Artichoke and Kale Hemp Seed Dip

We have been big fans of the artichoke dip from The Kind Diet, but at the end of the day, you are still eating a whole bunch of fatty oily type mayo even if it is Vegenaise. This dish is rich and creamy too but the fat comes from cashews and hemp seeds instead, a much healthier and beneficial alternative.  I’ve also added crushed red pepper, nutritional yeast, and turmeric instead of mustard.  We like to top any dip off with some panko and some sort of seasoning like paprika or italian seasoning.

Serve the dip with tortilla chips, pita chips, or make your own crostini by slicing a whole wheat baguette into 1/4 in slices, brush with olive oil and garlic, and bake in the oven at 425 until toasted golden brown.

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 Tbs nutritional yeast
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ¾ cup raw cashews, soaked
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 2 cups frozen artichoke hearts, measured frozen, but let them thaw before cooking
• 2 cups loosely packed chopped kale
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

• 1/4 c panko crumbs
• paprika or italian seasoning

1. Soak the cashew for 2-5 hours.  When ready to use drain and discard water.
2. Preheat oven to 425.  Drain Use an immersion blender or a high speed blender to to blend the cashews, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, turmeric, nutritional yeast, black pepper, and hemp seeds until completely smooth.
3. In a large bowl mix the cashew cream through the artichoke hearts.  Blend until mostly smooth leaving a few chunks for texture.  Add the chopped kale and pulse the blender but don’f fully blend smooth in order to keep a slightly chunkier texture.
4. Transfer to an oven proof dish and sprinkle the panko crumbs evenly over the dip.  Lightly sprinkle seasoning of your choice.  
5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges are starting to get brown.  

Crispy Baked Wonton Cups

Wonton wrappers are such a quick and easy way to create visually appealing and tasty appetizers and sides.  I've tried a couple of different recipes for homemade baked wontons and while the effort is always worth it in the end, it does take a long time to seal each individual wonton, especially when making a bunch for a party.  Enter a muffin tin and you get the same textures and taste with a lot less work, plus they are pretty to look at!

Most wonton wrappers you find in the store are not vegan (the dough contains eggs) but a quick google search will net you a simple recipe for a veganized version, although you will need the kitchen space and right tools to get the desired result.  You could take this idea a million ways.  Fill up the wonton cups with your favorite vegan dip like spinach and artichoke or spicy buffalo chik'n, simple sautéed veggies, or asian inspired wontons.

       

Pictured above are my takes on cheese wontons and nachos.  For the cheese wontons I made a vegan cream cheese from silken tofu and cashews and mixed in some garlic powder and chopped chives.  For the nacho cups I used leftover walnut "taco meat" from a previous meal, a small spoonful of cowboy caviar, and topped it with a nut and diary free roasted jalapeño nacho sauce.

To make your wonton cups:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a standard size muffin tin with cooking spray.  Use a pastry brush to make sure each muffin cup is lightly oiled all around.
3. Place one wonton wrapper in each cup and gently press down to form a cup shape.  Make sure you have some wrapper coming up each side to ensure a bowl shape to hold the fillings.  Spray each wonton again lightly with cooking spray.
4. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes.  They should be beginning to look "dry" and just starting to be golden but not brown.  
5. Take out the muffin tin and add your fillings.  (A heaping teaspoon is usually enough.)
6. Return to the oven and cook for about another 5 minutes.  Keep a close eye on them, you want the wontons to be browned and crisp, but they go from browned to burnt very quickly!  Serve immediately.

Nacho Cheese Kale Chips

I got a dehydrator this year for Christmas and I have been making multiple experimental batches of kale chips.  It's really awesome how easy it is to toss some kale and seasonings together, throw it in the dehydrator and have an amazing snack. 

After playing around with lots of different recipes I found online I settled on this combination as my favorite.  It's a mix of a few different ideas I got from different recipes but think that it's just the right combo.  I find that the lacinto kale works best for this recipe because the cashew mixture tends to get really clumpy in the curly kale.  With the lacinto kale you can lay them out flatter for a better chip and a faster drying time.  If you are in a hurry you can get by by soaking the cashews for 2 hours, but the longer you soak them the creamier the sauce will be and the more even of a coating you'll get. 

