recipes Archives | Stephanie Dreyer

January 14, 2019

I start every morning with a green drink. It’s my secret weapon for keeping my energy up, my body clean, and staying healthy (I rarely get colds).

Green, alkaline juices are the best and quickest ways to reduce inflammation while keeping your body hydrated. Your skin will sparkle like nobody’s business. Your energy level will jump to overdrive. You will feel amazing!

Kris Carr is my juicing goddess. Her motto is “Make juice, not war.” Don’t you love her already?!! She turned me onto juicing in her book Crazy Sexy Diet and she took my juicing game up a notch Crazy Sexy Juice, a fantastic resource full of juice and smoothie recipes.

Fruits and Veggies:

Choose organic fruits and veggies as much as possible. Cucumbers make a great base for juices with all of the vitamin C and cleansing properties it possesses. Let’s hear it for the cucumber!

This is a great veggie to start with. Add in some celery stalks and broccoli stems for sweetness. Work your way up to stronger tasting plants like kale, chard, fennel, cabbage, or spinach. You can also add in the ginger, garlic, and parsley for added zing, (just remember a little goes a long way those guys.)

As for fruit, I like to keep it all green and use a green apple. I have tried pear too. It’s not my thing but could be yours, so have fun experimenting.

This is your super fuel. Play around and try out different veggie/fruit combos until you find the one that takes you over the edge. Sometimes I’ll add lemon to the mix. (I like my juice tart).

They say to keep your ratio of fruits to veggies at 1:3 (for every one piece of fruit, add 3 veggies). For my kids, I use oranges, red apples, and strawberries to sweeten things up and give it a citrus zing.

Equipment:

Finding your perfect juicer can be a bit overwhelming, as there is a lot at stake…this big, bad boy is going to become your juicing mate. You’ll be making juice love daily, sometimes twice or more!

Choose wisely – these guys are not cheap. I did a lot of research on the various juicers and blenders before I tied the knot with my Breville Ikon.

Prep:

In order to make juicing time efficient with the morning hustle and bustle of getting my three kids ready for school, I buy all my fruits and veggies once during the week and wash and prep everything when I get home from the store.

When I go into the kitchen in the morning, all I have to do is grab the veggies and fruits out of the fridge, lay them on the cutting board, and get juicing. (Note: I don’t wash my berries until right before I use them to avoid them becoming mushy. And I cut and peel my apples and oranges that morning as well.)

As for cleaning, I wash my juicer immediately after using it and let it air dry on the counter until I put it away later in the day so it’s all ready to go for the next round of juicing the following morning.

When to drink it:

It is best to drink your juice on an empty stomach to get the most out of your digestive system. It’s a great way to break your fast (aka breakfast!).

I typically serve it with a toast bar or some muffins for my family.

The recipe below is the juice I go to again and again (hence, the name!). I hope you love it as much as I do. Cheers!

Go-to Green Juice

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 organic cucumber
1 organic broccoli stalk (some times I use the head too, depending on the size of the stalk)
1 organic celery stalk and leaves (if my stalk is lucky enough to be sprouting any)
2 fistfuls of organic kale (I also mix in chard and spinach from time to time)
1-2 slices of fresh ginger root
1 organic Granny Smith green apple

Directions:

Push each ingredient through the juicer chute in the order listed.
Stir and chill before drinking or serve over ice.

by Stephanie Dreyer

January 6, 2019

You don’t have to cook everything from scratch or spend hours in the kitchen to make a delicious, homemade meal. I’d never been able to get a home cooked meal on the table every weeknight if I followed those “rules”!

This Zoodles with Roasted Chickpeas & Pesto recipe is an example of just that. I used a store bought pesto and roasted the chickpeas on Sunday during one of my batch cooking sessions so the total meal was on my table in less than 20 minutes!

The zoodles store well for 1-2 days so I always spiralize a big batch and eat the leftovers for a quick and healthy weekday lunch.

