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No-Cook Strawberry Mint Chia Jam

No-Cook Strawberry Mint Chia Jam-filled with flavors of lemon and mint. Takes only minutes to make and no stove required.

Remember last week when I shared how to make Strawberry Shrub, I told you that more than drinks can be made with the wonderful stuff. So today I'm sharing my No-Cook Strawberry Mint Chia Jam in which I used Strawberry Shrub as the sweetener. This is one of those quick and easy recipe, no need to turn on the stove-top or oven.

This recipe starts with beautiful strawberries, lemons, I used Meyer lemons, pungent mint.

I've been loving strawberries lately and it was hard not to eat the ingredients before using them in this recipe . Every third or fourth berry went into my mouth, so sweet and juicy.

The lemons I used this time were Meyer lemons. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a Meyer lemon and a regular lemon?

Meyer lemons get their name from Frank Meyer, he brought the Meyer lemon to the US from China in the early 20th century. The Meyer lemon is thought to be a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin orange. Meyer lemons may be smaller than regular lemons, with smoother deep yellow skin, and Meyer lemons aren't as acidic, they are sweeter than regular lemons. The rinds of a Meyer taste and smell more herb or spice-like, which adds more complexity. Meyer lemons are more seasonal and best found from December through May.

Regular lemons are generally larger, thicker skinned, more acidic and are readily available throughout the year.

I couldn't resist the mint because it was so beautiful and pungent and it adds so much flavor to the jam.

It's the chia seeds that really give this jam texture. It's amazing how something so tiny packs such a powerful punch.

Increased and sustained energy levels, mental clarity, stable blood sugar levels, bone health, increased fiber intake, weight management and healthy hair, skin and nails, these are just a few of the benefits you may have if you include Chia seeds to your daily diet. Just 15 to 20 grams (2 to 3 tablespoons) of Chia a day will provide you with all the omega-3 your body needs. Reference:Dr. Wayne Coates-AZChia.com.

Finely chopped strawberries can be added for a chunkier more textured jam, which is what I did for mine. This step is completely optional.

If you don't have fresh berries you can totally use frozen berries or whatever berry is your favorite.

This awesome jam is great in yogurt, hot cereals, ice cream, on toast, pancakes, waffles and in your favorite nut butter sandwich. And by the way, this jam makes a great gift if you don't eat it all yourself.

If you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see or hear about your version of No-Cook Strawberry Mint Chia Jam.

Sparkling Strawberry Shrub

Celeste 34 Comments

Sparkling Strawberry Shrub - Sweet, tart and delicious combination of strawberries, turbinado sugar and apple cider vinegar. If you like fermented drinks like Kombucha you're going to love Shrubs.

Have you had a shrub today?

No,not the bush you find in your front lawn or garden center, but the fruit and vinegar based drink that seems to be popping up all over the internet. Shrubs first became popular in the colonial days, made by mixing vinegar syrup with water or carbonated water and spirits. During the colonial days all foods were freshly prepared and without refrigeration foods would go bad quickly and sometimes cause those that ate it to get sick.

Before refrigeration vinegar was used to preserve fruits and vegetables. The syrup that was a by product was mixed with spirits and used initially as a medicinal tonic for good health, but soon evolved into something more. I'm so glad we have refrigeration today.

So what Is a shrub?

It's a mixture of fruit, sugar and vinegar, and yes vegetables can be added. There are two methods of making this sweet and tart concoction, the cold-processed or cooked method. The method I'm sharing today is the cold-method, a 1:1 ratio, and I chose to use turbinado sugar.For more on shrubs check out this article from Michael Dietsch, his first book Shrubs, was published in 2014 and this article from Total Food Service.

Step one: Wash, quarter the strawberries and lightly crush them with my fingers and mix with the sugar.

Step Two: Cover and place in the fridge for one to two days, stirring occasionally.

Step Three: Strain the syrup from the fruit, pressing gently and scraping any sugar not dissolved into the syrup.

Step Four: Mix the vinegar with the syrup, pour into a clean bottle (I recycled some old wine bottles), cap bottle, shake to mix the undissolved sugar and refrigerate for several days. I left mine for about a week and shook it everyday to dissolve any sugar. Eventually the acids in the juice and vinegar will dissolve any remaining sugar. The leftover fruit can be used in smoothies or over ice cream.

After a week it will be a very sweet and tart shrub. I have to admit I was a bit dismayed with all of the sugar, but after making a drink I realized I only used 1 tablespoon of shrub for 8 ounces of water. And oh, by the way, it can be stored in the fridge for 6 months or more.

Once you have your shrub it's time to get mixing. Make yourself a Sparkling Strawberry Shrub or get creative and make a signature drink. If you are in the mood for a cocktail you can mix your shrub with your favorite sparkling wine, liqueur, vodka or gin.

But drinks aren't the only thing shrubs are made for. Use it to make jams, jellies, salad dressings and sauces. I'm going to be giving other fruits, herbs and vegetables a try, and of course I will be sharing with all of you.

If you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see or hear about what you create with Shrubs.

