Buffalo Carrot Cucumber Salad! The buffalo-inspired dressing is creamy, tangy, with just a touch of heat that brightens every bite, while crunchy veggies and hearty chickpeas add layers of flavor and texture.

This Buffalo Carrot Cucumber Salad is a vibrant, nutrient-packed bowl with a kiss of heat. Brimming with vitamin-rich carrots, cucumbers, and green onions, this salad doubles as an immune-boosting powerhouse and a satisfying, lighter meal option. Whether you’re fueling a busy day or feeding a crowd, this colorful, nutrient-dense salad delivers bold Buffalo flair without overpowering the fresh veggie sweetness.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

We are Buffalo lovers, through and through! If you’re obsessed with the tangy, spicy magic of Frank’s Hot Sauce and live for that signature Buffalo bite, then this salad is your new go-to.

We throw Frank’s on everything, salad included, because nothing beats a zesty kick that wakes up crunchy cucumbers, sweet carrots, and peppery green onions. This recipe captures our playful, unapologetic Buffalo spirit: bold, bright, and happily addictive.

Give it a try and taste the love, we think you’ll agree this Buffalo Carrot Cucumber Salad is the perfect way to celebrate our shared obsession with heat, flavor, and fresh veggies.

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: This delicious Buffalo Carrot Cucumber Salad is packed with Buffalo veggie deliciousness. Freshly ribboned carrots, sliced cucumbers, celery, chickpeas, toasted sesame seeds, and green onions are mixed with a delightfully zingy Buffalo-flavored dressing that is sure to please Buffalo sauce lovers everywhere.
• Maple Syrup: The maple syrup helps balanced the zing the Buffalo dressing. You can increase or decrease accordingly. Carrots are generally sweet so you may find that you don’t need any at all, but we found that 1 teaspoon perfectly balanced the flavors.
• Fresh Cucumbers: Cucumbers are 96% water. They will leach some water into the dressing over time. If you plan to eat right away, this isn’t an issue; however, if you do plan to serve this salad later to guests, we advise not dressing the salad until ready to serve. Store the cucumbers separately from the rest of the salad until ready to serve if refrigerating overnight or serving later.
• Fresh Carrots: This recipe is all about very thinly sliced fresh carrots. If you are not a fan of the flavor of fresh raw carrots, then perhaps consider skipping this recipe. Thinly slicing the carrots does make for a fantastic mouth feel. If you were never a fan of crunching on raw carrots, here is a great way to eat them as the experience is different. It is more like a noodle experience. While the carrots still have a little bit of crunch, they are so much more palatable.
• Amount of Carrots: The amount of carrots is really dependent upon the size of the carrots. The measurement of 10 oz. if after the carrots have been cleaned, peeled, and thinly stripped. We did not strip the entire carrot with vegetable peeler. We peeled the carrots down to the xylem. Carrots have an inner core called the xylem or the heart of the carrot. It is usually lighter in color. See below on how we peeled the carrots into strips.
• Peeling the Carrots into Strips: We found the best way to peel the carrots into long thin strips was to clean and peel the carrots, then lay the carrot down onto a cutting board, hold the end of the carrot tightly, then run the vegetable peeler firmly along the surface with slight pressure. This makes for just a slightly thicker strip of carrot. Make several passes with the vegetable peeler, then rotate the carrot and make several passes with the vegetable peeler on the next side. Continue until you have made several passes on each side. Then flip the carrot over to hold the other end of the carrot. In other words, switch up the end of the carrot you are holding in your hand to get a solid grip on the end of the carrot and repeat. Be careful, vegetable peelers are very sharp. Slicing carrots this way leaves the xylem (heart of the carrot) which we later cut up and ate as snacks for a different day. We also diced up the xylem and used them in soups.
• Key to the Perfect Carrot Thickness: Peeling the carrots into very thin strips makes for a perfect salad. However, as we mentioned in the section above, laying the carrots onto a cutting board, applying slight pressure makes for the perfect carrot strip thickness. If you hold the carrot in your hand while peeling into strips, you will end up with very thin flimsy, ultra-thin strips of carrots which is not the look we are going for. You want thin strips that are flimsy, but they still have some substance and character to them.
• How to Peel the Carrots Faster: If you are not overly concerned about long thin strips. You still want thin strips, but you can cut them quicker by using half strips instead of the full length of the carrot. Simply grab the carrot firmly by the end and run the peel over half the carrot repeatedly, rotating the carrot every 4 strokes or so. Then flip the carrot over to the other end and grip the carrot by the end that you just peeled and repeat the process. In other words, the carrot strips will be shorter but still thin. We like to create a mix of long thin strips and shorter thin strips.
• Serving after Refrigerating: When serving after refrigeration, remove from the refrigerator at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to wake up and allowing the tahini to thin out again. Tahini tends to thicken during refrigeration.
• Make Ahead: This salad can be made ahead and travels well. Mix really well right before serving to ensure all the carrots are coated with the dressing. If you wish to have maximum presentation, keep some carrot strips aside (in a separate container – not mixed in the salad dressing) and add those carrot strips right before serving to allow the newly added carrot strips to hold the carrot strips up as some will be slightly flimsy. The mix of flimsy and less flimsy makes for a great presentation.
• Raw Carrot Benefits: Raw carrots are an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, and K, while also loaded with potassium, fiber, and antioxidants. Carrots are a great source of prebiotics and promote excellent gut health.
• Raw Green Onions Benefits: Raw green onions are rich in Vitamins A, C, and K, full of antioxidants, fiber, folate, potassium and calcium. Raw green onions have many antibacterial and antiviral properties.
• Tahini Benefits: Tahini is rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidants. It is an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. It is a great source of B vitamins which support brain function and cognitive health.
• Tahini Substitutions: You can substitute the tahini with other nut or seed butters with the understanding that the flavor and texture will be impacted accordingly.
• Vinegar Substitutions: You can substitute the distilled white vinegar with apple cider vinegar with the understanding that the flavor will be impacted slightly.
• Almond Butter Substitutions: You can substitute the almond butter with other nut or seed butters with the understanding that the flavor and texture will be impacted accordingly.
• Amount of Sea Salt: Our family was completely divided over how much sea salt was needed to properly season this salad. Feel free to adjust accordingly to suit your family’s preferences.
• Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

This salad does not freeze well.

Pantry Products:

• Hot Sauce: We used Frank’s RedHot Original Hot Sauce.
• Almond Butter: We used Artisana Organics Raw Vegan Almond Butter.  Feel free to use your favorite raw almond butter in this recipe.  Read the label, make sure the only ingredient is raw almonds.  Do not use a salted or sweetened almond butter.
• Tahini: We used Ziyad Premium Tahini (Sesame Paste). Feel free to use your favorite brand of tahini.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs. 

Kitchen Equipment:

• Vegetable peeler

If you try this bold salad, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Buffalo Carrot Cucumber Salad

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 25 Minutes
• Total Time: 25 Minutes
• Yield: 6 Cups 1x
• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This Buffalo Carrot Cucumber Salad is a vibrant, nutrient-packed bowl with a kiss of heat.

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Ingredients

Base Ingredients:

• 5 medium carrots, peeled, thinly stripped carrots * (10 oz. peeled and ribboned)
• 4 mini cucumbers, sliced into half-moons (10 oz.)
• 6 to 12 green onions, thinly sliced (1 to 1 ½ cups) *

Buffalo Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon hot sauce (+/-) *
• 1 Tablespoon tahini *
• 1 Tablespoon + ½ teaspoon unsweetened almond butter *
• 3 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (+/-) *
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *

Optional Additional Ingredients:

• ½ to 1 cup chickpeas (from can), drained and rinsed
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Optional Topping:

• Chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Buffalo Dressing by placing all the Buffalo Dressing Ingredients into a small bowl, whisking well until smooth and emulsified, refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Clean, peel, and thinly slice the carrots into long, very thin strips using a vegetable peeler and place into a bowl. Add the finely chopped cucumbers and sliced green onions into the bowl along with the thinly sliced carrots. Add any or all of the Optional Additional Ingredients. Mix thoroughly, set aside.
3. Pour the Buffalo Dressing over the carrot/cucumber mixture, toss well to thoroughly coat all the ingredients. Cover and allow the carrot salad to sit in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or overnight. Serve and enjoy!

