This was not an easy decision.

I started this website in 2009 and have religiously been adding to it for 12 years. I’ve created three programs – including a 21 day program, three print cookbooks and countless ebooks, and over a thousand posts with recipes.

I have had all the recipes, posts and photos downloaded and will be retesting and uploading them to VegeCooking. I look forward to connecting with you over there!

Unfortunately with the cost of running the website and my focus being split between growing VegeCooking and Purple Radish Marketing, I just don’t have the time or funds to continue running it.

The post Sad News, Saying Goodbye appeared first on Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness.

Way back in 2011 I created this original recipe. It popped back up in my Facebook feed from ten years ago, I came across my Satisfy in Six Ingredients or Less Cookbook, and decided to start teaching the recipes to my VegeCooking virtual classes and this was a huge hit!

Crunchy, salty, sweet, fresh

This recipe hits on all the flavors and textures I love. As Bobby Flay says, “People love crunch.”

Isn’t that the truth? This recipe has crunchy, warm, toasted pitas and crunchy romaine. I love the cold salad on top of the warm pita. It’s the little things in life that make me happy.

Next you’ve got the sweet mango salsa with a hit of acidic lime, some aromatic onion and fresh herbs – such as mint. Confession….I made my own mango salsa. It’s just too easy not to do it! Here’s what you’d need:

Fresh Mango Salsa (bonus recipe!)

• 1 mango, flesh cubed
• 2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup finely minced red onion
• 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp (or more!) finely minced jalapeno
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp (or more!) fresh chopped mint, plus extra for garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste

License to trash-talk

Several years ago Chris and I joined two of his fraternity brothers and their wives for a trip to upstate New York. Andrew and Brandie, and Scott and Katie lived in Manhattan so we flew in, spent a few days in the city, and then drove upstate.

The plan was to not leave the cabin. We would bring our food and wine in and Andrew (one of the fraternity brothers) and I would do the cooking since we both like to cook. We’d play board games and just relax. It was sooooo much fun. I spent a good bit of time relaxing in the sun reading an actual book. Like a paper one. That doesn’t have to be charged.

Somehow our cooking digressed into trash talking about whose cooking was better. Considering I’m the only plant-based cook making meals for all meat eaters, and Andrew was cooking with no restrictions, I felt like I held my own.

We’ve got another trip coming up in July and the trash talk has already started. First I mentioned I recipe tested a adobo (bean) burger with avocado, lettuce, and chipotle lime crema on a toasted seed bun.

Andrew said it sounded like guacamole on a bun. Mmm hmmm. Right. I told him to just keep thinking that.

Today I sent Andrew and Scott some photos of this recipe and said my next recipe was going to be Tropical Black Bean Tostadas with Fresh Mango Jalapeno Salsa. Scott said he and Katie had already put their vote in for it. We’ll see what Andrew comes up with but I have a feeling these will be hard to beat. These were so good I ate my tostada and proceeded to eat the rest of the black bean mango salad mixture in one sitting.

If you need a recipe for confident trash-talking, feel free to use this one. It’s already been tested and approved.

Tropical Black Bean and Mango Tostadas

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 pita breads, split and laid flat (or 4 whole if they are really thin)
2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup mango salsa (mango, lime, red onion, salt, fresh mint)
2-3 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 cups shredded lettuce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped avocado, optional

Directions

Toast the split pita breads. Mix the black beans, mango salsa, onion and lettuce in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Top each toasted pita half with 1/4 of the black bean mixture, and avocado, if using. Taste, and re-season, if necessary.

Change this up by using any type of salsa you like. Use tomato salsa for a Mexican fiesta!

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Why may gas and bloating (ahem, farting) happen on a plant-based diet?

There’s nothing worse than lying in bed with your husband when suddenly you can’t hold back. A fart. You’ve got to let it fly. I mean it’s freaking painful to hold it in. You try to be quiet and hope it stays trapped under the covers until it goes away. But then, out of the corner of your eye, you see him turn to you and stare.

