Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: avocado

  • Vegan Key Lime Pie Raspberry Ice Cream

    Vegan Key Lime Pie Raspberry Ice Cream

    We are almost into summer and it’s been pretty warm here the last few weeks, so I am definitely craving ice cream! I could just go buy some vegan ice cream at the store, but I really enjoy making my own unique flavors. Last weekend I was thinking something citrusy sounded good, so I made some Vegan Key Lime Pie Raspberry Ice Cream!

    It was easy to make and so delicious! Getting your own ice cream maker is a really good investment if you are an ice cream lover! Then you can make your own fun flavors! For the base in this one to make it really creamy I used coconut milk and avocado as the base.

    I added in plenty of lime juice and zest to give it just the right of tartness, and used dates to sweeten it. Also just a touch of vanilla. Lastly some spinach for color (you could also use natural green food coloring). Once it was churned to creamy perfection I layered and swirled it with raspberry jam.

    It was so heavenly! Like rich key lime pie, a balanced tart sweet flavor and sweet jammy raspberries! This is perfect for summer! If you are in the mood for some ice cream definitely give this Vegan Key Lime Pie Raspberry Ice Cream a try!

    Vegan Key Lime Pie Raspberry Ice Cream
    Makes about 4 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk
    • 2 medium avocados, seeds and skin removed
    • 3/4 cup soft pitted dates
    • 1/4 cup lime juice
    • 2 Tbsp lime zest
    • 1 handful spinach
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup raspberry jam

     

    Instructions:

    In a blender combine everything but the raspberry jam and blend until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions until thick and the consistency of soft serve. Alternatively if you don’t own an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl
    And put it in the freezer, whisking it every so often until it is thick.
    Pour 1/3 into a freezer proof container, top with some of the jam, swirl it with a knife, then half the remaining ice cream, then more jam then the rest of the ice cream and swirl with a knife. Put the lid on and freeze until a little more firm and scoop-able, a few hours.
    Enjoy! If it becomes too firm let it sit out 15 minutes before scooping.
    Keeps for 4 months in the freezer.

     

  • Roasted Spring Vegetable Buddha Bowl

    Roasted Spring Vegetable Buddha Bowl

    I tend to eat the same 4 things every week for dinner. Unless I am creating a new recipe then I will vary what I make. But the rest of the time when I make the same things it is mostly just because I know what I like, and because it ends up being a no brainer to make those recipes once I do it so many times. One of those items I make all the time is buddha bowls. I sometimes use different vegetable ingredients based off of what time of the year it is and what is in season or what I have on hand. I switch off quinoa and brown rice for the grain usually. But my current favorite is this one involving Spring vegetables.

    I get kind of excited about the different types of produce that can be found in the store in the Spring, Summer and Fall. But in the Spring I feel like I have been kind of deprived for a while of all of the super fresh vegetable type stuff since here in Minnesota we can’t really grow anything unless it is indoors. So it is awesome to see things like asparagus and radishes. I like to eat radishes raw but the other day when I made this bowl I thought to myself, how would they be roasted? The answer to that is super delicious. They kind of lose that peppery bite that they have and become a bit sweeter, kind of similar to roasting turnips.

    I combined them with asparagus, which I could not resist buying since it is so springy. As well as carrots, chickpeas and avocado in my bowl over brown rice and it was sooo good! But the part that made it really all come together was the creamy pumpkin seed butter sauce that I put over it all. I made it with Dastony Pumpkin Seed Butter from Raw Guru and you would swear it had dairy or cream or something in it it is nice and rich tasting.

    I added a little cumin, chipotle, lemon garlic and salt to it so that it was similar to a classic tahini dressing, but it was even more delicious since the pumpkin seeds don’t have that bitterness that tahini sometimes has. This bowl was so good I will probably be making it for the rest of Spring. If you are in need of a hearty healthy dinner that tastes like comfort food, give this a try!

