Broccoli Parm Sandwiches

You all know by now that I’m not afraid of a vegetable. Do you remember the carrot hot dogs? I love transforming vegetables into dishes that are crave worthy and that’s exactly what these broccoli Parm sandwiches are: craveable!

These sandwiches are basically like an eggplant Parm sandwich – a vegetable version of a chicken parm! The difference between this and a traditional Parm sandwich is that the broccoli is not breaded. You can go ahead and bread the broccoli, but I don’t think it’s necessary and it makes the recipe come together more quickly.

You’ll never think of broccoli the same way again. And if you want an extra boost of protein, you could definitely make this into a broccoli chicken Parm, just sayin’.

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Broccoli Parm Sandwiches

Servings 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 large head broccoli
• extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 4 ciabatta rolls
• 1 cup prepared tomato basil or marinara sauce
• 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• red pepper flakes to garnish
• ¼ cup shredded fresh basil leaves

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Trim off and discard the dried, tough part of the broccoli stem. Working from the stem end, slice the broccoli lengthwise into 4 slabs.
• Arrange the broccoli slabs in a single layer and brush on all slides with olive oil and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, flip, and roast another 10minutes.
• Meanwhile, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom pieces of the ciabatta rolls. Spread more marinara on the top piece of the roll, making a thicker layer of sauce. Once broccoli is done roasting, place the broccoli slab on top of that bottom piece and top with mozzarella slices to cover. Place all of the ciabatta pieces in the oven and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until mozzarella melts and top slices are warmed. Garnish melted mozzarella with Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and basil.
• Once cheese is melted, close the sandwiches and serve.

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These burgers have a filling consistency and with a slice of spicy pepperjack, some guacamole, and a side of fries, you won’t ever look for another veggie burger recipe again. These veggie burgers have it all and can be cooked in a skillet, the air fryer, the oven, or even on the grill (you may want to put them on a pan on the grill to avoid them breaking apart.)

I recommend refrigerating these (per the recipe,) but if you’re in a pinch, you can skip that step – they just won’t be as easy to fry up in the pan and may break a part more than they would if you had refrigerated them.

Next up? Maybe a buffalo version? These veggie burgers are so versatile – make them your own with your own fixings! And pro tip: make smaller patties for the little ones and serve them on little Hawaiian buns for fun, dippable burgers.

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Southwestern Farro Veggie Burgers

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 burgers

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cooked farro
• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon oat flour
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise can be vegan!
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or grapeseed oil
• to serve: guacamole lettuce, Pepperjack cheese,etc

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions and garlic and cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the white beans and mash with the back of a fork until mostly mashed. Add the cooked farro, cooked onion mixture, oat flour, chiles, cumin, chili powder, and mayonnaise.
• Form the burgers into patties (about ½ cup per burger) and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Once burgers are formed, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the burgers in an even layer (you may need to work in batches.) Cook 5 minutes per side until firm and browned. If you want to top with cheese, top each burger with cheese slices, cover, and let the cheese melt, about 3 minutes. Transfer the burgers to buns and top with guacamole or desired toppings. Serve.

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During this twin pregnancy, I’ve had major cravings and when they hit, I just have to give in right then and there! Recently, after a stressful week of no sleep with a toddler regression, I was craving a Buffalo Chicken Wrap (and as many of you know, I don’t eat chicken!) So, what’s a pregnant girl to do? Make a plant based version!

I love using tempeh as a meat alternative because it’s hardy, easy to cook, and requires no prep (unlike, say, a jackfruit or tofu.) For this recipe, I simply sautéed the tempeh for 10 minutes in an avocado oil until it browned and lightly crisped up on the outsides. Then, I tossed it with Buffalo sauce (so easy, right?) You could get extra crispiness by using an air fryer or oven, but I love the simplicity of the skillet method here.

I stuffed pita pockets with romaine lettuce tossed with Ranch dressing (although a Caesar dressing would be great, too!) and some creamy avocado for a healthy fat and extra texture. The combination was amazing and leftovers were even better – I just microwaved the tempeh to reheat!

To switch this recipe up, you could use a wrap instead of a pita, you could obviously switch up the protein, and add some crunchy veggies in there like chopped celery and carrots.

I encourage you to try tempeh here, especially if you’ve been wanting to experiment with this plant based protein!

