Snowstorm Stew!

So, if you haven't noticed, it's snowing outside. ;)
I have to admit--this is probably the most snow I've ever seen in my life...and the "stormiest" snow episode I've ever lived through! Being from Central Virginia originally, I didn't grow up used to seeing "snowmaggedons" every winter...the most snow I ever remember getting as a child was 10 inches! But this?! This is actually frightening. Yes, you read that correctly. I am actually scared as I sit here and type this while I simultaneously watch the snow blowing wildly outside. *sigh*
Anywho, this is a really quick and yummy stew that's PERFECT for a snowy day like today--warming from the inside out and chock full of nutrient-rich veggies, this stew is certain to make it on your "fave recipes" list. Enjoy! And stay warm :)

Snowstorm Stew!

Snowstorm Stew! Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup canned pumpkin puree

2. 1 cup no-salt-added vegetable broth

3. one small zucchini, chopped

4. one small carrot, peeled and chopped (or 6 baby carrots)

5. 1 cup frozen florets

6. 1/2 cup canned, no-salt-added diced tomatoes

7. 1/3 cup frozen corn

8. 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

9. herbs and spices of choice

10. salt, to taste

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized soup pot and stir well. 

2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring regularly, for 10-15 minutes for flavors to mingle.

4. Scoop into a LARGE bowl (this makes A LOT!) and serve. (I topped mine with ground golden flaxseed for texture--delish!)

Curried Cous Cous Salad

Cous Cous is one of those foods that I literally grew up eating. My mom fixed so many international meals for our family, so Cous Cous was a very common grain when I was little. However, when I went vegan (and gluten free), I gave up my bird semolina-based hot cereal. But this story had a happy ending: I FOUND BROWN RICE COUS COUS PEOPLE! Thus, this recipe was born. A new fave! Enjoy!

           Curried Cous Cous Salad. 

                          So good. 

    This is one dish j DO NOT want to share...

         Time to devour. GET IN MA BELLY!

Curried Cous Cous Salad. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup brown rice couscous

2. 1/2 cup water

3. 3/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4. 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

5. 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

6. 2 T raisins

7. 1 T white whine vinegar

8. 1/2 packet stevia

9. 1/2 tsp curry powder

10. 1 1/2 tsp braggs aminos

11. 1/8 tsp garam masala 

12. Handful finely chopped cilantro

Method 

1. Cook couscous according to package directions and fluff with a fork. Remove from heat and set aside to firm up for a few minutes. 

2. Return to heat, along with all ingredients except cilantro, along with 1/2 cup water, and stir together over medium heat. 

3. When heated through and water is absorbed, stir in cilantro. 

4. Serve warm and enjoy! 

Raw Goodness: TFVG's Asian Glow Bowl.

If you follow me on Instagram (@thefitveganginger), you already know that I LOVE my raw veggies--I don't go a single meal without a bowl of raw deliciousness! My diet is primarily raw or almost raw based...If I had to guess I would say it's about an 80/20 raw/cooked split. I love making savory and gourmet-style goodies out of vegetables...especially raw ones! Being vegan isn't just easy, it's FUN TOO! 👍 

This glow bowl is super easy, and super DUPER tasty--I just used what I had on hand...you do the same! 

            TFVG's Asian Glow Bowl. 

TFVG's Asian Glow Bowl; Vegan, Gluten-free option. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 5 small to medium radishes, sliced 

2. 1 cup sugar snap peas

3. Large handful sliced mushrooms

4. 1 medium carrot, grated

5. 3/4 cup canned no-salt added chickpeas, drained and rinsed

6. 2 oz. silken soft tofu

7. 1/4 tsp EACH onion powder, garlic powder, and ground ginger

8. 1 1/2 tsp braggs liquid aminos 

9. Pita bread for serving

Method

1. Prepare your veg and arrange as desired on a large plate. 

2. In your mini food processor, combine chickpeas, tofu, aminos, and spices with 3-4 T water. 

3. Blend until perfectly smooth and creamy, scraping sides periodically throughout blending. 

4. Serve hummus in the center of veggie bowl. Serve with Pitas for dipping. 

Tuscan Veggie Pasta with Homemade Hummus.

What began as a "quick weekday lunch after class" quickly turned into another delicious recipe creation! No surprise there, right?! 

This yummy veggie-based meal is packed with protein and fiber to keep you going all day long! And as usual,100% oil free, sugar free, and added salt free. Oh, it tastes pretty good too! 😉 enjoy babes! 

Tuscan Veggie Pasta with Homemade        Hummus. 

