Potato leek soup, or as the French call it potage parmentier, is a classic dish that can be found in many restaurants. In my plant-based version, I added parsnips, which pair well with the subtleness of the leeks, potatoes, and shallots. Not only does this meal taste delicious, but it is ready in under 30 minutes- double score!! Being able to have meals that are healthy and quick at your disposal help keep you on track. Be sure to give this one a try, my tip to make this real special is to drizzle truffle oil on top.
Yields 6 servings
Ingredients
3 Tbsp. vegan butter
5 cups leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
In a pot on medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks, garlic, and shallots- cooking until wilted, about 8-10 minutes.
Add the potatoes, parsnips, vegetable stock, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and bring to a boil.
Cover soup and reduce to simmer for 10-15 minutes (until the potatoes have softened). Remove the thyme and bay leaves once done and blend using a hand-held immersion blender until smooth.
Chef’s tip: Enjoy this soup with toasted baguettes or croutons.
With apple season upon us, now is a great time to get a head start on all things apples, included this easy plant-based donut! To get started, you can use store bought apple cider or you can take a homemade approach and check out my recipe below. A secret tip to add a boost of Vitamin C is to add some fresh squeezed orange juice to freshen it up even more. Overall, these donuts bring back awesome memories of apple picking and other fall activities.
In a mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.Â
In a kitchen-aid mixer, mix together apple cider and butter. Then add egg replacer. Slowly incorporate the dry mixture into the wet, on a slow speed. Once dry incredients have combined, pour onto a floured counter top.
Knead dough until it is not so sticky. Roll out until it is about 1/2 in thick, make sure not too thing or they won’t puff up as well. With a circle cutter, cut out your donut shape and use a cutter to make the hole in the middle of the donut.
In a large pot, full with 2 1/2 cups of oil and bring to around 325 degrees to 350 degrees F. Add donuts into oil and bake for 2-3 minutes or until both sides are brown and puffed.Â
Immedietly remove donuts from oil and place into bowl with topping mixture. Roll around to coat and place on baking rack to cool.
Chef’s tip: You can always finely chop up peeled apples and add them to the dough.Â
Warm and comforting food has always been a favorite when the seasons begin to change and the cold weather sets in. One of my favorite meals to eat during this time, especially when I was back home in Ohio, is a big bowl of chili! This recipe is filled with plant-based ingredients including beans. White beans, to be more exact, are loaded with cancer-fighting dietary fibers, have a low glycemic index, are a great source of protein as well as antioxidants! All around, this meal will fuel you up in more ways than just one so feel free to give it a try this fall/winter season!
These cookies pack an amazing flavor combination with the saffron, lemon, and cardamom! Although I added saffron to the recipe, the cardamom is still the main flavor (I just love how the saffron compliments the other spices). These cookies are a great way to end any meal or dinner party, so cozy up with a nice fire and enjoy this amazing light and airy treat.
In your Kitchen-aid stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar until creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
In a medium glass bowl, combine sifted flour with cardamom, lemon juice, and salt.
Add mixture to the butter and sugar slowly until dough has formed.
On a baking sheet, spray with oil or use baking mat so cooking don’t stick. Using a cookie scooper, dispense cookie from scooper or roll up the dough into 1″ rounds and flatten surface into a disc shape.
Bake cooking for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Chef’s tip: Chill your butter and if you do not want to use a half and half mixture for the flour, you can use 1-3/4 cups of wheat flour.
On a small looking sheet, lightly oil it and place the sweet potato that has been cut in half onto it. Roast for about 20 minutes or until it is tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Slice dough into 8 segments. Roll out each segment into 12″ long pieces (like a ruler), cutting every 3/4-1in. to create smaller square shapes.
Using the back of a fork, press the dough into the back of the fork while you press down (in a rolling motion). This will get the small line indents onto the gnocchi.
In a pot of hot water, place your pumpkin gnocchi in and bring to slight boil. Stirring slightly, wait until it rises to the top. This will signify it is done and to be removed. Place the gnocchi in to a colander to drain.
In a pan, place on medium heat and add your butter and brown for 3-5 minutes. Then add sage leaves and cook for 30 seconds. Next, add the pumpkin gnocchi (be careful not burn the butter).
Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan and parsley or choice of topping.
Chef’s tip: Feel free to make this with squash or a sweet potato for a different gnocchi.
After picking apples at a fruit farm, what are you going to do with them? In this recipe, you can take those apples and make an amazing dairy-free caramel that will bring you back to those childhood memories of fall as a kid. This is a great recipe to make with your young ones during the holiday season, so please feel free to give it a try! You and your kids will be so happy with how these come out.
In your sink, allow apples to soak in hot water for 5 minutes to remove the wax. This will help the caramel stick to the apple better. Use a wash cloth to wipe and remove any wax residue as well.Â
Place popsicle sticks into apples and place into the freezer for 1 hour. This will also allow the caramel to stick to the apples better.
In a sauce pan, add all ingredients and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Make sure to constantly stir until 20-25 minutes have passed or temperature reaches 245 degrees F (soft ball stage).
