Tahini-Smothered Charred Cabbage

Ingredients

1 medium head of green cabbage

1 tbsp. toasted black and white sesame seeds

1 tbsp. olive oil

kosher salt

For the sauce: 

1/3 c. tahini

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. maple syrup

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 garlic clove, grated

kosher salt

cold water

Directions

Prepare the dressing by whisking all ingredients together, with a significant pinch of salt and a few tablespoons of cold water. 

Cut cabbage into six wedges, keeping core intact, and rub each with a little olive oil and kosher salt. Grill cabbage on both sides, until deeply charred. You should be able to slide a paring knife easily through the cabbage. Let rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes.

Drizzle dressing over grilled cabbage and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Serves 6 as a side. 

1 serving = 180 calories

Celery, Green Bean & Tofu Salad

Ingredients
4 celery stalks, trimmed & thinly sliced on a steep diagonal into 2" pieces, plus leaves for serving
2 c. green beans, trimmed & sliced on a steep diagonal into bite-size pieces
8-oz. block firm tofu, braised or shallow fried, sliced into thin batons
¼ c. unsalted, roasted peanuts
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. chile crisp, plus more for serving
Flaky sea salt

Directions

Toss celery, green beans, tofu, peanuts, lime juice, and chile crisp in a medium bowl to combine. Top with more Chile Crisp as desired, celery leaves, and sea salt.

Serves 2. 

1 serving = 445 calories

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients
1/4 c. canola oil, coconut oil or vegan butter, melted
1/3 c. almond milk
1 tbsp. ground flaxseeds
1 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with oil.
In a large bowl, add the oil, almond milk, ground flaxseeds, brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk well until combined. Lightly blot the grated zucchini with paper towels, and add it to the bowl. Stir the zucchini into the wet ingredients.

Now add the flour to the wet ingredients. Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon on top of the flour. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to over mix, or your loaf will be dense.
Pour into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer the loaf to parchment paper or a cooling rack. Slice carefully right away, or let cool completely for easier slicing and serving.

Makes about 10 slices.

1 slice = 210 calories

Mango Toast with Hazlenut-Pepita Butter

Ingredients

1 c. raw hazelnuts

1 c. raw pepitas

kosher salt

1/4 c. freeze-dried blueberries

2 tsp. Aleppo pepper

4 slices sourdough

2 large, ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced

maple syrup, for serving

sea salt, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Toast hazelnuts on baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Toast pepitas on a separate baking sheet, tossing once, until just beginning to brown in a few spots and very fragrant, about 14 to 16 minutes. 

Once nuts and seeds are cool, puree in Vitamix until a smooth paste forms. Taste and season with salt. 

Using a mortar and pestle, finely grind blueberries with Aleppo pepper and a pinch of salt. Spread hazelnut-pepita butter over each slice of toasted sourdough bread. Top with mango and drizzle with maple syrup. Sprinkle blueberry-red pepper and sea salt. 

Serves 4. 

1 serving = 375 calories 
 

Vegan Frittata

Ingredients

2 c. mixed veggies

1-2 tsp. avocado oil

1/2 c. chopped veggie protein (optional)

1/2 c. vegan mozzarella, feta, or ricotta (optional)

For the batter: 

1 c. chickpea flour

1 c. plant milk

1 tsp. kala namak

1 tsp. tumeric

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 tsp. Dijon mustard 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the batter by blending all ingredients in Vitamix or other blender. Preheat a 10-inch cast iron skillet and add avocado oil to the skillet. Sauté the veggies until softened and slightly browned. Add the veggie protein, if using. Pour the batter over the sautéed veggies and dollop vegan cheese on frittata. 

Transfer the frittata to the oven and bake until lightly browned and fork comes out pretty clean. Mine took about 20 minutes. Switch to broiler for about 5 minutes to brown cheese.

Slice into 8 sections and serve with fresh herbs. 

1 slice = 150 calories (includes 4 oz. of vegan salami and 1.5 oz. of vegan mozzarella)

Sheet Pan Ratatouille with Polenta

Ingredients

5 to 6 cups of cubed vegetables, like eggplant, pepper, onion & zucchini

2 tsp. olive oil

2 1/2 tsp. of Herbs de Provence (or a mix of oregano, basil, thyme)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

4 tomatoes, chopped (or 1-15 oz. can of diced tomatoes)

Fresh basil or parsley

For the polenta:

1/2 c. corn meal

2 c. vegetable broth

2 tsp. of nutritional yeast

1 tbsp. vegan butter

(I've also used vegan ricotta in place of nooch and butter)

Directions

Chop all the veggies and toss with olive oil and spices. I sometimes prep these the day before and store in a gallon sized plastic bag or container. 

Spread veggies on cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until eggplant is done. 

Add in the tomatoes, toss with other veggies, and bake for another 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make your polenta. Heat up the broth until hot, then add in corn meal gradually while whisking. Once you've added all the corn meal and you have thick polenta, add in your butter and nutritional yeast (or ricotta). Continue to whisk until smooth(ish). 

Serve ratatouille over polenta in bowls. Sprinkle fresh basil and some pepper flakes. 

Serves 3. 

1 serving = 282 calories

Peach-Basil Skillet Cobbler

Easy dessert to make when stone fruits are in season. Swap out Peaches + Basil for any of the following combos! 

Nectarines + Rosemary

Cherries + Mint

Plums + Thyme

Apricots + Sage

Mangoes + Lime Zest

Ingredients

For the filling: 

1/4 c. vegan butter

6 c. sliced peaches

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped

For the cobbler: 

1 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. ground nuts, like pecans or almonds

1/4 c. oats

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsweetened plant milk

1/2 c. vegan butter (or refined coconut oil), melted

1 tbsp. sugar

Directions

For the filling, preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Allow butter to brown, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Remove from heat. 

To skillet, add peaches, brown sugar, and vanilla, stirring ingredients to coat evenly. Stir in chopped basil to incorporate. Transfer to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees. 

For the cobbler, in a large bowl, whisk flour, ground nuts, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt. Stir in milk and melted butter, mixing until just combined. 

Use a tablespoon to dollop batter on top of peaches, leaving space to allow some peaches to peek through to create a cobblestone effect. 

In a small bowl, mix together sugar and remaining cinnamon, and sprinkle over top of batter. 

Return skillet to oven and bake 30 minutes until topping is golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes and serve topped with vanilla ice cream or coconut whipped cream. 

Serves 8.

1 serving = 405 calories (without ice cream or whipped cream)