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Servings: 6 (makes 6 cups)

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post Buffalo Carrot Cucumber Salad appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.

Vegan Almond Shortbread Cookie Sticks! The texture sits beautifully between a crunchy biscotti and a classic shortbread, delivering a satisfying snap.

These Vegan Almond Shortbread Cookie Sticks are the epitome of light, nutty bliss, delivering a delicate almond flavor. Each bite offers just enough sweetness to satisfy a craving without overpowering the buttery richness. Perfect for holiday cookie tables, festive cookie exchanges, or everyday indulgence, these cookie sticks add an elegant, seasonal charm to any platter.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

We devoured these cookie sticks like our lives depended on it! They’re irresistibly delicious, with that unmistakable almond aroma and a whisper of sweetness that keeps you reaching for another bite. If you’re looking for a show-stopping snack to share at gatherings or to tuck into gift boxes, this recipe is a winner.

Trust me, you gotta give this one a try—they disappear from the cookie tin in record time, leaving friends and family asking for the recipe. Pro tip: pair them with a cup of coffee or a festive latte to amplify the almond aroma, and don’t be afraid to get creative with toppings like sliced almonds or a light dusting of WFPB powdered sugar for a beautiful holiday finish.

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: These Almond Shortbread Cookie Sticks have a delicious and light almond flavor. They are lightly sweet. These cookie sticks are a delightful mix between a crunchy biscotti and shortbread. They make for the perfect holiday cookie table, cookie exchanges, or every day.
• Skill Level: This recipe is somewhat advanced as the baker needs to fully understand the feel of the dough when determining when it is ready to flatten into a disk where it will hold together adequately before slicing.
• Short Bench Scraper is a Must for Cookie Stick Formation: The small bench scraper allows you to cut down into cookie sticks in ONE press. Slicing will create drag and ruin the cookie sticks.
• Patience: These cookie sticks are beautiful and delicious. However, in order to ensure their beauty, you must have patience by ensuring the cookies are cut symmetrical, thin, and laid straight onto the baking sheet.
• Finely Chopped Oats: Place the rolled oats into a food processor and pulse off and on for approximately 30 to 45 seconds. This will break down the rolled oats into fine pieces. This makes for a better ‘mouthfeel’ versus biting into whole rolled oats. If you do not have a food processor, you can finely chop them up with a sharp chef’s knife on a cutting board; however, be sure to get all the powdered pieces along with the chopped oats. A food processor works best because you will have finely chopped oats along with some oat flour that is created via the process of blitzing them in the food processor which is perfect.
• Why are they perfect for Holidays or Cookie Exchanges: The crisp biscotti/shortbread texture allows the cookies to stay crisp and crunchy for days without losing its flavor, texture, and integrity. Additionally, if you take your time to ensure the sticks are cut evenly and straight, they make for a beautiful presentation.
• Maple Sugar: We love maple sugar. It works perfectly for WFPB baked goods due to it light color and wonderful texture. Date sugar or coconut sugar (or any dried sugar) will also work well in this recipe: however, the color of the cookie will change accordingly (darker or lighter in color) based upon the color of the sugar used. Note that sometimes, depending on the brand selected, date sugar and coconut sugar can be more granular and drier than maple sugar. If the dough simply will not come together, add a teaspoon (+/-) almond butter.
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup cannot be substituted for the maple sugar. Maple sugar is dry and maple syrup is liquid. This recipe uses both a dry sugar and maple syrup.
• Dough: The dough should be thick and stiff, but the key to success is that it should hold its shape easily when shaped into a large disk. If it crumbles and separates while shaping, then the cookie sticks will fall apart when cutting, work a little more almond butter into the dough.
• Large Baking Sheet: We used 1 large 15 x 21 baking sheet to ensure proper spacing of the cookies. If using two baking sheets, bake only one cookie sheet at a time in the oven using the center rack position. This ensures proper heat distribution and allows the cookies to bake evenly.
• Almond Flour/Almond Butter Substitutions: This recipe was designed specifically to use almond flour and almond butter as that is the basis of the cookie (almond). There are no substitutions offered simply because it would change the cookie into something other than its original intent.
• Almond Extract: If you wish to enhance the almond flavor, feel free to use almond extract.
• Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 5 days at room temperature.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

These cookies freeze well.

Pantry Products:

• Almond Butter: We used Artisana Organics Raw Vegan Almond Butter.  Feel free to use your favorite raw almond butter in this recipe.  Read the label, make sure the only ingredient is raw almonds.  Do not use a salted or sweetened almond butter.
• Maple Sugar: We used Nova Maple Sugar. Feel free to use your favorite maple sugar.
• Date Sugar: If using date sugar, we have used Date Lady Date Sugar. We have not tested this recipe using date sugar; however, have found that substituting date sugar for maple sugar works well. Feel free to use your favorite date sugar.
• Coconut Sugar: If using coconut sugar, we have used Bob’s Red Mill Organic Coconut Sugar. We have not tested this recipe with coconut sugar; however, we have found that substituting coconut sugar for maple sugar works well. Feel free to use your favorite coconut sugar.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs. 

Kitchen Equipment:

• Large 15 x 21 baking sheet with silicone pad or 2 regular baking sheets
• Parchment paper (or silicone pads)
• Stainless steel short bench scraper

If you try these delicious cookies, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Almond Shortbread Cookie Sticks

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 25 Minutes
• Cook Time: 17-20 Minutes
• Total Time: 45 Minutes
• Yield: 36-42 Cookie Sticks 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

These Vegan Almond Shortbread Cookie Sticks are the epitome of light, nutty bliss, delivering a delicate almond flavor.

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups (6.8 oz.) almond flour
• ½ cup rolled oats, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons maple sugar (or coconut sugar or date sugar) *
• Pinch baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *

Wet Ingredients:

• ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons unsweetened almond butter *
• 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ to 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Optional Toppings:

• 1/3 to ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips, melted
• 1 to 3 teaspoons tahini (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, middle rack.
2. Line a large 15×21 baking sheet (or 2 smaller baking sheets) with parchment paper (or silicone pad), set aside.
3. Place the all the remaining Dry Ingredients into a mixing bowl, whisk to combine.
4. Add all the Wet Ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with a stiff spoon to incorporate all the ingredients. This may take a few moments as initially it will feel like the dough is too dry and won’t come together, keep pressing the dough with a stiff spoon until it comes together and can hold its shape easily into a large ball without cracking or crumbling. It should not fall apart or be sticky. If it is too dry, work in ½ to 1 teaspoon more of almond butter into the dough until it rolls together into a firm ball.
5. Pick up the dough ball and flatten into a thick disk, then shape it into a square and place onto a large piece of parchment paper on the counter. Using a dough bench scraper or the side of your palm, shape the dough into a thick square.
6. Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the square of dough and use a rolling pin to roll and flatten it out into approximately 7-inches by 8-inches and 1/3-inch thick. Note: The dough will not roll easily, you will need to use a little muscle to flatten the dough into a rectangle. Use the short bench scraper to keep the sides of the dough into a rectangle.
7. Cut the dough in half (3 ½ inches) lengthwise using the bench scraper. Just make the slice through the middle of the dough lengthwise. Gently separate the two halves of dough. Then cut each half of the dough into long thin strips of dough approximately 1/3-inch thick. Cut approximately 6 cookie sticks, then pick up the dough sticks and lay them onto the baking sheet. Clean the bench scraper, then repeat until all the cookie sticks have been cut and laid out onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
8. Once all the cookie sticks have been sliced and placed on the parchment/silicone covered baking sheet. Go through the cookie sticks and make them all as straight as you can. Space them out about ½ to 1 inch apart from each other as the cookie dough sticks do not spread while baking.
9. Place in a 350 F preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes until the cookies are firmly set and lightly browned.
10. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheet until they completely cool to room temperature.
11. Chocolate Coating/Swirling: In the meantime, place the chocolate chips and tahini into a small bowl, melt the chocolate (and tahini) in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir vigorously, continue in 10 second intervals until the chocolate chips are melted, smooth, and runny.
12. Place wax paper, parchment paper, or silicone pads onto a plate or baking sheet. Pour the melted chocolate into a small juice glass. Dip one end of the cookie stick into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess chocolate to fall off, then scrape the backside and sides of the cookie stick to remove any excess chocolate and then place the cookie stick onto the covered paper plate/baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining sticks. OR simply drizzle the tops with melted chocolate. Sprinkle with a little flakey sea salt or crushed toasted almonds on top if desired.
13. Place the plate (or cookie sheet) into the refrigerator (or freezer) to allow the chocolate to firm up, approximately 10 to 30 minutes.
14. Once the chocolate is firm, gently loosen the cookie sticks from the plate (as the chocolate may want to stick) and move to an air-tight container, store at room temperature. They also freeze well.

