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  • Vegan Nashville Hot Tofu Nuggets

    Vegan Nashville Hot Tofu Nuggets

    recipe image

    by Lauren Hartmann 96 Comments

    These tofu nuggets are dreamy!

    Vegan Nashville hot tofu nuggets are little bites of bliss. I warn you, they may make you cry from joy. My take on Nashville hot chicken. Which is deep fried, and I promise, I made these just as crispy, but without frying them! These tofu nuggets are baked, but unbelievably crispy and crunchy! Nashville hot sauce is a little sweet and very spicy. These vegan Nashville hot tofu nuggets didn’t last more than 5 minutes in my house!

    These tofu nuggets stay crispy for a long time, in case you want to serve a platter at a party! You can even bake them ahead of time, and toss them in the sauce right before you are ready to devour them! I love pressing my tofu over night to make these nuggets ultra firm on the inside!

    My friend recently sent me a picture of some pre-pressed tofu she got, and I was totally excited. I feel like I spend a good 20% of my life pressing tofu. Think of all the things I could accomplish. Whatever way you press your tofu, the longer you do it, the firmer it will be! 

    These vegan Nashville hot tofu nuggets are super quick and easy, baked, sweet and spicy and one of the most amazingly addictive things I have ever eaten. Serve alone, just pop them in your mouth, serve with any dipping sauce you may want, or classic on white bread with pickles! 

    Vegan Nashville Hot Tofu Nuggets

    Print Recipe

    Crispy baked tofu nuggets tossed in classic veganized Nashville hot sauce!

    Prep Time 15 minutes

    Cook Time 30 minutes

    Total Time 45 minutes

    Servings 4

    Author Lauren Hartmann

    Instructions

    • First, you need to press the tofu. You can either use a tofu press, or place the tofu on a plate, and put something heavy on top. Press for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better, and you can even do it over night. 

    • Once you are ready to make the tofu nuggets, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

    • Now, cut the block of tofu into cubes. Set aside. 

    • Then take 3 medium/smallish mixing bowls. In the first bowl, whisk together the almond milk, apple cider vinegar and the 1 tsp. of hot sauce. In the second bowl, whisk together the flour and the 1 tsp. of salt. In the third bowl, add the panko. 

    • Now, taking a few cubes of tofu at a time, toss them in the flour, shake off excess, now put them into the almond milk mixture, make sure they are totally soaked, then back into the flour then back into the almond milk, then into the panko coating completely. Pat the panko on to the tofu to make sure it is fully coated. 

    • Repeat with all the tofu cubes, placing them on a baking sheet sprayed with non stick spray, until all the tofu is coated. Then bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes flipping them halfway through baking, or until they are brown and crunchy. 

    • While the tofu is baking, make the sauce. In a small sauce pan, melt the vegan butter and olive oil together on medium low. Then whisk in the 2 Tbsp. of hot sauce, agave, paprika, garlic powder, and the 1/2 tsp. of salt. Let simmer for a minute, then turn the heat off. 

    • Once the tofu is done, toss the nuggets in the sauce and serve immediately!

    Reader Interactions

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  • Vegan Gingerbread Cookies With Stout

    Vegan Gingerbread Cookies With Stout

    recipe image

    By: Christine F

    Beer Isn’t Vegan?

    Bottle of Guinness with gingerbread family around itYippee, it’s Sweet-Tooth Friday!  It’s Christine here with the first “festive” dessert of the season!  I wanted to make a vegan version of my famous Guinness gingerbread, but boy was I in for a surprise when I typed the words ‘vegan’ and ‘Guinness’ together in my search engine – instead of yummy recipes I found lots of discussions on how Guinness (and other cask beers) are not vegetarian friendly!

    Really?  Beer isn’t naturally vegan?  Turns out, many use a fish product called isinglass to filter cask beers.  I can’t believe I had been in the dark about this.  Shouldn’t that kind of information be on the label?

    Actually, the FDA requires food and beverage labeling, but alcohol is governed by a different agency.  Right now, alcohol companies really only need to back up their product with the facts if they make certain claims, like the beer is organic or low-calorie.  I read one comment against labeling alcohol that was particularly hilarious: “Wine fined with isinglass labeled ‘Contains: Fish’ would wreak havoc on consumer perceptions.”  Um, yeah, it would!  But is the right response to that just keep the offensive ingredient a secret?

    I understand that transparency is not a black and white issue.  Among many problems is that it is expensive, especially for the smaller companies.  But if it is for something I put into my body, and the economics have worked out over on the FDA side, it seems like it should be worth it.  I don’t think I’ve heard any of the low-cal beers feeling the hardships of their labels (though most are from large companies).  My impression is that it would be a competitive advantage to let consumers have the information to choose.

    After all, lots of people are concerned about calories and carbs.  And the sugar content would be great for diabetics to access.  But you know what’s totally frustrating?  While reading the official 26 page proposal on labeling, I could not find one petition for vegetarians.  With all these health concerns, the use of isinglass, egg whites, bone charcoal, or any other animal product in alcoholic beverages somehow was not an issue.  Luckily, Guinness has confirmed that their Extra Stout is in fact vegan.