Vegan Yukon Kale Potato Salad

Celeste 15 Comments

Vegan Yukon Kale Potato Salad-Sweet golden potatoes and chopped kale tossed together in a creamy dressing, garnished with a sprinkling of coconut bacon. A delicious twist to a traditional summer side for the vegetarians or vegans in the crowd.

Overhead shot of Vegan Yukon Kale Potato Salad on a bed of arugula with coconut bacon on top.

Warm weather gatherings around the grill almost always include the traditional potato salad, so why not offer your guest some variety. This isn't your typical potato salad, no eggs or loads of mustard, not that there is anything wrong with the traditional. Why not give yourself and your guest some variety and if you have any vegans in the group they will be happy to have one for them on the table.

Easy, easy, easy, this salad is so easy to make. I chop my potatoes before boiling so they cook faster and aren't all mushed out when I tossed them in the dressing. While the potatoes are boiling chop the kale and mix the dressing. Once the potatoes have cooled slightly just toss, garnish and serve.

Bowl of diced yukon gold potatoes in water and cooked diced potatoes with chopped kale and dressing in bowl.

For an extra bit of flavor I garnished my salad with a sprinkling of smoky coconut bacon just before serving. You can find the recipe for the coconut bacon HERE. When I serve the salad alone I always serve it on a bed of greens with an extra serving of the dressing on the side.

Vegan Yukon Kale Potato Salad on a bed of arugula with coconut bacon on top, bowl of potato salad is in the background.with a glass of white wine.

Vegan Yukon Kale Potato Salad in a bowl with the potato salad on a bed of arugula with coconut bacon on top in the background.

Vegan Yukon Kale Potato Salad on a bed of arugula with coconut bacon on top.

Vegan Yukon Kale Potato salad on white plate with vegan coconut bacon on top.

Yukon Kale Potato Salad-Sweet golden potatoes and chopped kale tossed together in a creamy dressing, garnished with a sprinkling of coconut bacon. A delicious twist to a traditional summer side for the vegetarians or vegans in the crowd.

Black Bean Farro Burger

Celeste 48 Comments

Simply delicious and full of flavor, you have to give this Black Bean Farro Burger a try, and serve it with this super tasty Spicy Slaw.

Let's talk veggie burgers!

Since becoming a vegetarian let me tell you, I've had a few. I remember the first time I ordered one at a restaurant how surprised I was when it was placed in front of me, it was a pre-packaged frozen burger I could have purchased from my grocery. Those burgers are ok and they are tasty, but I wanted a hand-made veggie burger.

So my quest was on for an awesome veggie burger. I've tried many a recipe and I don't expect for the burger to taste like meat, I just want a tasty burger that doesn't require a super long list of ingredients. Let's be real, when searching for recipes if the recipe has a boat load of ingredients I'm probably going to move on to the next one. My criteria was a recipe that didn't have a super long ingredient list, ingredients were easy to find or sub if needed and the instructions easy to follow.

The idea for this burger came to me while eating my Strawberry Basil Farro Salad. Because farro has a textured bite I thought would be perfect in a veggie burger. Turns out I was right. You just have to be careful not to over-mix or it will turn to mush.

These burgers are easily prepared by heating them in a skillet, grill pan or counter top grill. After allowing them to cool slightly, serve on buns with desired toppings. One you might want to add is the Homemade Vegan Barbecue Sauce, I shared last week, you can find the recipe here.

To take this burger up a notch I made this spicy slaw to be served alongside or on top. To make it even easier I started with a pre-sliced bag of slaw and added some carrots, jalapeño, cilantro and chia seeds.

Very simple, satisfying, super filling and need I say seriously delicious. This recipe is a winner!

Homemade Vegan Barbeque Sauce

Celeste 34 Comments

Thick, tangy and sweet with a little bit of smoky is the best way to describe this Homemade Vegan Barbeque Sauce, and just in time for the upcoming grilling season.

Today is April 1st, but I can assure you this is no April Fool's. With grilling season fast approaching I thought I would share this amazing Homemade Vegan Barbeque Sauce.

As a vegetarian it never occurred to me that barbeque sauce could have animal products in them. After trying a recipe with instructions to use vegan barbeque sauce I started to look a little closer at the ingredients in barbeque sauce. I found that in most cases it was the worcestershire sauce in the recipe that used anchovies. So now for me it's homemade barbeque sauce.

Homemade couldn't be easier, just mix, heat and store. By the way you can make batches of the sauce and freeze.

Some of you may say that it's too early to break out the grill, but I live in Texas, any day can be a grilling day. For those of you who are not ready to break out the grill, use your oven or your indoor grill. What's great about barbeque sauce is that it can be customized to your liking.

Want it hotter add more spice, or make the way they do in Tennessee or Kentucky, add a little Bourbon for a more smoky caramel flavor. Start cooking now so when grilling season is officially here you'll be ready.

I'm sure there are many ways you can use this rich, thick beautiful Homemade Vegan Barbeque Sauce. I love it with meat-less meatballs, burgers and as a dipping sauce for fries. Like I said before it couldn't be easier, everything goes in one pot and 15 to 20 minutes later it's ready. You probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry.

