Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

October 10th, 2019 | Posted by Milana in Breakfast/Brunch | Dessert | Recipes - (0 Comments)

These delicious & most importantly nutritious muffins are dairy free, soy free, and vegan. Made with zucchini, whole grains, healthy fats, and unrefined sugar.

INGREDIENTS:

1 -½ cups grated fresh zucchini a box grater works well, no need to peel (about 2 small-medium)

1 -¾ cups white whole wheat flour

1 -½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup Trader Joe’s Plain Cashew Cultured Beverage (vegan buttermilk)

1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup

1 flax egg or 1 Large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

4 Tbsp Coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly

½ cup Vegan Chocolate Chips + more for sprinkling on top (I use Enjoy Life Brand)

Cooking spray (I used Trader Joe’s Coconut Oil)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 400°F. Line muffin tin with liners and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

Place grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out excess liquid over a bowl or the sink. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, honey (or maple syrup), flax egg, zucchini, vanilla and coconut oil.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix gently with a rubber spatula until combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, and top each muffin with a few extra chocolate chips.

Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 350. Continue baking for 15-20 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Enjoy! Don’t forget to rate, tag and leave feedback when you try my recipe! Xoxo

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Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

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Asian Fusion Eggplant Appetizer

October 3rd, 2019 | Posted by Milana in Appetizers | Recipes - (0 Comments)

The original recipe to this absolutely delicious eggplant appetizer was adapted from @cookingwithyana on Instagram. Check out her account for more yummy creations! I made some modifications to her original recipe. The results speak for themselves.

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium Eggplant, chopped into 1” pieces

2 Red Bell Peppers, chopped to 1/2” pieces

2 Carrots, sliced into shoestring on mandolin

1 medium Red Onion, sliced thin

1/4 cup Parsley or Cilantro, finely chopped

Salt

DRESSING:

1/4 cup Avocado Oil

1 lime, squeezed

1 tsp sesame oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp rice vinegar

1-1/2 tsp white vinegar

2-1/2 tsp maple syrup

3/4 tsp tsp sriracha sauce

2 tsp coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup chopped Parsley or Cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

Season your eggplant well with salt in a colander over a large bowl to collect all the moisture from the eggplant. Let it sit for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, mix all the dressing ingredients and set aside.

In a wok or deep frying pan, flash-fry the onions for 2-3 minutes in avocado oil. Set aside.

Squeeze out eggplant pieces with hands and pat dry on paper towel before frying. I fried it in 4 batches. You may also drizzle some oil and roast it at 425°F for about 15-20 min until golden brown.

Mix it in a large bowl with the fried onions, raw peppers, carrots and chopped herbs. Pour dressing and mix gently with spatula. Can be served right away but is best if refrigerated for at least 8 hours as the ingredients get to know each other. 😉 Voilà👌🏻!

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Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

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Vegan Blueberry Muffins

September 5th, 2019 | Posted by Milana in Breakfast/Brunch | Recipes - (0 Comments)

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup + 1 Tbsp Unsweetened Vanilla Ripple Milk

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (I used Trader Joe’s unfiltered organic)

3/4 maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup avocado oil

2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour

1/4 tsp salt (I use sea salt by Trader Joe’s)

2 tsp Baking Powder (aluminum free)

1 Tbsp Corn Starch (I use Rapunzel Organic)

1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries (I used organic)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 400°F. Line 1.5 muffin pans with liners and grease with cooking spray. I use organic coconut oil (2 sprays in each liner). In a small bowl, mix together the milk with the vinegar and let thicken (you’re creating a vegan buttermilk). In the meantime, in a medium bowl mix together all the dry ingredients except the blueberries. In the buttermilk mixture, add the rest of the wet ingredients and whisk until combined well. Pour it into the flour mixture and stir until incorporated. DO NOT OVER-MIX. Fold in the blueberries gently. Use a 2oz. Cookie scoop or 1/4 cup to measure out the batter into the liners. Top with 3 blueberries and bake for 20-22 min until golden.

Let cool in the pan for 5 min then transfer to cooling rack.

To Store: They store well sealed tight in a ziploc bag on the counter for 3 days. In the fridge, for up to a week and in the freezer for 3 months.

*recipe was originally adapted fromNora cooks.