Oh no. It didn’t stay trapped.

At least this is what my friend….erm…..Sarah told me. Yes, that’s right, Sarah. When she switched to a plant-based diet she had a horrible farting problem so I knew I had to help her save her marriage. And save her from a painful death of embarrassment.

You may wonder, How can this happen to me? I’m eating so many amazing plant foods!

Here’s the deal. You’re eating more fiber. Fiber is only found in plant foods. And fiber is a GOOD thing. It feeds the good microbes in your gut. You’ll get lots of it on my 21-day Reset program. But sometimes those cute little undigestible carbohydrates start to ferment. And since your body doesn’t know how to brew a great beer, it brews…..farts.

What do I do about all the farting on a plant-based diet????

1. Remind yourself that a dietary change is worth it. It’s been determined we need a minimum of around 30 grams of fiber per day. Most American’s get less than half that. Fiber cleans out your insides and feeds the good microbes in your body. (See the above video about how important it is to feed the good guys. It’s worth the five-minute investment.)
2. Add more complex carbohydrate-rich foods slowly. Don’t jump right into eating 45 grams of fiber if you’ve been eating around 10 per day. Work your way up slowly to give your body time to digest.
3. Drink a LOT of water. Foods, especially fibrous foods can bind in our system if we aren’t properly hydrated. Remember to drink your water to move the foods through.
4. If you can, cook your beans from scratch and add a thumb size piece of kombu (seaweed) when cooking. Kombu is an edible kelp that has amino acids that can assist with breaking down the complex carbohydrates in beans.
5. Take a good probiotic and digestive enzyme. This is probably the best tip I’ve got for you. Beano doesn’t work. You’ve got to give the gas the one-two punch. Take the probiotics in the morning and you can take the digestive enzyme before you eat foods that will make you gassy. It will still work if you take them afterwards too, but taking it before is better. Sarah has tested this thoroughly and said it works great.

*Vegan Zenwise Digestive Enzymes, around $25 bucks on Amazon for 180 caps. This works great and, I think, is reasonably priced. This supplement also has turmeric, ginger, green papaya, inulin (type of fiber), apple pectin (soluble fiber), bladderwrack (type of seaweed), fennel, and wakame (type of seaweed) to help with gut health and stomach comfort.

*This Bio Shwartz probiotic is shelf stable, has great ratings and, again, is reasonable compared to the number of other probiotics I’ve taken and it works just as well.

What is your experience with gas and bloating on a plant-based or vegan diet? What have you tried? Has it worked? I’d love to learn more tips!

*Affiliate link! These are for products I’ve tried and recommend at no extra cost to you.

The post How to stop gas on a vegan or plant-based diet appeared first on Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness.

Flavor explosion

You guys. This is a flavor explosion. Much like that Maui Noodle Bowl I made when I got back from Maui. But, dare I say, even better. Actually, I realized I’ve got a ton of favorite recipes in this blog post and I should add this one. Check it out.

What were we talking about? Oh yeah. The awesomeness that this bowl is.

I was making so many inappropriate noises of delight Chris started staring at me. Before you scroll down and look at the ingredients or get overwhelmed by the directions, just know this Bali Bowl is worth it. Don’t overthink it. We’re just roasting the tofu, chopping some fresh veggies and blending a sauce.

Now close your eyes. Picture in your head……tender, browned tofu, caramelized sweet potatoes and onions, a sweet-savory almond butter sauce, and crunchy veggies over rice. Now open your eyes and scroll down.

First thing’s first

Cook your rice or you can even use rice noodles here. In fact, that’s what I was going to do until I looked in the pantry and gasp! No noodles! I was also out of brown rice. I had to resort to the dreaded fiber-less white rice I had for some sort of project. I don’t recommend it. Use brown rice or brown rice noodles. They will make you feel good. And righteous. And fiber-filled.

Next, on the list

Slice the tofu. If you’ve never used tofu, don’t be scared. The super-firm is easy to work with. And really, if you don’t slice it the right size it’s ok. There are no tofu police.

