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Dip Trio: 3 No-Cook 5 Ingredient Dip Recipes

ALL, Appetizer, Snack, Winter14

Looking for easy dip options for The Big Game  or a way to help eat up an entire vegetable tray? Look no further than these 5 ingredient dip recipes!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Earthbound Farm. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

It’s that time again – time for another football season to be over (yassss) – jk jk! What I mean to say is that it’s time for football’s annual grand finale – the Super Bowl! And we all know that the best part about the Super Bowl is the food you serve during it (because, let’s be honest, even the commercials have been lackluster in recent years). Oh and if football isn’t your thing (raises hand) then there is always the annual Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet which helps shelter dogs find forever homes while also supplying all of it’s viewers with a healthy dose of adorable puppy watching. Win-win? I think so!

5 ingredient dip recipes

To prepare for the festivities, I’ve created 3 easy dips so you can have a big dip spread ready for your guests in no time. And to make it even easier, I’ve created them with Earthbound Farm’s organic vegetable tray in mind so you don’t have to waste precious time choosing and chopping veggies for the table. Instead, take 20 or so minutes to whip up these easy dips and dig right in!

The vegetable trays feature organic carrots, organic broccoli, organic celery sticks, and organic tomatoes which will give your dip table a nice variety of texture, color, and dipping options! I also love how the tray already has all the vegetables in easily “dippable” form so you can keep it simple and not have to worry about putting out utensils for your guests.

Next we are going to talk about the dips but first I wanted to note that I don’t include salt and pepper when I say these are all only 5 ingredients because…well you all should have salt and pepper on hand already! And there are a few options where I’ll suggest drizzling the top with olive oil to really give the dip an extra ‘wow’ factor but it’s not required for a delicious dip.

5 ingredient dip recipes

Okay! First up on my 5 ingredient dip recipes list is this Buffalo Blue Cheese Artichoke Dip. The artichokes really give it some body while the tangy buffalo sauce and pungent blue cheese give this dip a ton of flavor. It was inspired by buffalo wings with blue cheese sauce but think of it without the meat and in dip form!

5 ingredient dip recipes
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Buffalo Blue Cheese Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 6 oz canned artichoke hearts drained and chopped
  • 1 Tbsp buffalo sauce + more for topping
  • 2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese + more for topping
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • optional: olive oil for drizzling on top
Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together cream cheese, yogurt, artichoke hearts, buffalo sauce, and blue cheese.

  2. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

  3. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil (optional), buffalo sauce, and a few sprinkles of blue cheese.

5 ingredient dip recipes

Next we have an easy Spicy White Bean Romesco (red pepper) sauce which will not only be a delicious addition to your table but will also give an extra pop of color! I wanted to include at least one vegan dip in this trio and also made sure to include the white beans for a little protein.

Oh – also! Like beans in your dip? Make sure to check out my 7 hummus recipe round-up for more vegetable tray dip inspo!

5 ingredient dip recipes
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Spicy White Bean Romesco (Red Pepper) Sauce
Ingredients
  • 1 15.5 oz can white beans drained and rinsed
  • 12 oz roasted red peppers drained and rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp harissa paste (you can add more or less depending on how spicy you like things)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice (from 1 freshly squeezed lemon)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • optional: olive oil (for topping)
Instructions

  1. Transfer all ingredients into a food processor and process until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

  2. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil (optional) and a few turns of freshly ground pepper.

5 ingredient dip recipes

Finally, we have a fun riff on traditional pimento dip with this Smoked Gouda Pimento spread! The smoky flavor from the smoked Gouda brings a whole new flavor to this dish while still having a little tang from the pickles and creaminess from the mayo.

5 ingredient dip recipes
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Smoked Gouda Pimento Dip
Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound smoked gouda shredded
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp chopped pimento
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp finely diced dill pickle or relish
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, fold all the ingredients into each other until completely combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

  2. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve right away.

5 ingredient dip recipes

And there you have it – my favorite 5 ingredient dip recipes! Which dip will you be making for Superbowl Sunday and/or how will you use up your entire tray of Earthbound Farm organic vegetables?! Tell me in the comments below or over on Instagram!

Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl with Greek Yogurt Ranch and Spicy Quick Slaw

ALL, Entree, Salad, Sauce, Winter51

This Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl with Greek Yogurt Ranch and Spicy Quick Slaw is an easy and quick veg-packed meal perfect for lunch or dinner! All the components can be made ahead of time for a quick weekday meal.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl

I’m going to go ahead and guess that you are here today because you got your fill on holiday sweets and are ready for something a little bit healthier? Am I right? Well good because you’ve come to the right place! Am I wrong? Well whoops – I’m glad you are here anyway!

Normally this time of year I’m just posting soup recipe after soup recipe but all I’ve been craving lately are big veggie-packed bowls. Instead of making a big batch of soup for the week, I’ve been roasting veggies, boiling a few servings of grains, and mixing up an easy dressing to enjoy during the week.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl

And one of the bowls I’ve been making on repeat lately has been this Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl with Greek Yogurt Ranch and Spicy Quick Slaw. All the components are easy to make ahead of time (just warm up the cauliflower and grains when ready to eat) so making a healthy meal has never been easier.

I happened to have had a batch of rice already made when I shot this bowl so it’s what I used but I also love this bowl with quinoa for an extra protein boost. And if you need even more protein, I bet some stew-y black beans would work great with this to give it a Mexican-burrito-bowl-vibe.

For the slaw, I used pickled jalapenos as I find them to blend better into the overall flavor of the acidic slaw but you could use fresh if you like things extra spicy.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl
Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl
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Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl with Greek Yogurt Ranch and Spicy Quick Slaw

This Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl with Greek Yogurt Ranch and Spicy Quick Slaw is an easy and quick veg-packed meal perfect for lunch or dinner! All the components can be made ahead of time for a quick weekday meal.

Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the buffalo cauliflower
  • 1 head cauflower trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup buffalo sauce + more for brush at the end
For the Greek Yogurt Ranch
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives or scallions
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • dash of pepper
For the Spicy Quick Slaw
  • 1/2 red cabbage head thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • dash of black pepper
Everything else:
  • 4 cups cooked rice or quinoa
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp chopped chives or scallions
Instructions
For the buffalo cauliflower:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cauliflower to baking sheet and toss with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Bake for 20 minutes or until starting to brown in spots.

  2. Toss the cooked cauliflower with 1/4 cup buffalo sauce and continue to make for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and taste. Brush with more buffalo sauce if you’d like it spicier.

For the Greek Yogurt Ranch:

  1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, buttermilk, 1 Tbsp fresh chives, garlic powder, onion powder, and a dash of pepper.

For the Spicy Quick Slaw:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, honey, 1/2 tsp salt, and dash of black pepper. Add cabbage and red pepper to the bowl and toss to coat.

To assemble:

  1. Divide the rice between 4 serving bowls and spread to cover the bottom of each bowl. Top each bowl with 1/4 of the spicy slaw, buffalo cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, and scallions/chives. Drizzle with greek yogurt ranch and serve right away.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl

What have been some of your favorite healthy meals to make in the new year? Tell me in the comments below or over on Instagram!

24 Easy Vegetarian Recipes For A Veg Filled January

ALL, Entree, Round-Up, Winter143

Looking to incorporate more veggies and plant-based food into your diet? Look no further as I’ve got 24 easy vegetarian recipes that are packed with flavor without the meat:

This Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad With Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette is a hearty savory winter salad with a touch of sweet from the apples and cranberries.

Looking for a munchies recipe to make for your next movie marathon or game night? These Smoky Quinoa Vegetarian Nachos are easy to make, addicting, and super versatile so you can easily adapt the recipe to what you like most about nachos (cheese…lots of melty cheese).

Vegan Chili Mac

This Vegan Chili Mac recipe from Power Plates is the ultimate comfort food: a vegan hybrid between macaroni and cheese and chili.

Roasted Veggies with Citrus Gremolata and Polenta

This Roasted Veggies with Citrus Gremolata and Polenta is my go-to for a pantry staple dinner. You can mix and match whichever veggies, beans, and sauce options you have on hand to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less!

Cauliflower Steak with Carrot Miso Puree & Carrot-top Pesto

This Cauliflower Steak with Carrot Miso Puree & Carrot-top Pesto is a total show stopper!

Buddha Bowl With Poblano Tahni Sauce

This Buddha Bowl with Poblano Tahini Sauce is from Mostly Plants: 101 Flexitarian Recipes with the Pollan Family. It’s perfect for an easy dinner or meal prep it ahead of time to enjoy as a weekday lunch.

This Thai Quinoa Salad is a lunch option – it’s refreshing, packed full of flavor, and can easily be made ahead of time too!

This Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone soup is a perfect cool weather vegetarian main to serve a large crowd or use as leftovers for lunch or dinners throughout the week.

Cauliflower Parmesan

This Cauliflower Parmesan is a winter twist on the classic Eggplant Parmesan dish. This cheesy cauliflower recipe is a perfect vegetarian main for date night or even a weeknight meal.

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

This Walnut Meat Tacos with Peach Tomato Salsa recipe can be made in under 20 minutes and requires minimal cook time!

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

This Purple Corn Veggie Fritters recipe is so easy to make for weeknight dinner and can be altered to fit whatever ingredients you may already have on hand.

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

Pizza time! Make sure to try this homemade Sweet and Savory Vegetarian Potato Grape and Rosemary Pizza Recipe!

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

This Vegetarian Polenta Pizza Stuffed Peppers recipe is the perfect weeknight plant-based meal. Chocked full of vegetables, filling polenta, and gooey cheese, this main is sure to please everyone in your family!

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

These Healthy Vegetarian Lentil-Walnut Meatballs are the perfect meat-free meal. Serve them with spaghetti and your favorite tomato sauce for a hearty main.

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

This Vegetarian Quinoa Taco Meat Tostadas recipe is a quick and simple meat-free weeknight main entree. The quinoa taco meat is a healthy substitute for crumbled beef and a must-try for any vegetarian!

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

These Vegetarian Butternut Squash & White Bean Fritters with Blue Cheese & Walnuts are a quick and flavorful vegetarian meal that can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes.

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

Creamy Vegetarian White Chili recipe that is cozy and filling (with vegan option). Ideal for healthy weeknight meals or chilly afternoons.

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

This Vegan Pumpkin Baked Ziti recipe (from the Veganomicon cookbook) is a hearty vegetarian main dish. It can even be made ahead of time and baked just before serving!

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

This Pumpkin Farro Risotto with Roasted Winter Vegetables is a great vegetarian holiday entree option or the perfect dinner for a chilly winter evening.  

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

This Creamy Quinoa and White Bean Risotto with Crispy Brassica Florets is from The First Mess cookbook. This healthy plant-based main dish is chocked full of protein (from the quinoa and white beans) and satisfyingly creamy.

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

This Vegetarian Baked Ziti With Chorizo-Spiced Chickpeas recipe is packed with vegetables, protein-rich beans, gooey cheese, and deliciously carb-y pasta.

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

This Smoky Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice recipe is loaded with up melt-in-your-mouth vegetables that are tender and packed with flavor.

15 Easy Vegetarian Recipes To Get You Eating More Vegetables

These Curried Veggie Patties with Coconut Quinoa are the perfect meal to throw together when you are trying to get rid of leftover vegetables or just looking to incorporate more veggies into your diet!

These Fried Eggs with Green Tahini and Pita are packed with spices and herbs and make a perfect simple dinner or weekend breakfast for two.

I hope these 24 easy vegetarian recipes have inspired you to create more veg-packed meals this month!

Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies with Candied Citrus Peel

ALL, Sweets, Winter43

These Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies with Candied Citrus Peel are a must for your holiday cookie tray! The cookies are soft with a touch of tang and don’t require you to roll out the dough or even chill it!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies

Dang! Christmas is SIX days away? Where did December go?? Can I be honest with you? This holiday season went by so fast that we didn’t even get around to putting our tree up (eeep!). And I’m not even close to being done with my holiday shopping. The one thing I did make sure I got around to though was making holiday cookies because OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE HOLIDAY COOKIES! What was that? You didn’t make any yet this year? Fear not because there is still time this weekend to whip up a batch and may I suggest you start with these Cardamom Orange Sour Cream cookies? Think sugar cookies but without the rolling out and chilling and with a pillow-y texture and a slight tang.

People talk about moments sticking with them from their childhood – usually a movie that made an impact or maybe dancing to a favorite song. But a moment I remember vividly from when I was 11 was biting into a pillowy soft cookie that my teacher made and I was floored at how delicious it was. I begged to know what the secret was and you know what she said? Sour cream. Right then and there I made a mental note that I loved sour cream cookies. Now that I’m an adult and have control of my own kitchen, I’ve added sour cream cookies to my normal holiday cookie rotation (and think you probably should too!).

Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies
Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies
Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies

I used Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose flour and Almond Flour in this recipe. The little bit of almond flour helps yield a tender cookie and gives it a slight nutty flavor. You could use festive holiday sprinkles instead of citrus if you didn’t want to make the candied citrus but it brings together the flavors nicely since there is also orange in the cookie. Finally, make sure you let the cookies cool completely before adding the frosting so the frosting doesn’t melt off the cookie.

Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies
Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies
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Almond Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies with Candied Citrus Peel

These Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies with Candied Citrus Peel are a must for your holiday cookie tray! The cookies are soft with a touch of tang and don’t require you to roll out the dough or even chill it!

Ingredients
For the cookies:
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp almond extract (can sub vanilla extract if you’d prefer)
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour
  • 2/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
For the frosting:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp milk
For the candied citrus:
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
Instructions
For the cookies:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1 Tbsp sugar in a small shallow bowl and set aside.

  2. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy and pale in color, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, almond extract (if using), and orange zest until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream until incorporated.

  3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, cardamom, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Slowly pour into the mixer bowl while the mixer is running on low speed and mix until combined.

  4. Drop tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheet, keeping 2 inches in between each cookie. Wet the bottom of a glass with water and dip it into the sugar in the shallow bowl. Press into each cookie to flatten, re-wetting and dipping in sugar after each cookie to keep it from sticking.

  5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until starting to brown around edges. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before adding frosting.

For the frosting

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until incorporated. Add milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, and beat for an additional 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.

For the citrus peel

  1. Use a peeler to remove off long strips of the orange peel until all of the outer layer is removed. Use a sharp pairing knife to slice peel into 1/4 inch wide strips.

  2. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a boil over high heat. Add orange peel strips and let boil until translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove peels with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack, separating each piece so they don’t stick together as they dry.

  3. When ready to assemble. frost each cookie using a spatula and add 3-5 strips of orange peel (depending on how many your orange yielded).

Cardamom Orange Sour Cream Cookies

Cauliflower Parmesan

ALL, Entree, Winter63

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lucini Italia. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

This Cauliflower Parmesan is a winter twist on the classic Eggplant Parmesan dish. This cheesy cauliflower recipe is a perfect vegetarian main for date night or even a weeknight meal.

It’s the holiday season (hoop-dee-dooooo!) which means endless cookie trays, gingerbread house building, and holiday party drinking galore! These are all really fun parts of the season but it doesn’t take much to over do them. I don’t know about you but I always wake up craving vegetables after a weekend of sweets and one too many punch bowl cocktails. 

All of this is to say that I’m excited to partner with Lucini Italia on this post to bring you all a veg-packed healthy vegetarian main to enjoy between all the cookie binging. It’s simple enough to enjoy on a weeknight and goes great with a simple side salad. 

This recipe is inspired by an Italian classic – Eggplant Parmesan. The classic isn’t very winter friendly (eggplants and basil in December? Not ideal) so I decided to make a version great for all year round with cauliflower “steaks” and heartier herbs like thyme and oregano. But fear not Eggplant Parmesan purists, it is still chocked full of the best part: cheese and more cheese!

I used Lucini Italia’s Organic Roasted Garlic Marinara in this recipe which I was pleasantly surprised to learn, through working with them on this post, is made using all organic ingredients from one organic tomato farm in Tuscany. It also has no added sugar which is something I’m always looking for when buying store bought items. I also found the sauce to be lighter and taste fresher than other store tomato sauces I’ve purchased before.This is because they use a cooked-once technique which is a rare industry process that allows the ingredients to maintain their fresh flavor (this is in comparison to the cooked-twice method which many brands utilize and involves having the tomatoes cooked / processed when harvested and then cooked / processed again months later when adding additional ingredients). 

In addition to the organic sauce, I used Lucini Italia’s extra virgin olive oil which you can learn more behind the bottle here. I always love seeing exactly where my food is coming from!

To ensure the cauliflower doesn’t fall apart, you need to make pretty thick cuts to create the “steaks” – I’d recommend at least an inch. I cooked the breaded cauliflower on it’s own at first to make sure it’s cooked all the way through before adding the sauce and topping it with all the cheese and baking one final time.

Cauliflower Parmesan
Cauliflower Parmesan
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Cauliflower Parmesan

This Cauliflower Parmesan is a winter twist on the classic Eggplant Parmesan dish. This cheesy cauliflower recipe is a perfect vegetarian main for date night or even a weeknight meal.

