Tag Archive: Vegetarian

Fat-Free Sweet Potato Soup

Written on November 6, 2014 by in Side Dish

Fat-Free Sweet Potato Soup

Normally I wouldn’t drop off the face of the earth for 3 weeks but moving has that effect. While my pots and pans are still in boxes, I thought I’d share this recipe I wrote for Life By Dailyburn.

Any trip to Panera will show you soup’s one of those healthy-not-so-healthy foods that always sounds like a good idea at the time. Meanwhile, you don’t need a fancy immersion blender to make your own at home; anyone with a food processor or high-end blender can healthify their favorite soups.

Sweet potato is a great base for a soup because it’s naturally fat-free and creamy. Instead of fake cheese and artificial ingredients this recipe celebrates vegetable broth and fresh vegetables to give it a healthy dose of flavor. It’s also a decent defense against the office cold going around with vitamin C and vitamin K.

Check out the full recipe on Daily Burn’s blog and let me know if you try it!

2 Comments - Leave a comment!

Halloween Chex Mix

Written on October 15, 2014 by in Dessert, Snack

Halloween Chex Mix

Candy corn is a polarizing food. People usually either can’t get enough of it or can’t stand the stuff.

I love it and would eat a whole bag in one sitting. Since that’s probably not the best idea you have to find ways to mix it up and make it a little more filling. This Chex mix isn’t health food but it’s just the right balance of sweet and sweeter for a party or just an afternoon. 

Coating some of the Chex cereal with melted chocolate adds an unexpected layer and makes it slightly more decadent. You can make this more fun at a Halloween party by creating different names for the ingredients like bat droppings and witch’s nails. 

Halloween Chex Mix

A note from the last batch of Halloween Chex Mix I made: If gelatin’s a problem ingredient for you, some manufacturers don’t use it in their candy corn. Instead of Brachs, try CVS store brand candy corn. 

Halloween Chex Mix

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 12 squares):

  • 2/3 cup chocolate chips, divided
  • 2  1/2 cups Chocolate Chex, divided
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 Tablespoon milk
  • 1 1/2 cups Vanilla Chex
  • 1/2 cup candy corn

Method:

  1. Melt 1/3 cup chocolate chips gently, set the rest aside.
  2. When melted, stir in the butter and milk until silky and smooth.
  3. In a large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups Chocolate Chex cereal with the melted chocolate until covered.
  4. Lay the cereal out on a non-stick tray and refrigerate for 10 minutes until the chocolate has set. Once set, break apart any clusters of cereal stuck together. 
  5. In a large bowl, toss together the remaining chocolate chips, remaining Chocolate Chex, Vanilla Chex, and candy corn. 
  6. Serve or store in an air-tight container at room temperature. 
1 Comment - Leave a comment!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Loaf Cake

Written on October 8, 2014 by in Dessert

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Loaf Cake

Baking is just more fun in the Fall and Winter. You get to stand near the oven to stay warm, make something delicious, and wear oversized sweaters to hide how much you’ve been eating. What’s not to love?

My favorite things to bake on the weekend is anything I can have for breakfast or take to work and eat with a cup of coffee. Put this next to a cup of coffee and a spoon of almond butter and you won’t be disappointed.

Pumpkin spice is just a mix of a bunch of other spices, so if you don’t have it on hand just use cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and/or cloves. This recipe doesn’t actually have any pumpkin in it but neither do pumpkin spice lattes and that’s never bothered anyone.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Loaf Cake

I really liked this more like a crumb cake with chopped pecans and raisins to add some texture, but it’d also be great without any mix-ins and covered with a cream cheese frosting.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Loaf Cake

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 12 squares):

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon pumpkin spice
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans(optional)

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the sugar, flour, and baking soda.
  3. Add in the milk, butter, eggs, extract, and spice and mix well until it forms a batter.
  4. Mix in the chopped nuts if using.
  5. Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan thoroughly.
  6. Pour the batter into the baking tray.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the center is cooked through.
  8. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting.
7 Comments - Leave a comment!

Easy Maple-Curry Acorn Squash

Written on October 1, 2014 by in Side Dish

Maple Curry Acorn Squash

When you live in the city, it’s sometimes hard to tell exactly what season it is. That’s what Starbucks limited edition drinks are for.

After I saw it was pumpkin spice latte season already, I knew it was time to start digging up old squash recipes. This recipe I’ve posted an annoying amount of times but still come back to again and again.

It’s one that I always make because I know how easy and delicious it is. Using curry powder to flavor the squash adds an untraditional kick that keeps the squash anything but boring. Still it’s familiar enough that semi-picky eaters will enjoy. 

Maple Curry Acorn Squash

You can really use this coating on any type but I prefer acorn the best for this since I think it has the mildest flavor. Butternut and winter squash tends to be sweeter on their own. 

Maple-Curry Acorn Squash

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

  • 1 Large acorn squash
  • 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt*

*omit if your curry powder is already salted.

