Recipes

12 Quick Vegetarian Family Friendly Recipes

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Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Foodie.com. All opinions are my own. 

Lately I have been really into finding quick and easy vegan family friendly recipes so that when baby #2 finally arrives (my due date is today BTW) we have a stock pile of recipes. Neil is going to be doing most of the cooking for the first two weeks so the easier and quicker the recipe the better. Another important factor for me was that not only are the recipes quick and easy and of course healthy but that we also have a good variety of recipes to choose from.

Check out 12 Quick Vegetarian Family Friendly Recipes

by Lindsay at Foodie.com

My top five favorites from the collection above are:

  • Loaded Lentil Sloppy Joes: these bring me back to my childhood although back then they weren’t vegetarian and the sauce came from a can.  This is a much healthier version and what’s more fun then a delicious, messy meal?
  • Super Creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese: honestly I could eat vegan mac and cheese most days of the week and Edith and I usually have it at least once per week for lunch. This recipe is super creamy and you can easily bulk it up with some veggies.
  • Creamy Sundried Tomato & Avocado Pesto: another pasta dish but this time a little different and more sophisticated but still kid friendly.
  • Tempeh Chow Mein: I love Chinese take out but for one we haven’t found any great Chinese take-out in Portland and it’s not always the healthiest option. This however is a great at home option and way healthier!
  • The Ultimate Veggie Sandwich: Sandwich night is one of my favorite night of the week and this recipe is filled with lots of veggies and can easily be customized to the taste of the each family member.

What are your favorite quick family friendly recipes? 

 

Healthy Seasonal Recipes with PAM | Warm Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

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Something exciting happened this past weekend…TOMATOES! Yes finally our local farmers market vendors have tomatoes and I am seriously in heaven. You would have thought the two huge heirloom tomatoes and three pints of heirloom cherry tomatoes would have lasted us all week but since I have been on a crazy tomato kick we are already out of them….four days later.

I am hoping that this baby makes his/her appearance very soon but I am also hoping that we can make it to the market to stock up on super sweet and juicy local tomatoes. I am salivating just thinking about buying more. Lately my favorite way to enjoy them has been on top of toast. Sometimes simply raw and sliced up with a little salt and pepper and other times I like to saute them up with a little onion or shallot and serve warmed.
Healthy Seasonal Recipes with PAM | Warm Cherry Tomato BruschettaWarm Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

Warm Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

Serves 4-6

  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • PAM Organic Olive Oil Spray
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion or shallot
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4-6 slices of sourdough bread

Directions:

  1. Toast up your sourdough bread; you can simply do this in a standard toaster, under the broiler in your oven or if you have a grill try grilling up your bread (my favorite method).
  2. Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Spray to coat the bottom with PAM Organic Olive Oil Spray <– this spray keeps things light and healthy plus clean up is a breeze. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until onion is soft.
  3. Add in the cherry tomatoes and garlic and cook until the cherry tomatoes start to break down; this should just take a few minutes.
  4. Season with red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
  5. Top each slice of toasted sourdough with the warm cherry tomato topping.

Healthy Seasonal Recipes with PAM - Warm Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

Leaving up to 99% less residue, PAM is your ally in the kitchen and allows you to save time during prep and clean up.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by ConAgra via Mode Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of ConAgra.

Summer Entertaining with Blue Diamond // Antipasto Plate with Almond Cheese Stuffed Peppers

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Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. As always all opinions are my own. 

Neil and I have always enjoyed entertaining whether it’s a pizza party, a potluck or our annual pumpkin beer tasting dinner. My favorite time to entertain however is during the summer when the days are longer, the sun is out and there is little need to do much cooking. I prefer to whip up some salads, grill veggie burgers and of course set out a few snack plates to start off any gathering.

Blue Diamond Almonds - Stuffed Peppers

I am particularly partial to antipasto platters because there is little work involved for me and they just look beautiful. I head to the grocery store pick up a few varieties of olives and various other antipasto bar items including peppers (hot and sweet), artichokes, roasted garlic, marinated tomatoes and basically anything else that looks good. I will finish off my platter with toasted bread, pita chips, crackers and hummus. Since I don’t like to do everything store bought I usually add in my own little treat and this time I made almond cheese stuffed peppadew peppers. Blue Diamond Almonds - Stuffed Peppers 2

What you’ll need for the almond cheese:

  • One 6oz tin of Whole Natural Blue Diamond Almonds, soaked in filtered water overnight
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (this provides the cheesy flavor)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoons sweet white miso
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • salt and pepper to taste

Simply toss all of the ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and process until smooth and then stuff your peppers and enjoy!