Blood Orange Turmeric Loaf

Celeste 32 Comments

Moist and delicious Blood Orange Turmeric Loaf, made with anti-inflammatory turmeric powder and fresh squeezed blood orange juice. Delicious new brunch favorite.

In our home citrus is King!

Lemons, limes, tangerines, tangelos, pomelos, grapefruits, oranges, you name it, if it's citrus we love it and eat it. I purchased a big bag of blood oranges the other day, but I didn't want to just juice them or use them in a smoothie. What could I make?

The answer came to me while flipping through a very old Bon Appetite magazine in which I came across a picture of a lemon pound cake. I decided to make a Blood Orange Turmeric Loaf, another way to get more turmeric in my diet, while using these sweet juicy blood oranges in something other than a juice or smoothie. No I don't recommend eating this everyday, but for those special times with friends and family, moderation not deprivation.

The loaf itself is not super sweet, it's the topping that's sweet with a slightly tart flavor. Blood oranges are less acidic than other oranges and their flavor is more like raspberries or strawberries. So I used quite a bit of the zest in the glaze to give it more tartness. I made this recipe three times before getting it right and on the third time round I decided to add a streusel topping and it gives this loaf a tender crunch.

This is dense, moist and oh so delicious loaf and the pretty all natural pink color of the glaze screams spring. The next time you're in the grocery or better yet make a special trip and get yourself some blood oranges and make this one so you can invite some friends over for a potluck brunch. Tell them you've got the sweet loaf covered.

If you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see your version of this Blood Orange Turmeric Loaf.

You can also like me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest or Twitter.

Raw Gluten-Free Tacos

Celeste 29 Comments

Easy and delicious, Raw Gluten-Free Tacos, made with walnuts and almonds, a great way to lighten things up for Spring.

Living foods, raw food, life food, whatever you call it, it's a diet of primarily unheated or foods cooked to a temperature less then 104 or 115 degrees fahrenheit. There is some controversy as to what temperature foods can be heated and still remain raw.

When I eat raw I typically eat foods that do not require any heating and if it does require heating I use the lesser number and heat the foods in my dehydrator.

Why raw? Well. raw uncooked and unprocessed foods are filled with enzymes and those enzymes help to digest foods and aids in the metabolic reactions in our bodies.Without enzymes, there would be no cell division, energy production or brain activity. Raw foods are filled with vitamins, minerals, oxygen, fiber and other nutrients required by our bodies for optimal health.

For me eating raw is so much easier during the warmer months of the year. However, I generally start each day with a raw fruit and veggie smoothie after sipping my warm lemon and cayenne water. I love salads and I love eating them even more in warmer weather. In the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of my favorite raw dishes with you and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. But I'm going to share more than just salads.

One of my favorites and first share is Raw Gluten-Free Tacos, made with raw almonds and walnuts, simply amazing and incredibly easy. Just process the nuts with the seasoning and add the veggies.

Several years ago I attempted to go fully raw during a time when I was training for a half-marathon. The fact is if you are an active person you have to eat to fuel your normal body function in addition to your extra activity. I watched a few You Tube videos of fully raw vegans and the amount of foods they were eating were so massive. I would be so full after only ⅓ of what they were eating and this resulted in me losing more weight than I wanted and hitting the wall when I was out on my long training runs because I wasn't getting enough calories for my activity level. So to get in more calories I ate lots of mini meals throughout the day and I switched to having one cooked meal.

Some of the benefits of eating raw are losing weight, if that's what you want, having more energy, better digestion and for me clearer skin.

If you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see your version of Raw Gluten-Free Tacos.

Strawberry Basil Farro Salad

Celeste 43 Comments

The tender bite of Farro, sweetness of Strawberries and the earthiness of fresh basil makes this Strawberry Basil Farro Salad the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

This salad is fast becoming my favorite go to lunch on my super busy days. However, my first experience with farro was several years ago when I prepared it for my sick child as a hot breakfast cereal. I used half almond milk and half water to boil the farro, to serve it I mixed in a bit more almond milk, agave nectar, berries and finished it off with a topping of granola and walnuts. My daughter feel in love with it and would ask for it often, and this is from a person who is not very fond of breakfast and this was a hot breakfast cereal.

This time I'm making it the main ingredient in a tasty salad.

What is farro you ask?

Farro is a very filling whole grain complex carbohydrate that's high in fiber, good source of iron, protein and provides sustained energy. For this recipe I used Bob's Red Mill Organic Farro which I soaked overnight to cut the cooking time to about 10 minutes, instead of 30 minutes.

The farro was paired with these beautiful strawberries and fresh basil to make a hearty, wholesome salad that is hard to resist.

Tender, sweet, earthy, crunchy are all words I use to describe this beautiful salad. To bring it all together a balsamic glaze is drizzled over the top, which acts as a dressing. You can purchase or make your own glaze, you an find my recipe here.

If you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving or leave a comment below. I’d love to see your version of this Strawberry Basil Farro Salad.

Vegan Carrot Cake Bars

Celeste 51 Comments

Carrots for breakfast, why not when they're in these moist delicious Vegan Carrot Cake Bars topped with brown sugar, oat, and a sweet citrus glaze.