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Buffalo Tempeh and Ranch Pita Sandwiches with Avocado

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 3 sandwiches (two pita halves/serving)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 18-ounce package tempeh, cubed
• about 4 cups romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup Ranch dressing (Caesar also works great here)
• 1 ripe avocado
• 3 pieces whole wheat pita bread (make sure it’s the kind that you can sliceand stuff – usually labeled ‘pita pocket’)
• ¼ cup buffalo sauce

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the tempeh. Cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss the romaine lettuce with the dressing. Pit, peel, and cut the avocado in to thin slices. Halve the pita bread. Place the buffalo sauce in a medium mixing bowl. Set all aside.
• Pour the cooked tempeh into the bowl with the buffalo sauce and toss well to coat.
• Assemble the sandwiches. Stuff the pitas with the dressed lettuce and avocado. Top with buffalo tempeh. Serve.

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I love buffalo wraps, and I’ve never felt fully satisfied by the vegetarian versions. I’ve tried a few variations, some with chickpeas, some just with tons of veggies, but they’ve never been hearty enough and given me that “buffalo wrap” vibe.

Until now. This Buffalo Tofu Wrap has it all – crunch from the carrots and lettuce, creaminess from the avocado and Ranch dressing, and a protein-packed filling from the tofu. And the tofu is slightly crunchy, thanks to a light dusting with arrowroot powder right before the air fryer.

If you don’t have an air fryer and still want to make this, you can simply pan fry or bake the tofu in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

You can certainly make your own Ranch dressing, but there are so many clean eating friendly ones out there – like Tessemae’s, my favorite!

This wrap tastes best fresh out of the air fryer, so enjoy! You can also put it in a sandwich, like a multigrain bread! Make it yours, as always.

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Buffalo Tofu Wrap

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 14 ounce block of tofu well drained
• salt and pepper
• ¼ cup hot sauce I love Frank’s!
• 1-2 tablespoons melted coconut oil if you don’t like it too spicy, use 2 tablespoons
• 4 sandwich wraps
• 4 oz romaine lettuce
• 2 avocadoes peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 2 large carrots julienned
• 4 tablespoons Ranch dressing

Instructions

• Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Dust a baking sheet with half of the arrowroot powder and set aside.
• Slice the block of tofu into ¼” thick slabs crosswise, yielding about 12 pieces. Place the tofu on a baking sheet dusted with half of the arrowroot powder. Sprinkle the tofu with the remaining arrowroot powder. in a bowl and toss with arrowroot to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the air fryer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until crispy and firm.
• While tofu cooks, make the buffalo sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil and hot sauce. Once tofu is cooked, place it in the bowl with the hot sauce and toss to coat.
• Build the sandwiches. Place each wrap down on a flat surface and evenly divide the lettuce. Then, evenly divide the avocado and celery. Then, top with tofu and drizzle any remaining sauce from the bowl on top of the tofu. Top with carrots and drizzle with Ranch sauce. Roll like a burrito, slice, and use toothpicks to keep intact. Serve.

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I’m very into sandwiches for lunch, but I can often find myself getting stuck in a raw veggie rut – or just roasting some veggies and topping with pesto and mozzarella cheese. While that’s delicious and satisfying, it can get old. Also, I like to switch up my sandwich flavors with the seasons.

Gruyere cheese makes this sandwich seem and taste fancy, but it’s really easy to use. Thinly slice the gruyere cheese off the block and layer it on top of the beet slices. Pop in the oven and it’ll melt in under 10 minutes while slightly toasting the bread underneath. The gruyere cheese and the olive oil from the slaw soak into the sourdough bread and ….. who doesn’t love cheese, olive oil, and sourdough?

The key to making this sandwich easy and something you’ll want to make over and over again is by buying pre-roasted beets. I love the LoveBeets brand because they’re organic and high quality beets, but any pre-cooked beets will do (try to get them roasted – those are the most flavorful!) Then, you can slice them easily and you don’t have to add on an additional 45 minutes to roast a beet.

Now, don’t skip the slaw! The slaw is key to giving this sandwich extra flavor and a subtly sweet profile. The apple cider vinegar matches the tangy beets and the apples are sweet, along with the bit of honey in the vinaigrette. It’s also refreshing and crunchy!

And if you want to take this from a vegetarian sandwich to a non-vegetarian sandwich, you can add some rotisserie chicken or even some pulled pork would complement these flavors too. But take it from me…. this is one of the easiest and best non-fancy fancy sandwiches you’ll ever make!