    Vegan Gingerbread Cookies with Guinness Stout

    Gingerbread cookies on baking sheet

    So, without further ado, I give you truly vegan gingerbread cookies, made with Guinness Extra Stout.  I modified this recipe from one on the wonderful site The Post Punk Kitchen, where vegan really does rawk.  My main change was adding the Guinness as the liquid.  I simmered it down to concentrate the flavor and get rid of the alcohol.  I also wanted a really super thin and crisp cookie, so I switched to powdered sugar instead of granulated, a trick I picked up from a certain cookie guru.  Then I made up my own Guinness flavored royal icing!

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup Guinness Extra Stout [Update: Guinness Extra Stout is no longer vegan or vegetarian-friendly 🙁 Choose a different stout.]
    • 1/3 cup canola oil
    • 3/4 cup powdered sugar (the brand Wholesome Sweeteners does not filter through animal products)
    • 1/4 cup molasses
    • 2 cups whole wheat flour
    • 1/2 tsp each baking powder, baking soda, and salt
    • 1/2 tsp each nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • optional tsp grated fresh ginger

    Image of ingredients to prepare vegan gingerbread cookiesSimmer the cup of Guinness Extra stout uncovered on the stovetop until it is reduced by half, which took me about 25 minutes.  Let cool.

    Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices, set aside.

    Mix together the oil and sugar, then add the molasses and 1/4 cup of the Guinness. (Save the rest of the Guinness for the icing).

    Stir in the grated ginger if using, and gradually fold in the dry ingredients until it makes a nice coherent dough.  Mine was too dry at first and needed an additional tablespoon of the Guinness to get it to a workable consistency.

    Divide the dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour (up to a couple days).

    Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray.  Place one ball of dough on it, smoosh with your hand into a disk, and then roll out until very thin.  It’s ok if the edges crack a little, but if they are seriously ripping then let the dough warm up for about 10 minutes, then try again.

    Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.  Gently peel up the excess dough, leaving the cut out shapes on the foil.  This way you don’t need to handle the shapes and risk breaking them.  Move aluminum foil onto a cookie sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant.  Gather the dough scraps into a ball and repeat on a new piece of foil.  When the first round of cookies are done, wait a minute to cool, then transfer cookies to wire rack.  You can keep using the same two pieces of foil, just re-spray with Pam each time.

    Vegan Guinness Royal icing ingredients:

    • 2 tsp egg replacer
    • 2 tbsp reduced Guinness extra stout
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 cup powdered sugar

    Whisk together egg replacer and Guinness until quite frothy and thick.  Add the extract and powdered sugar.  Place icing in a pastry bag or plastic bag with just a snip of the corner cut off.  Wait until the cookies are completely cool to decorate.  The icing dries quickly, so this amount will ice one half of the cookie recipe.  Make another batch of icing if you are baking both balls of dough at once. (I made one half and froze the other ball of dough for later.)  Once the icing is dry, keep the cookies in an airtight container.

    Decorated gingerbread cookies in various shapes on baking sheet

    Now this is my kind of cookie: thin and crisp, without being too crunchy, plus a big dose of spiciness!  The Guinness adds an elegant malty bitterness that totally compliments the gingerbread flavor!  Best of all, these are simple to make and the whole process is a lot of fun.  I think if you use autumn cookie cutters like leaves, acorns, and turkeys, these would be super cute for Thanksgiving.  (For some reason I have only compiled the most random and seasonally-useless collection of cookie cutters, like motorcycles and flamingos!)  You could even ice names on the cookies and use them as place cards!

    Be sure to stop by next week for more yummy and healthy ways to veganize your holiday desserts!

    xoxo Christine

    About the Author: Christine Frazier writes vegan recipes through lots of research, trial, and error … now she is applying the same theory to her other passion, writing stories. Follow along as she deconstructs bestsellers and learns how to write a novel.

  • I love your posts! They’re always so informative!

  • I thoroughly enjoyed the photo of the happy and smiling “Ginger” family standing next to the Guinness bottle (Guinness makes me smile too.) I notice that Mr. Ginger has a carrot on his chest in keeping with the “NMA” tradition. Since I enjoy stout and spicy cookies, I’m going to give this recipe a try. It probably won’t suprise you to learn that I actually own a turkey shaped cookie cutter…

  • Yum! That sounds incredible, especially the icing 😀

  • Hmm I do love the veganness of them. And have been craving gingerbread. I am always nervous using beer in cooking/baking though probably because we rarely have much in the house.

  • Hey Katie,


    I picked up that large bottle (1 pint 6oz) of stout for only $3. But if you don’t feel like using beer, soy milk will definitely work. For more flavor, I think it would be yummy to also try brewing some strong (double strength) chai tea or coffee and using that instead.

  • Great cookies! I am a raw vegan un-baker myself and have been tweaking my own raw gingerbread recipe and think I got it…will be posted soon. But love the icing on yours.


    But I am really here to tell you I adore you and Alison on HBH. THANK you for that. Even if i cant comment on every post, it’s a god-send.


    Thank you!

  • Love your mad decorating skills, those are so cute!

  • we just made these-sooooo good!!! we used chocolate stout from trader joes instead of Guinness-delicious!

