THE VEGAN LOVE PROJECT – Page 4 – The Vegan Love Project

Strawberry Coconut LOVE Power Smoothie

June is STRAWBERRY MONTH!!! I can literally pound a quart back in the car before I even get them home so around this time I buy them every time I see them. I clean, trim, half and freeze them so I can have them all through the year. A good freezing tip is to place them on a cookie sheet or plate and place them in the freezer so that they are just frozen enough to handle. Remove them from a plate and into a storage container- this way you don’t have a giant block of strawberry ice to contend with. The local berries are just incredible. I am planning a pick your own trip to maximize my habit.

Strawberry Coconut LOVE Power Smoothie

1c nut milk

1T hemp seed

1t raw agave or raw local honey

2c strawberries

1T gold flax seeds

1T coconut manna

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.

Gluten Free Flour Free Jam dots

Gluten Free Flour Free Jam dots
makes 20 one oz cookies
1c coconut flour
1c roasted almonds
1 cup oats
1/4t cinnamon
1/2t salt
—-
1/2c maple syrup
1/2c coconut oil
1/2t vanilla
—
3T jam
preheat oven to 350º
If you are starting with raw almonds, roast them on a cookie sheet @ 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, careful not to let them burn. Cool thoroughly before running through the food processor.
In a small bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together, the maple syrup, oil, and vanilla.
Put all of the dry ingredients into the food processor, the roasted almonds*, coconut flour, cinnamon and salt and process until a fine meal is achieved. *Be sure that the almonds are completely cooled before processing; otherwise you will end up with a pasty mess. In a large bowl, sift the flours, the salt and the cinnamon. Add the nuts to this bowl.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a spatula until everything is well incorporated.
With a one ounce ice cream scoop or two spoons, place batter balls onto a *parchment lined cookie sheets. With a one cup measuring cup, slightly flatten each cookie-This process is a little easier when the cup is dipped into warm water between each cookie. Using a one-teaspoon measure, press the dome side into each cookie, this is where the jam goes. This process is a little easier when the teaspoon is dipped into warm water between each cookie.
Using a 1/2-teaspoon measure, scoop your choice of jam or fruit preserves into the center of each cookie.
Bake for 12 minutes and then rotate the pans in the oven (to insure even baking) and continue to bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool on the pans for another 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.

Strawberry Cacao Power Smoothie

Strawberry Cacao Power Smoothie

1c almond or cashew nut milk

1T hemp seed

2t raw agave,or raw local honey

1t lucuma powder

2t Maqui berry powder

2T cacao powder

1T golden flax seeds

1t vanilla

1c scoop protein powder

Pinch 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.

Strawberry Banana Power Smoothie

SUPER DELICIOUS before or after a workout.

Strawberry Banana Power Smoothie

1c nut milk

1T hemp seeds

1t raw agave or raw local honey

1 banana

1c strawberries, fresh or frozen

1 heaping T tocotrienols (vit-e)

1T gold flax seeds

1T coconut oil

1t vanilla powder

1scoop 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.

ESCAROLE & BEANS

Served over whole grain toast, GF bread, Paleo bread or GF pasta, this is an all time favorite. Super delicious and simple. Even delicious cold. Serve with raw cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and nutritional yeast….I LOVE THIS DISH.

White Beans with Escarole (Scarole & Beans)

1 bunch escarole, washed, trimmed, and torn into bite size pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

2c cooked white beans or 1 can (cannellini or baby lima beans)

1/4t cayenne pepper flakes

1/4t ground black pepper

3T extra virgin olive oil

1/2c water

1/2t salt or to taste

In a large sauté pan, add 2T of the olive oil and sauté ½ of the garlic until golden and soft. Add the 1/4t of the salt, black and red pepper, and then add the escarole. With a fork or a pair of tongs, move the escarole around the pan cooking the escarole until wilted and tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the escarole from the pan, pouring any cooking juices into a small bowl and set both aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and sauté the last of the garlic. Add the beans and sauté for a minute or so before adding the water. Stir the reserved liquid in, bring the beans to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 10-11 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the escarole and cook without a cover, stirring occasionally. Put the lid back on and turn off the heat, steaming for 1-2 minutes before serving

Adjust the seasonings before serving. Serve over rice, quinoa, pasta, or toast.

Cacao Maca Power Smoothie

LIKE THE BEST EVER. RAW. AWESOMENESS. Pre or post workout. Fricken phenomenal.