Put it in a big bowl with the Liquid Aminos, garlic powder and EVOO – you really just need to toss it a bit. It doesn’t need to sit forever. Let it hang out while you chop the onions and sweet potatoes. Once you’re done cutting those, neatly lay out your tofu on the tray so it’s not touching. This will make it brown evenly. THEN use the now-empty tofu bowl to toss the sweet potatoes and onions in some EVOO and salt before spreading them evenly on a second sheet pan lined with parchment.

If you don’t have parchment….girl. What are you waiting for? Go get you some. You can cook with less fat, food doesn’t stick, and there isn’t a huge mess left on the pan. I like it so much more than foil.

What to do while the tofu cooks

Chop your crunchy fresh veggies and blend your sauce ingredients. Don’t skimp on the fresh ginger in the sauce. Here’s the deal with fresh ginger. Get yourself some at the grocery store. Use what you need. Plant the rest in a pot. It will grow and make a beautiful tropical looking plant and then you’ve got more ginger later when it spreads. I promise this works. That’s how I had ginger for this recipe.

You seriously want me to pickle something?

I know that’s what you’re thinking. The answer is, yes. But all you need to do is put your sliced radishes in a bowl with some apple cider vinegar. It’s so good for you and it will give this dish that OMG layer of acid-y flavor that most recipes miss.

You may want to double this recipe

I was bummed I didn’t double it. The leftovers are amazing for days. I wanted to take a bath in the dressing-sauce-whatever you want to call it. Next time I’ll definitely double this recipe so my whole family can have leftovers for lunch. Now if you say, Dawn, I’ve gotta try this before I double it. In the words of the great Tabitha Brown, Honey, that’s your business.

Bali Bowl with Nutty-Lime Sauce and Pickled Radish
www.floridacoastalcooking.com

A flavor explosion! This Bowl has tender, browned tofu and caramelized sweet potatoes, a sweet-savory almond butter sauce, and crunchy veggies over rice.

Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Serves 4  with leftovers

Ingredients

1 block organic, super firm tofu, cut into 1 ½ inch squares
2 Tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 large sweet potatoes cut into cubes
1 large onion, cut into cubes
2 Tablespoons olive oil* for oil-free, simply omit the oil
Kosher salt
3 cups cooked rice
White sesame seeds for garnish

Nutty-Lime Sauce Ingredients:

3 thin slices ginger- cut across the grain, about the size of a quarter.
1 large clove garlic
1/4 cup creamy almond butter
Juice of ½ a fresh lime
2 Tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Veggie Options:

1–2 cups shredded cabbage 
1-2 cups thinly sliced green onions
1-2 avocados, cut in half, seed removed, flesh cubed and scooped into a container
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Pickled Radishes:

½ cup thinly sliced radishes + 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar – let sit while you make the bowls, toss every now and then

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Prepare 2 large sheet pans with parchment.
2. Drain and slice the tofu into squares; place in a large bowl; add liquid aminos, granulated garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; toss to coat. Place, evenly spaced, onto parchment.
3. In the large bowl mix the sweet potatoes, onions, 1 tablespoon olive oil and some kosher salt; toss to coat and place on the second sheet pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, toss; bake another 20 minutes. If you want it more caramelized, pop the broiler on for 2 minutes.
4. Blend the Nutty-Lime Sauce Ingredients ingredients and set aside.
5. Place each of the veggie options in a separate 2-cup container that has a lid*.
6. To assemble, place ½ cup rice in each bowl; top with 2 cubes of tofu, a few tablespoons of each desired veggie, a drizzle of almond butter sauce, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a few pickled radishes.

* This way people can pick what they want and you can pop the lid on the leftovers after dinner.

The post Bali Bowl with Nutty-Lime Drizzle and Pickled Radish appeared first on Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness.

You’re ditching the dairy (or have already done so) but really miss those dairy-packed comfort foods. Never fear! This Panera copycat Dairy-free Broccoli Cheese Soup will satisfy the craving.

Why consider ditching the dairy?

