Nut-Free

Creamy Red Pepper Pasta Sauce (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

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

A red pepper and a tomato walk into a bar…

…and get baked (in the oven). When I’m craving pasta, I usually reach for a classic red sauce or pesto, but this recipe is a new favorite. The star ingredient? Roasted red pepper. It takes pasta sauce to a whole new level. And it’s CREAMY. The tahini adds a creamy taste and texture, without any of the dairy. I’ve literally been having this pasta every night, and I have no regrets.

Plus, this sauce is so easy to make. If you’re running around and don’t have time to stand over a stove and stir, this is the recipe for you. Toss the veggies in the oven, and get back to what you were doing. Then, blitz it all together in a blender and you’re done!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 1 cup sauce (3-4 pasta servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium red bell pepper
  • 3 gloves garlic
  • 1/4 medium yellow onion
  • 10-12 cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tsp. tahini
  • 1 tbs. fresh basil, packed
  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1-2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 + 1/8 tsp. pepper

Recipe:

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
  2. Slice the bell pepper in half, lengthwise. Remove the core and seeds. Separate the onion into its layers.
  3. Add bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and garlic to a baking pan. Toss with 1-2 tsp. of olive oil.

Cooking

  1. Bake the pepper, onion, tomatoes, and garlic for 30 minutes, or until the pepper and tomatoes are brown and blistering. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Add roasted ingredients to a blender with tahini, basil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend into a creamy mixture.
  3. Enjoy over your favorite pasta!

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Southwest Bean Salad (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

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

Texas in a bowl.

I started work this week and am in need of quick, easy recipes. I whipped up this salad during my lunch break, and it is here to stay! I love the light creaminess of the cilantro lime dressing, which pairs perfectly with the bright freshness of the corn and tomatoes. Plus, the beans and chickpeas add great protein to get me through a long work day!

This salad also keeps well in the fridge, so you can make it ahead of time. It’s perfect for a quick meal or your last-minute summer barbecue with friends. Delicious!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 bowls

Ingredients:

Salad

  • 1 cup canned kidney beans, unsalted
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted (or fresh if in season!)
  • 1/2 cup cooked or canned chickpeas
  • 5-10 cherry tomatoes, sliced (depending on size)
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 ripe avocado, chopped

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed
  • 1 tbs. tahini
  • 2 tsp. lime juice (adjust to taste)
  • 1-2 tbs. water (adjust for desired thickness)
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)

Recipe:

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together kidney beans, corn, chickpeas, tomatoes, and onion.
  2. In a food processor or small blender, blend cilantro, tahini, lime juice, 1-2 tbs. water (add in increments until dressing reaches desired thickness), and 1/4 tsp. salt.
  3. Toss salad with dressing, plus a few more pinches of salt (adjust to taste). Mix the avocado in last to avoid getting mushy. 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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3-Ingredient Seared Tofu (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

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

Packing all the umami punch in just 10 minutes!

I’ve made this tofu three times in the last two weeks alone. It’s that easy and that quick and that delicious. I hear Food Network chefs talk about “umami” flavor all the time, and this tofu steak really brings it home. Tamari by itself is great, but the nuttiness of the tahini elevates it to a whole new level. The tamari-tahini sauce crusts up perfectly in the pan, and the smell only makes it better…

Besides packing the flavor, this crusted tofu takes 10 MINUTES. After an exhausting day, when I have neither the time nor the discipline to cook a gourmet meal, I reach for this recipe. My tip? Use extra firm tofu and press as much water out of it as you can. It makes a huge difference in how the tofu crisps up!

Recipe

Prep Time: 1-2 minute
Cook Time: 4-8 minutes
Serves: 4 tofu steaks

Ingredients

  • 1 block of extra firm tofu, pressed
  • 3 tablespoons tamari (I use a 50% less sodium version)
  • 4 tables tahini

Preparation:

  1. Mix the tamari and tofu in a small bowl until it forms a thick, creamy, caramel-colored mixture.
  2. Slice the tofu block horizontally through the side edges. Then slice diagonally across the top to create 4 triangle pieces.
  3. Apply a generous layer of the sauce to one side of each tofu steak.

Cooking:

  1. Over medium-low heat, place the tofu steaks sauce-side down on a lightly oiled, non-stick pan. Apply a layer of sauce to the face-up side of the tofu. Cook for 2-4 minutes or until the bottom crisps into a brown crust.
  2. Flip the tofu steaks and cook for another 2-4 minutes or until the bottom crisps into a brown crust. Serve and enjoy!

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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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