Soy-Free

Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

20 Minute Meals, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan

For those late night chocolate cravings…

The late night munchies. We’ve all been there. But when my sweet tooth hits—more like when my chocolate tooth hits—I don’t want to make a whole batch of cookies or brownies, let alone wait for them bake. I want a single serving, and I want it fast! Ever since microwave mug cakes took off on social media, I’ve been playing around with my recipe and trying new flavors almost every week. I’ve finally nailed it. A basic chocolate mug cake is delicious by itself, but when I add a gooey chocolate-y center, it takes it to a whole new level. In particular, I’m talking about using my favorite chocolate cups from Edie’s Sweets!

My friend, Edith, co-founded Edie’s Sweets to put a spin on the classic chocolate peanut butter cup. I’m using my favorite flavor: Dark Chocolate Black Sesame Cup. The black sesame adds a fun twist to the typical chocolate cake, and I’m all for it. Plus, all Edie’s Sweets are vegan, organic, and fair-trade!

So, next time the munchies hit, grab a mug and dig into this baby. It takes less than five minutes to make and absolutely hits the spot.

Prep Time: 2-3 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Serves: 1 mug cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 Edie’s Sweets Dark Chocolate Black Sesame Cup (or 1 tbs. of your favorite chocolate)
  • 2 tbs. oat flour (I ground rolled oats in a food processer until it forms a fine flour)
  • 2 tsp. cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. almond butter
  • 2 tbs. unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tsp. coconut sugar (add another teaspoon if you have a sweeter tooth! Most of the sweetness in this cake will come from the chocolate cup)
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Recipe

  1. In a mug, stir together oat flour, cocoa powder, almond butter, almond milk, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Press Edie’s Sweets chocolate cup into the center of the mixture, pushing down until it is covered by the batter. The chocolate cup will add most of the sweetness to the cake, so if you’re substituting the chocolate cup with different chocolate, make sure it’s sweet enough or add extra coconut sugar.
  3. Microwave for 50 seconds. Let cool for 2-5 minutes before enjoying!

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Easy Pesto Pasta (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

20 Minute Meals, Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan

When life gives you basil, make pesto.

Okay, folks. Here is my favorite traditional pesto recipe. It’s quick and easy, but by toasting the pine nuts and garlic we’re elevating this pesto to a whole other culinary level. It is delicious. You can toss this pesto over your favorite pasta (see below for my go-to’s) and save any leftovers for another day!

That said, I know taking out the food processor can dissuade a lot of people. I hear you. When I do not have the energy to pull out my food processor, I opt for my Nutribullet instead. Saves time and cleanup! Just make sure your blender’s blades are low enough to the bottom of the container to sufficiently blend the ingredients.

Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 bowls

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fresh basil, packed
  • 2 tbs. olive oil (add more for a thinner consistency)
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1-2 cups pasta (I recommend Whole Foods Cauliflower Gnocchi or Banza Chickpea Rotini)
  • 4-6 cherry tomatoes (optional garnish)
  • 2-5 chopped almonds (optional garnish)

Recipe:

  1. Toast pine nuts and garlic over low heat for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. No need to oil the pan, but make sure you keep an eye on the nuts and garlic. They brown quickly!
  2. Begin cooking your pasta of choice. If you’re using cauliflower gnocchi, I highly recommend pan frying the gnocchi until lightly browned. The texture and flavor is great!
  3. Add basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to a food processer (or blender!) and blend until a creamy consistency forms.
  4. Stir in desired amount of pesto into the cooked pasta. Optionally top with tomatoes and chopped nuts, and enjoy!

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Jalapeño Margarita (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

Beverage, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan

Summer just got hotter…

I first had a chili margarita in Hawaii, and it was the best margarita I had ever had. My cousin and I recreated it at home, and it is GOOD. The jalapeño is optional, but it is absolutely worth it. If the tequila wasn’t enough, the chili adds an extra feel-good kick going down. You have to try it.

Spicy margs just hit different.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1 drink

Ingredients:

  • 1 shot tequila
  • 1 shot orange liquor
  • 1-2 shots fresh-squeezed lime juice (to taste)
  • 1-3 slices of jalapeño pepper
  • 3-5 ice cubes
  • 1 tbs. salt

Recipe

Assembly:

  1. Add tequila, orange liquor, lime juice, and ice to a shaker and shake! À la James Bond, we like it “shaken, not stirred.”
  2. To create the salty edge on your glass, wet the lip of your glass with lime juice and twist over a plate of salt.
  3. Drop in a few slices of jalapeño (start with one and increase to taste!). I promise it’s worth it.

