Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Vegan Tuna Salad.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Last weekend I stumbled upon this vegan tuna in a package. I was intrigued. When I ate meat, I would occasionally crave tuna sandwiches – it was rare as I was never a seafood fan but it was a quirky craving. I picked up the packet and then funny enough I must’ve ordered one (it was different flavor) from Thrive market as well. So today I wanted to share my go-to recipe for how I used to make tuna but now am enjoying using this awesome vegan product instead.

As a side note, I found this on Thrive Market however a local grocery store also had it. I also found it on Amazon here. *This is an affiliate link that provides a small commission.

Ingredients:

1 packet of this vegan tuna
1 tbl vegan mayo
1 tbl Dijon mustard
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup of red onion, finely chopped
2 tbl of pickled jalapenos
4 mini dill pickles or 1 medium, finely chopped
2 tsp smoked paprika
Freshly cracked pepper

Method:

Into a bowl, add your mayo, mustard and avocado. Mash and combine well. Then add your remaining ingredients and mash and blend well. Adjust seasoning as you desire. I did top with red chili flakes but we like spicy!



Serve this on my salad or on a crusty roll that’s been toasted. Enjoy!

— Knead to Cook

Mixed berry buckle. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Cakes, Easter, Vegan, Vegan proteins

The buckle cake is a fun one to make, super easy and you can use fresh or frozen fruit you have on hand. I used a mixed frozen berry mixture I had leftover from Costco. Black and blue berries and strawberries. It’s a good spring or summer dessert and tastes heavenly with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. The term buckle comes from the cake buckling around the fruit as it cooks for a bit of trivia. 🙂

This recipe was inspired by The Full Helping which can be found here.

Ingredients for the Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup oat flour or all purpose flour
1/2 cup of brown or coconut sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tbl of vegan butter, cut in cubes and must be cold

Method:

Into a bowl, add flour through cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Then add your cubed, cold butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or pinching with your fingers quickly. You want to avoid melting the butter. Set that aside in your fridge while you work on the cake batter.

Ingredients for cake/buckle:
3/4 cup of non dairy milk
2 tsp of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1/3 cup of neutral oil – canola, refined coconut oil etc.
1 tbl vanilla extract
1.5 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 cup of brown or coconut sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Zest from one lemon
3 cups of fresh or frozen fruit (if using frozen, run under hot water then allow to drain for 5 minutes) – I only used 2 cups and it needed 3!
Plus 2 tbl flour to toss the fruit in

Method:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray a 8×8 pan with some oil. Set aside.

Into a measuring cup, add your non-dairy milk with vinegar or acid of choice. Whisk and allow to sit for a minute to “curdle”. Then add oil and vanilla. Whisk and set aside. Into your stand mixer, paddle attached, add your flour through zest. Blend. Then add your milk/oil mixture slowly and blend to just combine. Take your fully drained frozen or fresh fruit (no draining needed if fresh), toss with a bit of flour to coat. This helps the fruit to suspend in the cake and not sink to the bottom.

Pour your cake batter into your prepared pan. Then with a spoon- add your fruit to the top of the cake. Take your streusel topping from the fridge and spread evenly over the top of the fruit. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove and let cool before serving.

Enjoy!

— Knead to Cook

Vegan Skillet Sausage Peppers and Roasted Potatoes

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten Free, Italian-inspired, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

It’s definitely comfort food time. Once a week I seem to gravitate to making this skillet for dinner. My dad, who lives with us, is not vegan although eats vegan 95% of the time, loves this dish so I indulge. Then the leftovers are repurposed with some Just Egg sheets for an sausage & egg sandwich for breakfast or lunch. It’s also great toss with pasta. Versatility is key. Plus when cleaning out your fridge, its a great way to use up onions and peppers you have on hand.

Let’s get to it!

