Category Archives: vegetarian

Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto

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I think carrots are the most underrated fall vegetable. They don’t get a lot of love, but picked after the first frost? So good. They also add so much color to the table!

This beautiful side dish will be a treat whether you’re making it for a holiday or a weeknight! It’s ready in about a half hour, and the pesto can bed made ahead, so it’s a no-fuss side that looks like you’ve put a lot of effort into it.

A close up of roasted carrot sticks in a white serving dish topped with pesto.

This recipe uses both the carrot and the carrot top, so it’s a great option if you’re trying to be conscious of food waste – we use the whole plant here!

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Hearty Minestrone

Posted in lunch, main dishes, one dish meals, vegetarian, veggies by

I realized last week it’s officially soup season here – we couldn’t leave the house without sweatshirts in the morning! Really can’t say I’m sad about the return of fall weather.

Cooler days mean I’m craving cozy dinners – and this one just hit the spot! It’s an old favorite – and a fresher-tasting version of the soup you get at an Italian chair restaurant. (If you know, you know!)

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Grilled Nachos

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I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who didn’t like nachos. Even the pickiest kids are usually totally cool with chips covered in cheese. Thus, nachos may just be the perfect dish to bring to a party – and a cookout is no different because they also can be made on the grill.

I love making a big, loaded up tray for our family for dinner, but a nacho bar would be such a fun idea for a cookout! You could set up all the ingredients separately and use loaf pans for individual servings. Write names on the foil covering to keep track of everyone’s custom orders!

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Honeydew Cucumber Salad

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Welcome to #BBQWeek!

We’ve been cooking out for weeks already – as soon as it got warm enough to sit out, we fired up the grill and set up the deck – and I’ve been loving it. For me, the warm weather is always synonymous with fresh ingredients so I knew I had to start this week with something fresh and bright.

This salad is perfect for summer. It’s quick and make-ahead friendly. The produce is readily available all summer and the dressing is simple pantry staples.

It’s a great dish to bring to a cookout for lunch or dinner – but it’s also a great option for brunch!

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Vegan BBQ Chickpea Salad

Posted in lunch, main dishes, vegan, vegetarian, veggies by

Today is Good Friday, the last Friday of Lent – which means it’s time to wrap up this year’s Lenten Friday series. I hope you’ve enjoyed the vegan meal ideas I’ve shared over the last six weeks! I’m closing out this year’s posts with a great recipe for the meal I struggle with most on Lenten Fridays – lunch.

For me, breakfast is always easy. Dinner is always well planned. Lunch, though? Lunch is always just grabbing whatever – and not usually plant based in this house so vegan lunches have been lackluster at best.

Salad with bbq chickpeas, corn, cucumber, pickles, red onion, carrots, and tahini ranch dressing.

This salad, though, was the best lunch I had during Lent this year hands-down. It doesn’t take long to make, but the elements are also perfectly meal-prep friendly if you want to make it ahead. The warm, bbq chickpeas paired with all my favorite barbecue-inspired flavors (including dill pickles!) was such a satisfying mid-day meal.

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Vegan Teriyaki Eggplant & Pineapple Skewers

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It feels like summer here today so it felt appropriate to share the most summer-worthy recipe of this year’s Lenten series!

When most people think of grilling, they think meat – steaks, burgers, etc. – but fruit and veggies are also also fabulous grilled.

This beautiful grilled skewers are simple, packed with flavor – and plant based. Chunks of eggplant and pineapple and grilled and glazed with a quick homemade teriyaki sauce. This is the perfect vegan option for your next cookout!

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Vegan Cauliflower Gyros in the Air Fryer

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My most productive time of the day is the morning. The more I can get done before lunch, the better – and that extends to dinner prep too. This meal was a hit here not only because it was delicious, but also because a vast majority of the prep could be done ahead of time.

Cooked, marinated cauliflower in a pita with cucumber, tomato, and black olives.

I set the cauliflower up to marinate early, and by the time dinner rolled around all I had to do was toss it in the air fryer and assemble the sandwiches. It was packed with flavor and super hearty – a perfect Lenten Friday dinner.

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Vegan Spring Minestrone

Posted in main dishes, soups and stews, vegan, vegetarian by

This winter has been crazy. Here in central NJ, we’ve seen more snow this year than we have in at least a decade. The kids no longer get excited when it’s snowing – it’s happened than often. And I know other parts of the country are dealing with an unexpectedly harsh season too, and not fairing as well as we have been.

I take heart knowing spring is around the corner.

Even with spring on the horizon, it’s still soup weather. Lots of my favorite soups are very wintery – so I decided I needed one that was more spring-appropriate. This vegan soup is packed with spring veggies – and flavor.

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Vegan Hummus and Herb Pizza

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For me, pizza is synonymous with Lent so even though this year’s Lenten series is vegan, I had to include a pie that fit the bill.

Instead of cheese, this pie has a layer of creamy hummus. Instead of meat or extra cheese, it’s topped off with sliced grape tomatoes, herbs, and toasted pecans.

The result is a beautiful pie – perfect crispy crust, creamy layer, and lots of toppings!

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Individual Vegan Pot Pies

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Since so much of the country is dealing with snow, it seemed appropriate to kick off this year’s Lent series with some cold-weather comfort food. These pot pies are warm and hearty – even meat lovers won’t miss the meat here!

With hearty veggies, a creamy sauce, and a flaky crust, this falls into you’d-never-guess-it’s-vegan territory. But it is, and it’s good.

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