My friend, Sage Reed is a creative powerhouse. She can do everything from make exquisite chandeliers from recycled bike parts and vintage crystals to setting the perfect stage for entertainment’s brightest stars. So what happens when Sage hits the kitchen? Even the simplest of Brassicaceae gets the magical treatment. One afternoon she sent me the steps for her favorite Brussels Sprouts recipe to share with YU—dressed up smart and simple, with some savory and some sweet. Read more…
This lasagna recipe is a creation that came to mind as soon as I figured out how to make a whole food, plant-based version of sausage. I used to love a meaty lasagna and now I had something not only comparable, but sure to taste so good that the meat eaters could be fooled. What’s so lovely about this recipe is the color. The orange butternut squash, layers with a dark orange-red homemade tomato sauce and most lovely, a lavender-colored walnut and cashew cheese. This recipe tastes incredibly cheesey, and meaty, but with all the nutrients of whole food ingredients. Read more…
Happy Halloween YU!
We all know how unhealthy candy bars can be, and we also know that today and for the next few months until January 1, 2012 they will be almost everywhere we turn. I thought it may be nice to come up with a gluten-free, dairy-free candy bar made with plant-based ingredients that you could get your sweet fix with. Now, this is still a candy bar—a treat—but one that you can feel better about serving to your friends and family since it is made without refined sugar, any dairy products, creepy fats or nutritionally-void flours. It is one of those recipes that has many steps and it takes time to prepare, but you can cut a few things out (I’ll let you know where/when) if you are intimidated.
I took a batch to my boxing gym last night and no one thought this candy bar was “vegan.” When I told them it was not only dairy-free, but gluten-free, I received some serious jack-o-lantern-like facial expressions. Read more…
Breakfast meats were a staple of my diet growing up. My grandfather used to make sandwiches with his homemade bread (all buttery) and sausage from the local Farm Woman’s Market, and there was nothing like them. But it has been a long time since I thought about sausage. It was one of those foods that I just had to let go of since the fake meat route isn’t an option.
The other day I was thinking about the fact that the meat is pretty much a vehicle for the spices in sausage, so I got to brainstorming about how I could recreate a similar texture and flavor using whole food ingredients. Now that I have figured out how to bring a version of this childhood fave back into my life, the possibilities are infinite. Stay tuned for some of the fun stuff I will do with this recipe, and in the meantime, make up a batch of Buckwheat Blender Pancakes to enjoy with these savory, spicy patties. Read more…
I read about this snack in Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eat to Live and have been making versions of it ever since. It’s genius really. Quick, easy and satisfying. Sometimes in the morning, when I know I’ll be away from home until the afternoon, I’ll roll a bunch of these babies up, put them in a bag and bring them with me, so if hungers hits, I’m prepared. I’ve also enjoyed these for breakfast and as a dessert, too. Read more…
Every fall season, I crave soup. It’s an easy way to get an abundance of antioxidants and tame cravings at the same time. This easy (and when I say easy, I mean easy) parsnip and apple soup takes less than 30 minutes and only 2 minutes of prep. Read more…
This past weekend, YU Contributor Maya Henderson and I took out my newly rehabbed 1968 Shasta Loflyte Trailer for a quick Glamping (oh yes, glamorous luxury camping) trip to Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin. I prepared a ton of tasty YumUniverse recipes for our adventure and one of them is a new favorite, Almond Crunch Kale Chips. I thought I’d share that recipe and our overall menu with YU. Don’t be surprised what foods make easy, healthy camping eats. It just takes a little bit of prep. Read more…
My dear friend Marta Sasinowska and I were having some fun IMing, laughing/goofing off as usual, and she started to tell me all about a recipe that she came up with that she wanted to share with YU. At first I thought she was joking. See, Marta has always said that she doesn’t cook, so this was a big deal. We picked a day and she came over, made some tea and we got to work, or not-work, since it was so easy to prepare. Did I mention Marta is a super-talented photographer? She gave me a break and documented the day for us. Read more…
On a mission to make vegan nutella, I bought some hazelnuts and opted for light coconut milk to see if I could deliver the same result without the dairy or chocolate. This is not only a 5-minute recipe, it is low in sugar and made from natural ingredients, so your kids (and yourself) won’t experience that “crash” that comes from other processed treats. Read more…
