Recipes

Vegan Peppermint Chocolate Mousse

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This is an easy, festive, dessert that even non vegans will love. The base is tofu but it’s so chocolatey and minty, you’d never guess.

individual dish of vegan peppermint chocolate mousse garnished with crushed candy cane

You will need a blender or food processor to make this recipe. The recipe below makes 4 dainty servings. You could easily double it to make more, but I would make it in two batches to prevent over filling a food processor or not blending evenly.

  • 2 candy canes
  • 1 block of silken tofu
  • 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice (this takes away some of the tofu flavor)
  • 1/4 cup natural cane sugar
  • 1/4 cup + 2 T quality cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
  • roughly 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Start by crushing the candy canes and setting aside. These will be used to garnish the final product. Next, drain the liquid from the block of tofu. Place the tofu, lemon juice, and sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend thoroughly, stoping to scrape down sides occasionally, until tofu is uniformly smooth. Next add cocoa-salt and blend more, scraping down sides to ensure even blending. This can be served right away, or placed in a container with a tight fitting lid and refrigerated until ready to use. Do not garnish with crushed candy canes until ready to serve.

eggnog ice cream

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All the holiday cheer, you hate to drink, frozen into a cool Christmas ice cream.

This recipe does require an ice cream maker, which I recommend getting. The container of the ice cream maker will need to be frozen before starting the base. It will take about 30 minutes to make the ice cream base, but that base mixture needs to be refrigerated over night before pouring into the ice cream maker. Plan on a two day process. Once in the ice cream maker it takes roughly 30-45 minutes but check your maker’s directions. This is an alcohol free recipe. I used Southern Comfort’s brand of eggnog which does not contain alcohol but tastes like there is some flavor in there. You could add booze to your base recipe but it will effect the freezing temp, so be aware of that. If you add to many gluggs, it might not freeze at all.

  • 2 cups eggnog
  • 1 cup of 2% milk
  • 1/2 cup natural cane sugar
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 egg yolks

Separate egg yolks into a medium bowl. You do not need the whites so save them for breakfast. Add vanilla to yolks and set aside. In a small sauce pan, combine eggnog through nutmeg. Over medium-low heat warm milk, whisking to dissolve sugar. Be careful not to scorch milk mixture, watch the temperature of the stove and gently raise the temperature until warmed and sugar has dissolved. With whisk in hand, gently pour a small amount of milk into egg yolks, while whisking. Slowly add more milk, whisking, until you have added about 1/3 of the milk into the egg yolks. This is “tempering” the egg yolks. You are slowly warming them to prevent making scrambled eggs. Now pour the warmed yolks back into the pan, whisking. Using a rubber spatula, scrape any remaining yolk into the pan. Whisk the milk and egg mixture on the stove over medium heat. You want to warm the milk to about 160 degrees, and the mixture should coat the back of the spoon. Once this is achieved, remove pan from the heat and allow to cool. Once the mixture has cooled, place the mixture into a container and refrigerate over night. The next day, pour mixture into ice cream maker and mix until ice cream has formed. Eat right away or transfer into a container with a well fitting lid and freeze. Cheers! Happy Holidays!

Frisse and Radicchio Salad with Roasted Rutabaga, Mushrooms and Leeks

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Make room on the holiday table for more fresh vegetables. This is a hearty salad perfect for cool weather, and pairs well with other traditional flavors of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Slightly bitter flavors of the greens and acidity of the dressing will cut the richness of some other holiday favorites (looking at you sweet potato casserole).

Feeds 6-8 as a side dish. Vegan and gluten free. Fairly quick to throw together but the rutabega does need roughly 60 min to roast. Good at room temperature but wait until ready to serve to add dressing.

Beautiful frisse and radicchio salad .
  • Medium bunch of Frisse
  • 1 small radicchio
  • 2 small-medium rutabaga
  • ? oz package of baby bella mushrooms
  • two small leeks
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 1/2 T agave syrup
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 T rosemary needles
  • 1 tsp salt
  • black pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Wash frisse and radicchio and set aside to dry. Prepare the rutabaga for roasting by removing each end, and using a peeler, peel off the outer waxy layer. Cut each rutabaga into 1/2″ cubes, toss with a little oil and dash of salt and pepper. Spread on a lined and roast for close to 1 hour. Check after 30 min and toss around. Try to prevent rutabaga from getting too soft. After rutabaga is in the oven, remove the root end of leeks and wash well, making sure layers are free of dirt. Remove green end and slice the white portion in 1/4″ circles. Leave circle mostly intact for roasting to prevent burning. Place in a bowl. Slice mushrooms and add to the same bowl. Toss with a little oil and salt and spread on a lined baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 40-45 min, watching to not let the mushrooms shrivel too much. Tear 3-4 handfuls of frisse into managable pieces. Remove core from radicchio and thinly slice. To make dressing combine olive through pepper and blend or whisk vigorously. Lightly toast walnuts in a dry pan on the stove. Just before serving, combine frisse, radicchio, rutabaga, mushrooms and leeks in a large serving bowl. Add dressing (you may not need all of the dressing), and toss. Top with toasted walnuts and dried cranberries.

