vegan – Craving Happy

Maple Roasted Winter Veggies (GF + DF)

Published on November 28, 2017November 27, 2017 by Hannah2 Comments

My favorite dish at thanksgiving every year is as beautiful and colorful as it is tasty: roasted brussel sprouts, butternut squash, and onion tossed in a maple & apple cider vinegar dressing and topped with pomegranate seeds.

Full of vitamins, fiber, and flavor! Plus, it’s easy to prep ahead of time when you’re preparing a big holiday meal.

Ingredients:

1 stalk of brussel sprouts

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 large butternut squash, peeled

1 large pomegranate, seeded

3 tbsp maple syrup (can use sugar-free)

3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place whole butternut squash in microwave for 6 minutes.

3. Remove brussel sprouts from stalk.

4. Chop onion and larger brussel sprouts in half.

5. Remove butternut squash from microwave, then peel and de-seed the squash.

6. Chop the squash into 1-inch cubes.

7. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper and stir until well combined.

8. Toss brussel sprouts, butternut squash, and onions in maple syrup mixture until well-coated.

9. Place veggies on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until all veggies are tender.

10. While the veggies are cooking, break open your pomegranate into a bowl of cold water and separate the seeds from the white flesh.

11. Remove veggies from oven, place in serving dish and top with pomegranate seeds.

12. Pause to admire, then enjoy!

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What are your favorite winter veggies?

Vegan Sprout Pad Thai

Published on August 29, 2017August 23, 2017 by Hannah2 Comments

Since moving to California, I’ve seen different varieties of veggies available. We definitely had bean sprouts available in the South, but they are in every grocery store here–which means I was inspired to use them! The key to bean sprouts (in my opinion) is to lightly cook them so they retain their crunchy texture. I came up with this dish one evening when I didn’t want to use the oven and heat up my apartment.

Ingredients:

1 bag Miracle Noodles

1.5 cups bean sprouts

1.5 cups chopped broccoli

3 tbsp Better Body Foods PB Fit (can sub with 1 tbsp peanut butter)

3 tbsp liquid aminos

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1) Prepare @miraclenoodles according to directions on bag.

2) Combine broccoli and bean sprouts in a large bowl.

3) Top bean sprouts and broccoli with hot @miraclenoodles.

4) In a separate bowl, combine PB fit, liquid aminos, garlic, and ginger.

5) Pour mixture evenly over Noodle/veggie mix and toss well.

6) Enjoy hot or cold! I enjoyed mine by wrapping the mixture in sesame seed soy wrappers.

Use code HANNAHAUGUST for a discount when you order from Miracle Noodle.

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What’s your favorite no-oven recipe?

Why Plant-Based?

Published on February 14, 2017February 12, 2017 by Hannah3 Comments

I’ve made a greater effort to choose plant-based options over the past few months. While everyone is different, I wanted to share a few reasons why I’ve made the slight shift. I am definitely still eating plenty of animal products, but here are some of the main reasons I’m opting for more plant-based options:

It’s better for the planet. Plant-based options have a smaller carbon-footprint; these foods often require less transportation and have fewer environmental side effects (decreased carbon emissions, decreased methane gas–ehem, cows).
Animals are cute (ethics). While some people think eating animals is entirely unethical, I do not personally fall into that camp. I take more issue with eating animals and byproducts of animals that have been treated poorly. Choosing cruelty-free, local, grass-fed options makes a huge difference, but often those options are more difficult to come by and are more expensive.
Nutrition. There is a ton of evidence that eating a plant-based diet has numerous positive effects on health. The China Study, one of the few large-scale, reputable nutrition studies, was conducted by Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. The study found individuals with a plant-based diet where most protein comes from plant sources have decreased cancer rates and lower prevalence of bone fracture, among other health benefits. If you’re curious, read more here.
It’s not all or nothing. I think this is a huge misconception in our world of extremes. Everyone thinks that you must choose a label and stick with it, but I prefer to stay flexible, eat what I want, and eat to feel good. There is no need to be a strict vegetarian or vegan, but trying to make mindful choices and choose plant-based options a little more often can add up to big benefits.
I love Nuzest protein powder. This is a simple one…I fell in love with Nuzest protein powder when I first tried it. This is a super simple pea protein with very few added ingredients and it tastes great. Look out for recipes using this powder coming to the blog soon!