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25 Versatile & Nutritious Lentil Recipes

Lentils are a mighty source of plant-protein and a game changer in vegan cooking. Here are 25 versatile & nutritious lentil recipes that I know you'll love!

Early in the pandemic last spring, I polled readers on Instagram stories about what type of recipes they'd most like to see on the blog. I wanted to know what would be practical and comforting, the two qualities that seemed to matter most to everyone.

I wasn't surprised that there was interest in shelf-stable foods. Beans and grains were getting lots of attention, thanks to their practicality for shelter-in-place living. Still, I was shocked at how many people wanted lentil recipes! Lentils were all the rage.

Looking back, I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised. Lentils have all of the shelf-stable convenience and good nutrition of beans. But they're quicker cooking than beans are, and they don't require any overnight soaking. They're inexpensive, nourishing, and easy to cook with.

One year later, the end of quarantine is on the horizon. But I cherished lentils before the pandemic, and I love them every bit as much now. They're one of my favorite ways to nutrition to my plant-based recipes.

Lentil nutrition

Lentils are an excellent source of so many essential nutrients. This includes B vitamins, zinc, iron, potassium, and magnesium.

Half a cup of lentils contains about eight grams of fiber, which is beneficial for digestive health and can also help to support cardiac health.

Best of all, lentils are packed with plant protein. Protein adequacy within a vegan diet is one of the pillars of my practice as a registered dietitian, and it's also the focus of Power Plates. I've seen time and time again how essential adequate protein is to longterm success with veganism, and I'm always looking to give my clients new recipe and meal ideas that maximize plant protein.

That same half cup serving of cooked lentils provides about ten grams of protein. That's an excellent amount from one single ingredient within a meal. In many of the recipes I share below, lentils are joined by other protein-rich ingredients for even more nutrient density.

25 versatile & nutritious lentil recipes

I cook with lentils so often, and have made so many recipes with them, that it's hard to pick even twenty-five of my favorites! But here they are, including a lentil walnut pate that's one of my favorite, go-to snacks.

French Lentil Niçoise Salad This French lentil Niçoise salad is a delightful vegan spin on the classic recipe! Marinated French lentils serve as a protein source in place of eggs or tuna. The salad is bursting with flavor and texture, and it's perfect for sharing. Get the recipe Lentil Tomato Pasta Stew This one-pot, plant-based lentil tomato pasta stew is so cozy, hearty, and comforting! It's also packed with nutrition from vegetables and legumes. Easy to make gluten free! Get the recipe Lentil Beet Salad This vegan lentil beet salad is colorful, hearty, and so nutrient-dense! A lovely salad on its own, and even better with (or on) a slice of toast. Get the recipe Cumin Spiced Lentils and Rice with Every Day Lemon Tahini Dressing This skillet meal of cumin-spiced lentils & rice couldn't be easier to make! It's flavorful, nutritious, and plant-based. Get the recipe Oh-So-Simple French Lentil Soup This super simple French lentil soup is a perfect meal for a cold winter's night: hearty, nourishing, and incredibly easy to make! Get the recipe Lentil Tomato Pasta Stew This one-pot, plant-based lentil tomato pasta stew is so cozy, hearty, and comforting! It's also packed with nutrition from vegetables and legumes. Easy to make gluten free! Get the recipe Lentil Sweet Potato Salad This mustardy lentil sweet potato salad can be eaten on its own, on toast, or with crackers! It's a super flavorful, nutritious plant-based spread that's perfect for meal prep. Get the recipe Creamy Coconut Curried Green Lentils (& Bowls) These coconut curried green lentils are nutritious, easy to make, and they feed a crowd! They'll give you a whole week's worth of flavorful, hearty vegan bowls. Get the recipe Slow Cooker Masala Lentils (gluten free, soy free) Slow cooker masala lentils are one of my favorite make-ahead lentil recipes! Serve them with rice, flatbread, or your favorite leafy greens for a nutritious plant-based meal. Designed for the slow cooker, but with a stovetop option. Get the recipe Creamy Tomato Coconut Red Lentils Creamy tomato coconut red lentils are the perfect healthful comfort food! Made with coconut milk, sweet potato, and lots of spices, they're both hearty and flavorful. Scoop them up with flatbread or pile them on your favorite grain for a complete meal. Get the recipe Braised Lentils on Toast Braised lentils on toast is one of my all-time favorite, easy vegan dinners. Thanks to red wine and lots of herbs, the lentils taste sophisticated—but they're really simple to make. Get the recipe Stewed Eggplant Tomato Lentils A savory, Mediterranean inspired eggplant, tomato, and lentil dish to celebrate the flavors and fresh produce of summer. Get the recipe Red Lentil Chickpea Loaf with Mushroom Gravy This red lentil chickpea loaf is a nourishing, plant-based spin on the classic, beloved comfort food meal: meatloaf! It's made with red lentils, chickpeas, and a fast, flavorful mushroom gravy. Get the recipe French Lentil Niçoise Salad This French lentil Niçoise salad is a delightful vegan spin on the classic recipe! Marinated French lentils serve as a protein source in place of eggs or tuna. The salad is bursting with flavor and texture, and it's perfect for sharing. Get the recipe Wholesome Vegan Lentil, Mushroom & Kale Lasagna This wholesome vegan lentil kale mushroom lasagna is a non-traditional spin on classic comfort food! It's packed with nutritious legumes, vegetables, and leafy greens. It makes for a filling and complete meal, and it's easy to make ahead. Get the recipe One Pot Italian Quinoa and Lentils Italian quinoa and lentils is a one-pot vegan meal that's as tasty as it is nutritious! Made with protein-rich quinoa, lentils, and greens. It's seasoned with herbs that are common in Italian cuisine and made creamy with dairy-free cashew cream. Get the recipe Slow Cooker Chipotle Lentils Slow cooker chipotle lentils are your new go-to vegan protein for burritos, tacos, nachos, and more! An easy, set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker recipe that also includes stovetop instructions. Get the recipe Vegan Sweet Potato and Lentil Shepherd's Pie Vegan sweet potato lentil shepherd's pie is the perfect hearty and wholesome main dish for your holiday table. It's an untraditional version of the classic dish, made with layers of herbed lentils and pillowy mashed sweet potatoes. This recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! Get the recipe Butternut Squash, Kale & Lentil Soup with Herbs This butternut kale lentil soup with herbs is so warming and nourishing! It's a perfect vegan soup for fall and winter—or any time you're craving something wholesome and grounding. Get the recipe Slow Cooker Two Lentil Chili This slow cooker two lentil chili will give you nearly a week's worth of flavorful, healthy, hearty dinners. It's a great recipe for batch cooking! Serve it with avocado, rice, cornbread, and any of your other favorite fixings. Get the recipe Cumin Roasted Carrot and Lentil Tacos These spice roasted carrot lentil tacos are a hearty, wholesome vegan meal! You won't miss the meat with these nutritious fillings. Get the recipe Curried Butternut, Red Lentil, and Apple Soup This curried butternut lentil apple soup is a perfect balance of sweet and savory. Hearty, healthy, and easy to make! It's a perfect soup for fall. Get the recipe Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Rice, Lentils, and Currants These vegan cabbage rolls are stuffed with a mixture of rice, lentils, currants, and spices. They're flavorful, filling, and a perfect dish to make for entertaining! Get the recipe Lentil and Sweet Potato Loaf Vegan lentil sweet potato loaf is healthy comfort food at its finest. It's made with nutritious lentils, sweet potato, and rolled oats. This is a great dish to freezer or make ahead for holiday gatherings! Get the recipe