Ingredients
For the breaded cauliflower
Everything else:
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with 1 tsp olive oil.

  2. In a shallow bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 2 Tbsp water. In another shallow bowl, spread out the panko breadcrumbs. Dip both sides of each cauliflower slice into the egg mixture and then into the panko mixture (making sure it’s completely coated). Repeat with the rest of the cauliflower pieces and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil.  

  3. Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and a knife can easily pierce the cauliflower. Remove from oven and transfer breaded cauliflower onto a plate.

  4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta, oregano, thyme, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper.

  5. Using the same baking sheet, pour half the jar of marinara sauce in the bottle of the baking sheet and spread out into an even layer. Add cauliflower over the sauce and divide the ricotta evenly over each piece of ricotta. Dot each piece with mozzarella, more marinara (using up the rest of the jar), and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Drizzle it all with 2 Tbsp olive oil.

  6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is starting to brown and the sauce is bubbly.

  7. Let cool slightly for five minutes before serving.

7 Easy & Homemade Hummus Recipes

ALL, Appetizer, Side26

Say goodbye to that boring store-bought hummus you always wish tasted just a little bit better. I’ve got 7 easy and homemade hummus recipes to up your hummus game this holiday season:

Homemade Hummus Recipes

This Roasted Beet Hummus with Hazelnut Oil & Rosemary recipe is a bright snack worthy of serving to guests but simple enough to enjoy with weekday meals. The beautiful pink hue will steal the show of any appetizer table at your holiday gathering!

This Butternut Squash Hummus with Brown Butter & Fried Sage is a stellar fall or winter appetizer and snack. The nutty brown butter gives an extra flavor punch to the already rich hummus. It’s an *almost* make ahead appetizer because you can make this hummus ahead of time and then just brown the butter and sage right before your guests to arrive

Homemade Hummus Recipes

This White Bean Buffalo Hummus is a healthy protein-packed afternoon snack or spread for any meal. Using white beans to create a creamy hummus is the secret to being able to cut back on oil in this recipe. This hummus can also be made ahead of time with toppings added right before serving.

Homemade Hummus Recipes

This Smoky Pumpkin & Black Sesame Seed Hummus is the perfect fall appetizer or an easy dinner with a side of chopped veggies and chips.

Homemade Hummus Recipes

If you like an extra crunch in your hummus this than Coriander Hummus is for you!

Homemade Hummus Recipes

Sweet Potato Hummus is a fun twist with roasted sweet potatoes blended right into the hummus.

Homemade Hummus Recipes

This Spicy Corn Jalapeño Hummus would be perfect for a summer dinner when corn is in season but using frozen corn during the holidays will also work for this recipe. Also, feel free to use more or less jalapeño depending on how spicy you like your dips.

These are my favorite 7 easy & homemade hummus recipes to serve on the holiday appetizer table. What are some of your favorite hummus recipes?

Gingerbread Brownie Sundae with Peppermint Stick Ice Cream & Molasses Drizzle

ALL, Entertaining, Sweets, Winter28

These Gingerbread Brownie Sundaes with Peppermint Stick Ice Cream & Molasses Drizzle are a fun and interactive dessert that allows your whole family to come together around the table to assemble their own.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hudsonville Ice Cream. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Gingerbread Brownie Sundae with Peppermint Ice Cream & Molasses Drizzle

Welcome to one of the best seasons of the year (if I do so say myself) – holiday baking season! Although cookies are the go-to, I want to talk to you about making this sundae at your holiday gathering instead this year. The gingerbread brownie pieces in these sundaes allows you to get your cookie fix while taking it to the next level with Hudsvonville ice cream and a molasses drizzle – what’s not to like?? Plus, having a little sundae bar set up at the table will take the pressure off of you and create a fun little interactive station that allows the family to gather around and create their own dessert.

For the ice cream, I used Hudsonville’s seasonal Peppermint Stick ice cream which has an incredibly creamy vanilla base with crush peppermint sticks folded in. It compliments the gingerbread perfectly but is only available during the holiday season which is just one more reason to make these sundaes sooner than later!

As for the molasses drizzle, the holidays are the perfect time to pull out that bottle of molasses that you’ve been hiding in the back of your baking pantry. Instead of making hot fudge, warm molasses slightly (this will thin it out and also create a delicious contrast to the cold ice cream) to drizzle on your sundae.

Gingerbread Brownie Sundae with Peppermint Ice Cream & Molasses Drizzle

Love this holiday recipes and want even more? Luckily for us, Hudsonville Ice cream compiled an entire ebook of holiday dessert recipes! You can download it HERE and receive access to coupons so you can make these recipes for the holidays as well!

Now go prep these Gingerbread brownie sundaes for you and your family to devour while watching your favorite holiday movie (Elf anyone?).

Gingerbread Brownie Sundae with Peppermint Ice Cream & Molasses Drizzle
Gingerbread Brownie Sundae with Peppermint Ice Cream & Molasses Drizzle
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Gingerbread Brownie Sundae with Peppermint Stick Ice Cream & Molasses Drizzle

These Gingerbread Brownie Sundaes with Peppermint Ice Cream & Molasses Drizzle are a fun and interactive dessert that allows your whole family to come together around the table to assemble their own.

Ingredients
For the Gingerbread Brownies:
  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips I used mini-chips but regular will work too
Everything else:
  • 48 fluid oz. Hudsonville Peppermint Ice Cream
  • ¼ cup warmed molasses
  • garnish options: crushed peppermint candies chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in ½ cup molasses, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Let cool for 5 minutes and then whisk in the eggs.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and sea salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet mixture. Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet, just until combined. Mix in half the chocolate chips.
  4. Transfer batter to prepared baking pan and smooth out into an even layer. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake until the center is set, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
  5. When ready to serve, divide the ice cream evenly between 12 bowls. Crumble the gingerbread brownies over the ice cream and drizzle with warm molasses. Sprinkle with peppermint candy or chocolate chips, is using. Serve right away before the ice cream melts!
Gingerbread Brownie Sundae with Peppermint Ice Cream & Molasses Drizzle

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Sweet Buffalo Glaze

ALL, Entertaining, Side, Thanksgiving, Winter33

This Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Sweet Buffalo Glaze is an easy veg-packed Thanksgiving side that is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Sweet Buffalo Glaze

The Thanksgiving count down is in full force – can you believe it’s ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!? Oh wow wow wow! Despite posting my shopping list on instagram stories earlier today, I just don’t feel prepared. I’ve got the food all sorted but boy oh boy do we still need to clean the house…and figure out the table decorations…and get a final headcount on how many people are coming. This thought tunnel of to-dos makes me wonder why I’m on the internet writing this blog post right now and not prepping…but oh wait, I need to tell you about this recipe. That is why I’m here!

Whether you are hosting or just a guest, it’s always great to have a few easy recipes, like this Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Sweet Buffalo Glaze, in your back pocket for the big day! While the Brussels sprouts roast, you make a quick glaze to toss them in which means all of this all takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Sweet Buffalo Glaze

In addition to this recipe being so easy, I love how it allows you to have a little green on the table because, let’s be real, a whole lot of carbs, starch, and meat appear at Thanksgiving so having a little green on the table to balance things out isn’t going to hurt anyone.

The sweet and spicy buffalo sauce compliments the earthy brussels sprouts perfectly so even the pickiest of eaters can get behind this recipe. Feel free to garnish it with scallions and lemon zest if you are feeling fancy or serve as is if you are short on time – they will be delicious either way!

5 from 1 vote
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Sweet Buffalo Glaze
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Sweet Buffalo Glaze
Ingredients
  • 1 pound brussels sprouts halved and trimmed
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup buffalo sauce
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • lemon zest for garnish (optional)
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt, and a turn of freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and spread out into a single layer. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until browned on most sides.

  2. Meanwhile, combine honey, buffalo sauce, and butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the butter has melted and the glaze has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes.

  3. When Brussels sprouts are done, transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss in the glaze until completely coated with the glaze. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if needed.

  4. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with scallion slices and lemon zest (if using). Serve right away.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Sweet Buffalo Glaze

Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Check out my 25 Vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes round-up!

Cheddar Corn Pudding with Crispy Spicy Sweet Topping

ALL, Entertaining, Side, Thanksgiving, Winter45

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of KitchnAid. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

This Cheddar Corn Pudding with Crispy Spicy Sweet Topping is a creative and delicious Thanksgiving side. The inside is similar enough to traditional corn pudding to please the traditionalist while the crunchy topping brings a whole new level to your Thanksgiving table.

