Greetings, plant-based readers! Many folks, including most of my friends, cannot understand why I don’t consume any refined oils of any kind. I get so many confused looks and questions… “What about coconut oil? Isn’t that healthy?” and the very popular, “The Mediterranean diet has olive oil, what about that?”
Well, I’ve been living without it quite nicely for seven years now and I can assure you, you do not need it in your diet and in fact you will be much better off without it!
On to the most important question for those who enjoy romancing the stove… “How do I sauté without oil??”
I can assure you it is very easy providing you have the know-how, and most importantly, the right pan! I made a video a while back in which I stated that I mostly enjoy using stainless steel for my sautéing. That’s right, not non-stick. Just a very good quality stainless steel pan. I know, they can be VERY costly, upwards of hundreds of dollars for a high-end 18/10 stainless pan. Well, I have good news! I was recently approached by a company called Mealthy which offers just such a pan at a fraction of the cost. They offered me a free trial which I accepted and I must say, I am in love with this pan! Not only is it heavy and made of quality steel, I love the shape of it and the fact that it’s much deeper than most pans.
You can find your Mealthy pan on AMAZON HERE. Or at the company’s website HERE.
Back to the topic at hand, how DO you cook without oil? Mostly, I just use water or veggie broth in place of oil. For those of you who missed my video post about water sautéing, here is the link: HOW TO WATER SAUTE
Here are some tips and tricks:
Before heating your pan, wipe it with just a touch of oil. I will use about a half teaspoon and then use a paper towel to spread the oil out evenly in a VERY thin layer.
Heat the pan BEFORE adding your veggies. Not to the point that’s it’s smoking, but over medium heat for a few minutes is good.
Add the veggies first with nothing else. Let them sizzle just a bit before adding bits of water or vegetable broth, A LITTLE AT TIME. You don’t want to flood it, just enough so that the veggies don’t stick. This way you will still get a nice crisp on the food and it won’t be soggy.
Keep it moving! It’s important to stir your ingredients, again so that they don’t stick.
That’s pretty much it! It’s not hard, especially with practice, you’ll get the hang of it.
For those of you still wondering WHY it is unsafe for our health to consume oils, here are a couple informative videos for you from Dr. Greger of NutritionFact.org to check out, but I urge you to do your own research as well:
But wait! What about BAKING? That’s a whole science in itself and there are also MANY ways to avoid using oils in baked goodies. For a comprehensive look at how to create yummy, plant-based, oil-free, baked treats, head over to download my FREE E-BOOK, I’m a Baker Dammit! It took me YEARS to figure out how to bake again after becoming plant-based. I hope that you can find some inspiration here. 🙂
That’s all for now lovelies. Happy oil-free cooking (and baking)!
Healthy trails,
Product link disclaimer: If you’ve been visiting my site for a while, you may notice that I use NO ADS in my posts. I really don’t like to be disturbed by pop-up ads when I’m browsing myself, and I’ve seen ads for items that really have no place on plant-based blogs. So I do make a very small amount of commissions if you click through and purchase an item on Amazon via my site. Thank you for your support in allowing me to continue posting recipes for you!
My dad and I used to fight over the mint chip ice cream when I was a kid. Okay, so some foods have emotional ties and this one sure does for me! While we don’t eat many sweets, Mountain Man and I do enjoy some plant-based ice cream occasionally, especially in these hot summer months. THIS delivers in a big way! I love making my own ice cream. Even the vegan brands in the store contain fillers and thickeners which I really don’t care to eat. Plus, it’s EASY and it’s so much fun watching the mixture churn and grow as it’s forming.
The base of this deliciousness is cashews for ultra creaminess. Yes, it’s high in calories and fat… like I said, an occasional indulgence. You will need an ice cream maker for this one. I found a great churner on Amazon here. It is reasonably priced and just so easy to use. And, of course, you’ll need a good blender for that wonderful smooth texture! Do you own a Vitamix yet? I highly recommend them and use mine daily!
So what’s the best way to store your work of art? I found these great ice cream storage containers, again on Amazon, here. They really are great and come in some fun colors, too!
