Vegan Buffalo Chickpea Collard Green Wraps
Vegan Buffalo Chickpea Salad Collard Green Wraps are crazy easy and super delish. Honestly, they take about 5-8 minutes to make too, so that plus layin’ off the carbs have made these a lunchtime fave recently. I’ve made these for Superbowl parties, as teatime wraps, and for other soirees. They’re crowd-pleasers for sure.
Some like it hot! If that’s the case, add more hot sauce. I like my shit hot too; however, the ever-so-lovely perks of badass GERD have given me a big “fuck you” in that department. Alas, I settle for somewhat hot and then try not to die. LOL. Honestly, it’s the WORST! Not enough Prilosec in the world to make it better. If you are a sufferer, I feel you! Blows.
Speaking of hot, yesterday, my friend Heather had me taste test 2 different hot sauces I’ve never had the pleasure of trying. I love all things truffle. This sauce is called “Truff” and is truffle hot sauce! Say whaaaa?!?! If you can handle the heat, the “hotter” sauce is amazing. Personally, I almost lost a lung. LOL. Heather (me) ten years ago woulda smothered that shit on her eggs. The black label Truff was my fave. Totally recommend if you are a truffle lover as well!
If you make my Vegan Buffalo Chickpea Salad Collard Green Wraps, let me know what hot sauce you used and if you changed anything up. Always open to different twists on recipes.
One of my favorite old movies, “Some Like it Hot.” For your cooking pleasure… a lil’ Marilyn Monroe.
Vegan Buffalo Chickpea Salad Collard Green Wraps
Yields: 2 collard green wraps
Ingredients-
2 collard green leaves – rinsed
1 can of chickpeas – drained
2 Tbl hummus
2 Tbl vegan mayo (you can go crazy and substitute with vegan ranch)
1/4 C celery – chopped
2 Tbl red onion – diced finely
Optional – 2 Tbl red bell pepper – diced
1 Tbl hot sauce (adjust to your taste)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Optional – 2-3 tsp taco seasoning ( I LOVE adding this)
Optional – 1 tsp dried cilantro
Directions–
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mash with masher
Spread evenly onto both collard green leaves. Chop off the stems of both leaves and fold
Done!
Pair with-
Beer- A hoppy IPA
Healthy Hummus Veggie Wrap (Vegan)
Healthy Hummus Veggie Wrap (Vegan) is super easy and fast. I used to eat these daily for lunch. Done in 5 minutes, little mess, easy to grab as a to-go fix, too. When I was getting my Master’s at PSU, I would either have this wrap or essentially the same wrap but on bread, hiding in my purse – all the time. I’m pretty sure this is how I came to befriend one of my many awesome and amazing cohort peeps with whom I’m still in touch with to this day. Love you, ladies!
So glad to have the blog back. I love writing and sharing recipes. I also find it to be incredibly therapeutic. Lord knows I need it these fucking days! Shit has officially hit the fan in ex-drama. It is incredibly sad and painful. I’ve been angrier than I’ve ever been, crazy confused and disappointed, and utterly perplexed by my exes choices in this world. At the end of the day, all of it is just insurmountable in sadness – mostly, for G. Dark as that may be, my day-to-day that doesn’t involve utter bullshit is pretty sweet since COVID! I get to hang with my kiddo and be outside all the time. We’ve more or less been isolating with my sister, nephew, good friend – and her daughter, and my boyfriend. It was the best thing that could’ve happened to me mentally after this epic past year.
Now, it’s summer, I’m not teaching at all, and the camping trips, etc have already begun. Fuck yeah! We had our first ever glamping trip at Lost Lake. Rained the whole time but was still totally awesome! I can’t wait for our upcoming trips. I hope you’re enjoying the summer thus far! Until next time…
Healthy Hummus Veggie Wrap (Vegan)
Serving Size: 2
Ingredients-
2 medium sized tortillas (I used an organic spinach and herb wrap)
3/4 C hummus (you can use basil, sun-dried tomato, roasted pepper, original etc – I make my own hummus I used click HERE for recipe)
1 small ripe avocado or a half of a large avocado – smashed (use fork)
8 slices of vegan cheese (I used Lisanatti Almond Mozzarella style)
1/4 C sliced black olives
1/4 C yellow and red peppers – roughly chopped
1/3 C cucumbers – roughly chopped
1 C arugula
*(Optional) Salt and pepper to taste
*(Optional) 3 Tbl chopped fresh basil
Directions-
Split hummus between both wraps and spread evenly
Split mashed avocado between both wraps and place on top of the hummus
Split the cheese and place on top of the avocado
Sprinkle the olives, peppers, and cucumbers evenly atop both wraps
Split the arugula and place on top of olives, peppers, and cucumbers
*If using the salt, pepper, and/or basil – add now
Roll each wrap tightly
Done!
