Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Green Pea Ricotta Spread on Baguette. V. GF.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Brunch, Cheese, Easter, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, Holiday, Italian-inspired, Party Foods, Side dish, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free 5 Comments


Green pea ricotta spread.  Vegan.  Gluten free.

Happy Monday friends.  I hope your mother’s day weekend was incredibly fun, food-filled and joyous.  This weekend we hosted Kira’s friends for her 17th birthday party.  Then after a trip to the gym early Sunday, we went to Philly for brunch and shopping.  It was the best.  My heart was filled along with my stomach.

I’ve been recreating a bunch of old Lucy Activewear recipes that were lost since they merged with North Face.  This is a big favorite for summer, outdoor dining with friends.  Easy and prep-ahead!  It’s light and filling.  Great appetizer or side for dinner or soup.  Great for parties too!  All of the ingredients can be found at Whole Foods or local specialty food markets.  Vegan and gluten free!

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— Knead to Cook

Loaded Baked Potato and Cauliflower Soup. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Cheese, Gluten Free, Potatoes, Soups, Sponsored, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free 31 Comments

Happy Monday my friends.  I know I’ve been a bit MIA lately but trying my best to heal and stay off my knee for hours on end in the kitchen. This week, I’m attempting to start cooking full time, recipe creation and blogging – with intermittent moments of icing.

Today I teamed up with OXO to share a yummy, healthy & filling recipe along with some incredible, yet basic kitchen tools every chef needs.  The recipe has been adapted from Healthyish to make it vegan.  I hope you enjoy this super easy recipe, that I might add, freezes nicely and is so comforting on these bone-chilling winter days.

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— Knead to Cook

Vegan cheeses that don’t suck. Really.

by Filed Under: Best Vegan..., Cheese, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Notable mentions., Nuts, Product Review., Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 4 Comments

Vegan cheeses all suck, right?  They don’t melt.  They taste horrible.  Ummmm….  No!  Today I’m sharing the best of the best out there & these vegan cheeses will convert even the most hard-core cheese lovers.  Trust me, I’m a reformed dairy lover converted over to the favorites I’ve named below & I’m not sad at all!

Now this has been a 3 year journey of many, and I mean MANY, sub-par even disgusting (actually making me sick), pathetic excuses for “vegan cheeses”.  Each of these named below are staples in our kitchen & we use them for grilled cheese sandwiches, pizza and lasagna or stuffed shell recipes.  I’m going to share my tips and tricks for the ooey gooey cheeses below that will have you swoon.
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— Knead to Cook

Vegan Queso Dip. GF.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Brunch, Cheese, Dips, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Mexican, Nuts, Party Foods, Raw, Running/Races, Side dish, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations 9 Comments

Vegan queso dip.  Are you planning your menu for your Super Bowl party?  Or you attending a party & need a recipe to take with you?  We will having an intimate little party with lots of yummy food – just the way I like it.  This week I’m sharing recipes for the big day that won’t blow your fitness/healthy eating.  My recipes are all super easy and most of the time with ingredients you have stocked in your pantry.  This recipe is everything.

When you migrate over to a plant-based diet, the main thing I struggled with was the lack of cheese.  I’m not a dairy/milk fan, could care less about missing bacon or hamburgers but cheese?  Yes!  I missed it.  Thankfully nowadays there are so many incredible nut-based cheeses to curb the cravings.  This dip is a spin on a classic party dish – queso dip. This dip can be incorporated into a 7 layer dip or like this, served straight up with veggies, lentil or tortilla chips.  It has a lovely smokiness & a bit of spicy kick.  Perfect paired with a cold beer for football viewing!
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— Knead to Cook

Smoky Vegan Cheese Sauce.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Condiments, Dips, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free 1 Comment

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Ahhhh the last official long weekend of summer.  I’m so ready for fall.  In fact, today we woke up to a brisk 60 something degree morning & I couldn’t be happier.  This all despite the fact that our rare beach day left me fried on my back (because I forgot to take care of sunscreening after coating everyone else).  I love fall so much more than summer… I know, most of you are probably in disagreement.  But the pumpkin has emerged in my kitchen & heartier dishes are on my mind.

Case in point… this sauce.  I often get asked what inspires me.  Recipes I eat, I read about, research & inevitably the nay sayers who truly believe that vegan food is disgusting.  Dare I say… so not the case.  This recipe base is not nut based like my other cheesy sauce recipes here or here.  This recipe is vegetable based and oh so creamy good.  And that color is natural versus the mass-produced, chemically-laden counterpart you purchase at the grocery story.   This sauce is perfect for nachos, taco night, dipping, spreading or as a sauce over pasta.  Totally kid-friendly & parent approved.
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— Knead to Cook

Lancaster Farm Fresh. Farm Co-Op operations.

by Filed Under: Beef, Brunch, Cheese, Chicken, Fitness., Gluten Free, Potatoes, Running/Races, Travel & eating, Vegan, Vegetarian 2 Comments

Lancaster Farm Fresh. Farm Co-Op operations.