Zoodles with Roasted Chickpeas & Pesto

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup of store-bought pesto (such as Trader Joe’s Vegan, Kale & Cashew Pesto)
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 tablespoon Italian Herbs blend
4 zucchini squash, spiralized
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, such as Violife

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spread the chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper. Toss with the oil, salt, and herbs. Roast for 20-30 minutes.
Divide the zoodles between 4 serving plates and top each pile with 1/4 cup of pesto, 1/4 cup of chickpeas and 1/4 cup of sliced tomatoes.
Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

by Stephanie Dreyer

December 15, 2018

These Black Bean and Potato Enchiladas are my favorite Mexican food! I love me some tacos, and tamale pie was a special treat as a kid, but these enchiladas are my comfort food.

With both red and green sauces, they look especially festive for the holidays, but they’re tasty enough to eat all year long.

One of the reasons I love these black bean and potato enchiladas so much is that they use one of my favorite meal prep tips: Repurpose leftovers. That’s actually how this recipe originated.

I had made roasted potatoes for dinner as a side dish one night and had tons of leftovers. I jazzed up some canned beans and folded them into a batch of these enchiladas.

The whole family loved them so much that I knew I had a winning recipe. I hope you and your family enjoy them!

Black Bean and Potato Enchiladas

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups baby potatoes, quartered
12 corn tortillas
2 jars salsa verde (plus additional for serving, if desired)
1 can red enchilada sauce

To serve:

Avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
Cilantro, minced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a ½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.
When potatoes are done cooking, empty the black beans and their liquid into a large skillet. Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and salt.
Add in the potatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
Coat the bottom of a casserole dish with the salsa verde.
Heat the corn tortillas on each side until pliable (about 20-30 seconds). Take each one and spoon a heaping amount of filling into it and roll seam side down. Continue with all tortillas.
Pour the enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas. Use a spoon to spread the sauce evenly across the enchiladas.
Add the remaining salsa verde on top and swirl to combine.
Bake for 20 minutes until heated through.
Serve with more salsa verde, sliced avocado, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro.

by Stephanie Dreyer

December 9, 2018

Can you believe I never made a Sloppy Joe until last month when I was experimenting with Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger?

My kids loved them. In fact, Jake loved them so much that he told me he’d eat a Beyond Burger the next time we made hamburgers. I’ve been trying to get Jake to replace his hamburger with a Beyond Burger forever.

He finally did after these Sloppy Joes and I’m grinning ear to ear. Major vegan mama win!

My favorite part of these burgers was the vegan brioche bun (that I purchased from Milk and Eggs. (Use this link at get 20% off your order.)

Vegan Sloppy Joes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup onion, chopped
2 packages Beyond Meat Beyond Burger
2 cups baked beans
½ cup BBQ sauce

For serving:

4 vegan hamburger buns
BBQ sauce

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saute pan and add the onion. Cook until golden brown.
Crumble the Beyond Meat Beyond Burger in the pan. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes until the “meat” is brown.
Stir in 2 cups of vegetarian baked beans. Continue cooking 5-7 minutes until heated through.
Add in the BBQ sauce and stir to combine. Taste and add more sauce as desired.
To serve, slice the hamburger buns in half and spread BBQ sauce on each slice. Top with a heaping ladle of Sloppy Joe filling.

by Stephanie Dreyer

December 2, 2018

Latkes, (aka potato pancakes), are a traditional Hanukkah food fried in oil and topped with sour cream or applesauce. My family wants these crunchy treats all eight nights of the “Festival of Lights” so I challenge myself to get creative each year with lots of ways to eat them.

Traditionally, I make them with Russets or Yukon potatoes, but my family also loves my egg-free Sweet Potato Latkes.

My kids love nachos so I created this Latke Nachos recipe as a fun twist of the traditional Jewish holiday favorite.

