I love cooking and I love a good challenge. How about create a Vegan Thanksgiving menu and cook all the food for four people solo? Challenge accepted. 

I transitioned from a Vegetarian diet to a Vegan diet in February of this year and honestly haven't looked back. It has been one of the best decisions I've made. And no, I don't really miss cheese. The only thing I do miss is that plant-based cheese alternatives definitely don't melt well, if at all. But as my husband recently pointed out, plants don't melt, so it shouldn't be surprising! 

This will be my first Thanksgiving entirely Vegan and I was asked to create the menu for my parents and husband. At first, it seemed a little daunting, but I did some research and am very happy with the results. Let's just hope it will all taste as good as it sounds! I will admit, there are a few items I am buying from Flour Bakery in Boston to provide a little assistance. 

• Dinner rolls (Flour Bakery)
• Roasted Heirloom Squash with Pomegrante Molasses, Pear, Pepitas & Sage (Flour Bakery) 
• Cranberry Chutney with Orange and Ginger (Flour Bakery)
• Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup (my own recipe)
• Green beans with sliced Almonds sauteed in Earth Balance Vegan butter with salt & pepper
• Pumpkin Muffins (Trade Joe's mix subbing the oil for Apple sauce & Eggs with Neat Egg so it's nearly guilt-free)
• Autumn Kale Salad (chopped Kale, sliced Apples, dried Cranberries, diced Cucumber, shredded Daiya cheddar cheese, crushed Walnuts)
• Individual Vegan "Chick'n" Pot Pies inspired by Minimalist Baker. I'll be adding Tofurky lightly seasoned chick'n strips for more texture and protein. 
• Whipped mashed potatoes using Earth Balance Vegan Butter and unsweetened almond milk (salt & pepper)
• Pumpkin Pie (Whole Foods) & cupcakes (Georgetown Cupcakes) 
• I also bought a Gardein holiday roast as a back up in the event the "Chick'n Pot Pies" are a bust. You can pick them up at Whole Foods for $14. 

If this menu doesn't sound creative or exciting, here are more Vegan menus to peruse from other plant-based food bloggers.

• Bon Appetit  
• Forks Over Knives
• Sharon Palmer
• Minimalist Baker
• Food & Wine
• Delish
• Buzzfeed
• Oh She Glows
• New York Times
• Cooking Light 

One of my favorite things about fall (and there are many) is the plethora of soups to sample! And I only discovered within the last two years how easy it is to make soups at home. This was made particularly easy with the purchase of what I consider one of the best kitchen tools--the immersion blender! This must-have kitchen tool will be your best friend for making the creamiest, smoothies soups and other dishes like mashed potatoes. The best news is that immersion blenders will only cost you about $30. 

But let's dive into this easy, relatively cheap, and hearty butternut squash sweet potato soup. It was so delicious that I've made it two weeks in a row now. 

Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, chopped
1 medium butternut squash
2 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tablespoons organic coconut sugar
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Dash of oregano 
Dash of cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut the butternut squash in half and place on a cookie sheet with some water, so the squash can absorb it. Bake for 30 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork in it. 
2. While the squash is baking, saute garlic, ginger, onion, carrots, and celery in a large pot with the Earth Balance vegan butter for 5 - 10 minutes, stirring constantly or until brown. 
3. Add the sweet potatoes, almond milk, vegetable broth, and coconut sugar. Simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until all of the vegetables are soft. 
4. Add the squash, salt, pepper, and oregano to the soup. Cook for a few more minutes. 
5. Turn heat off and set the soup aside. Use an immersion blender to mix all of the ingredients together until creamy and smooth. Add a dash of cinnamon to each serving. 
Bon Appetit! 

Whoever says salads are boring hasn't tried a buddha bowl. A buddha bowl, according to the urban dictionary, is a bowl packed so full that it has a rounded "belly" appearance on the top much like the belly of a buddha.  Based on that definition, I've been making buddha bowls for years and didn't even know it!

Buddha bowls are low in carbohydrates, high in protein, high in fiber, and low fat. They are simple to make, flavorful, colorful, and packed with nutrients. 

Added bonus: they require little to no cooking, depending on what you include in yours. Really, there is no reason you shouldn't make your next meal a buddha bowl. 

