Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Yield: a 9x13 casserole

4-15oz. cans of green beans (or 6 cups fresh green beans, stemmed and cut)

1 recipe Mushroom Gravy

2 cups French-fried onion rings

Mushroom Gravy

1 TB oil

1 medium onion, chopped

8oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp thyme

½ tsp sea salt

1 cup raw cashews (or blanched almonds)

3 cups water

1.  Preheat oven to 350º F. 

2.  If using fresh green beans, steam beans for 4-5 minutes.

3.  For Mushroom Gravy: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion, and cook until it is translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and salt.  Cook until water starts to come out of the mushrooms, and they start to brown.  In a blender, blend cashews and water for 3-5 minutes until very smooth.  Pour cashew mixture into the pan with mushroom mixture, and stir together.  Cook until mixture becomes thick to make a creamy gravy.

4.  Combine green beans and gravy together in a casserole dish.

5.  Bake 20-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

6.  Remove from oven and cover with French-fried onions.  Return to oven and cook 3-5 minutes, until onions are golden brown.

Maple Pecan Ice-Cream

Maple Pecan Ice-Cream

Yield: about 1 quart

2½ cups soy milk

1 cup coconut milk

1/8 cup organic cane sugar

½ cup pure maple syrup (or 3/4 cup)

2-3 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp xanthan gum

¼ cup pecans, chopped

1. In a blender jar, blend everything (except xanthan gum) until very smooth.  Add xanthan gum and blend again until incorporated (about 10 seconds).
2. Chill mixture overnight (for 8 hours or more) in fridge.  Pour ice-cream mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.  Add chopped pecans after ice-cream is done churning.

* If you don’t have a machine: Freeze mixture, pulling out every couple hours to stir.

Sunflower Ranch Dressing

 Sunflower seeds are very nutritious for us!  Although being rich in Vitamin E, selenium, and magnesium, sunflower seeds are very Alkaline in their properties.  That means they're good for fighting off disease and fungus in the body.  And, one of the biggest bonus' from these little seeds is the fact that they are so reasonably priced!  Even the organic sunflower seeds are very cheap.  So, now you have no excuse not to eat healthy with this easy recipe!

Sunflower Ranch Dressing
yield: 3-4 cups

2 cup vegan sunflower mayo (recipe below)
1/4-1/2 cup water
1 TB lemon juice
1 TB sweetener (I use maple syrup)
1/2 tsp celery seed
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp poppy seed
1/2 tsp dill weed
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried sweet basil
4-6 cloves fresh, minced

1.  Whisk all ingredients together into the mayo until evenly dispersed. Serve.
2.  This will set up thicker when chilled.


Sunflower Ranch Dressing #2
yield: 3-4 cups

2 cup vegan sunflower mayo (recipe below)
1/4 cup water
1 TB sweetener (I use maple syrup)
1-2 TB dried parsley
2-3 TB dried chives
1-2 TB dill weed
1/2-1 TB dried sweet basil
2-4 cloves fresh, minced

1.  Whisk all ingredients together into the mayo until evenly dispersed. Serve.
2.  This will set up thicker when chilled.

* This is an eye-balled recipe.  I usually just throw the spices in the mayo until I think it looks good at the moment.  This turns out really yummy for a quick salad dressing recipe that tastes great!


Soy Free Sunflower Mayo
Yield: 2 cups

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (I prefer organic)
1 cup water
1 TB onion powder
2 TB Lemon Juice
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup safflower oil (or other light non-gmo oil)
1/8 tsp xanthan gum (optional)*

1.  Place seeds in some cool filtered water overnight to soften if you do not own a Vitamix blender.
2.  Then, put all ingredients in your blender until completely smooth.
3.  Then, change the setting to low, and slowly drizzle in the oil until it gets thick.
4.  You may use this as any regular mayo you would on a daily basis, or just make it to use for the salad dressing recipe.

* This mayonnaise thickens as it sets in the fridge, but for additional thickness, you may add a little Xanthan Gum to it.  Xanthan gum is originated from corn, and its used as a thickener in vegan vegetarian recipes.  I usually do not add this to the recipe, it turns out fine without this product added.  But I just thought I would let you know that this option exsists.  It produces a similar product to the Garlic Sour Cream recipe (which is adapted from this one, by the way).

Thai Red Curry Soup

This soup is a go-to warm, comforting, and full-of-flavor soup.  Its one that I don't make as often as I should!  My husband and I really like Red Curry.  We think its our favorite type of curry out there!  Here's a soup I found on the internet, but I completely tweaked it, made it vegan, and boosted the flavor a bit.

