Probably, if you think about savory and easy to make vegan snacks, the first thing that comes in your mind is toasted bread with homemade hummus. The idea itself is great, but sometimes you might need something a bit more visually and flavor-wise sophisticated. For example, in this recipe of crostini with cavolo nero and bell pepper hummus I still use toasted bread and hummus as the main ingredients. But with some additional ingredients I have managed to turn simple vegan crostini into something special.
The additional ingredient that makes the hummus taste different from regular hummus is the roasted bell pepper. It gives barely noticeable note of a sweet and smoky flavor. And it combines perfectly with the slightly bitter flavor of walnuts and the sour flavor of pomegranate seeds. And like if that wasn’t already enough, there’s also the cavolo nero. Or the so-called Italian cousin of the more popular cabbage – kale.
Other English names for cavolo nero are “Lacinato kale”, “black kale” “Tuscan kale”, “Tuscan cabbage” and others. I must admit that before moving to Italy I didn’t know that such cabbage exists. And that’s sad, because this wonderful dark green leafy cabbage contains several valuable nutrients. For example, it contains big amount of vitamins A and C, and it is considered to be a good source of calcium. Also the other additional ingredients of the crostini with cavolo nero and bell pepper hummus are good for our body. For example, pomegranate seeds contain great amount of vitamins K and C, as well as decent amount of vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, and such minerals as copper, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. While walnuts contain good amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins B1, B6, C and E, and minerals – manganese, copper, magnesium and phosphorus.
How to make vegan crostini with cavolo nero and bell pepper hummus
Even though just from the visual look the preparation of these crostini might look time consuming, it actually is not. The preparation is very easy! You start by roasting the bell pepper and after that preparing the hummus. Meanwhile you need to boil the cavolo nero for a few minutes. Then toast the bread slices until they are golden and crunchy. The last step is just to assemble everything together. That means, cover the bread with bell pepper hummus, put on it a bit of cavolo nero, then add half of a walnut and top it off with some pomegranate seeds. And there you go – your sweet-sour-bitter-smoky vegan snack is ready! Or if instead you’re searching for a fresh snack, try my crostini with avocado and fresh radishes.
Until I created this recipe, Specky had never tried cavolo nero before. Mostly because bunnies should eat it rarely and in very small doses. So, in the beginning he was quite curious to find out what is that strange green leaf that has never been in his tummy before. But then, after some more detailed inspection (read – tasting) he realized that he’s not that into the flavor of cavolo nero. That’s why he didn’t mind that mommy and daddy ate all the crostini with cavolo nero and bell pepper hummus at record speed. Because they are so delicious…
If you have never tried to combine pomegranate seeds with some savory snacks before, you should definitely give it a go! Surprise your guests not only with a visually appetizing finger food, but also with a snack that is:
-
vegan
- healthy
- easy to make
- juicy
- full of valuable nutrients
- creamy and crunchy at the same time
- with a mild smoky flavor
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
Easy vegan cannelloni with roasted bell peppers
This recipe was posted on: 04/12/2019
What time is it? – It’s pasta o’clock! Probably on this website you find suspiciously few pasta recipes despite the fact that I live in pasta-land aka Italy. That’s why here you have new pasta recipe. This time a bit more sophisticated than a simple boiled pasta with some sauce. Today I’m offering you easy vegan cannelloni with roasted bell peppers!
In case you don’t know, cannelloni is pasta in shape of a small tube that is filled with different ingredients. Then it is covered with sauce and cooked in the oven. In the non-vegan version, the most popular stuffing is minced meat or ricotta cheese and spinach. Well, in my vegan recipe I kept the spinach, but I substituted the other ingredients with animal cruelty-free food products. To be more precise, I used bell peppers, onions, garlic, spinach, cashews and some spices. Cashews provide the creaminess, while roasted bell peppers give that mildly smoky flavor.
How to prepare vegan cannelloni with roasted bell peppers
To prepare this dish, first you’ll need to find cannelloni that do not contain eggs. But it shouldn’t be that difficult. Lately it’s quite easy to find all the special types of pasta without eggs also in regular food stores. So, once you have the right pasta, gather also the rest of the ingredients and you’re ready to go! The recipe steps are quite easy: you’ll start by soaking the cashews, then you’ll roast the bell pepper, cook onions, spinach and garlic and blend it all together by adding some spices. Apart from that you’ll need to add some spices and crushed garlic to the tomato sauce to make everything even more flavorful.
