My favorite pesto pasta dish!

We make this at least weekly in my house, my husband (the meat eater) eats this like it's going out of style!  This is a super quick and easy meal that makes great leftovers.  Another plus, the pasta tastes excellent cold the next day!

5 Ingredient Pesto Recipe:

Prep and Cook Time for Pesto:  Maybe 5 minutes

Ingredients:

2 big handfuls of fresh basil leaves

1 cup of sunflower seeds (unsalted)

3 tbs of olive oil

3-6 garlic gloves (depending how garlicy you want it)

1 lemon

Method:

Put all into a blender/food processor except the lemon.  Put the juice of the lemon in the blender with the rest of the ingredients.

Add a little salt and pepper to taste

Blend away!

Add more olive oil if it's too dry, but it should be pasty

Pesto is done!

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Pesto Pasta Recipe:

Prep and Cook Time:  Not long!

Ingredients:

4 cups of uncooked spiral pasta

1 and 1/2 cans of green olives (chopped into halves)

1 little container of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup of frozen peas

All of your pesto that you just made (about 1 cup)

Method:

Cook pasta according to the bag's instructions

While the pasta is cooking drain your olives and halve them

Wash and halve your tomatoes

Drain cooked pasta

I like to take the pot that I used for the pasta and throw some hot water in there and throw the cup of peas in it to thaw them real quick

Combine pasta and pesto in a big bowl

When combined thoroughly, toss in the olives and drained peas

Then add in the tomatoes

Add salt and pepper to taste, more olive oil if desired

Link to original Pesto recipe:  http://www.thefreshexchangeblog.com/2012/06/just-5-pesto/

Link to original Pesto Pasta recipe:  http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pesto_pasta_salad/

Granola Balls

I have made these several times for friends, family and co-workers and these are a hit with everyone!  These are a super healthy snack/treat that keep you grabbing for more.  You can substitute many ingredients in this, such as cacao chips, dried fruits, nuts, etc.

Prep and Cook Time:  10 minutes prep, 30 minutes to chill in the fridge

Ingredients:

1 cup of oatmeal

1/2 cup of peanut butter (or other nutter butter)

1/3 a cup of honey (I know that honey isn't Vegan, but you can use agave instead)

1/2 cup of coconut flakes

1/2 cup of brown rice cereal (I buy mine in the bulk section at Whole Foods)

1/2 cup of ground flaxseed

1/2 cup of chocolate chips

1 tsp of vanilla

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients into one bowl

Once combined well, cover and put in the fridge for a half an hour

Wet your hands with water (it keeps the mixture from sticking to your hands as much) and roll into little balls

Refrigerate when not being eaten and store in an air tight container

Link to original recipe: http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2011/08/no-bake-energy-bites-recipe.html

PB Apple Toast

This is so simple, I don't know why I didn't think of this before!  This is a new go-to snack for me, especially when I'm at work.  This is such an easy snack to have at work because I keep a loaf of bread and some peanut butter in my office at work, so that all that I have to grab in the morning is an apple and my snack for the day is ready!

Prep and Cook Time:  Less than 5 minutes

Ingredients:

Apple (I prefer Honey Crisp apples when they're in season)

Peanut Butter or any other kind of nutter butter 

Bread (I always use Dave's Killer Bread)

Instructions:

Toast bread in toaster

Spread on the PB on the toasted bread

Placed sliced apples on top of the PB

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes (that are good for you!)

Here is one of my new favorite things to cook for weekend breakfasts, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes.  These are so tasty, I couldn't get over that they are actually healthy!