Lancaster Farm Fresh. Farm Co-Op operations.

Did you ever wonder how farm co-ops work?  Are you not a gardener but would love to buy local farm goods directly from the farmers?  Prefer to eat seasonal foods?  Farm co-ops are growing and growing throughout the country.  I recently had an opportunity to meet with a very fast-growing farm co-op in my own local town but wait… there’s a twist.  They are growing and offering residents and restaurants an opportunity to buy locally, right from the farmer.
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— Knead to Cook

Tofu cheese. Vegan. Gluten free.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Raw, Running/Races, Snacks, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free 4 Comments

Tofu cheese. Vegan. Gluten free.

Tofu cheese. Vegan. Gluten free.

There is just one thing I miss going vegan (now almost 2 years ago)… no not bacon, not pulled pork-  It’s my seasoned bocconcini mozzarella that I always had marinating in the fridge.  I would serve it over pasta or in a salad with freshly picked tomatoes from the garden.  So with two packages of tofu about to expire in my fridge I thought I would try my recipe with it.  After all, what do I have to lose, right?

I’ll put it out there – I very much dislike tofu unless it’s blended in something else like pudding.  I also love a tofu scramble at vegan restaurants (which I still need to attempt at home) but baked or fried – it’s a no-go for me!  That is until now.
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— Knead to Cook

Veggie Mac and Cheese. Vegan. Gluten Free.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Cheese, Dips, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, Pasta, Sauces, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Vegan Mac and Cheese. Gluten Free.

Vegan Mac and Cheese. Gluten Free.

If you’ve been following my blog for the past year; you know that my daughter went dairy and gluten free to help clear up her cystic acne.  It worked beautifully after several months.  But she’s 16 and she craves some old favorites and most of which I’ve recreated for her.  Mac and cheese is one dish that I’ve tried and tried but struggled with flavor/consistency and basically her approval.

I stumbled upon several recipes in my research but this one had been the best I had tasted.  However, I knew I could tweak and make this work for our taste preferences. This recipe is packed with vegetables and flavor.  I’m so thankful for the inspiration recipe because my daughter is overjoyed with it and gobbled down a bowl for dinner not touching anything else.  #forthewin
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— Knead to Cook

Cabot Cheddar Spiced Up Crackers.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Cabot Fit Team, Cheese, Easter, Gluten Free, Snacks, Vegetarian, Wheat Free 3 Comments

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Tonight we are hosting an impromptu casual dinner with friends.  When I’m in a rush to throw something together, I always turn to easy recipes that I know are failsafe.  Plus, I make a variety of foods because not everyone can eat everything.  Allergies seem to be more and more prevalent as I’m discovering.  One of our guests is allergic to nuts and one is has a gluten allergy so I’m making a fun springy arugula salad with fresh strawberries & pears, these spiced up Cabot cheddar crackers and baguettes I picked up at a local bakery to pair up with my pesto made without nuts.  I’m also making some brown rice pasta which is gluten free.

These crackers are super easy to make and you can make them ahead of time – which helps when multi-tasking.  These are also great as leftovers, stored in an airtight container for breakfast the next day or for lunch.  Great also with soup!
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— Knead to Cook

Tex Mex Casserole. Vegan and Vegetarian options.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Cabot Fit Team, Cheese, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Mexican, Party Foods, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free 13 Comments

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I’ve been a long time fan of the blog Oh She Glows – Angela is a pioneer in the world of vegan blogging.  She has been very open about her food struggles and successes and her first cookbook is wildly successful and fabulous.  My husband bought this for me and I’m determined to work my way through many of the recipes and share them with you.  I think so many people fear the word vegan thinking that food is crazy, bland, boring, cardboard-like, tofu or something disgusting and that couldn’t be farther from the truth.  Plus each recipe can be customized to you and your family’s preference.

I made this recipe yesterday and it came together quite fast.  My oldest is going through lifeguard training and she tries to eat earlier because she hates to have a full stomach while swimming (which I can understand).  I had this in the oven and it only took about 15 minutes to finish up.  From there I set my oven to the warm setting and served it as my family arrived home for dinner.  For my youngest, who isn’t a fan of cheese, I left it vegan – for my father and husband I added shredded Cabot hot jalapeño cheddar and some diced avocado.  Totally customizable!

This recipe is based on Oh She Glow’s Tex Mex Casserole but with my interpretation.  

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— Knead to Cook