Vegan Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream (Vegan)

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas, frozen beforehand 
• 1/3 cup peanut butter 
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup almond milk 
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts 

Directions:

1. Place the bananas first into the food processor and blend until creamy. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the walnuts. 
3. Mix the walnuts in and eat the “soup” now or place into the freezer for vegan ice cream! 

Vegan Movie Popcorn

Vegan Movie Popcorn without Using Store-Bought Packages!

Ingredients:

·        ¼ cup of corn kernels

·        Vegan Nonstick Spray (Smart Balance is what I recommend)

·        Cinnamon Sugar:

o   4 teaspoons sugar

o   ½ teaspoon cinnamon

·        Old Bay:

o   1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

o   ½ teaspoon black pepper and/or salt

·        BBQ:

o   ½ tablespoon salt

o   ½ tablespoons sugar

o   ½ tablespoons brown sugar

o   1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

o   ½ teaspoon chili powder

o   ½ teaspoon paprika

·        Microwave

·        Microwave Safe Bowl

·        Microwave Safe Plate

Directions:

1)    Place the corn kernels in the microwave safe bowl and cover with the plate. Make sure that the plate does not fully cover the bowl so that a little air can escape.

2)   Microwave for 2 minutes and 45 seconds and voila, you have popcorn!

3)    Make the seasonings while you cook the popcorn.

4)   Spray the popcorn with the nonstick spray and then coat in your choice of seasoning.

10 Minute Summer Pasta Primavera

10-Minute Summer Vegetables & Quinoa

Ingredients

·        1 small zucchini

·        2 small chopped tomatoes

·        1 tablespoon pesto (store bought is not vegan)

·        1/2 cups fresh spinach 

·        1/3 cup chickpeas (optional)

·        Fresh parsley

·        Pine nuts (optional)

·        3/4 cup quinoa (I used Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend)

·        1-1/2 cups water 

Directions:

1-  Boil the water either over the stove or in a kettle.

2-  Combine the pesto, zucchini, and tomato in a saucepan and sauté for 5 minutes.

3-  Meanwhile, add the quinoa to the boiling water in a saucepan. Let the water reboil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

4-  Add the spinach and chickpeas to the zucchini and tomato mixture and cook for another 3 minutes (or until the spinach has wilted).

5-   Pour the vegetables over the quinoa and top with fresh parsley and pine nuts.  

Vegan Peanut Butter Krispie Truffles

Vegan Peanut Butter Krispie Truffles

These peanut butter truffles are quote "delicious, but make you really thirsty!" These are a hit for any party that you go to, because you can switch up the type of chocolate covering, whether it be dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate... and you can dress it up! Really, anything goes with peanut butter! 

Ingredients:

-1 stick of vegan butter

-1 16.3 oz. jar of peanut butter

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1 pound of powdered sugar

-3 cups of puffed rice cereal

-20 oz. of melting chocolate (I used dark and white, even though white is not vegan)

-1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening

or

Instructions:

1.         Let the vegan butter soften to room temperature.

2.        Combine the butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla using a mixer. Add the rice cereal but only mix for a little. You don't want to completely crush the puffs!

3.        Form into small balls using a melon scooper and place into a a piece of parchment paper on baking sheet. Place into the freezer for a few hours (overnight will work).

4.       Melt the chocolate and shortening in the microwave. Dip each ball into the chocolate using a spoon. 

5.       Place the balls onto the parchment paper and freeze again.

6.       Enjoy! 

Vegan Walnut Spinach Patties

Walnut Spinach Patties

I came up with this recipe because I had a lot of leftover spinach in my fridge that was about to go bad and I was craving something other than a salad. These burgers took about 10 minutes to prepare total and 12 minutes to bake. 

Ingredients

·        3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil

·        1 cup chopped onion

·        2 cloves garlic, minced

·        16 oz. fresh spinach, stemmed, cooked, chopped, and squeezed dry, or 20 ounces thawed frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry

·        ¾ cup chopped walnuts

·        ½ cup oatmeal, pulsed into fine powder

·        About 1 teaspoon salt

·        ½ cup vegan cheese, shredded (I used Daiya Mozzarella)

·        Ground black pepper to taste

·        ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

·        4 tablespoons dehydrated potatoes

·        Lemon wedges for serving

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and, if using, the garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the spinach, ground oatmeal, walnuts, potato flakes, “cheese”, salt, pepper, and, the nutmeg.