Latke-Nachos-Spread

The holidays are a time to indulge and these Latke Nachos do just that! The crispy fried tastiness of the latke makes it an easy swap for the traditional tortilla chip used in nachos.

Instead of sour cream or applesauce, I drizzled these Latke Nachos with a dairy-free nacho “cheese” sauce and lime crema…because nachos aren’t nachos without cheese and sour cream!

Top these crispy nachos with all your favorite toppings. I chose sliced olives, homemade pico de gallo and guacamole! Yaaassss!!

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Vegan Latke Nachos

Ingredients

For the latkes:

1 ½ pounds russet potatoes 2 medium to large potatoes
1 medium yellow onion
½-¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil for frying
1/2 cup black beans drained and rinsed
1/4 cup sliced olives

For the lime crema:

1/4 cup dairy-free sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chile lime salt such as Trader Joe's or Tajin

For the nacho "cheese" sauce:

2 tablespoons gluten free flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup chipotle salsa
1 1/2 cups almond milk
Salt to taste

For the guacamole:

4 avocados
1 lime juiced
salt to taste

For the pico de gallo:

4 roma tomatoes finely chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro minced
1 lime juiced
salt to taste

Instructions

For the latkes:

Slice the potatoes and onion into wedges to fit into a food processor feeder tube, and process with the shredder blade. Using a kitchen towel, squeeze out any excess liquid from the potatoes and onions.
Place the onion and potato mixture in a bowl and add ½ cup of the flour, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add more of the flour if the batter is too wet and not sticking together.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat a thin layer of oil. Take a heaping tablespoon of batter and flatten it with your hands, patting it into a pancake, before gently placing it in the hot oil. Continue doing this for as many latkes that can fit in the pan without crowding. Fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once, about 8 minutes total.
Repeat with the remaining potato mixture, adding more oil as necessary. Remove the cooked potato pancakes to paper towels to drain.

For the nacho "cheese" sauce:

Heat the flour and nutritional yeast in a saucepan for about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the almond milk and whisk continuously to avoid getting any lumps.
Continue whisking for about 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Whisk in the chipotle salsa.
Add salt to taste.

For the lime crema:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

For the pico de gallo:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir to combine. Add salt to taste.

For the guacamole:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork (or avocado masher). Add salt to taste.

To assemble the Latke Nachos:

Place the latkes on a serving dish. Sprinkle with the black beans.
Drizzle the nacho "cheese" sauce over the latkes.
Spoon the pico de gallo and guacamole on top.
Sprinkle with the olives.
Drizzle more nacho "cheese" sauce on top and add a dollop or two of lime crema.

Put a twist on traditional Hanukkah latkes with these vegan and gluten-free latke nachos, complete with a dairy-free cheese sauce, pico de gallo and lime crema.

How are you going to top your latke nachos?

A gluten-free variation of this recipe first appeared on Vegan Chickpea.

by Stephanie Dreyer

November 25, 2018

These stuffed crescent rolls were inspired by one of my favorite appetizers: Stuffed Mushrooms. Fragrant garlic sauteed in extra virgin olive oil gets the party started (and the kitchen smelling oh so good!). Chopped cremini mushrooms are added to the mix, followed by heaping cups of baby spinach. Why does so much spinach always look like nothing once it’s cooked?!! Season the filling with salt and pepper before spooning into vegan crescent rolls. (I found mine at Trader Joe’s.)

Flavorful and elegant, these stuffed crescent rolls can do double duty as a side or appetizer. I think they’d make a beautiful addition to the holiday table this year!