Butternut Squash and Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad

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Another salad to lighten up the holiday table. Cheese can be left out to make this a vegan friendly dish to share and it’s also gluten free. Can be made a day before but not dressed and served at room temperature to optimize oven space; adding dressing and toppings just before serving.

Butternut Squash and Brussel Sprout Salad. Gluten free healthy side dish option for the holidays.
  • 1 # brussel sprouts (cooking spray)
  • 1 medium butternut squash
  • 3-4 stalks of celery, sliced
  • 1/3 pumpkin seeds
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 1/2 T maple syrup
  • 1 tsp miso paste
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With a sharp knife, remove the ends of the squash. Cut the squash in half where the round end starts to straighten out. Using the knife, carefully remove the outer skin of both halves. Cut the round end in half long ways, and remove seeds. Cut the squash into 1/2″ pieces and place in a bowl. Toss with a little oil and salt then spread onto a foil lined baking sheet. Roast squash for 15-20 minutes, checking and removing from the oven before it gets mushy. While squash is cooking, remove the tough ends of the brussel sprouts and slice thinly, placing in a bowl as you go. In batches, cook sliced brussels in cooking spray over medium heat, in a large non stick pan, just until tender. Set aside when finished. Wipe out the pan and place pumpkin seeds in a dry pan, toasting just until they begin to pop. Remove from pan and set aside. To make the dressing combine cider vinegar through salt in a bowl or blender and mix or blend until well combined. When all components are done. Place squash, brussel sprouts, and celery in a large bowl and toss with dressing. Once that is in it’s serving bowl. Top with pumpkin seeds and crumbled cheese. Salad can be served at room temperature but wait until just before serving to add dressing.

Kale and Farro Salad with Golden Beets

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Perfect salad for fall and winter. Great for a Thanksgiving or Holiday side dish.

Vegetarian. Cheese could be omitted for a vegan dish. Special equipment: Spiralizer. Takes 45 minutes.

Feeds 6-8 as side dish

  • 1 1/2 cups dried farro
  • 4-5 cups shredded kale
  • 1# parsnips
  • 1 small red onion (1 T sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup white wine vinegar)
  • 1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 1 medium golden beet
  • 1/2 cup chopped brazil nuts
  • 1/4-1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 2 tsp agave syrup
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • leaves of 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash the parsnips well. There is no need to peel them. Discarding each end, cut the parsnips into 1/2″ chunks and place in a medium bowl. Toss with a dash of olive oil and salt, and spread onto a foil lined baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 25 min. While parsnips roast, cook farro according to package directions. Drain, and set aside. To make the dressing; combine vinegar through pepper and whisk or blend. To make a quick pickled red onion, slice red onion thinly and place in a bowl with sugar, salt, and vinegar. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad. Place chopped brazil nuts in a dry pan and toast just until fragrant. Wash beets well, and remove stem and root end. Using a peeler, peel off outer layer. Using a sprializer with the thin ribbon blade, make 2″-3″ spirals out of the beet, placing in a bowl.

You should now have all of the salad components ready: Cooked farro, roasted parsnips, shredded kale, chopped parsley, pickled red onion (drained), toasted brazil nuts, crumbled cheese, and dressing. In a large bowls, toss farro, kale. and parsnips with dressing. Top with nuts, goat cheese crumbles, and pickled onions. Arrange beet spirals on top. You could also just toss it all together in a bowl.

Kale and farro salad with golden beets. A great holiday side dish.

Pumpkin Bread

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I made a few notes about what I want in a pumpkin bread before I started this recipe; not too sweet, moist, not super dense, tastes like pumpkin. I love the idea of a quick bread’s flavor, squishiness, and sweet notes, but I don’t like when it feels more like I ate a piece of cake rather than bread. I want all the pumpkin all of fall but I don’t want to feel like I blew a bunch of calories on a overly sugary bomb to my stomach. This recipe uses whole wheat pastry flour, which keeps it light. It contains a whole can of pumpkin which gives it moisture and flavor without much added fat. I kept the sugar low so it’s sweet but not sugary. It’s so fall.

Moist pumpkin bread. Lower in sugar and fat than the standard recipe.
All the flavors of Fall, guilt free

Healthier Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Heat oven to 350 degrees. You will need a 9×5 loaf pan.