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking tray
  2. Cut the squash in half to remove all the seeds. Once de-seeded, cut along the ridges into thin wedges.
  3. In a large bowl, toss the wedges with the maple syrup, curry powder, and salt so that the squash is evenly coated.
  4. Lay the squash out on the baking tray and roast for 45 minutes or until fork tender.
  5. Remove from the oven and serve hot.
1 Comment - Leave a comment!

Homemade Peach Applesauce

Written on September 2, 2014 by in Miscellaneous

Homemade Peach Applesauce

I’ve eaten more applesauce over the last weekend than I probably had over the last decade. If there was a bright side to getting my wisdom teeth taken out Friday, it was rediscovering how good applesauce can be(and mashed potatoes but I already knew that).

Before my surgery I bought a jar of applesauce–that was gone by the second day. By the third day I had a bunch of recently picked peaches I couldn’t bite into to save my life. Making them into more applesauce was a no-brainer.

This recipe has a lot less added sugars than it looks at first when you consider most of it gets poured out with the water. The final recipe has a much lower sweetness than the store-bought kind which the fresh, natural flavors make up for. 

Homemade Peach Applesauce

The peaches in this aren’t an overwhelming flavor. If you want more of a peachiness to this, I’d recommend replacing a few more of the apples with peaches and making sure they’re slightly over ripened. You can also use the same recipe with no peaches and have a great, basic applesauce.

Homemade Peach Applesauce

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 6 servings):

  • 5 Macintosh apples, cored and peeled
  • 4 medium sized peaches, pitted and peeled
  • Water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

  1. Add all of the apples and peaches into a large boiling pot that has a lid to it.
  2. Cover with just enough water that the fruit begins to float.
  3. Add in the sugar and stir gently.
  4. Boil the fruit and water on high heat until the apples turn slightly brown and are tender to touch(about 15 minutes)
  5. Drain as much of the water from the pot as you can.
  6. Put the fruit into a high-speed blender. Add in the honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  7. Pulse until the sauce is smooth.
  8. Remove from the blender and let cool before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
2 Comments - Leave a comment!

Trix Cereal-Milk Milkshake

Written on July 28, 2014 by in Dessert, Drink

Trix Cereal Milk Milkshake

If you’ve ever had a bowl of cereal, you probably know the best part is the last bit of milk at the bottom(unless the only cereal you’ve ever had is Bran Flakes or Fiber One but that’s a different problem). 

General Mills sent me some of their new Trix cereal to try out which was given a makeover for it’s 60th birthday (!!) to be fruitier than the old recipe. (Spoiler alert: No fruit shapes anymore; all of the pieces are circles) I can’t say I’m a Trix aficionado and remember what the old recipe tasted like but these are definitely fruity and delicious–by far the best lazy-night dinner I have in my cupboard when I get home past 8pm.

Living in NYC there’s no shortage of inspiration for out-of-the-box recipes whether it’s a cronut or a frozen hot chocolate. I’ve heard people rave about the cereal-milk from Momofuku’s and thought it was the perfect grown-up way to enjoy a kids’ favorite cereal. 

Trix Cereal Milk Milkshake

This is just a variation on your standard 2:1 ratio milkshake. Add extra milk or ice cream to make it smoother or thicker.

You can really customize a recipe like this with any cereal–it’s a blank canvas! If Trix aren’t your thing, try Lucky Charms or even Reese’s Puffs with a chocolate peanut butter ice cream.   

Trix Cereal-Milk Milkshake

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 servings):

  • 1/2 cup Trix cereal plus more for garnish

  • 3/4 cup whole milk

  • 1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened slightly

Trix Cereal Milk Milkshake

Method:

  1. Combine the Trix cereal and milk in a blender or food processor and mix until the Trix has fully dissolved into the milk. The milk should be smooth and darker in color. 

  2. Add in the ice cream and process until creamy.

  3. Pour out evenly into two glasses.

  4. Garnish with a little more Trix and enjoy with a straw or spoon.

2 Comments - Leave a comment!

Sweet Tea Vodka Lemonade

Written on July 23, 2014 by in Drink

Sweet Tea Vodka Lemonade

Though it’s only Wednesday, this week definitely calls for a drink.

It’s funny how much the seasons and weather change our tastebuds. This is by far one of my favorite Summer drinks (though the elderflower fizz puts up a tough fight). It’s just light and sweet enough but also packs a punch. 

I’ve posted before on how to make a drink like this from scratch, but that’s not always the most efficient thing to do. This drink can absolutely taste just as good with ingredients from the store; it’s just important to buy quality ingredients. If they don’t taste good on their own, they won’t taste good mixed together. 

Sweet Tea Vodka Lemonade Pitcher

If you really want to kick this drink up a notch, I’d recommend adding crushed fresh herbs. You can add crushed mint for a classic sweet drink flavor or a little crushed basil for something more sophisticated.

Sweet Tea Vodka Lemonade

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 servings):

  • 1/2 cup quality iced tea
  • 1/2 cup lemonade (the fresher the better)
  • 2 oz Vodka
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • Lemon wedges to garnish

Method:

  1. Combine the iced tea, lemonade, vodka, and ice cubes in a large cocktail shaker.
  2. Shake vigorously until well mixed and the ice begins to break up. 
  3. Pour equally into two tall glasses.
  4. Garnish with a lemon slice before serving.
1 Comment - Leave a comment!