My favorite part is the freshness of the red bell pepper that's in every bite!  They really do have a nacho type flavor and the cashew coating gives the chips some crunch, substance, and serious flavor.   If you like Trader Joe's Kale Chips, you'll like these.  I bascially was shooting for something that tasted like the TJs kind.

Serve for an appetizer, party snack, or store in a airtight contain for snacking.  We haven't been able to save any so far and end up eating them straight out of the dehydrator!

• 1 bunch Lacinto "Dinosaur" Kale
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3/4 cup of cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours. 
• 1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• a few dashes of hot sauce
• Salt & pepper to taste  

1.  Wash and dry your Kale and then tear into 3-4 in pieces.  (I don't have a salad spinner so i just lay the kale out on the dehydrator trays to dry.)
2. Drain the cashews and combine with the garlic, red bell pepper, nutritional yeast, cayenne, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.  
3. Using an immersion blender or a high speed blender, blend until completely smooth.
4. Toss the kale in the cashew sauce in a large bowl evenly working the cashew sauce through all the kale.  Use your hands to evenly coat the kale pieces
5. Arrange on dehydrator trays as flatly as possible and dehyrate at 160 degrees for about 4-6 hours.  The chips are done when the cashew coating is no longer soft.  The chips are awesome when they are still slightly warm but the longer you let them cool the more the cashew coating hardens.  NOTE:  These are not raw.  If you'd like to keep them raw you need to dehydrate them below 110 degrees.

Microwave Vegan Buffalo Dip

I'm so excited about this recipe!  I've been trying different variations of a buffalo chicken dip that we used to make in college.  That recipe called for 2 bricks cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing.  The first few rounds mimicking that original recipe but with vegan substitutes didn't really hit the spot.  There's something about the vegan cream cheese that just doesn't work, but inspiration finally hit, and I think the secret is using tofu sour cream instead of cream cheese.  

This result is what I came up with using four simple ingredients and a microwave.  This serving size would be great for two people to share.  Double it or more to take to a party as a great dip or appetizer!  Serve with tortilla chips.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2 frozen chik'n patties, like boca burger
• 1/2 c daiya cheddar shreds
• 1/4 c tofu sour cream
• 1/4 c buffalo sauce

1. Microwave each chik'n patty for 1 minute in the microwave.
2. Dice both patties into cubes.
3. Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and mix well.
4. Microwave for one minute.
5. Stir and microwave for another minute.
6. Stir and serve with tortilla or pita chips.

sausage & goat cheese empanadas

Decided to try another variation on the easy empanadas that I posted about before HERE.  This time I used the JR Grands biscuits for smaller empanadas.  Bothe are great recipes but these are definitely better suited as appetizers or a side dish rather than a main course.  The preparation is essentially the same, although this time I used veggie sausage patties and goat cheese!

Ingredients

• 4 Veggie Sausage Patties
• 1 small log or container of goat cheese
• 1 tube Jr's Grand Biscuits 

1. Cook the veggie sausage over medium heat in a nonstick skillet using a wooden spoon to break up into sausage crumbles.
2. Lay out the Jr biscuits on a cookie sheet and use the heel of your palm to flatten them into circles.
3. Apply a light smear of goat cheese to the center of each circle and then add a spoonful of sausage to each as well.  
4. Fold the circle over to create a half moon shape.
5. Seal the edges using your fingers and then use a fork to create an "empanada look" by pressing with the fork all around the edge.
6. Bake according to directions or until empanadas are golden brown.

soy chorizo breakfast empanadas

I'm trying to get away from more and more processed foods, but so far there is one things that I haven't been able to give up: Grands Flaky Biscuits and Crescent Rolls.  I know, they are processed, so not vegan, and not the healthiest thing you can eat.  But I love empanadas and so far this is the easiest way I could think of to make something in that style that can be baked instead of fried.  