  • Hey Elizabeth! Thanks for trying them- I get so happy when people make my stuff! I wish my Trader Joe’s sold beer! Chocolate Stout sounds great.

  • Your cookie cutters are hilarious! Love it!


    My husband LOVES Guinness – we lived in Dublin for a summer after we were first married – we toured the factory and the whole city smells like hops! (It drove me nuts.)


    I can’t wait to tell him about this and make him and the kids some Guinness cookies too! hehe totally fun post!


    .-= Alison´s last blog ..Lost Something? I’ll Find It. =-.

  • These look so awesome! My husband loves Guiness and my boys love gingerbread cookies, so this will be a great cooking project! 🙂

  • A home brewer myself I understand the why/how beers are clarified, many craft brewers no longer use fish based finings but opt for others ways to make a beer more visually pleasant.


    Look for local breweries, any brew-master worth it will tell quickly what they put in each batch, even let you watch. Hold fast! There are a lot of options for a fine stout (by the way, Guinness is commonly finished with a portion of “soured” previous batch).

  • These sound delicious! I’m just wondering about texture….because I really love chewy gingerbread! Could I get a more cake-like consistency with this recipe if I use brown sugar and don’t roll them out too thin?

  • Hey Sophie,


    Rolling the cookies out a little thicker will definitely make them more cake-like. Keep a close eye on them oven, because you can take gingerbread out of the oven when it is still soft, and it will harden as it cools. If you bake them too long, they will be crispy.


    I’m not sure if brown sugar will make them more cake-like or not, I just know that powdered sugar lets me roll them out thinner more easily.


    One last thing you can do, which is a little riskier, is alter the baking powder and baking soda ratio. The general rule is ‘baking powder for cakes, baking soda for cookies,’ so increasing the baking powder and decreasing the soda could get you more of the texture you’re looking for.


    Good luck and thanks for the questions!


    -Christine

  • This is exactly what I was looking for – thanks for posting!!


    One clarification, though: the original recipe calls for whole wheat *pastry* flour, not whole wheat flour. Which was used for this recipe?


    Thanks!

  • Hey just wanted to note Guinness is not vegan.


    I actually email Guinness’ customer service about this a few weeks ago.


    “isinglass, a fish product, is used during the clarification process as a magnet to get rid of excess yeast. To the strict Vegan, this would be considered an animal product and therefore unsuitable.”

    1. This is true for draft Guinness and most types in bottles. But as the post says, Guinness Extra Stout is thought not to use isinglass in its production.

  • Best gingerbread recipe I’ve made so far! My icing came out too runny to use for decoration, but I’ll try it again. I used greek yogurt instead of egg substitute (I’m not vegan) and probably not enough sugar.

  • I thought Guiness wasn’t vegan.

  • oh man, you’re killin’ me!! 🙂

  • I can’t wait to make these this weekend! Thank you for sharing this! How awesome with vegan egg nog by so delicious. Mmmmm

  • Hi there, I haven’t read the other comments but as a Certified Beer Server and beer enthusiast I can confidently tell you Guinness is not vegan. They use fish bladder to filter the beer. Sorry.

  • They are amazing! I have been looking for a good recept for gingerbreads for ages, but I always missed one or two of the ingredients and this recipe solved this problem for me. They are quick easy and crunchy. I’ ll try to make some other biscuits with this base. Thanks a lot!

  • Why canola oil? Yech.

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  • Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Oats

    Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Oats

    recipe image

    Crispy outside, soft inside. Place burgers on buns and add condiments and toppings of choice, e.g. lettuce, pickles, tomato, raw or grilled onion, grilled mushrooms, avocado, jalapenos, bell peppers, ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, etc.

    Submitted by
    Crystal Lirette

    Updated on February 19, 2025


    Cook Mode
    (Keep screen awake)

    Ingredients


    Original recipe (1X) yields 15 servings

    • 2 ½ cups canned black beans, liquid reserved

    • 2 cups rolled oats, or more as needed

    • 2 cups raw sunflower seed kernels

    • 1 (16 ounce) package white mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

    • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

    • 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

    • 1 white onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

    • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

    • 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

    • 2 tablespoons salt, or more to taste

    • 2 tablespoons ground black pepper

    • 2 tablespoons onion powder

    • 2 tablespoons garlic powder

    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

    • vegetable oil as needed

    Directions

    1. Process black beans in a food processor or blender with just enough of the reserved can liquid to get the processor going. Place into a large bowl.

    2. Blend oats in the food processor until they become oat flour; add to the large bowl. Blend sunflower seeds until finely ground; add to the bowl. Blend mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion in batches in a food processor and add to oat mixture. Mix in parsley, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin thoroughly using your hands or a rubber spatula, adding more processed oats if needed to hold shape.

    3. Roll mixture into 15 tight balls, flatten, and cup the sides to ensure the patties do not have cracks. Place on wax or parchment paper.

    4. Heat oil in a large skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), or over medium heat. Place patties carefully into the hot oil using your hands or a spatula, working in batches. Cook until browned and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove and place onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil, about 2 minutes. Repeat with more oil until all burgers are cooked.

    Cook’s Notes:

    You can use cooked dried black beans instead of canned.

