Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Time: 10-12 minutes

Yield: About 2 dozen cookies

Oven temperature: 350 degrees

INGREDIENTS

Nonstick cooking oil spray

1 very ripe medium banana

1/3 cup canola oil

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal or rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips (vegan, if desired)

Mexican Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-rounds
8 ounces green beans, tipped and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
6 cups of chicken stock

12 oz frozen corn
2 teaspoons chilpotle chilies, minced
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
cilantro leaves, for garnish
6 wedges lime

Serves 6.

Chicken Potpie

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 1 cup carrot chopped
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup 1% milk you may also substitute skim, 2% or whole milk but the nutrition facts will change
• 2 cups chicken cooked, chopped
• 1 cup peas thawed from frozen
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 4 unbaked pie crustshomemade or store-bought

INSTRUCTIONS

• TO MAKE FILLINGSaute the first 3 ingredients in butter in a big skillet over medium heat until tender. Add flour; stir until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and milk; cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.
• Stir in chicken, peas, salt, and pepper. Cool before pouring into pie crusts. VERY important!
• FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:At this point you may freeze the filling in a labeled freezer safe container/bag. To prepare from frozen, read instructions below.
• Or you may also assemble the whole pie and freeze whole.
• To do that, prepare crusts. Roll them out and place the bottom crusts in the pie plates and set aside the top crusts until ready to cover. Pour filling mixture into bottom crusts and cover with top crusts. Fold edges under and crimp. Poke slits in the top (you can make a nice pattern here too!)
• Cover with foil, label and freeze. See below for preparation instructions
• TO PREPARE POT PIE FROM FRESHPreheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Prepare crusts. Roll them out and place the bottom crusts in the pie plates and set aside the top crusts until ready to cover. Pour filling mixture into bottom crusts and cover with top crusts. Fold edges under and crimp. Poke slits in the top (you can make a nice pattern here too!)
• Bake assembled pie uncovered, for 30-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
• TO PREPARE POT PIE FROM FROZENThaw filling in refrigerator. You might need to stir or mush the filling together to combine well and reincorporate. Assemble as described above and bake accordingly. OR you may bake the whole pie from frozen.
• To do so, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, then cover with foil and bake 30 more minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 16 (from two pies--if you're just making one pie it will just serve 8).
• Freezes very well separately or fully prepared in the crust. Try them both and see which way you prefer!

Roasted Broccoli Tortellini

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons coconut oil

2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 package (9 oz.) cheese tortellini, cooked according to package directions 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons pine nuts

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss broccoli with garlic salt and melted coconut oil. Roast broccoli on baking sheet until it gets browned at the edges and crispy (about 15 minutes). Add butter to skillet over medium heat, once melted add cooked tortellini. Toast the tortellini and butter until butter takes on a light brown color and nutty aroma. Add roasted broccoli, lemon juice, and zest; tossing to combine and just heating through. Garnish with pine nuts.

Cheesy Sausage, Rice, and Spinach

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

24 oz chicken sausage, sliced lengthwise, then into bite-sized pieces (I used 2 packages of Johnsonville Chicken Apple Sausage)

1/2 of a medium onion, diced

4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 cups brown rice

3.75 cups water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided

16 oz fresh spinach

Instructions

Turn Instant Pot onto sauté mode. Add olive oil and heat for about two minutes, until shimmering. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add onion and saute for another two minutes, or until onion is tender.

Add garlic and continue sauteing for another 30 seconds. Stir in rice and continue cooking over medium heat for two minutes, stirring occasionally, or until rice is slightly toasted.

Pour in the water and bouillon cube and stir to incorporate any browned bits on the bottom. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and change to “Rice” setting or 12 minutes on high pressure. When complete, use the vent to do quick release. When the pressure valve drops, open the lid.

Fluff the rice, then stir in the cheese of the cheese. Add in the spinach a handful at a time, stirring it in bit by bit until the cheese is melted and spinach is wilted.

Makes 8 servings.

Healthy Fruit Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 1/4 cups fruit (strawberries, blueberries, apricots, raspberries, peaches...)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F, and grease a muffin tin (or use a silicone muffin pan.)
• In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
• Fold in finely diced fruit (save 1/4 cup for garnish) and stir to coat.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, coconut oil, vanilla, and honey.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until well-combined. Do not over-mix.
• Portion batter equally into muffin pan. (You should get 12 over-sized muffins.)
• Bake 22-25 minutes, or until muffins are completely set and golden brown.
• Cool slightly, and enjoy! Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days.

Healthy Banana Muffins

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ cup maple syrup or honey

• 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature

• 1 cup packed mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)

• ¼ cup milk or water

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour

• ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). 

2 In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and maple syrup together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon.

3 Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined. If you’d like to add any additional mix-ins, like nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in now.

4 Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake muffins for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

5 Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. 

These muffins will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They keep well in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months (just defrost individual muffins as needed).