Tuscan Veggie Pasta with Homemade Hummus; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. One large zucchini

2. One medium Roma tomato, chopped 

3. Handful of sliced black olives 

4. 1 cup no salt added canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

5. 2 oz. silken tofu 

6. Generous sprinkling of onion and garlic powders

7. About 1 T lemon juice

8. Tuscan style seasoning (Italian seasoning will also work)

9. Black pepper to taste

10. Small handful finely chopped kale greens

Method

1. Spiraling your zucchini Int'L noodles and place in a large bowl. 

2. Top noodles with chopped tomato, kale, and sliced olives. 

3. In a food processor, combine chickpeas, lemon juice, seasonings, and tofu. Blend till very smooth, scraping sides as needed. 

4. Top pasta with hummus (if you have some left over like I did, it's delish on toast! Mmmm!) and a sprinkling of black pepper. Serve with a side salad with balsamic. YUM! Perfect meal. 

World's Creamiest Hummus: Spicy Chipotle Plantain Hummus.

Before you go running away (yes, this is quite a strange combo...), hear me out. Hummus is good. Plantains are good. Spicy is good. Combine them all?! Yummmmmmoooooo. And yes-my secret ingredient for lusciously creamy hummus is none other than the glorious plantain.  I LOVE plantains. So incredibly versatile, nutritious, and yummy. When blended, plantains get ridiculously creamy and smooth. Give this hummus a go--you'll be glad you did!

      Spicy Chipotle Plantain Hummus. 

       Creamy. Delicious. NOMS. 

Spicy Chipotle Plantain Hummus; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 3/4 c canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2. 3 oz. peeled ripe plantain (about 1/4 of a medium; or approx. a 3" slice)

3. Onion and garlic powders, 1/8 tsp each

4. 1/8-1/4 tsp chipotle powder (to taste...depending on your heat preferences!)

5. Cilantro for garnish

Method

1. Combine all ingredients (EXCEPT cilantro) in your mini food processor and blend until super smooth. I added about 1 T water to get things moving. Serve into bowl and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy with raw veggies, pita chips, or tortillas. 

Raw Yellow Squash Noodles with Tangy Chickpeas.

Yes, yes. The title of this one is preeeeeettyyy boring. Don't let the title fool you. This dish is AHMAZING! It literally takes 10 minutes but tastes like you slaved in the kitchen. Ready. Set. Go! 

Raw Yellow Squash with Tangy Chickpeas. 

                     Close up time!

Raw Yellow Squash Noodles with Tangy Chickpeas; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients 

1. One medium yellow squash, spiralized or julienned into "noodles" (I use the "vegetti")

2. 3/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

3. 2 tsp spicy brown mustard

4. 1 T balsamic vinegar

5. 1/4 cup sliced red onion 

6. Garlic powder to taste

Method 

1. Make your veggie noodles and place in a large bowl. 

2. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add chickpeas. 

3. In a small bowl, whisk mustard and balsamic. Pour over chickpeas and let it sizzle. Mix aroun with spatula an cook until "toasty". Serve over noodles. 

4. In same pan, after scraping as much glaze off as possible, add red onion with about 3 T water. Let it caramelize, stirring with spatula occasionally. Add garlic powder and cook until dry. Serve over chickpeas an noodles and enjoy! 

"Cheezy" Hummus.

You can probably guess the main ingredient (other than chickpeas, of course) used in this hummus recipe. Yes, you guessed correct: my beloved nutritional yeast...or "nooch" as I like to call it. If you have never tried nutritional yeast, don't let the daunting name scare you. It's not like brewers yeast or dry yeast used in bakjng. Nutritional yeast is simply yellow yeast flakes that can be used however you wish. A couple of my favorite uses for nooch? Salad topper, my "Basic Cheeze Sauce" (recipe in a previous post), mixed with lemon juice for a salad dressing, you name it. Nooch is a vegans best friend. Not only does it TASTE EXACTLY LIKE CHEESE, but it is a SIGNIFICANT source of vitamin B-12, which many vegans happen to be deficient in. 

So if you haven't tried these amazing little yellow superheroes, you're seriously missing out. Go ahead and try it in this hummus! I guarantee you'll love it. 

                "Cheezy" Hummus. 

         Cheezy hummus-y goodness. 

"Cheezy" Hummus; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2. 2 T nutritional yeast

3. 1/4 tsp each onion powder and garlic powder

4. Dash of bragg's liquid aminos

5. Pinch of turmeric (for color)

6. 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

1. Just like all hummus recipes, this one is pretty foolproof. Just add all ingredients to your mini food processor and blend until smooth, adding splashes of water and scraping sides as needed. Serve with toast, veggies, or refrigerate to use for later...if you can refrain from eating all of it straight out of the food processor...!

