Are you suffering from an overabundance of zucchini? I’m here to help. These delightful oatmeal muffins are the perfect healthy make ahead breakfast or snack that sneak in a some zucchini. They are perfect cold from the refrigerator, reheated, hot from the oven, and they even freeze well! This is also a wonderful place to get a few more veggies into my lovely daughter. She loved these, even sneaking them off the cooling rack as soon as they came out of the oven. With no added sugar, and filled with fruit, vegetables, and whole grains I was perfectly happy to let her “sneak”.
This pregnancy thing is kicking my butt again. I have to be super careful of what I eat avoiding: acidic, fatty, and spicy foods. Even the good fats were sending my body into a tizzy! So here i sa delicious, low-fat, sugar-free, whole grain muffin to satisfy. I’m not going to lie, I was surprised at how well these turned out! They are moist, flavorful, sweet, and really don’t taste “healthy”! I’m planning on experimenting with the addition of berries and the like as the base for these is just so wonderful.
Due to the lack of fat these will only keep on the counter for about 2 days, then you should freeze them and thaw as desired.
These really are a perfect start to your 4th of July celebrations as they are easy to make, ready for snacking throughout the day, and healthy. If you are looking for something a bit more traditional for the 4th, I have a few ideas:
Summer has arrived, and with it my desire to eat strawberries and whipped cream as often as possible! This is a lovely vegan version of strawberry shortcake. As you know, I’m not into super sweet desserts so this does not call for a lot of sugar. If you like it sweet, just add more.
We are keeping it super simple here with a tweaked version of my drop biscuits, and coconut whipped cream. It is best to make the strawberries a few hours ahead of time so the sugar dissolves and they become nice and juicy. The coconut whipped cream can be made a day or so in advance, as can the shortcake if you are planning these for a busy day.
Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
Makes 4 large servings
Ingredients
Strawberries
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries (about 1 lb)
2-4 TBL granulated sugar (depending on how sweet strawberries are, and how sweet you like it)
I feel as if I am always trying to fit extra nutrients into our food these days. Between making sure Wolfie gets vegetables and whole grains, and that I am eating everything I should to grow a person I’m just putting vegetables in everything! Wolfie has been on a bread kick so I made some biscuits adapting an old recipe with a few extras so I felt ok with her eating these one after another.
As for being biscuits, they’re pretty good. Flaky, a bit buttery, and easy. I like drop biscuits because I don’t want to roll and cut them since I usually just top them with gravy. I take my usual gravy recipe and add cooked lentils to it for a yummy breakfast, or dinner! These are also good topped with jam for a quick snack.
Vegan Drop Biscuits
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 TBL baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
1/2 cup shredded carrot or zucchini (optional)
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
Cut in the shortening with a fork.
Mix in shredded carrot if using.
Stir in milk a little at a time until batter is sticky, not runny.
Drop by overflowing spoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet.
I’m on a muffin kick. After last week’s Lemon Blueberry Muffins I was inspired to post more yummy, toddler friendly muffins. These are also sweetened with dates, so no added sugar. They also boast a bunch of veggies and have tons of fragrant spices. You could also add nuts and dried fruit if you are into that sort of thing. You could also mix up the veggies and use only carrots, or only zucchini, or even sub in some sweet potato or summer squash. These are a perfect school snack for my daughter as they are pretty much allergen free in addition to being pretty nutritious.
Glorious Morning Muffins
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped, pitted, dates
3/4 cup just boiled water
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour or more whole wheat
3 TBL chia seeds
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup sunflower seed oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 TBL apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or a light coating of oil and preheat oven to 375.
Place the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl or measuring cup and pour the boiling water over the dates. Cover and set aside until soft, 10-20 minutes
In a medium bowl combine the flours, chia seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir briefly.
Add the zucchini and carrots stirring until the are coated in flour.
When the dates are soft mash them with a fork until relatively smooth (no big pieces).
Add the date mixture, oil, and vanilla and apple cider vinegar to the flour, vegetable mixture and stir until just combined.
Divide batter evenly into muffin cups and bake for 20-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from pan to cool as long as you can wait before eating.