And finally, my lentil walnut pate!

I can't tell you how many times I've made this versatile dip/spread. It was a meal prep staple for me in grad school, because I could use it in so many ways: on sandwiches or wraps, as a snack, on toast for breakfast in the morning, and so on.

I've served the pate to many, many friends over the years as well. It's a great hors d'oeuvre, and it's really good on vegan crostini.

Print 25 Versatile & Nutritious Lentil Recipes: Lentil Walnut Pate Walnut lentil pate is a super nutritious way to snack and a great hors d'oeuvres option for entertaining. It's packed with healthful fats and protein to help keep you satisfied. It's also deeply savory and delicious! Plus, 24 more lentil recipes I know you'll love. Course Appetizer, SnackCuisine American, veganDiet Gluten Free, Vegan, VegetarianKeyword lentils, miso, walnuts Prep Time 5 minutesCook Time 40 minutesTotal Time 45 minutes Servings 8 servings Author Gena Hamshaw Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dry brown or green lentils (or 1 14.5-ounce can lentils, drained)
• 3/4 cup raw walnut halves or pieces
• 2 teaspoons olive oil (substitute 2 tablespoons vegetable broth)
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon white miso (substitute additional 1/4 teaspoon salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Place the lentils in a medium sized sauce pan. Fill the pan with enough water to submerge the lentils by a few inches. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20-25, or until the lentils are tender but not watery or mushy (I always do a first check at the 18-minute mark). Drain the lentils and set them aside.
• While the lentils cook, heat a medium sized sauté pan over low heat. Add the walnuts. Toast the walnuts for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, or until they're lightly browned and smell nutty. Remove the walnuts from heat and set aside.
• Return the pan to the stovetop and increase the heat to medium. Add the olive oil and shallots. Cook the shallots for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, and then add the garlic. Cook the garlic and shallots for another 3 minutes, or until everything is soft and fragrant. Add the lentils and combine ingredients well. Remove the pan from heat.
• When the lentils are cooked and drained, add the toasted walnuts to your food processor, along with the salt. Process until the walnuts form a fine meal. Add the lentil mixture and all other ingredients, along with 1/3-1/2 cup water (as much as you need to get a thick, yet smooth and spreadable consistency, similar to hummus). Process the pate till smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape the bowl down. Serve the pate with toast, crackers, or vegetable crudités.

NotesLeftover dip will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Brown food really is the tastiest—and so often the most nutritious, too. Enjoy these many lentil-filled recipes, friends!

xo

The post 25 Versatile & Nutritious Lentil Recipes appeared first on The Full Helping.

translate | Wed, 14 Apr 2021 16:44:58 +0000

French Lentil Niçoise Salad

This French lentil Niçoise salad is a delightful vegan spin on the classic recipe! Marinated French lentils serve as a protein source in place of eggs or tuna. The salad is bursting with flavor and texture, and it's perfect for sharing.

It's finally starting to feel like spring in New York City. We're having cold days here and there, of course: it was 27 degrees Fahrenheit when I woke up on Friday. But for the most part, temperatures are becoming more mild. Flowers are starting to spring up in the park, and it stays light outside until dinnertime.

With the shift in seasons comes a renewed interest in colorful, plant-based salads. This French lentil Niçoise salad has been a favorite since I made it a couple weeks ago! I love the fact that it uses some of my favorite springtime produce—new potatoes, green beans, tender lettuce—and that it's full of different textures.

In place of the traditional salade Niçoise proteins, I use marinated French lentils. I love the way they work in the recipe.