Ingredients:

1 package of Beyond Meat sausage (I prefer the spicy)
1 to 2 yellow onions roughly chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2-3 bell peppers, any colors
1 tablespoons of fennel seeds
3-4 Yukon potatoes, cubed
Olive oil

Method:

First, I begin by roasting my potatoes in a 350 degree oven on a baking sheet. I simply put my potatoes on a baking sheet and spray with olive oil. Toss around and bake until golden brown for about 35-45 minutes – tossing occasionally.


After the potatoes have cooked, remove and set aside. Let the oven on.

Into a cast iron skillet, add your onion and peppers and sauce until cooked down and the onions start to brown. Add your chopped garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Then add you fennel seeds. Cook for another minute or so. Add your sausage, cut however you prefer. Cook until golden over low/medium heat. This normally takes 10-12 minutes, stirring often.


Once cooked through add your potatoes into your skillet and stir well. Place the skillet into your oven for 10 minutes.



Serve immediately & enjoy!



— Knead to Cook

Hearty Lentil Stew. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Gluten Free, Lentils, Soups, Stews, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Right now, I’m finding using up pantry essentials for our dinners quite cathartic. I feel like I’m hoarding my fresh veggies for my salads and focusing on beans and lentils with quinoa or rice as our main meal. Plus saving money where we can, during this unsure time, is necessary.

I’ve been off from work recovering from yet another knee surgery. My husband is still going into work daily. Both of our daughters are still doing classes online and working outside of the home as well. In fact our oldest remained at school in her apartment to remain at work. Such a weird time. I’m hoping you are getting into the kitchen to whip up some good comfort food even if you aren’t a cooking fan. This dish is very easy and forgiving. A great place to start 🙂 I served it with some fresh homemade dinner rolls which everyone loved.

Ingredients:

Olive oil to coat your pan
1 yellow or red onion, diced
3 large carrots, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped (keep the leaves and add them as well)
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large potato, I used a purple sweet potato but a white potato will work as well*
2.5 cups of green lentils, washed and drained
1 tsp of dried oregano
1-2 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of smoked or regular salt
A few cracks of fresh pepper
1 tsp of liquid smoke
8 cups of vegetable broth
2 tbl of tomato paste
1 tbl of apple cider vinegar
1 cup of frozen kale

Method:

Into a large stock pot, add a drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of the pan over medium heat. Add your onions, carrots and celery to cook for 6-8 minutes stirring often. Add your garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add your potato, lentils, seasonings, smoke, broth and paste. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer and cover your pot. Cook until the lentils are softened throughout. Prior to serving add your acv and frozen kale. Stir to combine. Taste and add additional s&p as desired.

*When choosing your potato the sweet version will add a slight sweetness to the dish. The purple potato also makes the stew dark. A white or Yukon will not add sweetness and will keep the stew more red/tomato colored.

I hope you enjoy this dish. It’s better the day after as the flavors will develop more. We served over basmati rice along with some fresh dinner rolls.

Sending you all of my love~

— Knead to Cook

Sweet & Spicy Sticky Soy Curls.

by Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Sauces, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

I was recently introduced to soy curls and I’m fully addicted. I mean they freakishly have a vibe of chicken but not in that off-putting kinda way but oh my gosh they absorb marinades and flavors! I’m so excited for the limitless recipe ideas. This recipe is very easy. Takes only 15 minutes to prep. I store in the fridge and use on salads or in bowls all week.

In the midst of food prep here so I’m going to get this recipe up so I can share the goodness with you all.

Ingredients:

1 bag of soy curls (I buy them on Amazon here)
Water for soaking
1/4 cup of corn starch
Salt
Olive Oil for the pan

Sauce:
1/3 cup of chili sauce (you can use 3 tbl if you prefer less spice)
1/4 cup liquid aminos or soy sauce
2 tbl of maple syrup
1 tsp of toasted sesame oil

Optional: green onions, black or white sesame seeds

Method:

Soak your soy curls in fresh water for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse. I allow to dry out in the colinder for a few minutes. Place them in a bowl and toss with your corn starch. Coat well. In the meantime, heat a pan with either spray olive oil or drizzle a few glugs in your pan and allow to heat over medium heat. Once hot, add your soy curls and stirring occasionally to ensure browning. While cooking, whip up your sauce in a bowl. Once the soy curls are browned, add in your sauce and toss to coat. Turn off heat. I garnished with black sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Serve in a salad, bowl or atop of brown rice.

