Basil Avocado Pasta

The avocados in this sauce helps make this recipe so creamy! You can even use this sauce on rice, quinoa, zucchini noodles, potatoes, or as a vegetable dip!

Ingredients:

• 2 avocados
• 3 garlic cloves
• juice from 1/2 large lemon
• 1/2 cup water
• handful of fresh spinach
• handful of fresh basil
• black pepper, to taste
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• pasta
• cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:

1. Cook your pasta according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, in a blender combine the avocados, garlic cloves, lemon juice, water, spinach, basil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Blend until creamy and smooth. You may need to add more water depending on how thick or thin you want your sauce, but start with the 1/2 cup.
3. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.
4. Pour your pasta into your bowl, mix in some of the basil avocado sauce, and top with cherry tomatoes.

Garlicky Kale Salad

This is one of our favorite kale recipes! It is easy and super flavorful!!!

Garlicky Kale Salad (recipe from Mrs. Plant)

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 2 Tbsp low-sodium tamari or coconut aminos (can omit)
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Toasted black sesame seeds for garnish

Directions:

1. Wash the kale, dry it well, and rip it into small pieces. Place kale into a bowl.
2. Blend all other ingredients in a blender until smooth. Massage into the kale.
3. Refrigerate AT LEAST one hour. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Chocolate Sweet Potato Muffins

If you love chocolate you will love these muffins! The sweet potatoes and banana help create the perfect texture. These muffins are perfect for a healthy sweet dessert or a snack.

This recipe is from My Whole Food Life:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oat flour (can grind rolled oats in a blender to flour consistency)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups cooked and pureed sweet potato
• 1 mashed banana (can also use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or more sweet potato)
• 1/3 cup date syrup (can also use 12 Medjool dates)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In one bowl, add the oat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and mix together.
• In another bowl add the sweet potato, banana, and date syrup and stir. If using dates instead of date syrup, it is easiest to blend the dates with a little water in a high speed blender. Then you can just add the sweet potato and banana and blend until all combined.
• Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix with a spoon until combined.
• Spoon the batter into a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners or silicone baking cups.
• Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the muffins cool before removing from the pan.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge. They should last at least 7-10 days. You can also freeze them for up to 6 months.

Mushroom & Wild Rice Cream Soup

This recipe was a hit at a potluck we brought it to and super easy to make in the instant pot. It can easily be adapted to be cooked on the stove top too. You’ll just need to let it simmer for about 45 minutes before adding the kale and cashew cream.

This recipe is from For The Health Of It:

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, diced (I double the onions to 4 medium onions)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1c carrots, sliced
  
• 1c celery, chopped
  
• 8 oz mushrooms (I double the mushrooms to 16 oz.)
  
• 6c low sodium vegetable broth
  
• 1c wild rice
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 2T Italian seasoning
  
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
  
• Pepper to taste
  
• Miso to taste (I added about 1 tablespoon)
• Couple handfuls of kale chopped
• Cashew cream (1/2c cashews and 1/2c water and blend until smooth)

Directions:

1. Dry sauté onions, carrots, mushrooms, celery and garlic.
2. Add broth to veggies once they are tender along with the seasoning and wild rice.
3. Set manual 25 minutes. Natural release for 15 minutes and then quick release the rest.
4. Add in kale and let wilt for approximately 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in cashew cream.

Lentil Bolognese

This recipe can be made in the instant pot or on the stove top. Directions for both included below.

This recipe is from Forks Over Knives:

Ingredients:

• 1 (28-ounce) can salt-free diced tomatoes or tomato purée
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 ½ cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained
• 3 ½ cups water
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, grated or finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ cup packed fresh basil, chopped
• freshly ground black pepper
• Garlic powder and onion powder
• Splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

Directions:

Pressure Cooker Instructions:

1. Place the tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils, water, onions, garlic, carrots, Italian and poultry seasonings, pepper flakes, and ¼ cup chopped basil into a pressure cooker. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.
2. After releasing pressure, mix well, then season with pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. Finish with the remaining fresh basil and a splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.
3. If you’d prefer a smoother consistency, transfer 2 to 3 cups of the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.
4. Serve over whole-grain pasta, zucchini noodles, or roasted sweet potatoes.

Stovetop Instructions:

1. Saute the onions and garlic in a large pot in water or vegetable broth.
2. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils, water, carrots, Italian and poultry seasonings, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup chopped basil.
3. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes over high heat until the lentils are soft.
4. Season with pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. Finish with the remaining fresh basil and a splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.
5. If you’d prefer a smoother consistency, transfer 2 to 3 cups of the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.
6. Serve over whole-grain pasta, zucchini noodles, or roasted sweet potatoes.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

This is the creamiest, cheesiest vegan broccoli soup! We have brought it to potluck lucks and everyone who has tried it has absolutely loved it!

