TOFU SATAY

Makes 6 Servings

374 Calories Per Serving

After took quite a bit time away from normal life routine -especially computer-, here we are again, the first recipe of the New Year..  Perfect duo - apple and caramel - are in the healthy souffle form.. Smooth, rich, decadent, airy.. This delicious dessert has the perfect amount of sweetness, loads with chunk of caramelized apples and - best ever- vegan caramel sauce that just adds perfect killer punch at the end.. Whole ramekin fills with tons of flavor that are complementing each other so good, and satisfy your sweet tooth like no others, while making you feel good about yourself + what you're putting into our body.. For anyone who likes fruit - based dessert, this is it !! I have to warn you, you 're going to 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !! 2021 Holiday cookie box is finally here !! This definitely the post we all have been waiting for whole year.. "The best of the best" holiday cookie box of the season !! This actually is our favorite house tradition during Christmas holidays every year, baking cookies and packaging them up to gift to family, neighbors and friends.. There really is no better gift than a box of homemade goodies baked with love - secret ingredients-.. Ohh, boy, they do take quite a bit time to plan, decide the menu, finding balance with the flavors, then creating something exciting - this is the best part, make my day to see the excitement around these boxes -.. It has taken me month to plan out this year's cookie box, because this had to be "the best ", besides all the planning and detailing, I usually spent two full days just for baking and photographing these babies.. But.. They really worth the hard work, and they do make the best gift for loved ones !! My this year cookie box menu for the holidays will take you to the time machine; treads nostalgia for the past with festivity in the present, creating an edible gift fit for celebration at hand and worthy of being celebrated in its own right.. As usual this year's box is filled to the top with "best of the best ", most delicious, light - not too sweet- yet decadent Christmas cookies and bars.. Usually I’ll bake anywhere from six to eight different shape + taste cookies and then divide them in between boxes and baskets.. This year I did eight different cookies and served them into vintage baskets that we bought from Brimfield Antique Market.. Because of my baskets were large, I chose the large sweet buns and sugar cookies to fill the gaps.. Again, you can use anything for packaging, antique baking tins, hat boxes, baskets, even condiment carriers !! I know, it can be overwhelming when you have a list of cookies to bake, especially eight different cookies.. Scheduling is everything when

Makes 12 Slices

283 Calories Per Slice

When I think about the holidays, povitica bread is always comes to my mind first, along with other bake goods; cinnamon rolls, sugar cookies, lebkuchen cookies, yule log, stollen etc.. This Eastern European sweet bread is cousin to the babka bread, is traditionally served at Christmas, but makes a addictively delicious treat at any time of the year.. Although family recipes and the secrets on how to roll/stretch the dough so thin in many layers are passed down through generations of families, and even an ancient Slovenian tail says that anyone who can bake a povitica deserves the title of "good cook ", but despite all the stories, actually it's not really hard to make it.. Povitica can prepare in many different ways, the two most popular methods are to roll the povitica in circular way or stimulating the shell of a snail.. Again traditionally made with walnut,

Makes 4 Servings

607 Calories Per Serving ( Include 5 Meatballs With Peach Habanero Jam And Mashed + Roasted Veggies ), 176 Calories Per Slice Of Flatbread

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.. Now that Thanksgiving has passed, holiday madness mode is here, and as you all know December is the busiest month of the year. The days might be short, but our lists are a mile long.. Between, work, family, and holiday festivities, it’s a lot to handle.. And I know weekday dinner can quickly become an after thought.. This is why I'm all about "put together" few ingredients kind of easy dinner these days; all I want after a busy day is having an easy yet still nutritious- yes, I can not give up that- meal, then cozy up on the couch with an old Christmas movie.. These delicious lentil meatless meatballs are easy enough to enjoy in a weeknight or you can make them in advance and freeze for another time.. Tender, flavorful, healthy, pack with protein and easy meatballs can be served on anything you like; with salads, sandwiches, mash veggies or as a snack by themselves.. I simply coated them with homemade peach habanero jam - you'll