White wine pairing – Pinot Grigio
Red wine pairing – Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley
4 Vegan Soups & Sandwiches
4 Vegan Soups & Sandwiches are perfectly paired for your dining enjoyment. 😉 All easy, all healthy, and all crazy delicious. We’ve been having a pretty mild winter in Portland, OR. No complaints here! Love wearing my winter clothes but have yet felt the need to wear a coat on a daily basis. I went to the mountain to go sledding, soooo voila. Snow fix done. Will most likely go back in March (for my bdayyyy) to go skiing. Hopefully, my Beach Body madness will make me stronger so I don’t feel like I’m dying a slow and snowy death on the slope. Worrrkkk iiittt!!
Sooo… I will soon be posting far better vegan Beach Body recipes than the shit that is currently out there. Most of my soups and sandbos will make an appearance as well. The colored Tupperware totally freak me out b/c it looks like an anorexic move, however, I completely get it. Portion control is everything! Moderation is everything! If only life were that fucking easy. If only self-control was that easy… ; )
Anyway, enjoy the grub! If you have a favorite soup/sandbo combo please, by all means, let me know. Happy Thursday! -FGG
PS- I love this Tribe Called Quest song. It was on my mind the other day…
*CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THE RECIPE TO BRING YOU DIRECTLY TO THE LINK.
1. Lentil Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms (Vegan) & The Most Bitchin’ Broccoli & Eggplant Veggie Burger Ever! -(Use vegan eggs, vegan parm, and vegan mayo)
2. Classic Vegan Chili & Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel!
3. Creamy Vegan Carrot Sweet Potato & Mushroom Soup & Tofu Tuna
4. Vegan Kale, Broccoli, & White Bean Soup & Lentil Sloppy Joes To Die For! – (Use a vegan cream cheese and vegan shredded cheese)
Two Vegan Breakfast Toasts!
Two Vegan Breakfast Toasts! Why two? Because it’s twice as nice. 😉 These delicious delights are incredibly easy, healthy, and quick to make. Everything you want in a breakfast! Lord knows, no one has endless amounts of time in the A.M. Mornings are the foundation of my day. If they start out shitty, the road is long for the rest of the day. I am a believer in starting your day right.
The first toast is loaded with avocado & shiitake mushrooms, and the second is loaded with spicy roasted red pepper hummus (click the name for link to my hummus recipe) & Italian veggie sausage. I LOVE glorified toasts in the morning. I usually have them with a green fruit smoothie and a cup of hot water with lemon, agave, ginger, and cayenne pepper. I feel like that perfect trifecta starts my body’s day at some form of homeostasis. No doubt I need that to cope with my 10 or 11 classes/day with 25-35 kiddos/class. Sigh… This is why my thighs will always touch. 🙁 Haha. I’ll never have enough energy to go nutty enough on the working out scene and I’ll always need my medicine, I mean, wine ;), after a long and crazy day of teaching, mommy-ing, cooking, blogging, writing, and house cleaning. INSANE! Let these two fabulous toasts at least ease some of the burden of your day, too! Wanna vent about it? Do it here! Leave your crazy lives and morning stressors in the comment section. I now have Heyoya as well which means you can leave voice comments. SO cool! Let’s get to know one another and our insane day-to-days!
Lastly, my very first e-cookbook, Easy Vegan Mexican & Italian Inspired Food, is now officially available on Amazon for a mere $2.99! And, no. You DON’T need a Kindle to read it! The Kindle is free to download (mine did it automatically with purchase) and therefore you can read on your iPhone, computer etc. What makes this cookbook so unique?! I have songs and well- researched drink pairings for every single recipe including slightly racy, and “Heather-style” inappropriate commentary for each page as well! Please leave me a review if you purchase it! They’ll be more to come by the end of the summer! Thanks for all of your support! Love, FGG
This album below (and Come Away with Me) are my 2 favorite Sunday morning albums to cook to and start the morning with!
UGH! CAN’T FIX THE GIANT GAP B/W THE PIC AND THE RECIPE CARD. WORDPRESS KILLS ME!
- 2 pieces of toast (I use black sourdough rye from Trader Joe's)
- 1 avocado - smashed
- 1 C of shiitake mushrooms (without stems)
- 1 Tbl chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 Tbl olive oil
- 2 Tbl veggie broth
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
- 2 pieces of toast (I use large sourdough slices)
- 1/3 C spicy roasted red pepper hummus (I use my own recipe - link in blog post)
- 2 Tbl vegan cream cheese (I use Tofutti)
- 1 1/2 C baby spinach
- 2 large veggie sausages (I use Trader Joe's Italian Vegan Sausages) - sliced
- 1 tsp oregano - fresh or dried. If fresh, chop
- 1 1/2 Tbl of olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat pan on medium with olive oil
- Add mushroom, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic & onion powders, and stir for about 3 minutes
- Add veggie broth and cilantro and stir occasionally for about 4-5 minutes more - shiitakes should be slightly crisp but not dry
- Remove from heat
- Evenly smear the smashed avocado onto both pieces of toasts
- Evenly divide the contents of the pan onto both pieces of toast
- Done!