Dairy is more than you think it is.

Conventional dairy is packed with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides from the animal feed. In addition they’re given antibiotics, vet meds, and steroids to keep the animals stable in an unsanitary, unnatural, and stressful environment.

Humans do NOT need dairy for the calcium.

In fact, there are many plant-sources of calcium that have the right balance of calcium and magnesium to make it highly absorbable for your body. Plant sources include: broccoli, plant milks, leafy green vegetables, kale is better absorbed than dairy, unhulled sesame seeds, tahini, calcium-set tofu, even oranges, beans, and figs.

Dairy can contribute to heart disease

It’s packed with saturated fat and cholesterol. It’s literally liquid meat. Most cheeses are 70% fat. Learn more at PCRM.

The hormones in milk increase risk of cancer

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, research shows a direct link between milk, cheese, and other dairy products with increased risk of breast cancer due to the hormones in the milk.

Why you’ll never miss the dairy with this Non-Dairy Broccoli Cheese Soup

This thick and creamy soup is packed with flavor, AND tons of secret veggies, vitamins and nutrients. Why are they secret? Because you’ll barely know they’re there with all the cheesy goodness.

Nutritional yeast replaces parmesan cheese for a delicious cheesy flavor with an addition of B Vitamins and protein.

Non-dairy shredded cheese is perfect for people with nut allergies (like my daughter) who can’t have cashews.

In fact, it’s so cheesy, dairy lovers will never know there’s no cheese.

Tips!

Don’t want to use the non-dairy cheese and not allergic to nuts? Blend the following as a sub for the shredded non-dairy cheese and nutritional yeast:

1 can (13.5 fluid oz) full fat coconut milk (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup raw cashews, soaked*
1/2 cup nutritional yeast

Cutting out the oils? Dry saute veggies, then sub veggie broth for earth balance to create the roux.

Dairy-free Broccoli Cheese Soup

www.floridacoastalcooking.com
Slightly altered from Six Vegan Sisters
A delicious non-dairy version of broccoli cheddar soup! You’ll like this version better than the original!

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 cup white onions chopped
1 clove garlic finely diced
1/4 cup Earth Balance butter
1/2 cup all-purpose, or gluten free flour
2-3 cups vegetable broth (add less if you want a thicker soup)
4 cups oat milk plain, unsweetened
3 heaping cups broccoli finely chopped
1 1/2 heaping cups julienned carrots
1 cup vegan shredded mozzarella-style or cheddar-style cheese
¼ cup nutritional yeast
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional
Small whole grain bread loaves to serve soup in, hollowed out

Directions

1. Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and melt the butter; add the onions, cook 5 minutes, add the garlic, cook another two minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and mix well to create a roux. Whisk in the vegetable broth and oat milk until roux is mixed in completely; bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir in the broccoli and carrots; cook an additional 10 minutes over medium heat.
3. Stir in the nutritional yeast and the shredded cheddar-style or mozzarella-style cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.
4. Blend soup with an immersion blender until desired smoothness is achieved.
5. Serve in whole grain soup “bowl” if desired.

The post Easy, Dairy-free Broccoli Cheese Soup appeared first on Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness.

Want the easiest, most delicious, healthy holiday appetizer ever? Try this herbed, garlic white bean dip!

Wondering how to avoid the Covid 19 and Holiday 10 weight gain? Eat like the Ikarians!

Ikaria, is located on the island of Greece in the Aegean Sea identified as a Blue Zone. A Blue Zone is one of five locations around the world where people are found to live the longest, healthiest lives on the planet – many times 90 to 100 years old!

What’s their secret?

Ikarians eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, potatoes and olive oil. They spend lots of time with friends and family and get lots of exercise. People in Ikaria grow their own food and eat what is in season.

Herbs and Tea

Ikarians love to use lots of fresh herbs and drink tea from wild rosemary, sage and oregano. They are full of cancer fighting antioxidants!

The Magical Fruit

Ikarians eat LOTS of beans for their protein and fiber. Many times they’ll make a simple soup with veggies and beans.