When your filling and sauce are ready, the most interesting part starts – the stuffing process! I have always done it by using a pastry bag because it’s super easy and quick in that way. You can also try to do it with a tiny spoon, but I’m sure that it will be much longer and messier. So better use the pastry bag! Fill it with the prepared stuffing and push it into every single cannelloni until your pasta tube is full. It’s easier to fill the biggest part of the tube from one side and then finish the filling from the other side. After that you’ll only need to put the filled cannelloni in a baking try, cover them with tomato sauce and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes.
Choose the level of spiciness of your vegan cannelloni
I’m a person who likes the flavor of garlic, that’s why for these easy vegan cannelloni with roasted bell peppers I used it quite a lot. But you can always reduce the amount. In any case, since both the stuffing and the sauce contain garlic, your kitchen will be filled with delicious garlicky aroma while the cannelloni are in the oven. If it doesn’t bother you – great! But in case it does, just like it did bother Specky, do as he did – go for a walk/run/jump in fresh air! Just make sure that someone stays at home to control that your easy vegan cannelloni with roasted bell peppers don’t burn, ha ha!
Another ingredient that affects the spiciness and that you can adjust according to your taste are the red chili pepper flakes. They’re quite spicy, so if you’re not a big fan of spicy food, just skip them and prepare the sauce without these flakes. Even if your easy vegan cannelloni with roasted bell peppers are not spicy, they’ll still be very delicious! And in case you’re searching for other easy and delicious pasta recipes, here are some that might interest you – vegan pasta with arugula and green peas or pasta with vegan spinach pesto or maybe vegan lemon garlic pasta.
I guess, pasta recipes on this website are not that few after all! So, if you manage to make these vegan cannelloni, you will be able to prepare any other pasta dish in the world! Ha ha, ok, just kidding! It’s actually very easy to make them! So, wake up your inner master chef and prepare these cannelloni filled with roasted bell peppers that are:
-
vegan
- easy to make
- mildly spicy
- filling
- creamy
- flavorful
- deliciously aromatic
- with a mild smoky flavor
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
Healthy vegan granola with coconut and cranberries
This recipe was posted on: 21/11/2019
When it comes about breakfast, what type of flavor do you prefer – sweet or savoury? I guess, I could say that in Northern Europe it’s more common to have savoury breakfast, while in the south people usually eat something sweet as the first thing in the morning. Well, to judge what is healthier is up to you. In my opinion, no matter if your breakfast is sweet or savoury, you should always go for good quality ingredients that are full of all the necessary nutrients. And the best way to do that, is by preparing your breakfast meal by yourself! For example, in this case by preparing healthy vegan granola with coconut and cranberries.
Of course, it’s always much easier to buy pre-packed breakfast cereals than to make granola by yourself. But don’t make yourself believe that it is something very time consuming or difficult. Actually, you just need to mix all the ingredients together and bake them in the oven! Sounds super easy, right? It really is! I always prepare this granola in big quantities and keep it in an airtight container. In such a way my family can enjoy healthy and delicious breakfast every morning! This healthy vegan granola with coconut and cranberries tastes great together both with non-dairy milk and non-dairy yoghurt. My partner is a coconut lover, so he really likes this granola. But when he enjoys it with a non-dairy coconut yoghurt, he says that it tastes even better! You should also try it!
Nutritional value of healthy vegan granola with coconut and cranberries
Apart from coconut flakes and dried cranberries, this vegan granola contains also different seeds and nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. All of which contain valuable nutrients for our body. For example, almonds contain big amount of vitamin E and also other vitamins – B1, B2, B3, B9. They are rich in manganese and contain also such minerals as magnesium, copper, phosphorus, calcium, iron and potassium. Hazelnuts can provide our body with good amount of vitamins E, B1, B6, B9, K and such minerals as manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc and calcium. Sunflower seeds are well known for their high content of vitamin E. But they contain also vitamins B1, B3, B6, and minerals – selenium, phosphorus, manganese and magnesium. Also pumpkin seeds are a great source of manganese, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, zinc, iron and on top of that – vitamin K.