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Gruyere and Beet Sourdough Sandwich with Apple and Brussels Sprouts Slaw

Ingredients

• ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon honey
• salt and pepper
• 1 heaping cup shredded brussels sprouts make sure there are no tough parts or big chunks
• ¼ Gala or honeycrisp or other similar apple, in matchsticks or spiralized
• 4 slices of sourdough bread
• 8 oz precooked beets try to get a brand that’s roasted, like LoveBeets
• thinly sliced gruyere cheese about ¼ pound

Instructions

• Preheat an oven or toaster oven to 425 degrees.
• While oven preheats, in a medium bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey and season with salt and pepper. Add the sprouts and apples and toss. Set aside.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out all 4 slices of sourdough. On two of the slices, lay out the beet slices and top with the gruyere slices. Once oven is preheated, bake in the oven until cheese melts, about 7 minutes. If the bread without the beets start to brown, remove (you just want them to slightly toast.)
• Top the melted cheese with sprouts slaw and top with toasted bread slice. Serve.

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You know by now that I love a good chickpea salad. Whether it’s curried or made with fresh herbs, I’m all for using mashed chickpeas to create meatless versions of our favorite salads. It’s so versatile and chickpeas are something I always have on hand in the pantry. Seriously, chickpeas can be made into anything!

This chickpea salad is dairy-free thanks to a tahini dressing that’s creamy and has a bit of apple cider vinegar to tie the fall flavors from the cranberry and pecans together. The pecans and celery gives this a bit of crunch and that classic flavor from the chicken original.

Shredded carrots squeeze in some more vegetables and the cranberries give the salad an overall sweetness that keeps you coming back for more. I served this salad in romaine lettuce cups, but it can be served traditionally on a sandwich or in a wrap.

This is a meal prep friendly dish that saves well – I ate it 4 days in a row! It works so well as a snack, too – just serve it up with some crackers or just literally eat it by the spoonful, it’s addictively savory and sweet!

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Vegan Cranberry and Pecan Chickpea Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 15oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2/3 cup celery diced
• ½ cup dried cranberries halved if large
• ½ cup pecans roughly chopped
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• salt and pepper
• For the dressing:
• 6 tablespoons tahini
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Whisk all of the ingredients together for the dressing in a small bowl and set aside.
• In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, add your chickpeas and mash until mostly mashed, with chunks of chickpeas left and some whole chickpeas left. Add the celery, cranberries, pecans, carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and then add in the dressing and toss until mixed together.
• Take out a wrap and place salad greens in the middle. Add the chickpea salad and roll like a burrito, folding the ends inward as you roll. Slice in half, secure with toothpicks, and serve.
• Note: you could also serve this in bread as a traditional sandwich or even in lettuce cups.

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I’ve really gotten into sandwiches lately. Long gone are the days of my raw vegetable sandwiches. There’s so much more to life than raw sandwiches! It’s now my goal to create a repertoire of easy (20 minutes or less) sandwiches that are fulfilling in every sense of the word.

Broccoli is so versatile and after making this smashed broccoli dish, I knew I had to use this method another way and this sandwich was born. The broccoli is hearty enough to make this a fulfilling sandwich and if the broccoli isn’t enough, there’s a garlicky white bread spread, a robust romesco, and of course, gooey mozzarella. Oh, and bread! And greens!

This sandwich really has it all and it’s meal prep friendly, believe it or not — just buy a romesco, make the white bean spread (will store well for 3-5 days), and steam some broccoli. Once you’re ready to eat, just assemble and melt! Lunch in 5 minutes.

I also feel like this is the kind of sandwich you order out at a restaurant and are pleasantly surprised. And yes, you could stick some chicken in there, but you don’t need it, trust me!

Don’t skip a single thing in this sandwich, but if you want to take it to the next level, use a smoked mozzarella. Again, trust me!

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Smashed Broccoli, White Bean and Mozzarella Sandwich with Romesco

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 10 oz broccoli florets
• 1 15oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 French baguette sliced into 6” sandwich loaves (one baguette yields about 2-3 of these)
• ½ pound mozzarella cheese ball sliced into 1/4” thick slices
• 6 tablespoons romesco sauce

Instructions

• If you don’t have a toaster oven, preheat an oven to 425 degrees.
• Bring a medium pot filled halfway with water to a boil. Once boiling, place a colander or steam basket on top and add in the broccoli and cook until fork tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, pat dry, and smash with a knife or other way.
• Meanwhile, place the white beans in a food processor with the garlic, lemon juice, and oil and pulse until mixture is coarsely chopped. Please note that you won’t use all the white bean spread, so save it in the fridge for 3-5 days!
• Toast the bread halfway through. After toasting, spread out the white bean spread on the bottom piece of bread. Place the cooked broccoli on top of the white bread spread and then place the mozzarella slices on top of the broccoli. Place into an oven or toaster oven for 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
• While cheese is melting, spread the romesco sauce on the top slices of bread. Once cheese is melted, top with the top piece of bread. Serve.

