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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Creamy Cauliflower Mushroom Soup

October 2nd, 2019 | Posted by Milana in Soup - (0 Comments)

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbsp Avocado Oil

1 Medium Sweet Onion, Chopped

2 Carrots, peeled and sliced

2 Celery Stalks, sliced

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

10 oz. Cremini Mushrooms, sliced

2 Bay Leaves

2 tsp Trader Joe’s Herbs de Provence

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1-1/2 tsp Trader Joe’s Mushroom & Company Umami Seasoning

salt to taste

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1 Small Head of Cauliflower, cut into florets

4 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Stock

1 Cup Ripple Original Half & Half

2 Tbsp Trader Joe’s Nutritional Yeast

Immersion hand blender or high speed blender

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a dutch oven or a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute onions, carrots and celery, season with salt, pepper and cook until soft about 5-7 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add in mushrooms, garlic, bay leaves, and spices. Stir to combine and saute for about 3-5 min. until the mushrooms are soft and juicy. Add cauliflower, stir. Then increase heat to high and pour your stock. Bring to a boil, cover with lid and reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat, remove bay leaves and sir in half & half and yeast. Now use the immersion hand blender to blend the soup or wait until the soup cools down to transfer to a high speed blender and puree the soup. Serve with crusty sourdough baguette. Enjoy! Don’t forget to tag me in your posts when you make this velvety, smooth and delicious soup. Looking forward to your feedback. Thank you Everyone!

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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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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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Spinach Saag

January 10th, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Indian Cuisine | Lunch/Dinner | Vegan - (0 Comments)

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This dish an authentic North Indian delicacy. The flavors in Saag are mild compared to other curries and its a great way to get some Iron and folate into your meal. You can use fresh or frozen spinach for this dish.I used a combination of fresh Baby Spinach, Baby Kale and Chard from the salad section grocery stores that’s pre-washed. Saves time and effort!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Packages (6oz each)Fresh Spinach or any mustard greens
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 medium sweet Onions or 1 Large, finely chopped
2 tsp grated Ginger
2 tsp (about 3-4 cloves)Garlic, minced
2 Tomatoes
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Red chili powder or Ground Chipotle
3 Tbsp Peanut or Avocado Oil
Dash or pinch of Salt to taste
1/4 Cup Vegan Sour Cream.

DIRECTIONS:
Boil the spinach or mustard greens for two minutes in a cup of water.Once its cool, puree in a food processor or hand blender until all smooth.
Puree the tomatoes.
Heat oil in a deep skillet and add the cumin seeds.
Once it splutters add onions and saute until slightly golden.
Add ginger and garlic and saute until raw smell disappears.
Add the tomato puree and spices,salt and cook on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes.
Add the pureed spinach and let it simmer on medium heat for 10 min. Add a little water if its too thick.
Add the sour cream. Stir to combine.
Serve hot with Roti or Naan! Enjoy!

Nutrition Analysis:
6 Servings (about 1 cup per person)
Calories Per Serving: 113.2
Total Fat: 8g
Sat Fat: 1.6g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g
Monounsaturated Fat: 5.3g
Cholesterol: 3.3mg
Sodium: 445.2mg
Potassium: 479.2mg
Total Carbohydrates: 8.5g
Dietary Fiber: 2.5g
Sugars: 0.7g
Protein: 2.9g
Vitamin A: 113.3%
Vitamin B6: 4.5%
Vitamin C: 38.9%
Calcium: 8.3%
Copper: 3.1%
Folate: 38%
Iron: 13.5%
Manganese: 33.1%
Riboflavin: 8.5%

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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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Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

November 29th, 2011 | Posted by Milana in Dessert | Vegan - (0 Comments)

These are the most decadent, moist cupcakes I have ever made without the use of eggs, milk, or butter! Definitely a keeper! Originally I got this recipe from cooks.com I altered it slightly for nutritional purposes. I hope you guys enjoy these as much as my family, friends and I do.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cane or coconut sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder or dutch process cocoa
1/4 cup avocado oil

1/4 cup all natural unsweetened applesauce

1 cup water
1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all of the ingredients well until combined. It should be brown and smooth. Free of lumps. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes. Cupcakes will turn out moist and delicious. After they cool down you may use any favorite frosting to top them or eat them as is!  I used 1 tsp of Dairy Free Nicciolata to frost each cupcake.

Nutrition: 12 cupcakes

Calories Per Serving: 135.20 without frosting.

Total Fat: 5.1 grams

Saturated Fat: .6 grams

    Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4 grams

    Monounsaturated Fat: 2.8 grams

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Potassium: 53.4 mg

Sodium: .8 mg

Total Carbs: 21.9 grams

   Dietary Fiber: 1.8 grams

Sugars: 8.9 grams

Protein: 2.2 grams

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Rating: 4.7/5 (6 votes cast)

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