One of the most common complaints that I hear from my heath coaching clients is that cooking takes too long. They’re often uninspired in the kitchen after a long day at work, and they just want to get something on the table. Thankfully, Melissa King is now here to help with her new cookbook Easy. Whole. Vegan.
Easy. Whole. Vegan. 100 Flavor-Packed, No-Stress Recipes for Busy Families is geared towards families, but any busy individual will benefit from it. The recipes take the guesswork out of meal preparing, ensuring that a home cooked, whole foods, plant-base meal is just minutes away. Most of these dishes can be prepared in less time that it takes to get take-out, and they’re so flavorful that you might just forget that they’re good for you, too.
The book begins with a list of common whole foods vegan pantry items for those that are new to plant-based cooking. There’s also a list of equipment that’s handy to have on hand. Melissa shares tips on how to save time and money in the kitchen, and she also has some advice on how to handle picky eaters.
The recipes in Easy. Whole. Vegan. are organized by need, rather than meal type. That way, if you’re in a hurry, you can head straight to the Quick chapter, where you’ll find quick meals that can be made in 30 minutes or less. Here you’ll find fast breakfasts, easy lunches, tasty dinners, and even some speedy snacks.
I’m a big fan of using slow cookers, especially for those who work outside the home and get home later in the evening. Just pop everything in your crockpot before work, and a hot meal is waiting for you when you get home! You’ll find plenty of slow cooker recipes in the Easy chapter, including breakfasts, soups, and stews.
I’m also an advocate of cooking once and eating two or three times. I love making a big meal and having enough leftovers to last for another meal or two later in the week. You’ll find plenty of refrigerator-friendly meals in the Make Ahead chapter.
If you have friends coming over, you can find something to please everyone in the Entertain chapter. If you’re in the mood for a smoothie, you’ll find what you’re looking for in the Pick-Me-Ups chapter. If you want a tasty dressing for your salad or a jam for your toast, you’ll find those recipes and more in Make It Yummy.
I’ve made quite a few recipes from Easy. Whole. Vegan. Each one was quick and easy to make, and most used ingredients that I already had on hand in the pantry. I prepared Blueberries and Cream Chia Pudding before bed, and we had a deliciously fresh breakfast waiting for us in the morning. There was enough for a few servings each, and it also did double duty as dessert. The Kale and Wild Rice Salad made for a tasty lunch, and it was perfect for a chilly fall afternoon. Chili Mac and Cheese was the perfect cozy antidote for a cold and rainy day. The chickpea-based dough for the Flourless Snickerdoodle Bars was so good I almost ate it all straight out of the bowl without cooking it! I baked Maple Vanilla Baked Oatmeal Squares in a muffin tin so that we’d have grab-and-go snacks for the week ahead.
Easy. Whole. Vegan. is the perfect book for anyone who lives a busy lifestyle, but wants to make sure that there’s still time to have a healthy, home-cooked vegan meal on the table.
Blueberries and Cream Chia Pudding from Easy. Whole. Vegan.
Save Print
If you’ve never had chia pudding, you simply have to try it—this is a perfect example of a whole food alternative that’s better than the boxed pudding we all grew up eating. You can use nondairy milk with what you have on hand—granola, berries, and more—to make it to your liking. Chia pudding is just as easy to make as my overnight oats recipe; however, unlike the overnight oats, this can be ready to eat in about half an hour. The instant stuff you find in the stores promises pudding in about the same time, but chia pudding is far healthier. Since I love most fruits, I had to make this blueberries and cream option for you. The richness of the Basic Cashew Cream pairs very well with the blueberries.
Author: Melissa King
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 cups (480 ml) almond milk
¼ cup (40 g) chia seeds
3 tablespoons Basic Cashew Cream (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon ground vanilla beans
1 Medjool date, pitted and chopped
1 cup (150 g) fresh blueberries
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the blueberries together. Make sure you stir very well, because the chia seeds tend to clump together at the bottom of the bowl. Add the blueberries and stir to incorporate.
Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set.
If you want to make travel-size portions, put each serving in an 8-ounce mason jar. Then you can just grab and go on those busy mornings.
Notes
Variations
If you don’t like dates, use 2 teaspoons maple syrup.
To add some extra protein, mix in 1 tablespoon hemp hearts.
Cacao nibs or chocolate chips could also be added for a nice crunch. Use about 1 tablespoon.
Recipe from Easy. Whole. Vegan.: 100 Flavor-Packed, No-Stress Recipes for Busy Families © Melissa King, 2016. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com
3.5.3226
Basic Cashew Cream
Save Print
Cashews are so versatile: You can make cheese, cream, sour cream, and salad dressing out of them. They can be a bit pricey, though, so it helps to buy them from bulk bins and to buy cashew pieces instead of whole ones. This basic cashew cream recipe allows you to go sweet or savory (see the Variations below for sweet and savory additions). I like to add this to soups, and sometimes I even use it as a frosting. This is an ingredient in some of the others recipes in the book, so it’s a good one to try.
Author: Melissa King
Serves: Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
1½ cups (210 g) raw cashews, soaked in water overnight
½ cup (120 ml) almond milk
Instructions
Drain and rinse the cashews and add them to a high-power blender with the almond milk. Blend for 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure you stop several times to scrape down the sides. You may need to add a little more milk to reach your desired consistency.
Keep this cashew cream in the fridge. I like to store mine in a small mason jar. It should last at least 2 weeks in the fridge.
Notes
Variations
To make a savory cashew cream, add 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
To make a sweet cashew cream, add 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon ground vanilla beans. This sweet cashew cream can also be put in coffee for a luxurious taste! I suggest adding 1 to 2 teaspoons.
Recipe from Easy. Whole. Vegan.: 100 Flavor-Packed, No-Stress Recipes for Busy Families © Melissa King, 2016. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com
3.5.3226
I have a copy of Easy. Whole. Vegan. for one lucky reader. Follow the instructions below to enter. Contest ends at midnight on November 8th. U.S. and Canadian residents only, please. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The post Blueberries and Cream Chia Pudding from Easy. Whole. Vegan. appeared first on Dianne's Vegan Kitchen.