I can’t believe this is tofu! This creamy, tangy whipped tofu feta with smoky, savory, sweet, spicy ‘honey’ on top takes just 15 minutes. It’s perfect for snacking, potlucks, and holiday parties! (gluten-free and nut-free with soy-free option. 15g protein and 3g fiber per serving not including sides)

This dip, it’s luscious, tangy, creamy, delicious! Topped with a smoky savory spicy sweet topping. And it takes just 15 minutes! Once you try this dip, you’ll keep coming back with I can’t believe it’s tofu! I can’t believe it’s vegan!

We make the whipped feta with a block of tofu, but nobody will believe that it’s tofu-based. Even Dalana, my assistant, who is a level 10 tofu skeptic, said that she can’t taste the tofu in this vegan whipped feta at all. 

Then, we top the dip with this spicy, savory, smoky, bacon-y, hot honey kind of situation. Of course, vegan. And then there’s a crunchy topping with crisp garlic, some toasty seeds, and pine nuts. 

This vegan tofu feta is easy to put together and it will disappear so quickly. You just add everything to the food processor for the tofu feta and it’s done. You crisp up a little bit of the garlic and toast the seeds, and that’s done. Mix the hot honey ingredients together, and that’s done.

It’s just an awesome dip, and it’s packed with protein, from the tofu and the seeds on top. A serving of this delicious dip has 15 grams of protein!

Whipped tofu feta is smooth, creamy, and versatile. You can serve it as a dip with a side of garlic bread, pita, veggies, or whatever else you like. You can use it to make sandwiches with crisp, fresh veggies, and it’s so filling and delicious. You can spread it on the bread with some onion and peppers and bake it to make high protein cheese toast. Or, add it to your charcuterie board with some of my other dips, like my jalapeño popper dip, spinach artichoke dip, or French onion dip. So many ways to use it!!

Why You’ll Love Whipped Tofu Feta

• quick 15 minutes! and easy to make
• a hit at potlucks, parties, holiday parties, etc.
• creamy, protein-packed dairy-free whipped feta that no one will believe is tofu
• crispy garlic and smoky-sweet vegan hot ‘honey’ topping
• naturally gluten-free and nut-free with easy soy-free option

Continue reading: Creamy Whipped Tofu Feta with Smoky Hot “Honey”

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This easy vegan cream of mushroom soup is rich, savory, and packed with mushroom flavor, plus 14g protein per serving! Made with simple ingredients and ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect with crusty bread for dipping! With a side of whole grain bread – 18g Protein. (gluten-free, soy-free with easy nut-free option)

This recipe was originally posted March 6, 2013. It has been updated with modified recipe, pictures and video.

This cream of mushroom soup is a recipe that my friend Somer McCowan shared on my site over 10 years ago. Somer passed away from cancer months ago, and I’ve been thinking about her a lot, which got me thinking about this soup .

I tweaked Somer’s recipe a little bit, reducing the cashews, and changed a couple of the steps in the cooking method to make it simpler. 

The original recipe called for adding all of the stock to the mushroom mixture and boiling it and then blending some of that soup, but it’s not as easy when you have to transfer boiling liquid into a blender. So instead, I’m blending part of the cooked onion and mushroom mixture with the cashews and adding that back into the pan, then adding the remaining stock. 

This is just such a simple and delicious soup! You can change up the flavors to preference, deepen the flavors by adding some miso, add some fresh herbs for additional flavor, and some pepper flakes for a little bit of heat, if you like. If you don’t have wine, you can use balsamic vinegar instead.

Somer was just an amazing person, and her recipes were always incredible. When I was dealing with health issues, she pitched in with this recipe to help keep my blog going. She was just an absolute superwoman. She wrote for Forks Over Knives, co-hosted the Virtual Vegan Potluck, and was just the sweetest, most beautiful, compassionate person.

Somer’s cream of mushroom soup recipe is simple, yet it’s so creamy and flavorful with herbs and plenty of umami! She said, “I’d like to think if I was able to go to Richa’s house and bring her some lunch, that I’d bring her a big bowl of this soup. Feel better soon, girl.”

Why You’ll Love Cream of Mushroom Soup

• delicious, creamy soup with amazing herb and mushroom flavor
• easy to make in 30 minutes with simple ingredients
• gluten-free and soy-free with nut-free and oil-free options

Continue reading: Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup

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This loaded Samosa Dip brings all the flavor of samosa chaat to a shareable party platter! Samosa-spiced potatoes, crispy chickpeas, tangy chutneys, creamy yogurt and crunchy veggies make every scoop a delicious mix of textures. No pastry or folding needed! Nut-free, gluten-free and soy-free, with 13g protein and 10g fiber per serving!)

This samosa chaat platter is going to be the first thing that disappears at every dinner party. It has an incredible mix of flavors and textures! It looks festive, it’s easy, and perfect for the upcoming festive season. This samosa platter is also high in protein and fiber. with 13 grams protein and 10 grams fiber per serving. If you use multigrain or whole grain crackers or pita as a side, the numbers bump up by 3-5g.
It also has this word that is going to get you to run to the kitchen to make it right now, which is SAMOSAS!

What are Samosas?
If you don’t know what samosas are, they are these crispy, savory pastries stuffed with deliciously spiced potatoes. They’re a super popular Indian side and the star of this platter.

What is Chaat?

Chaat is a family of Indian street food snacks. They usually have tons of different textures and sauces and flavors built up. Chaat actually means to lick, basically, because the flavor and texture combination is so amazing that you really want to lick every last bit off of your plate.

For samosa chaat, ideally you use some pre-made samosas, break them apart, top them with yogurt, chutneys (like my cilantro-mint chutney or tamarind chutney), some other crispy bits, and fresh onion and tomato. But for an easier and healthier version, we’re just making the samosa potatoes and then layering it all up.

Traditionally, chaat comes with the crispy bits, such as the crispy crackers or the crispy samosas, right in it. And if you’re making it ahead, all of those crispy bits kind of get soggy. So to avoid that, we’re going to make this layered dip kind of situation and serve the crackers on the side, so that people can just scoop it directly from the platter. You get those same flavors and textures, but you never lose that crunch!

If you don’t want to make the whole platter, you can also just make these individual components and serve them all as a chaat spread, so that people can take whichever toppings they want and whichever chutneys and sauces they want. If they want just the chickpeas, they can use just the chickpeas with some sauces, or just the potatoes, or all of the above. Make all of these components, and then serve them however you like. They are absolutely delicious and amazing.

You can use store-bought tamarind chutney, but there is a recipe for a homemade tamarind chutney in the recipe notes, which comes from my first cookbook. If you don’t like tamarind or don’t have access to tamarind, you can also make the maple lime sauce that I’ll also put in the recipe notes. Or use Mango chutney (store bought or homemade)

You can serve this with crackers, crisp pita bread, papadum, cucumber, carrots, or tortilla chips as the crunchy element. Use what you have, and try this incredible samosa chaat platter!

Why You’ll Love This Samosa Platter

• flavors and textures of samosa chaat, simplified
• crunchy chickpeas, spiced potatoes, and flavorful chutneys
• make for now or make ahead!
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

Continue reading: Samosa Dip with Spiced Potatoes, Crispy Chickpeas, Chutneys and Yogurt

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Smoky Moroccan harira soup with chickpeas, red lentils, and quinoa is a budget friendly, 1-pot meal! Bring crusty bread to dip. (21g protein, 21g fiber, 8 mg iron. Gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free. Oil-free option.)

This is such a hearty, delicious, and easy one-pot soup. Today, we’re converting pantry staples into a rich, deeply flavored, hearty, and satisfying harira. This Moroccan chickpea and lentil soup is budget-friendly, one-pot, meal prep-friendly, and packs 21 grams of protein and 21 grams of fiber per serving, and 8 mg Iron. It is cozy, and it tastes like it has been simmering all day, but it really only simmers for about 30 minutes!

Often, harira has either pasta or grains added in it. I am using quinoa in the soup along with the chickpeas and lentils. That makes the soup gluten-free. It is also nut-free and soy-free, if you use nut-free and/or soy-free non-dairy yogurt for the topping, or just skip the yogurt topping altogether. Harira is rich and hearty, even without it.