What is Niçoise salad?

Salade Niçoise originated in Nice, France. It's typically composed of cooked green beans, fingerling or new potatoes, tomatoes or roasted peppers, and egg. Sometimes it also includes anchovies or tuna.

I've most often seen salade Niçoise served as a composed salad, which is to say that it's arranged on a platter. But it's also fine to toss it together in one large portion or in serving bowls. You can serve this lentil Niçoise salad either way.

A plant protein option

It's not hard to veganize Niçoise salad, since the traditional recipe contains so many vegetables as it is! The main challenge is to replace the central protein sources: eggs and/or fish.

To do this, I used French lentils, which are also known as "Puy lentils" or Le Puy green lentils.

I love French lentils. They're a little smaller than regular green lentils. More importantly, they hold their shape better than green or brown lentils in cooking. They're tender, but not mushy.

I use French lentils in my simple French lentil soup, and I often use them in my braised lentils on toast. They're probably the lentils I most often throw into salads (including, appropriately, the Niçoise bowls in Power Plates).

Do I need to use French lentils in the recipe?

No, French lentils aren't necessary for the lentil Niçoise to work. The salad would also be great with beluga lentils and pardina lentils. Regular green or brown lentils are also fine.

Be sure to taste a few of the lentils after you've boiled them for about 20 minutes. This will help you to keep track of whether or not the lentils are becoming at all mushy. French lentils usually cook in 25-30 minutes, in my experience, but regular green lentils take closer to 20-25. It all depends on the age of the lentils and the specific lentils you're using.

French lentil Niçoise salad ingredients Potatoes

I used new potatoes in my salad, but you can use fingerlings or red potatoes, too. Regular Yukon gold potatoes will also work well! Just be sure to quarter them before roasting.

Speaking of, I like to roast the potatoes for this salad, rather than boiling them. It helps to give them more flavor, and I like their crispy texture.

Green beans

You can use regular green beans or haricots vert—thinner, more quick cooking green beans—in the recipe. Frozen beans are fine, if you don't have fresh.

Tomatoes

It's definitely not tomato season, but I love tomatoes in Niçoise salad, and I recently got some greenhouse grape tomatoes that were sweet and vibrant tasting even in March. Grape, cherry, and plum tomatoes are all excellent in the salad.

If you don't have tomatoes, then roasted red bell peppers are a good substitute. Many traditional Niçoise salad recipes call for red peppers as it is.

Olives

Olives give the lentil Niçoise salad a nice, salty kick. If you don't like olives, you can omit them. I always use black olives (Nyon or kalamata) in the recipe.

Butter lettuce

I love the way that tender, butter lettuce works in this springtime salad. But mesclun, arugula, baby spinach, and any other baby greens are fine as a substitute.

Vinaigrette

The vinaigrette that I use to dress the lentil Niçoise salad is a mixture of champagne vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Simple! White wine vinegar is fine in place of the champagne vinegar. So is freshly squeezed lemon juice or red wine vinegar. Use what you have.

Serving French lentil Niçoise salad

I think this salad is hearty enough to qualify as a meal-sized salad: something that you can enjoy all on its own. But serving it with some toast or sliced baguette certainly isn't a bad idea.

You could also make the lentil Niçoise even heartier by adding a cooked whole grain to the recipe. I'd love to try it with farro, bulgur wheat, or cooked quinoa.

Prepping & storing

One of the nice things about the lentil Niçoise salad is that it's easy to make ahead. When I made it recently, I roasted the potatoes and cooked and marinated the French lentils in advance. I also whisked up the vinaigrette ahead of time.

All of these components can be stored for a few days in airtight containers in the fridge. By the time you're ready to assemble the salad, doing so is really just a matter of chopping your fresh vegetables and then adding the batch-cooked components.

This is a pretty sturdy salad, and I think that the leftovers keep well even after all of the ingredients have been mixed up. I stored mine for a full three days in the fridge. They made my work-from-home lunches easy.

Print French Lentil Niçoise Salad This French lentil Niçoise salad is a delightful vegan spin on the classic recipe! Marinated French lentils serve as a protein source in place of eggs or tuna. The salad is bursting with flavor and texture, and it's perfect for sharing. Course Appetizer, main, Main Course, SaladCuisine FrenchDiet Gluten Free, Vegan, VegetarianKeyword green beans, greens, olives, potato, tomatoes Prep Time 10 minutesCook Time 40 minutesTotal Time 50 minutes Servings 4 servings Author Gena Hamshaw Equipment

• 1 1

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb fingerling or new potatoes, halved or quartered (~1 1/2 inch pieces)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme or herbs de Provence
• 3/4 cup French lentils (dry, picked over and rinsed)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
• 5 cups baby butter lettuce, baby greens, baby spinach, or arugula
• 12 ounces trimmed green beans
• 10 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (halved)
• 1/3 cup pitted black olives

For the vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle them with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix them with your hands to coat them evenly in the oil. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt, pepper, and thyme or Herbs de Provence. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and easily pierced with a fork. 
• Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add the green beans and boil for 3-4 minutes, or until they're tender but still firm. Remove the green beans from the water with a slotted spoon. 
• Add the lentils to the boiling water. Boil for 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain the lentils thoroughly through a fine sieve. 
• Transfer the lentils to a mixing bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the shallot, the capers, the parsley, and the vinegar, as well as Kosher salt and black pepper to taste. 
•  Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients till smooth and emulsified.
• Arrange a platter or individual plates with a layer of butter lettuce or baby greens, potatoes, cooked green beans, tomatoes, and the seasoned lentils. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. Enjoy.

