Category: Recipes

Frozen Berry Lemon Bars

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Frozen Berry Lemon Bars
  • 1 can chickpeas, you only want the liquid. (Use the beans for making hummus or bake them for a crunchy salad topping.)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup cane sugar, ground fine

Combine the chickpea liquid and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and using a hand or stand mixer, beat until soft peaks form. This takes a couple minutes. Then add sugar and beat until firm peaks form. Set this aside while you make the cashew cream.

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours
  • 5 dates, softened
  • 2 lemons, juice and zest
  • 1/4-1/2 cup water

Strain the cashews from soaking water and add to a blender with dates and lemon juice/zest. Add 1/4 cup water and blend starting on low speed until the cashews begin breaking up and then adjust speed to high. Add more water only if you need to in order for it to blend smoothly. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add

  • 1-2 drops of lemon essential oil (only if you need more lemon flavor)
  • 2 Tablespoons of melted coconut oil

Blend until thoroughly combined and creamy. Pour this cashew cream into the meringue, folding gently, rather than mixing. Then fold in:

  •  1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen ( I like to break frozen berries into pieces)

Line a pan with parchment or plastic wrap. Pour the mixture over a coconut-date crust that has been pressed into a pan and then freeze for several hours. For ice cream bars without a crust, spread into a plastic wrap-lined square pan and freeze.

  • For a crust:
  • 1/2 cup nuts or seeds
  • 1/2 cup pitted soft dates
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut shreds
  • Pinch salt

In a food processor, pulse until everything breaks down into a crumble that will hold together when pressed or pinched.

If you only want coconut crust, increase coconut by 1/2 cup and omit the nuts.

Let me know if you give this a try. I really liked the light refreshing taste and the ice cream- like texture without having to use an ice cream maker.

Berry Chia Jam

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  • 2 cups berries, (raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry or mixture)
  • 2 T honey or maple syrup
  • 2 T lemon juice, fresh
  • 2 T chia seeds
  • fresh herbs optional – mint, basil, oregano

Blend the berries, lemon juice, sweetener and some fresh herbs if using, until smooth or just a little chunk remaining. Pour into a bowl and whisk in chia seeds. If you prefer seedless jam, strain berry mixture through a fine sieve and grind the chia seeds before stirring into the fruit. Put into jars and refrigerate overnight.

Use this mixture as a topping for non-dairy ice cream, over biscuits or pancakes, to add beautiful color to dessert plates, or stirred into yogurt. Just enjoy the bright flavor and nutritional benefits!

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Raspberry Vinaigrette
  • 1 ½ cups raspberries
  • 1 T raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 T honey
  • 3 T olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 1 T fresh basil, minced or 1 tsp dried

 

Blend berries, vinegar and water together and pour through a nut milk bag or sieve to remove most of the little seeds. Combine and whisk in remaining ingredients until emulsified..  Dress salad greens and enjoy. The vinaigrette will keep for about a week, refrigerated.

Burrito Bowls or Jars

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Make simple sides and build a buffet for making lunch/dinner bowls or lay out a prep area for making meals to grab-n-go.  Layer your choices and enjoy or seal up and refrigerate to grab on your way out.

The dishes just need to work together. For this post I’m serving up burrito bowls  with rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice topped with the fajita beans, fruit salsa, guacamole, cilantro corn salsa, carrot-cashew queso sauce, tomato salsa, romaine and peppers.  Give it a try and let me know how it goes or if you have any questions.

For cauliflower rice: Add 3 cups cauliflower florets to a food processor along with 1 T sesame seeds or cashews, 1/4 tsp salt & pepper, and 1/2 tsp turmeric. Pulse on and off until the cauliflower is “riced” or about the size of rice.

For the Fajita Beans : Combine 1 chopped onion and bell pepper in a skillet and saute to soften. Add a can of pinto, kidney or black beans that you’ve strained and rinsed. Add 2 T of water and 1 T each of chili powder and cumin, stir well to coat everything with spices and turn to low heat to gently simmer and combine flavors.