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used. 

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Servings:  36 to 42 cookie sticks

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post Vegan Almond Shortbread Cookie Sticks appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.

Smashed Pinto Bean and Grilled Onion Tacos! Whether you’re feeding a solo weeknight dinner or for your family, these tacos promise a playful, pantry-friendly meal that’s as delicious as it is comforting.

These Smashed Pinto Bean and Grilled Onion Tacos come together in a breeze, bursting with deep, caramelized character from blistered onions and hearty, creamy pinto beans. The mash-up of tender beans, sweet corn, and a whisper of lime ties everything together, making the dish feel both crave-worthy and approachable. If you’re chasing a vegetarian option that doesn’t skimp on flavor, this recipe checks all the boxes: easy to assemble, affordable, and deeply satisfying.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

These tacos are super yummy! We loved them. Yasmeen, who LOVES onions, devoured these tacos! The secret is the caramelized onion giving a kiss of sweetness that plays beautifully with the hearty pinto beans.

You gotta give this one a try!

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: These Smashed Pinto Bean and Grilled Onion Tacos are easy to make and incredibly flavorful. If you love grilled onions and tacos, then this recipe is just for you. They are hearty, delicious, and fun!
• Taco Mixture and Tortillas: We used 1/4 cup of filling mixture for each 6-inch tortilla. then flatten the filling out onto half of the tortilla, spreading it carefully nearly to the very edges of the half tortilla. The mixture should stick easily to the tortilla, then fold the tortilla in half. In other words, simply fold the tacos in half like a half-moon and the tortilla can easily be heated on both sides in a skillet.
• Corn Tortillas Pro Tip: Soft corn tortillas tend to curl up, flake, and dry out on both the stove top and the oven. If you are making the soft corn tortillas in the oven, we suggest the following tip. Fill the soft corn tortillas, fold in half and place on a large baking sheet. Continue until all the tacos are filled and folded. Then, place another large baking sheet directly on top of the folded tacos. This method keeps the corn tacos flat and prevents them from curling and flaking.  OR you can use crunchy/hard taco shells; follow package directions for heating.
• Regular Chili Powder: Feel free to use your favorite chili powder, just be sure to select a mild one and not one that has a lot of heat to it.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
• Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

These tacos can be frozen.

Pantry Products:

• Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.  Feel free to use your favorite vegetable broth.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Kitchen Equipment:

• Large skillet
• Large baking sheet (Two large baking sheets if using soft corn tortillas and baking in the oven)

If you try these yummy tacos, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Smashed Pinto Bean and Grilled Onion Tacos

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 30 Minutes
• Cook Time: 6-10 Minutes (Oven)
• Total Time: 40 Minutes
• Yield: 10 Tacos 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Oven, Stovetop
• Cuisine: Mexican Inspired

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Description

These Smashed Pinto Bean and Grilled Onion Tacos come together in a breeze, bursting with deep, caramelized character from blistered onions and hearty, creamy Pinto beans.

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Ingredients

Base Ingredients:

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, fine dice
• 1 large white onion, 1/4-inch half-moon slices
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• ¼ cup water, divided *
• 3 Tablespoons low-sodium vegetable broth *
• 1 – [ 15.5 oz. can ] pinto beans
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice

Spice/Herb Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon regular chili powder *
• ¾ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
• ¼ teaspoon coriander
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *

Other Ingredients:

• 10 to 12 [ 6-inch ] corn or flour tortillas *

Optional Ingredients:

• ½ cup corn [fresh, frozen, or canned]

Optional Toppings:

• Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce [or chopped avocados]
• Chopped fresh tomatoes

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
3. Add all the Spice/Herb Ingredients into a small bowl, mix well, then set aside.
4. In a large skillet, place the finely diced jalapeno peppers and sliced half-moon white onions, sauté for 5 to 7 minutes over medium-high heat, then add 2 Tablespoons of water and continue to sauté and allow the water to evaporate, then add 2 more tablespoons of water until the onions are tender crisp or tender (dependent on how you enjoy grilled onions), approximately 2 to 5 more minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
6. Then add all the remaining Base Ingredients, corn, and the Spice/Herb Mix. Stir well and heat through, approximately 3 to 5 minutes, then remove from the stove.
7. Take a potato masher and mash the beans to create a paste-like mixture. Do not mash all the beans but mash a good portion of them so the mixture sticks together. If needed, add a little water to create a semi-paste like mixture.
8. Take a flour or corn tortilla and lay it on a flat surface. Scoop up 1/4 cup of the pinto bean/onion mixture, then lay it onto half of the tortilla and press the mixture to the edges of half of the tortilla. Then fold in half. Place onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Continue until all the tortillas are prepared with the pinto bean/onion mixture and folded in half. OR see Step 9 for Stove Top Instructions for flour tortillas. Corn tortillas typically not work on the stove top as they tend to curl.
9. Stove Top Instructions Only: Place a non-stick skillet onto the stove over medium-high heat, then lay the filled and folded tortillas down onto the hot skillet. Heat until the tortilla until the filled mixture is hot (3 to 5 minutes), then gently flip over to the other side. Heat thoroughly (approx. 2 to 3 minutes). Continue until all the tortillas have been heated on the skillet.
10. Oven Instructions: When all the tacos are filled and folded in half and placed onto the parchment-lined large baking sheet, take the 2^nd baking sheet and place it over top so that the tacos are sandwiched flat between the two layers. Both baking sheets should be right-side up and fit together perfectly. You can do this for both flour tortillas and corn tortillas, but specifically for corn tortillas as they tend to curl in the oven if not held down. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through.
11. To serve, eat plain or on a bed of chopped lettuce greens, chopped tomatoes, avocados, or with Avocado Lime Cilantro Sauce.

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Products Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Equipment Used.

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Servings: 10 tacos

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post Smashed Pinto Bean and Grilled Onion Tacos appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.

Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce! Each spoonful delivers a velvety richness balanced by herbaceous cilantro and a citrus kick, making it the perfect drizzle for tacos, burritos, and even warm tortillas.

This Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce is bursting with bright, fresh flavors—creamy avocado swirled with vibrant cilantro and zesty lime. Whether you’re building a quick weeknight taco night or a festive spread, this sauce brings a luxurious creaminess and a punch of flavor that fans of avocado-based sauces will crave. For best results, blend until silky smooth and season with a pinch of salt to amplify every note.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

We love this creamy avocado sauce with tacos and couldn’t resist sharing it with you. It’s ridiculously yummy, blending ripe avocado, bright lime, and fresh cilantro into a luscious crema that instantly elevates any taco night.

A quick whisk or blend turns simple ingredients into a show-stopping sauce that’s dairy-free-friendly and irresistibly smooth. You gotta give this one a try—slather it on tacos, burritos, or spoon it over roasted veggies for an upgraded dip.

Trust us, once you taste that creamy, zesty goodness, you’ll be reaching for the cilantro lime sauce again and again.

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: This Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce is full of avocado, cilantro, lime goodness. It’s great for Southwestern, Tex-Mex, and Mexican dishes.
• Sweetness: Our family was completely divided over the amount of maple syrup used, start on the low end and build from there.
• Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 4 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

Pantry Products:

• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Kitchen Equipment:

• Food processor

If you try this bold sauce, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 5 Minutes
• Total Time: 5 Minutes
• Yield: 2/3 Cup 1x
• Category: Condiment
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce is bursting with bright, fresh flavors—creamy avocado swirled with vibrant cilantro and zesty lime.

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Ingredients

• 1 avocado
• ½ cup cilantro leaves (packed)
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt (+/-)
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (+/-) *

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Instructions

Place all the ingredients into a food processor, process until smooth and emulsified, occasionally scraping down the sides.

