Roasted Asparagus

Roasted AsparagusThis Roasted Asparagus recipe is a fast and easy side dish when you’re in a hurry. Amelia and I were raised on canned asparagus, but that doesn’t hold a candle to this crispy and delicious oven roasted asparagus. Even your kids will love it!

Use fresh asparagus for this recipe. The canned asparagus soaked in water will be too wet and won’t roast correctly. You’ll end up with a soggy mess that no one will like.

It doesn’t reheat well, either, so you’ll want to make only what you can eat with your meal. Since this recipe is so quick and easy, you can keep your fresh asparagus in the refrigerator and only prepare what you need.

If you make this recipe, please let us know your thoughts in the comments below. And please share with your friends to help spread the word about healthy plant based eating.

Roasted Green Beans

Roasted Green BeansThese Roasted Green Beans are a fast, easy and delicious side dish for almost any meal. And how can you go wrong with green beans? That’s the only vegetable I ate for the first 10 years of my life and I turned out ok (mostly).

The green beans will come out of the oven crispy and delicious. They’re so good they may not make it to your dinner plate. Amelia and I snack on them while we’re cooking so there’s not usually a lot left to serve up.

Use fresh snapped green beans for this recipe. Don’t use canned green beans soaked in water or they won’t roast correctly.

If you make this recipe, please let us know your thoughts in the comments below. And please share with your friends to help spread the word about healthy plant based eating.

Vegan Pizza

Vegan PizzaThere’s nothing like a delicious Vegan Pizza on Friday night to kick off your weekend!

We made the pizza sauce from scratch, but you can always buy ready-made pizza sauce to save time. Of course, then you’ll get all the added sugar that comes with it (and everything else they throw in). When you make your own sauce, you’ll know what every ingredient is, and it only takes a few extra minutes to prepare.

This recipe makes enough for 2 to 3 vegan pizzas depending on how much sauce you like on your pizza. You can cut the ingredients in half by reducing the serving size to 8 slices, or you’ll have leftover sauce.

You can get really creative with vegan pizza toppings. You really can’t go wrong. Some other toppings to consider: tempeh bacon, beefy crumbles, peppers, olives, roasted garlic, sliced tomatoes, etc.

The serving size is based on the traditional pie shaped pizza slice, but Amelia, being from Chicago, likes to cut them into squares. You’ll get about 16 pieces when you do it Chicago-style.

You can make your own pizza crust, too, but that takes a lot of extra time. We chose to buy a pre-made whole wheat crust from Whole Foods. You can buy whatever type you like, but it may change the nutritional facts.

Skip the vegan cheese to make it oil free. Use a gluten free crust to make the recipe gluten free.

Enjoy this with a delicious side salad for a little extra leafy green roughage.

If you make this recipe, please let us know your thoughts in the comments below. And please share with your friends to help spread the word about healthy plant based eating.

Vegan Spaghetti Sauce on Spaghetti Squash

Vegan Spaghetti SauceI used to be a jarred spaghetti sauce guy. I doctored it up to taste better, but it took less time than making my own. However, once I realized how much added sugar is in a regular jar of spaghetti sauce, I decided it was time to make it from scratch. After lots of trial and error, here’s my delicious Vegan Spaghetti Sauce.

We prefer spaghetti squash since it’s much healthier and lower calorie than regular pasta, and it tastes really good. Just be sure to cook it long enough or it’ll be crunchy. It should be al dente but not crunchy.

You can also substitute Tofu Shirataki Spaghetti for real pasta. This looks and tastes like pasta, but it only has 10 calories and 3 grams of carbs per serving. It’s also gluten free and has been eaten for centuries in Asian countries. You can usually find it in the vegan cold foods section near the tofu. It’s in a plastic bag filled with water and noodles.

Enjoy your Vegan Spaghetti Sauce on Spaghetti Squash with a delicious side salad for some extra leafy green roughage.

If you make this recipe, please let us know your thoughts in the comments below. And please share with your friends to help spread the word about healthy plant based eating.