The adventures of my family living a whole food plant-based lifestyle.
Veggie burgers are made almost once a week, per request. I do my best to change them up, but sometimes it needs a sauce or topping that just gives it that BAM! Well, this Mexican Tahini Sauce from the lovely The Vegan 8, just knocked my socks off! Bonus, lots of savory flavor and it is oil-free!!
Chickpeas are so versatile, they are loaded with of fiber, carbs, calcium, iron, protein and vitamin A, so I suggest you use them :) They can be roasted, cooked on stove top, used in salads, soups and stews, mashed for ‘tuna’ or hummus, baked in treats and many other easy meals. These tacos are simple and quick. They have more flavor than I expected as I added what I usually add when making a ‘taco’ type dish and with the avocado cream sauce, it just comes together nicely. I didn’t add extra toppings to these as I didn’t feel the need to, but you add what you like on your taco :) You could add your favorite taco seasoning if you prefer. Share your chickpea favorites!
Ava is in 5th grade and as part of their curriculum they do a report on a state they select. Along with the report, they get to make a dish or bring food from their state. During open house all the 5th graders set out their food and all the kids, parents, teachers, families come by and get to sample their offerings. It is a fun evening to attend and the kids enjoy talking about their food choices with those who ask. Ava’s state she chose was Hawaii. She couldn’t decide on fruit kabobs, using all the grown fruit from Hawaii or pineapple. With some brain storming, she decided on a pineapple salsa, which she called Hawaiian Salsa. We took the Apple Salsa concept and changed it up. I guess all the dicing and sticky counters was worth it in the end, it turned out so fresh and delicious, not to mention the rainbow of colors. Just in time for the warm evenings outside!
Makes about 2 cups (I always double the recipe, sometimes more :)
Ingredients:
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup diced Roma tomatoes
1 cup diced sweet peppers, I used yellow and orange
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3-1/4 cup chopped cilantro (I found it to be fairly powerful so use desired amount)
2 limes freshly juiced
1 jalapeno seeded and diced. If you prefer more of a kick, add more jalapeno or don’t remove seeds
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Dice all ingredients needed and place all ingredients into a bowl. Mix well and ready to serve. Best when chilled for a couple hours or overnight, the flavors develop nicely.
Salsa is a favorite in this house and we have accepted that we are addicted (could be worse;) and since we make it, I am not worried about what is in it. This recipe was shared by my friend Michelle and it is super quick, easy and flavorful.
Ingredients:
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes with chilies
1 handful cilantro
1/2 large red onion, cut in quarters
1 jalapeño, seeded if you want less spice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 fresh squeezed lime
1/4 teaspoon raw sugar
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until blended :)
Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week, if it lasts that long!
Yes, noodles made from veggies are something everyone should try but you will need a spiralzier and believe me, you’ll be happy you added it to your collection of kitchen gizmos. I use mine a lot… a lot! Once you use it, you want to spiralize everything! The kids have fun with the creations and I have fun creating and finding some different flavors to try with them. Here are a couple that are quick, easy and have minimal ingredients. You can either cook your zoodles for about 3-5 minutes depending on how al dente you prefer or you can leave them raw. The potato variety noodles are better cooked :)
Not sure about you, but I have some kids in this house who like hummus. Back before I really started to learn about what was in our food, I would buy hummus without a care as I thought, heck its healthy. Well as time moved on and I began to pay more attention to labels, I learned a great deal about food ingredients and that the hummus I was feeding my family was NOT healthy. I think we tend to think foods made with veggies and eaten with veggies is healthy so we don’t bother to look at the entire picture. Yes, the fresh veggies and the hummus are by far a better choice than a bag a Hot Cheetos or Cheez It’s but what most store bought hummus’ have are lots of processed oils and preservatives. As with any packaged food, those ingredients are hard to avoid. That is why making hummus at home is ideal, I know what I am putting in it and it tastes fresh.
I can not even remember the last time I had Fettuccine Alfredo… SO many years ago! Brandi’s meals from The Vegan 8 get major thumbs up in our house and I saw this one this morning and thought it would be a great recipe for our “Wednesday’s Something New”. Pasta happens once in a while in our house and Alfredo has never happened, until tonight! This Alfredo is the most light and creamy, rich and flavorful sauce, it is amazing! This is restaurant worthy. Not only was it super quick and easy to make (and I mean done before the pasta quick), it DOES NOT have any gunk in it, no oil, no dairy, no butter, no cream, no cheese, NADA!
In the past I wasn’t really much of a sauce topping eater, I was pretty plain Jane with my food, other than some pepper, cayenne or other spices with some squeezed lemon juice, nothing fancy. Now, oh I have discovered some amazing sauces that have changed some of my meals, especially when I make veggie and bean bowls. Some of these sauces just knock my socks off they are so amazeballs! I thought the Mexican Tahini Sauce was the sauce of all sauces for my bowls (it still is my top favorite) but the adorably creative Sophia at Veggies Don’t Bite has brought a sauce to the table that is a hole other dimension of spicy! Sriracha lovers or anyone who likes a kick added to their meal, this is a must for you!! This sauce is simple, creamy, easy, quick and the smell of the savory sauce will make your mouth water. Try it on pasta, sandwiches or wraps and tacos. Be adventurous and share your favs!
I have never consumed sour cream or mayonnaise, but this sauce is what I would think would be a spicy sour cream or mayo topping.
Recipe Inspired by: Veggies Don’t Bite – click here for the recipe
I recommend using the vegetable broth as it adds to the flavor, I used water to test and it just isn’t the same. Also use the 2 tablespoons of sriracha or go big and add a little more!
