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Easy Cheezy Broccoli Potato Soup

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Bring back that nostalgic broccoli and cheese sauce side dish!

This Cheezy Broccoli Potato Soup does just that. It’s thick and flavourful with sooooo many nutrients.

If you’re timing tonight gives you anxiety when you even consider making dinner, this is tha soup fo’ you!!

It’s really yum with this smokey vegan parmesano, and a side of avocado toast (duh).

This is a super satiating, delicious, and incredibly nutritious soup for those times you just don’t have that time to spend alllllll hours in the kitchen.


Easy Cheezy Broccoli Potato Soup
 
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A simple, whole foods soup with that 'cheese & broccoli sauce' nostalgia!
Author:
Recipe type: dinner, lunch
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 heads broccoli, roughly chopped
  • 2 russet potatoes, roughly chopped
  • ¾-1 cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 tbsp tamari
  • 3 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
  • Optional for thickening: 1 tbsp corn starch or arrowroot powder, mixed with ½ cup water
  • 2 green onion, chopped
Instructions
  1. Boil potatoes until soft (place potato in a large pot, cover with water, bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 15 minutes)
  2. Steam broccoli for 5 minutes (alternatively, place broccoli florets in the boiling water with the potatoes at the 10 minute mark ~ you will lose a bit of flavour, but save on cleaning a pot)
  3. Meanwhile, water sauté onion and garlic (heat a pan to medium heat, add onion, mix around as it browns for a few minutes, then add a bit of water to de-glaze. Let it cook until translucent, add a bit of water when if it's sticking).
  4. Blend in two batches: add half of everything (broccoli, potatoes, 1½ tbsp tamari, 1 - 1½ cups broth, ½ cup nutritional yeast) to the blender and blend until almost smooth. Pour into the pot you used for potato boiling, then repeat with the rest of the ingredients.
  5. Warm the soup up for a few minutes, then stir in the optional cornstarch mixture (mix for at least 30 seconds)
  6. Serve with avocado toast, green onion, and this Smokey Vegan Parm!

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Easiest Walnut Banana Bread | Vegan + Gluten-Free

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When the aroma of ripe nana’s starts to creep out from the kitchen, that’s when you know it’s time to transform those yellow thangs into everyone’s favourite type of bread…Walnut Banana Bread!

My goal for this banana bread was to go from a bowl of spotty bananas to a delicious bread as easy and quickly as possible.

Eat it for breakfast.

Pack it for lunch.

Warm it up for dessert.

Sometimes life calls for a cup’ o’ tea and a loaf of ‘nana bread.

So, when it can be pretty dang healthy for you, I’d consider that a life WINNING situation.

I’ll stop talking now. Make this and devour!

5.0 from 1 reviews
 
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Walnut Chaga Protein Banana Bread | Vegan | Gluten-Free
Recipe Type: dessert, snack
Author: Jules
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Possibly the easiest banana bread you’ll ever make with incredibly dense deliciousness!

Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

  • 4 bananas
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ⅛ cup coconut oil
  • 2 chia eggs (2 tbsp chia seeds mixed with 6 tbsp water, let sit for 5 minutes)

Dry Ingredients:

  • 2¾ cups oats, gluten-free if needed
  • 1/4 cup Complement Protein powder (use ‘hookedonplants’ for a discount)
  • 2 tsp Chaga Powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • pinch of sea salt
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ½ cup vegan chocolate chips (optional, but why wouldn’t ya?)

Topping:

  • 1 banana, halved lengthwise
  • 6-8 walnuts
Instructions:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F
  2. Line your loaf baking dish with parchment paper.
  3. First, blend your oats into a flour, then pour into a big bowl.
  4. Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the oat flour and stir until combined.
  5. Put all wet ingredients in your blender, blend until smooth.
  6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined.
  7. Pour the mixture into your loaf pan (either a medium sized one or 2 small ones). Fill it up almost all the way to the top.
  8. Place the halved banana on top with a few walnuts.
  9. Bake for 50 minutes.
  10. Let cool a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
  11. Enjoy! (Maybe with some of this jam!)
  12. To store, put it back into the loaf pan and cover it with tinfoil, or reusable vegan wax wrap (not affiliated, but can’t stop using these!)

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15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

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The magic of Avo is at it again. Avocado pasta is the answer to your dinner woes.

Whether you’re vegan or not, this pasta is a super easy weekday dinner to fall back on and it’s packed with a ton of nutrients and flavour…all in under 10 minutes. Serve it up with a salad and you’ve got yourself a super satisfying, delicious dinner staple.

If you’re making the switch, it’s all about figuring out your new staples as a new vegan.

Think about it. How many different types of dinners do you make in a month? I’m guessing it’s probably just a handful of go-to recipes you have in your repertoire that you cycle through (nothin’ wrong with that!). Turning veg just means veganizing these go-to’s, or finding a handful of vegan dinner options you love, then creating a new recipe cycle. The longevity of this lifestyle relies on simplicity (and tastiness, of course), and that’s where recipes like this avocado pasta shine.