- Heat pan on medium with olive oil
- When hot, add veggie sausage, salt & pepper
- Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes (we want to brown the outside of the sausages)
- Add the oregano and stir occasionally for 1-2 minutes more
- Add the spinach and stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes - spinach should be bright green and slightly wilted - do not over cook
- Remove from heat
- Evenly spread the cream cheese and then the hummus on both pieces of toast
- Evenly spread the contents of the pan on top of the toasts
- Done!
- White wine - riesling or chablis
- Red wine - pinot noir or zinfandel
Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel!
Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel! has been in my dreams as of late. I’ve been craving a bagel sandbo, don’t know why, but knew it was gonna happen and be my next blog post… so here it is! I love everything bagels. Pretty sure that if you left me on an island with only 1 food option, I’d opt to survive on everything bagels. I’m a carb-a-holic (if you can’t tell by the everything in my blog)! I’m also a lover of crispy tofu, especially on a sandwich! Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel! is stacked with avocado, crispy tofu, cucumbers, carrots, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, spinach, and smeared with Tofutti Cream Cheese and my sundried tomato & basil hummus (click for recipe). This bagel was bustin’ with goodness and flavor. I always feel extra great when people realize that something SO healthy can taste equally as delish!
Being that I live in Portland, OR, it is often rainy for parts of the day. I really wanted to have a picnic with my kiddo. Currently, he is obsessed with his new Radio Flyer mini-wagon, so we opted to pack the wagon with grub and picnic indoors! I ended up putting a blanket down with a vase of flowers and we ate to the tunes of Dizzy Gillespie (one of my kiddo’s faves… and mine). Love that my little G-dog is 3 and has been requesting “Gillespie” since he was 1! I did something right in this world! LOL. Anyway, picnic indoors, picnic outdoors, picnic by your lonesome or with friends or fam, picnic with your dog, picnic with a ‘lova’… just make sure you’re doin’ it with this super fabulous Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel! by your side. Happy days! MWAH! XO
- 1 everything bagel (or bagel of your choosing)
- 3 thin slices of firm or extra firm well-drained tofu
- 1 Tbl sundried tomatoes
- Small handful of spinach
- 2 basil leaves
- 4 thin slices of carrot
- 4 thin slices of cucumber
- 1/2 of an avocado - sliced
- 2 Tbl cream cheese (I used Tofutti)
- 2 Tbl sundried tomato hummus (or any hummus you have)
- Garlic powder to taste
- Onion powder to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat a small pan on medium/high - high
- Add tofu - gently so not break and add a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper
- Flip when crispy, about 3 minutes & add pinches of powders, salt & pepper again
- Cook until crispy, about 2 minutes
- Cut bagel and smear one side with hummus and the other side with cream cheese
- Top hummus half with avocado, and cream cheese half with sundried tomatoes
- Top on cream cheese half: basil, carrots, cucumber, tofu, and then spinach
- Place hummus half on top, cut, and devour!
- Feel free to replace any of the veggies or add more. Use what you've got in your fridge!
Simple & Quick Vegan Breakfast Toasts with Sausage
Simple & Quick Vegan Breakfast Toasts with Sausage is healthy and delicious. Hummus, avocado, cream cheese, cilantro and sausage. I eat this any morning that I have all of the ingredients in my fridge. It’s done in 5 minutes, and because I won’t wake my tired ass up any earlier than I already do, this is the perfect remedy for fullness, healthfulness, and happiness. Not only that, my 3 year old will totally get down with this deliciousness as well. Fabulous start to both of our way-too-early mornings!
I obviously have a total love affair with food; hence this blog. Just because something wasn’t sweated over upon a stovetop or involved loads of hard work definitely does not mean that it wasn’t healthy and delish. I’m posting this because it’s something I eat often and I love to eat. It’s easy, super fast, and crazy healthy. Something to be said for simplicity, folks. I promise to keep those KISS meals in my blog!
For this, I used Trader Joe’s Tuscan Pumpernickel Bread because it’s insanely delicious. I toasted that and then smeared Tofutti Cream Cheese on it. Over that I smashed some avocado, and then topped it with a roasted red pepper hummus (recipe coming soon). I had cilantro laying around so I threw some on top. Cilantro on almost anything, really. I used TJ’s Italian Sausage-Less Sausages and chopped that up on the side. I had some incredible espresso and made that in my Bialetti. Voila! A breakfast star was born. What are my fellow vegan/veg-head friends putting on their morning toasts? Send pics in my comment section!