The main ingredient of this healthy vegan granola is rolled oats. You should always go for rolled oats instead of instant oats, because they are less processed. I have made this granola also with instant oats. The flavor is great in any case, but still – less processed oats are better for your health! Rolled oats contain protein, good amount of dietary fiber, vitamin B1 and in small doses also other vitamins, and minerals – manganese, phosphorus, selenium, magnesium and zinc.
How to prepare healthy vegan granola
Even though granola usually looks fancier than the regular breakfast cereals, don’t let that confuse you. It’s very easy to make it at home! To prepare this healthy vegan granola with coconut and cranberries you’ll need to mix together all the aforementioned seeds and nuts, rolled oats and coconut flakes. Then you’ll need to mix in coconut oil and maple syrup, and put your granola to bake in the oven. In about half an hour it will be ready and then the only thing missing will be just to add some dried cranberries on top. Besides the delicious granola, you’ll also get a wonderful aroma in your house. Once that granola mixture is in the oven, your kitchen will be filled with delicious aroma of roasted nuts, seeds and coconut flakes.
This vegan granola will definitely give you a boost of energy to start a new day! It’s sad that Specky cannot eat this type of food… Maybe then he wouldn’t be such a sleepyhead! Even though lately I tend to think that he sleeps so much just because he knows that he looks supercute in his sleep!
Anyway, if you like sweet breakfast with coconut flavor, I suggest you to try also my fluffy vegan coconut pancakes! Or, if instead from time to time you prefer savoury but still healthy breakfast, check out my recipe for avocado toast with fresh radishes!
I dare you to keep your hands off the granola until the next morning! It is so delicious that you’ll want to enjoy a bowl of it even if it’s already dinner time! Now you’re probably thinking, how good does it taste… Well, discover it by yourself by preparing this granola, which is:
-
vegan
- healthy
- crunchy
- nutritious
- deliciously aromatic
- easy to make
- filling
- coconutty
- flavorful
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
Healthy vegan carrot energy balls
This recipe was posted on: 12/11/2019
No matter if you work, study or simply enjoy life without doing anything, I’m sure that there are days when you are in lack of energy. Either you didn’t sleep well, or you got exhausted from physical activities, or maybe you simply feel tired for no reason. We all know that sensation! But how to regain the energy? Well, the best way, in my opinion, is to do it with some healthy snacks. With something that will nourish your body but won’t create the sensation of heaviness in your stomach. Like these healthy vegan carrot energy balls!
These carrot balls contain only 5 ingredients and they are very easy to make. You’ll only need to blend together carrots, walnuts, coconut, dates and peanut butter, form the mixture into balls and for extra coconut flavor roll each ball in shredded coconut. And that’s it! You can choose on your own how big to make the balls. Since the flavor is very rich, I prefer to make my healthy vegan carrot energy balls small to medium size. In such a way from small amount of ingredients I get 20 energy balls that, stored in fridge, can last for several days.
Actually, the reason why I made these carrot balls is very special – it was for Specky’s fifth birthday! He loves carrots, so I knew that I needed to make something that includes them. Of course, Specky cannot eat these carrot energy balls. That’s why for his birthday he got some pieces of fresh carrots and as a dessert his favorite fruit – banana! It doesn’t take much to make my fluffy bunny boy happy!
Nutritional value of healthy vegan carrot energy balls
Probably already from the name you understand that these tiny carrot balls can boost up your energy level. That’s because all five ingredients contain good nutrients for our body. For example, carrots contain huge amount of vitamin A and are rich in vitamins K and C, and potassium. Walnuts instead are a great source of protein and they contain many different minerals and vitamins. For example, walnuts contain good amount of vitamins B6, B9, B1 and great amount of such minerals as copper, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and iron. But above all walnuts are very rich in manganese. Also peanut butter contains good amount of protein. And it’s also very rich in vitamins E, B3, B6, B9 and minerals – manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, potassium and iron.
Also shredded coconut gives us some small dose of protein, but apart from that it contains big amount of manganese and decent amount of selenium and copper. Even though shredded coconut is not very rich in vitamins, it still contains good amount of vitamin B6. The sweet ingredient in this recipe – dates – contain potassium, manganese, magnesium and copper and decent amount of vitamins B6 and B5. So, basically all the necessary ingredients can nourish our body with essential vitamins, minerals and protein. And as we all know, the B group vitamins are the ones that give us energy, so that’s why these tiny sweets are called energy balls!
