National Grilled Cheese Day Meets Taco Tuesday...GRILLED CHEEZE TACOS (and Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup).

Yes, people. I'm completely serious right now. VEGAN. GRILLED. CHEEZE. TACOS. And they are sooooooo gooooood. What made me think of such a bizarre and ridiculous thing?! Well, since you asked...
You guys already know that I'm a pretty die-hard foodie...especially when it comes to holidays. One of my favorite things about holidays is making delicious vegan food: for myself, for my family, for my friends, and heck...for my puppy! (Candy cane dog biscuits are gonna be a thing in my household this Christmas...I'll share the recipe, don't worry! :) ) However, when said holiday happens to be a FOOD HOLIDAY like today (HELLOOOOOO #NATIONALGRILLEDCHEESEDAY!), the little girl that still lives inside me screams even louder than she does on regular holidays. I mean, what's better than AN ENTIRE DAY DEDICATED TO ONE FOOD...especially when that food just so happens to be a GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH. With that said, let's backtrack a little bit. I'm a huge food-holiday lover...including the WEEKLY food holidays: Meatless Monday, Waffle Wednesday, Pancake Sunday, and the star of today's recipe inspo: TACO TUESDAY. I was trying to think of a creative way to combine these two food holidays into one, and thus, it seemed I had two options. Option 1: taco grilled cheese. Think crispy bread slathered with homemade guac and stuffed to the brim with all my fave taco topping goodness. Tempting, but BORING. Everyone does that. (Although this recipe looks pretty darn tasty when swapped with vegan "meat" and cheeze!) That brings us to option 2: Grilled cheese tacos. WHAT?! Uh-huh. My first thought was, "HOW?!" (This might have been your first thought too...!) I mean, think about it: a grilled cheese is delicious, gooey,  melty cheese inside two slices of bread (duh...). How exactly can you turn that into tacos without just changing the shape of the grilled cheese sandwich?! Ah-ha...now we're getting somewhere!
Behold, my friends, my original creation...the first recipe of it's kind, straight outta my crazy head: The Fit Vegan Ginger's Grilled Cheeze Tacos. Delicious toasty bread cubes inside perfectly crispy romaine lettuce leaves and slathered in my sinlessly gooey and delicious cheeze sauce. And because a grilles cheese isn't complete without a bowl of tomato soup, I've included the recipe for my luscious Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup! This is such a unique and delicious spin on an old-time foodie fave, and it's a perfect meal for a warm spring day like today! The lettuce "taco shells" in place of bread give it a nice and light feel, while the slightly sweet tomato garlic soup adds a nice palate cleanser to the richness of the cheeze. Convinced?! Mission accomplished. Enjoy, fitties!

Grilled Cheeze Tacos and Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup.

THAT CHEEEEEEEEEZE.

Crispy, crunchy, cheesy, healthy...all in one. So good.

Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup.

Thick and creamy goodness.

Grilled Cheeze Tacos with Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one.

Ingredients
Grilled Cheeze Tacos
1. 4 large romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
2. Two slices vegan bread of choice, cubed
3. One recipe "Basic Cheeze Sauce" (see this post!)
4. Chopped parsley, for garnish

Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup
1. 1 cup canned tomato sauce
2. 1 cup plant-based milk of choice (I used cashew, but soy would be BOMB)
3. Salt, to taste
4. 1/2 small clove garlic, grated (less if you're not that into garlic's spiciness)
5. 1/4 tsp onion powder
6. Less than 1/8 tsp stevia or sweetener of choice
7. Chopped herbs of choice, for garnish (I used parsley, but chives would be great too!)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place bread cubes on parchment (you cold spray with coconut oil cooking spray, if desired) and bake until crispy, about 15-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
2. Remove bread cubes from oven and let cool 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, fill lettuce leaves with bread cubes and set aside.
3. Combine all ingredients for soup in your vitamix or high-speed blender and blend until smooth, starting on low speed and working up to high. Pour into small bowl and chill until ready to serve.
4. Prepare cheeze sauce according to recipe instructions. Drizzle cheeze over tacos and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with chilled tomato soup and a side salad.