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Serving:  Makes 2/3 cup

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.

Oil Free Asian Sour Napa Cabbage Stir Fry! With its speedy sauté and crisp-tender napa, this dish shines as a healthy weeknight option that sings with authentic Chinese vinegar nuance, making it a standout dish.

This Oil Free Asian Sour Napa Cabbage Stir Fry is a breezy Chinese-inspired dish that highlights the bright, punchy-sweet-sour notes of Chinese Black Rice Vinegar. Quick to the pan, this stir fry preserves the napa cabbage’s crisp bite and delicate leafy texture, delivering a light, silky coating without oil. The vinegar’s tangy backbone mingles with a hint of sweetness, creating a balanced flavor profile that’s both refreshing and comforting.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

This Asian dish comes together in a flash, delivering light, tasty flavors that feel bright and satisfying. The napa cabbage stays vibrant and crisp, while the subtle seasoning lets the Chinese Black Rice Vinegar take center stage, giving just the right amount of tangy-sour without overpowering the dish.

We loved its clean, approachable taste and easy prep, making it the kind of recipe you’ll reach for again. You gotta give this one a try for a quick, flavorful weeknight that totally effortless.

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: This Oil-Free Napa Cabbage Stir Fry is an easy Chinese dish that showcases the unique flavor of Chinese Black Rice Vinegar with its punchy-sweet and sour influence. This dish is sauteed quickly retaining much of the integrity and crunchiness of the Napa cabbage. The flavors are light and subtle but distinctly sour with a hint of sweetness.
• Sweet and Sour: If you want more sour, then use less maple syrup. If you enjoy more sweetness, then use the full 2 Tablespoons.
• Napa Cabbage: Napa Cabbage works perfect in stir fry dishes as it cooks quickly, and the crunchiness is not as dense as a regular cabbage.
• Napa Cabbage Water Content: Napa cabbage has a very high-water content, 96%. Because is has such a high-water content, it is important to cook it quickly with a high temperature before it can release a lot of its water into the dish, thereby watering down and dulling the flavor of the sauce.
• Napa Cabbage Substitutions: This recipe was designed to use Napa cabbage. We do not recommend regular cabbage as a substitution.
• Black Rice Vinegar Substitutions: There really isn’t a great substitution for Black Rice Vinegar since it has an unique flavor; however, the closest substitution is a 1:1 ratio of Balsamic Vinegar and Rice Vinegar. In other words, this recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons of black rice vinegar, so you would use 1 Tablespoon of rice vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.  
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

This soup freezes well.

Pantry Products:

• Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.  Feel free to use your favorite vegetable broth.
• Tamari: We used San J Tamari Soy Sauce, Gluten Free, Reduced Sodium. You can substitute the tamari with reduced sodium soy sauce, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos. We recommend using reduced-sodium products.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Kitchen Equipment:

• Large skillet

If you try this tasty dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Oil Free Asian Sour Napa Cabbage Stir Fry

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Cook Time: 5 Minutes
• Total Time: 25 Minutes
• Yield: 2-3 Servings 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Asian
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This Oil Free Asian Sour Napa Cabbage Stir Fry is a breezy Chinese-inspired dish that highlights the bright, punchy-sweet-sour notes of Chinese Black Rice Vinegar.

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Ingredients

Base Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. sliced Napa Cabbage, divided *
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1/3 cup water 

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons [Chinkiang] Chinese black vinegar *
• 2 Tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari *
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (+/-)
• 1 teaspoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (+/-)
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger (+/-)
• Pinch to ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (+/-)
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)

Other Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Sprinkle sea salt (finishing)

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Instructions

1. Begin by discarding any damaged outer leaves of the Napa cabbage. The thicker white portions of the cabbage cut at a 45-degree angle into 1-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Cut the green portion of the cabbage into 2-inch pieces, and place in a separate bowl. Set aside.
2. Place all the Dressing Ingredients into a small bowl, whisk to combine, set aside.
3. In a large skillet, (preheating the skillet to high heat) place all the Base Ingredients, [the thicker white napa cabbage pieces only] and carrots with 1/3 cup water, sauté while stirring constantly over high heat for 3 minutes. Watch the water carefully, you don’t want a lot of water, but you don’t want the pan to burn.
4. Then throw in the green pieces of napa cabbage and the Dressing Mix, stirring constantly, sauté for 2 minutes.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Allow to sit for several minutes to allow the cabbage to soak up the liquids.
6. Sprinkle individual servings with sea salt, more toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Products Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Equipment Used.

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Servings:  2 to 3

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post Oil Free Asian Sour Napa Cabbage Stir Fry appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.

Healthy Carrot Wheat Bran Muffins! Each bite delivers satisfying warm spice notes, and the soft kiss of raisins, making them ideal for busy mornings, a wholesome lunchbox treat, or an easy, healthy snack that still tastes indulgent.

These Healthy Carrot Wheat Bran Muffins are a delicious crowd-pleaser you can feel good about, thanks to a nourishing blend of whole wheat flour and wheat bran that keeps you full and fueled. Packed with carrot goodness, plump raisins, and crunchy walnuts, these muffins strike a perfect balance between wholesome ingredients and comforting sweetness. The batter stays wonderfully moist and tender, yielding a light texture, while the natural sweetness from the carrots and a gentle kiss of maple syrup keeps them naturally appealing.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients.

Hi there, Ameera here!

We loved these lightly sweet carrot wheat bran muffins! So delicious and perfectly balanced between wholesome nourishment and satisfying flavor. The sweetness comes from the carrots and a touch of maple syrup, while the wheat bran adds a comforting rustic crumb and a healthy fiber boost.

They’re incredibly easy to make, then bake into golden, fluffy muffins that freeze beautifully for easy meal prep. If you’re after a muffin that tastes like a cozy homemade treat without tipping over into indulgence, this recipe is your new go-to.

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: These Healthy Carrot Wheat Bran Muffins are healthy and delicious, filled with whole wheat flour, wheat bran, carrot goodness with raisins and walnuts. They are moist, lightly sweet, and have fantastic texture.
• Sweetness: These muffins are lightly sweet.
• Coconut Sugar: We used coconut sugar, but other dry sugars like date sugar, maple sugar or other dry sugars will work great in this recipe.
• Oven Temperature Switch: Start the oven at 400F for the first 7 minutes, this allows the muffins to quickly crest and puff up creating that beautiful muffin dome.
• Measuring Flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off. Do not pack it in and do not scoop it in. Do the same with the wheat bran.
• Wheat Bran Substitutions: We have not tested any substitutions for the wheat bran. This recipe was specifically created to use wheat bran.
• Whole Wheat Flour Substitutions: These muffins were specifically designed to use whole wheat flour and wheat bran. We do not have any substitutions to offer.
• Gluten Free: This recipe is not gluten free. There are no substitutions to offer to make them gluten free.
• Resting the Muffins before Baking: Resting the muffin batter for at least 5 minutes (up to 10 minutes) before baking allows the flour to fully hydrate. This makes for a tender crumb.
• Cookie Scoop or Ice Cream Scoop: If you have a medium-sized cookie scoop or a small ice cream scoop, use that to fill the muffin liners. Otherwise, after filling the batter, if the tops look a tad bit “choppy”, then try to smooth out the tops a little by using a warm, wet spoon to avoid the choppy peaks and valleys that may occur when dropping batter with a spoon as the batter is thick. This is not required, but it does help the muffins look prettier and rounder when using a spoon. In other words, the muffins will rise, but they will keep pretty much keep the same form coming out of the oven as when you put them in the oven.
• Health Benefits of Wheat Bran: Wheat bran is the nutrient-dense, hard outer layer of the wheat kernel, separated during the milling process. It is exceptionally high in insoluble fiber and packed with nutrients like magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, and iron. Often used to boost fiber intake, it has a light, flaky texture and a mild, sweet-nutty flavor. It can also help manage blood sugar, reduce cholesterol, and support heart health.
• Muffin Paper Liners: We used natural cupcake liners.
• Muffins Sticking to Liners: Because we do not use oil on the Whole Food Plant Based Diet, the muffins will slightly stick to the paper liners after baking; however, the longer you wait to eat them (several hours), the less they will stick. They don’t stick enough to be concerned, but we do want you to know that they can stick and you will lose a tiny bit of the muffin to the liner.
• Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 4 to 5 days at room temperature.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

These muffins freeze well.