If you want something that is even richer in protein, I advise you to try my vegan protein bars! They will do the same thing as these carrot balls – boost your energy in a healthy and delicious way! But now – wait no longer and prepare these carrot energy balls that are:
-
vegan
- healthy
- nutritious
- easy to make
- wholesome
- rich in minerals
- rich in vitamins
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
Creamy vegan pumpkin soup with roasted chickpeas and broccoli
This recipe was posted on: 29/10/2019
October is almost over and that means just one thing – Halloween is very close! I personally have never celebrated Halloween because in the countries, where I’ve lived, it has not been popular. So, for me Halloween doesn’t mean spooky outfits and lots of candies. For me Halloween is a beginning of the pumpkin season! And to celebrate that I made a delicious and creamy vegan pumpkin soup with roasted chickpeas and broccoli.
On the Internet there are so many pumpkin soup recipes! But I wanted to create something different. Something that contains a very specific topping that is different from the traditional pumpkin seeds or chopped herbs. And that’s why I decided to add to my pumpkin soup roasted chickpeas and broccoli. But not only that! To get some extra flavor, I decided to roast both chickpeas and broccoli together with garlic. And that’s how my creamy vegan pumpkin soup with roasted chickpeas and broccoli got its slightly spicy note. Of course, you can use this recipe also to prepare just the soup without the toppings. In any case the soup will do its purpose – warm up your belly with something delicious!
Why include pumpkin in your daily menu
Pumpkin usually appears in big quantities in food markets when it starts to get cold. And that’s great because this wonderful vegetable can be very useful for our immune system. Pumpkins contain good amount of vitamin C that helps in strengthening our immune system, as well as great amount of vitamin A. Vitamin A is also good for the immune system, but mostly it’s very useful to keep our vision sharp. Besides the aforementioned vitamins pumpkins contain also other vitamins, like B2, E and B9. And of course, also some minerals, for example, potassium, copper, manganese, iron and others. Even though this recipe doesn’t require many ingredients, the ones that it contains can all be classified as healthy and nutritious. Exactly what we need for the upcoming winter season!
If for some reason you’re not that into pumpkin flavor, but you really crave some warming soup that is very easy to make, I can suggest you my creamy vegan potato leek soup. It’s very delicious, very filling and quick to make. But instead if pumpkin is not your enemy, definitely try also this creamy vegan pumpkin soup with roasted chickpeas and broccoli.
How to prepare creamy vegan pumpkin soup with roasted chickpeas and broccoli
Probably it’s easier to prepare the pumpkin soup itself rather than the chickpeas and broccoli. So, as I already mentioned before, if you’re short in time, just prepare the soup and enjoy it without the toppings. But if instead you have time, definitely try it together with the garlicky chickpeas and broccoli. At the end it’s not that you’ll lose much more time. In any case you’ll need to wait until the pumpkin, garlic cloves and onion pieces are boiled before you can blend them. So, use that time wisely – mix together broccoli, garlic and oil and place it in the oven for a few minutes. Then mix together completely dried chickpeas with oil, garlic and salt and again place it in the oven for about 15 – 20 minutes. At the end blend the boiled ingredients, add coconut milk and top it with roasted chickpeas and broccoli!
Why the chickpeas may explode in the oven
If your chickpeas aren’t completely dry, they might explode in the oven. Sounds scary (what did you expect? This is a Halloween week recipe, ha ha!), but it’s not that big of a deal. Actually, the biggest issue is the fact that, while the chickpeas pop like a popcorn, they make the oven dirty. In order to avoid that, make sure to dry them very carefully. I usually rinse off the aquafaba, shake the water drops off and then place the chickpeas on a paper towel. Then from time to time with another sheet of paper towel I roll them over and pat on them to remove as much water as possible. But in any case, when you take them out of the oven, be cautious! Don’t put your face close to the roasted chickpeas immediately after they’re ready.
Specky doesn’t eat pumpkin. Actually, while I was preparing this recipe, he saw the pumpkin for the first time in his life. So, for him it was a bit of an adventure to understand what is this orange round thingy that is almost as big as him. His exploration went on for a while until he decided that it’s time for a nap!