A delicious plant-based treat for the summer months!
Ingredients
1 heaping cup raw cashews
1/2-3/4 cup erythritol (or any granulated sweetener of your choice—use enough to satisfy your own sweet tooth and remember that when the mixture freezes it will taste less sweet)
small bunch fresh peppermint leaves (optional)
2 tsp vodka (yes, you read that right, see notes)
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt (see notes)
1/2 tsp spirulina powder (for color)
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips or chocolate chunks (see notes)
a few peppermint leaves for garnish (optional)
Method
Blend the cashews with just enough water to cover until smooth, then add remaining ingredients, except for the chocolate chips/chunks.
Transfer to a jar or pitcher and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. It's important that your mixture is cold when you go to pour it into your ice cream maker!
Set up your ice cream maker, per the instructions, and slowly pour in your mixture. When the allotted time is up (usually about 20 minutes for most churners), slowly add the chips until incorporated.
Freeze for at least a few hours before enjoying.
You will need to let the ice cream soften a bit before scooping.
Notes
Okay so here's the deal. SALT. I don't usually use it at all. But without all of the gross ingredients that most commercial ice cream has, it will tend to get REALLY hard and flaky and thus hard to scoop. Sure you can omit it, but just be prepared as you will need to let the ice cream sit out for a good amount of time before it is soft enough to serve. Same goes with the vodka. Alcohol will keep the mixture from freezing too hard.
As fas as the chocolate goes, chips are easy, but I always prefer to just use a good quality dark chocolate bar and cut it up into chunks. It will flake and crumble into various sizes. I love that!
Product link disclaimer: If you’ve been visiting my site for a while, you may notice that I use NO ADS in my posts. I really don’t like to be disturbed by pop-up ads when I’m browsing myself, and I’ve seen ads for items that really have no place on plant-based blogs. So I do make a very small amount of commissions if you click through and purchase an item on Amazon via my site. Thank you for your support in allowing me to continue posting recipes for you!
This savory, spicy, hearty soup is native to Morocco. Though eaten throughout the year, Harira is the most commonly eaten food during the fasting month of Ramadan. An estimated ninety-nine percent of Moroccans eat Harira every day during the 29 or 30 days of Ramadan. No wonder it’s Morocco’s national soup!
There are a couple of unusual ingredients that are traditional to this soup, but if you can’t find them, don’t worry; it’s just as yummy without them! BUT, if you go the extra measure and hunt down these uncommon additions you will be rewarded with the most authentic and unique flavor imaginable! The spices I am referring to are sumacand black lemon.
Sumac is pretty easy to come by. Most Asian stores carry it. I found it on Amazon (see link above). Sumac has a lovely, dark red to purple color and a tart flavor that is reminiscent of vinegar or lemon. It is an essential ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking.
Black lemon, on the other hand, is quite rare but I was able to find it online (again, see link above). Its name is a misnomer, as it’s actually a lime that has been dried. It’s such a funny ingredient as it’s pitch black and quite hard. I use mine by breaking one of them apart and pulverizing it in my spice blender. Black lemons have an extraordinary sweet-tart property and lend a very complex, deep flavor to any dish. NOTE: Keep your black lemons in an airtight jar with a couple of desiccant packets to keep them from taking on too much moisture from any ambient humidity.
Okay, let’s get to this tasty recipe! You can use any kinds of veggies you prefer in this soup. I usually use red bell peppers, celery, carrots, onions and mushrooms. Sometimes I add cauliflower. The base is made of lentils and tomato. Think of it as a Middle Eastern kicked-up lentil soup. Give it a try and don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you off… it’s worth every effort. 🙂
A flavorful, spicy Middle Eastern treat in a bowl!
Ingredients
1 cup green lentils
6 cups water
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped parsley, loosely packed
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 cloves smashed garlic
1 can (1½ cups) cooked chickpeas
2 TBS ground cinnamon
2 TBS freshly grated ginger
1 TBS tomato paste
1 TBS smoked paprika
1 TBS coriander seed powder
1 TBS sumac powder
1 tsp ground black lemon
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste (I don't use much salt, I added about 1/2 tsp)
Method
Place all ingredients in a soup pot EXCEPT the tomatoes, tomato paste, turmeric and parsley (see note).