My daughter loves muffins, well, she loves glorious morning muffins, and I wanted blueberry muffins. I am refraining from giving her any refined sugar for as long as possible, so I needed to develop a recipe for blueberry muffins that would make everyone happy. Light and fluffy for me, and fairly healthy for her. These are a good balance. The dates give them plenty of sweetness, that combination of flours keep them light, with just enough whole wheat I didn’t feel too terrible. The lemon zest gives the muffins a hint of spring and they are bursting with blueberries. I highly recommend these for second breakfast on the go.
Refined Sugar Free Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups, pitted, chopped dates.
3/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
zest from one small lemon (about 1 tsp)
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 TBL apple cider vinegar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
1 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries
Instructions
Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or a light coating of oil and preheat oven to 375.
Place the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl or measuring cup and pour the boiling water over the dates. Cover and set aside until soft, 10-20 minutes.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl stirring briefly.
When the dates are soft mash them with a fork until relatively smooth (no big pieces), then add them to the flour mixture.
Add the lemon zest, sunflower oil, non-dairy milk, vinegar, vanilla, and almond stirring to combine.
Add the blueberries and stir to distribute evenly throughout the batter.
Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups and bake 20-24 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Some nights I just need to eat a potato, and spend less that 15 minutes cooking. This is one of my go-to recipes for those nights. Super easy, filling, nutritious, and delicious. I know some people area all like “potatoes are bad”, but they aren’t. They are delicious, less than 2o0 calories a potato, full of vitamin C, B-6, and potassium. And they’re yummy. If you’re still worried this recipe would also be good with a baked sweet potato, or squash, or smashed parsnips, cauliflower, or turnips. Choose your yummy fall/winter vegetable and go to town.
You might notice in the next few weeks that I am slightly obsessed with soyrizo. It is so richly flavored you can totally get past the fake meat thing. I really don’t like the taste of fake meat, but soyrizo is just swimming in spices and savory goodness. So, the next few weeks will highlight quick and easy meals, but also meals made with soyrizo. Forgive me if you don’t share my obsession. However, if you haven’t tried it, go out and get some. -Do read the package if you are vegan as some brands contain milk. For this week, after you make this baked potato happiness on a plate, you can either use the other half of the soyrizo package to make pizza burritos (this is what I recommend), or freeze it and wait for next week when I post another quick and easy recipe that uses soyrizo.
Baked Potato with Soyrizo and Kale (vegan)
Ingredients
4 large baking potatoes
2 TBL olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 cups chopped kale
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 package soyrizo
1/2 cup vegetable broth, beer, or water
2 TBL vegan cream cheese
2 TBL nutritional yeast
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400
Poke a few holes in the potatoes with a fork, place in the oven right on the rack, and bake until they are soft on the inside 45-60 min. I test them by squeezing them (with a potholder) and when you can feel the inside give they are ready.
Meanwhile (when you have about 15 minutes until the potatoes are done), heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Saute onions until just softened, about 3 minutes.
Add kale and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
Add Garlic and cook briefly, about 30 seconds, then add soyrizo, vegetable broth, cream cheese, and nutritional yeast.
Stir frequently and cook until heated through, about 3 more minutes.
When potatoes are done, split them lengthwise and top with soyrizo mixture.
So my lovely little baby is a picky eater. How did this happen? The good thing is she is picky like me. It isn’t green foods, or vegetables she avoids, no, it is some sort of structure that only she know. It is starting to get better, but until then I just keep making this oatmeal in huge batches because it is all she wants to eat. I shouldn’t complain since this is just about the healthiest thing I could get into her, but still.
You can mix and match what goes in here depending on what your toddler is into. Mine will only eat it if there are pieces of green that she can see. She turned up her nose and wouldn’t even try my apricot almond oatmeal the other. day. Whatever. I do try to mix it up a bit and add different grains, vegetables, and cheese on and off. I even put some chicken in one time and she ate that, as long as it was in the oatmeal. Not on it’s own, that just wouldn’t make sense.
If your little lovely doesn’t like vegetables you could hide them by using a white carrot and peeling the zucchini, just leave out the spinach. You could also make it sweet by swapping the broth for sweetener, maybe adding some cinnamon.
Good luck with your picky eater!
