Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

April 19, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Overnight Oats is one of the easiest breakfasts you can possibly make. I have it on my meal plan at least once a week. Lately, I’ve been making Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats!

This easy, plant-based recipe takes about a minute to set up at night, then another minute or two to finish when you are ready for breakfast the next day.

Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

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I’ve always been a big fan of oatmeal, I love the warmth of Instant Pot Oatmeal, topped with apples and cinnamon. I didn’t try overnight oats until after I went plant-based. Warm oats are still my favorite but Arizona summers are brutal and warm oatmeal isn’t on the menu!

Overnight Oats Add Ins

I’ll top my oatmeal with whatever I have on hand and need to use up. Sometimes its strawberries, blueberries or banana.  You can tell I’m a big fan of fruit in my oatmeal. My sweetener of choice is maple syrup! I also like to add chia seed or ground flax seeds. They help absorb the moisture and add more fat, protein and fiber to fill me up.

Meal Prep Overnight Oats

Another great thing about Overnight Oats is that you can easily add them to your meal prep lineup. Simply prepare your oats on the weekend, then when you are ready to eat them add your fruit.

Some people like to add some of their fruit and sweetener at night, I prefer to wait until I’m about to enjoy it. That way I can make up a few plain batches and decide what I’m in the mood for in the morning.

Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

This Peanut Butter Overnight Oats recipe is based on my regular overnight oat recipe. This peanut butter and banana combination is so good, I thought it deserved it’s own recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 tablespoon chia seeds

1/2 cup plant-based milk of choice, I usually use rice milk

1 banana

1 heaping dollop of peanut butter

maple syrup, to taste. I use about a tablespoon.

Do

  1. In a small bowl or mason jar, add oats, chia seeds and plant-based milk. Stir the ingredients well, cover with a lid, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
  2. In the morning, give your oats another stir, add a scoop of peanut butter and slice a banana and add half of it to the top.
  3. Stir your ingredients together and top with more banana and peanut butter if desired.
  4. Enjoy.

Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

Some people will make Overnight Oats and still decided to heat them up. That’s totally OK. The texture is different but some people prefer it. A dear friend of mine just old me she hates the texture of oatmeal but eats overnight oats every day.

Check out my Ultimate Oatmeal Guide for more delicious, plant-based oatmeal options.

Are you a fan of overnight oats? I’ve got a lot of great combinations I may share in the future! I’d love to hear your favorites!

Filed Under: Breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: , ,

Oil-Free Hummus

April 11, 2019 by 2 Comments

Oil-Free Hummus was one of the first recipes I created when I first started a plant-based diet in 2011. Hummus isn’t required for plant-based eating but almost everyone I know who eats plant-based loves hummus.

Oil-Free Hummus

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Oil-Free Hummus

If you are eating an oil-free, whole food, plant-based diet, it’s important that you make your own hummus. Almost all store bought containers of hummus have added oil. I avoid added oil and don’t cook with oil. The only exception I made is that I will use cooking spray when making pancakes or muffins so they don’t stick to the pan. Since I don’t make either very often I’m ok with that exception.

My hummus is not traditional. I don’t use olive oil or tahini. I’ve used tahini in a few recipes but I don’t notice much difference so I just leave it out. That’s one less ingredient, one less measuring cup, and less fat.

Homemade Hummus is Easy

When it comes to cooking, hummus is one of the easiest things there is. You don’t really need to cook and you only need a few ingredients. This time, I used canned chickpeas but when I’m batch cooking, I’ll make a big batch of chickpeas so I can make hummus, have chickpeas for Chickpea Nuggets and leftovers to add to salads.

You do need a high-speed blender or food processor. I’ve used both with good results. I’ve had this Hamilton Beach 10 cup food processor for 8 years and it still works great. I also have a Blendtec blender that we got many years ago at Costco. I’ve made countless sauces and dips in these two.

Choosing Chickpeas

My favorite chickpeas, a.k.a. garbanzo beans, come from Palouse Brand. They are non-GMO and USA grown. In fact, you are given the field location and harvest date. They are the best chickpeas I’ve ever eaten.

When I’m out of Palouse Brand, or when I don’t have time to cook up a batch in my Instant Pot, I’ll use canned chickpeas. Which ever you choose to use, don’t toss out the liquid that comes with the chickpea, you’ll use it.

Oil-Free Hummus and veggies

Oil-Free Hummus

This hummus is only flavored with lemon juice, garlic and optional salt. I like to sprinkle a little paprika on top as well but it’s optional.

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz can of chickpeas (or 2 cups of cooked chickpeas), reserve the liquid
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 lemon, or 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chickpea liquid
  • salt to taste, optional
  • paprika for garnish, optional

Do

  1. Pour your chickpeas into your blender or food processor. Save the liquid to use soon.
  2. Add your garlic and lemon juice. If your lemon isn’t juicy enough for 1/4 cup of lemon juice, you may want to add another lemon or some lemon zest to give it more flavor.
  3. Add 1/4 cup of the chickpea liquid, this is also known as aqua faba and some people whip it like eggs to make vegan meringues and other interesting dishes.
  4. Add optional salt if using.
  5. Blend or process until your hummus is creamy and smooth. If it’s not smooth enough, add another 1/4 cup of chickpea liquid and blend again.
  6. Pour into a bowl and garnish if desired. Enjoy with veggies, on sandwiches or any other thing you think of.

I love hummus. I often use it as a salad dressing or a sandwich spread. It’s so versatile and filling. Plus, this recipe is lower in fat with no oil or tahini so you don’t have to worry about over eating it. It’s like having a serving of beans with your veggies.

If you like this recipe, make sure to try my Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus, Spinach Artichoke Dip and Red Pepper Dip!

Filed Under: Recipes, Sauces, Dips, and Salad Dressings Tagged With: ,

One Pot Broccoli and Rice

March 29, 2019 by 2 Comments

One of my husbands favorite plant-based meals has always been my Broccoli Rice Casserole. I’ve simplified it into a quick and easy one pot meal that can be made in a skillet. I hope you love this One Pot Broccoli and Rice Skillet as much as he does!

One Pot Broccoli and Rice

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This is actually the third version of this recipe on my site! In the first, you have to cook the rice, and the sauce, and the broccoli and combine. It’s not hard but it’s a lot of dishes. The second version is a Crock Pot recipe that is really easy but takes hours to cook. I also make it in the Instant Pot but I haven’t shared that version yet.

This version of my Broccoli and Rice is done in less than half an hour! I changed up the ingredients a bit to make this quicker version. The biggest change was using Jasmine rice. I used to always use brown rice but it take about 45 minutes to cook on the stove.

When I asked my readers what they wanted, most said quick and easy recipes so that has become my focus! I want to help you!

One Pot Broccoli and Rice

When I made this, we eat it as a main dish. It works well as a side dish as well. I think it’s one of those perfect dishes, like my Mexican Casserole, that can be made as is to keep plant-based eaters happy but served with a side of meat for family members who aren’t on a plant-based diet.

This recipe makes 4 servings when eaten as a main dish. It reheats well, my husband always takes the leftovers to work for lunch and heats it up in the microwave.

When I asked my readers what they wanted, most said quick and easy recipes so that has become my focus! I want to help you!Click to Tweet

Plant-Based Broccoli and Rice

Ingredients

Do

  1. In a skillet with a lid, bring your water to a boil.
  2. Add rice and seasoning and stir well. Turn the heat down to a low simmer and cover with a lid.
  3. Cook for 10 minutes.
  4. Stir well, and add 1 cup of plant-milk and all your broccoli. Cover with the lid. If you feel like it’s too dry, you can add 1/2 a cup of water.
  5. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. I cooked for 5 and needed a couple more minutes, it will depend on your heat and the size of your broccoli.