This particular recipe will require about 30 minutes of preparation from cutting the vegetables. You can vary your buddha bowl to your liking. This recipe, which I call the "KuKu Bowl" named for my husband, makes enough for two overflowing bowls. 

Ingredients:

Buddha Bowl
1 head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 small red onion, diced
3/4 cup cooked bulgur (dry cracked wheat) 
6 tablespoons black beans
1 cucumber, peeled and cubed
1 package Nasoya chipotle flavored tofu, cubed
1 can whole kernel corn
1 sweet potato, cubed
6 tablespoons garbanzo beans
1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 teaspoon Melt or Earth Balance vegan butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Avocado Cilantro Cream
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 ripe avocado
1 freshly squeezed lime
2 teaspoons Follow Your Heart Vegenaise 
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons cold water


Instructions. 
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray. Place sweet potato cubes onto baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes. 

2. While the sweet potato is baking, heat 1 1/2 cups water in a medium size pan. Once the water comes to a boil, add 3/4 cup bulgar, 1 teaspoon vegan butter, and salt to taste. Cook covered on medium heat for 20 minutes then turn heat down to a simmer for another 10 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Stir frequently to avoid sticking. 

3. While the sweet potato and bulgur are cooking, you can chop and prepare the remaining vegetables. Evenly divide one half of the vegetables in each of the bowls, starting with the lettuce and filling in the bowl with each of the ingredients. 

4. To make the avocado cilantro cream, simply place all of the ingredients in a food processor or even a small ninja will do (which is what I currently have) and blend until creamy. You may need to add 2 tablespoons cold water to the mixture.


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Nutrition Facts
Serving size:  2

Calories 609
Total Fat 29 g
Saturated Fat 4 g 
Cholesterol 0 mg 
Sodium 2433 mg
Total Carbohydrate 82 g 
Dietary Fiber 16 g
Sugars 17 g
Protein 14 g 

Today is the first day of Spring! Hooray! The days are already longer, brighter, and for the most part warmer. 

Summer is just around the corner. I'm already dreaming of lounging on the beach or boating on Cape Cod with my favorite guy aka my husband. But before I drift away into fantasy land, I want to share with you a super easy, delicious, and light vegan appetizer (that could serve as a meal if you aren't very hungry) that is perfect for Spring. 

Oh and did I mention, no cooking is required?! Score!

Spring rolls are fantastic to serve at a party, to fill up on before dinner, or just to have as a snack whenever. They are low fat, low in calories, gluten-free, and filling. This recipe was inspired (and slightly adapted) from Chef Roberto Martin's cookbook "Vegan Cooking for Carnivores."

Ingredients:
(Makes about 16 Spring Rolls) 
​
Spring Rolls: (You can play around with the filling depending on what you have/enjoy most) 

1/2 head red cabbage, julienned
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
20 fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 fat carrot, peeled, grated, and squeezed dry in a paper towel
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
1 geen pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned
2 packages spring roll wrappers (rice papers can be ordered on Amazon or bought in a local Asian market)
1 package Trader Joe's marinated tofu , chopped into small cubes 

Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup Peanut Butter (I prefer chunky)
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons white or yellow Miso 
2 tablespoons minced fresh (or powder) Ginger


Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients.

Assemble the Spring Rolls: 

1. Mix all of the vegetables in a large bowl and set aside. 
2. Select a dish or pan that is large enough for the rice paper to lie flat inside. Add about two cups warm water to the dish and soak rice paper for about 20 seconds, or until the paper has softened but not become too gummy.
3. Place the rice paper on a cutting board and rub it gently to help spread water out evenly on the paper. 
4. Place about 1/2 cup of the vegetable/tofu mixture on the rice paper, slightly below the center.
5. Picking up the edge closest to you, fold over the rice paper onto the vegetable/tofu mound. Fold the right and left sides towards the center. Roll the rice paper gently as if making a burrito. 
6. Place Spring Rolls on a baking sheet covered with a moist piece of wax paper to prevent from sticking to each other and the baking sheet. 
7. Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour before serving. Cut each Spring Roll in half at a slight angle just before serving. Enjoy! 




Nutrition Facts
Servings 16.0
Amount Per Serving
Calories 149
Total Fat 5 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 208 mg
Total Carbohydrate 20 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 3 g
Protein 6 g