For the fruit salsa: finely chop or use a food processor to pulse & chop 1 cup pineapple, 1/2 mango, 1 tomato, juice of one lime and 1 jalapeno, seeds removed. Pulse one and off quickly to chop, you want there to be texture, not all mush. (mush tastes good too, though)

For the Corn salsa: use 2 cups of thawed frozen corn or cut corn off the cob. Combine the corn in a bowl with 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup diced red onion, diced jalapeno to taste and 1 lime juiced. Stir to evenly mix and enjoy!

For the carrot-cashew queso: Chop 1.5 cups carrots, 1 onion and 3 cloves garlic, and add to 1/2 cup water in a saucepan, cover and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Pour the contents of pan into a blender and add 1 cup cashews, 1 cup dairy free milk, 3 T nutritional yeast, 1 tsp each of cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder. Blend for a minute or two until it’s smooth, thick and creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper and maybe some cayenne if you want it spicy!

Chop your favorite raw toppings and add to the line up. some suggestions are shredded cabbage, fresh cilantro, red onion, bell peppers, radish, cucumbers, crispy lettuce, chopped tomatoes, olives, sliced or mashed avocado, and lime wedges. A few toppings or many work, but having them prepped and ready to go makes for ease in putting meals together.  I hope you’ll try and let me know. 

Cashew-hemp yogurt and fruit

Cashew-hemp Yogurt

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Cashew-hemp Yogurt

I have a hard time paying the price of dairy-free yogurt and then not liking it once I get it home. Do you have a favorite store bought brand? If you like yogurt, but have never tried making your own dairy-free yogurt, I hope you give this easy yogurt recipe a try.

You’ll need to allow time ahead to soak the raw cashews. I typically put them in a jar and fill the jar with water covering the nuts by at least two inches. They will expand a bit. This soaking allows the cashews to absorb some of the water and soften, so that they will blend very smooth. The soaking also releases the enzyme inhibitors that coat nuts and that helps them digest better and you to get the most nutrition out of them.

To culture the mixture, you’ll need a powdered probiotic. Some probiotic supplements will not culture, so if you take a capsulated probiotic powder, you can try it and see if it works. I use Probiotic Eleven found HERE. You can also find packets of dairy free yogurt starter at health food stores.

If you need nut free option, oat milk can be heated and thickened with a little oat flour or arrowroot, cooled a bit and then add starter. Continue as recipe indicates by keeping warm for several hours. You can also use all seeds or canned coconut milk instead of the cashews for nut free yogurt. There are options and they all taste a little different. So try some and see what you like.

 

Cashew-hemp yogurt and fruit
Print Recipe

Cashew-Hemp Yogurt

A creamy, tangy thick yogurt with a perfect protein blend
Prep Time15 minutes
Soaking and culture time10 hours
Course: Breakfast
Servings: 6
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • blender
  • Spatula
  • Jar or covered container

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw cashews soaked 2 hours
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
  • 1 probiotic capsule opened or dairy-free yogurt starter

Instructions

  • Strain and rinse the cashews, add to a blender along with the hemp seeds and water. Blend on low speed, increasing speed up to high speed and blend until mixture is smooth. It will likely begin to warm up and may take a couple times of stopping and scraping sides to incorporate all the seeds.
  • This water ratio will result in Greek style thickness. If you like thin yogurt add another 1/2 cup of water and blend until completely incorporated.
  • Add the probiotic powder or starter to the mixture and blend quickly to combine.
  • Pour mixture into a jar and cover. Place the jar in a warm environment, you want to keep the temporary steady at around 110 degrees. This can be done by warming your oven to 200 and turning it off, placing the jar wrapped in a towel inside and turning on the light. Keep the oven closed for 6-10 hours. A dehydrator or insta-pot can also be used to provide a controlled temperature for the culturing the yogurt.
  • After culturing for that time, stir the yogurt and refrigerate to set. It will keep for several weeks.

Notes

I think it’s best to wait until the yogurt is finished culturing before you add any kind of sweetener.  Taste it and decide if you need sweetener. If you eat yogurt with fruit, you may not need extra sweetener. If you do, consider a little dried fruit, or date paste or a couple drops of stevia liquid. Or blend up some fresh or frozen berries and add those to swirl in. 

