If you follow me on Instagram, you know I post a lot of smoothie pictures, but I do get sick of smoothies. Sometimes I want something warm or thicker and more hardy then a smoothie. I don’t tolerate a whole lot of classic breakfast foods and I’m still not a fan of salad before noon.
I also hate oatmeal. I think it’s one of the most disgusting foods on the planet. Not only do I not like the taste, but it doesn’t agree with my tummy (granola does alright but oatmeal? I don’t think so). I’m not sure why I can handle oats in other forms but not when cooked into oatmeal. The smell and texture/volume makes me nauseous. Just thinking about oatmeal makes me nauseous! So, let’s move on to something more delicious.
I recently discovered buckwheat porridge. And we all know how much I love buckwheat! This did the trick. It’s similar to oatmeal, to give you that hardy, warm flavor and texture, but I think it tastes better and I digest it easier. I provide two options below- one for a raw version and one for a cooked. This dish can easily be made either way with just one extra, quick step for the cooked version. I usually like to keep it raw in the morning (in general, I handle raw foods better), but sometimes you just want a warm meal.
This recipe does require soaking the buckwheat groats, so be sure to read the whole recipe so you can soak your buckwheat the night before. And you can easily adjust this recipe to serve more!
Easy Buckwheat Porridge
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1/4 cup buckwheat groats, dry (1/2 cup soaked)
1/2-1 cup plant based milk of choice (I use my homemade coconut milk)
1/2 ripe banana
1 tsp. chia seeds
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 date AND/OR 1/2-1 tsp. honey/maple syrup/agave/sweetener of choice
Toppings:
Banana
Fresh or frozen berries
Hemp seeds
Coconut
Take 1/4 cup buckwheat groats and soak overnight in double the amount of water.
The next morning, when you are ready to make breakfast, drain and rinse your buckwheat thoroughly. You should have about 1/2 cup of buckwheat now (as it expands when soaked).
Blend buckwheat and 1/3-1/2 cup of milk (start with 1/3 cup if planning to eat raw, add more if you like a soupier consistency) in blender for a few seconds until just combined. Add in remaining porridge ingredients. Sweetness depends on your liking, so add dates/sweetener as desired. Blend until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
If eating raw, pour into a dish and mix with your toppings.
If you’d like a warm porridge, pour mixture into a saucepan over very low heat. Warm on stove, stirring frequently. The porridge should thicken quickly, so keep your eye on it. Heat until desired consistency and warmth is reached. Add more milk as necessary if it becomes too thick.
Scoop into a bowl and top with fresh fruit and other desired toppings. I like to pour some extra milk over the top of my porridge, as well, to keep it creamy.
You know those nights where you just want to eat a whole pizza by yourself? Well, now you can! Okay, it is a raw vegan pizza, maybe not quite the same as the real thing, but it’s still yummy and a healthier substitute. My dad tasted it and approved so you know it’s blog worthy when that happens!
Everything from the crust to the “cheeze” is made from scratch and although this pizza is somewhat time intensive, it’s quite easy to make. I encourage you to give it a shot the next time you want a whole pizza but don’t want the negative health consequences that come along with it.
Raw Vegan Pizza
Serves 2-4
Carrot-Bell Pepper Crust:
1 large red bell pepper
2 large carrots
1 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 tbs. fresh or dried basil
1 tbs. fresh or dried oregano
1/2 tbs. fresh or dried rosemary (more of all spices if desired or a few tbs. Italian spices)
1/4-1/2 cup water
Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor. Start with 1/4 cup water and add more if needed. You want a thicker dough like consistency, nothing too watery or runny.
Pour batter onto two dehydrator sheets (lined with teflex or parchment paper), or more if you want smaller pizzas. Spread dough out with a spatula into nice, round pizza crusts. Keep dough thick, as dehydrating will thin it out (and you don’t want cracked pizza crust!). You can spread it thinner if you want thin crust, just be careful not to spread it too thin. You can also create a slight lip around the crust to hold your toppings on.
Place in dehydrator set at 115 F for about 6-8 hours. Check crust about 4-6 hours through and flip crusts when able. Dehydrate for last 1-2 hours flipped. If you want a crunchier crust, leave in even longer.
If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use the oven at the lowest setting (usually around 120-200F so you won’t have to leave the crust in for quite as long).
Pizza Toppings:
Mushrooms, thinly sliced
Yellow squash/zucchini, thinly sliced
Spinach
Coconut aminos
While preparing your sauce and cheese, marinate your mushrooms and squash in some coconut aminos. massage aminos gently into veggies and let sit for at least 10 minutes.
Sundried Tomato and Mango Sauce:
1 cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked in warm water for at least 1 hour
1/2 a mango
1 tbs. dried basil
1 tbs. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried sage
1-2 dates, pitted
1 handful of spinach OR 1/2 a peeled zucchini
1/2-1 cup water (I used the same water the tomatoes soaked in)
Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender, starting with 1/2 cup of water. Add water as necessary to reach desired sauce consistency.
