vegan

Name: Air Fryer Salsa Verde
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 1 lb. tomatillos, peeled and rinsed; 1 large jalapeno (or 2 serranos for spicier salsa); ½ small white onion; salt to taste; cilantro, handful; water (optional)

Delicious Air Fryer Salsa Verde Recipe

August 17, 2020 by Rachel 18 Comments

It’s official tomato season! All over social media I’m seeing photos of friends reaping their harvest of tomatoes, tomatillos, squash, and zucchini! Our recent harvests have been very plentiful! So why not put some of these garden veggies to use with making a super easy and super delicious air fryer salsa verde recipe!

What you’ll need

I know that air fryers have recently soared in popularity, but it doesn’t have to be a standalone appliance. In fact, I despise standalone kitchen appliances. They take up so much space! If you’re in the market for an air fryer please consider getting the Breville Convection and Air Fryer (it’s currently on sale right now!). We had an older version of this Breville Convection Toaster Oven, and when it came time to replace it, we went with this exact model. I know, I know… it’s not the most inexpensive option out there. But we get daily use out of it. More than a few times a day, in fact!

But you’ll also need tomatillos! Tomatillos, or husk tomatoes, can be grown across North America. So if you’re looking for something to grow in next years backyard garden, look no further! You’ll likely be able to find tomatillo seeds in your local garden store, but if not be sure to check a website like Seeds Now! Hurry! It’s time to start planning next year’s garden, now!

But why air fry?

Air frying is such a good alternative to traditional frying. It’s a way healthier option! Air frying doesn’t use any oil, so no need to worry about unneeded cholesterol spikes!

And why this recipe?

Because it is SIMPLE and delicious! And who doesn’t like those two things!? Besides a pound of tomatillos, it calls for a jalapeno, half of a white onion, a teeny pinch of salt, and cilantro (if that’s your jam — PS. it IS my jam!). How easy is that, right?! I am basically obsessed.

The Air Fryer Salsa Verde Recipe

Yield: 16 ounces

Air Fryer Salsa Verde

Ingredients

1 lb. tomatillos, peeled and rinsed
1 large jalapeno (or 2 serranos for spicier salsa)
½ small white onion
salt to taste
cilantro, handful
water (optional)

Instructions

Place the tomatillos and onion into the air fryer basket, depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to do this in batches. Close the machine and set temperature to 390F for 5 minutes.
Carefully open the air fryer and very gently remove the tomatillos, place them on a small bowl. If the jalapeno has also softened and browned a bit remove it from the air fryer as well.
Leave the onion in the air fryer but flip it over. Set temperature to 390F and time to 3 minutes. Once time is up check on the onion, it should be softened and a bit browned on the edges.
Allow the ingredients to cool before placing them in a Vitamix or blender. Add the salt and the cilantro on top. Any liquid that was released by the tomatillos while they cooled should also be added.
Blend until you have a smooth salsa. If desired, add water to thin it down some more. Taste for salt and add as needed!
ENJOY!

Easy peasy, am I right?! Just pair with your favorite tortilla chip and you’re DONE! Tell me — what’s your favorite way to use an air fryer?

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Vegan Chocolate Tart (gluten free / dairy free / Vegan )

July 8, 2020 by Rachel 23 Comments

Having two kids with dairy intolerances has its challenges. For one — it can feel impossible to make a dessert that kids enjoy. But the reality is that gluten free and dairy free desserts are way easier to make than you may think! In fact, this vegan chocolate tart, which is both dairy free and gluten free, is incredible and enjoyed by all ages!

Vegan and Dairy Free Doesn’t Have to be Difficult

Incorporating dairy free or vegan dishes into your diet is actually way easier than you would think. Mostly everything has a vegetable or nut substitute. And, in meals where appropriate, a ‘cheesy’ flavor is easy to replicate!

If you’re looking to incorporate more vegan options into your diet, there are a few things you should always have on hand! My suggestion is to stock up on cashews, nutritional yeast, and Ajoyo almond milk.

Lick the spoon! — It’s Vegan!

We’ve all seen desserts that look too decadent to eat. This is one of those. But it’s easier to make than you would think! Simple ingredients and a simple process. And absolutely nothing to stop you from licking the batter off the spoon!