While for Specky it was time to get some rest, for you it’s time to prepare this pumpkin soup with roasted chickpeas and broccoli that is:
-
vegan
- creamy
- easy to make
- flavorful
- warming
- healthy
- garlicky
- filling
- nutritious
- perfect for Halloween
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
Easy vegan rye cookie sticks
This recipe was posted on: 20/10/2019
Probably also you from time to time have cravings for something sweet and home baked. In such moments even if you’re not the best cook in the world, you still are capable of baking something. Something like cookies. Or muffins. Or maybe even a cake. But it’s so boring to always bake the same things, right? I mean, everyone knows how to bake cookies! But not everyone knows how to bake easy vegan rye cookie sticks! If you wish to find out how, this recipe is the right one for you!
I’m sure that you know that too many sweets are not good for you. But sometimes the wish for something delicious is stronger than us. And in such moments it’s good to have healthy alternatives. I’d say that these easy vegan rye cookie sticks fall into this category. They contain rye flour instead of all-purpose wheat flour. They do not contain animal products and they are filled with high quality dark chocolate and nuts. For sure it’s not something that you’ll eat all day every day. But at the same time these easy vegan rye cookie sticks are a perfect snack also on the go! And not just that – because of their shape these rye cookie sticks are perfect to be dipped in melted dark chocolate… yumm! And by the way, if you like sweet things covered with chocolate, check out also my vegan chocolate-coconut cookies.
How easy it is to prepare vegan rye cookie sticks
Here’s my answer – super easy! You’ll need 7 ingredients and less than 30 minutes. The preparation process is as easy as 1, 2, 3! First, you need to mix together dry ingredients – rye flour, sugar, baking powder and chopped hazelnuts. Second, you need to add liquid ingredients – non-dairy milk and peanut butter. And third – mix in the chocolate! And there you go – the dough is ready! To create the cookie sticks, it’s better to use a pastry bag or anything that can be made into one and can come in contact with food. For example, if you don’t have a pastry bag, but you have food freezing bag made of harder plastic than the regular plastic bag, you can turn that into a pastry bag by cutting off one corner. Or if you don’t have any alternative to a pastry bag, simply use this recipe to bake rye cookies.
Easy vegan rye cookie sticks – delicious and healthy snack
Apart from the good flavor, another great thing of these rye cookie sticks is that they don’t crumble. Even when they’re out of the oven, they remain soft. They harden up a bit, but not enough to create a mess while you eat them. That’s why they are a perfect snack also outside the house. And the fact that they’re healthy makes everything even better! Rye flour raises your blood sugar slowly. That means that after small amount of time you won’t have sudden drop of energy. You’ll stay full longer and to get that feeling of satiety you’ll need just a few rye cookie sticks.
Whole grain rye flour is rich in dietary fiber and different minerals, like manganese, copper, zinc and magnesium. It contains protein and several amino acids that are crucial for our body. Also hazelnuts contain good amount of manganese. And on top of that also vitamin E. Dark vegan chocolate contains antioxidants that are necessary to keep our cells healthy. But you should always check not only if the chocolate chips that you plan to use are vegan, but also the concentration of cacao. The higher the percentage – the healthier the chocolate!
Our bunny Specky doesn’t eat any of the ingredients used in this recipe. Actually, he is the only raw vegan of our family. Not by choice, but simply because he’s a bunny! And bunnies should always eat their veggies raw. In this case to not make him feel somehow left out, I decided to create him some celery sticks as a snack. And trust me – my sweet bunny boy appreciated this gesture more than I expected!
Treat yourself with healthier snack alternative in between the meals and you’ll feel how your body becomes full of energy! Prepare these rye cookie sticks that are:
-
vegan
- sweet
- soft
- healthy
- chocolaty
- nutty
- nutritious
- easy to make
- perfect as on the go snack
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
Vegan lemon garlic pasta
This recipe was posted on: 06/10/2019
With the cold season arriving the thing that we must do is strengthen our immune system. Probably you’ll agree that the most popular vitamin, when it comes about strengthening immune system, is vitamin C. In winter it’s quite easy to increase the vitamin C level in our body in a natural way, since winter is the season of oranges, grapefruits, mandarins etc. But why not start to improve your health already before winter? And why not do that with a plate of delicious vegan lemon garlic pasta?