    Roasted Spring Vegetable Buddha Bowl
    Serves 2-3

    • 2/3 cup brown jasmine rice
    • 1 1/3 cups filtered water
    • 2 cups sliced carrots
    • 2 cups asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
    • 2 cups radishes, quartered
    • avocado oil
    • sea salt

    Sauce:

    • 1/2 cup Dastony pumpkin seed butter
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1/4 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1/8 tsp dried chipotle pepper
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste

    To assemble:

    • organic greens, such as arugula, spinach or spring mix
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 1 avocado, diced

    Instructions:

    1. Place rice and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 25-30 minutes, or when the rice is tender.
    2. Meanwhile, to cook the veggies, preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Toss the veggies with just enough oil to coat them lightly, then spread out on a sheet pan and sprinkle with sea salt Place in the over and roast until they are tender and starting to brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven.
    3. Whisk together the sauce ingredients, adding water to achieve your desired consistency.
    4. To assemble, put some greens into the bottom of each bowl, then top with the rice, the chickpeas, the veggies, and avocado. Drizzle the sauce over the contents of the bowl. Serve!
  • Strawberry Peach Avocado Quinoa Salad 

    Strawberry Peach Avocado Quinoa Salad 

    We have a quinoa salad in the deli I work in that has Summer fruits in it and it is pretty popular.  You wouldn’t think that quinoa and fruit would be a pair unless it was a breakfast quinoa or something but it actually really works as a savory salad!  I actually have made quite a few quinoa salads with fruit at home too, and they are always delicious.  The fruit has to be ripe and flavorful though. Buying fruit that is in season and ripe is the key to success when making dishes that include it.  Especially if it is going to be raw.  I decided to make one last weekend because I had extra peaches and strawberries from making a crisp, and didn’t feel like using them for dessert.  They were perfectly ripe, the peaches had that delicious aroma and the strawberries were packed with flavor.  So I thought that a simple salad would be best to let the flavors shine through.

    I love that quinoa is quick to make, contains protein and is a neutral flavor so it can be combined with pretty much anything.  I make it several times a week for those reasons.  I had made some ahead of time for a different meal, so this salad came together fast!  In addition to the fruit I felt like the salad needed something rich.  I usually pair a home made vegan chevre (goat cheese) with fruit in quinoa and it is delicious but I don’t always have it on hand, so sometimes I use avocado instead.  Trust me, it is just as satisfying as the cheese, and I always have some on hand because I buy a bag of avocados every week since I love them so much. You may be thinking avocado and fruit sounds weird together but they totally pair with each other!

    I also added some greens in the form of arugula to the salad, because I always try to get a serving of greens in every day.  I stir them into soups, toss them into salads like this or use them as a base for a salad, but they are something that I always have in my refrigerator and work into my diet every day.  Lastly, I made a simple lemon dressing with a hint of thyme and it was so good once it was all mixed together!  It is satisfying, balanced, and you will feel great after eating it!  If you are looking for a more substantial Summer salad, give this a try!  Only a few weeks of Summer left, so might as well enjoy it while you can!

    Strawberry Peach Avocado Quinoa Salad 
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1 Tbsp organic lemon zest
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
    • sea salt to taste
    • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
    • 1 cup organic peaches, cut into 1 inch pieces
    • 1 cup organic strawberries, quartered
    • 1 good handful arugula
    • 1 large avocado, cut into large dice

     

    Instructions:

    1. To prepare the quinoa, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and set aside.
    2. Whisk together the lemon juice, avocado oil, sea salt and thyme in a small bowl.
    3. To assemble the salad, combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl  and the dressing, and toss together until well combined.
    4. Enjoy!
  • Vegan Summer Chocolate Berry Tartlettes

    Vegan Summer Chocolate Berry Tartlettes

    One of my favorite parts of Summer is the berries!  And, luckily the wild raspberries are growing like crazy around here this year!  Every time Eric and I go out for a walk practically we find more ripe ones to pick. I guess I consider berries special because it is only this time of the year that they taste the best, and are affordable to buy.  I always try to buy organic berries if I am buying them because they are a heavily sprayed crop, and in the off months (so October through end of April), I see raspberries being sold for $8.99/lb sometimes! Yikes, and they don’t even taste that good because they have to be shipped in from far away.  This is why it is important to eat in season fruits and enjoy them while you can!  So between the wild raspberries I have picked, and the good prices on berries lately I have been eating a lot of them.  Why not?  They are high in vitamins and antioxidants!