Simmer until all veggies are tender (about 20 minutes).
Add the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the fresh parsley and simmer for another 20 minutes. You can let it simmer for hours and the flavors will just get better!
Just before you are ready to serve it, add the parsley. This keeps the parsley fresh, green and full of flavor.
Garnish with some extra parsley and a sprinkle of sumac if desired.
Enjoy!
Notes
TIP!! When cooking soups, especially beans, it's always best to add any tomato ingredients LAST, after the beans and veggies have cooked. This is because the acidity in tomatoes can tighten up the structure of beans and veggies and slow (or in some cases, even prevent) complete softening of of the other ingredients. Turmeric can do the same thing, though I am not sure why.
Yep, we love banana bread in our house… and we love pancakes, too! So I thought, why not combine the two? Yes! These babies are so yummy, I promise you won’t have any leftovers. 🙂 I know I will get asked so no, I have not tried them with gluten-free flours. I used organic spelt flour for these. For some reason spelt does not affect me in the same way as regular wheat. I’m not gluten-intolerant but I find that if I eat too much wheat, especially more processed wheat like pasta, I do get bloated and feel uncomfortable. But not so with spelt, so there you go. You could also use whole wheat flour for this recipe.
These wonders are so soft and packed with flavor! The natural sweetness from the banana is a plus. And the little crunches of walnut add a dose of omega-3 goodness.
You will need a blender for this recipe and it really makes things so easy. Enjoy!
½ cup chopped walnuts plus a little extra for garnishing later
1¼ cups flour
1 flax egg (1 TBS ground flax + 3 TBS water)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Method
Combine the ground flax with the water and set aside for about 5 minutes.
Place all ingredients into a blender (EXCEPT for two of the bananas, the flax egg and the walnuts) and blend until smooth.
Chop the second banana and add to the blender with the walnuts and the flax egg. Pulse just a few times until combined.
Drop by ¼ cupfuls onto a non-stick skillet (see note).
Flip when the edges are firm and you see some bubbles and cook until golden brown.
Garnish with some extra chopped walnuts and the remaining banana, sliced.
Notes
I used a non-stick skillet for these, which really is best since there is no oil. If you need to, you could use a little spray oil, sparingly, so they don't stick.
Feta cheese! This recipe really comes close to the real deal. It was a big hit at a gathering that I attended and it’s so easy to put together. You must try it! Okay, so feta cheese doesn’t normally come with added spices, but you know what they say about TOFU, right? Totally Out of Flavor Undeniably! 😀 The spices really make this tofu dish shine, making it a perfect addition to a Greek Salad! Yummy. The best part about this recipe is that the longer the tofu marinates in the juices, the more flavor it takes on and the better it gets. I have had some in the fridge for up to two weeks with no problem in spoiling, probably because of the fair amount of vinegar that I use in the recipe.
I used Eden’s ume plum vinegar as part of my ingredients as well as red wine vinegar. The ume vinegar is a bit salty, so you can omit it if you are on a low-sodium regime since there is already miso in the recipe as well.
Another cookie recipe! Yay!!! I’ve been wanting to make these for the longest time. I tried one batch that I wasn’t happy with so this was my second attempt and boy, are they good. Chocolate and tahini? You bet! Possibly better than peanut butter and jelly. They seem to really complement each other, resulting in a deep, rich, complex flavor. These gems are not too sweet, and so pillowy soft, it’s like eating a cloud. Heaven in every bite. 🙂
Tahini (sesame seeds) should be labeled a superfood in my humble opinion. Why? There’s tons of info out there about its health benefits. Here are just some:
Rich in minerals such as phosphorus, lecithin, magnesium, potassium and iron.
Good source of Methionine, which aids in liver detoxification.
One of the best sources of calcium out there.
High in vitamin E and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15.