Blue Diamond Almonds - Stuffed Peppers topShare you summer entertaining tips below! One of my top tips is to keep it fresh and simple so that you can also enjoy the party!

 

#WFMCherryFest // Fresh Cherry Limeade Recipe + Giveaway

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Disclaimer: Whole Foods Market provided me with my own $50 gift card to purchase ingredients for the recipe below. As always all opinions are my own.

Cherry season is here! I have seriously never been so excited for a fruit to be in season. I LOVE cherries and am lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest where a large portion of the cherries and North America are grown. When we lived in Vermont we hardly ever bought cherries, not because we didn’t enjoy them but because they were hard to come by and super expensive.

WFCherryFest-Fresh Cherry Limeade Top View Currently our fridge is filled with cherries (although I bet most will be gone in the next day or two) because we took advantage of Whole Foods Cherry Fest and the $1.99/lb (!!!!) deal that happened this past Friday. We have been eating them by the handful but since we have so many I have been trying out some new recipes with them including the recipe I am sharing below for Fresh Cherry Limeade.
WFCherryFest-Fresh Cherry Limeade Recipe

FRESH CHERRY LIMEADE

Recipe Provided by Whole Foods Market 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 pound cherries (about 6 cups), pitted, divided
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup lime juice, plus 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
  • Sparkling water
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

WFCherryFest-Fresh Cherry Limeade Syrup    WFCherryFest-FreshCherryLimeadeSeltzerPour

Method: 
  • Put 1 pound of the cherries, sugar and 1 1/2 cups water into a medium pot; cover and simmer over medium heat (reducing heat, as needed, to maintain a simmer) until cherries are very tender and have made a fragrant syrup, about 20 minutes. Set aside to let cool and then purée in a blender with lime juice and zest.
  • To make each glass of limeade, pour about 1/2 cup of the cherry-lime syrup and 3/4 cup still or sparkling water over ice in a tall glass. Stir well and then top with a small handful of the remaining cherries, garnish with a lime wedge and serve.
Nutritional Info: 
Per Serving: Serving size: 1 drink, 150 calories (0 from fat), 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat,0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 35g sugar), 1g protein
I shared this with Edith after photographing and we both really enjoyed it (don’t worry I drank 80% of it). I am keeping the leftover syrup in the fridge to make up more Fresh Cherry Limeades this week because they were just well YUM!. With the remaining cherries I’m thinking of diving into a big bowl right now and also topping my bowl of oats with them tomorrow. I’m going to be sad when cherry season ends but until then I am going to eat all the cherries!

WFCherryFest-Fresh Cherry Limeade

Giveaway // $50 Whole Foods Gift Card

Whole Foods has generously offered to provide one reader with a $50 gift card! If you win you might like to try the recipe above or one of these cherry recipes.

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Sunshine Burger Recipe + Giveaway | California Burger

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Disclaimer: I received Sunshine Burger product to review without monetary compensation. All opinions are my own. I was given the opportunity to review through the Sweat Pink Ambassador community. 

There was a time when we ate veggie burgers all the time at our house but over the past few years we have been diversifying our meals more so now when we do have burgers we like to go all out. It also happens that summer time is our favorite time to indulge in veggie burgers because it’s grilling season and there is also a summer bbq party to host or attend.

While the standard burger toppings (lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard and onion) are fine a burger is always better if there is upgrade to toppings. Some of my favorite combinations include bbq sauce, sauteed mushrooms, crispy onion rings and vegan cheese slices. I also love a good “cheese” burger with lots of banana peppers and pickles and of course your standard toppings. When I’m feeling a little crazy going a more Tex-Mex route is always fun with toppings such guacamole, salsa and refried beans. However, while all of those are great combinations my current favorite is what I like to call the California Burger.
Sunshine Burgers: Cali Burger

Ingredients:

  • Tomato, sliced
  • Red Onion, super thinly sliced
  • Micro Greens or Sprouts
  • Avocado, sliced
  • Vegan Cheddar
  • Whole Wheat Bun
  • Garden Herb Sunshine Burger – cook based on instructions on the box
  • Herbed Vegan Mayo (1 tablespoon each freshly chopped basil, chives, parsley and lemon juice with 1/3 cup vegan mayo)

