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Chia-Yogurt Parfait

Chia-Yogurt Parfait

Waking up in the morning and making breakfast can some times be time-consuming, especially if you’re normally on-the-go. This chia pudding recipe is totally easy to make and is made the night before, giving you extra free time. If you’ve never had a Chia-Yogurt Parfait, now is your chance. I promise that once you try this, you’ll be adding your own ingredients or flavoring, like different extracts, nuts, fruits, seeds, granola, and more! It’s just that good and fun to be creative with.

Chia-Yogurt Parfait

Yields 1 serving

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain almond milk

1/2 cup yogurt of choice

1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

3 Tbsp. chia seeds

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup seasonal fruit of choice

1/4 cup nuts of choice

Directions

  1. In a bowl, mix together the almond milk, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, and chia seeds until combined. Allow to sit for 25-30 minute before giving another stir.
  2. Cover the mixture again and allow to refrigerate up to 8 hours (or overnight).
  3. To serve, drizzle with extra maple syrup and top with season fruit and nuts of choice.

Chef’s tip: This recipe is great for any meal prep! Just double or even quadruple this recipe to make more at once!

Vegetable Pot Pie

Vegetable Pot Pie
Vegetable Pot Pie

This creamy and hearty vegetable pot pie is absolutely delicious! Made with fresh ingredients and a homemade pastry crust, this meal will surely wow yourself and your tummy. Having a plant-based alternative to the chicken pot pie has been on my list to re create. In this version I’ve used oyster mushrooms again as my mock “meat” as well as adding in some hemp seeds for an extra protein source. If you are in a hurry to make these, don’t hesitate to use a store bought vegan pastry crust- It works just as well.

Vegetable Pot Pie

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup King Arthur organic flour

1 cup butter

1 large onion, diced

1 cup fresh corn

1 cup fresh peas

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 cups russet potatoes, diced

2 large carrot, cut in rounds

1-1/2 cup plain almond milk

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

5 Tbsp. hemp seeds

1 tsp. thyme

4-5 cups shredded oyster mushrooms

1-1/2 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Pastry Crust:

2-1/4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1 cup vegetable shortening

5 Tbsp. cold filtered water

1 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

Directions 

  1. In a pot, add the potatoes and carrots with some salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until soft. Drain them and set it aside.
  2. Using that same pot, add the butter, onions, garlic and stir until tender. Stir in the seasonings and herbs, the flour and give a good mix. Slowly add the vegetable broth until it is well combined. Stir in the almond milk and bring to a boil so it thickens. 
  3. Stir in mushrooms, corn, peas, carrots, potatoes and remove it from the heat.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pie Crust:

  1. In a food processor, combine the flour with salt. Slowly add the butter and pulse until crumbly. Slowly add the cold water and pulse until dough forms. Wrap and place in the fridge for roughly an hour. 
  2. On a floured board, roll (4) 5.5″-in rounds, for each top. Place the mixture into the bottom of the pie dishes and top with the pie crust layer, sealing the sides.
  3. Make slits in the top to let the steam escape. 
  4. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until crust is lightly brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting. 
  5. Serve immediately.

Chef’s tip: Using soy milk gives a more neutral flavor if you’d like instead of almond milk.

Easy Tiered Almond Cake

Almond Cake with Vanilla Meringue Buttercream
Almond Cake with Vanilla Meringue Buttercream

Cake: A spongy-flavorful dessert that we get to treat ourselves with during the holidays, gatherings, and of course- Birthdays! We all have our go-to cake or cupcake, and this Almond Cake with a Vanilla Meringue Buttercream is surely mine. To make the imaged cake, you will need to double this recipe and if you are looking to make two 8-inch rounds, this cake is perfect for that too! Even though I baked this cake without the use of diary and eggs, it is still moist, spongy, and does the job. What’s better than an organic cake made by yourself in the comfort of your own home? I hope that this recipe brings you, your family and friends a lot of good memories and birthday cheer!

Almond Cake

Yields 45 servings for 6 and 7-inch or 60 servings 6,7, and 8-inch cakes

Ingredients

Cake (double recipe for tiered style):

3-1/4 cups King Arthur organic flour

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1-3/4 cups organic sugar

2-1/2 cup buttermilk (2-1/4 cup plain almond milk+ 1/4 cup lemon juice, mixed)

2-1/2 Tbsp. almond extract

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

Frosting:

2-1/4 cup organic cane sugar

3/4 cup filtered water

1 cup concentrated aquafaba (chickpea liquid)- Two 8 oz. cans garbanzo beans

1 cup butter of choice, cubed

1 cup vegetable shortening, cubed

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and oil until light in color. Add the almond extract and buttermilk.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and powder. Add the salt and combine the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, a little bit at a time.
  4. Beat until flour is well combined and cake batter consistency is achieved.
  5. Cut out parchment rounds to fit the bottom of the cake pans. Be sure to grease the parchment also, this will help your cakes not stick.
  6. Using two 8-inch round cake pan, distribute the batter between the two as listed below. If you are using a 6 and 8-inch pan for a 3 tier cake, you will need to triple the recipe and fill the cake pans up as provided below:
    • 6-inch: 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes; 3 cups batter
      7-inch: 350 degrees F for 40-42 minutes; 4 cups batter, optional
      8-inch: 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes; 5 cups batter
  7. Bake cakes for 40-45 minutes (rotating half way through) or until a toothpick comes out clean and cake edges are slightly browned and pulls away from pan.
  8. Place onto a wire rack to cool until bottom of the pan is cool to touch.
  9. Flip the cakes out of the pan onto the rack and allow to completely cool (roughly 1-1/2 hours).
  10. Using a knife, level the cakes so they are all even. Slice cakes in half, wrap in plastic individually, and place in fridge or freezer until ready to frost or leave out if you are making it that day.