Holiday Post!: Resurrection Cookies (HIGH PROTEIN!).

When I was growing up, my mom would always make "resurrection cookies" every Easter. Not only were they delicious, but I have so many happy memories surrounding the whole process of making these. I remember it just like it was yesterday: standing in the kitchen with my mom and sister, with all 6 of our hands shaping these little cookies...and then eating them while watching movies!
So what exactly ARE resurrection cookies, you may be wondering? Besides the MOST DELICIOUS THING IN THE WORLD, of course...so easy you almost can't call it a recipe. When I used to make them as a kid, they were simply pre-made crescent roll dough with a marshmallow wrapped inside. When you bake them, THE MARSHMALLOW "DISAPPEARS!" Or at least, that's what it seems like to a 6 year old ;) The idea behind these cookies is that you're "placing Jesus in the tomb." And when you open the tomb (i.e. "bite the cookie" haha) HE IS NO LONGER THERE! I've always thought it was creative (and of course delicious!). And with my recipe, they're HEALTHY, too! Happy Easter guys! Go make some resurrection cookies :)

Resurrection Cookies!

So good.

Protein Resurrection Cookies. Vegan, Gluten Free. Makes three large cookies.

Ingredients
1. 1/2 cup flour of choice
2. One scoop vanilla vegan protein powder
3. 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4. 1/2 tsp baking powder
5. One packet stevia powder
6. 4 T water
7. 3 vegan marshmallows (like Dandie's brand)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, protein powder, stevia, and baking powder. Add water and mix to form a dough.
3. Divide dough into 6 sections. Take one section in hands, roll into a ball, and flatten into a circle. Place on parchment and repeat with remaining 5 sections.
4. Place one marshmallow in the center of one circle of dough. Top with another dough circle and gently press outer edges together to seal. Repeat for 3 large cookies.
5. Cover cookies with a foil tent and bake for 25-30 minutes, until firm and set.
6. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before enjoying.

Flax 'n Protein Power Balls!

If you have followed me or my recipes for any length of time at all, you already know that I'm pretty much OBSESSED with flaxseed. I'm also pretty obsessed with protein powders...and the only thing better than these two things enjoyed separately, is these two things COMBINED! All you need is rice protein, ground flaxseed, stevia, water, and 5 minutes prep time (and a few hours in the fridge)...then BAM! Just like that, new fave recipe. That was easy.

Flan 'n Protein Power Balls!

"I'm so cute."

Flax 'n Protein Power Balls!
Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one.




Ingredients
1. 1/4 cup rice protein (brown rice or regular)
2. 2 T ground flaxseed
3. one packet stevia powder
4. 3-4 T water


Method
1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix protein powder, flax, and stevia.
2. Add water 1 T at a time until you get a workable consistency--don't add so much as to make them gummy...you just want them pliable.
3. Divide dough into 6 small sections and roll into balls.
4. Place power balls on a small plate, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour or more, to firm up a bit.
5. Remove from fridge and enjoy!

Strawberry Poppyseed Spinach Salad.

Ahhhh, spring. The sights, the smells...the tastes! And this yummy springtime salad gives all that lush springy flavor along with a hefty dose of nutrients. (And it takes about 7 minutes to make. Bonus!)

    Strawberry Poppyseed Spinach Salad. 

                  Spring epitomized!

Strawberry Poppyseed Spinach Salad. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. Large handful raw spinach leaves

2. Handful sliced white mushrooms

3. Two large (I MEAN LARGE! Or three medium/smallish) strawberries, chopped

4. 1/2 cup white beans 

5. 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

6. 2 T Apple cider vinegar

7. 1/2 packet stevia 

Method

1. Layer salad ingredients in the order listed. 

2. In a small bowl, vigorously whisk vinegar and stevia to make a Vinagrette. Pour over salad and serve. 

Sweet 'n Sour Spaghetti Pasta Salad.