Creamy Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Written on July 9, 2014 by in Side Dish, Snack

Creamy Feta and Sun-dried Tomato Dip

The best way to be a better cook is find recipes you like and learn to make them your own way. Some months I get lazy and never make anything new–I don’t mind the same lunch every day of the week. But reading blogs help me find recipes good enough to break me out of my rut.

This recipe from Mississippi Kitchen looked too good to pass up. I never buy as much spinach and salad mixins as I should so instead I wanted to take the same flavors and put them in a dip. This has a ton of savory, salty flavor and surprisingly healthy ingredients. You could serve this at a party and they’d never know it’s a bean dip!

Creamy Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Seasoning should be the last step of this recipe. There’s no right amount of salt–you’ll need to taste it and figure out how much to add based on how salty your ingredients are.

Always taste a sauce or dip with whatever you’re using for dipping; if you’re using vegetables you’ll want the dip to be on the saltier side, while if you’re using seasoned crackers keep it on the bland side.   

Creamy Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 12 servings):

  • 1 can cannellini beans, drained

  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes

  • 1/3 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup buttermilk

  • 4oz feta, crumbled

  • Salt to taste

  • Vegetables for dipping 

Method:

  1. Add the beans to a food processor and pulse until smooth.

  2. Add in the tomatoes, sour cream, 1/2 cup buttermilk, and feta and process.

  3. Slowly add more buttermilk to get the dip to the right consistency while processing. Only add as much as you’d like to make it the right thickness.

  4. When done, season to taste with salt.

  5. Serve at room temperature. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator when not enjoying. 

2 Comments - Leave a comment!

4th of July Flourless Chocolate Cake

Written on July 3, 2014 by in Dessert, Holiday

Gluten-Free Flag Cake

Cake is never my favorite dessert. Brownies, fudge and frosting are. So when I make a cake the fudgier and dense it is the better.

My mom’s made this flourless cake for years. I first had it during passover at a bake sale when it was one of the few flour-free treats people would flock to. Since then it’s been a go-to recipe.

The cake is just eggs, sugar, chocolate, and butter; it can’t get any simpler than that. For the frosting I used a basic vanilla buttercream and fresh berries to make it festive. When adding berries to baked goods you make the shelf life much much shorter, so add them at the last minute and make sure to eat it up fresh!   

Flourless Flag Cake

If you do prefer a lighter and cakier base, try this gluten-free recipe using almond and coconut flours. 

4th of July Flourless Chocolate Cake

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 20 servings):

For the cake:

  • 1 stick butter, melted

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 6 eggs

  • 1 cup chocolate chips OR 8.5 oz chocolate, melted

For the frosting:

  • 1 stick butter, room temperature

  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 Tablespoons milk or cream

  • 1 pint strawberries, sliced

  • 1 pint blueberries

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Beat together the butter and sugar, adding in eggs one at a time until all of them are incorporated. The batter should be smooth and ribbony.
  3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.
  4. Slowly temper the melted chocolate into the batter until it’s completely mixed in.
  5. Grease a 9-inch cake pan and pour the batter in.
  6. Bake for 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Remove the cake and let it sit undisturbed until it cools to room temperature. It should deflate as it cools. Don’t worry if the top cracks since it will get covered eventually.
  8. To make the frosting, whip together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
  9. Lightly dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar to make sure the frosting doesn’t pull crumbs.
  10. Spread the frosting on gently and evenly.
  11. Arrange the strawberries and blueberries however you’d like right before serving. Store leftovers in a air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  
2 Comments - Leave a comment!

Vegan PB & J Smoothie

Written on June 30, 2014 by in Breakfast, Drink

Vegan PB & J Smoothie

I somehow have become a morning exerciser. The first day of waking up, rolling out of bed, and putting on gym shorts instead of a pot of coffee was rough. The second was just as rough. But every day since it’s gotten a little easier.

After working out I’ve been more inclined to make a smoothie than bowl of oatmeal or anything else. It’s quick and easy to drink when getting ready for work. I’ve been trying different mixes to keep things interesting every time and this one is a winner.

It has the classic flavor of the inside of a PB & J, just in liquid form. It’s perfectly sweet and even packs some greens in it, too, if you opt in for the spinach(which you won’t be able to see or taste fully blended–I promise). 

IMG_7064_2

If you’re not a fan of peanut butter or just don’t have any lying around try making this with almond butter or even coconut butter.      

Vegan PB & J Smoothie

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 meal serving or 2 snack servings):

  • 1 medium banana

  • 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries

  • 1/3 cup frozen spinach

  • 2 Tablespoons peanut butter

  • 1/2 cup water

Method:

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a high-power blender. 

  2. Pulse briefly and then blend until the ingredients make a creamy smoothie. Add water if necessary to make smooth and creamy.

  3. Pour into a tall glass and drink cold. 

3 Comments - Leave a comment!
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »