Vegan Archives | Fake Food Free

Pappardelle Pasta Tossed with Creamy Almond Spinach Sauce

April 3, 2018

This pasta is tossed in a creamy, dairy-free almond spinach sauce. It’s a meatless meal that is flavorful and filling!

If I had to pick one ingredient that I’m really inspired to work with right now, it would be nuts. But not nuts as a crunchy snack or topping.

Nuts as a soaked and blended ingredient to make things creamy while also adding protein.

A couple years ago, I made this Broccoli Cashew Soup. There have been plenty more experiments.

This time I’m using almonds. I bought a big bag of slivered almonds a while back with every intention to start perfecting my macaron making skills.

Spinach, Garlic and Tahini Soup

March 13, 2018

A simple meal, this spinach garlic, and tahini soup is pureed in a blender before being simmered, then served.

I was checking out at the supermarket the other day when the conversation turned to the food I was buying. This happens all the time. It usually starts with a comment about me cooking or eating healthy foods.

Comments like these don’t make me proud of myself or happy. As a former health professional, they always sadden me a bit. That’s because they mean that the foods in my cart stand out to the cashier as being very different from the foods the majority of other people are buying.

But this conversation went a step further to a comment I had yet to hear.

Jackfruit Tacos with Coconut Lime Purple Cabbage and Green Onion Slaw

December 12, 2017

My first experience with jackfruit occurred when we were living in Brazil.

It sparked from curiosity and determination to figure out the name of the massive piece of produce taking up most of the table at the farmers market. It was every bit as large as a 2-year-old child.

I soon learned it was jackfruit and I also realized that I had been walking under these massive fruits on my walks through the park near our apartment. Thankful that none had ever fallen on my head, I started asking questions.

Quick Pickled Cucumber Tomato Salad

July 19, 2017

I hate to say it, but I’m pretty sure my days of canning are over. Or at least on pause for a while.

I’m not opposed to doing it again, but I learned something pretty quickly after our big garden and endless canning motivation back in Kentucky – we can’t eat it all. Especially when it is jam, or jalapenos, or relish.

Salsa we did a pretty good job of polishing off, but the rest of it? It was just too much to have around or even to give away.

These days my time is spent making small batches of jam in a saucepan and popping it in the fridge, versus a water bath for long term storage. Same goes for pickling – it is small batch quick pickling all the way.

Growing up we always had cucumber salad in the summer made with a sugar and vinegar dressing.

I still make a similar version, but with a bit less sugar. Occasionally I throw in other veggies which is how this salad came about.

Shawarma Spiced Fava Bean Vegetarian Burger

July 6, 2017

This post is sponsored by Sahadi’s.

Food access is important in my line of work. Well, if you love food, regardless of the type of work you do, it’s important. But when you are tasked to make specific foods or need to photograph a certain ingredient, you have to find it.

I’m the first one to admit that regularly accessing what I need isn’t always easy around here. Of course, this comes after spending 10 years in the surprisingly excellent local food scene of Central Kentucky, and then a few more years in the Bay Area. Which, I mean, come on. What can’t you find in the Bay Area?

Internet shopping for groceries is not only a fun pastime these days, it’s often a necessity.

Skillet Sweet Corn Salad with White Nectarine

June 22, 2017

Skillet Corn Salad with White Nectarines Recipe | Fake Food Free

There are two things I love about summer – sweet corn and white nectarines.

Normally, I wouldn’t think of putting the two together, but lately I’ve had this thing for mixing fruits into savory foods. I’m a huge fan of the of sweet and savory and combining fruits and veggies feels like a better habit to me than, say, eating too much salted caramel.

So blueberries sometimes find their way into chicken salad and cherries often appear in my bean salads.

Given this new habit I found myself wanting to try nectarines with my corn. My first thought was a corn fruit salsa, but then I decided to skip the chips and eat this as a summer side dish.

Spinach and Chickpeas in Coconut Curry Sauce

October 20, 2016

I completely understand the argument that some people don’t like to cook. Not everyone enjoys being the in the kitchen like I do.

The same goes for feeling too tired to cook. Even those of us who love it have days when we would give anything if someone would just bring us our meal already prepared.

But when I start hearing about having no time to cook, that’s when I start timing my food prep and preparing a defense.

This meal here is the kind of thing that I throw together on a regular basis for lunch. It’s the kind of recipe I don’t often post on the blog, because while delicious, it doesn’t have a wow or originality factor.

Cauliflower Rice with Basil-Spinach Pesto and Chickpeas

October 5, 2016

In this recipe, cauliflower rice is tossed with a spinach and basil pesto and chickpeas. It makes an easy light meal or side dish for anyone at the table because it also happens to be vegan and gluten free.

I usually post things on Instagram the day I make and shoot them with a note about when they will be live on the blog. Call me old fashioned, but I’m just one of those diehards who still believes in preserving the real-time aspect of social media. Especially those platforms that have a portion of the word instant in their names.

I typically get a few comments from people who can’t wait to see it, but none quite like this recipe. After posting this cauliflower rice, I not only got comments on Instagram, but also follow up on other social sites about when the recipe would be live.

I think there is some unspoken rule that says your simplest recipes, the ones you just kind of throw together on a whim, are the ones that garner the most attention.

That is definitely the case here.

Simple Slow Cooker Mung Bean Soup

November 11, 2015

Soon, we’ll be frantically running out to the supermarket to get overlooked ingredients. Soon, we’ll forget what it’s like to shop during the holidays and find ourselves elbowing our way to a check-out line. Soon, we’ll be waiting in line at the post office (something we swore we’d never do again) to get gifts mailed before the last possible hour.

Soon, no matter how hard we try to stay in control, things are going to get crazy.

I love the holiday season, crazy or not. So I say bring it on! As long as I have some lights sparkling in the living room and cookies in the oven at some point throughout the season, I’ll take it.

Chocolate Cherry Goji Bars from Superfood Snacks

July 17, 2015

There is a good chance that just opening this book will make you healthier. I know it’s a pretty bold claim, but I’m certain it’s true.

I received a review copy of Superfood Snacks: 100 Delicious, Energizing & Nutrient-Dense Recipes by Julie Morris a few weeks ago and it has been sitting on my desk glowing with health and vibrance ever since. I gladly accepted the offer from Navitas Naturals to review the book. They even sent along some goji berries and cacao nibs so I could make this recipe. But I wasn’t sure what to expect until I finally go the copy.

It turns out, I’m kind of crazy about it.