    Leftover burgers can be pan-fried in about 2 tablespoons oil to reheat.

    This is a large batch. If your family is small, then make a half batch, or you can use half of the batch for burgers, and the other for “meatballs.”

    Nutrition Facts (per serving)

    250 Calories
    15g Fat
    24g Carbs
    10g Protein
    Nutrition Facts
    Servings Per Recipe
    15
    Calories
    250
    % Daily Value *
    Total Fat
    15g     		19%
    Saturated Fat
    2g     		8%
    Sodium
    1135mg     		49%
    Total Carbohydrate
    24g     		9%
    Dietary Fiber
    7g     		24%
    Total Sugars
    3g
    Protein
    10g     		19%
    Vitamin C
    21mg     		23%
    Calcium
    53mg     		4%
    Iron
    3mg     		17%
    Potassium
    478mg     		10%

    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

    ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

    (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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  • Vegan Caprese Salad With Hearts Of Palm

    Vegan Caprese Salad With Hearts Of Palm

    recipe image
    Ingredients:

    • * 6 medium red ripe tomato, (i used campari tomato)
    • * 1 14-oz can heart of palm, sliced
    • * 1/2 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
    • * 8 large basil leaf, thinly sliced
    • * 3 oz vegan mozzarella cheese,
    • * for the dressing:
    • * 3 tb extra virgin olive oil
    • * 1-1/2 tb red wine vinegar
    • * 1 tsp coconut sugar
    • * sea salt and black pepper to taste

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  • Coconut Tofu Snack Cake (Vegan

    Coconut Tofu Snack Cake (Vegan

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    “I sometimes buy dessert style tofu for the odd thing, but aside from smoothies I don’t do much with it. I recently ran across a recipe using this tofu to make a dessert style cake – http://www.sunrise-soya.com/cms/recipe/desserts/easy-coconut-tofu-cake. I found that recipe OK, but not really what I was looking for. This recipe stems from that idea, but the end result is similar to a carrot cake, you could choose to ice it or not. A perfect accompaniment to afternoon coffee or tea, (hmmmm..breakfast?). 🙂 I used mostly whole wheat, you can adjust as you wish – obviously the more whole grain you use the denser the cake is. You may also decide to up the sugar by about 1/4 cup all depending on just how sweet your sweet tooth is!”

    Ready In:
    35mins

    Ingredients:
    11

    • 1⁄4

      cup coconut oil, melted
    • 1 1⁄2

      cups flour (I use at least 1/2 whole wheat)
    • 1⁄4

      cup arrowroot (aka arrowroot powder or starch)
    • 1⁄4

      teaspoon sea salt
    • 2

      teaspoons baking powder
    • 1⁄4

      teaspoon baking soda
    • 300

      g coconut dessert tofu (I get them in a package that is 2 x 150g)
    • 3⁄4

      cup organic sugar
    • 2

      tablespoons vanilla soymilk (or other vegan milk)
    • 1

      cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
    • 1

      teaspoon sugar

    directions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a square baking pan (8×8 ish).
    • Melt the coconut oil so that it is completely liquid. I do this using the microwave on about half of it, and then mixing in other half which melts in and reduces the overall temperature. Set aside to cool (but not reharden).
    • In a bowl combine the dry ingredients – flour, arrowroot, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
    • Empty the tofu into a large mixing bowl. Using a whisk, mix it with the sugar, and soy milk, followed by the oil which should be cooled down enough by now.
    • Add the dry ingredients into the wet, combine well but don’t overmix. Fold in the shredded coconut.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle about a tsp of sugar overtop. Bake for about 35 minutes – do the toothpick test to be sure.

    Questions & Replies





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    I first discovered recipezaar?when googling for some recipe that I can’t even remember now.??Before long I was?totally addicted and still?find it such a helpful resource for all sorts of things. People have really great ideas on this site, good senses of humour and, well, good recipes.

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  • Easy Mini Nacho Pizzas!

    Easy Mini Nacho Pizzas!

    recipe image

    by Kathy Patalsky · updated: · published: · About 2 minutes to read this article. Leave a Comment




    These fun Mini Nacho Pizzas are inspired by my love of two recipes: English muffin mini pizzas and cheezy vegan nachos. This recipe is also a perfect way to use up leftover jars of salsa in your fridge!

    Easy recipe. Fifteen minutes or so .. and done. Hot lunch approved. Serve with a fizzy citrus sip.

    This recipe includes protein, veggies and bubbly vegan cheese deliciousness..

    Appetizers for Dinner. I made these fun bites during the Super Bowl and decided that they are more than just appetizers – they are perfect as entree mini pizzas. I paired them with some guacamole and lively spinach salads tossed in a agave lime dressing.

    Estimated nutritional info per mini pizza – using whole wheat English muffins:


    Mini Nacho Pizzas


    vegan, makes 4 mini pizzas

    2 English muffins, split in half (spelt, sprouted grain or whole wheat varieties are my favorite)


    ⅓ cup vegan cheese shreds, vegan pepper jack flavor used


    ⅓ cup roasted tomato salsa (hot variety used!)


