Vegan Spinach Quinoa Muffins

While I'm usually very good about getting my daily amount of fruit, I'm not the best with always remembering to eat my veggies. Seriously on a diet analysis I had to do for school, I had over 130% of my daily requirement for fruit and I didn't even reach full requirements in the veggie department. 

C'mon Care, GET IT TOGETHER. 

But I have found a recipe so I can start my day with veggies and even get some veggies in for dessert or a snack. Check out these spinach quinoa muffins. Found these little guys on Life Currents, found here: http://lifecurrents.dw2.net/spinach-quinoa-muffins/

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2. 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3. ¼ teaspoon table salt
4. ¼ teaspoon baking soda
5. 1 teaspoon baking powder
6. Around 3-5 cups fresh spinach, enough to yield 1 cup puree
7. 3 tablespoons water
8. 1 medium overripe banana
9. 1 egg (to make this vegan I made an egg substitute with 1 tablespoon chia seeds to 3 tablespoons of water)
10. ½ cup granulated sugar
11. 2 tablespoons olive oil
12. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13. Zest of 1 lemon or ½ teaspoon lemon extract
14. 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
15. ½ cup cooked quinoa

1. Instructions
2. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahreinheit would be a good place to start. 
3. 2. In a bowl combine the dry ingredients of whole wheat flour, white flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
4. 3. In a blender start pureeing the spinach with the water until you get 1 cup.
5. 4. Add the banana, sugar, egg (substitute), olive oil, flaxseed, lemon zest or extract, and vanilla extract and blend. 
6. 5. Add the wet mixture to the dry.
7. 6. Fold in quinoa to mixture 
8. 7. Divide mixture in muffin tin and bake for 10-13 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. 

1. 
   

Vegan Nanaimo (Tri-Layered Treat)

This is a super easy dessert to make. Usually when it comes to no bake bars, I have no luck. They always tend to crumble when I cut them or break apart into a huge mess and then I try to pass it off as granola rather than a bar (No one has to know what they were meant to be, right?) 

Any who, I found this bar originally on the holy grail of a website, Pinterest, and thought "yeah sure mine are going to look like that too" jokingly, but THEY DID. They actually came out right?! What? Impossible you say? Well I have actual photographic evidence so your claims are invalid. 

Original recipe from The Whole Food Life, found here:http://mywholefoodlife.com/2014/07/23/vegan-nanaimo-bars/#icj5jXyrztE5tTEV.32

Ingredients:
For the crust:

1 1/2 cups raw almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup cocoa powder

10 medjool dates

2-3 tablespoons water

1/4 tsp sea salt

For the middle:

2 cups coconut butter

3 T maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp ground vanilla beans ( I used regular vanilla extract)

For the chocolate layer:

1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (70% and higher is usually vegan)

1/4 cup almond milk

So here's how to go about making this:
1. Before you start actually making it, line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper and leave some overhang so you'll be able to remove it easily. Start with the crust and put all the crust ingredients into a food processor EXCEPT THE WATER. Add the water and process until a loose dough forms.
2. Take the dough and press into the 8x8 pan. Place in the freezer while you make the middle portion. 
3. For the coconut butter, I googled (blog post to come soon), but basically what you do is take coconut and put it in a food processor and process for 8 to how ever many long minutes it takes for it to start forming into a liquid. Add maple syrup and vanilla. 
4. Layer the coconut butter layer on to the date/almond layer and put back in the freezer while you make the chocolate and final layer.
5. For the chocolate layer, start to get some water boiling on the stove top. You'll want to make a double boiler method for the chocolate. Put the chocolate and almond milk into a heat resistant bowl or measuring cup and let it hover over the boiling water (careful to not created a suction between the bowl and pot of boiling water. This can cause pressure and may end with a broken bowl and other bad things. *Happened with some queso a few years ago. Queso was everywhere.)
6. Stir the chocolate and almond milk constantly to avoid any burning. Once melted pour chocolate on top of coconut layer and place back in freezer for 15 minutes. 
7. I took The Whole Food Life's tip of cutting the bars out with a pizza slicer and it worked quite well. Store in an air tight container in the fridge. 

While melting

Melted

Spread on for top layer

Pizza cutter to cut into cubes

Almond Coconut Maple Granola

All I want to do sometimes is make granola. It's like oatmeal, but crunchy and maple syrup coated and delicious. 

This recipe is from Fettle Vegan found here: http://www.fettlevegan.com/recipes/healthy-homemade-granola

The original recipe gives quite a bit of space for personalization! Add whatever you wish or whatever your little heart desires in terms of what you like and want in a granola!

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups GF rolled oats
• 1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
• 1 cup cashews, roughly chopped
• 1/2 shredded coconut
• 1/4 hemp seeds
• 1/4 flax seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Change the nuts if you prefer different ones or you're allergic to the ones suggested! 
The recipe also allows add-ins for after the granola has cooled such as: 

• 1 cup raisins or craisins
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or cacao nibs
• 1/2 cup goji berries
• a handful of sunflower seeds

*I made half the recipe since it's only for me, myself and I. Also didn't use cashews, hemp seeds, and flax seeds due to my lack of all. 

Spread onto baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, turning every 5-10 minutes. Add add in's after granola has cooled!