Basic Cashew Cheeze Sauce:
2 cups cashews, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
1/4-1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 tbs. dried Italian herbs or fresh parsley and cilantro
2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 cup water
Blend all ingredients in the food processor or high speed blender (hold fresh herbs if using) until smooth. Add more water if you want a thinner cheese. I like to start with 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and then add based on taste. Some people love nooch and some hate it. If using fresh herbs, mix in chopped fresh herbs at the end of blending.
Assembly:
When ready to assemble your pizza, take crust and spread tomato sauce over it. Top with spinach and then the rest of your veggies evenly. Put cheeze into a plastic ziplock bag. Cut a small hole off one corner and then squeeze cheeze over your pizza. Cut into desired pieces and eat up!
As most of you probably already know, I can’t do life without dessert. I mean what is life without dessert? I can’t sleep without a bedtime snack. It just won’t happen. But seeing as “dessert” usually means sugar laden crap and seeing that I’m attempting to heal from illness and should be consuming no sugar or processed foods of any sort, I have to find other ways to satisfying my dessert cravings.
Eating one piece of fruit usually doesn’t cut it, I need something creative and yummy. So I came up with this recipe. It’s not super sweet, which I love (because I actually don’t like when things are overly sweet, anyway), and you can feel free to leave out the couple of tablespoons of honey/maple syrup or replace them with added coconut butter or oil.
Blueberry Cups
Makes 9 mini pies
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup of pitted medjool dates
1/2 cup buckwheat groats (preferably sprouted)
1/2 cup pecans (for nut-free option, use sunflower seeds or more buckwheat)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbs. coconut oil, melted
1 tbs. raw honey or maple syrup, replace with melted coconut oil if you don’t want the added sweetener
Filling:
1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
1 very ripe banana
3 tbs. coconut oil
2 tbs. coconut butter
1-2 tablespoons raw honey, maple syrup, or more coconut butter
2 tbs. agar agar
1/2 cup water
Place all crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it comes together and sticks like a dough (don’t over process to the point where it is super smooth).
Divide dough among muffin tin (this recipe makes about 9). There is no need to grease them or use muffin liners. Use your hands to press dough into muffin cup and about 1/2 way up the side of the cup, forming a crust.
Now, place agar agar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and stir until agar agar is dissolved (about 5 minutes).
Melt coconut oil and coconut butter together over low heat (or in the dehydrator).
Blend all filling ingredients in the food processor until smooth. Pour filling into your mini crusts, dividing evenly.
Place in the fridge and let set for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to remove, slide a knife around the outside edge of each blueberry cup to loosen from tin. You should then easily be able to scoop them out of the muffin tin.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Enjoy!
You need to make this. You need to make this right now. After you finish reading this post and how to make it, go make it!
As a vegan, I don’t endorse eating fake animal products (like fake meats and fake cheeses) as they contain a lot of processed ingredients, soy, and nasty food colorings and preservatives. AKA just because it’s vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy! But let’s be real, quesadillas are life. Having those delicious fillings in between a crunchy tortilla… mmm mmm mmm. I was craving a quesadilla the other week but obviously didn’t want to eat a bunch of fake, health-less cheese. So I got creative. And I nailed it. Once again 😉
Granted, this isn’t like your classic ooey-gooey quesadilla, but it’s a grand alternative for a vegan, healthy version.
Vegan (No-Fake Cheese) Quesadilla
Serves 1-2
Ingredients:
2 brown rice tortillas (or gluten free tortilla of choice, not corn)
1 large sweet potato, baked
1 cup of canned or cooked black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup thinly sliced baby mushrooms
1/2-1 small onion, diced (depending on how much onion you like)
1 cup baby spinach
Spices of choice: salt, pepper, chili pepper (my personal suggestions)
*You can add jalapeños for an extra kick
**You can also sprinkle a few tbs of nutritional yeast in your quesadilla (or add 1/4 cup to your sweet potato mash) for more of a cheesy flavor.
Directions:
Saute onion and mushrooms in a pan with 1 tablespoon of water until they begin to soften.
While onions and mushrooms are cooking, scoop the flesh out of your sweet potato and mash it in a bowl with spices of choice (I personally just like salt but if you want more of a kick, add 1/2-1 tsp ground red pepper). Don’t throw away the peel! It’s packed with nutrients. I like to use it as vehicle for getting other food into my mouth.
Mash your black beans in a separate bowl.
Lay out 1 tortilla on a cutting board and spread half the sweet potato over the tortilla. Layer half your mashed black beans on one half of the tortilla then add half your onion and mushroom mixture to the same half.