    ¼ cup refried beans, vegan (canned, low-fat vegan used)


    1 small jalapeno, sliced


    ¼ cup onion sliced


    2 tablespoon tomato, diced

    fresh topping: ½ large avocado, diced + tossed in lime or lemon juice

    other optional toppings:


    1 tablespoon black olives


    diced tofu (try lime-chipotle-agave marinated!)


    cilantro


    sour cream, vegan

    garnish: fresh citrus wedges, lime or lemon + chopped parsley or cilantro

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to a warm temperature – around 350-400 degrees.


    2. Pull apart your English muffins. Prep your veggies by chopping/slicing.


    3. Add either the salsa or refried beans to the muffin bread. Layering generously. Then add the vegan cheese and veggie toppings.


    4. Place on baking sheet and place on top rack in oven. Allow to bake for about ten minutes at 400 degrees. Then for an additional 2 minutes, broil so that the tops get bubbly and blackened.


    5. Pull from oven or bake for an additional 1-2 minutes on oven rack (no baking sheet) if you want extra crispy bottoms.


    6. Serve warm with fresh avocado on top. Cilantro would make a nice garnish. Citrus wedges too.

    About Kathy Patalsky

    Hey there! I’m Kathy, lover of kitty cats, weekend baking, 90’s movies, travel, beach fog and foamy lattes. Since 2007, I have been sharing my vegan recipes and photos. My goal is to make your cooking life a little easier, delicious – and plant-loaded – while sharing some LIFE and conversation along the way.

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  • Pesto Butter

    Pesto Butter

    recipe image

    This Pesto butter is a crowd pleaser. Super easy to make, creamy, satisfying on bread, with pasta or potatoes. The whole family will love it. No one would ever think it is vegan, if you serve this to your family, friends or at your next party or potluck.

    Close view of the pesto butter in a blue bowl.

    Vegan butter is something magical. Just think about what one can do with it like my Garlic Butter or the Garlic Bread Recipe.

    If you have not already tried these simple recipes, give them a try now and wow everyone. No matter if vegan, meat lover or anything in between: everyone will adore these in no time. No one would ever believe to eat vegan food. Trust me it tastes so close to the real deal if not even more amazing.

    Once you’ve tried this pesto butter you can’t resist to eat it almost every day. On bread or over pasta, both is amazing. Be sure it is creamy, seriously addictive, rich, buttery, versatile, great on finger food, or for party snacks and many more.

    Vegan butter and an amazing fresh pesto are the main ingredients.

    What you need for basil pesto butter:

    • vegan butter
    • dairy free pesto (You can use any store bought basil pesto or make my own, which is made with basil, garlic, pistachios, olive oil and vegan Parmesan).

    Note: if you use a store-bought pesto, please make sure it is made with enough flavor. You might want to add some minced garlic, or garlic powder for flavor.

    Also you might want to add a pinch of salt. You can gladly skip this step if you make my Pistachio Pesto, there isn’t any need for extra flavor with garlic or salt.

    A bowlful of potato wedges in front of the ready pesto butter.

    How to make herb butter

    I suggest you should start at room temperature with your vegan butter, so it is a bit more spreadable. Next is combining butter with pesto and mix. It is as easy as this. The butter can be stored in an airtight container for around 2 weeks so it is handy to have more meal prep ideas on hand.

    This makes such an amazing part of a dinner, lunch, meal prep, lunch ideas for work so you can swap the food courts because homemade taste so much better. 

    Trust me when I say this pesto recipe is the ultimate condiment and makes everything better and tastier than ever.

    I made this recently for friends and everyone agreed they couldn’t believe it is vegan so this is a keeper for all. If you serve this to your picky kids, meat loving friends, no one would tell the difference to real butter.

    This Pesto Butter is a great combination with potato wedges.

    Variations for this pesto butter:

    Herb butter: simply use other herbs like chives, cilantro, or parsley instead of basil.

    Sun dried tomato pesto: you can mix this pesto butter with another pesto flavor instead of basil. All you need is my Best Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto for it or a store bought version. As I mentioned before if using pesto from the store you might want to add some salt or garlic.

    Pesto pizza: skip the marinara sauce for pizza and use pesto butter as base. You can add some roasted veggies, artichokes, or olives.

    Melting butter over potato fries.

    Jalapeño butter: oh guys only recently I tried something different and added jalapeños to this vegan butter and oh boy it was so good. If you are into spicy food like me, this combination was heavenly and out of this world.

    It makes the most delicious pesto garlic bread. Just spread a good amount on baguette or your favorite bread and bake everything for around 10 minutes.

    Sheet pan veggies: I love sheet pan meals – you can do anything on sheet pan. This time just mix your favorite veggies with melted pesto butter give all on a sheet pan and bake for around 25 minutes at 410°F.

    This Pesto Butter is super easy to make, versatile and so comforting. No one would ever guess it is vegan, gluten free, and it tastes so delicious over pasta, bread and potatoes. This will surely become a family favorite in no time. #vegan #dairyfree #glutenfree #pesto #butter #vegetarian #dinner #lunch #mealprep #comfortfood #contentednesscooking

    Give this Pesto Butter a try and every time you will add so much amazing flavor to any meal.

    As always tag me on Instagram or Facebook, love seeing all your comments or remakes.

    Cheers, Florian.