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Tahini Lemon Salad (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

20 Minute Meals, Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan

You’ll never buy a store-bought salad again…

This is hands-down my favorite salad I’ve ever made. A few months ago, I started experimenting with tahini, and it is a GAME. CHANGER. It adds such a great creamy, nutty flavor to the dressing and pairs perfectly with the bright tanginess of lemon. Plus, all the protein and veggies make this salad satisfying, which I can’t say the same about all the salads I’ve had…

I’m including my favorite ingredients below, but I tend to switch it up every week. Some of my go-to’s are cooked beets (adds a nice pop!) and shelled edamame (extra protein). I also love to top this salad with falafel or chicken.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2 bowls

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium bunch of mixed greens or kale (or the amount of greens you like to add to your salad!)
  • 1/3 cup cooked chickpeas (or canned)
  • 1/2 ripe medium avocado
  • 1 cup frozen broccoli (if using fresh broccoli, flash boil it to soften the stalks)
  • 2 tbs. chopped almonds
  • 1-2 tbs. lemon juice (adjust to taste)
  • 1-1 1/2 tbs. tahini (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp. black pepper (adjust to taste)

Recipe

Preparation:

  1. (If using kale) Chop kale into small pieces and massage in a large bowl with 1 tbs. lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. salt. This will make the leaves tender. The leaves will wilt, so make sure you have enough to build your salad.
  2. Cut avocado into 1/2 inch cubes.

Cooking:

  1. Add broccoli to a well-oiled pan over medium heat. Toss broccoli as it begins to brown, adding in 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper (or to taste). Sauté until broccoli is browned or lightly charred.

Assembly:

  1. Place greens, chickpeas, broccoli, almonds, lemon juice, and remaining salt and pepper (or to taste) to a large bowl. Drizzle over tahini and toss until well combined.
  2. Mix in the avocados last (or arrange on top) to prevent them from getting mushy.

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Easy Asparagus Frittata (Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free)

Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Entree, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free

A quick and easy party pleaser!

Frittata, a.k.a. a simple and delicious way to clean out your fridge. After planning a last-minute brunch, it was a relief to have this quick and simple dish ready to go! I threw in my favorite veggies, but you can really mix up this frittata with anything you’ve got. Bell peppers, broccoli…whatever you have on hand! It’s a “kitchen sink” sort of deal. Quick, easy, and SO GOOD.

Plus, your friends and family will never know just how easy this frittata is to whip this up…

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6-8 slices

Ingredients:

  • 6 eggs
  • 14-16 asparagus stalks
  • 2-3 medium Bella mushrooms
  • 5-8 cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 medium yellow onion
  • 1/3 cup cooked, roughly crumbled sausage (your choice of meat or vegan)
  • 4-5 basil leaves
  • 1-1 1/2 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1/2-1 tsp. black pepper (adjust to taste)

Recipe

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and lightly oil medium cast iron skillet.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until light and fluffy.
  3. Dice mushrooms, tomatoes, and onion into 1/2 to 1 cm pieces. Cut basil leaves into strips or small pieces. Stir into to egg mixture with salt and pepper.
  4. Pour egg mixture into cast iron skillet.
  5. Cut asparagus stalks to 1/2 the diameter of the skillet. Toss lightly with oil before arranging in circular pattern on top of the egg mixture.

Baking:

  1. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until egg mixture has set up and is lightly browned. The frittata will continue to cook once removed from the oven.

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FLUFFIEST Banana Bread (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan

Not your average quarantine banana bread…

In case you didn’t make banana bread fifty times during quarantine, I have a new recipe for you. Meet classic banana bread’s younger, hotter sister: vegan, gluten-free FLUFFY banana bread. I was originally inspired by a recipe that my manager shared with me three years ago. I’ve tinkered around with the ingredients and measurements for years, but it never turned out just right until last year. I accidentally forgot to add the flax egg to my batter and boom. Game. Changer. No flax eggs = more fluffiness + more deliciousness.

The whole process is quick, easy, and so worth it.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
Serves: 8 slices

Ingredients:

Dry:

  • 2 cups oat flour (I blend rolled oats in my food processor until it becomes a fine flour)
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • 2 tsp baking power
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt

Wet:

  • 3 small-medium bananas (ripe, brown, and smushy!)
  • ¼ cup almond butter
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar (I don’t have a sweet tooth, so if you do, I would definitely double this!)

Recipe

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
  3. In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a fork until a mushy, somewhat runny, mixture forms—small clumps are okay! Mix in the rest of the wet ingredients.
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in increments. I add the dry mixture in three to four batches. Make sure to not overmix—try to keep it as airy and fluffy as possible.

Baking:

  1. Line an 8-inch bread pan with parchment paper or grease the sides lightly with coconut oil.
  2. Spoon batter into pan (lick the leftovers from your spoon!) and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown.
  3. Let the banana bread cool before enjoying. The sweetness of the bananas really comes out once the bread has fully cooled.

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