Pantry Products:

• Whole Wheat Flour: We used Sunrise Flour Mill Organic Heritage Whole Wheat Flour. Feel free to use your favorite whole wheat flour.
• Wheat Bran: We used Bob’s Red Mill Wheat Bran. Feel free to use your favorite wheat bran.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs. 

Kitchen Equipment:

• Muffin tin (holds 12 regular-sized muffins)
• Paper muffin liners
• Medium-sized cookie scoop (optional)

If you try these tasty muffins, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Healthy Carrot Wheat Bran Muffins

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Cook Time: 19-20 Minutes
• Total Time: 40 Minutes
• Yield: 12 Muffins 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

These Healthy Carrot Wheat Bran Muffins are a delicious crowd-pleaser you can feel good about, thanks to a nourishing blend of whole wheat flour and wheat bran that keeps you full and fueled.

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups organic whole wheat flour *
• 1 cup wheat bran *
• ½ cup coconut sugar (or other dry sugar) *
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon (+/-) *
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *

Wet Ingredients:

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup unsweetened plain plant milk
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Other Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated carrots
• ¾ cup raisins (optional)
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F, center rack.
2. Line the muffin tin with 12 paper liners, set aside.
3. Place the all the Dry Ingredients into a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine.
4. Add all the Wet Ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly by hand to incorporate all the ingredients.
5. Stir in the grated carrots, raisins, and chopped walnuts.
6. Carefully and evenly spoon the batter into the 12 paper-lined muffin tin up to the top. Smooth out the tops if needed.
7. After filling the muffin liners, allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes (up to 10 minutes) on the counter.
8. Place in a 400 F preheated oven for 7 minutes, then after 7 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350 F for 12 to 13 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the muffin tin and move them to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 30 to 45 minutes on the cooling rack, then enjoy! Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Servings:  Makes 12 regular-sized muffins

Nutrition Facts: Muffins without the walnuts – Calories: 153, Fat: 0.9g, Carbs: 36.9g, Protein:3.3g

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post Healthy Carrot Wheat Bran Muffins appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.

Fusion Shiro Wat! Each spoonful delivers a creamy, velvety texture and a nourishing punch of plant-based protein, making it both nutritious and approachable.

This Fusion Shiro Wat brings together the best of Ethiopian and Indian flavors into one comforting, weeknight-friendly dish. Easy to whip up and deeply satisfying, it’s the kind of cozy dinner that makes everyday meals feel special. The dish balances warming Indian spices—think cumin, coriander, and curry—with the earthy, fragrant notes of Ethiopian shiro from chickpea flour, garlic, and ginger. Whether you’re meal-prepping for the week or seeking a quick dinner idea, this fusion shiro wat shines as a versatile, crowd-pleasing option that pairs beautifully with warm flatbreads, injera, or steamed rice.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

We devoured this easy dish right up, and Yasmeen absolutely loved it. The warming spices meets silky richness, creating a memorable fusion that’s both comforting and adventurous.

Yasmeen and Mom enjoyed it with a hint of tahini for a creamy, nutty finish, while a few others preferred enjoying it without tahini.

If you’re chasing a warming, satisfying dinner that highlights both Ethiopian and Indian flavors, you gotta give this one a try—your taste buds will thank you.

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: This Fusion Shiro Wat is an easy and delicious fusion of Ethiopian and Indian cuisines, perfect comfort food for everyday dinner meals. Filled with warming Indian and Ethiopian spices, chickpeas, and chickpea flour, this dish is sure to be a nutritious and satisfying meal.
• Fusion: The Ethiopian dish Shiro Wat is a stew primarily made with chickpea flour and Berbere spices. The Indian influence is made with curry spices and coconut milk. Berbere spice and curry have many of the same warming spices. While the Indian cuisine does use chickpea flour extensively, our goal here was to create a Shiro Wat but instead of using Berbere spices, we used curry powder.
• Water and Canned Light Coconut Milk: You may wish to start on the low end and build with your favorite flavors. If too spicy, use more coconut milk and less water. If you enjoy the warming heat spices, then use more water and less coconut milk. The coconut milk tempers the heat.
• Tahini: The tahini is used to temper the acidity from some of the spices. We had family members who loved it, while others felt it wasn’t needed. We’ve made it optional.
• Texture: This dish has a porridge-like consistency with some texture from the chopped chickpeas. It is perfect for using naan, injera, pita, lavash, or other flatbreads to scoop as a spoon
• Consistency: This dish has a porridge-like consistency. Often times after it has sat in the refrigerator (if there are leftovers), it may thicken up. You can add some water to loosen it up back into a porridge-like consistency when reheated, if needed.
• Drain and Rinse the Petite Diced Tomatoes: Be sure to drain and rinse the petitie diced tomatoes really well. The purpose it to only have the diced tomatoes and not any of the tomato juice.
• Food Processor Ingredients: The purpose of finely mincing the food processor ingredients is to create a smooth texture, then coupling the smooth texture with the rough chopped chickpeas creates a fantastic mouthfeel.
• Rough Chop the Can of Chickpeas: We loved slightly chopping the chickpeas. We put the drained and rinsed chickpeas into the food process and processed for a count of 4 (not 4 seconds, but rather a quick count of 4), then stopped. You will have a combination of chopped and whole chickpeas. You can also place them onto a chopping board and give them a rough chop if you wish. Note: You do not need to clean the food processor in between chopping the vegetables (Food Processor Ingredients) and chopping the chickpeas.
• Chickpea Flour (also known as Garbanzo Bean Flour): Chickpea flour is known as garbanzo bean flour, gram flour, and besan flour. It is made from dried chickpeas. It works wonderfully in this dish.
• Chickpea Flour Substitutions: We have no substitutions to offer as the chickpea flour is a major flavor component in this dish. Do not
• Can I make my own Chickpea Flour: Yes, absolutely. Follow this YouTube Video on How to Make Your Own Chickpea Flour. Chickpea flour is fairly inexpensive, see list of Pantry Product Used in this Recipe below for the brand we used.
• Curry Powders: All curry powders are not the same. There are tons of curry options and blends.  Use your favorite curry blend. Each blend tends to accent different spices within the blend. We have found that some blends are heavy with turmeric and tend to be slightly acidic on the backend of the palate and others may contain a lot of heat. Feel free to adjust spices based upon the curry blend selected.
• Spices: Feel free to ramp up the spices if you wish to suit your own personal preference.
• White or Red Onion: We used a large white onion. Feel free to substitute with a large red onion if you wish.
• Amount of Sea Salt: Our family was completely divided over the amount of sea salt needed to properly flavor this dish. For most palates, we felt 1 teaspoon worked well.
• Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

This dish freezes well; however, it will get a tiny bit weepy, but nothing a thorough stirring can’t fix.

Pantry Products:

• Chickpea/Garbanzo Bean Flour: We used Bobs Red Mill Garbanzo Bean Flour. Feel free to use your favorite chickpea/garbanzo bean flour.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

 Kitchen Equipment:

• Food processor
• Large skillet

If you try this flavorful dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Fusion Shiro Wat (Ethiopian and Indian)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 30 Minutes
• Total Time: 45 Minutes
• Yield: 4 Cups 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Ethiopian, Indian
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This Fusion Shiro Wat brings together the best of Ethiopian and Indian flavors into one comforting, weeknight-friendly dish.