I love a good carrot cake but I don't make it often. The other day while at the grocery I picked up a 4-pack of carrot cake muffins, but after reading the price and calorie count I decided to go home a try making them myself and skip the fluffy frosting.

As the recipe came together it became more of a bread and not the standard cake or muffins, but calling it carrot bread bars just didn't sound right so I'm calling it Vegan Carrot Cake Bars because it's egg and dairy free.

The batter is sweetened with only a ½ cup of maple syrup which makes it more of a breakfast or snack bread. I did however, sprinkle the top with a mixture of oats and brown sugar and drizzled it with a citrus sugar glaze for a little sweetness.

For those who are concerned about the sugar, you can simply omit or reduce the amount of sugar used. Some other add-in options are raisins, nuts, coconut flakes or simply sprinkle the top with the nuts and coconut.

If you make this recipe or a version of it, please take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving. I’d love to see your version of this Vegan Carrot Cake Bars.

Vegan Stuffed Avocado

Celeste 60 Comments

Make things easy, skip the shell and just use the Avocado to hold all of the taco goodness in these Vegan Stuffed Avocados, and let me tell you, they are so stinking delicious!

First lets talk about TVP, what is it and how do you use it? TVP is short for Textured Vegetable Protein and it's what I used as a meat alternative in these Vegan Stuffed Avocados. TVP is made from defatted soy flour that has been cooked under pressure and then dried. It's high in protein, gluten-free and fairly inexpensive, however, it is a processed food.

I don't use it very often, which is why when I do use it I purchase it from the bulk section so I only get what I need. It's not very flavorful but it takes on the flavor of whatever it's paired with. In this recipe it is seasoned with taco seasoning, you can find my DIY recipe here.

When preparing TVP it has to be reconstituted with a hot liquid in a 1:1 ratio or you can simply add it to soups or sauces that contain plenty of liquid.

Here I used ½ cup TVP to ½ cup hot water and it yielded me 1 ½ cups after absorption. If you want you can replace the TVC with quinoa. Unfortunately for me, I'm sensitive to the protein in quinoa. You could also try using farro or sorghum.

This dish comes together in 20 minutes or less. While waiting on the TVP make the salsa. I removed the seeds from the jalapeños so it wouldn't be too hot if you like it hot leave in the seeds. The avocado cream sauce is just as easy, everything goes into the blender and blend until smooth.

See how easy it is, just fill the avocado and serve. The skin of the avocado serve as a bowl, scoop and eat. They're so delicious and a great food to serve at get-togethers.

If you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving. You can also leave me a comment below to let me know how these Vegan Stuffed Avocados works for you.

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Steaks

Celeste 35 Comments

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Steaks - These panko crusted, oven baked cauliflower steaks will blow your taste buds away. You have to give them a try!

Who knew cauliflower could be so good, frankly in my opinion cauliflower is not loaded with flavor. When I was a child my mother would serve it in a medley with broccoli and carrots or alone smothered in cheese sauce. However, its lack of flavor makes it very versatile, great to use when making a vegan white sauce or mock rice in raw recipes. Now there are steaks, yeah cauliflower steaks. I know it's nothing like the real thing for you meat eaters, but let me tell you these babies are loaded with flavor. Actually this is my veggie version of chicken-fried chicken. While in the oven the aroma filled my kitchen, my daughter thought I was cooking chicken for her.

Seasoning is key to making cauliflower more flavorful. Lately I have been making my own seasoning blends and this one is what used when seasoning these cauliflower steaks. Simply mix and store in an airtight container.

I picked up two heads one of them green just for the fun of it. When picking the cauliflower, pick one with the florets pretty tight together, the florets stay together more when slicing. You will have some fall off but that's ok, they can be smaller steaks or little poppers.

So now all that needs to be done is dip in the batter, dip in the crumbs and bake in the oven.

At first glance it looks like it could be a piece of fried chicken, don't you think.

Served up as the main ingredient in a salad makes this a filling lunch or light dinner.

Chickpea Jalapeno Salad

Celeste 34 Comments

Incredibly delicious, this Chickpea Jalapeño Salad is bold with flavor and sure to satisfy. Serve it in a sandwich or as a topping on a bed of greens.

When I was a little girl I thought chickpeas were peas from little baby chicks. Amazing the mind of a young child. Chickpeas were not a staple in my childhood home so I had no idea what they were until I became an adult. Chickpeas were what everybody used to make hummus. But what about garbanzo beans, well chickpeas and garbanzo beans are one in the same. Chickpeas is Latin origin and garbanzo is Spanish in origin, chickpeas, however, is more commonly used here in the US.

There are two types of chickpeas, Kabuli and Desi. Kabuli is light in color, with large seeds, smooth coat and have a uniform round shape. Desi is small, dark with a rough coat and has a higher concentration of antioxidants, fiber, and a lower glycemic index. Overall chickpeas or garbanzo beans, whichever you choose to use, are a great source of zinc, folate and protein. If you want to know more about these versatile beans visit DifferenceBetween.net.