These pancakes are vegan and taste like something that you shouldn't eat for breakfast.  Luckily these pancakes only taste like cookies, but are good for you!  From start to finish, these take about 10 minutes and dirty just one bowl (Yay!!).  These can also be made gluten free.  :)

Prep and Cook Time:  About 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 very ripe medium banana

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flax seed meal + 2.5 Tbsp water)

pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon almond butter or peanut butter (I use PB)

1 Tablespoon canola oil (or coconut oil)

3 Tablespoons almond milk (or sub other milk)

1/2 cup rolled oats (or gluten free oats)

1/4 cup whole wheat or unbleached flour (or sub other flour)

3 Tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips (non-dairy for vegan)

Instructions:

1. Preheat a skillet to medium heat or about 300-325 degrees.
2. Prepare flax egg by mixing flax seed meal and water and letting set for 3-5 minutes.
3. Mash your very ripe banana with baking powder.
4. Add flax egg, oil, salt, vanilla, almond butter, almond milk and stir.
5. Stir in oats and flour until just combined.
6. Sprinkle in chocolate chips and fold gently.
7. Scoop scant 1/4 cup measurements onto lightly greased griddle.
8. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side – until golden brown.
9. Serve plain or with a small drizzle of maple syrup and a few additional chocolate chips for melting.

Original Recipe can be found here:  http://minimalistbaker.com/chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookie-pancakes/

Guacamole Bruschetta

I found this recipe on Pinterest and have made it several times.  I absolutely love this as a quick dinner or a nice lunch. 

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 6 min

Ingredients:

½ loaf French bread
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, medium chopped
2 avocados, medium chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Slice the French bread on the diagonal into ½" rounds and place on a baking sheet.

Toast the sliced bread in the oven for 3 minutes, then flip each piece over and toast an additional 3 minutes.  (when in a hurry, or when I bring this for lunch at work I just pop the bread in a toaster)

Remove the toasted bread from the oven and immediately rub with the clove of garlic (it works best to first cut a small tip off the garlic clove so that the oils will seep out). 

Brush the tops of the garlic-rubbed toasts with olive oil and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix together gently making sure the avocado is well coated in the lime juice.

Spoon a portion of the mixture onto each of the garlic toasts and serve.

I LOVE the idea of just rubbing a garlic glove on bread, it makes a fantastic and healthy (no butter, etc.) garlic bread.  I've been doing this with my bread when I have pasta dishes and it tastes amazing!


The original recipe is here:  http://www.justataste.com/2009/02/guacamole-bruschetta/

My Weekday Breakfast

In the morning before going to work I want a quick and healthy breakfast.  I can not skip breakfast, it usually results in an awful day and makes me feel physically sick.  For a quick breakfast I grab a bowl of Nature's Path Organic Heritage Flakes that has lots of healthy grains mixed in.  I then chop up some bananas and put them in the bowl, sometimes I throw in some seasonal berries to mix things up.  Finally I add some almond milk and eat away!  Such a great breakfast on the go!
My husband likes to add maca powder and hemp hearts to his bowl along with fresh fruit, which is also yummy!

Introduction

I'm starting this blog so that I can share my recipes with friends and family and hope to spread some inspiration to others.  I also see this blog as a good way to keep track of what I have made and what I thought about it.  If I find interesting articles, etc., I may post them here...
 
A little about myself:  I am new to being a vegan, I've been animal product free for about 3 weeks now.  Why be a vegan?  About a month ago I had a stomach virus and my doctor told me to cut out all meat and dairy until my stomach felt better.  Once I brought meat and dairy back into my diet I noticed that honestly felt better when I didn't eat it.  I did a ton of research and decided to drop all animal products from my diet and have been feeling great!  I don't feel like I need an afternoon nap, my clothes are fitting better, and I feel much more energetic!
The documentary Forks Over Knives also inspired me to research this diet and helped persuade me to changing the way I eat.  
Also, I've always had a hard time eating meat, even when I was a kid I had a hard time with the thought that I was eating a once living animal.  Before switching to a vegan diet I was very picky about the meat that I did eat, I always made sure that the meat was humanely raised/free range/organic/etc..

I hope you enjoy reading my learning experiences with my adventures in eating a vegan plant based diet.