Tropical Hummus.

Ok. I love hummus. Like looooooooooove it. It's a definite "go-to" protein option for me, especially when I'm in a rush. 

This is probably my all-time fave hummus recipe I've created. Like all hummus recipes, it's super quick and easy, packe with protein, and goes great with almost anything. But this hummus is special. It combines so many of my favorite things it's not even funny! Curious?! You should be. Try this one out--and prepare your taste buds. Flavor bomb alert!

                  Tropical Hummus. 

                      And another. 

                  Last one. Promise. 

Tropical Hummus; Vegan, Gluten-free. Makes one meal-sized serving (about 1 scant cup hummus). 

Ingredients 

1. 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

2. 1/2 cup frozen thawed pineapple

3. 1/2 cup frozen thawed mango 

4. 2 T canned lite coconut milk

5. Juice of 1/2 small lime 

6. Dash of bragg's liquid aminos

7. Onion and garlic powders to taste

8. VERY SMALL dash cumin

Method

1. So easy. Combine all ingredients in your mini food processor and blend util smooth. Serve garnished with a pineapple chunk. It's all in the presentation, people! Enjoy!

Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich: Orange-Vanilla Cookie Dough.

It's a rare thing when I don't want oatmeal for breakfast. So rare, in fact, that before I made this sandwich, I can honesty say I can't remember the last time I DIDN'T have oats for brekkie. What can I say?! I love my oats. Mmm. However, this Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich has easily become a new fave. Super easy to make, nice and filling, and packed with protein, this is a yummy addition to a smoothie breakfast or a mid morning (or afternoon!) snack. 

        Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich. 

Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich; Vegan, Gluten-free option. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1 English muffin of choice (I used Ezekiel brand. Food for life makes a gluten free brown rice muffin, if you need gluten free.)

2. 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3. 1/4 tsp vanilla powder

4. 1/2 packet stevia

5. One small orange

Method 

1. Toast your muffin. I did this in my broiler oven. 

2. In a small bowl, mash your chickpeas with some water. Add a little at a time to avoid making it too soggy. You want it workable, not runny. Add your vanilla powder and stevia. Stir well. 

3. Spread your "cookie dough" on your English muffin toasts. 

4. Peel the orange and slice in half, width ways. Arrange slices on English muffin, over cookie dough. 

5. Place muffin on a foil-covered cookie sheet and broil on high for 3-4 minutes, or until orange is beginning to crisp up. 

                         So Good!

Sweet India Spice Soup.

This is a pretty strange recipe, I have to say. I randomly came up with this idea while I was driving. I mulled it over in my brain for about a month, trying to decide if I really wanted to make it or not. You see, half of me thought it would rock, and half of me thought it would be disgusting. Fortunately, the former was true! Go ahead and be adventurous and make this soup. Weird but tasty, I promise!

            Sweet India Spice Soup.  

                         Up close. 

   Want it even weirder?! I topped mine  with ground flaxseed. Yummers!

Sweet India Spice Soup; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. One chai flavored tea bag (I used celestial seasonings Bengal Spice flavor)

2. 2 cups boiling water

3. 1 cup frozen spinach

4. 2/3 cup frozen carrots

5. 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

6. 10 drops liquid coconut stevia

7. 1 T ground flaxseed, optional for topping

Method

1. Place your tea bag in a moderate size bowl. Pour over the 2 cups boiling water and let steep about 10-15 minutes. 

2. Once steeped, squeeze out tea bag and pour tea into a small soup pot. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT FLAXSEED (if using) and turn heat to high. 

3. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir, and carefully pour into a bowl. Too with flax if desired. Told you it was weird. 

Crispy chickpea nuggets

Are you ready to be blown away?! These Crispy chickpea nuggets would totally fool any carnivore. Juicy, and tender in the inside with a cheezy crunchy crust. YUMMO!

             Crispy Chickpea Nuggets. 

Crispy Chickpea Nuggets; Vegan, Gluten- Free. Serves one (makes 6 nuggets). 

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2. 1/8 tsp poultry seasoning

3. 4 T brown rice bread crumbs 

4. 1 T nutritional yeast

5. 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

Method 

1. Process your chickpeas in a mini food processor with 1/8 tsp seasoning until crumbly. DO NOT ADD WATER!

2. Transfer chickpea crumbles to a bowl. 

3. In separate bowl, whisk together bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, and 1/4 tsp seasoning. 

4. In a third separate bowl, place about 1/2 cup of water or enough to cover nuggets if submerged. 

5. Scoop approximately one tablespoon of chickpea crumbles into your hands and roll into a ball. Flatten and dip into water. Roll in crust mixture and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 6 nuggets total. 

6. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 20 minutes. Flip, and bake 10 more minutes. Let cool before serving. 

Spinach Artichoke Hummus

I recently tried artichokes for the FIRST (gasp!) time. Let's just say I now have yet another obsession...I quickly started brainstorming artichoke recipes, trying to figure out a way to put them in, well, everything. Naturally I had to make hummus. I mean, when in doubt throw it in the food processor, am I right?! Anyway, this js so incredibly easy and will totally rock your taste buds. Perfect for a quick snack or a side dish (would be perfect for a party!). 

          Spinach Artichoke Hummus. 

Spinach Artichoke Hummus; Vegan, Gluten free. Makes one small bowl (approximately 3/4 cup). 

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2. 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, with about 1/8 cup liquid

3. 2 tsp minced garlic

4. 1/3 cup frozen spinach, cooked

5. Garlic powder to taste (I like my hummus really garlicky!)

Method

1. In a mini food processor, combine hick peas, artichokes with liquid, garlic, and garlic powder. Process until super smooth. 

2. Transfer to medium size bowl and stir in cooked spinach. Mix well. Serve! 

   I served mine on warm toast. Mmmm. 

Sundried Tomato and Paprika Hummus

Hummus. The word itself just makes me so happy. Add "Sundried Tomato and Paprika" before that little word? I think I just won the flavor lottery. Nommmmm. This hummus is full of that creamy chickpea-tahini goodness, with the bonus of tangy sundried tomatoes and spicy paprika. Mmmm. Served with a big plate of raw veggies and toasted pita bread, I think I could eat this at every meal and be perfectly content.

Sundried Tomato and Paprika Hummus.

Sundried Tomato and Paprika Hummus; Vegan. Gluten-Free. Makes 1 cup.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2. 1 tsp minced garlic
3. danes of garlic powder and paprika
4. 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
5. 4 sundried tomatoes, chopped finely (make sure they are not oil-packed)
6. 1 tsp tahini
7. water, to blend

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a mini food processor and blend until smooth (tomatoes will remain a bit chunky--this is perfectly fine). 
2. Scoop into bowl and sprinkle with paprika.
3. Serve with veggies or spread on toast. Enjoy! 

Chickpea-Beet Crusted Pizza with Green Pea Cream Sauce

I love creating different pizza crusts. It's so fun to experiment with all the veggies you can turn into a pizza base! This crust, for example, was totally random. Usually I will start thinking of a recipe, take a couple days to mull over in my head what spices would work best, and finally, after about a week or so, try and create it. I'm not a very "fly by the seat of your pants" type girl. I like to have a plan.
THIS recipe, however, was VERY "fly by the seat of your pants". It was Saturday night. I had gotten home later than planned (this usually is the case on Saturdays!) and needed to make something quick. I was planning on my "go-to" (raw veggies, tofu, oatmeal, and chia pudding), but when I opened the fridge door, I saw the beets I had bought earlier that week staring at me just BEGGING to be used. I looked at the clock, looked back at the beets, and grabbed them. I needed to use them anyway, so why not be a little adventurous. Turns out adventurous is good...really good.

Crust, pre-garnish

Chickpea-Beet Crusted Pizza, dressed with Green Pea Cream Sauce and sliced mushrooms


Chickpea-Beet Crusted Pizza with Green Pea Cream Sauce; Vegan, Gluten Free. Makes one Pizza

Ingredients-Crust

1. 3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2. 1/2 cup steamed, sliced beets
3. 3 T almond meal/flour
4. onion and garlic powder, to taste

Cream Sauce

1. 1/3 cup frozen green peas, thawed
2. 2 T coconut cream
3. splash of water for ease of blending

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a food processor, place beets and process until finely chopped. Add chickpeas and process until well combined...almost pureed, but still slightly chunky. Scrape sides as needed as you process.
3. Transfer to a bowl and add almond flour and spices. Stir to incorporate.
4. Roll into ball and flatten out onto parchment. Your crust should be about 3/4 inch thick. 
5. Bake uncovered 25 minutes.
6. While crust is cooking, prepare your sauce. 
7. Place peas and coconut cream in food processor and process until smooth, adding splashes of water as needed. 
8. Remove crust from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Prepare any desired toppings.
9. Spread cream sauce over crust and top with desired toppings. Slice and enjoy! 

Crust, pre-garnish