Makes 10 Pancakes

100 Calories Per Pancake

Every meal of the holiday is special, right ? Especially when it comes to holiday breakfast, I'm super picky for the menu; but this year I'll take easy on Thanksgiving breakfast, and I'm going to make these delicious, fluffy, tender, gluten-free coconut pancakes along with few other regulars, and trying to save all my energy for Christmas Day brunch which is going to be more decadent and different than any other years,- I'm still working on that :)), trying to recreate holiday memories from grandma's house by baking her specials - there will be lots of baked goods - for sure cinnamon rolls, cheese buns etc -.. OK, now, lets talk about these delicate pancakes.. If you're following a low-carb or grain-free diet, coconut flour is way to go for pancakes and baked goods, and also provides more fiber and protein than traditional pancakes.. These easy to make - really, as easy 

Makes 6 Servings

Find Calories With Each Recipes

OK, it's time to dress up a little, grab a tablecloth, place out the fancy plates + utensils, carefully plan the menu; because our country's biggest food holiday is only 10 days away !! Whether you're cooking for yourself or whole family, and just stepping into more plant based world, one thing for sure; no one should miss out on Thanksgiving deliciousness.. And here, I have an amazing menu with most delicious recipes that has a healthy vegetarian spin on a traditional version.. Including mushroom nut roast with wild berry +cornelian cherry sauce ( promise no one will miss the turkey ), pecan maple candied sweet potatoes, hot spicy honey roasted Brussels sprouts, garlic-y celeriac + cauliflower + sunchoke mash with caramelized onion and vegan

Makes 8 Servings

300 Calories Per Soup With Garnishing

After all those months of quarantine days, all of my grand plans for summer converged on the month of July and September.. What a summer has been; many days left me short on sleep, but ultimately delighted.. Being fully vaccinated, and mentally feeling ready to go active again; we took our first vacation to the Crested Butte, CO aka " wildflower capital of the world " in July just right after the wildflower festival ends, and during a week camping trip that we managed to forage insane amounts of porcini mushrooms, family gatherings, so much cooking, celebrations, hiking all day everyday, then we took the plunge second time and took another week break for discovering the Brimfield antique market at Labor Day weekend.. I’m happy we did that safely and carefully, and now we're heading into another busy season.. First Thanksgiving rush is around the corner, then Christmas will take over the scene.. Especially for me; this Christmas is going to be extra special, three generations of my family members are getting together for the first time.. And guess who is hosting ?? YES, I'm super excited but at the same time a little bit nervous about that ( safety is alway priority for us; even though everybody is fully vaccinated, still all of us are going to do 10 days strict quarantine before joining in the party and 72 hours before testing, and so on ).. So during this busy period because of I’m in a particularly intensive planning stage of the gathering; I'm sure you will excuse me, if I'm not posting enough, and slowing down on new recipes.. But wait.. I'm not leaving you all alone, still will be posting two recipes for Thanksgiving that will pretty much cover all your needs, then I'll be posting two or three really good recipes for Christmas, include our "annual " edible gift basket.. Now; I'm so excited to share my first complete vegan / vegetarian Thanksgiving menu with you all !! Yes, it will be

Makes 4 Servings

574 Calories Per Serving

Nothing makes me more excited than the joy of finding fresh, organic produce at the farmers market.. There is something so special about the anticipation of waiting a whole year for our favorite vegetables and fruits to come into season.. Thanks to farmers market and hard working farmers, eating seasonally come so effortlessly when we shop from locally, we don't even realize we're doing it.. Whatever we'll find in the market that are going to be naturally seasonal; and not only we will be tasting the freshest, most flavorful produce we can get our hands, but when we buy directly from farmers through farmers market, we also reducing our carbon food print; our food will pass through fever hands - less contamination - and travel fever miles.. Beyond all, we always find amazing variety of vegetables and fruits to explore; like gooseberries, ground cherries, pawpaws, all kind of radishes and radicchios.. Now it's time for another season, time for waving goodby to summer veggies - especially eggplant- until next summer.. You know I'm a big fan of eggplant, because of my Mediterranean roots.. This farewell recipe must be the grand finale with lots of unforgettable flavors, yet nutritious, healthy, high in protein, filling, plant based meal for lunch or dinner.. Although you can stuff

Makes 24 Cookies

175 Calories Per Cookies

Pumpkin, pumpkin, welcome Great Pumpkin.. It's almost time for that.. As you all know, according to Linus - Peanuts character - Great Pumpkin is a supernatural figure who rises from the pumpkin patch on Halloween evening, and bringing toys to " well behaving " kids.. Either you're with Linus and sit in a pumpkin patch on Halloween night waiting for the Great Pumpkin to appear, or just admire this little " holiday confused " cutie; you have to bake something with pumpkin.. Just for the season, just for keeping the child in you alive, or just for something to enjoy while waiting the Great Pumpkin.. I can not think of Halloween without any pumpkin treats.. Especially uber healthy ones.. These one bowl, vegan, gluten free, oil free, refined sugar free,

