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Vegan Lemon Mini Tarts

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When life gives you lemons…make lemon mini tarts!

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup oat milk

3/4 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 store bought pie crust (I prefer Pillsbury)

Pam baking spray made with flour

berry garnish (optional)

 

Kitchen Essentials:

CHEFMADE mini round tart pan (4 inch) with removable loose bottom, nonstick, set of 4

Baking sheet

Parchment paper or foil

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray tart pans evenly with cooking spray. Quarter pie crust on cutting board or flat surface. Place dough over tart pans and press into bottom and sides. Using a knife, cut the excess dough away from the top of the tart pan. Place in freezer 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat lemon juice & sugar until smooth in consistency. Add oat milk and then applesauce until well blended. Pour filling into tart shell.

Place tart pans on a foil or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly browned. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until completely chilled. Remove from tart pans and serve cold.

 

Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!

Thanksgiving Ideas: French Green Beans with Mushroom Cream (Vegan)

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It was raining cats and dogs last night, so I decided to try out this new recipe. I’m attempting to make my favorite holiday recipes vegan. I love oat milk, and that’s what I used to create this sauce. If you prefer a different milk alternative, definitely use what you like. I was pleasantly surprised with this mushroom cream sauce! It’s incredibly delicious on it’s own, but also perfect over green beans. Next time I make this I’ll add in some onions. I hope if you’re lactose intolerant or vegan this recipe helps you have a happy holiday!

 

Ingredients:

16 oz Earth Exotics French Green Beans

2 8oz container Baby Bella Mushrooms, cleaned and halved or quartered

5 cups Oatly Oat Milk

McCormick Sea Salt & Black Peppercorn

 

Add mushrooms to non stick pan, cook over medium heat until slightly browned. Continue over medium heat and add oat milk. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Constantly stir until sauce starts to thicken. You will know your sauce is thickened and ready when you can slightly see the bottom of the pan as you stir. Turn stove top off. Add in green beans. Mix together well. Serve immediately.

 

Please note, this content uses referral links for products I have used and loved. Recommended products:

Non Stick Cookware

 

 

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Thanksgiving Ideas: Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (Vegan)

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I have never, ever cooked a Thanksgiving turkey. Honestly, I’ve always just been a side dish lover when it comes to this holiday. This year though, I wanted to create a vegan main dish. In my opinion, this stuffed portobello cap beats any turkey!

Ingredients:

1 Sweet Onion, diced

1 cup Celery (Approximately 3 stalks), diced

1 sprig Rosemary, leaves rinsed, removed from stem and diced

6 Large Portobello Mushroom Caps, cleaned with stems and gills removed

3 cups  Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing

2 cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add mushroom caps, stem side facing up, to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

While the mushrooms are in oven, prepare stuffing mixture. Saute onion, celery and rosemary over medium heat until tender. Once tender, pour in vegetable broth and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in stuffing mix.

Remove mushrooms from oven, add stuffing mixture to each cap. Return to oven for 25 minutes or until stuffing is slightly browned. Serve immediately.

 

 

Please note, this content uses referral links for products I have used and loved. Recommended products:

 

Non Stick Ceramic Cookware Set, Copper

 

 

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Sweet Potato Stew (Vegan)

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All of a sudden, there’s a chill in the air and the sun is setting early. It’s the perfect time for a warm cup of stew. I saw this Sweet Potato Bisque at Trader Joe’s and knew immediately I had to try it. I prefer a stew to a soup, so I added in a few items to give this bisque some pizazz!

Ingredients:

1 32 oz Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Bisque

2 Sweet Potatoes, cubed

1 can Organics Garbanzo Beans

1 package Melissa’s Produce Cipollini Onions

Gourmet Garden Parsley Lightly Dried

McCormick Sea Salt & Black Peppercorn

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add onion and sweet potato cubes to a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables for 30 minutes.

While vegetables are roasting, warm bisque on stove top. Add in garbanzo beans and warm according to can directions. Just prior to serving, add in roasted sweet potato cubes and onions. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of parsley.

 

Please note, this content uses referral links for products I have used and loved.

 

Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!

Disney’s California Adventure: Carthay Circle Vegan Fine Dining

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I read recently that Disneyland will be introducing new vegan options throughout the parks in 2020. I’m really excited and can’t wait to see what they offer. Until then, I’ll be ordering off of the secret menus.

Carthay Circle is located in Disney’s California Adventure on Buena Vista Street. It is the fine dining option at California Adventure. As soon as you enter, the old Hollywood elegance dazzles you with it’s design. Black and white photos of Walt Disney and his friends cover the walls. It truly is a moment of respite from the large Disney crowds. Currently, there is one vegan option served there. It can be made vegetarian as well, be sure to specify when ordering. Behold the Vegetable Tower! Although it is not on the menu, the chef will prepare it as a special order. My towers fell down in transit, but nothing could take away from the artistry and goodness on the plates. The combination of seasonal vegetables and rice was perfection. I will definitely order this again on my next visit!