Mexican Vegan Sushi Rolls!
Mexican Vegan Sushi Rolls! are so incredibly healthy, easy, and delicious. I wanted to do something unique with my nori rolls so I looked at what I had to get rid of in my fridge, and this idea rolled (hehe) right into my head. I had whipped up some fire roasted hot sauce last week with my various hot peppers that are pouring out of my garden. I smothered the inside (and out) with it. Of course, using store bought hot sauce will be just as amazing. From there, I added my sushi rice, and everything else from the recipe card below…
Everyone always assumes that I don’t eat sushi because I’m veg. Sushi is an awesome veggie or vegan food! You can put absolutely anything in it. The weirder the rolls, the better. At least in my humble opinion. 😉 Carrots, cucumbers, and avocado. That is primarily the “it” veggie sushi roll. Screw that! Shove some buffalo patties, chives, and pinto beans in there! Why not use tofu or tempeh? Go Italian style with some amazing Tofurky Sun-dried tomato/basil sausages and more. Go Greek with olives, tomato, and hummus, think of throwing some kind of veggie patty or a falafel in there! There’s no end to what you can roll into your nori. Obviously, swishing it down with some hot saki is highly recommended, or even encouraged. I live near a saki factory where you can go and taste the amazing flavors that sakis have to offer. Pretty dope! If I haven’t mentioned it before, I’m in love with living in Oregon again. Five years in China and I’m extra freakin’ in love with this orgasmic place! I get asked all the time why in the world I don’t live in New York (my home state), and I have one answer: The Pacific Northwest rocks!
Mexican Vegan Sushi Rolls! should be on your list of things to make this week. In addition to some cocktails, Halloween decorations, jack-o’-laterns, and costumes of course. 😉 Eat up and enjoy!
- 4 Nori wraps
- 3/4 C cooked sushi rice
- 1 vegan buffalo chicken patty (I use Boca) cut into strips
- 1 slice vegan cheese (I used Field Roast Chao - Tomato Cayenne) cut into strips
- A handful of chives cut in half
- 8 slices of cucumber
- 8 slices of carrot
- Optional: avocado slices (recommended) & cilantro to taste
- Pinto beans to taste (I dived 3/4 of a can)
- Hot sauce for inside and out - to taste
- Optional: Everything bagel seasoning for a garnish (I used Everything But The Bagel from Trader Joe's)
- Top each sushi roll with rice (split evenly among all 4 rolls)
- Add hot sauce on each roll (to your taste)
- Add beans
- Add cheese and buffalo patty
- Add carrots and cucumbers
- If using, add avocado and cilantro now
- Add chives
- Roll them up and lightly rub with water then sprinkle with everything seasoning
- Garnish with hot sauce
- Feel free to squeeze a fresh lime over those rolls!
- Hot saki OR Hefeweizen, Witbier, American Ales
Easy Whole Wheat Grain Bread
Easy Whole Wheat Grain Bread is delicious, healthy, and incredibly simple to make! It reminds you of why homemade bread is so superior to store bought loaves. Whole wheat flour, flax seeds, and oats are the foundation of this incredible bread. If I had sunflower seeds I would’ve thrown them in too, but hey, create with what you have and waste not! Are you sick of hearing me say that yet? 😉
When I was in Ireland I ate homemade ‘brown bread’ at my relative’s house daily. This bread recipe reminds of the brown bread I had when I was there. Prior to arriving my mom said 2 things to me: 1- You must accept tea when offered to you. 2- You must eat the brown bread when offered to you. So, I did! Boat loads and boat loads of it with my friend, Cheryl. Perhaps my mom could’ve offered me alternate advice about traveling through Europe with my 18 year old friend a week after we graduated high school, but perhaps she knew I wouldn’t have taken it. It was surreal to be away, so far away, and so free, for the first time in our lives. We had no idea what the hell we were doing, were supposed to be seeing, what we shouldn’t be doing… 😉 So, we did everything, and it was awesome.
This Easy Whole Wheat Grain Bread is crazy easy, delicious, and healthy. It wins across the board! Great with butter, hummus, or any spread, and excellent for sandwiches, too. Get down with the bread and #carbthe’bleep’up! (My favorite hashtag on Instagram) 😉
- 4 C whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 packet fast-acting yeast
- 2 Tbl agave or honey (I use agave)
- 1-2 Tbl flaxseed (Pending upon what you prefer)
- 3 Tbl oats
- 1 tsp salt
- Put all ingredients into a large mixing bowl leaving 1/4 flour for later, and stir well
- When fully stirred, knead dough with hands
- Add flour until the dough doesn't stick to the bowl any longer
- Spray the bowl and cover dough with a cloth - let rise for 2 hours
- Next, let rise in fridge for an additional 2-3 hours
- Take bread out of the refrigerator and knead
- Spray a loaf pan and shape the dough inside the pan. Spray top of bread. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30-40 minutes
- Bake bread for 30-35 minutes at 425f
- Done!