I love winter food more than anything, in all of its cozy glory. But as April gets underway, it does feel nice to see bright colors and lots of green on my plate. This lentil Niçoise feels like a harbinger of spring and new beginnings, and I'm so happy to have made it when I did.

Hope you'll enjoy it, too!

xo

The post French Lentil Niçoise Salad appeared first on The Full Helping.

translate | Mon, 05 Apr 2021 14:02:28 +0000

Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes

These vegan carrot cake cupcakes have all of the goodness of traditional carrot cake, in an adorable, single-serve package! They're the perfect treat for springtime, and they're also great for birthdays and other celebrations.

With Easter Sunday rolling around this weekend, I thought it might be a good time for vegan carrot cake.

There's no shortage of carrot cake on this blog. I have a pumpkin carrot cake, which I love to make in the fall. And then there's my favorite vegan carrot cake, which is a traditional version that has some special touches (I like to grate my carrots on a microplane for a lighter cake).

Much as I adore carrot cake—it's probably my favorite type of cake, if I had to choose—making and frosting a layer cake can feel like a lot of work.

That's where these vegan carrot cake cupcakes come in! All of the goodness of carrot cake, but with a little less fuss over decoration. They're adorable, delicious, and perfect for springtime celebrations or birthdays.

The formula for a perfect vegan carrot cake (& carrot cake cupcakes)

My obsession with carrot cake has encouraged me to discover methods for getting it just right—without dairy or eggs. Here are some of the tips I've accumulated through many carrot cake bakes:

Grate your carrots finely

There's certainly something to be said for a very dense carrot cake. But Coral Lee's tip to grate the carrots for carrot cake on a microplane (or the fine side of a box grater) has been a complete game changer for me. The result is a carrot cake that is, in Coral's words, spared "the salad-y texture."

Since reading Coral's recipe and adapting it for my own favorite carrot cake, I've fallen in love with fine grating tip. I always grate my carrots on the smaller side of my box grater now. You could also use a microplane zester.

If you don't have the patience for the fine grating, that's OK. There's nothing wrong with bigger pieces of carrot in carrot cake! But the finely grated carrot is really worth a try. It makes carrot cake—and these vegan carrot cake cupcakes—moist and rich, but with just enough fluffy, cake-like texture.

Don't go overboard with mix-ins

Another tip that Coral Lee gives in her article, which I've now taken to heart, is not to overload carrot cake with nuts and dried fruit. I like my carrot cake to have raisins and walnuts. However, I think less is more when it comes to the amount. Too many mix-ins, and the cake texture gets lost.

For these carrot cake cupcakes, I skip the raisins and use only 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts. I think this amount is just right! Feel free to use chopped pecans in place of walnut, or you can skip the nuts altogether.

Use a mix of brown and cane sugar

Brown sugar adds moisture to baked goods. I think it's perfect for carrot cake, but I like to use some cane sugar, too. The cane sugar helps to (once again) preserve the cake's lightness, while the brown sugar gives it a lovely, moist interior.

I'm often asked about reducing sugar in my recipes. Reducing is OK in a small amount (about 1/4 cup), but sugar adds moisture to baking. So if you omit a significant portion, be aware that your cake might be dry, dense, or both.

Keep it traditional

Carrot cake is pretty glorious as it is. So, no need to change it too much. I keep things traditional with a vegan cream cheese frosting and cake ingredients. There's nothing like a classic.

Can the carrot cake cupcakes be gluten free?

Most definitely. I've made both my favorite carrot cake and these cupcakes with gluten-free, all-purpose flour (King Arthur's is my go-to), and they turn out beautifully. You can definitely modify the recipe with your own favorite AP, GF flour blend.

Vegan cream cheese frosting

The cream cheese frosting that adorns the carrot cake cupcakes is my favorite dairy-free frosting ever. I like it even more than traditional buttercream frosting. The cream cheese gives it just the right amount of tanginess to offset all of the sweet richness of butter and sugar.

I've tried this frosting with a few different vegan butter sticks and cream cheeses. My default is Earth Balance sticks and Tofutti cream cheese. They work well, and they're relatively affordable. (I like to use Tofutti in baking—like my classic vegan cheesecake—and save fancier, more expensive vegan cream cheese for toast or bagels.)

That said, I've also used Miyoko's butter, Kite Hill Cream cheese, and a host of other butter/cream cheese combos in the carrot cake cupcake frosting. I haven't had any big flops yet. Use the butter and cream cheese options that you like and have access to.

Preparing and storing vegan carrot cake cupcakes

Whenever I make either cupcakes or cake, I tend to work over the course of two days. I make the cake portion on the first day, give it the night to cool, and make the frosting/decorate on the second day.

You certainly don't have to devote two days to these cupcakes if you'd rather work all at once. Just be sure to let the carrot cake cupcakes cool completely before you frost them. It'll take at least two hours.

The cream cheese frosting can be prepared a day in advance of decorating. However, it needs cold storage and will stiffen up as it cools in the fridge. So, if you make the frosting in advance, be sure to warm it to room temperature and then rewhip it a bit to help make it fluffy again.

The decorated cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. If you'd like to store them longer, I'd recommend freezing them—cake, frosting, and all!