Helps to promote healthy cell growth.
Prevents anemia.
Can help balance hormones.
Helps to maintain healthy skin and muscle tone.
Can help to regulate blood pressure.
Easy for to digest because of its high alkaline mineral content.
High in healthy fats and amino acids.
Ideally a food processor should be used to combine the ingredients for these cookies, but I’m sure if you did it by hand, the result would still be fine. I do hope you will try these nutritious bundles of goodness!
Light as a cloud and filled with flavor, these cookies will satisfy!
Ingredients
~dry
1 cup tightly packed, blanched almond flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 TBS tapioca starch
1 tsp vanilla powder (or sub vanilla extract in the wet ingredients)
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
~wet
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 flax egg (1 TBS ground flax + 3 TBS water)
topping
1 TBS sesame seeds
Method
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the flax meal and water together and set aside.
Mix all dry ingredients together in a food processor.
Gently all wet ingredients together, including the flax egg.
With the food processor running on low, add the wet ingredients to the dry in a steady stream.
The mixture should come together quite quickly, resulting in a sticky dough. Let it rest a few minutes to give the cocoa powder time to absorb some of the liquid.
Scoop out about 2 TBS of dough for each cookie. I used a small ice cream scoop, which makes things very easy and results in even sizes!
Press each dough ball down slightly and then top with a bit of sesame seeds, patting them down slightly into the dough.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Let cool COMPLETELY before handling. They are fragile when hot.
Old habits die hard. So I’m sitting looking out my window at the falling snow… there’s a fire in the wood stove, the cats are curled up in their favorite spot, and I just can’t help myself. I have to bake some cookies!!! It’s coming up on Christmas anyway, so that’s a good excuse, too, right? 😉 These cookies are really easy to make, come together in a snap, and they smell divine while baking.
I could hardly wait for them to cool! Finally… my patience pays off—the orange essence wafts up into my senses with a hint of cinnamon as I take my first, crunchy bite. Then the little pops of juicy cranberry mingle with earthy pecan bits and the experience all comes together with a sense of being nourished and loved. ❤️
We’re expecting up to 24″ of the white powdery stuff this weekend. Hoping for the best, hunkered down with my oven, my man and my kitties… life is good.
A heavenly holiday cookie to warm you heart and home.
Ingredients
~ dry
3/4 cup oat flour (I just blended rolled oats in my blender)
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 TBS ground flax seeds
1 tsp potato starch
1/4 cup dried cranberries *see notes
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt (optional)
1/4 tsp baking powder
~ wet
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp orange extract
1/4 cup raw almond butter
love
Method
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Mix all dry ingredients together.
Mix the wet ingredients together and add to the dry.
Mix well to incorporate all.
Form into balls about 1½ inches in diameter (I used a mini ice cream scooper which works great). Roll the balls in your hands and place on the cookie sheet, then press down lightly and shape into discs.
Bake for about 15 minutes until just barely golden.
Cool and serve!
Notes
Try to find cranberries that are fruit juice sweetened. I got some at Trader Joe's.
Hello and Happy Holidays, dear reader! I am excited to share something festive and yummy with you today.
I just had to do it… I had to create this recipe because all of the vegan meat-substitute holiday products contain ingredients that have no business being in my body—such as isolated soy proteins, canola oil, thickeners, high sodium and vital wheat gluten. No thanks! So I created an amazing plant-based roll for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! Actually, I made cutlets with this recipe and later made the roll and guess what? They both turned out great! So it’s a versatile mix that you can tweak as you like.
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know I’m no stranger to Butler Soy Curls. Their versatility and meaty texture make them a perfect substitute for some animal-based dishes that perhaps you used to enjoy but would like to make plant-based. This one is no exception.
Making individual cutlets from the mixture was a bit messy and quite time consuming (I had doubled the recipe so there was a lot!) but the result was well worth the effort and my guests were extra thankful. I should note that the prep for the roll is also a little time consuming as half of the soy curls need to be shredded. Have someone help you shred. Mountain Man helped me. I honor his patience. 🙂 If you have children, this would be a great way to get them involved! This isn’t a recipe that I would make often but it’s perfect for a holiday dish or special gathering.