Stuffed-Crescent

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Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Crescent Rolls

Servings 8 rolls

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cremini mushrooms, finely minced
6 ounces baby spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package vegan crescent rolls
3 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese (such as Violife)
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan.
Add garlic and mushrooms. Saute for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the spinach. Using tongs, toss the spinach into the mixture until slightly wilted.
Sprinkle in freshly grated vegan Parmesan cheese.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling into the center of a crescent roll.
Wrap the dough around the filling so it forms a twist shape.
Continue with the rest of the filling and rolls.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Stuffed-Crescent-Rolls

by Stephanie Dreyer

November 11, 2018

These Butternut Squash Fajitas are a Fall twist on one of my family’s favorite meals. It’s a great way to introduce young tastebuds to the seasonal flavor of butternut squash in a sweet and savory way.

I also love how these filling and crema for these butternut squash fajitas can be batch cooked ahead of time, making it a quick and easy meal for busy weeknights.

Fajitas

Batch cook butternut squash and cremini mushrooms and use them all week long in these 3 delicious meals perfect for the Fall season.

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Butternut Squash, Spinach & Mushroom Fajitas (with Butternut Squash Crema)

Ingredients

For the Fajitas:

3 cups butternut squash peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
8 ounces cremini mushrooms cleaned stems removed and quartered
6 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning basil, thyme and oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste
12 mini corn tortillas or 6 regular size

For the Butternut Squash Crema

2 cups butternut squash 1-inch cubes
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup cashews soaked overnight if not using a high speed blender
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butternut squash
1/2 tsp olive oil

Instructions

Toss the squash, mushrooms and garlic with the olive oil and herbs. Spread on a baking sheet.
On a separate baking sheet, place the 2 cups of butternut squash for the crema along with the olive oil and garlic cloves. Toss to combine.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the squash is fork tender.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan and add in garlic. Cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the spinach. Using tongs, saute the spinach until slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the roasted squash and mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes until heated through.
Heat the tortillas on a stove burner, about 30 seconds on each side until the tortilla is pliable.
Combine the roasted squash and garlic cloves in a blender, along with the broth and remaining ingredients for the crema.
Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon the filling onto the middle of the tortillas and top with a dollop of the crema.

Fajitas

by Stephanie Dreyer

November 5, 2018

These Tofu Lettuce Wraps are an easy weeknight dinner and an instant hit with the kids. I mean, what kid doesn’t like to eat with their hands?!!

Serve the filling and lettuce leaves family style and let the family go to town making wraps and stuffing their faces 🙂

Tofu-Lettuce-Wraps

Got a busy week and can’t even spare the 20ish minutes to get the filling made? Batch cook it on the weekend.

I serve these alongside veggie potstickers (frozen from Trader Joe’s) or vegan egg rolls. My kids love rice so a steaming bowl typically makes an appearance too.

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Tofu Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

16 ounces Trader Joe's Organic Tofu Super Firm minced
2 celery ribs minced
2 small carrots (or 1 large) minced
2 inch piece of ginger peeled and finely minced or grated
8 ounce can of water chestnuts drained and minced
lettuce leaves (such as romaine, Bibb, or iceberg) for serving
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup shoyu (or soy sauce)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
6 green onions (white and green parts) finely sliced and minced

Instructions

Heat sesame oil in a large saucepan.
Add all vegetables except the green onions, the ginger and garlic. Cook 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add tofu, shoyu and rice vinegar. Cook 10 more minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the green onions.
Serve with lettuce leaves.

These Tofu Lettuce Wraps also make a great appetizer for a destination Asian meal. Enjoy!

Tofu-Lettuce-Wraps

by Stephanie Dreyer

October 28, 2018

I know it’s pumpkin season but do yourself a favor and say hello to butternut squash! It’s the star ingredient in this Fall Bowl and is the base of the savory sauce drizzled on top.

I am a bit obsessed with this squash this season. It’s sweet but savory and full of robust flavor that even the kids can love.

Fall-Bowl

Batch cook the veggies and sauce on the weekend so you can throw this bowl together for lunch or dinner when you’re short on time. I used raw kale, but it would also be good sauteed in some vegetable broth. The spinach is an easy swap for kale too.