Vegan cupcakes for the win

If this recipe has you craving vegan cupcakes, here are some more recipes to explore:

• Vegan apple cider cupcakes
• Chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting
• Chocolate avocado cupcakes and frosting
• Vanilla lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting
• Raw, vegan carrot cake cupcakes

Print Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes These vegan carrot cake cupcakes have all of the goodness of traditional carrot cake, in an adorable, single-serve package! They're the perfect treat for springtime, and they're also great for birthdays and other celebrations. Course cake, DessertCuisine AmericanDiet Gluten Free, Vegan, VegetarianKeyword carrots, cream cheese, cupcakes Prep Time 30 minutesCook Time 20 minutesResting time 2 hoursTotal Time 2 hours 50 minutes Servings 10 servings Author Gena Hamshaw IngredientsFor the cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour (180 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/3 cup avocado oil (or another neutral cooking oil, such as safflower or grapeseed)
• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar (substitute coconut sugar) (110 g)
• 1/4 cup cane sugar (50 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup applesauce (125 g)
• 1/4 cup oat, soy, almond, or cashew milk
• 2 medium/large carrots, peeled and grated on the fine side of a box grater (1 packed cup, or 115 grams after preparation)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (35 g)

For the cream cheese frosting

• 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese (60 g; make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature)
• 8 tablespoons vegan butter (112 g, or 1 stick; make sure the butter is at room temperature)
• 2 cups confectioners sugar (227 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350F and spray or line a cupcake baking sheet with liners.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• In another mixing bowl, combine the oil, brown and cane sugars, vanilla, applesauce, and the non-dairy milk. Whisk these wet ingredients well, then add them to your dry ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the batter together. When the batter is almost mixed (a few streaks of flour are OK at this point), add the grated carrot and walnuts. Continue folding the batter until it's just combined and the carrots are distributed evenly. Try not to over-mix.
• Use a muffin scoop or a 1/3 cup measuring cup to transfer the batter into the cupcake liners or prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops of the cupcakes are domed and set and they're just starting to turn golden at the sides. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting, about 2 hours.
• To prepare the frosting, place the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, you can use a handheld mixer to prepare the frosting. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until the butter and cream cheese are very fluffy. Stop the mixer, then add the sugar. Mix the frosting on low speed for 2 minutes. Then, beat on medium speed for another 2-3 minutes, or until the frosting is very, very fluffy. Beat in the white vinegar, then stop the mixer.
• Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe over the cupcakes to decorate. You can also use a small, offset spatula to decorate by hand. Serve or store the cupcakes till you're ready to enjoy.

Though it was always a favorite, carrot cake has taken on a new meaning for me during the pandemic. I made it in Instagram stories during the first spring of lockdown, hoping it would comfort others as much as it was comforting me.

When my mom celebrated her birthday last May, she requested carrot cake. I made it and then walked it fifteen blocks to her apartment, worrying that I'd drop it the entire time. I handed it off to her outside her building—we were still too cautious to see each other indoors at the time—and then sang her happy birthday and watched her enjoy a slice over Zoom that night.

Carrot cake was one of those recipes that gave a sense of familiarity and joy to an otherwise scary, unsettled time. I assign it a special kind of love and fondness as a result. These vegan carrot cake cupcakes are my latest favorite way to savor it. And I'll bet they're a little easier to carry and deliver to friends than a giant layer cake!

Enjoy, friends.

xo

The post Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes appeared first on The Full Helping.

translate | Wed, 31 Mar 2021 16:14:08 +0000

Tofu Egg Salad

This is a simple, yet super flavorful vegan tofu egg salad. Perfect for sandwiches and tartines, wraps and crackers, and more! It's one of my favorite every day lunchtime staples.

I'm slowly finding that I've got the energy to make more homemade food (after a long stretch of feeling stuck with It). The key, I'm finding, is to keep everything very simple.

This tofu egg salad is the epitome of simple—no cooking, ready in about fifteen minutes—but it's really versatile, too. Make one batch, and you'll be able to use it in wraps, as a sandwich filling, with crackers for a snack, and however else your heart desires.

I love to meal prep recipes like this: humble, unassuming staples that can multitask as the week goes on. The tofu egg salad is especially welcome because my quarantine lunches have been more uninspired than any other meal. It's great to break up my sandwich routine with this fresh, protein-rich option.

Tofu: the great multitasker

Is there anything tofu can't do?

I use tofu almost as obsessively as I use cashews. In my home, it becomes scramble, hash, cream cheese, a creamy base for soup, a vegan ricotta, and even chocolate pudding.

Tofu is a great base ingredient because it doesn't have much flavor (until you season it), and it comes in a few different textures. It's easy to turn it into anything and everything. Best of all, it adds plant protein and good nutrition (healthful fatty acids, disease-fighting phytonutrients) to anything that you make with it.

The secret to an "eggy" tofu egg pudding

Tofu is the star of this tofu egg pudding, of course. But there's another ingredient that helps to make the egg salad "eggy," which is kala namak, or black salt. Kala namak has sulphureous compounds that give it a distinctively "eggy" flavor.

Kala namak is used in chutneys, salads, raitas, and chaats in South Asian cuisines. In vegan cooking, it's a convenient way to help create egg flavor. I love using it in my tofu scrambles and chickpea scrambles. I also like to sprinkle it on blocks of tofu, pan fry them, and use them for tofu "egg" sandwiches.

If you don't have kala namak but you're ready to make the tofu egg salad, don't worry. It's worth trying the recipe with the kala namak at some point because it does make a taste difference. But the salad is still bright and tasty and flavorful with fine sea salt as a substitute.

Tofu egg salad ingredients Firm tofu

Extra firm tofu is what I use most often in tofu cookery. But for this recipe, firm (rather than extra firm) tofu works best. If you don't have or can't find a block of firm tofu, then extra firm will work well, too. The recipe calls for 15-ounces, which is a standard sized block.