    Instructions

    Start with your vegan butter at room temperature, so that it is easy to whip. Simply combine butter with pesto.

    Nutrition Information:

    Yield: 16

    Serving Size: 1 Tbsp


    Amount Per Serving:

    Calories: 139Total Fat: 15.1gSaturated Fat: 7.9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4.3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 87.6mgCarbohydrates: 0.8gFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.1gProtein: 0.5g

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  • Chocolate Strawberry Puff Pastry Pops

    Chocolate Strawberry Puff Pastry Pops

    recipe image

    Published: · Modified: by Sina · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    These chocolate strawberry puff pastry pops are a great snack for birthday parties! They’re super easy to make and need only 10 minutes in the oven. I love serving them on bamboo skewers, just like cake pops. And who doesn’t love the combination of chocolate and strawberries?!

    Chocolate Strawberry Puff Pastry Popsf

    I actually made the recipe for these cute little puff pastry pops weeks ago. Or maybe even months. Summer was still in full force back then. But somehow I made so many recipes for the blog in advance that I actually forgot about these puff pastry pops. Which is a real shame because they’re suuuuuper yummy! So when I found the pictures of them on one of my memory cards the other day, I just knew they had to go on the blog as soon as possible.

    Chocolate Strawberry Puff Pastry Pops

    And they’re the perfect recipe to say goodbye to summer, aren’t they? From now on, it’s all gonna be about pumpkin recipes, soups, and hearty stews. Haha! No, I’ll make a few exceptions. But this year, I’m somehow really looking forward to all these delicious hearty fall dishes…

    Chocolate Strawberry Puff Pastry Pops

    But let’s just hold on to summer for a couple more days. It’s supposed to get super sunny for us next week, so I might actually make these vegan puff pastry pops again. They’re so yummy and you only need very few ingredients to make them!

    You’ll need:

    • store-bought vegan puff pastry (without butter)
    • dark chocolate
    • strawberry preserve
    • some sugar to sprinkle on top (optional)

    So basically you only need three ingredients!! As always, just scroll down to the recipe box for the full ingredient list and the recipe instructions.

    Chocolate Strawberry Puff Pastry Pops

    Lengthwise cut the puff pastry pieces into 4-5 stripes. Evenly coat with strawberry preserve, roll them up, and put them on bamboo skewers. Alternatively, you can also use vegan chocolate spread as a filling. That’s super delicious as well. Sprinkle with a little bit of sugar and put the in the oven for 10 minutes and let them cool down for a bit. In the meantime, melt the dark chocolate and drizzle on top. Sprinkle with a little bit more sugar and enjoy!

    Chocolate Strawberry Puff Pastry Pops

    I hope you like these little treats as much as I do. If you like the combination of chocolate and strawberries, you might also enjoy my vegan chocolate donuts with strawberry frosting.

    Hope you all have a great weekend!

    Sina – xx

    Chocolate Strawberry Puff Pastry Pops

    Chocolate Strawberry Puff Pastry Pops

    These chocolate strawberry puff pastry pops are a great snack for birthday parties! They’re super easy to make and need only 10 minutes in the oven. I love serving them on wooden skewers, just like cake pops.

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    Course: Dessert, Snack

    Cuisine: American

    Prep Time: 10 minutes

    Cook Time: 10 minutes

    Total Time: 20 minutes

    Servings: 24 puff pastry pops

    Ingredients

    • 6 sheets vegan frozen puff pastry (without butter)
    • 1/2 cup strawberry perserve
    • 9 oz vegan dark chocolate
    • 4 tablespoons brown sugar

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Let the frozen puff pastry sheets thaw for about 5 minutes.

    • Then lengthwise cut each sheet into 4 stripes. Evenly coat each stripe with strawberry preserve, roll them up, and put them on bamboo skewers. Alternatively, you can also use vegan chocolate spread as a filling.

    • Line a baking tray with parchment paper and put the puff pastry pops on top. Bake for 10 minutes.

    • In the meantime, melt the dark chocolate either in the microwave or on the stove top. Let the puff pastry pops cool down for about 5 minutes, then drizzle the melted chocolate on top and sprinkle with some more sugar. Enjoy!

    Rate the recipe!If you like this recipe, please leave a good rating! This will help other readers.

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  • Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    recipe image

    Lindsay Moe

    These Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are ooey gooey, naturally sweetened, and ready in under 30 minutes! Made in one bowl, these vegan cookies are guaranteed to satisfy any sweet tooth.

    Two vegan oatmeal cookies on a plate next to a cooling rack of more cookies.

    You asked, and I delivered.

    I’ve had so many people falling in love with my vegan cookie for one and asking if there was a full recipe they could make. I love that you’re all so much more willing to share than I am.

    This is a chocolate chip cookie that I think will quickly become your favorite. There might be a lot of vegan cookie recipes out there, but what makes these the best are that they don’t require any egg replacers!

    A few things I LOVE about these vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies:

    • They’re naturally sweetened – with pure, locally sourced maple syrup
    • That dreamy maple syrup teams up with almond butter and coconut oil to make some seriously soft cookies – they don’t dry out!
    • This recipe is made in one bowl, making clean up a breeze

    Ingredients

    • Creamy almond butter
    • Pure maple syrup
    • Coconut oil
    • Pure vanilla extract
    • Unbleached all-purpose flour
    • Old fashioned oats
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • Vegan chocolate chips or chunks, plus more for topping the cookies
    • Fleur de sel, Maldon sea salt, or other flaky finishing salt (optional)

    How to make vegan oatmeal cookies

    1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking sheet.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
    3. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt and stir until just combined.
    4. Fold in the chocolate chips.
    5. Using a cookie scoop, place about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, gently forming each scoop into a neat circle and leaving at least 1 inch in between cookies.
    6. Bake 9 minutes or until the tops are no longer wet. Allow the cookies to cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
    A vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookie being split in half.

    Top tips

    Finish with salt

    Adding a little salt to the top of the cookies before baking them is optional, but really adds to the indulgence and curb appeal. Any coarse salt will work, but I like to top my desserts with Fleur de sel, Maldon sea salt flakes, or other flaky sea salt.

    How to make round cookies

    Not much spreading happens in the oven on these little guys, so if you want perfectly round cookies be sure to shape them that way before baking. You may also want to press them down a bit into an even layer, or leave them tall and domed for extra gooey-ness!

    6 vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookies stacked on top of each other, the top one has a bite taken out of it.

    Baking time

    If you want a cookie that holds together really well, I recommend baking them for an extra minute or two. If you want a soft and gooey cookie (which I really think you do), bake the recommended time in the recipe below.

    Be sure to allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them so they don’t fall apart.

    How to store vegan oatmeal cookies

    These cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing or freezing.

    Tips for customizing vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies:

    • Use whatever nut butter that you have on hand. I find almond butter to give the most classic, caramel-y chocolate chip cookie taste and texture
    • Swap the chocolate chunks for regular chocolate chips or a chopped up chocolate bar
    • Use a gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free oats to make gluten-free vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
    • Add chopped walnuts or almonds for a little crunch
    A cooling rack of vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.

    FAQ

    Can I use quick cooking oats in this recipe?

    I do not recommend using quick cooking oats in this recipe because it would change the texture of the cookie.

    What brand of chocolate chips should I use?

    I like Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips (affiliate link). They are free from most top allergens, including any animal products. I purchase these in the natural foods section of the grocery store.

    If using vegan chocolate chips isn’t important to you, I recommend Ghirardelli and Guittard.

    What is the best maple syrup?

    You’ll want to make sure you’re using real maple syrup in this recipe, not sugary pancake syrup. I like Skinny Sticks maple syrup because it tastes great and is made right here in Wisconsin. I recommend finding a maple syrup local to you if possible.

    More vegan dessert recipes

    • Vegan Chocolate Mug Cake
    • Vegan Mug Brownie
    • Vegan Cookie Dough for One
    • Vegan Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
    • Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
    • Vegan Cookie Dough Dip for Two
    • Vegan Peanut Butter Cookie Dough for One
    • Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
    • Pretzel Cookie Dough Truffles
    A cooling rack of vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, one has a bite taken out of it.

    If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

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    Recipe

    Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Gooey vegan chocolate chip cookies that are naturally sweetened and held together with oatmeal.

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    Prep Time: 15 minutes

    Cook Time: 9 minutes

    Total Time: 24 minutes

    Servings: 34 cookies

    Calories: 258kcal

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking sheet.

    • In a large bowl, whisk together almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract.

    • Add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt and stir until just combined.

    • Fold in the chocolate chips.

    • Using a cookie scoop, place about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, gently forming each scoop into a neat circle and leaving at least 1 inch in between cookies.

    • Bake 9 minutes or until the tops are no longer wet. Allow the cookies to cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

    • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1.7mg

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  • Crunchy Grain Free Granola with Strawberries {Paleo, Vegan}

    Crunchy Grain Free Granola with Strawberries {Paleo, Vegan}

    recipe image

    This crunchy grain free granola is packed with toasty sweet clusters and freeze dried strawberries for a breakfast or snack that you won’t believe is actually good for you!  It’s paleo, vegan, free of refined sugar and family approved!

    This crunchy grain free granola is packed with toasty sweet clusters and freeze dried strawberries for a breakfast or snack that you won't believe is actually good for you!  It's paleo, vegan, free of refined sugar and family approved!

    I’m not sure why it’s taken me this long to make grain free granola – because now it’s just about my favorite thing ever.  I’m obsessed.  At least for this week, that is!

    But seriously, this stuff is GOOD and also really easy to make.  So easy, that you’ll probably start making it regularly, and then realize at some point that it’s all you’re ever snacking on!

    Yup, that’s what happened to me – don’t say I didn’t warn you!

    This crunchy grain free granola is packed with toasty sweet clusters and freeze dried strawberries for a breakfast or snack that you won't believe is actually good for you!  It's paleo, vegan, free of refined sugar and family approved!

    I made this grain free granola with super simple ingredients – nuts (3 kinds), unsweetened coconut flakes, a little flaxseed, maple syrup and coconut oil.  A little bit of cinnamon and salt for flavor, too.

    And oh!  The strawberries!  I almost forgot…I bought these freeze dried strawberries months ago with the intention of making this exact recipe.

    And what happened? Well, my kids AND Adam begged me to just use them already (since they wanted to eat them, of course), but for some reason the time just never felt right.

    There’s no rhyme or reason to my recipes sometimes, I often just make what I feel like making on that particular day.

    This crunchy grain free granola is packed with toasty sweet clusters and freeze dried strawberries for a breakfast or snack that you won't believe is actually good for you!  It's paleo, vegan, free of refined sugar and family approved!

    Finally, I’m not sure why, it felt like the right time to make the grain free granola I’d been planning to try out since February, I think.

    At first I honestly didn’t know what to do with the freeze dried strawberries.  Do they go in the oven with the granola?

    No.  Big fat NO on that one – they’ll burn and it won’t be pretty.  So definitely don’t make that mistake!

    This crunchy grain free granola is packed with toasty sweet clusters and freeze dried strawberries for a breakfast or snack that you won't believe is actually good for you!  It's paleo, vegan, free of refined sugar and family approved!

    I’ve always been someone who loved fruit in my cereal – especially dried fruit (hello Raisin Bran Crunch!  And Basic 4!) but no, I don’t eat cereal anymore, of course.

    Anyhow, with old cereal cravings in mind, I knew I needed some crunchy fruit in my crunchy granola (yes, it really is crunchy!) so the freeze dried strawberries made the perfect mix-in after the granola was done cooling.

    Just add almond milk, and WHOA!  This was just like old times with my fave cereals – almost TOO much like old times, if you know what I mean.  I definitely felt that sweet/crunchy craving kick in and it was pretty tough to stop eating it – just being honest!

    This crunchy grain free granola is packed with toasty sweet clusters and freeze dried strawberries for a breakfast or snack that you won't believe is actually good for you!  It's paleo, vegan, free of refined sugar and family approved!

    After completely cooling (and sneaking several bites, or perhaps having a big ‘ol bowl of it like I did) you can store this grain free granola in an air tight container for up to a month – or so I believe – mine only lasted a week, sadly!

    However, it DID stay deliciously crunchy all week, so I think we’re all good in the crunch department.  I hope you’re ready to make this insanely delicious, downright addicting grain free granola!  Let’s get started!

    Crunchy Grain Free Granola with Strawberries {Paleo, Vegan}

    This crunchy grain free granola is packed with toasty sweet clusters and freeze dried strawberries for a breakfast or snack that you won't believe is actually good for you!  It's paleo, vegan, free of refined sugar and family approved!

    Crunchy Grain Free Granola with Strawberries {Paleo, Vegan}

    This crunchy grain free granola is packed with toasty sweet clusters and freeze dried strawberries for a breakfast or snack that you won’t believe is actually good for you!  It’s paleo, vegan, free of refined sugar and family approved!

    Author: Michele Rosen

    Prep Time: 10 minutes

    Cook Time: 25 minutes

    Cooling Time: 25 mins

    Total Time: 35 minutes

    Course:

    Breakfast, Snack

    Cuisine:

    Paleo, Vegan

    Servings: 14 servings

    Print this Recipe

    Instructions

    1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

    2. You can either roughly chop all the nuts by hand, OR, pulse them in a food processor until you have a roughly chopped texture – some smaller and larger pieces are fine.

    3. Place chopped nuts in a large mixing bowl and add the flaxseed, coconut flakes, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine, then whisk together the coconut oil and maple syrup or honey in a small bowl, and pour over the dry mixture. Stir well to fully combine. The granola should form “clusters” as you mix it – these are good!

    4. Spread the granola in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, then bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove, and use a silicone spatula to gently stir/turn over the granola (like you’d do for roasted veggies!) Return to the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until granola appears golden brown. Don’t worry if it seems soft, as it will crisp up a lot while cooling!

    5. Place the entire baking sheet on a cooling rack and allow granola to cool for about 25-30 minutes, then stir in the freeze dried strawberries.

    6. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 270kcal

    Carbohydrates: 14g

    Protein: 5g

    Fat: 23g

    Saturated Fat: 8g

    Cholesterol: 0mg

    Sodium: 47mg

    Potassium: 265mg

    Fiber: 4g

    Sugar: 6g

    Vitamin A: 5IU

    Vitamin C: 25mg

    Calcium: 50mg

    Iron: 2mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    What I Used To Make My Grain Free Granola with Strawberries:

    This crunchy grain free granola is packed with toasty sweet clusters and freeze dried strawberries for a breakfast or snack that you won't believe is actually good for you!  It's paleo, vegan, free of refined sugar and family approved!

    Want More Paleo and Vegan Breakfast Treats?  Try One of These!

    Apple Cinnamon Paleo Hot Cereal

    Banana Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

    Blueberry Coconut “Oatmeal” Bake

    Maple Pecan Banana Bread Breakfast Bake

    Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bake

    Almond Butter and Jelly “Oatmeal” Bake

    About Michele

    Michele Rosen is the author of Paleo baking at Home and the creator of Paleo Running Momma, a website dedicated to bringing you the most delicious paleo friendly meals and desserts. She’s a mom of 3 kids ages 17, 15 and 13, a paleo eater, runner and yogi.

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