Serve this with a side of toasty bread, garlic bread, or pita bread, and topped with some creamy non-dairy yogurt and lemon juice. It’s also great over a baked potato or over roasted veggies.

This recipe is rich in folate, iron, potassium, and magnesium from the lentils. It also has vitamin C and lycopene from the tomato. It is very budget-friendly, about $6.50 to $7 for the whole pot!

Why You’ll Love Harira

• 1-pot soup packed with veggies, protein, fiber, and FLAVOR!
• easy to make with simple, budget-friendly ingredients
• flavors of cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and black pepper paired with hearty chickpeas, lentils and quinoa
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free with an oil-free option

Continue reading: Moroccan Harira with Chickpeas and Lentils

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Marry me white bean soup is a creamy, smoky soup with rich, Italian flavors. That tofu cashew hemp cream packs nutrition! (gluten-free with easy soy-free and nut-free options. 23g Protein, 13g fiber 7mg iron. 1-pot, 30 minutes. Freezer friendly and budget friendly!)

What if I told you that you could make an amazing, creamy, 1-pot soup that is also comforting and nutrient-dense? It is hearty, budget-friendly, easy, and packed with protein, fiber, and iron. It is also packed with amazing flavor and is ready within 30 minutes. It is also weeknight-friendly and uses mostly pantry staples. The whole pot only costs about $5 to $6 to make.

Marry me white bean soup is creamy, hearty, and nutrient-dense. There’s 23 grams protein, 13 grams fiber, 7 mg iron, and even more nutrients in a bowl of this marry me soup! There’s protein from the white beans, cashews, hemp seeds, tofu, and nutritional yeast, and fiber from the vegetables, greens, and white beans.

To make it more hearty, you can add red lentils to the soup while simmering in the stock. The lentils add even more protein and fiber! Or, you can double up on the white beans. 

The sun-dried tomato, smoked paprika, creamy texture, and garlicky flavors work really well with some pasta as well. You can also serve it with cheese toast or toasted sourdough, garlic bread, pita.

Why You’ll Love Marry Me White Bean Soup

• The flavor! We build the flavor by
  • 1. Toasting garlic and pepper flakes to infuse the oil
  • 2. Toasting the tomato paste and sun dried tomatoes to deepen the umami
  • 3. Using a combination of tofu hemp seeds and cashews for cream so that the cream has volume and hearty creamy flavor!
• 30-minute 1-pot meal, easy weeknight dinner using mostly pantry ingredients
• creamy, smoky, hearty soup with tons of Protein and Fiber in every bite
• Meal prep, freezer friendly.
• naturally gluten-free with easy soy-free and nut-free options

Continue reading: Marry Me White Bean Soup (1-Pot, 30 minutes)

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I’ve made plenty of lentil soups, but this lentil potato soup is the one I keep coming back to. It always wins on flavor and nutrition, and I’ll tell you the simple techniques that make it unbelievably flavorful every time. Each serve packs 20g Protein 14g Fiber 8mg Iron (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free)

This pot of lentil potato soup, including the toasted seed topping, has 75+ grams of protein, 56 grams of fiber, 24 milligrams of iron(8 per serve is 44% dv), about 700 milligrams of magnesium, 12 milligrams of zinc, plenty of omega fats, and lots of vitamins A and C, along with calcium.

This lentil soup has so much flavor from the way we build up the flavor profile and spices. It is hearty with plenty of veggies and kale, and then we level it up with a toasty seed topping that not only adds amazing texture but also boosts the nutrient profile of the soup.

The lentils bring protein, fiber, iron, and folate. Kale adds vitamins K, C, and A, along with calcium. Pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds bring magnesium, zinc, calcium, omegas, and even more protein. The potatoes add vitamin B6 and potassium, while the carrots contribute beta-carotene. This lentil soup is truly a powerhouse of nutrients.

To level up this lentil potato soup, 1. we first toast the garlic in the oil. Toasting the garlic releases its flavor into the oil, and then we add the onion. The onion stops the garlic from continuing to cook, so you get perfectly golden garlic without burning it. Next, we toast the tomato paste with the onion. This caramelizes the tomato paste and builds even more umami into the soup.

2. The flavors: we build layers of flavor with herbs and spices. I use oregano, but basil or thyme work just as well. 

Then, I make a quick harissa-style spice blend with ground coriander, cumin, onion powder, and smoked paprika. You can also use a prepared harissa blend, sumac, shawarma spice blend, baharat, curry powder, or Cajun seasoning. All of these work wonderfully here. I also add black pepper to deepen the flavor and add a gentle heat. 

These layers of herbs and spices create an incredibly flavorful broth for the lentils and potatoes to cook in.

3. The potatoes are added midway through cooking, so they become perfectly tender while still holding their shape. They soak up all of the delicious broth without falling apart. If you prefer a thicker soup, you can add the potatoes at the beginning, so they break down into the broth. 

Toward the end of cooking, we stir in plenty of kale to make the soup even more nutrient-dense. 

4. We make a quick toasted seed topping. This adds to much texture and flavor, it’s surprising and incredible! We use pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds. The seeds are toasted with lemon zest, which adds a bright, zesty flavor that pairs beautifully with their nutty richness. We finish the topping with Aleppo pepper flakes for a smoky, gentle heat. If you don’t have all three kinds of seeds, use one or two instead, but definitely make the topping!

Why You’ll Love Lentil Potato Soup

• nutrient-packed pot of soup with tons of amazing flavor
• easy to make with simple ingredients
• versatile! Use different spice blends and additions to change the flavor profile to preference.
• crunchy seed topping adds even more flavor, an incredible texture and nutrient boost
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

Continue reading: Lentil Potato Soup with Crunchy Seed Topping

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This Dense Bean Salad keeps you full for hours! Black beans, lentils, veggies, kale, seeds and a creamy, lemony dressing. High Protein, High fiber, anti-inflammatory (17 grams Protein, 14 grams fiber per serving. Gluten-free, Nut-free, option for soy-free)

This is my anti-inflammatory dense bean salad. Dense bean salads have been trending, and they are just amazing hearty meals with tons of beans and so many different combinations of flavors, textures, and veggies that you can add to them.

Beans, along with all of the vegetables and other ingredients in this salad, are a great source of fiber, protein, iron, and zinc.

The whole bowl has 65+ grams or more of protein, 50+ grams of fiber, 20+ milligrams of iron, and loads of vitamin C from the tomatoes, peppers, and lemon to help your body absorb all of that iron. There are omega-3s from the hemp seeds, along with pumpkin seeds, making this an incredibly nutrient-dense meal.

This is a great, budget-friendly, easy-to-put-together salad. There is no cooking involved. You just have to chop everything, make the dressing, toss it all together, and it’s ready. It’s also perfect for meal prep because the flavors enhance as the salad sits. The next day, it’s even more flavorful because the beans absorb all of that delicious dressing.

Serve this dense bean salad with tortilla chips, toasted sourdough or garlic bread, added to wraps or tacos, or served over grains, such as quinoa or farro. There are endless possibilities with this salad!

Why You’ll Love this Dense Bean Salad

• easy, no-cook meal, perfect for hot weather!
• packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, Antioxidants and minerals in every bowl
• Anti-inflammatory ingredients
• creamy lemon yogurt dressing sends the flavor profile over the top
• naturally gluten-free and easy to make nut-free and soy-free

Continue reading: Anti-inflammatory Dense Bean Salad with Creamy Lemon Yogurt Dressing

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Creamy, garlicky pepper white beans with spinach, finished with an irresistible crispy chickpea crumble, is the high-protein pantry meal I make on repeat, because it doesn’t even taste like a pantry meal. (20g protein, 13g fiber, 8mg iron. Soy-free with gluten-free and nut-free options)

This creamy garlic pepper sauce with beans and kale or spinach is fantastic on its own. But then we level it up with this crispy chickpea breadcrumb topping, which adds texture, another pop of flavor, and more even protein and fiber. Think high protein croutons!

There is tons of protein in this recipe (80 grams in the entire pan) along with about 52 grams of fiber and 32 milligrams of iron. There is protein from the beans, chickpeas, cashews, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, and kale, along with loads of fiber from the beans, chickpeas, kale, and hemp seeds.

This is a nutrient-packed meal, and you can increase the protein and fiber even more, depending on what sides you serve it with. Serve it with a side of multigrain bread or a good sourdough to bump up the protein and fiber even more. It’s also rich in iron, folate, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins, and it comes together pretty quickly.

You can also serve it over pasta, baked potatoes, or roasted vegetables. Or make a quick bean toast by topping bread with the creamy beans and air frying for 6 to 7 minutes for a super quick and satisfying lunch. It smells so good as it’s cooking. It smells peppery, cheesy, and heavenly. 

The crispy chickpeas on top are so addictive! You can use that topping over any pasta or salad. The topping alone is a must-make.

This recipe uses two cans of beans. The whole can of white beans will simmer in the creamy garlic sauce, while you are dividing up a can of chickpeas. Some of the chickpeas get blended into the sauce to make it creamy, and the rest gets crisped up to make this amazing breadcrumb topping.

Why You’ll Love Pepper Beans

• super easy pantry meal that doesn’t taste like a pantry meal
• High protein and fiber
• crispy chickpea-breadcrumb topping, you’ll want on everything
• naturally soy-free with easy gluten-free and nut-free options

Continue reading: Creamy Garlic Pepper Beans with Crispy Chickpea Crumble

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This easy jeera dal converts simple ingredients into incredible flavor! Red lentils cooked to creamy and scented with sizzling cumin, garlic, chili oil tadka. (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free) 19 g fiber, 19 g protein!

Jeera means cumin, and dal means lentils. Together, they create a simple meal that doesn’t sacrifice flavor. This is a simple cumin-scented lentil soup that’s cozy and satisfying.

This is a simple recipe with everyday ingredients, but it makes such a delicious dal. It’s one of the simple, home-style dals that my mom used to make often.

I changed it up a little to make it slightly spicier and creamier with some non-dairy yogurt. If you cook the dal long enough, it becomes creamy on its own, so if you don’t want to add non-dairy yogurt, that works just as well.

We make this simple dal with red lentils (masoor dal), along with tomato and dried fenugreek leaves. While the lentils cook, we make an amazing tadka, which is a spiced oil with cumin seeds, green chili, and garlic. That tadka takes the dal to the next level!

This jeera dal is delicious served with your favorite Indian sides or sabzi! In the photo above, I’m serving it with my simple gobi aloo matar.

Why You’ll Love Jeera Dal

• easy to make with simple ingredients
• 30-minute recipe with tons of flavor
• while the lentils simmer, make the quick cumin spiced oil
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

Continue reading: Jeera Dal (Indian Cumin-Scented Lentil Dahl)

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This Vegan hash-brown casserole has a crispy top, savory steak-style soy curls, fluffy tofu ’eggs.’ 27 grams of protein, rich in calcium, iron, and fiber, this is ultimate brunch centerpiece !
(27 grams protein, 8 grams fiber per serving! Gluten-free and nut-free with soy-free options.)

This casserole is based on the steak and eggs with hash browns from IHOP. I decided to turn it into a vegan casserole, so it has soy curls that are marinated and then baked along with onion, mushrooms, and peppers until everything starts to caramelize.

Then, we add crumbled tofu, seasonings, non-dairy yogurt or non-dairy cream, and vegan cheese. Spread that over everything, mix it up a little bit, and bake it again for a cheesy, 1-pan vegan steak and egg scramble.

While all of this is baking, we make our hash browns and crisp them in a skillet, then put them on top of the casserole before serving. You can actually serve the hash browns on the side or on top of the casserole.

I love making breakfast casseroles, like my eggs Benedict casserole and my Mexican egg casserole. In those recipes, I blend the tofu to make the egg mixture. I wanted to make a version where I didn’t have to use the blender, so there are fewer dishes to clean.

This is such a hearty breakfast, and it’s so delicious! For additional protein, you can add nutritional yeast and hemp seeds or more soy curls to the tofu mixture.

Why You’ll Love Hash Brown Casserole

• 27g protein
• hearty, cozy breakfast casserole packed with fluffy tofu “egg”, vegan “steak”, cheese, and veggies
• crispy hash brown topping
• Meal prep friendly!
• naturally gluten-free with nut-free and soy-free options

Continue reading: High Protein Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole (Vegan IHOP Copycat!)

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