Thai Red Curry Soup
yield: 8-10 servings

1 TB olive oil
2-3 TB fresh grated ginger*
1 stalk lemon grass, minced*
1 TB Red Curry Paste*
4 cups chicken-like broth or vegetable broth
3 TB Soy Sauce or Tamari (which is gf soy sauce)*
2 TB sweetener (I use agave nectar or organic brown sugar)
3 cans coconut milk*
1 red bell pepper, sliced in 1-inch pieces
1 green or yellow bell pepper, sliced in 1-inch pieces
3 carrots, thinly sliced
1 block of tofu, cubed, and browned in olive oil*
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped*

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2.  Cook and stir the ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste for 1-2 minutes in the oil.
3.  Add the broth, while stirring continually. 
4.  Stir in the soy sauce and sweetener.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
5.  Then, stir in the coconut milk, veggies and fried tofu.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the veggies are tender but still crunchy.
6.  Stir in the lime juice, salt, and cilantro.  Serve!

* You can find these ingredients in any Asian Market
Note:  With the veggies that I like to put in here, you can add whatever you like to eat.  If you like bamboo shoots, you may add those if you wish as well as anything else!

Low-Fat Almond Sour Cream

Almond Sour Cream
 Yield: ~ 2 cups

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 cup water
2-3 TB fresh lemon/lime juice
1 TB onion powder
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp celtic sea salt
3 garlic cloves, minced

1.  Blend all ingredients (except garlic) until smooth.
2.  Add xanthan gum, blend another 10 seconds until smooth.
3.  Add minced garlic, to taste.
4.  Refrigerate, and serve chilled.

Scoop-able Vanilla Ice-Cream

I have a lot of fun with this recipe (mainly, because of how simple and easy it is.)  I've found over the years with my ice-cream-making trials and experiments, that if you throw in some coconut oil, the consistency becomes that of real ice-cream.  Its because coconut oil is a healthy fat, so it helps the ice-cream not to turn rock-hard when you put it back in the freezer to enjoy after its done churning.  I love doing the mint chocolate chip version of this, because since I was little, I've always been a big fan of mint chocolate chip ice-cream.  I can eat this version and know that I'm doing my body a better service instead of kind down the freezer isle...  Enjoy!

Scoop-able Vanilla Ice-Cream
yield: 1 quart

1 cup cashews (or blanched slivered almonds)
1 can coconut milk
1/2-2/3 cup light agave
1 Tb vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 big pinch of Celtic grey sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil (I use expelled-pressed)

If you want Mint Ice-cream, also add:
2 Tb spinach juice (or chlorophyll)
2 Tb peppermint extract
1/2 cup carob or chocolate chips

If you want fruit in your ice-cream, also add:
1 cup frozen or fresh fruit (add after everything else is completely smooth, and blend slightly)

1.  Blend all ingredients (except the chips, if doing a mint flavor) in blender until very smooth.
2.  Pour into ice-cream maker, add chips.  Follow manufacturer's instructions.
3.  Serve.  Be creative!  You be the chef!

Coconut Gelato

I came up with this recipe taking the idea from one I saw on the internet.  Its very light and sweet and delicious!  I've served this to a number of folks who weren't even very health-conscious, and they loved it.  I like putting in raspberries for the fruit, because they are our family's favorite summer-time berry.  And, the vanilla beans really bring the flavor out of the agave and fruit!  You can find some of those little beans at health food stores.  Have fun with this one, its a nice summer favorite of ours!

Coconut Gelato
Yield: 1 quart

2 cans reg. coconut milk
3/4 cup agave (I prefer light)
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 vanilla bean (slice in half, scrape seeds, use only the seeds)
1/4 tsp xanthan gum

For fruit version:
1 1/2 cup frozen fruit (we like frozen raspberries from our garden)


1.  Put everything in blender (except frozen fruit if you are using).  Blend until really smooth.
2.  (If doing fruit version,) Add fruit, blend only enough to break it up a little bit.
3.  Put in fridge for one hour to cool down.
4.  Then, place in ice-cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions, or place into Popsicle molds and freeze until solid.
5.  Serve!

Note:  If you are using the dark agave, use 3/4 cup.  If you are using light agave, use 2/3 cup.

Pumpkin Pie Ice-Cream

This is like eating a frozen pumpkin pie.  My husband even likes it, and he's NOT a fan of pumpkin at all... so try this one out on your guests!  They also wont even know that it doesn't have dairy in it... they wont pick up on it at all, because this dessert is so rich and creamy!


Pumpkin Pie Ice-Cream
Yield: 6 servings

1 ½ cup canned Pumpkin Pie Mix
2 cans reg. coconut milk
⅔ cup raw cashews (or blanched slivered almonds)
1 cup non-dairy milk (soy, almond, or rice milk)
1- 1 ⅓ cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
¼ tsp Xanthan Gum (or 1 Tbsp Arrowroot powder)
1 cup Graham cracker, or ginger cookies (optional), crumbled


1.  Add everything to a blender, food processor or Vitamix, and blend until very, very smooth.
2.  Place in ice-cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.
3.  If you want to throw in some crumbled up cookies, do so about 5 minutes before your ice-cream is done churning.
4.  When its done, transfer to a container, and store in freezer.
5.  Serve with chopped nuts on top, or caramel topping.