Since becoming a vegetarian the chickpea as I like to call it, has become a stable in my pantry. Making smashed salads like the one I'm sharing today has fast become one of my favorite go to quick-lunch meals.

What could be easier than simply smashing the beans, adding some delicious ingredients and mixing.

There are so many smashed chickpea salad recipes out in the blogosphere, but this is just one of my versions. Check out my Cranberry Chickpea version.

This is my version of smashed chickpeas with avocado. I chose not to add any other dressing because the creaminess of the avocado with the juice of the lime gives the salad a smooth creamy texture.

You can serve it on lightly toasted bread of your choice, my choice was whole wheat. It's also great served with tortilla as a wrap. For those of you who don't want the added carbs, just serve it on a bed of mixed greens.

If you make this Chickpea Jalapeño Salad or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving. I’d love to see your version. Which do you prefer? Sandwich or Salad!

Classic Breakfast Muffins and Cookbook Giveaway

Celeste 32 Comments

Sweet, tender, filled with fresh fruit, Classic Breakfast Muffins, one of the many recipes you will find in "Dining At The Ravens" cookbook, no one will guess they're egg free!

Imaging you are atop an ocean buff, the bay on one side, the ocean on the other, taking long leisurely walks along the trails, browsing shops and galleries, tasting the salty air and feasting on beautiful food.

You can experience all of this at the Stanford Inn by the Sea, a Mendocino Resort which overlooks Mendocino Bay and the Pacific ocean. You can enjoy meals prepared with passion and love at The Ravens Restaurant which is located in the Inn. The restaurant uses produce from the Inn's on-site USDA Certified Organic garden and serves it up in plant-based dishes.

Now the founders, Jeff and Joan Stanford have written a cookbook, "Dining At The Ravens", which brings over 150 of the Ravens Restaurant vegan recipes into our homes.

Jeff and Joan Stanford came west to Carmel, California to find careers in education, agreeing to help manage a small inn while looking for work. Jobs were scarce, the United States was in recession, and they found themselves enjoying their guests and rehabilitating the property they managed. Looking to the future, they chose to continue inn-keeping, and by 1980 they were in Mendocino starting a family. Joan ran the front, while Jeff remodeled the inn and created their certified organic farm on the site of what had been known as the China Gardens during Mendocino’s logging era.

The Inn allowed both of them to return to their former interests. Passionate about early education, Joan trained as a Montessori teacher which led her to discover the power of art to transform human experience. She enrolled in psychology at Sonoma State University and received an MA, specializing in Art Therapy. Today she is a registered art therapist, collagist, and educator.

Jeff recognized that the “state of realization” that so many sought in the movement of the 1970s and 80s must come from a new relationship with life, beginning in the kitchen, where decisions affect the practitioner and the planet. He became vegetarian as a first step to honor all life, not only the lives of his family, friends, and pets. He and Joan sought to create an inn that sat softly upon the earth. They created one of the first “green” bed and breakfast inns without realizing they were doing so.

Understanding that their Inn was a destination, Jeff and Joan wanted to provide the highest quality food to their guests, which Jeff began cooking in the early 1990s. The restaurant followed their philosophy serving a whole food, plant-based dishes designed to rival the cuisine found at the highest rated restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. They discovered that many cooks can create great food, and they created a co-creative kitchen where all are invited to comment and tweak dishes. The final arbiter is Jeff, but the process is dynamic and assures that each person in the kitchen can express their creativity. Learn more at ravensrestaurant.com and stanfordinn.com.

I was gifted a copy from BenBella Books and I have thoroughly enjoyed trying several of the recipes. One of my favorites is "Classic Breakfast Muffins".

This is a very quick and easy recipe, it uses ground flax mixed with water as a binder, however, I got ahead of myself and mixed the ground flax in with the dry ingredients, instead of mixing it with the wet, it didn't change the outcome -- delicious!

To experience more of Dining at The Ravens and some of their delicious recipes, check out the #RAVENSBLOGTOUR, see the list below. If you would like to have a copy of "Dining at the Ravens", you can purchase it at BenBellaBooks or you can enter my giveaway below.

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Lemon Thyme Blueberry Buns

Celeste 59 Comments

Easy and delicious, Lemon Thyme Blueberry Buns, perfect for a brunch gathering or an afternoon snack with a spot of tea.

Blueberries, a superfood that's low in calories and high in nutrients like vitamin C, K, manganese and fiber. One cup of blueberries contains about 84 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrates. Blueberries are also filled with antioxidant which protect our bodies from free radicals that can contribute to aging and diseases like cancer.

They are best when eaten fresh, but I have to admit I like them better when they are added to pancakes, muffins and recipes like these Lemon Thyme Blueberry Buns.

In this recipe I added lemon and thyme to the blueberries when making the sauce, it may sound like a strange combination to some, but these three flavors together add a bit of subtle earthiness that's so delicious.

For this recipe you can use fresh or frozen blueberries when making this sauce, as it cools it will thicken and become more of a jam. Dried wild blueberries were added before rolling the dough for an extra blueberry touch.

This blueberry sauce is lightly sweetened with maple syrup so that it doesn't over-sweeten when the sugar glaze is added.

