All posts filed under: Vegetarian

French Green Beans with Caramelized Shallot, Strawberries, Pine Nuts and Mint

Spring has sprung which means strawberries will soon be at their peak. Here they’re paired with french green beans, the skinny, sexy cousin of regular green beans. Also known as haricot vert, they’re longer, crisper, more tender and quicker cooking than their standard counterpart. Green beans and strawberries are both high in vitamins A and C; antioxidants know for their anti-aging properties. This delish dish will keep you feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed all season long. Enjoy! Ingredients: 4-6 Servings 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil 1 medium Shallot, thinly sliced 1 lb French Green Beans 1 large or 2 small Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced 1 tsp fresh Lemon Juice (1 lemon wedge) 1 tsp Lemon Zest 1/4 cup Strawberries, thinly sliced (2-3 berries) 2 Tbsp Pine Nuts 1 1/2 Tbsp Mint, thinly sliced (chiffonade) Pinch of White Pepper 1/8 tsp Maldon or other flaky Sea Salt (optional) Add the oil and shallot to a large frying pan and heat over medium until the shallots become translucent (about 2 minutes), lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. …

Mexican Quinoa Bowl with Zucchini and Corn, Black Beans and Avocado Cream

Published by Jacqueline King

Comfort food means different things to different people, but when I think of comfort food the first thing that comes to mind is a big bowl of yummy mexican food. I’m mexican on my mom’s side so family gatherings almost always included fragrant pots of rice and beans simmering on the stove along with some other flavorful and spicy veggies. This recipe is inspired by those meals, but adapted to come together in far less time. While cooking rice and beans from scratch is wonderful, it takes a bit of planning, requiring soaking and simmering for hours. Instead here we substitute quicker cooking quinoa for the rice and canned black beans for the dried version making this easy enough for lunch or a weeknight meal. While this recipe cuts down on time, it doesn’t lose any of the delicious traditional flavor that make it one of my favorites. I hope you love it to! This makes more portions than most of my everyday recipes, but it makes for great leftovers so if you have extra …

Quinoa Salad with Edamame, Orange & Fennel

Published by Jacqueline King

This is the first in a new series of bargain recipes. Each salad cost approximately $2.75 using all organic produce. In LA I would say a salad like this would cost $12-14 at a cafe so making it at home is a big money saver! It’s a hearty and flavorful winter dish using the best ingredients of the season. I love it because it’s really high in protein; both quinoa and edamame are complete proteins. All of the veggies means it has lots of vitamins and fiber so it’s really filling and energizing too. It’s one of those clean eats meals that’ll help you get back into your skinny jeans after the holidays 😉 You can make a bigger batch of the quinoa and edamame then freeze the leftovers to use later as a quick base for a meal. Just freeze it in a 1-inch layer in a freezer zip-lock. It will keep for months. When you’re ready to thaw, place a bag in the fridge overnight or reheat the frozen quinoa directly in a …

How-to Put Together the Perfect Party Spread in Less Than an Hour!

Published by Jacqueline King

I read an article recently that said young people are not hosting as many get togethers nowadays in part because they are intimidated by the trend of gourmet cooking. It made me want to put together a post to show how easy it can be to put together a beautiful spread for a party in less than an hour with no cooking involved! I really think there is nothing better than getting together with friends and/or family and enjoying some good food and sharing a laugh. We spend so much of our lives online that it’s important to make the effort to get together live and in person once in a while, and the holidays are the ideal time to do it. For starters we’ll make a big party tray so you’ll need to invest in a big platter if you don’t already have one. This is something you can use time and time again when you have people over. I have a couple of fancy ones that I bought at estate sales for the same …

Spiced Sweet Potato Puree

Published by Jacqueline King

This wonderful purée adds a ton of flavor to any dish. The consistency is thinner and smoother than a traditional mashed sweet potato, but thicker and creamier than a sauce. One of the awesome things about sweet potatoes is that they are less starchy than regular potatoes so they don’t get gummy in the food processor or blender; which means once your sweet potato is cooked it only takes a couple of minutes to transform it into this spicy golden puree. I love to serve it spread out on the plate under roasted or sautéed veggies, tofu or fish dishes. It turns ingredients which might otherwise be a little bland into an exciting meal without adding a single drop of oil. In fact, the sweet potato and spices are both a super nutrient-dense additions to your menu. Plus they and add a beautiful pop of color. Try it with my Maple Glazed Acorn Squash and/or some sautéed greens. Enjoy! xJacq Ingredients: 4 Servings 1 large sweet potato (approx. 1lb 3oz) 1/2 cup Almond or Cashew Milk 1/4 …