Sunshine Burger: Cali Burger top and bottom

Simple and easy to put together! I like to slather a healthy serving of mayo on each side of my bun and then I place the micro greens on one side and the tomato, onion and avocado on the other. I make sure to melt the “cheese” onto the burger and then that goes in the middle. Then it all gets smooshed together and I gobble it up. P.S. this is messy so get the napkins ready or just lick your fingers like I do. Sunshine Burger: Cali Burger Finished

Now I have been a Sunshine Burger fan for years now so I was thrilled to work with them.  My favorite way to eat them (besides the recipe above) is either on top of a salad or in a wrap. They are seriously delicious and they are free of gluten, wheat, soy, corn, oats, dairy, eggs, tree nuts and peanuts AND Non-GMO project verified. <—All the more reason I love these burgers. My favorite flavors are the Garden Herb and the Hemp & Sage Breakfast but now that I see there is a Loco Chipotle one I am going to have to try that one out because I love chipotle flavored foods.

Want to try Sunshine Burger out for yourself? Sign up for the e-newsletter and receive a coupon. Take advantage of the Find-A-Store feature, where you can locate local grocery stores that have Sunshine Burger products so you can use your coupon! 

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Blue Diamond Almonds| Red, White & Blue Smoothie Bowl

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Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Blue Diamond Tastemakers. As always all opinions are my own. 

It’s almost the Fourth of July! Are you ready for cookouts, fire works and parades? Well why not start the celebration with a yummy 4th inspired smoothie bowl filled with lots of delicious things to get your celebration weekend started off on the right foot.
Blue Diamond Toasted Coconut Almonds

Red, White and Blue Smoothie Bowl

Serves 3-5 (depending on how hungry you are)

Ingredients:

  • 5 frozen bananas (you could always use fresh ones as well or a combo)
  • 2 cups frozen mixed berries
  • 1-14.5oz can of lite coconut milk (or other milk of your choice)
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blue Diamond Toasted Coconut Almonds
  • Honey or Agave Nectar
  • Coconut Flakes
  • Granola of your choice

Instructions:

  • Place bananas, frozen berries and coconut milk in a high speed blender and blend and until smooth. If you are using all frozen fruit then you may need to stop and scrape down the blender a few times to help it out.
  • Pour/scoop into bowls and top with a sprinkle of granola, lots of berries, a sprinkle of coconut flakes, a drizzle of honey or agave nectar and as many Blue Diamond Toasted Coconut Almonds as you desire.

Blue Diamond Fourth of July

The big question: what does the toddler think?? SHE LOVED IT. I swear she ate more then we did and kept asking for more and more almonds! Blue Diamond Smoothie Bowl Smiles

How are you celebrating the Fourth? I think we are going to lay pretty low and just relax as a family!

Recipe | Arugula Pesto | Vegan

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Arugula PestoI don’t know what it is but in the last two years I have been nuts for pesto. It’s something I am making over and over again and there honestly aren’t a ton of things that I make over and over again. However, the thing is I am kind of meh about basil. I like it fine but only in small amounts and I don’t really care for basil pesto, so that’s when I started trying other greens.

I have tried baby kale pesto (too bitter), I’ve tried parsley pesto which I like (hmm I should make it again soon), I have tried spinach pesto (that was a flop) and then I found baby arugula (it was just right). I have absolutely fallen in love with arugula pesto and it is my FAVORITE.

The other dilemma I have run into when it comes to pesto is what type of nut/seed to use. I love the traditional pine nuts but they are SO expensive so I have been playing around with less expensive nuts and seeds to try and find what I like. I have tried sunflower seeds and hemp seeds (both make for chunky pesto), pumpkin seeds (good but not my go to), cashews (make a super cream pesto, but not nutty enough), and then there are walnuts (again these were just right.)  So walnuts are my go to nut component in my pesto because it makes a smooth pesto with a nice nutty taste.

So how do you make my arugula pesto?

  • 1/2-3/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 3/4 cup raw walnuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Place that all in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the s-blade and process until crumbly.

  • 4 cups loosely packed arugula
  • juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)

Add and pulse 10-12 times.

  • 1/2-1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Now with the processor on slowly drizzle in the olive oil until you have reached a smooth consistency.

Store in a jar in the fridge for up to a week or freeze!