Yields: 17 Muffins

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Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

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Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Blondies

September 30th, 2016 | Posted by Milana in Dessert | Recipes - (0 Comments)


 

INGREDIENTS:

1- 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, sifted

2/3 cup organic cane sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup organic soy milk

1/4 cup avocado oil

1 cup mashed banana (roughly 2 medium ripe bananas)

1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 -1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chip
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease an 8×8 square pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

In another large bowl, whisk together the soymilk, oil, banana, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix everything until combined, being careful not to overwork the batter. Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into the pan and top with the remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (it may have some chocolate on it). Cool completely before cutting and serving.

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Rating: 4.0/5 (3 votes cast)

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BANG BANG TOFU

May 10th, 2016 | Posted by Milana in Lunch/Dinner | Recipes - (0 Comments)


INGREDIENTS:

1 package Extra Firm Organic Tofu (drained, pressed to get as much water out as possible..directions follow)

1/4 cup corn starch or arrowroot (for coating tofu)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Avocado oil (for pan frying) or any high heat oil
1 zucchini, unpeeled & julienned
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1-1/2 cups snow peas, washed and dried
1 tsp Fresh ginger, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
Sauce:
1 TBS low sodium soy sauce
 + 1 TBS
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (you may add more if you like your food spicier)

3 TBS honey + 1 TBS
2 tsp Oyster sauce (look for vegetarian oyster sauce if you want to keep this vegetarian)
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp corn starch
Garnish:
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
3 scallions (green onions), chopped
DIRECTIONS:
Tofu: 

Place a folded clean kitchen towel on the counter. Place the tofu on top of the towel. Top tofu with another clean folded kitchen towel. 

Place something heavy on top of the towel – a cast iron skillet, a heavy cutting board with skillet on top, a bunch of books
Allow to press/drain for at LEAST 20 minutes, the longer the better

After it’s drained for at least 20 minutes, you are ready to get cooking!

Cut the tofu into 1″ cubes and lightly roll coat them in corn starch. Dust off excess and place them on a plate. So the same with the rest of the cubes. 

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a pan. Drop half of your cubes and fry for about a min on each side or until golden. With a slotted spoon take out the tofu and put them on a platter lined with paper towel to soak up the grease. Fry the rest of the batch. 
Sauce:
Whisk all sauce ingredients and set aside. 
Stir Fry:
Using a woke or a deep skillet. Heat oil and stir fry your veggies for about 2 minutes on high heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for a minute. Add sauce and stir for another 2 minutes until it comes to a boil and starts to thicken for about 2-3 min. Stir in your tofu to coat with the sauce and veggies. 
Serve over steamed brown or white rice garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Enjoy!

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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

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Vegan Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

September 30th, 2015 | Posted by Milana in Dessert | Recipes - (0 Comments)

 

Vegan Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

 
Hi everyone! Hope your week is going well despite the depressing weather here in NY. I guess the fall season is always rather gloomy especially with Halloween coming up exactly a month from today. Pumpkin season has officially begun and I better get started with my pumpkin treats. Speaking of treats I originally stumbled upon this amazingly easy recipe from Sally’s Bake Blog. I tweaked it a bit and made it my own and they’re a huge hit! This recipe is vegan but it’s very versatile and you’re free to add anything that you like to it in terms of toppings such as dried fruit, different chocolate pieces or candy, nuts/seeds of all kinds and more. I really love this recipe since it is oh-so-effortless but looks like you spent hours making them. Hopefully you will appreciate them as much as I do. They’re packed with protein, antioxidants, and fiber! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Organic All Natural Peanut Butter (make sure the ingredients are just peanuts and salt)

1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar (you can use any brown sugar. I just prefer the rich molasses flavor)

2 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour or any flour that you like

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 Cup Organic Almond Milk (unsweetened) but you can use any milk that you like

1/2 Cup Sliced Organic Almonds

1/2 Cup Vegan Chocolate Chips or any kind will work too

1/2 cup of any additional toppings that you like

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350F degrees. Line a 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.