To prepare this dish you’ll only need several ordinary ingredients – lemons, garlic, onions, cashews, parsley and, of course, pasta. An optional ingredient is a small piece of nori sheet, which is the same thing that is used to prepare sushi. But in this case nori sheet should be used only if you wish to add a slight flavor of seafood to your pasta. Otherwise also without the nori sheet this dish is very flavorful. In case you’re aiming for milder flavor, I suggest you to try my crunchy vegan pasta with walnuts. It’s healthy, nutty, but without the zesty flavor given by the lemon in this recipe.
How to prepare vegan lemon garlic pasta
The preparation process itself consists of three simple steps: preparing the creamy sauce; boiling the pasta; mixing sauce and pasta together. To prepare the sauce you’ll need to put in your food processor soaked cashews, lemon juice, lemon zest, cooked onions, cooked garlic, salt and pepper and blend it all together. The thickness of the sauce is up to your choice. You can always adjust it with a small amount of water. At the end mix in chopped parsley and, if used, nori sheet pieces and your sauce is ready! After that you only miss boiling the pasta and mixing it together with the sauce. And then of course the most pleasant thing follows – enjoying this delicious vegan lemon garlic pasta!
Nutritional value of vegan lemon garlic pasta
As I mentioned already in the beginning, this dish can be used to improve your immune system. Mostly because it contains quite a lot of lemon, which is rich in vitamin C. But lemon in this recipe is not the only ingredient that can provide your body with valuable nutrients. Cashews, for example, are a great source of several minerals, like copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. Besides that, they contain also decent amount of vitamin K. Much bigger amount of vitamin K can be found in parsley. Probably nobody eats big quantities of parsley, but you should definitely add it raw to your food whenever you can. Because, apart from vitamin K, parsley contains also big amount of vitamins C and A. Besides that, if you decide to use nori sheet, you’ll give your body some additional manganese and vitamins A, C and B6.
Even though garlic is definitely one of the healthiest food products in the world, since in this case it’s used cooked, at the end it loses some of the valuable nutrients. But still also cooked onions and garlic can provide you with vitamins and minerals. To make your dish even healthier, always choose whole grain pasta, which is better for your digestive system. And actually, it also tastes better than the regular one! But of course, the choice of pasta is up to you. Another thing that you can choose is the amount of parsley. If it was up to Specky, I’m sure that this recipe would be called “vegan parsley with parsley”, because he absolutely adores its flavor.
Don’t wait until the first viruses start to circulate around. Improve your health and strengthen your immune system already now with this simple pasta dish that is:
-
vegan
- healthy
- filling
- easy to make
- creamy
- refreshing
- pleasantly sour
- full of valuable nutrients
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
Potato and spinach vegan pancakes
This recipe was posted on: 24/09/2019
It can sometimes be hard to come up with new ideas for side dishes. The typical side dishes usually are rice, pasta, potatoes or salad. But what if you want something more interesting than that, but still very easy to make? I have a delicious option for you – potato and spinach vegan pancakes!
Pancakes usually are associated with something sweet. But they can be really delicious also made as a salty dish. It’s not obligatory to use these pancakes as a side dish. Since they contain potatoes, they can fill you up quite quickly. So, if you want, feel free to use these vegan potato pancakes also as a main dish. Enjoy them as they are or eat them together with some dip like my fresh and spicy veggie dip. Or, if you’re in a mood of experimenting in kitchen, bake these pancakes in a very small size and create some delicious finger food type of snacks. In short – let your imagination guide you!
Choose the flavor of your potato and spinach vegan pancakes
Just like regular sweet pancakes, also these potato and spinach vegan pancakes are very easy to prepare. You’ll need potatoes, spinach, some garlic, flour, unsweetened plant-based milk, oil for cooking and different spices of your choice. Lower, in the recipe instruction section, you’ll find the information which type of spices I used. But feel free to use the ones that you like the most. And use them as much as you want! I used just a small amount of each of the spices, so my potato and spinach vegan pancakes had a mild flavor with some light notes of spiciness. But if you love spicy food, since potatoes and spinach itself in general do not have a strong flavor, feel free to add a lot of spices.