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away – can you believe it?! Do you have your menu planned? And your shopping list sorted? Truth be told, I’m still working on it but at least I’ve perfected this Cheddar Corn Pudding recipe to steal the spotlight. If nothing else, there will be corn pudding!

As a vegetarian, I find the sides to be way more important than the turkey because well, there isn’t turkey on my table. BUT if there was, it still would only be taking up 1/3 of your plate while the sides take up the other third. So why not put as much, if not more, effort into the sides? I always like to straddle the line between traditional and modern when it comes to my Thanksgiving side recipes because I crave the traditional recipes (cornbread casserole, sweet potato casserole, etc) but get so bored with cooking the same recipes every year. And this is exactly why I wanted to develop a corn pudding recipe that was similar enough to the traditional casserole that it’d please the purists while also bringing something new to the table.

I pulled out my new KitchenAid K400 blender to help me whip this up quickly (which is essential when it comes to Thanksgiving cooking – we have too much to cook to spend too much time on any one recipe). It allowed me to evenly whiz up the breadcrumb topping and then cream all the ingredients together within minutes so I could pop it into the oven ASAP and move on to the next thing.

The KitchenAid K400 blender worked so perfectly for this – when it arrived, there was no assembling required and it was powerful enough to easily chop up my bread within seconds. It also comes in an array of colors and the white looks very stylish on my counter. Plus, it can hold a ton of liquid – I was pleasantly surprised at how much space there still was after I put all the liquid ingredients in for this recipe.

Now let’s get into the nitty gritty of this corn pudding. The inside is what you’d expect from a corn pudding but the real show stopper is the sweet and savory crunchy topping. It’s a mix of corn flakes and country bread that is then tossed in a brown butter, honey, and a chili garlic mixture to create a sweet and savory crunchy top.

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Cheddar Corn Pudding with Crispy Spicy Sweet Topping
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 cups frozen corn
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 15-oz can cream-style corn
For the topping:
  • 1/2 loaf country bread torn into large pieces
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 2 cups corn flakes
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter.

  2. Tear large pieces of country bread into blender. Cover and pulse 3-4 times or until large breadcrumbs have formed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

  3. Rinse blender and then add milk, 4 Tbsp melted butter, cornstarch, and eggs into blender. Blend until completely incorporated, about 5 seconds. Add frozen corn, cheese, and cream-style corn and pulse twice to incorporate.

  4. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and bake for 45 minutes.

  5. Meanwhile, heat 4 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium until the butter has turned down brown and smells nutty, about 4 minutes (watch closely as it will turn past once it starts!). Remove from heat and whisk in chili garlic sauce and honey. Pour corn flakes and breadcrumbs and toss to coat.

  6. When the casserole has 10 minutes left, remove from oven, sprinkle crunchy topping over the casserole and put back in the oven for the remaining time.

  7. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

25 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dishes

ALL, Entertaining, Round-Up, Thanksgiving95

Time to talk about my favorite vegetarian Thanksgiving dishes! Similar to the round-up I did last year, this list features everything from easy vegetarian appetizers to delicious vegetarian Thanksgiving main dishes!

Before we dig into this round-up of vegetarian Thanksgiving dishes, I also wanted to remind you all that I have these resource pages for Thanksgiving as well:

Quick Starters and Appetizers

This Butternut Squash Hummus with Brown Butter & Fried Sage is an fall easy appetizer and snack. The nutty brown butter gives an extra flavor punch to the already rich hummus.

This Roasted Beet Hummus with Hazelnut Oil & Rosemary recipe is a bright and easy snack worthy of serving to guests.

…View More

Sweet Potato & Gorgonzola Crostini + Honey Gimlet

ALL, Appetizer, Drinks, Fall, Snack, Winter43

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hangar 1 Distillery. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

The weather has finally turned chilly here in the Midwest which not only means that I can officially throw on some eyeliner and a sweatshirt without melting, but it also means it’s time for fall entertaining! We had to bring all the plants in from outside (since the nights are getting very chilly) which now makes our dining room my favorite spot – plants line the walls, a beautiful breeze streams in through the open windows, and the golden light of fall fills the room.

To celebrate my favorite season, I’m having friends over to sip on Honey Gimlets (made with Hangar 1 Honeycomb Vodka) and easy Sweet Potato & Gorgonzola Crostini! Hangar 1’s Honeycomb Vodka is infused with actual honeycomb (not just honey!) so the finished flavor is vibrant and unique. I loved serving these honey gimlets with the crostini (recipe below) because they are only 2 ingredients so they let the flavor of the Honeycomb Vodka really shine through. Plus, the packaging of this vodka is so gorgeous that I love showing it off by keeping it on the table for guests to ask about.

As for the crostini, you can roast the sweet potatoes a few hours ahead of time and pop them back in the oven to warm up slightly before serving. Same goes for preparing the bread pieces ahead of time. When ready to serve, pile your bread high with sweet potatoes, cheese, fresh sage, and then drizzle the honey. Alternatively, you could leave the honey on the side and let guests drizzle it themselves if you’d like to let them pick their level of sweetness.

Now invite some friends over for cocktails and snacks and get cooking!

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Honey Gimlet

Recipe supplied by Hangar 1 Vodka.

Servings: 1 serving
Ingredients
  • 1.5 oz Hangar 1 Honeycomb Vodka
  • 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
  • orange peel for garnish
Instructions

  1. Shake with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange peel.

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Fall Sweet Potato & Gorgonzola Crostini
Ingredients
  • 1 sweet potato peeled and diced into 1/2 inch thick chunks
  • 1/4 cup olive oil divided
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • dash of pepper
  • 1 baguette
  • 3 Tbsp crumbled gorgonzola (could also use blue cheese)
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped sage
  • 1-2 Tbsp honey
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add sweet potatoes onto prepared baking sheet and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and a dash of pepper. Spread out into a single layer and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the potato pieces are cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, cut the baguette into 1 inch thick round pieces. Brush the remaining oil on both sides of the crostini. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and, working in batches, toast the crostini by cooking on each side for 2-3 minutes each. Set aside.

  3. When ready to serve, divide the sweet potato, honey, and gorgonzola between the crostini pieces. Starting with 1 Tbsp, drizzle honey over the crostini and sprinkle a dash of pepper. Taste and add more honey, if needed.

  4. Serve right away with a Hangar 1 Honey Gimelet.

Apple Pumpkin Cornbread

ALL, Appetizer, Bread, Fall, Soup65

This Apple Pumpkin Cornbread is best enjoyed sliced up and dunked in a fall soup (like my Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone or Vegetarian Chickpea Noodle Soup).

Apple Pumpkin Cornbread

Last week I posted a Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone that is basically my new fall soup obsession. But I wasn’t done there – I wanted to bring it to new heights but also serving it with fresh bread (because everything is better with additional carbs, am I right?). So, once I posted the soup, I immediately started developing this Apple Pumpkin cornbread recipe for all of your fall soup needs.

I played around with mixing pumpkin puree and fall spices into my go-to cornbread recipe and then took it over the top by also covering it in sliced apples before baking. The pumpkin puree and apples add a wonderful moist addition while the cinnamon gives a hint of spice without making it sweeter.

Apple Pumpkin Cornbread
Apple Pumpkin Cornbread
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Apple Pumpkin Cornbread

This Apple Pumpkin Cornbread is best enjoyed sliced up and dunked in a fall soup (like my Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone or Vegetarian Chickpea Noodle Soup). Recipe adapted from Delish.

Ingredients
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup honey + more for drizzling
  • 1/4 cup melted butter cooled
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 granny smith apple cored and cut into thin slices
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 9″ circle pan.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in pumpkin puree, yogurt, honey, butter, and eggs. Whisk together the wet ingredients in the center until combined. Use a spatula to fold the outer dry ingredients into the wet ones just until completely combined.

  3. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Lay granny smith apple slices over the top and gently press in (I fanned them out to create a pretty pattern but you can do whatever you’d prefer).

  4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the center comes out clean. Cool before slicing into pieces (like you would a cake) and serve with your favorite soup. Drizzle with honey (if desired).

Apple Pumpkin Cornbread

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone

ALL, Entree, Fall, Soup, Winter115

This Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone soup is a perfect cool weather vegetarian main to serve a large crowd or use as leftovers for lunch or dinners throughout the week.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – it’s soup season! I don’t know about you but not much brings me as much simple pleasure as making a big batch of delicious soup on a Sunday afternoon (along with some quick bread!) and enjoying it throughout the week.

And this Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro minestrone soup is perfect for exactly that. It’s chocked full of hearty vegetables, filling Bob’s Red Mill farro, and creamy white beans. The soup itself is vegan but can be topped with salty cheese if you’d like.

