Arugula Pesto
1-1/2-2c fresh arugala, lightly packed
1/4c fresh basil
1/3c raw pine nuts, sprouted- omit if not available
2T sweet mellow white miso
3T nutritional Yeast
1/3-1/2c extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper
In a blender, add all of the ingredients. Blend until smooth or to desired consistency adding more oil of needed.
Adjust the seasoning adding more salt, pepper or lemon juice if desired.
Chocolate Almond Power Smoothie
1c nut milk
1T hemp seed
2 Medjoul dates
2T Raw Almond Butter
1T Chia Seeds
2t maca powder
1T gold flax seeds
2T raw cacao powder
1T coconut sugar
1t vanilla
1 scoop protein powder
—
1c ice
Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed
Add the ice and blend just until smooth.
So delicious and simple!!! Especially when you don’t feel like cooking in warm weather. I made the tofu this weekend and the basil pesto was from a couple of weeks ago stored in my fridge. I picked up gorgeous heirloom tomatoes at the Greenfield Farmer’s Market along with a beautiful, tender head of green leaf lettuce and more fresh basil- making the assembly of my lunch today a breeze.
Simple Grilled Tofu
1 pound extra firm tofu
2T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large clove garlic, smashed and minced
1/2t pink salt
black pepper
Heat up the grill or grill pan.
Prepare the tofu:
Remove the tofu from the package and drain the water. Rinse and then place the tofu between to plates. Weight the tofu down in the sink with something over the top plate. Let press for at least 15 minutes to remove excess water. This makes for a “chewier” end result.
Slice the tofu in ¼-1/2” slices, an average block of tofu should yield 7-10 slices.
In a large plate, add the garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the tofu slices in the oil and set aside.
Over medium high heat, place the slices on the grill or pan and close the grill or cover the pan. Let grill for about 6-7 minutes. The slices should easily flip and have gorgeous markings- if not, they are not ready for turning. Once flipped, continue to grill for another 5-6 minutes.
Salt and pepper the slices again to taste.
Serve hot or cold.
On a bed of clean greens (arugala would be amazing also), layer the fresh tomato slices, brushing each one generously with pesto. Add the cold or hot grilled tofu on top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt, fresh black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
Eat immediately!!!
Filled with natural anti-inflammatory ingredients, omega-3’s and recovery boosting antioxidants…this one is a winner!
Raspberry Acai Berry Power Smoothie
1c nut milk
1T hemp seed
1t raw agave or raw local honey
1T coconut oil
1/2c Raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1T Acai Berry Powder
1T chia seeds
1T golden flax seeds
1t vanilla
1 scoop protein powder
Pinch pink salt
—
1c ice
Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed
Add the ice and blend just until smooth.
Banana Acai Double Protein Power Smoothie
1c nut milk
1T hemp seeds
1 banana, ripe
1 heaping T tocotreinols
1T gold flax seeds
1T acai powder
1T chia seeds
1T coconut oil
1t vanilla powder
2 scoops protein powder
Dash cinnamon
—
1c ice
Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed
Add the ice and blend just until smooth.
Blueberry Maqui Maca Berry Power Smoothie
1c nut milk
2T hemp seed
1t raw agave or raw local honey
1T coconut oil
1c Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2T Maqui Berry Powder
1T flax seeds
2t maca powder
1t vanilla
1 scoop protein powder
—
1c ice
Blend all ingredients together except the ice and process until smooth- taste and adjust if needed
Add the ice and blend just until smooth.
Chickpea Salad
This is BOMB served in a wrap with fresh veggies and lettuce or in between your favorite sprouted whole grain or gluten free bread slices-
LOVE THIS! The celery really makes it taste like a mock tuna fish salad so don’t skimp! Feel free to choose other add-ins, like olives, herbs, fresh sweet peppers etc….
1 1/2c cooked chickpeas
2 stalks celery, minced
¼ red onion, super minced *opt
1/3c vegan mayonnaise
1t ume vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2t dulse *opt (more like a tuna fish taste)
pinch cayenne pepper *opt
Place the drained chickpeas in a bowl and mash slightly with a fork or the backside of a large spoon. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined and well incorporated.
If you have a food processor, you can do all of the grunt work in it- start by processing the celery, then the onions- remove to the work bowl, then process the chickpeas by pulsing- not over processing, but letting the chickpeas stay somewhat intact- then add all other ingredients intot he work bowl and mix.
Summer Quinoa Salad
1 ripe avocado, pitted, and cubed
1 1/2c steamed quinoa
1T fresh basil
1/2c cooked, drained, chickpeas
½ tomato, small dice
2t fresh lemon juice or limejuice
1T Extra Virgin Olive oil
1/4t pink salt
Black pepper to taste
1T nutritional yeast
In a medium sized bowl, add the cooled quinoa (room temp is best), and all of the other ingredients. Toss well and season to taste. Serve with additional avocado and tomato slices. Summer Love.
Black & White Bean Soup with Greens
This soup is wonderfully hearty and delicious. The rice can be substituted with gluten free pasta or another grain of your choosing. Adding in a mix of greens would be amazing but I am partial to kale.
Wheat-free Gluten-free
1 large onion, medium dice
1c tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1c cannellini beans, cooked and drained
1c cooked brown rice
1c black beans
2c greens (kale, spinach, swiss chard)
2t smoked chipotle powder
1/4t black pepper
1/4t cayenne pepper
3T extra virgin olive oil
1-2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1/4c fresh basil *optional
1t-smoked salt
6c boiling water
1t salt or to taste
Bring 6c of water to a boil.
In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic with until golden and soft. Add in the cleaned greens and sauté until wilted. Remove just the greens from the pan and set aside, reserving for later. Add the beans, rice, salt, black and red pepper, and sautéing for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes then the boiling water, the bullion cube (or powder), smoke flavor if using. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the sautéed greens and the fresh basil. Garnish with fresh basil and nutritional yeast.
I was at a local co-op here they have a spread called “Surfer Spread”. It. is. YUMMY. I was determined to replicate it, I have a ton of RAW unsulfered sun-dried tomatoes, and picked up some local fresh scallions at the Farm Stand down the road and VOILA….It took me two times to get it. I have to say, mine tastes a little bit more badass. Just sayin. Don’t over process the tofu or else you will have more of a paste than you might like but experiment with the consistency you prefer!
Sundried Tomato & Scallion Tofu Spread
¼ sundried tomatoes- rehydrated
1 pound tofu, blanched and drained well
3T Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 small bunch of scallions, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1/4c nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
2T shoyu or tamari
1t ume vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
In a food processer, mince the scallions and then remove to a medium size bowl.
In the same work bowl, add the sun dried tomatoes and the oil and process until desired size, I like mine finely minced. Remove 2/3rd of the mix to the scallion bowl. Add the tofu in the work bowl with the garlic, shoyu, ume, and nutritional yeast and process until smooth. Remove to the scallion tomato mix and mix until well incorporated. Season with the salt and pepper, to taste.Place in the refrigerator to chill. (SO much better cold- it firms up as well)Serve with crusty bread (FRICKEN YUM), as a sandwich filler, or as a vegetable dip.
SO YUM!
The Vegan Love Project 