  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour + a little more for dusting the pan
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 eggs and 1 egg white
  • 1 Tablespoon grated, fresh ginger
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup + 2 T granulated cane sugar
  • 1 15 oz can organic canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the baking pan by using cooking spray or oil and flouring the pan. Set the prepared pan aside and begin the bread. Measure flour into a medium bowl. Add baking soda-salt and whisk to combine. Into a large mixing bowl, crack eggs and using an electric mixer or whisk, whip eggs until yolks are broken and bubbles start to appear. Add grated ginger and oil. Mix again until combined. Next add both sugars and pumpkin, and mix again. Scrap down sides, and give it another whip. Add dry ingredients to the egg and pumpkin mixture and mix just until combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Place in the middled of the preheated oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes. After 50 minutes insert a tooth pick into middle, when the tooth pick comes out clean, remove from the over. Place loaf on a wire rack to cool. After, roughly, 30 minutes tap the sides of the pan to loosen and gently remove bread from the pan. Leave loaf on the rack to cool, before slicing. If you can’t resist and go in for the kill, it might crumble some but whatever.

Turkey Stuffed Poblanos

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This is an easy, high protein, gluten-free recipe. Lots of flavor, spice, and a little cheese will keep you satisfied without over doing it.

Turkey Stuffed Poblano peppers. High protein and gluten-free

Feeds 3-4. Takes 30-40 minutes

Recipe

  • 4 medium poblano peppers
  • 1# lean ground turkey
  • 1/3 cup diced red onion
  • 3-4 finely chopped garlic cloves
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 packet, low sodium taco seasoning
  • 2 oz low fat cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro + more for garnish
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Roughly 1 cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese

Preheat oven Broiler. Start by charring peppers slightly. Cut peppers in half, remove seeds and try to keep stem end in tact. Place peppers cut-side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, and place under broiler. Broil peppers until they start to blister. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce oven heat to bake at 400 degrees.

Start warming a large skillet on medium. When warm, spray with cooking spray and add onion to skillet. Sauté for a few minutes, then add garlic and diced tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 minutes, but don’t allow all the tomato’s juice to cook off completely. Add the turkey and package of seasoning to the skillet, stir to mix and start breaking up turkey. Continue cooking and breaking up turkey periodically, until turkey is cooked through. Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese to the skillet. Stir gently until cream cheese it melted and incorporated. Stir in cilantro and lime zest.

Get the tray of peppers and turn peppers over, cut side up. Using a spoon, scoop turkey mixture into pepper halves. When all of the peppers are filled, top with shredded cheese. Return sheet pan with peppers to oven and bake for roughly 10 minutes. Done!

Turkey stuffed poblanos with a sprinkle of cilantro

Summer Wedge Salad with Creamy BBQ Dressing

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A summery twist on the average wedge salad. The BBQ dressing is creamy but light, using a low sugar BBQ sauce for big flavor and low fat yogurt for a creamy texture.

summer wedge salad with creamy bbq dressing

Feeds 4-6. 30-45 minutes

Recipe

  • 1 head of iceberg lettuce
  • 2 ears corn, kernels removed
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup chopped banana peppers
  • Big pinch kosher salt
  • 1 5.3 oz container of plain, low fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup low sugar BBQ sauce
  • 1 tsp cider or rice vinegar
  • 1 T water
  • Heaping 1/4 tsp salt

Start by hard boiling eggs. Bring salted water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Slide eggs into pan of boiling water, turn off heat, cover pan and let sit for 9-10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Combine corn through kosher salt in a small bowl and toss to combine. Set aside. To make dressing, combine yogurt through salt and whisk until combined. Peel cooled eggs and cut each in half. Cut iceberg lettuce into wedges. Place each wedge on a plate, drizzle with dressing. Toss corn, then spoon over each wedge. Place egg halves on each plate, drizzle with more dressing, if desired, and serve.

This wedge salad makes the brings all the fresh flavors of summer to one filling, high fiber salad.

White Bean Picnic Salad

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I’m not sure what to call this salad. This salad is everything that I love about Macaroni Salad without the macaroni. PASTA?!! I hardly ever eat pasta because my brain just sets off “bad food” alarms. Pasta is a five alarm emergency in my mind, which makes it hard to enjoy eating it. For everyone else, I believe that pasta in moderation has it’s place but I don’t give myself that much grace. My refined carb phobia is at the bottom of my “things to work on” list. If you, too, have a refined carb phobia, please enjoy this salad as a replacement for macaroni salad when you just want that creamy, crunchy salad next to some bbq chicken.

Creamy but not mayo laden, white bean picnic salad

Serves 4-6 but could easily be doubled. Takes only 10-20 minutes. Gluten Free, Vegetarianish (contains egg)

Recipe

  • 1 can of white beans.
  • 2 eggs, hard boiled
  • 1 c sliced celery
  • 1/2 c diced onion
  • 1/2 green pepper, diced
  • 1/3 c diced dill pickles
  • 1/2 c crème fraiche
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tsp white or rice vinegar
  • 3/4 tsp agave
  • 1/4 tsp salt (maybe less if pickles are ex salty)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, couple cranks

After you have hard boiled the eggs, drain and rinse the white beans. Place beans in a medium bowl with chopped eggs-pickles and gently mix. Combine crème fraiche-black pepper in a small bowl and mix to combine. Add crème fraiche mixture to the bean mixture and toss to combine, being carefull not to crush the beans. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.