    I had 3 different kinds of berries in my fridge, and I said to myself, I need to make something pretty and delicious with some of these. Involving chocolate. Because chocolate is absolutely amazing with berries!  I did not want to spend a lot of time on it though because it was a work night, so I decided on some simple chocolate tarts. I had all of the ingredients on hand (mostly pantry items except the berries), and they took me about 30 minutes to make.  For the crust I used a mixture of  oats, nuts, and cacao powder.  Super easy, and all you do is press it into the pans, no baking required, which is always good on a 90F degree day, which it was!

    I made a luscious avocado mousse filling so good I could have eaten it with a spoon, but I saved it for the tarts.  They would have been good just like that of course if all you wanted was chocolate, but berries were to be the star of this show, so that is what I topped them off with.  They were so pretty!  Almost too pretty to eat, but that never stops me when I am hungry.  They were so good with the creamy rich chocolate filling, crunchy crust, and sweet jammy berries!  These are actually pretty healthy, so I wouldn’t judge if you decided to eat all three that the recipe makes instead of sharing them!

    Summer Chocolate Berry Tartlettes
    Makes 3 4 inch tartlettes

    Crust:

    • 1/2 cup organic gluten free rolled oats
    • 1/2 cup organic almond meal
    • 1/3 cup soft, pitted medjool dates
    • 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Filling:

    • 1 medium avocado
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Topping:

    • about 1 cup mixed fresh organic berries (if they are strawberries, quarter them)

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crusts, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until the mixture is the consistency of dough, and holds together when squeezed.
    2. Oil 3 4 inch tart pans, and press the mixture into the bottoms of the pans and up the sides.
    3. To make the filling, place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.  Spoon into the tart shells, and smooth the tops.
    4. Arrange berries on top of the tarts, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

     

  • Avocado Hemp Butter

    Avocado Hemp Butter

    Have you ever gone to the store and wanted a vegan spreadable butter, and looked at the ones that were available, only to find out that they contained processed ingredients, or unhealthy oils?  Well, I have.  It has been the only thing that has stopped me from buying them.  About 10 years ago I actually tried some (because I cared less what was in my food then), but I didn’t really care for it because it had a weird flavor.  Most of them are made with canola oil, soy bean oil or palm oil, all of which I try to avoid so I have just avoided the spreadable butters all together. But I recently said to myself, I bet I can make one at home with ingredients that I have on hand that would actually be better for me.  I told my Mom I would share it with her too and get her opinion on it, because she is a fan of spreadable butters, and she gave me the idea to try making one.  Now when I say butter of course it is not real butter like with dairy in it.  I am talking totally plant based!

    I wanted this butter to have some heart healthy oils in it, so I went for the avocado oil.  It already has a buttery but neutral flavor to it, which is why I love to use it on popcorn or for baking.  It blends in beautifully.  Next, I wanted to add some hemp seed oil.  I had a big bottle on hand, and I know it contains heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids, so why not add some of that too?  I try to have a little every day anyhow.  These two oils are both liquid even when refrigerated, which is important for making the butter spreadable.  I figured mix them with one fat that is solid when chilled and the butter would be the prefect consistency.  I chose coconut oil. I like the slightly sweet flavor of coconut oil, and I figured it would mimic the sweetness in some sweet cream butter. But of course if you are making this and want it more neutral, use a refined coconut oil instead of the unrefined I use in the recipe.  That is just what I happen to like.  I added a touch of sea salt and apple cider vinegar (to make it taste more like dairy), and it was perfect!  So how do you make this into buttery perfection?  well, the process is a little fun.

