Cookie and Kate

Apple & Carrot “Superhero” Muffins

October 18, 2018 53 Comments

In the mood for some fall baking? Me, too! I’m cozying up with these apple carrot muffins and a cup of coffee. Cookie is hoping for some crumbs.

My sweet publisher sent me a cookbook called Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. a few months ago. The cookbook was co-written by Olympian/NYC Marathon champ Shalane Flanagan and chef/nutrition coach Elyse Kopecky.

I should confess that I hate running and only qualify for the “hangry” portion of the book’s subtitle, “Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes.”

Nonetheless, the book is up my alley because it’s full of energizing, whole foods-based recipes. I haven’t been able to get this hybrid apple-carrot muffin recipe out of my mind. They didn’t disappoint!

The authors call these muffins “superhero” muffins because they are muffins that sustain. They offered three versions in the book, and I chose the muffins featuring grated fresh carrots and Granny Smith apples.

These muffins are very hearty and wholesome, which makes them perfect grab-and-go breakfasts or snacks. I think they would freeze well for several months, if you want to keep them on hand for hangry moments.

Bonus? These muffins are gluten free and naturally sweetened, and easy to mix up by hand. Apple carrot muffins for the win.

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Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese

October 16, 2018 27 Comments

I should put “Parmesan cheese” in big quotations here, because this vegan version is definitely not cheese. Yet, it tastes quite similar to the real deal! I’m loving this vegan Parmesan cheese recipe and I think you will, too.

This vegan Parm is great sprinkled over savory meals in lieu of real Parmesan. Whether you’re vegan, dairy free, avoiding animal rennet, looking to limit your consumption of animal products, or just plain curious—this recipe is for you.

I’m not the first person to come up with a vegan Parmesan cheese substitute. I’ve tried several recipes over the years, but none quite hit the mark. When I was wandering around Whole Foods the other day, I came across a vegan Parmesan blend in the refrigerated section. It used hemp seeds instead of raw cashews like I’ve used before. I was intrigued.

I didn’t buy that vegan Parm, but the idea stuck with me until I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Hemp seeds seemed like a great choice since they’re tender, nutty, nutritious, and nut free (a bonus for my friends with nut allergies). Hemp seeds are also tiny, which meant that I could simply stir the ingredients together instead of making a mess in my food processor.

So, I bought some hemp seeds on another grocery store run, and came home and started experimenting. Bingo! Meet the best vegan Parm I’ve ever had. You’ll only need five ingredients for this dairy-free wonder.

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Megan’s Wild Rice & Kale Salad

October 14, 2018 12 Comments

I forgot how much I love wild rice in salads. It’s tender, chewy, with an irresistible nutty flavor. I owe my friend Megan Gilmore a thank you for the reminder.

This salad recipe comes from Megan’s new cookbook, The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook. You might know Megan as The Detoxinista, and the creator of this Mexican quinoa stew recipe that has been such a hit.

Megan’s new cookbook offers 75 easy recipes for fresh and healthy, light meals made in your Instant Pot. If you’re obsessed with Instant Pot cooking, you need this book!

I bought my Instant Pot last year (that’s an affiliate link, and Target is offering a discount right now). So far I’ve discovered that my Instant Pot does a fantastic job of cooking dried beans from scratch in about an hour.

Instant Pots definitely have their pros and cons, and are better suited for some types of recipes (like beans, but not multi-step soup recipes since you have to depressurize the pot to add ingredients or blend them). Instant Pots typically take 5 to 20 minutes to pressurize—only then do they start cooking.

Megan’s new book has opened my eyes to more uses for the Instant Pot. For example, she simultaneously cooks vegetarian red beans while rice cooks on the rack above—woah!

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29 Delicious Vegan Dinner Recipes

October 9, 2018 81 Comments

Where did the weekend go? Serious question. I enjoyed a few too many heavy meals over the past few days, so I thought we could lighten up a little with my favorite vegan dinners.

You won’t find any weird meat substitutes here. You’ll find wholesome vegan meals made with protein-rich whole grains, beans, and nuts. You’ll also see plenty of fresh, colorful produce, and occasionally some tofu.

As a vegetarian, a lot of my recipes happen to be vegan, or would be if I simply left off the sprinkle of cheese. I love the challenge of making my favorite cheesy recipes vegan, like when I figured out how to make vegan versions of the lasagna and enchiladas for my cookbook.

If you’re looking to reduce your consumption of animal products, you’re in the right place. I’ve picked out 29 favorite recipes to highlight today. You’ll find lots of comments below proving that even the most adamant carnivores can fall in love with vegan meals!

You can browse my vegan recipe index to see all of my options on Cookie and Kate. For even more, check out my cookbook, Love Real Food, which offers 96 tested vegan/vegan-option recipes. I worked so hard to make the vegan options just as tempting as the originals.

If you make any of these recipes, please let me know how they turn out for you in the comments. I really love hearing from you!

1) Amazing Vegan Mac and Cheese

“I made this at my daughters request and have to admit I was skeptical as we are neither vegan or vegetarian. It was awesome, all three of my children and my wife raved about it, we will definitely be making this again.” – Patrick

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Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Arugula Salad with Sunshine Dressing

October 6, 2018 38 Comments

I’ve been wishing for crisp fall days and getting 80-degree weather instead. So, my boots are waiting patiently in my closet, and I’m enjoying this hearty fall salad instead of soup. All in due time!

This large salad is made with baby arugula, shredded Brussels sprouts, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted pecans. I tossed all of that with my healthier honey-mustard dressing, which I like to call sunshine salad dressing. The end result is tangy and irresistible, crisp and refreshing, and quite filling.

I know that we haven’t crossed the Halloween threshold yet, but—this salad would be a great contender for your holiday table. Make it for dinner tonight, pack it for weekday lunches, and serve it up on the holidays! I’ve included preparation tips below, including some ways to make this salad in a hurry.

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Spicy Kale and Coconut Fried Rice

October 2, 2018 383 Comments

I’m jet lagged from my trip to Greece, so I made one of my old favorites to share again! It’s comforting and packed with nutrients, which is just what I need right now.

In fact, I enjoy this recipe so much that it inspired a recipe in my cookbook, the colorful coconut fried rice with edamame on page 182. If you haven’t tried that one yet, you’ve really missed out.

This dish is a relatively quick weeknight meal and a fun alternative to my go-to extra vegetable fried rice. This recipe has some Thai flavors, including sriracha, lime and cilantro.

I added coconut flakes, too! The big, toasted coconut flakes are savory and remind me of bacon. We all know that bacon and eggs belong together, so today, I present to you a healthier, vegetarian option.

For some reason, when I shared this recipe four years ago, I called it a stir-fry. It’s fried rice, not a stir fry! This is a stir fry. Moving on.

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