Vegan mayo

You can use any vegan mayo that you love for creaminess and authentic flavor in the tofu egg salad. My go-to is Follow Your Heart's Vegenaise.

Black salt

You can often find kala namak in Indian grocery stores and markets. You'll also find it from spice suppliers and websites. I like to order this one for my eggy recipes.

Turmeric

A pinch of turmeric makes this recipe a little yellow, which evokes traditional egg salad. I don't use much turmeric here because I find that the flavor of the spice interferes a bit with the simple flavors of the egg salad.

Dijon mustard

My mom always loaded up egg salad with mustard when I was growing up, and I continue to love the taste of mustard in lunch salads like this one!

Vinegar

Vinegar gives the salad just a little bit of tanginess and character. I like to use white vinegar, but for a more assertive taste, you can use apple cider vinegar instead.

Herbs

You can season the tofu egg salad with finely chopped dill, chives, or parsley. I like all three varieties, and I tend to use whichever herb I have and am in the mood for!

Serving and storage

As you can see, I like the egg salad best on sandwiches and toast. But it's a really nice dip, very good in a wrap, and great with crudités, as a snack. I also really, really love it on a bagel sandwich.

The tofu egg salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

More vegan lunch salads

If you're keen on recipes like this one, which are so convenient for sandwiches and toast, here are some of my favorites:

• Mustardy lentil sweet potato salad
• Fifteen minute tempeh lunch salad
• Smashed kimchi chickpea salad
• Tofu tahini lunch salad
• Curried chickpea tahini salad
• Garlic tahini white bean salad

Print Tofu Egg Salad This is a simple, yet super flavorful vegan tofu egg salad. Perfect for sandwiches and tartines, wraps and crackers, and more! It's one of my favorite every day lunchtime staples. Course side, Snack, spreadCuisine AmericanDiet Gluten Free, Vegan, VegetarianKeyword salad, sandwich, toast, tofu, turmeric Prep Time 5 minutesCook Time 10 minutesTotal Time 15 minutes Servings 4 servings Author Gena Hamshaw Ingredients

• 15 ounces firm tofu (1 standard sized block)
• 6 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons white or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water (adjust as needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon kala namak (substitute fine sea salt)
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh dill, chives, or parsley

Instructions

• Wrap the tofu in a tea towel and squeeze firmly. You don't need to press the tofu—you're just aiming to remove some excess moisture from it.
• Crumble the tofu into a mixing bowl with your hands. You're aiming for it to be mostly crumbled, but with a few larger pieces for a little bit of texture. 
• Add the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, water, turmeric, kala namak, and black pepper to the bowl. Use a large spoon to mix everything together. Keep mixing until everything is evenly incorporated. Fold in the herbs. Taste. Add additional mustard, vinegar, pepper, or some fine sea salt to taste. Serve on toast, crackers, or in a sandwich or bagel sandwich.

This salad is so lovely for the time of year when the weather is warming up, breeze is becoming gentle, and lunches that don't require cooking and heating are starting to hit the spot. I hope it'll keep you company this spring.

xo

The post Tofu Egg Salad appeared first on The Full Helping.

translate | Thu, 25 Mar 2021 19:41:24 +0000

Baked Stuffed Apples

These vegan baked stuffed apples are a delicious, wholesome treat! Enjoy the benefits of whole fruit with a warm, delicious streusel filling. The apples are perfect for snacking, dessert, or breakfast.

Apples are just about my favorite fruit, and I'm very lucky that they're in season pretty much year-round where I live. I love eating apples every which way: raw, as a snack, in a crisp, cubed and baked, in cake, in slaw, and even in soup.

These baked stuffed apples are going to be a new favorite for me. They're so versatile and such a good happy medium. The ratio of fruit to streusel is greater than it is with crisp or crumble. But the apples still feel like a treat, thanks to the buttery, brown sugary crumbs.

I've now eaten them happily for breakfast (with some vegan yogurt on top) and for dessert (with ice cream). They're good in either fashion, and they're great with tea for an afternoon treat.

Picking the perfect apple for baked stuffed apples

Before making the baked stuffed apples, I was lucky enough to get a delivery of New York State RubyFrost apples.

These apples are so special. They're a perfect balance of sweet and tart. They're super crisp—which is how I like apples to be—and they have the most beautiful crimson and golden color.

RubyFrost apples are especially high in vitamin C, and they have a high acid content. Both factors allow them to stay fresh for longer than other apple varieties. I've been delighted at how crispy and juicy mine remained as I made my way through the bag that I had.

The juiciness and sweet/tart flavor balance of the apples also makes them an ideal apple to bake with. These baked stuffed apples become so sweet and tender in the oven, yet they stay firm enough to hold their shape.

How to make baked stuffed apples

The trick to making baked stuffed apples is to remove the apple core. That's it! Once there's a nice empty space where the core of the apple lived, it's easy to fill them with your streusel mixture.

To remove the core of the apple, I recommend using a corer. It's not an expensive appliance, and it makes cutting up apples for snacks—or making these baked stuffed apples—really easy.

If you don't have or want a corer, there are other ways to make space for the filling. This video will show you how to core an apple with a spoon, and this one has instructions (toward the end) for coring with a melon baller.

Once the apples have been cored, you simply use a spoon to fill them up with the streusel, then bake the apples. You may have some streusel left over, which is A-OK (better too much than too little). I like to sprinkle mine on the baking sheet and bake it along with the apples.

