This recipe is a celebration of all things Spring and I love it! To be honest, it still doesn’t fully even feel like Spring in the city quit yet, we keep swinging from 60 degrees back to 40 and almost all days covered in clouds, rain and gloom. That being said, this recipe is anything but gloomy! It’s full of bright beautifully covered vegetables, a bold spicy peanut sauce, and a perfectly sweet and savory lemongrass marinaded tofu. It is also served cold which makes it awesome for leftovers! 

So this recipe has actually evolved multiple times from when I first attempted to make it. The first time was an attempt to make fresh Spring Rolls like what you get at Vietnamese restaurants. So two problems with that that I felt wasn’t in line with my brand and what we’re trying to accomplish in the Almost Like Mom’s kitchen.

The first is they were not easy to make. If you’ve ever picked up a packet of those spring roll wrapped and see that they look like hard plastic, and have thought to yourself, how do they soften this and wrap it?? The answer is, very carefully and honestly not worth it. The second issue is they go bad almost instantly, it was very difficult to keep the ingredients looking fresh and the rolls themselves got soggy after about a day.

While I often like taking on food challenges, I try to stay away from doing recipes that are not accessible and will leave you frustrated and I really try to stay away from recipes where you cannot have leftovers. So I scrapped the whole spring rolls idea. But, I loved everything about the flavor combination of what I had put together, so I decided to evolve it into a noodle dish and the Spring Vegetable Soba Bowls were born.

If you’ve never bought Soba noodles, you’re in for a treat. You can find them in the ethnic isle of the grocery store, I try to buy ones that are 100% buckwheat but they’re pricier so feel free to get the ones that are mixed with wheat. These noodles are I think probably my favorite noodle on their own, but they are truly beautiful and delicious tossed with fresh veggies and marinaded tofu.

What I recommended for this recipe is to make the tofu, sauce and noodles separate and then you can use it for lunches all week by adding on the sliced veggies toppings before eating or in the morning.

Lots of Love,

Jackie

Spring Vegetable Soba Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

A celebration of Spring in a bowl, bright spring vegetables atop savory soba noodles with spicy peanut sauce and lemongrass marinaded tofu.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Lunch, Dinner, Salad, Snack

Cuisine: Japanese, Vietnamese, Vegan

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Tofu Marinade
• 1 block extra firm tofu, cut into strips
• 2 lemongrass stalks, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
  
• Noodles
• 1 bunch soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into thirds
• 1 bunch radishes, sliced
• 4 avocados, sliced
• 3 carrots, ribboned
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
  
  
• Peanut Butter Sauce
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp chili paste
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 scallions, sliced
• ½ cup water, more if necessary to thin

Directions

1. Whisk all the ingredients together for the tofu marinade. Toss the tofu strips into the marinade and set aside for 30 minutes. While the tofu marinades preheat your over to 400 degrees and cook the soba noodles.
   
   
2. In a separate pot from the noodles, bring more water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the asparagus and cook for 4 minutes until it is just cooked. It should still be crunchy. Set the cooked asparagus aside while you prepare and chop the remaining vegetables.
   
   
3. When the tofu is done marinading, place it onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
   
   
4. Make the peanut sauce by placing all the ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until creamy.
   
   
5. Assemble the bowls by placing the noodles on the bottom, top with all the veggies, the cooked tofu and drizzle with the peanut sauce. Top with fresh cilantro if using. If you're using these as a lunch and want leftovers, keep the veggies separate from the noodles until serving or preparing.

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The post Spring Vegetable Soba Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

Spring Vegetable Salad with Honey Ginger Vinaigrette

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Crispy green spring vegetables tossed with sweet roasted beets, fresh herbs and crunchy pumpkin seeds and pistachios. This salad is perfectly complimented by the spicy, sweet Honey Ginger Vinaigrette.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Salad, Dinner

Cuisine: Seasonal, Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 3 beets, cooked and sliced into eighths
• 1 bunch asparagus, cleaned and cut in thirds
• 1 cup snap peas
• 3 cups mixed greens
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 8 radishes, sliced into thin rounds
• ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ cup pistachios crushed
• ¼ cups pumpkin seeds
• 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Goat cheese or feta cheese (optional)
  
  
• Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbs lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbs fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tbs white balsamic vinaigrette
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

1. Start by cooking the beets because they take the longest. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Peel the skin off the beets and cut them into eighths. Place them on a large baking sheet and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes until the beets start to soften but are crisp on the edges.
   