Creamy Tahini Dressing

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  • 1/2 c tahini
  • 1/4 c Immune vinegar*
  • 1/3 c raw kraut
  • 2T coconut aminos
  • 1tsp Dijon
  • 2T nutritional yeast
  • 1tsp dill weed
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1 date, pitted
  • Pinch salt
  • Water if needed

Use a blender to blend everything until smooth and creamy.

This is great dressing for a slaw with cabbage, peppers, spinach and sprouts or tossed with kale and dehydrated to make kale chips.

*immune vinegar is cider vinegar infused with mustard seed, horseradish, peppers, ginger and turmeric. Substitute plain cider vinegar if you don’t have Immune vinegar.

Rustic Potato & Bean Soup

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I love soups year-round, but this rustic potato and bean soup is so satisfying in the winter when you just want to hunker down with a warm bowl of soup. This soup is the perfect one-pot meal and doesn’t take a lot of prep time.

 

 

Soup made ahead and portioned make great grab-n-go lunches or dinners on busy evenings. I like to store soup in quart canning jars, they stay fresher longer. Soups can also be frozen, so if you have leftovers, stock your freezer and you’ll have meals ready to go.

Print Recipe

Potato and White Bean Soup

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: potato, spinach, white beans
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white or yellow onion
  • 11/2 pounds yellow potatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 cans white beans navy, canellini or great northern
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 4 cups baby spinach

Instructions

  • Chop onion and add to soup pot with a splash of broth and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
  • When the onion is tender add the garlic, potatoes, herbs and broth. Bring to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender, then add nutritional yeast and beans. Cook for 10 minutes.
  • Ladle two cups of the potatoes and beans into a blender and enough of the broth to cover the potatoes and blend for 30 seconds. Return to the soup pot and add the spinach, stir until spinach is wilted. Serve.
  • *If Jerusalem artichokes are available, add some along with the potatoes. So yummy!

 

 

Sprouts – Two Salads

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Sprouts are filled with vitamins, minerals and proteins and chlorophyll all necessary nutrients for building our red and white blood cells and easing inflammation.

Activated Almond Salad

  • 1 cup almonds, soaked 4-8 hours (sub sunflower or pumpkin seeds)
  • 1 Zucchini
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1/4 cup fermented pickle, diced
  • 3 T lemon juice
  • 1 T honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 T fresh dill weed or 1/2 T dry
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Lettuce or cabbage leaves

Add almonds or seeds to a food processor and pulse to break up into a flaky texture. Add chopped zucchini and pulse a couple times to chop and mix with the almonds.  Place this mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the chopped celery, diced onion, shredded carrot and chopped pickle. In a small cup or bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey or maple syrup and mustard. Stir in the dill and sea salt. Pour this dressing over the nut and vegetable mixture and stir well to incorporate and coat everything with dressing, Scoop this mixture onto lettuce or cabbage leaves or onto a slice of your favorite bread.

Crunchy Super Sprout Salad

  • 3 cups pea shoots or sunflower microgreens, chopped
  • 2 cups leafy green sprouts (salad mix, clover, alfalfa)
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage or slaw mix
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • oranges
  • 1 cup crunchy sprouts (mung bean, lentils, adzuki bean)

Combine all salad ingredients and toss with your favorite dressing or drizzle with the citrus vinaigrette below :

  • ¼ c orange or lemon juice
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 T honey
  • 1/2 tsp dijon
  • 1 tsp dried dill, oregano, basil or your favorite herb blend
  •  
vegetable curry

Vegetable Curry

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Vegetable Curry

This vegetable curry is delicious and satisfying. Perfect when the temperatures start to drop. The warming curry spices are very comforting but also help to activate digestion and circulation.

This is comfort food for me.  The warm curry spices and the full belly satisfaction afterwards makes me want to make this every week.

In this recipe you can really use a variety of vegetables, please try different combinations. I usually have on hand, celery, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. But try sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, kale, spinach, turnips, kohlrabi. Get creative.