With an electric or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the brown sugar and peanut butter on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla, scraping down the sides as needed.
On medium speed, add in the flour, oats, salt, and baking soda. The dough will be very thick and clumpy, but it will come together. Slowly add the milk in a steady stream, mixing until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips , alomonds and any other fixings you want.  Use your hands to make sure everything is combined, if needed.
Once dough is completely combined, press it lightly into the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 17-20 minutes until the bars are lightly golden and set. Allow to cool completely and cut into squares. I keep mine in the refrigerator in a covered container. Bars will be good stored up to 2 weeks. And in the freezer for about 2 months. 

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Creamy Cauliflower Mash

January 3rd, 2015 | Posted by Milana in Sides - (0 Comments)

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A healthy alternative to mashed potatoes….the taste is just out-of-this- world delicious! Im going to probably be choosing this over potatoes for a while. Especially since its 130 calories per serving!

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium size Cauliflower head
1 Tbsp Vegan Cream Cheese
3 Tbsp Vegan Butter or Shortening
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan or 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper

INGREDIENTS:
Clean cauliflower florets and put in a pot with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 6 minutes or until tender. Drain completely and pat dry with paper towels. Add to a bowl with remaining ingredients. Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Garnish with any herb. Enjoy!

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Egg and Dairy Free Fluffy Pancakes

September 1st, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Breakfast/Brunch - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 Cup Unsweetened plant based milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 Tbsp Coconut Oil melted

DIRECTIONS:
Combine dry ingredients. Add Almond milk and vanilla. Whisk just until combined. Be careful not to over mix.
The batter should be slightly lumpy. Set aside to rest. In the meantime melt the coconut oil and then add it to the batter. Stir. Use an ice cream scoop to drop scoopfuls of batter on to hot griddle. Flip when you see bubbles forming. Enjoy!

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Mushroom and Onion Bulgar Casserole

November 26th, 2012 | Posted by Milana in Sides | Vegan - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dry cracked Bulgar Wheat

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 tbsp Avocado oil

2 cups water

1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning Blend

10 button mushrooms chopped (stems removed)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350F. Place Bulgar and salt in 1 qt casserole dish. Saute onion and mushrooms in 2 tbsp of oil until tender, about 6 min. Add water to skillet and stir in 1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning. Combine with Bulgar wheat in casserole dish. Cover and bake 30-40 min or until Bulgar is tender. Serves 6.

Amount Per Serving
  Calories 317.9
  Total Fat 7.1 g
  Saturated Fat 1.4 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 3.4 g
  Cholesterol 16.7 mg
  Sodium 262.6 mg
  Potassium 385.2 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 52.3 g
  Dietary Fiber 6.4 g
  Sugars 16.0 g
  Protein 12.4 g

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

December 28th, 2011 | Posted by Milana in Dessert | Vegan - (0 Comments)

  I don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to use Nutella in my baking, it was hard to make a decision and I have finally found the ideal match! After trying to modify the original recipe I admit I was hesitant thinking the end result would be complete failure and to my surprise it was great success after all!  This is a divine dessert for a dinner party! Your guests will think you spent hours making these but it actually takes no longer than 15 min+ baking time. The original recipe was about 500 calories per serving and thanx to my modifications I can now proudly say each serving is 364 calories Isn’t that amazing!?!? But regardless this is still a rare indulgence due to it’s high fat and cholesterol content!  Hope you guys enjoy making these as much I do and I would love to read your feedback!……. I got the original recipe from a great blog www.ireallylikefood.com

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz Enjoy Life semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

3 Tbsp vegan butter or shortening

1/4 cup avocado oil

2 Large Eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup evaporated cane or coconut sugar

1/4 cup cake flour

4 Tbsp Dairy Free Nicciolata

cooking spray for ramekins

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Melt chocolate, oil and butter in microwave, in thirty second intervals and stirring in between until it is completely melted and mixed.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add chocolate mixture gradually into the eggs. Add flour and mix until incorporated.
  4. Grease 6 cupcake/muffin molds with cooking spray. Fill each about 3/4 full with batter. Then put 2 teaspoons of nicciolata in the middle of each.
  5. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes. The cake should be cooked on the sides but still gooey in the center.
  6. Remove cakes carefully and turn upside down onto plate. You may need to use a knife gently along the sides of the muffin molds. Serve while warm. Garnish with powdered sugar and berries! Enjoy!
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Rating: 5.0/5 (4 votes cast)

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