    You don’t just pop it in the refrigerator to chill, that would result in a less spreadable butter. It gets whipped up like frosting!  You just chill it until it starts to get a little cloudy, then whip it with a hand mixer. This is actually the process I use for making body butter, so I knew it would work beautifully for this.  It turned out so good!  It spreads onto toast perfectly like real butter, and it tastes good too, it has a slightly sweet nutty flavor I love!  I shared it with my Mom and she said it was better than the store bought vegan butter she had been buying.  So, if you are a butter person, skip the store bought vegan butter and give this a try!  It is easy to make and worth it!

    Avocado Hemp Butter
    Makes about 2 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup raw unrefined coconut oil*
    • 1/4 cup hemp seed oil*
    • 1/4 cup avocado oil
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a medium glass bowl, whisk together all ingredients until combined.
    2. Place in the freezer until the mixture starts to solidify at the edges, and becomes cloudy, about 20 minutes or so.
    3. Remove from the freezer, and whip with an electric mixer on high speed until light, fluffy and the consistency of creamy frosting (you may have to scrape the bowl sides half way through).
    4. Spoon into a jar, and let sit in the refrigerator until more firm, about an hour at least.
    5. Keeps in the refrigerator for a few months.

     

    *Note: if you want less of a coconut flavor, use refined coconut oil instead. I just prefer the unrefined.

     

     

  • Vegan Avocado Brownies

    Vegan Avocado Brownies

    Brownie baking is the perfect activity for your day off.  Especially if it has been a particularly stressful, or the weather outside is crappy.  I mean, one can not possibly be in a bad mood while baking brownies.  The whole process is enjoyable.  Eating the last bit of batter leftover in the bowl, taking in the heavenly aroma of the baking brownies, and of course devouring them when it is all over.  Makes me happy!  So, that is just what I decided to do last weekend.  I have been wanting to make avocado brownies for a while now, so that is what I made!  I have made a chocolate avocado cake before and it turned out awesome, so why not brownies?!  And I figure they will be perfect for people who are oil free as well, since the avocado is the healthy fat in these.  Plus, Raw Guru was kind enough to send me a lovely care package including some raw cacao powder and Rawmio Essentials dark chocolate so I couldn’t wait to use them in something.  If you have never heard of them, definitely check out their website, it is filled with good things like superfoods, chocolate, nuts, nut butters etc.  I have loved everything I have tried from them, especially their nut butters (since I am obsessed with nut butter).

    Anyways, back to those brownies.  In the event that you have some over ripe avocados laying around, these would be the perfect solution to use them up.  Not that it happens often, because they are usually devoured in my house, but I ended up with 2 bags last week so I had a lot.  The brownies are pretty simple to make, you just need to blend up some ripe avocados and whisk in all of the other ingredients.  That is the thing I like about brownies, they are easy.  The batter is like rich chocolate cake batter, I should know I sampled enough of it!  I used coconut sugar to sweeten them, and these actually happen to be gluten free so they are better for you than regular brownies.  Not to mention the heart healthy fats that they contain.  They bake up in about 35 minutes and you are on your way to chocolate heaven!

    I chopped up the Rawmio Essentials chocolate and scattered it on top of the brownies, because why not have gooey chocolate chunks?!  I like my brownies to be extra chocolaty. They baked up nice and fudgy just how I like them and I couldn’t wait to give them a try!  They were rich and delicious thanks to the avocado, none of that dry cakey stuff going on.  I am definitely a center brownie piece person, the fudgiest part the better.  If you are in search of healthier brownies, or just an avocado lover like me that is always finding new ways to use them, give these a try!

    Vegan Avocado Brownies
    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    8×8 inch Pan

    Brownies:

     

    Directions:

     

    1. To make the brownies, pre-heat the oven to 350F degrees.
    2. Whisk together the sugar and avocado puree until well combined and the sugar is starting to break down. Add the flax mixture and and beat until smooth. Add the flour, cacao powder and sea salt and beat until smooth.
    3. Scrape the batter into a greased 8×8 inch pan. 
    4. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks. Place in the oven, and Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until set (but do not over bake).
    5. Let cool before cutting into bars.