Ingredients

• 1 Package Grands Flaky Biscuits
• 1/2 Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo
• Vegan Cheese
• Garlic Salt (optional) 

Steps

1. Remove the chorizo from it's casing and heat it up in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, using a wood spoon to break up the chorizo.
2. Lay out the biscuits on a cookie sheet and use the heel of your palm to flatten them into circles.
3. Place a spoonful of chorizo and a serving of cheese onto each circle.
4. Fold the circle over to create a half moon shape.
5. Seal the edges using your fingers and then use a fork to create an "empanada look" by pressing with the fork all around the edge.
6. Top with a a few cheese shreds for garnish and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt.
7. Bake according to directions or until empanadas are golden brown.

pepper, shroom, and onion flatbread

I have found my new favorite way to make pizza at home and it is SO easy.  I've been using a product called Flatouts.  You can find them in the deli section of your grocery store near the pita type breads.  They are super low in calories but fortified with extra fiber, protein, and nutrition.


I've been making all sorts of different flatbreads, but here's any easy one to start with.

• Start by crisping up the flatbread in the oven.  Spray the flatbread on both sides with cooking spray and place in a 425 degree oven for about 5 minutes on each side.  This  will make the bread crispier before you add the sauce.  

• After crisping your flatbread spread on a spoonful or two or your favorite sauce.  

• Top with diced red pepper and onion, chopped mushrooms, and vegan cheese.  

• Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the edges of the flatbread are browning and crispy!

buffalo chik'n tenders

We live right near Blossom du Jour, an amazing vegan takeout spot in the Upper West Side.  One of our favorite things to order are their Buffalo Bites.  However, being the budget minded cook that I am I started searching for a the perfect meatless chicken tenders to make our own at home.  After much searching and many brands I settled with Trader Joe's Chickenless Crispy Tenders.  The best part about them is the crispy crunchy oat coating on them.

How's this for budget friendly: an order of about 5 Buffalo Bites fro $5 or 9 homemade chickenless tenders for $3.50? ($2.99 a bag at TJ's + .50 per 1/4 of hot sauce)

Simply make the chicken tenders according to the instructions for using a conventional oven or toaster oven to ensure their crispiness and then toss with your favorite vegan buffalo sauce according to your spicy taste!

cheese bomb party spread

We had some friends over for an awards show viewing party and threw together this impromptu party spread with ingredients we had laying around the kitchen.

David made fresh homemade guac that we paired with two different types of tortilla chips.  I made easy baked bbq tofu and we sliced up some meats and cheeses for our non veggie guests that we got in a a gift basket and otherwise wouldn't have used.

We used whole wheat toasts and gave them a smear of goat cheese and a drizzle of honey, and made our veggie take on Skyline dip as well: a brick of cream cheese in the bottom of a pan, a can of veggie chili (we like Amy's Spicy Chili) and cheddar cheese on top served with tortilla chips.

Lots of dairy and so not vegan!

spicy crispy chickpeas

I love spicy foods and roasting these spicy chickpeas makes a healthy snack that with among many healthy benefits provides you with a great dose of plant based fiber and proten.  The original recipe I tried for these was only with chickpeas, but black beans taste just as great with this spicy roasting method, you just need to be careful because the black beans crisp up faster than the chickpeas.  All in all the black beans should be roasted for about 30-40 minutes depending on your oven and the chickpeas should roast for about 50-60 minutes.

Spicy Crispy Black Beans & Chickpeas

Serves 4

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

You will need two amounts of the following ingredients each, one for each set of beans.  

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. In two separate bowls mix the black beans and chickpeas with two separate amounts of the spices and oil, making sure they are coated evenly.
3. Keeping the black beans and chickpeas on separate cooking trays, place the beans in a single layer on a cooking sheet and and place in preheated oven.
4. Stir both trays of beans after 20 minutes.
5. Remove black beans from oven after 30-40 minutes.
6. Stir the chickpeas again after 40 minutes, and continue to bake for another 10-20 mintutes until crispy, but not burt.
7. Let cool and serve an an appetizer or snack.

Original recipe found HERE

easy BBQ tofu bites

Baked tofu is so easy and so versatile.  Use your favorite BBQ sauce and and bake up this simple recipe.  It's great for a main dish or for an appetizer.  We paired this version with some dips for our "cheese bomb party spread".


Easy BBQ Tofu Bites

• 1 block of Super Firm Tofu or Exra Firm Tofu (Pressed)
• 1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce of your choice

1. Cut the tofu in 1x1 in cubes.
2. Coat the tofu in BBQ sauce and let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes or more.
3. Bake a 425 F for 40 minutes, turning the cubes half way through.