Serve these and everyone will be licking their fingers and begging for more. I serve mine with a bit of the blueberry sauce on top. The tartness of the blueberries is absolutely amazing with the sweetness of the glaze.

If you make these Lemon Thyme Blueberry Buns let me know what you think. Take a picture and post it on Instagram and tag it #thewholeserving.

Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry

Celeste 29 Comments

Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry, better than any delivery or take-out. The spicy, sweet and bold with flavor teriyaki sauce will have you tossing out all your store bought sauce.

There's something about the spice-sweet combo that I love and could taste the goodness of this recipe while it was only a thought in my head. But Oh My Gosh, the deliciousness of this recipe far exceeded my expectations.

This teriyaki sauce is a perfect balance of sweet to heat and because I used coconut aminos I reduced the amount of sodium in the sauce.

I made it three times before I got it right and once it comes to a boil it's ready in five minutes.

Pressing the tofu gets out more of the water. I simply place a clean kitchen towel or paper towel on a shallow baking pan, slice tofu in half, place on towels and place another towel on top of the tofu, then place another pan on top and put a few heavy cookbooks on the top pan. After about 15 minutes it should be ready.

After pressing and cubing tofu, toss with the five spice seasoning, set aside while you prep the other vegetables.

Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry, better than any delivery or take-out. The spicy, sweet and bold with flavor teriyaki sauce will have you tossing out all your store bought sauce.

This recipe is very versatile and comes together fairly quickly, you can serve it as a bowl or wrap. I paired it with brown rice and napa cabbage, but feel free to add in your favorites. Who needs take-out when you have this quick, easy and delicious recipe.

If you make this recipe or a version of it, take a picture and share with me on Instagram, tag it #thewholeserving. I'd love to see your version of Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry!

Cinnamon Amaranth with Berries

Celeste 43 Comments

Cinnamon Amaranth with Berries, a delicious gluten-free, protein, nutrient packed breakfast filled with nutty, toasty flavor.

Quinoa is the "it grain", but I can't enjoy it because I'm allergic. Yes, there are some of us that are allergic to Quinoa, well actually it's a sensitivity to saponin, which is a substance that acts as a protectant from insects and fungus. It can have a toxic effect so it's very important to wash quinoa very well under running water until the water runs clear before cooking. However there are still some of us who are still sensitive to it even after a through washing. In my case I used to eat quinoa with no problem until one day I think I has some that wasn't washed throughly, soon after eating it I was doubled over in pain. Now whenever I eat quinoa my body recognizes the protein and I get sick all over again.

So I have embraced Amaranth, a grain that many have never tried or just plain don’t know about.

Amaranth is a gluten-free grain with a nutty, toasty flavor high in protein, vitamins and minerals, it's popular in Mexico and was a major crop of the Aztecs.

It’s a super versatile grain that can be used in place of rice or pasta, in soups or stews, in puddings, baked goods, smoothies, cereals and it can even be popped and served as a tasty snack.

Today I'm sharing one of my favorite ways to have it, as a warm breakfast cereal with fruit.

I use a two to one ratio when preparing Amaranth, 1 cup Amaranth to 2 cups of liquid. In this recipe you can use water, milk, or both, I like to do half water, half milk. Just put liquid, spices and Amaranth in a pot bring to a boil and 15 to 20 minutes later it will be ready. Garnish with fruit of your choice, nuts or seeds and you'll have a delicious bowl full of energy packed cereal.

Chickpea Chili with DIY Chili Seasoning

Celeste 32 Comments

Ready in under 30-minutes, this Chickpea Chili with DIY Chili Seasoning is a deliciously satisfying meal.

Are you a beans in your chili or no beans in your chili person, how about chickpeas in your chili?

This recipe is inspired by a chickpea dish I had at Whole Foods which was more of a sautéed spicy chickpea dish. My daughter who most of the time doesn't want to eat what I'm eating gave the chickpeas a try and before I knew it had eaten most of them. That was when I decided to try to recreate that dish. As I was creating the dish evolved into a chili instead of simple spiced chickpeas. Turns out we like the chili much better.

Most of the time when I make chili I just purchase the chili seasoning packets or boxes with all the seasoning inside, this time I made my own. But just like any recipe, you can add more or less of what you like or don't like. It's really easy I did however, put in an ingredient that's not usually found in a traditional chili mix, turmeric.

I have been trying to make turmeric a part of my daily diet so whenever I can add it I do. I add it to smoothies, roasted vegetables, rice, and sometimes make turmeric tea or milk.

Turmeric is a root and has amazing anti-infammatory properties. If you want information on turmeric check out Health Ambition or Wellness Mama.

Just mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and store in an airtight container. I found these wonderful little glass bowls at Crate and Barrel that have tops, and they are great for food storage. I like to see my food because I tend to forget what I have if I can't see it.

This is a very easy dish to make, it's ready in under 30 minutes. I didn't include a meat alternative in the recipe, but it can easily be added. I like adding field roast, a meat alternative and my daughter puts diced chicken in her chili. If you would like a vegan sour cream, check out this recipe. Give this Chickpea Chili with DIY Chili Seasoning and make you and your family happy. You won't be standing at the stove for long periods of time and they won't have to wait too long.

