Tag: vegan

Under the Sea Lunch

1 Comment

Under the Sea Lunch (3)

Travis has been learning a lot about the ocean recently, both the creatures that live deep down, and the ways that humans can explore under the water. So it felt only appropriate to continue the fun with our food!

For a “fish” sandwich, trim a pita or similar flatbread by making two triangle cut-outs on one side. Now your fish has a tail.

Under the Sea Lunch (1)

You can use just about anything for the filling! We filled one “fish” with tofu salad and another with cheese slices.

Under the Sea Lunch (2)

Add raisins for eyes.

On the side, I served a little ocean floor scene. Almond butter (or peanut butter) was the sand, lightly-steamed celery sticks become waving seaweed, and we added a few vegan Swedish fish to populate our ocean.

Under the Sea Lunch (5)

You could even add homemade goldfish crackers for the fish! I’m happy to report that lunch went swimmingly.

Under the Sea Lunch (6)

 

Chocolate-Banana-Nut Popsicles

Leave a comment

Chocolate Banana Pops (2)

Roast the bananas for these novel frozen treats in the morning, and you’ll have Popsicles ready for a mid-day snack!

Chocolate Banana Pops (1)

Ingredients:

  • 4 bananas, unpeeled
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  1. Wrap the bananas individually in foil and bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. Let cool slightly, then peel and mash. Combine in a bowl with the brown sugar.
  2. Transfer the banana mixture to a blender, along with the remaining ingredients. Process until smooth.
  3. Divide among Popsicle molds and freeze at least 4 hours, or until solid.

Zucchini Muffins

2 Comments

Zucchini in Muffins (2)

We’ve had carrots in our cookies and sweet potatoes in our pie, so next up in our garden tour of dessert was zucchini baked into muffins! If you prefer, use 1 flaxseed “egg” in place of the Ener-G eggs below.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup grated zucchini
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup plain almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 Ener-G eggs
  1. In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
  2. Stir in the zucchini, then add the olive oil, almond milk, vinegar, vanilla, and Ener-G eggs. The batter will be thick.
  3. Divide evenly among 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Zucchini in Muffins (1)

Baked Agave Fishless Filets

1 Comment

Agave Fish (3)

Gardein makes a wonderfully flaky, just-fishy-enough fishless filet that has been a nice intro to fish for my two little vegans. This homemade sauce adds just a touch of sweetness, and makes frozen food feel gourmet!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 8 Gardein fishless filets
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the agave, mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice; set aside.
  2. Arrange the fish in a baking dish and drizzle with the sauce. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through.

Agave Fish (1)

 

Swirly Pound Cake

3 Comments

Swirly Pound Cake (3)

This cake is true to its name, with a full cup (pound) of vegan butter, but it’s well worth the indulgence. Consider this your family’s social distancing reward of the week!

Ingredients:

  • 1 and 1/3 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup Earth Balance butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 Ener-G eggs
  • 3/4 cup sweetened condensed coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  1. To prepare the batter, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add the Ener-G eggs and beat until combined.
  3. Add the flour and condensed milk, beating just until combined.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water. Spoon 1 cup batter into a clean bowl and add the cocoa mixture, whisking until combined.
  5. Alternate adding the vanilla and chocolate batters to a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan, beginning and ending with the vanilla. Use the tip of a knife to swirl through a few times for a marbled effect.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes; a wooden pick inserted in the center should come out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Swirly Pound Cake (1)

 

Creamed Spinach

Leave a comment

Creamed Spinach (2)

This creamed spinach recipe manages to have all the creaminess kids love without relying on lots of butter or heavy cream. We particularly like it spooned atop a baked potato!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 dinner roll
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 4 tablespoons plain almond milk
  1. Chop the spinach, then add to a dry skillet over medium heat and cook for about 2 minutes, or until wilted.
  2. Transfer the spinach to blender or food processor, along with the dinner roll. Process until finely chopped.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the flour, followed by the milk and the spinach mixture. Cook an additional few minutes until heated through.

Creamed Spinach (3)

Sweet Potato Pie

Leave a comment

Sweet Potato Pie (3)Having sneaked carrots into cookies, I wanted to show Travis a few more recipes featuring veggies-for-dessert. First up was this sweet potato pie that was – literally! – as easy as pie since it relied on a store-bought crust.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15-ounce) can sweet potato puree
  • 1 cup plain almond milk
  • 3/4 cup date sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 (9-inch) pie crust
  1. Whisk the first eight ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into the pie shell of your choice, whether homemade or store-bought.
  2. Bake at 375 degrees F for 65 minutes. Cover the top with foil near the end, if needed, if the filling gets too dark.
  3. Cool completely before serving.

Sweet Potato Pie (1)

Orange Pineapple Smoothie

1 Comment

Orange Pineapple Smoothie (1)

This tropical smoothie is a great way to start the day with an extra vitamin C boost, perfect for keeping those little immune systems strong!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1 small banana, peeled and sliced
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 3/4 cup almond milk
  1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Orange Pineapple Smoothie (1)

Italian Beans & Farro

Leave a comment

Italian Beans and Barley

This hearty dish comes together quickly, thanks to canned ingredients. If you can’t find farro, use barley instead.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked farro
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 minced garlic clove
  • 2 cups chopped green beans
  • 1 (15-ounce) drained and rinsed can chickpeas
  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  1. Combine the farro and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the farro is tender. Drain any excess water and transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Add the green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
  3. Add the green bean mixture to the farro, along with the chickpeas and tomatoes, stirring to combine.

Peach Raspberry Compote

Leave a comment

Peach Raspberry Compote (2)

This easy compote is a nice alternative to maple syrup as a pancake topping: sweet, without any added sugar!

Ingredients:

  • 1 and 1/2 cups peaches
  • 1 and 1/2 cups raspberries
  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the fruit begins to soften and break down.

Serve with your favorite pancake recipe!

Peach Raspberry Compote (1)