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There’s something nostalgic, cozy, and happy about football season, and I’m so glad it’s back! Since we’ll be staying home this football season (for obvious reasons – #covid), I wanted to make some go-to healthy appetizers and side dishes to enjoy while we watch the NY Giants from home!

But seriously, if you love loaded potatoes, you’ll love these cauliflower steaks. The cauliflower is roasted until fork tender (you could also grill these!) and topped with the typical fixings – cheddar cheese, scallions, bacon, and avocado.

I also love these as a meal – serve with a big Caesar salad and turn it into a meal. They’re comforting, cozy flavors for any occasion. If you have a difficult time cutting the cauliflower into slabs, do your best, and then just make these with the cauliflower florets. When they’re done cooking on the baking sheet, bunch them altogether and then sprinkle the cheese on to kind of “connect” them into a big slab. And top!

Do you want more gameday recipes this fall?

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Gameday Loaded Cauliflower Steaks

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large heads cauliflower yields about 4-6 slabs
• olive oil to brush
• garlic powder to season
• salt and pepper
• 4 strips of bacon
• 2 scallions green parts only
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Trim the cauliflower of any green leaves. Cut the cauliflower into 1” thick slabs, cutting from the top to the bottom (lengthwise.) Place the slabs on the parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until fork tender.
• Meanwhile, place the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, flip, and cook another 5 minutes or until to your preferred crispiness. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Crumble.
• While bacon and cauliflower cooks, thinly slice the scallion. Peel, pit, and small cube the avocado. Set aside.
• Once cauliflower is done roasting, sprinkle each slab with cheese to cover all of the cauliflower, about ¼ cup. Place back in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until melted. Immediately top with crumbled bacon, scallions, and avocado. Serve.

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I used to not use my air fryer. Through blogging, I was lucky enough to be gifted two separate air fryers. I know! And I rarely used them. Every once in a while, I would try a little chicken tender for my kids and it was great and all, but I guess I associated air fryers with…. fried food.

But air fryers are way more than that. Air fryers are for cooking everything from meats to veggies, and when I was craving a crispy fish taco but couldn’t find any fresh fish, I thought to bread and fry some avocados in the air fryer and this recipe was born!

The lentils are great for plant based protein and flavor (they’re cooked with onions, garlic, and some taco seasoning) and they add a hearty texture to these tacos.

I top all of my tacos with shredded lettuce (or a cabbage slaw, if I have the time!) and salsa, so that’s what we have here, along with the most epic avocado crema, adapted from Chocolate for Basil’s crema.

If you need the motivation to buy an air fryer to make these tacos, then here you go! Otherwise, you can fry these in some avocado or grapeseed oil after breading them!

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Crispy Avocado and Lentil Tacos

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup black beluga lentils
• 2 small to medium avocadoes peeled and pitted (should yield 12 slices)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon taco seasoning
• cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• ½ teaspoon taco seasoning
• 6 to rtillas
• to serve: shredded romaine salsa
• For the lime crema:
• 1 large ripe avocado
• 2 limes juiced
• ½ cup cilantro leaves lightly packed
• 2 garlic cloves sliced
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce if you like a spicy taco
• ½ cup water for thinning plus more if needed
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Combine the lentils with 2 cups of water and a bay leaf in a small pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a medium simmer and let cook for 15-20 minutes until lentils are cooked.
• Meanwhile, preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees. Combine all the ingredients for the crema in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, adding water as needed, scraping down the sides. Set aside.
• Once air fryer is preheated, make the crispy avocadoes. Line a plate with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk the egg in one small shallow bowl or plate. Add the breadcrumbs to another similar bowl or plate and season with the taco seasoning and mix to combine. Slice the avocados into 1/2"” thick strips (cutting lengthwise down the avocado.) Dip one avocado in the egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs and transfer to the parchment paper. Continue until all avocadoes are coated.
• Place the avocadoes in the air fryer, spritz with cooking spray, and cook for 7-10 minutes or until browned and crispy.
• While avocadoes are cooking, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the lentils and taco seasoning and stir well to combine. Set aside.
• Assemble the tacos. In a tortilla, add the lentils, avocado, romaine, and drizzle with lime crema. Assemble all tacos and serve.