Now the DIY Chili Seasoning

Now the Chickpea Chili

Chocolate Hazelnut Hearts

Celeste 72 Comments

Hazelnuts, dates, and dark chocolate hearts, covered in more smooth creamy dark chocolate, drizzled with raspberry cream. Yum! Make these Chocolate Hazelnut Hearts for someone special, even if that someone special is you.

I don't eat a lot of candy, but one of my favorites is Ferrero Rocher, the combination of hazelnut and chocolate is so indulging. This is a slightly different combination of hazelnut and chocolate.

Whenever I get candy on Valentine's Day I always want to get the candy with the nuts, Well this one is full of nuts, one of my favorites, hazelnuts.

I try to always keep thing simple, so this is another easy one for you. I started with my basic energy bites ingredients, nuts and dates, adding the chocolate inside and out. Like any other recipe if you want to change the nut, you can switch out for your favorite. You'll process the nuts first, next you'll add in the dates, chocolate chips, coconut oil, and vanilla process until it resembles a coarse meal. It should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If I doesn't just add in a small, very small amount of water and pulse a few times. How easy is that!

When it was time to cover the outside of the candy I used a higher quality chocolate like Scharffen Berger.

I wanted to keep everything all natural, so I used a seedless raspberry jam, mixed with a powdered evaporated cane sugar to make the piping glaze. I enjoyed making and eating this recipe. I hope you give this one a try and have as much fun as I did. Go make some Chocolate Hazelnut Hearts for your sweetheart!

Asian Wheat Berry Salad

Celeste 4 Comments

Energizing and satisfying Asian Wheat Berry Salad - Make it for dinner, save some for lunch.

Energizing, satisfying Asian Wheat Berry Salad - Make it for dinner, save some for lunch.

Wheat Berries, oh the wonderful Wheat Berries!

The other day I made myself a Wheat Berry salad for lunch with no intention of sharing here on the blog, but bite after bite I realized how awesomely good it was and it wouldn't be nice of me to keep all this goodness to myself. So I had to make it again, tough job but I had to get the pictures. I know awesomely is not really a word, it's one I like to use when something is super delicious.

Something you should know, Wheat Berries aren't really berries, they're seeds and they are loaded with fiber and nutrients. The complex carbohydrates in Wheat Berries help to maintain energy levels without negative effects on the blood sugar levels and they're the beat kind of carbs, because it's unrefined unlike other wheat products.

Something else you should know about this wonderful carb, it's super versatile. It can be served as a breakfast cereal, used in energy bars, desserts and in salads like the one I'm sharing with you today.

This is a super simple salad, but what makes this salad amazing is the Hoisin Sesame dressing. And yes, it's as easy to make as the salad. You may notice that I used Coconut Amino in my dressing, I did this because it has less sodium than Tamari or regular soy sauce. Coconut Aminos is a great replacement for soy sauce for anyone who wants to reduce their sodium intake. As a comparison a reduced sodium Tamari has 710 mg of sodium and Coconut Aminos has only 90 mg, quite a reduction, which is why I like to use in any recipe that calls for soy sauce. I found mine at Whole Foods.

At this point you can enjoy this salad simply dressed with the dressing or do what I did, I added some leftover baked tofu. However if you're a Pollotarian vegetarian (a vegetarian who eats poultry) or not a vegetarian, you can add chicken. If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, this salad makes for a perfect energizing lunch the next day. If you like beets you may want to give this one a try - Wheat Berry Beet Salad.

Now on to the Recipe - Asian Wheat Berry Salad!

Kale Mushroom Capellini

Celeste 21 Comments

Simple, easy, full of flavor and ready in minutes. This Kale Mushroom Capellini will satisfy everyone at the dinner table.

Today's recipe is for all of you who want to get a meal on the table in 30 minutes of less. I'm guessing that might be everyone.

For me pasta is comfort food, easy food and I have almost every variety in my pantry, from whole grain to gluten-free.

After a busy day there is nothing better than sitting down with a big plate of yummy paste that took less than 30 minute to make. There are only a handful of ingredients and it's not loaded with pasta sauce but full of flavor and of course you can customize the ingredients for you and your family. By the way it makes a great lunch the second day.

Capellini pronounced kapel'li ni, is slightly thicker than angel hair pasta, which is Capelli d'angelo. One of my favorite brands is Delallo because they have a large variety of pastas.

The main ingredients in this pasta are mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and kale, this is where you can customize and exclude or include ingredients that your family enjoys.

Who said getting a tasty dinner on the table had to be tasking. Just grab a box of your favorite pasta and throw together some of your families favorite veggies and before you know it dinner is on the table.

If you are a pesco vegetarian, one who eats poultry and fish, it can easily be added to this dish. Garnish with parmesan or vegan parmesan.

Shared at Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop

Apple Nachos with Vegan Caramel Sauce

Celeste 30 Comments

Layers of sweet crisp apple slices garnished with smooth vegan caramel, dark chocolate, walnuts and coconut - Apple Nachos with Vegan Caramel Sauce, it's like eating a delicious candy apple.