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Fall Bowl with Butternut Squash Cream Sauce

Ingredients

For the bowl:

4 cups chopped kale
1 medium butternut squash peeled and cubed
2 cups cremini mushrooms cleaned and quartered
½ cup steamed lentils
4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Butternut Squash Cream Sauce

1 cup butternut squash peeled and cubed
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup cashews (soaked overnight if not using a high speed blender
¼ cup nutritional yeast
3 garlic cloves roasted
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°.
Spread squash, mushrooms and garlic on a sheet pan. Add the olive oil, garlic powder, salt and Italian seasoning. Toss to combine and evenly coat the vegetables. Roast for 30-40 minutes until squash is tender.
For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble, place two cups of kale in two bowls, Top each with half of the vegetables. Spoon ¼ cup lentils into each bowl.
Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of each bowl. Store the rest in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

Makes 2 bowls

Fall-Bowl

by Stephanie Dreyer

October 15, 2018

These Pizza Roll Ups quickly became a favorite with my kids! I made them on a whim and now Jake keeps asking for them every week!

With just 4 ingredients, they are so simple that I made them while I prepped dinner. You could also batch cook them on the weekend and reheat them in the morning. I packed them in a thermos and the kids told me they were still warm at lunch.

This Vegan Pizza Roll Ups are a fun twist on a kid favorite - pizza! Batch cook them on the weekend and serve with more pizza sauce for dunking. Fun and delicious!

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Pizza Roll Ups

Ingredients

1 refrigerated pizza dough
⅓ cup marinara or pizza sauce
½ cup dairy-free Parmesan or mozzarella cheese, such as Follow Your Heart or Violife
⅛ cup sliced black olives

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface.
Spread the marinara sauce over the crust, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge of the circle.
Sprinkle with the cheese and top with the olives.
Start on the side closest to you and roll the dough into a log, sealing it on the bottom and stretching it out it’s about 1-inch in diameter.
Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 1-inch rounds. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Serve with marinara sauce.

Recipe Notes

Makes about 12 roll ups

Serve them with more marinara or pizza sauce for dunking. These Pizza Roll Ups are so much fun to eat! Hooray for a new option for the school lunch menu rotation!

This Vegan Pizza Roll Ups are a fun twist on a kid favorite - pizza! Batch cook them on the weekend and serve with more pizza sauce for dunking. Fun and delicious!

by Stephanie Dreyer

October 9, 2018

Give me a savory sauce and I can usually get my kids to try any vegetable! This Dill Tahini Sauce is one of my faves.

I love it poured over vegan bowls for lunch or spooned simply over roasted veggies. You can use this Dill Tahini Sauce as a dip with crudite or a dressing. Add more garlic or dill to your liking!

This Dill Tahini Sauce is a delicious dip for veggies or the perfect dressing drizzled over your favorite vegan bowl. Customize the garlic and dill to your liking!

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Dill Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup tahini
¾ cup water
Juice of 2 small lemons or 1 large lemon
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and mix until smooth.

Recipe Notes

Makes 1 1/2 cups

This Dill Tahini Sauce is a delicious dip for veggies or the perfect dressing drizzled over your favorite vegan bowl. Customize the garlic and dill to your liking!

by Stephanie Dreyer

October 2, 2018

This recipe is the only way I can get my kids to eat tempeh. They tell me it’s a texture thing. So, what’s a mom to do? I pulse it up into a rich and hearty tomato sauce and serve it over their favorite pasta. They’re not super excited about it, but they eat it!

I made this recently on a busy weeknight in 30 minutes. It’s also a great recipe to batch cook on the weekend and pull out when you’re short on time. Just boil some pasta and make a salad while the spaghetti cooks. It freezes really well so I usually reserve half to serve up another time.

This Tempeh Bolognese is the only way I can get my kids to eat tempeh. It's crumbled in a rich tomato sauce with onion, garlic and veggies and simmered until tasty! Serve over your favorite pasta for an easy meatless weeknight meal.