How to make your potato and spinach vegan pancakes crispy
The preparation process of the pancakes itself is very easy. You start by grating the potatoes and getting rid of their liquid. This step is very important in order to increase the crispiness of your salty vegan pancakes. Then add some cut spinach, garlic, flour, spices of your choice and unsweetened plant-based milk. Mix all the ingredients together and bake the pancakes in a small amount of oil on a medium heat/flame. To make your vegan potato pancakes even more crispy, try to bake them quite thin. Once they’re golden on both sides, your pancakes are ready. Oh, by the way – you can enjoy them hot and cold. In either way they taste great!
Specky in general is not interested in any of the ingredients of this recipe. So, this time he was not running around my feet while I was preparing these pancakes. Instead he did his usual thingy that he does every time when it’s hot – he spreads his fluffy belly over cold tiles in order to cool himself. So, if I’m preparing this recipe in a hot day, I get not one, but two types of pancakes! – Potato and spinach vegan pancakes on my plate and a bunny-pancake on my floor!
I’m more than sure that you already have at home most of the ingredients to prepare these potato and spinach vegan pancakes. And if you usually don’t like to follow recipes step by step, this is your chance to adapt these pancakes to your taste by experimenting with spices! Eat these potato and spinach vegan pancakes hot or cold. Use them as a side dish or main dish. Or even create delicious finger food snacks! Find your favorite way how to enjoy these potato pancakes that are:
-
vegan
- crispy
- easy to make
- filling
- adjustable to your taste
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
Vegan raspberry-chocolate chia pudding
This recipe was posted on: 15/09/2019
Summer is that time of the year when it’s very easy to eat healthy. During the summer months you can enjoy a big variety of fruits, vegetables and berries. I guess, I don’t have one specific favorite type of berries. I simply love them all, because each and every one of them has a very unique flavor. Well, if you also love berries, I’m sure you will like this recipe for vegan raspberry-chocolate chia pudding! Even though many people eat chia pudding for breakfast, it’s so delicious that you can use it also as a dessert. And apart from being delicious, it’s also very healthy. So, try it out now!
Of course, I simply must point out that it’s ridiculously easy to prepare this vegan raspberry-chocolate chia pudding. I could even say that eating healthy has never been so easy! You’ll need maximum of 5 ingredients. The fifth one is optional and, to be honest, I usually don’t add it. I’m talking about maple syrup that can be useful for people who have a big sweet-tooth. Or it can become handy if you use a plant-based milk for this recipe that is not very sweet by itself. But anyway, apart from this let’s dive more into the healthy side of this vegan raspberry-chocolate chia pudding.
Nutritional value of vegan raspberry-chocolate chia pudding
Chia seeds are considered as one of the superfoods. And this nomination is well deserved. Chia seeds contain a lot of dietary fiber and they are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are necessary for our body to keep our cells healthy. Chia seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are especially useful for vegans. These seeds fill you up quickly and maintain the sensation of a full belly. In this way it is much easier not only to resist until lunchtime without snacks, but also to lose weight. Besides that, chia seeds contain manganese, phosphorus, calcium and zinc. I mean, what else could you wish for, right? Well, I have the answer! – Raspberries! They are very rich in vitamin C and manganese. And actually, a bit more than 100 g of raspberries can provide you with more than 50% of the recommended daily vitamin C intake. Isn’t that great?
How to make vegan raspberry-chocolate chia pudding
The preparation of vegan raspberry-chocolate chia pudding is easier than you might think. You simply need to add plant-based milk of your choice to chia seeds, mix it and let it sit for a while. The seeds will absorb all the liquid and create the pudding. And that’s it! That’s how you make the basic chia pudding. For this recipe part of the pudding is with chocolate flavor. You get that by simply mixing together plant-based milk, chia seeds and cacao powder. If your chosen plant-based milk is not sweet enough, you can always add also some maple syrup. When the chia pudding is done, the only thing that’s missing is to join everything together. First comes a layer of chocolate chia pudding, then some raspberries, then the basic chia pudding and on top some raspberries again. And your vegan raspberry-chocolate chia pudding is ready!
