Veggie Staples

dairy free, gluten free, refined sugar free, plant based recipes

Archives for June 2014

Black Bean Gluten Free Pasta Salad with Avocado Cilantro Dressing

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vegan pasta salad

I told you guys here how much I’ve had a craving for pasta salad lately! Call it a pregnancy kick or just a warm weather thing, I’m not really sure! This black bean pasta salad (completely gluten free and vegan) with avocado cilantro dressing is perfectly light and great for the warm weather! The best thing about pasta salad is you can put anything in it you have sitting in the fridge; veggies, fruit, etc.

I’ve also become quite obsessed with tolerant pasta, a pasta made entirely out of black beans (16 grams of fiber per serving!) or red lentils (I did a mixture of both here). Great texture and taste, now if only I could actually figure out how to make this on my own?! They don’t make too many pasta molds out there to make your own pasta other than ravioli!

And lastly, one of my biggest hot spots is salad dressing. Have you ever looked at the back of any salad dressings? It gets me really worked up when I’m short on time and I have to try to find something to use for salad dressing. Most of the time I end up going back home just to make it anyways. 99% of salad dressing are full of corn syrup, sugar, etc. Not to mention the huge list of ingredients that are completely unnecessary… And it’s so easy to whip up your own dressing! You can make them just as good or better! (you can also try my tahini dressing from my veggie summer rolls) What is your favorite flavor of dressing?

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Black Bean Gluten Free Pasta Salad with Avocado Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients

  • for the salad
  • 1/2 cup tolerant black bean pasta
  • 1/2 cup tolerant red lentil pasta
  • 4 cups organic spring mix lettuce
  • 2 red peppers, washed, sliced and chopped
  • 1 cucumber, washed, peeled and chopped
  • 2 large heirloom tomatoes, washed and chopped
  • for the dressing
  • 1/2 cup plain coconut milk yogurt
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 1 handful of cilantro, washed

Instructions

  1. for the salad
  2. Cook pasta as directed on box
  3. Run under cold water when done
  4. Mix in a bowl with remaining salad ingredients, set aside
  5. for the dressing
  6. Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor
  7. Pour dressing over salad and toss well (best if served chilled)
http://veggiestaples.com/black-bean-pasta-salad-avocado-cilantro-dressing/

 

Vegan Chocolate Pudding Pops

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Okay, who remembers Bill Cosby’s J-E-L-L-O pudding pop commercial?

 

When I think of hot summers running around as small child, I remember pudding pops, too! I remember how sad I was when my mom told me they stopped making them. I just don’t get it, there were a household favorite. The heat is now at us full on and being pregnant I am hot - ALL. THE. TIME. I am really lucky my parents have central AC to keep me cool through the entire month of July!

Reminiscing about these pudding pops inspired me to make my own. Just three ingredients, less than 5 minutes to make (minus freezer time) and minimal clean up! You can’t go wrong! (and if you’re in the mood for something fruity, try my watermelon pop recipe, you’ll love that one too!) And there are a vegan, healthy version of them, which is even better! What is your favorite kind of popsicle?!

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Vegan Chocolate Pudding Pops

Ingredients

  • 1 can of coconut milk (full fat or low fat)
  • 1/4 cup raw cocao powder
  • 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 avocado (optional)
  • 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract for extra sweetener (optional)

Instructions

  1. Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth
  2. Pour liquid into molds and top with handles These ones from amazon are my favorite
  3. Place in the freezer until liquid forms a solid (I usually leave mine in overnight)
http://veggiestaples.com/vegan-chocolate-pudding-pops/