This Broccoli and Rice came out perfect! We added a little more salt to our individual bowls.

Are you looking for quick and easy meals? 

Filed Under: Main Dish Recipes, Recipes, Side Dishes Tagged With: , ,

Plant-Based Mediterranean Bowl

March 8, 2019 by 4 Comments

Every once in a while I get on a kick where I only want to eat one thing, fortunately for me that one thing is a super simple, whole food, Plant-Based Mediterranean Bowl!

Plant-Based Mediterranean Bowl

The temperatures in Arizona area finally on the rise. I’m slowly putting my soups aside and embracing fresh, raw veggies! If you are still frozen I’m sorry! Maybe you can enjoy this bowl in front of the fire and think about warmer days ahead!

The great thing about Mediterranean Bowls is that you can easily adapt it based on what you have and what you like.

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Gluten-Free Mediterranean Bowl

Most of the Mediterranean Bowls I’ve seen use quinoa but some use rice or no grain (or pseudo-grain) at all. Quinoa is great because it’s gluten-free, easy to cook, and I always have some in my pantry.

While the quinoa cooked, I got the veggies ready. Romaine lettuce is my favorite but you can choose your favorite greens. I love red and yellow bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion. Chickpeas were the perfect addition because I also made hummus! My Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus was perfect in this but I may try my Red Pepper Dip next time.

I set out all the veggies, chickpeas and quinoa and my son made his own bowl. His was pretty much the same except he added apples and cuties and left out the hummus and peppers.

After cutting up all the veggies, I have enough for lunches all week plus some snacks! I’ve been able to make a quick salad with the veggies too. It’s so much easier to eat healthy meals when they are prepped and ready to go!

There are endless combinations you can choose for your bowl if this one isn’t exactly your thing.

  • Sweet Peppers
  • Artichokes
  • Avocado
  • Pickled Onions
  • Carrots
  • Sprouts
  • Micro Greens
  • Roasted Veggies
  • Fresh Herbs
  • Spinach

The list is endless! Please leave a comment and let me know what you want to eat in your bowl!

Plant-Based Mediterranean Bowl

Oil-Free Mediterranean Bowl

Most Mediterranean Bowls are topped with oil or and oil and vinegar type dressing. The hummus does a great job replacing the need for oil and the extra squeeze of lemon gives it an extra boost of acidity. You do not need the oil!

My boys love balsamic vinegar, if you are a fan, you could try it in this bowl. I didn’t think it would mix well with the hummus so I left it out this time.

When I made this bowl I bought olives to go with it. Our grocery store has an olive bar that I’d been wanting to try. My kids and husband love olives so I thought this would make the bowl a little more fun for them.

I, however, do not like olives. I’ve never found an olive I didn’t want to spit out! HA! While I put a few olives in my bowl I didn’t actually eat them. I loved my bowl so much I couldn’t risk it. More for my family.

Plant-Based Mediterranean Bowl

Plant-Based Mediterranean Bowl

This Plant-Based Mediterranean Bowl is gluten-free, nut-free, and perfect for the veggie lovers in your house. This meal is easy to make ahead during meal prep and take for lunch or enjoy it at the end of a long day. These measurements make 4+ bowls.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 head romaine lettuce (or your favorite lettuce).
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1-2 bell peppers (I used 1 red and 1 yellow)
  • 1/4 cup sliced red onion
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes (or equivalent fresh diced tomatoes)
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 lemon
  • Kalamata olives to
  • 1 cup hummus

Do

  1. Bring 2 cups water to boil, then add the quinoa and cover with a lid. Turn pot down to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until quinoa is done and water is absorbed. Fluff quinoa and set aside.
  2. While quinoa is cooking, prepare the veggies. If you haven’t already, wash and dry them. I prefer to peel the cucumbers, dice the red onion, tear or slice the lettuce, and dice the bell pepper. I like to leave my bell peppers in pretty big chunks but its just a personal preference. I’ll leave the tomatoes whole if I’m saving the bowl for later and cut the tomatoes in half if I’m having it now.
  3. Create an assembly line with all the veggies. Drain and rinse your chickpeas.
  4. If you are making hummus from scratch, make it now.
  5. Assemble your bowls.
    1. Make a bed of lettuce with 1 cup romaine.
    2. Scoop in 1/4-1/2 cup cooked quinoa.
    3. Arrange fresh veggies on both sides of the quinoa.
    4. Add a dollop of hummus. Since it’s oil-free, I used about 1/4 cup.
    5. Spoon in about 1/3 cup of chickpeas.
    6. Garnish with lemon wedge and olives.

Serve

This Mediterranean Bowl is perfect for a weekend meal prep that can be enjoyed all week. It tastes just as good coming out of a lunch bag as it does when it’s freshly made, you can’t say that about most lunches!

Do you eat Mediterranean Bowls? What are your favorite ingredients?

Filed Under: Main Dish Recipes, Recipes, Salads & Wraps Tagged With: , , ,

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

February 20, 2019 by 1 Comment

Nothing beats a bowl of hot chili when it’s cold outside!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

My Texas Style Chili will always have my heart but sometimes I like to mix it up with different recipes. This recipe uses more ingredients but also has a more complex flavor. With ingredients like chipotle peppers, quinoa, and cinnamon all in one dish, you know you are getting something unexpected.

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

This recipe is easy to dump in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot after some quick chopping and measuring spices. I use canned beans and tomatoes for ease. If you aren’t a fan of spicy, you may want to reduce or omit the chipotle peppers. They give it a great flavor but it’s spicy!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili ingredients

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Like all my recipes, you can easily change-up the ingredients based on your likes and dislikes, or what you have in your pantry!

Ingredients:

  • ½ of a 7 oz. can Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen or canned corn
  • ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 large cinnamon stick
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it!)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 (14 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes with juice
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro

 

Chipotle Black Bean Chili ingredients

Directions:

  1. Place everything up through broth in slow-cooker or Instant Pot. Add in half of the chopped cilantro. (Save the other half of cilantro for garnishing).
  2. If you are cooking in a slow cooker, dump the tomatoes in and give it a stir. If you are using the Instant Pot, set the tomatoes aside for a minute and stir well. Then add the tomatoes, just dump them on top but don’t stir. Sometimes tomatoes and tomato sauces can cause Instant Pot recipes to burn or stick. Leaving the tomatoes on top of the other ingredients will keep that from happening.
  3. If using a slow cooker, cover with the lid then cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or high for 4 to 6 hours. If using an Instant Pot, close the lid and close the vent. Cook on high, pressing Manual or Pressure Cook (depending on your model) and adjust the time to 10 minutes. I prefer letting the Instant Pot version NPR (natural pressure release) for at least 10 minutes after it’s done.
  4. Stir well and remove the cinnamon stick.
  5. Serve in bowls, garnish with fresh cilantro or add your favorite toppings.

Chili Topping Ideas

There are so many great toppings you can add to chili. My favorites are tortilla chips to give it a little crunch and avocado to help tame the spiciness. Other great ideas are:

  • Cilantro
  • Diced avocados
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Lime wedges
  • Hot sauce
  • Diced green onion
  • Tortilla chips

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

My mom is visiting and loved this chili too. You don’t know my mom but that is saying something. She lives in Oklahoma where she raises horses, dogs, and cattle. She let all her Facebook friends know she ate vegan chili and liked it!

I think it’s safe to say for meat loving friends and family will love it too!

Don’t forget to pin this recipe and add it to your meal plan! You can follow my Instant Pot board on Pinterest too!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Filed Under: Crock Pot, Instant Pot, Main Dish Recipes, Recipes, Soups, Stews, & Chili Tagged With: , ,
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