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Ingredients

Food Processor Ingredients:

• 1 large white (or red) onion, chunked *
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 – [ 14.5 oz. can ] petite diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed * 

Spice/Herb Ingredients:

• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin (+/-)
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder (+/-) *
• ¼ teaspoon coriander (+/-)
• ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika (+/-)
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) 

Other Ingredients:

• 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] chickpeas, drained and rinsed, rough chop *
• ½ cup chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour) *
• ¾ to 1 ¼ cups water *
• 1 to 1 ¼ cups light coconut milk (from can) *
• 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon tahini (optional) *
• 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon lime juice 

Optional Ingredients:

• Sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro

Serving Ideas:

• Steamed rice
• Naan, injera, lavash, pita, or flatbread

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Instructions

1. Place all the Spice/Herb Ingredients into a small bowl, whisk well, set aside.
2. Place all the Food Processor Ingredients into a food processor, process until all the ingredients are finely minced and resemble a finely blended soupy-textured type mixture.
3. Place the minced food processor mixture into a large skillet and sauté on medium-high until most of the liquids start to evaporate (approximately 7 to 9 minutes), then add the Spice/Herb Mix and chopped chickpeas, stir well to thoroughly mix in the spices throughout the mixture. Continue to sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Then add the chickpea flour to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
5. Next add the water, light coconut milk, and tahini, stir well to thoroughly mix, continue to cook until thickened. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
6. Stir in the lime juice, cook for several minutes.
7. Remove from the stove, cover, and allow to sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
8. After 10 minutes, stir well, top with chopped fresh cilantro, then serve with naan, injera, lavash, pita or flatbread, and/or steamed rice.

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Serving:  4 (makes 4 cups)

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post Fusion Shiro Wat (Ethiopian and Indian) appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.

Vegan Maple Glazed Banana Nut Scones! Ideal for weekend brunch, these scones boast a cake-like texture—crisp-edged and crunchy topping.

Light and fluffy, these Vegan Maple Glazed Banana Nut Scones are everything you crave in a cozy morning treat.  Each bite delivers moist, tender crumb with a balanced kiss of sweetness, while the maple glazed walnuts adds a delightful crunch with a comforting aroma that lingers in the kitchen.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients.

Hi there, Ameera here!

We absolutely devoured these Whole Food Plant Based scones, and I’m not shy about saying they’re crave-worthy, crowd-pleasing, and weeknight-friendly all at once. They come out so soft and fluffy, with a wholesome, banana-bread vibe that’s elevated by toasty nuts and a gentle maple sweetness.

It’s the kind of recipe you’ll want to bookmark for when you’re hosting friends or curling up with a cup of coffee on a chilly morning. They’re incredibly satisfying—so so good. Give this one a try and savor the nourishing, plant-powered goodness that makes your kitchen smell like a cozy bakery.

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: These Vegan Maple Glazed Banana Nut Scones are delicious. They are light and fluffy, and full of maple banana nut yumminess. They are moist, lightly sweet, and have fantastic texture.
• Scone Texture: These healthy scones are not going to have the same texture that you would expect from a traditional scone. Traditional scones are made with white sugar, butter, heavy cream or buttermilk and eggs. They generally have a delicate, slightly crumbly texture, the interior is light flaky and tender. This Whole Food Plant Based scone has more of a cake-like texture but is still fantastic and delicious. It looks like a scone but is a healthier version in comparison to traditional scones.
• Medium to Advanced Bakers: Please be advised that this recipe is not difficult; however, it does require some general baking intuition and skill when making scones due to trusting the feel of the dough and understanding the general mechanics of making scones. A degree of patience is required when making these scones as it is not a recipe to rush through.
• All-Purpose White Flour: We used an organic, unbleached all-purpose white flour to make these scones. Feel free to use your favorite all-purpose flour.
• Cinnamon: Not all cinnamon is created equal.  Some brands of cinnamon are light and passively flavored while others are strong, sharp, and astringent.
• Amount of Bananas: Place approximately 2 ½ to 3 overripe brown speckled bananas (peeled) into a medium-sized bowl and thoroughly mash into a pudding-like mixture. Mash them really well, you should not see any overly large visible chunks of bananas. We use our hands to really mash them into that pudding-like texture. RESIST the urge to use more than 1 cup of thoroughly mashed bananas or you could potentially have gooey scones.
• Dough: At first when stirring the dough, it will seem too dry, but in order to fully incorporate the flour, you will need to switch from a stiff spoon or hard silicone spatula to using your hands to get the dough to become saturated, then stop, do not overmix. The dough should not separate but adhere to one big ball of batter. Dust the top of the ball of batter with some flour, then dump into the parchment paper-lined (bottom only) cake pan. Push the dough and flatten to the edges of the cake round (8-inch). Freeze the dough for 15 to 20 minutes.
• 8-Inch Round Cake Pan: Using an 8-inch round cake pan allows the dough to rest and creates the general round shape needed to later cut into scone triangles.
• Line only the Bottom of the Round Cake Pan: Use a parchment paper round for the bottom of the cake pan. After placing the parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, lightly dust before flattening the dough to the edges of the cake pan.
• Why Freeze the Dough: Freezing the dough prevents too much sticking to the bench scraper. It also improves the texture by preventing excess spreading of the dough resulting in thicker scones.
• Bench Scraper: Using a small bench scraper allows for a simple even cut. Be sure to wash the bench scraper between cuts if any dough sticks to the bench scraper. This will prevent drag which will tear the next cut of scones and ruin them. If you do not have a bench scraper, a large chef’s knife will work fine, just cut down in one even cut. Do not drag the knife. Clean the knife in between cuts.
• Lifting the Dough Scones: Use the bench scraper to ensure the triangles are thoroughly cut through, then slide the bench scraper or large spatula underneath the dough triangles and move to the baking sheet. You can also use your hands once you use the bench scraper to get underneath the edges of the scones.
• Large Side of the Triangle on the Outside of the Baking Sheet: Be sure that all the large ends of the triangles are on the outside and all the small ends are pointed inward to prevent overbrowning.
• Shaping the Scones: Take a few extra minutes to reshape the scones (if needed) on the baking sheet before using the maple glaze. Blunt the short end of the triangles so they are not pointy simply by pressing the pointy end back onto the dough. If you have any pointy edges at the large top side of the triangle, press the dough back and round them off. Do not cut them off, gently press the dough with the side of your hand.
• Pastry Brush: Use a pastry brush to glaze the scones. If you do not have a pastry brush, simply dip your fingers into the glaze and use them to coat the scones. Try not to get too much of the maple glaze on the baking sheet as it will caramelize and potentially burn. If you happen to get too many pools of maple syrup on the baking dish, simply use a paper towel and wrap it around your finger and absorb it up into the paper towel before putting the scones in the oven.
• Potential Overbrowning/Foil: When the scones have been in the oven for 15 minutes, remove and cover with a large sheet of foil, just lay it over top of the scones. This will prevent them from over-browning as the maple glaze will start to scorch. You can also use parchment paper but double it.
• Maple Syrup Glaze: The maple syrup glazes the entire surface of the scone, except the bottom. This will cover any flour that was used to dust the surface. Use a pastry brush if you have one and be sure to glaze every side except the bottom.
• Maple Glazed Walnuts: Dump the walnuts into the maple syrup water mixture, thoroughly coat, then strain off any excess maple syrup/water. Then generally place them on top of the scones.
• Sweetness: These scones are lightly sweet.
• Coconut Sugar: We used coconut sugar, but other dry sugars like date sugar, maple sugar or other dry sugars will work great in this recipe.
• Measuring Flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off. Do not pack it in and do not scoop it in.
• Gluten Free: This recipe is not gluten free. If you would like them to be gluten free, then use 1:1 gluten free flour. We have not tested this recipe using a gluten free flour. If you are looking for a gluten free version of this recipe, we have one that is similar made with almond flour and peanut butter:  Peanut Butter Banana Cookie Scones.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep for 4 days.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

These scones freeze well.

Pantry Products:

• Organic Unbleached All-Purpose Flour: We used King Arthur Organic Unbleached All-Purpose Flour.  Feel free to use your favorite white all-purpose flour.
• Almond Butter: We used Artisana Organics Raw Vegan Almond Butter.  Feel free to use your favorite raw almond butter in this recipe.  Read the label, make sure the only ingredient is raw almonds.  Do not use a salted or sweetened almond butter.

Kitchen Equipment:

• Large 15 x 21 baking sheet with silicone pad
• 8-inch round cake pan
• Parchment paper
• Pastry brush (optional)
• Small bench scraper (optional)
• Fine-mesh strainer (optional) – used to drain the chopped walnuts

If you try these tasty scones, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Vegan Maple Glazed Banana Nut Scones

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 40 Minutes
• Cook Time: 19-20 Minutes
• Total Time: 60 Minutes
• Yield: 8 Scones 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Light and fluffy, these Vegan Maple Glazed Banana Nut Scones are everything you crave in a cozy morning treat.