This dish is perfect in a bowl, salad or atop rice or quinoa. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. And be aware…. you’ll stand at your stove eating it straight from the pan! 🙂

— Knead to Cook

Easy Tahini Granola. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Holiday Baking Ideas, Nuts, Pantry, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Meal prepping on Sundays often includes me making breakfast for the week. Granola serves so many purposes for us. I tend to snack on it or add it to my smoothies or yogurt. Bill eats it for cereal in the morning. Granola is so incredibly easy to make and stores perfectly in your pantry. One batch of this granola will easily last a week or two! I prefer to store it in glass containers or my OXO plastic cereal container.

This recipe is super flexible so don’t stress if you’re missing an ingredient or if you wish to add something else you love.

Ingredients:
3 cups of organic rolled oats
1/2 cup of the following nuts: cashews, pecans, pepitas and walnuts
2 tbl each of chia, sesame seeds and hemp hearts
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup of maple syrup
2 tbl oil (olive or coconut)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Either line your sheet pan or spray with oil to prep. Set that aside. Into a bowl add the oats, nuts, seeds, salt and cinnamon. In a bowl or small pot, add tahini, maple syrup and oil. Warm in a microwave or on the stove until blended. Pour over your oat mixture. Stir well.


Spread out on an even layer on your baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then stir. I baked for an additional 10 minutes or until golden. Keep a watchful eye because it will burn quickly.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet then store in your container. No need to refrigerate. Enjoy with your favorite plant-based milk, over vegan yogurt or as a snack.

— Knead to Cook

Salted Chocolate Almond Butter Protein Smoothie. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Gluten Free, Smoothies, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free

I’ve been a long time fan of the high protein smoothie. Once I started working outside the home – packing up a smoothie in my Yeti was the perfect solution. I hate taking breaks so I can walk around drinking this and be filled for hours on end.

I’ll provide options below for optional substitutions as well. This smoothie is creamy and very filling. I typically eat a lot in the a.m and afternoon and have a smoothie for dinner if I don’t work. I go to bed so earlier that this is easier for me to digest.

Okay let’s get this ball rollin’…

Ingredients:

1.25 cups of unsweetened nut or oat based milk
1 scoop of Vega Sport Vanilla or Chocolate
1 tbl of raw cacao powder (you can omit this if you use chocolate protein powder)
1 tbl of nut butter (I use my own recipe)
1 tbl of chia seeds
Optional:
1 frozen banana
1/2 avocado
1/2 zucchini
1 pinch of salt
Ice cubes (3-4)

Method:

Put all of the ingredients into a high-powered blender. Blend it all until creamy. You can drink straight away or store in a travel mug for the next day.

— Knead to Cook

Easy Sheet Pan Fried Rice and Tofu. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

I saw this Katie Lee recipe somewhere online and knew immediately that I had to try it. Of course, I opted to tweak by my taste preference and the result was unbelievably tasty. I cannot believe how easy this recipe was and she once again, blew it out of the water! I made it in one bowl and baked it a bit longer because we love crispy rice… heaven. Turns out the leftovers were equally tasty. This one will be on repeat for sure!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons liquid aminos
2 tablespoons of hot chili or hot olive oil (I have a spicy olive oil I used)
2 tsp of toasted sesame oil
1 tbl of chili paste
5-6 cloves garlic, minced 
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 
2 cups cooked or leftover rice 
2 extra firm blocks of tofu (I used Wildwood), drained and cut in cubes
1 small bag of frozen veggies (I used a veggie/lentil blend from Whole Foods)

Method:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line your sheet pan with a sheet of parchment.
Into a bowl, add all of your ingredients and stir well.
Spread your mixture into one even layer on your pan.
Bake for 12 minutes covered with foil.
Then remove foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the rice is toasted up and crispy.