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone

I almost didn’t call this recipe minestrone since the soup doesn’t have pasta but the chewy farro actually makes a great replacement for pasta and even makes it feel a little more substantial to me. And the trademark tomato base that you get in minestrone is still there along with creamy white beans.

To make this Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone soup extra special, I whipped up a simple sage oil while it was simmering. The oil is nothing more than blending sage and quality olive oil together to create an herb-y oil that is then strained and drizzled. The end result is a nice punch of green and extra richness. Although the oil definitely added to the soup, I will say that I didn’t have any when I enjoyed the leftovers and they were almost just as good.

Leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure to thin out leftover soup with a little broth or water as the farro will continue to absorb the moisture as it sits.

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone
Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone
Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone
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Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro soup

This Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone soup is a perfect cool weather vegetarian main to serve a large crowd or use as leftovers for lunch or dinners throughout the week.

Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion diced
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 3 celery stalks chopped
  • 1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Farro
  • 1 28 oz can fired roasted tomatoes
  • 1 can white beans drained and rinsed
  • salty cheese for garnish (optional)
For the sage oil:
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 10-15 sage leaves
Instructions

  1. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in butternut squash and garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add broth, water, and farro and turn heat up to high. Once boiling, lower heat to medium, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and white beans and let simmer for another 10 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, combine sage leaves and olive oil in a high speed blender and blend for 20 seconds or until the sage has been completely blended. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and reserve the green oil for serving.

  3. When ready to serve, transfer soup to bowls and drizzle with oil, salty cheese, and pepper.

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone

Looking for other soup ideas? I’ve got you covered:

Butternut Squash Hummus with Brown Butter & Fried Sage

ALL, Appetizer, Side, Snack96

This Butternut Squash Hummus with Brown Butter & Fried Sage is an fall easy appetizer and snack. The nutty brown butter gives an extra flavor punch to the already rich hummus.

Butternut Squash Hummus

We are officially halfway through September and the fall equinox is less than a week away so I’m going to say it’s officially okay for me to start posting fall recipes. I mean, let’s think about it – by the time you read this, put all the ingredients on your shopping list, finally get around to schlepping to the store, and then get into the kitchen to make it, it will probably be fall. And you know what? That is good enough for me!

Plus, let’s be honest, I was too excited about this recipe to wait. I got the idea after searching through my cookbook club’s monthly pick, Eat Cook LA, which features a hummus recipe with brown butter on it. It’s pure genius and I knew I had to make my own seasonal version with herbs and vegetables (because I’m always trying to add more vegetables into everything).

The result is this silky and flavor-packed Butternut Squash Hummus with Brown Butter & Fried Sage. To keep the recipe manageable but delicious, I cut corners and also don’t. To cut a corner, I use canned chickpeas and pureed butternut squash which not only allows us to speed up the cooking process but also gives complete control over how sweet the hummus will be. And then on the flip side, I take the extra time to peel the chickpeas (I KNOW – this sounds like it would be super annoying but a light pinch causes the skin to come right off, I promise). If the idea of peeling 2 cans of chickpeas is annoying enough to make you not want to make this recipe then don’t peel the chickpeas. Don’t worry – the hummus will still taste delicious but just won’t be as smooth.

Butternut Squash Hummus
5 from 3 votes
Butternut Squash Hummus
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Butternut Squash Hummus with Brown Butter & Fried Sage

This Butternut Squash Hummus with Brown Butter & Fried Sage is an fall easy appetizer and snack. The nutty brown butter gives an extra flavor punch to the already rich hummus.

Course: Appetizer, Snack
Servings: 10
Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 15 oz cans of chickpeas drained, rinsed, and peeled (optional on peeling but recommended)
  • 1 15 oz can of pureed butternut squash
  • pepper to taste
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp roughly torn sage leaves
Instructions

  1. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cinnamon, garlic cloves, tahini, and salt in a food processor until smooth. With the processor running, add in the chickpeas, 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth. Next, add in the butternut squash and pulse until completely smooth. Set aside.

  2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, watch closely and swirl the pan often until it bubbles and specks of brown butter start to form. Remove from heat and add in sage leaves.

  3. To assemble: Transfer hummus to a small serving bowl and use the back of the spoon to create an indent in the center. Pour browned butter and sage leaves over the hummus. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. Serve right away with crackers.

Butternut Squash Hummus

Love hummus? Make sure to bookmark some of these additional hummus recipes:

Celebrating Turning 30 + A Look Back At My 20’s

ALL, Summer, Sweets52

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf Hudsonville Ice Cream. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Last week I turned 30! And to celebrate, I whipped up a delicious yogurt cake (using coconut yogurt to make it vegan) and served it with Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Dairy Free Peanut Butter Truffle and Smores. Yes – I made my own cake but I always do – I love baking and what a better excuse to bake than for your own birthday? And to make it extra special, I served it with Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Dairy Free Ice Cream because what is cake without a little ice cream to go with it? I love that Hudsonville Ice Cream is here to make this milestone in my life even sweeter!

This wouldn’t be a true Shelly milestone post if I didn’t include a ‘look back’ section. I’ve always been a huge reflector and list maker – when I was cleaning out my childhood home last year, I came across a note to my ‘future self’ that I wrote the night of the millennium telling my future self all about what my life was like up to that point. It was totally a Shelly move.

I also have a lengthy post on turning 25 where I reflected on what I’d learned so far in my 20’s and what I wanted to keep working on for my next 5 years (which brings us to now!). For this list, I’d like to reflect on the last 10 years and think about some of the biggest changes / accomplishments / people / moments from the past decade:

I’ve learned a lot over the last decade but if there is one major takeaway, I’d have to say it’s being persistent and hard working. My mom once told me ‘you are my child and that means you will never be the smartest person in the room but you might be the hardest working and that could take you just as far’. I remember I was sort of offended at first (was she calling me dumb?) but she was totally right – I work HARD and I’m loyal so as long as I keep working at something (food photography, writing, marketing, etc) then opportunities will follow.

And now it’s time to get off the internet and enjoy the leftover cake I have!

Looking to make your next big moment extra sweet? Make sure to add Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Dairy Free to your celebration. This vegan treat is made with a delicious and creamy combination of oat milk and coconut cream. Here are all the flavor options:

If you haven’t already found these pints in your local grocery, use Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Scoop Locator to find where to grab them for your next ice cream craving. What are you waiting for? Go grab a pint or two!

Pickled Peaches

ALL, Snack, Summer42

These Honey-Pickled Peaches are from Smoke, Roots, Mountain, Harvest by Lauren Angelucci McDuffi. These pickled peaches are perfect on salads, in cocktails, and enjoyed by themselves! 

Simple Sunday is a feature where we deep dive into simple recipes, spotlight ingredients, and/or feature recipes for specific occasions.

Are you sick of peaches yet? Well shoot – I sure hope not! They have most certainly been my summer fruit – despite my posting slowing down in the summer, I’ve still managed to post recipes for this addictive Peach Burrara & Tomato Pizza and a simple Peach Tea Lemonade. We are now going to finish off peach season with these pickled peaches!

Peaches season might finally be winding down but that doesn’t mean that you can’t hold onto them a little longer. I love this pickling method of preserving peaches at their peak from Lauren’s new cookbook Smoke, Roots, Mountain, Harvest. Not only does it help you keep peaches around a little longer but it also transforms them into tangy slices perfect for throwing into cocktails, salads, and even topping on pizzas!

I met Luaren a few years back when we were on a panel together in Indianapolis. I had just launched my first cookbook and she had just signed her deal with Chronicle. Although I had heard her speak of the concept and book many times, I could not have imagined such a gorgeous end result. The cover is inviting, the recipes comforting (I have a feeling I’ll be pulling this one out even more come fall!), and the story telling makes me feel like I grew up with her at her Appalachian home. Just an an FYI, not all recipes are vegetarian but there is a good variety for sure.

Does that all interest you? Then I highly recommend checking out this book and whipping up a batch of these pickled peaches asap!

5 from 1 vote
Pickled Peaches
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Honey-Pickled Peaches

These Honey-Pickled Peaches are from Smoke, Roots, Mountain, Harvest by Lauren Angelucci McDuffi. These pickled peaches are perfect on salads, in cocktails, and enjoyed by themselves! 

Ingredients
  • 4 large peaches halved and pitted
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp minced peeled ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
Instructions

  1. Cut the peaches in varying sizes.

  2. For the pickling liquid, combine apple juice, vinegar, honey, ginger, and cinnamon in a medium aluminum pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add peach slices and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer peaches to a 1-quart mason jar.