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Ever since I stopped eating meat, I’ve been craving only one thing: my Avocado Green Goddess Chicken Salad. It’s the perfect summer sandwich – it’s crunchy, it’s filling, it has such a great refreshing fragrance thanks to the herbs, and it’s protein packed and overall a nutritious meal.

So what’s a primarily plant based woman to do? Make a veggie version! I chose here to use chickpeas, because chickpeas have a hearty consistency and when you mash them but leave some of the chickpeas mostly whole, the consistency is chunky like a chicken.

I don’t have much else to say about this chickpea salad other than you have to make it. Like, it’s a must make this summer. I will warn you, it does take a little prep work but it’s totally worth it. I saved my chickpea salad in the fridge for 3 days and on the third day, it did start to brown, so I would recommend saving these for 1-2 days max.

You can enjoy it in lettuce cups, on some greens, in a wrap, or as a sandwich, as I did!

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Avocado Green Goddess Chickpea Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• For the dressing:
• 1 ripe Haas avocado halved, pitted, and peeled
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard?2 scallions chopped
• 1 large garlic clove crushed
• salt and pepper
• For the chickpea salad:
• 1 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 1 small white or red onion chopped
• 1 4 oz jar diced pimiento peppers drained
• For the sandwich:
• 8 pieces of whole wheat bread I love Dave’s Killer
• lettuce of choice
• 2 carrots peeled, julienned

Instructions

• Place all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor and pulse until creamy. Taste and adjust, if needed. Transfer to the bottom of a large mixing bowl.
• Place the chickpeas in the bottom of a large mixing bowl and mash lightly, you want 70-30 mashed to whole ratio for the best consistency. To the bowl, add the celery, onion, and pimientos, the prepared dressing, and toss well to combine.
• Toast the bread.
• Build the sandwiches using the chickpea salad, lettuce, and carrots. Serve.

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I’ve recently discovered these smokey tempeh strips (like a bacon alternative for vegetarians) and I am hooked. I’ve been making all my old favorite bacon recipes using this facon (ha – get it?) and after making a few BLT sandwiches, I wanted something a bit lighter, so I thought about a summer roll!

However, bacon, lettuce, and tomato in a rice wrapper isn’t enough to fill me up for a meal, so I packed these rolls with avocado and hard boiled egg. My typical BLT is a BLEAT (Bacon, Lettuce, Egg, Avocado, and Tomato), so it only made sense to make my summer rolls this way.

And it was a hit! The creamy egg and avocado is just the flavor and consistency you need to serve these as a full meal (although they’d be great as an appetizer, too- cut in half!)

The secret? Spreading the mayonnaise on the romaine lettuce leaves and sprinkling with a bit of shredded basil. When you bite into the roll, you get that same mayo-y goodness from a traditional bread sandwich and the basil is fragrant and refreshing, like a summer roll should be.

I’m in love with these and will be making them all summer long!

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BLT Summer Rolls with Avocado and Egg

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 6 strips of bacon I made half with real bacon for my family and half with tempeh bacon for me
• 12 rice wrappers
• 2 ripe avocados sliced in strips*
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes sliced in strips*
• 6 hard boiled eggs sliced*
• 1 romaine lettuce heart chopped in 3" pieces
• vegan mayonnaise or favorite mayonnaise
• 4 large basil leaves rolled and sliced thinly
• *Don't prep these ahead of time you'll see in the recipe directions - I'll prompt you there.

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon into the skillet and cook until crispy. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate and when cool enough to handle, break each strip in half.
• While bacon cooks, prep all of your ingredients per the ingredient list. Set all of the ingredients up in a row so it's easier to assemble the rolls.
• Once the bacon is done cooking, prepare your summer rolls. Dip a rice wrapper in warm water for 5-10 seconds or until soft and lay on a flat surface.
• Place the bacon down first, placing it on the side closest to your body. Add a bacon half piece, an avocado slice or two (depending on how thick you sliced them - you don't want to overstuff the rolls, they won't easily roll), 1-2 tomato slices, and 1-2 pieces of hard boiled egg. Then, take a piece of romaine lettuce, spread mayonnaise on it (I used about 1/4 teaspoon) and then sprinkle with sliced basil, placing the lettuce on top of the rest of the ingredients, mayo side facing down.
• Before rolling, dip your hands in water and then roll the summer roll, keeping it tight and folding the sides inward like a burrito. Roll and place on a serving plate, seam side down.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients until all are used up and you've made about 12 rolls.