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups (11.6 oz.) unbleached all-purpose white flour *
• ½ cup coconut sugar (or other dry sugar like date or maple) *
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon *
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup thoroughly mashed bananas *
• 2 Tablespoons unsweetened almond butter *
• ¼ cup unsweetened plain plant milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 

Glaze Topping Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons water

Nut Topping Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon water
• ¾ to 1 cup chopped walnuts

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Instructions

1. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper (bottom only), dust the parchment paper with some flour, set aside.
2. Line a large (15 x 21 or similarly large) baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone pad, set aside.
3. Thoroughly mash several spotted bananas, measure 1 cup of mashed bananas, set aside.
4. Place the all the Dry Ingredients into a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine.
5. Add all the Wet Ingredients (including the 1 cup of thoroughly mashed bananas) to the dry ingredients and mix well with a stiff spoon, then continue mixing by hand to incorporate all the ingredients. At first it will appear that the dough is too dry, keep mixing by using your hands until the dough comes together.
6. The dough should feel slightly firm, but still somewhat flimsy and slightly sticky. Form a ball of dough inside the bowl. Dust the top of the dough with some flour, then gently dump the ball of dough into the parchment paper-lined 8-inch cake. Sprinkle with some additional flour (if needed). Press the dough disk down evenly to fill the 8-inch round cake pan, pushing the dough to the sides of the round cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 400 F, center rack.
8. After 15 to 20 minutes, gently dump the slightly frozen dough out onto a very lightly floured surface, remove the parchment paper, then divide into 8 even triangles, by cutting the dough in half down the middle, then in half again, repeat until you have 8 equal triangular pieces. A small bench scraper works well for this job. In between every cut, wash the bench scraper and dry thoroughly if any dough sticks to the bench scraper. If you do not have a bench scraper, a large chef’s knife works well too.
9. Place the dough triangles onto the parchment/silicone lined large baking sheet with the smaller part of the triangle facing inward. Shape the dough – see recipe notes.
10. Place 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup and 2 teaspoons of water in a small bowl, whisk. Then brush the maple mixture all over the tops and sides of the dough scones.
11. In another bowl, place 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of water, whisk to combine, then dump the chopped walnuts into the maple syrup mixture, mix well to endure all the chopped nuts are evenly coated, then strain off the maple syrup so all only the maple syrup coated walnuts are left in the bowl, then generously top the scones with the coated walnuts. Important Note: Be sure to drain off any excess maple syrup off the walnuts to prevent excess runoff of maple syrup.
12. Place in a 400F preheated oven for 15 minutes. At the 15-minute mark, place a large sheet of loose foil (or parchment paper) over top of the scones to prevent the tops from burning.
13. Place back in the oven, and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
14. Remove the scones from the oven and allow the scones to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 10 to 20 minutes on the cooling rack, then enjoy! Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Servings:  Makes 8 scones  

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post Vegan Maple Glazed Banana Nut Scones appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.

Instant Pot Vegan Turkish Lentil Bulgur Cabbage Stew! Perfect for meal prep or a chilly-day, this plant-based stew checks all the boxes for flavor, nutrition, and weeknight practicality.

This Instant Pot Vegan Turkish Lentil Bulgur Cabbage Stew is the cozy, low-fat hug your weeknight dinners deserve. Picture tender, melty cabbage swimming in a rich, tomato-forward broth, with hearty brown lentils and bulgur soaking up all the warmth of Turkish spices. Each spoonful delivers comforting depth from tomato goodness and aromatic notes like cumin, paprika, and garlic, while the pressure-cooked texture keeps the dish light yet satisfying.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, and no highly processed ingredients.

Hi there, Ameera here!

This stew is hearty and sticks to your ribs with lentils and bulgur, plus irresistibly melty cabbage that swoops in to deliver cozy comfort. I love how the tomato-rich broth envelopes every bite, balancing savory spice with a bright, tomato-kissed tang.

It’s the kind of dish that feels indulgent without the heaviness—rich in plant-powered protein and fiber, yet light on calories. You gotta give this one a try!

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: This Turkish Lentil Bulgur Cabbage Stew is a cozy, low-fat, tomato-rich stew featuring melty tender cabbage, brown lentils, and bulgur filled with warming Turkish spices in a flavorful tomato broth. This stew has a porridge-like consistency. There is a slight vinegar twang from the hot sauce.
• Texture: This stew is rich and thick and has a porridge-like consistency. If you have textural issues, you may wish to skip this recipe.
• Low Fat Dish Expectations: This dish is designed to be a low-fat dish.  It is not going to taste as decadent as a dish that has a higher fat content. It is very delicious for what it is and that is a low-fat dish. We want to make sure the reader understands this before contemplating making it and to adjust expectations accordingly.
• Tomato Paste: Make sure you take an extra minute to smash in the tomato paste and try to incorporate it into the liquids before closing the IP lid.  This will help prevent tripping the “Burn” feature on the Instant Pot.
• Cabbage Wedges: Cut just a small piece off the end of the stalk (just to clean it up), then cut the cabbage in half. Take the one half and cut it into fourths. Keep the stalk (hard part) intact. Do not remove it. Then lay it the wedges down on top of the broth, press them down into the liquid. The broth should cover nearly all of the cabbage wedges. It’s ok if they are not fully submerged in the broth, as long as the bottom of the wedges touch the broth.
• Why Cabbage Wedges and Not Chopped Cabbage: The traditional Turkish recipe uses cabbage wedges. You can use chopped cabbage if you wish, but do not chop the cabbage too small as they will simply melt into the stew and become part of the broth. We enjoyed the wedges as they do become very tender and fall part. They work so nicely in this tasty stew.
• Brown Lentils: Brown lentils work best in this stew. You can substitute other lentils, but you will have to adjust the cooking times accordingly.
• Instant Pot: The use of the instant pot provides excellent results.
• Baking Soda: Baking soda is often used as a neutralizer for dishes that contain a lot of acidity, typically from tomatoes.  We use it in this dish to help speed up the cooking process when combining tomatoes with lentils.
• Spices: Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your personal preferences.
• Liquid Smoke: The liquid smoke is used to give the red peppers a more smokey quality as the Turkish cuisine uses a lot of red pepper paste. We didn’t use red pepper paste. We used red bell peppers and sweet paprika with some liquid smoke. You can substitute the liquid smoke for some smoked paprika. Go light on the smoked paprika if using it for a substitution. We have not kitchen tested this as a substitution.
• 15-Minute Rest: It is important to allow this dish to rest for 15 minutes to let the flavors marry.  You will find that that spicy/heat will mellow as the dish cools.
• Amount of Sea Salt: Our family was divided over how much sea salt was needed to properly season this dish. Feel free to add more or use less.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
• Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

This stew freezes well.

Pantry Products:

• Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
• Bulgur: We used Spicy World Bulgur #2 Medium Coarse Grind. Feel free to use your favorite bulgur.
• Lentils: We used Palouse Brand Small Brown Lentils.  They are delicious.  They hold their shape well and have a slightly nutty taste to them.  Feel free to use your favorite brown or green lentils.
• Hot Sauce: We used Frank’s RedHot Original Hot Sauce.
• Liquid Smoke: We used Colgin Natural Hickory Liquid Smoke.  Feel free to use your favorite liquid smoke.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Kitchen Equipment:

• Instant Pot or Ceramic/Enamel Lined Dutch Oven or similarly large stock pot

If you try this comforting stew, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Instant Pot Vegan Turkish Lentil Bulgur Cabbage Stew

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 14 Minutes (Instant Pot)
• Total Time: 29 Minutes
• Yield: 10 Cups 1x
• Category: Dinner, Stew
• Method: Instant Pot
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This Instant Pot Vegan Turkish Lentil Bulgur Cabbage Stew is the cozy, low-fat hug your weeknight dinners deserve.