- Great with butter, hummus, or any spread! Excellent as a sandwich bread as well.
My Morning Through Snack Daily Food Routine (shed those lbs & still eat well)!
Well, it’s official. I’ve finally decided that to make my goal weight by mid-June I am officially going to have to kind of… err… sort of… uugghh… maybe diet a bit! Yuck! That tasted bad evening writing down that hateful “d” word. I made it 6 months while staying on target or even getting ahead of my chart and have hit the longest of plateaus over the past 3 months. If I plan on “making it” to the finish line I have to actually cut back a bit. I’ve also just revamped my workout. In previous posts I had mentioned the glory of Jillian Michael’s Shred It Level 1. Well, now it’s Level 2 in addition to her 6 Weeks to 6 Pack Abs (if you want to die a painful workout death… do this. It’s killer! But amazing), and I am taking hour long Latin dance classes every Friday. I feel the combo should get me to where I need to be in the short bit of time I seem to have left. Sigh, sigh, and sigh again… however, I feel great! So, that’s the silver lining, and the hope for total “svelte-ness” is my dangling carrot. In my mind it’s super model status, however, reality strikes in the form of a possible thinner thigh, arm, and a true dream of 50% of Jillian Michael’s abs. We dream big here my friends. I mean BIG. I do indeed, dare to dream.
I start every morning with my G’s Oatmeal Smoothie recipe. My little man (Greyson) LOVES them, as do my husband and myself. Berries mixed with oatmeal, coconut milk, and yes, spinach! Don’t let this scare you! The spinach is masked by the coconut and the sweet fruit. An incredibly healthy and satisfying start to your day. Not to mention, I make it the night before so the oats have been fully soaked, it will be cold without having to add ice, and let’s face it, one less step to slow down your morning. Sold! Next, I arrive at work and have a small snack of almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and a clementine. I love all of them and they keep my belly content until a later snack or early lunch. I swallow this down with a cup of chrysanthemum tea with a dash of cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and an ever-so-small squeeze of agave. This is incredibly refreshing and easy to drink. After this, I return to the caffeine with a Jasmine Green Tea (I have a black coffee as soon as I arrive at work). For a small lunch or hefty snack, I have a whole wheat slice of bakery bread loaded with all kinds of delicious seeds, and I smother it in my homemade Classic Hummus after smashing some avocado on the bread (sometimes with a tomato or some cheese as well-all depends on how crazy I feel that day!). If I want to make this more of a lunch, I will have a heftier slice of my bread and it’s toppings plus I’ll tack on a salad or soup, like my Pesto Mushroom Salad or my Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup. I’m not trying to pack the calories in but I definitely want to feel satisfied and really enjoy my food. What’s eating if we don’t love it?! My goal is to fuel my body with the “best” and enjoy it in the making. Simple, happy, delicious. Join me in my not-so-new morning mantra!
Robert Moses Sandwich (Eggplant Feta Mediterranean Sandbo)
Robert Moses Sandwich (Eggplant Feta Mediterranean Sandbo) is a sandwich from my childhood. Therefore, this will be one of my more poetic posts. If you’re from LI or the greater LI, NY area you are already familiar with summers at the beach… Robert Moses was my every weekend. An amazing Long Island beach that from an aerial view could be hard to see the sand, as it was packed to the brim with bodies & umbrellas. People having picnics and playing paddle ball, body surfing, boogie boarding, reading magazines, and listening to classics on the radio, all whilst under a sea of umbrellas…everyone there for the same reason, enjoying the same sun, sand, and sea. To sum it up, it was AMAZING! Coconut ice cream bars from the vendors strolling along the beach and for those who could imbibe, cocktails masked in coolers poured into a classic Solo cup. Does life get better than this? Truly, I think not. If yours does, please share because I want to know your secrets! I digress, this is where Robert Moses Sandwich (Eggplant Feta Mediterranean Sandbo) was born. My mother would pack the “herd” loads of food for the day. We were always going strong in the number department! At this point, 4 children plus friends made for an even better beach day. My mom always made these amazing sandwiches. They were made “special” just for the beach. They were delicious to begin with, but I am more than sure this only helped to make them taste even more scrumptious! Eggplant cooked with oregano, feta, tomato, red onion, spinach, fresh basil, and a fresh baked baguette- simple, easy, and amazing! I’ve taken some liberties with my mother’s sandwich but that’s only because I cannot remember it in its true form. In Beijing, I am most definitely not having beach weekends, however, in the Spring season, when pollution allows, Chaoyang Park is pumpin’ and we are a’ picnickin’! Robert Moses Sandwich (Eggplant Feta Mediterranean Sandbo) was our last bite of delish at the park. Sharing my childhood tastes and memories with you…
- 1 medium sized baguette (fresh bakery style is best)
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1/4 C chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 small red onion (I keep them in rings)
- 1 small ripe tomato-sliced
- 1 small eggplant-sliced
- Feta cheese - to taste (I like a fair amount)!