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While these are not traditional flavors you’d see in a taco, they surely do work! If you love chicken tacos and buffalo chicken, you’ll love the flavors of this buffalo jackfruit.

Jackfruit is a relative of figs and breadfruit (thanks, Google!) and is native to regions like India and Malaysia, although thanks to companies like Native Forest (the brand I buy of canned young jackfruit), we can enjoy it anywhere. Yes, it comes from a can – but it can be transformed into something magical, like “buffalo meat.”

I used buffalo sauce from Primal Kitchen (this one here) and I love it because it’s not too spicy, but just spicy enough, just like a true buffalo sauce. The jackfruit has a thickness like a meat, so it’s hearty enough to fill a taco and fill you up!

How to make pulled jackfruit

• Drain and rinse a can of jackfruit
• Saute sliced onions and garlic in a medium skillet with olive or avocado oil
• Add the jackfruit to the skillet and saute for a few minutes
• Add vegetable broth and cover, letting cook for 10 minutes, mashing with the back of a fork or a potato masher every few minutes
• Once the jackfruit is soft enough to “pull,” take a potato masher or two forks and pull apart the jackfruit until shredded, like a shredded meat!
• Add whatever sauce you’d like to flavor the jackfruit – teriyaki, barbecue, buffalo, etc!

It’s that easy. Once you have the pulled jackfruit meat, it can be used in tacos, quesadillas, in rice bowls, or any other way you’d typically use a pulled meat.

I topped these tacos with avocado, feta, black beans, and some shredded romaine and it was a winning combination. My meat-eating husband even said, “It tastes like chicken!”

And of course, if you wanted to make these vegan, just omit the feta or use a dairy-free cheese alternative.

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Buffalo Jackfruit Tacos

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion sliced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 14oz can young jackfruit, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth + more as needed
• 1/3 cup buffalo sauce + more as needed
• to top: black beans corn, romaine lettuce, avocado, feta (to prep while cooking the jackfruit)

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the jackfruit, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes to warm up the jackfruit and combine with the onions and garlic. Add the vegetable broth, stir, and let cook until jackfruit is soft enough to "pull." If the jackfruit is still hard and broth has evaporated, add more broth. Using two forks or a potato masher, pull the jackfruit until it's shredded. Once shredded, add the buffalo sauce and stir to combine. Add more buffalo sauce per your preference.
• Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans and heat up the corn (just stir in a hot pan with some water.) Shred the romaine lettuce and cube the avocado.
• Heat your tortillas in a medium pan for a couple of minutes and then assemble your tacos, filling with shredded jackfruit, beans, corn, avocado, and romaine lettuce. Top with feta, if using.

The post Buffalo Jackfruit Tacos appeared first on Inspiralized.

These grilled sweet potato fajitas will fill you up and are packed with flavor and texture. I love using slabs of sweet potato as the main “meat” with these fajitas, served traditionally with peppers and onions and tortillas.

Building up the fajitas, I’ve added refried beans, avocado, and salsa, for even more protein and flavor in every bite wrapped in tortilla. I love using Siete tortillas here, but use any tortilla brand you’d like.

These grilled sweet potato fajitas are fun to serve family style, letting everyone build their own! You could also customize these as you’d like with your favorite toppings!

I’ve really gotten into grilling over quarantine, and I think the grill flavor of the sweet potatoes, peppers, and onions takes these fajitas a long way, but if you don’t have access to a grill, you can make these in a sheet pan by roasting the sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and onions at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.

Enjoy these and if you make them, share with the hashtag #inspiralized!

