Random Recipe Round-Up

Here's a random array of dishes I've been whipping up in my kitchen recently:

Easy Asian meals (always a quick, healthy go-to!), pumpkin salad pizza, mini quiches, kale chips, desserts, and more.... if you are looking for vegan, healthy, and easy recipe links, ideas, quick options, and inspiration, read on!

It's always good to have plenty of quick, healthy options for when life gets hectic or you just plain don't feel like making something involved. Here are some very, very easy meals I've made over the past few months:

• Asian stir-fry: tempeh, purple cabbage, carrots, green beans, and broccoli in a simple marinade of rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. This is ready in well under 30 minutes, and completely satisfying.

Easy Asian Stir-fry

• Homemade Pho: I simply used some Trader Joe's Pho noodles, and threw in fresh veggies, mint, and cilantro. Giant healthy yummy bowl of goodness! 

• Avocado-citrus kale salad: So deliciously refreshingly healthy and filling- a bunch of kale massaged with half an avocado, a squeeze of fresh orange, some fresh chopped cilantro, and some cubes of teriyaki tofu. Soooo good.

Citrus, avocado, cilantro, and teriyaki: a delicious blend of flavors

• Pumpkin hummus: Not a meal, but a great snack/app- I've whipped up some pumpkin hummus a few times, and it's so simple and tasty- just a can of rinsed chickpeas, half a can of pumpkin, and some spices and a tad of safflower oil, all whirled together. 

• Mini spinach-artichoke apps: Another easy app I've made a few times is a mini pie version of Chloe's spinach artichoke dip - her recipe simply cooking in a whole wheat pie crust, cooked in mini muffin pans. This makes for a great party app!

And also some fun new dishes I've made:

• Maryland Spicy Kale Chips: I've been wanting to make my own kale chips for a while, and after seeing Heather's post for amazing-looking cheezy kale chips, I decided to make my own variation. Since I'm from Maryland, I went with a spicy, Old Bay seasoned chip. I also experimented with a beer-battered version, which needs a little work since the chips weren't as crunchy. But I loved the spicy Old Bay chips- they reminded me so much of the Utz "Maryland crab" chips I grew up with!

• Creamy vegan cauliflower-potato soup: A variation of this creamy potato soup- instead of the soaked, peeled almonds, I simplified and simply used steamed cauliflower. I also topped it with Kathy's recipe for smoky tempeh "bacon" strips (I didn't have the liquid smoke, but I don't really like smoky flavors, so the combo of soy, maple, and spice was just right for me). I loved this hearty meal.

So good creamy-tasting cauliflower-potato soup.

• Savory vegan brunch: I also re-purposed the leftover tempeh strips for brunch on a pile of cheezy greens. (With a cheezy sauce adapted from this recipe, but subbing half silken tofu for half of the butter).

Tempeh strips and cheezy chard: a yummy savory vegan brunch.

•  Swirly cake: I saw a post of pinterest for how to make a zebra-striped cake, and jumped at the opportunity to try it out for a friend's bday. I used vanilla and chocolate cake recipes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, and followed instructions: 2 layers, scooping the vanilla and chocolate mixes by the 1/4 cup into one another for the swirled effect. The middle layer was a fresh strawberry jam, and the cake was topped with chocolate ganache and fresh strawberries. Delicious and pretty! 
• Vanilla-cardamom orange spice cookies: My mom gave me a cookie press for Christmas, and I was excited to try it out. To my surprise, it was incredibly easy to use. I veganized a cookie recipe that came with the press, and added a few changes- so I'll post the recipe for these pretty cookies soon! More to come...

Recent dessert adventures: swirly cake and cookie-press cookies!

 Finally, we had some friends over for a backyard St. Paddy's BBQ/brunch, and I made a few things-easy fruit-filled cinnamon buns (I love these rolls because not only do they taste great, but it's a a fast, no-rise recipe. I filled some with mango- SO GOOD!, and some with strawberries), mojito chocolate chip cookies from Chloe's Vegan Desserts, and mango gauc- we also had some other treats, including fun green drinks!

Is that a leprechaun stealing treats?!

 Phew. I think that pretty much covers what I've been up to in the kitchen recently ;-)

For more recipe ideas, check out this page.