avocado and edamame zucchini noodles

Avocado and Edamame Zucchini Noodles, a light and refreshing meal in under 10 minutes!

Avocado and Edamame Zucchini Noodles ~vegan, gluten free~

We made a variation of this meal a few weeks back for dinner, which sparked the idea for this recipe.  The original recipe included spiraled zucchini and garlic lightly cooked in olive oil.  However, we served it over cooked pasta.  It tasted great, but was heavy on carbs.  Instead, this version uses zucchini as the pasta and includes edamame and avocado to make it a well rounded meal.

Avocado and Edamame Zucchini Noodles ~vegan, gluten free~

I’ve said before that I’m not a huge fan of zucchini, but something about the fun spiralized shape makes it taste different!  I’m also in a stage of pregnancy where I can’t get enough raw vegetables!  A meal that serves up a whole bowl of fresh veggies is ok with me!  Strange how these pregnancy cravings work, one day it’s muffins and the next it’s lemons and zucchini!

Avocado and Edamame Zucchini Noodles ~vegan, gluten free~

avocado and edamame zucchini noodles
 
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Makes 2 portions
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 zucchinis, spiral cut
  • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 cup edamame, steamed
  • ½ avocado, cubed
  • 5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a small sauce pan over low heat add olive oil and garlic, sauté until fragrant.
  2. In a large bowl add zucchini noodles, lemon juice, edamame, avocado and basil leaves. Add olive oil and garlic, sea salt and pepper and toss to coat. Top with hemp seeds and enjoy!

Avocado and Edamame Zucchini Noodles ~vegan, gluten free~

Perfect for a Meatless Monday meal!

mango and veggie spring rolls with peanut sauce

  I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been anxiously waiting to say Happy Spring!  However, with a morning outside temperature reading of 28 degrees it hardly feels like spring.  So, what to do?  Make your own spring…Mango and Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce!

Mango and Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce ~vegan, gluten free~

These may look difficult to make, but I promise they are not!  Just a little time spent slicing and dicing is all it takes!  Fresh basil, avocado, cucumber, carrot, asparagus and mango wrapped in a spring roll and served with a peanut sauce that delivers just the right amount of heat.

Mango and Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce ~vegan, gluten free~

Other options for fillings include:

Fresh mint leaves

Rice Noodles

Tofu

Sprouts

Red onion

Peppers

Tempeh

Fresh cilantro leaves

Ginger

Sugar snap peas

Kimchi

Scallions

You get the idea, options are endless!

Mango and Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce ~vegan, gluten free~

veggie spring rolls with peanut sauce
 
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Makes 12 Spring Rolls
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1 avocado, thinly sliced
  • 1 mango, thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, julienne sliced
  • 1 cucumber, julienne sliced
  • 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 12 stalks asparagus, cut in half and lightly steamed and cooled
  • 12 spring roll wraps
  • For the Peanut Sauce
  • ¼ cup chunky or creamy all-nautral peanut butter
  • ¼ cup hot water
  • 1 tablespoon Bragg's Amino Acids or Tamari
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon chili oil
  • dash crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
  1. Have all prepared ingredients lined out in front of you.
  2. Fill a shallow bowl with warm water.
  3. Dip spring roll wraps in warm water until they become pliable, transfer to a clean plate or cutting board.
  4. Arrange small amounts of prepared ingredients in the center of the spring roll wrap. Fold in edges and gently roll up.
  5. To make the Peanut Sauce:
  6. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until well combine. Let cool to room temperature.
  7. Dip and enjoy!

Mango and Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce ~vegan, gluten free~

Spring Detox Tip:  In the spring our bodies start their own sort of spring cleaning…help it along with adding a lot more fresh vegetables to your diet!  The best foods for spring detoxification are bitter greens such as dandelion greens, mustard greens, arugula and watercress.  Other spring detoxifying vegetables are asparagus, radishes and celery.  Don’t forget to add a little lemon and lime as well!

baked kale falafel

After a few attempts, I think we got it… Baked Kale Falafel that is slightly crisp on the outside without deep frying!

Baked Kale Falafel with Greek Salad ~vegan, gluten free~

Traditional falafel doesn’t include kale, but I try to sneak it into any recipe I can!  The first few batches came out a little too mushy in the middle, but these were just right!  Using canned chickpeas made this an “under an hour dinner!”  You can even prepare and bake the falafel to have later in the week for a quick and easy meal.

Baked Kale Falafel with Greek Salad ~vegan, gluten free~

baked kale falafel
 
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Makes 14 falafel balls
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 14
Ingredients
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley
  • 1 cup kale, destemmed and chopped
  • 1½ teaspoons cumin
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Add all ingredients (except olive oil) to a food processor and pulse, occasionally scraping down the sides. Adjust seasoning as needed. Pulse until a crumbly consistency is achieved.
  3. Using a tablespoon, scoop falafel mix and roll into a ball and place on baking sheet. Brush with olive oil.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes, flip and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until slightly golden and crisp.
  5. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 ball Calories: 63 Fat: 3 Carbohydrates: 7 Fiber: 1 Protein: 2

Baked Kale Falafel with Greek Salad ~vegan, gluten free~

I served these over a Greek Salad made with crisp romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions and olives.  However, you can eat the falafel alone or sandwiched between pita bread!  The dressing I used is as follows:

Lemon Tahini Dressing

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

sea salt and pepper

dash cayenne pepper

Baked Kale Falafel with a Greek Salad ~vegan, gluten free~