Main ingredients

Once your apples are cored, the baked stuffed apples are pretty easy to make. Here's a short list of the main ingredients you'll need:

Apples

The most important ingredient! I loved making this recipe with local, New York State RubyFrosts. You can use another tart or sweet tart apple that's available to you. Choose apples that are medium in size, if you can. Too large, and they'll take a long time to bake. Too small, they'll be difficult to stuff.

Vegan butter

Use the vegan butter that suits your budget and needs. I like to melt the butter before adding it to the streusel. If you don't have vegan butter, you can use vegetable oil in its place.

Flour

I use all-purpose flour in the recipe, but a whole wheat flour works well here, too! If you'd like to make the recipe gluten-free, you can use a gluten free, unbleached flour in place of wheat flour.

Brown sugar

I think that brown sugar is best for streusel. If you prefer, you can use coconut sugar as a good substitute.

Rolled oats

The rolled oats in the baked, stuffed apple filling give this recipe some texture and substance. I tried making the filling with and without oats, and I really liked the heft that the oats provide. I also like the fiber they provide, which helps to make the stuffed apples more wholesome.

Storing baked stuffed apples

I recommend storing the apples in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. They're very cravable, so it's not hard to eat them all in that period of time!

Accompaniments and serving ideas

I think that the baked stuffed apples are pretty perfect on their own. But there are a few fun ways you can add to their goodness!

• A generous drizzle of salted date caramel sauce
• A scoop of vanilla ice cream
• Cashew whipped cream
• A sprinkle of chopped walnuts, pecans, or sliced almonds
• A dollop of non-dairy yogurt (vanilla, plain, or another flavor you like)

Be sure to serve each apple with a little of the extra baked filling, if you had any leftover on your baking sheet!

Print Baked Stuffed Apples These vegan baked stuffed apples are a delicious, wholesome treat! Enjoy the benefits of whole fruit with a warm, delicious streusel filling. The apples are perfect for snacking, dessert, or breakfast. Course baked good, Breakfast, Dessert, SnackCuisine AmericanDiet Gluten Free, Vegan, VegetarianKeyword apples, baking Prep Time 20 minutesCook Time 30 minutesTotal Time 50 minutes Servings 6 servings Author Gena Hamshaw Equipment

• apple corer

Ingredients

• 6 medium sized apples (I used RubyFrost)
• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (90 g)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (50 g)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (65 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons vegan butter, melted (84 grams before melting)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Core your apples with an apple corer, spoon, or melon scoop (see instructions above).
• Place the flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Drizzle in the melted butter. Use your hands to incorporate everything until you have a crumbly, streusel-style mixture.
• Spoon the filling into the cored apples. Try to pack them a little, but don't press or fill them with too much force. Spoon any leftover streusel onto the baking sheet to bake with the apples (sort of like granola).
• Bake the apples for 30-40 minutes (this will depend on the size of your apples), or until the top of the filling is browning and the apples are easily pierced with a paring knife.
• Allow the apples to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into them and enjoying.

It'll soon be the right time of year for snacking on juicy, raw fruits. And I love eating RubyFrost apples this way.

But cozy, sweet, juicy baked apples hit the spot, especially at breakfast time and after dinner. These baked stuffed apples are a pleasure, something I'll make often and add to my list of favorite fruit desserts. I hope you'll have fun making and eating them, too!

xo

This post is sponsored by RubyFrost apples. All opinions are my own. Thanks for your support!

The post Baked Stuffed Apples appeared first on The Full Helping.

translate | Mon, 22 Mar 2021 17:25:59 +0000

Creamy Mushroom Spinach Orzo

This creamy mushroom spinach orzo is a fast, one-pot recipe for busy nights! It's plant-based and features cashew cream in place of dairy. Spinach and mushrooms add texture and nutrition to the recipe.

I made this creamy mushroom spinach orzo a couple of weekends ago, and I fell in love with the recipe right away. It was a welcome reprieve from my cooking slump!

The recipe is greatly inspired by Sheela Prakash's one-pot mushroom and spinach orzo for The Kitchn. Prakash is an awesome recipe developer with a knack for Mediterranean flavors. She's also got a talent for one-pot meals.

One-pot recipes are what I need and crave often these days. This orzo fits the bill. You sauté mushrooms until they're tender and reduced in size, stir in orzo and liquid, and allow everything to cook. You'll need to stir the orzo a couple of times: think of the mixture as being like a risotto (orzotto?).

Once the orzo has cooked through, it's a creamy, satisfying dish that can be either a side or a main. To make it a more filling main, you can pair stir in some some chickpeas or white white beans. As a side dish, it's lovely with baked tofu or balsamic tempeh.

No matter what, I can vouch for a generous sprinkle of cashew parmesan on top.

A creamy pot of orzo—without dairy

Prakash's orzo recipe calls for milk as a simmering liquid. What makes this vegan mushroom spinach orzo creamy is the use of cashew cream.

I know that I probably overuse cashew cream in my recipes, but I just can't help it. Nothing creates more luxurious texture or is as mildly flavored as cashew cream. Non-dairy milks are great, but they're not always creamy enough for pasta or soup. Coconut milk is very creamy, but it's a flavor that I only like in small doses. And from a nutrition standpoint, I like that cashew cream has less saturated fat than coconut milk or cream.

You can make cashew cream with either a food processor or a powerful blender.

Can I substitute cashew cream?

If you don't have cashew cream, or if you have a nut allergy, I recommend a vegan creamer for this recipe. There are a lot of creamer options available these days, made from different bases. Choose one that's unsweetened, so that the savoriness of the mushroom spinach orzo will shine through.