Your family and friends will never know this vegan chocolate tart is also gluten free

Gluten Free + Vegan Chocolate Tart

Gluten Free / Egg Free / Dairy Free

Ingredients

Tart Crust

1/2 cup of buckwheat flour
1/2 cup of whole almonds
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of corn flour
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter alternative ( or for non-vegan, unsalted butter)
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Tart Filling

7 tablespoons of dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup of vegan whipping cream
4 tablespoons of AJOYO Unsweetened Almond Milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon of instant coffee
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of corn flour
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Instructions

For the base / crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the buckwheat flour and almonds in a Vitamix or food processor and grind to form a firm powder.
Add the powder to a bowl. Then add all the remaining ingredients and mix it together by hand until everything is well combined.
Spray tart tin with cooking spray. Place the crust mixture on the tart tin and spread evenly with a spoon or hands.
Bake crust at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes (until cooked through).
Remove and set aside to cool.

For the filling:

Warm a medium saucepan over low heat.
Add the vegan cream, chopped chocolate, coffee, cocoa powder and sugar to the saucepan. Stir until all of the chocolate melts.
Add AJOYO Unsweetened Almond Milk to the saucepan and stir in the corn flour until it is completely dissolved. Cook and continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken (about 5 minutes).
Remove the saucepan from heat, and add the salt, olive oil, and vanilla extract to the pan. Mix thoroughly.
Let filling cool for roughly 15 minutes before pouring it into the cooled tart base.
Spread the filling evenly and place in fridge for 6 hours to chill.
Serve with your choice of fresh fruits! ENJOY!

Tell me — what’s your favorite vegan substitute?!

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Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe — Dairy Free

July 3, 2020 by Rachel 31 Comments

If you’re new around here, you may notice that I try to incorporate as many dairy free / vegan recipes into our life as possible. The reason being? Two out of three kids have had some sort of dairy intolerance. If you’ve ever shopped for dairy free products, you know it can get expensive. This is especially true when you have two kids who love yogurt. Enter: dairy free Instant Pot yogurt.

I have long heard about people brave enough to make their own yogurt in the Instant Pot. But I was always super intimidated with the process. I mean, it sounds complicated so it must be, right? I decided to try and figure out exactly what I would need to make it and I quickly realized it was a lot easier than it seemed!

What You’ll Need

Besides the Instant Pot, there were only a couple other “must-have” items for this recipe. First, you will need a vegan yogurt starter. I ordered this one from Amazon Prime and it arrived within 2 days. You’ll also need a cheesecloth, agar agar powder, and a reliable cooking thermometer.

Don’t Get Discouraged!

Once you have all of the items, it’s really quite simple! There’s a lot of waiting. Like, a lot. And I think the ‘time’ of all of it can be intimidating. But don’t let it be discouraging!

Tips for Making the Best Instant Pot Almond Milk Yogurt

Whatever you do, do not skip the thermometer step! Also, be sure that once the incubation period starts, you leave it. Don’t try and sneak a peek at the yogurt; this will have a negative effect on the results.

Yield: 8 servings

Dairy Free Instant Pot Yogurt

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 day

Additional Time 10 hours

Total Time 1 day 10 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

3 ¼ Cups of Ajoyo Sweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
½ teaspoon of vegan yogurt starter
4 teaspoons of powdered agar agar

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot on by pressing the Yogurt button. Use this function and continue pressing until it reads “Boil.”
Pour Ajoyo Almond Milk into the Instant Pot. Add the agar agar. Whisk to mix well.
Use a cooking or candy thermometer to watch the temperature of the mixture. Wait until the temperature reaches between 110 - 115 degrees fahrenheit (this will take only a few minutes).
Once the temperature is reached, turn the Instant Pot off.
Use a mesh strainer lined with a cheesecloth to strain the mixture into a bowl.
Add the vegan yogurt starter to the mixture. Whisk until combined.
Pour the mixture back into the Instant Pot and close the lid. to start the incubation period.
Press the yogurt function, set pressure to “normal,” and set time to 24:00 (hours).
After 24 hours of incubation, remove the mixture from the Instant Pot and place in a covered container in the refrigerator for 10 hours.
Once the yogurt has sat refrigerated for 10 hours, mix the yogurt to combine (some will have settled). Sweeten to your taste (I prefer honey and almonds).
Enjoy!

Once your yogurt is done, top it with whatever you’d like. My kids prefer it a little on the sweeter side, so we use honey and strawberries to give it an extra kick! But I understand that a lot of vegans do not eat honey. You could also try sweetening with vanilla extract!