This salad is as healthy as it is beautiful. The mixture of textures and colors makes it a fantastic choice for special meals. With legumes, nuts, and fiber-filled fruits, it would also work for several days worth of filling lunches. You get an extra anti-inflammatory boost from red apples, dark grapes, pomegranate seeds and juice, walnuts, beans, celery, and dark leafy greens.
Read MoreThis delicious no-oil, no-sugar plant-based fruit crisp gives you a delicious summer treat any time of the year with fresh or frozen berries. A two-stage baking approach ensures that the fruit is well cooked and the topping doesn’t burn. The recipe works for all berries, not just blueberries — you can make it your own.
Read MoreThis plant-based chili’s flavor runs deep, a tough challenge for vegan chili recipes. You might not taste the cocoa powder or cinnamon, but they contribute to the complexity of this flavor profile. A little tahini lends it some creaminess, and cilantro and limes add bright notes at the end. As a bonus, this chili freezes well and makes at least 8 servings, meaning “Leftovers!,” one of my favorite words.
Read MoreSince everyone likes different combinations and has different ingredients on hand, I created a template for chopped salads that last for days — just the proportions for the salad, a list of possible ingredients in each category, and links to recipes for delicious plant-based salad dressings.
Read MoreThis plant-based, oil-free puree is great as a side dish, but has so many other possible uses: on baked potatoes, crackers, bread, pasta, or pizza, or as part of a bowl or quesadilla, or snuggled next to stewed tomatoes, mashed potatoes, or rice pilaf. During the early summer when I get a lot of greens in my farm share, this is my go-to recipe. I used to make it with collard greens only, but I’ve found more recently that it works with any combination of dark leafy greens.
Read MoreRecipe for a light, smooth, creamy frozen treat without sugar or cream—gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free. Other nice-cream variations are provided as well.
Read MoreThe Waldorf salad was created for the first time over 125 years ago, but its appeal endures. In this version, fresh cherries add welcome contrasts in texture and taste to the apple, celery, and raisins. Additional variation ideas are provided.
Read MoreEnjoy the indulgence of mascarpone cheese without dairy! This plant-based, oil-free version achieves its rich, silky texture from cashews, which are blended until they are completely dissolved. The maple syrup lends sweetness, and the lemon juice and zest provide the tang. Small amounts of nutritional yeast and miso give it just a hint of cheesiness. Suggestions for ways to use this vegan mascarpone are included.
Read MoreThis post includes a recipe for oil-free crisp tortilla shells and a list of plant-based, oil-free toppings, including beans, crumbles, sauces, and garnishes. Use your imagination and customize your approach depending on what you feel like and what you have on hand.
Read MoreThis thick lentil soup, oil-free and plant-based, takes “comfort food” to a new healthy level. The layered flavors and textures make the soup interesting and satisfying. Combine it with a salad and baked potatoes, rice, or whole grain flour tortillas, and you’ve got yourself a delicious meal.
Read MoreThis delicious plant-based sauce is a core ingredient for healthy vegan tacos, tostadas, nachos, and burritos at our house. No one misses grated cheddar cheese any more. The cashews and carrot give this sauce creaminess and heartiness. Goodbye, gummy vegan cheese sauces — hello, heavenly, creamy, drizzly Nacho Cheese Sauce.
Read MoreThis gluten-free, oil-free, plant-based burger has the two characteristics most needed in a good veggie burger: the right texture and an interesting flavor combination. Homemade vegan burgers with beans can be mushy, a real turn-off. These burgers get their structure from sturdy legumes, ground chia “eggs,” oatmeal, and seeds. The flavor comes from ketchup, mustard, and a good dose of dry spices.
Read MoreThis salad takes advantage of freekeh, a grain derived from young wheat that cooks relatively quickly, it has a nutty flavor, and it’s a whole grain. In this salad, which could serve as the main dish of a meal, and would be lovely at a summer picnic, freekeh is tossed together with roasted vegetables, currants (or other dried fruit), lemon zest, and a light dressing. It can be served cold or at room temperature, can be customized, and goes well with many foods.
Read MoreThe filling is a snap to make in the air fryer ( oven directions provided too). It’s oil-free with delightful contrasting textures between the crispy chickpeas and the tender cauliflower. The swoon-worthy crema brings lime and cilantro flavors forward, all against the creaminess of blended raw cashews. Top this with a cabbage slaw and hot sauce, and you have a party in your mouth.
Read MoreThis delicious plant-based stew comes from the unexpected combination of green lentils and millet. The curry flavoring here is on the mellow side, and softened even further by the miso. From a health standpoint this stew checks all the boxes: legumes, whole grains, and leafy greens. With a salad and optional bread, this stew makes a brilliant winter meal.
Read MoreThis lovely plant-based curry is a snap to make in the Instant Pot. Pre-soaking the black-eyed peas means that all the ingredients will reach the right texture, without getting over-cooked, in 12 minutes of pressure. This method avoids the need for oil, which saves on fat and calories. Seasonings and heat level can be adjusted to taste. The curry freezes well.
Read MoreSoy curls are a great substitute for chicken in this plant-based recipe. They’re chewy, roasted on the outside, soft on the inside, and they soak up the wonderful flavors of the marinade-sauce. Even without oil, the roasting method works perfectly and yields a lot of color to the soy curls and vegetables. My favorite part is the peanuts!
Read MoreMushrooms and lentils share the spotlight in this stew, with support from tomato and vinegar flavors. The result is a protein-packed, deeply flavorful plant-based stew that tastes great on its own or with spaetzle, rice, or other grain.
Read MoreThese plant-based fajitas have layers and layers of flavors and textures. Roasting brings out the best of all the ingredients, including bell peppers, soy curls, onion, tomatoes, and zucchinis. These are oil-free, but you wouldn’t know it from the flavor and caramelization. If you haven’t tried soy curls yet (a very healthy protein made from soybeans), this would be a great recipe to start with. You control the level of spicy heat.
Read MoreThese plant-based cookie bars are bursting with flavor. They contain no sugar, no butter, or other processed ingredients, but you wouldn’t guess that. The cardamom, orange, and cranberry complement each other deliciously well. These would be especially good for a healthy winter holiday treat.
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