2. Shape the spinach mixture into patties and bake for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Easy Vegan Coconut Curry

Easy Vegan Coconut Vegetable Curry

This recipe is so easy that you might assume it will be missing some essential flavors. But, it’s not! This recipe serves 6, so you can make it on Sunday night, along with some instant brown rice, and have it for dinner the whole week. That’s a huge time saver! Like many other ethnic recipes, the only complicated matter is that the Coconut Curry requires curry powder and coconut milk, so you might need to do a little digging to find them! Nevertheless, the local Indian restaurant down the street might have some competition…

Ingredients:

·        1 13.5 oz. can light coconut milk

·        1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce

·        2 tablespoons Indian Curry (I used Orange)

·        2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into dice-sized pieces

·        1 cup of chopped carrots (I chopped up precut mini carrots)

·        1 large zucchini, cut into thin slices and wedges

·        1 medium onion, chopped

·        ½ teaspoon fresh ginger

Directions:

1.     Combine coconut milk, tomato sauce, and curry in a large pan and bring to a boil.

2.     Reduce to medium-low heat and add all of the vegetables. Mix well.

3.     *Cook for 45 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are cooked.

*The aromatic curry and coconut might pull in some hungry college friends. Be cautious! 

50 Vegan Sandwich Combinations

50 Vegan Sandwich Combinations

Sometimes, you’ll be sitting in your apartment, complaining to yourself about starving and not having anything to eat in the house... but being too broke to go out to eat. So, you walk to the fridge hoping that magically, a new food has appeared since the last 5 minutes when you checked. Sadly, you see nothing but a loaf of bread, and sigh. However, there is hope! You can make a sandwich using any and everything you already have! Hopefully, this list will keep you from feeling that way the next time you’re hungry. It has surely helped me!

Inspiration: Vegan Lunch Box + experience J

1.     Peanut butter and jelly

2.     Vegan cream cheese, strawberry jelly, cashews

3.     Mashed beans and pickle

4.     Avocado, sprouts, lettuce, tomato

5.     Mixed green salad and dressing

6.     Baked or smoked tofu on rye

7.     Chickpea salad

8.     Vegan pate

9.     Cashew butter and banana

10. Seitan pot roast and gravy with ketchup

11. Sliced tofu hot dog with ketchup and mustard

12. Peanut butter with grated carrot and bean sprouts

13. Grilled ‘pepperoni’ sandwich

14. Vegan deli slices with veganaise and mustard, lettuce, tomato

15. Almond butter and chopped dates

16. Vegan tuna with veganaise and pickles

17. Vegan cheese sandwich

18. Tofurky with vegan cream cheese and cranberry sauce

19. Almond butter with raisins and cinnamon sugar

20. Veggie burger

21. Roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, black olives mashed

22. Lentil-rice balls with tomato sauce

23. Humus and cucumber

24. Baba ghanoush (eggplant) with grilled zucchini

25. Falafel balls with hummus, tahini, and lettuce

26. Vegan chicken patties with veganaise and honey mustard

27. Grilled zucchini, eggplant, onion

28. Vegan cream cheese and pineapple

29. Almond butter and apple slices

30. Refried beans and salsa

31. Fried tempeh

32. Peanut butter and kiwi

33. Margarine with pumpkin, apple, or pear butter

34. Grilled mushroom with caramelized onions and balsamic vinegar

35. Vegan bacon, lettuce, and tomato

36. Scrambled tofu

37. Vegan coleslaw and cashews

38. Fried tofu with a peanut sauce and spinach

39. Herb and chive vegan cream cheese with sprouts, onion, tomato, lettuce

40. Vegan meatloaf and ketchup

41. Peanut butter and vegan chocolate chips

42. Tomatoes, black olives, and vegan cream cheese.

43. Sloppy joe sauce and veggie burger crumbles.

44. Vegan cream cheese, olives, mustard, cucumbers.

45. Vegan chicken patty, marinara sauce, vegan cheese.

46. Vegan baking bits, vegan mayonnaise, tomatoes.

47. Vegan margarine, veggies, Italian dressing, vegan cheese.

48. Asparagus, vegan mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, lettuce.

49. Hummus, alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, salt and pepper.

50. Vegan meatballs, spaghetti sauce, vegan cheese.