  3. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add (or add vanilla extract) into the pickling liquid and stir to combine. Pour liquid over the peaches. Cool to room temperature, secure the lid, and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Pickled Peaches

Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie

ALL, Summer, Sweets37

This Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie is the perfect summer dessert to serve at your next gathering! A chocolate graham cracker crust is topped with delicious Hudsonville Dairy-Free ice cream, fudge, homemade whipped cream, and more chocolate. What’s not to love?!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf Hudsonville Ice Cream. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie

As we enter the climax of summer, are you sick of ice cream yet? Of course not! But let’s just say that you’ve had your fill of ice cream cones and sundaes and are ready to adventure on to a different way to enjoy ice cream – enter this Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie. This no-bake pie has an irresistible graham cracker crust and is layered with cherries, Hudsonville Dairy Free Ice Cream, fudge, and homemade whipped cream. What as that you just mumbled? Yes, that is correct – you will be everyone’s favorite at the cook-out with this pie.

The star of this Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie is Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Dairy Free Cherry Fudge flavor. This vegan treat is made with a delicious and creamy combination of oat milk and coconut cream. Not only is the Cherry Fudge delicious, but they have an entire set of creamy and addictive flavors::

If you haven’t already found these pints in your local grocery, use Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Scoop Locator to find where to grab them for your next ice cream craving. What are you waiting for? Go grab a pint or two!

Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie
Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie
Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie

This pie is not hard to make but it does require a little ahead prep since you have to freeze the layers before enjoying. If you are short on time, you can make the graham crust, cherry layer, and ice cream layer the day before and then the day of you’ll want to top the fudge, freeze, and top with whipped cream right before serving. I love making a simple homemade whip to serve on top but you could also buy a store-bought one if you are looking for a short cut.

If you’d rather make this completely dairy-free, you could swap in coconut cream for the fresh whipped cream!

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Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie

This Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie is the perfect summer dessert to serve at your next gathering! A chocolate graham cracker crust is topped with delicious Hudsonville Dairy-Free ice cream, fudge, homemade whipped cream, and more chocolate. What’s not to love?!

Ingredients
Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust:
  • 8 Tbsp butter melted
  • 7 oz chocolate graham crackers
Filling:
  • 1 1/2 cups pitted cherries
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 pints Hudsonville Cherry Fudge Dairy Free Pints
Chocolate Sauce
  • 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips + more for topping chopped small
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp corn syrup
Whipped Cream:
  • 2 cups heavy creamy
Instructions
Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Filling:

  1. In a food processor, pulse graham cracker cookies until finely ground. With the food processor running, stream in the melted butter until completely combined with the cookies. Press evenly into a 9-inch pie dish and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

  2. Meanwhile, add cherries, 2 Tbsp sugar, and water into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until syrupy (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

  3. Add the cream to a small saucepan over medium heat and let warm just until it starts to simmer around the edges. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate and syrup. Whisk until completely incorporated and a glossy ganache has formed. Set aside to cool for at least ten minutes.

  4. Once everything has cooled, spread half of the cherry mixture into the pie pan and then use a spatula to evenly spread 2 points of Hudsonville Cherry Fudge Dairy-Free Ice Cream over that. Top with half the fudge and spread fudge evenly over the top (I stopped the spread of the fudge a few inches from the crust so you can see the ice cream but you can cover the whole pie if you’d like).

  5. Transfer to the freeze and let freeze for at least 3 hours.

  6. When ready to serve, whip the remaining heavy cream on high in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until it’s reached a whipped cream consistency (I’d start checking at two to three minutes).

  7. Pile the whipped cream high on the Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie, drizzle with remaining cherries, and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Serve right away.

Cherry Fudge Ice Cream Pie

Peach Burrata & Tomato Pizza

ALL, Entree, Summer58

This Peach Burrata & Tomato Pizza is the ideal summer pizza pie. The sweet peaches compliment acidic tomatoes and creamy burrata perfectly for an addictive flavor combo.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Peach Burrata Tomato Pizza

It feels like every year I become obsessed with a new fruit (last year was most certainly blueberries and I have the posts to prove it) and this year is hands down peaches. A few weeks back, I snagged a 25 pound box of them from the Peach truck and have been devouring them every since.

I decided to make this Peach Burrata & Tomato pizza because my love for peaches and tomatoes together runs deep – the sweetness from the peaches seem to bring out the fresh acidity of tomatoes and it’s by far one of the best summer flavor combinations in existence. Add some creamy burrata and pungent fresh basil and we are well on our way to the best summer pizza ever.

Peach Burrata Tomato Pizza
Peach Burrata Tomato Pizza
Peach Burrata Tomato Pizza
Peach Burrata Tomato Pizza

To make the pizza crust, I used Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour because I wanted the crust to be on the chewier side and a little bit spongy. If you wanted a crispier crust, it may make sense to use bread flour instead. The pizza is cooked at a very high temperature (ideally on a pizza stone if you have it) so the edges get browned and the toppings crispy while the center stays soft (but not soggy! No one likes soggy pizza!).

A little extra touch for this pie is to finish it off with a drizzle of arugula oil. It sounds fancy but requires zero cooking and can be made while you wait for the dough to rise. But don’t worry, if you don’t feel like dirtying up a few extra dishes (I get it) then this pizza will be fine without it and I won’t be too offended (hopefully).

Peach Burrata Tomato Pizza
Peach Burrata Tomato Pizza
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Peach Burrata & Tomato Pizza

This Peach Burrata & Tomato Pizza is the ideal summer pizza pie. The sweet peaches compliment acidic tomatoes and creamy burrata perfectly for an addictive flavor combo.

Ingredients
For the crust:
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees) divided
  • 3 1/2 – 4 cups Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpse Flour
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil divided
For the toppings:
  • 8 ounces burrata
  • 1 peach thinly sliced
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • handful of basil
  • red pepper flakes optional
For the arugula oil:
  • 1 cup fresh arugula
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions

  1. For the dough: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough attachment, add sugar, yeast, and 1/2 cup warm water. Let sit for five minute or until the yeast has bubbled.

  2. Add Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour (starting with 3 1/2 cups and adding more if the dough looks dry when kneading) and salt and mix on medium. With the stand mixer running, pour in remaining water and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Turn the mixer up to medium-high and let knead for 5 minutes or until a smooth dough ball has formed. Remove from bowl.

  3. Coat the bowl with the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil, add dough back to bowl, and cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about one hour.

  4. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and divide in two. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rest while oven preheats.

  5. Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place pizza stone in middle of oven.

  6. For the arugula oil: Meanwhile, create a ice bath by placing ice cubes in a medium bowl with water. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add arugula and blanch for 1 minutes and then transfer to ice bath.  Transfer to a blender and blend with 1/2 cup olive oil. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.

  7. Transfer dough back to your lightly floured surface and roll out into a circular pizza slightly smaller than your pizza stone. Transfer to the hot pizza stone (being careful not to burn yourself!) and bake for 10 minutes.

  8. Then top the pizza with half of the burrata, tomatoes, peach slices and a drizzle of olive oil and let it continue to bake for another 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes have burst and the peaches are starting to get dark around the edges. Remove pizza from oven and top with basil, red pepper flakes (if using), and arugula oil.

  9. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings. Serve right away.

Peach Burrata Tomato Pizza

Peach Tea Lemonade Recipe

ALL, Drinks, Entertaining, Summer, Vegan58

Meet your new summer drink: homemade Peach Tea Lemonade! Simple to make, packed with in-season peaches, and bound to keep you cool during these humid summer days!

Peach Tea Lemonade

Summer is flying right by! I was excited to snag a 25 pound box of peaches from the Georgia Peach Truck last week; it gave me the perfect excuse to spend the weekend baking up a storm to work my way through the box. I can get a little antsy in the summer because it looks gorgeous outside but it’s actually 95 degrees, insanely humid, and buggy as all get out. So, instead, I try to channel that antsy energy into the kitchen and get creative with all the produce popping up.

Peach Tea Lemonade
Peach Tea Lemonade
Peach Tea Lemonade

The first recipe I developed with my peaches was this Peach Tea Lemonade! This Peach Tea Lemonade is so refreshing – a touch sweet, herbal, and flavorful!

For the tea, I used roobis tea because I love the way it blends with lemon. If you aren’t a roobis fan, you could also use chamomile or black tea depending on what you have on hand. Also, traditional simple syrup usually has a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar. However, since the peaches are already sweet and I don’t like my drinks too sweet, I cut down on the sugar for the syrup. Feel free to add more sugar at the end when you are ready to serve if you think it needs a little more for your liking.

Start by making a simple syrup and then mixing the lemon juice straight into it. From there, brew the tea and let it cool while the simple syrup cools. Once at room temperature, we combine the two and let chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Easy! Serve it with additional slices of lemon, peaches, or mint for an extra pop of color!

