A Vegan Chickpea and Cauliflower-Rice Bowl that I Make Again and Again

If you’re looking for an easy, healthy vegan meal that comes together in minutes, this simple chickpea and cauliflower bowl may become one of your new favorites. Made with protein-rich chickpeas, cauliflower rice, fresh arugula, and a few simple seasonings, it’s a light yet satisfying plant-based meal I make again and again. Of course, it's naturally gluten-free as well.

People often ask me what I actually eat as a vegan, and I always laugh a little because I think many expect the answer to be something complicated, wierd, or unusual. The truth is, a lot of what I eat is incredibly simple—basic, wholesome foods put together in ways that are nourishing, satisfying, and delicious.

15 No Fuss Healthy Recipes Using Canned Beans

Whether you’re a busy professional, a parent or retired person juggling a million tasks, or just someone who loves an easy healthy meal, canned beans should be your friend! 

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes: A Go-To Healthy Meal With Black Beans and Broccoli

Quick, Easy, and Healthy: Stuffed Sweet Potato with Black Beans and Broccoli - my easy go-to meal. 

When it comes to finding a meal that’s not only quick and easy but also nutritious, delicious, and budget-friendly, it can sometimes feel like a challenge. However, one recipe that checks all these boxes and more is the stuffed sweet potato with beans and broccoli. It’s a versatile meal that’s packed with flavor and essential nutrients, making it a perfect choice for anyone who wants a wholesome dish without the hassle.

7 Easy Sweet Potato Recipes

Do you enjoy a good sweet potato? I do and I often steam a batch of 4 or 5 them at one time in my Instant Pot to eat throughout the week. I eat the sweet potatoes as needed- sometimes plain or with toppings or adding sweet potato to a variety of recipes. I'm sharing seven of my favorite recipes.

What I Eat In A Day On A Plant-Based Diet

Do you ever think about eating less animal protein and eating more plant-based meals? 

In a world where not just adults but even children struggle with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer etc, scientific research proves that diet as the #1 culprit of these problems. See how you can eat a full day of plant-based meals and enjoy them. 

10 Vegan and Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Sides

Sweet Potato, Apple, and Prune Bake

This a traditional Tzimmis when baked melts together for a chunky delicious mix of fall flavors.

The photo is before it was baked. It becomes creamy and delicious when baked.

Baked Apple, Yam, and Dried Apricot Casserole

A healthier choice for yam casserole with apricots and apples adding to the sweetness for a wonderful yam bake.

Before Baking

Chunky Cranberry Apple Chutney

The perfectly healthy cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving using fresh cranberries with sweet apples spiced with interesting flavors.

Thanksgiving Shredded Carrot, Cranberry, and Cashew Salad

One of my favorite salads. It's sweet and crunchy and perfect for Thanksgiving since it is best to make it the night before to give the incredible flavors a chance to mingle and the carrots a chance to relax.

 Dairy-free Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy

Enjoy this rich vegan gravy over dairy free mashed potatoes. A real comfort food without the heavy fats and calories.

Roasted Asparagus and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

A simple but delicious combination of two complementary vegetables. 

Roasted Vegetable Platter Tray 

Roasted vegetables are perfect for Thanksgiving because they can be served hot or at room temperature so they can be made in advance. It's all in the presentation. Make a variety of vegetables in advance and arrange on a platter. 

Asian Quinoa Slaw Salad 

A wonderful quinoa side that is both flavorful and delicious. Your guests will keep coming back for more. 

Green Bean Casserole

A healthier alternative to the more traditional high fat green bean casserole in a mushroom cream sauce.

Crunchy and Creamy Roasted Brussels Sprouts 

Roasting is the tastiest way to cook Brussels sprouts. They are crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Even Brussels sprouts haters are swayed by this recipe.

I have both of these appliances and love them both. They are both on sale on Amazon just click on the photo.

Anti-Inflammatory Salad With Tahini Dressing

This colorful anti-inflammatory and nutrient dense salad is not only delicious, it also contains ingredients known to help reduce inflammation in the body.

Are you concerned about inflammation? 

If you are not, maybe you should be. 

Did you know that inflammation is the number one predictor of heart disease (which can be a silent killer) and plays a key role in aggravating and contributing to many other diseases. 

There is also a direct link between weight gain and inflammation. In addition, inflammation may cause aches and pains in the body. 

What Causes inflammation? 

Everyone gets inflammation, but it depends how acute and chronic it becomes to whether how dangerous it is. Inflammation is our body's defense for infection, injury, or disease. 