- 1 tsp lemon (1 slice) or lemon juice (optional)
- Oregano to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive for pan & for brushing on the baguette
- Cook your eggplant with lemon (optional), salt, pepper, and oregano for about 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness
- Slice open baguette and brush each side with olive oil. Sprinkle on salt/pepper, and more oregano if you desire (I do)!
- Place the feta, onion, and basil on the bottom. Next, top with tomato, eggplant, and then spinach
- Beer pairing: (In your beach cup of course)!
- Cold Amber or ESB
- Sauvignon blanc OR Chardonnay will both do here!
Mediterranean Faux Chicken Wrap
Mediterranean Faux Chicken Wrap is was the product of the amazing & surprising purchase of my Morning Star Chik Patty find. If you’ve read the post prior to this, you will know of the true and utter gleamingly wondrous glories that were running through my heart upon finding these patties. Something so simple but I had never seen in Beijing for the 5 years I’ve lived here! It filled my vegetarian soul for sure. Needless to say, I made Chik Patty everything for weeks!
As per usual, this wrap was concocted via the remnants in my refrigerator. Waste not, people! I’ve been on an arugula kick lately, as I’ve been getting loads of amazing & perfectly spicy arugula. I threw some feta, hummus (click for recipe), cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, oregano, arugula, s & p, and of course, a Chik Patty into a whole wheat wrap. Thus the birth of this Mediterranean Faux Chicken Wrap. Super healthy, incredibly easy, tasty as can be, and last, but not least, done in 5 minutes! Who could ask for more?! Use what you’ve got, add to this wrap recipe, and get your creativity cookin’, please feel free to leave a comment as to how you’ve done yours. Eat well!
- 1 whole wheat wrap
- 1 small-medium handful of arugula
- 2 tsp oregano (less or more if you'd like)
- 2 cherry tomatoes - sliced OR a few sun dried tomatoes diced
- large spoonful of hummus (I like A LOT)
- feta cheese - as much or as little as suits you
- 4 thin slices of a cucumber
- 1 Morning Star Chik Patty - diced OR any soy product you deem delicious
- sea salt & cracked pepper to taste
- Smother your wrap in hummus, place the cucumbers on top, and sprinkle with oregano
- Layer the arugula atop and then place all ingredients over the arugula
- Sprinkle with your salt & pepper
- Roll it up and you're done!
- Sauvignon blanc
Lentil Sloppy Joes To Die For!
Lentil Sloppy Joes To Die For! are a twist on a childhood recipe. I loved these growing up! Now, I smother these in cheese, however, if you want it a tad healthier or you would like to make it vegan, forget the cheese! Still totally delicious, cross my heart! I have to say, I’ve never had a real sloppy joe, as I have been a veg head since I was 8 yrs old. I can honestly say that I don’t really think I’d love one. I am, and always have been, a lover of the lentil so this is truly an amazing recipe whether or not you enjoy the real deal. Thinking of what to do for a meatless Monday perhaps? These are your jam. Thinking of alternative or twists on the ol’ classic? Again, these are your jam. I think I’ve mentioned before how my mother told me to never eat spaghetti on a date (me + pasta = hot mess). Well, these should never be eaten in the company of a first date or anyone you are trying to impress. You will less than impress, as you will be a sloppy mess! Sorry, had to do it. Sloppy & delicious. Wash it down with a cold brew and you’re golden. Bring your napkin (or ten) and slop your way to heaven.
- 6 large toasted buns of your liking
- Oil for pan
- 2 cans lentils
- 20 oz (about 2 1/2 C) shredded pepper jack cheese
- (Optional) Some sort of soft & creamy spreadable cheese for the bottom bun - I used cracked pepper cheese
- 1 avocado - sliced
- 1 large onion - diced
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 4 celery stalks - diced
- 1 small carrot - diced
- 1/4 good ketchup
- 1/4-1/2 tomato paste
- 2-3 Tbl dijon mustard
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbl brown sugar
- 1/4 veggie broth
- 2-3 Tbl dried oregano
- Hot sauce to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat pan with oil and add onion & a dash of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes
- Add garlic, more salt/pepper & cook for 30 seconds more
- Add celery, carrot, and half the oregano - cook for about 5 minutes or until soft
- Add tomato paste, ketchup, mustard, broth, balsamic, brown sugar. Stir for 1 minute
- Add lentils, hot sauce, and rest of oregano, plus any more salt & pepper you'd like
- Cook for about 10 minutes stirring often.
