Thai Coconut Vegetable Soup

I had a hankerin' for some Thai food tonight. Unfortunately, I live in a small town with one small (and inedible) Thai restaurant. In the past, I haven't been super impressed with any DIY Thai recipes, but this one is a winner winner vegan dinner!

Ingredients:
2 T. canola oil
1 onion
1 bell pepper
2 carrots
1 sweet potato
6 oz. mushrooms
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 can lite coconut milk
1 T. fresh ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. red curry paste
1 t. coriander
1 t. kosher salt
8 oz. firm organic tofu, cubed
1 small zucchini
1 c. frozen peas
1 T. lime juice
Cilantro or Thai Basil
Green onions

Directions:
1. Wash, peel & dice all your veggies. This goes fast, so you want to have everything ready before you start.
2. In a large pot, saute onion, bell pepper, carrot & sweet potato in oil until not quite tender.
3. Add mushrooms, broth, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, curry paste, coriander & salt. Bring to a boil.
4. Stir in tofu & zucchini. Cook for a few minutes until tofu is heated through.
5. Turn off heat and stir in peas & lime juice. Garnish with cilantro/basil and green onions. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Do you know one thing I love about cooking/baking? That you can change/adapt/alter recipes and call it your own. A little time and a few ingredients and you can create something healthy, delicious and wholesome for your family and friends. This recipe has been changed multiple times to come to this healthy & tasty vegan state. I plan on taking it to a family function on Sunday. We'll see what the fam thinks about my "hippy dippy vegan food." ;)

Ingredients:
1/4 c. ground flax seed
1 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour (or 1 c. whole wheat & 3/4 c. all purpose)
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 c. almond milk
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
1/4 c. vegetable or coconut oil
2 t. orange zest
1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries
Sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Whisk together the wet ingredients: almond milk, vinegar, maple syrup, extracts, oil & zest.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flax seed, flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon & salt.
4. Stir together wet & dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix!
5. Gently fold in the blueberries. **Use fresh, not frozen or your muffins will be soggy.**
6. Fill muffin tin and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake for 20 minutes.

Crisp Summer Salad

Words cannot express my love for this salad. Wow, just wow. I only added a couple more veggies than the original recipe called for and slightly tweeked the dressing. The hubby and I both devoured it for lunch today. In fact, it was so tasty, it's on the menu again for tomorrow! I'm seriously craving it again right now!

Salad:
2 roma tomatoes
1/2 english cucumber
2 carrots
1 bell pepper
1/4 small red onion
1 large avocado
1 c. cooked chickpeas

Dressing:
2 t. whole grain mustard
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 T. maple syrup
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 t. parsley
1/4 t. oregano
1/4 t. basil
Salt & Pepper

Vegan Oatmeal Bananadoodles

I made this batch of vegan bananadoodles for Ty's preschool graduation last week. It's from a new food blog that I stumbled upon (a Korean American girl who is hilarious). The girl who writes the blog has a son with food allergies, so she cooks vegan foods to accommodate him. The original recipe for the cookies was delicious, but not exactly "healthy." So I took it upon myself to improve/healthify an already delicious cookie. Guess what? The modified recipe is even better than the original, and that's saying a lot. It's dairy free, egg free, and gluten free. Each member of my family have already eaten several cookies today alone. It's a keeper for sure!

Ingredients:
2 bananas, mashed
1 T. vanilla
1 T. molasses
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/4 t. salt
3+ c. oat flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix wet ingredients together.
3. Add dry ingredients. You may need to add more oat flour. The dough will be very sticky but should hold together loosely.
4. Roll spoonfuls of dough in cinnamon sugar and place on a cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.

Banana Bread Oatmeal

This is seriously my favorite breakfast right now. I've eaten it almost everyday for the past week (no, I'm not pregnant). It tastes just like banana bread, yum! Plus, it's vegan (you know I'm on a vegan kick right now). I prefer my oats raw, but if you like, you can cook them.

Ingredients:
1 banana
1/4 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 T. ground flax seed
1/2 c. rolled oats
Handful of chopped walnuts

1/4 c. almond milk

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mash your banana with the vanilla and cinnamon.
2. Mix in the flax seed, oats & walnuts.
3. Pour in the almond milk and enjoy!

Portobello Pizza

Have you heard of Bodyrock? Mostly, it's a website that has a lot of high intensity kick your butt workouts. At least, they kick mine. But sometimes they post awesome (and healthy) recipes. These portobello pizzas were wonderful! I love healthy foods that tastes like your favorite non-healthy treats!

Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tomatoes, diced
1 t. basil
1 t. parsley
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
4 portobello mushrooms
Parmesan cheese


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Saute onion & bell pepper in oil until tender.
3. Add garlic & cook until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, basil, parsley & pepper flakes. Cook until just heated through (you don't want mushy tomatoes).
4. Clean your mushrooms & take out the stem. Place them bottom side up on a cookie sheet and fill each mushroom with the tomato mixture.
5. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 12 minutes.

Vegan Enchiladas

I have a new favorite food blog. It's called Oh She Glows. A wonderful source for yummy vegan recipes. These enchiladas were only slightly adapted (which is huge for me people) from her original recipe. I've also included my favorite recipe for enchilada sauce (it would make a tire taste good!). Top it with my Light Guacamole (substitute soy yogurt for regular to make it vegan), and I'm telling you, you will not miss the meat or cheese!

Sauce:
1 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
3 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
1 T. agave
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 c. water

Enchiladas:
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
1 sweet potato, par boiled, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 handfuls of spinach, chopped
3 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice of 1 lime
3 green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:
1. Make the enchilada sauce first. Saute onion in olive oil until tender. Add garlic & spices and cook for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Remove 1/2 c. of sauce to top enchiladas with.
3. Add bell pepper & beans. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Next add sweet potato & zucchini. Cook for 3-4 more minutes.
5. Lastly, add spinach & cherry tomatoes. Cook for a minute more. Turn off heat & add lime juice.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Grease a large casserole dish and start assembling your enchiladas. Place a little less than 1 cup of filling into each tortilla, roll & place seam side down. Pour reserved sauce on top and bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes.
 8. Top with guacamole & green onion. Serve with lettuce, tomato, salsa & cilantro.