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Tempeh Bolognese

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped celery
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 8 ounce package tempeh
1 28 ounce can of marinara sauce
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes undrained
½ cup of red wine optional

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, oregano, basil and garlic, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until vegetables are browned, stirring often.
Break the tempeh into small crumbles with your hands, and stir into the vegetables.
Add in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, and wine (if using).
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe Notes

Makes about 4 cups

This Tempeh Bolognese is the only way I can get my kids to eat tempeh. It's crumbled in a rich tomato sauce with onion, garlic and veggies and simmered until tasty! Serve over your favorite pasta for an easy meatless weeknight meal.

by Stephanie Dreyer

September 11, 2018

This Roasted Vegetable Orzo is a sophisticated take on the traditional Italian pasta salads I grew up with. Fresh, organic vegetables (in this case, zucchini, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes) are the key to this simple yet savory dish.

The vegetables in this Roasted Vegetable Orzo are tossed with olive oil, Italian herbs, and whole cloves of garlic (oh yeah!). To finish the dish off, I squeezed fresh lemon juice and grated Violife dairy-free Parmesan cheese (my new favorite vegan Parm!) on top.

This Roasted Vegetable Orzo is a sophisticated take on the traditional Italian pasta salads I grew up with. Fresh, organic vegetables (in this case, zucchini, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes) are the key to this simple yet savory dish.

This Roasted Vegetable Orzo is so so so good and I can’t stress how simple this dish is to make. Serve with sliced baked tempeh or tofu and dinner is served!

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Roasted Vegetable Orzo

Ingredients

1 cup orzo uncooked
1 orange bell pepper core and ribs removed, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper core and ribs removed, chopped
1 red bell pepper core and ribs removed, chopped
2 zucchinis chopped
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes
8 garlic cloves whole
2 lemons
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegan parmesan such as Violife, freshly grated to serve
Fresh basil sliced in a chiffonade

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Toss the vegetables, garlic cloves, olive oil, and herbs on a sheet pan until coated. Roast for about 30 minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside in a serving bowl.
Stir the vegetables into the orzo.
Squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Grate Parmesan cheese on top and garnish with the fresh basil.

This Roasted Vegetable Orzo is a sophisticated take on the traditional Italian pasta salads I grew up with. Fresh, organic vegetables (in this case, zucchini, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes) are the key to this simple yet savory dish.

by Stephanie Dreyer

August 28, 2018

These Energy Balls are super simple and quick to throw together. They make a great protein-packed, portable snack, as well as a fun activity to do with the kids. This recipe is a healthier alternative to packaged sugary snack bars and fruit leathers.

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Energy Balls

Servings 6 balls

Ingredients

1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup Earth Balance coconut peanut butter
1 TBL maple syrup
1/8 tsp Himalayan pink salt
2 TBL almond meal
2 TBL mini vegan chocolate chips
1 TBL sunflower seeds roasted and unsalted
1 TBL sliced almonds
1 TBL Hemp Hearts

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well until combined.
Using a scooper or your hands, form into golf sized balls.
Enjoy immediately or chill until ready to eat.

by Stephanie Dreyer

August 12, 2018

Peanut-Butter-Chocolate-Chip-Smoothie-Pops-Hero-1280x720.png

Smoothie pops are a simple, fun and healthy summer treat. These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip frozen smoothies on a stick are also an easy way to get some greens into the kids while they cool off on hot summer days. Swap out almond butter for the peanut butter if your kids have peanut allergies for an equally delicious pop!

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Smoothie Pops

Servings 6 pops

Ingredients

1 banana frozen
1 cup spinach
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips such as Enjoy Life Foods

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a blender and mix until smooth.
Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into molds.
Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

by Stephanie Dreyer

August 12, 2018

I cook just about every meal every day, but homemade doesn’t have to be time consuming or difficult. There are nights when I love to savor my time in the kitchen with a new recipe, but there are also several nights a week where dinner is a sprint. On nights like those, I take some help from the store. This Tofu Vegetable Fried Rice was one of my recent creations.