- On toasted buns, spread creamy cheese on bottom halves & add half of the pepper jack on top
- On top bun add avocado and the rest of pepper jack
- Slop the lentil mixture on top of bottom bun, carefully put the top on
- Throw some awesome potato chips on the side of each plate!
- These make 6 large sloppy joes but can be make into slider style buns for a party!
- Serve with a cold brew of your liking!
- I always serve with potato chips on the side (these were jalapeno flavored...yum)!
Croissant Egg/Egg Monster/Breakfast Feast!
I was looking to be glutenous on a Sunday morning way back when. Well, I’m always looking to be glutenous on every Sunday morning. I LOVE breakfast but sometimes have a hard time finding something different. I wanted a breakfast platter of sorts and before I knew it I ended up with this feast! I have never thought of having mushrooms as a side for bfast until traveling around Europe. Many of the hotels offered this and as a mushroom lover I thought to myself, “why the ‘bleep’ haven’t I thought of this?! I eat mushrooms with everything!” So, after beating myself up about it right, left, and center I decided this would now be a weekly staple. What to add with this staple? Well, after being reminded of these amazing European hotels I was quickly reminded of the awesome croissants they served, next came the thought of eggs, then toast, fruit, and my mind soon arrived at the recipe platter below. Simple, quick, delicious, satisfying, and seemingly grander than it really is (who doesn’t love that?)… I present to you… drum roll please… “Croissant Egg/Egg Monster/Breakfast Feast!”
Croissant Egg Sandwich & Breakfast Feast!
- 4 eggs
- 2 croissants
- 2 pieces delicious sandwich bread
- 2 slices cheese (I used white cheddar)
- 4 medium slices ripe & juice tomato
- Small handful of arugula
- 1/2 C mushrooms (I used oyster mushrooms)
- 1 Tbl fresh oregano - chopped (or 2 tsp dried oregano)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Oil for pan
- 1 C fruit of your choice (I used diced melon & strawberries)
- Breakfast potatoes (find this recipe in my California Omelette with Homemade Breakfast Potatoes Recipe) or hash brown patties per plate
- Slice open croissants and top each with a piece of cheese, two slices of tomato, and arugula
- Scramble your 2 eggs with salt, pepper, and oregano (save some for mushrooms)
- Place eggs on top of croissant. Voila!
- Cut a small & circular hole in each piece of bread
- In a heated pan, place bread & crack your egg in the hole (cook to desired temp) - sprinkle with salt and pepper. Done!
- Heat pan with oil & throw in mushrooms. Add salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes depending on the type of mushrooms. Finished!
- Put each of the sandwiches on both plates
- Add potatoes, mushrooms, and fruit as a side
- Enjoy your feast!
- Serve with a nice Bellini or Kir Royal, an amazing cup of coffee, and you've started out your Sunday more than successfully! Now, you've guaranteed yourself an awesome day!
Veggie Twist on a BLT
- 2 slices hearty whole wheat bread - toasted
- 2 slices vegetarian bacon
- 2 medium slices of firm or extra firm tofu
- 1/2 avocado
- 2 slices of tomato
- 1 Tbl green onion - diced
- 6 baby spinach leaves
- 1 Tbl Vegenaise (my favorite is the grapeseed)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 slice white american cheese (optional)
- Olive oil
- Coat tofu with oil and taco seasoning (both sides)
- Cook tofu on medium in pan until golden brown on both sides
- Spread the Vegenaise on both sides of toast
- Smash the avocado on both slices of bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- On one side of the toast place the spinach, bacon, and then tofu
- On the other side of toast place the green onions & top with cheese (optional), then top with tomato
- Put the pieces of bread together, slice in half, and enjoy!
- Smoked tempeh bacon is a very nice choice for your veggie bacon!
The Most Bitchin’ Broccoli & Eggplant Veggie Burger Ever!
- 2 eggs
- 1 large potato, skin on - diced
- 2 C eggplant -diced
- 4 Tbl cooked lentils
- 1/3 C loosely packed fresh basil - chopped (save some for garnish)
- 1/4 C bread crumbs
- 1 C broccoli florets, no stems - diced
- 1 shallot - diced
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbl parmesan cheese (optional)
- Olive oil
- Grain and seeded buns
- 2 Tbl sesame paste OR tahini
- 1 1/2 Tbl lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbl freshly chopped cilantro
- 2 Tbl water
- 1/2 tsp chilis (I use jarred fermented Chinese chilis)
- 2 Tbl plain yogurt or plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp dill
- Steam potatoes until soft
- Cook shallot for about 5 minutes
- Add lentils and stir for about 1 minutes
- Add garlic and stir for about 1 minute more
- Add eggplant and 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne and stir for 5 minutes
- Add broccoli, basil, and the rest of the seasoning, and stir for about 3-5 minutes
- If using parmesan, add now
- Remove from heat and place in bowl adding your potato, eggs and bread crumbs. Blend with immersion blender until smooth
- Let cool in fridge either briefly or overnight
- Form mixture into patties
- Brush patties with olive oil and heat in pan until each side is golden brown
- Mix all ingredients together and blend with immersion blender or small food processor
- Place the burger, open-faced, on the bottom bun
- Add sauce and garnish with basil
- To make these burgers really solid you can place them in the refrigerator for two hours or over night before cooking them.