Herbed Garlic White Bean Dip

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 (15 ounces) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 cloves garlic (or more, if you love garlic), rough chopped
3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary + a dash of dried thyme or poultry seasoning
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt/Pepper as needed
5 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients together, serve with veggies!

The post Herbed Garlic White Bean Dip appeared first on Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness.

Roasted vegetables marinated in sweet and tangy balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and maple syrup make for a delicious sandwich!

Revisit of an old friend

Several years ago I recreated a delicious marinated eggplant sandwich I’d fallen in love with at a deli in Chatham, Mass. The only problem is that I’m reeeeally trying to cut back on my oils and stay as close to true whole food, plant-based as I can. This is because oils are super high in calories and fat and low in nutrients – with no fiber in sight. I’ve been listening to Rip Esselstyn’s podcast and have been watching his sister and mom on their YouTube channel. The evidence for oil-free is compelling. Rip interviews many medical doctors, PhDs, RDs and other experts trained in the science of nutrition. His content is fascinating and his mom and sister are a hoot together. Secondly, I’d gotten eggplant and tomatoes in my Local Fare Jax delivery so I knew I wanted to recreate this delicious sandwich.

The secret no-oil marinade

The secret no-oil marinade is Jane and Ann Esselstyn’s 3-2-1 dressing. (Engine 2 Cookbook) Three tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar, two tablespoons mustard, one tablespoon of maple syrup, and I also add some fresh chopped garlic. This makes the most delicious marinade or dressing and it’s one of the only dressing recipes where I don’t miss the oil. It’s simply magical.

Balsamic Marinated Roasted Vegetable Sandwich

Ingredients

Coconut non-stick cooking spray or parchment paper
2 eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds*
2 large tomatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
2 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1 red onion sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
Kosher salt
Ezekiel bread
Fresh baby spinach or arugula
Marinade
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons your favorite mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup 3 cloves garlic minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Spray large baking trays with coconut oil non-stick spray or line with parchment paper.
3. Place the eggplant, tomatoes, onion and zucchini on the baking sheets, season with salt and roast for 15 minutes; flip and roast another 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile whisk the marinade in a Pyrex or other covered dish; place the hot roasted veggies in the marinade and cool to room temp. You can make the sandwich now or place in fridge to make sandwiches later.
5. To make the sandwich, toast the Ezekiel bread, add some of the roasted veggies and top with baby spinach or arugula.

*I’ve tried salting before roasting to remove water and prefer unsalted

The post Balsamic Marinated Roasted Vegetable Sandwich appeared first on Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness.

Roasted tomato and onion salad with couscous, olives and fresh herbs has that sweet, caramelized flavor you can only get from slow roasting. Ooolala.

A picture is worth…..

I don’t need to blab a thousand words about the nosh-ability of this recipe. Just look at the pics! It’s not every day that tomatoes and onions make one start drooling but today’s the day!

And can’t you just feel the chewy couscous between your teeth? So satisfying.

Let’s not forget the fresh HERBS. Mint! Basil! Parsley! The burst of fresh flavors reminds me of my love of Mediterranean dishes.

Tips n Tricks

When slow roasting veggies….don’t overcrowd the pan. If you don’t have a really large pan, go with two sheet pans. Check out how far apart I spaced my veggies.

Heirloom tomatoes in different colors add more interest and more vibrancy to the dish.

If you don’t like one of these herbs….leave it out and add extra of the other two.

Are you gluten free? Use quinoa instead of the pearl couscous.

Make it a meal

Add some toasted chickpeas, roasted or grilled tofu, marinated and crumbled tempeh or a bean or veggie burger would be a delicious addition to this recipe to make it a meal.

Catch up with Dawn

I’ve decided that going forward I’m, of course, going to talk about the recipe, but I’ll also do a quick catch up of what’s going on with my life and hear what’s goin’ on with you.