Not only is the past simple, but it’s such a crowd pleaser. It’s creaminess without the heaviness of your typical creamy pasta.

Kids will gobble this stuff up too, so if your tasters are little munchkins, then definitely give this one a try!

I get overly excited every time I use the spirilizer, like a kid in a candy shop. You get so much ‘spaghetti’ out of just one yam (or any other veggie you choose to spirilize, like yicama, carrot, beet, or zucchini).

Benefits:

  • Yams are packed with vitamin C to boost your immunity and aid in healing your wounds.
  • Avocados are packed with monounsaturated fats, minimizing joint pain and arthritis, hydrating your skin and strengthening your hair.
  • Garlic is an antibiotic and anti-fungal. The sulfur compounds will help keep your blood pressure in tact. Adding lemon to the crushed garlic enhances the sulfur compound allicin, so this sauce is a perfecto comination-o!

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10-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta
 
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This is a go-to staple dinner recipe! It takes 10 minutes and curbs that creamy, comfort-food craving.
Author:
Recipe type: pasta, easy dinner, 15 minute dinner, lunch idea
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
  • 1-2 yams, spiralized or 1 package spaghetti of choice (I like brown rice pasta)
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • Lemon zest from 2 lemons (do this before you juice the lemons)
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • ½ cup black beans, rinsed
Instructions
  1. If using pasta instead of yams, boil water in a large pot and cook pasta according to directions
  2. Meanwhile make the sauce: add avocado, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast to food processor and blend until smooth.
  3. Strain pasta and pour it back into the large pot. Add the sauce and mix into pasta thouroughly
  4. Top it off with beans, red pepper, lemon zest and this vegan parm!
Notes
-Use half spaghetti, half spiralized yam
-Use any other vegetable you like to spiralize

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Mind-Blowing Multi-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce (Nut-Free)

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This nut-free vegan cheese sauce may be the answer to all of your cheezy needs.

If nutty vegan cheese is too heavy for you to digest but you still want to curb that cheezy craving for all the things, you’ve come to the right place.

That cheezy pasta, or that cheezy dip for your chips, or that cheezy sauce all over your broccoli…

There’s not a thing in this world that I wouldn’t put this stuff on…well ok, maybe that’s a bit extreme.

While I may not douse my oatmeal or chocolate cake in this goodness…this stuff is still magic.

While surfin’ the waves of the inter web, you’ll come across vegan cheese sauce recipes based on cashews, sunflower seeds, or beans. This one, however, puts the veggie kingdom on the pedestal.

That’s right. Carrots and cauliflower can magically turn into cheese sauce. It’s possible, and it’s delicious.

What I love about this is sauce that you can devour a ton of it with zero guilt. It’s packed with nutrients + fibre, yet low in calories and fat. Sometimes the sauces made from nuts (as delicious as they are), can be a little heavy, ya know?

Vegan Cheese Sauce

To create a simple + yum pasta, just cook up your fave noodles, pan sear, then chop up some vegan sausages (the Gusta or Field Roast brands are yum), steam some broccoli florets, then mix everything together with this sauce. Top it all off with green onion and vegan parmesano (make this easy parm recipe, or find yourself some amazing Violife cheese to grate)!

Benefits:

  • Cauliflower is super nutritious, so don’t let the lack of colour fool ya’. This white magic is packed with folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin B6. Plus, it’s a cruciferous vegetable, aka a cancer-fighting super veg with a good dose of antioxidants.
  • Carrots are known for their mega-dose of beta-carotene (an antioxidant that our body converts into vitamin A). What this means for you, is healthy skin and mucus membranes, a stronger immune system, and better eye health and vision.
  • Miso paste is an awesome addition, not only for the flava, but also because it’s fermented. Fermented foods do wonders for your gut aka microbiome aka microflora. This is where most of our bacteria lives! Since around 1/10 of our cells are human and 9/10 of our cells are bacteria, we’ve got to keep these bacterial cells happy by feeding them fermented foods. Eat that miso up.