- Feel free to plump these burgers up when serving with red leaf lettuce, onions, cucumbers or anything you'd like!
The Perfect Purple Potato Veggie Burger
- 4 medium purple potatoes - diced
- 1 1/2 C uncooked oats
- 1 red onion - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - diced
- Handful of cilantro
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 Tbl oregano
- 1 small carrot - diced
- 1 egg
- Olive oil to brush on burger patties
- 4 seeded and plump whole wheat or grain buns
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 4 small slices white cheddar (optional)
- 1 avocado - sliced
- 1 small tomato - sliced
- 6 Tbl greek yogurt OR Vegenaise
- 2 tsp taco seasoning
- Heat the pan on low with add onions. Cook for about 3-5 minutes
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more
- Add purple potatoes, carrots, salt, cumin, and oregano. Cook until potatoes are soft. Throw in the cilantro at the end
- Remove from heat and put in bowl with egg. Use immersion blender until smooth
- Add oatmeal and mix it in with your hands
- Form into 4 patties (put in fridge for two hours if you would like them to be more firm - not necessary though).
- Brush burgers with olive oil and cook on each side in pan until lightly browned. Top with cheese at the end if using (optional) to slightly melt
- Take the yogurt or Vegenaise and mix with taco seasoning
- Place lettuce leaves on bottom of buns
- Place burger on lettuce
- Top with sauce, avocado, and tomato
Vegan & Vegetarian Huevos Rancheros
- Handful cilantro - lightly chopped
- 3 stalks green onion - diced
- 8 Tbl vegetarian refried beans
- 2 slices cheddar cheese (optional)
- 3 Tbl red & yellow roasted peppers - juilienned
- 1 1/2-2 C spinach
- 2 wedges of lime
- 2 eggs (for vegetarian version)
- 4 slices tofu (for vegan version)
- 1 small tomato - diced
- 2 whole wheat tortillas
- Hot sauce as desired (I use a green & a red hot sauce)
- 1 tsp: cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic salt, salt OR taco seasoning
- Cook spinach in pan for about 1 minute with pinch of salt
- Add roasted peppers and cook for about 30 seconds more
- Smear refried beans on each tortilla and top with cheese (optional) & pinch with seasoning (don't use all of the seasoning)
- Cook eggs or tofu in a separate pan. Sprinkle each side with remaining seasoning
- In the meantime, heat an additional pan on low and put tortilla/s in pan.
- Add spinach & peppers and then place your egg or 2 slices of tofu on each tortilla and cook until tortilla gets crispy
- Garnish each tortilla with cilantro, hot sauce, and lime wedges (squeeze on top)
- Serve quickly while still warm!
- If you like more seasoning feel free to be liberal when sprinkling it on.
- When using eggs, I like to fry it over-medium.
Tofu Tuna
- 3/4 C diced white onion
- 1 drained & pressed firm brick of tofu - crumbled
- 150 grams plain greek yogurt or Vegenaise (I prefer the grapeseed Vegenaise) OR half yogurt & half Vegenaise
- 2 grams crumbled dried seaweed
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 heaping Tbl dijon mustard (a bit more if you'd like)
- 2 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 1 small stalk celery - diced
- Pinch of white pepper
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/4 tsp soy sauce (I use Braggs Amino Acids)
- Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Done!
- For a sandwich, I love this on a ciabatta roll with a piece of lettuce and a slice of provolone. The same with a wrap.
- Top on a bed of greens with some veggies for a delicious salad!
- Serve in a bowl as a dip with crackers and/or veggie sticks!
Amazing Hummus Veggie Sandwich
- 2 slices whole wheat bread
- 1/4 cup Hummus
- 1 small carrot (shredded)
- Approximately 1/4 cucumber sliced thin
- 1/2 of an avocado
- Pinch of salt (optional)
- Shred carrot
- Slice cucumber very thin
- Smash your avocado on both pieces of bread and then top with hummus
- Add cucumber
- Add carrot
- This is a delicious, healthy, and easy vegan sandwich. I do not recommend toasting the bread.