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Grilled Sweet Potato Fajitas

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
• 2 red bell peppers sliced in 1/4" slices
• 1 small red onion cut in 1" slices
• 3 medium sweet potatoes any type will work sliced in 1/4" thick slices
• chili powder to season
• to assemble and serve: refried beans avocado, salsa, tortillas

Instructions

• Preheat the grill to 400 degrees.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together a tablespoon of the olive oil and taco seasoning. Add the peppers and onions and toss to coat. Transfer them to a greased grill basket.
• In the same mixing bowl used to toss the peppers, add the sweet potatoes and drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil. Season with chili powder and toss together to coat. Transfer the sweet potato slices on a large greased grill pan, careful not to overlap (for best results.)
• Grill for 10 minutes, then flip the sweet potatoes and grill another 5-10 minutes or until fork tender. When you flip the sweet potatoes, toss the peppers and onions.
• Meanwhile, gather and assemble your fixings. We love to use refried beans, avocado, and salsa.
• Once vegetables are done grilling, serve family style with tortillas and fixings.

The post Grilled Sweet Potato Fajitas appeared first on Inspiralized.

I’ve always hated when veggie burgers fall apart or become mushy when they’re cooked. That’s why I took matters into my own hands to make a firm, flavorful and plant-based veggie patty that has all the satisfaction of a real burger without any meat.

This patty gets its nutty flavor from cooked farro and oat flour. Protein and structure come from cannellini beans, and tons of flavor from garlic, onion and your favorite BBQ sauce. Best of all, this recipe is easy to customize with ingredients already in your pantry. The burgers freeze well and are a quick and easy family-friendly meal.

If you love a good veggie burger as much as a regular burger, then be sure to try my Veggie Packed Turkey Burgers and Veggie Burger Bowls with Spiralized Carrots.

How to Make Farro and White Bean Burgers

Making these burgers is a simple process. You’ll saute the aromatics on the stove, then combine everything in a mixing bowl. No need for a food processor, blender or any other special equipment. I like to bake the burgers in the oven to cook them. They come out crispy and firm every time.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to bring these healthy grain and bean veggie burgers to life:

• Garlic and onion. These healthy alliums add deep umami flavor to every bite of your burgers.
• Cannellini beans. Just 1 15-ounce can is all you need to add protein and help the burgers hold their shape. You can also use black or pinto beans for a different flavor.
• Cooked farro. Farro is a hearty, nutritious whole grain that helps bind the burger together and offers firmness to the patty.
• Oat flour. You can easily make oat flour at home by blending whole oats in a food processor into powder. You can also find oat flour pre-ground at well-stocked grocery stores.
• Cumin. This seasoning goes so well with nutty farro and creamy white beans. If you like, you can also add chili powder and Mexican oregano to amp up the Mexican flavor profile.
• Mayonnaise. This helps add richness to the burgers and binds them. For vegan white bean burgers, use dairy-free mayo.
• Barbecue sauce. A bit of your favorite BBQ sauce transforms your veggie burgers. Hello, flavorful, meaty patties!

Can I Grill White Bean Burgers?

Yes! If you’re hosting or headed to a BBQ where you know there won’t be many vegetarian options, bring along your homemade veggie burgers and toss them on the grill. You may need to bring extras because even meat lovers are going to want to try these patties.

Veggie Burger Topping Ideas

I serve my burgers with extra barbecue sauce on top with toasted buns. Other toppings that work great on these farro and white bean burgers include:

• Guacamole or sliced avocado
• Fresh lettuce
• Slices of tomato
• Cheese (vegan or regular)
• Ketchup
• Pickles

The smoky BBQ flavors of these burgers really work with any of your favorite classic burger toppings.

Is Farro Gluten-Free?

Farro is a type of wheat, so it does contain gluten. This recipe is not gluten-free, though you could substitute the farro for an equal amount of cooked brown rice to make it gluten-free.

Storing Homemade Veggie Burgers

This is a great make-ahead meal. You can store the shaped patties either cooked or uncooked in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container.

Or, freeze them for up to three months. Thaw the burgers overnight in the fridge and bake, pan-sear or grill as directed.

Watch our video for this recipe and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

More Vegan Dinner Ideas

• Vegan Creamy Potato and Kale Soup
• Vegan Spiralized Paella
• Nachos Fries with Vegan Lentil Taco Meat

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Farro and White Bean Veggie Burger

Healthy plant-based Farro and White Bean Veggie Burgers are an easy and protein-packed make-ahead dinner for the whole family.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 15oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cooked farro
• ½ cup oat flour if you have oats, just pulse in a food processor until flour-like!
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise can be vegan!
• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• to serve: sliced avocado lettuce, cheese, etc

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions and garlic and cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the white beans and mash with the back of a fork until mostly mashed. Add the cooked farro, cooked onion mixture, oat flour, cumin, mayonnaise, and BBQ sauce.
• Form the burgers into patties (about ½ cup per burger) and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Once burgers are formed, you can bake them in the oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or cook on the stovetop with olive oil, about 5 minutes per side.
• Serve on buns with desired toppings and drizzle with more BBQ sauce.