Last post, know how I told you about my tooth trauma and the zoodles? (OMG I can’t believe I haven’t turned into a zoodle). This week things are much better. Chris, Gabby and I went on a short camping trip during the week to Fort McAllister for Gabby’s 12th birthday , she and a friend made DIY edible arrangements as a “craft”, and…..it’s my birthday tomorrow!

I plan to spend some time tomorrow visiting with my mom and Gabby for lunch – this will be the first time mom is going out of the house to a restaurant. We’ll see how it goes. She’s super nervous about being around people since she has MS and is now in her 70’s.

Thursday I’m going to a private dinner with just Chris and Gabby to True Food Kitchen at the town center, have you been there? It’s sooo good and they have so many plant-based options.

Have you been out to restaurants since the virus started or have you been eating at home? If you’ve been going out, how has it been? If you’ve been eating at home more, how has that been?

Roasted tomato and onion salad with couscous, olives and fresh herbs

Only slightly altered from recipe by Marissa Hermer, Herb Couscous with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Cookbook: American Girl in London

Slow roasting brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes and onions, and when mixed with fresh herbs like parsley, basil, and mint be prepared to fall head over heels!

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 2 hours for slow roasting (but no babysitting!)

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved

2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges

3 Tablespoons olive oil (or omit for whole food, plant based)

2 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)

1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)

3 cups vegetable stock

2 1/2 cups Israeli-style pearled couscous

1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1/2 cup each chopped, fresh: flat leaf parsley, mint, basil

Juice of 1 fresh lemon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl mix the tomatoes, onions, olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of pepper. Mix well then spoon onto baking sheet. Bake for two hours.
4. In a medium pot bring vegetable broth to a boil over medium high heat. Add couscous, simmer for six minutes. Cover and remove from heat, let sit for 10 minutes. Spoon into baking sheet to cool.
5. In a large bowl add the olives, herbs, cooled couscous, remaining salt and pepper, and tomatoes and onions. Squeeze fresh lemon over top. Toss gently.

The post Roasted tomato and onion salad with couscous, olives and fresh herbs appeared first on Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness.

Grab-n-go! Mason jar zoodles salad bar is an easy way to bring a customized, healthy lunch or light dinner on the go.

Three fun concepts in one!

There’s nothing new here – we’ve all seen salad bars, spiralized veggies, and mason jar salads – but combining them may be something new and fun!

Why I needed a happy, fun recipe over the weekend

Mason jar zoodles salads are especially great for a cook once, eat for days, make everyone happy kind of deal…..and that’s what I needed over the weekend. Friday afternoon at 4pm I managed to chip a tooth on a frozen chocolate treat I’d made.

The freak out

To any normal person this wouldn’t be a major deal…but omg. I was totally freaked out. All sorts of emotions started surfacing from when I was a kid. You see, I had a MASSIVE space between my two front teeth. Big enough to stick a popsicle stick between them and wiggle it back and forth. Because of this, I struggled with self confidence and feeling horribly ugly throughout my entire childhood. There are almost no pictures of me as a kid smiling without my lips closed. As if that wasn’t bad enough, I also had four baby teeth that had no adult teeth behind them – a genetic abnormality. The dentist was constantly reminding me these tiny teeth wouldn’t hold forever. Thanks Doc.

Over the years I had all kinds of dental work done to close the gap between my two front teeth – this was finally done in eighth grade when my parents finally realized that the huge space was affecting my personality – and then dental work to stabilize the four baby teeth to keep them from falling out.

So as soon as that chip happened on Friday I was transported back to my childhood. I spent the whole weekend feeling horribly ugly on top of the feelings of depression dealing with the virus. Normally I can manage them through self-care like yoga, walking, and tea – but all that went straight out the window along with half of my tooth.

To keep my mind off it until I could get it fixed Monday morning, I cleaned my pantry, hung out with Chris (Gabby was at a sleepover), and researched recipes. What would make my body feel good, and make me happy? Mason jar salads are so colorful and customizable, you know how I love my family-friendly “bars” (aka. salad bar, potato bar, pasta bar, avocado toast bar….etc), and zoodles are just a fun way to get extra veggies in!