Aquafaba Concentrate:

  1. In sauce pan over medium-high heat, pour in both cans chickpea liquid AKA aquafaba (save chickpeas for my hummus recipe). Reduce liquid until 1 cup remains. Pour liquid into container and cool in refrigerator overnight (this step is very important).

Meringue Buttercream:

  1. In your Kitchen-aid standing mixer, whip the concentrated chickpea liquid for 10-15 minutes until a medium peak has formed.
  2. In the meantime, melt the sugar and water in a medium sauce pan on high-heat, 2-3 minutes. Once rolling boil starts, remove from heat and pour into the mixer with chickpea liquid. Make sure to turn the speed down when pouring. 
  3. Turn the speed back up to high and whip together for another 8 minutes until meringue -like consistency forms.
  4. Once completely cool, add the butter and shortening slowly a little bit at a time until completely mixed. If for any reason it separates, place more fat into the meringue. If it still doesn’t hold, place in the fridge for a couple minutes and re mix or heat the bowl if it appears “curdled”.
  5. Add the vanilla and give a good mix. Once frosting has thickened and is a good consistency, you are ready to frost the cake.
Almond Cake with Vanilla Meringue Buttercream

Assembling:

  1. Smear a small amount of frosting on the bottom your cake boards and place the leveled cake on it.
  2. Place one 8-inch round layer down on the plate and add 2 ice cream scoops of the meringue buttercream in a smooth layer. Place the other 8-inch layer on top and use more meringue buttercream. Coat the outside as well for a crumb coat (light layer of frosting to keep crumbs from showing up in the final frosting layer). Place into the fridge to chill while you do the same process with the 6-inch round cakes.
  3. Remove from fridge and add buttercream to the outside of the cakes for a final coat.
  4. Put three wooden dowels into the bottom layer. Put the 6-inch cake on top and put another wooden dowel in the middle, smearing frosting to cover the hole. Frost the gaps and cracks once you are finished securing the cake.
  5. Top with choice of fruit, frosting design, sprinkles, or any other toppings you’d like.

Chef’s tip: If you would like to make a three tiered cake, you will need to triple the recipe.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

This Creamy Pumpkin Sauce is the best alternative to the normal Alfredo sauce that’s usually made with cheese and other dairy products. Utilizing different ingredients in the kitchen really allows for your creativity to flow, as well as getting an understanding for what pairs well with what. This deliciously rich and creamy sauce will soon be your new go-to pasta sauce. It’s great for simple meals during s busy week as well as giving some extra nutrients. Although this may seem like an odd interpretation of fettuccine Alfredo, I can assure you that these two pair very well together. Bon appetit!

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Yields 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup plain almond milk

1/4 cup fresh tomato, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. fresh basil, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

Directions

  1. Using a hand held immersion stick, blend all ingredients together until sauce is smooth.
  2. Serve on top of pasta, warmed with choice of cheese and basil.

Chef’s tip: Feel free to add sage and browned butter for extra flavor!

Blueberry-Maqui Nice Cream

Blueberry-Maqui Nicecream
Blueberry-Maqui Nicecream

Although many of you know what “nice cream” is, there are some of you who probably have no idea what in the world this is- and that’s okay! Taking bananas that have been frozen overnight and blending them until it reaches a soft serve “ice cream” consistency is a great treat for anyone who is dairy intolerant, or looking for a healthier breakfast, after gym re-fuel, or even dessert! This nicecream however is blended with Maqui berry powder and naturally sweetened with dates. Thats right.. no added sugar or unwanted sweetness- its all natural! Feel free to give this recipe a change and add your own favorite fruits to the top.

Blueberry-Maqui Nicecream

Yields 1 serving

Ingredients

4 frozen banana, diced

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1/3 cup plain almond milk

2-3 tsp of Navitas Naturals organic Maqui powder

2 medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup granola

1-2 fresh apricots, sliced

1 kiwi, sliced

1-2 Tbsp. nut butter of choice

Directions

  1. In your Vitamix blender, combine the chopped bananas, almond milk, and dates. Using the tamper, turn your vitamix up on high, pushing and stirring the mixture until it is smooth.
  2. Add the Maqui berry powder and give it one good blend till mixed.
  3. Scoop the mixture into a bowl and top with granola, apricots, kiwi, and nut butter.
  4. Serve and enjoy.

Chef’s tip: The great thing about this recipe is you can substitute the powder for spiraling, gogi, açaí, and many others to create different Superfood Nice creams!


Spiced Hot Chocolate

Spiced Hot Chocolate
Spiced Hot Chocolate

What do you get when you mix almond milk, cacao powder, sugar and spice with everything nice? The best hot coco while rockin’ around the Christmas tree, that’s what! This spiced hot chocolate is easy to make and extremely creamy and decadent with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. Warming up any cold day, top this with an almond whipped cream for an after dinner treat!

Spiced Hot Chocolate

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

4 cups almond milk

4 Tbsp. cacao powder

1/4 cup organic sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions

In a pot on medium-high heat, add the almond milk. Once heated, add the cacao powder, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Heat until completely melted.

Serve with whipped cream and sprinkled cinnamon on top.

Chef’s tip: For the adults, add a shot of vegan baileys!