Creamy Dill Dip (vegan, gluten-free)

Simple. Creamy. Delicious. Dip for just about anything.

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CREAMY DILL DIP

Gluten free, can be soy free (choose soy free mayo and sour cream), vegan.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 cups of dip

Ingredients

1 cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)

1 cup vegan sour cream or plain vegan yogurt (I use Wayfare brand sour cream)

2 tsp dried dill weed

1 tsp dried onion flakes

1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Method

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill at least 20 minutes before serving for flavor to meld. Dip away!!!


© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Chick'pea & Grape Salad (vegan, gluten-free)

I have always been a big fan of Summer salads! You know, all those delicious favorites that show up at potluck gatherings. *drool*

I was thinking of titling this recipe "Chickens run wild and free salad." Since stepping on to the path of a compassionate lifestyle, I have been reworking my favorite dishes from earlier in life. This recipe is the IDEAL salad to get cruelty off the Summer salad menu, as it is packed with flavor and can easily make it's way onto the non-vegan's plate. Every year, 50 BILLION chickens are slaughtered worldwide. We, the consumers, are the only ones who can drastically reduce (and perhaps someday, eliminate) this astounding statistic.

If you are or were a fan of chicken or tuna salad, this tasty replacement is a great place to start. I have been totally vegan for just over 3 years now, and can I say…this tastes so much like chicken salad to me that I had trouble eating it at first! :)

So go ahead, give it a whirl. You will love the taste of cruelty free.

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CHICK'PEA AND GRAPE SALAD

Gluten free, can be soy free (use a soy free mayo and sour cream), vegan.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 (24 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup small diced onion
1 stalk celery, diced small
1 cup grapes, sliced into quarters
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)
1/4 cup vegan sour cream OR plain vegan yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice

dash of paprika
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp freshly ground black peppercorns
sea salt to taste

Method

In a food processor, pulse chickpeas 5-8 times, until they appear coarsely chopped (be careful not to turn them into a paste or hummus-like texture).

Place pulsed chickpeas in a mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients and stir gently to blend. Adjust salt to taste and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

√ serve on your favorite bread or wrapped in a tortilla with a crisp of lettuce
√ serve over a bed of kale, lettuce, spinach, or mixed greens
√ serve a scoop as a 'side' dish on a crisp of lettuce


© 2014 Ahimsa Kitchen and Marty Tribble | Reproduction of this post without written permission is unlawful.

Hot Cocoa (vegan, gluten-free)

This recipe is derived from The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau...if you don't have it in your collection, order it today! It's the most used book in my kitchen, and I have yet to find a recipe that non-vegans didn't devour ("this is vegan???").

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup water

4 cups non-dairy milk like soy, almond or rice milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp mint extract (optional)
agave or raw sugar to taste

vegan marshmallows for topping (I used Dandies)

Combine cocoa powder and water in a small pot over medium heat; stir frequently until mixture reaches a boil. Continue to cook and stir constantly for about 1 minute. Add choice of milk and heat to desired drinking temperature (do not boil). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, mint (optional), and agave. Serve immediately with a garnish of marshmallows as desired.

*gluten free, can be soy free if using a non-soy milk and skipping the marshmallows

Masala Chai (vegan, gluten-free)

Chai (the Hindi term for tea) is a spectacular beverage, perfect for any cold Winter's day. The spices and herbs warm the body and comfort the soul. I've experimented with a few variations, and have decided to post a more traditional variation of this classical Indian spice tea, closer to what it may have been before the English introduced and encouraged the heavy use of black tea to the country. For those who desire black tea in their chai, after removing chai mix from heat, add 2-3 tsp loose black tea (recommend decaf) or 2 tea bags, steep three minutes; strain and serve.

2 1/2 cups water

1 tsp cardamom powder or 2 pods black cardamom, crushed

4 whole black peppercorns

2-4 slices fresh ginger

1/4 tsp of cinnamon or 1 large stick cinnamon

2 whole cloves

2/3-3/4 cup non-dairy milk (I prefer soy)

raw sugar or agave nectar to taste

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Combine water and all spices in a small saucepan; bring to a low boil. Lower heat to simmer for 5-10  minutes. Add non-dairy milk and sweetener of choice and bring to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Strain through a fine sieve and serve hot.

*gluten free, can be soy free if choosing coconut or almond milk

Golden Milk, A Powerful Anti-inflammatory Drink (vegan, gluten-free)

I've seen this recipe in many forms across the web, this is how we make Golden Milk at hOMe. I often share the healing power of Golden Milk with yoga students who arrive at class with some sort of inflammation (i.e., my shoulder, calf, hip hurts from running, lifting, etc.). Turmeric is one of the most healing spices we can consume. The most known benefit is that turmeric reduces inflammation in a way that pharmaceuticals cannot compare (and without side effects). This spice has been used for centuries in India as a part of daily diet and healing. Reducing chronic inflammation is key to healing and prevention and treatment of all sorts of dis-ease, from IBS to cancer. This delicious beverage taste more like a treat than medicine, serve it up and find ways to integrate more turmeric in your diet!

1 Tbsp almond oil or vegan soy-free butter, like Earth Balance Soy-free

1 tsp turmeric

1 - 1 1/2 cups plain or vanilla soy, almond, or coconut milk

2-3 tsp agave nectar (to taste)

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat; add turmeric and saute about 5 minutes, minding the pan heat so as not to overcook the turmeric. Add choice of non-dairy milk; heat to the start of boiling and remove from heat. Add agave nectar to desired level of sweetness; enjoy this beverage as warm as the tongue finds possible.

*gluten free, soy free when using a non-soy milk choice.

Creamy Summer Salad (vegan, gluten-free)

One of the textures we tend to miss as vegans is CREAMY. Well, at least I do! Sometimes non-vegans as why I re-create dairy textures, after all, I went vegan and gave up dairy…and I always reply that I didn't go vegan because I lost my taste for dairy, I went vegan because I lost my taste for cruelty. 

Creamy vegan foods are readily available and simple to make with a little creativity. This recipe uses my Vegan Ranch Dip recipe to recreate the typical store-bought or homemade deli salads we find at Summer picnics. You can substitute/add any veggies you like to create your own unique version of this Summertime favorite.

4 cups cooked organic quinoa pasta (elbows, curls…you choose!)
1 pint organic cherry tomatoes (heirloom if available), whole
1/2 cup organic onion, diced small
1 medium organic cucumber, diced small
1 can small whole black olives, choose organic or check label for additives
1/2-3/4 cup of my Vegan Ranch Dip, depending on how creamy you like it

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and gently combine with a large wooden spoon. Chill for at least two hours or overnight. Gently stir before serving.

Remember, use local and organic foods as much as possible. This is just as important as our choice to remove animal products from our diet, and organic tastes better too!

*gluten-free, soy-free

Ranch Dip (vegan, gluten-free)

Use this yummy dip for veggies and pizza, to replace mayo on sandwiches, and in pasta salads.

2 cups vegan sour cream (I use Wayfare's since is soy/gluten-free)
2 Tbsp Vegenaise (soy-free vegan mayo-style spread options available)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried onion flakes

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and mix well. For a thinner consistency more like a salad dressing, add almond milk to desired consistency. Chill and serve.

Remember, use local and organic foods as much as possible. This is just as important as our choice to remove/reduce animal products from our diet!

*gluten free, can be soy-free