Caramelized Red Onion Sandwich with Balsamic Cream Dip.

Ever had a craving? And I don't mean a craving for something...normal, like popcorn or nice cream. I mean a weird craving. Like a...date I say it...PREGNANCY CRAVING. And before your eyes jump out of your face, I can happily assure you that I AM DEFINITELY NOT PREGNANT. Or plan on being ANYTIME SOON. But I swear...sometimes the things I crave make me wonder. Take this little sammie into account. Really Anna?! An onion sandwich?! And yep, a delicious, caramelized, ooey-gooey luscious onion sandwich. Complete with tangy balsamic cream for dippage. Holy. 

    Caramelized Red Onion Sandwich with          Balsamic Cream Dip. 

Caramelized Red Onion Sandwich with Balsamic Cream Dip. Vegan, gluten-free option. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. Two slices vegan bread of choice (use gluten free, if needed)

2. One small red onion, sliced into thin strips

3. 3 T water

4. 2 tsp braggs aminos

5. 1/2 tsp dried thyme 

6. 5 oz. silken tofu

7. 1/8 tsp each onion and garlic powders 

8. 1 T balsamic vinegar

Method 

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Test the heat of your pan by adding a drop of water. If it sizzles of, congratulations: your pan is heated! 

2. Add 3 T water and aminos to pan. Toss in your sliced onions and sprinkle thyme over top. Fold continuously with spatula, adding more water if needed, until caramelized. Set aside off of heat and let cool. 

3. In your food processor, combine tofu, balsamic, and onion/garlic powders. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Spoon into small ramekin. 

4. Place onions on top of bread, toasted if desired, and serve with cream on the side. Enjoy!

Breakfast Salad!

                   Breakfast Salad!

This weird but yummy salad is delicious for breakfast (as I enjoyed it), snack, lunch, second lunch, or midnight munchies! Quick to prepare with a lovely combo of flavors...you will love this!

Breakfast Salad! Vegan, Gluten free; serves one. 

Ingredients

1. One medium size zucchini 

2. 5 drops liquid stevia

3. 2 T brown rice protein powder

4. 2 T balsamic vinegar 

5. 10 drops liquid stevia 

6. Large handful of Campari tomatoes

Method

1. In a mini food processor combine zucchini and five stevia drops. Pulse until zucchini resembles rice and place in a bowl. Top with tomatoes. 

2. In a separate bowl, mix protein powder, balsamic, stevia, and any additional water to reach desired consistency. Stir well an spoon over salad. Enjoy! Delicious. 

Sweet 'n Sour Mega Salad.

Ok. Wow. Just, wow. This is by far and away THE BEST SALAD I HAVE EVER EATEN. And yes that is quite the statement. But I'm not kidding! It's the perfect combination of sweet, sour, crunchy, smooth, oh. YUMMO!

             Sweet 'n Sour Mega Salad. 

Sweet 'n Sour Mega Salad; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one (makes one "mega salad"). 

Ingredients 

1. 8 packed cups raw spinach leaves 

2. 1/4 cup TVP (mix with 1/4 cup water and microwave 1 minute)

3. 1/2 cup navy (or other white bean) beans, drained and rinsed

4. 1/2 chopped apple (I used gala)

5. 1/4 cup chopped red onion

6. Juice of 1/2 lime

7. 1 T balsamic vinegar 

8. 1 tsp Dijon mustard

8. Garlic powder and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Place spinach leaves in a LARGE bowl and add all ingredients in the order listed until you get to the balsamic. 

2. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and Dijon together until smooth. Drizzle over salad and sprinkle with garlic and pepper. Enjoy!

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! 

"Flavor of Spring" Salad.

To be honest, I was not planning on posting this recipe. I didn't think it would turn out to be a "recipe", really. I was literally just "cleaning out the fridge" when I made this salad. But as I've come to find out time and time again, those "clean out the fridge" salads are often the BEST salads! Hope you enjoy this one!

            "Flavor of Spring" Salad. 

      Layers and layers of raw goodness. 

    Another, because it's just so pretty!

            Ok, ok, last one. Promise. 

"Flavor of Spring" Salad; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients 

1. 7 oz raw broccoli florets 

2. 5 oz raw cauliflower florets

3. 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped 

4. 1/2 cup steamed beets, sliced

5. 2 T raisins

6. 1-2 T balsamic vinegar (I used one T but I would definitely use two making his again as mine was pretty dry)

7. Parsley flakes to taste

Method

1. In your food processor, process your broc and cauli florets. I did this separately to make the "layers". Scoop "rice" into medium size bowl. 

2. Top with carrot, then beets, then raisins. Drizzle with balsamic and sprinkle with parsley flakes. Dig in!! 

Vegan Pasta Primavera with Creamy Balsamic Sauce

It's always so fun creating recipes that reflect the changing seasons. As vegans, we can really play it up...all those fresh and seasonable veggies! YUMMO. 

One of my all time favorite meals during my pre-vegan days was pasta primavera. The word "primavera" literally translates as "spring", so what better time than spring to recreate a veganized version of one of my favorite meals?! 

    Vegan Pasta Primavera with Creamy    Balsamic Sauce. 

Vegan Pasta Primavera with Creamy Balsamic Sauce; Vegan, Gluten-Free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 5 oz. silken tofu

2. 1 T balsamic vinegar 

3. Onion and garlic powders, to taste

4. Pasta of choice (I used a package of tofu noodles) 

5. 1/8 cup diced red pepper

6. 5 cherry tomatoes, halved

7. 1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, halved

8. Black pepper to taste

9. 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, chopped 

Method

1. In a mini food processor combine the tofu, balsamic, onion, and garlic. Process until very smooth. Set aside. 

2. Cook your noodles and place in a large bowl with the chopped spinach. 

3. Prepare your veggies and set aside. 

4. Spoon your sauce over noodles and spinach. Mix very well. Serve into medium size bowl and top with veggies. Sprinkle with black pepper, if desired. Enjoy! 

Note: the veggies are pretty flexible. I just used what I had in my fridge. You could use any veggie you have on hand (asparagus would be super yum!). 

              Oh the taste of spring...