Makes 12 Servings

242 Calories Per Serving

I really couldn't care less about that TikTok is invaded with giant puffball mushrooms videos nowadays or everybody is talking about them; but like other years, I deeply care that we have to eat good amount of wild mushrooms during fall; chanterelles, puffballs.. If you're living in the Midwest then you're lucky to find giant volleyball-size puffball mushrooms at the farmer's market or on the forest floor especially where the area accumulates lots of organic matter from late summer through about October.. And no question about that giant puffballs are one of the magical things to look or come across the forest.. Mother Nature's precious gift.. They're " melt in your mouth kind of " tasty, versatile - you can make many things with them; such as ravioli, lasagna ( they pair perfectly with lasagna noddles ), use as tofu in any recipe or bread for French toast - , easy

Makes 6 Servings

630 Calories Per Serving

I love ramen bowls, seriously there is nothing "not to love" about them.. Especially if they are made with delicious yet nourishing + healing homemade broth, just a tiny bunch of noodles but big bunch of butternut squash noodles, tons of veggies, and - good protein source- tofu and soft boiled eggs.. This veggie loaded, comforting + soul warming, nutritious ramen bowl is a perfect transition recipe while waving goodby to my late summer favorite corn to embracing absolute fall favorite pumpkins and squashes.. This ramen bowls are creamy and sweet, warming and lightly spiced with ginger, hot peppers and chili oils.. I used grill charred corn for adding an extra flavor and texture, but cooked corn would work well enough, too.. I named the recipe "all about broth"for a reason; because this ramen bowls are based on truly this simple but flavorful, crazy delicious but nutritious broth.. First I mixed all the sauce ingredients in a blender; coconut milk, peanut butter, tamari, garlic + ginger

Makes 9 Patties

347 Calories Per Burger With Sauce

Many of you have so many questions about plant based eating; if you are still thinking + skeptical about going plant based, then here are some answers for you.. Plant based eating is not about just cutting the meat out, more than that is adding tons of variety vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes into every day meals, as well as switching in plant based protein into your diet.. Taking the meat out from your diet doesn't mean that you're going to eat cardboard or tasteless food; despite that you'll discover the whole new world of taste and flavor, you'd never imagine before.. Keep in your mind, playing + adding color, texture and flavor in a meal takes the focus off the meat, and makes plant based eating more fun and delicious.. But again, as I always say, I don't believe in any diets, eating fashion or trend; all you need to do is focusing and feeding your body and mind with wholesome, seasonal, organic, fresh produces, and you don't need to put / label yourself in any category

Makes 9 Large Donuts

284 Calories Per Donut

What did you mix up this weekend ? Cozy fall weekends are perfect for seasonal baking, like these one bowl kind of easy, extra moist and out-of-this-world delicious oven baked pumpkin - cinnamon donuts.. I made them with mixture of all purpose flour and almond meal, homemade flavorful applesauce and pumpkin puree - as I think that's a great seasonally appropriate combo for fall flavors that also just works like a charm if you don't like to use tons of butter for moist donuts  -, then generously swirled the cottage cheese and yogurt base cheesecake mixture into batter, and finally finished them with thick cinnamon icing for finger licking taste.. End of September is time for me to stock up my fridge with homemade applesauce -literally jars and jars of them - either for fall and winter baking or overnight oatmeal breakfast-, but if you don't have any on hand, you can always use store

Makes 6 Servings 

479 Calories Per Serving

What a beautiful time we're living in Midwest in between August and October, in season produce is so abundant in its diversity.. It's the only time of the year, you can buy fresh sweet corn, winter squash, sweet peppers + hot jalapenos, habaneros, and late season tomatoes in one farmers market haul.. Get ready for this amazing season, prepare your body and mind when weather leans towards autumn.. These days are little bit tricky; one week looks like fall completely, and I'm starting to think about all the cozy soup recipes, then next week all of a sudden warm up again like a summer.. But the fresh produces are telling me that " it's coming ", and we have to prepare our bodies with warm spices and cozy flavors.. Who's ready for filling, comforting, nutrition loaded and healthy soup that makes for a perfect lunch on a rainy day or dinner on a cooler evening.. But you have to hurry while the fresh corns are still available at the farmers market.. Soup built on base of homemade veggie stock that is made with left over veggie scraps and stripped cobs - to infuse into broth and will give you the best / even more corn flavored stock -, then stock mixed with light miso paste, plant based milk - I purposefully avoided using the heavy cream that you'll find in most chowder recipes -, and all the spices.. Final step was easy, whole broth cooked with corn, potato and sun dried tomatoes for richness; then served with - the best - vegan chorizo ( I promise you will not miss the bacon ), reserved corn kernels and goat 