   
2. While the beets are cooking, cook the asparagus and snap peas. Prepare a large bowl as an ice bath and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When it's boiling, drop the asparagus in first. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the asparagus turn bright green but are still a little crunchy. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, remove the asparagus and transfer directly to the ice bath. Repeat this process with the peas, you can use the same water. The peas only take 3 minutes to cook.
   
   
3. Make the dressing by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl, set it aside.
   
   
4. Assemble the salad. Toss together the asparagus, snap peas, beets, greens, scallions, radishes, mint, parsley, pistachios and pumpkin seeds. Pour the dressing over and continue to toss until all the ingredients are coated. Top each bowl with grapefruit, avocado and the cheese if you are using it.
   
   
5. You can keep the greens, vegetable and herb based of the salad in the fridge in a bowl for a week and then just toss with the dressing and add the toppings when you're about to eat!

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Autumn Harvest Roasted Vegetable Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Bright, colorful, and loaded with all the delicious seasonal vegetables of autumn, this salad is the perfect healthy compliment to Thanksgiving dinner! And it's filling on it's own!

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Salad
• 1 butternut squash, diced
• 2 bulbs fennel, sliced
• 1 head celery root, diced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• ½ cup gorgonzola cheese
• 2 tbs pepitas
• 2 tbs pistachios
• 1 apple, sliced thin
• 1 loaf french bread, cut into cubes
• 3 cups mixed greens
• 2 cups green leaf lettuce (you can mix this up and do different lettuces if you want)
  
  
• Dressing
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 cup apple juice or cider (either simply apple or apple cider)
• 1 tbs honey
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper

Directions

1. Start by making the croutons. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the cubes of bread on a large baking sheet. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic powder. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the croutons are crispy and browned. I recommend tossing the croutons in the dressing and setting aside to let them soften a little before adding them to the salad.
   
   
2. For the roasted veggies, leave the oven at 400 degrees. Place the cut up veggies in a large baking pan and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake covered for 30 minutes or until the veggies are softened.
   
   
3. Make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients in a medium size bowl.
   
   
4. Finally assemble the salad. Place mixed greens or your choice of lettuce into a large bowl. Top with pistachios, pepitas, Gorgonzola cheese, the roasted veggies and apples. Pour over the dressing and toss. Serve as a side dish or as is own dinner!

Notes

*The blue cheese here is optional, if you're vegan, look for a plant-based parmesan or creamy crumbled cheese.
**I recommend here using apple cider for the dressing but if you don't have it, get really good, 100% apple juice like simply apple.

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Elotes Corn Salad with Smoky Avocado Ranch

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

The perfect summer salad incorporating loaded with sweet corn and fresh veggies and tossed with a perfect smoky and spicy avocado ranch dressing.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Mexican, Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Salad
• 2 cups cooked or frozen corn
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 fresh jalapenos, sliced
• 1 large cucumber, diced
• 8 radishes, sliced thin
• 1 red onion, diced
  
  
• Smoky Avocado Ranch
• 1 medium avocado
• ½ cup vegan mayo
• ½ cup almond milk, (more if it needs to be thinned out)
• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• pinches of salt and pepper
• juice of 1 lime

Directions

1. Start by chopping all the vegetables and cooking the corn if you're using fresh corn. Combine all the salad ingredients into a large bowl and toss.
   
   
2. For the dressing, combine the almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and set aside for about 10 minutes. The almond milk will start to curdled which will mimic buttermilk. Place the avocado and mayo into the food processor and blend until smooth. Next add the almond milk mixture and lime juice and blend.
   
   
3. At this point, test to see if it's thin enough. It should be the texture of a thicker ranch dressing. If it needs to be thinned out you can add more almond milk or more lime juice if you like it extra tangy. Add the cayenne pepper, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and blend until fully incorporated. The dressing should be creamy and smoky.
   
   
4. Toss the salad in the dressing and Enjoy!

Notes

*Add another 20 minutes to the cook time if you're cooking the corn.

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Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

This turned up version of a Caprese Salad takes it to the next level! With roasted tomatoes and toasted breadcrumbs this is truly the perfect summer salad.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Salad, Side, Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian, Vegetarian

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 beefsteak tomatoes
• 8-10 basil leaves, sliced
• 8 ounces buffalo mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 2 cups arugula
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the whole tomatoes on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and the skin is slightly wrinkled.
   
   
2. Remove the tomatoes and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes until they've cooled down enough that you can touch them. Carefully and gently slice the tomatoes in half and then slice each half into thirds.
   
