VEGAN MEATBALLS WITH SPAGHETTI

The vegan meatballs are also great just by themselves with a green salad and some dips such as guacamole or hummus. Or you could also use them to make wraps or a vegan meatball sandwich.

INGREDIENTS

For the vegan meatballs:

• 1 15 oz can kidney beans
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rolled oats I used spelt oats
• 1/3 heaped cup sunflower seeds
• salt
• black pepper

For the chunky marinara sauce:

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14,5 oz)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• fresh basil leaves, cut into small pieces
• salt
• black pepper

• For the spaghetti:
• 9 oz whole wheat spaghetti
• For the cashew Parmesan:
• 1/2 cup unsalted cashews
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the package.
2. Rinse and drain the kidney beans. Put them in a medium bowl and mash them well with a fork. In a medium pan, heat some oil and sauté the onions for 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the sautéd onion and garlic to the mashed beans together with the spices, tomato paste, soy sauce, and oats. Put the sunflower seeds in a food processor and pulse until a fine meal is achieved. Add to the bean mixture and combine well. Season with salt and pepper. Form about 12-14 balls.
3. Make the marinara sauce: In a medium pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and the carrot. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Then deglaze with red wine and allow to evaporate. Add diced tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Before serving add some fresh basil leaves.
4. In a medium pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat and gently roast the bean balls for about 4 minutes until they are golden.
5. Make the cashew Parmesan: Put the cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder in a food processor and pulse until a fine meal is achieved.
6. Serve the spaghetti with the marinara and vegan meatballs and sprinkle with Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

rainbow kale power salad with peanut dijon dressing

This colorful and nutrient dense Power Kale Salad is filled with crunchy vegetables, drizzled with a peanut dijon dressing and topped with salty peanuts! The perfect salad to fuel you up!

Ingredients

Salad:

• 1 large bunch kale, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 cups julienned carrots
• 1/2 head purple cabbage, sliced
• 2 cups finely chopped broccoli florets
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 3/4 cup peanuts

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic

Instructions

Salad:

1. Toss all kale, red bell pepper, carrots, cabbage, broccoli and chickpeas together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Dressing:

1. In a small blender, prepare the dressing.
2. When ready to serve, add 2 tablespoons, per serving, over the salad and toss. Top with chopped peanuts.

Source:withsaltandwit.com

Strawberry Shortcake Trifles

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups (284g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan
• 3 Tbsp (26g) cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 12 Tbsp (170g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups (315g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (283g) sour cream (I used light because it's what I had on hand)

Strawberry layer

• 2 lbs fresh strawberries , diced, plus 12 more small whole for garnish
• 3 1/2 Tbsp (45g) granulated sugar
• Cream layer
• 2 cups (475ml) heavy cream
• 6 oz (170g) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda and baking powder for 20 seconds, set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time then mix in vanilla. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix just until combined then add in 1/2 the sour cream and mix just until combined, repeat with flour and sour cream once more then end by mixing in last 1/3 of the flour mixture and mixing just until combined (scrape down bowl to ensure it's evenly combined). Pour and spread batter evenly into prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 - 24 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool cut into 24 rounds the size of your dessert cups (you'll have a little left over cake which you can chill or freeze and serve later with more fresh fruit and whipped cream).
3. For the strawberry layer:
4. Toss diced strawberries with sugar. Let rest 10 minutes.
5. For the cream layer:
6. In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer whip heavy cream until soft peaks form (no need to clean beater blades for next step). In a separate medium mixing bowl whip cream cheese until smooth (scrape down sides of bowl occasionally), add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip until light and fluffy. Add cream cheese mixture to heavy cream and whip until stiff peaks form.
7. To assemble trifles:
8. Place 12 cake rounds in 12 fairly tall dessert cups. Add a spoonful of strawberries over each cake round. Transfer cream mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe cream mixture over strawberry layer. Repeat layering process once more. Garnish each with a fresh strawberry. Serve within an hour for best results (the cake can be made a day in advance and covered, just wait to prepare the cream mixture and strawberries until almost ready to serve).

Recipe source: CookingClassy.com

Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Salmon and Rainbow Veggies

The directions might seem a little long or more complicated then they really are but after you've made it once you might not even need a recipe a second time. Basically just go by the photos when keeping the vegetables separated by color if your going for the same rainbow look. You can spread the veggies out more in the beginning, then before adding the salmon and tomatoes just scoot things down to create space or if you don't want so scoot them just place them as they are pictured from the beginning. Either way works fine since this is only 3 servings they shouldn't be overcrowded. I hope all of you enjoy this simple healthy dinner as much as we did!

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow squash , sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 2 1/2 cups bite size broccoli florets
• 1/2 medium red onion , diced into 1 inch chunks
• 2 Tbsp olive oil , divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard mustard
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 3 garlic cloves , minced, divided
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 (5 - 6 oz) skinless salmon fillets
• 1 cup grape tomatoes (I actually used 1 1/2 cups because I love tomatoes)
• 4 lemon wedges , for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with parchment. Place squash on baking sheet on upper third portion of baking sheet then place broccoli in the middle portion and red onion on bottom portion*. Drizzle veggies with 4 tsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss while keeping veggies separated in each section. Roast in preheated oven 8 minutes. Meanwhile in small bowl stir together mustard, honey, 1 tsp of the olive oil, 1 minced clove garlic and lemon juice, set aside.
2. Remove baking sheet from oven. Move veggies down a little ways to fit tomato layer and salmon (as pictured in photos above). Place salmon on baking sheet next to squash layer (bottom side facing up), brush of salmon fillets with half of the mustard mixture and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper, then flip each portion and brush tops with remaining mustard mixture and season with salt and pepper. Place tomatoes on baking sheet in the top portion of the baking sheet, drizzle with last 1 tsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining 2 cloves garlic evenly over the vegetables and tomatoes. Return to oven and roast until salmon has cooked through and vegetables have softened, about 12 - 15 minutes longer. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for spritzing over salmon and vegetables.
3. *I actually added the red onion later on when adding the tomatoes and salmon because I wanted them to be brightly colorful, but next time I'm adding them at the beginning so they soften more - as listed above.

Recipe source: CookingClassy.com

EASY STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE RECIPE

Strawberry Shortcake is one of our favorites desserts!  Light and delicious it's the perfect way to end a meal.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• lemon zest
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 4 oz cold unsalted butter
• coarse sugar

TOPPING

• 3 cups fresh strawberries , sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• lemon zest
• Whipped Cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt & lemon zest in a small bowl (or food processor).
3. Add cold butter and cut in with a fork or pulse a few times with a food processor (or cut in by hand using a pastry cutter) until you have coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk.
4. Drop dough onto the prepared pan. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and lemon zest. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Combine sliced strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to release juices.
6. Serve biscuits with strawberries and whipped cream.

Source in image