     

  • Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cake

    Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cake

    An occasion such as Valentine’s Day, deserves the perfect decadent rich chocolate.  So, I decided to make one last weekend.  Eric and I celebrated early since the actual holiday is during the work week and I am working.  We went for a long walk around Minneapolis in our favorite area, then hit up our favorite local brewery Insight, then enjoyed some warming ramen at Tori Ramen in St. Paul, because that is the restaurant Eric chose. It was perfect though, because I am recovering from a cold and some warming broth was just what I needed.  And of course I had the dessert covered with the chocolate avocado cake I made.  I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before, but the combination is a great idea.  Think of it.  Chocolate is heart healthy, avocados are heart healthy so it is a healthy cake (wink, wink).  And why not make your cake healthy and taste amazing too!  Don’t worry, you can not taste avocado in this cake at all.  Just rich, decadence.

    For the cake part, I used my classic date sweetened chocolate cake, made with mashed avocado in place of the nut butter.  And, let me tell you, it made the most rich tasting delicious cake batter that was actually oil free.  You bet I  scraped the bowl clean and enjoyed the last bit of batter!  That is one of my favorite things about baking cakes, getting to eat the batter. It baked up beautifully as well, and the aroma of brownies filled my kitchen and home.  That is seriously one of the best scents in the world.  Once it had cooled down and was ready to frost, it needed a decadent rich frosting to finish it off.  So, I blended up avocados, date paste, cacao powder, and a little sea salt and vanilla and it was so good!  It tasted like avocado mousse and fudge combined.  Once it was spread onto the cake, it was lovely.  I couldn’t wait to try it!

    This is the chocolate lover’s dream.  It is just the right consistency as far as cake goes.  Moist, soft, and light, not dry or dense provided you don’t over-bake or under-bake it. I am super picky as far as cake texture goes so I am always careful about the amount of time I bake my cakes. This one turned out perfect.  It had rich chocolate flavor as well, and that gooey luscious frosting tasted so good you would swear that it contained some non-vegan ingredients.  But nope!  This cake is actually gluten free, oil free, and fruit sweetened, so wins all around!  So the next time you are in the mood for classic chocolate cake, give this a try!

    Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cake
    Makes one 2 layer 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
    • 1/4 cup mashed avocado
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 cups filtered water
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 1/2 cups mashed avocado
    • 1/2 cup date paste* or maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup filtered water
    • 1/2 cup cacao powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil two 6 inch round cake pans with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment.
    3. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Place dates, water, avocados, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    5. Pour the cake batter into prepared pans, and place in the oven.
    6. Bake cakes until set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, about 25-30 minutes (be careful not to over-bake or under-bake the cake.  Check it at 25 minutes and put back into the oven a little longer if it is not finished baking).  Remove from oven, let cool completely, then un-mold them onto two plates, cover and set aside.
    7. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten).  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    8. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread about 3/4 cup frosting over it.  Place the other cake layer over that, then spread the remaining frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake.
    9. Decorate with sprinkles and enjoy!

     

    *To make date paste, soak 1 cup dates in filtered water for 30 minutes, then drain, reserving 2/3 cup filtered water.  Pour the dates and 2/3 cup water into the blender and blend until smooth.  Store date paste in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

     

  • Vegan Spicy Sweet Potato Tots with Cilantro Avocado Dipping Sauce

    Vegan Spicy Sweet Potato Tots with Cilantro Avocado Dipping Sauce

    Minnesotans love their tater tots.  I mean, we have a whole hot dish featuring them and named after them.  So, why didn’t I love them as a child like everyone else?  I don’t know.  Maybe because they were always served in school lunches, and the first time I tried them they were soaked in the jello that was next to it, and I had kind of an aversion to them after that. Or because I liked mashed potatoes more, because that was what my family served.  My Mom never made tater tots.  But you know what?  As an adult one day I decided to make my own.  After all, they are just little mini hash browns sort of.  So, I made my own at home, and I ended up loving them.  Either they were way better than the ones I used to eat as a kid, or my tastes had changed.  Now I love the crunchy salty little morsels.  I have since made them many times at home, and even a tater tot hot dish vegan style.  I like to experiment with adding different other veggies to them too besides potatoes.  The latest of which was sweet potatoes.  I know, still sort of potatoes, but totally different flavor.