   
3. In a small sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in the breadcrumbs and toast them for about 5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs start to brown.
   
   
4. When the breadcrumbs are finished and the tomatoes are cooled, take a large serving dish or sheet and place the arugula on the bottom. On top of the arugula, layer the sliced tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella slices. Top with the sliced red onions and basil and then spread the toasted breadcrumbs on top. You can either mix the olive oil and balsamic together as a dressing or you can just drizzle olive oil and balsamic over top.

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Unbelievably Vegan Macaroni Salad

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

This slight adaptation of Hot for Food's macaroni salad is crunchy, delicious and full of flavor! It is the perfect addition to any barbecue.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Salad, Appetizer, Side

Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian, Barbecue

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard
• 3 tbs apple cider vinegar
• juice of 2 lemons
• 3 tbs nutritional yeast
• 1½ cups vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbs fresh dill
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 5 stalks celery, sliced thin
• 4 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 cups kale, chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 3 scallions sliced
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni until soft. While the macaroni is cooking, chop the red onion, scallions, celery, carrots and kale and set aside.
   
   
2. Make the dressing by mixing together the vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic, dill, parsley, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and salt and pepper.
   
   
3. When the noodles are done cooking, strain them and let them cool for about ten minutes. Toss the noodles with all of the veggies and the dressing and taste! I recommend making this a few hours before you want to serve it and let it cool in the fridge. The longer the noodles sit in the dressing the more flavorful they become. You can add more salt and pepper or other seasoning and if you're not vegan, a little Parmesan cheese is great here as well. Enjoy!

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Andrew's Semi-Famous Black Bean Burgers, 3 Ways

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Three different styles of veggie burger to give you all the making for a Father's Day vegetarian extravaganza!

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner, Burgers, Sandwiches

Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian, Grilling, Barbecue

Serves: 10-12 burgers

Ingredients

• Andrew's Semi-Famous Black Bean Burgers
• 2 16 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• ½ white onion, finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
• ½ cup flour
• 2 tbs cumin
• 1 tbs garlic salt
• 1 tbs black pepper
• 2 tsp Cheyenne Pepper
• 1 tbs Italian Seasoning
  
  
• Corn Salsa
• 1 cup frozen corn, unthawed
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, finely diced
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp cumin
• pinches of salt and pepper
  
  
• Chipotle Mayonnaise
• 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 2 canned chipotle peppers
• 1 tbs adobo sauce from the can
• juice of 1 lime
  
  
• Marinated Mushrooms
• 8 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbs Worchestershire sauce
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard
• pinches of salt and pepper
  
  
• Garlic Aioli
• 1 cups vegan mayonnaise
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbs Italian seasoning
• pinches of salt and pepper
  
  
• Homemade Vegan Barbecue Sauce
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 3 tbs Sriracha (any hot sauce would work, this is my favorite though)
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 2 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp hot mustard powder
• 1 tbs cumin
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• pinches of salt and pepper
  
  
• Crispy Fried Onion Clusters
• 1 large onion, sliced into thin strips
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbs paprika
• ½ cup almond milk (more if necessary)
• vegetable oil, enough to fill ½ inch of a pot
  
  
• Other toppings
• pickled jalapenos - Southwest Chipotle Burger
• avocado slices - Southwest Chipotle Burger
• pepper jack - Southwest Chipotle Burger
• swiss - Mushroom Swiss Burger
• cheddar - Barbecue Bacon Burger
• coconut bacon - Barbecue Bacon Burger
• *You can use vegan cheese as well if you want!*

Directions

1. First, cut up the red pepper, onion and garlic and put them into the food processor. Chop them until they’re finely diced. If you’re doing it by hand, dice up the red pepper and onions as small as you can. Put all the cut up veggies aside in a bowl.
   
   
2. Next, put the rinsed black beans in a large bowl. Using either a stand or hand mixer, mash the beans using a low setting first then increasing the speed until the beans are completely mashed. If you’re doing it by hand, put the beans into a bowl and mash them with a sturdy fork until all of the beans are broken and mixed together.
   
   
3. Add the remaining ingredients including all the seasoning into the mixing bowl with the beans and mix for a few minutes until fully incorporated. If you’re mixing by hand, I found it easiest to mix the veggies in with the beans first. Then in a separate bowl, whip the eggs and the spices together and add it to the main bowl. Mix it all together and then slowly add the bread crumbs and flour. Every batch is different so you may need to add more bread crumbs if it’s too moist to form a patty.
   