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Cherry Lime Summer Spritzer

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IMG_1231   My husband and I are obsessed with seltzer water. We always have been. My mom finally convinced us to get one (actually, she bought it for us for Christmas) and needless to say, it gets used every day (no, really). We are now avid believers and it’s awesome because we can add all kinds of juices or other adult beverages to it, and we are always trying something new. Seltzer water is especially refreshing in the summer. It’s a nice change from water and still provides hydration, but with a little fun. Either way, if you don’t have a Soda Stream, I highly recommend one (get it here). Way better for the environment and then you can make a little or a lot. I saw cherries at the store this weekend and got so excited! Finally, a reasonable, affordable price. With summer here (well, almost) and the warm weekend we had, I thought I’d change up my usual go to when I’m not sure what to put in my seltzer water (which would be cranberry and lime). Cherries it is! I’m so excited to share this one with you! Hope you like this refreshing summer spritzer just as much as I do! If you already drink seltzer, what do you put in yours? IMG_1227

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Cherry Lime Summer Spritzer

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cherries, washed and pitted
  • 3-4 tablespoons of lime juice (1 lime, juiced, + more for garnish if desired)
  • 1-2 teaspoons honey, optional

Instructions

  1. Wash and pit cherries
  2. Add cherries to a blender or food processor
  3. Add lime juice (and honey if you are adding that)
  4. Blend until smooth
  5. Strain cherry mixture if necessary
  6. Add desired amount of mixture to seltzer water
  7. Optional: lime for garnish
  8. Enjoy your lovely bubbly drink!
http://veggiestaples.com/cherry-lime-summer-spritzer/

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Crunchy Vegan Salad with Sesame Seed Dressing

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I don’t know if anything can beat a crisp, cold salad when the weather starts to get warm. I have been eating tons of cold salads for lunch since Memorial Day and I don’t see any signs of stopping. I go back and forth between brown rice or quinoa noodles or just making zoodles (zucchini noodles with my spiralizer - and if you don’t know what a spiralizer is, you need one! It makes anything into noodles! Find it here on Amazon!), so this recipe is GREAT for someone who eats both Vegan or Paleo.

And have you ever heard of coconut aminos? It’s a great alternative to soy sauce with loads less sodium than regular soy sauce. I used this as part of the dressing and it just gives it such a wonderful, nutty flavor - the sesame seeds and raw veggies give the pasta salad a little bit of crunch! Add in all those veggies and you just can’t go wrong! I would bet once you make this once, you’ll make it over and over again all summer, just like I will be doing!

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Crunchy Vegan Salad with Sesame Seed Dressing

Ingredients

  • for the salad:
  • 2 servings brown rice or quinoa pasta OR 1 cup zoodles (zucchini noodles)
  • 1 cup cucumber, washed, peeled and juilenned (or made into zoodles)
  • 1 cup carrots, washed, peeled and julienned (or made into zoodles) + a 1/2 cup more chopped for some extra crunch
  • 8 sweet mini peppers, washed and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup scallions, washed and chopped
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds (black or white)
  • for the dressing:
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta as directed or make zoodles out of veggies
  2. Wash and cut all other veggies
  3. Place all vegetables in a bowl and set aside
  4. Combine all dressing ingredients and mix well (I just used a fork)
  5. Drizzle dressing over salad and top with scallions and sesame seeds!
http://veggiestaples.com/crunchy-vegan-salad-sesame-seed-dressing/

 

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Paleo Banana Nut Muffins

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All week I had this insatiable craving for banana nut muffins! The craving came sometime around Wednesday or Thursday and just did not let up. So I knew over the weekend I had a mission to put together some delicious gluten free, dairy free, paleo banana nut muffins for you, dear readers. You really can’t go wrong with a banana muffin. Unless, of course, you do not enjoy bananas? I’m guessing you could easily swap bananas out for blueberries, strawberries or even blackberries, but I haven’t tried. What is your favorite kind of muffin?

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Simple Paleo Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 2-3 tablespoons vanilla extract (depending on how sweet you like it)
  • 1 tablespoon nut butter
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup crushed nuts (optional)
  • coconut oil for greasing

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Mash bananas
  3. Crush nuts (I put mine in a bag and roll over them with a rolling pin)
  4. Combine all ingredients and mix well
  5. Grease muffin cups with coconut oil
  6. Divide muffin mixture equally between muffin cups (I got 10 muffins out of mine)
  7. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
http://veggiestaples.com/banana-nut-muffins/

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