Continuous exposure to inflammation may cause symptoms such as body pain, fatigue, insomnia, depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems such as constipation, acid reflux, or diarrhea,  prone to infections, and weight gain.

Which foods are inflammatory? 

 Some foods that may cause inflammation are 

• trans fats- hydrogenated oils, margarine, and processed foods that use trans fat . 
• fast food - food from fast food restaurant where vegetable oils, margarine, high sugar, and refined carbs are used.
• sugar-all cookies, cakes, candy, etc, 
• refined carbohydrates- white bread, white rice, anything from sugar and white flours. 
• processed meat - bologna, salami, pastrami, lunch meats, etc.
• alcohol
• vegetable oils-corn oil, safflower, sunflower, soy oil or any oil that is high in Omega 6- which is in most processed food.

Which foods help relieve inflammation ? 

Did you know that some foods may actually help reduce inflammation.We are looking antioxidant rich foods that are protective and restorative to cellular health.

• Vegetables- such as celery, broccoli, spinach, sweet potato etc.
• Fruit- such as apples, pears, citrus, 
• Berries- especially blueberries
• Turmeric- A wonderful spice to reduce inlfammation  
• Coconut oil- excellent antioxidants to reduce inflammation
• Ginger-helps soothe digestion and inflammation
• Foods high in calcium- I choose plant-based foods such as spinach, kale, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, figs, and tofu.
• Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts

What do you think? Does it make you hungry? 

Ingredients:

3 cups of romaine lettuce, chopped

1 cup of kale, chopped

2 cups of chopped red cabbage

2 cups of sliced celery

2 cups of chopped cucumber

1 cup of sliced scallions

1 cup of parsley, chopped

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

1 and half cups of chickpeas

2 cups of cooked and cubed sweet potato (or butternut squash), seasoned with za'atar

Directions: 

Mix all the ingredients in a large salad bowl.  Serve and top with Tahini dressing or homemade dressing of your choice.

Tahini dressing:

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup of tahini paste

1/3 cup of water

1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1/2 teaspoon of cumin 

Directions: 

Mix together and use as a dressing

Shared on Souper Sunday at Deb's Kahakai Kitchen 

  

   

Thanksgiving Leftovers ? Fast and Easy Sweet Potato Soup -vegan

Got leftover cooked sweet potatoes from your Thanksgiving meal?  

Don’t let those leftover steamed or baked sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving go to waste!  Make this quick & delicious (spicy) 5 minute sweet potato soup. 

This creative recipe calls for a jar of organic chunky salsa (you decide if you would like your soup to be mild, medium, or spicy hot)!

Before I share the recipe, I want to mention that this recipe is one of the over 80 recipes in my plant-based soups cookbook (link to purchase on Amazon). Although all the recipes in my book are easy to make, they are not quite this easy. This recipe is a bonus quickie idea- not really a full soup recipe. Nonetheless, it is still delicious and worthy of being in my book!

                    

     Fast and Easy Spicy Sweet Potato Soup 

                                          

Literally, set aside 5 minutes to prep, blend, and heat this fabulous recipe! Use leftover steamed sweet potatoes or leftover roasted or steamed butternut squash as the base for this delicious spicy creamy soup.  (or steam a sweet potato if you don't have any leftovers)

                              

Here is what I do: 

I simply open a jar of organic mild chunky salsa. I then add 3 cups of vegetable broth, 1/4 cup of water, 1/2 cup of salsa and about 2 cups of cooked sweet potato or cooked butternut squash to a blender.  I blend, heat, and serve! So easy and so good.  Serves 2

Ingredients: 

1 large leftover sweet potato - steamed or baked and peeled 

1/2 cup of chunky salsa (mild, medium, or hot)

2 cups of tasty vegetable broth (I love Tabatchnicks)

1/4 cup of water 

Garnish: 

1 tablespoon of diced avocado per bowl

1 tablespoon of nut milk per bowl

Directions 

Place steamed and peeled sweet potato, salsa, water, and broth in a blender. Blend until creamy. Pour into a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and pour into 2 bowls. Top each bowl with avocado and coconut milk (or any nut milk).

Don't have leftovers? Steam a sweet potato or butternut squash first. Then follow directions. 

If you are looking for a stocking stuffer or hostess gift, please consider this wonderful cookbook available on Amazon.

Order at : plant-based soups cookbook (affiliate link to Amazon)

Need holiday gifts?

The book contains over 80 easy healthy recipes and 60 inspirational quotes in a colorful attractive cookbook- 

My carnivore eating friends say, "These are some of the best soups they've ever tasted".  