This recipe is from Connoisseurus Veg:

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium carrot chopped
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup unsweetened soy or almond milk
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/4 cup vinegar based hot sauce (can omit if you don’t like spicy, but then you may want to add a splash of vinegar)
• 3 tablespoons white miso paste
• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large crown)
• Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and water sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for about 1 minute more, until very fragrant.

2. Add the vegetable broth and stir in the potato, carrot, and cashews. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat and allow to simmer, uncovered, until the carrot and potato are tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Use an immersion blender to blend everything together. If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, working in batches if needed.

4. Once blended, stir in the non-dairy milk, nutritional yeast, hot sauce, miso and broccoli. Place over high heat and bring everything to a boil. Allow to simmer until the broccoli is tender and the soup thickens up a bit, about 7 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and season with pepper to taste.

Italian Bean Soup

This was a super easy soup to make and a recipe where you most likely have all the ingredients on hand already. I highly recommend doubling the recipe as it is super easy and who doesn’t like leftover soup?

This recipe is from Ground Leaf:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry cannellini beans, soaked (can also use 2 cans of beans, rinsed & drained)
• 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 medium onion, diced 
• 14.5 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp dried basil 
• 1 tbsp dried oregano 
• 1 tsp dried rosemary 
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp celery seeds
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Drain beans from their soaking water and add to the instant pot. Add 3 cups water.
2. Put on lid, select manual, and adjust time to 6 minutes. When time has lapsed, allow pressure to come down naturally.
3. Taste beans for doneness. If not fully cooked, replace lid and cook for additional time. If fully cooked: drain beans. Set aside. Rinse inner pot and return to machine.
4. In the instant pot, saute the onion. Stir frequently, adding water as necessary if sticking. After about 5 minutes, add all remaining ingredients.
5. Press cancel to stop the saute function, put on the lid, select manual, and adjust time to 5 minutes. When time has lapsed, allow pressure to come down naturally.
6. Serve warm.

Enjoy 🙂

Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

This soup is super easy to make and really tasty!

The original recipe is from Fitness Blender.

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups water or vegetable broth
• Juice of 2 lemons

Directions:

1. In a large stockpot over medium heat, saute onion, garlic and carrot for 5 minutes, adding water as needed to prevent sticking.
2. Stir in pepper, cumin, turmeric, paprika and ginger; cook another minute.
3. Add water or vegetable broth and lentils; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are fully cooked, 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove soup from heat, squeeze in the lemon juice and serve immediately. This soup is great over brown rice.

Tofu & Black Bean Enchiladas

This recipe has a few steps, but it really comes together easily. Chop everything before doing any cooking, then while the filling is cooking, you can start the enchilada sauce.

This recipe is adapted from I Love Vegan:

Ingredients:

• small corn tortillas
• green onion, for topping
• cilantro, for topping
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced or chopped, for topping

Filling:

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups (1 can) cooked black beans, drained
• 3 tsp chili powder (divided)
• 1 block extra-firm tofu, crumbled
• 2 cups kale, chopped
• ⅓ cup chopped green or red bell pepper
• ½ cup salsa

Enchilada Sauce:

• ⅓ of bean mixture from filling
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tsp chili powder

Filling Directions:

1. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the onion, garlic, black beans, and 2 tsp chili powder. Sauté until the onion is translucent and tender. Transfer bean mixture to a bowl and set aside.
2. In the same skillet, over medium-high heat, add crumbled tofu, kale, and chopped bell pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Add ½ cup salsa and 1 tsp chili powder. Mix well. Add ⅔ of the bean mixture from step 1. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Enchilada Sauce Directions:

1. In a blender, blend remaining ⅓ of the beans from step 1, 1 cup vegetable broth, 1 cup of salsa, and 1 tsp chili powder. Blend on high until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In a baking dish, spread about 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of the pan.
3. Place the corn tortillas in an even layer over the sauce.
4. Spread the filling on top of the tortillas.
5. Spread the remaining sauce over the tortillas.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
7. Just before serving, top with chopped green onion, cilantro. Serve with fresh avocado or guacamole.

Enjoy 🙂

Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is flavorful and perfect to bring as a dish to potlucks! Plus, the dressing recipe is great on all kinds of things, like a green leafy salad or add the sauce on top of beans and a baked sweet potato!

Pasta Salad Ingredients:

• 4 cups pasta
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped small
• 1 12 -ounce can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 purple onion, diced
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can Cannellini Beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 Tbs Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tbs Miso
• 1 Tbs Dill Pickle Juice
• 1 Tbs Spicy Brown Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Ground Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Dill Weed
• 1/4 tsp Onion Powder

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and allow to cool.
2. Lightly steam the broccoli, until just tender and chop all veggies and add to a large bowl.
3. Add all dressing ingredients to your blender and blend on high until smooth.  It may look a little thin, that’s ok, the pasta will soak it up.
4. Gently toss pasta and veggies together and fold in dressing.  Gently stir until everything is well coated.
5. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hrs before serving.

Enjoy 🙂