I threw this together in 30 minutes while I emptied the dishwasher and straightened up my kitchen and living / dining room. My initial plan was to marinate the tofu and serve with couscous and broccoli but had a feeling that the kids wouldn’t be too excited about the meal. I found a package of Trader Joe’s vegetable fried rice (yes, it’s vegan!) in the freezer. I also received a surprise delivery of fresh homegrown kale from a friend and was inspired to toss it into the pan at the last minute.

This Tofu Vegetable Fried Rice was a hit with me, my hubby and vegetarian daughter. Unfortunately, Alex wasn’t a fan, but I rarely have all 3 love a dish (Jake was away at his cousin’s house).

Try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

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Tofu Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients

1 block firm tofu
4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
8 tablespoons orange juice
2 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon ground ginger
8 ounces of broccoli florets
2 cups kale coarsely chopped
1 package Trader Joe’s vegetable fried rice

Instructions

Drain and lightly press the block of tofu between paper towels. Slice in half and then into 4 rectangles. Place in a Ziploc bag with the tamari, orange juice, garlic and ginger. Allow to marinate while you prep the rest of your ingredients (about 20 minutes).
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add the fried rice. Cook about 10 minutes.
Stir in the broccoli and cook until bright green (about 5 minutes).
Stir in tofu and marinade and cook an additional 5 minutes until heated through.
Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes.

This Tofu Vegetable Fried Rice comes together in 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients thanks to some help from Trader Joe's!

by Stephanie Dreyer

April 15, 2018

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Get your cruciferous veggies on with this crunchy and tangy salad. I used a salad mix from Trader Joe’s as the base, but you can also make your own from scratch using cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale.

Try this Cruciferous Crunch Salad for a zesty lunch option. The tangy tahini dressing gets better the longer it marinates, so make it in the morning on Monday and enjoy it all week long.

The salad dressing is everything in this salad. Its tangy and salty – full of umami flavor. I have to hold myself back from eating the whole bowl! My 12 year-old daughter loves the taste too – a great way for me to get her to eat kale and cabbage!

Try this Cruciferous Crunch Salad for a zesty lunch option. The tangy tahini dressing gets better the longer it marinates, so make it in the morning on Monday and enjoy it all week long.

This salad gets better the longer it “marinates,” so I typically make it in the morning while I am prepping breakfast and lunches for the kids. I refrigerate it until lunch so that the flavors have time to meld. Slice in the avocado just before serving.

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Cruciferous Crunch Salad with Tangy Tahini Dressing

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Author Stephanie Dreyer

Ingredients

1 bag of Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch Blend (or 3 cups chopped curly kale, 3 cups shredded red and green cabbage, and 3 cups shaved Brussels sprouts)
1 jar capers, drained
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
6 teaspoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
3 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 small organic avocados, chopped

Instructions

Whisk together the vinegar, tamari, tahini and nutritional yeast.
Stir in the vegetable mix and combine well.
Add in the capers and the garbanzo beans. Mix well.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Stir in the avocado just before serving. Stores well in an air-tight container (without the avocado) for 3-4 days.

Try this Cruciferous Crunch Salad for a zesty lunch option. The tangy tahini dressing gets better the longer it marinates, so make it in the morning on Monday and enjoy it all week long.

by Stephanie Dreyer

March 18, 2018

How do you like to scramble? This Mediterranean Tofu Scramble is a great breakfast option. Use this recipe as a template and add in your favorite mix-ins. Serve it as a protein packed breakfast with fresh fruit and hashbrowns, or enjoy it for dinner with roasted potatoes and a side salad.

