Vegan + Gluten-Free Memorial Day Cookout Recipe Inspiration
Memorial Day weekend is so close I can taste it! Or, at least dream about the food I want to eat all holiday weekend long. MDW marks the unofficial start of summer and the official start of let's grill and cookout all the time, friends! I literally cannot wait! I'm ready to move from the oven to the grill and re-familiarize myself with late-spring, early-summer produce from the farmer's market. Who's with me? Here, I've rounded-up over thirty of my absolute favorite recipes for your MDW cookouts. I've included appetizers, sides, salads, entrees, sauces, desserts and beverages. I hope this
Mint Cacao Nib Smoothie + Giveaway!
This is my healthy version of a mint chocolate chip ice cream flurry. It has a sweet, creamy, vanilla base with a hint of rich chocolate from the cacao nibs. The mint leaves are so refreshing especially in the morning. Together, this is a decadent treat that is loaded with nutrients. What are cacao nibs? Cacao nibs are 100 percent pure cacao and said to be the least processed form of chocolate. Cacao nibs are prepared by removing the shell from cured, cleaned, dried, and cracked cacao beans. The result is a hard, crunchy and tiny nib. Each one is unique
Homemade Oat Milk
2019 seems to be the year of oat milk! I discovered it almost a year ago actually and when I did I immediately fell in love with the ultra creamy texture and slightly sweet flavor. It just has the perfect balance of everything you could want in a dairy-free milk. It is smooth, refreshing, delicious and most importantly has no after-taste. I have been enjoying oat milk in my smoothies, iced turmeric lattes, granola and baked goods. My favorite store-bought brand is Oatly Oat Milk. But, it always seems to be out of stock. I was constantly hunting for it and
Vegan & Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes with White Sweet Potato Frosting (nut-free, soy-free and refined sugar-free too!)
These cupcakes are light, fluffy, sweet and secretly super nutritious. Not only are they vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and refined sugar-free but they also contain two vegetables. You heard me right. There are carrots in the cupcakes and white sweet potato in the frosting. Yes, I made frosting out of a potato. Stay with me please. I am not going to steer you wrong here, I promise. These cupcakes are insanely delicious and I urge you to give them a try and see if anyone notices the difference. These cupcakes taste amazing, look amazing and best of all, they are made
Crispy Quinoa and California Avocado Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
I'm not sure where to start when describing why I love this salad so much. Let's start with the creamy strawberry dressing. It is addictive to the point that my two daughters were eating it plain like soup. First they were dipping California Avocado slices in it and next thing I know they were spooning it directly into their mouths. While I wouldn't recommend this at all it just shows how yummy it is. It is creamy, sweet and slightly tart and it pairs wonderfully with this simple strawberry California Avocado salad. The salad starts with a base of delicate mixed greens.
Vegan & Gluten-Free Skillet Vanilla Cake (+ nut-free)
This one-skillet vanilla cake is a wonderful dessert to make for spring entertaining. It’s made with simple, wholesome ingredients and has an incredibly light and fluffy texture. The cake is refined sugar-free and filled with lots of sweet vanilla flavor. For frosting I went with a vegan, dye-free, all-natural frosting that is vibrant and decadent. When it comes to dessert I like to keep things quick and easy. For this cake recipe I simply whisked together oat flour, oat milk, maple syrup, avocado oil, vanilla extract, baking powder and salt. That's it! I have found butter and refined sugars are really not needed to
Spring Holiday Menu Inspiration + Brunch Dishes (all vegan + gluten-free)
I combed through my blog and rounded-up my favorite spring recipes that are perfect for entertaining. I included my top picks for spring appetizers, soups, salads, sides, dessert and brunch recipes. I hope this round-up provides you with inspiration as you think about your menus this weekend. All of these recipes are vegan, soy-free, gluten-free and peanut-free. Many are also nut-free. If you make any of these recipes this weekend, please snap a pic and tag #eatingbyelaine and @eatingbyelaine on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook so I can see your creations. Enjoy, and I can't wait to see what you make! Appetizers Simplified Israeli-Style Hummus (pictured above) Creamy
Whole Roasted Rainbow Carrots Over Creamy Hummus with Green Tahini Sauce
This vibrant and seasonal side dish is always the center of attention when I serve it. The warm, sweet, soft slow-roasted carrots served over a bed of creamy hummus is just the perfect combination. I drizzled green tahini sauce overtop for an extra pop of herby flavor. I used all parsley in the sauce but you can use any combination of springtime herbs such as dill, mint or chives. You really cannot go wrong with this dish. I also sprinkled pomegranate seeds and hemp seeds on top for added nutrients and texture. I hope you love this dish as much as we have been
California Avocado Kale Salad with Cashew Ranch Dressing and Crispy Chickpea Croutons (vegan)
This entirely plant-based recipe makes for a stunning and filling entree salad. It is savory, satisfying and easy to pull together. I kept the process simple and streamlined. I'll be making it all spring and summer long! In addition to tasting absolutely delicious this salad is super healthy. I set out to make an authentic but nutritious ranch dressing that is oil-free, mayo-free and dairy-free. Typical ranch dressing gets its creaminess from buttermilk and mayonnaise. Instead, this recipe gets creaminess from blended cashews and water along with buttery avocado. The silky California avocado adds the perfect texture for the ranch dressing. Plus, it adds healthy fats,
Vegan No-Nut-Butter Chocolate Eggs
With Easter right around the corner, I wanted to create a healthier and allergy-friendly version of everyone's favorite Easter chocolate candy indulgence: Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs. They are much easier to make than they probably look and are totally adaptable to a nut-free, gluten-free and vegan diet. The creamy filling and hard chocolate shell is insanely delicious and beyond addictive. I went ahead and added some brown rice cereal for an added crisp on the inside - totally optional but highly recommended. These chocolate eggs are simple to pull together. The outside is just mini vegan chocolate chips that I
10 Tips for Actually Crispy Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries
I have been making homemade baked sweet potato fries for a long time. I love controlling the seasonings and knowing that they are baked instead of deep fried. But, no one wants soggy fries. Not appealing at all. Over the years I have discovered some tips and tricks to help achieve the crispiest oven-baked sweet potato fries. I have ten tips to share with you in this post. Buckle up and get ready to learn all about oven-baked crispy sweet potato fries! Tip #1: Cut them thin and even. I opt for 1/4 inch thick spears. Any of the spears that