The post Farro and White Bean Veggie Burger appeared first on Inspiralized.

These Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers originally appeared in my Inspiralized & Beyond cookbook and are made traditional-style, with meat (steak, to be specific.) They have all the flavors of a cheesesteak, without the bread, for those of you wanting to either with a gluten allergy or those of you who are low carb or just wanting something fun and new!

When I first discovered cheesesteaks, I was in high school, with my high school boyfriend. He was originally from the Philadelphia area (he moved to our high school our freshman year) and he took me to Philly once and we had the whole Pat’s and Gino’s taste test thing. I immediately thought, if there was less bread and more filling, it would be even better!

I’m one of those people that loves bread and sandwiches, but if it’s a big slab of bread, the fillings get lost in each bite and it’s not as enjoyable. I eat a pretty high carb diet, but certain foods (especially sandwiches) are better off with the fillings playing more of a roll than the, well, roll.

These cheesesteaks are also vegetarian, by using tempeh sliced and cooked to “resemble” steak (and by resemble, I just mean consistency wise and as a protein source.) I’ve recently fallen in love with tempeh after making this vegetarian tempeh lasagna, and I knew these cheesesteaks from my cookbook were going to taste so good with it!

Bell peppers, onions, provolone cheese, and well seasoned tempeh are all you need to recreate this classic meat-y sandwich! You’ll be pleasantly surprised how well this satisfies your cheesesteak craving. And fi you’re not low carb or gluten-free and just want to make these, serve it with some crusty bread on the side!

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Tempeh Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 3-4 green bell peppers halved and seeded (3 large or 4 medium)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 large white onion peeled and sliced (or spiralized with Blade A and chopped)
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced
• salt and pepper
• 1 8oz package of tempeh, sliced into thin strips
• 1 teaspoon steak seasoning or use ¼ teaspoon of paprika
• 8 slices of provolone cheese

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray.
• Place the bell peppers in the prepared baking dish and bake until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, set aside, and turn the broiler to high.
• While peppers roast, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, garlic, onion, and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tempeh and season with steak seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes to let seitan crisp up. Remove from heat.
• Stuff the tempeh and vegetable mixture carefully into each bell pepper half. Top each with a slice of provolone. Return to the oven and let cook until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

The post Tempeh Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers appeared first on Inspiralized.

Chickpeas are commonly stirred into all types of curries, so why not make them into a curried salad? Chickpeas are hearty and starchy, so they work well as a protein substitute here in this curried salad.

The chickpeas are smashed and stirred together with tahini, curry powder, water, lime juice, salt and pepper for the base. We add in diced celery for a crunchy, refreshing kick to balance out the robust curry flavors. The key to making the curried chickpea salad perfect? Don’t mash all of the beans – do about 80& mashed, 20% lightly mashed. The consistency is chunky and amazing!

We topped this sandwich simply with avocado for more healthy fats, crunchy carrots and earthy greens. I love using Dave’s Killer Bread (the seeded variety is great!) to bring the sandwich altogether, but use your favorite bread. Or, you can serve this in lettuce cups or serve it over a bed of greens with a simple vinaigrette.

This curried salad can last for up to 3 days well in the refrigerator, so meal prep away! You’re going to love this new way of enjoying mayo-y salads, minus the mayo and minus the meat!

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Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwiches with Avocado

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 6-8 slices of bread I love seeded multigrain here!
• 1 15.5oz can chickpeas
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 3 tablespoons water
• salt and pepper
• 1.5 tablespoons diced celery
• for serving: julienned carrots greens, avocado

Instructions

• If toasting, place your pieces of bread in the toaster and toast.
• Meanwhile, drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander. Leaving them in the colander, lightly smash them using the back for a fork. Set aside.
• ?In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, lime juice, curry powder, water, salt and pepper. The mixture should be creamy. Add in the mashed chickpeas and celery and stir well to combine.
• Spread 1/3 or 1/4 (depending if you’re making 3 or 4 sandwiches) of the chickpea mixture out on one piece of toast and top with julienned carrots, greens and avocado. Top with the other piece of toast. Repeat until all sandwiches are made. serve.

The post Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwiches with Avocado appeared first on Inspiralized.