   
4. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Grease your hands with olive oil to keep the mix from sticking to your hands. Scoop about ½ cup of the mix into your hands to form a patty. Fry the burgers for about 3 minutes on each side until the outsides are slightly crispy. I usually get about 8-10 burgers out of a batch depending on their size.
   
   
5. It's time to prepare your toppings! For the Southwest Chipotle Burger make the corn salsa and chipotle mayonnaise. To make the corn salsa toss all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. For the chipotle mayo use a food processor or blender to blend the mayo with the other ingredients. Assemble the burger with pepper jack cheese, pickled jalapenos and avocado!
   
   
6. To make the Mushroom and Swiss Burger, make sure you melt the swiss cheese onto the patty while cooking. Marinate the mushrooms in a small pan over medium heat. When the mushrooms start cooking down and releasing their liquid, add in the garlic and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then add in the Worchestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper and cook until the ingredients are incorporated, about 5 more minutes.
   
   
7. Make the Garlic Aioli by mixing together all of the ingredients in a small bowl or food processor. Assemble the burgers by smearing both buns with the garlic aioli, placing the burger with the melted cheese on the bottom patty and then topping it with the marinated mushrooms.
   
   
8. For the Barbecue Bacon Burger, make the barbecue sauce first by marinating the onions and garlic in a small pan until the onions become translucent. Add the tomato sauce, vinegar, syrup, brown sugar, mustard powder, Dijon mustard, paprika, Sriracha, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper into the pan. Simmer all the ingredients until they thicken up, this will take about 10 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender or food processor and blend till smooth.
   
   
9. To make the fried onions, slice an onion into longer thin strips. Prepare the batter by whisking the flour, garlic salt, almond milk, onion powder, cumin, paprika and black pepper in a small bowl. Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in a medium pot. To test if it's ready to fry, splash water droplets into the oil. If they sizzle its ready. Dip a small handful of onions into the batter, shake off the excess batter and drop them into the oil. The onions will fry up into a clumped sort of patty. It takes about 3 minutes per patty to fry. You should end up with about 4 patties for this recipe.
   
   
10. Assemble the burgers by smearing the barbecue sauce on both buns and placing the burger with the cheddar cheese on the bottom. Sprinkle the coconut bacon on top of the patty then place the fried onion on top.

Notes

The prep and cooking times are set for doing them by hand. The prep time if you're using a mixer and food processor is about 15 minutes. This isn't counting the time it takes to make the toppings.
*The toppings for the Barbecue Bacon Burger take about 20 minutes to complete.
*Southwest Chipotle takes about 10 minutes
*Mushroom and Swiss with Garlic Aioli takes about 15 minutes.

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The post Father’s Day Recipes – 3 Veggie Burger Styles and Vegan Macaroni Salad appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

Vegan Cobb Salad with Homemade Avocado Ranch

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

A light and healthy version of the classic salad topped with veggies, coconut bacon and a creamy avocado ranch dressing. Adapted from Love and Lemons.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Coconut Bacon
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 2 cups coconut flakes
• ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• pinch of salt and pepper
  
  
• Avocado Ranch
• 1 small avocado
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• ¼ cup fresh dill
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup mayo
• ¼ cup non-dairy milk
• pinch of salt and pepper
  
  
• Spiced Baked Tofu
• 1 8oz block tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 1 tbs paprika
• 1 tbs chili powder
• 2 tsps garlic powder
• 2 tsps onion powder
• pinch salt and pepper
  
  
• Salad Toppings
• 3 cups romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped
• 3 cups butter lettuce, cleaned and chopped
• 1 head radicchio or red cabbage
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 large cucumber, any style you want, I spiralize mine but you can also slice it
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Start by cooking the tofu because it takes the longest amount of time. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the tofu into ½ inch cubes and toss them in all the spices. Grease a baking sheets and place the tofu cubes onto the sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, flip the pieces halfway through.
   
   
2. Next prepare the coconut "bacon". Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and pour the coconut flakes onto it. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Pour the mixture onto the coconut and mix thoroughly. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Check them after 8 to make sure they are not burning. If they don't seem crispy enough yet don't worry about it too much, they get crunchier as they cool down.
   
   
3. While the tofu and coconut bacon are cooking, make your dressing. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and mix it on high until it's completely smooth. You may need to add some water to thin it out if it's still thick. It holds in the fridge for about a week but you will likely have to add water after a few days because it thickens in the fridge.
   
