Vegan Chocolate Bark

A DIY Valentine’s Day treat. Ingredients 1 cup chocolate chips 1/4 cup any combination of nuts, seeds, dried fruit Instructions Line a baking sheet, plate, or cutting board with parchment paper. In a double boiler (or a makeshift double boiler), melt the chocolate. Mix in the nuts/seeds/fruit, and then pour onto the parchment, spreading the mixture out to a thickness of 1/2″ or less. Allow to cool somewhere undisturbed, and break into pieces. Store leftovers in a sealed container someplace cool.

Chocolate “Magic Shell” Ice Cream Topping

A super easy chocolate sauce that hardens on cold ice cream. Ingredients 1/2 cup chocolate chips 2 tbsp coconut oil Instructions In a microwave-safe dish (like a glass measuring cup, or a half-pint or pint-sized mason jar), microwave the chocolate and coconut oil in 20-second bursts, stirring very well in between, until sauce is smooth (about 2 minutes). Notes Works well with any kind of chocolate chip– white chocolate is awesome, and if you’re looking for vegan or dairy-free white chocolate, we love No Whey White Polar Dream Bars. Enjoy Life makes allergy-friendly chocolate chips, too. Try peanut butter or sun butter instead of or in addition to the chocolate chips. Leftover sauce can be stored in the fridge for a week or two. Microwave in 20-second bursts to reheat, stirring between each burst. Be patient! Chocolate will burn or seize up very quickly, especially in the microwave where hot …

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Hot Cooked Sorghum for Breakfast: gluten-free, vegan, oat-free

Sorghum is an awesome grain. It’s packed with nutrients like folate, vitamin B6, magnesium, and iron, as well as essential amino acids like tryptophan. It’s also delicious, with a nutty flavor and lots of versatility. When ground into a flour, it gives gluten-free baked goods a good texture and flavor, and when left whole, it can be popped like popcorn or cooked like oatmeal. On a cold day, hot sorghum is easy to make and will stick to your ribs. Ingredients 1 cup whole sorghum 3 cups water (unless your sorghum requires a different amount) pinch of salt toppings (optional, see notes) Instructions Cook the sorghum in a rice cooker or on the stove top according to package directions, with water and a pinch of salt. Serve with toppings of your choice, or leave plain. Notes Topping ideas: Chopped dates, any variety Chopped walnuts or pecans, with maple syrup A …

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Cold Sesame Peanut Noodle Salad

Loosely based on The Kitchn’s Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles with Chicken, this is one of our favorite warm weather meals. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days, and can easily be doubled or tripled for pot lucks. Ingredients For the noodles: 1/2 package rice noodles 2 cups shredded cabbage 1 cup shredded carrots 1 large cucumber, cut into match sticks 2 tbsp sesame seeds For the sauce: 1/4 cup sesame oil (or other light oil) 1/4 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup tamari, gluten-free soy sauce, or Bragg’s liquid aminos 2 tbsp minced ginger 1 clove garlic, minced 1/8 tsp white pepper 1 tbsp sriracha, red chili paste, or red pepper flakes, to taste Instructions Cook the noodles according to the package directions (usually 5-10 minutes in boiling water), drain, and add cabbage and carrots. Use an immersion blender to mix the sauce ingredients …

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Chili Powder

Pre-mixed chili powder is easy to find at just about every grocery store, but it’s also pretty easy to make yourself. Plus you can give it your own custom flare based on preferences and needs. Mine has only a mild heat and the actual proportion of cumin in each batch varies depending on my mood. This will not quite fill an empty spice jar, but can easily be halved, doubled, or tripled and stored in a mason jar. Ingredients 4 tbsp ground ancho chile 2 tbsp cumin 1 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tsp oregano 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp ground coriander Instructions Mix in a small bowl or glass, and use a small funnel to pour into an empty spice jar. Notes If you like heat, replace any amount of ancho with chipotle or other ground chile. The ancho chili tends to be a pretty mild pepper, but you …

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Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

This soup is vegan, gluten-free, allergy-friendly, and especially nice on cold days. It’s a one-pot meal, and can be cooked in a slow-cooker, pressure cooker, or on a stove. Makes 2-4 servings, and can easily be halved, doubled, or tripled. Ingredients 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced in 1cm cubes 4 cups cooked black beans (cooked from dry, or 2 cans) 1 tbsp avocado, coconut, or other light oil for sauteeing (optional) 1-2 tbsp chili powder OR the following: 1 tbsp ground ancho chile, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder 2 vegetable bouillon cubes AND 2-4 cups water OR 2-4 cups vegetable broth 1 tbsp lime juice (optional) salt and pepper to taste Instructions In your soup-making vessel, sautee sweet potatoes and spices in oil for a few minutes until fragrant. Add bouillon-and-water or broth; potatoes should be covered or close to covered with …

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