Peach Tea Lemonade recipe:

Peach Tea Lemonade
Peach Tea Lemonade
Peach Tea Lemonade
5 from 2 votes
Peach Tea Lemonade
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Peach Tea Lemonade Recipe

Meet your new summer drink: homemade Peach Tea Lemonade! Simple to make, packed with in-season peaches, and bound to keep you cool during these humid summer days!

Ingredients
  • 3 peaches pitted and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 6 cups water divided
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)
  • 4 roobis tea bags
  • Fresh mint, lemon slices, and peach slices for serving
Instructions

  1. Place peach pieces, 2 cups water, and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes or until the peaches has become very soft.

  2. Use the back of a fork or spoon to break up and smash the pieces of peaches to release some of their juices. Continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

  3. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Add in the lemon juice and set aside.

  4. While the peach syrup is simmering, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, add tea bags, cover, and let steep for as long as the package directions suggest.

  5. Combine the peach-lemon mixture with the tea, cover, and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least an hour.

  6. When ready to serve, taste and add more water if you’d like it more diluted. Transfer to serving glasses, top with ice, and garnish with mint, lemon, and peach slices.

Peach Tea Lemonade

More peach recipe ideas:

Summer Salads For A Crowd

ALL, Salad, Side, Summer49

This round-up of summer salads for a crowd features salads of all kind: fruit, grain, and leaf!

It’s HOT out and I need a dish for a potluck / grill out / party. what should I make that won’t put me in a hot kitchen for hours. The answer? A salad! But not just a boring old iceburg salad with ranch dressing – I’m talking a showstopper grain salad or addicting fruit salad or loaded kale salad! Continue on for a round-up of six recipes for the perfect summer salad for a crowd.

Summer Salads For A Crowd Recipe Round-Up:

Summer Salads For A Crowd

This Fruit Salad with Tahini Granola and Creamy Yogurt recipe is a modern hybrid between a parfait and fruit salad for a crowd. It’s cooling, crunchy, tangy, and juicy making it the perfect light dessert on a warm summer day.

Summer Salads For A Crowd

This Roasted Cauliflower & Dates Couscous Salad with Creamy Tahini is a great vegetarian side dish or easy lunch for any season. It’s backed full of flavor and features filling couscous.

Summer Salads For A Crowd

This Heirloom Tomato Salad with Sweet Lemon Dressing recipe is a great way to use up those heirloom tomatoes currently ripening on the vine in your garden.

Summer Salads For A Crowd

This Tomato & Cherry Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette recipe is light but filling and ideal for a quick late summer starter or side.

Summer Salads For A Crowd

This Mint Feta Lime Melon Salad recipe is beyond easy and quick to prep. This juicy fruit salad is the perfect sweet and savory starter for any gathering. It also scales easily so you can double or triple the recipe depending on the guest count!

Summer Salads For A Crowd

White Bean Caprese Panzanella is the perfect simple summer meal. This six ingredient recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make & is perfect for one but could easily be scaled up to accommodate more guests.

Now that I’ve shared some of my favorite summer salads for a crowd, tell me in the comment below what you like to make for big gatherings!

Cookie Lover’s Sundae: Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie with Caramel Cookie Dough Ice Cream

ALL, Summer, Sweets, Vegan61

Happy National Ice Cream Month! We are kicking things off with this Cookie Lover’s Sundae! It’s a huge chocolate chip skillet cookie that is then topped with Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Caramel Cookie Dough Ice Cream, sprinkles, and cherries!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf Hudsonville Ice Cream. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Cookie Lover’s Sundae

After making this insanely delicious cookie lover’s sundae, it got me thinking about why I don’t eat more sundaes. Is it that adults grew out of them? I remember eating them all the time as a kid and yet rarely have them now. But why? Am I too cool for sprinkles and a cherry on top? I better not be! I don’t like ice cream and cookies? We all know that is a lie! They are delicious and refreshing and can easily feed a crowd so why has it taken me this long to get a sundae recipe on VV?! It’s 2019 and I’m declaring sundaes the new summer dessert for adults (and kids)!

For this post, I partnered up with Hudsonville Ice Cream to showcase their new Dairy Free ice cream and I gotta say – it’s so good! It’s creamy (which is hard to find in non-dairy ice cream) and made with a base combination of oat milk and coconut cream. The whole Dairy Free line is filled with fun flavor combos like Caramel Cookie Dough, Birthday Cake, and Peanut Butter Truffle! Make sure to check out their website for more fun flavors and info about the launch! Also, make sure to check out their scoop locator to find a store near you that sells Hudsonville Ice Cream’s new Dairy Free Frozen Dessert!

Cookie Lover’s Sundae
Cookie Lover’s Sundae
Cookie Lover’s Sundae

Now let’s dive into the details on how to make this delicious cookie lover’s sundae! First off, if you are going the adult route, may I suggest going with a little fancier cherry like the Luxardo Maraschino Cherries or Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries? You won’t get that artificially bright red on top but, if we are being honest, that’s probably a good thing anyway, since there is nothing natural about it.

If making this for a crowd, the skillet cookie can be made ahead of time so you don’t have to be prepping while you have guests over. I do suggest if you go that route that you warm the cookie up right before serving so that the chocolate chips will be gooey and the warm cookie will still have a wonderful contrast to the chilled Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Dairy Free Caramel Cookie Dough ice cream.

The cookie itself is vegan and I opted for olive oil instead of non-dairy butter since I love how moist it makes the cookie. There’s also so much going on with this cookie that you don’t have to worry about the olive oil flavor coming through.

Also, depending on what you have on hand and how indulgent you want to get, you can either add more chocolate chips to the top or drizzle chocolate syrup. I’ve had really delicious store-bought hot fudge or you can make your own depending on how much time you want to spend on this sundae!

I think that covers it. Now let’s get baking so we can get to eating this delicious treat!

Cookie Lover’s Sundae
5 from 1 vote
Cookie Lover’s Sundae
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Cookie Lover’s Sundae: Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie with Caramel Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy unsweetened milk (I used coconut)
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
For Everything Else:
  • 1 pint Hudsonville Ice Cream’s Dairy-Free Caramel Cookie Dough Ice Cream
  • 1/4 cup sprinkles
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips OR chocolate syrup
  • marachino cherries for topping
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch heat-proof skillet.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar until combined.

  3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the olive oil and milk into the center. Whisk together the milk and olive oil until combined (it’s okay if a little of the dry ingredients gets in there) and then switch to a wooden spoon to mix everything together until just combined.

  4. Add 3/4 of the chocolate chips and mix until incorporated. Transfer to greased pan and press down dough evenly down onto pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on the top.

  5. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

  6. When ready to serve, scoop Hudsonville Dairy-Free Caramel Cookie Dough Ice Cream over the top, add sprinkles, chocolate chips or chocolate syrup, and top with cherries. Pass around spoons and dig in!

Cookie Lover’s Sundae

Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Butter Dressing

ALL, Salad, Summer95

This Thai Quinoa Salad is a perfect side for a cook-out or picnic – it’s refreshing, packed full of flavor, and can easily be made ahead of time!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The National Peanut Butter Board. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Salad season is officially here and I’m on a constant journey to discover and develop new takes on salads that won’t leave you hungry and wanting more. You know the type – those salads filled with lots and lots of chewy greens that are oh so delicious and refreshing while eating them but leave you wanting more food two hours later. It’s one of the main reasons I love to make this Thai Quinoa Salad for lunch – not only are you getting a protein boost from the quinoa but you are also getting it from the peanut butter in it’s addictive dressing!

It’s no secret I love peanut butter. Not only is it delicious and full of protein but it’s also super versatile! I can top my morning toast with it, swirl it into oatmeal, throw it into a smoothie or, like I did here, make a salad dressing out of it! This dressing is savory and tangy and hits all the right notes to balance out the vegetables and herbs in this salad. The peanut butter is definitely the star ingredient that comes through in the dressing with the ginger giving an extra bite while the rest of the ingredients are more nuanced to create a complex dressing worth drizzling on almost any type of vegetable.

If you’d like, you can make the quinoa ahead of time so you just have to whisk the dressing together and chop the veggies when throwing this Thai Quinoa Salad together. You could also make the whole thing in advance and store in the fridge until ready to enjoy.

Because peanut butter has so much natural oil in it already, I keep the sesame oil in the salad dressing optional. Sesame oil is delicious but it’s also expensive so use it if you already have it on hand but don’t worry about it otherwise. Also, I like just drizzling the dressing over the top when serving so I get big bites of the dressing but you are welcome to mix it all together if you’d prefer. For more peanut butter recipes, visit this page!

