Lemon Blueberry Loaf [gluten-free + vegan + oil-free]

LemonLoaf2 This was one of those recipes in which I had a craving for flavor (in this case, lemon) and a new dish was born.  Yummy! I’ve been experimenting more and more with aquafaba, the juice from canned chickpeas, and really liking the results.

It looks like there are a lot of ingredients here but a lot of them are spices.  It really isn’t any more labor intensive than any other loaf, muffin or cookie recipe I’ve got.  The key is to put the blueberries in the bottom of the loaf pan so that when it cools and you flip it over, you have a yummy, dark purple blueberry topping.  Cool looking and even better tasting.

Potato and Cauliflower Samosa Patties


If you’ve ever eaten a samosa at an Indian restaurant (or Whole Foods salad bar for that matter), you know those delectable little things are deep fried.  These patties have that mouth-watering samosa flavor, without all the fat and flour.

This recipe is adapted from Rouxbe, the on-line plant-based culinary school I’m attending. The first time I made these I followed the recipe to the letter but felt they could be improved and made to be lower in fat.  The family actually preferred my version.  Score!

Keep in mind the heat of these will depend on how much of and the type of curry powder you use.  I’m a total wimp when it comes to spice so I only used 1 TBS curry powder (half Penzey Sweet Curry Powder and half Madras Curry Powder).  Use more, or some cayenne, if you like the heat.  They have tons of flavor regardless.  Enjoy!!

Chickpea Curry Lettuce Wraps with Tamari-Lime Sliced Almonds

If you’ve ever made my Mock Chicken Salad you’ll already have an idea of how this dish is made – it’s the same process.  I set out to make the Mock Chicken Salad but I was feeling creative and wanted to change it up significantly.  I absolutely LOVE what I ended up with. SO delicious.  And, it’s really easy to make!! No cooking required for the filling.  Though, if you would like it warm and/or find raw celery and onion too crunchy or strong, feel free to sauté those first.  I made these for lunch on a fairly warm day but I think the warm/cooked filling would be nice on a chilly day or at dinner.  It’s up to you! Experiment….I did!

Feel free to use this filling for a sandwich instead of lettuce wraps.

They are only a garnish, so a small amount is used, but the Tamari-Lime Sliced Almonds are AMAZING here.

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup (vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, low-fat)

One of my favorite restaurants Native Foods has an African Peanut Soup that I adore.  It tastes very fattening though so I wanted to try and make something similar, but with less fat.  As well, theirs is a very smooth soup and I prefer chunkier soups – I like chewing! This version is thick and chunky, while still being creamy.  And this can vary depending on how much of it you want blended, using your immersion or regular blender. Feel free to play around with spices and amounts.  Those listed here result in a mild flavor.

Double Lentil & Sweet Potato Soup (vegan, oil-free, gluten-free)

As much as I complain about not enjoying cold weather and shorter days, I must admit the food that is most often consumed during those months, i.e., soups and stews, is my most favorite!  I made this soup in the crock pot recently on a rainy Saturday.  Perfect! I really like lentils so a soup that calls for two kinds – even better!

Red Lentil and Rice Soup

RedLentilRiceSoupWhy are they called red lentils when they are pink, and become yellow once cooked? Weird.  All I know is they make an amazing soup!  Unlike other types of lentils, these cook and break down quickly, and end up soft, almost as if they have been pureed.  The first few times I made this soup it was on the stove, but recently I used the crock pot and it was even better.  There really is something to slow cooking, allowing the flavors to build and grow.  Either way, it’s an easy, delicious meal, any time of year. One of our favorites!!