Cacao Maca Power Smoothie

1c almond or cashew nut milk

1T hemp seed

2t raw agave or raw local honey

1T raw coconut oil

1T Maca powder

1t lucuma powder

1T tocos

2T cacao powder

1T golden flax seeds

1t vanilla

1cscoop protein powder

Pinch 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.

Tomato Red Lentil Soup

This soup is so easy to make and a quick cooking source of vegetable protein. Delicious on its own, or packed with freshly steamed, or sautéed greens.

Tomato Red Lentil Soup

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 large can or 1 jar (28oz) strained, pureed tomatoes

1 clove garlic, smashed

1t black pepper

1/2t cayenne pepper or fresh jalapeno

1c dried red lentils, rinsed

3T extra virgin olive oil

1t chipotle powder

1-2 veggie bouillons or broth equivalent

6c boiling water (in place of liquid broth)

1t smoked salt or pink salt to taste

OPTIONAL: 2 c fresh greens- 1 bunch kale, bok choy or escarole, coarsely chopped and (pan sautéed in olive oil and garlic is optional)- added in at the end

Bring 6c of water to a boil.

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and sauté the onions with the garlic and hot pepper until golden and soft. Add the lentils, tomato puree, black pepper and chipotle powder. Add the boiling water and the bouillon. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Adjust the seasonings. You can puree the entire soup until super smooth or simply run a burr mixer through it to incorporate the vegetables and lentils or serve it as is.

To serve, in a bowl, place the greens and ladle the soup over. Top with nutritional yeast and season to taste.

Creamy Vegan Coleslaw

Creamy Vegan Coleslaw

1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded

1 medium carrot, shredded

1T maple syrup or raw agave or raw honey

1/2c veganaise or another type prepared vegan mayonnaise

2T olive oil

1/4c apple cider vinegar

1T salt

1/2t ground black pepper

Place the cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Sprinkle 1T of salt over the cabbage/ carrot mixture. Place a plate over it and let stand for 20 minutes. or longer. You can actually let the cabbage stand overnight to initiate fermentation- which makes the cabbage easier to digest.

Remove the plate and rinse the cabbage and drain well. In a large bowl, add the cabbage and the remaining ingredients; the mayonnaise, sweetener, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and pepper, and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. You may or may not need to salt the mixture.

Adjust the seasoning before serving.

Sesame Tahini Ginger Dressing

This dressing is to DIE FOR! Sooooooooo fricken yummy and easy to make. Tahini offers more protein than milk and plenty of calcium to boot. The ginger has been used in eastern medicine as a natural anti inflammatory and pain killer so after a killer HERO WOD this morning this was the perfect outfit to dress my salad up in. You can feel free to omit or add other flavors to this, I love it on the lemony side. Served over fresh salad greens with avocado is my favorite but it would be delicious as a sauce for steamed veggies or for GF buckwheat soba noodles as well.

Sesame Tahini Ginger Dressing

1/2c raw tahini

1/2c water

1 clove garlic, smashed

1t raw agave or honey

1T rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1T shoyu (raw) or tamari (GF)

2T extra virgin olive oil

1/4t pink salt or to taste

1 lemon, juiced

2T sesame seeds

1” piece of fresh ginger

1t hot sesame oil

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2T black or white sesame seeds- to be added to dressing after-*optional

In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth. Adjust seasonings for taste. This will set up in the fridge, you can thin it out by adding a bit more water and or lemon juice.

Roasted Spring Asparagus

This winter took SO LONG to break…for me the 1st signs of light are tulips and asparagus- so when I walked into the River Valley Co-Op and saw beautiful bunches upon bunches of purple tipped asparagus, I knew spring had finally sprung. I am of the school that the simplicity of the main ingredient is what makes beautiful food- this is literally asparagus with a touch of garlic, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. You can put them on the grill to give an earthy char taste but they are equally exquisite done in a countertop broiler.

1 bunch asparagus- cleaned and trimmed

2T Extra Olive oil

1t pink salt

1/4t black pepper

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

1/4 one lemon- juice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

On a small pan or oven proof dish, lay out the asparagus, as thinly as possible. Drizzle the oil over and add the other ingredients except for the lemon. With your fingers, toss the stalks with the ingredients. Roast for 10-12 minutes or until tender.

Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, warm or cold.