Oh and, by the way, the best part of this recipe is, you can make it ahead of time! Just wrap it up and keep it in the fridge until it’s time to put in the oven (extend the baking time by 10 minutes if you do this). You can even bake it ahead of time and reheat it if necessary. Anything that I can make ahead of time to give me more time to enjoy my guests is all right with me.
P.S. My Savory Bean Gravy may have even been more of a hit than the actual dish! It was the perfect complement and, of course, wonderful on the mashed potatoes. I used navy beans instead of red beans in the gravy and added a little sage and thyme for that traditional holiday flavor. Yum!
A wonderfully flavorful holiday loaf for you and your loved ones!
Ingredients
8 oz. dry soy curls
1 block firm tofu
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 TBS veggie boullion *see note
2 TBS organic corn starch
2 tsp agar agar powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried/rubbed sage
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Method
Soak the soy curls in pure water for about 30 minutes. Then squeeze out most of the water.
Shred half of the curls. If you've not shredded soy curls before, you'll find out that some of them pull apart easily and some just crumble. That's okay. You just want the particle size to be consistent. When you've shredded half of the curls, set them aside.
Squeeze out most of the water from the tofu block. Don't worry if it's not really dry; you don't have to press it. As long as most of the water is out, that's fine.
Place the tofu and the remaining ingredients (except the shredded soy curls) in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Don't be tempted to add water. It will be a VERY thick mixture. This is what you want.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl (or pot) and add the shredded curls, mixing well. I used my hands to mush it all together.
Lay out a sheet of parchment paper about 20" long and place the mixture in the center.
Shape into a log about 4" thick x 10" long with your hands and smooth it out the best you can.
Next, roll it up into the parchment paper, twisting the ends to secure it.
Have a piece of aluminum foil ready and place the wrapped log onto the foil and roll that up as well, securing the ends.
Place onto a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 1 hour.
When finished baking, gently and carefully unroll the foil and paper and let cool for about 30 minutes before serving. It gets firmer as it cools, so this step is important, otherwise it will be hard to slice.
Enjoy!
Notes
Finding a good quality vegetable base can be challenging. I don't use "better than boullion" brand because it is ridiculously high in sodium. I've found other brands that are good, one is by Edward & Sons, another is Vogue instant Veggie Base. Check your local health food stores and read your labels.
Oh, man. These. These are… I can’t even… If I cursed, I would be using expletives about how good these are!
So here’s a little back story. Mountain Man and I are at our favorite little restaurant (one of the very few where we can actually eat off the menu, called Dobra Tea West in Asheville). We finished our meal and my honey wanted a sweet treat. I sighed and said, “I’ll look but most of them have a lot of oil.” So I meandered over to the dessert fridge and took a peek. Nope, not really anything. Well, my man has a sweet tooth and was not giving up so easily. He decided to look for himself. A few moments later he came over to the table with this huge BALL of something, a big smile on his face. I said, “Really? Doesn’t it have oodles of coconut oil?” I got up to look at the ingredients… nope! No oil. And wow, was it incredible. Okay, so this recipe isn’t really mine but I just had to make these the next day, based on the ingredients given, and share them with you!
They turned out great! Possibly better… Mine are about half the size of the ones at Dobra because, really, they were ginormous and I can’t eat that much sweet in one sitting. I’m bringing these to an event this weekend and working on creating a little pistachio filling, just like a real truffle… shouldn’t be too hard. So, stay tuned for a possible upgrade! 🙂
For the relatively small amount of ingredients, the flavor profile of these little treats is very deep and rich. If you love pistachios, like we do, and are a fan of matcha tea, like we are… you will love these. They are also sweetened with dates only, so yeah. These will be on my dessert rotation plan.
Hello and welcome to my plant-based kitchen! I look forward to sharing many scrumptious and nourishing recipes with you as well as some evidence-based nutritional information. If you see a recipe you like, please share it! Your comments are always welcome.
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