I would love it if you would keep this colorful cookbook in mind for your holiday gift giving! 

Sharing this recipe at Deb's Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sunday where anyone can share a soup, sandwich, or sammie post!

Order at : plant-based soups cookbook (link to Amazon)

                   

                

Butternut Squash Fries with Chinese Peanut Sauce-

First let me say that you can use butternut squash or sweet potatoes- both work and!
taste great with this AMAZING peanut sauce!

I am becoming extremely creative with my cooking since we have been cooking and eating home for the past 60 + days.  Can you imagine how good these crunchy baked butternut squash or sweet potato fries taste drizzled with gingered peanut sauce?

Pumpkin Fall Harvest Soup- A Halloween or Thanksgiving Favorite

Savory Fall Harvest Soup

This light, savory fall harvest soup has a warming broth and a rich, satisfying flavor. It is easy to make, like all of my soups.

I wanted a good, fast soup for a damp and cold Halloween Eve that incorporated the fall harvest. I wasn't disappointed with this tasty winner. 

I was invited to my son and daughter-in-law's home for dinner and, of course, to see the grandkids in their Halloween costumes. As with many Halloweens that I can remember, it was a cold and damp evening in Pennsylvania. I wanted to bring soup to take the chill off, both in the house and in our bodies.

I Created This Soup From What I Had On Hand

I had some homemade unsweetened pumpkin puree leftover that I had made for another recipe. I also had a large white organic russet potato, organic sweet potatoes, an organic onion, and organic parsley. I knew these ingredients could come together to make a tasty, savory soup. We were not disappointed!

Everyone Loved The Soup 

We were eight adults and four kids for dinner. Before everyone left to trick-or-treat, the pot of soup was empty and everyone's soup bowls were licked clean. Yes, it was a good soup!

So there you have it—a fall harvest soup recipe that was born from what I had in my kitchen: onions, sweet potato, white potato, pumpkin puree, and parsley.

With just 5 or 6 ingredients, it was a simple yet delicious soup.

Although I made it for Halloween, it certainly is worthy of being brought to the Thanksgiving table. It is light, so it can easily be served alongside a heavier meal, and it's a perfect choice.

All of my recipes are vegan and gluten-free. 

Ingredients: 
1 large onion, diced
1 large Russet potato- peeled and chopped small
1 large sweet potato- peeled and chopped small
1 cup of homemade unsweetened pumpkin puree ( or canned)
1/2 cup of parsley
8 cups vegetable broth, divided
6 cups water, divided
2 tablespoons of salt-free seasoning mix

 

Salt-free Seasoning Mix: 

I used Trader Joe's 21 Salute salt-free spice mix or add fresh garlic, black pepper, onion powder, dried thyme etc.
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon of ground turmeric to add a stronger orange/yellow color and some valuable antioxidants that the pretty spice provides. ( if you decide to use the turmeric, remember- turmeric stains, so be careful of tablecloths and clothing!)

Directions: 
In a soup pot sauté the onion in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the chopped white potato, chopped sweet potato and continue to sauté on low. When the potatoes are partially cooked, add the 6 cups of broth, 4 cups of water, the pumpkin puree,  seasoning and the parsley.  Cook on medium heat until the potatoes are soft and begin to fall apart. Add 2 more cups of vegetable broth and 2 cups of water and cook for about another 10 minutes uncovered

Cut up sweet potato and white potato

Homemade Pumpkin Puree made by roasting a small "sugar pumpkin" variety of pumpkin and scooping and mashing- see directions roasted homemade pumpkin puree 

Everything simmering in a pot

Instant Pot Update 2026: I now make all of my soups in the Instant Pot bc it is so easy, no spills, and no splatter. This recipe can easily be adapted for the IP. 

Instant Pot Directions: 

Simply put everything in the liner of the Instant Pot. Secure the lid, set to pressure cook for 6 minutes. When done, carefully release the steam according to the manufacturer's instructions. When all steam is released, carefully remove the lid. Done!!! 

Give Soup Time For the Flavors To Mingle

***I always find that soup tastes best when the soup sits a while and the flavors have time to mingle. Next day is the best- but feel free to eat it right away if need be.

Another Delicious Halloween Soup

I could have also made my popular but sweet pumpkin pie soup, which is blended with sweet apple cider and creamy coconut milk.

How to Make Homemade Vegetable Broth From Scraps
My friend Laura keeps a large baggie in the freezer and adds scraps of onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, potato peels, mushrooms etc.to the baggie each day to freeze them (instead of throwing them away)  until she has enough to make a nice vegetable stock for her soups.

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