   
4. Finally, assemble the salad! You can assemble it for a group by tossing both lettuces together and placing them in a large bowl. Top the greens with the tofu, onions, tomatoes, raddichio, cucumbers and scallions all in straight lines. Serve with the avocado ranch on the side.
   
   
5. To assemble as a pre-made mason jar salad Put the ingredients in the jar coconut bacon, then tofu, then tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, scallions and radicchio. Top with two handfuls of the greens and seal. You can either put the dressing on the bottom of the jar or put it on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

*For the Avocado Ranch you can also use Greek yogurt for a non-vegan healthy option.

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Frozen Pineapple Margaritas

 

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Prep time

3 mins

Cook time

2 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

These Frozen Pineapple Margaritas take minutes to make and are a healthy, delightful summertime drink! Refreshing and no added sugar!

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Drinks

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1½ cups frozen pineapple
• 1 cup ice
• juice of 2 limes
• juice of 1 lemon
• 4 shots silver tequila
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Add the pineapple and the ice into the blender. Juice the limes and the lemons into the blender and add in the tequila. Sprinkle the salt into the mixture. Blend on high until it's smooth.
   
   
2. Serve in a large glass with an extra slice of lime.

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Healthy Mayo-Free Potato Salad

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Perfect summer time potato salad. Made with vinaigrette instead of mayo for a healthy delicious option.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb redskins potatoes, chopped into chunks
• 3 scallions, sliced thinly
• 2 tbs dried or fresh parsley
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard
• pinches of salt and pepper

Directions

1. Place the chopped potatoes into a large pot and fill with cold water and a sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil and boil until the potatoes are cooked and soft.
   
   
2. Drain the potatoes and place them into a large bowl. Add in the red onion, scallions and parsley. Toss until the ingredients are fully mixed.
   
   
3. Next prepare your dressing by combining the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until combined and then pour over the potato salad. Gently toss the salad so that it's fully coated in the dressing but be careful not to smash the potatoes too much. Allow the salad to chill in your fridge for about 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

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Grilled Marinated Veggie Skewers

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Simple and healthy veggie skewers grilled to perfection.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner, Snack, Appetizer

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 15 skewers

Ingredients

• 4 zucchini, cut into ½ inch chunks
• 4 summer squash, cut into ½ inch chunks
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 pineapple, cored
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, whole
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs Dijon mustard
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• pinches of salt and pepper

Directions

1. To get started place all of your cut veggies, the pineapple and the whole cherry tomatoes into a large bowl. Make your marinade by whisking together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the marinade over the veggies and toss until fully coated. Cover and let marinade for at least a half hour but you can do this the night before and give the veggies lots of time to fully soak in the marinade.
   
   
2. Before putting the veggies on the skewers, soak your skewers in cold water for 15 minutes. This stops them from splitting when you put the veggies on them. Add the veggies to the skewers and set on a large plate so they're ready to grill! I place them on the skewers in this order: zucchini, squash, onion, pineapple, tomato. I repeat that twice per skewer so eat has two of all the veggies.
   
   
3. At this point you're ready to grill! You can just place the veggies on a medium high grill and just continuously rotate them every few minutes until their soft and slightly charred. They take about 15 minutes on our grill but it could very depending on your grill. Just keep an eye on them. Serve on top of rice or by themselves with a spoonful of yogurt!

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Grilled Pita "Lamb Pizzas"

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Totally meatless tempeh "lamb" packed with spices and flavor and served on top of a grilled pita with Greek yogurt and arugula.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Dinner, Pizza

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Vegan

Serves: 2 pizzas

Ingredients

• For Tempeh Lamb
• 1 8oz block tempeh
• 2 tbs dried mint
• 2 scallions sliced
• 1 tsp coriander
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1tsp onion powder
• 1 tbs olive oil
  
  
• For Pizzas
• Large pita bread
• 2 Roma tomatoes diced
• Arugula
• 2 tbs Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Make the lamb by crumbling the tempeh in a food processor. Pulse it a few times until it takes on the texture of ground beef. Add in the rest of the lamb ingredients other than the olive oil and the garlic and pulse 5-8 more times until the ingredients are incorporated.
   
   
2. In a small pan heat the olive oil. Add in the garlic and cook until it begins to brown. Add in the tempeh mixture and cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. The mixture should brown and start to crispy slightly.
   