This is a mild curry, but if you like extra spiciness, add some cayenne powder.

You can print the recipe by jumping to the bottom of the post, but the following directions show you steps with pictures.

Chop one yellow onion, one carrot and two stalks of celery. Add these to large high sided skillet or soup pan. Over medium high heat, sauté until onions soften.

chopped onion, carrot and celery

Chop one stalk of broccoli, separating florets, peel the stalk and then chop the stem. Chop 1 cup of cauliflower into small florets.

cauliflower and broccoli

Gather 1/2 cup of red lentils, a can of diced tomatoes, a can of coconut milk and 1tablespoon of curry powder. red lentils, curry, tomatoes and coconut milk

Add the chopped cauliflower and stems of broccoli to the pan along with the tomatoes, lentils and curry. Fill the tomato can 1/2 full with water and add to the pan and stir everything together. curry ingredientsThen add the can of coconut milk. Full fat or lite can be used. add coconut milk

Stir together and bring to a simmer, cook uncovered for about 15 minutes. curry cookingThen add the broccoli florets and cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes. The lentils and vegetable should be tender. If it is too thick add a 1/4 cup more water. broccoli floretsWhen the vegetables are tender stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro and serve!! This fills the kitchen with a warm curry aroma and tastes fantastic.

Print Recipe

Curry Red Lentils

Curry with your choice of vegetables and creamy red lentils.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: coconut milk, curry, plant-based, red lentils, vegan, vegetables
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • knife
  • large skillet or soup pot

Ingredients

  • ½ cup red lentils
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 1 cup chopped cauliflower
  • 1 broccoli stalk
  • 1 can coconut milk light
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup water more if needed
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons of cilantro

Instructions

  • Heat 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot, sauté for 5 minutes until onion has softened.
  • Chop veggies, separate the broccoli florets from stem, peal the stem and chop.
  • Add all ingredients, except broccoli florets and cilantro, stir to mix and bring to a boil. Stir again, lower the heat to keep the mixture at a slow simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Add the broccoli florets and cook until lentils and the vegetables are tender. Turn off heat and stir in cilantro.
  • Serve with rice or naan and a lime wedge (optional)

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Toast

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Toast

Toast, toast, toast can be for any meal. And it can definitely be more than avocado toast. Toasts are easy to whip together and can pack a flavor punch, yet really satisfy. You do need to find a bread that fits into your dietary needs. The gluten free bread I like is by Sami’s Bakery, both the millet-flax and the sourdough millet bread. There is a sprouted grain bread that has a great texture by Angelic bakery. Both of these brands can be ordered online and requested through grocery stores. 

Breakfast Toast:
  • Avocado w/ kiwi, blueberries, bananas or sliced strawberries (pick one) and a pinch of cayenne
  • Nut cheese w/ Berry-chia jam or sliced cucumbers and radish
  • Coconut butter spread w/mango or kiwi slices
  • Almond butter w/ orange slices or strawberries
  • Sunflower butter w/ apple slices and cinnamon
Lunch toasts:
  • Avocado mash w/ raw kraut and microgreens
  • Mustard w/ radish, cucumber and avocado slices
  • Mashed avocado w/ tomato and sprouts
  • Almond butter w/ banana or strawberry slices
  • Sunflower butter & grapes
  • Hummus with carrot ribbons, cucumber and radish slices
  • Pesto or hummus w/ tomato and Kalamata olives
Dinner Toasts:
  •  Beet hummus w/ avocado and cucumber
  • Nut cheese with sautéed onion & mushrooms
  • Chickpea mash, nut cheese spread topped with olives, peppers and tomatoes
  • Tahini w/arugula and kimchi
  •  Sweet potato puree w/ avocado and pickled onions
  • Tahini w/avocado-cucumbers and roasted chickpeas
  • Pumpkin puree, nut cheese spread with caramelized onions and sprouts

I hope the suggestions are helpful. Keeping some staples on hand or in the pantry can make for a quick meal. Toast is great when there’s only a few things left in the fridge or you’re short on time. It’s healthy, easy and delicious. I hope you enjoy!