This Mediterranean Tofu Scramble is a great breakfast option. Use this recipe as a template and add in your favorite mix-ins. Serve it as a protein packed breakfast with fresh fruit and hash browns, or enjoy it for dinner with roasted potatoes and a side salad.

Tofu scrambles are a quick and easy meal option, and a delicious plant-based take on scrambled eggs. Tofu scrambles easily to create the same look and texture as eggs without the animal products. I love this recipe blend, with all of the flavors of my dream destination, Greece. Try adding bruschetta for an Italian taste profile, or taco seasoning and pico de gallo for a Latin flavor.

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Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

Ingredients

1 package firm tofu drained
1/4 cup Kalamata olives finely chopped
1 14.5 ounce can artichokes in water, drained and chopped
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 cups fresh spinach loosely packed
3 cloves garlic minced
2 shallots minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup hummus
2 tablespoons Italian or Greek seasoning
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl with hot water. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then drain, (squeeze out as much water as possible), and chop.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add in the garlic and shallots. Cook until soft and fragrant.
Stir in the tomatoes, olives, and artichokes, as well as the Greek (or Italian) seasoning and salt. Saute for 3 minutes.
Crumble the block of tofu into the pan, to resemble the look of scrambled eggs. Cook for another 5-7 minutes until the tofu is slightly golden.
Combine the hummus with 2 tablespoons of water and stir well so that it has the consistency of a dressing. Add the hummus to the tofu and vegetables. Stir well.
Slowly, stir in the spinach and allow to cook until wilted, about 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.

by Stephanie Dreyer

March 15, 2018

This dairy-free Creamy Pasta and Broccoli Bake is a great recipe to batch cook on the weekend to have ready to pop in the oven when it’s time for dinner. Plus, it serves a crowd – great lunch leftovers for the rest of the week! I use cashews for the silky delicious sauce in this pasta and broccoli bake. I layer it with a homemade vegan parm cheese that has more cashews – nut protein! My family prefers penne but use whatever tubular pasta makes your family say, “Yum!”.

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Creamy Pasta & Broccoli Bake

Ingredients

16 ounces penne or other tubular style pasta
5 cups broccoli florets about 12 ounces

For the cream sauce:

2 cups cashews soaked for 2 hours or overnight and drained, if not using a high powered blender
2 cups vegetable broth
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup lemon juice about 1 lemon

For the vegan Parmesan cheese:

1 cup of cashews
¼ nutritional yeast
2 small garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
While the pasta cooks, make the sauce and Parmesan. For the cream sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender and mix until smooth. For the cheese, combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it resembles crumbs.
Drain the pasta and combine with half of the sauce and all of the broccoli florets.
Spread ½ of the pasta and broccoli mixture into a 13x9” casserole dish.
Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese over the pasta. Spread the remaining pasta on top.
Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until heated through and the broccoli is crisp, yet tender to the fork.

by Stephanie Dreyer

March 15, 2018

Girl Scout Thin Mints are the secret ingredient in this chocolatey minty frozen treat. This Thin Mint Milkshake can be enjoyed all year round if you freeze a few boxes of Thin Mints after cookie season is done. So Delicious!’s Mint Chip ice cream is my dairy-free pick. This shake is a mint lover’s dream come true!

Girl Scout Thin Mints are the secret ingredient in this chocolatey minty frozen treat. Make this Thin Mint Milkshake with just 3 ingredients!

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Thin Mint Milkshake (Vegan & Dairy-free)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups dairy-free mint chip ice cream (such as So Delicious)
1 1/2 cups almond milk
8 Thin Mint cookies
Suggested toppings: crushed Thin Mints, So Delicious Coco Whip, mini vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

In a blender combine ice cream, milk, and thin mint cookies. Blend on high speed until completely combined and cookies are crushed.
Pour into glasses and garnish with desired toppings.

Girl Scout Thin Mints are the secret ingredient in this chocolatey minty frozen treat. Make this Thin Mint Milkshake with just 3 ingredients!