Makes 10 Slices

661 Calories Per Slice

My niece is a big pumpkin lover !! When I shared and sent this picture to her, she responded immediately " pumpkin and pear !! What a combination.. Nothing screams more fall than this ".. Indeed !! This hibiscus poached Seckel pear topped pumpkin flavored cheesecake is the " healing treat " what we need right now .. It's a perfect fall baking project for anyone who is craving really good tasting cheesecake without any guilt.. Since I've developed the best yet healthy cheesecake recipe almost a decade ago - and making it over and over again without boring or feeling guilty when eating-; cheesecakes become ultimate treat in our house with every imaginable flavors, fruits, meringues and nuts.. Before how much I recommend you to taste this crazy flavors, you should know this : Cheesecake itself is easy to make, is almost one bowl or blender affair; but decorating and garnishing take a bit time.. Base of cheesecake is made with my signature nut, oat, and dried fruit mixture, then topped with 1:1 ratio of low fat cottage cheese + labneh ( overnight drained thick yogurt ) mixture, eggs and honey.. Cheesecake itself is not overly sweet, but perfectly satisfy your sweet tooth in every bites.. After you're done with cheesecake, you can take a break; because cheesecake needs to cool in the fridge for overnight.. Actually this one gives you enough time to prep 

Makes 7 Wraps

719 Calories Per Vegan Shawarma Wrap With Cashew Mayo

If your farmer market bags are filled with beautiful big cluster of oyster mushrooms, then you have to be creative to use them in a good way, delicious way, unexpected way.. In that moment, Middle Eastern spice lamb wrap was suddenly turned into vegan delight in my mind; -remember last summer, I posted the most popular salad recipe ever; " vegan mushroom steak salad " that was the inspiration here, and  I used the same idea of crispy cooking mushrooms, but even better.. Because they finished in the oven for caramelized edges - and answer is NO; skipping meat doesn't mean you're going to loose all the flavors and taste in shawarma wrap.. Despite that, flavors are even more complex, but the prep is still simple; whole cluster of oyster mushrooms sprinkled with heavy spice mixture first, then cooked while pressing with another pan until they're almost caramelized - try to get rid off as much water as possible- , and lastly mushrooms are placed onto a skewer, and either roasted in the oven or grilled in bbq.. Traditionally shawarma wrap is served with Greek tomato, cucumber and mint salad, but 

Makes 8 Slices

401 Calories Per Serving

If you've never tried sweet and salty combinations -especially with fruit and veggies together- in a crazy delicious pastry wrap, then your life is about the change.. If you have an experience before then I don't need to explain the taste of this galette, because the title of this recipe speaks itself; juicy sweet peaches, almost candied burst cherry tomatoes, homemade pesto and luxuriously creamy burrata.. What a combination.. I'm obsessed with the burst cherry tomatoes at the moment; because even though they're in season and super sweet + juicy; but if you cook them in high heat with balsamic vinegar, spices and herbs, they caramelize and become even sweeter than before.. And, if you combine them with sweet peaches, creamy burrata

Makes 4 Servings

502 Calories Per Bowl

These polenta bowls are so versatile, and easy filling meal that can be topped with anything you'd put into your Buddha bowls.. First you need to prepare polenta with addition of roasted poblano peppers and just a touch of cheddar cheese; then you can mix and match whichever veggies you have on hand to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less !! I used rainbow heirloom carrots, sweet potatoes, and beets for my roasted veggies, then added quick pickled red onions, peaches - why not ? they're super juicy and sweet+ complete the flavor combinations and making whole dish to come together deliciously-, spicy crunchy chickpeas, and fried eggs for a wholesome, delicious, nutritious meal.. But, wait.. I've served these amazing bowls with my foolproof go-to cornbread that is played + topped with sliced pear, apple and jalapeno for killer taste.. While apples