   
3. Prepare the pita bread by brushing both sides with olive oil. Place the pita on the grill and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. This could vary depending on your grill, just be careful not to leave it on one side for too long but when you're done it should be crispy.
   
   
4. Assemble your pizzas by spreading the greek yogurt onto the pita bread. Add on the Arugula, then the tempeh "lamb" then the diced tomatoes. Sprinkle with some more salt and pepper and serve!

Notes

*Make this vegan by using vegan yogurt or vegan sour cream instead of Greek yogurt.

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Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Loaded with fresh veggies, totally vegan and mayo free, this chickpea salad sandwich is the perfect healthy and delicious lunch! The salad is so good, you won't even want to make it into a sandwich!

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Lunch, Dinner, Salad

Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

• For Chickpea Salad
• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• ½ apple, diced
• 4 radishes, diced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 large handful kale, chopped
• 1 tbs maple syrup*
• 2 tbs mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Juice of 1 lemon (2 tbs)
  
  
• Optional Toppings For Sandwiches
• rye bread
• tomato
• avocado
• Vegenaise*
• mustard

Directions

1. Drain and rinse two cans of chickpeas then pulse in a food processor until broken up into larger chunks, about 5 pulses. Please don't try to make the entire thing in a food processor! I did that once and the chickpeas became too mashed up and it was like a sauce instead of a salad. After the chickpeas are ground, place them into a large bowl.
   
   
2. Add the red onion, scallions, carrots, apples, radishes, jalapeno and chopped kale in with the chickpeas and toss until the ingredients are mixed even.
   
   
3. Next, make your dressing. This salad takes a lemon mustard vinaigrette that is absolutely delicious. Take a small bowl and mix the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, parsley and maple syrup. Whisk the ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture is too sweet add a little more lemon juice to tone down the syrup.
   
   
4. Pour the vinaigrette over the chickpea salad and toss together. This salad is particularly great because the longer it sits in the fridge the better the ingredients soak in the flavor of the dressing. Serve as a sandwich on rye bread, add it to lettuce for delicious salad or just eat with crackers!

Notes

*You can use honey or agave here as well, whichever natural sweetener you like best.
*Vegenaise is optional and can also be swapped for mayo if you're not vegan. You can also add cheese but trust me it doesn't need it!

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The post Chickpea Salad Sandwiches appeared first on Almost Like Mom's.

 

Until Next Time,

Jackie

Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad with Dijon Lemon Vinaigrette

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Crispy Brussels Sprouts tossed with a fresh and tangy dressing and topped with smoky coconut bacon, crunchy apples and radishes and finished with creamy avocado for a delightful contrast.

Author: Jackie DeSana

Recipe type: Salad, Lunch, Side, Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Brussels Sprout Salad and Dijon Lemon Vinaigrette
• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, shredded thin
• 2 tbs Dijon mustard
• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 2 lemons juiced (about 2 tbs of juice)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 6 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Generous Pinches of Salt and Pepper
• 2 apples, sliced thin
• 8 radishes, sliced thin
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
• Avocado for garnish
  
  
• Coconut Bacon
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 tbs olive oil
• ½ cup soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 2 tsps cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsps Liquid Smoke
• Small pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

1. Start with the coconut bacon. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the coconut flakes in a thin layer.
   
   In a small bowl add the soy sauce, olive oil, maple syrup, cumin, smoked paprika, liquid smoke and salt and pepper and whisk them all together. Once you have mixed all of the ingredients, pour them over the coconut flakes and toss until they are completely covered.
   
   Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until they start to turn crispy. If they are browning but still a little soft, remove them because they will crisp up as they dry a little.
   
   
2. While the coconut bacon is cooking, shred the Brussels sprouts. You can use a sliding disc attachment on a food processor, but if you don't have one you can cut them by hand. I cut mine by hand by trimming the end off, slicing them in half lengthwise and then slicing the halves very thin. Don't worry if some of the pieces seem too hard, they work in great with this crispy deliciousness of this salad. Place the shredded Brussels sprouts into a bowl when you're finished.
   
   
3. To make the dressing, add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, smoked paprika, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, chopped garlic, mint, parsley, and salt and pepper to either a large bowl or a jar with a lid. I used a mason jar because it's easy to shake but you can also use a bowl and just whisk all the ingredients together.
   
   
4. To put the salad together, toss the Brussels sprouts with the apples, radishes, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and Coconut Bacon. Then add the dressing and toss.

Notes

Make this gluten-free by substituting Tamari for soy sauce

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