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Ingredients

Base Ingredients:

• 1 large yellow onion, fine dice
• 1 red bell pepper, fine dice
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste *
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
• 1 – [ 14.5 oz. can ] petite diced tomatoes *
• 1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed *
• ½ cup #2 bulgur, rinsed *
• ½ medium green cabbage, cut in wedges (stem intact) *
• ¼ teaspoon hickory flavored liquid smoke *
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda *

Spice/Herb Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin (+/-)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
• ½ to 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *

Other Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce *

Optional Topping Ingredients:

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Crushed red pepper

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Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions:

1. Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
2. Place all the Base Ingredients (except the cabbage wedges) and the Spice/Herb Mix into the Instant Pot. Stir well to incorporate the tomato paste into the mixture, then lay the cabbage wedges on top and press the cabbage wedges down into the liquids. It’s OK if the cabbage wedges are not fully submerged.
3. Set the Instant Pot to Manual Pressure High for 14 minutes. When finished, press Cancel and allow to sit for 2 minutes, then do a Quick Release.
4. Immediately after all the pressure is released, carefully remove the lid, add in the lemon juice and hot sauce, stir to incorporate, then place the lid back on, twist to secure, then allow the stew to sit and rest for 15 minutes in the covered Instant Pot to allow the flavors marry.
5. Serve topped with fresh chopped parsley, crushed red pepper, and/or flatbread.

Oven/Stovetop Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F, center rack. (Skip if doing stovetop)
2. Follow all the Instant Pot instructions, except place into a large, heavy Dutch Oven.
3. Cover tightly and roast in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the cabbage, lentils, and bulgur are perfectly tender. If doing stovetop, bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer, cover, and cook at a gentle simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours until the cabbage, lentils, and bulgur are perfectly tender. Resist the urge to remove the lid and stir. However, do check the liquids toward the end to ensure the dish is not drying out. If needed, add some extra vegetable broth/water.
4. When tender, remove from the oven/stovetop, remove the lid, add in the lemon juice and hot sauce, stir to incorporate. Allow to sit off the heat and rest for 15 minutes to let the flavors marry.
5. Serve topped with fresh chopped parsley, crushed red pepper, and/or flatbread.

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Servings: 6 to 10 (makes 10 cups)  

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post Instant Pot Vegan Turkish Lentil Bulgur Cabbage Stew appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.

No-Bake Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Cookies! Each cookie delivers satisfying crunch from the puffed quinoa, followed by a rich, nutty peanut butter finish that coats your palate in wholesome goodness.

These No-Bake Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Cookies are a crave-worthy bite of crispy, crunchy delight, packed with puffed quinoa pearls and creamy peanut butter that melt into each other for an irresistible texture contrast. With no baking required, these treats come together quickly, making them the perfect healthy snack or post-workout bite. If you crave a dessert that feels both indulgent and nourishing, these no-bake cookies hit that sweet spot with a crisp-to-chewy texture profile and a satisfyingly balanced peanut butter flavor that will keep you reaching for more.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

We absolutely loved these delicious cookies! You gotta give this one a try, because the combination of puffed quinoa and creamy peanut butter creates a peanut butter bliss that’s light yet deeply satisfying. The no-bake method means you’re treating yourself to something homemade and wholesome in a flash, perfect for busy weeknights or a leisurely weekend kitchen session.

Trust me, once you bite into one, you’ll be hooked by the crisp texture, the subtle sweetness, and that irresistible peanut butter glow. Give these no-bake puffed quinoa peanut butter cookies a try and savor a snack that’s as tasty as it is easy to make.

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: These No-Bake Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Cookies are filled with crispy, crunchy puffed quinoa peanut butter goodness.
• Texture: The texture is crispy and crunchy! It is reminiscent of a Nestle Crunch candy bar except with peanut butter instead of chocolate.
• Homemade Crispy Puffed Quinoa: We purchased organic crispy puffed quinoa rather than making our own, simply for convenience.  If you wish to make your own, you can follow Vegan Chef Mario’s YouTube video on How to Make Crispy Popped Quinoa. If you decide to make your own popped quinoa, we suggest using a Pre-Rinsed Dry Quinoa.  See the Pantry Products Used section below for the Pre-Rinsed Dry Quinoa or if you wish, you can purchase the already puffed crispy quinoa to make it easier.
• Peanut Butter: Be sure to use runny peanut butter. Do not use thick, clumpy peanut butter. We use Fresh Thyme Old-Fashioned Creamy unsweetened peanut butter (dry roasted peanuts and sea salt only). Feel free to use your favorite unsweetened smooth peanut butter. Be sure to mix it well so it is smooth and creamy.
• Mixture: When mixing the “batter”, you want the mixture to be able to hold its shape well. Press the mixture together with a stiff spatula against the side of the bowl to see if it holds it shape. It should hold its shape easily. If it seems too crumbly (falling apart), then add another tablespoon of peanut butter until it holds it shape together. If not, the cookies will fall apart when eating them.
• Make them Pretty: Using a 2 Tablespoon-sized cookie scoop works best when making perfect dome-shaped cookies. You will need to potentially wash the cookie scoop with warm water about every 4 to 6 cookies. Scoop up the ‘quinoa batter’, press hard against the side of the bowl to firmly fill the scoop, then press the scoop trigger. If the scoop trigger creates a small divot on the top of the cookie, then simply press the cookie together using your fingers. OR, if prettiness is your goal, then if you have a large round Tablespoon measuring spoon, you can press the top of the cookie into the tablespoon measuring spoon to make it perfectly round on top. You do not need to pick up the cookie, simply place the tablespoon on top of the cookie (while on the cookie sheet) and press downward a tad. If the cookie sticks to the tablespoon, simply tap the tablespoon onto your palm a few times and it will slide out. You may need to rinse the tablespoon in warm water a few times, in between cookies, if needed.
• Melting the Chocolate for the Drizzling: To melt the chocolate chips, simple place about 1/4 cup of vegan semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips into a small bowl and microwave for about 25 seconds and stir.  Continue to microwave in 10 second intervals and stirring until the chocolate has been completely melted. Optional: Add 1 teaspoon of runny tahini to the melted chocolate for a runnier chocolate. Then drizzle by spoon or place a small sandwich bag into a small juice glass. Spoon the melted chocolate into the sandwich bag.  Push it all to one corner. Twist the bag and snip off the corner, then drizzle over the cookies.  Allow to sit until the chocolate has set. If needed, place in the freezer for a quick chocolate set.
• Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered air-tight container.

These cookies freeze well.

Pantry Products:

• Crispy Puffed Quinoa: We used Z Natural Foods Organic Crispy Puffed Quinoa. Feel free to use your favorite puffed quinoa or make your own.
• Optional: Chocolate Chips: We used Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks. Feel free to use your favorite chocolate chips.
• Molasses:  We used Grandma’s Unsulfured Original Molasses.  Feel free to use your favorite molasses.  We do not recommend black strap molasses as it can sometimes be bitter. You can leave the molasses out of the dish if you wish.  The molasses adds excellent depth of flavor and is reminiscent of brown sugar.

Kitchen Equipment:

• Cookie sheet or plate
• Parchment paper
• Medium-sized (2 Tablespoons) Cookie Scoop or Tablespoon

If you try these tasty no-bake cookies, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

No-Bake Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Total Time: 20 Minutes (+20 Minutes Freezer Time)
• Yield: 17 Cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Freezer

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Description

These No-Bake Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Cookies are a crave-worthy bite of crispy, crunchy delight, packed with puffed quinoa pearls and creamy peanut butter that melt into each other for an irresistible texture contrast.

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups crispy puffed quinoa *
• ½ cup almond flour
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt * 

Wet Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter *
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon molasses *
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

Optional Topping:

• ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips (melted) *
• 1 teaspoon runny tahini (optional) *

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Instructions

1. Add all the Dry Ingredients into the large bowl, whisk until well combined.
2. Place all the Wet Ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, stir until everything is mixed well and can hold its shape and sticks together.
3. Using a medium-sized (2 Tablespoons) cookie scoop, scoop up 2 Tablespoons of the quinoa mixture and place (dome shaped cookie) onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet or plate. Continue until all the mixture has been scooped and placed on the baking sheet or plate.
4. If needed, shore up the sides of any cookies that are misshapen.
5. Place the plate/pan in the freezer for 20 minutes.
6. After 20 minutes, serve. Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate.
7. Optional: If desired, drizzle the tops with melted chocolate. After drizzling, allow them to set in the refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy! Refrigerate leftovers.

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used. 

Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Servings: Makes 17 cookies

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

The post No-Bake Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Cookies appeared first on Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures.