Butternut Cranberry Oat Muffins

We recently moved to the country and it has been beyond amazing but now Michael has a bit longer commute. So I am trying to come up with some quick and healthy “grab as you run out the door” breakfasts 🙂 Green Juice, check! (thank you Blue Print Bottles!) But then something a bit more substantial for him throughout the morning. These were super yummy, kid & husband approved!

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Butternut Cranberry Oat Muffins
Makes 12

¾ cup organic cane sugar
1 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat pastry or spelt flour
½ cup oats
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup almond or other nondairy milk
1 cup cooked pumpkin or butternut squash, mashed
2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
1 teaspoon white or rice vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
½ cup dried cranberries

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Spray regular sized muffin tins with cooking spray
  3. Combine the sugar, flours, oats, salt, baking powder and soda in a large bowl. Stir well to combine.
  4. In another bowl, mix the remaining ingredients except the cranberries. Stir until well mixed.
  5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, along with the cranberries, and stir well but quickly to combine. Do not over-stir the dough otherwise the muffins will come out tough. . Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill about 2/3 of each cup.
  6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the muffins are golden brown and cooked in the middle. Let cool on a rack. Enjoy 🙂

Perfect Fall Soup: Butternut Squash, Carrot & Apple Soup

Today was that perfect Fall day. Super brisk yet still super sunny highlighting those gorgeous fall colors!! We spent the late afternoon crunching on all the fallen leaves and a messy outdoor art project!! It was a bit chilly and as it got later (and colder) I figured it was the perfect day for a warm & creamy soup. Yum!!

I was thinking Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk. Then I decided to add carrots from the CSA and apples we picked last weekend. I figured this was going to be a winning combination and it was!

I used pre-chopped butternut squash which made this meal a breeze and done within 30 minutes!

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Butternut Squash, Carrot & Apple Soup

  • medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 apples, peeled and chopped
  • bag of carrots/parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cups (water & broth)(I used 2 of each) 
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 can of coconut milk (all I had was light and it still came out creamy)
  • dash of nutmeg & cinnamon

In a large pot sauté onions in olive oil while peeling and cutting the squash, carrots & apples.
Turn the heat down and add the veggies, stirring until they are all added.
Add liquid and salt &pepper.
Cover and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer until the squash and carrots are soft.
Using an immersion blender puree completely smooth in the same pot.
Add coconut milk, nutmeg & cinnamon, taste and season, stir (I used the blender again) and enjoy!

Raw Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Spinach Sauce

It’s been a while since I made zucchini noodles. They are so easy and so nutritious and such a light and quick meal. You need the spiralizer, but it is such a fun and inexpensive addition to your kitchen, so an easy investment. I have always loved these noodles because they are raw, vegan, deelish and healthy, but my sister loves them because they are gluten-free and still has that fun pasta meal feel to them. So awesome for everyone!

I love love love the Pinenut Parmesan. I have used it with so many different dishes as it is so versatile and deelish!

Check out these other Zucchini Noodle dish ideas 🙂

Amazing Raw “Peanut” Sauce and Zucchini Noodles, Raw Zucchini Noodles and ‘Peanut’ Sauce II, Raw Sweet & Spicy Sesame Noodles, Lemon Basil Pesto & Raw Zucchini Pasta, Raw Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Sun-dried Tomatoes and Zucchini Noodles with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto.

Raw Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Spinach Sauce

Pasta
2-4 zucchinis, spiralized

Creamy Spinach Sauce
4 cups spinach
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup water
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp thyme

Blend in high speed blender until very smooth.

Pinenut Parmesan from Raw Crisp Caesar Salad Recipe

1/2 cup pinenuts
1/2 cup whole cashews or macadamia nuts
2 teaspoon good oil or fresh water
6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
pinch dried garlic granules or powder
pinch Celtic or sea salt

First process macadamias and cashews until ground. Then add the pine nuts and process briefly. Follow with the rest of the ingredients and process until well mixed.

Toss the noodles with the sauce and sprinkle with Pine Nut Parmesan. Serve & Enjoy.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Of course I love all things veggie but sometimes and for some people you have to sneak them in there. So this is a great dessert recipe that also has a bunch of zucchini hidden inside 🙂  These taste just like chocolate chip cookies – YUM – but with a great added bonus! I am sure by the time my little kiddos are ready to eat cookies they will already be super veggie lovers, but I still think, why not have the extra fiber and veggies in there 🙂

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 dozen cookies

Wet Ingredients
1 Ener-G Egg Replacer
1/2 cup earth balance
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup agave
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1-2 cup finely shredded zucchini (I like to use more, as it is a great way to sneak a veggie into a dessert!)
12 oz chocolate chips..vegan

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees.
  2. Combine wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
  3. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  4. Combine zucchini and chocolate chips into the wet ingredients and blend well.
  5. Mix all ingredients together and mix well.
  6. Drop by spoonful (I love to use a small ice cream scooper) onto greased baking sheet or silicon baking sheet, and flatten with the back of a spoon.
  7. Bake for 13- 15 minutes.
  8. Cool on a rack and enjoy!

Vegan Peach Cobbler Pie

When we were out in Sag Harbor we went to every farmers market in the Hamptons. SO many fresh and colorful fruits and veggies 🙂
One of the markets we went to, The Milk Pail in Water Mill had beautiful peaches, so I couldn’t resist the 5 pound bag. Two years ago I had done the same thing (we had actually got to pick the peaches then) and made Raw Luscious Peach Cobbler. This year I figured although we LOVED that cobbler, to try a baked version. Michael’s absolute favorite dessert is cobbler so I always love to experiment with it. I looked up some different recipes and here is my interpretation. Yum!!!
Vegan Peach Cobbler Pie
makes 2 cobbler pies 8x8ish or round pie pans 
Sauce
1 cup flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup soymilk
4 teaspoon vanilla
Crumbles
3/4 cup vegan butter, melted
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon agave nectar
pinch of sea salt
2 1/3 cup flour
Peaches
7-9 peaches, sliced or chopped
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon nutmeg
  1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Toss the peaches with the agave and the nutmeg in baking pans and set aside.
  3. Mix all the sauce ingredients together until smooth and pour over peaches.
  4. Combine the crumbles ingredients into a crumbly dough with your hands. Sprinkle on top, completely covering the peaches and sauce.
  5. Place in the oven 35 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle another tablespoon of sugar onto both pies. Place back in the oven for 7 more minutes.
  6. Remove, let cool, and enjoy!

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