If you like caramel or chocolate dipped apples you are going to love these Apple Nachos with Vegan Caramel Sauce.

This recipe is inspired by a decadent candy apple a friend shared with me a few months ago. The candy apple she shared was dipped in caramel, then chocolate and covered with nuts and coconut, it was so sinfully delicious.

[Read more...]

Vegan Un-Cheesy Potato Broccoli Soup

Celeste 89 Comments

Rich and hearty, this Vegan Un-Cheesy Potato Broccoli Soup is full of flavor and comes together in minutes!

How's the weather where you are? Are you in an area that got lots of snow? If you are I hope you are staying safe and warm.

No snow here in Texas, just cold temps in the 30 and 40's with lots of wind. My daughter really wants there to be snow. We moved to Texas from Colorado over 12 years ago and she misses the snow. I have to admit I miss it as well, and it would be nice to have snow for a day or two.

When the weather gets frigid cold that's when I crave big bowls of soup.

I hadn't done my grocery shopping but had some broccoli and some potatoes so I made a batch of Un-Cheesy Potato Broccoli Soup.

What's nice is this soup comes together in 30 minutes.

For a creamy cheesy texture, I added a batch of vegan creamy cheese, which is simply a blending of potatoes, carrots, olive oil and nutritional yeast.

This soup is a good one to enjoy when the weather is cold and blustery. This weekend I was able to convince my daughter who doesn't like soup of any kind, to give it a try, she loved it.

This creamy, flavorful, delicious bowl of Un-Cheesy Potato Broccoli Soup can be enjoyed as a soup, or as a snack over crispy tortilla chips with salsa.

Doesn't that look delicious to you? Do me a favor, give it a try and let me know what you think.

15 Most Popular Recipes In 2015

Celeste 19 Comments

Happy New Year and welcome to the 15 Most Popular Recipes In 2015. My list of the most popular recipes here at The Whole Serving during 2015.

Wow, another year has flown by, can you believe it!!!

I wonder how long it'll take for me to stop writing 2015.

I've been reading a lot of "The Best" and "The Top" of 2015 so I decided I would put together the 15 most popular recipes here. Some of these were posted in 2014, but they were super popular in 2015.

It's really hard for me to pick a favorite. Which one was your favorite? What would you like more of in 2016?

Here you go the 15 Most Popular in 2015!

Spicy Chickpea Burrito Bowl

The Best Vegan Sour Cream

Vegan Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Vegan Queso with Spiced Tortilla Chips

Roasted Tomatillo & Tomato Salsa

Northern Bean Cauliflower Soup

Broccoli Salad With Miso Sesame Dressing

Apple Cinnamon Sticky Buns

Chocolate Coconut Streusel Muffins

Spinach Cannellini Hummus

Super Easy Hoisin Tofu

Vegan Banana Pumpkin Pancakes

Vegetarian Taco Soup

Roasted Tomato Chutney

Black-eyed Pea Chili With Collards and Mini Maple Corn Muffins

So tell me what was your favorite? What do you want to see more of from The Whole Serving in 2016?

Shared with: Costal Charm-Show and Share Link Party, Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Link Party, Home Stories A to Z Link Party, Oh My Heartsie Girl Wordless Wednesday, Best of The Blogosphere Link Party, Pint-Sized Baker 2 Cup Tuesday Link Party, View From In Here, Posed Perfection Creative Ways Link Party, Cornerstone Confessions Titus 2 Tuesday, Marilyn's Treats Over the Moon Link Party

Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Soup

Celeste 9 Comments

A new take on an old New Year's Day tradition, Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Soup, slow-cooked perfection.

Ready or not here it comes, 2016!!!

That means it's time for my annual black-eyed peas and green, however, this year I'm putting a twist on the traditional black-eyed peas and greens. I've put them together on a hearty soup.

According to tradition, black-eyed peas represent tiny coins and greens being the color of cash, both symbolize wealth and financial rewards in the new year, and who couldn't use more of financial rewards. For me it also represents health rewards because collard greens can help lower cholesterol levels and protect against cancer, just be sure not to overcook, which is why I add them at the end of the cooking time. Black-eyed peas are high in fiber, potassium, which aids in lowering blood pressure, and they're a good source of protein.

A new take on the old traditional New Year's Black-Eyed Peas and Collard, put them together in a hearty soup.

When it's cold out I crave big bowls of hearty soup so combining the two for this soup just makes sense. Super simple and super easy. Everything goes into the slow cooker, few hours later, soups ready. Perfect for a cold winter day.

This soup is loaded with fire-roasted tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, potatoes, black-eyed peas and collards. Even if you don't own a slow-cooker you can still make this soup, just slow cook in a big pot on your stove top.

Start your year off right, make this fill-you-up Black-Eyed Pea and Collard soup, cozy up and enjoy.

Not soup person?, give this Black-Eyed Pea Chili with Collards a try.

Shared with: Costal Charm-Show and Share Link Party, Lou Lou Girls -Fabulous Link Party, Home Stories Ato Z Link Party, Oh My Heartsie Girls Wordless Wednesday. View From In Here, Cornerstone Confessions Titus 2 Tuesday

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