Mind Blowing Vegan Cheese Sauce (without nuts)

Mind-Blowing Vegan Cheese Sauce (No Nuts)
 
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This nut-free, vegan sauce is a light option for that cheezy comfort food feel. It's perfect for pasta or a dip with veggies and chips!
Author:
Recipe type: Comfort Food, dinner, lunch, appetizer
Serves: 5 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
  • 6 carrots, chopped
  • ¾ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ large sweet onion, diced (or 1 tbsp onion powder)
  • 2 cloves garlic (or 1 tbsp garlic powder)
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ⅛ tsp smoked paprika (optional, but gives it a nice smokey flavour)
  • 1 cup plain almond milk (or any other plain plant-based milk)
Instructions
  1. Steam the cauliflower and carrots until soft (about 10 minutes)
  2. Meanwhile, (unless you're using onion and garlic powder), oil-free sauté the onion and garlic for about 7 minutes. Heat the element to medium, then add the chopped onions and garlic. Let the bottom of the pan brown, then add 1-2 tbsp of water to de-glaze the pan. As the onions cook, continue adding bits of water to prevent sticking if needed
  3. Add the onion, steamed cauliflower, and carrots to the blender with the the rest of the ingredients
  4. Blend until smooth!
  5. If using as a dip, put in and oven safe dish and broil on high for 3 minutes.
  6. Or, mix in with pasta, pour over roasted veggies, or just eat it by the spoonful 😉

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Next Level Vegan Lasagna with Creamy Tofu Ricotta

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Plant-based comfort food to the max. Vegan Lasagna. Or is it lasagne? We’ll stick with the first one.

Lasagna. This word usually means the cheesiest, most tomato-y pasta bake you’ll ever have.

Well, this lasagna still brings that, without the cheese.

Your taste buds and comfort-feels will be completely satisfied while the tofu ricotta and roasted garlic hummus come together to create the most decadent party-in-your-mouth lasagna experience ever.

This vegan lasagna is a good dish to serve up after the holiday indulgence. Your palate is probably still craving that comforting meal, but your brain and bod are begging for that lighter, get-back-to-the-greens kind of meal. Ya know what I mean?

Not to mention there’s just something special about diving your fork into the layered masterpiece we know and love as lasagna.

All that’s in between you and this yumminess is…

Mix

Sauté

Layer

Bake.

Easy it up by using store-bought hummus and tomato pasta sauce.

Or, go for it and make your own roasted garlic hummus from this recipe (double it so you have extra, because what’s a fridge without a tub of hummus anyway…)!

Benefits:

–Brown rice pasta is the pasta for you if you’re sensitive to gluten at all. Pasta isn’t something to be afraid of! YES, avoid white pasta (which is completely stripped of it’s nutrients, vitamins, and fibre), but the other options like quinoa pasta, sprouted whole grain pasta, spelt pasta etc… are all great options! 

–Miso Paste is fermented soy that gives the dish a salty, umami taste. It also is packed with beneficial probiotics to help combat digestive issues by balancing out your gut micro flora. Plus it takes this vegan lasagna to the next level.

–Spinach (lots of it) is pop eye’s fave. I mean common’ what’s not to love. It’s packed with plant protein, chlorophyll, and when it’s cooked you’ll absorb higher levels of vitamins A and E, protein, fibre, zinc, thiamin, calcium, and iron!


Next Level Vegan Lasagna + Creamy Tofu Ricotta
 
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Cheezy and creamy tofu ricotta make this lasagne a plant-based comfort food staple, and one that won't bust your belt!
Author:
Recipe type: lasagna, pasta, dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 1 package brown rice lasagna pasta
  • 2 cups (one large jar) tomato basil marinara sauce
  • 6 large cremini mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
  • 2 small or 1 large zucchini, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2-3 cups packed spinach, chopped
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
Tofu Ricotta:
  • 1 package firm tofu, pressed 15 minutes (or put in 110°F dehydrator for 1 hour)
  • ¾ cup roasted garlic hummus (store bought, or make this recipe)
  • 7 large leaves of basil, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp miso paste
  • ¾ cup nutritional yeast
Instructions
  1. Make the hummus (or used store-bought).
  2. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. While you're at it, press your tofu if you haven't already (I use a plate, then wrap the tofu in a tea towel, then stack books or a heavy bread board on top for 10 minutes at least)
  3. Heat a pan to medium. Add the onions and mushrooms until the pan browns, then de-caramelize the pan with a bit of water. Add the garlic, vegetable bouillon, and zucchini. Let sauté a few minutes (add a splash of water if it's sticking). Add the peas and spinach. Let sauté a few more minutes until the spinach is cooked down.
  4. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta noodles 2 minutes less than recommended on the package (this helps them stay in tact for layering). Rinse immediately with cold water to prevent them from sticking.
  5. Meanwhile, make the tofu ricotta! Crumble the pressed tofu into a bowl with all the other tofu ricotta ingredients. Mix well to combine. Steal a taste. It's delicious.
  6. In a 12 x 8 inch baking dish, assemble the lasagna: First a thin layer of tomato sauce, Second a layer of ⅓ of the noodles, Third, a layer of ½ the ricotta, Fourth a layer of ½ the sautéed veggies, and again, tomato sauce, ⅓ of the noodles, the rest of the ricotta, the rest of the veggies. Finish it off with the last of the noodles, rest of the tomato sauce, and a generous sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
  7. Cover with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes.
  8. Take tinfoil off and bake for 5 more minutes.
  9. Remove and serve. Will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

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