    Sweet potatoes are a diet staple for me, I eat them at least 5 times a week, sometimes more. I can’t help it, they are just so good stuffed, or cut into fries.  I had to find out if sweet potato tots were as good as regular tater tots.  So, I cooked some up a few nights back.  I actually used a mixture of sweet potatoes and regular potatoes because they need the starch of the regular but the flavor that came through was all sweet potato.  I wanted to add a bit of spiciness to them too, so I added some chipotle powder.  They turned out super delicious just like that, but when you have something spicy, you need a little something cooling to serve it with.  Plus tater tots are made for dipping.  Usually in ketchup but ketchup isn’t cooling, so I made a cilantro avocado sauce.

    Super simple, just buzz all of the ingredients for the sauce in the food processor while you are waiting for the tots to bake and you are all set!  These are so good I could eat the whole recipe.  But I decided to share some this time.  If you eat all of them yourself though, I totally won’t judge.  Next time you have a hankering for tater tots, give these a try.  Or, maybe for the Superbowl in a month you need a snack to serve to your friends.  I think these would be great for that!

    Vegan Spicy Sweet Potato Tots with Cilantro Avocado Dipping Sauce
    Serves 2-4 (two if you are me)

    Ingredients:

    Sweet Potato Tots:

    • 3 medium russett potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
    • 2 medium sweet potatoes  peeled and cut into chunks
    • filtered water
    • sea salt to taste
    • 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper (1/2 if you want it spicy)
    • 1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil (optional)

     

    Cilantro Avocado Sauce:

    • 1 large avocado
    • 1 bunch cilantro
    • 1/4 cup lime juice
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste

     

    Instructions:

    1. Pre-heat the oven to 425F degrees. To make the tater tots, place the potatoes and sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water on the stove, and bring to a boil.  Cook until the potatoes are just tender but not too mushy, and drain.
    2. Let cool until able to handle the potatoes, and grate them into a bowl.  Add sea salt to taste, chipotle pepper, and mix together.
    3. Shape the potatoes into tater tots (they will be a little sticky, but no worries, they will crisp up when baked).
    4. Place on an oiled sheet pan, and drizzle with 1 Tbsp oil, tossing them around in it gently to coat them.  Place in the oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes until lightly browned and crisp on the outside, flipping them over with a spatula half way through so that they brown evenly.
    5. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
    6. Serve the tots with the sauce!
  • Holiday Entertaining! Mini Sweet Potato Avocado Crostini and GOODFOODS Guacamole

    Holiday Entertaining! Mini Sweet Potato Avocado Crostini and GOODFOODS Guacamole

    goodfoods-guac

    The Holidays are a beautiful time of the year.  Getting together with loved ones you haven’t seen in ages, sparkling snow and twinkling lights, and choosing the perfect thoughtful Christmas presents for friends and family.  But they can also be hectic, and stressful if you are the one hosting the get together, or maybe you are working a lot and don’t have a lot of time to prepare.  You want to make sure you are taking care of yourself this time of the year and eating healthy so you have enough energy to enjoy all of the Holiday traditions, but maybe you do not have a lot of time to prepare foods.  This is where GOODFOODS Guacamole comes in!

    goodfoods-guac-1

    It is my go-to snack as of lately and it is available in so many stores nationwide so you should not have a hard time finding it.  I bought it at my local Super Target in the produce section.  Why do I love it so much?  Many reason!  First off, it is made with good ingredients.  And by good, I mean Nothing you can’t pronounce, no preservatives, chemicals or additives.  Just avocadoes, and veggies which is really important to me!  I want to be fueling my body with good things, and GOODFOODS guacamole is a good thing!  This stuff is packed with nutrients to keep you feeling good, and it is always fresh, never heated because they use a special process. Not only is it made with good ingredients, but these guys care about the environment as well, they compost all of their avocado skins and pits and hope to become a zero waste to landfill facility! It is not often you hear about companies that do that.  For a healthy snack, I like to mix it into black beans and then use it as a dip for veggies or organic corn chips (made with healthy oils of course).  This is my favorite thing in the afternoon lately after work to eat lately!  Not only that though, GOODFOODS Guacamole is an essential addition to home made tacos, the perfect dip for my sweet potato fries, and even a great addition to appetizers for Holiday parties!  Like the recipe I am sharing with you today!