I smooshed all three concepts into one and came up with the……

Mason Jar Zoodle Bar “Recipe”

Here’s what I displayed out on the Mason Jar Zoodles Bar:

• Three large mason jars
• Zoodles – zucchini, yellow squash, purple carrots, orange carrots, purple radishes, cucumber
• Chopped tomatoes
• Shredded purple cabbage
• Chopped red bell pepper
• Chickpeas
• Shredded organic lettuce
• Toasted sunflower seeds
• Broccoli sprouts (I sprouted myself in this sprouter jar) BENEFITS
• Onions, sliced and pickled by adding 1/4 white vinegar and marinating
• Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder
• Day-old bread torn into croutons and toasted with garlic powder
• Variety of homemade dressings: Lemon, light Italian, balsamic

Mason jar salads make everything better!

Though the Mason Jar Zoodle Bar didn’t fix my chipped tooth – which was fixed beautifully by my dentist, no freak-out needed – it did (and will) allow for an awesome grab-n-go option for a customizable lunch over the following days!

The post Mason Jar Zoodles Salad appeared first on Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness.

We’ve all heard of making a brown butter sage sauce for butternut squash ravioli. Ready for something different, but just as delicious? Try this Vegan Creamy Mushroom Garlic Sauce for a weeknight semi-homemade meal.

The pact

I made a pact with myself. Home cooked meals for thirty days.

Why? We’ve been getting takeout way too much because I’ve wanted to support our local restaurants. Of course this is a good thing, but lately I’ve not been feeling great after I eat the take-out meals. They’re heavier than what I’d make at home, it’s expensive, and we end up with Styrofoam takeout containers that never biodegrade. I’m nine days into my home-cooked-meal-marathon and I’m feeling great. I’m more creative and have been trying new things.

Home cooked meals I’ve made so far

So far I’ve made a potato bar, an Indian-inspired sheet pan dinner with chickpeas and roasted veggies, a tofu poke bowl with furikake rice, Copycat Spinach Gnocchi Soup, a couple of nights we didn’t eat much for dinner…and I made a lovely mushroom garlic sauce for some frozen butternut squash ravioli I had on hand.

Butternut + mushrooms + garlic = love

The Vegetarian Flavor Bible comes to the rescue again in a recipe development emergency.

I had my ravioli, I consulted Pinterest for sauce ideas….and almost every recipe that came up was browned butter sage sauce. We all know it’s delicious, but I wanted something different, so I consulted my recipe development guru – the Vegetarian Flavor Bible. It told me mushrooms and garlic go well with butternut. I pulled up Pinterest once again and all the garlic mushroom sauces were full of butter and heavy cream. This would just not do!

I left out the oil, butter and cream and added a small amount of full fat coconut milk. This replicated the creamy, fatty mouthfeel – without the cholesterol!

Taste the deliciousness of this Vegan Creamy Mushroom Garlic Sauce

This sauce is creamy from the coconut, has that meaty, umami texture from the mushrooms, and is packed with flavor from the garlic. Chris doesn’t even like mushrooms and he ate his entire portion!

Your turn! What’s your favorite semi-homemade meal to make? Leave a comment and share your idea with the world!

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Vegan Creamy Mushroom Garlic Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon veggie broth, plus more for cooking, if needed to prevent sticking
4 cloves of garlic, minced
8oz baby bella sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup canned coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt & pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, to taste
1 package vegan butternut squash ravioli, such as Rising Moon brand

Directions

1. Heat the veggie broth over medium heat; add the garlic and saute one minute; add the mushrooms and cook until soft, adding veggie broth if mushrooms start to stick, about 10 minutes – or until mushrooms are to desired tenderness.
2. Reduce heat a bit lower; stir in coconut milk, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper and simmer until thickened.
3. Meanwhile cook the ravioli to package directions. Toss Vegan Creamy Mushroom Garlic Sauce over ravioli; serve topped with fresh parsley.

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