The Perfect Vegetarian Main Dish for The Holidays- Stuffed Maple Glazed Acorn Squash

Published by Jacqueline King

Every year there is the question of what vegetarian main dish to make on Thanksgiving. I’m always looking to serve something that feels extra special, but that isn’t too complicated on an already busy holiday. In the past I’ve made dishes that turned out well, but still kind of felt like one more side. I decided to do a little recipe testing ahead of time this year and came up with this dish that deserves to be the center of attention. It’s beautiful, flavorful and hearty. It’s super satisfying because it’s full of protein and fiber. Maple, pecans, cranberries, and warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg make it the perfect dish for fall. It’s simple to make, but using the acorn squash as bowls makes for an impressive presentation. The filling comes together easily while the squash roasts. This is the kind of meat-free main dish that will make a carnivore feel jealous if there is not enough to go around. I really can’t wait for you to try it. I’ve made it two more times …

Watermelon Radish with Avocado Cream, Snap Pea and Baked Tofu

Published by Jacqueline King

For those of you that follow me on social media, you know that I had a canapé assignment for my plant-based cooking program at Rouxbe Cooking School. My last assignment was to have a party and make five small-bite appetizers to serve. That’s my kind of final! I was really pleased with how each one turned out, but if I had to pick a favorite, this would be it. It’s spicy, creamy, citrusy and meaty (from the tofu) all in one bite. It’s super flavorful, light and nutritious. I also love how beautiful it looks on a serving platter. It’s completely raw, so you can make this recipe quickly and still totally impress your guests. Baked tofu is denser and more savory than traditional tofu and you can find it at stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Black sesame seeds look cool, but can be a little hard to find. You can stick with plain white sesame seeds or use a sprinkle of black lava salt in their place. I like to use Organicville Sriracha …

Real Food Fast- Spinach, Mushroom & Egg Breakfast Burrito with Avocado

Published by Jacqueline King

Want to spice things up in the morning? Breakfasts burritos are a great change of pace from your regular smoothie or granola. Especially as the weather starts to cool, it’s nice to get a warm meal in first thing. You can throw this together in under 10, minutes. It’s filling, nutritious, super flavorful and just an all-around feel good way to start the day. This is the basic recipe, you can add in any of your favorite veggies. As long as they’re thinly sliced or diced, they’ll cook up quickly. Also feel free to sub other greens like kale or swiss chard. They’ll just take an extra couple of minutes to cook down. If you are cooking for one, you can refrigerate half of the beans and eggs once they’re cooked and reheat them quickly another day. If you are cooking for 3 you can stretch this recipe by cooking the whole can of beans and adding 1 more tortilla. Also, I call this a breakfast burrito, but it’s pretty darn great any time of day. Enjoy! xJacq …

REAL FOOD FAST- The Go-To Super Smoothie Bowl (Only 3 ingredients!)

Published by Jacqueline King

I am, by nature, more of a night owl than a morning person, so in the early hours I’m not often in the mood to cook up an elaborate breakfast. Smoothies have been one of my breakfast go-tos for quite a while now. I love that you can whip one up, pour it in a cup, and head out the door. Lately though, I have been making my morning smoothie a sit down experience with this easy smoothie bowl. There is something a little more satisfying in taking the time to sit down and eat your breakfast with a spoon enjoying different tastes and textures, rather than simply sipping it through a straw. It’s also really nice to take a few minutes to be present and arrange all the toppings and make something really beautiful for yourself in the morning. Even with the artful arranging it takes less than 5 minutes to put together. Once blended you can add a limitless variety of toppings so each bowl is deliciously different. The basic recipe consists of only 3 …

The Best Vanilla Coffee Creamer Ever!

Published by Jacqueline King

This really is the best vanilla coffee creamer ever! I know that’s a bold claim but it’s true. Waking up is a little sweeter with a splash of this rich & creamy goodness in your morning joe. It’s all natural and packed with antioxidants and minerals. Cashews are an excellent source of copper, and a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, and zinc. The vanilla gives it an incredible fragrance and flavor. What it doesn’t have are any of the weird additives, preservatives or ingredients like palm oil that you find in the store-bought non-dairy creamers. This is one of the basics that I always have in my fridge. Hopefully it will be one of your favorites too. Enjoy! Ingredients: makes 2 cups 1/2 cup cashews soaked in water 2-4 hrs 1 1/2 cups filtered water 1 vanilla bean, split down the middle* 1 tsp maple syrup sea salt Drain and rinse the cashews in a strainer. Add to a blender along with the water and blend starting on low then bringing up to high speed until …