Lay spinach over half the tortilla and then fold tortilla in half (folding just sweet potato side over the layered side). Press down lightly.
Slide quesadilla into a frying pan over medium heat. Cover and let cook about 3-5 minutes, until pan side down begins to brown. Using a spatula, do your best to get under the tortilla and quickly flip it. Cook uncovered for another 3-5 minutes until both sides are browned.
While first quesadilla is cooking, prep your second tortilla. Cook the same way.
When quesadilla is done, slide it out of the pan onto your cutting board and cut into 2-4 pieces.
Serve with a side of guacamole or salsa (or both) and enjoy this vegan version of an all time favorite!
I like my food with a view 😉
I’ve been really digging on papaya lately. Not only is it delicious if you have a perfectly ripe one (it took me a long time to learn what ripe is for papaya- when the outside gets soft and dark and it almost seems like it is going bad), but papaya is a health powerhouse! Papaya is packed with nutrients and is wonderful for your digestive system. It is anti-inflammatory and can ease pain, including menstrual cramps.
I add papaya seeds in this smoothie, which, yes, you can consume. Papaya seeds are anti-parasitic, filled with digestive enzymes, and aid in liver health.
If you don’t have access to organic papaya, be sure to buy the Mexican papaya NOT Hawaiian! Hawaiian papayas are genetically-modified.
Pink Power Smoothie (not only for the guys)
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 tsp. maca powder
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1/2 serving vanilla Sunwarrior raw vegan protein
About 1/2 teaspoon size thumb of fresh ginger root or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger (optional, adds some spice as well as the health benefits of ginger)
10 papaya seeds
1 ripe banana
1 frozen banana
5 frozen strawberries
1 cup papaya (about 1/4 of a large)
*You can add 1 cup fresh spinach to get your greens in, as well (it just won’t be a pretty pink color ;))
Add all ingredients to your blender (I suggest a high speed blender like a Vitamix). I also suggest adding them in the order listed.
Blend for 1 minute or until everything is combined together. Add more water to reach desired consistency
Pour into a bowl or glass, top with your favorite toppings and ENJOY!
I made a thicker version with less water so it was like ice cream
Me: “I could eat curry forever! It is soooo good!”
Mom: “You mean you could eat it for the next two weeks straight until you become completely sick of it.”
Me: “No, there are so many options. Green curry, red curry, yellow curry…”
Mom: “Mhm…”
I have a bad habit of becoming obsessed with a food/meal and only eating that until I never want to see that food ever again in my life. But curry? How can you get sick of it? I’m not even a spicy person yet I can’t get enough of it lately. I’ve been on a green curry kick as of late, but every variety of curry is a star in my book.
This recipe calls for coconut milk and I used my Homemade Coconut Mylk. I recently posted my very first video on YouTube and it’s a quick and easy tutorial on how to make your own, chemical/additive/stabilizer-free coconut mylk. First of all, it would mean the world to me if you could head on over and and watch it, like it, and subscribe to my channel. And please let me know what types of videos you would like to see (more recipe tutorials, what I eat videos, anything!). Second of all, I highly recommend giving the recipe a shot because 1) it’s delicious, 2) it’s chemical free unlike the store-bought varieties, and 3) it’s perfect in this recipe!
Vegan Green Curry
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1-2 tbs. fresh grated ginger (depending on how much you like that ginger kick)
2 tbs. green curry paste (will be spicy, reduce if not a huge spicy fan)
1 tbs. coconut aminos
3 large carrots (I used a mix of purple and orange)
2 stalks of broccoli florets, chopped
2 yellow squash, cut into rounds and then cut in half
2 small baby bok choy, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup homemade coconut milk or canned coconut milk (low fat or full fat, whichever you prefer)
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
4 green onions, chopped
salt to taste
First things first, prep all your ingredients. Have everything chopped, grated, and ready to go.
Heat 1 tbs. of water over medium-high heat in a large saucepan with high sides. Add the grated ginger and cook for about 1 minute until it becomes fragrant.
Reduce heat to medium and add the green curry paste. Cook for another 1-2 minutes to warm curry and allow it to become fragrant, as well.
Add the carrots and cook for 3 minutes, covered. Add a couple tablespoons of water if the carrots begin to stick. Then add the broccoli, 1/4 cup of vegetable broth, and coconut aminos. Cook for about 3 more minutes, covered, until broccoli and carrots begin to soften. Add yellow squash and cook for another 3-5 minutes until squash begins to soften.
Add the bok choy, remaining veggie broth, coconut milk, turmeric powder, and salt to taste (add about 1/4 tsp at this point).
Stir well. Bring to a slight boil then reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally, and let cook until bok choy softens and all veggies are cooked through (another 5-7 minutes).
Stir in the the green onions and allow them to absorb the flavors before serving. Add more salt if desired.
Serve over rice or noodles and enjoy!
