needless to say, this helped us clear out our fridge in the long weekend following the holiday.

The Classic: Start with the basics, using leftover Field Roast (or your favorite vegan turkey alternative), along with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy. The kids loved this savory spin on breakfast!

Gobble Waffle (2)

Tart and Tasty: In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup cranberry sauce and 1/4 cup maple syrup; microwave for 15 seconds, then whisk together until smooth. Serve drizzled over waffles topped with stuffing and chopped apple!

Gobble Waffle (1)

Pumpkin Paradise: For a super-sweet version, stir together 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl; set aside. Top each waffle with a spoonful of canned pumpkin pie filling, a dollop of non-dairy whipped cream and some of the cinnamon-sugar to taste.

Gobble Waffle (3)

Gooey Gobbler: For the final morning, we topped waffles with leftover mashed sweet potatoes, mini marshmallows, and chopped walnuts.

Gobble Waffle (6)

Which one do your kids like best? Please share in the comments!

Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins

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Kids love meals that come in kid-sized portions, and these individual meatloaf muffins fit the bill perfectly.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon flaxseed
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 (12-ounce) package meatless crumbles
  • 1 cup tomato juice
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce
  1. Whisk the flaxseed and water together in a small bowl; let stand for a few minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the meatless crumbles, tomato juice, rolled oats, onion, garlic, and oregano in a bowl. Add the flaxseed mixture and knead with your hands until the mixture comes together.
  3. Divide the mixture evenly among 8 muffin cups. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes and let cool slightly before serving.

Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins