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December 12, 2017 by Lauren Hartmann 118 Comments

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One of my favorite appetizers to order when out is zucchini. Typically fried, but you will not be disappointed with these Baked Parmesan Zucchini. Make it vegan simply by using a vegan mayonnaise and parmesan substitute. It’s that easy!

Start by washing the zucchini and patting it dry.

Then slice the zucchini into quarters. I tried to find zucchini that were all very small and similar in size for uniformity.

It might sound strange, but I am using a vegan mayonnaise brushed on the zucchini in lieu of say, an egg wash. Not only does it really work well in helping the parmesan mixture to adhere, it also gives it flavor. I used a pastry brush and it worked great!

For the parmesan topping, I added an Italian seasoning blend along with salt and pepper.

Lay the zucchini strips brushed in vegan mayonnaise into the parmesan mixture a few at a time and coat completely.

Line a cookie sheet with a baking rack and lay the coated zucchini strips on to it leaving enough space so they can get golden brown.

At the very end, I sometimes move the cookie sheet to the top rack in the oven for a bit more of that golden brown color.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. I am using a ranch dressing mixed with taco sauce. Make it as mild or as spicy as you can handle!

Did you make this recipe for Baked Parmesan Zucchini? Leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought.

And if you enjoyed the recipe, why not PIN IT FOR LATER! 🙂

Our neighbors left a bag of lemons on our front porch last week.  Apparently they had a bumper crop and we were the lucky recipients of the excess. 

I’ll be more than happy to take those off your hands.  🙂

I searched and searched for lemony recipes. 

And then I came upon Veganomicon’s lemon bar recipe.

I was pretty curious as to how a lemon bar could be good without eggs, but I decided to give it a whirl.  I also changed the recipe by dusting the top with coconut flakes rather than confectioners’ sugar. 

They turned out just fine 😉

I really wish I had better photos of the end product, but by the time the lemon portion had set, so had the sun.  Without natural light I am not as good at making food look tasty, so I’ll give you the pictures of the process and the recipe, but stay tuned for better lit photos. 

Vegan Coconut Lemon Bars

Crust:

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat, but I’d recommend all purpose)
• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch (I used arrowroot)
• 1 cup vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)

 

 

Pulse the flour, sugar, and arrowroot in a food processor, adding EB in chunks at a time.  Blend until it resembles a course meal that will hold together when you ball it up in your hand.  Sprinkle into a PAM sprayed pyrex pan and press down firmly (I used my measuring cup) into an even layer.  Keep the edges slightly raised so it can hold in the lemon filling.  Refrigerate it while the oven preheats to 350, then bake it (unfilled) for 25 minutes. 

I was really nervous putting the cold pan into the hot oven, thinking it would crack, but all was good, so have no fear.

While that all goes down in the oven, you can get to work on the filling.

Filling:

• 1 1/3 cup water
• 3 tbsp agar flakes
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp turmeric (omitted)
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp arrowroot powder
• 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (I left it coarsely grated)
• 1/4 cup soymilk (I used coconut milk)
• coconut flakes (to sprinkle on top)

 

 

 

 

 

 

To prepare the filling, combine the agar and the water in a saucepan to soak for 15 minutes.  While it soaks, zest and juice the lemons.  This dual citrus squeezer is the handiest tool ever.  Mix the arrowroot to the lemon juice to dissolve.  Bring the agar/water combo to a boil for about 10 minutes or until the agar is completely dissolved.  Add the sugar, lemon mix, and coconut milk and let it simmer, stirring it until it starts to thicken.  Pour it over the crust and let it cool before putting it in the fridge to further set.  Once the filling has set, sprinkle coconut on top.

Slice into squares and serve.

Tangy, sweet, and downright delicious. 

The only thing I would change would be increasing the amount of filling on top (I prefer a ratio of more lemon topping).  Okay, one more thing.  I’d also use all purpose flour instead of whole wheat.  It was good, but I bet the actual flour called for would have been better.  As for the coconut topping?  That was the best idea ever and I’m pretty sure it’s worth trying.

I still have lemons to use…ideas?

April 7, 2019 by Lauren Hartmann 91 Comments

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Garfield is not the only one who LOVES lasagna!

My oldest son Zac is becoming a bit of a foodie. Maybe its because he’s been listening to me for all these years talk about food, or having them help me in the kitchen. Maybe it’s because he’s taking a Food Prep class in high school this year and is enjoying being creative in there. Maybe it’s just because he likes good food. 🙂 Whatever, the reason, it makes me proud to see him enjoying the tastes & flavors of REAL, home-cooked food. Usually, he’s the first to request certain dinners as well, especially when we’ve been in the season of eating out a little more than we should. (I know you’ve all been there!).

Sometimes, it’s a request for chili, sometimes enchiladas, but most of the time, it’s lasagna. Vegan Lasagna to be exact. This recipe by far is his favorite and was so loved by others, it was included on Buzzfeed, much to my kiddos delight. However, sometimes I just get bored with making it the same way and decided to turn this recipe into Easy-to-serve, Roll-ups.

These cute little rolls, didn’t take any longer than it would layering a big pan of traditional lasagna and I loved that each bite, was full of flavor and noodles. Kind of like when you eat from the center of the lasagna pan. 

Here is just how easy this is…….

Start by cooking your noodles of choice in boiling water (add a pinch or two of salt to prevent sticking). Typically, I’d tell you to follow package directions, however, I like to “undercook” them so they are bendable, without ripping. Remember, your noodles will still cook in the oven, so you don’t want them to get mushy.

While those are boiling, go ahead and make your ricotta. I make it nut-free by using Tofu as the base, and then add in lemon juice, nutritional yeast, minced garlic, fresh basil, spices & diced sun dried tomatoes (which you can omit if you prefer).

Set this aside and start cooking your sausage (vegan of course). There are a lot of options to choose from, however, my favorite is by Tofurky. I’m including the link so you can check out the ingredients. This does contain gluten, so make sure you stay away from it if you are Gluten-free or Soy-free. Neat meat replacer could be an option for you if those are on your list of allergens, however, their products contain nuts, which is why it’s always important to READ YOUR LABELS.

Once everything is boiled, blended & sautéed, it’s time to assemble! Pour some sauce into your casserole dish just to make sure the noodles don’t stick. It can be homemade or jarred, but just make sure it’s no-to-low sugar, and made with fresh, organic ingredients for the best flavor.

Lay your noodles out on parchment paper, making sure they don’t touch. Start with a little ricotta, then Daiya mozzarella shreds & fresh spinach.

Top with your minced sausage.

Then a little sauce.

Roll each loaded noodle, 1 by 1 and place in your pan, seam side down. Continue until all your noodles have been used (or you run out of toppings). I tend to be a little frugal on my first couple rolls to make sure I have enough, so if you’re ever over for lasagna rolls, I apologize in advance if you get the “skimpy” roll.

Once all your rolls are in the dish, pour a little extra sauce on top to help the rolls from drying out, then add extra shredded cheese. Bake 20 minutes or until everything is bubbling and melted. Serve with a side salad and some extra steamed veggies. If my Mom served this for you, she’d be sure to include Applesauce ;).

If you’re a pasta lover like myself, you’ll also want to check out Vegetarian Mamma’s vegetarian bolognese, it’s full of veggies & flavor.

If you’re looking for another creative way to eat your lasagna, how about trying my One Pot Lasagna Soup? It’s mm-mm good!

I’d love to hear from you! Be sure to comment below when you make this dish and let me know what you think. And as always, be sure to follow Xander Friendly Foods on Instagram, Pinterest & Twitter for more recipes, health tips & favorite food shares.

My mom makes a very good raw vegan chili back home in Minnesota but I was in the mood for traditional chili. There is something special about the flavor of a good chili that warms and fills the belly. This makes it one of my favorite foods for winter! Here is how I made it…

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup of red onions, diced
• ½ cup of celery, sliced
• ½ cup of green peppers, diced
• ½ cup of mushrooms, sliced and chopped
• ½ cup of carrots, sliced and chopped
• 2 small to medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes
• 5 medium to large tomatoes, blended into a juice
• 1½ cup of kidney beans, soaked in water overnight, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup of Greek gigantes plaki beans, soaked in water overnight, drained, peeled and rinsed
• 1 cup of corn
• 1/2 Tablespoon of cumin
• 1½ Tablespoon of dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons of paprika
• 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons of sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon of mustard powder
• 3 Tablespoons of organic raw cane brown sugar
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of raw vegan taco meat (click here for recipe)

Get a large pot, ours holds at least 4 liters of liquid and it was almost full. Coat the bottom of the inside of the pot with a thin layer of olive oil. Place the pot over medium heat on the stove. Once you smell the oil heating up, add the onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Stir occasionally and add the sea salt and ground black pepper. After you see the celery sweating add the green peppers and mushrooms. Stir occasionally and in about a minute or two turn the heat down to low. Add the potatoes, cumin and oregano. Stir.

Now you will add the tomato juice, mustard powder, brown sugar, paprika and red pepper flakes.  Next, add all of the beans. I cannot seem to find black beans here in Greece yet so I used more kidney beans to compensate. Add the water and crank the heat up to high to bring the mixture to a boil. Stir occasionally to prevent anything from burning along the bottom.

Once boiling, turn the heat back down to medium-low to allow the chili to simmer. Add the corn. Keep stirring occasionally for the next 45 to 60 minutes (or until the kidney beans soften to your liking). Once the kidney beans are soft enough for you, remove the pot from the heat and mix in the vegan taco meat. Just like that, your vegan chili is ready to be served!

It is officially summer and my favorite time to enjoy frozen treats!  These Ginger Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches are the perfect dessert for a hot day.  The ginger cookies are crispy so that they hold up to the ice cream.  Sweet and spicy cookies with (in my opinion) the BEST vegan dairy free alternative on the market, So Delicious.  Not sponsored…just love their products.  You can use any variety of almond, soy, coconut or cashew dairy free ice cream. I happen to favor the almond milk vanilla variety for desserts like this.  P.S.  Have you tried their Salted Caramel Cluster cashew ice cream?  Oh.My.Gosh.  I am so addicted.  Even my non-vegan family members agree…it’s pretty darn amazing!  So let’s get started making the ginger cookies…

These cookies differ from prior versions I have made in the past.  The crispiness of the cookie makes for a great ice cream sandwich.  Keep in mind, the cookie will soften a bit as it remains in contact with the ice cream.

This is a very soft dough.  Some people may choose to refrigerate the dough prior to working with it, but I don’t have that kind of patience.  I used a small cookie scoop and placed the dough directly into sugar for rolling.  Once coated, they are easy to shape.

Place the sugared cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet leaving at least 2″ between as this dough will spread.  I used a 1-1/4″ cookie scoop which after pressing with a flat-bottomed glass and baking, yields about a 2-1/2″ cookie. Perfectly sized for this recipe.  If the glass sticks, just dip into sugar before pressing.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees and allow to cool completely.  They will crisp up as they cool.  If you cover these cookies, they will soften.  They also freeze really well.  Be sure to make extra as it is really challenging not to sample a few as they are cooling 😉

The SO Delicious ice creams generally only need to soften for about 8-10 minutes prior.  I used that same 1-1/4″ scoop and gave each sandwich a gentle squeeze.  Enjoy immediately!

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