If you wish to substitute raspberries with other berries, feel free to do that. Even though I reassure you that the combination of chia pudding and raspberries is more than good! Also Specky approves that raspberries taste good… really goooood! But still, if you search for some more unique flavored vegan pudding, I recommend you to check my flax seed pudding recipe. It’s also vegan and easy to make, but the flavor is more exotic, since it contains mango and kiwi. But despite the flavor – the most important thing is that both of these puddings are very healthy for our body.
If you have never tried chia pudding, this is your moment to do that! Prepare this vegan raspberry-chocolate chia pudding to treat your body with good food. Eat it for breakfast or use it as a dessert – in any case it will be:
-
vegan
- healthy
- easy to make
- nutritious
- filling
- low-fat
- full of fiber
- creamy
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
Refreshing quinoa salad with pineapple and ginger
This recipe was posted on: 06/09/2019
Who said that you cannot add some fruit to your vegetable salad? And who said that you cannot serve the salad inside a fruit? Well, even if you think that it’s impossible, this recipe for refreshing quinoa salad with pineapple and ginger proves you wrong. It’s not impossible. Maybe it’s just a bit strange… but in any case, the flavor of it is so good that you’ll forget that this delicious vegan salad was served in a pineapple!
In this recipe the pineapple is not just a “bowl” in which to serve the salad. Actually, you can even serve this refreshing quinoa salad with pineapple and ginger in a regular bowl, if you want. Serving it in carved pineapple is not obligatory. The salad in any case will have some notes of pineapple flavor, because it contains grilled pineapple pieces. But to make it even more exotic I added some fresh ginger – not too much to avoid that the ginger flavor overtakes other flavors. But enough to make this vegan quinoa salad even more refreshing.
Nutritional value of refreshing quinoa salad with pineapple and ginger
Quinoa is high in protein and dietary fiber. It’s perfect for people who want to eat healthy, control their weight and who are sensitive to gluten. That’s right! – Quinoa is gluten-free. Besides that, it contains different minerals, like manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and copper. And some B group vitamins – B9, B1, B2. Pineapple instead is very rich in vitamin C, so its consumption can help you boost your immune system. Just like quinoa, also pineapple contains B group vitamins – in this case B6 and B1. And also such minerals as manganese and copper. Between the three ingredients, probably ginger is the winner. It contains many vitamins and minerals and is considered to be one of the world’s healthiest food products. It is rich in vitamins B3 and B6 and such minerals as manganese, iron, selenium and magnesium.
Also the other ingredients of this refreshing quinoa salad with pineapple and ginger are good for our health. For example, despite its very mild flavor raw zucchini contains decent amount of vitamin C and is a great product for people who control their weight. It doesn’t contain fat and is high in fiber. Carrots instead are rich in vitamin A, which is great for our eyesight, while walnuts contain a decent amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Cherry tomatoes in this group try to compete with carrots and zucchini, because they are a great source of both vitamin C and A. On top of it all there’s an extra dose of vitamin C given by the lemon juice.
How to serve refreshing quinoa salad
As I already mentioned, it’s up to you to decide if you’ll serve the salad in carved pineapple or not. Just be aware that if you make this salad for more than 2 people and your pineapple is quite small, you won’t be able to put all the salad in it. But at the same time, it’s really worth to at least try to serve a part of it in the pineapple. Why? Well, first, the visual appearance will definitely surprise anyone who sees it. And second – if you fill a carved pineapple half with this salad and put it in the fridge for later, the salad will absorb some pineapple juice and the flavor will be even more refreshing.
You might think that this salad is a bit heavy since it contains quinoa, but actually it’s very light. So, don’t be afraid to use it as a side dish for some delicious vegan meatballs or crispy garlic Hasselback potatoes. And if you will like this refreshing quinoa salad with pineapple and ginger, you will definitely appreciate my flavorful farro salad. When it comes about Specky, he was not that appreciative of this vegan quinoa salad. Probably because its ingredients are not suitable for him. Except one – carrot! Which this time he got also with the delicious greens!
If you’re still in doubt whether to try this recipe or not, I say – go for it! I know that ingredients like ginger and pineapple may be a bit confusing for a salad, but trust me – everything together tastes great! This quinoa salad really is:
-
refreshing
- healthy
- vegan
- gluten-free
- easy to make
- easy to digest
- juicy
- slightly exotic
- unusual
- nutritious
- flavorful
- low-fat
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!