Remove from heat and and allow to cool slightly before adding the vanilla extract. Allow caramel to cool to thicken.Â
Remove apples and dunk the frozen apple into the caramel sauce and then immediately into the chopped peanuts. Be sure to carefully press into the caramel to stick.
Place apples onto a lined baking sheet with parchment paper (lightly greased with butter) to prevent sticking. Put into the fridge for an hour to allow caramel to set.Â
Chef’s tip: To test the caramel, drop a tiny amount into a glass filled with water. If it forms a hard ball, it is ready. Caramel can differ from person to person so this is a neat way to check!
Juicy watermelon with roasted butternut squash is an interesting and new way to treat yourself during those autumn nights. This light and refreshing salad paired with a red wine vinaigrette is a delicious combination of sweet and savory! If you are looking for some extra protein, hemp seeds are a great touch with also add extra texture to any dish. This dish was inspired by a recent outing to one of my favorite restaurants. I am sure glad that I was able to make my own version of this delicious fall-inspired salad.
Peel butternut squash and slice in half length-wise. Remove seeds and rinse- you can dry them and store in the freezer or you can roast them.
Take your prepared squash and dice it in to long pieces.
Place onto a lightly oiled pan and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, flipping half way through.
Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool.
While squash is cooling, in a small measuring glass, mix together all dressing ingredients and stir until well mixed, set aside.
For your salad, put arugula into a large bowl. Add watermelon, walnuts, butternut squash, and hemp seeds (save some to top salad with). Pour dressing over and mix to fully coat.
Chef’s tips: You can brush the squash with vegan butter and brown sugar if you would like to caramelize your squash a bit and add a different flavor to the salad.
Have you ever tried making a thin pumpkin cake, only to later roll it around in a white plant-based cream cheese filling and topped with dusted powdered sugar? If you haven’t then you are in for a real treat! This simple pumpkin roll will not only wow all of your family and friends, but you will surely impress yourself with this restaurant-style dessert made in the comfort of your own home. The best part about any Swiss roll cake is that you can keep it in the freezer for any surprise guests that drop by or you can take it to a gathering or give it as a tasty gift during the holiday season. This recipe is so good that you may need to make two at a time!
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray or vegan butter.
In a stand mixer, beat the already combined egg replacer and water with the sugar for 1-2 minutes or until it thickens. Add the pumpkin puree; mix till combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, salt, and baking powder into the batter. Mix together until flour is combined and switch to using a spatula. This way you can get a few more stirs in without over mixing the batter.
Pour the batter onto the 10×15 baking sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cake springs back after you touch it. Prepare your dish towel while it bakes by dusting it heavily with powdered sugar. This will prevent the cake from sticking.
Once the cake springs back after toughing it, remove it from the oven and immediately (and carefully) flip the cake pan on top of the towel and remove the parchment paper slowly (there will be a massive cloud of powder sugar so prepare yourself).
Begin to roll the towel with the cake into a log shape and allow to cool on a cooling rack until room temperature. Make sure that you do not let the cake cool for more than an hour, or it can cause the cake to crack when you go to unroll it.
Buttercream:
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese for 2-3 minutes on a medium speed until well combined.
Then add the powdered sugar and maple syrup (or flavoring) and mix; set aside.
Assembly:
Carefully unroll the log and spread the frosting in a single layer. Cover the frosting with the walnuts at this time (optional).
Re-roll the cake back up into a log shape..
Place into the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to allow cake and frosting to firm up a bit (set overnight for best results).
Remove from the fridge and dust top with powdered sugar.
Serve and enjoy.
Chef’s tip: Move quickly when cooling this cake, or it will crack and break when you go to roll it. You can also use pecans instead of walnuts.
This is the perfect thick, creamy and rich soup that is packing a huge flavor punch. It is so simple that I created it when I was looking at a can of coconut cream and a fresh butternut squash, thinking to myself what can I do. Being able to create something from nothing is a super important quality to have. Its like the saying, “when life brings you lemons- make lemonade!” Only this time, when life gives you a handful of ingredients, create something delicious! With this simple and tasty way to use squash, it will be an a huge hit for your family or friends.
On a baking sheet, place the two butternut squash halves you cut length-wise, flesh side up, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and turn over so the skin is now facing up. Roast for 40-45 minutes until squash is tender. Set aside to cool.
Once squash has cooled (around 8-10 minutes), remove the squash flesh from the peel and discard or compost the remains.
Pumpkin pie is a notorious fall-inspired dish that makes its way on to the dinner table during numerous holiday parties throughout the autumn season. Normally comprising of eggs, dairy, and heavy cream- this recipe leaves those out! This raw vegan dessert uses a cashew “cream cheese” as it’s base, only to be accented with flavorful aromatics such as lemon juice, maple syrup, and pumpkin spice seasoning. Instead of using your oven for this dessert, you’ll only need a mixer and food processor. Can’t wait for you to sink your mouth into this wholesome plant-based and non-baked pumpkin cheesecake!
To make your crust using a food processor, combine the graham cracker crumbs, coconut oil, and mejdool dates. Pulse until mixture is well combined and is crumbly-looking.
Press crust mixture into a 11”x7” cake pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
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