Enjoy!

— Knead to Cook

Overnight oat chia protein pudding. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Hey there kids! I hope your 2020 has been starting off nicely. I’ve been on an organizing tirade and have managed to clean out so much of my house. Once that was done, I went back to work with a very heavy schedule. So this week I’ve been meaning to shoot and schedule to share this recipe. It’s been my go-to for about 4 months now. I’ve tinkered with different amounts but this version is perfection. Adjusting the milk is key if you prefer it looser or thicker. See notes below.

Ingredients:
2 tbl of rolled oats – I use organic and gluten free
2 tbl of black chia seeds
2 tbl of Vega Sport vanilla protein
1 – 1.25 cup(s) or more of your favorite plant-based milk, unsweetened

Method:

This recipe is incredibly easy but you must follow the correct order or the chia will adhere to the bottom of your jar and will be like cement! I add the ingredients as I have listed. Once the milk is in there I place the lid on and shake really well. Allow to sit on the counter for a few minutes. Occasionally give the jar(s) a shake to mix up the chia – it sinks before it becomes gelatinous. Once you see it thickening up – around 4-5 minutes, give one more good shake and put in the fridge. I make 4 at a time and leave in the fridge all week. I eat one a day for breakfast. I top with fresh berries, pomegranate seeds and my homemade nut butter. Whatever you wish.

*The milk amount is quite subjective. I’ve made it really thick or looser… it just depends on your preference. Start with a cup and move up from there if you prefer.

Again, I make 4 at a time and once all the jars are empty I start over. These are the jars I use. This is the protein powder I love.

Super easy recipe. I make this in batches and it works out perfectly.

— Knead to Cook

Vegan sausage chili. Super easy!

by Filed Under: Chili, Mexican, Soups, Vegan proteins

Woo hoo I’m on a blogging roll however my pics have been quite disappointing. Hoping the sun comes out again and that I get my photography groove back… lol. My work schedule is a bit open this week and I’m not complaining. Only working 2 days this week before 3 solid weeks to follow.

Today Sydney flew back to school. We got home and ate lunch & I decided I wanted to make a big batch of chili for the week. I normally try to make one big pot of soup, lentils or something for the week. Having a nice healthy option on hand is perfect for quick lunches or dinners during the week. Meal prepping doesn’t have to be daunting!

This recipe is super forgiving and you can add or omit what you love/hate. I serve this along with some cornbread and it’s the perfect, comforting winter meal.

Ingredients:

Olive oil
Soy sausage links (I used Trader Joe’s Soy Sausage link) but whatever vegan sausage you prefer would work.
1 red onion, diced
8-10 cloves of garlic, minced (trying to keep everyone healthy here)
1 bell pepper, diced and whatever color you have on hand
2 tbl of chili powder
1 tbl of cumin
1 tbl of smoked paprika
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt (add more as you prefer once it’s done cooking)
1 large or 2 smaller (14 oz) cans of organic crushed tomatoes- I prefer fire roasted
3 cans of beans (I used a mix of red kidney and black), drained and rinsed
1 small can of diced chilis
3 cups of vegetable broth
2 tbl of apple cider vinegar or the juice from one lime
Cilantro for garnish


Method:

Begin by heating the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pan. Once hot, add your soy sausage and cook until browned. Then proceed by adding onions and peppers. I cook for 4 minutes and then add the garlic. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add the spices and stir well. Proceed to add the tomatoes, beans, chilis and broth. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover. Allow to cook for 40 minutes up to several hours (I let it simmer for hours till dinner). Before serving add the apple cider vinegar. Taste to adjust seasoning. Then ladle in bowls and top with fresh cilantro leaves. Optional other toppings: vegan cheddar, diced red onion, green onions, fresh jalapeños or avocado cubes.

— Knead to Cook