This kind of goes without saying, but I LOOOVE taking traditional recipes (pasta salad, for example!) and putting a totally weird spin on them. It's so fun to come up with creative flavor combinations, and even MORE fun to EAT it afterwards! Nothing better 😄 this is a really fun recipe--super colorful, too! Nice and quick, tastes super fresh, and can be made ahead (and taken to a picnic!). The use of spaghetti noodles really makes this recipe awesome. Most pasta salads use bow tie, macaroni, fusilli, shells, you get the point. But...I'm not most 🙌😂 hope you enjoy!

    Sweet 'n Sour Spaghetti Pasta Salad!

   Where have you been all my life?!

Sweet 'n Sour Spaghetti Pasta Salad; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. One serving spaghetti noodles of choice, cooked and cooled

2. 1 cup chopped fresh spinach

3. 3/4 cup steamed, sliced beets (canned is fine), sliced into matchsticks

4. 1/2 cup white beans of choice (I used navy--great northern are great, too!)

5. One stalk celery, sliced

6. 2 T Apple cider vinegar

7. 1/2 packet stevia

8. Ground ginger

Method

1. In a large bowl or on a large plate, arrange your chopped spinach. Place cooled spaghetti noods on top. 

2. Top noodles with beets, then beans, then celery. 

3. In a small bowl, vigorously whisk vinegar and stevia to make a Vinagrette. Pour over pasta salad, and top with ginger. Enjoy! 

Note: I actually rink this tastes better if you let it sit for a while...it will begin to marinate and absorb the Vinagrette...yum!

Cinnamon-Flax Breakfast Pizza Toasty.

Hello everyone! Sorry for my post-hiatus...life has been VEEEEERRRYYY BUSY lately...since I now a COLLEGE FRESHMAN!!! Whaaaaaaaat?! Craziness! Loving every second of this year though-having a BLAST! 

And my vegan food creations have been no different-SO FUN, SO YUMMY, and of course SO SO SO EASY! This "Cinnamon-Flax Breakfast Pizza Toasty" is the PERFECT recipe for a quick snack, breakfast/lunch/dinner addition, you name it--my toasty can do it 😉 enjoy!

   Cinnamon-Flax Breakfast Pizza Toasty.

Cinnamon-Flax Breakfast Pizza Toasty; Vegan, Gluten-free option. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. One vegan (optionally gluten free) pita bread

2. 3 T ground flaxseed

3. 1/4 tsp cinnamon

4. 10 drops liquid stevia, flavor of choice (I used vanilla creme...mmmmm!)

5. 2 1/2 T water

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and line a bakjng sheet with parchment. Place pita on parchment and set aside. 

2. In small bowl, add flax, cinnamon, stevia, and water. Mix vigorously until thick and gooey. Spread evenly over pita and pop in the oven for 12 minutes. 

3. Slice into four slices using a pizza cutter, if you've got one. Don't bother letting it cool...DEVOUR MY FRIENDS! 😋

"Frosted" Watermelon Pie.

Ok, I have to admit--I am so proud of how this turned out! It's so cute! And so much fun to make. If you've for kiddos, this is a terrific recipe for them to help with! And you can all enjoy eating it afterwards...yum yum! Perfect summer time treat AND craft! 

           "Frosted" Watermelon Pie. 

                         Yummy!

"Frosted" Watermelon Pie; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients 

1. 2 large chunks/slices of fresh watermon

2. 5 oz. Morinu Extra Firm Silken Tofu

3. 1/4 tsp raw vanilla powder

4. One packet stevia

Method 

1. In your mini food processor, combine tofu, vanilla, and stevia. Blend until super smooth, scraping sides as you go of necessary. Transfer to a small bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least 10-15 minutes. 

2. After frosting had set, simply spread on the watermon slices and enjoy! So easy and delish!