Toddler Superfood Oatmeal
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
1/2 small/medium zucchini, shredded
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp mushroom broth powder or mushroom bullion
1 TBL chia seeds
1 TBL hemp seeds
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 TBL nutritional yeast
1 TBL olive oil (optional)
1/4 cup cottage cheese (optional)
Instructions
Put water, carrot, and zucchini in a small saucepan and bring water to a boil.
Once water is boiling stir in the oats.
Add chia and hemp seed and stir briefly.
Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until water is almost absorbed, 3-5 minutes.
Add spinach and nutritional yeas, stir and cook until the oatmeal is the consistency you prefer.
I’m in a very celebratory mood. Thanksgiving has just finished, my daughter’s first birthday was Thursday, and Christmas and New Years are right around the corner. The celebration and the holidays mean food and family to me. I am ever so lucky to be home in Wisconsin with my family right now. We get to do a birthday celebration, and a second Thanksgiving. I also get to be around people who love food as much as I do!! My mom, my little brother, my dad (though he doesn’t really cook), and my best friend from forever (she drove five hours with two small children to come see me for a few days, that’s love!) So this week I’ll get to talk about food, eat food, and celebrate with some of my favorite people. I’m very happy to be home.
To get these celebrations off on the right track I’m sharing my first aquafaba recipe. Aquafaba is simply the juice you drain from a can of garbonzo or white beans, or the cooking liquid if you make your own. You know, the stuff you usually pour down the drain. Well, if you save it, and whip it, the texture is exactly that of whipped egg whites. It’s an amazing trick. This chocolate mousse it lighter than air, it simply melts on your tongue, is richly, deeply, chocolate, and well, pretty amazing. This is a great recipe to start with for aquafaba as it is super simple, and the texture will blow your mind. For more information on aquafaba, and other ideas visit the official aquafaba website.
Aquafaba chocolate mousse
Ingredients
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
2 TBL non-dairy milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
dash of salt
1/2 cup aquafaba (the liquid drained from a can of from white or garbanzo beans)
Instructions
Mix the chocolate chips, milk, vanilla, and salt in a small metal or glass bowl.
Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water and stir until the chocolate is just melted.
Remove the bowl from the pan, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile whip the aquafaba with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form 5-10 minutes. It will look like whipped egg whites.
Once the chocolate has cooled to room temperature gently fold it into the whipped aquafaba until the mousse is a uniform color.
Set the mousse in the refrigerator and allow to cool. You can eat it right away, but I like it pretty well chilled. Overnight is great and it will last a few days.
Are you vegan or vegetarian, or have you invited someone who is to your Thanksgiving meal? All the choices for what to make can be overwhelming. If this isn’t your usual diet you might feel restricted. Don’t worry; you can make anything you want! You have the choice to make your favorite traditional dishes using vegan or vegetarian ingredients, or to develop new dishes and traditions. One of my favorite Thanksgivings it was just me and my husband (we had just moved and didn’t even have friends yet), and we made a full Indian meal for Thanksgiving. We cooked all day, ate ourselves silly, and took a nap. Pretty traditional if you ask me:)
In case you’re struggling with ideas for what to make I’ve giving you this lovely list of delicious dishes I have scoured the internet, and my own site, for.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas
Appetizers:
Smoky Bean Dip from me (is there a trend here with the smokiness)
Chili Cheese Dip from me. -This is actually a tradition on my husband’s side, not vegan, but the chili cheese dip.
Bell Pepper and Tomato Rice from me. -I have requested this from my mother on a few Thanksgivings. I love it! Non-traditional for sure, but oh so delicious, rather easy, and the leftovers are fantastic!
Lasagna with Roasted Vegetables and Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce. -This isn’t actually a full recipe, but you could use the sauce, some roasted veggies, and layer it all together for an amazing fall lasagna.
Vegan Corn and Potato Chowder from me – Super easy to throw in the slow cooker and let it do it’s thing while you make something time consuming for the main dish.
Cranberry Orange Relish from me. -Cranberry something is necessary for Thanksgiving. Trust me and make this relish for your cranberry side.
Mashed Potatoes – You don’t need a recipe for this. Just cook potatoes, add earth balance, salt, and maybe a little nutritional yeast or coconut milk. Mash and eat. Yum.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole from Minimalist Baker. This version is totally homemade, not a can of cream of mystery in sight.
Happy Food Ninja 