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Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Butter Dressing

This Thai Quinoa Salad is a perfect side for a cook-out or picnic – it’s refreshing, packed full of flavor, and can easily be made ahead of time!

Ingredients
For Ginger Peanut Butter Dressing:
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter
  • 3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
For the salad:
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 small head of red cabbage chopped
  • 1 red sweet pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 shredded carrot
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 Tbsp chopped chives
  • chopped peanuts for serving
Instructions
For the dressing:

  1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Your final dressing should be easy to drizzle but not watery. If the dressing is too thick, add 1 tsp of water at a time until desired consistency is reached.

For the salad:

  1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Add two cups of water and quinoa to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and turn heat down to low. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for an additional 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff. Set aside to cool.

  2. Once the quinoa is cooled, toss it with cabbage, sweet pepper, carrot, cilantro, and chives.

  3. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with the dressing. Top with chopped peanuts and serve right away.

Cottage Cheese Toast Ideas

ALL, Appetizer, Side, Snack, Spring, Summer45

On today’s Simple Sunday feature we are covering cottage cheese toast ideas! It’s time to bring this cheese out of the low-fat 90’s diet world and into the modern fresh food movement!

Simple Sunday is a feature where we deep dive into simple recipes, spotlight ingredients, and/or feature recipes for specific occasions.

Cottage Cheese Toast

I know right out the gate that this is going to be a polarizing post. Most people either really love or hate cottage cheese – I obviously am in the ‘love’ category. I grew up eating cottage cheese and peaches as a side for dinner many nights of the week. And really, if we are being honest, I was probably eating that low-fat 90’s trendy cottage cheese so now that we have all these wonderfully thoughtful cottage cheese brands that aren’t just targeting the dieting community, the flavor has only gotten better (thanks to brands like Good Culture <– not sponsored, just a fan)!

I often wonder if the issue with cottage cheese haters is that cottage cheese needs a rebrand. Diet cheese? Of course that sounds terrible. Serve with syrupy canned peaches? Nah thank ya. And you know what? I’m here to tell you there is hope! You can modernize this cheese to be enjoyed with fresh fruit and healthy vegetables. Don’t believe me? Well today I’m going to show you how!

Check out these six cottage cheese toast ideas:

Cottage Cheese Toast

Peaches & Honey

Many of us 90’s kids remember enjoying a bowl of cottage cheese and syrupy canned peaches. What once was great for our childhood taste buds, doesn’t taste so great for our adult ones (so stinking sweet). Swap out those canned peaches for slices of a fresh one and drizzle it with honey for an update on the classic. You can also toss on some soft herbs to brighten it up even more (I used dill here but I bet basil or chives would be great as well).

Cottage Cheese Toast

Crispy Kale & Fried Eggs

If you are looking for a toast that is a bit more substantial and could be enjoyed on it’s own for breakfast or lunch, look no further than this crispy kale and fried egg version! Add a little oil to a small saucepan and fry up the kale with a little salt and pepper just until it starts to get crispy around the edges. Remove it from the pan and then fry the egg in the same pan. I like to top mine with lots of pepper.

Cottage Cheese Toast

Cucumber and Chives

If looking for something light, consider adding slices cucumbers on top of the cottage cheese and garnishes with chives. Depending on how salty your cottage cheese is, I sometimes add a sprinkle of sea salt as well.

Cottage Cheese Toast

Strawberry & Basil

When summer is at it’s peak, make this strawberry and basil version with fresh berries from the market. Depending on how sweet your strawberries are, you may want to drizzle a little honey on top. And if strawberries aren’t in season, feel free to try this with other berries like blueberries or raspberries.

Cottage Cheese Toast

Avocado, Radish, + Toasted Sesame Seeds

For all my avocado toast fans out there! Top this one with thick chunks of avocado, thinly sliced radishes, and black sesame seeds. Perfect for an afternoon snack that’ll help keep you full until dinner.

Which would you make? And what other ways are you enjoying cottage cheese? Tell me in the comments below!

Cottage Cheese Toast

5 Quick Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

ALL, Entree, Round-Up, Summer102

These 5 Quick Vegetarian Dinner Recipes are delicious and will help keep you from reaching for that frozen pizza when you are looking for a quick meal.

Sometimes you just don’t feel like spending all evening in the kitchen – maybe it’s nice out and you are eager to get outside or maybe you’ve had a long day at work and just can’t muster up the energy. Either way, we’ve got you covered with 5 super easy and simple vegetarian dinners that can be whipped up quickly and require any fancy techniques or tools. Sorry but not sorry – you now have zero reasons to reach for that frozen pizza the next time you are feeling lazy.

Now here are 5 quick vegetarian dinner recipes for you:

5 Quick Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

This Walnut Meat Tacos with Peach Tomato Salsa recipe can be made in under 20 minutes and requires minimal cook time which makes them perfect for quick weeknight meals. They are also gluten-free, vegetarian, and can easily be made vegan by omitting the yogurt or sour cream.

5 Quick Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

Is your garden or farmer’s market overflowing with herbs and tomatoes? It’s time to make this quick and easy Fresh Greek Nachos with Herbed Tahini Sauce recipe! I eat it for lunch and dinner all the time but it would also be great to serve to a crowd.

5 Quick Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

This Roasted Veggies with Citrus Gremolata and Polenta is my go-to for a pantry staple dinner. You can mix and match whichever veggies, beans, and sauce options you have on hand to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less!

5 Quick Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

This Chickpea Shawarma Flatbread is a quick and easy vegetarian meal that can be whipped up in under 15 minutes. 

5 Quick Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

This Buddha Bowl With Poblano Tahini Sauce is from Mostly Plants: 101 Flexitarian Recipes with the Pollan Family. It’s perfect for an easy dinner or meal prep it ahead of time to enjoy as a weekday lunch.

Savory Zucchini Bread With Whipped Goat Cheese & Dill

ALL, Bread, Side, Summer56

This Savory Zucchini Bread With Whipped Goat Cheese & Dill is the perfect quick bread for summer when zucchinis are in abundance. This savory bread is delicious on it’s own but made even better with a simple whipped goat cheese spread on it.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Savory Zucchini Bread

I like to think of myself as pretty veg-obsessed but I have a confession: I’m not crazy about zucchini. It’s rather bland in itself and the only way I can make it at all flavorful is usually to grill it with a ton of spices and even then it can sometimes still end up a little slimy.

Zucchini does have one wonderful trick up it’s sleeve though: it makes the BEST (IMO) quick bread! It helps keep the bread moist (which can be tricky with quick bread!) without compromising the flavor. Although most people tend to make some sort of sweet zucchini quick bread, I LOVE making a cheesy savory zucchini bread like this one. The end result is herby, cheesy, and addictive.

Savory Zucchini Bread

As usual, I used Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour for this recipe. I’ve always found their products to be consistent and they are always my go-to when it comes to baking ingredients. The one thing you do need to be careful of with this recipe is making sure you ring out as much as the water from the zucchini as possible to make sure you don’t end up with an over-moist loaf at the end.

Also, if you don’t feel like whipping up the goat cheese spread (but…reminder that it’s mostly just goat cheese and cream cheese…can you really resist?) then this is also delicious with a smear of butter, plain cream cheese, or drizzle of pesto.

Savory Zucchini Bread
Savory Zucchini Bread
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Savory Zucchini Bread With Whipped Goat Cheese & Dill

This Savory Zucchini Bread With Whipped Goat Cheese & Dill is the perfect quick bread for summer when zucchinis are in abundance. This savory bread is delicious on it’s own but made even better with a simple whipped goat cheese spread on it.

Ingredients
For the zucchini bread:
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk (or whole milk mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese or parmesan
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill + more for serving
For the whipped goat cheese:
  • 4 oz goat cheese
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1-2 Tbsp whole milk
Instructions
For the bread:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×5 bread pan with parchment paper and grease with butter.

  2. Wrap the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and ring out all excess water. Set aside and ring out one more time before using.

  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, paprika, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add egg and buttermilk. Whisk just the buttermilk and egg in the center until combined and then fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined (too much mixing will cause the final bread to be tough so you’ll want to be careful here). Mix in cheese, zucchini, and dill and transfer to prepared baking pan.

  4. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center and the top is browned.

  5. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve slices with whipped goat cheese and fresh dill.

For the whipped goat cheese:

  1. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk together the cream cheese and goat cheese until light and creamy. With the stand mixer running, slowly add in 1 Tbsp of milk. The end result should be fluffy and spreadable. If it’s still too thick, add in another tablespoon of milk and whisk until combined.

  2. Use right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Savory Zucchini Bread