It’s best to make a reservation for Carthay Circle. Reservations are offered 60 days in advance on the Disneyland website. I spontaneously visited on a weekday during October and was able to make a reservation that same morning. There were a few reservations available due to cancellations. If you can, plan a few weeks ahead of your visit to ensure your fine dining experience.

Carthay Circle

Napizza: Truffle Porcini Pizza with Vegan Cheese

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Did you know that Napizza offers vegan cheese? I’ve been a fan of this delicious mushroom pizza for quite awhile but always had to take lactaid in order to eat it. I asked the staff if they could make it with vegan cheese. They were so kind and baked up some fresh squares.

Head over today for some creamy, mushroom goodness!

 

Napizza

Garlic Pizza (Vegan)

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If you’re looking for a way to keep the vampires away, you’ve found it! This all veg, no added oil, no cheese pizza packs a flavorful punch. Try it this Halloween night!

Ingredients:

1 Trader Joe’s Premium Peeled Pack Garlic (12 whole peeled garlic cloves)

1 Sweet Onion, chopped

1 8oz container Baby Bella Mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

1 tbsp Gourmet Garden Garlic Paste

Sea Salt & Ground Pepper

Gourmet Garden Slightly Dried Parsley

1 Trader Joe’s 10 oz Pizza Sauce

1 Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Pizza Crust

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add garlic, onion and mushrooms to a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables for 30 minutes. Remove vegetables from oven, toss into a bowl and stir in garlic paste. Cover and set aside.

Bake pizza crust according to directions. Remove from oven and top with sauce and vegetables. Bake for additional 10 minutes. Slice and serve hot from the oven!

 

Please note, this content uses referral links for products I have used and loved.

 

Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!

Laduree x MK: New Vegan Menu

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Several years ago, I was hospitalized and became very ill. Due to that illness, I lost tolerance of many foods (including dairy). Those with food intolerance issues know how difficult everyday life can be. The struggle to find what works is real. Finding a restaurant to visit can be equally difficult. My hopes of ever truly enjoying a French restaurant experience again dwindled, until now. My favorite French restaurant in Los Angeles has created a vegan menu with Matthew Kenney at the helm! Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen.

Of course, when I arrived, I wanted to order everything. The entire menu looked absolutely delicious. I ordered the Vol-au-Vent. It is the perfect Fall dish, filled with Morel and Champignon Mushrooms, Petite Peas and Pearl Onions inside of a Puff Pastry. Warm Morel Veloute sauce is offered on the the side. It was absolute perfection! For dessert, I ordered my favorite French pastry. The Millefeuille Vanille cream was full of Vanilla Bean flavor and better than my memory could recall. Every bite was divine!

The Beverly Hills location is the first of the Laduree restaurants to offer this new vegan menu. If you’re in the area and looking for a plant based option, definitely stop by!

 

 

 

laduree.us

 

Van Leeuwen’s Vegan Fall Special: Ice Cream For Breakfast

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All I want to do today is fly to NYC and dance around in the Central Park leaves. If you’re not able to jet off to a fantastic Fall destination and you live in Southern California, I’ve found the next best thing! Van Leeuwen’s current vegan Fall special is Ice Cream for Breakfast. It’s made with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Oat Milk Ice Cream, Maple Raspberry Swirls, and Oat Cranberry Cookie Crumbles. It tastes like Fall in a cone!

You can find this Fall special at any of the LA Van Leeuwen locations.  South of LA, you can find this  special sold at Scoops La Jolla. If you’re not local to NYC or SoCal, Van Leeuwen does ship standard and vegan flavors nationwide. You never know when an ice cream emergency will hit. I think it’s best to have a few backup pints in your freezer!

Please note, this content uses referral links for products I have used and loved. Recommended products:

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Book

vanleeuwenicecream.com

icecreamshoplajolla.com

Warm Lentil Salad (Vegan)

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It’s too hot to cook! September always brings the heat in Southern California. Since I can’t eat ice cream for every meal, I’ve been eating this warm lentil salad on repeat!

 

Ingredients:

Trader Joe’s 17.6oz or Melissa’s 9oz Steamed Lentils – Ready to eat warm or cold

Trader Joe’s Microwavable Asparagus 10oz

Trader Joe’s Heavenly Villagio Marzano Tomatoes

Sea Salt and Ground Pepper

 

Heat lentils and asparagus as directed on package. Toss some tomatoes on top with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper. Enjoy!

 

Please note, this content uses referral links for products I have used and loved.

 

Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!