Dinner
Mini Pizza Bites
My Aunt Cathy sent me a version of this recipe a few weeks ago and said she has added things to it but it just doesn’t seem right… it needs something to make it “just right”. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. I LOVE messing with recipes. I love trying to figure out what’s missing, and knowing my Aunt…
Read MoreLentil Vegetable Soup
My dear friend gave me this Le Cruset dutch oven a week ago, and I’ve been dreaming of all the things I can make it in every night since. It looks gorgeous on my stove. It cooks beautifully. I may have fantasized about hugging it while I sleep. Ahem. Anyway. I used it for this…
Read MoreHearty Split Pea Soup
I never thought I would hoard soup. I mean, who does that? Apparently, me. This is my FAVORITE SOUP OF ALL TIME. In fact, I will make dinner for everyone else the next day just to have the leftovers for this all to myself. Clearly, I have issues. Of all the soups I make (and that’s…
Read MoreQuinoa Pinto Bean Burgers – Gluten Free, Vegan
These burgers are my go-to recipe for vegan patties, and they smell as good as they taste. Feel free to substitute another type of bean for the pinto beans- I’ll often use black beans instead. The quinoa adds extra protein to the meal, which I often prefer versus just rice- though I’ve used rice when…
Read MorePerfect Hummus
This perfect hummus is your salad’s best friend. Great for wraps, dips, salads and sides. This is a no oil, completely clean recipe that I make every week. We often have it as a dip for celery and baby carrots, but my absolute favorite way to eat this is layered on a salad with salsa…
Read MoreWild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
These are vegan, plant-based, oil-free, Esselstyn-happy, heart-happy deliciousness. I made these wild rice stuffed acorn squashes last night and my house smells AMAZING. For the aroma alone these are worth making, but add in the tangy sweetness of the fresh cranberries, the crisp of the celery mixed with the nutty flavor of wild rice and…
Read MoreRustic Cornbread – Vegan, Oil-Free
MMMMmmmmph. That’s the sound of my family enjoying this hearty and delicious guilt-free, oil-free, vegan cornbread. Spread with a light drizzle of honey if you love a bit of extra sweetness. Cut open while still hot and savor every chewy crumb. After searching and searching for a good oil-free cornbread recipe, I finally had to…
Read MoreBest Lentil Potato Soup
Chilly fall nights, cozy autumn slippers, warm cups of hot cider and.. this soup. Heaven. My six-year old begs for this soup- and for a recipe that has NO sugar, flour, butter or oil, that’s pretty remarkable. This has been a staple in our family for seven years or more, I can’t even imagine how…
Read MoreChickpea Rice Soup- Vegan, Oil-Free
This Chickpea Rice Soup, which is vegan, oil-free, and delicious, is easily one of my family’s favorites. My daughters like it with a little bit of salt (but no pepper!) and my husband and I add pepper but usually no salt (sometimes I’ll have a bit.) My husband, who is more diehard “Esselstyn” than I…
Read MoreZesty Quinoa Salad
I’ve made this recipe so many times, it has become a household staple. By far one of my husband’s favorite recipes, this is one thing I can be sure everyone will eat. The most memorable version of this salad was when the only add-in vegetable we used were 2 cups of tiny plum tomatoes that…
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