Mix everything together (*do not include add ins for after baking)

I made mine with chocolate chips and dried cranberries!

Apricot Almond Coconut Snack Bites

I've been meaning to make some more (and try some new) snack bite recipes! Getting a little tired about buying granola bars every week and I go through them so fast that I need some variety and more snack options! 

Well, the answer is here! Apricot Almond Coconut Snack Bites!! 

I love snack bites because they usually don't take much time at all and they are so good! 

This original recipe is from Pint Sized Baker, found here: http://www.pintsizedbaker.com/2014/04/apricot-snacks.html

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1/4 cup date paste (I used whole dates and just threw a few into my hot water when softening the apricots)
• 1/4 cup Coconut Almond Butter (I omitted and they are still delicious!)
• 1/2 cup almonds (Roughly chopped)
• 1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

Recipe: 

1. Soften the apricots and dates in hot water then puree 

2. While soaking the apricots and dates, lightly toast the coconut flakes and roughly chopped almonds 

3. Blend the apricots, dates, coconut flakes, and almonds in a food processor 

4. Roll into balls and freeze for 1 hour

Process the dates and apricots

Toast almonds and coconut

Blend everything together

Roll into snack bites

Mine made 9 snack bites, but the original recipe yields 14

Vegan Toasted Coconut Mocha Frappuccino

So this frappuccino, I actually used to make on the regular. 

Probably at least once every weekend for a "good job on making it through another week of my life, which I refer to as A Series of Unfortunate Events" kind of pick me up! 

What? It's tough being me. 

Today I tried it again and one of my roommates came in while I was making it, so I made another for her. (Keep in mind she is British and does not like coffee, except she really liked this MOCHA, aka coffee, frappuccino.) 

I really like making this because 

A. It's extremely easy.

B. Once you make the supplies for it you get a couple of drinks from it.

C. It's way cheaper than a fun little coffee shop or Starbucks (Although, I do enjoy spending money at both) 

D. It's vegan.

E. It's delicious.

Look at that easy peasy lemon squeezy we have 5 reasons why to make it! 

Original recipe from Minimalist Baker, found here: http://minimalistbaker.com/toasted-coconut-mocha-frappuccino/

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of strong brewed coffee (I made some into ice cubes, but if you do so you still need some in liquid form to make the blender blend everything.)
• 8 coconut ice cubes (I used about 5 lite coconut milk and then 3 almond milk to make it a little lighter) *Any kind of milk will work, just coconut milk will make it creamier 
• 1/4 toasted coconut plus more for toppings
• 2 tablespoons of chocolate sauce plus more for topping
• 1 tablespoon of coco powder

Recipe for chocolate sauce found from allrecipes.com at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-sauce/?scale=8&ismetric=0

I made mine for 2 servings, but can be adjusted to how many you like!

Toast coconut flakes either in oven or stove top. Keep an eye on it because once it starts it goes quickly!

Make chocolate sauce also!

All ingredients pictured. Top left, clockwise rotation we have: Coconut milk ice cubes, toasted coconut flakes,  coffee and almond milk ice cubes, and chocolate sauce

Blend all ingredients into frappuccino

Bean Avocado Mash with Lemon

I've had this awkward can of cannellini beans that I haven't had any use for in my kitchen for a while now. The original recipe of this mash, from The Garden Grazer, can e\be found here, http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2014/03/chickpea-avocado-mash-with-lemon.html. 

Originally it calls for chickpeas, but I used my cannellini as to put them out of their lonesome misery.

Ingredients:
1 15 oz can of beans (cannellini, chickpeas, or you can experiment)
1 avocado (I used half of one)
1/2 lemon
Salt and Pepper

Instructions:

Rinse and drain the beans before use.

Mash the beans in a bowl, I used a fork, or you can use a blender/food processor, which may make it a bit more smooth. 

Mash in the avocado.

Squeeze in juice of 1/2 a lemon and season with salt and pepper.

I ate mine on toast with some tomato

Vegan Chopped Greek Salad

This recipe has been on my "to make" list on pinterest FOR. EVER.  And I finally got to make it! The ingredients are very simple and it makes quite a bit so it can be kept for multiple lunches/meals! For storing, however, I kept the olive oil/red wine vinegar dressing separate from the salad. Just to be sure that the vinegar didn't make anything go bad faster than it should. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas
• 1 cucumber
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 small red onion (I only used half of a small red onion) 
• 4-5 roma tomatoes

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar 
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 2 tsp of oregano (I omitted because I didn't have any)

Instructions: 

1. Dice the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and tomatoes 

2. Remove the seeds of the tomatoes 

3. Add all the vegetables together followed by the chickpeas

4. Mix the dressing separately 

4. Serve immediately or chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator 

Pinterest recipe was a hit once again! 

I did a rough calculation for how much this cost:

Red Wine Vinegar   $1.34

Red Onion   $0.69

Green Bell Pepper  $0.74

4 Roma Tomatoes  $1.30

1 Cucumber  $0.72

*Chickpeas are about $1, but I don't have actual cost

(Rough) Grand Total: $5.76 for the entire salad, not to mention you get multiple servings from this recipe!

Original recipe from The Garden Grazer: http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2014/04/ultimate-greek-chopped-salad.html

Recipe can also be modified to not be vegan with feta cheese, if making for a crowd and non-vegan guest.