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    Sweet potato toast is all the rage lately with vegans like myself, because I am not a big bread fan and I love sweet potatoes.  Also, avocado toast is always filling my Instagram feed and it always looks so good.  So, I thought why not combine the two, and make a healthier Holiday crostini with smaller sweet potato toasts and the GOODFOODS Guacamole, because they pair so well together!  Low carb, healthy and delicious! All you need to do is roast your sweet potato slices in the oven until golden, top off with the GOODFOODS Guacamole, and then sprinkle with some festive pomegranate seeds, cilantro and jalapenos (or be creative and add your own colorful things)!  Talk about simple and delicious!  They look so festive too!  I always love it when Holiday snacks are healthy, guilt free, AND good. You do not find that at parties often.  I tried both the Pineapple Poblano Guacamole and the Chunky Guacamole for this recipe and they are both good in it so pick the one that sounds best to you!  Even if you don’t try my recipe, I encourage you to find some GOODFOODS guacamole in your area!  You can locate a store near you that carries them on their website HERE. They are in many stores including Target, Costco and Walmart among others, it is not hard to get your hands on.  Make this guacamole part of your Holidays!  Share the Goodness with GOODFOODS!

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    Mini Sweet Potato Avocado Crostini with GOODFOODS Guacamole
    Serves 12

    Ingredients:

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees, and oil a sheet pan.
    2. Toss the sweet potatoes with just enough olive oil to coat, the chipotle powder and sea salt.  Spread the sweet potatoes out on the sheet pan, place in the oven and roast until golden brown, about 45 minutes depending on your oven.  Remove from the oven and let cool until just warm or at room temperature.
    3. Spoon some of the GOODFOODS guacamole onto each sweet potato toast.  Place a slice of jalapeno, a cilantro leaf and a few pomegranate seeds onto each toast.  Arrange on a plate and serve!

     

     

  • Vegan Avocado Potato Salad

    Vegan Avocado Potato Salad

    Avocado Potato Salad 1  

    I got my hands on some of the most beautiful potatoes I had ever seen last week. They were a mix of purple, pink and yellow. I have seen a lot of these potatoes at the farmer’s market lately and I have been wanting to buy some, but didn’t get around to it until now.  I wanted to do roasted potatoes for dinner, but my oven was on the fritz so I decided on potato salad instead, so I could cook the potatoes stove top.  It was a good thing to not heat up the house anyhow because it has been so hot here lately.

    Avocado Potato Salad

    I wanted the salad to have a creamy dressing, and I had some avocadoes so I decided that they would be the perfect addition! Once I added in the herbs, lemon juice and other ingredients it reminded me of mayo but way better.  I am a sucker for avocado, so I suppose that is part of it. I added in some other veggies from my CSA box, radishes, beans, scallions and zucchini and it was a beautiful salad! But most importantly delicious.  I am so thankful I live somewhere where I can get fresh local produce in the summer!

    Avocado Potato Salad 2

    Vegan Avocado Potato Salad

    Serves 2-4

    4 cups potatoes cut into large dice I used a mix of purple, pink, and gold
    4 scallions, sliced
    4 radishes, sliced
    1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
    1 medium zucchini, sliced

    Dressing:
    1 large avocado, diced
    3 Tbsp lemon juice
    1/4 cup water
    1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
    1 Tbsp fresh dill
    1 Tbsp fresh basil

    Add the potatoes to a pot of salted water, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.  Allow to cool completely.

    To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

    Add the potatoes, and all other veggies to a bowl, and toss with the dressing.  Serve!