You can also use an equivalent amount of full-fat coconut milk or silken tofu "cream" (just silken tofu that's been blended or processed till creamy).

Mushroom spinach orzo ingredients Orzo

Orzo is the star of this recipe, of course. You can use whatever orzo is accessible and appropriate for you. If you avoid gluten, there are gluten-free orzo options available.

One thing to keep in mind is that orzo can vary in size and thickness. I like a traditional kritharaki that I buy locally. You can also find a spelt kritharaki online. These versions are a little smaller in shape than some of the Italian orzo I've used in the past, so they cook more quickly.

So as you simmer the orzo for this recipe, keep in mind that cooking times might vary. Keep tasting the orzo once you think it's ready for the appropriate doneness. You're aiming for al dente, but tender.

Mushrooms

I generally use sliced white or button mushrooms in my cooking, though I also love shiitakes. You can use white mushrooms, shiitakes, chopped portobello mushroom caps, or baby bella mushrooms in the recipe.

Shallot & garlic

I love the way shallots taste, especially in pasta. I chop up and use two for the mushroom spinach orzo. A small, diced onion would be a perfectly good substitute!

For garlic, feel free to substitute garlic powder if you've run out of heads of garlic. And, as with most of my recipes, you can feel free to add more garlic if you like (I tend to be conservative with it).

Spinach

I usually stock up on baby spinach in my grocery hauls, so that I can use it in both salad and hot recipes. But regular, chopped spinach will also work well.

In place of spinach, feel free to use another leafy green that you have. Chard and kale would both work really nicely in the recipe. So would broccoli rabe, which is one of my favorite dark, leafy greens.

Vegan broth

I keep both vegetable broth and vegan no-chicken broth in my pantry. I prefer the no-chicken broth for this recipe. Lately, I've been substituting Yondu for broth, especially when I run out of the latter. I love its umami-rich flavor, and it would be a good substitute for the broth in this creamy recipe.

Cashew cream

The creaminess of the creamy mushroom spinach orzo! All-purpose cashew cream is my go-to.

Optional additions

As I mentioned above, chickpeas and white beans would be good means of adding plant-protein to the mushroom spinach orzo. Diced, smoked tofu would also be nice, and so would a big scoop of cooked lentils.

I'd love to try this recipe with chopped, sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled cashew cheese, tofu feta, and pitted olives. It would also be fun to stir in additional veggies, like green beans or zucchini.

Storing leftover mushroom spinach orzo

The leftovers of the mushroom spinach orzo keep very nicely, but they tend to get a little gluey as they sit in the fridge. To loosen the orzo up before serving, simply place your portion in a pot, add a splash of broth (and a little extra cashew cream, if you like) and stir over low heat until the orzo is warm.

You can also freeze leftovers of the orzo for up to four weeks.

More one-pot creamy dinners

After I made this recipe, and as I was enjoying the leftovers, it occurred to me that I have a weakness for creamy, one-pot meals. Here's a handful of favorites:

• One-pot Italian quinoa & lentils
• Creamy vegan skillet lasagna
• Creamy cauliflower turmeric kale soup
• Cauliflower corn chowder
• Creamy Tuscan white bean kale soup
• Creamy curried quinoa

Print Creamy Mushroom Spinach Orzo This creamy mushroom spinach orzo is a fast, one-pot recipe for busy nights! It's plant-based and features cashew cream in place of dairy. Spinach and mushrooms add texture and nutrition to the recipe. Course main, Main Course, side, Side DishCuisine Greek, ItalianDiet Vegan, VegetarianKeyword mushroom, orzo, pasta, spinach Prep Time 15 minutesCook Time 15 minutesTotal Time 30 minutes Servings 4 servings Author Gena Hamshaw Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (2 1/2 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces orzo (about a cup)
• 3 cups vegan no-chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose cashew cream (substitute unsweetened vegan creamer)
• Kosher salt
• 4 cups  baby spinach (or chopped, regular spinach)
• freshly squeezed lemon juice (to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• cashew parmesan cheese (optional, for topping)

Instructions

• Add the olive oil to a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the shallots and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring every few minutes, for 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and completely reduced in size. Stir in the garlic and cook for one more minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the orzo, vegan no-chicken broth, and cashew cream to the pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt if you're using a reduced sodium broth, or 1/2 teaspoon if you're using regular broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. 
• Cover the pot and simmer the orzo for 10 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes. After 10 minutes, uncover the orzo and stir in the spinach in handfuls. Continue to cook, stirring the pot every minute, for 5-8 more minutes, or until the orzo is tender and the spinach has wilted into the orzo. If you need to add a splash of extra broth to loosen the orzo up, you can do that.
• When the orzo is fully cooked, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, taste, and add additional salt, lemon, and pepper as needed. Serve.

NotesVeganized from Sheela Prakash's recipe, published in The Kitchn.

It's no secret by now that I'm getting my bearings with cooking, after months of feeling at odds with it. I have no idea how long that process will take.

What I do know is that I made this orzo without thinking too much about it—I'd seen the recipe on The Kitchn at some point in the last few weeks and made a mental note to try something similar, veganized—and it surprised me with how simple and delicious it was. My mom was happily surprised by it, too.

Maybe it's a sign of more easeful meals to come. I hope so, but I'll be gentle with myself if not. And I'll keep making orzo 🙂

xo

The post Creamy Mushroom Spinach Orzo appeared first on The Full Helping.

translate | Thu, 18 Mar 2021 23:09:53 +0000

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